In recent months, we’ve heard of so many proposed skyscrapers that are tipped to tilt the Africa height balance to Nairobi.
A few years ago, there was talk of a 70 storey structure in Upper Hill dubbed The One. It would have been Africa’s tallest skyscraper but not much has been heard of it since.
Then there was Jabavu Village Ltd which had reportedly submitted a proposal to NEMA to build a total of 75 floors, split in two blocks. Tower 1, set to be the tallest in the country, would have 45 floors with Tower 2 having 30 floors. The building would have been constructed on a 2.5 acre plot at the junction of Upper Hill Road and Haile Selassie Avenue, but again, nothing has been heard since news broke in October last year.
Jabavu Village
Of course construction is already underway to transform Hazina Trade Centre into the tallest structure in the country, standing at 39 floors. It is believed this milestone will be achieved next year.
Britam is also building their headquarters in Upper Hill – a 31 floor glass skyscraper.
Britam Tower
Of course this is just next to the nearly completed KCB Plaza.
KCB Plaza
And the Prism Tower
And not very far from UAP Tower.
Via @namuks
Now, Arcon Group is planning to put up a 66 floor tower in Upper Hill, dubbed Upperhill Squre.
This is how they describe it on their website.
Africa’s visionary project, Upperhill Square is located in Upper Hill, which is one of Africa’s most sought after commercial business districts. This iconic and hitherto unparalleled development will be Nairobi’s iconic landmark and is poised to be one of the tallest towers in Africa. It comprises of 66 floors standing at a height of approximately 290 metres. The project is set on a 2.3 acre property and comprises of approximately 16,000 square meters of retail space, a 200 key premier mid-scale business hotel (Akwa Premier), 356 residential apartments and approximately 16,000 square meters of commercial office space. At the apex of the tower will be a viewing deck of 1,500 square meters and a Private Members Club.
Arcon is also building the 18 storey Pan African Life Assurance building along Waiyaki Way, and the Arboretum Square.
Here are some renders for Upperhill Square.
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By Eric Ng’eno
For long, Raila Odinga has styled himself as a champion of our new constitutional dispensation and the midwife of the constitution. In fact, prior to the referendum, Raila Odinga went to town with the virtues of the constitution. It is, therefore, quite dismaying to observe his discomfort over its implementation and observance. It is becoming quite obvious that Raila Odinga is acquainting himself with the Supreme Law for the first time years after its promulgation.
First of all, the Constitution is Agenda 4 of the National Accord in concrete, living, comprehensive form. Agenda 4 cannot be implemented outside the constitution.
Finally, the war on graft is off on a strong, systematic and large-scale footing. Understandably, the loudest protests against the President’s recent move are from those who have skeletons in their closets. As a co-principal of the immediate former administration, Raila Odinga’s office was frequently buffeted by enormous scandals where Kenya lost lots of money. The Kazi Kwa Vijana and Maize scandals are just two of these colossal frauds on the people of Kenya. This is the source of Mr Odinga’s discomfort. Discrediting the anti-corruption process is, therefore, at the heart of his short-, medium- and long-term personal interest.
So apprehensive is he that he has deliberately misconstrued the plain meaning of Article 254(2) of the constitution. He is splitting legal hair so finely that he has missed the wood for the trees. For the record, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has not taken issue nor disowned any part of the report. The report was duly submitted to the President and to Parliament in accordance with the Supreme Law. Mr Odinga is not opposing the war on corruption on any meaningful point of principle, or as a matter of public interest. He is not standing with the people.
The President’s apology, on behalf of the present and past governments in connection with various known injustices, was appropriate and welcomed by Kenyans. There is a clear process to proceed with the justice and accountability agenda in regard to these injustices through restitution, restorative justice and reconciliation. The apology was for many gross and regrettable offences against the Kenyan public, some of which Mr Odinga is intimately associated with. The 1982 attempted coup and 2007 post-election violence are some of the matters to which closure will never happen without Mr Odinga standing before the nation and explaining himself.
In the Grand Coalition Government, Mr. Odinga was big on stepping aside as a remedy for perceived integrity lapses in government. All of a sudden, he sees the process as cruel and a joke.
Mr. Odinga’s self-contradiction, obviously defective and deceptive take on the law, evasion of accountability for his role in various matters of grave national concern and constant nay-saying are nothing but the tantrums of a leader whose ideology, strategy and understanding of the aspirations of Kenyans has been overtaken by time. He is out of step with the temper of the moment. He no longer speaks the same language with the people of Kenya. He has lost it.
A 50-year-old man killed himself following a quarrel with his wife over failing to make enough food to satisfy him.
The father of ten identified as Samuel Otieno Abuya, is said to have consumed Gladiator, a termite pesticide, after a quarrel that almost turned violent with his wife and family at Migosi Village in Gem, Siaya County.
Trouble began when his wife prepared Ugali for the family but the potion became too small to satisfy her husband.
Otieno is then said to have lost his temper and chased his family out of the homestead by pelting them with stones.
The family is reported to have gone back home only to find the head of the family dead.
Neighbours say the family has had many wrangles, with the man said to have been spending most of his money on alcohol.
Neighbours say they had to help the wife with feeding the large family as a result of the man's behaviour.
Police collected the body of the deceased and took it to Yala Mortuary and are carrying further investigations into the incident.
The Ethic and Anti-Corruption Commission ( EACC) report was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. Members of Parliament (MPs) mentioned in the graft report are:
Ganze MP Peter Shehe is accused of misappropriating Constituency Development Fund and flouting of public procurement and disposal regulation.
Lamu West MP Julius Ndegwa is under probe over claims that he unilaterally awarded seven tenders to his cronies. It is alleged the Tender Committee was not involved in the award of these tenders. The Tender Committee only got to know of the award when the sites were handed over to the contractors on 7th and 8th August 2014.
Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter is accused of breaching of chapter 6 of the Constitution and intimidation of public officers while executing their duties.
Nominated MP Sonia Birdi is also facing accusations of breaching chapter 6 of the Constitution and intimidation of public officers while executing their duties.
Mt Elgon MP John Serut is under investigations over fraudulent acquisition of public money belonging to Chepkurkur SA Primaty School in Mt Elgon.
Former Kangundo MP and current Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama is accused of corruptionat the Kangundo CDF for water and road projects in the year 2012. Sh57 million for rural access was embezzled while Kyaume/Ngonda village water supply is incomplete.
Kitutu Chache Richard Onyonka is facing allegations of abuse of office in the purchase of sugar for IDPs from Chemelil Sugar Company by use of CDF.
Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture is also listed in the EACC graft list with allegations that members of the committee received Sh60 million in form of bribes so as to expunge the former manager’s names report on the sugar sub-sector.
According to the report, it is alleged that Koskei allocated permits to some business people to import sugar without going through open tendering and against the procurement laws of Kenya and the policy under COMESA rules.
Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu
Information alleging that she , in collusion with Mr Evason Waitiki owner of Waitiki farm in Likoni, inflated the actual market price for the land by Sh110 million.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau
He is alleged to have inflated the Standard Gauge Railway consultancy fees involving billions of shillings through APEC firm.
Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir is alleged to be perpetrating corruption in the ministry’s tenders and procurement process. He is accused of working to ensure that corrupt deals in the energy sector are successfully executed.
Ministry of Labour’s Kazungu Kambi is allegedly involved in corruption deals at NSSF which falls under his docket. Kambi has come out strongly in support of the NSSF Tassis II project despite clear indications that the Board of Trustees did not approve the project’s revised cost estimate of Sh5053 billion from Sh3.304 billion as required by procurement laws and that the alleged approval by way of email circulation was improper and irregular.
Interviewed in the new Paris Match magazine he is asked about the widely mooted idea of black British actor Idris Elba becoming the next 007.
'A few years ago, I said that [black actor] Cuba Gooding Jnr would make an excellent Bond, but it was a joke!' replies Sir Roger, 87, who starred in seven Bond movies between 1973 and 1985.
'Although James may have been played by a Scot, a Welshman and an Irishman, I think he should be "English-English",' he continues.
'Nevertheless, it's an interesting idea, but unrealistic.'
Bond? Might Sir Roger Moore be even more politically incorrect than his old alter ego James Bond by saying Idris Elba (pictured) can not play the role because he isn't 'English English'
Controversy: A few years ago, I said that Cuba Gooding Jnr would make an excellent Bond, but it was a joke!' replies Sir Roger Moore (pictured)
The Scot who played Bond was Sean Connery, the Welshman was Timothy Dalton and the Irishman was Pierce Brosnan.
But just what is it that prevents Elba from being 'English-English', Roger? He was born in Hackney, raised in East Ham, schooled in Canning Town, started work in Dagenham and he supports Arsenal.
How much more of an Englishman could he be? Even the fictional hero of Ian Fleming's novels was of mixed parentage.
He was born in Zurich in the early Twenties to Andrew Bond of Glencoe and Monique Delacroix, from the Canton de Vaud in Switzerland.
Elba, who made his name as a crime lord in the U.S. TV series The Wire, has long been talked about as the favourite to succeed current Bond Daniel Craig.
In an email leaked by hackers, Amy Pascal, then co-chairwoman of Sony Pictures, producer of the Bond franchise, wrote: 'Idris should be the new Bond.'
'English English': Previous Bond actor Sean Connery (left) was Scottish, Timothy Dalton (centre) was Welsh and Pierce Brosnan (right) was Irish
Even Craig nominated Elba as his successor, saying he was the only man to replace him, and Skyfall actress Naomie Harris let slip that Elba has had talks with Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.
If he succeeded Craig, Elba would become the first black 007. Elba has admitted he would love to land the role, but says he has 'been advised to pipe down'.
'If they thought I was self-campaigning it would be such a turn-off,' he said.
Nor is he so keen on the term 'black Bond'. 'We don't say 'white Bond', we just say 'Bond',' said Elba. 'So I hate that phrase.'
I wonder what he would make of the phrase 'English-English'.
World champion Lewis Hamilton expects to sign a new Mercedes contract this week that could be worth more than £27m a year.
The 30-year-old Briton, who has been handling negotiations with team bosses himself, says talks are complete and the deal is being finalised by lawyers.
Hamilton said: "It should be done this week. There is no reason it shouldn't.
"Honestly, it's 99.6% done. There's no negotiating left, it's just legal stuff."
BBC Sport has learned Hamilton, who joined Mercedes in 2013 after six years with McLaren, will earn about the same as he did under his first contract with the German team - a basic salary, paid in US dollars, of $31m (£20.9m) plus extensive bonuses.
Depending on how many races he wins, and whether he becomes world champion, these bonuses could easily take his annual earnings well over $40m (£27m).
The overall value of Hamilton's deal is fundamentally similar to F1's two other big earners and multiple champions, McLaren's Fernando Alonso and Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.
Alonso is being paid $40m a year by McLaren and Honda for the duration of the three-year deal he has signed, which runs until 2017.
Vettel will earn a one-off $50m (£33.7m) in his first season with Ferrari in 2015 but less after that, according to senior sources.
The figure for this season is high because the German secured a deal that, for one year only, he would have all possible bonuses he could earn guaranteed, as a kind of golden handshake for joining the team.
After 2015, Vettel will revert to a basic salary of about $30m (£20.4m), with bonuses defined for wins and championship titles, according to sources close to Ferrari.
Hamilton, who leads the championship by three points from Vettel after two races this season, said the German's win for Ferrari in Malaysia on Sunday was a reminder that Mercedes would not have things their own way this year.
"It has given us a pinch to suggest, 'Oh, OK, we've got a race on our hands,'" he said.
"We're a racing team, and we will be quicker in the next race. We'll manage; we'll be absolutely fine.
"Ferrari are too close to us in the championship, so we'll work very hard to analyse what we learned and apply it so it doesn't happen again at the next race."
Hamilton said that after Vettel's victory, his thoughts turned to Alonso, who left Ferrari at the end of last season after losing faith that they could provide him with a competitive car. Last season was Ferrari's least successful for 21 years.
Vettel was only able to join Ferrari for this season because Alonso left after five years with the team, negotiating an early exit from a contract that was intended to run until 2016.
McLaren are struggling this season, qualifying at the back largely because of the lack of competitiveness of the brand new Honda engine.
Hamilton said: "I was sitting next to Sebastian and I thought to myself: 'What is Fernando thinking?'
"I remember when I left McLaren and joined Mercedes, we were better the next year. I had a good feeling then.
"But he's almost done the opposite of what I did. It could have been him (winning in Malaysia). It's just strange how things turn out."
Kabete by-election candidate Ferdinand Waititu prepares to address Juja Town residents after President Kenyatta gave him the chance to speak. PHOTO | RAPHAEL NJOROGE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
MPs and ward representatives opposed to Mr Kabogo’s leadership believe Mr Waititu can tame the governor, whom they accuse of chest-thumping and belittling them.
The leaders say the combative politician, who has said he will seek to oust Mr Kabogo in the 2017 General Election, as a “saviour” and believe he will tame the governor’s “arrogance”.
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwa, who is a strong critic of the county leadership, says Mr Waititu will make a good match for Mr Kabogo, and will be “a plus in their fight for accountability and transparency”.
“Those who have been calling me an inexperienced and test-tube politician have now found the father of politics,” says Mr Ichungwa.
He says the effect of Mr Waititu’s entry into the county politics is already being felt.
“He is now doing cosmetic and belated attempts to hoodwink the electorate that he is working by dishing out jobs in rallies, awarding bursaries and officiating old projects,” says the MP of Mr Kabogo.
PLOT TO IMPEACH
The Rev Ezbon Ngaruiya, the chairman of Kenya Anglican Men Association in Mount Kenya South, says county leaders will hang on Mr Waititu to fight the “bull”.
“County leaders who tried to tame the governor will team up with Waititu, who matches Kabogo,” he says.
The county has 13 MPs and the governor only enjoys a cordial relationship with Woman Representative Anna Nyokabi and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, while Githunguri legislator Njoroge Baiya has kept off the region’s politics.
At the county assembly, nearly half of the ward representatives are opposed to the governor.
Last November, the MCAs hatched a plot to impeach him, accusing him of gross misconduct and abuse of office.
Ngewa MCA Karungo wa Thang’wa says Mr Waititu is a plus in the anti-Kabogo team, saying he has what it takes to take the bull by the horns.
“Waititu will be a father figure, which we have lacked in Kiambu politics. He has the experience, which we have been told we do not have,” Mr Than’gwa says.
Ndumberi MCA Ngugi Uiru says Mr Waititu’s entry will push the governor to be accountable for fear of losing support.
“The governor will have to tone down and try to relate well with MCAs because if he does not, he will lose the support of the elected MCAs, some who left him a long time ago for Waititu,” he says.
'NOT AFRAID'
For his part, Mr Waititu argues that the county leadership is afraid of him, adding that pro-Kabogo MCAs campaigned against his candidature prior to the JAP primaries.
“You know I am not afraid of anything or anyone and I will deal with him until transparency and accountability prevails,” he said during a rally in Kabete last Sunday.
The former Embakasi MP has faulted the county leadership, saying its agenda does not reflect the will of the people
But while speaking at two separate functions in Ruiru and Gatundu North on Friday and Saturday, Mr Kabogo described Mr Waititu’s nomination as an embarrassment because he is an “outsider” in the county.
He played down claims that Mr Waititu’s nomination to vie for the Kabete seat has sent shivers in his camp. The flamboyant politician says he is not moved by Mr Waititu’s candidacy.
“If you go hunting in the forest and you say rats are afraid, then it is you who is afraid. He (Waititu) should name those panicking because I am not one of them. I do not want to make Waititu a subject because to me he is not an issue at all,” he said.
County Assembly Majority Leader Patrick Chege described Mr Waititu as a political loser, saying he failed to clinch the Nairobi governor seat yet Senator Mike Sonko and Woman Representative Rachael Shebesh, who vied under the same party, were voted in overwhelmingly.
“To the governor. he is still in incubation as far as politics is concerned because the highest he has gone is becoming an MP an that is why the likes of Ichungwa regard him as their baba yao (their father),” said Mr Chege.
Bomet County Assembly Deputy Speaker Joyce Korir. She has said she will lead other MCAs to introduce an impeachment motion against Governor Isaac Ruto if he fails to step aside to be investigated on corruption allegations. Mr Ruto is among governors mentioned on the EACC list of leaders under investigations for corruption. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Members of the Bomet County Assembly have now threatened to begin impeachment proceeding against their beleaguered Governor Isaac Ruto.
Mr Ruto, who is the chairman of the Council of Governors, has defied a presidential directive to step aside so that he may be investigated on corruption allegations against him.
Addressing journalists in Litein Town, Kericho County, on Saturday, four MCAs, led by Deputy Speaker Joyce Korir, said they had had “enough of misuse of funds by the county boss”.
Mrs Korir lauded as bold the move by President Uhuru Kenyatta to release the list of elected and appointed leaders who are under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
“We are now asking our governor to step aside and pave (the) way for investigations to be conducted against him.
“Being named by the EACC does not mean he is guilty, but if he fails to step aside, I will personally table an impeachment motion against him,” she said.
But even then, she raised concerns that the "tyranny of numbers" in the assembly, which has seen more MCAs stick by Governor Ruto, could work against those in agreement with the planned impeachment.
The Singorwet ward representative said the assembly had already voted to sack the county government’s director of Finance and was in the process of impeaching the Finance executive. Both were accused of financial misappropriation.
ADEQUATE PROOF
She said the assembly has adequate proof that public funds had been stolen in Bomet.
Mrs Korir said since its establishment two years ago, the Bomet County government had received Sh7.8 billion from the national government.
From the 2014 allocation of Sh3.4 billion, she claimed that the county government could not account for Sh61 million, which had been set aside for the construction of a new county assembly; Sh10 million for the construction of tea-buying centres; Sh44 million meant to go to the SteGro Sacco; and Sh10 million for people living with disabilities.
Other allocations that the county government could not account for at the end of the last financial year, according to her, include Sh75 million meant for youth programmes and Sh55 million for women's projects.
“All these are funds (that) we put in the budget but which the county government never used for the intended purposes.
“Financial reports are up-to-date, but on the ground, things are different,” she alleged.
Another allegation that the MCAs have raised against Mr Ruto is that he awards huge construction contracts to himself and his relatives against existing procurement laws.
UNHAPPY WITH GOVERNOR RUTO
The deputy Speaker said she was unhappy that Governor Ruto had told primary school heads that they would receive Sh300,000 for the construction of Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres when the county assembly had in fact budgeted for Sh950,000 per school.
Kapletundo Ward Representative Bernard Ng’eno said the governor had no option but to quit.
He said the MCAs had lost confidence in Mr Ruto after he was named in the EACC report as one of the governors whose governments are accused of engaging in corrupt deals.
“The governor should step aside so that the deputy governor can take up his position in acting capacity until he is cleared of the allegations facing him. If he is found to be guilty, he should be prosecuted and jailed,” he said.
Mr Ng’eno defended Deputy President William Ruto on allegations that he was using MCAs to frustrate the operations of the Bomet County government.
“The DP is a national leader, unlike Isaac Ruto, and does not have time to engage in county politics.
“We are urging the governor to desist from abusing the DP,” he said.
President Uhuru Kenyatta
IN SUMMARY
Only three weeks left before a deadline to sign a renewal contract for the British Army Training Unit Kenya.
President Uhuru Kenyatta made the ultimatum to Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond during recent negotiations.
Kenya is threatening to tear up its military co-operation deal with the United Kingdom unless British soldiers who commit crimes while in the country face justice in local courts.
“These are tough negotiations and there will be no backing down by Kenya on this issue,” presidential spokesman Manoah Esipisu was quoted as saying. “Kenya is not the same country as when these agreements were signed.”
According to the MoS, the arrangement, which has run 40 years, is currently valued at about £58 million (KShs7.9 billion) a year, up from about Sh2.5 billion three years ago. However, other estimates put it at a more modest £24 million (KShs3.2 billion).
It allows up to 10,000 British troops a year to carry out military exercises in Kenya’s harsh terrain before deploying to active operations in theatres such as Afghanistan and Iraq.
It also includes military training for the Kenya Defence Forces.
However, while it requires British troops to respect Kenyan laws, those who commit crimes are seen to fall under the jurisdiction of UK military law.
If Kenya does not renew this agreement, the UK will have to find another location to prepare its troops — an uphill task given the unique conditions available in Laikipia and Samburu counties.
In April 2014, the UK and Tanzania signed a pact that would allow British special forces to train there. There is also talk that the UK could move its soldiers to Djibouti. However, to find comparable terrain Britain would have to look to the Middle East, experts say.
The British Army Training Unit Kenya (Batuk) is a “permanent training support unit” based mainly in Nanyuki, but with a small rear element in Kahawa Barracks, just outside Nairobi.
Under the agreement with the Kenya Government, six infantry battalions per year carry out six-week exercises. Royal Engineer Squadrons carry out civil engineering projects, while two medical company group deployments provide primary health care assistance to the civilian community.
While many of their interactions with locals have been positive, there have been claims of rape of local women and mass injuries from unexploded ordnance.
There have also been several unsolved crimes linked to British troops.
In 2013, Sergeant George Madison shot and killed Tilam Leresh, an armed herdsman, during a live fire exercise in Lolkanjau, Samburu County, outside the designated military training grounds. He was confined to barracks for seven months while a diplomatic battle raged over where he should be tried before being removed from the country.In 2012, Agnes Wanjiru Wanjiku was found murdered in Nanyuki having last been seen with two British soldiers. The case remains unsolved with the suspects having been deployed to Afghanistan before questioning by Kenya Police.
That same year, some 200 British soldiers were involved in a bar brawl near the Lion’s Court hotel. The bar was destroyed and several people injured. Some of the soldiers were airlifted to Nairobi. No charges were ever filed.
In August 2010, a 12-year-old school girl was knocked down and killed by a British army truck. The driver, who did not stop, was never identified.
The United Kingdom recently infuriated Nairobi with yet another extension of its travel advisories. The advisories have been a flashpoint for retaliatory actions by both the UK and Kenya on military training arrangements. These have seen Kenyan officers out of the UK and replacements for 700 British troops in Kenya locked out.
