Kenyan diaspora up in arms over raised passport fees

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 27 2018   

Kenyan passport. This current generation will be used till 2019. PHOTO | EMMA NZIOKA | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Kenyans living in the US have been hit hardest by the new regulations that require them to pay twice as much as is charged locally for a passport.
• Kenyans in Canada and US who spoke to Nation on phone said they were unhappy.
• “This is a clear move by a corrupt government that has run out of money and ideas on how to create wealth to improve the welfare of Kenyans,” said Mr Anthony Muhula, a Kenyan resident of Montreal, Canada.

By CHRIS WAMALWA

Kenyans living abroad are up in arms over government decision to raise passport fees for the Diaspora.

In the changes made to the Citizenship and Immigration Regulations by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on January 18, Kenyans in diaspora will pay nearly double the amounts fellow citizens are charged for the travel documents.

'UNHAPPY'

Kenyans living in the US have been hit hardest by the new regulations that require them to pay twice as much as is charged locally for a passport.

Kenyans in Canada and US who spoke to Nationon phone said they were unhappy.

“This is a clear move by a corrupt government that has run out of money and ideas on how to create wealth to improve the welfare of Kenyans,” said Mr Anthony Muhula, a Kenyan resident of Montreal, Canada.

Why men date but never marry extremely beautiful women

L

| By Silas Nyanchwani

​ ​

• The pizza or burger in a fast food joint has no resemblance to the one on the huge signage or poster on its walls. 
• That is a fact of life. Here is another one: beautiful women are like that burger on the poster, always good on the eye, the heart yearns for her until you get her and you wonder why did you exactly bother?

I can confidently state here that extremely gorgeous women are never half-worth the trouble they put men through. There is always something fatally wrong with them. Actually, many men are often painfully aware of this fact, the reason even players and seemingly handsome men will go for the most average woman when it comes to serious dating or marriage.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23 2018    

 

 

Oil tankers delivering fuel to Uganda queue at Busia Kenya border. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Officials from both countries say the crossing has eased the pain of doing business since it started operations last July.
• Previously, one needed to queue on one side of the border, get cleared then line up again at the corresponding side to be allowed to carry on. 
• Travellers take an average of 37 minutes to clear, down from the double queues that consume at least an hour and 26 minutes.

By AGGREY MUTAMBO
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By GAITANO PESSA
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Busia town once had only dust and rickety passenger bicycles for identity.

Then transit trucks started to pile up as Uganda stabilised and trade with Kenya improved, averaging Sh50 billion a year. 

Clearing agents and restaurant owners were happy.

“We were doing well. Trucks taking goods to Uganda could give us good business. We did their paperwork as they relaxed, of course for a fee,” Innocent Masiga, the local chairman of an association of clearing agents said.

US evangelist Billy Graham - one of the most influential preachers of the 20th Century - has died aged 99.

Billy Graham: Influential US evangelist dies at 99

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Image captionGraham died at his home in North Carolina

Graham became one of the best-known promoters of Christianity, beginning his worldwide mission in large arenas in London in 1954. 

He died at his home in Montreat, North Carolina, a spokesman for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said.

In a 60-year career, he is estimated to have preached to hundreds of millions of people.

Graham reached millions of them through TV - the first to use the medium to convey the Christian message on that scale. 

Court rules President Kenyatta can’t be prosecuted

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 20 2018

President Uhuru Kenyatta.

In Summary

• A youth group, enjoined as interested party said under international law, a sitting President, Heads of governments and Ambassadors are immune to any form of suit.

By GALGALO BOCHA

The High Court Tuesday ruled that a criminal or civil proceeding cannot be instituted against a President over performance of his duties during his tenure.

Subsequently, Justice Chacha Mwita struck out President Uhuru Kenyatta’s name from a case filed by activist Okiya Omtatah challenging his decision to appoint Chief Administrative Secretaries and Principal Secretaries.

Questions To Ask Yourself Before Ending A Relationship

LIFESTYLE

We’ve all been there at some point or another – wondering if we should call quits on a relationship, or just stick it out in hopes that things will improve eventually.

Ultimately, it comes down and to asking yourself a few key questions first before you make a firm decision; a little introspection and talking through the situation with yourself can go a long way in helping you make the right choice for your life.

Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe opposition leader, dies aged 65

Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has died aged 65. He had been suffering from colon cancer for at least two years, but his condition deteriorated rapidly in recent days despite treatment in neighbouring South Africa.

The Luo and their ‘love’ for violence

By Kenyatta Otieno

There is something the late Benga maestro Okatch Biggy’s music did to my heartstrings. There is something in his music that brings out the Luo from the depth of his heart – of romance, politics, hot air, good life, grandeur and sweet nothings. Okatch’s scintillating music, with sublime, liberating vulgar lyrics, pulled Luo men into a convoy every Friday to Kisumu. If anyone wanted the way to the core of Luo psyche, Okatch represented that. Since his death in late seventies, no Benga musician has managed to take the Luo hostage like he did.

Outrage as State ejects Miguna Miguna

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7 2018    

 

 

Lawyer Miguna Miguna. He was placed into a flight leaving Nairobi for Amsterdam on Tuesday night. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By NATION REPORTER
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Self-proclaimed National Resistance Movement (NRM) “general” Miguna Miguna was on Tuesday night 'deported' from Kenya to Canada.

Mr Miguna was put into a KLM flight departing Nairobi for Amsterdam minutes to 10pm, his lawyer John Khaminwa said.

“We are reliably informed that Miguna Miguna has been forced into a KLM flight for “deportation” to Canada. Now, how do you deport a Kenyan? This Country has been overrun by criminals,” another lawyer Nelson Havi wrote on Twitter.

JARAMOGI'S CURSE TO HIS SON​

When Raila stormed with hired goons into Ford Kenya Delegate conference which his father was chairing and started heckling him almost putting everything to a stand still his father who was irritated told him "Amolo,shut up! and tell those youths to go away".

Unfortunately Raila insisted to be heard,in his mind Raila thought his father was too old to be the chairman and Ford Kenya leader and wanted to inherit him by force.

With that in mind his goons continued shouting his father down with all blessings from Raila and that's when Jaramogi got more furious told Raila this.

"Amolo it's good that you have found it worth to disrupt this conference.

Remember,I started this struggle since independence, way before you were even born.

I have fought Kenyatta and Moi but never succeeded, am still struggling now to be the president of Kenya up to now.

I want to tell you this,if your intention is to sink me down for a take over you will also struggle until your sunset days trying to be the president, and you will never be.
That's the curse Raila is struggling with.

Co-leaders’ absence punctures Nasa post-oath agenda

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3 2018   

 

Nasa leaders hold a media briefing at Okoa Kenya offices in Nairobi on February 1, 2018. They said they are still united. PHOTO | DENNIS KAVISU 

In Summary

• Ms Odhiambo concluded by declaring the party will back Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s presidential candidature. 
• The Wiper party is still sulking over what members regard as unfair distribution of slots in parliamentary committees.

By OSCAR OBONYO
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It was meant to be a joyous historic occasion installing Raila Amolo Odinga and Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka as the “people’s president” and “people’s deputy president”.

But the absence of Mr Musyoka and Nasa co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Moses Wetang’ula from last Tuesday’s “swearing-in” at Nairobi’s Uhuru Park has punctured the Opposition’s political flight despite a public display of unity later in the week.  

With the actions of Mr Musyoka, Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula attracting the wrath of Opposition supporters, the Nasa bus has effectively been slowed down as its leadership instead engages in damage control antics and public displays of unity. 

Mr Odinga himself is not looking presidential as anticipated by supporters – thanks to the turn of events.

CONDEMNATION

He is more engrossed in extinguishing small political fires being lit in his corner and defending his co-principals at ordinary press conferences. 

And the “people’s president”, whose deputy is yet to be sworn in, has also been compelled to come out in defence of the lawyers who administered the oath to him. 

Ideally, whether or not the Musyoka-Mudavadi-Wetang’ula trio have good reasons for skipping the Tuesday event, the development has greatly slowed down the post-swearing-in momentum and poisoned relations among the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Wiper Democratic Party, Amani National Congress (ANC) and Ford-Kenya coalition partners. 

The action by the trio has attracted the ire of some supporters, including Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary-general Francis Atwoli, who has dismissed the Nasa co-principals as irredeemable cowards and political opportunists. 

According to the vocal unionist, Tuesday was a test for Kenyans “to see some of the political opportunists who would vanish when there is a risk to take”.

ASSASSINATION
But emphasising that the issue at hand was not a light matter, co-chairman of Nasa’s steering committee Mr Johnson Muthama exonerates the Nasa co-principals from the tag of “cowards”.

Without singling out a specific leader, the former senator claims they received intelligence reports on planned assassination of Nasa leaders and the withdrawal of bodyguards of some of the co-principals sent a chilling message to those who were affected.   

Opposition leaders could lose their passports

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3 2018   

 

 

Mr George Kinoti, now Director of Criminal Investigations, speaks during a meeting with broadcasters at Hilton Hotel on August 2, 2017. He has disclosed that detectives are investigating other serious offences like arming civilians. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• The Advisory Committee argued that the State must not allow the Nasa politicians to create mayhem and then flee the country. 
• It is this right of citizens to hold a passport that is likely to be used to challenge any suspension of the travel document in court.

By SUNDAY NATION TEAM
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At least 10 opposition leaders could have their passports suspended as the Jubilee administration intensifies its crack down on those involved in the “swearing-in” of Nasa chief Raila Odinga as the “people’s president” on Tuesday, the Sunday Nation has learnt. 

Multiple sources at the Interior ministry and the Directorate of Immigration and Registration of Persons, who spoke in confidence, said letters addressed to some of those affected were signed on Friday, ready to be dispatched from Nairobi’s Nyayo House in a move that is likely to trigger legal questions.