The new nominee for the position of Inspector General, National Police Service is Hillary Nzioki Mutyambai.
He is a carrier policeman who was enlisted in the then Kenya Police Force in 1991 and rose in ranks to the rank of Superintendent of Police before joining the then Directorate of Security Intelligence that was a department within the Kenya police Force in 1998. Mutyambai’s rise in ranks continued in the new intelligence outfit and saw him rise to the top management of the National Intelligence Service where he was a Deputy Director in charge of Counter Terrorism.
As the deputy Director incharge of countering Terrorism, the new IG used to work closely with the NPS formations and the Military units in mounting intricate CT operations that have seen the country experience a downward trend in incidents of terror and several disruptions of planned attacks.
The new Inspector General holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nairobi and a Master’s of Arts degree in National Security Policy from the Australian National University. Interestingly this is the same University the out-going IG acquired his Master’s degree as well. Hilary Mutyambai comes to the helm of NPS with a vast of professional training and experience in the area of counter terrorism a skill that the National Police Service requires given the prevailing threat environment of terrorism.
FILE | Australian National University, where both Boinnet and Hillary studied.
The new appointee has had several professional training both locally and abroad . They include
Counterterrorism Training – In New Orleans, United States of America
Operational Management – United Kingdom
Advanced Security Analysis – United States of America
Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism- Israel
Locally the new IG has attended several senior management training programs that include:
Performance Management at the Kenya School of Government
Senior Management – Kenya School of Government
Detection and Prevention of Frauds and Forgeries – at the Kenya School Of Revenue Administration
His professionalism in counter terrorism came in handy during the 14 Riverside terror attack. He was the unseen force that was coordinating the rescue operations that saw over 700 Kenyans safely rescued from the siege and the attackers neutralized. Prior to becoming Deputy Director of Counter Terrorism Police Unit, Mutyambai served as the Regional Intelligence Coordinator, Nairobi County, Regional Intelligence Coordinator, Coast Region and County Intelligence Coordinator in Mombasa.
The new Inspector General also served in the Kenya’s Foreign Service in the Kenya High Commission in Kampala Uganda as a Political Attaché from the year 2000 to 2004.
The biggest killers of wildlife globally are unsustainable hunting and harvesting, and the conversion of huge swathes of natural habitat into farms, housing estates, roads and other industrial activities. There is little doubt that these threats are driving the current mass extinction crisis.
Yet our understanding of where these threats overlap with the locations of sensitive species has been poor. This limits our ability to target conservation efforts to the most important places.
In our new study, published today in Plos Biology, we mapped 15 of the most harmful human threats – including hunting and land clearing – within the locations of 5,457 threatened mammals, birds and amphibians globally.
We found that 1,237 species – a quarter of those assessed – are impacted by threats that cover more than 90% of their distributions. These species include many large, charismatic mammals such as lions and elephants. Most concerningly of all, we identified 395 species that are impacted by threats across 100% of their range.
Mapping the risks
We only mapped threats within a species location if those threats are known to specifically endanger that species. For example, the African lion is threatened by urbanisation, hunting and trapping, so we only quantified the overlap of those specific hazards for this species.
This allowed us to determine the parts of a species’ home range that are impacted by threats and, conversely, the parts that are free of threats and therefore serve as refuges.
We could then identify global hotspots of human impacts on threatened species, as well as “coolspots” where species are largely threat-free.
The fact that so many species face threats across almost all of their range has grave consequences. These species are likely to continue to decline and possibly die out in the impacted parts of their ranges. Completely impacted species certainly face extinction without targeted conservation action.
Conversely, we found more than 1,000 species that were not impacted by human threats at all. Although this is positive news, it is important to note that we have not mapped every possible threat, so our results likely underestimate the true impact. For example, we didn’t account for diseases, which are a major threat to amphibians, or climate change, which is a major threat to virtually all species.
Hotspots and coolspots
We produced the first global map of human impacts on threatened species by combining the parts of each species range that are exposed to threats.
The overwhelmingly dominant global hotspot for human impacts on threatened species is Southeast Asia.
This region contains the top five countries with the most threats to species.
These include Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar.
The most impacted ecosystems include mangroves and tropical forests, which concerningly are home to the greatest diversity of life on Earth.
Hotspots of threats and threatened species richness.Allan et al. Plos Biol., Author provided
We also created a global map of coolspots by combining the parts of species ranges that are free from human threats. This map identifies the last vestiges of wild places where threatened species have shelter from the ravages of guns, snares and bulldozers. As such, these are crucial conservation strongholds.
Coolspots include parts of the Amazon rainforest, the Andes, the eastern Himalayas, and the forests of Liberia in West Africa.
In many places, coolspots are located near hotspots. This makes sense because in species-rich areas it is likely that many animals are impacted whereas many others are not, due to their varying sensitivity to different threats.
Coolspots of unimpacted species richness.Allan et al. Plos Biol., Author provided
What next?
There is room for optimism because all the threats we map can be stopped by conservation action. But we need to make sure this action is directed to priority areas, and that it has enough financial and political support.
An obvious first step is to secure threat-free refuges for particular species, via actions such as protected areas, which are paramount for their survival.
To ensure the survival of highly impacted species with little or no access to refuges, “active threat management” is needed to open enough viable habitat for them to survive. For example, tiger numbers in Nepal have doubled since 2009, mainly as a result of targeted anti-poaching efforts.
Tackling threats and protecting refuges are complementary approaches that will be most effective if carried out simultaneously. Our study provides information that can help guide these efforts and help to make national and global conservation plans as successful as possible.
South Sudan plunged into conflict in 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of an attempted coup d’etat. After five years in which regional powers sought ways to end the stalemate, Kiir and Machar signed the latest in a series of power-sharing peace agreements.
The rivals have agreed to form a transitional government of national unity. Machar – who initially fled the country in 2016 – will be reinstated as first vice president. He will serve alongside four other vice presidents and a reconstituted transitional government is set to be established in May 2019.
However, serious questions remain over the new agreement’s chances of success. Dubbed, the “revitalised agreement” the pact is simply a recycling of the 2015 peace deal which promised an end to the conflict that has displaced one-third of the population.
The current agreement has less accountability mechanisms, limited provisions for disarmament and demobilisation of armed groups, and no reintegration plan. In addition, there are no penalties for those who do not comply. But most importantly, the agreement does not address the power sharing wrangles within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, which i the root cause of the conflict.
Two days after the agreement was signed fighting continued and violence returned to parts of South Sudan. Despite the ceasefire, the government launched attacks on the militant National Salvation Front in central and western Equatoria where humanitarian workers have been attacked.
Successive ceasefires since the 2013 conflict have been violated by all sides. In December 2017, for instance, a peace deal collapsed shortly after signing with Machar’s opposition forces claimed that the government broke the ceasefire. The government claimed that the rebels attacked first.
If the country’s recent history is anything to go by, the revitalised agreement is likely to suffer the same fate as previous peace deals, all of which have failed.
South Sudan’s ruling elites have spent decades declaring war and making peace. If concrete steps aren’t taken to achieve the latest agreement, then the country will once again descend into anarchy.
Why deal will fail
It will be difficult to make the agreement stick given the environment in South Sudan, a country which has become the most dangerous for humanitarian air works.
One of the reasons is that the military and political elites in the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have developed a taste for amassing wealth through lucrative government posts.
They are able to do this because SPLM has absolute control over the executive and legislative arms of government. This excludes Machar and his SPLM-In Opposition wing from making national decisions and accessing state resources.
South Sudan timeline.
In addition, the agreement doesn’t fully address the emergence and complexity of new rebel groups. Eighteen large groups have emerged since the conflict started in 2013. Unless a single dominant group emerges, it will be only a matter of time before fighting breaks out again.
Conflict Parties in South Sudan.
Then there is the question of implementation. The revitalised agreement promises the creation of a new “national army” within eight months. But it says nothing about how this army will be created. While both Kiir and Machar agree in principle that Sudan should be one fighting force, they don’t agree on how the new army will be constituted.
Various ideas have been floated. One includes a proposal by the Army Chief of Staff, Paul Malong, to disband the existing army and reconstitute it based on ethnic and community representation. But as things stand there is still no road map to a new army.
The most recent agreement also says that national elections must take place after a three-year transitional period. Pushing for elections could further displace civilians and speed up the use of violence against civilians as parties compete for votes. Despite this possibility the agreement doesn’t provide for a peacekeeping mechanism to prevent violence during the transition.
Another thing standing in the way of peace is foreign interference. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni have a history of supporting opposing sides in South Sudan’s conflict.
South Sudan’s vast oil reserves also fuel ethnic tensions. Ethnic divisions continue to be an obstacle to a lasting peace. As long as peace deals like this one are more focused on power sharing rather than the equitable distribution of resources to all ethnic groups they will continue to fail.
Finally, there are no monitoring and enforcement mechanisms in place to hold the government of national unity in check. The agreement leaves it up to the parties to self-monitor. This makes it harder for the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to support the ceasefire. IGAD is an eight-country African trade bloc that provides a strategic and integrated framework for regional cooperation. It comprises the governments of Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
Path to success
For the agreement to succeed the government and its partners must adopt a strategy that will improve the social economic status of the country and support the creation of sustainable peace at the same time. This will require support from the international community to prevent fragmentation of society, provide stability for the election period, and strengthen external monitoring mechanisms.
The international community, particularly the US, can also offer technical support for local structures, rebuild local institutions, and support social cohesion in the long term. This would include helping South Sudan to diversify its economy away from a dependency on oil.
Creating a new national army and recasting former rebel groups as bona fide military forces as the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces, while neglecting to address ethnic tensions, divided loyalties, and entrenched hostility will not pave a clear pathway to peace.
To give peace a chance, the government must acknowledge its support of mercenaries who contributed to the violence. It must also take steps to address the historical grievances of the people of South Sudan.
Andrew Edward Tchie, Editor, Armed Conflict Database; Research Fellow, Conflict, Security and Development at International Institute for Strategic Studies, University of Essex
The crisis of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, and the institutional denial and cover up, has left many people of faith shocked by the lack of appropriate response toward survivors.
Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, the president of the Australian bishops’ conference, has called for a Copernican revolution on sexual abuse in the church and a shift in Catholic culture so that abuse survivors, not clergy, shape the church response.
Unless you see that what’s happened to the abused has happened to Christ and that therefore, they’re Christ crucified in their needs, all the external commands in the world won’t do it.
There are good theological grounds for recognising a connection between Christ and those who have been subjected to abuse. The words of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46 say that what is done to others is also done to Christ, and this has been explored in the work of Beth Crisp.
In Matthew 25, and presumably in the words of Archbishop Coleridge, this connection is at a theological or metaphorical level. But recent work has offered a strong argument to go beyond the theological connection and to see a more literal historical connection. In my own work, and writings by Elaine Heath, Rev Wil Gafney and Australian theologian Rev Michael Trainor, it is argued that Jesus does not just share theologically in the abuse, but that he himself experienced sexual abuse during the crucifixion.
This may seem outlandish at first. When Katie Edwards and I wrote on stripping as sexual abuse, many comments showed readers were perplexed that we could be seriously suggesting this. For many people, the initial reaction is to be startled and shocked. Some ask whether it is meant to be a serious suggestion, or say it is just jumping on a #MeToo bandwagon. However, as Linda Woodhead points out, if you look at it more closely you may start to think differently.
The torture practices of military regimes in Latin America during the 1970s and 1980s offer two key lessons for understanding crucifixion. First, the torture was a way for the military authorities to send a message to a much wider audience. Anyone who opposed the military would know what to expect.
Second, sexual violence was extremely common in torture practices. Sexual violence was a very powerful way to physically and psychologically attack a victim and his or her dignity. Sexual humiliation and shaming victims could destroy their sense of self and stigmatise them in the eyes of others.
The use of crucifixion by the Romans fits with both of these. Crucifixion was a form of state terror which threatened and intimidated many more people than the victims themselves. The way that prisoners were stripped and crucified naked was an obvious way to humiliate and degrade them, and should be recognised as a form of sexual abuse.
Interviews with survivors
In research published this month, we interviewed a small group of Peruvian middle-aged male survivors of clergy abuse on how they respond to the historical argument that Jesus was a victim of sexual abuse. We had interviewed this group before on how the sexual abuse they had experienced when they were teenagers and young men had impacted on their lives.
In these new interviews, we asked if they had considered Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse and how they viewed the historical and biblical evidence for it. We also asked if any such recognition could be helpful for them and other abuse survivors, or the wider church.
Most interviewees were initially surprised by the idea, but saw no problem in accepting the historical evidence and argument. Only one participant initially said that not enough evidence was presented to show it was sexual abuse but he later explained that he saw Jesus’ nakedness as a form of complete powerlessness.
Participants were evenly split on the question whether it would help them. About half felt it would not but the other half spoke positively of the connection it created between Jesus and survivors.
On the significance for the wider church, all of the participants agreed, without hesitation, that it would have a positive impact. All of them suggested that church ministries, clergy and lay, should embrace this topic.
They felt it would help the church to achieve more solidarity with survivors, and also, a more realistic and historic vision of Jesus. If the wider Church embraced this history and deepened it theologically, it might help towards changes in the church which prioritise survivors, and ensure they are treated with more compassion and solidarity. If the church is seeking a Copernican revolution on sexual abuse, recognising the experience of Jesus for what it was is surely an appropriate starting place.
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta today visited Mater Hospital in Nairobi where she witnessed ongoing cardiac surgeries on 10 children with complex congenital heart diseases. The weeklong surgical procedures, including catheterization, are being undertaken under a collaboration between Mater Misericordiae Hospital and surgeons from the Czech and Slovak Republics. The First Lady said such partnerships play an important role in complimenting government efforts to expand access to quality, timely and affordable healthcare. “It is an honour to be invited to witness the amazing work of a great partnership between the Slovak and Czech Republics’ and Kenya’s Mater Misericordiae Hospital,” said the First Lady who described the surgeries as the “miracle work of medicine.”
The Hospital’s Cardiac Mission Visit is an annual event where surgeons from the two countries conduct difficult congenital heart procedures which have so far benefited over 100 children over the last 8 years. The hospital has other cardiac mission arrangements with the United Kingdom and India. Chief executive officer Prof. Dominic Mwenja said the ultimate goal is to turn the hospital into a regional centre of excellence in cardiac surgeries. The First Lady congratulated the management of the hospital for their vision, dedication and investment to establish the cardiac program that offers specialized cardiac care for children, many of them from poor backgrounds with little financial resources. She said the program has eased the stress of financial burden on many families who may not need to seek treatment outside the country and also contributed to better management of congenital ailments in Kenya. “This cardiac program has offered hope to children – some as young as a month old – who have been born with heart complications that would otherwise have impacted their growth and development,” said the First Lady. She expressed gratitude to both the Czech and Slovak governments for their partnership that has supported the cardiac program
“You have made available resources and expertise that will expand access to quality diagnostic, timely and accurate treatment for many vulnerable children in Kenya,” the First Lady told the ambassadors from the two nations, Pavel Rezac from the Czech Republic and his Slovak counterpart, Frantisek Dlhopolcek. The two ambassadors pledged continued support to the program and other related health initiatives to help Kenya achieve its Universal Heal Coverage goals. The First Lady said besides the surgical operations, the partnership has the other benefit of skills transfer to Kenyan doctors.
“I am pleased that the program has recognised the importance of skills and knowledge transfer by working closely with the local doctors. This will contribute toward the professional training of our doctors, and also ensure the sustainability of the work,” added the First Lady. Prof Mwenja said besides the milestones achieved through the paediatric cardiac procedures, Mater Hospital has also become a training centre in surgery graduate programmes. Other Speakers included the Director of Medical Services Dr Jackson Kioko, the Chief Administrative Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ababu Namwamba and Mater Hospital’s Head Trustee Sr. Anne Itotia.
While assenting into law the Urban Areas and Cities Amendment Bill, President Kenyatta commended the Senate for acting with speed in passing laws, which are intended to accelerate the efficient and quality service delivery to wananchi through the devolved units.
The new law would enable County Governments to review the criteria provided for classifying an area as a city, municipality, town or market centre.
Under the new law, the number of the resident population required for a city has been reduced by half, from 500,000 to 250,000 people.
The same law also allows a county to declare an urban area a municipality if it has a resident population of at least 50,000 residents while for an area to be declared a town it has to have at least a population of 10,000 residents and a market centre would only require a population of at least 2,000 residents.
The law proposes establishment of boards to govern and manage cities and municipalities and also outlines specific requirements of those who will be appointed to manage the concerned boards.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has signed the Energy Bill 2017
The new energy law among other things proposes the establishment of three key national energy entities to manage and regulate energy resources in the country.
The law establishes the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation and the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority will be mandated to regulate generation, importation, exportation, transmission, distribution, supply and usage of electrical energy with the exception of licensing of nuclear facilities.
It will also be required to regulate importation, refining, exportation, transportation, storage and sale of petroleum and petroleum products with the exception of crude oil.
The Authority will also be required to manage production, conversion, distribution, supply, marketing and usage of renewable energy.
FILE | Rural Electrification Programme
The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation shall be responsible for among other things to oversee the implementation of the Rural Electrification Programme, manage the Rural Electrification Programme Fund and also source for additional funds for the Rural Electrification Programme and renewable energy.
The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency will under the new law be mandated to propose policies and legislation necessary for the successful implementation of a nuclear power programme.
The agency would among other things be required to undertake extensive public education and awareness on Kenya’s nuclear power programme.
FILE | Oil exploration off the coast of Kenya
The 2017 Petroleum Bill that was assented into law by the President will among other things provide a framework for contracting, exploring, developing and producing petroleum.
The new law would also be used to formulate national petroleum policy and conduct petroleum operations. It will be a reference point in the establishment of petroleum institutions.
Under the new law, the national government, county governments and local communities shall receive a fair share of benefit from revenues emanating from petroleum operations.
A county government is to receive a share equivalent to twenty per cent of the national government’s share while local communities will receive a share equivalent to five per cent of the national government share.
Parliament is tasked with reviewing of percentages within ten years to take into consideration any adjustments needed.
Present during the signing of the three Bills were Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi and his Senate counterpart Ken Lusaka, majority leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale, his Senate counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen, Senator James Orengo and the Clerk to The National Assembly Michael Sialai and his senate counterpart Jeremiah Nyegenye among others.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has today called for more mutually beneficial engagements between Kenya and Rwanda. The President said that the good relationship that exists between the two countries can be made better and more beneficial through people-to-people interactions. “The relationship between our two countries is probably the best,” the President said. “The more we meet, the more we interact, the better we integrate as a people,” he added. President Kenyatta spoke at the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) Combat Training Centre in Gabiro where he addressed over five hundred top government and private sector officials who are attending the national leadership retreat. The national leadership retreat is held annually and brings together leaders from all sectors of the Rwandan economy to discuss development programmes.
The President, who was on a short visit to Rwanda, said he was impressed by the national leadership retreat concept and promised to consider replicating it in Kenya. While citing Rwanda’s top ranking in the World Bank’s ease of doing business index, he noted that the country, under President Kagame, had risen from the devastation of war into a robust economy and a model of progress in Africa. “I am proud of how Rwanda has emerged from the challenges of its past into a model economy. Rwanda is one of Africa’s shining stars,” the President said. The President, who earlier held private talks with his host, said that Kenya and Rwanda have been able to achieve a lot together in recent years and challenged the people of the two sister countries to engage more. “As governments, we have been able to achieve so much. We have made it easier for our people and goods to move across our borders. We have created linkages in ICTs and in other areas,” the President said. Speaking on regional integration, President Kenyatta acknowledged that there exist challenges which need to be addressed and called on leaders to work together in fixing them. “It is true that we are faced with some challenges as neighbours and as a region. Through goodwill and good intentions, we will be able to resolve these challenges,” he said. He added: “We need to connect more. Rwanda alone, Kenya alone will not make it but together we have tremendous potential to succeed.” President Kagame thanked President Kenyatta for agreeing to speak at the retreat, saying the Kenyan leader is a true friend of Rwanda. “You know you can have a brother who is not your friend. In President Kenyatta, I have a brother who is also a friend,” the Rwandan leader said. On his way back to Nairobi, the President made a brief stopover in Uganda where he held private talks with President Yoweri Museveni at State House, Entebbe.
Vivo Energy Kenya has issued a notice over its demolished Shell Petrol Station said to have been constructed in Riparian land. The petrol station was brought down last year, together with an adjoining complex housing the Java Chain of restaurants and a chemist. The property worth billions of shillings was brought down by the Nairobi regeneration committee.
FILE: Demolitions at Shell Petrol station Kileleshwa
“VIVO wishes to notify the public that it owns a property with land reference number 4858/16 at Kileleshwa in Nairobi County” the statement says. The property which was intially a petrol service station was unfortunately demolished on 6th August 2018 and had been in operation for 48 years.
According to a notice cum statement advertised in the Daily Nation, purchase, charge or deal with the property does so at their own risk”, the firm says. VIVO Energy further warns that any acts of trespass on the property shall be countered with the full force of law, including both civil and criminal sanction.
Vivo also added that it will continue to provide reliable high quality products and services to its customers.The company distributes and markets shell-branded fuels and lubricants in Kenya. It is not clear why the title has not been revoked despite the Government position that the Petrol Station was on Riparian land.
