TYRANNY OF NUMBERS IN MT.KENYA IS A LIE

The much touted tyranny of numbers in Mt Kenya region is a lie, Nyeri region elections coordinator John Muhia has said.
Muhia explained that Nyeri is supposed to have registered 400,000 new voters from 2013 to date but has less than 10,000.
Nyandarua county is trailing with its 2,116 new voters, he said, and compared the county with Kakamega in Western, which he said has 15,000 new voters.
This, he said during a forum at Mood Hotel in Ol Kalou on Friday, means "the people of Mt Kenya region have a reason to be very worried".
"Our people are asleep," he added at a stakeholders mass voter registration forum in Nyandarua. Kirinyaga is the other county in the region.
Mwangi said the IEBC is ready to work with all stakeholders to make the mass voter registration exercise set for February 15 to March 15 a success.
He called on politicians, the church and the media to play an active role. The politicians, he said, should forget their party affiliations and bury their political differences for the common good.
Former Ol Kalou MP Erastus Mureithi earlier said the idea that Mt Kenya region has the numbers to enable Jubilee win the next election is an illusion.
"Our people deceive themselves about having enough votes. The truth is that in other parts of Kenya children are being born and new voters registered are daily," Mureithi said at Ol joro Orok.

A TRAGIC AT MT.KENYA

A Nairobi businessmen's hiking expedition at Mt Longonot National Park in Naivasha turned tragic when one of them died from breathing complications.
The businessman reportedly had the complications at the rim of the crater. His friends are said to have sought help from Kenya Wildlife Service rangers but waited more than four hours.
Henry Mureithi, who was part of the group, said their friend died in their arms at about 6pm on Saturday. He said the group travelled from Nairobi and embarked on the expedition in the afternoon.
Mureithi said the man complained of dizziness and chest congestion before collapsing. He said some members of the group ran downhill to seek help from the rangers.
“It is a steep stretch; you cannot carry someone... You have to call for help from KWS officers. They were not sure what to do in such a situation," he said.
Mureithi accused the warders of laxity and negligence saying they should have been quicker in taking action to save a life.
But a senior KWS official who declined to be named said the only way to rescue someone around the crater was by use of a helicopter, which he said they did not have.
“There is a process of requesting for one from our headquarters in Nairobi,” he said.
The body was taken to a private mortuary in Nairobi.

IEBC TO VERIFY 1.4MILLION SIGNATURES FOR OKOA KENYA BY THE END OF FEBRUARY

The IEBC has recruited 100 temporary clerks who will finish verifying Okoa Kenya referendum signatures by end of February, chairman Issack Hassan has said.

Hassan said the clerks will transfer the 1.4 million signatures submitted by the Cord coalition in hard copy, to soft copy.

The electronic data will be run against the database of registered voters for verification, an exercise that a team from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission will supervise.

The chairman said the commission will facilitate interested independent observers who may wish to participate in the process.

This follows successful negotiations with the National Treasury that saw the commission receive approval for expenses related to the exercise.

Hassan warned leaders against making alarmist or erroneous statements that could result in public unrest, on whether the IEBC is working within its mandate.

“On the issue of timelines, the commission wishes to clarify that Article 257(4) of the constitution does not set specific timelines within which the commission must verify the signatures, he said.

Leaders in the Cord coalition said the signatures, which were submitted in November 2015, were collected and verified after a "daunting process".

The signatures are for the draft bill on the referendum to amend Constitution of Kenya 2010 by popular initiative.

Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka said the referendum will be a major test for the IEBC as the "country is ripe for constitutional change".

The Opposition leaders want amendments for more funding to counties, which they say should be in charge of security.

Other issues they want addressed are electoral, institutional and land reforms, and the entrenchment of the CDF into the Constitution.

TUNOI:AM READY FOR TRIBUNAL

A defiant Supreme Court judge Philip Kiptoo Tunoi — expected to face a tribunal for alleged bribery and gross misconduct — yesterday said he is blameless and will clear his name.

“Justice Tunoi has learnt of the recommendation made by the Judicial Service Commission and reiterates his innocence against the false accusations made against him,” said a statement by his lawyer Fred Ngatia.

Judge Tunoi is accused of receiving a $2 million (Sh200 million) bribe in July 2014 from Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero to rule favourably on a petition challenging his election. His victory had been overturned by the Court of Appeal. A seven-judge Supreme Court bench ruled in Kidero's favour.

The accusation and suggestion money was spread around has divided the court, tarnished its image, prompted calls for its dissolution and riveted the nation.

The governor denies the allegations by former journalist Geoffrey Kiplagat, claiming to have been the middleman.

The judge's statement immediately followed a recommendation by the JSC that President Uhuru Kenyatta appoint a tribunal to investigate allegations.

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, who chairs the JSC, said it had adopted its committee's report on the allegations. It did not render a judgement, but recommended a tribunal.

“The Commission is satisfied from the totality of the material and information presented there was inappropriate interaction and communication between Tunoi and agents of a litigant in a matter pending before the Supreme Court," Mutunga said.

He said this contact "amounts to gross misconduct and misbehaviour, sufficient to warrant establishment of a tribunal to further investigate".

Ferdinand Waititu, who lost to Kidero and lost his challenge to the election, yesterday announced he will seek a review of the Supreme Court judgement affirming Kidero's victory.

Sources said the committee discounted the judges entire defense and found no malice in the JSC action, as Tunoi had claimed.

In making its decision, the JSC considered

WILLY MTENGO:MY PAPERS ARE NOT FAKE

ODM’s Malindi by-election candidate Willy Mtengo yesterday dismissed as cheap propaganda reports his academic certificates are fake.

Mtengo told the Star those peddling claims of forged papers are malicious and "have sensed defeat" in the March 7 by-election.

"I can tell you for sure my papers are in order and the record of schools I have gone to is well known.

"These cheap antics by Jubilee are because they know I'm winning the race. Let us meet at the ballot," Mtengo said.

ODM, which has traditionally dominated the Coast, goes head to head with Jubilee, which is seeking to make inroads.

The poll will test the ground for 2017 and the stakes are high for regional politicians.

Mtengo said he sat his KCPE exams at Malindi HGM in 1986, giving his certificate number as 337466.

"I sat my KCSE certificate at Kenyatta High School in Mwatate, Taita Taveta, in 1992 and subsequently attended Schiller International University in Germany," he said.

MPs are required to have post-secondary education.

On Thursday, the Star reported questions have been raised about Mtengo's academic papers. It said documents indicating Mtengo submitted forged KCSE exam and first-degree certificates to the Kenya Ports Authority before employment and subsequent promotions.



Mtengo worked at KPA from 1998 to 2011, rising from cadet trainee to public relations officer and finally personal assistant to the MD in 2006.

 He became Resident Representative, Great Lakes Region, Grade HM 1.



Yesterday ODM issued a statement saying their candidate's papers were genuine.

"Mtengo has all the necessary/required documents, both academic and political (Nomination Certificate), to present to the IEBC on Monday.

"Therefore, there's no doubt Mtengo will fly the ODM party ticket and represent Cord in the by-election," ODM communications director Philip Etale said.

The statement said any information to the contrary was fabricated and part of a smear campaign.

“One can go ahead and confirm this with the respective institutions.

GOVERNOR MUTUA ON IEBC

Alfred Mutua has said the 2017 general poll should be put off if Kenyans living in East African countries and around the world are not allowed to vote.

The Machakos Governor asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to ensure all Kenyans in EA and the Diaspora participate.

The commission said only countries with more than 3,000 Kenyan voters qualify for polling stations. Those in the Diaspora can only vote for the President and in a referendum.

But Mutua said even Kenyans in countries that do not meet the requirement "must be allowed to exercise their constitutional right to elect the leaders they deserve".

"Voting is not a favour but a right for every Kenyan, regardless of where they are," he told hundreds living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, during a forum on Thursday evening.

Mutua said the IEBC must be put under pressure to establish mechanisms for Kenyans outside the country to vote, as locking them out would be "unfair and unconstitutional".

The commission said the registration of Kenyan voters in the Diaspora will take place between March 10 and 24.

Mutua, who was the keynote speaker at a forum on investments in Machakos, by parties living in Tanzania, said the county has potential for good returns.

"I keep on saying the solutions for the problems facing our country will come from Kenyans; w must invest back home,'' he said.

Mutua said the primary focus of his Maendeleo Chap Chap Movement is development-based politics, not empty promises.

He said leaders opposing the movement are afraid of the political paradigm shift from focus on not self interests to the people.

The Governor said there is need for people-focused leadership but that most leaders are "self-centred and concentrate on politics of seizing and controlling power".

"We are tired of politics of poverty. We need politics of development. That is why I always insist there is no romance in poverty," he said.

ODM:APOLOGISE OR WE SUE YOU

Six ODM members on Wednesday threatened to sue East Gem MCA Booker Minami for calling them beggars.

The MCA reportedly took issue with the leaders from Gem subcounty for asking politicians to finance grassroots meetings instead of funding from their pockets.

"When we seek help from politicians to conduct meetings in favor for our leader Raila Odinga, it shouldn’t be used as a weapon to fight us in funerals and rallies," Yala township ODM chairman Ogam Maramba said.

"We have given Booker seven days ultimatum to apologise for calling Gem subcounty leaders 'beggars',failure to which legal action will be taken against him," Maramba said.

Speaking in Yala, Maramba asked Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo to tame Booker, whom they said disrespects ODM's grassroots leaders and attacks them unnecessarily.

"We can also do the same to him but we have toned down. He must come out and apologise if he wants peace to continue prevailing in the subcounty."

"We have in the past accorded MCAs and MPs respect and restrained ourselves from political attacks. Genuine ODM members do not talk negatively about any MCA in public because they respect their position," Maramba added. 

He said some politicians, including Booker had no agenda and and resolved to selectively wage a smear campaign against ODM chairmen despite his position in Siaya government.

Maramba spoke in the presence of Woman Representative Christine Ombaka and Gem ODM chairman Douglas Otiato.

1BILLION SHILLINGS FOR IDP

The state yesterday released Sh1 billion to conclude the resettlement of all the remaining internally

displaced persons in the country.

Deputy President William Ruto said the money would be wired to the IDPs’ accounts from yesterday.

He spoke at his Karen residence.

Ruto said the 5,261 families are among the victims of the 2007-08 post-election violence and Mau Forest evictions.

“From tomorrow, this money will be available in the IDPs’ bank accounts and we expect that by Monday no one will be remaining in the camps and they will all be closed,” he said.

The DP instructed Devolution CS Mwangi Kiunjuri to find mechanisms for arbitration on four farms that have been purchased for a resettlement programme.

“I am asking the Attorney General to expedite the cases involving the 4,000-acre farms, including hiring private lawyers,” he said.

Ruto said the government has compensated 28,924 IDP families since the PEV, with 20,170 being resettled.

The state has spent Sh17.5 billion to settle them, he said.

Ruto asked county commissioners in Trans Nzoia, Turkana, Isiolo and Nyandarua, where most of the remaining IDP camps are, to facilitate removal of the camps from the roadsides from Monday.

IDP national chairman Patrick Githinji said nobody should claim to be an IDP after this final resettlement programme.

AP BOSS:AM NOT AWARE OF GHOST OFFICERS

Moyale AP boss Joseph Bartore yesterday was questioned about alleged ghost officers who worked on his watch.

Bartore appeared before the police vetting panel yesterday, seeking to overturn his dismissal from the force.

He disowned a list of 14 so-called ghost policemen, who received money from a Chinese Construction Company in Moyale town.

He told the Johnston Kavuludi-led National Police Service Commission that a senior sergeant of police seconded to security of government buildings should be held responsible for the list of phantom officers.

Bartore was defending himself against allegations of falsifying records of how he deployed police officers and also withholding allowances meant for his juniors.

Yesterday, he said he was not in charge of the officers working at the Moyale KRA offices, despite their working in his area of command.

Bartore acknowledged , however, he had deployed two of his junior officers to help in security at a construction site, together with other AP officer seconded to KRA.

The officer told the commission it is possible that the senior sergeant could have colluded with Chinese workers at the site to prepare fake documents, in return stealing cash from the government.

Commissioner Murshid Mohammed said the commission might summon the senior sergeant to shed more light on the ghost workers.

POLITICIAN WITH HATE SPEACH SHOULD BE ARRESTED

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery has directed all county commissioners and county police commanders to arrest politicians who spread hate speech.

Nkaissery yesterday warned that cases of political incitement and negative ethnic mobilization are likely to increase as the country prepares for the 2017 general election.

“We are heading into a season of heightened political rhetoric and a lot of posturing; be on the lookout on hate speech and I have given you the authority to take action. Arrest anyone who incites, because we do not want to go back to 2007. Do not fear,” he said.

Nkaissery addressed county commissioners, regional coordinators and police commanders at the Kenya School of Government during a workshop on how to address the threats that face the country.

He said cases of hate speech, especially propagated through social media, are something he will fight to the end.

“As the Cabinet Secretary in charge of security, I will not relent in my fight against individuals whose agenda is to cause chaos,” he warned.

County commissioners coordinate national government activities at the county level.

Nkaissery rubbished claims by Cord that the government was denying the opposition strongholds identity cards, saying 370,000 cards all over the country have not been collected.

“I have directed that anyone who is eligible to have an identity card be given one,” he said, urging Cord to prove its claims.

Interior PS Karanja Kibicho, Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet, and CID director Ndegwa Muhoro attended the one-day workshop.

Nkaissery warned the county chiefs against sitting back to watch as the country slides back to the chaos witnessed in 2007.

The violence that rocked the country between December 2007 and February 2008 saw over 1,100 people killed, thousands injured and more than 600,000 forced to flee their homes.

Nkaissery at the same time gave an amnesty to chiefs who had been interdicted last year after illicit brew was found within their jurisdiction.

COURT LIFT SUMMON OVER FORMER TRANSPORT CS KAMAU

A court has lifted the summons to former Transport CS Michael Kamau over abuse of office after receiving his original medical report.
Milimani senior principal magistrate Lawrence Mugambi said on Thursday that the documents show Kamau is unwell and cannot appear in court.
Mugambi had issued summons for the ex-CS to appear in court today saying documents that had been tabled before him were not genuine.
Kamau's lawyer had told the magistrate on Wednesday that he had returned from out of the country but was unwell.
The former CS, who was suspended in March 2015 and replaced in November 2015, faces five charges of abuse of office and irregular use of public funds.
He was also accused of failing to comply with procedures by ignoring the design of the Kamukuywa-Kapsokwony-Sirisia road, leading to a loss of Sh33.3 million. This was while he served as Permanent Secretary in the Roads ministry.
Kamau was charged in June 2015 with abuse of office and failure to follow the procurement rules.
He was released on Sh1 million cash bail after he denied all the charges levelled against him.
The case will be heard on March 4.

THE MAN WHO FLOGGED CORD LEADER ACCUSES HAKI AFRICA FOR IGNORANCE

The man who flogged Cord leader Raila Odinga has accused Haki Africa of failing to honour a promise to sponsor the treatment of a tumor in his left armpit.
Lengo Mdzomba also caned Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya after storming a rally at Kinango market in the county on September 29, 2014,
“Haki Africa took me to an office in Mombasa where I met someone but they did not take me to hospital for the treatment. I wish they did," he told journalists in the county on Monday.
Mdzomba was arrested after attacking the leaders but a Kwale court withdrew the assault charges after Raila and Mvurya forgave him.
But he was convicted on Monday of causing disturbance, before resident magistrate Christine Njagi, and released after paying a Sh5,000 fine.
Haki Africa official Francis Auma dismissed his claim of abandonment saying they have been in touch for a long time.
“We are the ones who paid the cash bail and have involved him in different activities in line with advocacy for peace,” he said.
Auma said the organisation's aim was to ascertain Mdzomba's mental state.
“Our doctor said the mental illness issue was not a big deal, that is when he started being counseled. We were not interested in the tumor," he said.
"We have all hospital documents to prove that we have taken him to hospital. We are happy the court case is over...he will continue to be our ambassador of peace."
The human rights crusader urged Kenyans not to let politicians use them to cause chaos ahead of the 2017 general election.
"We are working with Mdzomba and youths to preach peace at the Coast. Our human rights and security work recognises that for lasting peace to be achieved, the community needs to be at the forefront and work with government entities," he said.
He said Haki Africa is running a campaign to counter acts of electoral violence involving youths.

BUNGOMA PARENTS SEARCHING FOR JUSTICE OVER DEFILEMENT OF THEIR DAUGHTER

family in Bungoma South wants a teacher immediately arrested for allegedly defiling their 14 year-old daughter in August 2015.
They accused teacher Paul Wafula of committing the offence at Namwacha market after luring the girl while she headed to school at about 7am.
The girl's father explained that she was limping when returned home from Gamba Primary School one evening. He said she only revealed what had happened when her mother inquired.
The teacher allegedly seduced the girl into sleeping with him and threatened her with death if she reported him to anyone.
The family from Namwacha village told journalists in Bungoma town that their efforts to have the teacher arrested and punished have been unsuccessful.
The girl's father said on Thursday that the matter was reported at Namwacha AP post but that no action has been taken against the teacher.
"I reported the incident immediately after it happened, OB number 26/28/7/15, but maybe police have colluded with the teacher who ruined my daughter's life," he said.
The man said his daughter has not returned to school since the attack.
The girl's parents appealed for help from relevant authorities, saying doctors at Bungoma County Referral Hospital confirmed she was defiled.

RAILA:I WON'T COMPLAIN AGAIN ON RIGGING

OPPOSITION chief Raila Odinga has assured his support base it will not be possible to rig him out in the 2017 presidential contest.
During a strategy meeting two weeks ago, Raila and his ODM confidants discussed anti-rigging mechanisms.
Apart from running a parallel electronic vote tallying system, Raila and the Cord team plan to train and deploy party agents in every polling station across the country.
The agents will be equipped with mobile phones and will take and transmit to the national tallying centre images of every result announced in streams.
“Just register, vote and leave the rest to me – but, this time round, am not coming to tell you my votes have been stolen,” Raila said on Ramogi FM, a Luo vernacular radio station.
Raila has long complained that his victories were stolen in 2007 and in 2013.
Yesterday he also said there would be no more nomination fiascos in his ODM party that have often been blamed for puncturing his presidential bid.
This is the latest indication that the former PM is laying the groundwork for a do-or-die political battle against President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Raila's supporters, especially on his Nyanza home turf, have asked the Cord leader to offer them what they term a “Plan B”, amid fears Uhuru may be unwilling to relinquish power in the event of an ODM win.
Raila narrowly lost to President Mwai Kibaki in 2007 and by a wide margin to Uhuru in 2013, on both occasions alleging massive rigging.
In a bid to stem nomination fallouts, Raila said the ODM primaries would be conducted six months to Election Day, “so that in areas where people are dissatisfied, the process is repeated”.
It is understood that Raila has told ODM leaders that they must do everything they can to ensure the party nominations are fair, with only the most popular candidates getting the ticket.
The next election could be Raila’s last serious attempt at the presidency, and people close to him say he is leaving nothing to chance.
On Ramogi FM, he urged his troops to take

COUNTING OF ZEBRAS IN LAIKIPIA

More than 200 people turned up to count the endangered Grevy's Zebra in Laikipia county last weekend.

Also known as the imperial zebra, the Grevy's is the largest extant wild equid and the largest, most threatened species of the zebra. It is tall, has large ears, and its stripes are narrower.

The species lives in semi-arid grasslands where it feeds on grasses and legumes. It can survive up to five days without water.

The Grevy's differs from other zebra species in that it does not live in harems and has few long-lasting social bonds.

“Grevy's Zebra are special in the sense that they are beautiful," said Princeton University's Danie Rubenstein, one of the world’s leading experts on zebras.

"Biologists want to preserve the endangered species and so do many people with the desire to be part of wildlife conservation."

At the census, 'citizen scientists' drove through designated areas photographing the right side of each animal using a GPS-enabled digital camera. Each zebra has a unique stripe pattern that is the best identifier.

Rubenstein noted: “The rarity of a species serves as a wake up call. To know how the species is doing, collection of data comes in handy."

"The Great Grevy's Rally is a big operation that has never been done on such a massive scale. We are hoping to do it yearly so as to keep track of their population.”

Photographs taken during the exercise will be processed using the Image Based Ecological Information System (IBEIS), which identifies an animal, its age and sex, and records the time and location of observation.

IBEIS uses sophisticated stripe recognition software to analyse the number of sighted and re-sighted over the weekend.

The methodology will also provide insights on the sex structure of the Grevy’s zebra population in each area to assess if the overall population is stable, growing or decreasing.

When it comes to the sex structure, three females for every one male indicates high potential for reproduction and overall population growth.

JUDGE TUNOI TO KNOW HIS FATE ON FRIDAY

Supreme Court Judge Philip Tunoi will on Friday know his fate concerning claims he received a bribe to help deliver a favourable judgment on a petition.

Former Kass FM journalist Geoffrey Kiplagat accused Tunoi of receiving Sh200 million in relation to an election petition against Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, in August 2014.

The petition was by Ferdinand Waititu who is now Kabete Member of Parliament.

Margaret Kobia, the chairperson of a special JSC sub-committee probing the allegations, said the Wednesday deadline was not met as all evidence obtained must be looked at.

"The committee has not been able to complete the report and has sought and obtained an extension from the Judicial Service Commission to complete its work by Friday," Kobia said.

"Kiplagat and Tunoi appeared before us, among seven other persons of interest to the committee. We are considering the information and documents submitted before making the final report."

Tunoi and Kidero have denied ever meeting Kiplagat, who claimed he facilitated the payment. But the National Intelligence Service confirmed Tunoi had conversations with Kiplagat , contrary to the judge's assertions.

On February 2, new evidence emerged that Tunoi recently acquired 180 acres of land. It also emerged that Kiplagat was promised Sh30 million but was never paid the amount.

PREGNAT WOMAN BATTERED BY HUSBAND

A man allegedly beat his 22 year-old pregnant wife, leaving her bleeding and unconscious, after claiming she stole from him and that she was a nag.

Justa Kawira, who has been married for six years, said John Wachira, 30, accused her of stealing after returning drunk to their home in Lang'ata, Nairobi.

The woman said she confronted Wachira, who returned at about 10pm on Sunday night, when he insisted that she stole his money.

"I told him I did not steal any money but he beat me until I could not take it anymore. I ran out to my friend's house where I spent the night," she told The Star on phone on Wednesday.

Kawira said she found her husband with another person who was taking pictures of their house when she went back on Monday morning.

"I asked why they were taking pictures of the house but they did not talk to me. Wachira got angry when I insisted, saying I was driving his friend away," she said.

Kawira said her husband assaulted her again, asking why she was nagging him about a trivial matter.

"He punched me in the face and I punched him back. He was stronger than me... he pushed me to the ground and dragged me to the house where he beat me some more. I woke up in hospital," she said.

Kawira, a housewife who is six months pregnant, said Wachira often beats her without reason while drunk. They have a son aged three.

"He has stabbed me before, causing me to have a miscarriage. My parents know about the beatings but only my mother has tried to intervene," she said.

"I am glad my baby is fine," she added from Lang'ata hospital where she is admitted.

Kawira said a neighbour among those who took her to the hopital reported the incident at Langata police station and obtained an OB number. She said Rose Karanja was with her at the hospital.

Langata OCPD Elijah Mwangi said he had received a complaint and arrested the man whom Kawira said works at a textiles shop in the city centre.

But he told The Star on phone on Wednesday that the man, who could not be reached for comment,

SALIM JUNIOR LAID TO REST

THOUSANDS of mourners gathered at the Subukia market park yesterday for the funeral service of one-man-guitar musician Paul Mwangi, popularly known as Salim Junior.

They first viewed his body at the Nakuru War Memorial mortuary.

The service was attended by fellow musicians, media personalities and officials from the national and Nakuru governments, among them Governor Kinuthia Mbugua.

Mbugua said the county and the country has lost one of the greatest musicians.

He said it will take time to replace him.

“We have lost a king in the music industry and it is my prayer that God will give Mwangi’s family strength,” Mbugua said.

Kieni MP Kanini Kega said politicians have a role to play in ensuring musicians are paid their royalties.

He said Kenyan musicians die poor despite writing popular songs.

Kega said he will sponsor a bill to ensure artists are paid their dues even after death.

Nakuru East MP David Gikaria and Kimani Ngunjiri of Bahati said Kenyan musicians “have been misused for a very long time”.

“We are more than willing to ensure our Kenyan musicians are well paid after composing their music,” Ngunjiri said.

Musicians Muigai wa Njoroge, John Demathew, Ben Githae and Lois Kim eulogised Mwangi as a down to earth person who cherished others.

Demathew urged fellow musicians to emulate him and make his dream of establishing a music studio in Nakuru to nurture talent a reality.

WAIGURU:AM CONSULTING UHURU OVER KIDERO JOB

Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru is consulting President Uhuru Kenyatta on whether to enter politics.

Waiguru made the disclosure on Sunday, when she responded to a question by a Kikuyu FM station reporter after attending church in Komarock.

“I cannot say today if I will be vying or not. But I can say that we are praying and we are talking to other politicians. We are talking with the Head of State. We are talking to everyone so that we know how it goes,” Waiguru said.

She was responding to whether she had made a decision to join the race for Nairobi Governor in 2017.

Dropping the President’s name in the ongoing speculation that she is preparing to join politics may fuel the notion that Jubilee is considering her to be the candidate in Nairobi.

After going silent for close to two months, Waiguru has suddenly started engaging in public activity in Nairobi that has been shared on her social media platforms.

Two Sundays ago, she went to the LCC church community in South B and last Sunday she was at the Calvary Covenant Centre in Komarock.

At the two churches, Waiguru addressed the congregation and was also prayed for by the pastors, before the gathering.

Last week, some 200 women leaders drawn from Nairobi county’s 17 constituencies endorsed Waiguru for the position during a meeting with her at the iconic Ufungamano House.

At the time, Waiguru said she was motivated because she believes women will play a big role in determining the political course for the country starting in 2017 and into the future.

“I will take some time to pray and think about it then call a meeting to announce the way forward. I came to say ‘thank you’, but I am leaving with a lot more,” she said.

Waiguru resigned last year after continuous calls for her removal from office as her ministry faced a firestorm of criticism for the theft of Sh791 million from the National Youth Service.

During her resignation press conference, she said she was ready to take up

CORD TO STRIKE A DEAL WITH MARTHA KARUA FOR NAIROBI SENATE 2017 SEAT

Cord is finalising a political deal with Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua that could see her become the coalition’s Nairobi senator candidate next year.
Sources close to opposition chief Raila Odinga told the Star that Karua could also be named the coalition’s spokesperson, citing her vast political experience, legal grounding and eloquence.
The former Gichugu MP ran for president in the March 4, 2013 election but was vanquished by the Jubilee machine, coming a distant fourth even after little known Abduba Dida.
The Star has established that Raila is putting up a presidential campaign team and top notch technocrats are being approached as he prepares for a do-or-die rematch with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
So far, none of Uhuru’s allies has publicly declared interest in the Nairobi senator seat as Senator Mike Sonko is set to battle it out with Governor Evans Kidero for the gubernatorial position.
“We have done our math well and we believe Hon Karua will be an easy sell,” a Raila think tank said.
Opposition strategists believe Karua’s democracy and constitutionalism credentials and bare-knuckle politics would be a plus for Cord.
“Karua would be the perfect prescription for Duale,” the Cord official said.
However, Karua did not answer our calls or respond to text messages.
Homa Bay woman representative Gladys Wanga said she is not aware of the deal.