The Government will move the Kenya Copyright Board from the Office of the Attorney General to the Ministry of ICT as part of measures to protect musicians from exploitation.

The announcement was made by President Uhuru Kenyatta when he led thousands of mourners in sending off Benga music icon, John Mwangi Ng’ang’a well known as John De’Mathew in Gatanga, Murang’a County on Saturday.

The announcement on copyright board is part of several measures the President revealed that are aimed at protecting the rights of artistes.

The President said the right home ministry for the copyright board is ICT because that is where it can have the ability to monitor broadcasters, telecoms and other entities that use productions by artistes.

He said the Ministry of ICT is under firm instructions to ensure that artistes get their dues such as royalties.

“I have instructed the ICT Ministry to ensure that before renewal of licenses for broadcasters and telecoms they must pay what they owe artistes,” said the President when he spoke at the funeral service of the late musician held at Githambia Primary School grounds in Muranga County.

He said broadcasters and telecoms should pay for music they play because they are using it to make money.

The President who was accompanied by Deputy President Dr William Ruto said he has also instructed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to probe organisations that collect money on behalf of musicians to see if they are embezzling what they collect.

“The music industry has a problem that needs to be fixed. Recently we were told that an organisation collected around Ksh.200 million on behalf of musicians and then claimed that they spent 60 percent of that money as expenses for the collection,” said the President.

He also encouraged Members of Parliament to push through an amendment to the copyright laws that is pending in parliament and which is aimed at protecting the interests of artistes.

President Kenyatta said De’Mathew was his personal friend who loved peace and who liked to unite people and not to divide them.

In the late musician’s honour and to support upcoming talented artistes, the President announced that the government will set up a Ksh.10 million studio at Kirwarwa within Gatanga Constituency.

DP Ruto said De’Mathew has been a prominent champion of the interests of musicians especially through Tamko Sacco where he was chairman. The Sacco was established so as to support local musicians to save and access loans for their collective and individual prosperity.

Dr Ruto assured Tamko Sacco members of government’s support in completing a commercial building the group plans to construct at their parcel of land in Kenol town off Thika-Nyeri highway.

The funeral was attended by several Cabinet Secretaries including James Macharia (Transport), Amina Mohamed (Sports), Mwangi Kiunjuri (Agriculture) and Joe Mucheru (ICT).

Local leaders led by Governor Mwangi wa Iria, Senator Irungu Kangata and County Woman MP Sabina Chege said De’Mathew was more than just a prominent musician to the people of Muranga.

Governor wa Iria said De’Mathew was considered to be a seer or prophet by locals and many things he predicted came to pass.

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru and her Nakuru counterpart Lee Kinyanjui were among those who attended the funeral service.

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A businessman from Juja Farm, Kiambu County is distraught after his wife of 26 years with whom he has five children ran way with a local pastor who oversaw their wedding.

John Kanyua could not come to terms as to why someone who supported them during their young days and even signed their marriage certificate could take away the only person he treasures and their five children.

He thinks he was blindfolded not to spot the said bishop’s admiration of his wife, Leah Wambui all those years, as the signs were clear for all.

It all began when they started attending the bishop’s Joy Springs Church in Juja Farm, and slowly out of admiration of their work, he fronted Leah to become an assistant pastor at the Church.

The pastor’s wife is also livid. “I strongly objected the appointment, but he was determined to have his way. I confronted Leah and threatened her not to play games with my husband. She looked innocent, and I gave in,” said Agnes Wangivi, the pastor’s wife of 34 years and mother of three.

Slowly, their friendship blossomed and he could invite her for family dinners though in the absence of her husband.

“This is when I started questioning their friendship. I confronted Kanyua to keep his wife away from my husband, but he seemed blindfolded. My husband developed cold feet on his family and ran away to Leah in 2015,” she added.

ENTIRE DAY LOCKED

Kanyua says that it got out of hand as the Bishop would visit his house in the morning and would spend the entire day locked with his wife inside the house until he sought interventions from the local administration and members of the clergy.

“This fueled the issue further as the pastor later ran away with my wife and children and rented a house in a nearby market where they live,” he said.

Leah’s parents have since contacted Kanyua to accept repayment of the dowry he paid to them, to pave way for the new wedding of their daughter, an offer he refused.

The pastor has also told his children that he was preparing to marry another wife and that he had separated with their mother.

Despite the predicaments, Kanyua still pays school fees for his children and from his kiosk, sends foodstuffs to their children where they live with the pastor.

“This is unacceptable and I wouldn’t sit back and watch someone take my family. If the government does not intervene, I will choose my ways. It has taken me a lot to grow the family all those years. I will not allow the wedding to continue. I can also seek legal redress. Let her stop soiling her name and ask for forgiveness, then I will take her back,” said Kanyua.

To Wangivi, she could not understand why her husband got tired of her, despite the challenges they went through to build their lives in their younger years.

“We have gone through a lot when we started the church to grow it. To have all the property we have, we went through a lot, and then someone wants to throw it away by marrying a stranger. I can’t allow this,” said Wangivi

The bishop and Leah were not available to comment.

The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) will host the forthcoming General Assembly of the Great Lakes Region Private Sector Forum ahead of the Great Lakes Investment and Trade Conference (GLITC) to be held in Kigali, Rwanda in November this year.

The regional private sector forum to be attended by private sector representatives from twelve Great lakes Region member states will position Kenya as a regional investment hub in entrenching diplomatic trade ties within the African continent and the rest of the world.

While hosting the KNCCI president Richard Ngatia at the United Nations Complex in Gigiri Nairobi yesterday, the special envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations for the Great Lakes Region Huang Zia, said the contribution of Kenya’s business community will bring peace in the Great Lakes Region through trade.

On his part, the Kenya chamber president committed his organisation will work with the Office of the Special Envoy to ensure that the investment and trade conference in Kigali becomes successful.

“The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI ) will host the forthcoming General Assembly of the Great Lakes Region Private Sector Forum.

We have had successful deliberations with the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations for the Great Lakes Region Mr Huang Zia who hosted us at the United Nations Complex in Gigiri, Nairobi.

The chamber is keen to solidify the existing cordial relations the two offices enjoy in various fronts of cooperation especially in bringing peace in the Great Lakes Region through trade,” Ngatia said.

The regional private sector forum which is slated for September 18, 2019 will see the chairman of the Great lakes region private sector and business community elected.

Zia and Ngatia agreed to jointly mobilise the required resources to ensure the Kigali conference is a success and becomes a catalyst to peace and security in the entire Great Lakes Region.

Zia reiterated the commitment of his office to work closely with the Kenya chamber in an endeavor to rally the Kenyan private sector to support the GLITC conference.

Other leaders present during the meeting at UN headquarters in Nairobi include the East African Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (EACCIA) Chief Executive Officer Charles Kahuthu, Gabor Beszterczey and Serigne Bassinou Diene both from the Office of the Special Envoy to the UN Secretary General for the Great Lakes Region serving as Senior Programme Officer and Senior Economic Affairs Officer respectively.

The Great lakes region member states include the Republic of Kenya, Republic of Angola, Republic of Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Sudan, Republic of South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Uganda and the Republic of Zambia.

Next week, President Uhuru Kenyatta will lead the country for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7) conference to be held in Tokyo, Japan beginning August 28 to August 30 to be attended by delegations from 53 countries.

Ngatia will be part of the Kenya delegation leading the KNCCI private sector members.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday ordered the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC) to probe the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) over graft allegations regarding royalties to local artistes.

The head of state was speaking at fallen Benga star John De’ Mathew’s burial in Gatanga.

He was referring to the recent royalties row between local artistes and the Content Management Organisation (CMO).

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13,967 musicians received Sh2,500 plus withdrawal fee each , monies reportedly collected over two months from “public performance” of MCSK registered members’ content.

According to the copyright board, the amount distributed represented 68 per cent of the total income of Sh118 million jointly collected by three CMOs; Kenya Music Copyright Society, Performance Rights Society of Kenya and the Kenya Association of Music Producers.

This led to a barrage of attacks on social media led by rapper Khaligraph Jones and King Kaka.

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President Kenyatta further ordered that the Kenya Copyrights Board (KeCOBO) be moved from the Attorney General’s office to the ministry of ICT.

He also asked that legislators fast track the copyrights bill. Broadcasters and telcos were also asked to pay artistes before their licenses are renewed.

In honour of De’ Mathew, the president ordered that Studio Mashinani is set up in Gatanga, where the deceased hailed from.

De’ Mathew died on Sunday in a grisly road accident near Blue Post hotel.

He put out at least 375 songs before his demise.

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Seven years after he suffered serious facial burns in an acid attack, Dan Matakayia is set to undergo a special surgery in the United States.

Matakayia will undergo an operation to open up his nostril at Alessi Institute for Facial Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills, California, according to Nairobi News. Alessi Institute offered to perform the surgery for free.
 
Face Forward International, a California-based organization that provides emotional support to victims of domestic violence will fully fund Matakayia’s trip and stay in the US during surgery.

“God answered my prayers and we are finally leaving for the States as earlier planned,” Matakayia said.

Matakayia, a former police officer, was attacked with acid by his wife on the morning of September 21st, 2013.

“Two minutes after going to bed, my wife poured sulfuric acid on my face. I stepped out of bed only to be electrocuted,” he narrated in a past interview with Hot 96 FM.

The scorching acid badly burnt his face leaving him blind and with a deformed face. Neighbors who heard him scream rushed him to the hospital for treatment.
 
“I was airlifted to Kenyatta National Hospital but doctors could not save my eyesight. My wife did this to me. I met her in court two years ago. All she said was she doesn’t know why she did it. She was lied to. I forgave her. I let her go,” Dan added.

Na OUMA WANZALA na MARY WANGARI

SHUGHULI za Chama cha Kitaifa cha Walimu nchini (Knut) zimetatizika baada ya Tume ya Kuwaajiri Walimu (TSC) kukosa kukata ada za muungano kutoka kwa mishahara ya walimu na kuziwasilisha kwa wadau.

Tatizo hilo la kifedha ambalo limetokana na mgogoro kati ya Knut na TSC sasa limesababisha zaidi ya matawi 110 kote nchini kupunguza shughuli zake huku yakisubiri suala hilo kutatuliwa.

Haya yamejiri huku Katibu Mkuu Wilson Sossion akisema hakuwa akipigana na serikali bali alitaka kuhakikisha maslahi ya walimu anaowawakilisha yanazingatiwa na akaitaka TSC kutoa hela.

Maafisa kadha katika matawi walisema hali ni mbaya mno kiasi kwamba wafanyakazi kama vile makatibu, wasaidizi ofisini, na walinzi hawajalipwa kwa kipindi cha miezi miwili iliyopita.

Mikutano ya matawi ya kila mwaka pia imesitishwa kutokana na changamoto hiyo. Maafisa hao pia walisema taasisi za kifedha zinawaandama kuhusiana na mikopo ambayo haijalipwa.

Knut hupokea Sh140 milioni kila mwezi kutoka kwa TSC kama ada za muungano.

Bw Sossion alikiri kuwa muungano huo unakabiliwa na matatizo ya kifedha kutokana na ukosefu wa hela.

“Tunaisihi TSC itoe fedha ili tuweze kuendesha shughuli zetu ipasavyo,” alisema Sossion.

Mahakama

Wiki iliyopita, Jaji wa Mahakama kuhusu Mahusiano ya Leba, Bi Maureen Onyango aliamrisha TSC kutoa ada za muungano kutoka kwa wanachama wa Knut za Sh140 milioni.

Alitoa uamuzi huo baada ya Knut kufika kortini kulalamikia uamuzi wa TSC wa kupunguza mishahara ya walimu katika kipindi cha miezi miwili iliyopita.

Mnamo Januari mwaka huu, TSC iliagizwa kupatia Knut ada ya uwakala lakini ikakataa na kupatia kundi hasimu la Muungano wa Walimu wa Shule za Msingi (Kuppet).

Knut inadai imenyimwa Sh50 milioni kila mwezi kutoka kwa maelfu ya walimu wasio wanachama. Kuppet imekuwa ikipokea hela hizo kutoka kwa walimu kwa asilimia 1.8 ya mshahara.

Fedha hizo hutozwa walimu wasio wanachama wanaonufaika kutokana na manufaa yanayopiganiwa na muungano.

Wakati uo huo, Katibu Mkuu wa Muungano Mkuu wa Vyama vya Wafanyakazi, COTU, Francis Atwoli aliwahimiza maafisa wa muungano huo kufanya kazi kwa ushirikiano wa karibu na kuepuka malumbano yasiyo na maana..

“COTU (K) inasisitiza kuwa tofauti zinazodhihirishwa katika uongozi wa Knut hazihusu maslahi ya walimu wanapohudumu na tunatahadharisha uongozi wote wa Knut dhidi ya kuhadaiwa na siasa za utengano kutoka nje zinazolenga kuvunja muungano na kusababisha migawanyiko miongoni mwa walimu kwa sababu hali hii itadhoofisha muungano,” ilisema taarifa ya Atwoli.

– Shughuli ya kuwahesabu watu itaanza Jumamosi Agosti 24 na serikali imewahakikisha Wakenya usalama

– Shughuli hiyo imekubwa na hitilafu huko West Pokot baada ya vifa kuibiwa

– Huko Kakamega afisa wa kuhesabu watu alibugia kileo kuzidi na kuanguka mtoni

Afisa mmoja wa shughuli za kuhesabu watu walizua kizaazaa Lugari Kaunti ya Kakamega baada ya kubugia kileo kupita kiasi hadi akaanguka mtoni huku akiwa na vifaa vitakavyotumika kuwahesabu watu.

Kulingana na ripoti iliyoandikishwa katika kituo cha polisi cha Turbo, Celsso Aginga alilewa wakati wa shughuli ya kutia alama nyumba kijijini Sossian tayari kwa shughuli ya kuwahesabu watu.

Habari Nyingine: Mzee aliyesoma na Ruto shule ya upili afurahia kukutana na DP

Picha ya kifaa ambacho kitatumilka kuwahesabia watu. Picha: Standard
Source: UGC

“Alilewa kiasi cha kwamba alianguka kwenye mto akiwa na kifaa hicho chenye nambari 3708020301015EA ambacho kilipata maji.

“Aliokolewa na majirani and kupelekwa hadi katika kituo cha polisi,” ripoti hiyo ilisema.

Aginga alikamatwa na kuzuiliwa huku akisubiri kufikishwa mahakamani Jumatatu, Agosti 26.

Habari Nyingine:

Sughuli za kuhesabu watu huko West Pokot huenda zikatatizwa baada ya vifaa vya maafisa wa kuhesabu watu kuibiwa. Picha: The Star
Source: UGC

Kwingineko, wezi walivunja afisi iliyokuwa na vifaa vya kuwahesabu watu na kuviiba huko Kapenguria, Kaunti ya West Pokot.

Kulingana na ripoti katika kituo cha polisi cha Kapenguria, Adrian Kimei aliweka vifaa hivyo kwenye afisi yake lakini kufika siku iliyofuata akapata imevunjwa na mali kuibiwa.

“Tarehe 22/3/2019 alifungia vifaa hivyo kwenye karakana kwenye kituo cha kibiashara cha Siyoi na kuviwacha huko,” ripoti hiyo ilisema.

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Source: Kenyan Breaking News

Deputy President William Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga have been enumerated as the 2019 census exercise kicks off across the country.

Ruto and his family members took part in the count at his official residence in Karen, Nairobi shortly after 6pm

The DP urged Kenyans to participate fully in the exercise, saying it would aid government to plan and make key policy decisions in allocating resources.

Mr. Odinga was enumerated at his Karen residence in the company of his family.

Former President Daniel arap Moi was enumerated at his Kabarak home in an exercise led by Nakuru County Commissioner Erastus Mbui.

Baringo Senator Gideon Moi who was also enumerated during the exercise called on Kenyans to cooperate with census officials to make it a success.

Other leaders who took part in the exercise soon after the launch include Governors Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga), Ole Lenku (Kajiado) and Mohamud Mohamed Ali (Marsabit).