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IN CONTROL KENYATTA TAKES CHARGE OF PARTY’S TOP ORGAN THAT WILL DECIDE 2022 TICKET

Final blow to
Ruto over JP
Changes to the Jubilee National Executive Committee will
be made on Thursday in State House meeting PG 4-5

Samson Cherargei John Kinyua

Mithika Linturi Benjamin Lang’at

CULTURE CHANGE FOOD SHORTAGE INNOVATION VOICES

Raila advises Luo Heavy rains could Car-boot market OKECH KENDO

families to cremate diminish maize thrives during the Jubilee’s season

their loved ones harvests, say experts covid-19 pandemic of betrayals

PAGE 3 PAGE 10 PAGE 11 PAGE 20

 2 THE-STAR.CO.KE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2020 WHO ADVISORY
Kenya suspends plan to use
controversial Covid-19 drug
Country stuck with 379,000 tablets imported from India last month
JOHN MUCHANGI
@TheStarKenya
US President Donald Trump says
he’s taking it to ward offer the
coronavirus. Brazilian President
Jair Bolosonaro says Covid-19 is
just a “little flu” and touts hydroxy-
chloroquine for treatment.
The WHO says it’s useless and
can be dangerous. On Monday it
said its use should be suspended
until further notice.
Heeding the WHO, Kenya will
suspend plans to treat Covid-19
patients with the controversial
antimalarial drug hydroxychlo-
roquine because early research
shows it increases the risk of death.
The country is now stuck with
the 379,000 tablets imported from
India late last month.
WHO experts made the decision
after The Lancet journal on Friday
published study results showing
hydroxychloroquine and its older
version, chloroquine, increase the
risk of Covid-19 patients dying.
Chief Administrative Secretary
in the Ministry of Health Rashid
Aman said the country had not be-
gun prescribing the two drugs and
will comply with the WHO direc-
tive.
“These trials have not yet kicked
off in Kenya because we have a
process and a procedure of approv-
ing clinical trials,” he said.
The Lancet study analysed the
results of more than 96,000 pa-
tients across the world who were
taking hydroxychloroquine or
chloroquine between December
20 and April 14.
One in six of those taking one
of the drugs died, while the death
rate among patients not taking any
of the drugs was one in 11.
The drugs are fairly safe for pa-
tients being treated for arthritis or
malaria, but useless and harmful
for Covid-19.
STAR SURVEY
TODAY’S QUESTION
Would you accept to be
cremated when you die?
YESTERDAY’S QUESTION
Are you still working
from home?
YES 36%
NO 64%
A street boy undergoes a coronavirus test in Mathare on Monday
/DOUGLAS OKIDDY
“We found no evidence of the
benefit of hydroxychloroquine or
chloroquine,” the authors said in
the paper.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus told a virtual press
conference on Monday afternoon
they have agreed on a suspension
of hydroxychloroquine within the
Solidarity Trial.
Solidarity Trial is a WHO-led
study to evaluate the safety and ef-
ficacy of four drugs and drug com-
binations against Covid-19 in 35
countries including Kenya.
“The executive group has imple-
mented a temporary pause of the
hydroxychloroquine arm within
the Solidarity Trial while the safety
data is reviewed by the Data Safety
Monitoring Board,” Dr Tedros said.
Acting director general of Health
Dr Patrick Amoth said Kenya will
begin trials of the other drugs in
the study - Remdesivir, Lopinavir
plus Ritonavir, and Interferon-beta.
In Kenya, the trial is open to con-
senting adults above 18 years sick
with Covid-19.
Each patient will receive one of
STATE STEPS IN
Clearance of cargo trucks at
Malaba border to take 5 days
MAGDALINE SAYA/Efforts have been
put in place to clear long queues of
long-distance trucks experienced
at the Malaba border point.
Various stakeholders at the bor-
der point including Port Health
officials, KRA officials and security
personnel will now be required to
work 24 hours to ensure the back-
log is cleared.
The problem had led to queues as
long as 50 kilometres.
Transport CS James Macharia
on Tuesday said a similar issue
that had been experienced at the
Namanga border had been resolved
after a meeting among officials
from both states.
According to the CS, the problem
the treatments. The patients will be
followed up for the entire length of
their hospital stay.
India had banned exports of Hy-
droxychloroquine after US Presi-
dent Trump widely proclaimed it
as a Covid-19 cure.
“India has allowed one-time ex-
port of prohibited Hydroxychlo-
roquine Sulphate USP 200 mg (
379,000 tablets) to Kenya to sup-
port the fight against the Covid-19
pandemic,” the Indian High Com-
mission said on April 29.
By Monday, Kenya had registered
1, 286 Covid-19 cases, 392 recover-
ies and 52 deaths.
The Pharmaceutical Society of
Kenya backed the WHO but urged
Kenyans to be more proactive in
testing for Non-Communicable
Diseases.
“Sometimes it’s not Covid-19
that’s killing people, but NCDs
that people have and they did not
know,” Dr Louis Machogu, the PSK
president, said.
“Also, when people go to hospital
let them be open about other drugs
they’re taking.”
at Namanga was a result of dispar-
ity with regard to the testing pro-
tocols.
But last week, a delegation from
Kenya comprising Health CAS
Rashid Aman and other senior
government officers - three region-
al coordinators from Coast, Nyanza
and Rift Valley - met counterparts
on the side of Tanzania to deliber-
ate on the matter.
“We insisted that anybody com-
ing through our borders had to
be tested using the agreed WHO
standards and that was agreed
on. That’s why from last week, the
trucks carrying essential cargo
started flowing through,” Macha-
ria said.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
UNLAWFULLY IN KENYA
German charged
with defilement,
child trafficking
ANNETTE WAMBULWA/ A German man has been
charged with several counts of defilement and
child pornography.
Thomas Scheller was also charged with being
unlawfully in Kenya and with child trafficking.
It is alleged that between March and April
at Nyalenda in Kisumu Central, he defiled a
13-year-old child.
He was also charged with two counts of show-
ing a pornographic video to the young boys.
“On diverse dates between the months of
March and April at Nyalenda in Kisumu, he un-
lawfully and intentionally exposed a child aged
13 years to an indecent audiovisual,” the charge
sheet reads.
It is alleged that he intentionally and unlaw-
fully recruited, transported and harboured a
13-year-old child for purposes of exploitation by
means of fraud.
He was charged with three counts of defiling
three minors, the youngest being 10, by sodomis-
ing them. He was also charged alternatively with
committing an indecent act with a minor
JUNE 19 MENTION
Sheller denied all the seven counts before prin-
cipal magistrate Muthoni Nzibe and claimed that
he was being framed for the offences.
He said he has no interest in having sex with
children adding that the minors are lying.
It’s his argument that he wanted to help the
child and the mother agreed but anything else is
a lie.
However, the state said the accused is a child
molester and should not be released on bail
because he is a foreigner without a valid permit
to allow him to be in Kenya.
The prosecution argued he has no permanent
residence and thus is a flight risk.
“There are three victims of tender age and we
are apprehensive if released before the minors
testify, he will influence them,” the court heard.
The case will be mentioned on June 19 for
pretrial and also pending a children’s report
to be prepared by the Children Department by
interviewing the alleged victims before the court
can determine if he will be released on bail.
Scheller was arrested on May 5 after the police
had trailed him for months, documents read.
It is allege he escaped police in Kwale and fled
to Kisumu where he committed the offences
before he was arrested in Nairobi.
Police said he was arrested outside the German
Embassy in the company of one of the victims.
EAC and Regional Development CS Adan Mohammed during
the coronavirus briefing yesterday / MERCY MUMO
At the end of the day, they signed an MoU confirm-
ing that we had agreed on the testing protocols, he said.
The problem at the Busia border, however, had been
brought about by defiant truckers who had packed
their trucks at the border in an effort to have their
grievances heard.
“We have a very long queue of trucks, not because
of differences of testing protocols between us and
Uganda as we have been following the same protocols
in terms of the medical process of testing the virus,”
Macharia said.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
OR BURY IN CITY CEMETERIES
Cremate the dead to prevent
virus spread, Raila tells Luos
Calls for suspension of burial cultures that increase the risk of exposure
GORDON OSEN
@TheStarKenya
ODM leader Raila Odinga says
bodies should be cremated to pre-
vent the spread of the coronavirus
- not buried.
He said communities should
abandon, at least for now, the dan-
gerous practice of ferrying bodies
upstate for burials that can spread
the virus and expose mourners to
Covid-19.
The culture of burying the dead
runs deep in Kenya and people are
slow to accept cremation.
Speaking on a vernacular talk
show over the weekend, the for-
mer Prime Minister said most
people do not appreciate the re-
ality of Covid-19 and the dangers
of exposure. Burial gatherings
in which people crowd together
should be done away with and the
public should understand they are
CARTOON
doing it for themselves and their
loved ones, not the government,
he said. “My mother died while I
was in detention and I visited the
graveside four years later upon
release. Don’t go to funerals that
are not a must,” such as those for
people not related to you,” he said.
“We must stop this cultural be-
lief that a dead person must be
ferried and buried upcountry.
They can be buried in cemeteries
in urban areas where they died,”
he added.
Saying the virus outbreak was
the Third World War, the ODM
leader said the disease was worse
than World Wars I and II. He said
it is an invisible enemy and cannot
be tackled with weapons and ex-
plosives. “Look at Italy and the US.
The combined number of people
dying of the virus each day is more
than those who died daily during
the Vietnam War or World War II.
THE-STAR.CO.KE
This is far deadlier than we have
been thinking,” he said.
Raila questioned how Kibera
residents who transported their
dead to Siaya county for burial,
were allowed to leave Nairobi. The
city county is a Covid-19 hotspot
and travel in and out is greatly re-
stricted.
He asked what safety protocols
are observed in upcountry burials,
as with the burial of the broth-
er of Bungoma Senator Moses
Wetang’ula.
On arrival, seven of the
Wetang’ula mourners tested pos-
itive for Covid-19.
“We must suspend cultural
practices that expose us to dan-
ger at this time of an epidemic.
We have no choice but to change,”
Raila said. He called on the gov-
ernment to introduce measures
to stop the ferrying of bodies up-
country for burial.
3
PHOTO STORY
Kenyatta
CORRIDORS OF POWER
National Hospital
CEO Evans
Kamuria and
TransCentury
Group boss
Ng’ang’a Njinu
pass through a
sanitising booth
his company
donated to
help fight the
spread of the
coronavirus
/FREDRICK
OMONDI
POLITICAL
GOSSIP
Who is doing what
and where in the
world of politics
IS THE SUDDEN move by some
Jubilee senators, especially the no-
minated, to ‘dump’ Deputy President
William Ruto (pictured) genuine or is it a
strategy to save their jobs? Well, a close
ally of the DP was overheard saying the
senators’ abrupt change of mind had
Ruto’s blessings. The vocal legislator
said the members were asked to lie low,
at least for now, to spare their jobs in
the wake of the heightened purge on
Jubilee legislators disloyal to President
Uhuru Kenyatta. The President is also
the party leader of the ruling party.
According to the man, time will come
when the members will show where
their real allegiance is.
TWO CANADIANS ALLEGEDLY
‘WE MUST involved in money laundering and fake
STOP THIS gold trade make for an intriguing case
being handled by one of the country’s
CULTURAL investigating agencies. Sources whis-
BELIEF THAT per to Corridors that a Kenyan swindled
two Canadians out of nearly Sh20 mi-
A DEAD llion. The suspect account first received
PERSON MUST over Sh10.8 million and a further Sh9.7
million. However, attempts to recall the
BE FERRIED cash were futile. The level of fraud in the
AND BURIED matter is said to be mind-boggling. One
suspect, a Canadian, has been swearing
UPCOUNTRY’ even false affidavits. At one time, the
international suspect claimed he was in
Kenya yet a search at the Immigration
department showed he was not. Corri-
dors will soon tell you more about the
players involved in this racket and how
accounts of a fake law firm were used.
WHEN A BUNCH of drunken youths
used an ambulance to beat the curfew,
Kenyans were dismayed and rebuked
the youngsters. But senior government
officials are also using crude means
to beat the curfew. A governor from
Western, who wanted to be with his
girlfriend past curfew hours, used the
same tactics with an official vehicle to
achieve his goals. A mole at the county
tells Corridors that the governor invi-
ted his girlfriend to Kisumu but it was
impossible since it was almost 7pm.
The county chief then sent his official
vehicle and escort to pick the woman,
knowing very well that no officer at the
roadblocks would check the occupants
of the cars and probably interfere with
his evening plans.
If you have any tips send them to
Tips@the-star.co.ke
4 THE-STAR.CO.KE
politics OUTMANOEUVRED NEC IS THE NERVE CENTRE OF JUBILEE WITH SWEEPING POWERS TO ENFORCE PARTY DI
Final blow to DP
Ruto as Uhuru
takes over NEC
BY JAMES MBAKA
@TheStarKenya
President Uhuru Kenyatta will
unveil a fresh Jubilee national ex-
ecutive committee on Thursday,
technically kicking out his deputy
William Ruto from the heart of the
party.
NEC is the nerve centre of Jubilee
with sweeping powers to enforce
party discipline and oversee the
work of the party’s parliamentary
group.
“You are either with the Pres-
ident or not. If you are with the
President you have to toe the line
and support his development
agenda,” said Jubilee secretary
general Raphael Tuju.
“The President has nothing per-
sonal with anyone. All he wants is
to develop the country and we will
work with like-minded people to
achieve that.”
President Kenyatta had for
months been warning Ruto and his
allies against politicking instead fo-
cusing on developing the country.
But fed up, Kenyatta first kicked
out Ruto from Central Kenya by ad-
dressing issues his deputy and his
supporters were using to campaign
against his administration.
He then sacked Mwangi Kiun-
juri, Ruto’s ally, from the powerful
agriculture docket.
Two weeks ago the Jubilee Party
leader kicked out Senate Majority
leader Kipchumba Murkomen and
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
last Friday, the Senate removed
Kithure Kindiki for disobeying the
President.
The new move comes a month
after Uhuru seized control of an-
other crucial party organ, the na-
tional management committee,
triggering a protracted political
duel in Jubilee.
The latest move will send Ruto
back to the drawing board as the
powerful organs could easily edge
him out of the party and deny him
the presidential ticket in 2022.
 Wednesday, May 27, 2020
ISCIPLINE
On Tuesday, Tuju warned that
the Jubilee Party was going to be
merciless in dealing with Ruto’s
allies in the coming days.
Those targeted include Soy MP
Caleb Kositany, a close ally of the
DP whom Tuju accused of illegally
using the Jubilee Party letterheads.
Kositany, who is the deputy SG,
used the party letterheads to send
letters to the Registrar of Political
Parties Ann Nderitu contradicting
the party.
He also sent a couple of letters to
county assemblies challenging the
decisions communicated by Tuju,
who is his boss.
“Some are even using, without
the authority of the party, station-
ary of the party not coming from
this office but coming from wher-
ever they are coming from and ex-
pecting that we are going to allow
that dysfunctionality. I am sorry
that they are mistaken and dis-
ciplinary action will be taken on
them,” Tuju said.
“We will take those matters to
the disciplinary committee. We
will pursue them to the logical
conclusion and where we feel that
we need the NEC to deal with them
we shall deal with those errant
members.”
The new-look NEC would in-
clude national officials, members
of the national management com-
mittee, select leaders from Parlia-
ment and some officials of the de-
funct parties that formed Jubilee.
The Star has established that
Uhuru’s new NEC would be a lean
team with less than 35 members.
The current NEC is bloated and
was envisioned to consist of some
party organs that have never been
established, such as chairperson of
the national business council.
Sources said the new-look NEC
would be tasked with approving
far-reaching changes to the lead-
ership of the party in the National
Assembly as well as sanctioning
disciplinary action on errant mem-
bers.
On Tuesday, Jubilee announced
Deputy changes to key committees in the
President Senate with most of Ruto’s lieuten-
William Ruto ants being the casualties.
and President Among those removed from
Uhuru Kenyatta committee leadership are Sam-
and /PSCU son Cherargei (chair, Justice and
Legal Affairs), Christopher Lang’at
(chair, Education) and John Kinyua
(chair, Devolution).
The axe is now expected to move
to the National Assembly.
The President’s allies are said to
have worked on a list of fresh new
national officials that alienate Ru-
to’s wing, technically leaving the
DP—a key founder of the outfit—
without a party.
Analysts say the move could
completely dim the DP’s chances
of flying the Jubilee presidential
ticket in the 2022 general election
following an aggressive onslaught
by Uhuru.
The five new NMC members –
Lucy Macharia, Marete Marangu,
Walter Nyambati, Jane Nampaso
and James Waweru – will also be
part of the NEC after their appoint-
ment was upheld despite protests.
The 11-member NMC chaired by
Jubilee chairman Nelson Dzuya
will hold its first meeting on
Wednesday to draw up what an
insider termed “sweeping” agenda
for the NEC.
THE-STAR.CO.KE
CALEB KOSITANY
Let them go ahead
and replace me. I
don’t care because
what I have been
doing is to correct the
illegalities done by
Tuju
All the national office bearers are
automatically members of the par-
ty’s NEC but concerns that some of
them were allied to Ruto informed
the major shakeup.
Tuju, who spoke at the Jubilee
headquarters in Pangani, Nairobi,
said MPs were expected to have ut-
most fidelity to the party and sub-
scribe to the code of conduct they
signed when they ran for elections.
“They hanged on the goodwill
of the party to get their positions.
For them to now change tack mid-
stream is nothing but betrayal of
the party,” Tuju affirmed.
But Kositany told the Star that
he didn’t care whether he was re-
placed as deputy SG.
“Let them go ahead and replace
me. I don’t care because what I
have been doing is to correct the
illegalities done by Tuju,” he said.
Kositany said he owed allegiance
first to the people of Soy who elect-
ed him and not the party where
some elements he said were hell-
bent on breaking the law.
“If the people of Soy are unhap-
py with my work then I would be
worried,” he said, adding that the
Jubilee Party must follow its own
constitution to the letter.
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa
All
national
officials
Chairperson,
council of
elders
National
National
Women’s
Assembly
leader
League
leaders
Chairpersons
of the party
parliamentary
caucuses
Party whip
in Senate
5
warned that some elements within
the “deep state” were determined
to block Ruto from ascending to
power because they fear his pres-
idency will not entertain making
deals.
“Some people are controlling
the President and have realised For more news
COMMENT
DIDMUS BARASA
that Ruto can not play ball to their on our website.
Uhuru
deals if he is elected. These people Scan this quick
have been defrauding investors response code
and want someone they can hold using your
at ransom,” he told the Star.
The vocal Ruto ally warned that
smartphone.
wants Ruto
anybody who doesn’t want to fol-
low the Jubilee constitution can
even overthrow the country’s Con-
to surrender
I
stitution. n all the changes taking place
“We have no problem with them
reconstituting NEC as long as they
in our party, one of the key
objectives is to finish Deputy
follow the law,” he said. President William Ruto politically
Tuju insisted that members ag- by setting the ground to favour
grieved with the decisions taken by their candidates.
the party so far can appeal before At this point we know these
the NEC which will be unveiled. candidates are Baringo Senator
“If anybody has objections with Gideon Moi and ODM leader Raila
decisions that we have taken so far Odinga.
then he would be free to raise them In the first scenario, the power
at the NEC meeting,” he said. brokers operating at State House
Tuju’s tough remarks aimed at want to manipulate the process
Ruto’s allies lifted the lid on im- and hold the next government
pending sweeping actions by the hostage.
party on rebels as the President Secondly, they are pushing
moves to take charge of the party. all these schemes that are being
implemented without regard
to the party constitution, the
existing laws and natural justice
to make the DP surrender to their
plans.
They want the DP to go to the
negotiating table and assure the
RAPHAEL TUJU dynasties that they will be safe if
he is elected president in 2022.
All these schemes will fail. The
If anybody has era of intimidation is long gone. It
objections with died with the old Constitution.
From the changes made to the
decisions that we National Management Committee,
despite protests from hundreds
have taken so far of members, signing the post-
election coalition agreement
then he would be with Kanu, removing senators
free to raise them at from the Senate leadership and
dewhipping those allied to the
the NEC meeting DP in House committees, it is
clear that they are attempting to
frustrate and undermine Ruto.
The senators and MPs who
are in leadership have done an
Chairperson, exemplary job in pushing the
National government agenda, even when
Business the changes they were pushing
Council
were not popular with the public.
All
members of People But the fraudsters we have in
the National Chairperson, with Jubilee Party, who are serving
Advisory National disability the sinister interests on external
MCA Caucus leaders
Council forces, cannot see this dedication.
Some party officials are serving
the interests of Raila, who is on
a revenge mission against the
Senate DP and his allies for aggressively
COMPOSITION leader
campaigning for President Uhuru
OF
NEC Secretary
Kenyatta in 2013 and twice in
2017.
Raila is holding Uhuru hostage
AS PER THE to the and we are calling on Jubilee
JUBILEE Parliamentary
Group
supporters to pray for our
CONSTITUTION government. How can you explain
a situation where Jubilee is slowly
Party whip and systematically surrendering
National in the government to the Opposition.
Youth National We will keep fighting from
League Assembly within until the day sense and the
Chairperson leaders rule of law prevail.
of Governor’s We are yet to be invited to
Caucus
Thursday’s Parliamentary Group
Chairperson meeting, but I want to declare that
Jubilee we will nonetheless attend to face
Foundation our accusers.
The Kimilili MP spoke to the
Star
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
NEWS GENERAL
REGGAE HAS NOT STOPPED
We’ll hold referendum before
the year ends, Raila announces
But ODM leader says priority should be given to economic recovery following the
devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic, nationwide floods and locusts
MOSES ODHIAMBO
AND GIDEON KETER
@TheStarKenya
ODM leader Raila Odinga on Tues-
day gave yet another strong hint that
the country will hold a referendum
to change the Constitution before
the end of the year.
His remark came just days after
Siaya Senator James Orengo said
Parliament would be required to
play a crucial role in the next few
months.
The ongoing purge of House lead-
ers perceived to be rebellious against
President Uhuru Kenyatta and the
publication of the Referendum
Bill(s) sparked a sense of urgency.
LEGAL AID
Prisoners to get toll-free
number to access lawyers
JILLO KADIDA /Prisoners will soon ac-
cess lawyers and counselling ser-
vices via a toll-free number.
The project, which is to be rolled
out by National Legal Aid Service, is
aimed at ensuring the constitution-
al right to legal aid is not violated
even as the country grapples with
Covid-19.
The chair of the board, judge
Mumbi Ngugi, made the revelations
yesterday during a webinar to dis-
cuss the effects of Covid-19 on legal
aid and access to justice.
The judge who was a panelist in a
discussion hosted by ICJ Kenya said
the toll-free number would be put in
place in the next 10 to 14 days.
There will be a lawyer or a para-
The Building Bridges Initiative
drive suffered a setback because of
the coronavirus pandemic which
led to restricted movement and a ban
on large gatherings.
Raila said the vote will be held
before the end of this year but cau-
tioned the country must first eco-
nomically recover.
“I see a referendum happening be-
fore the end of this year…it is possible
before end of year,” the ODM leader
told Milele FM on Tuesday.
Among proposals before the BBI
steering committee is expansion of
the Executive to introduce the Prime
Minister’s post.
Raila, however, said the priority
was to restore Kenyans’ livelihoods
battered by Covid-19, floods and lo-
legal officer available to answer the
toll-free number and offer legal ad-
vice to prisoners who need it.
A counsellor will be on standby
to offer services to prisoners or even
those who are about to be released
from remand and need psychologi-
cal preparation.
The board is also looking to estab-
lish a proper network with prisoners
and remandees to give them the in-
formation they need.
The board is working with advo-
cates to scale-up pro bono services
to ensure those who require repre-
sentation in court get it.
Judge Ngugi said although the idea
of providing legal aid to inmates was
important, it had not been priori-
THE-STAR.CO.KE
custs. “These situations have brought
poverty, diseases and joblessness
hence our call to the government
to take steps to restore economy,”
he said.
He further played down BBI’s link
to the next polls, saying that “people
should not talk of 2022 yet there is
still the BBI question”.
The ODM leader hailed President
Kenyatta’s Sh54 billion jobs plan,
saying it was a commendable step
that would help Kenyans.
The post-pandemic stimulus
package is premised on an eight-
point strategy aimed at creating jobs
under Kazi Mtaani, flood mitigation
and boosting trade.
“These must be dealt with first be-
fore we return to reggae. We can’t
Mandera Special Programmes chief officer Ali Mahat (white shirt) donates food to
Mandera Prison. The rice, beans, maize flour and cooking oil were received by the
officer in charge of the the prison Francis Mulandi (right) /COURTESY
tised in the country. She challenged
the state to take its duty of providing
legal aid to Kenyans seriously and
consider adequately funding the
board to enable it realise its mandate.
“Many citizens are poor and cannot
afford legal representation, so that
ODM leader Raila
Odinga during
the opening of
the new party
headquarters
at Chungwa
House and the
launch of digital
membership
registration
in Lavington,
Nairobi, on
November 28
last year
/DOUGLAS
OKIDDY
return to politics when people are
still hungry,”Raila said.
“And as they say, a hungry man is
an angry man. We wouldn’t want to
take politics to angry people.” The
ODM boss restated that the BBI drive
was not dead as had been said by its
opponents.
“We said no one can stop reggae.
It has not been stopped. Covid-19 is
not a person. Reggae is on half-time.
It will come back soon,” Raila said.
He downplayed the effects of
Covid-19 on the process, saying it
had given the BBI steering commit-
tee time to continue with research
on the recommendations.
The BBI received recommenda-
tions in Nyanza, Western, Coast,
Eastern, Maasai, Garissa and Meru.
leads them to stay in custody and
this is an opportunity to advance the
organisations that help with legal
aid,” the judge said.
“The state needs to re-examine the
place of national legal aid services
and offer help.”
6
THE DATA
14
Days before prisoners
get toll-free number
Judge Mumbi Ngugi said a lawyer or
paralegal officer will be on standby at
all times to take calls. Prisoners will also
receive counselling through the number.
Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka
/FILE
REPLACING KINDIKI
Senators to elect
deputy speaker
next Tuesday
JULIUS OTIENO/Lobbying for the vacant
seat of Senate Deputy Speaker has
intensified ahead of elections on
Tuesday next week.
Speaker Kenneth Lusaka on
Tuesday gazetted the removal
of Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure
Kindiki from the position and invited
senators interested in the seat to
pick nomination papers.
“I hereby notify you that the
gazette notice has been released
for publication today and notify
and invite interested senators to
submit their nomination papers,”
Lusaka said in a communication to
the House. He said those interested
should pick their nomination papers.
VIRTUAL CELEBRATION
Kenyans to follow
Madaraka Day fete
from State House
KEVIN CHERUIYOT / This year’s
Madaraka Day celebrations will
be unique due to the ongoing
coronavirus pandemic.
Interior PS Karanja Kibicho on
Tuesday said the government had
put in place mechanisms for virtual
celebrations of Madaraka Day from
State House, Nairobi.
The June 1 celebrations will start
at 8am and will culminate in the
live address from President Uhuru
Kenyatta.The government said the
step has been taken in order to
observe the measures given by the
Ministry of Health to curb further
spread of the virus.
The 57th national celebrations will
be streamed through all local media.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 THE-STAR.CO.KE 7

NEWS GENERAL
WERE EXPECTED

Ruto allies unmoved as Uhuru

Interior CS Fred Matiang’i, Education’s George Magoha,
Archbishop Philip Anyolo and John Cardinal Njue during a
PHOTO STORY meeting at Holy Family Basilica yesterday /WILFRED NYANGARESI
LEADERS CONDEMN VIOLENCE
Six people killed and 13 injured in fresh
Maasai, Kipsigis skirmishes in Narok
KIPLANGAT KIRUI/ Six people were
killed and 13 others injured after
fresh clashes between the Maa and
Kipsigis erupted in Narok county at
the weekend.
More than 15 houses were torched
in Olooruasi and Olpusimoru areas in
Narok South and Narok North sub-
counties, respectively.
Narok county commissioner Sam-
uel Kimiti said they have deployed a
contingent of security officers to quell
the violence. “It is a totally unaccept-
able loss of lives and properties. We
formed peace committees for both
communities that will help preach
peace messages among their people,”
Kimiti said. He said that two people
have been arrested in connection with
the clashes. The administrator spoke
to the press after a meeting with
Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, Narok
South MP Korei ole Lemein and MCAs
of the affected areas.
fires another salvo in Senate
DP’s men laugh off changes; say not worried of plum positions lost
LUKE AWICH AND ALLAN KISIA/ The Jubilee
purge in the Senate continued on
Tuesday with the party announcing
changes that appear to push out law-
makers aligned to Deputy President
William Ruto from key positions.
But Ruto allies laughed off the
changes insisting they are not wor-
ried about losing their prestigious
positions in Parliament.
The Senate’s Justice and Legal Af-
fairs Committee (JLAC) chair, Sam-
son Cherargei, an ally of Ruto, said
he is not scared of losing his position
because of his association with the
Deputy President.
He said the party should, however,
explain to him how he has failed as
the chair of JLAC during his tenure.
“If they want to take it, so be it. I
have no reason to be scared about
it at the end of the day,” the Nandi
senator said.
In the changes announced by
newly installed Senate Majority whip
Senator Irungu Kang’ata, Ruto allies
will be removed from the leadership
of key committees and replaced by
perceived party loyalists.
In the changes, Senator Chris-
topher Lang’at of Bomet has been
replaced at the House Business Com-
mittee by Nairobi’s Johnson Sakaja,
a staunch supporter of President
Uhuru Kenyatta.
Lang’at also lost his position as
Education Committee chairman. He
was replaced by Senator Alice Milgo.
Lang’at will now serve in the JLAC
as a member. He will be joined in the
same committee by Tharaka Nithi
Senator Kithure Kindiki who until
last week Friday was the Senate dep-
uty speaker.
The changes which appeared to
target senators who voted against the
removal of Kindiki have already been
communicated to Senate Speaker
Ken Lusaka for further action.
Senate Majority Leader Samuel
Poghisio of West Pokot, who before
his elevation was a member of ICT
committee, will now leave the slot to
Laikipia Senator John Kinyua
Meru’s Linturi Mithika also lost his
membership at the powerful Senate
County Public Accounts and Invest-
ment Committee. He will be replaced
by Fatuma Dullo of Mandera. Linturi
was moved to Delegated Legislation
where he will replace Poghisio who
also lost his membership at JLAC.
John Kinyua will also lose his po-
sition as the chairman of the Devo-
lution Committee.
Former Senate Majority Leader
Kipchumba Murkomen will now be
a member of the Devolution Com-
mittee.
The cleanup started with the re-
moval of senators Kindiki (Tharaka
Nithi), Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet)
and Susan Kihika (Nakuru) from
Deputy Speaker, Leader of Majority
and Majority Whip, respectively. The
three senators were accused of defy-
ing Uhuru, who is the party leader.
The Laikipia senator said he is okay
with the changes which he described
as normal.
“I don’t think there is any cause for
alarm. I think it is okay. It is within
their power to do what they think is
right,” he said.

TO END STALEMATE

Consult on school reopening,

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

Telegraphic Address County assembly

Kalonzo urges CS Magoha

Telephone : 053 2062077, 53 203357 P.O. Box 100-3100
Email: info@ugcountyassembly.or.ke ELDORET-KENYA
Web: www.ugcountyassembly.or.ke

ernment agencies. Gathemia said UASIN GISHU COUNTY ASSEMBLY

ALLAN KISIA
@TheStarKenya
Education stakeholders should be
consulted before school reopening
dates and other modalities are an-
nounced, Wiper Party leader Ka-
lonzo Musyoka has said.
Kalonzo said Education Cabinet
Secretary George Magoha should
reach out to teachers and lecturers’
unions, the human rights commis-
sion and the Covid-19 Education
Response Committee he appointed
for their take.
In a statement, Kalonzo said Mag-
oha should reach an amicable solu-
tion to the stalemate concerning the
reopening dates.
“I make this call particularly for
the sake of the millions of our pu-
pils and students who stand to lose
heavily if the brinkmanship and
grandstanding between the two
sides continue,” he said.
The Wiper Party boss said the two
sides can come to a compromise and
“spare our young learners the push
and pull, otherwise, it will be the
grass (learners) who will suffer as
the two bulls fight!”
Head teachers have cautioned
against rushing to reopen schools
during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kenya Primary School Heads
cases of Covid-19 in the country are
increasing daily. OPEN TENDER NOTICE
Infectious disease epidemiologist
Mark Nanyingi said Covid-19 cases Uasin Gishu County Assembly invites tenders from reputable, competent and interested
are likely to shoot if schools and so- Companies for the( A)Proposed renovation of county assembly chamber (B)Proposed renovation
cial places are reopened too soon. of county assembly building( C) Proposed construction of masonry perimeter wall and civil works
for 2019/2020 Financial Year. The tender documents are available at county assembly website.
Kalonzo, however, said he believed
27th May. 2020
it is time to reopen Kenya to save the
economy from total collapse.
“Following the advisory by the NO TEDER NO. Negotiation ITEM DESCRIPTION ELIGIBILITY
No(IFMIS)
World Health Organisation that
Covid-19 could be with us for a long 1 UGCA/T/001/2019/2020 806099 Proposed renovation Open tender
of county assembly
time, it is clear that countries can-
chamber
not be in curfews and close-down
2 UGCA/T/002/2019/2020 806067 Proposed renovation Open tender
forever,” he said.
of county assembly
He said Kenyans should, howev- building
er, continue to strictly adhere to the
3 UGCA/T/003/2019/2020 806134 Proposed construction Open tender
primary guidelines from the govern- of masonry perimeter
ment. Wearing of masks, washing wall and civil works
hands, use of sanitiser and keeping
social distance should continue, Ka- Interested eligible candidates may obtain further information from supply chain management,
lonzo said. procurement department Uasin Gishu county assembly. The tender document containing detailed
“I believe, too, that the govern- information on the tenders can be downloaded from Uasin Gishu County Assembly website: www.
ment will soon be issuing further SPARE OUR ugcountyassembly.or.ke , or IFMIS Portal: www.supplier.treasury.go.ke or PPIP Portal: www.
tenders.go.ke
guidelines concerning this matter.
All in all, let’s maintain optimism
YOUNG
and discipline so as to overcome this LEARNERS Complete tender documents must be submitted through the IFMIS supplier portal supplier.treasury.
go.ke as per the requirements contained in the document so as to be received on or before 10th
pandemic,” he said.He added: “As
we resume our normal activities, we THE PUSH June, 2020 at 12:00 noon. The system will Automatically LOCK OUT AT THE TIME indicated in the
IFMIS Portal E-Procurement services.
should do so with lots of caution,
lest we let down our guard, with
AND PULL, NOTE : Manual submission will NOT be accepted, all tenders must be submitted through IFMIS
catastrophic consequences.” OTHERWISE, Supplier Portal.
Already, the Kenya Union of Post
Primary Education Teachers has IT WILL BE Bidders who may experience challenges in accessing or uploading tender documents in the IFMIS
proposed partial opening of schools
by June 15 for national examination
THE GRASS tender portal may contact the IFMIS helpdesk telephone 0800721477 at the National Treasury.

Association chairperson Nicholas candidates. (LEARNERS) Clerk to Uasin Gishu County Assembly,
P.O. Box 100-30100,
Gathemia said schools’ reopening
should be informed by data from the
Kuppet also wants final year stu-
dents at the universities and colleges
WHO WILL Eldoret
Ministry of Health and other gov- to report by the same date. SUFFFER
 8 THE-STAR.CO.KE
NEW S GENERAL
ALL SET FOR POLLS
IEBC ready for five
by-elections when
country opens up
ALLAN KISIA/ The Independent Elec-
toral and Boundaries Commission
is ready to hold five by-elections as
soon as the country is opened up.
IEBC chairman Wafula Chebu-
kati said they are in talks with the
Ministry of Health to see how the
by-elections will be held after the
Covid-19 pandemic.
“After curfew is lifted and the
country is opened up, we will set
new elections dates for one constit-
uency and four wards,” he said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sat-
urday hinted at easing the contain-
ment measures now in place to curb
TOUCHING A RAW NERVE
Ruto allies accuse Uhuru
of punishing Rift farmers
The government plans to import four million bags of maize
JULIUS OTIENO
@juliusotieno
Deputy President William Ruto’s al-
lies on Tuesday brought the emotive
maize debate to the Senate, accusing
President Uhuru Kenyatta of pun-
ishing Rift Valley farmers to settle
political scores.
They claimed that the govern-
ment’s decision to stop buying
maize for the Strategic Food Reserve
and the plan to import two million
bags of the cereal are manoeuvres
to cut the DP down to size.
In their apparent effort to win
the spread of coronavirus.
The President acknowledged
that Kenyans were going through
difficult times but stressed that the
measures were necessary to combat
the virus.
Chebukati said, “We are seeking
advice on the best way to go about
this activity. There will be a lot of
changes and new ways of conduct-
ing elections.”
Last month, IEBC postponed five
by-elections to a date to be an-
nounced later due to the Covid-19
pandemic.
It told voters in Msambweni
over the hearts of Rift Valley maize
farmers, the DP foot soldiers led by
the dewhipped Leader of Majority
Kipchumba Murkomen, said failure
by the government to cushion farm-
ers through subsidised fertilisers is
part of the sinister plot.
Rift Valley is Ruto’s political bed-
rock.
Murkomen, the Elgeyo Marakwet
senator, and colleagues Susan Ki-
hika (Nakuru), Benjamin Lang’at
(Bomet) and Samson Cherargei
(Nandi) wanted to know the ra-
tionale for importing four millions
bags of maize when farmers have
the grain in their stores.
The issue had been brought to the
constituency and Dabaso (Kilifi),
Kisumu North, Kahawa Wendani
(Kiambu) and Wundayi/Mbale (Taita
Taveta) wards to wait a little longer
to pick their representatives.
Chebukati told Citizen TV that
political parties will conduct prima-
ries and hold campaigns differently.
“The main problem is hu-
man-to-human contact. We are
looking at having elections in this
environment. Keeping social dis-
tance, use of sanitisers and face
masks at polling stations,” he ex-
plained.
He noted that activities involving
human-to-human contact had been
scaled down.
“We all understand that the people
in the constituency and the wards
need representation. Immediate-
ly the situation improves and the
country is opened up and the cur-
few is lifted, we will hold elections,”
the IEBC chief said.
While announcing the postpone-
ment, Chebukati said they were
ready to conduct the by-elections
morning session by Cherargei.
“This issue of stopping the pur-
chase of maize from farmers is more
than government policy. It is poli-
tics. I have always said and I have
insisted, if people have their own
fights about 2022, they should leave
our farmers alone,” Murkomen.
Kihika, like Murkomen, was last
week stripped of her Majority Whip
position for disrespecting the Presi-
dent - Jubilee Party leader - among
other accusations.
Maize is the staple food of most
Kenyans and the means of livelihood
for most people in the expansive Rift
Valley. Anything to do with maize
in the region is a political minefield
IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati
/JACK OWUOR
but the virus outbreak posed un-
precedented challenges.
It would be difficult to hold the
elections without exposing the
public to the contagious virus, he
said, adding that the dusk to dawn
national curfew limited the move-
ment of everyone except essential
services providers.
PHOTO STORY
Nominated
Senator Christine
Zawadi who
was summoned
before the Jubilee
Party disciplinary
committee
for snubbing
President Uhuru
Kenyatta’s
meeting at State
House. She
presented herself
at the party
headquarters in
Pangani, Nairobi,
yesterday
/DOUGLAS
OKIDDY
depending on the circumstance.
It was not lost to observers that
the DP lieutenants could be intent
on fanning disaffection against the
government among residents.
Murkomen accused the President
of using certain Cabinet Secretaries
to bring down Ruto politically in his
own backyard.
“We need to call it what it is.
There have been certain Cabinet
Secretaries who have been behav-
ing in a manner like … you have to
punish citizens to settle political
scores,” the former Senate Majority
Leader said.
He said some farmers are yet to
be paid years after delivering their
grain to the National Cereals and
Produce Board.
“Those farmers have been pro-
filed. Those farmers were not paid
because they were linked to a par-
ticular person and then corruption
was used as an excuse,” he said.
The diehard Ruto confidant has
been at the forefront assailing the
President, hence his removal from
the plum Senate seat.
The government recently pub-
lished a gazette notice allowing the
importation of two million bags of
white maize.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
INSECURITY
Night fishing in
Lake Naivasha
banned over crime
GEORGE MURAGE/There will be no
fishing in Lake Naivasha between
6pm and 6am, the Naivasha security
committee has said.
The committee established that
some fishermen ignored curfew
hours to conduct their business in
the dark when law-abiding resi-
dents were asleep.
This also came barely a week
after landowners around the lake
raised concerns over increased night
attacks and robberies.
Naivasha subcounty commission-
er Mbogo Mathioya said on Tuesday
that a multi-agency security team
had been formed to address insecu-
rity in the lake.
Mbogo, who was addressing
the press after meeting the Beach
Management Units (BMUs) rep-
resentatives, regretted that some
fishermen had ignored the curfew.
“We shall make sure that the
curfew is adhered to even in the lake
and anyone found operating after
6pm will have himself to blame,” the
administrator said.
He at the same time banned
eco-tourism operators from using
their boats until the Covid-19 pan-
demic eases.
“Some operators involved in
eco-tourism are using their boats
to ferry the vandalised property and
we shall not entertain this,” he said.
WITHDRAWS CASE
Ledama to get back
Senate committee
seat after Raila deal
JULIUS OTIENO/The removal of Narok
Senator Ledama Olekina from a
powerful Senate committee is set
to be reversed after the lawmaker
struck a deal with ODM leader Raila
Odinga.
The two met at the former prime
minister’s home in Karen alongside a
group of elders from the Maa com-
munity on Tuesday morning.
In the deal, the vocal senator
has agreed to withdraw a case he
filed against the party after he was
removed from the chairmanship
of the County Public Accounts and
Investments Committee (CPAIC).
“Senator @ledamalekina has this
morning agreed to withdraw the
case he filed against @theODM par-
ty over the senate public accounts
committee chairmanship, surren-
dered the seat and apologised,” Raila
tweeted.
“In return, I have instructed the
party to reverse the decision to de-
whip the senator.”
The revelations implies that
Olekina will also retain his senate
seat in the powerful House Business
committee where he was removed.
Olekina was de-whipped from the
committees following his election as
the chairman of the influential CPAIC.
The senator reportedly went
against the party position to pre-
serve the seat for Kisii Senator Sam
Ongeri.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 THE-STAR.CO.KE 9

NEWS JUDICIARY
USE OF ICT FACTS ON RECORD
LSK asks court to be allowed to hold
LSK president
Nelson Havi Kajiado man’s life
virtual AGM due to ban on meetings
/FILE
sentence for defiling
daughter, 10, upheld
ANNETTE WAMBULWA /BThe Law Society of Kenya will for the first time hold
its annual general meeting through online platforms if the court approves. CAROLYNE KUBWA/A man convicted
LSK moved to court on Friday seeking to be allowed to hold the AGM of defiling his 10-year-old
using appropriate ICT platforms. daughter in Kajiado will continue to
“LSK be granted leave to hold their annual general meeting through serve his life sentence after he lost
appropriate information and communication technology platforms on the appeal.
a date communicated to members by the LSK council,” the application The man pleaded guilty to the
reads. It’s not clear how the organisation will be able to host all the 17,000 offence in 2015 and was handed
members. At least five per cent of the membership is needed to have a the life sentence. He appealed
quorum. the decision on grounds that the
On March 18, LSK informed its members that the AGM scheduled for charges were defective.
March 28 was put off until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak. But Court of Appeal judges
Mohammed Warsame, Asike
Makhandia and Jamilla Mohammed
SH1.5 BILLION DISPUTE were satisfied that due process

Tuju’s loan row ruling Friday

CS accuses judge of bias and wants her to disqualify herself from the case
SUSAN MUHINDI
@TheStarKenya
High Court judge Grace Nzioka will
on Friday determine whether she
will bow out of a case in which CS
Raphael Tuju is challenging a deci-
sion of a London court that allowed
a bank to recover over Sh1.5 billion
from his company.
The judge set the date after both
parties concluded their submissions.
Tuju wants Nzioka to disqualify
herself from the case on grounds
that she has been favourable to the
East African Development Bank and
causing damage to his company, Dari
Limited.
Through lawyers Paul Muite and
Paul Nyamodi, the CS without port-
folio told the court that he believed
he would not get a fair hearing due
to the manner in which the judge
had conducted the matter.
“The informal manner in which
the judge has conducted this matter
shows she is biased against me and
the directors of Dari. This will deny
us a fair trial,” Tuju said.
He asked the judge to remit the file
to the presiding judge of the Com-
mercial Division at the Milimani law
courts for assignment of a new judge.
But the bank through lawyer Fred
Ojiambo argued that the application
for recusal was a ploy to have the
main case delayed.
“If Tuju realised that the judge was
biased since January this year, he
should not have waited until May
to file this application. He does not
deserve to be heard until he obeys
court orders issued before,” Ojiambo
said. He dismissed the application as
a scheme to drag the matter.
The bank initially filed the case
before a London court seeking to
compel Dari Ltd to offset the Sh1.5
billion loan.
The court subsequently allowed
the regional bank to recover the
money from Tuju’s real estate com-
pany.
Tuju being aggrieved with the de-
cision is currently fighting to have
the High Court set aside the ruling
made in London.
According to court documents, the
loan was meant for the construction
of a Sh100 million two-storey bun-
galow and the purchase of a nine-
year-old bungalow built by a Scot-
tish missionary, Dr Albert Patterson.
The bungalow currently operates as
a high-end restaurant.
In January, EADB asked the High
CS Raphael
Tuju at the
Jubilee Party
headquarters
yesterday
/DOUGLAS OKIDDY
Court to accept a June 19, 2019 de-
cision by Daniel Toledano, a judge
in England and Wales. The bank
through its lawyer Githu Muigai
said judgments from a UK court are
among those enforceable in Kenya
and vice versa.
He informed judge Winfrida
Okwany that Dari restaurant un-
successfully appealed against the
decision of the UK court and there-
fore his client should be allowed to
enforce the judgment.
was followed during the trial.
The judges said the offence was
clearly disclosed and described
and that the facts were in accord
with the prosecution evidence
including the P3 form.
“The upshot is that we find
that this appeal has no merit. We
order that the same be and is
hereby dismissed in its entirety,”
the judges ruled. The prosecution
argued that the man had pleaded
guilty to the charge and was
convicted and sentenced.
SH12.7 FRAUD CHARGE
Warrants of arrest
issued against two
senior Kebs officers
FAITH MATETE/ Warrants of arrest
have been issued against two
Kenya Bureau of Standards
officers as four others charged
with conspiring to defraud the
government of Sh12.7 million were
released on Sh3 million bond each.
The warrants were issued
against assistant accountant Eric
Kibet and principal accountant
Rose Wangui.
Principal quality assurance
officer Florence Awino, principal
market surveillance officer
Catherine Nangila, regional
accountant Daniel Ambrose and
accountant Linet Bitengo were on
Tuesday charged before senior
principal magistrate Robinson
Ondieki with conspiracy to defraud.
They were arrested on Friday.
The court heard that between
July 1, 2017, and October 31, 2018,
at the Kebs offices in Kisumu,
the offciers jointly conspired to
defraud the government of Sh12.7
million.

HE HOPED TO SELL IT
Kibera man pleads guilty to possessing tear gas canister
CLAUSE MASIKA/A man charged with illegal The tear gas canister was suspected to have been
possession of a tear gas canister pleaded guilty on stolen from police stores. Obuya was arrested in his
yesterday. house during a police operation.
Tyson Obuya pleaded guilty before Kibera senior The prosecution told the court that the accused
Tyson Obuya in principal magistrate Boaz Ombewa. person had been suspected to have committed
a Kibera court The accused said he never knew it was a tear gas another offence.
yesterday canister. Obuya in mitigation asked the court to forgive him
/CLAUSE MASIKA “I found it in my compound and I never knew as he was a good man.
it was a tear gas canister. I had kept it with the “I ask this court to forgive me. I will never repeat
intention of selling it to make some money,” he told the mistake,” he told court.
the court . Ombewa ordered the matter to be mention on
According to the charge sheet, Obuya committed June 26 and asked for a probation officer’s report
the offence on May 24 in Kibera Soweto, Nairobi. before sentencing.
 10 THE-STAR.CO.KE Wednesday, May 27, 2020

NEWS GENERAL
THIRSTY CITY
Some Nairobi estates’ taps will
remain dry as works proceed
GILBERT KOECH/ Nairobi residents drawing their water from
Sasamua Dam will have to wait a little longer before the
supply resumes.
Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company acting MD
Nahason Muguna said in a statement on Tuesday that the
repairs are in progress. “It is expected that by May 31 the
temporary reinstatement works will be completed,” he said.
Muguna said the move will lead to the resumption of water
supply to the city from Sasumua Dam before permanent
works are completed.
“The works require re-routing of the pipeline to avoid A child is
recurring damages of the pipeline in the current route as vaccinated / FILE
this is the third time this pipeline has been damaged in the
same area by landslides,” he said.
The Sasamua water supply was interrupted on May 8
following a massive landslide that occurred within the Ab-
erdare Forest.
The landslide damaged 600 metres of the main pipeline
that supplies water from Sasumua Dam to Nairobi.
The Nairobi water boss said engineers have been mobil-
ised to rectify the situation by the Ministry of Water, Sanita-
tion and Irrigation, Athi Water Works Development Agency
and NCWSC. Muguna said site preparation and construction
of access road is in progress to facilitate transportation of
materials deep inside the Aberdare Ranges. He said the new
route will involve laying of 3.5km water pipeline.

Homes flooded REVERSES MAJOR GAINS

after River Nzoia
burst its banks
following heavy 80m children at risk
rainfall and
backflow from as Covid-19 disrupts
immunisation efforts
Lake Victoria in
Budalangi, Busia
county, on May 3
/ REUTERS
MAGDALINE SAYA/ The lives of more than 80 million chil-
dren globally aged below one year are at risk of diseases
such as diphtheria, measles and polio as Covid-19 dis-
rupts routine vaccination efforts.
The latest warning by the global vaccine agency Gavi,
the World Health Organization and Unicef comes ahead
of a global vaccine summit in London next Thursday.
During the summit, world leaders will be expected
to come together to help maintain immunisation pro-
grammes and mitigate the impact of the pandemic in
low-income countries.
Similar concerns have been raised by the Health min-
istry and the Council of Governors after it emerged that
women were shunning antenatal clinics for fear of con-
tracting the virus.
IMPORTS NEEDED CoG health committee chairman Mohammed Kuti

Heavy rains could diminish

said the gains which the country had made in immuni-
sation and reduction in maternal mortality were slowly
getting reversed.
The three global agencies have now called for con-
certed efforts to ensure that routine immunisation and

maize harvests, say experts

Deluge washes away crops and the soil nutrients needed for higher yield
AGATHA NGOTHO
@TheStarKenya
Maize production will drop due to
exceptionally heavy long rains that
washed away some crops and soil
nutrients.
Timothy Njagi, a senior research-
er from Tegemeo Institute, said the
long rains started early in some parts
of the county and caused leaching
and loss of soil nutrients for healthy
growth.
The heavy rains have also caused
flooding of about 10,000 acres.
“The rains have been good and
farmers who planted early around
February could have a good harvest
but those who planted late may have
their crops affected by too much
rain,” Njagi told the Star yesterday.
He said this year’s maize produc-
tion could be lower than the 2019
harvest of 35 million bags. Maize and
rice crops also have been damaged
by flooding.
Agriculture PS Hamadi Boga said
the ministry is yet to collect data.
“Projections for this year’s maize
harvest can only be done once data
has been collected and this is yet to
happen due to many factors includ-
ing the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
In 2019, the government project-
ed a harvest of 38 million bags but
post-harvest losses amounted to
nearly 30 per cent because farmers
were unable to dry maize due to the
long ‘short’ rains.
Boga said national monthly con-
sumption is about four million bags
both for maize meal and animal feed.
National annual consumption is
52 million bags against the annual
production of 40 to 45 million bags,
which drops to fewer than 40 million
bags in some years.
Data collected from 14 counties
in April showed farmers hold a
surplus maize stock of 10.1 million,
90kg bags.
Trans Nzoia has a surplus of 3.2
million bags, having an annual pro-
duction of 4.8 million bags against
the consumption of 990,000 bags.
Uasin Gishu produces 3.6 million
bags against the consumption of 1.2
million bags. It currently has a sur-
plus of two million bags.
Nakuru has an annual produc-
tion of 2.4 million bags against the
consumption of 2.1 million bags. The
surplus is only 33,368 bags. Annual
production in Kakamega county is
2.9 million bags while consump-
tion is 1.9 million bags, a surplus of
664,895 bags. Bungoma produces
3.5 million bags and consumes 1.7
million bags; the surplus is 1.4 mil-
lion bags.
The government has allowed mill-
ers to import four million bags for
white maize and animal feed.
Njagi said that will be enough un-
til the South Rift and Western Kenya
maize harvest starts to arrive in the
market in July.
In March, millers urged the gov-
ernment to open the window for
maize importation to avert a food
crisis if the coronavirus outbreak
worsens.
United Grains Millers Association
chairman Ken Nyaga, said there is
a shortage of maize in the country
and the little that farmers have is
contaminated with aflatoxin.
“But the shortage cannot be felt
now because the demand for maize
flour is low and Kenyans are not
buying packaged maize flour as
they did before.
“The importation will also help
in restocking the Strategic Food
Reserve. We need to be prepared
in case a food crisis occurs,” Nyaga
told the Star.
vaccination campaigns against the preventable diseases
go on uninterrupted.
The agencies say that more than half of 129 countries
have reported moderate to severe disruptions, with some
recording total suspension of vaccination services be-
tween March and April.
“Immunisation is one of the most powerful and funda-
mental disease prevention tools in the history of public
health. Disruption of immunisation programmes by
the Covid-19 pandemic threatens to unwind decades
of progress against vaccine-preventable diseases like
measles,” WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghe-
breyesus said.
“At the June 4 Global Vaccine Summit in London,
donors will pledge their support to Gavi, the Vaccine
Alliance, to sustain and accelerate this lifesaving work
in some of the most vulnerable countries,” he said.
In some cases, mothers have been reluctant to leave
their homes due to movement restrictions and lack of
information or because they fear to get Covid-19 infec-
tion while seeking services.
In other instances, the unavailability of healthcare
workers has been a challenge as most have been rede-
‘THE HEAVY ployed to Covid-19 response duties, coupled with lack
RAINS HAVE of protective equipment.
“More children in more countries are now protected
BEEN GOOD against more vaccine-preventable diseases than at any
point in history. Due to Covid-19, this immense progress
AND FARMERS is now under threat, risking the resurgence of diseases
WHO like measles and polio,” Gavi CEO Seth Berkley said.
Despite Kenya putting in place specific guidelines for
PLANTED Covid-19 prevention, not much change has been seen,
AROUND with hospitals reporting very few visits.
“Not only will maintaining immunisation programmes
FEBRUARY prevent more outbreaks, but it will also ensure we
have the infrastructure we need to roll out an eventual
COULD HAVE Covid-19 vaccine on a global scale,” Berkley said.
A GOOD The agencies are also concerned that delays in the
transportation of vaccines poses as another major
HARVEST’ challenge.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 THE-STAR.CO.KE 11

NEWS GENERAL
FROM BARTENDERS TO CIVIL SERVANTS

Car-boot market thrives during pandemic

Fast-moving products like food and strategic locations best for business as mass gatherings remain banned
AKELLO ODENYO
AND MERCY MUMO Food vendors
@TheStarKenya along the
Northern Bypass
On busy Seasons Road in Kasarani, yesterday
John Mwangi parks his white Toyota /MERCY MUMO
Fielder, the boot wide open facing
the road.
Inside are pieces of chicken packed
in containers and covered with foil. A
sign says a half chicken costs Sh200,
a full chicken Sh400.
In the middle of the boot is a big
chopping block where Mwangi cuts
chicken and wraps the pieces.
“I have a big farm where I raise
chickens and I used to supply them
to two restaurants in town. But they
stopped all supplies after the corona-
virus outbreak,” he explains.
He is also a civil servant in the Min-
istry of Education with time on his
hands for the time being; he plans
to return to his formal job.
Mwangi, 42, is one of many unem-
ployed, underemployed or financially
hurting people who set up shop from
their car boots around the country hit
by the coronavirus pandemic. He’s
been doing it for six weeks.
Sellers can be farmers and civil
servants, like Mwangi, civil servants,
taxi drivers, students, hairstylists, bar-
tenders - anyone who needs money.
The car boot market is the new way
to sell products and survive hard eco-
nomic times.
Mwangi, who stays in Ruai Estate,
said after his second client stopped
ordering - restaurant were closed -
he had nowhere to take his chicken.
Demand is low in Ruai.
“There’s a great disruption in the
supply chain,” he said. “I was forced
to improve a survival mechanism.”
He arrives every day at noon, clos-
es by 6pm and makes deliveries on
the way home He also delivers in the
morning.
Mwangi alternates between selling
the white meat and eggs, depending
on what is available in excess.
“I’m a civil servant and I don’t plan Vehicles parked along the Northern Bypass where they are used as mobile
to quit my job, so when the economy grocery stalls along the highway /REUTERS
opens up, I’ll return to employment,”
he says laughing. who resell to their customers at a owns a business in Ngara where she
Robert Mutinda and his wife sell profit,” he says. sells clothes - little business these
vegetables, tomatoes and mangoes Student Nancy Wangui from Ga- days - and has an M-Pesa shop. Now
from the back of their pick-up, which rissa University says she was forced she also sells by the roadside.
he parks on ACK Road in Mwiki. to sell food along Kiambu Road. The “I have my own business but started
“This place has so much human university was closed and her par- selling food products here because my
traffic in the evening, that is why I ents could no longer give her pocket husband lost his job at Kenya Airways
picked it,” he says. money since they had lost their jobs. and we can’t afford to manage our
He has been selling there for only She displays food on a plastic sheet family due to lack of finances.
three weeks but he’s so impressed on the ground. “We thought it was a good idea to
by his profits that he’s not certain if “Selling food products here is a bit start a new business so we can sup-
he will return to his old job. He was competitive because most custom- port the family together,” she says.
a shop attendant selling household ers prefer buying their products from Charles Macharia, an event organ-
items. someone who displays products in a iser known as Charly Bla, who is also
“My boss closed shop because there car. We have to display them on the a mixologist-bartender, is selling food
were no returns so I decided to give ground.” by the roadside because there’s no
this a try because my wife has a car. Nancy says it is not easy to com- other work for him now.
We make up to Sh1,500.” pete for space with the other vendors He says that he will continue with
Mutinda, however, must pay a since most of those with cars are like the car-boot business when the econ-
“small parking fee” to an electronics a family and know each other. omy picks up since it’s bringing in
shop owner who lets him park outside “Sometimes I feel discriminated income.
his shop. against by the other vendors since The vendors have to pay Sh20 to
“Food is one of the few businesses they book space for each other and residents every day to provide security
that have not been badly affected by I don’t get a perfect location,” Nancy and maintain hygiene in the area.
the pandemic. It is fast-moving and says. In order to get space, they have to Tabitha Mugure arranges her food products for sale along the Northern Bypass
sometimes we sell to small traders Vendor Tabitha Mugure Kaigua get permission from area leaders. yesterday /MERCY MUMO
 12
BIG READ / POINT OF NO RETURN
BRITISH RAJ TOOK HIS
SWORD, NOW HE WANT
Jarat Chopra’s
optimism after
the sword’s
discovery hit a wall
of rejection, which
he equates to an
endless cold war
after ‘hot wars’
have stopped
JULIAN RYALL
@TheStarKenya
Ever since Sikh rebellion leader Di-
wan Mulraj Chopra rode out onto the
dusty plain surrounding the battered
city of Multan on January 22, 1849, his
descendants have sought the “talwar”
that he proffered as a symbol of his
surrender to General William Whish
of the British Raj.
The task of locating the gracefully
curved sword in its velvet-covered
scabbard eventually fell to Jarat
Chopra, the great-great-great-grand-
son of the former ruler of the south-
ern Punjab. Like his predecessors,
however, Chopra made little headway
in finding the weapon, or a number of
other personal belongings that have
also been missing since Multan fell to
British troops of the Bengal Artillery
employed by the East India Com-
pany, effectively ending the Second
Anglo-Sikh War.
Jarat Chopra /HANDOUT
Then in April 2018, Chopra was
flicking through a Spink & Son auc-
tion catalogue when he spotted a
reference to the long-lost talwar in a
listing for some of General Whish’s
medals. “His family later bequeathed
the sword to the Royal Artillery In-
stitution at Woolwich, the Royal
Artillery displaying it in the Officers’
Mess,” it said.
THE-STAR.CO.KE
“I felt disbelief. Utter disbelief,” said
Chopra. “After all these years. It was
as if the world stood still for a time
all around me”.
The Cambridge-educated lawyer,
who has held senior positions with
the World Bank and the United Na-
tions, said he had “grown up with
all these stories and the debris of
that history all around me from my
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
first days”. “It ran through the family including among museums, for arte-
culture,” he said. facts to be returned.
Armed with the knowledge the In April, for example, the Royal
family heirloom had returned to Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter
Britain – even that fact had never announced it would hand over the
previously been ascertained – Chopra 19th-century regalia of a Canadian
contacted the Royal Artillery to in- tribal leader to his descendants. The
quire whether it had the sword in its city council agreed to return a num-
possession. ber of items – including a necklace of
The British Army regiment subse- grizzly bear claws, a hardwood bow
quently confirmed that it had locat- and leggings – that had belonged to
ed the talwar in its collection and, in Chief Crowfoot of the Siksika Nation
an email, Major Robert Begbie, the in Alberta, on the grounds that it was
assistant regimental secretary, said “the right thing to do”.
he had removed the sword from its Equally, Bristol Museum has ex-
case for the first time in 150 years to pressed willingness to return tribal
examine it. objects to Benin; the Manchester
An inscription inside the hand- Museum has made a public act of
guard reads, “Akaal Sahai Mulraja restitution to Torres Strait islanders;
1893”, which in Punjabi translates as and Arts Council England has com-
an “almighty blessing” for the owner. missioned the creation of guidelines
The date of the sword’s forging is given for the restitution or repatriation of
using the historical Hindu calendar artefacts.
known as the Vikram Samvat and is Chopra had even more grounds for
equivalent to 1836 in the Gregorian optimism, given that his grandfather,
calendar. Iqbal Chand Chopra – a business
partner of Canadian geologist John
MISPLACED OPTIMISM Williamson – had jointly presented
In another letter sent in Novem- the then Princess Elizabeth with the
ber last year, Chopra requested the world’s largest and finest pink dia-
sword be returned to the descendants mond to celebrate her wedding in
of Mulraj or that he be permitted to 1947. At more than 54 carats and set
purchase it. He was optimistic the in a stunning brooch, the stone has
family’s quest might be over, given been described as a “freak of nature”
the passage of time and mounting and as being “priceless”.
precedent for seized items to be re- By coincidence, Queen Elizabeth
turned to their original owners – in is today the Captain-General of the
Britain there is a growing movement, Royal Artillery.
 Wednesday, May 27, 2020 THE-STAR.CO.KE 13

S ANCESTOR’S
TS IT BACK family of a dead Japanese soldier last war after ‘hot wars’ have stopped
year, adding, “There needs to be an – which is known to be the key in-
accounting, a settling, a reconcil- gredient in the recipe for mobilising
Gunners from Britain’s Royal Artillery regiment pictured firing a 41-gun salute in
London’s Hyde Park to celebrate the 72nd birthday of Queen Elizabeth in 1998 /AP

role in the siege of Multan, “then it is

fair to remember its full role”.
“Aside from Multan being one of the
Diwan Mulraj iation, some kind of ending to this hostility in resumed conflicts even greatest cases of plunder in the his-
Chopra’s ‘talwar’ phenomenon.” generations apart.” tory of India – which is really saying
/ HANDOUT “This is not about reversing a de- Such actions prevent “genuine something – that post-conflict pillag-
feat and a surrender or altering the reconciliation that can dissolve the ing followed a series of atrocities per-
facts of history,” he said. “It has to do effects of past conflicts once and for petrated during the siege, including
with ending the lingering effects of all”, he said. physical mutilation and rape.”
those traumatic events for and with- Chopra also points out that if the The day before the city’s capitula-
in a family. It means history can be a Royal Artillery wants to remember its tion, Mulraj offered to surrender on
matter of fact, but our relationship the condition that the British forces
to those facts can finally change and guarantee that the women would not
bring a sense of peace.” be “disgraced”. The British, Chopra
Refusing to return the sword, he said, rejected the condition. Eventu-
said, “is like saying we want to keep ally, of the 12,000 defenders of the city,
the experience of defeat and surren- just 550 survived.
der alive for a family 170 years on, It is not only the descendants of the
which seems unnecessarily punitive MAJOR BEGBIE defeated who wish to see the sword The Williamson pink diamond, pictured
today, when we are much more aware returned. Chopra has a powerful set inside a brooch, was presented
of various kinds of trauma”. ally in the form of General Whish’s to Queen Elizabeth by Chopra’s
And he is disappointed at the reg- It is not the great-great-great granddaughter grandfather /HANDOUT
iment’s refusal to even discuss the Tania O’Keeffe, who lives in Poole,
matter further. regiment’s policy southern England. campaign to have the last tangible
“The formal response of the regi- “I would like to think that, despite symbol of his forebear returned to
ment was really a defence of a contin- to return captured having to act according to the cus- the family and said it “would mean
ued sense of belligerence, seemingly
with all adversaries of the past,” he
‘battle trophies’ tom of warfare at the time of the siege,
such as the taking of possessions –
the Earth” to have it back.
“It would mean something like end-
said. to families or booty – from the defeated, if he now ing history and starting life anew,” he
“If I understand the sentiment in the had the chance to return the sword said. “The sword as an instrument of
letter correctly, it is rather like holding governments of as a gesture of peace and healing, he war in its rightful place can be put
war trophies hostage to memorialise
one-time enemies in an endless cold
erstwhile foes would do so,” she said.
Chopra refuses to give up on his
to rest. In short, I think it would be
rather a transcendental experience.”
Chopra’s optimism, however, was
misplaced. In a letter he received in
January, Major Begbie laid out the rea-
sons why the regiment would not re-
turn Mulraj’s sword. The major point-
ed out that the sword was formally
bequeathed to the regiment and had
now been “accessioned”, an act that
is “irreversible, and it cannot now be
sold or otherwise disposed of”.
“It is not the regiment’s policy to
return captured ‘battle trophies’ to
families or governments of erstwhile
foes,” Begbie wrote. “We would, for
example, never consider returning
German or Japanese trophies from
the two world wars. We would not
consider returning Crimean War tro-
phies to the Russians, nor Napoleonic
ones to the French. Nor, I must record,
do we ever seek the return of trophies
captured from us in past conflicts.
“As a final observation, you infer
that returning the sword would ‘bring
an honour to the regiment and in-
stitution, more in keeping with the
times’. I respectfully point out that
you express the view of a civilian,
who misunderstands one of the
main purposes of a military trophy,
and that is to maintain the memory
of past conflicts and of our forebears
who fought and died in them.”

RECONCILIATION BARRED
Chopra said he was profoundly
moved by his own experience of
returning battlefield trophies to the The surrender of Diwan Mulraj Chopra, leader of the Sikh rebellion against the British, at the Siege of Multan on January 22, 1849 /HANDOUT
 14
NEWS BUSINESS
CAPITAL INJECTION
Bolt raises Sh11 billion
for product upgrade
The funds will go into upgrading mobility services
and food delivery services in Europe and Africa
LAURA CHEPTARUS / Ride-hailing firm
Bolt has raised Sh11 billion worth
of investment capital from Naya
Capital Management to boost its
growth and development strategy.
The funds will go into upgrading
its mobility services and food deliv-
ery services in Europe and Africa.
This will include investments into
scooters, bikes and delivery services
across its markets for its on-de-
mand transportation to customers.
“We are happy to be backed by in-
vestors who support our long-term
view. This enables us to continue of-
fering affordable transportation to
millions of customers and the best
earnings for our partners during
the post-Covid world,” CEO and
co-founder Bolt, Markus Villig said.
OUTCRY
Poultry farmers in Kenya decry
unfair trade by Uganda,Tanzania
They want the government to impose taxes on imports or neighbouring countries waive theirs
VICTOR AMADALA
@ItsAmadala
Poultry farmers in Kenya want
the Ministry of Trade to intervene
on the discriminative tariff by the
Uganda on chicken meat.
Uganda Revenue Authority has in
the past two years charged Kenyan
chicken meat exports a cumulative
25 per cent in taxes – 18 per cent
VAT, one per cent Railway De-
velopment Levy and six per cent
Withholding Tax.
“We want the government to
review the taxes charged by our
neighbors, both Uganda and Tan-
zania,’’ Kenya Poultry Farmers
president Monica Wanjiru said.
She added that their plea is to the
government to impose tax Uganda
poultry imports or for the Ugandan
government to waive 19 per cent
tax on VAT and Railway Develop-
ment Levy.
The taxes charged by the Ugan-
da, Wanjiru argued, violates World
Trade Organization first principle
on fair trade. This means that the
Uganda poultry products have free
access to the Kenyan market while
the Kenyan products are hindered
from access to Uganda through
Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) or im-
position of domestic taxes (VAT,
withholding taxes or railway levies).
Wanjiru added that “Tanzania
has also imposed stringent re-
He said that though the crisis has
temporarily changed how the firm
operates, the long-term trends that
drive on-demand mobility such as
declining personal car ownership
or the shift towards greener trans-
portation continue to grow.
The CEO said Bolt’s growth strat-
egy is focused on creating innova-
tive services that will enhance ur-
ban mobility, safety and reliability
in the on-demand transportation
industry while providing viable
economic opportunities across
the world.
“We are delighted to have the
opportunity to invest in Bolt at this
stage in the company’s growth sto-
ry and believe that Bolt is helping
drive a fundamental change in how
quirements for compliance from
the Tanzania Bureau of Standards
(TBS) which many players in the
poultry sector have seen as delib-
erate efforts to bar them from ac-
cessing the market.”
In 2016,Tanzania banned the
importation of poultry and poultry
products into the country.
“We, therefore, cannot overem-
phasize the vulnerability of the
Kenyan poultry industry from the
regional attack,”Wanjiru said.
According to the lobby, the most
THE-STAR.CO.KE
Bolt CEO and co-founder Markus Villig /COURTESY
consumers interact with the trans-
port infrastructure of their cities,”
Managing Partner and CIO, Naya
Capital Management, Masroor Sid-
diqui said. Bolt currently operates
its ride-hailing services in more
than 150 cities across Europe and
Africa and in the last few months,
recent impact of such actions by
Tanzania culminated in the 2018
burning of 6,400 chicks imported
into Tanzania from Kenya for being
deemed non-compliant to the local
poultry guidelines at a great loss to
the importer.
In 2017 Kenya had banned the
importation of poultry products
into Kenya due to an outbreak of
Avian Influenza Virus.
Uganda retaliated by banning
the importation of Kenyan Poultry
products. Upon the resolution of the
has accelerated the expansion of its
Bolt Food delivery service to cover
12 countries and launched business
delivery, a service to aid vendors in
need of a distribution partner.
The capital from Naya brings total
investment raised by Bolt to over
Sh35.1billion since inception.
A man carries
eggs to the
market. Poultry
farmers in
Kenya want the
Ministry of Trade
to intervene on
discriminative
tariff by Uganda
on chicken meat
/FILE
outbreak, the countries agreed to
allow the resumption in the trade
of poultry products. According to
recent data by KNBS, the poultry
industry contributes heavily to
the livestock sub-sector, which
accounts for about 10 per cent of
national GDP.
It contributes about 0.7 per cent
of national GDP, while at the same
time it is a major source of employ-
ment, with an estimated three mil-
lion people deriving their livelihood
from the sector.
Wednesday, May 27,2020
THE DATA
107.0076
The indicative value of
the shilling to the dollar
The Kenyan shilling held steady on
Tuesday amidst some dollar de-
mand from merchandise importers
and the energy sector as the an-
ti-coronavirus lockdown eases and
some businesses re-open.
financial market
F O R E X E X C H A N G E R AT E S
Currency Buy Sell Mean
US DOLLAR 106.9076 107.1076 107.0076
STG POUND 130.2329 130.5235 130.3782
SA RAND 6.0892 6.1067 6.0979
KES / USHS 35.3103 35.4699 35.3901
KES / TSHS 21.5578 21.6916 21.6247
JPY (100) 99.1170 99.3301 99.2236
IND RUPEE 1.4118 1.4146 1.4132
EURO 116.5971 116.8506 116.7238
CHINESE YUAN 14.9846 15.0211 15.0028
AE DIRHAM 29.1024 29.1624 29.1324
NSE BIGGEST WINNERS
Price Change (%)
KENYA AIRWAYS 3.46 9.84
FLAME TREE 0.96 9.09
OLYMPIA CAPITAL 2.17 8.50
FAHARI-REIT 6.92 4.85
HOME AFRIKA 0.46 4.55
N S E B I G G E ST LOS E R S
UNGA GROUP
EQUITY GROUP
Price
27.00
34.20
Change (%)
10.00
5.39
TRANS-CENTURY 1.63 3.55
UCHUMI 0.30 3.23
TPS E.A SERENA 12.50 3.10
INVEST IN TALENT
NOW
As strange as it may seem, the
current crisis may be a great time
to hire top talent. There are an
unprecedented number of people
looking for work. If your company
has the resources to hire, set up
a task force to source potential
candidates who may now be looking
for work or open to a change.
Ask your colleagues whether there
are any vendors, advisors, clients, or
previous job candidates that they’ve
been keeping an eye on, then check
in with those people to gauge their
current job status. Interview and
check references virtually with the
same rigor you would in person.
Once you’re convinced that you
have the opportunity to bring in
someone who’s a good fit, learn
what motivates them. It’s not
always pay — sometimes people are
looking for a flexible arrangement
or a high level of purpose or
autonomy. Arrange to have your
candidate speak to senior leaders
who can share their vision for the
organization and describe the
value they hope to build with the
new hire.
Investing in talent now will help
you lay the groundwork for future
growth.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
NEWS BUSINESS
NO BONUS
Equity Group now withdraws
Sh9.5billion dividend payout
Shareholders miss dividends for the first time
SUSAN NYAWIRA/ Equity Group
shareholders will miss out on div-
idends for the first time after the
board withdrew its recommenda-
tion of a Sh9.5 billion payout.
The board said the action aims
at conserving cash to enable the
Group to respond appropriately
to the unfolding crisis in terms of
supporting its customers.
“The Equity Group Board took a
conservative approach that recog-
nizes the emerging unquantified
risk of the pandemic and opted to
preserve capital in the face of the
prevailing uncertainty,” said James
Mwangi, the Group CEO and Man-
aging Director.
The bank was scheduled to pay
the dividend on July 24 to share-
holders on record as of June 12.
OBJECTION
Used,new vehicle KRA pricing
sparks protest from importers
They say Current Draft Retail Selling Prices will push mark-up of used cars by up to 40%
MARTIN MWITA
@MwitaMartin
Importers and dealers of used cars
have rejected retail pricing propos-
als by the Kenya Revenue Authori-
ty (KRA), terming them exorbitant
and aimed at pushing them out of
business.
In a notice on April 29, KRA called
for public participation on ‘Current
Draft Retail Selling Prices (CRSP) April
2020’, which will set the retail prices
for units across the market.
In accordance with a recent court
ruling and Article 47 of the Constitu-
tion, the Commissioner is required to
conduct public participation on the
CRSP April 2020 before the imple-
mentation of a new CRSP database.
“The public is encouraged to review
and send their submissions and feed-
back by May 26 (yesterday),” Com-
missioner for customs and border
control said in the notice.
At least 80 dealers, with show-
rooms mainly in Mombasa and Nai-
robi, have objected to the move saying
the latest CRSP will push up the cost
of used cars by up to 40 per cent, put-
ting some used cars at higher selling
prices than new vehicles.
The Car Importers Association of
Kenya (CIAK) yesterday said KRA
should first consult sector players
before formulating new retail sell-
ing prices. According to the CIAK, the
draft CRSP favours franchised (local
motor vehicle dealers) as opposed to
the used motor vehicle dealers.
Equity becomes the third bank
to withhold dividends after NCBA
Group and Stanchart withheld div-
idend payouts on similar grounds.
Further, the board encouraged
the bank’s customers to seek op-
portunities to innovate in the age of
the pandemic and to keep looking
for growth possibilities even in this
trying time in order to preserve cash
and capital.
“If the economic crisis mutates
into a financial crisis, Equity Group
will be well placed to weather the
challenge with a strong capital base,
strong liquidity and an agile balance
sheet that improves its leverage, and
would allow the financial services
group to shield and accommodate
its customers throughout this pe-
riod of uncertainty,“ said Mwangi.
Imported second-hand vehicles parked at a yard in Mombasa /FILE
Some of the CRSP values are a repli-
ca of the values which the franchise
is using, CIAK national chairman Pe-
ter Otieno said. The CRSP value of a
Honda Fit is pegged at Sh3.7 million
which is higher than a Mercedes Benz
B Class with a CRSP of Sh3.1 million.
“It is clear some of the CRSP values
lack simple logic. The value of a lux-
urious vehicle cannot be more than a
standard salon vehicle to say the least,”
Otieno said.
A draft of new prices, seen by the
Star, reflect average price increas-
es of between four and 36 per cent
on different car models. A Ford
THE-STAR.CO.KE
He added that should the cri-
sis not play out as anticipated,
the Board would explore various
options and make suitable recom-
mendations that would enhance
shareholder value.
Mwangi said through this ap-
proach, the Group can focus on stra-
tegically positioning the business,
in order to protect and preserve its
customer base through loan ac-
commodations and rescheduling/
restructuring to enable them to go
Mondeo(hatchback)–2200cc engine
capacity, diesel engine, has its CRSP
pegged at Sh5.3 million, up from
Sh3.7 million. This reflects a Sh1.57
million increase on duty payable. Toy-
ota Allion and Premio ( 1790cc) saloon
cars have a CRSP of Sh4.5 million. The
units (used) have been trading as low
as Sh2 million in the local market.
“Some of the values are unrea-
sonable, copy-pasted from dealers’
inflated values meant to remove the
used car dealers from the market,”
Otieno said.
CIAK also wants CRSP values for
motor vehicles based on the year of
Equity Group CEO
and Managing
Director
James Mwangi.
/COURTESY
through the prevailing turbulence.
It will, he said, at the same time
help in preserving cash to shore up
the financial revival and growth of
its customers’ businesses post the
Covid-19 crisis.
Mwangi said the Board continues
to evaluate the potential impact of
the pandemic on the Group and to
formulate and implement strate-
gic plans to mitigate any effects and
will keep its shareholders and other
stakeholders informed.
manufacture and not the year of im-
portation.
According to the dealers, a motor
vehicle manufactured in 2013 should
have a constant CRSP so that if it is
imported years later, it should not cost
the same with a most recent model
of the same make. They also want
exchange rates considered in the car
retail prices, where recently, the shil-
ling has been vulnerable to the dollar.
An attempt to set new CRSP back-
fired when the High Court ruled in
favour of car dealers in October 2019.
Second-hand cars account for 85 per
cent of all vehicles sold in the country.
15
BRANDS AND CULTURE
CHRIS HARRISON
The future of
learning
A frica places huge value on formal
education. Knowledge has created
power and stimulated economic growth.
We put a great deal of effort - and mo-
ney - behind pushing the young popu-
lation of this continent through as much
education as they can take. In Kenya and
Uganda we’re now the 4th generation of
parents funding tertiary education.
The current pandemic has exposed
us to the realities of education in ways
we never would have imagined. Through
the Internet we are now embroiled in
everything from preschool playgroups to
university tutorials.
We’ve all become teaching assistants.
We see inspirational online classes and
we see stuff that makes us wonder
what we are paying for. Plus we get
real-time feedback from the partici-
pants, without waiting for dinner time to
exchange opinions.
Zoom is creating an awakening about
just how substandard and overpriced
education can be at every level. So,
what will the future hold for education
and how will customers and consumers
influence that?
Scott Galloway, who teaches mar-
keting at NYU Stern School of Business,
believes the pandemic has opened the
door for the technological transforma-
tion of higher education.
The future, he says, will entail partner-
ships between the largest tech compa-
nies in the world and elite universities:
MIT@Google, iStanford and HarvardxFa-
cebook, for example.
These will allow universities to dra-
matically expand enrolment by offering
hybrid online-offline degrees, value
perceptions of which will dramatically
alter the higher education landscape.
Galloway predicts hundreds of brick-
and-mortar universities will go bust and
those that remain will only educate the
children of the richest families.
Coronavirus is forcing American pa-
rents to take a hard look at the $51,000
college tuition fees they’re spending. Ga-
lloway says, half-jokingly: “Even wealthy
people just can’t swallow the jagged pill
of tuition if it doesn’t involve sending
their kids away for four years.
Wait, my kid’s going to be home most
of the year? Staring at a computer
screen?”
At the same time, the future holds
the prospect of more people than ever
gaining access to higher education, albeit
one that is delivered mostly over the
internet. Big tech partnerships could ex-
tend opportunities to millions of people.
There’s the educational certification
and then there’s the life experience of
going to university.
If the experience part disappears, the
degrees awarded may reduce in value
as we all realise it’s not the same to be a
graduate if you never went to campus.
This might be a great time for
school-leavers to take a gap year. If only
they could travel.
Chris Harrison leads The Brand Inside
www.thebrandinsideafrica.com
 16 THE-STAR.CO.KE Wednesday, May 27, 2020

NEWS WORLD
AFTER NINE-YEAR HIATUS SEEKING PEACE

American astronauts to be Afghanistan to free 900 Taliban,

calls for extension of ceasefire

launched to space station

REUTERS / The Afghan government urged the Taliban
to extend a three-day ceasefire set to end on Tuesday
night, while announcing it would free 900 members of
the insurgent group in the biggest such release yet.
The release is part of a prisoner swap under a deal
struck by the Taliban and the US in Doha in February, as
President Trump and Vice President Pence will view the launch in person a precursor to peace talks between the militants and an
inclusive Afghan delegation aiming to end a two-decade-
old war. “For better management of the prisoner issue,
it is important to extend the ceasefire,” said Javid Faisal,
Afghanistan’s national security adviser spokesman.

10 DAYS OF NATIONAL MOURNING

Thousands of Spanish retirees
vanish from state pension rolls
REUTERS / About 30,000 more pensioners dropped off
Spain’s state system in the first four months of this
NASA astronaut year than in the previous year as the coronavirus hit the
Robert Behnken country, the Labour Ministry said on Tuesday.
rehearses A total of 205,638 pensioners left the state rolls from
putting on January through April in 2020, ministry data showed. The
his SpaceX ministry attributed the higher number of people in part to
spacesuit in the coronavirus epidemic.
the Astronaut Meanwhile, the government declared a 10-day official
Crew Quarters mourning period from today to honour the nearly 30,000
inside the Neil people who died from the coronavirus pandemic in
A Armstrong one of the world’s worst-hit countries, government
Operations spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero said. Flags will fly at
and Checkout half-mast all over public buildings and navy ships.
Building at
the Kennedy
Space Center
on May 23 /NASA
/KIM SHIFLETT /
HANDOUT VIA
REUTERS

REUTERS / Entrepreneur Elon Musk’s
SpaceX is set to launch two Ameri-
can astronauts to the International
Space Station today from NASA’s
Kennedy Space Center in Florida,
ending the US space agency’s nine-
year hiatus in human spaceflight.
California-based SpaceX’s Crew
Dragon capsule carrying astronauts
Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken and
its Falcon 9 rocket is due to lift off
at 2033 GMT from the same launch
pad used by NASA’s last space shuttle
mission in 2011.
President Donald Trump and Vice
President Mike Pence will view the
launch in person, a White House
spokesman said.
For Musk, SpaceX and NASA, a
safe flight would mark a milestone in
the quest to produce reusable space-
HAD BEEN JAILED 15 YEARS
Zambian gay couple pardoned
craft that can make space travel more
affordable. Musk is the founder and
CEO of SpaceX and CEO of Tesla Inc.
“Bob and I have been working on
this programme for five years, day
in and day out,” Hurley, 53, said as
he and Behnken, 49, arrived at the
Kennedy Space Center from Houston
last week.
“It’s been a marathon in many
ways, and that’s what you’d expect
to develop a human-rated space
vehicle that can go to and from the
International Space Station.”
NASA, hoping to stimulate a com-
mercial space marketplace, awarded
$3.1 billion to SpaceX and $4.5 bil-
lion to Boeing Co to develop duel-
ing space capsules, experimenting
with a contract model that allows
the space agency to buy astronaut
FIGHTER JETS IN LIBYA
US points finger at Russia
seats from the two companies.
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner cap-
sule is not expected to launch its first
crew until 2021.
NASA Administrator Jim Briden-
stine declared the mission a “go”
last week at Kennedy Space Center
after space agency and SpaceX offi-
cials convened for final engineering
checks. A worshipper kneels in front of the Stone of Anointing,
SpaceX successfully tested Crew where Christians believe the body of Jesus was
Dragon without astronauts last year prepared for burial, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,
in its first orbital mission to the space Jerusalem’s Old City, yesterday / REUTERS
station.
That vehicle was destroyed the
following month during a ground GIVING HOPE
test when one of the valves for its
abort system burst, causing an ex-
plosion that triggered a nine-month
Revered Holy Land
engineering investigation that ended
in January. churches reopen
REUTERS / The Holy Land churches revered as the sites
of Jesus’ birth and death reopened to worshippers and
tourists yesterday as Palestinian and church authorities
eased coronavirus restrictions.

REUTERS / Zambia’s president has pardoned a gay couple
sentenced to 15 years in prison in November under colo-
nial-era sodomy laws in a case that caused a diplomatic
row with the United States.
Japhet Chataba, 39, and Steven Sambo, 31, were
among nearly 3,000 inmates pardoned by President
Edgar Lungu last Friday to commemorate Africa Freedom
Day, according to the government gazette.
A Lusaka High Court judge had sentenced them to
15 years in prison under laws that forbid sex between
couples “against the order of nature”.
The case drew criticism from then US Ambassador
Daniel Foote, who said the sentence was too harsh and
could damage Zambia’s reputation. Washington later
withdrew Foote following the row.
REUTERS / The US military said yesterday that Russia has
deployed fighter aircraft to Libya to support Russian mer-
cenaries fighting for eastern forces, adding to concerns
of a new escalation in the conflict.
“Russian military aircraft are likely to provide close
air support and offensive fire,” the United States Africa
command said in a statement it posted on its website and
on Twitter.
Libya’s civil war has drawn in regional and global pow-
ers with what the United Nations has called a huge influx
of weapons and fighters in violation of an arms embargo.
Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt support
the eastern-based Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army,
which launched an offensive last year to seize the capital
Tripoli.
‘OPENING Amid lingering pandemic concerns, Bethlehem’s
Church of the Nativity is capping access at 50 people at
THE CHURCH a time and requires that they be free of fever and wear
protective masks.
WILL, I THINK, Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the tradi-
GIVE HOPE TO tional site of Jesus’ crucifixion, death and resurrection,
also reopened its doors, but worshippers will be required
THE WHOLE to coordinate their visit in advance.
Both churches were closed in March, in a blow to the
WORLD THAT local tourism industry.
HOPEFULLY “The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ gave hope to people
more than 2,000 years ago, and opening the church
THIS today will, I think, give hope to the whole world that
PANDEMIC hopefully this pandemic will end—not only in Palestine
but in the whole world,” Palestinian Tourism minister
WILL END’ Rula Ma’ayah told Reuters in Bethlehem.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 THE-STAR.CO.KE 17
18
VOICES
LETTERS
KenGen
steam field
and reservoir
manager Peter Send your views to letters@the-star.co.ke
Ouma (R) hands
a food pack to
Nakuru Deputy Sugarcane farmers
Governor Erick
Korir. KenGen reduced to beggars
has partnered
with the Nakuru but leaders silent
government
to provide
vulnerable Sugarcane farmers in South Nyanza
families are facing immense challenges,
in Olkaria, following the collapse of Sony Sugar.
Naivasha, with I find myself in this basket (or do I
Sh3.3 million say casket?), with two farms with
food donations mature sugarcane but no market.
/COURTESY We only have two millers crushing
to capacity. A year ago when Sony
was operating optimally, the market
looked for us and there was money
in our pockets. Over the years, our
politicians have resisted the priva-
tisation of Sony Sugar yet they are
unable to provide a working solution.
As a government business, with
unprofessional political appointees,
its operations are prone to abuse.
The death of Sony Sugar is the death
of the region’s economic well-being.
Not only does it directly employ
people but thousands are indirectly
dependent on it. Privatisation would
have cured Sony, for the better. Our
leaders are silent on this matter,
which is hurting us more than the
coronavirus. Sugarcane is rotting
in farms as middlemen and private
millers take advantage of vulnera-
ble farmers. The governor, elected
on sugar politics, is mute, unable to
influence positive change in Sony.
Why do we elect leaders if they
cannot help bring about positive
change? We don’t need handouts. All
we want is for farming to be made vi-
able. Unfortunately, ours is a system
that thrives on impoverishing the
masses, turning hardworking people
to beggars. This is government
oppression. One would talk of diver-
sification, to what? Maize is rotting in
homes, despite us having the NCPB,
whose requirements (it would seem)
are deliberately created to lock out
farmers. Leaders must wake up and
focus on what puts food on the table.
If the Handshake cannot address the
plight of Kenyans, then its propo-
nents are of no good.
PATRICK OPONDI
Farmer, Migori
THE-STAR.CO.KE
Now is ODM leader
Raila’s chance to
steer IEBC reforms
ODM leader Raila Odinga has been
to the Supreme Court twice to
challenge presidential election
results. He has often cited the IEBC
as the biggest contributor to election
errors and has been calling for
reforms in the institution for years.
Now that he is in good terms with
government, Raila should ensure the
IEBC is reformed to deliver credible
elections. Its funding, laws on results
transmission and tallying should
be strengthened. Raila now enjoys
enough support in Parliament to
entrench laws that will forever safe-
guard the electoral agency.
LEONARD KIPNGETICH
Via email
Kasabuni residents
plead with KPLC to
restore electricity
Residents of Kasabuni in Baba Dogo
have gone for nearly a month with-
out electricity, since April 30. The
transformer serving the area mal-
functioned. A complaint was made
on May 1, and ref no 5458832 given.
According to Kenya Power Customer
Service Charter, such an issue
should be resolved within 24 hours.
Visits and calls to Stima Plaza have
borne no fruit. The explanation given
is that there are no transformers in
KPLC stores. This is a low-income
community that relies on small busi-
nesses to put food on the table. Add
this to the curfew and the fact that
most residents are spending more
time at home due to loss of jobs and
you can imagine the frustration. The
managers at the power utility firm
are therefore kindly asked to do
something about this issue.
MICHAEL ODHIAMBO
Nairobi
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
VOX POP
COMPILED BY FAITH MATETE
Are you still working
from home?
Yes: We can’t be so many of
us at the same time in the
office. So we will wait for
directive from our bosses
whether to go back to the
office or not.
MAUREEN INDIA
Kisumu
Too many teenage
mothers will put a
strain on economy
No: I did not go to work for
As of April, around 380,000 teen- a month but now I have
agers (15-19 years) had given birth opted to go about my daily
or were pregnant. This is an average
business even as I observe
of one in every five teenage girls.
But who is to blame? This is an issue safety measures and
that involves three parties: The practise social distancing.
parents, government and society.
All three have a role in nurturing VERONICA ODUNDO
Kisumu
children. Parents, faced with harsh
economic realities, have abandoned
their core mandate of parenting and
spend most of the time struggling
to put food on the table. Children
spend most of their time in school.
Now that they are home, household
expenses have shot up, straining
their parents’ pocket. It won’t be fair
to criticise the government at a time
it is overburdened with Covid-19
and flooding, which has claimed
more than 237 lives and destroyed No: Working from home, is
property, not forgetting the desert for government employees
locust menace. As parents and
government struggle with these
and maybe those in the
private sector. Hustlers
myriad challenges, predators now
have an opportunity to unleash their cannot survive if they go a
claws on naive young girls, majority day without working.
of whom have not reached the age
of consent. The increasing use of the JULIE DIANGA
internet and social media has led to a Kisumu
rise in societal ills. Earlier this month,
21 teenagers in Nakuru were found
in a photoshoot that was allegedly
procuring pornographic content.
Speaking in Kitale, the region’s coun-
ty commissioner expressed concern
over the increasing rate of defile-
ment and cautioned the perpetrators
that the law would take its course. All
this is happening at a time the music
industry, which apart from entertain-
ment is meant to educate, has been Yes: Even though it has
flooded with dirty content from the not been easy. This virus
new kid on the block—‘Gengetone is not to be taken lightly
kids’. There is need for a clarion call.
So many teenage mothers going
so I’m implementing the
into adulthood with little economic government’s directive of
prospects will have a negative effect staying at home and social
on the economy. distancing.
KIPKOECH KIMA WYCLIFFE OTIENO
Law student and political pundit Kisumu
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
word is...
I TOOK A RISK GETTING SAVED BUT
JOURNEY IS A MIRACLE — SIZE 8
ELIZABETH NGIGI@TheStarKenya/
Size 8 says she took a risk by being
born again. Born and raised in Kario-
bangi, Size 8 beat the odds to become
a successful artiste.
Speaking on her documentary
aired on TV, the mother of two said
many people thought she got saved
because she wanted money.
On the contrary, she said, “I was
going to lose money and I was ready
for the economic downfall.”
‘Mateke’ was her first release after
turning to gospel. “I was so excited
and I didn’t think anyone would no-
tice it. It was trending everywhere
with people having their own opin-
ions, and that broke my heart,” she
said.
“I got so much hate on social me-
dia and that is when people start-
ed judging me and expecting me
to backslide. Some even gave me
hours.”
Unexpected, her critics were from
church and most of those who sup-
ported her move were people of the
world.
“I was like, is it me or them who do
not understand the power of grace? I
didn’t know that it was the beginning
of all the negativity I have seen on
social media towards me,” she said.
Since her first release, her name
grew and she became more popular
than she was in the secular world.
The mother of two says during
that time, her mother was becom-
ing sicker with kidney failure, and
whatever coin she was earning was
being directed to keep her alive.
It was the same time she got her
first pregnancy, which was compli-
cated as she had high pressure and
risked miscarriage. “I had Sh58 in my
bank account. My mum was also in
ICU,” she said.
After a successful operation to
deliver the baby, she overheard a
We don’t have to show off charity – Bien
Sauti Sol’s Bien / COURTESY
THE-STAR.CO.KE
THE ARTIST IS
CELEBRATING
SEVEN YEARS
IN SALVATION
conversation from her sisters that
her mother was dead.
Her only hope was gone without
meeting her baby. “I was allowed to
go and see her in the mortuary and
as I held the casket, I kept telling her
to wake up and see my baby,” she
said, adding that the painful part is
they buried her mum without her,
which led to depression.
“Three to four months I had to be
rushed to ICU. The doctors said if I
ELIZABETH NGIGI/ Ahead of the of-
ficial launch of Sauti Sol’s Midnight
Train album, the band is planning a
charity event.
A percentage of the money col-
lected will go to charity. This has
answered many who have been
questioning why they have not been
giving the less fortunate during this
corona pandemic.
Speaking to Word Is, Bien said
people have different ways of ex-
pressing themselves. “If I give you
money and post on social media, it
becomes more about me than the
person who is given, which I don’t
think is cool,” he said.
“I would do a charity and keep it
to myself. He added that as a band,
was late by like 20 minutes, I would
have suffered a stroke or died,” she
said.
All through that, her relationship
with God became deeper. Size 8 is
celebrating seven years in salvation.
She encouraged those going
through hard times. “Everything
happens for a reason and it will
work out. Everything about me is
a miracle and so keep your hopes
high,” she said.
they do many things behind bars.
“We do a lot of projects, including
opening libraries and visiting chil-
dren, but we do not post since we
do them from our hearts. We don’t
do to show people.”
Bien said people should under-
stand that not everyone is a giver.
“We are doing stuff but if that is your
style in giving, then they should be
allowed to do them. Let us not cru-
cify those who give and show as
everyone has their style of giving,”
he said.
He said those expecting celebri-
ties to give should be considerate.
“People have problems so let us not
assume some things, as some of us
are fighting huge battles,” he said.
19
WORDIS@THE-STAR.CO.KE
SOCIALBYTE
WITH ELIZABETH NGIGI
@TheStarKenya
Zari Hassan, Diamond Platnumz and
Ivan Semwanga /COURTESY
Ugandan-born entrepreneur Zari
the Boss Lady has paid tribute to her
ex-husband Ivan Semwanga, who
died three years ago.
Ivan reportedly suffered a heart
attack. He was in critical condition at
Steve Biko Hospital, Pretoria, South
Africa, where Zari took care of him.
Zari has described Ivan as a giver.
“You still the GOAT even after three
years of your passing,” she wrote.
“The game has never been the
same since you left. Decembers
are no longer the same, obubalaza
here in SA ain’t the same, pop bot-
tle games not the same, your giving
heart was never matched.
“You were the ‘UN office for all’.
Everyone else is just clowning or
chasing clout. Your shoes are too
big to fit/fill. Continue resting in
peace, champ, three years already
but it seems like yesterday. We love
you and miss you always #TheDon.”
King Kanja
drops ‘Vibe
Lord’ album
Size 8 with her
baby / COURTESY
ELIZABETH NGIGI/ US-based Ken-
yan artiste King Kanja has released
his debut album, ‘Vibe Lord’, under
his imprint label, King Kanja Em-
pire. The 10-track album features a
cross-section of artistes.
He is celebrated for his unique
style that blends hip-hop, R&B,
reggae and African polyrhythmic
music, while infusing Kikuyu and
Kiswahili into his lyrics.
Kanja said ‘Vibe Lord’ represents
the energy he brings when he walks
into a room or onto the stage, his
growth as a man and as a musician.
“The different people, views and
culture I have experienced from
my tour last year influenced this
album,” he said.
“A lot of these songs were recorded
during the tour because I wanted
For more Word Is to captivate the energy of the place
stories scan the and the audience from the concert,”
QR code above. he said.
 20
VOICES
EDITORIAL
Cremated remains can
still be taken to home
F
ormer Prime Minister Raila Odinga
wants communities to abandon
the culture of ferrying dead
bodies upcountry and instead opt
for cremation or burial in urban areas (see
P3).
There have been multiple cases in Kenya
of positive people spreading Covid-19
when they travel back to their home areas
for burials.
Desperate times require desperate
solutions and Raila is right to call for burial
or cremation in towns. It is too dangerous
for mourners to travel across the country.
Cremation is frowned upon by many but
it has one big advantage in these Covid
days. The lockdown will not go on forever.
Eventually, Kenyans will be free to travel
upcountry whenever they wish.
After cremation, the relatives are
given an urn containing the ashes of the
departed one. That urn can be taken back
upcountry after the lockdown ends so
that the loved one can be buried at home.
In that sense, cremation is better than
being buried in town. Then it is difficult for
a body to be returned to the home village.
With cremation, it is easy to bring back
home the remains of a loved one.
HISTORICAL QUOTE
“The person who talks most of his
own virtue is often the least virtuous.”
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU
The first Prime Minister of India died on May 27, 1964.
WWW.THE-STAR.CO.KE
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+254 20 424 4000 | 0711 046 000
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Weekend Editor Oliver Mathenge
Francis Openda
The Star is published by the Star Publications
THE-STAR.CO.KE Wednesday, May 27, 2020
COMMENT
OKECH KENDO
Communications consultant and university lecturer
The architect of the JP sanitisation is a fine logger. Experienced
loggers don’t cut a huge tree, like the mugumo, on the trunk. The
edifice is floored branch by branch, then it falls where it’s wanted
JUBILEE’S SEASON OF BETRAYALS
T
he fall of Kithure Kindiki from the perks-rich They stood with him again in 1997. They voted for
perch of the Deputy Speaker of the Senate him massively in 2002, when he went on to become
represents a betrayal-within-a betrayal. president. They threw their weight behind Uhuru
Another anchor of Deputy President William Kenyatta in 2013, when Kibaki retired.
Ruto’s presidential ambition has been plucked. Mt Kenya east had hoped a slice of power would cross
Communities east of Mt Kenya are reading over to Meru, through Kindiki as a 2022 presidential
betrayal. running mate. They are no longer sure the big river
Prof Kindiki’s Senate colleagues say he was a would flow into a small one, after Uhuru unleashed
competent sit-in speaker. But the Tharaka Nithi senator
had to fall after he lost the confidence of the ascendant
senators on their son. Kindiki is collateral damage in
the power plot to deconstruct DP Ruto, the godfather of
faction of the ruling Jubilee Party. The wings of a rising Jubilee renegades.
politician from the Meru community plunk of the The double betrayal complicates the DP’s presidential
Gema power consortium have been clipped. Senators ambition. The search for a viable presidential running
who called Kindiki a friend and a gentleman stabbed mate from Mt Kenya has once again been thrown open.
him savagely. Look for sadists no further. Kindiki was initially regarded as a possible running
Kindiki enraged the President’s faction by mate, if the Kikuyu were to repay the Meru. Kindiki’s
recognising a parallel centre of power in the party. His lynch has been given a wider meaning: He voted against
colleagues’ sympathy could not save him his impeachment on behalf of Tharaka
from the wrath of power—a cauldron of
dark emotions.
THE HISTORICAL POWER Nithi, a sub-community of the Meru.
The architect of the continuing Jubilee
During the lynching, Kindiki said the RELATIONS OF THE GEMA sanitisation is a fine logger. Experienced
President did not set the baying mob upon loggers don’t cut a huge tree, like age-old
him. But the next day he incriminated the COMMUNITIES – KIKUYU, mugumo, on the trunk. The edifice is
fourth president, the third tenant of State EMBU AND MERU – HAS floored branch by branch, then the tree
House from the Kikuyu kin of the Meru.
Some Mt Kenya east politicians are LARGELY BENEFITTED
falls finely where it’s wanted.
The fall of Kindiki, coming soon after
saying their Kikuyu power partners the ejection of Mwangi Kiunjuri as
@THESTARKENYA betrayed them. Kindiki’s Meru county THE KIKUYU Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, is another
neighbour, Senator Mithika Linturi, spoke episode in the slow-motion assault
of spurn of the Mt Kenya east region. The Meru Council on the DP’s presidential ambition. Kiunjuri, for his
@footsoldierRow of Elders – Njuri Ncheke – advised caution. The elders superlative command of Kikuyu idioms, was rated as a
Kenya’s remembered their predecessors petitioned founding possible lead voice from Central after Uhuru retires.
economy was President Jomo Kenyatta to include the ‘king’ of Meru, First they came for former Kiambu Governor
already hanging the late Jackson Angaine, in his Cabinet of the 1970s. Ferdinand Waititu. Then they seized cantankerous
Associate Editor, Daily on a loose Central senators lynched Kindiki, as their Meru and Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and ethnic proverb-
Joseph Olweny thread, we Embu colleagues watched. Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga spewing Kiunjuri. Waititu, Sonko and Kiunjuri are allies
were to crush absconded; Meru Senator Mithika Linturi cried, but of the DP. Waititu and Sonko are on trial for corruption.
Photo Editor as we near he didn’t vote. The historical power relations of Gema They could be casualties of Chapter Six of the 2010
Jack Owuor elections- covid communities – Kikuyu, Embu and Meru – has largely Constitution. They may not get clearance to run for
just accelerated benefitted the Kikuyu, with the presidency rotating public office in 2022.
Sports Editor the process. between Kiambu and Nyeri. The DP, the initial front-runner in the Uhuru
Chris Mbaisi We really Meru voters supported Jomo’s presidency, from 1963 succession, will have to find new ways of refloating his
underestimated to 1978. They also supported Mwai Kibaki, from 2002 presidential ambition. Retreating and rebranding is an
importance of to 2013. The community supported Kibaki when he option.
good leadership. ran against President Moi for the first time, in 1992. kendowuonkendo@gmail.com
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
VOICES
COMMENT
YVONNE MWENDE
Communications consultant @yvonneemwende
Our health is as safe as that
of the worst insured, worst
cared-for member of society
CORONA LESSON 1:
INVEST IN HEALTH
B
efore Covid-19 reached our borders, there
were calls to put in place infrastructure that
would support early detection and response.
But, there were more pressing issues at the
time and divisive politics was at play.
Now we are contending with a virus
that has spread across the world, creating
widespread socioeconomic chaos, and scientists are yet
to fully understand it. We have been caught flat-footed.
Thus the cliché, if you fail to plan you plan to fail.
Investing in preparedness is excellent value for money.
Investment in health is equivalent to investing in the
economy. This is corroborated by a Lancet Commission
report of 2013, which estimated that the economic
returns to investing in health will be at least 10 times
the cost of public spending.
In as much as this pandemic has united us in our
vulnerabilities, in that it does not discriminate in terms
of race/ethnicity, age, gender, socioeconomic factors,
geographical factors and what not, it has also revealed
deep inequalities that have been exacerbated by the
pandemic.
Minority groups, including women, are most
affected. Women are the first line of defence against
ailments because of their caregiving roles. Others
are children, especially those from low economic
backgrounds who depended on the school system for
meals; people living with disability as rarely do health
promotion and prevention activities target them; then
we have the poor—those living in informal settlements
where handwashing and social isolation is a mirage.
They have no access to water and sanitation facilities but
we expect them to keep safe in these precarious times.
Then there are those who face health disparities
because of their geographical locations. With the
cessation of movement order against some counties, I
wonder how Kenyans living at the periphery are faring,
do they have access to healthcare services?
As shown by the pandemic, many people have no
access to quality healthcare. The SARS-CoV-2, also
known as Covid-19, has made it crystal clear that our
health is as safe as that of the worst insured, worst
cared-for member of society. We are only as strong as
our weakest link.
This pandemic has taught us great lessons, if we care
to listen and learn. The course of action to avert future
disasters is to invest in health, which at its core means
investing in and promoting universal health coverage.
UHC, according to the World Health Organisation,
will ensure that all people have access to health
services – including prevention, promotion, treatment,
rehabilitation and palliation – of sufficient quality to
be effective while also ensuring that the use of these
services does not expose the user to financial hardship.
UHC offers an effective risk reduction intervention
by reducing both the probability of healthcare-related
losses and the severity of their impacts on household’s
budgets when they do occur. Availability of universal
healthcare services in all countries is the crucial first
line of defence for all against such threats to health.
Understanding that there will be many future
catastrophes should instil a sense of urgency in our
government to act even post Covid-19. Investments
in domestic financing, health workforce, health
information systems, and leadership and governance
should be our prerogative.
Or we can wait like sitting ducks for the next
pandemic to strike.
THE-STAR.CO.KE
COMMENT
COSMAS MUGAMBI
Public health specialist based in Nairobi
Ditch those digital devices. They emit a blue light that delays
production of melatonin. Laptops and TV mess with the body’s
clock, and the content one comes across could be destructive
TIPS TO GET YOUR SLEEP CYCLE ON TRACK
C
ovid-19 has brought the world into uncharted
waters characterised by slowing economies,
lockdown and uncertainties, which have
detrimental effects on health and livelihoods.
As a result of changes to our routines, and a
lack of structure in our everyday lives, many
are finding it more difficult to fall to sleep and
sleep well.
Worrying disrupts sleep cycles. The only thing
worse than waking up to more bad news is not falling
asleep. Sleep is critical to physical health and effective
functioning of the immune and metabolic systems,
heightening brain functions, enhancing mood,
improving general mental health wellness, beating back
stress and optimal productivity. Those who sleep for five
to six hours per night will be 19 per cent less productive
at work the next day, compared to when they sleep
seven to eight hours. Sleep disturbance is a common
trauma response, along with anxiety and depression.
Social distancing, school closures, quarantines
and working from home all bring profound changes
to routines. Physical exercise, exposure to natural
light and regular meal times are powerful forces in
aligning our circadian rhythms. Current sleep patterns
characterised by sleeping more or sleeping less impact
our natural circadian rhythm, which is an essential
internal “clock” that plays a key role in regulating our
sleep and controlling body temperature and hormones.
While some of us are reconnecting with our natural
circadian rhythm, others might have trouble falling
asleep, or may be waking up multiple times during the
night as uncertainty increases stress levels and stress
hormones such as cortisol, which help regulate our
sleep-wake cycle.
Anxiety can be exacerbated by isolation at home,
leading to sleep problems. Cancelled trips, isolation
from friends and an abundance of time cooped up at
home can place a strain on anyone. Keeping up with
work-from-home obligations such as managing a house
Scan this QR full of children accustomed to being at school can pose
code using your real problems, stress and discord.
smartphone to Other factors contributing to insomnia at this historic
see more opinion time include difficulties in adjusting to new daily
columns on the schedules or lack of schedules, inability to keep track
Star website. of time without typical time “anchors”, naps during
21
the day, economic concerns and more time for TV and
films with increased intake of drinks such as coffee and
alcohol. In addition, excess screen time, especially later
in the evening, have a detrimental impact on winding
down and suppressing the natural production of
melatonin necessary for sleep.
The good news is that there are steps we can take to
mitigate insomnia. These include coming up with daily
schedules that include wake-up time, wind-down time,
bedtime, eating meals at the same time each day and
blocking off specific time periods for work and exercise.
Create the right sleep environment. Light is one of the
biggest barriers to sleep, thus, keeping your bedroom
dark and cool at night is advised. Avoid using the
bedroom as an office. Using the bed as a workstation or
eating area can adversely impact sleep patterns.
Ditch digital devices. Many
THE ONLY THING of us are spending more time
on our digital devices for
WORSE THAN news, social media feeds and
audiovisual communication.
WAKING UP TO MORE Digital devices emit a
BAD NEWS IS NOT blue light that delays the
production of melatonin.
FALLING ASLEEP Avoid looking at screens an
hour before bedtime. Laptops
and TV mess with the body’s clock, making it harder to
fall asleep and the content one comes across could be
destructive.
Get exposure to natural light and dark to help keep
circadian rhythms in balance and make one tired.
Maintain a healthy diet. Finish your evening meal and
let it digest before bedtime, ideally three hours. Do not
drink too much caffeine and never after 2pm.
Be careful with alcohol consumption. Above a
moderate level, alcohol can certainly help us fall sleep,
but it will also ensure that sleep is lighter and can lead
to early morning awakenings. Avoid naps, especially in
the afternoon. Take a warm shower 90 minutes before
bed to help you nod off faster and increase total sleep
time.
Keep the pets away. Exercise daily. Exercise has been
shown to aid in getting more and better quality sleep.
Make use of relaxation techniques and, lastly, contact
your doctor if necessary.
22 THE-STAR.CO.KE Wednesday, May 27, 2020

SOCIETY SOCIETY@THE-STAR.CO.KE

ELDERLY VOI 1 2

RESIDENTS
GIVEN FOOD
More than 300 vulnerable families in Voi, Taita Taveta
county, last week received food donations from
Securkenya, a Nairobi-based security company. 1. Peninsular Wakio
The company has partnered with Red Cross to receives donations
distribute food to hundreds of elderly, children and outside her house
other vulnerable people facing starvation in the 3 in Voi
county. 2. Securkenya
Hundreds of residents are facing starvation Group MD Benjamin
due to the effects of the coronavirus and are now Mossas oversees
depending on well-wishers for food donations. the exercise
Most are elderly and children living in informal 3. Securekenya
settlements. official gifts food
Securkenya Group MD Benjamin Mossas said packet to a visually
most old people, most who are sick, have been impaired woman in
left without food. He urged the government to Kaloleni estate, Voi
intervene. 4 4. Rosalia Chao
receives food at her
Msambweni home
in Voi
5. SecurKenya
officials hand out
food to residents
6. Securkenya
Group MD Benjamin
Mossas hands
food donations to
residents in Kaloleni
estate, Voi town
/SOLOMON MUINGI

5 6

(+) MY CREDIT DONATES

FOOD TO KIBRA RESIDENTS 2 5
MyCredit Kenya donated food to vulnerable
families in Kibra constituency last week in
Undugu grounds.
The company decided to help donate food
to poor families due to the effects brought
about by Covid-19, where most of them
cannot access money to buy basic needs like
food.
Present were Ponty Pridd MD Anthony
Wainaina, Greencard Mtaani chairperson Njoki
Kariuki and MyCredit MD George Mbira.
3
1
6

1. Greencard Mtaani chairperson Njoki Kariuki gives foord to Rebecca Kombo and Susan
Maina 2. MyCredit staff 3. Offloading of food for donation in Undugu grounds 4. Ponty
Pridd MD Anthony Wainaina presents food to Leah Kagona and her grandson Dominic
Muyembe 5. MyCredit MD George Mbira gives food to Esther Kwamboka 6. Kibera
residents wait for the food to be distributed /EZEKIEL AMINGA
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 THE-STAR.CO.KE 23

COUNTIES COUNTIES NAIROBI

A giraffe near
the standard
gauge railway
inside the Nairobi
National Park on
Monday
/REUTERS

THE MASTER PLAN

Why the new Nairobi National

Park will be a game-changer
After an evening game drive, wine, whisky and beer served at an ecolodge inside park
GILBERT KOECH
@TheStarKenya
You will soon enjoy five-star cater-
ing at the Nairobi National Park,
according to a master plan in our
possession.
And, after an evening game drive,
there will be nothing to regret - wine,
whisky and beer aplenty served at
an ecolodge right inside the park.
The ambiance of the high-end
ecolodge will for a long time be the
talk of the visitors to Nairobi, the
only city in the world with a national
park hardly 10 kilometres from the
central business district.
These and a conference hall with
a gym are but a few highlights of
the facilities to be erected in the 117
square kilometre park.
The Kenya Wildlife Service jus-
tifies the planned developments,
citing poor infrastructure and lack
A section of of recreational facilities “unworthy
Nairobi River of the stature” of visitors thronging
/REUTERS
the park annually. But not everybody,
in particular conservationists and
nature lovers, is as excited by all the
proposed developments.
Friends of Nairobi National Park
(FoNNaP) says many of infrastruc-
ture proposals will be aesthetically
unappealing.
While FoNNaP has no objection to
90 of the 122 objectives of the draft
master plan, it warns against spe-
cial-use zones in the park.
The East Africa Wildlife Society
maintains that the plan must be
subjected to public scrutiny as the
park’s management is a concern of
everybody.
The park has had no management
plan in the past 10 years, the previ-
ous one having expired in 2010.
There are more than 100 mammal
species and over a dozen different
reptiles in the facility. Among the
carnivores (leopards, cheetahs, hye-
nas, etc) are more than 45 lions.
Herbivores like deer, gazelles and
giraffes roam the park. Mbagathi
River and dams are the habitats of
hippopotamuses and crocodiles.
The Nairobi National Park expe-
rience master plan says there will
be an amphitheatre, museum, ivory
tower and restrooms when the re-
organisation of the facility is com-
pleted.
Also highlighted are the devel-
opment of a clubhouse, high-end
restaurant (Orpul Place), the es-
tablishment of adventure activity
concessions and facilitation of al-
ternative activities to traditional
game-viewing.
The parastatal is considering
improving park habitat, coupled
with progressively fencing willing
landowners in the wildlife facility’s
buffer zone.
It proposes integrated land use
management in the buffer zone and
wildlife dispersal areas to achieve
the park’s management objectives.
The plan is purposed to maintain
ecological integrity, amplify visitor
experience, enhance community
benefits from wildlife, minimise
human-wildlife conflicts and im-
prove wildlife security.
The master plan proposes view-
ing and photography platforms,
more recreational sites, running
and cycling track along green line,
improvement of nature trails along
hippo pools, special events sites and
wildlife viewing boardwalks.
The plan proposes eating spot
kitchenette, improvement of the
roads inside the park and sprucing
up of roundabouts at JKIA, Nyayo,
T-Mall and Lang’ata.
The master plan is explicit about
the park’s strengths - uniqueness
and diversity of wildlife and acces-
sibility.
The plan cites soon to be avail-
able opportunities like more vis-
itation resultant from meetings,
incentives, conferences and exhibi-
tions (MICE), wildlife product and
scenic sites, stronger partnerships,
job creation and modernised rev-
enue collection.
It cites low visitor numbers, lack
of recreational activities, poor infra-
structure and slow ticketing.

LIFE SENTENCE UPHELD peared on the night of December 19, 2014, the same
night that a neighbour heard screams from the upper
Woman who murdered floor of the building where the couple lived.
The witness had told the court that she could not tell

husband to stay in jail
FAITH NYASUGUTA/A woman who slashed her husband
to death and dumped his body parts in Nairobi River
will spend the rest of her life in prison after her appeal
was declined.
Damaris Mueni Musau was convicted of murdering her
husband, Raphael Matheka Nzembu, between December
19 and 24, 2014, in Buruburu.
Court of Appeal judges Martha Koome, Roselyn Nam-
buye and Sankale ole Kantai found no reason to interfere
with the lower court’s conviction of Musau.“We find no
merit in this appeal. It is hereby dismissed,” they ruled.
The particulars of the case were that Nzembu disap-
whether the screams were from a woman or a man.
However, she never saw the deceased thereafter.
The following day, street boys told an officer at Buru-
buru police station that they had seen what appeared
to be human body parts stashed in two polythene bags
at Kariobangi Bridge along the Nairobi River.
Police found the two polythene bags at the scene and
on examining them, confirmed the contents to be parts
of a human being.
Meanwhile, Musau and her daughter had on the same
day sought accommodation from a friend, claiming that
her husband had left for Mombasa without paying rent.
“She claimed their landlady had locked her out of the
house. She stayed with the friend until her arrest on
February 3, 2015,” the court was told.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
COUNTIES CENTRAL
OFFERS GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING
Nyeri teacher with passion for
rehabilitating street children
Eight beneficiaries waiting to join vocational training colleges after Covid-19 contained
EUTYCUS MUCHIRI
@TheStarKenya
Perhaps they would still be on the
streets of Nyeri town begging for food
or graduated to hardcore criminals.
But that is not the case for tens
of Nyeri street children who were
some years back hopeless. They were
viewed as trouble makers and poten-
tial hardcore criminals.
They did everything within their
means to eat, including borrowing
and engaging in petty crimes.
Today, they have however turned
from trouble makers to problem fix-
ers, thanks to Joel Kariuki.
The street boys have become me-
chanics, disciplined boda boda rid-
ers, entertainers and farmhands.
Kariuki is a teacher at King’ong’o
Primary School in Nyeri town. He
uses his guidance and counseling
skills to rehabilitate street children.
Benson Nderitu, 19, is one of them
and whose work of fixing vehicles in
the town is admired by many.
Nderitu, from Gatuya-ini village in
Othaya, found himself in the streets
in 2010 after his parents broke-up.
He was neglected. He had attended
school for just four years.
“I left with my mother and stayed
with her until January, 2010, when
we parted ways and I joined the street
boys,” he said.
He is among the lucky few who
have benefitted from Kariuki’s in-
tervention. He met the teacher in
July 2019.
After counseling, Kariuki took
DISTRIBUTES FOOD
Sabina Chege to help reform
Murang’a town sex workers
County MP says they need sustainable
sources of income to get out of the streets
Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege distributes food at Mukuyu near
Murang’a town on Monday / ALICE WAITHERA
Nderitu to a friend’s garage where
he has been training as a mechanic
through apprenticeship. He special-
ises in panel beating.
Ngari Ndung’u, popularly known
as Were, owns Siate garage where
Nderitu works. He described the
teenager as hardworking and a fast
learner.
“If you see his work, you would
think he has been at it for the last
three years,” Ndung’u said.
Robert Chong’e, a regular cus-
tomer at the garage and who most
of the time is attended to by Nder-
itu, praised the work of the former
street boy.
“I have been bringing my vehi-
cle here and most of the time I am
attended to by Nderitu. He does a
thorough and commendable job,”
Chong’e said.
He said Nderitu was a good exam-
ple that homeless children have valid
dreams and can be rehabilitated to
become useful people.
Nderitu’s dream is to start his own
garage and mentor street children
and those from needy backgrounds.
Kenneth Gitau, 24, an orphan, is
another rehabilitated street boy. He
found himself on the streets of Nyeri
town in 2009 after escaping from
Othaya Approved School.
Gitau has done 15 songs and has
uploaded two on YouTube under his
stage name DOC. Life on the streets
and the negative effects of drugs and
substance abuse are prevalent themes
in his songs.
“My dream is to enter into the mu-
THE-STAR.CO.KE
Rehabilitated street boy Benson Nderitu fixes a vehicle at Siate garage in Nyeri
town /EUTYCAS MUCHIRI
sic industry and use it as a source of
income,” Gitau said.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic in-
terrupted people’s daily lives, Gitau
would entertain guests in schools
during functions. Kariuki made the
arrangements.
Peter Ngatia, who had been on the
streets for over six years, completed
a driving course last year and joined
the boda boda industry while Simon
Maina, 29, works as a farmhand.
They say life in the streets was
harsh. “We slept in the cold, at times
had to persevere heavy rains, while
getting a decent meal in a day was a
tall order,” Maina said.
ALICE WAITHEERA/Murang’a Wom-
an Representative Sabina Chege
has promised to rehabilitate about
200 sex workers to enable them to
engage in sustainable sources of
livelihoods.
The MP on Monday said most of
the sex workers are single mothers
who were unable to gain a tertiary
education. As such, they lack tech-
nical skills. She spoke at Makuyu
market where she distributed food
to sex workers, most of whom op-
erate in Murang’a town.
“Sex work exposes someone to
many risks and one can get sick.
Growing old also means one will
require other ways of supporting
themselves,” Chege said.
She said the sex workers have reg-
istered a group that has 106 mem-
bers through which they reach out
for support.
On Monday, other women, includ-
ing barmaids, showed up and milled
around Makuyu market when they
heard the MP was coming to distrib-
ute food to the group.
Chege gave the food items to all
of them. She promised to meet with
the women and discuss ways of re-
habilitating them so they can get out
of the streets. “The long-term plan is
to see how they can be trained to do
King’ong’o Primary School teacher
Joel Kariuki who rehabilitates street
children in Nyeri /EUTYCAS MUCHIRI
technical work that can comfortably
support them and their families,”
the lawmaker said.
Chege pledged to work with the
county government to facilitate mass
Covid-19 testing for workers in the
hospitality industry so restaurants
and bars can reopen.
The MP, who chairs the National
Assembly’s Health Committee, said
the closure of hotels and bars has
left many workers struggling to feed
themselves and their families.
She appealed to business opera-
tors to ensure they strictly follow the
health guidelines to curb the spread
of the coronavirus.
“We’ve been told that we have to
learn to live with the virus. The safest
thing to do is ensure we do social
distancing, wear masks at all times
and observe proper sanitation,”
she said. “As we open up, let’s do so
with precaution so that we are able
to earn a living while ensuring we
don’t endanger our lives.”
Chege launched the food distri-
bution programme last week. About
5,000 families are targeted.
“But so many other people come
out when we give out the food be-
cause they are hungry,” she said. She
asked more leaders, traders and pro-
fessionals to pitch in.
24
DONATIONS DWINDLE
Care home children
at risk of starvation,
says MP Mugambi
EUTYCUS MUCHIRI/Children in rescue
homes risk starving due to the hard
economic times occasioned by the
coronavirus pandemic, Othaya MP
Gichuki Mugambi has said.
Mugambi said Monday that the
homes were relying on donations
from residents but they can no longer
support them as most of them have
lost jobs.
The homes’ benefactors who
included restaurants, bars and salons
workers and business owners have
nothing to offer.
“Children’s homes in Othaya were
receiving donations from people
around this area but due to the harsh
economic conditions, residents can no
longer help,” he said.
The MP said he has started mar-
shalling resources and will continue
to mobilise his friends to buy food to
feed the needy in the constituency.
Already, a list of needy people in
the constituency has been prepared
with the help of village elders and
other administrators, he said.
He called on well-wishers to share
what they have with the needy.
The MP spoke when he donated
assorted foodstuff, soaps, hand san-
itiser, face masks and tissue paper to
Biwomi and Mahiga Children’s homes
in the constituency.
The foodstuff included maize flour,
wheat flour, cooking oil, sugar, green
grams and rice.
The MP who was accompanied by
his wife Lucy Gichuki said the dona-
tion was from his family members.
WORLD BANK FUNDING
Kimemia to launch
Nyandarua’s road
equipment today
NDICHU WAINAINA/The over 4,700km
road network in Nyandarua county is
set for an upgrade after the regional
government bought Sh500 million
machinery for road construction and
maintenance.
A thanksgiving and dedication
prayer for the equipment will be held
on Wednesday at the Ol Kalou Stadi-
um where Governor Francis Kimemia
will also launch the machinery.
The graders, tippers, lorries, exca-
vators, rollers, low loaders, fuel trucks
and pick-ups will be distributed to all
the five sub-counties where works
will commence immediately.
The Governor’s Service Deliv-
ery Unit boss Bishop John Kairu on
Monday said the road construction
equipment constitutes Kimemia’s
covenant with residents to upgrade
all roads.Kimemia promised that the
roads shall never be used as cam-
paign tools again.
Kairu spoke following a cabinet
meeting at the county headquarters in
preparation for the launch. The equip-
ment, he said, will open new roads,
upgrade the existing ones and ensure
an all year round maintenance.
“This will drastically improve the
ease of doing business and trans-
portation of our farm produce to the
market,” he said
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
COUNTIES COAST
FLOODS MENACE
Over 600 families displaced
after Lamu rivers burst banks
Affected persons currently living in makeshifts or with friends, agencies organise relief aid
CHETI PRAXIDES
@TheStarKenya
At least 600 families have been
displaced in Lamu after their
homes were swept away by floods
currently ravaging parts of the
region.
This follows the bursting of the
banks of rivers Tana and Nyongoro
owing to ongoing heavy rains.
The most affected areas are
those inhabited by pastoralist
communities in Chalaluma, Dide
Waride and Moa villages in Witu
division of Lamu West.
At least 87 houses had been
submerged in Chalaluma, Moa
( 70 ) and Dide Waride ( 56 ) by
Tuesday morning. Other affected
areas in Lamu are Mkunumbi,
Hongwe, Marafa, Jericho, Jipende-
ni, Salama, Lumshi, Zebra, Juhudi,
Sinambio, Mavuno and Amkeni,
among others.
According to the Red Cross
Lamu branch, at least 445 families
had been displaced by Tuesday
evening.
Lamu Red Cross coordinator
Kauthar Alwy said a team had
already been dispatched to assess
the real situation on the ground
to determine the exact number of
victims requiring aid.
“We are currently trying to find
out the exact number because we
know the figures keep growing by
the day. The number will be higher
by the end of the week. After the
assessment, we will know how to
help them,” Alwy said.
SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET
We will only approve
Sh160m for health kits,
say Kwale ward reps
The flood victims are appealing
for government intervention to
enable them to find temporary
shelters, food and medicine until
the floods subside.
Most roads have been rendered
impassable by the floods and the
villages can only be accessed via
boat or chopper.
The floodwaters have swept toi-
lets and sewers directly into rivers
and other water sources posing a
serious health risk.
Affected families are staying
with family and friends while tho-
se worse off have to make do with
temporary makeshifts.
The families are now staring at
starvation after their food stores
and farm crops were swept away
by the floods.
Commenting on the matter,
county commissioner Irungu
Macharia said his office was coor-
dinating with the Kenya Red Cross
to ensure those affected receive
the necessary help.
“Together with other relief
agencies, we’re exploring what su-
pport to give the affected families.
In fact, an assessment has been
done. We’ve also requisitioned for
relief food items to be distributed
to the affected families,” Macharia
said.
He, however, advised residents
residing in low-lying areas to
move to safer areas.
“This habit where people refuse
to heed to calls asking them to
move to safety before the danger
befalls them must stop. Let’s learn
to listen and exercise caution,” he
said.
SHABAN OMAR/ Kwale MCAs will only
authorise the disbursement of Sh160
million if the money will be used to
buy health equipment and not food,
county assembly majority leader Raia
Mkungu (pictured) has said.
Mkungu told Governor Salim
Mvurya that they won’t approve the
proposed supplementary budget
because of what he described as
inappropriate need.
During the first phase of the relief
food programme, several ward admi-
nistrators were accused of irregularly
allocating themselves food. This led to
their job terminations.
He said the increasing cases of
Covid-19 are enough proof that the
county needs more health equipment
THE-STAR.CO.KE
An aerial view of the the flooded Lamu West /COURTESY
A family outside their flooded house in Chalaluma village, Lamu West
constituency /PRAXIDES CHETI
than relief food. “The virus is sprea-
ding very quickly and patients don’t
need beans and rice but ventilators
among other medical supplies,”
Mkungu said.
He said the assembly has agreed
that the executive must provide affir-
mative strategies on how the money
is going to be spent and should consi-
der changing the need.
The MCA said that to effectively
tackle the shortcomings arising from
the preventive and treatment measu-
res, the funds should be allocated to
the ministries of Health and Water.
Mkungu said the Kwale govern-
ment should concentrate on procuring
more ambulances, employing health
workers and improving the status
of subcounty hospitals to deal with
Covid-19.
He said the county has had a series
of severe hunger and residents have
known how to deal with it, unlike the
coronavirus.
The Ramisi MCA said there is no
fight between the executive and the
assembly but that they are simply
performing their oversight work.
Puma MCA James Dawa said there
is a need to prioritise health matters
over food. “We can borrow food so-
mewhere if things are that bad but we
can’t return a soul back to life when
Covid-19 takes them,” he said.
Dawa said there are no surplus
funds to be used to purchase food
but that they should deduct the
money from the previously proposed
projects.
He said some of them have taken
long to be implemented yet they are
very important and deducting their
budget is not worth it.
One of the projects is Mteza Bridge
in Kinango whose Sh20 million has
already been sliced from its budget,
Dawa said. He said Governor Mvurya
must at least give a valid reason as to
why the money should be given.
Meanwhile, the assembly has
formed a committee to investigate
the Sh14 million borrowed from the
county emergency fund to buy food.
They have given the executive
four days to produce reasonable
amendments for their demand and
the measures that will be applied to
monitor the usage of the projected
money.
25
‘POLITICAL VENDETTA’
Voi MP denies
influence in road
tender awarding
SOLOMON MUINGI/Voi MP Jones
Mlolwa has denied claims he has been
influencing the awarding of NG-CDF
road maintenance tenders.
He said those peddling corruption
claims against him are only targeting
to tarnish his political career.
“Let us stop playing politics when
it comes to development. We should
support development projects instead
of engaging in propaganda which will
eventually derail the projects,” Mlolwa
said on Monday.
Speaking during the launch of
the routine road maintenance of the
17-kilometre Voi-Mwalangi road in
Sagala, Mlolwa asked the public to
cooperate with the contractors to
ensure the roads are well done and
value for their money is achieved.
The legislator said the NG-CDF
committee is working independently
without influence from his office,
noting that all contractors are fairly
selected in a competitive process.
He urged women, youth and people
living with disability not to shy away
from applying tenders for roads
maintenance.
“These groups are always given
priority during the awarding of
tenders. I encourage them to apply
so that we can empower them and
reduce the number of jobless people
as well,” Mlolwa added.
The MP directed that youths who
had volunteered to maintain the
roads be given priority while hiring by
contractors.
LISTED AS ESSENTIAL
Muslim clerics
urge Uhuru to open
churches, mosques
CHETI PRAXIDES/Muslim clerics have
urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to list
mosques and churches as essential
service providers and have them
re-opened even as Covid-19 cases
increase.
Led by Ustadh Mohamed
Abdulkadir, the clerics questioned
why the criteria used to reopen hotels
and restaurants in the country couldn’t
be used to reopen mosques and
churches.
He said both have the same mode
of operation in the sense that they
hold up several people at a go.
He said closing worship places at
such a time when people needed to
pray for a solution was largely unwise.
The cleric said this year’s Eid
celebrations were bland as people
were not allowed to go into mosques
and thank Allah for enabling them
to successfully complete the holy
month of Ramadhan amid tough
economic times brought about by the
coronavirus pandemic.
“We are urging the President
to convene an urgent sitting with
religious leaders to look into this. Let
mosques and churches be listed as
essential service providers just like
restaurants, hotels and the rest. We
need God in all these and locking
worship places is unwise,” Abdulkadir
said.
 26 THE-STAR.CO.KE Wednesday, May 27, 2020

COUNTIES EASTERN
RECKLESS DRIVER
Meru court awards woman
Sh1.7m for road accident
GERALD MUTETHIA/A Meru court has awarded a 62-year-
old woman Sh1.7 million for a road crash that left her with
severe injuries.
The court found car owner John Mutwiri and the driver
Erick Mutwiri guilty of negligence after their vehicle hit
Lucy Kanyua M’mugwika four years ago. The accident
occurred near Ruiri Catholic Church along Ruiri–Kianjai
road on September 17, 2016.
Meru senior principal magistrate Stella Abuya ordered
that M’mugwika was entitled to Sh1,756,000 in damages.
The court awarded the plaintiff Sh1,350,000 as general
damages under the Fatal Accident Act, Sh400,000 future
medical care and Sh6,000 as special damages.
Meru law courts /FILE “I find the second defendant vicariously liable for
the negligent act of his driver. I enter judgment for the
plaintiff against the defendants jointly and severally,” the
court ruled.
M’mugwika sued the car owner and his driver seeking
general damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenities.
She also sought special damages, future medical care
for hip replacement and cost and interest at court rates.
She asked the court to compensate her over alleged
negligence of the driver over life-changing injuries.
“I was walking within the pedestrian walkway about
three metres from the edge of the tarmac when the
vehicle left its lane. The driver was unable to control
the car. I ran for my safety but it was too late as the
car knocked me down. I sustained right leg and pelvic
fracture injuries,” she told the court.
The driver took her to Meru Level 5 Hospital where she
was admitted for about two months. Dr John Macharia
who examined her testified that M’mugwika sustained a
fracture dislocation of the right hip and developed severe
arthritis of the hip.

WITHOUT NOTICE

Fish farmers
kicked out of
Meru factory
County ordered them out last week
GERALD MUTETHIA
@TheStarKenya
Meru fish farmers have accused the
county government of evicting them
from Kanyakine fish factory.
The 350 farmers from Meru Fish
Farmers Cooperative Society said the
county government through Meru
County Investment and Develop-
ment Cooperation (MCIDC) evicted
them without notice.
Society chairman Joseph Ringera
said they were shocked when they
were asked on Wednesday last week
to leave the firm premises the fol-
lowing day without notice.
He said the county government
did not conduct any public partic-
ipation or consult members before
eviction and takeover of the factory.
But cooperatives executive Maingi
Mugambi said the main idea of the
takeover was to improve manage-
ment of the factory by partnering
with MCIDC in the same way the
county had done with coffee.
“I don’t have details. They have not
talked to me. But what happened
is that the factory was not doing
well and would benefit from bet-
ter organisation and skills through
MCIDC,” Maingi told the Star. Former Meru Agriculture executive Karwitha Kiugu distributes pond liners, fish nets and feed to fishermen /PHOEBE OKALL
Ringera claimed the government
took over the factory after they re-
alised they had been promised a He said they were ordered to re- neighbouring counties. Ringera said Meru was considered
stake in the International Fund for move their belongings and hand over Ringera said since 2016, they had for funding among 14 counties.
Agriculture Development (IFAD) Sh1 the keys without drama. sought funding from the county The farmers questioned why the
billion kitty. The factory was built by the state government to run the factory to county parastatal was giving atten-
He said he called fisheries direc- through the economic stimulus pro- no avail. tion to the fish factory after they
tor Patrick Mbaabu and MCIDC who gramme at a cost of Sh60 million He said they won part of the coun- received the money yet there were
informed him the takeover was on and in 2014 was handed over to the trywide grant after writing several many other firms lying idle in the
orders from top county officials. county to help farmers in Meru and proposals. county and needed revival.

LAST SEEN ON MOTORCYLE

Shock as schoolgirl aged 13

hangs herself in Kyuso, Kitui
MUSEMBI NZENGU/ Police in Kyuso, Ki-
tui county, are trying to unravel the
mystery of a 13-year-old Standard 7
girl who hanged herself on Monday.
Kyuso subcounty police com-
mander Charles Machinji said it was
uncommon for a child that young to
take her own life.
He said investigations were under
way to establish why she committed
suicide.
The girl’s body was found dangling
from the roof of the family house at
Kyandani village in Kamuwongo lo-
cation at around 11am on Monday.
It was discovered by the decea-
sed’s siblings who alerted the pa-
rents.
“By the time the girl hanged herself,
she was on her own at home as her
sisters had gone to draw water from
a nearby well,” Machinji said.
“The parents were tending to crops
in their shamba just a short distance
away.”
The parents said the child had not
been provoked in any way and her
suicide came as a big shock.
But Kamuwongo chief Jane Mwen-
de said she had learned that the girl
had been scolded by her parents on
the eve of the suicide.
The chief said the girl on Sunday
disappeared from home and stayed
away until late in an unkown place.
When she returned she was repri-
manded by her parents.
“The reports we are getting are
that the girl left her home on Sunday
morning. She is said to have left on
the motorbike of a livestock dealer Kamuwongo chief Jane Mwende in her office on Tuesday /MUSEMBI NZENGU
who had visited Kyandani village to
buy livestock. ler should explain where and why he adults having relations with school
Her parents were not amused be- took the schoolgirl. “It should also be children. “We want to established if
cause they did not know her whe- established whether the man was the man who carried the girl on the
reabouts only for her to show up in with the girl until the time she retur- motorbike had sinister motives for
the night,” Mwende said. ned home in the night,” Mwende said. the law to take its course,” added
The chief said the livestock dea- The chief said the law prohibits the chief.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 THE-STAR.CO.KE 27

COUNTIES NORTHEASTERN
ENDANGERED SPECIES

Police nab two men with

giraffe meat in Garissa
Hunting bushmeat for sale or food is illegal; attracts hefty fines
GILBERT KOECH
@TheStarKenya
Police have arrested two men sus-
pected of leading a cartel slaugh-
tering giraffes in Garissa county
and selling the meat in Nairobi and
Mombasa.
Paul Jinaro, Kenya Wildlife Service
acting corporate communications
boss, said on Monday that KWS secu-
rity personnel were part of the team
that arrested the men.
“The two men, arrested in posses-
sion of giraffe meat, are currently
being held at Masalani police station
in Ijara, waiting to be arraigned to-
morrow (today),” Jinaro said.
The two youthful men were found
with a huge meat consignment
suspected to have been from two
giraffes.
Giraffe meat impounded by KWS officers /FILE Jinaro said that two rare and en-
dangered reticulated giraffes were
killed in the same area two months
ago.
“Rising demand for giraffe meat by
affluent people from major towns
has fuelled poaching of the species,
making it a booming and lucrative
business,” he said.
Hunting bushmeat for sale or food
is illegal according to the Wildlife
Conservation and Management Act
2013.
Hunting wildlife for subsistence
attracts a fine of not less than
Sh30,000 or a minimum of six
months jail term or both on con-
viction.
Persons hunting bushmeat for sale
or dealing in game meat will be fined
Sh200,000 or jailed for one year or
both if found guilty, according to
the Act.
Two months ago, Kenya’s only
white female giraffe and her calf
were killed by poachers.
The deaths were confirmed by
community members and rangers
of Ishaqbini Hirola Community
Conservancy. Following the incident,
only a lone bull remains.
“This is a very sad day for the com-
munity of Ijara and Kenya as a whole.
We are the only community in the
world who are custodians of the
white giraffe. Its killing is a blow to
tremendous steps taken by the com-
munity to conserve rare and unique
species and a wakeup call for contin-
ued support to conservation efforts,”
said Mohammed Ahmednoor, the
manager of Ishaqbini Hirola Con-
servancy.
Images shared by the community
showed the killed giraffe’s skeletons.
Her calf was the second birth re-
ported in August last year, resulting
in a family of three white giraffes.
The white giraffe made headlines
in 2017 after its discovery, with its
unique white hide.

EVACUATION CRITICISED
COMMERCIAL
Airlifting of non-local health workers
over terror threat justified, say officials PRINTING
STEPHEN ASTARIKO/ The government on - quarry workers, bus passengers,
Tuesday defended its evacuation of teachers and others.
seven on-local health workers from But speaking to the press in his of-
Bura in Fafi subcbounty to Garissa fice yesterday, Northeastern regional
town over terror threats. commissioner Nicodemus Ndala-
‘WE
The airlift on Saturday was widely na said the removal of the seven CONSULTED
criticised and MP Abdikarim Osman health workers was necessitated by
expressed outrage on his Facebook al Shabaab threats.
WIDELY WITH
page. “We consulted widely as the secu- THE GARISSA
He called the security team’s rity team together with the Garissa
action “tantamount to ceding Fafi county government before decid- COUNTY
constituency headquarters to the ing to evacuate. It was not hurriedly
ragtag terrorist outfit based on an done,” Ndalana said.
GOVERNMENT
unauthenticated and false security They had received intelligence BEFORE
alarm”. militants were planning to carry out
A police chopper was dispatched attacks before the end of the holy
DECIDING TO
to airlift seven non-local health month of Ramadhan, he said. EVACUATE’
workers from Bura Subcounty Hos- “Surely with such information
pital over fears of an impending al coming from al Shabaab themselves
Shabaab attack. It was not clear who that they wanted to attack, and they
gave the airlift order. were specific about where, how
Al Shabaab has frequently targeted could we have waited to see people
nonlocal workers in the Northeast die?” Ndalana asked.

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Health workers Contacts;

at Fafi’s Bura Irene Kimolo - 0716 769982. email: irene.kimolo@radioafricagroup.co.ke
East Subcounty Maurice Munyao - 0715 668366. email: maurice.munyao@radioafricagroup.co.ke
Hospital and
their families
prepare to board 3rd Floor, Lion Place, Waiyaki Way
a police chopper P.O. Box 74497 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: (Office) 254 20 4244 200
on Saturday
/STEPHEN ASTARIKO Direct: 254 20 444 7410 Fax: 254 20 343755
 28
COUNTIES WESTERN
UNITED FRONT
Mudavadi and Weta discuss
matters of national interest
The two Luhya leaders met in Nairobi amid ongoing political realignments
MATHEWS NDANYI
@TheStarKenya
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and
his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses
Wetang’ula have pledged to work
together for the Luhya community
and the nation.
The two met in Nairobi amid on-
going political realignments and
discussed Luhya unity, Covid-19 and
the economy, among other issues.
Mudavadi and Wetang’ula de-
clined to comment bout the meet-
ing’s agenda but their publicists said
they discussed matters of national
interest.
They talked about ANC and Ford-K
working together with allies outside
Western ahead of the 2022 election.
Last Sunday, Mudavadi met Uasin
Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago
and Sirisia MP John Waluke, Deputy
President William Ruto allies. The
meeting sparked off speculation of a
possible alliance between Mudavadi
and Ruto.
However, ANC deputy party lead-
er Ayub Savula said there are no
plans for a political deal between
the two and Mudavadi is focused
on the top seat.
“Mudavadi will be our presidential
candidate in 2022 but he has our
blessings to seek partnerships with
other political groups. That is what
he is doing at the moment,” he said.
Mudavadi has held meetings with
more than 15 political leaders, in-
cluding those allied to Ruto.
Wetang’ula has also declared his
interest in the presidency but he is
considering teaming up with Mu-
davadi to spearhead Luhya unity
and address the region’s economic
challenges.
Mudavadi has said he will not go
into a political deal with Jubilee be-
cause ANC is in the NASA coalition
and the law does not allow a party
STALEMATE
Truckers reject ministry calls to resume work
EMOJONG OSERE/ Long-distance
truck drivers have rejected calls by
the Transport ministry to return
to work.
A meeting convened by the min-
istry on Monday in Malaba to find
a solution to the border stalemate
aborted.
The truckers insisted they wanted
to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta
and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni to
iron out their concerns.
The drivers are protesting harass-
ment and discrimination in Uganda.
They said Museveni should guar-
antee they will be treated humanely
when they are in his country before
to be in two coalitions. Wiper and
Chama Cha Mashinani are said to
be pushing for the dissolution of
Nasa to sign coalition agreements
with Jubilee.
Mudavadi is considering running
for president but says at the moment,
he is concerned with issues affecting
Kenyans.
“Time for politics will come but
for now, Kenyans want matters to
do with Covid-19, floods and the
economy [addressed],” the ANC
leader said.
Some Luhya leaders have said
they start delivering cargo.
The truckers on Monday accused
Transport Cabinet Secretary James
Macharia of sending a “junior” del-
egation to the Malaba meeting, say-
ing the act may have been intended
to show their concerns were being
taken lightly.
The Transport ministry was rep-
resented by PS Solomon Kitungu
and East Africa Community Affairs
PS Kevit Desai.
Uganda was represented by James
Malinzi from Uganda Revenue Au-
thority in charge of the Eastern
region, Dennis Turiagenda who
is the head of health services at
THE-STAR.CO.KE
they will back Kakamega Governor
Wycliffe Oparanya and CS Eugene
Wamalwa to lead the community.
The duo has dismissed talks of a
possible split in the region, saying
they are not after clan leadership.
Present at the Nairobi meeting
were MPs Tindi Mwale (Butere) and
Aseka Miradi (Khwisero).
“The two are our leaders and have
to keep on consulting about regional
and national matters,” Mwale said.
They also discussed challenges in
the sugar sector in Western and the
collapse of the region’s economy.
Malaba border and Major Kenneth
Habomugisha.
Others were Kenya’s ambassador
to Uganda Kiema Kilonzo.
The six-hour meeting started at
9am and ended at 3pm with no
solution.
“We are ready to negotiate with
presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and
Yoweri Museveni,” Abubakar Jafar,
one of the drivers’ eight represen-
tatives at the meeting, told the Star.
“We have been in Malaba for the
last one week and I wonder if they
are taking us seriously. We have said
we want to meet the two presidents
to solve our problems.”
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
CONMEN ON THE LOOSE
Don’t give bribes for health
jobs, warns CPSB chairman
MARTIN OMBIMA/ Vihiga county public service board
chairperson Frankline Esipila has warned residents
against giving bribes for recruitment into the health
service.
“Don’t be duped by those conmen who are extorting
money from you in the promise of a job,” he said.
Esipila said the board is working with security
agencies to stop such kind of theft.
He said the board is the only recognised agency
mandated to recruit county workers and those who will
not go through the recommended process should not
blame anyone.
He said they have received complaints from the
public that cartels are asking for money in exchange for
jobs.
“We are not taking bribes from anybody and in case
you sent money for this purpose, then you have fallen
victim to the cartel,” Esipila said.
He said they will hire based on merit.
“We will not allow previous mistakes to happen again
where workers were hired without following proper
procedures and we ended up having 528 workers
instead of 149,” Esipila said.
The county is in the process of recruiting 124 health
workers to strengthen service delivery during the
Covid-19 pandemic.
These are part of the 5,500 health workers, which
the state directed counties to hire through their public
service boards.
LOYAL
Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa
vows to stick with DP Ruto
JOHN NALIANYA/ Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has
downplayed the challenges facing DP William Ruto,
saying they will soon fade away.
The MP said Ruto has a large support base countrywide
and no amount of intimidation of his supporters will
change this and his quest for the presidency in 2022.
He urged Ruto supporters to continue praying because
the works of the enemy will soon be defeated.
Ford Kenya Speaking in Bahai village, Kimilili, the legislator said
leader Moses despite being targeted and fought by forces opposed to
Wetang’ula his leadership, Ruto will win.
and ANC “Jesus Christ was betrayed by his closest disciple but
leader Musalia he triumphed. Similarly, Ruto will overcome the storm
Mudavadi at and become the president in 2022,” Barasa said.
the ANC party He urged President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime
headquarters on Minister Raila Odinga to support Ruto’s presidency.
Saturday “In as much as they target to remove Ruto allies from
/COURTESY key Senate and Parliament positions, we won’t be in-
timidated because we believe a tree that bears fruits is
always the target,” he said.
He said they are ready for any outcome, even if it
means being kicked out of parliamentary committees,
for supporting the Deputy President.
Trucks on the Malaba-Bungoma highway in Malaba town / EMOJONG OSERE
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 THE-STAR.CO.KE 29

COUNTIES NYANZA
FENCING ONGOING NO QUARANTINE

Kibuye market to be upgraded

Construction works have delayed because of numerous court cases over the land
MAURICE ALAL/ The Kisumu govern-
ment is fencing the 12-acre Kibuye
Market ahead of the construction of
modern structures for traders.
County communication boss
Alalah Odwuor said the fencing
being undertaken by the National
Youth Service is in preparation for
the commencement of works.
The works, he said, also include
the opening of roads, improving
sanitation, establishing the manage-
ment office and fire management
system at Sh35 million.
“The county is committed to im-
proving the market to boost trad-
ing activities. We want traders to
do business in a conducive environ-
ment,” Alalah said yesterday.
Last week, city manager Doris
Ombara said the planned con-
struction of a modern market was
on course.
Ombara acknowledged the delays
of construction works which she at-
tributed to numerous court cases
that have since been dealt with.
The city manager said they will
open roads and improve the drain-
age system to make it more efficient
for users. “The initiatives are aimed
at easing traffic within the market,”
Ombara said.
She noted that the market will be
re-designed to avoid fire outbreaks
attributed to electric faults due to
poor and illegal connections.
The administration has temporar-
ily relocated more than 900 traders
to the five-acre parking space at Moi
Stadium as part of efforts to fight
Covid-19.
Ombara said the move is aimed at
decongesting Kosawo Market, where
traders had been moved after the
Kibuye market was closed.
Kibuye, the largest open-air mar-
ket in the lakeside city, was closed
last month by Governor Anyang’
Nyong’o. It had about 3,000 traders
on normal days and about 10,000 on
market day (Sundays).
Initially, the county government
had planned to invest Sh410 mil-
lion to build two modern markets
in the town.
Former Governor Jack Rangu-
ma planned to put up a six-storey
National Youth Service personnel at Kibuye market yesterday /DANIEL OGENDO
complex at Kibuye Market and a
three-storey building at Jubilee
Market. He said the markets were to
have modern toilets, electricity, and
shop outlets under the Sh4.5 billion
Kisumu Urban Project funded by
the French government. Ranguma
said when complete, Kibuye Mar-
ket will accommodate more than
1,000 traders, while Jubilee will host
about 600. But Alalah said due to
court cases over the Kibuye land, the
project delayed forcing the county to
find alternative ways.
Visit hospitals if sick,
Governor Ongwae
urges Kisii residents
BENSON NYAGESIBA/ Residents suffer-
ing from diseases other the Covid-19
should go to hospitals across the
county for treatment, Kisii Governor
James Ongwae has said.
Ongwae said all the health facilities
including the Kisii Teaching and Re-
ferral have enough health personnel
to attend to them.
Speaking to the Star on the phone,
Ongwae told residents not to fear
visiting hospitals because of the
coronavirus.
He said his administration has put
in place all the necessary measures,
including isolation centres for sus-
pected cases.
“It will be unfortunate if patients
suffering from other diseases shun
hospitals because of the Covid-19
stigma,” he said.
The governor discouraged people
from opting to self-medicate be-
cause of fear that they will be put on
quarantine on suspicion of coronavi-
rus infection.
“Shunning hospitals is dangerous
and could worsen the conditions of
those with chronic illnesses like dia-
betes, asthma, high blood pressure
and tuberculosis,” the county boss
said.

COVID-19 CONTROL

Kisumu fumigates hotels

truck drivers use at night
FAITH MATETE
@TheStarKenya

The Kisumu government on Monday

night started fumigating hotels used
by truck drivers following the con-
firmation of three cases of Covid-19.
County communication boss
Odwuor Alalah said the hotels are in
Nyamasaria, Otonglo, Garissa Lodge
and Kondele.
“We ask the members of the pub-
lic to remain vigilant and inform us
of any other areas where this would
be required,” Alalah said.
Truck drivers have been identified
as a weak link in the fight against
the pandemic because as essential
service providers, they travel across
borders and come into contact with
other people.
The government has ordered test-
ing for all drivers at border points.
Only those with Covid-19 clearance
are allowed to proceed on their jour-
neys.
Contact tracing and testing have
been stepped up in Kisumu follow-
ing the confirmation of the three
cases.
Of the three, two are long-dis-
tance truck drivers aged 29 and 82.
All were stopped at border control.
The third is a 33-year-old woman
who travelled with 19 others from
Nairobi to attend a funeral in Nyando
subcounty.
Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o, said
the two men are at the Jaramogi Og-
inga Odinga Teaching and Referral
Hospital Covid-19 isolation facility.
The woman is in an isolation facility
in Nairobi.
Nyong’o said the two drivers were
intercepted by Public Health Surveil-
Celebrating life
lance teams having travelled from Many people lead valuable and worthwhile lives but
South Sudan and Uganda through
Busia Border Control on Saturday. are never publicly recognised. The Star wants to start
Concerning the third case,
Nyong’o said in a statement to me- publishing obituaries of the ordinary people who make
dia houses that all 20 mourners from
Nairobi were tested for Covid-19. Kenya great.
He said no Kisumu resident has
tested positive for Covid-19.
“We continue to urge the general
public to adhere to all government If you believe that the life of your dear departed should
directives and public health contain-
ment measures,” Nyong’o said. be remembered, email an obituary (about 500 words
He urged the public to be vigilant
and report any cases of irregular and a picture) to newsdesk@radioafricagroup.co.ke
travel or Covid-19-like symptoms
to health officials. with your contact information. We will publish the
People also can report through the
toll-free Covid Response Call Centre most interesting obituaries in the Star newspaper and
at 0800720575.
website at no cost.
NYONG’O
SAYS NO The article should be written within three months of
We ask the public
KISUMU death. The obituary will be published at the editor’s
RESIDENT discretion
to remain vigilant
HAS TESTED
and inform us of POSITIVE
any other areas this FOR THE
would be required CORONAVIRUS
 30 THE-STAR.CO.KE Wednesday, May 27, 2020

COUNTIES RIFT VALLEY

THREE DEAD, SEVERAL INJURED CURBING SPREAD
Youth during a
Narok MPs accuse politicians of fuelling peace meeting Turkana wants
deadly ethnic clashes in Olooruasi area
in Olooruasi,
Narok South testing kits after
KIPLANGAT KIRUI/Two MPs from Narok county have accused some
subcounty
/KIPLANG’AT
Covid-19 case
politicians of fuelling clashes that erupted at the weekend between two KIRUI HESBORN ETYANG/The Turkana
communities in Olooruasi. government has asked the national
The clashes left three people dead and several seriously injured. government to provide testing kits
Narok South MP Korei ole Lemein and Narok North counterpart MP for Covid-19 after reporting a case
Moitalel ole Kenta said on Sunday some politicians who are fond of of the virus.
visiting the area should be held responsible for the violence. They did Turkana Deputy Governor
not name the politicians.Lemein told the politicians to stick to their Peter Lotethiro said the national
administrative units. “This is Narok South and we are peace loving people government should set up two
and those coming here with a different agenda instead of uniting people testing centres in Kainuk in Turkana
should think twice before engaging in their missions,” he said. South and Kalobeyei in Turkana
West.
On Sunday, Turkana reported the
COVID-19 CLEARANCE first case of Covid-19, becoming

30,000 eatery workers jobless

the 29th county to report a case.
“We can confirm that a 32-year-
old Somali national residing in
Kenya registered as a refugee at
Kakuma camp has tested positive

over costly coronavirus testing

Governors and hotel owners in North Rift in row over testing costs at private labs
MATHEWS NDANYI
@ndanyimathews
More than 30,000 hotel workers in
the North Rift cannot get Covid-19
tests due to a row between hotel
owners and governors over the cost
of testing.
Tourism CS Najib Balala had
directed testing be done at public
hospitals for Sh1,000 per sample
but most counties have asked hotel
owners to use private clinics.
Governors led by Jackson Man-
dago of Uasin Gishu said the Moi
Teacher and Referral Hospital and
other public testing centres focus
on suspected Covid-19 patients. They
cited a lack of resources to cover ho-
tel workers.
Hotel owners in the region have
complained that approved private
laboratories were charging more
than Sh8,300 per sample, which
they called too expensive.
“We cannot afford such costs in
private facilities. Some hotels have
up to 200 workers and it’s not pos-
sible to raise such money for testing,”
Kevin Okwara, chairman of the re-
gion’s hotel owners, said.
He led hotel owners to meet Uasin
Gishu county commissioner Abdiri-
sack Jaldesa and complained of un-
workable conditions for re-opening
of restaurants. They called the re-
quirements punitive and discrimi-
natory. Last week Mandago ordered
all hotels, restaurants and eateries in
Eldoret and elsewhere to shut down
until they comply with all Ministry
of Health requirements.
The county Public Health Depart-
ment served closure notices on most
hotels and restaurants.
The county has issued more than
30 guidelines that hotels must com-
ply with before being allowed to re-
sume operations.
“You are required to immediately
cease operations of your restaurant
or eatery until all requirements of
the protocol ... during the Covid-19
pandemic have been met,” the
countywide notice said.
Okwara said the hospitality indus-
try is on the brink of collapse with
thousands of jobs at stake yet the
government was trying to enforce
measures that hurt the sector.
He said they cannot afford the cost
of frequent testing of hotel workers
and cannot operate without lodg-
ing facilities as directed by Balala.
He said hotels should be allowed
Sirikwa Hotel
in Eldoret is
among many
establishments
shut down due to
Covid-19
/MATTHEW
NDANYI
to operate like other sectors while
observing minimum conditions of
wearing masks and washing hands.
“We have been asked to comply
with so many costly conditions yet
at the moment we are not making
any money to pay for them,” Ok-
wara said.
He said it was ironic the govern-
ment was closing hotel accommo-
dations while allowing some Ken-
yans to operate as part of essential
services.
for the virus,” Lotethiro said.
He said the patient travelled
from Kakuma refugee camp to
Eastleigh in Nairobi allegedly to
evacuate his 31-year-old sister
who had a child.
Lotethiro said the two testing
points requested would boost their
services by conducting targeted
testing to combat the spread of
the virus.
RUTO BASTION
Shun divisive
politics, focus on
needy, say clerics
MATHEWS NDANYI/Catholic Bishop
of Eldoret Dominic Kimengich has
cautioned leaders against divisive
politics and urged them to focus on
Covid-19 and humanitarian needs.
Rift Valley is considered a
bastion of Deputy President
William Ruto and a purge of his
allies is underway, causing anxiety
in the region. The bishop was
not specific but he appeared
to be referring to the anti-Ruto
campaign.
The bishop’s sentiments were
echoed by evangelical bishops
and pastors led by Bishop Sybery
Nyabero and chairman of the
Muslim Preachers and Imams
Abubakar Bini.
Kimengich said it was immoral
for leaders to expend so much
energy on politics at a time
when Kenyans are suffering life-
threatening challenges. Thousands
are struggling with the effects of
the coronavirus pandemic.

VIRUS CASE IN KAKUMA CAMP

25 cholera cases, 1 Covid-19 patient in Turkana
HESBORN ETYANG/Turkana county reported its first
Covid-19 case on Sunday in Kakuma refugee camp
and it is also treating 25 cases of cholera.
Health and Sanitation executive Jane Ajele said the
county is battling to curb the spread of both diseases
in a “double war”.
Of the 25 reported cholera cases, six patients
have been treated and discharged. Fifty immediate
contacts have been traced and treated and 400 water
purification tablets distributed.
An intense search for more cholera cases is
underway. Cholera is far from unknown in Turkana.
Fisherfolks along the shores of lake Turkana /HESBORN ETYANG Fifteen villages in Morungole sublocation have been
given water purification tablets and residents are
receiving education on health and sanitation.
“The twin outbreaks of Covid-19 and cholera are
both serious. We’re fighting a double war and water
and sanitation are priorities,” Ajele said.
Turkana is Kenya’s 29th county to confirm a
Covid-19 case.
“A 32-year-old Somali national as a registered
refugee at Kakuma camp has tested positive for the
coronavirus,” the Health CEC said.
The patient had travelled from Kakuma to Eastleigh,
Nairobi, supposedly to evacuate his 31-year-old sister
and her one and a half-year-old child, Ajele said.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 THE-STAR.CO.KE 31

COFFEE BREAK
CROSSWORD
SUDOKU / SIMPLE
Fill the grid with digits so
that each column, each
row, and each of the
sub-grids that compose
ALL IN THE STARS

the grid all contain all of

the numbers from 1 to 9
one time.

GEMINI
May 22 - June 21
Double check your work and be sure
that your boss is in a good mood
before you do your presentation.

CANCER
Weekend’s June 22-July 22
Solutions
You must not allow them to force you to
rush. Entertainment could be pleasing if it
is of an energetic nature.

LEO
July 23 - August 22
DOWN 33 Not (3)
Show what a dedicated person you can
Find and mark all the words
2 A floor mat or small carpet (3)
3 The ultimate principle of the universe (3)
ACROSS

1 Any admirable quality or attribute (5)

WORD SEARCH hidden inside the box. The words
may be placed horizontally,
be. The danger of minor accidents will
increase with the turmoil.
4 Especially (3) vertically, or diagonally.
5 Former Member of Parliament for Kisumu 4 Prime Minister of France (7)
Central Constituency (5) 9 A pompous fool (3)
10 President of Italy (6)
AIRPLANE VIRGO
6 Member of Parliament for Mvita BICYCLE August 23 - September 23
13 The basic unit of money in Great Britain
Constituency (12)
and Northern Ireland (5) BLIMP
7 Prime Minister of Senegal (6)
15 Vase (3) Be sure you get accurate information. If
8 Different arrangements of atoms but the BOAT boredom has set in, find new and unique
16 A gambling card game of Spanish origin
same molecular weight (6) (5) BUS directions that offer interesting friendships.
11 One of the common kidney diseases (12) 17 Assault (6) ELEVATOR
12 Maladroit (5) 19 Alkali (3)
14 A loose material consisting of grains of rock 20 Associated (7)
ESCALATOR
FERRY
LIBRA
or coral (4) 22 Member of Parliament for Tinderet September 24 - October 23
18 Member of Parliament for Kapseret Constituency (7) JET
Constituency (4) 25 Member of Parliament for Isiolo North MOPED Reevaluate your motives. Don’t hesitate
21 Prepare for publication or presentation by Constituency (3) to voice your opinions when it comes to
MOTORCYCLE
correcting (4) 26 One of the families of sub-nuclear matters pertaining to work.
22 A game in which numbered balls are drawn particles (6) PARACHUTE
at random (4) 28 First series in the spectrum of hydrogen RAFT
23 Light wood (5) (6) ROCKET SCORPIO
24 One behind the other (6) 29 Involuntary muscular contraction (3) October 24 - November 22
30 President of Kenya (5) SHIP
25 The time when something begins (6)
32 Member of Parliament for Baringo Central TRAIN Don’t be shy; show your abilities! Focus,
27 An earthy type of jazz combining it with
blues and soul (5)
Constituency (6) TRAM and concentrate on yourself and your
34 Snow runner (3) future.
31 Exploit (3) TRUCK
35 Gleam or glow intermittently (7)
32 North Korea’s Communist Party leader (3) 36 Functions as legal tender (5)
SAGITTARIUS
November 23 - December 21

Limitation could set in if you’ve been

spending too much. Don’t try to hide your
true feelings from your mate.

CAPRICORN
December 22 - January 20

Romance will develop through work.

Organize your day well if you wish to
accomplish all you set out to do.

AQUARIUS
January 21 - February 19

You can discuss your intentions and ideas

with your colleagues or friends today. Be
careful not to come on too strongly.

Three boys let spider bite them because PISCES

ENOUGH
ODDLYENOUGH

they wanted to become Spider-Man
DAILY MAIL/ Three brothers in Bolivia
were hospitalised after letting a Black
Widow spider bite them because they
wanted to be Spider-Man.
ODDLY
February 20 - March 20
Your lover may feel rejected. You can make
changes to your living quarters, but not
They started experiencing symp-
everyone will be pleased with your efforts.
toms within a few minutes and their
concerned mother rushed them to a
local health centre where their con- ARIES

The boys, aged 8, 10, and 12, were
herding goats in the town of Chayanta,
in the Andean region of Potosi when
they came across the spider.
Hoping to turn into their comic book
hero, they approached the black wid-
ow and prodded it with a stick on May
14, until it bit each of them in turn, ep-
idemiology chief at the Bolivian Min-
istry of health, Virgilio Pietro, told local
outlet Telemundo.
ditions continued to worsen and they
were taken to a hospital in Llallagua.
The next day they were transferred
to the Children’s Hospital in La Paz,
where they were admitted with fever,
tremours, sweating and muscular pain,
Pietro said. The boys were successful-
ly treated and discharged a week later.
Pietro said the incident should be
taken as a warning that ‘for children
everything is real, movies are real’.
March 21 - April 20
Accept the inevitable. Your dramatic
nature may be too much to handle. Hidden
matters are likely to surface.
taurus
April 21 - May 21
You might get behind if you spend too
much time debating senseless issues.
Spider-Man /SHUTTERSTOCK Enjoy taking courses or lecturing others.
32
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PUBLIC NOTICE
THE PHYSICAL AND LAND USE PLANNING
ACT NO 13 OF 2019
CHANGE OF USER
Notice is hereby given that the owner of
KIAMBAA/RUAKA/6325 has applied for
permission to change the use from
AGRICULTURAL TO COMMERCIAL CUM
RESIDENTIAL MULTI DWELLING (Flats).
The land is situated in Kiambu County
Kiambaa Sub-county,Ruaka area. The brief
containing the details of the project has
been deposited at Kiambaa sub-County
planning offices and maybe inspected by
members of the public free of charge. Any
person who wishes to make any represen-
tations or objections to the proposal
should serve notice of such in writing
within fourteen (14) days of this notice to.
THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING
COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF KIAMBU
P.O BOX 2344-00900
KIAMBU
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE PHYSICAL AND LAND USE PLANNING
ACT NO 13 OF 2019
CHANGE OF USER
The registered owner(s) of parcel number
CisMara/Oleleshwa/7523 proposes to
change the user from Agricultural to
Commercial subject to the approval of the
Narok County Government. Any
individuals, institutions, organizations e.t.c
with comments and or objections to this
proposal is requested to forward them in
writing within fourteen (14) days from the
date of this notice to:
The County Executive Committee
Member for Lands, Housing, Physical
Planning and Urban Development -
Narok County
P.O Box 898-20500
Narok
PUBLIC NOTICE
MODERN ALLIANCE PARTY (MAP)
Notice is hereby given to changes in our
party as follows: our name change to
MAENDELEO DEMOCRATIC PARTY
(MDP)
Our symbol MAKASI/SCISSORS,
NATIONAL OFFICIALS and amendment of
constitution rules and regulations this is
provided by section 20(2) of the political
parties act. 2011. Any member with
objection is requested to forward the same
in writing within 14 days of this notice to.
MODERN ALLIANCE PARTY (MAP)
GLORIA HOUSE 1ST FLOOR MUMIAS
ROAD,
P.O. BOX 1980-50100
KAKAMEGA.
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE PHYSICAL AND LAND USE PLANNING
ACT NO 13 OF 2019
EXTENSION OF USER
THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THIS
PROPERTY L.R NO. 4953/782 IN THIKA
PROPOSES TO EXTEND ITS USER TO
INCLUDE MULTI-DWELLING
(FLATS) SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY
UNITS
KIAMBU COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
INDIVIDUALS, INSTITUTIONS, ETC. WITH
OBJECTION(S) TO THE PROPOSAL ARE
REQUESTED TO FORWARD, STATING
GROUNDS, THE SAME IN WRITING WITHIN
FOURTEEN (14) DAYS OF THIS NOTICE TO: -
THE DIRECTOR, URBAN DEVELOPMENT
AND MANAGEMENT
KIAMBU COUNTY GOVERNMENT
P.O. BOX 2344-00900,
KIAMBU
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE PHYSICAL AND LAND USE PLANNING
ACT NO 13 OF 2019
CHANGE OF USE
THE REGISTERED OWNER OF PLOT L.R. NO,
RUIRU EAST BLOCK 1/2437 LOCATED AT
KIHUNGURO, KIAMBU COUNTY, INTENDS
TO CHANGE IT’S USE FROM AGRICULTUR-
AL TO RESIDENTIAL MULTI DWELLING
UNITS (FLATS) SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY
KIAMBU COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
INDIVIDUALS,INSTITUTIONS,ETC.WITH
OBJECTION(S) TO THE PROPOSAL ARE
REQUESTED TO FORWARD THE SAME IN
WRITING WITHIN FOURTEEN (14) DAYS OF
THIS NOTICE TO:-
THE DIRECTOR, COUNTY PLANNING
KIAMBU COUNTY GOVERNMENT
P.O. BOX 2344-00900,
KIAMBU
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE PHYSICAL AND LAND USE PLANNING
ACT NO 13 OF 2019
CHANGE OF USER
The owner of plot No Muguga/Muguga
1276 and 1277 situated in kikuyu
Municipality off Nairobi-Nakuru highway is
proposing to change the use from
agricultural to industrial use (Petrol
Service Station and auxiliary services)
subject to approval by the County
Government of Kiambu. Individuals,
institutions, e.t.c. with objections or
comments to the proposals are requested
to forward them in writing within 14 days
to
The County Executive Committee
Member
Land and Physical Planning
County Government of Kiambu
P.O Box 2344-0900
KIAMBU
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE PHYSICAL AND LAND USE PLANNING
ACT NO 13 OF 2019
CHANGE OF USER
The registered owner of plot L.R. No. Suna
East/Wasweta I/12445 located in Onyalo
area, Suna East Sub-county, Migori County
proposes to change its use from
Agricultural to High Density Residential
subject to approval by the County
Government of Migori. Individuals,
Institutions, Organizations, e.t.c with
objections or comments to the proposal
are requested to forward the same in
writing within 14 (fourteen) days of
publication of this notice to:
THE COUNTY DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL
PLANNING,
MIGORI COUNTY GOVERNMENT,
P.O. BOX 195-404000
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 34 THE-STAR.CO.KE
SPORTS FEATURE
How Vihiga Queens rose t
‘QUEENS
HAVE HAD
A SHARE
OF THEIR
CHALLAN-
GES BUT
THEY HAVE
TURNED
THEM INTO
MOTIVATION’
—ALUMIRA
EVANS OUSURU
@Eousuru
Good teams are defined by their at-
tacking style of play but great teams
are judged by the number of tro-
phies they win.
Very few teams have won three
titles or so in a row either in the pre-
mier league or any other competi-
tion. Only Juventus and Bayern Mu-
nich have dominated their respective
leagues in recent years.
Juventus has won Italian Serie ‘A’
title eight times in a row since 2012
while the Manuel Nuer-captained
Bayern have relentlessly bagged the
Bundesliga since 2013 to date.
European giants Real Madrid won
the Uefa Champions League in 2016,
2017 and 2018 and a similar feat was
achieved by their women counter-
parts Olympic Lyonnais Ferminis the
same period in the same competition.
Back home, Gor Mahia have pre-
vailed in the Kenya Premier League
having won it in 2017, 2018 and last
year. Vihiga Queens can also be men-
tioned in the same breath consider-
ing their achievements in the wom-
1 en’s Kenya Premier League.
Despite boasting of only four
years in the Kenya women’s Premier
League, defending champions Vihi-
ga Queens have perhaps surpassed
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Impossible is
expectations by
winning
three con-
secutive
league
titles
f o r
the short stint
they have been in the top flight.
Established in 2014 alongside Vi-
higa United by the Vihiga County
Government, Queens are the bench-
mark of the league teams having
announced their arrival with a sec-
ond-place finish in 2016 when they
made their debut in the top flight.
They had been crowned Division
One champions in 2015.
Newly formed or promoted teams
prefer to establish themselves in
the division they play before shift-
ing gears to winning a trophy af-
terwards but this was not the case
with ambitious Queens under the
stewardship of coach Alex Alumira,
whose five years with the team have
been remarkable.
Newcomers prioritise evading rel-
egation more but for Vihiga Queens,
they set a target for a top-four finish.
Alumira said he faced criticism for
setting the bar too high and many
 Wednesday, May 27, 2020
to the top of KWPL
s nothing for the western-based women’s side
football enthusiasts thought that he
was just building castles in the air.
“We had a work plan and I had
vast experience in school games.
I used to follow the WPL way
back during the days of
Western Commandos
and knew that if
we built a
team, we
would
know ex-
actly what type
o f team would
compete. In fact, after qualifica-
tion to WPL from Division One, I set a
target of finishing in the top four. Let
me not say what responses came my
way, but they weren’t encouraging,”
observed Alumira.
“People never trusted that I would
prosper with the team. In the first
season, nobody believed in a top-four
finish. Some of them were right be-
cause 70 per cent of the players had
no Premier League experience and
most were young and in high school
or college. However, I had seen the
hunger and thirst the players had.
It was our job to raise their perfor-
mance to match their expectations
and we tried as a team,” enthused the
widely travelled tactician.
Alumira has tutored Mudete Tea
FC, Chavakali United Talent Acade-
my, Vihiga All-Stars, Vihiga United
and numerous high schools.
Since its inception in 2010, the
KWPL has faced a myriad of chal-
lenges. Lack of funds has seen teams
dish out walkovers because of the in-
ability to honour their matches.
Queens also faced hurdles but Alu-
mira said the team turned their chal-
lenges into motivation. The relation-
ship among players, technical bench
and management was the glue that
stuck the team together.
“Like any other team, we had fi-
nancial challenges but soldiered on.
I must admit I’m proud of all my
players then and now for persever-
ance because, regardless of the sit-
uations, they have always been on
top of the game.”
Reflecting on his acid test during
the 2016 season, which also acted as
the turning point in the fortunes of
the team, Alumira said: “It was the
best of my five seasons I have been
with the team. These girls were play-
ing with passion. At that time, they
were only playing for a win bonus of
only Sh 500. But we were playing like
a team that was on a fat paycheck. It
was pure hard work and when the
then governor Moses Akaranga saw
how they played, he immediate-
ly ordered that they are put on the
payroll. They earned their sweat af-
ter being patient for 3 years. Indeed,
patience pays.”
He added: “The girls truly punched
above their weight. A top-four finish
was the bare minimum but coming
second to a well-knit Thika team un-
der respectable coach Richard Kanyi
was no mean feat.”
The western-based side has not
won the league unbeaten in any of
THE-STAR.CO.KE 35
helping a player improve. Releasing them on grounds of
performance is always painful because I feel guilty for not
helping them improve and that’s why I’m paid,” a relaxed
Alumira hinted.
According to Alumira, finishing second in the first year
brought a feeling of contentment. Though he was sur-
prised not winning the title, it, however, brought them
closer to winning and spurred the team for the journey to
the treble. Queens lost key players who got employment
elsewhere in 2017, hurting the team on the pitch, but they
1, Mourine Aga (L)
of Vihiga Queens
were not to be denied their first title.
Alumira quipped that it was a herculean task winning
contest for the the league in their second attempt. He said there are no
ball with Lydia better memories than being crowned national champi-
Akoth of Thika ons, especially in the tough and competitive WPL.
Queens in a past “It wasn’t easy. That was one of the best games we
match /FILE have ever played. Thika Queens were on another level
and matching them, let alone beating them, was not go-
2. Vihiga Queens’ ing to be easy. That was a match that lived to its billing
product Cynthia as a cup final—from tactics, to pace to all other aspects.
Shilwatso (R) Prevailing over them and setting for the much-covet-
charges past ed trophy was the best way to repay the hard work dis-
Dorcas Shikobe played by the team.”
and Wincate Kaari The 2018 season was not smooth sailing either. The
during a national trend of losing players was unavoidable but the coach had
team training at to cut his cloth according to the size. This included rota-
Camp Toyoyo tion, adjustment of roles and player versatility.
/ERICK BARASA “We lost key players but we had to cope through the
rotation. I always believe in versatility so any of our play-
3. Vihiga Queens ers could play anywhere. That’s how we easily filled the
players medel voids. Though at times it became tricky replacing like for
with their kit in a like,” he added.
past even/FILE On their hat-trick last season he said, “It was a great
feeling and historical especially for the ladies. The man-
agement had all along dreamt of such to match the club
motto of legacy makers.”
He described the last three seasons as gruelling be-
cause the team’s bar went higher and higher with time
and there was pressure to maintain the standards.
He remains convinced that the great job being done
by the technical department in dealing with the tear and
wear of the players still makes the team more competi-
tive going forward despite playing tirelessly for three or
four seasons together. Alumira sees no stumbling block
in winning the title for a record fourth time this season
which was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandem-
ic. “The coach is used to the Football Kenya Federation
FKF current format which was there sometimes back.
The league is divided into zones A and B. Queens is in the
eight-team zone B.”
2 “We’ve been there before so it will not be a very diffi-
cult task to plan. It will only become tricky because play-
offs are never easy. Even with three titles under our belt,
the three seasons they have been tri- the team’s hunger for more success has not diminished.
umphant but lost just once last sea- Motivation is high and we can’t wait to get going once
son, the fewest number of losses ever. again after this tough period.”
“We do lots of technical and tactical Sometimes things don’t work on the field the way
drills and insist on telepathy among the coach wants and Alumira shades light on how he
our strikers. With Engesha, Situma, has coped with the tricky situations. “If things don’t
Shilwatso and Shikangwa, what else work, as a coach you must provide solutions for players
can you ask for?” a confident Alu- to execute. Game reading is always important and this is
mira revealed as he expounded on where my assistants Boniface Nyamu and Staus Olienge
why the team, fondly known as ‘Leg- come in handy.”
acy Makers’, have been successful. Going forward, the title-winning tactician will con-
“I think we are blessed with lethal tinue scouting for the untapped talents and bring them
forwards who only adjust on match on board. He opined that the game evolves
to match basis. With top strikers day after day and therefore, keeping
like Terry Engesha and Topista Si- up with the tactical and tech-
tuma, we always start a game nical demands is key. “Tear
2-0 up. Statistics are there and wear is not a big issue
to prove. Last season, the because we have great
two combined to score management and tech-
67 goals in 28 match- nical team that have
es, an average of two a deep understand-
goals per game,” ing of how to take
Alumira said in an care of the team.
online interview These girls can
with The Star. An- play together for
other Queens star another five years
attacker Cynthia and still com-
Shilwatso joined pete favourably.”
Spanish side FC He further
Longrono early pointed out that di-
this year following a viding the league is
trophy-laden period retrogressive as it de-
with the team. nies Zone B so many
“Our backline has opportunities. With
played together for 3
seasons. The chemistry be-
3 all national team scouts
based in Nairobi, it is not
tween our goalkeepers and easy for new players in Zone B
the back-line makes work light- to be tracked on match by match
er. The management also believes basis as those in Nairobi. It is tedious
in retention. As a coach, I believe in and very uneconomical resource-wise.
 36 THE-STAR.CO.KE Wednesday, May 27, 2020

SPORTS LOCAL
FOOTBALL MOTORSPORT

Musa grateful
Gor Mahia prepared me for pro football, says Mohammed
FRANCIS WADEGU
@fwadegu198
Former Gor Mahia captain Musa
Mohammed has admitted that
playing for the Kenyan record
champions prepared him well for
his second professional stint with
Zambia’s Nkana Red Devils.
Mohammed played for K’Ogalo
for 10 years, nine of those as captain.
“Gor Mahia is a big team with a
huge number of fans who are al-
ways pushing you to perform bet-
ter day by day. If you have played
for Gor Mahia, you can play for any
club anywhere,” he said.
However, he was quick to point
the difference in management
styles at the two clubs, pointing out
that Nkana are run in a more pro-
fessional manner where player’s
welfare takes precedent.
“The fact is, it is much better
playing in Zambia. The club offi-
cials treat players well and every-
thing that you have agreed on, a
player is given. In other words,
everything is run and managed
in a professional manner com-
pared to Gor Mahia.”
He further revealed that it did
not take him long to settle in Zam-
bia considering the high num-
ber of Kenyan players featuring
in their league.
“It was easy for me. Before trav-
elling to Zambia, I had been in
touch with a number of Kenyan
players and they gave me advice
on what to expect. By the time I
got there, it was easy to settle in
quickly,” he said.
Mohammed, who also featured
for Harambee Stars in last year’s
Africa Cup of Nations finals in
Egypt remains motivated by the
good preparations the team un-
derwent prior to the tournament
including a high-level training
camp in France.
“It has left me with a desire to
want to go back to the competition
next time. The planning for all the
matches were excellent and stand-
ing toe-to-toe with established
players in the tournament was a
big plus for most of us.”
Regarding the bonuses, he
said: “I have never received such
kind of money while playing for
Harambee Stars.”
“It has never happened before
and it remains such a big motiva-
tion for us to want to go back to
the tournament.”
“The money helped me to es-
tablish myself in many areas and
also to complete some projects I
had started. My wish is that we can
continue to manage our affairs in
such a professional manner as it
benefits everyone.”
Three Ugandan
cars to spice up
Concours show
BY SAMSON ATEKA /Three classic cars from Uganda
Harambee stars’ have been entered for the Golden Jubilee Africa Concours
defender Musa d’Elegance, highlighting the Africa continental status
Mohammed (L) of the classiest event set for September 27th at the
wheels away Nairobi Racecourse.
from Ismael Jinja-based Leslie Carvell will be driving her ma-
Gonzalez and roon-coloured 1970 Volkswagen to Nairobi to contest the
David Owino up to 1300cc touring car class. She is a former winner of
during a training the Uganda Vintage and Classic car show (a Concours
session at Moi event in Kampala) and has taken home prizes from the
Stadium, Kasarani Nairobi racecourse. Leslie is also a dedicated support-
/ ERICK BARASA er of conservation and donates her prize money to
wildlife projects.
Kakooza Wazzir will have a busy day at the Nairobi
racecourse and will divide his time between his rare 1996
Mitsuoka Viewt saloon and his gleaming highly prepared
1980 Toyota Corona. Kakooza will be making his fourth
visit to the Nairobi racecourse and is bound to appear
in flamboyant costumes which have brought him fancy
dress awards in previous years.
Last year, the Uganda Bikers Association (UBA)
members rode nine massive motorcycles from Kampala
to Nairobi for the event and the UBA is expected to enter
a strong two-wheeler contingent for the Golden Jubilee
Concours. There are 12 classes for cars, SUV’s and utility
vehicles and eight for motorcycles.
The first Concours d’Elegance was held in the grounds
of a Nairobi hotel to mark the Alfa Romeo Owners Club
first birthday. The event was limited to club members
with Alfa Romeo cars, which were parked for assess-
ment by the judges. The owners stood beside their cars
and the officials walked from one entry to another to
make their assessment and allocate the prizes.
Later, the venue changed to the Nairobi motor racing
circuit which was located in the area of the inland
container depot. The event was opened to all makes
and types of cars, pickups and utility vehicles and 40
years ago classes for motorcycles were included in
the regulations.
Kakooza Wazzir’s
1996 Mitsuoka
Viewt/ FILE

RUGBY
Mbai appointed Rugby League
Federation technical director
BY WILLIAM NJUGUNA/ Former Mwamba and Strathmore
Leos coach John Mbai has been appointed Kenya Rugby
League Federation technical director.
The former international, who also had a coaching stint
at Mean Machine, will work with coaches at the grass-
roots, to come up with structures and as well develop and
nurture talent.
Chairman Richard Nyakwaka termed the appointment as
step in the right direction. “He brings a wealth of experience
and tactical acumen which is needed to grow the game. He
is one of the bright young coaches we have in the country,”
noted Nyakwaka.
Nyakwaka observed that the potential of the game in the
country is vast.
“A good number of our players don’t make the grade in
the Kenya Rugby Union pyramid and those are the individ-
uals we are looking at to grow our player base and ensure
that the popularity of the sport grows,” added Nyakwaka.
FOOTBALL
Nzoia Sugar on restructuring program, reveals Kadenge
Nzoia players during a past KPL match
BY CALISTUS LUCHETU / Kenyan
Premier League outfit Nzoia Sugar have
embarked on a restructuring program
with an eye on the future even as
uncertainty looms over the fate of the
current season.
Chairman Evance Kadenge said this
will involve a recruitment drive target-
ing students from the sugar belt while
working on current players’ contracts as
they seek to keep their key stars by tying
down them with long-term deals.
At the same, he warned that any club
interested in any of his players must
follow the right procedures even though
they are yet to receive any transfer bid or
leave request from any club or play-
er respectively.
/COURTESY “It has been the norm for other
clubs from this region to poach
players from Nzoia FC but this time
around things will be different. With
new structures and new manage-
ment, we aim at making this team
one of the top competitors in the
league,” said Kadenge.
He added that they are working
hand-in-hand with Bungoma County
government to ensure that the team
collects good revenue for their home
matches and also be in a position to
host ‘high-risk matches’ involving
AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia.
“This will be realised once the
ongoing refurbishments at Kanduyi
Stadium are over. We believe this will
enable us to collect enough revenue
to sustain our players,” Kadenge said.
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
SPORTS LOCAL
FOOTBALL
‘Virus hotspots’
Sports events in March ‘caused increased suffering and death’ German FA chief calls for player
BY MICK TUCKER & ADRIAN GOLD- Atletico Madrid
fans at Anfield
BERG / Two major sporting events
during Liverpool’s
held in March “caused increased match against
suffering and death”, the scientist Atletico Madrid
leading the UK’s largest Covid-19 on March 11
tracking project has said. /REUTERS
Data gathered from millions
of volunteers found coronavirus
“hotspots” shortly after the Chel-
tenham Festival and Liverpool’s
Champions League match against
Atletico Madrid.
Professor Tim Spector said rates
of cases locally “increased sev-
eral-fold”. The government said
many factors could influence cases
in a particular area.
Less than three months ago
sport across the UK was contin-
uing as normal, despite the im-
pending threat of coronavirus
— which had already prompted
some European countries to stage
such events without spectators, or
DOPING
Wada to ramp up targeted testing to fill anti-doping ‘gaps’
MELBOURNE/ The World Anti-Doping Agency
says the COVID-19 pandemic may have harmed
the fight for clean sport and that “additional
targeted testing” was being planned to eliminate
gaps as competition resumes.
Athletes have expressed concern about reduc-
tions in testing for banned substances and urged
clarity from authorities about the validity of test
results during the global sports shutdown.
Wada, in a Q+A document for athletes posted
on its website late on Monday, said it was mon-
itoring closely where levels of testing had been
reduced altogether.
It also said it was in close contact with an-
ti-doping organisations to find the best ways of
being effective during this period.
“When the sporting landscape returns to a cer-
tain normality, these ‘gaps’ in testing will be ad-
THE-STAR.CO.KE
completely call them off. Sports
governing bodies in the UK were
taking their cue from Prime Min-
ister Boris Johnson who declared
in early March that people should
‘as far as possible, go about busi-
ness as usual’.
On the first weekend in March,
there was a full programme of
football in both England and Scot-
land, five horse racing meetings,
and Six Nations rugby at Twick-
enham between England and
Wales — which the prime minister
himself attended.
It was a different matter else-
where. A forthcoming Six Nations
match in Dublin had already been
postponed, along with the Chinese
Grand Prix and football matches in
virus-stricken northern Italy.
The UK government’s stance re-
mained consistent. Just 24 hours
before Cheltenham opened its
dressed cooperatively through additional targeted
testing especially given that intelligence-gather-
ing and investigations continue,” Wada said.
“Placing public health above the needs of
the anti-doping system means that there may
be impacts on the fight against doping in sport.
However, there is significantly less training being
carried out and significantly fewer competi-
tions taking place.”
Wada said doping control samples continued
to be stored for future analysis and, with the help
of the athlete biological passport, some samples
collected post-COVID-19 might reveal doping that
occurred during the shutdown period.
“Wada is also evaluating what has worked
well and what has proved challenging for
anti-doping in these unprecedented times,”
the agency added.
gates to 250,000 spectators on
March 10, Culture Secretary Oliver
Dowden rebuffed growing calls for
a ban on mass outdoor gatherings.
He told the BBC: “There’s no
reason for people not to attend
such events or to cancel them
at this stage.”
But Prof Spector from King’s
College London said ‘people will
have probably died prematurely’
because of the decision.
It’s impossible to say for certain,
but figures seen by the BBC Radio
4’s File on 4 programme show in
the last week of March, Liverpool
and Cheltenham were among the
areas with the highest number of
suspected cases.
The figures come from the Cov-
id-19 Symptom Study, and show
an estimated 5-6 per cent of the
population, aged 20 to 69, having
symptoms in those two regions.
37
NBA
Teams should forfeit series if
player gets virus, says Barkley
NEW YORK / Charles Barkley has
laid out a possible ugly scenario for
the NBA postseason if it is played
this summer amid the coro-
navirus pandemic.
The Hall of Famer believes teams
should be eliminated from the playoffs
if one of their players tests posi-
tive for COVID-19.
“I think the one thing we’ve to go do
is, how are we going to handle if one
of our players gets infected,” Barkley
said Monday on ESPN’s “The Paul
Finebaum Show.”
“That to me is the tricky part. You
can’t stop the playoffs. I think a team
is just going to have to forfeit a series
if any of their players, not even their
best player, gets the virus.
“You’re going to have to sequester
the entire team, and they are going to
have to forfeit a round of the playoffs.
They are going to be gone for the
playoffs. It would be devastating for us
in the NBA if the Milwaukee Bucks got
taken out, even if it’s a guy who just is
sitting on the bench, you would have
to take the whole Milwaukee Bucks
team, and the great player Giannis
(Antetokounmpo), they would lose in
the first round of the playoffs.
FOOTBALL
salary cap to help maintain fans
BERLIN/ Football must learn long-term lessons from the
coronavirus crisis, with better financial controls and player
salary caps, to keep fans on board, German Football Asso-
ciation President Fritz Keller said.
Germany’s Bundesliga was shut for more than two
months in response to the coronavirus pandemic before
becoming the first major soccer league to resume
action last week.
“We have to learn from our mistakes, because the
crisis is an opportunity to restructure football,” Keller
said in a virtual address to the DFB’s extraordinary
meeting on Monday.
“We need to bring professional football to the people,
to their everyday world. So we need an improved financial
control system and, yes, a salary cap,” he added.
Some German clubs were close to financial collapse after
the first month of suspension, the league had warned as
it pushed for a restart, which has been criticised by some
as too early. The DFB meeting also approved the restart
on May 30 of Germany’s third division, with the last match
day scheduled on July 4, despite opposition by some of its
members who had called for the season to be abandoned.
Rio 2016
Olympics gold
and silver medal
winners Jemimah
Sumgong and
Eunice Kirwa,
who are both
banned for using
Erythropoietin
/REUTERS
 38
SPORTS INTERNATIONAL
Burnley manager Sean Dyche during a past match/REUTERS
PREMIER LEAGUE
Dyche worried
Burnley boss expects odd results when action resumes Scotland holds game
LONDON/Premier League players
will need time to find their feet
once the top-flight season resumes
and the uncertainty surrounding
their fitness and mentality could
lead to surprising results, Burnley
manager Sean Dyche has said.
English football was halted in
mid-March due to the COVID-19
pandemic but clubs are training in
small groups as part of the Premier
League’s “Project Restart”, which
envisages a return to play in June.
“You often notice that at the be-
ginning of a season or the end of
a season you get these odd results
where teams are either finding
their feet or playing out the season
when other teams are fighting for
something,” Dyche told Sky Sports.
“You can get these anomalies. Some
teams are talking about the mentali-
ty of their players with this idea that
some players do not want to play.
“I think that will probably dis-
sipate eventually but you get to
that first game and how focused is
everyone going to be? That may give
strange results.”
Matches are set to be played in
empty stadiums when the season
resumes and Dyche believes that is
yet another challenge players will
have to deal with.
“...TV cameras will be there and
there will be arguably even more
people watching than ever before
through the screen. So there will
be that feeling in the background
of the game, but it will be pecu-
Peterborough
United’s director
of football Barry
Fry
/REUTERS
THE-STAR.CO.KE
liar,” he added.
Burnley were tenth in the Pre-
mier League, six points behind
fifth-placed Manchester United
when the season was suspended.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth goal-
keeper Aaron Ramsdale says he
was one of two individuals to test
positive for coronavirus in the latest
round of Premier League tests.
A total of 996 players and club
staff were tested in the second
round of testing last week. The oth-
er individual at a different club has
not been named. Eight people from
Premier League clubs have tested
positive after 1,744 tests.
Ramsdale, 22, who had tested
negative last Monday, told the Sun
he was asymptomatic.
PREMIER LEAGUE
Peterborough’s Fry begs EPL to bail out EFL clubs
LONDON/Peterborough United’s
director of football Barry Fry has
pleaded with the Premier League
to provide financial aid to prevent
English Football League (EFL)
clubs from going bust due to the
COVID-19 shutdown.
Fourth-tier League Two clubs in
England unanimously voted this
month to end their season, while
third-tier League One clubs are set
to make a decision this week.
An unweighted points-per-
game formula could determine the
final standings.
With promotion still a real possi-
bility, Peterborough are one of many
FOOTBALL
Fifa suspend Haiti federation
boss over sexual abuse claims
ZURICH /Fifa have provisionally
suspended Haiti’s football federation
president Yves Jean-Bart for 90 days
while investigations are carried out into
claims that he sexually abused young
female footballers at the country’s
national training centre.
“In accordance with articles 84
and 85 of the Fifa Code of Ethics,
the investigatory chamber of the
independent Ethics Committee has
provisionally banned Mr Yves Jean-
Bart, President of the Haitian Football
Federation (FHF), from all football-re-
lated activities at both national and
international level, for a period of 90
days,” Fifa said in a statement on Mon-
day. “This sanction has been imposed
President of
the Haitian
Football
Federation Yves
Jean-Bart
/REUTERS
FOOTBALL
Lack of pro clubs in
back, says Strachan
GLASGOW/ The lack of fully profes-
sional clubs in the Scottish Professional
Football League (SPFL) has handcuffed
the sport in the country, former Scot-
land manager Gordon Strachan said.
Almost half of Scotland’s 42 profes-
sional clubs utilise players on a part-
time basis, according to the BBC, and
Strachan, who is the technical director
at Championship side Dundee, believes
this is holding the sport back.
“If you want to be a professional
club, show it,” said Strachan, 63. “Have
full-time employees, full-time players,
an academy... Just don’t play at being
a football team and expect us to look
after you. When you talk about clubs
coming into the league, what are
League One clubs not in favour of
voiding the season and Fry said a
financial package would help support
the English football pyramid.
“I’m very frustrated, disappoint-
ed and amazed that the Premier
League haven’t come in with the
financial package to help all teams in
the EFL,” Fry told Sky Sports. “The
big problem... why most clubs don’t
want to play is because the testing
will cost a fortune, putting up games
in empty stadiums will cost a fortune.
“That’s why I plead, I beg and I
pray the Premier League will come
and help us out in some way, shape
or form, by donation.”
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
in connection with ongoing investi-
gations concerning Mr Jean-Bart. Mr
Jean-Bart was notified of the decision
today. The provisional sanction comes
into force immediately.”
Jean-Bart denied allegations that he
coerced several players at the asso-
ciation’s training centre in Croix-des-
Bouquets into having sex in incidents
going back five years, Britain’s Guard-
ian newspaper reported last month.
The centre was build with a Fifa grant.
Multiple allegations were made
against him by alleged victims, their
friends and family members, detailing
how he coerced girls into sex by
threatening they would lose their plac-
es in national team programmes.
they bringing in? Two hundred people
per week to a game, is that really
professional football? “Don’t tell me
you’re a professional club when you’re
paying people part-time 80 quid a
week and nobody turns up to your
football matches.”
Strachan, who previously coached
English Premier League side South-
ampton, bemoaned the poor quality
of football in Scotland and said several
SPFL clubs would struggle to stay
afloat even in the lower tiers of
English soccer.
“If you think giving a good product is
watching two teams in the bottom half
of the Scottish Premiership playing on
a plastic pitch, you’re kidding yourself,”
Strachan, who was capped 50 times by
Scotland, added.
Clubs have struggled to weather
COVID-19 pandemic, which brought an
early end to the Scottish season, and
Strachan believes the shutdown should
be used to bring about changes in the
way the game is marketed.
Huddersfield Town owner Phil
Hodgkinson said up to 60 low-
er league clubs could go out of
business if the sport fails to plan for
the impact of COVID-19 beyond the
current season, a view shared by Fry.
“Those clubs up and down the
country are so important ... they’re
the life and soul of the communities,
we can’t lose them,” Fry said.
“I cannot understand why the
Premier League haven’t done
anything about it. If we’re not careful,
I can see the whole of football col-
lapsing. Then if the Premier League
and the PFA do something about it, it
will be too late.”
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
SPORTS INTERNATIONAL
PREMIER LEAGUE
Increased injury risk for
Premier league players
Eight matches in 30 days increases incidence of injury by 25 per cent
BY PAUL MACDONALD / Premier
League players could be 25 per cent
more susceptible to injury when
football resumes because of the
intense schedule, research shows.
Premier League chief executive
Richard Masters is “as confident
as we can be” of restarting in
June. Time will need to be found
for the FA Cup before the 2020-
21 season starts in ‘late August,
early September’.
Based on Project Restart’s
provisional return date of June 20,
Manchester City players could face
13 games in 49 days.
City have played one fewer
match than the majority of
Premier League clubs but these
figures do not take into account
the completion of the Champions
League, which has the potential
of adding another four games
should they reach the final — if the
tournament can be concluded.
Research conducted by artificial
intelligence platform Zone7, which
specialises in injury risk forecasting
and works with 35 professional
football teams worldwide, shows
that playing eight matches in a 30-
day period increases the incidence
of injury by 25 per cent when
compared with playing four to five
matches in the same timeframe.
Eight matches in 30 days may
seem a regular occurrence but
only four per cent of players across
a season are subjected to such
a run of games.
It is not just the congestion of the
fixture list that poses a concern,
but the time provided for teams
to transition from individual,
socially distanced training to
higher-intensity group training,
something Watford manager Nigel
Pearson and Newcastle boss Steve
Bruce are concerned about.
The Bundesliga was only
officially given the go-ahead to
recommence on May 7, just nine
days before the first fixture kicked
off. Eight players picked up injuries
in the six games on 16 May — a rate
well above normal. A standard pre-
season schedule runs for a period
of 30 days, or even longer.
But when examining data
from 11 top-division professional
teams from the past two seasons,
Zone7 found that when the
preparation period shortens, due
to an international tournament or
entry into European competition,
75 per cent of teams had higher
prevalence of injury in the first half
of the season when compared to
those that had more planning time.
Flaminia Ronca, an exercise
physiologist at the Institute of
Sport, Exercise and Health, part
of University College London, is
working with Premier League
players to assess what health risks
THE-STAR.CO.KE
Arsenal’s Hector they may face when returning after
Bellerin writhes the suspension.
in pain after a She said: “It’s possible that the
knee injury players may have lost up to 15%
/REUTERS of their fitness, which they now
need to regain in a very short time.
And I think this is really where
the science of training becomes
so crucial. Coaches will have to
be very creative and combine the
most effective methods of training
with the safest injury prevention
methods, all condensed into this
very tight timeframe.”
How does the analysis work?
Over five million hours of
performance from various sports,
including those 35 professional
football teams, has been gathered
by Zone7 and this data is used
to assess the probability of a
player sustaining an injury in the
following seven days.
Millions of data points are taken
from wearable technology that
tracks workloads from training
and matches, player injury
history, fitness tests, and even
sleep patterns to generate daily
risk forecasts.
Historical data is used to detect
data patterns that precede injuries
and alert when those data patterns
emerge and help prevent the injury
before it occurs. From here, teams
are given risk forecasts and not
only can they identify the type of
injury a particular player could
sustain if they are deemed ‘high
risk’, modifications can be made
to that player’s bespoke training
schedule to avoid the injury
occurring. Zone7 states it can
provide accurate and timely alerts
for 75 per cent of injuries.
Spanish side Getafe are fifth in
La Liga, level on points with Real
Sociedad despite having a bottom-
half wage budget, and some of
their success is down to the regular
availability of their trim squad.
Upon integrating this data analysis
into their training routines in 2017,
the number of injuries sustained
fell from 3.25 per month to just
0.86 during that period.
To ensure the results were
not an anomaly, Getafe stopped
using the technology for a period
at the beginning of 2018-19 and
then restarted so that a direct
comparison could be made.
Without the analytical tool
from August to October, 96 days
per month were lost to injury.
With it, from November until
the end of 2018-19, the number
fell to 35 missed days, a 64 per
cent reduction. Moreover, two-
thirds of the injuries that were
incurred were alerted by the
platform beforehand.
While Zone7 provides a
recommendation, ultimately it
is the final decision of the club
and their technical staff to act
upon the data.
But in 2018-19 Getafe finished
bottom of the injury table in
La Liga, with just eight in the
entire campaign. Javi Vidal, their
performance coach, said simply
of the injury avoidance process:
“What was previously subjective, is
now objective.”
39
PREMIER LEAGUE
On-loan striker
Ighalo all set for
return to China
BBC / Striker Odion Ighalo looks
set to return to China when his
loan deal expires on May 31, with
Manchester United struggling
to agree an extension with
Shanghai Shenhua.
The Nigerian, 30, was signed on
a short-term loan deal in January
as cover for striker Marcus
Rashford, who had been ruled
out by a back injury.
However, the impact of the
coronavirus pandemic means
Ighalo’s loan will end before
the Premier League’s intended
June return date, by which time
Rashford is also expected to be fit.
United have already decided
not to sign Ighalo permanently,
but have not given up hope
of getting a short extension to
his loan. Manager Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer would like him for the
rest of the season, given they are
still in three competitions and
could play up to 18 games in just
over two months.
A lifelong United fan who
has scored four goals in eight
appearances for the club,
Ighalo wants to stay at Old
Trafford if possible.
However, negotiations with
Shanghai have proved difficult,
with the Chinese Super League
club insistent the player returns
as planned. Ighalo returned for
training with United last week
and it is understood he will
report to Carrington this week as
the club explore any opportunity
to keep him until the end
of the season.
Meanwhile, United have
waived future fees, and
backdated some, of three clubs
with players on loan.
Hearts, Burton, and Bolton
are each expected to save a
five-figure sum on their loan
deals for — respectively — Joel
Pereira, Kieran O’Hara and
Ethan Hamilton.
United have made the gesture
in recognition of the financial
strains some clubs face.
Manchester United on-loan striker Odion Ighalo with
goalkeeper David De gea during a past match /REUTERS
3rd Floor, Lion Place,
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2020
ATHLETICS CS AMINA EXPLAINS WHY THE RACE IS KEY FOR KENYANS
Let action begin
Cheruiyot leads Kenyans against Norwegian rivals in virtual race
MESHACK KISENGE
@kisengemeshack1
After three years of Nyayo National
Stadium closure, the Maurie Plant
Memorial Race scheduled for June
11 will mark the return to action at
the newly-looking facility.
The competition, one of its kind ,
will pit five Kenyan athletes against
an equal number of Norwegians
for glory in the 2000m race.
World 1,500m champion Timo-
thy Cheruiyot will lead a five-man
star-studded team drawn from
Rongai Athletics Club in muscling
for the bragging rights against the
Norwegian team dubbed Team In-
gebrigsten. The Kenyan team will
be labelled ‘Team Cheruiyot’
Cheruiyot will enjoy the com-
pany of his bosom-buddy and
Commonwealth champion Elijah
Manangoi, Winny Chebet, Timothy
Sain and Edwin Melly. The team is
FOOTBALL
HOW VIHIGA
QUEEN ROSE FROM
OBLIVION TO THE
TOP OF WOMEN’S
PREMIERSHIP
PAGES 34 - 35
Timothy currently training at the facility un-
Cheruiyot (R) der the tutelage of Bernard Ouma
in yesterday’s with Gilbert Murei taking care of
training with their physiotherapy.
Timothy Sein (L) With the skies still locked due
Elijah Manangoi to the prevailing coronavirus pan-
(C) and Edwin demic, the Kenyan opponents will
Melly at Nyayo run at their Oslo backyard with
Stadium the race being streamed live. Sim-
yesterday ilarly, Ouma’s charges will take it
/ ERICK BARASA to the Nyayo Stadium track to run
with the team posting the best time
carrying the day.
Sports Cabinet Secretary, Amina
Mohamed, who gave the prepara-
tions and the competition a clean
bill of health, said it will remind
Kenyans of the glory athletes have
brought to the country.
“We will have a championship
on June 11 at the Nyayo Stadium be-
tween our athletes and Norway. It is
a virtual race for everyone but real
for the two teams. The athletes will
be competing for an appearance fee
but its an effort to ensure people
don’t forget the wonders of athlet-
ics and that Kenya is recognised as
a sporting nation. We are proud we
were chosen by Norway to partic-
ipate in the memorial race. It is a
vote of confidence in our country
and all of us, in as far as the ded-
ication and commitment of our
sportsmen is concerned,” she said.
Meanwhile, the trio of Manangoi,
Cheruiyot and Melly exuded confi-
dence that they will down their op-
ponents. Manangoi, a former world
1,500m champion, said despite the
high altitude, the team was keen
to win the race.
“We are happy to be back on
track after a long time. We pray to
God that the pandemic will end
soon and we will return to our
normal routine. It is a race just like
the others but the altitude here
is slightly high. All the same, we
will give our best to beat them. We
thank everyone who was involved
in organising the race,” he said.
“We have been doing well in
training for the last couple of days
with our eyes fixed on the prize,”
said Cheruiyot.
PREMIER LEAGUE
Sigh of relief for
players as ministry
disburse funds
BY MESHACK KISENGE/Financial-
ly struggling players who ply their
trade in the Kenyan Premier League
have something to smile about af-
ter the Ministry of Sports rolled out
a stimulus package yesterday.
The selected players will each
pocket Sh 10, 000 from the minis-
try as part of their plan to bail them
from economic effects brought
by coronavirus.
The ministry had last month
written to Football Kenya Fed-
eration requesting for players
information from across five
leagues. Sports Cabinet Secretary
Amina Mohamed revealed that
the cash will be sent directly to the
players through mobile phone cash
transfer. The development comes
barely a week after her office
received Sh 5 million support from
a host of betting firms. National
Super League sponsors Betika
had earlier supported the min-
istry’s bid to cushion sportsmen
with Sh 15 million.
“We have begun rolling out
stimulus packages for players who
feature in the KPL. We will send the
money directly to their phones and
we are hoping to run the exercise
in the next 15 days and later take
stock and see who has benefited
and who is still in distress,” she said
Sports CS Amina Besides supporting KPL players,
Mohamed Amina said they will continue
drives off after a extending a helping hand to other
press briefing at disciplines. She disclosed that
Nyayo Stadium her efforts to help the struggling
yesterday. athletes received a boost after the
/ERICK BARASA sports fund released another Sh30
million to add on the Sh20 million
collected earlier.
Edition 3825