Taita-Taveta Express Issue No 21

“TAKING

CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE”

Shortly after being grilled for four hours by EACC over fund misuse in the county, now a senate watchdog committee has given governor Mwadime 60 days to undertake a radical surgery of Tavevo as it emerges that Sh100m was lost as debts of more than Sh 545m haunt the water firm

After being grilled for more than four hours by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission(EACC) at Integrity Centre to shed light on the misuse of funds in the county, governor Mwadime has once again found himself at the receiving end:Cleaning up the mess bedeviling the Taita-Taveta Water and Sewerage Company(Tavevo)

Though the mess took place when his predecessor Granton Samboja was in office from 2018-2021, Mwadime as the sitting governor is required to shoulder this responsibility , which includes corruption, financial mismanagement and skewed employment of staff at the struggling water company.

Appearing before the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds led by Vihiga senator Godfrey Osotsi, Mwadime was tasked with undertaking a radical surgery of Tavevo water company including overhauling the board of directors and tracing all funds that were misappropriated during the years of the audit review.

The move was prompted by recommendations carried in the Auditor General’s Report on Tavevo’s financial statements between 2018 and 2021.

The committee heard that the company was basically insolvent as it was operating on a negative working capital of Sh75.4m.

“We are calling upon the governor to collaborate with the EACC to investigate areas of breach of the law” said senator Osotsi.

The senate watchdog committee in particular called upon EACC to probe financial malpractices at the water firm which resulted in the disappearance of more than Sh100m.

Apart from calling for the prosecution of the implicated officers, they also asked EACC to help recover all irregular payments made to the company’s board of directors.

Tavevo is also struggling with debts to the tune of Sh 545m, while the company

could only collect Sh 262m in revenue against a target of of Sh 937.6m. This raised doubts on its sustainability.

According to the report by Auditor General Nancy Gathugu, in the financial year ended June 2021, the water company was fingered for bloated administration costs amounting to Sh390.9m against revenues of Sh262m.

The expenditure included Sh102.3m in staff costs and another Sh1.5m in training expenses which could not be supported with training plans and training needs contrary to the law.

The report also queried the firm on Sh6.8m spent on the emolument of the board of directors where irregular allowances of Sh790,000 were flagged.

The water company is also struggling with Sh254.2m in staled projects where in one case, Tavevo paid Sh2.5m to a contractor even before they had begun the Mwatate decentralized treatment facility.

The issue of Sh76.9m paid for Nyangoro and Maktau water projects was also raised where payments were made even though the works on the projects had not been completed.

“The audit queries reveal a going concern which basically means the company is veirtually dead. The patient is in ICU and it’s only funding from donors that are keeping it alive” said Osotsi.

In the financial year ended June 2019, the company had a negative working capital of Sh208.1m with liabilities totaling Sh489.1m against assets of Sh 280.5m.

On the other hand, in the financial year ending June 2020, the liabilities stood at Sh441.6m against assets of Sh366.1m, resulting in negative working capital of Sh75.5m.

Another key audit query that has been raised over the years include the losses occasioned by Unaccounted For Water (UFW)

For instance, in the audit report for the FY ending June 2018, the water company could only account for about 2.6m(48%) cubic metres of water against the pro-

duced amount of more than 5.6m cubic metres. The balance of more than 2.9 cubic metres( about 52%) could not be accounted for. This was way above the maximum allowable loss of 25% stipulated by the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB). This incurred the company a loss of more than Sh97m.

Most of the unaccounted for water is lost through unmetred illegal connections and to a lesser extent, leaks and bursts.

The issue of illegal connections is well known to Tavevo and it’s suspected that there are corrupt officers who are abetting this water theft after being bribed.

Other audit queries raised before the senate watchdog committee include unsupported night-out claims of Sh450,000 while the board held 55 sittings out of which 12 were full board meetings contrary to the law which sets the limit at six

A puzzle of two Richards

In response, governor Mwadime said he had sent the substantive MD Richard Ngwatu on compulsory leave after realizing that some accounts of the company were not balancing. However, Ngwatu reportedly went to court and obtained a stay order even as governor Mwadime appointed Richard Kibengo, a brother to one of his cronies, as the acting MD.

Over the years, the management of Tavevo has been highly politicized, with the MDs and board members being appointed along political lines and not experience as one would expect.

The outgoing MD who was appointed by then governor Samboja was shoved aside by governor Mwadime who replaced him with his crony, Kibengo Tavevo Water and Sewerage Company was contracted on June 6 2006. Water supply serves a population of about 80,000. Average area covered by the

scheme is 150 square kilometres.

The scheme has a monthly water production of 336, 960 cubic metres against a design capacity production of 420,000 cubic metres ..et

Since being re-elected for a second term in a narrow victory during the August 2022 elections, senator Mwaruma’s presence in the county has hardly been felt, raising speculations on his whereabouts.

Among the issues that would require oversight is the misuse of county funds, a buck that stops with the senator.

In November last year, concerns were raised by Taita-Taveta residents concerning what was dubbed a “ bonding trip” to Zanzibar by a majority of MCAs in

which close to Sh17m was used, despite the fact that the trip added no value to the county.

The senator was nowhere to raise these concerns as the overseer. In the same month over Sh8m was also misappropriated by county officials during the World War 1 commemoration event.

Four senior county officials were sent on compulsory leave following widespread media protests, including social media.

While the governor accepted this action halfheartedly, he was nevertheless taken to task by the EACC to shed light on these issues at Integrity Centre. However after

being grilled by EACC sleuths for four hours, Mwadime came out only to lie to the media that he had not been grilled on any issues to do with funds misuse but had instead gone to invite EACC officials to visit the county and train his staff on integrity matters.

Riled by the senator’s inaction, a concerned resident published a scathing post on county Facebook groups. They wrote:

The people of Taita- Taveta County have expressed disappointment in their senator, Hon Jones Mwaruma, for his silence on important matters

affecting their county. Despite his pivotal role, the senator has failed to address the county and declare his position on pressing issues that have impacted the region.

It is regrettable that the senator has not condemned or provided any information on recent corruption allegations in Governor Mwadime’s administration. This lack of action from the senator’s office raises questions about his commitment to his oversight role, and his failure to address such matters only fuels speculation and unfavorable opinions.

Furthermore, the senator’s lack of comment on the rampant humanwildlife conflicts in the county is con-

cerning, as other leaders have raised their concerns and taken action. It is unclear what oversight role he is playing or if he has chosen silence as his last resort.

The senator’s lack of comment on the rampant human-wildlife conflicts in the county is questionable, as other leaders have raised their concerns and taken action. It is unclear what oversight role he is playing or if he has chosen silence as his last resort.

It is essential to remind the senator that the Taita- Taveta residents did not elect a coward who would abdicate his role while they suffer. They elected a leader who would represent them and address their needs. It is time for

the senator to show his commitment to the people and fulfill his role as their representative…et

Governor Andrew Mwadime, with Tavevo acting MD Richard Kibengo, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special funds/Photo/Courtesy

Vihiga senator Godfrey Osotsi Taita-Taveta water and irrigation CECM Granton Mwandawiro

As governor Mwadime faces audit queries over misuse of county funds, senator Johnes Mwaruma is nowhere to perform oversight

On this WW1 commemoration scandal, the buck stops with governor Mwadime

The commemoration of the World War 1 event in Taita-Taveta County is among the few that have attracted national and even international interest because of its historical relevance.

That the WW1 was fought and virtually ended in Taita-Taveta is enough reason for this kind of event to be held in the county.

Historical sites such as Salaita( derived from the English term slaughter) Hill in Taveta and the famous baobab in its neighborhood where a German woman soldier snipper hid as she brought down British soldiers under a hail of bullets, should be protected and jealously guarded.

Add to these the Commonwealth War graves in Voi, Maktau and Taveta which hold the remains of British soldiers who died in the war and it becomes clear that this is an event worth attracting international attention.

When the county governments came into existence, the first commemoration of these events began under the first governor John Mruttu and has been going on to-date.

However, barely three months after Andrew Mwadime became the third governor the event has been tarnished by allegations of misuse of funds, being put at about Sh4m.

Despite the event having attracted personalities held in high esteem including British High Commissioner Jean Mariot, a few greedy and myopic county officials of the newly elected government saw an opportunity to line their pockets.

It must be borne in mind that the four officials who were fingered in the scandal are the governor’s appointees, who unlike other appointees who go through vetting by the county assembly, got into their jobs hassle- free.

That could have made them develop an attitude of entitlement and forgot that they were also obliged to be accountable for their actions.

On the other hand governor Mwadime remained mum over the allegations that were flying around concerning misuse of the funds set aside for the event , until media, both mainstream and social, highlighted the scandal extensively.

This forced governor Mwadime to reluctantly send the four officers on compulsory leave, pending investigations which many suspect have never been carried out.

Having come out from the highly discredited government of Olele Boys at the behest of Granton Samboja, Datuzens would not have expected the new government to be caught up in such a mess so soon.

In fact the unfolding events point to a well choreographed scheme to ensure

that the four officials circumvent the law and continue with their duties.

It’s instructive to note that the authority who sent the four on compulsory leave through a written statement was the county secretary Pamphil Mwashinga.

As many would have expected, this is the same authority who would have instructed them to return to work after investigations found them faultless.

Sadly the four “pilau scandal musketeers” returned to work unobtrusively without any evidence of an authority who had given them a clean bill of health.

The arrogance that they exhibited is in itself baffling. The four refused to honour summons by the County Assembly to shed light on the funds misuse issue, saying that they had been instructed not to honour the summons , yet they could not say who gave them such instructions unless it’s the county secretary who sent them on leave in the first place.

This has cast Mwadime’s government in very bad light and portrays him as indecisive and malleable leader who cannot stand on his two feet in the face of a crisis.

As a matter of fact it must be pointed out that eventually this scandal will leave a major bloat in Wakujaa’s administration unless it’s amicably addressed.

They say a fish rots from the head down and that head is none other than gover-

nor Mwadime. Protecting officials involved in misuse of county funds is in itself and admission of the fact that he is not serious about tackling the vice.

As the appointing authority the buck stop with Mwadime. He should wake up and smell the coffee. One cannot hide behind indiscretion for too long. This scandal must be unraveled and the culprits punished. Anything less than this a blow to Wakujaa government that could have far reaching repercussions. et

Time to make the Mzima Two water pipeline project a reality to alleviate nagging water shortages in Taita-Taveta County

Recent protests by Taita-Taveta leaders over government plans to put up the second Mzima pipeline to serve mainly Mombasa are just indicators of a long running controversy over the water project spanning close to twenty years.

In fact if ever the project takes off, then chances of confrontations over the supply of water are high, if the recent pronouncements by local leaders are anything to go by.

During the leadership of governor John Mruttu, suggestions by Taita-Taveta leaders that the county should start levying charges on Mombasa county for using Mzima water met stiff resistance from the then governor Hassan Joho, forcing the Taita leaders to rescind their decision.

Just like the river Nile that is the lifeline of Egypt, the Mzima water supply is the single most important source of water for the tourism Coastal city.

Taita-Taveta leaders, led by governor Andrew Mwadime and the five local MPs alleged that the government had launched the Mzima Two project behind their backs with intentions of supplying Mombasa.

Another bone of contention was that the Kenya Pipeline Corporation(KPC) was planning to recycle a used oil pipeline to supply water, with fears that this could pose a health risk to consumers.

However, KPC says it will undertake proper environmental and health audit before the oil pipes can be used.

Since 2018 the government has been saying the project had been failing to take off due to lack of funds.

The demand for water in Mombasa is about 150,000cubic metres daily against a supply of 67,000cubic metres.

Among the townships served by the Mzima pipeline include Voi, Maungu, Taru, Macknnon Road, Mariakani,Miritini and Mazeras.

The Mzima I pipeline is 220 kilometres long from its source at Mzima Springs in Taita-Taveta County to Mombasa. It was constructed in 1953 and took close to four years to reach Mombasa.

Knowing very well that the population would grow steadily over the years thereby raising the demand for water, the colonial government put up a Mzima II outlet which would run parallel with the existing one. However 70 years down the line the Mzima II pipeline remains a pipedream despite the rapid growth in population in Mombasa and other smaller towns along the pipeline.

In 2012 there seemed to be some light at the end of the tunnel when plans were mooted to put up the second pipeline at a cost of Sh 40bn from the World Bank.

In August 2015 the then water and irrigation CS Eugene Wamalwa announced that Sh150m had been set aside as part of the Sh40bn funding for the project under the aegis of the Exim Bank of China.

He said TaitaTaveta County would be given priority in the water supply. Since then, the pipeline project has been used as a political campaign tool, with little to show on the ground.

Taita-Taveta leaders have on many occasions raised concern over the poor supply of water to the county from the Mzima pipeline while a larger volume of water goes to Mombasa.

The panacea has been seen in the second Mzima pipeline which Taita-Taveta leaders insist should satisfy the county water demands before supplying Mombasa.

While serving as the chairman of the Coast Water

Services Board(CWSB) former governor Granton Samboja picked up the project and later used it as a campaign tool but failed miserably.

Matters reached a head recently when information began circulating to the effect that the proposed pipeline would be put up largely to serve Mombasa town, drawing condemnation from Taita-Taveta leaders.

The project is also being dogged by controversy over allegations that a recycled oil pipeline would be used for the water project…et

The WW1 Common wealth war graves in Voi town: The WW1 commemoration event has attracts wide attention

Stop playing these unga politics, Kenyans are suffering

Food shortage has been a major cause of uprisings and revolutions all over the world.

It might be bread, rice or in our case the staple ugali.

In the recent past we have seen opposition leaders and activists leading street demonstrations over the rising cost of living occasioned by the soaring prices of basic commodities especially unga. It took Sri Lanka just this kind of scenario to oust the government, with disenchantment demonstrators taking over the presidential residence feasting and enjoying creature comforts they could hardly afford.

The Sri Lanka uprising was not without precedent.

With rice being the staple food for most Sri Lankans, the government shot itself in the foot by banning the use of chemical fertilizers in preference for organic ones.

This erratic policy caught many rice farmers unawares and in so doing most abandoned rice farming, leading to a shortage of this staple.

The last straw came when the government resorted to cheap rice imports, further impoverishing the local farmers.

As they say, the rest is history.

Coming closer home, our staple ugali has been the most common meal consumed from rural to urban areas and its foolhardy for any leader to delude themselves that Kenyans can change their eating habits and feed on other foodstuffs.

Granted, in the days of yore there were plenty of tubers and grains that people could supplement their food reserves with.

Not anymore. Actually getting tubers like potatoes, cassava and arrow roots especially in the urban areas is a wild dream and if available, the price is so high compared to maize flour.

That’s why the government must take the bull by the horns and address the unga price issue before the bubble bursts.

Many Kenyans would not mind whether the maize from which they get their flour is produced locally or imported. What most are yearning for is food of reasonable quality and price.

However, we should not misconstrue this to mean that our farmers should be left at wits end.

In fact right now the dialogue should be whether we have enough maize stocks and if not, how much we can import to fill the deficit.

Kenya is well known for harbouring crafty cartels who will foment artificial shortages of commodities so that they can make a kill through cheap imports. The maize sector is one key sector that has been the milk cow for these cartels and it’s upon the leaders concerned to ensure that they don’t rear their ugly head in the current food crisis.

Secondly though ours is a free market economy the local maize farmers also need to be motivated by getting reasonable prices for their farm produce. Right now chances are there are farmers hoarding maize stocks in regions such as Rift Valley due to the poor prices being offered by the government while in other parts of the country, people are going hungry.

This should not be so. It’s high time the government takes the bull by the horns before push comes to shove.

Address corruption, inefficiency and political interference to bring Tavevo back to profitability

When the Taita-Taveta Water & Sewerage Company (Tavevo) was contracted in 2006 to take over water services previously being maintained and operated by the Voi Municipal council, many heaved a sigh of relief believing that problems like inflated bills and poor water supply would be a thing of the past, more so for the fast growing Voi town and its environs.

Covering an area of 150 square kilometres with a population of more than 80,000 inhabitants, Tavevo had its job cut out for it.

Though the terms leadership and democracy have varied interpretations in different countries in the world, it finally boils down to fair representation of the people at various levels.

In any country the masses have hopes and aspirations which they feel are best represented by leaders of their choice, with the political pecking order including kings, presidents, prime ministers all the way down to civic leaders.

Most of these positions require elections, which give people an opportunity to chose the leaders they want.

It goes without saying that for a country to be said to be truly democratic its citizens must have the opportunity to choose their representatives through elections that are free and fair.

Critical development efforts cannot succeed without a legitimate and democratically elected government that is responsive and accountable to its citizens.

However in Kenya and other countries, a trend is emerging where elections are being manipulated to favour certain politicians based on

tribal, racial or class profiling, thereby raising serious questions on their validity in representing the peoples' will.

Though there are laws and regulations guarding the conduct of elections, these are disregarded in most instances, with the political contests being viewed as a matter of life and death by some.

In Kenya the trend has not being any different.

Election malpractices still reign supreme, the most prominent in recent history being the bungle 1988 “mlolongo”(queue) voting which were so rigged that our democracy was put to a severe test.

Though we did away with the queue voting system in favour of the secret ballot, there still remains a lot to be done to make our elections free fair and credible.

Sometimes gullible voters are swayed with cheap propaganda by shrewd politicians and cast their votes to the wrong leaders, only to end up lamenting for a period of five years.

Secondly, and that’s the gist of this article, there is emerging a trend in the recent years where voters no

longer cast their votes to choose a suitable leader, but to “punish” the incumbent.

That’s the most foolhardy kind of political decision to make because the key tenet of democracy is to elect leaders who can offer the right representation and not to “punish” another politician.

After all, once the “punished” leaders vacates office, the gullible voters wake up to the reality that whoever they chose is not any better.

This creates a vicious cycle where in the coming polls, another leader is voted in to “punish” the current one who was also elected to “punish” their predecessor.

Such a scenario requires sobriety and the requisite civic education to create awareness in the voters on how to conduct polls and the importance of electing leaders based on their capability.

Gullible voters who are easy to sway and mislead will always make wrong choices.

At the end of the day ,these wrong decisions and choices affect us all, those who voted wisely and those who did not.

However, as many will attest, the company’s performance has been nothing but dismal. First, response to distress calls has been poor and many residents are forced to look for alternative means to meet their urgent water needs.

The issue of inflated bills not commensurate with water supplies still continues to anger many consumers.

In fact beneath these problems are underlying issues which came to the fore recently when the auditor general exposed the rot bedeviling the water firm.

From the disappearance of more than Sh100m and debts of Sh545m, the company is virtually on its deathbed and can only operate on funds from donors.

A company working on negative capital of hundreds of millions yet consumers pay hefty bills every month is a big letdown for the county.

Among the key issues that has stuck out like a sore thumb is the issue of unaccounted for water(UFW).

This is water that is lost through illegal connections and to a smaller extent leaks and bursts.

For instance audited reports for the year 2018 indicate that unaccounted for water stood at 2.9 million cubic metres (approximately 52 per cent) which is way above the maximum allowable loss of 25 per cent stipulated by the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB).

This led to a loss of more than Sh97m.

On the other hand the issue of political interference in the hiring of staff as well as the constitution of the water company board remains a thorny one.

Currently, there is a contest between the former MD who was a crony of the former governor and the acting MD who is the appointee of the current governor.

The former MD went to court and obtained an order reinstating him till the matter was heard and determined.

How a water firm can have two MDs remains a conundrum.

At the end of it all, it’s the residents who continue suffering poor service delivery despite paying hefty bills every month. ..et

Why voting to “punish” certain leaders is an affront to democracy

Voters during a past election: Voting to punish leaders is undemocratic and foolhardy

Governor Andrew Mwadime skulking behind Wundanyi MP Danson Mwashako when Interior CS Kithure Kindiki ( gesticulating ,in white shirt) presided over the official opening of the Wundanyi subcounty police station unit recently

Criticos’ bumper court compensation as TaitaTaveta residents continue suffering as squatters

As thousands of residents of Taveta sub-county continue suffering as squatters on their ancestral land, former MP Basil Criticos will be smiling all the way to the bank after the High Court awarded him a hefty compensation of Sh 2.6 billion.

This is so far the largest amount awarded to a private land owner in Coast region even as locals continue grappling with landlessness and poverty occasioned by lack of title deeds.

The former MP has been involved in a court battle with the National Bank for more than 15 years after part of his 15,000 acre land was auctioned over a debt owed to the bank.

Consequently, he High Court gave Criticos a greenlight to seize cash and government bonds at the Central Bank of Kenya(CBK) belonging to the NBK over unpaid Sh 2.57 billion compensation.

The squatter problem in Taveta is due to the fact that huge chunks of the land is in the hands of the Kenyatta family, Criticos, and more recently President William Ruto who bought part of the vast farm from the controversial former MP while serving as deputy president.

Following the court ruling, Criticos will be allowed access to NBK’s Sh 4.2 billion in the CBK and another Sh 46.6 billion worth of Treasury Bills and bonds.

The Bank was ordered to pay the former MP the money as compensation for auctioning his sisal farm.

Skeptical observers are questioning the impact this hefty award will have on the lending powers of NBK and if this compensation will benefit Criticos, who once described himself as “a squatter on his own land” or “the powers that be”.

In December last year, an attempt by the NBK to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court failed,

The judges led by Justice Dorah Chepkwony, found out that the auction in September 2007 of the land belonging to the former MP was undervalued after the forced sale failed to take into account buildings, sisal, a quarry and road network on the land.

NBK unsuccessfully sought to overturn the Sh2.57 billion award, arguing that the compensation risked pushing the bank into losses thereby affecting its lending obligations.

Justice Chekwony said she had read the notice of motion and granted the application in accordance with prayer 3 in which Criticos , through his lawyer Allen Gichuhi, had sought a garnishee order over NBK deposits at the Central Bank of Kenya.

Last year, Criticos admitted that he has sold more than 2,500 acres of land in the Mata area to then deputy president William Ruto.

However Ruto claimed Criticos had gifted him the land after he helped him sort out a debt the former MP owed the Agricultural Finance Corporation(AFC).

Criticos, who is no stranger to controversy, claimed that he had lost huge chunk of the land in early 2000 due to continued tension with the squatters who had allegedly invaded his farm where 500 acres of the land was given out to squatters in Mata.

Another thorny issue has been the validity of the land lease, with claims that the 99- year lease for the fast farm had expired.

During the campaign period in July last year, Azimio La Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga had vowed to investigate Ruto’s land dealings in Coast if elected president.

The Azimio leader had accused Ruto of illegally acquiring land in Taveta while thousands of residents continued suffering as squatters.

managing director

In January 2020 Taveta residents accused Ruto’s ranch of causing water shortages in the area after water from a nearby source was diverted to his ranch.

The farm’s managing director Arie Dempers was arrested and accused of denying residents the precious commodity.

Last month squatters made a fresh bid for Criticos land at Mokine area, where angry residents pulled down an electric fence around a hundred acres of land.

summoned

Led by area MP John Bwire, the agitated locals claimed that Criticos had fenced off the land illegally, enclosing 33 houses within.

MP Bwire was later summoned by the Taveta DCI office to record a statement over the alleged invasion. Criticos’ dalliance with Ruto in the land deals paid dividends recently when the former MP was appointed the chairperson of the Kenya Trade Network Agency. ..et

Taveta MP John Bwire

Last month squatters made a fresh bid for Criticos’ land at Mokine area, where angry residents pulled down an electric fence around a hundred acres of land. MP Bwire was later summoned by the Taveta DCI office to record a statement over the alleged invasion.

Qwetu Sacco records impressive asset base of more than Sh3.2bn as membership rises to 56,000

Qwetu sacco recorded an impressive asset base of more than Sh3.2 billion by the year ending 31 December 2022, the highest so far. This was an upward trend from Sh2.8bn recorded the previous year, an increase of 14.4 per cent.

The membership also increased from 52,000 to 56,000.

Addressing members during this year’s education to members meeting Qwetu Sacco chairman Mr Alfred Mlolwa said the inrease in membership was as a result of opening of a common bond in 2010 that allowed membership from no teaching savers including business people and county government staff. While welcoming the increase in membership Mr Mlolwa urged each member to at least rope in one member which would double the membership.

“We hold our members in high esteem because it’s because of them that we have achieved the milestones that we have, but still we should bring in more members to strengthen the sacco even more” said Mlolwa.

Other highlights of the sacco profile and performance include:

Increase of share capital from Sh103m in 2021 to Sh127m in 2022.

Loan portfolio rose from Sh1.99 billion in 2021 to Sh2.3 billion in 2022.

Members deposits increased from Sh1.9billion to sh2.13billion in 2022.

On the other hand, total revenue rose from 502m in 2021 to Sh575m in 2022.

Generally all key areas recorded considerable growth trend, the highest being the share capital that increased by 22.7 per cent. The members also received an impressive dividends on share capital at 13 per cent for the two consecutive years and 9.8 per cent interest on long term deposits.

To encourage members to continue saving and thereby earn both high interest on long term deposits and higher dividends on share capital, the sacco recognizes and awards members in the following categories:

.Highest long term deposits saver

.Highest share capital saver

.Highest long term deposits saver within the year

.Highest share capital saver

within the year

Mr Mlolwa pointed out that the completion and operationalization of the Qwetu sacco Plaza had greatly improved Sacco operations where members can access quality services in a spacious and secure environment.

The chairman warned members to be careful when guaranteeing people for loans as some may default and cause them to pay on their behalf.

“It’s wise to assess the credibility and integrity of a person before you act as their guarantor as some may default on loans and you are forced to pay up the money”he said.

This year’s education to members involved three main areas which may have a direct impact to members and society at large, namely financial management, fraud/scammer awareness and prevention and stress management.

The sacco members declared that from this financial year onwards they would observe the following;

1.That one would not consume the whole seed(current savings) but would instead plant it and later consume it’s fruits.

2.That they would direct their money where it should go so that one would not regret later in life for making wrong decisions.

3.That members would save and invest through their personal discipline, sacrifice and commitment.

4.That members would live within their means and never spend more than they can earn.

5.That members would adhere to strict budgets by making a list of all income streams and daily expenses to avoid overspending. ..ends

Of Shylock Njugu Mawe and his never ending battle with slippery borrowers

to read my last piece Njugu Mawe had sought out Gunia over a loan the latter had taken but failed to pay at the agreed time.

In a fit of rage Mawe had visited Gunia at their upcoming manyatta at the outskirts of Mavumbi town and threatened to attach his goat and sell it.

What resulted was a scuffle between lender and borrower with yours truly as the arbitrator.

should never come back for another loan because I will definitely send him away” Mawe vowed.

Actually Njugu Mawe is not the shylock’s real name. He was given this nickname because he can be as difficult and hard to arm twist as stones can be.

To date few people know his real name, not even yours truly. On his request I agreed to accompany him to his home so that I could get “the other side of the story”.

The store was full of all sorts of confiscated goods, from furniture to electronic gadgets, some which looked in dire need of repair.

Two broken chairs lay at one corner, gathering dust and cobwebs.

side of the story. I couldn’t commit myself to that but sincerely speaking, I had walked in his shoes and now I can feel what many lenders go through. Being a Shylock is not a walk in the park...et

One of the privileges of being a journalist is having the opportunity to meet and interview people from all walks of life.

It's an experience that enables you to walk in people’s shoes and feel what challenges they encounter in their day to day lives.

Last time I told you about the clash between Njugu Mawe,a Shylock and my friend and new business partner Ole Gunia. For those who did not find time

Actually had I not stood Gunia in good stead I am sure Mawe could have taken drastic action with unpleasant results for Gunia.

So when Mawe found me reading newspapers at a newsstand in town he approached me cordially and thanked me for brokering peace between them.

“Your friend has finally paid me the money I lent him but has refused to pay the thirty per cent interest. Anyway it’s better I am done away with him. But he

As we neared his compound he said hoarsely, “You know people hate us but they keep coming to us to borrow money when the chips are down. Trouble starts when one is required to pay but fails. They say ‘kukopa harusi,kulipa matanga’”. Mawe was trying to sound remorseful over the many unpleasant ways shylocks use to get back what they believe is their rightful dues.

He took me to a store behind his house and what I saw made me forgive him for the many sins of ommision and commission he had committed in the line of duty.

“All these are items given as collateral by borrowers and the others were confiscated after borrowers failed to pay back my money. Some have been here for more than two years and chances of their owners coming to claim them are almost zero” said Mawe,a resigned look on his face.

“Sometimes I am forced to use some of the items myself but as you can see these are quite a lot to put to use “ he said as if to rest his case.

As we took tea served by a morose house girl Mawe told me how a woman had undressed and began screaming to repulse them when they had gone to attach her TV.

“We were forced to go away after the lady embarrassed us, seeing her in her birthday suit”

He looked at me remorsefully wondering if I would write his

Everyone has habits, but not all habits lead to success. Understanding the habits contributing to failure is crucial for personal and professional growth. This article will explore ten everyday habits of unsuccessful people, highlighting how they can negatively impact individuals and the wider society.

The Paradox Of Unsuccessful Habits

Some habits, while seemingly innocuous, can lead to long-term harm. Paradoxically, these practices might even offer short-term benefits, which mask their more damaging long-term consequences. This paradox fuels their persistence, making them hard to break. It’s important to note that labeling these habits as ‘unsuccessful’ doesn’t equate to labeling the people who possess them as ‘failures.’ Instead, these habits contribute to cycles of nonachievement that anyone can break with awareness and determination.

The 10 Habits Of Unsuccessful

People:

1. Procrastination

Procrastination is the archenemy of productivity. Postponing tasks creates unnecessary pressure, affects performance, and ultimately leads to unaccomplished goals. Overcoming procrastination starts with recognizing its existence and developing strate-

gies to combat it, such as breaking down tasks and establishing timelines.

2. Lack Of Goal Setting A life without goals is like a ship without a compass. Setting clear and achievable goals provides direction and purpose. Without them, one can drift aimlessly, achieving little. Establishing SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timebound) goals can guide personal and professional growth.

3. Resistance To Change Change is the only constant. Successful individuals embrace change, recognizing it as an opportunity for growth. However, those who resist change often find themselves left behind, unable to adapt to new environments, ideas, or circumstances. Becoming open to change involves fostering curiosity, flexibility, and resilience.

4. Negativity Negativity acts like an energy drainer, not just for the individual but also for those around them. It hampers creativity, reduces motivation, and often leads to poor decision-making. Cultivating positivity starts with changing one’s mindset, practicing gratitude, and surrounding oneself with positive influences.

5. Poor Time Management Time, the most valuable resource needs careful management poor time management results in missed opportunities, stress, and

unachieved goals. Effective time management strategies include prioritizing tasks, avoiding multitasking, and setting aside time for rest and recreation.

6. Lack Of Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is a crucial driver of success. It involves making choices that align with one’s goals, even when they’re the harder choices. A lack of selfdiscipline can result in missed deadlines, unachieved goals, and unfulfilled potential. Cultivating self-discipline requires consistency, accountability, and a strong understanding of goals and motivations.

7. Fear Of Taking Risks

Risk-taking is a fundamental part of success. Fear of risks can stifle growth, innovation, and progress. Developing a healthy attitude towards risk involves understanding the difference between recklessness and calculated risk, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and regularly stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

8. Lack Of Perseverance

Success often requires a dose of dogged determination. Giving up at the first sign of difficulty rarely leads to achievement. Developing perseverance involves understanding that setbacks are a part of the journey toward success, maintaining a positive attitude even during challenges, and staying focused on the end goal.

9. Not Learning From Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes, but

unsuccessful people often fail to learn from them. Repeating the same mistakes leads to stagnation and missed growth opportunities. To learn from mistakes, one must accept responsibility, reflect on what went wrong, and develop strategies for avoiding similar errors in the future. This promotes personal growth and builds resilience.

10. Ignoring Self-Care

Self-care is not a luxury but a necessity. Regularly ignoring physical, mental, and emotional health can lead to burnout, illness, and decreased productivity. Effective self-care practices include regular exercise, healthy eating, maintaining work-life balance, and seeking help.

The Impact Of Unsuccessful Habits On Individuals And Society Unsuccessful habits can have profound effects, extending beyond individuals to influence society. They can lead to underachievement, lack of innovation, and diminished productivity at a societal level. Understanding the collective cost of these habits can help underscore the importance of addressing them.

How To Break Unsuccessful Habits Breaking habits is no easy task. However, with cognitivebehavioral techniques and consistent effort, it’s possible to replace unsuccessful habits with ones that promote achievement. This requires self-awareness, patience, and persistence. Remember, every small change you

make can add to a significant transformation.

Conclusion Understanding the habits that hold us back is the first step toward success. Whether it’s procrastination, negativity, poor time management, or any other habits discussed in this article, each can be replaced with a positive coun-

terpart that encourages personal growth and achievement. With determination, self-awareness, and the right tools, anyone can break the cycle of unsuccessful habits and strive for a more successful life.

Source:New Trader U

Why you should avoid these ten habits of unsuccessful people if you want to succeed in any endeavor in life

“All these are items given as collateral by borrowers and the others were confiscated after borrowers failed to pay back my money. Some have been here for more than two years and chances of their owners coming to claim them are almost zero”

Get a lasting solution to problem of inequitable distribution of land in Taita-Taveta County

farm.

The skewed distribution of land in Taita-Taveta County has seen thousands of people living as squatters on their ancestral land while a handful of landlords, private sisal farms,ranches and conservancies occupy millions of acres of land.

The Tsavo national park on the other hand occupies 62 per cent ( approximately 10,600 square kilometres) of the total land area of 17,000 square kilometres.

According to Wundanyi/ Mbale ward MCA Jimmy Mwamidi, Tsavo which is divided into East and West should be cut so that Tsavo West is converted to a game reserve so that the county government can earn revenue from wildlife.

“Taita-Taveta residents have suffered for many years due to persistent human- wildlife conflicts and the only way our county can be compensated adequately is by hiving off Tsavo West as Taita-Taveta game reserve to boost county revenue through tourism” said Mwamidi.

Of the three sisal plantations, Taveta, Voi and Teita, the latter in Mwatate sub-county owned by the Kyriazy brothers Philip and Costa, is one of the largest sisal estates in the world and the most expansive in East Africa.It occupies more than 32,000 acres.

Apart from sisal farming, the vast farm has also diversified into dairy and horticulture. For many years now, the sisal farm has been embroiled in a tussle with residents of Singila and Majengo villages who claim the sisal farm management encroached on their ancestral land.

“The sisal farm extended its boundaries and annexed huge chunks of land belonging to the locals, planting sisal right at their doorsteps and turning them into squatters”says Mnjala Mwaluma the secretary of Mwasima Mbuwa Welfare Association,a land lobby group which has been fighting for the liberation of the land grabbed by the sisal farm.

“Recently, angry people invaded land belonging to the Kenyatta family in Kiambu county and it’s just a matter of when, not if ,the same happens in Taita-Taveta County. Locals are tired of living in poverty because of lack of land for development” says Mnjala. He accused the county government of turning a blind eye to the suffering of the squatters at Majengo and Singila where most are being regularly harassed and arrested on accusations of trespassing on the vast

Ranches and conservancies collectively occupy close to 1.1 million acres of land, even though most of them are dormant and their management are merely holding onto the huge tracts of land for speculative purposes.

In 2019 Taita-Taveta ranches launched an ambitious five year strategic plan under the Taita-Taveta Wildlife Conservancies Association (TTWCA) which recognized the over 900,000 acres of rangeland within Tsavo ecosystem as home to thousands of wildlife.

The TTWCA brought together 28 ranches and seven existing conservancies. While the formation of TTWCA strategic plan was viewed as a game changer in the management of the vast rangelands, the benefits do not seem to trickle down to the local communities, five years later.

According to Mohamed Kamanya who has worked in Taita-Taveta conservancies for more than twenty years, the conservancies have a total turnover of close to Sh3 billion annually. One billion comes from carbon trade while Sh1.5 billion and Sh 500m come from artisanal mining and livestock respectively.

However, Kamanya intimates that most of the conservancies are led by members of close families who ensure that the leadership and management does not slip out of their hands for their selfish interests.

“These conservancies are run by cartels who create a thriving ground for criminal enterprises to thrive, while denying the Taita-Taveta residents their rightful share of these resources.

He says its time the county government shined a spotlight on the management of these conservancies to ensure that there is accountable leadership and also for these conservancies to pay the requisite taxes.

“Majority of conservancies do not pay land rates and other concomitant taxes such as VAT, capital gain,excise and income. In fact they have deliberately registered community trusts as a way of circumventing taxation regimes” he says.

On the other hand,the dormant ranches have over the years being embroiled in land tussles with squatters and investors who claim to have bought sections of the land.

Currently about 3,500 squatters occupying land said to belong to Ndara A group ranch near Voi town are facing eviction after a company called Sparkle went to court claiming

to have bought the land at Sh12m from Bata shoe company.

According to records, Bata acquired the land on a 99 year lease in 1979 from the ministry of lands to put up a shoe factory, which would have created employment opportunities for locals.

However ,the factory came a cropper as Bata relocated the same to Limuru.

Since then the land has been dogged by controversy, with hundreds settling there and putting up permanent and semi -permanent structures.

One of the squatters Alfred Mnjama said the disputed land was their ancestral right.

“Our grandparents leased the land to Bata company to put up a shoe factory which they never did and it was wrong for the company to sell the land to another company without our consent” said Mnjama.

An ambitious multibillion Diaspora university project which was to be put up at Ndara B group ranch has so far failed to kick off due to a standoff between the ranch management, section of leaders and the Diaspora university committee.

The university had earmarked 6,000 acres of the land to put up a university at a tune of Sh100 billion.

In 2018,the then governor Granton Samboja vowed to stop the construction of the university, questioning the procedures used by the investors to secure the land.

However, Ndara B ranch chairman Benjamin Mwandaa said members of Rong’e and Sagalla had agreed to cede part of the land for the project.

“The views of the public were sought and residents agreed to support the project” Mwandaa said, adding that the land in question was registered and had a title deed.

“The people claiming that they will be displaced by the project are not rightful landowners but squatters” he said. A former MP who did not want to be quoted said for the county to develop, locals should be allowed to purchase parts of the idle land in ranches and sisal farms at an affordable price.

“Land is a key factor of production and one way out of poverty is to empower locals to own land and get title deeds which they can use as collateral to access loans from banks and other lending institutions” he said.

The former legislator said the county government should also acquire part of the land and use it for development projects that would generate revenue for the

county.

The Voi and Taveta sisal estates have undergone numerous management changes over the years, with parts being hived off for development.

President Ruto is among those who acquired part of the

vast Taveta sisal estate that had been up for sale after controversial former area MP Basil Criticos failed to pay a loan he owed the National Bank.

he won a 15 year court battle with National Bank in a case where the former legislator had sued the lender for compensation for auctioning his farm while undervaluing most of the developments therein. Taita-Taveta Express NEWS FEATURES 7

Taita-Taveta co-operative societies disburse over Sh2.4 billion in loans

Cooperative societies in Taita-Taveta County have so far issued loans of more than Sh2.4 billion, with the lion’s share of Sh2.29 billion being issued by saccos.

The asset base stands at Sh 3.3 billion with a membership of 98,000.

Addressing leaders and wananchi at Dan Mwazo Hall during events to mark this year’s International cooperatives day whose theme was “Co-operatives for sustainable development”, county co-operatives commissioner Gonzi Rai called for the revival of all dormant societies in order for them to continue serving the growing population.

“Out of the 174 societies, only 85 are active while the rest are dormant” said Gonzi.

The official pointed out that societies in the county continue facing numerous challenges chief among them being lack of capital especially in the agro processing societies , low financial investments the squatter problem for the land buying societies as well as lack of title deeds for those in the housing societies.

He also cited weak governance structures and staff shortages as other challenges being experienced by the societies.

Mr Gonzi called for intensified capacity building to strengthen the county co as the establishment of a cooperative development fund to cater for training, research consultancy and related activities.

Speaking during the event Taita governor Christine Kilalo said that the county had prepared a county cooperatives bill which provides for the establishment of a County cooperative Development Fund which is a revolving fund for financially challenged cooperative societies and for capacity building.

“The bill is currently at the County Assembly awaiting approval before it’s assented into law” said the deputy governor.

Kilalo pointed out that the future of the agricultural societies in the county lies in aggressive value addition of various produce including horticultural crops, livestock and related products.

The deputy governor said that the county had, in collaboration with other stakeholders such as the Co-operative University of Kenya and the World Bank, assisted farmers to get equipment, livestock and seeds to boost their kits and carry out capacity building for members.

Leaders call for concerted efforts to get a lasting solution to rampant human-wildlife conflicts in Taita-Taveta

Leaders in Taita-Taveta County are asking the government to come up with lasting solutions to the rampant human-wildlife conflicts in the area.

Speaking at Moi Stadium in Voi during the launch of Sh900m wildlife conflicts compensation kitty, both governor Andrew Mwadime and the speaker of the county assembly Wisdom Mwamburi said they were also victims of the wildlife menace and called for concerted measures to put the problem under control.

Taita-Taveta was allocated Sh 51m of the Sh 100m earmarked for the county while more than Sh2.8 bn in compensation claims remain to be paid nationally.

Speaker Mwamburi said his maize farm had been destroyed by elephants which were camping in the in the outskirts of Voi town.

“The government should come up with initiatives like sport hunting which can generate revenue and at the same time control the elephant populations” said

Qwetu sacco chairman Alfred Mlolwa shares a word with county cooperative commissioner Erastus Gonzi while inset, deputy governor Christine

Speaking during the event Taita-Taveta deputy governor Christine Kilalo said that the county had prepared a county cooperatives bill which provides for the establishment of a County cooperative Development Fund which is a revolving fund for financially challenged cooperative societies and for capacity building.

Mwamburi.

Mwamburi said it was a matter of great concern that the highest jumbo population in the country resided in Tsavo National park which occupies 62 per cent of the county land area, yet locals continued to languish in poverty due to persistent destruction of crops by the wild animals.

Game reserve

He suggested that the government comes up with a plan to convert part of Tsavo into a game reserve so that revenue generated through tourism can be ploughed directly into county coffers.

The same sentiments were echoed by Wundanyi MP

Danson Mwashako.

Present during the event were tourism and wildlife

CS Peninah Malonza, Mining and blue economy CS salim Mvurya, tourism PS Sylvia Museiya, KWS Director General Dr Erustus Kanga among others.

Failure by the TaitaTaveta County Assembly to remit statutory pension deductions from its employees to the Local Authority Pension Trust (LAPTRUST) led it to incur a debt of more than Sh38m in the financial year ending June 2021. This is after the principal outstanding amount of Sh17.7m attracted interest totaling to sh21m.

According to the report prepared by the Auditor General Nancy Gathugu, there was no satisfactory explanation given by the management for the failure to remit the pensions deductions on time.

The report also reveals that the domestic travel and subsistence expenditure totaling more than Sh 201m included Sh 13.1 m disbursed to the members of county assembly for office ward running expenses which was unrelated to domestic travel and subsistence.

Consequently, the domestic travel and subsistence expenditure totaling Sh13, 260,000 is not fairly stated” the report says.

Irregular procurement of laptops was also flagged by the AG where records indicate that Sh1.56m was spent on a local vendor who supplied 24 laptops at a contract price of Sh2.3m.

However, procurement records provided for audit indicate that the laptops were bought through Request for Quotations, despite the fact that the vendor was not on the list of prequalified suppliers, contrary to the requirements of Section162(3)of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015.

As a result, expenditure incurred on the laptops was irregular and therefore no value for money on the purchase could be confirmed.

An iron ore mining investor in Kishushe location, Taita-Taveta County has released Sh 10m compensation to the local community to go towards community projects.

This is the first instalment which was agreed upon between the government, community and Samrudha Resources recently.

Speaking in Voi town Mining and Blue economy CS Salim Mvurya said local communities in Taita Taveta must benefit from the mineral resources which exist on their land.

“Iron ore is found in this county and the investor must ensure that compensation to the local community is given out as agreed” said Mvurya. He pointed out that the gemstone centre in Voi would be operationalized soon to offer value addition on various minerals so that locals are not exploited by unscrupulous middlemen.

“The government would like to see the gem centre up and running so that mineral dealers

Sacco members have been urged to invest in societies that they have confidence in and where they feel their savings are secure.

While welcoming the proposed establishment of a members deposit security guarantee fund, Qwetu

can get value for their gemstones and also information relevant for their business in gemstones” said Mvurya. ..et

Kilalo addresses the participants

Taita-Taveta County assembly incurs debt of Sh 38m over failure to remit workers pension statutory deductions to LAPTRUST