The Nation (Kenya) articles from November 2010, page 9

The Nation (Kenya) archives from November 2010

Ministry to Kick Off Polio Drive.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Mike Mwaniki A campaign that aims to immunise about one million children aged five years and below against polio will be carried out from next week. Public Health and Sanitation minister Beth Mugo Thursday said the Sh200 million...

Branding Boosts Chemelil Sugar Sales.
November 11, 2010... The move has seen an increase in sales and production from 523 metric tonnes in 2009 to 932 metric tonnes this year. Managing director Edward Musebe said this has led to the expansion of its market network. Other new markets He said the...

Keen On Cables Theft? Prepare for Life in Jail And Spare Sh10 Million.
November 11, 2010... Penalties will be enhanced to curb vandalism of cables by the end of the year, the government has warned. This comes as the telecommunications companies cry foul over the menace blaming it on sabotage by competitors. Information and...

Co-Op Bank Profit Rises By 76 Percent.(Financial report)
November 11, 2010... Byline: Jevans Nyabiage Co-operative Bank of Kenya has reported a 76 per cent jump in profit after tax for the first nine months of the year, helped by a one third increase in net loans and rising customer numbers. The bank, Kenya's...

Sh40 Billion Boost to Shore Up Central Bank Reserves.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Alphonce Shiundu Central Bank of Kenya is poised for a Sh40 billion boost from the International Monetary Fund to shore up its foreign currency reserves. Mr Domenico Fanizza, IMF's mission chief for Africa, told Parliament's...

New Drive to Cut Population Growth.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Winfred Kagwe The Ministry of State for Planning, National Development and Vision 2030 has launched two national family planning communications campaigns aimed at controlling growth to match with the available national resources. ...

Firms Bear Heavy Medical Costs As Staff Hide HIV Status.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Winsley Masese Companies are incurring higher medical costs on employees who do not disclose their HIV/Aids status, employers said on Thursday, turning the spotlight to an emotive subject at workplace. According to the Kenya...

It's Time to Rein in Unregulated Billboards.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Stephen Mutoro It must be only in Kenya where a foreign company can be given a free hand to wantonly destroy trees along road reserves to give way to large and visually irritating billboards. Indeed the billboard and outdoor...

Task Shifting Could Address Health Staff Shortages, But is Lethal in the Long Term.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Isaiah Esipisu One of the proposals put forward to address staff shortages in the medical sector is task shifting. This means that tasks are assigned, where appropriate, to less specialised health workers as a potential solution to...

Why We Should Retain Local Councils in New Devolved Government Structure.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Joseph M. Malinda Local authorities in Kenya have been dismissed as inept and failed institutions that lack focus. Right or wrong, commentators have routinely accused these institutions of abetting corruption and having nothing to...

Puntland State Wins Praise on Securuity Situation.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Abdulkadir Khalif The UN Secretary General's Special Envoy to Somalia, Mr Augustine Mahiga has said that he encountered in Puntland, a semi-autonomous state in North-eastern Somalia, a different place than he imagined. Mr Mahiga...

Telling the African Story.
November 11, 2010... After its public screening in Nairobi, a man gestured for a microphone. "I have watched theatrical stuff a thousand times, even film on screens. These are two distinct genres, where do you place your production Ndoto za Elibidi ?" wondered...

Ruto Sued Over Land Tussle.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Jillo Kadida A victim of the post election violence has taken Eldoret North MP William Ruto to court for allegedly grabbing his land. Mr Adrian Gilbert Muteshi now wants the court to give orders to preserve the land in question...

Democracy Takes Root.
November 11, 2010... It is encouraging that leaders of coup-prone West Africa are finally accepting the principle of participatory democracy and are willing to call it a day when their time comes. It is good news for Africa in that even those who came in through...

Christian Basketball Team May Pull Out of Play-Offs.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Caxton Apollo The International Christian Centre men's basketball team has threatened to pull out of the national league play-offs which start on Friday unless they secure sponsorship to travel to Mombasa. South Africa-trained...

Ulinzi Declare 'War' On Karuturi.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Francis Mureithi 'When we take on Karuturi Sport in our deciding match, it will not be an ordinary league match. It will be total war as we have assembled all our ammunition in store, ready for the big clash." That is how Ulinzi...

Classic Safari Ready for Take-Off.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Chris Musumba Swede Bjorn Waldegaard, a former World rally Champion, and local favourite Ian Duncan are among the initial 18 drivers who have confirmed participation in the Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally set for...

Isukuti Dance Earns UN Cultural Approval.
November 11, 2010... The popular Isukuti dance, common in western Kenya, has been nominated to be one of the world's cultural heritage. And three other cultural practices -- the Enkipaata, Eunoto and Orngesherr, practised in the South Rift -- have also been...

Karua Alleges Cover-Up in Vet Lab Land Issue.
November 11, 2010... Gichugu MP Martha Karua claimed on Thursday there was an attempt to protect three Cabinet ministers who, she says, are among people who grabbed and sold off a section of the Kabete Vet Lab Golf Club. Ms Karua made the claims in Parliament...

Setting Up of Key Constitutional Implementation Teams to Be Given Priority.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Bernard Namunane The Cabinet on Thursday cited quick establishment of key commissions in the implementation of the new Constitution as a priority for the country. A Cabinet meeting chaired by President Kibaki at State House also...

Tainted Leaders Asked to Step Aside And Face Probe.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Daniel Nyassy The Catholic Church has called on all leaders implicated in corruption to step aside pending investigations. Through the Kenya Episcopal Conference, which was meeting in Malindi on Thursday, the church asked all the...

Sh275 Million Shot in the Arm for Health Centres.
November 11, 2010... More than 610 health centres around the country are set to receive a Sh275 million boost this financial year. Each will receive Sh450,000 in four instalments from the Health Sector Service Fund (HSSF). Two weeks ago, 590 dispensaries and...

U.S. Team to Inspect Germ Labs.
November 11, 2010... A team from the US department of defence arrives in the country on Saturday to inspect germ handling laboratories to ensure dangerous organisms do not fall in the hands of terrorists. The visit has been prompted by concerns that some...

Race for Improved Vaccines in Battle Against Pneumonia.(Disease/Disorder overview)
November 11, 2010... Byline: Tabitha Mwangi Little Naomi Mbuchi could easily have become one of the 5,000 children who die of pneumonia globally every day when she came down with the disease recently. But 18-month-old Naomi was lucky. She was admitted to the...

Motorists' Headache to End As Stalled Work On Interchange Resumes.
November 11, 2010... Byline: John Ngirachu Work on the Mombasa-Namanga road interchange, which had stalled for nearly a year, is set to resume on Monday. Construction of the interchange appeared to be well on course until late last year when the contractor...

MPs Take Sides in Dispute Over New Boundaries.
November 11, 2010... Sharp divisions among the commissioners reviewing constituency boundaries have arisen casting doubt on the credibility and integrity of the report due within 16 days. The Nation has learnt that the nine-member Interim Independent Boundaries...

Ruto Seeks to Record Statement.
November 11, 2010... Eldoret North MP William Ruto on Thursday visited CID headquarters to complain about the alleged coaching of witnesses against him. Mr Ruto drove to the CID headquarters and asked to see the deputy in-charge of the Investigations Bureau but...

Lobby Threatens Legal Action Over Polls Dates.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Peter Leftie Debate on the date of the next general election raged on Thursday, with the civil society and trade unions threatening court action to have the polls held in August 2012. The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu)...

Anti-Corruption Commission Praised for Targeting 'Big Fish'.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Jeff Otieno Two-thirds of Kenyans approve the anti-graft agency's renewed zeal in targeting top level corruption in government. The new approach has endeared the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission to the public, with its approval...

Ligale Team Defends New Electoral Units.
November 11, 2010... Kenya's boundaries commission has defended the way it is distributing new constituencies, saying it was meant to correct the skewed creation of seats adopted by past governments. Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission chair Andrew...

Politicians Aim to Stop Polls Violence Cases, Group Warns.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Samwel Kumba and Emeka-Mayaka Gekara The Kofi Annan team that brokered the peace pact after the 2007 elections is worried that powerful forces are regrouping to frustrate the prosecution of post-election violence suspects. The team...

Dandora Dumpsite to Be Turned Into Leisure Park.
November 11, 2010... Dandora dumpsite will be turned into a recreation park at a cost of Sh600 million, the City Council of Nairobi has said. An international tender has been placed to invite bidders for the historic makeover of the biggest dumpsite in the...

Local Shines His Way to CNN Awards With Solar Lantern.
November 11, 2010... Byline: Aby Agina It all started in a room at his hostel when he invented the first ever solar-powered lantern back in 2004. His desire to provide sustainable energy to communities was hatched while studying Electrical Engineering at Jomo...

Clever Lights That Make Driving Delightful And Safe.
November 10, 2010... It is a dull, overcast, Sunday afternoon and traffic is light on Nairobi's Waiyaki Way as you make your way to church with the family. You get to a junction, flick your indicator and look right as is customary. All seems clear, so you proceed to...

Sony Gulf Bets On 3D Trend As Competition in Industry Heats Up.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Paul Wafula Sony Gulf FZE, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, has launched a range of 3D-enabled products including 3D television, movies, music, sport and PlayStation games in Kenya, entering an increasingly crowded market that is...

Farmers And Pastoralists Clash in Central Somalia.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Abdulkadir Khalif Two clan militias clashed near Jowhar town, 90 kilometres north of Mogadishu, in Central Somalia, killing two warriors and wounding five others yesterday. The armed militias came from pastoralist and farming...

Transport Chaos On Busy Highway.
November 10, 2010... Transport on the Nairobi-Mombasa highway was paralysed for a second day running as protests over the poor condition of the Voi-Taveta section continued. A huge snarl up ensued as Voi residents and truck operators erected barricades on the...

Branding Boosts Sales for Chemelil Sugar.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Ouma Wanzala The branding of sugar by Chemelil Sugar Company has boosted its sales. The move has seen the increase in branded sale and production from 523 metric tonnes last year to 932 metric tonnes this year. The company's...

Police Halt Busy Highway Protest.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Jonathan Manyindo Police have repulsed angry demonstrators who had barricaded the Nairobi-Mombasa highway for more than 24 hours demanding the immediate repair of the dilapidated Voi-Taveta road. Taita Taveta Police boss Nathaniel...

MPs Demand End to Ngilu-Kiunjuri Row.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Alphonce Shiundu Kenya lawmakers have added their voice to the public row over corruption involving two ministers. The MPs said the back-and-forth between Water minister Charity Ngilu and Public Works assistant minister Mwangi...

Councils Could Get Targets On Street Families.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Joy Wanja Local authorities may soon sign performance contracts based on the rehabilitation programmes of street families. Local Government minister Musalia Mudavadi said setting targets for local authorities countrywide would be a...

Ruto Criticised Over Chaos Witnesses Claims.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Peter Leftie and John Ngirachu Suspended Higher Education minister William Ruto has come under criticism over claims that witnesses were manipulated to implicate him in the post election violence. Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo...

Mathare Residents to Enjoy 'Cheaper' Water.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Aby Agina Residents of Nairobi's Mathare slums will continue to enjoy safe and affordable water thanks to a local NGO and the Nairobi Water Company. Unlike in the past where the residents lacked the services, some 2000 households...

Youth Taking Loans Against Their Future.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Winfred Kagwe The shows are always complete with local celebrities, obviously living flamboyantly, as banks launch one striking product after another targeting the youth. These are followed by vigorous campaigns with beach parties...

Minister Flies to Voi Over Road Protest.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Alphonce Shiundu Roads minister Franklin Bett had to change his schedule and fly to Voi to address the ongoing strike over the poor state of the Voi-Mwatate-Wundanyi road. MPs Gitobu Imanyara (Imenti Central, CCU), Danson Mungatana...

Avoid Witch-Hunt in Graft War, Raila Urges.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Caroline Wafula Prime Minister Raila Odinga has said calls for government officials linked to corruption to step aside must be based on concrete evidence. The Prime Minister said in Parliament it has become fashionable to demand...

Proposal for Older Staff to Retire Early.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Eddy Ngeta Civil servants may have to retire earlier than the required 60-years if a new policy recommendation is adopted. According to the proposal, the recent policy review of retirement age for public servants from 55 to 60...

Woman in Bank Heist Saga Seized Aboard Plane.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Galgalo Bocha A woman suspected to be carrying part of Sh23 million stolen from a bank in Lamu a fortnight ago, has been arrested. Anti-banking fraud police officers pounced on the woman last Saturday as she boarded a Yemen-bound...

Fresh Corruption Claims in Armed Forces Recruitment.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Harry Misiko Fresh claims of corruption in the recently concluded military recruitment emerged on Wednesday after a group of discharged soldiers came out demanding justice over what they termed as "unprocedural dismissal from the...

15 Candidates Fail to Sit KCPE.
November 10, 2010... Fifteen pupils failed to sit this year's Standard Eight exam because they were not registered. The pupils at St Mary's Khachonge Academy in Bungoma had paid the registration fees for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams,...

Traffic Moves After Rioters Cleared.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Jonathan Manyindo Traffic began to move on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway on Wednesday after it was cleared of barricades and rioters by the General Service Unit. The barricades were put up on Tuesday by Voi residents who were...

Clean Up Now Or Shut Down, Hospitals Told.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Peter Mwai Numerous hospitals may be shut for lack of proper waste disposal methods. Hospital managers will also be charged for failing to comply with the safety and cleanliness guidelines. The National Environment Management...

Now Pneumonia Vaccination Initiative Marks New Dawn for Children.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Fred Were In Kenya, we understand how fragile life is. Too many babies die from preventable diseases that take them before they even reach the age of five. One of the biggest killers is pneumonia. But in a matter of months, we will...

Appoint Chief Kadhi.
November 10, 2010... Kenya has been without a substantive Chief Kadhi since the term of Sheikh Hammad Kassim expired in July. Candidates for the post were interviewed at the High Court in Nairobi the following month, but no appointment has been made and the...

Crack the Whip on Bickering Ministers.
November 10, 2010... The public war of words between Cabinet minister Charity Ngilu and assistant minister Mwangi Kiunjiri is shameful and must end. Government business is never transacted through press conferences typified by theatrics and bravado. Clearly,...

KPLC Share Plan to Raise State's Stake.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Kaburu Mugambi Kenya Power and Lighting Company shareholder have backed the planned restructuring that will, among other things, increase government shareholding in the utility firm. Some of the activities include a rights issue,...

Firms Dominate in Tech Awards.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Winsley Masese A hundred companies from three East African countries that are more innovative in using technology to improve efficiency and accelerate growth will be recognised next week. The Top CIO 100 companies have been...

Sh7 Billion Bond Starts Trading.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Mwaniki Wahome Housing Finance's Sh7 billion bond started trading at the Nairobi Stock Exchange on Wednesday, heralding a new phase in long-term financing for the local construction industry. President Mwai Kibaki, who launched the...

Safaricom Defies Rivalry to Return Sh7.6 Billion Half-Year Profit After Tax.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Jevans Nyabiage Kenya's mobile phone giant Safaricom defied strong competition and regulatory pressure to report a 15.1 per cent growth in profit after tax for the half-year ending September 2010. The company raked in Sh7.6 billion...

Upgrade to Shut M-Pesa for Weekend.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Ashley Lime Millions of Kenyans now used to the convenience of sending money to relatives and friends and paying bills through the M-Pesa mobile phone cash transfer system will not access the service this weekend. Market leader...

Give Us the Proof of Bribery, Rights Group Tells Ruto.
November 10, 2010... Byline: John Ngirachu and Peter Leftie Eldoret North MP William Ruto should present any evidence of manipulation of post-election violence witnesses to the relevant authorities. Mr Ruto had claimed on Tuesday that an official of a...

Passageway Seeks to Lead Elephants Away From Perennial Combat Zones.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Ashley Lime The completion of an elephant corridor to the north of Mt Kenya is set to end frequent human-wildlife conflict. The 28-kilometre elephant corridor has an electrified game-proof fence that aims at providing a safe...

Race Against Time for MPs on New Laws.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Emeka-Mayaka Gekara Parliament is fast running out of time in implementation of the new Constitution with indications it may not pass critical laws and set up required commissions on time. The most urgent are the commission on...

Outrage Over Plot by MPs to Extend Term.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Peter Leftie A push by MPs to have their term extended beyond the August 2012 date mandated in the new constitution continues to draw fire from various groups. The MPs, supported by Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister...

Ruling on Piracy Bad for Nation, Says Raila.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Caroline Wafula and Philip Muyanga Prime Minister Raila Odinga has criticised Tuesday's landmark court ruling that Kenya had no jurisdiction in piracy crimes that took place outside Kenya's territorial waters. The PM said piracy on...

Chemos in Final Five for IAAF Award.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Chris Musumba Milcah Chemos, the world 3,000m bronze medallist, remains on course for the contention of the IAAF Athlete of the Year Award after she was named among the final five candidates. With David Rudisha the favourite to...

Nation Narrowly Trails Uganda As Battle Hots Up.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Larry Ngala Kenya remained a point behind after the morning's Four Ball Better Ball round in this year's East Africa Challenge Cup at the par 72 Kigali Golf Club in Rwanda on Wednesday. They won three of the four matches and lost...

Prisons Gather Ammo Ahead of Doha Challenge.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Chris Musumba Kenya Prisons have pitched camp at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, as they intensify preparations ahead of next month's World Club Championship set for Doha, Qatar. There will be no rest for the players...

Refs Must Be Fair On Sunday.
November 10, 2010... Byline: Charles Nyende Ulinzi Stars have called on fairness to prevail when the Kenyan Premier League champion is determined on Sunday. The soldiers hold a slender one-point lead over second placed Gor Mahia with one round of matches...

Jammeh Vows Not to Seek New Term.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Tamba J. Matthew Gambian President Yahha Jammeh says he will not run for another five-year mandate when his current third term ends early next year. President Jammeh said the decision stems from his conviction that democracy should...

Khama Urges Lifting of Zimbabwe Sanctions.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Wene Owino President Ian Khama of Botswana said yesterday that he wants sanctions against Zimbabwe to be lifted to deny ZANU-PF the "lame excuse" it uses to undermine the unity government formed with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's...

MPs Rule Out August 2012 Poll Date.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Alphonce Shiundu Kenya MPs have unanimously agreed that the next General Election cannot be held in August 2012 as stipulated in the new Constitution. But, even as they ruled out the August poll date, they were not clear on when...

Kenyan Court Deals Blow to Piracy War.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Eunice Machuhi The war against piracy in the Indian Ocean has suffered a setback after the High Court ruled that Kenya has no jurisdiction over offences conducted outside its territorial waters. At the same time, the court has...

IMF Board Move Welcome.
November 9, 2010... Last August, surging China overtook Japan as the world's largest economy. And true, there are few wagers that it will not overtake the tottering US economy soon. However, even as the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China (the so-called...

Date of Next Elections Shouldn't Be in Doubt.
November 9, 2010... MPs have opened debate about the life of the current Parliament and raised a pertinent constitutional issue that must be addressed promptly to stem anxiety and uncertainty over the next General Election. At the heart of the debate is the...

High Fuel Prices Hurt Transporters.
November 9, 2010... High fuel prices in the country are pushing transporters to the wall, eating into their profits and leaving them with few chances of survival in the business. With the cost of transporting cargo from Mombasa to Kampala currently at $ 2,200...

Nakumatt Opens Second Outlet in Kampala.
November 9, 2010... Nakumatt Holdings has opened a second 24-hour outlet in Bugolobi, Kampala and announced it had pumped USh2.7 billion for its expansion strategy this year. The new chain boosts Nakumatt's store tally to 30 in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. The...

Small Farmers Hold Key to Food Security.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Joseph Bonyo Food shortage in Africa can be eliminated by linking small farmers with private enterprise, a cabinet minister has said. According to Uganda's Agriculture minister Hope Mwesigye, food shortage occurs due to poor...

New Safaricom Boss Pushes for Tough Action Against Cable Thieves.
November 9, 2010... Cable vandalism still poses a serious threat to the growth of the telecommunications industry in Kenya due to the huge operating losses incurred. Safaricom's new chief executive officer, Mr Bob Collymore, said the authorities have to take...

Citizens Living Abroad to Send Home Sh136 Billion This Year.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Jevans Nyabiage Kenya is expected to earn an estimated Sh136 billion ($1.7 billion) in remittances from abroad by the end of this year, according to a World Bank report. In what is explained as a renewed interest in the real...

Women Just Need Their Dignity Respected.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Felogene Aguno At the start of the new millennium, world leaders pledged to tackle poverty, disease, ignorance, and inequality. They went beyond generalities and committed themselves to eight specific Millennium Development Goals...

Allegations a Witch-Hunt Because I Said No to Inflated Dam Bill, Claims Minister.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Charity Kaluki Ngilu The Ministry of Water and Irrigation has been in the news since the recent Cabinet reshuffle in which my assistant minister, Mr Mwangi Kiunjuri, was transferred to another docket. Mr Kiunjuri did not take his...

And They Said Slavery Was Long Dead And Buried.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Mwaura Samora Officially, slave trade ended 200 years ago after abolitionists in Britain and the US banned the oppressive enterprise. Before the end of that dark era, millions of Africans had been ferried across the Atlantic and sold...

Citizen Up for CNN Award.
November 9, 2010... Byline: Carol Rwenji Kenyans have been urged to vote for Evans Wandogo, who is among 10 finalists nominated for the 2010 CNN Hero of the year award. Mr Wandongo, an engineer, has been nominated for the award in recognition of his...