201703016 xnews by X News

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017 | www.x254.Co

‘TEAM NAIROBI’ ENDORSE SONKO TO TAKE ON KENNETH GROUP SUPPORTING THE SENATOR FOR JUBILEE’S CITY GUBERNATORIAL TICKET NOWS EYES NOMINATIONS AFTER TALKS TO

NEWS

REACH CONSENSUS WITH THE RIVAL CAMP FAILED

SOFAPAKA, MUHORONI YOUTH BACK IN KPL AFTER TRIBUNAL OVERTURNS DEMOTION

PAUL POGBA CRITICS ARE ENVIOUS OF HIS MILLIONS, SAYS MANAGER JOSE MOURINHO

Queries raised on election readiness Civil society groups say 2013 concerns remain unaddressed with state agencies seemingly non-committal on implementing constitutional requirements on integrity

Chief Justice David Maraga (Right) listens together with Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati (center) during a consultative meeting on election preparedness at the Nairobi Safari Club today. ABOVE: Human rights activist Yash Paul Ghai addresses the meeting. PHOTO: GITOBU IKUNDA/ X NEWS

NEWS

Uhuru makes strong case for re-election in final national address before polls THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday asked Kenyans to vote for him for a second term even as he outlined his administration’s development achievements during the four years he has been in office. Mr Kenyatta, during his fourth State of the Nation Address to a joint sitting of parliament, said his administration has kept its promise to develop Kenya by establishing a strong foundation for rapid growth and shared prosperity. He said the country is on the road to industrialisation, and he promised to enact more measures to guarantee a safe and prosperous nation for decades to come. President Kenyatta said he has tirelessly worked every single day for a prosperous Kenya that resonates with the dreams of the founding fathers. “I have worked every day of my first term to put us in position to make this leap. The Kenyan people have driven this process every step of the way,” he said. He said the Jubilee government represents the collective vision of Kenyans for transformation, rooted in the daily need for good jobs and rising incomes “I urge all Kenyans to join me in delivering another term of peoplefocused governance, boldness of vision and hard work as we rise even higher,” added the President. And as he urged Kenyans to rally behind him for a second term, President Kenyatta promised that his administration will ensure free and fair elections in August. He said elections are nothing new to Kenyans since the country has been an icon of democracy, a bastion of freedoms and a haven where freedom of expression has flourished.

President Uhuru Kenyatta during his State of the Nation Address in Parliament yesterday. Mr Kenyatta outlined his achievements as he made a strong case for his re-election in the August 8, 2017 polls. PHOTO: PSCU

The President called on Kenyans to uphold the peace and to remain united as the country approaches the polls. “Elections are a one-time event but Kenya is larger than all of us and we shall, and must remain. Those seeking political office must desist from any utterances that may divide Kenyans along ethnic, religious or other lines,” he said. Kenyans should proudly remain united and not dishonour the achievement of those who won freedoms for the country, the President said. “Go and vote, and then let us return to building the house we have inherited from our fathers,” he urged. On the economy, President Kenyatta said his administration has been able

to put Kenya on the trajectory of rising prosperity and resilient economy. He said he campaigned on a ticket of transformation because he knew that it was not enough to continue at the pace the country has been on for the past half a decade. He cited the revival of industries like Pan Paper Mills in Webuye, Rift Valley Textiles Company in Eldoret , the reestablishment of new motor vehicle assembly lines by Volkswagen, Peugeot and Toyota as demonstration that country is on the way to accelerated growth. “I believe that history will remember this period as the turning point when Kenya became a leading investment destination in the world, and the newest

entrant into large-scale manufacturing,” he told the nation. He said his administration has established a firm foundation which can now be used as a spring board to accelerate economic growth and provide jobs for the youth. He said, at the macro level, all indicators of Kenya’s economy are healthy. “Our gross domestic product has expanded at strong average annual growth rate of 5.9 percent since 2013 this against a global average of 3 percent,” said the President. He also said Kenya’s Foreign Exchange reserves have increased from 4.3 months of import cover in 2013 to 5.1 months of cover at the start of 2017.

Revenue from tax collections have also increased from 847 billion shillings in 2013 to 1.2 trillion shillings at the end of 2016. “The stable economic environment over the last 4 years has seen the cumulative addition of 2.3 million new jobs. From this perspective, the state of our economy is robust,” he said. But he acknowledged that ordinary Kenyans still faced daily struggles, with difficulty in finding jobs or making ends meet. These were matters that he said concerned him and that he was committed to resolving. President Kenyatta asserted that Kenya’s international profile has been on the rise with the leaders of the world’s most prosperous and powerful countries having come to visit the country. “They came to witness a country on the rise, and to engage with an administration that they believe shares in their vision for a stable and prospering global community,” he said. He cited examples of how collaboration with leading nations of the globe is contributing to Kenya’s growth. “From India, we have secured equipment and the expertise to establish a new cancer centre at Kenyatta Hospital,” said the President, adding that India has also provided a market for produce from Embu, Kitui, Mwingi, Makueni and Tharaka Nithi counties. The President said Kenya has also strengthened its security and development relations with the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan and Jordan. “China has been a key partner in the transformation of our infrastructure. Significantly, the SGR has been completed in record time,” he added.

Queries raised on 2017 poll preparedness

Questions have today been raised on the preparedness of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and other state agencies preparedness to handle the forthcoming general elections. Civil Society groups say concerns that existed in the 2013 elections remain with several unanswered questions with just over four months to the next polls. George Kegoro of Kura Yangu Sauti Yangu said it is not good that Kenyans are approaching the elections with fears amid dimming confidence. “We are headed to another elections but with very little confidence. The public largely believes that there will be violence,” Mr Kegoro told a consultative meeting on election preparedness at Nairobi Safari Club that was convened by Chief Justice David Maraga. He also said that IEBC has failed to answer critical questions raised by the public including those touching on the register. “The issue of multiple register has not been

addressed to date. Questions were raised over people being registered using a single ID,” Kegoro said. He also faulted state agencies for failing to fully implement Chapter Six of the constitution on Leadership and Integrity. “None of the state agencies is directly responsible for enforcing Chapter Six of the Constitution and therefore people with questionable characters are allowed to run for various political seats,” Kegoro said. His concerns were echoed by former chairman of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) Prof Yash Paul Ghai who said elections have lost meaning in the country. According to Ghai, people have lost confidence in offices like that the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions claiming they are not impartial at all. “People believe that elections is about forming the next government no matter the method one uses to win the elections,”

he said adding the polls have now become a crisis instead of the hallmark of democracy it should be. Justice Maraga said there is need to restore public confidence in state agencies ahead of the polls warning that pointing fingers and trading accusations is not good for the country. “It is important at this point for state agencies to talk to each other so as to avoid any challenges ahead of elections. We will only build public confidence if we work together,” Maraga said. Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko said free and fair election is not a preserve of state agencies and that everyone should participate in the process. He said his office has established an election secretariat to deal with election criminality. On his part, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati reiterated that his commission is ready to deliver a free, fair and credible election

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati speaks during a consultative meeting on election preparedness at the Nairobi Safari Club today. PHOTO: GITOBU IKUNDA? X NEWS

NEWS 3 THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

MPs pledge support for salary reduction call

Members of Parliament have agreed with a proposal by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission seeking review of pay for public and State officers. National Assembly Minority Leader Francis Nyenze (Kitui West) led fellow MPs Johnson Sakaja (Nominated), Peter Mwangangi (Kathiani) and Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar in welcoming the proposal aimed at capping the public wage bill which currently stands at Sh627 billion per year, amounting to 50 per cent of the total revenues collected by the government. “I support the proposal but let it be something reasonable, so that we pay the security personnel, teachers and doctors something at par,” Nyenze said in his reaction to the President’s State of the Nation address to a joint special sitting of Parliament. “There is a way in which MPs must now try to recast, the whole essence of leadership in representative politics, you must be judged by your participation in Parliament not how many funerals and harambees you attended,” Senator Omar said. “As we go to the election, every public official should know that if you go for a certain seat, this is the amount of money you should expect to get in whatever elective position. You know last time people fought it because they were ambushed, but now you know before, and I think it is understandable, it cannot be 50 per cent,”

National Assembly Minority Leader Francis Nyenze (left) and his Majority counterpart Aden Duale at parliament buildings. Mr Nyenze has backed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s call for MPs salaries to be cut. PHOTO: COURTESY

Sakaja explained. MPs Priscilla Nyokabi (Nyeri County Woman Representative), Daniel Maanzo (Makueni) and Robert Pukose (Endebess) argued they need high salaries to give handouts to poor

constituents for school fees and hospital bills. “Even as the salaries go down we will have to look at the welfare question and there might be need to have in place a welfare fund to address these

welfare questions,” Nyokabi noted. Pukose added that Kenyans should be sensitized on the role of the elected leaders. “We need to look at the public perception of some of these elected positions, such that people should not look at it that somebody going for an elected position has a lot of money.” Maanzo and Mwangangi said the government should be innovative and implement strategies that will simultaneously bring down the cost of living. “We are in this situation because the public money is being mismanaged. Nobody in the whole world whose salary is slashed while working for the government, this will be the first case in the world,” Maanzo stated. “It will be illogical for us to cut off all the wages and then the cost of living is up there; you’ll be creating another crisis,” Mwangangi noted. However, Sirisia MP John Waluke opposed the proposal claiming it was unfairly targeting the legislators and said that MPs will also slash earnings of the Sarah Serem Commission and other independent office holders. MPs in the 11th Parliament, who were elected on March 2013, wasted no time and in closing ranks and voted to overturn a directive that reduced their pay, hoping it would force the government to pay the higher salaries earned by those in the 10th Parliament. www.capitalfm.co.ke

NEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

‘Team Nairobi’ endorse Sonko to take on Kenneth

group of Nairobi MPs who have been gunning for the city’s gubernatorial seat appear to have settled on senator Mike Sonko as their choice to face Peter Kenneth in the battle for Jubilee party ticket. MPs Dennis Waweru (Dagoretti South), Johnson Sakaja (Nominated), former MP Margaret Wanjiru Sonko have all been seeking the Jubilee party ticket to contest the Nairobi Governor’s seat. But the equation changed after the entry of former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth into the race. Mr Kenneth who vied for the presidency in 2013 has backed the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta and subsequently joined his Jubilee party under whose ticket he wants to become the next city Governor. His entry has unsettled the earlier aspirants with a group of MPs already declaring support for Mr Kenneth. MPs Maina Kamanda (Starehe), John Ndirangu (Embakasi Central) and Women Representative Rachel Shebesh are leading the camp of Jubilee city lawmakers that support Mr Kenneth’s candidature. The duel has threatened to divide Jubilee Nairobi group into two with President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto reportedly said to have asked the opposing camps to reach a consensus on who flies the party flag. But with no agreements yet, it seems the two rivals camps will let the matter be squared out in the nominations. Team Nairobi has now settled on Sonk as their aspirants who will take on Peter Kenneth in the race for the ticket. Kenneth who is backed by at least 11 city MPs has already submitted his nomination papers at the

Mike Sonko

Peter Kenneth

Jubilee party headquarters. He was the first of the five Jubilee aspirants whose papers were received by the head of the party’s secretariat Raphael Tuju, executive director Abraham Limo and Secretary-General Veronica Maina. The Sonko led team is expected to present their nomination papers tomorrow. They claim Mr Kenneth is an outsider in city politics. However, Kenneth who addressed the media after submitting his nomination papers in Pangani insisted that there are no cracks in the Jubilee team. He said he is ready to face off with ‘Team Nairobi’ in the nominations claiming his

main focus is to remove Governor Evans Kidero from office. “We, as the Jubilee team, are one team and we will square it out in the nominations with a common goal to remove Dr Kidero. Having diversity in the team does not mean we are divided,” he said. “Let me assure you this, Jubilee will have one governor who will deal with Dr Kidero conclusively,” added the former assistant minister. MPs backing Mr Kenneth have vowed to teach their party rivals a lesson in the nominations. “We have all submitted our nomination papers to the party. President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto had instructed us to agree through consensus who gets what seat. But our

US judge blocks Trump’s new travel ban A Federal judge in Hawaii has blocked President Donald Trump’s new travel ban, hours before it was due to begin at midnight today. US District Judge Derrick Watson cited “questionable evidence” in the government’s argument that the ban was a matter of national security. President Trump described the ruling as “unprecedented judicial overreach”. The order would have placed a 90-day ban on people from six mainly Muslim nations and a 120-day ban on refugees. Mr Trump insists the move is to stop terrorists from entering the US but critics say it is discriminatory. An earlier version of the order, issued in late January, sparked confusion and protests, and was blocked by a judge in Seattle. Speaking at a rally in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday evening, Mr Trump said the ruling in Hawaii made the US “look weak”. He said he would take the case “as far as it needs to go” including to the Supreme Court, adding: “We’re going to win.” Hawaii is one of several US states trying to stop the ban. Lawyers had argued that the ban would violate the US constitution by discriminating against people on the grounds of their national origin. The state also said the ban would harm tourism

and the ability to recruit foreign students and workers. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who is attending a court hearing in Seattle in his efforts to block the travel ban, described the ruling as “fantastic news”. “It’s very exciting. At this point it’s a team effort - multiple lawsuits and multiple states,” he said. A court hearing was also taking place in Maryland where lawyers told a Federal judge

the travel ban still discriminated against Muslims. After the ruling in Hawaii, the legal battle is now expected to move to the federal appeals circuit. Under the revised order, citizens of six countries on the original 27 January order Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen - would once more be subject to a 90-day travel ban. Iraq was removed from the list because its government boosted visa screening and data sharing, White House officials said. The revised order also lifts an indefinite ban on all Syrian refugees and says Green Card holders (legal permanent residents of the US) from the named countries will not be affected. But more than half a dozen US states have joined lawsuits in an attempt to block it. In his presidential campaign, Mr Trump vowed “a total and complete shutdown” of Muslim immigration to the US, and to implement a process of “extreme vetting” in order to prevent violent extremists from entering the US. US President Donald Trump reacts during a meeting with small business leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on January 30, 2017. PHOTO: JIM LO SCALZO/EPA

competitors refused. Now, our team including PK is sure of trouncing them,” Nairobi Woman Representative Rachel Shebesh told the media yesterday. Shebesh was among the MPs who accompanied Kenneth when he presented his nomination papers. Other MPs present included Waihenya Ndirangu (Roysambu), John Chege (Kasarani), James Mwangi Gakuya (Embakasi North), John Ndirangu (Embakasi Central), George Theuri (Embakasi West), Benson Mutura (Makadara), Yusuf Hassan (Kamukunji) and Maina Kamanda (Starehe). Curiously present was Mathare MP Steven Kariuki. Mr Kariuki was thought to be in the Team Nairobi camp where his mother, Bishop Margaret Wanjiru was eyeing a seat. Sources say Team Nairobi line-up has Sonko for Governor, Dennis Waweru as his deputy with Johnson Sakaja going for senator. Bishop Wanjiru has been asked to contest the Starehe Parliamentary seat. Mr Kariuki’s presence at the Kenneth function could signal a break-way with Team Nairobi with Ms Wanjiru said not to be happy with the position she was given. While denying that the nomination rivalry could disintegrate the Jubilee team, Starehe MP Maina Kamanda, who had spearheaded the Sonko team before joining Mr Kenneth, said all is well in the Jubilee camp, but insisted that Mr Kenneth is the best bet for the city county. “Most Nairobi MPs are supporting Peter Kenneth, not because the others gunning for governor are our enemies, but because we believe he is the best,” he said. @hillary_x254

Ethiopia landslide deaths rise to 113

The death toll from Saturday’s landslide at a vast dump in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, has now risen to 113 people, local officials say. A search operation at the Koshe landfill will continue overnight. As many as 150 people are believed to have been at the site during the landslide. Meanwhile, the funerals of some of the victims have taken place. The dump, which has served the city of four million for more than five decades, provided shelter for some. The country is currently observing three days of mourning for those who died. Hundreds of people attempt to make a living by scavenging at the landfill site, sifting through the rubbish for items they can sell. Some resided at the rubbish dump permanently. More than 350 residents have now been moved from the site, the officials say. A number of makeshift houses were buried under tonnes of waste in the landslide. Rescue teams are now using excavators to dig through piles of rubbish. The authorities have been building Africa’s first waste-to-energy plant near the landfill. They plan to burn rubbish generated by Addis Ababa and convert it into electricity.

NEWS 5

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

NEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 16 2017

Auditor General Ouko ﬁghts his ouster bid Auditor General Edward Ouko has today come out fighting to have a petition seeking his removal from office thrown out. At the same time, Mr Ouko has warned parliament against going on to hear the petition by lawyer Emmanuel Mwagona Mugambi given there is a court order in place against the same. At a press conference at his Anniversary Towers office in Nairobi today, Mr Ouko accused parliament of presiding over an illegitimate process that has all the hallmarks of unfairness. He questioned the speed at which parliament has fast-tracked the petition saying it raises eyebrows. According to the Auditor general, the petition was processed within a day instead of seven days as provided for by law. And he now wants fairness to prevail even as he confessed his innocence and readiness for accountability. “The process of the petition was not fair and therefore the outcome will not be fair,” Ouko said. He also claimed that the petitioner failed to mention the real people behind the petition as demanded by law. “Natural justice demand that you must know the petition for fair administration of justice. In this case the Auditor General does not know the petitioner,” his lawyer Otiende Amollo said. “Only when you know the petitioner can you know the motive,” he added. He said so far no allegations on serious violations of the constitution have been provided. “The petitioner has not provided any document on the claims he has made,” Amollo said. He also claimed that MPs did not allow them to question the petitioner further indicating that the outcome of the process will not be fair. The lawyer said the Auditor General was cleared by the DPP and that decision can only be challenged

Auditor General Edward Ouko (left) addressed the press at his Anniverssary Towers ofﬁce in the company of his lawyer Otiende Amollo today. Mr Ouko has warned parliament against defying a court order to proceed with hearings on a petition seeking his removal from ofﬁce. PHOTO: GITOBU IKUNDA/X NEWS

in a High Court and not in parliament. Asked whether he feels he’s being hounded out of office, Ouko said he’s concerned about the petition and wonder who is behind it. “I only have two years left in this office and I don’t understand all this. It will send a bad precedent to independent offices,” he said. Mr Amollo said the question of stepping aside will only come up when the committee has

recommended to the president for a formation of a tribunal which in this case has not happened. And he warned that should the committee go ahead with the process then the courts will stop it from submitting it to the president. Amollo claimed that the speaker has already made up his mind over the matter. “The president will also be stopped from forming a tribunal and therefore the process will amount to wastage of money

and time,” he argued. Mr Ouko poked holes into the evidence provided by the petitioner saying he will sue him as the allegations amount to assassination of his character. “I will sue the petitioner because everything he is saying is not true,” Ouko said. The Auditor General said he has always been fair in his work and he’s auditing Kenyan money that knows neither Jubilee nor Cord. @sam_x254

NEWS PICTORIAL CORRUPTION IN BRAZIL: Brazilian President Michel Temer attends a meeting on political reform in the Presidential Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, yesterday. Brazilian Attorney General Rodrigo Janot, on Tuesday asked the courts to open 320 investigations based on the confessions of former directors of the construction company Odebrecht saying that what was revealed in the statements shows a level of corruption ‘never imagined’. PHOTO: JOEDSON ALVES/EPA

NAUSEATING NEWS OR SOMETHING? Australia’s Defence Minister Senator Marise Payne (L) and Indonesia’s Defense Minister General (Ret.) Ryamizard Ryacudu (R) hold a joint press conference following their annual bilateral meeting in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, today. PHOTO: DEAN LEWINS/EPA

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 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

OTT services to put pressure on telcos’ current revenue streams

Over-the-top content (OTT), which refers to audio, video, and other media transmitted via the Internet, will cause the telecommunications sector to suffer heavy losses over the next three years, experts have warned. SAP, a market leader in enterprise application software, has stated that globally, more than 1.8 billion people use OTT mobile services. Leading research group Ovum predicts a $293.4 billion (Sh30.2 trillion) loss in the telco industry due to OTT VoIP services. Ovum predicts that by 2020, there will be 2.7 billion (Sh277.8 billion) OTT VoIP users, which will upend the entire traditional telco industry as providers seek new ways to increase revenue. Telcos have already begun to incorporate OTT services as part of value-add packages to consumers. Of such telco-OTT partnerships, a quarter involve video content, 22 per cent offer music services and a further 19 per cent offer social media to consumers at reduced rates. Internet service provider Jamii Telecoms last year introduced an internet-streaming device in Kenya that allows subscribers to access Over the Top content from entertainment service providers including Netflix, Hulu plus, Kodi and Cloud TV among others. Mariam Abdullahi, Telco Industry Lead at SAP Africa, says consumer demand for online videos is forcing data costs down. “According to recent stats, 62 per

People walk along a busy street filled with electronics shops and advertising placards for mobile phone operators in downtown Nairobi, May 29, 2014. In 2013, reports stated that Africa had a mobile telecommunications penetration of 80 per cent, and a growth rate higher that anywhere else in the world. EPA/DANIEL IRUNGU cent of mobile users consume online video content. In 2014 already, 50 per cent of all YouTube traffic came from mobile devices, and analysts estimate that video will account for 70 per cent of all mobile traffic by 2021,” explains Abdullahi. “Africa is fast approaching the 1 billion mobile subscriptions landmark. The continued rollout of 3G and 4G

networks, as well as an influx of lowcost smartphones, is changing the face of the African telecoms market by making the latest mobile innovations accessible and available to African citizens,” she argues. An Ovum report states that as revenue from traditional voice services continue to be disrupted by OTT players, and consumers increasingly

Lake Turkana Wind Power project in drive to support education development The Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) project, through its corporate foundation, has officially handed over a dormitory to Nyiro Boys, one of Marsabit County’s leading boys high school with a total of 400 students. The dormitory has a capacity of 80 double decker beds and will be instrumental in accommodating students who travel long distances to and from school. The dormitory was built by LTWP’s Corporate Foundation - Winds of Change. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Winds of Change Chairman, Willem Dolleman noted that education was a sure driver of sustainable development in the Kenyan economy. “Education is key to building our economy. The new dormitory, which will allow students to save time spent in travel and hence study more, is a small but critical step in improving our economy,” he said. Past initiatives under the Winds of Change foundation include the refurbishment of a dispensary catering to the Buraramia community in 2016. The project included

the installation of a solar power system, a refrigerator for vaccines, renovation of medicine stores, provision of equipment for the wards and the installation of an additional water storage system. “The project team is aware of the sometimes difficult conditions that the community in the area faces. We are therefore committed to uplifting the living standards of the people. This will be achieved through continued support of education, water and health within the immediate community. When operating at full capacity, LTWP is expected to add 310 megawatts of clean energy into Kenya’s grid – enough to power more than two million households. Currently, all 365 turbines have been hoisted at a wind farm in Sarima, Loiyangalani Division, Marsabit County. LTWP is on course and is expected to complete the installation and commissioning process of the wind farm by June 2017. @kevin_x254

shift consumption habits to more data-intensive media such as video, operators will need to be in a position to innovate quickly and accurately or risk losing customers and revenue. Abdullahi said telcos will need to navigate these forces if they are to create the new revenue streams they need to replace traditional voice @Dennis_x254 income streams.

MEAN 102.8944 125.5211 109.2264 7.8842 34.9388 21.7214

BUY SELL 102.8944 102.9944 125.3883 125.6539 109.1089 109.3439 7.8741 7.8942 34.8562 35.0213 21.6517 21.7911

Help Kenyans adapt to new jobs created by the internet, WBG urges government Kenya must enact policies designed to better help workers adapt to new jobs being created by the internet if they want to avoid increasing inequality and exclusion in the region, notes a new World Bank Report. According to an analysis dubbed Reaping Digital Dividends: Leveraging the Internet for Development, affordable and nearly universal access to the internet has not been enough to help people fully benefit from opportunities being created by digital technologies. The report says more needs to be done to develop a policy environment that can better leverage this access by linking workers to digital jobs. “We are clearly seeing that internet access alone does not automatically translate into economic gains,” says Hans Timmer, Chief Economist for the Europe and Central Asia region of the World Bank. “Given their level of technological development, countries should be doing better in terms of e-commerce, but we are not seeing the Googles or Facebooks emerging out just yet,” Timmer adds. According to the report, low usage of digital payment systems and stringent regulations are some of the complementary factors hindering the growth of the Internet economy. For instance, early retirement and lack of lifelong learning opportunities for older workers limit their access to jobs in the digital economy of several countries. @enock_x254

Safaricom CEO urges larger companies to speak out against corruption Larger companies need to speak out against corruption so that small businesses get the courage to do the same, Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore has said. Kenya’s leading telecommunications firm has called on industry stakeholders and business leaders to lead the fight against graft at a time when Kenya is losing Sh608 billion to corruption every year, according to former Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Philip Kinisu. This is roughly a third of the country’s state budget. Speaking during the 2017 edition an annual event dubbed the Acumen Fellows Global Gathering, Collymore, along with KCB Group Chief Executive, Joshua Oigara, rebuked the vice. “If we’re not going to stand up to corruption, the two biggest companies in East Africa, the small and medium companies won’t,” Collymore argued. Collymore used this year’s edition of Accumen, a global fellows programme trains the next generation of social impact leaders, as a platform to call for renewed efforts in the fight against corruption. On his part, Oigara said that partnerships are one of the keys to success in the field of business. “As KCB, we target long term returns in terms of

growth for our business and getting returns for our shareholders,” he explained. “Partnerships are the backbone of growth for businesses. Such as our collaboration with Safaricom on KCB Mpesa. Networking gives you the energy to progress. Businesses hardly succeed in singularity, be collaborative. Making bold moves and having moral courage are some of the key ingredients for success,” Oigara added. Now in its 11th year, the Global Fellows Program is a 12-month fellowship for individuals dedicated to changing the way the world tackles poverty. “We are looking for potential social sector leaders who embody service above self. Leaders who take a systems change approach to the world’s biggest problems and have the moral imagination to effect long term change,” said the group in a recent statement. “Since 2006, we have received more than 5,000 applications from 110 countries and trained 97 Fellows from over 25 countries. After the Fellowship year, Fellows continue to create social change, with 85 per cent of the Fellows currently in leadership positions at socially progressive organizations,” the group added. @Dennis_x254

BUSINESS

Uber bows to drivers’ demands as management increases fares by Sh100 THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

Uber Kenya has bowed to pressure from its drivers to increase its fares following a strike that nearly crippled its operations late last month. The taxi hailing service’s management has raised Uber’s minimum fare to Sh300 from the previous Sh200 in Nairobi. Per minute fare charges will however, remain unchanged at a standard rate of Sh3. Base fare in Nairobi will also remain unchanged at Sh100. In Mombasa, passengers will pay a Sh200 minimum fee, up from Sh150. Under the new arrangement, passengers in both Nairobi and Mombasa will now pay Sh42 per kilometer, up from the previous Sh35. “As a technology company, our strength is that we can move and adapt quickly, based on what works best for each city,” Uber said in a statement issued just hours ago. “With six years’ experience, we have seen that pricing is all about achieving the right balance ultimately, prices are designed to encourage more riders on the road, to help increase trips for drivers, but equally, you want to make sure the basic economics of drivers are

Kenya to receive part of Sh1 bn fund to tackle floods, drought Kenya is set to benefit from a Sh1 billion initiative aimed at tackling water-related problems in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Winners of a competition dubbed the Water Window Challenge will over the next 18 months work to help communities in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and South and Southeast Asia deal with floods and drought. The goal is to reduce the human toll and economic damage. Twelve projects aimed at tackling water-related problems in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities will share a $10 million (Sh1 billion) pot to make their ideas a reality. The 12 water challenge winners were chosen for ideas that are innovative, easy to scale up, adjustable and likely to deliver concrete outcomes, Alinovi added. They include the University of Waterloo, which is adapting lowcost amphibious homes used in flood-prone areas of the US state of Louisiana for the Mekong Delta. The Danish Refugee Council’s proposal, meanwhile, will help refugees in northwest Kenya cope with recurring droughts and floods using techniques including a mobile phone-based warning system and fast-maturing, hazard-resistant crops. @Dennis_x254

A man holds his mobile phone displaying the Uber app next to a local taxi in the streets of Nairobi, Kenya, March 24, 2016. US ride sharing service company Uber on March 23, 2016 launched its services in Mombasa, Kenya expanding its global network to 399 cities. EPA/DANIEL IRUNGU sustainable,” the taxi company added. Uber’s management said it made its decision using statistically proven methods to determine pricing. “That is why we consider local

conditions together with a pricing model that is tried and tested in 450plus cities across the world,” the firm explained. On February 20, 2017, a section of Uber

taxi drivers went on strike demanding higher rates months after the taxi hailing service cut prices by 35 per cent. The drivers marched to Parliament, demanding a revision of rates.

“We have always promised to closely monitor driver-partner’s economics; keeping cognisant of how inflation and fuel prices can affect drivers using our app. We continue to stand by that promise because Uber succeeds when our partners succeed. That is why today we are raising our prices in Kenya. We believe driver-partners will earn more as a result of these changes and that riders will continue to enjoy access to a safe, affordable and reliable service,” said Uber. The management stated that Uber works when both riders and driverpartners are benefiting. The group said that riders need safe, reliable transport and drivers need to keep earning. “We believe that riders and drivers should have transparency and certainty around prices so that they can make informed choices about when and how they use Uber. We believe riders will continue to enjoy access to a safe, affordable and reliable service and driver-partners will earn more as a result of these changes,” the group concluded. @Dennis_x254

KBA, NSE and IFC in deal to promote banking industry’s climate-driven bonds initiative Financial institutions, under the umbrella body of the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) with the purpose of spurring the development of the banking industry’s green bonds programme through individual bank issuances. With IFC’s support, banks in Kenya will review their portfolios to identify climate-aligned (green) assets that can be refinanced as well as new assets that would form the pipeline to be financed from the green bond proceeds. IFC has also committed to catalyse Kenya’s green bond market by serving as an anchor investor for the pioneer issuance. The collaboration will aim to provide KBA member banks with technical support in green finance in conjunction with other climate finance initiatives undertaken by IFC in other markets, including South Africa and Turkey. The partnership will also serve to support Kenya’s Vision 2030 ambition to become one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies. KBA Chief Executive Officer, Habil Olaka, acknowledged IFC’s global experience in sustainable finance. The IFC fosters sustainable economic growth in developing countries by

Pine trees are are silhouetted by clouds at a tree plantation near Mau Summit in Kenya on 11 December 2009. Mau Forest is the country’s biggest closed-canopy forest and a vital water catchment area. The government made moves to protect the area in 2009 as part of an effort to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. It is estimated that less than two per cent of Kenya’s total area is covered by forest but experts warn that forest cover of around 10 per cent is required for the country to sustain life naturally. EPA/STEPHEN MORRISON financing private sector investment, mobilizing capital in the international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments. In 2016, IFC’s climate-related investments were close to $2 billion (sh 200 billion) and an additional $1.3 billion (Sh130 billion) was raised through core mobilization, for a total of $3.3 billion (Sh 330 Billion) invested in climate-smart projects. In addition, through its Advisory, IFC enabled more than $1.2 billion (Sh120 billion) in climate-related investments

in power, resource efficiency, green buildings, and public-private partnerships. Especially, in 2016 new green bond-financed commitments were close to $1 billion (Sh100 billion) worth invested in 35 projects across 22 countries, including 16 new markets. “There is a great opportunity for banks to attract funding aligned to climate change issues and we welcome the technical assistance and advisory support from IFC towards this end,” said Mr. Olaka. “The sectors in Kenya that require green finance include agriculture and

agribusiness; manufacturing; building and construction; transportation and infrastructure; energy, among others. There is no shortage of investment opportunity. Therefore, we hope banks in this market will consider how they can tap this investment opportunity towards building their portfolios while also contributing to Kenya’s sustainable development,” he added. The Nairobi Securities Exchange Chief Executive, Geoffrey Odundo said that the NSE was enthusiastic that Kenya had the opportunities for green finance and banks would be able to tap the capital markets to attract new investors with dedicated allocations aligned to climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. “The Exchange fully supports green financing and we see huge growth potential for the sector,” said Mr. Odundo. “The world continues to aspire for green and inclusive growth and we urge our listed and non - listed entities to embrace the green bond market as an innovative and alternative way of raising finance from both domestic and external sources for sustainabilitydriven investments. The introduction of the issuance of green bonds will increase the priority for sustainable development within the region,” he @kevin_x254 added.

BUSINESS 9

2.3m jobs created during Jubilee term THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

Up to 2.3 million jobs were created during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s term in office, the head of state has said. In his annual state of the nation address, Kenyatta said that additional borrowing by his government in the last four years had been used to fund the most aggressive agenda in Kenya’s history. The President told Parliament that the economy had expanded by an annual average of 5.9 per cent in the last four years, supporting the creation of new jobs. Kenya’s public debt currently stands at about 50 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and the country has not been in any danger of defaulting on its loans, Kenyatta said on Wednesday. “Every year since the start of my administration, we have made adequate budgetary provisions to service the debt. I want to assure Kenyans that at no point has the country been at risk of default,” said the President. The World Bank has raised concerns in the past in regard to Kenya’s somewhat exuberant borrowing from China with the loans said to be coming at a heightened cost to the taxpayer. “Kenya still has a heavy debt burden and China’s loans can bring debt to unsustainable levels,” the bank warned in a policy research working paper last

investment (FDI) already comes from China, allowing Kenya to diversify its sources of FDI and increase investment in manufacturing. “Lagging behind countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa, Kenya performs poorly in attracting manufacturing FDI. To increase the low investment, Kenya wants to market opportunities to China because Chinese firms are attracted to the low cost of labour in Kenya,” the World Bank research states. @Dennis _x254

year. Kenyatta has, however, assured the public that the funds will improve the investment environment while leading to job creation and poverty reduction. He said the debt from the domestic

Country’s international debt has fueled economic growth, says Kenyatta President Uhuru Kenyatta has brushed off criticism of government borrowing saying its good use has fueled economic growth. In his final state of the nation address, the head of the state said Kenya’s international debt which currently stands at 50 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product is being used appropriately. “The evidence of a greatly expanded transport infrastructure, increased energy production, increased access to electricity, and improved security are plain for all Kenyans to see,” Kenyatta said. Kenya’s national debt has escalated to 50 per cent of GDP from 42 per cent when Kenyatta came to power, a move the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank said in not good to the economy. Among the successes the President painted is the completion of the first phase of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) that is set to be commissioned on June 1, 2017 as well as the completion of 1,950 kilometres new roads and another 7000 kilometres under different phases of construction. These projects have resulted in Kenya owing billions of shillings to China. As per March 2016, each Kenyan weather born or unborn was said to be owing Sh59, 000 to the international countries according to the Nation Newplex. Government critics have been requesting the government and the National Treasury to control international debt saying if the debt is not controlled it will in the long run expose the economy to systemic risks. Nonetheless, a 2016 World Bank report compiled by the lender’s researchers, Apurva Sanghi and Dylan Johnson, states that many African economies have benefitted from China’s strong demand for energy and metals. “One expects Kenya to mostly export commodities to China, and China to export a greater variety of manufactured goods to Kenya,” states the analysis. enock_x254

and international creditors was being used to finance infrastructure projects, increase access to electricity and improve security to sell Kenya as a preferred investment destination. Kenya’s debt ratio has grown from 42.1

per cent of GDP in 2012/13 to 55.1 per cent of GDP in 2015/16. “I assure every Kenyan that all the funds borrowed will continue to be put to good use,” the President said. A large share of foreign direct

President Uhuru Kenyatta (R) and Volkswagen brand manager Herbert Diess (L) inspect Volkswagen’s Polo Vivo car as they tour the company’s newly-opened assembly plant in Thika, in the outskirts of the capital Nairobi, Kenya, December 21, 2016. German auto giant Volkswagen, who used to assemble cars in Kenya in 1970s, re-opened its assembly plant in the country after almost 40 years on December 21 as the company aims to expand its business in the continent. EPA/DAI KUROKAWA

Car and General signs joint venture agreement with US-based firm to boost manufacturing sector Kenya’s manufacturing sector has received a major boost after Car and General (C&G), a leading supplier of generators, motorbikes and laundry equipment, announced plans to consolidate its business with Cummins, a US-based manufacturer. Set to roll out in April 2017, the joint venture will see Car & General consolidate its business with Cummins to increase its market and services across East Africa. The dual project will combine business around sales, service and support of Cummins products in East Africa, covering Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Seychelles. Vijay Gidoomal, Managing Director of Car & General, said the pact is a milestone in the close business relationship that the firm has shared with Cummins over the past years. “We believe our core business and community values are aligned, and see this partnership as a unique opportunity to solidify market leadership in our existing territories and capture market share where we are still building our presence,” said Gidoomal. He added that Car & General has over the last decade, been the Cummins’ dealer for the genset (generator) market, leveraging on existing network to establish a strong presence in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. “The genset market has since grown to over 15 per cent market share. Over the years, Car & General has gained distribution rights for Cummins’ full range of products and services,” said Gidoomal.

Car and General Group Managing Director Vijay Godoomal with Vice president and Managing Director – Africa Middle East Gino Butera, during joint venture announcement ceremony at Southern Sun Mayfair Hotel.Photo: Edwin Gitobu/Xnews Car & General has developed strong local market knowledge, experience and capabilities while Cummins brings brand strength, technical expertise and proven policies and processes to the new partnership. Together, the new Cummins C&G business aims to deliver superior customer sales, service and support in East Africa.

“We are excited to partner with C&G. Over the past 10 years, they have grown the Cummins distribution business in East Africa and we see untapped growth opportunities to expand Cummins’ customer support in the region,” said Gino Butera, Managing Director and Vice President of Cummins Africa and the Middle East. enock_x254

PROPERTY DEALS

KBA calls on innovators to develop solutions to financial inequality THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

The Kenya Bankers Association Centre for Research on Financial Markets and Policy has invited researchers to submit proposals for papers as part of the regulator’s drive to promote financial inclusion in the country. The proposals will focus on the theme Intermediation towards Deepening of Financial Inclusion. The aim of the papers will be to enrich the understanding on whether the prevailing financial intermediation platforms lead to the deepening of

Kenya’s financial inclusion. “The selected researchers will be expected to produce papers to be presented at the 6th Annual Kenya Bankers Association Banking Conference to be held in September 2017,” KBA said in a recent statement. The emphasis of the conference will be on high quality research with a clear balance between theory and application, as well as policy relevance of the research findings. The call comes at a time when Kenya’s

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financial system has drawn wide attention on account of two related developments. “First, there has been the harnessing of the novelty of technology – especially mobile telephony – in a manner that has revolutionised national payments. Second, such novelty has extended beyond payments, getting to the intermediation space where technology is a platform for savings mobilisation and credit extension,” said the Association.

81 Sterling Self-contained Guestrooms with Cable TV, Video Channel and Telephone. Exotic Cuisine from The Shalom and The Pool Restaurants. Elegant Conference and Functions facilities tailored to your special needs.We have 15 state-of-the-art rooms. Modern Business Centre and Cyber

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These two developments have largely, but not exclusively, been credited for the strides the economy has made in the financial inclusion agenda. Over the past decade the proportion of the financially excluded is estimated to have declined significantly from 41 per cent to 17 per cent. KBA states that by the same estimates, the share of formal prudentially-regulated as well as the formal non-prudentially regulated institutions to financial inclusion has increased.

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This has led to the desirable consequence being the shrinking of informal finance whose proportion has decreased from 32 per cent to 7 per cent. The KBA would like innovators to explain in a paper how the strides in financial inclusion can be widely acclaimed if it happens on the back of stagnating levels of savings and constrained access to credit. @Dennis_x254

Sarova Hotels Managing Director Jaideep S. Vohra (left) with Woodlands Hotel Limited Director Peter Ngori sign a management contract. The contract will see Sarova Hotels, Resort and Game lodges operate and manage a 146 room hotel set to be opened in Nakuru town. Photo: Edwin/Xnews

Sarova Hotels signs contract to manage Woodlands Hotel and Spa Leading hospitality chain, Sarova Hotels, Resorts and Game Lodges has signed a management contract with the directors of Woodlands Hotel to operate a 146-room hotel set to be opened in Nakuru town. Located off the main NairobiNakuru highway next to State House, the Sarova Woodlands Hotel and Spa will serve as a business and leisure retreat for travelers. This makes it the second property by Sarova Hotels in Nakuru County after the Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge, located in Lake Nakuru National Park. The Hotel will feature state of the art conference facilities with a ballroom that can seat up to 250 guests. The hotel will have 146 rooms, of which 125 are deluxe rooms and 21 Suites. The hotel will also feature three restaurants. Sarova Hotels Managing Director, Jaideep Vohra said the vibrancy in the Kenyan hospitality sector over the past few years has led to

great competition among the established and new operators. “We realized that Nakuru County has a gap for a luxurious business hotel. In line with Sarova’s commitment to offering Refreshing African Hospitality, we are confident that our guests will enjoy the Sarova experience. We believe that Sarova Woodlands Hotel and Spa will be the first of its kind in the county,” he said. The hotel will host the awardwinning Tulia Spa & Wellness center, home to a wide range of holistic treatments with a promise of complete rejuvenation. The opening of Sarova Woodlands Hotel & Spa will add to the eight properties that are under the Sarova Hotels portfolio which include the Sarova Stanley, Sarova Panafric, Sarova Taita Hills Game Lodge, Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge, Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa, Sarova Mara Game Camp and Sarova Shaba Game Lodge. @enock_x254

PROPERTY DEALS 11

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

BRANTON INVESTMENTS LIMITED. P.O.BOX 55398-00200 TEL: 0202224233 / 0733288772. 3RD FLOOR HUGHES BUILDING NAIROBI

SALE! SALE! SALE! SALE!  1/8 ACRE PLOT IN RUIRU BEFORE ZETECH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SUITABLE FOR HOSTELS @ KSHs 7.5 MILLION.  10 ACRES AT KIMANA LOITOKTOK OPPOSITE KIMANA SECONDARY SCHOOL NEXT TO AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK. BOREHOLE AND 3 PHASE ELECTRICITY ON SITE. TOMATOES PLANTATION ON LAND. SUITABLE FOR FARMING OR CONSTRUCTION OF RESORT @1.5 MILLION PER ACRE.  5 ACRES IN (NAIVASHA) GREENPARK-THE GREAT RIFT VALLEY LODGE.CLEAR VIEW OF LAKE NAIVASHA CONTACT

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The Waiyaki Way Suites comprising of 2&3 bedroom apartments with over 350 parking Borehole, Recreational spaces, perimeter wall, serene & quite environment is being constructed in a prime location fronting the Waiyaki Way, with a rear access of Thiongo road which is on the Naivasha - Nakuru Highway and in between two pre-urban towns namely Uthiru and Kangemi located at Dagoretti division in Nairobi bordering the Kiambu area. The project is fronting Mountain View Estate. The project targets middle-income class which is mostly hit by the housing deficit. The Project aims at realizing 204 housing units in 5 blocks, supporting infrastructural services that ensure a sustainable living environment and neighborhood. .The completion date will be December 2017 and the construction work is ongoing. The Waiyaki way developers are working out to see change of look of that area by putting down the shanties and putting up modern apartments. Quick access to the CBD, having Waiyaki way only 15 minutes drive, thus the time spent on average to reach to the place of work/business is short. Transport is accessible since you can use any that is using the highway, in less than 10min you are in Westlands. OUR

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PROPERTIES TO LET OTHAYA ROAD – Kileleshwa An Executive and spacious four bed roomed town house (all ensuite) with a family room, study room, dhobi area, spacious kitchen and servants’ quarter on a beautiful garden. Ksh 250,000pm MIREMA DRIVE – Kasarani An executive six (6) bed roomed (Three en suite) double storey residence on ½ acre plot with a borehole water in addition to the Nairobi Water Co Water Ksh 120,000pm MANDERA ROAD-Kileleshwa An executive four bed roomed maisonnette (Two En suite ) with servants’ quarter Ksh 100,000pm TATE APARTMENTS – Off Dennis Pritt Road A three bed roomed Apartment within a very secure court (All en suite) with servants’ quarter Ksh 90,000pm NGONG ROAD & VALLEY ARCADE Executive two bed roomed Apartments on 24-hour security. Ksh 65,000pm IMARA DAIMA – Mombasa Road Two bed roomed bungalow within the main Estate Ksh 25,000pm PARK ROAD – Ngara One and two bed roomed flats Ksh 18,000pm and Ksh 22,000pm respectively KIAMBU TOWN – On the main street One and two bed roomed flats Ksh 10,000pm and Ksh 14,000pm respectively PANGANI – Off Juja Road One bed roomed Flat – Secure Ksh 10,000pm OFFICES TO LET DAYKIO PLAZA –Next to Nakumat Prestige Ngong Road Executive self contained office suites ranging between 858 sqft and 2100 sqft with ample parking within a clean secure environment; Call for details WESTLANDS – Next to Unga House Secure office suites measuring 686 & 718 sqft @ Ksh 70.00 per sqft pm – Only two remaining NAIROBI WEST OPP T-MALL – Off Lang’ata Road Ground floor space measuring Appr 3700sqft with wash rooms, strong room, parking area suitable for bank, show room etc. Ksh 400,000pm HOUSES / FLATS FOR SALE DONYO SABUK ROAD – Off General Mathenge road A piece of land measuring 1.7 acres with an old house suitable for Apartments Ksh 500m KIAMBU ROAD – Muthaiga North Beautiful ½ acre red soil fully serviced plot on tarmac within a gated community Ksh 50m RIDGEWAYS ROAD A corner red soil plot measuring ½ of an acre Ksh 50m KIAMBU ROAD – Behind upcoming Quick Mark Supermarket Beautiful red soil ½ plots near the main tarmac road Ksh 30m each GARDEN ESTATE – Off thika Road Residential Red and Black soil plots measuring ½ acre; Ksh 35m and Ksh 30m respectively GUANCO ESTATE – On Banana Road off Northern Bypass A four bed room residence (master en suite) with Servants’ quarter Ksh 12.8m

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

ACCESS @christine_x254

INSTAGRAM IS A HOT GREEDY MESS AND APPARENTLY DOESN’T LET USES EMBED LINKS DIRECTLY INTO THEIR PHOTO OR VIDEO CAPTIONS UNLESS IT’S IN THE ‘BIO.’

Here’s why you are seeing the Link In Bio tag everywhere You end up spending more time on the site/app simply because you have nowhere else to go or nothing else to click on.

o if anyone took a deep dive into Instagram could they really conjure up some explanation as to why people add the Link In Bio tag in every single thing that they post. Not everyone is trying sell some product, idea or even themselvess on their Instagram accounts but somehow these three words will be hallmark of a generation. You want garments with those words emblazoned on them? You can get them. What about a mug or a nice art print for your wall? All possible. But what does it even mean? ‘Link In Bio’ exists because Instagram is such a greedy app with not a lot of other capabilities—all it does is

so addictive. For all this noise the #LinkInBio tag does not even qualify to be the top 100 tags on Instagram.

is odd because the number of bots on Instagram is astounding. A 2015 investigation found that up to 24 million out of the hundreds of millions (600 million

as of late 2016) of Instagram accounts could be spambots. somebody wants to peddle something on the ‘gram they would have to change the link posted on their Bio to suit their needs. If you have a lot of things to hawk then that’s a major inconvenience. Instagram is somehow making it harder to do the one thing that it has become famous for, self-promotion. So the next time you see these words, blame And there really is no need to use this tag if you have nothing to promote. It’s annoying to waste your time go checking out a link that has absolutely nothing.

Vanessa Mdee thanks fans for support, to release new music this week

@kevin_x254

Sci-Fi movie The Matrix may soon be returning to your screens. Fans of “The Matrix” may get another chance to see how deep the rabbit hole goes: A new instalment in the film franchise is in the works according to sources from Warner Bros. The “Matrix” series centres on Neo, a Christ-like figure who discovers that humanity is being kept in a placid dream state by machines and starts to fight back. The first film became a sleeper hit after its release in 1999, bringing in close to half a billion dollars worldwide, winning four Academy Awards and leading to the sequels, “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions.” Keanu Reeves (Neo) is a possible bet to star in the movie however the details of who will make the cut for the return are still scanty.

HOT TOPICS

Warner Bros to ‘Reboot the Matrix’

#swag appear millions of times more than Link In Bio. So why does it seem like we see it everywhere? As we mentioned above Instagram is a hot greedy mess and apparently doesn’t let user embed clickable links directly into their photo or video captions unless it’s in the ‘bio.’ You end up spending more time on the site/app simply because you have nowhere else to go or nothing else to click on. Obviously there are ways around this but if people did that then they wouldn’t be cool and looking cool is everything on Instagram. Even though ostensibly the safeguard is there to stop Instagram from turning

VANESSA MDEE

‘Cash Madame’ singer Vanessa Mdee is grateful to her fans and the entire music industry for their support. The artiste who was accused of dealing in drugs and locked up for a few days has broken the silence saying she felt the love from her fans even when she was in custody. Vanessa has also announced that she will be releasing new music this week and urges all her fans to stay tuned. “I love you all sooo much,” she wrote on Twitter. “It is by his Grace alone, Utukufu kwa Mungu wetu wa miujiza. Thank you for your kind tweets and posts. I got a glimpse of some of them and this kinda loooooove. “AND in case you were wondering. I am doing so ﬁne. In fact new music out THIS WEEK.”

is new PRISK chairperson

ctress, poetess, director at Performers Rights Society, community theatre practitioner and singer Iddi Achieng has been elected the new board chairperson of the Performers Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK) following Robert Kamanzi’s (RKay) resignation after his departure to the US to pursue personal engagements. Iddi takes on her new role as Chairperson while Owen Mwatia popularly known as Daddy Owen will ﬁll the position of Director that was previously held by Iddi.

ACCESS

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

ALL ROUND NEWS AND UPDATES FROM UNIVERSITIES

HOT DATE

erato Molapo aka Lira, jazz and soul singer will be gracing the Arboretum gardens this week on Sunday, 19th March for the ﬁrst 2017 edition of the Koroga Festival, along with a couple of other African divas. Accompanying her on stage will be ‘Yahaya’ hitmaker Lady Jaydee and ‘Subira Yangu’ singer Nyota Ndogo. Tickets go for Sh.2000 and as always get yours fast because they always sell out. From Sunday 12pm get ready for some family fun in the sun.

@christine_x254

SIU-Africa’s annual celebration of culture is taking place this week beginning Tuesday, March 14. Every year, students organize a three day bonanza to celebrate the melting pot of cultures that is USIU-Africa. This year, a majority of the 65 nationalities represented in its student community will be represented during the various activities planned between March 14-16 behind the cafeteria (for the Cultural Village) and at the soccer pitch (for the Culture Night) on Thursday March 16. Culture Week’s 2017 theme of “Travel the World in One Week” will attend to showcase how differences in food, dress, music and language draw various communities together, rather than apart. Other highlights include the “Carnival of Colors” – a part of the Hindu Holi Festival celebration to commemorate the victory of good over evil - where participants chase and spray each other with colored water and dry power accompanied by song and dance.

culture week kicks off

Easing back into classes will be a challenge for many campus students ●The lecturers’ strike was called

off on Monday, March 13 ●The agreement will see lecturers take home a 17% increase in basic

South African superstar set for Koroga

fter the lecturers’ strike was called off earlier in the week hopes were high that things would go back to normal but with a truncated semester it’s becoming more difﬁcult to see how this school year will shape up. Media reports state that many students travelled back home during the course of the strike as it had seemed that

salary in addition to a 3.9% rise in house allowance ●The strike was around 2 months long there was no resolution that would be met easily between the lecturers and the government. Magazine Reel reports that some institutions want to start a crash programme that will take the students through night and any other additional classes that will ensure that they go through the course work in the allotted time.

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ways to be a better human being

t seems that being on campus must be a competition to see who will be the biggest degenerate. But don’t sink to their level, be a better person.

DON’T BUY THE CHEAP LIQUOR

If you must drink at least save up for something decent that you know won’t be murder on your liver.

DON’T RE-WEAR SHIRTS

Jeans and coats can be worn a few times before warranting a wash but don’t do that with shirts or any other item of clothing really.

MAKE YOUR BED

Don’t you hate it when everyone uses your bed as the public seat? Well if you actually made it then maybe they might be a bit more reluctant to mess it up.

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SPORT

Sofapaka, Muhoroni back in KPL after relegation appeal win THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

Sofapaka FC and Muhoroni Youth were all smiles yesterday after they won their appeal to be reinstated back to the Kenya Premier League. The two teams had been relegated to the lower National Super League with Football Kenya Federation failure to comply with Fifa club licensing regulations. But the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) overturned that and reinstated the two clubs to the Sportpesa sponsored league. In a 21-page ruling delivered yesterday evening, Tribunal chairman John Ohaga termed the FKF club licensing manual as defective saying most of the clauses in the manual are not reflective of the CAF and FIFA manual. “We find that the FKF club licensing regulations as set out in the manual defective in certain material aspects. We also find the manner in which the club licensing committee undertook

its responsibility to be wanting,” Ohaga stated in the ruling. The ruling further added that FKF remains at liberty to require Sofapaka so subject itself to the club licensing manual once they have rectified the anomalies identified in the manual. FKF lawyer Patricia Mitei speaking after the decision was read out said the federation will now embark on correcting the manual after which they will call for a Special General Meeting to scrutinize and pass it for clubs to reapply. “We are happy with the decision. It has taken long but justice has been served. The boys are ready because we have been training for KPL. We have always known we will be back to the league and this time we will not struggle like last season,” Sofapaka assistant coach John Baraza who attended the hearing said. The same ruling applies for Muhoroni

which was also relegated under similar circumstances. FKF’s failure to give the tribunal Sofapaka’s score card came to haunt them as the tribunal said it cannot ascertain most of the claims made during hearing by the federation. “The tribunal was not given the scorecard and therefore has no visibility of the manner in which the licensing committee conducted the scoring and arrived at the score of 38.5 percent which placed the club under the red range,” Ohaga’s ruling read. FKF cub licensing committee chairman Professor Edwin Wamukoya had told the tribunal during the hearing that there was a non-disclosure clause signed by all clubs which prevented the committee from making public scores for various clubs. The decision means Kenya Premier League will now have 18 teams as Nzoi United, Kariobangi Sharks, Nakumatt

Sofapaka President Elly Kalekwa in a jovial mood. His team yesterday won and appeal and was reinstated to the Premier League alongside Muhoroni Youth.

FC and Zoo Kericho were all promoted. But Vihiga United and Kenya Commercial Bank who had been promoted by the Football Kenya

Federation to play in the expanded league will now drop to the lower division.

SPORT 15 THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

Mourinho: Pogba critics ‘envious’ Recent criticism of Paul Pogba is motivated by “envy”, and those targeting the midfielder do so because they “need every coin to survive”, says Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho. Pogba, 24, re-signed with United for a world-record £89m fee from Juventus in August, having left for £1.5m in 2012. The midfielder’s performances have at times come under fire this season. “It is not his fault that some pundits are in real trouble while Paul is a multimillionaire,” Mourinho said. “I feel that the world is losing values and I am scared about the level of envy coming in. It is not Paul’s fault that he gets 10 times the money some players did in the past,” the Portuguese added. “Paul reached the top and nobody gave him anything. I am really worried about the way things are going with previous generations. Envy is everywhere.” Pogba, who has scored seven goals and provided five assists in 40 matches this term, was outshone by N’Golo Kante in United’s 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Chelsea on Monday. After the game, former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard said Kante was the “best central midfielder in the world”, while ex-England captain and BBC pundit Alan Shearer said: “I think

Manchester United manager Jose Mounrinho hugs midfielder Paul Pogba after a past Premier League match. Mourinho has defended his player from critics calling them envious. PHOTO: ANDY RAIN/EPA

you are looking at the Football Writers’ Player of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year.” Speaking before United play their second leg against Rostov in the Europa League last 16 tonight, with the tie level at 1-1, Mourinho said he was “very happy” with Pogba’s performances.

“The best thing is that because of his personality he doesn’t give an ass to what people say about him,” he added. Mourinho said forward Anthony Martial is not available to face Rostov after missing Monday’s FA Cup defeat at Chelsea with an injury. The 21-year-old France international

reported for training on Tuesday and joined defender Luke Shaw and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, plus some youngsters, in a separate training group on an adjacent pitch. “Martial is out of my mind,” said Mourinho. “I don’t think about him. “He was injured for the Chelsea match and if you are injured for the Monday night game, you are injured for the Tuesday morning training session. If you are injured for the Tuesday morning training session it’s not because of what he does on Wednesday that he can play on Thursday.” Mourinho also confirmed United had been forced to travel back to the northwest by coach after the Chelsea game, arriving at 4am after their charter flight failed to make it to Heathrow. Injured captain Wayne Rooney also remains out. FC Rostov are without captain Aleksandr Gatskan, who is suspended. The winners of the Europa League will earn a place in the Champions League - an attractive prospect for United, who are only sixth in the Premier League. Midfielder Marouane Fellaini said: “All the staff want to be in Champions League next season. We will do everything to be there.”

Gotze now ruled out till season end

World Cup winner Mario Gotze has been ruled out for the rest of the season as he recovers from a “metabolic disorder” but is expected to be “fully fit” for the start of next term. The Germany and Borussia Dortmund midfielder, 24, has been limited to nine Bundesliga starts because of muscular problems since re-signing from Bayern Munich last summer. Gotze is on a rehabilitation programme and could be training by early summer, but it depends on how he responds to treatment, said the German club. Dortmund added: “The long-term target for the player is to be fully fit and ready to play for the start of next season”. “BVB wish Mario Gotze a fast recovery, also in the name of their 10 million fans,” said Borussia Dortmund’s chief executive officer Hans-Joachim Watzke. Gotze, who scored Germany’s extratime winning goal against Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, has played 24 minutes of Bundesliga action in 2017.

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

SOFAPAKA, MUHORONI BACK IN KPL AFTER WINNING FKF DEMOTION APPEAL

Sevilla’s Nasri accuse Vardy of cheating referee Sevilla midfielder Samir Nasri has accused Jamie Vardy of cheating following his red card in Leicester’s Champions League victory on Tuesday night. Nasri, 29, was dismissed for a second yellow card in Sevilla’s 2-0 last-16 second-leg defeat, as the Foxes reached the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate. Nasri and Vardy clashed in the second half and were booked for butting heads. But the on-loan Manchester City star believes Vardy’s response convinced referee Daniele Orsato to take action. “For me he’s a cheat because if he was a foreign player you, the English press, would be saying he’s a cheat,” he said. “They were winning 2-0, play the game like a man. You are not better than us but you are winning 2-0 and will qualify, just play the game.” But England striker Vardy refuted Nasri’s allegation, saying: “I’m not a cheat and I never have been. That’s all I’ve got to say on the matter.” A Leicester spokesman added: “The club refutes entirely any allegation that questions the professional integrity of Jamie or any of its players.” Sevilla were already 2-0 down on the night after goals from Wes Morgan and Marc Albrighton. And they were forced to play the final 20 minutes with 10 men as they chased a crucial goal. France international Nasri needed to be escorted off the pitch by his team-mates, which took over three minutes. “For an international player you don’t need to do that. Look at the image. Yes he did it, but he did it well,” he said. “He played it well. I thought the English players were tougher than that. He is the one who came to my face. “It was a foul or something and then he pushed me and I said ‘what are you doing?’ and then he came to my face. That’s what happened. “If I tell the truth I don’t think you will be able to write it. I would love to speak to him - there are too many cameras and security and I have to think about next year and not getting a big suspension.”

P14

Man City crash out Critics question Guardiola’s tactics as Citizens let a twogoal lead slip to be knocked out on away goals rule

anchester City are out of the Champions League after Monaco struck late to seal a thrilling awaygoals victory, which ended 6-6 on aggregate. The English Premier League side were 13 minutes from a place in the quarter-finals after clawing themselves back into a second leg their hosts had dominated, but slack marking from a set-piece allowed Tiemoue Bakayoko to head home the decisive goal. Having won the competition twice in his time at Barcelona, this is the first time in manager Pep Guardiola’s career that he has gone out at this stage. Monaco lost 5-3 in an extraordinary first leg in Manchester but dominated the first half at the Stade Louis II and opened the scoring through the excellent Kylian Mbappe’s poked finish from close range. The Ligue 1 side, who had scored 123 goals so far this season, deservedly doubled their advantage on the night, punishing City’s sluggish start through Fabinho’s crisp strike. City failed to muster any sort of shot in the opening 45 minutes and it took until the 65th minute for Sergio Aguero to call goalkeeper Danijel Subasic into a sharp save. They forced their way into the game - and back into the aggregate lead - as Leroy Sane swept in when Subasic parried Raheem Sterling’s low strike, but their defence could not hold out. “We played exceptional second half but we forgot to do that in the first. We wanted to defend aggressively. We were better in the second but it wasn’t enough,” Guardiola observed. The result leaves Premier League champions Leicester City as the only English team in the last eight. Monaco join the Foxes, holders Real Madrid, last year’s runners-up Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus in tomorrow’s draw. Having gained a two-goal advantage at

Monaco midﬁelder Tiemoue Bakayoko heads in from a set piece to propel his side to the Champions League quarterﬁnal during their last 16 second leg match against Manchester City at the Stade Louis II in Monaco, France last night. INSET: City’s Guardiola PHOTO: COURTESY

home, City boss Pep Guardiola had vowed his side would go on the attack in order to finish the job. But while the Spanish coach can boast the best record of any manager in Europe after 100 games, he opted to start with only Fernandinho in the middle of the park against the aggressive and youthful French side. Five attack-minded players were deployed in front of the Brazilian midfielder, while Yaya Toure was left on the bench, and it proved a costly move as City were overrun by sharper opponents. Although they pulled a goal back on the night through Sane - putting them briefly back in front in the tie - the English side never recovered from their poor first-half showing. Big-money signing John Stones struggled again and Monaco’s winning goal epitomised the fragility of the visitors’ defensive backline, as the impressive Bakayoko was allowed a free header eight yards from goal. “Normally we play to a good level but here we didn’t. We will learn. The team does not have a lot of experience. The second half we had the chances and we didn’t take them and

that is why we are out. And set-pieces a r e so important at this level. Barcelona and Real Madrid scored from them last week. We were not there and we were not there in the first 45 minutes.” “We will improve but this competition is so demanding. Sometimes we have to be special and be lucky. We were not,” he added. Guardiola has said his maiden City season will be a failure if he cannot deliver a trophy, but barring a dramatic Chelsea collapse in the Premier League, the Spaniard’s only realistic hope of silverware is now the FA Cup. The City boss made some unwelcome history in France as his side became the first team to be eliminated in a Champions League knockout tie after scoring five goals in the first leg.

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