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WEDNESday, JANUARY 27, 2016 | www.x254.co

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Kenya war on graft is stagnant, survey shows the 2015 corruption perception index released today by transparency international indicates the country scored 25 per cent, same score it had in 2014

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NEWS

more misery for afc leopards as tusker raids the den for players

course record holder cosmas lagat to grace sevilla marathon

Waiguru to run for Nairobi Governor

Story On Page 2

KDF troops pull out of El Adde camp

Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Ann Waiguru speaks to the media at the KICC on November 4, 2015. She is seen with Mr Evans Ondieki who was yesterday sacked by Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero as the county’s Environment minister. Ms Waiguru has today declared she will run for the Nairobi Governor seat with Mr Ondieki as her running mate.

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Kenya Defence Forces troops have pulled out from two military bases in Somalia, including the El Adde camp which was attacked by al-Shabab militants twelve days ago.

Military spokesman Col David Obonyo however said the move was a ‘normal operational manoeuvre’ and not a withdrawal.

A local MP told the BBC that al-Shabaab fighters have already seized the southern town of Badhadhe after the troops retreated.

Soldiers also left el-Ade, where al-Shabab claimed to have killed about 100 Kenyan soldiers in an attack 12 days ago.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

Kenya war on graft is stagnant: Survey

Kenya has not made any significant progress in the fight against graft over the last two years, a new corruption perception index shows.

The Global Corruption Perception Index released today

by Transparency International, shows that Kenya scored 25 per cent in 2015, the same score it had 2014 meaning that it made no progress in fighting corruption over the last 12 months.

This is despite having recorded an improvement in ranking from 145 in 2014 to 139 last year.

Transparency International executive director for Kenya Samuel Kimeu while releasing the report in Nairobi attributed the stagnation to lack of punishment on those engaging in corruption. “There has been no punishment to deter one from engaging in corruption. So long as the system does not punish the corrupt, then they will continue to steal,” he said.

While the Ethics and AntiCorruption Commission has been prosecuting a number of graft cases, Kimeu said it takes too long to have anyone convicted.

“Every time you have cases going up to 7-10 years, you only give

Activists demonstrate on the streets of Nairobi while denouncing corruption. A new report by Transparency International says graft is still rife in Kenya.

confidence to the criminals to continue stealing.”

He said bodies charged with investigating corruption cases must demonstrate results to restore public confidence in the fight against graft.

“We acknowledge that some high ranking individuals suspected of corruption have been removed from public office and charged in court while some are still being investigated.

However, what Kenyans want is watertight investigations that will lead to the corrupt being

punished as required by law and public resources lost through corruption recovered. Until then, it would be dishonest to say progress has been made,” he added. Kenya’s score is below the global average of 43 per cent and also falls below the sub-Saharan mean of 33 per cent. Kenya had a score of 27 per cent in both 2012 and 2013 meaning corruption has worsened over the last four years.

“The result should not surprise us because we all know what is going on in this country,” Kimeu

KDF troops pull out of El Adde camp From Page 1

The government is yet to reveal the number of soldiers who died in the attack.

Kenya, which contributes about 4,000 troops to the 22,000-strong African Union, is among countries battling the militants in Somalia.

And if al-Shabab figures are correct, it would make it the deadliest attack on Kenyan forces since they crossed into Somalia in 2011.

Somali MP Mohamed Ismail Shurie told the BBC it was “unfortunate” that Kenyan troops had withdrawn from Badhadhe, some 100km from the Kenyan border.

“We feel very bad that three years since it was liberated, Badhadhe has fallen to al-Shabab again,” he said.

The town had been under siege, with militants blocking almost all roads leading to it, correspondents say.

Residents in El-Ade told the BBC they welcomed the pull-out from their town, as they had been subjected to constant harassment and air strikes from Kenyan forces since the assault on the base.

Several civilians had been killed during the Kenyan operation, they claimed.

But in an interview, Col David Obonyo denied the claim, saying only an al-Shabab camp had been targeted.

Col Obonyo, who refused to divulge how many soldiers were killed or wounded in the El-Ade assault, said Kenyan forces were not “withdrawing from any of our positions in Somalia”.

“Nobody says we must be in that camp. We can operate from another site,” he told the BBC. Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta told a memorial service for the fallen soldiers that Kenyan troops would stay in Somalia despite the attack.

Col Obonyo said some of the soldiers killed in el-Ade had been identified, but DNA tests were still being conducted to identify the rest.

Most of the soldiers who were stationed at the camp were from the Kenya Defence Forces 9th Kenya Rifles (KR) based at Moi Barracks in Eldoret.

Families there have been asked to provide DNA samples to help identify what are believed to be badly mutilated bodies. peter_x254

said.

They have now recommended the establishment of an elaborate lifestyle audit systems and robust wealth declaration, especially in the public sector to deter corruption. Overall, Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland and Sweden topped the chart with their clean public sectors as in previous years, while strife-torn or repressive states of Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia, brought up the rear.

Most of the world’s up-coming economies showed a struggle

to shake off corruption with massive scandals in Brazil and Malaysia.

Denmark scored 91 percent to rank top for the second year in a row. Finland (90) came second while New Zealand was third (88). Netherlands and Norway closed the top five with both scoring 87 percent.

Somalia and North Korea were clutched at the bottom with 8 percent each followed by Afghanistan (11), Sudan (12), South Sudan (15), Angola 16 and Libya, also with 16 percent.

This year’s index presents a worrying picture for sub-saharan Africa with 40 out of the 46 countries from the region scoring below 50 percent, demonstrating a serious corruption problem.

Only Botswana (63), Cape Verde (55), Seychelles (55), Rwanda (54), Mauritius (53) and Namibia (53) scored more than 50 percent. In the East Africa region, Kenya came third after Rwanda, Tanzania (31) while Uganda (24) and Burundi (20) were bottom.

“The poor performance by Kenya in the CPI shows the need to go beyond anti-corruption rhetoric,” Kimeu said. sam_x254

Waiguru to run for Nairobi Governor Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has today declared her interest in vying for the Nairobi Governor’s seat in 2017.

Ms Waiguru (pictured right) who only recently denied she was considering throwing her hat into the political ring, said that she was under pressure to vie for the position. She said she reached the decision after wide consultations with Nairobi residents especially women.

Speaking in Nairobi today during a meeting with Nairobi women, Waiguru expressed her gratitude saying she was humbled by the support the women have accorded her during her turbulent times in the cabinet.

“I want to thank you (women) for the support, appreciation and your prayers. I am humbled,” she said.

“I was not prepared for this announcement but I want to thank you for such a declaration, and rightfully so I accept,” she added in reference to the request to vie for the position of Governor amid cheers and applause from women in attendance.

Curiously, the meeting had been convened by Mr Evans Ondieki who was until yesterday the Nairobi County Executive member for Environment before Governor Evans Kidero sacked him. Ondieki is seen as a close ally of the former minister and her sacking was closely linked to ties between him, Waiguru and Dagorreti South MP Dennis Waweru

who is said to be working behind the scenes for Ms Waiguru to capture the plum Nairobi seat. But Ondieki declined that his sacking was based on political differences.

He instead attributed it to a difference of opinion between him and his former boss.

“I don’t regret my removal from office. We differed with Kidero on the basis of principle over a cabinet decision” he said.

Waiguru said she is better placed to offer Nairobians the best services owing to her success in the Devolution docket.

“I want to thank you for the opportunity. We will work with Evans Ondieki,” she declared. hillary_x254

NEWS 3 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

IEBC cannot conduct free, fair election : Mudavadi Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi has said he has no confidence in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) conducting the next General Election fairly.

Mudavadi said the commission has started on a wrong footing even with the massive voter registration slated for next month.

“Our confidence level with the IEBC unfortunately is very low, they have started on a wrong footing,” said Mudavadi. The ANC leader said constituencies have different levels of backlog of unregistered voters, but resources of voter registration are not being divided along that line.

“By allocating the same voter registration kits even to areas with low number of voters, IEBC is preparing to give the country a reason of voter apathy when announcing the next General Elections results,” he said. “IEBC just released its roadmap plan the other day, but looking at it, only Sh50 million has been set aside for voter registration this further dimmed my confidence about the body on how prepared it is to conduct election,” added Mudavadi.

He said it’s upon IEBC to lobby the government to allocate more resources to enable them conduct its activities effectively.

He also maintained that he will be in the Presidential race in the next years’ elections. “I am focused on the presidential race. I do not seek to be a governor, Senator or MP anywhere,” he said. Mudavadi blamed widespread corruption witnessed on people trying to get money for next year’s campaigns. “Without limits, Kenyans will continue being swayed by the person with the wallet” As much as we complain of challenges facing IEBC, Kenyans must be encouraged to go out and register,” said Mudavadi.

He said the government should allow EACC and the Office of the Auditor General to carry out their mandate without interference if the war on corruption is to be won. @sam_x254

Lawyers want Supreme Court bench reconstituted amid bribery claims The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) will petition the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to reconstitute the Supreme Court bench should bribery allegations facing Justice Philip Tunoi are proven, LSK chairman Eric Mutua has said. Mutua said they will be forced to take such decision since the whole bench could be guilty of complicity because no one expressed dissent in the a petition ruling filed by Former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu challenging election of Nairobi Governor Dr Evans Kidero. Speaking to Citizen Television during a live interview, the LSK boss noted that if claims by a former journalist, Geoffrey Kiplagat that Justice Tunoi received a bribe to influence the outcome of a petition against Nairobi governor Evans Kidero are proven, then the grafts allegation will have tainted the image of the judiciary and hence force a reconstitution.

“Once the tribunal makes the determination and it is found that indeed there was graft, then it affects the entire Supreme Court, and in our view the only

COMPROMISED: LSK chairman Eric Mutua said the entire bench could have been compromised, citing its ruling where not even a single judge dissented.

remedy available is to reconstitute the entire Supreme Court,” Said Mutua.

He said Kenyans will no longer have ‘absolute’ confidence in the Supreme Court as the corruption claims will have already compromised other past rulings. “No Kenyan to the best of my knowledge, will have confidence in the Supreme Court if it is confirmed

Kobia to chair Tunoi probe team

Public Service Commission boss Margaret Kobia (pictured below) has been named as the chair of a special committee of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that will look into the allegations of corruption against Supreme Court Judge Philip Tunoi.

The six-member committee has seven days to table their findings. Justice Tunoi is accused of receiving a Sh200 million bribe from Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero to influence an election petition challenging his win against Ferdinand Waititu in 2013. And today, Chief Justice Willy Mutunga who is the President of the Supreme Court and chair of the JSC convened a special meeting over the matter.

It if from the meeting that Ms Kobia was named as the chair of the

special committee to probe the allegations against Justice Tunoi.

Other Members are Attorney General Prof Githu Muigai, Ms Winifred Guchu and Mr Kipkorir Bett.

The JSC meeting was attended by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Prof Githu Muigai, Judges Smokin Wanjala, Mohammed Warsame, Aggrey Muchelule and the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Ann Amadi. Ms Mary Ominde who was sworn in today as a JSC member to represent magistrates in the commission also attended.

Dr Mutunga assured the public that the committee will handle the investigations with utmost fairness, independence and fidelity to the constitution.

Tunoi however, denies the accusations which he blames on succession politics in the judiciary and 2017 presidential elections.

Tunoi was indeed induced,” he said.

“In the Supreme Court you do not have one judge to determine how a decision is going to be. You must have on your side at least three judges. And in Kidero case no one objected but it was unanimous ruling” Mutua also challenged other Supreme Court judges to come out clean just like Justice Tunoi

to show course why they are not accomplices in graft saga which has now exposed the Judiciary in bad light.

Justice Tunoi has already distanced himself from the graft allegation levelled against him, saying succession wars in the Judiciary were fuelling the allegations. Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has already convened a Judicial Service Commission meeting today to look into the bribery allegations.

Lawyer Edwin Sifuna dismissed the allegations terming them a succession war at the Supreme Court.

He said that as much as the credibility of the court is under sharp scrutiny, it must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the public can still have confidence in it. “I know for a fact there will be questions against the Supreme Court judges and they should come out and find a way to sanitize themselves before Kenyans,” he said.

“The fate of Justice Tunoi has been sealed; the goose is cooked for the judge” he said. @hillary_x254

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NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

NEWS BRIEF

Senegal detains 900 people in security drive Police in Senegal have detained 900 people as part of a security operation following militant attacks in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali. The detentions, which were not terror-related, took place over the weekend in the capital Dakar and Thies. The assaults on a hotel in Mali and a hotel and restaurant in Burkina Faso, both claimed by Islamists, have raised security fears in the region. Senegal has been comparatively safe but is a popular tourist destination. Last week the Senegalese government ordered hotels to improve security or face closure. Senegalese security forces would also step up patrols, the interior minister said. Eyewitnesses report that presence is already being felt, with police being seen in higher numbers and many vehicles searched. Those detained over the weekend were not targeted as terror suspects but as part of the wider security alert, officials said.

US police seize Oregon leader in deadly clash US police say they have arrested the leader of an armed militia which occupied a wildlife refuge in Oregon, with one person killed in a shoot-out. Ammon Bundy and four others were arrested during a traffic stop, police said. One person was injured. Two other activists connected to the group were later arrested in separate incidents, also in Oregon. The self-proclaimed militia led by Mr Bundy occupied the refuge earlier this month in support of two local ranchers.

Other members of the group were reportedly still at the refuge, where the FBI was setting up a perimeter.

Obama calls for urgent action against Zika US President Barack Obama has called for urgent action against the Zika virus, which has been linked to babies being born with underdeveloped brains. He said research to develop vaccines and treatments must be speeded up. The World Health Organization says the virus is likely to spread across nearly all of the Americas. It has already been found in 21 countries in the Caribbean, North and South America. Symptoms include mild fever, conjunctivitis and headache.

Medics are most worried about the damage the virus can potentially cause to babies in the womb.

Ugandan women flown home from Saudia amid maid ban

RIGHTS ABUSES IN MIDDLE EAST: Uganda has joined other countries such as Indonesia, Ethiopia and Philippines to ban domestic workers from travelling tyo Saudi Arabia over rampant cases of human rights abuses.

Seven Ugandan women stranded in a Saudi hostel have been flown to Kampala, Uganda’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia says.

The moves comes amid a Ugandan ban on the recruitment of maids to work in Saudi Arabia after accusations that workers are been mistreated.

The women were staying in a government-run shelter in Riyadh

because they did not have money to pay for a flight.

The shelter is for people who have run away from their employers and illegal workers caught by immigration services.

A statement from the Ugandan Embassy in Saudi Arabia said that they found 24 women from Uganda at the shelter in the Saudi capital. After visiting the shelter,

Ugandan ambassador Rachid Yahya Ssemuddu said “most of the cases involved human trafficking”.

“Many of the young girls were brought to Saudi Arabia on promises that could not be met by those recruiting them,” he said.

The Philippines, Indonesia and Ethiopia have also banned domestic workers from travelling to Saudi Arabia after reports

of abuse. In efforts to improve working conditions, the Ugandan embassy said it had employed a private company to monitor Ugandan migrant workers.

It was using an internet-based system that would ensure that only licensed Saudi employment agencies recruited Ugandan workers in future.

French minister resigns amid terror row

French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira (pictured) has stepped down from her job, shortly before plans to strip people convicted of terrorism of their citizenship go before parliament.

Ms Taubira was known to disagree with the controversial proposals, The citizenship plans were put forward after the 13 November Paris attacks in which 130 people were murdered. “Sometimes staying on is resisting, sometimes resisting means leaving,” she tweeted.

Ms Taubira, one of France’s few senior black politicians, has been replaced by Jean-Jacques Urvoas who is seen as a supporter of the constitutional change and an ally of Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

Born in French Guiana, Ms Taubira, 63, has suffered racist taunts from the far-right during her time as justice minister.

Her left-wing leanings have put her increasingly at odds with official policy, especially after the November attacks - when the president announced a

much tougher line on terrorism, correspondents report.

A communique from the Elysee Palace said that President Francois Hollande had accepted the justice minister’s decision to resign.

“They agreed on the need to bring her role to an end at a time when debate on constitutional revision begins in the National Assembly, today,” the statement read.

Mr Valls was due to present the reforms before a committee at the National Assembly on Wednesday before they go before MPs next week. He told the BBC last week that France could not live forever under a state of emergency but as long as the threat remained all means had to be used “until we can defeat Daesh (so-called Islamic State). The reforms include the right to declare a state of emergency under the constitution, which would make it easier for the French government to adopt strict powers such as police raids and house arrests.

The government aims to extend the three-month state

of emergency imposed after the November attacks when it expires on 26 February. Last month the justice minister made plain her distaste of the plan to strip citizens with dual nationality of their French citizenship, arguing it “ would not help the fight against terrorism in any way”. She said the plan was being dropped only for it be announced the following

day by the prime minister with her appearing beside him.

Mr Valls described the reform as a “strong symbolic act against those who have excluded themselves from the national community”.

There is a huge debate in France over whether the stripping of citizenship should apply only to dual nationals, our correspondent says.

NEWS 5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

Morning newspaper summaries Waititu asks for CID Judges in crisis over Tunoi; Why they want Foreign investors take report on Judge Tunoi: Tunoi bribe scandal: me out: Supreme Court Judge Philip 40% ownership of Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu has asked Questions have emerged about who will Tunoi yesterday fought bribery claims Nairobi bourse: Foreign for a copy of the CID report of the probe sit in the special committee of the Judicial against him, saying succession wars in into the alleged bribe allegations against a judge of the Supreme Court. Through his lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui, Waititu also wants Tom Ojienda, a member of the Judicial Service Commission and Evans Kidero’s lawyer, barred from sitting in the proceedings convened by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga this morning.

Justice Mutunga convened the meeting to deliberate on the report.

Service Commission (JSC) that will today hear allegations against Mr Justice Philip Tunoi. Four JSC members were directly involved in the election petition in which Dr Kidero allegedly bribed Justice Tunoi.

The Supreme Court judge is accused of receiving Sh200 million to influence the outcome of an election petition against Nairobi Governor who was declared winner after defeating Ferdinand Waititu

the Judiciary were fueling the allegations.

The 72-year-old judge will be the subject of a special sitting of the Judicial Service Commission convened today by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga in Nairobi, the first ever touching on the integrity of a Supreme Court judge. But Justice Tunoi said he was ready to quit the Bench if his accusers provided evidence of bribery.

investors now own a 40.4 percent stake in the Nairobi Securities exchange (NSE) after buying 78.6 million shares from founding stockbrokers who have been taking profits following the bourse’s self –listing in September 2014.

Regulatory filings show that 10 market intermediaries, including Ngenye Kariuki, have traded all or part of their shares in the NSE.

Foreign experts to pick KDF moves to new bases Uhuru, two presidents CBK replaces Imperial cord candidate : Cord will near Kenya border: Kenyan to honour fallen KDF Bank statutory boss: The Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation hire foreign experts to conduct a survey troops in Somalia are setting up new soldiers: President Uhuru (KDIC) has replaced Peter Gatere as among the three co-principals and pick bases, with the aim of strengthening their the most popular as its 2017 presidential race flag-bearer. The Star has learnt that Raila Odinga’s ODM on Monday approved the proposal during a strategy meeting of the National Executive Committee, a top decision-making organ of the party.

Monday’s meeting was chaired by Raila himself at Hotel Lamada along the Thika Superhighway.

presence in that country in the wake of the El-Adde attack by Al-Shabaab. Military spokesman David Obonyo on Tuesday said the move would ensure that Sector 2 (the area assigned to the Kenya Defence Forces by the African Union Mission in Somalia) is secured from the terrorists.

“We are in Somalia under Amisom, which still has a mandate there.”

Kenyatta will today lead his Nigerian and Somali counterparts Muhammadu Buhari and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to honour the fallen soldiers in Eldoret.

Speaking yesterday in Nairobi, State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu said the trio would attend a special interdenominational prayer meeting at the Kenya Defence Forces 9th Kenya Rifles (KR) at Moi Barracks.

the receiver manager of Imperial Bank.

Mohamud Mohamud, the head of risk and resolutions at KDIC, took over from Mr Gatere, who had been recalled from Eldoret to take the position. Mr Gatere, who once served as the assistant director of CBK’s bank supervision department, is back at KDIC but it was not possible to establish his new role.

Jubilee plots Malindi House team fights rule Alarm as doctors Buhari visit signals win: Coast region’s sworn political barring party hoping: MPs shortage worsens: A new revival of stalled trade rivals Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho yesterday moved to strike out a section report by the Kenya Medical Practitioners deals: Kenya and Nigeria are and Kilifi North MP Gideon Mung’aro of the Political Parties Act that prevents Pharmacists and Dentists Union which have taken their supremacy battle to Malindi, ahead of the March 7 by-election.

Joho has camped in Malindi, leading a high-powered delegation of ODM MPs, MCAs and grassroots officials from across the region. They are campaigning for Willy Mtengo, countering Mung’aro, who is believed to wield immense influence in a region he represented for 10 years as mayor and MP.

them from hopping from one party to another or they risk losing their seats.

Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chairman Samuel Chepkonga asked the Registrar of Political Parties, Ms Lucy Ndung’u, to propose its removal, among other recommended changes to the Act. “This provision has been hard to implement, so we suggest it be struck out,” said Mr Chepkonga.

carried out an audit of the number of doctors in public facilities, indicated the number of doctors has dropped to 3,956 serving more than 40 million Kenyans, many of who cannot afford the cost of services in private health facilities.

According to the WHO, Kenya should have at least 83,442 doctors in line with the minimum recommended ratio of 230 doctors per every 100,000 people.

this week expected to revive a raft of investment and military deals that have stalled for eight months since Goodluck Jonathan exited the helm of Africa’s most populous state. President Muhammadu Buhari makes his maiden visit to Kenya on Wednesday during which he is scheduled to attend a memorial service for Kenyan soldiers recently killed in Somalia.

Top stories from X News global partners Danish parliament As Trump and Cruz A secretive surveillance Apple’s iPhone growth approves plan to seize Soar, G.O.P Leaders device confounds era comes to an end: signalled that the iPhone would assets from refugees: Alarm Grows: Republican criminals, but raises Apple see its first ever decline in sales in the European states have reacted in some of leaders are growing alarmed by the In April privacy concerns: March quarter, as a slowing smartphone the most drastic ways yet to the continent’s ferocious ways the party’s mainstream biggest migration crisis since the second world war, with Denmark enacting a law that allows police to seize refugees’ assets.

The vote in the Danish parliament on Tuesday, which followed similar moves in Switzerland and southern Germany, came as central European leaders amplified calls to seal the borders of the Balkans, a move that would risk trapping thousands of asylum seekers in Greece. Under the new Danish law, police will be allowed to search asylum seekers on arrival in the country and confiscate any non-essential but valuable items. www.theguardian.com

candidates for president are attacking one another, and they fear that time is running out for any of them to emerge as a credible alternative to Donald J. Trump or Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.

Leaders of the Republican establishment, made up of elected officials, lobbyists and donors, are also sending a message to the mainstream candidates, such as former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida, that they should withdraw from the race if they do not show strength soon. They are impatient with Trump and Mr. Cruz dominating the field. www.nytimes.com

of 2014, three men were shot when a drug deal turned sour on a tree-lined residential street in Baltimore. The city’s police department quickly linked the crime to Kerron Andrews, a dreadlocked 22-year-old, but could not find him at his registered address. Agents used phone records to determine Mr Andrews’ general location, but instead of going door-to-door until they located him, they opted for something far more efficient: a Hailstorm. The Hailstorm is a more advanced version of the StingRay, that forces all nearby mobile phones to reveal their IMSI numbers. www.economist.com

market and wider economic pressures finally begin to take a toll after almost a decade of expansion. The world’s most valuable company by market capitalisation said sales for its quarter to March would fall to between $50bn$53bn, due to growing volatility in some economies, including China, as well as the currency and financial markets. The forecast range was at the low end of Wall Street’s already radically reduced estimates and implies that iPhone sales could drop significantly although Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook disagreed. www.ft.com

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xnews | WEDNesday, JANUARY 27, 2016 | www.x254.co

BUSINESS

Centum to inject Sh510m into startups for 3 years A foundation run by Centum Investment has committed to invest close to Sh510 million in start-ups in the next three years.

The Centum Foundation has announced plans to invest about Sh15.3 million in each eligible start-up either through a convertible debt or equity.

Budding entrepreneurs will be required to present their business ideas and highlight their competitive advantage, the ability of the team, its potential market size and the potential impact of innovations.

“Entrepreneurship is part of Centum’s DNA, therefore, it only made sense to

use the skills we have gained over time to build great businesses and enable entrepreneurship further,” said the Centum Investment chief executive James Mworia in a statement.

“We also believe that entrepreneurship has a huge impact on society by creating both direct and indirect jobs to thousands of people every year.”

Centum Foundation receives applications for its entrepreneurship programme on a rolling basis but shortlists candidates three times a year — in March, June and September.

Shortlisted entrepreneurs are then mentored by a centum employee who

is tasked with helping the candidates polish up their investment proposals, including presentation skills The budding entrepreneurs will then pitch their ideas to members of Centum Foundation’s investment committee who then proceed to decide whether to capitalise the business or not.

Centum has a portfolio worth Sh46 billion invested across assets in listed firms, private equity and real estate.

The firm’s net profit in the six months to June 2015 stood at Sh1.9 billion compared to Sh1.23 billion a year earlier. wilson_x254

IMF prolongs Sh70 billion credit facility with Kenya “We agreed with the authorities that it was prudent to maintain that insurance during the discussion for the new programme,” he said.

The Central Bank of Kenya lowered volatility in the market last year rising its lending rates by 3 per cent to 11.5 per cent hence increasing foreign reserves yet without turning to the IMF standby loan.

IMF projects Kenya’s economy will grow by 6 per cent this year majorly driven by agriculture, macroeconomic stability and Kenya’s minimal exposure to slowing emerging markets like china.

Kenya has not drawn down on the loans but CBK projects the nation’s current-account deficit will be 8.8 per cent of gross domestic product this year, from about 8.5 per cent in 2015

1 US DOLLAR 1 UK POUND 1 EURO 1 S.A RAND 1 KSH/USH 1 KSH/TSH

MEAN 102.3437 145.6539 111.0450 6.1807 33.9348 21.3986

BUY SELL 102.2444 102.4429 145.4906 145.8172 110.9194 111.1706 6.1736 6.1877 33.8530 33.0165 21.3289 21.4682

Real estate firm Certiorari to unveil new development programme in March Certiorari Kenya, a real estate management firm founded in 2014, has announced that its first project is set to break ground later this year.

While the group did not disclose the details of their development, the realtor has been managing some properties across the country.

The group, which deals in rentals, sales and purchases of property and land as well as management and development, manages a number of properties in locations such as Loresho, Runda, Kitusu, Karen and Kileleshwa.

Certiorari said it will debut its project in the coming months.

“Together with our strategic partners in this industry, we are finally getting into development with our first ever project scheduled to break ground in March this year,” a spokesperson said on behalf of the realtor.

Certiorari was off to a somewhat shaky start, having entered the Kenyan real estate market roughly a year ago.

“We faced a myriad of

challenges last year,” the group admitted in a statement.

However, the company has reaffirmed its commitment to braving the sector.

Certiorari has expressed confidence that 2016 will offer new opportunities for growth and expansion within the sector.

“Our in depth industry knowledge is based on market research and extensive experience in the industry,” the group added.

The realtor’s declaration comes barely a day after leading real estate advisory firm Hass Consult stated that property prices are set to rise.

Hass Consult said in its latest review that property prices in Kenya have increased by 3.6 per cent as rent for all properties fell by 0.1 per cent in the final quarter of 2015.

According to the company’s statement, apartments recorded the highest drop in prices, indicating a 2.3 per cent fall. Certiorari seeks to capitalize on the country’s housing market as it embarks on its latest project. enock_x254

Online market place PigiaMe upgrades web to ensure user security

Centum Investment chief executive officer James Mworia at a past press briefing.

The International Monetary Fund is considering a request to extend Kenya’s Sh 70 billion ($688m) standby credit facility while working out details of a new programme, the institution’s resident representative said.

Kenya secured the year-long insurance type loan in February 2015 to help it deal with any unforeseen shocks that could threaten economic stability.

“We are in dialogue with the government to present a new programme to our board before the end of this quarter. We agreed with the authorities that it was prudent to maintain the insurance during the discussion for the new programme,” said Armando Morales, IMF resident representative in Kenya.

CBK EXCHANGE RATES

and 10.4 per cent in 2014.

Morales expressed his optimism that the government of Kenya has the will and the tools necessary to maintain stability in the economy, strengthening the case for a new standby loan.

“Agriculture has become a more dynamic sector. Weather patterns have been more benign,” Morales said, adding higher growth could be achieved because of infrastructure projects like a new railway being built from the main port to the capital.

National Treasury Henry Rotich has said Kenya was looking to cut spending and would keep engaging international investors to gauge appetite for future issuance. enock_x254

PigiaMe, one of Kenya’s leading online market places has upgraded its website, ensuring that purchases made through the platform are safe and secure.

Following increasing cases of theft, fraudulent activities and mistrust among the local online community, the service provider has taken steps to ensure its users are protected.

PigiaMe has unveiled a number of new features to its site, including improved Search Functionality, which allows users to find what they need and easily add it to their wish-list.

The site has added a Premium Listings feature, which allows sellers to upgrade their standard listing from as little as

Sh400 to promote it above all other listings and reach as many buyers as possible.

The platform has launched a Verified Seller Badge feature that allows users to view which merchants have passed PigiaMe’s background and verification checks.

Finally, the group has also added a system dubbed Google Maps Integration that allows users to find directions to businesses in theirr area using the Google Maps feature.

“It is important to note that selling with PigiaMe is still absolutely free,” the group said as it promoted its new site. You will only be required to pay a small fee if you choose to boost your visibility,” the group added.

Dennis_x254

CBK now defends Eurobond transfers and transactions The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has clarified a number of issues concerning the Eurobond saga. The CBK says it has noted with concern the misconceptions and errors that have appeared in the media with respect to the issuance and settlement of funds from the Kenya Government Eurobond.

In a statement, CBK says there are three main types of foreign currency transactions that the CBK undertakes as banker to the government, upon instruction and verification which include paying an external party using the resources in the government’s foreign currency account, transfer of resources from the government’s foreign currency account to its Kenya Shilling account at the CBK and making available Kenya Shillings in its accounts and request CBK to pay a designated beneficiary the equivalent amount in foreign currency.

To transfer resources from the governments foreign currency account, CBK buys the foreign currency at the prevailing exchange rate and credits the government’s Kenya Shilling account with that amount. The statement has further revealed that at the request of the National Treasury, and anticipating receipt of the Eurobond proceeds, CBK opened a US Dollar account at JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York, titled “GOK/CBK Sovereign Bond Account” No. 603149985.

Despite several reports, CBK has assured the public that the “GOK/CBK Sovereign Bond Account” at JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York, was closed in September 2014, after the final drawdown. The amounts deposited in the Government’s accounts on July 3, 2014 and September 8, 2014 were Sh34, 648,388,180.25 and Sh88, 463,084,420.45, respectively. For all conversions of US dollars into Kenya Shillings, CBK acquired the US dollars at the prevailing exchange rate and deposited the equivalent amount in Kenya Shillings in the Government’s accounts at the CBK. Simultaneously, the US dollars acquired by CBK were deposited in its US dollar account No. 021084571KENYA at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and became part of the CBK’s foreign exchange reserves. The said account is an operational account of the CBK, in keeping with its mandate, and to facilitate

transactions on behalf of the country.

The Central Bank of Kenya has also stated that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is part of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, which serves as the central bank of the United States.

In November 2014, after the closure of the account at JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York, the National Treasury requested CBK to open another foreign currency account to receive the Eurobond Tap Sale proceeds resulting to the opening of an account at Citibank New York, titled “GOK/CBK Sovereign Bond Tap Proceeds” No. 36341018.

The “GOK/CBK Sovereign Bond Tap Proceeds” account at Citibank New York, was however closed in December 2014 after the final drawdown. The amount deposited in the

Government’s account on December 17 was sh 73,805,196,715.30.

As banker to the Government, CBK has provided all evidence requested by the investigating agencies on the receipts and disbursements of these funds. It is also important to note that the issuance and settlement of the Eurobond occurred between June and December 2014, long before Mr. Mohammed Nyaoga was appointed Chairman of the CBK Board. He had no access to or participation in the Eurobond matter. Further, the allegations that CBK officials were involved in any misappropriation of these funds has no basis and is erroneous.

Kevin_x254

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

BIZ BRIEFS 31 million Kenyans can now access the Internet: Report

More than 31 million Kenyans can now access the internet either through their mobile phones, personal computers, cyber cafes, smart devices and Wi-Fi connections, new research has revealed.

According to population estimates based mainly on figures from the US Census Bureau and data from the Communications Authority of Kenya, more than 70 per cent of Kenyans could access the internet in early 2015. That number appears to have jumped, based on recent statistics. The number of internet users in the country jumped by 11.4 percentage points to hit 29.15 million in 2015 but recent numbers show that the number has risen to 31 million in 2016. This is due, in part, to a steady growth of mobile data subscriptions. Kenya’s population currently stands at over 45 million people and internet subscribers are expected to increase in the coming months.

Country lauded for success of PrivatePublic Partnerships

Despite several reports, CBK has assured that the “GOK/CBK Sovereign Bond Account” at JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York, was closed in September 2014.

Oil prices set to fall 27 pc amid exportation plans The World Bank is lowering its 2016 forecast for crude oil prices to $37 (Sh3, 786) per barrel in its latest Commodity Markets Outlook report from $51 (Sh5, 219) per barrel in its October projections.

The lender’s announcement comes just as Kenya is making plans to export its oil in spite of the fuel market’s global downturn.

Following a troubled deal for a joint KenyaUganda pipeline in 2015, Kenya pledged that it would execute the plan alone if necessary.

Later, a January 5th 2016 announcement by U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Robert Godec stated that Washington would assist in raising the $18 billion (Sh1.8 trillion) to build the pipeline from the oil fields to the coast in Lamu.

Kenya’s ambitious plans have faced both praise and criticism from various factions in the economic community.

Meanwhile, the World Bank’s lower forecast reflects a number of supply and demand factors, including sooner-than-anticipated

BUSINESS 7

resumption of exports by the Islamic Republic of Iran, greater resilience in US production due to cost cuts and efficiency gains, a mild winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and weak growth prospects in major emerging market economies, according to the World Bank’s latest quarterly report.

The bank has confirmed that world oil prices fell by 47 per cent in 2015 and are expected to decline, on an annual average, by another 27 per cent in 2016. However, from their current lows, a gradual recovery in oil prices is expected over the course of the year, for several reasons. The lender announced just hours ago that the sharp oil price drop in early 2016 does not appear fully warranted by fundamental drivers of oil demand and supply, and is likely to partly reverse. Second, high-cost oil producers are expected to sustain persistent losses and increasingly make production cuts that are likely to outweigh any additional capacity coming to the market. Third, demand is expected to

strengthen somewhat with a modest pickup in global growth.

The anticipated oil price recovery is forecast to be smaller than the rebounds that followed sharp drops in 2008, 1998, and 1986. The price outlook remains subject to considerable downside risks.

“Low prices for oil and commodities are likely to be with us for some time,” said John Baffes, Senior Economist and lead author of the Commodities Markets Outlook.

“While we see some prospect for commodity prices to rise slightly over the next two years, significant downside risks remain,” he added.

Beyond oil markets, all main commodity price indices are expected to fall in 2016 due to persistently large supplies, and in the case of industrial commodities, slowing demand in emerging market economies. In all, prices for 37 of the 46 commodities the World Bank monitors were revised lower for the year.

Dennis_x254

Kenya has received praise for its development projects that have been fronted through Private-Public Partnership (PPP) agreements in recent years.

The World Bank, together with industry stakeholders, has lauded Kenya for making significant progress in the PPP landscape over the past few years.

According to a recent report by the lender, guidelines were passed in 2009, marking the first set of regulations governing concession projects. Previously, projects were awarded based on general law, and subsequently through the law governing public procurement. The 2009 Guidelines were followed by the PPP Act in 2013, which governs private investment in public projects, irrespective of the government agency contracting out the service or asset.

Jubilee Holdings Limited Group appoints new CEO Jubilee Holdings Limited Group has appointed Dietmar Raich as its new chief executive to oversee operations in five African countries.

Raich’s January appointment follows Jubilee Holdings’16 per cent rise in pretax profit for the first six months of 2015, boosted by increases in life and medical insurance premiums.

Jubilee said its pretax profit for the period to June 30 rose to Sh1.78 billion ($17 million) from Sh1.54 billion a year earlier. Insurance is seen as a growth area in Kenya, where only about 8 percent of the population has any form of coverage.

Mr Raich’s appointment comes after Jubilee also posted a rise of 8 per cent for its gross written premiums in the first-half of 2015 to Sh16.4 billion.

Raich served as the company’s regional CEO for the Life Business.

af

8

BUSINESS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

MTN urged to drop legal action to ease settlement

South African cellphone operator MTN has been urged by the Nigerian Communications Commission to drop its legal action over a $3.9 billion fine imposed in Nigeria to help facilitate talks on a possible settlement. This was revealed by the Nigerian telecommunications minister in an address to the press yesterday.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) slapped a $5.2 billion fine on MTN in October for failing to disconnect users with unregistered SIM cards but after weeks of negotiations reduced it by 25 percent. MTN, which makes about 37 per cent of its revenue from Nigeria, then filed a suit in the West African country questioning NCC’s legal grounds for imposing the penalty.

«I›m not aware of any out-of-thecourt settlement,» telecoms minister Adebayo Shittu told reporters.

Shittu said President Muhammadu Buhari will have the final decision on the matter, adding that MTN might be advised to withdraw the court case filed against the fine. “If they withdraw it creates a better environment, an environment where there is no stress or pressure on either side,” he said.

A judge in Lagos, Nigeria›s commercial capital, last week gave the company until March 18 to try to reach a settlement with the Nigerian authorities over the fine.

The prospect of a lower fine boosted MTN shares.

Kenyan Tourism industry on road to recovery, says Balala The tourism sector is on the fast track to recovery having started the year on a positive note, a recent report has revealed. The industry had in the recent past suffered heavy losses due to terrorism attacks perpetrated by the al Shabaab militia. Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has assured of positive changes to be seen soon with his focus being on security, product development and marketing.

After Najib Balala’s appointment to head the now stand alone ministry,

he promised that 2016 will be the year of recovery. However, external shocks continue to prevail with insecurity still a challenge to the country, as al Shaabab continues to attack, but this doesn’t scare the investors in the sector. He had said just weeks ago that Kenya’s tourism sector will take another two years to recover after the government beefed up security and boosted funding for the sector, a key source of hard currency revenues.

Foreign tourist’s numbers and

earnings have plunged in the last four years as al Shabaab militants from neighbouring Somalia launched a series of attacks on Kenyan soil in retaliation for Kenya’s military intervention in Somalia. That has hit the shilling currency, which fell 11 percent against the dollar last year after a 4.5 percent decline in 2014, and dragged on growth in the Kenyan economy, East Africa’s largest. Balala who took over the Tourism ministry last month, said the fact that there had been no serious attack in the last

eight months showed security had improved as a result of investments in equipment, vehicles and security personnel. Smaller attacks have however continued, mainly near the border with Somalia and the latest being at a military camp in Somalia.

“We are going to work hard to not only create jobs and improve our GDP, but also to stabilize our currency by getting the numbers in, by getting the foreign currency in,” CS Balala told reporters earlier this month.

Kevin_x254

‘Climate change plans make things bad if poorly done’ Poor and rural communities are not receiving the compensation they are entitled to from schemes designed to conserve tropical forests, according to a new study. People who depend on being able to harvest forest resources should receive payment under the schemes. But researchers say there is a gap between safeguards designed to help affected communities and who actually receives the compensation.

The findings have been published online in Global Environment Change and come at a time when developing nations like Kenya are grappling with the detrimental effects of climate change.

“About 11 per cent of global emissions come from deforestation and degradation of tropical forests so the idea is that if you can slow this down then that can offset emissions and that is good for climate mitigation,” said Professor Julia Jones from Bangor University, Wales. Over the past decade, schemes called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (Redd/Redd+) have been developed as part of effort to mitigate climate change, the BBC reports.

Foreign tourist numbers and earnings have plunged in the last four years as al Shabaab militants from neighbouring Somalia launched a series of attacks on Kenyan soil

Apple warns iPhone sales set to fall for first time US tech giant Apple has reported the slowest growth in iPhone sales since the product’s 2007 launch and warned that sales will fall for the first time later this year.

The firm’s chief financial officer Luca Maestri said the company was operating in “a very difficult macroeconomic environment”.

He said iPhone units will decline in the quarter and that the company was not projecting beyond those three months.

Mr Maestri partly blamed the strong US dollar for Apple’s flat

sales, estimating it had knocked $5bn off the company’s revenues.

The firm sold 74.8 million iPhones in its fiscal first quarter compared with 74.5 million a year earlier.

Apple said revenue for the next quarter would be between $50bn and $53bn, below the $58bn it reported for the same period a year ago.

This would mark Apple’s first fall in revenues since it launched the iPhone in 2007.

Despite first-quarter iPhone sales being below the 75 million

expected by analysts, it was still a record quarter for the company.

Apple revenue in the three months to 26 December was $75.9bn and net profit was $18.4bn, both of which the highest are ever recorded by the company.

Sales of iPhones accounted for 68 per cent of the company’s revenue in the period.

Apple boss Tim Cook credited “all-time record sales of iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV” for the performance.

According to BBC analysis, the

pressure is now mounting on Apple to deliver another blockbuster product to keep the profit engine running.

Apple’s shares were down 2.7 per cent in afterhours trading at $97.28.

Daniel Ives, an analyst at Capital Markets who owns shares in Apple, said given the white knuckles fears ahead of the results, he would “characterise the overall headline performance as better than feared”.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

ACCESS

11

Team mafisi urged all iTs members To Take hearT and prepare for The Task ahead

@duncan_x254

top story

FASHION SCOOP

ERITREAN VISA ANYONE?

TEAM MAFISI ON THE MOVE!

T

eam Mafisi shook twitter almost bringing it down to its knees when word went round that there is a shortage of men in Eritrea.

According to unconfirmed reports, Eritrea passed a mandatory law to have all men marry a minimum of two wives failure to which a life sentence is to be imposed on dodgers.

As a follow up of the same, all married women are not in any way supposed to reject the choice of a second wife and any attempts to discourage a man not to marry another wife is also subject to life in prison.

When this news hit the Kenyan twettaratti Team Mafisi and Mafisi Sacco swung into action creating a frenzied buzz.

The buzz was to rescue the dire situation in Eritrea. A shortage of men apparently brought about as a result of the Ethiopian-Eritrean war.

Team Mafisi urged all its members to take heart and prepare for the task ahead.

In one of the tweets which came in form of breaking news noted “Breaking News!!!!!? Message reaching us from Team Mafisi Head Office in Nairobi, Kenya. The active members are to be

deployed to Eritrea.

Further, Mafisi was courteous enough to inform its member that an Asmara branch office had been opened in order to deal with the crisis.

The bunter online was wild. Check this out; @Odelia_Garner the God of Eritrea is alive. Men are being forced to marry at least two wives.

Others expressed the desperation they undergo while trying to court ladies in Kenya saying @TeamMafisii Yaani venye warembo huturingia hii Nairobi na Eritrea kuna shortage ya wasee. (We are always struggling to overcome pride form Kenyan ladies yet there is shortage of men in Eritrea) Others enquired from Kenya Airways whether there are direct flights to Eritrea with some calling on the Eritrean Embassy to open numerous consulates to ease visa processing.

Team Mafisi, in order to fulfil its mandate also called on government aid by having free flights to Eritrea@ TeamMafisii tunaomba serikali itupee 10 @KenyaAirways planes, we go rescue those #Eritrea beauties!

Granted, Kenya also did allow for polygamous marriage under The Marriage Act of 2014 Which gives team Mafisi some bragging rights, except of course they ae not Eritrean to rescue the damsels!

10

ACCESS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

If you crave meat, go Instead for lean proteIn – chIcken , pork, whIte-meat turkey and fresh fIsh

HEALTH &FITNESS

Foods You should Never eat iN 2016

WORKOUT

As the New Year gets underway, here are three (of many) foods we should reject as we aim to reach for more green leafy veggies, quinoa, muesli, organic fruits, lean proteins and other healthier choices: Cheese Fries They’re tasty, but cheese fries are “loaded with artery clogging fat. A much better choice of starch – and the best starches are rich in fiber, B vitamins, calcium, potassium and phosphorus – would be bread or pasta that’s made with whole

grains such as wheat, barley, rye and oats.

Hot Dogs Most dogs, the kind we love at ballparks and barbecues, are loaded with nitrites and nitrates, compounds that extend their shelf life and buff up their color. Nitrites and nitrates can form nitrosamines once we digest them – and those substances have been linked to cancer in test animals. If you crave meat, go instead for lean protein – chicken (without the skin), pork, whitemeat turkey and fresh fish.

Microwave Popcorn Chemicals abound in this

food (which shouldn’t even be called a food). Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) lines the popcorn bag and is part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a UCLA study. In animal testing, the chemicals caused liver, testicular and pancreatic cancer – and once the popcorn is microwaved, the chemicals can get into the popcorn. If you can’t live without this snack, pop natural kernels in a skillet – and skip the butter.

HOME IMPROVEMENT It’s much less tempting to leave

junk on the counter when it’s so empty in the first place.

is cycling better for weight loss?

A

erobic exercise can help you lose significant weight, according to a University of Kansas study published in the journal “Obesity” in March 2013. In the study, participants burned 400 to 600 calories per session, five days per week for 10 months. Walking and cycling are two low-impact ways to burn calories and help you win in the battle of the bulge. Cycling isn’t necessarily better than walking when your goal is weight loss.

Calorie Burn

Cycling does have an advantage over walking in terms of calorie burn. You need to burn calories to help you create a calorie deficit to lose weight. In one hour of leisurely cycling, at a pace slower than 10 mph, a 155-pound person burns 281 calories. Walking at a pace of 3.0 mph burns 232 calories in an hour. As your speeds in cycling and walking increase, so does your calorie burn. Walking at 4.0 mph burns 352 calories an hour. Bring it up to a race-walking speed of 5.0 mph and burn 563 calories in an hour. Cycle at 12 mph and you’ll burn 563 calories; hit a racing speed of 16 to 19 mph and burn 844 calories in an hour. Although cycling has the potential for a greater calorie burn, if you never feel confident enough on your bike to go faster than 10 mph, you may be better off race-walking to burn more calories to lose weight.

GETTING YOUR

BathrooM ORGANIZED Here are our top tips for getting your own bathroom organized:

1

Buckets are your friend.

Use containers to keep things wrangled. Keep a few new buckets underneath the sink and voila everything has a home. It’s super neat and very easy to find everything I need.

Get rid of things you no longer use. It’s hard to fight the temptation to keep everything in case you’ll use it one day. But if it’s expired or you haven’t used it in 6 months, it’s probably time to say goodbye. Toss all open and expired products. If you have unopened beauty products, consider donating them.

2

spaces?

3

Nothing on the counter. Well, keep hand soap on the counter, but that’s it.

It’s much less tempting to leave junk on the counter when it’s so empty in the first place.

Keep a container of cleaning wipes under the counter so you can tidy up in a jiffy! Just one wipe will take care of the counter, sinks, and the toilet seat!

Replace with healthier options as you run out. The world is moving toward organic and all natural products.

They have really fresh flavors and their packaging and branding is just fantastic, so that helps too!

4 5

love Cut out t shirt We are guessing we have all seen these cut-out heart-back shirts during online shopping trip. Here is how to do it: What you need: a T-shirt (get one that’s not tight, otherwise your heart might look distorted when you’re wearing your shirt), newspaper, chalk, fabric glue , a plain piece of paper, scissors and these sequins that are stitched together (it looks like ribbon but it’s very narrow and easy to work with).

Now take your plain piece of paper and fold it in half hamburger style. Then take your

scissors and cut out a huge heart. Make it as big as you can, remember you can always make it smaller if you need to. Lay your shirt completely flat; be sure to smooth out any wrinkles. Then lay your heart on top of your shirt.

Now take your chalk and trace around the heart lying on your shirt.

Finally, put your newspaper between the two layers of your shirt. Then take your fabric glue and squirt a line of glue around the heart. Next lay the sequin ribbon on the

glue.

Next, take your scissors and cut out your heart.

Be really careful; make sure you don’t cut through both sides of your shirt. Wait at least four hours before you wear it, and wait at least 48 hours before you wash your shirt. Don’t forget to have fun with your new shirt!

11

ACCESS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY OCTOBER 27, 28, 2016 2015

FASHIONScoop

@PFW DIOR SHOW ARRIVAlS

Anna Russo: Sporty in stripes.

Helena Bordon: Orange is the new Black.

Sophie Valkiers: Layering things up.

Sai Benett: Owning street style.

Olivia Parlemo: Fashion Princess.

Noomi Rapace: Her pose saved the day.

MAKE WAY E

fOR DIOR…

ach city in the world is associated with a unique aspect, Paris being the most conspicuous due to its deep rooted fashion culture. Although it does not take a Fashion Week event to spot impressive outfit ensembles on the street, the ongoing Paris Fashion Week has rejuvenated the creative minds of designers and celebrities alike, such as those who attended the Dior Show in style and pomp. @mercy_x254

HOT

A

fter Bahati quit the showbiz industry, his fans must have felt orphaned resulting in calls to have him back. Bahati who has been involved in a prolonged beef with Willy Paul has however, been told to man up and come back into the industry.

The latest being Grandpa R e c o r d CEO Refigah who drafted a long open letter telling Bahati that he should not cow and hide from reality.

Refigah told Bahati that life is not a bed of roses, he has to put up with. .the thorns too.

Bahati told off

TOPICS

American hip hop star for Blankets

A

merican hip hop artiste Aloe Blacc is set to headline Blankets and Wine. Aloe Blacc aka Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins known for his hit songs The Man and I Need a DollarHop is set to stage his performance of the 10th of April during this year’s first Blankets and Wine event. aloe Blacc

Robert Alai to storm CID HQ

C

ontroversial blogger Robert Alai has marshalled up bloggers to storm the CID headquarters today. Alai is seeking justice and freedom for bloggers given that there have been numerous arrests of bloggers by the government. Alai’s troupes were called upon yesterday in a tweet “If you are bloggers who is ready to fight for your #NetFreedoms see you tomorrow (today) at the CID headquarters. alai

12 CLASSIFIED claSSIFIEd WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016 TUESday, JaNUaRy 26, 2016

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WEATHERFORECAST WEATHERFORECAST

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan19 Perhaps a check you’ve been expecting hasn’t arrivedby onatime, or maybe theintuition. bank has made a Your basic understanding of others is also enhanced keener sense of You might computer interested error regarding account.

It’s nothing that can’t metaphysical, be straightenedsocial, out, though it’s going become in a your cause of some kind, perhaps ecological, or to be a pain making all of thosecould phone calls.

Basically, should be going very wellright for you. humanitarian in nature.

There well be more than all one that you find appealing now.

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 setback with practical regard toturn yourofcareer have youbyfeeling a bitmay disoriented right now, A temporary focused and enhanced mind, might strengthened intuition, be of great help to Aquarius. equipmentcareer of some kind might be involved.

Your efficiency, you today Modern when considering matters, Aquarius.

A change is inown the determination, wind and you might want and practical abilitiesthought should have it taken care ofthat in no time. to give considerable to different options may be opening up to you.

TUESday WEDNESday 26/1/2016 27/1/2016

SUNNy sunny

MoRE MoreSUN sunTHaN thancloUdS clouds

25

26 25

26ºc 26ºC 48% 51%

WEdNESday THURsday 27/1/2016 28/1/2016

6:40 6:40aM am 6:50pM 6:51pm

25ºc 25ºC 56% 53%

6:40aM 6:40 am 6:51pM 6:51 pm

THURSday FRIday

22 24

Fill in blanks withwith the the Fillthe in the blanks numbers 1-9.1-9. every row,row, column numbers every andcolumn 3x3 boxand must contain all 3x3 box must ninecontain digits with no repeated all nine digits with no number. repeated number.

Yesterday’s Solution Yesterday’s Solution

PISCES Feb 19 - Mar 20 Be prepared! with much which time you work might suddenly go out of likely order you’ll and it want couldto take You probably Some won’t equipment want to spend at home today, Pisces.

Most be a while get it perhaps fixed. A temporary separation perhaps from a romantic partner could alsostreet be disappointing. out and to about, at a large gathering, just strolling down a city watching the You may a lot of physical energyEnjoy for which people gohave by. Write your ideas down! youryou day.have little immediate outlet. Take a long walk.

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 19 Dreams or meditation may have brought upIntellect some spiritual insights revelations forand you,explosive and you Your imagination is flying high today, Aries. and intuition joinand together in a vivid may have promptly forgotten them upon coming outsum of your dream or Don’t meditative This could union where the whole is definitely greater than the of the parts. wastestate. this energy.

Get proveand verywork frustrating for you!

Try writing themyou’re down involved even if you only busy on whatever creative projects with, or remember start one if snatches. there aren’t any.

TAURUS Apr TAURUS Apr 20 20 -- May May 20 20 It hasn’t, Taurus; it’scould just delayed.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much youmight can do but wait.

Equipment Thoughts of travel be on your mind today, Taurus, and you tinker with the idea of you use on the job could go out of whack today,that necessitating calling in a repairman. could set actually taking time off and going somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit. AThis friend or love your work back some and make you a bit antsy.

Try to find something else to do! partner might want to accompany you. This could involve a rather difficult decision.

GEMINI May GEMINI May 21 21 -- Jun Jun 21 21 Today unusual you’re likely to bemay feeling especially passionate, sexy, and desirous of a romantic encounter, Some dreams come to you tonight, Gemini, and you might awaken with the idea that Gemini.very You important. might evenThe have a hotshould date scheduled.

However, don’tand be you surprised if itwon’t has tohave be they’re images be very clear, however, probably postponed forworking reasonsout beyond much trouble what the theycontrol mean.of either you or your partner.

CANCER Jun CANCER Jun 22 22 -- Jul Jul 21 21 She could some join othertogether news that come as partnership, a shock to you.

A crisis you on the might make Mind and have emotions incould a beneficial enabling tojob increase your it necessary for you or partner to spend most involvements of the time today away from and family. understanding of thoseyour close to you.

Romantic strengthen in home particular, as an This could be frustrating, particularly if you have to cancel your plans.

Hang in there! understanding of your partner’s values, attitudes, and motivations becomes clearer to you.

LEO Jul LEO Jul 2323- Aug Aug 22 22 Overwork nerve feeling a littleorbitfamily undermembers the weather and it you might Work of alland kinds getsstrain donecould a lot have faster,you Leo, as friends jointoday, in assisting in be a good idea for toThe takeold some time “You alonecan to rest. you can’t that, at least to take things getting it out of theyou way. saying, catchIf more fliesdo with honey thantrywith vinegar” is easy.

Some unexpected changes in your community might have your neighbors’ tongues wagging. very true, and you’ll learn all about it today! After the tasks are complete, throw an impromptu party!

VIRGO Aug VIRGO Aug 23-Sep 23-Sep 21 21 A creative project some require a larger expenditure of money, time,front or other resources than You feel more at of ease in kind eachmay other’s presence, and you project a united in the company of you originally thought, this could you wondering if you’llwith be able to continue withyou’ll it. It might take others.

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LIBRA Sep LIBRA Sep 23 23 -- Oct Oct 22 22 You might of have visitors, Libra, orto even hot date scheduled for tonight, but by mid-afternoon you A number visitors might come yourahouse today, Libra, perhaps to discuss matters of interest might beyou. feeling tired toenhanced go through it andenables wondering youunderstand should cancel. coffee and to all of Antoo intellect bywith intuition youif to and Have explain complex snacksand at home going out, and get the snacks from thethey store! ideas, you’ll instead also be of able to derail misunderstandings before even happen.

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Perhaps fundraising activities have been more than you continue thought, advantage you don’t usually have.

If you concentrate on learning it allsuccessful today, it’ll probably or perhaps recognition is coming your way.

Contracts or other legal papers might be involved. to be useful for you for a long time. Go to it!

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13

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

CROSSWORD Across 1. Places to pitch tents 6. “Desperately Seeking Susan” star Arquette 13. Oahu greeting 14. Makes an equine sound 15. Passive protest 16. Wits 17. “The ___ Dead” (1983 film) 18. Destiny 19. Cyclones’ sch.

20. Removed leaves from a tree 22. Rock genre 23. Took in cognac 24. Lover’s end 25. Free 26. Spurs 27. Van Winkle, famously 28. Where watches are worn 29. Annoy 30. Sailor’s maps 31. Onetime anesthetic 32. Eclipse phenomenon 33. Again 34. Items in a vacationer’s packing list 38. We, in Germany

39. More salacious 40. Dies ____ (liturgical poem) 41. Gas and electric services 43. Open 44. Signals for Revere 45. Symphonically slow 46. Seedy motel 47. Constellation also known as the Hunter Down 1. Examined, as before a robbery 2. Having a pulse 3. Recurring melody 4. Wise guy?

5. Japanese title of respect 6. Wrote some verse, maybe 7. Made unctuous 8. Peevish humor 9. Director Lee 10. Deniers of morality 11. Retailer’s revenue 12. Takes for granted 14. Three sheets to the wind 16. Nursery need 18. Breakfast fish, in the UK 21. Less firm 22. Author who gets no credit

24. Christie’s Hercule 25. Great Russian queen 26. Professor, usually 27. Unnecessary 28. Pod members 29. Anglo-Saxon epic 30. Scolds 32. Field work 34. Colorful aquarium dweller 35. Certain Middle Easterner 36. Kept an ___ the ground 37. Determined to achieve 39. Dear in Dresden 42. Like zeppelins (abbr.)

43. ____-mo

Yesterday’s answers

YOURSAY Bribery claims against Tunoi dents Judiciary image The corruption allegations leveled against Justice Phillip Tunoi are disturbing being a senior judge who sits at the highest court in the land.

Tunoi is alleged to have received close to Sh200 million as a bribe from Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero to influence the election petition against him by his challenger Ferdinand Waititu.

This allegations have jolted the Judiciary and raised eyebrows among Kenyans who are staring at the glowing list of corrupt civil servants.

Whether the allegations

are true or unfounded, the image of the judiciary has already been dented a fact that raises fundamental questions of the credibility of our justice system.

Firstly, we need to note that Justice Tunoi does not sit independently in the court.

In the said case where he was allegedly bribed, Tunoi sat in the same bench with other four senior judges including Justice Njoki Ndung’u, Smokin Wanjala, Mohamed Ibrahim and Jackon Ojwang.

It is nearly impossible that Justice Tunoi singlehandedly influenced the case sharing the bribe with all or

some of his colleagues.

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga in the recent past had publicly admitted that corruption was evidently rampant in the Judiciary and called for a life style audit of judges and magistrates.

Could it be that he was aware of such cases that has hit his lieutenant Tunoi?

Kenyans can only remain hopeful that the truth will be unmasked, noting that we are heading to a crucial year that will have election petitions. We need a clean Judiciary to expedite the true course of justice.

— Nderitu, Kikuyu

Ministry should review its regulatory bodies Education ministry led

by Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i should review all sticky matters that pertains to the regulations of the education sector.

This should include the roles played by authorities regulating various spectra in the sector such as Commission for University Education (CUE), Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (Kuccps), curriculum developers, university councils and school management boards.

Cases of university closure

and students unrest will be sunk into books of history as the platform will have addressed many challenges especially those revolving around quality assurance.

For instance, CUE should be made to understand that blanket statements and threats do not resolve issues revolving around quality assurance.

By now the commission should have been aware of problems that come with the rapid expansion of tertiary education and provided answers about why universities are authorised

to open campuses when it is clear that they are illequipped to provide students with requisite services and instruction.

University councils should explain why they credit courses and academic programmes that are not in line with university statutes and CUE guidelines only to be revoked in the long run.

In such a review all issues of quality will be addressed so that students do not pay the price for ill-thought out actions by authorities.

— Nderitu, Donholm

Wa Iria should face law for obstructing probe It is unlawful and a criminal for anyone to obstruct officers drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) or the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) while executing their constitutional mandate to conduct investigations.

As happened in the Murang’a during the raid of Governor Mwangi wa Iria home by EACC officers, rowdy supporters of the governor stormed his home and confronted the investigating officers, momentarily disrupting the exercise.

It is ironical that the same residents accusing the county government of corrupt practices were up in arms and placards chanting anti-

EACC slogans to protect their ‘man’ when they responded to their pleas.

The governor should be made to bear the consequences of obstructing justice or using unorthodox means to intimidate or harass police officers and those from the EACC while in their line of duty.

As a leader, Wa Iria must respect Chapter Six of the 2010 Constitution and should have restrained his supporters from interfering with the investigations especially now that he believes he is innocent.

In my view, the governor disrespected the rule of law and therefore serious action should be taken against him.

— Kamotho, Kayole

Jubilee faces Kanu headache in Kericho polls As the Kericho Senate seat by-election nears, Jubilee Alliance must prepare for a bruising battle pitting their candidate Aaaron Cheruiyot and Kanu’s Paul Sang. The just concluded JAP nominations do not indicate victory for Jubilee in the Rift Valley region but a tight race for the senatorial seat. The county has about 290,458 and the

recently concluded JAP nomination attracted about 60,000 voters.

Kanu recently launched their campaign led by Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, Kanu secretary general Nick Salat and has the backing of Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion. Sang who is former Bureti MP will face off with

novice Aaron Cheruiyot, who won the JAP ticket.

The ruling Alliance will be heading for the campaign against numerous scandals and must work extra hard to repair their dented image. They will also face experienced and moneyed politicians led by Governor Ruto and Moi. — Hillary, South B

State’s crackdown on bloggers unconstitutional The Constitution gives all citizens the freedom of expression in either way to search for, access and convey information.

Furthermore, bloggers play a major role in our country by exposing the rot especially in government and therefore any threat directed at them is seen as suppression of the people’s voices.

In the recent past, Kenyan bloggers have been harassed, arrested and charged just because they express the truth which has been a key role

in fighting graft. The call by the government requesting most of bloggers to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigation over various allegations is against the Constitution as it flouts freedom of expression.

I fully support the Bloggers Association of Kenya to condemn the ‘criminalisation of civil matters’. The government should instead come up with measures to govern bloggers rather than mere harassments.

— Legal hustler, Nairobi.

Send your letters to news@254.co| Letters will be edited for summary and clarity

14

SPORT WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

SPORTS BRIEFS Adebayor signs for Palace in season deal Emmanuel Adebayor has joined Crystal Palace on a free transfer until the end of the season. Adebayor, 31, was available after being released by Tottenham in September and has scored 94 Premier League goals for Spurs, Arsenal and Manchester City. Two weeks ago, Palace boss Alan Pardew confirmed his intrest in signing the Togo international. Adebayor’s last appearance in the premier league came way back on May 3, 2015, playing six minutes in Spurs’ 1-0 defeat by Man City.

Palace are the third-joint lowest scorers in the league with 24 goals in 23 games this season, and lie 11th in the table. Strikers Fraizer Campbell, Dwight Gayle, Connor Wickham and Marouane Chamakh have managed just one league goal between them so far. The Eagles have failed to win their past six games, losing their last four in a row, and Adebayor is the club’s first signing of the transfer window.

Kenya duo to feature RAK half marathon

Course record holder Lagat to grace Sevilla marathon Zurich Marato de Sevilla marathon course record holder Cosmas Lagat will return to Spain for the 2016 IAAF Bronze Label Road Race in February.

Lagat shuttered the course record on his marathon debut in 2014, setting the new time at 2:08:33 before opting for a relatively low profile since winning in Seville.

But if anyone is able to produce a shock performance at this year’s race, it will be him though he joins the race not as one of the fastest runners this year.

That accolade belongs to E t h i o p i a’s B e r h a n u Shiferaw, who boasts of 2:04:48 he picked in Dubai in 2013 where he

came second.

Moroccan veterans Adil Annai and Hassane Ahouchar, 2:07:43 and 2:08:47performers respectively, are also in the field, along with Zimbabwean recordholder Cuthbert Nyasango.

There will also be a handful of marathon debutants in the race, including 2009 world junior cross-country bronze medallist Moses Kibet and fellow Ugandan Simon Ayeko.

The race will double up as the Spanish Championships and Olympic trials race, bringing on board many domestic athletes looking to prove their form ahead of Rio 2016 Olympic according t o IAAF website.

Jesus Espana, the 2006

European 5000m champion, will be making his marathon debut, as will two-time European crosscountry champion Alemayehu Bezabeh. They will be up against experienced marathon runners such as Rafael Dominguez and Jose Hernandez.

While Kenya has produced 12 of the past 17 men’s winners in Seville, only one Kenyan has

triumphed in the women’s race.

Miriam Wangari will be looking to add to that tally next month.

The 36-year-old is the only athlete in the field with a Personal Best (PB) faster than 2:30, having set a best of 2:27:53 at last year’s Xiamen Marathon.

Spain-based Ethiopian Marta Tigabea will feel at home racing in Seville. She has only contested two marathons to date, her best of 2:31:54 coming on her debut in Porto in 2014.

Compatriot Zerife Boku, a past winner of the Karlsruhe and La Rochelle marathons, is also in the field along with Olympians Marily Dos Santos of Brazil and Maria McCambridge of Ireland.

@elvince_x254

Former world marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang and Priscah Jeptoo will headline 2016 Ras Al Khaimah- RAK Half Marathon on February 12. Kipsang will fight it out with two fastest 10km runners in history, Leonard Komon and Micah Kogo and current World (half) record-holder Zersenay Tadese from Eritrea. Tedese is the most decorated half-marathon runner in history with five world titles over the distance. Although his world record of 58:23 was set six years ago, his 59:24 in Delhi last November showed he still ranks among the best in the world. Other male Kenyan runners are Bernard Koech, the third-fastest athlete of all time, although his PB of 58:41 was achieved on a slightly downhill course in San Diego and New York Marathon (2013) and Stanley Biwott who boasts of seven major wins over the half marathon including a PB of 58:56. Jeptoo finished second in 1:06:11 in this race, her fastest time on a record-eligible course, and returned in 2014 to win in 1:07:02.

Investigation into tennis match-fixing underway

Tennis officials will carry out an independent review into their anticorruption practices after widespread claims of match-fixing. The announcement at the Australian Open follows a BBC and BuzzFeed News investigation, which revealed suspected illegal betting in tennis over the past decade. Files showed that over the past 10 years, 16 players who have ranked in the top 50 have been repeatedly flagged to the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) over suspicions they have thrown matches. All of the players, including winners of Grand Slam titles, were allowed to continue competing. The review is “aimed at further safeguarding the integrity of the game,” said a joint statement from the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation (ITF) and heads of all four Grand Slams. They also called for all governments worldwide to make fixing a criminal offence. Wimbledon chairman and head of tennis’ integrity board Phillip Brook said: “It is vital we repair the damage and do so quickly.

EYE ON SECOND WIN: Record holder Cosmas Lagat will return to Sevilla, Spain to compete in a course race marathon race which he won in 2014.

Tusker lure two more players from Ingwe AFC Leopards forward Mike Khamati and midfielder Timonah Wanyonyi added to the list of the many player leaving Ingwe to Tusker.

Martin Kiiza also ditched AFC for the Brewers, who have taken advantage of the financial crisis at the Dens to lure their players.

Ingwer former skipper Jackson Saleh is reportedly heading to Champions Gor Mahia.

The two penned a combined three years contract with Tusker, who will begin the 2016 season campaign away to Thika United on February 13.

Wanyonyi has been handed a oneyear contract while Khamati will stay at Ruaraka for two seasons.

Tusker has also lured former Sofapaka midfielder and 2014 KPL Player of the Year Anthony Ndolo among other acquisitions

ahead of the new season.

Other new faces Shafik Batambuze (Western Stima), Collins Shivachi (Sofapaka), Jackson Macharia (Thika United), David Okello (Sofapaka), Fred Nkata (KIIRA Young, Uganda), Luis Khamadi (FC Iberia, Georgia) Ingwe are reportedly in talks with a betting company for a possible deal that is expected to convince the few players left

to stay at the club. Ingwe will begin the search for their first title since 1998 against Mathare United on February 14 t Nyayo National Stadium.

Gor mahia will kick off the title defence against Chemelil Sugar while new comers KK Homeboyz will host Western Stima at Bukungu Stadium, Kakamega. @elvince_x254

SPORT 15 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016

Former Gor Mahia player Medie Kagere pose for a photo with LG officials when he won best player of the month in September last year.

LG has increased the price from Sh50,000 to Sh100,000 this year.

SJAK in new deal with LG to award best players Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) has signed a new deal​with electronics giant LG for the Sportpesa Premier League 2016/17 season Player of the Month Award.

The deal will see the monthly awards of Sh50,000 for winner doubles up to Sh100,000 in addition to the 42 inch Television set.

The annual KPL/SJAK Footballer of the Year Awards (FOYA) will also benefit as LG increased the winners for the TV sets by three from 10.

Popular offseason tournament, Koth Biro, will equally get a share of the pie as a 42 inch television has been set aside to award the most valuable player who must not be from the top tier Sportpesa

Premier League (SPL) or second tier FKF PL. “We are extremely happy to partner with SJAK to reward best performing players in Sportpesa Premier League.

We believe that our joint action will contribute to boosting players’ morale as well as maintain and develop interest in the sport across the country” said LG marketing manager Moses Marji.

The two-year deal will see best performing players awarded until 2017 December when the contract elapses.

The giant South Korean electronics manufacturers first joined the deal mid last year when they joined betting firm Sportpesa and the SJAK in the prestigious monthly awards.

“In a bid to spur development in the country we rolled out this programme to reward most outstanding players in the league on a monthly basis. The competition has improved and the league is more exciting to watch,” observed SJAK President Chis Mbaisi, adding that the contract extension will go a long way in improving the levels of football at the club and national levels.

The first beneficiary of the improved package will pocket Sh100,000 and a television set at the end of February as the 2016 SPL is set to kick off.

A total of 13 players won the prestigious award last year with dominant Gor Mahia emerging top as three of their players scooped the gong. @elvince_x254

35 Italian clubs under probe in Tax evasion scam Italy authorities are investigating the alleged tax evasion by 35 clubs in the country’s top two divisions.

The country’s finance police are executing search warrants as they carry out asset seizures to the reported value of Sh910 million.

The case involves 58 people involved in professional football, a Naples prosecutor said in a statement.

Lawyers for AC Milan said vice president Adriano Galliani was among those under investigation.

The lawyers dismissed the allegations as unfounded and said they expected the case to be dismissed. The investigation, dubbed ‘Fuorigioco’ (Offside), is

believed to concern allegations of falsifying player transactions.

Meanwhile, Chelsea and West Brom have been fined by the English FA following their ill-tempered game earlier this month. Chelsea striker Diego Costa was at the centre of several flashpoints, including a confrontation with West Brom midfielder Claudio Yacob after being tripped during the game.

The Blues have been fined Sh6.5 million and West Brom Sh3.5million. West Brom twice came from behind to earn a point at Stamford Bridge. An FA statement said the fines had been given out because both Premier League clubs failed to “ensure their players conducted

themselves in an orderly fashion”.

Yacob, who had already been booked when he brought down Costa, was swiftly substituted by his manager Tony Pulis.

A few days after the incident on January 13, Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink said Yacob should have been dismissed and was so frustrated with the performance of referee Anthony Taylor that he expressed his concerns to fourth official Jon Moss. “I told him: ‘This is one of the worst referees of the Premier League I have experienced’,” said Hiddink. “He said to me ‘you haven’t seen me yet’, which was a beautiful remark I think.”

wednesday, JanUaRy 27, 2016 | www.x254.co

TUSKER FC TURN INGWE INTO FISHING GROUND AS TWO MORE PLAYERS DITCH DENS FOR BREWERS

p14

JUBIL ATION: Liverpool players celebrate after winning a penalty shoootout against Stoke City in Capital One semis at Anfield last night.

Reds march on to Wembley

Even though Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp did not watch any of the penalty during the shootout, the Reds beat Stoke City to reach Wembley Capital One Cup final.

The new Kops manager has set his sights on lifting his first trophy since arriving at Anfield thanks to Liverpool’s 6-5 triumph in the shoot-out after Stoke won 1-0 after extra time to claw back a semi-final first-leg deficit.

“I didn’t see one shot. I was behind the wall of my players so I had to watch it from there. I will watch it on television at home, but it was good watching the crowd instead.”

Marko Arnautovic scored for Stoke

to claw back Liverpool’s one-goal advantage from the first leg - but it was agony for Mark Hughes’ side when it came to spot-kicks.

A tight encounter was sent to penalties by Arnautovic’s goal, scored from a clearly offside position, in first-half stoppage time.

Jon Walters, Glenn Whelan, Ibrahim Affelay, Xherdan Shaqiri and Marco Van Ginkel were all on target for Stoke while Adam Lallana, Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino, James Milner and Lucas were successful for Liverpool before Allen settled matters to send Anfield wild in celebration.

Much-criticised Liverpool goal-

keeper Simon Mignolet was Liverpool’s hero with saves from Peter Crouch and Marc Muniesa, allowing substitute Joe Allen to step forward to secure a meeting with either Manchester City or neighbours Everton at Wembley on 28 February. Klopp has endured mixed fortunes since his appointment as Liverpool manager early October, but now has the chance to smooth an inevitable period of transition with success. Some may not regard the League Cup as the biggest domestic prize, but it gives the charismatic German the opportunity to cement his reputation with silverware and also give Liver-

pool their first trophy in four years, since they won this competition under Kenny Dalglish’s management against Cardiff City in 2012.

He would also be following the example of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea and Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City, who each won this trophy during their first season as a manager in England.

Klopp can build on his impact since his arrival in England at Wembley, where he led Borussia Dortmund to Champions League final defeat against Bayern Munich in 2013.

Villain-turns-hero pulled vital penalty saves from Crouch and Muniesa. The Belgian’s Achilles heel is his

decision- making, and there were some raised eyebrows when he was recently handed a new five-year contract. Mignolet rewarded the faith of Klopp, who has been steadfast in his support for the keeper, with the most significant interventions here and will hope to build on this dramatic revival of his fortunes.

A banner fluttering in the Anfield Road End among the massed ranks of Stoke fans called on their players to summon “The Spirit of 72” - when they secured their first and last major trophy with a League Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley.

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