The Nation (Kenya) articles from December 2010

The Nation (Kenya) archives from December 2010

New Matatu Directive for Public Good, Court Told.
December 31, 2010... A directive to individual matatu minibus operators to join cooperative societies or companies was for the good of the public transport industry, the High Court heard on Friday. While asking the court to dismiss the case filed by an...

Kirima's Body to Be Flown in On Monday.
December 31, 2010... The body of businessman-cum-politician Gerishon Kirima is expected to be flown into the country on Monday from South Africa where he died while undergoing treatment. The burial committee chairman Maina Wanjigi on Friday said his team was...

December Traffic Deaths Up This Year.
December 31, 2010... The number of deaths caused by road accidents in December this year has surpassed that of last year. Out of the accidents, 85 per cent were caused by Passengers Serving Vehicles (PSVs) driven at night. Speaking during a press briefing at...

Painful Experience That Gave Birth to Nakuru Hospice.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Francis Mureithi One woman's crusade for a fully-fledged wing for cancer patients at Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital, Nakuru, is about to bear fruit after several years of lobbying. From this month, cancer patients who had...

Judiciary Expects Big Changes.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Jacob Ng'etich The year 2011 will herald unprecedented changes in the Kenyan Judiciary, with the first big change being the departure of the Chief Justice and the long-serving Attorney-General. According to the new Constitution,...

New Rules to Rein in Wild Sector.
December 31, 2010... Byline: John Ngirachu The public transport sector is set to undergo a revolution of sorts this year. Major reforms have been lined up for the sector, comparable only to those that occurred in 2004, when then Transport minister John Michuki...

Ebuya Schemes Title Defence.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Jonathan Komen World cross country champion Joseph Ebuya and world 10km and 15km all-time best Leonard Patrick Komon will headline the 54th Campaccio 10km run in San Giorgio Su Legnano, Italy, next Thursday. The two world beaters...

Tusker's Omollo Shuffles Pack.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Odindo Ayieko Tusker FC has sacked six players ahead of the 2011 season. Coach Sammy Omollo confirmed on Thursday the six among them veteran Oscar Kadenge and ex international Edwin Mkenya have been relieved from the club as it...

Factory of Kenyan Football Talent Now Wants Shot at League.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Odindo Ayieko After emerging as the best talent provider for top Kenyan Premier League clubs, Fisa Academy now wants to be part of the competition. The South B-based academy produced some of the talents that tantalised the 2010...

President's 2011 Wish List.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Julius Sigei President Kibaki on Friday sent a New Year message of goodwill to Kenyans in which he praised their achievements in 2010. He spoke of the challenges ahead, including the likely trial of six Kenyans at the International...

Security Docket Full of Challenges.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Samwel Kumba The government finds itself with a full plate of security tasks it must address locally and internationally this year. They range from the decision to freeze accounts holding money from organised crime, establishing a...

Ruto and Sang Meet in Defiance of Icc.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Gerald Andae Two people named by the International Criminal Court over post-poll violence came face to face at a prayer meeting to usher in the New Year. The function was convened by spiritual leaders affiliated to Emo (Kalenjin...

2011 - The Road Ahead.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Samwel Kumba The year 2011 will mark another milestone for the government in the infrastructure sector as some big projects are expected to be commissioned. The coalition government has been rated highly, going by the number of...

Ministry Staff Spared the Axe.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Timothy Kemei Education ministry workers who were to be sacked on Friday received a temporary reprieve. The 2,500 workers had been told to go home by the Permanent Secretary, Prof James ole Kiyiapi, after their recruitment was...

One Reporter's New Year Resolution Not to Accept Gifts From News Sources.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Peter Mwaura The only person I knew who did not accept gifts from news sources was Chege Mbitiru, a wiry writer-cum-journalist who grew up in Kijabe, the world's largest missionary station. Life was so spartan in Kijabe that, long...

Last Chance for Sugar Industry.
December 31, 2010... In 2003, Kenya applied to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) secretariat for protection from free trade area sugar imports. The logic then was that the domestic sector was weak and unable to withstand competition from...

Matatu Owners Rush to Register.
December 31, 2010... Ten matatu saccos have been registered in Eldoret, as matatu owners rush to comply with a government deadline which officially takes effect on Saturday. This follows the Government's declaration that only companies or registered saccos will...

Telcoms Expected to Witness Fall in Revenues Due to Tariff Wars.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Jevans Nyabiage Intense mobile tariff wars in 2010 are expected to slow down the telecommunications industry. Analysts say the tariff cuts by more than 50 per cent initiated by Airtel Kenya, which its competitors responded to, will...

Itt is Time We Opened Up And Listened to Other Perspectives on ICC issue.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Maina Kiai Reactions from the announcement of the Ocampo list have been coming fast and furious. There is some contentment with the list, that at last some movement on accountability is starting. But there is also some...

Will Wikileaks Solve Fr. Kaiser Riddle?
December 31, 2010... Byline: Gabriel Dolan You have to sympathise with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who was forced to do a book deal with two publishing houses to the tune of $1.7 million to pay for his legal fees. He would envy the Ocampo Six benefiting...

Matatu Owners File Fresh Suit Over Licences.
December 31, 2010... Byline: Benson Wambugu Matatu owners opposed to the Government's directive to form limited liability companies or Saccos as a pre-condition to securing licences on Thursday filed a fresh suit in a bid to beat Friday's compliance deadline. ...

Egypt to Start Importing Meat.
December 30, 2010... Egypt will soon start importing meat from Kenya and increase tea imports, following successful discussions with a Kenyan delegation, led by vice president Kalonzo Musyoka. The Egyptian prime minister, Ahmed Nazif, announced on Wednesday...

Olympic Champion Wanjiru Charged Over Threat to Wife's Life.
December 30, 2010... Byline: James Kariuki Olympic marathon champion Samwel Wanjiru has been charged with threatening to kill his wife, Tereza Njeri, using an illegal firearm. The two-time Boston marathon winner was also charged with threatening to kill their...

Neglected Youth a Ticking Time-Bomb.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Raphael Obonyo The government should create proper administrative systems for the funds channelled for youth initiatives to avoid situations such as the recent spat between the US Embassy and Kenyan officials that the former was...

Matatu Owners Fight Kimunya Order.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Sam Kiplagat A group of matatu owners on Thursday filed a fresh suit seeking to block a government directive requiring them to join societies as a condition for securing operating licences. Through lawyer Timothy Naeku of...

Five Citizens Die in SA Car Accident.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Eric Wainaina A family is in mourning after losing five members in a road accident in South Africa on Christmas Day. Sisters Phyllis Wanjiku, 40, and Agnes Muthoni, 36, and their children Rodgers William, 7, Kamau Phyllis, 2,...

Youths Protest Businessman's Drug Trafficking Involvement.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Paul Ogemba Hundreds of Kisumu youth took to the streets to protest the alleged involvement of Mombasa businessman Ali Punjani in drug trafficking Thursday. Led by Kisumu Youth Forum secretary general Joshua Omondi, they described...

Cavenagh Steals the Limelight.
December 30, 2010... The 2010 Kenya national rally champion, Alistair Cavenagh, deserved the coveted national title. His 11 years toil finally paid off handsomely. Inside his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, he was in sync with successes. His peer group watched in glee...

Cricket World Cup Squad to Be Named After January Tour.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Richard Mwangi Cricket Kenya will name the squad to represent the country at the International Cricket Council men's World Cup set for Asia after the tour of India that starts on Thursday. The World Cup kicks off in February. Tom...

We've Come From Too Far to Lose Momentum.
December 30, 2010... This has been a momentous year in many ways, and next year promises to be even more replete with drama and, hopefully, more achievements than recorded so far. From midnight on Friday when we usher in the new year - the second decade of the...

CMA Moves to Assure Public Over Sale of Muramati Shares.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Mwaniki Wahome Investors who have bought Muramati Sacco Society Ltd shares will not lose their money in the controversial share sale, the market regulator has said. The assurance by the Capital Markets Authority comes as anxiety...

Why a Pre-Election Grand Coalition Would Be Nation's Best Option.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Moses Kuria On the very first day of the year to which we are bidding farewell on Friday, I wrote in this hallowed column that we needed to achieve three things in 2010, namely, to settle internally displaced persons, create jobs for...

This Has Been One Very Eventful And Fretful Year for Hapless Legislators.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Billow Kerrow As 2010 came to an abrupt end, an MP ranted a monologue of his lamentation. "The Ocampo Six, the Saitoti Four, and we are waiting for the PLO four! A few months ago, it was Wetang'ula and Ruto. Why is everybody...

Kimanzi to Boss Sofapaka, Tumba Regains Spots.
December 30, 2010... Byline: John Ashihundu and agencies Former Harambee Stars coach Francis Kimanzi will replace Uganda's Sam Ssimbwa as coach of former national league champions Sofapaka, club officials said on Thursday. Kimanzi, who led Kenya to the final...

Minister Criticises VP Over Law On Kingdoms.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Yasiin Mugerwa Preliminary investigations into allegations of fiddling with the cultural leaders Bill in Cabinet have revealed that nothing in the draft was changed as it emerged on Thursday that Vice President Gilbert Bukenya chaired...

Wanted - Football Cleaner of the Year.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Charles Ouko It in indisputable that the crowds are back at Kenyan stadiums, reminiscent of the glorious 1980s. Our football is, at least at the highest playing level, the Kenyan Premier League, very well organised. This leads...

Man, 46, Does Better in Exam Than Daughter.
December 30, 2010... A 46-year-old man sat the KCPE exam alongside his teenage daughter and has beaten her by 16 marks. Mr Samuel Kitur, a herbalist, and his last-born daughter, Winny Chebet, 15, registered as private candidates in Bomet County. Mr Kitur was...

Addicts Troop to Coast Hospitals in Agony.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Anthony Kitimo Intensified investigations into drug trafficking and the national attention it has attracted have scared off dealers, leading to a sharp decrease in supplies in Coast Province. The development has, however, created a...

Candidates Blamed for Kamukunji Chaos.
December 30, 2010... Kamukunji candidates and their supporters have been blamed for the chaos at the counting hall during the 2007 elections. A deputy returning officer at one of the polling stations, Mr Alex Khalakuli, said that the chaos erupted after Mr Simon...

Taxman Denies Drug Trade Claims.
December 30, 2010... The Kenya Revenue authority has denied claims that it has been facilitating drug trafficking in the country. A senior commissioner in charge of Marketing and Communication said the taxman does not condone drug trafficking and asked those with...

Firm in Frantic Bid to Save Lottery.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Sam Kiplagat Organisers of a lottery whose licence is under threat of being revoked were on Thursday making frantic efforts to deposit Sh50 million as directed by a judge. By Thursday afternoon, the organisers of Original Shinda...

Ex-Bank Staff Finally Receive Sh25 Million Dues.
December 30, 2010... Some 86 former employees of the Kenya Commercial Bank could not have celebrated the end of the year any better than receiving their dues following a protracted legal battle. Their lawyer, Mr Titus Koceyo, told the Daily Nation that KCB had...

Citizens At Centre of U.S. Probe Into Sh1.5 Billion Bribes.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Mwaura Kimani and Kui Kinyanjui Kenyan government officials are at the centre of an investigation in the US involving Sh1.5 billion bribes allegedly paid by France telecommunications giant Alcatel-Lucent for the award of the country's...

Groups Demand Leaner Cabinet.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Emeka Mayaka-Gekara Civil society groups have asked President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to trim the Cabinet. The groups demanded that the current 40-plus-member Cabinet should be reconstituted by reducing its numbers...

Kirima Burial Team Gets Down to Business.
December 30, 2010... The family members of businessman cum politician Gerishon Kirima on Thursday came together to make arrangements for transporting his body from South Africa where he died while undergoing treatment. During a press briefing held at the Kitisuru...

How Schools Rank Across the Country.
December 30, 2010... The domination of private schools in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination results extends to the countryside where public institutions have been largely edged out in lists of top 100 candidates in each province. A report...

Early Tests Can Reduce Cervical Cancer Deaths.
December 30, 2010... Byline: Gatonye Gathura As the year ends tonight, almost 2,000 women will have died from cervical cancer in the last 12 months. Cervical cancer, mainly caused by a sexually transmitted virus, attacks some 2,454 women annually but only...

Insurance Reforms to Finish in 2011.
December 29, 2010... Reforms in the insurance industry will be completed by mid-2011, the head of the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) announced Tuesday. Mr Sammy Makove, the chief executive officer of the IRA, said the reforms will place the country at an...

Short-Term Passes for Ferry Users Introduced.
December 29, 2010... The Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) has introduced pre-paid short-term passes for motorists using Likoni ferries, which will benefit tourists and other guests visiting South Coast during peak seasons. Under the move, motorists will access...

Timboroa Farmers Appeal for Waiver On AFC Loans.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Francis Mureithi Hundreds of farmers in Timboroa who suffered massive losses following the 2007 post-election violence are now unable to service their loans and have appealed to the Government to waive the interest accruing in the...

KCPE Results Hitch Raises Questions.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Winfred Kagwe The achievement of a fully operational e-government has been thrown into doubt, following a major setback experienced after the release of this year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results on Tuesday. ...

Board Issues Lab Technicians' Warning.(Disease/Disorder overview)
December 29, 2010... Byline: Mike Mwaniki Laboratory technicians have been given a one month ultimatum to register with an oversight board or risk closure. Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board acting executive officer Michael Wanga...

Joseph to Spearhead M-Pesa Expansion in Africa.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Mark Okuttah Michael Joseph, the immediate former CEO of Safaricom, has been tapped to spearhead the expansion of M-Pesa to other African countries as part of a plan to have a seamless mobile money transfer service on the continent....

Safeguard Tourism Gains.
December 29, 2010... By all accounts, the tourism industry is set for record-breaking earnings year. The December festivities have especially been a boon for the hospitality industry as economic growth picked up from the 2008 slump. But even with earnings set...

End the Posturing On Narok IDPs Land Saga.
December 29, 2010... The government has repeatedly stated its aim of settling internally displaced families and integrating communities in ethnic clashes hot-spots. It has acquired land in several places to resettle thousands of the displaced. However, the...

New Team Set Up to Tackle Graft in Cooperative Societies.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Mwaniki Wahome Elected officials and employees of the country's cooperative societies will come under strict scrutiny in their operations as Government moves in to curb corruption in the sector. This follows a decision by the...

41 Miss Results in North Eastern Province.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Hassan Huka Shock and disbelief gripped candidates, parents and teachers of two primary schools in Merti District after the results for two subjects in this year's KCPE exams were cancelled. Bitter parents stormed both schools...

Villagers Seize Gk Lorry With 20 Bags of Charcoal.
December 29, 2010... A government vehicle ferrying more than 20 bags of charcoal was on Wednesday impounded in Kibagenge, Marigat District. The driver's attempt to speed off with the charcoal proved futile as the irate mob turned rowdy. The residents had...

Alarm As Land Grabbers Eye Lamu Heritage Sites.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Mazera Ndurya The National Museums of Kenya (NMK) is battling a new threat of land grabbing at Lamu world heritage sites. Part of Kenyan history could be erased as investors eye the heritage sites, a report prepared by Lamu World...

60 Students to Miss Form One Due to Cheating.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Tirop Benedict Two schools in Bomet and Konoin districts had their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam results cancelled due to cheating. Kiplokyi Central Academy in Bomet and Kapchepkole Primary School in Konoin failed to...

You Want Gender Equality? Engage the Men.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Gordon Opiyo I recently passed through a construction site and was impressed by the high number of women working in various sections. I was told the developers in the multi-billion shilling project have a policy of ensuring women...

The Tea Industry Stakeholders Must Take Charge of Their Own Destiny.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Dunstan Ngumo On December 7, an "advertiser's announcement" by the East African Tea Trade Association made reference to a few recommendations by the Task Force Report on Kenya's tea industry in 2007. The announcement concluded:...

One Day, Those Children Born in IDP Camps Will Rise And Bite Us All.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Charles Onyango-Obbo The feature "The new Sodom and Gomorrah?" in Nation's DN2 magazine on Wednesday, about the life of Kenyans living in internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps made for depressing reading. That said, the crisis...

Nation Wore the Coveted Crown.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Chris Musumba In a year when there was little to do for the track and field athletes as regards national team assignments, many opted to utilise the chance to fully exploit their talent and skills running individual races. 2010 is...

Court Orders Lottery Firm to Deposit Sh50 Million.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Sam Kiplagat The promoters of a lottery currently running on local TV stations have been given two days to deposit Sh50 million in court to enable them continue with the raffle. Issuing the order, Justice Mohammed Warsame directed...

Lessons From a Silicon Valley Entrepreneur.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Nyambega Gisesa Kenya was Paul Bragiel's 72nd country to visit recently, without a sweat financially. Mr Bragiel is one of Silicon Valley's most recognisable names known for co-founding the world's first location-based social...

PM Woos Elders Ahead of 2012 Battle for Votes.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Abiud Ochieng' And Eric Oloo Prime Minister Raila Odinga spent the festive season courting elders from different communities in what is seen as a vote hunt strategy for 2012 polls. Mr Odinga hosted community elders and five MPs...

Probe 'Huge' Profits Lotteries, Says Minister.
December 29, 2010... Lotteries are making huge profits at the expense of hardworking Kenyans, an assistant minister said on Wednesday. Mr Kabando wa Kabando threatened to petition regulators over the lotteries. The Sports assistant minister warned: "All is not...

Parents Want Examiner to Explain Cancellation.
December 29, 2010... Distraught parents and shocked candidates of St Kevin Hill Academy in Kisumu fumed at the exams council, blaming it for the cancellation of their English and Kiswahili results. Seething with anger, they asked the Kenya National Examination...

Nation Not Ready for Nuclear Energy Project - Lobby.
December 29, 2010... An environmental lobby has faulted the quest for nuclear energy. "We do not have the capacity to secure nuclear energy plants... Our country does not even have the capacity to secure its borders leave alone engaging in such a toxic and a...

206,282 to Miss Form One Places.
December 29, 2010... Some 206,282 pupils who sat the KCPE exam this year will miss places in public secondary schools. According to Education minister Sam Ongeri, there were only 539,792 Form One places available. Selection of the successful candidates to join...

Top Marks Boy Proves Disability is Not Inability.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Noah Cheploen An inability to see will not stop Brian Otieno from achieving his dream of being a lawyer, after he emerged among the best in the just released KCPE results. Brian, 13, from Menengai Primary School in Nakuru, was the...

Ruto Throws Ocampo Gauntlet.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Peter Ng'etich Eldoret North MP William Ruto claimed on Wednesday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will lose the case against him. Mr Ruto said ICC had not carried out independent investigations as per the Rome Statute...

Sheng Blamed As Candidates Post Poor Results.(Financial report)
December 29, 2010... Byline: Benjamin Muindi Sheng is the leading cause of poor performance in Kiswahili. Kiswahili scholars Kitula King'ei and Kimani Njogu also singled out poor attitude, a difficult syllabus and overburdened teachers. "The overbearing...

Academies Reap From FPE Mess.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Patrick Nzioka The influx of pupils into public schools following the introduction of the free primary education in 2003 has taken its toll on their performance in this year's KCPE examination in Central Province. Following the...

Observe Noise Law, Warns Nema.
December 29, 2010... Byline: James Kariuki And Henry Nyarora Beware those who shout loudest on New Year. The national environment agency has launched a 48-hour campaign to monitor noise levels as Kenyans prepare to celebrate the New Year. A National...

Business Tycoon Dies in SA.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Erick Shimoli and Aby Agina Businessman cum politician Gerishon Kirima is dead. He passed on while undergoing treatment at a South African hospital yesterday. His family embroiled in a property tussle spent most of the year fighting...

Cable Firms Accused of Paying Bribes.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Antony Karanja A company awarded an $82 million (Sh6.56 billion) supply contract to lay the fibre optic cable in Kenya, has agreed to pay $137 million (Sh10.6 billion) to settle US criminal and civil charges that it paid bribes in...

Shock, Fury Over Scrapped Kcpe Results.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Nation Team Disbelief and anger marked the news that results had been cancelled for 1,103 candidates in this year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination. While some candidates broke down in tears, some parents...

Fresh Wave of Debates After Fishing Ban Lifted.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Mazera Ndurya The government's permission to Coast fishermen to use ring nets has generated a fresh wave of controversy. Conservation groups now say the move poses a big danger to the marine ecosystem in the absence of regulations...

City Tycoon Kirima Dies in SA Hospital.
December 29, 2010... Byline: Aby Agina Former assistant minister Gerishon Kirima has died while undergoing treatment in South Africa at the age of 80. Mr Kirima, whose family has been at the centre of a dispute over his vast estate estimated at hundreds of...

Molasses Plant to Be Listed at NSE.
December 28, 2010... The Kisumu Molasses Plant is set to be listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange before the end of next year, Prime Minister Raila Odinga has said. Mr Odinga urged Kenyans to participate in the listing and become shareholders in one of the most...

Foreign Tourism Firms Locked Out.
December 28, 2010... Byline: Justus Ondari Kenya has started enforcing a new law barring unlicensed foreign tourism firms from the country's major attractions. Tanzania introduced a similar law a year ago. The Tourism ministry yesterday said it had learnt...

Fuel Dealers Appeal to Murungi Over Prices.
December 28, 2010... Independent fuel dealers have petitioned Energy minister Kiraitu Murungi, saying the government's recent decision to regulate oil prices is driving them out of business. The Kenya Independent Petroleum Dealers Association (Kipeda), is...