VP throws challenge to MPs

Members of Parliament were Thursday asked to pass laws that would pass the test of time or be damned. Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka challenged the more than 200 MPs attending an induction course in Nairobi to live up to their oath by passing laws that would benefit all Kenyans.

Said the VP, who is also the leader of Government Business in Parliament: “The prime task facing the Tenth Parliament is that of consolidating Parliaments’s role in strengthening political stability, national reconciliation and democracy. Kenyans look up to Parliament and yearn for a legacy they can be proud of in the wake of the crisis and subsequent enactment of the National Accord and Reconciliation Agreement.”

National pride

The VP called for selfless leaders who were above sectarian and individual pursuits in the conduct of their legislative duties.
Mr Musyoka reminded MPs that events following the General Election last December were “stark and sobering.”

The Mwingi North MP said that there was an urgent need to restore national pride and to repair the country’s dented image both locally and internationally.
Over 1,000 people were killed and over 300,000 were left homeless and displaced in the post-election unrest. The VP noted that the workshop came at a time when the country was at a crossroads.

He said the crisis that Kenyans had experienced after the polls could be addressed effectively using the constitutional mandate bestowed on Parliament.
Mr Musyoka also backed plans by Speaker Kenneth Marende to introduce live broadcasts of parliamentary business before the end of the year, saying it would make the House more transparent, vibrant and improve the standard of debate.

“The Tenth Parliament therefore finds itself in the thick of things to sort out legislative loopholes that could be exploited to derail peaceful coexistence and unity,” Mr Musyoka said.
The three-day workshop at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, was also addressed by Foreign minister Moses Wetang’ula, who is an executive member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Speaker Marende and the secretary general of the CPA, Dr William Shija.
Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga and some of the 17 Cabinet ministers also attended.
The ministers included Mr Ali Mwakwere (Transport), Ms Martha Karua (Justice and Constitutional Affairs), Prof Sam Ongeri ( Education), Mr Mohamed Yusuf Haji (Defence) and Mr Kiraitu Murungi (Energy) .

New members

In his address, the Speaker noted that 70 per cent of members of the Tenth Parliament were new.
It was because of this, Mr Marende said, that Parliament had decided to invest time and resources in equipping members with the tools to discharge their duties.
“Much as politics might be local, in a fast globalising world, members ought to know how their counterparts from other lands manage the same challenges that confront us here in Kenya.”
The Speaker told the MPs that some of the challenges the country was going through were similar to those of other countries, despite the different geographical, cultural, racial or historical backgrounds.

Turning to the lack of an Official Opposition in Parliament, after PNU, ODM and ODM-K agreed to form a grand coalition, Mr Marende challenged backbenchers, both in their individual and collective capacities through parliamentary committee membership, to carry out their role effectively.
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DAILY NATION
Story by ODHIAMBO ORLALE
Publication Date: 3/28/2008

Shaaban joins Mwakwere for being proposed for PM post

Dr. Shaaban_______

Special Programmes Minister Dr Naomi Shaaban, has been proposed for the post of deputy prime minister in PNU as part of fostering gender balance in the party.
Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Kilifi branch chairlady Mama Zainabu Zubedi, said on Wednesday the Taveta MP was an experienced politician and had the credentials to go with the deputy prime minister’s portfolio. She asked President Kibaki to consider her for the post.

“Since the ODM side has already proposed Mr Musalia Mudavadi as their Deputy Prime Minister then PNU should appoint Dr Shaaban to have gender balance,” she said.
Dr Shaban becomes the third Coast politician to be proposed for the deputy prime minister’s post. Two traditional groupings have in the recent past called for the elevation of either Transport minister Chirau Mwakwere or MP Samuel Kambi to the post.
On Tuesday elders from the nine Mijikenda sub-tribes anointed Mr Mwakwere as the community’s leader. They said he was best placed to be elevated to the deputy prime minister’s position from the region.

Mr Mwakwere is the Matuga MP while Mr Kambi is the Kaloleni MP.
The elders said the PNU had been offered an opportunity to prove to the people of Coast province that they also deserve to be in “serious national positions of leadership”.
Serious statement
They called on President Kibaki to make a serious statement that he “respects” the Coast people by making the appointment.
Mr Kambi is the choice of Kaya elders, while the Mijikenda Council of Elders rooted for Mr Mwakwere.

At a press conference at the Castle Royal Hotel in Mombasa recently, Mijikenda Council of Elders secretary general Vincent Mwachiro said that such an appointment would ensure that each part of the country got an opportunity to be represented at the highest level of leadership.
Kaya elders chairman Joseph Fondo said the group had settled on Mr Kambi.

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Story by WALKER MWANDOTO Publication Date: 3/27/2008

http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=119906

Mwakwere anointed Mijikenda leader

Kaya elders from the nine Mijikenda sub tribes have anointed Transport minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere as their community leader.Mr Mwakwere was anointed in a colourful ceremony in which Mijikenda cultural rites were performed. Dozens of people attended the occasion at Kaya Kinondo in Kwale District.However, other Coast MPs did not attend the ceremony, which the minister said was a private ceremony between him and Kaya elders.

The only politician who gave the minister company was Kwale county council chairman, Mshenga Ruga and officials of the Mijikenda Council of Elders, led by Mr Vincent Mwachiro.The elders, led by Mr Charo Menza Tuva of Kaya Giriama, took Mr Mwakwere inside Kaya Kinondo forest.They conducted their traditional rites that included dressing the minister in traditional Kaya attire, reserved for respected elders.

Behind him

He was then blessed by the nine Kaya elders representing the Mijikenda sub tribes, as a Digo traditional music group entertained those in attendance.To instal him as the Mijikenda leader, each of the Kaya elders handed Mr Mwakwere a stick, to signify that the whole community rallied behind him.

The Kaya elders from the nine Mijikenda sub tribes were Abdalla Mnyenze (Digo), Kalume Nzai (Duruma), Kalama Jimbi (Rabai) and Chilumo Chai of Kaya Ribe.Others were Hussein Ndenge (Kambe), Shoka Tinga (Jibana), Daniel Mwangome (Chonyi), Hamisi Dida (Kauma) and Charo Menza of Kaya Giriama.Mr Mnyenze said he could not understand why the other Mijikenda MPs snubbed the ceremony yet they were invited.“It is sad that not even one Mijikenda MP is here to witness the anointing of Mr Mwakwere as the Mijikenda community leader. All the same, we shower the minister with all our blessings,” said the Digo Kaya elder.But Mr Mwakwere downplayed the absence of his colleagues, saying the ceremony was a private matter between him and the nine Mijikenda elders.

“During such a ceremony nobody is supposed to get into the Kaya forest save for the nine Kaya elders. That is why the MPs are not here,” the minister said.After accepting the new role, the Matuga MP said he would work closely with President Mwai Kibaki, prime minister-designate Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka.Mr Mwakwere, who is also the leader of the Coast-based Shirikisho Party of Kenya, said he would ensure that all the landless people in Coast Province were settled.

Greedy people

“Many Mijikenda villagers have been living as squatters because their land was grabbed by influential individuals. Some kayas were not spared by these greedy people. I will ensure that land inequalities are sorted out,” he added.
The Kaya elders asked the minister to go for the deputy prime minister’s post, to which Mr Mwakwere said he was ready for, if President Kibaki appointed him.“I have what it takes to be the deputy prime minister, but the power to appoint rests on President Kibaki,” he said.

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http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=119808

Kenya: Costs of imported goods set to increase

Topic: D - Goods - Technical Barriers to Trade
Author: Sambu, Zeddy; Business Daily (Nairobi)
Published: 11/03/2008

The introduction of new levies on containers which are stored in the private warehouse is set to increase the cost of imported goods significantly. Introduced by the Mombasa Municipal Council, the new levy will be charged at the rate of Sh1.700 per day per container transferred to the port city’s Container Freight Stations (CFSs).

This means that importers will transfer additional costs to end users as the cost to import any goods will increase. Eight container warehouses, including Awanad, Boss Freight Terminal, Consolbase, Kipevu, Mitchell Cotts, Siginon Freight, and Transami, are licensed to handle undocumented goods. The past three years, with heavy congestion at Kenya Ports Authority’s (KPA) container terminal, has seen these warehouses become important players in the transport and logistics sector thereby making them top candidates for revenue hunters. Most importers transfer their containers to the CFS stores upon expiry of KPA’s week long grace period. The transfer attracts an additional handling fee of US$100 for 20 foot containers and US$120 for every 40 foot container. KPA charges US$20 for every 20 foot container and US$30 for 40 foot containers upon expiration of the grace period.

Officials from the Ministry of Transport have said that the new levy is illegal and asked the council to stop charging it immediately. “It must stop forthwith as it has no legal basis”, said Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere to Ugandan importers in Kampala. Mwakwere assured port users in Uganda that normality will return in port operations and Kenyan road systems following nearly two months of blockade as a result of the outbreak of post-election violence in Kenya on New Year’s Eve.

To clear the backlog, he said that port authorities were allowing transit cargo to leave on “24 hours-seven days basis”. Speaking at a meeting on trade and transport in Kampala, Mwakwere told the Kenya-Uganda bilateral consultants that the entire North Corridor highway, which was worst affected by Kenya’s post-election violence, is now safe and secure. Uganda, as a dominant user of the Mombasa port, was significantly affected by the violent outbreak in neighbouring Kenya. Complete blockade of the North Corridor road saw imported goods’ prices skyrocket in landlocked Uganda and Rwanda. In the former country, petrol prices more than tripled by mid February as rowdy youths blockaded the highway completely which cut the country’s supply of oil products. According to KPA Managing Director Abdallah Mwaruwa, containers are being transferred to inland depots in Nairobi, Kismu and Eldoret for easy access to the owners.

John Byabagambi, acting Minster for Transport in Uganda, said that the signing of a peace deal by Kenya’s opposition parties has assured the region of a return to normalcy. He did, however, urge the players to address the challenge of non-tariff barriers to trade in the region; he urged authorities to strengthen the initiatives which have been made to boost economic cooperation and enhance trade and investment in the region. Revenue authorities from Kenya and Uganda have already established joint verification processes at the Malaba border to speed up the clearing of transit goods.

Leaders push for lean, efficient Cabinet

Cabinet ministers, MPs and other leaders have asked President Kibaki and Prime Minister-designate Raila Odinga to name a lean and dynamic Cabinet.
Most of those who spoke to the Nation opposed calls for an expanded Cabinet as Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said the new line-up might be unveiled this week.
However, some leaders said the Cabinet should be expanded to accommodate the numerous political interests.

President Kibaki and Mr Odinga are scheduled to meet and discuss details of the Cabinet at State House, Nairobi, Tuesday, amid reports that the ODM leader could be officially named Prime Minister.

And as anxiety among MPs grew over who would be named to the new Cabinet, Dr Mutua said in a statement: “Consultations on the formation of the new Cabinet are going on very well — even better than expected... There is no hitch nor deadlock and the Cabinet for a new Kenya will be announced by President Kibaki... as per the set programme.”
He urged the public to be patient and “not fall victim to misinformation and wild speculation”. Reports had indicated that the Cabinet could be expanded to satisfy the expectations of different regions.

Given that PNU, ODM and their affiliates are set to form a grand coalition, both President Kibaki and Mr Odinga are walking a tight rope in their attempts to craft a line-up that accommodates quality, regional balance, youth, gender and political loyalty.

John Cardinal Njue of the Catholic Church, National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende, Anglican Church Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi and Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli asked the President and Mr Odinga to form a quality Cabinet with new faces.
They should also strike a balance between youth, gender and region.

Mr Marende urged the two leaders to appoint new faces since both PNU and ODM promised change during the election campaigns.
“It will be refreshing to see some younger and new faces that are able to bring about change,” he said.
Mr Amos Kimunya, the Finance minister, said the Treasury was playing its advisory role as required but was barred from making comments on the size of the Cabinet.
“It will be premature to say anything on the issue but you can ask me after the Cabinet has been appointed and I will make available all the implications,” he said.

Transport minister Chirau Mwakwere said he would support the establishment of a 34-member Cabinet “to foster development” since Kenya was a developing country.
Mr Mwakwere said in areas where there was underdevelopment, there was need to have more ministries to cater for specific development needs.
“We have the Ministry of Environment which takes care of environmental issues but we would require a ministry of mines which will help the country exploit its mineral resources,” he said.

The minister was speaking at Kaya Kinondo in Kwale District.
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Sources: Kenya Today
Daily Nation

Elders want Mwakwere for deputy premier

POLITICS
Story by DANIEL NYASSY

Lobbying for the position of deputy prime minister intensified on Saturday with elders from the nine Mijikenda sub-tribes calling on President Mwai Kibaki to consider Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere for the post.

The elders from the Giriama, Duruma, Digo, Chonyi, Kambe, Kauma, Ribe, Rabai and Jibana Mijikenda sub-tribes met in Magarini constituency in Malindi on Thursday and said they had confidence in the leadership of Mr Mwakwere. They added that he was the best placed politician from the region to be considered for the deputy PM’s post.

The call for the appointment of a deputy prime minister from the Coast has been taken a notch higher with the Kaya Elders and the Mijikenda Community Council of Elders rooting for Kaloleni MP Samuel Kambi and Matuga MP Mwakwere, respectively.

Mzee Abdalla Ali Mnyenze, the chairman of Kwale and Mombasa district Kayas (traditional forests), said Mr Mwakwere would be officially anointed by the elders on March 24 in an elaborate traditional ceremony at Kinondo in Kwale district to prepare him to take over the community’s leadership mantle.

They called on President Kibaki to make a serious statement that he “respects” the Coast people by making the appointment.
The elders said that the government has been offered an opportunity to prove that they believe Coast people deserve to be in “serious national positions of leadership”.

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Publication Date: 3/23/2008

Mwakwere fit for deputy PM's slot

SUNDAY TIMES

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Commentary & Analysis

Story by: OMAR ALI .

Much has been commented pertaining to the selections and appointments of the two Deputy Prime Ministers’ positions that were created by the latest constitutional amendment.
Before William Ruto courageously endorsed his party’s presidential running mate, Musalia Mudavadi, to one of the two posts, every tribe was pushing for one of their own to be named to the two coveted spots from amongst their respective political parties.

Now that the matter within Orange Democratic Movement has been settled, there is a compelling need to look at how political power distribution stands in the country. Kenya is about to embark on a journey of national reconciliation and in order to genuinely investigate the recent mayhem, every region ought to be recognized and appreciated in a form of balancing the national leadership positions.

Power-sharing as has been agreed by the Kofi Annan-led mediation talks that will lead to installing and or making Raila Odinga a prime minister and some of his close associates’ becoming cabinet ministers is only a short term solution to the country’s ailments. There is more than needs to be done and not to give power to the few and all will be well. Some regions have more than their share of national leadership positions while others have never had the opportunity to be given any of these positions. For instance, if we are to count the office of the Chief Justice as one of the national leadership positions, the country has a total of eight of those positions, namely the president, prime minister, vice president, two deputy primers, speaker and deputy speaker. As we all know, the presidency, vice presidency, and speaker and deputy speaker are filled.

So far Central province with two individuals amongst the eight enjoys the lion’s share by having the top seat in the land (the presidency) and that of the chief justice. Eastern occupies the vice presidency. The posts of the National Assembly Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are held by individuals hailing from Western and North Eastern provinces’ respectively. Raila, the Prime Minister-designate, a legislator representing a parliamentary constituency in the Nairobi, is without saying represents his native Nyanza province.

As part of the mediation and power-sharing agreement the Lang’ata lawmaker is all but assured of taking the premiership. With Raila becoming the second prime minister in the history of independent Kenya, brings us to Coast province, a region that has not had the chance to be represented at national leadership level in the history of independent Kenya. The country’s presidents, vice presidents, premier (and soon to be premiers), national assembly speakers and deputy speakers have all hailed from every other province but the Coast. This is not just a mere coincidence. Not all those positions I have named are fought competitively, all but one are given out for whatever reasons. For instance, the country has had ten vice presidents, a presidential appointment, but no Coast politician has been deemed fit to be appointed to the coveted number slot. Why is that the case?

Now with Ruto having endorsed Mudavadi, ODM has settled the matter on their party’s slot. This leaves PNU as the only party that has a chance to rise above petty regional politics and select one of their own from the seaside province for their spot. It is very disingenuous that some people are making the case for PNU to appoint Uhuru Kenyatta or Martha Karua to the position, or even Kiraitu Murungi or George Saitoti. With all due respect to these PNU politicians, the proposed individuals all come from regions that are already represented at national level or have historical been represented before as is the case with Saitoti’s Rift Valley province.

I will be accused of being biased here for making the case for a Coastal politician to be appointed to the deputy prime minister’s post. As for the biased charges, I will say, I am guilty as charged but the fact remains that PNU needs to select a politician from the Coast for their slot. The best pick for the party is Ambassador Chirau Ali Mwakwere, a consistent loyal supporter of President Mwai Kibaki. The Transport Minister is an experienced hand and the President’s staunch ally and one of the first among equals’ loyalists.

In terms of education, professional experience and expertise, the former Foreign Affairs Minister is a match to any politician in the country. At grassroots level, the two term Matuga MP hails from Coast province’s most populous Mijikenda community. He was recently endorsed by the community’s Council of Elders through their Secretary General Vincent Mwachiro who noted: “Appointing Minister Mwakwere to one of the two deputy prime ministerial posts is an important move in ensuring that leadership opportunities are given to all communities in this country,” If it makes any different, which I believe it should, the Matuga MP is also a Muslim, the religious community that has risen only to the deputy speaker’s post in the national leadership positions in the country since independence.

If United States is on the verge of electing Sen Barack Obama as the nation’s first lack president, who incidentally has Kenyan roots, why can’t Kenya name the first Muslim to a deputy prime minister’s position? Internationally, Mwakwere has served as a diplomat in Zimbabwe and United Arab Emirates that gave him the crucial ‘diplomatic circles exposure’ that comes handy for this position. Such experience and or exposure are critical. Since not having such experience can usually expose a politician to much ridicule.
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http://www.kenyatimesonline.com/content.asp?catid=5&articleId=2209

A nation waits for two-in-one cabinet

Anxiety continues to grip senior politicians and top civil servants as the country waits for a new Cabinet line-up set to be unveiled on Tuesday.
Intense lobbying, jostling and angling for top positions in the Grand Coalition Government continues in all political parties.

But the final list of the much-awaited Cabinet remains a guarded secret with the two principals, President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister-designate, Mr Raila Odinga believed to be working on the fine details. A publicised meeting between Kibaki and Raila scheduled for Friday, to announce the latter as the country’s second PM, was put off at the last minute.
State House sources said this was to "fine tune" the final Cabinet line-up.

Investigations by The Saturday Standard and interviews with some of the main players revealed behind-the-scenes games, loyalty pledges and canvassing at various levels of the main parties – Party of National Unity, ODM, ODM-Kenya and Kanu. Smaller parties in the coalition are also caught up in the power games, with demands that they should also be considered.
In the President’s PNU, youthful Members of Parliament were mounting pressure on Kibaki to reserve Cabinet positions for them.

But the MPs, who declined to be named for fear of jeopardising their chances, wondered how the President would accommodate them, having filled the 17 slots reserved for his side with old ‘grey-haired’ lieutenants. "We are waiting to see what the President will do. He has already exhausted his slots yet he did not appoint any youth. The remaining slots would go to ODM unless he expands the Cabinet,’’ the MP said.

Last evening, senior ODM leaders including— deputy Prime Minister-designate Mr Musalia Mudavadi — retreated to Mombasa for the Easter Holidays and also to ease pressure from MPs and supporters lobbying for positions.
Anxious moments also gripped ODM-Kenya MPs over who would join the new Cabinet.
Among the names being floated as possible ministers include party Secretary-General, Mr Mutula Kilonzo, Mr David Musila (Mwingi South), Mr Gideon Ndambuki (Kaiti) and Prof Philip Kaloki (Kibwezi).
However, the party expects only two more ministers with Vice-President, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka and Kacheliba MP Mr Samuel Poghisio already in Cabinet.
Kalonzo holds the Home Affairs portfolio, while Poghisio has the Information and Communication docket.
Sources said PNU hardliners have proposed that the current 17 ministries be spared a reshuffle and that ODM should take the remaining slots.
The sources added that tribal balancing and regional representation were the key determinants.
ODM is reportedly focused on the 2012 General Election, not just sharing of slots in the new Government.

On Thursday evening, ODM top brass held a lengthy meeting-cum-party at the Nairobi home of Raila’s brother, Dr Oburu Odinga, on those to be included in the Cabinet.
Raila, Pentagon member, Mr William Ruto, Mr Chris Okemo, Mr Wycliffe Oparanya, Mr George Khaniri and Oburu himself were in the meeting.
Sources said the invitations were done selectively.
After Kibaki was sworn-in in early January, he named half of his Cabinet and appointed 17 ministers into various portfolios.
They include Defence, Treasury, Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Communication and Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Special Programmes, Roads and Public Works and Transport.
The PNU side already has Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs, Kalonzo, and Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Prof George Saitoti.
The party also has powerful portfolios such as the Ministry for Finance under Mr Amos Kimunya, Ministry of Education through Prof Sam Ongeri, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Mr Moses Wetangula.

Other powerful positions under PNU are Ministry of Local Government where Kanu Chairman Mr Uhuru Kenyatta is the boss and Ministry for Information and Communications under ODM-Kenya chairman, Poghisio.
Mr John Munyes is the Minister for Water and Irrigation while Mr Kiraitu Murungi is Minister for Energy.
The Ministry of Roads and Public Works is led by Mr John Michuki while Mr Noah Wekesa is the Minister for Science and Technology.
Ms Martha Karua holds the Justice and Constitutional Affairs portfolio while Kuria MP, Dr Wilfred Machage is Minister for East African Community. The Transport docket is under Matuga MP, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere.

The remaining ministries include Health, Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Planning and National Development, Tourism and Wildlife, Livestock and Fisheries Development, Labour and Human Resource Development, Cooperative Development and Marketing, Environment and Natural Resources, and Gender Sports, Culture and Social Services.

Only Mudavadi appeared to be certain of making it to the new Cabinet line-up on the ODM side.
Sources at State House intimated that the new Cabinet would be unveiled on Tuesday and would reflect the principles of the power-sharing deal.
The new Government is also expected to announce fresh appointments in the civil service, parastatal bodies and diplomatic postings.
Sources in PNU said some ministers might be dropped in the new line-up since regions such as Embu have no representative in the current Cabinet.

MPs from Meru are on record demanding two more appointments after the one held by Kiraitu.
They have written to the President, saying because of the more than 500,000 votes they gave him during the General Election, they deserve three Cabinet slots.
Igembe South MP, Mr Mithika Linturi confirmed that they had written to the President urging him to reciprocate their support.

The new position of deputy Prime Minister for PNU is another office being hotly contested.
Names of Uhuru, Karua, Dr Naomi Shabaan, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere and Mr Yusuf Haji have featured on the list. But Uhuru and Karua are considered the front-runners but their competitors argue that they hail from Mt Kenya region where the President also comes from.

Those fronting for regional balancing are rooting for a deputy PM from either North Eastern or
Coast provinces. Mwakwere and Shabaan come from Coast while Haji hails from North Eastern.
Karua leads the Government negotiating team and is being backed by her party, Narc-Kenya, which says she has the right credentials apart from being a woman.
She has also received support from the women movement and sections of the civil society.Uhuru is being backed by his party, Kanu, which claims to be a major partner in PNU. MPs from the larger Kiambu and Thika districts are also backing Uhuru.
In ODM-Kenya, Mutula is being supported for a ministerial slot due to his participation in the mediation talks. Mutula is said to be in good books with both President Kibaki and Prime Minister –designate Raila.

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SUNDAY STANDARD
Story by David Ohito, Joseph Murimi And Mutinda Mwanzia

KENYAN PORTS ARE BACK IN BUSINESS

'TRANSPORT MINISTER' ASSURES

UGANDA OF SMOOTH CARGO FLOW

Coastweek - - Kenya Government has assured Ugandan businessmen that the entire northern corridor section in Kenya is safe and secure for all cargo moving to and from the port of Mombasa.
Speaking in Kampala, Uganda, the minister of transport, Hon. Ali Chirau Mwakwere said 'total normalcy' had also returned to port operations adding that the port was now allowing all transit cargo to leave its gates on a 24 hour basis.
The minister said that it was sad that the post election skirmishes in Kenya had interrupted business transactions with Uganda which was Kenya's leading trading partner; Uganda is also Kenya's top trading partner.

Minister Mwakwere said that it was this strong relationship that has made it critical for him and other top Kenyan executives to come out in person to give assurance to all port customers and stakeholders that key steps have been put in place to smoothen transportation and secure safe cargo passage.
Leading a Kenyan delegation to the Kenya and Uganda bilateral consultations on trade and transport, Hon. Mwakwere likened the turmoil experienced in Kenya to a 'wake up' call.
He said it had taught Kenyans to be extremely vigilant because of disruptions it caused to the economies of not only Kenya but also to all landlocked countries.

The Uganda acting minister for transport Hon. John Byabagambi lauded the signing of the peace deal in Kenya and said it was a firm pledge that peace had returned to the country and an assurance that normal business could continue.
He said Kenya was an important country in terms of the performance of other regional economies.
Its descent into chaos was a big worry to neighboring countries because the port had been cut off.
Minister Mwakwere was accompanied by the executive secretary of the Northern Corridor Transit Transport Coordination Authority, NCTTCA Godfrey Onyango Matata, Managing Director Kenya Ports Authority Abdalla Mwaruwa, Director General of Kenya Maritime Authority Mrs. Nancy Karigithu, Senior Deputy Secretary of Transport Mrs. Philomena Koech, Managing Director Kenya Pipeline Company George Okungu and the Deputy Managing Director Kenya Railways Corporation Vitalis Ongongo among others.

Hon. Mwakwere's delegation met with top government officials and executives from the private sector alliance of Uganda.
Earlier, executives in the Kenyan delegation took turns in explaining steps taken to return business to normalcy. The two delegations agreed on the need to remove existing non-tariff barriers to trade affecting the two countries.

On his part, Mr. Mwaruwa said the port was now releasing all transit cargo on a 24 hour basis and the same have now been allowed to be transported to the Authority's inland container depots in Nairobi, Kisumu and Eldoret from where they can be collected.
He said Uganda was a dominant user of the port an assured all customers that all cases of delayed cargo n the port due to post election skirmishes had been considered for a general waiver of storage charges.

All other pending cases ,he added, would be scrutinized on a case by case basis.
Mr. Mwakwere disagreed with Kshs.1,700 being levied by the Mombasa Municipal Council on every container at Mariakani. He said it must stop forthwith as it had no legal basis.

Meanwhile Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Abdalla Mwaruwa has clarified press reports to the effect that the Port of Mombasa is facing imminent cargo congestion following an alleged strike by some private truck loaders.

The strike was being experienced at the private warehouses near the port premises and the authority's management has no direct control over the same.
However, KPA management would like to assure its esteemed clients and the general public that despite the cited strike related unrest Port operations are going on smoothly and no effect of congestion in the port has been felt so far.

The two ships mentioned in the subject article namely, Mv Tourloti and Mv Chopol 2 with a combine tonnage of 46550 tonnes of wheat and sugar are being worked on by two sets of gangs.
Nevertheless, whereas KPA has deployed adequate gangs to hasten the operations, continued lack of trucks to load bagged sugar and wheat consignments will eventually affect the port due to poor off- take, thus causing the cargo buildup.

KPA would therefore wish to ask the concerned parties to amicably solve the dispute in the shortest time possible to avoid the likelihood of congesting the port.

17 ministers absent as MPs discuss Kibaki speech

Prime Minister-elect Raila Odinga and President Mwai Kibaki

POLITICS

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka was among the 17 Cabinet ministers absent as MPs started the sixth day of debating the presidential speech.
Speaker Kenneth Marende was alerted to the anomaly by Mr Soita Shitanda (Malava, New Ford Kenya) during the afternoon sitting as he requested a ministerial statement from the Local Government, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta.
Said Mr Shitanda, a former Minister for Housing: ‘‘I had requested a statement from the Local government minister last week on the public transport mess involving matatus plying the Eastlands-city centre route but to date we have not received it.”

The Malava MP asked whether Mr Kenyatta was not in the House because he was trying to resolve the crisis first before issuing the statement.
It was at that point that Mr Marende interjected to confirm that the entire front bench was empty.

“We don’t have a single Cabinet minister, or the Leader of Government (Business) and his deputy in the House. This should not happen. I hope they will be here soon. I also hope that the Local government minister would be here next Tuesday to issue the statement,” he said.
But Mr Bifwoli Wakoli (Bumula, PNU) took issue with the missing ministers asking whether parliamentary business should come to a standstill in their absence.

The Speaker said the country could not be held to ransom by ministers, but excused them saying: ‘‘Perhaps it is because of the anxiety over the composition of the new cabinet.”
Ms Cecily Mbarire (Runyenjes, PNU) blamed the absence of the front bench to intense lobbying by members for vacant Cabinet posts.

Later, the VP, who is the Leader of Government Business, his deputy, Justice minister Martha Karua, PM-designate Raila Odinga, and Cabinet ministers Asman Kamama (Public Service), Ali Mwakwere (Transport), Wilfred Machage (East African Cooperation) and John Munyes (Water), trooped in as the debate was concluded.

Earlier, Mr Katoo ole Metito (Loitokitok, PNU) had requested a ministerial statement on the down grading of 4,000 Form Four examination candidates last year.

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Sources: Daily Nation
Publication Date: 3/21/2008

Coast piles pressure in quest for deputy premier’s position

The quest to appoint a Coast person to the position of deputy prime minister intensified o Wednesday with two traditional groupings calling for the elevation of either Transport Minister Chirau Mwakwere, who is also Matuga MP or the Kaloleni MP Samuel Kambi to the post.

The elders say the Party of National Unity (PNU) has been offered an opportunity to prove to the Coast people that they also deserve to be in “serious national positions of leadership”.

They are calling on President Kibaki to make a serious statement that he “respects” the Coast people by making the appointment.
Highest level

While the Kaya Elders want Mr Kambi to be named deputy premier, the Mijikenda Council of Elders has proposed Mr Mwakwere.
At a press conference at the Castle Royal Hotel in Mombasa, Mijikenda Council of Elders secretary general Vincent Mwachiro said that such an appointment would ensure that each part of the country gets an opportunity to be represented at the highest level of leadership.

“Appointing Minister Mwakwere to one of the two deputy prime ministerial posts is an important move in ensuring that leadership opportunities are given to all communities in this country,” said Mr Mwachiro.
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Sources: Nation POLITICS
Story by ABDULSAMAD ALI and
AMINA KIBIRIGE
Publication Date: 3/20/2008

Grand plan to expand city rail transport

Trying to beat traffic along various city roads to access the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) from the central business district will be a thing of the past if the government stays true to its latest plan. The grand plan also includes the modernization of the existing railway system increasing its capacity to serve close to 100,000 city commuters daily while creating 500 new direct jobs.

Passengers catching local and international flights at the country’s major airport will soon be able to access it through a direct railway line from the city’s main railway station. Transport Minister Chirau Mwakwere says the Government is working with the Rift Valley Railways and the Kenya Railways Corporation in order to put in place the railway line that will join the existing one at the Embakasi station.

“In the meantime, we will have an arrangement where those accessing the airport can board the train to Embakasi where they will then be put on a bus to take them inside the airport,” Mr Mwakwere said.
The minister added that the move aims to help those taking flights at the airport access it in as less as 20 minutes from the city centre. Currently, it takes air travelers up to one hour to access the country’s main airport through airport road, off Mombasa highway, due to traffic congestion that has become a norm on most Kenyan roads.

Most airports in developed countries are served by commuter trains with some of them allowing passengers to check in to their flights at railway stations. The trains are solely put in place to serve those who are either getting in or out of the airport.

In addition, the Government plans to pump Sh900 million to a railway expansion and modernization project in the capital. The project will see an introduction of four new railway routes linking the city and its environs. The new railway branches will include links to Thika, Limuru, Lukenya and Athi River, in an effort to make trains the main alternative form of transport for the capital.

The improved railway system intends to elevate the country into the league of few African nations that enjoy such elaborate railway services. Currently, only Egypt and South Africa can be said to have unmatched effective and efficient railway networks especially in the capitals.

A report released last year by the Architectural Association of Kenya warned that the city would grind to a halt in less than 15 years, if this problem is not adequately tackled. And the association, in the report, suggested that the city come up with a new master plan to deal effectively with this problem.

According to Mr Mwakwere, an efficient railway system is likely to provide train transportation for over 90,000 Nairobi residents daily. This, experts say, may fall in line with the Government’s plan of decongesting the city road network, where motorists are currently losing hundreds of man hours in the incessant traffic jams. The construction of the new railway branches, whose deadline is yet to be communicated, will also give way for the creation of up to 500 new direct jobs in the transport sector.

The transport minister divulges little detail but says this was one of the reforms that the Government planned to implement in the transport sector. Other than the infrastructure, the Government is working with the Rift valley Railways in another plan that will see the replacement of locomotive hauled trains with diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains.
“We will soon have an efficient railway system to serve the city and its environs more effectively and also help us save time and other related costs,” says Mr Mwakwere.

Mr Mwakwere however expresses concern over the encroachment of the railway line by the Mukuru Kwa Njenga informal settlements. He notes that the Government will dialogue with the slum residents and other stakeholders in order to find a lasting solution that will get them away from the railway reserve.

The minister, who recently made an inspection tour of the Embakasi-Kikuyu section of the railway, while riding at the train driver’s cabin, says it is necessary to take such a ride to understand the challenges the railway operators face especially along the slums. He says that the Government is committed in reclaiming the encroached railway land, which will be used for expansion and development of more lines in Nairobi.
The Government says it has set out designated areas within the city to relocate the slum residents and to allow them open their businesses under a three-year special safety programme known as the Relocation Action Plan.

City residents are currently served by a single commuter train service that plies through various populous estates in Nairobi in the morning and evening. The train is popular due to its affordability though the service provider was last week forced to suspend operations in one of the routes. Rift Valley Railways suspended operations on the Dandora-Kahawa-Ruiru route last week, following heightened incidents of passengers hanging on the city commuter train services and others sitting on the train’s rooftop.
RVR Managing Director Mr Roy Puffett, said the indefinite suspension of operations has been attributed to underlying security concerns on the busy route, which led to a fatal shooting incident at Dandora Halt. A stray bullet, fired by Kenya Railways Police, on a routine mission to arrest passengers hanging precariously on a commuter train, is said to have hit a fleeing Dandora resident.

Mr Mwakwere also says the Government’s plan to construct a 17-Kilometre railway bypass to supplement the portion that passes through the Kibera slum has already is on top gear. The bypass will move from Embakasi to the Ayany area of Kibera while avoiding the slum area. The Government has also said that there are plans to fence the railway line that passes through the slum and pedestrian fly-overs put in place to avoid destruction.
At least 11 sections of the Kenya-Uganda railway line had been vandalised during the post election violence nearly brought the region’s transport to its knees. Mr Mwakwere warned that those who are caught vandalising either the railway lines or any other transport network would be dealt with to the full force of the law.

Mr Mwakwere added that they would soon reveal the plan that will see the building of light rail and rapid bus systems within the city for mass transportation. The ministry has already advertised for a consultancy study, for the proposed transportation project to be funded by the African Development Bank, at a cost of Sh280 million. The proposed project is intended to link the city centre, with its suburbs for mass transportation of people in and out of town.

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Sources:Daily Nation
Story by OLIVER MATHENGE

Publication Date: 3/18/2008

Matano to get State-assisted funeral

The Government will cater for the burial of the late Robert Matano, the minister for Transport, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere, said Sunday.
Speaking at the home of the late politician where he had gone to pay his respects, Mr Mwakwere said the government considered the late politician a hero.

“He was among the politicians who went to Lancaster House in the clamour for the country’s first constitution and we respect him for that,” he said, adding that he was respected not only in the Coast region but also countrywide.

Mr Matano died last week aged 83 years. Kinango MP Mr Gonzi Rai said the late politician was a trailblazer for Coast politicians.

Mr Morris Mwenda, his brother and family spokesman, said the funeral service will be held on Friday March 21 and burial rest at his home in Mazeras on Saturday, March 22.

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Story by GITONGA MARETE
Publication Date: 3/17/2008

Port rolls out 24-hour duty roster

Mr. Mwaruwa

Mombasa Port has started clearing transit cargo around the clock to decongest the facility, managing director Abdalla Mwaruwa has said.
The 24-hour rule also allows cargo to be transported to the KPA’s inland container depots in Nairobi, Kisumu and Eldoret for collection.

Mr Mwaruwa said all cases of cargo delayed due to post-election violence had been considered for a waiver of storage charges. All other pending cases, he added, would be reviewed on a case by case basis.
He assured Ugandan importers that all efforts were being made to ensure that their cargo moved smoothly.
Meanwhile, Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere has rejected a Sh1,700 fee levied by the Mombasa municipal council on every container at Mariakani. He said the levy must be scrapped as it had no legal basis.

The minister, who was leading a Kenyan delegation to the Kenya/Uganda bilateral consultations on trade and transport in Kampala, said operations had returned to normal at the port and all cargo was being cleared on a 24-hour basis.

“It’s sad that post-election violence in Kenya disrupted business transactions with Uganda, which is also Kenya’s top trading partner, ” the minister said.
He described the experience as a wake-up call for Kenyans. He said it had taught them to be aware of the consequences of strife on the economies of not only Kenya, but also of all landlocked countries.

Uganda’s acting Transport minister John Byabagambi praised the power-sharing deal in Kenya and said it was an assurance that normal business could continue.
“Kenya is an important country in terms of the performance of other regional economies. Its descent into chaos was a big worry to neighbouring countries,” he said.

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Story by ABDULSAMAD ALI

Publication Date: 3/14/2008

Official cancelled results

Matuga constituency returning officer cancelled the results of one of the polling stations in last year’s General Election.

Mr Ali Maalim Hassan disclosed in his affidavit filed at the High Court in Mombasa that he cancelled the Kombani polling station results allegedly because they were fraudulent.
He said that when he opened the boxes, he found out that there were more ballot papers than the counterfoils and that the unused ballot papers were missing. The presiding officers, he stated, could not account for them and that there was undue delay by the officers in taking the results to the tallying centre.

In the petition filed before Mr Justice Joseph Sergon, voter Ayub Juma Mwakesi wants the election of Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere declared null and void as the entire exercise was marred by irregularities.

The petitioner, through lawyer Mohammed Balala, alleges that the returning officer declined to include two boxes from the Kombani polling station, where the MP’s rival, Mr Hassan Mwanyoha, was leading.
Mr Justice Sergon directed that the application filed by the MP to have the petition struck out be heard on April 7.

Meanwhile, Bahari MP Benedict Gunda wants the election petition filed against him by a poll loser struck out.
The MP told the High Court in Mombasa that the petition was filed out of time and that it was not served upon him personally as required by law.

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Story by EUNICE MACHUHI
Publication Date: 3/13/2008

The end of an era for Coast leader

Shirikisho Party of Kenya Secretary-General and Director of Programmes, Sheikh Juma Ngao (left), former Tourism minister, Mr Morris Dzoro, Transport minister, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere (right), with former Kanu Secretary-General and Cabinet minister, Robert Stanley Matano at his home in Mazeras, Mombasa on Friday. Looking on is Matano’s wife, Mama Ruth Matano.
___________________________

Story by Patrick Beja

The curtain has fallen on Kenya’s once powerful Coast politician who played a leading role in crafting the infamous Section 2a that outlawed multiparty democracy.
Robert Stanley Matano, 83, died in a Mombasa hospital on Monday morning, marking the end of an era and leaving many a Coast politician he mentored as political orphans.

His younger brother, Mr Morris Mwenda, said the veteran politician was rushed to hospital two weeks ago after he collapsed at his Mbuyuni home in Mazeras.
"He showed signs of recovery, but due to age-related complications and what appeared like a stroke, he succumbed," Mwenda explained.
In an interview, Mwenda, 76, said for a long time, Matano had ailed and could not walk.

The politician was once involved in a road accident and in his sunset days was confined to a wheelchair.
His body is lying at the Pandya Memorial Hospital in Mombasa pending burial at his Mbuyuni home in Mazeras.
He leaves behind two widows, Mrs Ruth Kwekwe Matano and Mrs Susan Matano, and 16 children.

Matano, a former teacher and district education officer, was among pre-independence politicians who attended the Lancaster House conference in London in the 1960s.
He attended Mazeras School, CMS School in Kaloleni, Kaaga High School in Meru and Alliance High School between 1936 and 1945.
He graduated with a Diploma in Education at the Makerere University in 1948 to start his teaching career at Ribe Boys Junior Secondary School.

He entered politics in 1960 and became the Kinango MP from 1961 to 1988. His mentor was the late Coast politician, Ronald Ngala, with whom he crossed over from the Kenya African Democratic Union to Kenya African National Union (Kanu).

He was later to become a mentor for many Coast politicians, including former Cabinet ministers, the late Shariff Nassir and Mr Noah Katana Ngala. Matano was among the founders of the Coast-based Shirikisho Party of Kenya (SPK) whose leader is Transport minister, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere.

He made his last public appearance last year when he was called to address SPK delegates at Reef Hotel in Mombasa after Mwakwere took over as Shirikisho party leader. Matano assured party members that "once a politician he would always remain one" and he would be available for consultation.

Matano had a chequered political career as a freedom fighter, a powerful Cabinet minister in both founding President Kenyatta and retired President Daniel Moi’s regimes, and later transformed himself to a rural farmer at his Mazeras village home. He wielded immense power when he succeeded former minister, Tom Mboya, who was assassinated in 1969.

During the Kenyatta and Moi regimes, Matano was known to be tough on matters of discipline that always made him differ with Kanu members.

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Sources: The Standard
Published on March 12, 2008,

Council slaps new charges on imports

March 10, 2008: The cost of imported goods is set to increase significantly following the introduction of new levies on containers stored in the private warehouses.

The new levy introduced by the Mombasa Municipal Council is to be charged at the rate of Sh1,700 per day for every container transferred to the port city’s Container Freight Stations (CFSs). It means that it will cost more to import any goods with importers transferring the additional costs to end users.

Eight container warehouses including Boss Freight Terminal, Siginon Freight, Mitchell Cotts, Consolbase, Awanad, Kipevu and Transami are licensed to handle undocumented goods.
Heavy congestion at Kenya Ports Authority’s container terminal in the past three years has seen these warehouses become important players in the transport and logistics business making them top candidates for revenue hunters.

Most importers transfer their containers to the CFSs stores upon expiry of KPA’s 7-day grace period. Such a transfer attracts an extra handling charge of $100 for 20 foot containers and $120 for every 40 foot container. KPA charges a $20 fee for every 20 foot container and $30 for every 40 foot container upon the expiry of the grace period.

Ministry of Transport officials said the new levy is illegal and asked the council to stop charging it immediately. “It must stop forthwith as it has no legal basis,” Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere told Ugandan importers in Kampala.

Mr Mwakwere assured port users in landlocked Uganda of a return to normalcy in port operations and Kenyan roads system after nearly two months of blockade following the outbreak of post-election violence on the new year’s eve.
To clear the backlog, Mr Mwakwere said the port authorities were allowing transit cargo to leave on a 24 hours-seven days basis. He told the Kenya-Uganda bilateral consultations meeting on trade and transport in Kampala that the entire Northern Corridor highway that was worst affected by Kenya’s post-election violence is now safe and secure.

Uganda is a dominant user of the Mombasa port and was significantly affected by the outbreak of post election turmoil in neighbouring Kenya. Complete blockade of the Northern Corridor road saw price of imported goods skyrocket in landlocked Uganda and Rwanda.
In Uganda, the cost of petrol more than tripled by mid February as rowdy youths blockaded the highway completely cutting the country’s supply of oil products.

Abdallah Mwaruwa, the KPA managing director, said containers are being transferred to inland depots in Nairobi, Kisumu and Eldoret for easy access to the owners.
John Byabagambi, Uganda’s acting Minister for Transport, said the signing of the peace deal by Kenya’s warring parties had assured the region of a return to normalcy.

He however urged the players to urgently address the challenge of non-tariff barriers to in the region. Mr Byabagambi urged the authorities to strengthen the initiatives that have been made to boost economic co-operation and enhance trade and investment in the region.
Kenya and Ugandan revenue authorities have already established joint verification processes at the Malaba border to speed up clearing of transit goods.
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Business Daily
story by written by Zeddy Sambu

Cargo transport to Uganda resumes

The Northern corridor in Kenya is now secure enough for transportation of cargo to Uganda.
This follows a brief hitch due to the post election violence that engulfed the country for most of the first two months of the year.

Transport minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere said normalcy has returned in all parts of the country and that the clearing of cargo at the Mombasa port is being done on a 24-hour basis to clear congestion.

Mwakwere who is leading a Kenyan delegation on a tour of Uganda said poll related violence had disrupted the economies of all landlocked countries in the region.
Uganda's acting transport Minister, John Byabagambi lauded the signing of the National Accord and Reconciliation pact between PNU and ODM as an indication that peace had been restored in Kenya.

__________________

Written By:Mac Kemoli ,

Posted: Sat, Mar 08, 2008

Work for peace urges Mwakwere

Coast leaders have urged politicians to stop lobbying for positions in the ongoing political realignment and instead work for peace and reconciliation.
Transport minister, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere, asked MPs not to jostle for regional or tribal appointments.

He urged them to focus on passing the Dialogue and Reconciliation Bill as agreed on during the joint parliamentary group meeting chaired by the President on Thursday.
"We need to change the Constitution and bring back peace that has been enjoyed by Kenyans since independence," he added.

Mwakwere said Coast residents want historical injustices and inequalities addressed.
He took issue with some leaders who have started demanding for positions based on the number of votes or the number of MPs they produced in Parliament.

"We need to give priority to the development agenda for Kenya. We need to move forward as a nation, not tribes," he said.

KENYA : GATEWAY TO AFRICA

The promotion of investment, trade and tourism are the major concerns of the Kenyan Embassy in the United Arab Emirates. It is for this reason that I welcome the decision by the Editor of this distinguished publication, which specialises in matters of investment, trade and industry, to focus on Kenya-UAE trade relations in its current issue. Kenya has indeed become an increasingly important trading partner for the United Arab Emirates. In addition to being the major supplier of oil to Kenya, the UAE has emerged as a favoured shopping destination to which Kenyans travel regularly to purchase household and office electronic appliances, automobile spare parts and motor vehicles.

While exact figures are not yet available, it is reasonable to estimate that bi-lateral trade last year was in the region of US$700,000. However, most of this is accounted for by Kenya’s imports from the United Arab Emirates. It is a challenge that Kenyan businessmen will need to tackle if they are to substantially reduce this unfavourable trade balance.

There are several investment opportunities in Kenya which businessmen from the UAE can take advantage of. In the agricultural sectors, there is a lot of potential in the horticultural, agro-processing, leather and livestock sectors. Kenya also prides herself with a very competitive manufacturing sector which includes paper production, textiles and apparel manufacturing, metal engineering and motor vehicle assembly.

Kenya’s tourism industry is one of the most advanced in the region boosted by a good infrastructure system. I urge more UAE nationals to take advantage of the beautiful Kenyan scenery and wildlife and tour our country.

To encourage investment in the country the Kenya government has carried out key economic reforms which have resulted in a fully liberalised economy. Some of these reforms include:

1) Abolishing export and import licencing except for a few items;
2) Rationalising and reducing export duties;
3) Freeing of the Kenya Shilling exchange rate to be determined by the market;
4) Removing restrictions on domestic borrowing by foreign-owned companies;5) And removing price controls.

These are only some of the basic reforms by the government which has also assured capital repatriation and remittance of dividends and interests to foreign investors. The Kenya constitution also provides a guarantee against expropriation of private property. I would thus encourage UAE businessmen to carry out trade visits to Kenya to establish, invest or have joint ventures with Kenyans. The Kenya government is committed to the political and economic reform process leading to sound economic policies and principles.

The outlook for the future is even more encouraging as Kenya prepares to face the new millennium with renewed vigour and enthusiasm. The President has taken personal interest in these reforms to the extent of personally chairing the Presidential Economic Commission on Economic Reforms.

Finally the launch of the East African Co-operation Treaty has created a common market of 80 million people providing an attractive potential for commerce and industry not only in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania but the whole of the Great Lakes region. Together with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the recently reinvigorated Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, a dynamic market of nearly 400 million people provides unlimited opportunities for the potential investor in Kenya. I welcome you to Kenya - the land of contrasts!

- H.E. Chirau Ali Mwakwere

Ambassador of Kenya (Former)

Embassy of the Republic of Kenya, Abu Dhabi

Kenya Ports hikes tariffs

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has introduced new port charges.
The move comes in the wake of protests by some port users in the clearing and forwarding section, who demanded a six-month extension following the effects of the recent political crisis on the transport sector.

The tariff generally raises costs of services at the port between 10 and 15 per cent.
KPA last reviewed port tariff 12 years ago, according to Harbour Master and Chief Operations Manager, Captain Twalib Khamis.

Khamis said the tariff affect marine services, shore-handling, stevedoring services and cargo storage. "The tariff is mainly a correction because in some areas the port charges have been reduced," said Khamis.
He said KPA embarked on the tariff rationalisation exercise in 2004 when it hired a consultant to study the port charges.

KPA convened a stakeholders’ meeting to review the tariffs before the Board of directors and Transport minister, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere, endorsed them.
KPA Managing Director, Mr Abdalla Mwaruwa, said the new tariffs were in effect from March 1, after a month’s extension, following a cargo pile up caused by post-election skirmishes.
Port users have been demanding an extension in implementation of the tariff by six months to ensure the effects of congestion are over.
Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (Kifwa) Mombasa Branch Chairman, Mr Peter Otieno said implementation of the tariff would hike the cost of doing business at the port.

"The one-month extension for the implementation of the new port tariff was too short because we are still suffering the effects of congestion. Transporters have already increased charges by $480 (Sh32,640) following the post-election violence," said Otieno.

He said consumers of cargo handled at the port would share the new costs.
"Although KPA has argued that the review of port tariff is long overdue because port users have increased their charges over the years, it has come at a time when we are facing hardships after the post election violence," said Otieno.

Last year, KPA signed for a Sh16 billion loan with a Japanese company for the building of a second container terminal at the port.
The corporation has also approved the deepening and widening of the approach channel and ship turning basin through dredging at a cost of Sh4 billion.

According to KPA, the tariff review would help in meeting targets in the performance contract arrangement, and increase income amidst rising inflation levels.

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Published on March 3, 2008,
Story by Patrick Beja

Tortuous road that led to power deal

Mr. Kofi Annan

Story by Athman Amran

The path that led to the signing of the power sharing deal between President Mwai Kibaki and Mr Raila Odinga had many hurdles.
The two adversaries had their swords drawn even before last year’s December 27 General Election. Emotions that would later burst open in violence and deaths when President Kibaki was declared winner had been whipped in earnest.
During the countdown to the General Election, there were ominous developments that pointed to the hard line stances that would be taken afterwards by both parties.

First there were allegations that the Government was dispatching Administration Police Officers countrywide to rig elections in favour of Kibaki and PNU.
Then there was the scary presence of heavily armed General Service Unit (GSU) personnel who cordoned off the Kenyatta Conference Centre (KICC) just before Kenyans voted. KICC was the vote tallying centre of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK).
The delay in the announcement of the presidential results and sudden unexplained surges of votes in favour of President Kibaki created further tension.
Then followed the hasty and unfamiliar circumstances in which the presidential results were announced.

This was crowned with a hasty swearing in of President Kibaki at State House, Nairobi. Countrywide violence, which had begun a day earlier, spread and worsened.
This marked the beginning of shadow boxing between President Kibaki and Raila. Kibaki said he won the election fairly and advised his opponent to go to court. Raila insisted the victory was stolen from him and that President Kibaki should step down and pave way for a re-run.
PNU was first playing the "strong-arm" card through use of brutal force to end violence. Then all "peaceful protests" by ODM and live broadcasts were banned.

The next card by the Government was to form a coalition with Mr Kalonzo Musyoka’s ODM-Kenya and pooling in MPs from other smaller parties.
This was designed to add PNU’s numerical strength in Parliament, where it expected the next war to be fought.
But with the rising death toll and destruction of property, PNU and ODM were alarmed.
The international community also expressed concern at the Kenyan situation.

No world leader, except Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, congratulated President Kibaki.
Then on January 1, 2008, British Prime Minister Mr Gordon Brown — in his New Year message — telephoned Raila and offered to intervene and end the chaos. The death toll had by then reached 300.
Raila had decided he would not meet face to face with President Kibaki. He accepted Gordon’s offer but with two conditions.
"The first condition is that President Kibaki must first step aside and publicly own up to the fact that he was not elected President. The second condition is that the negotiation must be done by mediators because I’m not willing to talk to him directly," the ODM leader said.
On January 2, several things happened.
Europe offered to assists
The US and the UK issued a joint statement, which quoted UK Foreign Secretary Mr David Milliband and his US counterpart Dr Condoleezza Rice pledging both diplomatic and political assistance to end the crisis.
"The immediate priority is to combine cessation of violence by their followers. We call on all political leaders to engage in a spirit of compromise that puts the democratic interests of Kenya first," they said.

The African Union (AU) announced that its delegation led by Ghana’s President John Kufuor was expected in the country.
A statement from AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said: "This visit is part of the AU efforts to assist in overcoming the post-electoral crisis facing Kenya."
Milliband and Rice supported the peace initiatives of the AU, EU and the Commonwealth.
Kibaki, in an attempt to resolve the issue internally, invited all MPs-elect from all political parties for a meeting at State House, Nairobi. The agenda of the meeting was unclear, so was its outcome.

A PPS dispatch later said 85 MPs-elect met the President who urged them to focus on issues that affect the people once Parliament is opened. No ODM or ODM-Kenya MP turned up.
Ignoring Kibaki’s gestures, Raila on January 3 said his team had identified former United Nations Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, former South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Kufuor for mediation.
Raila said he had talked to Brown, Rice and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
"All these leaders want peace and we have identified Annan, Kufuor and Tutu to negotiate but the Government has refused," said Raila.

Tutu had already arrived in the country at the invitation of the All Africa Conference of Churches to lead a delegation to mediate between the political adversaries to restore peace.
Tutu, after meeting with President Kibaki at State House, Nairobi, on January 4, said the President was willing to form a coalition government if the Opposition ended the post-election violence.
President Kibaki had also assured Tutu that once Parliament re-opens, the Government would reach out to find a solution.
But Tutu wanted the process initiated even before Parliament re-opens.
On January 5, Kibaki and Raila met separately with US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Dr Jendayi Frazer.

She noted that a solution to the crisis could not be found through "dishing out political seats" as President Kibaki had been suggesting. She said fundamental challenges that triggered the unrest had to be addressed.
On January 5, President Kibaki invited Raila to a meeting at State House, Nairobi on January 12. It was intended "to restore peace and resolve political crisis".
But Raila said he would only attend the meeting if it was part of the negotiation process that Kufuor was expected to spearhead.

A frustrated President Kibaki then formed a coalition government with Mr Kalonzo Musyoka’s ODM-Kenya on January 8.
Kalonzo was named Vice President in the "half-cabinet" comprising 17 ministers. This was seen as bait for ODM MPs who were hungry for Cabinet posts to jump ship and cut down the size of Raila’s party.
Kufuor arrived on the same day to facilitate dialogue between the Government and the Opposition.

On January 9, Kufuor managed to talk with President Kibaki at State House, Nairobi and later with ODM leaders at Hotel Intercontinental. But Kufuor’s mission flopped when President Kibaki and Raila failed to meet face-to-face to kick-off the dialogue.
The Ghanaian jetted out empty handed and passed the ball to Annan.
Former Presidents Mr Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, Sir Ketumile Masire of Botswana and Mr Joacquim Chissano of Mozambique also came on January 12 to help end post-election chaos.
On January 18, Kibaki appointed a committee to spearhead national political dialogue — headed by Kalonzo.

The committee was to represent the Government in negotiations led by Annan.
It also comprised Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti, Attorney General, Mr Amos Wako, Foreign Affairs minister, Mr Moses Wetangula and Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister, Ms Martha Karua. Others were Finance minister, Mr Amos Kimunya, Kanu chairman, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, Transport minister, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere and Mbooni MP, Mr Mutula Kilonzo.
ODM refused to work with the team. It accused Kalonzo of being a traitor.
Panel of eminent persons
But Annan’s arrival beamed a ray of hope. His team comprised Graca Machel, wife of former South African President Mr Nelson Mandela and former Tanzanian President Mr Benjamin Mkapa.
ODM and PNU selected four leaders each to form the National Dialogue Team to sit with Annan and his team.

PNU chose Karua, Education minister, Prof Sam Ongeri, and Kilonzo. Wetangula joined in later.
ODM chose Pentagon members, Mr Musalia Mudavadi and Mr William Ruto and Aldai MP, Dr Sally Kosgei, while Ugenya MP, Mr James Orengo, joined later.
The agenda of the Annan team was to ensure immediate stop to violence, restoration of fundamental rights and liberties and measures to be taken to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis and promotion of reconciliation and healing.
On political crisis, the issues would include power sharing, constitutional review and reform of the Electoral Commission of Kenya.
Annan’s fourth agenda is the discussion of long-term issues and solutions.
The ice was broken when on January 24 Annan managed to bring Raila and President Kibaki together for the first time since the announcement of disputed presidential election results on December 30.

The two leaders shook hands at Harambee House, Nairobi, after a face-to-face meeting in the presence of Machel, Annan and Mkapa.
Annan brought the two leaders together again on January 29 at County Hall, Nairobi.
On February 1, the first signs emerged that progress was being made in the talks. The Government and ODM agreed to hold joint rallies to stop the escalating violence and restore basic human rights. This was after a 10-hour meeting of the team headed by Annan. They had agreed there should be freedom of assembly, expression and press, to help end political turmoil.
On February 8, President Kibaki and Raila agreed to share power but PNU insisted the President should call the shots. ODM wanted an interim government based on party strength in Parliament.

On February 12, Annan suggested that a grand coalition was the best way to tackle the dispute. He was speaking at a Speaker’s Kamukunji at Old Parliament chambers.
His comment was not received well by the Government side, and the talks hit rough waters again.
Karua argued that no such agreement had been reached.
The team then moved to Kilaguni Serena Lodge to hammer out a final deal, which Annan had expected would be reached between 48 and 72 hours.
On February 15 he said: "I will not tire… I will be here as long as it takes to arrive at new Government. I will not be frustrated nor tire. I will pay the price of staying until we resolve the crisis". He was addressing an international press conference at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi after the retreat at Kilaguni.

At crucial and sensitive moments in the talks, the US, UK and the EU issued ultimatums that did not go down well with the Government.
On February 15, Bush said he was sending Rice to Kenya to deliver a message.
"In terms of Condi’s visit, the key is that the leaders hear from her first hand that the US desires to see that there be a power sharing agreement that will help this nation resolve its difficulties," Bush said.

Rice arrived on February 18 and talked of governance structures for real power sharing.
The talks however almost collapsed when on February 26 a member of PNU team engaged the panel in heated exchanges. The member made comments that stunned mediators and talks were suspended.

Annan then decided to engage with President Kibaki and Raila.
And as if in an orchestrated move, AU chairman and Tanzanian President, Mr Jakaya Kikwete, arrived on February 26. Two days later, Annan met Raila and President Kibaki to end a deadlock over the Prime Minister’s post.

Kibaki had wanted the Prime Minister and his two deputies to be appointed under current laws while waiting for a comprehensive review of the Constitution while Raila wanted a proper power sharing deal.

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THE SUNDAY STANDARD:

Published on March 2, 2008

Nairobi rail to service 90,000 people daily

Commuters within the city are likely to get better railway services as the Government plans to invest millions on the rail road system.

The Government is expected to invest Sh900 million on modernising existing railway lines that will help ease commuter transport in Nairobi.

Making the announcement during a tour of railways facilities the Minister for transport, Mr Chirau Ali Mwakwere, noted that the investment would enable the railway to service over 90,000 passengers daily.Commuter transport in the city is mainly served by the public service vehicles. The introduction of commuter trains is expected to help de-congest traffic on the major highways into the city centre as well as ease the transportation system in the city.

The railway lines are already in place but have been neglected by years of unuse leading to over grown grass, vandalism of some of rails and encroachment on railway land.“We are committed in reclaiming the encroached railway land which will be used for expansion and development of railway lines in Nairobi,” Mr Mwakwere noted.The expansion and revamp of the railway line will enable passengers to access various towns surrounding Nairobi like Limuru, Thika, Lukenya and Kitengela making it easier for commuters.

Commuters will also be able to travel to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on rail once the project is complete while a new branch line will be constructed connecting the airport to Embakasi according to the plans.A railway by-pass from Embakasi to Kibera will also be developed making it easier to move freight headed for Western Kenya.The money will also go toward the construction of a rail commuter terminal in Nairobi from where the commuter trains will be coordinated.

The investment is expected to create 470 direct jobs.Currently the commuter train from Dandora has been seized following the hold up of a train by youths for several hours to protest a shooting incident earlier in the week. The suspension of the train service has affected thousands of commuters who rely on the train.Following the break out of violence in various parts of the country parts of the railway, both in Nairobi and out of, have been vandalised costing both Kenya Railways Cooperation and Rift Valley Railways millions of shillings in lost business and repairs.

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Written by Wangui Maina

BUSINESS DAILY

March 03, 2008