[Mabadiliko] Uhuru to use US-Africa leaders' summit to strengthen economic & security investors in Kenya

-----------FYI--------------

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

Uhuru to use US-Africa leaders' summit to strengthen economic & security investors in Kenya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gq1qfNDvNgk

Published on Jul 26, 2014

American energy giants will be seeking to meet president Uhuru Kenyatta on the sidelines of the US- African leaders summit to negotiate ways of investing in Kenya's newly discovered oil deposits. Foreign affairs cabinet secretary Amina Mohamed has also revealed that the government will use the summit, which starts on August 4th, to strengthen economic and security partnership with the US government. Uhuru will lead a delegation of 40 people to the US summit.


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Mukurweini MP Kabando's mother hacked to death

Mukurweini Member of Parliament MP Kabando Wa Kabando's mother Ruth Wachera Mwangi aged 70 was Sunday afternoon hacked to death.

5  hours ago

Uhuru tells Raila to respect presidency

Uhuru tells Raila to respect presidency

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday tells Raila Odinga to desist from constantly issuing threats and insults to a popularly elected Government

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By JAMES NGUNJIRI
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Mukurweini Member of Parliament MP Kabando Wa Kabando's mother Ruth Wachera Mwangi aged 70 was Sunday afternoon hacked to death.

Kabando's 40 year old brother Caesar Thiari has been arrested over the incidence.

The attack happened at 2pm in their Ngamwa village of Mukurweini Constituency on Sunday and Mukurweini sub county commissioner Isaac Masinde confirmed that the suspect has been arrested.

The reason for the killing is yet to be established.

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

Uhuru tells Raila to respect presidency

Bishop Arthur Kitonga (right) welcomes President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and deputy President William Ruto (centre) at the Redeemed Gospel Church in Huruma on July 27, 2014. PHOTO | PSCU 

By PSCU
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President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday told opposition leaders to rise above insults and engage in constructive politics.

He said Cord leaders headed by Mr Raila Odinga should learn to practice mature politics and desist from constantly issuing threats and insults to a popularly elected Government.

"I want to tell my brother Raila Odinga to respect the Presidency. If he was elected the President, I would not be standing by the roadside to insult him," President Kenyatta said.

He reminded the Cord leader that competition was not enmity and its time leaders respected one another for peace and harmony to prevail in the country.

President Kenyatta, who stopped at Mlango Kubwa to campaign for the TNA candidate in the Mathare by-election George Wanjohi, said the challenges facing Kenyans cannot be solved through divisive politics.

"Challenges faced by Kenyans do not know religion or ethnic backgrounds. Hospitals serve all patients without bias on religious or ethnic backgrounds. Even development does not know boundaries," he said.

The President asked Kenyans to support the country's security agencies by exposing criminal elements in their midst in the spirit of being the brother's sister's keepers.

"We cannot create the dream nation in an insecure environment. Security is crucial to creation of jobs and the country's transformative agenda," President Kenyatta said.

He told youth to guard against self-seekers duping them with a better life after death in order to engage in terrorism and other criminal activities.

He said terrorism and other criminal activities are not being perpetuated by communities, religions or tribes and Government will not relent on its war against individuals out to disrupt the prevailing peace in the country.

"You all know that Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan was seriously injured in a terrorist attack. The attackers were not advancing any religious or ethnic agenda but are generally individual criminals out to disrupt peace and we will go for them," the President said.

Nairobi Women Representative Rachel Shebesh and TNA chairman Johnson Sakaja appealed to the Mathare electorate to vote for the Jubilee candidate in the in the August 7th by-election.

 

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Arrest and charge me, Raila Odinga dares President Uhuru Kenyatta over insecurity claims

By Oscar Obonyo Updated Saturday, July 26th 2014 at 22:48 GMT +3

 

Uhuru Kenyatta with Raila Odinga during national Prayers before the 2013 elections NAIROBI, KENYA: Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leader Raila Odinga has dared President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration to arrest and charge him, if the Government has any proof of his culpability in current runaway insecurity. Enraged by President Uhuru's remark that the attacks in Lamu were linked to Opposition's political activities, and the sensational claims by Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa that he had evidence linking the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to the ongoing killings, Raila has challenged the government to either act or stop maligning his name.

"We have said before, and we are saying it again – if we are responsible for the current anarchy then arrest us," dared the former Prime Minister with reference to CORD co-principals, former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang'ula. In an interview with The Standard on Sunday, Raila views the President's sentiments as repeated 'unsubstantiated wild claims' alongside Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku's, Marwa's remarks at a Press conference recently and comments by the National Assembly Majority Aden Duale to the effect that CORD and al-Shabaab were 'speaking the same language', as part of a wider scheme directed at CORD leaders. "They arrested Lamu Governor Issa Timmamy and are now asking for more time to carry out investigations on his perceived role in the Lamu killings. Was he identified because the President said the attack was political or is he being tortured on our behalf?" asked Raila. Raila is irked by the "unsubstantiated wild claims" that his party or coalition may be behind the killings of "my very own supporters in the Coast region". The Coast region voted overwhelmingly for Raila in last year's polls. The latest incident in Likoni, which left four people dead, happened at Segar Bar and is largely patronised by residents from Nyanza region. See also: Can someone please do something to end these sporadic killings? Contacted for comment over Raila's arrest challenge, the President's spokesperson and Head of the Presidential Strategic Communication Unit, Manoah Esipisu curtly said, "Of course the former PM understands well that the President does not arrest suspects. We can't comment any further." Duale shrugged off the threat saying 'nobody in government is interested in arresting Raila and his partners because that would only serve to earn them political "bonga points". "However, we shall not hesitate to deal with their supporters who engage in illegal activities, political or otherwise, and where evidence is provided they will be dealt with according to the law," said Duale. Nonetheless, Raila tore into Uhuru's handling of security matters and accused the government of chest-thumping and playing politics on the graves of Kenyans. "They have always talked of leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of criminal elements. Let them tell us how many stones they have turned and what they have found beneath," said Raila.

Diversionary tactics

He said the allegations that CORD speaks the same language as al-Shabaab among others are part of the government's diversionary tactics to evade the open glare over their poor handling of the security situation. "In the Westgate attack, al-Shabaab claimed responsibility and the Government consented to the claim, vowing to vanquish them. But when they did the same in Mpeketoni, the same government declined to acknowledge al-Shabaab's responsibility, choosing instead to blame it on local politics. So who between us is in touch with al- Shabaab or claims to understand their operations better" asked Raila.

Meanwhile, Raila claims Jubilee is running scared over the referendum question. He singled out the Interior CS 'who recently made 'the very unfortunate claim' that CORD was promising to dish land to Kenyans to get them sign up in support for the referendum. He says the Opposition is neither running government nor does it have parcels of public land to dish out' "If Duale is still blind, then let me remind him that these are the clouds and signs of the rain I have been talking about. A panicky Lenku seems to be aware that rain is about to fall and he is sounding alarm bells already," says Raila, who advised Duale 'to take cover otherwise he will be totally soaked by the rain'. But noting that Raila is his friend and political mentor, whom he understands well, Duale observes the former PM has been talking about tsunami, thunder and rain since 2007 "but unfortunately he now lives in a political desert where it hardly rains". Instead, the Garissa Town MP asks Raila to stay close to him because soon "you may need some water from the Jubilee Government". See also: Can someone please do something to end these sporadic killings? Describing the Raila-Kalonzo-Wetang'ula trio as senior officials in the previous government who, as Prime Minister, Vice President and Foreign Affairs minister, signed various accords at the United Nations, African Union and Intergovernmental Authority on Development on behalf of Government to enter Somalia, Duale wonders why they are now contradicting their actions. And he maintains that CORD and al-Shabaab are speaking the same language on this matter. When he first made this claim in the National Assembly recently, enraged Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo instead linked the Government and Duale to the terror gang and further accused the Majority Leader of trading in charcoal in Kismayu. Raila recalls he was in government when a decision to pursue terror gangs in Somalia under the aegis of "Linda Nchi" were made. The understanding then, he explains, was that the operation was short-term and meant to secure Kenyan borders. Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) managed to smoke out Al Shabaab militants and liberate Kismayu, and in the process helped the Ugandan forces that had been marooned in Mogadishu to venture out. Raila opines that KDF should have retreated at that point and left Uganda and other far off countries to continue with the peace mission in Somalia. "I would have pulled our forces out of Somalia. This is the diplomatic practice world over – that a country that shares a border with another cannot take its forces to that state because of vested interests and security reasons. And as long as our forces remain in Somalia, we shall continue to suffer retaliatory attacks," Raila said. Claiming a lot of Kenyan soldiers have been killed in Somalia as a result, Raila wonders why coffins are secretly driven back into the country for burial instead of being received publicly and given the befitting honour. Separately, Raila has defended the decision by CORD to strip the Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung'aro of the National Assembly Minority Whip position saying, "We have a parliamentary team that must be effective, yet we have a situation where our captain is wearing our team colours but scoring own goals. We are freeing him so that he can wear Jubilee colours and play for them."

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22  hours ago

Police tricks were 'worse than those used to rig an election'

The appalling catalogue of bribery, skullduggery and impunity that dogged the recent controversial police recruitment across the country can be revealed after weeklong investigations by the Sunday

 

By ANDREW TEYIE
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The appalling catalogue of bribery, skullduggery and impunity that dogged the recent controversial police recruitment across the country can be revealed after weeklong investigations by the Sunday Nation.

Authorities investigating the recruitment that caused a storm are shocked by the extent of disregard for the laid=down procedures in picking candidates as the country grapples with runaway insecurity, including terrorist attacks.

The process that cost taxpayers Sh2.9 billion was the most extensive in country's history and targeted 10,000 recruits.

According to multiple sources and documents accessed by the Sunday Nation, phantom lists replaced genuine ones, senior officers in some of the stations received as much as Sh1 million in bribes to influence the process, and "strangers" were ferried into the recruitment venues in the wee hours of the morning to replace those who participated in the day-long event, prompting a senior investigator to say the tricks were "worse than those used to rig elections".

National Police Service Commission (NPSC)chairman Johnston Kavuludi and Inspector-General David Kimaiyo are now in the spotlight to restore the credibility of the institution after the fiasco that has put to question security sector reforms envisioned in the 2010 Constitution. 

Questions have also been raised as to whether all 10,000 slots were subject to recruitment as insiders told Sunday Nation that politicians, senior police officers and top government bureaucrats were allegedly allocated at least 2,000 slots for their cronies. This was allegedly to buy their silence.

Parliament on Wednesday ordered the NPSC to postpone the reporting date of the new recruits to allow investigations, with reporting dates moved from August 5 to October 3. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) have asked that the entire process be cancelled.

Even though the NPSC has formed a multi-agency committee to investigate the allegations, insiders told the Sunday Nation that the team may recommend a repeat of the process in a few stations just to ease the pressure. 

Yesterday, in a fresh turn of events, IPOA vowed to go court "soon" to have the recruitment repeated countrywide.

"IPOA wants it cancelled and done afresh. Corruption being perpetrated at this level gives a seal of approval to the vice that has been associated with the service for years," said IPOA chairman Macharia Njeru in response to our inquiries.

Recruitment regulations

Mr Njeru added that cancelling the process will allow the police to table recruitment regulations and gazette them before the fresh start.

"We want the rules and regulations discussed, and gazetted before recruitment. We want the rules to provide for personal responsibility, including surcharging officers involved in bungling the process. These officers must be barred from holding any public office in future," he said.

He added that the Kenya National Audit office needed to be involved, in addition to other observers.

Earlier in the week, Mr Kavuludi defended the process, arguing that if proof of impropriety was found, the recruitment would be cancelled in the affected centres. 

Recorded complaints show that some centres were reduced to market places where the highest bidders were given slots.

In one centre in Bungoma County, senior police officers allegedly received more than Sh1 million from 12 recruits. Other officers in the same county received between Sh100,000 to Sh300,000.
The recruitment "auction" was extended to Mogotio, Eldama Ravine, Ol Kalou, Nairobi, Kakamega, Embu, Baringo and Kiambu with huge amounts of money changing hands.

Bizarre stories told of "ghost candidates" being bussed into the centres in the wee hours of the morning to replace genuine ones who took part in the daylong event, despite being ravaged by fatigue and sleep but kept vigil throughout the night.

This happened in centres in Kitui, Nairobi, Meru, Uasin Gishu, Wajir, Embu and Kakamega counties.

According to sources close to the investigations, in some Nairobi centres, for example, the exercise dragged on until 9 a.m. the following morning; the strangers were brought in around 6 a.m.

"It was assumed that by this time, genuine candidates would be too tired and sleepy to recognise what was happening in the centres or some would have given up and just left," said a source, who was involved in monitoring the recruitment but did not wish to be named.

Turned away

At Kinoru Stadium in Meru, potential recruits were turned away after midnight, having been at the venue throughout the day. According to some participants, they were chased away without clear reasons why they were disqualified despite passing all the requisite tests.

"Others never turned up during the day but were seen coming to the field, specifically for medical tests, and were eventually selected for recruitment," said a participant from Meru who recorded a complaint.

The situation was the same in Runyenjes where the process allegedly went on past midnight, and strangers were seen sauntering into the stadium the following morning before they were recruited.

This also happened in Wakirigo Stadium in Ol Kalou where the panel was accused of locking itself in a room for hours before coming up with a verdict that pushed the exercise past midnight.
In Wajir, recruiting officers had lists of their preferred candidates who did not go through the process.

The shambolic nature of the exercise was displayed in instances where some candidates were admitted on the strength of their results slips while others were kicked out and told to provide school certificates. This was noted in Tarbaj centre in Wajir and Kyuso District in Kitui.

IPOA and EACC have written to the police demanding that the recruitment be cancelled.

"EACC wishes to recommend cancellation of the recruitment with a view of conducting afresh. NPS to reconsider decision to use District Recruitment Committees, and NPS to institute disciplinary and administrative action on the officers implicated in the improprieties," wrote EACC CEO Halake Waqo in a letter dated July 18.

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