Senator Obama arrives for six-day visit

By Eliud Miring’uh

United States Senator Barack Obama is in Kenya for a gruelling six-day tour that will take him to his ancestral roots in Nyanza Province.

Obama arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) aboard a private jet shortly after 6pm on Thursday. At hand to welcome him was Foreign Affairs Assistant minister Mr Moses Wetangula and the new US Ambassador Mr Michael Ranneberger.

At the airport, Obama was ushered into the VIP lounge, where he held discussions with Government officials and the envoy. Photographers were then invited to take pictures, after which the Illinois Senator boarded a vehicle for Nairobi Serena Hotel, where he is staying. Six police cars and five US Embassy limousines escorted him.

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Jomo Kenyatta Airport expansion set to start

By Brian Adero

The long awaited expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport could officially start next week.

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director, Mr George Muhoho says KAA and a Chinese construction company will on August 30, 2006 sign a contract worth Sh2.6 billion to start the expansion of the airport.

The groundbreaking ceremony could take place next week after the expiry of 21 days given to those whose applications were rejected, and might have wished to make an appeal against the award.

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Bid to license new agents worries coffee marketers
By Eliud Miring’uh


A wave of panic has gripped the closely-knit coffee marketing fraternity following an announcement by the Government to license more agents.

Only a week after the Coffee Board of Kenya (CBK) published a bridged version of coffee rules, the board has advertised for new coffee marketing players.

However, the new players must strictly adhere to rules recently published by Agriculture Minister, Mr Kipruto arap Kirwa. The gazetted rules follow consultations between his Ministry, CBK and key stakeholders, including millers and growers.

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Zambia, Dar-Kenya 400MW bid underway

Monday, 31 July 2006
By Furaha Gosbert

DAR ES SALAAM — The planned Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya inter connection power project is to produce 400 mega watts at a total cost of US$650 million.

But despite the projection, Business Week has learnt from Lusaka, Zambia that there is need for the concerned countries to reinforce local infrastructure to avoid power failures.

This, they say, is to prepare for the project expected to commence during the first quarter of 2007.

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Investor tables Sh210b Mombasa free port plan

Last Updated on August 10, 2006, 12:00 am
By Patrick Beja and Caroline Mango

A consortium has laid out a plan to develop a free port at three sites in Mombasa aimed to creating over 1.3 million direct jobs.

Tal Group, which comprises 15 companies, is seeking public and Government support to implement its free port plan at Mbaraki, Makupa and Dongo Kundu sites.

The venture is intended to attract foreign capital into the free port zones and sharing of the benefits with the Kenyan public by floating shares on Nairobi Stock Exchange within five years.

According to the investor, the free port project estimated to cost over US$ 2.8 billion (Sh210 billion) seeks to transform Mombasa City, and create an additional over one million indirect jobs by 2015. The Group intends to spearhead other international and regional investors to realise the vision aimed in an ambitious strategic plan boosting activities at Mombasa port.

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Managers set out KPLC reform agenda

Last Updated on August 8, 2006, 12:00 am

Don Priestman, the head of a team of Canadian managers contracted to turnaround Kenya Power and Lighting Company, takes Ochieng Rapuro through the mandate of the expatriate managers and how they plan to meet it.

Turnaround artist is the befitting title. But Mr Don Priestman, the General Manager of Kenya Power and Lighting Company, vehemently brushes it aside.

The Canadian engineer is one month into a job he has to finish in 24 months and whose results the entire 32 million Kenyans must see. Priestman is the head of a team of managers seconded by Manitoba Hydro International (MHI) – the company that won the government contract to turnaround Kenya Power – a utility firm whose fortunes have been flagging over the past decade with devastating consequences on the economy.

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Anxiety over heavy reliance on hydropower

Last Updated on August 8, 2006, 12:00 am
By John Oyuke

With nearly 60 per cent of the total electricity output coming from hydropower, Kenya’s energy sector is sitting on a time bomb.

Over the past seven years, the country has twice paid a heavy price for over reliance on a single source of power. First in 2002 when a severe drought nearly brought economic activity to a standstill after the hydro-electric dams dried out leaving power rationing in its wake.

Early this year, anxiety rose over electricity supply when the weathermen predicted that a prolonged drought was underway.

These experiences have underscored the need to speed up diversification of power sources and completion of power new generation projects.

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Vioja Mahakamani: Meet Olexander Josephat

By Cathy Ochung

His best moments are when he is acting as Olexanda Josephat, a name he took up when a Maasai man known as Alexander introduced himself as Ole Xanda.

Of the two characters, Peter Sankale is the more serious and better educated one (Form Four leaver) while Olexanda Josephat is the humorous, funny character. The two names belong to the same person — Peter Sankale, who assumes the name and role of Olexanda Josephat in the weekly comedy Vioja Mahakamani.

In Vioja Mahakamani, he is a naÔve Maasai from the village trying to get his balance in the city’s modern world as he goes about his everyday experiences. His handling of culture shock is hilarious.

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