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Nairobi |

May 17, 2014
No. 17941
Amazing hustles
P. 3 From Nameless, Amani to Wahu
Jaguar, Juliani and Daddy Owen, we
reveal the side jobs that keep mu-
sic stars
aoat
Queen of crop
breeding: Dr Jane
Ininda has devel-
oped more than 180
crop varieties and
counting ...
The blunder-
ing ministers
P. 10 Economist
David Ndii on why
Jubilee is tumbling
one scam to another

SECURITY | Kenyatta defends move to empower county commissioners even as Nyongo says its in bad faith
Uhuru and Cord face o
as 12 killed in city blast
ISHMAEL AZELI & DENISH OCHIENG | NATION
The aftermath of twin blasts at the popular Gikomba Market in Nairobi, where 12 people died and 78 others were injured
yesterday afternoon. Right: One of the survivors at Kenyatta National Hospital. The attacks happened a day after the UK
government started evacuating its citizens from Mombasa over insecurity.
Two men arrested
after twin explosions
hit popular Gikomba
market, leaving
more than 70 people
seriously injured
Big losses for hotels
and other businesses
as US, UK and other
European countries
evacuate their
citizens
Railas party
accuses Jubilee of
laxity and deceit in
paying Anglo Leasing
debts, threatens to go
to court
Stories and pictures
on pages 2, 4 and 5
INDEX News P. 1-18 Opinion P. 12-14 Letters P. 15 Weekend P. 19,22,37-41 International P. 42-46 Business P. 47 Sport P. 51-56
INSECURITY | President appeals for calm as UK evacuates its nationals on holiday
BY ANGIRA ZADOCK
zangira@ke.nationmedia.com
AND THOMAS KARIUKI
TKariuki@ke.nationmedia.com
T
wo terror suspects were ar-
rested after twin explosions
left 12 people dead and more
than 78 injured in Gikomba market,
Nairobi, yesterday.
The attack came as panic spread
through the international community,
with Britain evacuating more than
600 tourists mainly from Mombasa
and cancelling, with immediate eect,
all scheduled ights from that coun-
try until October 31, this year.
The Kenya Tourism Federation es-
timated the loss expected after the
cancellation of tourist arrivals at Sh5
billion and accused the government
of not taking adequate measures to
deal with terrorism.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, who
spoke a few minutes after the twin
explosions, called on the international
community to instead work with
Kenya to tackle what he described
as fast-rising worldwide evil.
Four people died instantly and
more than 80 others were injured in
the back-to-back explosions at the
crowded Gikomba market shortly
after 2pm, a few metres from the
Machakos Country Bus Station.
Eight more succumbed to injuries at
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Police said the blasts two minutes
apart were caused by improvised
explosive devices.
Nairobi County Police Commander
Benson Kibue said detectives were
questioning two people arrested at
the scene by the public shortly after
the blast.
Buying second-hand clothes
They were positively identied and
they are in police custody, he said.
Police had, however, not linked the
two suspects to the attack. Accounts
of eyewitnesses interviewed by the
Saturday Nation were contradictory,
but police maintained that they were
holding the key suspects.
The two were apprehended as they
tried to escape amid the confusion that
befell the unsuspecting shoppers.
The first blast went off near a
structure where people were buying
second-hand clothes. Two men and
a woman were killed instantly while
30 others were injured.
A matatu belonging to Jesmat Sacco,
which was carrying passengers next to
the makeshift structure, was wrecked
by the impact that left the passengers
with shrapnel injuries.
As the public ed towards Pumwani
78 taken to hospital after
twin terrorist attacks
at the busy Gikomba
market near the citys
central business district
Nairobi terror attack leaves 12 dead
Road, another blast went o about 70
metres away. One person was killed
and 40 others injured in the blast.
The two explosions left two holes
about 30 cm deep and 45cm wide
on the ground.
Police had a dicult time control-
ling the crowds at the scene.
Second-hand clothes some
soaked in blood were strewn all
over the place. Others hang on the
overhead electricity cables.
Mr Fred Majiwa from the Kenya
Red Cross conrmed that dozens of
people were injured in the explosions
and were taken to Kenyatta National
and Guru Nanak hospitals.
Mr Stanley Karanja, owner of a
kiosk next to the scene of one of
the explosions, said that when he
heard the blast, he thought it was a
tyre burst.
Then I heard the second explosion,
only that this time it was louder than
the rst one. I saw people lying down,
some of them bleeding, he said.
Preliminary investigations showed
that the attackers targeted people
who frequent the busy market to
buy clothes and food.
The rear windscreen of a white sa-
loon car parked next to a structure
where one of the devices went o
was shattered.
Another businessman, Mr Peter
Ndegwa, who was unhurt, said the
assailants were dressed normally.
I sell shoes next to my friend who
has just passed on; he was killed by
the explosion.
A statement from Kenyatta National
Hospital chief executive Lily Koros
Tare said: Patients sustained mul-
tiple fractures and shrapnel injuries.
Eight patients have died (four men
and four women).
Seven patients were transferred to
other hospitals with Aga Khan Hos-
pital taking four, Nairobi Hospital
two and Mater Hospital one, leaving
69 at the countrys premier referral
hospital.
I heard the second explosion,
only that this time it was
louder than the rst one. I
saw people lying down, some
of them bleeding
Stanley Karanja, kiosk owner
ISHMAEL AZELI | NATION
Detectives at the scene of the explosion that happened in Gikomba, Nairobi, yesterday. Twelve people
were killed and dozens injured.
DENISH OCHIENG | NATION
A victim is tagged at the Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi,
yesterday.
DENISH OCHIENG |
NATION
A Kenyatta
National Hos-
pital guard
restrains the
public at the
institutions
emergency
and accident
reception.
ISHMAEL AZELI | NATION
A young girl is assisted at the scene of the explosion.
GERALD ANDERSON | NATION
Police clear the scene of the explosion.
DENISH OCHIENG | NATION
A victim arrives at Kenyatta National Hospital. Scores were seriously injured in
the blast.
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
2 | National News
SHOWBIZ | Many in the local entertainment industry agree that income from performances alone is not enough
For Kenyan artistes, music
alone cannot pay the bills
BY JOHN MUCHIRI
@moshiiri
T
he Kenyan entertainment
industry has turned into a
multi-million-shilling busi-
ness in the last decade.
Popular musicians such as
Jaguar and P-Unit say they can
now charge up to Sh300,000 for
a one-hour performance. Others
earn between Sh100,000 and
Sh200,000 a far cry from the
paltry rates of yesteryear.
Despite the rising popularity
of local pop music, many artistes
confess that the frequency of
shows in Kenya and East Africa
is wanting.
It is dicult for a musician to
earn a living from performances
and music sales, hence many nd
it necessary to supplement their
income.
For Jaguar, whose real name
is Charles Njagua, to maintain
his four fuel guzzlers and ashy
lifestyle, he needs more than just
performances.
I have invested in other busi-
nesses so I dont have to wait for
performances in order to pay my
bills, he says.
The Kigeugeu singer owns a
garage on Nanyuki Road in Nai-
robis Industrial Area. He has
also invested in a security rm
that provides guards for oces
and homes, and in real estate,
with apartments in Kileleshwa
and Pangani.
Im also importing top range
cars and have a eet of taxis in
Nairobi and Mombasa. I have no
reason to wait for performances
to pay my bills.
Singer Kunguru is also in busi-
ness he has a garage besides
working at Standard Chartered
Bank.
Showbiz couple Nameless
and Wahu too run businesses
when they are not performing.
We co-own an audio visual
company, Alternative Concepts,
where we produce music and both
radio and TV commercials, says
Wahu, adding that shows alone
cannot help them to provide for
their children.
Constant ow of income
We have to think of other
ways of getting a constant ow
of income, even if the shows may
pay well. Wahu also runs a beauty
parlour, Afro-Siri, in Westlands.
Julius Owino aka Juliani decided
to open an entertainment-related
business. I have an oce at the
Godown Arts Centre, with a team
that creates concert concepts, he
says.
Gospel act Daddy Owen runs
an events company called Loud
and Clear. Performance income
is not enough in this industry, he
says. One must look for other
ways to pay bills.
Boniface Chege, who is Bon-
Eye in the group P-Unit, is into
green building solutions. He is the
managing director of a Muthaiga-
based construction consultancy
company, Web Limited.
We are the only company
in East Africa that consults on
sustainable construction (solu-
tions), he says. We are currently
consulting on the construction of
the upcoming Garden City mall
in Ruaraka.
He sits in the Kenya Green
Building Society committee,
which seeks to create a unique
building rating tool for Kenya,
and he is the champion for the
National Coalition for Green
Schools movement.
This keeps me busy and pays
my bills when we are not perform-
ing out there as P-Unit.
One of the most financially
successful musicians in Kenya is
Wyre, who makes a pretty penny
from corporate endorsement.
His two-year endorsement
deal with Samsung ended last
year, but he has just been signed
up as brand ambassador for
Sport Pesa.
When one invests heavily in
their brand, its easy to eat the
fruits much later, he says. I have
worked hard to build my brand
and in the process, I have gotten
a nod from the corporate world.
I no longer wait for performances
to pay my bills.
Besides, he owns a recording
studio, Love Child Records.
Many other artistes remain in
employment. Peterson Githinji
(Pitson) popular for his song
Lingala Ya Yesu, works at
Standard Chartered Bank, while
others such as Sanaipei Tande
and Mimmo Wanjuhi are radio
presenters.
Local pop musicians must have
full-time jobs or engage in
businesses to supplement income
We have to think of
other ways of getting
a constant ow of
income
Singer Wahu Kagwi
300,000
The amount, in shillings, that
local musicians can now charge
for a single show. Despite that,
they have to seek other sources
of income to survive.
Juliani: Owns a company that cre-
ates concert concepts.
Jaguar: Has investments in secu-
rity and real estate, among other
sectors.
BY NATION
CORRESPONDENT
Grief engulfed residents of Ka-
tilini in Kitui County at a joint
requiem Mass for 10 victims of
poison drink.
Relatives and friends of the
victims wailed uncontrollably
when the bodies were lowered
from trucks at Katilini Primary
School in Ikutha District.
Among the victims were Mr
Muinde Munyao, the deputy
principal of Monguni Second-
ary School, and primary school
teachers Onesmus Maingi and
Muinde Munguti.
The teachers consumed the
killer liquor on the opening day
of the second term two weeks
ago.
The regions leaders, among
them Kitui Governor Julius
Malombe, condemned the drinks
that caused the tragedy in which
18 other people became blind.
Dr Malombe said the tragedy
had amplied the need for county
and national governments to put
in place a comprehensive strategy
for dealing with disasters .
We must accept the bitter
truth that these deaths were
caused by negligence, corrup-
tion, bribery and incompetence
in our institutional framework
as well as careless living at the
individual level, said the governor
in the company of his deputy, Ms
Penina Malonza, and Kitui South
MP Rachael Nyamai.
He reminded mourners that a
similar tragedy happened a few
years ago at Kyumbi in Machakos
County, when drinks laced with
methanol claimed 52 lives.
The victims were fathers,
husbands, brothers and guard-
ians whose deaths were needless
and could have been avoided, he
lamented.
The governor pledged to coop-
erate with government agencies
to seal all loopholes and tighten
mechanisms to regulate the trade
and consumption of liquor.
Kitui Catholic Bishop Anthony
Muheria, who conducted the Mass,
said it was sad that among the
dead were parents.
The bishop urged the commu-
nity to extend compassion to the
bereaved families in the spirit of
good neighbourliness to enable
them to overcome their loss.
The bodies were transported
to their respective villages
in Maunguni, Yolomuni and
Athi, for burial after the Mass.
Shock and grief as county prays for victims of toxic alcohol
We must accept
the bitter truth that
these deaths were
caused by negligence,
corruption, bribery and
incompetence
Kitui Governor Julius
Malombe
KITAVI MUTUA | NATION
Solemn moment as Katilini villagers pray for the 10 victims of poisonous liquor at the local
primary school in Kitui County yesterday. The bodies were later buried in Maunguni, Yolomuni
and Athi villages.
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
National News 3
SCANDAL | Settlement of contracts will burden an already strained economy, coalition says
BY JOHN NGIRACHU
@JohnNgirachu
jngirachu@ke.nationmedia.com
T
he opposition yesterday
strongly opposed President
Uhuru Kenyattas directive
to the Treasury to pay two Anglo
Leasing-type companies Sh1.4 bil-
lion for suspicious deals.
The Coalition for Reforms
and Democracy (Cord) accused
the President of breaching and
undermining the Constitution,
and said they would go to court to
stop the payments in the interest
of the public.
Cord also protested at the
Presidents decision to delegate
executive powers to county com-
missioners. By doing this and also
authorising the payments to the
two shadowy rms despite Parlia-
ments disapproval, the President,
had broken the law with impunity,
the opposition leaders claimed.
It is regrettable that the Presi-
dent has turned into a rodent that
is eating away at the very core of
the Constitution that he swore to
protect. We wish to remind him
that our Constitution is not a
lifeless piece in a museum, Cord
said in a statement read at a Press
brieng at the Serena Hotel in
Nairobi by ODM acting party
leader Peter Anyang Nyongo.
It is our considered view that
the Presidents decree in favour
of Anglo Leasing is inadequate
even to invite our conscience;
impotent to warrant payment
from the Exchequer; ridiculous
for sanitising fraud; scandalous
if brought forward to earn public
support and monstrous enough
to ruin our already strained
economy, he said.
But asked what action they
would take, Prof Nyongo said
they would consider whether to
take their case to the law courts
or leave it in the court of public
opinion.
Cord co-principal Kalonzo
Musyoka added: Peaceful dem-
onstration is a right of every
Kenyan under the Constitution.
Nobody should feel threatened by
that because what else do you do
when you have a government that
is not listening to its own people.
A peaceful demonstration is an
option.
The Wiper Party leader went
on: We hope Jubilee is not doing
things that are going to get us to
go to the streets, because that is
as far these things have gone.
Prof Nyongo quipped: You
know this Constitution was
brought about by demonstra-
tions and it will be defended by
demonstrations. We have profes-
sional demonstrators here.
The Cord leaders described
President Kenyattas decision to
have the two rms paid as the
lowest ebb in our struggle to
combat corruption and engender
prudent management of public
resources in this country.
The opposition leaders pointed
out that given the central role Mr
Kenyatta played as the Leader of
the Ocial Opposition during the
investigations by the Public Ac-
counts Committee in 2006, it
was shocking that he would be
the same person to authorise the
payments.
We wonder what spiritual bap-
tism the President has undergone
to rationally demand the clear-
ance of the fraudulent sums.
But speaking in a televised
address at State House, Nairobi,
President Kenyatta said he made
the painful decision on which was
the greater evil; to pay the money
or put the economy at risk.
But the Cord leaders insisted
that the deals were fraudulent,
and, therefore, could not be
honoured.
Some members of the
parliamentary Budget and Ap-
propriations Committee, who
attended a meeting with the Presi-
dent at State House, Nairobi, on
Thursday, told the Saturday Na-
tion that he would rely on Article
223 (2) of the Constitution, which
provides for Parliaments approval
to be sought for any payment out
of the Consolidated Fund within
two months after the rst with-
drawal of the money.
Committee chairman Mutava
Musyimi said he stood by the po-
sition taken by the joint Budget
and Finance committees that the
country ought to pay.
These are debts that have chal-
lenges, but failure to pay would
provide greater challenges. We are
choosing between bad and worse.
Its not a choice between good
and bad, the Rev Musyimi said.
He said President Kenyatta was
within the law in authorising the
payment and Parliament would
rightly be asked for its approval
when it resumes.
As soon as we go back, we
shall do what we need to do, in
accordance with the law. It is in
the interest of the country that
we make the payment, get closure
and move on, he said.
DENISH OCHIENG | NATION
ODMs acting party leader Anyang Nyongo addresses a Press confer-
ence called by Cord at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi yesterday. On the
left is Cord co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka.
Opposition
leaders
accuse
President
Kenyatta of
breaching
supreme
law
Cord denounces
payments to Anglo
Leasing companies
Its in the interest of the
country that we make the
payments, get closure and
move on
The Rev Musyimi, Budget
Committee chairman
Payment of the contracts
is not in the interest of the
public
It amounts to sanitising
and honouring of fraudulent
deals
It could undermine further,
an already strained national
economy.
It is a setback to ght
against corruption
Its shocking for Uhuru to
pay now yet he opposed the
same when he was Leader of
Opposition
RESPONSE
Coalition
states its stand
WAR ON POVERTY: LAND REFORMS YET TO HAVE IMPACT
AROUND AFRICA Central Africas crisis worsening despite a weakened LRA Pg 29
Q&A
AfDB to make economic growth an agenda for Africa Pg 23
DEVELOPMENT Africa losing $17 billion annually to illegal loggers
Pg 28
SCIENCE
New drug brings hope for faster cure for drug-resistant TB Pg26
Dead capital: W
hy land titles wont end poverty in Africa
Economists say that land owneship is
one of the tools of empoweing the poo,
but studies show that the cost and ed
tape involved in obtaining documentay
poof of owneship is pohibitive fo the
continents poo
TURN TO PAGE 24-25
JUST A PAPER?
One of the central arguments for handing titles to the poor is that they can access credit and improve their productivity. But even for those who have acquired titles, their lives have not necessarily become better. Studies show that poor people with titles are no more likely to obtain loans than those without.
MAY 17-23,2014
25
O
U
T
L
O
O
K
AFRICAN AFFAIRS, ECONOMICS, TRADE, SECURITY, ENVIRONMENT
www.theeastafrican.co.ke MAY 17-23, 2014
BOOKS | LIFESTYLE | TRAVEL | THE ARTS | HEALTH & SCIENCE | SPORT
books
NO PLACE TO
HIDE: AN ENCOUNTER
WITH SNOWDEN
P. III >
food
RECIPE: THE SIZZLE
MAKES THE STEAK
P. XI >
MAGAZINE
Beathing life
into stone, one
chip at a time
FRED OLUOCH speaks with enowned Kenyan
sculpto Elkanah Ongesa on his commissioning
by the Smithsonian Museum to ceate a sculptue
that celebates the ght to save the elephant
TURN TO PAGE VI-VII
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
4 | National News
standing, there is a ruling in
an international court that has
made demands that Kenya
must pay. We lost the case, we
didnt win it. The fact that we
didnt win it doesnt mean that
I have changed my position, I
maintain my position.
The President said it was
better to pay and clear the
way for Kenyas issue of a
Euro Bond which the govern-
ment hopes will fetch Sh132
billion to finance the next
budget. Failure to pay would
mean Kenya would not secure
approval to issue the bond as
it would be deemed to have
dishonoured its international
obligations, he said.
On the possibility that the
payment could open up an
avenue for other rms to sue
for compensation, claiming
they were not paid, President
Kenyatta said it was the duty
of the Attorney-General to pre-
vent such an eventuality.
Anglo Leasing involved
contracts entered in between
1997 and 2003 for the deliv-
ery of security services for the
government which included a
forensic lab, passport equip-
ment and technological
improvement for the Postal
Corporation. They were worth
Sh55 billion.
But the government then
did not have money so it
entered lease-financing and
credit and supplier credits to
circumvent the departure of
financial donors. According
to the Treasury, 11 contracts
(Sh30.5 billion) were partially
completed, four of which worth
Sh18.9 billion were cancelled
and three worth Sh6.8 billion
were fully delivered.
However, of the ve remain-
ing (Sh13.8 billion), Kenya paid
contractual penalties worth
Sh7.9 billion to two, one is
still being negotiated while
two were subjected to court
proceedings in London and
Geneva.
BY AGGREY MUTAMBO
@agmutambo
amutambo@ke.nationmedia.com
I
nternational pressure and
second-rate performance
by the State Law Office
condemned Kenya into pay-
ing for the controversial Anglo
Leasing contracts, President
Kenyatta said yesterday.
He tore into the Attorney
Generals oce and demanded
that they up their game in
fighting the countrys legal
battles abroad.
The revelation formed the
core of the Presidents argu-
ment that Kenya had no choice
but to pay Sh1.4 billion to two
controversial rms, after los-
ing cases to them in London
and Geneva.
We must up our game so
that our counsel can stand by
what all Kenyans including
myself believe that we should
not be paying this and we need
to be able to win all those court
battles in the courtroom, he
told journalists at State House,
Nairobi.
Unfortunately, out there in
the international community,
they are not interested in our
debate here; they are interested
in the ruling of the courts and
whether Kenya has obeyed the
ruling of the court or not, said
the President, who on Thurs-
day authorised the National
Treasury to pay Sh1.4 billion
to First Mercantile Securities
Corporation and Universal Sat
Space, which took the country
to courts in London (2013) and
Geneva (2012), for breach of
contract. First Mercantile won
$10.6 million while Sat Space
was awarded $7.8 million.
The two companies had
signed contracts worth Sh2.9
billion with Kenya but the court
awards meant Kenya had to pay
an equivalent of Sh1.6 billion.
Treasury ocials have argued
they negotiated the gure down
to Sh1.4 billion, but which
would balloon to Sh96.6 bil-
lion including interest rates,
if Kenya failed to pay.
When he tabled a Parlia-
mentary Accounts Committee
report on the procurement of
passports in 2006, President
Kenyatta, then the committees
chair, observed that the con-
tracts represented impunity,
negligence and recklessness
in the management of public
resources. He called them a
scam given the way insiders
in government colluded with
faceless rms to dupe the gov-
ernment into paying interests
and fees on items that were not
delivered.
Yesterday, Mr Kenyatta said
he still stood by those words
since only the circumstances
have changed.
That position still stands,
but the fact of the matter
is, that was a parliamentary
report. I was not counsel
representing this nation in
the courts in London and in
Geneva at the arbitration. We
didnt lose our battle in the
National Assembly; we lost
our battle in the courts out
there.
Despite that particular
Uhuru blames Anglo Leasing pay on AG
State Law oce was
sloppy in defending
the Governments
position on contracts
SALATON NJAU| NATION
President Kenyatta addresses
a press conference at State
House Nairobi yesterday. He
blamed lawyers in the State
Law Oce for failing to defend
the Governments position on
the Anglo Leasing contracts
competently.
SCANDAL | President at pains to explain his decision on the security contracts
What the Government is paying
two companies in the Anglo
Leasing contracts after losing
two court cases
Sh1.4bn
Enforcement of court rulings
No recourse for appeal
Failure to pay would block-
the sovereign bond process
Negative impact on sovereign
rating
Interest charges on the
judgments would be too
high
BILLIONS SETTLEMENT
Reasons for
paying up
BY NATION REPORTER
County Commissioners will
be expected to exercise their
new powers in line with the
Constitution.
The Cabinet Secretary in
charge of Devolution, Ms
Anne Waiguru, said yesterday
that the commissioners would
not be allowed to misuse the
powers and would be dealt with
if they did so.
While addressing editors at
the Ministry of Information of-
ces yesterday, Ms Waiguru
(right) said delegation
of powers was meant to
ensure proper coordina-
tion at the grassroots to
optimise on resources and
avoid wastage.
She added that the
move was part of a
wider plan
to decen-
t ral i se
management and create a
lean, rationalised and well-
coordinated government.
A key plank of the plan will
be pooling of resources, both
nancial and human, at the
grassroots with the commis-
sioner exercising oversight,
she added.
Consequently, a county
commissioner will have a big
say in the way government
functions are undertaken and
will be answerable to
the Executive.
According
to the CS,
the commis-
sioners will
be expected
to work har-
moniously
with the
devolved units
where decisions will be by
consensus. If there will be no
agreement, the commissioners
word would be nal.
In such a case, commis-
sioners will be expected to
escalate the matter to their
superiors who will then de-
termine whether it was the
right decision. They can over-
rule it if the situation demands
but the commissioners will be
expected to ensure there is con-
sensus, Ms Waiguru said.
Later, while addressing
a Press conference at State
House, President Kenyatta
defended the move, saying it
was meant to ensure eciency
and better coordination.
It is not about control. We
recognise that we live in a new
dispensation. It is the people
arguing the opposite who still
have a mind of control. We left
that when we passed the new
Constitution, he said.
Minister defends new structure
Pursuant to Article 196(1) (b) and 221(5) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 and Section 207 of the Public Finance Management
Act no. 18 of 2012, The Committee on County Budget & Appropriation of the County Assembly of Turkana will be conducting Public
Consultative forums on the County Budget Estimates for the Financial year 2014/2015 as forwarded to the County Assembly by the
Executive Committee Member for Finance and Planning on the 30
th
April, 2014.
The dates and venues for Public Participation are as indicated below.
DATES SUB - COUNTY TIME AREA/WARDS VENUE RESPONSIBILITY
3
RD
4
TH

JUNE,2014
TURKANA NORTH 9.00 a.m Lapur, Kaeris,
Lakezone,Nakalale, Kaikor/
Kaaleng, Kibish
Lokitaung
(DC Hall)
Sub County
administrator and
Ward administrators
5
TH
-6
TH
JUNE
2014
TURKANA WEST 9.00 a.m Kakuma, Letea, Kalobeyei,
Lopur, Lokichoggio,Songot,
Nanam
Kakuma
(Kakuma
multipurpose hall)
Sub County
administrator and
Ward administrators
7
TH
- 9
TH

JUNE, 2014
TURKANA CENTRAL 9.00 a.m Township,Kanamkemer,
Kerio Delta, Kangatotha,
Kalokol
Lodwar Town
(Ceamo hotel)
Sub County
administrator and
Ward administrators
10
TH
11
TH

JUNE,2014
LOIMA 9.00 a.m Turkwel, Loima, Lobei/
Kotaruk, Lokiriam/Lorengkipi
Lorugum
(DC office hall)
Sub County
administrator and
Ward administrators
12
TH
13
TH

JUNE,2014
TURKANA SOUTH 9.00 a.m Lokichar, Katilu, Lobokat,
Kaputir, Kalapata.
Lokichar
(RCEA hall)
Sub County
administrator and
Ward administrators
14
th
16
th

JUNE,2014
TURKANA EAST 9.00 a.m Lokori, Kapedo, Katilia Lokori
(DC Office)
Sub County
administrator and
Ward administrators
NOTE:
* Submission of Memorandum by persons should be done in writing to the Clerk, County assembly of Turkana. Or send to
miinyanl@gmail.com
* The ward administrators and the sub county administrators to take lead in Sub County and Ward discussions.
* Copies of the Budget estimates can be accessed at the assembly and Ward offices.
* Members of the County Budget & Appropriation committee will guide discussions and presentations during consultative forums.
* Members of County Assembly from various sub counties are encouraged to be present during consultative forums at sub counties
headquarters.
Mr. L.L. Miinyan.
Clerk, County Assembly of Turkana.
THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY OF TURKANA
PUBLIC NOTICE
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
National News 5
In your
Tomorrow
Nairobi Governor Evans Kideros political career was thrown into
a tailspin this week when he lost his seat in an election petition
at the Court of Appeal. He rushed to the Supreme Court and
appealed the decision and will stay in oce until a decision is
made. Should the Supreme Court judges endorse the decision to
send him back to the electorate, he will run headlong into political
waters far more turbulent than last years general election. Find
out why this is a moment of truth for the Nairobi governor.
Kenyan girl who loves
working for Mayweather
Kenyan Grace Nabwire Haukwa is working
for one of the richest sportsmen in history,
Floyd Mayweather Junior. Three weeks
ago, undefeated Mayweather chalked
up his 46th win in professional boxing,
defeating Argentinas resilient World
Boxing Association welterweight
champion Marcos Maidana. The bout
earned Mayweather Mr Money to his
friends a massive $70 million, or Sh6
billion. Read about Nabwires encounters
with the boxer and what she is doing
for him.
Only in the SUNDAY NATION. Dont miss your copy
P
resident Uhuru Kenyatta ended his week with
an address to the nation that was punctuated
by blasts in Gikomba market. It was the same
day that he was painstakingly explaining to the public
why he had to pay Sh1.4 billion to the infamous
Anglo Leasing companies against positions he had
taken as Opposition leader and as Finance minister.
News of the controversial payout came as British tour
operators evacuated their nationals from the Coast
over terrorism fears, striking a major blow to local
tourism. We take a closer look at these events and
explain what they really mean for Kenya.
The week Uhuru
would rather forget
Why Kidero is at a crossroads
lifestyle
BY NATION TEAM
newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.com
B
ritain yesterday stepped up the
evacuation of its citizens tour-
ing Kenya as the Government
and tourism ocials protested, term-
ing the decision unfair and harmful
to the economy.
More than 600 tourists left the
Coast for the UK in two chartered
planes yesterday as British tour rm
Thomson Holidays informed its cli-
ents that all ights up to October 31
had been cancelled.
Kenya Tourism Federation vice-
chairman Adam Jillo accused the US,
UK, Australia and France of failing to
consult them before making the deci-
sion to pull out their citizens.
Mr Jillo, who addressed a news
conference in Nairobi, criticised the
Government for not doing enough
to reassure tourist markets that Kenya
was a safe destination. He warned that
the tourism sector would collapse if
the government did not respond to
the travel warnings, noting that the
economy would lose more than Sh5
billion and 500,000 jobs over the
period of the cancellations.
Tourist are now being airlifted out
of Mombasa without any consulta-
tion with the private sector; we are
greatly disappointed by this move,
said Mr Jillo, who urged the Govern-
ment to consider increasing funding
to the tourism sector to ensure its
sustainability.
All indications are that the travel
warnings were based on security-
related information. As citizens
and investors in the sector, we are
greatly disappointed in the Govern-
ments inaction because they should
be handling this and reassuring citi-
zens, investors and our tourist source
markets, he added.
Federation chairman JS Vohra,
said their members at the Coast had
reported losing about 900 guests,
who were all set to leave the country
last night.
Thomson Holidays posted an alert
on its website saying; As a result of
the change in Foreign and Common-
wealth Oce advice, the decision has
been taken to cancel all our outbound
ights to Mombasa.
The alert explained that all the
rms customers on holiday in Kenya,
including air fare passengers would
be own back to the UK on Thursday
and yesterday while all ights to the
country before October 31 had been
cancelled.
We understand that many custom-
ers will be very disappointed about
the cancellation of their holidays
but in these types of situations we
PHOTO LABAN WALLOGA
Tourists wait to board the Thomson ight back to the UK at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa
yesterday.
Tourists y out
as travel rms
heed warnings
TERRORISM | Tour company bans all bookings to Kenya until October 31
have to follow the FCO advice, the
notice said.
Australia also updated its travel ad-
vice, urging its citizens to reconsider
their need to travel to Mombasa and
Nairobi in the wake of recent terror-
ist attacks.
Britain warned its citizens against
travelling to Mombasa, Eastleigh in
Nairobi and areas within 60 kilome-
tres of the KenyaSomalia border
unless travel was essential and una-
voidable.
Safe destination
The top ve tourist source mar-
kets for Kenya are UK with 149,699
arrivals, US with 115,636, Italy with
79,993 and India and Germany at
64,887 and 60,450 respectively ac-
cording to the tourism performance
results in 2013.
Mombasa County Commissioner
Nelson Marwa sought to assure Ken-
yans and foreigners that Mombasa
was a safe destination contrary to the
warnings and that security had been
beefed up in hotels, ferries, airports,
supermarkets and entertainment
spots.
Mr Marwa said activities at the
Moi International Airport were nor-
mal. There is peace in Mombasa
and foreigners should continue with
their normal business without being
frightened.
Moi International Airport, Area
Manager Yatich Kangugo said the
airport was secure.
According to the BBC, the warning
against non-essential travel covered
Mombasa Island, Kiwayu and coastal
areas north of Pate Island, the Gar-
issa district, Eastleigh, the slums of
Nairobi and areas within 60km of the
Kenya-Somalia border.
The advice did not include the
Diani beach resort or Moi Interna-
tional Airport.
British tourists expressed disap-
pointment at the abrupt interruption
of their holiday at the South Coast.
Some of them had only been in
the country for three days and were
yet to tour national parks and herit-
age sites.
Mr Stefan Arlow, who was vaca-
tioning at Amani Tiwi, said he was
informed that tourists were to quickly
leave the country and return home
and that he ew back home against
his wish.
I am disappointed to be told that
I should be evacuated yet I was to
relax after working and saving for
the holiday, he said while waiting to
board his ight.
Mr Gary Roberts said he was gut-
ted by the requirement to go back to
England after a short time on holiday
in a beautiful country.
He said: I am angry that I have
to return home prematurely without
completing my holiday.
A disappointed Sheila Simon said:
I had to obey the directive to go
home but this decision is not good
for me.
Reported by Lilian Onyango, Yvonne
Kawira and Bozo Jenje
I am angry
that I have to
return home
prematurely
without
completing
my holiday
Tourist Gary
Roberts Flights lined up to take
UK tourists back home
amid fears that the
move would lead to
losses of Sh5 billion
Low funding causes
crisis in day schools
BY NATION CORRE-
SPONDENT
Public day schools have
been thrown into a crisis
after the Government re-
leased less money for the
free learning.
The Ministry of Education
has disbursed only Sh1,550
instead of Sh3,000 for each
child as the second tranche
due to the day schools.
In total, the government
has disbursed Sh2.7 billion
against the expected Sh4.7
billion for 2,057,198 students
in secondary schools.
Each day secondary school
student is allocated Sh10,265
a year. The amount is paid in
three tranches.
According to the govern-
ments schedule, the first
tranche to be paid out is
50 per cent of Sh10,265
which is sent out in Janu-
ary. Second term allocation
is 30 per cent which is sent
out before schools open in
April. The rest 20 per cent
is released in August for
the third term.
Many heads of secondary
schools contacted by the
Saturday Nation said the
money released early this
month was too little to run
the schools with.
Most headteachers will be
forced to beg the suppliers to
be patient with the arrears and
also to pick new merchandise
without paying. It is a chal-
lenge we are facing, we are
being pushed to debts, said
the Kenya Secondary School
Heads Association chairman,
Mr John Awiti.
The funds go into pur-
chasing learning materials,
pay non-teaching sta and
run the school feeding pro-
gramme.
Mr John Awiti, KSSHA Chair-
man
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
6 | National News
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
7
PAUL WAWERU | NATION
Top: Security guard Stephen Maigwa Kamau swears before
testifying yesterday at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi,
in the inquest into the death of Olympic marathon champion
Samuel Wanjiru. Also in court were Wanjirus mother Hannah
Wanjiru (left) and widow Trizah Njeri. Chief magistrate Hannah
Ndungu is conducting the inquest.
INQUEST | Probe into Wanjirus death
Attacks leave
11 dead in
two counties
BY NATION
CORRESPONDENT
The death toll in the inter-
clan clashes along the Wajir
and Mandera counties border
yesterday rose to 11 with the
death of two more people.
The clashes between the
Garre and Degodia clans have
also left scores injured and
displaced.
The victims of yesterdays
attacks died in the hands of
gunmen in Gunana location
of Tarbaj district in Wajir.
The clashes started on Tues-
day when three men from the
Degodia clan were killed in the
border location of Burmayow,
as they worked on a road
project that the rival clan was
opposed to.
On Thursday gunmen
from the Degodia clan on a
revenge mission opened re
on a matatu in the outskirts
of Rhamu division in Mandera
County killing six people.
Two grass-thatch houses
were also torched in Waberi
location, Wajir East District,
last night by unknown peo-
ple prompting the locals to
vacate the village in fear of
attacks.
Wajir Deputy county com-
missioner Jacob Narego who
visited the scene linked the
arson to the border dispute.
BY WALTER MENYA
@menyawalter
wmenya@ke.nationmedia.com
T
he trial of Deputy
President William
Ruto and former radio
journalist Joshua arap Sang
has been adjourned to June
16 as the prosecutions case
nears closure.
The withdrawal of Witness
P-0025 by the prosecution led
to the adjournment.
In its request to withdraw
the witness, the prosecution
said he was unable to accu-
rately recall or give a coherent
and consistent account of crit-
ical parts of the evidence that
it had intended to lead from
him, hours before he was set
to begin his testimony.
Mr Ruto will be required
to be present for the first
two days when the session
reconvenes, the court ruled
yesterday.
However, presiding judge
Chile Eboe-Osuji, who read
the decision on behalf of
judges Robert Fremr and
Olga Herrera, expressed the
Chambers serious dissatis-
faction with the prosecution
over the earlier-than-expected
adjournment.
The session was to run for
four weeks but has only lasted
three days following the wit-
ness withdrawal.
The judges directed the
prosecution to use all avail-
able means, including seeking
summons for witnesses, to
ensure the case is not put o
again when it resumes.
Release this witness
Yesterday, the defence
requested the prosecution to
present its four remaining wit-
nesses to testify at once in the
next session. We want this
case to close before summer
break, said Mr Rutos lead de-
fence counsel Karim Khan.
The four do not include the
eight the Chamber directed
the Kenya Government to
compel to testify.
The defence has asked to
appeal the ruling and the State
also wants to take part as a
friend of the court.
Mr Sangs lawyer, Ms Caro-
line Buisman, supported that
the four witnesses testify in
one formal session.
Judges grant
prosecutions
request and
postpone hearing
to June 16
ICC TRIAL | Bench dissatised with early adjournment
Ruto case put o as
court drops witness

The Chamber grants the

prosecution application
to withdraw the witness
ICC Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
8 | National News
NYAHURURU
Man charged with rape
of minor freed on bond
A man was yesterday charged
with raping a 10-year-old girl in
Nyandarua County. Mr Samuel
Karanja Ndegwa, who appeared
before Nyahururu resident mag-
istrate Rose Mukenga, denied
the charge. He was released on
Sh200,000 bond. In the same
court, Mr Boniface Mwangi de-
nied raping a 13-year-old girl at
Salama in Laikipia County. The
case will be heard on July 29.
BRIEFLY
NAKURU
Police ocers gun
down phone thief
Police shot dead a mugger and
recovered a stolen mobile phone
at a matatu terminus yesterday.
The panga-wielding mugger
who was in a group of three had
threatened to attack matatu at-
tendants who attempted to re-
cover the phone snatched from
a traveller in the 4am incident.
Divisional Police Commander
Bernard Kioko said that police
shot the man when he attempted
to attack an ocer who had con-
fronted him.
GOLDEN JUBILEE | Aga Khans Rays of Light exhibition set for Nairobi
His Highness the Aga Khan
recently completed 50 years
as Imam (spiritual leader) of
the Shia Ismaili Muslims. As
part of the Golden Jubilee
celebrations, the Ismaili
community will be hosting
an exhibition that depicts
the Aga Khans commitment
to improving the human
condition over the past 50
years. The exhibition will be
held at the Aga Khan Reli-
gious and Cultural Centre
in Parklands, Nairobi, from
tomorrow to May 25. The ex-
hibition has been to France,
Portugal, the US, the United
Kingdom, the United Arab
Emirates, Uganda, Canada
and Tanzania. Viewing is by
appointment.
COURTESY | NATION
BY PAUL OGEMBA
pogemba@ke.nationmedia.com
T
he fate of Machakos Senator
Johnstone Muthama, Law
Society of Kenya chairman
Eric Mutua and seven others over
claims of fraud in the Sh1 billion
Malili ranch sale now lies with law-
yer Paul Muite.
Director of Public Prosecutions
Keriako Tobiko has instructed the
senior counsel to review the recom-
mendations of the Directorate of
Criminal Investigation (DCI) and
decide whether or not the group
should be prosecuted.
The lawyer is required to scruti-
nise the police records, witness and
suspects statements, and all docu-
mentary evidence.
We would like you to advise our
oce on whether sucient evidence
is disclosed to prosecute the suspects
or any other person named in the in-
quiry le. We would also want you to
conduct on our behalf any prosecution
that may ensue in relation to the mat-
ter, said Mr Tobiko.
The DCI last month asked the DPP
to arrest and prosecute Mr Muthama
and Mr Mutua among others, saying it
had obtained evidence linking them to
fraud and forgery in the land sale.
Former Information and Com-
munications permanent secretary
Bitange Ndemo, Commission on
Implementation of the Constitution
member Kamotho Waiganjo, Mr
James Waweru, formerly of the At-
torney-Generals oce, and former
Lands Commissioner Zablon Mabea
were in the list.
The others are Mr Peter Mutua
Kanyi, Mr Julius Maweu Kilonzo and
lawyer Alphonce Munene Mutinda.
The recommendations followed
investigation into alleged misap-
propriation of Sh1 billion paid by the
Government to purchase 5,000 acres
of the ranch for the construction of the
proposed Konza Technology City.
DPP instructs senior
counsel to review
allegations against
Muthama, LSK boss
Muite to lead Malili land probe
INVESTIGATION | Lawyer promises to evaluate claims professionally and objectively
Paul Muite
NYERI
Patient locked up to
clear TB dosage
A court yesterday ordered a
TB patient to be locked up at
Kingongo prison for a year to
nish his treatment. Mr Anthony
Wambari had been charged with
absconding medication thrice on
diverse dates between November
19, 2013 and April 2 in Tetu. He
pleaded guilty before Resident
Magistrate Catherine Mburu who
said be released only when tested
and found to have recovered.
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
National News 9
The Cabinet Secretaries
nd themselves running
all over the place,
permanently overworked
while not achieving very
much but they cant seem
to gure out why.
David Ndii
A
few weeks ago, I was
shooting the breeze
with friends in one of
those conversations we call in
my language shortening the
eveningan oxymoron, since
they almost invariably go on to
the small hours.
As this was around the Jubilee
Governments one year anniver-
sary we pondered a little bit on
how it might fare in the second
year. The one thing on which there
was unanimity was that the Jubi-
lee Government could be relied
on to continue blundering.
As one usually prescient politi-
cal observer put it, if there is a
banana skin on the other side-
walk, Jubilee will cross the road to
skid on it. As if on cue, we watch
helplessly as the Government
scales the walls of the cemetery
to go waking up ghosts I am
talking about Anglo Leasing.
In another one of his now
predictably intemperate op-eds,
the Presidents speech writer at-
tempted a satirical spin on the
blundering, blaming everyone
from corrupt civil servants to
analogue citizens for frustrat-
ing Jubilees gallant efforts to
run a clean government and
sound nancial management (I
keep telling you they are smok-
ing something these people!).
Judging from the comments on
the article on the web, it was a
blunder.
As an economist, I much pre-
fer to draw my conclusions from
data. For this article, I did a two
second opinion poll on the Jubilee
Government. I googled Jubilee
Government blunders and Jubi-
lee Government achievements.
Results were as follows. Blunders:
5.5 million hits. Achievements: 1.2
million. It could of course be that
the results for blunders are spiked
by reactions to the speech writers
article. Not quite. A search for
Eric Ngeno Jubilee Blunders
yields 770,000 hits. So even
excluding the reactions to the
article, the public association of
Jubilee with blunder is at least
three times as likely as associa-
tion with achievement.
So what is ailing Jubilee? Three
things. Institutional change, para-
digm paralysis and leadership.
Big challenge
Institutional change. Jubilee
seems totally befuddled by the
challenge of institutional change
brought about by the new Con-
stitution. Much of the public
focus has been on devolution.
This is part of it, but not the big-
gest challenge. For the national
government, the change from a
parliamentary to presidential sys-
tem is the bigger challenge.
Take the complete separation
of Executive and Parliament. In
the old system, every ministry
had at least one and typically
two assistant ministers. With 30
ministries, and more than 40 in
the last one, this meant that the
President had a team of at least
80. This has now been reduced
to 20. This requires a very radi-
cal re-conguration of both the
functions of the Executive and
how it works.
Jubilee does not seem to have
recognised this, and continues to
try and work like in the old sys-
tem. So the Cabinet Secretaries
nd themselves running all over
the place, permanently over-
worked, not achieving very much,
but they cant seem to gure out
why. Its rather like watching a
beginner swim furious violent
motion, water all over the place,
very little movement.
But perhaps the more poign-
ant study is the tension between
the two oces of Secretary to
the Cabinet and the Presidents
Chief of Sta. The Secretary to
the Cabinet position is established
by the Constitution. It is the lesser
half the job of the previous posi-
tion of Head of the Civil Service
and Secretary to the Cabinet.
The Chief of Sta is not in the
Constitution but it is a common
position in presidential systems
of government. It is more or
less an elevated position of the
Comptroller of State House.
The problem here is not with
the positions per se but one of the
President bungling the transition.
The rst mistake was to appoint
the two senior-most bureaucrats
in the previous system to the two
positions. In a presidential sys-
tem, both positions are below the
positions the two incumbents held
previously. What we are now see-
ing is a re-creation of the powerful
Chief Secretary position occupied
by Ambassador Francis Muth-
aura and his predecessors. But
the Constitution abolished this
position because it does not t in
presidential system with executive
Cabinet Secretaries.
It would not have taken much
work to devise a State House
sta structure for a presidential
system. A good place to begin
would be to google White House
Organizational Chart. There, you
nd that the Presidents Chief of
Sta has two dockets under him,
a Deputy Chief of Sta for Policy
and Deputy Chief of Sta for Op-
erations. The functions under the
deputy for policy are similar to
those for the Secretary to the
Cabinet while those of the deputy
for operations are similar to those
of the Comptroller of State House.
The way I would have gone about
it is to add Chief of Sta portfolio
to the Secretary to the Cabinet
position and then create under it
Deputy Chief for Cabinet Aairs
and Policy, and Deputy Chief for
Administration and Comptroller
of State House.
The President has gone on to
add security docket to his chief
of sta. We now nd ourselves
with a clueless innkeeper and
overworked twice retired bean
counter as our security policy
chiefs. Terrorists, muggers and
alcohol poisoners beware.
It is fairly obvious that there
is a big gap somewhere between
the President and the security
agencies. How does the country
whose system we have copied do
it? Most people will remember
Condi Rice, George Bushs bril-
liant, elegant National Security
Adviser. Heres the Wikipedia
entry for the US National
Security Adviser:
The Assistant to the President
for National Security Affairs
(APNSA), is a senior official
in the Executive Office of the
President who serves as the
chief adviser, stationed in the
White House, to the President
of the United States on national
security issues. This person also
participates in the meetings of
the National Security Council.
He or she is supported by the
National Security Council sta
that produces research, briengs,
and intelligence for the APNSA
to review and present either to
the National Security Council
or directly to the President.
Enough said.
Paradigm paralysis. For the
last two decades at least our de-
velopment policy has been led
by the Washington Consensus
which, reduced to its core, is the
dictum that free markets equals
growth equals development.
Free markets tick. Growth tick.
Development? This is what I call
paradigm paralysis.
The Bretton Woods institutions
who we have relied on to provide
intellectual leadership to our de-
velopment policies have yet to
come up with another paradigm
to replace it. The problem is not
that there are no viable develop-
ment ideas. Their problem is one
of a paradigm that has them, and
aid, in the drivers seat for the
radically inclined, a paradigm
that perpetuates dependency.
For a while, they were onto in-
frastructure, but then the Chinese
ran away with that show.
The Washington Consensus has
been dealt a serious body blow by
the global nancial crisis. Finally,
the penny has dropped. The rich
also cry.
But having never before
thought for themselves, our
leaders now wander the geo-
political wilderness looking for
new foreign masters. It is said
that if you dont know where
you are going, any road will get
you there. So they roam. China,
Russia, Brazil, Turkey, Nigeria.
The one place they dont look is
inward, to their people.
Leadership. In his memoir
From Third World to First: The
Singapore Story, Lee Kwan Yew
had this to say: After several
years in government I realised
that the more talented people I
had as ministers, administrators
and professionals, the more ef-
fective my policies were, and the
better the results.
I was in a social place I fre-
quent when both instalments of
the Jubilee Cabinet were unveiled.
The most common reaction to the
appointees was who is he? or
who is she? followed by re-
ally? These reactions of course
do not mean that the people are
not talented, but the fact that
a broad cross section of the
countrys top professionals and
business leaders had not heard
of three quarters of the Cabinet
is pretty unusual.
When we pick our national foot-
ball team or Olympics athletics
squad, you expect people who
follow the sport to know most,
if not all the team members. I
dont have any data but I would be
surprised if there are many prec-
edents where a president picked
Cabinet members from a bunch of
CVs submitted by cronies. Cabinet
calibre people would not have to
send CVs to be scrutinised. Their
public credentials should speak
for themselves.
There are two primary motiva-
tions why leaders choose weak
teams. One is lack of condence
to lead people who are just as or
more accomplished than he or
she is. Such leaders choose peo-
ple who cannot be threats to their
position. The other is leaders who
value loyalty more than ability.
Such leaders choose people who
will know that they owe their po-
sition to the leader, not to their
credentials. Take your pick.
Having made his bed thus, you
would think that the President
would be happily rolling on it. No.
Having no substantive achieve-
ment to report in his inaugural
State of the Nation address, he
shoves out his hapless Cabinet to
take the bullet for him. And now
with frustration rising, they throw
tantrums, lashing out at anything
and everyone, civil society, media,
opposition it is everyones fault
but their own.
It is Charles Njonjo, that re-
freshingly forthright sage, who
foretold many years ago, at an-
other time like this, that when
the leading sheep limps, the
ock does not reach the pasture.
Thankfully, times have changed.
Thanks to democratisation, eco-
nomic liberalisation, devolution
and our nascent constitutional-
ism, Jubilee is not Baba na Mama,
and theUhuruto Error is not going
to be around for 24 years.
David Ndii is managing di-
rector of Africa Economics.
ndii@netsolafrica.com
FILE | NATION
From left: Cabinet Secretaries Adan Mohammed, Najib Balala and Jacob Kaimenyi during a Cabinet retreat at
Mount Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki on March 7. The government has failed to adjust to the Constitution, prefer-
ring the old way of doing things.
Why Jubilee has become a byword for blunder
Uhurus
novice
Cabinet
and the
desperate
search for
new foreign
masters,
suggest a
leadership
that is
uninspiring,
argues
David Ndii
GOVERNANCE | The Government has failed to adjust to the Constitution, preferring the old system of ruling
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
10 | Special Report
T
elecoms operator Sa-
faricom on Monday
announced a record
Sh18.8 billion dividend pay-
out after it reported a 31.4
per cent jump in net prot to
Sh23 billion for the year ended
March.
Safaricom said the record
prots had come on the back
of strong growth in non-voice
business including short mes-
sage service (SMS), mobile
Internet and money transfer
service M-Pesa.
At Sh23 billion, Safaricom
added nearly Sh7 billion to
its prot in a year having
reported Sh17.5 billion the
previous year.
Bob Collymore, the chief ex-
ecutive spoke to Okuttah Mark
on the industrys outlook and
how Safaricom plans to main-
tain its prots momentum in
the coming years. Excerpts.
Safaricoms voice service rev-
enue grew to Sh86.3 billion and
accounted for 62 per cent of your
service revenue down from 66 per
in the previous year, what explains
this decline?
The decline is mainly arising
from the new subscribers we
added in the year whose aver-
age revenue per user (ARPU)
is lower compared to our old
subscribers.
We are also seeing the voice
contracting as subscribers shift
to messaging services such as
WhatsApp. But it is important
to remember that these realities
did not prevent the voice rev-
enue from growing by a robust
11 per cent.
Kenyans do not use their
mobile phones for luxury ac-
tivities but as an essential tool
for production. This eectively
means that when life becomes
tougher they reduce the amount
they spend on food but retain
the communication budget.
The government is one of the
biggest beneciaries from the im-
pressive nancial results and must
be delighted by the Sh6.6 billion
dividend cheque you are about to
write. How do you feel about this?
I think it is very positive that
we are the biggest dividend
payer to the government. Apart
from the Sh6.6 billion dividend,
last year we paid a total of 47.5
billion in taxes, spectrum fees
and duties, taking our total con-
tribution to the Exchequer past
the Sh50 billion mark.

With this kind of a relationship,
does it make it harder for the Com-
munications Authority of Kenya
(CAK) to regulate Safaricom?
We have a very healthy rela-
tion with the regulator. The
government and CAK are ac-
tually two separate things. CAK
is an independent authority. Di-
rector general Francis Wangusi
and I are sometimes very good
friends and sometimes really
bad enemies, but I respect the
work that the DG (Wangusi)
does and I think he also re-
spects what I do.
I think there is a natural
tension that exists between
the regulators and the entities
they regulate.

Some of the newly licensed
mobile virtual network operators
(MVNO) have indicated they will
charge lower voice rates compared
to the current taris. Is Safaricom
prepared for another round of price
wars?
We believe in oering quality
services; I dont see how low
they can go because already
we have operators offering
free calls, which we have all
seen is not sustainable. Not
unless the MVNO say they
will be paying subscribers for
using their lines.
What strategies do you have to
counter this kind of competition?
We remain steadfast in our
goal to provide the best net-
work experience supported
by significant investments
in bre roll-out and network
modernisation.
We continue to focus on our
Best Network in Kenya pro-
gramme. We invested Sh27.8
billion in the network in the
year under review and our goal
is to provide the best customer
experience through improving
our network quality, capacity
and coverage.

Safaricom is mulling a possible
scrapping of its lower end post-paid
services (those currently paying
Sh1,000 and Sh2,500). What is
the logic behind this move?
This was a tactical tariff
we came up with during the
price war period, but to be
honest it is not earning
us any money.
We are planning
to restructure it
subject to
an approval
from the
regulator. It
is, however, important to note
that we are still oering the
other post-paid plans.
M-Pesa and data seem to be
your key growth drivers. How do
you plan to increase their uptake
in this competitive market?
M-Pesa is at the forefront in
deepening nancial inclusion
in Kenya. In the past year, we
launched the revolutionary
Lipa na M-Pesa service that
enables our customers to carry
out day-to-day transactions on
a cashless basis.
Our priority this year is to
commercialise this service by
growing the number of active
merchants and making Lipa na
M-Pesa the preferred electronic
payment platform.
This will make a signicant
contribution to the lives of
our customers and acceler-
ate Kenya towards a cash-lite
economy. Currently we have
122,000 Lipa na M-Pesa
merchants recruited and
24,137 actively using the
service.
On data, we are now
ready to roll out LTE
(4G), subject to avail-
ability of spectrum,
to deliver super-fast
broadband.
This will extend
the reach of data
and the Internet, in-
cluding the provision of
WiFi access to schools in
support of the governments
digital education programme.
We have had successful LTE
trials in 10 sites within Nairobi
and Mombasa, realis-
ing 70Mbps data
speeds.
We will also
be increasing
smartphone
and 3G device
penetration
through
cost ef-
fecti ve
qual-
ity oers and continue with our
push on relevant content, social
media and applications.
Safaricoms licence is coming up
for renewal next month. Have you
reached any agreement with the
industry regulator, especially on
the quality of service?
The negotiations went well
and we reached an agreement
with the regulator on most of
the conditions.
On the quality of service we
agreed that CAK should engage
an independent rm to conduct
an independent fresh study.
This interview was rst pub-
lished yesterday in Business
Daily.
Collymore banks on M-Pesa
growth to make more billions
TELECOMS | Mixed fortunes for operators as one makes prots, others losses
I think there is a natural
tension between the
regulators and the entities
they regulate
Bob Collymore,
Safaricom chief
S
afaricom is undoubtedly the most successful com-
pany in Kenya, a phenomenal brand by any standard.
Kenyans are accustomed to its green and red ring of
condence and to its omnipresence. It is the largest com-
pany in East and Central Africa and the biggest contributor
to the national coers. Its Niko na Safaricom adverts are
generally patriotic, showing the sights and sounds of Kenya
though unrepresentative of the faces of Kenya. Its in-
novations such as the mobile money service M-Pesa have
placed the country in the league of the top innovators in
mobile telephony.
However, the better option is anything but that. Making
a simple phone call has become something akin to a lottery,
a challenge. Mobile users have become accustomed to high
call charges, poor network connectivity and voice quality.
The services are unreliable and unpredictable. Phones be-
have as if they are switched o or engaged when they are
not. The most common words you are likely to hear when
making and receiving calls, which has become part of our
vocabulary, are sorry, network problem, or wrong number.
When you make a call, it drops
or goes to a wrong number or
straight to a voicemail.
Every Kenyan must have ex-
perienced problems with mobile
phone reception. Either there is
no mobile signal, or where there
is, it is not possible to connect or
sustain a call. Most users will say
they have experienced dropped
calls, incomprehensible speech
and a voice quality that mimics
speaking from the bottom of a
water tank.
It is common to call a regular
number like that of your wife,
husband or business partner
but the call is misdirected to a
stranger. Your call goes through
but the receiver cannot hear you
or they can hear but you cannot.
You are billed for your troubles. The ability to make or receive
calls or texts is the most important aspect of mobile phone
reception. But is Safaricom making supernormal prot by
cutting corners, compromising quality, charging calls it
ought not to? How does it explain the routine calls break
ups, glitches or misconnections, misdirection of calls, the
inability of the users to sustain conversation for more than
ve minutes? It cannot be explained why every call you
make is likely to result in a drop call, disconnection, miscon-
nection, or its of poor sound quality, breaks up or it ends
unexpectedly. Safaricom will still charge you for a service it
did not provide. Mind you, for every 10 mobile users eight
are Safaricoms. I am yet to hear of any Safaricom loyalist
like myself ever being refunded.
The level of dissatisfaction is so high that there would have
been a mass exodus of mobile users if there was an alterna-
tive network with a similar brand awareness and coverage.
Mobile users would generally switch networks depending
on the voice quality, connection, coverage, ability to make
or receive calls easily, reasonable charges, clarity in billing,
exibility of schemes and easy accessibility of the service
providers customer care services.
Safaricom has a duty to provide its customers with a re-
liable and working network. It ought to invest in network
system. It has an absolute monopoly and that is where the
problem lies. Due to the absence of vital competition in
the market, Safaricom has failed to upgrade its network or
manage trac congestion.
Trac management is a tool to eectively protect the
security and integrity of networks and restrict the transmis-
sion to end-users of unsolicited communication. It ought to
increase its capacity concurrently with demand on its services.
It has to tackle network congestion and prioritise trac to
avoid overload. Safaricom makes phenomenal prots and
does not lack the capital to invest in upgrading the system.
It announced this week that it has made a net prot of over
Sh23 billion for the nancial year ending March 2014.
The Communications Authority of Kenya, should not allow
such deterioration of service. It should require Safaricom
to invest a certain percentage of its prot in improving the
network. It should renew its licence subject to guarantees of
improved services. The size of Safaricom would intimidate
any regulator. It shouldnt if you stick to the law.
The author is a lawyer and a partner at the rm of Sagana,
Biriq & Company Advocates. biriq@saganabiriq.com
Is Safaricom
shortchanging
its customers?
COMMENT | By ABDIWAHID BIRIQ
How does the
company explain
the routine
call break-ups,
misconnections
or inability of
customers to
sustain a call for
more than ve
minutes
Abdiwahid Biriq
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Special Report 11
This is not how to
make Kenya great
P
resident Kenyatta issued two directives on
Thursday that threw the country into a spin.
First, he appointed 47 county commissioners
to direct and coordinate functions of the national
government at the grassroots, including taking
charge of security.
Second, he directed the National Treasury to pay
Sh1.4 billion to two Anglo Leasing related-compa-
nies on account of a court ruling in favour of the
rms. Mr Kenyatta said the country risked being
ostracised and blacklisted by international money
lenders if it ignored the ruling.
The directives drew public uproar, with the Oppo-
sition Cord Coalition addressing a press conference
in which it termed the decisions unconstitutional,
preposterous and unacceptable and threatened to
use both the courts and public protests to challenge
them.
Inevitably, the bubbling public anger compelled
President Kenyatta to address Kenyans yesterday
to clarify the issues, insisting that he had acted in
the public interest.
His position on the appointment of the county
commissioners was that he was simply delegating
powers of coordination of government business
and that he was not in any way attempting to un-
dermine the devolved governments. Thus, the
objective was to enhance service delivery.
But he never addressed the constitutionality of
the decision and the fact that he was re-enacting
an old order and an archaic structure that Kenyans
fought ferociously to dismantle.
Experience has shown that when the leadership
begins to couch its decisions and actions in terms
such as service delivery and enforcing peace and
stability, the intention is always to numb the public
when grave atrocities and transgressions are being
committed.
Anglo Leasing remains a blot on the countrys
scal report. President Kenyatta himself admitted
that having to pay made him feel terrible, especially
because he believed Anglo Leasing was a fraud
against Kenyans. His only justication was that
Kenyas hands were tied since an international arbi-
tration court had sanctioned the payments.
But this raises fundamental questions that must
be confronted. Must Kenya commit an illegality by
paying for Anglo Leasing deals just for the sake
of unlocking international cash through the Eu-
robond? Can the Government explain to Kenyans
what the Eurobond is all about and why it is the
only avenue for raising cash? Is the amount in-
volved worth mortgaging Kenya for?
An argument that has been advanced is that fail-
ure to pay would put our embassies abroad at the
risk of auction. Nothing could be farther from the
truth for foreign missions are inviolable since they
are protected by the Vienna Convention of 1961.
Put together, the two directives do not cast
President Kenyatta and the government in good
light. An impression is being created of a govern-
ment hell-bent on violating the Constitution, that
is insular, insensitive and driven by arrogance and
self-preservation.
If the President read the public mood correctly,
he would realise there is discomfort all around and
that he needs to review some of his decisions and
actions.
As they say, might is not always right.
A PUBLICATION OF THE NATION MEDIA GROUP
LINUS GITAHI: Chief Executive Ocer
JOSEPH ODINDO: Group Editorial Director
DENIS GALAVA: Managing Editor
Published at Nation Centre, Kimathi Street and printed at
Mombasa Road, Nairobi by Nation Media Group Limited
POB 49010, Nairobi 00100 GPO
Tel: 3288000, 0719038000. Fax 221396
editor@ke.nationmedia.com
Registered at the GPO as a newspaper
FOOD SECURITY | Magesha Ngwiri
S
tarvation is a gure of
speech for most Ken-
yans. When they miss
a meal, they walk around
with sulky, downcast faces
and growl at friend and foe,
acting as though the whole
world has come crashing
down on them.
And although they claim
loudly that they are starv-
ing, at least they have an
idea where their next meal
is coming from, which
merely means they are
hungry at that particular
moment. Not so a sizeable
number of Kenyans, both in
rural and urban areas.
Starvation is when you
have not swallowed a morsel
for days on end, the body
juices start digesting your
innards, there is nothing to
eat anywhere within walking
distance, and even if there
was, there is no strength to
go fetch it.
Early this week, it was
reported that a Baringo
woman stalked her neigh-
bours cat, killed it, skinned
it, and roasted it so that
her two-year-old child and
80-year-old mother could
eat their rst meal in many
days.
Fortunately for the fam-
ily, the neighbour did not
rush to the chief demanding
payment for her pet; she
reported the grisly incident,
and probably saved this par-
ticular family from starving
to death.
This is not a pretty story.
It is the stu of deep pa-
thos. How many people
have been forced to eat
dogs, rodents and bugs just
to survive? Nobody should
be starving in this day and
age.
Spent well, this country
has enough resources to
feed its 41 million inhabit-
ants. A country that has
never known real war, one
that is dreaming of becom-
ing a middle income state
in the next 16 years, and
one that is undertaking
multi-billion-shilling infra-
structure projects, is also
the same country that has
become congenitally inca-
pable of feeding its people.
Why does that happen? I do
not have the answers, but I
could hazard some.
First, we waste too much
on non-essential stu and
sta. A lot of men and
women in government em-
ploy are holding sinecures.
They are under-employed,
but they consume a huge
chunk of money which
should go towards helping
the unemployable. Sooner
or later, the government
will have to right-size its
workforce, which will mean
massive layos. It will be
a bitter pill to swallow, but
there is no way around it.
Secondly, there is a great
deal of pilferage from gov-
ernment coers. In fact,
theft, misuse, and misappro-
priation of taxpayers money
goes on with impunity, and
apparently the government
is helpless to stop it.
The third is the same old
song of runaway grand cor-
ruption which successive
governments have vowed
to ght and failed to do so.
This is hardly surprising.
The most corrupt people are
in government, whether as
civil servants, or as political
leaders.
But the biggest problem
is massive widespread
ignorance which has made it
impossible for many to grow
enough to feed themselves. I
have no intention of delving
into the rather hackneyed
technicalities about not rely-
ing on rain-fed agriculture,
crop rotation, wise use of in-
puts, and so on. I am talking
of small farmers who sell
their manure so they can
buy fertiliser. That kind of
ignorance is guaranteed to
lead to poor harvests, rain
or no rain.
But beyond these rather
simplistic diagnoses of
what ails us, there is a big-
ger problem our total,
unreasoning reliance on a
nebulous concept known as
government sitting some-
where in the capital city
like some benevolent father
whose duty is to feed his
children. This kind of vacu-
ous thinking leads us into
collective complacency.
This is in no way an
attempt to excuse the gov-
ernment from its failures.
Everywhere in the world,
it is the constitutional ob-
ligation of governments to
ensure no citizens die of
starvation. If it fails in this
cardinal duty, then it has no
reason for being.
But on the other hand, the
last time I checked, there
were county governments
all over the place, complete
with governors, assemblies
and ministries.
For instance, Baringo has
a governor and an assem-
bly, but instead of focusing
on the hunger ravaging the
county, the MCAs have been
busy trying to impeach their
governor. The same county
has a senator who has been
busy defending a governor
from another county from
impeachment. When will
these guys get the time to
know that their voters are
skinning cats to eat?
amagesha@ke.nationmedia
.com
Just when will MCAs realise the
need to save their starving voters?

It is the constitutional
obligation of
governments to
ensure no citizens die
of starvation. If it fails
in this cardinal duty,
then it has no reason
for being
This country has enough
resources to feed its 41
million inhabitants if only
the wastage and corruption
in government was checked
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
12 | Opinion
DIFFERENT STROKES | Gabriel Dolan
O
ne of the more interesting and un-
usual aspects of Kenyan life is that
the most popular TV programmes
are the evening news. Crowds huddle
around noisy TV sets in village markets
while fathers ensure that their small chil-
dren are sleeping before news time. The
evening news tops the polls ratings and
also provides top income to the media
owners by way of commercials during the
intervals.
It is hardly surprising then that com-
petition among the channels is intense
and that newscasters, commentators and
documentary makers hop between sta-
tions like EPL footballers, always seeking
the best contract. Extraordinary that folk
who do such a mundane job as read the
news prepared by someone else can
be given celebrity status and strut the
studio as if it were a catwalk. Anyhow,
while the overall presentation is quite high
standard, there is a growing tendency to
juice up the days events and convert the
tragedies, misfortunes and mistakes of
the public into entertainment to keep rat-
ings high and prots mounting.
Last week, TV crews accompanied
police in raids on liquor dens in another
knee-jerk operation this time over the
deaths of over 100 from illicit and poi-
sonous brew. The sight of drunken men
and women unable to climb on to police
vehicles and their subsequent degrading
treatment by the ocers is someones
warped notion of entertainment and news
reporting. The camera crews followed
those arrested to court to record drunken
mitigants making fools of themselves and
become the laughing stock of the nation.
Not so funny, however, for their families.
This trend of television crews team-
ing up with police ocers to embarrass
the public was very evident when the Al-
coblow was rst introduced, and TV crews
became judges and jury over drivers be-
fore they could ever defend themselves in
court. Exposing hypocritical and promis-
cuous pastors in busted operations may
interest the public and even titillate them
but is hardly in the public interest. This is
the stu of tabloid news and gutter press
and Kenyans deserve better. Makes you
wonder why these crews never accessed
Kasarani or Bamburi detention centres
when hundreds were detained a few weeks
ago. That would have been in the public
interest.
Maybe there is a market for sleaze and
reality TV but the national news is not
the place for it. Reality TV is anything but
real as it encourages the public to sit in
judgment and to feel superior at watch-
ing their fellow Kenyans make fools of
themselves in their most embarrassing
moments. Someone once said that reality
TV only looks in one direction, down, and
it is fast replacing soap operas for enter-
tainment. The evening news should not
be promoting voyeurism or sadism but
uncovering truth and enhancing human
dignity not jeering at it in its misery.
Our newscasters too are often conde-
scending and judgmental. With their large
salaries, luxurious lifestyles and expensive
fashions they symbolise the great divide
that exists in this very unequal society.
They should not fall into the trap of an
us and them culture but present the
news in a balanced, non-prejudicial man-
ner.
gdolan54@gmail.com. @gabrieldolan1
Evening news turning into reality TV

The evening news should not

be promoting voyeurism or
sadism but uncovering truth and
enhancing human dignity
THINK AGAIN | Maina Kiai
F
irst Lady Margaret Kenyatta
is easily the shining light
of this regime. Combining
grace and determination, she has
appealed to Kenyans with the quiet
dignity with which she carries her-
self and the issues she has chosen
to engage with.
Her determined run in the Lon-
don Marathon, using her status to
raise funds for mobile clinics in
every county is admirable, allowing
us a glimpse of the eort and deter-
mination that it takes to participate
in such a gruelling event. Of course
there are some who saw sponsoring
her as a way to get into the better
books of the regime, but the cause
is noble.
But it is her role as Patron of
Save the Elephants campaign that
stands out. For saving elephants
is not just an environmental and
economic matter. It is also a role
that necessitates standing up to
corruption and impunity, the indis-
pensable siblings of poaching.
Make no mistake: wildlife poach-
ing is a well-planned criminal
activity, with similar networks and
protections as those aorded to
drug smuggling and corruption.
It is not simply, as Kenya Wildlife
Society (KWS) would like to tell
us, a matter of human-wildlife
conicts, even as they acknowledge
that more than 60 elephants have
been butchered this year, following
on from the 384 killed in 2012.
Ivory poaching like drug
tracking and corruption is
lucrative, with the illegal global
market at about $1.5 billion (Sh130
billion). A typical elephant carries
about 10kg of ivory, with a street
price of about $100,000 (Sh8.5
million) per elephant. And because
most customs agencies do not have
specialised detection systems as
they do for illegal drugs, it is esti-
mated that what is seized is just 10
per cent of the ivory shipped across
the world.
With these sorts of gures, you
can be sure that this is not about
small poachers doing small busi-
ness. This is big time crime in
every way. It is not easy to ferry
these huge elephant tusks from
parks and conservancies to the
airport and the port of Mombasa
for shipment to China and Thai-
land, which are the destinations of
choice.
Ivory smuggling means a good
number of people must be involved.
From KWS sta, to police, to
customs ocials, to the crew in air-
lines and ships, the chain is a long
and expensive one. And it needs
not just a lot of money to grease
palms but also a good deal of power
and inuence to hush things up.
These are essentially the same
channels that drug trackers use,
minus the KWS warders. They
are so protected that even our
international partners such as
the Australian Navy that recently
intercepted Africas largest drugs
shipment in our waters have so
little trust in our system that they
prefer to dispose of drugs seized
than hand them over, certain that
doing so will mean that the drugs
remain on the market.
It is instructive that the people
we have seen taken to court on
poaching charges are always at the
lower end of the criminal chain.
They are the ones suspected of ac-
tually killing the elephants. We have
not seen the brokers, the truckers,
the nanciers and the masterminds
ever arrested and charged.
And just like with terrorism
and grand corruption, the master-
minds behind poaching are highly
connected and certain of their im-
punity. The last time we witnessed
such an onslaught against our wild-
life was in the 1970s, when Jomo
Kenyatta was in power. Then, like
now, the masterminds were a cho-
sen few who were untouchable.
Yes, the First Lady has re-
cently taken a back seat on saving
elephants, wildlife and our environ-
ment, but that could be due to her
focus on the marathon. With the
marathon done and dusted, let us
hope that she will soon be back to
take on poaching and shame those
who demean her and us too by
denying our children and grand-
children their rightful legacy of
abundant wildlife and nature.
mkiai2000@yahoo.com
We target small fry in war against
poaching and drug trafficking
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta is the
patron of Save the Elephants.
We have
never seen
brokers
and
nanciers
of illicit
trade taken
to court
W
orld Bank ocials
must think Kenyas
leaders have porridge
for brains. Last year, the banks
Africa Transport Unit wrote a
secret note, The Economics of
Rail Gauge in the East Africa
Community, saying terrible
things about the standard gauge
railway.
Resentful of Kenyas ambition
to build a shining new railway, with tracks one and
a half metres apart, the World Bank insisted that
the country remains stuck with the rusty old nar-
row one-metre tracks built for the Lunatic Express
over 100 years ago. Although repairing the old
railway between Mombasa and Nairobi would cost
Sh7.5 billion, it would never demand the construc-
tion of 98 large and medium bridges, 77 overpasses
across the highway or the 969 culverts to keep idle
youth in employment for four years. And it would
still just be able to ferry 5.5 million tonnes of cargo
a year, running at 80 kilometres per hour.
In the alternative, the World Bank people tried
to trick Kenya into expanding the space between
the old tracks by seven centimetres to resemble the
railways in Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa. For
laying this track where the old one is, the govern-
ment would spend Sh20 billion to be able to ferry
60 million tonnes of cargo a year, running at 120
kilometres per hour. None of the new 33 stations
planned along the railroad would be built. The
30,000 youth who will get jobs as masons, carpen-
ters, mechanical and electrical technicians would
continue languishing in poverty. And they had no
sympathy for the 400 engineers and technicians
who will be trained during the projects life. For the
railway to pay for these repairs, it would need to at-
tract an extra 6.2 million tonnes of cargo per year.
A third desperate ruse was to get the government
to lay the standard gauge railway with new steel
tracks, a metre and a half apart where the old one
is for Sh61.8 billion. Such a railway, they claim,
would ferry 60 million tonnes of cargo in a year
and run at a speed of 130 kilometres per hour. The
World Bank experts did not want the government
to make people rich by buying barren land from its
citizens in Mombasa, Kili, Kwale, Taita-Taveta,
Makueni, Kajiado, Machakos and Nairobi counties.
They did not want the local industries to supply
steel, cement, or aggregates. And they did not want
electricity generation and electricity transmission
pylons and cables, roong materials, glass provided
locally to create another 10,000 jobs. They looked
with envy at the 3,000 people who would be em-
ployed to provide food, accommodation and leisure
for the builders and shook their heads with disap-
proval. Following this alternative would require an
extra 20.2 million tonnes of cargo to be transported
in East Africa each year.
For all its cleverness, the World Bank never of-
fered the Sh7.5 billion, the Sh20 billion or the
Sh61.8 billion required to repair the second-hand
railway. After all the World Banks jealousy, the
President this week signed a Sh314 billion loan
agreement with China to build the standard gauge
railway to run at 130 kilometres per hour. It should
easily attract the 55.2 million tonnes of extra cargo
a year, exceeding projections of the regions generat-
ing a mere 14.4 million tonnes annually by the year
2030. After all, there is rare earth, titanium, coal
and oil that needs to leave the country in tonnes.
The hidden benet of building the new railway is
that contractors will pass through the game parks
and see for themselves over 11,000 elephants. If
they just sent messages back home about the won-
ders they witness, and a mere one per cent of the
1.6 billion Chinese visit Kenya each year, the coun-
trys tourism problems would be solved forever.
kwamchetsi@formandcontent.co.ke
Kenya sees through
trickery on the
railway project
POLITICALLY CORRECT |
Kwamchetsi Makokhas sideways
look at the China connection
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Opinion 13
MARK MY WORD |
Philip Ochieng
I
n my last Sunday Nation
column, I described myself
as a gnostic. Yet many read-
ers, reacting through e-mail,
called me an agnostic the
exact opposite. The cinch is
that, although they know the
negative word agnostic, they
have never heard of its positive
counterpart gnostic.
As I said, the negative word
atheist is formed by prexing the Greek adverb a
(meaning not) to the Greek noun theos (mean-
ing god or deity). The noun atheos thus means
not god or non-god. I reiterate that, in Hellenic
Greek, you negated nouns and adjectives by prex-
ing the adverb a to them.
What is true of theos, then, is true also of gno-
sis, the Greek noun which stands for knowledge
or science. Thus if, in negation, theos becomes
atheos (whence atheism), so gnosis becomes agnosis
(whence agnosticism).
A gnostic is a person who, like the Polish scien-
tist Jacob Bronowski, believes that knowledge is
mankinds only destiny and ultimate salvation. An
agnostic, however, is a person who denies the pos-
sibility of all knowledge, including knowledge of a
supernatural creator.
In the book In God We Doubt, John Humphrys,
the sardonic former London broadcaster, insists
strongly that agnosticism is not atheism. If atheism
is belief that there is no god, agnosticism is belief
that the question is even idle because Gods exist-
ence (or not) is not knowable.
But I emphasise that I am neither a Humphrysian
agnostic nor a Nietschean nihilist.
My faith is rm that, despite the many objective
limitations within the human genome and the many
subjective roadblocks in its way, humanity will
travel a million times farther than we have travelled
in our quest to become the scientic and techno-
logical masters of the Hawkingian universe.
Indeed, this contradiction is what denes human-
itys techno-intellectual history. The human career
consists in a never-ending and always ascend-
ing solution and resolution between, on the one
hand, our permanently unlimited capacity to know
and conquer the universe and, on the other, the
equally permanent limitation of human knowledge
and skill at any particular time and in any particu-
lar clime.
That is why I prefer the astrophysical quantum
faith that we shall soon arrive at a single simple
scientic formula which like Albert Einsteins a
century ago will give a fully unied explanation
of all reality.
I wholly reject the pessimism, expressed even by
scientists, that a certain quantum uncertainty will
always stand in humanitys path to full knowledge.
But I repeat that atheism is not my world out-
looks name.
My faith rests only on humanitys capacity for
knowledge and skill. Gnosticism (its real name) is
what will ultimately liberate mankind from its mis-
erable drudgery.
Salvation will consist entirely in collectively
creating a human paradise on the planet that cre-
ated us.
If it is atheistic, then atheism is just a by-product
of my faith.
My real faith is that one day humanity will unite
to collectively create and apply scientic knowledge
and technological skill enough to be able to collec-
tively build a heaven right here on earth.
philipochieng39@yahoo.com
No, my world
outlook is
not the same
as atheism
T
he media have an
important role
in security and
peace building, but this
role almost always has a
context that is complex.
This came through from
a media workshop held
at the African Leader-
ship Centre in Nairobi.
The workshop was jointly
sponsored and organised
by the centre and the
African peace-building
Network of the Social
Science Research Council
in New York in conjunc-
tion with the East African
Legislative Assembly.
It brought together
30 media practitioners
drawn from all the ve
member countries of the
East African Community.
The idea of the work-
shop was to emphasise
the importance of peace
and security issues and
to appreciate the extent
to which the increasing
de-territorialisation of
insecurity puts a new
emphasis on the regional
context for the provision
of security. This notion
means there is a relation-
ship between our regional
existence as East Africans
and the challenge of se-
curity provision across
borders.
In conceptualising how
issues of security and
peace building are central
to the work of journalists,
participants discussed
how the condition of
peace results from how
journalists exercise their
responsibilities, how they
bring their journalistic
tool kit to bear on what
they report, what con-
ceptual frameworks they
impose, what gets empha-
sised and how these are
projected into society.
Journalism is not im-
portant to society simply
because of how journal-
ists report, but mainly
because of how that
responsibility factors in
the general interests of
the people. The idea of
the interests of people is
of course contested and
workshop participants
brainstormed around the
implication of biasing
analysis and reports in
favour of the amorphous
category we refer to as
the people.
There was interesting
discussion of how a peo-
ple-centred perspective
in media articulations has
historically come to be
challenged by the chang-
ing vision and expanding
interest of the media
owners. It was noted
that media ownership
is heavily private; State
media are few and far in
between.
As a participant argued,
there is some unfairness
in expecting a private
media owner, with their
own agenda, to serve the
public interest. Private
media owners normally
begin with a journalistic
agenda. But as they grow,
they acquire new, largely
commercial and political,
interests. Is it fair to ex-
pect their interests to be
subservient to the histori-
cal ideology the private
media owner started
with?
The resulting situa-
tion, it was observed,
explains the current ten-
sions within the media,
where it is not always
rosy between editors and
reporters, and between
media owners and jour-
nalists.
The other dilemma
was that posed by the
democratic recession in
evidence in many African
countries. This reces-
sion is not explicit, it is
mounted by popularly
elected governments and
their anti-media legisla-
tions are often heavily
supported by citizen par-
tisans.
This, however, raises
the other critical ques-
tion: are we experiencing
an imposed democratic
recession or are we active
participants in the gen-
eration of that recession?
Of particular interest to
participants was the issue
of civic participation. It
was argued that the civic
public has outsourced
their responsibilities for
civic engagement. They
assume that the work of
guarding against abuse,
corruption, and violence
can only be agged as
wrong and unacceptable
by journalists.
The biggest threat to
media, it was aptly sug-
gested, is not how to stay
in business but how to
stay in journalism. There
could not have been a
better way to summarise
the core message of the
meeting. Going forward,
the partners who organ-
ised the workshop look
forward to having the
media play a signicant
role in peace- building
initiatives.
Godwin Murunga is Senior
Research Fellow, Institute
for Development Stud-
ies, University of Nairobi.
gmurunga@gmail.com
POINT BLANK | Godwin Murunga
Role of communication channels in
regional security is not clear-cut
A journalist at work.
The
biggest
threat to
media is
not how
to stay in
business
but how
to stay in
journalism
FAIR PLAY | Peter Mwaura
W
hen the book came
back from the print-
ers, the last word
of the title was Massage.
But when Marshall McLuhan
saw the printing error he ex-
claimed: Leave it alone! Its
great, and right on target!
So the book came out titled
The Medium is the Massage.
What the Canadian philoso-
pher of communication theory
had actually written was The
Medium is the Message.
Many people still read the
last word of the title of his
1967 book as Message, or
Massage. Both are accurate.
What McLuhan postulates
is a complex theory. But it can
be reduced, for the purposes
of this article, to a one-liner:
The medium or channel of
information is more important
than the message.
He argues the medium
contains its own message,
independent of the content,
and that the medium has more
inuence on the public than
the content itself. The medium
shapes the users perception of
the content, and it can even be
the message itself.
His hypothesis built on what
other experts had laid down
as the role of the media in
society. In particular, Harold
Lasswell presented in 1948 a
simple yet brilliant model of
communication. Often quoted
by every communication stu-
dent, the model looks like
this: Who says what, in which
channel, to whom, with what
eects.
Examples of what McLuhan
postulated are everywhere.
Lets take what was reported
on the front page by the print
media on March 25, 2014. I
choose that date because it
gives one of the clearest ex-
amples. The Star story was
headlined Uhuru and Ruto
have not taken pay cuts, the
Standard was Baby left with
a terrorists bullet in head,
and the Nation was Chaos,
delays as Lands bosses ght
for power.
What were the eects of
the three dierent stories? It
depended on who was saying
what and in which media. If
the Nation had carried the Star
story, the eect would have
been dierent. As it was, the
Star story apparently died in
a whimper. Had the Nation
carried the story it would have
been a lions roar. Had the Na-
tion carried the Standard story
it would instantly have been
a major medical issue, as it
later turned out to be when the
Nation joined in. McLuhans
theory is not about media
readership or audiences. Its
about media structures and
their environment and how
they cannot be separated from
their messages. Take, for ex-
ample, the case of Prof Makau
Mutua, whose commentaries
in the Sunday Nation used to
excite so many. He moved to
the Sunday Standard and in-
vited his readers to join him.
He wrote in his September 11,
2013, Facebook post: I have
decided to take my talents
to the Standard on Sunday.
Thanks to colleagues at Sun-
day Nation and NMG for a
great seven years.
But that was the end of his
great seven years. Nobody
today apparently loses any
sleep over his commentaries.
His case is perfect proof that
the medium is the message
or the massage.
gigirimwaura@yahoo.com
Media are the message, or massage

Its about media

structures and their
environment and how
they cannot be separated
from their messages
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
14 | Opinion
P
olicy makers on alco-
hol manufacturing,
packaging, distribu-
tion and sale are to blame
for the frequent alcohol-re-
lated poisoning. They are
blind to a simple fact that
both rich and poor have the
same basic needs which
they, in their own separate
ways, seek to full every
day.
Thus, as the rich walk
into licensed pubs to sat-
isfy their alcohol thirst with
beer going for Sh150 per
bottle, the poor, with the
same thirst but with less
cash, walk into dens where
illicit brew goes for Sh20
per glass. It is not that the
poor like taking their drinks
in the dens, it is just that
legislation and policies have
cast them there.
It was wrong to legislate
against packaging alcoholic
drinks in sachets of 50ml,
100ml, 150ml that were
aordable to the poor. If
cooking fat, margarine, cof-
fee and tea have been made
available in sachets, why
not alcohol?
Attempting to ght al-
coholism by alienating
the poor through heavy
taxation, packaging that
increases the cost of the
liquid, criminalisation
and demonising the act
of drinking will always be
counter-productive. Just like
food, clothing and shelter,
alcohol should be accepted
as a need. What is required
is proper regulation to
cater for those who take it,
whether poor or rich.
The success of EABLs
Senator Keg in drawing the
poor away from the dens
back to the pubs should
have been rewarded, not
punished by newly-in-
troduced heavy taxation.
London Distillers, Keroche
Industries, Kenya Wine
Agencies, UDV and other
producers known to make
safe spirits should be al-
lowed to distribute them in
packages aordable to the
poor. Simple arithmetic will
show that if Kenya Cane
by UDV or Kibao Vodka by
KWAL were to be packaged
in 100ml sachets, each may
cost as little as Sh15, which
would be aordable to all.
Once this is done, the face-
less illicit brewer will run
out of business and close
shop.
Policy makers should
know that the current laws
and regulations on alco-
hol have failed miserably,
and no matter who heads
Nacada, or the usual reac-
tion following deaths, illicit
brewers will continue to
ourish as long as no al-
ternative is oered in their
target market. It is time to
pick up the carrot and lay
down the stick.
MIKE MUKIGI, Kiambu
ON THIS DATE IN 2002
COMPILED BY DELVIN OMWODO
To the editor
The editor welcomes brief letters on topical issues.
Write on e-mail to: mailbox@ke.nationmedia.com
You can also mail to: The Editor, Daily Nation,
POB 49010, Nairobi 00100.
TALKING POINT
Alcohol laws failed because
nobody considered the poor
Should county government take over Mombasa port?
AMBROSE MUTHAURA:
No, The port should stay with
the national government. All
the revenue should be used to
develop the whole country.
LINCOLN KINYUA: Yes.
That would be best for the
welfare of his county. The
national government has the
slowest mode of action and
for this they are not fully reli-
able.
ELAIS JUNIOR: Governor
Joho should follow the law,
otherwise he will be returning
to the old era that he purports
to ght.
CHRISTOPHER KIBI-
WOTT: No. The port was
built using national resources
and should serve the nation.
FILE | NATION
Gigiri Police Station ocers with impounded traditional brew
containers. Both the rich and the poor share a need for drink, but
the poor have been ignored by the law while the rich are taken
care of.
Origi decision calls for
review of our football
The recent inclusion of a Belgian
of Kenyan origin Divock Origi
in the Belgian team for the com-
ing World Cup is of great concern.
His father, former Harambee Stars
striker Mike Okoth, was probably
one of the best strikers Kenya has
ever produced but he never made it
to play in the World Cup because of
the situation in the Kenyan sport-
ing arena.
Kenyans will be watching Origi
keenly as his success brings hope to
the youths who may have given up
hope of ever playing in the World
cup. Patriots might disagree, but
maybe the boys family made the
right decision for his future.
Kenya is well known in athletics,
yet when it comes to other sports,
we barely make it on the radar. Our
players can be just as good as the
Cameroonians or Nigerians in foot-
ball, but the pedestrian approach
with which we handle the sport and
players here bogs us down.
The lacklustre performance of
the national team damages the
morale of aspiring footballers, who
get discouraged when they see the
frustrations of the national players,
some who cannot aord a roof over
their heads. The football adminis-
tration in the country must improve
for the likes of Origi to wish to play
for Kenya.
TITUS N. PALA, Kisumu
Legalise traditional brew
and set up new clubs
The government should reintro-
duce clubs that sell traditional
brews, like it was in the old days.
It is not fair for Kenyans to drink
while hiding as this makes it dif-
cult to establish the kind of
alcohol being consumed and the
standards of brewing. First of all,
the government should legalise
the traditional brews and license
clubs where people can go and
drink freely.
The government should be in-
volved in testing the drinks, just
like it is involved in testing meat
before it is sold to consumers.
There should be serious educa-
tion and campaigns carried out by
the Health ministry and through
churches to give people proper in-
formation on alcoholic drinks.
Bootleg alcohol should be de-
clared a national disaster like
HIV/Aids. There should also be a
heavy penalty for manufacturers
of killer alcohol to curb bad prac-
tices.
FERDINAND JUMA, Nairobi
Pedestrians to blame for high
rate of accidents on our roads
Technical issues that Nacada
must demand from producers
Pedestrians are killed on our highways daily
due to ignorance of trac laws. Some urban
residents, especially in Nairobi, carelessly cross
roads at wrong spots. City roads are well marked.
Besides, the installation of trac lights is meant
to direct pedestrians when crossing the roads.
Along many highways, there are designated safe
places for crossing that include footbridges. Un-
fortunately, ignorant residents are always seen
standing on roads, waiting for a chance to cross
as cars speed o, ending up risking their lives and
that of the motorists in case of an accident.
GRIFFIN LUKE AWINO, Nairobi
DEBATE QUESTION
THE CUTTING EDGE
BY THE WATCHMAN
TERRORISM COURSE. As a long-term measure
to enhance national security, a compulsory course on
terrorism should be introduced in colleges, Benjamin
Ashuma proposes. The core units of the course, he
adds, should include terrorism risk assessment, anti-
terrorism research methods, and collection of terror-
ism evidence, international cooperation and nego-
tiation skills. Directives such as removal of tints will
have little impact or motorists should drive with their
car boots open. His contact is xbenjy@gmail.com.
NO BANK. Calling the Cooperative Bank is Ga-
thoni Kuria, a resident of Mwiki, Kasarani, on Nairobis
northern outskirts, who is disappointed that the bank
does not have a branch or even an ATM in this area
teeming with small businesses that are in dire need
of banking services. A long-time account holder with
the Co-op Bank, Gathoni says she has watched other
banks come and pitch tent, but with no sign of the
one she patronises. I am forced to go to Zimmerman
or the city centre for banking services. Her contact is
Tel 0721390467 or gathoni_kuria@yahoo.com.
CHEAP BREWS. There is a good reason why the
majority of Kenyans who drink alcohol go for the
cheap deadly brews, says Michael Mburu. Many of
them, he says, earn just about Sh200 a day, and yet a
bottle of the most popular drink, Tusker, costs Sh150.
Such a person cannot aord to drink Tusker and
feed his family. Worse, still the Finance minister con-
tinues to increase taxes on alcoholic drinks. Kenyans
will continue to die because many love their drink.
Michaels contact is mburumk@yahoo.com.
Have a logical day, wont you!
POLICE STATE. James Gakuo is alarmed at the
possible slide towards a police state, which, he
claims, is evident in some of the directives being is-
sued left, right and centre by some top security o-
cials. He warns: Kenyans need to be watchful, lest we
lose our individual freedoms and privacy in the name
of constant security surveillance. He is particularly
concerned about the directive requiring people to pro-
duce identity cards before boarding public service ve-
hicles. His contact is gakks2002@yahoo.com.
HIGHWAY TO HELL. The Muthiga to Limuru
junction stretch of the Nairobi-Nakuru highway is in
a pathetic state, says Muheani Muheani, disappointed
that the recent urry of repairs didnt do much. Ac-
cording to Muheani, the roadsides are also unkempt.
He hopes Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael
Kamau will ensure that the highway is spruced up to
acceptable standards, as it looks horrible. And spe-
cial attention, he demands, should be paid to a gulley
near Sigona Golf Club, just before Gitaru, which is a
car-wrecker. His contact is muheanim@gmail.com.
TEAM RAINBOW. National Rainbow Coalition
leaders (from left) Charity Ngilu, Michael Wamalwa,
Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and
George Saitoti on the day they announced that Mr
Kibaki would be the coalitions presidential candidate.
An advertisement appeared in the press
on May 13 following the alcohol crisis. From
the listed 12 liquor manufacturers and im-
porters, how many have quality assurance
control departments with qualied person-
nel? Secondly, more light should be shed
on whether there are any chemists in the
employ of these rms. Thirdly, continuous
post-market surveillance by Nacada would
pick up adulterated alcohol. Finally it is
time accreditation and not certication be-
came the hallmark of our safety.
J. WAKUNGWI SAKWA, Kakamega
YESTERDAYS QUESTION
Send your comments to mailb
ox@ke.nationmedia.com
Was Uhuru right
to order payment
of Sh1.4bn debt
to Anglo Leasing?
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Letters 15
BY BILLY MUIRURI
bmuiruri@ke.nationmedia.com
A
supposedly lucra-
tive deal has left a
businessman staring
bankruptcy in the face as the
Nairobi County Assembly
ordered investigations into
the matter.
For transport company
owner Guleid Kunow Mursal,
37, the adage that when the
deal is too good, then think
twice, could as well have come
to pass.
Only six months ago, his
bus company Diamond
Coaches Limited was rak-
ing Sh20 million a month out
of which it diligently paid Sh1
million to First Community
Bank that had nanced the
purchase of his eet of buses
that plied Nairobi-Mombasa
and Nairobi-Garissa routes.
This was until he got an
oer from the Nairobi County
Transport Executive Evans
Ondieki.
To help address biting pub-
lic service transport in the city,
I was told to sell the company
to the county government
where they would own 51 per
cent and me and my associates
49 per cent, says Mr Mursal
as he produced documents to
back up his claims.
The county government
was to oset the Sh39 mil-
lion bank loan balance in three
equal instalments, documents
show, for the partnership to
be cemented.
But somewhere along the way,
the county government did not
full its promise to the bank.
The bank became impatient
with the City Hall deal after I
failed to remit the Sh1 million
monthly. It is now three months
overdue, says Mr Mursal.
The bank moved in and
seized 10 of the buses. They
are now kept under lock
and key at an auction yard
on Kitui Road in Industrial
Area, Nairobi.
Mr Ondieki said the deal
was no more and that Mr
Mursal was just one of the
many people and rms that
submitted proposals for the
transport contract.
We have many proposals
Diamond wrote a proposal
to the governor like any other
stakeholder. We have so many
proposals, most of them inter-
national, says Mr Ondieki.
He says the Diamond issue
was dierent from the rapid
bus transport system that
is designed to introduce big
capacity buses in major city
routes. Other firms inter-
ested in the deal are VDL,
Volvo, Leyland and Foton
East Africa.
Last Tuesday, the matter
landed at the County Assem-
bly which set up a committee
to investigate the botched city
buses deal.
Trader faces
bankruptcy
over bus deal
TRANSPORT | Buses deal gone sour
JEFF ANGOTE | NATION
Mr Guleid Kunow Mursal shows journalists one of his Diamond
Coaches Limited buses currently held at an auction yard awaiting
sale by First Community Bank to recover a loan. The buses were to
be deployed on city routes.
The bus company
wrote a proposal to the
governor just like any
other stakeholder
Mr Evans Ondieki
Fleet of buses
seized by bank kept
at an auction yard
in Industrial Area
Contempt penalty against Speaker postponed
BY NATION
CORRESPONDENT
Embu County Assembly
Speaker Kariuki Mate ap-
peared before three judges
for contempt of court.
Mr Mate, who was found
guilty of allowing the mo-
tion that led to the initial
impeachment of Mr Martin
Wambora as governor when
a court had ordered against
doing so, presented himself
yesterday at the High Court
in Kerugoya.
He was accompanied by his
lawyer, Mr Charles Njenga.
However, a three-j udge
Bench, which was scheduled
to sentence the Speaker and
County Assembly Clerk Jim
Kauma, postponed the mat-
ter.
Mr Njenga had urged the
judges to adjourn the judg-
ment as Mr Kauma had fallen
ill and was admitted to Kagio
Nursing Hospital in Kirinyaga
County.
The clerk, who was also
guilty of contempt of court
and was supposed to be in
court yesterday, had suf-
fered high blood pressure,
the lawyer submitted.
He requested judges Cecilia
Githua, Hedwig Ongudi and
Boaz Olao to adjourn the
matter to allow him to at-
tend court once treated and
discharged.
The Bench granted the
request and directed that
the judgment be delivered
on May 30. Mr Kauma will
be expected to appear.
The ocials disobedience
was the reason the judges re-
instated Mr Wambora in the
rst round. He was removed
again but has been reinstated
temporarily.
The date this month when the
High Court in Kerugoya will
sentence Embu Speaker
30
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
16 | National News
BY TIMOTHY KEMEI
@timothykemei
timothykemei@gmail.com
K
ericho Governor Paul Chep-
kwony says he will not go to
court to block his impeach-
ment.
Instead, he said, he had submitted to
the authority of the Senate and hoped
to get a fair hearing.
Speaking to the Saturday Nation
yesterday, Prof Chepkwony asked
his supporters to be calm and main-
tain peace until the process came to
an end.
I want to appeal to all the residents
of this county to relax and allow the
process to proceed to full conclusion.
The truth will eventually come out.
He was shocked at the outcome of
the impeachment process in which 32
MCAs voted to remove him from oce
while 15 did not vote.
I believe in a fair process. I will not
go to court because I have faith the
Senate will be fair and exonerate me
from all those claims. I have nothing
to add, he said.
The 15 MCAs who supported the
governor (but did not vote) accused
their colleagues of rebelling against
the wishes of residents, elders and
the clergy.
Londiani Ward representative Jack-
son Kikwai accused the 32 of going
behind the backs of others to push
the impeachment agenda in spite of
an agreement to withdraw it following
the intervention of the Kipsigis Myoot
(Council of Elders).
Withdraw motion
He said that the MCAs had agreed
to resolve outstanding issues between
them and the governor.
We had agreed to withdraw the im-
peachment motion following talks with
the Myoot chairman Joseph Cheruiyot
and were shocked when our colleagues
went against the agreement.
Mr Kikwai said the reasons given
by the MCAs did not meet the legal
threshold for the governors impeach-
Kericho governor: Senate
will give me a fair hearing
Supporters claim rebel
MCAs went against
wishes of the council of
elders, county residents
and religious leaders
IMPEACHMENT | Chepkwony not intending to go to court

I believe in a fair
process. I will not go
to court because I have
faith the Senate will be
fair and exonerate me
Chepkwony
BY NATION CORRESPONDENT
The businesses community in Busia
has suered huge losses due to persist-
ent power blackouts.
Businesses that depend on elec-
tricity have had to close for most of
the day while other have had to buy
generators.
Governor Sospeter Ojaamong has
now raised concern over the problem
of blackouts and demanded prompt
intervention of the Kenya Power
Company.
Mr Ojaamong said insecurity had
also been increased in the county due
to the blackouts.
We are concerned about the laxity
exhibited by the power rm. Over a
week, we have lost four people in-
cluding a Kenya Power employee,
he said.
The governor said he had on several
occasions called the company to have
power connected in some of the areas
after day-long outage.
He urged KP to nd a lasting solu-
tion to the problem that has made it
a laughing stock among residents and
investors in the region.
Business owners said they had
incurred losses as customers seek
services in neighbouring Uganda.
We are asking Kenya Power and
relevant stakeholders to address the
menace which is killing our business,
said Mr Stephen Obala, the Busia Busi-
ness Community chairman.
Another trader, Mr David Irulu, said
the most aected people were jua kali
artisans, hotel owners and dealers in
electronics.
Traders incur losses due to blackouts
BOMET
High cost of inputs
hurts sh farming
Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto
has queried the high cost of
inputs for sh farming, saying
it was a drawback for growth
in the sector. In a speech read
on his behalf by the county
executive committee member
in charge of sheries Eliza-
beth Langat, Mr Ruto said de-
spite the challenges, some sh
farmers in the region were
expanding their businesses.
The speech was read during
the areas sh marketing day
at the Sigor trading centre
in Chepalungu sub-county.
He said many maize growers
were turning to sh farming.
BY NATION
CORRESPONDENT
Former minister Nicholas
Biwott has said the law was fol-
lowed in the eviction of a man who
held his fathers land for almost
30 years.
Recent media reports said that
retired police ocer Kigen Maina
bought a plot from Mr Joshua
Kiprono Cheserem, Mr Biwotts
father, in 1963. He was, however,
evicted 30 years later after a court
ruled he lacked proper documen-
tation.
Declaring that he was not party
to the dispute, Mr Biwott (above)
said it was wrong for Mr Maina to
lay claim to land that is now under
his ownership following the death
of his father.
The parties rights to the dis-
puted property were determined
by a court of law and not myself.
At no time during the legal proc-
ess was I approached by anyone
nor did I approach anyone else
in respect of this matter, said
Mr Biwott.
According to media reports, Mr
Mainas eldest son approached Mr
Biwott in 2005 over the dispute
but he is yet to hear from the
former minister.
Biwott denies
wrongdoing
in land tussle
KAKAMEGA
Commission wants
list of grabbed land
The National Land Com-
mission has asked counties
to submit lists of public land
that has been grabbed in their
jurisdictions to enable it start
the recovery process. NLC
chairman Mohamed Swazuri
said much of the land set
aside for development in the
county had been grabbed,
disrupting plans for construc-
tion of sewerage system. The
commission was also address-
ing disputes involving Nubian
community in Mumias town. BY NATION
CORRESPONDENT
The family that slaughtered
and fed on a neighbours cat due
to lack of food will soon have more
conventional meals on the table fol-
lowing an overwhelming response
from well-wishers.
Early this week, the Nation re-
ported the familys plight in Tiaty,
Baringo County.
Since then Kenyans said they
would raise money for the family
and others oered to buy food.
Mr Joseph Nyandieka M-Pesad
Sh600 to the writer and followed
with an SMS: Please use this to
buy anything that can sustain them
for some days. I grew up in a poor
family but God has helped me.
Mr Harrison Kipyatich said on
his Facebook page: It is very sad
for a family to feast on a cat in this
21st century.
Baringo County Senator
Gideon Moi is to tour the area
next week.
Baringo Governor Benjamin
Cheboi said the county govern-
ment and the central government
is already distributing relief food
in the worst-hit areas.
Baringo family
that feasted
on cat get aid
COMRADE POWER! | Trainee engineers take on oversight body
KEVIN ODIT | NATION
Engineering students of the Technical University of Mombasa chant slogans after boycotting class yesterday over reports that
the institution was yet to be recognised by the Kenya Engineers Registration Board. TUM was initially a constituent college
of the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology before becoming a full-edged university.
BRIEFLY
NYERI
Coee woes: House
summons minister
Agriculture Cabinet Sec-
retary Felix Koskei has been
summoned to appear before
the National Assembly on
Wednesday to shed light on
marketing of coee from Ny-
eri County, which has caused
controversy. Mathira MP
Peter Weru said the minister
is expected to explain agree-
ments among the county,
marketers and millers that he
witnessed. He is also expected
to shed light on sales made so
far and payment released to
farmers.
NYERI
Man ned Sh50,000
for illegal logging
A man who was caught
cutting down trees in a forest
without a permit has been
ned Sh50,000. Mr Sammy
Marangu, who pleaded guilty,
will serve two months in
prison if he fails to pay the
ne, a magistrate ordered
yesterday. He was found with
two logs of cypress valued
at Sh10,000 on April 27 at
Ndathi Forest. He said that
he was hired by people who
escaped when they saw police
arresting him.
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
National News 17
I
f the Ministry of Foreign Aairs
Principal Secretary, Mr Karanja
Kibicho, wants to blame anyone
for the travel advisories imposed
this week, he should start with his
colleagues in government.
The United States, Britain, Aus-
tralia and France issued advisories
or updated existing ones to take
account of threats in the north-east,
Nairobi and Mombasa.
He is right to point out the hypoc-
risy of Western governments; there
were no advisories issued after the
9/11 attacks in the US or the bomb-
ings in Madrid and London in 2004
and 2005 respectively.
But such hypocrisy is not new. The
British governments reaction to the
resumption of an ICC investigation
into the conduct of its troops in Iraq
is evidence of this.
Mr Kibicho says the advisories are
only adding to fear and panic. But
what is likely to cause more fear and
panic: a government that has little
apparent idea on how to respond to
threats or foreign states telling their
nationals to avoid Eastleigh?
Watching Kenya in the last few
weeks has been disquieting. Every
new security strategy announced
by the likes of Inspector General of
Police David Kimaiyo and minister
Joseph ole Lenku only creates the
impression that this is a government
that does not know how to protect
its people.
Newspaper readers dont need
to be told that banning vehicles
with tinted windows is absurd. But
this ban is likely no less eective
a response to a terror threat than
demanding matatu crews to screen
all passengers or indiscriminately
interrogating thousands of Kenyans
on the ground that they are likely to
be Muslims.
Explaining such inconsistent,
counterproductive and ineffective
policies is easy. As Michaela Wrong
recently argued, Anglo Leasing left
the security services ill-equipped to
investigate and prevent the kind of at-
JACOB OWITI | DAILY NATION
Mr Stephen Okoth removes tint lm from a car window on Oginga Odinga Street in Kisumu to
comply with the new requirement.
A litany of rules
alone will not
end insecurity
TRAVEL ADVISORIES | Dan Branch
tacks being witnessed. That taxpayers
will foot the bill for that crime only
compounds the insult.
With the defence of the border
and capacity of security forces
undermined by graft, citizens and
corporations are providing the last
line of defence. Matatu crews are
expected to act like the police while
Safaricom will build a modern intel-
ligence and surveillance network at
its expense.
The only saving grace of the policies
introduced to counter terrorism so far
is that they will prove short-lived. Po-
lice do not have resources to maintain
mass arrests of Somalians.
The ban on tinted windows will
be forgotten like earlier attempts to
introduce speed limiters. Matatu and
bus crews will also ignore the require-
ment to check ID cards.
Far more dangerous in the long-
term than any of the recent temporary
populist anti-terror measures are the
new powers for county commission-
ers. There are reasons to object to
the resurrection of the Provincial
Administration.
The rst is disregard for constitu-
tional reform. A county commissioner
representing the Executive at the
grassroots is incompatible with
devolution.
The second reason is the doubt
about the judgment of those appoint-
ing people charged with security.
Whatever one might think of
Jomos presidency, his Provincial
Administration and civil service of-
cials were drawn from the ranks of
the brightest and best. The likes of
Simeon Nyachae, Duncan Ndegwa
and Charles Njonjo left an indelible
legacy.
By contrast, some of Uhuru
Kenyattas appointments have been
disastrous.
There is no reason to believe that
the quality of appointments of county
commissioners will be better. Kenya
deserves, and needs, more from its
public servants.
Prof Branch teaches history and
politics at Warwick University, UK.
dan.branch@gmail.com
The only
saving
grace of
the policies
introduced
to counter
terrorism so
far is that
they will
prove short-
lived
Dan Branch
Past experience shows
that the ban on tinted
windows or screening
will be forgotten soon
RELIGION | Walk to Uganda
SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION
Catholic faithful pray as they walk on Njoro-Molo Road
near Elburgon town yesterday on their way to Namugongo
shrines in Uganda. Some started the walk in Mtito Andei
some weeks ago and all are expected to reach Uganda on
June 1, after covering over 1,000km.
Ex-soldiers want to serve security
chiefs with court orders in Press
BY NATION
CORRESPONDENT
Some 27 former soldiers
want the High Court to allow
them to serve orders of their
release to Defence Cabinet
Secretary Rachel Omamo,
Chief of General Sta Major
Gen Julius Karangi and Kenya
Navy commander Ngewa
Mukala through newspaper
advertisement.
In the application, Mr
Gabriel Krigha Chawana
and his 26 colleagues told
Justice Edward Muriithi that
all eort to personally serve
the respondents have hit a
snag.
On May 7, while armed
with the court and release or-
ders, we proceeded to Kenya
navy base to serve the base
commander but we couldnt.
We made similar unsuccess-
fully attempt on May 8 to
serve the chief legal ocer
Brigadier Kenneth Ndidi at
the Department of Defence
where we were told he is
the only person to receive
court orders on behalf of
respondents, the soldiers
told the court through their
lawyers.
Lawyers Michael Mwanyale,
Charles Mwalimu, Henry
Kurauka and Daniel Kamunda
told Justice Muriithi that sub-
stituted service through local
dailies with wider circulations
is the only available option to
serve Ms Omamo, Mr Karangi
and Mr Mukala with orders
to release the 27 former
servicemen fighting court
martial trial.
They added that all eorts
to serve the respondents per-
sonally have been met with
diculties and frustrations.
It is imperative, therefore,
to have the respondents served
by way of substituted service
through an advertisement in
the national daily newspapers
with a wide circulation, they
added.
The court heard that 20
former soldiers have complied
with all requirements set by
the court to be released on
bond, including depositing
Sh500,000 bond and surety
of similar amount and their
passports with the High Court
registrar.
In their grounds of opposi-
tions to the application, Ms
Omamo, Mr Karangi and Mr
Mukala argued that the peti-
tioners have not used all due
and reasonable diligence to
serve them.
Senior legation counsel
Oscar Eredi from the At-
torney Generals oce said
the AG has not be person-
ally served and that the
application was deliberately
brought to institute contempt
of court proceedings against
the respondents.
Mr Eredi further indicated
the petitioners were informed
to serve the respondents
through KDF chief legal of-
cer, but they have not made
any eorts to do so.
Three appeal court
Judges on Tuesday grilled
lawyers representing the
Kenya Defence Forces over
failure by their clients to
obey their orders
Judges Hannah Ok-
wengu, Fatuma Sichale and
Milton Makhandia ques-
tioned why Defence Cabi-
net Secretary Raychelle
Omamo and Chief of De-
fence Forces Julius Karangi
had not complied with the
court order issued on May
2, by Mombasa High Court
Judge Edward Muriithi.
QUESTIONS
Judges quiz
lawyers
Parent fumes
at teacher
over supply
of food
BY NATION
CORRESPONDENT
As hunger continues to bite
in Turkana County, a parent
is now accusing headteachers
of taking food meant for their
school-going children.
The parent yesterday said
that headteachers have sud-
denly stopped supplying food
to nursery schools leading to
a huge dropout rate.
Ms Hellen Kuyia, claimed
that teachers were hiding food
meant for their children.
Satellite schools
But Mr Bernard Abong,
the headteacher at Kanam
Kemer Primary School, said
since World Food Programme
stopped supplying food to sat-
ellite schools the situation has
degenerated.
I can not supply food to
the eight centres despite ac-
cusations from parents who
dont understand this. Mr
Abong said.
World Food Programme
reportedly decided to exclude
nursery schools from getting
food due to an increase in
number of children turning
up at the gates to eat rather
than learn.
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
18 | National News
BY AUSTIN BUKENYA
satnation@ke.nationmedia.com
E
choing the likely senti-
ments of the classical
victim of romantic love, I
recently wrote: Ikiwa umeniroga,
basi ongeza urogi (if you have be-
witched me, ne then, increase the
dose of your charms). As is often
the case in such circumstances,
the utterance may have been
addressed to a real-life person,
but well skip the identication
parade for now.
What I can confess and admit
to is that, from me, these words
would be a sincere crie de coeur to
Kiswahili. If any one passion has
dominated the latter years of my
life and career, it has, curiously,
been Kiswahili. Mwalimu Joseph
Mwamburi, my friend and co-au-
thor, with Wallah bin Wallah and
Henry Indindi, of the Kurunzi ya
Kiswahili course, once suggested
that I should be given the nick-
name Mswahilisti.
This was at an East African
Kiswahili teachers conference
in Kampala, where, with a few
loyal friends, I have for over a
decade now been conducting
an evangelistic campaign for
the acceptance and promotion
of Kiswahili in Uganda. It is, ad-
mittedly an uphill task, but my
fellow Waswahilisti and I are not
just about to give up the ght.
And, thankfully, it is slowly but
steadily beginning to bear fruit.
Of course, we cannot arrogate
to ourselves such fundamen-
tal developments as the 2003
constitutional amendment that
proclaimed Kiswahili as the sec-
ond ocial language of Uganda
or the now fairly fast-moving
process of setting up a National
Kiswahili Authority. But we are
encouraged by the fact that we
are now regularly consulted by the
policy makers on most matters
regarding Kiswahili.
Thus, we participated in the
teaching of the Basic Kiswahili ori-
entation course for the Members
of the Eighth Parliament, in the
development of the primary and
secondary school syllabi through
the National Curriculum Develop-
ment Centre, and in the formation
of the National Kiswahili Author-
ity, mentioned above, through the
Ministry of Gender Labour and
Social Development.
The reader may wonder what
gender and all that has to do with
Kiswahili. Well, it just happens
that in Kampala this ministry,
currently headed by my long-
time friend and literary colleague
at Makerere University, Ms Mary
Karooro Okurut, also houses the
Department of Culture, which is
responsible for language develop-
ment in the country. Ms Okurut,
also the founder of the famous
FEMRITE, the Uganda Women
Writers Association, of which I
am an honorary member, last
month launched the nal stage of
establishing the National Kiswahili
Authority, where the Waswahilisti
will certainly feature.
In any case, we are already
well-known, whether famous or
notorious, to the ministry for our
activism. Some time ago, when
my friend, Mr James Mugume,
the Permanent Secretary for
Foreign Aairs, introduced me
to his counterpart in the Gender,
Labour and Social Development
ministry, his colleague, she paid
me a rather curious compliment.
She said something like, Ive
heard about you. Youre the gen-
tleman who would wake up at
three in the morning to go and
work for Kiswahili.
I suspect that the PS had
received this impression of my
enthusiasm or is it madness
for Kiswahili from my dear
friend Juliana Naumo, now the
Commissioner for Culture, with
whom I worked closely on our
contribution to the formation
of the East African Kiswahili
Council.
It all started in 2004 when I
received a letter from the East
African Community secretariat at
Arusha, through the ministry, that
I had been designated to represent
Uganda, along with my beloved
comrade, Prof Kimani Njogu, from
Kenya and Dr Anna Kishe from
Tanzania, on the Task force for
the formation of the East African
Kiswahili Commission. Dr Kishe,
who was then Executive Secretary
of the Tanzanian National Kiswa-
hili Council (BAKITA), was to be
our chairperson.
I went to the ministry to seek
facilitation to attend the task
forces inaugural meeting in
Arusha but, not surprisingly, no
funds were available for that
project. I thought the opportu-
nity for Uganda, and for me, was
too good to let pass without a try.
So, I scraped a few coins from my
pocket and caught the good old
Akamba Bus, through Nairobi, to
Arusha. The rest, as they say, is
history. Uganda participated fully
in the work of the task force, and
the East African Kiswahili Com-
mission is an entity assented to by
all the states of the East African
Community.
(By the way, I sorely miss the
Akamba Bus Service. It was an
institution with which many of
us had grown up, and in its own
way it, too, symbolised the East
African spirit. I lived and taught
in Machakos, the birthplace of the
Akamba Bus, between 1977 and
1978, and I was both surprised
and amused to actually see in the
town some of the elderly drivers
and conductors who had ferried
me scores of times on their buses
between Kampala and Nairobi.
So, the Akamba buses were re-
ally as Akamba as they were East
African!)
Anyway, the story soon spread
along the corridors of the ministry
that Bukenya had actually found
his way to Arusha on foot! Well,
if the guy could walk all the way
from Kampala to Arusha for the
sake of Kiswahili, waking up at
3am to run a small errand for it
wouldnt be that much of a big
deal.
What, however, the story-tellers
didnt tell us is why a 60-year-old
man, as I was then, should think
nothing of tearing across three
countries, at his own expense,
for the sake of a language, and
especially a language that is not
that highly thought of in Uganda.
I, too, am sometimes tempted to
wonder why I go banging on
every door in sight for the sake
of Kiswahili.
Often, indeed, it feels like
banging ones head against a
wall when one runs into the
thick indierence or even deri-
sive decampaigning (as the
Ugandans say) that characterise
attitudes towards Kiswahili. In
such moments, I try to brace my
faith in our language by thinking
back on the events that triggered
my awareness of the priceless gift
of Kiswahili to all East Africans.
To me, this awareness, not to say
fanatical love, of the lingo is the
magic, the urogi that wouldnt
let me either rest or relax in the
quest for its recognition.
For me, it all goes back to the
19th century, when my grand-
mother, Hajara Binti Ramadhan,
was born, most probably in
Bagamoyo. Her father was one
of the rst converts to Islam in
Uganda, and when their leader,
Prince Nuhu Kyabasinga Mbogo,
Weekend
PLO: THE DAY I WAS
KICKED OUT OF JOB
Former anti-graft czar on
his life since in the political
hotbed.
Page 39
CONTINUED ON PAGE 38
For over a decade now, a campaign
has been raging on the acceptance
of Kiswahili in Uganda, an uphill
task that is beginning to bear fruit
Why I knock
on every door
for Kiswahili
REFLECTIONS OF A RETIRING SCHOLAR | Thoughts of an East African elder and pioneer man of letters
What, however, the
story-tellers didnt
tell us is why a 60-
year-old man, as I was
then, should think
nothing of tearing
across three countries,
at his own expense,
for the sake of a
language thats not
highly thought of in
Uganda
Prof Austin Bukenya
Year Prof Austin Bukenya
represented Uganda at
the East African Kiswahili
Commission meeting in
Arusha
2004
FILE | NATION
Mr Wallah bin Wallah
FILE | NATION
Prof Kimani Njogu
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
19
networks, making it affordable and
universally accessible.
Not only does broadband secure inclusion
within the global economy, but it goes a long
way to underpin the competitiveness of a
nation. In a developing nation like Kenya, the
success of broadband connectivity lies in the
progressing the realization of the Millennium
Development Goals.
As such, there is need for a broadband
ecosystem in Kenya to meet the demands of
Vision 2030 that seeks to provide Kenyans
with a lifestyle that is only experienced
in a newly industrialized country. The
Constitution of Kenya 2010 anticipates
information access to all citizens as a basic
right; as well as the recognition that Kenya
aspires to be a globally competitive and
prosperous nation.
Currently, broadband connectivity in Kenya
delivers a minimum of 5mbps (in rural areas)
and 40 mbps (in urban areas) to homes and
businesses for high speed access to voice,
data, video and applications for development.
It is expected that by 2017, 35 per cent of
the household in Kenya, and all schools and
hospitals will have been connected to the
internet.
There are some key gaps in broadband
research and development that need to
be sealed if the adoption of broadband
technologies will be an enabler in the
attainment of Kenyas Vision 2030. A
whooping 90 per cent of Kenyans do not
have access to broadband, students do not
have access to computers. Many Kenyans
do not have skills to use the internet. Unless
these gaps are addressed, Kenya will fail as a
country to take advantage of opportunities
to uplift Kenyans socio-economic status
and adversely affect the countrys global
positioning and competitiveness. The
country therefore needs a very clear road-
map towards the realisation of a knowledge-
based economy.
A technician xes bre optic cables on Lusaka Road in Industrial Area, Nairobi.
The future of broadband connectivity in Kenya
BY MILLICENT MWOLOLO
mmwololo@ke.nationmedia.com
T
he World Telecommunication and
Information Society Day (WTISD)
is held on 17 May to focus on the
importance of ICT and the wide range of
issues related to the Information Society.
This days objective is to help raise
awareness of the possibilities that the use of
the Internet and other IT technologies (ICT)
can bring to societies, as well as of ways to
bridge the digital divide. This years theme is
Broadband for Sustainable Development.
Kenya and the rest of East Africa is at a
developmental phase and its leadership
has realized the role of digital development
to transform and fast-track sustainable
development. Broadband is a strategic
infrastructure for a 21st century economy.
Broadband is the platform for Kenya to
develop and register economic growth and
innovation. Broadband enables healthcare,
education, employment and government
service delivery. This will give Kenya a
competitive edge in the region as very few
countries in Africa have established a similar
framework.
There is a multi-stakeholder commitment
to achieve universal access to broadband
connectivity and content in the country. The
government and the private sector have been
in consultations chatting the way forward
for enhanced broadband connectivity in
Kenya. In order to realize its full potential, it
is essential to roll-out high-speed broadband
BY MILLICENT MWOLOLO
mmwololo@ke.nationmedia.com
The future of broadband in Kenya shall be more
than viewing television, surng the internet and
making phone calls. It shall be about new forms
of communication and mass collaboration
through the virtually un-limited potential
for sharing information, storage capacity,
processing power and software made possible
through high-capacity bandwidth connections.
This collaboration will generate new ideas,
accelerate economic development and lead
to opportunities for wealth creation, social
development and personal expression.
It is expected that ubiquitous broadband
services lower the cost of communication and
attract investment particularly in rural areas.
This will stimulate local economic environments
and increase economic growth.
Broadband networks have been shown to have
a direct impact on employment. An increase in
broadband penetration will have an increase in
jobs in the country.
Broadband will facilitate the roll-out of e-health
applications in the country. This will provide
solutions to the constraints of health care
delivery systems in the rural and marginalized
areas.
The development of broadband infrastructure
and ICT skill within the country shall promote
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). This will
greatly impact the success of the BPO sub-
sector.
Broadband will unlock opportunities and
investment competitiveness in the country.
Economic linkages will be enhanced through
access to new domestic and international
markets. Businesses in the rural context will also
benet by gaining access to more suppliers and
more competitive inputs. This will consequently
increase the competitiveness of their products.
A well-developed ICT infrastructure will provide
a conducive environment for business incubation
in the country. This will nurture the development
of entrepreneurial and ICT-oriented companies.
This would provide Kenya the opportunity to
ascend to the level of technological hub in Vision
2030.
Access to fast speed internet in all parts of the
country is essential to the success of county
e-governments. Efcient backhaul, last mile
broadband network and end-user devices will
support the efciency of e-governments.
The virtual working environment will be
realized as broadband would likely increase
telecommuting. This will cut travel time
and expenses to employees and reduce
environmental pollution- boosting societal
welfare.
Broadband is likely to promote inclusion of
persons with disabilities in formal employment
and access to education. Access to advanced
technology at home would increase the
availability of distance learning programmes
and job certications to persons living with
disabilities.
Broadband network within Kenya and the East
African region would support security agencies
and other agencies to respond faster to
emergencies and natural disasters. This will aid
in the communication of national security alerts
to serve public interest.
e-learning will be revolutionalized as more people
engage in on-line and distance learning. The
availability of low-cost and quality education in
the internet will expand education opportunities
in the country.
The benets of broadband
connectivity in the country
WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION &
INFORMATION SOCIETY DAY
THEME: Broadband for Sustainabl Dvlopmnt
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
20 | Advertising Feature
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Advertising Feature 21
BY SITAWA NAMWALIE
satnation@ke.nationmedia.com

F
irst, I started to read. I was 10
years old and a friend brought
me a book for my birthday.
I sat down and started to read this
book and the birthday was history. I
could no longer hear the noise of my
many friends as they played in the
background. I was hooked and ad-
dicted to reading from the very rst
book I read.
I still remember the title of the book,
Secret Island, by Enid Blyton. Many
years later, when it was no longer po-
litically correct to say you liked Enid
Blyton, because some of her stories
are steeped in racism, (the gollywogs
are apparently negative caricatures
of black people), I still keep a warm
place in my heart for her.
I read to gure out life questions. I
was one of those kids who thought and
thought about everything and looked
for answers for what I now know is the
human condition. I looked for answers
to questions you cant ask your father
or mother or teacher without making
them suspicious of your intentions.
Started to wonder
I remember the time I looked around
me and started to wonder how I was
supposed to know if anything around
me was real. Was I real? How was I
supposed to tell if I was real?
I would sit in class and look at my
fellow students, watch the teacher
speaking and wonder, what if nothing I
was seeing was real, what if it is nothing
but a gment of my imagination? I kept
this strange inquiry to myself.
I knew instinctively it was something
that would mark me out as a weirdo.
Later, I found out that this was a
quest that had held the attention of
many philosophers, including Rene
Descartes, he of I think so I am
fame.
Books helped me to gure my many
questions out. I read everything,
newspapers, novels, encyclopaedias,
(the original Google). Later on, as I
grew up, I read to gure out my place
in the world.
Writing is part of the same pursuit.
It is me trying to gure out the human
condition. I watch the contradictions,
complexities, inconsistencies, outright
hypocrisy that bedevil our lives and I
spend time thinking and asking ques-
tions and, best of all, coming up with
answers for myself that I can then share
with other people.
Writing has helped me to understand
the value of thinking. Think long-term
on a single topic and more and more
of the subject comes into view. Tribe,
race, ethnicity and tribalism is one of
my many enquires. I watch and listen to
people, to hear and see how they relate
on tribe, race, ethnicity and tribalism.
I remember my utmost surprise when
I realised that Kenyans of all ethnic
groups perceive themselves as victims
in the context of tribalism and have
elaborate stories about the nature of
their tribal victimhood.
And then I have come to understand
how tribe, tribalism, ethnicity, racism;
the negative aspect of all these human
expressions of diversity, represents one
of the negative pillars on which the
Kenyan nation has constructed itself.
In its negative manifestation, it is a
place from which we reap pain and
suering, from which we victimise,
from which we discriminate and from
which we perpetrate.
Ideas for my poetry comes from
everything going around me. Writing
poetry comes from my love of words,
language and love of telling stories. I
also write essays, short stories and I
am working on a new play.
I love writing for performance and I
love performing. An audience lights me
up and my work truly comes alive.
Writing has opened up a whole new
world for me with so many new op-
portunities. In April, I went to Berlin,
Germany, to participate in the Spoken
Words project, which was an exchange
between Kenyan and German poets,
spoken word artistes and hip-hop
artistes.
I met the most amazing Kenyan and
German artistes. The best part of this
project, for me, was that it allowed me
to get to know Kenyan artistes from dif-
ferent genres and it really helped me to
understand and appreciate what these
young people are doing. I am looking
forward to working with some of them
to infuse new genres into my work.
Sheng, in particular, interests me for
its sheer energy; it is such a testament
to the genius of our young people.
My new show, Silence is a Woman,
played at the Goethe Institut in Nairobi
on Saturday, May 10, at 7pm.
Are you an author with a story to tell?
Please write to satnation@ke.nationm
edia.com.
I write my poetry to gure out
humanity and to understand
the value of thinking
Read this book
and always trust
your instinct
BY MARION WAKAHE
mwakahe@gmail.com
We are bombarded daily with situations that require
decisions. Just this morning, I had to choose from an
array of clothes what to wear. My decision was inuenced
by things such as the weather, comfort, and appeal,
among others. Then I had to choose what to have for
breakfast; bread, cereals, pastries, etcetera. As with my
choice of what to wear, my decision on breakfast was
driven by forces such as what I felt like, energy con-
tent, healthiness etcetera. We generally make such
decisions easily without even thinking about them.
However, there are times when we are forced to make
decisions and act in moments that can quite literally
change our lives.
Malcolm Gladwells book, Blink, looks at how we make
decisions and draw conclusions in dierent contexts. He
poses that we are aected by two main forces: Careful
analysis and instinct. He looks at the pros and cons
of each and attempts to determine when best to apply
careful analysis and when to apply instinct.
The book starts out with a story of a kouros that
didnt look quite right. A kouros is a sculpture of nude
male youth standing with his left leg forward and his
arms at his side, believed to represent the god Apollo.
These pieces are few and quite pricy. In 1983, the kouros
in discussion was priced at just under $10 million. As
expected, tests had to be undertaken to determine its
authenticity.
From these tests the kouros appeared authentic, until
experts were brought in. These were people with years
of experience in historical artefacts, such as Italian art
historian Federico Zeri, Evelyn Harrison, an expert on
Greek sculptures, and Thomas Hoving, the former di-
rector of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Federico had an issue with the sculptures ngernails.
They appeared wrong to him. Thomas said the sculpture
was fresh. Fresh is a problem for a statue that was sup-
posed to be 2,000 years old. The Getty Museum the
likely buyer of the kouros concerned by the reaction
of these experts, convened a symposium on the kouros
in Greece. It was trashed as an absolute fake and further
enquiry attested to this, such as a letter that was used
to trace the kouros to Swiss physician Lauenberger
(a well-known art dealer) dated 1955. In addition, the
kouros was aged using potato mold.
These experts underwent what is referred to in Blink
as intuitive repulsion. Though they could not articulate
their concerns clearly, something was o. Initial tests
proved the kouros genuine, but expert instinct rubbished
the kouros and so begins the whole journey into the book.
In this particular instance, instinct beat analysis. But
then again, this might not be the case really. Experts
showed concern over the kouros. These were individu-
als who had the advantage of dealing with all sorts of
artefacts over many years. As such, the moment they
looked at the kouros and felt something was o, they
relied on years of experience meeting intuition. From
my observation, neither instinct nor careful analysis
can be the winner; both apply.
A number of other analogies are given throughout
the book where Malcolm ponders if its best to rely on
instinct or careful analysis.
I recently nished reading Stiegg Larssons The Girl
with a Dragon Tattoo, the story of Mikael Blomkvist
tasked with nding a missing niece. The niece in ques-
tion had a brother named Martin Vanger whom, after
some serious detective work, Mikael suspected to have
killed a woman. On the night this insight came to him, he
went to Martin Vangers house to scan it for anything
suspicious. As he was doing this, he heard Martins car
approaching and quickly ran out. Unfortunately Martin
caught a glimpse of him and invited him in. Mikael
acquiesced and went in only to be tied up and tortured
like the many other female victims that Martin had
taken to his house. Martin asked Mikael one question,
Why did you come in when instinctively you could tell
it was the wrong thing to do?
My belief is one. Right instinct is followed by careful
analysis. As was the case of the experts who felt some-
thing was wrong, Mikael was scared of Martin after he
analysed the Vanger family history. I have two pieces
of advice: read Blink, and always think twice.
Tell us about a book that changed your life in not
more than 800 words. Send your story to satnation@
ke.nationmedia.com
MY FAVOURITE BOOK
The
audience
lights me
up and
my poetry
comes alive
IN THEIR OWN WORDS | Kenyan authors speak
Poet Sitawa
Namwalie dur-
ing a past per-
formance. She
says poetry has
opened many
doors for her.
FILE | NATION
One of the rst
poems I wrote
A Gifted Almost-Fifty
By Sitawa Namwalie
What do I do, now that I have
found,
a gift at almost-fty.
Writing angry young poetry,
A air I should have used up at
twenty.
At least uncovered back then!
Fresh, new, demanding, to be
known,
Gnashing your teeth at fty?
Do I hide it from mortication?
Or expose it and subject myself
to explanation.
Why now?
You see it was like this your
honour.
It wasnt my miscalculation,
There was Moi.
A regime that did not tolerate
vocalization,
No irate self-expression,
24 years of blundering terror
your honour.
It stole my fuming twenties,
Rolled over my barely mellow
thirties,
I gave up in my forties.
And then he left your honour,
Moi!
For no reason I can fathom.
At once the rage inside me
churned.
Poetry erupted, spewing on its
own,
Brimming, your honour,
I couldnt help myself,
My angry overdue gift,
Exposed at going on almost
fty!
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
22 | Weekend
I FOUND MY
NICHE IN
SEEDLINGS:
P29
The queen
of crop
breeding
THE NEW
GARDEN IN
TOWN: P32
Jane Ininda has developed 26 maize
strains and over 180 crop varieties,
and she is not about to stop. P. 28
HOW TO PICK
BEST BREED
FOR SEMEN
EXTRACTION.
PAGE 26
Egerton University is a premier institution for Agricultural education, Training, Research & Innovations
We are a centre of excellence in Agri-business, Value chain development, empowerment and Innovation facilitation
For more information Contact us on Phone: 051-2217891/2, 051-2217781
Fax: 051-2217827 Email: info@egerton.ac.ke Web: www.egerton.ac.ke
Egerton University is ISO 9001: 2008 Certified
EGERTON UNIVERSITY
Transforming Lives through Quality Education
Seeds of Gold
MAY 17, 2014 the weekly farming magazine
BUTTERFLY BREEDING
AND EXPORT
Hello,
I live in Nyeri and I would like advice
on buttery breeding and export. I
plan to empower the youth in this
location through this venture.
Wangui Ndungu
Thank you Wangui. Buttery
farming is among the untapped
livestock potential in the country
and an avenue to economically
empower the youth. For more
guidance on buttery farming and
breeding, kindly consider contact-
ing ICIPE in Nairobi or buttery
farms such as Kipepeo Project
around Arabuko Sokoke Forest
at the Coast or community-based
buttery farming groups around
Kakamega forest.
Seeds of Gold Team,
Egerton University

CHICKEN FEEDS HAVE
BECOME EXPENSIVE
Hallo, my name is Stephen Gakuhi,
I work at Egerton University as an
electrician and I am interested in
rearing chicks. I already have 200
hens, which have already started
laying eggs.
My big problem is the cost of feeds,
which are too expensive. I want to
learn about the following.
i. The ratio of making all the three
types of poultry feeds
ii. The raw materials and where I can
get them.
Seeds of Gold has come to ll a gap
that many farmers have been fac-
ing - lack of adequate information
on agribusiness. Many thanks to
Nation Media Group and Egerton
University.
Intensive poultry farming is an im-
portant livestock enterprise supply-
ing protein diets to many Kenyans,
providing employment and income.
However, this enterprise is highly
dependent on external inputs such
as feeds whose price has been on
the rise. Due to the sensitivity of
poultry on diets, poultry feeds for-
mulations require intense training.
Kindly contact Department of Ani-
mal Sciences, Egerton University
for further guidance.
Mugatha Anthony, Research As-
sistant, Department of Animal
Sciences, Egerton University.
anthonymugatha@yahoo.com

FISH FARMING
I am planning to engage in sh
farming in Nanyuki. The soil is black
cotton and thus is able to hold the
water in the pond without the use
of polythene paper. I, however,
require help on the suitability of
tilapia farming in Laikipia, due to the
weather conditions (semi-arid area).
I would also like to know where I
can get extensive research on sh
farming in Kenya to assist me in my
research.
Mwangi Sammy
The type of sh to farm depends
on water quality and temperatures.
Some sh types dwell best in clear
and cold water while others do best
in warm and turbid water. Water
temperature also inuences oxygen
concentration. Tilapia and cat sh
are best suited in warm areas but
dier in their need for water qual-
ity. Kindly visit Sagana Fish Farm
for further training on sh farming
enterprises.
Wangui Chege and Mugatha M,
Livestock Research Assistants, De-
partment of Animal Sciences, Eger-
ton University. prejaw@gmail.com
I WANT TO PRODUCE
OWN POULTRY FEEDS
Hello,
I own a hammer crushing machine
in Vihiga County, which is able to
crush granite rocks up to sizes of
between 10mm and 5mm. My ques-
tions are: i) Can I produce chicken
grit from these rocks? ii) What is the
quality required for chicken grit for
digestion? iii) I have read that gran-
ite dust can be used as soil nutrient,
so how can I produce and market
this? iv) What are the qualities for
the granite rocks used for the above
purposes and can they be found in
Vihiga?
I currently use this machine to crush
ore for extraction of alluvial gold.
Andrew Chanda
Thank you Andrew for your interest
in chicken nutrition. Poultry should
always have access to grit espe-
cially if they are conned indoors.
Grit aids their digestion because it
acts as the hens teeth in the crop
to grind the food. Grit size should
not exceed 2mm diameter. The ma-
jor compounds in granite rock are
Silicon oxide (72 per cent) and Alu-
minium oxide (14 per cent). Com-
pounds of nutritional signicance
in granite include Calcium oxide (2
per cent) Magnesium oxide (1.4 per
cent). Composition, however, varies
with geographical location. Con-
tact your nearest geological oce
(probably at Kakamega) for more
advice on qualities of the rock.
Seeds of Gold Team,
Egerton University
KARI CHICKEN
Kindly advise how I can get those
Kari chickens in Kakamega. I am
interested in rearing them.
Festus Ngaira
Kari is still in the process of
establishing an improved indig-
enous chicken breeding centre in
Kakamega, but for now, you can
only obtain their day old chicks
from Kari Naivasha centre.
Seeds of Gold Team,
Egerton University
BEEKEEPING
I am Erastus Okoth Obongo. My
home town is Muhoroni in Kisumu
County. I am interested in beekeep-
ing and rearing Kari kienyeji chicken.
Please advise
Hi Erastus, Muhoroni has suitable
environment for the two enter-
prises. You can source improved
chicken day-old chicks from Kari,
Naivasha. Kindly contact your sub-
county livestock production oce
for enquiries of where and how to
source for bee colony and apiary
tools. You may also consider visit-
ing Department of Animal Sciences,
Egerton University for more infor-
mation and short course training in
apiculture.
Wangui C, and Kimitei K, Live-
stock Research Assistants, Animal
Science Department, Egerton
University. prejaw@gmail.com,
ronaldkimitei@gmail.com
I NEED A LOAN
Hello, I am a young and passionate
Kenyan who for long has developed
interests in farming. We have 2.5
acres in Subukia, Nakuru County
and I have been asking myself how I
can venture into agriculture.
I would like to seek your advice in
terms of how I can jump-start my
dreams and more so if there are any
organisations I can talk to for credit.
Harun
Land is a prime capital in any agri-
cultural enterprise, however, there
are various enterprises one can
venture in depending on the geo-
graphical location. Kindly consider
saving some of your income in a -
nancial institution, where they may
lend you enough nance to start
an agricultural enterprise. Alterna-
tively, consider other sources such
as Uwezo Fund.
Musyoka D, Research Assist-
ant, Animal Science Depart-
ment, Egerton University.
dunmusyoka@gmail.com

I WANT TO BUY
DORPER SHEEP
Hi, I read your articles in Seeds of
Gold every Saturday. They are very
informative. I would to like to start
sheep farming business. Are you
able to provide a contact for some-
one who can sell me dorper ewes?
Im currently based in Machakos.
Eric Kiilu
Dorper breed does well across the
dierent ecological zones in the
country and are suitable in your
area. Kindly visit the Kenya Live-
stock Breeders Organisation oces
in Nakuru or your sub-county live-
stock production oces for further
guidance on farmers keeping dor-
per sheep in your area.
Wangui Chege
GREENHOUSE
I am grateful for Seeds of Gold team
and Egerton University. The articles
are very interesting and informative.
I am requesting for information on
how to make a greenhouse more
productive and the variety of crop
one can plant for more yield. Also,
I will appreciate to know more
about goat keeping for commercial
purposes.
Paul
It is unfortunate that you did not
specify your location. Therefore,
contact your nearest sub-county
livestock production oce for
more directions. Alternatively,
contact the Animal Science Depart-
ment of Egerton University to give
you more details on short courses
on sheep and goats.
Felix Akatch Opinya,
Livestock Research Assistant,
Egerton University, Njoro.
akatchf@gmail.com
TRAINING
Thanks for the informative articles
Having a rst degree in econom-
ics, what postgraduate/masters
programme can equip me with best
agribusiness skills.
Daniel Okwach Kisumu
Egerton University has various
postgraduate programmes of inter-
est to you. We oer in the Faculty
of Agriculture, MSc in Agribusiness
Management, Agricultural Value
Chain Management, Agricultural
Economic and Collaborative Mas-
ters in Agricultural Economics. You
have to apply to registrar academic
aairs. Application forms can be
downloaded from the website or
obtained from Egerton campuses in
Nairobi, Nakuru or Njoro at a fee of
Sh2,000. Kindly get in touch with
admission oce or visit Egerton
website at www.egerton.ac.ke for
more details and contact informa-
tion.
Charles Wanjohi, Research
Assistant, Animal Science De-
partment, Egerton University
cwanjohi@egerton.ac.ke
HOW CAN I ACCESS
FINANCES
Thank you for Seeds of Gold. I am
kindly requesting for nancial help
besides banks since I dont have
security that can assist me start and
grow my business. I have a business
plan for poultry and rabbit farming. I
have been doing pig farming.
Frashia Kiarie
Most nancial institutions request
for collateral, however, you can try
the following organisations Uwezo
Fund, Women Fund or Youth Fund
depending on your qualications to
each. Kindly note that you can also
access loan through the traditional
nancial institutions without col-
lateral if you are a member of a mi-
cronance group where members
act as guarantors.
Francis Kigen, Research Assistant,
Animal Science Department,
Egerton University.
kigenfrancis@yahoo.com
Butteries, nance and dorper sheep:
ASK THE EXPERTS
Do you have any question or enquiry on agribusiness, marketing, logis-
tics, processing, innovation, and technology? Our pool of experts from
Egerton University will respond to your questions with proper advice.
Please send your questions to: satnation@ke.nationmedia.com
I am Henry Gichuhi from Mombasa
and many thanks for Seeds of Gold.
I want to start goose keeping. What
are the best breeds to rear. And
Kari improved kienyeji chicken in
comparison to other layers/boilers,
which is the best?
Since goose breeding is mainly in
the hands of private farmers, we
advise you to contact your near-
est livestock production oce to
provide you with more advice on
breeds as well as linkage. The ad-
vantages of the improved kienyeji
chicken developed by Kari include
being dual purpose, that is, it can
be kept for both meat and eggs and
are hardy.
Ronald Kimitei, Research As-
sistant, Animal Science De-
partment, Egerton University.
ronaldkimitei@gmail.com
feedback
Prof Omedo Bebe Prof J. Ondura
KEEPING GOOSE AND
KARI CHICKEN
JOSEPH KANYI | NATION
24
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD
Experts oer tips
SOIL FERTILITY
Thank you for the good work. I
am writing in response to your
article on soil fertility on April 26.
I come from a farming area in
Kirinyaga County and for sure our
soils are dying. I am glad because
there is hope as long as farmers
are educated on how to replenish
nutrients in the soils. Professor
Nancy Karanja said something
that caught my eye. That young
people can be trained on how to
make use of urban waste from
harvesting, processing, bagging
and selling it. I am one of those
young people who would love to
know where I can get this kind of
training. Please give suggestions.
EDITOR: Please contact
Prof Nancy Karanja on
N.Karanja@cgiar.org or
Dr Richard Onwonga on
dronwonga@gmail.com.
APPRECIATION
I really want to appreciate the
experts from Egerton University
for tirelessly answering our ques-
tions. This magazine is rich with
information.
Rev Avudiko Georey
EDITOR: We appreciate your
support. Keep reading and ask
questions on any problems you
encounter in your agribusiness.
I would like to congratulate eve-
rybody who contributes to Seeds
of Gold, especially Egerton Uni-
versity, the kiboko ya ukulima and
Nation Media Group. The mes-
sages are fascinating. Its upon
readers to take action.
I wish you all the best for your
hard work. May the Almighty God
bless you and your families.
Nyagah Mbogo
EDITOR: We deeply appreciate
your support. Keep reading
HONEY FROM
COCONUT SYRUP
I am an avid reader of Seeds
of Gold. I read your article My
natural honey from coconut juice
with keen interest.
For your information, making
honey from coconut syrup is
not new technology in Kenya.
This technology has been used in
Lamu for decades.
My disappointment is on informa-
tion you received from Kenya
Coconut Development Authority
acting managing director Ray-
mond Kahindi that they bor-
rowed the technology from Asia.
My memory on this product goes
back to my childhood in 1950s
up to date. We have been using
coconut syrup (ngizi) as a refresh-
ment or as candy.
In giving more avour to ngizi,
some people add cinnamon, cadi-
mon and black paper.
Ngizi is commonly sold at Lamu
Sea Front between Hapa Hapa
and Mangrove Restaurants. You
can also nd this product from
Shee Baoni Cold House in Lamu.
Let us get it right in promoting
the product. We cannot call it
coco honey. This is misleading
also. This product does already
have a Swahili name, Ngizi. In-
terpretation in English should be
coco syrup.
Omar Bwana
EDITOR: We are grateful for
helping us educate the Seeds of
Gold family.
Kindly connect us with Renson
Mbaji, who produces coconut
honey in Kili County.
We are interested in how we can
borrow from his experience and
expertise since we are in the same
business in Coast.
Esther Amani
EDITOR: Kindly get in touch with
Mbaji on 0729279232.
CUCUMBER FARMING
Seeds of Gold, you are doing
great work in educating farmers. I
must say that I never miss to read
your articles. I come from Eldoret
and on April 19, you featured
Larry Keya who grows cucum-
bers. I would appreciate if you
help me with his contacts since
I reside in the area and wish to
learn from him.
Raphael
EDITOR: You can reach Larry
Keya on 0718423635.
BIOGAS UNIT
INVENTOR
Hi, please assist me get in touch
with the biogas unit inventors. I
have tried to get in touch with
them through the telephone
numbers and email addresses
you gave us without success.
EDITOR: Please contact Do-
minic Wanjihia (Flexi- biogas)
on 0722 700530 or 0705
921611, info@biogas.co.ke
RABBIT KEEPING
Hongera Seeds of Gold for your
information on farming. Kindly
inform me on how to get con-
nected to Rabak to register
for membership. I recently
embarked on rabbit farming
and would like to get market
through them.
New farmer
Thanks for your features Seeds
of Gold. I am interested in rabbit
farming and I want to start small
since I dont have enough capital
to venture into contract farming.
Is there a place I can get the right
breed at a fair price?
EDITOR: Kindly contact Rabak
on 0721219092 or 0722277523.
sungurakenya@gmail.com
YOUNG FARMERS
Hi, my name is Gabriel from Nai-
robi. I am inspired by your publi-
cation. It has changed my way of
thinking and may you continue
with the good work. I am humbly
requesting for contacts of the
young farmers from Runyenjes
namely Eric Maingi and Cosmas
Kavinda, who are farming cour-
gette, capsicum and coriander.
Hi, Seeds of Gold has made us
think about farming. I would like
to get in touch with Erick and
Cosmos to learn more.
Many thanks for your continued
enrichment. Please assist with
Erick Maingi and Cosmus Kavin-
das contacts.
Farmer
I am very much interested in
wanting to get into agribusiness,
specically in farming. Please link
me up with the contacts of Erick
and Cosmas to enquire more on
the courgettes and probably be
mentored by them.
Charles.
EDITOR: Please contact Cos-
mas on 0711738512 or Erick on
0728585933.
I M READY TO START
AGRIBUSINESS
I am pleased about your re-
sponse. Thank you Seeds of Gold.
Thanks for your suggestion to see
an agriculture extension ocer.
I am particularly drawn to plants
because of the lower maintenance
as compared to livestock, which
I can probably incorporate much
later when I can aord. About the
level of investment, I have been
researching around and I see
the cost varies with location and
proximity to water sources to the
leased land. Id prefer a location
not too far away from where I re-
side because of cost of movement
during monitoring.
EDITOR: Wish you success as you
venture into agribusiness.
ARE YOU SELLING OR
BUYING?
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BY EVERLINE OKEWO
eokewo@ke.nationmedia.com
Every morning, as dairy farmers
across the country wake up to milk
their cows, Margaret Abich, a resi-
dent of Awendo in Migori County,
normally wakes up too.
However, the farmer does not
wake up to milk cows, but to make
milk from soya beans.
Its very simple to make milk
from soya beans. The procedure
takes less than 15 minutes. It is
easier than milking a cow, says the
farmer.
Margaret is among dozens of
farmers in the county, who have em-
braced growing of the crop and they
are making milk from it, and other
products that include soya beverages
and soya meat.
To make milk, Margaret starts by
boiling the soya beans for 10 min-
utes to soften them.
I then pour the boiled beans into
a small portable posho mill-like ma-
chine called a mincer. I, thereafter,
ground them until they turn into a
ne powder. Thereafter, she mixes
the powder with a little warm water
and sieves for the milk to come out.
The powder is normally thick. So
one must add some water. The prod-
uct is then allowed to settle for ve
minutes and then sieved. The milk
will be ready for consumption.
Margaret, 40, mainly sells the
milk and other products she makes
from soya at Nyakuru trading centre,
over 5km away from her home.
They are branded Awendo Soya
Products and are sold to small-scale
traders and individuals. They cost
between Sh50 and Sh500.
Majority of residents buy my
milk to make tea because its af-
fordable and has more nutrients
than cow milk. Some villagers also
ferment.
A litre of soya milk retails at
Sh60. On the other hand, residents
buy cow milk at between Sh80 and
Sh100.
Margaret also makes soya nuts
popularly known as njugu soya.
Soya nuts are made by frying the
beans and adding salt for taste and
avour. She also makes soya man-
dazi (doughnut).
I make the mandazis and sell
them daily at Sh5 each. I also sell
between 20 to 30 litres of soya milk
daily.
In a month, she earns between
Sh30,000 to Sh50,000 from selling
the products.
Margaret and other farmers in
the region got the knowledge from
Kenya Industrial Research and De-
velopment Institute (Kirdi), which
trained farmers on how to add value
to the food crop in 2008.
From her five-acre farm, she
harvests about eight tonnes of soya
beans after every four months.
Johnson Agwaya, 49, is another
soya beans farmer in Migori.
From his ve-acre farm, he har-
vests nine tonnes of soya beans in
four months. Soya takes only four
months to mature and oers better
returns than sugarcane, which we
used to grow, says Agwaya, who
started growing the crop in 2011 and
also processes milk from soya.
Sugarcane and tobacco have been
the dominant crops in Awendo for
many decades. But due to falling
prices and delay in payments, farm-
ers have switched to soya.
Daniel Midoda of Migori County
Soya Beans Farmers Cooperative
says soya changes the fortunes of
farmers in a short time.
Since we have identied ready
market for farmers, we encourage
them to grow soya on large-scale,
he tells Seeds of Gold.
Elisha Onyango, a research scien-
tist at Kirdi, says 40 per cent of soya
nutrients are proteins.
The milk processed from soya
has 9.5 per cent nutrients than cow
milk, which has only 3.9 per cent,
says Onyango.
He adds that soya is a legume
crop that adds fertility to the soil.
We get all our milk
from soya beans
Margaret
and fellow
villagers
make
plenty
of milk
every day
from soya,
which they
sell at
Sh60 per
litre
NUTRITION 40 PER CENT OF SOYA NUTRIENTS ARE PROTEINS
ITS SIMPLE TO MAKE MILK
FROM SOYA BEANS. IT IS
EASIER THAN MILKING A
COW
Margaret Abich
Margret Abich with
soya beans she uses
to make milk. Right:
Farmers are taught
how to make milk
from soya beans at
Kirdi, Kisumu. EVER-
LINE OKEWO AND JACOB
OWITI | NATION
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD 25
BY MARY MUCHUNGUH
drmary.muchunguh@gmail.com
Some drivers of the livestock sec-
tor such as globalisation, population and
income growth are bound to change the
dynamics in the livestock sector.
The rise in demand for animal products
will boost productivity as well as competi-
tiveness.
But how can smallholder farmers con-
tribute to growing livestock markets? Can
this be made possible by utilising tech-
nologies such as articial insemination to
improve and increase production?
Articial insemination (AI) is a com-
monly used practice in animal breeding.
This reproductive technology has slowly
taken root in many developing coun-
tries and governments as well as private
companies, which are preserving semen
collected from a varied range of beef and
dairy cattle breeds.
It is no longer uncommon to spot agri-
cultural extension ocers out in the elds
carrying out AI on local or indigenous
animals.
A percentage of smallholder farmers
have embraced this technique. The desire
to improve their production is evident.
Articial insemination oers a relatively
quicker option for farmers who would
like to improve their herd but do not have
a good performing bull.
It also gives the farmer a chance to
choose her preferred breed. AI is advanta-
geous as the semen is collected from se-
lected bulls with high genetic potential.
With the latest improvements in sexing
technologies, female and male semen
can be isolated and provided to farmers
thereby inuencing the sex percentage in
their herd.
Unfortunately, this is still a relatively
new technique and a considerably expen-
sive service to source.
More often than not, however, farmers
are inadequately equipped with the knowl-
edge to choose from which breeds semen
to serve their cows.
Important factors to consider include:
Matching genotype to phenotype: One
should ensure that the desired crossbreed
can survive or easily adapts to the prevail-
ing environment and is productive.
It is important to note that high-yield-
ing animals can be reared but will require
intensive management that comes with
huge nancial requirements to ensure the
desired outputs are realised.
However, in situations where a small-
holder farmer is keen on undertaking AI
services, then one must consider the pre-
vailing environment as well as the produc-
tion systems in place before selecting the
desired bulls genetic material.
Dystocia: This is a condition commonly
associated with diculties in calving. The
common cause of dystocia is a small-
framed cow trying to give birth to a large
calf. For example, the common Small East
African Zebu, which is typically small-
framed inseminated with Holstein Frie-
sian or the improved Kenyan Boran semen
would be recipe for disaster.
However, the Boran x Angus cross
would pose no diculties in calving for a
Boran cow.
AI is a reproductive technology that
should be encouraged and supported
as its huge benets are evident in some
developed countries such as France and
Brazil, which have embraced the technique
nationally.
These countries are presently placed
among the top 10 milk producers. In-
creased advocacy on the increased and
guided utilisation of this technique should
be undertaken more extensively.
Dr Muchunguh is a livestock expert.
How to pick breed for semen extraction
One
should
not obtain
semen
from a bull
with a big
frame and
inseminate
it in a
small-
bodied
cow
TECHNOLOGY ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IS A STEPPING STONE TOWARDS QUALITY BREEDS
breeding
FARMERS ARE
NOT EQUIPPED
WITH THE
RIGHT
KNOWLEDGE
ON AI
Dr Muchunguh
A crossbreed bull.
AI oers a relatively
quicker option for
farmers who would
like to improve their
herd.
FILE | NATION
EGERTON UNIVERSITY
Transforming Lives through Quality Education
Baringo Campus
(Classes start May 26, 2014 and Registration for September 2014
intake is in progress)
Faculty of Commerce
1. Master of Business Administration
(Option: Entrepreneurship. Global Business Mgt.
Human resource Mgt, Insurance and Risk mgt,
Marketing, Strategic management, Accounting, Project
management, Finance, Operations management, MIS,
Procurement and Supplies Management)
2. M.Sc. in Human resource Management
3. Bachelor of Commerce (Options: Marketing,
Accounting, Finance, Operations management,
Procurement and Supply Chain Management,
Business Information, Cooperative and Micro financing,
Entrepreneurship, Human resource management,
Insurance and Risk management)
4. Bachelor of Procurement and Supplies
Management
5. Diploma in Procurement and Supplies
Management
6. Diploma in Business Management
Faculty of Education and Community Studies
1. Bachelor of Education (Arts)
2. Bachelor of Education (Primary)
3. Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Development
and Education (ECDE)
4. Bachelor of Science in Community Development
5. Bachelor of Psychology
6. Diploma in Education (Primary)
7. Diploma Education Arts (secondary)
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
1. Bachelor of Arts (General)
2. Bachelor of Arts in Library and information Science
3. Diploma in Library and Information Science
4. Certificate in library and Information sciences
Institute of Women, Gender and Development
Studies
1. Bachelor of Arts in Gender, Women and Development
Studies
2. Diploma in Gender, Poverty and development
3. Certificate in Gender, Peace and Security
Faculty of Science
1. Certificate in Computer applications
2. Bridging Courses in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics
and Physics
More programmes coming soon in the Faculties of Science;
Agriculture, and Environment and Resource Development.
Egerton University currently offers 20 Diplomas, 68 Bachelors,
5 Postgraduate Diplomas, 70 Masters and 49 Doctorates in its
nine (9) Faculties. School Based Programmes in Education
Continue to be offered in Moi Teachers Training College,
Baringo.
Egerton University has responded to access to higher education by establishing a Campus in Kabarnet, the headquarters of
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road opposite Kabarnet Hotel.
Self-Sponsored Certicate, Diploma, Degree Programmes for Sept 2014
For more Information contact:
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Egerton University Baringo Campus
P.O. Box 100 30400, KABARNET KENYA, Tel: 254 726 698 699
Email: baringocampus@gmail.com or bck@egerton.ac.ke
Website: www.egerton.ac.ke
26
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD
BY PAULINE KAIRU
pkairu@ke.nationmedia.com
The herd of elephants raise
their ears after hearing the sound
of buzzing bees. Fearing danger,
they scamper in the opposite
direction.
This incidence recorded in
a documentary as part of re-
search ndings is guiding the
implementation of a conserva-
tion programme in parts of the
country where elephant habitats
and agricultural land overlap, to
ensure co-existence.
The story of conict between
farmers and elephants as they
compete for limited land and
water is not new in Kenya. But
thanks to this innovation, farm-
ers are putting this interesting
fact about the beast being scared
sti of bees to good use through
a programme dubbed Elephants
and Bees.
One of the beneficiaries,
Hezron Nzumu, a farmer in
Sagalla, Taita Taveta in the envi-
rons of the Tsavo Game Reserve
recounts of sleepless nights
watching over his crop against
elephants incursions.
We used to stay awake most
nights in the hope that we will
hear elephants approaching our
farms, especially when crops
have matured, he recounts.
Once we heard them, we
would beat drums, light fire-
crackers around the edges of
the shambas, and use whistles to
scare away the elephants. It was
so much work.
Despite this, says the farmer
with a six-acre piece of land,
they often lost entire crops to
the ravenous beasts. I think the
animals can smell mature crops
from afar. They particularly love
maize, but they will uproot even
cassava and ravage an entire
green pea or green grams gar-
dens, he says.
This was before 2012 when
Nzumu and other farmers
adopted the elephant deterring
bee-hive booby-trapped fencing
around the borderlines of their
farms.
The fence consists of hives
interlinked with trip wires every
30 feet, so that if an elephant at-
tempts to go through any of the
wires, then beehives all along
the fence swing and release the
stinging insects, which in turn
attack and chase them away.
The beehives are suspended on
wires between posts with a at
thatched roof above to protect
the bees from the sun.
The initiative by Dr Lucy King,
which started as a trial for her
PhD work, has become a trail-
blazer. She is the leader of the El-
ephants and Bees Project having
started research on the concept
in 2007 in Samburu and Laikipia,
both of which have game re-
serves. With support from the
University of Oxford in the UK,
the charity Save the Elephants,
the Disney Worldwide Conserva-
tion Fund and the Kenya Wildlife
Services, she has been able to
complete studies on how to use
honey bees (Apismelliferascutel-
lata) to prevent elephants breach-
ing farmland boundaries.
The farm-based trials were
conducted in two small Turkana
farming communities that are
within the elephants range. The
communities are located 2km
apart, within the greater Ngare
Mara Community, Meru North.
Elephants here migrate be-
tween Shaba, Samburu and Buf-
falo Springs National Reserves
and Meru National Park to the
south.
Her involvement was steered
by research done earlier pro-
claiming that elephants avoid
feeding on acacia trees with
beehives. This was followed
by behavioural experiments
demonstrating that not only do
elephants run from bee sounds,
but they also have an alarm that
alerts family members to retreat
from a possible bee threat, she
says.
According to research find-
ings, upon monitoring elephant
raids over three crop seasons, it
was discovered that 97 per cent
of raids were aborted if the eld
was protected by a fence contain-
ing a beehive every 10 metres.
She says that a pilot study she
led involving 34 farms on the
edge of two farming communities
in northern Kenya found beehive
fences to be an eective elephant
deterrent compared to traditional
thorn bush barriers.
Dr Lucy says in the study
which was published in 2011 in
the African Journal of Ecology
that elephants made 14 attempts
to enter farmland and 13 of these
were unsuccessful. In each case,
the elephants were forced to turn
away from the area after con-
fronting a beehive fence or walk
the length of the fence to choose
an easier entry point through a
thorn bush.
Only once did elephants break
through a beehive fence to eat
crops, according to the paper.
It is this that is informing
the progressive roll out of the
measure. She has rolled it out in
the coastal region with additive
nancial support from individu-
als with more being built in ve
African countries, including
neighbouring Uganda, Tanzania,
Botswana and Mozambique.
In Samburu and Laikipia, 18
farms have benetted from the
project and now we have 12 in
Tsavo, she says of the strategy,
which not only keeps the destruc-
tive animals o the farms but
is also complementing farmers
livelihoods through apiculture.
Dr Lucy says the concept is an
attractive one. Not only do farm-
ers benet from reduced crop-
raiding but such beehives oer
an additional income through the
sale of honey and wax products.
Nzumu, who has 12 hives, har-
vests at least 10 litres of honey
from each hive in four months.
Every one kilogramme unproc-
essed honey is bought back by
the project at Sh200.
Dr Lucy notes that, in Kenya,
electrication projects often fail
because of poor maintenance,
spiralling costs and the lack of
buying capacity among the com-
munities where the elephants are
common.
BENEFITS KEEPING BEES EARNS FARMERS ADDITIONAL INCOME THROUGH SELLING HONEY AND WAX
Bees save crop farmers from elephants
The
insects are
all farmers
need to
save their
crops from
the beasts,
scientist
nds out
innovation
NOT ONLY DO
ELEPHANTS RUN
FROM BEE SOUNDS,
BUT THEY ALSO
HAVE AN ALARM
THAT ALERTS
FAMILY MEMBERS
Dr Lucy King
A herd of
elephants in a
farm in Burgret,
Nanyuki
FILE | NATION
Dr Lucy King in Tsavo East
National Park where the bee
technology is used to stop
elephants from invading farms.
COURTESY | NATION
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD 27
to helping her determine what
experiments and projects she will
take up.
We meet farmers and they tell
us issues on the farm. They want
maize that can be processed eas-
ily, tastes good and can grow in
their areas. You have to work with
them. That way, youll always be
up to date with whats going on.
Looking at the current situa-
tion of food security, Ininda men-
tions the impact climate change
has had on local farmers.
It has caused the weather to
change and we tend to have drier
seasons. We, therefore, need to
focus on drought-tolerant and
early maturing crops. We look
at long-term aspects of things,
to tailor our research to t the
present. You cant tell farmers to
use the same seeds they were us-
ing 40 years ago.
Symbol of quality
The scientists improved and
certied breeds, however, go for
a higher price than regular seeds,
retailing at Sh150 per kilo as
compared to uncertied regular
seeds, which would sell at Sh30
per kilo in the market.
Ininda, however, says that
the dierence is vast between
the two. What they sell is not
seed but grain. The word seed
is a symbol of quality and po-
tential. Improved seed is always
expensive because it has to be
produced and packaged hygi-
enically and ensure it meets the
standards. It must be certied
by the Kenya Plant Health In-
spectorate Services (Kephis).
For products so cutting edge,
it would appear that the seeds
are only to be found in exclusive
and reserved institution. This is
actually not so.
Farmers can nd the seed at
their local agro-dealers where
the seed companies stock them.
For farmers to know which vari-
ety they need in their village and
region, they can go to their local
agro-dealer and get the informa-
tion or get in touch with Kephis,
Ininda says.
In addition, farmers can also
send an SMS to Kephis to inquire
what variety would work best in
their area. To receive an SMS for
the recommended maize varie-
ties in their division, They go to
Write message on their hand-
sets, type MAIZE#DIVISION
(Maize#Lanet) and send the
message to 20354 after which
they will receive the details of
seed varieties, she says.
Some farmers want quirky
preferences, Ininda says on a
light note. In Uganda, they tell
us that the aroma and taste of the
rice is the most important thing;
in Malawi they say they need bit-
ter tasting cassava with a very
pronounced avour.
As for the magic that has ena-
bled her succeed in plants inno-
vation, she cites determination,
passion and hard work as the key
attributes, as well as encourage-
ment from parents and family.
BY KINGWA KAMENCU
satnation@ke.nationmedia.com
Soft-spoken and humble, you
can easily surmise that she is a no
huckster, but just an earnest, pas-
sionate scientist, keen on making
a dierence.
Dr Jane Ininda is a plant breeder
and has been doing the work for 30
years in a career straddling science
and agriculture worlds.
The researcher has produced
and commercialised 26 dierent
maize strains on her own and in
partnership with other scientists,
released over 180 improved crop
varieties.
These hybrids provide dierent
tastes, give resistance to crops and
pests and result in increased yields.
Apart from coming up with the new
breeds, the wide networking, which
her job as a programme ocer
with Association of Genealogists
and Researchers in Archive (Agra)
and founder of the Maize Breeders
Network for Eastern and Southern
Africa (it also incorporates rice,
beans, cassava, sorghum and mil-
let), have seen her add value to
the lives of farmers all over the
continent.
Ininda cites a project in land-
scarce Rwanda where farmers
sought to grow bush beans in a way
that they could maximise space.
The experiment took place in
Ruhengeri, a region in the northern
part of the country and the result-
ant seed ended up spreading across
the country.
We introduced some bean
varieties, which grow upwards,
produce more yield and take less
space. You just stake it on a stick
and it produces four times more
than the regular type. Now it has
transformed the food situation.
This means that Rwanda has four
times the amount of food it had;
families there are even more food
secure than Kenya.
The agriculturalist also cites
a farmer in Githunguri, who had
given up on her millet farm. We
started doing some trials and if
you go there now, its dierent.
Before, she was harvesting barely
half a basket of millet; now she is
harvesting six. Before we went,
she believed that she had been
cursed.
Inindas main role at Agra is to
oer technical expertise and over-
see the authorisation of new seed
strains in conjunction with other
scientists. Her zest in seeing pro-
ductive farms was born out of the
precarious food situation she had
faced as a child.
Her parents were peasant farm-
ers in the dry Mbeere District. I
remember as I was growing up
that there wasnt enough food; we
used traditional methods and you
could never be sure there would be
enough food in the year.
The alumna of Kaaga Girls High
School, therefore, chose to study
agriculture once she joined the
University of Nairobi for her un-
dergraduate course, to nd a way to
help her community get more food.
She then proceeded into the world
of research, focusing on wheat at a
Kenya Agricultural Research Insti-
tute station in Njoro between 1983
and 1985 before returning to her
alma mater for a Masters degree,
where her focus was on amaranth.
The scientist attained her PhD
in Plant Breeding at Iowa State
University in the US, where she
focused on maize seed.
I found maize streak virus
had ravaged the crop in the then
Central, Rift Valley and Eastern
provinces. That is why I chose to
focus on it.
Her eorts have led to the exist-
ence of crop varieties that provide
higher yields and hence increased
production. This way, the goal to-
wards food security is made more
viable on a national level, and farm-
ers can get higher prots from their
crops at individual level, she says.
Apart from maize, wheat and
soya bean breeding are also her pet
specialisations.
Ininda worked on getting early
maturing varieties because of
drought. Many of the hybrids she
introduced have been adapted by
farmers and are stocked by com-
mercial rms such as East Afri-
can Seed Company, Olerai Seed
Company, Dryland Seed Company,
Freshco, Leldet Seed Company
and in Uganda, Victoria Seed
Company.
They are resistant to diseases, are
higher yielding, have good taste and
some are early maturing, she says.
Prior to Agra, the scientist
worked at Kari for 24 years. They
hired me to scale up what I was
doing in Kari, and do it in other
countries.
Ininda works in Kenya, Uganda,
Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mo-
zambique, Malawi, Zambia and
South Africa.
Agra provides training for re-
searchers, research grants, and
linkages between research institu-
tions and commercial seed com-
panies. Does she consider herself a
passionate person? She laughs.
My career as a plant breeder is
something I enjoy so much. When
I was young, I was very accurate at
measuring where to plant the seeds
and my parents preferred me to
be the one doing the work as they
would always come out in the right
order. I actually liked agriculture,
and I didnt even think I would do
it professionally.
Academic achievements
As a graduate student in Iowa,
she received the universitys C.
R. Weber Award in recognition
for outstanding achievement. She
was named the Best Scientist of
the Year at Kari in 2003, and won
a two-year fellowship in the G&D
Pilot fellowship programme in
2005, which aims at enhancing the
careers of women crop scientists.
Ininda, however, downplays
the high-powered research, elabo-
rate experiments and academic
achievements that she has spent
a lot of time in, evidenced by the
over 30 published research papers
in journals, stating her work as she
sees it. Thats what I do and have
always been doing; helping farmers
get food.
She emphasises that receiving
information from farmers is key
Dr Jane Ininda has produced and commercialised 26 dierent maize strains
and 180 other crop varieties with fellow scientists, which are planted in Kenya,
Rwanda, Uganda, Malawi and South Africa, and she is not about to stop
SUCCESS>> TO TRIUMPH AS A CROP SCIENTIST, ONE MUST ALWAYS WORK WITH FARMERS TO KNOW THEIR ISSUES
the scientist
Ininda, the scientist with a knack
for turning every seed into gold
I FOUND
MAIZE
STREAK
VIRUS HAD
RAVAGED
THE CROP
IN THE THEN
CENTRAL,
RIFT
VALLEY
AND
EASTERN
PROVINCES.
THAT IS
WHY I
CHOSE TO
FOCUS ON
IT.
Dr Jane
Ininda
30
The number of research
papers the agricultural
scientist has published in
dierent respected journals
locally and abroad.
28
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD
toes are lost.
Therefore, instead of harvesting
40 tonnes of tomatoes, he har-
vests 28 tonnes, which translates
to a loss of Sh240,000 going by
the current average market price
of tomatoes.
However, with seed propaga-
tion, if a farmer gives us 10,000
seeds, he will get 10,000 seedlings
with a promise of 99 per cent ger-
mination rate. For my seedlings, I
charge at least Sh4 each (depend-
ing on the variety), which will cost
the farmer Sh40,000 against a
loss of Sh240,000 if he plants the
seeds directly, says Malde.
Specialised care for seedlings is
no longer a preserve of large-scale
farmers, says Madle. It has also
become a necessity for small-scale
farmers, who want to guarantee
maximum germination rates.
This is particularly important if
unnecessary crop failure is to be
avoided.
While most farmers have em-
braced the new technology of
using seedlings vis a vis direct
planting of seeds, many continue
to experience dismal harvests.
Many Kenyan farmers want to
plant tomatoes this season, and
then capsicum the next season.
Most dont understand the value
of crop rotation. You cannot ro-
tate plants of the same family like
tomatoes and pepper or capsicum.
Farmers need to learn the art of
crop rotation, he says.
It is for this reason that Malde
resorted to oering before and
after sales services to farmers who
had the best seedlings but with the
worst crop yields.
The greatest challenge facing
farmers is that they do not have
enough information, especially
regarding the basic, initial steps
of farming such as soil and water
analysis. We have been helping
farmers.
The rst question Malde asks
a farmer is, Have you ever done
farming before? And if they have
practised farming, the next ques-
tion would be, what did you plant?
We like to know the history
of their farms so that we can do
a soil analysis. Many farmers will
plant tomatoes for two or three
years and the soil goes bad. That
is why we need a soil and water
analysis because we want farmers
to achieve success. Afterwards, we
will know which variety of seed-
lings we can give them, he says.
Malde also teaches farmers what
he calls smart farming which in-
volves how to stagger their crops
to achieve consistency and make
more money.
If a farmer comes to me and
asks for 20,000 seedlings, I ask
them why that number. This
is because a farmer will plant
20,000 seedlings but where will
he sell them? Does he have the
market? Smart farming includes
planting weekly and monthly to
avoid waste, and to allow farmers
to sustain produce throughout the
year, he says.
Plant Raisers also does trial
planting for seed companies on its
ve-acre eld to assess dierent
varieties of vegetable seeds.
Earlier last week, the farm
hosted over 100 farmers for an
exhibition to learn about various
varieties of seedlings.
Although he does not divulge
details of how much he makes,
Malde says that farming is a lucra-
tive business.
BY NJOKI CHEGE
nchege@ke.nationmedia.com
Sanjay Malde has been in
business for a long time to know
when to quit or continue with a
venture.
So when his gut feeling told
him in early 2010 that it was time
to quit the textile business, he did
exactly that.
After months of research,
Malde decided to try his hand in
agriculture. He had seen a gap
in vegetable seedlings, which he
decided to ll using his company
Plant Raisers, which he set up in
May 2010.
With a starting capital of Sh10
million, he hired one-acre of land
in Isinya, Kajiado, put up 480
square metres of a greenhouse
and hired four employees.
He also used the money to buy
the equipment such as plastic
trays which he uses to grow the
seedlings.
Today, Plant Raisers is worth
about Sh30 million with 15 em-
ployees and has a propagation
unit of 2,000 square metres with
a capacity of over 20 million seed-
lings a year. In a week, Malde sells
over 320,000 seedlings and sup-
plies over 100 dierent varieties of
vegetable seedlings.
We buy certified vegetable
seeds of all varieties from compa-
nies like Kenya Highlands, Simlaw
Seeds and Amiran for propaga-
tion. Some farmers also bring
seeds for us to propagate for them
at Sh2 per seed. However, most
farmers rely on us to give them
the seedlings, he says.
A farmer runs the risk of up to
30 per cent germination failure
rate when they use conventional
methods of growing vegetables
from seeds. Seeds grown using
modern technology in green-
houses have a germination rate of
between 85 to 90 per cent.
Seedlings grown in greenhouses
also have a bigger root mass,
which makes the plants stronger
and lowers their chances of dying.
We have our own growing
media, which includes a cocopit
mixture locally available, mixed
with our secret formulae that
helps us achieve 90 to 95 per cent
germination rate for hybrid seeds
and 80 to 90 per cent germination
rate for the open-pollinated varie-
ties seeds, says Malde.
He specialises in producing
seedlings for tomatoes, cabbages,
cauliower, broccoli, pepper (hot
and sweet), onions, and cucurbits,
among others.
It normally takes four weeks
for tomato, cabbage, broccoli,
watermelon, kales and spinach
seedlings to be ready for trans-
planting. Onions take about ve
weeks while hot and sweet pep-
pers seven weeks.
Watering of the seedlings de-
pends entirely on the weather.
We arrange delivery to Nairobi,
but upcountry order deliveries are
normally made through a courier
service for our clients who cannot
come to Nairobi, says Malde.
Many farmers growing seeds
using conventional methods have
poor germination. For example,
a single plant of hybrid tomatoes
yields about 4kg.
When a farmer plants 10,000
crops, he expects 40 tonnes of
tomatoes. However, because he
has used the conventional method
of planting, he loses 30 per cent of
the seeds, which is 3,000 plants,
which means 12 tonnes of toma-
For only Sh2, Ill grow
you the best seedlings
Malde saw
a gap in
seedlings
sector,
now his
rm, Plant
Raisers,
breeds
over
320,000
tomato,
broccoli
and onion
plants for
farmers
seedlings
Using seedlings is cheaper in the
long-run because farmers do not need
to buy excess seeds. Seedlings also
save time and ensure optimum plant
population.
To prevent young vegetables plants
from deteriorating, unpack the seed-
lings immediately and ensure they
do not dry but also do not overwater
them.
Transplant within 24 hours of receipt
of the seedlings.
Better option Why use seedlings
THE GREATEST
CHALLENGE
FACING FARMERS
IS THAT THEY DO
NOT HAVE ENOUGH
INFORMATION
REGARDING THE
BASIC, INITIAL STEPS
OF FARMING SUCH
AS SOIL AND WATER
ANALYSIS
Sanjay Malde
Sanjay Malde,
the owner of
Plant Raisers,
tends to his
seedlings at the
rm in Isinya,
Kajiado County
EVANS HABIL |
NATION
Sh10m
The amount of money the
businessman invested in his
company Plant Raisers after
quitting textile business.
CROP ROTATION>> YOU SHOULD NOT ROTATE PLANTS OF THE SAME FAMILY LIKE TOMATOES AND PEPPER OR CAPSICUM
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD 29
BY DOROTHY KWEYU
dkweyu@ke.nationmedia.com
@DorothyKweyu
At 27 and 70, Dennis Andaye
and Michael Ruchu are unlikely
team mates. Their bond lies in their
common passion preaching the
organic food gospel.
Seeds of Gold found them at the
Talisman Organic Market in Karen,
Nairobi, where they are publicist-
cum-market manager and vice-
chairman, respectively.
Andaye abandoned journalism to
pursue a two-year entrepreneurship
course at the Hi-EYEQ institution in
Johannesburg, South Africa, which
he completed last year to take up his
current job.
And Ruchu is a
founder mem-
ber of the
market that
has been
in opera-
tion since
M a r c h
2011 and serves a growing clientele
for whom organic food is synony-
mous with health and vitality. Al-
though he has no scientic evidence
to link his autoimmune disease,
myositis, to anything he ate, he has
a nagging feeling that he is a victim
of chemically adulterated food.
Andayes vegetables are grown
on tiny patches of land around his
home in Kabete to meet his subsist-
ence needs, while Ruchu farms in
Mangu, Kiambu County and he
is reaping big from sale of organic
crops.
Ruchu did not say how much he
earns from the Thursday market at
the US embassy, which opened early
this year to spare diplomatic sta
the weekly drive to the Karen mar-
ket. He grows sukumawiki (kale),
spinach, terere (amaranth), managu,
avocados, pawpaw, sweet potatoes
and cabbages.
Ruchus weekly deliveries to the
US embassy market are 20 pineap-
ples, 15kg of nduma (arrowroots)
and a similar quantity of sweet
potatoes.
Becoming an organic farmer is
not a walk in the park. You have to
be certied as an organic farmer to
use the Kilimohai trademark. And
because the certicate has to be
renewed yearly, concern is emerging
that consumers could be eating in-
organic food from farmers who have
not renewed their certicates.
Nesvax Control Limited manag-
ing director Sylvester Gule one
of the two local organic certiers
said that inspection fees range
between Sh7,000 and Sh200,000,
depending on what one is growing.
The upper margin, he said, would
usually relate to an enterprise group-
ing 300 to 500 farmers.
Musa Njoka of Encert another
certifying company told Seeds
of Gold that once farmers have ac-
quired the initial certicate, they
dont bother to renew it.
They just sell without the Kili-
mohai mark, or without any mark.
If you go to any of the shops or
supermarket where they say they
are selling organic, you will not see
anybody using any mark. They just
say it is organic, he said and added:
That is where the problem is.
The Kilimohai mark is adminis-
tered by the Kenya Organic Agricul-
ture Network (Koan), and according
to Njoka, you wouldnt get it with-
out being certied.
As things stand now, nobody can
assure you (that you are buying or-
ganic) because people just wake up
and say, Im organic. They sell their
produce as organic. They are not
certied, Njoka said, and blamed it
on regulation.
At the Talisman market in Karen,
where vendors proudly display their
Cheap, healthy way to minting cash
Number of organic
farmers is rising with
demand, but lack of
policy is stiing sector
EXPORT>> POLICY VACUUM HINDERS LOCAL FARMERS FROM ENTERING THE HIGHLY-LUCRATIVE INTERNATIONAL MARKET
organic farming
ACCREDITATION
Sh7,000
The minimum amount of money
one can pay to register as an or-
ganic farmer
STEPS TO ACQUIRING ORGANIC CERTIFICATE
The road to getting organic certication is
not for the faint-hearted. We check right
from land preparation methods and the
seeds planted, Musa Njoka of Encert
a local certication rm told Seeds
of Gold.
What fertiliser are you suing? is
another vital question. You may not use
chemical herbicides for weeding or apply
chemical pesticides. Harvesting and storage is
checked to ensure you do not contaminate your pro-
duce. The entire production process is checked.
Below are some essential steps to becoming a
certied organic farmer under the East African Organic
Standards, with authority to use the coveted Kilimohai
mark of the Kenya Organic Agriculture Network, which
groups farmers, trainers and marketers.
- Get a registration form from an ocial certier
- Fill the form providing information on fertilisers and
pesticides you have been using, among others
- Stop use of any chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
This may take six months to three-to-four years for land
that needs detoxifying of chemical fertilisers.
- Dig deeply and apply organic fertilisers and prod-
ucts for repelling pests.
Dorothy Kweyu
WE WANT ORGANIC
FARMING TO BE KNOWN
AND PROMOTED BY
THE GOVERNMENT. IT
SHOULD BE PUT TO
POLICY Michael Ruchu,
founder member of
organic market
Kilimohai banners next to their pro-
duce, Ruchu complains about the
policy gap that hampers the growth
of organic farming.
We want organic farming to be
known and promoted by the gov-
ernment. It should be put in policy.
I remember in 2012, we had a meet-
ing in Nairobi, and the Ministry of
Agriculture sent the PS. They told
us they were going to develop a
policy, which they have never done,
Ruchu said.
In an interview with Agriculture
Principal Secretary Sicily Kariuki,
she conrmed that the policy on
organic agriculture is under prepa-
ration by the ministry together with
other stakeholders and that the
initiative to develop it started in
2010/2011 nancial year.
The biggest problem about Ken-
yas policy vacuum is that it hinders
local farmers from entering the
highly-lucrative export market.
Njoka, who has been part of the
eorts to create a policy on organic
farming in Kenya, said the Koan-
driven initiative, which endeavoured
to rope in Agriculture ministrys pol-
icy section, appears to have stalled
fears the PSs response appears
to forestall.
Even then, the policy vacuum has
prevented growth of a potentially lu-
crative sector, as testied by Univer-
sity of Nairobi soil scientist Richard
Onwonga.
Dr Onwonga told Seeds of Gold
in a recent interview that use of
chemical fertilisers and other inputs
cannot be relied upon to feed a fast-
growing population.
We miss the point, he said, and
added: Organic agriculture depends
on ve capital assets that are central
to producing high-yielding crops
and livestock, and listed them as
natural capital to include soils and
water, social, physical, nancial and
human capital, he said.
What organic farmers believe in
and are committed to is enhancing
the natural capital particularly the
soil. So feed the soil with right com-
bination of organic inputs to in turn
feed the crop, he said.
Because of its labour-intensive na-
2012
The year organic farmers say gov-
ernment promised it will create
a policy for the sector
ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE
DEPENDS ON
FIVE CAPITAL
ASSETS THAT
ARE CENTRAL
TO PRODUCING
HIGH-YIELDING
CROPS
Dr Richard Onwonga
CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
Sellers and
buyers at the
Talisman Organic
Market in Karen,
Nairobi.
JENNIFER MUIRURI
| NATION
30
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD
MAMA SOPHIAS Zebu bull forced its way into Mzee
Karanis farm by destroying a fence. The bull mated with
Karanis Friesian cow and consequently impregnated it.
Karani wants to take legal action against Sophia.
What legal recourse should he seek?
The cause of action here is founded on trespass. Tres-
pass of cattle and the consequences thereof are treated
as torts, which are civil wrongs and are compensatory in
nature for the damages suered.
While we know that cattle are not reasonably ex-
pected to understand the concept of trespass, the
owner of the animal is obligated by law to understand.
The owner owes the duty of care failing which she
should be responsible for the act of negligence. Hence
trespass by cattle is generally treated as sole responsi-
bility of the owner of the cattle.
What compensation should Karani claim?
He is entitled to the exclusive use of his land and
cattle without interference. Karanis right was interfered
with when Sophias Zebu bull was left un-attended,
which facilitated it to destroy the fence on his neigh-
bours land forcing his way in and while there, mingled
with the cow causing pregnancy.
The law provides that a party who suers damages
due to the wrongful act of another person must be put
in the position he would have been, had he not suered
the wrong. Under the circumstances, Karani is entitled
to reasonable compensation for the damage and in-
convenience suered. His fence should be reinstated
as it was before the destruction. He should also be
compensated for impregnation of the cow and the dam-
ages that will be caused during the pregnancy such as
care costs, loss of milk while about to give birth and the
milking period and the adulteration of his cattle by an
un-wanted breed.
Onus of prove
The following are the acts of trespass and conse-
quences. That Sophia owns a Zebu bull; the destruction
of the fence; the impregnation of the Friesian cow;
damages that may be caused by the pregnancy and the
birth of an un-wanted cross-breed.
The onus of prove lies on Karani. He should adduce
evidence to support his claims; that his fence was de-
stroyed, his cow was impregnated, that damages were
caused by Mama Sophias failure to properly enclose
and contain his Zebu bull and that this was caused by
her failure to observe due care.
Witnesses should be provided if available. The court
may visit the scene of the event and any observation
noted and recorded.
Mama Sophia may also raise and prove fault caused
by Karani if any to reduce the damages. Credibility lies
on where there is greater weight in evidence and facts
in law. Damages will be assessed and awarded by the
court
It is advisable to rst present your trespasser with
your claim for damages and negotiate. If you cannot
reach a reasonable agreement or if there is denial of
the trespass and arising damages, then a legal recourse
should be sought.
STRESS IT CAN CAUSE A HEN TO EXPEL AN EGG BEFORE SHELLING IS COMPLETE
Causes of egg defects
and how to cure them
BY SOPHIE MIYUMO
miyumz@yahoo.com
Once in a while, every poultry
farmer nds her birds have laid ab-
normal eggs. Abnormal in the sense
that the eggs have weak shells or
internal defects.
An occasional egg abnormality
from the ock is no cause for panic,
however, its persistency should be
a matter of concern. Egg abnor-
malities in chicken can occur due to
various factors.
In the absence of obvious disease
symptoms such as sudden drop in
production, respiratory problems
and weight loss, potential environ-
mental and dietary issues should
be explored and once identied,
remedied. While these abnormali-
ties greatly aect the hatchability
of the eggs, abnormal eggs can
be consumed but those caused by
infectious diseases are not safe for
consumption and, thus, should be
disposed.
Thin-shelled eggs or shell-less
eggs are the most common defects
in poultry farms. Young hens usu-
ally produce the rst few eggs with
shell defects since their reproduc-
tive tract is not fully matured. Upon
maturity, the defect ceases and egg
production peaks.
During this period, an occasional
shell defect may occur and is noth-
ing to worry about. It is mostly
caused by temporary malfunctions
in the shelling gland, the uterus or
for some reason an egg is rushed
through the uterus and laid pre-
maturely.
Since the shell forms just before
an egg is laid, stress induced by
fright or excitement can cause a
hen to expel an egg before the shell-
ing process is nished. However,
if these shell defects persist, they
may be a sign of a serious disease,
especially infectious bronchitis,
which is accompanied by a drop
in production and is highly-conta-
gious with an infection rate of 100
per cent. However, if some hens
are unaected, this disease can be
excluded.
Nutritional deficiencies, espe-
cially lack of Vitamin D or calcium
impact the formation of the egg-
shell, resulting to abnormalities.
Calcium requirements in laying
hens increase by age and warm
weather. High temperatures reduce
appetite, therefore, hens eat less
and get less calcium from their ra-
tions. Nutritional deciencies can
be remedied by appropriate supple-
mentation of the layers diet with
crushed eggshells, limestone or
Occasional abnormalities in eggs
should not raise alarm, but when they
are persistent, a farmer should act
poultry
Yes, you can sue
when neighbours
animal trespasses
You and the law
By Rosemary Mugwe
SMALL-SIZED EGGS OF
LESS THAN 35 GRAMS
USUALLY DONT HAVE
YOLKS AND SUCH EGGS
CANT BE USED FOR
HATCHING BUT MAY BE
CONSUMED
Sophie Miyumo
Lack of Vitamin D or calcium impact
on the formation of the eggshell.
DOUBLE YOLK EGG
Eggs with defective eggshells. LEFT: Janet
Otieno at her poultry farm in Karachuonyo.
COURTESY AND FILE I NATION
limestone our, and Vitamin A, D&E
powder added to drinking water three
times a week.
It should be noted that excessive
consumption of calcium or phos-
phorus is likely to result in eggs
with an abnormally thick or rough
shells. Genetic defect could also
be a cause for shell abnormalities.
Bloody shells sometimes appear when
pullets start laying before their bodies
are ready, causing tissue to tear.
In mature birds, this could be
caused by excess protein in the lay-
ers ration or coccidiosis, a disease
that causes intestinal bleeding,
though not common in adult birds.
Odd-shaped or wrinkled eggs may be
laid if a hen has been handled roughly
or if for some reason her ovary re-
leases two yolks within a few hours
of each other, causing them to move
through the oviduct close together.
The second egg will have a thin,
wrinkled shell thats at towards the
pointed end. If it bumps against the
rst egg, the shell may crack and
mend back together before the egg is
laid, causing a wrinkle.
Small-sized eggs of less than
35grams usually dont have yolks and
such eggs cant be used for hatching
but may be consumed. This is com-
mon among young hens whose laying
mechanisms have not fully matured.
In matured hens, this could be indica-
tive of pieces of reproductive tissues
breaking away and stimulating the egg
formation process in the reproductive
tract.
Double yolk eggs occur when ovula-
tion happens too rapidly or when one
yolk becomes joined with another.
This is mostly seen in young hens
that have not reached reproductive
maturity yet and have unsynchronised
reproductive cycles (roughly, it takes
22 25 hours to form and lay an egg).
Blood spots inside the egg can be
genetic, as well as sudden environ-
mental temperature changes. The in-
cidence of blood spots inside the egg
also increases with age.
Miyumo is a research assistant, Animal
Science Department, Egerton University.
The writer is a lawyer
satnation@ke.nationmedia.com
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD 31
BY BONIFACE MWANGI
mwangib@ke.nationmedia.com
As land shrinks in urban
areas, many families are nd-
ing it dicult to have kitchen
gardens, where they can grow
vegetables and other crops for
subsistence.
They, therefore, rely on food
from grocery stores, some of
which is costly.
But researchers are working
on new technologies to encour-
age urban dwellers to engage in
farming to boost food security.
John Wambugu is among
the researchers and has come
up with what one may call a
perfect urban garden.
The garden, which he has
christened Linear Multi-Storey
Garden (LMSG), can be used
to grow vegetables, tomatoes,
capsicum and even maize.
The garden is made up of
timber, binding wires and old
mosquito nets. The amount of
the materials used depends on
the size of LSMG one wants,
explains Wambugu, an agrono-
mist.
The garden has about half-
a-metre vertical columns made
up of polythene papers with
stones placed in the middle.
The columns are used to
feed the crops with water and
are placed at a distance of a
metre apart. While making
the columns, one should make
sure that soil doesnt enter in
them but only stones to create
air spaces.
Wambugu says he came up
with the garden to help those
living in urban areas to grow
vegetables and spices, thus re-
duce the cost of buying food as
well as ght food insecurity.
The garden is shaped like
a pyramid to allow slow and
smooth ow of water down-
wards as well as create more
space for growing vegetables.
The LSMG can be used in
urban areas just like the sack
garden reputed for utilising
minimal space and water, but
it is also suitable for regions
dependent on livestock and in
semi-arid lands.
The development and ad-
aptation of LSMG will address
food insecurity. And if Kenyans
living in urban areas can utilise
the small spaces they have with
such a technology, the cost of
expenditure will be minimised,
says the researcher who works
at the governments Wambugu
Agricultural Training Centre
in Nyeri.
To make the garden, one has
to have a mound of fertile soil,
where the plants would grow.
You begin by constructing
the structure that would hold
the soil using timber. Then you
put in columns and pebbles.
Thereafter, you put in the soil
and wound around the mos-
quito net, explains Wambugu
of the technology currently
being used in Nyeri by about
10 farmers.
The mosquito net is used to
hold the soil with the support
of binding wires, which are
nailed rmly on the pyramid-
shaped timbers.
His technology requires lit-
tle technical and nancial sup-
port. Small holes are made
on the mosquito net where one
will plant crops. Depending on
the size of LSMG one has, one
can plant as many crops as the
space allows them.
Wambugu is optimistic that
come next month when the
centre will be training farmers,
he will be able to sell the idea
to many people.
The contribution of urban
farming to food security and
nutrition is critical. The gov-
ernment and its partners have
pushed for the growth of veg-
etables using sack gardens.
Multi-storey gardening, ac-
cording to Wambugu, is an
exciting technology for anyone
who wants to grow vegetable
all-year round.
After one plants crops, just
like other gardens, watering
and removing of weeds is es-
sential and this can be done
manually by one person.
The agronomist notes that
similar garden technology
has been used to grow green
leafy vegetables, tomatoes,
cabbages, carrots, tubers and
indigenous vegetables.
The technology, according to
him, can be used in schools to
provide vegetables and teach
science and nutrition.
It is also a good income-gen-
erating venture for people who
own groceries and who want to
engage in agribusiness.
By using old mosquito
nets, I am playing a big role in
cleaning the environment by
recycling the equipment.
To have a good harvest, he
says one needs to use manure.
You mix manure with water
and pour in the column twice
a day for one week so that
it spreads in the soil before
planting any crop. This is to al-
low the manure to decompose
and the nutrients to mix prop-
erly with the soil.
Harvesting should be done
two to three times a week after
the vegetables mature.
Alex Wanjohi, a farmer who
has adopted the new technol-
ogy, says he is eagerly waiting
to harvest.
The crops have done well.
I am even hopeful that I will
start selling the surplus to
the nearby groceries in Skuta
estate, Nyeri.
Forget the sack, here is
the new garden in town
RECYCLING AN OLD MOSQUITO NET IS USED TO KEEP THE SOIL INTACT
urban farming
Wambugu, an
agronomist, has
developed Linear
Multi-Storey
Garden for farming
in urban areas
John Wambugu teaches students at Wambugu Agricultural Training Centre
in Nyeri how the garden works. JOSEPH KANYI | NATION
BEST SYSTEM
WHY EMBRACE URBAN FARMING
Urban farming, according to
Food and Agriculture Organisa-
tion, improves social well-being of
town dwellers.
This is because the gardens can
facilitate positive social interac-
tion between people in cities as
they come together to harvest
their crops.
It also leads to improved health
and nutrition.
The gardens promote nutri-
tion and families can generate
incomes by selling produce.
John Wambugu
waters sukuma
wiki seedlings
planted on his
linear multi-
storey garden in
Nyeri.
JOSEPH KANYI |
NATION
ture, organic farming relies heavily on social capital.
Up to very recently in my rural area, Onwonga remi-
nisced, I saw our parents work in groups a sign of
strong social cohesion. You would nd a group of ve,
10, or even 20 people and it used to take a very short
time to carry out farm operations.
Where labour shortages occurred, for example when
people are ill or in times of hardship, the scientist saw
social capital, one of the pillars of organic farming, as
the way to sustain agricultural productivity even when
the household head is incapacitated.
If you get sick today, he said, It means your land
is not going to be prepared; it will lie idle. But if it was
those days, you will still be on your sick bed but your
land will be prepared by other community members
because of the social cohesiveness based on trust and
collective action.
Physical capital, he said, comes into play when
farmers are always working as a group, and are, there-
fore, in a position to force counties to develop physi-
cal infrastructure (transport and communication)
because of the dire need to access markets.
Because they are producing and they have to mar-
ket, the government and sub-counties will be forced
to make roads, the don said, adding that the value of
what the farmers produce and their direct and indirect
contribution to the economy has the potential to force
infrastructure development.
He also talked of the nancial capital involved in
organic agriculture. Organic farmers do not rely on
chemical inputs in their production practices, so it
means they save. The money they would have used
to buy the chemical inputs is saved and can be put to
other uses and with the premium prices organically
produced foods fetch, whichever way you look at it is
a win-win situation, he added.
On human capital, the don said, Organic farming
leads to increased knowledge and skills; it challenges
farmers to be innovative, experiment and nd solu-
tions to their own problems. It also leads to improved
health and increased self-esteem among vulnerable
and marginalised groups. According to Onwonga, the
rst step to transition to organic farm-
ing is detoxifying the soil, which can
be achieved in one to three years,
and thereafter with the right
mindset, focus and determina-
tion, farmers will start reaping
the benets.
So, why despite its many ad-
vantages, is Kenyas organic agri-
culture lagging behind Uganda and
Tanzania? Gule of Nesvax, who has
been involved in certication work
in the three countries, blames it on
a sti regulatory framework. In
Uganda, there is a lot of support
from the government and there
are universities that actually
offer organic agricul-
ture as a degree course
something that we
dont have here.
He also reads pol-
itics in the under-
development of
the sector, noting
that in the three
countries, it
was promoted
by Sweden
and Denmark
in the 90s when
the countries were
not in Kenyas good
books.
Chemical fertilisers
and inputs also mean
big cash for the importers.
Lack of ocial
support stiing
lucrative sector
Fertiliser free
Organic farming
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28
Dennis Andaye
32
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD
LESSON THE ANIMALS ARE GOOD AT KEEPING GRUDGES; AVOID WHIPPING THEM
My donkeys, my wealth
BY LYNET IGADWAH
ligadwah@ke.nationmedia.com
Reuben Kinyanjui guides
one of his donkeys to a shade
under a tree as he says, Baby,
baby, follow me.
Listening to him, one may
wonder why Kinyanjui, who
is based in Salama, Elburgon,
is calling the animal the pet
name.
In fact, you may dismiss
him as being too soft on the
animals.
But the trader knows the
secret of making the animals
work harder for him.
You call them nice names,
they will oer you their best,
says Kinyanjui. The other
donkeys are called Kijana,
Mheshimiwa, among other
names. The animals have
mastered my voice and they
respond when I call then even
when they are in eld graz-
ing.
Kinyanjui says he would
never mistreat his donkeys as
they are the foundation of his
wealth.
The 33-year-old is a proud
owner of eight donkeys, which
he uses to ferry various com-
modities for residents.
That the donkeys have given
him a fortune is not a secret.
He has three pieces of land in
the area and he has built rental
houses, all which have come
from the donkeys.
I have acquired the prop-
erty from my donkeys. I use
them to oer transport serv-
ices, a job that many people
may not like.
Economic activities in
Elburgon include charcoal
burning, selling timber and
water. He uses his donkeys
to help residents perform the
activities.
I cannot complain. I make
more than Sh5,000 from my
eight hardworking donkeys
a day. Prior to venturing
into the business, Kinyanjui
worked as a casual labourer at
a local saw mill.
He earned a paltry Sh120 a
day, but this did not dampen
his spirit. He saved part of his
pay and bought the animals.
Discipline and persever-
ance enabled me to save
Sh4,500 and in 1999, I bought
my first donkey using the
money. I bought another one
and the animals have since
multiplied. A donkey now
goes for Sh10,000.
Kinyanjui says the secret to
making a fortune from don-
keys lies in treating them well,
feeding them properly, allow-
ing them time to socialise and
calling them by their names.
You also have to feed them
properly. Give them good
grass. I also feed them on hay
to assist in dental hygiene. I
further give them supplements
that include salt. You also have
to keep the feeding area clean.
This helps in curbing worms.
Besides that, he provides the
donkeys with clean water.
What annoys him most is
seeing someone beating a
donkey to make it run faster.
To me, a donkey shows
gratitude by serving me bet-
ter, and helping me gather
wealth. I must, therefore, treat
it well.
Kinyanjui learned how to
treat donkeys well and reap
from them from Farming Sys-
tems of Kenya (FSK), which
oered him and others train-
ing on the benets of being
kind to the beast of burden.
Donkey owners should
know how to avoid causing
stress to the animals so that
they can maximise on their
economic value, says Daniel
Muiruri, a programmes man-
ager at FSK.
Molo, Njoro and Naivasha in
Nakuru County have the high-
est population of donkeys in
the country. Muiruri discour-
ages farmers from overloading
the animals with luggage.
Njoro sub-county veterinary
ocer Peter Ngugi says there
has been a commendable
improvement over the past
year in how farmers handle
donkeys. We have witnessed
fewer wounds on the animals,
proper hold trimming and
more people call a veterinary
when the animal falls sick.
Kinyanjui gives his
donkeys best care,
including taking
them to a dentist,
and he has reaped
huge from them
Daniel Muiruri of FSK. LEFT: Re-
uben Kinyanjui attends to one of
his donkeys at his farm in Elbur-
gon. LYNET IGADWAH | NATION
transport
Sh5,000
The money the farmer reaps
from his donkeys in a day
Irrigation
TIRED OF ERRATIC RAINS? TRY
THIS SOLAR IRRIGATION KIT
NEWS THAT THE RAINS may fail this planting season
have made farmers restless. Majority of farmers have
crossed their ngers hoping that the sky would open
and the rains would pour in torrents for their crops to
grow.
However, as a good number of farmers across the
country pray for the rains, Peter Kimani, 45, is not wor-
ried about crop failure.
On his three-and-a-quarter-acre farm in Ngecha loca-
tion, Kiambu County, Kimani is using an irrigation kit that
has made his crops, which include cabbages, carrots,
kale, spinach and coriander ourish.
The rains have become too erratic. You cannot de-
pend wholly on them as a farmer and excel. They once
failed me and I learnt my lesson.
Kimani says he embraced the solar irrigation kit from
Sun Culture, an agro-solar company, about a year ago.
A team from the company came in this area to con-
tact a pilot project among farmers. After seeing how
it works, I embraced the kit. Using the equipment has
made farming easier for me.
The kit, according to the farmer, has cut his expenses.
All one needs to have is a borehole or any other source
of water. Then the machine will use solar power to pump
water from the source to the farm.
Kimani has a 35 metres deep borehole, three 100
watts solar panels, a pump and a tank.
The energy comes from the sun through the panels,
which pump water from the borehole that goes straight
to the tank. Afterwards, the water comes out with grav-
ity and goes to the farm, he explains.
According to Kimani, he bought the solar irrigation kit
at Sh360,000. I was among the pioneer farmers who
acquired the gadget. The money might seem much but
if you compare to losses farmers make when rains fail, it
is worth it.
The irrigation kit has enabled him plant his crops
round the year.
I always alternate dierent crops on my farm. I can
plant 6,000 heads of cabbages, and once they mature
and I harvest, I move to onions and so forth, says Ki-
mani, who sells the cabbages for at least Sh30 per head.
If it is the season of onions, Kimani will earn
Sh150,000 a month from the 25 tonnes harvested. Nai-
robi town, Wangige and Ngache are the main places he
sells his produce.
Charles Nichols, one of the co-founders of Sun Cul-
ture, tells Seeds of Gold that lack of use of irrigation in
the country is what made them come up with the solar
irrigation project.
One of the pressing issues is lack of irrigation; we live
in a country that does not have reliable rains. Thus, we
need irrigation to boost our food production.
With the solar kit, farmers dont incur high costs asso-
ciated with electricity, petrol and water pumps.
A farmer does not have to start with the Sh360,000
kits. There are smaller kits that go for Sh10,000, says
Samir Ibrahim, Nichols partner at Sun Culture.
- Gerald Bwisa
SHOW LOVE
HOW TO TAKE
GOOD CARE OF
DONKEYS
Shelter: Donkeys prefer
warm weather. They do not
like wind or rain and will seek
shelter from both. Unlike
horses, rain seeps into the
donkeys skin and makes it
uncomfortable. The shelter
should be adequate.
Socialisation: Donkeys en-
joy company. Companionship
should be from fellow don-
keys, human beings and other
animals, with the exception
of dogs. This is because dogs
scare donkeys.
Vaccination and deworm-
ing: The animals must be vac-
cinated annually against u
and tetanus. They should be
dewormed quarterly and their
hooves trimmed.
Teeth: A veterinary dentist
should check the animals
teeth annually, says Kinyan-
jui. The idea is to spot sharp
enamel points, waves, caudal/
rostral hooks and periodical
diseases.
Whipping: Avoid beating
the animals. Besides, donkeys
can keep a grudge.
The National Donkey Day
Welfare celebrations will be
held today in various parts
of the country. This month is
set to appreciate the value of
donkeys.
A man enjoys a ride on a
donkey cart in Nyeri town
in June last year.
FILE | NATION
Peter Kimani,
a farmer
in Ngecha,
Limuru
shows how
he uses solar
pumps to
irrigate his
farm.
DENISH
OCHIENG |
NATION
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD 33
BY DOROTHY KWEYU
@DorothyKweyu
dkweyu@ke.nationmedia.com
W
hen President Uhuru
Kenyatta and his deputy
William Ruto launched
the Ministry of Agricultures rec-
ommendations on the types of
fertilisers for the dierent zones
in Kenya, it was an acknowledge-
ment that all is not well with our
soils.
Indeed, scientists at the Land
Resource Management and Ag-
ricultural Technology (Larmat)
Department of the University
of Nairobi have raised the alarm
that Kenyas soils are in the
intensive care unit and need ur-
gent remedial action.
According to Agriculture
Principal Secretary Sicily Kari-
uki, the types of fertilisers used
in most parts of the country are
not the right ones.
Increased use of fertilisers,
she said, is a key factor (in real-
ising crop production and food
security), hence the Abuja Dec-
laration of 2006, which states:
Fertiliser is crucial for achiev-
ing an African Green Revolution
in the face of a rapidly rising
population and declining soil
fertility. It was in recognition
of the crisis of our soils that
the president and his deputy
presided over the high-prole
launch of the ministrys recom-
mendations on the types of
fertilisers for the dierent zones
earlier this year.
To increase production and
ensure food security and in-
comes at farm level, the country
aims at increasing fertiliser con-
sumption from the current 10kg
to 31kg per acre by 2015.
The government is imple-
menting various programmes
to spur growth in fertiliser use
and stabilise prices, and, accord-
ing to the PS, the notable ones
include bulk fertiliser procure-
ment; increased fertiliser use
by resource-poor farmers; and
a regional/national fertiliser
manufacturing plant.
On bulk procurement, the
programme that started in
2008 has already bought over
400,000 tonnes of various
types of fertiliser, which has
been sold to farmers at subsi-
dised prices. It is estimated that
bulk procurement meets 30 per
cent of the annual national ferti-
liser requirement while the rest
is procured by the private sec-
tor, according to the PS.
The National Accelerated
Agricultural Inputs Access Pro-
gramme (NAAIAP) was started
in 2008 to increase fertiliser
use by resource poor/vulnerable
farmers and since 2008, $57
million (Sh4.9 billion) has been
pumped into the project.
Through this programme,
an input package consisting
of fertiliser and seed is given
to selected farmers. To date,
500,000 farmers out of a tar-
geted 2.5 million have been as-
sisted.
In a recent interview, Lar-
mats Prof Nancy Karanja and
Dr Richard Onwonga stressed
the importance of replenishing
soil carbon, which has seriously
been depleted by conventional
methods of agriculture.
Prof Karanja believes in inte-
grated soil fertility management
that recognises a mixture of
articial fertilisers and soil car-
bon for optimal soil fertility to
increase grain production.
Perennial complaints about
delayed or poor distribution of
fertilisers, especially to farmers
in Kenyas Rift Valley breadbas-
ket, conrms that farmers need
to be equipped with the ability
to produce and be in control of
their own fertilisers.
Maize production in Kenya
has been declining over the
years and soil acidity has been
identied as one of the major
causes of declining yields.
Maize production requires
an optimal soil pH of between
5.5-6.5 and currently, soil test-
ing results so far done in many
agricultural regions in the coun-
try, for example Trans Nzoia
County, show the area has a pH
ranging between 4.6-4.8 which
is unsuitable for maize produc-
tion.
Furthermore, farmers have
been using DAP which is an
acidifying fertiliser, leading to
a buildup of acidity in the soil
and consequently nutrients get
locked up in the soil resulting to
declining soil fertility.
By increasing the pH of the
soil to an optimum level of
5.5-6.5, you can neutralise the
acidity caused by nitrogenous
compounds, eliminate the
toxic eects of Aluminium and
increase the crops uptake of es-
sential nutrients.
Quality fertiliser key to
rise in food production
The
country
aims at
increasing
fertiliser
use
from the
current
10kg to
31kg per
acre by
2015
soils
34
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD
BY EUNICE KILONZO
ekilonzo@ke.nationmedia.com
A
thi River Mining (ARM)
Cement Ltd produces
and sells Mavuno ferti-
liser that assures better yields
due to deliberate eorts by the
rm to provide products that are
crop and soil specic at pocket-
friendly prices.
Vuna Zaidi na Mavuno is
the products slogan, which
shows the company formerly
known Athi River Mining Ltd
has the farmer at heart.
Mavuno fertilisers cater for
dierent market segments be it
horticulture, wheat, barley, cot-
ton, tea or coee farmers. This is
because each crop has particular
nutrients it requires and thus
their products are made speci-
cally for dierent soil conditions
and crop nutrient requirements.
ARM works closely with ag-
ricultural experts, researchers,
government and scientists to de-
velop and improve the fertilisers,
which enhances quality.
Started in 2003, ARM set up
its Mavuno fertiliser division
that manufactures the product,
which contains 11 essential plant
nutrients such as nitrogen, phos-
phorous and potassium, among
others key nutrients. The min-
eral elements are combined in
various formulations and blends
that create tailor-made fertilis-
ers that have been proven to give
superior crop yields by over 40
per cent.
Other than yields, the fer-
tilisers improve soil fertility,
rectify acidity and improve soil
pH for higher crop production.
Micro-nutrients present in
Mavuno improve colour, taste,
texture and nutrient value of
produce.
Mr Pradeep Paunrana, the
managing director of ARM, says:
We have worked with farmers
for over 40 years in providing
them with the best fertilisers for
their farms.
Kenya has acidic soils and
the well-established farms can
put this acidity in check. Our
products are cost-eective and
can be aorded by any farmer
at their kiosks or supermarket
at reasonable packaging of 1kg,
10kg, 25kg, and 50kg.
He adds: We are cognizant
that there are farmers who may
not be informed of the best fer-
tilisers in the market. Therefore,
we help the local farmer check
their soil acidity and advise
them to use the right fertiliser
and farm inputs for better
yields. Farmers can use Mavuno
fertiliser during planting time
and for top dressing.
With Mavuno fertilisers,
farmers can expect fast and
continuous nutrients supply to
their crops annually. This is a
sure way to be food secure. For
a farmer to harvest 20-30 bags
of maize on an acre of land for
instance, they can invest about
Sh7,500 (Sh5,000 for 100kg
fertiliser and about Sh2,500 of
good seed). But the returns will
be almost ve times their initial
investment.
ARM admits there are some
challenges that they encounter
in their provision of fertilisers,
notably distributors.
We still want more people to
come and join our team and dis-
tribute our products to areas we
are yet to explore, he says.
Considering that ARM ferti-
lisers are founded on research,
Paunrana shares his vision: I
am passionate about science
and manufacturing technol-
ogy. I know Kenya has some of
the best scientists yet very few
translate their knowledge into
practical deliverables in research
on fertilisers. They should con-
tribute to this research pool.
Mavuno oers farmers the best deal
The
fertiliser
betters
soil
fertility,
recties
acidity
and
improves
soil pH
for higher
crop
production
advertorial
A farmer in Nandi County plants maize. He harvests an average of 30 bags from an acre. Like many others, one of his
challenges is access to quality fertiliser and seeds.
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD 35
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Editor: No quails, please
36
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
SEEDS OF GOLD
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
37
BY WANDIA NJOYA
jsigei@ke.nationmedia.com
O
nly dons in the University
of Nairobis Literature De-
partment seem to have the
privilege of writing scathing reviews
such as Dr Tom Odhiambos, and
speaking in the name of book re-
viewers and critics.
After all, the UoN literature lectur-
ers are more likely to get published
than the rest of us mere mortals
teaching literature in other public or
worse, private universities. With the
legacy of a historical accident and big
names such as Ngugi wa Thiongo, a
nod from UoN faculty is something
that Kenyan writers crave, but is often
dicult to come by.
The story of Kwani? probably best
embodies this elite status. When
Kwani? came into being, its books
were scowled at as literary gangster-
ism. Yet last year, when Chimamanda
Adichie came to Kenya, Binyavanga
Wainaina waxed about being hosted by
the University of Nairobi as a zenith
of literary achievement, and then, ap-
parently realising how unpolitically
correct that sounded, hastened to
add Kenyatta University to the list
of prestigious hosts. But the damage
had already been done. A few days
later, Prof Chris Wanjala penned an
article which revealed that he had
not experienced a change of heart.
He said that Kwani? targets low-
brow readers, and excused writers
such as Binyavanga, Tony Mochama
and others for not being graduates of
English and literature departments,
exposed to a proper literary educa-
tion, for not mastering Western
standards of literary criticism and
creative writing, and for not show-
ing a depth of knowledge of African
culture beyond names of members of
their family trees.
And so, the real tragedy here is
that while weve been shaken by Dr
Odhiambos harsh assessment of Ken-
yan books, we will still be begging
for recognition from the institution
he represents.
In his latest article published in the
Sunday Nation (April 20), Dr Odhia-
mbo basically depicts reviewers as the
quality assurance police of literature.
They judge the readability of the book,
and they insert books into a countrys
literary canon. Books published with
grammatical errors and basic mistakes
like a change in character name,
therefore, put forward a poor face of
the country. Thats a fair assessment.
What I disagree with is Dr Odhiambos
vision of the critic as a co-creator,
even if of the vulture kind.
First of all, a co-creator of the vul-
ture kind is an oxymoron, because
while a co-creator participates in
bringing forth life, the vulture par-
ticipates in the nality of death. In
contrast to the life-arming ritual of
mourning, the vulture is deaths last
laugh. The vulture pursues self-inter-
est at the expense of another animals
tragic fate. That is why it is chosen
to symbolise people who make a kill
from the misfortune of others.
Over the years, our dons have not
been vocal in supporting Kenyan
writers as the latter struggle to get
publishers interested in their books,
and as publishers remain obsessed
with school text books. When Kwani?
opened up a new literary space for
a new generation of Kenyan (urban)
writers, the university dons came
down on them like a hammer. Many
Kenyan fiction writers now have
resorted to self-publishing, unfortu-
nately, because they cannot wait for
four years for publishers to release a
book. Authors are now more involved
in marketing their own books because
publishers marketing resources are
committed to camping outside KIE
now KICD oces for school text-
book endorsements.
Critics as co-creators
With all these struggles, the release
of ction by Kinyanjui Kombani,
Stanley Gazemba and other bud-
ding writers is a major feat. In fact,
Gazembas experience with publishing
The Stone Hills of Maragoli is a heart-
wrenching story to which Kenyans
who value literature should respond
by saying Never again.
Critics who are co-creators or
literary midwives should be holding
writers hands through the dicult
process of birthing a book, not
waiting until the process is over
to chest-thump about standards,
although that is partly motivated
by academics need for material to
boast about in international academic
forums. With all its problems, Kenyan
literature is ours, and, we, academics,
must account for those problems and
imagine solutions.
I also take issue with Dr Odhia-
mbos insistence on standards,
without an acknowledgement of the
readers of the books. He needs to
account for why Kenyan readers are
buying the books that are apparently
bad for the critics, and so should be
bad for the readers. I must admit
that like Dr Odhiambo, I do nd the
resolution in Kombanis two novels
problematic against the realities of
the Kenyan landscape. But contrived
or not, Kenyans are buying the books,
reading and enjoying them, and that
indicates that there is a need for such
books. In fact, several ordinary read-
ers have said on social media that
they have read Den of Inequities in
one sitting.
Moreover, all happy endings are
contrived, whether in Kenya or in
Hollywood. Who honestly believes
that the stu of romantic comedies
and soap operas is reality? Or that
the cars driven by James Bond or the
stunts of the Fast and Furious series
are real? Yet Hollywood movies, Nol-
lywood cinema and Mexican soaps
remain popular in Kenya. Why not,
then, have happy endings collared by
Kenyan sensibilities, and the world
will be better for it?
In fact, Kombanis books have
achieved an interesting feat of tack-
ling political and institutional violence
which many writers have not done
while entertaining readers at the
same time. His novels are better ap-
preciated as thrillers than as novels
like Things Fall Apart that depict
historical landmarks.
Another reason why we should
embrace happy endings is that
they help us imagine a different
Kenya, which is partly why we teach
literature in the rst place. We Ken-
yans have been unable to resolve our
essential problems mostly because we
lack imagination. We cannot visualise
what a dierent Kenya would look
like, and so every ve years, we vote
in the same thugs, for the same ethnic
reasons, who go on to perpetuate the
same problems of corruption, greed
and social stagnation. Our writers
should be commended for daring
to dream a dierent Kenya where
systems actually work.
The bottom line is that the Kenyan
writing and reading landscape has
changed. Kenyans are buying more
books, self-publishing is easier with
computers, and marketing of books
is faster with social media. We live
in a global environment where our
reading and cultural tastes are increas-
ingly inuenced by cultures of other
countries.
Festivals and groups like Kwani?
and Story Moja promote reading for
life, rather than for exams. So, gone
are the days when academicians domi-
nated conversations about books. And
that is the real birth that critics should
be midwing, even as they remind
writers and publishers that correct
grammar, visually appealing books
and a coherent and credible plot must
remain part of the package.
While there is a need to push for
higher standards of published works,
there is no need to magnify errors into
a condemnation of the entire literary
establishment, or into a lament for
the Kenyan critic. But the bastion of
literary criticism that Dr Odhiambo
represents seems stuck in the past,
reluctant to address Kenyas new
literary realities.
The writer is the head of the Depart-
ment of Language and Performing
Arts at Daystar University in Nairobi.
The landscape has changed, critics have not
Gone are the days
when only academics
dominated the
conversation about
books as a new
generation of
writers has emerged
FILE | NATION
Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (centre) when she visited Kenya in November 2013 for the 10th anniversary of
Kwani? She gave a series of lectures during her visit.
LITERARY DISCOURSE | There is no need to magnify errors into a condemnation of an entire establishment
Battle for acceptance of Kiswahili in Uganda is being slowly won
was exiled by the British to Zanzibar,
a large number of his followers accom-
panied him, among them Ramadhan
Mukasa, my great-grandfather.
He was one of those who didnt
cross to Zanzibar but remained on the
Mainland, a distinct group that was
teasingly called Waganda wa Migo-
mbani by the locals. He eventually
became a mubaliya (as the Waganda
say baharia), a seaman, and he didnt
return to Uganda, even after the peace
agreements there. But his wife Zubeida
did get back, with Hajara, then a nine
or ten-year-old little girl, who wore a
khanga, spoke Kiswahili and, to the
horror of the Baganda traditionists,
had pierced earlobes with rings in
them.
When I rst returned to Uganda
from Dar es Salaam on a short univer-
sity vacation, Hajara, then in her late
70s or early 80s, was keen to try on
me the few Kiswahili utterances that
she could remember from her child-
hood. I thought they sounded pretty
genuine. Then, remembering the tides,
she asked me, Does the sea still go
on visits? This, for me, was iconic of
how deeply the Swahili coast and its
worldview ran in my grandmothers
consciousness. With what justication
could I, her descendant, claim that
Kiswahili was foreign to me?
But most of my wake-up moments
to Kiswahili were of a fairly practical
and utilitarian nature. Our rst arrival
in Dar es Salaam was itself dramatised
by two events. One was that we, the
Ugandan truants who had missed
our ight from Nairobi the previous
day, did not know how to get to the
campus at Ubungo from the airport,
and we could hardly express ourselves
in Kiswahili.
Secondly, the Kenyan second-year
student who had oered to help us
get there was totally intoxicated and
hardly able to utter a word when we
got to Dar es Salaam. He had been
gorging himself on alcoholic refresh-
ments all the way from Nairobi, a
process aggravated by the three-
quarters of an hour which we spent
on the tarmac at the Zanzibar Airport
without leaving the plane. We counted
ourselves lucky when we were able
to shake our guide awake and get
him o the plane. But it would have
been a little too much to expect him
to negotiate a safe passage for us to
the university.
I cannot quite remember how we
finally got to the campus, around
9.30pm. I believe it was still by cour-
tesy of the ever-solicitous East African
Airways ground sta, a few of whom
might have condescended to listen to
our Kizungu pleas for help. But the
point had been impressed upon us, I
believe, as it should be upon todays
Kiswahili-shunning Ugandans, that
you couldnt get very far in East Af-
rica without a working prociency in
Kiswahili. My big plunge into Kiswa-
hili, however, was yet to come. This
included the hilarious incident, which
I recently narrated to Ken Walibora on
a ight from Kisumu, of my having to
read Muyakas mashairi (poetry) in
the original when I could hardly write
a correct Kiswahili sentence. But we
will leave that for another day.
Prof Bukenya is one of the leading
African scholars of English and lit-
erature in East Africa. He taught for
many years in Kenya.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

It is, admittedly an
uphill task, but my
fellow Waswahilisti and
I are not just about to
give up the ght
Prof Austin Bukenya
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
38 | Weekend
H
e is, perhaps, the most elo-
quent Kenyan alive. For
Prof Patrick Loch Otieno
Lumumba, the former anti-graft
czar hounded out of oce in 2011,
is a master orator in English and
Kiswahili, who wows his listeners
wherever he speaks.
The walls in his Upper Hill,
Nairobi, law offices speak for
him on who his real heroes are.
Portraits of Martin Luther King
Jnr, Tanzanias founding father
and philosopher, Mwalimu Julius
Nyerere, and Indias Mahatma
Gandhi peer at you. PLO, as he is
popularly known, this week spoke
candidly about his dramatic exit
from the Kenya Anti-Corruption
Commission, blaming his naivet
and politicians from the Nyanza
region for hatching the plot to
topple him three years ago for
his predicament. Now the direc-
tor of the Kenya School of Law,
PLO believes President Kenyatta
is lukewarm in the ght against
corruption.
Question: Reading maketh a man.
What kind of literature made you what
you are today?
Answer: I read very widely
across disciplines. I read the
arts, sciences, philosophy, soci-
ology and even anthropology to
understand what the world is all
about. Reading is what energises
a mans mind and vision. It also
makes one humble. If you see
any person who is arrogant and
claims to be knowledgeable, you
must question that knowledge.
When the oracle of Apollo went
out to ask who was the wisest
man in Greece, the verdict was
Socrates, because he said the
only thing he knew was that he
knew nothing.
I am fascinated with all kinds
of knowledge. When you look at
the plays, the Greek tragedies and
read Sophocles and his Theban
plays, it is fascinating. When
you go to science and read peo-
ple like Einstein and Newton, it
is fascinating. When you go to
economics and read John May-
nard Keynes and Thomas Mann,
it is fascinating.
Q: What are you reading now?
I am reading The New Harvest
sent to me a while ago by Prof
Calestous Juma of Harvard
Kennedy School. I am also
reading God Is Not a Christian
by Desmond Tutu; Ngugi Wa
Thiongos Decolonising The
Mind; Kidagaa Kimemwozea by
Ken Walibora and a little play by
Okoiti Omtatah on the life of Lu-
anda Magere, the Luo hero. Then
there is Heaven and Earth, a dia-
logue between Pope Francis and
a Jewish Rabbi called Abraham
Skorka, Salt of The Earth by Pope
Benedict XVI and Kusadikika by
Shaban Robert.
How do you juggle all that reading
with your day-to-day work?
At any one time, I will be read-
ing very many books because they
are placed in dierent places, in
my car, my room, my library and
when travelling and almost eve-
rywhere. I pick up a book, read it
up to some level and when I think
Ive stopped, mark the chapter
and then pick up another title.
So within one month, I will have
read anything between 10 to 15
books because of my reading
style. When I wake up in the
morning, I read for one hour.
Your stint at the defunct Kenya
Anti-corruption Commission (KACC)
was as brief as it was dramatic, lend-
ing credence to those who say good
speakers are rarely good leaders.
The world does not have a place
for men and women who speak
the truth. And I have discovered
that being honest and truthful is
a very painful and lonely aair.
An honest man has the chance
of a snowball in hell to survive
in this country.
It is only by Gods grace that
some of us continue to survive,
given the number of threats I used
to receive. You have no shortage
of enemies, particularly in the po-
litical class. They want material
things they think will give them
happiness and should you stand
on their way, they will annihilate
you, they will consume you.
Did you talk yourself out of the
job?
I took the view that corruption
is a sin that we must talk about. I
remember some politicians used
to say he is talking a lot but I
used to respond that I have not
talked enough because as long
as the sin is there, weve got to
talk about and against it.
The current style taken by
EACC is very different from
ours and I have no problem
with them. When talking, you
also say many things which
annoy people. In fact, I was the
rst Kenyan to be removed from
oce by a bill of a tender. Par-
liamentarians sat down and took
the stand. I knew it six months
in advance that I was going to
be removed. One MP said that
if we allow this man to remain
in oce, all of us will be in jail.
And the House was unanimous
on this. It demonstrated that
even the ethnic equation could
take a back seat on this. All the
people who have been removed
in public before and after me
were defended on the basis of
their ethnic extraction.
The people who attacked me
the most were Luo MPs.
And what is the genesis of the
bad blood between you and Luo
politicians?
So many of them fell under
our anti-graft radar and they
thought I would handle them
with kid gloves. I am also told
that because I denied them
the chance to speak during
my mothers funeral, they vowed
to kick me out. Why would you
really want to politic at a funeral?
It is one of the grudges they held
against me. That is how banal
they were.
But some thought that you were
engaging in too much activism at the
expense of your work.
A good anti-corruption boss
must be an activist. Those who
want to change the society must
be activists. Martin Luther King
Jnr was an activist, Jesus Christ
was an activist, and Mother Ter-
esa of Calcutta was an activist.
I was not an armchair ghter
of corruption. I put my body
and life in the streets and that
is what they dont like because
such an individual is irritating.
But when you get too cosy with
people in government, then it
becomes dicult to investigate
and prosecute them.
At KACC, you were the highest paid
public servant, how did it feel like los-
ing all those millions?
I have been a lawyer for over 20
years and not a bad lawyer at that.
I have also been an academic for
over 20 years. Some of us, when
we seek public oce, we do not
seek it for the salary. I was earn-
ing Sh1.9 million a month, but in
my law rm I have earned reason-
able amounts of money and my
lifestyle has never changed; we
live as modestly as we must.
There are people who
think that when
you leave a
public office
Luo MPs hounded me out of KACC
LITERARY DISCOURSE | President Uhuru Kenyatta is lukewarm in the ght against corruption
By Justus Wanga & Julius Sigei
CONVERSATIONS WITH BOOK LOVERS
conversations@ke.nationmedia.com
then that is the end of your life.
After I left KACC, I have been
doing consultancy locally, in
Tanzania, South Sudan and I
have made more income with
greater freedom.
Do you regret your style of leader-
ship given the manner in which you
were hounded out of oce?
Perhaps, I was a little nave.
The basis of my navet was the
assumption that the political es-
tablishment was supporting the
crusade against corruption, that
what they said in public is what
they meant.
The truth is, politicians in this
country say with one side of the
mouth what they dont mean,
and with the other side of the
mouth they mumble what they
truly mean.
My purported great supporters
in public who were saying let him
prosecute were the same persons
who, when we started investigat-
ing, hatched the plot to remove
me in South Africa. The plot was
hatched in one of the politicians
house there. It is because we had
started investigating the relative
of that individual.
So I was nave in that sense.
The tolerance for corruption
in this country is very high. The
Department of Immigration was
allowing people to come into the
country irregularly just because
they could part with cash at our
borders. Strangers were issued
with identity cards and passports,
and we were opening oodgates
for danger.
Now, the chickens are coming
home to roost and it is a tragedy
of gigantic proportions. It is now
a cancer in our bodies.
Is President Uhuru Kenyatta commit-
ted to the ght against corruption?
What we have now is a luke-
warm approach to corruption. I
want to hear my President say
corruption is a national disaster
because it is, the same way we
said HIV and Aids was a national
disaster.
It must be fought at two levels:
Eliminate individuals who abet it
in oces and then re-examine the
anti-graft law. The President must
lead from the front. He must be
the crusader, like President Paul
Kagame of Rwanda, Ian Khama
of Botswana and even Michael
Sata of Zambia, so that he is the
chief warrior in the ght against
corruption.
Together with John Githongo
and Tom Mboya, we wrote to him
over the Standard Gauge Railway
project and as law abiding citi-
zens, we wanted him to convince
us that this is a good deal.
Did he respond to your letter?
The following day, he gave the
State of the Nation address. As
to whether it was because of our
letter or it was pre-planned we
do not know but in his address,
he said that the project would go
on anyhow.
My view is that nobody can
quarrel with the railway project,
but to the extent that Kenyans
within their constitutional rights
have raised issues with it, you
must bring the details before
the public so that the doubting
Thomases can be ashamed and
then you become stronger.
Senior lawyers have painted a
grim picture of the young generation
of Kenyan lawyers, saying they lack
the intellectual rigour betting their
high calling. What are you doing as the
Director of the Kenya School of Law to
reverse the situation?
There is a crisis in the sense
that we have too many law schools
that are accepting into the study
of law men and women who may
not have been motivated to study
law. Remember in the olden days
we admitted the very best.
Because of the numbers of
students and the lack of lectur-
ers now, the quality has been
suffering. Going forward, as
law schools, the Judiciary and
The Law Society of Kenya and
the Kenya School of Law, we
must rethink and reorient legal
training to focus on skills and
ethics to produce a lawyer who
is powerful.
What book would you recommend
to President Uhuru Kenyatta?
He should read Shaban Rob-
erts Kusadikika. It is a book that
explains visionary leadership and
how a country can be destroyed if
the leadership is retrogressive.
Another I would recommend for
him, the Deputy President and the
Cord leadership, and which they
must watch its movie version, is
the Hindu epic The Ramayana and
Mahabharata, which comes in 28
compact discs. The writer of the
epic summarises it by saying, he
who has not read Mahabharata
has read nothing and I agree
with him.
Your critics argue that your elocu-
tion is articial
Ha ha ha. Of course, if it is
articial it disappears. I started
reading very early on and I
remember my Indian teacher
in Form One, who taught us
Literature in English, called Mr
Ashraf. He could ask us to read
The Concubine by Elechi Amadi,
in rounds and after I had read
for the rst time, he said that no-
body else should read except me
and a classmate called Gishinga
Kariuki. He said we articulated
and pronounced the words cor-
rectly.
So it is something I have
acquired over time but not
consciously. When you read and
are condent, it gives you the
energy to speak with authority
because you know. I dont write
my speeches.
Do you speak like that in your
house?
People ask me that. But, of
course, I am not giving speeches
in my house. The truth is that I
believe in articulation and elocu-
tion at all levels.
What one lesson did you learn from
your stint at KACC that you can share
with current civil servants?
When you enter into any pub-
lic oce, you must have an exit
strategy. Never have photos of
your family there or personal ef-
fects because in Kenya you can
be removed from oce any time
for no reason. So you live by the
day. That is the tragedy in this
country.
I used to walk with a briefcase
with all my personal eects so
that when I am sacked, I dont
need to go back to that oce. This
I also learnt at Constitution of
Kenya Review Commission. Its
a lesson that can help those in
oce now.
What are you reading now?
At any one
time, I will be
reading very
many books
because they
are placed
in dierent
places, in my
car, my room,
my library
and when
travelling
and almost
everywhere
PLO Lumumba
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Weekend 39
Two Kenyan writers shortlisted for the 2014 Caine Prize
BY KINGWA KAMENCU
kkamencu@ke.nationmedia.com
Two Kenyans, Billy Kahora and
Okwiri Oduor, have been shortlisted
among the ve for the annual Caine
Prize for African writing.
The awards patron, Nigerian great
Wole Soyinka, made the announce-
ment on April 22. However, it was
notable that this years shortlist did
not have a Nigerian writer.
The previous year had featured four
writers from the West African country,
out of a possible ve.
Of the Kenyans, this is Kahoras
second shortlisting, his rst time hav-
ing been in 2012 with the story Urban
Zoning. Billy Kahora is managing edi-
tor at Kwani Trust and is famous for
the investigative non-ction work, The
short life of David Munyakei. He has
also been involved in scriptwriting,
Soul Boy and Nairobi Half Life being
part of his oeuvre.
Okwiri, who previously used the
name Claudette Oduor, has also been
active on the local writing scene in
Storymoja and Amka events, recently
directing the Writivism Festival in
Uganda.
She has published with Kwani?,
Amka, Saraba, FEMRITE, The New
Inquiry and African Writing online.
Her novella, The Dream Chasers, was
highly commendd in the Common-
wealth Book Prize 2012.
Kahora and Oduors styles are far
apart. Kahoras writing lets in large
swathes of light and is slightly up
tempo. The deft portrayal of character
and use of symbolism are some of the
shortlisted storys strengths.
The Gorillas Apprentice is set in
Nairobi during the 2007 post-elec-
tion crisis. In the story, the gorilla
ostensibly dies from taking upon
itself the psychic load of the Kenyan
collective at the time.
Meanwhile, Oduors My Fathers
Head is a surreal and haunting nar-
ration of a young woman whose dead
father has returned to visit. The story
explores the themes of ageing, belong-
ing and the meaning of family. The
younger writers strength is in the
sheer exquisiteness with which she
spins words: smiles that melted
like ghee, that oozed through the
corners of their lips and dribbled
onto their laps long after the thing
that was being smiled about went
rancid in the air.
Other Kenyans that have been
shortlisted since the inception of
the Caine Prize 15 years ago have
been Lily Mabura, Muthoni Gar-
land, Parsalelo Kantai and Mukoma
wa Ngugi. Only two Kenyan writers
Binyavanga Wainaina and Yvonne
Adhiambo Owuor have previously
won.
This years award ceremony takes
place on July 14 at the Bodleian
Library at the University of Oxford
in Britain. Apart from Okwiri and
Kahora, the other writers that made
the short lists this year are Diane Aw-
erbuck (South Africa), Efemia Chela
(Ghana/Zambia) and Tendai Huchu
(Zimbabwe).
Efemia Chelas Chicken is a strong
contender for a win due to the storys
strong voice, vivid description and
jaunty tone; it could very well take it.
Okwiri Oduors is another very strong
contender. Kenyan writing quality is
looking good; do not be surprised if
either of these writers brings the prize
home this year.
Billy Kahora
Okwiri Oduor
BY DAVID ADUDA
daduda@ke.nationmedia.com
P
rof Austin Bukenyas
treatise last week amply
demonstrated the tran-
sition that has taken place in
literary scholarship milieu in East
Africa. It brought to the fore the
question; what is the position of
literature in university scholarship
and national economies? Is it just
literature personalities who are
vanishing or is the discipline also
losing its lustre?
From independence in the early
1960s to the mid-1980s, literature
departments in East Africas univer-
sities were hotbeds for intellectual
discourse. They had a mission and
a purpose that served to coalesce
the scholars and inspire them to
pursue higher ideals.
Literature provided a tool for
cultural renaissance after colonial
subjugation. It provided a frame-
work for analysing and tackling
emerging challenges emerging
after independence, among them,
betrayal of the masses by the
political leadership, emergence
of corrupt bourgeois class, eco-
nomic exploitation and political
suppression.
For instance, in 1968 African
lecturers at the then departments
of English studies at the then
University College Nairobi, Dar es
Salaam and Makerere mounted ag-
gressive campaigns to revolutionise
and Africanise their departments
in protest against the patronising
and colonial heritage inherited
from the University of London,
to which they had been aliated
until Independence. The campaign
culminated into the introduction of
African Literature, which put the
African experience at the core of
the syllabus.
The campaign trickled down to
high schools and in 1974, a con-
ference was convened at Nairobi
School for high school teachers that
reviewed the content of English and
literature is schools. Organised
under theme: The nature and
role of African Literature in Kenya
educational system, the conference
was addressed by, among others,
Ngugi wa Thiongo, Chris Wanjala,
Eddah Gachukia, Micere Mugo and
Ciarunji Chesaina, and the rallying
call was to nd a role for literature
in a new nation.
Clearly, there was a determina-
tion to give literature its place
in society, namely to provide a
compass for cultural reawaken-
ing and help Africans redefine
themselves and through that
confront challenges of their time,
a theme well-articulated by the
revolutionary Guinea Bissau
scholar Amilcar Cabral in a speech
National Liberation and Culture
delivered at Syracuse University,
US, in 1970.
Invariably the intellectual dis-
course transcended into political
sphere since East Africa states
were in a state of ferment. Not
only did it fall on the intelligent-
sia to lead the process of cultural
reawakening and moral rearma-
ment, but also to sign-post political
danger spots.
Although the political ag had
been won, the democratic one
was agging. The countries were
rising from the ashes of colonial-
ism and the new crop of leaders
was experimenting with various
socio-economic and political
models. Regrettably, corruption,
nepotism, tribalism and oppres-
sive practices were slowly taking
root and citizens were beginning
to feel a sense of betrayal.
Signicantly, these provided the
fodder for literary themes. Ngugis
Petals of Blood and Devil on the
Cross, Francis Imbugas Betrayal
in the City, John Rugandas The
Burdens and The Floods, are among
a raft of literary works that emerged
during that era and encapsulated
the frustrations with the post-in-
dependence leadership.
Simultaneously, the theatre
scene was abuzz with political
productions in the mould of Ngugi
wa Thiongos and Ngugi wa Mir-
iis Ngaahika Ndenda (I Will Marry
When I Want), which had to be
proscribed allegedly for exciting
dissatisfaction against the politi-
cal establishment.
But things have changed since.
Literature departments are no
longer the citadels for high-oc-
tane intellectual contests. They
no longer attract dyed-in-the-wool
scholars who pursued the discipline
for its intrinsic value.
The rigour of literary scholarship
that encompassed creative writing,
theatre art, stylistics, among others,
no longer obtains. It is not uncom-
mon to nd post-graduate students
who leave literature departments
without reading Bukenyas Peoples
Bachelor or The Bride or the com-
plete works of Ngugi wa Thiongo,
let alone the complete works of
Shakespeare, which some scholars
have condemned as obsolete.
Worse, most universities do not
have recognisable faculty at the
departments of literature. In fact,
Prof Bukenya should have counted
himself lucky that at least there
were some names he could recog-
nise at the University of Nairobis
Literature Department, like the
venerable Prof Henry Indangasi,
Prof Ciarunji Chesaina, who had
a stint in the diplomatic service
as Kenyas High Commissioner
to South Africa, Prof Wanjiku Ka-
biru, who also took time o at one
time to work with the Constitution
Review Commission, Prof Hellen
Mwanzi, and Prof Chris Wanjala,
who was recently honoured by
Masinde Muliro Universitys Lit-
erature Department.
At least, he could have also found
soul mates at Kenyatta University
where the likes of Dr Waveney
Olembo, Dr Kisa Amateshe,
among others, are still teaching,
Moi University where we have
the likes of Prof Amuka, Masinde
Muliro where we have the likes of
Prof Egara Kebaji, who regularly
contributes on this column.
But the situation is worse in
some of new universities, where
literature departments are staed
with lecturers hardly known in
literary cycles.
Admittedly, the pressure for uni-
versities to generate incomes has
seen departments embroiled in a
rat-race to oer the so-called mar-
ket driven courses at the expense
of rigorous scholarly programmes
and literature is one of the casual-
ties. Experiments have been made
in some literature departments to
introduce journalism and com-
munication units to make them
attractive.
It is also not lost that the teach-
ing environment at the universities
has forced a number of literature
scholars to scatter to all the four
corners of the world in search of
better incomes.
Ultimately, the question is not
just the vanishing cadre of litera-
ture scholars, but circumstances
are changing in such a way that
the departments are nding them-
selves in a x. Prof Bukenya, my
good literature teacher, should
not feel deated when he hardly
nds his peers and acquaintances
at the literature department, for a
number has moved on due to the
exigencies of the day.
Mr Aduda, a manager at the
Nation, was for a long time the
Groups Education Editor and au-
thor of literature texts.
Pray, where did the
irreverent literature
scholar of yore go?
Univers-
ities are
no longer
citadels
for high-
octane
intellectual
contests
FILE | NATION
A lecture hall at a local university:
What is the position of literature in
university scholarship and national
economies?
LITERARY DISCOURSE | Is the discipline also losing its lustre?

Prof Bukenya
should have counted
himself lucky that
at least there were
some names he
could recognise at
the University of
Nairobis Literature
Department
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
40 | Weekend
BY JOHN ONKANGI
F
ather, what is the dif-
ference between the
sun and the moon?
This question was posed to me
by my son as we went to close the
gate to my home one night. The
moon is as bright as the sun,
he continued. As I reected on
the question, another was raised
between the sun and the moon,
which one is more important to
humanity? My simple answer
was the sun.
I have developed an insight,
equating the sun to literary form
and content and the moon to lit-
erary theory. We can survive in
the world if the moon was not
there; but without the sun, we
will perish.
Form and content are the key
pillars in any literary work. Liter-
ary theory is only an appendix
whose role in the literary world
can be contested.
Literary theory gets plenty of
emphasis that it doesnt deserve.
In undergraduate, Masters and
PhD classes, literature students
are expected to master all liter-
ary theories including Marxism,
formalism, structuralism,
deconstruction, sociological,
post-colonial, psychoanalysis and
post-modernism. I appreciate the
minimal role these theories play
in literature, but I can say that
literary theory is a waste of time
in literary scholarship.
When defending a thesis,
every candidate meets the
question: From which school
of thought. Are we not allowed
to come up with our own schools
of thought? Why should we be
forced to think the same way as
Srauss? Literary theory is like a
castrated husband who wants his
children to posses his physiologi-
cal traits despite knowing that he
is not the father of these children.
Allow me to illustrate.
Many literary writers have no
knowledge of literary theory.
Shakespeare, Conrad, Dickens,
Maillu, Wright, Kasaya, Mphelele,
among others, never based their
works on any school of thought,
yet they wrote magnicent works.
We have doctors and engineers
who have turned writers. Are
their works bad because they lack
knowledge on literary theory?
Literary theories have reduced
literature students to mechani-
cal writers. They strain to write
within certain schools of thought
and end up producing novels,
plays and poems that are ex-
tremely boring. Writing is natural.
I have read some novels written
by professors of literature, and
they are pathetic.
Secondly, these literary theo-
ries were propagated by scholars
who were never students of lit-
erature. Some were linguists
and sociologists like Karl Marx,
Sassure, Strauss and Sigmund
Freud. I am yet to trace the
point of convergence between
literature and these theories. The
few similarities I noticed cannot
establish a marriage between lit-
erature and literary theory. This
forced marriage was intended to
bring up methodology, which is a
crucial tool in research. I am sure
that we can carry out research
in literature without resorting
to methodology. Methodology
is best left to sciences.
Lastly, some scholars of
these theories have recanted
their earlier postulations, hence
rendering them useless. For
example, Sigmund Freud took
a u-turn from his theory. Why
are we still stuck on psychoa-
nalysis? Marxist ideologies of
power struggle and the use of
violence to counter oppression
have been overtaken by events.
In the 21st century our focus is
peace and diplomacy.
To conclude, The time has
come for us to make a paradigm
shift and approach literature from
its form and content. Theoriz-
ing literature is obsolete and
misleading.
The writer is a PhD student
at the University of Leceister.
onkangi.john@yahoo.com
Literary theory is obsolete
in the world of literature
Literary critic Chris Wanjala of the
University of Nairobi.
Readers corner
Literary Discourse
BY EDWIN OTEYO LUNYIRO
A re that is denied rewood will denitely die
out. But if re wood is added to it and fanned, it
will burn well. This is what literature needs. I would
equate literature to the Nigerian kola nuts, hence the
proverb, kola nuts stay longer in the mouths of those
who enjoy them.
Literature is alive, and it can die as well. Without
writing, reading and discussing it, it will surely die.
For the eight years that I have taught literature, all
the workshops and seminars I have attended have
always been facilitated by examiners, lecturing us on
how to make students pass examinations. Never have
I attended one where the set texts were discussed or
debated. Is this justice to literature?
Secondly, limiting literature especially in some
English examination papers is akin to murdering
it. For example, examiners only recognise regular
and irregular rhyme schemes in poetry. What about:
rhyming couplet, alternating and plain rhyme, ottava
rima, rhyme royal, and terza rima? We should expose
the learners to all that they can grasp.
Literature is moribund. When students are en-
couraged to read questionable guide books, some
super-summarised, we will end up producing lazy
readers who only want to be spoon-fed, later to re-
gurgitate in examinations. Let students discuss the
texts with the teachers guidance. Let us keep the re
of literature burning by showing its applicability and,
after analysing a text, drawing parallels between it
and the contemporary society.
As much as theatrical performances enhance
the learning of set books, only plays and oral
literature genres should be performed, not nov-
els and short stories. Such productions should
be produced and directed by qualified litera-
ture specialists, and not money-minded chaps.
The writer is a journalist and English literature
teacher based in Nairobi.
We should keep the
literature re burning
BY FRANKLINE MUKEMBU
The ministry of Education has passed a policy to
implement the teaching of local languages in lower
classes in primary schools. A big dilemma, however,
hangs on this sensitive issue.
The million dollar question is whether this policy is
workable, owing to the fact that the structure of our
schools has drastically changed. Some schools are
situated in urban, cosmopolitan areas. Most pupils
do not speak any native language due to inter-mar-
riages, among other factors.
The government may be coerced to employ as
many teachers as there are native languages in a
particular school to cater for this need. The teach-
ing of these local languages may not appropriate as
it may breed tribal animosity among the 42 tribes
in Kenya today, among other vices that come along
with tribalism.
Kiswahili is both the national and the ocial
language as per the Constitution . Our sole aim
of teaching languages in our schools is to promote
language policies and for examination. We aspire to
achieve Vision 2030 and a proper education policy
is crucial.
Why the teach local languages which will never
be examined instead of embracing those that will
benet us?
The ministry should review this policy and em-
phasize the teaching of Kiswahili in lower classes.
Meanwhile, parents can play the role of teaching their
children their respective local languages and dialects
for identity purpose and cultural propagation.
The writer teaches Kiswahili and Georgraphy at Mu-
nithu Day Secondary School in Meru County.
Teach Kiswahili instead
of vernacular in school
BY SAMUEL CHEGE
The irony surrounding our edu-
cation system is that year after
year, the number of those joining
it in search of knowledge keep ris-
ing yet the challenges facing the
society increase day by day.
Curriculum is developed from
the society. Students come from
the society, are taken through the
education system and then sent
back to the society to provide
solutions to the challenges bedev-
illing it. Why is it, then, that the
society is still facing numerous
challenges ranging from corrup-
tion, tribalism, nepotism, crime,
disease, ignorance, drug abuse
and the like?
Where does the buck stop? Is it
with the curriculum developers,
curriculum implementers or the
society itself?
I think our education system is
squarely to blame. It just doesnt
live up to its expectation. The
emphasis on papers as a proof
for knowledge acquisition is the
cause of this predicament, as
far as I am concerned. People
dont seek to know but to be
seen that they know. Papers tell
others we know while the real-
ity on the ground could be very
dierent.
Education should equip people
with knowledge, skills, attitudes
and values. However, it seems
we are only interested in pass-
ing knowledge. Skills, attitudes
and values are left out since they
are hardly tested in the process
of evaluation. This explains why
potential employers would rather
employ a quack at the expense
of a professional who does not
posses the relevant skills.
The other challenge facing the
system is that those charged with
the responsibility of developing
values suffer from their defi-
ciency themselves, right from
the institutions of learning to
the society itself. The teacher
who is supposed advocate
against drug abuse is an addict
himself. The police ocer who
is supposed to arrest criminals
is a criminal himself. The judge
who is prevailed upon to convict
corrupt individuals is himself
corrupt. The clergyman who is
supposed to teach selessness
is selfish and greedy. And as
one young musician put it, ni
system ya majambazi (it is a cor-
rupt system). We all suer from
these shortcomings.
No wonder tribalism still reigns
supreme even to the respected
members of our society. Corrup-
tion , civil wars and insecurity are
still evident in our institutions.
Concrete and visible action needs
to be taken urgently or else our
society will go to the dogs.
The writer teaches at Stepping
Stones Preparatory, Makongeni,
in Thika, Kiambu County. He is
also a school-based Bachelor
of Education student at Mount
Kenya University.
Our education system unable to resolve
problems bedeviling the bigger society
To contribute to this page,
please send your comments
to satnation@ke.nationmedi
a.com or write to The Editor,
Saturday Nation, POB 49010,
Nairobi 00100.
Maths is
not that
dicult
BY ANDOLO AMBASI
The article by Prof Egara
Kabaji and Dr Misigo (Satur-
day Nation, May 10, 2014) was
great. Many of us who took up
professions that are regarded
as dicult are left to sympa-
thise with the people who have
high mental abilities but have
been made to think they are
mathematical dwarfs.
We concur with Prof Kabaji
and Dr Misigo, that mathemat-
ics is a very simple subject and
should be demystied.
I would propose that we team
up and form an organisation
that will popularise mathemat-
ics. As stated in the article, the
curriculum should be such that
the mathematics taught should
be in line with a students in-
tended career.
The writer is an engineer.
Writing
requires
patience
BY GRIFFIN LUKE AWINO
Reading some manuscripts
intended for publication can
leave one with jaundiced eyes.
The current crop of budding
writers lack patience and ac-
curacy. We are a nation of the
fast-lane lifestyle.
Many aspiring authors wake
up write in the morning and
want to have their manuscripts
published before the sunsets.
That is a pipe dream that can
only be answered by a letter
from the publishers saying, we
like your story but we cannot
publish it.
Regret letters from the pub-
lishing rms kill the morale of
untapped talent.
No publisher should be
blamed for rejecting stories
that do not meet the publish-
ing threshold.
Writers should blame them-
selves for not having taken their
time to present their stories in
catchy and captivating prose.
This newspaper has a col-
umn, In their own Words,
dedicated to authors.
Budding writers should read
it to realise that it requires
patience to get your work ac-
cepted by strict publishers.
Most of these authors had
story after story rejected be-
fore they nally had their books
published.
Writing is a skill that can
only be honed by patience,
exposure to reading material
from different authors and
regular practice.
The conributor is a freelance
writer.
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Weekend 41
ABUJA, Friday
N
igerias President Good-
luck Jonathan on Friday
cancelled a visit to the
hometown of more than 200
schoolgirls who were kidnapped
by Islamic militants, sparking
fresh criticism of his handling
of the crisis.
A senior government ocial
told AFP that Mr Jonathans trip
to remote Chibok in Borno state
was on (the presidents) sched-
ule up to this morning but the
visit had been scrapped.
No reason was given but se-
curity concerns were reportedly
blamed.
Instead of visiting Chibok,
Mr Jonathan is now due to head
direct to a security summit in
Paris on Saturday to discuss the
Boko Haram threat to regional
stability.
Jonathans administration has
been widely criticised for its slow
response to the kidnapping on
April 14, which saw 276 girls
abducted by militants. A total
of 223 are still missing.
But they were forced to act
in the face of a social media
campaign and street protests
that won global support and at-
tracted the attention of foreign
powers, who have now sent
specialist teams to help in the
rescue eort.
The cancellation prompted
immediate criticism on social
networks and others who claim
the president has shown indier-
ence to the mass abduction.
If, as the commander-in-chief
of the armed forces, he is afraid
to visit Chibok because of secu-
rity fears, he is simply telling the
hapless people in the northeast
that he cannot protect them and
they should resign themselves to
their fate, said Debo Adeniran,
of the Coalition Against Corrupt
Leaders pressure group.
In the United States, which has
sent drones and surveillance air-
craft, the chairman of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations
said Nigeria had been tragically
and unacceptably slow to tackle
the crisis.
Show leadership
I have called on President
(Goodluck) Jonathan to demon-
strate the leadership his nation is
demanding, Democratic senator
Robert Menendez said.
Others raised the Nigerian
militarys human rights record
after well-documented claims of
abuses carried out by soldiers,
including arbitrary detention
and summary execution of
civilians.
The Principal Deputy Assist-
ant Secretary of State for African
Affairs, Robert Jackson, told
senators: Resolving this crisis
is now one of the highest priori-
ties of the US government.
A state of emergency was
imposed in three northeastern
states worst affected by the
violence on May 14 last year.
Special powers were extended
for a further six months in No-
vember.
President Jonathan requested
the extension on Tuesday, call-
ing the security situation in
Borno, Yobe and Adamawa
daunting.
More than 2,000 have been
killed this year alone, most of
them civilians, in increasing
violence across Muslim-majority
northern Nigeria that has seen
churches, schools and entire
villages attacked.
Police in northern Bauchi
state, where Boko Haram gun-
men previously attacked a girls
school, said about 30 gunmen
destroyed two village primary
schools late on Wednesday but
no one was injured. (AFP)
Members of civil
society groups sit
to protest the ab-
duction of Chibok
school girls during
a rally pressing for
the girls release
in Abuja on May 6.
Nigerias President
Jonathan Goodluck
has come under
erce criticism over
the slow response
towards the stu-
dents kidnap. He on
Friday cancelled a
trip to Chibok.
PHOTO | AFP
Security
concerns
blamed
for last
minute
change
of plan
to visits
students
hometown
If, as commander-in-
chief of the armed
forces, he is afraid to
visit Chibok because
of security fears, he
is simply telling the
hapless people in
the northeast that
he cannot protect
them
Coalition Against
Corrupt Leaders
member Debo Adeniran
CRISIS | President widely criticised for slow response to a situation that has drawn the worlds attention
TO COMMENT ON THESE
AND OTHER STORIES GO TO
www.nation.co.ke
Nigerias Jonathan cancels visit to
abducted girls town amid protests
WORLD
NEW ERA FOR INDIA AFTER
LANDSLIDE VICTORY FOR MODI
Indias triumphant Hindu nationalists
declared a new era after win. Page 45
HARARE
Zimbabwe deation
persists, ination gains
Zimbabwes annual ination for
April climbed by 0.65 per cent to
-0.26 per cent from -0.91 percent
in March as the country remains
in deation, the statistics agency
said on Thursday. Monthly ina-
tion gained 0.81 per cent to 0.58
per cent in April, up from -0.22
per cent the previous month.
Zimbabwe, which is facing a seri-
ous liquidity crunch worsened by
acute shortage of lines of credit
and foreign investment, plunged
into deation in February this
year after several months of dis-
ination. (Xinhua)
JOHANNESBURG
S.Africa briey detains
DR Congo prophet
South African authorities
on Thursday detained for a few
hours a self-proclaimed prophet
who is wanted by Kinshasa over
his role in violence that claimed
more than 100 lives in DR Con-
gos two main cities. Mr Joseph
Mukungubila Mutombo, who
describes himself as Gods last
envoy to humanity after Jesus
Christ and Paul of Tarsus, was
arrested at dawn at his house in
the suburbs of Johannesburg. We
managed to get him out on bail,
his South African lawyer Ashraf
Essop told AFP. The lawyer said
the charges against Mutombo
are outlined in an Interpol arrest
warrant following a complaint
by the Congolese government.
BRIEFLY
BENGHAZI
Fierce clashes erupt in
Libyas eastern city
Fierce clashes erupted in Lib-
yas eastern city of Benghazi on
Friday between Islamists and
forces led by a retired general
seeking to purge it of terrorists,
an AFP journalist and witnesses
said. The witnesses said a group
led by Khalifa Haftar, a former
rebel chief in the 2011 uprising
that toppled Muammar Gadda,
was backed by warplanes that
pounded a barracks occupied
by the Islamist February 17
Brigade militia. Militiamen re-
sponded by opening up with anti-
aircraft re. The two groups also
clashed in the Sidi Fradj area of
south Benghazi, the AFP journal-
ist said. (AFP)
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
42
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
43
CAPE TOWN, Friday
S
outh Africas biggest opposition out-
t, the Democratic Alliance, said it
will intervene following the news
that the Cabinet Security Cluster intends
to take a report on the presidents home
for a judicial review.
This decision by the Security Cluster is
a transparent case of the executive trying
to interfere with the independence and
impartiality of a Chapter Nine institu-
tion (the Public Protectors Oce), said
James Selfe, chairman of the DA Federal
Executive.
The Security Cluster had said earlier on
Thursday that it will refer Public Protector
Thuli Madonselas report on the Nkandla
scandal to the High Court for review of
its inaccuracies.
The security cluster ministers have
resolved to take the Public Protectors
report on the security upgrades installed
in the private residence of the President
(the Nkandla report) on a judicial review
by the High Court, government spokes-
woman Phumla Williams said.
Mandonsela issued the report on March
19 on the nal ndings into the security up-
grades of Zumas private home in Nkandla,
KwaZulu-Natal Province, a project that al-
legedly cost 245 million rand (about 23
million US dollars) in public funds.
The Public Protector claims that Zumas
family unduly beneted from the project
and wants Zuma to pay part of the money
spent on the project, a request rejected by
Zuma. It is the ministers view that the
Public Protectors report and the inves-
tigation she conducted trespass on the
separation of powers doctrine and oend
against section 198(d) of the Constitution
which vests national security in Parliament
and National Executive, Williams said in
a statement.
Remedial action
The grounds of the review will be fully
canvassed in the review papers, she said.
It is also the ministers view that some of
the ndings and remedial action proposed
by the Public Protector in her report are
irrational, contradictory and are informed
by material errors of law, said Williams.
In response to the government move,
the DA has already begun consulting its
lawyers with the view of joining as inter-
vening party, Selfe said.
The Constitution requires organs of
State to assist and protect the Public
Protector for the independent impartiality,
dignity and eectiveness of the Consti-
tution. In the light of the aforegoing the
threatened review application is inconsist-
ent with the Constitutional imperatives,
Selfe said. He said the DA believes that it
is part of a greater plan to try and block
the reappointment of an ad hoc commit-
tee to consider this matter on the grounds
of it being sub judice. To the extent that
there are any inaccuracies in the report,
a parliamentary ad hoc committee is the
correct body to consider such arguments,
Selfe said.
The committee, he said, will be able to
listen to input from the Security Cluster
as well as seek answers to questions which
were not fully answered by the report. The
DA will be considering the application by
the Ministers as soon as it is available and
make a decision on what steps to take,
Selfe said. We will not hesitate to approach
a court to become an intervening party if
needs be. A Parliament ad hoc committee
set up to consider submissions by Zuma
on the Public Protectors Nkandla report
was dissolved last month before the May 7
general elections on the grounds that there
was not enough time for it to do justice to
the task at hand. The matter is left for the
fth Parliament to be sworn in later this
month. (Xinhua)
SA party to intervene in
suit on Zuma home report
PHOTO | AFP
South African President Jacob Zuma waving at his supporters after casting his vote on May
7 at Ntolwane Primary School in his rural village of Nkandla. The Public Protector wants him
to pay part of the cost of upgrading his Nkandla home.
SCANDAL | Ministers in court for a judicial review of report on the presidents Nkandla home upgrade
This
decision by
the Security
Cluster is a
transparent
case of the
executive
trying to
interfere
with the
Public
Protectors
Oce
Democratic
Alliance party
ocial James
Selfe
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
44 | Africa News
NEW DELHI, Friday
I
ndias triumphant Hindu national-
ists declared the start of a new
era in the worlds biggest democ-
racy on Friday, after hardline leader
Narendra Modi propelled them to a
stunning win on a platform of revital-
izing the sickly economy.
Preliminary results at the end of the
marathon six-week election showed
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led
by prime ministerial candidate Modi
on track for the rst parliamentary
majority by a single party in 30 years.
Most of the poverty-wracked countrys
1.2 billion people more than half
of whom are under 25 have never
witnessed such dominance having
grown up in an era of fractious coa-
lition politics.
Modi, the 63-year-old son of a tea
seller tainted by anti-Muslim riots in
his home state of Gujarat in 2002,
wrote on Twitter that India has won.
Good days are coming.
The stunning results exceeded
all forecasts. Firecrackers exploded
at BJP oces around the country
and sweets were handed out in
celebrations that began only a few
hours after the rst gures ltered
out. The triumph redraws Indias
political map, elevating the BJP to a
pan-national power, handing Modi a
huge mandate for change and heap-
ing humiliation on the ruling Gandhi
political dynasty.
The immediate change Modi will
need to deliver is an improvement in
the economy, growing at its slowest
rate in a decade, but his past as a re-
ligious hardliner means he is viewed
with suspicion by Indias 150 million
Muslims.
This is the beginning of change, a
peoples revolution and the start of a
new era, senior BJP leader Prakash
Javadekar told AFP at party headquar-
ters in New Delhi.
Preliminary gures from the Elec-
tion Commission showed the BJP
winning more than the 272 seats
required for a majority on its own
in the 543-seat parliament, with vic-
tories by its allies taking it easily in
excess of 330.
The Congress Party, the national
secular force that has run India for
all but 13 years since independence,
was set to crash to its worst ever result
after a decade in power.
Modi promised the moon and
stars to the people. People bought
that dream, senior Congress leader
and spokesman Rajeev Shukla told
reporters as preliminary results
showed the party winning only 45
seats. (AFP)
ELECTION RESULTS | BJP in historic landslide win for rst parliamentary majority in 30 years
New era for India after Modis victory
Ruling Congress party
concedes poll defeat
and outgoing PM
congratulates winner
Chief Minister of western Gu-
jarat state and main opposition
Bharatiya Janata Party prime
ministerial candidate Narendra
Modi ashes the victory sign in
Vadodara yesterday. Right: Mr Modi
(centre) with former Prime Minister
Raila Odinga (left) and industrialist
Manu Chandaria when he visited
Kenya in 2008.
PHOTOS | AFP AND NATION FILE
I
n his recent talk at the Woodrow
Wilson School of Public and Interna-
tional Aairs in Princeton, New Jersey,
former Prime Minister Raila Odinga gave
an insightful speech on the place of Africa
in the world today.
Among the notable points he raised
was the need for Africa to be able to
speak about its own hunts. He rightly
observed, using the familiar story about
the lion and the hunter, that as long as the
lion cannot speak, hunters will continue
to tell its story.
Yet, perhaps aware of the diculty
of not just speaking about the hunt but
actually knowing what that story is, Raila
did not elaborate. Similarly, in his speech
on World Press Freedom Day, President
Kenyatta emphasised the need to tell the
African story from an African point of
view. He did not provide any details. Oth-
ers have been less circumspect, but with
rhetoric that although easy on the ears,
remains fundamentally impractical.
It is true that the representation of Af-
rica in the international media remains
primarily rooted in a colonial master nar-
rative. The African story in world media
is typically rendered in its simplicity.
Africa is discussed on the twin premises
of sameness and dierence. The latter is
especially signicant, for as anthropolo-
gist Kelly Gillespie observes, Africa is
easily understood to many as not-Europe.
Its wars are therefore unique, its problems
chronic and intractable. The reaction to
this representation has however, been at
best profoundly reactionary.
Rather than construct an alternative
narration of the continent, we continue
to contest the master narrative, but often
on the enemys terms; We are not incom-
petent and we are not corrupt. But what
then are we? More importantly, who are
we? A number of these contestations
often start from a position that renders
our response inherently contradictory
and ineective. In fact, by imagining
and constructing an undifferentiated
we, we validate the very contentious
narrative we seek to contest.
The failure to acknowledge the instabil-
ity of the referent Africa, or of its story,
partly legitimises the very essentialisation
of a diverse continent as an undierenti-
ated space and culture. Precisely because
of this, we paradoxically end up with
Africas misrepresentation in the very
attempts to revise the same. Erasing
dierences to create a single Africa is
problematic as it validates sameness.
African Al-Jazeera
We have even heard fervent calls for
the creation of an African Al-Jazeera.
While the impact that Al-Jazeera has
had in (re-) positioning the Arab world
in international media is indisputable,
whether it has changed the discursive
practices with which the Arab story is
told remains a subject of debate. In ad-
dition, the funding model of Al-Jazeera
- for this cannot be divorced from what
it says- is certainly not one to be paraded
as a success story.
The largesse of Al-Jazeeras benefactors
should not be taken for peerless magna-
nimity. Inuence and self-preservation is
often at the heart of such benefaction.
Indeed, looking back at the recent AU
Summits in Addis Ababa, the prospect of
an African Al-Jazeera sounds frightening.
We saw leaders of some of Africas most
despotic regimes known to kill political
opponents for sport, who have amassed
themselves odious wealth, jailed journal-
ists and shut down media organisations,
trump up the need for a pan-African news
media controlled by them.
It is worrying that at this point in time,
the main response to Africas negative
characterization in world media still
tends to gesture towards unbridled
nationalism.
Much older pan-Africanist movements
no doubt provide us a useful archive from
which we can learn about ourselves and
indeed, be. These movements, as the
scholar John McCall delightfully de-
scribes, wanted to discover and cultivate
a common cultural core a poetics that
could ring as true in a Congo village as
on the streets of Johannesburg.
But such poetics was equally prob-
lematic as it homogenized experiences,
criminalised dierence and closed pos-
sibilities for diversity. That past is laced
with understandable sentimentality.
A similar approach to Africas rep-
resentation today is ideologically and
practically redundant. I am African, but
I am also a son of many worlds. The anxi-
eties that are part of the contemporary
African experience are a function of a
variety of factors, the most dominant of
which may not necessarily be the obvi-
ousness of being African.
For this reason, I nd a more persuasive
argument in Valentine-Yves Mudimbes
calls for Africa to be more epistemologi-
cally inventive in expressing the self.
There is a very real danger of a new
African narrative being colonised by
the African elite. What Africa needs is
not a giant pan-African media but its
many radio and TV stations and its
numerous newspapers. It is on these
platforms that the African story is and
will be told. These stories elaborate on
the falsehood of a centralised identity.
An African Al-Jazeera will be distinctly
un-African!
Who are we? Let us tell the African story
ANALYSIS | George Ogola
Dr Ogola teaches at the University of
Central Lancashire, Googla@uclan.ac.uk
SANAA
Yemen leader vows
raid on Qaeda dens
The Yemeni president has
vowed to clear Al-Qaeda from
all its remaining bastions, say-
ing that an oensive launched
by the army in the south last
month would be extended na-
tionwide. The battle against
the terrorist organisation is
open-ended, President Ab-
drabuh Mansur Hadi told se-
curity chiefs late on Thursday.
The armed forces and the se-
curity services should prepare
operations to clear these ter-
rorists from Abyan, Shabwa,
Baida, Marib and everywhere
they have set foot, he said in
comments carried by the of-
cial Saba news agency. The
southern provinces of Abyan
and Shabwa and the neigh-
bouring central province of
Baida have been the focus of
the oensive which the army
launched on April 29. (AFP)
BRIEFLY
PURPLE ROYAL AUCTIONEERS
Krishna Mansion, 1st Floor, Suite 14, Moktar Daddah Street, Opp. Jevanjee
Gardens P.O. Box 26093-00100 Nbi. Tel: 020-313696, 2243932 Mobile: 0713-562094
Email: purpleroyaltd@yahoo.com
PUBLIC AUCTION
Duly instructed by our Principals, the chargees , we shall sell the under mentioned motor
vehicles by public auction on SATURDAY 24
TH
MAY,2014 AT AUTO GALLERY (M) LTD,
WAIYAKI WAY OPP LIONS PLACE, WESTLANDS starting from 10.30 a.m.
NO. REG. NO MAKE MODEL
1. KBV 826A TOYOTA SUCCEED S/WAGON
2. KBH 269K TOYOTA MARK II SALOON
3. KBT 411G TOYOTA LEXUS RX 400 SALOON
4. KBR 594M TOYOTA FIELDER S/WAGON
5. KBN 540A TOYOTA CALDINA SALOON
6. KBP 375G NISSAN X TRAIL S/WAGON
7. KBS 297G TOYOTA VOXY S/WAGON
8. KAL 273Y SUBARU LEGACY S/WAGON
9. KBV 975G LANDROVER GREEN TOUR VAN S/WAGON
10. KBT 766A TOYOTA AVENSIS S/WAGON
11. KBM 629T TOYOTA VOXY S/WAGON
12. KBG 380L MAZDA TRIBUTE SALOON
CONDITIONS OF SALE
1. All interested buyers are requested to view and verify all the details of the
Motor vehicle as these is not warranted by the Auctioneer.
2. Refundable deposit of Kshs.50, 000/= in form of BANKERS
CHEQUE ONLY strictly to be paid to obtain a bidding number
3. The motor vehicle will be sold on As Is Where Is basis
4. Sale of motor vehicle is subject to reserve price and all documents are available.
5. Viewing can be done from MONDAY 19
TH
MAY, 2014 BETWEEN 10.00a.m to4.00p.m.
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
45
BUSINESS
TOYOTA SIGNS SH129M FARM
MACHINERY DEALERSHIP
Japan rm gets exclusive rights to
distribute Case IH tractor brands in
Kenya. Page 47
Portland issues
prot warning
after loss of
market share
BY NATION CORRESPONDENT
Portland cement company has
issued a prot warning, saying
its earnings will decline by over
a quarter in the full year ending
June 2014.
The management cites a raft of
challenges that have depressed
its business in the period under
review. The cement maker has
been grappling with low prices
of the commodity occasioned by
increased competition and loss of
market share to rivals.
The company has faced chal-
lenges characterised by increased
competition that depressed prices,
loss of market share due to new
entrants into the local market,
the cement maker said in a state-
ment.
Increased sta costs and high
interest rates coupled with depreci-
ation of the Kenya shilling against
major world currencies are also to
blame for expected poor perform-
ance in the year ending June, the
management said.
Unfavourable developments in
the companys export markets in
the East African region resulted
in drastically reduced sales for the
period, the rm said.
In the rst half period of the
accounting year that ended De-
cember 2013, the cement markers
prot after tax declined by 44 per
cent to Sh283 million compared to
Sh327 million recorded in a similar
period in 2012, a move that ana-
lysts say that the prot warning
comes as no surprise.
Boardroom wrangles
Despite all the uncertainty
surrounding East Africa Portland
Cement Companys current and
future operations, even without the
boardroom wrangles, the rm is
still the least ecient operator
amongst key industry players,
said Standard Investment Bank
analysts.
The government is also planning
to ooad the cement maker to Ni-
gerian billionaire Aliko Dangote.
Last year, Mr Dangote announced
plans to invest Sh35 billion in
Kenyas cement industry. His
rm, Dangote Cement, recently
acquired business licence and
mining rights in Kenya.
Portlands operations have
been frequently interrupted by
boardroom wrangles between
management, Lafarge and the
government.
The company has faced
challenges characterised
by increased competition
that depressed prices
Portland statement
BY NATION CORRESPONDENT
Keroche Breweries was given the green
light yesterday to sell its drinks by the
National Authority for the Campaign
Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
This comes a day after the Nacada
ocials said the company had failed
to provide samples and documents to
be cleared. Nacada ocials visited the
Naivasha-based brewer and gave its
products a clean bill of health.
Weve cleared the issues that were
there between us (Keroche) and Nacada,
managing director Tabitha Karanja
(right) told Nation.
Nacada chairman John Mututhos call
went unanswered when Nation contacted
him for comments. However, earlier in
the day, he told the Press that he had
no grudges with Keroche adding that
his team would visit the plant on a fa-
miliarisation tour.
The development removes anxiety
from the workers, distributors and
customers some of who had reacted
strongly over the move to stop sale of
Keroche beers.
On Thursday, Mr Mututho had warned
the brewer that its products would not be
allowed in the market as the company had
failed to provide documents and samples
but Ms Karanja argued that the rm had
done that to the Kenya Bureau of Stand-
ards for verication. Keroche said it was
shocked by Nacadas action.
Keroche gets green light to sell its beer brands
BY ZEDDY SAMBU
zsambu@ke.nationmedia.com
D
r Silas Simiyu has won
the battle over control
of Geothermal Devel-
opment Company that pitted
him against chairman Simon
Gicharu.
In a reshue announced
yesterday, President Uhuru
Kenyatta moved Mr Gicharu
to the Rural Electrication
Authority (REA) in a similar
capacity and replaced him
with Mr Faisal Abass. Mr
Abass was the chair of REA.
The two were handed a one
year contract.
Yesterday, reports sug-
gested that Mr Gicharu
had actually been removed
in a boardroom coup. Mr
Gicharu, who is the founder
of Mt Kenya University, de-
manded the removal of GDC
chief executive, Mr Simiyu,
accusing him of corruption.
The standoff came barely
three months after Mr Gi-
charu was appointed to head
the company on December
27 last year.
In a confidential report
sent to the Head of Public
Service Joseph Kinyua, Mr
Gicharu accuses Mr Simiyu
of mismanagement, nepotism
and dishonesty. He had de-
manded GDC audited while
Mr Simiyu is out.
Mr Gicharu has been em-
broiled in a tussle with the
firms CEO over a tender
revolving the purchase of
an electrical rig which was
awarded to Sichuan Hong-
hua Petroleum Equipment
at Sh2 billion ($21.5m). The
anti-corruption commission
then started investigations
into the parastatal.
GDC gave China Petroleum
Technology and Development
Corporation an additional job
in a contract worth Sh6 bil-
lion to put up three rigs after
initially winning the tender
for two in 2011.
Members of the Public In-
vestments Committee said
the deal would be contrary
to the Public Procurement
and Disposal Act, the Public
Finance Management Act and
the Law of Contract.
However, Dr Simiyu said
the procedure was in line
with the rules of the African
Development Bank which had
given the government the
money partly as a loan and
as a grant. The government
then gave GDC the money
as a grant.
The shake-up came as Mr
Kenyatta directed policy mak-
ers in the Ministry of Energy
to fastrack new generation and
transmission programmes to
cut the cost of power. At a
meeting, Cabinet secretary
Davis Chirchir led nine par-
astatals chiefs in the energy
sector to give an update on
the power supply status and
projections for the period of
May to September.
Contacted, Mr Gicharu
said the work at GDC was
still wanting. We resolved
the issues and issued a joint
statement with the CEO.
However, I am still not
proud of the work output
by GDC.
Sh6bn
Value of tender GDC
awarded to Chinese rm
to put up three rigs
GDC chief executive Silas
Simiyu retains post.
Simiyu wins GDC power tussle
Gicharu edged out
of geothermal rm
after three months
battle with CEO
Mr Simon Gicharu now be-
comes REA chairman.
Mr Faisal Abass replaces Mr
Gicharu at the helm of GDC.
CHANGES | Mt Kenya University founder swaps places with REAs Faisal Abass and contract cut to one year
PUTTING HEADS TOGETHER | Human resources managers sharpen skills at conference
Delegates follow pro-
ceedings during the
2014 Human Resources
Congress at Serena
Beach Resort in Mom-
basa. Organised by
the Institute of Human
Resource Management,
the conference brings
together personnel
managers from various
parts of the country.
PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
46 | Business News
NAIROBI SECURITIES EXCHANGE
Last 12 Mths Security Prices
High Low Yesterday Previous Shares

Agricultural
57.00 21.00 Eaagads Ord 1.25 29.50
123.00 80.00 Kakuzi Ord.5.00 132.00 132.00 100
167.00 110.00 Kapchorua Tea Co Ord 5.00 144.00 144.00 200
625.00 450.00 The Limuru Tea Co. Ord 20.00 670.00
30.00 19.40 Rea Vipingo Plantations Ord 5.00 27.50
19.95 11.25 Sasini Ltd Ord 1.00 17.00 16.90 5,700
350.00 210.00 Williamson Tea Kenya Ord 5.00 272.00 280.00 200
Automobiles & Accessories
50.00 21.00 Car & General (K) Ord 5.00 33.50
- - CMC Holdings Ord 0.50 13.50
13.50 9.00 Marshalls (E.A.) Ord 5.00 9.30 9.20 700
7.70 4.50 Sameer Africa Ord 5.00 8.65 8.75 42,700
Banking
19.15 15.00 Barclays Bank Ord 0.50 17.00 17.00 245,500
155.00 54.00 CFC Stanbic of Kenya Holdings Ord.5.00 139.00 142.00 29,800
248.00 141.00 Diamond Trust Bank Ord 4.00 237.00 236.00 200
42.25 29.50 Equity Bank Ord 0.50 39.00 39.75 510,100
42.50 22.00 Housing Finance Co Ord 5.00 39.25 42.00 89,200
145.00 85.00 I &M Holdings Ltd Ord 1.00 128.00
51.00 35.50 KCB Ord 1.00 46.75 47.00 179,700
39.25 18.50 NBK Ord 5.00 33.50 32.00 89,800
68.00 48.50 NIC Bank Ord 5.00 59.50 60.00 19,200
340.00 271.00 StandardChartered Ord 5.00 309.00 309.00 2,300
25.00 14.50 Co-op Bank of Kenya Ord 1.00 22.50 22.50 869,100
Commercial & Services
5.10 3.40 Express Ord 5.00 5.00 4.80 38,100
- - Hutchings Biemer Ord 5.00 20.25
14.70 8.30 Kenya Airways Ord 5.00 12.80 12.80 166,500
16.50 5.00 Longhorn Kenya Ord 1.00 13.00 13.00 16,500
400.00 271.00 Nation Media Group Ord. 2.50 322.00 319.00 1,100
247.00 44.00 ScanGroup Ord. 1.00 47.00 47.50 2,700
39.00 24.50 Standard Group Ord 5.00 35.00 35.50 2,900
56.50 40.00 TPS EA (Serena) Ord 1.00 41.50 40.75 7,400
24.00 14.00 Uchumi Supermarket Ord 5.00 13.35 13.20 20,500
Construction & Allied
98.50 60.00 ARM Cement Ord 1.00 83.50 83.50 2,700
225.00 170.00 BamburiCement Ord 5.00 175.00 173.00 42,400
96.00 75.00 Crown Paints Kenya Ord 5.00 93.50 95.00 1,300
18.00 13.80 E.A.Cables Ord 0.50 14.55 14.75 17,300
110.00 56.50 E.A.Portland Cement Ord 5.00 92.50 92.50 2,400

Energy & Petroleum
17.90 10.00 KenGen Ord 2.50 11.05 11.05 267,000
11.80 7.90 KenolKobil Ltd Ord 0.05 9.15 8.50 4,919,800
20.75 13.50 KP&LC Ord 2.50 14.90 14.85 257,600
- - KP&LC 4% Pref.20.00 8.00
5.50 5.50 KP&LC 7% Pref.20.00 5.50
28.75 12.65 Total Kenya Ord 5.00 26.25 26.00 2,800
13.00 13.00 Umeme Ltd Ord 0.50 13.00
Insurance
20.00 7.30 British American Investments Co.0.10 17.70 17.80 386,600
12.20 4.20 CIC Insurance Group Ord.1.00 11.25 11.15 1,210,700
334.00 217.00 Jubilee Holdings Ord 5.00 328.00 326.00 17,300
21.00 13.10 Kenya Re Corporation Ord 2.50 19.90 19.95 213.700
23.00 9.20 Liberty Kenya Holdings Ord 1.00 21.25 20.00 14,800
145.00 51.50 Pan Africa Insurance Ord 5.00 125.00 126.00 3,500

Investment
41.00 17.05 CentumInvestment Co Ord 0.50 40.00 40.00 652,500
6.00 3.50 Olympia Capital Holdings Ord 5.00 4.80 4.70 9,900
37.75 20.00 Trans-Century LtdOrd 0.50 23.50 22.75 1,300
Manufacturing & Allied
- A.Baumann & Co. Ord 5.00 11.10
190.00 100.00 B.O.C Kenya Ord 5.00 140.00 139.00 83,700
635.00 521.00 British American Tobacco Kenya Ord 10.00 600.00 600.00 100
67.50 30.50 Carbacid Investments Ord 5.00 33.50 33.00 37,600
426.00 212.00 East African Breweries Ord 2.00 297.00 300.00 59,700
4.00 1.90 Eveready EA Ord 1.00 3.60 3.75 92,400
8.60 4.40 Kenya Orchards Ord 5.00 8.60
5.05 2.85 Mumias Sugar Co. Ord 2.00 3.10 3.10 1,288,800
27.50 14.00 Unga Group Ord 5.00 26.00 25.50 4,900
Telecommunication & Technology
13.40 6.15 SafaricomLtd Ord. 0.05 12.85 12.60 57,811,000
Growth & Enterprise Market Segment (GEMS)
25.00 4.40 Home Afrika Ltd Ord. 1.00 5.25 5.20 1,013,700
NSE All Share Index(NASI)-(1 Jan 2008=100 Up 0.42 points to close at 151.15
NSE 20 Share Index Up 22.24 points to close at 4967.57 EquityTurnover-972,392,282 Prv1,757,433,564

BANK RATES
Euro $ C$ SF IR JY ZR
BANK
ABC buy 119.82 87.35 146.70 - 98.08 1.48 85.98 8.39
sell 120.11 87.55 147.08 - 98.35 1.48 86.21 8.43
Barclays buy 119.64 87.30 146.49 80.21 97.91 1.48 85.95 8.37
sell 120.09 87.50 147.00 80.54 98.35 1.49 86.31 8.41
Co-op buy 119.74 87.30 146.58 80.26 98.03 1.48 86.04 8.19
sell 120.03 87.50 146.95 80.49 98.31 1.49 86.25 8.55
Equity buy 119.33 87.30 146.20 79.90 97.45 1.45 85.65 8.30
sell 119.75 87.50 146.50 80.20 97.82 1.48 85.95 8.50
NBK buy 119.83 87.35 146.70 80.32 98.11 1.48 86.08 8.39
sell 119.96 87.45 146.83 80.45 98.24 1.49 86.23 8.41
KCB buy 119.80 87.45 147.10 80.30 98.10 1.49 86.00 8.35
sell 120.30 87.65 147.60 80.60 98.50 1.49 86.40 8.55
CBA buy 119.73 87.30 146.62 79.63 98.05 1.48 85.96 8.35
sell 120.11 87.50 147.08 80.14 98.31 1.48 86.20 8.46
CFC Stanbic buy 119.53 87.15 146.33 80.15 97.87 1.47 85.84 8.38
sell 119.83 87.35 146.67 80.34 98.10 1.48 86.04 8.48
GulfAfrican buy 119.93 86.80 145.13 79.02 98.57 1.44 84.93 8.19
sell 120.23 87.00 145.50 79.24 98.84 1.44 85.14 8.29
FCB buy 120.40 86.70 146.50 79.00 98.70 1.30 84.50 8.00
sell 121.20 87.20 147.30 79.70 99.40 1.50 85.40 8.60
Prime buy 119.50 86.90 146.70 80.00 98.00 1.46 85.40 8.40
sell 120.00 87.30 147.20 80.50 98.50 1.47 85.90 8.60
CBK RATES
Mean Buy Selll
1 US Dollar 87.3892 87.3044 87.4739
1 Sterling Pound 146.7620 146.5912 146.9328
1 Euro 119.7915 119.6580 119.9250
1 South African Rand 8.4143 8.3836 8.4451
Ksh/Ush 29.0083 28.9229 29.0936
1 Ksh/Tsh 18.8926 18.8170 18.9681
1 Ksh/Rwanda Franc 7.7871 7.7166 7.8576
1 Ksh/Burundi Franc 17.7370 17.4338 18.0403
1 UAE Dirham 23.7920 23.7686 23.8154
1 Canadian Dollar 80.3085 80.2011 80.4159
1 Swiss Franc 98.1045 97.9784 98.2306
100 Japanese Yen 85.9792 85.8760 86.0824
1 Swedish Kroner 13.3745 13.3599 13.3890
1 Norwegian Kroner 14.6508 14.6339 14.6678
1 Danish Kroner 16.0512 16.0298 16.0727
1 Indian Rupee 1.4875 1.4860 1.4890
1 Hong Kong Dollar 11.2733 11.2623 11.2842
1 Singapore Dollar 69.7997 69.7264 69.8729
1 Saudi Riyal 23.2822 23.2575 23.3070
1 Chinese Yuan 14.0230 14.0071 14.0388
1 Australian Dollar 81.8766 81.7863 81.9670
UNIT TRUSTS
Money Market Funds Daily Yield Eective Annual Rate
African Alliance Kenya Shilling Fund Kenya Shilling 6.70% 6.91%
Old Mutual Money Market Fund Kenya Shilling 6.33% 6.51%
British-American Money Market Fund Kenya Shilling 9.43% 9.89%
Stanlib Money Market Fund Kenya Shilling 7.06% 7.29%
CBA Market Fund Kenya Shilling 5.94% 6.12%
CIC Money Market Fund Kenya Shilling 9.67% 10.11%
Zimele Money Market Fund Kenya Shilling 9.0% 9.31%
Amana Shilling Fund Kenya Shilling 9.73% 9.92%
ICEA Money Market Fund Kenya Shilling 7.92% 8.25%
Madison Asset Money Market Fund Kenya Shilling 9.29% 9.70%
GenCap Hela Fund Kenya Shilling 12.20% 12.77%
Fixed Income Funds/Equity Funds/Balanced Funds Buy Sell
African Alliance Fixed Income Fund Kenya Shilling 11.56 11.18
CIC Fixed Income Fund Kenya Shilling 9.18 9.42
Standard Investment Income Fund Kenya Shilling 102.38 102.94
African Alliance Kenya Equity Fund Kenya Shilling 191.53 179.87
ICEA Equity Fund Kenya Shilling 139.33 146.66
British-American Equity Fund Kenya Shilling 201.41 207.81
CBA Equity Fund Kenya Shilling 155.66 165.24
CIC Equity Fund Kenya Shilling 13.30 14.00
Old Mutual Equity Fund Kenya Shilling 376.95 403.89
Stanlib Equity Fund Kenya Shilling 168.02 168.02
Madison Asset Equity Fund Kenya Shilling 57.68 61.23
GenCap Hisa Fund Kenya Shilling 125.31 120.93
African Alliance Managed Fund Kenya Shilling 22.03 20.75
British-American Managed Retirement Fund Kenya Shilling 133.90 135.03
ICEA Growth Fund Kenya Shilling 140.18 147.55
Amana Growth Fund Kenya Shilling 109.50 109.50
British-American Balanced Fund Kenya Shilling 191.37 196.96
CIC Balanced Fund Kenya Shilling 12.99 13.60
Old Mutual Balanced Fund/Toboa Kenya Shilling 154.78 164.81
Madison Asset Balanced Fund Kenya Shilling 69.48 73.31
Amana Balanced Fund Kenya Shilling 109.30 109.30
Zimele Balanced Fund Kenya Shilling 5.25 5.41
Stanlib Balanced Fund Kenya Shilling 129.76 129.76
GenCap Eneza Fund Kenya Shilling 124.10 119.75
GenCap Iman Fund Kenya Shilling 115.80 110.01
Stanlib Bond Fund B1 Kenya Shilling 105.70 105.70
Stanlib Bond Fund A Kenya Shilling 105.25 105.25
Old Mutual East Africa Fund Kenya Shilling 150.00 158.77
British American Bond Plus Fund Kenya Shilling 145.30 148.26
GenCap Hazina Fund Kenya Shilling 118.89 114.73
ICEA Bond Fund Kenya Shilling 99.56 100.57
Old Mutual Bond Fund Kenya Shilling 102.42 104.85
ARAB CURRENCY/$
Algerian Dinar 78.4777
Bahrani Dinar 0.37701
Djibouti Franc 177
Egyptian Pound 7.0049
Jordanian Dinar 0.708
Kuwait Dinar 0.28054
Lebanese Pound 1513
Libyan Dinar 1.2245
Moroccan Dirham 8.1344
Omani Riyal 0.386
Qatar Riyal 3.6403
Saudi Riyal 3.7504
Syrian Pound 148.1
Tunisian Dinar 1.6151
Yemeni Riyal 214.75
UAE Dirham 3.673
Currencies are quoted against the US Dollar
BY RAMENYA GIBENDI
@ramenyagib
rgibendi@ke.nationmedia.com
T
oyota Tsusho has upped investment
in its Kenya agriculture unit by sign-
ing a Sh129 million dealership deal
with a farm machinery giant.
The Japanese company has acquired
exclusive rights to distribute Case IH trac-
tor brands in Kenya targeting maize, rice,
wheat and cane farming. The deal comes
two months after the company won a Sh103
billion government tender to construct the
regions rst fertiliser factory by 2016, a
move that promises to bring down the cost
of the key farm input.
We shall deal in Case IH tractors used
for harvesting, planting, tillage and spray-
ing. We will be in Mwea rice elds, Narok
wheat farms and Western Kenya Sugar
cane farms, said Toyota Tsusho East
Africa director Dennis Awori.
Entry into the agriculture sector is the
latest diversication strategy by the Japa-
nese car maker as it seeks to cut reliance
on saloon cars that has hitherto been its
niche business.
The agriculture division was launched
late last year and has been selling Yanmar
brand of tractors as the company prepares
for increased demand for tractors by the
government and private sector investors.
Wider presence
While Yanmar tractors target small-scale
farmers due to their relatively smaller diesel
engines, the Case tractors and harvesters
could be targeting large-scale farmers thus
giving Toyota a wider presence in the farm
machinery segment.
The automaker last year diversified
into the commercial vehicle division with
introduction of the Hino brand of trucks
and buses to ride on increased transport
demand in the country.
Previously CMC holdings held the ex-
clusive dealership agreement with Case
Toyota signs Sh129m
farm machinery deal
INVESTMENT | Company has already won Sh103 billion tender to construct East Africas rst fertiliser plant in Rift Valley
Japan
rm gets
exclusive
rights to
distribute
Case IH
tractor
brands
in Kenya
targeting
grain
and cane
farmers
IH but the shift to Toyota Tsusho leaves
it with the Holland brand of tractors that
dominate large-scale farms.
Mr Awori said that Toyota Tsusho shall
ride on the existing branch network owned
by Toyota Kenya to gain market traction as
opposed to establishing new ones.
We will also be opening branches in
Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret and Mombasa to
ensure accessibility besides our partner-
ship with Toyota Kenya, he said during
the partnership launch.
A feasibility study for the construction of
a fertiliser plant in Rift valley is expected
to be complete next month. The rst phase
of the set up shall involve the construction
of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium
fertiliser plant. The second phase is meant
for production of Diammonium Phosphate,
urea and Calcium Ammonium Nitrogen fer-
tilisers, with the rst production expected
in 2016. Besides considerably cutting down
the cost of fertiliser since 40 per cent of
the total cost emanates from port charges,
Toyota has plans to get the larger East
Africa market as none of the member
countries has a fertiliser factory.
Subsidise input
East Africas economy is heavily reliant
on agriculture but depends on imported
fertiliser, a factor that forces governments
to subsidise the input so as to cushion farm-
ers from high costs.
We are currently searching for land
between Nakuru and Timboroa where the
rst phase of this project shall commence,
said Mr Awori.

We shall deal in Case IH tractors used

for harvesting, planting, tillage and
spraying. We will be in Mwea rice elds,
Narok wheat farms and Western Kenya
Sugar cane farms
Toyota Tsusho EA director Dennis Awori
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Business 47
Tenders are invited from eligible suppliers for the supply and delivery of the following
items and services to the college from 1
st
July 2014 to 30
th
June, 2015.
Category Description
TTC/1/2015 Tender for the supply of Maize flour
TTC/2/2015 Tender for the supply of Food Stuff(Shop)
TTC/3/2015 Tender for the supply of Fresh Milk
TTC/4/2015 Tender for the supply of Fresh Fruits, Irish Potatoes & Vegetables
TTC/5/2015 Tender for the supply of Cereals(Maize, Beans and Rice)
TTC/6/2015 Tender for the supply of Meat
TTC/7/2015 Tender for the supply of Animal feeds and Farm Inputs
TTC/8/2015 Tender for the supply of Bakery Products
TTC/9/2015 Tender for the supply of Students Uniform.
TTC/10/2015 Tender for the supply of P.E Uniform and Games Equipment.
TTC/11/2015 Tender for the supply of Repair, Maintenance and Servicing of college Motor Vehicles
TTC/12/2015 Tender for the supply of Cleaning materials and Detergents.
TTC/13/2015 Tender for the supply of Petroleum Products.
TTC/14/2015 Tender for the supply of Firewood and Charcoal
TTC/15/2015 Tender for the supply of Pharmaceuticals
TTC/16/2015 Tender for the supply of Office Stationery.
TTC/17/2015 Tender for the supply of Sanitary Services.
TTC/18/2015 Tender for the supply of Electrical Materials
TTC/19/2015 Tender for the supply of Insurance Services for college vehicles
TTC/20/2015 Tender for the provision of Computer Consumables and Accessories
TTC/21/2015 Tender for the supply of Printing Services
Tender forms giving full details may be obtained from the Principals Secretary during working hours upon
payment of a non-refundable fee of Kshs.2,000/= per tender item in cash or Bankers cheque at the college
Accounts office. Completed tender forms enclosed in plain, sealed envelopes and clearly marked with the
appropriate tender number, bearing no indication of the tenderer should be addressed to
The Senior Principal/Secretary BOM, Thogoto Teachers College
Private Bag, Kikuyu, Tel.020-2075823, 0716-113560
Or be deposited in the tender box at the college on or before Friday 6
th
June 2014 at 10.00am. Opening of
Tenders will be on the same day at 11:00 a.m. in the Learning Resource Centre and those tenderers who wish
to witness the opening are invited. All the prices quoted must be net (inclusive of all Government Taxes). The
college reserves the right to accept or reject any tender in whole or part and is not bound to give any reason
thereof. Late bids will not be accepted.
JOB OPPORTUNITY
COLLEGE NURSE JOB GROUP H
Applicants should;
i. be holders of mean grade C (plain) and above in
K.C.S.E.
ii. have a Diploma in Nursing
iii. have a working License from Kenya Registered
Nurse (KRN)
iv. be computer Literate
v. be 26-30 years old
Working experience will be an added advantage.
NB: Male nurses & Persons with disability are
encouraged to apply.
The application together with copies of Certificates,
testimonials, good conduct and National ID should
reach the undersigned by Friday 30
th
May 2014.
Senior Principal, Thogoto Teachers Training
College, Private Bag, Kikuyu.
THOGOTO TEACHERS
TRAINING COLLEGE
TENDER NOTICE
INVITATION TO BID
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
SCOPE OF WORK
The Selected Firm shall undertake the following:
Feasibility studies
Population Survey and Data Evaluation
Topographical Survey
Land use and development patterns
Assessment of current Sewerage Collection and Disposal
situation in the area.
Assessment of Wastewater Collection requirements.
Preparation of preliminary designs, layout drawings and
profiles, detailed designs drawings and schedules for the sewer
reticulation works.
Preparation of specifications, Cost estimates, project scheduling
and tender documentation.
Advice on implementation modalities.
Preparation of Prequalification criteria and evaluation of
Bidders.
STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATION
Interested firms must demonstrate the following:
Understanding of the assignment
Experience in Similar Assignments (Proof of having performed
similar assignments).
Availability of appropriate skills among its staff, (Qualified
personnel for the task) Demonstrate evidence.
Financial capability and commitment
The E.O.I. documents must be accompanied by copies of the
following:
Company profile (with clear organization structure and
qualification of staff)
Company Registration / Incorporation Certificate
Copy of Valid Tax Compliance Certificate from KRA
Copies of at least three references from organizations your firm
has offered similar services.
List of at least similar projects undertaken before. (List of
firms, description of projects, name and contacts of reference
officials)
Firms may associate to enhance their qualifications.
The selected firms shall be issued with the request for proposal
and detailed Terms of Reference (TOR).
Sewerage Company Limited reserves the right to accept wholly or
in part, expressions of interest submitted for consideration.
Completed Expressions of Interest documents in plain sealed envelopes clearly marked the Ref. No. and addressed to the address below
must be deposited in the Tender Box situated on the first floor, Administration Block, at the Head Office, Kampala Road off Enterprise
Road, Nairobi by 12.00 noon on Friday May 30, 2014.
Expressions of interest submitted after the closing date and time will be rejected.
Expressions of Interests will be opened immediately thereafter in the Boardroom in the presence of participating bidders or their
representatives who choose to attend.
Managing Director
Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company Ltd
Kampala Road, off Enterprise Road
P O Box 30656-00100
Tel. 254 (20) 3988540
Nairobi, Kenya.
The Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of the County Government of Nairobi. The Company is a Water Service
Provider licensed by Athi Water Services Board and is charged with the provision of Water and Sewerage Services in Nairobi and its environs. The Company
invites sealed bids from eligible bidders as described below:
S/NO. TENDER REF. NO. TENDER DESCRIPTION MANDATORY SITE VISIT
1. NWSC/66/2013 Supply and Delivery of 1No. 30ton Tracked Excavator with
Breaker Set
N/A
2. NCWSC/67/2013 Proposed 375M DN 225 Sewer Relief Off Komarock Road
Kariobangi South
All interested bidders must attend a Mandatory Site Visit on Friday
May 30, 2014 at 10.00am. Bidders will converge at Kampala road
Procurement Offices at 9.00am for guidance to the site.
3. NWSC/69/2013 Supply and Delivery of Poly Aluminium Chloride
(Re-Advertisement)
N/A
4. NWSC/70/2013 Supply & Delivery of Laboratory Equipment, Spares,
Chemicals and Glassware
(Re-Advertisement)
N/A
Interested eligible bidders may inspect and obtain complete set of bidding documents in English from the office of: -
The Supply Chain Manager
Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company Ltd
Kampala Road, off Enterprise Road
P O Box 30656-00100
Tel. 254 (20) 3988534
Nairobi, Kenya.
during office hours from 08:30 15:30 local time on Mondays to Fridays except during lunch time from 13:00 to 14:00 hours and public holidays. Any further
information may be obtained from the same office. Bid documents may be purchased by interested bidders upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Kenya
Shillings 1,000.00 (One Thousand) only; or an equivalent amount in any other eligible currency. The method of payment will be either in bankers
cheque payable to Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, or cash.
A complete set of bid documents in a plain envelope clearly marked the contract No; contract description Without the name & address of the
Bidder, shall be returned to the address below, and deposited in the Tender Box situated on the first floor, Administration Block, at the Head Office, Kampala
Road, off Enterprise Road, Nairobi on Friday June 06, 2014 at 10.00 am. Bids shall be opened immediately after the closing date and time. Bidders or their
representatives able to attend are welcome.
Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company Limited reserves the right to accept wholly or in part, a bid submitted for consideration and does not bide
itself to accept the lowest or any bid.
Managing Director
Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company Ltd
Kampala Road, off Enterprise Road
P O Box 30656-00100
Tel. 254 (20) 3988540
NCWSC/71/2013: EXPRESSION OF INTEREST- CONSULTANCY SERVICES - ENGINEERING
SERVICES FOR DESIGN AND DOCUMENTATION OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SEWERLINES.
The Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company Ltd is wholly owned by the City County of Nairobi. The Company is a Water Service
Provider licensed by Athi Water Services Board and is charged with the provision of Water and Sewerage Services in Nairobi and its
environs. The Company invites eligible, qualified and registered firms, to express their interests in Design and documentation of primary
and secondary Sewerlines within Zimmerman, Kahawa West, Clayworks, Kasarani, Mwiki, Riruta, Utawala, Plot 10-Embakasi, Kangundo
Road-up to Ruai, KPA- Inland Container Deport-along Mombasa Road and Kawangware.
Kampala Road, off Enterprise Road
P.o. BOX 30656-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 (20) 3988000
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
48 |
NAIROBI &
UPCOUNTRY
PERSONAL NOTICES
A116 Marriage
DO You Want a certain man/woman 2
marry u?Is she/ he unfaithful & want
him/ her to commit to u alone? Want
back ur partrner & restore ur love
e.t.c Call Sowari 0722140527
LONELY? sms LOVE to 22450
MALIK Lost lover Back 24hrs
wealth, job, exam, financial debt,
marriage. Pay after success 0732095797
STABLE LADIES 0727574565
PERSONAL SERVICES
A181 Beauty
0722638216 men spanish therappy
Aromatherapy W/lands 0722542568
EXCEPTIONAL beautty therappy
westlands Raphta Rd 0728740014
LOGINwww.nairobihotgirl.com
OPEN 8am - 8pm 0724023824
PARKLANDS pedi 0722763034
Westlands Deluxe spaa 0735737450
A183 Body Fitness
PERFECT Touch msg 0728768131
A202 Entertainment
AMAZON Kitengela Chamaa / other
meetings Nyama Choma DSTV/Music
BEAUTIFUL Dancers tonite @Club
Elegance. Parklands Rd next to Shell
opp MP Shah Hosp, buy one beer, get
one free.
BUY 1 beer get 1 free only @ Apple
Bees Club. Her girlfriends tonight
PARTY 2nite. She is an Italian celebrity
@ Club Caldino 3rd fl China Centre
Ngong Rd. Buy 1 beer get 1 free
A230 Health
0721486044 Physiotherapy care/msg
COLON Hydrotherapy 0721486044
REFLEX Centre Call: 0731252262
A279 Notices
PHYSICAL PLANNING ACT, CAP 286
PROPOSED CHANGE OF USER
The owner of Land Title No. CHERANGANI/
KACHIBORA BLOCK 2/BWAGIRA/30 located
in Cherangani off the Kitale- Kachibora Road
in Trans Nzoia County wishes to change the
use of that parcel of land measuring 4.05 from
agricultural to a school and a clinic. This subject
to the approval by the County Government of
Trans Nzoia.
Individuals, Institutions or organizations etc.
with objections to the proposal are requested to
do so in writing within 14 days of this notice to:
The County Secretary,
County Government of Trans Nzoia
P. O. Box 4211-30200, Kitale.
PHYSICAL PLANNING ACT, CAP 286
PROPOSED CHANGE OF USER
The owner of Land Title No. CHERANGANI/
KACHIBORA BLOCK 2/BWAGIRA/31 located
in Cherangani off the Kitale- Kachibora Road
in Trans Nzoia County wishes to change the
use of that parcel of land measuring 4.05 from
agricultural to a charitable Children Institution.
This subject to the approval by the County
Government of Trans Nzoia.
Individuals, Institutions or organizations etc. with
objections to the proposal are requested to do so
in writing within 14 days of this notice to:
The County Secretary,
County Government of Trans Nzoia
P. O. Box 4211-30200, Kitale.
AGRICULTURE & HOME
PETS & LIVESTOCK
A974 Birds
KUROILER Chicks 0728343327
A988 Dogs & Dog Training
GSD pup 2 month 20k 0720771985
REGD GSD Puppies 0735447440
B015 Poultry
AUTO Imported Incubators 1056,
528, 352 chicken eggs 0722851228
HATCHING services 0722850673
SHOPPING GUIDE
COMMERCIAL
B462 Business for Sale
Great opportunity prestigious running
restaurant & resort 13rooms
2apartments fully equipped&renewed
located in Bamburi Beach MSA s/pool
pool bar, 135kwa auto generator call
0724794318/ssuh@libero.it
B476 Business Opportunities
RICE Supplier needed 0726138072
B498 Construction
ARCHITECTS, Engineers,
contractors, developers and home
owners, Divine Stone Coated Roofing
Tiles on offer at Deco Roofing
Systems LTD. Call for quotation on
0715946267
B525 Financial
@0202245564 cash on ipads&iphone5
020-2245564 cash on LED TVs 50plus
020-2245564 spot loans on Toshiba,
Macpros& HP Laptops btwn 20K-50K
0703621523 cash on cars laptops
ipads led TVs gold ornaments
ADVANCE selling ur car 0722833300
LOANS on the spot between 15-40K
with laptops as security, 0723408602
WE Advance you cash & trade in as we
sell your car 0713266196
CLEANING SERVICES
FOR SALE OR WANTED
A822 Computers
Lptop&Mac*repair i buy dead 0721486136
SACCO software free WWW.LT.CO.KE
REPAIR &
MAINTENANCE
B324 Building
WE repair all leaking tanks. Call
0710566444
WE Sell tiles terazo walmaster plus
workmanship 0723587437
WHERE TO EAT
WHERE TO STAY
A571 Hotels
GLORY Palace Hotel 1000/- per
person call: 0723176777, 0726427267,
@SELDOM Hotel-Muranga rd: For
accommodation single 1000/=. Meetings
Conferences & Satelite TV 0722
820601, 0722511159
@UPRUMYS Hotel Parkroad For
accomm. single 600/= Meetings Confe
rences 0711154488, 0722511159
RABI-HOTEL, Ngara, Limuru rd.For
accom. single 1200/=. Conferences,
meetings. Ample secured parking and
Satelite TV 0721557367,0722511159
TOURS & TRAVEL
FOOD & BEVERAGE
SITUATIONS VACANT
B250 General
CUTEST Chics wanted 0722798431
DRIVERS&T boys 0708907878
GET a job SMS JOBS to 22450
A Private residence in Nairobi
requires a lady House Keeper
/ Cook aged between 35 - 45
years with more than 5 years
experience
Apply and give phone No. to:
P. O. Box 50063-00200,
Nairobi
HOUSEKEEPER /
COOK
SALES Job CV Box 55672-00200 NBI
TECHNICIAN welder, fitter, tailor
Send CV Box 55672 - 00200 NBI
READERS ARE ADVISED
To make appropriate enquiries and
take appropriate advice before sending
money, incurring any expense or
entering into binding commitment in
relation to an advertisement.
NATION MEDIA GROUP shall not
be liable to any person for loss or
damage incurred or suffered as a
result of his/her accepting of offering
to accept an invitation contained in any
advertisement published in the Nation.
SITUATIONS WANTED
B277 Domestic/Casual Jobs
0703621523 Houegirls wanted
0722516342, 0721834778 trained h/g
EDUCATIONAL
B383 Education
CAKE Baking Classes Call 0722525659
/ 0726446652
WOMEN & girls partial scholarships
for Degree, Dip & Cert 0721-479525,
0706-618734
B382 Schools
300 - Bed School, 20-Acre Best Design
& Site 0729733888
MOTORS
MOTORCYCLES &
BICYCLES
HEAVY COMMERCIAL
MOTOR VEHICLES
B049 Car Hire
EDEN Rent a car, special Rate,
Saloons, 4x4, Prados, Limousines, Pick
-ups, Voxy, 0723719444, 0733758503
001DUCYLIC HIRE SERVICES
0729565529, 0710274642,
0720902577
0700128555 rav4, Voxy, saloon new,
modern, f/ld, variety from 2500/- p.d
CAR TRACK @ 10K 0727246257
VICTOR safaris & tours ltd car hire
0720545192, 0722379197
B085 For Sale, Private
@ TRACK & trace your vehicle, stop
engine by sms. 0722379954
HONDA Airwave BX new 0722630365
MERC E240 04 1.6M 0705136364
TO BOOK & PAY FOR YOUR
ADVERT USING YOUR
MOBILE PHONE
Create a new sms
and send to 20115
Advertising
Code
SMS TO 20115
AD#B085#
TOYOTA
Corolla 2003
Kshs 500,000
call 07xxxxxxxx
EXAMPLE
NISSAN B15 KBP silver v/c 450k
0721954678 owner
Nissan Xtrail KBT 06 900k 0722379197
NZE BT 750k BS 680k R4 1200k as
new q/sale 0771996523 / 0701346058
PREMIOKBX 950k 0721387144
PROBOXKBW. 350K 0726511558
T/Probox KBY/W 2008 1.5cc auto
a/rims DVD MP3 alarm 700k KBX
2006 auto KSH650K 0722584179
T/RACTIS 2006 680k 0716324937
T/WISH KBM 2.0cc 650k 0722507412
ARE U in need of help in love family
affair impotence business lost items
etc Call Seku 0722919565
LOVE Partner sms 0704057570
0703488922 max size delay power 200
FANTANELA Parlour 0722789281
SOUTHB bty 0715135343
0722138090 mens delay, power size
MENS big size & confidence 0726272266
MENSinstant hardrock 200 0726272266
PRO-EXTENDER machine (USA)
for size. 100% guarantee 0722506355
B546 Machinery for Sale
USED compressor atlas copco xas 56
for hire/sale tel 0723427353
170 Form 4 lvrs needed in Tascan
Mkting co. in Ngara Graceland J4 for
sales promos distbn 7000 wkly. free
training & interviews No experience
needed 0712857055, 0718355523
180 Form 4 lvrs & above needed in
Tascan Mkting co. in Chiromo rd. in
sales promos, distrbn 7000 wkly no
exp. needed free training &
interviews 0711585261, 0708615542
QATAR Kitchen steward 1yr exp. call
0724312834
B227 Containers
CONTAINER 40f call 0733311830
0722218094 NEW CARS @ 1500
PRIMIOWISH 2K 0720543149
BONGO 1800cc at 08 0723257421
FIELDER 07 N/B 1.1M 0723257421
MITS FH KAZ 1.8M 09 0723809310
NISS ExTour KBN local 1.8m call
owner 0723809332
S/Impreza BV Blue 620k 0723365756
TOWNACE KBY 850K 0715200956
RATES
Motoring / Property Classifications: VAT Inclusive
All Days 450/= per line per day

Beauty/Medical/Health/Herbal & Acupuncture Sections
All Days 550/= per line per day

SEMI DISPLAY (BOXED CLASSIFIED)
All Days 2,000/=per centimetre column +VAT
Minimum size 4cm x 1 column

Beauty/Medical/Health/Herbal & Acupuncture Sections
All Days 2,100/=per centimetre column +VAT
Minimum size 4cm x 1 column
DNA Voucher Fee 2,500/-
BUREAU OFFICES
Mombasa Kisumu
Furaha Plaza, Ground floor, Mega Plaza, 3rd flr, Wing B
Nkuruma Road, P.O.BOX 80708 Tel: (057) 2021699, 2021230
Tel: 0732 138 900, 0719 038 900, 020 328 8900.
0734 333 385, 0722 200 770, 041 222 5479 Eldoret
Fax 2230264 Fax (057) 2020388 Kisumu Zion Mall,
Wing C, Tel: 0722 200 773
Nakuru 0719038950/1
C.K. Patel Building, Kenyatta Avenue
Te (051) 2215506, 2215740, 2211688 Nyeri
Kona Hauthi House. P.O. BOX 1396,
Tel: (061) 2030640,
Tel/Fax: (061) 2034120
ADVERTISING COLLECTION POINTS
THIKA MACHAKOS
Jopaka Enterprises Mwanzia Building, Next to Katubas
Jogoo Kimakia Building Bob Odalo: 0723373971
Patrick Kamau: 0725856687 Email: newsadvertmachakos@gmail.com
Email:jopakathika@yahoo.com KITENGELA
Mbambu Communications Behind Kobil Sarafina Hse, 1st Flr Rm 36
Clairbourn Building, Uhuru Street 0723373971 / 044-20342 / 0755629572
along Kwame Nkuruma Road KARATINA
Room No.A7, Maggie: 0722755823 Harmony Plaza,
Email: thika.nationagency@mbambu.com First Flr. Next to Equity Bank,
Stephen Munyiri: 0733277993/ 0711411515
EMBU Email: stephenmunyiri@gmail.com
Peterson Stationers/Bookshop
County Council ADC House KISII
Peter Kangugi: 0722894910 Mwalimu House, Telfax: (058)31386
Email: pkpkangugi@yahoo.com Peter Angwenyi: 0722478171
Admedia International Ltd, Email:pemapservices@gmail.com
Nguviu House, 1st Floor, Rm 02
Above Mbuni Dry Cleaners MERU
Silas Nthiga: 0722357028/020 2114546 Ndiungi Agencies
Email: advertisemedia@yahoo.com Kingora Building, Opposite Meru Teachers House
Sophia Ntinyari: 0712628022
KAKAMEGA Email: ndiungiagencies@yahoo.co.uk
Friends Communication Isiolo Video Den
Ambewe Complex, 2nd Flr, Rm 6, Pwins Plaza, 1st floor, opp. Uchumi Supermarket
Wycliffe Irangi 0722375680 Peter Kaluai: 0721405815
Email:Irangi70@yahoo.com Email: isiolovideoden@yahoo.com
AM ENTERPRISES: KERUGOYA
Bungoma County S.N. Peter Designers,
AM Enterprises Ltd Ushirika Bank House,
Nasombi House, Moi Avenue 2nd Floor, Lucy Gitura: 0725608918
Opposite Bungoma County Assemmbly
P.O. Box 2502 NAIVASHA/NYAHURURU
Call Chriss Masinde Njabini Service Station
Tel. 055 30161 Tel: 0713 375405/0723019528
Cell: 0721 526154 Email: Njabinistation@gmail.com/njabini09@gmail.com
KITUI MWIYENDI PRONTO SERVICES
Chief Kitonga Building, Biashara Street, Wadi Plaza along Kilungya street, Kitui town,
1st Floor, Room 6. P.O. Box 8 - 90200 Kitui Room G8 behind Bondeni Pharmacy,
Pinnacle News Agency: 0720922438. Email:mwiyendip.services@gmail.com
Email: titusma57@yahoo.com Winnie Mwende 0726384400 and 0736286593.
For further enquiries, call: 0719 038 8661/3/4/5/6
or email:adcentre@ke.nationmedia.com
A109 Lost
LOSS of title deed KJD KAP North
13645
LOSS of title deed KJD KAP North
13645
0202245564 Size,delay,hardrock 150/=
0707758259 size hardrock delay 200
0723408602 Breast firming Mombasa
0723408602 Hip booster Mombasa
0723408602 maximum big-size @1500
0723408602 mens max control@2000
0723408602 mens max delay@1500/=
0723408602 Reduce pot Mombasa
0723408602 Size,delay,hardrock 150/=
ASIANS Aroma - 0722108363
ASMARA Aroma 0722795917
(10) s/mkt/att cashier strore/k, tea/g,
driver, t/boy waiters cleaner, msnger &
Recept. Worldwide gill hse 0707812199
0700851917 s/mkt attt cleaner T/Boy
Worldwide Marktng Gill Hse
0715207736 bce Driver T/boy shop
att clner worldwide marktng gill hse
HOUSEGIRLS jobs in Oman,
Lebanon, good salary. Call 0722148995
MBAGATHI View Academy Mixed
Day & Boarding Sec Sch in Nrb
admission F1-3 in progress call
0723341103
N/WINGRD 07' slv 720K 0725228656
N/WINGRD 07' slv 720K 0725228656
NIS B15 KBE slv 360K 0735793338
T/PREMIO BP slv 680K 0735793338
T/shark 7L KBY dsl 1.75m 0722616632
TNZE KBX 1m 06 0722954658
A244 Herbal Medicine
HAKIM helps in love affairs business
boost lost items etc for more
information call 0700697893
PUBLIC NOTICE
The ownership of land Parcel No.
Kwale ramisi s.s / 318 wishes
to change use of all that agricultural
land measuring 0.42 HA to residential
cum commercial use subject to the the
approval of the county government
of Kwale.
Individuals, institutions etc with
objections of the proposal are
requested to formally forward them in
writing within fourteen (14) days to:
County secretary
County Government of Kwale
P.O. Box 4_80403, Kwale
B243 Domestic/Casual Jobs
2H/girls wntd good sal+off 0721531412
PRADOBB 980K 0722212564
T/110 AU 390K 0722212564
LOSS of title deed KJD Kitengela 6358
KINGSTONE Boarding boys High
sch adm (FI-4) fees 8500 Call
0714-356421 Githurai 45
STARLIGHT Girls high sch boarding
Quality Edu tight security fees 8500
adm (F1-4) 0724-609440 Kgd rd Nbi
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Classieds 49
TOY / 110 KAQ v/cln accdt free
manual 400Kshs neg 0722541823
TOY /Allion 06 KBU exc. condition
askg 950k 0722616369 owner
TOY Allion KBN silver 780k 0736727838
TOY Belta KBV 06 650k 0722379197
TOY Rav4 KBN 05 1.1m 0722379197
TOY Shark KBJ 0734038099
XTRAIL n/shape 08 model KBV-E
gun metalic. v/clean 2M 0736727838
B113 Motor Vehicle Repairs
RESIDENTIAL &
BUSINESS PROPERTIES
B740 Land, Plots for Sale
1.75acres with water and electricity
available for sale. 3km from Nyeri
town. 11.5m neg. 0704538457
90% Loan for plot 0736291747
ATHI River Kinanie 1/8plots 530,000/-
Tel: 0721911159
JUJA Farm 50x100 300k Titles
0720938283, 0705147102 Pattmos
JUJA Italian bungalow next to uchumi.
0724381408
KASARANI Mwiki 100acres
8Million per acre 0720756509
Kawangware 1/2acr 0788436793
KAYOLE (Mihango) 1/4 acre water,
elect, near tarmac 2.5M 0722889102
KISERIAN Serviced 1/8 @1.6M,
RONGAI Tuala @750K 0722459649
KITE / Korompoi 50x100 @700Ksh
titles 0722329122, 0717455575
NAKURU Kenlands big vacant plot
ideal for all -owner 0724313188
NANYUKI (Sweet waters) 1/8a150K
pay 50% bal 6 months 0710842611
PEPONI 1acre for flat 0722732244
PEPONI commercial 0722732244
RUIRU 50x100, 650k & 40x60, 650k,
400k & 250k ready titles 0720938283,
0705147102 Pattmos
SYOKIMAU 4.5acres 0727466238
THIKA Githingiri next to Golf Club
1/4a t/deed 4.7M no agents 0736727838
WESTLAND 1acr 100m 0788436793
B768 Premises, Offices to Let
LAVINGTON Amboseli rd new flats
2br 35k shops 20k & 12k bedsitters
8k. Call 0727948196, 020-2395490
ONE & Two br units Waithaka Tel
0723693244/ 0720551247
ONE br units furnished Waithaka Tel
0723693244
B782 Properties for Sale
BTL 6bdrm m/net 9M 0734830430
FEDHA 1 4br+SQ 1/8ac 0722707160
FULLY developed Boarding school in
Kisumu county. Appx. 12km from
town centre. Electricity and water
available, asking 50m. 0788138881
LORESHO Springs apt 3br 14m gym
4sale 17.5m Eve gardens 4br b nxt 2
KCB College 60m Kingara Springs
3br 18m call 0721558342
ORONGAI houses 4 sale 100K
income 16M. Call 0725-020802
RONGAI 4b/rm all ensuite maisonette
1/8ac perimeter wall, garage 8.2m
ONLY!!! Quick sale 0720-005073
TASSIA flat monthly income 200k
asking 22m 0722465544 owner
B789 Properties to Let
B/BURU1br 6k 0726511558 0wr
FEDHA 1 4br+SQ 1/8ac 0722707160
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It is with deep sorrow, that we announce the death
of Jackson Muchemi Macharia of Burguret Farm,
Nanyuki on 10th May 2014. Son of the late Samuel
Macharia Gathoroko and the late Beatrice Njoki
Macharia.
Husband of the late Esther Nyakirima Muchemi.
Father of Maina, Macharia, Nderitu, Lilian Nyandoro,
Njeri and Nyawira. Grandfather of many and great
grandfather of two.
Brother of the late John Nderitu, the late Mary
Salome Karanja, the late Hezron Theuri, Stephen
Maitai, the late Wilson Mathenge and Justus Waigwa.
Uncle of many.
Friends and relatives are meeting at his home in
Burguret Farm, Nanyuki and Mahiga-ini Kianjogu,
Nyeri. Nairobi meeting is scheduled for Sunday
18th May, 2014 at the Ben Rose Motel Umoja (on
Kangundo Road) from 3 p.m.
The cortege will depart from Jamii Hospital, Karatina
on Tuesday 20th May, 2014 at 9.00 a.m.
Funeral service and burial will be held at Mahiga-ini
Springs, Kianjogu village, Nyeri County.
Information and Mpesa line 0721 549722 / 0720 363121.
In Gods hands one never dies.
Death Announcement
Jackson Muchemi
Macharia
There has not been a day
That we dont think of you
You are always in our hearts
We cherish your memories
Sadly missed and fondly remembered
by her family: Melanie/Osman Miyanji,
Michaela/Clay Nicholls, Maura/Clarence
Abranches, Lucy/Ralph Diaper, Maurice
De Souza, Nieces and Nephews.
Grace Catherina
Carmelina De
Souza
(A.c. De Souza & Co. Kilindini Bar)
1st Anniversary
It is with humble acceptance that we announce
the passing on of Eliphas Kaburu Mwiandi (Taati)
which occurred on 13th May 2014 at Chogoria
Hospital.
Husband of Rose Karimi Kaburu. Father of Ann
Gakii Kaburu (South Africa), Victoria Nyawira
Kaburu (Nairobi). Brother of Japhet Njagi
Mwiandi, Godfrey Kariuki Mwiandi, Grace Kaari
Njeru, Mercy Muthoni Kaburu, Justus Njeru
Mwiandi, Jasper Mbae Mwiandi, the late Esther
Gatune John and Aphaxard Muriithi Mwiandi
(Min of Agriculture - Kilimo Hse), among others,
Grandfather of Ricky (South Africa). Father-in-law
of Chriss Dunn.
Family and friends are meeting daily at Garden
Square, Nairobi from 5.30p.m and at his home in
Giakiri, Chogoria Meru. Brurial will be held on
20th May 2014 at his home in Giakiri, Chogoria
- Meru
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold up together. Col. 1:17.
May the Lord rest his soul in eternal peace.
Death and Funeral Announcement
Eliphas Kaburu
Mwiandi (Taati)
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Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association-Rachuonyo
North Chapter regrets to announce the untimely death of
George Sylvster Omollo Ogola (Acampo) who met his death,
in a tragic road accident whicoccurred at Chagaik, along the
Nakuru Kericho road on 1st May, 2014. The late George,
until his death, was the principal of St. Bernards Otaro High
School. Son of the late Martin Ogola Otieno and Wilkister
Modi Ogola. Formerly married of Everlyne Atien O. Oketch
of Obengle Primary School, Phoebe Jael Odoyo of Mirogi
Boys Sec School. Father of Diana Marjorie of Mary Hill Girls
High School, Lisa, Cathy and Rose Anne. Brother of Florence
Aketch Goga of Kosele, Margaret A. Ogola of Otieno Oyoo
High School, the late Roselyn Auma, Pet er Otieno, the late
Thomas Ogo la of KEMFI-Kisumu, Gladys Achieng, Prima Ogola
of Kandiege Sub District Hospital, Stephen Ogola of St. Peters
Disii Sec, John Ojijo and Rose Mary Awuor. Brother in-law of
Pamela Ole la, Linet A. Owino, Sophy A. Odhiambo, the late
Celine Adhiambo, Hellen, Alice, Gerald Aketch Goga and Peter
Ochumba of KEMFI. Nephew of Wilson Agawo Ojwando of
Karachuonyo Ka Auma. Uncle of Millicent Aketch, Jacob Aketch,
Redempta Ochumba, ngela, Vicky, Vera, Georgian Ochumba,
Edward, Ronney, Sharon, Bossy, Gerald, Lydia, Venesa, Lennox,
Vallary, Fidel, Molley Achieng, Geofry, Kevin and Wilder, Amondi.
Cousin of Benedict Aoko Oduongo and Valentine Kamboka,
Charles Achieng. The body is at Aga Khan Mortuary in Kisumu. The body leaves the mortuary on Monday
19th May, 2014 for Homa-Bay County. Funeral service will be held at Dr. Mbai - Majiwa Secondary School on
Tuesday 20th May, 2014. Burial will take place at his home, Got-Kawiya-Kothidha Location the same day.
Forever in our hearts.
George Sylvster
Omollo Ogola
Dec 1968 01/05/2014
Death and Funeral Announcement
It has been 2 years since you
left us.

Every day, memories of you
come our way.
Though absent, you are ever
near.
Mum, you are missed, loved and
ever dear.

In Gods hands you rest Mum,
in our hearts you live forever.
2nd Anniversary
Salome Mukami
Karioki
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It is with humble acceptance of Gods
will that we announce the death of
Lieutenant Charles Letoya ole Mapelu
(Banyo) of Kenya Air Force which
occurred on Mon 12 May 2014.
Son of Mr Felix mapelu Zakayo and
Mrs Gladys Mapelu Zakayo. Brother
of Evan Leiyan ole Mapelu, Zachariah
Lemerian ole Mapelu, Irene Naanyu
Mapelu-Mokaya.
Brother in law of Doreen Leiyan
and Micah Mokaya Omato. Nephew,
Uncle and cousin to many.
Family and friends are meeting daily at
Nairobi, Molo, Nairagie-enkare and Narok.
There will be a memorial service at St. Peters on the Hill Church Moi Air
Base (Eastlegh) on Mon 19 May, 14 at 2.00 pm.
The cortege leaves Defense Forces Memorial Hospital funeral home on
Tuesday, 20 May 14 at 07.30 am for burial at 20 Acres in Nairagie-Enkare,
Narok County.
For more information contact 0722242766.
Lt. Charles Ole
Mapelu (Banyo)
Death and Funeral Announcement
It is with humble acceptance of Gods will that we
announce the death of Inspector Samuel Karigitho
Murakaru, Prosecutor Garissa law courts of Mairo
inya, Nyahururu , Nyandarua County which occurred
on Monday 12th May 2014.
Son of the late David Murakaru Gicheru and the
late Esther Warigia Murakaru. Husband of Lydiah
Karigitho . Father of Benjamin Karigitho and Nicholas
Karigitho. Brother of Rachael Nyawira, Benard Kinyua,
Late Gladys Konyu, Rose Wachuka, Joseph Wachira,
Kinyua, Njoki, Muthoni, Mwangi and the late Wanjiru
Murakaru all of Gathumbi, Mathira, Nyeri county. Son
in law of the late Benjamin Gichohi of Wandumbi,
Nyeri county.
Family friends and relatives are meeting daily at his
home Mairo inya nyahururu and Emmacra hotel
Nairobi daily at 4.00pm for prayers and funeral
arrangements.The cortege leaves Nyahururu District
Hospital Mortuary on Monday 19th May, 2014 at
8.30am and thereafter burial ceremony at his ritaya
farm Mairo inya Nyahururu.
I have fought the good ght,nished the race
and kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7
Police Inspector
Samuel Karigitho
Murakaru
Celebration of a Life Well Lived
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
50 | Classied/Transition
KENYA CUP | Wanyore seek to extend dominance over bankers at RFUEA
BY AYUMBA AYODI
@AyumbAyodi
sayodi@ke.nationmedia.com
T
hree-time champions
Kenya Commercial Bank
(KCB) take on defend-
ing champions Nakuru in the
Kenya Cup nal at the RFUEA
grounds this afternoon.
The two giants met in the
Enterprise Cup final at the
same venue six weeks ago
where Nakuru claimed their
sixth Cup success with an 18-
13 win over the bankers.
Nakuru scored ve tries, a
penalty and conversions to
edge out Strathmore Leos
30-16 at the Nakuru Athletics
Club while KCB scored three
converted tries to crush Kenya
Harlequin 24-8 at RFUEA to
set up todays nal.
Recent past
Nakuru have dominated KCB
in the recent past but these
statistic may not necessarily
be important today.
Nakuru beat KCB 24-10 in
the regular league but Nakuru
coach Dominique Habimana
says that is water under the
bridge. We have put the
Enterprise Cup and league
Champions renew
rivalry with KCB
in Cup nal today
Nakuru out to defend title
CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION
Kenya Harlequins Eden Agero (right) tackles Allan Omuka of KCB during their Kenya Cup semi-nal
match at the RFUEA grounds last week. KCB face Nakuru in the nal at the same venue this afternoon.
victories behind us. We are now
concentrating on the Kenya Cup
nal because we know KCB will
come a totally dierent side,
said Habimana.
But KCB coach Curtis Olago
has urged his charges to con-
centrate.
I want them to make this
game memorable one. Well
try out everything there is
in rugby to win, Olago said.
Nakuru last year became the
rst team outside Nairobi to
clinch Kenya Cup after beat-
ing Strathmore 37-3.
KCB, who last held the tro-
phy in 2007, are seeking their
fourth Cup title. Habimana has
kept faith in most of the players
that won their maiden title in
2013. But injured eighth man
Lawrence Buyachi has been
replaced by Martin Owila.
I want them (KCB
players) to make this
game memorable. Well
try out everything there
is in rugby to win
Curtis Olago, KCB coach
Kenya Cup nal
Nakuru v KCB (4pm)
Eric Shirley Shield nal
Nakuru II v. KCB II (2pm)
TODAYS FIXTURES
BY AYUMBA AYODI
sayodi@ke.nationmedia.com
World Half Marathon sil-
ver medallist Mary Wacera
took her revenge on Stacy
Ndiwa when she won the
Kenya Police Service Athlet-
ics Championships 5,000m
race yesterday.
The 24-year-old Wacera
dominated the race before
last years winner Ndiwa
claimed the lead after the
bell, with 300m left at
Kasarani.
However, Ndiwas timing
proved suicidal as Wacera
unleashed a powerful kick
in the last 150m to win in 16
minutes and 22.0 seconds.
Ndiwa, the 2010 Youth
Commonwealth Games
1,500m champion, claimed
silver in 16:22.3 as Anne
Wanjiru ( 16:31.0) took
bronze.
I am glad my revenge was
swift, said Wacera, who is
preparing to defend her na-
tional 5,000m title on June 5
to 7 at Nyayo. Wacera won
the Washington 12km race
on May 4 before nishing
third at New York 10km race
last weekend.
I am preparing to de-
fend my national 5,000m
title, hoping make it to the
Commonwealth Games,
said Wacera. The Com-
monwealth Games are
due July 23 to August 3, in
Scotland.
Wacera says she will focus
on more road races depend-
ing whether she will make
the Glasgow team. But I
will rst consult with my
manager Owen Anderson,
said Wacera, who helped
Kenya win the team title at
the World Half Marathon in
March in Copenhagen.
Last bend,
Ndiwa said she could have
taken gold if she had delayed
her kick abit. I should have
beaten her again if I waited
perhaps in the last 150m
or at the last bend, Ndiwa
said.
The 2008 Poland World
Junior 10,000m champion
Josphat Bett won mens
10,000m in 28:36.2. Bett,
who represented Kenya
last at the 2008 Polish
event, beat Peter Kirui and
John Kemboi to silver and
bronze in 28:36.5 and 28:
40.0 respectively.
I hope to perform well
at the nationals and make
the Commonwealth Games
team, said Bett, who ran a
26:48.0 PB in 10,000m in
2011 Eugene Classic but
didnt make the team for
the 2011 Daegu Worlds.
Wacera avenges Ndiwa
loss to win Police race
CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION
Mary Wacera (left) beats Stacy Ndiwa to win womens
5,000m rare during Kenya Police championships yesterday.
16:22.0
Mary Waceras winning time
at the Kenya Police 5,000m
race at Kasarani yesterday
Controversy rocks Nyandarua athletics meeting
BY DAVID MACHARIA
davemash1@gmail.com
Turf wars between the county
government and Athletics
Kenya are threatening to derail
the Nyandarua athletics cham-
pionships this weekend.
While the AK is pushing
for the event to be moved
to Nyahururu in Laikipia
County citing lack of facilities,
Nyandarau county government
has insisted the championships
must be held at home.
Nyandarua AK sub branch
has vowed to hold parallel
meeting if the county gov-
ernment goes ahead to hold
another event in Ol Kalau
town. The county government
was yesterday preparing the Ol
Kalau Stadium ahead of the
event to be used to pick the
team to Aberdare regional
championships.
AK sub branch boss, Fran-
cis Mwaniki, said there was no
facility in Nyandarua to host a
credible athletics event.
No stadium in Nyandarua
has equipment steeplechase
hurdles and eld events. The
hurdles are at the Nyahururu
Stadium and that is where the
event should be held, Mwaniki
said after meeting coaches in
Nyahururu town.
He insisted that AK was in
charge of organising athletics
competitions and will therefore
go ahead with their plans.
There is an emerging trend
where some county ocials
overlook AK in decisions af-
fecting the sport, Mwaniki
lamented.
Meanwhile, nancial chal-
lenges have forced the Laikipia
County AK to hold two parallel
competitions to pick athletes to
the South Rift regional cham-
pionships. Laikipia County AK
chairman, John Wachira, said
they had agreed to hold two
parallel meets in Nanyuki
and Nyahururu- after which
they would compare the times
achieved and decide on who to
make the regional team.
No stadium in Nyandarua
has steeplechase hurdles
and other eld events
equipment
Nyandarua AK chairman
Francis Mwaniki
VOLLEYBALL
Pipeline in top form at
Nyeri leg of league
Fresh from their CAVB African
Womens Club Championship
berth in Tunisia, Kenya Pipeline
were merciless as the third leg
of the national volleyball league
served o at Nyeris Ruringu
stadium yesterday .
Pipeline beat Mt Kenya Univer-
sity (Eldoret Campus) 3-0 sets
of 25-4, 25-4 and 25-7. Pipeline
who bagged bronze in the Tuni-
sia club competitions two weeks
ago then beat Kenya Defence
Forces 25-13, 25-16 and 25-11 in
their next xture.
League leaders Nairobi
Water, unbeaten this season,
beat MKU (Thika) in straight
sets of (25-18, 25-16, 25-17)
to retain the top spot on
nine points.
MKU Eldoret suered
another defeat, losing to
National Youth Talent Acad-
emy in straight sets of 25-16,
25-4 and 25-7.
Kenya Commercial Bank
recovered from a 3-0 thrash-
ing by Nairobi Water in their
last match to defeat Oserian
3-0 in sets of (25-21, 25-13,
and 25-14). Champions
Kenya Prisons did not par-
ticipate in this leg.
Sport
2014 FIFA WORLD CUP
Combative Keshi is not been afraid
to upset European-based stars
and introduce home-based talent,
something pretty much unheard of
under previous coaches. P. 54
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
51
Mariga backs Stars to reach next
years Africa Nations Cup nals
MAERTIN MUKANGU |
NATION
Harambee stars
golkeepers Col-
lins Ochieng,
Fredrick On-
yango and
Wilson Oburu
train at Nyayo
Stadium yes-
terday ahead of
tomorrows 2015
Africa Cup of Na-
tions preliminary
match against
Comoros.
BY DAVID KWALIMWA
@kwalimwadavid
dkwalimwa@ke.nationmedia.com
T
he national football team has
what it takes to qualify for
next years Africa Cup of Na-
tions tournament in Morocco, Kenya
and Inter Milan midelder McDonald
Mariga has said.
Mariga yesterday said Harambee
Stars stand a good chance of qualify-
ing for the tournament, insisting the
team has enough quality and depth to
achieve the task.
The preliminary phase of the 2015
Africa Nations Cup qualication cam-
paign begins tomorrow with 14 xtures
lined up across the continent.
Kenya requires aggregate wins over
both Comoros Islands and either Le-
sotho or Liberia in the preliminaries,
to earn the right of competing in the
qualiers proper in Group C alongside
Gabon, Angola and Burkina Fasso.
And the Inter Milan player who
is angling for a starting role in at-
tacking midfield against Comoros
tomorrow, says Kenya stands as good
a qualication chance as any of the
aforementioned sides.
There is maturity and quality in the
team that is needed in this competi-
tion. We are also lucky have a very
good coach who has already cultivated
FOOTBALL | Coach Amrouche condent his charges will deliver in tomorrows match at Nyayo
Inter Milan midelder
says team has requisite
depth, quality to qualify
a winning culture. This is a big
plus, Mariga, who is seeking
his first appearance at the
tournament, yesterday.
The player added: The
rule book (on how to qualify)
is similar all over. We need
good preparation, build-up
games, study our opponents
and a good start, then we have
a chance of going to Morrocco.
I am really motivated to play at
the Africa Cup of Nations.
The former Parma FC and
Real Socieadad midfielder
- who is set to leave Inter
Milan when his contract
expires end of this month
- will compete for a starting
role with Johanna Omollo,
Victor Wanyama, Anthony
Akumu, Harrison Mwendwa
and Georey Kataka.
We have a chance to start
positively and get the morale
that can lead us through to
achieving our target. The play-
ers are committed and want
to do well, I am condent in
their abilities and I know we
will perform well. Harambee
Stars coach Adel Amrouche.
Meanwhile, Stars opponents
Comoros yesterday held train-
ing at Nyayo Stadium, the
venue of Sundays qualier.
Among the players to watch
out for in the squad includes
striker Ben El Fardou who
has scored a dozen goals for
Greek top ight side Veria FC.
Others are Scottish-based mid-
elder Fouad Bachirou who
scored the lone goal during
the teams 1-1 draw against
Burkina Fasso in a friendly
in March.
Comoros squad: Goal keepers: Ludovic
Delapeyre (OHA, France), Mroivili Mah-
moud (Volcan, Comoros), Mohamed
Hassane, Comoros). Defenders: Fouad
Mdroudjae (Marseille - CFA 2, France),
Chaker Alhadhur (Nantes, France),
Salim Mraboini (Consolat, France),
Ibrahim Rachedi (Uzes, France),
Faydine Daroussi (Aubagne, France),
Kassim Abdallah (Evian TG, France),
David Humblot (Volcan, Comoros).
Midfielders: Fouad Rachid (Nancy,
France), Y. Mchangama (Uzes, France),
Samir Bertin (Roye, France), Mohamed
Youssouf (Amiens, France), Chadhouli
Mdradabi (Djabal, Comoros), Nadjim
Abdou (Milwal, England), Fouad
Bachirou (Morton FC, Scotland), Yacine
Saandi (Tampton, Reunion). Strikers:
Hamadi Combo (Belfort, France), Ben
El Fardou (Veria, Greece), Ali MMadi
(Ajaccio, France), M. Nchangama
(Consolat, France), Nasser Chamed
(Chatearoux, France)

There is maturity and

quality in the team
that is needed in this
We have a very good
coach who has already
cultivated a winning
culture. This is a big
plus
McDonald Mariga
14
Preliminary matches of the
2015 Nations Cup tournament
set for this weekend
Coasts Timbe grabs two-shot lead in Tour
BY LARRY NGALA
lngala@ke.nationmedia.com
Coast-based Kopan Timbe
jumped to the top of the
leader board at the close of
yesterdays rst round of the
2014 KCB Golf Tour at the
par-72 Thika Greens Golf
Estate course.
Timbe bogeyed two holes
and three putted the par ve-
18th after ring two solid
three-wood o the tee and
approach shots to close the
day on four under par 68 for
a two-shot lead.
Tough course
Its a tough and long
course, particularly the par
threes where its dicult to
pick up birdies. The course
needs time to mature,
Timbe, who had birdied the
rst, second, fourth at the
front nine and at the 13th and
15th at the back nine, said.
Tied in second place on
two under par 70 in the eld
of 36 pros who turned out for
the rst leg were Nyanzas
David Odhiambo, Thikas
Simon Ngige and Sigonas
John Wangai.
Ngige eagled the par ve-
second, picked up birdies
at the fourth, seventh and
18th but dropped shorts at
the third and sixth and at the
14th. Odhiambo also eagled
the second hole after open-
ing with a birdie at the rst,
but had to wait up to the 18th
to write on his second birdie.
Like the others, Odhiambo
dropped a shot at the sixth,
having bogeyed the hole
before that.
Royal Nairobis Ken Abuto
and Muthaigas Paul Thuo
were on one under par 71.
Dismas Indiza led Eric Ooko,
Anil Shah and David Opati
on level par 72. Todays sec-
ond round starts at 8am.
MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION
Kopan Timbe
BY RICHARD MWANGI
rmwangi@ke.nationmedia.com
Kenyas skipper, Rakep Patel
(above), knocked a quick half a
century to help Kanbis win their
opening friendly match against
Bhavsinhji Cricket Club by 97 runs
at the Nairobi Gymkhana.
Patels 72 runs yesterday came
o 57 deliveries with seven bounda-
ries and two towering sixes. He was
Kanbis highest runs getter.
Put in to bat rst by Bhavsinhjis
captain Satyajit Gohil who won the
toss and elected to eld rst, Kanbis
set the tourists a target of 269 in
their allotted 50 overs.
Besides Rakep, Narendra Patel
(59) and Rajesh Varsani (49) were
Kanbis other batsmen who did well
with the bat.
Wicket takers
Bhavsinhjis wicket takers in-
cluded Gohil (2/63), Balkrishna
Jadeja (2/45) and Dinjaraj Chau-
han (2/45).
In reply, the visitors lost wickets
at a more regular interval without
meaningful runs showing on the
scoreboard and were routed for a
paltry 171 with 15 overs in hand.
Taranj Johel top-scored for Bhavs-
inhji with 57. Aezaz Kotharia (43)
and Chauhan (21) also managed to
get meaningful runs for the side.
Rakepl was Bhavsinhjis main ex-
ecutioner, taking four wickets for
27. He was supported by Rikesh
Hirani (3/68) and Bhavin Bhudia
who took wicket from the single
ball he bowled.
The cricket adage catches win
matches came true for Kanbis
whose nine dismals were through
catches. Fielding has Kanbis main
strength and has seen the team
dominate the local cricket scene
for more than a decade.
The two teams will meet again at
the same venue today in the rst
Twenty20 game which will be held
in memory of two Kanbis former
players - Alpesh Bhudia and Harshin
Sangani - who died in a road acci-
dent a couple of years ago.
The second Twenty20 game will
be between Nairobi Gymkhana and
Cutchi Leva at Simba Union. Bhavs-
inhji Cricket Club of Gujarat, India,
is on a three-week tour of the coun-
try for a series of friendly matches
inj Nairobi and Momasa. The team
arrived in the country yesterday and
will leave on Thursday.
Rakep half ton
lifts Kanbis
past tourists
97
Runs by which Kanbis beat
Bhavsinhji Cricket Club from India
yesterday in a friendly match
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
52 | Sport
Arsenals perfect
chance to end
trophy drought
since Arsenal last won something, while
United and Chelsea have amassed 25
trophies between them in that period.
Consistent qualication for the Cham-
pions League has kept Arsenal among
the European elite, but the achieve-
ments of manager Arsene Wengers
17-year tenure risk being undermined
if the rot does not stop soon.
Another disappointment against
Hull would also leave the 64-year-old
Frenchman in a delicate position ahead
of negotiations to extend his contract,
which is due to expire at the end of
the season.
Finished 16th in the league
Hull, who have never previously reached
an FA Cup nal and nished 16th in the
Premier League, appear ideal cannon
fodder, but Arsenal have learnt from
bitter experience not to underestimate
supposedly weaker opponents.
They lost to Birmingham in the 2011
League Cup nal, after an 89th-minute
mix-up between goalkeeper Wojciech
Szczesny and Laurent Koscielny gifted
their adversaries victory, and needed
penalties to see o Wigan in this sea-
sons FA Cup semi-nals.
Wenger admitted that his players
succumbed to nerves against second-
tier Wigan, who were the defending
champions, but believes that they
should take heart from the manner
of their victory.
Equal Uniteds overall record
We played against a good team, said
the Arsenal manager, whose side have
not played outside London once during
the competition.
Lets not forget Wigan went to Man
City and beat Man City at Man City
(in the quarter-nals). So we knew we
were super favourites, not at our best
and that we played against a team who
has made some great results.
I dont believe we need any warning.
We know that a nal is a nal, that Hull
is a Premier League team. They can
pass the ball, they can create chances.
Its just down to us to perform well
on the day of the game. We just want
to focus on that.
While victory would see Arsenal
equal Uniteds overall record of 11
FA Cup wins, Hulls trophy cabinet is
completely devoid of major honours.
(AFP)
CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE

I dont believe we need

any warning. We know
that a nal is a nal,
that Hull is a Premier
League team. They can
pass the ball, they can
create chances. Its just
down to us to perform
well on the day of the
game. We just want to
focus on that
Arsene Wenger
N
ews that Divock Origi has
been called up to the Belgian
national team should be
greeted with joy by Kenyan football
fans.
With our hapless football
federation, non-existent youth
development programme and
lacklustre football infrastructure,
we have no chance of going to the
World Cup any time soon and we
should be happy that someone of
Kenyan origin will be at the biggest
show on earth.
The most exciting thing about Ori-
gis call-up is that he joins perhaps the
most talented young team in the world.
Golden generation
The tag golden generation is
usually axed on the shoulders of a
team which brings together a crop
of outstandingly gifted players at the
same time who either go on to win
big things or, for a period, promise
their fans that they are poised to
sweep all before them aside and then
let them down.
The term was rst used in Por-
tugal with reference to the team
spearheaded by Luis Figo, Rui Costa
and the goalkeeper Vitor Baia which
caught world attention by winning
a series of youth championships in
the early 1990s playing a brand of
excellent passing football and briey
seemed poised to rule the world.
Unfortunately, they fell short, most
bitterly in losing to Greece in the
Euro 2004 nal on home soil.
Since then, the term has been used
retrospectively to refer to other great
teams of the past such as the Brazil
1982 and 1970 sides and the Ajax
team coached by Louis van Gaal to
the 1995 Champions League title
which was headlined by the likes of
Patrick Kluivert, De Boer brothers
Frank and Ronald, Clarence Seedorf,
Edgar Davids and Edwin Van Der
Sar which won the title playing a rare
brand of total football.
Failed to leave impact
In Africa, perhaps the most daz-
zling golden generation of recent
years was the Nigeria side of the mid
1990s featuring Stephen Keshi, Uche
Okechukwu, Finidi George, Jay Jay
Okocha, Emmanuel Amunike, Daniel
Amokachi, Nwankwo Kanu, Sunday
Oliseh, Rashid Yekini, Victor Ikpeba
among many others whose failure
to make an impression still haunts
African football fans of a certain age
today.
The current Cote dIvoire team,
too, attered to deceive and Didier
Drogba, the leader for so long, seems
set to retire without seeing his side
achieve the trophies their talent de-
served.
Going into the World Cup, Belgium
will be the comfortable holders of
the title of dark horses the team
that could come from nowhere and
achieve glory.
Its needless bemoaning loss of Origi, we
have no chance of reaching World Cup
With a hapless federation,
non-existent youth structures
and lacklustre infrastructure,
we stand no chance of
playing at the global level.
We should be glad someone
of Kenyan origin will be at
the biggest show on earth
AFP | PHOTO
Lilles Belgium forward
Divock Origi celebrates
his goal against Valen-
ciennes in the French
Ligue 1 at the Pierre
Mauroy stadium in
northern france on
February 8 last year.
The son of former Ken-
yan international Mike
Okoth will represent
Belgium at the 2014
World Cup in Brazil.
The side shimmers with talent.
Although the term golden genera-
tion sometimes piles too much
pressure on a side and the media
hype becomes a burden, as it did
with the crushed hopes of the
England side from 2004 featur-
ing Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand,
John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Michael
Owen and others which achieved
nothing, the Belgian side is a genu-
ine collection of the best young
stars on the planet.
In goal, they have to choose
between Thibaut Courtois, the
Chelsea goalkeeper who will
line up for Atletico Madrid
in the Champions League
nal and Simon Mignolet,
the Liverpool shot stop-
per.
On the training pitch,
Origi might partner
Evertons star striker
Romelu Lukaku, an ex-
plosive talent who was
top scorer in Belgium at
the age of 16 and scored
his rst international goal
at the same age. Chris-
tian Benteke, who Origi
replaced in the squad is an-
other young striker who will
make a big impression in his
career when he recovers from
injury.
Coach Marc Wilmots will have
selection headaches in mideld
where he can call on the likes of
Eden Hazard, Moussa Dembl,
Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fel-
laini who is a guaranteed starter
for Belgium despite his problems
at Manchester United, his team
mate Adnan Januzaj and young stars
Steven Defour of Porto and Kevin
De Bruyne of Wolfsburg.
The defence is quite reasonable,
too, featuring a spine of Manchester
City captain Vincent Kompany and
Spurs Jan Vertonghen at centre
back.
Favoured with a reasonably kind
draw which will pit them against
Russia, South Korea and Algeria,
dont bet against the Belgians going
very far at the World Cup.
This will be a great learning expe-
rience for Origi. Just being part of
this squad will be a thrilling aair
and if he gets to play at least as a
substitute or in the third match
when qualication for the quar-
ter-nals is secured, it will be a
historic moment for East Africa.
There is no need to bemoan
his loss because Kenya has no
chance of going to the World Cup
unless there is a major overhaul
of the whole system with a focus
on youth development and im-
proved coaching across the board.
Teams like Germany which have
led the way in this score in recent
years have shown that it takes great
investment with even third division
clubs required to have youth teams.
The result has been visible in
the progress the team has made in
recent years. It would be alright to
moan if David Rudisha woke up and
chose to run for another country.
But in a team sport where we
have no chance of making a mark
any time soon, we should just adopt
Belgium as a second team and cheer
on Origi as he takes his place in a
golden generation that goes into the
World Cup with nothing to lose.
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Sport 53
Dribbling wizard Messi grows into greatness
Buenos Aires
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi (left)
has already won everything he can at
club level and on an individual basis.
But the World Cup gnaws at him.
World Player of the Year awards,
six La Liga titles, three Champions
Leagues and a mountain of goalscor-
ing records only begin to tell the tale
of the extraordinary career of a player
who is still only 26.
However, there is one thing missing
from Messis trophy cabinet; a major in-
ternational triumph with Argentina.
Messi has made his name with
Barcelona, who spotted him as an
11-year-old and agreed to pay the
$900 (about Sh78,200) a month for
his growth hormone treatment if he
moved to Spain.
Grown into greatness
The rest is history. Messi has grown
into greatness and says he is ready to
nish his career at Barcelona. But while
nobody disputes the global drawing
power of the Champions League, a title
on the world stage is the one achieve-
ment that continues to separate Messi
from the games all-time greats such
as Diego Maradona and Pele.
This will be Messis third World
Cup. In 2006 as a raw 18-year-old he
scored his only goal in the competi-
tion so far, but was not given much
chance to shine by Argentina coach
Jose Pekerman. He did not even make it
o the bench as Argentina succumbed
to hosts Germany on penalties in the
quarter-nals.
Four years later in South Africa, at
the same stage and against the same
opponents, the circumstances were far
dierent. (AFP)
Lagos
S
tephen Keshi has earned the
right to be considered an icon
of Nigerian football after cap-
taining and coaching the country to
Africa Cup of Nations titles.
He led Nigeria to their rst ever
World Cup nals in 1994 in the
United States the same year the
team won a second Africa Cup of
Nations and coached them to
last years African title before steer-
ing them to this years World Cup
nals. Keshi was Nigerias longest
serving captain, holding the role
for 13 years.
He is known as Big Boss
and he has certainly stamped his
personality on a group of players,
whose talent has never been in
doubt, but who have proved dif-
cult to manage.
A commanding and skillful cen-
tral defender, he was so inuential
that there were claims he and other
senior players often decided the
team for internationals.
Keshi showed he had an inde-
pendent streak when he joined
Belgian giants Anderlecht via
Ivorian outt Stade Abidjan soon
after being banned for refusing to
join up with the national team.
His rst experience with the na-
tional side as a coach was when he
helped Shuaibu Amodu secure a
berth at the 2002 World Cup nals
in South Korea and Japan.
But after the 2002 Nations Cup,
both coaches were sacked follow-
ing a row with top ocials at the
tournament. Out of favour in his
homeland, Keshi took charge of
tiny Togo in 2004 and proved
his credentials by guiding the
unfancied west African nation
to the 2006 World Cup nals in
Germany.
But history repeated itself and
Keshi who had almost come to
blows with Togos star player Em-
manuel Adebayor on the team bus
at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier
in the year was replaced for the
tournament. Keshis combative
approach has continued with his
stewardship of the Super Eagles
where he has not been afraid to
upset European-based stars and
introduce home-based talent,
something pretty much unheard
of under previous coaches.
As a result, players such as
Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike
Egwuekwe and Ejike Uzoenyi have
blossomed into full internationals.
He hasnt been afraid either to take
on the Nigeria Football Federation
(NFF) and he even quit immedi-
ately after the country won the
2013 Nations Cup.
The 52-year-old claimed top of-
cials were interfering and he did
not enjoy their full condence. But
he returned to the helm.
This has given him some leeway
when it comes to rows with high-
prole players such as Stoke Citys
Peter Odemwingie, who he dropped
from the 2013 Nations Cup squad,
while he has overlooked in-form
forward Ikechukwu Uche, who has
scored 12 goals for Spanish side
Villarreal this season.
Condent team
Keshis Nigeria is now a more
settled and condent team, who
play a 4-4-2 formation that gives
Chelsea midelder Mikel Obi a
more attacking role in mideld.
But the coach has refused to
commit to a target at the World
Cup. Despite his continued strained
ties with the NFF, he has said he
wants to stay on. The federation
has, however, sacked all four of the
coaches who took the team to the
World Cup.
If the conditions are good, I will
denitely stay, he said.
I am not in Nigeria (as coach)
to make money, if I wanted to do
that, I would have been in other
countries that oered me more.
(AFP)
FILE | AFP
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi gestures as his players train at Soccer City in
Soweto, South Africa on February 9, 2013.
Big Boss Keshi stamps his
SUPER EAGLES TO SOAR? | The African champions have not set any targets but the balanced side
A combative coach
not afraid to speak his
mind who has brought
star players into line
Nigeria rst appeared at the Fifa World Cup
in 1994 in the USA and were managed by
Dutchman Clements Westerhof.
In the month of April 1994, Nigeria were
ranked fth by Fifa. This is the highest world
ranking ever achieved by an African team.
Nigeria have played in ve World Cups. The
made the second round in 1994 and 1998 and
exited in the group stages in 2002 and 2010.
Giant forward Rashid Yekini scored Nigerias
rst World Cup draw in 3-0 victory over Bul-
garia in 1994.
Current Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi was the
captain of the team that played in the 1994
world nals. His assistant, Daniel Amokachi
was also a player in the 1994 squad.
DID YOU KNOW?
Eagles highest ranked
African team in history
I am not in Nigeria (as
coach) to make money,
if I wanted to do that, I
would have been in other
countries that oered me
more
Stephen Keshi, Nigeria coach
Road to Brazil 26 Days to G -AL!
W. CUP WATCH
LAUSANNE
Qatar 2022 World
Cup a mistake: Blatter
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has
said it was a mistake to choose
Qatar to host the 2022 World
Cup because of the countrys
sweltering summertime climate.
When asked if it was a mistake
choosing the Middle East country
because of its high temperatures
during the summer months, Blat-
ter said in an interview Thursday
with Swiss RTS station: Yes,
of course. You know, everyone
makes mistakes in life, he added.
The average temperature tops
40C in June and July (104 de-
grees Fahrenheit), when World
Cup nals usually take place.
TEHRAN
Sanctions and socks
hit Irans preparations
International sanctions over
Irans nuclear programme have
cast a shadow over Carlos Quei-
rozs eorts to build a team that
can make a mark on the World
Cup nals. The Portuguese coach
will need something special to
motivate his multi-national band
of players take on global super-
stars Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero
and Edin Dzeko .
This week Queiroz and some of
his players complained that not
enough kit had been supplied by
Germany company Uhlsport and
that the boots were too small and
the socks shrank.
TOKYO
Tourney brings new
Japan-S. Korea rivalry
Japan and South Korea will
need to produce something spe-
cial to meet at the World Cup,
but expect a cut-throat battle for
bragging rights in one of interna-
tional footballs ercest rivalries.
The tournament will also be
tinged with emotion for both
sides, with Japan playing for the
victims of the deadly tsunami
in 2011 and the Koreans keen to
provide a measure of solace after
last months ferry tragedy.
Asian champions Japan and
South Korea, World Cup semi-
nalists in 2002, could theo-
retically clash in the last four in
what would be a highly charged
encounter as diplomatic relations
between the countries remain icy.
PARIS
Now Deschamps les
complaint over insults
France coach Didier Des-
champs yesterday led a com-
plaint against Samir Nasris
girlfriend for launching a foul-
mouthed attack after hearing
he had left the Manchester City
midelder out of his World Cup
squad. The complaint was led
in Paris, according to RMC sport
radio.
While Nasri accepted his omis-
sion, respecting Deschamps
choice, which hasnt been a sur-
prise for me, the news did not sit
so well with his girlfriend Anara
Atanes.
F*** france and f*** des-
champs! What a s*** manager!
Atanes tweeted.
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
54 | Sport
Argentina primed to deliver in Brazil
Buenos Aires
The scintillating form of
Lionel Messi and the steady
hand of coach Alejandro
Sabella (left) have left many
believing that Argentina
are ready to end their long
wait for a third World Cup
crown.
The South American giants
have regularly been favourites
heading to recent World Cup
nals, only to wilt under pres-
sure once the action starts.
Successive squads bristling
with world-class talent have
rarely delivered, meaning that
28 long years have passed
since a Diego Maradona-in-
spired Argentina last lifted the
trophy, in Mexico in 1986.
Yet there are several signs
that this year it could be
dierent. In stark contrast
to their turbulent qualifying
campaign for the 2010 tour-
nament under Maradonas
management, when they
only just got one of the auto-
matic places in South Africa,
Argentina waltzed through
the qualifying competition
for Brazil. They booked their
place with two matches to
spare, destroying Paraguay
5-2 away in Asuncion with a
display of attacking football
that will serve as a warning
to Group F opponents Iran,
Nigeria and debutants Bosnia-
Hercegovina. (AFP)
Lagos
C
helsea midelder John Mikel
Obi, making his debut at
the World Cup nals, will
be crucial in determining how far
Nigeria go in Brazil.
According to former Nigeria
coach Samson Siasia, Mikel
and forwards Victor Moses and
Emmanuel Emenike will be the
central players for the African
champions.
Mikel will be key for Nigeria,
having played at the highest level
for a top club like Chelsea for many
years. Such an experience should
count for something,
he said.
But Siasia, who featured for
Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup,
said he was concerned that the
27-year-old Mikel and some of
the Super Eagles top stars had
not been first-team regulars at
their clubs.
The biggest problem (for the
team) is that most of the players did
not play regularly for their various
clubs and this cannot be good for
the team, he said.
What you can do when the play-
ers come together for the training
camp for the World Cup would be
mostly tactical and so I dont know
how (coach Stephen) Keshi will go
around this problem.
Former Nigeria striker Benedict
Akwuegbu also said he expected
Mikel to play a big role and de-
scribed him as the engine room
of the Eagles mideld.
Mikel, who missed the last World
Cup nals because of a knee injury,
is a holding midelder club at the
English Premier League side but is
given a freer, more attacking role
for his country as Lazio youngster
Ogenyi Onazi does all the grafting
alongside him.
Attacking midelder
He started out as an attacking
midelder and it was in that role
that he was voted the second best
player at the 2005 FIFA Under-
20 World Cup behind four-time
World Player of the Year Lionel
Messi.
His superb vision and ball skills
prompted Nigerias media to com-
pare him with the legendary Austin
Jay Jay Okocha.
But he was overlooked by Nigeria
for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing,
where the west African giants
reached a second tournament
nal. There was also a time when
his commitment to the national
team was questioned.
But Keshi said he was delighted
the player has shone under him as
the Eagles won a third Africa Cup
of Nations in South Africa last year
and also featured at the 2013 Fifa
Confederations Cup. (AFP)
Hungry for
glory Super
Eagles
look up to
the solid
experience
of Mikel
Obi to
guide them
far into the
tourney
Name: John Micheal Nchekwube
Obinna
Was born in Nigeria on 22nd April,
1987.
Started his football career
aged 12 when he was
selected from a tal-
ented pool of 3,000
players to feature for
the Pepsi Football Acad-
emy team.
During the preparations for the
2003 Under-17 World Champion-
ships, the Nigerian Football As-
sociation mistakenly submitted his
name as Mikel, saying he liked the
corrupted version.
He made his Super Eagles debut
on August 17, 2005 as a second
half substitute in a 1-0 friendly in-
ternational win over Libya.
MIKEL OBI BIO
will not be expected to just make up the numbers in South America
authority on Nigeria
PHOTO | FILE
Nigerias John Mikel Obi.
Road to Brazil 26 Days to G -AL!
SATURDAY NATION
May 17, 2014
Sport 55
CONTINUED ON PAGE 53
Gunners scent FA Cup glory
WEMBLEY SHOWDOWN | Wengers men face Hull City in nal this afternoon
London
A
rsenal have a gilt-edged
opportunity to end their
increasingly burdensome
nine-year trophy drought today
when the underachieving Eng-
lish giants meet Hull City in the
FA Cup nal at Wembley.
Not since 2005, and an FA
Cup nal success on penalties
against Manchester United
in Cardi, have Arsenal won
a piece of silverware, and the
frustration has become more
pronounced with each passing
season. Portsmouth, Birming-
ham City, Swansea City and
Wigan Athletic are among the
teams to have tasted cup glory
Arsenal have
perfect chance
to end nine-year
trophy drought
Arsenal vs Hull City,
FA Cup Final,
Wembley Stadium
7pm

Sport
MARIGA BACKS KENYA
TO REACH 2015 AFCON
FOOTBALL
Inter Milan midelder says team
has the necessary depth and
quality to qualify. P. 52
SIDESHOWS
Instead of bemoaning loss of Origi to
Belgium, we should be glad someone of
Kenyan origin will be at the World Cup,
argues Murithi Mutiga. P. 53
SATURDAY NATION
Saturday May 17, 2014
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Is our white
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ou?
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 2 saturday magazine
D
iseases and conditions that we spend
our time managing them in order for
them not to aect us. Pschological
conditions that come disguised as
good but are reall quite bad. This is
what has been on m mind this week. Allow me to
eplain.
There are diseases like colds and us and
malaria whose smptoms are obvious. The are
in our face. With a cold, ou cough, ou snie,
ou blow our nose permanentl, ou have lost
the abilit to enunciate the sllable ng. But these
are not embarrassing diseases to have ou go
to the doctor, he gives ou something to ease the
smptoms, ou go home, ou heal, ou look forward
to catching another cold.
Its not the same with diseases that can make it
dicult to thrive on a social and professional level.
And lupus is one of them. This is not an instance
where the application of medication will make
things better. This is a situation where awareness,
management and the empath of people ou
work and live with are what will help ou manage
the smptoms of this disease. For the most part,
women living with lupus do not look like the are
sick, whatever that looks like to ou. So if ou
met her ou would probabl dismiss her as fuss
or mood rather than ill. Do not judge another
human being until ou know what the are living
through.
Mental illnesses are another lot that are
completel misunderstood. We think that people
who are bipolar, clinicall depressed, schizophrenic
or otherwise ill
should be able to
behave better or
talk themselves out
of it. I think what
man people fail to
understand is that
the brain is an organ
and as such, it is
vulnerable to its own
diseases. Show some
compassion.
And as for the
second item on m mind, it strikes me ver often
just how man women are waiting for a knight
in shining armour to take them awa from their
troubles and set them up in the lap of luur. Yes,
of course there are ver man who want to work for
their own, but I daresa a majorit would down their
tools if the met the Rich Prince Charming.
But then theres no such thing as a free lunch,
is there? If ou do happen to meet a man who
wants to rescue ou from our sad life of povert
(well, relative povert) and take our burdens on
himself like his name is Jesus, ask ourself: What
price is he asking ou to pa in return? Turn to our
relationships feature to nd out.
F
r
o
m

t
h
e

e
d
i
t
o
r
Waua Muli
satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
The team
SATURDAY is published ever week b Nation Media Group Limited. It is distributed free with ever Saturdas Dail Nation. Unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, transparencies are submitted at the senders risk. While ever care will be taken on receipt of such material, the Nation Media Group Limited cannot
accept responsibilit for accidental loss or damage. Nation Media Group Limited, 2010. All rights reserved.
Regulars
Flakes 5
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Heart Advice 11
Money 17
Leisure 21
Click
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Cover credits: Grace
Mbesa is a student.
She wears a
bordeau and black
dress from Lillian.
Makeup: Shiro
Wanoike
p20
Managing Editor: Denis Galava Editor: Waua Muli
Sub-Editor: Felista Wangari.
Contributors: Kate Getao, Bon Vivant, Jackson Biko, Rupi Mangat, Waceke
Nduati-Omanga, Sona Parmar Mukherjee, Irene Njoroge, Ldia Omolo, Maurice
Matheka, Truphenah Wakaba, Tricia Wanjala, Florence Bett, Joan Thatiah,
Photo Editor: Joan Pereruan
Chief Graphic Designer: Roger Mogusu
Graphic Designers: Nzisa Mulli, Alice Othieno, Jo Abisagi
Cover photo: Duncan Willets
Do not judge another
human being until you
know what they are
living through, and
remember to show
some compassion
Five ways to ease
constipation
p10
Ladies, please pay
up!
p12
Wraps to get you
through bad hair
days
p15
What to do when
you nd it hard to
fall pregnant
p18
Why that good guy
is actually a bad guy
p9
Take a tablespoon of
castor oil.
Dont forget to take
at least si to eight
glasses of water and to
eercise.
East
sesame
seeds
Take a portion
of oatmeal ever
da.
Eat a handful of
raisins often.
p19
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 3
What a mother needs
Thank ou for last Saturdas main feature on mothers.
It helped me reect on the role of mothers in our lives.
Although m wife was awa in the village visiting
her mother during Mothers Da, the article inspired
me to call her and commend her for her unwavering
care for our children. As we celebrate our mothers,
we should ask ourselves if the should onl be
acknowledged once a ear. We ought to remember
our mothers ever single da and show them concern
and appreciation alwas because the cherished us
and raised us ever since we were conceived and did
not abort us or dump us in pit latrines. If our mother
is still alive, ou should appreciate her both in word
and deed. And as husbands, we should remember
to appreciate our wives because the care for our
children fulltime. We ma not be able to repa their
goodness in full, but mothers deserve honour and
respect. John Kamande, Vihiga
***
Motherhood is a challenging task, but our mothers
overcome those challenges to make us who we are.
Personall, I honour m late mother and I wish she was
still alive. If she was I would acknowledge her eorts.
Nevertheless, I still celebrate her. Our wives, sisters,
cousins, daughters and nieces should put in as much
eort as our mothers did. Calvin Queens, via email
***
app Mothers Da, mum
Jackson Biko has a wa with words and the wa in
which he personalises issues and owns them is ver
refreshing. It makes them easier to relate to. Upon
reading his piece last Saturda, I cried and praed
for m mum who took her nal bow three ears ago.
Life has never been the same since she died. She
was the glue that held our famil together and now
that she is gone, our famil and sibling relationships
are shattered. It is onl now that we realise the value
our mother added to our lives; in fact mothers are
priceless. Just like Biko, m advice to those who have
turned their backs on their mothers is that the should
mend the bridges toda because if the dont the
will cr a river, in regret, tomorrow. Salim Ibrahim, via
email
***
Once again Biko made me cr with his Mothers Da
piece. Reading his article made me miss m own
mother, whom I did not grow up with because of
divorce. This
left a scar that
has never
healed. And
now as a
mother I know
that a home
is basicall
a home
because of
the presence
of a mother.
annah K, via
email
***
Ever time
Biko talks
about his
mum I
cr. I feel
challenged to care
for m mother and most of all to be a good mother to
m four bos. I am glad that his grief is better this ear
than it was at this time last ear. Ma the Lord comfort
Biko and his famil. Thank ou for such good writing.
Debb M, via email
***
Sh20 million idea
Time and again Waceke Nduati Omanga has written
about a challenge she gives participants of her
personal nance course. She also etended the
challenge to us, her readers, asking us what we would
do to make Sh20 million in two ears. At rst I thought
that was impossible and wondered how it could be
done, but I decided to take her advice, blocked out
all the negative thoughts that negated the possibilit
of achieving this goal and focused on how it can be
achieved. Believe it or not, I got an idea that I know
would be huge if implemented. Im planning on asking
people about it as Waceke advised, though that is
quite a challenge. Thanks for our advice on nancial
matters. I hope one da I can attend Wacekes class
and learn even more. Joce Boro, via email
***
Sickness, disabilit and love
Your ealth Matters article on intimac with a spouse
who is sick or disabled eposed limited knowledge
on seualit and paralsis. I do not think it was
well-researched. I also did not like that the article
concentrated on a couple where the husband was a
paraplegic. It did not give a fair representation of a
tpical spouse with acquired or congenital disabilit.
I appreciate that towards the end of the article,
the writer seemed to highlight some element of
adaptation and moving on from the life-changing
event. owever, overall the article was a slap in
the face of persons with disabilities and I hope
we will not see such uninformed articles again.
Muigwa Michael, via email
***
Your wish is m command
I enjoed reading the feature on Khadija
ussein in the Woman of Passion segment.
owever, I wish Kinuthia Mburu told us a bit
more about her. I was left wondering how much
Khadija earns, where she is based, whether she has a
famil, how she gives back to societ, and what her
future plans for the business are. In short, Kinuthia
Mburu left us with more questions than answers, but it
was a good stor all the same.
Veronica O, via email
Click
& stay
in touch
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
ow to increase our
personal value
STAR POWER
D
o ou feel as though ou are invisible and taken for granted? Do
ou sometimes nd ourself stagnating and feel as if ou are
going nowhere fast in all areas of our life? It ma be time to regroup
and think about how to up our game. Some of the most practical
was to do this include making subtle changes to our etiquette.
These was do not cost a penn and ma be implemented almost
overnight. The do not involve an pschoanalsis and other long
and drawn out methods. ere are some was to help transform ou
from mediocre to sought-after star.
1
Stop talking too much: When ou speak all the time, people
tend to switch o and ignore what ou are saing. You are
considered a noisemaker and loudmouth who is not quite taken
seriousl. Mabe some of the things ou sa are ridiculous, or
perhaps ou take jokes too far, especiall when ou have had one
too man to drink.
2
Become unavailable: Rare commodities acquire greater value.
If ou are alwas around when people call ou or need ou, it
is eas for ou to be taken for granted. Mabe ou are too eager to
please others and nd ourself being misused as an odd-job person.
This sort of reputation makes people think ou are a doormat.
Tr making ourself scarce for a while and see how reactions start
changing.
3
Change our demeanor: If ou alwas show up with overl
humble and apologetic gestures and pupp dog ees, people
ma devalue ou. This especiall applies to women who desperatel
want to get into a relationship. The minute ou show a little bit of
attitude, ou become a challenge to other people and the start
becoming more respectful of ou.
4
Learn to intimidate: There are
times when people ought to
fear ou, and not think that ou
are simpl too nice all the time. It
starts with our dressing:
wear a black skirt, black
heels and stockings
and a matching top.
Maintain a straight,
no-nonsense face
and stead ee
contact. Smile onl
when necessar and use
as few words in low tones
as possible to communicate.
You will be surprised at the
reaction of others, as the are
taken aback
5
Do a disappearing act
for a while: The old saing
that familiarit breeds
contemptcould impl
that if ou are around
certain people, all the
time, it is possible to become
contemptuous to them. If ou
sense that our presence has
become too much, it is time to do
a disappearing act. Leave town to
undertake some studies, or if ou
can aord it, travel to another
countr. While ou are awa,
resist the temptation to call or
communicate frequentl. When
ou return, ou will most likel be
received with fresh ees.
6
Be an enigma: Increase our
personal ratings b being
msterious. Allow people to ponder
about ou. You can do this b
minimising self-disclosure.
- Irene Njoroge-Kristian (etiquette
lecturer.)

N
ouhfrhood it lbrhfl bcouu
dbrinh for ouhfrt- bnd uodb(t
cut- xorkinh mouhfr fvidfnul
hbt liuulf uimf uo dbrf for hfrtflf/
Amidtu kuhhlinh xork- pbrfnuinh bnd runninh
uhf houtfhold- iu(t fbt uo lotf hfrtflf/ Liff- for
hfr- tffmt uo cf b urip lbdfn xiuh pfrmbnfnu
huilu for uhf uimf uhbu thf tpfndt bxb from
hfr dhildrfn/ Thf tub-bu-homf mouhfr- on
uhf ouhfr hbnd- tffmt uo hbvf bttumfd
bn bll-nuruurinh rolf/ Thf puut hfr dhildrfn
rtu- hfr tpoutf- uhfn hfr frifndt/ Evfn bn
bdqubinubndf in nffd it puu cfforf hfrtflf/ To
iu it b turuhhlf- xhidhfvfr xb ou look bu iu/
For hfr forut- b mouhfr mb hfu oxfrt- b
dbrd or fvfn b holidb pbdkbhf uhit Nouhfrt(
Db- cuu xhbu doft b mouhfr urul nffd@
Thf ffflinh ou hfu xhfn ou ublk uo
mouhfrt it uhbu uhf brf ubkinh on uoo mudh/
Buu uhit itn(u uhf tourdf of hfr turftt bnd
bnyifu/ Thf proclfm it uhbu thf xbnut uo do
iu bll bnd thf xbnut uo do iu pfrffdul/ Whbu it
uhf cftu hifu thf dbn hivf hfrtflf@ A holidb@
A tpb db@ A db durlfd up on uhf doudh xiuh
b hood cook@ Gfuuinh b crfbk bxb from iu
bll tffmt likf uhf motu bhrffbclf toluuion/
Tbkinh tomf hourt or dbt o xill dfniufl
rflby hfr cuu bfufr uhit- thf domft cbdk uo uhf
dhbot/ Whbu it b morf pfrmbnfnu toluuion@
Whbu it uhf onf uhinh thf dbn hifu hfrtflf uhbu
xill kffp hivinh@ In b cid uo nd ouu xhbu toru
of hifu mouhfrt uodb xould rfbll bpprfdibuf-
Tbuurdb Nbhbzinf tpokf uo b numcfr bcouu
uhf uhinht uhbu dfplfuf uhfm mfnubll-
fmouionbll bnd phtidbll bnd uhf cbrrifrt
uhf fbdf in uhfir buufmput uo mbinubin b dlfbr
hfbd/
Addfpu inpfsffdu iflp
Pfhh Nurfnhb- it b licrbribn in b diu
intuiuuuion bnd b mouhfr rbitinh uhrff dhildrfn
bhfd uhrff- vf bnd fihhu/ Likf bn mouhfr-
thf xbnut hfr dhildrfn uo hbvf uhf cftu in
liff/ From ciruh thf hbt found hfrtflf doinh
fvfruhinh for hfr dhildrfn/ In tpiuf of uhf
lonh xorkinh hourt- thf doftn(u urutu bnonf
fltf uo hflp hfr dhildrfn xiuh uhfir homfxork
or prfpbrf uhfir tdhool tnbdkt- bnd thf it uhf
onl onf xho dbn fold bnd puu bxb uhfir
dlouhft/
Tucul bnd tucdontdioutl- thf hbt mbdf
hfrtflf inditpfntbclf/ Pfhh hbt hou uont of
dompbn/ Glorib Oifkf it bnouhfr mouhfr
xho hbt ubkfn dbrf of hfr dhildrfn in b motu
fydlutivf mbnnfr- xbiuinh on uhfm hbnd
bnd foou bnd rbrfl btkinh for uhfir fbuhfr(t
involvfmfnu/ Sfdfnul- thf rfludubnul xfnu
on b uxo-xffk-lonh xork urip/ Whilf thf xbt
bxb- thf found hfrtflf midro-mbnbhinh uhf
homf tiuubuion ovfr uhf phonf/
I xbt dbllinh uhfm c uhf hour unuil uhfir
fbuhfr uold mf uo rflby- uhf xould cf nf/
Whfn thf hou cbdk- uhf dhildrfn lookfd ffd
bnd dlfbnfd bnd fvfruhinh xbt in ordfr/
Whilf thf xbt plfbtbnul turpritfd- thf fflu
mildl pbnidkfd uhbu hf dould tuill do hit db
koc bnd fbtil rfplbdf hfr bu homf/
Truf- iu mb cf hbrd for mouhfrt likf uhftf
uo hivf up uhf pilou(t tfbu/ Buu if thf cfhbn uo
dflfhbuf tomf duuift bnd cfhbn tffinh hfr
pbrunfr bt b dompfufnu do-pbrfnu- thf xould
cf lftt ovfrxhflmfd c hfr rolf/ Lfbrninh uo
btk for bnd bddfpu hflp- fvfn uhouhh iu mb
cf impfrffdu bnd uhf pfrton ou btk mb
nou do uhinht fybdul likf ou xbnu uhfm uo-
MAINFEATURE
A tpb db, b lovfl
dinnfr, b iolidb
c uif cfbdi/
Tiftf brf tomf
hifut tomf mouifrt
mb rfdfivf uiit
wffkfnd, cuu wibu
doft uif bvfrbhf,
ovfr-workfd mum
bduubll drbvf@ C
Jobo Tibuibi
Xibu b nouifs sfbll offdt
May 10, 2014 SATURDAY NATION
6 saturday magazine

xould cf b pfrffdu hifu for b mouhfr uo hifu
hfrtflf uhit tfbton/
Diudi uif huilu
Julib- 27- b tinhlf mouhfr xho rfdfnul
xfnu cbdk uo xork bfufr hbvinh hfr tfdond
dhild- thbrft uhbu thf tpfndt b lou of uimf
quftuioninh hfr dbil dhoidft bnd ffflinh
huilu for uhf onft thf dhootft/ Thf ffflt
ftpfdibll huilu xhfn thf hbt uo xork lonh
hourt/
Thfrf it uhit onf uimf uhbu I xbt xorkinh
lbuf bnd m dhildrfn(t fbuhfr xho doftn(u
donuricuuf uo uhfir upkffp dbllfd/ f
xbt uptfu uhbu I xbt bu uhf odf bnd nou
tpfndinh uimf xiuh uhf dhildrfn/ I xbt b
cundlf of nfrvft for dbt- thf tbt/
For Dibnb Nuubi- b xorkinh mouhfr of
b four-fbr-old- hfr loxftu momfnu bt b
mouhfr xbt xhfn b pbrfnu bu hfr dbuhhufr(t
tdhool tbid uhbu thf hbd cffn mitubkinh uhf
dhild(t nbnn for hfr mouhfr/ I xbt druthfd
bnd I cfhbn quftuioninh m prioriuift/ bd
I houufn uoo domforubclf@ Wbt I xronh uo
fnko m xork@
Findinh uhf xork-homf cblbndf it nfvfr
fbt for motu pfoplf bnd huilu tffmt uo cf
bn inufhrbl pbru of mouhfrhood/ For Julib
bnd Dibnb- uhfir huilu tffm uo cf hfuuinh
fbnnfd c fyufrnbl inufndft/ If fbdh mouhfr
cflifvft in hfr pbrfnuinh tkillt- litufnt uo hfr
inufrnbl xitdom bnd tuffrt dlfbr of nfhbuivf
pfoplf xho mihhu ditbpprovf of hfr dhoidft-
thf tffmt uo cf cfuufr plbdfd bu cfdominh
domforubclf xiuh hfr dhoidft/ Whilf bu iu-
thf dbn druth uhbu innfr driuid xhidh hbt hfr
hbrpinh on hfrtflf for hfr thorudominht/
Etuhfr Kuutxb- b pfrtonbl liff dobdh-
bdknoxlfdhft uhbu iu dbn cf didulu uo lfu
ho of uhf huilu cuu tbt iu dbn cf bdhifvfd
c pinpoinuinh our prioriuift bu difrfnu
poinut in our proffttionbl bnd pfrtonbl liff/
Thit blloxt ou uo fnko mouhfrhood- fnko
liff(t liuulf plfbturft bnd blto fnko our
xork/ Tuctfqufnul- our dhild lfbrnt uhbu iu
dbn cf rfxbrdinh uo cf couh b mouhfr bnd
b tuddfttful proffttionbl/ At b conut- tomf
of uhf lfttont lfbrnu from mouhfrhood dbn
propfl ou furuhfr up our dbrffr lbddfr/ A
xffkfnd bxb or b ffx hourt fnhbhinh in
bdulu bduiviuift xill nou tdbr our dhild- thf
rfbtturft/
Tflf.dbsf
Top on uhf uo-do litu for motu mouhfrt xf
tpokf uo it uo hfu cbdk uhfir prf-dflivfr
cod/ Wfihhu lott dfmbndt tflf-ditdiplinf
bnd if onf it untuddfttful iu rftulut in turftt
bnd bnyifu/ Pfrtonbl liff dobdh Etuhfr Kuutxb
tuhhftut uhbu mouhfrt fmcrbdf tflf-dbrf bt
bn blufrnbuivf uo xfihhu-lott prohrbmmft/
Tflf-dbrf- thf tbt- fnubilt rffrbminh our
mind uo uhbu of tflf-dompbttion/
Ebtf o uhf prftturf bnd bdu on our oxn
cfhblf/ Think of xhbu tuiut ou cftu in uhf
prftfnu- thf tbt/ Tflf-dompbttion drivft ou
uo hbvinh kindfr uhouhhut uoxbrdt ourtflf-
bnd ou tff uhbu ou brfn(u onl xoruh of
buufnuion c cfinh bn ovfr-xorkfd mouhfr/
Ondf ou brf bclf uo ubkf pfrtonbl uimf o-
ou xill hfu uimf uo fyfrditf- ubkf dbrf of
our cod or pidk ouu hfbluh food dhoidft
bt oppotfd uo kunk- hrbccfd hurrifdl
durinh crfbkt/ Wfihhu-lott xill domf bt b
dontfqufndf of our tflf-dbrf/ If ou don(u
ubkf dbrf of ourtflf- ou dbn(u ubkf dbrf of
our lovfd onft- thf tbt/
Nun fsifodtiipt
To koin b mumm hroup- Sbdhfl Dhfhf- b
humbn rftourdft odfr bnd b mouhfr of
onf bntxfrt- xhfn btkfd xhbu thf uhinkt it
uhf cftu hifu b mouhfr dbn hfu uhit Nouhfr(t
Db/ At b nfx mouhfr- four fbrt bho thf xbt
xorrifd uhbu mouhfrhood xbt mbkinh hfr
fffl fvfn morf itolbufd uhbn thf hbd fflu xiuh
hfr uihhu xork tdhfdulf/
All I dould ublk bcouu durinh prfhnbnd
xbt hox m cod xbt dhbnhinh bnd bfufr
dflivfr I onl xbnufd uo ublk bcouu m dhild/
N dhildlftt frifndt tffmfd uo cf bvoidinh
mf/
A mouhfrt( hroup thf found onlinf hbt
cffn hfr hrfbuftu rftourdf on pbrfnuinh
ittuft bnd bn ffduivf xb uo rflifvf hfr
bnyifuift/ fr xomfn frifndt- thf bdmiut- do
nou blxbt hbvf uhf bntxfrt- cuu tomfuimft
iu(t fnouhh uo mffu tomfonf uhbu dbn
fmpbuhitf xiuh our ffflinht/ Iu(t blto bn
opporuuniu uo mffu ouhfr xomfn xiuh
timilbr inufrftut- bnd uhfrf(t poufnuibl for liff-
lonh frifndthipt/
Tfnd zour gffdbadk uo taumahAkf/naujonmfdja/dom
HOW STRESSED
ARE YOU?
Nouifriood dfmbndt tflfttnftt cuu
if ovfrdonf, iu will work bhbintu ou
fmouionbll, pitidbll bnd mfnubll/
Iu it imporubnu uo know our limiut/
Tbkf uiit quiz uo nd ouu if ou brf
tprfbdinh ourtflf uoo uiin/ Givf
ionftu bntwfrt indidbuinh iow fbdi
tubufmfnu bpplift uo our liff/
A/Tusoohl Ahsff C/ Ahsff D/
Ditbhsff D/ Tusoohl Ditbhsff
1
You rbrfl hfu morf uibn ti iourt
of tlffp bu nihiu/
2
You hfu b turftt-rflbufd ifbdbdif
bu lfbtu ondf b db/
3
You ibvf found ourtflf hfuuinh
uptfu fbtil on tfvfrbl oddbtiont
in uif rfdfnu pbtu ftpfdibll c uiinht
ouutidf our donurol/
4
You rbrfl fffl uibu tomfonf it
lookinh bfufr or dbrinh for ou/
5
You wbkf up on Tundbt iopinh
uo dbudi up on tlffp cuu fnd up
tpfndinh motu of uif db worrinh
bcouu uif wffk bifbd/
7
You dbnnou rfmfmcfr uif lbtu
uimf ou fnhbhfd in our fbvoriuf
lfiturf bduiviu or our pbttion/
7
Pfufn, ou fbil uo tff iumour in
tiuubuiont ouifrt nd funn/
9
Tomfuimft ou ho ovfrcobrd
wiui uif bmounut of food ou fbu,
tomfuimft ou forhfu uo fbu/
:
You frfqufnul fffl uirfd bnd
unmouivbufd/
10
You fpfrifndf dironid ffflinht
of huilu bnd tflf-doucu/
TDOSIOG GUIDE
Turonhl Ahrff 4, Ahrff 3, Ditbhrff
2, Turonhl Ditbhrff -1
0-15 - Low curnouu ritk/
Donhrbuulbuiont, our turftt lfvflt brf
in difdk/ Dbrvf ouu tomf uimf ouu o
our rouuinf for tflf-dbrf/
15-30- Nfdium curnouu ritk/ You brf
rfbtonbcl mbnbhinh our turftt
lfvflt/ You iowfvfr nffd uo ubkf tufpt
uo fnturf uibu uif do nou hfu ouu of
donurol/ Atk for iflp if ou nffd uo/
30-40- Alrfbd curnu ouu/ Your
bntwfrt indidbuf tk iihi turftt bnd
bnifu lfvflt bnd ou brf puuuinh
our mfnubl, fmouionbl bnd pitidbl
ifblui bu tubkf/ You ouhiu uo ubkf
immfdibuf tufpt uo lowfr our
turftt lfvflt/ Tiink of iu likf uiit; bt b
mouifr ou ibvf uif rftponticiliu
of dfdidinh iow uif nfu hfnfrbuion
uurnt ouu/ You dbn onl bdiifvf uiit if
ou tub ifblui/
Ease the pressure and
act on your own behalf.
Think of what suits you
best in the present. Self-
compassion drives you
to have kinder thoughts
towards yourself.
- Esther Kutswa
SATURDAY NATION May 10, 2014
saturday magazine 7
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 4 saturday magazine
T
his week the subject of alcohol
abuse has been ver much on
m mind. As far as I can make
out, the patriarch Noah was the
worlds rst recorded drunk.
You can hardl blame him; he had endured
weeks of continuous rainfall, more than a
few scar moments as the ark pitched and
awed in the deep, the squabbles of diverse
animals and famil members, and to top
it all his ship landed on top of a mountain.
It must have required quite some logistics
to get everone down to level ground. e
must have been quite stressed out at the
end of all this. I wonder how he gured out
that he could make a soothing beverage
out of fermented grapes? I wonder if
someone, probabl the monke, had
sneaked some fruit into the Ark and the
long connement helped convert the fruit
into a merr-making concoction? owever,
it happened, and Noah imbibed and then
wisel decided to sleep it o. Unfortunatel,
he forgot to lock the door, with well-known
disastrous consequences.
Ever since Noah, human beings have
been tring to drown their sorrows in
spirits. Indeed a joke is told about a brewer
worker who fell into a 1000-litre vat of beer.
Later the managing director visited his
home to break the sad news of his demise
to his spouse.
The wife
promptl burst
into tears and pleaded
to know if he had suered
before he died. I dont think so,
related the emploer, I was informed that
he swam out several times to visit the mens
lavator before he epired.
Anwa, drunkenness does not happen
all at once, but progresses in orderl stages
as it suppresses the cells in dierent parts
of the brain. It starts with the front part,
the part whose function is to help ou
act like a sensible person. The problem is
that sensible people are usuall not ver
likeable and that is wh it is normal to
serve alcoholic drinks at social functions, so
that human beings will easil laugh, make
friends and do mildl sill things that make
other people laugh. It appears that being
sensible and being social dont mi ver
well, and that is where alcohol gets into the
mi!
Unfortunatel, alcohol is not content
with just scrambling our good sense; it
subsequentl spreads to the parietal lobes
which are to the middle and sides. Since
these are the bits which normall control
movement skills, matters begin to get a
little bit shak. The stereotpical slurring of
speech, staggering and weaving associated
with drunkenness comes from its eect
on this part of the brain and in the
pre-Alcoblow era this is the eect that
enabled policemen to amuse themselves
b asking the drunk to walk in a straight
line or stand on one leg.
It gets worse alcohol is now
creeping into the occipital lobe, which
lies at the back of the head. This is
the bit that helps ou to see so a
drunk whose occipital lobe has been
pickled with spirits has ver poor
perception of depth. This is when a
decrepit barmaid begins to look like
Miss World.
From the occipital lobe the problem
spreads to the cerebellum, nestled just
above the neck. The cerebellum controls
movement. At this point it becomes a
major challenge to successfull do things
that ou have been doing since infanc,
such as standing upright.
Should the alcohol move beond the
cerebellum to the brain stem, let us hope
that ou are still sober enough to sa
our last praers. owever, it ma be ver
dicult to do so because, at this point, the
alcohol, adversel aects the last functions
that ou need to keep ou alive, blood
circulation and breathing. If ou are an
occasional drinker just 0.35g of alcohol per
100ml of blood are enough to bring ou
to this dire condition. If ou are a chronic
drinker ou will be able to tolerate a higher
concentration of blood alcohol. owever,
as Noah knows, todas small drink can
have consequences that reach far into the
future.
This Saturda be sober about our
alcohol intake.
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
Jacqueline Mwaura is the area director of revenue
management at InterContinental otels Group.
In the past four ears that I have been working
with InterContinental otels Group, I have climbed
three positions from a revenue manager, director
of revenue and recentl area director of revenue.
Currentl, I manage three of the InterContinental
hotels in Kena, Nigeria and Zambia. Climbing
the corporate ladder has not been a stroll
on the beach -- it has taken dail doses of
hard, planned work. I began m career
as a front desk clerk in Newport Besach
California where I worked mself through
the sales department as an assistant before
becoming sales manager, at the tender age
of 21, at the Miami Florida cluster hotels.
The director of revenue there sparked
the re of revenue management in me and
ignited m journe to the top. I have not
looked back and have alwas viewed each
da as an opportunit to make a step
forward. To achieve m goals, I begin
m da an minute between 6am and
6.15am when I wake up.
B 7.30am, I am usuall at m oce, in Nairobis
central business district. I sift through m inbo and
attend to an pending urgent emails before reviewing
the compans performance the previous da. Usuall,
this involves looking at bed occupanc , and revenues
we collected in all our revenue generating centres.
At 8.30am, I often attend the 30-minute morning
operations meeting, with all our department heads.
It is onl after this meeting that I grab m coee and
breakfast while reading the dail papers to keep me
abreast with the market and business. B 9.30am, I
am usuall full buried in work. Apart from analsing
the best wa to get higher revenues, I also work on
strategic forecasts for the net three to twelve months
for the three branches, while formulating plans to
bring in prots. In the same vein, I alwas make sure
I check what m competitors are oering and what
people in both business, social and political spheres
are saing in that regard. This enables me to know
what gear to engage in keeping m prole on top. On
a normal da, I have m lunch at 12.30pm, after which I
delve back into work.
In m career walk, I have learned that no career
woman can ever reach her peak alone. Shell need to
collaborate with her colleagues, and be able to pick
and choose friends and acquaintances who add value
and help her grow, while boldl dropping the rest.
This is what I have had to do in addition to drawing a
strategic career plan.
owever, I have faced challenges. Currentl, m
biggest challenge is terrorism, given that m eld
of work is closel related to tourism and hospitalit.
It is likel to become dicult to meet the groups
nancial obligations especiall given that terrorism
is completel out of m control. As a oung woman,
I have faced hardships tring to sell m ideas to
people who have been in the industr for a while and
who often think the know best. But in spite of all,
I have learned to evaluate m challenges and deal
with them without casting anone as a hindrance to
our growth.
On an working da, I tr to leave the oce at
5pm. This allows me to spare an hour in m da for a
workout. Interestingl, running, walking or eercising
with a cross trainer is m wa of unwinding, though
an occasional glass of wine with close associates also
does the trick. And when time allows, ou will nd
me shopping.
Rising to the top is not a stroll on the beach
BY KINUTIA MBURU
of a Gay woman
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MUST DO LIST
OF THEWEEK
ILLUSTRATION I JOSEP NGARI
P

O
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O
I C

A
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L
E
S
K
A
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A
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Reasons
ou should
sober up
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 5

I
t is a cool Wednesda morning in a boardroom at the
Nairobi ospital where a ver bubbl meeting of roughl
twent women (and two men) is going on. For a moment,
amidst the upbeat spirit, it is dicult to imagine that
these oung, vibrant and health-looking women suer from
a sometimes debilitating disease. And even as the discuss
their fears and challenges, their emotions rarel betra them
because the take a light-hearted approach to everthing.
There is constant laughter and encouragement.
When ou meet them one-on-one, the situation is no
dierent; the give such little room for pit parties that ou
would think that the are narrating another persons stor and
not their own. That is the impression I get when I talked to
three women who suer from lupus, a chronic and incurable
disease that is 10 times more common in women than men.
Genevieve Wasonga, Wend Gikono and Gertrude Osore sa
that despite often being misunderstood because the have an
uncommon condition, the have found a wa to live a full life,
with lupus. The share their ups and downs.
Genevieve Wasonga
Before Genevieve, a 28-ear-old advocate, was diagnosed with
lupus four ears ago, she had never had an health problems.
Then all of a sudden she was in hospital ever other week for
si months, with smptoms for ailments that doctors couldnt
reall pinpoint. She did so man tests, including testing for
IV three times, but nothing conclusive came up. But one
morning of sickness led her to the right diagnosis.
I was pued up all over. I felt terrible and had a ver
fast heartbeat. At the hospital, after tests, I was referred to a
kidne specialist. I was ver sick and m kidnes were on the
verge of failing.
Genevieve and her parents sought a second opinion from
a bigger hospital. There, the amount of mone required for
admission and to run tests was prohibitive so her parents
took her back home where Genevieves condition worsened.
She was rushed to hospital once again. When a famil friend,
who is a doctor and who had admitted Genevieve to the
hospital saw her, he referred her to another phsician who
ran some tests and diagnosed her with lupus, a condition in
which the bods immune sstem attacks health cells, tissues
and organs and it is thought to be triggered b genetic and
environmental factors. Common smptoms of lupus include
fatigue, joint pain and swelling and skin rash.
For Genevieve, the diagnosis came as a relief.
It was dicult not knowing what was going on with m
bod. I did not know if I had cancer or whether I was going
to die, so when the doctor put a name to m condition, I was
relieved. e eplained that lupus has no cure, but now that
I knew what it was, I could work towards getting better, she
recalls.
Genevieve was put on medication (immunosuppressants
to stop her immunit ghting her own bod, and steroids)
and though the treatment regimen was harsh, her health
improved. But that rst ear after the diagnosis was dicult.
She could no longer eat just anthing with abandon, and she
could not aord to eert herself because people with lupus
are prone to becoming fatigued and that can cause a are-up.
A are-up can also be triggered b a change in environment
or weather, phsical or emotional stress, among other things.
As a result of the lupus, Genevieve has had four surgeries.
It alwas takes longer to heal than normal, but she alwas
bounces back and gets on with her life. owever, Genevieves
good das outnumber the bad ones.
Lupus comes with a fatigue that is beond
comprehension. Some das I wake up feeling more tired than
when I went to bed, or wake up to a sti bod that cant move.
There are das when Im at work and all I want to do is go back
home and sleep because I feel so tired and m whole bod
aches.
Thank God I have an understanding boss who is ver
accommodative of the adjustments I sometimes have to
make.
M boss knew me before I was diagnosed and he knows
that when I sa I am sick or fatigued or that I need to go to
hospital, I am not faking illness or just being laz. e also
knows that I do qualit work and knows that when I need to
get work done even if I get to the oce at 10am, m work will
be done b deadline.
Although as a result of her condition Genevieve cannot
take up strenuous jobs, she has managed to do well at her
relativel strenuous job as an advocate of the high court. She
sas that the secret is to nd a wa to strike a balance, adding
that eercise helps to bring the fatigue down and also makes
her bod stronger so that she can endure more.
The tough part is tring to keep a lid on stress, but I
counter that b doing something fun like going out to dance
or meeting a friend for a cup of coee and laughter. If I feel
burnt out, I ask for a few das o, she sas.
Genevieve hasnt had a are-up for a few ears now and
she doesnt take immunosuppressants anmore. Apart
from a good diet, eercise and stress management, the
trick in managing lupus lies in sticking to a strict regimen as
prescribed b the doctor and going to the doctor ever time
ou start feeling unwell.
Naturall, dating when one has a poorl understood and
sometimes aggressive and erratic chronic illness like lupus can
be a challenge. Genevieve isnt seeing anone special now,
but she is condent that there are men who can handle her as
she is.
Yes, in our support group there are women who were
dumped because their partners couldnt deal with lupus, but
there are also women whose husbands love them even more
now that the have lupus so getting a man who loves me as
I am is not one of m worries.
What bothers Genevieve is that the disease is ver
epensive and health insurance for it is either lacking or
inadequate. She also worries about death. While everone is
going to die, death is more of a realit for me. M immunit
can kill me. I alwas wonder if I will be oka and alive
tomorrow.
But instead of making me depressed, what this does is
that it makes me live harder because a positive outlook is ver
important in managing lupus. I live life to the full.
Wend Gikono
Twent-one-ear-old accounting student Wend was
diagnosed with lupus eight ears ago. er smptoms, in form
of ineplicable joint pains and swellings, began during her
rst ear of high school, but like most other lupus suerers,
doctors couldnt nd anthing wrong with her, but kept giving
her anti-inammator medication. er smptoms would
MAINFEATURE
Three women disclose how
their lives have changed after a
diagnosis of lupus disease. B
Felista Wangari
ow we live with lupus
Genevieve Achieng Wasonga / Photo Evans abil
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 6 saturday magazine

worsen during the cold season and at some point her hair
started falling o. It got to a point when she couldnt even
walk without the help of crutches and ever month she had
recurring infections that saw her spend more time at hospital
than at school. B then her doctors had decided to treat her for
rheumatoid arthritis.
er saving grace came two ears later when her fathers
friend referred him to a rheumatologist who diagnosed her
with lupus after taking her medical histor and doing some
tests. owever, some of her other smptoms suggested that
it was not just lupus that she was suering from. (This is not
unusual in lupus patients. It tends to come with one or two
other health conditions and over time doctors have discovered
that Wend suers from si other conditions, which are
secondar to lupus, in what is called Mied Connective Tissue
Disease MTSD.)
It was hard because I was alwas ver sleep and everone
thought I was just laz. M self-esteem also took a hit
especiall because of the hair loss and because I ballooned
when I was put on steroids. owever, nothing beats knowing
what ou suer from because then ou can eplain that the
reason wh ou eperience more fatigue than other people is
because ou have this condition.
Wend nished high school in 2011 and due to the memor
loss that came with the lupus, she had to change her career
choice from law to accounting because she feared memor
loss would impede a career in law. Wend has also had to
change her diet (she can basicall onl eat meat without a
problem) and learn to live in the moment.
Lupus limits ou because ou cant make plans ou dont
know what is going to happen tomorrow. You can be ne now
and the net minute ou are terribl sick.
And the thing with lupus is that no one understands ou
tell people that ou have lupus and the sa but ou dont
look sick. What the dont realise is that the onl reason I look
health (chubb) is because the steroids I take pu me up, and
when ou see me looking happ and getting on with m life
during the good das, ou might have diculties believing
that lupus is a serious disease.
Wend sas that she has had to accept that there are
things that she might not be able to do. She cant stand for
long, for eample, or walk for distances that other people ma
nd comfortable. She cant wash dishes or clothes or bend.
She cant swim or do man other things that people take for
granted. Moreover, lupus makes her life reall unpredictable
and thinking about the future makes her have morbid
thoughts.
I constantl struggle with the fear of not knowing what
will happen tomorrow. It is as if ou are almost holding our
breath waiting for anthing to happen and it can make ou a
bit paranoid. When ou feel a small pain our mind goes riot as
ou wonder if it is something serious. But I am learning to go
with the ow and to sa that Ill just go where God takes me.
Wend still has two more ears in school, but she is now
more condent about going into the workplace.
When I did an internship two months ago, m faith
in humanit was restored. I eplained to m bosses and
colleagues about m condition and the were all ver
understanding. When I graduate, I hope I can get a boss who
understands that I can fall ill an time and that I ma need to
take leave suddenl at times.
Wend has someone special who has stood b her ever
since she was diagnosed. At rst he was terried, having seen
what it did to her. But tagging along for her hospital visits and
interacting with her doctors has given him a chance to get
more acquainted with the disease. e is not oka with it, but
he has come to terms with it, she sas.
Although life handed her lemons quite earl on, Wend
sas that living with lupus has taught her to appreciate life
more, and not take anthing for granted. Wend keeps her
moods up b hanging out with upbeat friends and watching
comed. When I was diagnosed I lost friends, hope, faith in
God, m dreams and faith in people. I became distant and
secluded mself because I felt like a burden, but I couldnt live
like that forever. I now live one da at a time because all I ever
reall have is the present moment.
Gertrude Osore
Gertrude, a 48-ear-old senior immigration ocer, was also
diagnosed with lupus eight ears ago after ears of suering
from joint pains, chills, rashes, bod aches, pains and ailments
that led most people to believe that she was IV-positive.
She alwas felt tired and couldnt swim in cold water without
running a fever and shivering uncontrollabl.
Lupus aected her temperament and mental health, her
skin, and caused her to have general bod aches. An time she
got stressed she would run a high fever and start trembling. A
small scratch or mosquito bite would leave her with wounds
that took long periods of time to heal. owever, doctors
did not know what was wrong with her and her smptoms
were alwas eplained awa. er rst pregnanc, as a rst-
ear student, was problematic and she was ver mood, but
everone said that was normal for a pregnant woman and
that she was just an eplosive person. er second pregnanc
during her nal ear at universit was even more problematic
she eperienced the same old smptoms but this time the
were more intense. No one realised that these were smptoms
of a serious disease. After graduating and getting into the
workplace, things got worse because she couldnt cope with
anthing stressful.
I was hpersensitive and ver irritable and ever time I
got annoed I would run a high fever. Most people thought I
needed to see a pschiatrist or go for counselling. I couldnt
handle the pressure at m job at an insurance agenc. I was
seven months pregnant then and I almost lost the pregnanc,
though when doctors found protein and blood in m urine,
the said it was a normal occurrence in pregnanc.
Because of her terrible temperament at work, Gertrude was
red. As her condition worsened, she lost weight and became
dark and had spots on her face so she started suspecting
that mabe what everone was whispering was true mabe
she had IV. owever, tests showed that she wasnt positive.
Something was wrong but no one knew what it was. I
thought I was ding, but I did not want to die. I sunk further
into depression and had a ver low self-esteem, Gertrude sas
with emotion.
One morning after she woke up with a pu face, looking
like she was a victim of domestic violence, a friend took her
to hospital. The doctor said that she probabl had a kidne
problem; tests conrmed his
diagnosis.
I had been jobless for si
ears and had lost interest in
appling because I didnt think
anone would want to emplo
me. But in 2005, m husband
convinced me to appl for m
current job.
She got the job, but with
it came challenges that
worsened her condition. She
would react to dust, pollen
and the bitter cold of the night
shift at the airport that left her
in great pain. When she went
to hospital, at rst she was
diagnosed with rheumatoid
arthritis, ulcers and other conditions, but not lupus. owever,
one da she was referred to a neurologist and after some tests,
he told her that she had lupus.
I was relieved to nd out what was ailing me all these
ears, even though it could onl be managed but not cured.
owever, it felt like a death sentence.
When she told her boss about it, he understood and
took her o the night shift, and made the necessar
accommodations for her at work so that she would not suer
fatigue.
With lupus the fatigue can be so overwhelming that even
something as simple as making the bed can be impossible.
For most people this is a sign that I am laz; the just dont
understand. I also suer memor lapses and Im allergic to
sunshine and the cold. I am supposed to lead a stress-free life,
even though that is challenging because stress is a part of life.
Gertrude adds that lupus can also put a strain on
relationships and on the se life of a couple, causing
relationships to break. There are people who have been red
or retired on medical grounds or divorced because of the
eects of lupus. We are erratic people who suer sudden are-
ups but not b choice. There are people who think it is all an
act.
When ou see someone acting temperamental, dont
be quick to judge them. It could be an eect of lupus or
something else. What people need to understand is that we
dont choose to have lupus. And ou never know, ou could
also suer from something else tomorrow, so ou should treat
people the wa ou want to be treated. We have good brains
and we have something to oer to, so dont write us o.
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
Wend Gikono / Photo Ann Kamoni Gertrude Sakwa Osore / Photo Martin Mukangu
With lupus,
fatigue
can be so
overwhelming
that even
making the
bed can be
impossible.
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 7
C
hris leaves the oce soon
after our meeting. I watch him
through m open door, walk-
ing towards Louises desk,
straightening his tie as he briefs her on
something I watch him as he walks
out, shoulders slightl hunched over, as
if he is carring the weight of the world
on his shoulders.
Then m view of his retreating gure
is blocked b the hulking frame of one
Ciru; m nemesis number one. The
reason wh I hate coming to the oce
these das because I have to deal
with her instead of Louise.
Anwa, there she is, standing in
the doorwa, looking rather sheepish
instead of the usual combative twist
to her facial epression that she wears.
What did ou forget to do this time,
Ciru, I sa, wiggling m ngers in the
air quote-mark stle.
I was, um wondering if we could
talk she sas. Theres something
almost apologetic about the wa that
she sas it, and I have to pause and
look her in the ee to see if she is being
genuine or if this is et another one of
her new games.
What do ou want to talk about? I
frown. She takes a hesitant step inside
m oce.
Its reall quite private she sas.
er bod language is matching up with
her words, for once, and I am overtaken
b a sudden sense of compassion for
her. In an case, what could it hurt to
just hear what she has to sa? Its m
decision, after that, whether I should
let it aect me or not.
Ok, I sa, waving towards one of m
guest chairs. Sit. She sits down and
stares at her lap for so long that I am
compelled to take back m warmth
and welcoming-ness. Look, if ou have
nothing to sa then I would rather ou
didnt waste m time I snap.
No, no, I have something I think ou
need to know. She looks up at me, and
now that she is closer, I can see that
her ees are red from a what is clearl a
bout of cring.
Oh m goodness, Ciru, whats
wrong? I ask her, feeling genuinel
concerned. She doesnt repl. Instead
she snis, taps at the cell phone in her
lap for a few seconds and then hands
it to me.
Read that, she sas.
Its a tet message. It sas, You know
I love ou. But I cant leave m wife for
ou when she just tried to kill herself.
The room gets blurr and suddenl,
I feel ver hot and dizz. This tet mes-
sage sounds etremel familiar to a
conversation I just had last night. No.
It cannot be. I look at the name of the
person who sent it to Ciru: She has
saved him as Bab. I look
at the time stamp: 11:
30pm last night. Just
after he left m
house, clearl.
Scroll
down, she
sas. er
voice
jolts me
back into
the room.
I nod, and
scroll a
little
lower.
What
I re-
all need
now is
some
com-
fort
the kind
onl ou
can provide.
Come over?
Painful
realisation
M ees open wide and
m heart is beating like I have just run
a full marathon. I cant even read an
more, the dizziness is getting to me.
Did ou go? I ask her, and I am
surprised she understands me be-
cause m voice is breaking so much it
sounds like I have swallowed a chain-
saw.
She shakes her head. I look back
down at the messages. The one after
that reads, Ok. Night night. Sweet
dreams of me.
A stab of pain goes through m
chest like a pick; I cannot count how
man times Chris has sent me this
ver sentence. I alwas thought he
meant it for me and me alone. Now,
to discover that he couldnt even be
bothered to tr fresh lines on dierent
women well
Ciru clearing her throat brings me
back to earth, and I look up and si-
lentl hand her her phone. Were both
wearing the same epression of pain
and sadness now.
I think we need to talk, she sas.
I agree.
But not here
Yes.
And for the third time this week,
I nd mself leaving the oce to go
and have one of m private meetings
at the caf down the road. I have no
idea what Ciru is going to la on me,
ecept for the fact that I am sure it will
be painful to listen to. But if I am go-
ing to nd a wa to get over that ling
bastard of a man, then this is m onl
hope.
We need to talk...
WIT LIZ LUNDI
Sharing house
chores will keep
ou married
RESEARCHCENTRE
WIT JOAN TATIA
S
eeking a long-lasting marriage? Go for a partner
who believes in sharing house chores and is like-
l to follow through even after the children ar-
rive. This is according to new scientic research
from the Universit of Illinois. Findings of the stud
which involved measuring marital bliss of 220 hetero-
seual newl married couples showed that newl-wed
couples who started o and continued sharing house
chores were the ones who staed married for longer.
The chances of marital bliss were found to be high-
est when both partners believed in equall sharing the
house chores. The found that the happiness will not
last long if one partner is perceived as not doing their
fair share, especiall after the couple has had children.
Marital satisfaction
After eamining the beliefs, behaviour and marital satis-
faction of the couples, it was established that division of
chores was crucial for the marital satisfaction of women,
not men. When couples divided the chores across tradi-
tional lines, the attitudes and beliefs did not aect the
level of happiness.
Brian Ogolsk, a professor of human development
and famil studies at the universit, said that how a
couple opted to go about the division of house chores
in the rst two ears of marriage was vital because this
is the period when patterns were established and the
persisted throughout the marriage, either bringing
more happiness or increasing the level of conict lead-
ing to decreased levels of happiness.
Generall, there was found to be an issue when cou-
ples attitudes on this matter were varing. If a woman
for instance believed in sharing equall and the adopt-
ed a traditional approach on the matter where the man
does the masculine chores while the woman does the
feminine chores or where a man thinks that the home
shift belongs to the woman, there was bound to be dis-
satisfaction.
The happiest couples were those that had similar
epectations on the matter and those that followed
through with them. In the light of these ndings, man
marriages could be saved if couples discuss the issue
of chore sharing from the onset to make sure that the
are on the same page in regard to this matter which ap-
pears to be crucial in a married womans happiness. This
will avoid the partner from getting disillusioned with
time.
What could it
hurt to hear
what she has
to say?
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
IL
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May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 8 saturday magazine
I
used to be a customer care
agent with Safaricom. I had
worked with the compan
for just under a ear, having
joined them in Ma 2011 when I
was three months pregnant with m
rstborn.
When I returned to work after m
three-month maternit leave, I decided
to quit m job. I had just got to work
that morning when m house help (a
mature woman who had taken to m
son) sent me a tet message that I am
certain several working mothers have
received at least once. The message
read: I am leaving right now. I have
left the bab in the house.
Out of panic, I wrote m
resignation letter that da. M
husband supported m decision
as we had agreed from long before
our son was born that I would be
a sta-at-home mum to raise our
children. But that did not mean just
sitting prett in the house. During m
rst ear out of work, I tried m hand
in business: I supplied groceries to a
handful of high-end hotels
and restaurant chains
across Nairobi,
and it worked
for a while.
owever, I was operating m business
based on hearsa and I reall did not
know how the market worked, so si
months later, I counted m losses and
closed shop. But I had not given up
net, I tried m hand in suppling
eggs to a handful of cafes in Karen
and Westlands. owever, because I
did not factor in operating costs when
calculating m margins, this second
business also did not work. I was in
business but it wasnt putting an
mone in m pocket. Again, si months
later I had to close shop.
This one ear of failed businesses
taught me how to run a successful gig.
I also got more time to spend with
our son, just as m husband and I had
envisioned. And above all, it held me
make an assessment of the house helps
I was hiring I noted three things: First,
I hired and red with as much frequenc
as I changed m sons diapers. In that
one ear alone, I had had a total of eight
house helps. Something was amiss,
either with them or with me. Second,
I didnt know what the house helps
wanted for themselves when the came
to work for me. The didnt seem to have
a greater purpose for their lives beond
providing domestic help. Last and most
important, I realised that I needed help
with taking care of the bab and with
cleaning the house, not with cooking
or preparing meals.
Wrapping these three
observations up into one sparked
the idea to start m business, Aunt
Ann Agenc. Aunt Ann nds girls
from rural and urban areas,
including homes in Nairobi,
and trains them to run things
and give help in the home,
focusing mostl on taking
care of children and cleaning
the home. I opened shop in
Februar 2013.
Each girl goes through a vetting
process before she is admitted to the
training programme I learnt that
vetting is important the hard wa after
two securit incidents with girls I had
placed in two homes. After a successful
vetting process and before training
begins, each girl pas a commitment
fee. The training is a week-long half-
da course that focuses on housework
and childcare. Using a curriculum that
I developed and that I keep revising
and updating along the wa, I train
the girls on personal and household
hgiene and how to clean the house,
wash clothes and utensils, and how to
take care of children as well as rst aid
skills. I also guide the girls in discovering
their life purpose b asking them what
the want for themselves. After Aunt
Anns training, I place the girls in homes
according to a clients preference. After
placement, the girl is put on one-month
probation before I can conrm her.
As with an other venture, mine
is not without challenges, and m
major challenge has been handling
the girls I train as well as nancing
the programme. The girls come with
misguided notions about the women
whose homes the will be assisting
in running. Also, before I got a stead
stream of girls to train, I faced nancial
diculties. owever, I recoup m mone
b charging a fee to place a trained
house help in a clients home. To add to
that, the good thing about this business
is that the running costs are minimal
apart from a personal secretar to assist
me with the m da-to-da running of
the business, m onl other emploee is
m husband, who comes in monthl to
assist with the bookkeeping.
I believe the future of m business is
bright and to help me take it to greater
heights, I am currentl pursuing an
online diploma in human resources.
This, coupled with m undergraduate
qualication in business management,
are crucial for managing m business
and its people better.
Above all, I am happ that I am
making a living from m passion. M
passion has alwas been about helping
people nd their purpose. And through
Aunt Ann Agenc, I have helped over
50 house helps nd theirs through the
work the are doing in homes across
Kena.
WOMANOFPASSION
WIT FLORENCE BETT
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
Persistence pas o
After tring her hand in
business and failing two
times, Grace Wanjiru Muchiri,
27, found her sweet spot
in the business of training
house helps.
This one
year of failed
businesses
taught me how to
run a successful
gig
HOW SHE DID IT:
You dont need onl mone to start a business ou need an idea.
Do the market research about our idea before ou embark on
starting the business.
Nurture our passion. That is where ou will nd our business idea.
Persist. Even if ou dont make mone from our passion right awa,
mone will soon follow if ou keep at it.
POTO I CARLES KAMAU
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 9
Women and their debt
WIT JACKSON BIKO
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
W
omen prefer men
who have something
tender about them
especiall the legal kind.
- Ka Ingram, American
publisher
Mone isnt the root
of all evil, women who
owe ou mone are.
Lending mone
to fellow men is
as complicated
enough as it is;
now throw in
lending mone to
a woman friend
or lover and
things go tits up
prett fast.
I submit that as ou grow older ou
slowl learn that when ou give a woman
mone its not eactl lending, because
lending means that it will actuall be
given back. To be fair, mabe I should
disclaim here that not all ladies fall into
this categor; some are prett good at the
whole borrowing-paing arrangement,
but a good number just want to sit on our
penn.
Of course its alwas something urgent
school fees that has to be paid or she
will be locked out of eams; rent that is
due and her salar is delaed; a cheque
that is clearing in a few das (havent we
all heard that one?), a sick relative, a car
involved in an accident, an ATM card that
got swallowed... Sometimes its something
cosmetic she has just seen this nice
outt that she reall has to have before its
bought, could ou throw her Sh6, 000 that
she will pa the net da when she goes to
do her banking because she doesnt believe
in carring her ATM cards around?
And because she is our ver good
friend, and she is in a jam and she sounds
desperate and at the ver end of her tether,
and because she has never reall borrowed
mone from ou so ou arent aware of her
tattered credit histor and ou are all about
trusting folk to honour their promises,
ou sa sawa and Mpesa her the mone.
Something Jesus would approve. But here
is what will happen net: nothing. Zilch. She
will never talk about it again at least not
with ou. Its almost like she woke up from
a coma and ever debt that she incurred
before that coma is forgotten forever. If
this is a woman ou were seducing and
ou gave her the mone because ou were
inspired b her long legs, then thats not
even a loan ou fronted her, thats a gift.
Forget about it. Think of it like our good
deed for the month.
Elephant in the room
Part of our problem is that we just
cant face women who owe us and
ask for our mone. We pussfoot
around the debt, as the women
act ignorant of the elephant in
the room. Its almost like we are
embarrassed to ask for our mone
back. As if asking for our mone is akin
to be being pett, or cheap, trivial or
even uncool. So we sit tight and continue
waiting for Godot.
Some will drop hints hoping that the
debtor will pick up on them and act. So
ou will mention dramaticall how ou
rammed into some gus car taking out
his whole bumper, and now ou have to
his car and ours and look at the
time of the month, wh does miser love
compan? She will sigh smpatheticall
on the phone and sa something helpful
like, I know, thats just messed up, please
let me know how it goes, sawa? And then
ou are on our own. Just ou and our
ctitious bumper.
The ver bold souls who subscribe to
the tenets of the Roman mtholog of
valour will sa sod it and ask for their
mone back. Of course, the women
might not take it kindl. The will be
aggravated, aronted even: how dare
ou ask for our Sh11, 000 back? Kwani
how much is Sh11, 000? ow cheap can
ou get? I cant deal with ou hounding
me for onl Sh11, 000 (hounding? e
asked once!) Then she will pa grudgingl
and sulk for a month.
Ladies, just pa up, will ou? Dont wait
to be asked. Dont wait for it to become
uncomfortable. Dont wait for it become
embarrassing. And if ou know ou arent
planning on paing up, wh dont ou just
not sa ou wont pa up in the beginning?
Just sa ou are in the trenches and ou
need a hand because our nances are a
mess. Who hasnt been there? Its easier to
deal with that level of honest than phon
posturing.
Women ma borrow
mone, but the men
who lend it to them
should know the
are giving a gift
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 10 saturday magazine
I
am a 24-ear-old woman and
I am in love with a 30-ear-old
man whom I met just recentl
at a certain rm. It was love at rst
sight, though I never told him about
it immediatel, but instead told him
when I was leaving the compan. e
took it positivel and told me that
he is married and has no children,
but that his wife is abroad. owever,
because I promised mself never to
date a married gu I told him I would
do m best to get rid of the feelings
I had for him. We talk and meet in
public but I dont think he feels the
same about me so I have been tring
to avoid him but he still checks on me.
I respond to him because Im tring to
act mature. Im in love with this gu
and I dont know what to do. I also
dont know what his intentions are.
Sometimes I think he just wants to
sleep with me and dump me so Im
tring m best to avoid him. Please
help me. What should I do? Should I
keep him around? And could it reall
be true that he is married? Please
advise me because I feel confused.
READERS ADVICE
Wake up from our dream. Yours is
a straightforward case. It is oka to
fall in love with a man, but once ou
realise that he is married our onl
option is to move on and look for
another man to love. A married man
is never ours, unless ou desire to be
a second wife. Otherwise if ou keep
relating with him ou will be breaking
his famil, so keep o! Denis Namu
It was good that ou epressed our
feelings and that ou are tring to do
things the right wa i.e. ou waited
until ou left the compan before
telling him how ou felt and ou meet
him in public. You dont want to break
our vow never to date a married
man, but at the same time ou are
not even sure about his feelings for
ou. But think about this: is wife is
abroad and perhaps he is lonel and
needs someone to ll the gap she
left. You ma decide to keep him and
mess around with him, but when his
wife comes back, he wont leave her
for ou. So unless ou want to be his
clandestine lover, cut links with him.
Kithinji Naga
You need to have a serious talk with
the gu to nd out about his feelings
towards ou. t is up to ou to make a
decision based on this information.
The law allows for polgam so if ou
are oka with being a second wife,
go ahead, but this must be agreed
among the three of ou this man
and his wife and ou. Calvin Queens
It is obvious that he is not interested
in ou, so stop da dreaming and get
back to realit. You still dont believe
this man is married because ou have
feelings for him. You are not being
sincere with ourself. Get to know
what ou want from life and go for
it. This man will never make ou his
second wife; the best ou can be is his
mistress. There are good single men
out there, so just give them a chance.
You are still oung and there should
be no rush to get into a relationship.
Shinanda Wilbroda
Whether married or not, it is clear that
the man was never interested in ou,
but ou want to force ourself onto
him. Stop chasing this man and get on
with our life. Andrew Kiriago
The man was honest with ou and
told ou he is married, and since ou
promised ourself never to date a
married man, stick to our vows. I am
sure ou would not be amused if ou
were married and some other woman
started dating our husband. Annet
Amukaga
B telling ou that he has a wife, he
was basicall saing that he is not
interested in ou. e just sees ou as
a friend. Set our sights on somebod
else and move on. It ma be hard to
do that, but ou can do it. All the best!
Maurice M
If he has alread made it clear to
ou that he is married, what else do
ou want to hear? You will make a
sill mistake b going against our
principle not to date a married man
and regret for the rest of our life. I
hope ou will settle where ou have
moved to and nd true love. Dont onl
show our maturit b responding to
him, but also b living according to
our principles. Makuba Francis
Send our questions and feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
I am confused about dating this married man
EPERT ADVICE
Maurice Matheka, a relationship
counsellor answers:
You claim to be in love with a
man ou recentl met. owever,
the realit is that ou are onl
attracted to his manl traits and
in love with the kind of man ou
think he is or could be. Lets not
forget that he is married which
means ou should keep o unless
ou wish to start an aair that will
most likel give ou heartache
instead of bliss. If ou continue
to communicate with that man it
will develop into a relationship,
which for him will be more seual
than anthing else. e was honest
enough with ou and told ou
that he is married, but as loal as
he ma be to his wife, if ou keep
contact with him, lust will prevail
and ou will receive the short
end of the stick. Cut ties with him
before one thing leads to another
and ou get hurt .
NET WEEKS
DILEMMA
M husband and I
have been married for
two ears. Over the
past few months he
has been pushing me
to open a joint account
with him, but I keep
refusing. I do not think it
is a good idea because
he is wasteful and
etravagant. I earn more
than him and I feel that
if we pool our mone,
he will waste it on things
that are not important
and leave us broke. e
likes hanging out with
the bos all the time
and I dont want to see
m hard-earned mone
going to waste ever
weekend or even being
used to entertain other
women. I also believe
that if I manage m
mone b mself, I will
be able to invest so that
we can get a nancial
cushion for the future.
The problem is that
ever time I tell him that
I would rather not open
a joint account, he gets
upset and angr and
this is putting a strain on
our relationship. Do we
reall have to operate a
joint account? ow can
I convince him that we
dont need one? I need
to protect mself. Please
advise me.
Will me and m married lover last?
F
rom the look of things, ou are in
a relationship of convenience. You
met our bofriend immediatel
after our divorce, which shows that ou
had not even healed from the loss of
our marriage. What this means is that
ou are in a rebound relationship. You
entered it to ll an emotional void and
this prevented ou from eperiencing the
natural pain that one eperiences after
the loss of a marriage. This time of pain is
ver crucial because this is where healing
starts. Therefore there is urgent need for
ou to reect and assess what eactl
ou want in a relationship. You state that
our bofriend is waiting for his wife
to sign the divorce papers. Remember,
relationships born out of aairs often
have low chances of survival. In the
meantime, ou are putting our life on
hold for a married man. I am wondering
what will happen if his wife decides not to
sign the papers after all ou will be hurt
more. You therefore need to make a rm
decision and get awa from this man. Take
some time to get reall clear with ourself
about who ou are and what ou want.
This time will help ou restructure our
self-esteem and make ou a better person
read to date again. This, of course,
will need ou to take our time lest ou
fall into a rebound relationship again.
Eventuall, ou will fall in love again with
someone who is willing to make ou his
rst spouse. You ma also consider visiting
a counsellor. I wish ou success.
Q
I was married to m e-husband for ve
ears, and we divorced after a lot of conict. I
was hurting and conded in one of m famil
friends. e reall understood where I was coming
from. Then we became close, and although he is
married, he asked me to marr him. I reall love this
man; he has promised to settle down with me and
m two children but the problem is that his wife has
refused to give him a divorce. Im worried because
this is taking too long and I want settle down. I feel
that I cant leave him but I am worried his wife might
never leave him either. Is there an hope?
PROFESSIONAL ADVICE FOR YOUR LIFE PROBLEMS
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
This week we
advise a oung
woman who is in
love with a married
man
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 11
FASHION&STYLE
EXPERT
TIPS
Whether ou want to jazz up our look or cover up during a bad hair da head wraps are a must-
have item in our closet. ead wraps are not snonmous with drab, so ou need to be creative
and plaful as ou wrap our head around one. There are man ideas for ou to tr and modif all
over the Internet, but here are a few to start ou o.
Choosing
the perfect
cocktail dress
Street chic
HANDY FACTS
POINTERS
A
classic cocktail dress allows ou to be
comfortable while bringing out our stle
and personalit. owever, nding this closet
essential can be a daunting task. To get
a timeless piece that suits ou just ne, ou should
choose one that highlights our best features. ere
are ve basic pointers to help ou:
Length: Length is ver important and it all
depends on our height. Petite women can
easil get awa with shorter lengths which give
an illusion of height. Taller women have more
eibilit when it comes to the length of their
dresses, but for a balanced look, the should not
wear dresses that are too short.
LBD: Ever woman should own a little black dress
preferabl in an A-line cut because it emphasises
the feminine gure. This cut is versatile and also
more attering for most bod shapes because
it downplas the stomach and hip area which
is usuall a problem area for man women. Pla
around with the are depending on our bod
shape.
A great cocktail dress should not be restricted to
evening parties onl. Pick one that ou can dress
up or down. Downpla a cocktail dress with casual
jackets and cardigans. Use dierent accessories to
achieve the desired
look for both dress
and casual looks.
Alwas
pick a cocktail
dress that
emphasises and
enhances our
best features.
Man women
spend a lot of
time looking
for clothes that
hide their aws
instead of looking
for those that
showcase their
best features. It is
ver important to
know our bod
shape and dress
accordingl.
Do not let
the dress wear
ou, wear it!
Do not bu a
dress because
it is trend; instead
opt for what works
for ou. Your skin
tone plas a huge
part in the colour of
dress ou choose.
Solid colours are a
safer bet but this
doesn`t mean ou
compromise on stle.
You should alwas
aspire to bring out
and epress our
personal stle.
UNDER WRAPS
Canvas shoes are perfect
for a casual look. The
are versatile and
shouldn`t be
restricted to pants
onl.
The are perfect
wa to dress down
dresses and skirts.
Pla safe with
plain colours with
minimal detailing if
ou don`t want to go
grudge.
Opt for colour for contrast.
1.Black canvas shoes with
print, 2.Black canvas high
tops, 3. Yellow canvas with
stud detail, detail, Sh1, 500,
each from Eli Street Stle.
1 2
1
2
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 12 saturday magazine
FASHION&STYLE WIT LYDIA OMOLO
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
STOCKISTS
Jade Collection, Tom
Mboa st opp. Fire
station, Nairobi, tel:
(020) 235 0296/ (020)
2337 7845 / 0724 524
718
Eli Street Stle,
Nairobi, tel: 0716 598
430
Mr Price, The
Junction, Nairobi, tel:
(020) 386 1894.
Vitambaa, Nairobi,
tel: 0738 269 931
Pictures b: Duncan
Willets
Shoot Assistant: Moses
Kamaka
Make-up b: Glads
Githegi
air b: Richie for the
Strand Group Africa.
www.strandgroupafric
a.com
Model: Ruth Mumbi
Profession: video editor
obbies: Travelling,
reading and watching
movies
Whether ou want to jazz up our look or cover up during a bad hair da head wraps are a must-
have item in our closet. ead wraps are not snonmous with drab, so ou need to be creative
and plaful as ou wrap our head around one. There are man ideas for ou to tr and modif all
over the Internet, but here are a few to start ou o.
1
Floral print cotton scarf used as
headwrap, Sh750, denim shirt
,Sh2, 300, both from Mr Price.
oop earrings, Sh500 each, Jade
Collection.
2
Petrol blue, ellow and sk blue
turban, Sh400 each, Vitambaa.
Silver satin top, Sh2, 500, Clothing
Garage. Blue chunk stud
earrings, Sh350, Mr Price.
3
Burnt orange pashmina used as
headwrap, Sh600, Vitambaa. Gold
chunk stud, Sh750, plaid shirt,
Sh1, 600, aqua oral neckpiece,
Sh1, 400, all from Mr Price.
4
Multi colour scarf, Sh600,
Vitambaa. Green top, Sh700, Mr
Price.

5
Purple turban, Sh400, Vitambaa.
Print head scarf, Sh250, gold stud,
Sh750, gold plate neckpiece, Sh1,
200, green top, Sh700, all from Mr
Price.
UNDER WRAPS
3
4
5
3
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 13
FASHION&STYLE
EXPERT
TIPS
Whether ou want to jazz up our look or cover up during a bad hair da head wraps are a must-
have item in our closet. ead wraps are not snonmous with drab, so ou need to be creative
and plaful as ou wrap our head around one. There are man ideas for ou to tr and modif all
over the Internet, but here are a few to start ou o.
Choosing
the perfect
cocktail dress
Street chic
HANDY FACTS
POINTERS
A
classic cocktail dress allows ou to be
comfortable while bringing out our stle
and personalit. owever, nding this closet
essential can be a daunting task. To get
a timeless piece that suits ou just ne, ou should
choose one that highlights our best features. ere
are ve basic pointers to help ou:
Length: Length is ver important and it all
depends on our height. Petite women can
easil get awa with shorter lengths which give
an illusion of height. Taller women have more
eibilit when it comes to the length of their
dresses, but for a balanced look, the should not
wear dresses that are too short.
LBD: Ever woman should own a little black dress
preferabl in an A-line cut because it emphasises
the feminine gure. This cut is versatile and also
more attering for most bod shapes because
it downplas the stomach and hip area which
is usuall a problem area for man women. Pla
around with the are depending on our bod
shape.
A great cocktail dress should not be restricted to
evening parties onl. Pick one that ou can dress
up or down. Downpla a cocktail dress with casual
jackets and cardigans. Use dierent accessories to
achieve the desired
look for both dress
and casual looks.
Alwas
pick a cocktail
dress that
emphasises and
enhances our
best features.
Man women
spend a lot of
time looking
for clothes that
hide their aws
instead of looking
for those that
showcase their
best features. It is
ver important to
know our bod
shape and dress
accordingl.
Do not let
the dress wear
ou, wear it!
Do not bu a
dress because
it is trend; instead
opt for what works
for ou. Your skin
tone plas a huge
part in the colour of
dress ou choose.
Solid colours are a
safer bet but this
doesn`t mean ou
compromise on stle.
You should alwas
aspire to bring out
and epress our
personal stle.
UNDER WRAPS
Canvas shoes are perfect
for a casual look. The
are versatile and
shouldn`t be
restricted to pants
onl.
The are perfect
wa to dress down
dresses and skirts.
Pla safe with
plain colours with
minimal detailing if
ou don`t want to go
grudge.
Opt for colour for contrast.
1.Black canvas shoes with
print, 2.Black canvas high
tops, 3. Yellow canvas with
stud detail, detail, Sh1, 500,
each from Eli Street Stle.
1 2
1
2
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 12 saturday magazine
FASHION&STYLE WIT LYDIA OMOLO
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
STOCKISTS
Jade Collection, Tom
Mboa st opp. Fire
station, Nairobi, tel:
(020) 235 0296/ (020)
2337 7845 / 0724 524
718
Eli Street Stle,
Nairobi, tel: 0716 598
430
Mr Price, The
Junction, Nairobi, tel:
(020) 386 1894.
Vitambaa, Nairobi,
tel: 0738 269 931
Pictures b: Duncan
Willets
Shoot Assistant: Moses
Kamaka
Make-up b: Glads
Githegi
air b: Richie for the
Strand Group Africa.
www.strandgroupafric
a.com
Model: Ruth Mumbi
Profession: video editor
obbies: Travelling,
reading and watching
movies
Whether ou want to jazz up our look or cover up during a bad hair da head wraps are a must-
have item in our closet. ead wraps are not snonmous with drab, so ou need to be creative
and plaful as ou wrap our head around one. There are man ideas for ou to tr and modif all
over the Internet, but here are a few to start ou o.
1
Floral print cotton scarf used as
headwrap, Sh750, denim shirt
,Sh2, 300, both from Mr Price.
oop earrings, Sh500 each, Jade
Collection.
2
Petrol blue, ellow and sk blue
turban, Sh400 each, Vitambaa.
Silver satin top, Sh2, 500, Clothing
Garage. Blue chunk stud
earrings, Sh350, Mr Price.
3
Burnt orange pashmina used as
headwrap, Sh600, Vitambaa. Gold
chunk stud, Sh750, plaid shirt,
Sh1, 600, aqua oral neckpiece,
Sh1, 400, all from Mr Price.
4
Multi colour scarf, Sh600,
Vitambaa. Green top, Sh700, Mr
Price.

5
Purple turban, Sh400, Vitambaa.
Print head scarf, Sh250, gold stud,
Sh750, gold plate neckpiece, Sh1,
200, green top, Sh700, all from Mr
Price.
UNDER WRAPS
3
4
5
3
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 13
W
omen have come a long wa
in regard to social gender
equit. A woman is now
almost equal to her male
counterpart at the work place but in
the to world, gender segregation is still
deepl ingrained. To test the stereotpes, I
walked into a bab shop in Nairobi posing
as a mother shopping for a to for a si-
month-old bo. As soon as I picked out a
pink one, the helpful attendant was quick
to ask me if I wanted the same in blue.
Dolls and pink tea sets are marketed
at girls, while cars and action gures are
marketed at bos. Sometimes, even the
least gender chauvinist parent will raise an
eebrow at a little bo plaing with a doll.
Liz Tielo, a mother of a four-ear-old
bo, argues that gender segregation is
natural. In fact, she shares that when her
son was ounger, she was so upset that
someone in church mistook him for a girl
that she began dressing him in bagg dark
blue trousers, a cap and boots.
Does tpe of to matter?
Gender specication isnt something that
occurs naturall in children. Its something
that a child picks up from parents and
siblings. Once a child knows that he or she
is being judged, the refrain from making
the choices that the would like to and
instead make the ones that will not attract
unpleasant social consequences.
For parents, squirming when our little
bo shows interest in a cooker set is a
subconscious reaction stemming from the
aniet that others will perceive him as
abnormal.
Child pschologist Julius Gitari sas
that pla is crucial in how children
develop, thus the tpe of tos a child
plas with is important. Each tpe of to
serves a particular purpose in a childs
development. Guns and trucks, which
are associated with bos, he sas, often
involve aggressive pla. A child plaing
with them learns competitiveness. In
addition to beaut, tos associated with
girls involve role pla and a child plaing
with them learns imaginative pla as well
as nurturing.
The problem with restricting our child
to gender specic pla, he sas, is that it
keeps a child from eperiencing a wide
range of eperiences. The purpose of
tos should be to open a childs mind. A
bo who is eposed to onl construction
based tos will be brilliant at problem
solving but because he missed on role
pla, he will most likel be lacking in
social and interpersonal skills, he
eplains.
No seual damage
Consolata Nambua, a mother of
two bos and one girl born in mied
order sas she prefers that her children
pla with gender specic tos. Seeing as
the girl is in the middle, its been hard for
her to pass on tos and each child has
had to get a fresh batch of tos. It isnt
something that she is comfortable saing
out aloud but she worries an alternate
arrangement might warp a childs
seualit.
Grace Karani, a counseling
pschologist with eperience working
with children and teenagers, observes
that children, especiall those below
the age of three, do not understand
the permanence of se. A child
ma think that if a bo plaits his
hair and wears a dress, he becomes
a girl. She agrees that socialisation
during pla is one wa that children
learn gender roles. Letting a child
eplore during pla however, she
sas, will not warp their seualit.
On the contrar, providing an arra
of eperiences lets children know
that these gender roles are not
rigid that men can be nurturing
and women can be assertive
and adventurous.
Similarl, just as stopping
a child from plaing with his
to of interest will have ill eects,
ou shouldnt impose on a child
tos that have been marketed to
the opposite se. What is crucial
is that a child is given choice.
Avoid labeling tos as bo
or girl tos; let the children
decide for themselves what
interests them. Your role as a
parent is to provide support for the
choices that he or she makes.
Children are dierent. What a
child likes toda he ma not like
tomorrow. Just let him be, she
sas. This kind of environment
lessens the social impact;
children will not be bullied b
their peers for liking what the
like. Let a child decide what is
fun for her to pla with while
epanding her horizons
and enabling her
creativit.
Let tos be tos
Theres nothing wrong
with letting our son
pla with dolls or our
daughter with cars,
argues Joan Thatiah
Monda, 10:55am: We ventured out into
the neighbouring estate and walked up to
the brightl coloured school gate and rang
the bell. The school is more like a home, and
thankfull, the under four-ear-olds sta
downstairs. The class had less than 10 children
and their teacher was seated in the middle of
them all. The all shouted i! to us when we
walked in. Alright then, I guess this and the
proimit of the school to home sort of calms
m nerves but she has to be there at 8am?
Tuesda, 7:43pm: New Nann (es, new) is
a gem! I have never seen anone sort out a
house, compound and kitchen so well, even
folding all of the das laundr and putting
each pile in its respective room or shelf before
end of da. I had gotten so used to piles an d
piles of freshl done laundr in the corners of
the other room I have a good feeling about
this one.
Wednesda, 8:06am: Siji was asleep when I
got home last night so I did not see the state
of her teeth till just now. I know the are
milk teeth and the are not intended to last a
lifetime but surel! The had lots of brown and
stick stu caught in between them and her
breath! No! Nann had not had the child brush
her teeth all da esterda and she had been
giving in to Sijis demands for a lollipop or
chewing gum ever da that week.
Thursda, 12:13pm: Siji wants a scooter. No,
she does not want a triccle, thats for babies,
and she is not one in her ees. I asked her to
tell her dad and ever since, not a da goes b
that she does not tell me to come home with
a scooter when I call home in the afternoons. I
think her dad should call home more often
Frida, 10:32pm: We have moved on up from
the matuta stage of hair design to the more
intricate, patience-demanding pusscat stle.
She described what she wanted done after I
had washed and conditioned her hair and we
got everthing together and sat down to start.
Then she started moving! You can imagine
how hard it is to plait a cornrow when the
head ou are working on keeps turning this
wa and that. I eventuall nished when she
had fallen asleep and made good of the near-
hair disaster b topping the two ends with
loads of beads. Beautiful! Now we are reall
read for school.
DIARY OF A WORKING MOTHER
Siji wants a scooter!
WIT MARIA MWONGELI
Siji is
three years
and 17 days
old today
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 14 saturday magazine
N
ine months into marriage,
Luc missed her periods. It
was an eciting time for all
of us. During her wedding
an old lad from her husbands village
proclaimed that a woman who has gone
through universit without getting
pregnant had a problem and would
never conceive. She has swallowed all
the pills and done all the abortions,she
said sarcasticall. er womb is rotten.
So man girls get pregnant and
fall out of school so often that this
abnormalit has become the norm in
some communities. Others conceive
while in college, and leave with a
certicate and a bab. Luc on the other
hand, made the decision to follow a
dierent route. She wanted to nish
college, get a job, get married and then
have a bab.
She nished her course at the
universit and started the dicult job
search. She got a job two ears later after
a series of attachments and volunteer
duties in a number of organisations.
Then she agreed to discuss wedding
plans with Erick, her bofriend of over
seven ears. She felt luck that Erick was
such an understanding man and let her
go through her process. B the time the
wedding came she was 29.
Getting anious
I hope ou trust me and
know that I am not
part of the agenda
of those relatives
of mine peddling
mths against
ou,Erick, would
reassure her. But as it happens, when ou
are described b people in a certain wa
over time, it sticks in the heart and in the
mind and ou begin to believe them. You
actuall begin to question ourself and
it falsel occurs to ou that the majorit
cannot be wrong.
When I failed to conceive in the rst,
second, third and even fourth month, I
got anious and I began to believe that
there was a problem with me,Luc told
me. If anthing, over three quarters of
m cohorts had children.
It is in the fourth month that Luc
therefore decided to seek medical help.
A medical eamination that I conducted
showed she had no problems; she was
health, I and advised her to have se
two to three times a week and wait
eight more months for conception.
Conventionall, the denition of
infertilit is failure to conceive in 12
months despite having unprotected se
two to three times a week.
Two months after reviewing Luc, I
got a call from a doctor colleague. Luc
was in his oce seeking treatment for
infertilit. She is anious and is asking
for fertilit pills,said the doctor. She sas
she will visit a herbalist if we dont help
her.
We made a decision to refer Luc to a
counselor. The dela in conceiving was
reall getting to her. She spent
most of her seventh month
in marriage undergoing
counseling. M once
joll wife is no longer
happ,reported
Erick in
one of the phone calls. She is missing
meals and her weight has gone down.
She breaks down and cries easil.
Luc went through the eighth month
without seeing a herbalist, but I began
to wonder whether she had a point: Was
one ear actuall not too long to wait for
a pregnanc? I wondered whether we
needed to break the rules of medicine
and just diagnose her with infertilit.
I was crossing m ngers b the da,
hoping that the pregnanc would come.
I was becoming part of Lucs aniet
and feeling pressured to do something.
I will not break the rules, I will stick
to the guidelines, es, it will be ne,I
found mself mumbling as I walked to
the oce one morning, not sure that
I believed m own words. It was the
beginning of Lucs ninth month in
marriage and the pressure was building
from all over the place. I started to
imagine that the 12 months would soon
be over and Luc would remind me that
she had known better all along.
And so it was a great relief to me and
to everbod when the pregnanc test
turned positive that Monda morning.
So ou have proved that science is right
and we should follow it,Luc reminded
me. It happened within the 12-month
window!
Even if ou are bus we must just
have lunch together toda,added Erick.
We can carr it to our oce if that is
what works for ou.
As we enjoed the three-course lunch
together, I remember the words of m
professor in medical school: as much as
one act of se can lead to pregnanc,
man acts of se can also fail to cause
pregnanc for a whole ear. Pregnanc
happens when it happens and when it is
least epected and unplanned.
In fact, said the professor,
man of us came as
accidents when
our mothers least
epected it.
Dont judge ourself
infertile before giving
nature time to work.
B Dr Joachim Osur
Rela, bab will come
A health
approach to
comfort food
HEALTH&NUTRITION
Nutritionist
Nduta
Wambura
oers a
dierent wa
of looking at
those salt,
sugar,
fatt
snacks
ou
like.
www.nutritionbsona.com
Pregnancy
happens when
it happens and
when it is least
expected. C
omfort food is, well comforting. Whether
ouve had a hard da at work, trouble in
our relationship or just need a lift, it is often
almost instinctive to reach for a packet of
crisps or a bowl of ice cream to take the pain awa.
After indulging comes the guilt associated with
eating it because comfort food is almost alwas high
in calories, salt, sugar and fat. But what if ou could
evade the guilt and still enjo our comfort food?
The truth is, there is no bad comfort food; if it gives
ou comfort it must be good, es? But just because
ice cream makes ou feel good doesnt mean that ou
should eat a litre in one sitting. If ou want to enjo
our comfort food in our down moments without
feeling like ou are committing a crime, here are some
things to do.
When portioning our comfort food, divide our
plate into two; one half will constitute the comfort
item, and the other half, a health alternative. Lets
sa ou have a sweet tooth and like our ice cream;
have one scoop of ice cream and dedicate the other
half to some fruit that goes well with it, such as peach
slices or warm apple chunks sprinkled with cinnamon.
This wa, ou will enjo a healthier alternative to our
comfort food.
If ou love deep-fried, fatt foods, complement
them with some vegetables or a salad, which will help
in digestion. Ask for etra salad to go with our French
fries or fried chicken, or ask our butcher to provide
some salad to go with our mutura. But remember,
this does not give ou license to eat fries ever da
just because oure eating a salad on the side. Restrict
ourself to indulge, at most, twice a week, to ease our
digestion and avoid fat being stored in our bod.
If ou have a craving for pizza or samosas, look for
veggie options to corner our pschological needs.
If our tooth is salt and ou prefer snack items
such as crisps and popcorn, avoid adding salt directl
to them as this will increase our risk of hpertension.
Popcorn is a healthier snack than crisps, but ou
should alwas restrict ourself to 50 gms at the most.
Crisps and popcorn are ver high in calories, and a
large portion ma provide all the energ ou need for
the da without the nutrients ou will need from
other food groups.
If our comfort food of choice is cake or chocolate,
rather than eat a slice or bar ever da, limit ourself to
once a week usuall a sin da such as Sunda.
Whatever ou are craving, remember this rule:
Restrict or complement and all should be oka.
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 15
regenerating ingredients. The help prevent
the loss of the skins natural moisture. Co
Enzme Q10 - Used in anti-ageing creams to
reinforce collagen and elastin production.
Protects skin and lessens the appearance of
wrinkles. Emulsifing wa Used to bind
oil and water together and keep them from
separating. Used in hair products, creams
and lotions. The are listed under an of
the following names: Stearl Alcohol, Cetl
Alcohol, Cetearl Alcohol, Stearl Alcohol,
Ceteareth-20, and Polsorbate 60. Glcerine
A safe and non-toic ingredient used to
keep products from dring out. It softens skin
and prevents moisture loss. aluronic acid is
used in some of the best moisturisers to keep
the skins natural moisture at a peak level.
It is absorbent and non-greas. Lanolin A
widel used ingredient derived from the oil
glands of sheep, used in man hair and skin
care products. It is one of the main triggers
of skin irritations and ma cause allergic
reactions and skin rashes. Petrolatum Used
as a base for most hair foods, it is greas and
coats the skin with a lm. It is a b-product of
petroleum. Provitamin B5 (Panthenol) Used
in the formulation of more epensive hair
and skin products as a deepl moisturising
agent. Preservatives Used to inhibit the
growth of bacteria and other microorganisms
in products. Listed as formaldehde,
triclosan, triethanolamine, methl and
propl paraben. Shea Butter Obtained
from the Shea tree of West Africa, it is used
to prepare moisturisers. It has soothing and
healing properties. Stearic Acid Emulsifing
and thickening agent. It is the base of
most vanishing creams. Sodium Laureth
sulphtate A strong detergent that is the
basis of all shampoos, washes, toothpastes,
and personal cleansing products. Titanium
Dioide - A natural material, used in sun
blocks. It is a non-chemical, common agent
works b phsicall blocking the sun. It gives
the skin a characteristic whitish appearance
upon application. Water Usuall listed as
Aqua or De-ionized water. Used as a base for
water based formulations.
Know our labels
SKIN SELECTION
If ou have sensitive skin,
select products with the
fewest ingredients. Do not
select products with perfume,
as this tends to aggravate
sensitive skin.
Which are the most basic of
ingredients to look out for
when selecting face cream?
Angela, Nairobi.
For cream to work properl,
it should contain at least
glcerin to moisturise, stearic
acid to act as a base, and
preservatives.
The author is a cosmetolog lecturer
and skincare consultant.
NATURALHAIRCORNER
All our natural hair questions answered.
POTOS: ANTONYNJOROGE. Product images courtes of Supercosmetics Westlands branch, WoodvaleGrove.
Q
: ow do I remove lint
from m locks? It seems
deepl embedded in the
actual lock, and I am tempted
to colour m dreadlocks to
disguise them.
A: Lint build-up in locks can be
a real nuisance. Colouring is
denitel an option but it comes
with its own complications as
well. The rst recommended
step to remove lint is usuall to
wash vigorousl in a solution
of water and bicarbonate of
soda. Follow with a rinse of
apple cider vinegar mied with
water (four parts water to one
part vinegar.) owever, some
sa that this is not a strong
enough solution when the lint
has accumulated over time. Lint
gets onto clothes, onto shoes,
onto furniture and onto our hair.
The problem is when our locks
alread have product build-up
as this attracts and binds to the
lint. One line of defense is to use
ver minimal products on our
locks. The crochet method of
retightening has this advantage
over palm rolling, because the
use of strong gels and waes
are not necessar. You might tr
changing our products to see if
there is an improvement. Avoid
cream conditioners, butters
and treatments. To remove the
actual lint several people swear
b using vodka in combination
with a good clarifing shampoo.
Mi the two and gentl scrub
our locks to remove residue and
lint. Follow with a conditioning
spra to avoid dring. Another
potent solution is bentonite cla.
It draws out dirt and build-up like
a magnet. Finall ou could use
tweezers or a straightened paper
clip to pick out the lint lock b
lock. To save ourself the hassle
of lint in the rst place, alwas
sleep with a satin bonnet or
scarf, and cover our locks when
cleaning, lounging at home or in
a dust area.
TRICIA WANJALA
Removing lint from dreadlocks
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
NET WEEK: LATEST BRIDAL
AIRSTYLES SOWCASE.
A
s we become more aware of our
bodies, it helps to understand
the most common products we
use on a dail basis and how the
ingredients aect our hair and
skin. The most important information to look
out for is the following, as stipulated b the
Kena Bureau of Standards. If our products
do not have the following information, the
are contradicting the law.
Name and address of the manufacturer or
distributor.
Net contents.
Usage and storage instructions.
Epir date.
List of ingredients in order of
concentration.
The most commonl used ingredients
and what the do in various products include
some of the following (in alphabetical order).
Aloe Vera - Used to soothe and condition
the skin. It is often used in small quantities in
lotions. Acetone A strong ingredient found
in nail polish removers. It is ver dring to the
nails and is ammable. Look out for formulas
that include oil to help counteract the dring
eect. Beeswa Used widel in hair care
products. It is an emulsier that keeps oil and
water in the formula from separation. Also
acts as a hair and skin softener. Candelilla wa
A naturall occurring wa of Meican origin.
It is used in lotions and hair products to make
the products stable. It has emollients to soften
the skin. It is a main ingredient in lip balms
and lipstick and gives them a sti consistenc.
Ceramides - Used in anti-ageing products as
Figure out what ou are
putting on our skin and
in our bod with this
guide.
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 16 saturday magazine
T
here is a lie we have been fed for
a ver long time. A lie that we
have bought into and continue
to live out. A lie that some
people die believing. A lie that prevents
people from coming up with solutions
to their problems because the think it is
out of their hands.
For eample man times people have
written to me about their debt problems.
The have cut all the epenses the
can cut but the are still stuck. Other
people wonder how to manage school
fess. Others want to start a business
but dont seem to be able to raise the
capital. Others realise that the are
coming close to retirement and dont
have enough investments. When we
nd ourselves in these situations we
want someone else to tell us what to
do. We believe someone else has a
magic formula that we dont seem to
have. We think if someone else just
paid us more mone i.e. our emploer
or our clients, we would be home free.
In school we were taught to work hard
so that we can get a job that will pa us
enough mone. The fundamental aw
with this principle is that we depend on
someone elses decision to give us that
job and consequentl be able to earn
that mone. We go through life knowing
that the amount of mone we earn is
dependent on someone elses decision.
Thats the big lie!
We have to change that thinking and
decide to be in control of how much
we earn. Thinking that the power is in
someone elses hands is a ver dangerous
place to be. In fact its a mental prison. It
keeps us in environments that we dont
want to be in. Your boss, emploer or
client will never relate with our struggle
with debt. e will never understand our
fears about retirement.
e is not in snc with our dream to
start a business. e doesnt care about
the school ou want to take our child
to. The pressure of ination on our
lifestle is the least of his concerns. Yes,
I am saing do not epect to get a salar
increase because of ination. We have
to break this chain that subtl tells us
ou will earn more when somebod
else approves it. This is wh we are
not able to come up with solutions to
pa our debt, because we cannot think
beond the monthl salar we get. So
we hope for a salar increase. This is the
eas wa out because we do not have
to think for ourselves. We are able to
blame everbod else emploer, KRA,
ination, government, etc.
If ou have challenges like these or
nancial goals ou want to achieve, m
question to ou is, What are ou going
to do about it? If ou need more income
than ou are currentl getting, what
are ou going to do about it? You have
to take responsibilit. I am et to meet
people who have created wealth b
complaining or waiting for someone else
to do something for them. What can ou
do to create more income? I can almost
hear ou saing but I have a fulltime
job? Fine, but what are ou doing with
the time ou are not at work? What are
ou doing with our weekends? What are
ou doing with the skills ou have?
In our course we run something
called the Sh20 million challenge
where groups come up with ideas to
generate this amount of mone. The
are usuall surprised at the knowledge
and dormant ideas the have that the
have never pushed themselves to think
o. Im going to let ou in on a secret:
The amount of mone ou can generate
has nothing to do with our salar but
everthing to do with our abilit to
think, be creative, be consistent and use
time wisel. One of the students in our
class gured she could use her skills to
make muns to sell at work. Another
realised she has some space in her
parents backard that she could use to
rear chicken. Another student gured he
could breed and sell dogs. The have not
left their jobs but the have started the
process of taking control of how much
mone the earn.
If ou decide that our route to more
income is through our job, then the
same principle applies. What are ou
doing at work to justif a salar increase
or a great bonus? To earn more than ou
are earning now, ou will have to do
more than ou are doing toda. Are ou
eceeding our targets? Are ou making
ourself known to the relevant people?
Are ou showing greater initiative?
Even if our current emploer does not
recognise this, b changing our own
mentalit and taking back nancial
control, ou will instill condence and
create value in ourself. You can use
this to move and negotiate in another
job. If ou believe our clients should be
paing ou more, what are ou doing to
our product or service to justif that?
As ou start working on taking back
control do not neglect the opportunities
to make small amounts of mone. You
onl made Sh5, 000 etra. That is good
because it was mone that ou made;
it was not given to ou. That process
of generating a little income will teach
ou what ou need to do to get Sh10,
000 and more. Though our current job
ma not be paing ou what ou want,
ou ma nd it gives ou the kind of
environment and eibilit ou need
to pursue other income generating
ventures. Take back control of our
earning power. Trust me when I sa
that ou alread have what it takes to
multipl our income.
Waceke runs a program on personal
nancial management. Find her at
waceke@centonom.com| twitter
@centonom
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
PERSONALFINANCE
Are ou waiting for
someone else to come
rescue ou from our
nancial problems?
Dont take comfort
in this delusion. The
power is in our hands.
B Waceke Nduati
Omanga
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
Take control of
our earning
power
If you need more
income than you
are currently
getting, what are
you going to do
about it?
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 17
A
t a glance, 40-ear-old Tom*
seems like ever girls dream
come true. e is good looking
and successful. owever his
ance, a 26-ear-old woman, can be best
described as unhinged. She was ruined
from ears of drug use and lack of a proper
career or business direction when he met
her. e took her in, cleaned her up and set
her o on a career. For four ears, he has
been there during her relapses, holding on
even when she tells him o. e is the clas-
sic white knight.
What is he about?
What is wrong with a girl getting help from
her man? Isnt propping up our partner
what health relationships are about? ou
ma ask. e seems like what she needs.
In this era when violence is being in-
creasingl perpetuated against women,
men like Tom who appear to follow the d-
ing code of chivalr will be easil mistaken
for the good gu. Unlike the good gu
however, the white knight doesnt know
when to stop.
Tom has made it his lifes mission to
rescue his girlfriend. e seems to be deriv-
ing a sense of self-worth from helping her
make the right decisions. Wh is he like
this? According to Dr. Mar Lamia, a clini-
cian and therapist, in her book The Knight
Sndrome: Rescuing Yourself From Your
Need to Rescue Others, more often than
not, the white knight has self-worth issues
and needs eternal validation. Instead of
facing his own issues, he is attracted to
need or damaged women thinking that
he can rescue them and hoping that his
victim of choice will be eternall grateful
to the man who rescues her. e hopes to
gain an ego boost from her gratitude.
All this is in his subconscious, of course,
and his conscious intentions are usuall
noble. Still, there are man was that this
sort of relationship could go wrong. First,
this desire to constantl save is a reection
of his unresolved issues. A man who can-
not meet his anieties about his failings
isnt a good choice of a partner for an
woman.
Marriage therapist Ezekiel Kobia de-
scribes this sort of relationship as one with
heav emotional dependenc. The white
knight lives o rescuing a need woman.
To get this high, he needs her to be in
need. What will happen if the woman fol-
lows his wise counsel and gets back on
her feet? What happens if she becomes
stronger, surer and more
condent in her abilit
to make her own choic-
es? The white knight will
have nothing to live for
and ma subconsciousl
tr to put her back in a vul-
nerable position so he can
continue rescuing her.
On the ip side, taken b
his zeal to her, a vulner-
able woman ma get comfort-
able in the routine. e continues being
her caregiver, defender and aid, making
himself indispensable until she begins see-
ing this as normal and epected and stops
being grateful for it. Without the gratitude,
her needs eventuall leave the white
knight feeing ehausted and he outgrows
the relationship. When she feels him slip-
ping awa, a woman ma do something
drastic or slip back into her earlier was so
that he can maintain his role of rescuing
her. Meeting a man who wants to lift her
burdens would be a relief to the average
woman at rst. But when he starts be-
coming a stead factor in her life, his con-
cern can feel smothering.
Smothering concern
White knighting might also make it hard
for a woman to recognise herself as strong
and independent. Take Martin* for in-
stance. The 33-ear-old seems like a good
bofriend, but all the women he dates, in-
cluding the one he nall married, all seem
to t in a similar pattern the are passive
and need.
Throughout their short lived marriage,
his wife was unstable, even leaving him in
the night to fend for his newborn a couple
of times, but he made ecuses each time.
e saw her as a work in progress saing
that she would settle when she grew older.
Eventuall, she got pregnant b another
man and blamed him saing that he hadnt
been there that night to keep her in line.
The sad thing is that like Martin, most
white knights are unaware that the have
the hero sndrome. e shares that some of
his female cousins repeatedl take advan-
tage of him nanciall but he reckons that
it is because he is nice.
ealth relationships require a health
dose of selshness and a relationship with
this man is evidentl unequal and frustrat-
ing. ow can a woman get rid of the white
knight? According to Dr. Lamia, this sn-
drome is pschological and the onl wa
a man can get cured of it is to look within
himself and deal with the fears that make
him feel inadequate. A woman can how-
ever get him o her back b demonstrat-
ing that she is in no distress at all. This ma
feel selsh but less so if ou look at it this
wa: tring to rescue ou so as to hide his
feelings of inadequac is selsh, even if he
doesnt know it
*Names have been changed.
RELATIONSHIPS
A man who wants to
rescue his partner from
her problems is reall a
problem in himself. B
Joan Thatiah
Wh that good gu is
actuall a bad gu
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
SIGNS THAT HE IS A
WHITE KNIGHT
Men with the destructive white
sndrome are often mistaken for
being the good gu. eres how to
tell them apart. e is a white knight
if:
e is chronicall attracted to
women who are nanciall
emotionall or phsicall need.
e is overl keen on oering
help and might be forceful and
controlling while at it.
e is staing or stas in
relationships out of guilt or worr
about his partner.
As soon as he meets a woman, he
suggests an alternative lifestle
as what he deems better for her.
It might be a red ag if a man is
overl emotional and sensitive.
e also ma be insecure or
insanel jealous.
When his woman is in a , he
takes matters into his own hands
without stopping to ask her what
she needs.
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 18 saturday magazine
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
EATING&OUTING
EATINGIN
Ingredients:
250 gms sliced chicken
breast
2 tbsp coconut cream
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp red curr paste
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp crushed peanuts
(garnish)
1 tbsp lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
10 gms coriander
leaves (garnish)
Donn Signe,
eecutive chef, Zen
Garden restaurant
ow did ou become a chef? I was a
seaman at the age of 19 and worked full
time in the kitchen where I developed m
interest in cooking and creating dishes with
the available produce. After four ears I got a
land-based job in Manila as a Japanese chef
and then moved here to Kena.
What would ou be doing if ou were not
a chef? I would denitel be a farmer.
Who is our mentor? M mentor is m
partner m wife who alwas inspires me
thanks to her strong will. She is determined
and passionate about everthing she does.
What is the strangest thing ou have
ever eaten? The farm insects cooked b m
grandmother when we were kids. The are
stir-fried in garlic and salt.
Which dignitar anwhere in the world
would ou like to cook for? I would sa
Ko Annan. I have cooked for him before
and never had a chance to take a souvenir
photo.
What do ou enjo doing in our spare
time? I do a lot of mechanic jobs in m o
das. I enjo having time to laze in m bed if
theres a chance.
What tips would ou give our readers for
their food preparation at home? Alwas
go for the best and freshest produce. A good
meal alwas depends on the qualit of raw
materials ou use.
If ou were asked to choose our nal
meal on earth, what would ou eat? The
shellsh from the island where I come from.
Simpl steamed with lemon, so and chilli on
the side... with a ver cold San Miguel Beer.
Which ve ingredients are never missing
from our kitchen? Garlic, so sauce,
lemon, vinegar and onions.
MEETTHECHEF
POTO I CARLES KAMAU
Simple chicken sata
skewers
Method:
n Mi all the ingredients and appl to the chicken.
n Marinate overnight. Grill on both sides.
n When cooked through, sprinkle with coriander
and peanuts. Serve two to three people.
N
airobis Fairview hotel has four
restaurants - the high-end
Pango brasserie for ne dining,
Mitende atrium restaurant
that mostl serves buets, Pwani pool
restaurant and a delightful outdoor
garden restaurant known as Mukutan.
The location at Upper ill is etremel
convenient; not far from the CBD or the
Kilimani area. Mukutan in particular has
a relaing ambiance ideal for lunch and
afternoon tea amid the lush garden and
its soothing fountains.
When I visited, the securit guards
and waiters were all ver friendl. A
hostess was ver quick to greet me and
help me nd seating. You can choose
from outdoor shaded tables or indoor
seating in the bright marble-oored
dining room. Mukutan has an open
plan kitchen behind the glass counter
and an adjacent baker so ou can see
the chefs preparing our food. From
what I observed it looked quite clean
back there, so the get good marks
for hgiene. The bathrooms were also
impeccable.
I watched as the assembled large
sandwiches using their freshl baked
bread. The price for one of these
would cost upwards of Sh600 from
the menu. The menu had a variet of
oerings, and it mentioned that their
speed is notable, under the heading
quick lunches. I ordered a Thai green
curr with rice. Indeed it came quickl
which was impressive.
The presentation was
good it came in two
rectangular bowls and
the light green chicken
curr was garnished with toasted
coconut shavings. The food came hot
and the portion size was medium. It was
accompanied with freshl squeezed juice
which was to order in the open plan
kitchen.
In spite of the great ambiance and
prompt service, the main meal was rather
uninspiring. The rice had no aroma and
the curr was rather bland. A reviewer
mentioned that the food here can
sometimes be inconsistent. Some das
it is no doubt amazing, while other das
there is evidentl something missing.
This was not m rst visit to Mukutan
but the previous occasions were not
particularl memorable.
Their famous gourmet sandwiches
and pizza seemed to be quite popular
among customers so perhaps I should
have ordered from this part of the menu.
Most of their clientele appears to be the
business crowd from nearb oces in the
Upper ill areas, and tourists resident at
the hotel.
On weekends there is a mi of local
residents, and the pool makes for a
famil-friendl outing. Including dessert
m bill for this quick lunch would come
to almost Sh2, 000, which is rather price
compared to some of their ve-star
competitors in Nairobi. Based on m
eperience here I would not sa this
was the best value for mone. owever,
Fairview otel still has three other
restaurants to tr perhaps these would
make for much better reviews.
In spite of the great
ambiance and prompt
service, the food itself
is rather lacklustre. B
Bon Vivant
Uninspiring and price
Mukutan
Garden Caf,
Fairview otel,
Nairobi
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 19
O
n our wa to Olare-
Motorogi Conserv-
anc which borders the
northern side of the
Maasai Mara National
Reserve, we come across a pride of
lionesses in deep slumber with their
cubs. It is a beautiful sight after a 45-
minute ight from Nairobis mad trac
to the tranquilit of space in a matter
of two hours. Ours is the onl vehicle
around and for the net quarter of
an hour were mesmerised b Africas
regal cat. The conservanc boasts the
highest densit of lions per square
kilometre in the Mara. The cubs charm
us with their antics before we move on
for a sundowner on the vast plains of
Olare-Motorogi.
The sun ares its last light and her-
alds in the night. The bar is open on
the grasslands with cocktails to beat
those in the best sleek cit lounges.
Local Maasai morans in their signature
red shukas set the mood, showing o
their prowess b jumping metres high
above the ground singing songs of
braver.
Driving through the plains at night,
a sea of ees shines through the dark-
ness. There are hundreds of zebra mov-
ing together one of the most amaz-
ing sightings Ive seen. The nocturnal
hare, nicknamed the African kangaroo,
hops around while the hippo silentl
grazes with the oung in tow. This is
the prelude to dinner at Kempinskis
new luur lodge, Olare Mara.
With the sound of the river ow-
ing past, we dine heartil. In the
moonlight, shadows of the trees line
the river and on the last morsel of
dessert, the resident monkes on the
trees chatter aloud, made nervous b
a prowler. It turns out to be a leopard
that sensibl retreats after realising
that the game is up.
Plent to do
Spoilt in luur m gigantic tented
abode boasts a private deck, bath tub
with lion paws (not real), shower and
a great big bed that could sleep more
than two. I indulge in a leisurel start
to the da, followed b an even more
leisurel breakfast b the river. And
then to add some sun to m morn-
ing after all the lounging, I stroll back
even more leisurel to the camp, stop-
ping to watch the giraes, the scat of
a hena lled with tin bones of its
pre, White-backed vultures adrift in
the blue sk and the bateleur eagle. If
oure a bird watcher, theres plent to
keep ou bus. Olare-Motorogi Con-
servanc boasts a list of 50 species of
just raptors.
Opened in 2006, the conservanc
boasts 35,000 acres to add on to the
reserve. The Maasai-owned communi-
t wildlife conservanc was at one time
overgrazed b cattle with little benet
to the wildlife on its land. Toda, it has
a management plan with zones for
livestock to graze and a movement
pattern that the grazers can follow. It is
a case of science and communit com-
ing together for mutual benet.
With time to kill before a late lunch
and the ight back to Nairobi, l treat
mself to a Thai massage. Done in the
comfort of the tent, the masseuse mas-
sages the muscles and stretches me,
to the soothing sound of water drops
in the background. Everthing evapo-
rates from m brain leaving me totall
refreshed and revitalised.
After that I stroll around, reaching
the honemooners tent that boasts
an outside shower and plunge pool
on the deck with a clear view of the
meandering river. David Ndirangu,
who is in charge of keeping the tents
in top shape is also a keen birder and
we hang around b the plunge pool
together, where we spot the purple
grenadier, ellow bishop and giant
kingsher. Back in the lounge thats
canvassed and open to show-o the
great outdoors, its lled with para-
phernalia from the earl das a selec-
tion of topis hung on the wall to shield
the sun awa and travel cases. A water
feature cools the hot air during the da
while on the upper lounge ou can
view the savanna through the power-
ful telescope.
M 24 hours at Olare Mara Kempin-
ski pass in a ash. After another grand
food aair b the swimming pool, our
drive back to the aireld is interrupted
b migrating herds of wildebeest from
the Loita hills. These are resident
wildebeest,sas Raphael Mutula, our
driver and guide.
Fling above the Mara in the late
afternoon, I spot a herd of elephants
from the air in a green swamp and
across the dramatic etchings of the
Great Rift Valle, and soon enough
were back in Nairobi. Its Africa in a
time capsule.
Send our feedback to satmag@ke.nationmedia.com
With the
tranquilit
of space,
unparalleled
views of
wildlife and
pampering
like ouve
never
eperienced
before,
Ole Mara
Kempinski is
just the place
to be. B Rupi
Mangat
EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT IGLIGTS
Ma 17
Music: A Tribute to Bob Marle
Band: Danger & Friends.
Venue: Tamambo Village Market
Time: 8.30pm
Contact: 0722 385 089, 020 7124 005
Ma 17-18
156th Championship Dog Show
Venue: East Africa Kennel Club
Show catalogues are available at the gate for
Sh200. There is a bar, aordable catering and
also booths with pet items for sale. Dogs not
entered for the contest are not allowed on the
show grounds.
Time: 9.30am
Entr: Sh100 adults, children free
Ma 13- June 1
23rd European Film Festival
Nairobi
The Festival is a meeting for lovers of
European cinema Participating countries are
: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark,
France, German, Greece, Ital, Netherlands,
Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, United
Kingdom and guest countr: Switzerland.
Venue: Alliance Franaise, Nairobi
Time: 5.30pm Entr: Sh50
Ma 6 June 2
Transient: Inspired b Turkana
Ehibition
This is an ehibition b Kuona resident artist
Josena Munoz, with a selection of drawings,
photograph, light boes, and installation
work. Venue: Nairobi National Museum
Time: 7pm Contact: 020 374 2161
June 12- 18
Walk With Rangers
Kena and Tanzania iteam up to raise
support for the establishment of three
mobile veterinar units in the Tana Delta (KE),
Serengeti and Manara/Tarangire (TZ) areas.
Costs (covers walk epenses)
Tanzania Leg (140 km) Sh20,000
Kena Leg (181 km) Sh20,000
Full epedition Sh35,000
Deadline for registration: Monda 26th Ma.
Email info@walkwithrangers.com;
info@beond-wilderness.com
Compiled b WANGUI TUO
IGEND LUURY
Olare Mara Kempinski in the Maasai
Mara is a high-end camp for the trav-
eller who is looking for a lot of luur
in the wild. For more information
about ing packages and bookings
log on to www.kempinski.com. You
can keep ourself informed about
the dnamics of the conservanc,
its research projects and the life of
the wild animals b logging on to
www.mmconservanc.com.
P

O
T
O
S
I C
O
U
R
T
E
S
Y
Spoilt in luur
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 20 saturday magazine
Sudoku with Steers
ACROSS
1. To divide or assess according
to relative size, amount, etc.
7. Ordinary spoken or written
language, not verse
9. An Islamic commander
11. Corn loaves of bread
12. To hinder or delay
13. Strong alkaline solution
prepared from wood-ashes
14. To poke or thrust something
sharp into
16. Having limit(s) or restricted
17. Subdivision of a biological
family, itself divisible into
species
19. Born of
20. Come to pass
21. Asylums
DOWN
11. A small rounded lustrous
gem formed within the shells of
a bivalve
2. Egg-shaped
3. Assessed the value, worth or
quality of
4. Trampled
5. Vast ages
6. It is so
8. The governing body of a
university
10. A hot-water heater
14. Ugandas industrial town on
the shores of L. Victoria
15. Type of plants cultivated
for their edible roots, a source
of sugar
16. To join or blend by melting
17. A hiatus or lacuna
18. The tip of a pen
Each number in our Codeword grid represents a dierent letter of the alphabet. For example,
today 3 represents A so ll in A every time the gure 3 appears. You have two letters in the
control grid to start you o. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use
your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you get
the letters, ll in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check
o the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.
YESTERDAYS SOLUTION
Two winners win a Free Meal
with Steers daily on 20567!
Fill in the 3 shaded digits and send the
values ABC to 20567 for your chance
to win a Free Meal with Steers. Start
the SMS with the word Sudoku e.g
Sudoku 1,2,3. Check your wenesdays
paper to see if you are a winner.
Winners will be contacted directly by
Steers within 2 weeks to receive their
prize. SMS cost: 10/=
COMPLEX CROSSWORD
SIMPLE CROSSWORD
CODEWORD
SUDOKU
ACROSS
2. Concise
8. Thaw
9. Iron
10. Instead
11. Errs
13. Duo
14. Pet
17. Mode
18. Stripes
20. Elan
21. Sift
22. Wettest

DOWN
1. Steed
2. Cairo
3. Owns
4. Cite
5. Ire
6. Soaked
7. End
12. Rustle
14. Posit
15. Testa
16. Mint
17. Mess
18. Sew
19. Rat
ANDY CAPP
ACROSS
1 Leak stopped by retired
lawyer in adventure (8)
5 Leap a risky proposition, we
hear (6)
9 Complain freely with volume
down? (5,3)
10 Rick beginning to
recuperate in country (6)
12 Festivity containing posh
cooked meat in country (9)
13 Source of light in loft or
chamber (5)
14 Satirical work lacking any
money? Thats not new (4)
16 Gentleman taken aback by
German dish (7)
19 Slate a revolutionary style (7)
21 Something carrying current
and old message (4)
24 Tea provided by sailor in
mess (5)
25 A gull hid after ying around
large municipal building (9)
27 One cadging food in pub (6)
28 Lofty gure from Scottish
mountain defending a
European (8)
29 Turn over books penned by
judge (6)
30 A top duet being played is
current (2-2-4)
DOWN
1 Points on token to get ag (6)
2 Cat in cargo unloaded
around bend (6)
3 Father connected ultimately
with military outt? (5)
4 Notes found on Scot featuring
in paper being bold (7)
6 Peer is apt to order early bit
of food (9)
7 Drinking venue anking
independent hotel in French
resort (8)
8 Formal fare produced by a
French church in Spanish city (8)
11 Noise of hen in animal
enclosure (4)
15 Thrills needed on sharp
sudden impulse (4-5)
17 Source of room with keys?
(5,3)
18 Due to meet objective like
a bull? (2,6)
20 Advantage shown in
nancial document when
uncovered (4)
21 Review immediately heard
and promoted (5-2)
22 Greek island associated
with a savoury snack (6)
23 Record-holders a bit of a
jumper (6)
YESTERDAYS
SOLUTION
1 Prelate
5 Genesis
9 Relic
10 Situation
11 Annodomini
12 Herb
14 Easter Monday
18 Borrowed Time
21 Dean
22 Cloistered
25 Ephemeral
26 Erase
27 Our lady
28 Sit on it
DOWN
1 Pariah
2 Faling
3 Archdeacon
4 Epson
5 Get in a rut
6 Noah
7 Stipends
8 Sandboys
13 Commitment
15 The Clergy
16 Abednego
17 Preacher
19 Ordain
20 Advent
23 Isles
24 Emma

YESTERDAYS
SOLUTION
YESTERDAYS
SOLUTION
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 Leisure 21

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YOUR STARS
To receive NATIONmobile horoscopes on your mobile, SMS the Star
you want, eg LEO
to 20667 at 10/- above normal rates.
AQUARIUS (JAN 21-FEB 19)
The stars will be encouraging your imagination and
your urge to take the initiative. However, make sure
that you keep a civil tongue in your head when meet-
ing up with strangers: you could oend someone only
to nd out that they are a potential new workmate,
and then you will have egg on your face.
PISCES (FEB 20-MAR 20)
There is a danger of you robbing your own bank ac-
count by giving to one of your extravagant moods.
Naturally you have a free will and you dont have to go
with this, but dont allow other people to tempt you
into doing so.This is an important day for you on both
a nancial and spiritual level. You can let go of old
hurts and losses now.
ARIES (MAR 21-APR 20)
Your passionate enthusiastic approach to love and life
is certainly making everyone around you sit up and
take note. No- one is going to get in your way as you
speed around looking for excitement. Make sure you
are not reckless if you are playing any kind of sport.
TAURUS (APR 21- MAY 20)
You must build on opportunities that come your way.
If you let them pass you by, you may not get another
chance. Be positive in your attitudes, especially to-
wards those at work. If you are in a relationship, it is a
slightly niggling evening; so a trip out of the house will
do you both go.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JAN 21)
Your attempts to get to the bottom of a certain
issues seems to be frustrating, and unrewarding
and with each day eorts you, are likely to become
more confused. This isnt a reason to give up, though,
because very soon others are more likely to be in a
cooperative mood, and then you can pounce.
CANCER (JUN 22-JUL 22)
There is a lively feel about this particular day. Those
of you who are travelling on business should have a
successful time, whilst others may meet an interesting
person this evening. Dont get carried away, though, as
its likely that they are not telling you the unvarnished
truth.It will be best today to plan to get some hard
work done around the house.
.
LEO (JUL 23- AUG 22)
A steady diet of catering to other peoples whims cer-
tainly justies your impatience with them. Before you
do anything too drastic, though, consider this: once
the issue in question are resolved, you will no longer
have to accommodate them and a balance relationship
can at least be achieved.There may be something that
has been bothering you for sometime and you have
been trying to avoid coming to grips with it.
VIRGO (AUG 23-SEPT 23)
There are those who happily proclaim their feelings,
such as fears of vulnerability or of being trapped in
restrictive situations. This probably applies to those
you are dealing with rather than to you, so your rst
challenge is likely to be nding a way to deal with such
demanding emotions.
LIBRA (SEPT 24-OCT 23)
Your condence is bouncing back as you discuss your
personal nances with a great deal of enthusiasm. Your
negotiation technique seems to be paying dividends.
Give yourself a rest at some point during today as
most of your friends appear to be rather busy.
SCORPIO (OCT 24-NOV 22)
The stars today could make you somewhat overactive
and very talkative too, but this doesnt seem to be
doing you any harm .You can now move round on
almost any social front in the certain knowledge that
you will get a positive reception.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV 23- DEC 21)
You are likely to feel that you must lie low and be very
discreet at the moment. Family relationships do seem
to be improving may be because you are being less
outspoken. Listening carefully and sympathetically to
their problems is the way to get closer to them.
CAPRICORN (DEC 22-JAN 20)
There is a lively feel about this particular day. If you
have an Aquarian or a Leo in your life, they will be
playing a prominent role, and whatever they suggest
should at least be given a hearing. This evening you
want novelty, so go where you can nd it. Do not trust
oral arrangements.
CITIZEN TV
5:00 Pambazuka
8:00 Knowzone
9:00 Wedding Show -
Omnibus 11:00 Great Debate
Contest 11:30 Xtreem Request Live
1:00 Live At 1
1:30 Shamba Shape Up
2:00 Dear Mother
2:45 Tabasamu
3:00 Spider
3:15 I Stand Accused
3:45 Living Hope 5:00 Habibu
5:30 Kaa Rada 6:00 Jastorina
6:30 Saida
7:00 Nipashe Wikiendi
7:45 Naswa
8:15 Wild at Heart
9:00 Citizen Weekend
10:00 Corona de Lagrimas
11:00 Afrosinema
01:30 Afrodizzia
KTN TV
6:00 A Moment With God
6:30 Joyce Meyer 7:00 Cartoons
8:00 Club Kiboko 9:00 Cartoons
11:00 Straight Up Live 1:00 Lunch
Time News 1:30 Africa Speaks
2:00 Movie 4:00 Mbiu Ya KTN 4:
10 Tendereza Live 5:00 Behind the
Music 6:00 Ideal Space 6:30 KTN
Leo 7:30 Project Green 8:00 Food
Heaven 8:30 Just for Laughs
9:00 KTN Weekend Prime 10:05
Rasharasha/Baseline/CNN

K24 TV
4.00 Nu Soul Music. 6.00 Praiz 6.30
Turning Point 7.00 K24 Alfajiri 9.00
Just Kids 10.30 Mishoni 11.00 Riddim
Up live 1.00 K24 Newscut 1.30
Wrestling 2.30 The Loop Live
4.00 Gospel Music Mix
4.30 Mishoni 5.00 Withiout You6.00
Baada Ache 7.00 K24 Wikendi
8.05 Kilimo Biashara 8.30 Mke Ni
Nyumba 9.00 K24 Weekend Report
9.50 Classic Box Oce Movie 11.20
Nusoul Mashup
EBRU AFRICA TV
5:30:The Global Kitchen
6:00: Persuasion Man 6:30: Chopper
Rescue 7:00: Kids Shows
10:00: Junk D 11:00: Blank Canvas
11:30: Rhythm and Roots 012:00:
World of Mysteries 1:15: Mending
Hearts 2:30: Cold February
4:00: Catalyst magazine5:00:
Helicops 6:00: Family Footsteps
7:00: Weekly Report 7:30: Call Of
The Wild8:30: Ebru News 9:15: World
of Football 9:45: Movie
11:00: Podium
KBC TV
05.00 BBC World News
7.00 Fire Ministries 7.30 Miracle in
the Villagei 8.00 Neno Litakuweka
huru 8.30 Jesus is Comng
8.45 Nguvu za Miugiza
9.00 Jesus Winner
9.30 Sunrise Avenue 10.30 J,ambo
Toto 1.00 Angaza Live 1.00 KBC
Lunchtime News
1.30 Legends
5.00 Art and Culture
6.00 Tajj 7.00 Taarifa
7.30 Street Court
8.00 Angels Diary
8.30 House of Payne 9.00 KBC
News
9.45 Weekend Movie
11.30 Club 1
12.30 BBC World News
TELEVISION
5:00am
One Cubed
6:00am
AM
Live
9.00am
Generation
3
10:00am
The Penguins Of
Madagascar
10:30am
Cool Catz
11:00am
Teen Republik
1:00pm
NTV at 1
1:30pm
Prankstars -
RPT
2:00pm
Legacy
3:00pm
Scandal
- Omnibus
5:30pm
Fear Factor
International
6:30pm
Malimwengu
7:00pm
NTV Jioni
7:30pm
Shark
Tank
8:30pm
OSide
9:00pm
NTV Weekend
Edition
10:00pm
Movie: Guess
Who
11:30pm
Stop
Suering
12:00pm
CNN
5:00am AL-Jazeera
6:00am Tumsifu
7:30am Wimbo Mtamu
8:30am Christ Embassy
9:00am Kamusi Ya
Changamka
11:00am Mwana Spoti
12:00pm Bunge La Wazalendo
12:30pm Face to Face
1:00pm Toleo La Mchana
1:30pm Jambaz
2:00pm Malimwengu
3:00pm Mombasati
4:00pm Vipasho
4:05pm Sakata Rumba
5:00pm Vipasho
5:05pm Sifa
6:00pm Mkulima Ni Ujuzi
7:10pm Tujuane
8:00pm Mwisho Juma na
Walibora
8:30pm I-Seme
9:00pm WWE:Bottomline
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11:00pm Signs of Time
12:30am AL-Jazeera

SHARK TANK 7:30PM
Shark Tank is an American reality competition series that
premiered in 2009, on ABC. It is the American version of the
global Dragons Den franchise and features business pitches
from aspiring entrepreneurs to a panel of potential investors.
TODAYS HIGHLIGHT
8:30PM - OFFSIDE
10:00PM MOVIE: GUESS WHO
TREAT OF THE DAY
NAIROBI
FOX CINEPLEX-SARIT
CENTRE
SCREEN I
RIO 2 (3D) (G/E)
11AM
GODZILLA (3D) (TABA)
1.45PM, 6.55PM, 9PM
AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2 (3D)
(P.G)
4.10PM
SCREEN II
AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2 (3D)
(P.G)
11AM, 1.45PM, 6.40PM, 9.15PM
THE OTHER WOMAN (U/16)
4.30PM
CENTURY CINEMA-JUNCTION
SCREEN I
LEGO (G/E)
10AM
CAPTAIN AMERICA:THE WINTER
SOLDIER (2D) (U16)
12PM
THE OTHER WOMAN (2D) (16)
2.30PM, 4.40PM, 7PM, 9.20PM
SCREEN II
AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2
(3D) (P.G)
11AM
GODZILLA (3D) (16)
1.40PM, 4.20PM, 7PM, 9.40PM
SCREEN III
RIO 2 (2D) (G/E)
10.30AM, 12.30PM, 2.30PM,
4.40PM
CAPTAIN AMERICA:THE WINTER
SOLDIER (2D) (U16)
6.50PM, 9.30PM
SCREEN IV
NON STOP (2D)
(P/G)
10.30AM, 7.40PM
ENDLESS LOVE (16)
12.20PM
DIVERGENT (2D)
(P/G)
2.20PM
AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2
(2D)
(P/G)
5PM, 9.40PM
IMAX XX CENTURY
CINEMAS,20TH CENTURY
PLAZA
AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2
(3D)
7:00AM, 9:50AM, 12:40PM ,
3:30PM, 6:20PM, 9:10PM, 12:
000AM
PLANET MEDIA CINEMAS,
NAKUMATT MEGA CITY MALL,
KISUMU
SCREEN I
300 RISE OF AN EMPEROR
(16)
3.40PM, 5.45PM, 8.30PM
SCREEN II
THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2
(3D)
1.20PM, 6.10PM
GODZILLA
(P/G)
11.10AM, 3.50PM, 8.40PM
MOMBASA
NYALI CINEMAX-MOMBASA
RIO 2
(2D)
2PM
GODZILLA
(3D)
4.15PM, 6.45PM
THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2
(3D)
6.15PM
2 STATES
9PM
GODZILLA
(2D)
9.15PM MOVIE: GODZILLA
May 17, 2014 SATURDAY NATION 22 Leisure
WOMEN SEEKING MEN
I am Wanja Juliet. I would like to engage in
a relationship focusing on marriage with a
gu from the Gema communit, aged 32 - 37
ears. e should be working or in business,
godl and honest. Call 0789 547 578 or email:
wanjaliet@gmail.com.
I am Ann, 36 ears old, working, decent and
self-respecting. I would love to meet a serious
gentleman strictl over 43 ears, residing
either in western Kena, Nanza or Rift Valle.
e should be in a career, romantic, open
minded and nanciall stable. Medical tests are
mandator. No calls. Tet onl 0737 636 315.
I am Lisa, a single 32-ear-old teacher in
Nairobi. Im looking for a single, serious, god-
fearing, loving and committed man. e should
be from central, eastern or the coast area of
Kena, read to settle down in marriage soon,
aged 33-40 ears and nanciall stable. IV test
is a must. Call/ SMS prole to 0736 001 642.
Carol Nduta, a single born-again 34-ear-old
with a stable job in the Rift Valle wishes to
fellowship with an unattached working man
aged 38-50 ears. e should be born again and
strictl childless. I prefer language-compliant
gents. For m character reference, access
Covenant Marriage Pastor Facebook page or
call 0725 290 624. e runs a Protestant ethics
singles forum in Thika.
Diarvin is a 33-ear-old businesswoman. She is
looking for a serious African man who is read
to settle down in a relationship that will lead to
marriage. e must be humble and born again
Call/SMS 0706 195 955.
Diana Baile, 36, lives and works in Kena. She
is looking for a man who is read for a serious
relationship that ma lead to marriage. Call/
SMS 0711 253 935/ +44 123 432 8740 Email:
bailediana354@ahoo.com
I am Cecilia, a 43-ear-old from Central Kena,
working as a subordinate sta in a secondar
school, and mother of a grown-up daughter.
I am looking for a serious life partner aged
45 ears and above. e should be single and
nanciall stable, and if widowed, he should
have grown-up kids. IV test is a must. If
interested and serious call/SMS 0726 245 625.
MEN SEEKING WOMEN
A Kenan man who can speak German is
looking for the raisin in the cake. Email: asanti_
3@ahoo.de
James, 39, would like to meet a humble and
mature woman for a relationship that ma lead
to marriage. She should be god-fearing and
read for marriage. SMS onl to 0702 714 282.
I am Charles, a 52-ear-old widower. I am
looking for a mature woman to mould me
again for the better part of m life. Call/SMS
0722 807 612.
I am Michael, a salesman. I like swimming,
listening to music and watching
documentaries. I am looking for an outgoing
girl from central Kena, Embu or Meru who
is not necessaril working. Send me a tet to
introduce ourself. M number is 0707 911 614.
AGENCIES
Meet hundreds of serious beautiful, handsome
and outhful singles of all ages starting
from 20, for friendship, marriage, love and
compan. Our members come from all
faiths, tribes, races and professions within
Kena and the rest of the world. For quick
contacts condentl, call/SMS 0720 800 344
Braque Precious Communication. Email:
bracom2002us@ahoo.com.
Love Springs International dating club is run
b eperts to hook ou up with thousands
of beautiful, handsome and serious singles
(divorced, separated, lonel, widowed,
impotent, barren, etc.) aged above 18 ears,
from all over the world. For quick connection,
send our prole e.g. name, age, tribe, town,
etc., or send the word LOVE SPRINGto 0726
259 894.
Chapchap dating agenc oers dating services
to Kenans and foreigners searching for love
or marriage. We have uniquel selected and
rened, beautiful, handsome individuals of
all ages. For instant contacts, SMS our prole
(e.g. name, age, gender, tribe, education
level, career, marital /IV status, religion and
qualities of person sought) to 0715 201 721 or
email chapchapdating@ahoo.com
Get condential dating at Datend, for
Kenans/foreigners searching for love and
marriage. We have suitable and nel selected
partners. SMS our prole (e.g. name, gender,
tribe, age, education level, career, residence,
IV/marital status, number of kids, religion,
weight/height, compleion, etc.) and prole
of lovers/relationship ou need. Or SMS
Loveto 0722 244 271 or 0733 222 008.
www.datend.webs.com
Roals Dating Agenc specialises in dating
services for lonel hearts. Condentiall
contact us if ou are lonel and we will link
ou with an appropriate partner/spouse
immediatel, regardless of our age, tribe, race
or status. Satisfing result guaranteed. So dont
hold back, contact us. Call/SMS 0701 252 588.
Majests International Dating Club is run
b relationship eperts. Are ou single,
lonel, widowed, divorced or bored with
our relationship? Leave the search to
eperts. We vet members and are free from
swindlers. We deal with all statuses. Visit
NCM ouse 5th oor, room 1, Tom Mboa
Street, opposite Odeon Cinema Nairobi.
Call/SMS 0720 473 396, 0734 580 502, Email:
majestsdate@ahoo.com.
www.drlovemagazine.com is our one-stop-
solution manned b Aunt Tabb our longest
serving famil therapist .We are known for
moral uprightness and for our passion for
working marriages. Communicate with our
chosen matches privatel, directl and safel.
We are here for ou. Oce: Commerce ouse,
Moi Avenue, 2nd oor, room 201. Telephone:
0721 991 322/ 0737 991 322/0722 881 141
/020 222 0532; email:heartsofgoldtrust@ah
oo.com
Gracious Partners of P.O Bo 26317-00100
provides dating and counselling services
eclusivel to IV-positive persons. We respect
our members. Are ou IV-positive and
looking for love, relationship, compan or just
friendship? We have hundreds of members of
all ages from 18, from all regions, professions,
tribes and faiths. To get matching contacts,
write/call/SMS our prole to 0701 958 665 or
email graciouspartners@gmail.com.
LOVE IS ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY
TO HAVE YOUR MESSAGE PUBLISHED IN
SOULMATES: Pa Sh1,000 for individual
adverts and Sh2,000 for agenc adverts
at the advertising centre on the ground
oor, Nation Centre, or our regional oces.
Messages should be no more than 60
words. Disclaimer & caution: Be careful
when meeting someone for the rst time.
Meet in a public place, let a friend know
where ou will be and carr enough mone
to take care of our epenses and transport
back home.
N
o two people are eactl
the same and an health
relationship is bound to
have fallouts. While some
mistakes are small and eas
to let go of, our signicant other ma
wrong ou in such a wa that ou will
have a hard time moving on from this
hurt. Forgiveness is hardl ever eas but
its a necessar ingredient of a thriving
relationship. eres how to let go of a hurt:
Make the choice Forgiveness is
not a feeling. It is a choice we make. If
ou desire a long-lasting relationship or
marriage, ou need to recognise the need
to forgive not because the other person
deserves it but because ou deserve to be
free of old heartaches. Forgiving means
acknowledging that ou are also not
perfect and letting go of grudges. Also,
realising that some hurt was unintentional
will go a long wa in enforcing this
decision.
Share After our signicant other
has apologised and asked for our
forgiveness, ou need to accept their
eplanation and tr to practise empath.
This means attempting to put ourself
in his shoes in a bid to see the situation
from his perspective. Also, ou need to
talk about our hurt. Acknowledge the
hurt that the wrongdoing caused. Do not
point ngers at this point; just share our
feelings so that ou can identif eactl
what ou are forgiving him for. To be able
to move on, ou need to feel heard and
to accept that ou cannot change what
happened in the past. owever, there are
times that he will not know or will refuse
to acknowledge that he has wronged ou.
Other times he will not have a credible
eplanation for his hurtful actions or he
will come armed with ecuses to defend
his actions. Youll need to forgive him even
then.
Vengeance It ma be tempting to
sweep the hurt under the rug but hold
onto the card of the wrongdoing so that
ou can throw it in his face as ammunition
in a future argument or to hold onto the
hurt so that ou can make ourself feel
better should ou hurt him in the future.
It is important at this point to remember
that vengeance though seemingl
alluring will onl hurt ou. It ma give
ou temporar relief but it keeps ou in
a vicious ccle and keeps ou focused on
the hurt.
Forgiveness is for ou When
ou decide to let go of a hurt, ou are
doing it for ourself to free ourself from
resentment and anger. Sometimes the
incident is so bad that a relationship
cannot be restored. Even then, forgiveness
is necessar for our own peace of mind
lest the resentment wears ou down.
Recommit to our relationship
Make a conscious eort not to let that
particular incident derail ou from our
quest for a fullling relationship. Stop our
mind from re-running the hurt over and
over. When our mind wanders, nudge
ourself back or distract ourself from
dwelling on those thoughts. Enable our
signicant other to reconnect with ou
b allowing communication and having a
sense of determination.
Give ourself time Making
this mature decision to forgive will not
instantl rid ou of the feelings of hurt.
These will dull with time but onl if
ou make an eort not to dwell on the
negative feelings. Sometimes, it works
when ou use the forgiveness of others
to inspire our own. Think of the times
that ou have had others forgive ou,
think of the fact that ou ma also need
forgiveness from this person in the future.
When ou look at it this wa, ou ma
even be grateful that he also tolerates
some of our traits.
Do not become a victim You
have a dut to protect ourself. You need
to step up should our signicant other
continue to hurt ou in the same wa
without making an attempt to change.
Pa attention if most of his hurtful actions
are intentional and planned or pre-
meditated. If ou cant, a professional will
help ou recognise when ou ought to
leave a relationship that is harming ou
mentall and/or emotionall.
ow to let go of past hurt
RELATIONSHIP
TIPS
WIT JOAN TATIA
SATURDAY NATION May 17, 2014 saturday magazine 23