This is the biggest cause of deaths of children under the age of five in the region. Four out of ten people don’t have access to safe water, while seven out of ten people don’t have access to adequate sanitation.

The report titled Off-track, off-target, released by the international charity WaterAid shows that there are more people in the world today lacking adequate sanitation services than in 1990.

Unless urgent action is taken, nearly all governments in Sub-Saharan African will fail to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) pledge they made to halve the proportion of people without sanitation by 2015.

On the current trajectory, it will take over two centuries for Sub-Saharan Africa to meet its sanitation MDG target.  What is more, only 20 countries in the region are on track to meet the water MDG target by 2015.  All of this has massive consequences for child mortality in Africa.

Released a day before World Toilet Day, the report states that to get the sanitation and water MDGs back on track, countries in sub-Saharan Africa need to spend at least 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on these services.

The report also calls on donor countries to double global aid flows to water, sanitation and hygiene by prioritising an additional US$10 billion per year.

The report also identifies that it is Africa’s poorest people who are being left behind; poor people in Africa are five times less likely to have access to adequate sanitation and over 15 times more likely to practise open defecation than Africa’s rich.  According to WaterAid, governments should tackle this inequity through better targeting of water and sanitation resources and services to the poor.

The WaterAid report highlights that the shortfall in water and sanitation services costs Sub-Saharan African countries around 5% of GDP each year ($47.7 billion in 2009), more than is provided in development aid to the entire continent ($47.6 billion in 2009).

In a coordinated move, an international group of 34 female economists have also written an open letter to the leaders of eleven donor and developing country governments, to draw attention to the international water and sanitation crisis.  In it they state:

On the day you read this , 4,000 more children under five will die due to diseases brought about through unsafe water and poor sanitation.  This equates to more child deaths than AIDS, malaria and measles combined, making it the biggest child killer in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Every $1 invested in water and sanitation generates on average an $8 return; making it the deal that will deliver for billions of the poorest people across the globe.

“Governments in both donor and developing countries have it in their power to save hundreds of thousands of children’s lives every year by increasing what they spend on water and sanitation.  Investments in these basic services are engines of economic growth and prosperity in developing countries, but unless we grasp this opportunity we will be failing the millions of poor people whose health, livelihoods and opportunities suffer because they lack these essential services,” said Barbara Frost, WaterAid’s Chief Executive.

The Off-track, off-target report is being published on  (Friday) the day WaterAid launches the Water Works campaign to urge governments across the world to do more to tackle the water and sanitation crisis.

The campaign aims to show world leaders that taps and toilets are simple, effective and affordable, and that investing in these basic human needs is an urgent priority.

On World Toilet Day WaterAid will also join other members of the End Water Poverty campaign in 50 coordinated ‘Crisis Talk’ events in over 20 countries where local groups will be meeting with politicians to discuss the water and sanitation crisis.

All along Mr Mwau has maintained his innocence and declared that his wealth is clean despite what some people within and without Kenya want to believe.

On Wednesday Kenya’s Parliament publicly cleared Mr Mwau and another MP of the allegations of drug trafficking made in a US dossier early this year. The duo were cleared the heinous crime that is responsible for several deaths in Kenya and agony among youths, especially in the Kenyan coast.
Just as Mr Mwau has in the past painstakingly tried to explain, Internal Security assistant minister Orwa Ojodeh told Parliament police had failed to find evidence linking the Kilome MP and his Juja counterpart William Kabogo to the drug trade.

Mr Ojodeh told the August House that after months of investigations, “no evidence” had been found linking Mr Mwau to “contract killings, controlling shipments, human trafficking, corrupt involvement in government contracts and gun-running”.

That despite official inquiries, Kenya had not received any information that pointed to Mr Mwau as a drug dealer.
President Obama signed an executive order under the US Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act in June naming the two Kenyans, among others.

Mr Ojodeh made the statement as he cleared the two MPs of allegations made against them in the dossier given to the Kenya Anti-Corruption Authority by former US ambassador Michael Ranneberger.

The dossier sought investigations against five MPs and Ms Nyakinyua.
Mr Mwau sought the statement from the government, describing the claims as “very grave because drug trafficking is a heinous accusation”.

The Kilome MP asked Mr Ojodeh to make sure that the Drug Enforcement Administration in the US hands over details of the real drug barons in Kenya.
Ms Martha Karua said the government should tell the country who the real drug barons were because as they were investigating, they ought to have discovered who was pulling the strings.

At a past interview, Mr Mwau told Soft Kenya that he has earned his wealth legitimately and allegation in the US dossier is nothing but fabrications.

The hard working MP said he reports to work at around 6am and leaves well past 8pm, and he has developed a strict saving habit that has seen him prosper.

“Seemingly it is a mistake to be born poor…people do not believe that with my background I can succeed hence their only logical explanation about my wealth is that I am a drug peddler,” decried Mr Mwau.

For 40 years, or was it longer, I can’t remember, I did all I could to give people houses, hospitals, schools, and when they were hungry, I gave them food.

I even made Benghazi into farmland from the desert, I stood up to attacks from that cowboy Ronald Reagan, when he killed my adopted orphaned daughter, he was trying to kill me, instead he killed that poor innocent child. Then I helped my brothers and sisters from Africa with money for the African Union.

Lived like a king, killed like a dog, died a bitter but determined man. He accused his people of

I did all I could to help people Understand the concept of real democracy, where people’s committees ran our country. But that was never enough, as some told me, even people who had 10 room homes, new suits and furniture, were never satisfied, as selfish as they were they wanted more.

They told Americans and other visitors, that they needed “democracy” and “freedom” never realizing it was a cut throat system, where the biggest dog eats the rest, but they were enchanted with those words, never realizing that in America, there was no free medicine, no free hospitals, no free housing, no free education and no free food, except when people had to beg or go to long lines to get soup.

No, no matter what I did, it was never enough for some, but for others, they knew I was the son of Gamal Abdel Nasser, the only true Arab and Muslim leader we’ve had since Salah-al-Deen, when he claimed the Suez Canal for his people, as I claimed Libya, for my people, it was his footsteps I tried to follow, to keep my people free from colonial domination – from thieves who would steal from us.

Now, I am under attack by the biggest force in military history, my little African son, Obama wants to kill me, to take away the freedom of our country, to take away our free housing, our free medicine, our free education, our free food, and replace it with American style thievery, called “capitalism” ,but all of us in the Third World know what that means, it means corporations run the countries, run the world, and the people suffer.

So, there is no alternative for me, I must make my stand, and if Allah wishes, I shall die by following His path, the path that has made our country rich with farmland, with food and health, and even allowed us to help our African and Arab brothers and sisters.

I do not wish to die, but if it comes to that, to save this land, my people, all the thousands who are all my children, then so be it.

Let this testament be my voice to the world, that I stood up to crusader attacks of NATO, stood up to cruelty, stoop up to betrayal, stood up to the West and its colonialist ambitions, and that I stood with my African brothers, my true Arab and Muslim brothers, as a beacon of light.

When others were building castles, I lived in a modest house, and in a tent. I never forgot my youth in Sirte, I did not spend our national treasury foolishly, and like Salah-al-Deen, our great Muslim leader, who rescued Jerusalem for Islam, I took little for myself…

In the West, some have called me “mad”, “crazy”, but they know the truth yet continue to lie, they know that our land is independent and free, not in the colonial grip, that my vision, my path, is, and has been clear and for my people and that I will fight to my last breath to keep us free, may Allah almighty help us to remain faithful and free.

– Mu’ummar Qaddafi.

(See Source)

“Circulation is like the sun. It continues to rise in the East and decline in the West,” said Christoph Riess, CEO of WAN-IFRA, who presented the annual survey Thursday at the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum in Vienna, Austria.

The survey found:

- Media consumption patterns vary widely across the globe. Print circulation is increasing in Asia, but declining in mature markets in the West.

- The number of titles globally is consolidating.

- The main decline is in free dailies. “For free dailies, the hype is over,” said Mr Riess.

- For advertisers, newspapers are more time efficient and effective than other media.

- Newspapers reach more people than the internet. On a typical day newspapers
reach 20 percent more people world-wide than the internet reaches, ever.

- Digital advertising revenues are not compensating for the ad revenues lost to print.

- Social media are changing the concept and process of content gathering and dissemination. But the revenue model for news companies, in the social media arena, remains hard to find.

- The business of news publishing has become one of constant updating, of monitoring, distilling and repacking information.

- The new digital business is not the traditional newspaper business.

Mr Riess’s presentation focused on six key areas: the media consumption shift; economic developments; newspaper circulation and number of titles; advertising expenditure by media; newspaper revenue; and internet versus mobile.

This represented a significant shift from past versions of the world press trends survey, which WAN-IFRA has been carrying out since 1988. Long a statistical compendium of information from more than 200 countries, the 2011 report focuses on the 69 countries that account for 90 percent of global industry value in terms of circulation and advertising revenue. “We’re concentrating on value rather than volume, focusing on key numbers in key markets,” said Mr Riess. “Our approach puts a premium on insight over numbers.” This reflects feedback from industry stakeholders, as part of the new WAN/IFRA review. But the survey will continue to monitor all countries.

Media Consumption Shift

When measured in minutes per day, media consumption patterns vary widely. For example, television dominates in the United States, internet accounts for one-third of media time in Austria, and digital gets just a fraction of consumption time in Russia. Time spent with newspapers is low when considering their impact and influence on society, compared with other media – and to their advertising revenues.

“Newspapers have always had a lower percentage of the time spent by the media user, relative to the high advertising revenues that newspapers produce,” said Mr Riess. Newspapers account for 8% of media consumption time, but 20% of all advertising revenue. “We have always been extremely efficient in using the time of our readers. But now we are in a more challenging environment, because readers are more promiscuous, they have more choices, they read newspapers with less frequency. We have to do more to attract them, find new ways to garner loyalty.”

There is no doubt that internet consumption is increasing world-wide, to the cost of broadcast more than other media, the report found. Radio consumption. in terms of minutes per day has fallen 23 percent since 2006, compared to 7 percent for newspapers, it found.

Economic Developments

There appears to be a structural shift in advertising and newspaper revenues. Long mirroring the growth and contraction of Gross Domestic Product, both global advertising revenues and newspaper revenues appear to be decoupling from their patterns related to GDP.

In the 20 years to 2001, advertising revenue increased more than GDP in an upturn, and fell farther than GDP in a downturn. “But this has not been true since the 2001 downturn,” said Mr Riess. “After 2001, we have had good growth in Asia, but, contrary to the previous 20 years, advertising revenues increases were not higher than GDP during a recovery. And we have a greater decoupling of newspaper advertising revenues,  which don’t follow the recovery as in the past. We have a structural change in general, especially in newspapers.”

Newspaper Circulation

Daily print newspaper circulation declined from 528 million in 2009 to 519 million in 2010, a drop of about 2 percent. But what has been lost to print has been more than made up by digital newspaper readers. Digital audiences are typically a third of print readership. So against a 2 percent decline, digital growth is significantly greater.

In fact, when measured in terms of readership, newspapers reach 2.3 billion people every day, 20 percent more than the 1.9 billion that the internet reaches world-wide.

But the significance of this is not the total numbers, but in changes in purchasing patterns. “We get readers, but less regularly,” Mr Riess said. “It’s the same with digital – the problem isn’t visitors, but frequency and depth.” Mr Riess said the patterns required a reconsideration of newspaper subscription models, and of finding new ways to convince readers to come back.

Again, circulation patterns vary greatly world-wide. In the Asia Pacific region, circulations increased 7 percent from 2009 to 2010, and 16 percent over five years. Latin America also saw significant circulation increases – 2 percent last year and 4.5 percent over the past five years. But drops occurred in Europe – 2.5 percent year-on-year and 11.8 percent over five years in Western Europe and 12 percent last year and 10 percent over five years in Eastern and Central Europe. The decreases were greatest in North America, where newspapers have lost 11 percent of circulation year-on-year and 17 percent over five years.

The number of newspaper titles worldwide increased by 200 in 2010, to 14,853, but the rate of increase is slowing due to consolidation in many markets as publishers close unprofitable titles and the number of free newspaper titles decreases worldwide. This was particularly pronounced in Eastern Europe, where freedom of expression led to the creation of numerous titles that were not sustainable economically. The number of newspaper titles declined 4 percent in Eastern Europe in 2010, and 8 percent over 5 years.

In fact, free newspapers took a big hit in 2010 – a drop in total distribution to 24 million copies from a high of around 34 million in 2008. “The hype is over,” said Mr Riess. “In many cities, too many free titles were launched. There were newspaper wars. Now the market is maturing, and though the number of titles has declined, there are still opportunities.

Mr Riess noted that free newspapers have a strong impact on younger audiences. “Free newspapers added energy to our industry,” he said. “They encouraged a lost younger generation to read newspapers, and this was positive.” Audience research across European cities where free newspapers are available shows that readership among 15- to 24 year-olds is 50 percent higher for free dailies than for paid-for dailies.

Newspaper readership is highest in Iceland, where 96 percent of the population reads a daily newspaper, followed by Japan (92 percent), Norway, Sweden and Switzerland (82 percent),  and Finland and Hong Kong (80 percent). Japan is the leader when it comes newspaper sales, with the average circulation of its newspapers at 461,000 – an enormous total. Austria comes second with an average of 162,000 per title.

But bigger isn’t always better, said Mr Riess, noting the worldwide circulation average is about 17,000 per newspaper. “Newspapers are about communities, either of geography or of interest,” he said. “It is in satisfying these communities that newspapers can still flourish.”

Advertising Expenditures by Media

Television continues to be the world’s largest advertising medium, with a total ad expenditure of  180 billion US dollars in 2010. Newspapers were second with 97 billion, followed by internet (62 billion), magazines (43 billion) and radio (32 billion).

But newspapers are lagging behind both television and internet when it comes to growth trends, and internet is outpacing both, the survey found.  Internet advertising grew 22 percent year-on-year in Asia in 2010, compared with 11 percent for television and 3 percent for newspapers. In Europe, internet advertising rose 14 percent from 2009, compared with 9 percent for TV, while newspaper advertising fell 1 percent.

In South America,  internet advertising rose 31 percent year-on-year in 2010, compared with 19 percent for television and 6 percent for newspapers. In North America, internet advertising was up 13 percent and television 8 percent, while newspaper advertising fell 9 percent. Internet’s share of the advertising market has surpassed newspapers in the United States, and will reach newspaper levels in Europe and Asia very soon.

Newspaper Revenues

Newspaper advertising revenues took a big hit in the global recession, but the decline slowed in 2010. Globally, newspaper advertising revenues declined 23 percent over five years and only 3 percent last year.

In North America, newspaper advertising revenues were down 17 percent for the five-year period but increased 1 percent last year. In Western Europe, they were down 12 percent over five years and up 2 percent last year. Eastern Europe saw advertising revenues fall 3 percent over five years and 3 percent last year. In the Asia Pacific, newspaper advertising revenues were down 1 percent over five years but up 4 percent last year. In Latin America, the revenues declined 23 percent over five years and 3 percent last year.

Mobile vs. Internet

Which offers a better business model for newspaper companies – internet or mobile? Again, it depends on the market, said Mr Riess, and there are wide variations around the world.

In Russia, for example, mobile penetration is 130 percent compared with 30 percent for internet, so clearly mobile offers better opportunities. The same goes for India, where 60 percent of its 1 billion population has mobile telephones. In the United States, where the penetration of both mobile and internet is high, both platforms offer opportunities.

The internet advertising model has been well-established, but most of the revenue goes to search engines – 65 percent to Google alone.

On the mobile platform, the paid-content model is well-established, since users accept monthly contracts, pre-paid phones and paid-for apps. But here too, new players – Apple and the mobile operators – take a large share of the revenue. “If we’re not careful in the newspaper industry, they will take away our business,” Mr Riess said.

“But this world isn’t easy, it isn’t either internet or mobile, there will be different ways to use these channels and there will by hybrid ways – like tablets – that will use both the paid content and the advertising models. Every company has to look at its target group and readership, and this group defines how best to reach it. And this has to be reconsidered constantly.”

WAN-IFRA, based in Paris, France, and Darmstadt, Germany, with subsidiaries in Singapore, India, Spain, France and Sweden, is the global organisation of the world’s newspapers and news publishers. It represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries. Its core mission is to defend and promote press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity and the development of prosperous businesses.

Harry Hare Director CIO 100. Reach him via harry.hare@cio.co.ke

The 350 participants in 2010 were drawn from from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The increase in the number of participants also crops from introduction of new awards that include Leadership, Green Edge, Security and CIO of the Year Award, recognising the best CEO in embracing IT.
The competition, themed “Innovation for business value” is expected to attract over 600 participants across East and Central Africa, and will climax with the Awards gala which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya at the Safari Park Hotel & Casino, from the 23rd -25th November 2011; to honor 100 organisations within the region.
The CIO 100 Awards were introduced last year and seek to celebrate organisations that have used information technology in innovative ways to deliver business value.
According to CIO director, Mr Harry Hare, the survey is based on how the companies were able to create competitive advantage, optimising business processes, enabling growth or improving relationships with customers.
“All these awards are competitive and based on a three-month long survey exercise. The Competition commences with an extensive survey where eligible companies submit applications to be evaluated for the award,” said Mr Hare.
With the entry of Rwanda this year, Mr Hare said, the number of government departments participating in the survey are expected to rise significantly, since the country is ahead of the rest in embracing IT technology due to its small size.
The vetting process
A team of judges drawn from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia will review the applications and make initial recommendations about each entrant. Each application will be read by members of the CIO 100 judging panel, who will rate it on a scale for each criterion. Final selections will be confirmed with all scores being kept confidential. The number of entries will ultimately be reviewed to the top 100.

The top  CIO of the year will receive the CIO of the year award, while other participants will receive awards ranging from special, Storage, Infrastructure, green edge, security, networking, leadership, plus one and technology awards.
Over 350 companies participated in last year’s annual competition, with Safaricom (m-pesa, Nairobi stocks exchange and Equity bank (m-kesho) leading the pack, in innovative products. The competition did not leave out higher learning institutions.
Makerere University of Uganda was ranked 5th, Kenyatta University came in the 7th place, Kampala International University at 45th place, while Dar-es salaam University college of education was ranked in the 98th place.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) participated in the survey and received awards due to their levels in automating operations and relations with customers.
The financial sector took 40 per cent of the awards last year, followed by manufacturers and government sectors, which took 10 per cent each. The service sector took 6 per cent of the awards while retail outlets took 2 per cent.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and African leaders like Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki, his Prime Minister Raila Odinga, President Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Jakaya Kiwete of Tanzania were in attendance under a blazing sun as South Sudan President Salva Kiir hosted the noon-hour ceremony.
As reported by Kenya’s Sunday Nation President Salva Kiir Mayardit used the historic occasion of the entry of South Sudan into the world’s community of states to tell his people that they would never again wilfully return to war.
“This is a day that will be forever engraved in our hearts. Citizens in every village and county of South Sudan are celebrating. “We give praise to the Almighty God for making it possible for us to witness this day which we have waited for more than 56 years,” he said.
President Kiir told his war-weary citizens that the new nation, which was home to a conflict that claimed the highest number of civilian casualties since the Second World War, that South Sudan would now be a maker of peace and never a wager of war.
“We will live at peace with our neighbours in the north, east, west and south. We shall be part of endeavours to strive for freedom, dignity and peace.
Read more at the Sunday Nation

And another Kenya’s newspaper, The Standard on Sunday reported thus: a sea of humanity waving miniature flags erupted into delirium to celebrate the birth of a nation, after 21-years of civil war that threatened to throw into uncertainty the future of this oil-rich region.
In an ordinate defiance to Mother Nature, South Sudanese braved the scorching heat and danced, clapped, shouted and beat away drums to mark their secession from the North.
Women clad in South Sudan’s flag wept by the giant statue of liberation hero John Garang De Mabior, some holding bibles and small crosses, invoking God’s name for the blessings of a new baby.

A medley of tunes from all sorts of instruments reflected a poignant frenzy that reached its climax as the country’s flag was hoisted on a 32-metre pole and a three-stanza new anthem sung to signify the birth of the Republic of South Sudan.

Sovereign state
The crowds estimated to be more than 500,000 had trooped to the De Mabior Mausoleum grounds four hours ahead of the ceremony to witness the birth of the world’s newest nation and reflect on the effects the civil war pitting the South against the North; a war triggered by the struggle over control and sharing of resources.
Read the Standard’s version

Sunday Nation
Free at Last: History mad as South Sudan becomes the latest member of family of nations
Standard on Sunday
Ecstacy in Juba as South Sudan joins club of nations
BBC online
South Sudan: World leaders welcome new nation
Leaders across the globe have been sending their congratulations to South Sudan on the day it became the world’s newest nation.
Read more from the BBC

CNN online: South Sudan Celebrates nationhood
South Sudanese celebrate the birth of their nation
Read more here

New York Times: After Years of Struggle, South Sudan Becomes a New Nation
JUBA, South Sudan — The celebrations erupted at midnight. Thousands of revelers poured into Juba’s steamy streets in the predawn hours on Saturday, hoisting enormous flags, singing, dancing and leaping on the back of cars.
“Freedom!” they screamed.
A new nation was being born in what used to be a forlorn, war-racked patch of Africa, and to many it seemed nothing short of miraculous. After more than five decades of an underdog, guerrilla struggle and two million lives lost, the Republic of South Sudan, Africa’s 54th state, was about to declare its independence in front of a who’s who of Africa, including the president of the country letting it go: Omar Hassan al-Bashir of Sudan, a war-crimes suspect.

see more
For the more than 8 million citizens of South Sudan, it will be a momentous and emotional day. In January, they voted in an historic referendum to separate from the rest of Sudan. That they did so peacefully is a credit to both the North and South Sudanese leadership.
Yet nationhood has come at steep cost: A staggering number of lives lost and people displaced in a 21-year civil war that ended only in 2005. When the assembled presidents and prime ministers board their official planes to return home, the challenges that remain will be daunting indeed
Read more in the link

What top leaders said:
US President Barack Obama said in a statement he was “proud to declare that the United States formally recognises the Republic of South Sudan as a sovereign and independent state upon this day, July 9 2011″.
He said: “A proud flag flies over Juba and the map of the world has been redrawn. These symbols speak to the blood that has been spilled, the tears that have been shed, the ballots that have been cast, and the hopes that have been realised by so many millions of people.”
Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir attended and called on the US to end sanctions against his country.
In his speech to the independence ceremony, Mr Bashir said: “We congratulate our brothers in the south for the establishment of their new state. We share their joy and celebration. The will of the people of the south has to be respected.”
He added: “We call on US President Barack Obama to deliver on his commitment he announced to lift the unilateral sanctions on Sudan to open to way to normalise his country’s relations with Sudan.”
UK Prime Minister David Cameron issued a statement recognising South Sudan, saying: “This is an historic day, for South Sudan and the whole of Africa.”
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent a telegram of congratulation and China’s special envoy sent President Hu Jintao’s “warmest congratulations”.
South African President Jacob Zuma said: “We have always aspired to witness the dawn of peace, security and stability prevailing in the whole of the Sudan. That dream is coming to fruition.”
Wearing his trademark black cowboy hat, the South’s new President Salva Kiir was sworn in and pledged better times ahead.
He told guests including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton: “Our martyrs did not die in vain… We have waited for more than 56 years for this day. It is a day that will be forever engraved on our hearts and minds.”
“This is a day that will be forever engraved in our hearts. Citizens in every village and county of South Sudan are celebrating.
“We give praise to the Almighty God for making it possible for us to witness this day which we have waited for more than 56 years,” he said.
President Kiir told his war-weary citizens that the new nation, which was home to a conflict that claimed the highest number of civilian casualties since the Second World War, that South Sudan would now be a maker of peace and never a wager of war.
“We will live at peace with our neighbours in the north, east, west and south. We shall be part of endeavours to strive for freedom, dignity and peace.
“Having been at the receiving end of injustice for the better part of our post-colonial history, the people of South Sudan will never accept to be aggressors.
“We have experienced what it is to be a refugee. We hope that this has been our last war and that our people will never have to leave the country to flee from insecurity,” he said.
Kenya’s President mwai Kibaki said: “I urge North and South Sudan to take advantage of the age-old links they have developed as one entity, to nurture close bilateral relations even as they assume separate sovereign identities. “This will no doubt contribute immensely to consolidating stability in the region.”
Snippets from the crowd
“My whole body feels happy,” said George Garang, an English teacher who lost his father, grandfather and 11 brothers in the war.
By sunrise, the crowds were surging through the streets of Juba, the capital, to the government quarter, where the declaration of independence would be read aloud. Thousands of soldiers lined the freshly painted curbs, tiger patches on their arms, assault rifles in their hands. This new nation is being built on a guerrilla army — the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, whose field commanders are now South Sudan’s political leaders — and the amount of firepower here is unnerving.
By 9 a.m., the sun was dangerous. The faces, necks and arms of the people packed thousands deep around a parade stand built for the occasion were glazed with sweat. A woman abruptly slumped to the dirt and was whisked away.
“She fainted because she’s happy,” said a man in the crowd. “There will be many others today.”
“Our people fought for this day with our blood,” said 14-year-old Samuel Maniak. “This is a great day for all of us.”
Mary Muortat, one of hundreds of former refugees who spent years in exile after their parents were uprooted by the conflict, said citizens of the new nation were not daunted by the task ahead.
“After what we have been through we can no longer be shaken by anything. What others see as insurmountable challenges we view as tasks that are far easier than what we overcame in the past,” she said.
Ms Muortat, who is now a senior government official, is a daughter of Gordon Muortat, one of the founders of the first Anya-Nya war waged by Southern forces in protest at the decision by the British to thrust the North and South together at independence in 1956.
He passed away two years ago but a few other fellow fighters such as Joseph Wagu and Chagai Atem took their place on the podium on Saturday.

In Kenya, where Osama’s terror killed and maimed many in 1998 US embassy bomb attack, there was ‘joy’ with Government Spokesman, Alfred Mutua saying victory for the victims has finally been partly secured. US media reported that Osama bin Laden buried at sea, according to Islamic customs. Mutua said death of Osama Bin Laden is “a defining moment in the fight against terrorism.”

“As a country and a region, we are realistic that terrorism is an ideology that will not end overnight due to Osama Bin Laden’s death but hope that his death will be the beginning of the end of terrorism.

Kenya President Mwai Kibaki said Osama’s death is an “act of justice” .

“On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Kenya I commend all those people behind the successful tracking down and killing of Osama bin Laden,” the President said on Monday in a statement to the Press.

The killing of Osama has taken place nearly thirteen years after the terrorist bombings in Nairobi that led to the death of over two hundred people, in an act believed to have been masterminded by Osama.

“His killing is an act of justice to those Kenyans who lost their lives and the many more who suffered injuries,” sad Kibaki.

The al-Qaeda leader was killed in a ground operation based on US intelligence, the first lead for which emerged last August.

Mr Obama said after “a firefight” US forces took possession of his body.Bin Laden was accused of being behind a number of atrocities, including the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001.

According to the BBC, Mr Obama said he had been briefed last August on a possible lead to Osama Bin Laden’s whereabouts.It led to intelligence that the al-Qaeda leader was hiding in a compound deep within Pakistan.

The president authorised an operation to “get Bin Laden” last week, he said, and on Sunday a small team of US forces undertook the operation.After a “firefight” Bin Laden was killed and his body taken by US forces, the president said.-Reads the BBC report in part

Former US President Bill Clinton said in a statement: “This is a profoundly important moment not just for the families of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in al-Qaeda’s other attacks but for people all over the world who want to build a common future of peace, freedom, and cooperation for our children.”

Mr Clinton’s successor, President George W Bush, described the news as a “momentous achievement”.

“The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done,” Mr Bush said in a statement.

“Those who think they have a big voice through the media, western embassies and their allies should know that the only important voice is that of Kenyans and the voice of the people is the voice of God, and they have seen that today…We are here to ask you to be together so that we bring peace because no European will do so,” -Uhuru Kenyatta at Uhuru Park, Monday

“All nations encounter challenges, but what matters is the ability to manage and overcome those challenges and I assure you Kenya will become one united country very soon,” -Kalonzo Musyoka ata Uhuru Park

“Never again will Kenyans fight because of politics of competition,” -William Ruto at Uhuru Park, Monday

“I want to advise the media if Kenya bleeds you bleed too and therefore don’t give false reports,” -Eugene Wamalwa at Uhuru Park, Monday

“I went to The Hague to look for Moreno-Ocampo and ask him whey he never asked me who started the chaos because I know. But maybe I will look for him next time,” -Isaac Ruto

“All Kenyans are at Uhuru Park today and the change in leadership of this country will be found here,” Tourism Minister Najib Balala at Uhuru Park, Monday

“We are with you all the way and you will never walk alone,”-Sally Kosgey telling Uhuru and Ruto at Uhuru Park, Monday

MPs are promoting tribalism in employment at the Civil Service and should keep off the vice,”-NCIC Chairman, Mzalendo Kibunja on Monday.

Journalism is fun. You are always on top of news, people respect you and think you wield a lot of power but little do they know the intrigues involved. True, some journalists, especially in Africa are poorly paid. This makes some of them to be vulnerable to corruption and misdemeanor.

Then comes suspicion. Everywhere you go, people think you are up to no good. Your may spur hatred and invite enmity…in the name of writing. You may build characters, shutter careers and dreams…in the name of writing.

Sometimes the trade can drain you dry. You may lack time for yourself. Your social life can be jeopardized as you muddle across the murky waters of politics. Sometimes you are forced to work extra hours and walk extra miles to ensure your audience is properly fed. It needs a thick skin.

From my experience though, integrity is the last thing a journalist should forsake. Money should never be the motivation to write but passion should. That is why I will always write to enlighten, inform and touch souls…fearless and void of  ‘your’ interferences.

Mars Group claims parliament has approved the 2010/2011 budget with a lot of inaccuracies and errors.
The budget includes what Mars Group considers to be a deliberately deflated budget deficit, double entries regarding Appropriation in Aid and Grants, miscalculated aggregates besides erroneous figures of revenue anticipated from key state corporations and parastatals.
In its audit of the 2010/2011 budget the group alleges the statistical and mathematical errors in this financial year’s estimates were designed to mislead the world about the actual size of Kenya’s budget deficit, foreign debt and create the impression the Finance ministry can finance a trillion shillings budget with minimal foreign support.

The group now lays the blame on “lazy” beauracrats at Treasury, parliament’s Budget Office and MPs’ reluctance/inability to scrutinise estimates in detail before approving them.

Mars Group’s Executive Director Mwalimu Mati said in Nairobi yesterday that parliament has ignored yearly reports by the Controller and Auditor General since raising questions on revenue accounts at the Finance ministry and blamed the lack of scrutiny on conflict of interest.

Fiscal Management Act 2000

He said the Fiscal Management Act 2009 requires parliament to solve all pending queries from the previous budget before approving new ones and argued that the office of Auditor and Controller General has been rendered unstable by frequent personnel changes and retirements.
Since 2007, Mati alleges that the Kenya National Audit Office has excluded these accounts from its general certificate due to lingering audit queries.

Mati says figures uttered by Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta at the budget indicate he intends to raise Sh688.5 billion in revenue including Sh609billion in ordinary revenue and Sh78.9billion in Appropriations in Aid AIA.

“However if one reads the detailed estimates of revenue laid in the House the revenue target changes…,” says Mati who says the A in A has been changed to Sh28.4billion and ordinary revenue adjusted upwards by 0.7billion.

“There is a clear difference of Sh51.5 billion in target of revenue.”
He says these erroneous revenue targets have grave implications on the overall budget deficit which Uhuru stated to be Sh167.2billion but Mati alleges should be adjusted to Sh215billion.
Mati argues that the mathematics justifying the Sh167.2 billion does not add up because expected receipts from laid estimates, to finance the Sh998billion budget are Sh783.8billion and not Sh831.6billion as alleged by the minister.
The difference between the projected overall expenditure at Sh998billion and the Sh783billion makes the budget deficit rise to Sh215.1billion, according to Mati’s math.
Mati also argues that there is a double entry of Sh22.9 billion in A in A treated as grants from foreign governments and direct payments at the same time.
The analysyt also suggests that the Sh78.8billion listed as A in A is not fully accounted for and adds that the budget grossly understates anticipated revenues for the 2010/2011 financial year from the Kenya Electricity Generation Company Limited KenGen, Kenya Power and Lighting KPLC, Kenya Forestry Services Board, Kenya Airports Authority KPA and Athi Water Services by way of calculation mistakes.
For KenGen Mati shows that the budget understated expected revenue by Sh1.65billion from wrong mathematics, by Sh3.2billion for KPLC, by Sh2.08billion for the Kenya Forest Services Board, by Sh3.45billion for KPA and by Sh4.7billion for Athi Water Services.