Tuesday, 16 November 2010

The Anchor October-November - Final Post


Makueni County

Civic men hike
Perks by 35 p.c.
By DANIEL KITUKU

Councilors of Makueni county council will earn higher allowances after they passed a motion to increase their allowances by over 35 Percent.
The motion was unanimously agreed to by the council’s 52 councilors during a Full Council meeting. With the endorsement, the councilors increased their monthly allowances from currently Sh 43,000 to Sh 58,000, making them the best paid civic leaders in Ukambani.
The council which in recent past was engaged in divisive wrangles among councilors was certainly a different one when the motion was placed before them as they supported the move to  approve a Sh 15,000  monthly increment to each councilor.
The council will now have to dig deeper to pay a total of Sh 780,000 monthly allowances resulting from the rise.
 However the County Clerk Mr.Maina Gathura said that the allowances increment will have to wait for approval from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government Mr Musalia Mudavadi. Mudavadi is unlikely to disallow the vote as it has all the traits of horse trading to create peace in the war-torn council.
The meeting further approved to spend Sh 76,386,044 towards LASDAP projects during this financial year. Among the projects to be funded include grading of roads, which will take Sh 10,725,000. Construction of sand dams will take Sh 5,000,000, and construction of public toilets will take Sh 3,861,044.
The councilors reallocated the Sh 2m earlier allocated to purchase a council vehicle The funds will now be used to construct culverts. They said that the council had enough vehicles for the time being.
The council is working to raise a total revenue of Sh 255 m to fund  this financial year’s bud-get. The meeting chaired by their chairman councilor Bernard Musau did deliberate on the pending criminal case at a local court against seven councilors who are facing charges of creating disturbance and dam-aging council property during last month’s council meeting.
The councilors are out on bond of Sh5,000 each with the case set for hearing next month.
Town Hall dishes out road tenders
 worth Sh75 million after long wait
THE Municipal Council of Machakos has finally given out tenders to close to 30 contractors for tarmacking and repair of some roads in the municipality.
The tenders have delayed for months as allegations of bribery and influence peddling flew past, delaying the process unnecessarily.
Among the contractors are Continental Contractors, Sinoe Contractors and Kitanga Contractors who will share out the works. Other local traders have been given jobs in the tenders that total close to Sh 78million. The contracts will see the road circling Mulu Mutisya Gardens fully paved- touching both exits on Syokimau Avenue (at Universal Traders Sacco) and Ngei Roads( next to Family Bank)
This tasks will be done by Kitanga Con-tractors. It will be their second major job in Machakos after they re-carpeted other roads in the town some two years ago. However it will be their first major task  of constructing a tarmac road from scratch and residents will certainly be keen to see the kind of job that Kitanga Contractors will do at this key Central Business District section of the Akamba City.
Theirs is the biggest of all and is worth Sh 23m.
Continental Contractors will deal with sections of Rashid Road at Mjini area and all the way through Kafoca Hotel to Ikuuni, where they are expected to pave the parking area with Cabral works blocks. It will be the first time that the municipality will be embarking on building Parking Slots for motorists from whom they have been collecting Parking Fees, even with unmarked parking areas.
The contracts, which include  grading a short slip road in Eastleigh is funded by the Road Maintenance Fuel Levy Fund that is usually disbursed to councils to maintain roads.
 Hopefully, the allocation of the tenders will bring to an end a behind the scenes showdown that Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka and his henchmen have been involved in, with documents flying to the hands of the Director of the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission in seeking to influence who gets the jobs.
There have been allegations of officials receiving bribes to offer the contracts to one contractor, even when the bid documents set a limit  the jobs a tenderer could bid for.
It is alleged in one document seen by The Anchor, that the council official visited the city contractor at Don Bosco within the Upper Hill area of Nairobi on May 5,2010, met the contractor, whose name we withhold, and received  Sh. 100,000 to facilitate the awarding of a tender to tarmac five Machakos roads.
This claim seems ridiculous since the advertisement for the contract indicated that no contractor may bid for more than three jobs.
It  is alleged further; “The Machakos Contractor was awarded contract No MCR/RMLF/4/2009-2010 MULU PARK ROAD worth Sh. 23 million. An inquiry at the council  at the time  indicated that the tender had not been allocated, meaning that the authors of the letter to KACC are most likely parties with vested interest and not necessarily soldiers of integrity.
However on scrutinizing the claim, the officials mentioned as having collaborated do not see eye to eye due to the intricate relationships at the council, and it is highly improbable that they could have sat together to carry out such a deal.
Machakos Mayor Fidellis Kimuyu told The Anchor that the tenders were allocated by the council tender committee that has a Procurement officer seconded from the Minister of Finance to set smooth the council's procurement process. " We have faith that the contractors will do a good job for the residents of Machakos", the Mayor said.
Machakos Municipality has been under intense pressure over allegations of corruption. A council resolution to invite KACC is still awaiting a positive response. One of the clear monuments of graft at the council is a water tanker that was funded by Machakos Town CDF and intended for fire fighting purposes but was rejected by former  Town Clerk Stephen Mbondo after the contractor build it on the wrong specifications.
 The CDF team nonetheless paid for the tanker at Sh. 1.6m, even when it can not fetch Sh. 300,000 in the competitive market. It initially planned to use Sh. 1.5m for the tanker. The Council says it can only use it for other purposes as it is heavier than the Fire engine.
Govt disbands management
of B2 Co-operative Society
The Government has dissolved the  Management Committee of trouble-ridden B2 Yatta Ranching Co-operative Society in the Kitui County.
The committee led by Mr James Simba was disbanded for gross mismanagement and financial misappropriation running into millions of shillings.
A five-man interim committee was appointed run the society pending election of new officials later in the year. The new team will be headed by Francis Mututa.
The Eastern Provincial Co-operative Officer David Obonyo said that the move followed various complaints and resolve from the members who passed a vote of no confidence in the former officials.
During a tense Annual General Meeting held at the society’s offices at Katoteni, in Kitui West,  Obonyo stopped attempts by the irate members to oust the manager Stephen Katee who accused him of working in cahoots with the dissolved committee to rip off the society.
The PCO said the members’ action would mount to violation of the ministry of Co-operative Development and Marketing regulations.
The co-operators were angered by loss of the society assets including livestock which they attributed to incompetence of the former officials, high handedness and unnecessary court cases.
Ambassador Kimanzi Ilako led the members in criticizing Simba’s leadership for using the recent drought as a scapegoat to sell hundreds of live-stock without the consent of the shareholders.
Statistics at the society show that by last year the society earned more income from livestock trading and revenue collection from illegal grazing in the ranch.
The current livestock population stands at 380 heads of cattle which, the members observed were not enough for the ranch to become a co-operative society.
The December 31, 2009 balance sheet and final accounts of the society prepared by the ministry of Cooperative Development and Marketing show that the society is in red and cannot meet its ob-ligations.
The report indicated that the net assets of the society decreased by Sh20.8 million from 2008 to2009 while no dividends were paid to the members.
During the 2009 drought, the society earned Sh17.8 million from livestock sales up from Sh 7.1 million it got in 2008. The number of livestock then dropped from 2000 to only 800.
Obonyo said incompetence, wrangling among the members and unnecessary court cases brought the society to its knees and the only way out was to dissolve it. An interim team has been picked to replace the dissolved Management Committee of trouble-ridden B2 Yatta Ranching Cooperative Society in Kitui County.
The Kitui District Co-operative Officer, George Nduto, supervised the installation of the new committee officials at the co-operative offices. The new team will be in office for 90 days before a special annual general meeting is called.
The new office bearers include Henry Mulandi (chairman), Ndambo Mulila (vice-chairman), Joel Katolo (secretary), Kitothya Isika (treasurer) and Francis Mututa (member). At the weekend, the Government dissolved the entire society’s management committee, citing gross mismanagement and financial misappropriation.
Mwingi Police rescue
girl from child labour
By Wambui Kirubi
A senior Provincial Administration official in Mwingi Central District led policemen in the rescue of a school girl from child labour at an eatery in Mwingi town.
The high noon raid at the dingy eatery attracted a milling mob of onlookers as both plain clothed and armed police officers stormed the place and arrested the 14 year old school girl.
After the arrest, the Mwingi District Officer One Priscilla Wanyiri held the girl firmly in her grip preventing her from escaping as the premises owner’s wife, Faith, was briefly interrogated by police. Her husband had sneaked away.
Earlier, a brief drama ensued when the girl who was said to have run away from Musukini Primary School where she is in standard seven attempted to flee but police stopped her in her tracks.
Later, the security officers bundled the school girl into a waiting Land-Rover and drove off as a manhunt for her employer was launched. It was suspected that her employer sneaked upon learning about the raid shortly before the security men arrived. A police officer who was among the raiders said the girl would be released to her father who operates the “Mwingi Bado ni Hilton hotels” chain in the town after being medically examined to find out if she had been sexually molested.
Speaking to the press after the raid, the girl’s father, Musyoka Mwaniki  said she ran away from school soon after schools opened for the third term and went missing until he was tipped by relatives that the girl had been spotted at the dingy eatery.
He said he suspected that the daughter had been introduced to hard drugs and was used for illicit trades like peddling bhang and at worse, “having been used as a sex slave”.
He said that the fear that the young girl could have been used in illicit activities in the name of having been employed had driven him into seeking the intervention of the security officers.
Just why does DEO ignore
 mess at Ngelani Secondary?
By Anchor Reporter

Irate parents of Ngelani secondary school in Machakos district are infuriated by the school’s principal Bernand Malonza over alleged incompetence and high handedness, amid claims of misappropriation of school funds.
 The parents blamed the principal of decline in performance at the school which previously posted impressive results in national examination results.
After a series of bad events in the school, a parents day was organized towards the end of last year for all these issues be discussed. But the principal scuttled the meeting de-spite the fact that some of the parents had traveled from far to attend the meeting.
The school was closed prematurely be-fore the end of the term over protests by students as the rowdy parents demanded an explanation as to the poor leadership and questionable administration.
 The school has witnessed a series of strikes characterized by arson, breaking of glass during demonstrations.
Now matters have taken another route involving the parents with all fingers pointed at the Principal and Machakos DEO Abdulkadir Ali who has refused to take action despite all indications that all is not well in Ngelani.
They accuse Malonza of expelling and suspending the innocent students from poor families while leaving the guilty who are from wealthy families to continue with their studies.
In 2008, several students were admitted in Machakos General hospital after they were seriously injured by school prefects. Students also complained that they were sodomized by their colleagues during odd hours.
During the incident four prefects were suspended for criminal activities that sparked unrest at the school. The unrest led to the premature closure of the school as tension rose considerably, with some of the violence victims seeking police intervention.
The Prefects are accused of beating and injuring seriously students at the school. There had not been action from the school until the matter got out of hand and was reported to the police as students became restless in seeking to have the school administration take action.
Fifteen other students were suspended after they were alleged to have been planning to set the school on fire barely a fortnight after a dormitory in the school was torched by suspected arsonists who the principal alleged at the time were outsiders.
 It was alleged that the prefects assaulted the boys at the behest of the school administration or at least with their knowledge, an indication that the management had left a critical role of discipline in the school in the hands of prefects. The systematic battering of students came into the limelight when one of the battered and injured students Stephen Muendo escaped the beating and sought refuge at the Machakos Police Station as the school had become unbearable. Police took him to the Machakos General hospital where he was treated and discharged.
It could also be that the principal may be far removed from the events unfolding in the school he heads and questions must be asked if indeed he is up to the job of discharging the responsibilities of Principal.
After a short while of witnessing all these incidents at Ngelani school now the school has managed to buy a school bus but sources have revealed that there was misunderstanding in the school board during its purchase a feud that is yet to be settled.
Purchase of school busses is now fashionable, with sources saying that school heads receive a kick back in form of a Toyota Salon upon placing an order for a bus through a particular intermediary.
The boys at Ngelani lowered their moral standing that the blatantly attacked boys from Masii High School while drunk, leaving some critically injured at Machakos bus park. Boys from Masii were rescued by wananchi and taken to hospital by the municipal ambulance. Police arrived later at the scene and could be heard saying that indiscipline at Ngelani was spilling to the town since the school’s administration is not effective.
The Machakos DEO Abdikadir Hassan Ali is blamed specifically for not taking any action over the principal since the first in-ci-dent was reported in 2008.
Questions are being raised as to why the DEO is turning a blind eye to the steam of administrative defects at Ngelani.  “Is it that the DEO and the principal are have a common interest in the school, forcing the DEO to turn the other side when the school is being razed to the ground?”,  asked an irate parent, George Kioko.
Matters have not been helped by claims that some principals in Machakos are paying education officials a retainer fee of Sh 50,000 per term to ensure that they are not moved from schools that have now been turned to a gravy train by mandarins in the education sector.
Kalonzo hits the ground
to seek top seat
Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has kicked off his bid for the presidency come 2012 general election.
Kalonzo who made an extensive triumphant tour of Machakos town and its environs on  declared he has his eyes set on the coveted seat.
He assured his supporters that he was up to the task and asked them not to waver but join him in soldiering to the end of the journey.
Hakuna cha kupitia katikati yao tena raondi hii”. (There is no passing between anyone this time round), said Kalonzo amid applause from the cheering crowds.
The VP was greeted with chants of “Wiper,Wiper” as he walked through the streets where he stopped to acknowledge greetings from his supporters.
“I came here because I wanted you to see me and know that Iam there and rearing to go for the top seat on the land come 2012”,he told wananchi at Mutituni market, Grogon,and the local bus terminus.
The VP said he would traverse the country to market himself.
Kalonzo who was accompanied by Kangundo MP Johnson Muthama, former Machakos Town MP Jonesmus Kikuyu and a host of councilors urged his supporters to brace for a grueling political battle come 2012.
The Mwingi North MP revisited the referendum campaign saying some people wanted him to jump to the “NO” camp for their own ulterior motives.
“It was a political trap to push me to the “NO” camp and accuse me of allegedly abandoning President Kibaki”, he argued.
He said the country has a new constitution despite the divisions that arose during the grueling campaign for and against the new laws.
He defended those who voted against the new constitution, saying they were merely expressing their democratic rights.
The VP welcomed the formation of the parliamentary constitution implementation over sight committee and urged MPs to get down to business.
Kalonzo said the new constitution has created conducive environment for investment and exuded confidence that foreign investors will start tricking in.
He announced that all the Kamba MPs had met and resolved to work together in charting the political, social and economic destiny of the community.
The VP said talks among leaders, clergy and professionals from the region were on going to put in place structures for the Machakos, Kitui and Makueni counties.
He singled out water and unemployment among the youth as some of the major challenges facing the three counties adding it only through unity and team work that the vices could be addressed.
The VP urged the community to rally behind their leaders in jealously guarding what belongs to the region.
Trouble brews over
Kitui's sex pest teacher
By Nzamba Mbui
Parents of Kaumba primary school in Kitui County want to withdraw their children from learning if an alleged sex pest teacher is not taken out.
The randy teacher is reported to have been interdicted by the Teachers Service Commission early this year after impregnating three girls in different schools but was hired in their school as a casual teacher.
The parents claim the safety of their girls is at risk and want the Government to take action against the school administration for hiring a person of dubious integrity. “We have received complaints of the teacher’s sexual misconduct from our daughters where he harasses them and yet the Head teacher has declined to take action despite getting the reports” said Lazaro Kivuiyo, a parent.
Records at the local District Education Office show that the teacher previously taught at Kanzauw’u, Ngomano and Kiongwe primary schools where he was implicated in a series of cases of impregnating a girl at each of the schools before he was eventually sacked by the TSC.
The irate parents who spoke to journalists in Kitui Town said the safety of their children cannot be compromised or negotiated and demanded the immediate removal of the PTA teacher. “How can we be forced to pay somebody whose character is a thorn in our families yet there are hundreds of fresh P1 graduate teachers jobless within our villages” said Mr Kivuiyo.
When contacted, the school Head teacher Jacob Mutua Mueke declined to comment on the matter but Kitui central District Education Officer Bonventure Wasikoyo urged the parents to stay calm as he dealt with the issue.
“It was unethical and wrong to allow such a character in classrooms because the authority to teach in public schools is only granted to teachers registered by the TSC” Mr Wasikoyo said adding once someone is sacked he should not be allowed back through the back door. He said stern action would be taken against the two for breaching educational ethics and abetting a crime affecting school children.

The Anchor: The Anchor, Special Post

The Anchor: The Anchor, Special Post

Monday, 15 November 2010

The Anchor October-November 2010 stories

Malili City: ICT hub offers great
break for Machakos and Makueni

INVESTORS have defied all odds and staked their claims on the land surrounding the proposed Malili Technopolis.

The result has been a worried government, sending the Permanent Secretary for Local Government Prof Karega Mutahi sending an order to Local Authorities within the Malili Corridor to act and halt the prospect of a new slum city alongside the Technopolis.

Karega’s concern is not misplaced as all sorts of structures are sprouting in the area as investors strategize to reap from the benefits the new city will bring.

Out of nowhere, businessmen and prospectors have bought land and build less than ordinary structures below the level of those built in Nairobi in 1900.

They are following the sketchy designs used by the defunct Malili Ranch. Ranch leaders of the time surveyed and subdivided plots, some of which were stolen, leading to the reality that one of the old officials of the ranch owns over 100 of them along the Mombasa-Nairobi Road. The survey visualized a settlement environment for peasant farmers and not urban settlement- which is what Malili is emerging to become.

Investigations by The Anchor show that what is happening there is solely what investors decide. There are no plans by the Physical Planning Department of the Ministry of Lands or from the County Council of Makueni.

What happens here is that investors are constructing all sorts of structures- from dwelling houses, lodgings, bars and rental houses in a scramble to cash in on the construction of the Technopolis. The result is the panic that sends Prof Mutahi sending a letter to the Makueni, Machakos and Mavoko councils, demanding the enactment of by-laws to control the marauding investors.

Karega’s order comes as the councils exist within the highest levels ever of uncertainty. None of the civic leaders within the councils have sworn allegiance to the new constitution because the fate of Cap 265 that governs Kenya’s 175 Local Authorities remains doubtful within the new constitutional dispensation.

Even then the professor’s letter must awaken local leaders on the concerns that Malili City is likely to trigger in both Makueni and Machakos Counties in coming days.

Given the location of the pro-posed city- right at the edge of Makueni County- it is Machakos County that is best placed to benefit largely out of the development  of the ICT hub. Its proximity to Kyumbi and Machakos towns and the largely unsettled plains along the Nairobi Mombasa road leading to Nairobi opens great opportunities to Machakos County, enhancing the dormitory town status of Athi- River and Machakos.

Clearly, Malili City will open the greatest opportunity ever for Machakos develop a robust and lucrative housing policy as a strategy to speedy development.

Situated 60 km outside of Nairobi, Malili will be the site of Kenya’s first smart city, a city built for technology firms that will propel Kenya into the global ICT arena.

The Kenyan equivalent of Silicon Valley, the Malili Technopolis is a technology business park project developed under the Ministry of Information and Communication aimed at transforming the Kenyan economy using IT-enabled services (ITES) by the year 2030.

The technopolis will host a BPO park, a financial district, a science park, a world-class convention center, a mega mall and several hotels. It will also have schools, hospitals and other recreational facilities, plus a high-speed train link to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport that will take just 11 minutes.

Minister Poghisio said: “This development leverages Kenya’s unique status as a cultural, political, economic and transportation hub for Eastern Africa to lead the region in joining the Global Information Economy.”

Around the world, technology parks have become the norm for research-industry interactions and for stimulating growth of technologically intensive, knowledge-based businesses. They also facilitate links between research and industrial communities, often working with local businesses and scientific faculties of universities.

The Kenyan government is committed to building modern, off-site infrastructure and a techno village, with high quality housing, infrastructure and public services, health and education, transport links and commercial space.

It will be structuring innovative PPP trans-action models to share risk and return between the public and private sector developers, with public underwriting in the initial years.

Growth within the smart city will be driven by BPO, software development, data centers, disaster recovery centers, call centers and light assembly manufacturing.

Minister Poghisio explained how Kenya will provide a favorable environment for investors keen to be involved in the scheme. “A comprehensive set of incentives is being designed and implemented to improve the attractiveness of Kenya as a BPO destination. This will include tailored incentive packages for target companies,” he said.

The government is also endeavoring to improve the business environment, including the ease of obtaining licenses, filing tax returns and obtaining economic justice to lower transaction costs. A “one-stop shop” for all investor needs (licensing and recruiting) will be housed within the technology park. The Minister said: “The park will link and provide infrastructure support to small and medium enterprises, and educational and research institutions.

“Information technology export-oriented businesses are also expected to benefit from the park through tax incentives from the government. In order to attract private participation, we are likely to offer concessions on land to those willing to construct IT offices there and some tax incentives on utility services such as water and electricity.”


Malili City: ICT hub offers great
break for Machakos and Makueni

INVESTORS have defied all odds and staked their claims on the land surrounding the proposed Malili Technopolis.

The result has been a worried government, sending the Permanent Secretary for Local Government Prof Karega Mutahi sending an order to Local Authorities within the Malili Corridor to act and halt the prospect of a new slum city alongside the Technopolis.

Karega’s concern is not misplaced as all sorts of structures are sprouting in the area as investors strategize to reap from the benefits the new city will bring.

Out of nowhere, businessmen and prospectors have bought land and build less than ordinary structures below the level of those built in Nairobi in 1900.

They are following the sketchy designs used by the defunct Malili Ranch. Ranch leaders of the time surveyed and subdivided plots, some of which were stolen, leading to the reality that one of the old officials of the ranch owns over 100 of them along the Mombasa-Nairobi Road. The survey visualized a settlement environment for peasant farmers and not urban settlement- which is what Malili is emerging to become.

Investigations by The Anchor show that what is happening there is solely what investors decide. There are no plans by the Physical Planning Department of the Ministry of Lands or from the County Council of Makueni.

What happens here is that investors are constructing all sorts of structures- from dwelling houses, lodgings, bars and rental houses in a scramble to cash in on the construction of the Technopolis. The result is the panic that sends Prof Mutahi sending a letter to the Makueni, Machakos and Mavoko councils, demanding the enactment of by-laws to control the marauding investors.

Karega’s order comes as the councils exist within the highest levels ever of uncertainty. None of the civic leaders within the councils have sworn allegiance to the new constitution because the fate of Cap 265 that governs Kenya’s 175 Local Authorities remains doubtful within the new constitutional dispensation.

Even then the professor’s letter must awaken local leaders on the concerns that Malili City is likely to trigger in both Makueni and Machakos Counties in coming days.

Given the location of the pro-posed city- right at the edge of Makueni County- it is Machakos County that is best placed to benefit largely out of the development  of the ICT hub. Its proximity to Kyumbi and Machakos towns and the largely unsettled plains along the Nairobi Mombasa road leading to Nairobi opens great opportunities to Machakos County, enhancing the dormitory town status of Athi- River and Machakos.

Clearly, Malili City will open the greatest opportunity ever for Machakos develop a robust and lucrative housing policy as a strategy to speedy development.

Situated 60 km outside of Nairobi, Malili will be the site of Kenya’s first smart city, a city built for technology firms that will propel Kenya into the global ICT arena.

The Kenyan equivalent of Silicon Valley, the Malili Technopolis is a technology business park project developed under the Ministry of Information and Communication aimed at transforming the Kenyan economy using IT-enabled services (ITES) by the year 2030.

The technopolis will host a BPO park, a financial district, a science park, a world-class convention center, a mega mall and several hotels. It will also have schools, hospitals and other recreational facilities, plus a high-speed train link to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport that will take just 11 minutes.

Minister Poghisio said: “This development leverages Kenya’s unique status as a cultural, political, economic and transportation hub for Eastern Africa to lead the region in joining the Global Information Economy.”

Around the world, technology parks have become the norm for research-industry interactions and for stimulating growth of technologically intensive, knowledge-based businesses. They also facilitate links between research and industrial communities, often working with local businesses and scientific faculties of universities.

The Kenyan government is committed to building modern, off-site infrastructure and a techno village, with high quality housing, infrastructure and public services, health and education, transport links and commercial space.

It will be structuring innovative PPP trans-action models to share risk and return between the public and private sector developers, with public underwriting in the initial years.

Growth within the smart city will be driven by BPO, software development, data centers, disaster recovery centers, call centers and light assembly manufacturing.

Minister Poghisio explained how Kenya will provide a favorable environment for investors keen to be involved in the scheme. “A comprehensive set of incentives is being designed and implemented to improve the attractiveness of Kenya as a BPO destination. This will include tailored incentive packages for target companies,” he said.

The government is also endeavoring to improve the business environment, including the ease of obtaining licenses, filing tax returns and obtaining economic justice to lower transaction costs. A “one-stop shop” for all investor needs (licensing and recruiting) will be housed within the technology park. The Minister said: “The park will link and provide infrastructure support to small and medium enterprises, and educational and research institutions.

“Information technology export-oriented businesses are also expected to benefit from the park through tax incentives from the government. In order to attract private participation, we are likely to offer concessions on land to those willing to construct IT offices there and some tax incentives on utility services such as water and electricity.”


The Anchor October-November 2010 Editorial Comment


EDITORIAL

Why Citizens need to plan
for the future of their counties

RIGHT across the country, reports are filtering through that communities have been meeting to map out strategies of how they can build firm foundations for their respective Counties.
Ideally, professional people from Kenya’s many communities have been meeting in ostensibly  citizen driven pursuits, seemingly desirous on paving the way forward ahead of the establishment of County Governments in the next General Election.
The meetings have been called by well meaning citizens. Those who have followed the deliberations have seen that some citizens are keen to help form a basis upon which the coming County Governments will build to help steer the counties to development in coming days.
When one reads  Chapter 11 of Kenya’s Constitution that deals with Devolved Governments, one sees , among others, a clear objective of devolution- the desire to squarely place the  destiny of counties in the hands of  communities that reside therein. Section 174(c) says among the objects of Devolution is ... “ To give powers of self governance to the people and enhance the participation of the people in the exercise of the powers of the State in making decisions affecting them””.
In 174(d) another of the nine objectives of devolution is... “ To recognize the right of communities to manage their own affairs and further their development...”
Clearly therefore, those citizens currently holding meetings to plan for the foundation of their counties are certainly not just doing the right thing but are indeed carrying out one of their core obligations  as citizens as provided for by the new constitution.
These meetings have been reported widely by the daily media and are seemingly going to increase as time goes on.
Kenya’s 47 counties as they are now are still trapped in the hangover of Cap 265 of the Local Government Act that created Kenya’s 147 Local Authorities. Thought Local Authorities have previously been deemed as elements of devolution, what has been experienced can hardly be described within the objects captured in Chapter 11 of the new Constitution of Kenya.
It is for this reason therefore that the devolution spelt out in the Constitution must be clearly internalised and implemented beyond the shadows of the current Local Authorities.
Thus, as communities meet to plan the future of their counties thy need to come up with Strategic Plans- citing the path of development they want to take and how they will walk the talk. They must analyse the Strengths, Weaknesses and Opportunities available. Counties must identify their challenges and how to circumvent them; they need to construct a clear road-map to where they what to go and who- in terms of calibre- will take them there, and if need be, lay out the time-frame.
A close look at the Constitution shows that County leaders of all shapes will be elected. The Governors, for instance, though they seemingly are anticipated to be good managers, will have to face an election- meaning that they must have a political face.
Looking at the criteria set out by the Constitution on eligibility for election as County Governor, it is very possible that any sort of politician who has the eligibility to be elected as a county Assembly Member and gift of the garb to convince voters in a county can easily slither into the governorship an wreak havoc at the helm- a trend that is very worrying indeed.
It is for this reason, among others, that communities must make very binding plans for their counties so that if the threshold of eligibility for election for governors is not raised, whoever comes- whether a clown, an impostor, a near-do-, a statesman a dictator or even a sage will have been bound by some arrangement.
Citizens within a County must be extremely vigilant about the kind of people they elect to provide leadership.
In the same spirit, Parliament- or whoever it is- ought create a tight criteria for eligibility for position of Governor and County Assembly Members and disabuse the notion going round that it will be as low as that used to elect councillors.
Leaders to be elected to discharge responsibilities in the County Governments must be equal to the tasks ahead.

The Anchor October-November 2010 stories

OPINION

Harsh penalties need
to stop counterfeits dealers


The recent statistics indicating that illegal trade deprives the Government of Kenya Sh20 billion annually in lost revenue and at the same time denying manufacturers a staggering Sh50 million and in the true essence of the word, is shocking and heart breaking to many Kenyans.

Manufactures are the biggest losers in the whole game as their prospects are shattered and their dreams not realized. The billions lost are vital to steering economy of this country. The manufacturing industry falling under the domain of Industrialization is one of fundamental units that make up the back-bone of this country. With this back-bone experiencing hick-ups, a paralysis in the economy becomes inevitable.

According to deliberations and discussions that ended the other day in regional Anti-Illicit Trade Conference in Nairobi that brought together all stake-holders from five East Africa Community (EAC) countries it became clear that strict laws need to be put in place to curb the menace.

In essence, the leopard is as dead as death itself without its clawing capacity. The laws to be formulated soon should provide for strict and harsh penalty for perpetrators regardless of their position in society.

The best law in this jungle therefore, is to annihilate the enemy and you will have your way. In this instance, especially in this era when the EAC bloc is becoming a force to reckon with around the globe, doing away with this practice would be a big milestone to attain the objectives of Common Market Protocol signed recently.

In strict sense of word, unity is strength, and in this regard, to ensure the region remains safe hub for legitimate and genuine business activities, all stake-holders should work together. Following the drafting of the EAC Anti- Counterfeit Bill, the EAC Customs Management Act, and another Bill focusing on intellectual property rights implementation of the above three bills should be the core task of  all stake-holders to end the menace.

Homogeneous law across the bloc of EAC is vital as it is necessary to bring the unscrupulous business dealers into book. Kenya, where the practice is rampant, and consequently having enacted the Anti-Counterfeits Bill, should be in the fore-front in fighting the menace. Apart from inspectors confiscating the goods from the various quotas, those who engage in the vice should pay dearly for it.

Heavy fine is one of the parameter as well as long jail sentence. This would cat as deterrence, for indeed impunity has found home in Kenya due to dysfunctional justice Systems- both police and judiciary and to some extent the executive and legislative arms of the republic.

It’s high time the vice is be fought with all weapons in the vicinity including pumping in enough financial resources, recruiting able and competent labour and in-forming the public of counterfeit goods so as to alert the authority in case the vice is taking place.

More so, as one of the measures, a media centre should be formed to enable the citizens to report the menace to the agency or any other authority as the consumers are the ones who are at the receiving end.

Let all deliberations, discussions and de-bates recently held and one to take place in future be of great importance to coming up with a concrete action plan to steer the economic growth of this region. These, apart from attracting viable in-vestment would lead to the region competing equally with other blocs around the country.

In nutshell let the laws be a sharp nail in the face of the unscrupulous traders to foster the economic growth index in the region.


Joseph Mambili.
 P.O. Box 30175-00100,
 Langata, Nairobi.


The Anchor October-November 2010 stories


OPINION

Ways of spurring fast growth
of Machakos to  city status

By P NZEI

Might it be of some interest to anyone to know that Nakuru is the fastest growing town not only in Kenya and East Africa but in the whole of Africa?
The 46th International Society of city and Regional Planners Congress being attended by over 1,000 participants from 70 countries was told on 21st September 2010 that Nakuru was growing at a rate of 13 per cent.
Mr Thomas Melin the U.N Habitat Senior adviser said this in a discussion on governance and planning for sustainable Cities at Kenyatta International Conference Centre.  It is followed by Dire Dawa in Ethiopia. 
He said that this growth   rate is compared to only cities in China.  China today is the fastest growing Economy in the world.  He said that cities in the rural areas grow at an optimum rate five per per-cent. 
Nairobi is estimated to be growing at 7 percent. This narrows my interest to towns in the Lower Eastern Counties singling out Machakos town because it is the biggest and oldest.  It is expected to spur Economic growth for other towns because many depend on it in many ways.
 Travelling from Makueni County to Nairobi, you have to pass through Machakos town.  Majority of those traveling from Kitui do the same before they get to Nairobi.
 Listen to this:-  Some Counties will be having direct Tourist flights from Europe.  Only the Kitui County in Lower Eastern has an airstrip. There is not a single airport.  There was an airstrip in Makindu  but the greedy guys have grabbed its land.
Back to Machakos town and its expansion experienced an unusual eye-opener during the East African Municipalities Sports Competitions.  A lot of lessons were learnt.
 A real surgical thought and a decisive planning will be required in this town.  Some of the real decisions may be unpopular with some people but the future generations will benefit.  The town has remained small, on same place and only the old buildings are being expanded.  One wonders if this is the town which is said to have been the first capital city of Kenya. 
It recently celebrated its 100 years of its existence, though the celebration came several years late as Machakos was founded in 1896. 
Today, Machakos is ranked 7th in the country after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret and Thika.  It is basically expected and thought to be the co-coordinating Centre of the Kamba activities but when one compares it with other younger and fast developing towns like Kitui, Kitengela, Mlolongo and even Matuu in Yatta, then one may not be able to finger out how the town will grow to play in its rightful league of cities
 When the provinces were being split to have regions this town was made the Regional Headquarters of Lower Eastern region.  The Kamba people expected another region – South Eastern Region with Headquarters in Kitui but that was not given.
During the said games, Hotels which were expected to serve the large number of participants were not available.  Advance delegations which had visited the town before to make accommodation arrangements found that there was real shortage of room, and the few which were available were in-explicably expensive.
  So many made alternative accommodation arrangements at Kyumbi, Athi river, Mlolongo and even Nairobi.  Some other teams were accommodated in institutions.  In fact many of the guests should have found nice and affordable accommodation in Machakos had the town been undergoing frequent expansion like other town in this country. 
Towns like Kisumu, Nakuru, Thika have become big enough with elaborate transport systems, recreational places, Higher Educational facilities and other instruments of development.  This has been possible due to proper planning and visionary leadership on the part of the leaders.
Take a good example with Kitui town.  Its leaders sat down and saw that there was need of expansion.  As a result they decided to have the prison moved to Kwavonza to give room for the towns expansion.
Kitui today boasts of four Institutions of Higher learning which include Southern Eastern University College which is the first public university in Ukambani. It hosts a Campus of Kenyatta University, the Kenya Medical Training Institute, Kenya Water Institute and now Kitui Teachers Training Collage is coming up.
 Another example is Thika town.  The leaders moved Mangu High School to its present site.  The only school in the town is Thika High School which sitting on a small piece of land which is surrounded by active commercial buildings.
Machakos Town is like an island.  It is surrounded by hills just as Mombasa is surrounded by water.  To enter Mombasa, one has to go through Makupa causeway. Just as you enter Machakos as you cross the river which divides the town with  Miwani town.  This is adjacent to Machakos prison on one side and the bushy unutilized land of Machakos School.  On the other side is the upcoming ACK Cathedral and the Red Cross offices.  Now you enter the town after crossing the river but you will not need to travel for a long distance before you come to the CBD (Central Business District) and that is it.  The leaders of Machakos should have thought quite a long time ago and should have transferred the prison to Konza.  Yes, lon time ago.  It does not help the commercial development of the town or help any of those people who have been killed in the bridge between it and Machakos School.  This is a fact,Machakos School is sitting on land which is bigger than that of Nairobi University and Kenya Polytechnic University College.  There will be a loudly speaking need to join the three towns which makes Machakos town  namely:- Kenya Israel, Miwani and Machakos itself.  This will mean that people will be able to walk at anytime freely between the three towns.
Water is essential in any town.  People who are handling this important sector must know that as long as there are cartels selling water in the town, then it will remain the only town without water .  It is funny that individual businessmen can have boreholes in the town to supply water to residents at a fee when the municipal council has not been able to.
Tourism circuit must be nurtured and improved.  The building which housed the Governor when Machakos was the capital of Kenya is still there and it is a real tourist attraction.  Look at Fort Jesus in Mombasa and the many tourists it attracts.  What the Governor’s house in Machakos needs is publicity and with proper marketing people even Kenyans can be interested in viewing it.  The Ministry of Tourism has already said that it will establish special desks in the Counties to promote the tourism.  This will be a key wealth generator and important source of revenue.
The Road joining Machakos with Konza on the Nairobi – Mombasa highway is really a priority.  It can open a lot of economic development of the town especially now Malili ICT knowledge Centre is being built.
Universities have flourished in other towns.  Look at Kisumu, we have Maseno University, Bondo University College, the Great Lakes University and others.  Look at Thika, there are over 8 different universities, Kenyatta University with the highest number of students in Kenya, JKUAT is not far from Thika.  This means that students can stay in Thika and have evening classes.  Machakos needs at least 2 to 3 Universities. 
Machakos Teachers College can easily be turned to a University the way Siriba was up-graded to give way to Maseno University.  It can be called University of Machakos.  Students are high spenders and there is no town which can have real money circulation without universities.
 Katumani Dry Land Research Satation under KARI, is older than Egerton yet the later is one of the well established universities in the country.  Let Katumani be upgraded without delay or condition to a university.  It can be called Paul Ngei University of Science and Technology just as Maside Muliro in Kakamega.

 Machakos Technical will later come to age and will be a polytechnic University.  This will bring students, parents and guardians to Machakos and the whole face of the town will change. 

People will notice a 24 hour Economy flourish, banks, shops hotels and the social life outlets will witness real growth.  If this town has to be expanded, then the old thinking must be taken home and the planners must meet in town with modern innovative decisions, otherwise Malili or even Kyumbi will swallow it.

 Nobody in the young generation can claim to own any plot  within the town, but the same generation have plots in Naiorbi, Athi River and in other towns.  This is because the plots are available in those other towns.  If plots have to be availed, then they must be allotted but not sold because those with lots of money will buy but fail to develop them.  Young professionals and businessmen given the plots can source for funding from banks and develop them easily making the town a modern town.  This will create employment and hence do away with insecurity.

 When many of the people have no jobs, they are not spenders but form a liability group.  They turn to crime. Let us empower our people and we will wonder how hard working they are especially the young generation.

Mr Nzei is an Educationist.  He vied for Makueni parliamentary Seat in 2007 and presently is working with commu-nity based projects.

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