Bayern Urged To ‘Wake Up’ As In-Form Frankfurt Looms

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January 27, 2023

After a second-successive 1-1 draw on Tuesday, Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic it was “high time we flicked the switch”, warning “the title is at stake”.

A loss when Bayern host Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday would see the Eagles climb within two points of the 31-time Bundesliga title winners, while blowing the league wide open for the chasing pack.

While calling out forward Serge Gnabry for an “amateurish” mid-season jaunt to Paris Fashion Week, Salihamidzic said Bayern need to “wake up now”.

“We can prepare well for (Frankfurt) in the next few days, (we must) burn it into our heads how important the game is.”

The shift in reckoning may seem dramatic considering Bayern won 6-1 in Frankfurt in the season’s opening fixture in August. It is however a credit to the Eagles’ continued development under manager Oliver Glasner this season.

Half a season later, Frankfurt have lost just once early October in all competitions. They sit third in the league and have made it through to the Champions League knockouts at their first attempt.

A sure sign that the reigning Europa League champions have Bayern worried came on Sunday’s edition of German TV institution Doppelpass, when Frankfurt became the target of former club boss Uli Hoeness’ pre-match mind games.

Hoeness praised Saturday’s opponents, saying the club had “made the greatest progress of any club (in Germany) in the last 12 to 18 months” while adding Bayern had “thought about bringing back” star midfielder Mario Goetze, just before the 2014 World Cup winner signed with Frankfurt in 2022, but opted against it.

Goetze, plucked from then rival Borussia Dortmund in 2013, had a largely unhappy three-year spell in the Bavarian capital.

He returned to Dortmund in 2016, before moving to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on a free in 2020.

While it would be generous to say that Eintracht have the wood on Bayern, they have won two of their past four games against the all-conquering Bavarians and were one of only two teams to win in Munich in the league last season.

Frankfurt’s 3-1 win in the 2018 German Cup final was only the fourth time Bayern have lost in the showpiece event, having won it on 20 occasions.

Frankfurt however missed a golden chance to close the gap with Bayern to three points on Wednesday, drawing 1-1 at Freiburg.

Coach Glasner warned his side “I don’t believe it’s going to get any easier in Munich.”

“They play with brutal speed and they are also very strong with headers.”

One to watch: Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund)

Borussia Dortmund and USA forward Gio Reyna endured a disappointing World Cup on a personal and professional level, but has rebounded in the best possible way in 2023.

Reyna has come off the bench to score the winner in both of his side’s last two fixtures, helping Dortmund narrow the gap to table-topping Bayern Munich from nine to five points.

Dortmund manager Edin Terzic said Reyna, who missed much of the last two seasons with a series of injuries, has had a “difficult time on a mental level” but welcomed his blistering start to the year.

For his part, a patient Reyna said after his heroics on Wednesday “I want to start, that’s clear” but explained “I don’t think about it that much. My chance will come, if I keep working hard in training.”

KEY STATS

6 – Bayer Leverkusen missed six straight penalties, before Burkinabe defender Edmund Tapsoba scored from the spot in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Bochum.

4 – Hertha Berlin have lost their last four matches in all competitions against ‘little brother’ Union Berlin.

33 points – Halfway through the season, Union sit second on the table with 33 points, just three shy of leaders Bayern. Notoriously stoic Union manager Urs Fischer promised to have “a small beer” to celebrate the milestone.

Benzema, Vinicius Strike As Real Fight Back To Sink Atletico

By

John Mutiso

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January 27, 2023

Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr. scored in extra time as Real Madrid fought back to beat local rivals Atletico 3-1 on Thursday and reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Forward Alvaro Morata, a former Real academy player, put Atletico ahead with a close-range strike in the 19th minute.

Real substitute Rodrygo equalised in the 79th with a delightful goal, dribbling past three defenders before finishing well.

Atletico played most of extra time with 10 men after defender Stefan Savic was shown his second yellow card for chopping down Eduardo Camavinga in the 99th minute.

Five minutes later, Real substitute Marco Asensio sent a low cross into the box and Vinicius’s deflected shot reached Benzema who unleashed an unstoppable strike into the net.

Vinicius secured Real’s win in the dying seconds with a brilliant individual goal, running half the length of the pitch before scoring with a low shot.

Real Madrid joined Barcelona, Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals.

Ruto Government Commits To Secure Media Freedom

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 26, 2023

The government has reiterated its commitment to nurturing a free and independent self-regulating Media.

Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo said that the state and the media play a complementary role.

Speaking on Thursday when he inaugurated the Selection Panel for the Board of the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), Owalo explained that the MCK should be as impartial as possible to ensure that the media is self-regulatory without interference from any quota including the government.

He explained that the Media Council Act of 2013 established the MCK as an independent national institution, mandated to set self-regulatory compliance standards for the Media, and arbitration mechanisms for other entities and the public, relative to their use of the Media, and interaction with the Media in Kenya.

“These men and women are expected to live up to the expectations of the Media fraternity and other stakeholders, alike.

Owalo advised the various professional entities in the media to resolve their differences amicably for better delivery of their service to the public.

The PS reiterated the government’s promise not to interfere with the media saying that they want to see the media flourish.

Josephine Kinuthia who is representing the Kenya News Agency (KNA), Kenya Union of Journalists (Mr. Oscar Obonyo), Media Owners Association (Mr. Emmanuel Juma), Kenya Editors Guild (Mr. Macharia Gaitho), Law Society of Kenya (Ms. Marlene Achieng Abongo), Kenya Correspondents Association (Mr. William Onyango Oloo), Public Relations Society of Kenya (Ms.

Kenya Opens First Embassy In French West Africa

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 26, 2023

The Government is enhancing its diplomatic ties with African States to unlock trade and investment opportunities for Kenyans.

President William Ruto has said the Government is engaging other African governments to nurture mutually beneficial relations.

Speaking during the official opening of the Kenya Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, the President assured investors that the Government would support them to access investment opportunities across the continent.

The Kenyan chancery in Senegal is the first in Francophone Africa and will serve the region.

President Ruto was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei and Kenyan Ambassador to Senegal Purity Muhindi.

At the same function, the President announced that Kenya will open an embassy in Rabat, Morocco, later in the year.

“We will continue to push the limits for our investors and businesspeople to access more markets in Africa,” he said.

The President noted that Africa will account for 25 per cent of the world population by 2050, a market Kenya must plan and strategise for.

Later, President Ruto met Kenyans living in Senegal.

The embassy, he added, will help ease services and be a link to the government of Senegal and the private sector.

Lexus CEO Koji Sato Takes Over Toyota

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 26, 2023

Toyota’s CEO will step down from the company his grandfather founded.

He handed over to the head of its Lexus luxury brand as the Japanese conglomerate struggles to meet the transition to electric vehicles.

Koji Sato, the 53-year-old chief branding officer and president of Toyota Motor Corp’s Lexus brand, will take over as chairman on April 1 when Akio Toyoda retires.

The question of who will lead Toyota, Japan’s largest company and one of the world’s most influential manufacturers, has become increasingly important to investors.

However, the timing of the announcement was unexpected.

Under the 66-year-old Toyoda, the automaker has appeared reluctant to embrace electric vehicles.

It also touted hydrogen-powered cars as the future, raising fears it would be left behind by the rise of electric vehicles, as the flashier and more nimble Tesla Inc eclipsed it in both innovation and share price.

The succession announcement was broadcast on a webcast through the automaker’s Toyota Times channel in what looked more like a stilted talk show with a host rather than a formal corporate announcement.

Woman Who Drowned With A Kiambu Businessman Identified

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 26, 2023

A woman who died alongside a man after the car they were in crashed into a dam in Juja, Kiambu County, has been identified by her family.

The body of Fridah Warau Kamuyu, 22, of Mathioya, Murang’a County, had been marked as unclaimed at Nairobi City Mortuary since January 18, when the incident occurred.

It wasn’t until Thursday, January 26 — exactly eight days after the tragic incident — that the deceased’s family showed up at the city mortuary and identified the body as theirs.

Mr. Titus Kiiru, a 39-year-old Kiambu businessman, died alongside Kamuyu.

On the fateful day, the two are said to have been in a Nissan X-trail vehicle that they had packed near the dam’s edge, which is a popular hangout spot for revelers.

The vehicle, however, would plunge into the dam under mysterious circumstances around 7 p.m.

Suspects Flee Police Custody With Loaded AK47

By

Cyrus Kimanga

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January 26, 2023

Police have begun a manhunt for two detainees who fled from a Trans Nzoia police station with a loaded AK47 firearm.

Daniel Wanjala and Samuel Wafula were arrested for cattle rustling at Shikhendu police station in the Kiminini constituency.

They were detained for stealing two cows and were scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, but they escaped on Wednesday night.

Former Cop Rashid Ahmed Ordered To Surrender Or Face Arrest

According to police, they escaped by cutting through the wooden ceiling and then cutting through the iron sheet.

Police report, that the two rushed into the report office, where they also shattered the steel box armory and seized one AK47 loaded with 14 7.6mm bullets.

The two officers who were on duty at the time of the escape have been arrested to help with the investigation.

Vinicius Effigy Hung From Bridge Before Madrid Derby

By

John Mutiso

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January 26, 2023

A dummy dressed in a Vinicius Junior shirt was hung from a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground ahead of the Copa del Rey quarterfinal clash against Atletico Madrid on Thursday.

“Madrid hates Real,” read a banner draped on the bridge close to Valdebebas overnight Wednesday.

The Vinicius effigy was described as a “racist attack” and “serious threat” against the Brazilian forward by Spanish media.

Police sources told AFP they were investigating the incident, without offering further details.

The slogan is one which has been used by Atletico Madrid ultras in the past.

Atletico fans were filmed aiming racist chants at Vinicius in September before the Madrid derby at the Wanda Metropolitano in LaLiga.

However in December Spanish prosecutors closed an investigation into the chants, saying it was not possible to identify those culpable.

Real Madrid’s 22-year-old winger is a divisive figure in Spanish football, with opponents sometimes angered by his flair and playing style, and his propensity to go to ground easily.

On the other hand, Vinicius is often targeted and hacked by opposition defenders to try and put him off his game, with no player in Europe fouled more this season.

“We have to protect him,” urged Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti on Wednesday in a news conference.

“Football needs him, he’s got an extraordinary talent and we have to protect him physically and in a mental aspect too.”

Real Madrid host rivals Atletico at the Santiago Bernabeu later on Thursday.

DP Gachagua Calls For Crackdown On Illicit Liquor In Mt. Kenya

By

John Mutiso

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January 26, 2023

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has directed provincial administration officers to crack down on illegal liquor, describing alcoholism and drug abuse as a threat to the Mount Kenya region.

Gachagua called on county governments to regulate the issuance of licences for bars and pubs at the launch of Murang’a County’s bursary programme, saying illicit liquor abuse has reached alarming levels and threatens to wipe out a generation of youth, particularly in Central Kenya.

“We shall not accept a situation where youths are being killed or become unproductive because of consumption of illicit alcohol,” Gachagua said.

“The administrators must eradicate alcoholism and drug abuse. The Ruto Administration will not negotiate on this unfortunate matter. All administrators must return to their jobs now as alcoholism is becoming a menace now and this situation must be dealt with decisively,” he added.

Gachagua also urged provincial administration officers not to get involved in politics and instead focus on containing the situation of illegal alcohol consumption and substance abuse.

“County commissioners and police have to swing into action and eradicate alcoholism,” he said.

“The administrators were used by the former regime in campaigning for changes of the Constitution and Azimio. Their work is to assist the people not to participate in politics. Their work now includes driving tree planting programs.”

Governor Irungu Kang’ata, Senator Joe Nyutu, Woman Rep Betty Maina, and Maragua Mp Mary Wamaua were among those accompanying the Deputy President.

The leaders pledged their support for Gachagua’s efforts to rid the region of drugs.

Court Reinstates Embattled IEBC Deputy CEO Kulundu

By

Cyrus Kimanga

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January 26, 2023

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s CEO Hussein Marjan is in trouble for firing Deputy CEO Ruth Kulundu.

Employment and Labour relations Court found that the decision to interdict Ruth Kulundu was made without evidence and hence unconstitutional.

” On 9th August 2022 Kenyans went to the polls to choose their president and other elected leaders. This dispute resolves around activities leading to the tallying and announcement of the presidential election results in which Kulundu and IEBC were directly involved…soon after the elections, Kulundu was interdicted on allegations of misconduct…” reads the ruling in part.

While suspending the verdict, the court stated that Kulundu presented a proper argument and that neither party will suffer harm if Marjan’s decision to interdict Kulundu is suspended.

“It is safe to conclude that the charges were about insubordination and threat to staff….,” Court noted.

Kulundu was charged with impersonating and conducting an unlawful commission plenary meeting.

The Court ruled that Marjan Hussein acted in excess of his powers by purporting to interdict his deputy without the approval of a majority of the Commissioners.

“The move was a manifestation of the split. Marjan Hussein was in violation of the IEBC HR policy. He was the prosecutor and executioner. Consequently, I hold that this is a case for an injunction, “the court noted.