People Daily Newspaper Tuesday Edition 1st August 2023

Food items Inflation drops to 7.3pc as cost of food, cooking gas eases Non-food items NO. Tuesday, August 1, 2023 www.pd.co.ke // www.epaper.pd.co.ke 07866 Kenya’s Newspaper NO1. FREE Eyes on Ruto as Raila picks team Obasanjo to moderate talks: Headwinds ahead as political rivals fire salvos over what issues will be on the table and if negotiations can be concluded in 30 days as Raila has demanded >>Question now is: Who will represent Kenya Kwanza PAGE 4 KNH doctors conduct milestone operation on unborn baby PAGE 3 Over 500,000 forego higher education slots azimio leader ralia odinga our position remains that no party to these negotiations can claim a right to determine for the other what to raise and what not raise” Spinach (1 Kg) 1.6% Electricity (200 Kilowatts) 4.4% Electricity (50 Kilowatts) 5.3% Cooking Gas/ LPG (13 Kgs) 9.2% Petrol (1 Litre) 6.9% Diesel (1 Litre) 7.4% Monthly House Rent - 1 Bedroom Cabbages (1 Kg) 0.4% 8.1% Onions (1 Kg) 11.4% Tomatoes (1 Kg) 10.1% Wheat Flour - White (2 Kgs) 10.1% INSTITUTIONS CAPACITY ADMITTED Public Universities 200,621 130,485 Private Universities 52,312 9,662 University TVET 20,168 13,465 MoE TVET 478,308 125,507 Non-MoE TVET 14,950 5,528 Diploma Secondary 2,265 560 768,624 Total capacities 285,167 Total placed PAGE 2 INFOGRAPHICS: PATRICK OKUNA

2 NEWS BEAT PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 in public and private universities, which ended in 2016,” he said. CUE is expected to send regulations to universities so that respective Senates can to work out a system, which will give more Kenyans an opportunity to undertake bridging and then pursue whatever course they want. The CS also launched an application portal for the new funding model for higher education in the country and for the first time, students whose households are at the bottom of the pyramid will enjoy equal opportunities in accessing university and TVET education through 100 per cent Government funding. Students categories “This means their households are not expected to pay anything for the programme cost and additionally, the student will receive upkeep from the loan,” he said. Out of the 2022 KCSE graduates, Machogu said over 45,000 university students and 42,000 TVET students categorised as vulnerable and extremely needy, will be fully funded with the Government scholarship and loans. The categorization will be realised through a reliable scientific method Means Testing Instrument (MTI), used to determine the student’s level of financial needs to ensure they are adequately supported. The continuing students, however, will Munavu-led reforms team to table CBC report at State House today by Mathew Ndung’u @PeopleDailyKe President William Ruto is this morning expected to receive the final taskforce report that if adopted will completely transform the country’s education system. The Prof Raphael Munavu (pictured) led Working Party on Education Reforms (WPER) that was tasked with re-evaluating the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) is set to present its final report to the head of state this morning at State house. Policy proposals “The presentation of our report has been planned for tomorrow at the House. We will share updates and timings with everyone shortly,” a short text message sent by Prof Munavu to the 42 members of the task force stated. Among the far-reaching proposals made by the team, the trimming of clipping of the giant Teachers Service Commission (TSC) with the Ministry of Education being empowered to handle quality and assurance standards as the former is left to deal with human resource issues. In the far-reaching policy proposals, the ministry will have a say in the transfer and promotion of teachers, a role that is at the core of the TSC mandate. The proposal is said to have been informed by the fact that while the Ministry releases billions of shillings to schools, it has no influence over the fund managers who report directly to TSC. This is because, school heads are designated TSC agents in learning institutions yet they superintend over the use of funds from the ministry as managers. by Irene Githinji @gitshee Questions are emerging on the whereabouts of almost 500,000 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates who sat the exams last year, after they failed to apply for placement in any course. Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said the Commission for University Education (CUE) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Authority approved 768,624 capacities for student placement in 69 universities, 210 TVET institutions and three Secondary Teacher Training Colleges in the 2023/2024 placement cycle. Of the 173,244 students who scored the minimum university entry point, 140,107 secured placement in universities with 130,485 are expected in public institutions against a declared capacity of 200,621 and another 9,622 placed to private against a capacity of 52,312. “We are concerned because from those who applied for university admission, we are able to take note 23,138 students have not applied at all, which is 13.35 per cent,” said Machogu. The Kenya Universities and Colleges Placement Service (KUCCPS) has also placed 9,673 applicants who qualified for degree courses chose to be placed in TVET institutions, 144,500 applicants have been placed in TVET institutions, while 560 in Secondary Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). A total of 870,561 candidates were eligible for placement to universities and colleges, where 285,698 students submitted Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and KUCCPS CEO Agnes Wahome during the release of the 2023/2024 KUCCPS placement results for the KCSE 2022 candidates to university and colleges yesterday at the Kenya School of Government. PD/JOHN OCHIENG 500,000 KCSE candidates fail to apply for courses not be affected by this funding model and will continue to receive their funding based on the Government’s existing model. “Since the Presidential directive on May 3 on the roll out of the new funding model, the Government has developed and completed the Higher Education Financing Portal, to receive applications for both scholarships, loans and bursaries for university and TVET students. Students who require funding must make a formal application through the Higher Education Financing portal, accessible at www.hef. co.ke,” the CS explained. He directed Vice-Chancellors and Principals to ensure admission letters are released by August 2 to allow students apply for loans and bursaries from August 3 up to August 27. “I urge students to ensure they stick to the set timelines to ensure speedy processing of scholarships and loans since most Universities are preparing to admit First Year students in September,” the CS stated. He said Ruto unveiled the new funding model to address the current financial challenges at institutions of higher learning because of increasing enrolment in the face of inadequate funding. In total, universities are indebted to over Sh60 billion, which is ever expanding. In TVET institutions, the increasing enrolment has led to a reduction in funding per trainee over the years, from Sh30,000 to as low as Sh17,000 annually. Education CS raises concern over last year students who did not seek placement in varsities, Tvets their applications. He made the remarks yesterday when he released the 2023/24 universities and colleges student placement results and launch of application portal for loans and scholarships at Kenya School of Government (KSG). Among those in attendance were KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Mercy Wahome, Higher Education Principal Secretary Dr Beatrice Anyangala, Vice Chancellors and Tvet principals. “Those who qualify for diploma courses in our various technical institutions and middle level colleges 136,592 or 63.9 per cent have not apply for any diploma course. Equally, those who qualify for certificate courses to the tune of 249, 149 or 86.42 per cent have not applied at all,” he stated. Technical institutions And added: “We are hoping that they will soon be able to apply because we still have capacity in our universities, technical institutions so they should apply to be placed.” The CS made the remarks even as he stated that the Cabinet recently approved provision of foundation or bridging courses to enable students meet the mean grade or cluster subject requirements for admission to university or to specific university programmes. Machogu said the measure will create opportunities for many students who would otherwise have been denied the chance to exploit their potential. He said the Ministry, working together with the relevant stakeholders, is working on guidelines and modalities for implementing this directive beginning September. “The bridging course commenced in 2008 where for instance, a student had a C (plain) at the verge of getting a C+ and wanted to do certain courses but the cluster points denied them the opportunity so we have reintroduced the programmes PLACEMENT Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said the Commission for University Education (CUE) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Authority approved 768,624 capacities for student placement in 69 universities, 210 TVET institutions and three Secondary Teacher Training Colleges in the 2023/2024 placement cycle. A total of 870,561 candidates were eligible for placement to universities and colleges, where 285,698 students submitted their applications. TAKE OFF GREEN AGENDA Page 19 Youth lead the charge against climate change OPINION Page 11 It’s our collective duty to conserve great Mara River POINTERS WEATHER TODAY Nairobi 24° Mombasa 28° Kisumu 27° Nyeri 20° Kitui 26° Wajir 33°

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY NEWS BEAT 3 “The mother only has one baby, the last two died of a blood complication known as hemolytic disease of the newborn,” she said, referring to the disease where a baby’s red blood cells break down quickly. “We are indeed very determined to ensure this particular pregnancy succeeds. We hope for positive outcomes. This baby is 25 weeks, three days old,” said Dr Chemwey. She said the baby had severe anemia because the baby was “rhesus alloimmunized”, a situation in pregnancy when the maternal red blood cells (RBCs) lacking the rhesus antigen are exposed to rhesus-positive red blood cells through the placenta leading to the activation of the maternal immune system. “So the mum’s antibodies destroy the baby’s blood, which then develops into anaemia over time,” she explained. According to the specialists, the transfusion procedure takes between 30 minutes to an hour. “We transfused between 80- 100mls of packed red cells. This blood is special as it is Onegative Leucoreduced, hemoconcentration, CMV negative, and irradiated to make it very safe for the baby,” she said. Best medics Kenyatta National Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Evanson Kamuri hailed the KNH team for the milestone. “This is foetal medicine and an institutional landmark. We have attained yet another achievement in fulfilling our mandate as a top premier referral hospital.” “I’d like to thank the team of doctors and those assisting them for the splendid work. This confirms that we have the very best medics here at KNH.” by Alvin Mwangi @PeopleDailyKe Doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital are celebrating yet another milestone in medicine after they successfully carried out blood transfusion on a foetus. The highly delicate procedure, known as the Intrauterine Fetal Transfusion, was undertaken by a team of four doctors who included specialists Dr Rosa Chemwey, Dr Flavia Ogutu, Dr Ikol Adung’o and Dr Kunjira Murayi (Interventional Radiologist). They were assisted by nurses Benson Nyankuru, Redempata Mumo and reproductive Health Clinical Officer Tony Wainaina. An intrauterine transfusion is a procedure in which red blood cells from a donor are injected into the foetus. Intrauterine transfusion may be recommended when a foetus has anemia (low red blood cell count). Using ultrasound to determine the position of the foetus and placenta, the surgeon inserts a needle into the mother’s abdomen and then into the umbilical vein or the foetus’ abdomen. Hemolytic disease Red blood cells that are compatible with the foetus’ blood type are passed through the needle into the foetus. Fetal transfusions may need to be repeated every few weeks until the foetus is ready to be born. The mother is given antibiotics, local anesthesia, and IV sedation, which also sedates the foetus. The foetus may be given additional medication to stop movement. According to Dr Chemwey, out of four pregnancies, the mother had only one successful delivery. KNH marks new milestone with foetal blood operation Doctors at the premier hospital carry out a successful transfusion on an unborn baby by Winston Chiseremi @PeopleDailyKe Eldoret businessman David Lang’at, a close ally of President William Ruto, yesterday stopped the auctioning of his multi-million shillings property over a Sh2.1 billion debt. Langat’s multi-billion shilling tea estate in Nandi County and properties in Mombasa had been slated for auction yesterday and today. Langat, popularly known as DL, is one of the people believed to have financially supported President Ruto’s campaigns and enjoys a close association with the Head of State. According to an advert placed in the local dailies by Garam Investments Auctioneers three weeks ago, the two properties had been scheduled to be auctioned to recover a debt the businessman owes Stanbic Bank. But yesterday, Garam Investments Auctioneers put up another advert cancelling the auction, catching interested buyers by surprise. Sources told People Daily that Langat (right) had successfully negotiated with Stanbic Bank on repayment modalities to save his multibillion estate and property. The auctioneer had put up Langat’s tea estate in Nandi and office blocks in Mombasa for auction to raise more than Sh2.1 billion owed to Stanbic Bank. In the first auction that had been scheduled to be conducted yesterday in Mombasa, the auctioneer had hoped to raise Sh200 million from the sale. Exclusive tea zone Graham Investments had hoped to sell the expansive tea estate at Sh1.9 billion in the auction that had been slated for today at the auctioneer’s offices in Nairobi’s Westlands area. The Koisagat Tea group of companies based in Nandi Hills comprises land measuring 1,342 acres, plants and machinery. The auction notice had stated that the land is developed with an exclusive tea zone for export-oriented commercial tea cultivation. The estate also has 2.47 million tea bushes occupying 958.75 acres, 100,942 eucalyptus trees and 2,223 cypress trees. “Other portions of the tea estate are under residential use (managerial houses and labour camps). Woodlots are periodically harvested to provide wood fuel to the tea processing,” the notice stated. Langat is among the businessmen from North Rift that backed Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid. He was recently named by the President to the National Investment Council and has invested in agribusiness, real estate, energy, and hospitality among others. Ruto’s ally Lang’at saves Sh2.1b property from auctioneer’s hammer PROCESS An intrauterine transfusion is a procedure in which red blood cells are injected into the foetus. The surgeon inserts a needle into the mother’s abdomen and then into the umbilical vein or the foetus’ abdomen. Blood cells are passed through the needle into the foetus. by George Kebaso @Morarak Health experts have raised concern about the rising number of babies being introduced to bottlefeeding at an early stage. Experts say exclusive breastfeeding prevents hospital admissions for babies due to respiratory tract infections , diarrhoea among other diseases. The Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2022 shows that neonatal mortality performance for infants dropped by one per cent from 22/1,000 live births in 2014 to 21/1,000 live births in 2022. This is within the infants first 28 days. “We are not going to meet our Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.2 if this trajectory doesn’t change,” said Stephen Mwangi, Nutrition International’s Senior Programme Officer yesterday during a media sensitisation workshop. The SDG Target is instrumental in newborn and child mortality indicating that by 2030, the world should end preventable deaths of newborns and children under five years of age. Mwangi expressed concern that the gradual rise in the number of women who are opting for bottle feeding erodes some of the gains made in the past in promoting exclusive breastfeeding. The KDHS reports shows that bottle feeding had risen by 12 per cent in 2022 to 34 per cent from 22 per cent in 2014. “From available data, many more infants are not benefitting from exclusive breastfeeding, yet we know the benefits,” he said, noting that nutrition is a fundamental right for every person. Policy gaps Some of the benefits of breastfeeding the baby include ingesting antibodies that protect against diseases like diarrhea and respiratory infections. “Breast milk perfectly covers all babies’ nutrient needs for the first six months and is easy to digest and absorb,” said Dr Veronica Kirogo, the Director and Head of Nutrition and Dietetics Services at the Ministry of Health. She called on stakeholders to address the gaps that exist in policy to ensure the gains made in exclusive breastfeeding of infants are not eroded. Fewer babies getting benefits of exclusive breastfeeding – experts Doctors at Kenyatta National Hospital carry out an intrauterine transfusion on a foetus yesterday. PD/COURTESY Director of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Ministry of Health Dr Veronica Kirogo speaks during an event to mark World Breastfeeding Day yesterday. PD/ROBINSON KISAVI

4 NEWS BEAT PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 by Mercy Mwai @wangumarci The minority Azimio-One Kenya Coalition has unveiled a five-member team that will lead its side of negotiations with the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance but just stopped short of listing the issues it wants discussed. The unveiling of the list came as a result of sustained pressure both locally and internationally for President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga to engage in talks to stop violent weekly protests that have led to loss of lives and affected economic activities. Raila last evening in a statement announced that the Azimio delegation will be led by former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, who is also the leader of the Wiper Party. Others are DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, Leader of Minority in the National Assembly Opiyo Wandayi and Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni. Malindi MP Amina Mnyanzi is the only woman, meaning that the team has fallen short of the one-third gender rule required by the Constitution. “Further to our statement yesterday expressing commitment to dialogue with Kenya Kwanza for a speedy and sustainable resolution to the country’s problems, and after internal consultations, Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party has today named its delegation to the talks,” said Raila. Kenya Kwanza is yet to unveil its five representatives although a well-placed source said the government side will probably pick Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to lead its team. This could create complications, however, because one of the issues that Kenya Kwanza wants discussed is entrenching the office of Prime Cabinet Secretary into law. It also, among others, wants the office of Leader of Opposition created and entrenched and left to the Minority Party to decide who occupies the seat. However, Azimio has already challenged these proposals. “Our position remains that no party to these negotiations can claim a right to determine for the other what to raise and what not raise,” the coalition said. Retired Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, who is already in Nairobi, is expected to moderate the talks meant to stop protests that Azimio has been holding weekly to demand that the government reduce the cost of living. Obasanjo has already facilitated a meeting between President Ruto and Raila in Mombasa at the weekend. In his statement, Raila said the issues which his team will put on the table include the high cost of living, an audit of the 2022 presidential election, bipartisan reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, inclusivity in national affairs, and respect for political parties in line with the Constitution. Time-bound The government side at the weekend opposed inclusion of cost of living on the agenda, arguing that it has already put in place programmes to address this. It has in the past also opposed an audit of the presidential election, arguing that the issue was concluded by the Supreme Court. However, Railas has said no one should dictate what issues it wants discussed. He also wants a time-bound programme that should take no more than one month beginning today. “Azimio will respect Kenya Kwanza’s right to bring all its issues to the table. We expect Kenya Kwanza to do the same with our issues,” Raila said. On Saturday, Wandayi said Azimio decided to engage in the fresh talks with the government after consultations with the Kenya Kwanza side under Obasanjo’s facilitation. This leaves the other bipartisan team led by George Murugara (Kenya Kwanza) and Otiende Amollo (Azimio) in limbo as the issues it was to resolve will now be taken up by the new team. Kimani Ichung’wa, the Leader of the Majority in the National Assembly, had at the weekend announced the resumption of talks between Kenya Kwanza and Azimio through what he described as a joint stateAzimio leaders Raila Odinga (right) and Kalonzo Musyoka consult during a meeting in Nairobi last Friday. PD/ EMMANUEL WANSON Azimio names team for talks led by Obasanjo Raila said cost of living, audit of poll results and reconstitution of IEBC are issues they want addressed ment. In it, Ichung’wa listed four issues he claimed had been agreed on with Azimio as part of the agenda. “The committee shall be seized with the following five issues; reconstitution of IEBC; implementation of two-thirds gender rule, entrenchment of constituency development fund, establishment and entrenchment of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and embedment of the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary.” However, a day later, Azimio disowned the statement, describing it as one-sided. The coalition said the issues Ichung’wah listed were never agreed on during a meeting under Obasanjo’s facilitation. On Sunday, Azimio termed the contents of the statement as a “Kenya Kwanza wish list”. Former Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya said that the cost of living, which was not listed among the agenda items, was Azimio’s priority in the talks. Even before the talks begin, there are signs of headwinds ahead. For instance, Mudavadi has said that Kenya does not need mediators because it is not facing an international crisis. “There is no need to call in former presidents to mediate on issues that can be resolved locally,” he said. “Kenya has not reached the point where it requires foreign mediation.” Kuria shifts position on negotiations with Raila by Oliver Musembi and Alvin Mwangi @PeopleDailyKe Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria seems to have softened his stance over the bipartisan talks between the government and the opposition. In a tweet from his official Twitter handle, MITI CS Moses Kuria, @HonMoses_Kuria, he says the resumption of talks is good for investments and the economy. “Violence is not the way to resolve political differences, it’s time to pull together as a nation with a strong government and even a stronger opposition to keep us in check,” the controversial CS tweeted. He added: “To my bosses @WilliamRuto and @RailaOdinga, you are on the right side of history. All Kenyans are behind you for as long as we do not create another mongrel like the Nusu Mkate confusion.” Kuria is among senior officials in government and politicians who have maintained an uncompromising stand over negotiations between President William Ruto’s administration and the Raila Odinga-led Opposition regarding the protests against rising cost of living. In public and social media, he has spared no effort to criticize the opposition leader over the demonstrations, sometimes using unsavoury language. Meanwhile, ODM has responded to South Africa’s opposition politician Julius Malema, who “warned” Raila to stop “disrupting” Kenya. In a statement signed by ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, the party said Malema was blinded by government propaganda not see the high taxes, the rising cost of living and the government’s refusal to listen to its people. “I have no doubt that if Malema was Kenyan, his red army would have joined us in their numbers on the streets, similar to what they recently did in South Africa,” Sifuna added. TWISTS AND TURNS At the weekend, Leader of the Majority Kimani Ichung’wa announced the resumption of talks through what he described as a joint statement. In it, Ichung’wa listed four issues he claimed had been agreed on with Azimio as part of the agenda. A day later, Azimio disowned the statement, describing it as one-sided. They said the issues Ichung’wah listed were never agreed on during a meeting with Kenya Kwanza. Three lawyers sue JSC over High Court registrar hiring by Nancy Gitonga @PeopleDailyKe Three lawyers yesterday moved to court to quash the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) decision to appoint magistrate Clarence Awuor Otieno as the new Registrar of the High Court Lawyers Omwanza Ombati, Robinson Kigen and Brian Ochieng’ Saka in their petition filed at the High Court argued that the appointment of Otieno (pictured) was irregular and unlawful because she was not among the persons shortlisted by JSC for interviews during the recruitment process. “The petitioners are reasonably aggrieved with the appointment (of Otieno), as it wouldn’t be expected that a person who had never been shortlisted would be the successful candidate,” the three lawyers state in court papers. According to the lawyers, Otieno was handpicked in an opaque process. JSC on July 25 appointed Otieno as the new registrar, but her name was not among the shortlisted candidates in a May 22 statement by the commission. Those publicly shortlisted for interviews were magistrates Ann Wanjiru, Pauline Wangari, Dennis Kipkirui, Fredrick Momanyi, Elizabeth Juma and Elizabeth Tanui. The interviews were conducted on May 31. The petitioners aver that Otieno having not been listed for interviews, it is questionable whether she had applied for the job or she was even interviewed. While faulting the Commission chaired by Chief Justice Martha Koome for lack of transparency and accountability, the petitioners add that “the JSC’s action reeks of impunity, corruption and wanton defilement of the Constitution. Invested their time It is not only discriminative but it is also a great disservice to candidates who invested their time and resources to apply for a position, got shortlisted, attended interviews”. Further, the trio claim that the Koome led Commission violated national values and principles of governance as set out in Article 10 of the Constitution. They principles are the rule of law, equity, non-discrimination, good governance, integrity, transparency and accountability. According to JSC, Otieno joined the Judiciary as a Resident Magistrate in 2008, she rose through the ranks serving in the positions of Senior Resident Magistrate, Principal Magistrate and Senior Principal Magistrate. At the time of her promotion to the position of Registrar Otieno was a Senior Principal Magistrate based at Ruiru law courts. Prior to joining the Judiciary, Otieno worked as an Advocate at Ocharo & Company Advocates between 2004-2007, following her admission to the bar on December 16, 2004.

told the Committee. Murkomen was optimistic that the potential of Lamu Port will soon be realized once the supporting infrastructure is finalized. For the time being, the CS observed that Lamu-Ijara Road will partly be redone after initial works ended up not up to scratch. “Lamu-Ijara Road will partly be redone because we are not happy with the work done so far. We confronted the contractor and he blamed insecurity in the area for the poor results. However I want to assure that we will secure that area and tarmac,” the CS said. Low potential areas While noting the future of Kenya is in the areas that were in the past categorized as low potential areas such as Lamu, Murkomen was confident that infrastructure development in Lamu will end rampant cases of insecurity. “Part of the reason why al shabaab militia has been so aggressive to discourage construction of the road is because they know very well when the road is finally done, it will be difficult for them to bury explosives below the tarmac. Now we want to frustrate them forever by tarmacking that road. Currently we don’t see anything out of Lamu Port because the infrastructure is not done but once we finalise you will see the results.” The World Bank’s latest ranking on the most efficient ports indicated that Mombasa Port moved down 33 places, falling behind Dar es Salaam, Djibouti and Berbera ports. The global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) has ranked the Mombasa Port at position 326 in 2022 out of the 348 ports worldwide, this representing a sharp decline compared to the 2021 performance when a similar report ranked the Port of Mombasa at position 293. At position 26, the Port of Djibouti emerged a cut above its peers in the subSaharan Africa league, followed by Somalia’s Port of Berbera at 144. South Africa Ports Elizabeth, Durban and Cape Town ranked at 291, 34) and Cape Town 344 respectively. The ranking is based on efficiency of the ports which is gauged by the elapsed time between when a ship reaches a port to its departure from the berth having completed its cargo exchange. Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY NEWS BEAT 5 Company sues former spymaster Kanyotu kin by Alphonce Mungahu @PeopleDailyKe A company has sued the family of the late chief spy James Kanyotu over a disputed piece of land worth Sh750 million in Kiambu county. Marriot International Company through its director Abdul Hassan claims that late Kanyotu’s widows Margaret Murigu, Mary Wanjiku and son Willy Kihara and their company Kangata Coffee Estates Limited conspired to defraud the land using fake papers. In court documents, Marriot Company says Margaret and Mary were always together with Jane Gathoni Muraya Kanyotu the administrator of the estate of the late Kanyotu. They had been appointed as such in High Court Succession Cause Number 1239 of 2008, Nairobi. By an agreement dated February 5, 2014 between a company known as Trendsetters Investments Limited and Marriot Company for consideration. Trendsetters Investments Limited agreed to sell and the Marriot agreed to purchase the parcel of land known as L.R. No. 11261/76. Abdul said during the purchase of the parcel of land from Trendsetters Investments Limited, Marriot carried out its due diligence on the parcel of land at the Lands Office Registry and established there was no encumbrance registered against the title to the said parcel of land. In effect, the result of the due diligence was Trendsetters Investments Limited held a clean title in respect of the parcel of land. “Owing to the foregoing and for the fact that there was no encumbrance registered against the title to the said parcel of land on 21st August 2014, the land registrar duly registered the transfer of the said parcel of land in favour of the plaintiff. For all intents and purposes, at the point of purchase of the said parcel of land, the plaintiff was a bona fide purchaser for value without notice and its title to the said parcel of land is indefeasible,” Abdul states in court documents. by Reuben Mwambingu @PeopleDailyKe Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has confirmed that a section of Mombasa and Lamu ports will be privatized to make Kenya more competitive in the region’s logistics arena. Speaking after a meeting with the National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration at a Mombasa hotel, Murkomen said currently, the Mombasa Port which serves the Northern Corridor is facing stiff competition from the central corridor which is served by the port of Dar es Salaam, warning that Kenya could soon be overtaken by its regional peers. “We intend to invite some strategic investors at the Port of Mombasa to help us develop some of the berths, not the whole port but a few berths here and there to make sure that we are also competitive the way our neighbours are also competitive. We want to stretch this competition even further,” the Cabinet Secretary told the committee. Government target While expressing displeasure with the progress of Lamu Port so far which he said has consumed close to Sh60 billion, Murkomen said the government’s target is to develop the Kenya’s second port noting once the Lamu Port is unlocked, “the country will be at an amazing position as a leading logistic hub in the region.” “Mostly we are targeting Lamu port because that is where we have the greatest potential because of deep berths and strategic location but at the moment we have sunk almost Sh60 billion without having any business. We are looking for strategic investors to unlock Lamu by creating a special economic zone but at the same time developing the business of the port. That will improve our position as a regional body. The Port of Lamu is very important because of the Lapsset Corridor,” the CS PORT OF MOMBASA RANKING Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) has ranked the Mombasa Port at position 326 in 2022 out of the 348 ports worldwide, Port of Djibouti emerged a cut above its peers in the sub-Saharan Africa league, followed by Somalia’s Port of Berbera at 144. Mombasa Port which serves the Northern Corridor is facing a stiff competition from the central corridor which is served by the port of Dar es Salaam State to privatise part of Ports’ operations Transport CS Murkomen says tasks at Lamu and Mombasa ports will be privatised to allow them compete at regional level Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen when he appeared before members of the Regional Integration Committee in Mombasa on Saturday. PD/ REUBEN MWAMBINGU Witness fails to testify in ex-CS Rotich case The Sh63 billion Kimwarer Arror graft case against former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich has been adjourned after a witness told the court that he was not ready to proceed. Gideon Rotich yesterday told Senior Principal Magistrate Eunice Nyutu he was not in the right frame of mind to testify due to a personal problem he was handling. “I slept late at night handling the issue and I have woken up late still handling it, that is why I was late”, he told the court. The magistrate allowed his application after the prosecution failed to raise any objection. The case was adjourned until this morning when Rotich will be cross examined. In the case, Rotich had been charged alongside former Treasury Principal Secretaries Kamau Thugge (current CBK Governor) and Susan Koech and 20 Italians. However, the DPP amended the charge sheet and excluded Thugge and made them State witnesses. Rotich was charged afresh even though the former DPP Noordin Haji said no new evidence would be brought against the former minister. - Alphonce Mungahu briefly

6 NEWS BEAT PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 by Herald Aloo @heraldaloo The prices of food decreased marginally in July 2023 largely owing to a decline in groceries prices which pushed the overall inflation rate downwards to 7.3 per cent, the government’s preferred range. It is the first time since June 2022 that the country’s inflation has returned to the targeted range of between 2.5 and 7.5 per cent despite the prices of staple food such as maize flour and sugar remaining elevated. The last time inflation was below 7.5 per cent was in May 2022 when it stood at 7.1. In the past month, the price index of food category decreased by just 0.5 per cent, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) data. “The prices of potatoes, tomatoes, cowpeas and cabbages declined by 12.2, 10.1, 8.3 and 8.1 per cent, respectively, between June 2023 and July 2023,” KNBS Director General Macdonald Obudho stated in the monthly inflation review report. The decline in groceries defied the high cost of transport which increased by 3.5 per cent following the revising of fare charges by matatu and logistics operators during the period due to expensive fuel. Rise in transport costs always piles pressure on the prices of many consumer goods and those commuting to work. Operators had in early July announced changes in fares as the doubling of fuel Value Added Tax (VAT) to 16 per cent came into effect on July 1. Prices of onion bulbs and leeks increased by 11.4 per cent on reduced production. The overall inflation, a measure of the cost of living is, however, lower than the rate of 7.9 per cent recorded in June. Inflation drops to 7.3pc despite high cost of fuel Government data released shows slight drop even as charges on staple foodstuff like maize flour and sugar remain high However, prices of maize flour, the country’s staple food, have remained high at over Sh200 per two-kilogramme packet. A kilo of sugar is now retailing at about Sh240 in the wake of sugarcane shortage. The government last December waived import duty on maize, rice and sugar in a bid to tame the price of essential food items. Harvesting period The window has, however, failed to address the high cost of living with the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), which was facilitating the process, struggling to import the targeted quota from the neighbouring countries. The government had anticipated that the harvesting period that took place a few months back and the easing of the global supply chain would help reduce the cost of major consumer goods. KNBS data further shows the reduced overall inflation rate was boosted by electricity and cooking gas which eased slightly during the review period. For instance, the prices of 200 kilowatts of electricity decreased by 4.4 per cent while 13kgs cooking gas eased by 9.3 per cent to retail at Sh2,787 on average in July. Other items The cost of diesel has remained unchanged at Sh179.67 per litre since July 14 while the price for petrol rose to Sh194.68 for the same quantity. Kerosene is now Sh169.48 per litre. Other items whose prices rose sharply include rent and matatu fare that hiked by about 16.7 per cent. The rise in food prices has squeezed household budgets at a time growth in salaries has remained below the inflation rate for three years in a row. New hope for patients as Kemri unveils Stem Cell lab by George Kebaso @Morarak There is a ray of hope for patients seeking treatment for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) following the commissioning of a state-of-the-art laboratory at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) by the government. The Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine laboratory is the first ever such facility in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The facility was established through funding from the National Research Fund to the tune of Sh77.2 million. It will offer medical solutions for diabetes, cancer, heart diseases, spinal cord injuries, strokes and burns in the wake of the rising tide of NCDs across the region, especially in Kenya. The recently released Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022 indicated that obesity and overweight conditions, risk factors for diabetes, could be the country’s next pandemic. New tools “Kemri has been at the forefront in developing new tools and insights for the health security of the country and the region from potential epidemics. “However, whereas our major efforts have been on infectious diseases, we are very much aware of rising cases of NDCs,” Kemri acting chief executive Prof Elijah Songok said during the inauguration of the laboratory last week. “Stem cell research shall enable us to develop new therapies to regenerate and repair tissues that have been damaged or affected by diseases or accidents examples; cancer, spinal cord injuries, and burns among others,” he pointed out. Dr Nelly Mugo, Director, Research and Development at Kemri, explains that Stem Cell therapy is a form of regenerative medicine designed to repair damaged cells by reducing inflammation and controlling the immune system. “Once we go through all the required trial phases to ascertain whether stem cell procedures can work, are safe and effective, these products will immensely reduce the cost of treatment,” she said, Kemri is also establishing a course in Bio manufacturing. AGENCY FIGURES The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data shows in the past month, the price index of food category decreased by just 0.5 per cent. Prices of onion bulbs and leeks increased by 11.4 per cent on reduced production. Data also shows that the reduced overall inflation rate was boosted by electricity and cooking gas which eased slightly. 23 minors among 24 autopsies on cult victims by Harrison Kivisu @PeopleDailyKe The government yesterday performed postmortem on 24 more bodies exhumed at the Shakahola forest with children dominating the list. Chief Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor yesterday established that 23 out of 24 victims of Shakahola massacre cult belong to minors. In the report, Dr Oduor said the cause of the death could not be established as the bodies were badly decomposed. He, however, confirmed that only six of the victims were established to have succumbed to hunger. He further reported that 24 more bodies are awaiting postmortem today before the end of phase four of the exercise in Malindi sub-county district hospital morgue by end of this week. Controversial preacher The suspected cult linked to controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church has seen the deaths of more than 425 people so far, with over 600 people still reported missing. Mackenzie, who is currently detained, is accused of brainwashing his followers to starve to death in order to “meet Jesus. “More than 4,000 churches are registered in Christianmajority Kenya. But efforts to weed out crooks and charlatans through regulation have been thwarted by accusations that this would violate constitutional guarantees for freedom of religion. DCI officers exhume bodies of Shakahola cult victims. PD/FILE CHANGES IN AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SELECTED COMMODITIES IN THE LAST ONE MONTH INFOGRAPHICS: PATRICK OKUNA Onions (1 Kg) 11.4% Oranges (1 Kg) 2.8% Fresh Flavoured Packeted Cow Milk (250 Ml) 1.1% Carrots ( 1 Kg) 6.1% Wheat Flour - White (2 Kgs) 1.2% Cabbages (1 Kg) 8.1% Beans (1 Kg) 1.6% Cowpeas (1 Kg) 8.3% Spinach (1 Kg) 1.6% Tomatoes (1 Kg) 10.1% Peas (1 Kg) 1.9% Potatoes (1 Kg) 12.2% City Bus/Matatu Fares (Town to Githurai) 16.7% Monthly House Rent - One Bedroom 0.4% Diesel (1 Litre) 7.4% Electricity (200 Kilowatts) 4.4% Petrol (1 Litre) 6.9% Electricity (50 Kilowatts) 5.3% Kerosene/Paraffin (1 Litre) 5.0% Cooking Gas/LPG (13 Kgs) 9.2%

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY NEWS BEAT 7 Governors hit out at MPs over move to change counties law implementation is agreed upon between the two levels of Government. The Kirinyaga County Governor charged that the National Government has been attempting to claw back on devolution on areas like markets, housing and lighting among others. National Government “We note with concern the continuous attempts by National Government department and agencies, to claw back on devolution especially on devolved functions such as; markets, housing and lighting, water, provision of fertiliser and seeds in the agricultural sector,” said Waiguru. While the Council of Governors has continued to embrace the spirit of consultation, the leadership of the Council will engage the respective ministries to address the issues of encroachment on devolved functions. The council further embraced a decision by the High Court declaring the establishment of Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority as illegal. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta established the Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority via Legal Notice No 142 of 2022, a move that the governors took to the corridors of justice and won against the State. “The Council welcomes the recent High Court judgment which declared the establishment of Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority to be illegal. This is a victory for Devolution as it sets a precedent on establishment of parastatals that undertake devolved functions vide legal notices,” said Waiguru. She went on, “We will in due course send the proposed draft amendments for consideration.” Instead, the governors called upon the senate to initiate amendments to the State Corporations Act, 2010 to ensure that it aligns to the devolved system of governance. She reiterated that the Devolution Conference will be held Uasin Gishu County, Eldoret Sports Club from August 15-19, 2023, adding that the Council has developed a robust programme for the three days. Waiguru said that they have lined up pre-conference activities such as athletics and football to interact with the members of the public ahead of the conference, adding that the county governments have so far grown 7.3 million trees. “We will grow, 300 trees in Uasin Gishu County to kick start the conference,” she said. Instead, county chiefs want the law on parastatals reviewed and aligned with the devolved system Water worth Sh11.2b goes down the drain annually by Rawlings Otieno @PeopleDailyKe Water Service Providers (WSP) are losing 45 per cent of their water, worth Sh11.2billion. The loss is occasioned by both physical and commercial losses, with physical losses requiring huge capital outlay to repair dilapidated water infrastructure inherited from past administrations, some of which date back to colonial times. WSP Chief Executive Officer Antony Ambugo said to reduce water loss, counties need to invest in modern water treatment works and new reticulation systems equipped with Geographic Information System (GIS). Ambugo said that such intervention has been done in Nyeri Water and Sanitation Company in 2004, where a new modern water treatment works-Kamakwa and new reticulation system equipped with GIS was installed at a cost of Sh1.2 billion. “This has made Nyeri Water to be the best water company in the country for the last 15 years with NRW of 17 per cent lower than the Country benchmark of 25 per cent. This is an indication that the NRW reduction strategies require the support of everyone in raising the billions required to replace the dilapidated infrastructure,” he said. Yesterday, while appearing before the senate Public Investment and Special Funds Committee chaired by Vihiga lawmaker Godfrey Osotsi, Ambugo said that commercial losses are a result of human culture and activities aimed at unmetered access to water services. Commercial loss Ambugo explained that commercial loss is a product of water users evading metering so that they can use water free of charge. According to Ambugo, water theft is perpetrated by all customers from low-income to high-income residents, water vendors, public and private institutions. “Commercial losses require heavy investment in smart metering and constituent technologies and behavioural and culture change within the staff of our Companies, public and state officers and customers. This is one of the greatest challenges confronting WSPs. “Currently, we are losing 45 percent of the water produced which has a monetary value of Sh11.2 billion. The components of NRW are both physical and commercial losses,” said Ambugo. And now Ambugo is proposing that the National Government should allocate conditional grants to WSPs for Non-Revenue Management and that County Governments should also allocate a reasonable percentage of the County Budget for Water Service Providers to manage their resources. DEVOLUTION County bosses want the Senate to initiate amendments to the State Corporations Act, 2010 to ensure that it aligns to the devolved system of governance. The governors say that the proposed amendment is a critical legislation in the implementation of devolution. CoG chair Ann Waiguru charged that the National Government has been attempting to claw back on devolution on areas like markets, housing and lighting among others. Council of Governors Chairperson and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru speaking during yesterday’s COG press briefing in Nairobi. PD/GERALD ITHANA by Rawlings Otieno @PeopleDailyKe Governors yesterday criticised the national government for initiating amendments to the County Governments Act, 2012 without involving devolved units. Instead, the county bosses want the Senate to initiate amendments to the State Corporations Act, 2010 to ensure that it aligns to the devolved system of governance. They argued that the proposed amendment was a critical legislation in the implementation of devolution. Senators had sought powers to convene and chair county development boards to coordinate projects, a move that the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional. “We welcome the move to review the Act to conform to the judgment of the Court which declared the County Development Boards unconstitutional, among other critical issues,” said CoG chair Anne Waiguru. Through her, CoG noted that there was need to undertake a more comprehensive review of the Act to address emerging issues in the course of its implementation since the advent of devolution. Already the National Government through the State Department for Housing and Urban Development has advised the counties on the implementation of the Markets Development Programme for the next five years. Devolved function “The development of markets in the country is a fully devolved function under the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution. The programme should be implemented by the respective county governments through the conditional grants framework under the law.” She urged the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development to suspend the pending advertisement tomorrow and the rollout of the project with immediate effect until the modalities of its WSP Chief Executive Officer Antony Ambugo. PD/KENNA CLAUDE by Oliver Musembi @PeopleDailyKe More than 2,400 squatters from Kiambu county who have been living on land hived off a forest 27 years ago for their resettlement have appealed to President William Ruto to rescue them from cartels eyeing the prime property. The group, under the umbrella of Kamiti Forest Squatters Association accuses local administrators of colluding with wealthy cartels in a bid to drive them out of the land located at Kamiti Anmer area of Ting’ang’a ward in Githunguri sub county off the Ruiru -Kamiti road. Terming themselves as ‘orphans of Moi’, they also accused local government officials of harassing their representatives by having them arrested over trumped up charges. Local administration A meeting in which they were to elect new representatives on Friday was cancelled in the last minute by police and local administration officials who also arrested their chairman Philip Makau. He was later booked at the Kiambu police station for allegedly organising an illegal meeting, a move that drew the ire of the residents who called for his immediate release. But contacted, Kiambu sub county police commander Mohamed Badel said he was not aware of the matter as it was under the jurisdiction of the administration. The squatters claimed that wealthy people have dubiously acquired a large chunk of the 419 acres of forest land which the late former President Daniel arap Moi had, in 1996, ordered it be cleared and allocated to squatters working in local coffee plantations and surrounding communities. Prior to that, the former President had heard complaints from locals that the forest had become a den of all sorts of crime where people would be killed or bodies dumped and women raped. Kiambu squatters seek help from Ruto

8 NEWS BEAT PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 by Muthoki Kithanze @PeopleDailyKe People get congratulatory messages for landing a job, getting married or closing a business deal. But rarely because of receiving a national identity card.Why? Because to most people, it is nothing remarkable that warrants merry-making. This is true for most Kenyans but not Aden Farah, 26, who became an ID holder last month for the first time in his life. “I have now started living. I cannot explain the joy that I feel about this new phase of my life,” he says, beaming. Aden was born in Garissa County to a Kenyan mother and father. Due to the harsh living conditions in the region, his family wandered into the Daadab refugee camp seeking food rations. It is here that he was registered as a refugee. When he came of age and applied for a national ID, he received distressing news. He was a victim of double registration. This refers to the erroneous registration of bona fide citizens as refugees which happened in the 1990s during a severe drought in northern Kenya that coincided with the Somali civil war. The UNHCR camps set up in Kenya to offer provisions failed to distinguish Kenyan citizens from Somali refugees. It is estimated that double registration has affected 40,000 Kenyans. Last year, the government began the process of removing at least 14,000 genuine Kenyans from the UNHCR refugee database and issuing them with identity cards. Apart from being declared stateless, double registration means you are not entitled to citizenship rights like access to government services, land ownership and education opportunities. Disability card Aden, for instance, could not run for political office in last year’s election because he did not have an ID. “My life was hard. I have lost a lot of opportunities because of not having an ID. Even moving within the country is hard,” he says. His saving grace has been a disability card which accorded him a degree of liberty and privileges. How thousands became stateless in their own land Double registration and failure to recognise ethnic communities has denied many Kenyans citizenship The vetting process to verify his citizenship took too long. “My vetting began in 2019 and I received my card in 2023.” Last Friday, President Ruto officially awarded members of the Pemba community in Kilifi citizenship by conferring legitimacy to their identity cards, birth certificates, passport, and title deeds marking their end of statelessness for close to 100 years. Members of the Pemba community, such as Mwalimu Ali Mkasha, who have lived under a banner of illegitimacy can now heave a sigh of relief. According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, a stateless person is not considered a national by any State under the operation of its law. Some people are born stateless, but others become stateless. In the case of Mkasha, he was born stateless and has had a protracted history of suffering for not being recognized as a Kenyan. In 2007 he had a breakthrough and was issued with an ID. However, the card states he is Digo – a sub-tribe of Mijikenda instead of Pemba. He adds: “I have seen my community members being beaten, arrested and some committing suicide because of sustained harassment by the authorities.” “This inspired me to begin to fight for the recognition of my people,” he says. The unfamiliar history of the Pemba community formed the basis of their statelessness. There is an island in Tanzania with inhabitants known as Pemba. According to Mkasha, it was assumed that the Pemba people in Kenya were migrants. Universal laws Mkasha and his team began a rigorous process of pursuing their history which revealed that, unlike the Shona and Makonde who were migrants and were granted citizenship, the Pemba are indigenous Kenyans. Chapter 3 of the Constitution enshrines the rights of a citizen and so does the Universal Declaration of Human Rights under Article 15 which states: “Everyone has the right to a nationality” and that “no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.” “Despite having all these laws the state fails to use non-discriminatory criteria and procedures such as vetting to determine Kenyan citizenship, says Mustafa Mahmoud, Co-director of Namati Citizenship Program an NGO advancing citizenship rights. He adds that some applicants are lucky to pass vetting the first time they appear before a committee. Others are asked to return over and over with additional documentation further delaying their acquisition of ID. by Kepher Otieno @PeopleDailyKe Gospel artist-cum-politician Reuben Kigame has urged the government to end dependency on multilateral funding institutions. Kigame claimed the lenders were hiding behind austerity measures to dictate terms for the government. “The IMF, World Bank and other multilateral institutions want to ensure domination and control of our country,’’ he said. “As long as the government continues to borrow from these institutions, Kenyans will be hurt,” he said. The International Monetary Fund’s executive board on Monday signed off on nearly $1 billion in new funding for Kenya. This is projected to ease pressure on government finances in East Africa’s largest economy, the global lender said in a statement. The IMF said the board completed the fifth reviews under Kenya’s Extended Fund Facility and Extended Credit Facility, allowing for immediate disbursement of about $415.4 million. But Kigame said Kenya should sever ties with IMF, citing the controversial Finance Act which the lender supports. “President Ruto needs to stop working for the IMF and other economic agencies, financing us,’’ he said. Kigame (right) was speaking at CITAM church in Kisumu, where he joined worshippers for Sunday service. “We want the government to lower taxes. So they better listen to the voices of Kenyans,’’ said Kigame. Kigame wants Kenya to cut ties with IMF, World Bank Aden Farah, a resident of Garissa County, got his Kenyan national Identity Card at the age of 26. He was initially registered as a refugee. PD/COURTESY LEGAL PROTECTION Chapter 3 of the Constitution of Kenya and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights under Article 15 enshrines the rights of a citizen. Universal Declaration of Human Rights states “everyone has the right to a nationality” and that “no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.” Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang has called for the disbandment of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), accusing it of failing to discharge its mandate. Kajwang said the agency is of no value to Kenyans if police officers who are linked to the shooting unarmed citizens are not brought to book. He challenged IPOA to demonstrate its efficiency in handling cases of police brutality. “It is high time IPOA be disbanded if it fails to convince Kenyans (that) it has the capacity to executive its constitutional mandate. We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend that IPOA is effective,” he said. Kajwang wants the police watchdog to be proactive in investigating, publicising and acting on reports of acts of brutality during public demonstrations. – Noven Owiti The Mombasa County government in collaboration with Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) has embarked on a social entrepreneurship programme which aims to address youth unemployment. Mombasa has been grappling with a high unemployment rate leading to rise of social vices among them criminal gangs and drug abuse. Mombasa County has set aside a Sh100 million revolving fund to help youth generate income. Speaking during an intergenerational forum in Mombasa, Trade Chief Executive Committee member Mohamed Osman affirmed the county government’s commitment to addressing unemployment. “We have set aside a Sh100 million revolving fund for SMEs in Mombasa to ensure a business revolution in Mombasa,” said Osman. – Harrison Kivisu Disband IPOA for failing to probe killings – Kajwang’ County, private sector join hands in job creation efforts BRIEFLY The construction of Sh1.2 billion Mother and Baby facility at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital in Nandi county has finally resumed after stalling for over a year. The project has been on and off due to financial challenges which have forced the contractor to suspend works. Leaders had cited lack of political goodwill for the delay in completion of the project. Governor Stephen Sang (pictured) yesterday explained the project stalled after the county ran short of funds. Leaders have petitioned the national government to complete of the four-storey building which is projected to accommodate 500 patients. During his recent visit to the region, President William Ruto said his administration and county government would ensure all the projects are fully implemented for the public to benefit. – Wycliff Kipsang Works resume at stalled Sh1.2b Nandi health facility

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY 9

10 PEOPLE SPEAK PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 The fate of the Kenyan nation lies in the hands of God and two men – President William Ruto and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Alliance leader Raila Odinga. This is a view shared by many religious leaders of all faiths, civil society, the international community and, most importantly, rightful thinking citizens of our beloved country. Not even the closest allies and staunches supporters of the two diametrically divergent political adversaries can attempt to shoulder the weight of national expectation they hold. While the nation is pregnant with anticipation that the two leaders’ talks preceding honest all-inclusive dialogue for peace, national healing and reconciliation, will finally start, serious doubts persist. A wide ideological gulf exists between the leadership of the two dominant political factions, Kenya Kwanza led by Ruto and the Raila-led Azimio as amid Kenya’s worst political crisis since independence. One would think that Kenya, a country known for its democratic traditions and regular electoral processes (however flawed) and the acclaimed 2010 Constitution, is in the middle of a mild civil war. The situation has not been helped by a belligerent political class, especially from the ruling coalition that has adopted a hostile winner-takes it all attitude towards its worthy opponents. Denigrating bellicose statements by some hawkish leaders in the top hierarchy known to be close allies of the President has not endeared him to the general populace, not least those in Opposition strongholds. The bipartisan talks Ruto mooted after mass protests in March have since collapsed in the wake of the hardline stance adopted by hawks in President’s side and the tough conditions imposed by the Opposition in retaliation at this confrontational posture. Since the heated campaigns before the last presidential election that ended in a disputed cliff-hanger win for President Ruto, the nation has not known peace, compounded by a harsh economic climate. Cries for electoral justice that failed to placate a dissatisfied Opposition feeling cheated meshed with a virulent economy and gelled into a national crisis fueled by the high cost of living for the majority. Nobody across the supporters of either side of the political divide has been spared, presenting Ruto’s just under one-year administration with a severe political and economic test. Some of Ruto’s pronouncements and actions including those related to economic justice and appointments to public positions have been unpopular, prompting a public and Opposition backlash. By luring scores of Azimio MPs to his Kenya Kwanza political faction to secure a majority in Parliament, Ruto emasculated the independence of the Legislature. With a lopsided House rubber-stamping Executive wishes, the Opposition embraced the court of public opinion to advance its political agenda. Latching onto public discontent at the unpopular Finance Bill, 2023, they turned the litany of promises made to millions of “hustlers” (Mama Mboga, boda boda and unemployed youth) into an effective weapon of mass protest against the government’s unpopular policies. President Ruto needs to demonstrate statesman qualities as a national leader and engage with Raila in an atmosphere of mutual trust for the sake of national healing and reconciliation. He must adhere to the constitutional office and live up to the vow he made to serve all Kenyans without fear or favour, including those who did not vote for him. The two leaders have worked politically together before and should not find it difficult to streamline their differences into a cause for national redemption. — The writer comments on political and economic affairs. Email: [email protected] ELEANOR ROOSEVELT Will people ever be wise enough to refuse to follow bad leaders or to take away the freedom of other people? Lessons from feuds around Finance Act Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah and three other persons have filed an appeal against an Appellate Court ruling that lifted injunctions preventing implementation of the contentious Finance Act 2023. Their appeal at the Supreme Court comes after the Senator took the government to court terming the Finance Act unconstitutional in a move that has taken the government finances to uncharted waters. If the Supreme Court delays it further, the government may introduce a new Finance Bill and Appropriations Bill, hoping to deal with defects the courts would have pointed out, but there are suggestions that new taxes will be introduced to cushion the taxman. However, it is expected that the decision by the Court of Appeal to allow implementation of the Finance Act 2023 will stand, paving the way for the government to introduce a higher tax regime that will impact households and the overall economy. While it has raised concerns among citizens, it remains a critical piece of legislation that informs the government’s financial plan, and the legal battles and public petitions surrounding its implementation highlights the importance of transparency and inclusivity in such decisionmaking processes. Of course the move threw Kenya’s public spending plans into disarray after the court suspended the implementation of the new Finance Act, but by granting conservatory orders to preserve the petitions in a decision made to safeguard the interests of the petitioners, it ensured a fair hearing of their claims. The government argued that it would be unable to meet its financial obligations and will not fulfil most of its executive responsibilities during this period. When the dust settles on this legal battle, Kenyan citizens will be left to grapple with the consequences of the lifted Finance Bill, particularly the impending prospect of higher taxes. Issues raised by the petitioners, such as the lack of concurrence and proper public participation, highlight the need for rigorous scrutiny and public input in financial legislation. Transparency and responsible governance are key to building trust and ensuring that the interests of all Kenyans are adequately represented in such important financial decisions. Ruto, Raila talks only path to national healing THOUGHT OF THE DAY ALBERTO LENY President Ruto needs to demonstrate statesman qualities as a national leader QUOTEDTODAY Lack of government-run shelter houses remain a major setback in offering direct assistance to victims of trafficking and that is why we are in the process of coming up with one. LABOUR CS FLORENCE BORE It is high time IPOA be disbanded if it fails to convince Kenyans (that) it has capacity to executive its constitutional mandate. We cannot bury our heads in the sand and pretend that IPOA is effective. HOMA BAY SENATOR MOSES KAJWANG’ We realised that a lot of youth and women have been unemployed. We are trying to find partnerships to create opportunities for youth who want to venture in social entrepreneurship. COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, KEPSA JOSEPHINE WAWIRA 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] Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY PEOPLE SPEAK 11 The Barbenheimer is upon us. On July 21, the highly hyped box office movies, Barbie and Oppenheimer premiered amidst lots of hype, talk, and genius marketing. With the anticipation created by, especially, the Barbie movie marketing team, it is no wonder the movies will be raking in millions in profit within weeks of being screened in cinemas worldwide. In most of the major social media platforms, Barbie, Barbenheimer, and other keyword variations of this movie razzmatazz have been trending for quite a while with major corporations falling over themselves to collaborate with Mattel, the Barbie parent company. This has caused quite a stir, with makeup products, toys, and all manner of products launching in the official Barbie colour, pink. It is interesting how pink, the signature colour of this movie, has been among the forefront topics of this conversation. In the currently politically volatile world we live in, the Barbie marketing team has taken the colour alongside the politics of gender and inclusion that surround it and used it to their advantage. In a way, building the anticipation for this movie has generated, not only social conversation fodder but has made July 21 into a sort of Barbie holiday. We cannot reach out so far as to compare the Kenyan movie industry to Hollywood. Undoubtedly, Hollywood operates under massive budgets and huge PR influence all over the world that the Kenyan movie industry does not enjoy. However, support from the US Government stands out in the Hollywood filmmaking industry. As evidence supports, the US Government Department of Defense has supported more than 800 silver-screen films between 1911-2017. This explains, in part, why the Tinsel Town movies enjoy so much success. It is a well-known fact that most of the creatives in this country are almost always at loggerheads with the government. The current regime seems to hold the ignorant belief that STEM careers are more advantageous to the economy than arts and creative industry, quoting President William Ruto’s remarks even before his presidency. Despite colonialism and the unfortunate whitewashing that followed, Africans are known to hold rhythm deep within our bones. We come up with the best music and have the most profound and impactful stories, all blessings of our unique experiences. Still, it has happened time and again that we have let foreigners tell our stories. Chinua Achebe once quoted so profoundly that until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter. If the government plans to grow the economy from the pits it has fallen into, it must tap into our homegrown talent. We cannot keep struggling to revive previous economic jackpots while ignoring other industries and hope to thrive. And to give credit where it is due, Youth Affairs, Sports and Arts Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba was seen just recently making a deal with Kenyan musicians and content creators that gives them opportunities even on a global scale. There is still a chance for the government to redeem itself in the eyes of Kenyan creatives by giving them much-needed backing. It is not right that one of the most notable moments of collision between the film industry and the government involved the banning of certain films for not fitting into the regime’s political and moral rhetoric. One of the first steps would ideally be recognising the current Kenyan films. Too many Kenyans may not have heard of these gems yet and most film houses do not yet have the funding to create fanfare akin to the Barbenheimer. All these are opportunities for the government to chip in and hopefully repair previously burnt bridges. In this way, the government could potentially create a multi-millionshilling industry. — The writer is an economist It’s our collective duty to conserve great Mara River Harness homegrown talent to develop economy This year again, more than 1.5 million wildebeest have started migrating from Tanzania to Kenya to begin what is widely seen as a pilgrimage towards greener grazing fields. The annual migration that has been christened “Seven wonders of the Natural World” attracts millions of tourists across the globe. Many tourists spend thousands of dollars just to watch the spectacular exodus of wildebeest from the vast plains of Serengeti in Tanzania towards Kenya’s Masai Mara. It is imperative to note that the MaraSerengeti Ecosystem is one of the last major wildlife refuges on earth. It contains 40 per cent of Africa’s remaining larger mammals, and is also home to the famous wildebeest migration. Data from Narok County Department of Tourism indicates that the Mara–Serengeti Ecosystem stretches 24,000 square Kilometers with a perennial Mara River flowing across the game reserve. Therefore, protection of the Mara Water Basin is essential in the survival of millions of flora and fauna species across the ecosystem. Mara River rises in Mau Forest and flows through the savannah before discharging into Lake Victoria in Tanzania. And it is because of this that the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, a specialised institution of the East African Community responsible for coordinating sustainable development of the Lake Victoria Basin, and the Republic of Kenya and United Republic of Tanzania signed an MoU in September 15, 2015 to jointly conserve the Mara River and its ecosystem. Commission coordinates regional annual Mara Day celebration to acknowledge the ongoing process of different actors in promoting sustainable conservation practices of the Mara Eco system. The 10th Sectoral Council of Ministers for Lake Victoria Basin meeting in 2012 in Kigali Rwanda adopted and declared September 15 as a significant date set aside for the Mara Day celebration. The event is held on a rotational basis between Kenya and Tanzania. Since its inception, several milestones have been achieved. For instance, stakeholders and communities living within the two East African partner states have agreed to work collaboratively towards the sustainable and management of the Mara ecosystem. The joint decision has greatly helped in promoting conservation and trade within the Mara basin. The ecosystem also contributes 15 per cent to the economy of both Kenya and Tanzania through tourism in Serengeti and Maasai Mara Game Reserve. It also serves the communities living around the basin with water for their livestock. However, there are several challenges that threaten the Mara ecosystem that must be dealt with. Increased bush meat poaching is among the serious threats that various stakeholders must quickly deal with. Another serious threat endangering the Mara River is increased human settlement that has taken away land from nature. We have seen people encroaching the land and are building structures that require water. When they do that definitely they will use water from the river hence reduce the quantity for animals and nature and thus create a problem during the dry spell. Increased water pollution as a result of effluents from tented camps and lodges that drain directly without being purified is also another problem that must be addressed. Remember, we already have EAC treaty (1999), protocol for the sustainable development of Lake Victoria Basin 2003, LVBC Act 2022 and the 6th EAC development strategy and the 2022-2026 LVBC strategic plan that stresses on the need to conserve the environment. As we prepare to mark the 12th Mara day celebrations in Tanzania, we seek to operationalise the Article 7 (a) that focus to promote a people centered regional integration and article 71(f) on the dissemination of information on the community to stakeholders. — The writer is the Lake Victoria Basin Commission Executive Secretary WAIRIMU WAWERU There’s still a chance for the government to redeem itself in the eyes of Kenyan creatives DR MASINDE BWIRE Increased bush meat poaching is among the serious threats stakeholders must deal with #TWEETS TO THE EDITOR / / / @PeopleDailyKe / / / People Daily STREET TALK Man goes viral as he gets Calvin Klein boxers tatoo Many people decide to get tattoos that have a significant meaning in their life - while others just pick something in the moment they think will look cool . People get tattooes for all sorts of reasons - whether that be because it’s something that has a sentimental meaning to them, or because they just like the look of it. This man’s choice of tattoo really does fall into the second group - as he decided to get a pair of Calvin Klein boxer shorts inked onto his lower back so it looks like he’s always wearing a pair. Sharing the picture of the unusual tattoo on Reddit, a baffled onlooker wrote: “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins,” referring to a line said by Brooke Shields in a Calvin Klein jeans advert in 1981: “You want to know what comes in between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” Elsewhere, a tattoo artist caused a stir after sharing the ‘to do list’ inking he had done for a client. In a bid to become better organised, the man had asked to have the unique design inked in the middle of his palm. While the most important thing is that you’re happy with the design, tattoos don’t always come out the way you’d expect. One woman, who got matching tattoos with her friends, was horrified when it looked completely different two weeks later. The cute, palm tree on a beach suddenly looked like “squiggles”. —Agencies ODDLY ENOUGH TRUTHIS: A parent’s greatest responsibility is to point the way to God. The war continues @SpriterTeam: Niger stopped exporting uranium and gold to France. France stopped its aid to Niger after the coup and warned of drastic measures if the country’s citizens suffer, writes Shafaq. In response, Niger issued a decree to stop the export of gold and uranium to France. Which way Malema? @lilian_owinga: Which way Malema? Are you an activist or a politician? You have been trying for a long time now to get relevance through Raila Odinga’s name in vain.He won’t respond to you, he might sadly not even know you.Save your energy. @Julius_S_ Malema Not yet there @ ZamuhAdan:·Jalang’o thinks hanging out with Baba has solved everything... he doesn’t know baba has plans for him to make a youtube comeback next election. Universal praise @Lehlogonoloser9: If Man City signed Raya to compete with Ederson, they’d be getting universal praise from rival fans with inferiority complex. Arsenal try it and all of a sudden it’s a war crime. Make it make sense.

12 NEWS BEAT PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 Pokot woman takes care of orphans through beadwork Pokot women are among the talented pastoral communities that make bead products that have attracted the Ushanga market both locally and internationally. Among the Pokot, the income earned from Ushanga works is recognised mainly as a bank for women that their husbands cannot ask them about. Joan Cheyech, who began the art of bead making in 2010, has come out strongly, making stunning bead products that narrate her intrigues despite being a victim of the outlawed Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) practise common in West Pokot County. Cheyech, who managed to dress the former first lady of the United States of America (USA), Melania Trump, with Ushanga products during her visit to Kenya in 2018, says her dream of working for Ushanga has shifted to another level since then. “I saw my dream in Ushanga and realised that I would make it to the international market,” she recounts. Cheyech recalls how she got a twohour chance at the Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel in Nairobi to make her sales, an opportunity that enabled her to purchase a plot courtesy of Ushanga. “I was given only two hours to sell my products, which included embroidered sandals, necklaces, stuff, and wooden cutlery, among others, and from the sales I managed to buy a plot at Chepareria in West Pokot County,” she states amid smiles. With overwhelming joy, she narrates how coming all the way from West Pokot and shaking hands with the superpower’s former first lady was such an achievement. USHANGA Joan Cheyech, who began the art of bead making in 2010, has come out strongly, making stunning bead products She calls upon both the county and national governments to support in getting links to the international market, saying that it will help them sell more. “From the village in West Pokot, I shook hands with the former first lady of the USA. This is when I realised that everything is possible and got encouraged as a woman from this marginalised community,” she explains. Cheyech’s talent in bead work was identified and sponsored by the USAID organisation, leading her to unearth her ambitions of running an orphanage and taking care of the needy children from the region, a vision she had anticipated in life but was being thwarted by her poor family background. Vulnerable backgrounds “My passion was to at least once have a chance to take care of children from vulnerable backgrounds, but because of my poor family background, I could not manage. However, things have improved following the sudden change of events owing to the little fortunes I make from the ushanga business,” she explains. Cheyech derives satisfaction when she sees 15 orphans under her sole care, courtesy of what she earns from ushanga sales. However, she maintains that her initiative is open to support from well-wishers who wish to join her in helping the orphans achieve their lifetime goals. “I ensure that the orphans are fed and go to school using the proceeds from my ushanga business,” she narrates with tears of joy running down her cheeks. The woman has a plan to put up a school to train young girls in beadwork technology, saying that it does not need any academic qualifications but only interest to unearth the talent. Cheyech adds that she is looking forward to rescuing young girls from the pains of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), which she recalls with regret as having suffered under its practise. “I have joined other stakeholders in championing the end of the retrogressive practise that may have led many women into bondage. My key intention is to rescue the young girls from genital mutilation because it is performed by old people who are less informed about the kind of torture they expose to the girl child,” says Cheyech. Besides the success in her ambitions, Cheyech says that her major challenge stems from hiked beads’ prices and the scarcity of quality varieties needed to meet the competitive markets. – KNA Joan Cheyech dressed the former First Lady of US Melania Trump with her ushanga products Basket weaving groups scattered across Taita Taveta are now a step ahead in marketing their wares following the signing of a partnership deal between the county government and Gitzellfairtrade International. In the deal, sisal-woven baskets, locally known as vidasi, will now have direct access to the international market through a supply chain supported by Gitzellfairtrade International and a twice-a-year collection of the ware from women’s groups practising the craft. “We’re happy to announce our partnership with the County Government of Taita Taveta to help women reach a wide global market for their baskets, and we’re sure it will make a significant impact on household income levels and that of the County as well,” said Zellipah Githui, a Gitzellfairtrade International official. In her remarks, Githui said the sustainable and global supply chain reaches all markets to ensure competitive prices for the baskets, and a trickle-down benefit will be felt at the household level. Competitive prices “Ours is a supply chain with a very wide reach to ensure women get competitive prices for their products and positively impact the flow and availability of income flow to the household unit,” said Gichui. Celebrating the good news and in attendance during the signing of the deal, Hilda Mbuwa, the lead representative of women basket weaving groups, said it has been a big hurdle to get a reliable market for their wares. “It’s not been easy for women to continue with the craft as there has been no reliable market. Some women have ventured into other economic activities. However, this new market opportunity will ensure a revival of the almost forgotten craft,” said Hilda. She further said that the burden now shifts to the women as they have to strive to ensure top-quality wares to meet international standards and spur demand for baskets from Taita Taveta. – KNA Joan Cheyech displays ushanga work, art that has helped her take care of orphans. PD/COURTESY by PD reporter @PeopleDailyKe Against all odds, women are defying convention and spearheading a groundbreaking revolution in the feed and fodder sector, which has for long been male dominated. With tenacity and innovation, a group of women from across Africa are breathing new life into the feed and fodder sector as well as livestock production and reshaping the course of their communities’ and countries’ economic future. The sector is currently facing a major crisis due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, global Covid-19 pandemic and climate change. In the shadows of these challenges and adversities, some women are emerging as catalysts of change in the crucial feed and fodder sector. Crucial role Some of the women playing a crucial role in the sector attended the African Union-Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) workshop in Naivasha Kenya- where a high-level discussion on how to cushion member states and empower women is ongoing. AU-IBAR has initiated an ambitious project dubbed Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS) project, to help targeted African countries overcome the challenge. Among the experts who attended the five-day workshop is Prof Sonia BedhiafRomdhani (pictured) from Tunisia. She is the Continental President for the Africa Women in Animal Resources Farming and Agribusiness Network (AWARFA-N) and a Senior Researcher in Animal Breeding in Tunisia. She is among experts rooting for more women involvement in the feed and fodder sector by providing an enabling environment and regulatory framework to support them in animal resources farming and agribusiness. “We want women to venture beyond livestock keeping by building their capacity in managing livestock, feeding them correctly to produce quality products and value addition for the animal products,” she said. Better livelihoods “This way, they will generate more income and have better livelihoods.” One of the key challenges that Sonia has identified as a key constraint to participating in the livestock sector is poor access to appropriate and sustainable financing mechanisms that address women’s felt needs tailored to their capacities. “Our governments must make financial inclusion work for women,” she said. “There is inadequate financial inclusion for women. We need policies, strategies and laws that will support women.” To break the cycle of poverty and inequalities, AU-IBAR has been advocating for the development and implementation of policies and legal frameworks that create a wider array of opportunities for women in the feed and fodder sector- which will lead to their economic empowerment for the inclusive and sustainable development of the continent. “This is actually a blessing in disguise. We must make our systems work and become self-reliant.” she said. Also attending the workshop was Winifred LaiSolarin, the Director Animal Husbandry Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria. She believes that women must play an integral role in the feed and fodder sector across the African continent, to reduce the impact of the current crisis. Husbandry Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria. Women in feed, fodder sectors ignite trailblazer path for others Taita basket weavers to access global market

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY 13

DCI’s probe comes just a month after the Controller of Budget (CoB) Margaret Nyakang’o declined to approve Sh1.5billion expenditure requisitions they made to pay legal fees and development expenditure without proper providing supportive documents. Nairobi County government had made an exchequer requisition of Sh2 billion to 19 law firms as pending bills without proper documentation. City Hall further made an additional clearance request of Sh379million categorised as development expenditure of building and construction supplies claimed to be ‘air supply’. “The schedule of 19 firms to be paid does not include the invoices’ dates; therefore, it is difficult to ascertain whether they are pending bills or related to works done and invoiced in the current financial year. 14 NEWS BEAT PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 Trader charged with obtaining goods A businessman was yesterday charged in a Nairobi court with obtaining goods worth Sh8.6 million with false pretenses he could pay at a later date. Abdi Mohammed Ali is accused of receiving goods worth Sh8,657,507 on diverse dates between November 2, 2022 and January 11 at Mega Wholesalers in Eastleigh, Nairobi. The court heard the accused obtained the maize meal, property of Wakulima Flour Millers Limited by pretending he would pay later, a fact he knew was false. He appeared before Chief Magistrate Susan Shitubi and denied the charges. His lawyer requested the court to give lenient bond terms saying he is not a flight risk and has a fixed place of abode. The magistrate directed the accused to be detained in police custody until tomorrow when his bond terms will be determined. - Gidraf Mwangi BRIEFLY CITY HALL FRAUD PROBE Preliminary investigations reveal that various section heads colluded with procurement officers, contractors and the County Treasury officials to siphon hundreds of millions from the public coffers by Zadock Angira @PeopleDailyKe The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has launched investigations into suspected fraudulent payment of hundreds of millions of shillings by the county government of Nairobi for goods never supplied and services not rendered. DCI says the nine listed firms are believed to have been used in a money laundering scheme and fraudulent payments. In a letter dated July 21, the Director of DCI’s Investigations Bureau (IB) David Birech wrote to Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja demanding a list of tender documents, requisitions by user department, award contracts, delivery and inspection reports and all local purchase orders issued to profiled nine companies believed to have been used to siphon the money. “This office is investigating a case of suspected money laundering in which Nairobi County Government is alleged to have fraudulently made payments to companies which did not render services,” Birech wrote. “We further request to assign officers who have knowledge of the various processes listed above to assist us with information on their roles and record statements to that effect,” the letter added. Collusion with officers Preliminary investigations reveal that various section heads colluded with procurement officers, contractors and the County Treasury officials to siphon hundreds of millions from the public coffers. The nine companies are Larsen Investment Company, Burasha General Suppliers Limited Tweem Limited, Future Link Limited, and Cloud Mobile Technologies Limited. Others are AR Pharmaceuticals Limited, Instabul Investment Limited, Ramecon Engineering Limited and Brigit West Limited. DCI probe payments at City Hall as fraud allegations pile Governor Sakaja in the eye of new payment storm a month after COB rejected legal payment demands Please, therefore, revise the schedule to include the date of the invoices and attached copies of the payment vouchers for the 19 firms,” the CoB wrote. The letter, dated June 27, Ref: COB/NBI/001/171(11), was addressed to Sakaja through the Finance and Economic Planning County Executive Committee Member Charles Kerich. “Further, it is difficult to match the proposed payments with the pending bills report earlier presented to this office,” the CoB added. COB requisitions Sakaja’s administration made the two requisitions on June 19 (Sh562,124,660) and another amounting to Sh509,152,645. Nyakang’o instructed the County Treasury to provide the basis for the legal fees, status of each court case including copies of judgment where applicable. Also, the CoB’s office demanded a clear breakdown detailing the criteria used in the selection of the said payments, the recommended ‘first-in-first-out’ method used in identifying the bills and information on whether the proposed payment is a partial payment or a final payment to the legal firms. The payments had also been blocked through a law suit. According to documents filed in court, Sakaja’s administration owes various law firms more than Sh21billion as pending bills as of January 2023. Documents filed in court show the law firms to be paid include Makallah Theuri & Company Advocates (Sh60million), L.N Nyaribo & Company (Sh50million), Okatch & Partners (70million), Okubasu Munene & Kazungu Advocates (Sh30million), Gikunda Miriti & Company (Sh67million) and Masire & Mogusu (Sh27.5million). Others are Anne Munene & Company (Sh34million), Koceyo & Company Advocates (Sh43.8million), Roba & Associates (51.8million), Ummi Bashir & Company Advocates (Sh32million), J.W Wachira Advocates (Sh58million), Momanyi and Associates (Sh91million), Jamal Bake & Associates (Sh47million) and Bespoke Insurance Brokers Limited (Sh28million). Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja. PD/JOHN OCHIENG Main suspect in former Treasury official death pleads not guilty by Noah Chepleon @PeopleDailyKe The main suspect in the murder of Tom Osinde, a former senior staff at Treasury, has been charged with murder. However, Julius Mogoi (right)who appeared before Justice Heston Nyanga at the Nakuru High Court denied the charges. Mogoi allegedly murdered Osinde on the night of June 17 and 18 at Ngata Farm in Rongai, Nakuru County. While his advocate pleaded with the court for release on bond, the Prosecution led by Loice Murunga raised objections saying they fear for the suspect’s safety. She said that the suspect should remain in custody for his own safety adding that he was also a flight risk having gone into hiding after committing the offence. The prosecutor informed the court that the accused had earlier fled his rural home in Kisii County to Nakuru after committing another offence (defilement) in a bid to evade justice in the past. Murunga submitted that one of the key witnesses they wish to rely on the accused’s mother who was found in possession of some itens belonging to the deceased. She told the court the accused person is likely interfere with prosecution witnesses noting that some were already fearing for their lives. “This is a case where the prosecution is willing to rely on circumstantial evidence and the witnesses which the prosecution are his relatives where he left some of the exhibits that we intend to rely on. We plead with the court to deny him bond,” she told the court. Mogois’ lawyer applied for the court to release him on reasonable bond terms. The defence lawyer opposed the prosecution submissions saying that his client has been in Police custody since he was arrested one month ago. She told the court that the prosecution has not placed on record by way of evidence to show that the state witnesses will be tampered with or interfered with by the accused. The advocate said the prosecution submissions are not sufficient to deny the accused person bail on allegation that he will tamper with witnesses as none of the witnesses who are known have come forward to declare their fears as claimed by the prosecution. She told the court that on the grounds that his client is a flight risk, nothing has been placed on record to prove he is a flight risk. According to her the prosecution has not provided in court any evidence to prove that his life is at risk. Justice Nyaga directed that the prosecution present sworn affidavits from the relatives confirming that the release of the accused person will put their lives in danger. Preparing for emergency Left to-right: AAR Healthcare General Manager Elizabeth Wasunna, Rendeavour Country Head Preston Mendenhall and Rackel Opunga, an Advanced Life Support paramedic during the announcement of the appointment of AAR Healthcare as Tatu City’s exclusive provider of emergency healthcare yesterday. AAR Healthcare will offer on-site ambulance services, available 24/7, to ensure the safety and well being of Tatu City’s residents, businesses and visitors. PD/ALICE MBURU

BUSINESS HUB FOR MORE NEWS VISIT: www.pd.co.ke / www.epaper. pd.co.ke 15 Tuesday, August 1, 2023 State ditches 30pc local share rule for ICT firms by Noel Wandera @NoelWanderah The government has removed the licensing requirement for foreign ICT companies wishing to invest in Kenya to have a 30 per cent local component. ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo said tenderpreneurs were exploiting the rule and “creating unnecessary roadblocks on the path of private investors.” “Even though the rule, enacted through the 2020 ICT Policy to encourage indigenous firms to participate in the ICT sector through equity ownership, Kenyans have not been able to exploit this piece of legislation,” he said. Owalo, who was giving the ICT ministry’s scorecard for the past year, said the legislation had not REMOVING INVESTOR HURDLES Government has removed the licensing requirement for foreign ICT companies wishing to invest in Kenya to have a 30 per cent local component. Even though the rule, enacted through the 2020 ICT Policy to encourage indigenous firms to participate in the ICT sector through equity ownership, Kenyans have not been able to exploit this piece of legislation. been useful as the tenderpreneurs were not eager to invest money in the ICT firms, preferring to be directors on paper, a condition that was scaring away foreign investors. He said the only leeway these entities had was for them to apply to the Cabinet Secretary to grant them a waiver, discretionary power that had to be checked through legislation. “We cannot continue like that, ladies and gentlemen and I am saying that no single individual in the name of a cabinet secretary, starting with myself, should have that discretionary power to decide whether or not a foreign investment company is going to continue operating in Kenya,” Owalo said. “We must anchor that in law and in this regard we have decided to waive that 30 per cent requirement. Foreign companies can now invest in the ICT sector without that clause. This has been approved by the cabinet and we are now progressing for gazettement”. He said the government had secured a $570 million Kenya Digital Economy Acceleration Programme facility (Sh80.8 billion) from the World Bank and an additional Sh5 billion from the Universal Service Fund to facilitate the on-going ICT infrastructure and universal access connectivity projects. The projects will support the digital superhighway agenda and digitalisation of government services. Virtual services According to Owalo, the initiatives, which include virtual services, a digital identity for all Kenyans and provision of e-signature will enhance efficiency and effectiveness of government services and enhance the level of efficiency and interaction between the members of public and the government. Experts say while encouraging foreign investment and giving investors more ownership, can bring numerous benefits it is equally essential for Kenya to have appropriate regulations and policies in place to protect its national interests, ensure fair competition, and safeguard the welfare of its citizens. Striking the right balance between attracting investments and safeguarding domestic interests is crucial for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Owalo says legislation has not been useful as tenderpreneurs are not eager to invest in the firms, preferring to be directors on paper by Noel Wandera @NoelWanderah Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife has embarked on a strategy seeking to leverage the creative industry to create interest in the country’s diverse product offerings. Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtua said the ministry plans to work with musicians and storytellers to draw attention to the hidden gems of Kenya and offer visitors an “unforgettable and immersive experience” of the nation’s diverse wonders. “The ministry acknowledges the profound influence of artists, especially musicians, who possess a unique ability to convey the essence of Kenya to a global audience,” he said during a recent visit to the ministry by Moipei Quartet Sisters. Through such initiatives, the ministry hopes that the tourism sector will reach new target groups, improve the destination’s image and competitiveness, while at the same time supporting growth of creative industries and their exports. The four sisters including Mary, Marta, Magdaline and Seraphine have formed a singing quartet that has been marketing Kenya locally and abroad through their music which the PS described as a “powerful influencer compelling audiences worldwide to experience the magic that Kenya has to offer.” Ministry targets creatives to showcase Kenya’s unique tourism products CEMENT MARKET: East Africa Portland Cement Company Plc Athi-River is set to expand its clinker production to tap the local market after the government imposed 17 per cent duty on imported clinker. The firm is among the leading producers of clinker, a basic raw material in cement making. According to Managing director Oliver Kirubai, the cement maker has drawn a road map for its revival and has realised improved production by 25 per cent as from September last year. Increasing efficiency The increase in production was informed by the first phase of refurbishing the plant, increasing efficiency and cutting production cost. Liquidating the expansive land worth Sh50 billion within Athi-River Mavoko is a key area the company is focused to raise its working capital according to Kirubai. Speaking at Ilbisil in Kajiado County while on an induction tour of the company, Kirubai said parliament order to government institutions which owe the company to pay outstanding debts will also be key in boosting the cement maker’s working capital. “We have received enormous support from the government to ensure we revive the company to its full operation. We are already making strides and rapidly moving towards profitability,” he said. Patrick ole Tutul, Eapc director said the company has done an assessment and analysis audit which has proved there is sufficient raw materials to sustain the company operations. Ilbisil and Kibini quarries situated in Kajiado County are the main limestone sites being exploited by the company. “While producing up to 3,000tonnes of cement per day, Ilbisil Quarry alone has capacity to supply Limestone for the next 40 years. That is just the current mined area which is still under exploration. The unexplored area can supply Limestone for years. We have no challenge with raw materials and we just need to invest in modern efficient mining equipment,” said Tutui. – Christine Musa Portland set to boost clinker production on increased import tax Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtua engages with Moipei Quartet Sisters in his office. The sisters are renowned for their musical talents and inspiring compositions. The ministry is on a quest to collaborate with musicians and storytellers to unveil the hidden gems of Kenya and offer visitors an unforgettable and immersive experience of the nation’s diverse wonders. COURTESY PRICES: Maize millers imported 500,000 tonnes as at end of last week, Agriculture Principal Secretary Kello Harsama confirmed yesterday. He explained that the maize value chains have only managed to bring into the country 35.7 per cent out of the 1.4 million tonnes (15.5million bag) gazetted by the National Treasury and Planning last year to ease skyrocketing prices. “Owing to the scarcity of the commodity in most global market segments, local millers have not been able to bring the expected quantities. They are still sourcing and especially that the current harvest from various regions within the country is yet to be gathered,” said Harsama. Though, despite the received quantities, prices of maize and flour in the country are still high, reducing consumers’ purchasing power. Farmers in Eastern, Central Kenya and South Rift Valley have started harvesting maize which is likely to surface in the market this month and thus will help in easing the prevailing food prices. Also, there are inflows from some of the neighbouring countries, for instance, Tanzania and Uganda thus boosting local produce. – Nicholas Waitathu Maize millers, traders import 5.5 million bags

by Herald Aloo @heraldaloo Kenya has been urged to tap into regional energy integration arrangement started in 2005 to help bridge electricity shortfalls and address the escalating prices. The Law Society of Kenya spelled out the need to the National Assembly Energy Committee amid increasing efforts to cut reliance on the costly thermal power. The system normally taps thermal power when the capacity of cheaper renewable energy subsides. Kenya has been a party to the Eastern African Power Pool (EAPP) established to ease power exchange through the development of interconnected power lines across 10 countries. The other nine members include Burundi, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Libya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Sudan. Kenya has so far integrated its power lines with only Ethiopia and Uganda. Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP) is currently the largest contributor to Kenya’s imported electricity through the 200 megawatts (MW) 25-year deal that started last November, with Kenya Power paying it a total of Sh327.48 million by End-May 2023. Surplus electricity “Collaborating with neighbouring countries for cross-border energy trade, sharing surplus electricity, and developing interconnectivity infrastructure can help optimise resources and reduce cost,” Collins Odhiambo, deputy secretary of public affairs at LSK told the energy committee. The committee is investigating the escalating cost of electricity in the country which is mainly linked to the expensive power contracts signed between Kenya Power and Independent Power Producers (IPPs). It hopes to uncover links between officials in the previous administrations, the Ministry of Energy and Kenya Power, who might have been engaged in corrupt dealings to help certain companies bag Why Kenya should tap into regional energy integration House committee told participation in interconnectivity infrastructure offers substantial economic benefits, reduce cost Governor Barasa faults Sarrai Group as cane shortage bites millers WOES:Kakamega Governor Fernandez Barasa has accused the Sarrai Group, which is currently operating the Mumias Sugar factory, of orchestrating a deliberate cane shortage scheme in the country, leading to low utilisation of the miller’s 15,000-acre nuclei facility. Barasa (pictured) said the firm is part of the problem currently facing the sugar sector. Speaking in Matungu over the weekend, the governor said Sarrai Group has utilised a mere 500 acres of Mumias Sugar’s 15,000 estates, leading to the current cane shortage, and subsequent shutdown of cane processing factories situated in the sugar belts. Massive potential The governor noted that while Sarai has been at the industry for one and a half years not much has been done to turn around the factory, citing ethanol, water bottling facility and Cogen are yet to be utlised despite massive potential. “Sarrai has only invested 10 per cent of what is expected in cane development. Mumias Sugar has 15,000 acres, na ukienda kule (if you go there) he has only planted cane in 500 acres,” said Barasa. The latest development comes after orders to shut all the sugar factories for three months, by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) due to an acute shortage of raw materials, in a move set to increase the cost of sugar countrywide. The decision to suspend sugar milling was announced by AFA acting director (Sugar directorate), Jude Chesire. “We are doing this to protect our sugar firms from total collapse as a result of acute shortage of cane,” she said. The closure orders took effect on July 14, 2023 and are expected to last till November 30, 2023, to allow more sugarcane to mature amid the rising sugar crisis. This comes even as the High Court appointed Harveen Gadhoke as the new administrator of Mumias Sugar for a period of one year, after the expiry of the term of Kereto Marima. Justice Josephine Mongare made the move after an application by lawyer Jackline Kimeto pointed out that the term of Marima expired in April. Kimeto who is seeking Sh76 million from Mumias Sugar further warned that the miller’s assets were at risk of being pilfered and creditors might not recover their costs. The Kakamega County boss has also taken issue with Sarai for failing to address the welfare of both current and former workers at Mumias Sugar, leading to the death of 30 workers at the factory due to depression caused by lack of payment of 2.3 billion shillings debt owed to workers ‘I would be happy if we have a sugar conference so that we can talk about issues affecting Mumias Sugar and all the other sugar factories in the region. I know the former employees of Mumias Sugar about 1000 of them are owed almost Sh2.3 billion, and just the other day I got statistics that we have lost almost 30 former employees from Mumias Sugar. They are dying because of depression,” said Fernandez. Barasa who had previously issued an ultimatum for Sarrai Group to either improve its management on Mumias Sugar or ship out is now calling for a national dialogue. – Mercy Mwai the lucrative power contracts. Kenya’s energy mix mainly comprises geothermal and hydroelectric plants. However, difficulties in filling dam reservoirs during the dry season often force Kenya Power to resort to expensive thermal energy to meet demand, pushing up consumer tariffs through energy charges. With EAPP in place, Kenya can easily export during surplus levels and import affordable non-thermal power during need. However, there has been slow progress in expanding cross-border transmission lines to aid power exchange. Ethiopia has been investing billions of dollars in its hydropower plants in a bid to outdo Kenya as the region’s leading power exporter, targeting to supply buffers to Somalia, Eritrea, and South Sudan. Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir revealed last month that Kenya is rushing to install meters along the 507-kilometre Kenya-Tanzania transmission line to allow power trade by December 2023. “The line is finished and we should commission the line before the end of the year and this will allow the two countries to share excess power,” Chirchir said. Kenya has completed constructing its 93 Km portion of the Sh43 billion ($309.26 million) line. The 400 Kilovolt (kv) line, which runs through Isinya-Namanga, will link East African and the Southern African electricity pools, enabling sharing of power between the two regions in a bid to boost steady supply. State-owned Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) is currently the sole firm charged with building, maintaining and operating high-voltage transmission infrastructure within the country. Purchase agreements Among these includes the high-voltage Lessos-Tororo transmission line that links Kenya and Uganda which have had power purchase agreements since 1964. Kenya imported 8.75 million units from Uganda last January and another 39.73 million units from Ethiopia. The country is expected to increase imports to 600MW through the 1,045km long Ethiopia-Kenya Transmission Interconnection Line, which is part of the EAPP arrangement. Currently, Ethiopia is exporting hydroprocessed cheaper electricity to Sudan and Djibouti and last year, the horn of Africa nation earned $95.4 million from electricity exports to the two countries, according to EEP. by Christine Musa @PeopleDailyKe Land dealers in Kajiado County have been left in limbo after the county government banned all land advertisement billboards in the county. In a public notice by the land, physical planning, housing development and municipalities County executive committee member Hamilton Parseina, the county said the land advertisement signages are encouraging land fraud. In the notice dated July 28, 2023 and copied to Ward administrators and inspectorate officers, land dealers and advertising agents have two weeks to pull down the signages. “We have noticed a surge in the number of billboards and other signages advertising land sales in the county a development the county government does not condone. The County government is apprehensive that the said signages are motivating land fraud in the County, “ the notice reads in part. However, the move has elicited mixed reactions since those who have erected the signages have paid for the same. “We will move to court to oppose the move. We have paid to advertise pieces of land on sale. ” said John Muriuki, a real estate developer. Kajiado bans land advertisement days after launching spatial plan PS vouches for technology in food security by George Kebaso @Morarak In the face of annual food deficits, experts are appealing for sensitisation measures to help demystify biotechnology-based products, especially food. This comes as the government seems convinced that agricultural biotechnology is key to addressing perennial food poverty amid climate change challenges. According to Agriculture Principal Secretary in charge of Crop Development, Kello Harsama, properly adopting an array of agricultural technology tools, is the magic bullet the country requires to address food insecurity. Speaking at the launch of the maiden African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT), Harsama said those opposed to biotechnology must understand that it is already resolving food and health challenges facing many developing countries, Kenya included. “The conference comes at an opportune time when the continent is struggling to feed its people and Climate Change is posing serious challenges to our collective prosperity,” he said. African Agricultural Technology Foundation Executive Director Canisius Kanangire called for bold dialogue to demystify negative views on biotechnology, saying it has produced some of the best outcomes on food security in some parts of the world. ENERGY SOURCES Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) announced last year it had completed activities to ensure uninterrupted and reliable transmission of power to Kenya while noting that Kenya will similarly execute and implement pending activities on its part. The long-awaited power sale to Nairobi comes at a time Kenya has turned towards cheaper sources of electricity in a bid to edge out the expensive electricity from independent power producers and ensure buffers to meet peak demand. Kenya has been a party to the Eastern African Power Pool (EAPP) established to ease power exchange through the development of interconnected power lines. 16 BUSINESS HUB PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY BUSINESS HUB 17 by John Otini @PeopleDailyKe The government is set to raise Sh40 billion in August afte the issuance of a new two-year bond, alongside the reopening of a five-year bond. Amid concerns of potential government defaults, investors have been gravitating towards short-term papers, prompting the government to explore different avenues to raise funds domestically. The two-year bond’s coupon rate will be determined by the market, allowing for flexibility in attracting investors. In contrast, the five-year bond will have a fixed coupon rate of 16.8 per cent, offering investors a predictable return over a more extended period. The national Treasury has scheduled the auction date for both bonds on August 16, 2023. “Central Bank of Kenya acting in its capacity as the fiscal agent of the Republic of Kenya invites bids for the bonds whose conditions are as follows,” said CBK in its latest prospectus. Short term-funding The decision to pursue short-term funding comes amidst recent downgrades of Kenya’s credit rating by prominent rating agencies, Fitch and Moody’s. The downgrades have raised concerns among international investors, making them cautious about committing to long-term bonds. As a result, the government may experience challenges in raising funds internationally and is increasingly relying on the domestic market to meet its financing needs. With the uncertain economic climate and downgrade of Kenya’s credit rating are factors that have contributed to investor apprehension. The government is now keen on demonstrating its commitment to honoring its financial obligations by issuing shorter-term bonds.Medium term bonds such as the 5-year bond are attracting 16.8 per cent returns which is detrimental to the governments liquidity. ACCOMODATION ASA D-REIT develops PurposeBuilt Student Accommodation (PBSA), and has put up properties such as Qwetu Hurlingham; Qwetu Aberdare Heights II, and Qwetu and Qejani Karen. Notably, the rental revenue has demonstrated a positive growth trajectory, rising from Sh 139 million to Sh 162 million for the 6-month period ending in June this year compared to the same period last year. While move is to attract local investors, State must instill conidence in domestic market. by Steve Umidha @PeopleDailyKe Acorn Investment Management Ltd (AIML), the entity behind the Qwetu and Qejani Student Residences, has posted a combined net profit of Sh283 million for the first half of 2023. This came from both Acorn Student Accommodation Development real estate investment trust (ASA D-REIT) and the Acorn Student Accommodation Income real estate investment trusts (REITs), but represents a 5 per cent drop in profit for the half-year ended June 2023, compared to the same period last year. Referred together as ASA REITs, the profits dropped from Sh297 million posted in six months to June 2022. What is a Reit A REIT is a company that owns and typically operates income-producing real estate or related assets, and are instruments that allow individuals to invest in large-scale, incomeproducing real estate. The firm’s management attributed the consistent performance over the past three years on improving business environment, despite prevailing economic headwinds being faced by many industries, and “has demonstrated the resiliency of the Student Housing sector and bolstered the trust and confidence of investors.” “In a challenging economic environment, the financial performance of the ASA REITs continues to showcase our commitment to delivering value to our investors,” offered the Managing Director of AIML, Raghav Gandhi, noting that, “the REIT Manager is finding new opportunities to reduce cost by benefiting from economies of scale.” This has led to an impressive 80 per cent year-on-year increase in rights subscriptions by existing investors during the supplementary offers for both REITs in Q2 2023. ASA REITs has been certified as Shariah Permissible in a move that will see the property start attracting capital from Shariah investors. “Following the Shariah Permissibility certification, we are pleased to be able to introduce to the Capital Markets this investment opportunity, given the dearth of options for Shariah investors. We look forward to their participation in our capital raising efforts,” confirmed Gandhi. State to squeeze Sh40b from local market Nairobi Business Ventures (NBV) stock price dropped by 9.86 per cent on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) yesterday, shedding Sh0.34 to settle at Sh3.11 per share at the end of trading, from Friday’s Sh3.45 after moving a volume of 3,400 from a single deal. NBV, which has a market capitalisation of Sh1.5 billion has since May this year traded a total volume of 3.63 million shares in 388 deals valued at Sh10,574. The stock has averaged 57,662 traded shares per session. NBV, which is engaged in the retail of leather shoes and leather accessories began the year with a share price of Sh3.77, but has since lost 17.5 per cent off that price valuation. Incorporated in 2012 the firm is a public limited company listed at NSE since June 2016. - Noel Wandera STOCK OF THE DAY NBV sheds 9.86pc on the NSE Acorn Reit net profits drop 5pc Launched in February 2021, the firm trades on the unquoted securities portal of the NSE MARKET WATCH NAIROBI SECURITIES EXCHANGE SECTOR VWAP PREVIOUS TOTAL HIGH LOW AGRICULTURAL PRICES SHARES NSE ALL SHARE INDEX: UP 0.20 points to close at 105.49 NSE 20-SHARE INDEX: DOWN 0.51 points to close at 1577.25 NSE 25-SHARE INDEX: DOWN 10.08 points to close at 2729.12 14.50 10.00 Eaagads Ltd Ord 1.25 14.00 14.00 2,000 450.00 240.00 Kakuzi Plc Ord.5.00 382.00 225.00 81.00 Kapchorva Tea Kenya Plc Ord Ord 5.00 210.00 210.00 800 510.00 320.00 The Limuru Tea Ca. Plc Ord 20.00 420.00 31.40 17.90 Sasini Plc Ord 1.00 24.50 25.30 1,600 250.00 120.00 Williamson Tea Kenya Plc Ord 5.00 239.25 237.75 2,800 AUTOMOBILES & ACCESSORIES 49.75 24.30 Car & General (K) Ltd Ord 5.00 2210 28.10 100 BANKING 13.00 9.02 ABSA Bank Kenya Plc Ord 0.50 12.35 12.40 188,200 36.95 26.50 BK Group Plc Ord 0.80 33.00 35.00 100 57.00 43.75 Diamond Trust Bonk Kenya Ltd Ord 4.00 47.70 46.10 89,500 53.50 35,00 Equity Group Holdings Plc Ord 0.50 41.00 40.60 408,900 5.10 2.80 HF Group Plc Ord 5.00 4.78 4.65 17,800 21.50 15.80 I&M Group Plc Ord 1.00 19.00 18.65 59,700 44.00 28.05 KCB Group Plc Ord 1.00 28.50 28.55 552,000 41.00 23.30 NCBA Group Plc Ord 5.00 38.45 38.35 71,600 132.00 90.00 Stanbic Holdings Plc ard.5.00 120.00 120.00 200 172.50 121.00 Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Ltd Ord 5.00 165.00 164.75 1,600 14.00 10.30 The Co-operotive Bank of Kenya Ltd Ord 1.00 11.90 11.85 180,000 COMMERCIAL AND SERVICES 0.45 0,45 Deacons (East Africo) Plc Ord 2.50 0.45 1.88 0.59 Eveready East Africo Ltd Ord 1.00 1.58 1.53 1,100 5.40 2.70 Express Kenya Plc Ord 5.00.. 3.83 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.. 2.10 2.11 2,300 5.12 2.50 Nairobi Business Ventures Plc Ord. 0.50.. 3.11 3.45 3,400 23.00 14.00 Nation Media Group Plc Ord. 2.50 20.00 20.00 39,300 4.38 1,80 Sameer Africa Plc Ord 5.00 2.50 2.50 100 14.75 8.14 Standard Group Plc Ord 5.00 8,10 7.96 100 18.00 10.85 TPS Eastern Africa Ltd Ord 1.00 11.80 0.29 0.16 Uchumi Supermarket Plc Ord 5.00 0.23 0.24 17,500 423 2.60 WPP Scangroup Plc Ord 1.00 2.90 2.96 10,100 CONSTRUCTION & ALLIED 5.55 5.55 ARM Cement Plc Ord 1.00 5.55 39.50 22,40 Bamburi Cement Plc Ord 5,00 24.90 24.95 8,100 46.00 31.75 Crown Paints Kenya Plc Ord 5.00 42.00 40.00 100 1.32 0.72 E.A.Cables Ltd Ord 0.50 0.95 0.98 54,400 8.80 5,38 E.A.Portland Cement Co. Ltd Ord 5.00 7.16 6.52 100 ENERGY & PETROLEUM 3.88 2.00 KenGen Co. Plc Ord. 2.50 2.32 2.31 229,600 2.11 1.30 Kenya Power & Lighting Co Plc Ord 2.50 1.54 1.54 98,700 4.11 4.10 Kenya Power & Lighting Plc 4% 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 18.50 18.00 6,30 Umeme Ltd Ord 0.50 13.35 13.30 20,000 INSURANCE 7.50 4.01 Britam Holdings Plc Ord 0.10 5.04 4.99 13,500 2.30 1.60 CIC Insurance Group Ltd Ord 1.00 2.18 220 48,500 273.00 142,00 Jubilee Holdings Ltd Ord 5.00 185.00 2.30 1.50 Kenya Re Insurance Corporation Ltd Ord 2.50 1.85 1.80 114,900 7.48 3.60 Liberty Kenya Holdings Ltd Ord. 1.00 3.90 3.64 1,000 15.00 7.20 Sanlam Kenya Plc Ord 5.00 7.52 7.42 7,500 INVESTMENT 12.80 7.60 Centum Investment Co Plc Ord 0.50 8.96 9.00 545,000 0.41 0.27 Hanle afrika Ltd Ord 1.00 0.30 0.31 117,100 1500.00 1,500.00 Kurwitti Ventures Ltd Ord 100.00 1,500.00 5.60 1.91 Olympia Capital Holdings Ltd Ord 5.00 5.00 1.35 0,52 Trans-Century Plc Ord 0.50 0.60 0.60 10,700 INVESTMENT SERVICES 8.50 5,50 Nairobi Securities Exchange Plc Ord 4.00 6.20 6.20 25,300 MANUFACTURING & ALLIED 85.00 65.00 B.0.C Kenya Plc Ord 5.00 72.00 490.00 400.00 British American Tobacco Kenya Plc Ord 10.00 418.25 418.50 5,00 16.90 10.30 Carbacid Investments Plc Ord 1.00 16.90 16.95 12,700 190.00 110.00 East African Breweries Plc Ord 2.00 141.00 153.50 1,400 1.54 0.90 Flame Tree Group Holdings Ltd Ord 0.825.. 1.26 15.00 10.40 Kenya Orchards Ltd Ord 5.00..0 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 15.00 15.00 1,000 TELECOMMUNICATION 34.00 12.70 Safaricom Plc Ord 0.05 16.90 16.60 558,800 REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST 7.30 5.00 ILAM FAHARI I-REIT Ord 20.00 6.16 6.22 4,000 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 2530.00 CBK KEY RATES CURRENCY MEAN BUY SELL US DOLLAR 142.3647 142.2647 142.4647 SW KRONER 13.4826 13.4696 13.4956 STG POUND 182.9703 182.8212 183.1194 SINGAPORE DOLLAR 106.8684 106.7733 106.9635 SAUDI RIYAL 37.9578 37.9302 37.9855 SA RAND 8.0625 8.0551 8.0699 S FRANC 163.2623 163.1102 163.4144 NOR KRONER 13.9370 13.9217 13.9522 KES / USHS 26.1264 26.0666 26.1862 KES / TSHS 17.2094 17.1621 17.2566 KES / RWF 8.3097 8.2380 8.3814 KES / BIF 19.8646 19.6619 20.0674 JPY (100) 100.3593 100.2853 100.4333 IND RUPEE 1.7301 1.7288 1.7315 HONGKONG DOLLAR 18.2502 18.2374 18.2631 EURO 156.6097 156.4812 156.7382 DAN KRONER 21.0227 21.0069 21.0386 CHINESE YUAN 19.9145 19.8986 19.9304 CAN $ 107.4045 107.3129 107.4962 AUSTRALIAN $ 94.9715 94.8906 95.0525 AE DIRHAM 38.7587 38.7262 38.7912 Central Bank Rate 10.50% 26/06/2023 Inter-Bank Rate 15.91% 28/07/2023 CBK Discount Window 16.50% 26/06/2023 91-Day T-Bill 12.352% 31/07/2023 REPO 9.72% 24/07/2023 Inflation Rate 7.88% June,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 31/7/2023

London, Monday The Taliban have burned musical instruments in Afghanistan, claiming music “causes moral corruption”. Thousands of dollars worth of musical equipment went up in smoke on a bonfire on Saturday in western Herat province. Since taking power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed numerous restrictions, including on playing music in public. Ahmad Sarmast, Afghanistan National Institute of Music founder, likened their actions to “cultural genocide and musical vandalism”. “The people of Afghanistan have been denied artistic freedom… The burning of musical instruments in Herat is just a small example of the cultural genocide that is taking place in Afghanistan under the leadership of the Taliban,” Dr Sarmast told the BBC. - BBC Taliban burn ‘immoral’ musical instruments Ecowas issues ultimatum to Niger amid popular defiance Amadou Abdramane said. “We want to once more remind Ecowas or any other adventurer of our firm determination to defend our homeland,” he said. Ecowas has the power to impose sanctions on Niger, which is one of its 15 members. Last year, its leaders agreed to create a regional security force to intervene against rebel groups and prevent military coups. Military leaders warn against any armed intervention by the West African regional bloc on eve of an ECOWAS summit Junta says France planning strikes to free Bazoum Naimey, Monday Several thousand demonstrators gathered in Niger’s capital, Niamey, to demand the departure of French military troops from the country. They also want an end to other foreign interference, after last week’s coup that has brought a military junta to power. However West African leaders meeting in an extraordinary summit on Niger have threatened military action against the junta if it doesn’t reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum, who is being held captive. “In the event, the authority demands are not met within one week. Take all measures necessary to restore constitutional ordering in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force,” said Omar Alieu, President of Ecowas. Former colonial ruler France and the European Union have suspended security cooperation and financial aid to Niger following the coup, while the United States warned that its aid could also be at stake. In a diplomatic communique, Paris has said It supports the economic and financial sanctions decided in support of these demands and for an end to the unacceptable violence against its embassy seen on Sunday. But the sentiment on the streets is decidedly anti-west prompting concerns that Niger, could pivot towards Russia. In Niamey, some of the protesters outside the French embassy chanted “Long live Russia”, “Long live Putin” and “Down with France”. - AFP Naimey, Monday Niger’s military leaders have warned against any armed intervention in the country as West African heads of state gather in Nigeria’s capital for an emergency summit to decide on further actions to pressure the army to restore constitutional order. Heads of state of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), and the eight-member West African Economic and Monetary Union, also known by its French acronym UEMOA, could suspend Niger from their institutions, cut off the country from the regional central bank and financial market, and close borders. General Abdourahmane Tchiani – also known as Omar Tchiani, and the chief of Niger’s presidential guard – has declared himself leader while the country’s elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, has been held by the military since the coup took place last week. Military intervention Ahead of the Ecowas summit, the military leaders in Niger warned against any military intervention in a statement read on Niger national television on Saturday night. “The objective of the [Ecowas] meeting is to approve a plan of aggression against Niger through an imminent military intervention in Niamey in collaboration with other African countries that are nonmembers of Ecowas, and certain Western countries,” military spokesperson Colonel “There is so much talk here [at the summit] of sending a military force to intervene there [in Niger] that has got the military leaders in Niger worried at the moment,” Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris reported from Abuja, adding that the threat of sanctions over the coup was also a cause for concern for the new rulers in Niamey. “There has been a standby force for years, but it has never been activated in recent times. The [last] time it was activated was in 2017 in the Gambia … when former President Yahya Jammeh tried to stay in power after he lost the election to the current president,” Idris added. Details on how that force would work and its funding are still unclear, with Ecowas defence ministers expected to make decisions later this year. Bola Tinubu, president of Nigeria and Ecowas chairman, said on Friday that the West African bloc and the international community “would do everything to defend democracy and ensure democratic governance continues to take firm root in the region”. - Agencies NIGER COUP CRISIS Heads of state of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the eight-member West African Economic and Monetary Union, also known by its French acronym UEMOA, could suspend Niger from their institutions, cut off the country from the regional central bank Thousands of people backing the coup in Niger marched through the streets of the capital denouncing France, the country’s former colonial power, waving Russian flags, and setting a door at the French Embassy ablaze. Supporters wave Russian flags and placards as they rally in support of Niger’s military leaders in Niamey. [AFP]. Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has expressed hope for a return to normality and reopening of borders with North African neighbour Algeria, which cut diplomatic ties nearly two years ago. “We pray to the Almighty for a return to normality and a reopening of the borders between our two neighbouring countries and our brotherly peoples,” Mohammed VI, 59, said late Saturday in a speech to mark the anniversary of his accension to the throne in 1999. The borders have been closed since 1994, leaving families divided after Morocco accused its neighbour of involvement in a jihadist attack on a Marrakesh hotel that killed two tourists. Algeria then sealed the frontiers. Since then, tensions have persisted between the regional rivals, exacerbated by their dispute over Western Sahara, where the Algiers-backed Polisario Front is seeking independence from Rabat’s rule and has declared the territory a “war zone”. - Al Jazeera The governor of Nigeria’s north-eastern Adamawa state has declared a 24- hour curfew following the looting of food stores and warehouses in the state capital, Yola. Hundreds of people were captured on video, breaking into warehouses, carrying off sacks of grain, cartons of pasta and other household items. On the orders of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, security personnel have been deployed to enforce the curfew. Last month, Nigeria ended a fuel subsidy regime, leading to soaring food and petrol prices. The economy has also been weakened by recession and the ongoing fallout from the Covid pandemic. - BBC The Sudanese civil aviation authority extended the closure of Sudan’s airspace until August 15, except for humanitarian aid and evacuation flights, Khartoum International Airport said in a statement on Monday. Sudan’s airspace has been closed since the outbreak of the clashes in mid-April as air navigation systems at the airport were affected by the conflict between the two warring factions. On April 15, an armed conflict erupted between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, leading to over 3,000 deaths and more than 6,000 injuries, according to figures released by the Sudanese Health Ministry. More than 3 million people have been displaced either inside or outside the country, since the conflict broke out in Sudan, according to UN estimates. - Xinhua Morocco seeks to mend ties with Algeria after two years Nigeria state pushes 24- hour curfew after food loot Sudan extends airspace closure until mid-August BRIEFLY WORLD NEWS FOR MORE NEWS VISIT: www.pd.co.ke / www.epaper. pd.co.ke 18 Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY GREEN AGENDA 19 BRIEF Experts sign MoU to share data on biodiversity by Milliam Murigi @millymur1 The Africa Biodiversity and Collaborative Group (ABCG) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Society for Conservation Biology in Africa (SCBA) that will see the two organisations work together in support of the sustainable use and management of biodiversity in Africa and globally. The MoU outlines their joint commitment to address threats to biodiversity, including climate change, food production systems, poverty, and weak governance. Both parties pledge to cooperate and collaborate to advance these goals and support African State Parties in negotiating and implementing a successful post2020 global biodiversity framework. “We are excited as SCBA to collaborate with ABCG in advocacy and influencing activities that enhance our shared vision on conservation and work towards transformative policy shifts at government and the continent’s leadership levels. With our collective efforts as scientists and conservationists we can make big strides in the conservation of our planet,” Badru Mugerwa, President of the SCBA. Speaking during the Society for Conservation Biology’s (SCB) 31st International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2023),ABCG Director Rubina James lauded the partnership terming it a milestone for conservationists in the region as the collaboration will benefit its members through sharing of information and access to technical and scientific data, advancing the development implementation of conservation programs, advocacy and influencing activities that enhance achievement of sustainable development and transformative policy shifts, among other benefits. The congress was the premier global meeting for conservation scientists and professionals, including researchers, students, agency personnel, environmental educators, practitioners, and other conservation stakeholders to address conservation challenges and present new research in conservation science and practice. “By accessing the wideranging expertise and extensive networks of ABCG members throughout sub-Saharan Africa, ABCG is in a unique position to address critical conservation issues by developing, testing, and promoting innovative conservation approaches,” she noted. The 31st ICCB conference provided a platform for sharing the latest science and insights in biodiversity conservation with topics in genetics, ecology, biogeography, anthropology, history, psychology, economics, conservation marketing, and religion. Kevin Maina, director YTICA by Lucky Oluoch @LuckyOluoch H ow does the current climate crisis affect local and global communities, especially in terms of environmental sustainability? The climate crisis has caused a shift in various facets of communities; food insecurity in communities that depended on observable weather patterns and water scarcity brought by the exploitation of natural resources Could you explain the importance of training young children in climate action and how it contributes to addressing climate change? Young children are at a stage of their lives where they are taking up behaviours and cultures that they will grow up with and with the current climate actions ongoing throughout the world, the big question remains how will these actions be sustained now and in the future and by training the children we are sure they will grow to be pro-environment and the actions we are doing now will be fruitful. They will be observant of their lifestyles and how they affect the environment positively and negatively. What specific actions do you teach young children to take in order to contribute to the campaign for creation, care and environmental preservation? We train them on proper environmentally friendly waste management practices where we challenge them to come up with recycling, reusing and repurposing projects, tree growing as effective carbon sinks and proper usage of natural resources. Can you provide examples of environTake Off Green Agenda Led by Kevin Maina, the Young Theologians Initiative for Climate Action (YTICA) has set the stage for young ambassadors to unleash their potential and leave a tangible impact on the planet, as Lucky Oluoch writes Youth lead the charge against climate change mental clubs or initiatives that have been set up in schools through YTICA? So far, we have trained pupils at Umoja Primary School, Ngecha Primary School, St Paul’s Primary School and still training three more before we commission their clubs. They are making progress in leading their peers in the schools in environment projects. How do you ensure the long-term sustainability of the climate actions undertaken by young ambassadors you have trained? By having clubs that will serve as points of access and action and focus, we are sure that even when the children transit to other levels of education, others are already with them to take up the work they are doing ensuring continuity. The training is also aimed at ensuring individual responsibility in the children’s lives and them realising that the little they do in their different contexts creates a ripple effect. Have you collaborated with partners in raising awareness on creation care and climate action in the wider society? Yes.Among the movements we partner with are the Green Anglican Movement, the Dedan Kimathi Foundation, and the Rotary Club of Limuru. Are there any ongoing research projects or partnerships that you are involved in to further explore the intersection of theology, climate action, and environmental sustainability? Yes, we are in the final stages of an agreement with a German foundation that will greatly aid our work in developing an eco-theology curriculum that we will use to expand the scope of our training even with university and college students. How do you address, potential skepticism, or resistance towards environmental issues, particularly in certain religious or cultural contexts? We educate and create awareness by providing accurate and up-to-date information about climate change and its impacts, along with the theological and moral imperative to care for the environment. We engage in educational initiatives, workshops, and seminars to raise awareness among religious communities and foster a deeper understanding of the scientific consensus on climate change. We also value interfaith dialogue as a means of bridging the gap between different religious traditions and cultures. By highlighting shared values of compassion, justice, and responsibility towards the Earth, we can overcome skepticism or resistance in religious contexts. We encourage local projects that address environmental concerns specific to different regions, considering cultural contexts and religious practices. By involving communities directly, we can address skepticism or resistance by demonstrating tangible actions and positive outcomes. In your opinion, what are the most pressing environmental challenges that young theologians and future leaders need to address in the coming years? Climate change remains one of the most significant environmental challenges we face. It poses threats to ecosystems, communities, and vulnerable populations. Young theologians and future leaders need to actively engage in climate action by promoting sustainable practices, advocating for renewable energy, supporting climate justice initiatives, and raising awareness about the moral imperative to address climate change. The rapid loss of biodiversity is a critical concern. Young theologians and future leaders can play a vital role in highlighting the value of creation, promoting conservation efforts, and addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss. It is essential to recognise that biodiversity is not only crucial for the functioning Looking ahead, what are your future goals and aspirations in the mission to empower young theologians for climate action and environmental stewardship? Our aim is to not only empower theologians, but also empower all to uptake a culture of environmental stewardship and not ownership. Is YTICA membership restricted to theologians? It is called Young Theologians Initiative for Climate Action, because the basis of our pieces of training and actions are theologically underpinned and influenced by theology, and no, it is not just for theologians. St Paul’s Primary School pupils take part in YTICA’s Limuru Greening Tree Planting Project recently. PD/LUCKY OLUOCH KEVIN By involving communities directly, we can address skepticism or resistance by demonstrating tangible actions and positive outcomes. Members of the Dedan Kimathi Foundation with an assistant chief at Kabuku Chief’s Camp plant trees. PD/LUCKY OLUOCH

LOVE & LAST WITH WAITHERA OTIENO Waithera@ntarasiplay 20 Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY Due to high rate of unemployment, some workers fail to distinguish between supportive and harmful employers, just to keep their jobs You It’s all about Life & Style How to deal with emotional disagreement Toxic work culture is rising, what fuels it and how do you stay safe? by Harriet James @harriet86jim W hen she applied for a job as a sales and marketing executive, Martha Wangare thought it was finally the end of her search for employment. The name of the company together with the benefits that came with the job were a clear indication that this was the job she had prayed for. After going through orientation after landing the job at the prestigious company, she admits that her initial days at work were pure bliss. “Everyone was helpful to me and treated me like family. My bosses were readily available to assist me in learning some of the ropes I needed to learn in my role. I had never felt happier waking up to a job and my new work station,” she recalls. But things began to change a few months down the line into the job. She began noticing the changes and the once-upon-a-time dream job became a nightmare and a source of mental anguish. “The longer I stayed, the more I noticed the manipulative behaviour that existed in the company. Whenever something went wrong or did not produce the results they expected, they would try to place the blame on a particular person or team. They would always urge people to own up to their mistakes, but they never did when they made the mistakes,” she says. What Martha experienced can be described as love bombing at the workplace. By definition, it entails one partner lavishing excessive attention and affection on another before abruptly pulling away. While this term has gained prominence in recent years to describe such toxic patterns in a romantic relationship, now the word describes such behaviours in work places. Love-bombing at the workplace is a form of manipulation that is used by bosses to control and influence staff at the workplace. It can also be used to lure candidates into an organisation by recruiters. Special treatment It is a game of power and control, just like it happens in dating relationships,” explains Christina Chanya Lenjo, a psychologist and a human resource expert. During the love bombing, the person is provided with excess praise, affection, love, special treatment and lots of positivity to manipulate and influence them. This could be out of personal or professional gain or even both. “Recruiters can promise heaven to a potential candidate. The person will be promised benefits, a huge salary, a promotion and other opportunities for growth during the interview process. They are also showered with praise for their knowledge, skills and experience and how these would add great value to the organisation. They give you a psychological high. Once the offer is accepted, the potential candidate realises that what was promised is not what is being offered. They still feel obliged to take up the role because they are already high psychologically,” she continues. Chanya adds that recruiters also use love bombing as a technique to lure highly talented job seekers to join a certain organisation. “In this highly competitive job market, recruiters will show the best version of themselves to potential hires so that their hiring process can be as effective as possible. Recruiters are in a competitive world themselves and they need to meet their revenue targets. They, therefore, must hire as efficiently as possible. To achieve this, some of them will go the love bombing way to attract great talent. They overpromise and under deliver,”she notes. In to achieve. When the employee complains, they are made to believe that they are the problem, which then leads to a burnout and their productivity goes down and eventually resigns. “The other problem with burnout is that the employee might end up leaving the industry altogether because they will not want the same experience again,” she says. The organisation’s reputation suffers once an employee resigns due to workplace toxicity. It also loses great talent and it becomes very costly to recruit and train new hires. Their bottom line is impacted negatively as their credibility also suffers. According to the latest report by Brighter Monday, more than 40 per cent of employees, both in government and private entities, are unhappy about their jobs. Close to half of the employed persons in Kenya are likely to quit their jobs in the next six months, with women leading the pack. The study suggests that the top five extrinsic traits that mattered to employees in a company included; open effective management, strong relatable company values and goals, flexible hours, transparent performance management and health programmes. Chanya advices companies to create a value-based culture where certain key values should guide their engagement with both internal and external customers. “Organisational culture should be such that employees are hired based on merit. At an individual level, bosses should be secure enough in their abilities and what they are offering to the organisation to avoid manipulating their employees to control and influence them,” she says. Recruiters too should be ethical enough to promise only what the organisation can deliver. Christina Chanya Lenjo. PD/ COURTESY You may find yourself in the middle of an emotionally charged disagreement with your boo. This may be due to a clash of ideas, perceived wrong, dissatisfaction, miscommunication, or bottled up feelings. This can easily lead to a prolonged disrespectful shouting match, that may involve doing or saying things that will be regretted. It may also affect your relationship negatively in the long term. It’s important diffuse emotions as soon as possible. If bae is acting out of heightened negative emotions, don’t also raise yours to match theirs. Stay calm by taking deep breaths and reminding yourself mentally to be calm. Lower your tone of voice, relax the shoulders, relax your facial muscles by trying to smile gently and create special distance between you and Bae. Don’t leave the room yet, just don’t be too near them as this may trigger them further. If they are speaking, don’t interrupt them. Listen carefully to what they say, the words they use, and what they keep repeating. Also, what they say first. This will give you an idea of what is really upsetting them. Listening doesn’t mean that you agree with them. By listening, you are respecting their point of view. Validate them by summarizing what they have said, in their own words. You may ask open ended questions to show genuine interest in their experience and perspective. You may also say supportive statements like ‘I am so sorry to hear that. That must be hard for you to go through’. Resist the urge to judge them and to tell them what they should or shouldn’t feel or think. Allow them to vent. This is not always easy as your ego can interfere with this process. Remind yourself that there is no battle to be won. Ask yourself: Am I winning an argument or losing a valuable relationship? If bae is anxious or uncomfortable, offer them reassurance and support. Let them know that you care about their wellbeing. If they are crying, don’t leave. Stay in the room and say something supportive like ‘I am here for you’. If you find that the situation continues to escalate despite your calm and supportive presence, especially if Bae has intense anger and continues to say hurtful words to you, you can take a break. You can say something like ‘I need to step out. I will be back. I need some time to process this” The break can help both of you to calm down. It also assures bae that you still want to engage them later. That you are not running away. When they have vented and the situation is calm, give your point of view. Begin to look for solutions to the problem, together by asking ‘How can we solve this in a way that is mutually beneficial? other instances, bosses or employers could also promise a worker lots of positivity, and shower them with excessive praise and recognition, giving them a false sense of security. They also use this to create a sense of loyalty and commitment. This creates unrealistic expectations, which if not met, leave a worker quite disappointed. The psychologist says that once this sense of loyalty and commitment is imparted to the worker, the employer pulls away, revealing their true colours and when the worker reacts, they are gaslighted, thereby leaving them questioning their sanity and second-guessing themselves. And because the worker fears losing the ideal relationship, or the attention they have been enjoying, they are forced to go out of their way to please their bosses to keep the relationship intact. Chanya says this is the point where the worker suffers even more because of lots of psychological stress and anxiety and overworking to prove themselves and their abilities. Positive side On a positive note, an employee who is love-bombed will feel loved, accepted and valued. They will have a sense of belonging. This increases their confidence at work and hence their productivity. “The organisation will briefly benefit from this. Also, attracting the best talent will contribute to the growth of an organisation,” says Chanya. But on the flip side, once the honeymoon period is over and the true colours are revealed then the employee suffers. She says the bosses are likely to start mistreating the employee by putting pressure on the employee to perform, giving them unrealistic tasks that may be difficult GLANCE BOX Love-bombing at the workplace is a form of manipulation that is used by bosses to control and influence staff. An employee is bombard with special treatment and love. Employees are encouraged to lookout for red flags, such as overpromising, during the recruitment process

do not have enough places to display their ware. Even if the social media can boost our advertisements, many people do not view our pages. There is a Kenyan leading innovator in the waste management industry dubbed Takataka ni Mali. The innovator has been of great support to me. They identified me as one of the advocates for promoting conducive environment to live in. They gave me an opportunity to showcase my work whenever they have conferences pertaining to waste-free environment. Most recently during this year’s World Environment Day, they gave me a platform to display my works at the East African Waste is Wealth Conference in Nairobi. What should the government do to assist visual artists? To encourage up-and-coming artists, the government should provide spaces for them to work and market their works, help them get markets for their art, and even bring in experts to help them hone their skills. Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY 21 Spice Flavour your day 5MINSWITH ANTHONY MUYA @PeopleDailyKe MOVIE REVIEW By Sumaya Hussein FROM JUNK TO ART T ell us about your art trade? Recycled wastes are my main raw materials. I collect the materials from thrown away waste. When I crisscross Nairobi and its environs collecting the waste for recycling and putting them in carrier bags, many people think I am a mad man because they fail to understand why I am collecting things that have been trashed. What are the main materials you collect from dumpsites? I not only collect the materials from dumpsites, but also when walking around and see a material which can be recycled I collect it not caring what people would say or think about me. I always dress smart, but I am always collecting these materials. I am not shy doing this. I sleep thinking of new ways and objects to create. Some of the materials include plastic bottles, used scratch cards and old magazines. There is also a worrying surge of e-waste, which is threatening the future of our environment. You see when our electronics become non-functional, we tend to throw them away anyhow without giving it a second thought. Phone charger cables, earphones, motherboards, calculators and so forth are a real danger to the environment. So, I collect them too. What inspired you to take this direction? I always saw that people got rid of used materials anywhere without keeping in mind the danger the same was having on the environment. Even throwing them at a dumpsite is not a clever way, why? The same material will be dumped somewhere else and even if it gets burned, it will still pollute the air causing serious diseases and if left maybe to biodegrade, they will still find their way to our rivers. I collect and bring them back to life by recycling and making wonderful pieces of art from them. Generally, even as I am fascinated by arts, I am passionate about keeping the environment conducive to live in. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Released in 1994 and directed by Frank Darabont, The Shawshank Redemption is an exceptional masterpiece in cinematic storytelling. Based on Stephen King’s novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, it delves into the themes of resilience, hope, and redemption. The plot revolves around Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a banker wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. The story mainly focuses on his tough life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for over two decades. His journey involves building an enduring friendship with a long-term inmate, Ellis ‘Red’ Redding (Morgan Freeman). Both deliver magnificent and iconic performances, with Freeman’s voiceover bringing a poetic quality to the film. Along with Darabont’s masterful screenplay adaptation, the actors manage to evoke empathy in the viewers for their characters’ triumphs and sorrows. The film stands out for its balance of character development and plot progression. Its pacing allows the story to unfold naturally, offering a deep exploration into the characters’ psyches and their unyielding spirits of hope amidst despair. Cinematographically, The Shawshank Redemption paints a haunting yet beautiful picture of prison life, leaving lasting impressions on the audience. It is celebrated not just for its storytelling and performances, but also for the profound messages it delivers. It’s a timeless classic that provides a deeply moving cinematic experience. SCORE: 9.5/10 What are some of the objects you make? I make varieties of art pieces raging from animals to human beings and music instruments, among others. Most of my creativity is mostly based on real life situations. For example, I just finished drawing a portrait of a woman that portrays how women suffer and the hardships they go through in life. There was a major project I did on a board that depicted the danger that marine life is facing, when people irresponsibly throw away used plastics and other waste materials because they always find their way to the rivers or lakes and affects the marine life. Do you sell your arts in galleries? Yes. I display and sell my merchandise, especially in Nairobi art galleries. In as much as our locals are starting to appreciate art, a lot has to be done to attract them. Non-locals, especially wazungu love arts and they always buy them without much bargaining because they understand how it is hard to come up with such pieces. How much do you sell your works for? Prices always differ from one piece to the other. There are smaller ones that go for about Sh100,000 and others go for as high as Sh250,000. How do you market your art? Marketing is one of the major setbacks in the industry. Artists For years, the norm has been waste is dumped in dustbins to be burned or picked up by garbage collectors. But Kenyan visual artist Anthony Muya of Amuya Creative Arts saw an opportunity in trash and now collects it to make beautiful art pieces. He chats with Bernard Sigei about his passion for art MUYA Artists do not have enough places to display their ware. Even if the social media can boost our advertisements, many people do not view our pages SONG REVIEW By Jackson Onyango One of Muya’s artworks made from used scratchcards. An art piece made from used toothpaster tubes. NAIROBI LOVE -by Ganjor On this jam, Nairobi-based artist Ganjor shares his unique perspective in an ode to the city. The music video encompassing different shots of Nairobi’s streets and visual appeal is well shot, offering Nairobi’s current aesthetic through the eyes of the skyward artist. Whether it’s the golden hour shots achieved during Nairobi’s sunset, or the noir depiction of the city’s buoyant nightlife, Ganjor reflects aspects of Nairobi that portray it as a city that doesn’t sleep, allows for personality and broods some soul in it. The same is constant in his lyrics, as he extends the celebratory tone through the dichotomy of Nairobian people; they echo Nairobians have a stark work ethic and a deep affinity to enjoy mundane things such as party life, hedonism, and pure joy through community. Ganjor opts for a bluesyreggae leaning beat, which is a sound resonant with Nairobi’s urban population. This allows for Ganjor’s expression to be lyrical and freespirited in delivery. Nairobi Love also grants him power to be melodic and loans a platform for a little dance. His debut album will be arriving soon with this song as the lead single. SCORE: 7.5/10

22 PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 by Mwangi Alberto Environment CS Soipan Tuya has said the country now needs to embark on tree planting “maandamano” in order to plant 15 billion trees across the country in the next 10 years. She was speaking on Saturday at the National Police College Embakasi B Campus in Nairobi, as she was joined by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s spouse Tessie Mudavadi, Ahadi Kenya Trust CEO Stanley Kamau and General Service Unit (GSU) Commandant Eliud Lagat for the Ushiriki Wema tree restoration initiative launch in partnership with National Police Service. Tessie said through her Ushiriki Wema initiative they would embark planting trees in all police stations in Nairobi county and then move countrywide to cover all police stations. Kamau called on the government to step up the fight against charcoal burning, as it was illogical to plant trees while other people cut them down for charcoal. The exercise also involved people living with disability and GSU officers who have been injured in the line of duty. PD/MWANGI ALBERTO Host Kui Kabala. Host Kui Kabala. Host Kui Kabala. Clique & Clicks Get Spotted GSU officers Peter Mwangi, Samuel Njega and Amina Osman. Young environment ambassador Karen Wanjiru. by Elly Gitau Football and fun lovers were in for a huge treat, as this year’s MultiChoice New Football Season (NFS) pre-season seven-a-side tournament went down at the Jamhuri Primary School grounds in Nairobi on Saturday. It was a fun-filled moment for the players and hundreds of spectators as well, as the teams took to the pitch to square it out for top honours. Mediamax FC emerged third overall after thrashing Kenya Police 3-0 in the third place play-off. Serving some hot music mixes to keep the fans on the groove were deejays Mad Slim and Cliff. Also present was MultiChoice Kenya marketing head Ronald Shelukindo. PD/ALEX MBURU From the pitch side Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi’s spouse Tessie Mudavadi, Environment CS Soipan Tuya, GSU Commandant Eliud Lagat and Ahadi Kenya Trust CEO Stanley Kamau plant Acacia seeds. Mediamax FC players led by team captain Shadrack Andenga (second right) take one for the memories. Media personality Carol Radull with MultiChoice Kenya marketing head Ronald Shelukindo. Arnold Kagali, Doreen Mbugua and Dennis Ochieng. Stella Muriithi, Tajinder Kaur and Dorothy Wanjira. General Service Unit Band leads a procession. K24 sports presenter and Mediamax FC team manager Chris Migwambo. POLICE GO GREEN Kenya Forest Services Assistant County Forest Conservator Ambrose Genge. Deejays Mad Slim and Cliff serve some music fun from the turntables.

Ten Top ways negative sovereign credit ratings can hurt the economy Increased borrowing costs A negative rating signals that the country’s financial stability is at risk. As a result, investors may demand higher interest rates when lending to the government or corporations in that country. Unregulated capital outflow following negative rating could also increase the cost of capital and restrict credit, which in turn dampens real economic activities leading to slow growth or recession. Reduced foreign investment Positive credit ratings attract foreign capital. Countries with negative credit ratings face difficulties attracting capital inflows. A poor rating suggests that it might be difficult to keep up with payments, or even fail to make them. Investors and lenders use credit ratings to decide whether to do business with the related country and to determine how much interest they expect to receive to compensate them for the risk involved. Currency depreciation A negative rating is likely to lead to a loss of confidence in the Kenya shilling, causing it to depreciate further, especially against the US dollar. A lowervalued Kenya shilling currency will make Kenya’s imports more expensive and exports less expensive in the foreign markets. If not rectified, the exchange rate will worsen Kenya’s balance of trade. Capital flight Investors and citizens may seek safer investment opportunities and stores of value in other countries with better credit ratings. Capital flight causes interest rates to increase while exchange rate decreases. Economic growth is hampered by capital flight because a nation is losing the resources it needs and reducing the ability to promote new investments Creditworthiness of corporations Sovereign debt impairments can lead to sovereign downgrades that induce the ceiling rule. The rule requires that PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 TOP SHELF FACTS 23 BY NOEL WANDERA the total taxable income, gain, loss or deduction allocated to the partners for a tax year do not exceed the total income deductions derived during partnerships. These sovereign-driven corporate downgrades affect credit markets and real economic activity. Negative impact on financial markets Negative ratings can trigger panic in financial markets, leading to increased volatility and reduced investor confidence. The changes typically lead to increases in sovereign bond yields. Since sovereign bonds represent benchmark securities interest rates in borrowing countries, changes in credit risk trigger reweighting of global debt portfolios, which can affect the cost and flow of capital in Kenya. Government budget constraints A lower credit rating may prompt the government to adopt austerity measures or spending cuts to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and reassure investors. Increased unemployment Reduced investment, higher borrowing costs, and economic uncertainty can lead to reduced business activity and investment, potentially resulting in job losses and higher unemployment rates. Strain on international trade A country’s negative rating can impact its ability to trade with other nations due to non-payments of contracts not easily enforced by lenders. Defaults on contracts interrupts international trade, with traders facing tighter international constraints or trust issues which can affect their ability to trade internationally. Negative feedback loop Ultimately, lower economic growth, reduced investment, and higher borrowing costs can create a negative feedback loop, making it more challenging for the country to improve its creditworthiness and reverse the economic downturn. Lower economic growth, reduced investment, and higher borrowing costs can create a negative feedback loop, making it more challenging for the country to improve its creditworthiness and reverse the economic downturn. Negative revisions of sovereign credit ratings have several adverse effects. They tend to increase relative debt burden. Affected countries will tend to find it harder to raise funds in international financial capital markets. That is why when Fitch and Moodys, two of the three leading credit rating agencies, revised Kenya’s credit rating outlook to negative, concern about adverse effects of the move abound. Here are ten reasons why negative ratings can be detrimental to an economy. 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01 01

‘ Kenya to host inaugural agricultural technologies conference in October BRIEFLY by Milliam Murigi @millymur1 Kenya is set to host the inaugural African Conference on Agricultural Technology (ACAT). The conference will serve as the premier platform for advancing African agricultural technology transfer and advocating for the uptake of innovations The conference, which will be hosted by the Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and Africa Agricultural Technology Foundation (ATTF) from 30 October 2023 to 3 November 2023 will put a spotlight on emerging innovations within the agriculture technology sector. It will bring together government representatives, industry thought leaders, policymakers, technical experts, private institutions, farmers, women and youth across the globe to discuss and define practical actions and solutions to the challenges of technology access and use faced in the agriculture sector. “As a country, we are pleased to co-host ACAT 2023 and are honored to welcome to Nairobi the global, regional and local community to this important forum and look forward to discuss actionable solutions to the challenges facing the sector that will also drive change and foster growth,” said Phillip Harsama, Kenya’s Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture. AATF Executive Director, Dr Canisius Kanangire said the conference comes at an opportune time when the continent is struggling to feed its people and climate change is posing serious challenges to our collective prosperity. It will highlight the centrality of Science,Technology and Innovation (STI) in fostering agricultural transformation. “Often the role of STI in agriculture and especially innovative technologies has not been emphasised. ACAT is the opportunity to fully showcase and celebrate STI’s contribution towards enhancing food security and livelihoods to encourage dialogue and innovation,” said Dr Kanangire, adding that “ACAT will intensify efforts to forge partnerships with like-minded organisations working in the agriculture technology sector and provide opportunity for stakeholders to share information on new and emerging agricultural technologies.” Dr Kanangire further stated that ACAT will provide a unique platform to discuss barriers to technology transfer and propose strategies for transforming existing technologies into super next generation technologies capable of enhancing productivity and effectively addressing the challenges faced by African farmers. “AATF has been at the forefront of facilitating access, development and commercialisation of agricultural technologies and this conference will help to put a spotlight on the numerous game-changing innovations that have been developed and highlight opportunities to address the multiple stressors facing the sector due to population growth, climate change and other factors,” Kanangire said. Agri biz Smart Way to Grow Money 24 PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 by Milliam Murigi @cmillymur1 F aith Buluma is a fish farmer from Busia County. Currently she has four fish ponds. However, even though the land where she rears the fish is family owned, she is required to give her husband Sh3,000 after every harvest as payment for using the land. “It is like I have leased the land from my husband, yet the land belongs to us. Women from our community are not allowed to own land, the land belongs to our husbands. It is because of such discriminatory social norms and rules that we still have gender inequalities in the agrifood systems,” reveals Buluma. Gender inequalities in the food and agriculture sector according to the latest report by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), are costing the world about Sh140 trillion (US$1 trillion). Leveling the playing field for women working in this sector can bring growth and help reduce the number of food-insecure people by 45 million. “If we tackle the gender inequalities endemic in agrifood systems and empower women, the world will take a leap forward in addressing the goals of ending poverty and creating a world free from hunger,” said Dr Benjamin Davis, Director, Inclusive Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division at FAO during the launch of the report in Nairobi. According to the report dubbed The Status of Women in Agrifood Systems, gender inequalities accounts for a 24 per cent gap in productivity between women and men farmers on farms of equal size. Women employees in the agricultural sector are also paid nearly 20 per cent less than their male DR DAVIS If we tackle the gender inequalities endemic in agrifood systems and empower women, the world will take a leap forward in addressing the goals of ending poverty and creating a world free from hunger counterparts. The report highlights that globally, 36 per cent of working women are employed in agrifood systems, along with 38 per cent of working men. However, women’s roles tend to be marginalised and their working conditions are likely to be worse than men’s in terms of irregular, informal, part-time, low-skilled, or labour-intensive. Descriminatatory social norms Likewise, women engaged in wage employment in agriculture earn 82 cents for every dollar that men earn. Women also have less secure tenure over land, less access to credit and training, and have to work with technology designed for men. According to the report, discriminatory social norms and rules affecting women and girls are at the heart of gender inequality systems, compared with 60 per cent of men. “Women make up well over 50 per cent of the agricultural labour force in many SubSaharan African countries. About half of the labour force in agriculture is female in several countries. Increasing women’s empowerment is essential for women’s well-being and has a positive impact on agricultural production, food security, diets, and child nutrition,” reveals the report. According to the report, inadequate education, limited access to basic infrastructure and markets, high unpaid work burden, and poor rural employment opportunities outside agriculture severely limit women’s opportunities for off-farm work. This is why in general women account for a greater share of agricultural employment at lower levels of economic development. Sustainable agrifood systems “Reducing gender inequalities in livelihoods, access to resources, and resilience in agrifood systems is a critical pathway towards gender equality and women’s empowerment and towards more just and sustainable agrifood systems. These improvements are possible when an enabling environment exists and interventions are well designed to tackle the multidimensional and interrelated challenges facing women and men,” it read. On the matter of land ownership, the report reveals that the percentage of men who have an ownership or secure tenure rights over agricultural land is twice that of women in more than 40 per cent of the countries that have reported on women’s landownership (Sustainable Development Goal Indicator 5.a.1), and a larger percentage of men than women have such rights in 40 of 46 countries reporting. However, the share of women among landowners increased in 10 of 18 countries over the last decade, with marked improvements in several countries in subSaharan Africa and southern Asia. “Even if we empower more women and the problem of land ownership is not solved, we are still going to see more women sink into poverty. In many countries there still is much to do to ensure that women own land in equal proportion to men and that legal frameworks protect their rights,” adds Buluma. The report says that land ownership gaps can only be narrowed through a combination of implementing reforms on land registration, increasing land-rights awareness and access to community-based legal aid, and fostering women’s participation in local land institutions. Additionally, services (such as extensions) and resources (such as technology) must be designed with women’s needs in mind. Women still struggling to break the glass ceiling in agriculture and are slow to change. Attitudes towards women’s work outside the home, the acceptability of gender-based violence and other norms affecting women’s livelihoods in agrifood systems remain dangerously restrictive in much of the world. “Formal policies and strategies may increasingly identify the constraints and inequalities that women face, but few national policies specify objectives to address them. This is despite the evidence that a broader approach to women’s empowerment that is reducing the barriers to their participation and changing the norms and rules that constrain it has great benefits for women’s well-being and the wider society as a whole,” reads part of the story. The report explains that if half of the smallscale producers benefited from development interventions that focused on empowering women, it would significantly raise the incomes of an additional 58 million people and increase the resilience of an additional 235 million. “Women have always worked in agrifood systems. It is time that we made agrifood systems work for women. Efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems depend on the empowerment of all women and gender equality,” said Dr Davis. The report says agrifood systems are a more important source of livelihood for women than for men in many countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 66 per cent of women’s employment is in agrifood Gender-specific obstacles, such as lack of access to land, financing and education continue to put female farmers at a significant disadvantage before they ever plough land or sow a seed Faith Buluma, a fish farmer. PD/MILLIAM MURIGI Women small holder farmers. PD/COURTESY

@PeopleDailyKe A utomotive engineering practice has for many decades been considered a preserve of the male gender, with women being left out purely on the basis of pseudo-stereotypes based on societal and cultural viewpoints. This stereotyping has made the female gender lag behind in some professions, which are now maledominated, sparking a narrative that they are a preserve of the male gender. The narratives are based on socialisation and the physical anatomy of the female gender, which is perceived to be weak and cannot survive in some careers that require a lot of physical energy. But these labels are just that; stereotypes to keep the other gender down! In fact, there are careers that society has made to appear more female-oriented than others. Sadly, this labeling is pumped in through cultural socialization until it gets embedded in the minds of the female gender. Sample this; a motor vehicle driver, whether male or female, when they ind out their vehicle needs ixing, drives into a motor garage, Naomi Thuo is one of the most sort-after mechanic in Naivasha town. PD/COURTESY garage kept urging her on. She was lucky to join Wambari Technical College in Naivasha, where she took a course in motor vehicle repair and mechanics, specializing in general engine servicing. Naomi at irst received a lot of resistance from her mother when she irst expressed her desire to pursue mechanics, and she says the journey has not been easy due to the fact that some clients prefer male mechanics, compared to their female counterparts. Despite having not completed her course at the vocational college due to fee challenges, this has not stopped her from delivering the best services for her clients, and as Naomi says, she hopes to enroll back and inish her studies to get the required certiications, in order to advance in her career. But she has been able to learn a lot of skills on the job. She explains that her 11 years in the industry have enabled her to grow immensely and acquire a lot of skills that have helped her execute her duties even better than her male counterparts in the garage she operates in. Her motivation, she says, is drawn from the desire to give the best to her customers, earn enough to be able to give her child a good life, and also rise through her career and be able to encourage other young women to get into the so-called male-dominated careers. Shrouded myths Thuo says her expertise and mastery in motor vehicle mechanics was not an overnight happening, noting that it took her one and a half years in order to be trusted to work on a car by herself. Currently,  she is proudly able to dismantle a car engine by herself and reassemble it without much trouble. One of the major challenges faced by women who want to venture into mechanics is, in most cases is the belief that they will be looked down upon by their male peers, discriminated against, and even used sexually and dumped, leaving them in limbo in their career. The myth has, however, been debunked, as Thuo says focus and commitment are the keys to success in her workplace, urging other women to stay committed to their course. Another lady who has chosen a career in a male – dominated ield is Nikita Luchinga. Born 21 years ago in Khwisero, Kakamega County, but currently residing in Naivasha, her entry into the industry was not by design, as she at irst had not envisaged being in a career in the male – dominated ield. Currently training She explains that while working in the hospitality industry, a garage owner based in the town approached her, and in January this year, things took a different turn when Luchinga decided to visit the garage, and things have never been the same since then. She is currently training in bodywork and painting and expects to have mastered the art by the end of this year. The past ive months have been nothing but pure learning experiences, and she has already created a good rapport with some clients who prefer her services. However, nothing good comes without a challenge. As a beginner in the industry, Luchinga says some men look down upon her in the workplace, who feel threatened by her quick learning skills, but remain upbeat that, with time, they will get used to her presence and appreciate her input. Her commitment to learning has impressed her tutor, Jack Rapudo, one of the lead mechanics in the garage, who explains that Nikita has been cooperative and always willing to learn since the time she started.Rapudo urges more women to try out mechanical work, adding that it’s not a male job, as it is commonly thought by many people. —KNA but the mindset is to ind a male mechanic. When this driver inds that the mechanic to attend to his or her is female, he or she becomes a bit hesitant, and the female mechanic or the chief mechanic has to do some bit of convincing for the female mechanic to be allowed to touch that vehicle, but there will still be some doubts lingering in the mind of this driver! Changing the narrative However, this narrative is slowly changing as more and more women are immersing themselves in socalled “male careers or jobs,” such as motor vehicle mechanics, an industry that provides employment to hundreds of thousands of people in this country. Naomi Thuo, 29, is one of the women who has deied the odds to become one of the most sought-after mechanics in Naivasha town, due to her expertise in motor vehicle repair. We meet her at her work garage and watch her, as she meticulously works on a motor vehicle engine. Thuo tells us she did not manage to continue with her secondary education and dropped out of school in Class Eight, after she got pregnant. She explains that her passion for the mechanics job pushed her into the trade in order to fend for herself and her young one. Faced resistance Born in Kinangop, Nyandarua County, the brave mechanic explains that after leaving her maternal home in 2009, she joined her sister, who was living in Naivasha at the time. Naomi irst joined the hospitality industry, but her desire to work in a Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY 25 For long, people have entrusted their vehicles to men for repairs. But with the entrance of females into this field, the trend is changing Women defying odds in male-dominated mechanic industry People Plus Tell your Story THUO Her years in the industry have enabled her to grow immensely and acquire a lot of skills KEY HIGHLIGHTS Automotive engineering has been considered a preserve of the male gender, with women being left out purely on the basis of stereotypes based on societal and cultural viewpoints. Stereotyping has made the female gender lag behind in male-dominated professions. One challenge faced by women who venture into mechanics is they are looked down upon by their male peers, discriminated against, and even abused sexually. While more women are joining this sector, more needs to be done Gender stereotypes can affect every part of life, contributing towards poor mental health in young people, higher suicide rates and low self-esteem in girls.

PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 26 ENTERTAINMENT ARIES (MAR. 21- APRIL 20) You must take care not to overexert yourself if involved in sports. You won’t get the reaction you want from your mate today. TAURUS (APR. 21- MAY 21) You will easily charm members of the opposite sex. Spend some time on yourself. Try not to be so demonstrative. GEMINI (MAY 22-JUNE 21) Self-deception is likely. You can avoid hassles by sticking to your work and refusing to get involved in gossip or idle chatter. CANCER (JUNE 22-JULY 22) Passion is inevitable and commitments can be made during the heat of the night. Don’t turn down an invitation or a challenge that could enhance your chances of meeting someone special. LEO (JULY 23-AUG 22) Someone you live with will get angry if you are neglecting your duties. Don’t let someone talk you into parting with your cash unless you can truly see the beneits of doing so. VIRGO (AUG. 23 -SEPT. 23) Look out for yourself today. You’re intuitive today; however, this attribute could get you in trouble if you tactlessly say what you think. LIBRA (SEPT. 24 -OCT. 23) Don’t let your boss make you feel guilty enough to take work home with you. Put your time and energy into travel, philosophy, and soul-searching. SCORPIO (OCT. 24 - NOV. 22) Praise will be yours if you have been pursuing your goals. Your high energy should be spent pleasing your mate. Relatives will be cordial. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 23 -DEC. 21) Enjoy the company of relatives today. You may have personal problems, but professional duties might be pressing. Try not to be overly generous. CAPRICORN (DEC 22.- JAN. 20) Your personal secrets may be revealed if you let coworkers in on your family dilemmas. Think twice before you volunteer information. AQUARIUS (JAN. 21 -FEB. 19) You’ll meet new friends if you try new activities. Romance will be yours if you get out and do things in large groups. PISCES (FEB. 20-MAR. 20) You will have to be careful not to let infatuations with colleagues get out of hand. You may be thinking of starting your own business. 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 6. Perspiration 8. Recycle 9. Talon 10. Idle 12. Sledge 14. piste 15. Mascot 16. grit 19. Nerve 21. Inferno 22. Cantankerous DOWN 1. Hercules 2. Force 3. Steep 4. Brittle 5. Gull 6. Parliament 7. Infectious 11. Pit 12. Sty 13. Darkroom 14. Poverty 17. Diana 18. Often 20. Road ACROSS 6. Sweat (12) 8. Actress, ___ Kerr (7) 9. Ex-footballer, ___ Ardiles (5) 10. Hebridean island (4) 12. Spiritualist’s meeting (6) 14. Young eel (5) 15. Milky way (6) 16. Film, ___ the Killer Whale (4) 19. Of the eye (5) 21. Capital of Libya (7) 22. The taking advantage of (12) DOWN 1. Court of justice (8) 2. Flash of light (5) 3. TV sci-fi series (2,3) 4. Roy Orbison hit song (2’1,4) 5. Oaths (4) 6. Famous bear! (10) 7. Deputation (10) 11. Travel by air (3) 13. Sleep-inducing drug (8) 14. Precisely (7) 17. Step (5) 18. Egyptian peninsula (4) 20. Cab (4) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 9 6 3 2 9 1 5 6 7 1 4 8 8 9 4 3 2 7 1 8 5 3 9 1 6 8 7 4 6 4 8 1 7 6 2 5 3 9 5 7 9 1 8 3 2 4 6 6 3 2 9 5 4 7 1 8 8 1 5 4 9 7 6 2 3 7 9 4 3 2 6 8 5 1 2 6 3 8 1 5 9 7 4 1 2 7 6 4 8 3 9 5 9 5 6 2 3 1 4 8 7 3 4 8 5 7 9 1 6 2 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- Live 10.00 Kurekereria Kodi- Live 12.00 Ndurumeni Maturaini- Live 1.00 Mohoro Gitau-Live 1.30 Kayu Ka Ruriri- Rpt 2.00 Thiririka 3.00 Tuikaranie- Rpt 3.30 Magerio- 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 Thenema 11.30 Ririmbuka 12.30 DW 5.00 Inuka 6.00 New Dawn 8.00 K24 This Morning 9.55 Wisdom Moments 10.00 Inuka- Rpt 11.00 Mchipuko 1.00 K24 News Cut 1.30 Jungu La Spoti 2.00 Aap Ke Aa Jane Se- Rpt 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 Punchline 10.00 BBC- Dira Ya Dunia 10.30 Beat Box 11.30 Al Jazeera Timeout Sudoku solutions 7.30pm AAP KE AA JANE SE

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY CLASSIFIEDS / NOTICES 27

NAIVASHA: Karen Country Club’s Terra Saidimu and hot charging junior golfer and Kenya Team player Elvis Muigua from Kiambu Golf Club paired up at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort and played a team score of 43 points to emerge the winners of the international pairs qualifier played on Saturday. They had earlier been knocked out of the 101st Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship. The two beat the pair of Kiplangat Sang & Ken Biegon from Kericho Golf Club on countback. The event attracted a total of 39 pairs from 19 clubs across the country. The players from Kericho Golf Club had a great show where four pairs out of the seven from the club finished within the top five positions. The pairs of David Biegon & Charles Keter, Elvis Koech & Ezekiel Koech and Collins Kipkurui & Reuben Muruguru all played 41 points finishing in the third, fourth and fifth positions respectively on countback. The top four pairs and the first mixed pair of Bernard Kiraithe & Kathure Njoroge from Royal Nairobi Golf Club who played 39 points secured slots to the Kenya Grand Finale to be played on September 1. -Emmanuel Masinde Golfers Saidimu, Muigua lead chase for International Pairs Race to Portugal series by Lucky Oluoch @PeopleDailyKe The Nakuru-based player Francis Kioni led from the front to win the third leg of the DTB “Bank With Us” Golf Tournament held at the scenic par 73 Nakuru Golf Club, in Nakuru County. Playing off handicap 15, the home player overcame chilly morning weather and tough course conditions to beat his closest challenger Patrick Mutinda on the countback to claim the overall title courtesy of an impressive 38 points. He carded 16 points on the front nine and 22 on the back nine. “I had an amazing time on the course despite the tough condition of the course, especially on the back nine where I managed to achieve 2 birdies and several pars to claim the victory. It was refreshing to win against such a large field. I commend DTB for their good work and for ensuring this event was successful. I look forward to participating in many more of their upcoming tournaments,” said Francis Kioni In the Ladies’ category, taking the top spot was the club’s Lady Captain, Linda Munyao, who posted 36 points, ahead of Ann Nduati with 33 points. The Gross category title was claimed by Joh Mburu, playing off a handicap of 7, after posting 31 points, with 13 points on the front nine and 18 points on the back nine. Posting the best first nine score was Anne Nduati on 20 points, while the best second nine award was claimed by Dr. Amos Otara on 21 points. Kiambu golfer pips Omollo to win Kenya Amateur Match Play at Great Rift Valley Resort and book a ticket to next year’s Magical Kenya Open by Edwin Otieno @PeopleDailyKe Michael Karanga of Kiambu Golf Club trounced Ebill Omollo of VetLab Sports Club 5 and 3 to be crowned the champion of the 101st edition of the NCBA Bank-sponsored Kenya Amateur Matchplay at the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort at the weekend. The win is a continuation of Karanga’s dominance in the Kenya Amateur Golf Championship series and places him at the top of the ranking with 1015 points. Courtesy of the win, he received Sh 120,000 as the prize money and got a ticket to the 2024 Magical Kenya Open (MKO). Ebill Omollo of VetLab Sports Club received Sh 72,000 for finishing as the runner up while Josphat Rono finished third after Muthaiga Golf Club’s Taimur Malik gave him a walkover. Karanga thanked members of Kiambu and Ndumberi clubs for the support granted to him and promised to participate and win in more tournaments, including the upcoming Malindi Open and the Kenya Amateur Strokeplay Champioship in August. Kenya Golf Union Chairman (KGU), Philip Ochola congratulated Karanga for the win and urged him to prepare adequately for the Magical Kenya Open to be held in seven months’ time. He further appreciated corporate sponsors including NCBA Bank, Betika, Windsor Motors, BetLion, Maridady Motors and Naivas & Kikwetu homes who have supported the tournaments and ensured the players get to play.“I want to especially thank George Mburu and Reagan Kibugi who have supported Michael Karanga and a host of players in this event. I encourage all corporates and people of good will to support our players not only in participating in the local events but also the international ones. I also appreciate the role that is played by the caddies. We are planning to engage the caddies towards having a structured approach to the management of their affairs and tournaments,” he said. The Chairman further mentioned that the union is key on inclusivity and is organizing a Golf for Disabled (G4D) tournament later in the year to encourage individuals with special needs to take up the game of golf. “We had a joint consultative meeting on Friday, July 28 with all the golf bodies in the country and we are working towards a one golf strategy,” he said. Francis Kioni putts during the DTB “Bank with Us” Golf Tournament at Nakuru Golf Club. PD/ DAVID NDOLO Kioni crowned winner of DTB ‘Bank With Us’ golf tourney NAIROBI: There were incredible runs played on Sunday during the Ruaraka Sports Club and Kanbis clash in week five of the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA)-Super Division 50 Over Championship. Sensational and unbeaten Ruaraka stunned Kanbis by only two runs after posting 336-5 on the board in a frenetic chase. The Ruaraka side won toss selecting to field and in the process had Kanbis post 334-9 in their allotted overs during the first innings. Kanbis Captain Rakep Patel (93 runs off 71 balls) was instrumental for his side with his contribution including seven boundaries and four-sixes. He was aided by opening-batsman Emmanuel Bundi (60 runs off 53 balls) who had eight boundaries to his name. However interestingly that was not to be sufficient for the Eastleigh based side. After the break,Ruaraka regrouped excellently, coming off the blocks with vengeance. Maxwell Swaminathan (107 runs off 69 balls) coming off number five in the batting order was the star player. The duo of Pushkar Sharma (79b runs off 102 balls) and Sachin Gill (70 runs off 65 balls) also came in handy for the home side as the bowling of Kanbis simply did not hack it. -Barry Silah Ruaraka, Kanbis register big numbers during week five of NPCA cricket league 28 PEOPLE SPORT FOR MORE NEWS VISIT: www.pd.co.ke / www.epaper. pd.co.ke THE ONE-STOP SPORT SHOP Tuesday, August 1, 2023 Karanga ‘fries them all’

by Shadrack Andenga @PeopleDailyKe Riruta Stadium Management Board chairperson John Hans Giteru yesterday called on Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to rescue the facility. Speaking in Dagoretti, Giteru cried foul, adding that there was money already allocated for the stadium, but politics has interfered hampering the development of football within the area. “During Governor Mike ‘Sonko’ Mbuvi’s tenure, our stadium was one of the five identified for development, but then he was accused of corruption and ousted. After that, whoever took over has not thought about us in Riruta,” said Giteru, adding that the stadium serves as the only open ground public facility in both Dagoretti North and Dagoretti South constituencies. Giteru said the then executive in charge of education and sports in Nairobi County Janet Ouko revealed plans for developing five stadiums in Nairobi County to address the need for more sports and recreational facilities that already had a 1.5 billion Ksh budget funded by the World Bank back in May 2018. Nairobi County government under the leadership of Mike Mbuvi as Governor back then announced plans for the five stadiums which had Dandora Stadium which is nearing its completion in Embakasi North Constituency while others that only had a ground breaking ceremony and then stalled to date are Kihumbuini Stadium in Westlands Constituency, Jacaranda in Embakasi East Constituency, Umeme grounds Ziwani in Starehe Constituency and finally Riruta Stadium in Dagoretti South Constituency. Nairobi County’s third Governor Johnson Sakaja had earlier on promised in February that Dandora Stadium will be done by May, even though construction works are still on going as the stadium nears its finish line, but has not mentioned the other four. Last weekend football stakeholders in both Dagoretti constituencies joined and took matters into their own hands to rehabilitate Riruta Stadium adding that the area has over 30 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) league registered football clubs that are affected by the unpredictable weather patterns and the poor state of the field. Now Giteru is also calling upon the Nairobi County Governor to push the Dandora agenda for Riruta taking into consideration that already there was money allocated for and according to him, the contractor is just waiting for the green light signal to begin work. Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY PEOPLE SPORT 29 Top leaders of Riruta Stadium send an SOS to Nairobi Governor as their facilty deteriorates by Emmanuel Masinde @PeopleDailyKe Football Amputee Federation of Kenya has selected a provisional team of 25 players ahead of All Para Games that will be staged in Accra, Ghana in September. The two days event ,national trials held at the Eldoret National Polytechnic, the technical director Hashim Kamau said that the 25 will be heading into the training camp as from 3rd to 26th August and they will be trimmed to 15 that will travel to Ghana to fly the Kenyan flag. He added that the team selection was made easier due to majority of the players are seasonal and have been in the national team for long. “The national trials were good in search a way that top players like five of them are professionals who play outside this country especially in Turkey while others have been in the national team and playing across the country. With such players, it was easy to select was easy,” said Kamau. He added that this year’s team will be the greatest after the trials which are rarely done. “we have a solid team and a strong. With the trials, each player was determined to earn a slot that gave us a good chance to get the best,” he added. During the trials, Nairobi County emerged victorious after beating Kakamega County 1-0 during the finals on Sunday afternoon. Sammy Kariuki scored the solitary goal to hand Joshua Simiyu’s side the match needed victory. Simiyu said they travelled with the sole purpose of winning. “We had a mission and the mission was to win. We have achieved it and that will make us earn more slots into the national team,” said Simiyu. The unbeaten side were 3-0 winners over hosts Uasin Gishu in the semifinals with a brace from Brian Oroka and a goal from Muhammed Munga. With six counties in the competition, Nairobi recorded 100 per cent victories starting with 1-0 win over Kaimbu and 4-0 beating of Bungoma in pool A. In other pool A matches, Kiambu beat Bungoma 1-0. Kakamega defeated Kiambu 4-3 in post match penalties following barren draw in the normal time in the first semifinal. In pools, kakamega garnered four points with a 1-1 draw against Uasin Gishu and a 1-0 win over Bomet. Provisional team of 25 players selected ahead of All Para Games in Ghana Part of the action during the Amputee football at the weekend. PD/ EMMANUEL MASINDE Sakaja please!!! Football stakeholders in Dagoretti yesterday when built trenches and planted grass in Riruta Stadium. PD/ COURTESY Anaab Daim in action at the weekend. PD/ EDWIN OTIENO by Edwin Otieno @PeopleDailyKe Anaab Fahd Daim, Kushi Malde and Gao Song Yao were among the star attractions at the Nairobi Open Junior Table Tennis Championships held last weekend at the Visa Oshwal Sports Complex. Anaab, the son of Kenya team coach and longstanding national champion Fahd Daim, displayed awesome skills in the championship organized by Nairobi Table Tennis Association. The young Anaab was named the most improved player while Gao Song Yao was voted the championship’s best performer. Anaab won the Boys Under-12 championship trophy after he defeated Ingosi Njuguna of St Teresas in the final match. The 11-year old Anaab was at it again when he racked up the boys under-15 trophy with victory over Sayam Shah in the final. Anaab also lost Zayan Pema in the boys under 19 semis. Elizabeth Njoki of St Teresas won the Girls Under-12 trophy after she defeated Delina Shavadia in a pulsating final. Kushi Malde completed a hattrick of wins in the girls Under -15, 19 and 21 categories. In the under 15 and 19 final, Malde defeated Jenny Amadi while in the under 21 girls’ category she vanquished national team player Lisa Wele contrary to all expectations. Boniface Musyoki emerged the boys Under 21 champion after defeating Idris Kulubi in the final. The tournament took place under the watchful eye of visiting Italian Coach Luciano Esposito who lauded the juniors for their displays in the tournament. “It’s a new experience for me because Kenya Table Tennis is new to me. I had the opportunity to interact with the juniors in a competitive set up and I see there is a lot of talent that can reach high levels of table tennis. I will not be here for long, but the most important things to focus on in the next one month is movement and making use of the body,” remarked Luciano. Andrew Mudibo, the President of Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA), on his part, revealed that the Italian coach will be with the national team and also the juniors for the next one month. Mudibo: “The reason why we have brought the coach from Italy is that we want to bring back the good days of table tennis whereby the basics of the sports will be there and it’s just in time to pick it up with the team for the Olympic qualifiers.” Anaab, Malde, Yao shine as junior event unveils new stars

LONDON: Bayern Munich bosses travelled to London today for crunch talks with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy over a potential move for Harry Kane. The two parties were set to meet on Friday, only for the negotiation to be cancelled at short notice by Levy. Now footage shared by BILD’s Bayern reporter Heiko Niedderer on Twitter has shown the club’s CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen and technical director Marco Neppe taking off from Oberpfaffenhofen Airport to the English capital just before 10am UK time. They have since arrived in London, ready to talk transfers. Kane has just one year remaining on his current deal at Spurs and the London club are expecting a third offer from the Bundesliga side in the coming days. Bayern are set to give the England captain a four-year deal so he can join the fold of manager Thomas Tuchel ahead of his first full season in charge. Tuchel wants a centre forward as his top priority, with star striker Sadio Mane closing in on a £25m move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.  Tottenham are expected to hold out for £100m for their all-time leading goal scorer. -Dailymail by Emannuel Masinde @PeopleDailyKe Chepsaita Youth Athletics Training Club, has been established in Uasin Gishu County, to keep alive an inspiration for a little-known school that has produced some of the best world-beating athletes. Albeit towered by Chepsaita Hills, Turbo Sub-County’s Chepkemel Primary School, takes the pride of having nurtured some of the finest world-beating athletes, including former world steeplechase record holder and Kenyan-born Bahraini, Ruth Jebet. Besides Jebet, the former world champion, the school also produced, David Kiptoo Sing’oei, a retired 800 metres runner, and Mike Too, who ran the one-mile race. On Saturday, the camp was launched with the aim of keeping the athletics talent production chain rolling and acting as a breeding ground for scholarships. Uasin Gishu Governor, Jonathan Bii, says said his government had just started discussions with school teachers, to establish a training model that starts with school children at an early age. “This camp, therefore, is the best model because as my government works to identify and nurture talent, we shall be working together to ensure we grow talent, right from the grassroots,” said Governor Bii as he officially launched the camp on Saturday. “The Department of Sports is working closely to ensure that talent is identified and nurtured in Uasin Gishu County,” said County Executive for Sports, Lucy Ng’endo. Sports Chief Officer, Nahum Jelagat, said the Department is working with stakeholders to grow and strengthen sports in the County. Athletes taking part in a morning run in Uasin Gishu. COURTESY/ WORLD ATHLETICS New youth athletics club launched in Uasin Gishu 30 PEOPLE SPORT PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, August 1, 2023 INSIDE Sport GOLF pagE 28 Karanga wins Kenya Amateur Match Play to secure Magical Kenya Open ticket FOOTBALL pagE 31 Gor Mahia players hurt with Champions League exit, reveals McKinstry 3-2 DORTMUND Malen 43’, 44’ Moukoko 71’ International Friendlies MAN UNITED Dalot 24’ Antony 52’ MANCHESTER: Manchester United have renewed their long-term partnership with adidas for a further 10 years until the summer of 2035. The deal is worth a minimum guaranteed £900m. United first partnered with adidas in 2015 after a 13-year partnership with Nike came to an end. The original deal, reported at the time to be worth £750m, will continue to run until it expires in 2025 and then be replaced by the more lucrative renewal agreement. A statement from the club’s investor relations platform read, “Manchester United plc (NYSE: MANU), is pleased to confirm that it has renewed its principal partnership with adidas, as the club’s official kit supplier. The new agreement will continue the partnership for a further 10 years until June 2035 and has a minimum cash guarantee of GBP 900 million, subject to certain adjustments.” -FootMob RYADH: Sadio Mane reportedly underwent his medical at Al Nassr on Monday after the Saudi Pro League side agreed a £34million deal to sign him from Bayern Munich. Mane will pocket a staggering £34m a year (£650,000 a week) playing for the club alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. The 31-year-old stands to earn around £136m over the course of a four-year deal which runs until June 2027. But the paperwork will only be completed providing he passes his medical, which Sky Sports report will take place on Monday in Dubai. After playing an integral part in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side over the course of a six-year stint in Merseyside, Mane secured a £35m move to the Allianz Arena in June 2022. Now Mane is set to depart Bayern so early in his tenure. Mane had been brought into the fold to become a regular fixture of the firstteam squad. -Dailymail RUGBY Manchester United partnership with adidas extended until 2035 season FOOTBALL Mane set to be Cristiano’s team mate at Al-Nassr as he undergoes a medical FOOTBALL Bayern Munich bosses arrive in London for talks over Harry Kane Headed to Paris Paris, Monday @PeopleDailyKe Ousmane Dembele has agreed personal terms with Paris SaintGermain, signalling his desire to leave Barcelona, sources have confirmed to 90min. As 90min confirmed last week, PSG recently reached out to the 26-year-old, who has entered the final 12 months of his contract at Camp Nou. Barcelona, however, are keen to keep Dembele and have been locked in talks over a new deal for months, but progress is yet to be made. The France international is eyeing a substantial pay rise after agreeing to slash his wages on the short-term deal he inked with Barcelona only last summer. With no agreement in sight, PSG have made their move in the hope of luring Dembele back to Ligue 1, where he shone with Rennes before his switch to Borussia Dortmund in 2016. Dembele has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave for €50m if it is triggered by midnight on Monday, the end of July, after which the clause doubles to €100m. PSG could finalise the signing of Dembele by paying his release clause, and that is an option now personal terms are agreed. An agreement over a five-year deal has been reached between Dembele and PSG, who have informed Barcelona of the situation. The two clubs have held talks and how they develop in the coming hours will determine whether PSG will need to pay the release clause or come to agreement with Barcelona. While Barcelona want Dembele to stay, they have also made it clear that they do not want to lose him for nothing next summer and so have reluctantly opened the door to a departure. The plan at Camp Nou was for Barcelona to part ways with two of their four senior wingers - Dembele, Raphinha, Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres - this summer. Initially, Barcelona wanted to offload Fati and Torres but both have been incredibly reluctant to entertain departures. -Dailymail Ousmane Dembele agrees personal terms with PSG after six years with Barcelona

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY PEOPLE SPORT 31 by Ken Okaka @PeopleDailyKe On Friday, history was made in Nairobi as the Sports Cabinet Secretary, Ababu Namwamba, hosted the inaugural Cabinet Secretary’s Champions Reception at Safari Park Hotel. The event celebrated and rewarded outstanding achievements of Kenyan sports teams and personalities, both current and previous stars, across various sports disciplines. The reception saw the convergence of over 1,000 sportsmen and women, including Kenya’s most decorated living legends, and creatives in a night like none other for Kenyan sports. For the first time, a Kenyan Sports Cabinet Secretary recognized and rewarded the exceptional performance of Kenyan sports personalities. This move highlights the dedication and commitment of the government to support and elevate the sports industry in the country. The occasion was filled with well-deserved accolades for teams that won various leagues during the recent season, as well as lifelines for giants Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards who were facing CAF and FIFA sanctions. Both clubs were grappling with financial challenges, resulting in unpaid dues to former players and coaches. To address this critical issue, CS Ababu Namwamba presented each club with Sh5 million to settle their outstanding debts. This rescue effort not only safeguards the clubs’ future but also demonstrates the government’s commitment to supporting Kenyan football. In addition to the top-tier clubs, several other deserving teams were recognized and rewarded for their achievements. The winners of the Mozzartbet FKF Cup received a reward of Sh 5 million, while Vihiga Queens and Ulinzi Starlets were rewarded with the same amount for their victories in the Women’s FKF Premier League and FKF Cup, respectively. Shabana FC, the champions of the FKF National Super League, were awarded Sh3 million for their remarkable performance, and Murang’a Seal received Sh2 million for their achievement as runners-up, earning them a promotion to the FKF Premier League for the first time. Moreover, teams in the lower tiers of Kenyan football were not left out. The winners of the FKF Division One and Division Two each received Sh300,000 as recognition for their outstanding performances in their respective leagues. Additionally, all 18 teams that participated in the FKF Premier League season received a share of a shilling’s kitty amounting to Sh500,000 each to cushion the clubs ahead of the next season.-The writer is a Communication Consultant Minister Namwamba’s Hongera awards sign of better days in Kenyan sports Karim Mandonga (left) throws jabs to Daniel Wanyonyi during a previous fight in Nairobi. PD/ SPORTPICHA by Charles Thuku @PeopleDailyKe Only a week after losing to Kenya Daniel Wanyonyi in a rematch at Sarit Expo Centre in Westlands,, Nairobi, Tanzanian boxer Karim “Mtu Kazi” Mandonga suffered a further heart-break when he was beaten by Moses Golola of Uganda Earlier, another Tanzanian pugilist Karim Mandonga suffered a third round Technical Knockout defeat from Ugandan Moses Golola at Malaiak Beach Resort in Mwanza. The fight which was held last weekend saw Mandonga being grounded a few seconds into the third round after receiving a heavy punch from Golola forcing the referee to end the match prematurely. After the bout, Mandonga conceded the nosedive saying it was not his day while insisting that though he was outclassed, his opponent had a difficult time too. All in all, Tanzanian boxers had a bad day in office as the country’s other pugilist Twaha Kiduku was outpointed by Asemahle Welklen of South Africa on unanimous decision after a heated 12-round bout. After the loss, Kiduku apologized to Tanzanians for not living up to their expectations. “To be honest, my opponent was professionally much better than me…he is a good fighter and I was not good enough. Today, I am sorry for letting down my fellow Tanzanians,” Kiduku said after the defeat. He added that together with his team, they will sit down to see what went wrong in order to be superior next time. Moreover, he said lack of video clips of his opponent was another contributing factor to his defeat as he barely knew about him. On his part, Wellen said they already studied him (Kiduku) through his posted YouTube videos hence it was easy to fight against him. “We already knew him well before coming here, of course, I only have one video on YouTube but other boxers fail to understand me because I am brave enough,” said the new WBF Intercontinental Champion. He also admitted that Kiduku is too a good fighter and that he gave him a tough game on the day. It was Wellen’s seventh professional bout of which he has managed to win all and he is yet to suffer defeat and so far, he has managed three knockouts (KO) in his professional career. Another heartbreak for Mandonga as he loses in Mwanza Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba addresses players during the final day of the World Under 20 Rugby trophy at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday. PD/ DAVID NDOLO by Dennis Mabuka @PeopleDailyKe Gor Mahia coach Johnathan McKinstry has admitted his players were left hurt and disappointed following the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to expel K’Ogalo from the Champions League. The FKF Premier League champions were due to make a return to the continental stage after two seasons in the cold following their success in winning the title but they suffered a blow after the African body locked them out for failure to meet club licensing rules. Speaking for the first time since Gor Mahia were punished for their mistakes of not paying accrued salaries to three players, who had reported them to the world governing body FIFA - Jules Ulimwengu from Burundi, Malian goalkeeper Adama Keita, and Yangayay Sando Sando from the Democratic Republic of Congo - the Northern Irish tactician explained how his players had coped with the situation. “My players were hurt on learning what had happened (losing the slot), they were disappointed because we fought all through the season to win the league title and earn the ticket for Caf matches but now it will not be the case,” McKinstry told People Sports, adding: “You could see it on their faces [their disappointment) but, what has impressed me most is how they have responded in training since we resumed for pre-season.” McKinstry continued: “The good thing is we are not dealing with a 10-year-old, who will throw tantrums because he did not get what he wanted, the players in my squad are mature enough and professionals, they know and understand the situation at hand, and for sure they know they cannot get distracted with something they are not in control of.” On whether the decision by Caf had affected him as a coach, McKinstry responded: “I don’t think so, it happened already and I was not in control of what happened, so I don’t want to be affected by something I was not control of, it has happened and we should now focus and have a great season.” On Gor Mahia’s transfer situation having been linked with a number of star players including midfielder Tyson Otieno., who later signed for Kariobangi Sharks, the former Uganda Cranes coach, admitted K’Ogalo’s financial muscles were way below some top clubs in the league hence the decision to stay away from the Otieno deal and many others. “If you ask me, Gor Mahia is currently ranked fourth in the financial table of FKF clubs, we have stronger teams above us with good financial muscles and can go out to buy any player they desire to sign, and it is not the case at Gor, and my intention was clear, not to put pressure on the club to sign players that we cannot afford,” added McKinstry. Gor players are gutted... ... says head coach McKinstry after K’Ogalo’s CAF Champions League exit Gor Mahia coach Jonathan McKinstry gestures during the team’s previous training session. PD/ FILE

Wellington, Monday @PeopleDailyKe Japan showed why they are serious contenders at the Women’s World Cup by hammering Spain to finish top of Group C and book a last-16 showdown with Norway. The 2011 world champions made it look easy by scoring three times before half-time, with Hinata Miyazawa getting two to take her tally to four goals and become the tournament’s leading scorer. The attacking midfielder put Japan ahead with a calm finish after Spain’s defence had been exposed, before Riko Ueki doubled the lead with a deflected finish which looped into the net. Miyazawa, who scored two in Japan’s opening group game against Zambia, made it 3-0 by firing across goal and into the net in front of a crowd of 20,957. Substitute Mina Tanaka added to Spain’s pain with a fourth goal in the 82nd minute. Japan started the third and final group game trailing Spain on goal difference after both teams had made 100 per cent winning starts in New Zealand. Japan will stay in Wellington, where they will meet Norway, the 1995 world champions, on Saturday. Group runners-up Spain head to Auckland, where they will play Switzerland at Eden Park on Saturday. Formidable Japan produce masterclass Japan made five changes to the side that overcame Costa Rica in Dunedin five days earlier yet never looked back after taking control on a blustery evening in New Zealand’s capital. After wins against Zambia, who are making their debut at this World Cup, and Costa Rica, who are ranked 36th in the world, this was the night they really showed the world they mean business. Japan produced a powerful performance which included some exceptional finishing against a Spain side high in confidence after back-to-back wins. Miyazawa, who also laid on the assist for Ueki’s goal, looks a real handful and will be crucial if the two-time finalists are to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2015. Japan fans, who turned out in numbers in Wellington with some dressed in colourful masks and national costume, witnessed a masterclass from their team who look formidable after a third successive win in New Zealand. Poor Spain second best Spain were a poor second best but must put this heavy defeat behind them quickly with a match against Switzerland to come in five days. They were one of the first teams in Europe to qualify for this tournament after an impeccable qualifying campaign when they finished eight points clear at the top of the table and did not concede a goal in eight games. Spain had not conceded a goal in 180 minutes in New Zealand before this match but were outfought and out-classed by a classy Japan side. “We have not seen the best Spanish team yet and I am convinced against Switzerland the team will react,” said Spain manager Jorge Vilda. “No-one should lose hope. This defeat hurts, the players are angry and I am convinced they will be much better in the next match.” On a night of few positives for Vilda’s side, Alexia Putellas got another 62 minutes on the pitch. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner is working her way back to full fitness following a serious knee injury sustained before Euro 2022 which ruled her out for almost a year. Japan thump favourites Spain to win Group C with perfect record and book last-16 slot as Norway tie Tuesday, August 1, 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. Kenyan sensation Okutoyi wins maiden ITF title in Tunisia NAIROBI: The stars of Kenyan teenage tennis sensation seem to be aligned finally following her Professional ITF World Women’s Tour J-15 Maiden Singles victory in Tunisia at the weekend. Her straight sets finals win on 6-2/7-6 over American opponent Isabella Harvison was her first silverware in six attempts in Monastir since July 2022. For her troubles,the 19 year old Auburn University walked away with a total of Shs 333,000 and a trophy. She entered the main draw of the tournament as a wild card and took just slightly under an hour. Her first set was impeccable where saved three break points to beat the American opponent. Okutoyi proved relentless and moved with ease as she pushed her challenger around. Okutoyi ultimately she won on the tie break (7-4) to see off the duel in lovely fashion. -Barry Silah NAIROBI: After her remarkable performance at Africa Junior Championships in Zambia where she clinched a silver medal, Caroline Anyango, the young javelin sensation, is now gearing up for her next challenge at the Commonwealth Youth Games. The rising star has been training at the Kasarani Stadium for the past two weeks, and has shown remarkable progress in her throws, improving from an impressive 42 meters to 48 meters. Caroline’s dedication and determination have been fueled by the inspiration she draws from none other than the javelin legend, Juliius Yego. During her training sessions, Yego has shared invaluable tips and techniques, igniting Caroline’s passion for the sport even further. “I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to learn from someone as accomplished as Juliius Yego. His guidance and mentorship have been instrumental in refining my skills and honing my technique,” Caroline expressed with enthusiasm. With her sights set on the Commonwealth Youth Games, Caroline aspires to improve on her previous performance and etch her name in the annals of sporting history. -Webster Nyandika New javelin attraction Caroline Anyango ready for Commonwealth Youth Games SELECTED WOMEN WORLD CUP RESULTS: Canada 0-3 Australia Ireland 0-0 Nigeria Costa Rica 1-3 Zambia Japan 4-0 Spain TODAY’S WOMEN WORLD CUP FIXTURES: Portugal vs USA 10am Vietnam vs Netherlands 10am China vs England 2pm Haiti vs Denmark 2pm Spain stunned Japan’s national women team players celebrate after easily beating Spain during the on going Fifa women World Cup in New Zealand and Australia. COURTESY-TWITTER