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WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRARY 3-5, 2017

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Jubilee answers Cord on iebc bias claims Party refutes claims by opposition that it’s p[ercieved strongholds got more voter listing kits, Say electoral body acted independently in their distribution

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Kcb poised for premier league return as FKF relegates Muhoroni, Sofapaka

Matiang’i intervention to see lecturers back to class

injury hit arsenal limp to stamford bridge to take on high-flying chelsea

Atwoli to mediate as medics pardon is extended again

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ducation Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has moved to ensure an offer is made to striking university dons so that they resume duties. The minister has called for the intervention of both the National Treasury and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to help craft a counter offer to the 20132017 lecturers Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In a statement released last evening by the University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary General, Dr Constantine Wasonga, the union said the Treasury and SRC were working on a counter proposal to pave way for the negotiation, signing, registration and implementation of the CBA. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Kenya Medical Practioners and Dentists Union Secretary General Ouma Oluga addressess journalists today after the Court further suspended their one month jail term by another seven days. The Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered fresh talks to end the strike with Cotu boss Francis Atwoli appointed to lead the new structured negotiations. PHOTO: CAPITAL FM.


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Atwoli to mediateas doctors amnesty is extended again WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017

The Court has yet against extended the suspension of the one-month jail term for doctors union officials by seven days even as it appointed Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli to lead fresh negotiations to end the strike. Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu and his PS Nicholas Muraguri have however been kept out of the new structured mediation process. The government will be represented in the talks instead by the Attorney General and the Public Service Commission. Others directed to join the negotiation table are the Council of Governors, KMPDU officials, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of

Labour and Social Services, the Federation of Kenya Employers and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights with each contributing two representatives. The judge warned the doctors that the further suspension of their jail term was not an act of cowardice by the court but was meant to ensure the wheels of justice prevailed and thus should not be taken for granted. Justice Wasilwa (pictured) directed the officials to resume to the negotiation table and call off the strike within the seven-day grace period failure to which their hanging sentence will take effect. Further, she directed the Central Organization of Trade Union (COTU) to spearhead the arbitration talks between the striking doctors and the various government agencies in what appeared to be an alternative approach to end the stalemate that has entered its third month row. Doctors have for the last two months engaged in hard stance talks with government agencies which have borne no fruits in as far as ending the strike is concerned. COTU and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR), who were present as friends of the court, had appealed to the court to allow them intervene and arbitrate the negotiations within seven days. “This court has a duty to offer a solution to the current challenge facing the health sector. Though the interventions have come in albeit too late I will exercise m jurisdiction with fair justice but in accordance to the law. That the COTU will lead the negotiations and return to this court within seven days,”

Justice Wasilwa ordered. She added: “This ruling must not be treated as cowardice as the image of the judiciary is at stake. Let all those who will take part in the interventions consider doing so in good faith and objectivity.” Speaking after the ruling, Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli welcomed the move as ‘wisdom from above’ and assured doctors that he will lead the talks in good faith and in accordance to the labour laws. “Expect sober mediations where we shall be directed in good faith and the law. Let the government and KMPDU officials prepare for talks and not side shows as we have seen in the past,” Mr Atwoli said. On their part, the union officials led by their outspoken Secretary General Ouma Oluga and Chairman Samuel Oroko welcomed the court’s decision but maintained that doctors will resume duty after their 2013 CBA is implemented. Oluga argued that they had been subjected to unnecessary court processes that did not offer a solution to the current stalemate but expressed hope the Atwoli led talks would yield a solution and relieve Kenyans who are suffering in public hospitals. He also criticized the Senate Committee on Health for trashing their CBA as illegal claiming that those were part of the cartels blocking their path to a better health system. “You have read and watched your television the people claiming that our CBA is illegal. We want Dr Wilfred Machage and his team that the days they benefited from the poor health systems are coming an end very soon,” Dr Oluga warned.

Central Organisation of Trade Union secretary general Francis Atwoli who will lead the negotiations. BELOW: Doctors union secretary general Ouma Oluga after the court further suspended their one-month jail term by another seven days today.

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The CS made assurances that a team from SRC and Treasury is currently working on the counter-offer scenarios before giving the necessary advice; and that a counteroffer is therefore imminent,” read the statement. On Friday last week, UASU’s National Executive Committee (NEC) rejected a request by the CS for education to suspend the strike until March 1, pending the resolution of the matter through a Joint Negotiations Committee (JNC) comprised of representatives from the IPUCCF and lectures unions which include Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotel, Educational and Allied (KUDHEA) workers union. Efforts by the IPUCCF to come up with an offer by Wednesday however failed to materialize as unions protested failure by the council to reach out to them as directed by the Ministry of Education. “IPUCCF has communicated that there will be no negotiations and counter-offer today, despite the firm commitment of the CS of Education,” Wasonga lamented in a statement released Wednesday. IPUCCF Chairperson Prof Ratemo Michieka however remained optimistic

of a deal saying,” the council was working towards resolving the issue.” This assurances came amid the adjournment of a case between the IPUCCF and the union in which the council sought to challenge the legality of the strike. In adjourning the case, Lady Justice Hellen Wasilwa of the Employment & Labour Relations Court urged the parties to speed up negotiations on the CBA

before reporting back to the court by February 28. UASU however blamed the SCR for failing to appear in court despite being party to the proceedings. The intervention by Matiangi, comes as two public universities – Laikipia University and Karatina University were closed indefinitely after students went on the rampage following the strike by MORE ON THIS STORY lecturers. www.capitalfm.co.ke

Lecturers union chairman Muga K’Olale confers with University staff union secretary general Charles Mukhwaya when they announced the strike two weeks ago. PHOTO: G. Ikunda/ XNews


NEWS 5 WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017

MPs stay away as election fever sets in On a normal business day in the National Assembly, majority of Members of Parliament can be seen milling in and around the building. The situation has however changed since lawmakers resumed sittings two weeks ago for their last session before the general elections in August this year. In the past, Parliament was dissolved 60 days ahead of the polls but the 2010 Constitution says Parliament’s term runs to the day of the next election. According to the calendar, the first part of the fifth session will run from January 24 to March 2 before the 10day break in March. Sittings will resume on March 14 and run until April 6 and the four-week recess. The second part of the fifth session starts on May 9 and runs until June 15, before the dissolution recess until a day before the election. During that time, MPs must pass 15 bills and the budget, which must be tabled, debated and passed before the house can be dissolved Most of the sessions have been delayed for about 15 minutes due to lack of quorum. Even then, some of the MPs only appear to bolster the quorum

before making their way out again. A spot check within the corridors of parliament indicates lonely passageways with most of the people around being either parliamentary staff or the orderlies. In the House, majority of seats remain unoccupied with few MPs seated far from each other spotted. Last week, Suba MP and ODM chairman John Mbadi told X News that he has nothing to do in parliament and instead has resorted to personally lead the Mass Voter Registration back in his constituency. “I’m not seeing anything useful that I’m doing here, let me go back to the ground and mobilize people to register as voters,” Mbadi said. He argued that his presence on the ground has helped shore up numbers of registering voters which he observed do drop drastically whenever he returns to the capital. Another MP who requested not to be named said majority of his colleagues are on the ground either campaigning or leading the voter registration exercise which has only two weeks left. The high level of absenteeism could also be due to the stiff competition

Members of Parliament exchange pleasantries as they wait for their colleagues before the start of debate. The Natioonal Assembly has largely been hit by quorum hitches as MPs stay away from the House.

the incumbents are facing in their backyard. That has forced most sitting MP to retreat to the constituencies to interact with the electorate and they silently campaign for their re-election. “My friend will you be here (in Parliament) while your opponents are busy campaigning at the constituency? asked one of the MPs as he casually walked away. The ravaging drought in the country has also forced some lawmakers to be closer to their

electorates in a bid to provide practical solutions and endear to them ahead of the polls. Studies in previous parliament indicate that 80 percent of MPs normally don’t make it back after the general elections. Also, some MPs like Thomas Mwadeghu (Wundanyi) and Johnson Sakaja (Nominated) have already bid their counterparts bye as they seek to become governors in Taita Taveta and Nairobi respectively. Karachuonyo’s James Rege who decamped to the

Jubilee Party said he doesn’t need his seat anymore. “I will not defend my seat, what for….I have served my country and my people are happy,” Rege said on Wednesday in parliament buildings. Sakaja however reminded his colleagues that they should not forget their legislative duties even though they are campaigning. “I want to remind my colleagues that we are still MPs and have duty to perform,” he said. @sam_x254


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NEWS WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017

Jubilee refutes BVR favour claims by Cord The Jubilee Party has dismissed claims by the opposition that it is benefitting from an alleged bias from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission in regards to distribution of voter listing kits. The opposition alleged that there were fewer Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits in their perceived strongholds compared to regions seen as friendly to Jubilee. But head of the Jubilee campaign secretariat Rafael Tuju today dismissed those claims terming them baseless. “We are not in the business of bashing an independent body such as the IEBC,” Tuju told a press briefing at the secretariat headquarters in Nairobi. The former Cabinet minister said IEBC acted independently in distributing the kits and that it is regions perceived to be opposition leaning that got more kits. “There are almost double the number of biometric voter registration kits in Siaya (157) than in Tharaka Nithi. Bungoma also has 219 BVR kits while Nyeri has 157 kits. So where is the bias there,” he added. The party official also defended former Energy Cabinet Secretary Davies Chirchir against claims of being used by the ruling Jubilee party to rig elections saying the Opposition is engaged in propaganda after sensing defeat. He however declined to respond to cases where IDs of former Presidents Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki had been used to register other voters, saying IEBC is an independent body from the ruling party. He however said that Jubilee had written to the Wafula Chebukati-led agency to correct anomalies in the voter register with multiple registrations. He also questioned why IEBC had failed to organize itself to conduct the party’s nominations despite having written to them in advance. “We wrote them a letter notifying them of a law that mandates them to conduct our nominations but it is now two months without a response,” he said. He also challenged the agency to defend themselves from the rigging claims saying it was not in Jubilee’s mandate to shield IEBC from assertions made against them by ODM leader Raila Odinga and NASA in general. @harrison_x254

President Uhuru Kenyatta shakes hands with Mombasa deputy Governor Hazel Katana after she defected from ODM to JUbilee Party on Tuesday. Jubilee has today denied claims it is favoured by IEBC in voter listing exercise. PHOTO: COURTESY

It is all systems go for NASA maiden rally in Bomet tomorrow

is concerned. It is not yet clear why the opposition chose Bomet which is considered to be under tight grip of Deputy President William Ruto. According to cord leader Raila Odinga, the move is aimed at sending a message to Jubilee that NASA has a national liking. “We are going to have our first public meeting in Bomet County on Saturday (tomorrow),” Odinga said on Tuesday at Serena. Reports indicate that Chama cha Mashinani party and Bomet Governor Issac Rutto is also set to officially join NASA tomorrow a move that could jeopardise Jubilee’s plan of getting the votes of the rich Rift Valley block. Jubilee’s problem may further be compounded by a decision by the Kenya African National Union to field president candidate in the forthcoming general elections. The party announced on Tuesday that it will field candidates in all seats from Member of the County Assembly to Presidential. The former ruling party is however yet to declare whether it will support Jubilee or NASA in the August 8, general elections. “We invite eligible Kenyans who subscribe to the ideals, vision, mission, objects and core values of the party to present their expressions of interest in confidence to KANU National Elections Board,” KANU board chairman Edward Kivuvani said through an advert in the local dailies on Monday. The Party’s Secretary General Nick Salat has however said that he will attend tomorrow’s rally in Bomet. Going into the rally with low voter registration in their strongholds according to the latest figures by the electoral commission, NASA leaders are expected to appeal to their supporters to come out in Opposition leaders Raila Odinga (second right), Musalia Mudavadi (right), kalonzo Musyoka (left) and Moses Wetangula during large numbers and vote. a press briefing at the Serena Hotel on Tuesday. They will hold a mnajor rally in Bomet tomorrow. PHOTO: G. IKUNDA/ X NEWS @samx254 Barely six months before Kenyans go to the polls, a resurgent opposition under the banner National Supper Alliance (NASA) is beginning to take shape. The opposition outfit which brings together four Presidential aspirants made a significant step towards formalizing their union this week with the formation of a technical committee that will craft modalities towards picking

their presidential flagbearer. NASA led by Raila Odinga (ODM), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper Party), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Moses Wetangula (Ford Kenya) is set to hold their first joint political rally in Bomet County tomorrow. The rally is likely to set the agenda as far as political realignments


NEWS 7 WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRARY 3-5, 2017


WEEKEnD EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017 | www.x254.co

BUSINESS

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

Kenya to host summit to address culture clashes in work places

Kenya is set to host a first of its kind summit in Africa targeting CEOs, Managing Directors and heads of public institutions in East Africa with a view to address intercultural conflict in the workplace. The affair comes at a time when globalization is posing new challenges to the 21st century leaders. Key among the topics to be explored at the summit include why modern day executives need intercultural skills, culture clashes in the workplace and the way towards an effective resolution, the perceived nexus between culture, training and performance and personal experiences by different heads on dealing with different cultures in the workplace. “In an increasingly globalized world where boundaries no longer hold, leading across cultures can still be quite challenging for even the most seasoned leader,” says Lex Lindeman, the co-organizer of the summit and Managing partner at HR Boosters, a training and management culture consultancy company in Africa. Dubbed the Intercultural Agility Summit, the forum, slated for March 24th and 25th, comes at a time when movement of human capital across East Africa, coupled with the entry of multinationals in the region and transfer of human resource has introduced diversity dynamics in the workplaces dictating new leadership approaches. According to the 2016 Africa Regional Integration Index Report by UN Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA, the East

A general view of the Sixth Special Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) held in Nairobi, Kenya, July 31 2013. The agenda of the meeting was to discuss issues concerning tensions between the two Sudans and ongoing crises in DR Congo and Central African Republic. EPA/DAI KUROKAWA African Community is the top performer in integration in Africa, with factors such as increased free movement of labour in the region contributing to the success of the integration. But this transfer has also meant cultural shock for the majority of workers operating away from home and an even tougher call for heads of businesses to manage this diverse workforce.

Facilitated by seasoned cross-cultural expert and founder of Clever Culture Communication, Sheriff Abligeh, the summit’s approach will provide a balance of structured input and discussion of case studies, critical incidents and scenarios relevant to participants’ own particular contexts. The summit is a follow-up of similar successful ones that have been held

Boosting affordable internet access will drive Kenya’s economy, experts say

Connecting more people to reliable, affordable internet services will help grow the country’s economy, experts have affirmed. An analysis dubbed the Ericsson Social Business Report states that Kenya has the highest concentration of undersea fiber optics in the region. Kenya has risen to became one of the most connected countries in Africa, with 30 million internet users (2015). The doubling of bandwidth between 2014-2015 is said to have acted as a major catalyst to increased internet penetration, which could receive yet another boast should plans to put in place the fifth fiber optic cable through the Indian Ocean materialize. Cabinet Secretary for Commerce, Phyllis Kandie states that adopting such technology will help drive economic growth, creating jobs for thousands of Kenyans. CS Kandie has noted that Africa’s economies have capacity to withstand tremors linked to a slump in commodity prices and anti-globalization wave in the west if governments prioritize policy reforms, cross border trade and harnessing of youth bulge. “Our economies must innovate in order to adapt to disruptions that are being driven by automation

and resistance to globalization in some parts of the developed world,” Kandie said in a recent high profile meeting last week. In 2015, mobile penetration in the country was estimated to be 88 per cent accounting for 38 million subscribers. This uptake according to the report has paved the way for social businesses to thrive, since hindrances such as corruption have significantly reduced as a result of digitization of data and business processes. The report points out a number of grey areas which need to be addressed, should social business achieve maximum results. The challenges include; striking a balance between the social agenda and the business agenda, finding financial stability, recruitment of the right capital, getting the right investments and measuring the social impact,. The cost of accessing the internet also comes in handy since this is the enabler when it comes to social businesses. The Ericsson report identifies affordability of ICT among key determinants of the success of a social business, others being the ability to connect with the targeted community in terms of proving the right services and scalability.

in Europe and Asia. “This summit is about story telling. There will be no lectures or presentations. It will be about getting success factors as far as intercultural relations in the offices and handling them by executives is concerned while also sharing the hiccups that the leaders face,” Lex added. @kevin _x254

MEAN 103.8233 131.5792 112.0594 7.7567 34.4817 21.5270

BUY SELL 103.7233 103.9233 131.4344 131.7239 110.4722 112.1761 7.7463 7.7671 34.4004 34.5631 21.4581 21.5959

Cash crunch hits private sector as banks limit lending

Kenya’s private sector grew modestly in January as banks limited new lending to firms in the wake of an interest rate cap imposed last September, This is according to a survey dubbed the Markit Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers Index (PMI). The PMI fell to 52 per cent in January from 54.1 in the previous month, staying above the 50.0 line that divides growth from contraction. Regional economist for East Africa at Stanbic Bank, Jibran Qureishi explains that since the legislation to cap interest rates came into effect, the private sector can now see signs of distress as stakeholders lament about cash shortages. The government capped the lending rate for commercial banks at 400 basis points above the central bank rate. At the time, economists said the move risked hurting economic growth by discouraging loans to smaller borrowers, who banks may have deemed more risky. “A further slowdown in private sector credit growth and poor weather conditions will most likely lead to a downward trend in the PMI over the coming quarter,” Qureishi said. Private sector credit growth started falling at the end of 2015 after the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) toughened supervision. Last year, the regulator put three banks in receivership. Imperial Bank was arguably the most famous lender facing closure at the time. The Bank was placed under receivership on October 13, 2015, collapsing with a total of Sh87 billion worth of depositors money. The CBK’s move, which also affected Chase and Dubai Bank, was largely due to irregularities and malpractices.

Paying additional Sh11 bn for oil pipeline will overburden taxpayers, KPC told The Parliamentary Public Investments Committee has ordered Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) to halt an additional pay of Sh11 billion for the Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline, stating that the project would overburden taxpayers. “The committee has ordered KPC not to accept the cost variation made by Zakhem International on the Mombasa – Nairobi pipeline,” Adan Keynan, Chairman of the committee said . Speaking at KPC headquarters during an inspection visit of line five enhancement project by the PIC, Keynan said the Sh48 billion project is the country’s second-largest infrastructure endeavour. KPC’s Managing Director, Joe Sang said the pipeline construction is being undertaken by the international standards organisation for the consulting engineering and construction (FIDIC) that has clear conditions for handling, among different things, claims “The claim by Zakhem International is being reviewed under FIDIC contract conditions. It is therefore not possible for KPC to undertake payment of claim before going through this process,” he said. Sang affirmed that the general project completion is currently at seventy-eight per cent whereas the

construction of the particular pipeline is ninety per cent complete. KPC is substituting the predominant Mombasa-Nairobi pipeline that has been in existence for thirty-eight years now. A Vision 2030 flagship project, the development of the twenty-inch diameter 450km pipeline commenced in 2014 and is foretold to be completed in April 2017. Once complete, the pipeline would guarantee sustained, reliable and economical transportation of crude oil products within the region and meet demand within the next thirty years as it will have an installed flow rate of one million litres per hour in phase one. It is projected that the line will ease traffic as it will remove over 700 trucks from the road daily , therefore, saving the government billions of shillings spent annually on road maintenance. Furthermore, the construction of 4 extra storage tanks at national capital Terminal each with a gross capability of 33,366,000 litres is currently ongoing. It will double the storage capacity for petrol and diesel to 233 million litres from the current 100 million litres, providing spare capability for receipt of upper volumes of product expected once the Mombasa–Nairobi pipeline is replaced. @enock _x254


BUSINESS 9

Uganda now Kenya’s leading tourist source market in Africa

WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017

Uganda has taken the lead as Kenya’s top source market for tourists n Africa, while Germany and Italy tail the numbers globally. Data from the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) indicates that the Uganda, known as The Pearl of Africa, almost doubled her score of 29,038 visitors in 2015 to 51,023 for the year ended (2016). The report attributes this growth, to among other factors, the provision of Interstate Passes (EA Visa) which has enabled cross-border tourism for expatriates working in Uganda, as well as travellers wishing to explore both countries in a single regional tour. Uganda takes a leading position on other notable key source markets such as South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda and Rwanda, and a notably slow-to-growth Tanzania. An earlier report by KTB indicates an upward trajectory for total (Africa) arrivals, rising steadily from 23pc in 2014, to 26pc and 28pc in 2015/2016 respectively. Despite the earlier decline due to the famous visa spurt between Kenya and South Africa, the latter showed notable growth, rising from 30,500 in 2015 to reach 35,926 in 2016. Estelle Verdier, Managing Director forJumia Travel East & Southern Africa imputes this positive progress to factors such as increased alternative source marketing by tourist bodies, economic growth in most parts of the continent and increased regional trade, and the growth of eCommerce and global digital inclusion. “The online presence of both hotels and tour operators has gone a long way in boosting awareness and serving travellers with channels and options unlike in the earlier years when you could only rely on friends for reviews, advice and direction,” she commented. Internationally, the USA overcame the UK as Kenya’s top source market for tourists by registering 97,883 arrivals in 2016 compared to UK’s 96,404. A comparison between the 2015 and 2016 numbers reveals a worrying

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta shakes hands with Uganda’s Head of State, Yoweri Museveni. decline of 2000 visitors from the UK, while noting a much needed 13,000 gain from the USA. KTB attributes the (USA) growth to aggressive marketing of the country as a safari destination while blaming the UK for not restoring all Kenya-bound charter flights even after prevailing travel bans had been lifted. India made what Jumia calls a surprising entry to become third largest tourist market for Kenya with 64,116 arrivals last year, an increase of over 15,000 visitors compared to the 49,756 in 2015. Neighbouring Uganda took up the fourth position ahead of China; viewed as a growing target market for African destinations. The remarkable rise by China against

traditional favorites such as Germany and Italy, who came in at position six and seven respectively is attributed to an increased number of direct and indirect flights servicing the two countries. “The growth is encouraging, says Verdier while noting the vital need for tour promoters to provide seamless services to tourists. When a visitor finds in-depth information, booking and payment methods all under the same roof or on a single screen, then it goes without saying they will consciously or otherwise be more persuaded to take up the trip.” China closed the year at 47,860 (visitors) compared to 29,790 for 2015, while Germany reached 43.502, up

from 38,236, to beat Italy’s 35,953. At a local level, Mombasa took the lead on the growth curve with a 22.2 per cent increase from 2015 to hit 92,872 foreign visits. However, actual numbers are still in favor of the capital, Nairobi, having received 782,013 arrivals, up from 671.789 in 2015, which translates to a rise of 16.2 per cent. According to a recent report by Jumia Travel, the MICE (Meetings, Incentives and Conference) industry has been quite instrumental in growing the capital city’s arrivals; with most business travelers taking a day or two to two nearby attractions, while visitors still hold the coast region as a rest and relaxation beach destination. @Dennis0_x254

Heri homes to make decent housing more affordable to Kenyans Heri Homes Properties Limited is providing every Kenyan with the opportunity to own a decent home. The real estate brand, established in 2009 under Leo Capital Holdings Limited, develops quality and affordable housing units to the discerning markets using an equity model. “In 2010, we undertook a survey to find out how much an average Kenyan was willing to spend in buying a house and the biggest impediments towards it,” says Ephantus Kimotho Kimani, HHPL CEO. The company,which is one of the leading real estate firms in the country, established that an average Kenyan is willing to spend anything less than Sh10 million buying a house. The research also established that the biggest impediments to owning a home are high interest rates, high cost of professional fees, high cost of construction, and expensive or inaccurate locations. Kimani says Heri Homes has come up with a business model that revolves around developing apartments and town houses in areas where there is high rental yield, through the use of low risk finance strategy, whereby part of the capital is raised through owner’s equity, development partners, and pre-sale of houses as opposed to debt. The strategy reduces cumulative cost of a specific housing unit because it eliminates the hefty interest cost that would ordinarily be transferred to the end buyer by the developer where a debt model is employed. Unlike other property developers, Heri Homes acquires land and invites development partners who buy half of the units at costs where (in most cases) they pay a deposit of 20 per cent and balance in 24 equal monthly instalments, meaning that a project’s cash flow is realised from these partners. @kevin_x254

NexTech to help Microsoft support African innovators

NexTech Africa, a 2-day meeting of the minds designed to engage, empower and inspire innovators, is partnering with global tech company Microsoft in order to further its development agenda. With the theme, Building for Africa, NexTech Africa is demonstrating, in action, Microsoft’s commitment to support and empower innately African creativity and innovation. The organisation’s flagship Africa technology event took place yesterday and continues today in Nairobi, Kenya. The two-day line-up includes a series of talks, sessions and forums on topics such as cloud, big data, machine learning, the Internet of Things, digital

transformation and technology in emerging markets. “As a company, we really want to hear from local innovators, businesses and technologists on how they view the future of technology in Africa, and what they need to help them leverage the myriad of opportunities,” says Kunle Awosika, Country Manager for Microsoft Kenya. Speakers at the forum include Awosika; Joseph Mucheru, Cabinet Secretary of the Kenyan ICT Ministry; Toni TownesWhitley, Corporate Vice President of Worldwide Public Sector at Microsoft; Andreas Fruhen, Director of Technical Operations at M-KOPA Solar; and Bambo Sofola, Partner Director of

Engineering at Microsoft, accompanied by a Nigerian WINsiders fellow. The goal of NexTech, which is in its third instalment, is to help Microsoft play a stronger role in empowering African creators and innovators by bridging the gap between Microsoft engineers and executives, global business leaders and entrepreneurs on the Africa continent. “We want to ensure that as a company, we are providing the best technology solutions and platforms for African technologists and entrepreneurs that takes into account local needs and contexts,” says Awosika. Microsoft’s 4Afrika Initiative, which was launched in February 2013, has been actively engaging on the ground

to better understand and help shape African innovation for the world. “4Afrika is about enablement, about helping people achieve more by giving them the best possible tools and skills to make the most of any moment in the mobile-first, cloud-first world. NexTech Africa is an extension of this mission and this work,” commented Amrote Abdella, Regional Director of Microsoft 4Afrika. “Technology in Africa is exciting because often it’s where the need is the greatest that innovation is the greatest,” says Awosika. “Along with our support for local entrepreneurs, technologists and businesses, we are excited to be working with African governments

in the digital transformation process. In addition, talking about tech (and cloud) for global good brings to light our responsibility to build trustworthy innovations that are inclusive for all.” Part of this inclusivity is Microsoft’s belief that innovations should be co-created with the community. M-KOPA Solar is a prime example of this, providing payas-you-go, off-the-grid solar energy to over 400,000 homes. Using Microsoft Azure, they currently manage over 10 million mobile transactions per year. #WINsiders4good is another initiative designed to help Windows Insiders tackle important issues in their local communities. @kevin_x254


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BUSINESS

KCB commits Sh30 million to support sports development WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017

Close to 70 local and professional golfers have signed up for the upcoming KCB Karen Masters, a first-of-it-kind tournament in Kenya that anchors KCB Bank’s golf sponsorship for this year. KCB Bank has today committed up to Sh30 million for the KCB Karen Masters, highlighting the lender’s continued resolve to support sports in the region. The move will also see the bank sponsor several tournaments and club nights in golf courses across the country. The inaugural KCB Karen Masters golf tournament is scheduled to take place from March 17-19, 2017 at the Karen Country Club where 46 PGA Pros and 22 local pros will showcase what has made them world class professional golfers. Of these, 40 Pros are drawn from the European Challenge Tour. KCB said this strong field of golfers drawn from all over the world indicates that Kenya is featuring prominently on the global golfing map. “KCB will continue being at the center of supporting the growth of this sport. We believe in supporting great ideas that will enable the country’s progress,” said KCB Group Chief Operating Officer Samuel Makome. The 40 European Challenge Tour pros will be paired with local amateurs for a two day Pro-Am tournament running between Friday and Saturday before facing off with the local pros on Sunday for the blue jacket and the total prize of

From Left. Tournament Director Andy Watt, Karen Club Chairman Lawrence Kimathi, KCB Group COO Sam Makome and Angela Mwirigi Group Marketing and communications director during the KCB Karen Masters Launch. Photo:Edwin Gitobu/XNews $15,000 (Sh1.56 million). The tournament has attracted golfers from England, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Denmark and France among other countries.

Tournament Director, Andy Watt said the fans should expect a great knock out competition during the three day event adding that tickets will be selling for Sh500 covering the entire event.

It has since emerged that English National Dinwiddie, who has pocketed € 1,438,839 (Sh160.7 million) in prize money so far, will be the man to watch. @enock_x254

AfDB partners with Alliance for Financial Inclusion to support regional businesses, fight poverty Kenyan businesses and entrepreneurs are set to secure loans for their business growth after the African Development Bank (AfDB) announced a partnership deal with Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI). This partnership is aligned with the Bank’s priorities and the Financial Sector Development Policy and Strategy aimed at enhancing access to quality financial services not only in Kenya, but across the continent as well. The agreement further aims to create a collaboration framework to promote financial inclusion in Africa. Norbert Mumba, AFI Deputy Executive Director says engaging with the AfDB to scale up and deepen financial inclusion in Africa has always been seen as a natural move for AFI in Africa, as it believes that AFI and the AfDB share the same objective of alleviating poverty and improving living conditions on the African continent. “AFI considers the signing of this MoU as an important step toward improving in-country implementation of policies in African countries and making

UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi speaks at a past event. progress in achieving that crucial objective,” he said. The Bank envisions a financial sector that is vibrant, innovative, robust and competitive both nationally and regionally. The lender has stated that modern financial systems will steadily expand their coverage, attaining almost universal access at least 90 per cent of the continent’s population by 2025. The partnership will also strengthen the technical capacity of financial regulators

and policy-makers across the continent to implement substantive policy reforms to advance financial inclusion. Some of the major sectors that will benefit from the deal include those operating in the Private Sector, Statistics, Human and Social Development, Renewable Energy, ICT, Gender Women and Civil Society, Agriculture finance and Rural Development. The move comes at a time when it is estimated that over 350 million people from Sub-Saharan Africa including 125

million farmers have no access to formal loans. AfDB and AFI observe that financial services offered through mobile technology have revolutionized and accelerated the economic landscape in agriculture, energy, microfinance, gender access, and SME financing in many African countries. They will seek to develop this further through initiatives such as the African Mobile Phone Financial Services Policy Initiative and digital financial inclusion, where AFI members have been ahead of the curve for almost a decade now. According to Pierre Guislain, AfDB Vice-President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, the Bank will leverage its resources to support AFI’s efforts on digital financial services, agricultural and SME sectors as well as gender. “It will prioritize capacity building and knowledge sharing activities and nourish the dialogue for Africa’s policymakers through global events and activities,”said Guislain. @enock_x254

Foreign direct investment falls 13 pc in 2016, modest recovery expected in 2017

Global flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) fell 13 per cent in 2016 to an estimated $1.52 trillion (Sh157.8trillion) as global economic growth remained weak and world trade volumes posted what analysts are calling anaemic gains, the latest UNCTAD Global Investment Trends Monitor reveals. According to UNCTAD SecretaryGeneral Mukhisa Kituyi, FDI recovery continues along a bumpy road. Of concern is the sharp drop-off in manufacturing investment projects, which play such an important role in generating much-needed productivity improvements in developing economies. The fall comes just as Kenya faces the likelihood of decreased inflows from the United States following the country’s recent election which saw controversial billionaire, Donald Trump. Secure the Presidential seat. Central Bank Governor, Patrick Njoroge said in a recent statement that Trump’s protectionist economic policies pose the biggest risk to Kenya’s economy in the coming year. President Trump’s new immigration policy has exposed millions of undocumented immigrants, including over 30,000 Kenyans, to the risk of deportation. His policies pose a major threat to the flow of diaspora remittances, which stand at an estimated $1.7 billion (Sh176.5 billion). Last year, they were the biggest source of foreign inflows into Kenya, ahead of tea and tourism “Looking ahead, economic fundamentals point to a potential increase in FDI flows by around 10% in 2017,” Dr. Kituyi said. “However, significant uncertainties about the shape of future economic policy developments could hamper FDI in the short-term.” The decline of FDI in 2016 was not equally shared across regions, reflecting the heterogeneous impact of the current economic environment on countries worldwide. FDI flows to Europe fell 29 per cent to an estimated $385 billion (Sh399.6 trillion), with a number of countries experiencing strong volatility in their inflows. This decline was tempered by modest growth in flows to North America which fell by 6 per cent and a sizeable increase in investment in other developed economies, principally Australia and Japan. Slowing economic growth and falling commodities prices weighed on FDI flows to developing economies. Inflows to these economies fell 20 per cent to an estimated $600 billion (Sh62.3 trillion) due to significant decreases in developing Asia and in Latin America. Nonetheless, @enock_x254


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WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017

ACCESS

I WAS BASICALLY JUST PLAYING PASCAL. WITH THE MOVIES I’VE DONE, THERE’S ONE WHERE I ACTED AS A…I et’s clarify all your jobs Ok, I’m Pascal Tokodi. I’m a singer, actor, entertainer, human being. You are a little mysterious and a little elusive Not really but I also think there’s some beauty in that. How did you get into acting? My first gig after high school was ‘Makutano Junction’ so after that it was a slow steady journey. I’ve also been to many, many auditions. I did the whole drama festival thing in school and even won an award at the 2007 Chaguo la Teeniez, I also won Best Actor three years in a row, and I don’t want to brag [laughs]. But it was really encouraging getting feedback like that from my work since I was still in high school at the time. What has your most memorable role been? I’ve done a couple of good roles that I can think of. ‘Pray & Prey’ was great for me, it was quite a challenging role as an actor but also ‘Groove Theory’ was interesting. I played a guy called Guy and I had to sing and act at the same time because it was a musical and I really loved that role. I was basically just playing Pascal. With the movies I’ve done, there’s one where I acted as a…I can’t talk about that. The movie is not out yet but you’ll know when you see it. What do you think of the current state of the theatre industry in the country? I think it’s growing and I think the industry has made some great strides. Right now we are having shows being broadcast in the FOX media family. There’ s a show I’m on called ‘Wrath’ and it’s on FOX Life that’s a big deal and something that was unimaginable a few years ago. Look at the Kenya National Theatre, it’s beautiful. So it’s really good and I’m really glad to be part of the industry right now. Which do you prefer, stage acting or recorded

HOT TOPICS

performances? That’s a tough question. To be a good actor you must learn to do both. On screen I’d give it 60 per cent and on stage 40 because on screen it’s like all we are doing as actors is conversing, it’s looser. With screen acting you are told less expression is better but on stage you have to amplify your actions and words. Your music, could you describe it? Right now I’m trying to go in an acoustic, RnB kind of way. For now that’s what I’m experimenting with. Twice a week I meet with a producer, we brainstorm ideas, we jam, and that’s basically our jam session. We then try and put something good together. Are there any artistes you would love to work with? Yeah, I would love to do a song with Dufla. I think he’s an amazing artiste. His style and my style are completely different but when they are blended I think it would sound great. That’s the beauty of music you can create something new. There’s a Nigerian singer called Ric Hassani who is an incredible singer that I’d love to work with. Nyashinski also, I feel like Klepto’s sound was way before the times and Nyash went away, came back and is still on top. I would love to record with him just to say I did it! Tell your fans one weird thing that you do Hmmm, I have been known to let out an occasional air biscuit [our words] under the duvet. @christine_x254

Pascal Tokodi is a man with many titles including his tongue twister of a name, Pascalino Lpesinoi Lenguro Tokodi. He had a chat with XACCESS and behind the mystery lies more mystery but also a fun-loving, hilarious individual.

Man with many hats Chandiru evades rehab, flies to Netherlands

@kevin_x254

gives Big Kev strength ahead of surgery Nimbona Jean Pierre popularly known as Kidum has honoured ailing Big Kev’s request that he goes to see him in hospital. The showbiz guru on his bed in Nairobi hospital had told his family members that he would want to meet Kidum before he is taken to surgery. ‘First was Bruce Odhiambo who told me about a concert in carnivore about raising the funds for our friend Big Kev on this Friday but today Thursday everyone was calling me about the message Big Kev wanted to give me on his hospital bed . I couldn’t hold my tears after he spoke to me. God has spoken to me through him. He requested this song Nipe Nguvu.’ Wrote Kidum on his social media platform.

Tanzanian beauty and actress Wema Sepetu has launched a digital distribution platform popularly known in the technology world as an App. Dubbed ‘the Wema Sepetu’

app, the platform will enable users get information about the actress and keep up with all her activities including her TV shows, Fashion, lifestyle and biography in real time as they are updated. “And There You have it Ladies & Gentlemen…..My very own Application just so u could have me closer than you think…. Download now on Playstore and dont forget to subscribe…. Everything Wema….,’ the beauty queen made the announcement on social media. Wema who was recently named as a probable user and seller of drugs by the Tanzanian authorities joked to her fans that they would also find information about her drug use in the new app.

Ugandan ‘Gold digger’ singer Jackie Chandiru has left the Ugandan capital Kampala for Netherlands, a source close to the singer has revealed. The popular artiste who has been hooked on drugs is said to have left the country to reunite with her husband in Netherlands. Jackie was however scheduled to be admitted to a rehabilitation centre according to sources privy to happenings around her. Her drug addiction has over time destroyed her music career which had blossomed after the release of her hit single ’gold digger’.

CHANDIRU


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ACCESS

WEEKEND WEDNESDAY EDITION, 26th NOVEMBER FEBRUARY 2014 3-5, 2017

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE GIG GUIDE SATURDAY

TODAY

TODAY NOEL

The Dream Lounge

THE PIT

WHO: Noel Nderitu, Fadhilee, Tetu Shani TIME: 8pm ENTRY: Shs 500

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KENYA NATIONAL THEATRE GOETHE-INSTITUT NAIROBI

WHO: June Gachui TIME: 6:30pm ENTRY: Shs 2500 advance, Shs 3000 at the gate regular :Shs 4000 VIP advance, Shs 5000 VIP at the gate.

SATURDAY FENA

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Fikirah, midL_east

WHO: Fikirah, midL_east TIME: 4pm ENTRY: Free

June Gachui

THE UNKNOWN ORDER

THE ALCHEMIST BAR WHO: Fena Gitu TIME: 8pm ENTRY: Shs 1000

TODAY

Suraj

THE ALCHEMIST BAR

SURAJ

PRESENTS WHO: SURAJ TIME: 9pm ENTRY: Sh.500

SPECIAL


WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017 | WWW.X254.CO

BIG BATTLE LOOMS AS FKF KICKS OUT SOFAPAKA P14 AND MUHORONI OUT OF TOP TIER LEAGUE

Egypt’s El Hadary foresaw penalty saves

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gypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary foresaw that he would save the penalties that took his side through to the Africa Cup of Nations final. The 44-year-old kept out Burkina Faso’s last two spot-kicks to win the shootout for Egypt in Wednesday’s semi-final. “I had a feeling that I was going to save the final two penalties,” he said. “When we went to the shootout, our 2006 title win crossed my mind,” he added, recalling his penalty shootout save from Didier Drogba to beat Ivory Coast. El Hadary is playing at his seventh Nations Cup and has won four titles. At this tournament he became the oldest player at a major continental championship, and on Wednesday he made his 150th appearance for the Pharaohs. It is remarkable to think he arrived in Gabon as one of Egypt’s back-up goalkeepers to first-choice Ahmed El Shenawy, but injuries meant he was brought in 25 minutes into Egypt’s first game. Since then he has been formidable, conceding only one goal from normal play - in Wednesday’s semi-final when Burkina Faso equalised in the second half. And now a place in Sunday’s final in Libreville, where Egypt face either Cameroon or Ghana, offers him a chance to become the first player to win five Nations Cup titles. His first title came as a reserve in 1988, just two years after his debut, but he was at the peak of his career as Egypt won three back-to-back Nations Cup titles between 2006 and 2010. “I’m happy to be in contention for all of these records but the most important is for Egypt to win the cup,” El Hadary said. “If we win the title, then the record will pass to me and I will be grateful. But I’ve never worried about my personal records. The country comes first, then the record book.”

Cameroon’s Christian Bassogog (left) celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations semifinal match against Ghana at the Franceville Stadium in Gabon last night. Cameroon won 2-0. PHOTO: GAVIN BARKER

It’s Cameroon vs Egypt in Cup of Nations final Cameroon beat Ghana 2-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations last night to set a mouthwatering final date with Egypt on Sunday

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wo second-half strikes Michael NgadeuNgadjui and Christian Bassogog was enough to see off Ghana who had earlier been tipped to win the competition’s 2017 edition. Both sides had gone close to breaking the deadlock before Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui took advantage of atrocious defending from a free-kick to lash in the opener in the 72nd minute. And with seconds remaining Christian Bassogog sealed victory when he applied a deft finish to a counter-attack. Ghana went close through Wakaso Mubarak and Christian Atsu. The Panathinaikos midfielder tested Cameroon keeper Fabrice Ondoa with a brilliant bending free-kick, and Newcastle’s flying winger Atsu saw his angled strike drift past the goal’s upright by inches. Aside from those two chances, the Black Stars - who last won the competition in 1982 - underwhelmed against a side who were clear second favourites going into the match.

As for coach Hugo Broos’ Indomitable Lions, they are into their first final since they lost to Egypt in 2008. “It is a real dream for us to get to the final,” said the Belgian coach. “Ghana have more experience than us - look at what they have done in recent tournaments. But since the start of this tournament we have shown we keep going right to the end in every game. “I am very happy, especially for the team. They are an exemplary group on and off the field and they deserve to be in the final.” Cameroon’s build-up to the match was clouded by a dispute between the team and the national association over pay, but on Gabon’s Franceville stadium pitch their focus rarely wavered from the task in hand. They defended brilliantly, nullifying the threat of Andre Ayew and brother Jordan and, later on, substitute Asamoah Gyan. They also caused Ghana several problems at the other end. Slavia Prague defender Ngadeu-Ngadjui was both a rock in defence

and a menace on set-pieces in attack, highlighted when he fired in from the angle to give his side the lead. A free-kick was swung into the area and both Ghana defender John Boye and keeper Razah Brimah flapped at the delivery, allowing Ngadeu-Ngadjui to thrash home. As Ghana, coached by former Chelsea boss Avram Grant, searched for the equaliser they left space at the back, which was exploited in the third minute of stoppage time when Aalborg forward Bassogog sprinted into the area and poked in past the reach of Razak. “I am more than unhappy. We wanted so much to be in the final,” said Grant. “We did everything to be there and in the second half we completely dominated. Congratulations to Cameroon of course but we were the better side and we lost.” The Black Stars will return to Port Gentil where they played their group matches to take on Burkina Faso in tomorrow’s third place play-off in Port Gentil.

Published By Xtra Publishing Limited, Chancery Building, Valley Road, Nairobi | Printed at The Standard Group Centre, Mombasa Road, Nairobi. Paul Marshall-CEO, Fred Bunei-Finance Manager, Josiah Musee-Advertising Manager, Peter Obuya-Editor


14

SPORT

KCB poised for Premier League return as Muhoroni Youth and Sofapaka are axed WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017

KCB returns to Kenya Premier League action when the competition gets underway this month after earning promotion, thanks to Sofapaka and Muhoroni Youth clubs’ failure to meet the strict licensing requirements. Kenya Football Federation yesterday announced the demotion of the two clubs and their places in the league handed to KCB and Vihiga United who both get promoted. Muhoroni Youth and Sofapaka, according to FKF, failed to meet the strict club licensing requirements for the second time. The two clubs, alongside Thika United had appealed the decision to demote them after their papers were rejected in the first round. Thika was however handed a provisional license after meeting the finance criteria which had previously knocked them out. The main reason for Sofapaka and Muhoroni Youth’s demotion according to the FKF boss Nick Mwendwa was their failure to pay outstanding dues to former and current players as instructed by the licensing committee. Mwendwa said they relied on

information from the Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (KEFWA) which has been handling most of the cases as well as the players themselves. “The committee sat and looked at the information provided. After remarking and looking at payment details the committee has established they have not been able to clear all arrears as per the direction despite providing documents that showed they have paid up. We have a list of all the players who are owed and we have verified this information,” Mwendwa said while making the announcement. But despite Mwendwa’s announcement, a huge battle is expected with Sofapaka insisting to continue playing in the 2017 KPL season. “This is just a battle between KPL and FKF and we cannot accept. We have invested millions in raising the team and someone cannot just come out of nowhere and tell us we have been relegated and not on sporting criteria,” a fuming Sofapaka president Elly Kalekwa said. “We have not heard anywhere in the world that a club has been relegated

because of club licensing. I am not worried at all. This is a small issue. There will be no Kenya Premier League without Sofapaka. KPL is a company with rules and as far as we are concerned, we are lawfully in the league,” Kalekwa affirmed. He also added they produced all necessary documents required. The club had been told to deposit money in their bank account as guarantee they were in a position to run the team

successfully, something Kalekwa said they had done. But Mwendwa (pictured) is confident that even if the teams sought the help of the Sports Disputes Tribunal, they will not overturn the decision as the issue has been dealt with above board. The only recourse for the two clubs now is the highest court, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). The federation chief has now asked the two clubs to within the next 14 days submit their documents to be admitted into the National Super League failure to which they will go down lower to the National Division One League. “The appeals committee was very clear that the petitioners had to declare that once they re-submit and we check and the committee confirms, that will be the end of the matter. We therefore expect them within 14 days apply to be in the 2017 NSL season. Their chances are there and open and we expect them to move there,” Mwendwa noted. He said the decision to promote two more clubs from the NSL was necessitated by the Tribunal’s ruling that the 18-team top tier can take effect

from this season. This brings the total number of clubs promoted from the NSL to six. KCB who were relegated from the top tier at the end of the 2015 season and Vihiga United will join Nzoia United, Kariobangi Sharks, Nakumatt FC and Zoo Kericho who finished in the top four last season. However, Mwendwa said the two new clubs will not be given an extension to sign players. The KPL transfer window closed on January 31 while the NSL window was expected to close on February 8. “We are very excited to be back in the Kenyan Premier League. We had already finished our transfer business with our focus having been to win the 2017 NSL and get promotion to the KPL. The players are also quite happy with this news,” KCB chairman George Odhiambo has said. KPL whose officials are in Germany for a working tour is expected to draft the fixtures for the new season by next week. MORE ON THIS STORY www.capitalfm.co.ke


SPORT 15

Injury hit Arsenal to see Blues in Stamford Bridge outing WEEKEND EDITION, FEBRUARY 3-5, 2017

Toure recalled to City Champions League squad

Midfielder Yaya Toure has been recalled to Manchester City’s Champions League squad. Toure, 33, was left out of the 25-man list for the group stage but has since become a first-team regular again, and replaces the injured Ilkay Gundogan. New arrival Gabriel Jesus, who scored in the 4-0 win at West Ham on Wednesday, comes in for Kelechi Iheanacho, who remains eligible. City face Monaco in the last 16, with the first leg on 21 February. Toure’s omission for the group stage was criticised by his agent Dimitri Seluk, and City manager Pep Guardiola said he would not pick the midfielder until he received an apology. In November, the four-time African Footballer of the Year apologised to the club for “misunderstandings from the past” and has since returned to the first team.

Chelsea host Arsenal tomorrow in the league with both teams seeking to fast forget the events of their last outing in which neither managed to bag maximum points. The Gunners were beaten at home by Watford while Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw away at Liverpool. But the draw did not affect the Blues march towards another title, thanks to Tottenham’s draw at Sunderland. That means Antonio Conte’s men still maintained their nine-point lead at the summit of the Premier League table. But tomorrow’s clash with Wenger’s men could prove decisive in the title race for both teams. Arsenal won the first fixture at home 3-0 and Chelsea will be looking to avenge the defeat. A loss for the Gunner could potentially end their hopes of lifting the trophy for the first time in 14 years while a loss for Chelsea could throw the race wide open with the trio of Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City lurking. Chelsea has a good record over their opponents going into the match. Wenger’s men will be without midfielder Aaron Ramsey who was forced off after just 20 minutes with a calf injury during the loss to Watford and is expected to be sidelined. The Welshman’s expected absence creates

Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez vies for the ball with Chelsea defender David Luiz when they first met at the Emirates lat year. PHOTO: EPA

something of a crisis in the Arsenal midfield, with Granit Xhaka still suspended, Mohamed Elneny at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt and Santi Cazorla joining Ramsey in the treatment room. Francis Coquelin is the only senior central midfielder available to Wenger, who has hinted that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be brought in to plug the gap.Oxlade-Chamberlain himself is struggling with a knee injury from the Watford game, though, and should he fail

to recover in time then it could be down to 19-year-old Ainsley Maitland-Niles to make his full Premier League debut in the match. Chelsea, meanwhile, have minor concerns over the fitness of Eden Hazard and David Luiz, both of whom have reportedly been playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks. However, Conte is not expected to leave either out for such a big game and the most likely change to the hosts’ starting XI could see Pedro return in place of Willian.

friday 3rd february 2017

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