Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Monday, 6 May 2013
NEWS Contractor sues China firm for unpaid Kisumu airport work
By GALGALLO FAYO
China Overseas Engineering, the company that upgraded the Kisumu International Airport, has been taken to court for failing to pay Sh833 million to a company it sub-constructed.
China Overseas Engineering, the company that upgraded the Kisumu International Airport, has been taken to court for failing to pay Sh833 million to a company it sub-constructed.
Mehta Electricals Limited is demanding Sh524 million from the Chinese multinational for installing electric works at the airport and a further Sh309 million for work done in Juba, South Sudan.
“Despite demand and notice of intention to sue, the defendant continues to give excuses for delay and has failed, neglected, refused and/or ignored to settle the outstanding balance,” said Mehta Electricals Limited in court documents.
The South Sudan contract involved the rehabilitation of the National Assembly, Presidency building and Juba Hospital.
The two companies submitted joint bid for the upgrade of the Kisumu airport, with China Overseas being the main bidder and recipient of payments from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).
The contract was awarded in 2008 and Mehta says part of the agreement was China Overseas was to pay it 14 days after receiving payment from KAA, which is alleged to have settled with the Chinese firm in July last year.
Mehta says the Chinese firm owes it Sh524 for the Kisumu contract after settling an undisclosed payment. Kisumu Airport was upgraded to a fully-fledged international airport with a 3.3 kilometre runway at a cost of Sh3 billion.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Contractor-sues-China-firm-for-unpaid-Kisumu-airport-work/-/539550/1844208/-/3ovo80z/-/index.html
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Contractor-sues-China-firm-for-unpaid-Kisumu-airport-work/-/539550/1844208/-/3ovo80z/-/index.html
KISUMU Judges To Begin Poll Petitions
The People | Fair, Frank and Fearless - Judges To Begin Poll Petitions
Chemitei and Muchelule have two petitions each to dispose of according to the new rules. The petitions include one challenging the election of Siaya governor Rasanga Amoth filed by an unsuccessful aspirant William Oduol.
Another petition challenges the election of Nyando Member of Parliament Fred Outa filed by Jared Okello while the other one is against Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch. The two judges have told litigants that no other cases will be heard until the petitions are dispensed with.
Muchelule communicated the same during the official opening of the offices of the commission on administrative justice last week where the chairman Otiende Amollo was in attendance. The same sentiments were echoed by Chemitei during the mentioning of various cases yesterday where he said other cases will be heard probably after September. The judge said the cases can be heard earlier if the petitions are dispensed with early enough.
By FREDRICK ODIERO
Tuesday, 7 May, 2013
Two judges will from Friday this week suspend the hearing of other cases and start hearing poll petitions filed at the Kisumu High Court. Justices Hilary Chemitei and Aggrey Muchelule have only five months left to dispose of the petitions before them. Tuesday, 7 May, 2013
Chemitei and Muchelule have two petitions each to dispose of according to the new rules. The petitions include one challenging the election of Siaya governor Rasanga Amoth filed by an unsuccessful aspirant William Oduol.
Another petition challenges the election of Nyando Member of Parliament Fred Outa filed by Jared Okello while the other one is against Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch. The two judges have told litigants that no other cases will be heard until the petitions are dispensed with.
Muchelule communicated the same during the official opening of the offices of the commission on administrative justice last week where the chairman Otiende Amollo was in attendance. The same sentiments were echoed by Chemitei during the mentioning of various cases yesterday where he said other cases will be heard probably after September. The judge said the cases can be heard earlier if the petitions are dispensed with early enough.
Opinion: NYANZA Regional elite should focus on development, not politics
NYANZA Regional elite should focus on development, not politics
Standard- By Ken Opalo
This week the local dailies reported that former MP Shem Ochuodho is chairing a forum of Luo professionals to lobby President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Government to address development needs of Nyanza. At first look one may dismiss this as an opportunist attempt by Dr Ochuodho and his allies to get the attention of the President, who must be working overdrive to find Luo leaders he can work with in his Government. But whatever Ochuodho’s motivations are, in my view this is a step in the right direction.
I have written on these pages before that as a country we need to wean ourselves of the culture of talking, eating and sleeping politics. Incessant politicking is responsible for widening the ethnic chasms that define our country. It has also made our leaders hostage to politics and associated theatrics rather than focusing on a much needed development agenda. Perhaps nowhere else in Kenya is this more pronounced than in Luo Nyanza.
The region has been the bastion of opposition politics almost uninterrupted since 1966. As a result, the residents have not managed to convert their political clout into economic and social development. Many talk of individual leaders who have paid the price for Kenya’s second liberation, but I would argue that their constituents have perhaps paid an even higher price. Nyanza’s marginalisation has not only come from State House. It has also come from the region’s own leaders. The young man from Kisumu of the ‘donge’ fame is the embodiment of this phenomenon. His infamous emotional outburst following the Supreme Court ruling on the election petition was more tragic than comical. He appeared to have staked his very future on a particular candidate’s electoral success.
The irony of it all is that beyond the ethnic pride of having a co-ethnic in State House the young man may not have benefited much even if his preferred candidate had won the presidency. There is no evidence to suggest that his preferred leader’s lieutenants would have suddenly shifted their gaze from national politics in Nairobi to focus on local development in Nyanza. This is exactly why Ochuodho’s initiative is most welcome. For the first time, it takes attention away from Luo leaders’ fixation with politics in Nairobi and focuses it on the development needs of Luo Nyanza, which at present are multitude. But while Luo Nyanza is the epitome of this phenomenon, the propensity of politicians to ignore the development needs of their loyal constituents is not unique to the region.
All over Kenya our leaders’ desire for personal aggrandizement and enrichment in Nairobi has prevented them from attending to the needs of their people. Unwavering loyalty to particular leaders as opposed to voting on developmental performance has come at a steep price. This is shown in the relatively better developmental performance of leaders in the more electorally competitive parts of the country.
To end this abandonment of voters by leaders, President Uhuru must directly appeal to, and assure people like the young man in Kisumu – kwa maneno na matendo - that the Government is theirs and works for them. He must make sure that regions that did not vote for him do not feel left out of the new government’s development agenda. Forget Cabinet appointments, what will matter most is whether people in these regions have paved roads, running water, electricity, good schools and hospitals. Former President Kibaki showed Kenyans what their Government was capable of doing. But he failed at facilitating an equitable creation. Uhuru should strive to do better than Kibaki in this regard. If he fails he will be judged harshly, and worse, Kenya will suffer for it.
Regional elite should focus on development, not politics http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000082921&story_title= Opinion:
Standard- By Ken Opalo
This week the local dailies reported that former MP Shem Ochuodho is chairing a forum of Luo professionals to lobby President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Government to address development needs of Nyanza. At first look one may dismiss this as an opportunist attempt by Dr Ochuodho and his allies to get the attention of the President, who must be working overdrive to find Luo leaders he can work with in his Government. But whatever Ochuodho’s motivations are, in my view this is a step in the right direction.
I have written on these pages before that as a country we need to wean ourselves of the culture of talking, eating and sleeping politics. Incessant politicking is responsible for widening the ethnic chasms that define our country. It has also made our leaders hostage to politics and associated theatrics rather than focusing on a much needed development agenda. Perhaps nowhere else in Kenya is this more pronounced than in Luo Nyanza.
The region has been the bastion of opposition politics almost uninterrupted since 1966. As a result, the residents have not managed to convert their political clout into economic and social development. Many talk of individual leaders who have paid the price for Kenya’s second liberation, but I would argue that their constituents have perhaps paid an even higher price. Nyanza’s marginalisation has not only come from State House. It has also come from the region’s own leaders. The young man from Kisumu of the ‘donge’ fame is the embodiment of this phenomenon. His infamous emotional outburst following the Supreme Court ruling on the election petition was more tragic than comical. He appeared to have staked his very future on a particular candidate’s electoral success.
The irony of it all is that beyond the ethnic pride of having a co-ethnic in State House the young man may not have benefited much even if his preferred candidate had won the presidency. There is no evidence to suggest that his preferred leader’s lieutenants would have suddenly shifted their gaze from national politics in Nairobi to focus on local development in Nyanza. This is exactly why Ochuodho’s initiative is most welcome. For the first time, it takes attention away from Luo leaders’ fixation with politics in Nairobi and focuses it on the development needs of Luo Nyanza, which at present are multitude. But while Luo Nyanza is the epitome of this phenomenon, the propensity of politicians to ignore the development needs of their loyal constituents is not unique to the region.
All over Kenya our leaders’ desire for personal aggrandizement and enrichment in Nairobi has prevented them from attending to the needs of their people. Unwavering loyalty to particular leaders as opposed to voting on developmental performance has come at a steep price. This is shown in the relatively better developmental performance of leaders in the more electorally competitive parts of the country.
To end this abandonment of voters by leaders, President Uhuru must directly appeal to, and assure people like the young man in Kisumu – kwa maneno na matendo - that the Government is theirs and works for them. He must make sure that regions that did not vote for him do not feel left out of the new government’s development agenda. Forget Cabinet appointments, what will matter most is whether people in these regions have paved roads, running water, electricity, good schools and hospitals. Former President Kibaki showed Kenyans what their Government was capable of doing. But he failed at facilitating an equitable creation. Uhuru should strive to do better than Kibaki in this regard. If he fails he will be judged harshly, and worse, Kenya will suffer for it.
Regional elite should focus on development, not politics http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000082921&story_title= Opinion:
NEW- KISUMU - Oloo Denies Funds Theft Saga In TNA
By FREDRICK ODIERO
thepeople Sunday, 5 May, 2013
Transparency
Oloo said party activities were conducted in a transparent manner during the last General Election. “The same can be tabled for public scrutiny at any time by any interested individual,” he said. Oloo said nobody was duped of cash during the elections under the guise that they would be issues with direct party nominations. He said only single candidates were issued with the same at some areas across the country. Oloo said anybody who was duped of cash over the same should come forward and launch their compalains.
Audit of accounts
Oloo said the party will carry out an audit of the expenditure by the party in the last General Election. “We want to be a party of the future and not that of elections only” he said. He said the party is all inclusive and deals with matters transparently
.http://www.thepeople.co.ke/news.php?com=17&item=3739
Sunday, 5 May 2013
Saturday, 4 May 2013
Luo Professionals Out To Wean Region Of Politics
By OWINO SAMWEL
thepeople Sunday, 5 May, 2013
Professionals from Luo Nyanza have embarked on a mission to wean the region of politics by identifying key development projects they want focus to shift to. They aver the region has lagged behind in economic development since for many years, it has not been at the centre of power and its leaders spent much time playing opposition politics, a scenario they do not want to resurface following former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s failure to clinch the presidency in the March 4 elections. With President Uhuru Kenyatta pledging he will not isolate any part of the country including those that did not vote for Jubilee, the professions are seeking to tap into this and have identified priority projects in each county, which they plan to present to him.
The group admits that Luo Nyanza is currently seeking alternative leadership following uncertainty over Raila’s continued stay in politics. The professionals are led by former Member of Parliament Dr Shem Ochuodho, who now works as an information and communications consultant in South Sudan. Ochuodho revealed that key areas they have identified include tackling the water hyacinth in Lake Victoria, which has affected fishingacross four counties in the region. A larger proportion of counties in Luo Nyanza depend on fishing for their daily bread.
Water hyacinth
“We also want the fight against water hyacinth intensified and resources in Lake Victoria properly handled,” Ochuodho said.
The professionals have also identified food security as a key area especially in Siaya County and are proposing investments in irrigation and construction of dams.
“We want them to stop focusing on presidency but engage in development activities. We are not saying that a Luo should not be President but we should first improve our economic livelihood. We require a lot of civic education to change locals’ mindset to focus on development. We want Nyanza people to take charge of their lives and government to just complement their efforts,” Ochuodho said.
He also noted that Siaya has potential for electricity generation since it has several waterfalls.
Ochuodho said Luo professionals with the backing of Luo Council of Elders also plan to meet on May 12 to deliberate on the future of the region. The professionals are planning to establish a microfinance institution to empower locals economically. Former MP Ken Nyagudi called on President Uhuru his deputy William Ruto to aid in the revamping the region for the benefit of the residents. Among the other projects they are eyeing include revival of Kisumu Cotton Manufacturing Industries (Kicomi), which previously formed part of the region’s economic mainstay. Uhuru, who met the group a forthright ago, has expressed willingness to work with them.
During the burial of former Kenya National Union of Teachers secretary general, Okuta Osiany, in Kisumu, Uhuru told area residents his Government will serve all people even those who did not vote for him. He added that he is a president of all Kenyans including those who voted for their competitors. Key allies of Raila have also expressed willingness to work with the government for the sake of the region’s development, a move the former PM also backed. During the burial, Siaya Senator James Orengo and Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno said the two leaders should work together and spur economic development in the Nyanza region and the county at large. With an International Airport in Kisumu , the region has potential of not only transforming the country but also the entire East African Community.
The willingness by the Jubilee government to work with leaders from regions that voted for the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy was also in evidence during Ruto’s recent tour of Western Province. He said they will not discriminate against any region but will instead work with leaders to ensure that development is given priority over politics. Ruto said time for politicking was over and called on Kenyans to unite and work with the government in order to take the country to the next level. “With the elections behind us, it is now time for all us to shelf our party affiliations, and walk together towards realising the agenda we have for this country,” Ruto said during the homecoming of Lugari MP Ayub Savula
http://www.thepeople.co.ke/news.php?com=39&item=3734
thepeople Sunday, 5 May, 2013
Professionals from Luo Nyanza have embarked on a mission to wean the region of politics by identifying key development projects they want focus to shift to. They aver the region has lagged behind in economic development since for many years, it has not been at the centre of power and its leaders spent much time playing opposition politics, a scenario they do not want to resurface following former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s failure to clinch the presidency in the March 4 elections. With President Uhuru Kenyatta pledging he will not isolate any part of the country including those that did not vote for Jubilee, the professions are seeking to tap into this and have identified priority projects in each county, which they plan to present to him.
The group admits that Luo Nyanza is currently seeking alternative leadership following uncertainty over Raila’s continued stay in politics. The professionals are led by former Member of Parliament Dr Shem Ochuodho, who now works as an information and communications consultant in South Sudan. Ochuodho revealed that key areas they have identified include tackling the water hyacinth in Lake Victoria, which has affected fishingacross four counties in the region. A larger proportion of counties in Luo Nyanza depend on fishing for their daily bread.
Water hyacinth
“We also want the fight against water hyacinth intensified and resources in Lake Victoria properly handled,” Ochuodho said.
The professionals have also identified food security as a key area especially in Siaya County and are proposing investments in irrigation and construction of dams.
“We want them to stop focusing on presidency but engage in development activities. We are not saying that a Luo should not be President but we should first improve our economic livelihood. We require a lot of civic education to change locals’ mindset to focus on development. We want Nyanza people to take charge of their lives and government to just complement their efforts,” Ochuodho said.
He also noted that Siaya has potential for electricity generation since it has several waterfalls.
Ochuodho said Luo professionals with the backing of Luo Council of Elders also plan to meet on May 12 to deliberate on the future of the region. The professionals are planning to establish a microfinance institution to empower locals economically. Former MP Ken Nyagudi called on President Uhuru his deputy William Ruto to aid in the revamping the region for the benefit of the residents. Among the other projects they are eyeing include revival of Kisumu Cotton Manufacturing Industries (Kicomi), which previously formed part of the region’s economic mainstay. Uhuru, who met the group a forthright ago, has expressed willingness to work with them.
During the burial of former Kenya National Union of Teachers secretary general, Okuta Osiany, in Kisumu, Uhuru told area residents his Government will serve all people even those who did not vote for him. He added that he is a president of all Kenyans including those who voted for their competitors. Key allies of Raila have also expressed willingness to work with the government for the sake of the region’s development, a move the former PM also backed. During the burial, Siaya Senator James Orengo and Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno said the two leaders should work together and spur economic development in the Nyanza region and the county at large. With an International Airport in Kisumu , the region has potential of not only transforming the country but also the entire East African Community.
The willingness by the Jubilee government to work with leaders from regions that voted for the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy was also in evidence during Ruto’s recent tour of Western Province. He said they will not discriminate against any region but will instead work with leaders to ensure that development is given priority over politics. Ruto said time for politicking was over and called on Kenyans to unite and work with the government in order to take the country to the next level. “With the elections behind us, it is now time for all us to shelf our party affiliations, and walk together towards realising the agenda we have for this country,” Ruto said during the homecoming of Lugari MP Ayub Savula
http://www.thepeople.co.ke/news.php?com=39&item=3734
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