GIVE JUSTICE TO KENYANS IN CAMPS

It shocked me that MPs would increase their salaries in a record 20 minutes yet IDPs have been in camps for the last two years. Is this justice, leave a lone fairness?It is also nerve wrenching that the Ministry charged with the responsibility of catering for the needs of the IDPs has remained mum on the issues bedeviling our brothers and sisters in the camps. Ministry of Special Program mes has been accused of misappropriating funds that belonged to the internally displaced people, but is any one listening?

RESPONSIBILITY

Dear comrades we are living in a world where we have thrown caution to the wind but i believe no matter what you do, responsibility should always come first. As much as our peers may influence or blame alcoholism on various environmental factors lets make independent choices that negates group think. ... I wish you all the best!

CAREER CHOICE

As a Media student journalism is my career of choice. Please choose your career wisely for its passion and determination that will get you there...but remember the time that our parents used to determine our career paths is long gone and the time to self introspect is here with us..MAKE YOUR CAREER CHOICE TODAY.

LETS APPRECIATE OUR ENVIRONMENT

The Thompson falls is one of Kenya's appreciated water falls.

The Thompson’s Falls got it’s name from Joseph Thompson, a naturalist from Scotland who discovered it in 1887 when he walked all the way from Mombasa to Lake Victoria.

PEACE AND TRANQUILITY

`Peaceful coexistence among Kenyan tribes is of significance to avoid scenes such as this.

The drive to involve the ICC has gained momentum following the government’s failure to set up a local tribunal to probe post-election violence that claimed 1,500 lives and displaced over 300,000 people.

In February last year, a bill to establish the tribunal was overwhelmingly rejected by parliament on fears that it would be vulnerable to political manipulation. The defeat has been lauded by those who believe that an ICC-led probe would signal a new beginning in arresting the culture of impunity.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) however still favours a local tribunal and maintains that sovereign countries have a responsibility to guarantee the rule of law. It may be that the ICC will have to step in because the Kenyan government is unable or unwilling to see justice done, but that would be a dereliction of duty by Kenya's leaders.

Since our priority is preventing more killings, we need something that can operate more quickly than the ICC traditionally has. A special tribunal here in Kenya could be mobilised with proper political will much more quickly.


Human rights watchers will be keeping an eye on developments as we approach the referendum to ensure a repeat of 2008 does not replay itself.

DID HE DESERVE THIS?

This young boy's parents were murdered in the events of post election violence, but did he deserve to end up in a children's home with a broken arm? Every human being has the right to life, hence the command that you shall not kill. It is my wish that the wheels of justice catch up and apprehend the killers of this young boy's parents.

HERBALISTS POSE THREAT TO ENDANGERED TREE SPECIES

Formerly in Kenya, herbalists were allowed to debark medicinal tree, currently, there has been increased debarking by illegal herbalists.

According to my view i would like to suggest that the people who debark trees have a booming business. But efforts to trace them has been fruitless. You can imagine how many trees die per a year as a result careless debarking.

There is the need to conserve indigenous species of trees. For the definition of human beings is; intelligent creatures who cut trees and make paper then write"SAVE TREES" on them.

NO NEED FOR CHURCH, STATE TALKS

By Shadrack Mbaka


I beg to differ, disagree and dismiss the ongoing talks between the Church and the Government on matters pertaining to the Proposed Constitution. I Would like to entirely place my argument on the basis that the negotiations are not recognized in the Constitutional Review Act 2008, meaning that the talks are time barred, illegal and of course illegitimate.

The sequence of events started unfolding, when Parliament was unable to amend some sections and clauses in the Proposed Constitution due lack of numbers. Renegotiations over the amendments hit a concrete wall; it is unfortunate and untimely that the church has drawn the battle line with the state arguing those clauses on Abortion and the Kadhi courts should either be amended or be done away with.

This demands made by the church seem to be misplaced because it is my believe that in the process of Constitution making, it is the Kenyan people who should exercise their sovereign will to write the social contract for amongst them. Therefore the Church has no mandate to do this on behalf of their followers. Under the Proposed Constitution issue on Abortion remains illegal but in circumstances that the Mothers’ life Is in danger it is only logical that the Doctor saves a life. About the Kadhi courts I tend to think that the church is sitting around the table with the wrong party, which in this case, is the state.

The Church should have otherwise held a series of meetings with their Muslim counterparts, to raise their concerns on issues pertaining to the Kadhi courts. If consensus and understanding is brokered then it will be welcomed.

Why should the church be wasting time on negotiations that are time barred? It is only fair that the Church advocates for amendments after the document is passed or all the same say NO to the Proposed Constitution rather than dwelling on deceptive talks that is likely to divide and confuse Kenyans on the new Constitution.

I therefore call upon Church leaders to be sincere on their quest for amendments on the Constitution, and if they still feel aggrieved they should use the newly formed Interim Independent Constitutional Dispute Resolution Court which was founded to be a backbone of the Constitutional Review to be the sole independent arbiter on critical issues arising from the Constitutional review process.

Mariga makes Champions League history

Mariga makes ChampionsLeague history

Mariga came on as a late substitute in Milan's victory over Chelsea
Kenyan footballer MacDonald Mariga on Tuesday made history by becoming the first Kenyan to play in the European Champions League.

Mariga came on as a substitute for Inter Milan in their victory over Chelsea on Tuesday.
The 22 year-old hit the headlines in January this year, when he almost became the first Kenyan to play in the English Premier League after Manchester City tried to sign him form Italian club Parma.

The refusal of the British Foreign Office to issue him a work permit scuttled that plan and saw him join the Italian team instead.
Since then he has been used more as a substitute by coach Jose Mourinho, who Mariga has often described as the best in the world.

By Shadrack Mbaka

Bamburi Series Recieves Funding

Leading insurer, UAP announced Thursday its return to the Bamburi Rugby Super Series by injecting Sh500,000 in the Kenya Rugby Union kitty for this year’s tournament.

UAP Managing Director James Wambugu (left) and Head of Marketing Joseph Kamiri (centre) present a cheque to Aggrey Chabeda.The sponsorship cheque was presented to Bamburi Rugby Super Series Chairman Aggrey Chabeda by UAP Managing Director James Wambugu, accompanied by Head of Marketing and Distribution Joseph Kamiri. UAP first participated in the Super Series in 2004 as title sponsor and in 2005 as a franchise sponsor.
The event has grown from having one venue involving four teams in 2004 to eight teams on five venues.

Speaking during the presentation, Kamiri said UAP has decided to support the tournament to enhance the development of rugby. Wambugu paid tribute to sound management of rugby in the country.

On his part, Chabeda expressed delight at the return of UAP as sponsors and urged more sponsors to come on board to help develop the game.

The Super Series tournament is now a regional event, with eight franchise teams from East Africa expected to feature eight teams from the region.
Five teams from Kenya will participate, with two from Uganda and one from Tanzania. The event will be played in Nairobi, Nakuru, Mumias, Kampala and Arusha from May 22.


By Titus Onserio

'Dennis the Menance' the Man to beat at AUXERRE

By Robin Toskin

Auxerre took a firm grip of the second place and an automatic place in the UEFA champions League with the help of Dennis Oliech’s 35th minute opener in their 4-1 demolition of Lorient in French Ligue 1.

Olympic Marseille remained five points clear after a stoppage time penalty from Nigerian Taye Taiwo earned the 1992 French champions a 2-1 victory at struggling Boulogne.
And with champions Bordeaux drawing 2-2 with Lyon in a match that saw three red cards dished out, Oliech told FeverPitch on the telephone : "We have to keep believing and working hard to ensure we play in the champions league next season."

Jean Fernandez’s men are in red-hot form, racking up seven wins in undefeated 10 outings to move to 63 points and have sent stern warning to leaders Marseille with five matches to go.
AS Nancy’s Pascal Berenguer (right) challenges AJ Auxerre’s Dennis Oliech during their French Ligue 1 match in Nancy, France on Saturday. Photo: ReutersLyon (59) are third and Bordeaux (57) fourth with a game in hand over the champions league semi finalists and Auxerre.
Oliech, who has been mulling over a return to Al Arabi has found favour in coach Fernandez and has for the umpteenth time repaid the faith.

Up next is a visit to Toulouse on April 25 a match Oliech says should test their Champions League chasing credentials.
"Lyon and Bordeaux know they have a fight in their hands and we too know hence we should work hard. We have won away from from home and we shall approach the Toulouse fixture like any other," Oliech said.

Bright start

Lorient started the stronger at the Stade Abbe Gerland but Auxerre steadied before Harambee Stars forward set the alarm bells ringing by latching on Daniel Niculae’s sublime through pass to blast past Fabien Audard.
Two minutes later Poland striker Ireneusz Jelen raced onto BenoÓt Pedretti’s long pass to chip the ball over Audard to double Auxerre’s lead.While the 2-0 scoreline at half time was severe for a Lorient side who had dominated possession in the first term, Auxerre took the upper hand early in the second as Lorient defender JÈrÈmy Morel saw red when he brought down Romania Niculae just two minutes after Slovenian international Valter Birsa had made it 3-0 with a superb free kick in the 55th minute.

Jelen had a chance for a second on 73 minutes, but failed to get the ball over the advancing Audard as Auxerre set up camp in ten-man Lorient’s half but it was the Breton’s who struck next, KÈvin Gameiro trying his luck with a lob.
Goalkeeper Olivier Sorin did manage to get a hand to it but the 14-goal striker got his head to the rebound to nod home and make it 3-1 on 82 minutes.

The goal didn’t spark the comeback Lorient coach Christian Gourcuff would have been hoping for, however, as Audard received his marching orders four minutes later for a foul on Jelen.
Defender CÈdric Hengbart fired home from the spot to give Auxerre their biggest goal tally for the season and nine-man Lorient spent the final minutes parked in front of their own to goal to avoid conceding any more goals.

Know your MPs' Biography.

Hon.Richard Momoima Onyonka was born in 1962. Momoima attended Otamba and St Mary’s Mosocho Primary Schools, before proceeding to Kisii High School for his Secondary school Education and thereafter advanced to St Mary’s School, Yala.

He later joined the University of Nairobi where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. After graduation, Hon. Momoima went to North Carolina State University where he graduated with a Masters degree in management in 1986.

He returned to Kenya in 1992 during the first multi party elections to help his father then incumbent MP for Kitutu Chache and Minister for Planning and National Development who was seeking re-election on a KANU ticket. His first opportunity arose when his father passed away in 1996 prompting a by election in which he lost to a new commer Jimmy Angwe’nyi, a former lecturer at the University of Nairobi, during the party (KANU) nominations.

He is a financial economist by profession and currently runs personal businesses in Nairobi and Kisii. He has held positions in the Kisii KANU branch. Apart from having been a prolific campaigner for his father in the 1992 general election, the eloquent Momoima made fruitless trials in the 2002 election and the 1996 by election, losing to Jimmy Angwenyi in a nail-biting tussle during the primaries. His vision for the constituency includes economic empowerment of the common constituents, youth and women groups. High educational standards and reduction of poverty have been his major focus. He hails from Bogeka clan, having grown and lived up in Otamba, Nyamataro, Mosocho and Nairobi.

He is widely traveled throughout the world - Africa, Europe, America and the far East and has always and continues to be active in development matters in Kenya, donating generously all the time in aid of various development projects including schools and community projects, self help groups, churches, women groups, youth activities, funeral ceremonies, students going abroad for further studies, sick, personal aid, school fees in needy families and much more.

He is currently an Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affiars.

Compiled by: Shadrack Mbaka

Sudan Must not disintegrate on its way to Democracy

Sudan Must not disintegrate on its way to Democracy The Historic signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the Government of Sudan and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) in 2005 was a moment not only for the Sudan but also the entire region.

The deal that was sealed at the Nyayo National Stadium by the SPLM leader, the late John Garang and Sudan President Omar al-Bashir was a turning point for a country whose people had never known peace literally.And to assure the two leaders, then, that the world was behind them in the new chapter they were turning, 15 African Heads of State witnessed what ended decades of conflict and civil wars, which claimed more than two million lives.

But the events of the last few days as the country holds its first multi-party elections and a referendum later threaten the peace envisaged five years ago by the Mr.Garang and President Al- Bashir. Mistrust and suspicion between the North and South leadership on the two events have cast a cloud of uncertainty, thus complicating the fruits of the agreement that ended the civil war.

The elections that come to a close tomorrow that has on the other hand witnessed a low voter turn -out has been thrown into disarray by threats by the opposition, mostly candidates from Southern Sudan, of a boycott and discrediting the outcome of the elections that will be announced in the course of the week.

The argument advanced by the opposition candidates is that the government had long planned to rig the election. On the other hand al-Bashir has warned the southerners who are opposing him in the elections the referendum would not take place if they continue calling for the boycott.These disputes undermine hopes of transforming the country and could end up fuelling violence again. It will not only be the people of Sudan who will bear the brunt of the fluid situation. Kenya stands to lose given that Kenya houses thousands of Sudan citizens who had fled the country to seek refuge. The international community including the United Nations should help Sudan to uphold the peace agreement that the leaders signed in 2005 in Nairobi and Machakos.

Shadrack Mbaka,Nairobi

Clerics' Opinion On Draft Law Is Not Church's Common Position

BY SHADRACK MBAKA

Kenyans have for the past two decades anticipated a new Constitution. It is therefore unfortunate that when the proposed Constitution is within reach, the clerics would come out vehemently to discredit the draft.

As much as I partly agree that religious institutions should be treated in a neutral manner, Kenyans should understand that every religion has its own doctrines and this is the fundamental reason religions differ. It is also why I tend to disagree with those claiming that critics of the clerics are prejudiced, speculative and one-dimensional analysts. The abortion and Kadhi's clauses are critical to the entire human race, not the church alone. Therefore, I do not see why the clergy should reject the entire draft; these are issues that can be amended and reconstituted with time.

I urge all Kenyans to focus on the need of a promising constitution rather than reject the proposed constitution and be ruled under the current constitution, which still houses the kadhi's courts resulting in a lose-lose situation. It is important that politicians and self-proclaimed commentators stop dividing and confusing Kenyans on constitutional matters.

New Draft Constitution Has Enough Safeguards For Women

BY SHADRACK MBAKA

November 30, 2009

Events taking place in Equatorial Guinea last weekend got me thinking about the relationship between women and men in regard to leadership or positions of power. As President Teodor Obiang Ngwema held his final campaign rally in Malabo (capital city) last week, pictures aired by an international TV channel of women r- dancing vigorously to welcome him as he arrived to address the rally struck me.

But I could understand the circum- stance as the situation just mirrors' what occurs around Africa. From time to time, we have watched similar pictures of impoverished women take to the stage to entertain leaders, mostly men. Women's role in political gatherings has predominantly been that of serving tea and entertaining guests. The gender disparities in Africa which hamper the full participation of women in leadership are still persistent. And perhaps that's why I believe women in Kenya should support the new draft constitution.

The document makes a significant attempt to address the numerous hurdles that have continued to prevent women and girls from contributing to the development in Kenya. It opens a window of opportunity to the myriad challenges women endure in their quest to engage in competitive politics.

Chapter six of the document, puts it in unequivocal terms that, "women and men have the right to equal treatment including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social activities." The chapter further points to the fact that the state should not discriminate any person on any ground including pregnancy. This effectively criminalises circumstances where pregnant women have been denied jobs.

This chapter on Bill of Rights also provides entitlement of equal rights to married couples. Then there are clauses on the rights of a child which are very beneficial to mothers. The provision that "all children whether born within, or outside wedlock, are equal before the law" should be welcome to women.

During the 2007 elections many women left no doubt that the political leadership favoured their male counterparts at the party nomination process and the violence that characterised the whole process made many women lose the nominations. . This could be a thing of the past if the draft constitution is adopted as it provides for independent candidates in chapter 10.
Even as the debate on the draft continues, the challenge ahead is for the differing voices to reach a common ground on contentious issues. So far Kenyans across the nation seem to be asking all the rights questions, my concern is whether the politicians are providing the right answers.

Shadrack Mbaka is a Communication student at Egerton University

How TV stations broke the Raila “suspension” story

By Shadrack Mbaka



Feb, 16, 2010


On Sunday afternoon as I sat reading the Sunday papers, Prime Minister Raila Odinga was delivering a statement from his Treasury offices that has brought the political situation in the country into spiky focus. The Prime Minister “suspended” Agriculture Minister William Ruto and Education Minister Sam Ongeri from duty for a period of three months to allow for investigations into the maize and free primary education affairs.

That move was consequently rejected by means of a statement from the State House indicating that the two ministers “constitutionally remain in office.” But it’s the manner in which television stations reported the story in their “Breaking News” that got me disturbed. Media as we know is the lifeblood of a society, charged with the role of disseminating information and shaping public opinion.

The electronic media, which the TV stations are part of, enjoy an edge as far as breaking news is concerned, whereas the dailies serve to inform the public how and why the events occurred. They even supply profound analysis on issues behind the news. The highlight appearing as subtitles below two TV stations stated thus: “Raila suspends Ruto and Ongeri for 3 months” without further explanation to that statement.

Of course the TV stations were still pursuing more details to the story, that included getting the clips for the story. And I found that to be in order. However, it’s the manner in which one other TV station went ahead to indicate right below its “Breaking News” that “But the appointing authority is president,” that perplexed me. This could be true.

I cannot even begin to dispute this fact, but for a television station that is charged with presenting news and views objectively, fairly and accurately without inserting own opinion, I found this place-in to be not only malicious but also in bad faith. After a few considerable minutes of “airplay” the line was withdrawn. Of course someone may have eventually discovered the danger that the line posed.

But the damage had already been done; the motive had already been achieved. It is such tendencies and actions that constitute bad journalism. The argument I wish to make is that the statement “but the appointing authority is president” could only be used if the TV station was quoting an expert opinion and that point needed to be made lucid.

But for a TV station to purport to provide expert opinion, falls short of the principles of good journalism which call upon the media to remain detached, fair, impartial, impersonal, unbiased and unprejudiced. That is what constitutes objectivity in journalist work. To do the opposite is to exercise subjectivity, which is based on personal bias.

Irresponsible journalism, it’s well known, has capacity to harmfully influence the public in a terribly potent manner and should be avoided at all costs. In that dissemination, what the television station attempted to do was to include subjective news values into independently verifiable facts as was contained in the statement that was read by the Prime Minister.

Whether the insertion was done inadvertently or by design is for the management of the station to debate, but for responsible journalism’s sake, it is proper that media practitioners observe the rules and guidelines as outlined for this trade.My disturbance emerges from the manner the media broke this story, it has nothing to do with who between the Principals, President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga is right or wrong.

The national broadcaster, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation(KBC) television on the other hand denied citizens of Kenya their right to be informed when they failed to break the story. Of course various media outlets have their own editorial policies that determine the stance and what constitutes news, these are instrumental in creating the desired impact among their audiences, but it’s usually vital to strike a balance between the editorial policy and responsible journalism, at least for responsible journalism's sake.

Shadrack Mbaka is a communication student at Egerton University