<By Leo Odera Omolo

A NATURAL calamity has struck the villages in Sacho, Division of Central Baringo constituency in the far North of the Rift Valley Province when landslide erupted sending thousands of people fleeing their homes.

So far reports from the area says 1,800 people have been rendered homeless as the thick mad from the hilltops continue sliding downhill sweeping homes.

The incident took place in Ngetmoi Location and forced hundreds of resident of the area to seek shelters in the neighbouring villages as the rain continue pounding the area incessantly ever since last week.

An eye witness said the villagers woke up in the morning last Tuesday in disbelief when they realized that a huge crack almost three-and –half kilometers wide across the village had occurred destroying many houses and part of the nearby marketplace and a shopping centre. It left a huge gulles several meters deep.close to 200mhouses were destroyed which occurred at Timboiywo a small village located near Kabarnet town.

Sacho is an area, which is so significantly and historically important because it is the birthplace of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi. The grand old man of Kenya politics and self-styled professor of politics had represented Baringo Central  constituency in Parliament for close to 42 years.And when he voluntarily retired in 2002, he had anointed his favourite son Gideon Moi who took the mantle of leadership of the area until last December 2007, when he was too swept out under the euphoria of ODM and Raila Odinga.,

The District Officer for the area Mr. Lazarus Kaasis said on phonr that the landslide was caused by heavy rains, but he warned the fleeing villagers from the affected that there was no alternative for them to  be settled elsewhere.

The landslide also destroyed part of the termacked Kabarnet-Tenges where it left a trail of deep gulles..

Last year landslide claimed the lives of twenty Kenyans in Noerth Nandi district along the borders of Rift Valley and western Provinces when sliding mad buried many people while they were asleep.

A local mine and geologist expert Mr. John Kipseba was yesterday quoted as saying that the landslide could be attributed to the situation currently prevalent duringheavy rains. He warned motorists using Kabarnet-Tenges road to drive carefully as falling rocks and boulders were rolling downhill continuosly, adding that the situation would get even worse if the rains continue pounding the area..

One civic leader in the area said the residents had raised the issue during the KANU regime under President Daniel Moi stewardship, but nothing was done,

“We informed the retired president {MOI} who was then the area MP, but nothing tangible came out of his promises,:said Coun Isaiyah Cheruiyot who represented the area in the Baring County Council., adding that the resident had been left tom wonder about what to do next under such a catastrophic calamity. He said the government has always been telling them to move out of the area, but has offered them no alternative land.

The civic leader said he had on  many occasions raised the issue in the Council, but the civic body appeared to be toothless and cannot act tom render the residents any assistance. The residents are no longer sleeping at night due to fear and the noisey made of the  mad sliding downhill.

The Baringo District Commissioner Mr Khamasi Shivogo toured the area with a team of top government officials to assess the situation. The landslide affected three villages at Timmboiywo,Kabatis and  Ngetmoi.

According to residents the landslide had erupted in the area for the first time in 1987 and in 1997 again after the El Nino rains.

Ends

Leooderaomolo@YAHOO.COM

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API

By Leo Odera Omolo

The post –election violence in Kenya early this year has had a devastating effect on the money minting tourism industry in the country.

Projections show that the country’s tourism earning could fall by 23 per cent to Kshs 50 billion{USD 8II million} in 2008.

According to the Kenya Tourists Board, Managing Director Dr, Ongong’a Achieng’, tourists arrival dropped to 134,000 visitors in the first quarters of 2008 from the early projected 315,000, This figure showed a sharp drop the number of tourists who visited the country during the same period and consequently a big drop in revenue.

The country’s tourism revenues plunged downward toKshs.8.08 billion {USD 128.2 million in the first quarter of 2008, from Kshs 17.8 billion{USD 359 million }in 2007.

The KTB chairman Mr. Grieves-Cook was last week quoted as having said that in the last week of May, 2008 there were almost as many bookings during the same period last year.

“Despite the dent to Kenya’s reputation as a politically stable and safe safari destination, the rate of her bookings as we into 2009, we should soon be back to normalcy, ”he said.

Western countries, he explained, have relaxed their travel advisories from Kenya’s coast region, which accounts for about two thirds of tourism revenues, and some charter flights have resumed ferrying European tourists to then holiday resorts.

Tourism revenue, a key foreign exchange earner, fell 54 per cent in the first quarters of 2008.

A total of 1,045 million visitors arrive in the country in 2007, a 10 per cent increase from 948,174 that flew in during the previous year {2006}.

The organization together with other stakeholders intend to revisit the strategy used to revive the tourism sector after elections clashes of 1997, said Dr. Ongong’a .

The tourism industry will focus on short term recovery efforts in existing markets such as the UK, a country, which supplied 203,494 tourists in 2007, and the US, which had 100,516,”said Mr. Grieves-Cook.

In the next five years, the focus should be on these markets, which have ther potential to be turned around quickly and produce big numbers. The longer terms tourism potential lies in the middle class in India and China, who have expanding incomes and an urge to explore the world.

ALTHOUGH ONLY 18,766 Chinese visited Kenya in 2007, it was Kenya’s fastest growing market, with a 27 per cent rise from 2006, said the KTB chairman.

The leisure traffic out of China will not be in Africa immediately, but that country will be a growing market. With more flights from China, Kenya could attract tourists to come and experience the country’s wildlife,” noted Mr. Grieves-Cook

.Tourism generate some USD 500 million per year in hard currency earning, making the sector the country’s single largest source of foreign exchange.

The industry is backed up with wide range of wildlife, special white-sand beaches and all these combined brings one million foreign visitors to Kenya annually..

But a recent special study on the costs and benefits of tourism to the country- examining impact on the economy, biodiversity, environment and culture by four researchers from the Eldoret based Moi University show that it is adversely affects society and the environment.

The Kenya Tourist Board says it requires Kshs 1.5 million {USD 23.8 million} for its international market recovery efforts and publicity.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

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API

Is it posssible to play separate roles this way? Become private when one wants and issue statements while at times working as Prime Minister?

Prime Minister jets back from S Africa

Written By:claire wanja

A Kenya standard story

By Philip Mwakio and Anderson Ojwang

Former Attorney General Charles Njonjo has said no amnesty can be granted before a conviction.

Speaking in Diani, South Coast, yesterday Njonjo rubbished the amnesty debate saying that one could not talk of amnesty before conviction.

“It is utter nonsense to speak of amnesty if no conviction has been effected. Amnesty means forgiveness,’’ he said.

“You can only speak of amnesty when you have been convicted for an offence. One can only be forgiven by the State or whoever it is who has pardoned you. “This talk of amnesty is nonsense because it does not mean a thing,” he added.

At the same time political and religious leaders from North Rift also want the Government to employ the use of traditional courts to help in resolving the amnesty issue.

They have challenged the Government to make public the ethnic composition of those arrested over post-election violence.

Political and religious leaders asked the Government to come clean on the issue for Kenyans to believe that it was not engaged selective application of justice.

“Let us not hide in the name of calling for amnesty without knowing where the suspects come from and whether there was selective application of justice in the arrest of the suspects,” said the Reverend Maritim Rirei of Anglican Church of Kenya.

“Delayed amnesty for the suspects has negated peace building and reconciliation efforts among the internally displaced persons and the host communities,” said Rirei.

The amnesty debate has divided the Grand Coalition Cabinet with ministers affiliated to PNU calling for prosecution of suspects involved in the violence.

On its part, ODM led by Prime Minister Raila Odinga has stood its ground and stated that those arrested during the post- election violence ought to be released.

ODM has maintained that no reconciliation would be achieved if innocent youths in police cells and jails were not pardoned.

ODM further maintains that its supporters were protesting at the bungled presidential election results.

On Madaraka Day, President Kibaki said that investigation and prosecution of all post-election violence suspects will be carried out expeditiously and those found innocent would be released.

The President had directed police to move fast and conclude their investigations.

His Madaraka Day remarks drew the wrath of condemnation from a cross- section of mainly ODM leaders who expressed their dismay at the President’s stand.

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API source.standard.ke

Rwanda News Agency interviews API

Kigali, June 05 (RNA) – About a week ago Norway-based online agency African Press International (API) published the much publicized interview with suspected Rwandan Genocide financer Mr. Felicien Kabuga. Government of Rwanda and the UN tribunal for Rwanda are believed to have been caught off-guard – suddenly that a man with a $5million bounty on his head surfaces in an interview seeking to surrender to Rwanda. RNA put the different issues that the interview has raised to API Chief-Editor Kipter Korir, and below are the excerpts in which he reveals that government is secretly seeking to contact the man they have hunted for years.

RNA: Mr. Kipter Korir, could you just describe the circumstances leading up to the much publicized interview with Rwandan Genocide fugitive Felicien Kabuga and how you managed to secure it anyway.

Many media outlets and other institutions have treated our story on Kabuga and his presence in Norway at the time of interview with caution. It is not difficult to understand why many find it difficult to see the real picture in all that has happened, the fact that API met Mr Kabuga and even managed to secure an interview. Mr Kabuga travelled to Sweden in an effort to meet an elderly Sudanese man who is refugee in that country. While in that country, he discovered that the man he was looking for was not there. He managed, one way or another, to get information that a South Sudanese delegation led by the South Sudan President Salva Kiir was going to be in Norway for a conference.

It was at that time Mr Kabuga chose to travel to Oslo hoping the old man he was looking for in Sweden had found his way to Norway to meet his colleagues from South Sudan.

As things turned out, the Sudanese old man was not in Norway but had travelled to South Sudan. Those close to Kabuga, who met him in Norway, directed him to API’s Chief Editor who happens to be a friend to the Sudanese old man. After discussions on what Mr Kabuga wanted, the parties agreed on an interview on condition, API assisted Kabuga to connect with the Sudanese old man and another man of Ugandan origin now resident in the UK, so that the two men may initiate talks with the Rwanda Government for the purposes of reaching an agreement on a conditional surrender. Both men are close contacts of API’s Chief Editor.

RNA: The ICTR and Rwanda government are treating your purported interview with Mr. Kabuga as a ‘hoax’. There does not seem to be anything tangible as evidence to back up the interview.

API has noted that several media outlets have focused on the behaviour of the ICTR and the Rwanda government on how they have reacted to the story. As a media outlet, API does not go around distributing prove to institutions in order that those who read API articles may believe what is being written.

The Rwanda government and the ICTR has the opportunity to get in touch with API and find out the truth. The Rwanda government could have been satisfied if the Minister for Justice had taken contact and received the document that is supposed to be handed over to him in an effort to find ways and means to start talking.

When the government categorically spells out publicly that they will not talk to Kabuga, while at the same time allowing their embassy to engage in secret contacts, such public move by the government serves to destroy the spirit of the intended talks. The government should have taken time to receive the document containing important information, thereafter decide whether or not to engage in formal talks.

By doing so, the government will be showing a will to listen to Kabuga’s story and make a fair judgement on whether to accept his conditions or not.

RNA: Mr. Kabuga has rarely spoken in the media directly, the only journalist who met him died later, how would he have trusted you?

API has noted that some media outlets do not have time for Kabuga because he has been accused of genocide. And yet many people tend to say an accused person is innocent until proven guilty. API has been contacted by many media outlets and other international government branches who emphasize that the only journalist who met Kabuga in Kenya died later. As far as API is concerned, nobody has come forward with clear evidence that the journalist who died was killed by Kabuga. API has understood that the murdered journalist had plans to lure Kabuga to a police trap. API has no intention to lure any accused person or persons to police traps. API will remain professional in interviews and will not be party to colluding with others to net people being searched for by any international body.

This, however, does not mean API condones any form of crimes, be it genocide or any other. We are now dealing with a man who has decided to reach out and surrender. The fact that API has become the only media to break the story does not make the story to be a hoax as some would like to have it fall into that category. Many have asked how Kabuga could have trusted API. This only leads API to believe that some have taken the narrow path that has led to underestimate Mr Kabuga. API chooses to believe that a man who has managed to hide for many years, having many friends, and buying his way for safe hiding, knows when to trust and who to trust depending on the place and timing.

RNA: Anybody that has tried to blackmail him into a trap has seen their fate. Surely, if you met Mr. Kabuga you must be very scared?

Kabuga has been accused of genocide in Rwanda. Some who have followed the genocide stories in Rwanda are saddened. And yet they must not forget that every story has two sides. Kabuga has decided to surrender because he wants to tell his side of the story to the Rwanda government. If he is guilty, it does not mean that everyone he meets has to fear for his life. API has reported a story as it is and has no reason to be afraid of the man because API has not misreported the facts. And API has not in any way held in its map to blackmail Mr Kabuga, but just to pass on the message on the request for talks geared to a conditional surrender.

RNA: The ICTR says the purported interview is just meant to disorganize its search that has been focused on Kenya to indicate that he is not there, so they are not taking the assertion that he is in Oslo seriously.

API has noted that ICTR is relaxed on the issue because they are of the opinion that Mr Kabuga is in Kenya and not Norway. Every institution has the right to believe or not, any given information at any given time. API goes by the correctness of the interview and will publicise more information on the issue when the Rwanda government decides to take the matter more seriously

RNA: One of the last articles says Rwanda had expressed interest to move forward with possible negotiations with Mr. Kabuga. But officials here are not saying anything to that effect. How true can the public be about what you publish?

In our articles, API has categorically stated that Kabuga is not in Kenya. API has also stated that Rwanda has expressed goodwill to start the talks. API appreciates the move and thanks the Embassy of Rwanda in Belgium for taking great interest in the story and by negotiating a way to meet and get evidence on what Kabuga is presenting, all in the effort to start the talks in one of the Scandinavian countries. The communication with the embassy will soon bear fruit because, as API understands it, the participant is mandated by the Government to proceed.

RNA: From your meeting with Mr. Kabuga, how would you describe him?

On seeing Kabuga, one notices he is a tired man. It is, however, not difficult to understand that he means what he says when he now wants to go back home. His health seems to dictate the day to day program when it comes to his activities. The man is now aged and he expresses sadness for what happened to his country in 1994.

RNA: Some observers are saying the timing of your articles is very suspicious: just after the Kenyan ruling; before the ICTR is to report to the UN Security Council. The suspicion is that somebody is behind it all and you are just doing their job. Don’t you think there is some reason in all this?

This is a serious matter that concerns many institutions and people. Due to the fact that Mr Kabuga is the most wanted man, and that he has not given interviews since going into hiding, has led many people to be suspicious on the timing of the articles. To think or even imagine that the timing has any hidden agenda is uncalled for, and primitive, because the interview is not one API was aware of in advance that it was going to take place. It was only after being contacted for a meeting in connection with the search for the Sudanese old man, whom Mr Kabuga wanted to meet in Oslo, that API requested for the interview and was reluctantly granted with conditions.

The ICTR wants to believe that Kabuga is in Kenya, because the institution will soon report on Kenya to the UN Security Council and the Council members may decide to impose sanctions on Kenya. having been accused of giving refuge to Kabuga. API is not in a position to change the ICTR’s way of looking at things, because they have their own machinery, and if their machinery confirms to them that Kabuga is hiding in Kenya, that remains to be seen when the man resurfaces one way or another. (End)

ARI-RNA/ Interview /FMW/ 05. 06. 08/ 09 : 30 GMT

Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d’Information (ARI/RNA)
B.P. 453 Kigali-Rwanda
Tel : (250) 587215/514674
Fax : (250) 587216
Email : rna@rwanda1.com
http://www.rnanews.com

Twenty-six students of the Guthrie Rubber Plantation School in northwestern Bomi County, have been expelled from the institution after it was discovered that they were pregnant, sources told APA on Friday.

A source from the school told reporters in Monrovia Friday that the students are between 13 and 32 years of age.

The Guthrie Rubber Plantation management which runs the school, has meanwhile instituted an investigation into the unprecedented number of pregnancies at the school which has an enrolment of about 250 students.

The management has threatened to dismiss any school teacher involved in pregnating any of the students, but a report received prior to the investigation suggests that two of the students were impregnated by the principal of the school.

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API source.apa

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged Sudan to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to ensure justice for the victims of crimes committed in the war-torn Darfur region following reports by the Court’s Prosecutor to the Security Council that the country is “deliberately” attacking civilians.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban Thursday said he was “deeply concerned about the reported lack of cooperation” of the Sudanese Government with prosecutors at the ICC, which is based in The Hague.

“There can be no sustainable peace without justice,” the statement said. “Peace and justice go hand in hand. Impunity for the serious crimes committed in Darfur cannot be accepted.”

A Security Council resolution from 2005 requires Sudan to fully cooperate with the ICC and obliges the country to arrest and surrender those indicted by the Court.

In his address to the Council earlier today, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo issued a strong warning that without increased assistance from the international community people in Darfur will be “eliminated.”

Addressing an open meeting of the 15-member body, he said that “citizens from the Sudan are being deliberately attacked by Sudanese officials. The entire Darfur region is a crime scene. Despite promises and denials, over the last five years, millions of civilians have been targeted by officials who vowed to protect them. Impunity reigns.”

Despite arrest warrants being issued last April for Ahmad Harun, former Sudanese Minister of State for the Interior and now the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, and Ali Kushayb, a leader of a pro-Government Janjaweed militia, the two men – accused of committing war crimes – have yet to be apprehended.

This year alone, the Janjaweed, who are “integrated into the Sudanese security apparatus and stationed in the vicinity of camps,” have forced over 100,000 people from their homes using “systematic” attacks – including rapes and land usurpation.

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Published by Korir, Chief Editor,  African Press International – api africanpress@getmail.no