ALTHOUGH President Uhuru himself has approved of graffiti on matatus, two buses bearing his image were impounded yesterday in Mombasa. The Star yesterday published photos of a matatu decorated with the President’s face. Traffic officers in Mombasa inspected and impounded all vehicles with graffiti and tinted windows. Six vehicles, including the two with Uhuru’s pictures, were impounded. This despite the President’s directive on November 5 to allow matatu owners to paint their vehicles with graffiti. Uhuru had said the move will help youth use their talent to earn a living. Graffiti and loud...
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Matatus with Uhuru's graffiti impounded
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We’ll recapture Kajiado Central seat, says ODM
ODM has promised Jubilee a run for its money in the Kajiado Central parliamentary March 16 by-election. The seat fell vacant with the appointment of Joseph Nkaissery as Interior Cabinet Secretary. The ODM National Executive Council yesterday met election officials to lay the ground for picking the party’s flag bearer. Addressing the press at Orange House, ODM secretary general Ababu Namwamba said the party has planned an extensive tour of the constituency next Wednesday. He said the party does not have a predetermined candidate
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Strike on as salary talks bear no fruit
TEACHERS’ salary talks with the government collapsed again yesterday. The strike enters its fourth day today. The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers said the strike will continue until the government tables an acceptable counter offer on basic salaries. Secretary general Akello Misori said they rejected the allowances offered to teachers. “There is no commitment from government to solve the problem,” Misori said. The government has offered Sh9.3 billion for allowances. The Kenya National Union of Teachers rejected the offer on Saturday. The offer raises teachers’ monthly wage bill...
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Throngs view Fidel's body
The public thronged Lee Funeral Home yesterday to view the body Cord leader Raila Odinga’s son Fidel. Police had a hard time controlling the throngs of mourners, who began arriving as early as 10am. The viewing was to take place between 2 and 4pm. There was a scare outside the funeral home when a police officer accidentally fired his rifle. No one was injured in the incident. Police consoled some mourners who were overwhelmed by emotion. Raila arrived a few minutes before 2pm in a convoy of three vehicles, one carrying Fidel’s widow, Lwam Bekele. He was received by, among others, Siaya...
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Protect me from family, Koinange widow tells court
THE widow of former Finance PS Wilfred Koinange yesterday asked the court to protect her from her in-laws. Rosemary Koinange said her sister-in-law, Isabellah Wanjiku, has been abusing her over a property case that involves her late father-in-law Charles Karuga Koinange’s estate and her late husband. “I have been abused severally by Wanjiku over the phone. She has been sending several SMSs, which have made me feel really bad,” she said. Wanjiku is the fifth born of Karuga’s 10 children. She accused Rosemary of not producing all the documents that had been deposited at Kaplan and Stratton...
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Airport hotel takes school playground
A hotel associated with a top leader in the Jubilee Government has grabbed an acre of land belonging to Lang'ata Road Primary School. The land is earmarked for use as the hotel’s parking space. Corrupt and inept officers in the County Government of Nairobi are under scrutiny for abetting the land-grab by approving the construction of a perimeter wall to carve out the playground from the primary school. On Christmas Eve, a private developer completed the fencing off of the one-acre playground. According to the school’s head teacher, Peter Mugo, the construction of the wall to separate the...
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Elgon MP Serut threatens to kill student over CDF
MOUNT Elgon MP John Serut has threatened to kill a 23-year-old university student for questioning the way bursaries are allocated to undergraduates in the constituency. The MP accuses the student of insulting him, "biting the same hand that feeds you", and warns that the days when universities were prestigious places are long gone. Martin Ndiwa Simotwo, a third-year Actuarial Science student at Moi University, Eldoret, fears for his life after he received death threats from the MP. Simotwo had posted a comment in a blog called Sabaots Online Comments accusing the area's CDF office of being...
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FOUR ICC WITNESSES MISSING, SAYS NGO
FOUR witnesses linked to the ICC post-election violence probe are missing from their homes in Uasin Gishu County. This came to light yesterday as human rights groups claimed there was a vast plot to cover up the Meshack Yebei murder. Yebei’s family at the same time questioned the need for a DNA test, as demanded by Deputy President William Ruto's lawyer Karim Khan, insisting they had positively identified the remains. “We do not see the need for DNA, and no one has approached us for such a procedure so far. In any case, we wonder what it’s for. We want to bury him either on Saturday or latest...
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Aim for title not 'Top 8' coach tells Bandari FC
COAST Kenya Premier League representatives Bandari FC have been urged to go for nothing short of the title. Technical University of Mombasa coach Joseph Sihuli has challenged Bandari head coach Twahir Muhiddin to forget about the Top Eight and instead target to bring the KPL title home. He said Bandari have all it takes to claim the title because they have the financial might being sponsored by Kenya Ports Authority. Sihuli was reacting to remarks attributed to Muhiddin in a section of the media yesterday that he aims at finishing within the Top Eight in the 2015 KPL season. “Finishing in the...
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Jeptoo doping case judgment set for Jan 15
Athletics Kenya Medical and Anti-doping Commission have set January 15 as the judgment date for Rita Jeptoo’s doping case at Riadha House. The Commission has also summoned Rita’s manager Federico Rosa and her two coaches - Claudio Berardelli and Noah Busienei (who is also Jeptoo’s husband). In addition AK have called for the presence of a government representative through the Ministry of Sports Culture and Arts. Jeptoo, a three-time winner of the Boston Marathon and two-time Chicago Marathon winner, saw both “A” and “B” urine samples test positive for EPO (Erythropoietin), a banned substance...
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Ali writes to FKF
Prince Ali seeks Kenyan support in Fifa presidency race Jordan Royal Prince Ali bin Al Hussein is seeking Kenya’s support as he guns for the Fifa Presidency later in the year. The elections are set for May. Hussein, Fifa Vice-President for Asia and Fifa Executive Committee member wrote to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Sam Nyamweya on Tuesday January 6, seeking Nyamweya’s support. The Prince says as an individual he understands international football, having served as a Fifa Vice-President, and been a member of both Fifa and Asia Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committees...
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Structure of the 2015 national league to be decided next month
A team managers meeting set for next month will determined the structure of the 2015 national league. Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) secretary general Vitalis Gode, said all the stakeholders will have a say on whether or not the number of teams in the three tiers should be increased and the conferences issue. “This is not an easy thing to do without the input of both the KBF and the teams. This is why we will call for a meeting on a date to be announced later to discuss and exhaust the issue,” said Gode. KBF fixtures secretary Joseph Amoko had earlier in the week announced that the lower...
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KVF beef up bench ahead of under-20 Africa show
British coach Chris Grant has been added to the under-20 national volleyball team’s technical bench ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations tourney set for February 24 to March 2. Grant will , however, join the camp at a later stage, where he will work alongside Kenyan international and National Youth Talent Academy (NYTA) coach Catherine Mabwi, Silvester Kioko and William Kemboi. Grant is not new to the Kenyan volleyball scene as he has been a regular visitor for the past three years (2012-2014). However his mission in the past has been to conduct volleyball clinics with the national women’s team...
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Moim hopes to lift Kenya to the World Cup and All Africa Games later this year
National volleyball team and Kenya Prisons attacker Mercy Moim is looking forward to an exciting packed-up season. Moim, who is currently playing for her Liiga Ploki side in Finland’s top flight volleyball, said she is focusing on helping the Africa Queens reach the FIVB World Cup as well as win the All Africa Games. The Kenya Prisons stalwart has been key for the national side in the past few years, culminating in her six month loan deal with the Finnish side. “I want to do my best this year,” said Moim. “I want us to make it to the World Cup and the All Africa Games.” Kenya finished bottom...
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Crisis In The Den
A crisis is looming at Kenyan Premier League giants AFC Leopards with reports emerging that key players Humphrey Mieno, James Situma and goalkeeper Martin Musalia want out of the club. Ingwe have endured rough financial times recently, leading to disillusionment by some players. Already the club has lost Edwin Wafula, whose contract at the den ended. They had also axed Patrick Matasi, Eric Masika, Charles Okwemba and Oscar Kadenge among others. Kenyan Premier League (KPL) Chief Executive Jack Oguda confirmed having received letters from the four and noted that he is waiting for a response...
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Border Lions eye Premiership after being promoted to Super League
Ambitious Border Lions have set their sights on gaining promotion to the Kenyan Premier League this year after they qualified to play in the national super league. Border Lions were elevated after winning their group in the Division One Zone B. Club patron Adesh Adan said despite the financial difficulties they have endured since their formation, the youthful zeal of their players has carried them far as they are focused on completing their target of playing in the elite league. “We have struggled together to bring the team to where they are right now but we are still aiming higher and we...
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Former KRU vice dismisses investigation team
Former Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) vice chairman Fred Odhiambo has rubbished the committee appointed to look into investigations of impropriety at the board. It emerged on Tuesday that one of the KRU directors, Papa Sembi had been mandated to spearhead the investigations into the association’s impropriety. Odhiambo termed the appointment hogwash, noting that the board can’t investigate itself. “They can’t be judge, jury and executioner at the same time. How can we have a fair investigation when their own members investigate themselves. It won’t work and I don’t think they will solve anything. We...
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Kelai wants top make up for Glasgow flop at World Champs in August
FORMER Commonwealth Marathon champion John Kelai is keen to atone for his failed title defence at the Glasgow 2014 club games at the 15th World Championships in Beijing, China in August. Kelai said China has been a good hunting ground in his rich athletics career and is optimistic he can perform well, even though he has to make the Team Kenya cut first. “Personally, I am favoured by the weather in China as I have won numerous road races there,” said Kelai. He observed that a win for Kenya at the Chinese city of Beijing would be a befitting commemoration for former Olympic champion, the late...
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Four Make Cut
Four national associations will battle for top honours at the 2014 SOYA Awards Gala set for January 16 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. Kenya Volleyball Federation leads the chase alongside last year’s second runners up Kenya Golf Union, Kenya Triathlon Association and Kenya Federation of Roller Skating (KFRS). KVF have been one of the most active federation, with the highlight of their activities being sending the women’s team to the 2014 World Grand Prix in Mexico and Bulgaria for the first time. KVF also successfully hosted the women’s Africa Cup of Nations where the girls...
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KRA, stockbrokers clash over tax hurts trade
According to media reports, stockbrokers claim that they are not legally obligated to collect the re-introduced capital gains tax on behalf of the taxman. The Kenya Revenue Authority, however, warned brokers yesterday that they will be liable for any taxes that they fail to collect since the tax became effective on January 2, the first trading day of the year. This is clearly not helpful for sentiment. I accept the optics of 5% around the CGT means the tax is actually set very low, but the issue is around sentiment. I think to expect stockbrokers to morph into tax collection agents is simply...
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