People Daily Wednesday Edition Wednesday 16th 2023.

CONTROLLER OF BUDGET The counties leadership should take charge of the worsening pending bills situation to ensure genuine bills are paid promptly in the remaining months of the inancial year BREAK TIME AT DEVOLUTION CONFERENCE REPORTS ON PAGE 4&5 Wednesday, August 16, 2023 NO. www.pd.co.ke // www.epaper.pd.co.ke 07877 Kenya’s Newspaper NO1. FREE News Beat PG3, Sports PG30 Equity Bank earns Sh26.3b net profit in six months ‘despite tough times’ PAGE 13 Chef Maliha, star Okutoyi put Kenya on the world record map DO YOU HAVE A PENDING BILL STORY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? REACH OUT TO US [email protected] Governors owe suppliers Sh160b When will they pay?: As county bosses meet in Eldoret for Devolution Conference, the elephant in the room will be how much they owe and when they plan to settle old debts PAGE 2 Sh239.7b Amount governors spent on recurrent expenditure in the first nine months of the last financial year, according to the Controller of Budget Where is missing Sh8.8b? NHIF fails to answer News Beat PG 7 Governors pose for a team photo before facing off with senators in a football match at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium Eldoret yesterday ahead of today’s Governors Conference. President William Ruto will officially open the conference today. PD/JAMES GITAKA

2 NEWS BEAT PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 Kenyatta era minister Osogo dies at Kisumu hospital by Noel Wandera @PeopleDailyKe Former Budalang’i MP James Charles Nakhwanga Osogo (pictured), who has been one of the four surviving Jomo Kenyatta ministers has died after battling an illness. Osogo, 91, died yesterday afternoon at the Aga Khan hospital, Kisumu where he had been rushed for treatment. Family members who declined to be named told the People Daily that Osogo has been in and out of hospital over the last two years, ostensibly because of advanced age. Osogo was elected to the House of Representatives for Ruwambua, currently Budalang’i in 1963 and went on to be appointed as the first African Minister for Information and Broadcasting by the late Kenyatta at independence. He variously served in the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Agriculture, Local Government, Health and Foreign Affairs as a Cabinet minister. After the death of President Kenyatta in 1978, Osogo was retained by the late President, Daniel arap Moi, serving in his government as deputy leader of Government Business in Parliament, Minister for Agriculture and later Minister for Livestock. With the passing on of Osogo, only three Kenyatta era ministers are left alive, among them Nathan Munoko (Public Works), Isaac Omolo Okero (Power and Communication) and Daniel Mutinda (Information and Broadcasting). Born and raised in Bukani village in Bunyala District in 1932, Osogo attended St Mary’s Yala School. Busia, Garissa, Kisii, Kisumu, Kitui, Narok, Nyandarua, Trans Nzoia and Turkana. According to CoB, only Elgeyo Marakwet had cleared all its pending bills as of March 31 this year while Nyamira and Lamu county governments had the least pending bills of Sh90.2 million and Sh29.7 million respectively. According to the report, county governments had a total of Sh256.47 billion available for spending in the first nine months of FY 2022/23. “Total County Governments expenditure amounted to Sh239.67 billion where the recurrent expenditure was Sh209.95 billion while development expenditure amounted to Sh29.73 billion,” the report stated. Genuine bills Between February and March 2023, Nairobi and Kiambu’s pending bills rose by about Sh2billion and Sh1 billion respectively. “The counties leadership should take charge of the worsening pending bills situation to ensure genuine bills are paid promptly in the remaining months of the financial year,” the Controller of Budget stated in a message directed at Sakaja and Kiambu’s Kimani Wamatangi. To address the issue, some governors set up internal committees to verify eligible pending bills yielded positive results. Mombasa and Murang’a for instance, had lowered their pending bills by slightly below Sh1 billion by February this year. Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakong’o attributed the high pending bills to delays in disbursing the equitable share by the National Treasury saying that as at April 30, County Governments had not received the March and April 2023 disbursements. In the first nine months of FY 2022/23, the CoB had approved the disbursement of Sh183.15 billion as an equitable share of revenue raised nationally from the Consolidated Fund to the various County Revenue Funds. National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u has since cleared all IN BRIEF Only Elgeyo Marakwet had cleared all its pending bills as of March 31 this year. Nyamira and Lamu county governments had the least pending bills of Sh90.2 million and Sh29.7 million respectively as at 31st March, 2023. Governors owe suppliers Sh160b, says Nyakang’o by Samuel Kariuki @PeopleDailyKe As the eighth devolution conference gets underway in Eldoret this morning, 46 governors will be grappling with the billions their administrations owe suppliers since the advent of devolution in 2013. According to the latest report from the Office of the Controller of Budget, the current governors collectively owed suppliers a whopping Sh159.73 billion as at March this year, up from Sh158.80 billion the previous month, an indication that the figure could be much higher. According to CoB, only Elgeyo Marakwet had cleared all its pending bills as of March 31 this year while Nyamira and Lamu county governments had the least pending bills of Sh90.2 million and Sh29.7 million respectively. Twenty one governors are each grappling with pending bills of Sh1billion and above, with Nairobi’s Johnson Sakaja topping the list with a Sh102.8b debt to suppliers, according to the CoB’s County Governments Budget Implementation Review Report (CGBIRR) for the first nine months of the 2022/23 financial year between July 2022 and March 2023. The governors of Wajir, Kiambu and Mombasa are grappling with Sh5.38 billion, Sh5.33 billion and Sh4.91 billion bills respectively, raising fears of possible litigation by aggrieved suppliers. Also owing suppliers billions in pending bills include Machakos (Sh2.88b), Murang’a (Sh2.66 b), Kilifi (Sh2.18b), Mandera (Sh2.12b), Kajiado (Sh2.06b) and Tana River (Sh2.01b). Embu and Meru county governments on their part owe suppliers Sh1.55b each. Other county governments owing suppliers pending bills over Sh1billion include Controller of Budget notes Nairobi and Kiambu top list of counties with high unpaid bills as of March 31, 2023 Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakong’o. PD/FILE dues owed to counties at the beginning of the current financial year. Nyakang’o noted that the change of county administrations after last year’s general election, and the requirement to undertake a verification process of pending bills has taken time and has also led to a rise in pending bills. She said: “Untimely approval of supplementary budget estimates to adopt prioryear pending bills in the current budget, political interference and refusal by successive governments to honour obligations led to payment delays.” She faulted county governments for allowing the pending bills to soar while they retained cash in the County Resource Funds (CRF) accounts. “Baringo has high pending bills amounting to Sh173.96 million as of 31st March 2023. This is despite the availability of cash in the CRF account, which stood at Sh780.65 million at the end of the first nine months of FY 2022/23,” Nyakang’o said in the report. Additionally, Nyakang’o identified several fiscal malpractices in the counties which she said were hampering effective budget implementation. Diversion of funds meant to pay pending bills by the County Treasury, she said and poor budgeting practices caused counties to incur expenditure over approved exchequer issues in several departments. She urged counties to automate their payrolls and desist from the use of manual payrolls to curb fraud by corrupt county officials. “The manual payroll is prone to abuse and may lead to loss of public funds where there is lack of proper controls,” the report reads. It adds: “The Government policy is that salaries should be processed through the Integrated Payroll Personnel Database (IPPD) system, counties are advised to fast-track the acquisition of Unified Personnel Numbers for their staff.” In some counties, Nyakang’o flagged WORLD NEWS Page 12 MPs approve Ahmara state of emergency OPINION Page 11 Why data is new currency in shaping opinions today POINTERS WEATHER TODAY Nairobi 25° Mombasa 28° Kisumu 31° Nyeri 22° Kitui 29° Wajir 34° COUNTY DEVELOPMENT EXPENDITURE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE TOTAL EXPENDITURE Baringo 30,013,574 143,941,829 173,955,402 Bomet 492,445,379 56,826,717 549,272,096 Bungoma 323,679,681 563,143,288 886,822,969 Busia 1,007,451,956 487,827,795 1,495,279,751 Elgeyo Marakwet - - - Embu 998,090,239 556,118,238 1,554,208,477 Garissa 1,111,564,051 36,901,187 1,148,465,238 Homa Bay 717,539,614 95,031,975 812,571,589 Isiolo - - 761,333,360 Kajiado - - 2,065,350,907 Kakamega 74,684,105 59,633,472 134,317,577 Kericho 330,746,843 119,108,976 449,855,819 Kiambu 4,281,334,552 1,052,326,528 5,333,661,080 Kilifi 922,065,050 1,266,900,254 2,188,965,304 Kirinyaga 160,515,073 230,887,476 391,402,549 Kisii 952,120,694 329,061,290 1,281,181,984 Kisumu 1,449,632,427 - 1,449,632,427 Kitui 1,431,226,010 - 1,431,226,010 Kwale - 176,069,907 176,069,907 Laikipia - - 831,657,473 Lamu 12,257,162 17,448,853 29,706,014 Machakos 979,348,205 1,903,617,823 2,882,966,028 Makueni 237,294,284 189,098,406 426,392,690 Mandera - - 2,127,291,446 Marsabit 908,112,530 44,162,996 952,275,526 Meru 779,616,563 779,616,563 1,559,233,126 Migori 94,786,881 338,493,823 433,280,704 Mombasa 1,728,214,417 3,176,802,187 4,905,016,604 Murang’a 280,157,083 2,381,577,035 2,661,734,118 Nairobi City - - 102,805,706,601 Nakuru - - 874,392,321 Nandi 598,288,427 275,471,365 873,759,792 Narok 387,748,363 898,437,922 1,286,186,285 Nyamira 44,904,131 45,380,633 90,284,764 Nyandarua 682,586,310 401,573,404 1,084,159,714 Nyeri 22,838,286 115,883,677 138,721,963 Samburu 374,607,071 150,140,000 524,747,071 Siaya 187,123,700 239,063,598 426,187,298 TaitaTaveta 568,182,182 328,739,844 896,922,026 Tana River 1,251,398,014 758,708,243 2,010,106,257 TharakaNithi 121,731,906 580,416,569 702,148,475 Trans Nzoia 673,361,156 345,039,465 1,018,400,621 Turkana 394,618,240 803,568,901 1,198,187,141 Uasin Gishu 170,226,470 94,326,078 264,552,548 Vihiga 503,242,477 293,434,496 796,676,973 Wajir 3,910,617,998 1,471,737,162 5,382,355,160 West Pokot 139,145,069 124,429,770 263,574,839 TOTAL 29,333,516,172 20,930,947,745 159,730,196,024 inconsistencies in financial reporting noting that the expenditures by programme and sub-programmes did not tally with the expenditure reporting of departments and the report on expenditure by economic classification.

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY NEWS BEAT 3 by Jasmine Atieno and BBC @PeopleDailyKe Mombasa-based chef Maliha Mohammed has set a new world record for the longest home kitchen cooking marathon. Maliha shattered the record after her 95 hours cookathon, as of yesterday morning. She streamed her latest fete live on her Tiktok and Instagram accounts, breaking the record set in 2018 by American Rickey Lumpkin II, according to the Guinness World Records. This is not the first time Maliha is making attempts at breaking this record. In 2019, she cooked for 75 hours nonstop at the Kenya Bay Beach resort in Mombasa County. However, Guinness handed the cooking marathon record to Indian chef Lata Tondon, who completed a cooking marathon of 87 hours and 45 minutes beating Maliha by 12 hours, 45 minutes. First attempt She had made her first attempt at breaking the world record in 2018, cooking for 72 hours. “When I did my Marathon in August 2019, which was 75 hours, I did not know that the Indian Chef Lata Tondon had also entered to break the same record in September, breaking the last record with a marathon of 87 hours and 45 minutes in September 2019. I did not know about this entry. There were also monetary challenges so after finishing my marathon, it took some time before I sent in my evidence in December for verification, due to such delays, Guinness World Records only recognized Chef Tondon,” shares the Chef. The latest competition is among the three world records from Guinness World Records that Maliha had set out to break this year, doing the first marathon on June 16 when she cooked over 100 recipes in 55 hours nonstop. She will now prepare to also break the record set by Nigerian Celebrity Chef, Hilda Basi, who cooked nonstop for 100 hours. In response to criticism that she was imitating Ms Baci, Maliha explained that she applied for her attempt in December 2022. Anyone seeking to break a Guinness record needs to submit an application and get approval from the body for their record to stand. “I want to change the storyline of my generations to come. There are a lot of people who look up to me, my family, and more importantly my daughters who have also been my greatest motivation. I want to show them that it is possible to achieve whatever they put their minds to,” she shares. In her latest challenge, Maliha cooked 320 Swahili, Kenyan, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and international dishes. Chef Maliha Mohammed savours her achievenment on Monday. COURTESY Chef Maliha cooks for over 90 hours in race for record Longest home kitchen cooking marathon broken by Chef Maliha Mohammed from Kenya, Guiness to ratify British envoy Wigan in town to take over from Marriott by Antony Nganga @PeopleDailyKe The new British High Commissioner for Kenya, Neil Wigan, has arrived in Nairobi to replace Jane Marriott who has been posted to Pakistan. Wigan arrived from Israel where he was ambassador for the last four years. “It has been a long-term ambition of mine to lead the team at the British High Commission in Nairobi,” the new envoy said on arrival. “I first visited Kenya in 1977. My children went to school in Nairobi, and I have visited Kenya many times, for work and pleasure. I am delighted to have returned.” According to Gov.UK, Wigan was the Director for Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from November 2015 to September 2018. He then served as British ambassador to Somalia (June 2013 to July 2015) and to the Democratic Republic of Congo from March 2010 to March 2013. He has also worked in the Cabinet Office, for the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Adviser and with Middle Eastern and EU economic issues within the FCO. Wigan holds a BA from Oxford University and an MSc in Economics from the University of London. The UK is the largest international investor in Kenya and is Kenya’s fifth largest export market. “I look forward to working with the Government of Kenya on the priorities of our Strategic Partnership, particularly the Sh500 billion of UK investment in clean, green infrastructure projects including the Nairobi Railway City, the Menengai geothermal plant, Grand High Falls Dam and the Malindi Solar Expansion project,” he said in a press statement. “These projects, among others, will improve the lives of Kenyans, boost sustainable development, and help tackle climate change. I look forward to seeing these projects and other UK-Kenya partnerships,” said Wigan. Wigan will replace Jane Marriot who has served in the capacity for four years now. Prior to this appointment, Jane Marriott, 47, was the high commissioner to Kenya since September 2019. She would be replacing Dr Christian Turner, who left Pakistan in January after serving as the envoy since December 2019. “The first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane, is due to take up her role in mid-July,” the British High Commission in Islamabad said in a statement. Petitioner asks Parliament to ban TikTok videos by Anthoy Mwangi @PeopleDailyKe A petition has been tabled in parliament seeking to ban Tik Tok in the country. The petitioner, Bob Ndolo, has asked Parliament to take immediate actions to safeguard Kenyans from the negative effects arising from use of the platform. He avers that in Kenya, the Internet application is not regulated by the Communications Authority of Kenya, leading to failure to remove or block content deemed to be inappropriate or offensive. According to him, while Tiktok has gained popularity among the youth in Kenya, the content being shared on the platform is inappropriate and promote violence, explicit sexual content, hate speech, vulgar language and offensive behaviour which is a serious threat to the cultural and religious values of Kenyans. The petitioner further avers that TikTok has been implicated in several privacy scandals over the past years. For instance, in 2019, the app was fined $5.7 million by the USA Federal Trade Commission for illegally collecting personal information from children under the age of 13 by collecting data such as names, email addresses, and locations from young users without their parents’ consent thus violating Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. “The petitioner alleges that TikTok collects a significant amount of data on its users including information about their device, location and browsing history and sharing with third-party companies without users’ consent,” stated Speaker Moses Wetangúla while presenting the petition. Members however opposed the petition saying that world had come digital and that the country could not run away from the social media culture which is sweeping the world. Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wah called for the regulation of Tik Tok as opposed to banning saying the forum was becoming popular among the youths who had gone to the extent of commercializing it. “Many of us, including myself are on TikTok, unashamedly and there’s nothing criminal or evil being on TikTok. “I’m also on Snapchat and all these apps are my teenage daughters who have downloaded them on my phone and shown me how to use them,” said Ichung’wa. He said outright banning will also be killing careers saying he has been to some establishment in Lavington where youths are established a digital village. “In fact, around the country it’s part of government efforts to establish studios where young men and women back in our villages can have studios where they can create for use on TikTok, Whatsapp, and all these apps,” Ichung’wah said. Leader of minority Opiyo Wandayi said, “I’m of the very strong view that in this digital age, we cannot as a country afford to live in isolation. Therefore, it will be foolhardy even to contemplate not only TikTok but any other app.” Mahila broke the record of 68 hours, 30 minutes, and 1 second on Monday, August 14, recording a new time of 68 hours, 30 minutes and 2 seconds. COURTESY

Major hotels are fully booked as thousands of delegates stream into Eldoret for the summit by Wycliff Kipsang @cliffsang08 Uasin Gishu county enjoyed booming business on the first day of the devolution conference that kicked off yesterday with more than 10,000 attending the five-day event. Major hotels are expected to benefit from the conference as the many remained fully booked. Arrangements have been made for the visitors who fail to get accommodation in Eldoret to be hosted in the neighbouring regions including Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi and Trans Nzoia counties. Lake Bogoria Spa Resort in Baringo County Manager Lydia Tendewo said they are ready to accommodate the visitors. “We have enough accommodation facilities and we are ready to host our visitors to experience the healing of Lake Bogoria hot water and hospitality,” Tendewo said. Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii said his administration has set its eyes to use the devolution conference to market itself as an ideal investment hub. “The conference is a rare opportunity that will bring top country leadership and many high-level local and international guests to our County. We must be prepared to welcome them as a County. The event will also prove Eldoret’s readiness to be elevated to a city,” said Bii. Significant milestones According to Bii, the momentous event will also reflect on significant milestones that have been achieved since the establishment of devolution. He said the devolution conference will also be an opportunity to unite the whole country noting that President William Ruto, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua and Azimio leader Raila Odinga will grace the Traders to reap big during the devolution conference Neema African prints from Nairobi County showcasing some of their wares at the ongoing devolution conference at the Eldoret Sports Club, Eldoret . PD/JAMES GITAKA event on different days. The county government has given the thousands of delegates and visitors expected to attend the conference a special welcome by the hosts. The Department of culture has selected a number of cultural groups that have been mandated to sing and entertain visitors arriving at the Eldoret International Airport. Uasin Gishu County Culture Director Mohammed Dakane said the dance and songs is a way of warmly welcoming the visitors and giving them an assurance that the county is ready to host them. “We’re here at the airport receiving delegates and visitors welcoming them for the Devolution Conference. We are here to tell them Uasin Gishu is ready for the conference. We’ve prepared good entertainment groups and we’ve entertainment all groups. We’re happy for what we’re doing,” said Dakane. Service delivery President William Ruto will officially open the event tomorrow at the Eldoret Sports Club. The theme of this year’s conference is: “10 years of devolution: The present and the future.” The governors are set to focus on the last 10 years of devolution and explore locally and internationally recognised methods to help strengthen the systems and ensure transformed service delivery to its citizenry across the 47 counties. The conference will also present an ideal opportunity for counties which come under the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) to showcase itself as potential investment hub in tourism, sports and agriculture among others. BUSINESS BOOST Major hotels are expected to benefit from the conference as the many remained fully booked. Arrangements have been made for the visitors who fail to get accommodation in Eldoret to be hosted in the neighbouring regions. Parents in Finland saga agree to put off protests ahead of summit byWinstone Chiseremi @PeopleDailyKe Hundreds of parents and students who had planned to disrupt the devolution conference that is set to be officially opened by President William Ruto today over the botched Finland and Canada airlift education programme have called off their mission some hours to the start of the much-awaited event. The decision to put on hold the protest until after the devolution conference came in the wake of a night long meeting the county’s top leadership led by Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii and Senator Jackson Mandago held with representatives of the affected parents and students on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Confirming the cancellation of the protests, Kimutai Kirui who has been spearheading the protests to demand for refund of millions of shillings they spent on the bungled student programme said they took the move after the two county leaders assured them that the Head of State had accepted to intervene in their plight. Planned demonstrations Speaking to the media in Eldoret, Kirui who was accompanied by the parents and students also explained that the governor and senator assured them of the President’s commitment to address their concerns in the shortest time possible. “Indeed, we held a night long crisis meeting with the Governor on Sunday and also the Senator called us for another meeting on Saturday where they impressed upon us to call off the planned demonstration on the day the President is set to open the devolution conference saying they were ready and willing to refund the money,” said Kirui. He said that it was out of the respect they have for the Head of State that they talked to the parents and students to halt the planned protest which they agreed to anonymously yesterday. Shadrack Juma, another affected parent, warned that they will resume the protests starting next Monday if their demands will not have been met by the regional government. “We have decided to call of the planned demonstration at the Eldoret Sport Club where the Head of State is scheduled to grace the event now that we have been assured of the refund of millions we spend on the botched Finland and Canada airlift programme,” said Juma, The cancellation of the protest is a big relief to the organisers of the five-day event. Alleged embezzlement Enraged parents had vowed to paralyse the event to protest against the alleged embezzlement of more than Sh800 million by a section of the Uasin Gishu county administration. A team of sleuths from the Ethic and Anti-Corruption Commission and Directorate of Criminal Investigations from Nairobi have commenced a probe in the matter. by Yusuf Masibo @PeopleDailyKe Bungoma governor Kenneth Lusaka (pictured) has issued a stern warning to his county ministers who were out to sabotage his cordial working relationship with members of the county assembly. Lusaka warned that he will not tolerate any officer who will undermine the assembly leadership. Speaking at Kibabii University when he launched the County Integrated Plan (CIDP), Lusaka told his County Executive Committee (CEC) members to respect MCAs or ship out of his administration “We have been working well with the assembly leadership, so it will not be business as usual if I find you trying to create rifts amongst us,” said Lusaka. Lack respect The governor was reacting to complaints from MCAs that some of his CECs were too bossy and lack respect for them. “Governor, there are some of your chief officers who are sabotaging your leadership by undermining us,” said Meshack Museveni of Mukuyuni ward. He threatened to name the officers in public fora if the governor was not going to move swiftly and put his house in order. Good relationship “I can’t mention their names today but I will do it in other fora if they don’t change,” said Museveni. Lusaka promised the MCAs that their good working relationship will continue as he was going to put his house in order. “I am going to do housekeeping and I am assuring you we shall continue having that good relationship,” Lusaka promised. He said the CIDP will enable him fulfil the campaign pledges he made to Bungoma residents. Lusaka warns CECs over conflict with Assembly Members Parents and students who have been demonstrating over the botched Canada and Finland education scholarship program on Tuesday called off protests with the hope President William Ruto will address their plight. PD/JAMES GITAKA 8TH DEVOLUTION CONFERENCE PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 4 NEWS BEAT

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY NEWS BEAT 5 Chepkonga bill to quell perennial rivalry between senators and MPs by Rawlings Otieno @PeopleDailyKe The rivalry between the Senate and the National Assembly will be a thing of the past if a new bill is passed. The Houses of Parliament (Bicameral Relations) Bill, 2023 sponsored by National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee Samuel Chepkonga (Ainabkoi) seeks to foster the relationship between the two Houses by prescribing procedures for ensuring seamless consideration of the legislative business of each of them. All Bills passed by the National Assembly and which affect devolution must also be debated and passed in the Senate before they can be signed into law. In the past, conflict between the two Houses has affected, among other things, the amount of money that counties get as shareable revenue from the national government. Proposed law Now, the proposed law outlines matters relating to the publication and the enacting of formula Bills and Acts of Parliament so as to standardise the practice between the Houses. “The Bill provides for the seamless processing of matters of a bicameral nature by the Houses of Parliament and a mode of resolving any disputes that may arise between the Houses. The bill shall be considered by both Houses,” reads part of the Bill. The bill further provides a framework for determining bills that do not require a joint resolution by the Speakers, those to be exclusively considered only by the National Assembly, bills not concerning county governments and those concerning county governments. “The bill provides for the publication of Bills originating from either Houses of Parliament, the enacting formula and imposes timelines for such publication to cure scenarios where government printer at times delays in the printing of the Bill requests,” it reads.The bill also provides for the use of alternative dispute resolution mechanism to resolve disputes in keeping with the judicial principles outlined under article 159 (2) (c) of the Constitution. Respective funtions “Where a dispute arises between the House relating to the discharge of their respective functions, the House shall use alternative forms of dispute resolution in seeking to resolve the dispute and shall before seeking redress in a court on any dispute relating to the discharge of their respective functions, first exhaust the alternative dispute resolution mechanism,” reads part of the bill. The National Assembly and the Senate shall, upon commencement of this Act prescribe under their respective Standing Orders joint rules for the conduct of the joint sittings. by Winstone Chiseremi @PeopleDailyKe Governors from the cotton growing regions in the country want the government to help address the issue of monopoly in the textile sector if efforts to revive the collapsed industry are to succeed. The governors led by Julius Malombe and Andrew Mwadime of Kitui and Taita Taveta counties respectively said majority of the ginneries were owned by individuals. They said that cotton farmers were under the mercy of owners of the ginneries who dictate what price per kilo they buy from the farmers after selling the crop seedlings. Stakeholders meeting The governors who included Simon Kachapin of West Pokot were speaking during a meeting of stakeholders from the sector held at an Eldoret hotel in an event that was graced by Cabinet Secretary for Trade Moses Kuria. DEVOLUTION CONFERENCE Governors in cotton growing regions want the government to address the issue of monopoly in the textile industry. This, they say is the only way to revive the collapsed sector. They said that cotton farmers were under the mercy of owners of the ginneries who dictate what price per kilo they buy from the farmers. Governors urge State to revive cotton industry MALOMBE Our cotton farmers are a frustrated lot due to the issue of monopoly which the national government has to come in and address. They say if the government is to succeed in reviving the textile sector, the issue of monopoly and control by ginnery owners must be addressed Kitui Governor Julius Malombe (2nd left) and other county officials and national leaders during a tour of Eldoret-based Rivatex company in Uasin Gishu county on Monday. PD/WINSTONE CHISEREMI National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee Samuel Chepkonga. The forum was convened by the CS ahead of the devolution conference which kicked off yesterday at Eldoret Sport Club. Malombe said that it will be an uphill task to revamp the collapsed textile industry if the government does not move in with speed to address the thorny issue of monopoly by a few ginnery owners in the country. “Our cotton farmers are a frustrated lot due to the issue of monopoly which the national government has to come in and address the problem if it expects the sector to start on a right footing,” said Malombe. Addressing the meeting, the CS reiterated the government’s commitment to look into the challenges facing cotton farmers by helping them to form cooperative societies. He stated that farmers will use their societies to enter into contract with ginneries and other textile companies when selling their crop or source for seedlings. “The government is set to supply free cotton seedling to farmers across the country in its efforts to revitalise the sector and also create employment to our youths,” said Kuria. Principal Secretary for Industry Juma Mukhwana said the government will upscale the planting of cotton from the current 40,000 acres of land to 200,000 next year in order to meet the demand in the textile industries. “Plans are underway to source for 60 tons of cotton seedling from West African countries to be distributed to cotton growing counties of Siaya, Busia, Migori, Elgeyo Marakwet, Taita Taveta and Kisumu,” said Mukhwana. 8TH DEVOLUTION CONFERENCE

6 NEWS BEAT PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 by Dennis Lumiti @PeopleDailyKe Some sugar cane farmers in Kakamega yesterday protested over closure of some sugar factories. The farmers said they were going through tough times as their cane had matured but they have to wait until October to have it harvested. “My cane was already matured last month when I was informed that the government had imposed a three-month ban on harvesting. It is now wasting away and being stolen,” said Kevin Mulamula, a farmer from Lurambi constituency. It is tough times for the growers following the closure of three millers located in Kakamega. Agriculture Food Authority (AFA) ordered closure of the factories to give room for maturity of sugarcane. There has been intense competition for cane, especially after Mumias Sugar resumed operations. There has been a sugar crisis in the larger Western region following neglect of the sugar industry by key stakeholders. Mature cane crisis Desperation has engulfed the county as the farmers grapple with hard economic times as they have nowhere to deliver their cane. Leaders from the county said the 90- day suspension was harsh to some of the growers, especially those whose cane had matured for harvesting. “This blanket suspension on canecrushing by sugarcane factories which are located mainly in the Western region has had detrimental impact on thousands of families,” said Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe. “Here in Kakamega, for instance, families are going hungry and have no fees Reopen sugar factories now, farmers urge State They say cane is rotting in the farms due to the abrupt closure directive by AFA to allow produce to mature Boost for traders as new Githurai market receives free Internet by Oliver Musembi @PeopleDailyKe The new five-storey Githurai market in Ruiru constituency, Kiambu county, has received 12 active public Wi-Fi access points seven days after the official opening by President William Ruto. The Wi-Fi access points with a capacity of serving more than 4,000 users at one time are meant to benefit the traders in the facility that was officially opened on August 5 by Ruto during his tour to the Mt Kenya region. Speaking during an assessment tour at the market, ICT Authority chief executive Stanley Kamanguya noted that the public Wi-Fi will drive e-commerce and the digital economy. At the same time, area MP Simon King’ara asked the more than 15,000 traders to remain calm, promising that they will get their rightful share in the allocation of the 1,500 market stalls in the building amid murmurs that there is a move by the Kiambu county government to bring in people from elsewhere. The traders who are yet to move to the new market told the county government officials not to interfere with the allocation of the stalls. King’ara told the traders to be patient particularly those who fail to be allocated stalls in the new building, adding that the government plans to construct a similar one next to it. “This is Phase One of the project which can accommodate about 1,500 traders. The rest will continue to operate in the open market awaiting construction of Phase Two,” said the legislator. King’ara downplayed the conflict between market traders and the county government, saying that he has reached out to Governor Kimani Wamatangi for an amicable solution. The traders led by Githurai Pamoja Traders chairperson Peris Wambui had said they will not allow people to be brought from outside to occupy the market which they have fought to be actualised for seven years. Squatters seek president’s help to unlock decades-old land row by Oliver Musembi @PeopleDailyKe A group of squatters from Kiambu county want the government to resolve a 27-yearold land dispute, even as they elected new officials to fight for justice. Through their newly elected officials led by the chairman Philip Makau (pictured), they reiterated their plea to President William Ruto to come to their rescue and ensure justice prevails while accusing local administrators of conspiring with land cartels to deny them their rights. The more than 2,000 residents, who are members of Kamiti Forest Squatters Association, have been living in temporary structures on a 419-acre parcel which is still gazetted as a forest, since 1996 when former president Daniel Arap Moi directed that they be settled there. Irregularly allocated Makau told journalists that the initial beneficiaries of the allocation were 500, but over the years, the population has grown to more than 2,000 whereas other outsiders were allocated land parcels irregularly by administrators. The residents met and elected 13 officials to represent them, two weeks after a meeting they had planned to hold was cancelled by the administration at the last minute. Titanium firm allowed to mine by Munira Mandano @PeopleDailyKe Exploration of minerals has entered the second phase in four villages within Msambweni constituency where residents had refused to give consent to Base Titanium Mining Company for the exercise to take place on their pieces of land. Speaking to journalists during an interview Ali Masemo, the company’s government and community relations superintendent said Zigira, Magaoni, Masindeni and Majikuku villagers had initially refused to offer their land for mining but they changed their mind. “We earlier had a challenge with the 4 villages but now we are glad that that through dialogue they have given us their consent and currently exploration has entered the second phase in all the four villages,” Masemo said. Masemo also said that they are currently examining the amount of minerals in the villages. “We have a capacity building programme for the villagers on each and every activity we conduct during the exploration exercise we want the villagers to be aware on every step we make on their pieces of land,” he said. Full involvement Masemo noted that earlier the community had lamented that they were not being involved on whatever activities are being done on their land hence the company considered involving them fully throughout the process. “On the villages that we did not get minerals we also informed the villagers and those that we get minerals we inform them that minerals have been detected on their land,” he said. to pay for their children when they return to school for the third term. Some already have huge fees arrears. I foresee a major crisis next month,” he added. Spot-checks by the People Daily established that thousands of workers at Mumias, West Kenya and Butali sugar factories had been sent home leaving their work stations desolate. So are the workers hired by transporters, suppliers and other business that deal directly or indirectly with the millers. “This closure was not well-thoughtout because this was not the right time to take such a decision. It has caused suffering. Imagine the workers who are at home, many of whom have not been paid and hundreds with huge salary arrears,” said George Muruli, a cane farmer from Shinyalu constituency. He added: “More than 1,000 trucks and tractors are lying idle in yards. One truck has a driver and two assistants. That means more than 3,000 Kenyans will have no income to feed their families during this period.” Another farmer, Raphael Welimo, pointed out that many residents from the county who were developing interest in cane growing would abandon it altogether and, thus, further affect operations of the millers due to insufficient raw materials. Kakamega County Government has organised a sugar conference on September 8. Governor Fernandes Barasa said the conference would bring together stakeholders from the entire Lake region to address the challnges in the sector. “We will hold a sugar conference next month to discuss issues bedevelling the sector, especially in Western and Nyanza regions. We have invited President William Ruto to be with us as we work to find a lasting solution to troubles in the industry,” he said. Nyakach MP Joshua Aduma Owuor (centre) with Charles Atyang (right), address the press in Muhoroni sugar belt. They demanded that the sugar factories be re-opened. PD/ KEPHER OTIENO COUNTY NEWS

Maasai Market marvels Traders in Maasai Market next to Nairobi’s Michuki Memorial Park interact with customers yesterday. The open-air market is known for its vibrant display of African print wear, bead work, traditional crafts and artwork. PD/NJENGA KUNGU by Mercy Mwai @wangumarci The National Dialogue Committee has 60 days to submit a report on its deliberations in Parliament, National Assembly Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wa has said. Ichung’wah (pictured) made the remarks on the day he tabled a Motion seeking to have the committee formally constituted by both Houses of Parliament. In the Motion, Ichung’wah stressed the need to establish an inclusive forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus building that will promote the peace, stability and prosperity of the country. The Motion is expected to be tabled in the Senate once it resumes its sittings next Tuesday. He added: “The Majority Party in Parliament and the Minority Party in Parliament have agreed to embrace dialogue through the establishment of a National Dialogue Committee to recommend a way forward on issues of concern to the people of Kenya.” Ichung’wah tables motion to entrench Bomas talks in law Clerics: Sex education indecent for Grade 7 pupils Catholic bishops have criticized plans to introduce Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) in Grade Seven, saying some of the content is explicit and inappropriate for learners at that level. The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), led by Rev Paul Kariuki Njiru yesterday, asked the Ministry of Education to recall the inclusion of reproductive health education content in all Grade Seven books. Njiru, who is also the Commission for Education and Religious Education chairman, said the content sexualizes the learning environment and would contribute to high rate of teenage pregnancies and abortions. He said they had sampled a few books targeted at Grade Seven learners and noted a “worrying trend” in terms of content. “For instance, Grade Seven learners’ book titled ‘Top Scholar Health Education’ by Kenya Literature Bureau under Strand 7 on Human Reproductive Health, sub-strand 7.2 on reproductive health page 127 and Grade Seven Teacher’s guide titled ‘Health Education in Action’ by Oxford University press under strand 7 on human reproductive health sub-strand 7.2 on reproductive health page 153, have created room for introduction of family planning and encouragement of use of contraception to very young learners,” said Njiru. He made the remarks on the sidelines of a Catholic Schools Principals Association conference at Catholic University of Eastern Africa. “The mischievous and behind the scenes introduction of CSE defies the narrative sold to Kenyans that the Competency Based Curriculum is based on values and any education given would be age appropriate,” he said. Njiru said the content they have raised was against the Ministry of Education policy that children should not be exposed to such explicit content. “Our position as KCCB is to focus on what imparts knowledge, values and life skills to our children and molds them for a better tomorrow. CSE seeks not to brighten any child’s future but in our view, exposes them to disruption from the widely celebrated education goals,” he said. NHIF under fire over Sh9b spending by Mercy Mwai @wangumarci MPs were yesterday told that the national health insurer paid Work Injury Benefits Act (WIBA) premiums totalling Sh9 billion yet the total claims made by patients stood at only Sh200 million. At a meeting with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) acting Chief Executive Samson Kuhora, MPs concluded that based on the figures, some people had hatched a plan to swindle Kenyans of at least Sh8.8 billion. Led by National Assembly Health Committee chairperson Robert Pukose (Endebess), the MPs said NHIF should reconsider paying such high premiums. Said Pukose: “You cannot be paying Sh9 billion to insurance companies. This is clearly a cash cow for some individuals. It is against this that we will be coming up with a recommendation that we will take to the House for approval.” He added: “We are aware that the fraud that is happening in NHIF is not about the Members of Parliament question payment of insurance premiums for work injury benefits He, however, told MPs that payouts to individuals went up during the Covid-19 period as the institutions had to support government officers who sought their intervention. “The scope related to the management of Covid-19 is what pushed the premiums as we had to support the workers. We supported around 599,000 workers,” he said. But MPs accused him of lying on oath as the national health insurer did not pay for Acting NHIF Chief Executive Samson Kuhora responds to questions from members of the Health committee of the National Assembly yesterday. PD/ KENNA CLAUDE system alone but also human interference. The blame is not only quality assurance people but also the claims people at the headquarters. Now that you want to protect them, this committee will make a decision about this matter that will not be very good to some of you.” Mwea MP Mary Maingi wanted NHIF to explain whether they had put in place measures to reduce the premiums being paid as they were too high. She said: “You paid premiums worth Sh9 billion yet the claims are only Sh200 million. Could you tell us whether someone is thinking outside the box about this or this is a cash cow for you people?” Significant jump Nyeri town MP Duncan Mathenge sought to know why the premiums for WIBA have been increasing on a yearly basis compared to other insurance schemes being offered by NHIF. “When I look at your document, I can see that in the 2020/2021 financial year, there was an increase in claims from Sh833 million to Sh2 billion in the 2022/2023 financial year. Could you explain why there is a significant jump in this, what is causing this,” he said. Kuhora admitted that there was low payout but sought for more time to get details on how the payouts were done. Covid patients as this expense was catered for by the government. Said Maingi: “Chairman the CEO is not telling us the truth. NHIF did not pay for Covid patients. This was catered for by the government.” Added Pukose: “Mr CEO, you can’t lie on oath the way you are doing.” System upgrade The committee at the same time directed that the fund upgrade its biometric systems and not procure a new system as this would be costly. NHIF was initially planning to spend Sh4.2 billion to install a new biometric system yet the current system cost Sh1.6 billion. The committee’s decision came after acting ICT Director Washington Okoth said the gaps raised regarding the system can be solved through an upgrade. The official told the committee that there is no need to buy an extravagant system as the current biometric system is new and up to date with technological standards. “The system which was put in place in 2018 encompass Electronic with encrypted communication between providers and the fund. The technology has eliminated fraud impersonation and reduced paper work across its countrywide branches,” he said. Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY NEWS BEAT 7

8 PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY 9

10 PEOPLE SPEAK PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 A spot-check of farmlands makes for pleasant views of the bumper harvest that most farmers are expecting. Acres of land covered in thriving maize fields, peas, potatoes, fruits and what have you dot the farms, a welcome relief from hunger caused by past prolonged dry spells. Bumper harvest in most parts of the country comes as a relief to farmers who have suffered extremely low yields for the last three years, leading to an acute food insecurity and high food prices that have recently sparked street protests. The obvious assumption is that with the bumper harvest, food insecurity will not top the list of challenges facing Kenyans, right? Wrong. The bumper harvest is as far as it goes, and will not fix the hunger issues, thanks to systemic maladies that lead to costly post-harvest losses. Significant amounts of food produced mostly by small-scale farmers will be lost before and after the harvest because of lack of markets and poor storage, thereby aggravating hunger. Simply put, post-harvest losses refer to food loss across the food supply chain from harvesting of crop until its consumption. Food losses happen at every stage of chain, as produce become spoiled or lost during harvesting, handling, processing, storage, transportation and distribution. Post-harvest losses have previously been estimated at 30 per cent of all harvested crops. Reports by the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya, for instance, indicate that nearly 40 per cent of the food produced in the horticultural value chain is lost either through poor postharvest handling, lack of information on best practices and poorly-structured markets. Post-harvest losses have a huge impact on environment as land, water, human labour and non-renewable resources are used to produce, process, handle and transport food that no one eats. Needless to say, agriculture has the potential to completely transform our country, fully feed us and hugely contribute to our economic growth. It’s worth noting that the agriculture sector contributes 33 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, and employs more than 40 per cent of the total population (and 70 per cent of the rural population). Farmers, and the government alike, are yet to unlock the full potential of the sector because of the myriad challenges such as climate change, use of outdated technologies, diseases, poor infrastructure, and soil fertility. Over the years, the government has come up with interventions to improve food production, including enacting laws to guide the agriculture sector; boosting irrigation by building dams; and even provision of subsidised fertilizer. However, the government lags behind on preservation of food produced, leading to massive wastage. It was, therefore, encouraging to see President William Ruto last week announce that the government will implement the Warehouse Receipt System Act, 2019. The legislation establishes a structured and well-regulated trading system for agricultural commodities. The Warehouse Receipt System is a process where farmers, producers or growers deposit their produce in certified warehouses and are issued with a receipt as proof of ownership. This document can be used as collateral to access a loan from financial institutions. Unfortunately, there is still lack of information on the system amongst farmers, which could affect the uptake. Improved technology and training has shown success in reducing losses in other parts of the world. If we are to effectively tackle the perennial problem of food insecurity, the government must invest in better storage and food processing technologies and enhanced packaging techniques. This will not only ensure food security for Kenyans, but also better earnings for largeand small-holder farmers. Private sector players have supplemented government efforts by coming up with varied technologies to help farmers preserve produce, but there is a lot more to be done. The government should ensure farmers can access affordable credit to acquire these new technologies and also train them on usage. Ultimately by preventing post-harvest losses, we can increase the availability of food without requiring additional resources or placing additional burden on the environment. — The writer is Acting Chief Sub-Editor at the People Daily CHARLES SWINDOLL Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it. Do more to make devolution work The eighth Devolution Conference, which kicked off in Eldoret yesterday, offers a good opportunity for Kenyans to reflect on the journey they have taken over the last ten years and whether devolution is working for them or not. When it became the centrepiece of the 2010 Constitution, there were high hopes that devolution would not only revolutionise Kenyan politics but also ensure citizens at the grassroots took charge of their development agenda and how tax money was spent on public goods. That journey has been a mixed bag. Whereas there have been some visible successes, there are still many challenges that ought to be addressed. For instance, while devolution of the health sector was meant to bring services closer to the people, the docket has not been handled in the best way possible and has been afflicted by constant strikes, poor supply of drugs to critical institutions and less than satisfactory services offered to patients. Other sectors like roads have achieved much more with a visible improvement in access roads in many counties, which has gone a long way towards opening up rural producers to urban markets. Roads are critical to the economy and governors ought to be commended for making an impact in their regard. However, there is still widespread corruption and favouritism in the sharing of resources, including tenders, and this remains a big blot on the conscience of the country, including on the leadership teams in counties who have not done a satisfying job in entrenching accountability, inclusivity and equity. Governors ought to know that wananchi are watching them because those who perform well can be considered for bigger roles in the service, including ascending to the presidency. As such, they should treat their responsibilities as a litmus test and their scorecard will determine if they will secure their legacies or end up in ignominy. As such, governors and their teams ought to use this year’s meeting to take stock of what they have done right and the areas they need to improve on. They should also consider commissioning local and national surveys to identify what the public thinks of their performance so far and what needs to be prioritised going forward. Invest in food storage facilities to end hunger THOUGHT OF THE DAY SERAH KAMAU Improved technology and training has shown success in reducing losses in other parts of the world QUOTEDTODAY We call on the Ministry to endeavour at all times to seek parental consent before introducing any sensitive content such as reproductive health to learners. At the same time, we urge parents to remain vigilant on the type of materials their children are using. REV PAUL NJIRU Our technical teams are going to work on the agenda for the talks. We had hoped they would meet over the weekend but that did not happen. However, we have now put everybody together for the purpose. WIPER LEADER KALONZO MUSYOKA Young people are at the centre of so many challenges... the high rising unemployment levels and TikTok is an avenue where some young people are earning up to Sh300,000 per month. Money they would not make on the regular market. KIRINYAGA WOMEN REP JANE NJERI EDITORIAL A PUBLICATION OF MEDIAMAX NETWORK LIMITED KEN NGARUIYA: Group Chief Executive Officer MBUGUA NG’ANG’A: Managing Editor People Daily is published by MEDIAMAX NETWORK LIMITED at DSM Place, Kijabe Street, P.O. Box 24943, 00100 - Nairobi Tel: 0730144100; 0709824000; 0204944100 E-mail: [email protected] © Copyright 2023

SEND YOUR OPED TO: [email protected] Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY PEOPLE SPEAK 11 #TWEETS TO THE EDITOR / / / @PeopleDailyKe / / / People Daily STREET TALK Dog with human face is causing havoc Online Yogi is a fluffy Shih-poo. He turned one last month. People thinks Yogi looks a lot like a human. Yogi set fire to the Internet after a photograph of him and his pal Daria, an eight-year-old Shih Tzu, was posted on Reddit. “A friend of a friend posted a pic on Facebook of her dog,” read the caption. “It looks like it has a man’s face.” A woman called Michelle added further analysis: “But it’s not just his eyes. Look at that little grimace smile that can only come from a middleaged man whose soul has been given to corporate.” Before long, the image popped up on Twitter, where people have been comparing Yogi to celebrities. Ed Sheeran, for example. In our digital age, it’s all too easy to doctor images. So we asked Yogi’s owner, Chantal Desjardins, whether she’d been having some fun on Photoshop. The 27-year-old, from Massachusetts, said: “It is not doctored at all. Those are my dogs. It really isn’t [edited]. I’m not a photographer at all. I think it’s just his eyes and the way he’s looking at the camera.” She said she didn’t see his ‘human face’ before. “He loves to play and cuddle. It’s funny because I really didn’t see it before. I don’t really see him differently.” While Chantal still sees her Shihpoo in the same way, others can’t help but notice his ‘man face’. Some have labelled it “disturbing”. Others think the dog is “Nicolas Cage dressed as an ewok”. —Agencies ODDLY ENOUGH TRUTHIS: Because God never sleeps, we can sleep in peace. Exhibit fairness @Asamoh_: I have seen a video of @ KIMANIICHUNGWAH storming office of ocs demanding accountability for youth killed by officers in his constituency. He is very emotional. Empathetic with those killed. Same man who is defending police killing today on luos Get this clear @kimsmann: Politicians never understand people.Kenyans care little whether Uhuru or Ruto fight or make peace.Raila is not even in question..all that people need is good leadership that will ensure people live in dignity... available for all quality food, education, and other basic amenities Wrong target @MigunaMiguna: EasyCoach should and could have announced that it has banned the transportation of all rotten products in their buses - whether meat, fish, milk, githeri - whatever. The target should be foul smell. Not a specific product. After all, rotten meat and milk smell as bad as rotten fish Tread carefully @Edwin43855216: On this layoff issue, Ruto should be very careful while dealing with this lenders, they pushed Moi with the structural adjustment programme which really affected Kenyans, and now they are pushing for a layoff,next is stop hiring and yet he promised to create employment Data has emerged as the new currency across various industries, as exemplified by the recent implementation of a method to assess students’ level of need when applying for financial aid for higher education. The Universities Fund (UF) and Helb will utilise the means testing instrument (MTI) to determine the level of need for each student when distributing loans and scholarships. The goal of this method is simple: to ensure the needy ones receive less loans and full scholarships while those who are more affluent will receive more loans and less aid. The objective is to protect the underprivileged from hefty student loans. According to UF, vulnerable students account for 14 per cent of the population, with severe needs (15 per cent), the needy (17 per cent), and the less needy (54 per cent). Data will play a pivotal role in identifying the most deserving students among the applicants. Assessors will meticulously analyse the financial transaction history to aid in the assessment process. The MTI will also consider factors such as the type of school previously attended (public or private), family size and composition (polygamous, monogamous, single parent, orphan), parents’ age, marginalisation, parents’ background, participation in government cash transfer schemes, gender, and expenditure on education for siblings, among others. This highlights the critical importance of focused data mining! Unbeknownst to many, we generate a lot of data on digital platforms that we interact with. In order to maximise user engagement, social media businesses’ revenue models increasingly focus on collecting user data. The more time you spend on websites like Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram, the more likely you are to see ads and generate insightful data about your interests. Facebook invented the like button in 2009 as a clever technique to capture our social connections. You may not realise it, but every time you like or comment on a post, you are providing Facebook with part of your data. As the world becomes more digitised, various individuals rely on their mobile devices for a plethora of tasks. According to a new report from Data Sparkle titled ‘The Changing Landscape of Africa’s Mobile App Market’, Africans spend an average of four hours per day using their mobile phones. Additionally, they consume an average of 12GB of data monthly! Is data the new currency? The answer is ambiguous. Data is limitless, far from information, and certainly not what we would call knowledge. When something is inherently unrestrained, it is difficult for it to be currency. Without context, data is meaningless. Data has no intrinsic value and, if not read correctly, might do more harm than good. False data correlations have led otherwise competent people to the wrong conclusions. Consider the country’s political opinion surveys. Research firms could never precisely predict an election! Data may occasionally lead to inaccurate judgments, not just in politics but also in business. On the flip side, data can be extraordinarily valuable when deployed correctly and used, as with the Mean Testing Instrument. Data can be a very critical driver of value. Data should be available for business models to produce profitable results. Businesses may utilise data to help them make choices and create goods or services. Data may be acquired, compiled, and eventually sold. Google and Facebook are two examples of companies that use data to create an advertising platform and improve target marketing. Data is the new currency, since it has become a vital resource in digital products and services. The large amount of data accessible has the potential to create significant insights and stimulate innovation. To fully realise the value of data, it must be stored, organised, and structured in a way that allows for quick access. Data has immense value, but businesses and organisations have yet to understand how to utilise it effectively. Understanding data allows you to comprehend the past and present and, as a result, plan for the future. — The writer is an Innovations Evangelist and a PhD Candidate Why data is new currency in shaping opinions today MUHOHO MACHARIA Data will play a pivotal role in identifying most deserving students among the applicants There is no doubt last year’s General Election was unique in many ways. One, the outgoing President opted to support the Opposition candidate, his erstwhile political enemy, Raila Odinga. Then Deputy President William Ruto ran against the grain, and won. Secondly it was the most expensive election in the history of the country and even in the continent. It cost the taxpayer Sh45 billion. Thirdly, the silence that followed IEBC announcement and the subsequent Supreme Court announcement, a month later, of the presidential contest winner, was too loud to ignore. Then the real business began, with Dr Ruto at the helm. Kenyans began with great optimism, which has since steadily fizzled into oblivion. The gap between the promise and performance has been too wide for comfort. Credit to the government for its positive contribution to the agriculture; education reforms; PanAfricanism and dealing decisively with the bandits in the notorious North Rift region. A year down the line, this government has succeeded more in alienating itself from the citizenry, knowingly or otherwise. Two factors have led to this sad scenario—the malaise of majoritarianism and the foot in mouth syndrome by its top echelon. Let us look at the two factors closely and how they have hurt the Kenya Kwanza administration. Majoritarianism is a political philosophy or ideology with the agenda asserting that a majority based on a religion, language, social class or other category of the population, is entitled to a certain degree of primacy in society, and has the right to make decisions that affect the society. And despite being voted in by only seven million of the 22 million eligible voters, the Kenya Kwanza administration has continued to bulldoze its agenda wrongly believing they are the majority amongst the 52 million Kenyans! Using underhand tactics, the ruling party has almost the super majority in Parliament, rendering parliamentary debates merely academic; Everything that is proposed must go through. This is what happened with the unpopular Finance Act. In the run up to the debate on the bill, Kenya Kwanza Chief Whip Sylvanous Osoro, boasted that the public participation on the bill meant nothing since it would go through with or without their input. Later, this came to pass. The perception out there is that all the three arms of the government have fallen to the whims of the Executive due to majoritarianism. Why has our country succumbed to the folly of majoritarianism, distorting its constitutional integrity at so many levels? I believe there is a common explanation to how all three branches of government have fallen so badly. At the heart of all this folly lies a misunderstanding about the nature of democracy. In a democracy, properly understood, we deliberate and vote about what will make our country more just or fair; justice (social, distributive, institutional and so on) is the subjectmatter and the aim of our politics. Citizens are participants, together with the three branches of government, in a complex institutional process aimed at identifying, selecting and implementing particular conceptions of justice. That is why in a democracy, arguments based on ‘what the people want’ are not only irrelevant, but also ontologically spurious. Nothing can be revealed about what the people want from a process that serves a totally different function altogether, namely that of co-authoring the vision of justice that should govern our polity. Arguments about what ‘the people want’ are also politically suspect, because they bypass the need to provide reason-based arguments of justice. So, the talk about pushing issues in our throats reminding us of “we won the election and we must respect democracy” talk must be more measured. — The writer is the Executive Director, Uraia Trust How State is abusing its Majority to bulldoze agenda OLIVER WAINDI This government has succeeded more in alienating itself from the citizenry

Bamako,Tuesday Mali’s military leader, Assimi Goita, revealed on Tuesday that he recently held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the current situation in Niger. Niger has experienced a coup by a junta, raising concerns in the international community. In a message shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Goita stated that Putin emphasized the significance of a peaceful resolution to ensure stability in the Sahel region. Western nations are apprehensive that Niger might follow the path of Mali, where a previous coup led to the involvement of Russian Wagner group mercenaries in counter-insurgency efforts. Putin has urged the restoration of constitutional order in Niger. On the other hand, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner group, expressed support for the coup. Interestingly, there has been a notable surge in proRussian sentiment in Niger since the coup, evident in rallies where junta supporters waved Russian flags. A Niamey court on Monday scrapped a nine-month jail sentence handed to Abdoulaye Seydou, head of a leading activist group which supports the ruling military, his entourage said. Members of Niger’s presidential guard seized power in a coup late last month. Seydou, head of the M62 group, had been behind bars for seven months in a case involving an army air strike on suspected jihadists in the south of the country. “The Niamey Court of Appeal has cancelled the decision of the High Court... which had sentenced our comrade Abdoulaye Seydou to nine months in prison”, said M62 secretary general Sanoussi Mahaman. - AFP The strike in Finote Selam on Sunday was the most severe since clashes between members of the Ethiopian army and a local militia known as Fano erupted in towns and cities across Amhara after months of tensions. The hospital official said he heard the blast while he was on duty at around 0700 GMT. Civilian fatalities A market was taking place in the town, he added, and the all the victims who arrived in hospital were “wearing either casual civilian clothing or Sunday traditional clothes”. “The casualties range from a 13-year-old child to the elderly,” he said. “I didn’t get the chance to see what caused the explosion... but residents said it was a drone strike”. “Twenty-two bodies were brought to the hospital, while four others who were critically injured died soon after arriving”. “We’ve so far received 55 injured patients out of which more than 40 are gravely injured,” he said, speaking anonymously over safety concerns. A resident who arrived shortly after the strike told AFP he had “helped in the burial of bodies of 30 victims”. He said he saw “a medium sized freight vehicle had been completely destroyed in an air strike with dead bodies strewn around the vehicle”. “I heard the loud sound of an aircraft before the attack,” which took place in the centre of the town near a hotel, he said. Both sources said that at the time of the strike, the town was under the control of Fano, while the resident said the Ethiopian army had arrived on Monday. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government imposed a six-month state of emergency across Amhara on August 4 and several cities remain under curfew, although violence eased towards the end of last week. The unrest revived fears about the stability of Africa’s second most populous country, seven months after a peace deal ended a brutal two-year conflict in the neighbouring region of Tigray. - Agencies Mali president Goita engages Putin over Niger Members of the Amhara militia ride in the back of a truck in the city of Gondar, Ethiopia, on January 17, last year. Last week, federal forces managed to push Fano militiamen out of most major towns in Amhara, but clashes have continued in other parts of the northern region, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said in a statement. COURTESY MPs approve Ahmara state of emergency Addis Ababa,Tuesday Ethiopia’s House of People’s Representatives votes in favour of the state of emergency declared by the federal government over violence in the Amhara region. “Related peace and security issues shake the constitutional order, present a danger to the sovereignty of the country and public peace and safety. Therefore, to stop the situation, declaring a state of emergency has become necessary,” says Tesfaye Beljige, Government Chief Whip. Clashes between the Ethiopian army and a militia known as Fano erupted earlier in the month in towns and cities across Amhara after months of tension. Air strike An air strike has killed at least 26 people in Ethiopia’s embattled Amhara region, a hospital official and a resident told AFP on Monday, as deadly clashes rock the region. Conflict is Ethiopia’s biggest security crisis since a twoyear civil war in Tigray region ended in November AHMARA SECURITY CRISIS A suspected air strike in Ethiopia’s Amhara region has killed at least 26 people, a hospital official says, as a state-appointed rights group detailed widespread killings of civilians since fighting broke out this month. Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Siss on Monday (Aug. 14) met with King Abdullah II of Jordan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the northern coastal city of El Alamein, Egyptian presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said. During a tripartite meeting, the leaders discussed “the development of the Palestinian cause” and expressed their support for a “two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with east Jerusalem as the future Palestinian capital, Fahmy said in a later statement. While there was no mention of the topic of potential Israeli-Saudi normalisation in the official statement, a Palestinian source close to the matter told AFP that it was the key topic on the table. The summit was held “to discuss US efforts to achieve normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and the Palestinian Authority’s requirements in the framework of the signing of such a deal”, the source said. - AFP Iran has blamed the ISIL (ISIS) armed group for the second attack in less than a year on a major shrine in southern Shiraz and arrested a group of foreign nationals for the assault.“The motivation of this Daeshi [ISILaffliated] individual was to take revenge for the executions of the two terrorists of the previous incident,” said the governor of the province of Fars, where the shooting occurred. Iranian state-linked media also pointed out that ISIS-K, the Khorasan province affiliate of the Islamic State, had last month appeared to threaten Iran for the execution of two of its operatives. Speaking on Monday, Ramezan Sharif, the spokesperson of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said: “The goals of Daesh [ISIL] and other terrorists against the national interests and people of Iran are intertwined,” and vowed that “we will give a decisive response to the terrorists”. A lone gunman, identified as Rahmatollah Nowruzof from Tajikistan, entered the Shah Cherag Shrine on Sunday evening and opened fire on pilgrims and staff, killing one and injuring several others. - IRIN Egypt’s Sissi hosts Jordanian, Palestinian leaders for talks Iran blames ISIL for shrine attack, arrests foreigners BRIEFLY Two years of Taliban rule Afghanistan’s Taliban marked the second anniversary of their return to power on Tuesday, celebrating their takeover of Kabul and the establishment of what they said was security throughout the country under an Islamic System. Fighters from the militant group watched the last US planes disappear into the sky over Afghanistan around midnight Monday and then fired their guns into the air, celebrating victory after a 20-year insurgency that drove the world’s most powerful military out of one of the poorest countries. WORLD NEWS FOR MORE NEWS VISIT: www.pd.co.ke / www.epaper. pd.co.ke 12 Wednesday, August 16, 2023

to Sh22.6 billion from Sh19.1 billion in the corresponding year. Gross trade finance revenue grew by 117 per cent with trade finance related lending rising by 46 per cent, forex total income by 68 per cent and diaspora flows by 146 per cent to account for 12 per cent of client forex volumes. According to Mwangi, regional geographical expansion and business diversification has seen reliance on contribution of the Kenyan banking subsidiary reduced, with other subsidiaries contributing 46 per cent of total assets and 45 per cent of profit before tax, driven primarily by insurance and the Democratic Republic of Congo business. “We are confident Equity Group is strategically positioned as a regional systemic bank among the top 3 in 5 of its 6 operating countries to support further integration and increased cross-border trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area while supporting the region to remain the fastest growing common market in the world to offer opportunity for long term sustained value creation” Mwangi said. Return on equity In the review period, total assets grew by 23 per cent to Sh1.64 trillion, while profit before tax rose to Sh35.1 billion from Sh30.1 billion in 2022. The group’s return on equity was 27.7 per cent, slightly above the average banking sector’s 26.3 per cent, which Mwangi said “indicated a high level of profitability and efficiency” for the Group. During the period, the lender’s asset portfolio grew by 23 per cent to Sh1.6 trillion MWANGI The results were achieved despite “a tough operating global macro environment. Equity Group half-year net profit hits Sh26.3b by Noel Wandera @NoelWanderah Equity Group has reported a Sh26.3 billion net profit for the first six months of the year, an eight per cent jump from Sh24.4 billion posted during the same period last year. Group Managing Director and CEO James Mwangi said the group leveraged total interest income, non-interest income and interest expenses to drive the bottom line, enabling the lender to deliver a 27.7 per cent return on equity for its investors. He said the results were achieved despite “a tough operating global macro environment characterised by sticky high inflation, high interest rates, volatile exchange rates and devaluation of emerging economies currencies.” The group’s earnings from customer deposits grew to Sh16.1 billion from Sh10.5 billion. Non-interest earnings Fees on loans and advances increased from Sh4.2 billion to Sh4.6 billion, while earnings from foreign income trading also rose to Sh8.4 billion from Sh5 billion the previous year, pulling up non-interest earnings to Sh36.5 billion from Sh25.8 billion. “The drive to non-funded income growth registered good success with total income growing at 24 per cent driven by a 42 per cent growth of non-funded income, 17 per cent growth of net interest income,” Mwangi said. In the period under review, total interest income grew to Sh69.8 billion from Sh54.9 billion, a performance that was attributed to an increase loans and advances rising to Sh44.8 billion from 35.2 billion in 2022, and trading in government securities that grew Group leveraged total interest income, noninterest income and interest expenses to drive the bottom line Russia has hiked interest rates to 12 per cent after the rouble fell to its lowest value in 16 months. The currency fell past 100 per dollar on Monday, prompting Russia’s central bank to hold an emergency meeting. The Bank of Russia said it decided to raise interest rates from 8.5 per cent to curb inflation, which hit 4.4 per cent in August. Pressure has been mounting on the Russian economy due to imports rising faster than exports and military spending growing for the Ukraine war. “Steady growth in domestic demand surpassing the capacity to expand output amplifies the underlying inflationary pressure and has impact on the rouble’s exchange rate dynamics through elevated demand for imports,” the Bank of Russia said in a statement. The bank said “inflationary pressure” was building, but that its target was to bring inflation, which is the rate prices rise at, down to 4 per cent by 2024. Russia has been targeted with sanctions by Western countries following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The rouble plummeted after war first broke out, but was bolstered by capital controls and oil and gas exports. – BBC Sidian Bancassurance Intermediary Ltd, a leading provider of innovative insurance solutions under Sidian Bank, has bagged two Awards at this year’s Think Business Insurance Awards. It also secured the position of 2nd Runners Up – Overall Best Bancassurance Intermediary for its notable contributions and dedication to revolutionising the insurance industry. Chege Thumbi (pictured) , CEO of Sidian Bank expressed his gratitude for the recognition during this year’s awards. “We are excited for the awards as it shows our commitment to give excellent customer experience,” he said in a statement, adding that they strive to offer insurance solutions to provide bright future for all. The firm emerged the 2nd Runners Up – Best Bancassurance Intermediary in Non-Life and Non-Embedded Products. The awards highlight the brand’s relentless efforts in creating innovative and transformative insurance solutions. –Bernard Sigei Russia hikes interest rates to 12pc as rouble tumbles Sidian subsidiary scoops awards at annual event BRIEFLY Kenya, IMF standoff looms over reinstated fuel subsidy by Noel Wandera @NoelWanderah A stand-off between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) looms, following the re-introduction of a subsidy to hedge Kenyans from high pump prices. Subsidies were withdrawn in September last year, at the behest of the Bretton Woods institution, terming them short-term measures that are costly, distort markets and only benefit a few people. Indicating that authorities are back-tracking on subsidies, the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) on Monday maintained fuel prices for Super, Diesel and Kerosene at Sh194.68, Sh179.67 and Sh169.482 respectively for Nairobi, even as the landed costs and total taxes and levies pointed to an increase in fuel prices. “In order to cushion consumers from the spike in pump prices as a consequence of the increased landed cost, the Government has opted to stabilise pump prices for the August -September 2023 pricing cycle. Oil Marketing companies will be compensated from the Petroleum Development Fund,” Epra’s Director-General Daniel Kiptoo said in a statement. The commodity landed at the Mombasa Port with an increased cost of Super at $739.09 (Sh106,281) per cubic metre, diesel at $701.99 (Sh100,946) and Kerosene at $690.58 (Sh99,305.4), meaning that without the stabilisation from Petroleum Development Fund (PDF), prices would have increased. Oil majors Echoing IMF’s decision, President William Ruto reckoned the subsidy was not sustainable and prone to abuse. The regulator had removed the subsidy on petrol but retained it on diesel and kerosene. Oil majors were to be compensated at Sh7.33 for super, Sh3.59 for diesel and Sh5.74 for kerosene from the PDF. The country imports all its petroleum requirements in refined form and these products are traded in international markets based on a benchmark known as Platts. Coming on the back of a Government-to-Government agreement between Kenya, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, clearly, the deal may not lower the cost of fuel. The re-introduction of the subsidy also comes ahead of a fuel price review due in the next six months, which will have price implications in the entire fuel supply value chain. BUSINESS HUB FOR MORE NEWS VISIT: www.pd.co.ke / www.epaper. pd.co.ke 13 Wednesday, August 16, 2023 Equity Group Managing Director and CEO Dr James Mwangi (centre), Group Chief Strategy Officer Brent Malahay and Group Executive Director Mary Wamae during the half -year 2023 investor briefing event yesterday. COURTESY

by John Otini @PeopleDailyKe Stakeholders in Kenya’s agricultural value chain are anticipating a mixed bag of price changes for key food items next month, the latest Agricultural Survey conducted by the Central Bank of Kenya’s Monetary Policy Committee shows. The report highlights expectations of price decreases for staples like maize and beans but warns of potential increases in wheat and rice costs due to reduced local production, a weaker shilling, and global events such as the conflict in Ukraine. According to the balance of opinion analysis presented in the report, respondents are collectively predicting a decline in the retail prices of cereals and grains. Specifically, they expect prices for beans, maize, and green grams to decrease. “The decline in the prices is expected following the onset of the harvest from the lower Eastern, Western and South Rift regions,” the survey states. This anticipated increase in supply is projected to alleviate pricing pressure for these staple commodities. However, the survey indicates that the prices of rice Kenyans stare at mixed changes in food prices New CBK survey shows prices for beans, maize, and green grams are set to decrease in August while that of rice and wheat are likely to remain elevated M-Pesa, Airtel Money daily transaction limits increased to Sh500,000 STRATEGY: Mobile money providers in Kenya, Airtel Money and Safaricom’s M-Pesa have received approval from Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) to increase their daily transaction limits to Sh500,000 from Sh300,000, in a strategic move aimed at enhancing the country’s digital economy. This decision by CBK is expected to provide increased convenience to customers, especially small businesses as cashless transactions become more prevalent. The change anticipates empowering customers and partners by allowing them to conduct larger transactions and manage their finances more effectively. Type of account Currently, the maximum amount of money transactions per day for banks in Kenya vary depending on the bank and the type of account. However, CBK is working with banks to allow customers to increase the amount they can transact beyond the Sh1 million limit without having to report to the regulator. According to the Airtel Money (K) Ltd Managing Director Anne Kinuthia-Otieno, the move also aligns with Airtel Money’s commitment to enabling seamless and affordable digital transactions, with the company aiming to expand its network of mobile money agents to 120,000 by the end of 2023. In addition to the higher account limit, MPesa customers will also enjoy an increased daily transaction limit of Sh500,000 per day. While the per transaction limits will remain at Sh150,000, customers can conduct multiple transactions up to the Sh500,000 daily limit. The move is set to benefit small businesses in Kenya, as cashless transactions continue to rise. In the last financial year ending March 2023, more than 606,000 businesses received payments through Lipa Na MPesa, with a total transaction value of Sh1.625 trillion. This strategic step by Airtel Money and Safaricom’s MPesa underlines their commitment to fostering a more robust and accessible digital economy in Kenya, where cashless transactions and financial inclusivity continue to take centre stage. It may encourage more people to use mobile money services as a convenient and safe way of sending and receiving money. The move is also likely to increase the revenue and profitability of mobile money operators, as well as the tax base for the government. This is in addition to creating more competition and innovation among mobile money providers, as they seek to offer better services and products to their customers. However, with increased limits, comes issues of security and reliability, with customers facing risks such as fraud, theft, network failure and agent shortages. – Noel Wandera and wheat products are likely to remain elevated due to factors such as reduced domestic production and the high cost of imports. Some farmers cited rust infection in wheat crops as a significant contributor to decreased output. The weakened shilling and global uncertainties, including the war in Ukraine, are also contributing to price volatility in these categories. Expected price trends The survey’s insights extend beyond grains, shedding light on the expected price trends in other food sectors. Animal products are anticipated to experience declining prices as more pastures become available following the conclusion of the long rains season. Nevertheless, the price of eggs is projected to rise due to reduced supply during the colder season. “The expected decline in the price of animal products is on account of more pasture becoming available following the long rains season. However, egg prices are expected to rise with reduced supply during the cold season,” the survey noted. On the vegetable front, prices are expected to continue decreasing in August, albeit at a slower rate. This trend is attributed to increased supply of fast-maturing crops resulting from the extended long rains season. Prices of cooking oil/fat and sugar are also likely to remain elevated, the survey has shown. This could potentially lead to further increases, given the high importation cost for cooking oil/fat and reduced cane deliveries for sugar. The survey also delves into consumer goods and their price expectations. According to the report, a significant proportion of respondents (69.6 per cent) anticipate prices to increase in the next month. This percentage is higher than previous months, possibly influenced by the implementation of the Finance Act 2023. Moreover, the survey reveals that a larger proportion of individuals (72.4 per cent) are bracing for further price hikes in the upcoming three months. The Monetary Policy Committee’s Agriculture Survey for August 2023 showcases a nuanced view of Kenya’s agricultural price dynamics. While there is optimism surrounding staple commodities like maize and beans due to expected increased supply, challenges such as reduced wheat and rice production and global uncertainties pose potential threats to price stability. by Bernard Sigei @PeopleDailyKe Financial services firm Mogo Kenya has unveiled its plan to spur electric motorcycles uptake in Kenya by offering financing solutions to importers of e-bikes and boda boda riders. This is in line with the company’s aim to encourage the adoption of environmentally-friendly transportation options while facilitating economic progress. Mogo Kenya is set to provide reduced interest rates on financing for electric motorcycles, signifying a strategic move towards accelerating upward mobility among Kenyans. The decision aligns with the global trend of transitioning to greener and more cost-effective transportation solutions, and Mogo is embracing this movement both as a business model and a contribution to a sustainable future. Mikhail Vydrin, Mogo’s Head of Boda Business, said many businesses are moving to a greener and more economical solution and in financing both the businesses and customers alike, the company aims to create a sustainable business model for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Kenya. Firm drives green change with electric motorcycle financing Kenya, China ink deal to boost film industry by Lewis Njoka @PeopleDailyKe Kenya and China have united their creative forces, with a focus on uplifting the film industry to spur growth in the creative sector. This came to life at the China Film Festival held at the Two Rivers Mall, where both nations gathered to commemorate the alliance which will harness the potential of their respective film industries, as catalysts for economic advancement and crosscultural understanding. Zhou PingJian (pictured, right), Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, said the cinematic cooperation emphasized China’s rich history in film production and expressed the potential for Kenya to leverage this medium to create job opportunities for its youth. “This collaborative endeavour signifies China’s close cooperation with Kenya in nurturing the growth of the film industry within Kenya’s borders, while simultaneously exploring avenues to showcase Kenyan cinematic works on an international platform,” he stated. Carter Luo, CEO of StarTimes, shed light on his company’s extensive investments in fostering local content as he unveiled the highly anticipated “HELLO MR RIGHT” Season 3, showcasing Startimes’ commitment to presenting diverse narratives and artistic expression. “Cuttingedge technology and equipment will spearhead this transformation, promising to elevate the quality and impact of cinematic creations,” Luo emphasised. Certified drivers Isuzu East Africa’s Chair, Hiroshi Hisatomi (right) hands over a certificate to one of the graduates, Isaac Kamu Ndungu during the company’s drivers’ academy 5th graduation ceremony in Nairobi. Looking on is Bamburi Cement’s CEO, Mohit Kapoor. The graduation saw over 37 truck drivers get certified including seven women from the Bamburi Cement Programme - Women on Wheels. COURTESY COMPLEX LANDSCAPE The survey serves as a valuable tool for policymakers, businesses, and consumers as they navigate the complex landscape of food prices and their implications for the economy. It highlights expectations of price decreases for staples like maize and beans but warns of potential increases in wheat and rice costs 14 BUSINESS HUB PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY 15

16 PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY 17

18 PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 BUSINESS HUB / PEOPLE DAILY BUSINESS HUB by Nicholas Waitathu @PeopleDailyKe In a resolute stance against long-standing issues plaguing Kenya’s coffee industry, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to dismantling cartels and brokers within the sector. He pledged to address the circumstances faced by coffee farmers due to decades of exploitation by these groups. Addressing the persistent exploitation of coffee farmers, Gachagua emphasized, “The industry has suffered for so many years under the manipulation of local and international companies, subjecting coffee farmers to grinding poverty by paying them peanuts despite the clean beans fetching premium prices in the international market.” Gachagua’s remarks came during the reopening of the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) at Wakulima House on Haile Selassie Avenue. The exchange had been suspended for over a month due to confusion surrounding permit issuance. Financial burden Symbolizing the reopening, Gachagua rang a bell, marking the resumption of auctions. During this event, 12 brokerage companies, all licensed by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), offered 2705 bags of clean coffee for auction. Impressively, eleven out of the twelve brokerage companies were owned by district cooperative unions. In the midst of the reopening, a challenge emerged from former coffee marketing agents who were yet to be licensed as new brokers. These agents claimed to possess over 250,000 bags of clean coffee. The National Coffee Co-operative Union (NACCU), under the union brokerage institutions, had been licensed the previous year by CMA. The industry has suffered for so many years under manipulation of local and international irms. by Herald Aloo @heraldaloo The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has garnered over Sh10 billion in extra funds following the implementation of hiked monthly contributions since March 2023. The impact of these new regulations is now evident, as they play a pivotal role in bolstering a more substantial retirement fund for the country’s aging population. Over the course of four months leading up to June 2023, the heightened contributions drove the total collection for the 2022/23 financial year to an impressive Sh26.92 billion. This marked an astounding growth of 63.8 percent compared to the preceding period’s collection of Sh16.43 billion. Aftermath of pandemic This surge in contributions represents an all-time high for the NSSF since its establishment. Prior to the new rates taking effect, the annual contributions had been increasing at a modest single-digit percentage point since 2014. The exceptional year was 2022 when the economy gradually absorbed more workers in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pivotal NSSF Act of 2013 instated a graduated scale for salaried employees, significantly increasing their monthly deductions. For low earners, the deductions rose from Sh200 to Sh600, while top earners saw their contributions surge from Sh320 to Sh1,080 under a graduated scale. “We have just implemented the new rates for about four months and we’ve gotten over Sh10 billion extra. Payment to members has also increased during that period,” says NSSF’s new CEO and Managing Trustee David Koross who was appointed in May to take over from Anthony Omerikwa. By the end of June, after bowing to pressures over delays, NSSF paid out a total of Sh6.7 billion in 2023 to members who had been saving with the Fund for retirement benefits. In 2022, the total payout dropped to Sh5.4 billion. The aged beneficiaries take the biggest chunk of the fund followed by withdrawal benefits which comprise members aged between 50-60 years but are not working. The official retirement age is currently 60 years but there are plans to revert to 55 years, which if executed, is likely to exert more pressure on the Scheme’s coffers when settling the first lump-sum payment. In 2023, the aged took Sh4.6 billion or 69 per cent of the total payout, leaving the remaining Sh2.1 billion to cover withdrawal, survivor benefits, and invalidity – payable to those incapacitated. The new rates had previously received backlash leading to legal wrangles, with employers arguing they cannot match the contribution as stipulated by the Act over biting economies. The Court of Appeal however gave a go-ahead in February allowing the higher rates. State will crush coffee cartels, revive sector - DP Kenya Re-Insurance Corporation Ltd (KNRE) was the only nonbank financial institution to make it to the top five movers yesterday after the end of trading on the Nairobi Security Exchange (NSE). KNRE moved 119,700 volumes of shares, having been beaten by KCB, Equity, and Cooperative banks. This happened despite its stock declining by 1.6 per cent to retail at Sh1.87 per share by the end of yesterday. The previous closing price stood at Sh1.9 per unit on Monday when it however moved higher volumes. KNRE has traded a total volume of 35 million shares in 2,207 deals valued at sh 65.2 million over the past three months. A volume high of 13.2 million was achieved on August 1, and a low of 11,500 on July 27, during that period. - Herald Aloo STOCK OF THE DAY KNRE shed 1.6pc on bourse NSSF rack up Sh10b extra on new rates Cushion for fund that has been on the spot for delays sparking complaints from pensioners 19 MARKET WATCH NAIROBI SECURITIES EXCHANGE SECTOR VWAP PREVIOUS TOTAL HIGH LOW AGRICULTURAL PRICES SHARES NSE ALL SHARE INDEX: DOWN 0.48 points to close at 102.77 NSE 20-SHARE INDEX: DOWN 13.94 points to close at 1562.82 NSE 25-SHARE INDEX: DOWN 16.79 points to close at 2671.78 14.50 10.00 Eaagads Ltd Ord 1.25 14.00 14.00 100 450.00 240.00 Kakuzi Plc Ord.5.00 387.75 239.00 81.00 Kapchorva Tea Kenya Plc Ord Ord 5.00 238.75 236.25 500 510.00 320.00 The Limuru Two Ca. Plc Ord 20.00 430.00 31.40 17.90 Sasini Plc Ord 1.00 26.25 26.90 2,200 275.00 120.00 Williamson Two Kenya Plc Ord 5.00 265.00 270.75 33,300 AUTOMOBILES & ACCESSORIES 49.75 24.30 Car & General (K) Ltd Ord 5.00 34.00 BANKING 13.00 9.02 ABSA Bank Kenya Plc Ord 0.50 12.15 12.20 69,300 36.95 26.50 BK Group Plc Ord 0.80 36.00 36.00 500 57.00 43.75 Diamond Trust Bonk Kenya Ltd Ord 4.00 46.80 47.60 2,500 53.50 35.00 Equity Group Holdings Plc Ord 0.50 40.70 41.00 235,000 5.10 2.80 HF Group Plc Ord 5.00 4.81 4.57 1,800 21.50 15.80 I&M Group Plc Ord 1.00 18.95 18.55 26.100 4400 27.90 KCB Group Plc Ord 1.00 28.10 28.50 321,800 41.00 23.30 NCBA Group Plc Ord 5.00 38.70 39.00 48,900 132.00 90.00 Stanbic Holdings Plc ard.5.00 121.50 12125 51,200 172.50 121.00 Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Ltd Ord 5.00 163.50 165.50 14,500 14.00 10.30 The Co-operative Bank of Kenya Ltd Ord 1.00 11.70 11.75 122,900 COMMERCIAL AND SERVICES 0.45 0.45 Deacons (East Africa) Plc Ord 2.50 0.45 1.88 0.59 Eveready East Af rico Ltd Ord 1.00 1.23 1.32 19,200 5.40 2.70 Express Kenya Plc Ord 5.00.. 4.00 3.83 3,200 4.66 4.66 Homeboyz Entertainment Plc 0.50.. 4.66 3.83 3.83 Kenya Airways Ltd Ord 1.00 3.83 4.30 2.00 Longhorn Publishers Plc Ord 1.00.. 2.51 2.60 200 5.12 2.50 Nairobi Business Ventures Plc Ord. 0.50.. 3.29 3.29 200 23.00 14.00 Nation Media Group Plc Ord. 2.50 20.60 20.00 10,600 4.38 1.80 Sameer Africa Plc Ord 5.00 2.19 2.40 9,500 14.75 8.14 Standard Group Plc Ord 5.00 8.34 8.68 200 18.00 10.85 TPS Eastern Africa Ltd Ord 1.00 11.00 11.45 500 0.29 0.16 Uchumi Supermarket Plc Ord 5.00 0.19 0.19 37,700 423 2.60 WPP Scangrroup Plc Ord 1.00 2.80 2.88 2,900 CONSTRUCTION & ALLIED 5.55 5.55 ARM Cement Plc Ord 1.00 5.55 39.50 22.40 Bamburi Cement Plc Ord 5.00 25.15 25.25 4,300 46.00 31.75 Crown Paints Kenya Plc Ord 5.00 40.00 38.00 500 1.32 0.72 E.A.Cables Ltd Ord 0.50 0.85 0.86 7,600 8.80 5.38 E.A.Portland Cement Co. Ltd Ord 5.00 7.00 7.00 1,200 ENERGY & PETROLEUM 3.88 2.00 KenGen Co. Plc Ord. 2.50 2.37 2.37 80,000 2.11 1.30 Kenya Power & Lighting Co Plc Ord 2.50 1.48 1.49 73,600 4.20 4.10 Kenya Power & Lighting Plc 42. Pref 20.00 4.11 6.00 6.00 Kenya Power & Lighting Plc 7% Pref 20.00 6.00 26.40 17.30 TotalEnergies Marketing Kenya Plc Ord 5.00 1210 20.95 1,100 18.00 6.30 Umeme Ltd Ord 0.50 14.45 14.35 6,000 INSURANCE 7.50 4.01 Britam Holdings Plc Ord 0.10 4.95 4.99 7,100 2.30 1.60 CIC Insurance Group Ltd Ord.1.00 2.04 2.17 13,800 273.00 142.00 Jubilee Holdings Ltd Ord 5.00 182.75 187.25 8.100 2.30 1.50 Kenya Re Insurance Corporation Ltd Ord 2.50 1.87 1.90 119,700 7.48 3.60 Liberty Kenya Holdings Ltd Ord. 1.00 3.80 4.00 2,100 15.00 7.20 Sanlam Kenya Plc Ord 5.00 8.28 8.32 600 INVESTMENT 12.80 7.60 Centum Investment Co Plc Ord 0.50 9.00 9.16 99,400 0.41 0.27 Hanle Afrika Ltd Ord 1.00.. 0.31 0.33 111,200 1500.00 1,500.00 Kurwitu Ventures Ltd Ord 100.00.. 1,500.00 5.60 1.91 Olympia Capital Holdings Ltd Ord 5.00 3.82 4.24 400 1.35 0.50 Trans-Century Plc Ord 0.50.. 0.56 0.57 4,800 INVESTMENT SERVICES 8.50 5.50 Nairobi Securities Exchange Plc Ord 4.00 6.04 626 2,200 MANUFACTURING & ALLIED 85.00 65.00 B.O.C Kenya Plc Ord 5.00 73.00 490.00 400.00 British American Tobacco Kenya Plc Ord 10.00 430.00 435.00 100,800 17.00 10.30 Carbacid Investments Plc Ord 1.00 16.75 16.40 31,900 190.00 110.00 East African Breweries Plc Ord 2.00 135.00 137.00 10,400 1.54 0.90 Flame Tree Group Holdings Ltd Ord 0.825 129 127 600 15.00 10.40 Kenya Orchards Ltd Ord 5.11 15.00 0.27 0.27 Mumias Sugar Co. Ltd Ord 2.00 0.27 35.00 15.00 Unga Group Ltd Ord 5.00 17.00 18.50 600 TELECOMMUNICATION 34.00 12.70 Safaricom Plc Ord 0.05 15.90 15.90 2,795,500 REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST 7.30 5.00 ILAM FAHARI I-REIT Ord.20.00 6.30 6.30 52,800 20.00 20.00 LAPTRUST IMARA I-REIT Ord 20.00 20.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 2560.00 1880.00 ABSA New Gold ETF 2500i 2525.00 CBK KEY RATES CURRENCY MEAN BUY SELL US DOLLAR 143.7588 143.6588 143.8588 SW KRONER 13.2591 13.2470 13.2712 STG POUND 182.0335 181.8818 182.1853 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 105.9504 105.8728 106.0280 SAUDI RIYAL 38.3204 38.2927 38.3480 SA RAND 7.5245 7.5186 7.5304 S FRANC 163.4645 163.3415 163.5875 NOR KRONER 13.7150 13.7032 13.7267 KES / USHS 25.8767 25.8239 25.9295 KES / TSHS 17.3207 17.2739 17.3675 KES / RWF 8.2169 8.1521 8.2818 KES / BIF 19.7177 19.5474 19.8879 JPY (100) 98.9155 98.8365 98.9945 IND RUPEE 1.7283 1.7270 1.7297 HONGKONG DOLLAR 18.3854 18.3726 18.3982 EURO 156.8606 156.7247 156.9965 DAN KRONER 21.0186 21.0031 21.0341 CHINESE YUAN 19.7906 19.7714 19.8098 CAN $ 106.7966 106.7064 106.8867 AUSTRALIAN $ 93.1414 93.0622 93.2205 AE DIRHAM 39.1393 39.1111 39.1676 Central Bank Rate 10.50% 09/08/2023 Inter-Bank Rate 9.17% 14/08/2023 CBK Discount Window 14.50% 10/08/2023 91-Day T-Bill 13.110% 14/08/2023 REPO 9.72% 24/07/2023 Inflation Rate 7.28% July,2023 Lending Rate 13.21% May,2023 Savings Rate 3.55% May,2023 Deposit Rate 7.7% May,2023 KBRR 8.9% 27/07/2016 KEY CBK INDICATIVE EXCHANGE RATES 15/8/2023

by Harriet James @harriet86jim I n the world of cycling, David Kinjah is one of Kenya’s most celebrated cyclists having won many medals on both local and international arena. He is renown as the cycling godfather having mentored great champions in cycling such as Chris Froome, a fourtime winner of the Tour de France. Though David’s wife, Damaris Kinjah is not a cyclist, their two children; Bujji who is 12 years old and Diddi are all passionate about cycling. She has been a great support to the mission and is the assistant secretary to the parents of young and upcoming cyclists at Safari Simbaz Trust, a foundation that David began to mentor young cyclists. How they met nearly 13 years ago, is a story that she still recalls to date. “We lived in the same area and he had passed by our house to ask for water. I gave him... and now here we are as a family and with our two children,” she narrates. By the time they met, David was already established in the cycling career. The fourth born in a family of seven, David was born in Eldoret, and at the age of six, the family moved to Mombasa where he began his schooling. He discovered that he has an interest in sports and participated in beach soccer, table tennis and volleyball during his free time. The beginning “The irony is that he was never interested in cycling,” says his wife. When he completed secondary school, David realised that he missed participating in sports just. He also didn’t have pocket money and he thought of buying a bicycle to be able to commute to football ields. This is where the idea of cycling started and little did he know how this small interest would be his path all his life. In 1994, David spent Sh1,200 on a BMX bike, so he could pedal to the beach. “Slowly, the other cyclists on the road started to be his competition. He recalls 20 PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 Relatively Speaking Inner circle truth Ima, a musician and lawyer. PD/ COURTESY how he would ride harder and faster so that they could not pass him,” she continues. He began to learn various modiications and ways of making it look better or faster. “He began learning to be his own fundi out of curiosity, just like any young boy who is curious to discover how things work. He was a little bit privileged that his dad worked in a factory where there were all sorts of machines and tools and so, he would sneak in and play around with his bike, which turned him to a great bicycle mechanic,” narrates Damaris. His bicycle was a work of art that people looked at and admired. That gave him conidence to participate in cycling events. He met people who inspired his journey. For instance, Louise Gomarn who lives in Holland now, Patrick Tindi, now retired cyclist, who is still involved in events and Sabri Mohammed who taught him to be a strong rider. When it comes to his parents, his father’s support went as far as assisting him with spanners and spare parts being that he was a manager at a steel factory. “My dad was harsh when I started. He never supported my cycling. But even though my mum did not have money she was curious to see what I was doing with the bike,” he shares. His irst cycling event was from Mombasa to Malindi dubbed the Reef Hotel Road Race Challenge in 1994, which he admits was a complete disaster. “I never inished as I slept somewhere in the bushes. I was in my football gear. I was still a footballer in a cycling race. I thought I was a tough person. Little did I know how tough cycling was. It was a 180 kilometre race and when I cycled all the way to Kilii, I was completely exhausted that I couldn’t cycle back home. It was a humbling experience,” he says. Faster, harder From that day, David vowed that he would conquer cycling. He began learning from the winners how to cycle long distance races, how to train and what to eat. “It was a tough process. He would go from Miritini to Kwale or Shanzu to Kwale every day,” narrates his wife. As David learnt, endurance alone is not enough to make one win races. By the year 2000, he was taking greater challenges and began competing in countries such as South Africa, Mauritius and Seychelles many times. “I’ve raced the Cape Epic, which is the biggest mountain bike race in the world and inished top 10 and top 16 about six years in a row. I’ve participated in the Swazi Frontier, which is also huge, the Botswana Kalahari Challenge, which I’ve won four years in a row. I’ve raced in the Crocodile Trophy in Australia, which is the longest mountain bike race I’ve ever done. It is cycling for 14 days nonstop. You learn to be hardcore, but I was being sponsored by Shimano, which is one of the biggest bicycle component manufacturers, so I was racing for them. I’ve done the tour in Rwanda, which is the biggest in Africa, where I won nine stages in 2006. I did the world championships in France. I’ve been to the UK, Egypt… to many countries and I’ve gathered so much knowledge and experience through this,” he reveals. That’s Safari Simbaz Foundation which was started in 1998 trains youngsters aged between 15 and 23 on professional bicycle mechanic, which is one of the ways they can make money. They are also taught how to coach people and take people through cycling from beginner level, cycling safety and nutrition. The mentees are also taken round the country to train them as tour guides, so that they can get jobs as guides. In addition, they are also taught on how to save and invest. “Sports changes lives and with the youths engaging in substance abuse, while others are just lazy, families are breaking down. It requires people with enough experience passion for young people to guide them through. The Safari Simbas is not just about cycling, but about self-development. We teach the young people how to be self-sustainable and develop through sports,” explains David. One of the challenges that he faces is convincing parents that there is a future in cycling. “Local parents don’t support such programmes. Some take this as entertainment or waste of time. But 90 per cent of what the children have been taught can be applied even after school to sustain themselves,” she observes. They also ind rude and ill-mannered children who sometimes are had to discipline. There is the challenge of funding for the project. “We want to build an oficial Safari Simbaz centre. We have a piece of land near Chaka and we hope to raise funds to put the facility in place and have classes, dining rooms , guest houses, work shop and computer classes,” David says in conclusion. KEY HIGHLIGHTS David Kinjah has participated and won various races such as Cape Epic, Swazi Frontier, Botswana Kalahari Challenge, Crocodile Trophy in Australia, Commonwealth games, among others. As well as having a successful career, winning many medals on international level, David has mentored other champions such as Chris Froome, a four-time winner of the Tour de France. Interestingly, David wasn’t interested in cycling and started cycling as a way to commute to the beach where he played beach soccer. David is the founder Safari Simbaz Trust, a foundation that he began to mentor young cyclists. Thrilling, adventurous and rewarding journey of renowned Kenyan cyclist While veteran cyclist David Kinjah has won many medals and mentored champions, his first love was not cycling… DAVID KINJAH I was still a footballer in a cycling race. I thought I was a tough person. Little did I know how tough cycling was. I was completely exhausted that I couldn’t cycle back home. It was a humbling experience David Kinjah at a past evet. LEFT: Damaris Kinjah and their two children Buji and Diddi. PD/COURTESY

my standards and that it meets my expectations. I am always looking for new ways to improve my designs, so I am constantly iterating and refining my process. I love the process of creating something new and original. I am always looking for new inspiration, and I am not afraid to experiment. I believe that the best designs are the result of a process of experimentation and refinement. Where do you source your materials? I get my fabric locally, mostly from Gikomba market and sometimes from Kariobangi market. I love the vibrant colours and textures of the fabrics that I find there, and I’m always on the lookout for unique pieces that I can use to create my designs. I also make my clothes from reusing other clothes. I love the challenge of transforming old clothes into something new and beautiful. I find that it’s a great way to be more sustainable and to give new life to clothes that would otherwise be thrown away. I’m passionate about using sustainable materials in my designs. I believe that it’s important to be mindful of the environmental impact of the fashion industry, and I want to do my part to reduce waste. I’m excited to continue exploring the possibilities of sustainable fashion, and I hope to one day create a brand that is both stylish and environmentally friendly. What is MDZ’s ultimate dream? I want to come up with my own unique style that will change our fashion industry. I want to create clothes that are both stylish and sustainable, and that reflect the diversity of our world. I want to leave something behind that can speak for me even when I’m not there. What is your biggest challenge? As an up-and-coming designer in the streetwear market, I face many challenges, one of the biggest being to differentiate my brand from the competition. Streetwear is a crowded market, and there are many established brands that have a large following. I need to find a way to make my clothes stand out from the competition. I also need to find effective ways to market and promote my brand, and a way to manufacture and distribute my clothes in a cost-effective way. What is your brand’s unique selling point? Unlike most brands that call themselves streetwear by simply slapping a name on a T-shirt, I actually create something new and unique that can be distinguished from afar. My designs are inspired by my own personal style and experiences, and I use high-quality materials to create clothes that are both stylish and durable. I believe that my brand offers something truly unique to the streetwear market, and I am excited to see how it grows in the future. Up-and-coming stylist and designer Munyabungo Justin, 26, is one of the many young designers who are helping to shape the future of streetwear in Kenya. His brandMDZis known for its bold , statement pieces that are inspired by the designer’s personal experiences. He chats with Allan Wanyoike about his journey in fashion W hen did you start the MDZ brand? The idea of starting my own clothing brand had always been there, but MDZ was launched in 2020, just as the Covid-19 pandemic was taking hold of us. I had a lot of time on my hands, and I decided to try to make my dreams a reality. I think at that time, we all as a people became hyper-aware of our mortality and how short and fragile life is, and I think that is why a lot of passion projects were launched during the pandemic, including my own. What inspired you to start your brand? My biggest inspiration comes from my dad, who is someone I look up to. He was a designer and stylist, and I have always been fascinated by his work. I remember watching him in his studio, creating beautiful clothes and accessories. He had such a unique eye for style, and I was always inspired by his creativity. He taught me so much about fashion, including the importance of quality, attention to detail, and personal style. He also taught me the power of fashion to make people feel confident and beautiful. I am so proud to follow in my dad’s footsteps, and I hope to one day create clothes that are as beautiful and inspiring as his. I know that he would be proud of me, and that means the world to me. Take us through your creative process. I start my creative process with a loose idea or inspiration. I might see a piece of art, a street style look, or anything else that catches my eye. Then I do research to learn more about the inspiration. I might look at fashion magazines, vintage clothing, or art history. Once I have a good understanding of the inspiration, I start sketching out my ideas. This helps me to visualise the design and to make sure that it is feasible. Once I have a few sketches that I like, I create prototypes of the design. This helps me to test the design and to make sure that it is comfortable and wearable. Once I am happy with the prototype, I fabricate the final product. This could involve sewing, knitting, or other techniques. Once the final product is complete, I evaluate it, making sure that it is up to Spice Flavour your day STYLE @PeopleDailyKe PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 21 GET THE LOOK With Nailantei Norari A vibrant print is one way to cheer up your day. Double slits to let the sun in and to show off the legs is one way to show your unbound style sense. Embracing colour is one way ex- pressing your personality. Here, Shely makes a bold statement with this overlapping red dress. Be colourfully sophisticated Shelmith Mukami alias Shely Sophisticated Rhythm is a travel and fashion influencer who is known for her colourful outfits and bubbly personality. We look at a few tricks of trade that we can borrow from her look book. A vibrant print is one way to cheer Embracing colour is one way exSTREETWEAR SUPREMACY Double slits to let the sun in and JUSTIN Unlike most brands that call themselves streetwear by simply slapping a name on a T-shirt, I actually create something new and unique that can be distinguished from afar

Clique & Clicks Get Spotted 22 PEOPLE DAILY / Monday, August 16, 2023 PRODUCT VERIFICATION by Caleb Korir Global Standards 1 (GS1) Kenya recently launched service dubbed “Hakikisha Bidhaa that seeks to help consumers to verify all the products that they purchase by just scanning the Quick Response (QR) code on the products. The event brought together supply chain stakeholders to discuss on the importance of products verification. ICT director Andrew Opiyo reiterated on the importance of capturing the details of the production process for every product, so that customers could know what they are consuming. He added that the government is going to adopt such technologies in their key sectors in order to weed-out counterfeit goods. GS1 chief executive officer, Peter Otieno, said the new service would help in eradicating product piracy in the supply chain, as well as capturing important details about the product right from raw materials to the final product. PD/ALEX MBURU by Alex Mburu NCBA recently launched its newest branch in the vibrant Eastleigh neighbourhood at the newly opened Business Bay Square Mall, marking a strategic expansion milestone that seeks to tap into the thriving business community in the area. NCBA Group retail banking director Tirus Mwithiga emphasised the vital role of the bank’s expansion initiative in meeting the evolving needs of its customers. He expressed that this expansion underscores NCBA’s dedication to serving as a trusted financial partner on its customers’ journey. Also present were Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan, NCBA branch business deputy director Jane Ng’ang’a and Eastleigh Business District Association secretary general Omar Ibrahim. PD/ALEX MBURU The advancing growth Global Standards 1 Kenya CEO Peter Otieno. the newly opened Business Tirus Mwithiga emphasised the vital role of the bank’s the evolving needs of its this expansion underscores Yusuf Hassan, NCBA branch Jane Ng’ang’a and Eastleigh secretary general Omar Assistant County Commissioner Mohamed Adow with Business Bay Square Mall acting GM Yasin Hussein. Shiva Mathenge and Phyllis Kimotho of Charles Nzyoka, Diana Kinangop Dairy. Wati and Daniel Amoke. ICT director Andrew Opiyo. NCBA branch business deputy director Jane Ng’ang’a. Eastleigh Business District Association secretary general Omar Ibrahim. Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan with NCBA Group retail banking director Tirus Mwithiga. Yvonne Masibo of Dawa Ltd tries out the new “Hakikisha Bidhaa” service.

Ten PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 TOP SHELF FACTS 23 African countries with the most coups 1. Sudan Since 1950, Sudan has had the most coups and attempted takeovers amounting to 17, six of them successful. The first attempted coup was on August 18, 1955, that was followed by a successful one on November 17, 1958. In 2019, long-serving leader Omar al-Bashir was removed from power following months of protests. Bashir himself took over in a military coup in 1989. A research from the Centre for Systemic Peace (CSP) and Statista shows that there have been 35 coups (including failed attempts and plots) in Sudan’s history. Although an armed conflict erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, the latest and successful coup happened on October 25, 2021, where coup leaders dissolved the country’s power-sharing government and temporarily detained Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. 2. Burundi Burundi’s history has been marked by 11 separate coups, mostly driven by the tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi communities. Out of the 11 coups, five have been successful. The first attempted coup was on October 18, 1965. Many other coups followed in the years between 1966 and 1993, with the most bloodiest happening on October 21, 1993, an attempted military-backed coup that resulted in the assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye. The attack helped to trigger a 10- year civil war that left an estimated 300,000 people dead. The latest was on May 13, 2015, when top army generals attempted to overthrow President Pierre Nkurunziza while he was visiting Tanzania. 3. Sierra Leone and Ghana Sierra Leone experienced three coups between 1967 and 1968, and another one in 1971. There were two attempted coups in Sierra Leone between 1986 and 1988. It experienced five further coup attempts between 1992 and 1997. In total, there have been 10 attempted coups in Sierra Leone, five of them being successful. Just like Sierra Leone, Ghana has also had its share of military coups, with 10, five of them being successful. The first was on February 24, 1966, when Kwame Nkrumah was removed from power, and in the following year there was an unsuccessful attempt by junior army officers. Many attempted and successful coups followed in staggered years, with the last attempt having happened on March 23, 1984. 4. Burkina Faso and Comoros The West African country has had the most successful coups, with nine takeovers and only one failed coup. The first one happened on January 3, 1966. The only failed coup was on September 17, 2015. The latest, a successful military-backed coup, was on January 23, 2022. Coup leaders suspended Burkina Faso’s constitution, dissolved the National Assembly and detained President Roch Marc Christian Kabore. Comoros has also had nine coups, four of them being successful. The last successful one was on April 30, 1999, but there was a failed coup the following year on March 21. 5. Niger, Benin, Mali, Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau On 26 July 2023, a coup d’état occurred in Niger when the country’s presidential guard detained president Mohamed Bazoum, and presidential guard commander general Abdourahamane Tchiani proclaimed himself the leader of a new military junta. This was the eighth and fifth successful coup since the country gained independence from France in 1960. Other African nations with eight coups (successful or failed) are Benin, Mali, Nigeria and GuineaBissau. 6. Togo, Congo, Chad and Mauritania With seven successful and failed coups, these countries are in the top ten list of countries in Africa that have had most coups in history. In Togo, three coups have been successful, with two each in Republic of Congo and Chad, and five successful coups in Mauritania —the latest being on August 6, 2008, where the deposed leader, President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was jailed. 7. Guinea As of this year, the West African country has had six attempted coups, with three of them being successful. The first was on April 3, 1984, while the rest followed in the years that followed. On September 5, 2021, members of Guinea’s military stormed the presidential palace and carried out a successful coup. The coup leaders detained the deposed president Alpha Conde. 8. Uganda, Ethiopia and CAR These nations have had five attempted coups each, where two of them were successful in Ethiopia and three in Central African Republic (CAR) and Uganda. In Uganda, the first coup was on January 25, 1971, a successful military-backed coup that deposed President Milton Obote. Coup leader Idi Amin became one of the world’s most brutal dictators, who was disposed on April 13, 1979. The last on the East African nation was on July 27, 1985, where President Obote was overthrown for the second time. The first one in Ethiopia was on December 14, 1960, but the most popular one was on September 12, 1974, were the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army deposed the then leader Emperor Haile Selassie. The first one in CAR was in January 1966 and the latest happened on March 15, 2003. 9. Egypt The North African country has had four attempted coups, where all of of them were successful. The first of them happened on July 23, 1952, followed by another one two years later. On February 11, 2011, there was a successful military-backed coup following mass protests. The deposed leader Hosni Mubarak was jailed. The latest one happened on July 3, 2013, where the Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi led a coalition to remove President Mohamed Morsi, who was jailed. Democratic Republic of the Congo, Algeria, Madagascar, Liberia, Lesotho and Ivory Coast have also had four coups each. 10. Somalia On December 10, 1961 there was an attempted military-backed coup on the East African nation, the first of the three attempts the country has had. Only the October 21, 1969, was successful. It was a bloodless takeover of Somalia’s government by military officers of the Supreme Revolutionary Council led by Siad Barre. The other attempted coup was on April 9, 1978. Lybia, Zambia and The Gambia are the other countries to have experience three coups each. COMPILED BY: MWANGI ALBERTO SOURCE: VOA Burkina Faso has had the most successful coups, with nine takeovers and only one failed coup. The fi rst one happened on January 3, 1966. The only failed coup was on September 17, 2015 Military coups were a regular occurrence in the continent in the decades after independence and there is concern they are starting to become more frequent. The takeover in Niger led by soldiers belonging to the presidential guard, is just the latest in a string of coups that have taken place in recent years. Overall, Africa has experienced more coups than any other continent. Of the 17 coups recorded globally since 2017, all but one - Myanmar in 2021 - have been in Africa. Between January 1950 and July 2023, there were some 220 successful and attempted coups in Africa, representing almost half (44 per cent) of all attempted coups worldwide. Kenya has experienced only one unsuccessful attempt that was staged by junior Air Force officers on August 1, 1982 Burkina Faso interim leader Captain Ibrahim Traore. COURTESY

ALLAN LAWRENCE While aiming to preserve unions, tough divorce laws sometimes leave couples locked in marital tug-of-war, which make separations messier 24 PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 Family Fusion All about kin and kith The story of an 82-year old woman, whose body was discovered nine months after her death is a heartbreaking one. If her granddaughter who resides in South Africa had not visited the house, only God knows how long it would have taken. Although the matter has now become a police case, it is shocking that a mother can die for nine months in her house, and no one was aware. What is shocking is that one of her sons lives less than 800 metres away, but did not know that his mother was dead all these months, despite living in close proximity. The other son, who works in the aviation industry, had been sending her monthly upkeep. The retired teacher is said to be extremely reclusive and hardly interacted with people. There are so many angles to this story that it is becoming difficult to apportion blame. There has been allegations of family feuds that could have forced the family to keep off her. We are talking of an 82-year-old matriarch, who ideally would have grandchildren and great-grandchildren. What kind of differences would cause such resentment between a mother and her children, so bad that no one cared about her whereabouts for a whole nine months? Ideally, an octogenarian would need a domestic assistant to ensure she can feed, clean, and sleep well. Did she refuse such kind of support? Let’s assume that one or a few of her children conspired to give her a blackout, was there no other child with an alternative perspective? What differences would be so severe to force one to abandon their mother for months? The blood children of this woman probably had spouses. How come their spouses were not keen on who was taking care of their mother-in-law? How deep were these family differences? I am a strong believer that you should respect and honour your parents. This is not determined by what they did or did not do for you. It is not determined by the role they played or failed to play in your life. Even if your parent is a drunkard, a harlot, a thief, a conman, or the scum of the earth; honour, and respect him or her. That is a command from God. Giving unconditional respect and honour to your parents DADDY’S DIARY WITH JUSTUS NJOROGE While the existing divorce procedure is fault-based, proposed amendment will make it easier for estranged partners to separate by mutual consent by Harriet James @harriet86jim W hether one is caught off-guard or well aware, the divorce process can be mentally, physically, emotionally as well as financially draining even when the circumstances are amicable. Noticing the difficulties that couples who seek to separate go through, the parliament is debating a new law, the Marriage (Amendment) Bill 2023, that if passed will make divorce easier and affordable should both partners consent to the annulment of their marriage. The Bill, sponsored by Suna West MP Francis Masara will mark the departure from the existing divorce procedure that is fault-based, meaning that a person will only get a divorce when they prove a matrimonial fault on the part of their spouse, as provided in the 2014 Marriage Act. Those who have been through the court process believe that this is a great step towards making this tough process easier for couples who seek divorce. Sandro Tangut shares how despite having an amicable divorce in 2017, the trauma of airing his causes for seeking divorce in the public is one of the things he believes should be amended in the current law. “It is very traumatic to have your information in the public domain. Court processes are not the best when it comes to matters of love because we mostly view divorce as war and try to outshine each other. You’ve got children who can access it and see what your accusations were. The fact that the current laws want one to show cause of why they want to quit marriage is traumatic. Then, one is forced to say and reveal that some things are not so good about their spouses, which is not pleasant,” he recalls. Emotional trauma Now a divorce recovery coach and the founder of The Oasis Experience, an organisation that offers group therapy sessions to those going through divorce and separation, Tangut has watched the emotional trauma that divorcees go through and is assisting them to heal and find support through the pain. “Irreconcilable differences alone will not give you the divorce. The courts want to hear other stuff. But with the proposed amendments to the Marriage Bill that’s progressive in the areas of divorce and separation, it will allow couples who want out of a union to sign an agreement that they’ve opted to go separate ways,” he continues. Divorce needs not be costly, mes can’t pinpoint or even have evidence that things will not work,” she adds. Most countries adopted the policy of no fault divorce in the late ‘60s and ‘70s. This meant that either party to marriage could sue for divorce with “irreconcilable differences” as the only claim. As a result, it created unilateral divorce where either of the party was free to leave whenever they felt the urge to dissolve the union. Over the years, many countries have enacted laws that have made divorce easier. The original intention of relaxing the divorce laws was to allow individuals trapped in bad marriages to exit easily. Currently under the Kenyan law, couples in civil unions must stay together for a period of three years before parting ways. However, the proposed Bill will allow couples who have mutually sepaHope Muturi, who divorced last year in March, supports the mutual agreement proposal. Though, her process delayed due to cost, it was easier being that it was virtual with one meeting with the judge. “It was finalised within six months. It was a pleasant and swift experience. I am also not in full support of having to show evidence when someone needs to leave the marriage,” she says. However, Hope believes that making it easier to end marriageswill open a can of worms. “It shouldn’t be so easy. Otherwise, people will be going in and out of marriages casually, to the extent of having 50 per cent of marriages ending in divorce like in the West. My thoughts of amendment may be more towards child support. Not divorce,” she continues. Free to leave when marriage doesn’t work Before Mercy Wanjira embarked on filing for divorce, she opted to talk to a few people just to have a clue of what it entails. The stories she received were disheartening and discouraging. Her divorce was granted last year November, but she had been separated for more than two years before the case was filed. “Some would say it takes forever and it’s very embarrassing as you’d speak in front of a judge giving nitty grities of the circumstances. That worried me a lot and I almost gave up. Going through a knowledgeable lawyer was beneficial since he took me through the process. The only disclaimer he put was that it’s emotionally draining and painful,” she recalls. The process was also easier because of the fact that it was done online. As she says, the virtual way eased the tension as going to court is traumatic all by itself. Her case went uncontested because her ex never responded nor showed up in court. When it comes to grounds for divorce, she believes that the removal of grounds of divorce is a great thing since sometimes marriage fails when things get disconnected. “They should not peg it on specific grounds for divorce. There are people whose reason for divorce are not covered by law. Sometimes things are just not working in a marriage and sometimes you Sandro Tangut. He got divorced in 2017 PD/HARRIET JAMES

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY FAMILY FUSION 25 MOMINTHEMIX WITH FANNE MWAMBI My secrets for excelling KCSE? A little gold mine for the candidate KEY HIGHLIGHTS Presently under the Marriage Act, one cannot divorce without proving either or some form of adultery, cruelty, desertion, exceptional depravity, and irretrievable breakdown. The challenge is getting evidence as grounds for divorce. Getting evidence of cruelty requires eye witness accounts, medical reports or police abstract to prove physical assault. Proving emotional abuse may require psychiatric evidence and so on . For adultery, it might be trickier since getting evidence of messages and photos might be difficult. In addition, one has to testify in court on those grounds. This means that divorce proceedings have been acrimonius, lengthy, tedious, and expensive due to the time taken to prove such faults in court. The airing of dirty linen in public, as couples find faults has been traumatic for many. The mutual consent divorce will help people who may feel trapped in marriage. Sometimes things do not just work and sometimes you can’t pinpoint or even have evidence of what is wrong. Where the parties no longer love each other, they should not be forced to stay together. ANNA KONUCHE There are instances where the parties no longer love each other and they should not be forced to stay together. It’s also better where children are concerned as it will protect them from hearing their parents’ dirty secrets. y, messy or noisy experience rated for at least one year, preceding the date of marriage, to dissolve their union by mutual consent. “Before 2014, marriage was governed by various statutes that governed various provinces of law such as the African Christian Marriage and Divorce Act, which governed marriages entered into by African Christians and the prescribed grounds for divorce. We also had Mohammedan Marriage and Divorce Act, Hindu Marriage and Divorce Act, the Marriage Act and the Matrimonial Causes Act. All these Acts were inherited from the colonialists,” explains Anna Konuche, Advocate Assistant Director, Advocates Training Programme at the Kenya School of Law. In 2014, Kenya made great stride by enacting the Marriage Act of 2014 that consolidated all the marriage laws into one Act. It provides for all those types of marriages, the grounds for divorce and the procedure for dissolving these marriages. It is this 2014 Marriage Act that the Bill seeks to amend. “Presently, under the Marriage Act one cannot divorce without proving either or some of adultery, cruelty, desertion, exceptional depravity, and irretrievable breakdown. In Hindu marriage, change of religion is also a ground for divorce. Some of the other marriages may also have some one or two additional grounds depending on the one petitioning for divorce,” she adds. Challenge of getting evidence The challenge of getting evidence as grounds of divorce was also another challenge. For instance, getting evidence of cruelty requires eye witness accounts, medical reports or police abstract and P3 to prove physical assault. Proving emotional abuse may require psychiatric evidence and so on ... For adultery, it might be trickier since getting evidence of messages and photos might be difficult. In addition, one has to testify in court to those grounds. The proposal to allow consensual or divorce and separation by consent means that the parties will no longer be required to prove fault in the part of their spouse for them to be granted divorce. “The catch, however, is that the petition must be presented by both parties and both must be present in court. This is good to the extent that the bad blood and acrimony between parties need not be exhibited during trial and couples can part amicably,” she continues. The ease also removes the stigma out of divorce. “We all agree that the title divorcée is not a good or pleasant one, especially when it comes with such tags as he or she was cruel or a cheater or an abuser. Parties can now agree to part and it doesn’t have to feel as though it was anyone’s fault,” explains Anna. The amendment also means that parties will not fear to file for divorce because of the requirement to produce evidence or prove that there was a problem. “There are instances where the parties no longer love each other and they should not be forced to stay together. It’s also better where children are concerned as it will protect them from hearing their parents’ dirty secrets. There’s still life after the divorce and children need to be raised by parents who still respect or have a semblance of respect for each other. This is what this consensual divorce is trying to help. Some parties know it’s over and don’t want to fight,” she explains. While many argue that divorce should not be easy to obtain as it destroys the basic unit of society, Anna argues that dysfunctional families currently exist because couples are obligated to stick together. “This can give rise to other secondary issues such as mental health issues. Maybe it will discourage parties from working on their dysfunctional unions,” she shares. According to relationship expert Allan Lawrence, the amendment is a welcome thing. “It portrays a high sense of maturity, if not respect as there’s more dignity attached to it. While aiming to preserve unions, tough divorce laws sometimes leave couples locked in marital tug-ofwar, which make separations messier,” he says. Finding balance While stricter laws can discourage hasty decisions, they may trap people in toxic marriages. More lenient laws offer freedom, but might undermine the institution of marriage in the long run. “The balance lies in finding laws that protect individuals while acknowledging the complexity of relationships. Divorce laws can be beneficial by providing a structured process for couples to end unhealthy marriages, ensuring fair distribution of assets and support for both parties, also prioritising the well-being of children through custody arrangements,” he explains. He advocate for more streamlined processes that minimise emotional turmoil and financial burden for couples. “Introducing mandatory mediation or counselling sessions could encourage open communication and reconciliation efforts before resorting to divorce. Additionally, implementing guidelines to ensure equitable distribution of assets and support, while also prioritising the best interests of any children involved, would contribute to a more just and compassionate legal framework for divorce to take place on fair grounds and terms,” he says in ending. The holiday tuition is here, and we’re rounding up to the final lap. I have probably shared this story too many times, but I still find it relevant for all candidates’ sake. I was the most improved in my secondary school. And before you think I’m bragging, hear this: I rose from C-, in term three of Form Three, to B plain. How did that happen? Did I cheat? No, I did not. I’ll try to explain this as best as I can, and hopefully, you’ll find something to help your child with. Have you ever heard of working hard versus working smart? That is what I did. I sat down and arranged my subjects according to my competence. This is where you call yourself to a meeting. So, me, myself and I sat at a meeting and analysed myself. I wrote down my weaknesses and noted my strengths. I began with Mathematics Now that I knew what needed work, it was time to lay down my strategy. I was weakest in Math, scoring 45 per cent at most. I was also weak in Chemistry and Biology, although they were some of my favourite subjects. And my best subject, English, was getting dragged back by literature. It was time to restrategise. I signed up for extra lessons with my math teacher, who gave me tips that I found very helpful; for the first 30 questions of three or four marks each, pick your best 10. Of these 10 be sure that you will get at least three marks from each. Here you will have bagged 30 marks. Bagging marks From Paper Two, pick your best four questions out of the six that you are guaranteed to get all marks from. That will be another 48 marks in the bag. Now, once you have answered these, and are sure of your marks, go back to paper one and add as many marks as you can from the remaining questions. It can be one mark or two from each; it doesn’t matter too much from here. The minimum you will have acquired is enough to give you at least 78 marks. This worked like magic and has been like gold to me. Anna Konuche.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS African traditional societies believe that the dead serve as protectors and guides for the living. When the dead are not honoured, it is believed that this spiritual protection is lost, leaving the living vulnerable to negative forces and spiritual attacks. Honouring the wishes of the dead can be seen as a way to cope with grief Honouring their wishes can provide a sense of closure and help us find meaning in their death When a person outlines specific details for their funeral, it’s an attempt to have control over something often viewed as being uncontrollable: death by Sandra Wekesa @wekesa_sandra M ore often than not, people write their fi nal wishes. These may range from where they want to be buried, how they would want to be buried, the time of the day that the funeral should take place, positioning of the body, whether it is close to their loved ones, or close to their house or even livestock/ farm, whether they would want to be cremated or buried while seating or at the cemetery. Surprisingly, African traditional societies believe in the existence of ancestral spirits who continue to infl uence the lives of the living. They, especially believe if the wishes of the dead are not honoured, calamity may fall on the family. Lawrence Shichabati, a luhya elder in Shirotsa village, Khwisero explains that when the dead are not honoured, it is believed the ancestors become displeased and may bring misfortune and other negative consequences to the living. Rebecca Ochieng narrates how her grandfather’s body “refused” to enter their homestead apparently because one of his wishes wasn’t fulfi lled by the family. “I was really young, but I remember seeing every car that attempted to enter the homestead develop a mechanical problem. Given the fact that we hold our traditional beliefs so dearly, we had to appease the dead in order for the body to be laid to rest peacefully,” she says. She later came to fi nd out that her grandfather’s last wish was to have his body enter the homestead with his head fi rst to signify that he was the head of the household. However, the hearse entered in reverse while parking, hence breaking his last wish. However, Rebecca strongly believes that there might have been other wishes, which weren’t fulfi lled and that is why up to date, her father still has dreams of him having a Last wishes and their place among the living 26 Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY Taboo Let’s talk about it Belief in the supernatural a common part of human life Ever since the Age of Enlightenment, society has become progressively more rational and less religious. In particular, “supernatural thinking” has declined. However, according to existential psychologist Clay Routledge, supernatural thinking is an important part of being a complete human being. When we ponder great existential questions — like our purpose or place in the universe — our minds naturally drift toward the supernatural. The supernatural provides hope that there is something about our existence, something about the human spirit, that transcends the material. Belief in the supernatural is, therefore, a common part of human life. Although its exact expression varies between individuals and across contexts, some form of belief in spirits, mystic forces, or similar phenomena occurs in nearly every culture. Researchers have been interested in the reasons behind this widespread, seemingly innate human tendency toward supernaturalism for a long time. The authors of a new study published in Nature Human Behaviour weigh in on this topic with a novel analysis: comparing supernatural thinking in over 100 different societies. According to anthropological and psychological traditions, our species has always strived to understand nature and its complexities. Why does rain fall from the sky? What causes the seasons to change? We want to know why things happen and how to predict their future occurrence. Unfortunately, many events don’t have known causes. Rather than accept that we just don’t know what’s going on in these situations, people often adopt a “God of the gaps approach.” We reach for supernatural possibilities to explain things when we otherwise lack an empirically grounded understanding of them. Supernatural beliefs, including those endorsed by organised religions, promise explanations for otherwise baffling events and experiences and therefore, might provide some relief from the discomfort of not knowing. From this perspective then, supernatural beliefs exist because they reflect an attempt to explain the world. Supernatural punishment beliefs for instance, — like beliefs in hell or in moralistic gods — appear incredibly well-designed to promote cooperation. -Internet sources respect. The two religious gurus explain that it is important to note that beliefs and interpretations can vary among individuals within both Christianity and Islam. These perspectives represent general understandings, but individual beliefs may differ. Religious reasons Psychologically, Geoffrey Wango a senior lecturer at University of Nairobi says honouring the wishes of the dead can be seen as a way to cope with grief and facilitate the mourning process. “When someone we love dies, we may feel a sense of guilt or regret if we did not fulfi ll their wishes or meet their expectations. Honouring their wishes can provide a sense of closure and help us fi nd meaning in their death,” he says. Also, in many cultures, there are societal expectations and norms surrounding the treatment of the deceased. These cultural beliefs and practices can infl uence individuals to honour the wishes of the dead as a way to maintain social harmony and respect for the deceased. Our dignity is one of the most important things we have during our time on earth. When a person outlines specifi c details for their funeral, it’s an attempt to have control over something often viewed as being uncontrollable: death. When a loved one has specifi c funeral wishes, you can think of it as a person wanting to pass away on their own terms. Even if they could not control the circumstances under which they died, they can control how they are remembered. Experts explore why cultural beliefs can influence individuals’ attitudes and behaviour towards honouring the wishes of the dead and the fear of consequences conversation with his late dad. Shichabati says that in some occurrences, honouring the dead is seen as a way to maintain family and community cohesion. When the dead are not honoured, it can lead to rifts within families and communities, causing divisions and weakening social bonds. Loss of spiritual protection “African traditional societies believe that the dead serve as protectors and guides for the living. When the dead are not honoured, it is believed that this spiritual protection is lost, leaving the living vulnerable to negative forces and spiritual attacks,” he says. Also, the African traditional societies view death as a natural part of the cycle of life. When the dead are not honoured, it is seen as a disruption of this natural order, which can upset the balance and harmony within the community. On his part, Sheikh Izudin Alwy Ahmed says the concept of spirits of the dead coming to torture the living for not honouring their wishes is not a mainstream belief in Islam. “Muslims believe in the existence of jinn, which are spiritual beings created by Allah and can be both good and evil. While some jinn may cause harm or mischief to humans, it is not specifi cally tied to the wishes of the deceased,” he says. He says that although Islam teaches that the dead should be respected and remembered, the faith does not support the idea that their spirits can come back to torment the living, whether their wishes are honoured or not. Conversely, Christians believe that cultural traditions have roots in religious ceremonies and the whole belief of spirits of the dead coming to torment the living for not fulfi lling their desires is not a commonly held belief. Anthony Mwangi, also known as Pastor Tee says that Christians believe in the existence of spirits, but they believe that after death, the soul either goes to heaven, hell, or purgatory, depending on one’s relationship with God. “The idea of spirits returning to torment the living goes against the teachings of Christianity, which emphasise the importance of love, forgiveness, and salvation through Jesus Christ,” he says. However, he adds that in instances where the dead has their last wishes, they ought to be honoured and remembered as this could be a sign of showing dignity and BRIEFLY WANGO When someone we love dies, we may feel a sense of guilt or regret if we did not fulfi ll their wishes or meet their expectations. Honouring their wishes can provide a sense of closure Sheikh Izudin Alwy Ahmed. PD/COURTESY Geoffrey Wango. PD/COURTESY

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY CLASSIFIEDS / NOTICES 27

PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 28 ENTERTAINMENT ARIES (MAR. 21- APRIL 20) Don’t take sides if you wish to remain on good terms with both parties. Don’t let relatives stand in the way of your personal plans. TAURUS (APR. 21- MAY 21) Losses could occur if you haven’t been careful when dealing with joint inancial ventures. Creative educational pursuits will payoff. GEMINI (MAY 22-JUNE 21) You can inish projects early, which will bring you praise from superiors. Be careful not to hurt someone’s feelings. CANCER (JUNE 22-JULY 22) You will have the discipline to make changes you feel are necessary. Follow through on some of the good ideas that come up, and you could have a real winner of a deal. LEO (JULY 23-AUG 22) You’d be wise to control your spending so your debts don’t get out of hand. Face any emotional problems head-on to avoid situations getting out of hand. VIRGO (AUG. 23 -SEPT. 23) You might want to spend some time by yourself in order to decide exactly how you feel. Take some time out. LIBRA (SEPT. 24 -OCT. 23) Having your own business is a good idea. The great outdoors will allow you to teach youngsters some of the things you learned when growing up. SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 22) In-laws may cause dificulties. Travel should be considered. You will have to check your cash low before you decide to indulge in hobbies or entertainment that may be beyond your budget. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 -DEC. 21) You may be likely to have dificulties with females. Risky ventures may turn in your favor. You may be sensitive to a point of absurdity. CAPRICORN (DEC 22.- JAN. 20) Organize your house and be sure to include the whole family in the projects you have set out to do. AQUARIUS (JAN. 21 -FEB. 19) Visit friends or relatives you don’t get to see very often. Correspondence may not clear up issues. Put all your energy into moneymaking ventures. PISCES (FEB. 20-MAR. 20) Opportunities to meet new lovers will come through pleasure trips or social events. Don’t spend too much on products that promise amazing cosmetic results. HOROSCOPES LIFE’S LIKE THAT! | BY TUM Sudoku The aim is to ill the grid so that each row, column and every 3x3 shaded box contains only one of the digits 1-9. You need to reason out where to place the missing numbers by using the numbers given in the grid and a process of elimination. It is a game of logic not mathematical ability. YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION ACROSS 1. Term of endearment (7) 4. Finicky (5) 7. Small home (7) 8. Chronic drinker (5) 9. Plan of action (6) 12. Generosity (8) 15. Stifle (8) 17. Cured (6) 18. Actor, ___ Lundgren (5) 21. Flier (7) 22. Emblem (5) 23. Trade illegally (7) DOWN 1. Capital of Syria (8) 2. Singer, ___ Richie (6) 3. Ambition (4) 4. Tiger ___, hit song for Mud (4) 5. Assume (7) 6. Time period (4) 10. Senior member (5) 11. Sweep (5) 13. Outbreak of disease (8) 14. Put in for (7) 16. Distant (3,3) 18. Speechless (4) 19. Despise (4) 20. Hoist (4) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 5 1 6 3 7 5 2 6 1 4 9 5 7 6 4 2 3 8 5 2 4 9 8 7 6 3 9 1 5 1 4 9 5 6 9 8 4 2 1 7 3 3 8 4 7 1 6 5 2 9 2 1 7 5 9 3 6 8 4 7 2 5 4 3 8 9 1 6 9 4 6 1 2 7 3 5 8 8 3 1 9 6 5 7 4 2 1 9 2 6 5 4 8 3 7 6 7 3 2 8 1 4 9 5 4 5 8 3 7 9 2 6 1 5:00 France 24 5.05 Maombi 5:30 Gear Up 6:00 Good Morning Kenya 10:00 NewsCheck 1:00 KBC Lunch time News 2:00 Cynthia Nyamai 2:30 Disco Funk 3:00 Animation 5:00 Club 1 6:30 Drama 7:00 Taarifa 7:30 Maza 8:00 I Dare You To Leave 9:00 KBC Channel 1 News 10:30 The Rave 11:00 CGTN 12:30 France 24 5.00 Password Plus 6.00 Am Live 8.00 Better Living 9.00 On The Wings Of Love 10.00 Music Mix 11.00 NTV Today 1.00 NTV at 1 1.30 Music Mix 3.00 Blood Sisters 3.30 The Three Sides Of Ana - Rpt 4.00 NTV At 4 4.15 Password Plus 5.00 The Heat 6.00 It Had To Be You 7.00 NTV Jioni 8.00 Forever My Love 9.00 NTV Tonight 10.00 Movie 11.00 Music Mix 12.00 CNN 06:00 Your Motor Week 06:30 Command Your Morning 07:00 Afrimaxx 09:00 Tendereza 09:30 News Hour 10:00 Afriscreen 12:00 Amplify 12:30 The killer Bride 1:00 News Desk 1.30 Sports Legends 2:00 Afriscreen 3:30 Akili & Me 4:00 Mbiu Ya KTN 4:10 Winx Club 6:00 Prima Donnas 7:00 KTN Leo 7:30 Sports legends 8:00 Whats your story 9:00 KTN Friday Briefing 10:21 Movie 10:30 Movie 11:00 Baseline 1.00 Aljazeera 4:00 Pambazuka 05:30 PE At Home 06:00 Day Break 09:00 Cartoons Animation 10:00 Music Mix generic 15:00 Afrosinema 11:00 Sema Na Citizen 11:15 Afrosinema 12:15 Afrosinema 13:00 Sema Na Citizen 14:00 Mseto Africa 15:00 The Neighbour 15:54 Supa Sema 16:00 News Brief 16:15 PE At Home 17:30 Rubi 18:30 Machachari 19:00 Nipashe 19:30 Sultana 20:00 Vencer El Desamor 21:00 JK Live 23:05 Mis Fortuna El Marte 00:00 Afrosinema 01:00 News Night KBC KTN CITIZEN NTV 5.00 Ime Ria Ruciini 6.00 Rikiratha 10.00 Kurekereria Kodi- Live 12.00 Ndurumeni Maturaini 1.00 Mohoro Gitau-Live 1.30 Kayu Ka Ruriri- Rpt 2.00 Thiririka 3.00 Kiengei Live- Rpt 4.00 Ririmbuka- Live 6.00 Maisha Bure- Rpt 6.30 Magerio- Rpt 7.00 Kameme Maturaini- Live 7.30 Njungwa Ya Muthee Kihenjo 8.30 Maisha Bure 9.00 Mutamburuko Wa Mohoro- Live 10.00 Lotto- Live 10.15 Thenema 11.30 Ririmbuka 12.30 DW 5.00 Inuka 6.00 New Dawn 8.00 K24 This Morning 9.55 Wisdom Moments 10.05 Inuka 11.00 Mchipuko 1.00 K24 News Cut 1.30 Jungu La Spoti 2.00 Bongo Movie 3.00 Ubongo Kids 3.30 Akili & Me 4.00 K24 Mashinani 4.30 Mchipuko Extra 5.00 Beat Box 6.00 Tangled Hearts 7.00 K24 Saa Moja 7.30 Aap Ke Aa Jane Se 8.00 Brazil Avenue 8.30 BBC- Focus On Africa 9.00 K24 Evening Edition 10.00 Lotto- Live 10.20 BBC- Dira Ya Dunia 10.50 Beat Box 11.50 Al Jazeera Timeout Sudoku solutions 6.00pm TANGLED HEARTS ACROSS 1. Nervous 5. Mars 7. Tape 8. Midas 9. Data 10. Tall 12. Ketchup 14. Entire 18. Lee 19. Reefer 23. Stilton 25. Wool 26. Lost 27. Issue 28. Evil 29. Dead 30. Extract DOWN 1. Nible 2. Rodent 3. Oyster 4. Stalk 5. Medicine 6. Stamp 11. Lever 13. urge 15. Next 16. Inflated 17. Elbow 20. Enlist 21. Fiesta 22. Repeat 23. Solid 24. Noble

NAIROBI: The par-71 Nyali Golf & Country Club played host to eleventh leg of the 2023 NCBA Golf Series on Saturday. Leg attracted a remarkable assembly of 180 golfers, including six juniors, who converged to compete for the top honours. Home player Olaf Grothey, playing off handicap 3, carded an impressive round of 72 gross to claim overall title of the tournament. He finished four points better than fellow club mate, Mohdhar Abubakar, playing off handicap 6, who carded a round of 76 gross to claims the winner’s position in ahead of handicap 10 Jimmy Kingori who ended the round with 77 gross. The margins were close as well in the ladies’ category that was won by Mary Kandu after she carded 82 gross, beating Truphena Oyaro on countback. Among the juniors, Alyssa Jamal, showcased remarkable skills and talent, managing an impressive score of 78 gross to claim the bragging rights. Following their triumph, the six top golfers become the latest addition to the list of players who have booked their slots to play in the tournament’s finals set for December at Sigona Golf Club. In other categories, Mughal Akram and Pauline Gichara were stars in the Longest Drive challenge among the men and ladies, respectively. At the same time, Rose Njogu claimed the Nearest to the Pin challenge. -Lucky Oluoch GOLF Home player Olaf Grothey wins Nyali leg of the ongoing NCBA golf series by Barry Silah @PeopleDailyKe Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) teams, Ulinzi men and women, had a successful outings in the ongoing Kenya Handball Federation League at the weekend. They beat seasoned sides to clearly show their intentions. On Sunday, Ulinzi Men side saw off National Youth Service 55-18 in a one sided affair at Nyayo Stadium Handball Court. In this particular fixture, Gideon Kiprotich had nine goals followed by Noah Cheruiyot (eight) with the pair of Abel Weru and Paul Kakai both on seven goals. This game was closed at 28-13 during the break with NYS top scorer being Dennis Kiptanui with a paltry five goals. It was a contest that was nearly null as Ulinzi Men dominated all spheres offensively and defensively. The soldiers were quick on attack and organised in covering their goal area as NYS struggled to measure up. In another Men’s challenge played Saturday, Ulinzi Men overpowered Inspired 46-17 in another one-sided duel. There were 10 different outfield players on the score-sheet for victors with the deadly Gideon Kiprotich once again coming to the party with a leading contribution of eight goals. Karan Patel eyes a podium finish at the African Rally Championship in Burundi Going for glory by Edwin Otieno @PeopleDailyKe Kenya National Rally Champion Karan Patel is set to participate in the African Rally Championship expected to rev off on between August 18 and 20, in Burundi. The KCB-sponsored driver, who is fresh from competing at the 2023 WRC Safari Rally, has set his eyes on the big prize during the fourth leg of the series dubbed Rallye International du Burundi. Karan will be navigated by his longtime friend Tauseef Khan and will be driving his favourite Ford Fiesta which he has been panel beating ahead of the much-anticipated regional event. Commenting ahead of his departure to Burundi, Karan Patel said: “I am extremely honoured to participate in the African Rally Championship in Burundi. The people of Burundi have always been amazing, turning up in large numbers to cheer us as we take on the tough gravel. It is my hope that the weather and the track will be gracious enough for me and my navigator. We want to win this leg and continue positioning Kenya as a hub for motorsports talent.” The rally will attract Rally2, Rally3, Rally4 and Rally5 cars where drivers will be battling for points. In addition, eligible Group N4 and R4 cars are permitted for use in the FIA ARC2 category, while eligible T4 Cross-Country cars can compete in the event in a separate T4 class. Karan Patel will depart the country today for the continental showpiece where he will be testing his car and participating in shakedown before the real action on the 18th. Tauseef Khan said: “Karan and I enjoy rallying so much and we have been doing this for many years. This platform gives us an opportunity to test ourselves against the best drivers on the continent. I call upon all motorsports’ fans to rally behind us in this competition. We will not let them down.” The event will be Karan’s first competitive outing since his participation in WRC Safari Rally in June. The fifth leg of the circuit will head to Rwanda for the Mountain Gorilla Rally between September 22 and 24. Charles Malema of Black Mamba attempts to score during their past KHF Men Premier League match against Desert Scorpions. PD/ RODGERS NDEGWA Big wins for Ulinzi sides in third week of Handball League NAIROBI: Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa has announced that Premier League clubs will be required to strictly hire CAF A licensed coaches . Speaking after opening a CAF A refresher coaching seminar at the Kenya Institute of Special Education, Mwendwa said the new rule will take effect next year and will be mandatory for all 18 clubs. So far, 25 coaches are in attending the refresher course. “We have top coaches in the country attending the refresher course. These are the guys we need to make our players be great. All 25 of them are having their CAF A refresher license and as we go forward, we will require every club to have CAF A license for their head coach,” Mwendwa told People Sports. Mwendwa further promised to have at least 200 coaches training in the level to help accommodate each and every club. “We will have another class in October. So, we are going to have 50 coaches with CAF A license and every club that recruits locally will be required to hire a coach with a CAF A license. This is so important because these are the crop of coaches, who determine our philosophy, who determine how we play, who determine the technical abilities of our professional players, who play for the national team,” the FKF President noted. -Dennis Mabuka FOOtbaLL FKF PL coaches will be required to have CAF A licences, says Mwendwa 29 PEOPLE SPORT FOR MORE NEWS VISIT: www.pd.co.ke / www.epaper. pd.co.ke THE ONE-STOP SPORT SHOP Wednesday, August 16, 2023 Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum and KCB Group CEO flags-off Karan Patel during the official unveil of 2023 KCB-sponsored drivers at the Kencom House on May 19. INSET: Karan Patel (right) with his navigator Tauseef Khan pose for a photo during the function at Kencom House. PD/ EDWIN OTIENO

by Dennis Mabuka @PeopleDailyKe Shabana FC head coach Sammy Okoth has confirmed they are in the market for six new signings after they finally landed a sponsorship ahead of the new 2023-24 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League season. On Sunday, the Kisii-based Glamour Boys signed a one-year sponsorship deal worth Sh20 million with Chinese betting firm BangBet in a ceremony attended by Kisii Governor Simba Arati, Shabana players, and officials at a Nairobi Hotel. During the occasion, the company also donated three sets of uniforms and tracksuits for 35 players. The arrival of the sponsorship is a huge sigh of relief for coach Okoth, who only a week ago bemoaned the lack of new signings at the club in readiness for the new season. “We had listed some players for signing and with the sponsors now on board, we expect the deals to be completed as quickly as possible,” said Okoth, adding: “We have our target on signing Rodgers Aloro and Johana Mwita from Bandari, we are in talks to bring in Prince Ayieko from Nzoia Sugar, Hillary Wandera and Mark Ogolla from Vihiga United.” “The aforementioned players have been on our list of most wanted, and now we will move with speed and bring them on board. Our next target is to bring in six more signings, to help replace those we have dropped. Of course, it is a new season, and it comes with new things, so we are hoping to seal the deals as quickly as possible.” Okoth confirmed the six targets as among the players who have been training with the team in pre-season. “We have players who have been training with us since we kicked off pre-season, I am impressed by some so I may be forced to have them sign for us, remember we don’t have enough time to train together and kick off the season,” added Okoth. Speaking during the function to unveil the sponsor, Shabana chairman Jared Nivaton confirmed Tore Bobe have lined up two friendly matches against Premier League sides Bandari and KCB before they unveil their squad to the public. “We will play two friendly matches against Bandari and KCB in Nyanza and Nairobi and thereafter unveil the squad,” said Nivaton, adding: “We want to give the coach humble time to get the players he wants, we will support him to sign the best, so soon we will make our full list of players public.” 30 PEOPLE SPORT Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY Kisii-based side target six new signings from sponsorship windfall, coach Okoth says by Benson Mbare @PeopleDailyKe Kenya’s tennis sensation Angella Okutoyi has made her remarkable entry to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings top 1000 for the first time following the first professional title she won in Tunisia on July 31. According to the latest rankings, Okutoyi has massively improved her world hierarchy from the latest rankings released by the World Tennis Tour (WTA). Initially, Okutoyi had been ranked 930 in the past week but has since jumped to 928 with her highest position before being 1122. This is the highest ranking that Okutoyi has ever registered in her promising career with her huge leap being credited to her recent good performances. The recent unfolding comes days after the USbased sensation retained her Kenya Open title on the Nairobi clay courts over the weekend. Okutoyi who returned to Auburn University on Monday for her second semester had prior to that defeated Tanzanian third seed Shana Mao 6-1, 6-1 in the singles final to retain the title she won back in 2018. In the latest rankings, Liudmila Samsonova moved up six places in the latest WTA rankings released on Monday after her run to the final of the Montreal Open. Russian Samsonova, 24, lost in straight sets to Jessica Pegula in Canada on Sunday, but returns to a career-best 12th ranking which she also achieved last February. American Pegula Jessica, 29, remains third behind Poland’s Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus with Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan closing the top five rankings. Okutoyi star has been shining since she became the first Kenyan to win a Grand Slam title at the girls’ juniors Wimbledon event partnering Rose Marie Nijkamp. At the 2022 Australian Open, Okutoyi became the first representative of Kenya to win a girls’ junior singles Grand Slam match. On the ITF Circuit, she has won one singles and two doubles titles. Playing for Kenya Billie Jean King Cup team and has a win/loss record of 11–5. Okutoyi makes history to be ranked among the top 1,000 in the world by global tennis body Angela Okutoyi reacts after winning a local tennis tournament in June. PD/ PHILLIP KAMAKYA Shabana raring to go... Shabana chairman Jared Nivaton (centre) and Kisii Governor Simba Arati (partly hidden) join other officials in cutting a cake to mark their partnership with betting firm Bangbet on Sunday. INSET: Shabana players react during the function. PD/ DAVID NDOLO Emkew FC players celebrate after being declared the winners of Elgeyo Marakwet Governor’s Cup at the weekend. PD/ EMMANUEL MASINDE by Emmanuel Masinde @PeopleDailyKe Emkew FC from Marakwet West Sub County prevailed 2-1 over Kimuron FC of Keiyo North to clinch the Elgeyo Marakwet Governor’s Cup at the weekend. The final of the championships held at Iten Sports ground was a game of two halves although it wasd Emkew who came out on top. Emkew who dispatched Kapcherop FC in the Marakwet West finals were faster off the blocks and duly grabbed the opening goal in the 31st minute through Kevin Kiprotich. The winners continued dictating pace and it was least surprising when Ian Kiptum doubled the advantage eight minutes later. Undeterred by the two goal deficit, Kimuron then put everything in attack which yielded a face saving goal in the 78th minute. Following the win, Emkew were rewarded with Sh 1 Million while runner-up Kimuron went home with Sh 500,000. The third placed team received Sh 250,000. Roads Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen who was the Chief Guest topped up the prizes with a personal donation of Sh 100,000. In a post-match interview, Emkew coach Alex Yetor lauded his players for a job well done and hinted that the success was an ideal morale boost before the team launches its campaign in the Cleophas Malala Cup later this year. “We have a good team and all we need is to get as many buildup matches as possible to gauge the fitness levels of players. I think we have the potential of playing in bigger leagues,” said Yator, whose club features in the Elgeyo Marakwet Branch League. The preliminaries of the championship started at the ward level last month and produced 20 teams which proceeded to the sub-counties event. From this number, 16 teams were eliminated with four qualifying for the county tournament. During the semi-finals, Kimuron defeated Kipsaina 4-3 on postmatch penalty after a 1-1 draw in regulation time. Elsewhere, Marakwet West’s Emkew FC thrashed Masete of Marakwet East 3-0 to sail to the final. In other matches, Kipsaina defeated Masete (from Marakwet East) 5-1 in the playoffs to take the third place as Masete settled the fourth position. Emkew FC pip Kimuron to win Elgeyo Marakwet Governor’s Cup

NAIROBI: Kenya Cup rugby champions Kabras rugby club’s star player Jone Kubu has been suspended for 11 weeks by the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) on grounds of stamping a Strathmore Leos player during last weekend’s Christie Sevens finals. Kabras Sugar ‘s 16 match winning streak came to an end during the cup semifinal where Strathmore won by a conversion after the two sides tied on a try each to drive the crowd frenzy. However, despite being knocked out at semis, the Sugar Millers claimed the bronze medal to maintain their two point lead on 80 points in the overall points standings while KCB are second on 78 points. The Fiji international has been a crucial player for his side this season and the move announced via the Union’s twitter handle rules him out of the upcoming 11 matches which include the Tisap’s 7s scheduled for October this year. Stamping is a serious and dangerous move where a player brings down their feet heavily on another player. Other physical abuse not allowed in rugby include tackle, charge, pull, push or grasp an opponent whose feet are off the ground. -Bernard Sigei Sydney, Wednesday @PeopleDailyKe Olga Carmona’s stunning late winner fired Spain into the World Cup final with a 2-1 win against Sweden. In a cagey contest with few chances for either side, the game suddenly sprung into life in the final stages with three goals in the final 10 minutes of normal time. Barcelona winger Salma Paralluelo, 19, gave Spain the lead in the 81st minute, but her goal was soon cancelled out by Rebecka Blomqvist. But Carmona responded in emphatic fashion just one minute later, sealing a final clash against either Australia or England on Sunday. Spain kept possession well in the opening stages and had a chance when a looping cross found Alba Redondo at the back post, but her header was cleared by Sweden. They struck again minutes later with some good build-up around the box allowing Carmona to shoot from the edge of the area, but it just whistled past the bottom corner. It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season. Sweden then had a half-chance at the other end when Johanna Rytting Kaneryd headed wide before Aitana Bonmati looped a cross in for Jennifer Hermoso but goalkeeper Zecira Musovic comfortably collected.-BBC Spain’s Salma Paralluelo celebrates with team mates after scoring against Sweden yesterday. TWITTER Spain beat Sweden to reach Cup final PEOPLE DAILY / Wednesday, August 16, 2023 PEOPLE SPORT 31 INSIDE Sport RALLY pagE 28 Karan Patel eyes a podium inish at the African Rally Championship in Burundi SCHOOLS pagE 29 Shabana FC target six new signings from sponsorship windfall, says coach Okoth 3-1 ATLETICO MADRID Morata 45+4’ Depay 67’ Liorente 90+8’ Spanish La Liga GRANADA Omorodon 62’ Madrid, Tuesday @PeopleDailyKe The 2023/24 LALIGA season is up and running, with Matchday one producing all kinds of fascinating storylines. The main headlines from the first few fixtures of the new season are outlined in detail below. Bellingham dazzles on his Real Madrid debut One of the best individual performances from the opening weekend of the new LALIGA EA SPORTS season was that of Jude Bellingham, as the Real Madrid midfield signing scored in his side’s 2-0 victory away at Athletic Club and played exceptionally well, winning the game’s MVP award. His performance helped Los Blancos start the season perfectly, with the result putting them joint-top after Matchday 1. Isi Palazón scores the first goal of the LALIGA EA SPORTS season The first goal of the 2023/24 campaign was scored by one of the stars of last season: Isi Palazón. The Rayo Vallecano man kept his cool to convert an early penalty in his side’s visit to UD Almería in the opening fixture of the season, as the team from Vallecas went on to win 2-0. They and CA Osasuna, who also won 2-0, in their case against RC Celta, join Real Madrid at the top of the table. Valencia CF and Real Betis secure late victories Of the eight fixtures played NAIROBI: The Nairobi junior basketball league known as ‘ Frutz’ is now aiming to recruit more basketball junior clubs within Nairobi estates especially the slum areas to join the league with an aim of developing the sport among Nairobi residents. Speaking to People Sports in Nairobi yesterday, league organizer Zedekiah Otieno was in an upbeat mood on his developments so far in his inaugural year. “It’s been quite a journey having teams especially from the slums areas where boxing and football are the dominant sports. Ofcourse the biggest challenge is to have the right sporting Infrastructures with in the slum areas, but we are getting there slowly,” said Zedekiah. The Frutz’ Nairobi Junior Basketball League runs for five months and so far it has five under-14 years clubs and the under -16 years that have seven clubs each for the boys and girls categories. -Shadrack Andenga LONDON: American veteran Venus Williams beat a top-20 player for the first time in four years with victory over Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova in Cincinnati. Williams, 43, fought back from a double break down in each set to win 6-4 7-5 against 16thranked Kudermetova. The seventime major singles champion smiled broadly as she celebrated winning at a US tournament for the first time in more than three years. “I love this game, it’s what I do,” said Williams, who is ranked 533rd. “The last few years have been difficult in terms of injuries but I love to be out here, be strong and be myself. I’m getting there.” Williams will play China’s Qinwen Zheng or Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round. The former world number one will look to win back-to-back matches on the WTA Tour for the first time since the 2019 event in Cincinnati. That was also the tournament when she last won against a top20 opponent, beating then world number five Kiki Bertens on her way to the quarter-finals. -BBC Nairobi Frutz Junior basketball aims for more teams from the slums Venus Williams beats Kudermetova at Cincinnati for biggest win in four years Kabras’s Jone Kubu handed 11-week suspension for stamping Off on high tempo Things learned during LALIGA’s matchday one SELECTED LA LIGA WEEKEND RESULTS: Cadiz 1-0 Derpotivo Alaves Atletico Madrid 3-1 Granada Sunday: Celta Vigo 0-2 Osasuna Villarreal 1-2 Real Betis Getafe 0-0 Barcelona Saturday: Real Sociedad 1-1 Girona Las Palmas 1-1 Mallorca Athletic Club 0-2 R. Madrid so far in Matchday 1, there were three draws and five victories. In addition to the three 2-0 wins outlined above, Valencia CF and Real Betis each achieved last-gasp 2-1 wins on their travels. Los Che did so away at Sevilla FC, thanks to youngster Javi Guerra, who picked up where he left off last season. As for Real Betis, Willian José headed in a stoppage time winner at Villarreal CF. -La liga Santenda

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 / / / @PeopleDailyKe / / / People Daily Download QR Code app on Google Play and scan this QR code with your smart phone for pictures, videos and more stories People Daily is published by Mediamax Network Limited at DSM Place, Kijabe Street, P.O. Box 24943, 00100 - Nairobi, Tel: 0730144100; 0709824000; 0204944100 Fax: 2228503 Nairobi and printed at our Printing Division on Mombasa Road, Tel: 04522641. Circulation: Union Towers, 1st Floor, Moi Avenue. Tel: 2519168. Advertising 2227693, 2228493. E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. Tributes pour in for Lionesses dependable forward Olesia NAIROBI: The Kenya Rugby fraternity woke up on Tuesday to some bereaving news following the sudden death of Kenya Lionesses second rower Bernadette Olesia fondly known as ‘Berna’ who snapped into a cardiac arrest while undergoing treatment at the Nairobi Women’s hospital. Berna who was born in 1997 took a final blow yesterday morning while undergoing treatment in Nairobi. Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman Sasha Mutai told People Sport: ‘‘This is a very shocking and deeply saddening news just when the Lionesses are preparing for the World 15s women’s competition. It is very unfortunate and we condole with the family as we wait for the postmortem results to get to the bottom of this matter because we must know the actual cause of her death. She had not been feeling well and had over three tests done but all came out negative so we wait for the results as we talk to the family to get any information on any condition that could have been known to them,’’ Mutai said. NAIROBI: Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League outfit AFC Leopards have finally been cleared by the World governing body FIFA to sign new players ahead of the upcoming 2023-24 season set to kick off on August 26. Ingwe were serving a transfer ban after they were reported by former coach Patrick Aussems to FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), who claimed he was being owed a total of Ksh20 million before his unceremonious departure from the Den at the end of last season. However, AFC through a signed statement confirmed they have been cleared to enter the transfer market and beef up their squad by stating: “We are pleased to inform you after a series of constructive discussions between the club management and our former coach Patrick Aussems, the parties have reached an amicable resolution to the dispute,” adding: “As a result, the player registration ban previously imposed on the club by FIFA has been lifted.” As of Saturday night, AFC were facing relegation from the league after it emerged they had not settled nor reached an agreement on how to pay the debt owed to the Belgian. -Dennis Mabuka FIFA lifts AFC Leopards’ players transfer ban after clubs reached agreement with Aussems Euro’s best clash Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva reacts after missing an open chance at the weekend. PD/ FILE by Emmanuel Masinde @PeopleDailyKe Former World Cross Country Champion Irene Cheptai (Pictured) is now turning her focus to the Copenhagen half marathon set for September 17 after she emerged the winner of the 5km Chapabet Devolution road race in Eldoret yesterday. The Iten-based runner said she used yesterday’s race to gauge herself ahead of the high profile half marathon next month. “ I used the race to gauge my speed work as I prepare for half marathon in Denmark,” said Cheptai. Cheptai clocked 17:04.6 as he won the race while Sophia Jepchirchir was second in a time of 17:05.5 and Winnie Jemutai was third in a time of 17:16.1 in the race that attracted over 500 athletes. Commonwealth games 10,000m silver medalist Cheptai said she had fully recovered from an injury which made her miss world cross country championships in Burthst, Australia in February. She now says her body is responding well to the training though not as per her expectation. “My body is responding well to the training, but am still not yet at my best. I hope by the time we approach the competition I will be ready,” she said. In the men’s race, Peter Mwaniki won in a time of 15:09.1 beating local cross country runner Weldon Langat to second spot after clocking 15:12.5 while Charles Rotich completed the podium in a time of 15:13.3. Cheptai turns focus to Copenhagen half marathon after 5km race victory Athens, Tuesday @PeopleDailyKe Taking part in their second curtain-raiser of the summer, Manchester City endeavour to avoid a repeat of the Community Shield when they square off with Sevilla in Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash in Piraeus. Pep Guardiola’s side will contest their second continental crown after belatedly achieving Champions League stardom last season, while not even Jose Mourinho could end Los Palanganas’ perennial Europa League dominance in 2022-23. Domestic crowns have been bread and butter for Man City since seasoned Champions League winner Guardiola touched down in the North West, but making waves in Europe was not the Citizens’ forte before the 2022-23 campaign, where the addition of a Scandinavian sensation finally helped end the Citizens’ continental hoodoo. Twelve-goal Erling Haaland continued to smash Champions League records for fun under Guardiola, although it was a more unlikely source who came up with the telling contribution in Istanbul, as Rodri found a way to penetrate the hitherto watertight Inter Milan backline to spark pandemonium in the blue half of Manchester. The Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup holders have already failed to add another piece of silverware to their evergrowing cabinet this summer, though, falling to Arsenal’s 12- yard superiority in a Community Shield penalty shootout, but they have started as they mean to go on in the Premier League. To the delight of fantasy managers everywhere, Haaland gave Burnley a harsh welcome back to life in the Premier League with a first-half brace in Friday’s meeting at Turf Moor, before another powerful Rodri drive completed a straightforward 3-0 win over Vincent Kompany’s Clarets. A maiden UEFA Super Cup appearance comes just three days before Man City face fellow Champions League participants Newcastle United in gameweek two of the Premier League season, and while Sevilla flattered to deceive domestically last season, their European know-how is not up for debate. Adjusting to life under Julen Lopetegui was challenging for Sevilla to say the least, and the Jorge Sampaoli experiment also went pear-shaped rather quickly, as Los Palanganas found themselves as low as 19th in the La Liga table during the middle of January. -BBC PD/ EMMANUEL MASINDE Champions League winners Manchester City lock horns with Europa winner Sevilla in UEFA Super Cup