A Political Kenya: Latest Politics and Kenya Economy News

Even if the way the scandal was exposed is irregular, the fact are that Musalia Mudavadi has been adversely mentioned as a recipient of part of Kshs59m that was stolen from the government due to overpricing of the cemetery land which cannot even be used for the purpose for which it was bought.

As it stands until his name is cleared, Musalia Mudavadi should step aside to pave way for investigation. To quote Raila Odinga, the prime minister it does not mean that by stepping aside Musalia is guilty, that will be known after the investigations are done.

Goldenberg was exposed in an irregular and unprocedural manner, so was angloleasing some of the biggest scams in the story of corruption by government officials in Kenya. Musalia cannot hide behind KACC "irregular" manner of revealing the scandal and that cannot change the fact that the cemetry land saga purchase by the Nairobi City Council which is under local government ministry headed by Musalia was a corrupt deal and huge sums of money ended up corruptly in the hands of government officials, Musalia accused to be one of them.

The prime minister has further said that the war on corruption must be personalised since it involves individuals. Musalia must lead the way and must carry his cross, but for now he must step aside until investigations clear him or incriminate him.

I am a young Kenyan.

I have been thinking.

I have wondered, come 2012 or earlier when we go for elections in Kenya, who is worthy of my vote?

I have considered our current crop of politicians and have found them wanting.

No, I do not want to vote for Raila Odinga or Kalonzo Musyoka or Uhuru Kenyatta or William Ruto or Musalia Mudavadi or George Saitoti or Charity Ngilu or Kiraitu Murungi or Gideon Moi or Mwai Kibaki now that we have hints he may be planning for a lifetime presidency like other African despots. They are all stained with seeds of ethnic animosity, poor governance, corruption, fanning tribal hatred and are a constant reminder of the suffering of Kenyans under the Kenyatta, Moi and Kibaki regimes.

For a moment, I thought I can vote for Martha Karua or Mutava Musyimi but as time goes by I have developed a bitter taste in my mouth whenever I think about these two. Mutava Musyimi stint at the current parliament has been disappointing. I wished he would stand for me and say no to all those shenanigans that happen in parliament and cabinet that propagate corruption, tribal hatred and the poverty of my fellow Kenyans and I. He has however chosen to keep quiet, a conspiracy of silence that drains our blood as Kenyans which is no different from those who steal and eat the poor Kenyan's staple food of maize and are involved in a host of other corruption scandals. It is very hard to separate Martha Karua and all the wrong things in Kibaki's twin tenure.

I did not take Eugene Wamalwa's declaration to be president lightly for I have been searching and looking for a reason to wake up early on that material day to change the course of my country. But the fact that he is linked with Jimmy Kibaki's Simama Kenya outfit makes me have an uneasy feeling that he may not be the man for he will not be his own man.

I have considered, like many other Kenyans, not to give a damn what happens in 2012, just sleep the day away - with enough stash of food and water, armed of course for any eventualities that are looking real by the day - just like any other Sunday or public holiday and not vote. My conscience, however, cannot allow me to watch as Kenya whirls away in a too familiar way.

My vote is unmarked and powerful. My vote is my dearest and most lethal weapon to eradicate all the wrongs I see in Kenya. I will give it to the man or woman who will earn it. A person who will use the tax I pay to the government wisely to develop and spur economic growth in Kenya, fighting corruption, upholding governance and ethics and actively fighting the rampant poverty that I wallow in and that surrounds me. A man who will deal with the political, economic and social hopelessness that engulfs me each passing day.

Whenever I visit the Mars Group Kenya website and listen to Mwalimu Mati in various talk shows, I see a Kenyan willing and trying to confront head-on the problems that we face as Kenyans in his own small way. I see a man that audits Kenya's spending and contractual commitments with a fine tooth comb, asks questions and reports to Kenyans how our funds are being wasted and are being used to enrich a certain political class at my expense and at the expense of the rest of Kenyans.

In Mars Group Kenya I see Kenyans who do not worship the Kenyattas, the Mois, the Kibakis, the Odingas, the British, the Americans and any other Kenyan 'god' out there that are responsible for what is wrong with my Kenya.

I perceive a Kenyan ready to make the corrupt regimes accountable for the misery of Kenyans. A Kenyan with a zeal to deal with the cancer of corruption, parasitic governance, destructive politics and wasteful spending of public funds once and for all.

I sense an angry Kenyan like me - angry and disappointed with the dangerous games our current "leaders" and politicians play - only that unlike me, he has the guts to stand up, be counted and say NO to all the political madness we experience day in day out in Kenya.

I see a Kenyan with bubbling potential to take Kenya to the next level of infrastructural development, economic growth, political accountability and responsibility without the endless mumbo jumbo of MOUs, accords and Vision 2030.

That makes me say to myself, I want that Mars Group Kenya guy to be my president.

If only he has the right mandate and authority.

My vote and your vote can give that Mars Group Kenya guy the mandate to give us the right leadership that we yearn, hope and long for.

I want that Mars Group Kenya guy to be the next president of Kenya.

Feel me? Please join me here on Facebook to give notice and spread the good news.

We can change Kenya!

Mwalimu Mati for president!!

Early 2008

Maize yields and stocks significantly low due to the destruction of close to 3.5 million bags of maize during the post-election violence, which also reduced the area under maize production by 30 per cent.

Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser skyrocket by 240%.

June 2008

High cost of petrol internationally results in high costs of transport and inputs, in turn causing the price of maize and related products to shoot up from Ksh48 (US cents 64) for a 2kg packet of flour to a high of Ksh130 ($1.73).

July 2008 - June 2009

The estimated shortfall in maize production over the period hits 11.5 million bags.

September 2008

Grain millers and traders ask the government to ease grain importation rules and taxes so as to bring down food prices.

November 2008

Cabinet approves the importation of 5 million bags of maize to mitigate the looming crisis. The first consignment arrives in Mombasa in October 2008. The maize originates from South Africa and US.

Allegations about possible shoddy dealings in the handling of maize start to emerge as a cabinet committee headed by the Prime Minister launches investigation.

December 2008

Media reports reveal that farmers are hoarding maize in protest against the government's decision to fix the price of the crop at a much lower rate than what is paid for imports. The government was paying about Kshs 3,000 ($40) for every sack of imported maize but paid KShs 1,950 ($26) to local farmers for the same quantity of grain.

The government designs a plan to supply cheap maize flour but the plan runs into trouble amid allegations of corruption.

Newspaper reports allege the loss of 100,000 bags of maize. The Cereal Millers Association spokesperson claims that only 40,000 bags pf the 144,000 bags of maize set aside by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) had reached its members and queries the destination of the other 100,000 bags.

The government waives duty on imported maize as five out of six managers of the NCPB are sacked by Agriculture Minister William Ruto over allegations of corruption.

The grain shortage reaches emergency levels as over 10 million people are reported to be facing starvation.

February 2009

Special programmes Permanent Secretary Ali Mohamed announces that the government is set to release 200,000 bags of maize to the famine relief programme from the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR).

Trustees of the SGR authorise allocations to millers reducing its stocks to levels far below the required 4 million bags, thus exposing the country to severe famine in case of any shortfalls in production.

Following press reports, MPs admit to buying maize from the NCPB as well as writing letters requesting for allocations to individuals known to them. Some of the MPs claimed that they requested for the allocations after hearing that their colleagues were doing the same.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga orders a forensic audit of the National Cereals and Produce Board to establish the magnitude of the maize scandal

March 2009

Maize imported by the government continues to arrive at the port of Mombasa.

April 2009

Parliament's Departmental on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Reosurces calls for investigations to be carried out on the alleged role played by the Prime Minister's family in the maize scandal.

May 2009

Controversy emerges about the suitability of part of the imported maize for human consumption amidst revelations that 6,000 tonnes of imported maize is contaminated

The Ministry of Public Health issues a public alert over the circulation of contamintaed maize reported missing from Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd

MPs absolve the Prime Minister, his family and his office from blame in the maize scandal by deleting clauses in the Departmental Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources Report that had linked them to the scandal. The entire report is also rejected on grounds that it was "politically engineered" and was "absolutely clumsy"

June 2009

Government makes arrangements for the condemned maize to be shipped back to the country of origin.

February 2010

A government commissioned audit report by PriceWaterhouse Coopers reveals massive irregularities in the Subsidised Maize Scheme, This results in the sacking or resignation of eight top officials, including three Permanent Secretaries— Dr Romano Kiome (Agriculture), Ali Mohamed (Speciai Programmes), and Dr Mohammed Isahakia (Prime Minister's office) — as well as the PM's chief of staff Caroli Omondi, the managing director of the National Cereals and Produce Board Prof Gideon Misoi, NCPB sales and marketing manager James Boit and Mr Robert Langat

An attempt by the Prime Minister to suspend the Minister for Agriculture (and his Education for a separate, unrelated scandal) flops after President Kibaki declares that the PM has exceeded his authority Tensions within the governing coalition rise to breaking point.

Source: The East African

1.0 The Kenya National Examinations Council wishes to inform parents/guardians,candidates and all stakeholders that the 2009 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination results will be released on Tuesday, March 2, 2009. The ceremony will be presided by Education Minister, Hon. Amb.Prof. Sam K.Ongeri at the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) starting 9.00 a.m.

2.0 All Provincial Directors of Education (PDEs) are reminded to avail themselves to pick the results for the schools in their respective provinces and districts for distribution. Through this notice, all senior officers from the Ministry of Education and its SAGAs as well as representatives of all relevant stakeholders are also invited.

3.0 Candidates/parents/guardian can pre-subscribe to receive exam results by sending a text message (SMS) KCSE#index–number to 2228 (Safaricom or Zain) as from Thursday 25th February 2010. Exam results will be sent to the subscribers upon release on 2nd March 2010.

The SMS will only be charged upon receipt of the results.Subscribers are advised to send one SMS message only.

4.0 Upon the release of the results, they will be available on KNEC website:www.knec.ac.ke or www.examscouncil.or.ke

Council Secretary/Chief Executive Officer

Former KTN anchor Esther Arunga (right) has topped the list of Chaguo La Teeniez Awards in the Role Model of the Year category. Esther grabbed media headlines in the past week after she quit her job, broke her engagement to fiance Wilson Malaba and was arrested on charges of being a member of an illegal society.

However, David Ngaruiya, the co-founder of the Teen Awards, said the list making the rounds in the Internet is not the final list. "The final list will be released on March 2," Ngaruiya said, adding "The nomination process took place in 2009 from January to December."

Meanwhile, Esther is set to run for Vice President come 2010 alongside Joseph Hellon who has declared that he will be running for the top seat. It is yet to be established what party they will run on.

In the Role Model category, other nominees include Daniel Ndambuki a.k.a Churchill, Wahu Kagwi, John Allan Namu and Jua Cali.

On the nomination list, Kiss 100's Shaffie and Kalekye's show Rush Hour is nominated for the Teeniez' Most Hype Show and Teeniez' Blazin' FM Station.

As Kenyans reel from the incredible revelations that top television personality Esther Arunga has been ensnared in the activities of the hitherto unheard-of so-called Finger of God Church, weirder details are emerging that may make even the hardest of red-light district operatives blush.

According to a woman who has been in the church and who has since left after realizing that she was headed the direction that is the exact opposite of what she had been made to believe was towards a more rewarding life, for one to be accepted in the church that she says is actually a sect, one has to insert his finger in the privates parts of a woman in a bizarre act that in all descriptions and purposes is a pornographic initiation rite.

It is from this that the cult derives its finger of God name. Indeed, it is said, the worship in the church is nothing but partying that ends up in out of control sex orgies. Finger of sex church, sources say, would be the appropriate name of the church. The church at Runda Estate has eight bedrooms making it the only known church of its kind in Kenya, with live-in adherents partially cut off from the main society.

That the church has a thing with sex is illustrated by the fact that its adherents reportedly run sex related businesses. Arunga herself recently opened a spa in Nairobi's Runda area which apart from offering hairdo and beauty services it offers other services.

In Nairobi, spas are pseudonyms for brothels as apart from sauna hot baths, they also offer sex services with beautiful and nude girls who are permanently stationed in the spas ostensibly to offer massage.

One of the earliest followers of the Finger of God in Kenya Seanice Kacungira who until early this year was a presenter at Capital FM, has now opened a spa of her own in Kampala near the gates of the US Embassy and it is suspected that she is now on missionary assignment to fish more adherents in Kampala.

Capital FM intriguingly seems to be the media home of the finger church as the church's leader Joseph Omondi Hellon has been holding prayers called morning evolution sessions for staff every Wednesday. What remains unknown is whether the station's owner Chris Kirubi aka DJ CK has given a nod to the church although it is highly unlikely that anything can go on a weekly basis in his pet project radio station without his knowledge.

Incidentally, Arunga started her media career at Capital FM she presented the Saturday morning rock music show.

Capital FM also happens to be a rich fishing ground of the church as it has won the hearts and minds of Anne Kiguta, Cess Mutungi and Everline Wanbui. KTN's Isabella Kituri is an usher in the church and has flatly refused to quit even after the human resource manager at KTN called her after the saga exploded and asked her to either choose the church or her job. Kituri lost her husband barely two years into marriage and experts have pointed out that she is just the right target for cultists as she might be vulnerable and gullible.

Lillian Muli of KTN is said to have been a member but left after a brief stay. Others in KTN who were approached but declined are Esther Kahumbi and Cynthia Nyamai. It is not known whether Esther Kahumbi turned down the offer. Mwenda Kiogoria attends. Linus Kaikai was once seen driving to the residence following the David Makali's vehicle. Makali is Omondi's music promoter. K24's Luois Otieno and True Love's Carol Mandi have been targeted as was Daniel Ndambuki aka Churchil alias Mwalimu King'ang'i.

At NTV, Jamila Mbugua is said to be a member while Peninah Karibe has been approached by Arunga. Apart from holding prayers at Runda, the members also congregate at the Lenana Conference Centre at Kilimani opposite DOD.

Others in the church that seems to derive most of its following from the media and entertainment industry are musician Kanji Mbugua and music producer Big Kev and events organizer Big Ted. Daughter of minister Anyang Nyong, Lupita Nyong'o is also alleged to have been approached. Classic FM's Maina Kageni is said to be a member. Jackson Makini alias Rakim Ngechu aka Prezzo was approached declined because he is a muslim.

At a press conference organized by Makali who owns the Sound Africa music company that has signed Omondi who is a saxophonist in a class of his own, Omondi declared that he will run for the presidency in 2012 with Arunga as his running mate. Now if anyone needed proof that this is a cult, that was it as it is only a deluded Omondi and Arunga who can imagine that they can become prezzy and VP in 2012.

Cults are known to specialise in self-belief antics that make their followers live in a dream world that they believe is real. In TV interview with K24's Jeff Koinange, Arunga compared herself with biblical Esther and said that she is the one who is going to save Kenya.

So blinded is Arunga that e-mails were sent from the next room to hers and she believed they were coming from international evangelist Benny Hinn who has since disowned the e-mails one of which is seen as the stroke that broke the camel's back as it instructed Arunga to dump the boyfriend, Wilson Malaba whom she was going to marry in April for Omondi's friend one Wambiti who has changed his name to Quincy Timberlake taking a name from global musical icon Quincy Jones and another from superstar Justin Timberlake.

To add insult to injury, Timberlake was made pastor of the church. With his woman gone, the man, Wilson Malaba started spilling the beans of the church that he was also a member of. It is worth noting that Arunga broke another engagement and called off the marriage that was supposed to take place in October last year.

Another time, a man invited her to Mombasa after lying to her that he was a big shot in a blue chip company only for her to realize that the boy was jobless and lived with his mother and had no house of his own. The boy never took her to his home and she stayed in a hotel room.

But even as Arunga last week' projected her mid-range future plans, others were worried about her immediate future with her thousands of admirers sympathizing with her for resigning from her enviable job into the vagaries of tarmacking.

Reality show star Valerie Kimani sought forgiveness in church for getting a baby out of wedlock.

The singer famed for her Spanish song Besame Mucho - loosely translated 'Kiss me, kiss me quick' - stood before the congregation of Good Shepherd Church, Ngong Road, and apologised for straying from the Holy Scriptures.

Valerie has been at the centre of controversy after she admitted that she was pregnant leading to grand speculation of who the father is.

She played the lead role of Syombua in the Mo Faya musical that stole the hearts of many with its satirical and political look at society. In the musical, she was the love interest of Eric Wainaina who played DJ Lwanda.

Valerie, who was also cast as the naive Sindi in the three-part MTV series Shuga, confessed to the congregation that she is sorry for getting pregnant outside wedlock and would like to be forgiven and accepted back to the flock.

She was called to the altar by the pastor and was joined by her mum and her step-father.

During the short confession, the paternity of the unborn child did not crop up.

This act of contrition took place two Sundays ago.