Iko Nini Bwana Seed?

EXCHANGE RATE AGAINST THE POUND TODAY IS KSHS. 114.50

Former Eldoret North MP Reuben Chesire is dead. The former powerful politician in the KANU government died early Saturday 15th November, 2008 at a Nairobi Hospital. Chesire was Eldoret North between 1988 and 1992 when he lost the seat to the late William arap Saina. His efforts to recapture the seat in 1997 flopped when he lost to the then little known William Ruto who is currently the Agriculture Minister. Analysts claimed Chesire was actually pushed aside at nominations by former president Daniel Arap Moi to give the then unknown young man a chance to enter parliament.  He then vied for the seat on a Narc ticket during but host to Ruto. The acrimony between the two reached its peak in June 2002 when Chesire accused the minister of assaulting him outside Moi's State House office.  Ruto however denied hitting Chesire but admitted having a "heated argument" with him.  The so-called "Rumble at State House" took place when Chesire was waiting to see President Moi, heightening the bad blood that existed at that time between the so-called Young Turks who were said to have the ear of the former president and the old guard. Chesire and Moi were childhood friends, Moi having stayed at the former's home when he was attending school in the 1940's.

The former MP seen here at his farm died early Saturday at a Nairobi hospital

London bankers were facing a new wave of redundancies  as Britain headed for 20,000 job losses in five days. Citigroup is to send redundancy notices to 10,000 workers worldwide, many in Canary Wharf, while Royal Bank of Scotland is to shed 3,000 investment bankers, including hundreds in the City, within a month. In addition, Clydesdale and Yorkshire banks are to axe 350 jobs next year, the union Unite said today. The scale of the cuts means 20,000 jobs have gone across the country since Monday as the economic downturn strengthens its grip and sends unemployment soaring. In just a week some of the country's biggest names — including BT, Virgin Media, GlaxoSmithKline and Taylor Wimpey — have slashed jobs. The cuts have prompted predictions that unemployment will hit two million by Christmas and three million next year. Not since the recessions of the early Eighties and Nineties have so many large-scale job cuts been announced in such a short space of time across such a wide range of industries.  Unemployment in Britain rose to 1.83 million this week, its highest level in the 11 years since Labour came to power. Citigroup will start handing out redundancy notices staff mainly in its investment bank. The Wall Street and Canary Wharf-based bank has lost more than $20 billion in the past year. Managers have been ordered to cut departmental wage bills by at least 25 per cent.

Mzee Stephen Kamau Kiarie and his wife are in London. The former manager with Olympic Airline in Kenya is visiting UK for two weeks. The couple has been in Nottingham where one of their sons lives before coming to London. Mzee Kiarie who speaks fluent Greek started visiting Greece way back in 1970. Several of his children lives in the UK. He comes from Kigumo, Komothai Location, Kiambu, Kenya. His contact in the UK - 07939984010.

Large crowds have flocked to a memorial service in Johannesburg for South African singer Miriam Makeba, who died last weekend after a concert in Italy. Musicians, poets and politicians paid tribute to the 76-year-old performer. Arts minister Pallo Jordan described Makeba as "a woman whose name became synonymous with the worldwide struggle for freedom in South Africa". Her family also attended the service at the Coca Cola Dome concert venue, which followed two days of national mourning. They are expected to hold a smaller service for her cremation on Sunday. The singer, who was known as Mama Africa, spent more than 30 years in exile after lending her support to the campaign against apartheid. Her memorial service drew hundreds of mourners, both black and white and of all ages. South African trumpet player Hugh Masekela, once married to Makeba, performed a solo version of her song Welele to the accompaniment of soft clapping from the crowd. Poet Maishe Maponya spoke of how her "lips touched our hearts with hymns of beauty" and how she had inspired her people with hope for the future. Former South African President Thabo Mbeki and current Deputy President Baleka Mbete were also present. President Kgalema Motlanthe, in Washington for a G20 economic summit, paid tribute to Makeba in a video message. "Let us say it loud and clear. Miriam Makeba was not affectionately called Mama Africa for nothing," he said. "Her music reverberated with consciousness about the real conditions of South Africans." Makeba was the first black singer to win a Grammy award, which she shared with Harry Belafonte in 1965. She was one of Africa's best known singers, famed for hits such as Pata Pata and The Click Song. Former president Nelson Mandela said she was the "mother of our struggle" and "South Africa's first lady of song". Her body was flown home to South Africa on Wednesday; the country began a period of national mourning a day later.

Mourners paid their respects to the singer known as Mama Africa

Scotland Yard today warned that hi-tech gangs are raking in hundreds of thousands of pounds a year by cheating in the new British immigration tests. The fraudsters are using sophisticated spy technology to help migrants pass the “Life in the UK” exams which are intended to check whether they can speak the language. Applicants, who do not speak or read English, are equipped with tiny buttonhole cameras and hidden earpieces so they can be passed the correct answers. The racket was highlighted by a court case in which a couple were jailed after being caught outside Wimbledon library in a BMW packed with electronic transmitters, laptops and surveillance gadgets. They were transmitting answers to a Chinese national inside the building who was sitting the multiple choice “Britishness” test even though he could not understand English.  Steven Lee and his girlfriend Rong Yang, both British nationals of Chinese descent, were jailed for eight months at Kingston crown court for three counts of facilitating a breach of immigration law. Two Chinese men who took the test, Ka Hung Pang, 52, of Horsham, and En Zhuang, 38, of Deptford High Street, were sentenced to 180 hours community work for deception. The court heard this week how Lee, 36, and Yang, 28, were sitting in a BMW 3 series outside the library in March this year. A member of the public called police when they saw wires running from under the bonnet to the interior. When officers arrived and searched the vehicle they found laptops, radio transmitters and other surveillance equipment.

US President-elect Barack Obama paid his first visit to President Bush in the White House in Washington since his election victory and on right an official photograph by Hugo Burnand marks the 60th birthday of the Prince of Wales. Princes William and Harry paid tribute to their father, who they said was "an inspiration to us and so many others".

Martha Karua has officially been elected Narc-Kenya party chairperson. In elections held Saturday the party also confirmed Asman Kamama as vice chair and Danson Mungatana as Secretary General. The elections were carried out to comply with the Political Parties Act.The Bomas of Kenya hall was adorned in green Saturday as the party's national delegates gathered by and large to discuss party issues. Top on agenda was elections which were carried out by acclamation. Karua officially garnered her party's full support in her ambition to run for presidency come 2012. In her acceptance speech she warned Kenyans against being misled by tribal politicians, reiterating that it is not too soon to state her ambitions as her detractors have often indicated. Fatuma Mohamed clinched the treasurer seat as the Organizing Secretary's post went to Lee Muchiri. Former Naivasha MP Jane Kihara who lost her petition against MP John Mututho this week was elected the secretary for gender affairs.

Karua reiterated her ambition to vie for the presidency come 2012

Catholic faithful have come out to strongly to oppose the proposal to introduce to parliament the Reproductive Health and Rights bill. The faithful say if passed the bill will promote and allow easy access to abortion on demand, with virtually no safeguards to protect the unborn children. They said that the bill disregards the sanctity of human life. The faithful took to the streets of Nairobi in a peaceful demonstration with a clear message denouncing the bill that if passed will see abortion legalized in the country. The proposed bill gives minors easy access to contraceptives and abortion without any legal requirement of parental knowledge or consent. This the church says will not only break the family tradition as the fibre of the society but also disregards the integrity of the human being.According to the bill, legal action can be taken against parents who fail to assist their children procure contraceptives and abortion.The church is optimistic that their voice will be heard and heard loud enough to reject the passing of the reproductive health and rights bill once tabled in parliament. They cautioned the politicians and those rallying behind the bill to put the nation ahead of their interests. The Church is on a drive to collect a million signatures which will be presented to the government as a sign of their displeasure at the bill.

Cardinal Njue led the Catholic faithful in denouncing the bill

A family’s hopes after sending two daughters to the US for further studies, expecting them to come back with university degrees, have been dashed. Loretta Wavinya, 32, and Lillian Nzongi, 28, were on Friday sent to jail in the US for fraud. The US law came down hard on the sisters who were convicted for multi-million-dollar fraud involving stealing identity documents of residents of a nursing home in the American heartland and making false tax returns. They will serve a joint 20-year jail term for defrauding the tax collecting agent, the Internal Revenue Service (the equivalent to Kenya Revenue Authority) of close to Sh1 billion. Wavinya was sentenced to 14 years, while Nzongi will serve five years and 10 months. The attorney for the western district of Missouri, Mr John Wood, said the women, who went to the US on student visas, conned the government of millions of dollars in Missouri. “Today’s lengthy sentences send a clear message to others who may be considering cheating the tax-payers or using other people’s identities,” he said. But Wavinya’s sentence was even lighter. Under the US law, she could have been liable to a mandatory minimum sentence of up to 27 years in prison, plus a fine of up to Sh4.88 billion ($750,000).  Ther woman who hatched the plot to rob the revenue organisation of a staggering $15 million (Sh975 million), pleaded guilty in June to having a hand in the conspiracy. The Kansas City resident admitted the offence before US judge John Maughmer to the charges contained in a July 18, 2007, prosecution. Wavinya was taken to a Kansas City court last year, along with four other Kenyans, to face various counts of tax fraud, money laundering, wire fraud, identity theft and conspiracy. The prosecution described her at the time as the leader of the racket in which the more than 360 fraudulent tax refund claims were filed. Arraigned in court together with Wavinya were Nzongi, Aaron Mutavi, 28, Moses Ndubai, 33, and 23-year-old Vincent Ogega.  Another seven Kenyans, some of whom are believed to have since returned home, were linked by investigators to the case. Ogega was recently sentenced to 12.5 months’ imprisonment, while Mutavi was sentenced to “time served” — which means that he was released.  Mr Ndubai and Mr Kamau are awaiting sentencing.  The scheme involved stealing the identity information of hundreds of victims, primarily residents of old people’s homes, which were used to seek the more than Sh975 million in federal tax refunds. Wavinya and her accomplices were first charged with the offence in July, last year. She later admitted to having a substantial role in the conspiracy to steal identity information, predominantly from elderly nursing home patients. She then used the information to file at least 365 fraudulent federal tax return forms from February 2005 to July, last year. Together with fellow conspirators, she sought refunds in 27 different states. In addition, Wavinya pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity information theft. She committed the offences while she worked as a tax preparer and as a certified radiology technician in Kansas City. - Daily Nation.

LEFT: Shadow chancellor George Osborne tells The Times that Britain is heading for a “collapse of sterling”, if Gordon Brown persists with trying to borrow his way out of trouble. CENTRE: The Daily Telegraph leads on the first baby to be born as the result of a whole ovary transplant. RIGHT: More than 80% of children who are killed or seriously injured as a result of abuse or neglect are missed by the national child register, The Guardian reveals.

Two mothers in western Tanzania have been attacked by gangs who were after their children who have albinism. The women were hacked with machetes when the attackers failed to find the two children. Albinos have been targeted in a series of killings around the country due to a belief their body parts can make magic potions more effective. At least 30 people with albinism have been killed since March, including a seven-month old baby. On Wednesday, attackers forced a woman to take them to her home, looking for her nine-year-old daughter in Kibondo District, close to the Burundi border. The girl was not in the house and so the men attacked the mother. In the second attack, a gang of four men broke into a house at the Lugufu camp in Kigoma, which hosts refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, looking for a child with albinism. The child, aged two, escaped kidnap after falling under the bed unnoticed. The women are undergoing treatment for their injuries. On Thursday, police in south-western Tanzania arrested a man who was attempting to sell his albino wife to Congolese traders. The BBC's Vicky Ntetema in Dar es Salaam says the attacks appear to have spread from north-western Tanzania, where they were first reported. The attacks also suggest that there is interest in albino body parts from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, our correspondent says. The Kigoma regional police commander said the attackers had fled and a manhunt was underway. The attacks on albinos have been linked to witchdoctors who are peddling the belief that potions made from an albino's legs, hair, hands, and blood can make a person rich. President Jakaya Kikwete ordered a police crackdown on those involved in the killings in March, and 170 witchdoctors have since been arrested. But BBC investigations suggest that some police are being "bought off" in order to look away when such crimes are committed. The prevalence of albinism in Tanzania appears to be high and the Albino Association of Tanzania says the actual number of albinos could be as high as 173,000. A census is now underway to verify the figures.

A multi-million dollar Nigerian satellite launched in May 2007 has been shut down to prevent it spinning out of control and damaging others in orbit. Chinese-built NigComSat-1 cost the African oil producer $340m (£228m). The Nigerian government said insurance would pay for a replacement and Nigerians should still be proud of the country's satellite programme. But telecoms experts told the BBC it was a "white elephant in space" and the whole operation was a "debacle". NigComSat-1 was launched 18 months ago to much fanfare from the government, but it has been mired in controversy ever since. On Tuesday, controllers shut the satellite down because it was having problems with its power supply, the government announced. The satellite was meant to provide communications for government agencies and broadband internet.

Do you know that is Renshenfengwangjiang?

Chinese Ginseng is well-known for its revitalizing properties. The most valuable Ginseng is the wild type which thrives in the remote mountains and dense forests in the Northeast region of China, notably those from the Chang Bai Mountains and Ji Lin Province. These places have just the right amount of moisture, temperature and unique soil quality for the Ginseng's optimum growth. The efficacy of Ginseng improves with age, and the older the root, the more efficacious its effect. It is quite common to hear of those who cherish a 300 - 500-year-old Chinese Ginseng and consume it when necessary. In China's distant past, Wild Ginseng were imperial properties, and those found in possession of Wild Ginseng were severely punished. - MORE

• Stimulation of human energy

• Decreasing the spread of nervous system diseases

• Slowing-down the hardening of the arteries

• Fighting malnutrition

• Treatment of rheumatism

• Prevention of loss of hair

BEIJING -- Chinese fishing boat "Tanyo 8," was seized by force by a group of unidentified persons at around 2 am Beijing time Friday  14th November, (GMT1800 Thursday) when it was fishing off the Kenya coast, a source with the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said here. The source said that the abductors demanded the Chinese fishing boat sail towards the coastal area off southern Somalia. Onboard the abducted ship of Tianjin Ocean Fishing Company were 24 fishers. They were 16 Chinese (including one from Taiwan), one Japanese, three Filipinos and four Vietnamese. According to Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of the Mombasa-based East African Seafarers' Association, the hijacking was conducted by pirates that armed with grenade launchers and automatic weapons. "Tanyo 8" was attacked on the Kenyan waters probably near Lamu in eastern Kenya, Mwangura told Xinhua by telephone, "but we have not established the motive of the attack since it's very rare for Somali pirates to launch attacks on Kenyan waters." This was hours after a Russian-operated cargo ship off the coast of Somalia escaped pirates who attacked it with grenade launchers and machine guns, sparking a fire on board. The MOT source added that the ministry was asking related departments to help deal with the incident in coordination with China's Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Agriculture.

London, Friday 14th November, 2008. British pound goes to its lowest ever in a long time as it trades at KShs. 114 against the pound in UK. It trades at 1.48 against the dollar and 1.17 against the euro. This is after the Eurozone countries going into recession.

Approximately 186,000 people in Kenya have been displaced by raging floods following the heavy Rains pounding the country. According to reports released the most affected areas have been around the Tana River, the Turkwel River and River Nzoia and on right  Turkana, 1,262 households have been displaced after the Turkwel River flooded

Pound drops to fresh lows against euro and dollar

By Peter Garnham

Published: November 14 2008 11:00 | Last updated: November 14 2008 11:20

The pound regained some poise on Friday after dropping to a fresh record low against the euro and a six-and-a-half year low against the dollar overnight.  The pound has fallen sharply this week, dropping to its lowest level for thirteen years against a basket of currencies after the Bank of England said the UK economy had fallen into recession and signalled more aggressive cuts in UK interest rates. Adding to the pressure on sterling have been increasing signs that international investors were abandoning UK assets after aggressive selling in gilts since mid-September. Against the dollar the pound has fallen 5.4 per cent this week and 5.3 per cent versus the euro. On a trade-weighted basis the UK currency has fallen 5.3 per cent so far this week.  Simon Derrick at Bank of New York Mellon said the pound’s recent fall was starting to overshadow the events of September 1992, when sterling was ejected from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. He said then, as now, the pound was hit because investors believed that the UK authorities would take drastic action to ease monetary policy in the face of a steepening recession.  Following the Bank of England’s aggressive interest rate cut and subsequent comments, UK interest rates are now below eurozone rates for the first time since the creation of the single currency in 1999.  Meanwhile, the yield spread between German and UK government bonds stands at its highest level in more than a decade.

The pound dropped to a record low of £0.8662 against the euro overnight and fell to a six-and-a-half year trough of $1.4555 against the dollar overnight. However, it regained some poise on Friday, rising 0.6 per cent to £0.8557 against the euro and holding steady at $1.4850 against the dollar.  Mr Derrick said the only question that needed to be asked was whether speculation over the future path of interest rates in the UK had run its course.  “Unfortunately, we suspect not. Talk will undoubtedly continue for at least the remainder of this year about how far and how fast the Bank of England could cut,” he said. “With the UK still seen as the G7 nation with the furthest to go in cutting rates, the downward pressure on the currency is therefore likely to remain in force.” Meanwhile, currency markets continued to track the fortunes of global equity markets. Both the dollar and yen have benefited when stock markets have fallen, with rising risk aversion prompting US and Japanese investors to repatriate assets.  Rising risk aversion has also prompted deleveraging, forcing investors to sell riskier, higher-yielding assets, the purchase of which had previously been funded by selling the low-yielding dollar and yen. Thus when US stocks rallied aggressively on Thursday, both the dollar and the yen suffered. However, with futures pointing to a weaker opening for US equities on Friday, both currencies advanced. The dollar rose 0.6 per cent to $1.2702 against the euro, climbed 0.3 per cent to SFr1.1890 against the Swiss franc and gained 1.8 per cent to $0.6534 against the Australian dollar. The yen fared even better, rising 0.6 per cent to Y97.10 against the dollar, climbing 1.2 per cent to Y123.32 against the euro and gaining 2.2 per cent to Y63.51 against the Australian dollar.

Nairobi, Friday 14th November, 2008. Approximately 186,000 people in the Country have been displaced by raging floods following the heavy Rains pounding the country. According to reports released by the Kenya Red Cross society, the most affected areas have been around the Tana River, the Turkwel River and River Nzoia. The Organization is now appealing to well wishers to donate anything in form of Food, Clothing, and even Funds to address the situation. The organization said their primary focus is Health, Water, Sanitation and Emergency relief for next three months. The Ministry of special Programmes has assured the organization of assistance in terms of providing them with food items for the victims.  Some 36,233 people in Tana River have reportedly been displaced after Tana River burst its banks. In Turkana, 1,262 households have been displaced after the Turkwel River flooded and destroyed Crops and Livestock in Kitilu Division.In Busia 40,679 people have been affected by floods due to heavy down pour in upper catchments areas of Mt Elgon, Cherengani and Kaplagat Hills. River Nzoia broke the Dykes thereby flooding Bunyala central and Budalangi. In Trans Nzoia 29,570 people have been affected by floods and many people in Namanjala Centre have steadily been evacuated to high grounds. River Nzoia broke the Dykes thereby flooding Bunyala central and Budalangi. Landslides have been experienced due to heavy Rains in Murang'a District where 20 families were evacuated after a major landslide occurred in Gikoe Village Njumbi location.  Separately, in Tana River district, the effects of the ongoing heavy rains continue biting with area residents fearing the rains could lead to the outbreak of the Rift valley fever. According to the Tana River veterinary officer Dr. Anthony Kinyua heavy rains experienced in the year 2006 resulted to the outbreak of the disease.  Meanwhile 40 heavy commercial vehicles have been stuck for days along Hola-Garsen road following the ongoing heavy rains that have rendered the roads impassable. 

Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, congratulated Obama on his US election victory, saying it took the world into a "new era".

Eurozone enters first ever recession

LONDON (Reuters) - Friday 14th November, 2008. Recession has hit much of Europe, data showed on Friday, confirming a widespread economic downturn that world leaders hope to tackle at a weekend summit in Washington. The worst financial crisis in 80 years has weakened the world's major economies and the euro zone said growth fell 0.2 percent for the second quarter in a row. It was the first time the 15-nation bloc has suffered recession since the common European currency was formed, and analysts said the European Central Bank would probably cut interest rates further to try to spur growth. "Now that the recession has been confirmed, the debate will concentrate on its length and severity," said Martin van Vliet at ING Financial Markets. "A further contraction in euro zone GDP in the current fourth quarter seems virtually assured." With Europe, as well as parts of Asia and North America, suffering, leaders of the G20 developed and emerging countries head to Washington to try to find ways to ensure the crisis, started by a U.S. housing market crash, is not repeated. But agreement among the G20, which represents 85 percent of the world's economy and two-thirds of its population, is unlikely over whether more regulation of markets can protect consumers, savers and companies from the fall-out. Washington says there should be no return to greater state control of financial markets. Much of Europe says without more regulation, a repeat of the last year's turmoil is inevitable.

COORDINATED ACTION

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for more coordinated measures to spur economic growth, a policy area where there may be more consensus. "By acting now we can stimulate growth in all our economies. The cost of inaction will be far greater than the cost of any action," he told reporters in New York on Thursday. European Commission President Jose Manual Barroso said he hoped to draw more emerging economies into global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, saying Europeans were ready to lower their representation to make more room for countries such as China. "There is an openness to accommodate an increased role of the emerging economies," the International Herald Tribune quoted Barroso as saying. Some in the West say they hope that countries with large reserves, notably in the Gulf, will help fund the IMF, which has offered loans to economies laboring under heavy debts. Pakistan, where its reserves are barely enough to cover nine weeks of imports, said it expected the IMF and other lenders to provide billions of dollars in loans soon, and China to pitch in with $500 million to avert a balance of payments crisis. Shaukat Tarin, the country's top economic adviser, told Reuters late on Thursday the government would soon send a letter of intent to the IMF.  "Hopefully it will be available in the next few weeks," Tarin said.

FRANCE BUCKS TREND

Before the euro zone reported it was in a recession, Germany, Europe's largest economy, Spain and Italy all said their economies shrank in the third quarter. France escaped the clutches of recession, reporting growth of 0.1 percent in the third quarter but analysts said it was a semantic debate. "Whether we're in recession or not is only a technical debate," said Jean-Louis Mourier, economist at Aurel Leven. "Both the surveys and indicators we've seen leave no doubt that in spite of this slight rebound the economy is on quite a bad trajectory." Spanish third quarter gross domestic product fell 0.2 percent quarter-on-quarter, its first contraction in 15 years. Italy's economy contracted by 0.5 percent in the third quarter. Emerging economies have also been hit. China, which has enjoyed a booming economy, reported capital spending on Friday that was slightly lower than expected, the latest in a series of indicators pointing to slowdown for the world's fourth-largest economy.

MARKETS

Stock markets bounced after days of falls. Stocks in Asia were broadly higher after U.S. shares gained nearly 7 percent. Oil held onto gains after hitting a 22-month low on Thursday. European shares jumped 2 percent. "You might have seen the initial euphoria, but nothing has really changed from yesterday. The negativity is still about," said Dominic Vaughan, senior dealer at CMC Markets in Sydney. Companies, most notably banks, continued to suffer, with some scrambling to cut costs by axing jobs. British media reported that Royal Bank of Scotland was to cut 3,000 jobs worldwide in the next few weeks. An RBS spokeswoman would not confirm the cuts. The world's largest municipal lender, Dexia, posted a quarterly loss of 1.544 billion euros ($1.93 billion) and said it had agreed to sell its FSA insurance business to Assured Guaranty. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Japan's third-largest bank, said its quarterly profit halved on ballooning bad-loan costs and losses on its stock portfolio, and it stuck to its full-year forecast for a fall of 61 percent.

Nairobi, Friday 14th November, 2008. US ambassador Michael Ranneberger has called for sweeping reforms in the police force as recommended in the Waki report.  The ambassador says, the police force which was heavily criticized over its handling of the post election violence should review its tactics and create a modern code of conduct to stem cases of police brutality and abuse of human rights. The police force was heavily indicted for it's handling of the post election violence as cases of excessive force, extra judicial killings and rape of innocent civilians was leveled against the security agents. The Waki commission probing into the violence recommended reforms in the police force aimed at injecting professionalism and respect for human rights as they undertake their duties and now the US ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger has joined in demanding that the government initiates the major reforms. The ambassador said the reforms are long overdue but thanked internal security minister George Saitoti for forming the police oversight board to address cases of police harassment adding that those found guilty must be punished. He said the US is ready to support the reform process to assist the Kenyan security forces to improve their capacity to fight crime.  Ranneberger made the remarks while presiding over the 4th graduation ceremony for the Kenya institute of studies for criminal justice.  The US was among 25 diplomatic missions in the country which yesterday urged politicians to implement recommendations of the Waki report to end impunity.

Citigroup to cut at least 10,000 jobs: report

(Reuters) - Citigroup Inc is cutting at least 10,000 jobs in its investment bank and other divisions throughout the world, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter. Citigroup Chief Executive Vikram Pandit and his deputies have instructed managers to slash their budgets for employee compensation by at least 25 percent, the paper said citing the people. "We will continue to carefully manage our head count levels as we re-engineer the company in line with our stated goal and market realities," Citigroup spokeswoman Christina Pretto told the paper. Citigroup announced last month it cut 11,000 jobs in the third quarter, bringing the total number of job cuts in 2008 to 23,000. Citigroup aims to shrink its workforce to about 290,000 employees by next year from 352,000 as of Sept 30, the WSJ said, citing another person. The paper also reported that Citigroup is notifying some credit card customers that their interest rates are being raised by an average of three percentage points. A person familiar with the strategy estimated that the rate increases would apply to less than 20 percent of Citigroup's card portfolio, according to the paper. A Citigroup spokeswoman told Reuters that she had nothing further to add to the company's comments reported by the Journal.

Eurozone officially in recession

The eurozone has officially slipped into recession after EU figures showed that the economy shrank by 0.2% in the third quarter. This follows a 0.2% contraction in the 15-nation area in the previous quarter from April to June. Two quarters of negative growth define a technical recession. The news was widely anticipated and follows data showing that Germany and Italy, two of the biggest eurozone economies, are already in recession. The BBC correspondent in Germany, Steve Rosenberg, said the figures were not a surprise. "The Germans had their gloomy economic news [on Thursday] and as Germany is the dynamo of the European economy, when there are problems there, it drags the rest of the region down with it," he said. On Thursday, figures showed the German economy, one of the world's largest, had shrunk 0.5% in the third quarter, following a 0.4% drop in the second quarter. Spain's economy also shrank in the third quarter, the first such drop since 1993. Analysts are now convinced that a slump in household spending and a property crisis are likely to push the Spanish economy into recession as well next quarter. The UK is expected to join the roll call of European countries in recession with a bleak Bank of England forecast suggesting that Britain is already there. France is not faring too much better, but its economy did manage to expand in the third quarter much to the surprise of most analysts. Official data showed that the French economy grew by 0.1% in the June to September period. But analysts forecast worse to come for the countries in the region that use the euro. With inflationary risks retreating, many expect further aggressive cuts in interest rates from the European Central Bank, with some predicting they could go as low as 2% - the same level they stood when the eurozone was formed in 1999. "Looking ahead, we can expect further quarters of negative GDP growth, until the third quarter of 2009, simply because so far we have not had in the GDP figures the full impact of the credit market crisis," said Gilles Moec, senior economist, Bank of America. "We also haven't yet seen the full impact of unemployment on consumer spending," he added, forecasting the eurozone region to shrink by 1% next year.

The member states of the eurozone are France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Irish Republic, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, Malta, Greece, Austria, Finland and Cyprus.

The thorny issue of portfolio balance in diplomatic circles has returned to haunt the Grand Coalition Government nine months after the main political parties agreed to work together. Fresh threats to unity have emerged after PNU and ODM disagreed on sharing jobs in the diplomatic missions. Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s office has now written to Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura, pointing out that ODM is yet to get its share of diplomatic appointments. The issue returns to haunt the coalition that is already embroiled in the hot debate over the Waki Report. While the PM’s Principal Administrative Secretary Caroli Omondi said certain principles had to be followed in the planned appointments to diplomatic service, PNU was blaming ODM for asking for too much. In a letter dated October 3 and copied to PS Foreign Affairs Thuita Mwangi, the PM wants the political appointments shared on a 50:50 basis between the two coalition partners — PNU and ODM as enshrined in the National Peace Accord. But when contacted by The Standard on Thursday, the PS said he had not seen the letter from the PM’s office. "Why don’t you ask Muthaura’s office about that communication. I did not receive the letter. Maybe the letter was not sent to me," said Mr Thuita on the phone. ODM is said to be eyeing key diplomatic missions in the ongoing negotiations. The party also wants the appointments balanced between career diplomats and political appointees on a 50:50 basis "The balance should be achieved in the political appointments between ODM and PNU and be done with regard to the relative international significance of concerned stations," said the PM through his principal administrative secretary. Some of these are United Kingdom headed by Mr Joseph Muchemi, South Africa (Mr Thomas Omollo), United Arab Emirates (Mr Bishar Abdirahman Hussein) and Washington DC (Mr Peter Rateng Ogego) whose term ends next month. Kenya’s Ambassador to China Ruth Solitei is also expected to return after completing her tour of duty.

Ms Solitei ought to have returned last month but was asked to stay on until the end of the World Urban Forum, which was attended by a high powered Kenya delegation led by the PM. Although China is not among the stations ODM wants, there are reports that former Internal Security Minister Julius Sunkuli, an official of Kanu, a PNU affiliate, has allegedly received an appointment letter as the new ambassador to China. A PNU source, who did not wish to be named, accused ODM of targeting strategic missions. He named London as one of the important missions they would like to keep. Other missions targeted by ODM are Uganda (Mr Japheth Ratemo Getugi), Zambia (Mr Lazarus Amayo), Malaysia (Mr David Gachoki Njoka), Nigeria (Mr Daniel Mepukori Koikai) and positions of the deputy Permanent Representatives to Los Angeles and Unep. Kenya has 50 missions abroad, and the terms of 15 High Commissioners and ambassadors are said to have come to an end. But there were reports that the terms of the 15, including high profile missions like the US and UK, have been extended. The Foreign Affairs PS said ambassadors and High Commissioners serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority — the President. "I have seen situations where ambassadors serve for more than 10 years. Former Tanzania High Commissioner Sarakikya was here for several years. Why is our situation so unique?" asked Thuita. But the PM’s office insists that diplomats who have completed their tour of duty, or have previously served be recalled to allow injection of fresh talent and political appointees have minimum academic qualifications and experience to serve as ambassadors. The negotiations to balance the appointments to "represent the face of Kenya" has been in the works for more than three months now between Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula, Mr Muthaura, Thuita and Mr Omondi. But Thuita denied ever attending such meetings. Apart from positions of high commissioners and ambassadors, ODM had also identified individuals to take the positions of Foreign Service officers and secretaries, especially in the ministries of Lands, Youth Affairs, Tourism, Labour, Information and Communication, Water and Energy. During the talks between President Kibaki and Raila on the formation of the coalition Government, ODM had demanded that the structure and organisation be agreed upon even as negotiations on the Cabinet went on. - The Standard.

"ONE FOR THE ROAD TURNS OUT TO BE ONE FOR THE FLOOR"

Over 1,000 Kenyans attended Obama victory celebrations in London on Saturday 8th November, 2008. From left is Ms Wanjiru a banker in London, Mrs. Cecilia Muchemi and far right is Catherine Muigai Mwangi, Kenya's ambassador in the Republic of Ireland. Before half way the celebrations several  Kenyans as usual with free beer - were stung by the bee and instead of taking "one for the road" they took "one for the floor". - CLICK FOR FOR ALL THE PHOTOS

Germany has entered a recession after government figures showed that Europe's largest economy contracted by 0.5% in the third quarter. This is the second consecutive quarter that the economy has shrunk after a 0.4% contraction in the second quarter. The fall in economic output, driven by falls in exports, was greater than many analysts had expected. Rich countries' think tank the OECD has also forecast a fall in Euro-area economic activity of 0.5% next year. "A negative effect on gross domestic product came from foreign trade, with a strong increase in imports and weakening exports," the Federal Statistics Office said. The last time that the German economy was in recession was the first half of 2003. "This confirms the German economy is in a marked slump," said Klaus Schruefer at SEB. "We will definitely get a further contraction in the fourth quarter, probably of a similar order," he added. That pessimistic outlook was echoed by Sebastian Wanke at Dekabank: "There won't be an improvement in the fourth quarter. The situation will only get worse." Such gloomy predictions are based on the glut of recent indicators showing a slowdown in the German economy. Orders for goods produced by the world's largest exporter fell 8% between August and September, according to the economy ministry in Berlin. Orders from outside Europe fell 11.4%, while domestic orders dropped 4.3%. BBC Berlin correspondent Steve Rosenberg said: "Even if you make the best cars and the best machine tools in the world, if there's a global recession, customers can't afford them." Last week, official figures also showed that German industrial output fell 3.6% in September compared with August. "Anecdotal evidence and leading indicators are scary," said Carsten Brzeski at ING Financial Markets. The European Central Bank also released its quarterly survey of forecasters on Thursday. It showed a cut in the average 2009 growth outlook to just 0.3%, from the 1.3% forecast in the last survey released in August. "In the view of the governing council, a number of the downside risks to economic activity identified earlier have materialised," said the report. The Paris-based OECD, which represents the interests of 30 developed economies, also forecast a fall in economic activity in the US of 0.9% next year, with Japan contracting by 0.1%. More startling, it expects the US economy to contract by 2.8% in the fourth quarter of this year. The Dax index of leading German shares gained 0.6%, closing at 4,649.52, despite confirmation that Europe's biggest economy is officially in recession. The Cac-40 in France was also up 0.65%. The reaction of European markets was encouraging, given the heavy falls in Asian markets overnight. The Nikkei index in Japan closed down 5.3%, while markets in South Korea, Hong Kong and Australia all fell between 3% and 6%. The falls were triggered by a sharp drop in the Dow Jones index of 4.7%, following the US Treasury's announcement on Wednesday that it would be focusing on taking stakes in banks rather than buying up their toxic debt.

LEFT: The Daily Telegraph bears the official portrait of Prince Charles, who celebrates his 60th birthday today. Its lead story is the glut of unsold cars in Britain which is presenting potential buyers with the best deals they have seen in years. CENTRE: The Daily Express says that almost 11,000 jobs were lost in a matter of hours yesterday after BT announced 10,000 redundancies, while British Leyland and Friends Provident also wielded the axe. The paper predicts that two million Britons could be out of work by Christmas. RIGHT: The Scotsman says the first wave of mass job cuts has hit Scotland after the Royal Bank of Scotland announced 3,000 redundancies worldwide. The job losses equate to 15% of the bank's global banking and markets workforce - but the initial cull is not expected to affect staff in Scotland.

London, Friday 14th November, 2008. British  Telecom axed 10,000 jobs and more than 1,000 City bankers were facing unemployment tonight as the full impact of the economic downturn took hold. The communications firm will get rid of 7,000 workers in Britain and another 3,000 across the world, with analysts warning that more will follow throughout the economy. Meanwhile, Royal Bank of Scotland and Morgan Stanley are cutting about 750 and 250 investment banking jobs respectively in the latest round of City redundancies. RBS, owner of NatWest, is cutting 15 per cent of its 20,000-strong global banking and markets division in the next few days while Morgan Stanley is moving to cut 10 per cent of its worldwide investment banking workforce. The dramatic scale of the BT cuts — mostly among agency and contract workers — came in a week which has already seen 5,000 jobs go in big businesses. Hi-tech industries have taken the brunt of the downturn, with Virgin Media, Yell and Vodafone all shedding jobs this week. Analysts said today that mass unemployment is now a serious threat to the economy, with the total number of jobless increasing rapidly.  According to some predictions as many as three million could be out of work by next year. Dr Gerard Lyons, chief economist and head of global research at Standard Chartered bank, said: “Clearly there will be more job losses to come. Our guestimate is that unemployment will rise to about 2.5 million.  “If you're running a company and you've got reduced sales, tighter cashflow and you're pessimistic about the future, of course you are going to shed staff.” The BT move follows an unexpected profits warning last month and yesterday's news that unemployment in Britain had risen to its highest level for 11 years with 1.83 million people out of work. BT said it had already cut 4,000 jobs since April and the remaining 6,000 posts would go by March.  It has a global staff of 160,000 and expects to make most of the cuts in its direct workforce by not replacing staff who leave. Chief executive Ian Livingston said the cuts were part of an ongoing efficiency programme. He said: “This reflects the fact that our prices have been falling every year for several years. But we also anticipated reasonably early on that economic conditions were worsening.” The cuts precede talks between Gordon Brown and world leaders in New York this weekend over the global economy. A spokesman for RBS said the scale of its cuts has not been finalised: “We constantly review our operating model to make sure that it is appropriate to the market condition and take action accordingly.” It is understood that redundancies at RBS are likely to happen within the next four weeks. American banking giant Morgan Stanley said: “The firm is resizing its cost base and headcount to match current opportunities in the marketplace.” An estimated 6,000 people work for Morgan Stanley in London, of which about half are thought to be in investment banking.

The not-so-secret code names used by the US Secret Service for the president-elect and his family have been published. Barack Obama is called Renegade, while his wife Michelle is Renaissance, and their daughters Rosebud and Radiance. They will replace Trailblazer (President George W Bush) and his wife Tempo in the White House on 20 January. The names are chosen to be easily pronounced and understood when agents use radio communications. A list of names starting with R was drawn up by the White House Communications Agency, a branch of the military that serves the White House and Secret Service. When 19-year-old Karenna Gore's father became vice-president in 1993 she had to choose her own name. In 1997, she wrote: "Ever since four years ago, when I was put on the spot and told 'two syllables' and 'It has to start with an s,' I have been cringing in the back seat when identified as 'Smurfette'." Al Gore frequently told people his code name was Al Gore because he was so boring. However, the Washington Post reported that he was initially called Sawhorse but eventually became Sundance for unknown reasons. Vice-President-elect Joe Biden is known as Celtic. The outgoing president retains his code name as he and his family will continue to have Secret Service protection. "There's nothing top secret about them," Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren told Associated Press. "It has no operational security significance any more because of encrypted communication capabilities." The code names have "nothing to do with security" and more to do with ease in radio communication for those agents whispering into microphones up their sleeves. The defeated Republican presidential candidate John McCain, a senator from Arizona, is Phoenix, while his wife Cindy is Parasol. His running mate, Sarah Palin, was Denali - the name of national park in her home state of Alaska, and the natural gas pipeline project there. Her husband, Todd, the North Slope oil worker, was Driller. Previous code names have included: Passkey for President Gerald Ford; Rawhide for President Ronald Reagan; Deacon for President Jimmy Carter; and Angler for Vice-President Dick Cheney.

An HIV-positive man has been left free of the infection, almost two years after undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Doctors in Germany made the breakthrough when they carried out the transplant on an American patient living in Berlin who was also suffering from leukaemia. To treat the man's leukaemia, his cancer-stricken cells were replaced by healthy stem cells from a donor who had a natural genetic resistance to the Aids virus. Doctors Gero Hutter and Thomas Schneider of the Berlin Charite hospital explained their team had sought out a donor with the genetic mutation that is known to help the body resist the Aids virus. The mutation affects a receptor, a cellular doorway - CCR5 - which the Aids virus uses to get into the cells it infects. The CCR5 mutation is found in about 3% of Europeans. "This success has great potential," Sky News' health correspondent Thomas Moore said.  "People with the CCR5 mutation have a natural ability to prevent the virus from infecting healthy cells." Dr Hutter's team said although they had found no trace of the virus in the 42-year-old patient it did not mean it was not there. "We performed all tests, not only with blood but also with other reservoirs," Dr Schneider said, adding: "But we cannot exclude the possibility that it's still there." However, the scientists stressed the dangerous procedure would never become a standard treatment for HIV. The patient first has to have his or her own bone marrow completely destroyed before a transplant can be performed. At this stage, patients risk death from even the most minor infections because they have no immune system until the stem cells are able to grow and replicate. HIV has no cure but cocktails of drugs can keep the virus suppressed, sometimes to undetectable levels. Research shows the virus never disappears but lurks in so-called reservoirs throughout the body

Bone Transplant Offers Aids Hope

The pound has continued to fall against the dollar, hitting its lowest rate in six and a half years against the US currency on fears of a deep recession. It follows comments from the Bank of England on Wednesday that the UK economy had worsened and that it would cut interest rates again if necessary. Sterling fell to $1.467 - its weakest level since 2002. The pound has lost more than a quarter of its value against the dollar since July, when it was worth more than $2.

The Royal Navy has repelled a pirate attack on a Danish cargo-ship off the coast of Yemen, shooting dead two men believed to be Somali pirates. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed the incident took place on Tuesday, when HMS Cumberland crew members tried to board a traditional wooden dhow. The Yemeni-flagged vessel was identified as having been involved in an earlier attack on the Danish ship An MoD spokesman said the pirates were shot in self-defence. After initial attempts to stop the dhow failed, the Royal Navy launched sea boats to encircle the vessel. The British seamen were fired on and shot back before the dhow was boarded and its crew surrendered. An MoD Spokesman said: "Two foreign nationals, believed to be Somali pirates, were shot and killed in self-defence. "A Yemeni national was also found injured and later died, despite receiving emergency treatment from the ship's doctor. It is unclear whether his injuries were as a result of the fire-fight or a previous incident involving the pirates." A post-shooting investigation is being carried out, the spokesman added.

Envoy backs tax for MPs

In Summary

• German Ambassador says it is wrong for MPs to refuse to pay taxes.
• Kenyan MPs were among the highest paid in the world.
•  

Wannabe record breakers puckered up, cooked up and stripped off across the globe Thursday to celebrate a day of mass attempts to break world records. Superheroes got their kit on while others were taking it off to stand around in their underpants as more than 50 different record attempts were being made across 15 countries. The antics were all in the name of the fourth annual Guinness World Records Day, with hopefuls trying to secure a place in the next edition of the famous book of records. "We are very happy to see that people are still passionate and eager to achieve their goals in the midst of the global market turmoil," said Guinness book editor-in-chief Craig Glenday. In London, the record for the largest gathering of people wearing underpants or knickers was set at St. Pancras station Thursday with 116 people stripping off to give commuters a bit of a shock. A record was achieved in Camden for the longest line of pizzas, with a 285.5-metre long line, while the record for the largest number of people arm wrestling was to be challenged by City Hall. British topless model Ruth Reynolds set a new kissing record on Wednesday, but then was topped by French student Valentin Pasquier who managed 94 kisses in a minute.

This albino grave was sealed to stop people digging up the body. Police in southern Tanzania say they have arrested a man accused of attempting to sell his albino wife. The man was allegedly planning to sell his wife to two Congolese businessmen for around $3,000. Albinos have been living in fear in Tanzania after a series of killings due to a belief their body parts can make magic potions more effective. At least 27 people with albinism have been killed since March, including a seven-month old baby. President Jakaya Kikwete ordered a police crackdown on those involved in the killings, and 170 witchdoctors have since been arrested. But BBC investigations suggest that some police are being "bought off" in order to look away when such crimes are committed.

Park project: up to 2,700 workers are on the site with the number expected to rise to 9,000 by 2010. Promises of a "skills legacy" from the London Olympics were in doubt today as it emerged that 20,000 migrant workers had registered for jobs in the main 2012 borough in the past year. The surge in new National Insurance numbers in Newham has prompted concerns over pledges to provide thousands of skilled construction jobs to the local community. About 2,700 workers are on the Olympics site, rising to 9,000 by 2010. Estimates of the number of migrant workers on the site - mostly from Poland and Baltic states within the European Union - range from 10 to 70 per cent. According to the Olympic Delivery Authority's last month employment figures for the Olympic Park, 58 per cent of the 2,700 workforce were resident in London and 24 per cent from the East End. However, the figures do not indicate the worker's nationality - or how long they have lived in Britain. Labour MP Frank Field, who published the National Insurance figures, said: "If I was the Olympics minister I would be getting concerned. It is totally lawful but British taxpayers and lottery players are paying for jobs for foreign workers and it is not what we signed up for." The ODA has promised a skills legacy for east London and is in the forefront of the Government's agenda under which Gordon Brown promised "British jobs for British workers".

Nairobi, Friday 14th November, 2008. Eight suspected gangsters have been shot dead by police in separate incidents around the city. Three of them, who were suspected of having stolen a car, were gunned down near Huruma Flats, off Juja Road, at about 11.30pm on Wednesday night. A revolver was recovered from them. Kasarani police boss Jasper Omabti said they received a report that the suspects were driving along Juja Road in a vehicle said to have been stolen. Police on patrol pursued the vehicle, but the suspects sped off and headed towards Huruma Flats while shooting at the officers. In the second incident on the same night, two were shot on Naivasha Road in Kawangware Estate during a botched carjacking of a Citi Hoppa bus.  The two were part of a gang of five that had boarded the bus in the city centre posing as passengers but turned out to be gangsters and started robbing commuters. The five are said to have commandeered the bus but the driver of another bus who noticed the commotion alerted police at a roadblock. Gigiri police boss David Kerina said officers flagged down the bus near Mau Mau bridge and shot two of the suspects dead as they attempted to escape. Three others escaped with injuries. Police recovered mobile phones and handbags that had been robbed from the passengers. The bus was allowed to proceed to its destination. In Kibera, three suspected muggers were shot after they were found robbing pedestrians along Karanja Road at about 10pm. In Kitengela, residents of New Valley area lynched a man they said was part of a gang that had been terrorising them. The man was cornered at midnight on Wednesday as he tried to break into a house.  Occupants raised the alarm and neighbours who responded beat him to death and set his body ablaze. His accomplice escaped in the night. Elsewhere, police on Wednesday night recovered a vehicle belonging to musician Jackson Makini Ngechi aka CMB Prezzo, which had been carjacked the previous night. It was found abandoned in Buru Buru Estate. - Daily Nation.

The Cabinet skipped discussions on the Waki report on Thursday, fuelling speculation that the coalition Government was still split over the issue. It also failed to discuss recommendations from a committee set up to look into the Kriegler report, which suggested, among other things, disbanding or reforming the Electoral Commission of Kenya. The committee proposed changing the Constitution to replace the ECK with a lean five-member professional interim body in line with Kriegler’s recommendations. Delay in beginning to implement the Waki report puts the Government in a dilemma, with the prospect of the International Criminal Court at The Hague taking over the prosecutions of suspects increasing by the day. The Waki Commission gave a strict timetable of 135 days to start implementing its report by creating an international tribunal to investigate then try suspects locally. Failure to meet that timetable means the ICC will step in and take over the work.

Formation of a homegrown special tribunal became imminent ahead of Thursday’s Cabinet meeting to be chaired by President Kibaki at State House, Nairobi, from 10am. The Cabinet meeting comes hours after Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga held closed door consultations with security chiefs — Commissioner of Police Maj-Gen Hussein Ali and Chief of General Staff Gen Jeremiah Kianga — in what appeared to be an effort to try to get a middle ground on the thorny Waki Report. Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, Defence Minister Yusuf Haji and the Attorney-General Amos Wako also attended the four-hour meeting held at the President’s Harambee House office, Nairobi, on Wednesday. The Director of Presidential Press Service Isaiya Kabira said the meeting was a Cabinet committee on security.  "It was a routine meeting chaired by the President," he said. Kabira, however, confirmed that Thursday’s Cabinet meeting would start from 10am. He declined to confirm whether the Waki Report would be on the agenda of the State House meeting. It also emerged last evening that a Cabinet paper had been prepared detailing how to implement the Waki Report that has caused panic among the political and business elite since its release last month. The paper is expected to be tabled before the Cabinet on Thursday morning and would form the basis for discussions. Details of the contents remained scanty but sources said it had, among other things, suggested the formation of a local tribunal to try poll violence suspects. Debate has been raging on whether to try the suspects locally or abroad, but consensus appears to be building on the setting up of a special tribunal. President Kibaki had upon receiving the Waki Report ordered it be made public and promised to have it discussed by the Cabinet. The Cabinet has been divided down the middle, with ministers taking different positions on the implementation of the report. The Government has up to February 28 to form a tribunal to try the suspects of the post-election violence. There were fears that establishing the tribunal to meet deadlines set by the Waki Report may be a tall order as Parliament is set to go on recess on December 7 before it can put in place the requisite legislation to pave way for the setting up of the tribunal. Chief Whip, Jakoyo Midiwo, who is also the Gem MP said: "We are suggesting a recess date of December 7. There is no need to stay here until December 18 as proposed by some MPs. There is panic among members who may want to fast track the process." Sources also hinted to The Standard that a group of ODM MPs are pushing for a special tribunal, including an option for a presidential clemency. Already, a section of ministers have started pushing for the tribunal to be constituted as a better option compared to being taken to the ICC at The Hague, Netherlands. Among those who backed the tribunal are Kalonzo and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta. But even as President Kibaki met the team, pressure continued to mount from civil societies and religious leaders to have the Waki Report implemented in toto. Top clergy meeting under the aegis of the Inter-Religious Forum urged Kibaki and Raila to take charge of the implementation of both Waki and Kriegler reports.

They called upon Parliament to move fast and pass the necessary laws to facilitate the implementation of the two reports. "We call upon President Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila to be courageous and give leadership in the comprehensive implementation of the two reports," they said in a statement at Ufungamano House, Nairobi. Saying that the Waki Report had its time frame for implementation, the leaders said they would support the handing over of the envelope containing names of perpetrators of the violence if Parliament fails to pass laws establishing the special tribunal. The forum brings together the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem), National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), PCEA, Hindu Council of Kenya and the Seventh Day Adventist, among others. When contacted, John Cardinal Njue, who was represented at the forum by Fr Vincent Wambugu of Catholic Secretariat, said he was in agreement with the statement released at the forum. The leaders who read the statement in turns included Supkem chairman Prof Abdul afar El Busily, NCCK secretary-general Rev Peter Karanja, immediate former Hindu Council of Kenya chairman Rashmin Chitnis, and PCEA moderator Rev Dr David Githii, among others. Meanwhile, the ODM-Kenya Parliamentary Group joined other political parties in calling for the setting up of a special tribunal to try those implicated in the post-election violence. "We need local solutions for local problems. We have the capacity to deal with the issue," said Party Whip and Kibwezi MP Prof Philip Kaloki. Addressing a press conference at Parliament buildings on Wednesday, the MPs however, said there was need to implement the Waki Report through a special tribunal. Kalonzo did not attend the media briefing of the PG, but was said to have endorsed the resolutions. The Waki commission recommended the setting up of a tribunal comprising of Kenyan and international members to try the perpetrators of the violence. Names of the suspects were not made public but were handed over in a sealed envelope to former United Nations chief Kofi Annan. Waki recommended a tribunal be formed within 60 days to try the perpetrators. If the tribunal would not have been formed by then, the report recommends that the names of those in the list be forwarded to the International Criminal court in The Hague. The International Centre for Policy and Conflict’s director Ndungu Wainana said a special tribunal and formation of a credible and effective Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) were vital. Meanwhile, former Cabinet minister Njenga Karume on Wednesday added his voice to demands for full implementation of the Waki Report. Karume said he was ready to appear before any commission if he was among those implicated.n "I am ready to appear before anybody to clear my name if I am there. Let all leaders accept a tribunal to sort this matter out once and for all," Karume told The Standard on Wednesday outside Parliament buildings soon after visiting the more than 500 IDPs camping there.  - The Standard.

LEFT: The Daily Telegraph leads with the Bank of England's warning that Britain faces a "white-collar recession", with the middle classes hit by falling living standards and unemployment as the economy suffers its worst year since 1980. It also carries a picture of Tippi Degré, a girl whose nomadic existence in Africa makes her a "real-life Mowgli". CENTRE: The Guardian says the City is bracing itself for the base rate of interest to be cut to 1% in the new year, after Bank of England Governor Mervyn King warned yesterday of a deep recession. The newspaper also expects the Government to renew a Post Office contract to deliver benefit payments to more than 4.3 million claimants - thereby saving thousands of branches from closure. RIGHT: The Daily Express carries the allegations against Karen Matthews as its lead, and also features a piece on why the Queen is so proud of Prince Charles, who is celebrating his 60th birthday.

Philip Warutere, Lydia Warutere of (Hayes) and Michelle (Mama-Josh) of (Oxford) are deeply sad to announce the death of their father Mr. Joseph King'e Githiko in Kenya on the 10th. November 2008.  Friends and family are meeting every evening for funeral arrangement from 7.00 pm at 116 High Street Hayes - UB3 5AD. You can send your condolences on- 0788201516,  07949360730 or 07903761571.

If Waki Commission Report is not implemented, a much worse election violence situation will be witnessed in 2012. Mark your dairies. If implemented those committing violence will always be aware that they have no place to hide in their own country or elsewhere. Rwanda is a good example.

Applicants who wish to submit their applications for leave to remain in the UK on marriage/or other categories from abroad should seek legal advice before departing from the UK if their immigration history would affect the success of their applications. Many people left the UK to submit such applications from abroad before the October deadline. However they failed to seek legal advice before departing on whether or not their immigration history would affect their application in line with the new immigration rules for entry clearance to the UK . One of the key issues that applicants must take into account when seeking to travel abroad to submit their applications is their past immigration history as this will play a vital role in the decision of the entry clearance officer. This is because, although  applicants were given a duration of time to travel abroad and submit their applications, the rules only allowed people to submit the applications but did not specify whether or not the applications will be successful or not. In the circumstances, those who have been overstayers in the UK have found themselves in a dilemma as their applications for entry clearance have been refused on the basis of their immigration history in UK . Thus before making arrangements to travel, seek legal advice.

Democratic Presidential Nominee, Barack Obama and his family on election night in Chicago, IL on Wednesday, November 5, 2008.  - CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

MINISTER OTIENO KAJWANG STRUCK OFF THE ROLL OF ADVOCATES

Cabinet Minister Otieno Kajwang and East African Assembly MP Gervarse Akhabi have been struck off the roll of advocates. The Law Society of Kenya expelled the two and other 43 lawyers with disciplinary cases.  LSK published their names in the dailies on Tuesday. According to the notice, they are not allowed to engage in any legal practice. Mr Kajwang’ and his other colleagues can only be reinstated to the bar after they have served a minimum of five years and or through a High Court order.  The Minister had been struck off the Roll of Advocates in 2004 for issuing a bouncing cheque to a client and again in 2006, but was reinstated by a High Court order.  The list also contains 44 other advocates who have been suspended for periods ranging from six months to three years.  The suspended advocates can only be reinstated after they comply with the orders made by the Advocates Disciplinary Committee. The society had only published the names of errant lawyers in an internal gazette.  However, LSK decided to go public with names as a means of deterring any of the lawyers from practising in other towns illegally. - Daily Nation.

Keep your heart free from hate
your mind from worry
live simply, expect little,
give much, sing often,
pray always.
Fill your life with love.
scatter sunshine,
Forget self, think of others
Do as you would like to be done by others.

Mu’allim Yahya Ali Omar, Swahili Scholar  - Obituary

Sheikh Yahya Ali Omar [left] Swahili language scholar and renowned Assistant researcher at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London seen in conversation with the late BBC Swahili Service presenter Nasor Malik.

Mu’allim (“Teacher”) Yahya Ali Omar died on 11th of October aged 84 at his London home near Russell Square, and was buried on the 14th at the Garden of Peace cemetery in East London. Yahya was a familiar figure at SOAS, where for many years he came almost daily to read, talk with colleagues or have lunch at the student cafeteria until his very last days. He will be missed by many at SOAS, by the Swahili community in London, his friends around the world, and above all his family in Kenya, UK, USA and elsewhere. 

Mu’allim Yahya was indeed a teacher of the Swahili Islamic tradition, but also in a western, academic sense. He taught generations of students of Kenya, Britain and USA, and also worked with prominent linguists while at SOAS. He attended Koranic schools in Mombasa at the Anisa mosque and later attended Madrasa Ghazali Muslim School in the same town where he learned from famous religious scholars such as Sheikh al-Amin bin Ali Mazrui — the well known scholar of Islamic Religious Science, and former Chief Kadhi (Muslim judge) of Kenya. After completing his religious education in Mombasa, Yahya started teaching Arabic and the Qur’an at the Arab Boys Primary School in Mombasa. He then worked for the Islamic Foundation in Nairobi where he translated a book by Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi titled in Swahili –‘Mpango wa Maisha katika Uislamu’ (1076) – or The Islamic Way of Life, and edited the Swahili translation of the holy Qur’an done by Sheikh Abdalla Saleh Farsy before coming to work at SOAS in 1969 as a Swahili Assistant to Professor Wilfred Whitely. In the same period, he also worked for the Arab League branch in Nairobi as translator.

Yahya’s work was concerned with preserving Swahili language and literature with emphasis on the Islamic character of its people and culture. He contributed much to Swahili scholarship, and to defending the contested issue of Swahili identity. According to Bwantumu Swaleh, chair of the London based Waswahili Trust, Mu’allim Yahya, signed and presented a petition to the Robertson Commission appointed by the British Government in 1961 before Kenya’s independence. In his petition he demanded respect for Muslim minority rights, including the continuation of the Kadhi (Islamic) Courts, the preservation of Muslim educational Institutions, and protecting Swahili land rights and their cultural heritage after independence. Effectively, a guarantee was given in 1961 at the Lancaster House Agreement by the incoming Kenya Government to respect Muslim minority rights, but alas, according to Yahya, this was never fully implemented. 

          Many publications came out of his collaborations with Swahili scholars such as Jan Knappert, Joan Maw, Torben Anderson, PJL Frankl, and others from the USA, including Carol Eastman, Carol Scotton and Professor Swartz M.J. They and the entire Swahili academic community are indebted to Yahya’s insights, deep and wide ranging knowledge of his native Swahili language and culture; without him many books would not have been written. In his twilight years, Yahya’s played an indispensable role in transcribing the Swahili Manuscripts, a project based at SOAS (http://swahilimanuscripts.soas.ac.uk/), because he was one of the few people literate in the now defunct Arabic based Swahili script. Yahya published a heavily annotated book, Three Prose texts in the Swahili of Mombasa (Dietrich Reimaer Verlag, 1998), written in Kimvita, the Swahili dialect of his native Mombasa. These were written and broadcast earlier in the 1950s by the popular radio service in Mombasa at the time – Sauti ya Mvita (Voice of Mvita), and to which Mu’allim Yahya was also a regular contributor.

Mu’allim Yahya was humble, kind, friendly and hospitable to all those who sought to drink from his fountain of wisdom at his London flat, on the corridors and offices of SOAS or during Swahili cultural events. He lived a simple life, always caring for and supporting his extended family in Kenya. He often made use of my office hours during which I did my best to imbibe the vast knowledge of Swahili culture, history and folklore that he possessed. He also showed great interest in learning about other languages and cultures, in particular Swahili’s Bantu cousins. During our conversations, he rarely failed to question me about Gikuyu language equivalents of significant Swahili words, concepts, grammatical structures or cultural lexicon.  Other times I’d simply lend him an ear while he expounded on Islamic religious philosophy or Swahili cosmology; other times we simply listened to BBC Swahili service on my desktop.

Personally, I’ll greatly miss Mua’llim Yahya who was, to me, the epitome of a good Swahili man: humble, gentle, kind, spiritual, and with a sharp sense of humour. Mungu amlaze pema peponi. May he rest in peace.

By Dr. Chege Githiora, SOAS.

November 13, 2008: US President-elect Barack Obama spoke with President Kibaki on telephone on Tuesday, State House officials said, in what was seen by analysts as ground laying for future engagements by the two countries. Although the substance of the discussion between the two heads of state was not disclosed, Mr Isaiah Kabira, the head of  the Presidential Press Service told Business Daily the conversation lasted for 15 minutes. “Their discussion was on future engagements between Kenya and the US,” he said without giving details.  Mr Obama’s presidency seems certain to intensify US interest, in securing democratic reform in Kenya. The country has been at the centre of US efforts in fighting terrorism. In his campaign manifesto posted on his Website, www.barackobama.com, the President-elect cited fighting corruption in Kenya as one of the agenda in his administration’s foreign policy engagements.  Analysts have predicted that trade relations, better democracy and governance were likely to top the US agenda for Kenya as the Obama administration takes shape in January when he is inaugurated. Throughout the campaigns, the US President-elect has presented himself as a champion of democracy and human rights among developed and developing economies alike. Mr Obama, the son of a black Kenyan father and a white mother from US, marked a milestone in US history, capping the excitement his candidacy had generated around the world, most vividly in Kenya. President Kibaki is said to have extended an invitation to Mr Obama to visit Kenya.  Last Thursday President Kibaki set aside a public holiday to give Kenyans time to celebrate Mr Obama’s triumph. Industry players in various sectors of the economy hope the Obama presidency could change their fortunes in terms of trade and investments, given his roots in Kenya. Kenya’s bilateral ties with the US has been growing with statistics from the US Department of Commerce showing that the value of bilateral trade between the two countries hit the $910 million mark in 2007 compared to $706 million in 2001 in favour of the World’s biggest economy.

US President-elect Barack Obama and President Kibaki

Although it is one of the world’s largest oil producers, Nigeria’s oil income amounts to just 24p per person per day. One in five children dies before their fifth birthday. Many don’t have enough to eat and can’t get treatment when they are ill. Some 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive. Nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

Invitation to Family rebuild fundraising

Family Rebuild is holding a fundraising campaign this Saturday 15th November from 6.00pm at Memorial Baptist Church hall, 387-395 Barking Road, E13 in aid of the family rebuild program. This program addresses various issues touching the family ranging from relationships, education, parenting and individual counseling. Many thanks to all those who have supported us in the past, you have refreshed us and our prayer is that the Lord increases you abundantly.  You can participate in this fundraising from any corner of the world just by letting us know of your intentions via email, familyrebuild@yahoo.co.uk.

Those of you who are able to get to London on Saturday please feel very welcome. We are praying your family and for as many as will be partakers of this noble task. God bless you and see you on Saturday. Remember to watch family rebuild program on sky channel 593 every Thursday at 7.30pm. Courtesy of Pastor & Mrs Wangaruro being the host and also the management Committee.

BLACK HISTORY SEASON CELEBRATION 2008

OBAMA VICTORY CELEBRATION

CELEBRATE CHANGE FOR UNITY AND EQUALITY
SATURDAY 15th NOVEMBER 2008
TIME:12-8PM
 
VENUE: MAIN HALL, OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY, GIPSY LANE, HEADINGTON.OXFORD.0X3 0BP.
 
 

• TALKS REFLECTIONS AND ACTIONS
• WORLD MUISIC AND DANCE
• POETRY READINGS
• TRADITIONAL NATIONAL COSTUMES
• STALLS
• OPEN MIKES SESSION
• FOOD AND DRINKS

 
If you want to volunteer/contribute towards the event please call Junie 0845 8337159/ Jane: 07984267144:
Grace:07950655053

Marriage visa age to rise later this month

04 November 2008

The age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa will increase from 18 to 21 from the end of this month, the Government announced today. From 27 November both parties in a marriage will have to be 21 before a marriage visa can be issued. Raising the age is just one part of the Government's work to crackdown on forced marriage and on those who attempt to abuse the marriage visa route. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "It is important that we protect vulnerable young people and this measure will help avoid exploitation". The changes being made to the marriage visa route are part of a package of measures being brought in today to deliver the biggest shake-up to immigration and border security in 45 years. Also today, the Home Office helped businesses to prepare for the go-live of Tiers 2 and 5 of the points system on 27 November by publishing detailed guidance on the two tiers. Under these tiers - which cover skilled and temporary workers - employers will be held accountable for the workers they bring into the country, with a new sponsorship scheme holding businesses responsible for those they employ.
 

Mr Woolas said:

"The points system means only the migrants with the skills Britain needs can come - and no more. It is also flexible, allowing us to raise or lower the bar according to the needs of business and taking population trends into account. "Had the system been in place last year there would have been 12 per cent fewer people coming in to work through the equivalent work permit route."

Tier 2 of the points system will ensure that British jobseekers get the first shot at jobs and only those foreign workers we need will be able to come to the UK. Under this tier companies must pass the Resident Labour Market test by proving they cannot fill the post with a resident worker before they can bring in someone from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).

London, Wednesday 12th November, 2008. The Bank of England says the UK has probably entered a recession in the middle of 2008 and is likely to continue to contract well into 2009. In its quarterly inflation report, the Bank warns that the economic landscape has changed dramatically since August. It says that the UK economy could shrink by 2% over the next year, much worse than its previous forecast. Bank governor Mervyn King also said the Bank would be prepared to cut interest rates further if needed. "[It is] very difficult to know precisely how long we'll be in recession," Mr King said. "I think we probably are in recession now." The Bank now also expects inflation to decline to 1% by 2010, below its 2% target, in a dramatic change to its last forecast. This would mean that the Bank had scope for further rate cuts in order to maintain inflation at its target rate in two years' time. "This is a difficult and unprecedented time, but we will come through this," Governor Mervyn King said. "We will come out of recession and get back to a period of low and steady inflation and economic growth." His comments came after unemployment hit an 11-year high, while the pound fell further on international markets. The Bank of England's central projection is for the economy to contract sharply next year - although this may change if the government introduces further fiscal stimulus to the economy. Ross Walker of the Royal Bank of Scotland told the BBC that markets were surprised by how big a fall in inflation the Bank of England had projected, and said he now expected another rate cut in December of at least 0.5%. "Conditions are going to get worse before they get better," he added.

The governor said: "we have seen the biggest banking crisis since World War I", coupled with a dramatic fall in business and consumer confidence, and very sharp drops in commodity prices. Last week, the Bank of England cut UK rates from 4.5% to 3%, a much more dramatic reduction than had been expected. Mr King said that the Bank had acted to cut rates so sharply "because the facts had changed" and rejected criticism that it was caught unawares by the crisis. Markets are now expecting rates to go below 2% within a year, the lowest Bank of England interest rate since it was set up in 1694. And the governor admitted that Retail Price Index inflation, which includes housing costs, could actually become negative as interest rates fell. Prices are expected to fall largely thanks to the steep decline in oil prices. They have already fallen to below $60, a cut of more than half since their peak in the summer. Deputy governor Charles Bean said that the contraction in the UK economy would be broadly similar to the declines seen in Sweden, Finland and Norway in the 1990s, which were deep but relatively short-lived. He pointed out that the early moves to recapitalise the banking sector should help to limit the depth of the recession - in contrast to the situation in Japan, where a slow response from government extended the recession. He also said that the 20% decline in the value of sterling could help boost exports and pull the economy out of recession. The governor, however, pointed out that too great a fall in the pound could lead to further inflation in the future.

Governments around the world have pledged to spend billions to protect their financial systems and boost their economies since the credit crisis took hold. Mr King said that there was a stronger argument for fiscal stimulus than previously, because the banking crisis had meant that monetary policy was less likely to be effective. But he warned that any short-term fiscal stimulus had to be temporary and consistent with the long-term path of fiscal discipline. Otherwise, he warned, long-term interest rates would rise, undoing some of the effects of any economic boost. In the House of Commons, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that he had to employ "very special means to deal with special circumstances" and said that a worldwide fiscal stimulus was needed to counteract the slowdown. The government is expected to announce its new spending plans on 24 November in the Pre-Budget Report. Mr King said that a new international agreement on regulating the world financial system was important for a long-term resolution of the crisis. He said that he was hopeful that the meeting of world leaders in Washington at the weekend could make a useful start on a "process of reform" that would take some months. The governor said that the objective should be to ensure that countries which had capital surpluses, such as China, also had an obligation to take action to correct financial imbalances. And he added that this was exactly the problem that the economist John Maynard Keynes had identified when the system of international financial rules were set up in 1944 at Bretton Woods.

200,000 fewer jobs available for migrant workers under new rules in UK

11 November 2008

The number of jobs available to foreign workers through the shortage occupation route will be reduced, the Government announced today. The shortage occupation list sets out those jobs for which there are not enough resident workers, and will be used as part of the skilled worker tier (Tier 2) of the Australian-style points system, which will be launched on 27 November. Tier 2 of the points system will ensure that British jobseekers get the first shot at jobs and only those foreign workers we need will be able to come to the United Kingdom. Recent Government work to ensure British workers are skilled and competitive means that many of the previous gaps in the labour market have been filled. As a result, today's list is tighter than ever before and will see a reduction of more than 200,000 positions in occupations with shortages that need be filled by migrant workers. The number of positions available to migrants has been reduced from one million to just under 800,000, ensuring that only those foreign workers we need - and no more - can come here. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "The Australian-style points system is flexible, allowing us to raise or lower the bar according to the needs of business and taking population trends into account. "Had the points system been in place last year there would have been 12 per cent fewer people coming in to work through the equivalent work permit route. On top of this, the strict new shortage list means 200,000 fewer jobs are available via the shortage occupation route." Under Tier 2 companies must pass the Resident Labour Market test by proving they cannot fill the post with a resident worker before they can bring in someone from outside the EEA. If the job is on the shortage list the company will not need to pass the test. The Government publishes today's shortage occupation list following advice from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). Their recommended list has been adopted in full - with the addition of social workers, who will remain on the list while further evidence is considered by the MAC. Further Education Minister Sion Simon said: "This Government is making an unprecedented investment in skills and training to ensure that United Kingdom residents do not lose out to overseas workers or see jobs go abroad because of a lack of skills. "We have recently made a number of funding deals with employers, worth £630 million over three years, to give them greater access to flexible, bespoke training aimed at tackling skills shortages in their sectors. "The deals cover sectors such as catering, hospitality and construction."

To get in under Tier 2 skilled foreign workers must have:

• English language skills;
• prospective earnings of more than £24,000, or slightly less if they have a decent qualification - or an offer of a job on the shortage list;
• enough money to support themselves for the first month of their stay.
  

Employers will need to get a sponsor licence to enable them to bring migrant workers into the country from outside the European Economic Area. They will be checked out by the UK Border Agency and will sign up to certain duties. This means that Government will share the responsibility for migrant workers with those who benefit from them. The Home Office last week helped businesses to prepare for the changes by publishing detailed guidance on Tiers 2 and 5 (skilled workers and temporary workers respectively) of the system. The tough points system is just one part of the biggest shake up to immigration and border security in 45 years, along with the fingerprinting of anyone travelling to the UK on a visa and compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals.

New business and special visitor rules published today and going live on 27 November 2008

04 November 2008

On 28 October 2008, Phil Woolas, Minister of State for Borders and Immigration, announced the go live date for the new Business and Special Visitor route. Today we have published the Immigration Rules for Business and Special Visitors. From 27 November if you wish to come to the United Kingdom for a short time to conduct business or to take part in sporting or creative events you will need to come as a business, sports or entertainer visitor. If you are seeking entry as a child visitor, student visitor, parent of a child at school, marriage visitor, prospective student, visitor in transit or a visitor for private medical treatment, you will still need to apply in that category. This group of categories are collectively known as special visitors. If you would like to have further information on what you have to do to qualify to come as a visitor in one of these ways please see the business and special visitors section. Further guidance will be available shortly. We are reviewing the arrangements for general short term visits to the United Kingdom and expect to announce some changes in 2009. The current Rules will remain in place until then. So if you want to come here as a tourist or to visit family see the visitors section.

Evangelical pastors are helping to create a terrible new campaign of violence against young Nigerians
 

He opened his house to a few homeless waifs he came across, and now he tries his best to look after 131. 'The neighbours were not happy with me and tell me "you are supporting witches". This project was an accident, I saw children being abandoned and it was very worrying. I started with three children, then every day it increased up to 15, so we had to open this new place,' he says. 'For every maybe five children we see on the streets, we believe one has been killed, although it could be more as neighbours turn a blind eye when a witch child disappears. 'It is good we have this shelter, but it is under constant attack.' As he speaks two villagers walk past, at the end of the yard, pulling scarfs across their eyes to hide the 'witches' from their sight. Ikpe-Itauma's wife, Elizabeth, acts as nurse to the injured children and they have called this place the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network, a big name for a small refuge. It has found support from a charity running a school in the area, Stepping Stones Nigeria, which is trying to help with money to feed the children, but the numbers turning up here are a huge challenge.  Mary Sudnad, 10, grimaces as her hair is pulled into corn rows by Agnes, 11, but the scalp just above her forehead is bald and blistered. Mary tells her story fast, in staccato, staring fixedly at the ground. 'My youngest brother died. The pastor told my mother it was because I was a witch. Three men came to my house. I didn't know these men. My mother left the house. Left these men. They beat me.' She pushes her fists under her chin to show how her father lay, stretched out on his stomach on the floor of their hut, watching. After the beating there was a trip to the church for 'a deliverance'. A day later there was a walk in the bush with her mother. They picked poisonous 'asiri' berries that were made into a draught and forced down Mary's throat. If that didn't kill her, her mother warned her, then it would be a barbed-wire hanging. Finally her mother threw boiling water and caustic soda over her head and body, and her father dumped his screaming daughter in a field. Drifting in and out of consciousness, she stayed near the house for a long time before finally slinking off into the bush.Mary was seven. She says she still doesn't feel safe. She says: 'My mother doesn't love me.' And, finally, a tear streaks down her beautiful face. Gerry was picked out by a 'prophetess' at a prayer night and named as a witch. His mother cursed him, his father siphoned petrol from his motorbike tank and spat it over his eight-year-old face. Gerry's facial blistering is as visible as the trauma in his dull eyes. He asks every adult he sees if they will take him home to his parents: 'It's not them, it's the prophetess, I am scared of her.' Nwaeka is about 16. She sits by herself in the mud, her eyes rolling, scratching at her stick-thin arms. The other children are surprisingly patient with her. The wound on her head where a nail was driven in looks to be healing well. Nine- year-old Etido had nails, too, five of them across the crown of his downy head. Its hard to tell what damage has been done. Udo, now 12, was beaten and abandoned by his mother.

He nearly lost his arm after villagers, finding him foraging for food by the roadside, saw him as a witch and hacked at him with machetes. Magrose is seven. Her mother dug a pit in the wood and tried to bury her alive. Michael was found by a farmer clearing a ditch, starving and unable to stand on legs that had been flogged raw. Ekemini Abia has the look of someone in a deep state of shock. Both ankles are circled with gruesome wounds and she moves at a painful hobble. Named as a witch, her father and elders from the church tied her to a tree, the rope cutting her to the bone, and left the 13-year-old there alone for more than a week.  There are sibling groups such as Prince, four, and Rita, nine. Rita told her mum she had dreamt of a lovely party where there was lots to eat and to drink. The belief is that a witch flies away to the coven at night while the body sleeps, so Rita's sweet dream was proof enough: she was a witch and because she had shared food with her sibling - the way witchcraft is spread - both were abandoned. Victoria, cheeky and funny, aged four, and her seven-year-old sister Helen, a serene little girl. Left by their parents in the shell of an old shack, the girls didn't dare move from where they had been abandoned and ate leaves and grass. The youngest here is a baby. The older girls take it in turn to sling her on their skinny hips and Ikpe-Itauma has named her Amelia, after his grandmother. He estimates around 5,000 children have been abandoned in this area since 1998 and says many bodies have turned up in the rivers or in the forest. Many more are never found. 'The more children the pastor declares witches, the more famous he gets and the more money he can make,' he says. 'The parents are asked for so much money that they will pay in instalments or perhaps sell their property. This is not what churches should be doing.' Although old tribal beliefs in witch doctors are not so deeply buried in people's memories, and although there had been indigenous Christians in Nigeria since the 19th century, it is American and Scottish Pentecostal and evangelical missionaries of the past 50 years who have shaped these fanatical beliefs. Evil spirits, satanic possessions and miracles can be found aplenty in the Bible, references to killing witches turn up in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Galatians, and literal interpretation of scriptures is a popular crowd-pleaser.

Pastor Joe Ita is the preacher at Liberty Gospel Church in nearby Eket. 'We base our faith on the Bible, we are led by the holy spirit and we have a programme of exposing false religion and sorcery.' Soft of voice and in his smart suit and tie, his church is being painted and he apologises for having to sit outside near his shiny new Audi to talk. There are nearly 60 branches of Liberty Gospel across the Niger Delta. It was started by a local woman, mother-of-two Helen Ukpabio, whose luxurious house and expensive white Humvee are much admired in the city of Calabar where she now lives. Many people in this area credit the popular evangelical DVDs she produces and stars in with helping to spread the child witch belief. Ita denies charging for exorcisms but acknowledges his congregation is poor and has to work hard to scrape up the donations the church expects. 'To give more than you can afford is blessed. We are the only ones who really know the secrets of witches. Parents don't come here with the intention of abandoning their children, but when a child is a witch then you have to say "what is that there? Not your child." The parents come to us when they see manifestations. But the secret is that, even if you abandon your child, the curse is still upon you, even if you kill your child the curse stays. So you have to come here to be delivered afterwards as well,' he explains patiently. 'We know how they operate. A witch will put a spell on its mother's bra and the mother will get breast cancer. But we cannot attribute all things to witches, they work on inclinations too, so they don't create HIV, but if you are promiscuous then the witch will give you HIV.' As the light fades, he presents a pile of Ukpabio's DVDs. Mistakenly thinking they are a gift, I am firmly put right. Later that night, in another part of town, the hands of the clock edge towards midnight. The humidity of the day is sealed into the windowless church and drums pound along with the screeching of the sweat-drenched preacher. 'No witches, oh Lord,' he screams into the microphone. 'As this hour approaches, save us, oh Lord!'

His congregation is dancing, palms aloft, women writhe and yell in tongues. A group moves forward shepherding five children, one a baby, and kneel on the concrete floor and the pastor comes among them, pressing his hands down on each child's head in turn, as they try to hide in the skirts of the woman. This is deliverance night at the Church of the True Redeemer, and while the service will carry on for some hours, the main event - for which the parents will have paid cash - is over.  Walking out into the night, the drums and singing from other churches ring out as such scenes are being repeated across the village.  It is hard to find people to speak out against the brutality. Chief Victor Ikot is one. He not only speaks out against the 'tinpot' churches, but has also done the unthinkable and taken in a witch to his own home. The chief's niece, Mbet, was declared a witch when she was eight. Her mother, Ekaete, made her drink olive oil, then poison berries, then invited local men to beat her with sticks. The pastor padlocked her to a tree but unlocked her when her mother could not find the money for a deliverance. Mbet fled. Mbet, now 11, says she has not seen the woman since, adding: 'My mother is a wicked mother.'  The Observer tracked down Mbet's mother to her roadside clothing stall where she nervously fiddled with her mobile phone and told us how her daughter had given her what sounded very much like all the symptoms of malaria. 'I had internal heat,' she says, indicating her stomach. 'It was my daughter who had caused this, she drew all the water from my body. I could do nothing. She was stubborn, very stubborn.' And if her daughter had died in the bush? She shrugged: 'That is God's will. It is in God's hands.' Chief Victor has no time for his sister-in-law. 'Nowadays when a child becomes stubborn, then everyone calls them witches. But it is usually from the age of 10 down, I have never seen anyone try to throw a macho adult into the street. This child becomes a nuisance, so they give a dog a bad name and they can hang it. 'It is alarming because no household is untouched. But it is the greed of the pastors, driving around in Mercedes, that makes them choose the vulnerable.' In a nearby village The Observer came across five-year-old twins, Itohowo and Kufre. They are still hanging around close to their mother's shack, but are obviously malnourished and in filthy rags. Approaching the boys brings a crowd of villagers who stand around and shout: 'Take them away from us, they are witches.' 'Take them away before they kill us all.' 'Witches'. The woman who gave birth to these sorry scraps of humanity stands slightly apart from the crowd, arms crossed. Iambong Etim Otoyo has no intention of taking any responsibility for her sons. 'They are witches,' she says firmly and walks away. And by nightfall there are 133 children in the chicken coop concrete house at Esit Eket. - The Guardian

Nairobi, Wednesday 12th November, 2008The International Criminal Court has warned that if Kenya does not move fast to act on the Waki report, then it will take over the cases of the names contained in a secret envelope handed to Kofi Annan. Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said if Kenya failed to try the suspects of post-election violence, then the court will move in to start investigations and prosecute those involved. He said Kenya had no option but to form a tribunal to investigate and prosecute suspects in the Waki secret envelope handed over to Mr Annan, the former UN secretary-general who was chief mediator in the talks that led to the coalition government. Mr Moreno-Ocampo told nominated MP Musa Sirma during a meeting of Parliamentarians for Global Action in the Dominican Republic last week that the ICC was watching what the Government will do. Mr Sirma divulged the candid and yet stern message to powerful individuals in Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement as well as President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity, which threw them into a panic kicking off a flurry of consultations. The panic has led to a change of mind and even strategies on how to implement the Waki report that gives strict timelines. However, some ODM MPs who are incensed by the decision of the party’s National Executive Committee to overrule the MPs, plan to hold another Parliamentary Group meeting this week to reaffirm their earlier decision.

The recession took a firm grip on Britain last night as well over 4,000 jobs were slashed in a day, fuelling fears that the total will be more than two million by early next year. With figures today expected to show the highest number of people out of work since 1998, a roll call of household names in the pharmaceutical, technology and media sectors announced swingeing cuts. The figures heightened fears that employment in all sectors of the economy will be hit. Until now, the bulk of job losses have been among manufacturers, house builders, hotels and restaurants and financial services. The grim outlook emerged as Gordon Brown again called on other countries to follow Britain, China and Germany in giving boosts through tax cuts or spending increases to their economies. However, opposition parties seized on an admission from the Employment Minister, Tony McNulty, that there would have to be tax rises to compensate “in the long term”.

Dear Kenyans, I am grateful for your unwavering support during my entire presidential campaigns, which reached its peak with my victory. During the campaigns, I consistently and fondly spoke of my Kenyan roots. I am an American citizen and, on January 20, 2009, I will be America’s 44th president. As a son of a Kenyan father, I know that Section 90 of your constitution bestows upon me automatic citizenship. In the fullness of time, who knows, Michelle and I may decide to come and retire in the land of my father. CLICK HERE TO READ OBAMA'S FULL MESSAGE TO KENYANS

LEFT: The Guardian leads with the tragic case of Baby P, a 17-month-old boy who died after suffering more than 50 injuries at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend and another man. The case has lead to an urgent review of child protection procedures.CENTRE: The Daily Mail has an interview with Hannah Jones, the brave 13-year-old leukaemia sufferer who has made the decision not to have a potentially life-saving heart transplant as she wants to spend her days at home, even if it means her life may be shorter. RIGHT: The Times also looks at the Baby P case, and has a picture of Barack Obama embracing Iraq war veteran Major Tammy Duckworth - mentioned as a possible successor to Mr Obama as Senator for Illinois.

In freezing temperatures 13 teams from across Newham and a couple of visiting teams including a newly formed Kenyan Team, captained by Duncan G. Ngari of Barking, competed in the first Swift Centre Football Festival 2008 at the astro-turf pitches at Brampton Manor School, East Ham, London, on Saturday, 1st November 2008. The teams had a total of 118 participants in the competition that required teams to be mixed in terms of age and gender, every team had to have a player over 40 or under 14 and a female player. The games were 5-a-side with squads ranging in size from five to nine. The aim of the football festival was to raise funds for the Swift Centre Youth Club expedition to work with local communities in Kenya next year

Kamanu in a crucial defence-tackle during one of the football festival mini-leagues.  

The first round consisted of three mini-leagues. The top two teams and the two highest runners up progressed to the knockout round. The teams that progressed to the quarter finals were East Ham Elim, Acorn from Manor Park, Fast Birds (The Swift Team), Community Links (Hudson’s Project), Baptistas, Morden Youth, NRG from Manor Park and the ‘Steve York’ Team. East Ham Elim was the overall winner with Acorn runners-up. The numbers participating were good and the involvement of club members in the work was gratifying. The festival managed to raise over £1100. ''We will definitely consider making this an annual event and hope that the news of the success will spread by word of mouth'', the organisers said. The day was made possible by a Go For It grant from Newham Council. MORE    

Nairobi, Monday 10th November, 2008. Heavily armed bandits from the neighboring war-torn Somalia attacked Elwak town and hijacked two government vehicles belonging to the Ministries of Works, water and Irrigation and a local school. .Mandera central District Commissioner (DC) Ole Tutui, said the over twenty armed bandits attacked a lodge in Elwak town Sunday night and threw a missile bomb at government quarters but no injuries or deaths were reported during the attack, adding that they took away mobiles phones, unknown value of money and one computer from the locals.The administrator said the bandits also abducted two volunteers working in the town.He said the gunmen were using heavy machinegun together with a vehicle from where they sprayed the town with bullets.Confirming the attack, area OCPD Akello Odhiambo, said that a security personnel has been dispatched along the Kenya-Somalia border to control the attacks. On Saturday, the government said it will deploy more security officers, including the army, along the porous borders of Somalia to prevent foreign militia from crossing into the country and inciting clashes among clans in North Eastern province. Internal Security minister, Professor George Saitoti, said the security situation in Mandera, where 20 people had been killed due to clashes between two clans, was caused by individuals within the communities arming militia and then seeking support from the neighbouring war torn country. Speaking to members of the provincial security committee in Garisa, professor Saitoti, who was accompanied by Defence minister, Mr. Yussuf Haji, Northern Kenya minister, Mr. Mohamed Elmi, Deputy Speaker, Mr. Farah Maalim, and area Members of Parliament, defended the use of army in the security operation saying no country would allow foreigners to cross into its soil without taking firm action. He said the situation in Mandera was an old issue and was simmering after a peace agreement brokered in 2005 was ignored by the two clans. He said the government would involve area leaders in seeking solutions to security challenges in the area and appealed to them to assist the government in mopping up small arms and light weapons that cross through the borders and cause strife in the region. He announced that the government had purchased 300 land rovers for the provincial administration and the police and assured District Commissioners and police in the area that they would receive the vehicles to ease burden of travelling and coordinating security in their areas. Defence minister, Yussuf Haji, vowed that any army officer implicated in brutality or misconduct during operation in Mandera would face the court martial. He defended use of army saying their work was to ensure foreign militias operating in the country were driven back to their countries. Professor Saitoti said the government would soon do away with radios for security operations and embrace modern tools such as email, fax and satellite phones. He challenged local leaders to ensure every school going child enrolled for the free education, noting that education was one way of dealing with violence and communal strife. He added that underdevelopment and drought were other issues the government was addressing to deal with security situation in the province.

LEFT: The Guardian's top story looks at how Barack Obama may seek to reverse President Bush's rulings on stem cell research and oil drilling in wilderness areas as soon as possible. CENTRE: The Daily Express reports that a new cholesterol-lowering drug has proved so successful in trials that doctors want to see it fast-tracked on to the market. RIGHT: The Times' top story covers proposals to force council house tenants to face regular reviews of their housing situation - which will require them to have or be looking for a job.

The only survivor of a crashed Cessna 206 on Mount Kilimanjaro late last week has been identified and said to be in stable conditions in a Tanzanian hospital. Martin Lunani, 38, was flying four Italian tourists over the highest mountain in Africa when his six-seater hit the rugged Mawenzi Peak. But Kilimanjaro Regional Police Commander Lucas Ng'hoboko said that the pilot still had difficulties narrating how the incident occurred. Eyewitnesses told the police that it was cloudy when the light plane, registered with the Nairobi-based East African Air Charters, hit the mountain on Saturday around noon. The Mawenzi Peak, at 4,330 meters above sea level, is the third highest on Mount Kilimanjaro while Kibo at 5,895 meters is the highest peak. Saturday's crash was the fourth fatal aerial incident this year in the northern part of Tanzania. Crashes of two light planes and a helicopter in February, June and July combined to have claimed the lives of 11 other people. 

South African singing legend Miriam Makeba has died aged 76, after being taken ill in Italy. She had just taken part in a concert near the southern town of Caserta, the Ansa news agency reported. The concert was on behalf of Roberto Saviano, the author of an expose of the Camorra mafia whose life has subsequently been threatened. Ms Makeba appeared on Paul Simon's Graceland tour in 1987 and in 1992 had a leading role in the film Sarafina! Ansa said she died of a heart attack. Ms Makeba was born in Johannesburg on 4 March 1932 and was a leading symbol in the struggle against apartheid. Her singing career started in the 1950s as she mixed jazz with traditional South African songs. She came to international attention in 1959 during a tour of the United States with the South African group the Manhattan Brothers. She was forced into exile soon after when her passport was revoked after starring in an anti-apartheid documentary and did not return to her native country until Nelson Mandela was released from prison. Makeba was the first black African woman to win a Grammy Award, which she shared with Harry Belafonte in 1965. She was African music's first world star, says the BBC's Richard Hamilton, blending different styles long before the phrase "world music" was coined. After her divorce from fellow South African musician Hugh Masekela she married American civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael. It was while living in exile in the US that she released her most famous songs, Pata Pata and the Click Song. "You sing about those things that surround you," she said. "Our surrounding has always been that of suffering from apartheid and the racism that exists in our country. So our music has to be affected by all that." It was because of this dedication to her home continent that Miriam Makeba became known as Mama Africa.  - VIDEO

The late Mariam Makeba

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Hundreds of Kenyans living in the UK attended President Obama's victory celebrations in London on  Saturday 8th November, 2008 where the chief guests were Kenya's High Commissioner in the UK HE Joseph Muchemi and the Minister for Tourism Hon. Najib Balala, EGH, MP. Other dignitaries at the ceremony was Uganda's High Commissioner in the UK, Mrs. Cecilia Muchemi the wife of the High Commissioner and Catherine Muigai Mwangi, Kenya's Ambassador in the Republic of Ireland. The celebrations which took place at Cumberland Hotel in Central London was graced with free drinks and snacks and crowning it all with a dance. The DJ was good and he mixed both gospel, leggie and traditional music. The hall was fully packed and as usual there was enough room for everyone because  almost half of the guests arrived after the function was over. The minister was invited to address the guests by the High Commissioner HE Joseph Muchemi. While addressing the guests Minister Balala explained that all Kenyans are excited by Obama's election in USA. "Obama is a symbol of unity and equality irrespective of Kenya. Obama has now united the Kenyans and people all over the world. Obama is unique because he is first generation of the Kenyans abroad. He explained that one-third of Obama's book talks about Kenya and that is why we are celebrating Obama's roots. Obama's election in US will bring alot of good things to Kenya including tourism. He has now fulfilled Martin Luther's dream. He is building the bridges." Minister Balala explained. He took time to introduce a Kenyan lady Miss Marianne Alapini a councilor in Chelsea and Kensington now going for Woking Parliamentary Seat on a Labour ticket. The ministry of tourism gave badges to all the guests which was written "Kenya...Proudly Obama's Roots". As all the communities have got their own characteristics - with free beer at hand several guests were down by the time Mr. Seed left the venue. Other celebrations are scheduled in the UK. Obama's celebrations event will take place on Saturday 15th November, 2008 in Oxford at Brookes University main hall, Gipsy Lane, Oxford as from 12.00 noon to 9.00 p.m. Contact 07931238746. More celebrations was done in Bristol on Sunday 9th November, 2008 at Ceed Hall in Bristol. - CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

LEFT: Minister Najib Balala addressing the guest during Obama's celebrations in London - from left to right - Mrs. Cecilia Muchemi, Uganda High Commissioner, Kenya's High Commissioner HE Joseph Muchemi and Catherine Muigai Mwangi (red) Kenya's Ambassador in the Republic of Ireland. RIGHT PHOTO: Everyone for himself but God for us all as everyone takes to the floor for a dance. Minister Balala (in white shirt) can be seen on the right hand side while the High Commissioner is on right hand right a red tie. Ireland's ambassador in Red.

Pastor Francis Irungu and his wife Mrs. Beth Irungu if Victory Revival Christian Church in Oxford, UK has lost their mother back in Kenya on Saturday 8th November, 2008 at Kenyatta National Hospital. You can send your condolences on 07830200041 or 07876021557.

The ministry of tourism was giving out Obama's badgets and old and young joined the celebrations. - MORE FOR VIDEO

A Kenyan lady in the London is going for councillor seat. The idea has been on her mind for sometime but it has been triggered by Obama's speech that "YES, WE CAN". Who is this lady? Full story coming soon. Keep surfing.

Forget Diet Coke - Jason Morgan had to go on a Coke diet. The lorry driver lost 54kg (eight-and-a-half stone) after quitting his 10litre-a-day Coke habit. The 32-year-old had ballooned to nearly 150kg (24st) after swigging the equivalent of 30 cans of Coca-Cola a day. He even used to wash down his daily fried breakfast with a large glass of the sugary drink. But after seeing himself in a video, the Coke addict was so ashamed he went on a diet and lost a third of his body weight in just eight months. 'I loved my Coke - to me it was as addictive as any drug. Then I watched my brother renewing his wedding vows on video and was shocked to see myself,' he said. 'My life has changed completely now. I wear new clothes and I'm fitter than ever.' Mr Morgan, of Neath, South Wales, joined Weightwatchers and ditched Coke for flavoured water to fight the flab. 'Jason is a truly inspirational role model for anyone hoping to lose weight,' said a Weightwatchers spokesman.

Kenya's participants to the World Travel Market which begins on Monday 10th in the United Kingdom began arriving in London Saturday in preparation for the event. This year, 45 Kenyan institutions (up from 40 last year) are participating in the WTM which is one of the most successful businesses exhibitions worldwide for the tourism industry. Their aim is to entrench their presence in UK which is the leading tourist source market for Kenya accounting for 20% of the total international arrivals. The WTM is an annual event where the global travel industry meet, network, negotiate, conduct business and get updated with the latest developments in the travel trade. Kenya participants include hotels, resorts and lodges, tour and travel operators and government institutions; the Kenya Tourism Board and the Kenya Wildlife Service. The rising number of Kenya tourism industry participants is driven by the need to recover from the post-election slump as well as keep pace with the changing consumer attitudes that emphasize value for money rather than price incentives. "This has made it necessary for the industry to seek interaction with their niche markets in order to come up with products that meet visitor demands" says Tourism Minister Najib Balala who has already arrived in London in preparation for the expo. More than 5,000 exhibitors from the travel trade representing every region, country and industry sector throughout the world are participating in the event. This year Kenya tourism industry will be exhibiting their products in a new stand at Excel Centre in London whose design is inspired by the need to support eco-friendly and responsible tourism under the theme "Kenya Eco Village". The stand features two eco-friendly tents with electric lanterns for illumination that will house the meeting rooms and the entertainment area. The atmosphere within the stand is aimed at providing a rich flavour of Kenya through use of driftwood to create a countryside effect which is common in most accommodation properties in Kenya.  There has been a deliberate effort to substantially reduce amount of paper for production of promotional material to support green initiatives or eco approach. Instead more use has been made of CDs & USB's for such material.  In an effort to generate more awareness for Kenya and stir heavy traffic to the stand at WTM, several activities have been planned that include daily advertising by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) during WTM days, print and online interviews with Minister Najib Balala and best of Kenya wildlife photography competition.

Ceremonies have taken place across the UK to remember the servicemen and women who lost their lives in all past and current armed conflicts. The Queen led Remembrance Sunday tributes at the Cenotaph in London's Whitehall before thousands of veterans marched past the monument. Troops on active service in Iraq and Afghanistan also held services. This year's events come just two days before the 90th anniversary of the armistice at the end of World War I. The commemoration of Britain's war dead began with a gun blast and two minutes' silence on Whitehall. The Queen then laid the first wreath of poppies. She was followed by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Prince William and other members of the royal family. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, opposition party leaders and Commonwealth envoys also laid wreaths. For the first time, the Territorial Army - which is celebrating its 100th anniversary - laid a wreath at the monument. Royal British Legion spokesman Stuart Gendall said it was important for the nation to come together and remember all those that died fighting for their country. Dozens more remembrance services have been held in towns and cities across the UK.  - CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

Three Kenyans talking about President Obama. Kenya is now the 51st of America. Have a look at this -  CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

The Obama bonus is on its way — and it could mean greater prosperity for Kenya. More Kenyan goods could sell in the United States and America may invest more in the country where Barack Obama traces his roots, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said on Friday. The election of Mr Obama as US President would hopefully bring an influx of American tourists and mean our goods would find a ready market, Mr Odinga said. Kenya could also hope to benefit from improved cooperation between the US and Africa, he said.

At least 20 people have died in an accident on a Russian nuclear submarine when a fire extinguishing system was activated by mistake. Russian Pacific Fleet spokesman Igor Dygalo said both sailors and shipyard workers died in the accident, which occurred during sea trials. The dead were suffocated by freon gas, which is used to put out fires as it removes oxygen from the air. The vessel was not damaged and there was no radiation leak, Mr Dygalo said. It is the worst incident for the navy since the sinking of the Kursk submarine in 2000, which left 118 dead.

Nairobi, Saturday 8th November, 2008. The government will deploy more security officers, including the army, along the porous borders of Somalia to prevent foreign militia from crossing into the country and inciting clashes among clans in North Eastern province. Internal Security minister, Professor George Saitoti, said the security situation in Mandera, where 20 people had been killed due to clashes between two clans, was caused by individuals within the communities arming militia and then seeking support from the neighbouring war torn country. Speaking to members of the provincial security committee in Garisa Saturday, professor Saitoti, who was accompanied by Defence minister, Mr. Yussuf Haji, Northern Kenya minister, Mr. Mohamed Elmi, Deputy Speaker, Mr. Farah Maalim, and area Members of Parliament, defended the use of army in the security operation saying no country would allow foreigners to cross into its soil without taking firm action. He said the situation in Mandera was an old issue and was simmering after a peace agreement brokered in 2005 was ignored by the two clans. He said the government would involve area leaders in seeking solutions to security challenges in the area and appealed to them to assist the government in mopping up small arms and light weapons that cross through the borders and cause strife in the region.

He announced that the government had purchased 300 land rovers for the provincial administration and the police and assured District Commissioners and police in the area that they would receive the vehicles to ease burden of travelling and coordinating security in their areas. Defence minister, Yussuf Haji, vowed that any army officer implicated in brutality or misconduct during operation in Mandera would face the court martial. He defended use of army saying their work was to ensure foreign militias operating in the country were driven back to their countries. Professor Saitoti said the government would soon do away with radios for security operations and embrace modern tools such as email, fax and satellite phones. He challenged local leaders to ensure every school going child enrolled for the free education, noting that education was one way of dealing with violence and communal strife. He added that underdevelopment and drought were other issues the government was addressing to deal with security situation in the province. Eleswhere, the Government will set up an Administration Police (AP) camp at the tension prone Maiella area in Naivasha to beef up security.  Speaking when he presided over promotion of 14 AP officers to various senior ranks, Naivasha District Commissioner, Mr. Mohammed Birik, said Sh.1.6 Million has been earmarked for the project whose work, said to at the procurement stage, is expected to start next week. Meanwhile calm has returned to Maiella area after last month's violence that saw one person killed while two others were seriously injured after fresh violence erupted between two communities living in the area. Mr. Birik said his office was holding a series of peace meetings between the pastoralists and the farmers in the area  to restore lasting peace. The area has, since August this year, seen violent confrontations between the pastoralists and farmers due to what is perceived to be a dispute over grazing land, leading to the loss of several lives and houses torched.

Former President of Uganda General Idi Amin had a dream that one day there will be a black American President - CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

"Sorry Mr. Seed, I could not answer you phone because I was busy trying to sort out my family tree - If I can recall well, I am related to President Obama." - Mr. Isaac Mwangi, London

LEFT: The Daily Telegraph continues that hundreds of thousands of savers have rushed to move their funds to the few remaining high-paying deposit accounts after the Bank of England’s rate cut left the savings market in chaos. CENTRE: The rate cuts will be cheered by more than a million homeowners whose monthly bills will drop by around £135 on an average £150,000 loan, the Daily Mail adds. RIGHT: US President-elect Barack Obama would never have been elected prime minister in the UK because of “institutional racism” in the Labour Party, the head of Britain’s equality watchdog has reportedly told The Times.

Ten people have been killed and 20 others injured in Pokot Central after a landslide hit chepkogoh location early Saturday morning. Several families have also been left homeless and the Red Cross Society is in the area assisting the affected families. Heavy rains pounding the country have continued to wreck havoc with the death toll from floods and mudslides rising to 18.  According to the metrological department, the shot rains will end next month. Elsewhere, Murang'a North District Commissioner, George Natembeya, has directed the residents in landslide prone areas to immediately re locate to safer grounds. The directive comes amid a tragic landslide that occurred in Mathioya division, which killed a 17 year old girl. The DC asked chiefs and their assistants to identify those residents residing in danger zones for the purposes of relocation. He issued the order following the death of a standard seven pupil Mary Wairimu Njoroge at Kanjeru village in Mathioya division after a room she was sleeping in was hit by a landslide. The deceased was sharing a bed with her nine year old brother, David Njoroge, who survived the accident unscathed.

It is the one and only Wonder which does not require a description by early historians and poets. It is the one and only Wonder that does not need speculations concerning its appearance, size, and shape. It is the oldest, yet it is the only surviving of the Seven Ancient Wonders. It is the Great Pyramid of Giza.  At the city of Giza, a necropolis of ancient Memphis, and today part of Greater Cairo, Egypt. Contrary to the common belief, only the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), not all three Great Pyramids, is on top of the list of Wonders. The monument was built by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty around the year 2560 BC to serve as a tomb when he dies. The tradition of pyramid building started in Ancient Egypt as a sophistication of the idea of a mastaba or "platform" covering the royal tomb. Later, several stacked mastabas were used. Early pyramids, such as the Step Pyramid of King Zoser (Djoser) at Saqqara by the famous Egyptian architect, Imhotep, illustrate this connection.  - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Nairobi, Friday 7th November, 2008. Catholic bishops in Kenya have called on the government to implement the Waki report in its entirety. Led by his Eminence Cardinal Njue, The leaders dismissed politicians who have been rubbishing the report saying they were trying to escape justice. Njue said the report has brought to the light the country's political situation and unless it is implemented, Kenya will never heal. In a statement signed by 23 catholic bishops, the clergy have strongly spoken against failure by the government to implement various repots prior to the Waki one. Cardinal John Njue said the Waki and Kriegler reports have brought home the gravity of Kenya's political situation. He said the reports have provided an opportunity to deal with the culture of impunity and therefore it should be implemented in its entirety. The clergy also faulted the ECK's performance in the last election. He said Kenyans had seen hope in the formation of the grand coalition government and failure by the government to implement the reports will deprive it of people's confidence.  The NCCK made the same calls earlier this week. The Waki Commission gave the Government 60 days to form a special tribunal to try the suspects in the secret list or else their names will be forwarded to the International Court of Justice (ICC). There have been differences as some members of the Coalition government support the Waki report recommendations while others do not. A majority claim the Waki report contained fundamental flaws and that the commission overstepped its mandate.

Cardinal Njue says the culture of impunity must end in Kenya

Nairobi, Friday 7th November, 2008. Detectives have been asked to investigate the distribution of leaflets warning one community to leave Molo South District. The leaflets, which warn families displaced by the post-election violence to leave Molo, were dropped at Sagaitim in Elburgon, Keringet, Kuresoi and Kamwaura divisions. A team led by the Molo District CID boss Mwenda Ethaiba was sent to the areas suspected to be the origin of the leaflets. Molo district commissioner Joseph Kavita called for calm in the district as the Government was investigating the matter. He said there were enough police officers to maintain security in the area. Meanwhile, a police post has been built at Githiriga Farm after raiders armed with bows and arrows attacked 15 families early this week. The victims fled to Mung’etho camp in the neighbourhood.

Bishop Samuel K. Muya of Talents Revival Centres, Elburgon Kenya arrived in London on Friday 7th November, 2008 from USA. He  will be a guest speaker at Enlightenment Ministries Swindon, UK on Sunday 9th November, 2008 as from 2.00 p.m. The venue will be St Paul’s Church, St Paul’s Drive, Covingham, SWINDON, SN3 2AF where he will be hosted by Pastor Timothy Babu. The bishop will be on his way back to Kenya after a very successful meetings in USA. He will be consecrated  as a bishop in Kenya on Saturday 6th December, 2008. He will be leaving for Kenya on Monday. His contact in the UK is 07507828987.

A year after his arrest for allegedly murdering his wife and dismembering her body in Namibia last year, Kenyan nurse Kenneth Orina appeared in the dock in the High Court in Windhoek for the first time on Thursday. Neatly dressed in a blue-grey suit, matching blue shirt and tie, with a golden tie clip as a finishing touch, Orina (35) made a first pre-trial appearance before Acting Judge Johan Swanepoel in the court where he is set to stand trial on two charges in connection with the death of his wife at Grootfontein in mid-September last year. Orina is accused of murdering his wife, Rose Chepkemoi Kiplangat (33), in their flat at the Grootfontein State Hospital Nurses' Home during the period of September 14 to 17 last year. Orina was employed as a nurse at Grootfontein State Hospital at the time. The State alleges that Orina killed his wife by stabbing her in the chest or slitting her throat with a knife or other object and then cutting his wife's remains into ten pieces, which he dumped at various places at Grootfontein. Before he dumped the body parts, Orina inserted panties into his wife's private parts and stuffed a facecloth into her torso, it is also charged in the indictment, in which the allegations are made public for the first time. Orina was represented by lawyer Linus Mokhatu of Metcalfe Legal Practitioners, who asked the court for time to study the docket and prepare a pre-trial indication of Orina's response to the charges. Orina's case was postponed to January 22 for that purpose. Mokhatu also told the court that Orina was asking the court to intervene so that the prison authorities in Windhoek would allow him to contact his family by telephone in Kenya. Mokhatu said after being transferred from Oluno Prison to Windhoek Central Prison at the beginning of this week, the Windhoek prison authorities have not allowed Orina to phone his family in Kenya. "Orina needs to be in contact with his family because they are paying for his legal representation in Namibia," Mokhatu said. With his case postponed to early in 2009, Orina remains in Police custody in the meantime. Orina was arrested on October 30 last year. His arrest took place five weeks after the last body parts that were subsequently determined as being the remains of Kiplangat were discovered where they had been dumped in black plastic refuse bags on the southwestern edge of Grootfontein. Orina admitted killing his wife, but claimed it had been an accident that happened while he and she were wrestling for the control of a knife during a fight in their flat.

The late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was a frequent visitor at the Seeds home in the early sixty's. Whenever Kenyatta was visiting our home Dr. Gikonyo Kiano was always the master of ceremony. I remember way back in 1965 when the above photo was taken. My father took me and my brother to greet Dr. Kiano and he has this to say: 'This is the most learned person in Kenya. I want to work hard in school like him." Then Dr. Kiano greeted us. Yes, he was by that time as Dr. Kiano was the first Kenyan to attain a PhD in 1956. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta on right and Senior Chief Karanja (Mr. Seed's grandfather) on left. More photos later.

London, Friday 7th November, 2008. Britain's banks bowed to huge public and political pressure today to slash mortgage rates for millions. After a tense meeting with Chancellor Alistair Darling, the high street's leading names agreed to pass on "all, or most" of the Bank of England's shock 1.5 per cent base rate cut. Treasury sources said that the bosses from Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, LloydsTSB, HBOS, HSBC, Nationwide and Standard Chartered all caved in after being read the riot act by Mr Darling over their failure to respond swiftly to help hard-pressed homeowners. Crucially, the move came as the three-month inter-bank lending rate, or Libor, fell by more than one per cent, from 5.561 to 4.496 per cent.  Until now, LloydsTSB and Abbey were the only lenders to drop their standard variable rates following the Bank of England's move yesterday to reduce the base rate to three per cent, the lowest in 53 years. However, hundreds of thousands of people with tracker mortgages were warned today they will not benefit from any future rate reductions. Lenders can now use small-print clauses in contracts to stop passing on cuts. A host of banks and building societies rushed to withdraw their tracker deals from the market but they were this afternoon expected to announce they had been reinstated.

Don't try this at the gym. Competitors flex their muscles in the men's World Bodybuilding Championships in Bahrain. Silver medallist Tareq Al Farsani of Bahrain and gold medallist Ali Trabizi Nouri of Iran pose after receiving their medals in the 90kg category. Ahmed Hamouda of Egypt poses with his trophy after winning first place in the over 100kg category.

Each of the bank chiefs gave the Chancellor their personal assurances that they would now act. They also pledged they would ease the pressure on small businesses. Mr Darling hauled the bosses into the Treasury for an emergency meeting to tell them the public were angry that they had so far seen little in return for the Government's £37 billion bail-out. He expressed his "deep concern" that banks were failing to help "customers feeling the pinch". Bradford & Bingley, which is now nationalised, today cut the vast majority of its variable rates by the full 1.5 per cent. But there were still worries that its standard variable rate was unchanged at 7.9 per cent. Gordon Brown underlined government anger at the banks today before the meeting. "I believe it is important that these cuts in interest rates are passed on to mortgage holders and to small businesses. "I think there is now an understanding that the Government has done what it can, the Bank of England has done what it could yesterday by reducing interest rates," he said. "It's now up to the banks to take their role seriously to do what they've got to do to resume lending and at rates that are appropriate and not rates that are excessive." Tory leader David Cameron urged Northern Rock to cut its rates too: "The interest rate should be passed on. If they do not, further action may be necessary. The Government owns some of these banks now, so they can take steps." Chief executive of the British Bankers' Association, Angela Knight, said: "The banking industry recognises that government wants strong banks and is grateful for the support we have had. "Banks are committed to doing their part to help rebuild the UK economy as well as ensuring we help and support all our customers - both lenders and savers." The "collars" or clauses written into the terms of tracker deals will come as a shock to many borrowers who were looking forward to further big falls in their mortgage bills. Eddie Weatherill of the Independent Banking Advisory Service, said: "A lot of people aren't aware of the collars and don't understand them." The Nationwide collar is automatically triggered when the base rate falls to 2.75 per cent, which many City economists believe could happen as soon as next month. The Halifax collar comes into force at three per cent. It has the discretion not to invoke it and says it has not yet made a final decision.

EVERYONE HAS GOT HIS/HER OWN HISTORY

President Obama during first time visit in Kenya

The Kenya High Commissioner in the UK, HE Joseph Muchemi will host a private party this Saturday 8th November at the Cumberland Hotel, Central London to celebrate Obama's historic victory to the White House.He will be accompanied by Kenya's Tourism Minister , Hon Najib Balala who is in London to promote Kenya as the best Tourist destination at the Annual world travel exhibition in Excel. The party themed 'Celebrating Obama's Roots' is likely to draw Kenyans from across the UK who like many in the world over have found a reason to celebrate with the Americans.It is hoped after the partying is over,the Kenyans in the diaspora will grasp opportunities provided in thier host nations and live up to be great achievers, and contribute to the society locally and in their native country. Hon Najib Balala, the man tasked with rebranding Kenya after the December 2007 post election violence, that saw a near collapse of the Tourism Sector will use the opportunity to once again market Kenya to the World. He will be accompanied by senior officers from the Kenya Tourism Board. A country that only recently headlined the world with machete wielding youths is back to the limelight, this time for a good reason, thanks to Obama. Speaking earlier today to the BBC, HE Muchemi congratulated Barack Obama', saying that Kenya a key partner with the US in the War against Terror in the Horn of Africa will continue to work closely with its ally and urged Americans to come in numbers to visit as well as invest in Kenya. Mr muchemi said that the President of kenya HE Mwai Kibaki had sent a congratulatory note to the President elect, HE Kibaki had worked with the Barack Obama's dad at the Kenya treasury and the economic planning board when he returned to Kenya after completing his studies in America. Asked whether Kenya expected America to increase its aid to the nation, The High Commissioner said he hope that the US would scale its aid to Kenyan and Africa in general, he commended the American government's support through AGOA (Africa Growth opportunity act) which allows exports of various goods, especially apparels to enter the US duty free.  HE Muchemi will lead Kenyans in the UK this Saturday to celebrate Obama's roots at the Cumberland Hotel, London. - Source: KLN News

More information about the departed Aquinas David Nganga in Stockholm, Sweden  is now available. Investigations are still underway to determine the cause of his death and a report is expected to be released in about three weeks’ time. In the mean time the mobile phone belonging to the deceased has been released by the police and is helping in locating his contacts, friends and family.  Kashitoshito’s, it can now be revealed, real names were David Aquinas Nganga but Kashitoshito is the name he preferred to use. He has a sister in London, Ann Nganga who is now in constant contact with the Kinuthia family and the Kashito Fundraising Committee. The Kinuthia family and the Ngangas are close family friends and neighbours in Kenya.The sister, who is still in deep shock after learning about the sad news, has a contingent of friends around her helping her to somehow cope with this tough situation. There will be a meeting on Friday (read tomorrow) at her residence as well and both the London group and the Sweden Kenyans will be working together to lighten this heavy load. Our sympathies and prayers are with Ann Nganga and her family at this sorrowful moment.  - MORE

The burial the late Sister Rose Mbugua formerly Rose Kangere takes place on Monday 10th November, 2008. Service starting from 11.45am at Wyclief Baptist Church 233 Kingsroad, Reading, Berkshire RG1 4LS.and burial at 2.15pm at Reading Crematorium & Henley Road Cemetery. All Hallows Road, Caversham,. Reading, Berks, RG4 5LP. - Tel:  0118 947 2433. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

London, Friday 7th November, 2008. Up to half a million people will be overwhelmed by their debts over the next three years, a leading City economist warned today. Levels of personal insolvency are expected to rise to record levels as the recession takes hold and unemployment soars. Official figures today show the number of insolvencies rose nine per cent to 27,087 in the third quarter.  The total is expected to hit around 110,000 for the year as a whole and at current rates 275 people a day are falling into insolvency or bankruptcy. This is likely to be the start of an insolvency explosion as consumers who took on too much mortgage, bank and credit card debt find they are unable to cope.  Vicky Redwood, UK economist at Capital Economics, predicted the total will hit 140,000 next year, rising again in 2010 before peaking in 2011. Over the three years it is likely that as many as 500,000 people will have been forced into bankruptcy or other forms of personal insolvency, she said. The figures are far higher than in the last recession in the early Nineties, partly because levels of debt are much higher, but also because new laws have made it easier to recover from bankruptcy. Outstanding personal debt now stands at just under £1.5trillion. The expected wave of insolvencies will place extra strains on banks as they are forced to write off billions of pounds of loans.  Banks are also taking a harder line with borrowers who might previously have been able to take out new loans to tide themselves over. Stephen Grant, insolvency partner at accountants Wilkins Kennedy, said: "The number of personal insolvencies is likely to go through the roof as falling house prices and rising unemployment begin to bite." Louise Bond, personal finance manager at comparison website uSwitch.com, said insolvency or bankruptcy should "be the last resort for anyone with financial problems as they have a very serious impact on people's credit histories". Today's figures from the Government's Insolvency Service also show a rise in the number of company liquidations, up 26.3 per cent in a year to 4,001 in the three months to the end of September. The number of larger firms going into receivership or administration is up 70 per cent to 1,277.

The US jobless rate rose to 6.5% in October, official figures have shown, the highest rate since March 1994. Figures from the US Labor Department showed US employers cut 240,000 jobs in October, the 10th month in a row that the economy has lost jobs. The increase means that in the first 10 months of this year, 1.2 million people in the US have lost their jobs. Some economists predict the jobless rate could climb to 8%, or possibly higher, next year. Job losses in August and September turned out to be much deeper than initially estimated by the Labor Department. Employers cut 127,000 positions in August, compared with 73,000 previously reported, while 284,000 jobs were axed in September, compared with the first estimate of 159,000 jobs. The revised figures for September showed the biggest monthly cut in jobs since November 2001. The employment market is much weaker than economists expected. They were forecasting the unemployment rate to climb to 6.3% in October and for payrolls to fall by about 200,000.  The department said 481,000 people in the US filed new claims for jobless benefits in the last week of October.  On Friday, car giant Ford announced plans for more job cuts after reporting third quarter operating losses of $2.98bn. The firm it would cut its salary costs by an additional 10% by the end of January 2009.  Racing to assemble his new Democratic cabinet, President-elect Barack Obama will meet with economic advisers later on Friday. His team has been in close contact with the Bush administration to pave the way for a smooth handover of power.  All the economy's woes - a housing collapse, mounting foreclosures, hard-to-get credit and financial market upheaval - will confront Mr Obama when he assumes office early next year - and the employment situation is likely to get worse.  In the 1980-1982 recession, the unemployment rate rose as high as 10.8% before coming down.

Nairobi, Friday 7th November, 2008. The death toll from flash floods in Ukambani area continues to soar after two children drowned in Kitui district after floods engulfed a seasonal stream in Zombe location. Acting OCPD David Kiptanui said the children aged two and four years drowned in river Ikaa but their mother was saved by members of the public. Kiptanui told the press on Friday that the family was going home but their attempt to cross the stream turned tragic when they were swept off by the raging waters. "The mother managed to hold on to tree roots but the children were swept away," said the OCPD.  He said the woman was rescued after two hours but the children's bodies were only retrieved ten hours later as darkness hampered the search for the bodies.  The drowning followed that of ten people who were swept away by raging floods in Mwala district on Thursday. Most of those who drowned were said to have been returning home after celebrating the election of Barack Obama as the US President. Eyewitnesses said the victims decided to cross the seasonal stream despite a warning from some of their colleagues who decided to wait for the waters to subside before attempting to cross the river. Elsewhere a swimming adventure to ostensibly relieve exam stress turned tragic when a student of Kituro secondary school in Baringo district drowned. More than 70 candidates are said to have sneaked out of the school soon after completing their Biology practical paper in the afternoon and headed for the nearby Kirandich dam for a swim. One of the students told the press that the boy decided to join his friends in the adventure despite the fact that he did not know how to swim. "He told me he did not know how to swim and I warned him not to go in to the water but he declared he wanted to do what the other students were doing," said the colleague.  He said they realized something was amiss when they discovered clothes lying on the shores of the dam long after everyone had come out of the water and dressed up ready to return to school.  "We thought someone was making a joke by remaining hidden in the water, but after several minutes we became worried and we returned to school where we reported the matter", said the student. Kabarnet mayor Julius Kiprop took issue with the local police department saying despite the incident being reported on time, no police officer had visited the scene 20 hours later. "When we reported the matter they asked us to go to the police station and write a statement, which we did, but none of them has visited the scene more than 20 hours after the accident", he said. When KNA visited the scene local swimmers were busy trying to trace the body, however, it was yet to be recovered. Mayor Kiprop decried lack of qualified divers saying they might have to wait until the body floats to the surface.  The deceased was to complete his last paper on Monday.

A Kenyan has passed away in the USA. The late  Tabitha Gachie passed away in  Marietta, Georgia, U.S.A. on Wednesday 5th November, 2008. She was the loved wife of Elijah Gicho Gachie, mother to Robert Gachie of Nairobi, Stephen Macharia of Nairobi, Andrew Muchunu of Nairobi, Janet Wanjiru of U.S.A, Peter Kuria of U.S.A, sister-in-law to Millicent Kamau (Mama Robert) of Acworth Georgia, Mother-in-law to Esther Njeri, grandmother to Joy Tabitha Wairimu. Friends and relatives will be meeting everyday at Casa Mia Trace, 1019 Franklin Rd. SE Apt.17L, Marietta, GA 30067. They  are requesting well wishers to help transport the remains back to Kenya. You can send donations to Janet Wanjiru Gachie, Bank of America, Acc.No. 334005175047, Routing No. 061000052. For more information contact Janet Wanjiru Gachie - 678-927-1290 or Millicent Kamau Gachie (Mama Robert) - 404-518-0394.

The late Tabitha Gachie who passed away in Marietta, Georgia, USA

Turkana is reeling under severe drought.  A prolonged dry spell has left residents barely surviving on handouts from relief organizations and the government. Its now 10 months since residents of the arid Turkana district received rain.  They have not been able to plant any crops leave alone harvest.  It rained a month ago but instead it was a tragedy as flash floods occurred sweeping away several of their livestock. The government in collaboration with aid agencies such as Red Cross and World Vision are offering relief supplies but it is not enough for the residents.  Some of the drought victims are internally displaced persons who returned home after the post election skirmishes. The over 1,000 Internally Displaced Persons are seeking refuge in five camps with hardly any basic necessities. With no food, livestock or means of livelihood, these residents of Turkana are perturbed lot.

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CELEBRATING OBAMA’S ROOTS

The Ministry of Tourism of Kenya and the Kenya High Commission, London, invites you to a reception in celebration of the victory of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama.

DATE:   SATURDAY 8 November 2008

VENUE: Cumberland Hotel

Great Cumberland Place

Marble Arch

London W1A 4RF

TIME:           1830 HRS – 2100HRS

NEAREST TUBE STATION:           MARBLE ARCH

The event will be graced by the Minister for Tourism Hon. Najib Balala, EGH, MP.

Karibu.

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OBAMA’S VICTORY AND CALLING CRY SUPPORTED BY KENYA

This is indeed a great day in the World and a day of Celebration for our country. We are proud that Senator Obama has been elected the next President of the United States.

The calling cry of “Yes We Can” by US Presidential-Elect Barrack Obama, rings true to us here in Kenya.

We not only support his policies, his world view and his focus, but we support the significance of his election as a black person, an African-American. All of us will walk with our heads lifted higher and with warmer hearts because truly, Yes, We Can!

The Government and People of Kenya are proud to be associated with a man whose heritage rises from our own soil. A man we consider our son, brother, friend and who has proven to the world that if you put your mind to something and you work on it and you mean well, you will triumph.

It is in this spirit that President Mwai Kibaki has declared tomorrow a Public Holiday so that we can celebrate as a nation the victory of one who shares our heritage. Although he is an American, Obama’s victory has made us even prouder to be Kenyan and earned us respect all over the world.

We encourage all Kenyans to take time off Kujienjoy and to learn from this great victory that proves, that we, too as Kenyans, Yes we Can!



Dr. Alfred N. Mutua, EBS
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY &
GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON

Nairobi, 5th November, 2008

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

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London, Thursday 6th November, 2008. The Bank of England has made a shock one-and-a-half percentage point cut in UK interest rates to 3%, the lowest level since 1955. The size of the cut - the most dramatic since 1981 - signals the Bank's concern the UK is heading for a long recession, the BBC's economics editor says. It follows an emergency cut in rates last month from 5% to 4.5%. However, banks are expected to take their time deciding whether to pass on the cut to mortgage holders and savers. BBC economics editor Hugh Pym said: "The Bank of England is using terms like 'very marked deterioration in the outlook' and 'severe contraction'. "It is clearly very concerned about the possibility of a prolonged recession in the UK. "The risks of high inflation have now evaporated, and because the bank is worried that inflation will now fall well below its target, it has felt the need to come up with this cut, which is much bigger than expected." Following the announcement the FTSE 100 share index recovered more than 100 points, to stand down 86 points, or 1.90%, at 4,444.67 by 1245 GMT in London. The hefty cut will reduce monthly repayments for those with tracker deals - an estimated 40% of mortgage holders - by about £134 on an average £150,000 mortgage. There have been some concerns that a cut in the Bank of England's base rate might not be passed on to other borrowers. Prime Minister Gordon Brown was asked about this problem in the House of Commons on Wednesday because Abbey had just raised its tracker mortgage rates for new customers. "We want the banks and building societies to pass on the interest rate cuts to their mortgage holders," he said. "What we've been trying to do over the last few weeks is get the liquidity into the system, recapitalise our banks and then get them to resume the lending that is necessary." Given the surprise level of the Bank rate cut, mortgage lenders will take their time to decide whether they will pass on cuts to variable rate mortgage holders, which account for 10% of total home loans, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. The major lenders said rates were "under review", however Lloyds TSB has promised to pass on the rate cut in full to its variable rate mortgage customers.

The group, which also lends through Cheltenham & Gloucester, says its standard variable rate, currently 6.5%, will never be more than 2% above Bank of England base rate. Customers on fixed-rate deals will see no change to their repayments until they come to remortgage. The cut is likely to hit savers who face a cut in the interest rates they receive from their deposits. The move has been broadly welcomed by business bodies and trade unions. Richard Lambert, CBI director-general, said: "This is a bold and welcome move by the Monetary Policy Committee, and achieves what the CBI had been calling for." He added: "This cut... should help to ease conditions in the credit markets, and allow banks to pass the benefits on to their customers." The TUC's head of economics Adam Lent said the move was "the right call". "It shows the Bank now understands that the problem is recession not inflation." Meanwhile, the Institute of Directors (IoD) said interest rates could touch record lows of 2% or less by this time next year. "The sooner we get interest rates down the less is the risk of a long and deep recession," said IoD chief economist Graeme Leach. The Bank of England's interest rate move came after a series of figures released this week provided further evidence that the UK economy is sliding towards recession. New figures from the Halifax showed house prices fell by another 2.2% in October, pushing the drop in house prices to 13.7% over the past year. Activity in the service sector, the backbone of the UK economy, shrank in October for the sixth month in a row. According to an index compiled by the Chartered Institute of Purchase and Supply output from services was at its lowest level since its poll began in 1996. Also, the Office for National Statistics said that manufacturing output fell for a seventh month in September - the longest run of monthly declines since 1980. Manufacturing output fell by 0.8% in September, much worse than analysts' expectations, making output 2.3% lower than a year earlier, the sharpest decline since May 2003.

It might not be as convenient as a car - but a hot air balloon in the garden really is a talking point. However, it's no attempt to keep up with the Joneses. This balloon made an unexpected landing - and nearly swallowed a home.  'It looked for all the world that it was going to engulf my neighbour's house,' said witness Bryan James, 78, who captured the dramatic descent. 'It must have missed the property by inches.'  Despite the alarming scene in High Halden, near Ashford in Kent, a spokesman for the balloon company said: 'It was a textbook landing.'

Nairobi, Thursday 6th November, 2008. Babies born in Nyanza provincial Hospital were named after Barack Obama and Michelle in honour of Barack's victory as America's first African American president. The hospital also waved maternity charges for mothers who underwent caesarean section. The babies born on the November 5, were born on a day when history was being written in America, a  historic one  when Obama considered ‘son of the soil' was elected the 44th American president on Wednesday. The mothers said they want their children associated with the great man hoping they will follow in his footsteps. Out of 15 babies born in the New Nyanza Provincial Hospital in the western city of Kisumu on Wednesday, five boys were named Obama and three girls were called Michelle. In Kisumu more than half of the babies born in a Kisumu Hospital on the day after the election were named either Barack or Michelle Obama. Kisumu is close to the village where Mr Obama's father was born and raised and Mr Obama is a local hero. Pamela Adhiambo, who gave birth to twins - a boy and a girl - on the night after the elections, named them Barack and Michelle Obama. "I made up my mind to name them long before the elections, and even if Obama had not won, I would still have done the same," she said. Some of the mothers said they admired the couple and hoped that their children would be inspired to reach for great heights by sharing the names. It is not a new phenomenon in Kenya as new borns in the past have been named after events that have left an impact in Kenya. Not all however share the same sentiments as one of them named the baby, McCain saying there are too many Obama's already.  Meanwhile, Businesses along the busy Uganda highway in Eldoret town came to a standstill when attendants and owners joined jubilant supporters to celebrate American president elect. Obama's win which, they referred   to as ' their win ' considering that Obama has roots in Kenya. The jubilant supporters rocked the town singing pro - Obama songs while holding Obama portraits causing a snails pace traffic flow along the highway. Thursday is a public holiday to celebrate the election of Barack Obama to the US presidency.  Kenyans are celebrating the day in different styles. In Meru, bar operators in Chuka town Wednesday night made a roaring business as patrons cerebrated the winning of Baraka Obama as the first African American president of United States of America. The revellers chanted Obama! Obama! as they ordered for rounds of beers in bars until midnight while others extended to dawn Thursday. Many said they hoped Obama would pay more attention to Africa, a continent which today still faces many challenges. Many are optimistic it would attract more tourists to Kenya, particularly the small village of Kogelo where Obama's grandmother Sarah Obama resides. Mr Obama's father was from Kenya and his victory has prompted jubilation across the country.

Kenyans are ectastic about Barack Obama's victory because his father was from Kenya.

Nairobi Metropolitan Assistant minister Elizabeth Ongoro says the government is also to blame for mushrooming of structures along road reserves.  While acknowledging that Thika Road needs to be expanded, Ongoro faulted the manner the demolitions were done saying it undermines government efforts to woo investors. The ruins of Nakumatt, the dismembered remain of Transmotors and the gaping walls of abandoned buildings are eye catching sites of Thika road an indication that the government was in full drive to reclaim the stolen road reserves.  The acting roads minister Chris Obure Wednesday made it clear that all titles on road reserves were null and void.  Obure regretted that investment worth millions of shillings along Thika road had to be destroyed for the benefit of larger public. The Ksh18billion upgrading and rehabilitation on the Nairobi-Thika highway is funded by the African Development Bank (ADB). The buildings that have so far come down are Nakumatt Supermaket, Roy transporters, two petrol stations and a hotel. The Nairobi Metropolitan Assistant minister Elizabeth Ongoro is however blaming the culture of impunity in the public service accusing government officials who issued title deeds and approved developments on road reserves. She pleaded with the government to give those pulling down their structures time to salvage their property. The demolitions however are painful to those rendered jobless more so with Christmas around the corner.

Barack Obama's election as US president has been hailed as an historic moment, but what do the people of multi-ethnic Brixton in south London make of a black man entering the White House? Billboards on Eric Bacchus's newsstand told a story that few would have believed possible when he arrived from Guyana in 1962. "President Obama" screamed the headlines, grabbing the attention of those passing the Tube station in Brixton, where about two in every five people are from an ethnic minority. An added buzz has been injected into this habitually bustling area, as people digest the news that a black man is to inhabit the White House. "I can see a smile on the faces of many of those who come to buy the papers - people of all races," said Mr Bacchus. "Before he was assassinated, Martin Luther King said he had a dream and that dream has come true." From the influx of West Indians into the UK in the 1940s, through the bitter race riots of the 1980s, Brixton has encapsulated black Britain. And, while much has changed since the first Jamaican immigrants stepped off the Empire Windrush in 1948, Barack Obama's election as US president still surprised many. "I'm overwhelmed," said Marlon Salmon, a 26-year-old services manager at the busy Brixton Recreation Centre. "I never thought I would see it in my lifetime but he has showed what you can achieve with hard work and determination. "As a child, I never even thought about achieving something like that. I just thought I would be a bus driver and wanted my own flat. "This will give new hope to children from all backgrounds. The next thing is a black prime minister." Downstairs, at the centre's indoor bowling greens, 69-year-old Ina Daniel is living proof of how the world has changed. On arrival from Guyana in 1965, she never dreamed she would one day share the greens with white men. "I've been bowling four years now and I love it," said the former midwife, of Norbury, south London. She said: "The world has changed for the better. There's less discrimination now. "But what a change Obama has brought about. I thought it would happen one day but not this soon." Bowling partner George Paine, 82, from Balham, south London, agrees: "It's got to change the world because America is such a big country. Obama just needs the right people behind him."

Community football coach Steadman Scott, putting some of his young charges through their paces in the gym, is in no doubt of the election's significance. "It's the greatest thing that could happen to us," said the 52-year-old who arrived from Jamaica 40 years ago. "There's no more colour or class barrier." Mr Scott said that, while time had brought more opportunities for black people in Britain, "subtle barriers" still existed in this country. "You don't see black people controlling banks here, a kid's mother or father might have the lowest-paid job in the bank," he said.  "At the moment, if young people want fancy cars they fall into gangs because they can't see another way. "I try to teach young footballers they must dedicate themselves and sacrifice things and they see how hard work can help them better themselves. Obama shows them this." In nearby Electric Avenue, stalls selling plantain bananas nestle alongside those laden with eastern spices or oriental vegetables. Fishmonger Umit Tasdemir, 34, hopes that President Obama will encourage similar unity among the world's faiths. "It should help America to deal with the Middle East and bring the wars to an end. That's what we are all hoping for," he said. But Mr Tasdemir, a descendant of Turkish immigrants, believes Mr Obama might struggle to live up to his promise. "We will have to judge how he performs after a year," he said. Malaysian-born charity worker CY Lim, 30, shares those doubts. "Obama has talked about bringing change but he also talks about transferring troops from Iraq to Afghanistan," she said. "I want to see him take a different view and realise how much damage the US policies have caused the rest of the world." Barry Bazora, a 57-year-old Jamaican, believes the West will now seem more approachable to the rest of the world. "People can't talk about America as the great white Satan any more, and somehow the world seems more trustworthy. "But he has promised a lot. To me, he's a bit like Tony Blair. What you see isn't necessarily what you're going to get." While the world must wait for the new president's foreign policy, Lamonte Johnson insists the effect of his election on young black people will be immediate. Brought up in the projects of Chicago, Mr Johnson has spent four years running police- and council-funded art projects to steer young Britons away from crime. He has seen the US election spark excitement among the youngsters at St Vincent's Community Centre in Brixton. "It gives them more hope in the political process than in the past and will inspire kids across the UK," he said. "When Tiger Woods shot to fame it got more black kids looking at golf who didn't feel like they were excluded from the sport any more. "This might give some young people the idea that they can get involved in politics to change things. " If attitudes in Brixton are anything to go by, it is clear Mr Obama's influence already extends beyond America. In Britain, and across the world, people now wait to see how he uses that power.

FULL US ELECTION COVERAGE

• Obama begins White House team selectionITN - 2 hours 28 mins ago
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• What Next For Sarah Palin?SkyNews - 2 hours 36 mins ago
• Poor Indian tribals hail Obama victory as sign of changeReuters - 2 hours 56 mins ago
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• No time to rest on laurels for president-elect ObamaAFP - 3 hours 36 mins ago
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• Obama mulls candidates for key jobsReuters - 3 hours 44 mins ago
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• 'Obama Murder Plot' Pair IndictedSkyNews - 4 hours 1 min ago
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• To Work: Obama Plans PresidencySkyNews - 4 hours 12 mins ago
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• President-elect Obama gets to work on transitionAFP - 4 hours 57 mins ago
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• Syrians Celebrate Obama ElectionSkyNews - 6 hours 50 mins ago
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• Two white supremacists charged in alleged Obama plotAFP - 7 hours 36 mins ago
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• World hails Obama's victory, urges change of tackAFP - Yesterday, 09:05 pm
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• Russian leader blasts US, vows to deploy missiles near EUAFP - 9 hours 10 mins ago
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• California halts gay marriage amid Obama victoryReuters - 10 hours 47 mins ago
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• Emanuel would bring tough edge to White House jobReuters - 11 hours 43 mins ago
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• Obama favours efficiency, deliberative styleReuters - 11 hours 43 mins ago

"Mr. Seed received hundreds of congratulations messages from different people yesterday (5/10/08). Those who sent me the message through emails, text messages and telephone calls include Asians, Somalians, Nigerians, Ghanaians (largest caller), Zimbabweans,  South Africans, Malawians, British, Sierra Leonia's, Gambians etc. With all the excitements they had, you would think President Obama is my neighbour. They all see me as a Kenyan. It is only in Kenya where people see each other on tribal bases. We all better hold our hands together and burry the spirit of tribalism for the betterment of our children." - Mr. Seed, London

Barack Obama has reportedly chosen former top Clinton aide Rahm Emmanuel to be his right-hand man.  Democratic officals said the US President-elect picked the Illinois lawmaker to be White House chief of staff - the first selection for his new administration. The world is waiting to see who else Mr Obama chooses, as he inherits the worst financial crisis in 70 years, together with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Several Democrats also claimed Massachusetts Senator John Kerry was actively seeking appointment as US Secretary of State. Mr Obama defeated Republican presidential candidate John McCain in Tuesday's election. Voter turnout was thought to be the highest for 100 years. Two-thirds of American voters cast their ballots nationwide, according to the independent election monitoring website RealClearPolitics. President George Bush hailed the victory as a "triumph of the American story" and said it should be held up as a shining beacon of democracy. He added: "He can count on complete co-operation from my administration as he makes the transition to the White House."

I had to share this joke that was made today (5th November 2008) in an Immigration deportation proceeding in Baltimore Maryland. The judge opened the file and saw that the file was for a Kenyan in a deportation case. He smiled to the court packed with people and joked  " I am not deporting Kenyans from now on. After what happened yesterday (Election of Obama as president), we should not be deporting Kenyans". Everyone laughed so hard, and then I responded to the judge " Yeah, you should not be deporting Kenyas at all, we might just produce another Obama".

Just sharing this joke to show how Kenya has been made proud by Obama.  

From a Kenyan living in Baltimore, Maryland.

LEFT: The Telegraph describes Barack Obama's win as a 'dream come true', and reports that black Americans greeted the victory by sending each other a text message reading: "Rosa sat so Martin could walk. Martin walked so Barack could run. Barack is running so our children can fly." CENTRE: The Daily Mail captures the same emotional moment from Obama's victory rally, and has just three words on its front cover: 'change has come'. RIGHT: The Daily Mirror picks the simple headline 'Believe'.

Beer and other drinks ran out of stock in Molo Town after the first poll results indicated that Barack Obama was leading. The proprietor of a nightclub Chalie Ahenta made good returns after Obama supporters flooded the joint to celebrate the victory. Several brands of beer ran out of stock as the revellers continued asking for more and chanting slogans in support of Obama. 

FATHER and SON  - MOTHER and SON

Barack Obama Sr. poses with his son in the Honolulu airport during Obama Sr.'s only visit to see his son while he was  growing up in Hawaii . Young Barack was in the 5th grade  when the photo was taken
 

World leaders hail the victory of Barack Obama in the US presidential election, as outgoing President George W Bush promises a smooth transition of power.

London, Thursday 6th November, 2008. House prices fell by another 2.2% in October, says the Halifax, pushing the drop in house prices to 13.7% over the past year. The latest fall means that the average UK home now costs £168,176, nearly £30,000 less than a year ago. The Halifax said this meant prices were now back to the level of October 2005. The lender said conditions in the market remained "challenging" because of economic conditions and the dearth of mortgages. The Halifax's latest survey of house prices chimes closely with that of its big rival the Nationwide building society, which last week said prices had fallen by 14.6% in the past year. When comparing the average price in October with the average price a year ago, the Halifax survey suggests that prices are down by 15%. But the Halifax argues that this figure can be distorted by month-to-month fluctuations, and that the better method is to compare the average price for the past three months with the average price for the same period a year ago, which produces its current estimate of a 13.7% annual fall. Despite the continuing falls in house prices, the lender's chief economist, Martin Ellis, said there were signs that the market was starting to stabilise and that the affordability of homes was "improving significantly". "The house price to average earnings ratio has fallen below 5.0 for the first time for four and a half years," he said. "We expect a further improvement in the ratio over the coming months. "The number of mortgages approved to finance house purchase was broadly unchanged in September for a third successive month," he added. Mortgage costs for some borrowers will come down if, as expected, the Bank of England announces a significant cut to its Bank Rate at midday on Thursday. But, as the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) pointed out on Tuesday, the main barrier to people taking out home loans is not the cost of servicing a mortgage, but the dramatically increased size of the deposits that are now required by nearly all lenders. Since the start of the credit crunch and the international financial crisis in the summer of 2007, lenders have reined in their lending, preferring to lend only to those borrowers with significant equity in their homes or who are able to put down large sums as deposits when buying for the first time. The Bank of England recently reported that banks and building societies expect to restrict their lending even more in the coming months. Not only have 100%-mortgages disappeared but so have the once traditional 95%-mortgages, and most deals currently on offer from lenders typically require a deposit of at least 10% or 15%.

Obama builds up White house team

Barack Obama has started forming his administration by asking Rahm Emanuel, a former adviser to President Clinton, to be his chief-of-staff. US President-elect Obama is expected to appoint a new treasury secretary soon. He has until his inauguration on 20 January to select his senior officials. President Bush has pledged his complete co-operation during the transition. Mr Obama was elected the first black US president on Tuesday with a resounding win over Republican rival John McCain. There has been speculation Mr Obama will ask Defence Secretary Robert Gates to remain in his post. Mr Gates is broadly respected by both parties and would reflect a more bipartisan administration, says the BBC's Jane O'Brien in Washington. Mr Obama's victory was widely welcomed around the world. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called Tuesday's poll historic and said he and Mr Obama "share many values". Chinese President Hu Jintao said he looked forward to strengthening dialogue. France's Nicolas Sarkozy said the poll had raised "enormous hope". Rahm Emanuel is an Illinois congressman and tough Washington insider who has been strongly criticised by some Republicans for being too partisan, our correspondent says. If he accepts the position of chief-of-staff, he would be responsible for much of the internal management of the new administration. But critics say his appointment could accentuate party divides, rather than heal them, as Mr Obama has pledged. With the country in the throes of an economic slowdown and part of the global financial crisis, the post of treasury secretary will be another key post, our correspondent adds. Likely contenders for the post reportedly include former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Timothy Geithner, the current head of the New York Federal Reserve. With the business of preparing for government under way, Mr Obama will from Thursday start receiving the president's daily CIA briefings, which will include updates on covert operations. Projected results from Tuesday's election have yet to be announced for the states of North Carolina and Missouri, which are believed to be too close to call. But with most precincts tallied, Mr Obama's share of the popular vote stands at 52.3%, compared with Mr McCain's 46.4%. Turnout was reported to be extremely high - in some places "unprecedented" in what many Americans said they felt was a historic election. It was predicted that 130 million Americans had voted - the highest turn-out since 1960. The Democrats increased their Senate majority by five seats, but fell short of the 60 needed to stop blocking tactics by Republicans. They also increased their majority in the House of Representatives, gaining 20 seats to give a total 252, leaving the Republicans with 173.

WHAT THE UK PAPERS SAY ABOUT OBAMA

Barack Obama has started forming his administration by asking Rahm Emanuel, a former adviser to President Clinton, to be his chief-of-staff. US President-elect Obama is expected to appoint a new treasury secretary soon. He has until his inauguration on 20 January to select his senior officials. President Bush has pledged his complete co-operation during the transition. Mr Obama was elected the first black US president on Tuesday with a resounding win over Republican rival John McCain. There has been speculation Mr Obama will ask Defence Secretary Robert Gates to remain in his post. Mr Gates is broadly respected by both parties and would reflect a more bipartisan administration, says the BBC's Jane O'Brien in Washington. Mr Obama's victory was widely welcomed around the world. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called Tuesday's poll historic and said he and Mr Obama "share many values". Chinese President Hu Jintao said he looked forward to strengthening dialogue. France's Nicolas Sarkozy said the poll had raised "enormous hope". Rahm Emanuel is an Illinois congressman and tough Washington insider who has been strongly criticised by some Republicans for being too partisan, our correspondent says. If he accepts the position of chief-of-staff, he would be responsible for much of the internal management of the new administration. But critics say his appointment could accentuate party divides, rather than heal them, as Mr Obama has pledged. With the country in the throes of an economic slowdown and part of the global financial crisis, the post of treasury secretary will be another key post, our correspondent adds. Likely contenders for the post reportedly include former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Timothy Geithner, the current head of the New York Federal Reserve. With the business of preparing for government under way, Mr Obama will from Thursday start receiving the president's daily CIA briefings, which will include updates on covert operations. Projected results from Tuesday's election have yet to be announced for the states of North Carolina and Missouri, which are believed to be too close to call. But with most precincts tallied, Mr Obama's share of the popular vote stands at 52.3%, compared with Mr McCain's 46.4%. Turnout was reported to be extremely high - in some places "unprecedented" in what many Americans said they felt was a historic election. It was predicted that 130 million Americans had voted - the highest turn-out since 1960. The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington said that by selecting Mr Obama, Americans had made two fundamental statements about themselves: that they were profoundly unhappy with the status quo; and that they were slamming the door on the racial division of the past. The entire US House of Representatives and a third of US Senate seats were also contested in Tuesday's elections. The Democrats increased their Senate majority by five seats, but fell short of the 60 needed to stop blocking tactics by Republicans. They also increased their majority in the House of Representatives, gaining 20 seats to give a total 252, leaving the Republicans with 173.

Obama's extended family is dancing in his ancestral village of Kogelo, chanting, "Barack Obama, Barack Obama is going to the White House." Obama's grandmother, half-brother and relatives eagerly watched the election results, while in the capital Nairobi, revelers marched and danced through the streets to sirens and whistles, singing Obama's name and carrying and waving American flags.  President Mwai Kibaki called Obama's election "a momentous day not only in the history of the United States of America, but also for us in Kenya. The victory of Senator Obama is our own victory because of his roots here in Kenya. As a country, we are full of pride for his success." Other world leaders have rushed to congratulate him; British Prime Minister Gordon Brown described a "vital" relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom and said he was excited about the prospect of working with the new U.S. president. "I know Barack Obama and we share many values," he said. "And I look forward to working extremely closely with him in the coming months and years." German Chancellor Angela Merkel also offered her congratulations and said she would work with Obama to deal with the challenges facing the world. "I'm convinced that through a close and trusting cooperation between the United States and Europe we will be able to confront new risks and challenges in a decisive manner and will be able to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that are opening up in our world," Merkel said.  "Rest assured that my government appreciates hugely the meaning and value of the transatlantic relationship for our common future."

Obama's grandmother in Kogelo rejoices over his victory

Obama met both Brown and Merkel over the summer while on an international trip through Europe and the Middle East and held a huge rally in Berlin that revived memories of President John F. Kennedy's 1963 visit. Chinese President Hu Jintao offered similar congratulations, asking Obama to join China in shouldering "important common responsibilities." In an open letter to Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy offered "my warmest congratulations, and through me, those of the entire French people."  He said Obama's election raised in France, in Europe and around the world "an immense hope" and that the American people "had expressed with force their faith in progress and the future."  Financial markets in Asia were higher Wednesday as traders were hopeful that a new U.S. president could successfully tackle the world financial crisis. At an election viewing party in Paris, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde highlighted the global financial crisis as the next president's priority. Meanwhile, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka today sent a congratulatory message to the President - Elect of United States of America, Senator Barrack Obama. In his message, Mr. Musyoka said the historic election of Senator Obama will translate in greater international peace and security. Mr. Musyoka said the tribute that Kenyans can give the President - Elect is to consolidate the country's democratic practice, live in peace and give the country a new constitution. Speaking at the residence of the US Ambassador to Kenya, Michael Rannneberger during a reception to celebrate the conclusion of the US elections, the Vice President also congratulated Senator John McCain for conceding defeat. He commended the cordial relations existing between the two countries of Kenya and America adding that Obama's victory will now strengthen it further owing to his Kenyan origin. Mr. Musyoka said Kenyans still remember Senator Obama when he stood with the country during the post - election violence. The Vice President was accompanied by the Minister for Information and Communications, Mr. Samuel Poghisio.

WHAT THE UK PAPER SAYS ABOUT OBAMA

LEFT: The Evening Standard leads with the undisputed story of the day, year, if not decade. Its front page is dedicated to Barack Obama and his wife Michelle celebrating his historic election victory.CENTRE: The Independent introduces an historic image on its front. Newly crowned President-elect of the United States Barack Obama beams. RIGHT: The Times third edition pictures America's new first family as the Obamas take to the stage at Chicago to greet thousands of supporters.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference. It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been. We are, and always will be, the United States of America. It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America. It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day. It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America. A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain. Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

Obama's speech - CLICK HERE

BARACK OBAMA VICTORY SPEECH

As the extraordinary spectacle of the first African-American winning the presidency was taking place on stage, something extraordinary was taking place offstage: Obama was racking up a stunning 338 electoral votes, at least so far. McCain was left with 156. Race, it seemed, had melted away as an issue. Something else was happening too. While the whole world was standing back in amazement that America had elected its first black president, Obama asked not to be seen as a black man. As in his acceptance speech at the Democratic convention in Denver, he did not mention the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by name. Yes, he told a gripping story. But it was not his story. He framed the journey of the civil rights struggle through the person of a 106-year-old woman in Georgia, Ann Nixon Cooper, who voted today. She was “born just a generation past slavery” but for many years couldn’t vote for two reasons, he said, shifting the attention slightly off the matter of race: “because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.” The vivid historic symbols were hers: “She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that We shall overcome. Yes we can.” He shifted the focus again so that her story was not solely about race. A man touched down on the Moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination,'' Obama said, conveying the passage of time. And then this: “And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.” It was arguably the most stirring part of an otherwise unremarkable speech. And it came at the end. The occasion called for more grandeur than Obama seemed to allow himself. His muting of the racial component perhaps signaled the way he intends to govern, not as the black president but, as he said, the president of the whole country.

McCain's respectful concession speech

.McCain's respectful concession speech  - CLICK HERE

PHOENIX—A concession speech is a delicate undertaking. There are certain words you have to say: Congratulate. Admire. Cooperation. Gratitude. The challenge is to make people believe you. By that standard, John McCain succeeded. In fact, he said all the things he didn't have to. He congratulated Barack Obama not just for running a good campaign but for mobilizing millions of people who "once thought they had little influence in American elections." He acknowledged that his loss was America's win, at least in terms of historical progress: "I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and the special pride it offers them." (Weirdly, though, he didn't expand the sentiment to apply to all Americans.) He dwelled on the heartbreaking death of Obama's grandmother the day before the election—a personal note that a less sensitive candidate would have forgone: "She is with our creator and proud of the good man she helped raise." McCain was humble, not defiant, about his loss—almost overly so. "We fought, and although we fell short, the failure was mine, not yours," he said. That said, he acknowledged that he faced "a difficult road"—circumstances that perhaps any Republican would have had trouble overcoming. At the same time, McCain refused to revisit the past. "I don't know what more we could have done to win this election," he said. "I'll leave that to others to determine." (Offer accepted.) Still, there was a hint of repentance about negative campaigning—even if McCain's campaign was hardly the sleaziest ever. "We are all Americans," he said, "and no association has ever meant more to me than that." Bill Ayers, you can come out of your hole now.  The audience wasn't totally buying it. The first word to emerge from the crowd during McCain's speech came after he said he'd called Obama to congratulate him: "Bullshit!" McCain calmly tamped down objections—a move he's mastered lately. The audience did applaud politely at the lines about racial progress. But the mood was mostly somber. "I can't believe Obama will be president," one woman from California told me before ordering a glass of wine, a shot, and a chaser from the bar.

Mr. Seed in London woke up this morning to find 88 missed calls, voice message full and text message full. This was due to Obama's winning the US Presidency.  Have a look at some of the message.

"Kenyan men are in high demand abroad, they do produce the seed for President." - Sent into Mr. Seed's Mobile

"Comedian Chris Rock was interviewed on TV and when asked who he thinks will win the US Presidency, he answered "Obama". The journalist then asked him, why do think Obama will win? He replied: This guy is from Kenya. have you ever run a race with a Kenyan and won?. - Sent on Mr. Seed's Mobile

"You are invited to Obama's swearing in ceremony in Kagelo, Kisumu. Parking starts in Kericho. Make sure you make your way early enough so that you don't park in Nakuru." - Message sent to Mr. Seed mobile phone

"I cried when Obama won the elections. For once I am proud to be Kenyan once more after feeling so aliened by our past election." A Kenyan in the USA

"Where are going? "I am going to White House" - A Kenyan entering US explaining to the immigration official

"I still can't stop the tears coming off my eyes. I never thought I would live to see a black family in the White House. I have followed Obama from the day when no one knew him back in 2004 and to see him become US president is the biggest thrill I have had all year. God, I can't stop these tears. I have witnessed history." - Forum contributor

Rosa Park Sat, so Martin L. King could walk.... Martin Lutha walked so Obama could run... Obama running so our children can fly! Keep the Fath!" - Sent into Mr. Seed's mobile

"Great stuff, our man has done it!" - Sent into Mr. Seed's Mobile

"Hope you are macho. We in Kenya have a day of celebrations tomorrow. Our President made the declaration as he sent his message to President Obama. Are Kenyans in UK joining us. Talk to the ambassador and see if you people can join us. Surely we need to tell our God something. He is a Mighty God, He has given us great victory and breakthrough as a nation. To Him alone belongs this glory. Good morning." - Sent from Kenya by Mr. Francis Thuo Joram, well known as Pato, Nairobi, Kenya.

"Prime Minister Raila Odinga just resigned amid rumours that Obama as assigned him secretary of state." - Sent into Mr. Seed's Mobile

"It is only in Kenya that Obama is seen on tribal bases." - Sent into Mr. Seed's Mobile

In pictures: Road to power - click here

President George W. Bush has called Democrat Barack Obama to congratulate him on winning the presidential election, the White House said, adding that Bush invited him and his family to visit to the White House soon. "You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself," Bush said to Obama according to White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. Bush, whose job approval ratings have been at record lows, spent little time on the campaign trail with Obama's opponent Republican candidate John McCain as a result. He watched election returns with friends and staff at the White House. Bush also called McCain after his concession speech to praise his campaign, saying "John, you gave it your all. I'm proud of you, and I'm sorry it didn't work out," Bush said. Bush plans to give a statement on the election on Wednesday at 10:40 a.m. in the Rose Garden, she said. Vice President Dick Cheney called Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, to congratulate him, his spokeswoman Lea Anne Foster said. He also was trying to reach McCain's running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

WASHINGTON 5 November 2008– Barack Obama swept to victory as the nation's first black president Tuesday night in an electoral college landslide that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself. "Change has come," he declared to a huge throng of cheering supporters. The son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, the Democratic senator from Illinois sealed his historic triumph by defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in a string of wins in hard-fought battleground states — Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Iowa and more. On a night for Democrats to savor, they not only elected Obama the nation's 44th president but padded their majorities in the House and Senate, and come January will control both the White House and Congress for the first time since 1994. Obama's election capped a meteoric rise — from mere state senator to president-elect in four years. In his first speech as victor, Obama catalogued the challenges ahead. "The greatest of a lifetime," he said, "two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century." He added, "There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face." McCain called his former rival to concede defeat — and the end of his own 10-year quest for the White House. "The American people have spoken, and spoken clearly," McCain told disappointed supporters in Arizona. President Bush added his congratulations from the White House. In his speech, Obama invoked the words of Lincoln and echoed John F. Kennedy. "So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder," he said. He and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, will take their oaths of office as president and vice president on Jan. 20, 2009. Obama will move into the Oval Office as leader of a country that is almost certainly in recession, and fighting two long wars, one in Iraq, the other in Afghanistan. The popular vote was close — 51.3 percent to 47.5 percent with 73 percent of all U.S. precincts counted — but not the count in the Electoral College, where it mattered most. There, Obama's audacious decision to contest McCain in states that hadn't gone Democratic in years paid rich dividends. Obama has said his first order of presidential business will be to tackle the economy. He has also pledged to withdraw most U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months.

President Mwai Kibaki has sent a congratulatory message to President-elect Barrack Obama upon his election as the 44th President of the United States of America.  At the same time President Kibaki has declared Thursday 6th November 2008 a public holiday to enable Kenyans celebrate the historic achievement by Senator Obama and our country. President Kibaki said, "This is a momentous day not only in the history of the United States of America, but also for us in Kenya. The victory of Senator Obama is our own victory because of his roots here in Kenya. As a country, we are full of pride for his success." In his message President Kibaki noted that President Obama's and Democratic Party unassailable victory was a clear testimony of the confidence the American people have not only in his leadership and vision for his country but for the world at large. President Kibaki said in the message, "On behalf of the Government and people of Kenya, and on my own behalf, I join the rest of the world in celebrating and congratulating you on your election as the 44th President of the United States of America." The Head of State noted that President Obama's victory was a true testimony of the faith and trust the American people have in the policies, values and ideals that he has devotedly advocated for.  President Kibaki termed President Obama's victory a culmination of a grueling campaign and highly competitive election which proved beyond doubts his determination and courage to overcome tough challenges.  He said, "I am confident that your Presidency shall herald a new chapter of dialogue between the American people and the world at large."  The President also expressed readiness of his government to work with the new American administration to further promote and strengthen the warm and cordial relations that exist between the two countries.  "We the Kenyan people are immensely proud of your Kenyan roots. Your victory is not only an inspiration to millions of people all over the world, but it has special resonance with us her in Kenya," said President Kibaki.  Elsewhere, hundreds of villagers in Kogelo, erupted into song and dance at the news that the nation's favourite son had won the US presidential election.

Swinging twigs and chairs in the air, men cheered and clapped while women ululated and shouted "Obama! Obama!" in the village where his grandmother lives and where his late Kenyan father was born. "Senator Obama is our new president. God has answered our prayer," said pastor Washington Obonyo, who had prayed for an Obama victory on Tuesday and through much of the night. "I am very happy, I have not slept the whole night, even my wife slept alone as I waited for the results," said Joseph Otieno, a jubilant Kogelo resident. "Because Obama has won, we will have a change in the whole world. And for that I will slaughter a cockrel to celebrate with my family." Wild celebrations woke the sleepy village, people hugged each other as others ran aimlessly in the muddy streets after spending a chilly night glued to a giant screen watching results unfold on the US networks. "God bless all Americans and Kenyans," said Kevin Amollo. "I am very happy. "We feel really good about the victory," added Roselyne Ayaro, another reveller, waving a placard bearing Obama's picture. The residents had braved a heavy downpour and deafening thunderbolts overnight, dancing and singing to choruses belted out by a live band at a local dispensary. Children and youths gyrated to the songs, the lights of an army of international TV crews casting shadows on the tarpaulin tents. School children danced around the tents before heading to school as police officers kept watch. I the city of Kisumu, the regional provincial capital, huge screens were also mounted at a city park where hundreds turned out Wednesday morning after catching a few hours' sleep. Others crowded restaurants and shops to witness the first accession of a black man to the White House. "It's sweet victory for us. He should look into helping us, the people of Kenya," said Walter Oyoo, holding his bicycle above his head. "At least our dream of free and fair elections has finally come true. We were painfully robbed here in Kenya, but Obama and America have shown the world what true democracy is all about," said Tom Nyanjong, a primary school teacher. Kisumu had on Tuesday declared Obama the winner of the presidential contest in mock polls held by two local comedians. Small groups gathered in a handful of Nairobi bars exceptionally open all night, as well as at the US embassy and the capital's main conference centre, erupted into cheers. Strong opinion poll forecasts throughout the past week and early projections from some key states had however prompted many to head back to sleep before Obama's win was confirmed, confident the homeboy would become "the first Kenyan in the White House".

"When the madness of an entire nation disturbs a solitary mind, it is not enough to say that the man is mad." - Poline  Muthaiga

A MAN who had been refused asylum in UK used his brother's passport and driving licence to gain more than £41,000 in wages and benefits, a court heard.
Thirty-nine-year-old Morgen Mpandawana, who fled from Zimbabwe eight years ago, was yesterday branded as "greedy" by Judge Paul Glenn at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Mpandawana, of Greengates Street, Tunstall, was being sentenced for six counts of possession of false identification with intent and two counts of fraud. He pleaded guilty to all the charges. The court heard how Mpandawana had been receiving assistance from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) since he had arrived in the UK. He had applied for asylum, but had been rejected. He then appealed and was rejected again. Mpandawana received more than £18,000 in benefits from the NASS and in 2007 he gained employment with a nursing agency. Over the next 12 months he earned more than £23,000. Prosecutor Paul Spratt told the court yesterday that Mpandawana had produced false documents to gain that employment on June 28 2007. He was arrested on July 28 this year when he was discovered with the documents. Mr Spratt said: "They were in the name of his brother. "He had no right to work or suggest he had asylum." Judge Glenn said: "This is a case of him being greedy, isn't it?"  Defending Mpandawana, Alison Downes told the court her client had been staying with his brother, but had wanted to stop relying on his support.  She said: "These were desperate measures for a desperate man. "He and his wife have a five-year-old son. They are in his thoughts as he wonders what will happen to them now." Judge Glenn sentenced Mpandawana to 10 months in prison for the six counts of possession of false documents with intent, and imposed a concurrent 16-month term for the two counts of fraud. He said: "You knew you had no right legally to be in this country.  "Your application for asylum had been refused and so had your appeal.  "Using documents which belonged to your brother, you got work and earned in excess of £23,000. And at the same time you were claiming benefits."

A Kenyan has passed away in Sweden. The late Aquinas David Nganga 34, passed away in his bed in Stockholm, Sweden on Friday 31st 2008. The cause of his death is not yet known. He comes from Ngando, Racecourse near Dagoretti in Nairobi. He was son of Richard Nganga and Margaret N. Chege of Ngando Village, Racecourse, Nairobi. Brother to ANN NGANGA of Newcastle upon Tyne, Mathew Chege (Kenya), Jacob Ndwaru (Kenya), Charles Saa (Kenya). Friends are meeting every day for prayers and arrangements at 63 Woodland Crescent NE15 6NB as from 5pm. Prayers and contributions are really appreciated as he has no relatives in Sweden hence help is needed to transport the body to Kenya. Those willing to donate can do so through Halifax Bank, Account name: Ann Nganga, Sort 110876, Account no. 01251077. For more information please contact Ann Nganga on 07780811813.

The late Aquinas David Nganga who passed away in Stockholm on Friday

It is unfortunate that it is only 2of 10 Kenyans in the USA who are able to vote. Only US Citizens who are allowed to vote. It takes about 10 years to get citizenship through the Green Card Scheme

The face of US Democratic Party candidate Barack Obama is seen on the back of a bus in Kisumu, western Kenya, the main town in the province where Mr Obama's father was born. Photo: Riccardo Gangale/AP

Celebrations continues in Kisumu Town throughout the night as they await Baraka Obama to be the President

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain faced the verdict of U.S. voters on Tuesday after a long and bitter struggle for the White House, with Obama holding a decisive edge in national opinion polls. At least 130 million Americans were expected to vote on a successor to unpopular Republican President George W. Bush and set the country's course for the next four years to tackle the economic crisis, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an overhaul of health care and other issues. Long lines of people waited to vote at some polls in battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia. Polls close in parts of Indiana and Kentucky at 6 p.m. EST and over the following six hours in the other 48 states and the District of Columbia. Obama, 47, a first-term senator from Illinois, would be the first black U.S. president. Opinion polls indicate he is running ahead of McCain in enough states to give him more than the 270 electoral votes he needs to win. A victory for McCain, 72, would make him the oldest president to begin a first term in the White House and make his running mate Sarah Palin the first female U.S. vice president. World stocks rose to a two-week high and U.S. stocks rose on Wall Street with major indices up more than 3 percent. Analysts have said market prices probably already reflected expectations of an Obama victory. But if Democrats tighten their control of Congress, it may be easier for the new administration to deal with the financial crisis. Opinion polls showed Obama ahead or even with McCain in at least eight states won by Bush in 2004, including the big prizes of Ohio and Florida. Obama led comfortably in all of the states won by Democrat John Kerry in 2004. Ian Edwards, 60, said he voted for Obama. "Very simple," the chief executive of a small technology company said. "Bad war. Bad economy. Bad reputation overseas." Tyler White, in Scottsdale, Arizona, distrusted Obama on taxes. "My parents are in the upper tier of the tax bracket and feel that Barack Obama is not the right fit," he said.

The Kenya Government has banned importation of eggs and related products from China. This follows reports of detection of melamine-contamination eggs in China, the Kenya Bureau of Standards announced on Tuesday. Managing director Kioko Mang’eli said the ban also affects eggs and other related products from territories near China and takes effect immediately. “The related egg products will include noodles, mayonnaise, animal feeds and animal feed inputs,” the MD said. In a statement Dr Mang’eli said the ban was in addition to an earlier one on milk and related products from the same country.

DAUGHTERS WATCH OBAMA VOTE

Obama and his wife, Michelle, avoided the line at his Chicago polling station as they were let in a side entrance with their two daughters to vote. Poll workers and voters snapped pictures and cheered. "Voting with my daughters, that was a big deal," Obama said afterward, on his way to Indiana for one last campaign event. McCain, an Arizona senator, voted near his Phoenix apartment before final stops in Colorado and New Mexico. 

Sir Richard Branson, founder and CEO of Virgin Atlantic hinted that he may soon be setting up a new lodge outside the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. He plans to lease land from sorrounding communities to put up a high-end lodge. Unconfirmed estimates value the investment at over a million sterling pounds. Branson's thoughts behind this idea is that a buy out would cut off the community from future benefits while a lease would guarrantee continued earnings from their land. Branson revealed his investment plan during a recent visit to Sekenani Primary School in Maasai Mara where he opened the school's new boys' and girls' dormitories and a new kitchen area. The school project was made possible through a collaboration between Sarova Hotels, Water for All and 10 frequent flyer volunteers from Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club. Meanwhile, Virgin has pledged continued sponsorship of the Kenya Rugby Football Union for a second season (08/09 season) which will kick off in Dubai in November, 2008 to climax in Scotland in June, 2009.
 

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Computer maker Dell Inc has asked employees to consider taking up to five days of unpaid vacation as it struggles to cut costs in the face of weak global demand. The No. 2 computer maker, which is near the end of a program of 8,900 job cuts, is also offering voluntary severance packages and has instituted a global hiring freeze. Chief Executive Michael Dell announced the moves in an email to employees on Monday. On Tuesday he said he expects further consolidation in the technology industry, and encouraged companies to ride out financial turbulence by focusing on hard returns, rethinking businesses and investing. "Being stunned into inaction is exactly the wrong thing to do right now," he told a conference in San Francisco, adding that the company is investing in so-called cloud computing to deliver services over the Web.

Owners of buildings built on road reserves along Thika Road have opted to pull down their structures rather than wait for the government bulldozers to do it for them. Owners of buildings in the City's Githurai Estate on Monday decided to obey the Ministry of Road's directive to pull down the structures even as demolitions continued. However owners of Roy Transmotors Company that was situated at the Roysambu Roundabout along Thika Road continued protesting even as the remnants of their offices were brought down by the government bulldozers. The building was partly brought down on Saturday with the owners protesting that they acquired the land legally. The biggest casualty to the ongoing demolition was perhaps Nakumatt Supermaket which was brought down on Saturday. Demolition workers descended on the building at 5am local time, leaving it in ruins with the owners and workers attempting to salvage whatever goods they could. Others targeted by the demolition were restaurants, Kenol Petrol Station as well as ATM machines situated at the petrol station.  The demolition is meant to remove buildings standing on road reserves to pave way for the expansion of the busy Thika Road and reduce the traffic snarl up experienced on the road. The expansion project is set to start on November 20. The move has been met by mixed reaction with motorists welcoming the expansion saying it might spell a solution to the perpetual gridlock. However the Central Organization of Trade Unions has asked the government to show concern for workers who are set to lose their jobs as a result of the demolitions. Secretary General Francis Atwoli says many people might end up jobless and there was need to address their plight.

CCBC Swahili Service was moved on Sunday 2nd November, 2008 by the preaching of an upcoming twin brother from Uganda Pastor Stephen Kato. The guest preacher started his preaching by introducing himself and explained that he and his twin brother went to school late and came out of school earlier than others. That means that he was not well educated because his family were very poor and they could not afford school fees. He preached from the book of Luke 10:25 talking about the Good Samaritan where explained that the title of the story was fixed as the Good Samaritan forgetting to get the real source of the story. The theme of his preaching was "Man of Destiny". He explained that the man who was attacked on his journey from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way the man met his attackers. He explained that every Christians on this world are on their way to Heaven and they must expect to find all kinds of attacks. "Wale wako kwa safari lazima wawe na upingamizi" the preacher explained.  Swahili Service has of late grown into a big church with new visitors every Sunday especially for those visiting from Kenya. The choir is also doing very well and last week they received a new Maasai attire from Kenya. The above photo shows the Swahili Choir posing with their new attire. For more information about the service you can contact 07886947178.

Archbishop Gilbert Deya has finally launched his own Television Station. He acquired his licence from South Africa. He is now on Sky Channel 837

In 1987, because a bed that the Illinois senator was to sleep on could not get into his grandmother’s hut, he slept on the floor. Those who had an encounter with the Senator said there was nothing special about the 26-year-old other than that he was born in America. "A carpenter (now deceased) made a bed for him. But it was too big, and could not pass through a door to Sarah’s house," recalls Bernard Onyango, 60, a retired civil servant. In the morning, Obama carried his grandmother’s sukuma wiki (kales) to Kogelo market where it was sold. In the evening, he would help her carry her groceries in the dirty, tattered sack his back. "He wore a white trouser and a red shirt. He greeted me as he offloaded the vegetables in a sack," Gladys recalls.  Obama helped his grandmother sell sukuma wiki at Nyang’oma 21 years ago. Those who met him say he was humble and unassuming. In Dreams from my Father, Obama says he made his first trip to his ancestral home before he entered Harvard Law School. He rode in a bus from Kisumu with his step-sister, Auma Obama, to Nyang’oma Kogelo where he met his grandmother. A photo of Obama carrying the sack of vegetables on his back as she watches hangs on the wall of 86 year-old Sarah’s house. "The picture on the wall is one of my best, it reminds me of how he helped me sell vegetables at the market," says Sarah. Obama has visited the village three times — the last in 2006 when he was on an official tour as Illinois Senator. Sarah, who says the first visit proved that her grandson was hardworking, believes in his campaign message of ‘change’. "He (Obama) is exactly like his father — an ordinary man who did extra-ordinary things." Sarah says Obama was eager to learn Dholuo. "His being here did not bother us as he was down to earth and happily ate ugali and traditional vegetables," she says. - The Standard.

Senator Barrack Obama’s relatives have congregated at Nyangoma Kogelo village and will remain together until after Tuesday’s US presidential elections.  They have set aside a bull to slaughter in celebration should the Illinois senator whose father was Kenyan win, according to family spokesperson Mr Malik Abongo.

Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama's quest for the highest office on land suffered a body blow on Tuesday morning after her 86 year old grand mother, Madely Dunham, lost her battle to cancer.  Senator Obama and his wife Michelle released a press statement at 12. 45 am Kenyan time announcing the demise of his grandmother. Obama has in the past variously embelished his grandmother as the pillar of strength in his life.  The death of Obama's grandmother came hours before Americans went to the polls on Tuesday in a battle that pits Senator Barack Obama, the son of a Kenyan, against Senator John McCain of the Republican party. And as polling stations open for the final round of voting this morning, Mr Obama leads Mr McCain in six of eight battleground states. The first results are likely to be announced at 3 am. Other candidates in the race are former Congress members Bob Barr (Liberty Party) and Cynthia McKinney (Green Party), Pastor Chuck Baldwin (Constitution Party). Mr Ralph Nader is running as an independent. In Nairobi, police said they were prepared to deal with the celebrations that are expected to break should Mr Obama win. And the US ambassador to Kenya, Mr Michael Ranneberger, said he would address a press conference at 5 am on Wednesday to give an official comment on the elections. After one of the longest campaigns in US history, Mr Obama is likely to be voted to the highest office in American politics — the White House. If he wins, he will make history as the first African-American president since the US won independence 232 years ago.  And if Mr McCain wins, his running mate, Mrs Sarah Palin, will become the first woman Vice-President in US history. Mrs Palin is governor of Alaska. The winning candidate will need to garner 270 of the 538 electoral votes. Mr Obama holds a seven-point edge over Mr McCain among likely US voters in a separate Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby national tracking poll. He is a point up from Sunday. The telephone poll has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.  CNN gave Mr Obama a 13-point advantage. The five states where Mr Obama is ahead have a combined 76 electoral votes. Along with states won by Democrat John Kerry in 2004, they would give Obama 328 electoral votes — far more than the 270 needed to win the White House. Mr Obama holds a lead in crucial swing states of Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Missouri, Nevada and Pennsylvania while Mr McCain is ahead in Indiana and North Carolina. Some of the earliest returns in the election could provide big clues about the outcome. - Daily Nation.

LEFT: The Guardian's front page is dominated by the US election race, with the paper suggesting that between 130 and 140 million Americans are expected to "pull back the curtain and make a quiet, private decision". CENTRE: The Telegraph leads with the news that state schools are facing tighter admissions rules after thouands - including many faith schools - were found to be flouting guidelines designed to stop middle class pupils dominating places. RIGHT: The Daily Express has the news that banks have been accused of profiteering by failing to pass on interest rates to their customers.

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What’s the meaning of four2radio?

Our radio station was inspired by the 42 tribes of Kenya and so the name four2radio.

Four2radio is an internet radio aimed at Kenyans in the diaspora and friends of Kenya.  We aim to bridge the gap between information and Kenyans in the diaspora by broadcasting live or recorded Kenya related events, seminars, speeches, Kenya parliamentary sessions, conferences etc taking place in Kenya or U.K.

We will also be  holding interviews and interactive talk shows “The Kenyan Debate” being one of our highlights where we encourage our listeners to participate by phone, text or email.   The talkshow will be running Sundays from 7pm to 9pm London time, we encourage listeners to take part as we discuss issues and stories affecting our nation.

For a short while as the station is still getting organised we shall only be interactive on weekends and recorded material and or entertainment will be aired on weekdays.

Phone: 0121 288 42 42 (outside U.K dial 0044 121 288 42 42)

Text: 077 905 940 28

Email: debate@four2radio.com

Skypeid: four2radio (free call)

Website: http://www.four2radio.com

You can also call our studio line free using skypeid four2radio by downloading and installing skype which is free on:

http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/download/skype/windows/

JOIN US ON 09/10/2008 WHEN WE AIR THE VERY FIRST DEBATE WHICH WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE “WAKI REPORT”.

Let us hear your views.

You have no excuse not to call. Let’s link up at the debate corner where the atmosphere will be heated.

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As voters in the US go to the polls Tuesday, different groups of Kenyan-Americans are planning massive parties expecting Barack Obama will make history by becoming the first black president of the country.  All across the US in all cities where Kenyan immigrants reside in large numbers, arrangements have been made for all night parties after the voting Tuesday to go on until the results are out. In Jersey City, New York, Baltimore, Boston, Washington DC, Houston and others cities, Kenyans, and other African immigrants, are getting ready for the historic moment.  Mr Obama, the Illinois Senator whose father was Kenyan, was going into the final day of the campaign holding onto the opinion poll lead he has been having over Republican Senator John McCain.  Apart from the lead in the national opinion polls, Mr Obama was also leading in the race to pick up delegates across various states. The American president is not elected directly by the people. He is elected by an Electoral College of 538 delegates from all the 50 states and the Washington DC capital states. A candidate winning the popular vote in a state secures all the Electoral College votes, officially known as electors, for that state. A simple majority of 270 delegates is required for to win.  "We are going to have a big party" Mr Richard Maburi, President of the Kenyan-Americans Community Association Inc in Jersey City told the Nation.  Mr Maburi, who has been involved as a volunteer for the Obama campaign in Jersey City and other parts of New Jersey State was confident of victory, and by the middle of last week had already started making calls inviting other Obama supporters for the gathering which will be part celebration and part vigil awaiting the results. In Washington DC, a club that has become a popular meeting place for Kenyans and is jokingly referred to as the real Kenya embassy, was preparing itself for heavy business. "We are ready and prepared to stay open all night," Mr William Mukabana, proprietor of the club Safari DC, said.  Many other Africans communities that have settled in the US in large numbers from Ethiopia, Somalia, Nigeria and other parts of the continent were also enthralled by the prospect of an Obama victory because they also see him as one of their own.  The preparation for the parties and all night vigils came as both Obama and McCain went on frenzied last-minute campaign rallies across the so-called battleground states.  On Sunday, Mr Obama was on an extensive tour of Ohio state where he holds a slight lead over his Republican rival, culminating with an address at a late-night rally in Cincinnati at nearly 2.00am on Monday morning before moving on to North Carolina and Florida. Mr McCain also had late night activities, with a midnight rally in Miami, Florida, on Sunday, before a final frenzy on Monday taking in seven critical states that are presumed to lean Republican, ending with another late night rally in his home state, Arizona  Other states on his itinerary on Monday and Tuesday, voting day, included Tennessee, whose media market reaches into Virginia. He was also scheduled to hit Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Mexico and Nevada. How tight the race has become is forcing both candidates to break with tradition and campaign on Election Day. On Tuesday (voting day), Mr McCain has on his schedule campaign events in Colorado and New Mexico; while Mr Obama is making a quick trip to Indiana before returning home to Chicago for a massive rally in Grant Park. - Daily Nation.

Obama extends lead into final day

By Edward Luce in Washington

Published: November 2 2008 19:38 | Last updated: November 3 2008 16:08

John McCain enters the final day of the 2008 presidential contest facing what even some prominent Republicans were dubbing a difficult fight as a clutch of polls showed Democrat Barack Obama’s national lead widening into the double digits. Mr McCain, who on Monday began a last-minute, seven-state dash, remained defiant, insisting that polls were misreading the mood of the country. Late on Sunday the Gallup trend poll showed Mr Obama with a 10-point lead over Mr McCain, enough to push him well into landslide territory.On Monday morning Mr Obama was also holding on to leads in several key swing states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and - more narrowly - Florida.The last time national polls briefly recorded Mr McCain in the lead was in September, before the financial meltdown. Republican pundits, many of whom have been predicting disaster for weeks, said there was little hope Mr McCain could turn the situation round. Forecasters were also anticipating a record high turn-out on Tuesday based on the unprecedented surge in early voting in states such as Florida and Nevada, where almost half of all voters have voted early and where Democrats have seen a surge in registration, particularly among African-Americans. Suggesting that “prayer” was Mr McCain’s last hope, Pat Buchanan, the former Republican candidate, told the BBC: “I think you’re going to have a civil war inside the conservative movement if this defeat is as large and sweeping as everyone seems to think this is, and if John McCain goes down to defeat with it.”Mr Buchanan added: “It will be miraculous if McCain can win Virginia. And if he loses Virginia, he has to carry Pennsylvania where he is now behind by double digits. And I don’t see that happening.”Meanwhile, Mr Obama, who will stage his final campaign rally on Monday in Virginia, which last voted for a Democrat in the 1964 presidential election, on Sunday issued a final appeal for campaign donations, saying that the Republicans planned a $10m (€8m) splurge in the final 48 hours of the campaign. Obama officials also warned supporters against complacency, betraying fears that voters could turn out in lower numbers on the assumption the result was a foregone conclusion. Making fun out of his overwhelming financial disadvantage throughout the election, Mr McCain dropped in on the Saturday Night Live comedy TV show in New York.

Referring to Mr Obama’s widely viewed $3.5m 30-minute “infomercial” on three network channels last week, Mr McCain described himself as a “true maverick – a Republican without money”.Mr McCain won over the audience by mocking himself as a “sad grandpa”. “That’s where I get on TV and go, ‘Come on, Obama’s gonna have plenty of chances to be president. It’s my turn,’” he said. Last-minute schedules highlighted the steep odds facing Mr McCain with both candidates focusing on states that voted for George W. Bush in 2004, some of which were until recently seen as solid Republican territory. On Monday, Mr Obama was set to make appearances in Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. Mr McCain was scheduled to visit Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Mexico and Nevada.Unusually, both candidates were scheduled to continue campaigning on Election Day itself. On Tuesday Mr Obama was to visit Indiana before going home to Chicago for a nighttime rally, and Mr McCain planned to visit Colorado and New Mexico before attending his election-night rally in Phoenix, Arizona.Both Mr McCain and Mr Obama also issued new attack advertisements at the weekend. The Obama campaign highlighting vice-president Dick Cheney’s endorsement of John McCain on Saturday and pointing out that the senator from Arizona had voted 90 per cent of the time with the Bush administration. “That’s not the change we need,” it says. Mr McCain picked up on remarks Mr Obama made on Saturday in Iowa, when he said there was a “righteous wind” behind his campaign.And in Pennsylvania, which is tilting strongly towards Mr Obama but still presents Mr McCain’s most viable route to pulling off an upset on Tuesday, the Republican party issued one of its strongest negative adverts focused on Mr Obama’s links to his former pastor Jeremiah Wright. “Barack Obama chose as his pastor a man who blamed the 9/11 attacks on America,” says this narrator. “Is this a man with the judgment to lead?”

Barack Obama Senior, an economist at the Treasury in the late 1960s, rubbed officials of Kenyatta’s Government the wrong way when he angrily demanded an explanation on Tom Mboya’s death, moments after the Minister for Economic Planning and Development was assassinated. "I was with Tom only last week. Can the Government tell me where he is?" a distraught Obama Senior fulminated as he abandoned work in protest. An incensed official immediately handed him a sack. Obama was emotionally attached to Mboya who made it possible for him to further his education in the US. "It was courtesy of Mboya’s famous airlifts that Obama landed at the University of Hawaii," says Mr Hezron Ogembo, who like Obama Snr’s father, Onyango Obama, is a native of Kanyadhiang near Kendu Bay, Rachuonyo District. Ogembo says Obama Snr was a close friend. "We met at social places. Barack loved his whisky. We often drank together". After his sacking, Obama Snr worked with Shell/BP as a senior accountant until after Mzee Kenyatta’s death in 1978 when his long time friend, Mwai Kibaki, who was then Finance minister returned him to the Treasury. Ogembo says the friendship between Kibaki, now President, and Obama Snr started at the treasury where they worked together. He clarifies that although Obama Snr was buried in Alego Kogelo following his sudden death in a car crash in Nairobi, he was not born there. "His father, Onyango Obama who was also buried in Kogelo, moved with his family to this village in Alego, Siaya, when Obama Snr was a small boy after he was persuaded to do so by his brothers," says Ogembo. He says Onyango Obama was the second born son of Obama Opiyo’s eight sons. "He was the only one from the family recruited to fight in the Second World War. He came back a Muslim — Onyango Hussein Obama — after having married his first wife Helima during his service in Zanzibar.  Explaining the Obama family link to Kogelo that today is associated with Senator Obama’s Kenyan roots, Ogembo says Obama Snr’s grandfather was born and brought up in the sleepy village in Siaya that has found itself in international news.

"Opiyo, the grandfather to Obama Senior grew up in Alego Kogelo. He had a twin sister called Jalang’o," narrates Ogembo. "Jalang’o in her turn got married to a man in Karachuonyo, Kanyadhiang near Kendu Bay. Due to her love for her twin brother, she invited Opiyo to join her there because land was in plenty at the time. "Opiyo got married to a woman from Kendu Bay and among his sons was Obama Opiyo, the grandfather to Obama Snr. "As fate would have it, Obama Opiyo’s second born son, Onyango Obama was exposed to the world by his experiences in the second world war and returned a a controversial figure who did not agree with the highly respected chief and Chairman of the Luo Council of Elders at the time, Paul Mbuya Akoko. To save Onyango from trouble with the chief, his brothers advised him to migrate to their ancestral land in Alego, Kogelo near Siaya in then Central Nyanza District and secure it for posterity. Ogembo says by the time of his migration from Karachuonyo, Onyango Obama had already lost his wife, Akumu Nyanjoga, the mother to Barack Obama Snr and married Sarah Ogwel — the now famous grandmother. Recalls Ogembo: "Obama Sr was fond of invoking the names of his two mothers whenever he was with his friends in social places, reminding them that he was the proud son of two mothers — Akumu Nyanjoga and Sarah Ogwel. An wuod Akumu Nyanjoga kod Sarah Ogwel (I am the son of Akumu Nyanjoga and Sarah Ogwel) was his characteristic vaunt in social places "Obama Snr had his early education at Gendia Primary School near Kendu Bay and joined Ng’iya Intermediate School when the family moved to Alego Kogelo bfore proceeding to Maseno. Before Obama Snr’s airlift to America, he was already married to his elder wife, Keziah. Ann Dunham, the mother of Sen. Barack Obama whom he met at college in Hawaii, was his second wife. Ogembo says Obama Snr returned to Kenya after his PhD at Harvard without Ann, but with another white woman, Ruth with whom he did not live with for long, either. Ruth remarried and still lives in Kenya. "I remember Obama Snr as a brilliant scholar, immensely proud of his academic achievements," says Ogembo. "He respected Kibaki’s academic prowess, but never hesitated to point out that Kibaki at no time beat him in academics. "Obama Snr fondly talked about his son in the US, the boy who would grow up to be the Democratic US presidential candidate. "He was an immensely proud and ambitious man who had little respect for non-achievers," recalls Ogembo. - The Standard

Barack Obama Senior, the late father of United States Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Mary Ngare has been appointed the PS in the Ministry of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands. Ngare's appointment comes two months after former Deputy Central Bank Governor Jacinta Mwatela rejected to take up the position. Ngare was previously the Director of Administration at the Ministry of Health. Rosemary A. Nyanjom has been appointed deputy chairperson of Public Service Commission while Rachael Arunga has been appointed a commissioner to Public Service Commission. Former Rangwe MP Eng. Philip Okundi has been appointed Chairman of the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) and Mark Kitaanyu ole Karbolo is the new Chairman of East Africa Portland Cement Company (EAPC). The President has also appointed Shukri Baramadi as the Chairman of Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Jacob Kabutu Mwirigi the Chairman of Jomo Kenyatta Foundation. Prof. J.K. ole Korei has been appointed the Chairman of Narok University College and Hellen Jepkoech Cheramboss as the Vice Chairperson. The President also appointed the following as additional members of the National Economic and Social Council (NESC); Minister responsible for Lands, Tourism, Foreign Affairs and the Youth Affairs. Other new members are Vimal Shah, Steve Smith and Stella Kilonzo.

Obama and McCain in final push

By Edward Luce in Chicago, Daniel Dombey and James Politi in Washington and Andrew Ward in Miami

Published: November 3 2008 20:22 | Last updated: November 3 2008 20:22

Barack Obama and John McCain on Monday wound up their presidential campaigns in a whirlwind of rallies and speeches even as new data underlined the scale of the economic crisis awaiting the winner In a reflection of the growing confidence of his supporters, Mr Obama was set to conclude his bid to be the first black occupant of the White House at a giant rally in Virginia, traditionally a Republican stronghold that has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1964.  “After decades of broken politics in Washington, eight years of failed policies from George Bush, and 21 months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are one day away from change in America,” he was expected to tell the crowds at Manassas, a rapidly growing suburb in northern Virginia. But whether he fulfils the predictions of the opinion polls which give him an average seven-percentage point lead, or Mr McCain, the Republican Arizona senator, manages a last-minute upset, either man will face the bleakest economic outlook for the country in a generation. Manufacturing activity plunged to its lowest level since 1982 last month, the Institute for Supply Management reported on Monday, providing further evidence of the deepening of US economic turmoil.

Mr Obama on Monday focused almost wholly on America’s worsening economy, seeking to tar Mr McCain with the policy failings of George W. Bush, the outgoing president. Monday’s manufacturing figures – the ISM index fell from a level of 43.5 in September to 38.9 in October – disappointed economists who had been expecting a smaller drop to 41.5. The components of the index were extra-ordinarily weak, showing production of goods, as well as orders, declining sharply amid slowing global demand. With campaigning at an end, the two sides switched to getting out the vote. A massive grassroots operation by the Obama team looked like outstripping the historically better organised Republicans, at least in terms of size. The Democrats have fielded an army of 1.5m volunteers and almost 800 offices across the 50 states. In a spate of last-minute campaigning on Monday, the candidates spread out to battleground states from Pennsylvania to New Mexico and from Florida to Virginia. “I’ve been travelling too much,” said a visibly tired Mr Obama, after addressing his audience at a rally in Jacksonville, Florida as “Ohio”. In an even more frantic schedule, Mr McCain was visiting seven states, never spending more than two hours on the ground between flights, as he shuttled between Moon Township, Pennsylvania, and Prescott, Arizona, where he was winding up his campaign at 2am on Tuesday.  “My friends, I’ve been fighting for this country since I was 17 years old, and I have the scars to prove it,” the veteran of the Vietnam War told a rally in Tampa, Florida. “If I’m elected president, I will fight to shake up Washington and take America in a new direction from my first day in office until my last.” The much-followed Gallup tracking survey showed Mr Obama with an 11-point advantage over Mr McCain among likely voters. A series of other surveys put Mr Obama’s support at more than 50 per cent nationally, and indicated that he held a strong advantage among the almost 30 per cent of respondents who had already voted.

US factory activity contracted sharply in October, falling to its lowest in 26 years as the financial crisis ravaged the world’s largest economy, an industry report showed on Monday. ”Pretty grim. It means we’re in a recession, it’s as simple as that ... a pretty solid manufacturing recession,” said Robert Macintosh, chief economist at Eaton Vance Corp in Boston, adding: ”... The question is how long or deep is it going to be? Where is this group of economists that is charged with declaring a recession? Why haven’t they said anything?” The Institute for Supply Management said its index of national factory activity fell to 38.9 in October from 43.5 in September. The level of 50 separates contraction from expansion, and a reading below 40 is exceptionally weak. On Wall Street, stocks briefly turned lower after the weaker-than-expected data, while the dollar trimmed its gains versus the yen.  Economists had expected a reading of 41.5, according to the median of forecasts in a Reuters poll.  The report was uniformly weak, and employment in the sector was dismal. The ISM’s gauge of employment fell to its lowest since March 1991 and suffered its biggest one-month drop in 20 years.  The data foreshadowed a grim outlook, with the index of new orders hitting its lowest since 1980.

How Obama went from longshot to favorite

JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Reuters) - Barack Obama's bid for the U.S. presidency was a longshot when he announced it to great fanfare on the steps of the Illinois capitol on a freezing day in February 2007. At 45, he was a rising Democratic star who could make history as the first black U.S. president. But he had only two years in U.S. Senate and no other national political experience. Former first lady Hillary Clinton, with six years in the Senate and support from many established party figures, was the clear favorite. And America had never elected a black president. But a well-oiled campaign operation, a hugely successful fund-raising effort, charisma and even luck have pushed Obama to the brink of victory in Tuesday's election against Republican rival John McCain.  With a calm demeanor, soothing baritone and an idealistic message focusing on hope and bridging partisan divides, Obama has a steely intensity that opponents, including Clinton and McCain, have tended to underestimate. "He's as tough and competitive a person as I know but he's also a very civil person and the two don't always go hand in hand in politics," Obama strategist David Axelrod said. "I think maybe people misread what are very positive qualities as somehow a lack of killer instinct or something," Axelrod said, adding that the 21-month-long campaign has tested the mettle of Obama, whose close-cropped hair is now grayer. While amassing a $600 million war chest that shattered all fund-raising records and establishing a big network of grass-roots volunteers, Obama put together a staff known for its discipline and lack of leaks. He racked up endorsements from high-profile figures such as talk show host Oprah Winfrey; former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker; Caroline Kennedy, daughter of slain President John F. Kennedy, and more recently, former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Political analysts have likened the Obama campaign to the Bush campaigns of 2000 and 2004 for its efficiency, focused message and the choreography and polish of events and ads. The Clinton and McCain camps were riven by staff infighting that spilled into the media. Both had periodic money troubles due to overspending and both had staff shake-ups. In mid-October 2007, a Gallup poll showed Clinton with a nearly 30-point lead over Obama, creating a perception of inevitability for her campaign.

EARLY OPPOSITION TO IRAQ WAR

Obama's early opposition to the Iraq war helped dent some of Clinton's advantages. Clinton had voted for a resolution authorizing the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a stance unpopular with the base of her party. Like other Democrats who voted for that resolution, she later became a war critic.

Nairobi city could soon live true to its description, the city in the sun if an ambitious proposal by the government goes through.  Environment Minister John Michuki has revealed plans to inject a whooping 11 billion shillings to clean up the entire city and its environs.  The money also covers cleaning the Nairobi River putting in plan an effective waste disposal management. Nairobi city has shed its former glory, the city in the sun to become an enduring nightmare for many residents due to overcrowding, environmental pollution, traffic jam and the mushrooming of informal settlements. But all that could be reversed with a multi billion shillings project by the government now in the offing. Environment minister John Michuki says the money will be used to undertake a thorough clean up of Nairobi river, rehabilitating the drainage system to ensure effluence is not discharged besides putting in place an effective solid waste disposal management. The project which is expected to be completed in three years could transform the capital city into a modern city as plans to upgrade it into a 24 hour metropolis are being worked on. Nairobi, the fourth largest city in Africa  has an estimated urban population of between 3 and 4 million.

I am at the door, I knock. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them at their table. Now He is walking to your house. Let Him bless you and send Him to someone else's house.

Obama leads McCain in 6 of 8 key states

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama leads Republican John McCain in six of eight key battleground states one day before the U.S. election, including the big prizes of Florida and Ohio, according to a series of Reuters/Zogby polls released on Monday. Obama holds a 7-point edge over McCain among likely U.S. voters in a separate Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby national tracking poll, up 1 percentage point from Sunday. The telephone poll has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points. Obama heads into Tuesday's voting in a comfortable position, with McCain struggling to overtake Obama's lead in every national opinion poll and to hold off his challenge in about a dozen states won by President George W. Bush in 2004. The new state polls showed Obama with a 1-point lead in Missouri and 2-point lead in Florida, within the margin of error of 4.1 percentage points. But Obama also holds leads in Ohio, Virginia and Nevada -- all states won by Bush in 2004. The five states where Obama is ahead have a combined 76 electoral votes. Along with states won by Democrat John Kerry in 2004, they would give Obama 328 electoral votes -- far more than the 270 needed to win the White House. Obama also leads by 11 percentage points in Pennsylvania, which McCain has targeted as his best chance to steal a state won by Kerry in 2004. McCain leads Obama by 5 points in Indiana and by 1 point in North Carolina -- both states won by Bush in 2004. "Obama's lead is very steady. He could be looking at a big day on Tuesday," said pollster John Zogby. "These are all Republican states except Pennsylvania, and that does not look like it's going to turn for him." In Florida, the biggest prize being fought over on Tuesday with 27 electoral votes, Obama leads McCain by 48 percent to 46 percent. The two were running dead even at 47 percent one week ago. In Ohio, the state that decided the 2004 election with a narrow win for Bush, Obama has opened a 6-point edge. He also has a 6-point lead on McCain in Virginia and an 8-point advantage in fast-growing Nevada. Obama leads McCain by a statistically insignificant 1 point, 47 percent to 46 percent, in Missouri. McCain has the same 1-point edge in traditionally Republican North Carolina. McCain has a solid 5-point lead in Indiana, which has not supported a Democrat for president since 1964. Obama has worked to put Indiana in the Democratic column, and plans a visit there on Election Day to try to help turn out the vote. In the national poll, Obama leads by 15 points among independents and by 13 points among women, two crucial voting blocs in Tuesday's election. He leads by 1 point among men and among all age groups except those between the ages of 55 and 69, who favor McCain by 1 point. McCain leads among whites by 13 percentage points but is only attracting about 25 percent of Hispanics. In 2004, Bush won more than 40 percent of Hispanics.

Vice President Kalonzo is opposed to Waki recommendations that suspects of the post election violence face trial at The Hague. Instead the VP is proposing instead  justice for victims be sought via a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission. He noted that Kenya's internal justice mechanisms had not failed to the extend that foreign agencies are required to help provide justice to Kenyan citizens. Kenyans, the Vice President added, are capable of finding solutions to their most pressing issues, including the cry for justice for those brutalized by the post-election chaos. "The fact that we were able to quickly pull ourselves out of the post-election violence hole, is a demonstration that we can, with one resolve as Kenyans, address even the most difficult matters and find solutions" he said.  Mr Kalonzo was speaking to hundreds of Kenyans in Zambia, during a dinner hosted by the High Commissioner Mr. Lazarus Amayo, soon after witnessing the swearing in of that country's new President Rupiah Banda. He was accompanied by the East African Cooperation Minister Amason Kingi, MPs Eugene Wamalwa and Daniel Muoki, as well as the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Thuita Mwangi. The VP welcomed the raging public debate on the fate of the Waki report saying it was health. "Your country Kenya does not belong to the leaders, it belongs to all the citizens. By strongly expressing their views, Kenyans are saying never again will we allow ourselves to pick up machetes and cut each other" He added. Mr. Kalonzo said the Cabinet and Parliament will discuss the Waki report exhaustively and that a position agreeable to most Kenyans will emerge. He congratulated Kenyans in the Diaspora for not expressing animosity towards each other, during the height of the post election chaos. "I know Kenyans abroad came together as brothers and sisters and contributed sacrificially towards the humanitarian efforts, early this year, thank you" He said. East African Co-operation Minister Amason Kingi told the Kenyans that the leaders of the Eastern Africa, Comesa and Southern Africa economic blocks have agreed to form one common market, which will make trading across most of Africa exciting

Lloyds TSB and HBOS have announced plans, backed by the government, to raise up to £17bn as they go ahead with their proposed merger. Lloyds wants to raise £4.5bn from investors and HBOS is seeking £8.5bn. If the shares are not taken up, the government will acquire them. The government will also directly buy preference shares in the two banks - worth a total of £4bn. Lloyds TSB said that its acquisition of HBOS would save it £1.5bn a year. It also announced that the combined group would be named Lloyds Banking Group.

A drum-maker who inhaled anthrax spores while handling imported animal skins at his workshop has died in hospital. Fernando Gomez, 35, from Hackney in east London, had been in the intensive care unit of Homerton University Hospital for more than a week. A hospital spokesman confirmed he died from inhalation anthrax rather than cutaneous anthrax, which is contracted through the skin. Seven other people have been given antibiotics as a precautionary measure. The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said it was attempting to trace where the infected skins originated. A hospital spokesman said his condition had deteriorated overnight and that he died on Sunday afternoon. The HPA has sealed off his flat in Hackney and will examine his workshop this week. Its chief adviser, Professor Nigel Lightfoot, said residents who lived near the flat or workshop were not at risk. He stressed the risk of coming into contact with anthrax came from the making of animal skin drums not playing or handling them. He said: "We are, however, keen to reiterate to all individuals who make drums from imported animal skins that there is a risk of coming into contact with anthrax and that they should ensure they are aware of this and take precautions to protect themselves when making these drums." The threat to the general public is very small and it is extremely unusual for anthrax to be transmitted from person to person. The last death of this kind in Britain was in 2006 when Christopher Norris, 50, a craftsman from Stobs, near Hawick in Scotland, died after inhaling anthrax. Mr Norris made artworks and also musical instruments, including drums. A fatal accident inquiry into his death is due to take place on 18 November at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

The last death of this kind in Britain was in 2006

Police will Monday examine the house of a London drum-maker who died after inhaling anthrax spores while handling imported animal skins, the hospital treating him said.  Fernando Gomez, 35, from Hackney in east London, had been in intensive care for several days but his condition deteriorated overnight and he died around lunchtime, the Homerton University Hospital said. Health Protection Agency (HPA) staff have sealed off his flat and are due to inspect his workshop this week to test for further signs of the disease, which can cause a skin infection or, as in this case, be inhaled into the lungs. Seven people who had been in the room where the animal hides were prepared have been given antibiotics as a precaution, but HPA officials said no-one else has developed symptoms of anthrax. Anthrax is a highly contagious infection that usually only afflicts livestock, but can be transmitted to humans who handle or eat infected animals. Anthrax inhalation is very rare, and is not contagious. Officials stress there is little risk to people playing animal hide drums, only those making them, and Britain has tough regulations on hide imports. The last death of this kind in Britain was in Scotland in 2006, when 50-year-old Christopher Norris, who made artworks and instruments including drums, died after inhaling anthrax. A subsequent report said it was likely Norris died after playing or handling anthrax-contaminated West African drums at a drumming workshop.

London drum-maker dies of anthrax: hospital

Former Mandera MP Billow Kerrow who was arrested on Friday for interrogations on the Mandera saga will be arraigned in court on Monday 3rd November, 2008. Kerrow was released last night but will appear in court for incitement to violence and disobedience of law.  His arrest resulted to a spate of protests and demonstrations that erupted in Mandera and Eastleigh estate in Nairobi Saturday.  "The Military is abusing locals in the name of ending clan clashes in Mandera." The former MP claimed the security personnel engaged in physical assault and sexual harassment of locals. The statements have now been translated to incitement to violence and disobedience of the law and those are the charges that Billow will in a court of law. In a show of solidarity, business came to a standstill in Mandera Saturday as angry residents took to the streets brandishing placards and chanting as they demanded for the immediate release of their former MP.  Their counterparts in Eastleigh estate spent the better part of their day engaging police in running battles over the same demands. Allegations of the military abusing human rights during official duty caused uproar during a similar operation in Mt Elgons, claims that were nevertheless constantly dismissed by residents. The Military operation was declared following clashes between Murule and Garre clans which have claimed more than 20 lives in the last one month.

Government bulldozers descended on business premises on a road reserve along Thika Road on Saturday morning and destroyed property worth millions. The Nakumatt Thika Road branch, Roy Transmotors, Vision Grill restaurant and Kenol service station were demolished in the operation which began at 5 a.m.  Security firms had to hurriedly empty automated teller machines of Barclays, Equity and NIC banks before they were destroyed. The operation attracted a large crowd and caused a heavy traffic jam on the usually busy road for the better part of the morning.  Armed Administration Police officers had a hard time keeping looters at bay as the demolition continued. But some managed to grab items, especially from the supermarket.  Rashid Hilowle, the security team boss, said they had arrested a man trying to cart away a colour TV from the supermarket. The owner of Visions Grill, Mr Henry Mureithi, allowed people to eat and drink to their fill before the restaurant was pulled down.  At the Kenol service station next to Nakumatt, employees emptied the tanks which the manager, Mr Jonathan Onyango, said had 26,000 litres of fuel worth over Sh3 million. Ministry of Roads officials on site told the Sunday Nation that the businesses had been served with a notice three months ago but were reluctant to leave the premises. More demolitions are anticipated in the coming days.  - Sunday Nation.

Bulldozers pull down the building housing Nakumatt Thika Road branch.

"I beganmy life journey through a great woman, my mum, she loved me since birth and has forever loved me. She told me I was born a healthy baby in Pumwani hospital, Nairobi and was her pride, her blessings from God. I was taken home to a small town Kerua, in Muguga. But before I could count, our family moved to Uthiru in 1983." - Jesus defeats heroin book written by Pastor Joseph Njuguna, London

Aunt Tabby.... Aunt Tabby.... where have you been? "I have been to London to see the Queen...."

Aunt Tabby.... Aunt Tabby.... where have you been? "I have been to London to see the Queen...." What else did you see there? "I also visited London Eye and London Bridge was burning.". As Mrs. Tabitha Wamae, well in known in Seattle US as Aunt Tabby visited London Eye - 135 metres above London where she could see the Big Ben from above. Later she visiting Buckingham Palace where see was on time to see change of guards to the Queen (top right). What surprised you in London than anything else Aunt Tabby? "London underground trains -going 600ft below river Thames, it is amazing." Seattle is the home of giant Microsoft and Boeing. She is returning to the US next week. Her contact in London 07951268057.

Some sobbed as they watched their investments worth millions brought down in a flash. Others laughed in an inebriated stupor sparked by the free flowing alcohol, looted or given out by dazed proprietors. And others were pondering their fate as they stared joblessness in the face as their work places were being flattened. Yet others had no clue what made them sit in traffic for hours on end. Such was the mix of emotions along Thika Road, on Saturday morning, when Ministry of Roads bulldozers came calling at the crack of dawn. They first struck at the Nakumatt Thika Road branch, a mega store that was fully stocked at the time. At what used to be the entrance, a huge elephant stature lay prostrate on the concrete rumble — an ominous sign that the supermarket had come tumbling down, literally. A few steps, Patrick Oundo, a watchman was feasting on chicken with the other hand holding a can of beer. He had been guarding the Kenol Petrol Station before the bulldozers started demolishing the Vision Bar and Restaurant within the same plot. As the owner was salvaging what he could, Oundo helped himself to a chicken that was in the fridge. "Kazi imeisha. Sasa ni kijibebea and tumbo,’’ (I am now jobless. The least I can do is to fill my stomach). Scores of other youths were drinking themselves silly after the proprietor, Mr Henry Muriithi, allowed them to drink on condition they do not cart away the bottles and crates.  Last night, Muriithi had invited Tony Nyadundo of Ohangla fame to entertain his customers and displayed a huge banner announcing the musical fiesta.  But his colourful bar was at the mercy of a huge bulldozer. He had pleaded with the officials to give the demolition a human face, by allowing them to remove valuables. Despite a heavy police presence, youths still managed to loot foodstuff, including raw meat. Beer and soft drinks were in high demand.. The next bar, Blue Springs, was invaded by a gang of about 100 youths, who helped themselves to the drinks. Police maintained tight security around Nakumatt, and kept a huge crowd at bay. A lorry crying beer was almost hijacked by the ‘thirsty’ youths, who were waiting for the slightest opportunity to loot property. A senior Administration Police officer, Mr Rashid Hilolwe, said only one person was arrested as he attempted to steal from the supermarket. - Sunday Standard.

MAN OF GOD OFF TO USA

Pastor Joseph Njuguna well known as "Man of God" is going to the US for a mission. He is well known in the UK because God delivered him from the streets of London to the pulpit. He has written a book about his life in the street, stealing and taking drugs. In one passage in his book Pastor Njuguna wrote: "I arrived in London in 1995. I became a thief in London. During the winter nights, London is cold; the temperatures fall below 5 degrees Celsius. I had probably adapted the life of an ice man from all the times I was only thinking about drugs - the cold became not as important as getting a high." he explained. We will keep on publishing quotations from his book. His email missions@manofgod.co.uk

The greatest political show on earth

Speaking to supporters, Mr McCain attacked his rival over his tax plans and said: "We can and will win." and Mr Obama is warning against the dangers of complacency, and urging supporters to make sure they vote.

The most fascinating, most gruelling and most expensive US presidential election campaign for generations is almost over. Whoever wins, says Justin Webb, the contest has left him wondering if any other political show could ever compete. Three unforgettable moments... The first with John McCain in a medium-sized hall somewhere in New Hampshire. He is standing close to me when one of his military veteran buddies, wearing a cap with battle honours neatly stitched on the side, comes up to hug him. The two elderly men, both tired and bleary-eyed, both their bodies past their best, held each other for a moment with genuine, unaffected love. Love for who they are and what they represent: generations of Americans who have fought for what they believe is the most honourable nation on earth, a nation that is, at its heart, decent. They were the country's sword and it was not easy. And because of that, the bond between Mr McCain and the vets is intense. It defeats on every count the love of the college students for Obama, or the working mums for Hillary Clinton. John McCain can look stiff and out of place when hugging his running mate. Wow, he seems to be saying, what is all this about? He can even seem a tad distant with his wife, but with the vets he melts and it is an affecting spectacle. It is - to use one of the buzzwords of the entire campaign - authentic. The second moment that will stay with me forever was the arrival of Hillary Clinton in the packed convention centre in Denver to make the formal declaration that her campaign was over, and Barack Obama had her support. Dramatic is a weedy word - it was seismic, it was physical. She came in at the same level at which the slaves and animals would have burst into public sight in a Roman amphitheatre. There was no room for anyone to breathe, the noise was deafening. She had to be propelled to the microphone, not because she was unwilling (well, not openly) but because of the crush. Humanity - sweating people vying for control, for sovereignty, for dominance. This was about power. It was about having it, and losing it. And as she left the hall, he had it and she had lost.

The third moment was also in Denver, but was outside the hall as I wandered lost, looking for the portable office we were calling home. Suddenly, in front of me there is activity. Men in grey suits are talking into their sleeves. Huge, sleek cars are being revved. Motorbikes are getting into formation. It is not him, it is his family. As the SUVs pass - including several with the doors and back windows open, men with large automatic weapons looking out with keen hard glares - I catch just a glimpse of the children, of 10-year-old Malia and seven-year-old Sasha peering out. I think their mother was sitting in the middle. This is the true revolution. There have been, after all, prominent black politicians for decades now, men and women afforded the full protection and respect that the nation can muster. But seeing little black children gathered up into the arms of the secret service, surrounded by people who would die rather than let them die, is to see something that must truly make the racists of Americas past revolve in their graves. I do not think Barack Obama will win or lose because of his race, but if he does win, the real moment you will know that America has changed is not when he takes the oath, but when we see pictures of tiny people padding along the White House corridors - a black First Family - representing America and American-ness. True, Americans tire of their presidents, but in their early years they hold huge sway, they set the style. Americans will look in the mirror, metaphorically speaking, and black faces will look back. I wonder if the Obama children have ever asked the question: "Are we nearly there?" The answer, at last, is: Yes, we are nearly there. It has been quite a journey and it is worth remembering before being too sure about the result on Tuesday that it has been quite a journey, because of the bumps in the road that have thrown sturdy-looking vehicles off-course, some ending wheels-up in the ditch. So, although most worldly-wise Republicans expect to lose and most Democrats expect to win, both sides will be short of breath over the next few hours as they hand the thing over to the millions of voters who still, as of this moment, have made no final, irrevocable decision. At dinner with some mover and shaker Democrats the other day, one anguished guest turned to the others and cried: "Can't it just be over?" The tension as the votes are counted will be felt the world over. In spite of all the loose talk of the decline of American influence, this is, once again, the greatest political show on earth. To have watched it has been an honour.

A passenger jet coming in to land at Heathrow Airport had a near miss with a Unidentified Flying Object (UFO), according to newly-released Ministry of Defence files. The captain of the Alitalia airliner was so concerned he shouted "look out" to his co-pilot after seeing the brown missile-shaped object shoot past them overhead. The mysterious incident near Lydd in Kent in 1991 was thoroughly investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the military. But having ruled out the object being a missile, weather balloon or space rocket, the MoD closed the inquiry and left the matter unsolved. The unexplained close encounter is one of many recounted in military UFO documents now made available online by the National Archives. Documents show the McDonnell Douglas MD80 aircraft was en route from Milan to Heathrow at 22,000ft with 57 people on board when pilot Achille Zaghetti saw the strange object 1,000ft above him. He recounted: "At once I said, 'look out, look out,' to my co-pilot, who looked out and saw what I had seen. "As soon as the object crossed us I asked to the ACC (area control centre) operator if he saw something on his screen and he answered 'I see an unknown target 10nm (nautical miles) behind you'." The files show that Southern TV broadcast a story about a 14-year-old boy who reported seeing a missile flying at low level before climbing through the cloud and disappearing on the same evening. An unnamed Whitehall official wrote: "It is our intention to treat this sighting like that of any other Unidentified Flying Object and therefore we will not be undertaking any further investigation." There were a number of other similar incidents recorded in the same year. On June 17, 1991 four passengers onboard a Dan Air Boeing 737 saw a "wingless projectile" pass beneath the aircraft as it climbed from Gatwick Airport headed for Hamburg. And on July 15 the pilot of a Britannia Airways 737 reported seeing a "small black lozenge-shaped object" travelling at speed as they approached Gatwick.

The 19 UFO Files Include:

:: US Air Force pilot's account of being ordered to shoot down a UFO.

:: MoD request that Army and Navy helicopters should not take photos of crop circles. 

:: Letter from a woman claiming to be an alien.

Wales has reportedly been treated to a series of UFO sightings this week, with one police helicopter being forced to swerve sharply as it was apparently 'buzzed' by a strange craft. The flying object was reported to authorities but it has not been identified, sparking fresh UFO intrigue. But police are taking a low-key approach and have quietly dismissed dramatic reports of what happened. According to The Sun newspaper, the police chopper spotted the craft and gave chase across the Bristol Channel as far as the North Devon coast. But the chopper was forced to turn back to base because fuel was running low. Police, however, have a different story. They insist that no aerial pursuit took place and they have pointed out that neither crew nor helicopter were ever in any danger. In a brief statement the police said: "South Wales Police can confirm its air support unit sighted an unusual aircraft. "This was reported to the relevant authorities for their investigation. "There are a wide variety of aircraft which come in a range of different shapes and sizes, and in all probability this sighting has just confirmed that one of these was in the area at the relevant time." More than 200 UFO sightings have been investigated by the Ministry of Defence in the last year, according to real life 'X Files' released today. Documents detailing hundreds of sightings of unexplained objects in the skies above Britain have been opened to the public for the first time. They reveal reports of alien craft over Wallasey Town Hall and a saucer-shaped UFO hovering over Waterloo Bridge in London. And they tell how an elderly man claimed he was abducted by "little green men" in Aldershot in 1985. The MoD report reads: "I saw a vivid light coming towards me from the south.... I thought, it can't be an aeroplane, it's too low." He went on: "I saw two 'forms' coming towards me. They were dressed in pale green coveralls from head to foot and they had helmets of the same colour with a visor that was blacked out. The unnamed man says he was taken aboard the UFO and then told to leave. "A voice said: 'What is your age?'. I said: 'I shall be 78 next birthday'. He said to me: 'You can go.

You are too old and too infirm for our purpose.'" Other sightings are more convincing. In 1986 a claim from a commercial airline pilot was sent to the men at the ministry.  "An unidentified object passed close to port side of aircraft" it read. "Possibilities considered: a) Asteroid b) returning space debris or c) re-entering missile. If it is established that c) is the case, then captain and crew very unimpressed." Before conspiracy theorists get carried away, the MoD says the reason for its interest - and form filling - is straightforward. "Reports are examined by the Ministry of Defence solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity" an official told Sky News Online.  "Unless there is evidence of a potential threat, no further work is undertaken to identify the nature of each sighting reported. The MoD has no other interest or role regarding UFO matters. Nor does the Department consider questions regarding the existence or otherwise of extraterrestrial life-forms." But the man who used to be in charge of those files says their release will do nothing to stop the conspiracies. "We are never going to satisfy the diehard conspiracy theorists," said Nick Pope, who appears today on a new Sky News Online programme, Unplugged.  "The French government released their UFO files a year or so ago. And of course after that the conspiracy theorists said: 'Yes, well, that's just dis-information. All the really good stuff has been kept back.' And I can guarantee that's exactly what's going to happen here in the UK." The files are available to see online from the National Archives in London.  There are 160 of them each detailing hundreds of sightings and they will be released in small batches over the next few months. Peter Kilfoyle MP is a former Defence Minister. In the past, he's accused the MoD of "a culture of secrecy" and welcomes the files publication. "I tried to get them released quite some years ago when I was there," he told Sky News. "Simply because I think it would allay a lot of people's fears if they understood just what there was in these files. Lots of curiosities but nothing to suggest that little green men are running around Hampstead Heath or something!" One thing though appears to be missing from the MoD files. Their conclusions.  Were all these sightings verified, dismissed or something else? Perhaps the truth is still out there.

"Praise God Church, Friday coming 31st October, 2008 is a Halloween celebrations. Our children will be celebrating the occasion together with other children in school. As you all know that this is a devilish holiday we need to meet here as parents together with our children on Friday evening so that we can pray for our children against this spirits." Mrs. Beth Irungu, wife of Pastor Francis Irungu, Oxford, Sunday 26th October, 2008

LEFT: The Guardian begins with bailed out Royal Bank of Scotland signalling it is preparing big bonuses for staff despite pay cuts in the City. Also, how Barack Obama is raising the aspirations of a generation. CENTRE: The Financial Times features Barclays' facing uproar from investors as shareholders turn their nose up at plans to raise £7bn in a deal that put nearly a third of the bank in the hands of two Middle Eastern of investors. RIGHT: The Daily Telegraph announces the commander of SAS troops in Afghanistan has resigned in disgust because his warning that 'Snatch' 4x4's were too dangerous was ignored - leading to the deaths of four of his soldiers.

A reluctant groom set fire to the hotel where he was due to get married to avoid having to go through with the wedding. Tatsuhiko Kawata had gone along with marriage plans despite already having a wife, the Yomiuri newspaper in Japan said. Kawata, 39, decided to burn down the Risonare resort hotel rather than get hitched in front of 80 guests. He reportedly told police: "I thought if I set a fire I wouldn't have to go through with the wedding." Guests at the hotel were evacuated and no one was injured when he started the fire in the early hours of Sunday morning. Kawata had been due to tie the knot later in the day at the hotel in Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo. He was arrested after suddenly cancelling the event and behaving suspiciously.

“My eyes have never dried since she left.” These are the words of James Kihanya, a jua kali artisan on Nairobi’s River Road. James has defied cultural beliefs to immortalise his wife, who died one year and three months ago, in a monument he has made for her.  It took a month and a few days for the 56-year-old father of four to come up with the artistic piece, which comprises a portrait of his wife, a clock, a moving projector, and some dried flowers. The piece comes complete with lighting to illuminate its features. According to James, his wife, Sarah Wamwiri Kihanya, is not dead, but on vacation in some beautiful land – much like the one in the projector “where she is resting, rejuvenating and walking in that beautiful flower garden. I do not believe she is dead.  Or else, she is just taking a prolonged afternoon nap,” says James, as he wipes away tears, oblivious to his assistants who are looking on. Why did he decide to make the monument? “I just wanted to pay tribute to her,” he says. “If I were a painter, I would have perhaps painted a picture of her – just to feel her lasting presence. If I were a carpenter, I would have made her a very nice and comfortable coffin. And no, I do not think I am in denial, as most people would like to say,” he adds. “I am just remembering a wonderful wife.” His wife of 30 years, Sarah was a special education teacher. She died following a stroke after suffering from hypertension for several years.  - Daily Nation.

 Dear Mr Seed

  It is to my belief also that the Waki commission findings should be implemented fully. This is the last chance for Kenya to raise from the ashes it doesn't matter who is in the list. Over 1,000 Kenyans were murdered and thousands more were maimed and displaced. The leaders who caused this massacre are being driven around with security and pomp.

  Kenya will never be the same again. Lets forget beating the drum for individuals and raise above our tribalcocoon and fight for new Kenya or else there will be an armed struggle like the one Congo.   Joshua - 31st October, 2008

Politicians opposed to the Waki report on post-election violence are making fresh demands, which if not met will lead them to kick the document out of Parliament. After a meeting on Friday, they declared that Mr Justice Philip Waki erred in denying the President and Parliament access to the envelope which holds the fate of political careers of six Cabinet ministers, five MPs and unnamed number of prominent business people.  Unless they received the list, they warned that they would not discuss the report. The demand for the list featured in a meeting of top PNU leaders at Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s office on Friday and another night meeting of MPs from Central Kenya on Thursday night.  The MPs mainly from PNU argue that the Waki report is “not complete” without the list and therefore Parliament cannot debate it. They also want the evidence accompanying the names to be tabled in the House so that MPs can discuss and examine each of them before they can decide on the formation of a special tribunal. The envelope containing the names was handed to chief mediator Kofi Annan and will be released only to the prosecutor of the tribunal or handed over to the International Criminal Court if a special tribunal is not appointed according to the Waki team’s recommendations. - Daily Nation.

 Dozens of passengers had to be evacuated today after a jet carrying holidaymakers from Glasgow skidded off a runway stopping inches from a beach. The Air Europa plane, thought to be carrying 74 people, went off the end of the runway after it touched down at Lanzarote airport. Spanish police said there were no reports of injuries. The airport on the holiday island was reportedly closed following the accident this morning. A spokesman for Air Europa said: "There was a problem on landing. All the passengers left the plane and are fine and are being taken to their hotels."

 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has existed for over 4,000 years and is a comprehensive medical system with its own principles, diagnostic methods and therapies. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

A Kenyan and an evangelist/bible teacher based in Baltimore Maryland has just released a new book: THE GREATEST NEWS-How To Get Mind Bending and World Changing Faith. The book is about faith and stresses how we are called to live by faith. The writer, Steve Magua who is married to Catherine Magua is a full time Evangelist working in the inner city of Baltimore Maryland and is a staff member of Around the world Ministries, a tent revival team that goes on a worldwide tour to spread the good news of Christ. The official book launch ceremony will be held in Baltimore on November 1 2008. Venue to be provided. The book is available at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com.

FTSE suffers worst month since 1987

London's leading share index has suffered its second worst October ever, despite closing with a 12.7% surge over the week. The FTSE 100 Index plunged by 11% this month - the biggest October fall since the 1987 crash, when the top flight fell more than 26% in one month. Share prices have been decimated by the global financial crisis, which this month cranked up a notch amid mounting bank failures and worldwide recession fears. This month saw the Government forced into unprecedented action to bail out UK banks, while countries across the world made similar dramatic moves to secure financial institutions. But recession concerns soon took over from worries over the banking sector, giving stocks a relentless battering. Justin Urquhart-Stewart, of Seven Investment Management, said it had been a "frightening" month. "It has been like an earthquake where the very foundations of the financial system were shaking," he said. The FTSE 100 endured the biggest one-day fall in its 24 year history, when the top tier plummeted by a devastating 9% on October 10. Co-ordinated rate cut action - including a 0.5% reduction to 4.5% in the UK - and billions of pounds of cash pumped into the financial system were unable to prevent the blue chip index from slumping to levels not seen in more than five years. Stocks this week made an attempt to recover lost ground, bouncing back by 8% on Wednesday ahead of rate cut hopes as America slashed its key rate by another 0.5% to 1%. But the four-day rally, which saw it close at 4377.3 on Friday, was not enough to offset the early October falls, leaving blue chips nursing hefty declines. At the start of the month the index stood at 4902.5.

The Kenya National Commisiion on Human Rights -KNCHR- is now calling on the governmnet to halt the on going Military operations in mandera District.  Addressing the press Friday in Nairobi, the Commissions Vice Chair Hassan Omar Hassan said the ongoing operation has sparked a serious humanitarian crisis in the area. The commission is also calling on the government to investigate alleged torture and human rights violations and take appropriate action against the perpertrators. About  two weeks ago , a 24 hour curfew was imposed in Mandera town after fresh violence. Mandera East DC Francis Lenyangume directed the security personnel to work round the clock and arrest anybody found walking from 6.00 pm to 6.00 am. He said the curfew would be on until the situation returns to normal.

Robbers raided a village in Murang’a North district and terrorised residents asking them to surrender tea earnings. Tea farmers in the district started receiving their bonus payment early this week. The gang of more than 15 raided Kagongo village in Mathioya division shortly after midnight and broke into several homes.

What is the History of Halloween?

What is Halloween?

The History of Halloween: Traditions and Customs

Halloween is an annual celebration, but just what is it actually a celebration of? And how did this peculiar custom originate? Is it, as some claim, a kind of demon worship? Or is it just a harmless vestige of some ancient pagan ritual?  The word itself, "Halloween," actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve. November 1, "All Hollows Day" (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But, in the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was called Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New year.  One story says that, on that day, the disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the preceding year would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year. It was believed to be their only hope for the afterlife. The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, allowing the spirit world to intermingle with the living.  Naturally, the still-living did not want to be possessed. So on the night of October 31, villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes, to make them cold and undesirable. They would then dress up in all manner of ghoulish costumes and noisily paraded around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess.  Probably a better explanation of why the Celts extinguished their fires was not to discourage spirit possession, but so that all the Celtic tribes could relight their fires from a common source, the Druidic fire that was kept burning in the Middle of Ireland, at Usinach.  Some accounts tell of how the Celts would burn someone at the stake who was thought to have already been possessed, as sort of a lesson to the spirits. Other accounts of Celtic history debunk these stories as myth.   The Romans adopted the Celtic practices as their own. But in the first century AD, Samhain was assimilated into celebrations of some of the other Roman traditions that took place in October, such as their day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, which might explain the origin of our modern tradition of bobbing for apples on Halloween.  The thrust of the practices also changed over time to become more ritualized. As belief in spirit possession waned, the practice of dressing up like hobgoblins, ghosts, and witches took on a more ceremonial role.  The custom of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840's by Irish immigrants fleeing their country's potato famine. At that time, the favorite pranks in New England included tipping over outhouses and unhinging fence gates.

The United Nations refugee agency says it has credible reports that camps for displaced people in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have been forcibly emptied, looted and burned and fighting between the two sides resumed in August after a peace deal collapsed. Human rights monitors have accused government troops of raping and murdering civilians in Goma.

Somalia to form new cabinet

The main priority for Somalia's interim government is to form a new cabinet within 15 days as demanded bys east African leaders at crisis talks in Kenya, the Somali prime minister said on Friday. Regional heads of states who met in Nairobi on Wednesday demanded that the four-year Somali administration name a new cabinet, show quick progress on political reconciliation and reverse the country's slide into rampant insecurity. At the same time, five coordinated car bombings killed about 30 people across northern Somalia.  Suspicion fell on Islamist insurgents battling the government and its Ethiopian allies. "Definitely our main priority is the composition of a new cabinet in the time frame stipulated," Somali Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein told a news conference in Nairobi. Regional leaders said that if fast progress was made, the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development bloc might consider extending the interim government's mandate, which is set to expire in August 2009. This will depend upon the progress  to see a national united government including the TFG (Transitional Federal Government) and the opposition," Hussein said. "We will have an inclusive parliament. This will bring about the possibility of extending the transition period." Authorities in northern Somalia arrested a prominent local sheikh on Thursday and others suspected of involvement in the suicide attacks a day earlier. There was still no clear claim of responsibility for the five bombs in Puntland and Somaliland. The United States blamed al Qaeda, which it says works through the local militant group al Shabaab. It posted a 30-minute online video on Thursday containing the last testament of a suicide bomber identified as Abdel Aziz Saad. Both Somaliland and Puntland had been relatively quiet in recent months compared with southern Somalia. The coordinated blasts would mark a return north for al Shabaab where its members were blamed for some attacks on aid workers several years ago if it is confirmed the group was behind them.

The violence in Somalia has killed nearly 10,000 civilians since the start of 2007 and forced more than a million from their homes, triggering a humanitarian crisis aid workers say is one of the worst and most neglected in the world.   The main priority for Somalia's interim government is to form a new cabinet within 15 days as demanded by east African leaders at crisis talks in Kenya, the Somali prime minister said on Friday. Regional heads of states who met in Nairobi on Wednesday demanded that the four-year Somali administration name a new cabinet, show quick progress on political reconciliation and reverse the country's slide into rampant insecurity. At the same time, five coordinated car bombings killed about 30 people across northern Somalia.  Suspicion fell on Islamist insurgents battling the government and its Ethiopian allies. "Definitely our main priority is the composition of a new cabinet in the time frame stipulated," Somali Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein told a news conference in Nairobi. Regional leaders said that if fast progress was made, the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development bloc might consider extending the interim government's mandate, which is set to expire in August 2009. This will depend upon the progress  to see a national united government including the TFG (Transitional Federal Government) and the opposition," Hussein said. "We will have an inclusive parliament. This will bring about the possibility of extending the transition period." Authorities in northern Somalia arrested a prominent local sheikh on Thursday and others suspected of involvement in the suicide attacks a day earlier. There was still no clear claim of responsibility for the five bombs in Puntland and Somaliland. The United States blamed al Qaeda, which it says works through the local militant group al Shabaab. It posted a 30-minute online video on Thursday containing the last testament of a suicide bomber identified as Abdel Aziz Saad. Both Somaliland and Puntland had been relatively quiet in recent months compared with southern Somalia.  The coordinated blasts would mark a return north for al Shabaab where its members were blamed for some attacks on aid workers several years ago if it is confirmed the group was behind them. The violence in Somalia has killed nearly 10,000 civilians since the start of 2007 and forced more than a million from their homes, triggering a humanitarian crisis aid workers say is one of the worst and most neglected in the world.

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) (L) and former President Bill Clinton acknowledge supporters at a campaign rally in Kissimmee, Florida. Obama gives hints on who he is likely to name to Cabinet. US presidential candidate Barack Obama confirmed on Wednesday he would include Republicans in his Cabinet if he wins the election. Mr Obama, a Democratic senator from Illinois, also said he had “some pretty good ideas” about people he might tap for senior government jobs, though he emphasized he is focused for now on the final days of the campaign and takes nothing for granted. “There is a transition process – that I’m not paying attention to on a day-to-day basis – but that has been set up,” Obama told ABC News in an interview.

The Co-operative Bank initial public offering launch on Thursday was met with optimism that a full subscription would be achieved. Despite the currents stock price fall, the bank advisors, management and market regulators said they expect the issue to be successful. “I have no doubt in my mind that the Co-operative Bank IPO will be a success,” Capital Market Authority chairman, Chege Waruingi, said during the launch. The bank is offering 701 million shares to the public priced at Sh9.5 each to raise Sh6.7 billion at a time when the stock market is experiencing reduced activity.  Currently, investors at the Nairobi Stock Exchange have lost over a third of their wealth due to falling share prices.  The optimism is, however, coming from expectation that the country’s wider co-operative movement will drive the uptake of the shares.  “We urge all Kenyans from all walks of life, and particularly the seven million members of the co-operative movement to seize this great opportunity and purchase the shares,” Minister for Co-operative Development, Joseph Nyagah said.  If successful, the money will go towards funding the bank’s expansion drive, including opening branches in the region, upgrading its banking system and launching of new products.  “The reason this IPO is so significant is because it provides us with an opportunity to raise additional capital to support growth and expansion,” Co-op Bank chairman, Stanley Muchiri said. NSE chairman, James Wangunyu, said that the shares sale, which will run for the next nine days, could benefit from an expected recovery in the stock market performance. “We expect the market to start recovery due to the falling crude oil prices, return to normalcy in supply of fresh commodities as well as the depreciation of the Kenya shilling making agricultural exports more competitive and Kenya a more affordable tourist destination,” Mr Wangunyu said. The bank recently finalised its turnaround strategy moving it from loss-making (pretax loss of Sh2.3 billion in 2001) to profit-making recording a pretax profit of Sh2.3 billion last year with a projection of Sh3.4 billion in 2008. - Daily Nation

An eccentric face painter has used his artistic talents to create some of the most amazing masks ever seen.  James Kuhn Michigan uses his own face to create these bizarre masks which include pineapples, cheeseburgers and even gorillas.  His inspiration? Well, we're not sure, but sit back and have a look at his wonderful gallery of face painting art here.

The US economy shrank at an annualised rate of 0.3% between July and September, according to figures from the Commerce Department. The gross domestic product (GDP) figures were better than expected, although they show the sharpest contraction of the economy since 2001. Consumer spending, which makes up two-thirds of the US economy, shrank by 3.1%, the first contraction since 1991. The 0.3% fall followed 2.8% growth in the previous three-month period. The growth data came on the same day that some of the US's biggest companies reported their results for the July to September period: Broadcaster CBS made a loss of $12.46bn (£7.59bn) in the quarter. This included a write-down of $14.12bn-worth of media assets. Electronics giant Motorola reported a loss of $397m for the quarter, compared with a profit of $60m a year ago, largely due to falling mobile phone sales. Paper and packaging company International Paper reported a 31% fall in profits to $149m and warned demand for its products had fallen  American Express, the credit card issuer, announced plans to cut 7,000 jobs as part of a plan to save $1.8bn by the end of 2009. On the positive side, photographic company Eastman Kodak's profits jumped to $96m for the quarter, compared with a $37m profit in the same three months last year Personal care product maker Colgate-Palmolive reported profits of $499.9m for the quarter, up 19% on the same period last year. The GDP figures showed that spending on non-durable goods, which are smaller purchases such as food and paper, dropped at its sharpest rate since 1950. The economic shrinkage means that the US economy is halfway to the standard definition of a recession, which is two consecutive quarters of negative growth. But the official definition in the US is different, meaning that the US economy is never officially in recession until the National Bureau of Economic Research decides it is. Nevertheless, the Federal Reserve is clearly concerned about the US economy and cut its key interest rate from 1.5% to 1% on Wednesday. "Consumer spending is about 70% of GDP and this looks like the lowest it has been in two decades, which goes to show that in the fourth quarter, we are going into recession," said Bill Walsh, president of Hennion and Walsh in New Jersey. The GDP figures were accompanied by Labor Department figures showing the number of new claims for jobless benefits last week. There were 479,000 new claims in the week ending 25 October, which was the same number as the previous week, but still a high number, suggesting that the problems in the economy are feeding through to the job market.

IKO NINI BWANA SEED - OCTOBER, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED - SEPTEMBER 2008