VOL. 1 NO 4 JUNE 10 - JUNE 24 2013 KSH60 / TSH1060 email: timesoftaitataveta@gmail.com

Governor to keepcampaign pledges

Governor John Mruttu

Mwadeghu

By TTT Reporter

Governor John Mruttu has assured residents of the

county that he will keep the promises he made

when he campaigned for the seat.

Speaking at Mwatunge, shortly a! er he was

sworn in to o" ce, Governor Mruttu stated that, his

government would, as a matter of priority look at ways

to have a weighbridge installed at the Kishushe iron-ore

mines.

Mruttu said the envisaged installation would enable the county administration to determine correct weight of raw materials being extracted from the mines.

He also promised to seek investors to establish gemstone cutting and polishing centres in Mwatate and Voi sub-counties. In pursuit, of the County Government’s Development Agenda.

Governor Mruttu’s administration has already invited International and local ! rms to submit ‘expressions of interest’ for various projects and development programmes.

" e purpose for establishing gemstone cutting and polishing centres is to add value to the gemstones being mined in Voi and Mwatate sub-counties.

" is project will be implemented on the basis of build, own operate and transfer commonly known as BBOT. " e expression of interest should clearly indicate the partners to be enlisted which should include the source of project ! nancing. " e o# er is open to both local and international ! rms within the country. Interested ! rms must provide information indicating their quali! cations to successfully undertake the tasks entailed in the project. Shortlisting of interested ! rms is expected to be done expeditiously.

FULL SWEARING IN SPEECH PAGE 3

AMBITIOUS AGENDA FOCUSES ON DEVELOPMENT

• Leadership

• Education

• Water

• Food security

• Health

• Environment

• Economy

• Infrastructure

• Affirmative action

• Service delivery

USERS decry a veiled case of historical injustices by past governments" e county of Taita-Taveta is about to be denied its rightful share of infrastructure development for another time by the national government. In a recent move, the funds allocated for development of this road was diverted to the Isiolo road to Ethiopia in the former Eastern Province on the understanding that the Voi-Taveta onwards to Holili in Tanzania would be done through another arrangement under the revived East African Community

IN THIS ISSUE

We will deliver,

says Mwadeghu

Intrigues haunt

Voi-Taveta road

Cabinet unveiled amid row

BUTTERFLY FARMING THRIVES Page 12

Eng Mwandoe

Turn to Page 2

Turn to Page 2

VOL. 1 NO 4 JUNE 10 - JUNE 24 2013 KSH60 / TSH1060 email: timesoftaitataveta@gmail.com

specialedition

By TTT Reporter

A supremacy battle is looming be-tween the Taita Taveta County

Executive and the County Assembly following a row over the appointment of County Executive Members.

" e dispute follows the swearing in of the County Executive Members by Governor John Mruttu on Mon-day even a$ er the County Assembly members unanimously rejected the

whole list of the appointed County Executive Members.

Speaking a$ er the swearing in of his cabinet which was boycotted by all County Assembly members including the Speaker, governor Mruttu blamed the County assembly members for engaging in political sideshows at the expense of serving the people.

Mruttu told o# the members, re-minding them that politicking was now over and that time had come for

the leaders to carry out their mandate and serve the people.

He said the law allows the swearing in of the cabinet if the County Assem-bly fails to ! nalize its vetting within the stipulated 14 days a$ er receiving the names.

“" e Public Appointments Act number 33 of 2011, section 8 sets the period for consideration by the Coun-ty Assembly as 14 days. Section 9 of the same Act states that if the County

By TTT Reporter

Wundanyi Member of

Parliament Thomas Mwadeghu,

speaking on behalf of the

recently elected Taita Taveta

County legislators, has said that

Governor John Mruttu and his

team have started their role on a

good footing.

The MPs assured the people

of Taita Taveta that they will

cooperate with the Governor,

women’s representatives and

County Assembly members

to ensure that deliver on the

IMES of

2)

Operation to drive outlivestock gathers pace

‘This is a biased perception that our people are poaching, yet they are not. They are here purposely for grazing and nothing else’

— Noor

By George Mwandawiro

" e security operation to drive out livestock illegally grazing in parks and ranches in Taita Taveta County is con-tinuing despite opposition from North Eastern region legislators.

Eight MPs from northern Kenya main-tained steadfastly opposed to the robust exercise targeting more than 500,000 cat-tle and camels from their constituencies which have been grazing in local ranches and national parks for several months.

Led by Mandera North MP Adan Mohammed Noor the legislators said the ongoing government operation being conducted by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the General Service Unit (GSU) went against their right to invest in other parts of the country outside their homelands.

Security agencies moved in drive out the livestock to implement a Cabinet deci-sion made last year.

Speaking in Voi town, the MPs said that massive operation to drive out the animals from North Eastern out of the ranches and the East and Tsavo West national parks was ill-advised adding that it and contrary to the lease agreements the traders had signed with the local inhabit-ants.

“" is is a biased perception that our people are poaching, yet they are not. " ey are here purposely for grazing and nothing else,” Noor said.

" e MP said they were surprised by the decision taken by the government which they supported overwhelmingly in the March 4 election to remove them without notice.

He said most of them did not have cat-tle in the Taita ranches but were there to defend their constituents who had leased grazing land for livestock fattening from the ranchers. " e ongoing operation, the MPs claimed, was being carried out with an ulterior motive targeting only members

of the Somali community a$ er they were branded as poachers by some government institutions.

If the herdsmen were armed, they charged, the ongoing operation would have already degenerated into an armed con% ict but they were very peaceful.

“What the livestock traders are asking is a vacate notice for those who do not have lease agreements inhabiting the parks and road reserves.”

Noor was accompanied by fellow MPs Abdille Fara, Mohammed Huka, Abbas Sheikh, Abdi Noor, Dr Mohammed Daiye, Dr Ali Wario and Adan Keynan, who said they would support the operation to mop up illegal ! rearms and grazers in the parks, but only if the lease agreements were respected.

" e government started driving the cattle out on Monday last week and so far more than 100,000 animals of have been moved.Taita Taveta acting County Commissioner Njenga Miiri said during the Madaraka Day celebrations that the decision was irreversible because most of the tenants in the ranches have breached the lease agreements by overstocking and sub-leasing land.

Copies of the available agreements indicate that the traders had agreed with the land owners to keep a speci! c number of cattle but they instead over- stocked and introduced other animals like camels, goats and sheep which were not in the initial arrangement.

" ey are now being accused of poaching, rape, killing and injuring local residents opposed to grazing on their land outside the ranches.

Last year three people were killed at

a village in Sagala, while seven others were seriously injured while resisting the grazers at Mariwenyi.”Because of such illegality, the government does not have any reason not to assume that they were dangerous since where there are camels there are also guns,” said the county com-missioner.

He emphasized that the government would not relent in e# orts to protect the national heritage and human life against lawless gangs posing as cattle herders.

“It is prudent for the traders to renego-tiate their deals when they are out and not when they are still occupying the parks and ranches illegally,” he added.

Tsavo Conservation Area Senior Assistant Director Julius Kimani said their mandate is to protect the parks and

wildlife wherever they were. He said since the wildlife were mostly in the ranches, his rangers had a duty to protect them against any threat that arise from suspicious characters purporting to be herd-ers when they are poachers.

In the last ! ve months, 60 el-ephants have been killed and their

tusks removed while last year two KWS rangers were killed and several others injured while on duty.

He said poaching is an internationally illegitimate activity and anyone painting the country in bad light has to face the law. “Our duty as KWS is not to know whether there were lease agreements or not but to ensure that the 12,000 elephants within our jurisdiction are safe wherever they are,” he said.

Kimani said grazing in the park was il-legal and cannot be allowed as it adversely a# ects tourism which is a key economic pillar of the country.

Last year residents threatened to sue KWS for allowing grazing of livestock in the park and 20 KWS o& cers were interdicted in connection with increased poaching in the area.

(EAC). " e Voi-Taveta road, a key link for trade and commerce between Kenya and Northern Tanzania, is one of the most neglected roads in the county despite being a key economic artery on the Kenyan side of the fertile Kilimanjaro region. Some of the sections were washed away by recent rains, while others have numerous diversions that make driving on it a nightmare for motorists, traders and tourists visiting the Tsavo West National Park through Mwatate. " e failure by the government to rehabilitate the 80km road has stunted development in the area for a long time. Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu says the county’s leadership might not be able to deliver on the promises made to voters if the road is not rehabilitated. " e once famous Taveta market is a pale shadow of its glorious past, largely due to the sorry state of the road. " e market has been a key source of horticultural products and bananas consumed in the entire Coast region and as well as exports.Traders and farmers lose millions of shillings every week because agricultural produce gets spoilt in the market and on farms because of the poor state of the road. In the 1980s, the market was also served by a railway line, which has since been neglected by the successive railway authorities, leading to disuse. As a result of the slow-down in economic activities, the standards of living in the area have declined. Mr George Kariuki, a trader, says the number of buyers has declined drastically and the market is now frequented by Tanzanians who prefer manufactured goods. “In the past, most of the farm produce used to be supplied to various towns in the country, but currently it is getting spoilt in the market and on the farms” he recounts. Another trader, Mr Elijah Mnjala, says the sales have been on a downward trend, with less than ! ve buses from Mombasa and other regions ferrying people on market days compared to more than 20 a day during the memorable lucrative days. “Currently very few businesspeople are willing to use their trucks and buses to transport goods and people to and from Taveta because of the persistent breakdowns which raise the cost of operations in the torturous and expensive process,” he notes." e chairman of Taita-Taveta County Chamber of Commerce, Mr Pascal Mtula, describes the area as a high potential region, whose development has been hampered due to poor infrastructure. “Towns such as Mwakitau, Mwatate and Bura have remained stagnant as a result,” Mtula laments. According to statistics from the Kenya Export Promotion Council (EPC), the volume and value of Kenya’s exports to Tanzania form a signi! cant portion of the country’s total exports. Tanzania was ranked the third largest market for Kenyan products in 2011. " e country bought goods worth $488 million from Kenya, up from $390 million in 2010. " e number of tourists visiting the area is small because of the infrastructure. Suppliers of various goods to the local hotels have also increased their prices due to persistent breakdowns of their trucks while ferrying the products. Such costs reduce the pro! t margins of the tourist establishments.However, there seems to be light at the end of the dark tunnel. " e East African Community, through the African Development Bank (AfDB) has embarked on a feasibility study on how to rehabilitate the road. Last month, the AFDB approved about Sh19.5 billion for a 157.5 kilometre road project from Mwatate to Taveta in Kenya, while the road from Holili to Arusha on the Tanzanian side was allocated Sh9.5 billion. " e loan will ! nance up to 89.1 percent of the total project cost, while the bene! ciary states will contribute the rest. Construction should be completed in 4 to 5 years according to communication from the ! nancers.

From Page 1

Voi-Taveta road

in terrible state,

traders cry outCamels belonging to Somali traders are driven out by security officers

(3

‘I am ready to deliver services

to Taita Taveta County residents’

One People,

One Future,

One County

shall establish county checks and balances to prevent corruption.We shall set up an Economic and Social Council. We shall also set up a Vision 2030 department that will identify and coordinate the implementation of % agship projects.

Education

Improve the performance of our nursery schools and public primary schools by strengthening the leadership at the grass roots level, increasing the teacher to student ratios as well providing books and the necessary equipment to aid the learning process.Sta# houses will be built in all our boarding secondary schools to ensure that teachers stay longer in schools to support our children. Where parents, are unable to a# ord the cost of building sta# houses private investors will be invited through Public Private Partnerships." e building of tertiary educational institutions both new ones and increasing the capacity of existing ones- both private and public will be given priority.E-learning process will be introduced

Water

Availability of clean portable water for human needs, to support animal husbandry and for agriculture is an area that will be given priority by the county government. Opportunity exists to harvest water the surplus water from Mzima and Taveta and this to be supplied to the areas where there is a chronic shortage. In the

The Governor’s pledge

JOHN MTUTA MRUTTU: SWEARING IN SPEECH

‘I feel honoured and

humbled for being elected

as the # rst Governor of

Taita Taveta County. Mary

Ndiga Kibuka now the Deputy

Governor and I are steadfast.

Our pledges to the people of

this county of Wa-Dawida

and Wa-Tuweta remain as

follows:-

Leadership Style

We are a listening Government and we will promote full participation of both men and women in the a# airs of County Government.We shall practice good governance, transparency and accountability and

machinery so that they can carry out the activities in a modern way.We will relocate the o& ces of the extension o& cers from Wundanyi to Kasigau and Mwatate where the mining activities are taking place.We will assist group ranchers to restock the ranches and sell fattened animals instead of grass as is happening at the moment. We will lobby the Central Parliament to change the laws so that the county can bene! t from the revenue generated from visitors to Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks. " e additional revenues earned will help the county in building of schools, health facilities and the road network.Communication" e road network tender has been issued and work is in progress. We will ensure that the works are completed within the agreed stipulated times by the contractor in order to improve access to the market. In the interim, we shall endeavour to upgrade all feeder roads especially from farm-to-access to market to lower the cost of labour hence better pricing.We will purpose to revive the Voi – Taveta railways to ease pressure on goods in transit via the road network.

Affirmative action

We purpose to embrace programmes which will be friendly to the special interest groups which will include but not limited to women empowerment, elderly persons, and persons with disability and encourage the education of the girl child in the Taita Taveta County in all areas.

Service delivery

We shall ensure to put measures in place and have the Civil service trained and equipped on modern International Standards Organization (ISO) standards for e& cient service delivery. " is will ensure every service delivery worker is accountable and his/ her service delivery measurable.

‘WE WILL NOW DELIVER SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF TAITA TAVETA COUNTY WITHOUT FEAR, FAVOR OR DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ANY VILLAGE OR GROUP.’

long term, harvesting of rain water especially from the hills will also provide some relief.Food securityAll the major nations of the world are self su& cient on food for its citizens. We cannot rely on other counties to feed us as this makes the cost of living unnecessarily more expensive. We must therefore encourage our farmers to use modern methods and select varieties of food crops that can survive in the di# erent environments within our county. Farmers will be supported through subsidized inputs, provision of extension o& cers and identi! cation of market outlets for their produce.

Health

" e health of our people is of paramount importance. We must therefore ensure that the medical institutions are expanded so that to increase their curative capacities. In addition we must invest in prevention methods and techniques. In today’s world it is real that there are diseases like aids and drug resistant TB which are not curable and therefore the only cure remains prevention.

Environment

" e sustainable usage of our natural resources is what will ensure that our children and grand children will inherit a county they can be proud of. We have to restock our forests with both indigenous and exotic species- so that we can hold back surface water runo# and allow our rivers to be clean and run for longer periods. In very many areas of our county, the environment is at breaking point due to overgrazing, over farming, charcoal burning and generally over exploitation of forests. We shall endeavour to enforce eco friendly energy saving lifestyles with alternative solar and energy-saving ‘jikos’ among other measures in order to stop the rampant destruction of the forests and restore our water towers.

Community

We are one people. Just like a baby and a child an invisible umbilical cord enjoins us. We have a common future. We have diversity stretching from Kasigau to Kishushe to Kitobo, Sagalla to Sungululu to Sagha Ighu to Salaita, Bura to Bura Ndogo,

Ndome to Ndara to Ndilidau, Manoa to Maweni to Mkwachuni to Mwaroko, Kamtonga to Kimala, and Njukini to Ngutini to Nyolo. Like all other nations, this diversity makes our culture richer and creates opportunities for internal and external tourism especially when this diversity is coupled with our diverse landscape and environment. We are a multi faith county and all equal before our creator. We are one people in one county.EconomyOur county is endowed with natural resources ranging from gemstones, iron ore and coal deposits, rangeland suitable for game and ranches. However, the current laws are out dated and will be changed to give the county government authority and control on the natural resources. " e County Assembly will review all the previous agreements which disadvantaged the community. We will to set up an iron smelting plant in Kishushe. A public international tender will be % oated within six months of assuming o& ce.We will set up as special fund to assist our brothers that want to participate in mining activities by providing ! nance to purchase equipment and

4)

Protest as County Cabinet is sworn in

Leaders urged to back county administration

Assembly fails to complete the work within the stipu-lated period, then the can-didates will be deemed to have been approved,” he said.

He said that he had ear-lier met with the County assembly Speaker Meshack Maghanga and agreed that the swearing in ceremony would be conducted on Monday since the deadline was on 14th June 2013.

“By 14th, I had not re-ceived any response from the County Assembly. Regrettably, the County Assembly has not gone through the budget pro-posal since it was submit-ted on 30th April 2013. I urge the members to speed up the process, failure to which we shall miss out on critical funding from the central government,” he cautioned.

He called on community members to support him in ful! lling his mandate and challenged the County As-sembly to avoid side shows and do their mandate dili-gently for the sake of the county’s development.

" e governor warned that the trend set by the County Assembly mem-bers would impact nega-tively on the execution of programmes and projects since it discourages good professionals from apply-ing for positions in the County.

During a special ses-sion to ! nalise the vet-ting process of the Coun-ty Executive Members and the Public Service Board chaired by Speaker Maghanga on Monday morning, the members unanimously rejected the list on grounds that it lacks

regional balance, gender parity and representa-tion of the marginalized. .“" e composition lacks the re% ection of regional, community and cultural diversity and balance. We observed that ! ve out of the ten members come from Wundanyi constitu-ency,” said Majority Leader Solomon Mghanga who tabled the report before the House.

During the session, it was claimed by one of the vetting committee mem-bers that the appointee from Taveta is the gover-nor’s cousin and that they even share the same name.“" is goes along to show nepotism in the whole process. Why did the gov-ernor appoint a person who comes from the same clan with they even share a name?” posed Flumence

Mshila on a point of order." e Members also re-

jected two appointees in the County Service Board on grounds of incompe-tence and lack of integrity.

Presenting his report to the house, Sagalla Ward Representative Godwin Kilele said they rejected Basil Tangai Ngoma, the appointee to chair the board, and member Stanley Kidondi.

“During the vetting, we found out that Ngoma is 65 years old, way beyond the age requirement for any person serving in a public o& ce. His track record of performance in previous public o& ces is also ques-tionable. He headed the Wundanyi Education Task Force which never came up with any ! ndings therefore failing to deliver,” charged Kilele.

He told the House that Kidondi’s integ-rity was questionable.“As a teacher he was trans-ferred to four di# erent schools within a short time. Reports we gathered from the Teachers Service Com-mission revealed that he is a notorious late comer therefore the habit hinders his performance to the county.”

" e members blamed the Governor for prepar-ing to swear in the cabinet members even before the names were cleared by the County Assembly.

“" e Executive has shown total disregard to this House. We shall not condone and succumb to this negligence, thus we as the custodians of justice shall exercise our full pow-er and stamp our author-ity,” said Kilele.

promises that they made to the

people during the electioneering

period

Saying that that believe the

development agenda initiated

for the county so far refl ects on

the hopes and aspirations of

the county’s residents, the MPs

added they are enthusiastic that

the County Assembly members

will take their role seriously and

enact laws that will improve lives

at the grassroots level.

Mwadeghu also observed that

the recent central government

operation aimed at safeguarding

the environment and security

in the county has also brought

about certain social challenges

that need to be carefully

considered by the local livestock

keepers.

Voi MP Jones Mlolwa,

speaking to the Times of Taita

Taveta, said: “We are determined

to make sure that the Governor’s

proposals and initiatives are

fully supported by the entire

leadership in the county for the

main reason that he has shown

mature leadership in the short

time that he has sat in offi ce.”

Kenya Revenue Authority

Chairman Maj (Rtd) Marsden

Madoka on his part appealed

to all leaders and residents of

the Taita County to support the

recently elected county leadership.

“Much is yet to come in the

county and Governor Mruttu

should pursue the plans he has

laid out for the county. I have

listened and read some of his

proposals and I assure you that

he has brilliant and feasible

and practicable ideas that will

make Taita Taveta the envy of

neighbouring counties,” he said

on telephone.

Madoka said the Governor

looks determined to end food

insecurity and plans to use the

vast water resources in the county

to promote irrigation and dry

farming by encouraging the

growth of drought-resistant crops.

Already, the Coast

Development Authority has

completed a feasibility study for

the Lake Chala integrated water

project designed to supply more

than 10 billion litres of water per

annum.

If well utilized, former

Kenya National Union of

Teachers (KNUT) offi cial James

Mwasambo says, the project has

the potential to make the county

Kenya’s food basket. He says,

however, that for this to happen,

farmers should be well equipped.

The MP for Mwatate, speaking

in Nairobi said: “So far the

Governor and Deputy Governor

Ms Mary Kibuka are visibly very

active in the county and are doing

a good job as far as I know. I

support their priorities and the

stand they have taken for the

sake of the development of Taita

Taveta County.

“We are keenly watching the

County Assembly, because they

have to take the fi rst steps in

formulating the laws that relate

and affect the people in the

grassroots directly. We cannot

be seen to be fi ghting each other

even before the systems are fi rmly

in place,” he cautioned.

Mlolwa Madoka

From Page 1

By TTT Reporter

A new location has been

added to the REDD

project area in Taita

Taveta County starting

from 2013.

Mackinnon Road has

been incorporated as

the sixth location in the

unique programme, with

approximately 12.000

additional people.

In December

2012, the community

outreach team

conducted a one-week

film viewing exercise

in collaboration with

Amara Conservation.

The aim of the

sensitization event was

to increase awareness to

wildlife works and the

concept of REDD to the

community.

Information was

presented to understand

the community’s take on

wildlife conservation,

to learn about the

main natural resources

used in the area and

finally to make clear the

benefits that they can

derive environmental

conservation can and

will have on them.

The team also held

barazas and a leaders’

meeting with Chief Jabir

Rumba and Chief Mumo.

During the week, they

visited Busho, Dokata,

Meli Kubwa, Kaseve,

Kilibasi, Bahakweni

and Mackinnon Road,

reaching a total of 1,390

people.

A new locational

carbon committee

and community-based

organization will be

elected, which the

community outreach

team will make a follow-

up. The eco-charcoal

project site will begin

operations as soon as all

legalities are settled with

the Kenya Forest Service

(KFS).

We welcome this new

location to the Kasighau

corridor REDD+ project

and look forward to

fruitful cooperation.

New Redd location is designatedafter survey

(5

By TTT Correspondent

Small-scale miners in Taita

Taveta are complaining of

exploitation by brokers who

operate at the mining sources.

Members of Aaliya Minerals and

Environment Conservation Group,

which deals with prospecting and

mining in Mwatate constituency,

have pointed an accusing fi nger at

the brokers.

The Aaliya group members

claim the brokers who are rich

individuals from the region and

others from outside the county

usually stream to the mines

immediately they get information

that gems are available.

Dominic Mbogholi, a miner

at the Aaliya mine, says they

sometimes sell a gemstone worth

Sh1 million for just Sh10,000 out

of desperation, because they need

the cash to attend to their various

pressing needs.

“Sometimes you work at the

mine for more than six months,

yet you have a family depending

on you. Once you get the

gemstones you would like to get

quick cash no matter how little

it is,” he said, adding that the

brokers exploit their desperate

situation to fl eece them of their

hard-earned gemstones. He said

that the ministry responsible

for mines and geology has not

Small-scale miners cry foul

Mwangola

supported them in any way.

The miners also lamented lack

of equipment at the mines which

they said has made their work even

more diffi cult, challenging and

frustrating.

“Our challenges here are

many. We lack proper machines

to make our work easier despite

the availability of high value gem

stones in this area,” Mbogholi told

Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu

who has made several visits to the

mining area.

Mbogholi said sometimes they

depend on food supplies from the

brokers since they cannot sustain

themselves at the mining camps due

to high poverty levels.

“We need loans to enable us

purchase compressor machines

and to also buy food. However, it

seems that the government does

not care about the mining industry

despite its high potential,” he

claimed.

He said the Coast Development

Authority had promised to support

the group but the help is yet to

reach them. Mruttu said that now

that he has been elected Governor,

he would streamline the industry

by ensuring that the miners are

empowered with prospecting,

mining and marketing skills.

“We shall set aside a county

fund specially for helping the

miners where they can borrow

loans to support their trade. This

will help them purchase good

equipment to make their work

easier,” said Mruttu.

He said a polishing and cutting

centre would be set up at Mwatate

to improve the quality of gem

products from the region. “This

will further attract better prices for

the gemstones.”

Wundanyi-Mbale Ward Rep-

resentative Raymond Mwangola

who is responsible for the mining

docket in the county assembly,

asked the youth to take advantage

of and give dignity to the industry

by registering with the county au-

thorities to ensure accountability.

Mwangola pledges to streamline industry

6)

By Dishon Shangala

County which borders

Taita Taveta County in

the north shares a lot

of common things with

its southern neighbour including

natural features as well as human

community relationships that

extends back for generations.

Not long ago the county and the

country at large was left crestfallen

by the demise of one of greatest

Kenyan lawyers, the late Senator

Mutula Kilonzo who passed on

suddenly just a short while after

being elected by a landslide. The

Times of Taita Taveta has joined a

long list of millions of Kenyans in

paying tribute to this great man.

A no-nonsense man with

a sharp legal mind, Senior

Counsel Mutula Kilonzo had for

many years been acclaimed as

a brilliant lawyer for his astute

handling of high profi le and tough

cases in Kenyan Courts before he

successfully ventured into politics

where he was equally hailed as

one of the greatest leaders that

Kenya has produced.

The famous learned friend

was not only a public fi gure but

a force to reckon with in the legal

profession. With his controversial

sudden death on the night of

Friday, April 26 2013, our

neighbours the people of Mbooni

in Makueni and Kenya has lost a

special fi gure, the father of two

outstanding lawyers Ms Kethi

Kilonzo and Mutula Kilonzo

Jr, and three other upcoming

professionals working in Europe.

Kethi will vie for her late father’s

Senate seat in a by-election slated

for July.

The late senior counsel

happened to be the county’s

fi rst senator, elected with an

overwhelming majority in the

just concluded history making

2013 General Election. His

time in offi ce so agonizingly

short, Mutula represented his

electorate and the larger Kenyan

family without fear or favour in

the Senate, through the Wiper

Democratic Movement for which

he was secretary general and one

of main fi gures in the Coalition for

Reform and Democracy (CORD).

His dedication and

commitment as a fi ne lawyer

and consummate politician he

will long be remembered as

an exemplary leader and the

people of Taita Taveta join other

Kenyans in bestowing a befi tting

accolade the man from that great

soil neighbouring our county well

known for producing academic

giants of which the ever jovial

Mutula was a shining example.

Summing up the views

shared by millions of Kenyans

who mourned the great son

of Makueni, former Prime

Minister Raila Odinga, with

whom Mutula was instrumental

in the formation of CORD and

its sterling performance in the

elections, described him as “a

mentor whose high intellect was

unquestionable”. Mutula was also

one of the staunches and fi ercest

defenders of the new Constitution

of Kenya

Having defeated Gideon

Ndambuki in the party nomination

to clinch the Wiper party ticket

to vie for the hard-fought Senate

seat in Makueni County against

his counterpart former Kilome

MP Harun Mwau of the PICK

party, the late Mutula convinced

Makueni people beyond

reasonable doubt that he was the

right choice.

He won the seat with a

landslide to become the county’s

fi rst senator in the new devolved

system of government. Mutula

represented Mbooni constituency

in Parliament for one term after

having served as a nominated

member of the Eighth Parliament.

He was appointed to the cabinet

in the Kibaki government in-

charge of the Ministry for Nairobi

Metropolitan Services and later

replaced Ms Martha Karua

when she resigned in the ministry

for Justice, National Cohesion

and Constitutional Affairs.

Senator Mutula was much

vilifi ed by supporters of the

President Uhuru Kenyatta and

Deputy President William Ruto

for his stand on the cases related

to charges for crimes against

humanity at the International

Criminal Court (ICC), but he

won the support of millions

of other Kenyans for his legal

interpretation on the matter.

After battling out in the

corridors of justice where he was

eminent and also having been

the Minister for Justice during

the promulgation of the new

Constitution on August 28, 2010

by the retired Head of State Mwai

Kibaki, the late Kilonzo was

moved to the Education docket,

handing over the Justice offi ce

to former Saboti MP Eugene

Wamalwa who steered it to the

end of the term of the Kibaki

government.

Kilonzo replaced Prof Sam

Ongeri in Ministry of Education

and his notable achievements in

included the ban of holiday tuition

in schools and size of school

uniform skirts for girl students.

He served in government as

Education minister until the end

of Kibaki era and quit to join

his learned friends in the Senate

which constitutes 21st century

debaters of the digital world.

The late Senator Mutula was

among the CORD luminaries and

political think-tanks alongside

Orange Democratic Movement

(ODM) leader Raila Odinga,

former Vice-President and Wiper

party leader Kalonzo Musyoka,

fellow Senator Moses Wetangula

and Ford-Kenya leader with

who he served in the Kibaki

government, and Machakos

Senator Johnstone Muthama

forming a formidable team of the

CORD coalition players.

Despite CORD losing the race

and the Supreme Court petition,

the late Mutula’s presence stood

noble throughout the whole

process. The master of law in his

last days was so much eager to see

the journey towards a devolved

system of governance in Kenya,

but as it goes, nature has no

medicine for death.

He lived his life well and

achieved tremendously in his

career and public service. Mutula

spent most of his free time and

weekends at his Maanzoni Ranch

lodge, which is also a wildlife

sanctuary, supervising work and

enjoying the wonderful view of

wildlife in his unique expansive

farm that was a wonder to behold

with an imposing residence.

A lot about him has been said

and done in paying him his last

respects. Several leaders and

people of valour have extended

their gratitude to the fallen legal

and political giant. Mutula’s

sudden departure still remains

a mystery despite the many

attempts by his family, medics

and the authorities to determine

the truth on his demise.

His legacy speaks volumes

for itself and the memories will

forever ring as fresh as now in

the minds of Kenyans of our

time, his one in a million wit

and intellectual prowess will fi ll

history books for a just nation

and his return in another life

if possible will as well be a

prayer for many. Enough of the

late Mutula is infi nite, but in a

nutshell, his was a life well lived

and worth celebrating. Rest in

peace ‘ndugu yangu’

OUR NEIGHBOURS

Tribute to Mutula Kilonzo,the great son of Makueni

The late utula Kilonzo

(7

C

I take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the people of

Wundanyi Constituency and Taita Taveta as a whole for

re-electing me as your Member of Parliarment.

I thank you again and with that I want to assure you that

l shall work for you and together with you to ensure resources

are distributed evenly and everyone is able to partake and

enjoy the wealth of our Constituency and County.

May God bless you all. Asanteni sana!!

Thank you for re-electing me MP for Wundanyi.

Thomas L. Mwadeghu,

MP - Wundanyi"Chawuchenyi inyo mbose!"

PICTURES,CAPTION BY MWADIME

MWADIME

1.Taita Taveta governor John Mruttu with County

assembly chair for health services Mr Godfrey

Mwambi during a visit to Wesu district hospital.

2.Police drive away camels during the ongoing

operation in Tsavo.

3.Wundanyi MP Thomas Mwadeghu speaking to

the media in Voi.

4.Mwatate MP Andrew Mwadime speaking to the

media in Voi.

5.Andrew Mwadime with Joyce Lay while

addressing the media at Voi.The leaders supported

the ongoing security operation in Tsavo.

6.An elephant drinks water at Voi wildlife lodge.

7 and 8.Tourists take pictures from the balcony of

Voi Wildlife lodge.

9 and 10.Deputy governor Mary Ndigha during the

opening of Mwatate secondary school.

Hon Raphael Mwadime, MP for mwatate standing

with Hon Joyce lay,( pix d and e.). Mps want to

intervene and reconcile, the County Assembly

members and the Governor Mruttu. Hon Mwadime

of Mwatate stated that, in this matters we as MPs

will want to see other leaders in the County work

amicably, and am sure this is the position of all of

us.

8)

By TTT Reporter

President Uhuru

Kenyatta has

a p p o i n t e d

technocrats to as

members of their Cabinet,

signaling a new way of

doing things after 50 years

of democratic practice in

Kenya.

The appointment of

technocrats to government

originated from and has

been adopted from Europe,

where it was practiced

during the formation of new

governments in post-war

Europe when ‘technocracy’

became a buzzword.

That period in Europe

saw the appointment of

“cabinets of experts”

after multiparty coalitions

collapsed. President Uhuru

Kenyatta and Deputy

President William Ruto

seem to have a bone to pick

with the West.

The two leaders who

were elected after hotly-

contested elections last

March have been charged

as suspects for crimes

against humanity before

the International Criminal

Court (ICC) and are

bracing for a showdown

with the West after their

parties secured a governing

majority.

To Uhuru, Ruto and their

supporters, the point they

are out to make is that they

are heroes on their own

right, the consequences

of their indictment at the

ICC and the perceptions of

the West and their critics

about their election victory

notwithstanding.

Rightly dictated by the

new Constitution, they are

in exercising their duty

of appointing Cabinet

Secretaries they have come

up with a big number of

appointees who spent their

careers in lofty academic

ivory towers or in elite

bureaucratic institutions

like banks or supra-natural

commissions, not in the

midst of down and dirty in

the bear pit of democratic

politics.

The idea of technocratic

rule is new in Kenya and

the continent of Africa.

Between the wars, Europe

saw numerous “cabinets of

experts” when multiparty

coalitions collapsed.

‘Technocracy’ though

is not a purely European

phenomenon; it has been

experienced in post-

colonial Asia, where

Singapore was the

principal exponent of such

government.

In recent years, as

observers have pointed out,

the world headquarters of

‘technocracy’ has arguably

been Beijing, where

China’s leadership has been

chosen through a wholly

opaque process of inter-

apparatchik machination.

The experts are so often

politically clueless and

somehow end up being

used and manipulated and

dumped by politicians, as

is likely to be the case in

the appointment of cabinet

secretaries.

To the kind of people

who spend their careers

inside elite institutions,

the technocratic turn is

welcome and so are their

decisions about economic

policy, though their sense

of reason makes it rather

diffi cult for them to be

entrusted as the people’s

elected representatives.

If it makes sense to

entrust monetary policy

to unelected experts at the

national treasury, then why

not do something similar

for fi scal policy so as to

relegate more to county

governments?

This approach would

however also demonstrate

the limitations of the

technocratic approach to

national politics. Kenyan

voters want competent

government but they also

need to be convinced to

swallow the bitter medicine

that competent government

sometimes prescribes.

In austerity-stricken

Europe too, the populists

are waiting in the wings,

ready to deliver rabble-

rousing rants. It may

turn out to be the year of

technocrats in Kenya.

l The writer is a

media consultant and the

Editorial Director of the

Times of Taita Taveta.

Congratulations Eng John Mtuta Mruttu, the

Governor of Taita Taveta County, Senator

Danson Mwazo and Women Representative

Mrs. Joyce Wanjala Lay for being resoundingly elected

to serve our people.

Bravo Members of Parliament Ms Naomi Shaban,

Mr Thomas Mwadeghu, Mr Andrew Mwadime, Mr

Jones Mlolwa and all the Ward Representatives in the

County Assembly. The people of Taita Taveta who

overwhelmingly voted for you as their leaders have

started the countdown.

They expect you to deliver the promises you made

during the campaigns so that their standards of living

they can be uplifted and for the wards, constituencies

and our blessed county of Taita Taveta which is endowed

with many natural resources.

May God give you the strength and grace to

accomplish this noble mission for the benefi t of our

people, which is the greatest resource that we have so

that our county can be emulated in the Coast region and

Kenya in general.

The only way you can return the honour and trust that

the people of Taita Taveta have bestowed upon you is to

reciprocate by providing good leadership and by being

caring, listening servants and partners of the people.

Listen to the people the way you listened to them

during your tiring campaigns. That trust placed on

your leadership should drive you to turning around the

economy of the county and enhance service delivery to

the people.

Let Taita Taveta County move from a begging region

to a land of plenty. The region is gifted with the best

soil in the country. People in Taita Taveta do not want to

depend on famine relief food. They are not demanding

too much but only want clean water and good roads

from the national and county government as well as

from their elected representatives.

It is a fact that you are not going to spend your pocket

money in bringing water closer to the people. So what

will stop you leaders from coming up with realistic

development plans and an exemplary budget that will

satisfy all and sundry?

As the CEO of the county under the new Constitution

which has entrenched the devolved system of governance

that will open new socio-economic frontiers, the

Governor should work closely with all elected leaders

in the region to foster a new, positive spirit for progress.

Above all, it is incumbent upon all our leaders to

remain impartial, fair and transparent in their dealings

from the grassroots to the apex by ensuring that partisan

interests do not supersede what is at stake for the people

of Taita Taveta and the development that they yearn for.

Remember, the new Constitution is based on the

sovereignty of the people who elected you to serve

them and they have a very powerful weapon at their

disposal. If you choose the narrow path of hypocrisy,

deceit and maladministration rather than the road of

respect, honesty and progress, the people can vote for

your recall.

Finally, don’t forget that the voters have an endless

list of demands which might not be possible to meet in

the next fi ve years, going by the promises that you made

and history has demonstrated that jilted voters can be

very unforgiving.

Elected leaders must honour voters’ wishes

Land of plenty

‘Technocracy’ though is not a purely European phenomenon; it has been experienced in post-colonial Asia, where Singapore was the principal exponent of

such government’

Technocracy, a digital tactic to unbind us from the West

OPINION

Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Amina Mohammed being sworn in as Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia looks on.

(9

GHANA GUEST HOUSEGhana Guest House is located at the heart of Voi Town, Taita Taveta County. It is

also a gateway to the Tsavo National Park. We have a rich menu that serving various

delicious dishes, drinks and snacks to suit all our customer’s tastes. We also offer

packed lunches, especially for schools visiting the park. We have two conference

halls, one with a capacity for 200 participants who can conduct all their activities in

comfort while the other one can accommodate 30 people and is mainly suitable for

small meetings. We offer conference facilities for all groups who wish to hold seminars,

workshop and all types of meetings complete with a projector for a hire at a reasonable

fee. We have hosted several groups and organizations including Action Aid, World

Vision, Plan International, Loreto Convent Schools, Nyali Primary School, Saccos, DIT-

Sponsored Training, Kenya Prisons Department and USAID.

Ø 4 FLOORS WITH 23 ROOMS ALL WELL FURNISHEDØ CAN ACCOMMODATE 35 GUESTS COMFORTABLYØ ALL ROOMS FITTED WITH A TV SET CONNECTED WITH DSTV.Ø ALL ROOMS SELF-CONTAINEDØ ALL BATHROOMS FITTED WITH INSTANT SHOWERS FOR GUESTS’ COMFORT.

Ghana Guest House offers uniquely romantic evenings with an unrivaled atmosphere

Ministry of Health offi cials

have recorded a reduction

in the number of expectant

women and children below

fi ve years old dying of the

malaria disease.

Taita Taveta County

Medical offi cer of Health Dr

Charles Ndigirigi attributes

malaria decline to distribution

of mosquito nets and rigorous

health campaigns against the

killer disease.

“We have achieved a

reduction in deaths and illness

caused by malaria in young

children. The child and infant

mortality rate has reduced by

15 to 20 percent,”

Briefi ng journalists on

incidences of malaria in the

region, Dr Ndigirigi said most

deaths occur in hospitals.

“We have focused more on

intervention measures to

reduce malaria infection in

the region. The distribution of

insecticide-treated mosquito

nets to households and health

education has greatly reduced

malaria outbreaks,” he added.

The government has so far

distributed insecticidal bed

nets to more than 216,000

people. Dr Ndigirigi said

about 55,000 households

had benefi ted, noting that

the shortage of antibiotics

remains a major challenge in

the region.

HEALTH

Malaria deaths in a major drop

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Mosquito nets and health campaigns have curbed the disease

10)

MARUNGU

COMPLETED WORK IN

PROGRESS

PENDING

Sasenyi water

catchment (completed

to 50%)

Water pipeline between Itinyi

and Zaire

KASIGHAU

COMPLETED WORK IN

PROGRESS

PENDING

Construction of water tank

at Jora

School furniture at Moi

High School

Makwasinyi water tank

repair

Expansion of water pan at

Buguta

Repair of water pipes at

Makwasinyi

Construction of classroom at

Zungulukani

Community water tank at

Rukanga

MWACHABO

COMPLETED WORK IN

PROGRESS

PENDING

Ngangu water project at

Mwachabo

Establishment of CBO

offi ce

Construction of classroom

at Mngama Primary school

Construction of

classrooms and offi ces

at Mwemba Primary

School

MWATATE

COMPLETED WORK IN

PROGRESS

PENDING

Constructions of

classrooms at Mwatate

Secondary School

Construction of classroom at

Mzwanenyi Primary School

Water harvesting at Maili

Kumi Primary School

SAGALLA

COMPLETED WORK IN

PROGRESS

PENDING

All the projects at Sagalla location are still pending as the fi nancial

breakdown of the proposed project costs is still outstanding .As soon as the

disbursement Committee receives this information, work will begin on the

approved projects

CHISINGIE NIKI SA DULO NGA MUNDU !!!

Clean and affordable Contact: 070 797 3552 072 131 8672

Along Post Old Road,VOI

MOLE GUEST HOUSE

By TTT Reporter

The Wildlife Works Disbursement Committee reviewed and approved a long list of

proposals for community projects towards the end of last year and has been a substantial

number of projects materialize since then.

It is a great pleasure to see this benefi ts being generated from the fi nances raised by

protecting the environment. This clearly shows how much more valuable trees are when

left standing instead of being cut down-it is the standing and living trees that generate

the money ,and hence they must be protected.

Regarding the proposals, each locational carbon committee (LCC) put forward their

own special projects according to their needs, though many revolve around water. Some

of the projects have been completed already; others are work in progress while a few are

still pending.

A clear update of the status of the projects that have been started is outlined below. We

aim to push forward with these projects at full speed and will provide new updates in

the next newsletter.

Community project updates

Kasighau fl ourishes after tree plantingIf you know Kasighau as a dry, dusty area,

you would not believe your eyes if you see it

today. With the rains late last year also came

the green, bringing a blessing to the trees,

animals and crops.

The area has been completely transformed,

with new plants and grass growing

everywhere. It is astonishing how different

the ranches look, a reminder of the resilient

of the usually sandy, red ecosystem.

The rains also marked the start of the

afforestation activities on Rukinga Ranch.

Under the close supervision of Dr Mwangi

Githiru, the biodiversity team worked in

collaboration with the greenhouse team to run

a tree planting pilot study at the Mwakaramba

water tank site.

The aim of the study is to assess the

regeneration rate of trees in degraded areas

that have formally been cleared for cattle

farming.

The two 50x50m plots were replanted with

indigenous trees in November and December

2012, and a fence is currently being erected

round it to stop elephants invading the fi eld.

Monitoring will start as soon as the area is

completed, and we hope to see good survival

rate of trees.

(11

By Collins Akong’o in Voi

People living with

disabilities now

have a reason to

smile as they will for

the fi rst time ever access cash

grants and loans to purchase

equipment to improve their

socio-economic status.

Governor John Mruttu

announced the good news

would of cash grants and

loans for the disabled at the

Taita DCs offi ce in Wundanyi

town during the presentation

of Sh1.4 million worth of

equipment to 81 persons

living with disabilities.

The National Fund for the

Disabled of Kenya donated

several knitting and sewing

machines, wheelchairs and

carpentry tools. Only 280 of

the 2,500 people living with

disabilities in Taita Taveta

County are so far benefi tting

from the government cash

transfer programme.

Gender and Social

Services Offi cer Lina

Mungatana, releasing

statistics maintained in the

county, said those living with

disabilities will continue to

be assisted to generate and

income.

“There are many persons

Loans, cash grants boost given to the handicapped

with disabilities who are in

dire need of help. They must

be supported and encouraged

not only to start but further

develop income-generating

activities to uplift their

living standards, but also

enable them improve the

infrastructure and facilities,”

she said.

The Taita Taveta County

government has set aside

more than Sh20 million to

enhance social and economic

empowerment programmes

for persons with disabilities

in the county.

Businessman and popular

gospel musician John

Maghanga, commending the

efforts shown by the county

government towards the

welfare of the people living

with disabilities, appealed to

the Governor to channel more

funds towards improvement

and establishment of special

institutions for the disabled

in the county.

He especially called

for the improvement and

upgrading of educational and

training facilities to cater for

hundreds of young people

from disadvantaged families

who may need these services,

and facilities.

Maghanga further called

on parents who keep disabled

persons away from public

to report such cases to the

relevant authorities to enable

the county government to

have correct statistics of the

kind of facilities that they

can plan for.

He said there was need

to train special teachers for

younger children born with

treatable abnormalities.

He suggested that the Bura

School for the Disabled be

refurbished for training to

resume plus and an extra new

facility be built in Taveta to

effectively cover the county.

BY MWADIME MWADIME

A coordinator for a medical clinic funded

by the Voi Constituency Development

Fund (CDF) has appealed to Senator

Dan Mwazo to settle a Sh676,700 debt

incurred during the exercise.

Irene Adhiambo of Eye Vision Optical

alleges that she supplied glasses during

the two-day medical clinic held in Voi on

November 2011 when Mwazo was the

Voi MP and is now Taita Taveta Senator

but he has since declined to pay the

money.

“I supplied glasses during the two-day

medical clinic but to my shock, Mwazo

refused to pay the money,” lamented

Adhiambo.

An invoice seen she presented showed

that Adhiambo supplied 1,111 pieces

of glasses worth Sh676,700 during the

medical clinic that took place in different

divisions of Voi constituency.

“Eye Vision Care’s main problem is

that glasses were given out to Voi patients

according to their specifi c prescriptions.

The cost was supposed to be taken care

of by the former who has now declined

to pay up,” she said.

However in a phone interview with

Mwazo, the Senator said that he had not

reached any agreement with Adhiambo

and that he will not pay the money. He

told Adhiambo to go to a court of law if

her case was genuine.

“Where is the agreement she reached

with the Voi CDF? Anything to do

with the CDF should have a written

agreement with the manager or the

chairman of the Voi CDF,” he said.

Mwazo said Adhiambo approached

him and asked to volunteer as a

coordinator. “The medical clinic was

conducted by Lions Club. We don’t

recognise casual deals like the one that

Adhiambo is claiming to be paid for,”

said the former Voi lawmaker.

Eye clinic coordinator wants Mwazo to settle debt

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12)

By TTT Correspondent

Members of a youth group in Wun-danyi have found a way of novel way of beating the unemployment trap and they are doing it in a way that not only preserves the beauty of nature, but also contributes to environmental conser-vation,

" e youths have perfected the art and business of their unique and lucra-tive vocation, creating a perfect balance between ecological diversity and the spirit of grassroots entrepreneurship that has given them hope for a bright economic future.

Displaying a natural a& nity to the local ecosystem, the young men and women start their trade by hunting for the butter% ies in the forest before con-! ning them in meshed cages to await breeding, from where they later get the pupae.

Trapping butter% ies, was viewed at by some local residents as a weird be-haviour, but the youths have pushed on relentlessly and regardless of what oth-ers thought about it and over the years, they seem to be confounding skeptics and who have been cynical about their venture.

" e young people’s e# orts are begin-ning to gain recognition and accept-ance in the locality as well as in places far and wide.

It is indeed interesting to watch the butter% y breeding process from start to the ! nish when they are ready for sale. " ree to four weeks a$ er the butter-% ies have been trapped and kept in the meshed cages they start breeding and produce the pupae.

" e butter% y eggs grew to larva, which is the stage that is usually at-tained before exportation.

Clivon Mwachola, who pioneered the project in the area, says: “When business is good, one can make up-wards of Sh7,000 a week. He has now made collaborative e# orts with enthu-siastic youths from Chawia, Mgham-bonyi, Mghange and Shigharo, who have also ventured into butter% y farm-ing and usually supply him with the larvae that they harvest from the forest.

Mwachola takes the larvae to the Mida Butter% y Farm in Malindi, from where they are exported to Europe and the United States of America where

Youths embrace butterfly farming

they are in great demand for both use in decorations as well as for silk production to serve the fashion in-dustry.

For Mwachola, butter% y farm-ing has proved to be a blessing as it has brought him a fortune. He is determined to make this spe-cial project that blends biodiver-sity and commerce an inspiration throughout the Taita Taveta region through this highly scienti! c en-

deavor that is at home with nature and the people.

“Whenever I meet with people and tell them that I am a butter-% y farmer, they look at me with a sense of incredulity and disbelief. " ey ask me: what does a but-ter% y farmer do, and what does it involve? Do you want to tell us that you grow butter% ies or what?” Mwachola, 31, from Wundanyi poses.

“Little do they know that my venture is not only a highly sci-enti! c project, but one that pays dividends and a# ords me enough money to make a living,” he ex-plains

Mwachola started developing an interest in butter% y farming in 2001 when he visited his cousins in Kwale who rear butter% ies and export the pupae to destinations overseas.”

I was very keen to learn what they were doing so that I could replicate the same back home at the Shigharo forest in Wundanyi, where there are a lot of rare, beau-tiful butter% ies whose economic potential has remained largely un-exploited.”

A lover of nature since he was a student at Kenyatta High School, Mwatate, where he scored grade A in biology and A- in agriculture,

Members of a youth group in Wundanyi have found a way of novel way of beat-ing the unemployment trap and they are doing it in a way that not only preserves the beauty of nature, but also contributes to environ-mental conservation,

(13

Youths embrace butterfly farming

Mwachola came back home from Kwale and decided to try his luck in a venture that he has fallen in love and continues to proudly har-ness.

" e most di& cult part in this unique enterprise is getting the right literature on butter% y farm-ing. Before starting the project, he approached James Mwang’ombe, who was then the co-coordinator of the Taita Taveta Wildlife Forum

and is now assistant director, Ken-ya Forest Service who gave him reading materials about butter% ies, particularly those found in Taita forest.

" e butter% y rearing season falls between August and Septem-ber when there are enough rains and plants have % owered. " e % ower buds provide nectar for the butter% ies. “Sometimes when it is dry, we con! ne some of the butter-

% ies in cages with cotton mesh and give them Ribena juice to stimu-late production,” he says.

With unemployment a major challenge for the youth in Taita Taveta County, it is an inspira-tion this budding environmental-ist who has found happiness and business success in the unique venture that sustains bio-diversity and o# ers hopes to thousands.

Locational carbon committees (LCC) have

decided to dedicate a substantial amount of

their share in carbon income towards bursaries

and education.

Consequently, a substantial 40 percent of the

total amount has been dedicated by all locations

towards this cause, except for Saghalla location,

which allocated 50 percent towards bursaries.

In August and September last year it was

time again to assess the best students from the

surrounding schools to be sponsored for the now

running school year. All received applications

were screened and evaluated under a rigorous

selection process.

Esther Mbau, Colleta Kyule and Joseph

Mwakima, who are members of the vetting

committee, had a diffi cult task conducting the

exercise, but after closely inspecting the students’

academic performance and social background,

they reached a decision.

It was announced that a further 29 students

are receiving scholarships for their education,

with the majority of students now entering

universities and colleges .This is a great success

and brings the total number of students sponsored

by WCC to 1,607 in 2013. We wish all the

students a successful year, with high grades and

achievements.

Seedlings boost planting of trees

The arrival of the rainy season saw the start

of the annual tree planting and seedling

collection at Wildlife Works. Dedicated tree

nursery team led by James Mwagongo went out

to all fi ve locations to collect a record number

of 57,500 indigenous tree seedlings from home-

grown nurseries.

The seedlings collectively accounted to over

Sh606,000. There was a good mixture of species

available, including melia, acacia and newtonia,

which will be developed over the next 12 months

then redistributed and planted in the next rainy

season.

Mwagongo and his team also planted 20,310

seedlings on land in the surrounding communities,

including schools, women’s groups’ sites and

individual homes. The sale of fruit trees has also

been ongoing throughout the year. The income

from these sales is re-invested into greenhouse

operations and maintenance.

Students benefit from bursaries

COUNTY BRIEFS

14)

(15

16)

Shock of Wesu Hospital mess

By TTT Reporter

Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu has ordered the Wesu District Hos-pital Administrator and manager to clear the mess in the hospital.

Mruttu came face to face with the negligence and mismanagement at the hospital on Friday when he made an impromptu tour of the facility.

" e Governor was angered by the manner in which the hospital is be-ing managed following complaints from members of the public who have now resorted to visiting other medical facilities, mostly private ones.

“" e public has abandoned this facility because of the bad experience and poor services that they have en-countered before,” said Mruttu.

Beds at the ward were empty with the delivery ward only having one mother who had given birth on Fri-day morning - a clear indication that the people were not seeking medical services from Wesu. 

Mruttu was accompanied by members of the County Assembly

committee in charge of health led by Chairperson Godfrey Mwambi.

He was shocked when he came face to face with the bad stench ema-nating from the male ward where washrooms had not been cleaned for several days.

Mgange Mwanda and Wundanyi Ward members Cromwell Baridi and Raymond Mwangola said that per-sonnel at the facility o$ en abscond from duty to attend to their personal businesses and to consume alcohol.

“We know some of the doctors and nurses are boda boda operators and spend most of the time in their private businesses. Some of them are chronic drunkards,” said Baridi.

" e doctor in charge of the hos-pital, Emmanuel Macharia and Mwamburi Mzae, the hospital ad-ministrator, agreed that drunkenness among some sta# at the facility was a challenge. “We have taken discipli-nary action against some of the sta# involved in drinking and absconding from duty,” said Macharia.

He said the hospital faced an acute shortage of sta# .

By TTT Reporter

" e National Youth Service (NYS) will construct a train-ing school in Taita Taveta County in a bid to devolve its services in line with the Constitution.

Speaking a$ er the ground-breaking ceremony at Mgeno in Mwatate constituency, NYS Captain Mwachu-ki Sam said the project would cost more than Sh3 billion.

Mwachuki said that a training institution will be put up in the 2,000 acre piece of land where 1,000 youth will be trained annually.

“We want to bring our services closer to the youth in line with the Constitution. Our role is to empower youth in the country. More than 100,000 youth will bene! t from short courses in the institution annually,” he said.

Mwachuki said the community around will bene! t from water, health and energy projects that will be put up in the area.

“Some 500 acres of the land will be used for tree planting in our bid to conserve the environment. We also want to provide clean energy through solar and wind-power and already we have received proposals for the projects,” he said.

Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttu who was present during the ground-breaking ceremony appealed to the local community members to embrace the project which he said would improve their livelihoods.

“We should be ready to give out land for these types of projects because they will steer development in our county. In areas where NYS have their institutions, in-frastructure developments have been realized. A good example is Budalangi where they have been able to con-tain the perennial % oods that were being witnessed in the area in the past,” said Mruttu.

He said the project would help in creating employ-ment to youth in the area who will have been empow-ered with skills.

Former Mwatate MP Calist Mwatela, the pioneer of the project said the area which has su# ered water prob-lems for a long time, will now get a relief since NYS will prioritized water projects in the area.

“We expect the Kighombo Dam which was aban-doned by Kenya Railways to be revived. " e water will be supplied to Voi and other parts of Mwatate,” he said.

Mwatela challenged the locals to stop ! ghting de-velopment projects by politicising the land issue in the county.

New NYS training school set to be built in Mwatate

By TTT Reporter

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has

spent Sh78 million in community social

responsibility (CSR) projects in areas

bordering Tsavo National Park.

KWS Board of Trustees Vice-

Chairperson Margaret Mwakima says

KWS has constructed classrooms and a

girls’ dormitory is under construction at

Maktau Secondary School.

“The money used in these projects

is coming from the wildlife around you

and that is why we urge you to help us

in our conservation efforts. KWS has

constructed classrooms at Manyani,

Mwamunga, Kishushe and Muliro

primary schools,” she said.

KWS spends Sh78m on communityMwakima said that KWS is currently

putting up electric fences from Maktau

to Ndi which will prevent elephants

from straying into Kishushe, Msorongo

and Mwashuma villages.

“Once the fences are complete, they

will prevent the animals from straying

into your farms and reduce operation

costs in mitigating human wildlife

conflict. The money that will be saved

will trickle back to you and help in

undertaking more community projects,”

she said while commissioning water

projects in the region last week.

She said that another fence from Bura

to Kasighau will prevent elephants from

raiding Kamtonga, Kasighau, Aliya,

Chunga Unga, Mwatate sisal estate,

Lualenyi and lower Mwatate areas.

Mwakima appealed to the residents

to report suspected poachers, saying:

“You have a responsibility to protect

wildlife by reporting to security officers

any suspects involved in poaching. Why

should people from other regions come

and kill your wildlife when you are

watching? Work with KWS to end the

poaching menace,” she said.

She challenged the residents to

embrace eco-tourism projects so that

they can earn from the wildlife around

them. “We shall help in capacity

building to those willing to undertake

eco-tourism projects,” said Mwakima.

Electric fences are being erected from

Maktau to Ndi to prevent elephants from

straying into Kishushe, Msorongo and

Mwashuma villages

(17

County cabinet members sworn in

1. Linet Mosa Mavu, the head of

administration and community

development takes her oath of

office.

2. Health services executive

member Gifton Mkaya takes his

oath of office.

3. Livestock and fisheries

development minister Vincent

Masawi takes his oath of office.

4. Trade and industry minister

Steven Masamo takes his oath of

office.

5. Elijah Mwandoe, the executive

member for environment, natural

resources, tourism and wildlife,

takes his oath of office.

6. Joseph Mbogho who will be

responsible water and irrigation

affairs takes his oath of office.

7. Harrison Ben Mghana, the

executive member for agriculture

takes his oath of office.

8. Alexander Kubo Mwangeka

who will be responsible for the

public works, ICT and energy

docket takes his oath of office at

Wundanyi.

9. Education minister Jemimah

Kambe Tuja takes her oath of

office.

10. Executive member in charge

of finance Flora Mighulo

Maghanga takes her oath of

office.

11. Deputy Governor Mary Ndigha

who is also the Cabinet Executive

Member in charge of land takes

her oath of office.

1

8

11

7

4

9

10

5

6

3

2

18)

URGENTLY REQUIRED-SALES PERSONS

The Times of Taita Taveta bi-weekly newspaper is seeking to

recruit sales persons to join the Taita Taveta Media Agencies

Sales and Marketing team in Taita, Nairobi and Mombasa.

Successful candidates will source for advertising from

potential clients. Interested persons should be in possession

of a Kenya Certificate of Education (KCSE) with a minimum C

grade. A Certificate or Diploma and experience in field Sales

and Marketing will be an added advantage.

Candidates are expected to be self-driven, able to approach

and gain the confidence of different clients in the consumer

goods and services sector, hotels, ranches, government

departments, NGOs, corporate organizations, the financial

sector, educational institutions, schools, transporters, traders

and investors.

Contact:

0773 328 202 / 0728 616 443.

email: timesoftaitataveta@gmail.com

WANTED

By George Mwandawiro 

Teachers want the government to pay them Sh24 billion in pending allow-

ances before engaging in the new laptop projects in schools next year.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) First Women’s Representative Ms Dorothy Muthoni said it would be coun-ter-productive for the government to start a fresh multi-billion project when there was another pending commitment that they had not yet executed.

Speaking at Kenyatta High School in Taita Taveta during the KNUT branch annual general meeting, Ms Muthoni said her union was demanding the payment as already agreed with the government to cater for the increment of teachers’ com-muter, house and medical allowances.

«Much as we are not opposed to the noble initiative by the President to give laptops to our children, it is our feeling that our needs must be taken into account first,” she said.

She added that before the implementa-tion of the laptops project, there is need for the teachers to undergo computer training.

Most teachers, particularly in the rural areas, are computer illiterate and do not have the capacity to take the children through the use of the gadgets.

During the meeting the KNUT official asked the government to employ more teachers to fill the existing gap. She said there were many more teachers retiring this year after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 years and if they are not quickly replaced, education standards would be compromised.

Teachers demand Sh24b allowances deal implemented

Commenting on discipline, Ms Muthoni said the union would not pro-tect any of its members involved in drunkenness and defilement of school children.

This is a culture that was taking toll across the country making the teaching profession ridiculed by members of the public.

She said the union›s stand was clear that criminal activities would be dealt

with in the courts of law and not at their quarters.

«We have received many cases of defilement of children by their teachers but as a union we stand firm to con-demn that and stand firm to allow the law to take its course,» she said.

Her warning came as several teachers were lying flat outside the venue of the meeting after excessive alcohol con-sumption.

‘Most teachers, particularly in

the rural areas, are computer

illiterate and do not have the

capacity to take the children

through the use of the gadgets’

Electric fences are being erected from Maktau to Ndi to prevent elephants from straying

into Kishushe, Msorongo and Mwashuma villages

(19

MINERAL & LEGAL SERVICES

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

TAITA TAVETA COUNTY

The Taita Taveta County Government is seeking to enter into community / pub-lic / private partnership with qualified firms in the following categories.

1. ESTABLISHMENT OF A WEIGHBRIDGE AT KISHUSHE (REF. NO. TTCG/EOI/1)

The weighbridge shall be located at Kishushe for purposes of quantification of iron ore being extracted from the timing areas of Wundanyi sub � country. The purpose of laying out the weighbridge is to maximize on revenue collection for the County Government.

2. GEMSTONE CUTTING AND POLISHING CENTRE: MWATATE/VOI TOWNS (REF NO. TTCG/EOI/2)

The purpose for establishing this centre to add value to the gemstones being mined in the sub-counties of Voi and Mwatate. This project will be implemented in the basis of build, own operate and transfer commonly known as BBOT. The expression of interest should clearly indicate the partners to be enlisted which should include the source of project financing. The offer is open to both local and international firms with branches within the country.

3. PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES (REF NO. TTCG/EOI/3)

Interested firms must provide information indicating their qualifications to successfully under-take the above mentioned tasks. Short listing of applicants will be based on the following:-a) Demonstrated at least 10 years’ experience in their field of practiceb) Demonstrated comprehensive and proven knowledge in their areas of specializationc) Provided professional background of all members, in the law firm which must be con-fined to constitutional law, land and conveyance, company law and civil litigation.d) Must include a current practicing license issued by law of Kenyae) Information regarding any litigation during the last five (5) years in which the firm was involved, parties concerned and the dispute amounts amongst others.

DOCUMENTATION

All categories of expressions should include the following certificates:1) A certificate of incorporation2) A single business permit certificate3) A valid TAX compliance certificate from KRA4) Reports on financial standing of the applicant5) Evidence of adequate working capital6) A comprehensive company profile7) Indicate current physical address, town building and street of the business concern

Applicants in the category of reference numbers one (1) and two (2) will be selected in ac-cordance with the quality and cost-base selection (QCBS)Further, information can be obtained from the address below during office hours from 0800 hours to 1630 hours from Monday to Fridayexcluding lunch hours (1300 to 1400 hours) and public holidays.

Detailed and fully constituted offers clearly marked “Expressions of Interest” and correctly referenced in the given categories should be delivered in both hard and soft copy to:

The County SecretaryTaita Taveta County

P. O. Box 1066 � 80304WUNDANYI

Online applications should be sent to the following email address:governortaitataveta@yahoo.com

So as to reach him on or before 31st May 2013.

For enquiries, please call the following numbers:07189887170788186436

THE TAITA TAVETA COUNTY GOVERNMENT

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

By TTT Reporter

Wundanyi Member of Parliament " omas Mwadeghu has urged the government to conduct a swoop on all illegal miners in Taita Taveta County.

" e legislator says illegal miners have taken over mining in the ranches just like the illegal herders who are currently being % ushed out in a security operation being undertaken by the government.

He said the local community members were not bene! ting from the resources because unscrupulous cartels had overtaken the mining ! elds at the expense of the local custodians.

“Just like the current security operation to % ush out illegal herders in our ranches, we also call upon the government through its security agencies to do the same in mining,” said Mwadeghu while addressing Wundanyi residents during the Madaraka Day celebrations.

He said there was need for Parliament to speed up the passing of the Mining Bill so that areas with minerals resources can start reaping from the wealth.

Residents of Taita Taveta County have been complaining that the government de-nies them prospecting and mining licences while people from other regions are issued with the documents with ease through cor-rupt means.Meanwhile, the county cabinet appointee for minerals, natural Resources and mining in Taita Taveta, Elijah Mwandoe, told the vetting panel chaired by County Assembly Speaker Meshack Maghanga that he will not

tolerate corruption once he takes over the docket.

Mwandoe told the panel that corruption in the mining sector had forced potential investors to keep away from the mineral-rich county.

“We cannot compare the wealth of this county to any other in the country. In fact I can only compare our wealth to the coun-try’s wealth but the main reason why mining has not been fully exploited in this county is because of corruption,” he said, adding that Taita Taveta County’s mineral wealth is worth billions of shillings.

Mwadeghu wants illegal miners out

Mwadeghu

20)

We do the common thing uncommonly wellLocated at

Esther LilyÊs Flats, Ground Floor, along KCB Hospital Road. Opposite St StephenÊs Academy, Voi Town

P.O. Box 568-80300, Voi. Tel 0723 360 458 / 0733 110 645

Email: emmyscollegevoi@yahoo.com

By Emily Mbashu

Hairdressing is a recognized well established, multi-million shilling industry, growing globally and in Kenya. People from Taita Taveta now have an opportunity to learn professional hairdressing and beauty therapy in various categories of specialization. Emmys College’s ultimate mission is to harness and nurture talents to produce professional hairdressers and beauticians in Taita Taveta County and the entire Coast region, developing, training and producing professionals to create self-employment for all ages and sexes. Our expertise is now available and easily accessible in Voi town to meet all specifi cations and requirements.

EMMYS COLLEGE PROVIDESl The best hairdressing and beauty therapy studies in the Coast region.l We are registered with Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT).l Registered by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.l We have well-equipped practical classes with all learning facilities.l We have well-trained dedicated instructors, separate theory classes, examination hall and library.l All our former students have been employed throughout all Kenya towns and cities.

OUR VISIONTo establish a reputation as a trend-setter in the hair and beauty industry in Kenya and beyond.

OUR MOTTODoing the common thing exceptionally well.

REQUIREMENTS TO REGISTER AND STUDY AT EMMY’Sl KCPE School leaving certifi cate – for the Certifi cate Programmel KCSE School leaving certifi cate - for the Diploma Programme

THEORY REQUIREMENTSCertifi cate Programme - One exercise bookDiploma Programme - One spring fi le, 4 exercise books

HAIRDRESSING: ITEMS REQUIREDl One tail comb l One wooden combl Detangling comb (wide toothed)l Two towelsl Hair shampoo-mediuml Hair conditioner-mediuml Hair food-mediuml Pink lotion-mediuml Relaxer mediuml Neutralizing shampool Three Abuja piecesl One Weavel Hair pins

BEAUTY THERAPY PROGRAMME: ITEMS REQUIREDl Cleanserl Tonerl Maskl Scrubl Moisturizer-mediuml Dettol - mediuml Cotton wool - largel Nail polish remover - one bottlel Base coatl Three different colours of nail polish.

Top hair dressing, beauty enterprise

Fashion

(21 By Solomon Muingi

Kingstone-Voi Football Club’s coach Seif Abdallah believes his club will

remain the giants of Taita Taveta football despite their failure to feature in the ongoing South Coast Provincial League.

Abdallah, who led the club last season to clinch second place in the Coast Provincial League, says his team has set an example to all upcoming clubs in the county for being the only club to have featured in major national tournaments like the safaricom sponsored Sakata ball.

“We are grateful that most of the teams in the county have emulated our football style. We are proud to be still giants and we will continue to work hard on our skills and discipline to ensure that we give inspiration to other teams and upcoming players in Taita Taveta County,” said Abdallah during an interview with the Times of Taita Taveta.

The Sofi a Estate-based club was founded in 1988 as a community club to serve the urge and sporting spirit of talented youth in the highly-populated populated estate to playing football and has grown from strength to strength to become the pride of Voi.

Since then the football has attracted a large following, improving under the stewardship of Coach Abdallah to become the darling of fans in the entire Taita Taveta County, who have shown their appreciation of the team’s prowess by cheering and supporting them every time they play.

Kingstone-Voi FC has producing some of the best players, some of who have played in the National Tusker Premier League and the Nationwide Division One League.

For their sterling performances in the football fi eld, Kingstone-Voi FC players have been crowned winners of highly competitive tournaments in the county, including the Dan Mwazo Cup, the Aphia II Cup, Babayaro Cup, and Family Cup among others. The team has also represented the county in the Coast Province Sakata Ball tournament, in which they reached the quarter-fi nals.

Coach Abdallah however says that fi nancial diffi culties remain a major challenge which is likely to hamper the progress of the club, words that were echoed by team captain Christopher Onyango, who added that the club needs an injection of fans to secure playing kit, balls, boots, travelling costs and other expenses incurred during games and in training.

Christopher, who is an electrical engineer, says that the team has experienced diffi culties in raising funds for the club’s expenditure, since the only source of income comes from players and offi cials who contribute Sh200 and

Kingstone-Voi FC remain

the giants of Taita Taveta

Kingstone-Voi FC players with the trophies they won in 2012 tournaments. Coach Seif Abdallah (below) receives a certificate from an FKF official

Sh500 each every time they have to travel for a game.

The coach, captain is appealing to well-wishers and the county’s leadership to come to their aid, promising that with maximum support and cooperation, they can become one of the best teams in Kenya, thus uplifting the sporting image of Taita Taveta County.

Despite having been included in the South Coast Provincial League in the 2013 season, Kingstone-Voi failed to honour their participation.

Abdallah however told the Times of Taita Taveta Times that that the provincial league generates no income for the club since nothing is awarded to the winner or runner-up. “We have spent a lot of money in the

league but we did not earn any single cent,” he added.

Club offi cials indicated that Kingstone-Voi FC is ready to return to the provincial league, but they will have to wait for the ruling of a case pending in the Mombasa High Court where Technical University of Mombasa has sued the Football Federation of Kenya (FKF) for excluding them from the Nationwide Division One League so that they can decide on their next step.

Coach Abdallah is appealing to sponsors and well-wishers to support the club as a way of nurturing talented youth in the county as well building the foundations of football and other sporting activities in Taita Taveta County.

Technical University in courtBy Solomon Muingi

" e exclusion of Technical University of Mombasa (TUM - formerly Mombasa Polytechnic University College) from the ongoing Division One League is turning out to be Coast football’s major court battle.

" e team is seeking to play in the second tier football league in the country. " ough the league has been going on since March, TUM coach Joseph ‘Yeboah’ Shihuli Yeboah has termed it as friendly matches.

Yeboah says it is meaningless to play in the league before the determination of the case pending in the Mombasa High Court.

“I urge the 49 participating teams not to participate for now and await for the determination of the case pending in court unless they want to go and play friendly matches” he said.

TUM has sued Football Kenya Federation (FKF) challenging its exclusion from the league through an application ! elded under a certi! cate of urgency on 21 March 2013, seeking to stop FKF from proceeding with the league. " e case has however been adjourned twice since application.

An a& davit sworn by Dr Joseph Obwagi, the Registrar of Administration and Planning at TUM, says the criteria that was used to exclude TUM FC from the league was opaque, unknown and unexplained.

He therefore concludes that the applicant has been denied the right to participate in the FKF League in breach of Act 12(i) (e) of the FKF constitution. " e application that was tabled before Justice Maureen Odero seeks an ‘Order of Mandamus’ to compel FKF to promote and include the club in this year’s Division One League.

FKF Chairman Sam Nyamweya, FKF League and Competition Chairperson Doris Petra, FKF South Coast Branch and Secretary Evans Mwachia as the ! rst, second and fourth interested parties in the case respectively.

" e case that had been scheduled for hearing on 11 April 2013 before the judge was adjourned to 17 April 2013 a$ er the defence requested for adjournment, only to be adjourned again to 12 June 2013 to allow the court to attend to other pending cases.

SPORTSIMES of

22)

By Solomon Muingi

The case of a football

referee who has sued

the national football

association seeking Sh20

million as compensation

after a team’s assistant coach

assaulted him by squeezing

his testicles during a league

match continues to draw

sharp reactions.

The football fraternity

and the media have been

abuzz with news of the

unprecedented on-fi eld

incident which happened

before hundreds of

spectators.

In the case before the

Mombasa High Court,

former Spaki Youth FC

assistant coach Daudi

Kajembe alias ‘Rasta’

is accused of attacking

the centre referee Martin

Wekesa Wamalwa on his

private parts during a highly

explosive Division One

derby between Spaki Youth

and bitter rivals Admiral at

Tudor Day grounds on 22

September 2012.

After the shocking

incident, Kajembe was

arrested at his house in

Bangladesh by police

offi cers from Changamwe

and locked up at Makupa

police station. Kajembe,

who had been rushed to

Al-Farouk Hospital in

Mombasa to save his life,

thanked the police with

the hope that justice would

prevail.

“I prayed to God for the

culprit to be apprehended

and my prayers have been

answered. I thank the police

for the good work done and

I hope that justice will be

done, “said Wekesa.

On 28 September

2012, the Football Kenya

Federation FKF National

Executive Council ordered

Spaki Youth FC to foot the

entire medical bill incurred

by Wekesa as part of

disciplinary action.

Wekesa is out of hospital

but has accused and sued

Referee battles for ‘manhood’ compensation

the FKF for being slow to

act on Daudi’s inhuman act,

saying the assault ruined his

life and left him a desperate

man.

“Since I was injured, I

have lost marital intimacy

with my spouse. My libido is

very low and I have denied

my wife her conjugal rights

as a result of the archaic and

barbaric act,” Wekesa told

the Times of Taita Taveta.

Kajembe, who has since

been banned for life from

taking any part in football

activities, fi rst appeared

in court on Thursday

10 January 2013 facing

charges of causing grievous

bodily harm to Wekesa,

contrary to the Penal Code.

He pleaded not guilty and

was released on a cash bond

of Sh200,000.

The case had been

scheduled to be heard on 25

April 2013 before Justice

Muongo of in Mombasa but

was adjourned to 22 June

2013 after Kajembe told

Senior Resident Magistrate

Irene Ruguru that he was

not ready to proceed with

the case because the court

had not furnished him with

copies of the statement to

prepare.

Wekesa has been quoted

in the media as saying that

he has been receiving threats

and intimidation from some

quarters. He was recently

barred from attending a

referee’s meeting chaired

by Coast FKF NEC member

Hussein Terry at Panorama

Hotel that brought together

all referees from the Coast

region.

Wekesa who walked into

the meeting at 11am when

it was in progress, having

been invited, was about to

sign the attendance list when

one of the offi cials allied

to a faction of the South

Coast Branch Chairman

Mohamed Nyonyo ordered

him out, saying that he had

been banned from attending

meetings since he had sued

FKF.

“This is discrimination

and humiliation of

the highest order. I

have not received any

communication from the

federation banning me from

attending any meeting,”

said Wekesa in an interview.

Though a ruling on

the case is yet to be

made, Wekesa who is

demanding Sh20 million

as compensation for the

assault, has cried out to the

Kenya Referees Association

(KEFORA) to intervene

in the matter for justice to

prevail.

Referee Martin Wekesa during the attack at the Tudor Day grounds. Wekesa was allegedly attacked by Spaki Youth FC assistant coach Daudi Kajembe during an explosive Division One derby between Spaki Youth and Admiral last year.

“I prayed to God for the culprit to be apprehended and my prayers have been answered. I thank the police for the good work done and I hope that justice will be done, “said Wekesa

Harambee Stars draw with Malawi in World Cup qualifierMalawi were held 2-2 by Kenya in a World

Cup qualifi er Wednesday, opening the door

for Nigeria to win Group F.

Nigeria have a one-point lead over

Malawi after drawing 1-1 away to Namibia

for a 2-point advantage.

They would be the fi rst country to reach

the fi nal Africa zone round, which comprises

fi ve home-and-away ties with the winners

qualifying for Brazil.

Malawi led twice at Kamuzu Stadium in

commercial capital Blantyre only for Kenya

to get a last-minute reprieve when Chimango

Kayira scored an own goal.

Striker Robin Ngalande put the home

team ahead a minute into the second half

on an artifi cial pitch and midfi elder Jamal

Mohamed levelled soon after.

A goal from veteran midfi elder Robert

Ng’ambi 10 minutes before time offered

Malawi hope of a rare home win only for

substitute Kayira to blunder.

The sole Malawi victory in fi ve mini-

league qualifi ers was away to Namibia three

months ago with all three home games drawn.

Namibia hosted Nigeria just 48 hours

after Sweden-born national coach Roger

Palmgren quit owing to unspecifi ed death

threats against him and his family. Nigeria

limped towards a place at Brazil next summer

with an underwhelming draw away against

Namibia.

After the Brave Warriors had surprisingly

taken the lead at the Sam Nujoma Stadium

through Deon Kavendji, the Super Eagles

responded through the unlikely hero of

Godfrey Oboabona to secure a point with just

seven minutes remaining.

During the opening stages, the visitors

looked composed and confi dent..hey kept the

ball well, dominated possession, and gently

began to turn the screw on their Namibian

hosts, who looked, at times, like veritable

prey for Africa’s champions.

Sports

(23

By TTT Reporter

Taita has the right terrain that can be used for high altitude

athletics training and the right institution to discover and nurture sports talent.

" e glowing recommen-dation was made recently by Ministry of Education o& cials when they toured a recently built educational facility at Sagalla near Voi.

In the blazing sun, the awe-aspiring Goe rock in Sagalla area in Voi Constitu-ency of Taita-Taveta County shines out triumphantly, just like a blue-roofed multi-mil-lion structure situated nearby. However, now the rock, just like the giant baobab trees in the vicinity, stand as silent witnesses to the premier sports and talent academy, a rare one of its kind in the larger coastal region.

" e Sagalla International Sports and Talent Academy is a project of the Voi Con-stituency Development Fund (CDF), built on 100 acres of land at a cost of Sh32 million out of the Sh200 million of the CDF funding allocated for constructing schools in Voi in 2010-2011.

According to informed sources, the county govern-ment is considering making use of the centre to facilitate the nurturing and develop-ment of sports talent in Taita Taveta and elsewhere in the Coast region, which needs to be tapped.

" e move would enable Taita Taveta and the entire

Recently, Voi residents got to en-

joy the Kenya Commercial Bank

Mobi Rally. $ e event attracted

hundreds of fans from within

and out of the County. A! er the

rally there was a prize giving

ceremony at the Voi Wildlife

Lodge adjacent to the Tsavo East

National park. $ e winners of

the main event were Ian Duncan

and his Navigator Amaar Slatch.

Present during the Award cer-

emony were Kenya Motor Sports

General Manager, Mwaura

Njuguna, Retired Military Chief

of General Sta% General Joseph

Kibwana and Voi Member of

Parliament, Hon Jones Mlolwa.

Sagalla Sports Academy

a precious gift for youthForm One in various schools, which is a remarkable im-provement,” says the DEO.

He told the high-powered delegation of senior gov-ernment o& cers from the Ministry of Education and of-! cials from UNICEF who are proposing to provide funds for the expansion of the talent Academy.

“" ere are very rich people who did not perform well in school but who now earn the kind of money that several university graduates cannot dream of earning because of sports,” said the ministry’s acting director in- charge of quality assurance and standards Mohamed Mwiny-ipembe. His views were also echoed by David Ngugi, the secretary general of the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association. “Much sports potential is going untapped largely because we lack sports and talent academies that can discover those talents early enough and nurture them,” said Ngugi.

Kimathi Muthengi, a youth specialist at UNICEF, said they were willing to partner with the ministry to make Sagalla International Sports and Talent Academy one of the best in the country.

region to ! ght to regain its glory in sports that it enjoyed some years back. “Some years ago, we used to hear of sports champions, especially in athletics from schools such as

St Mary’s Secondary in Lush-angonyi and it is high time we started mulling over regaining this glory,” the local District Education O& cer says.

Despite the poor perfor-

mance in national exams in Taita Taveta, there has been a marked improvement in the transition rate from primary to secondary schools in Voi, which currently stands at 85

percent. “Out of the 2,500 pupils

who sat for the Kenya Cer-ti! cate of Primary Education (KCPE) in Voi District last year, 2,200 quali! ed to join

KCB Mobi rally thrills fans in Voi

Members of the Sagala Academy football team after one of their matches

Sports

A$ er 26 years and 1,500 games, the boss is no longer the boss. And

the age of 71, Sir Alex Ferguson walks away knowing his legacy in football is as secure as the stadium where his bronze statue stands in front of the stand bearing his name.

Quite simply, his era has ended. Soon, his transformation from fearsome father to loveable

uncle will be complete and as a ! gure from a di# erent era, the younger generation of fans will marvel in wonder at stories of a manager so powerful, successful and respected.

Appropriately, the last home match against Swansea o# ered a chance to honour the parting hero en masse. Over 76,000 Reds marched on Old Tra# ord to salute the most

decorated of generals with an abundance of % ags, banners and tears- inspiring an “I was there” atmosphere.

Just 24 hours later, the Barclays Premier League trophy parade saw the streets, sca# olds and bus stops of Manchester bear the weight of over 100,000 supporters, all intent on waving goodbye to a genuine, bona ! de icon of British culture.

So long, Sir Alex, a football legend

SPORTS

INSIDE:nSagala AcademynKingstone Voi FCnReferee cries out