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IKO NINI BWANA SEED

Car imports pile up at port for lack of number plates

Second hand cars being offloaded from a Cargo Ship at the Port of Mombasa.

Imported vehicles continue to pile up, causing congestion in Mombasa depots due to number plates shortage.

The units which are now adding up to more than 1,000 have caused huge losses to car importers who are being forced to pay storage charges as the Kenya Revenue Authority maintains only duly registered cars with number plates will be released from port facilities.

Most vehicles imported since early July have not been released due to failure by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to supply number plates for imported vehicles.

With at least three ships scheduled to dock at the Port of Mombasa in the next few days, the situation might worsen if the problem is not resolved with traders accusing NTSA of being reluctant in resolving the matter.

The Kenya International Freight Warehousing Association chairperson Roy Mwanthi said they are incurring huge losses despite paying all port charges.

“There is congestion in different car depots in Mombasa despite clearing with KRA but the vehicles cannot be released without number plates. This has resulted in increasing cost to importers as they are incurring demurrages every day,” said Mr Mwanthi.

“A number of importers are stranded and with more vehicles being imported at the moment, this will result in huge loss to dealers and individual importers.”

Car Importers Association of Kenya (CIAK) Chairman Peter Otieno said apart from inadequate plates, there has been a system failure as the KRA platform is not reflected.

“Most of the vehicles imported since July which tally close to 7,000 have not been released. The problem started about a month ago and with more vehicles being imported this time. We are having a serious issue. We are also having issues where a car is cleared by NTSA but at the KRA system, it is not reflecting it,” said Mr Otieno.

He noted that apart from plates, the importers are having challenges in getting stickers and they have to wait for about a week to get one.

In a letter seen by Shipping and Logistics from NTSA Director General George Njao dated August 6, 2021 to KRA Commissioner General Githii Mburu, the agency acknowledged the shortage which it has attributed to its supplier.

“NTSA is currently experiencing delays in production and supply of number plates and logbooks from our suppliers, the State Department of Correctional Services (SDCS) and the Government Printer respectively. As at the date of this letter, the authority is allocating number plates series KDD-P against the last series supplied KDD-L thus translating to a deficit of 3,000 number plates pending supply,” read part of the letter by Mr Njao.

“In addition to congestion at the Port of Mombasa, this delay has led to an outcry from motor vehicle dealers which have not only been inconvenienced but have to pay demurrage charges on a matter which is beyond their control. Both the SDCS and Government Printer have apprised us on the challenges they are experiencing in production which they have projected will be resolved in the next couple of days.”

NTSA now has asked KRA to release all registered vehicles to reduce congestion and cost to importers.

“As you are aware, the authority introduced a Third Plate Sticker (e-sticker) to among other things, enhance identification of registered motor vehicles. As a stop gap measure we kindly request you to authorise the release of vehicles which have been duly registered and the e-sticker affixed on their windshield, pending issuance of the physical number plates and the logbooks. In the meantime, we are working closely with our suppliers to address the challenges,” said NTSA director general. – businessdailyafrica.com

There have been more than six million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK

Covid vaccines being given at centre hosted by Heaven nightclub in London

 

There have been more than six million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and over 130,000 people have died, government figures show.

However, these figures include only people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus.

Almost 90% of adults in the UK have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and 75% have had their second.

Government statistics show 130,503 people have now died, with 146 deaths reported in the latest 24-hour period. In total, 6,117,540 people have tested positive, up 23,510 in the latest 24-hour period. Latest figures show 5,909 people in hospital. In total, 47,091,889 people have received their first vaccination. Updated 10 Aug.

The average number of daily confirmed cases has fallen in recent weeks. It is now showing signs of a small rise.

A further 23,510 confirmed cases in the UK were announced on Tuesday.

The recent rise in cases was driven by the Delta variant, which spreads faster than the previously most common Kent variant (now named Alpha).

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has lifted all legal restrictions in England but he has urged the public to remain cautious, saying the pandemic is not over.

Recent data suggests that the vaccination programme has reduced hospital admissions and deaths, with a fewer than one in 1,000 infections now estimated to result in death – compared with one in 60 during last winter.

It is thought the infection rate in the first peak of the virus in spring last year was much higher than was evident from the reported number of cases. Testing capacity was then too limited to detect the true number of daily cases.

The red areas on the map below show the places currently seeing the highest number of cases per 100,000 people.

You can use our postcode look-up to check what the rules are where you live.

Coronavirus across the UK

Rates for cases and deaths for nations, regions and local authorities have been updated to use the latest population estimates for mid-2020, published by the Office for National Statistics.

More than 47 million people – or 89% of all UK adults – have now received a first dose of a vaccine and nearly 40 million people, or 75% of all adults, have had a second.

In total, more than 39.5 million people in England have had one vaccine dose.

In Scotland, over four million people have had their first shot, while the figure is about 2.3 million in Wales and 1.2 million in Northern Ireland.

Everyone over the age of 18 across the UK can now book a vaccine. The vaccine is also being offered to 16 and 17-year-olds in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, 16 and 17-year-olds can register their interest online.

Number of daily deaths low

There were 146 deaths within 28 days of a positive test reported on Tuesday. The total is often higher on a Tuesday because there is a delay in reporting deaths at the weekend.

Of those deaths, 132 were in England, 11 were in Scotland, two in Northern Ireland and one in Wales.

Rules were amended last summer to include deaths in the coronavirus total only if they occurred within 28 days of a positive test. Previously in England, all deaths after a positive test were included.

England has seen the majority of UK deaths from Covid-19. Using the 28-day cut-off, there have been nearly 115,000.
The most recent government figures show at least 5,909 people with coronavirus in hospital in the UK. A week ago that figure was 6,170.

Although numbers climbed in recent weeks, they are far below the peak of nearly 40,000 people back in January.

Patient numbers have also started to level off across the country, albeit at different rates, as the chart below shows.

Patient groups and hospital staff have warned that lives are being put at risk by the huge backlog of treatment left by the pandemic.

In-depth analysis by BBC News found nearly a third of hospitals have seen long waits increase, major disruption to cancer services and a fall in GP referrals and screening services.

Death toll could be above 150,000

When looking at the overall death toll from coronavirus, official figures count deaths in three different ways, each giving a slightly different number.

First, government figures count people who died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus – and that total is now more than 130,000.

According to the latest ONS figures, the UK has now seen more than 154,000 deaths – that’s all those deaths where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate even if the person had not been tested for the virus.

Chart shows three ways of measuring deaths from Covid – the government figure of 130,503 includes all deaths within 28 days of a positive result, the ONS counts all death certificate mentions and that figure is now 154,202, the excess death figures is the number of deaths over and above the usual total and that figure is now 118,052
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The third measure counts all deaths over and above the usual number at the time of year – that figure was more than 118,000 to 30 July.

In total, there were 11,573 deaths registered in the week to 30 July, which was 12% above the five-year average.

Of the total deaths, 468 were related to coronavirus, 76 more than in the previous week.

There have now been more deaths involving Covid than “excess” deaths, which means non-Covid deaths must be below usual levels.

This could be because of a milder flu season – resulting from less travel and more social distancing – and because some people who might have died for other reasons had there been no pandemic, died of Covid.

David Cameron and the Missing Billions

David Cameron was paid to promote Greensill Capital’s financial products around the world. He helped convince investors their money was safe, and he tried to persuade the British government to invest billions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash. But Greensill Capital is now under investigation after it collapsed leaving investors facing billions in losses. So how much did the former prime minister know about Greensill and the investments it was selling? – CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY

President Kenyatta brings Nasa leaders together in Mombasa

President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) when he met political leaders including ODM leader Raila Odinga, Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya) and Gideon Moi (Kanu) at State House Mombasa on August 10, 2021.

 

Courtesy PSCU

President Uhuru Kenyatta has reignited efforts to unite former Nasa leaders Raila Odinga (ODM), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya).

 

This is after he held a meeting with the leaders at State House in Mombasa.

 

The head of state held the consultative meeting with a cross-section of political party leaders that also included Gideon Moi (Kanu) and ODM deputy party leader and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya.

 

State House spokesperson Kanze Dena said the leaders discussed several subjects touching on the state of the nation, including the impact of Covid-19, how to revamp the economy, and the importance of maintaining peace, unity and national cohesion.

 

Succession politics

Over the weekend, President Kenyatta met Mr Odinga in Mombasa, with succession politics said to be top on the agenda exactly a year to the next General Election.

 

On Sunday, Mr Odinga confirmed to journalists that he met with the Head of State to deliberate on “some important issues”.

 

“If we wanted to publicise the meetings we could have done it. But we didn’t have anything to publicise. We just met and talked,” he said.

 

The meeting of the “handshake brothers”, as they refer to each other, comes days after Deputy President William Ruto accused the President of veering off the Jubilee agenda the moment he reached a truce with Mr Odinga, their main challenger in the last polls.

 

But the former premier condemned those criticising his role in the government.

 

“Many people are claiming Raila is in government but that’s not true. I am just an adviser. I am not in government,” insisted Mr Odinga on Sunday.

 

Reopen the economy

Speaking after attending a church service at the Anglican Church of Kenya Mombasa Memorial Cathedral, Mr Odinga urged the government to reopen the economy as it conducts mass vaccination to combat the pandemic.

 

The former premier said Kenyans have gone through difficulties due to the pandemic that disrupted the economy.

 

“The pandemic has changed the world. It has caused suffering and agony to families, especially those who’ve lost their kin to the virus. Covid-19 has turned lives upside down, devastating economies, jobs lost, companies running into bankruptcy,” said the ODM party leader.

 

He urged the government to reintroduce Kazi Mtaani to cushion the youth from the effects of the economic downturn.

 

“We need cash transfers. Government should reintroduce Kazi Mtaani for the young people. To stimulate the economy, we want a comprehensive economic recovery programme to help the country move,” he said.

 

He said he petitioned President Kenyatta to allow PSVs to operate at full capacity so they can recoup losses caused by the containment measures imposed by the State since last year to combat the pandemic.

 

“The bus drivers came and approached me, saying there was discrimination since SGR was not self-regulating…, so we petitioned the government to allow PSVs to operate (at full capacity),” he said. – nation.co.ke

 

Cytonn Asset Managers Suspended From Taking Up New Investors

The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has directed Cytonn Asset Managers Limited, a licensed fund manager, to immediately stop signing-up new clients until it changes the names of its business and its regulated products.
In a statement, CMA says the move seeks to enhance investor protection and promote investor confidence in the integrity of capital markets and is in line with the provisions of the Capital Markets Act section 11.
CMA CEO Wyckliffe Shamiah CMA said the change will effectively eliminate any confusion caused by the similar name used by the unlicensed entity Cytonn Investments Management Limited.
Shamiah added that the move will also enable the public to distinguish between the entity and products that are regulated by CMA, from the unlicensed entity offering unregulated products.
“This will enable the public to clearly distinguish between the entity and products that we regulate from the unlicensed entity offering unregulated products and thus facilitate better decision-making”
The directive to stop onboarding clients will be in effect for a period of 3 months or such a time when the fund manager will fully comply with the directive to change the names of its business and its regulated products.
This comes months after the Authority cautioned investors against investing through unlicensed and unapproved entities, specifically the Cytonn Investment Group.
In June, the Authority confirmed that Cytonn Investments had not been licensed, neither had it been approved to operate.
Shamiah, advised investors to only invest through licensed and approved entities that offer and promote regulated products, to enable them get protection offered by the Authority through the capital markets legal and regulatory framework.
“Investors who invest in unregulated products offered or promoted by unlicensed and unapproved entities risk loss of their investments with no recourse afforded to them under the capital markets regulatory framework,” he said.
At the time, Shamiah said the Authority through its Capital Markets Fraud Investigation Unit (CMFIU), which is the Police Unit attached to the Capital Markets Authority, had been investigating the issue for criminal violations for investors in the Cytonn High Yield Solutions (CHYS).
Licensed Cytonn products include Cytonn Asset Management Limited, which is licensed as a Fund Manager managing the following regulated funds: Cytonn Money Market Fund; Cytonn Balanced Fund; Cytonn Equity Fund; Cytonn Africa Financial Services Fund; Cytonn Money Market Fund (USD); and Cytonn High Yield Fund.
“So far CMA has not received any complaints on these regulated products,” the Authority said at the time. – capitalfm.co.ke

WORD FOR TODAY: Friends in disguise

We read in 2 Corinthians 12:10: “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” When you’re insulted, you can retaliate with a stinging comeback or see it as a growth opportunity.
David said, ‘It is good…that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes’ (Psalm 119:71 NKJV). One Psychologist said: ‘The person who insults us is a teacher…come to help us reduce our ego, develop patience and compassion, practise unconditional forgiveness, and teach us about life and relationships.
If you don’t perceive an insult as an insult, but as a teaching or a gift, it loses its power to hurt you. On a practical level, if you’re insulted, say nothing. Give yourself time. Much harm is created by lashing back, escalating the situation, and saying things you may not mean. Recognise it’s your ego – that false sense of pride acting up – and don’t go along with it.’ Paul reached a place where he actually took ‘pleasure in…insults’. Most of us aren’t quite there yet, but with time and practice it can happen. Speaking of Judas, one author writes: ‘God sometimes manipulates the actions of our enemies to make them work as friends in order to accomplish His will in our lives.
He can bless you through the worst relationships, ones that are painful or negative. The time, effort, and pain we invest in them aren’t wasted because God knows how to make adversity feed destiny into your life. I can’t stop hurts from coming, or promise that everyone who sits at your table will be loyal.
But the sufferings of success give us direction, build character, and in the end you find grace to re-evaluate your enemies and realise that like Judas, they are friends in disguise.’

CBK gets powers to control mobile loan rates

Central Bank of Kenya.

 

MPs have offered the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) express powers to control lending rates of digital mobile lenders under a proposed law that will see the regulator control their products, management, and sharing of borrower information.

The parliamentary committee on Finance and National Planning approved the Central Bank Amendment Bill 2021 and added a clause that gives the CBK powers to price interest rates for digital loans.

Now, the key aim of the government-backed Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which seeks to empower the banking regulator to supervise digital lenders for the first time, is to curb the steep digital lending rates that have plunged many borrowers into a debt trap as well as predatory lending.

The Bill was initially silent on the lending rates, only stating that the digital lenders were to play under the same rules as commercial banks that seek the CBK’s nod for new products and pricing that includes loan charges.

The report of the committee is now before Parliament for debate and approval ahead of it becoming law.

“The committee has explicitly granted CBK powers to determine pricing parameters.

This will ensure that CBK does not necessarily set the lending rate but rather provide parameters within which digital credit providers shall set the cost of credit,” Kevin Mutiso, chairman of Digital Lenders Association of Kenya (DLAK) said.

Tens of unregulated microlenders have invested in Kenya’s credit market in response to the growth in demand for quick loans.

Their proliferation has saddled borrowers with high interest rates, which rise up to 520 percent when annualised, leading to mounting defaults and an ever-ballooning number of defaulters.

From having little or no access to credit, many Kenyans now find they can get loans in minutes via their mobile phones.

The CBK says borrowers tapping digital loans from unregulated lenders grew from 200,000 in 2016 to more than two million in 2019.

The Bill also comes amid complaints that digital lenders do not provide full information to borrowers on pricing, punishment for defaults and recovery of unpaid loans.

Digital lenders have been accused of abusing personal information collected from defaulters to bombard relatives and friends with messages regarding the default and asking third parties to enforce repayment.

The push to control the activities of digital lenders comes more than a year after Kenya removed the legal cap on commercial lending rates.

The cap, which was introduced in September 2016, slowed down private sector credit growth as commercial banks turned their backs on millions of low-income customers as well as small and medium-sized businesses deemed too risky to lend to.

The subsequent credit crunch triggered an appetite for digital loans, attracting unregulated microlenders in response to the growth in demand for quick loans.

Market leader M-Shwari, Kenya’s first mobile-based savings and loans product introduced by Safaricom and NCBA in 2012, charges a “facilitation fee” of 7.5 percent on credit regardless of its duration, pushing its annualised loan rate to 395 percent.

Tala and Branch, the other top players in the mobile digital lending market, offer annualised interest rates of 152.4 percent and 132 percent respectively.

In April, the CBK barred unregulated digital mobile lenders from forwarding the names of loan defaulters to credit reference bureaus (CRBs).

The committee dropped the requirements for the banking regulator will be expected to determine minimum liquidity and capital adequacy requirements for digital credit providers akin to conditions set for operating a bank in Kenya.

The committee rejected the proposal on capital and liquidity, saying digital lenders do not take deposits and, therefore, pose no danger to public funds.

The CBK had earlier raised the alarm of the credit-only mobile lending institutions being easily used to launder illicit cash.

Money laundering, which involves transferring and disguising illegally obtained cash to make it look legitimate, is mostly used by criminals and the corrupt to clean their wealth.

The Bill demands that the firms disclose to the CBK the source of funds that the institutions are lending to curb money laundering and terrorism financing. – businessdailyafrica.com

Ethiopia: Shock of more than a hundred children killed at IDP camp

A file photo of Ethiopian refugee children, who fled the Tigray conflict, at the Um Raquba refugee camp in Sudan’s eastern Gedaref state on December 12, 2020.

 

Ashraf Shazly | AFP
Hundreds of people were killed after a relief camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ethiopia’s Afar region was attacked by an armed group.

Regional officials on Monday reported that over 200 people, including more than 100 children, were killed in the attack that they say happened on Friday.

Sources told Nation.Africa that the incident occurred after artillery shells hit the IDP shelter cited in Zone four of Galicoma district last Friday.

Nation.africa couldn’t immediately verify which armed group was behind the attack.

However, Ahmed Haloita, the region’s head of communications, told the BBC that the attack was carried out by fighters allied to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

TPLF officials have not yet reacted to those allegations.

Some 30,000 IDPs are said to have been sheltered in the area at the time of the attack.

Following news of the gruesome killings, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef) expressed alarm while calling on all parties to do everything in their power to protect children from harm.

“The intensification of fighting in Afar and other areas neighbouring Tigray, is disastrous for children,” a statement by Unicef boss Henrietta Fore said.

“It follows months of armed conflict across Tigray that have placed some 400,000 people, including at least 160,000 children, in famine-like conditions. Four million people are in crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity in Tigray and adjoining regions of Afar and Amhara. More than 100,000 have been newly displaced by the recent fighting, adding to the 2 million people already uprooted from their homes,” the agency boss added.

TPLF forces launched an offensive in neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions after the federal government withdrew its army from Mekelle, Tigray’s capital, in late June when it declared a unilateral ceasefire.

Country ‘falling apart’

As the Tigray conflict spreads to other regions, observers fear that the once-united Horn nation might fall apart.

Previously, some analysts had warned that Ethiopia might become the next Yugoslavia, referring to the disintegration of the once European country whose former republics split into independent states.

A few days ago, two Ethiopian opposition political parties, The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and Hibir Ethiopia Democratic Party, called for inclusive political dialogue to end conflicts in Ethiopia.

The opposition groups called on warring parties to engage in talks in order to rescue the nation from total chaos. – nation.co.ke

Seb Coe: Eliud Kipchoge is a hero beyond sports

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge celebrates after winning the men’s marathon final

World Athletics President Seb Coe has described Eliud Kipchoge as “a global hero” after the world marathon record holder completed back-to-back Olympic marathon titles in the heat of Sapporo on Sunday.

And two-time Boston Marathon winner Moses Tanui sees Kipchoge as “the greatest man on earth” while Yamanaka-san, our transport manager at these Tokyo Games, simply says: “Kipchoge is superman.”

The defending champion delivered a masterclass in marathon running, breaking away at the 30-kilometre mark and never looking back to retain his Olympic title in two hours, eight minutes and 38 seconds.

He becomes only the third man to defend the Olympic men’s marathon title after Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila (1960 and 1964) and East Germany’s Waldemar Cierpinski (1976 and 1980).

Kipchoge’s winning time was two minutes and six seconds outside compatriot Sammy Wanjiru’s Olympic record 2:06:32, perhaps also demonstrating how talented the late Wanjiru was.

Kipchoge, 36, crossed the finish line at the Sapporo Odori Park one minute, 20 seconds faster than silver medallist Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands with Belgium’s Bashir Abdi taking bronze in 2:10:00, both athletes tracing their roots in Mogadishu.

Interestingly, all three medallists are managed by Jos Hermens’ Netherlands-based Global Sports Communication (GCS) and run for the Nijmegen-based NN Running Club.

GSC athletes were by far the most successful in the athletics programme with 19 medals: eight gold, five silver and six bronze.

Kenya’s ambassador to Japan, Tabu Irina – indefatigable in her service to Team Kenya throughout these Games – was at the finish line on Sunday and dutifully handed Kipchoge the national flag for his lap of honour after the race that had been touted as a battle between Kipchoge and the Kenyans on one hand, and the Ethiopians on the other, given the class of athletes both countries entered.

But the rift even in the elite class was quite evident as no Ethiopian finished the race, the boys from Addis Ababa separated from the men from Eldoret way before the final stages of the race.

First it was Shura Kitata – Kipchoge’s conqueror at last year’s London Marathon – who felt the heat and exited after nine kilometres.

Then Sisay Lemma, third in London last year, peeled off at kilometre 23, holding his hamstring in agony as the Sapporo thermometer struck 27.1 degrees Celcius.

Ethiopia’s world champion Lelisa Desisa too did not last the distance with another notable casualty being Uganda’s 2012 Olympic, champion Stephen Kiprotich.

The fact that all Ethiopians entered failed to finish will certainly provide some interesting talking point in Addis Ababa as Ethiopian selectors had overlooked Kenenisa Bekele, probably the closest challenger there could be for Kipchoge, in their choices for Tokyo.

When the peerless world record holder (2:01:39) shook himself off the lead pack at kilometre 30 to open up an unassailable lead, no one even attempted to respond.

“Kipchoge is Kipchoge. Nobody can go with him. He’s so strong,” bronze medallist Bashir Abdi explained why.

The sort of advice Brazil’s Daniel Do Nascimento, a 2:09:05 runner, ought to have heeded.

Do Nascimento was seen fist-bumping Kipchoge in friendly banter earlier on, the Brazilian taking the camaraderie a bit too far by stalking the legend, perhaps having assumed they were peers.

But the harsh reality that they were on different lanes dawned on Do Nascimento at kilometre 25 when the Brazilian – who shares a surname with the greatest footballer of all time, Pele – appeared concussed when he collapsed onto the tarmac.

Like an Olympic boxer floored by an uppercut, Do Nascimento attempted to get back on his feet but collapsed again, just metres later, as Kipchoge motored on, unaware of the unprovoked developments way behind him.

American Galen Rupp, who tried to keep up with the early pace, also ran into trouble dropping off the lead pack as South Africa’s veteran Stephen Mokoka, 36, too went in for the early shower at 30.6km.

Kipchoge – coached throughout his stellar career by Barcelona 1992 Olympic steeplechase silver medallist Patrick Sang – appeared quite comfortable, bouncing along on the green line (that indicates the shortest road distance) in cruise control on his Nike Zooms.

The chasing pack featured Nageeye, Abdi, Spain’s Ayad Lamdassem and Kenya’s Lawrence Cherono with the third Kenyan, 2019 World Championships bronze medallist Amos Kipruto, running into trouble after 33 kilometres and withering off the pace.

Kipchoge’s splits were: 15 minutes, 19 seconds (5km), 30:53 (10km), 46:04 (15km), 1:01:47 (20km), 1:05:15 (21km), 1:17:24 (25km), 1:32:31 (30km), 1:46:59 (35km) and 2:01:55 (40km).

It was an agonising finish for Cherono and his legion of fans, the Boston and Chicago marathon champion outsprinted to the podium by training partners Nageeye and Abdi with the finish line in sight.

Kipchoge said he hoped his victory will inspire the future generation of runners.

“I think I have fulfilled the legacy by winning the marathon for the second time, back-to-back. I hope now to help inspire the next generation,” Kipchoge said.

But the G.O.A.T. wouldn’t be drawn into speculating his future, the world record holder his philosophical self in responding: “I am a believer of the philosophy that you should only chase one rabbit. If you chase two, then you can not get all of them.

Athletes run inside the Hokkaido University area while competing in the men’s marathon final
Athletes run inside the Hokkaido University area while competing in the men’s marathon final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Sapporo on August 8, 2021.

“For the last two years I have been focusing on the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, so I will only plan the next thing when there is a big job ahead of me.”

It was Kipchoge’s fourth appearance at the Olympics, his first two being as a track athlete.

In 2004, he won bronze in Athens in the 5,000m (13:15.10) – then as world champion – before earning silver four years later in Beijing, also in the 5,000m (13:02.80).

“It means a lot for me, especially at this time. It was really hard last year, when it (Olympic Games) was postponed. I am happy for the local organising committee who made this race happen.

“It is a sign that shows the world we are heading in the right direction – we are on the right transition to a normal life.

“I can say congratulations to them that they made this Olympics happen.”

Speaking in his final press conference at the Main Press Centre in Tokyo on Sunday, World Athletics President Seb Coe described Kipchoge as a hero both inside and outside of athletics.

“Eliud Kipchoge is a hero. He’s a hero to millions and millions of people, and it goes way beyond athletics,” Coe, himself a former Olympic middle distance champion and world record holder, said.

“You’ve only got to see the emotional appeal that he has – and I’ve seen this close at hand when he’s been in running communities,” Coe said.

The World Athletics boss also noted that Kipchoge’s INEOS 1:59 run in Vienna, in 2019 in which the Kenyan became the first man to break the two-hour barrier in the marathon, was an important landmark in athletics.

“The two-hour barrier was a massive moment in our sport – although it wasn’t in a competitive race but it was still one of those big moments.

“I’m delighted that he has probably got towards the end of his career with another Olympic title under his belt, and I think he thoroughly deserves it.”

Benjamin Njoga, Kenya’s track and field team manager at these Games, said Kipchoge’s victory was an excellent way to close the Olympics.

“Eliud has done us proud! What a way to conclude the Olympics!,” Njoga said. – nation.co.ke

SK Macharia loses Sh1.2bn estate row with grandson

City billionaire and media mogul SK Macharia.

Media mogul Samuel Kamau (SK) Macharia has temporarily lost control of his late son’s Sh1.2 billion estate that is the subject of an inheritance fight.

High Court judge Stella Mutuku revoked letters granted to the media mogul in 2019 to administer the estate of his late son, John Gichia.

Mr Macharia’s grandson, Adam Kamau Macharia, moved to court in May last year seeking to stop his grandfather from administering the Sh1.2 billion estate.

Adam told the court that he was a minor at the time the letters of administration were issued to his grandparents and that he was seeking a piece of his father’s wealth now he he’s an adult.

“The circumstances dictate that this court relooks the issues of representation in this estate afresh and make appropriate orders after hearing the parties. It is also clear to me that as at the time the two grants were issued, the sole beneficiary was a minor,” Justice Mutuku said.

The suit also pointed to a rift in the family over the Sh1.2 billion estate after Gichia’s mother, Serah Njeri, withdrew from the application to administer the estate ‘for the sake of family’ unity and because her grandson was now over 18 years.

The estate had been put under their administration as grandparents of Gichia’s son, Adam, who was 16 years when Mr Gichia died in a road accident in 2018.

The estate comprise shares in more than six companies that have investments in insurance, communications and real estate.

The companies are listed as Directline Insurance, Serenity Media Productions Ltd, Big Five Conservancy, Bushfire Media Distributors, Toi Redevelopment and Harbour Capital Ltd.

Other properties are nine vehicles – two Range Rover cars, Land Rover, Jaguar, Jeep, Porsche 911, BMW, Trailer and Land Rover Discovery — four motorbikes and five residential houses in Nanyuki, Loresho (Nairobi), Kyuna crescent (Nairobi), Kibarage (Nairobi) and Mugumo crescent (Nairobi).

Adam resides in the Loresho house.

The registered owner of the properties is AKM Investments Ltd. Adam says the name of the company, AKM investments, was borrowed from initials of his name Adam Kamau Macharia.

Court papers indicate that at the time of his death, Gichia was the executive director of Directline Assurance Company and Adam occasionally worked there during school holidays.

Adam says he is aware Directline has 15 million shares distributed amongst 10 shareholders.

They include Janus Ltd, Sureinvest Company and Stenny Investments PTY Ltd holding three million shares each, calculated to be 20 percent each.

Other shareholders are Triad Networks (2,999,407 shares), AKM Investment (1,551,000), Royal Media Services (1,448,593) and Royal Credit Card (997).

Dan Karobia, Purity Gathoni Macharia and Samuel Kamau Macharia hold one share each translating to 0.0 per cent of the shares.

Adam says his father was the majority shareholder in Directline with over 70 percent of the shares.

Directline in May last year wanted Adam and his mother, Lisa Anyango Amenya, to hand over eight cars they claim were purchased using company funds but registered in the name of the company when the deceased was the executive director.

It also demanded the transfer of the Loresho house and other assets within 30 days.

In his opposition to appointment of his grandfather as administrator of the estate, Adam says that the tycoon was not a dependent of the estate and he (Mr Macharia) is a financially stable man.

Adam describes himself as the only son and sole beneficiary of the estate.

However, Mr Macharia told the court that Adam had made mistakes, including acting on incompetent advice.

“He is being used by my opponents in litigation (reference was made to other disputes pending in other courts). Adam is acting on mistaken belief that his late father, had proprietary interests in the assets of Directline Assurance Company Ltd in which his company AKM Investment Ltd was a shareholder,” said Mr Macharia.

Justice Mutuku also revoked another grant for March 11, 2019 issued to Mr Macharia alone.

The businessman had asked the court to revoke this grant and order investigations as to how it was obtained.

The questionable grant was purported to have been signed by Justice Aggrey Muchelule who stopped handling the matter in December 20, 2019.

The revocation of the two grants also followed applications by Ms Amenya and Mr Macharia’s children–David Karanja Macharia and Stella Nyanjiru Macharia.

Adam has a separate petition seeking to take full control of the estate since he has attained the adult age.

While revoking the grant of letters of the estate’s administration issued to Mr Macharia and Ms Njeri, the judge said the court approval ought not to have been issued.

Justice Mutuku declined to determine allegations raised by Adam that his grandfather lacked capacity to seek the grant because of bankruptcy.

The judge noted that the issue relating to Mr Macharia’s bankruptcy was alive in other courts.

“To avoid the situation where this estate is left without representation, this court allows parties to move with haste within 30 days and propose an administrator pending the hearing and determination of the pending applications,” directed Justice Mutuku. – businessdailyafrica.com

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