David Mwiraria takes Anglo leasing plea from hospital bed

Dennis Ndeleko

The Anti-Corruption Court has directed the former Finance Minister David Mwiraria to plead to Anglo Leasing charges from his hospital bed next week Monday.This is after his lawyers told presiding Magistrate Felix Kombo that Mwiraria cannot stand trial as he is suffering from cancer.The former minister faces four counts of conspiracy to commit an economic crime to defraud the government of Ksh4.08 Billion in a scam that cost the country a total of Ksh10 billion.

A separate count accuses him of engaging in a project without prior planning.In late November, the Anti-Corruption Court issued a warrant of arrest against Mwiraria after he failed to turn up to take plea over the Anglo Leasing scandal.This was the second time Mwiraria had failed to appear in court.Mwiraria was initially set to appear before the court in March, but he was excused after he complained of poor health.

Through his lawyer Abbas Esmail, Mwiraria told the court that he was unable to present himself in court as he had been admitted to the hospital.The prosecution, however, asked the court to issue a warrant of arrest against him saying that the former Cabinet Minister was not honest with the court.

Mwiraria, who has been ailing for some time, was found fit to plead to the charges in September by a state doctor, something that led to the Anti-Corruption Court summoning him.Mwiraria is charged alongside Kisii Senator Chris Obure, who took his plea in March this year.Senator Obure, former Transport and Communication Permanent Secretary Sammy Kyungu, former Postmaster General Francis Chahonyo and former Finance Secretary Samuel Bundotich have been charged with irregularly authorizing Anglo Leasing payments.This comes after the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Keriako Tobiko called for the arrest of 13 people behind the Anglo Leasing scam in March this year.

Media fraternity mourns death of veteran anchor Ahmed Darwesh

Dennis Ndeleko

Following the news of his sudden demise, the Kenyan media fraternity took to social media to celebrate a journalist who many described as kind and humble.

Citizen TV’s senior political reporter, Francis Gachuri, reminisced on his encounters with the seasoned journalist.

“When I was a very young reporter, I would meet him in functions and he never had ‘airs ‘ like many senior journalists of his days. Very calm, helpful and deliberate professional.

Gachuri also praised Darwesh for his adherence to his faith, a virtue that many who worked with him could attest to.

“I had utmost respect for him. He was very religious. He had a way of infusing his faith into his work. May the Lord grant Dharu eternal rest and comfort his family,” eulogized Gachuri.

Many interns who went through KTN’s doors were interviewed and mentored by Darwesh. One of his youngest mentees, Ian Wafula recalls his first meeting with him.

“So I walk into the interview room, fresh from school so much energy but the presence of veteran Ahmed Darwesh….one whom I had watched for years intimidates me. He believed in me. Today he is no more,” said Wafula

Daru, as his friends called him, motivated his workmates to be better though his own work ethic.

“His humility, humour, passion and hard work often motivated Hussein Mohammed and I to keep working hard and saw us do some of our best stories. The fourth estate bleeds today…a hero is gone but forever in our hearts,”

Saddique Shaban, who worked alongside Darwesh on KTN’s Swahili sports desk was overcome by emotion at the passing of his former workmate.

gge

KDF SOLDIER KILLED IN AL SHABAAB AMBUSH

By Kelvin Kuria

One Kenya Defence Forces soldier has been killed and two others injured in an ambush in Mandera. Confirming the incident, Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said the soldiers were travelling to Mandera Town from Nairobi when they were ambushed by Al Shabaab between Elwak and Lafey towns.

“We have lost an officer and two others injured in 1pm ambush by Al Shabaab militants. The injured and the dead have since been flown to Nairobi  for treatment and burial respectively,” said Mr Shisia.

He said the area of attack was close to the Somali border, making it easy for the attackers to escape back into Somalia.

“This is not by locals, but by Al Shabaab militants from Somalia, because the area is close to the border and the rescue team found none of them at the scene. However they are still pursuing them (attackers),” said Mr Shisia.

He said the rescue team has managed to pull the vehicle to Elwak KDF camp as the situation normalises.

Speaking during Jamhuri Day celebrations on Saturday, Mr Shisia said the latest attack occurred in an area under Isis Al Shabaab group that is hunting for recruits from Kenya.

GOVERNORS SEEK REPRESENTATION IN NAIROBI WTO CONFERENCE

By Kelvin Kuria

As the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial talks start in Nairobi on Tuesday, governors are demanding a role in the discussions, saying some issues on the agenda directly affect counties.

They have cited deals on agriculture, which falls under them, saying any agreement on the sector will affect the counties.

Some of the issues that the county bosses hope will be addressed during the WTO meeting include value addition to some crops like tea, coffee and horticultural products, arguing that they are currently sold while raw and are therefore of very low value.

Through the chairman of agriculture in the Council of Governors, Mr Nderitu Gachagua, they said that any intervention that would support direct value addition by farmers would go a long way in improving their income.

Mr Gachagua said that since independence, successive governments had not allocated enough money to agriculture and irrigation.

Raila Submits Statement On Eurobond

Raila Submits Statements On Eurobond
Fridah Nyanchama

courtesy of Telegraph

Now that Cord leader Raila Odinga has submitted a statement on his claims about the Eurobond, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has announced it has stopped pursuing him.
EACC chief executive Halakhe Waqo said that by submitting the statement through his lawyers, Mr. Odinga had fulfilled the agency's requirements for now.
"That means for now he has complied and nothing is to be pursued beyond this," Mr. Waqo has said at a press conference at Integrity Centre in Nairobi.
This means that the drama around the possibility of forcing Mr Odinga to heed summons or face arrest has come to an end.
The statement by Mr. Odinga's lawyers was submitted last Friday and was based on two Treasury documents.
Mr. Waqo said the statement would be analyzed and the commission may ask Mr. Odinga to provide more information if it is needed.
Last week, Mr. Odinga was summoned to appear before the EACC on Monday over the claims he had made on the use of Eurobond funds.
EACC officials had warned that Mr. Odinga would be prosecuted if he failed to honour the new summonses.

New Fuel Prices

 Energy Regulatory Commisssion To Release New Prices

Fridah Nyanchama

As the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) prepares to publish its monthly revised fuel prices, it is not only the motorists who will be having their fingers crossed, but manufacturers, distributors and consumers along the value chain will also be on the lookout to see if the new Excise Duty Act 2015 will have any bearing on cost.
Some manufactures have adjusted their prices to match the new taxes with East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL), the region’s largest beer brewer adding Sh30 shillings to every litre of beer.
The Act imposes a specific excise rate on a number of products including cigarettes and tobacco, alcoholic and sugar sweetened beverages, fossil fuels, aging motor vehicles and environmentally damaging plastic bags.
The situation is not helped by the recent surge in inflation, after a research by Trading Economics revealed that Kenya’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 7.32 per cent in November, up from 6.72 per cent reported in the previous month. The Government desired inflation target rate is five per cent.
The latest rise in the rate had been fuelled by increase in the cost of food, housing and utilities. This was also confirmed by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), which stated that the prices of basic foodstuffs, mainly grains, had increased.

 RAIA WA MAREKANI KUONDOKA BURUNDI

 By Crane Senteman

 

 Serikali ya Marekani imeshauri Raia wake walio nchini Burundi kuondoka nchini humo haraka iwezekanavyo baada ya watu 87 kuuawa kwenye ghasia zilizotokea siku ya Ijumaa.

Ghasia zilizojitokeza kwenye mitaa ya mji mkuu wa nchi hiyo, Bujumbura ni mbaya zaidi tangu kuanza kwa vurugu mwezi Aprili baada ya Rais Pierre Nkurunziza kuamua kuwania tena urais kwa muhula wa tatu.
Shirika la kutetea haki za kibinadamu la Human Rights Watch (HRW) limeitisha uchunguzi kuhusu mauaji hayo ya Ijumaa.
Mwezi uliopita, Ubelgiji pia iliwashauri raia wake kuondoka Burundi, huku Muungano wa Ulaya (EU) nao ukipunguza wahudumu wake, kwa kuondoa wafanyakazi ambao ni wa muda, familia na wafanyakazi ambao si muhimu sana.
Kufuatia machafuko ambayo yanaendelea kuongezeka, Wizara ya Kigeni imeagiza kuondoka kwa jamaa za maafisa wa Marekani na maafisa ambao si wa kushughulikia dharura nchini Burundi," taarifa ya Marekani ilisema.
Ubalozi wa Marekani unaweza kutoa huduma za dharura kwa kiwango cha chini tu kwa raia wake nchini Burundi.

Nicki Minaj gets another rock from Meek Mill

 Adler Edwina 

The pair first sparked engagement rumors earlier this year when Nicki posted a picture of a heart shaped diamond ring on social media - but it looks like Meek Mill has forked out on a second gem for the love of his life. 
Back in April the rapper and her man Meek Mill first sparked engagement rumors after she flashed a stunning white and yellow heart brilliant cut diamond mounted in platinum. 
But it looks like Meek Mill has decided to upgrade - and Nicki is understandably thrilled. 

The star, 33, posted two shots of the huge square cut diamond on Instagram on Wednesday evening.

Next to the first, she gushed: "Now this is what I'm talking about baby. Love u @meekmill.” 

Seconds later she followed it up with another picture of a perfectly manicured hand and of course the extravagant bling. 
“This stone is flawless," she captioned it. 
The pair first started dating after Nicki split from long-term love Safaree Samuels in late 2014, but only went public with their romance in early 2015. 
Just months later rumors were circulating that Meek had already proposed after Nicki teased pictures of her heart shaped ring. 
Meanwhile, over the summer, rapper Meek was forced to deny rumors his other half was pregnant, but admitted he wished she was. 
Speaking to Eminem's online radio station Shade 45, he said: "Nicki ain't pregnant. But yeah, I wish... I already tweeted that five years ago, so it should be happening later. Sooner or later, when we ready for that.” 
Congratulations!

https://youtu.be/-M0msw-8II8

The weekend sued on copyright charges

 Adler Edwina 


 


R&B hitmaker The Weeknd is named in a copyright lawsuit over his top charting song, "The Hills," according to documents by The Hollywood Reporter.
London-based Cutting Edge Music filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles alleging that the song features a score from a lesser-known indie film titled, "The Machine."
The company is suing The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, along with his producers and music giants Universal, Warner Chappell, Sony/ATV and others.
Co-defendant Emmanuel (Mano) Nickerson, a music producer who worked on "The Hills," allegedly sent a direct Twitter message to Cutting Edge stating, "I sampled your music might make it 2 the weeknd next album."
"The Hills" was released in May as the second single from his album, "Beauty Behind the Madness."
This isn't the first time the 25-year-old singer has been accused of stealing sounds.
In May, he was accused by Portishead of using a sample of "Machine Gun" in his track "Belong to the World." Geoff Barrow, a member of the group, said The Weeknd claimed he didn't use a sample while in fact, he'd written the band a letter asking to sample from the song. Barrow posted the letter on his Twitter account.
Anyway this has been a good year for this hit maker with song across all charts.
He received seven Grammy nominations for “Beauty Behind the Madness.”

mhood@nydailynews.com