Elkanah Odembo's Tenure as Kenya's Ambassador to the U.S. Ends

The Kenyan embassy in Washington, DC has announced the end of H.E. Elkanah Odembo’s tour of duty as Kenya’s ambassador to the United States.

Ambassador Jean Kamau, currently serving as the Deputy Chief of Mission, will act as Charge d'Affaires until a new Chief of Mission is named by President Uhuru Kenyatta and approved the parliament.

Ambassador Odembo has served as Kenya’s top envoy in Washington since July, 2010, and was one of the country’s ambassadors and high commissioners recalled in June by President Uhuru Kenyatta (READ: Some of Kenya's Envoys Abroad Recalled, Told to Leave Missions by Mid-July).

The embassy released the message below as the staff bid farewell to Odembo and his family:

Ambassador Odembo arrived in the United States in July 2010 to take up his Ambassadorial duties as the Kenyan Ambassador to Washington DC after having served a term of one year and a half as Kenya's Ambassador to France.

During Ambassador Odembo's three years in Washington DC he will be remembered for opening up the Embassy to members of the Diaspora and for his initiative to form the Kenya Diaspora Councils (KDCs) which was to act as a platform for the Diaspora to engage amongst themselves and with the Embassy.

The Ambassador also encouraged members of the Diaspora to engage in advocacy work in order to strengthen congressional ties and bring attention to issues affecting Kenyans in the US.

Ambassador Odembo will also be remembered for his passion for sports in which he ensured that the Mission was actively involved with visiting Kenyan athletes, organizers of Marathon's, Road races, and Kenya Rugby Sevens.

Members of staff wish Ambassador Odembo and his family all the best in their future endeavors.

SISTA KATOLIKI ABAKWA NA KUNDI LA WANAUME WATATU WIKI NZIMA...

Sista aliye mafunzoni ametekwa na kubakwa kwa wiki nzima na kundi la wanaume watatu katika kile kinachohisiwa kuwa ni shambulio la kulipiza kisasi, vyombo vya habari nchini India vimeripoti.

Sista huyo mwenye miaka 22 alidaiwa kutekwa kwenye stesheni ya treni na binamu zake na kisha kushikiliwa mateka na kubakwa kwa zaidi ya siku kadhaa sababu waliishutumu familia yake kwa kifo cha baba yao.
Ni tukio la karibu kabisa katika mfululizo wa mashambulio ya ubakaji nchini India mwaka huu tangu mwanafunzi alipobakwa na kundi la wanaume na kufa kutokana na majeraha yake ya kutisha ndani ya basi la Delhi Desemba mwaka jana.
Sista huyo aliwaeleza polisi alikuwa akutane na binamu zake kwenye stesheni ya treni karibu na Chennai, huko Tamil Nadu, kusini mwa India, baada ya kudai kwamba mama yao alikuwa anaumwa.
Hatahivyo, anasema alichukuliwa hadi kijiji cha jirani ambako alishambuliwa mara kadhaa.
Watuhumiwa hao baadaye walimrejesha kwenye stesheni hiyo na kumwonya asiripoti tukio hilo.
Binamu wa mwanamke huyo, Jotindra Sobhasundar mwenye miaka 30, na Tukuna Sobhasundar mwenye miaka 28, walikamatwa Jumapili, kwa mujibu wa ripoti.
Mtuhumiwa wa tatu alikamatwa Jumatatu baada ya mfululizo wa makimbizano katika wilaya ya Kandhamal.
Vyombo vya habari za mjini humo vilisema kaka wa Sista huyo alihojiwa kuhusiana na mauaji ya mmoja wa watuhumiwa.
Shambulio hilo lilidaiwa kutokea kati ya Julai 5 na 11 lakini likatangazwa hadharani wiki hii.
Tukio hilo limelaaniwa vikali na Rais wa Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki nchini India.
Kardinali Oswald Gracias, alinukuliwa akisema: "Ubakaji huu wa makundi ni ugaidi wa kimwili na kihisia.
Pia alizishutumu wakala za serikali kwa 'kukwepa wajibu wao'.

High Court to decide Kethi’s fate Friday

We dare you! Teachers scoff at Kaimenyi

KNUT chairperson Wilson Sossion flanked by acting Secretary General Muzo Nzili

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 16 – The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has scoffed at a return to work order by Education Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi and has dared the government to live up to its threats.
The union’s Second Vice National Chairman Wycliffe Omucheyi told Capital FM News on Tuesday morning that teachers will not resume work, insisting that they went on strike for a purpose which has not been fulfilled.
Omucheyi laughed off Kaimenyi’s threats of disciplinary action, saying such threats in the past were just hot air.
“Haven’t they ever made such similar threats before? And they have had no real effects. Teachers went on strike with a purpose and that purpose has not yet been achieved. Do you expect us to go back to class?” he quipped.
The government on Monday ordered teachers to resume their duties or face the sack.
“If you choose not to remain in work, you have sacked yourself. And we shall take appropriate disciplinary action. If you abandon duty, you will be deemed to have absconded and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken in line with the law,” Education Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi had said.
It is now a wait-and-see situation on whether the teachers will heed Kaimenyi’s order or will maintain their hard-line stance.
In the meantime a cross section of Kenyans expressed different opinions on the stance taken by the teachers.
Speaking to Capital FM News, a few of those interviewed encouraged teachers to stand their ground and not to be cowed by any threats.
“Teachers also need to be considerate in that if somebody asks you to negotiate you have to give that a chance, go to the table, discuss issues and forge a way ahead,” a parent whose child is a candidate stated.
“The teachers should be reasonable because the children are really suffering out here. They are not reading and in the end there is going to be an examination which they might fail,” she said.
The nationwide teachers’ strike is now in its fourth week after the top decision-making organ of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) rejected the government’s offer of Sh17 billion.
KNUT Secretary General Mudzo Nzili said the National Executive Council (NEC) will only take a vote to end the strike once the government puts a better offer on the table.
Nzili said the government had offered to pay them Sh12 billion in commuter allowances in two phases; the first phase coming into effect July 1 and the second in 2014 but the union’s executive council rejected the offer saying the entire amount should be paid in full before the strike can be called off.
The NEC also demanded that a housing allowance offer totalling Sh29 billion be put on the table.