/News/-/471778/471778/-/ss135lz/-/index.html http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Kenyans+query+benefits+of+NHIF+scheme/-/471778/1407510/-/ohhaqa/-/index.html Only a few Kenyans are aware of the benefits of being members of the National Health Insurance Fund, with many of them saying they are not even aware of how to join the national health insurer.NTV’s Irene Choge spoke to some of the patients at the Kenyatta National Hospital who blame the body for doing very little in creating public awareness. 2012-05-16T18:49:38Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Man+detained+over+Mombasa+blast/-/471778/1407506/-/13ssl8bz/-/index.html Police are holding a thirty-year-old man from Nairobi as one of the suspects of the grenade attack that took place at a popular bar in Mombasa. Police say they recovered a laptop and rounds of ammunition believed to belong to the man named Thabit Yahya who was booked to travel back to Nairobi an hour after the blast. 2012-05-16T18:48:00Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Faith+and+medicine/-/471778/1407502/-/15qtrb0z/-/index.html Of the eight Millennium Development Goals that are to be achieved by the year 2015, Kenya is lagging behind in maternal and child health care. One of the reasons for this is, the disconnect between modern medicine and some religious beliefs. The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya has organised a two-day conference in which these and other issues that are affecting the lives of mothers and children and causing Kenya’s poor performance in these areas. 2012-05-16T18:46:10Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Duo+moves+to+court+to+challenge+Kibaki+county+appointments/-/471778/1407498/-/qi5tefz/-/index.html The controversy over the appointment of county commissioners has now moved to court. Activists Patrick Njuguna and Charles Omanga have filed a suit challenging the appointment of the county commissioners by President Mwai Kibaki. They are seeking to have the appointments quashed or suspended and to have the commissioners barred from swearing in or assuming office. 2012-05-16T18:44:34Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/African+exports+to+the+Middle+East+shrinking/-/471778/1407494/-/xas8n2z/-/index.html African exports to Europe and the Middle East are at risk of shrinking, as a result of the Eurozone crisis and the political unrest in the Middle East. For this reason, African governments are now turning to value addition and expansion of inter-regional trade. 2012-05-16T18:42:53Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/South+Sudan+celebrates+SPLM+anniversary/-/471778/1407488/-/p5n9gtz/-/index.html South Sudan is celebrating the 29th anniversary of its leading party SPLM. The celebrations took place in Kenya and South Sudan amidst tension rising high following fears of a war between the country and its former bitter foe Sudan. 2012-05-16T18:41:23Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Poll+Govt++scores+poorly+in+anti+graft+war/-/471778/1407482/-/nejjbf/-/index.html Corruption and tribalism still remain the biggest hurdle for the coalition government. This is according to a poll conducted by Strategic Research and Communication. The survey indicated that 29.3 percent feel tribalism and impunity are top failures of the government, with 14 percent citing high inflation and living standards while 6.9 percent cited insecurity as their biggest fear. The polls were conducted between 27 April and 2 May 2 this year. 2012-05-16T18:39:50Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Low+fertilizer+usage+affecting+food+production/-/471778/1407476/-/135w45o/-/index.html Low use of fertiliser by farmers in Kenya has been cited as on the main reasons as to why food production continues to remain low in the country. A study on fertiliser usage conducted by the African Fertiliser and Agri-business Partnership has revealed that few farmers use fertiliser in their farms. The study attributes the minimal usage to the high costs associated with buying fertiliser. It recommends that the Government should further lower the cost of the input so as to make it more affordable to farmers. 2012-05-16T18:38:11Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Police+probe+fresh+Mombasa+grenade+attack/-/471778/1406930/-/2xxtlt/-/index.html Police are today investigating a fresh grenade attack in the coastal city of Mombasa, this time at the Bella Vista nightclub. The attack occurred at 9.30pm Tuesday evening and injured several patrons who were quickly rushed to hospital. More to follow 2012-05-16T07:40:50Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/New+law+proposes+life+in+prison+for+vandals/-/471778/1406756/-/1312hv5/-/index.html Vandals should be prepared to spend a lifetime behind bars if the Attorney General has his way. Githu Muigai has proposed a bill that seeks to sentence vandals to life imprisonment or a fine of 10 million shillings. But as Ferdinand Omondi reports, stakeholders want more than enhanced penalties to curb the vice. 2012-05-15T18:45:44Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/MPs+demand+freeze+on+Kibakis+county+appointments/-/471778/1406752/-/111c12lz/-/index.html Members of Parliament are demanding answers over the controversial appointment of county governors claiming there was disquiet among senior civil servants by-passed by the appointing authority. The MPs want the president to freeze the appointments, even as Internal Security Minister Prof. George Saitoti prepares to address parliament tomorrow (Wednesday). And as NTV’s Yassin Juma reports, legislators are concerned that an overlap of responsibilities is likely to occur between the commissioners and governors. 2012-05-15T18:43:50Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/UNDP+Women+key+to+food+security/-/471778/1406746/-/me31l0z/-/index.html For Kenya to become food secure, women should be allowed to own land to drive the food security agenda in the country.This was one of the key messages during the launch of the Africa Human Development report 2012 authored by the United Nations Development Programme.The report further suggests that farmers should get financial support to protect them from the ever-changing weather patterns. 2012-05-15T18:42:01Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/IEBC+Party+defections+an+epidemic/-/471778/1406740/-/dpa0sx/-/index.html Party hopping has now become an epidemic, those are the words of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chair, who says, the habit is no longer tolerable Unfortunately, Ahmed Isaak Hassan says the commission’s hands are tied by parallel cases filed by two political parties against their members. The commission is on record as saying at least 100 MPs ought to quit their seats and as NTV’s Francis Mutegi reports, it’s all got to do with interpretation of the law. 2012-05-15T18:35:17Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/S+Sudan+receives+funding+for+mega+real+estate+project/-/471778/1406732/-/53ljxuz/-/index.html South Sudan’s attractiveness as an investment destination is getting fairer by the day. The latest evidence being the signing of a $5 million loan financing agreement, between UAP Holdings and the World Bank’s financing arm, the International Finance Corporation. The 415 million-shilling loan is for the development of Equatoria Tower, a 12 story commercial office development in Juba.The Equatoria Tower development was launched in September last year. The structure is expected to be completed by the end of next year, and will be the tallest development of its kind in Africa’s youngest state. It has a total lettable area in excess of 70,000 square feet.The structure has adopted green standards and certification will be pursued.IFC’s CEO, Lars Thunell, says that the corporation is committed to supporting South Sudan’s efforts to build a strong and diverse private sector which will act as a foundation for future growth and job creation.Besides this building, UAP plans to also invest in construction of apartments to maximise on the growing demand for housing in the area. 2012-05-15T18:33:17Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Slow+economic+growth+blamed+on+erratic+weather+patterns/-/471778/1406726/-/caies6z/-/index.html Kenya’s economy grew by 4.4 per cent last year compared to a revised growth of 5.8 percent in 2010. This slow growth has been attributed to erratic weather conditions, escalating oil prices and the weak shilling at the time, all of which pushed up the rate of inflation. And as Zeynab Wandati reports, it looks like Vision 2030 may just be a dream after all. 2012-05-15T18:31:18Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/NHIF+probe+No+more+cash+for+Clinix+Meridian/-/471778/1406720/-/12jw9d7z/-/index.html The NHIF saga has taken a new twist, with the caretaker board now saying it has suspended cash transactions with medical service providers Clinix and Meridian. NHIF is being probed by parliament over the controversial 4.2 billion shillings health insurance scheme for civil servants. Acting Ceo Adan Adan told the Parliamentary Health Committee that Clinix and Meridian will not receive any funds in the second quarter of the scheme and as NTV’s Sheila Sendeyo reports, two ministers Anyang Nyong’o and Dalmas Otieno failed to provide direct answers as to the origins of the scheme. 2012-05-15T18:28:12Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/IEBC+requires+31+5+billion+shillings+for+General+Election/-/471778/1406714/-/2y3jki/-/index.html The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission now says it requires 31.5 billion shillings to conduct the coming General Election. The commission, which had initially prepared a budged of 41.4 billion shillings, had been asked to review the budget downwards by the Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs. In its revised budget, the IEBC has excluded 5 billion shillings for a presidential rerun and reduced earlier estimates for legal expenses and voter education. The commission presented its revised budget to the justice and legal affairs team but as NTV’s Rita Tinina reports, the committee wants the budget reduced further. 2012-05-15T18:26:16Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Ocampo+four+to+know+trial+date+next+month/-/471778/1406706/-/u8a0em/-/index.html Four Kenyan suspects facing charges of murder, forcible transfer of people, rape among other crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court will now know when they will stand trial next month. The ICC Trial Chamber V has finally convened a Status Conference set for June 11th for Eldoret North MP William Ruto and radio presenter Joshua Sang. Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and former public service boss Francis Muthaura will know the date of their trial on June 12. The move by the ICC to fast track the cases comes barely a day after African Justice Ministers and Attorney Generals started meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to discuss ways of expanding the mandate of the African Court of Justice to deal with the two Kenyan cases. 2012-05-15T18:24:21Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Club+Click+owner+formally+charged+with+murder/-/471778/1406700/-/2c2qjk/-/index.html Club Click director Jackson Maina Wangui has been formally charged with the murder of a reveler at his club Kelvin Oduor a week ago. Maina and a bouncer at the club Joseph Kirero Sepi denied the charges. On Friday last week, the two were taken for a psychiatric evaluation at the Mathare Mental Hospital on to establish if they are fit to face the murder charges facing them. 2012-05-15T18:22:01Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Kawangware+man+kills+lover+after+night+quarrel/-/471778/1406006/-/8ekxws/-/index.html A woman was found dead in Kawangware Estate after allegedly being killed by her lover. The body of the deceased was found lying on her bed with the man missing 2012-05-14T19:07:58Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Pam+Golding+forays+into+the+Kenyan+property+market/-/471778/1406004/-/ilknh4z/-/index.html South African real estate services group Pam Golding Properties has set camp in Kenya. The group has formed an alliance with the property arm of Lang’ata Link, Property Link Africa in its bid to replicate the success it has realized in the South African market. The entry of the group into the Kenyan market comes at a time of notable vibrancy with demand for housing still outstripping supply several times over. Pam Golding Properties employs 2,500 people spread over 300 offices in sub-Saharan Africa and last year saw revenues exceed the 2-billion-dollar mark. Its entry confirms Kenya as a hot property market not only in East Africa but also farther beyond. It was founded in 1976 in Cape Town South Africa. 2012-05-14T19:07:42Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Weatherman+Rains+won+t+last+beyond+May/-/471778/1406002/-/e35ayp/-/index.html The rainy season that has been a curse to some is almost over. According to the Meteorological Department the rains will reduce starting this weekend and resume in October. As this news is brought out now, the relief for some may be far from over as others continue to suffer under the rains that have been falling since the beginning of March. 2012-05-14T19:07:27Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Lobby+sues+Registrar+over+party+hopping/-/471778/1406000/-/2n40lxz/-/index.html A group of civil society organizations have now sued the Registrar of Political Parties for what they say is her failure to enforce party discipline and more specifically party hopping. In their suit filed under the certificate of urgency, the applicants, calling themselves Friends of Raila note that in recent days, the country has witnessed the defection of top leaders from the parties that sponsored them to parliament. The applicants now want the court to give orders for the Registrar to crack the whip on politicians who have defected from their parties without giving up their parliamentary seats. The bid, if successful could see more than 100 MPs lose their parliamentary seats. 2012-05-14T19:07:17Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/Kibaki+under+pressure+over+county+jobs/-/471778/1405998/-/va8uif/-/index.html Chief Justice Dr Willy Mutunga has today added his voice in the ongoing debate over the controversial appointment of 47 county Commissioners by President Mwai Kibaki. Speaking to reporters in Mombasa, the CJ appeared to differ with the President’s appointments saying they were not in line with the new constitutional dispensation. The CJ said the constitution was clear about gender representation and people with disabilities when it came to public appointments. Already, a number of disgruntled voices that include politicians and experts on constitutional matters have raised concern over the appointments saying the president did not follow the law. 2012-05-14T19:07:07Z http://www.ntv.co.ke/News/CJ+declares+Mombasa+demolitions+illegal/-/471778/1405996/-/ujid1t/-/index.html Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga has strongly condemned the demolitions of homes and eviction of people in Mombasa’s Kibarani slums, by individuals purporting to own the parcels of land. Speaking in Mombasa during a seminar organized for Supreme Court judges, the CJ termed the demolitions as illegal and criminal acts. Hundreds of slum dwellers have been left homeless since the incident which began mid last month. The CJ said the police, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General’s should deal with the criminals prosecute them accordingly. He termed the orders used when carrying out the demolitions and evictions, as bogus. It is believed the demolitions were done to pave way for a private developer. 2012-05-14T19:06:58Z