The Nation (Kenya) articles from June 2009, page 3

The Nation (Kenya) archives from June 2009

Kapchorua Returns to Profitability.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Kaburu Mugambi Kapchorua Tea Company has announced a Sh99.7 million pre-tax profit for the year ended March 2009, representing a return to profitability from a Sh103 million loss recorded the previous year. In financial...

Board Lifts AIG Suspension.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Justus Ondari The suspension of AIG Insurance from the Association of Kenya Insurers (AKI) has been lifted, a few days after the company threatened to sue the association over the matter. The AKI board met on Wednesday in...

Investor Education the Key, Says Firm.
June 25, 2009... Education on investment opportunities at the Nairobi Stock Exchange is critical for informed investment decisions. African Alliance Kenya Securities chief executive, Lucas Otieno, on Thursday said that this would encourage more...

Let Merit Be the Rule.
June 25, 2009... Often in the past, we have argued that procedures for recruitment of staff in top government positions be respected. This is because we have seen nasty turf wars between ministers and permanent secretaries and even the Head of the Civil...

Our Military Has No Business in Somalia.
June 25, 2009... The proceedings and outcome of the National Defence and Security Council meeting chaired by President Kibaki on Wednesday must, of necessity, remain secret. Issues to do with national security cannot be expected to be shouted from the...

Top Policemen Arrested Judge, Says Witness.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Nation Correspondent Senior police officers directed and coordinated the arrest of Mr Justice G.B.M. Kariuki, the judge accused of stabbing a motorist, a court was told. Superintendent Patrick Kisui said the Nairobi...

The Cutting Edge.
June 25, 2009... Byline: The Watchman With the mounting terror threats, it's surprising that there are no security checks at the Mombasa law courts, says a man who was surprised to see people filing in without being frisked. As if that was not worrying...

Woman, 70, Killed in Lamu Plane Crash.
June 25, 2009... A 70-year-old woman died and her husband sustained serious injuries when a private plane they were travelling in crashed in Lamu on Thursday. The woman died on the way to hospital after the Cessna plane crashed as it landed at Kiwayu...

Police Runners Call the Shots At KCC Championship.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Chris Musumba Kenya Police dominated the first day of the New KCC national athletics championship as World 800m champion Alfred Kirwa, David Rudisha and Vivian Cheruiyot ruled in their specialities at Nairobi's Nyayo National...

Discover the Myth of Africa.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Clay Muganda A whole forty-five seconds. This was only fifteen seconds less than the time Collins Injera, Benjamin Ayimba, Mike Okinyi, Nairobi girls who cannot tell the difference between a conversion and a try, Safari Sevens...

Why the World Should Not Let the Country Go to the Dogs.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah EXPERTS OFTEN TELL US THERE is "nothing new going on in Somalia" and that the old clan warfare is continuing. This is far from true. The attack launched by extremists on the legitimate Somali government on...

Kutwa Knocked Out As Other Top Golf Stars On Course.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Larry Ngala National team player Hesbon Kutwa of Royal Nairobi was among the first casualties in the 2009 Kenya Amateur Matchplay golf Championship that got under way at Karen Country Club on Thursday. Kutwa was beaten 2-1 by...

Mathare And Tusker Unveil Cecafa Squads.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Charles Nyende The two Kenyan representatives to the Cecafa Club Championship, Tusker and Mathare United, have released their 20-man squads for the tournament slated for June 30 to July 12 in Sudan. Defending champions Tusker...

Back Political Reforms, Not War.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Francis Marangu PRIME MINISTER ODINGA'S call for intervention by Kenya's military in Somalia has come at the wrong time. Listening to him make the statement from his office early this week after a meeting with his Somali...

Go Quietly, Milingo, Build Own Church And Marry.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Lucy Oriang' MANY YEARS AGO, AS A student in Zambia, I happened to meet Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo during an assignment to cover one of his returns to the country after spending time at the Vatican. For days on end, I tagged...

Why Grades in Maths Remain Poor.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Anthony Kitimo Poor communication between teachers and students is to blame for the dismal performance in mathematics and sciences in schools. Kwale district education officer Wilbert Nyangweso said that a majority of...

Congo Neighbours in Media Control Plot.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Juakali Kambale The media regulation bodies of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa) and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) have signed an agreement on the control of political propaganda programmes. The agencies...

PM Wants Compensation for Africa.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Argaw Ashine Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi wants the rich nations to compensate Africa and help the continent in the climate change adaptation projects. Mr Meles told to reporters he was demanding unconditional financial support...

Ugandan Nationals Attacked in Marakwet.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Philemon Suter At least 20 Ugandan nationals living in Marakwet East district were Thursday morning forced to seek police protection following an attack from residents of Kabyego division, who accused the foreigners of...

Somali National Charged for Illegal Stay.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Jillo Kadida A man who Kenyan authorities allege has links to terrorists was Thursday found guilty of being in the country illegally. Abdul Fatah Abubakar Abdi, a Somali national holding a Kenyan Identity Card was...

Kagame Wants Genocide Trials Moved to Kigali.
June 25, 2009... Byline: David Kezio-Musoke Rwanda is in a process of filing a second request to have the pending genocide cases, being handled by the, Arusha based, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), be transferred to Kigali after the...

Police Hold American Pastor 'Look-Alike'.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Carol Rwenji It was a case of mistaken identity. A man who the police thought was American evangelist suspected of possessing pornographic material was arrested as he was preparing to leave the country Thursday morning. The...

Karua - Govt Cannot Reform Police Force.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Oliver Mathenge Former Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua Thursday accused the government of lacking the commitment to reform the police force. Ms Karua linked her statement to a move by Internal...

Sports Ministry Denies Losing Sh1 Billion.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Paul Juma The ministry of Sports Thursday confirmed it received an investigation report from the Inspectorate of State Corporations but denied having lost any money. Sports Minister Hellen Sambili said the report makes...

Meles Downplays Militants' Threat to Govt.
June 25, 2009... Byline: Argaw Ashine Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi downplayed the threat posed by insurgents against Somalia government, saying that he believed President Sheikh Sharif's government would not be overthrown easily. Prime Minister...

Milingo Slaps Catholics in the Face.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Lucas Barasa Eight years ago, he annoyed the Catholic headquarters in the Vatican by breaking the code of celibacy. On Wednesday, controversial Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo arrived in the country and slapped the Catholic Church in...

Region Drags Its Feet On Trade Pact With Europe.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Sammy Cheboi Member countries of the East African Community are yet to make a decision on whether to sign a trade agreement with Europe, only a month before it expires. The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are due to be...

Judge Charged in Haste, Court Told.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Sam Kiplagat And Maureen Onyango Mr Justice Kariuki, the judge accused of stabbing a motorist was charged before investigations into the incident were complete, a court was told. Sergeant Veronica Gitahi testified that Mr...

House to Seek Aid As Budget Cut By Sh1 Billion.
June 24, 2009... Parliament's budget for the next financial year has been slashed by Sh1 billion, Speaker Kenneth Marende said on Wednesday. As a result, the House will rely on financial assistance from donors to service its operations, said Mr Marende. ...

Spotlight On City Hall At Budget Time.
June 24, 2009... All local authorities will present their budgets for the new financial year on Thursday. The spotlight will, however, be on the City Council of Nairobi where deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi will attend the ceremony. Chairpersons...

ICJ Proposes Hybrid Electoral System.
June 24, 2009... The Kenyan section of the International Committee of Jurists has proposed that the country adopts a hybrid form of electoral system. In a package of proposed reforms, the lawyers also propose that the presidential and parliamentary...

PS Overrules Kosgey On Key Parastatal Jobs.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Peter Leftie And Bernard Namunane Industrialisation PS Prof John Lonyangapuo has re-instated three parastatal bosses sacked by his minister in what appears to be a wider battle over the control of ministries. The PS prevailed...

Mau Mau Demand Sh35 Million Each.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Joseph Ngugi Own up, apologise and pay up for the sins committed by your predecessors. This is the message a group of Mau Mau war veterans presented on Wednesday when they walked into British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's...

Education Ministry Locks MPs Out of Bursary Teams.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Nation Team Kenyan Members of Parliament on Wednesday rejected a government decision to block them from controlling the Sh500 million annual bursary fund. They described as "unworkable" an order from the Education ministry to...

Gulf Energy Wins Oil Import.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Kennedy Senelwa The Ministry of Energy has awarded oil dealer Gulf Energy the tender to import 160,000 tonnes of crude oil. The firm submitted the lowest bid under the open tender system supervised by the ministry to import...

EAC Pact to Be Signed By November.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Mwaniki Wahome The East African Community (EAC) common market protocol is expected to be signed by November, with the implementation date being January 1, 2010. Briefing the media on Wednesday on the implications of the...

Sh7.8 Billion Bamburi Plant On Course.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Jevans Nyabiage Listed firm Bamburi Cement's 480,000-tonne new capacity in the Uganda plant will start operations in the second quarter of 2010, company managing director, Hussein Mansi, said on Wednesday. Poised to boost the...

Safaricom Launches Mobile Phone Gateway.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Nation Reporter Listed telephony firm Safaricom has launched Kenya's first mobile internet portal. Www.safaricom.com will allow the firm's subscribers to access both local and international content direct from their mobile...

Sh1.4 Billion Plan for Trade Unveiled.
June 24, 2009... An initiative aimed at boosting international trade for firms in Africa has been launched. Funded by the Canadian International Development Agency, it is intended to enable firms with a high potential for growth to compete in the...

Time to Control Use of Devolved Funds.
June 24, 2009... When he announced the record-breaking budget on June 11, the Finance minister won applause from MPs with the dramatic increase in development funding earmarked directly for the constituency level. While devolving development funding is a...

Central Bank Bans Big Cheques.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Wachira Kang'aru All payments by cheque have been restricted to a value below Sh1 million as the banking industry seeks to reduce instances of fraud while enhancing efficiency in settlements. The cap will also apply to...

Akinyi's Case Now Adjourned to July.
June 24, 2009... A case in which Ms Joyce Akinyi is battling for the control of Sh300 million estate is charged with causing disturbance was on Wednesday adjourned until July 8. Ms Akinyi appeared before Kibera resident magistrate Joseph Karanja for...

Trade Pacts Unfair.
June 24, 2009... It is understandable that members of the East African Community are cautious about signing new trade agreements with the European Union. The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) are due for renewal as current trade pacts expire, but it...

Private Schools Hold Sway At Fete.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Anthony Kitimo Private primary schools scooped most of the top positions during this year's Mombasa District primary schools music festival. Wema Centre won in the 'Zilizopendwa' category, girls set piece and in the special...

Some Ideas for the Future in Trimming the Cabinet.
June 24, 2009... Byline: G. Odera-Outa IT IS REFRESHING TO HEAR THAT we want to fix the size of the Cabinet we ought to have. But a more fundamental issue is how we name and cluster ministerial portfolios. Thus, a Ministry of Roads, in the same...

The Cutting Edge.
June 24, 2009... Byline: The Watchman While congratulating the Kenya team for a thrilling performance at this year's Safari Sevens rugby tournament in Nairobi, Dancan Muhindi is unhappy with the organisers for giving fans a raw deal. Says he: "Why should...

Fresh Strikes By Mungiki Spread Fear in Kirinyaga.
June 24, 2009... The death of a boda boda taxi operator, Mr Peter Ngigi, 30, on Saturday in the latest orgy of violence in Kirinyaga district brings back tension and fears of a fresh wave of violence in the volatile area. The simmering war between Mungiki...

World Stunner, Nancy Lagat Aims to Prove Her Mettle.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Chris Musumba On two occasions she came close to winning gold at the biggest stage but did not even make the finals. Yet when all expected a repeat of her disappointments, Nancy Jebet Lagat thrived on her underdog status to stun...

LRA Welcomes Chissano's Return to Peace Talks.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Sam Kiplagat The Lords Resistance Army has welcomed a UN decision to rescind the suspension of Mr Joachim Chissano as special envoy to the Uganda peace talks. Noting that the talks were headed in the right direction, the LRA...

School Doesn't Make Better Leaders.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Ndung'u Njaga THAT A NEW BILL SEEKS TO make advanced education mandatory for Cabinet ministers is interesting, though not new. Kenyans passionately clamoured for this in the late 1980s when former President Moi gave out public...

Rifle Team Off to UK Bisley.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Eric Odanga The national full-bore target rifle shooting team is due to depart next Tuesday for a one-month tour of the United Kingdom to compete at the annual UK Bisley. For the past two weeks, the 25-strong team has been...

Somali Pirates Delay Seacom Undersea Cable.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Joseph Bonyo Increased pirate activity has caused a change in Seacom's fibre optic cable's due installation date. The cable, initially planned to debut this weekend, will now have to wait for another month till July 23. In a...

Omogeni to Head Anti-Graft Advisory Team.
June 24, 2009... President Kibaki has today appointed Law Society of Kenya (LSK) chairman Mr Okong'o Omogeni to head the Kenya Anti-Corruption Advisory Board. Irene Keino will serve as the Vice chairperson of the board. The President also appointed...

U.S. Preacher On Porn Charge.
June 24, 2009... A 50-year-old American evangelist Wednesday appeared before court charged with possessing pornographic material. But Mr Thomas Kevin Manton of Dominion International at Nairobi City was denied bail and remanded in custody until Friday for...

Public Debate for Shinyalu MP Contenders.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Benson Amadala Voters in Shinyalu constituency in Western Kenya will have an opportunity to subject aspirants for the parliamentary seat for a competency test during a public debate slated for July 15. The debate that is...

Uhuru On the Spot Over Govt Appointments.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Alphonce Shiundu Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta was Wednesday on the spot for 'recycling' retirees into plum government jobs. This came after Mr Kenyatta had issued a ministerial statement on the appointment of Ms Priscilla...

More Border Security Over Somalia Threat.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Dave Opiyo For the umpteenth time - the government has moved to reassure its citizens of heightened security along its borders following threats of invasion by Somali Islamist militants. Internal Security Assistant minister...

Ferry Firm Gets Sh100 Million to Repair Ageing Vessels.
June 24, 2009... The Kenya Ferry Service has received Sh100 million to repair and service its ageing ferries at the Likoni and Mtongwe channels. The public relations officer in the Ministry of Transport, Mr Kaunda Douglas, yesterday said frequent...

Sh670 Million for EAC Partnership Fund.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Zephania Ubwani Development partners have approved US$ 8,580,000 for the East African Community Partnership Fund. The money would be used to support various projects and programmes to be implemented by the regional body...

Evangelical Group Opposes Kadhi Courts.
June 24, 2009... A section of Christians have opposed the anchoring of Kadhi courts in the new constitution. The Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (EAK) said Islam was like any other religion in the state and having Kadhi courts entrenched in the...

Still Unprepared to Handle Disasters.
June 24, 2009... Byline: Dave Opiyo The country is still ill prepared to handle disasters of major magnitude, a Cabinet minister has said. Nairobi Metropolitan minister Njeru Githae said lack of appropriate equipment to appropriately handle disasters...

Golf Union Releases Timetable for Its Countrywide Talent Search.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Larry Ngala GTF is an initiative of the Kenya Golf Union mandated to develop golf talent in both professional and amateur ranks following its official launch at Muthaiga Golf Club recently. Patrick Musimba, the GTF chairman, on...

Bandari Land Ex-Stars Goalie Ruto.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Philip Onyango Former Harambee Stars and Tusker FC goalkeeper Joseph Ruto and AFC Leopards striker Ahmed Farid Amado are among the three players Bandari coach Yusuf Chippo has signed ahead of the second leg of the Kenyan Premier...

Kipchoge Plots End of Ethiopian Dominance.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Chris Musumba One man, long fronted to break a decade-long jinx of Ethiopia's dominance in the men's 5,000m, is ready to step forward and hold the bull by its horns.World and Olympic 5,000m silver medallist Eliud Kipchoge, 24, has...

Raila Aide Robbed By Armed Carjackers.
June 23, 2009... An aide of Prime Minister Raila Odinga was on Monday night carjacked by two gangsters who robbed him of his mobile phone before abandoning him in Karen. Mr Caesar Asiyo reported to the police that he was driving his car to a chemist in...

Lifeline for Four in Mayoral Race.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Peter Leftie And Casper Waithaka The Orange Democratic Movement has renewed the nominations of four mayoral candidates, signalling its intention to assert its political supremacy in the country's four major towns. In a special...

Three Get Bail Over Magistrate's Killing.
June 23, 2009... The state on Tuesday dropped murder charges against three people accused of killing a Nairobi magistrate. However, they were all re-arrested and charged afresh with manslaughter. They denied the charge before Chief Magistrate Gilbert...

New Hurdles in Malaria War.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Cosmas Butunyi Public health facilities could be contributing to drug resistance in malaria treatment. A study conducted by scientists from the Great Lakes University of Kisumu says management, administrative factors, and policy...

More Suspected Cholera Cases.
June 23, 2009... Eight patients were taken to a Kisumu hospital after they were suspected to be suffering from cholera. They were from Nyalenda B, Dunga and Kajulu Hills in Ongadi area. Kisumu medical officer of health Rose Obara yesterday said medical...

Alarm As Kenyans Shot in South.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Dominic Wabala Kenyans in Southern Sudan have met authorities there after two of their compatriots were killed and another seriously injured over the last month. An advertising firm's employee was fatally stabbed and a mechanic...

Arrows Blamed for Most Election Violence Deaths.
June 23, 2009... The majority of victims of the post-election violence died from injuries caused by improvised weapons, a new study has revealed. Forensic investigations carried out by the Independent Medico Legal Unit (Imlu) found that 57 per cent of the...

Bank Sued for Sh14 Billion By Former Staff.
June 23, 2009... More than 600 former employees of Standard Chartered Bank have slapped it with the biggest pension claim in Kenya's corporate history. The group -- seeking Sh14 billion -- claims that the bank failed to take into account various issues, such...

Leave Us in the Dark? No Way.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Paul Juma Police on Tuesday engaged residents of Nairobi's Makongeni estate in running battles for close to three hours. Kenya Power and Lighting Company workers had gone to the estate to cut illegal power connections and...

Cure in Sight for HIV Infection.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Gatonye Gathura Scientists have found a way of eradicating HIV infection from the human body by "smoking" out the virus from its hideout cells. The new approach is to kill the hideout cells plus the virus. The current anti-Aids...

Five Ministers' Jobs At Risk Over Degree Bill.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Lucas Barasa At least five ministers will be affected if a new proposal requiring those in the Cabinet to be degree holders is effected. Ministers Beth Mugo (Public Health), Charity Ngilu (Water and Irrigation), Yusuf Haji...

Continent Must Protect Forests to Mitigate Global Warming.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Wangari Maathai I RECENTLY ATTENDED A NOBEL laureates symposium at St James Palace in London, where a memorandum emphasised the need for action based on scientific evidence on climate change. That memo called for reduction of...

Pipeline to Western Kenya Mustn't Be a Pipe-Dream.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Jaindi Kisero THE PLOT OF THE STORY IS all-too-familiar. An oil tanker veers off the road and rolls several times before landing in a ditch at some location on the highway between Mombasa, Malaba or Busia in western Kenya. Like...

House Team Leaders Retain Their Posts.
June 23, 2009... Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi and his Naivasha counterpart John Mututho were re-elected to head their House teams as voting for Committee leaders kicked off on Tuesday. Also re-elected as chairman of the Defence and Foreign Relations committee is...

Protests Greet Bid to Control Price of Goods.
June 23, 2009... The government on Tuesday clashed with manufacturers over its proposal to control the prices of essential commodities. The proposal is to give the government back the job of fixing prices of items used by majority of the people and those that...

Key Leaders Call for Local Tribunals.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Bernard Namunane President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Tuesday launched a new offensive to have key perpetrators of post election violence tried locally. They met for three hours with Justice and Constitutional...

20 Women Raped in Prison Riot.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Josh Kron Rioting former soldiers trying to escape prison in eastern Congo raped 20 female inmates before being dispersed by the national army, the United Nations has said. Former combatants of the ongoing civil war in the Kivu...

Clerics Reject Plan to Merge Police Forces.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Anthony Kitimo Religious leaders Tuesday opposed a plan to merge the Administration Police and the regular unit as part of reforms in the security force. The clerics from the Coast said, instead, that APs be given powers to...

Raila to Head Team On Clean Energy.
June 23, 2009... Byline: Oliver Mathenge Kenya's quest to turn into a green economy has gained momentum with the formation of a task force to accelerate the development of renewable energy. Prime Minister Raila Odinga has announced that he will chair the...

Kengen Awaits Nema Nod On Kipevu Plant.
June 23, 2009... The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) will build a 120 Megawatt thermal power plant in Mombasa subject to regulatory approval. The company has subsequently submitted to the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) an...