A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing an ATM card from his friend and using it to withdraw money from the friend’s account.

Before Senior Principal Magistrate Mary Anne Murage was Johnson Onyango who pleaded guilty to stealing an ATM card from his friend and proceeding to withdraw 60 thousand shillings from the account last month.

Onyango admitted that he picked the ATM card from the room where they resided and withdrew 20 thousand shillings from three different branches of Equity Bank.

Prosecutor Peter Ngatia told the court that the complainant reported the loss of his ATM card and investigations revealed that his friend had stolen it.

Onyango also admitted that he had disappeared and was only identified during investigations through CCTV cameras.

The court reserved sentencing to January 23 to await a probation report.

In the same court Lucy Wambui Mbugua alias Faith Nyambura Ngige was charged with stealing a motor vehicle valued at 1.2 million shillings.

The offense was committed at Blue Hut Hotel in Nairobi on November 26 last year.

She denied the charge and was released on cash bail of 150 thousand shillings.

The case will be heard on February 12.

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The government has released the guidelines for the implementation of free secondary school education in both public day and boarding schools.

Education Permanent secretary Karega Mutahi said in a statement that the government commits itself to provide free day secondary education to all Kenyan children this year.

” As you are aware, the government has taken a decision to improve transition rates from primary to secondary from 60 per cent to 70 per cent. This is in line with the various policy documents, including the sessional paper No. 1 of 2005. Consequently, a Task force chaired by Dr. Eddah Gachukia was set up in a stakeholders’ forum and mandated to work on the implementation modalities.” The statement said. 

It will cost the taxpayer 10,265 shillings per child per year for students in public secondary schools.

Parents will be expected to meet costs of school uniform and lunch programs in day schools.

Parents who opt to have their children in Boarding schools will pay a maximum of 18,627 shillings per year to meet the cost of boarding services.

The statement added that parents would continue to play a key role in the provision of physical facilites, which will also be supplemented by CDF, LAFT and other support programmes and contributions from individuals.

The opening date of Secondary schools remains the same on the 14^th January 2008. 

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The newly appointed minister for information and communications Samuel Poghisio on Wednesday embarked on his new ministerial duties at Teleposta towers.

In his first press briefing when he took over from his predecessor, Mutahi Kagwe, Poghisio expressed his gratitude to president Kibaki for the appointment.

Expressing his concern over the violence that has engulfed parts of the country in the last two weeks, Poghisio said ODM-K had resolved to join the government in an effort to bring to an end the unnecessary bloodshed.

He said the party would work with the government to facilitate a faster resolution to the crisis facing the country.

Poghisio urged the media to be part and parcel of the recovery and reconciliation process through upholding the highest professional standards especially at this period.

He said his ministry will support efforts to promote free dissemination of information by the media as a crucial tool for nation building.

Poghisio said his hope is to ensure every Kenyan is able to communicate easily and in a more affordable way through the use of modern technology.

The minister expressed his support for the establishment of the media law which paved the way for the creation of the Media Council of Kenya, a body mandated to enforce professional ethics among media practitioners.

“I wish to assure you that my ministry will support the efforts of the media council and will work closely with the media owners and practitioners to promote the good work of the media as a crucial tool for nation building”, he said.

He said the ministry would support the proposed Freedom of Information and ICT bills which are expected to enhance free flow of information and contribute to the development of the ICT sector as an important pillar of the Vision 2030.

He said the laying of the fiber optic cable from Kenya to the Mideast which will be launched next week will enhance communication within the East African region.

Poghisio was named in the first half of the cabinet named on Tuesday by President Mwai Kibaki which mainly consists of MPs from PNU, ODM-K and Kanu.

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President Mwai Kibaki on Wednesday visited areas affected by the recent post election violence and warned the perpetrators that they will face the full force of the law. 

Speaking at Noigam Primary school playground in Cherengani, Trans Nzoia East district where 17,000 misplaced people are camping, President Kibaki said the Government will not shirk from its responsibility of protecting people and their properties.

He warned those engaged in criminal activities under the guise of election being disaffected with the results of the recent general elections that they would be arrested and prosecuted.

He said “There is a Government in place in this country which has the responsibility to the people of Kenya for their security. Let no one therefore delude themselves that they can get away with crimes.”

In the same vein President Kibaki assured displaced families camping at various church compounds and Police Stations that they would not be evicted from their legally acquired land adding the Government will instead assist them to reconstruct their homes.

“Am therefore directing that all those affected register with the relevant Government departments so that they can be given assistance to resettle in their homes,” he added.

Noting that innocent lives had been lost in the senseless orgy of violence, President Kibaki said it was unfortunate some political leaders had capitalized on the gullibility of the youth to incite them into violence.

Saying such politicians were not worthy of national leadership, President Kibaki asked wananchi to refuse to be used as instruments of plunder   and deaths.

He said “Kenyans of different ethnic groups have always lived peacefully together. Their children have gone to the same schools and even intermarried. It is therefore unfortunate saddening that such harmony can be sacrificed at the alter of political expediency.”

The President stressed that he cannot let the country degenerate into chaos and called on those involved in ethnic cleansing to stop their criminal activities before the law catches up with them.

President Kibaki said the Government had put in place appropriate security arrangement to ensure the reopening of schools was not disrupted in the affected areas and asked parents to take their children back to school when they reopen on Monday.

He at the same time directed school committees in those areas to evaluate the damage cost to their schools so that the Government can establish what kind of assistance they can be given.

He instructed the provincial administration to broker peace among people of different ethic background saying Kenyans must always forge friendship amongst themselves.

The President emphasized that the recent general elections should not hold the country back and urged those who vied for different positions and lost to accept the verdict of the people so that the country can move on.

Also present were Minister for Provincial Administration and Internal Security Professor George Saitoti, Minister for special Programmes Naom Shaban and her counter part for Science and Technology Dr. Noah Wekesa.

Also present were the Head of Civil service and Secretary to the Cabinet Ambassador Francis Muthaura.

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Newly-appointed Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka on Wednesday officially took over his office at Jogoo House.

Mr. Musyoka who was taken around the office by out-going Vice President Moody Awori thanked President Mwai Kibaki for the appointment, which he said he had accepted with humility.

Saying the appointment came at a critical time when the country was hurting from the effects of the post-election violence, Mr. Musyoka said he would utilize his new responsibility in promoting national healing and reconstruction.

He however appealed to Kenyans to shelve the differences, which were occasioned by the general election and forge unity in order to revert the country to its former glory.

Mr. Musyoka regretted that following the elections a number of Kenyans had lost their lives, property destroyed and the economy adversely affected.

“No amount of hard feelings should be allowed to lead to deaths or destruction”, the Vice President pointed out adding that it was incumbent upon Kenyans to reconcile and uphold peace and unity.

At the same time, Mr. Musyoka who also met the ministry of Home affairs departmental heads assured that he will ensure that the important work the ministry has been undertaking will be sustained.

He particularly singled out the prisons reforms program and the cash-transfer fund for orphans, which he noted will be fast tracked.

Congratulating Mr. Musyoka, Mr. Awori commended his successor’s track record as a peace broker and a God-fearing person, and expressed optimism that he will execute the new responsibilities ably.

The function was also attended by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Vice President Mrs. Nancy Kirui.

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