Empty streets and packed polling stations as Kenya decides

Empty streets everyone is in the polling station.

It is a public holiday in Kenya today and shops are closed businesses on standstill as citizens play their citizenry duty in a national referendum.

Voters started lining up as early as 6pm local time in most places just to finish their part and go back home. Some citizens, however, had given up anything to do with the ballot box soon after the December 2007 election that was marred with vote rigging   or whose results were never honored.      

Voters lining up to cast their votes

This is the most sophisticated electoral process in East Africa and Kenya’s second referendum in 5 years. The groundwork has received overwhelming media coverage to an extent that it overshadowed the African athletic championship whose host and winner was Kenya. 

The US envoy to Kenya Mr. Michael Renneberger was accused by the ‘NO’ campaigners of meddling in the process and disrespecting Kenya's sovereignty. But he maintained that his duty was limited to “carrying out civic education”. This morning, the envoy was seen in some polling stations in Nairobi.

Charles, an early bird at the polling station, is back home chatting with other voters on facebook.

By Owuor Otiang'aCopyright © 2010 Chelsea J. Miller

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Ohio marriage scam paired European immigrants, poor brides

COLUMBUS, Ohio

A federal judge in Ohio has sentenced nine people in a scheme that arranged sham marriages for Eastern European nationals seeking permanent U.S. residence.

U.S. District Court Judge Algenon Marbley on Wednesday sentenced the nine to sentences ranging from two years on probation to 15 months in prison.

Eleven people were arrested in December in the plot that arranged fraudulent marriages for illegal immigrants seeking to evade immigration laws.
All 11 have pleaded guilty and two were previously sentenced.
Sentences that Marbley handed down included 12 months in prison for ringleader Dmitry Pani and 15 months for fellow ringleader Hasan Salohutdinov (HASS'-ahn salo-HOO'-deh-noff).

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Denzel Washington Finds Shelter in New 'Safe House' Thriller

Most people love when their favorite leading man takes on the role of a hero in any given story, whether it's something as fantastical as a superhero or as grounded as an ethical passionate lawyer. 

But sometimes, it's even more enjoyable to see that same actor take on the role of a diabolical villain. Denzel Washington has found a couple of his finest performances in Training Day and American Gangster by playing the bad guy. Now Vulture reports he might go back to crime with Safe House, an original thriller that sees him playing a dangerous criminal who's on the run from a young CIA agent after his "safe house" comes under attack.

Writer David Guggenheim penned the script, which is described as a mix of Collateral and Three Days of the Condor, and started a bidding war for the project last winter.Deadline has a bit more info on it, as they report Snabba Cash director Daniel Espinosa will direct the thriller. The real question now is who they'll get to star opposite the intimidating Washington. Personally, at the risk of making an original script a little less original, I think it would be kind of interesting to see Ethan Hawke take the agent role thus creating a kind of makeshift sequel to Training Day. Frankly, I'm surprised that studios haven't already thought of that idea with all the brand/name recognition they've been going for. Maybe I shouldn't say anything.

Chelsea J. Miller 
From firstshowing.net

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Nairobi 2010 competing with Barcelona

Even after criticism from the public for a slowed ground preparation, the Athletic Kenya has finally cleaned the hands on preparation and changed outfits to welcome Africa to Nairobi.
Over 800 strong athletes have landed in Nairobi hoping to shine on Africa’s premier’s track and field championship for the Senior Africa Championship from Wednesday to Saturday.

The party is due to be opened by President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya. This is the the biggest athletic party in Kenya in 23 years - since the 1987 All Africa Games.

The roads have been secured, the venue renovated and the hotels are in perfect state as Africa seeks to overshadow Europe, who are also staging their championship in Barcelona to select the squad that will fly the African flag at the World Cup in Athletics set for Split City in Croatia in September.

Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA) has confirmed that at least 165 countries and regions will be able to watch the championship live from Nairobi as they up their game to improve on the broadcast signal.

This will bring in better revenue for the financial stricken confederation compared to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, which only had the signal broadcast in 50 countries worldwide.
Four gold medallists are present in Nairobi to defend their titles, with three-time champion Chris Harmse looking for another winning chance in the men’s hammer throw and Elizna Naude arriving in the Kenyan capital as the big favourite to win the women’s discus throw.
Commonwealth 400m hurdles champion LJ van Zyl, however, will face a strong challenge from compatriot Cornel Fredericks, the national champion, and African record holder Sunette Viljoen will have her hands full against team- mate Justine Robbeson, who has fully recovered from elbow surgery.


Africa, which boost of several top athletes is in a cut throat competition with Europe for the audience as the two continents stage their championship at the same time in Nairobi and Barcelona.

CAA President Hamad Kalkaba Malboum confirmed that they have secured up to 22 cameras to capture the action in Nairobi, which is better than in Addis Ababa, which had only 14.

"We have to improve our signal and make sure we get the right package for the media and the audience, which can compete favourably. We are improving and soon we will be where we want to be," the president said.

Malboum added that with the calibre of world beaters athletes in his camp, the world will be attracted to watch the continent of track and field that is Africa.

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