The Anchor, August 2009

Census Fiasco

Owing to the widespread public grumbling across the country, the national census exercise may not garner the public goodwill and success a similar exercise received a decade ago.
The census activities that were scheduled to have started in the districts as early as March this year started very late in mid July and are still smarting from allegations of corruption and opposition over inclusion of tribe in the survey.


Pressure mounts on Mrs Kikuvi to leave Machakos Girls

EMBATTLED Principal of Machakos Girls High School is sweltering under pressure of two audits that swept through the school, exposing her to criminal prosecution.
Informed sources say the first audit was conducted by the school’s Board of Governors where they combed through all records and grilled the Principal Mrs Joyce Kikuvi for two days, allowing the board to get to the root of bad decisions she had taken without reference to them.

Leaders decimate forest in Mbooni

EVEN as Ukambani MPs shout over destruction of Mau forest many kilometers away, some fresh destruction is taking place under their very noses in Mbooni and the entire Ukambani region.
Residents of the greater Makueni region are experiencing severe and pro-longed drought following massive destruction of the only water tower which is the sole source of the local water resources.


Machakos picks health centres, group offers free clinic in Kitui

MACHAKOS has selected Health Centers to benefit from recent budgetary allocations to fund model health centers.
Twenty Million shillings will be used in each of Kenya’s 210 constituencies to upgrade their health facilities.
The Machakos District Medical Officer of Health Dr.J. Rogena presided over a meeting where stakeholders from Machakos, Kathiani and Athi River district came together to choose strategic spots for putting up health centers.


Justice Waki speaks again

THAT he touched many is no question any more. True to what The Anchor Predicted many months ago, Appeal Court Justice Philip Waki is the man to watch.
He may not be a politician for anybody to chant Waki for President’. But seeing the mood of the nation where Kenyans are looking for fresh and alternative leadership, anything is just possible.
Residents of Kitui showed this possibility when upon the mention of his name at a burial, they jostled for space to see just who is this Justice Waki.


Factors leading to condemnation of Kenya’s Commissioner of Police

The Special Rapporteur visited Kenya from 16 to 25 February 2009 in order to ascertain the types and causes of unlawful killings; to investigate whether those responsible for such killings are held to account; and to propose constructive measures to reduce the incidence of killings and impunity.
The main focus was on killings by the police, violence in the Mt Elgon District, and killings in the post-election period.

EALASCA SUPPLIMENT
Machakos puts its best foot forward

This is a very special year for Municipal Council of Machakos. First and foremost we would like to wholeheartedly welcome you to our Town and the Municipality at large. The Council feels privileged to host the Kenya Inter-Municipality Sports and Cultural Association Games (KIMSCA) and the inaugural East Africa Local Authority Sports and Cultural Association (EALASCA) Games. This will be a great opportunity for us as the host and all of you who will be involved to foster the spirit of sportsmanship and friendship.
In the earnest, we would want to point out that the Municipality will be hosting no less than 10,000 visitors during the games period. This, you will agree is not any easy task considering that this is the first event of this magnitude for over a decade. However we have done extensive works and preparations to meet your expectations and make your stay here comfortable. We extend our hand to you to improve on where you may see wanting and implore upon you to bear with us.


The evolution of KIMSCA and EALASCA games

Kenya Inter Municipalities Sports and Cultural Asociation(KIMSCA) BRIEF HISTORY
K.I.M.S.C.A was founded in 1979 and registered on July 17, 1979 by the Registrar of Societies.
The first K.I.M.S.C.A. games were held in August, 1979 and the venue of the games was Kenyatta University. The following four Council’s were the pioneer of K.I.M.S.C.A games i.e.
l City Council of Nairobi
l Municipal Council of Mombasa
l Municipal Council of Kisumu and
l Municipal Council of Nakuru.
The four Councils participated in four (4) disciplines i.e. football, volleyball, netball and athletics. The Associations membership and disciplines have grown with time, from 4 councils in 1979 to 28 Councils in 2003 and from 4 disciplines in 1979 to seven disciplines in 2003.


Machakos: Tracing the origins and name of town

LONG regarded as the intermediaries between coast and up-country - acting as guides to Swahili and Arab caravans, leading their own expeditions and settling in small numbers in many parts of what is now Kenya - the Kamba were naturally enlisted by early European arrivals in East Africa as guides and porters, and later as soldiers and employees.
The first Europeans to reach the interior of the area were the German missionaries Johann Ludwig Krapf and Johannes Rebmann of the Anglican Church Missionary Society (CMS), in 1849.


Machakos gears to cash in on rare trade chance

THE inaugural East Africa Local Authorities Sports and Cultural Association (EALASCA) and the sister 31st edition of the Kenya Inter Municipalities Sports and Cultural Association (KIMSCA) games will have a major business and socialimpact in Machakos town, according to the games chairman Mr. David Ruto .
In an interview when he toured sports facilities in the area, Mr Ruto said upto 10,000 people would gather in Machakos for the games and will present a great business opportunity for the area.



A brief history of Machakos Town

Social change in Machakos district Started being felt seriously when an alien regime whose basic sub-units were the colonial administration, Missionaries and the European farming community was established.
Outsiders came first in the form of commercial agents from the imperial British East Africa (IBEA) Company who opened a station at Machakos in 1892. In 1903 the settlers chiefly British and Dutch started receiving grants of land in Ukambani.


Tracing the humble beginings of Kitui County Council

The history of the origin of County Council dates back to 1925, when the African Native Council was established.
Administrative Chiefs were appointed by the colonial government to serve as councillors together with other nominees mostly wealthy and influential traders of the time.
District Commissioners chaired this council though it had its staff operating separately but ideally offering local government services. This council operated from the offices currently used by the Children’s’ Department in Machakos. It is this council that later evolved to the African District Council in 1948 and later became the County Council of Masaku.



Kitui hawkers win battle to remain in town streets

By BONIFACE MULU
ORDINARY Kitui citizens have registered a significant victory against a decision by the municipal council to evict them from lucrative points of the town.
The victory was handed at a follow-up meeting between leaders and the town’s hawkers and other small-scale traders. It followed the chaotic encounter of June 27, 2009.


Teachers’ Sacco disastrous management plundered millions in a conspiracy of silence

The construction of Mwalimu Centre was constructed by the Sacco initially and later enrolled willing members who bought shares.
Teachers who registered as members of the investment had their contributions sent in by TSC through the Masaku Teachers Sacco deduction code. The money together with the sacco contributions was later transferred to the Masaku Investments Account in Coop Bank of Kenya as explained by the former General Manager when interviewed.
According to the former General Manager, the 2006 transfers were for Rent payment by the Sacco (Tenant) to the Masaku Investment Company (Landlord).
During interviews with the management of Masaku Sacco and Directors of Masaku Investment Company Ltd., they denied knowledge of the transfers yet the sacco executive certified the transfers while the Investment Exec. Withdrew the same.
It is hypocrisy therefore for one to say he/she did not know of the transfers. If indeed the investment officials never knew of the transfers, why did they concede to the conversion of the said transafers amounting to 9 million to sacco shares in the investment? Who is fooling who in this case?


I will teach you a lesson, Kiema tells his hardline constituents

MUTITO Mp Mr Kiema Kilonzo has stirred a hornet’s nest in his constituency after he vowed to starve of development sections of the constituency for blatantly refusing to vote for him in the last general elections.
The MP who toured the area and held a series of rallies where he dropped cash rewards to residents of areas that voted heavily for him did not mince words when he addressed residents of Kyamatu sub-location and poured scorn on the community.
He wondered aloud why the residents of the area only gave him 40 votes and overwhelmingly voted for his rival Mr Nelson Kivali Musyoka.
An angry Kiema who was accompanied by Kitui County council chairman councillor Nzyoni Mang’uye and scores of sycophants breathed fire and brimstone and promised to teach them a lesson.