Project East Africa 2019: Financing of large-scale power and utility projects

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January 29, 2019

Development Bank of Southern Africa takes leading role in support of Ugandan Prime Minister’s forum re the financing of large-scale power and utility projects across East Africa

Rt Hon Dr Ruhakana Rugunda will be welcoming all national utility companies, power regulators, developers, finance providers, DFI’s, multi laterals, private / public equity funds, EPC’s, major construction companies, lawyers and consultants for two days of debate, working platforms and private meetings re;

• Current and upcoming Government development plans

• Key Finance and investment opportunities

• Core value and analysis of ‘Bankable Opportunities’

• Debate and interaction with Utility and Regulatory bodies

• Generation opportunities & challenges, national & local

• Opportunities in cross border power sharing agreements

• Transmission and distribution projects

• Off grid rural electrification initiatives

• Local content requirements and support initiatives

Working Dinner with the PM

In addition to the two day summit, the Prime Minster will host an exclusive invitation only private working dinner with the Minister of Energy & Mineral Development and Minister of Trade Industry & Cooperatives to selected c-suite public / private investors and the wider value chain for a working evening of debate and actionable plans re the financial structuring and delivery of major upcoming power and utility projects.

Secure Your Involvement: The Summit takes place at the Serena Hotel and Conference Centre Kampala 20th – 21st of March.

Positions to the summit are limited, to secure your position on the main agenda, align your meeting schedule ahead of the event, or to hear more, visit our website or contact the Event Director Dan Grogan: email: dgrogan@gep-events.com| Tel +447881344662.

Programme placement and dinner invitations are currently being allocated by the Prime Minister’s office, if you would like to join the summit, we are asking that all applicants revert as soon as possible to secure a seat from the remaining positions.

University of Nairobi land worth Ksh 2 Billion recovered by EACC

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 29, 2019

By Pauline Katethya

THE Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commision team led by the new boss, Twalib Mbarak today presided over the repossession of a 2Billion shilling piece of land belonging to University of Nairobi.

The land which had initially been illegally possessed by a private company, Abadares Engineering Contractors Limited.

University of Nairobi Main Campus, Nairobi CBD

In 1964, the university acquired land parcel measuring 4.97 acres from Kettles-Roy Tysons Limited for Sh200,000. This is according to EACC’s investigation.

The transfer of the piece of land to the university was indicated on July 1, 1964 in the name; University College Nairobi Council. On October 18 1967, a surrender of 0.2469 acres for expansion of a road was sought by the government of Kenya and request granted.

While addressing the public during the handing over ceremony, the @EACCKenya Chairman, Twalib Mbarak stated that recovery of corruptly acquired assets and returning them to their rightful owners is one of the most effective means of fighting corruption.

Kitui nurses threaten to boycott work from Monday

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 28, 2019

By Abednego Mbua

Nurses across Kitui County will go on a work boycott on Monday next week, the county union branch has announced.

In a press statement circulated to the media today, the Kitui Branch KNUN secretary Newton Kimanzi said the 700 nurses in Kitui will withdraw their services on February 4.

He said the medics will take the action in protest to the failure by the county government of Kitui to pay their increased service and Uniform allowances.

“We are therefore calling upon relatives and next of kin of all patients admitted in all level 3 to 5 hospitals to make arrangement to pick or transfer their patients elsewhere on or before February 4,2019 because all nurses will go on strike,” said the statement.

The press statement said that in the return to work agreement following the June to November 2017 nurses strike it was agreed that the nurses would get a phased three year annual increment of the service and uniform allowance. They payments were to be effected in 2018,2019 and 2020.

Nurses in Kitui, the statement said, have never received a penny on the agreed increment. “We have held several meetings with the administration in the County Health Ministry discussing several issues and no tangible implementation seen,” said the statement.

Zoezi Mtaani Initiative: Fitness gurus beat to eradicate drugs

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 28, 2019

A team of seasoned fitness instructors has started a programme that aims to eradicate rising use of drugs in the city. Dubbed Zoezi Mtaani, the team will hold fitness, team building and counselling sessions in various estates in the city.

Led by Silas Okuku, the Hill Park Hotel Heath Club Manager, the initiative was launched at the sprawling Kaloleni Estate two weeks ago.

“We have realised that our youth are getting hooked up in drugs at a very early age. We want to engage them and supplement Government efforts”, Sila said.

He said they had written to NACADA and other agencies for possible partnerships and urged other players to support the initiative. He said the group had also engaged all the elected leaders in Nairobi and is going to extend the same to other counties such as Mombasa, Kisumu and Busia.

Former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo with Zoezi Mtaani Patron Silas Okuku at Kaloleni during the inaugural session.

“At the end of the day, we will cover the entire country. We want Kenyan youth to remain fit, sharp and alert” Sila said.

He said once the youth are hooked to fitness, it will be hard for them to misused by politicians during elections as is normally the case. 10 trainers are involved in the initiative that will be held every Saturday.

Devolution CS Wamalwa : Strategize on Devolution helping the common mwananchi

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 27, 2019

Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa on Friday attended a public participation session for Policy on the Establishment of County Regional Economic Bloc {CREBs} in Kitui town.

The meeting was also graced by Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu who was the host, Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Maliti and Makueni County Secretary Paul Wasanga.

The forum had been convened to seek views from members of the public on how to establish a robust and effective policy framework to guide and regulate the operations and functions of Reginal Economic blocs that have been set up by counties across the country.

Wamalwa pointed out that already there were six regional economic bloc including the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc (SEKEB) crafted out of the three Ukambani countis of Kitui ,Machakos and Makueni.

He said devolution was one of the most transformative changes in governance system brought about by the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. Quoting Article 174 of the Constitution that provides that one of the key objectives of devolution is to promote social and economic development and provide proximate, easily accessible services.

The CS said his ministry was is providing policy leadership to ensure the enactment of devolution laws, operationalization of County Government structures, the transfer of functions and allocation of resources to County Governments.

“There’s need for engagement of different blocs to encourage inter-block trade and enjoy the economies of scale”. He said.

Governor Ngilu said the three counties of the SEKEB intend to utilize the resources well to eliminate poverty in the counties and offer the region better economic resilience.

“It is only through mobilization of resources that the initiative would succeed,” said Ngilu.

Interim SEKEB chair also the NCCK Chairman Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki said the bloc has specific agenda for the people, all aimed at growing the residents’ economic potential.

Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Maliti said there was need for visionary leadership anchored on mwananchi’s needs to have the bloc succeed.

Makueni County Secretary Paul Wasanga said SEKEB was not a political bloc and must not be politicized.

Policy Advisor for Devolution, Elizabeth Ouma, said the purpose of the policy was to improve the implementation of the devolved system of government in order to achieve optimal service delivery.

“It is intended to guide both levels of government to align their policies to the devolved system of government” said Ouma.

Catholic Church: Our soildiers have done us proud

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Dan Ojumah

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January 27, 2019

Catholics from the Don Bosco shrine yesterday held special prayers for Kenya security forces. Led by Bishop Rodrigo Mejia and more than 10 priests, the clerics said security forces have lately gone beyond the call of duty to protect Kenyans.

He urged Christians to pray for families of police and KDF officers stationed at various places within and outside the country.

“Our soldiers have done us proud as a nation. We will continue to offer special prayers for them” said Father Abel Njue, the Parish Priest at Don Bosco.

The clerics were speaking during a Parish day and celebration of the feast of St. John Bosco at the Shrine grounds.

The climax of the event was the celebration of Holy Mass led by Dr.Rev. Bishop Rodrigo Mejia.

Bishop Mejia urged youth in Kenya to emulate the life of St.Donbosco who he said defied all the odds to serve God and the young people in his native Italy.

“Today the youth need to heed the call of holiness and serve God to safeguard against the pitfalls of life”, the Bishop.

Facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger to be merged

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 27, 2019

Social media giant Facebook has plans in the pipeline to merge its messaging services on WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger. The apps will be linked so messages can travel between the different services.

The merger would mean that a Facebook account holder could communicate with someone who only has a WhatsApp account. This is currently impossible.

“We want to build the best messaging experiences we can; and people want messaging to be fast, simple, reliable and private,” said Facebook in a statement.

The process is expected to be completed by the end of 2019 or early next year.

The project which “should have been announced earlier” was kept on the low due to the on going data handling probes facing the social media giant.

“We’re working on making more of our messaging products end-to-end encrypted and considering ways to make it easier to reach friends and family across networks,” it added.

Pope Francis: The Devil wants division, but faith is about unity

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 25, 2019

By Gerald Gekara

On Thursday, The catholic faithful gathered at Panama City’s Coastal Belt to commemorate the Official Welcome and Opening Ceremony of World Youth Day 2019. Addressing the crowds gathered in a specially organized open area along , Pope Francis encouraged them to nurture the culture of encounter that has made the event possible.

A Kenyan delegatiion led by Bishop Muheria attended the occation.

Bishop Muheria echoed the words of the pope to the lkenyan youth on the importance of unity and building bridges.

“We must graft this experience to our youth in Kenya! Prayer and Fun…No fear to show our Catholic faith!! Do not be afraid! These young people have great desires. Lets accompany them and love them”
Bishop Muheria,

World Youth Day 2019 is an international Catholic event focused on religious faith and youth. The event brings together thousands of young people of the Catholic faith, get involved in communion and other religious practises. The event is presided over by the Pope, who is the overall leader of the Catholic Faith .

Schools to receive funding before the end of the week

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 24, 2019

By Pauline Katethya

There has been a financial crisis in public schools following the delay of funds from the Ministry of Education. The setback has made it quite impossible for the schools to run.

“We purely depend on government funding and with the 100 per cent transition, we need money to operate smoothly,” a principal from Nyandarua County told Uzalendo News, while a counterpart in Nyeri Girls Boarding said they were unable to pay suppliers and learners’ medical fees.

“Some suppliers have refused to give us their products, and students cannot seek medical attention as the money is yet to be provided for,” she said.

Most students have not paid their school fees in full, she added
Schools normally receive fifty per cent of the cash from the Government, based on the population of learners in each school, at the beginning of the first term. Thirty per cent is paid in the second term and the remaining 20 in the third term.

On Monday, Kahi Indimuli, Chairman of The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association said that head teachers in public schools were unable to manage the large number of students without funds.
“As at Friday, the funds had not been released… We opened the schools three weeks ago,” he said.

CS Treasury Henry Rotich on Tuesday affirmed that funds would be wired to schools before the end of the week.
He accredited the delay in funds a result of late request from the Ministry of Education.

On the same day, Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang visited Ngong Township primary school during an exercise to monitor the competency based curriculum in practice. He cautioned that schools who had not registered details of their students on the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) would not get the funds.

“We are not going to do any payments outside Nemis, so those schools that are yet to put details of their students on the system must ensure they do that to receive the funds,”
Kipsang said.

Africa Loses a Legend. Oliver Mtukudzi dies at 66

By

Dan Ojumah

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January 24, 2019

By Pauline Katethya.

It has been a sombre day for many people in the world following the demise of Afro-Jazz legend, Oliver Mtukudzi. Oliver “Tuku” was a Zimbabwean musician, businessman, philanthropist, human rights activist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Southern Africa Region.

He died on Wednesday at the age of 66 after a long battle with diabetes. Oliver was famously known by his song ‘Todii’ which received massive love and airplay in many parts of the world.
Apart from singing he was also a songwriter, actor, writer and film director.
Tuku was a legend whose music touched millions of people across the world, even those who did not understand what he said. He was proof that music could speak up for the people and help in making the world a better place. In his songs he spoke of people’s everyday life struggles.

“I sing because I am trying to get through to people. An artist is supposed to represent themselves and everyone. Not just a certain dialect or language.” – Oliver Mtukudzi

In an interview, On the Trend with Larry Madowo on September 2016, Oliver passionately talked about his love for music. He said that his music was meant to bring life and hope to the people.
“The purpose of a song is to give life and hope and to heal the broken hearts. if I come up with a song it’s supposed to touch a heart, not to impress.” I don’t do good compositions but I do good songs. He said.

Oliver appreciated his culture and heritage so much that he preached about it in his songs. He was also passionate about promoting African Music.

With 67 albums to his name, he was Zimbabwe’s most renowned and internationally recognized cultural icon of all time. His music career began in the 1970s with a group called Wagon Wheels. He later left the group to pursue a solo career. His lyrics often carried social messages about HIV/Aids and coded political commentary. One of his songs ‘Wasakara’, meaning “You Are Too Old”, was banned as it was seen as a reference to leader Robert Mugabe. The singer and guitarist mixed several different styles to create his own distinctive Afro-jazz sound, known to his fans as “Tuku Music”.

Mtukudzi told Forbes Africa in 2016 that he did not view his music journey as a career.

“I am yet to decide on a career to take on. This is not a career for me. I am just doing me.”

He will be remembered as one of Africa’s most renowned and internationally recognized cultural icon. His music touched many souls as it was inspiring, hopeful and also entertaining. His performances on stage were energetic and thrilling despite his age. His authenticity and legacy is something that will still live on. The people of Zimbabwe will also remember for his philanthropy and human rights work.
Tuku was surely One of the greatest African musicians.