US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama share a moment as they await the arrival of India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur for a state dinner in Washington, November 24, 2009. REUTERS

“The whole birth certificate controversy. From what I’ve read, there’s no proof Obama isn’t a Muslim. And I don’t believe there’s any racism [in the billboard]. I think that should be a question asked to any president who — they have some questionable backgrounds.”Supporters of the birth certificate theory believe the Certification of Live Birth produced by the state of Hawaii is a forgery. (Agencies)

source.nation.ke

By Ben Agina and Beauttah Omanga

President Kibaki made a hotline phone call to Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta to ask them not to attend a funds drive in aid of Mau Forest evictees.

But Uhuru defied the President’s request and went on to attend the controversial fund raising, at KICC, Nairobi on Wednesday.

The President intervened following Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s request during their meeting at Harambee House on Tuesday. The meeting came as the Head of State was preparing to fly out to Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago to attend the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government meeting.

Raila is said to have urged Kibaki to call the two, arguing their participation in the fundraising would portray the Government in a bad light. Sources privy to the Harambee House meeting, said the President picked up his hotline and reached his principal assistant, and communicated the message to him.

The President could not reach Uhuru for some time, but when he did, the message was equally clear: “As senior Cabinet ministers it would not look good if they participated in the harambee and yet the Government had its own programme of dealing with the humanitarian crisis.”

“The President was very clear that the two leaders should not go for the event… I cannot tell you how Kalonzo and Uhuru reacted to the President’s call,” the source close to those who attended the meeting confided.

However, last night, Uhuru defied the President and attended the fundraiser. He was received with a great applause as he walked into the Panafric Hotel where the fund raising was being held.

The fundraising, which was aired live by vernacular radio station Kass FM, started with a word of prayer.

The vocal Cherangany MP Joshua Kuttuny was the Master of Ceremonies in the event that was attended by more than 30 MPs including Cabinet Ministers and Assistant ministers by the time we went to press.

Big things

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka

Cabinet ministers who were in attendance were Najib Balala, Mohammed Elmi, Mohammed Kuti, Franklin Bett, William Ruto and Dr Naomi Shaban.

Assistant Ministers were Charles Keter, Aden Dualle, Beatrice Kones, Kareke Mbiuki and Wakoli Bifwoli.

MPs were Kiema Kilonzo, Prof Kaloki, a close ally of Kalonzo, Silas Ruteere, Cyrus Jirongo and Mithika Linturi.

In his speech, Mbiuki, who is Ruto’s Assistant Minister said the team assembled at the Panafric Hotel was destined for big things and they will be in government come 2013.

Statements were made against the Prime Minister with some leaders talking of a dictator in Government who must be tamed.

Jirongo and Wakoli said the MPs have themselves to blame since they put the wrong people in power.

The MPs said it’s the right to be at the harambee and nobody should dictate to them how to conduct their affairs.

The Harambee House meeting was attended by Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura, President’s advisor Nick Wanjohi, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the PM Mohammed Isahakia and Secretary of Administration in the same office Caroli Omondi.

The relationship between Kalonzo and the Prime Minister has been frosty and his earlier intention to attend the fundraising was being seen as meant to spite Raila.

Their cold war started in 2002 after Raila declared “Kibaki Tosha” at the time when Kalonzo thought he would be the Narc presidential candidate.

breach of protocol

The VP has stepped up efforts to shore up his political standing in Rift Valley, against the backdrop of a falling out in ODM over the Mau saga.

A fortnight after the unveiling of the Grand Coalition Cabinet Kibaki, Raila and Kalonzo toured the Rift Valley, their first visit to the region since ceasation of violence following the bungled 2007 presidential election.

That afternoon on April 25, last year, the VP received a hostile reception at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret.

A section of the crowd heckled and booed when the VP took the microphone, but Kalonzo braved the hostility pleading: “Let those who think that I’m hurting them when I speak forgive me.”

Earlier the PM had spoken, ignored the VP, and invited the President to address the meeting.

But before the President spoke he allowed the VP to speak first, prompting Raila to protest, citing breach of protocol.

One-and-a-half years later, the political wheel has gone full circle and Kalonzo is angling to make inroads into the region believed to be slipping away from Raila’s political grip.

Last weekend the VP held meetings in Eldoret North constituency, represented by Agriculture Minister William Ruto.

Ironically, Raila is now being painted the villain for his stand on the conservation of Mau Forest Complex. The issue, though agreed by the Cabinet and Parliament, has generated heat, as competing political interests play out.

The Mau saga has worsened the frosty relationship between Raila, the ODM leader, and Ruto, one of two deputy party leaders

Factional feuds have raged in the Orange party initially over the dissatisfaction with Cabinet appointments, which has since been shelved.

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The Deya family at Paul’s wedding. Paul is suspected to have stabbed his wife and four-year-old son, who died on Monday. Photo/FILE

UK police on Tuesday arrested a son of embattled London-based Kenyan preacher Gilbert Deya on suspicion of murder. Paul Deya, 31, was arrested after his three-year-old son, Wilson, was found stabbed to death on Monday.

Police in Nairobi say their investigations revolve around the disappearance of babies from Nairobi’s Pumwani Maternity Hospital and involve suspects in Britain, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya. His wife Mary and two other women, Miriam Nyeko and Rose Kiserem, were jailed for two years over the miracle babies saga.

The Daily Mirror, a London tabloid, reported that Paul and his wife were partners in a broke video editing business, J Okendo Ltd. A well-placed source told the Nation that Jacqueline was being looked after by her adopted West Indies family in Peckham, South London.

Paul was adopted by Bishop Deya after his biological father, Wilson Deya died in the 1970s. He arrived in the UK in late 1990s along with Deya’s other children, Amos, Dan, Rebecca, Jane, David and Moses. Moses is now in the custody of social services after DNA paternity results proved he was not Pastor Deya’s son. Paul’s brother, Walter lives in Nairobi with his wife, Annete. Paul studied media studies at Croydon College along with his cousin Dan in 2003.

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(Story: Ekoue Blamé, Lomé)

The systematic modernization of electrification network systems for effective supplies of electricity in some Ghanaian rural communities has formed part of the objective of the Ghana government.

This objective meets the light of the day following  the signature by the Ecowas Bank for Investment and Development , EBID of a loan agreement worth 30 million USD with the Ghanaian government at the an impressive ceremony held at the headquarters of the bank in Lomé on the 25^th of November 2009.

Christian Adovelande, President of EBID declared that the access to electricity in the sub-saharian region of the continent is estimated at 5 per cent of the global supplies.

“But we all know that electricity is a vital factor for the creation of wealth , competitivity of our economies and the improvement of the quality standard of living of our people”, Mr Adovelande added.

“The signature of the loan agreement once more illustrates the conviction by EBID to translate into reality the commitment of the highest policy and decision makers of the Ecowas Commission that the overall development of our sub-region passes through the improvement of infrastructures”, Mr Adovelande  said.

“It is for these pertinent motive that the Bank did not vacillate for one moment to be associated with the project by accepting to finance it with a loan of 30 million USD about 94 per cent of the total estimated cost”, he  said.

According to Mr Adovelande this loan agreement brings the total of loans granted so far by the bank to about 580 million USD and represents a total growth rate of 160 per cent since the financial institution started its operations five years ago.

On his side the Ghanaian Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Planning Seth Terkpor has expressed his gratitude to the India government for making available this line of credit which is used today to finance vital project in the sub –region.

“ We take note that this loan facility represents one of the largest packages for a single project granted by the Bank to a member country. The use of the money to provide electricity for the 106 communities in the Brong-Ahafo and Ashanti regions will improve living standards , particularly through entrepreneurship activities”, Ghanaian Deputy Minister for Finance and economic Planning declared.

He also said that the program is based on verifiable criteria such as a community living within 20 kilometres radius of existing 11 KV or 33 KV network , provision of low voltage poles, and wiring of at least one-third of community houses.

According Ghanaian Deputy Minister Seth Terkpor the program which is entitled SHEP will be carried on 6 phases and is targeting to increase the national access rate from 54 per cent to 60 per cent by expanding the MV networks to the rural areas.

It will be recalled that the India government accorded through EXIMbank of India a line of credit valued at 250 million USD to the Ecowas Bank for Investment and Development in 2006 to facilitate the financing activities of the bank.

end

By Beatrice Marshall [at The Hague] and James Ratemo [in Nairobi]

International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has made plain his action plan for Kenya’s case. In an exclusive interview with KTN a day before he tries to persuade a three-judge bench he has a solid case, Mr Moreno-Ocampo predicted he would have the go-ahead to investigate by mid-December. However, he said he would not make public names in the ‘secret envelope’ on Friday. Instead, he could spill the beans by mid next month.

The prosecutor will file a request to three pre-trial chamber judges to open investigations into the Kenyan situation on Friday. He will visit Kenya next February or March to meet victims of post election violence one on one.

Moreno-Ocampo said the names in the envelope should be made known by the judges if they grant permission to his request for investigations. He said the judges should reach a decision by mid-December and he expects to begin indictments mid-next year.

“When the judges say ‘Yes’, this is just the beginning. I will go to Kenya and meet the victims. Tomorrow (Friday) is just the first formal step,” he said.

Asked if he was already gathering evidence on the Kenyan case, he said: “We cannot collect evidence yet as we have not been given authorisation by the judges. What we will present is the basic information from the Waki Commission and other reports, United Nations reports and others, describing the different problems.”

He said the first step was the meeting in Nairobi with President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Ocampo during his recent visit to Kenya. Photo:File/Standard

He sought to downplay the fact that Kenya did not formally refer the case to the ICC as agreed in a July 3 deal with his office.

Comprehensive solutions

“We are working as a part of the Kenyan system,” he said. “I am a little piece in the search for a comprehensive solution for the Kenyan problem.”

On the victims who wish to make their submissions and witnesses, he said ICC would guarantee their security.

Stressing the need for Kenya to find a solution to violence before the 2012 General Election, Moreno-Ocampo said he was impressed with the way Kibaki and Raila are running the Grand Coalition, saying he was sure Kenya would show the world that they are able to resolve their problems.

“That is why I say Kenya can be an example for the world on how to manage a problem and go ahead.”

Ocampo has already requested victims of post-election violence to make representations within 30 days starting this week.

Excerpts of interview

Beatrice Marshall: Will the names contained in the Waki Commission envelope be made public this Friday when Pre-trial Chamber Two takes on Kenya’s case?

Moreno-Ocampo: The names will not be made known this Friday. They will be made known by the judges when they grant permission to the prosecutor’s request for investigations. The judges should reach a decision by mid-December and the prosecutor expects to begin indictments mid next year.

Question: What should we expect next?

Answer: Tomorrow I will file a request to the pre trial judges to open investigation into the Kenyan situation? We cannot collect evidence yet as we have not been given authorisation by the judges. What we will present is the information from the Waki Commission and other reports… UN and others. When the judges say ‘Yes’, this is just the beginning. I will go to Kenya and meet the victims. Tomorrow is just the first formal step. I am a little piece in the search for a comprehensive solution for Kenya.

Question: Will the names of victims who shall be making representations to the pre-trial judges be made public and is their security assured? Have you received representations so far from victims of post-election violence after your notice on Monday? If so, how many and who is facilitating their coming to the ICC?

Answer: The prosecutor will come to Kenya in February/March and meet with the victims. The names of the victims making representations will not be made public. The victims are to make their representations to the pre trial judges directly.

Question: Has anything changed as concerns the number of key suspects you are eyeing from Kenya? In the recent past, when you visited Kenya, you said ICC would take on two or three chief suspects with the rest being left for a local tribunal. Has that changed?

Answer:No. But it may depend on the investigations to be conducted by the prosecutor. This will come to light only after he begins investigations.

Question: Is the commitment from Kenya’s two principals to co-operate with ICC sufficient to ensure smooth prosecution?

Answer: Yes, there is commitment. It is a work-in-progress. The two principals gave their commitment to co-operate.

Question: What should Kenya do to avoid a repeat of the violence?

Answer: It is necessary for Kenya to find a solution before 2012. People tell me that every time there is an election there is violence, but 2008 was the worst. I am very impressed about how the leaders are managing the coalition. The leaders can show the world that they are managing this problem and there will be no violence in 2012. That can be an example for the world.

source.standard.ke

US First Lady Michelle Obama. Google has apologised over a racially offensive image of Michelle Obama which appears when users search for her images. Photo/REUTERS

But he said it would be a “very slippery slope” if Google were to try to police the limits of free speech.