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Archive for September 20th, 2010

LUO Member of Parliament Washington Jakoyo Midiwo who is also ODM Chief Whip Fights trade Unionist Joel Ondu Omondi “Rashidi” in a bar over a woman

Posted by African Press International on September 20, 2010

By Jakisumo Jakorando

Can he still be treated as Honourable MP after such disgraceful episode?

Drama was recently witnessed in a Kisumu club situated along Kisumu-Kakamega road when a luo Member of Parliament engaged a Ministry of Local Government Authority trade Unionist in a physical fight over a woman rivalry.

The spot which many patrons jam over the weekend due to its benga and rhumba music was a scene resembling Hollywood made movie when the MPs body guards whipped out guns and his personal bodyguards descended on the innocent patrons with crude weapons and looting from the unsuspecting patrons taking mostly their phones and valuables.

Trouble began when the trade unionist confronted a woman who was skimpily dressed and was sitting comfortably on the lap of the said MP demanding to know what she was doing there.

The music was real loud but going by the body language , the lady appeared to have been dumbstruck how the trade unionist knew that she was there as she is his girlfriend and they also frequent the said joint together one of the waiters who was present said.

The waiter further said that the Unionist attempted to physically to lift the lady from the Mps lap but he resisted ,stood up and punched the unionist who took to his heel towards the gents .

The MP followed him to the gents and they fought again forcing the trade unionist to take off again with youths, bodyguards and the MP hot on his heels ,tried to grab him then threw a kick to him lost his balance and fell down face flat a supervisor at the club added.

Seeing that their victim had taken off, the youths rebuked those who were watching the whole incident demanding to know why they were looking at the fallen Mheshimiwa.

They ruthlessly attacked us with some of them ransacking our pockets and womens purses before the police arrived, had the police not arrived we dont know what would have happened as they reined terror on us a leading Kisumu lawyer added.

Contacted for comment, Kisumu OCPD John Mwinzi admitted that the incident took place but no one has officially made an official complain.

If anyone one complains, we will move in and do what is line within the law he added.

When contacted, the said MP told the this writer to drop the rubbish and do his best so that the story is not covered

The Clubs Manager Peter Midiwo said that the said incident took place but the concerned parties had resolved it amicably amongst themselves.

ENDS

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Search for Siaya County Governor on high gear

Posted by African Press International on September 20, 2010

By Agwanda Powerman

A

s the paradium shifts towards counties, Siaya County is grappling with who to elect to the key posts of Governor and Senator.

Among those being mentioned to be fit for the Governors job in the Siaya County are former powerful Foreign Affairs Minister and Rarieda MP Raphael Tuju, Non Governmental Organisations specialist and an Expert on Governance Gideon Ochanda from Yimbo/Bondo and Otiende Amollo currently a member of Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review who is also from Rarieda constituency.

The other personalities whose names have featured includes; Mombasa Town Clerk Tubman Otieno ,Lands Minister James Orengo,an aspirant during the last general elections Nicholas Rajula and cousin to US President Barrack Obama and Joe Donde former MP for Gem widely remembered by the Donde Bill during his term in Parliament.

Most pundits however rules out Orengo for governor because they see him as a high ranking foot solder for the PM Raila Odinga who many chides that he presenmtly serves him with beer a role which should be left to waiters.

Joe Donde is not as frequently mentioned as compared to Otiende Amolloh,Raphael Tuju and Gideon Ochanda. Mr. Tuju particularly scores very highly due to his demonstrated wide connections with development partners and development record especially during his term as MP for Rarieda before he was voted out in 2007 after he fell out with the Odingas.

He is viewed as a front runner the same as Mr. Ochanda and Otiende but Tujus undoing is the widespread perception that he is being too proud to mingle with the local citizenry that one young man in the streets of Siaya town joked that he will probably need a chopper to fly to Siaya and back to Nairobi daily since he is known to have living styles which cannot enable him to settle in Siaya or otherwise not even Kisumu city.

In terms of personality Ochanda, is seen as a direct opposite to Raphael,he is being said to be a down to earth person who mingles freely with the common mwananchi and comes home every weekend, drives himself and one doesnt need a lot of protocol to reach him. Mr. Ochanda is said to be tolerant and have lived on well with the Odingas even after being denied twice party ticket in political contests that his supporters remain feeling twisted owing to the immense Odingaism in the area.

It can also be recalled that twice Raila has prevailed upon Ochanda to step down in favour of his brother Oburu Odinga,he is also remembered as a capable long time personal assistant to the PM during sensitive times following Railas release from detention in the beginning of the 90s, a job he slowed out on as he joined back the University of Nairobi for masters degree in political science .

It is widely held, both by the people he worked with and also retorted many times by the PM that what Ochanda used to do alone, he had to employ three different people to do including the current Mp for Amagoro Hon. Ojamong, Mr.Kiema who contested Kilome seat, a Mr. Kogelo a manager with NSSF and even later Oginga Ogego the immediate former ambassador of Kenya to the USA.

Other qualities that rate Mr. Ochanda higher than everybody else or only similar to Otiende Amolo, is his understanding of the new law as he was directly involved as a consultant for the CoE and led a team of consultants in the development of the Civic Education Curriculum, Handbook and Facilitators Manual which was used by the CoE to conduct civic education on the proposed constitution that was overwhelmingly endorsed by Kenyans.

He has enormous and long standing experience on civic and governance issues which elevate him with a lot of head start in the race for Governor in Siaya County.

Most importantly, he is known as one of the few Kenyan professionals currently consulted nationally on the most confusing chapters of the new constitution particularly that on devolution. Ochanda is currently a Governance Advisor with a German agency based in the country given taht he is one of the few luo bilionaires in the country which can make him easily to conduct his own elections.

On the other side, personalities whose names are mentioned for the senators position include former Alego Usonga Oloo Aringo; former Kenya Airways chairman Omollo Okero from Gem and Dr. Oburu Odinga the current MP for Bondo. While all the three are proposed by the older members of the society, the youthful citizens from the county think they have outlived their salt. Siaya County comprise of 5 constituencies; Ugenya, Alego Usonga, Gem, Bondo and Rarieda. All remains to be seen.

ENDS

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ISRAELI GOVERNMENT READY TO OFFER EMERGENCY SERVICES IN CASE OF TERRORISM ATTACK IN KENYA

Posted by African Press International on September 20, 2010

By DICKSON ODHIAMBO.

KISUMU, Kenya, 20-09-2010.


THE government of Israel is ready to offer emergency services to Kenyan Government in case of any terrorism attack in the country, Israeli Ambassador to Kenya Jacob Keidar has said.

The Ambassador said his government is very much ready to assist and offer emergency preparedness for any eventuality in case of terrorism attack.

Speaking at Kisumu District Hospital yesterday when he officially launched a one week training of Medical Staff who will be handling emergency cases at the newly constructed Emergency Unit at the hospital, the Ambassador said they are also ready to offer rescue operations in such cases.

The Envoy said the Israeli Government has been sharing their experiences with the country in terms of emergency services, adding that his country was involved fully in the rescue missions when Kenya was attacked on August 7 1998 during the Bomb blast where several people died and scores injured.

Kenya in the recent past is said to have been receiving terrorism threats from Somalis Al-shabaab militia group after the Group allegedly bombed a Hotel in Ugandas Capital City Kampala during this years World Cup Finals leaving several people who were watching the game dead.

On the issue of the newly constructed Emergency and Trauma Unit at the Hospital, the Envoy said the sh17 million-facility; a donation from his government will be of great help to people who need the emergency services in the region.

He urged the trainers to keep the facility as sustainable as they can so as to preserve it for the future generation.

The Hospitals Medical Superintendent Dr. Evans Akula said the facility will act as a mini-Intensive Care Unit {ICU} in the hospital.

He thanked the government of Israel for the donation saying the Emergency Unit will help in reducing mortality emanating from emergency cases in the region.

Two doctors namely Miller Eliaz and Haviv Eli from Ichilov Hospital in Telaviv Israel will be training the medical staff and will be monitoring the operations at the new facility.

ENDS:

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Nigeria: Presidential comback?

Posted by African Press International on September 20, 2010


-ThisDay, September 16, 2010
Abuja (Nigeria) Former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), yesterday formally declared his intention to contest the 2011 presidential election – 17 years after “stepping aside” from Aso Rock after the June 12 election crisis.
He promised to fight corruption and create two million jobs, listing three priorities: national security and cohesion, development of youths and women and a new social charter.

Babangida, speaking at his declaration attended by three state governors, vowed to wage war against corruption by targeting “unexplained and unexplainable wealth” in the country.

The retired general, who said he would rule for only four years, declared his intention to put an end to “executive lawlessness and impunity in governance”.

He said corruption was a problem that must be dealt with decisively in Nigeria because of its negative impact on society.

“Corruption of society is the ultimate social cancer since it afflicts every process and every transaction. It defeats the personal goals of most citizens and distorts our values as a nation,” he stated.

He went on to say that he is aware that the battle must be waged vigorously. There should be a link between work and wealth, if Nigeria is to make progress, he argued.

“Our approach shall be to energise and fortify the anti-corruption agencies of government and implement a systematic and protracted engagement with the values and institutional structures which promote corruption in Nigeria. Specifically, my administration shall be more pro-active in the war against unexplained and unexplainable wealth,” he said.

Babangida, who is running on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, promised to create two million jobs within the first two years in office.

“I believe firmly that Nigeria is one of the very few countries in Africa and the world where conditions exist for spectacular economic growth and human development, it is therefore distressing to me that we have not succeeded in harnessing our enormous human and natural resources to build national prosperity to the extent that we are now in grave danger of state failure,” he said.

He was accompanied by his four children, Aisha, Muhammed, Aminu and Zainab. Other supporters were former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani (chairman of the occasion), former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Umar Na’Abba, Sen. Kanti Bello and Chief Alex Akinyele.

Others are Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi (who is also his son-in-law); Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako (former Chief of Naval Staff under Babangida); Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu (who said he was there as chairman of Northern Governors Forum); media mogul Chief Raymond Dokpesi; and former Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu.

He listed his priority areas to include the economy, job creation, Niger Delta, power/ electricity, oil and gas, education/healthcare, agriculture, transportation, housing and credible foreign policy.

He further said his administration would concentrate on three key areas: national security and cohesion, development of youths, women and a new social charter.

There was apprehension at some point as his daughter, Hajiya Aisha Shinkafi, temporarily left the stage reportedly due to exhaustion. She was taken off stage for a while. But she recovered quickly to rejoin her dad on the podium.

While canvassing for the continuation of zoning, former aide to ex-President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakassi, said the 2011 elections present an opportunity for power to return to the North.

The Niger State governor said he was disturbed with news that the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting had been scheduled for noon when IBB would be declaring his intention, but was relieved with the movement of the meeting to 2pm.

He also said with experience and courage on his side, IBB “is the best candidate to redeem Nigeria”.

Also, a booklet circulated at the venue by the IBB Vision Group 2011 UK, Nigerian Chapter, said he was not the only one involved in circumstances that led to the annulment of the June 12 election.

Titled “The Fallacies on June 12 Elections”, the pamphlet said that “he (IBB) didn’t do it alone but several interest groups after due consultation. However, he takes Responsibility and begs for forgiveness.”

It further declared that IBB did not kill Dele Giwa. “There is no evidence against him (IBB) and no one has been convicted up till now. He is a man of great faith in God and he values life,” it said.

On the Okigbo report, it said: “He was never accused of any wrong doing by the Okigbo Report on the $12.4 billion oil windfall. The report was not a probe on IBB but a document on how to improve the operation of the CBN.”

source.afrika.no

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Rwanda: China to build $10 million vocational institute

Posted by African Press International on September 20, 2010

September 16, 2010
Kigali (Rwanda) THE Chinese government will finance the construction of a vocational training institute in Muko Sector, Musanze District to the tune of $10 million.
Speaking during a tour on Tuesday of the proposed seven hectare site of the institute, the Chinese Ambassador, Sun Shuzhong, said that his government decided to support human resource development by supporting the education sector in the country given that it is an important area for the future of the nation.

The Ambassador was accompanied by the State Minister for Education, Dr. Mathias Harebamungu, provincial Governor, Aime Bosenibamwe, and the local district authorities.

He commended the good cooperation his country has with Rwanda, which has enabled the Chinese government to not only invest in the vocational school but also in infrastructure development. The envoy also visited the China Hinan construction company which is contracted to build the Ruhengeri-Kigali highway.

Harebamungu revealed that the institute which is in line with government program of setting up Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centres, will include the departments of ICT, agriculture and food processing, construction and carpentry

“It’s part of the good relations Rwanda has with the Chinese government. We have had students who have acquired education from China” Dr Harebamungu said, commending the Chinese government.

He added that students who complete lower secondary will have the opportunity of being admitted to the training centres that will be opened up in several regions

“We need trained middle class people with vocational skills. The 9-Year Basic Education (9-YBE) programme will produce many students who shall need to be accommodated,” Harebamungu said.

source.afrika.no

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Uganda: Tension grows over 2011 polls

Posted by African Press International on September 20, 2010

September 16, 2010
Kampala (Uganda) In the last weeks, tension has been growing in the country with warring political contestants, especially within the NRM, unleashing mayhem against each other. Every week there seems to be another conflict. As a result, civil society organizations have created various projects to prevent potential violence that could erupt in the 2011 presidential elections.
One of these projects is a soccer tournament between opposing politicians; the interparty political party for peace tournament is scheduled to run from September 29 to October 3. It is being organized by the Global Peace Festival Foundation (GPFF), which was launched by Prof. Apollo Nsibambi, the prime minister of Uganda, on Aug 30.

James Birungi Ozo, the foundation’s Deputy Country Director, says that GPPF is set to “use soccer to reconcile the warring political parties. The tournament is set to cost over $250,000 (Shs.560 m).

But on October 21, International Peace Day, GPPF plans to spend an additional Shs 50 million on a soccer game for peace in Sembabule district to defuse the growing political tension between Hon. Theodore Sekikubo and Hon. Sam Kuteesa.

The MPs have had long standing feud with each other. For instance, during the NRM district chairman primary elections, where the two were contesting against each other, the election turned Sembabule into a battle front as gunshots brought the voting exercise to a halt. The two have since then engaged in media wars, with Ssekikubo accusing Kuteesa of rigging elections and using the money to woe voters. Even efforts by President Museveni to reconcile the two have yet to be productive. On September 1, the President held a meeting to reconcile them but while Sekikubo attended, Kuteesa did not because he claimed to have commitments back in Sembabule.

Now, imagine the two playing football together–indeed, it would be quite a sight to watch the two sworn enemies make passes for each other or show case their dribbling skills to their supporters.

“Heh Kuteesa,” I can imagine Sekikubo saying, “just because you have all the money does not mean that you can challenge me on the pitch.” To which Kuteesa would invariably reply: “I do not only have the money but impeccable dribbling skills too.”

As good as this sounds, the soccer approach is quite expensive and is likely to waste a lot of resources that could have been potentially more fruitful in constructing a school or any public facility.

In total, the two football competitions will cost GPFF Shs 610 million–enough money for a strong opposition party to run a successful campaign. Moreover, experts say that the majority of NGO funds are spent on workshops, furnished offices, and workers’ remuneration, leaving very little for the real projects.

According to the NGO registration board, there are over 8500 civil society organizations in Uganda and of these over 1000 are aimed at preventing violence or promoting election integrity. The Deepening Democracy Programme (DPP), a programme funded by the Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, has spent over Shs 26 billion supporting over 40 peace initiative projects through various NGOs.

Although all of DDP’s funded projects are not dedicated to promoting election integrity, 40 percent of the DDP funds are dedicated to this directly.

At over Shs 5.2 billion, the Electoral Commission is the biggest beneficiary of the DDP funds. Sam Rwakojo, the Secretary General of the Electoral Commission, says the funds enabled the commission to carry out voter education and sensitisation, registration and party liaison among other activities.

“The fund has been mainly used in voter education and voter education materials especially into the school curriculum,” Rwakojo says. “The funds also helped conduct one on one voter education campaigns especially in Eastern Uganda and many other activities.”

Democracy Monitoring Group (DemGroup), a group that brings together the Centre for Democratic Governance, Uganda Joint Christian council, Action for Development and Transparency International, received Shs 2.6 billion from DDP, the second highest after the EC. The group is one of the core organizations that are monitoring and observing build up and final of the 2011 elections.

Other NGOs that receive funds from DDP include: Advocacy for Violence-Free Election (AFOVE), Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC), Action for Development (ACFODE), Transparency International Uganda (TIU), and the Centre for Democratic Governance (CDG), NGO Election Monitoring Group-Uganda (NEM Group), Forum for Women in Democracy (FAWODE), Action for Development (ACFODE), and Uganda National NGO Forum among others.

Although the funds these NGO receive often remain unknown to the public, the money they received during the 2006 elections was used to report significant violations of electoral law and protocol, including disenfranchisement of voters, counting and tallying irregularities and the incarceration of political opposition leaders.

DDP has also extended funds to political parties; Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has received Shs 399 million. However, these funds are not supposed to be used for campaigns, according to the Political Parties and Organisations’ Act.

“We do not fund political campaigns and we are not allowed to give parties more than Shs 400 million,” says DDP Manager Nicholas de Torrente’. “We closely monitor and audit their expenditure details.”

Funds are provided to build the organisational capacity of institutions, strengthen internal democracy and develop links with their constituents to compete favourably with the ruling party. Torrente’ adds that parties are only given funds to match the money that they are able to raise on their own. For instance, UPC has received Shs 159m, PPP 53m, SDP 46, JEEMA 32m and PDP 22. Parties then forward their audited accounts which are also audited by donor auditors.

However, there has been controversy over how the parties use these funds. The flag bearer of Inter-Party Cooperation, Dr. Kizza Besigye, has accused some donors of double standards. Besigye’s remarks were sparked by an email in June from the Christian Democratic International Centre, a Sweden-based organisation that funds many of the IPC’s activities.

The email expressed concern that the IPC was not following its roadmap and that the group was spending a lot of time on futile anti-EC demonstrations instead of selecting a flag bearer and mobilizing at the grass roots level.

However, Nicholas de Torrente’ disagreed with KIC’s actions: “There is should be a limit on what donors do in influencing political process,” he says.

With just a few months to the 2011 elections, DEMGroup has also been observing the ongoing electoral process. The organisation has made a number of observations that EC should address which include; inadequately trained staff and inadequate supervision of the recently concluded voter display process. The organisation also blames opposition political parties for neglecting the register display exercise despite their complaints against the EC. DEMGroup claims that of the 211 display centres observed, political parties were present at only 4.7%.

DEMGroup and Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy (CCEDU), both domestic election monitoring organizations, will be carrying out monitoring and observing strategies that include a citizen hotline, entitled Uganda Watch 2011.

The hotline is to be used to text in concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. That information will be collected and organized by DEMGroup and CCEDU monitors and uploaded at the Uganda watch 2011 website.

DEMGroup and CCEDU also intend to hold feedback sessions throughout the country so that particular complaints or trends are highlighted and so citizens can participate in electoral reform efforts.

The feedback sessions, which will involve representatives from the government, political parties, the Electoral Commission and civil society, will be recorded and played on radio stations in all regions of Uganda.

With such initiatives, the civil society organizations seem to be doing a lot towards preventing a violent election and empowering the public to make informed decisions. However, critics say that majority of the NGOs are just masqueraders or have not taken their services down to the public that needs them more and whom they use to lobby for funds.

For instance, Prof. Nsibambi said as much as NGOs were important in ensuring peace processes, there was need to identify them “which are just parasitic.”

He said that countries experience conflict because of lack of knowledge on how to solve the conflict.

“We need institutions to resolve conflicts, and sometimes these institutions can be very helpful,” said Nsibambi.

The Prime Minister said that his office was investigating a number of NGOs, especially in northern Uganda, that are just masquerading and swindling donor funds. NGOs now have to report to the office with their year returns and audits of account.

Nsibambi directed the internal affairs ministry to compile a list of all NGOs operating in the north, which have not been accounting for funds meant for the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan.

The Prime Minister said the names should be forwarded to the NGO Board for action. Nsibambi was concerned that although development partners have injected billions of money into the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan, some NGOs have never accounted for the funds, making it difficult for the government to monitor and track donor contributions.

source.afrika.no

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MYSTERIOUS DEATH SHOCK KENYAN FAMILY.

Posted by African Press International on September 20, 2010

BY Dickens Wasonga, Kenya

A Kenyan family want the government to help it probe under what circumstances their son who was residing in the US died in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Speaking to journalists in Kisumu , the father of the 29 year old man said they were getting unclear information on how and what might have led to the death of their late son-Franklin Otieno Othieno.

According Mr.Lucas Othieno, a resident of Kisumus Nyalenda estate , his late son had been a student at the Houston College in the United States of America from the year 2002 having gone there to study pharmacy.

Accompanied by his wife during the press interview, Othieno said his family learned of the death through a telephone call they received from his girl friend, a Kenyan who lives in the USA.

According the information relayed to them by the woman, Otieno died while in the custody of immigration police in Netherlands although his family had not been notified by the authorities that he was being held or was under investigations for whatever reason.

The grief stricken father told reporters that sometime in June this year he talked with this son who was upbeat about coming back home after clearing his study period.

”It came as a big shock when on Monday this week I received a call from his girl friend informing us that he had died .It was even more shocking that he died while in the custody of the police in Netherlands.’ ‘he said.

He said the family was very worried because the information they were receiving was so scanty and left several questions answered.

”His girl friend has offered very little information about how my son died. She also claims to have been informed of the death by the immigration police in Netherlands who had called her that same Sunday.” He said.

The father disclosed to the media that he tried to obtain information from the Royal Embassy of Netherlands in Nairobi but what he has so far received would not shed more light under what circumstances the man died.

Othieno claimed that while officials at the host department in Amsterdam maintained in earlier communication with them that his son had died of aneurysm, those at the Nairobi Embassy asserted he died due to cardiac arrest.

He went on to add that his son was not sick and was in constant communication with his girlfriend in the US.

”The very Sunday which they said my son died at 3.30 pm, the Netherland’s time ,was the day he had a telephone conversation with his girlfriend and according to her, he did not complain of anything.” he said.

According Mr. Othieno, the Netherlands authorities are planning to fly the body into the country early next week, a move he has objected to arguing that it smirks of suspicion.

He demanded that a postmortem be done a fresh on the body of his son and witnessed by representatives from the family and the government to ascertain what led to the death of his first born son.

Othieno also want the Netherlands authorities to deliver the body to his Siaya Alego rural home and not dump it in Nairobi. He said he was not able to raise money to bring the body to his home village for burial even if the authorities flew it to the countrys capital city.

BY Dickens Wasonga.

A Kenyan family want the government to help it probe under what circumstances their son who was residing in the US died in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Speaking to journalists in Kisumu , the father of the 29 year old man said they were getting unclear information on how and what might have led to the death of their late son-Franklin Otieno Othieno.

According Mr.Lucas Othieno, a resident of Kisumus Nyalenda estate , his late son had been a student at the Houston College in the United States of America from the year 2002 having gone there to study pharmacy.

Accompanied by his wife during the press interview, Othieno said his family learned of the death through a telephone call they received from his girl friend, a Kenyan who lives in the USA.

According the information relayed to them by the woman, Otieno died while in the custody of immigration police in Netherlands although his family had not been notified by the authorities that he was being held or was under investigations for whatever reason.

The grief stricken father told reporters that sometime in June this year he talked with this son who was upbeat about coming back home after clearing his study period.

”It came as a big shock when on Monday this week I received a call from his girl friend informing us that he had died .It was even more shocking that he died while in the custody of the police in Netherlands.’ ‘he said.

He said the family was very worried because the information they were receiving was so scanty and left several questions answered.

”His girl friend has offered very little information about how my son died. She also claims to have been informed of the death by the immigration police in Netherlands who had called her that same Sunday.” He said.

The father disclosed to the media that he tried to obtain information from the Royal Embassy of Netherlands in Nairobi but what he has so far received would not shed more light under what circumstances the man died.

Othieno claimed that while officials at the host department in Amsterdam maintained in earlier communication with them that his son had died of aneurysm, those at the Nairobi Embassy asserted he died due to cardiac arrest.

He went on to add that his son was not sick and was in constant communication with his girlfriend in the US.

”The very Sunday which they said my son died at 3.30 pm, the Netherland’s time ,was the day he had a telephone conversation with his girlfriend and according to her, he did not complain of anything.” he said.

According Mr. Othieno, the Netherlands authorities are planning to fly the body into the country early next week, a move he has objected to arguing that it smirks of suspicion.

He demanded that a postmortem be done a fresh on the body of his son and witnessed by representatives from the family and the government to ascertain what led to the death of his first born son.

Othieno also want the Netherlands authorities to deliver the body to his Siaya Alego rural home and not dump it in Nairobi. He said he was not able to raise money to bring the body to his home village for burial even if the authorities flew it to the countrys capital city.

BY Dickens Wasonga.

A Kenyan family want the government to help it probe under what circumstances their son who was residing in the US died in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Speaking to journalists in Kisumu , the father of the 29 year old man said they were getting unclear information on how and what might have led to the death of their late son-Franklin Otieno Othieno.

According Mr.Lucas Othieno, a resident of Kisumus Nyalenda estate , his late son had been a student at the Houston College in the United States of America from the year 2002 having gone there to study pharmacy.

Accompanied by his wife during the press interview, Othieno said his family learned of the death through a telephone call they received from his girl friend, a Kenyan who lives in the USA.

According the information relayed to them by the woman, Otieno died while in the custody of immigration police in Netherlands although his family had not been notified by the authorities that he was being held or was under investigations for whatever reason.

The grief stricken father told reporters that sometime in June this year he talked with this son who was upbeat about coming back home after clearing his study period.

”It came as a big shock when on Monday this week I received a call from his girl friend informing us that he had died .It was even more shocking that he died while in the custody of the police in Netherlands.’ ‘he said.

He said the family was very worried because the information they were receiving was so scanty and left several questions answered.

”His girl friend has offered very little information about how my son died. She also claims to have been informed of the death by the immigration police in Netherlands who had called her that same Sunday.” He said.

The father disclosed to the media that he tried to obtain information from the Royal Embassy of Netherlands in Nairobi but what he has so far received would not shed more light under what circumstances the man died.

Othieno claimed that while officials at the host department in Amsterdam maintained in earlier communication with them that his son had died of aneurysm, those at the Nairobi Embassy asserted he died due to cardiac arrest.

He went on to add that his son was not sick and was in constant communication with his girlfriend in the US.

”The very Sunday which they said my son died at 3.30 pm, the Netherland’s time ,was the day he had a telephone conversation with his girlfriend and according to her, he did not complain of anything.” he said.

According Mr. Othieno, the Netherlands authorities are planning to fly the body into the country early next week, a move he has objected to arguing that it smirks of suspicion.

He demanded that a postmortem be done a fresh on the body of his son and witnessed by representatives from the family and the government to ascertain what led to the death of his first born son.

Othieno also want the Netherlands authorities to deliver the body to his Siaya Alego rural home and not dump it in Nairobi. He said he was not able to raise money to bring the body to his home village for burial even if the authorities flew it to the countrys capital city.

A family in mourning:

from left…deceased’s mother Florence Othieno and father Lucas Otieno.

Deceased’s mother, father and uncle Paul Siaya right

deceased’s The late Franklin Otieno Othieno]

ENDS.

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