"Some shouted 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free', a genocidal demand to destroy the state of Israel and cleanse the territory of its Jews."

Responding to the scenes over recent weeks, the former Home Office advisor says the extremism we're now seeing on the streets of Britain calls for a complete overhaul of the Government's current assumptions about diversity and multiculturalism. 

He argues that our "pragmatic, informal, light-touch" approach no longer holds: "The diminished commitment to shared norms and our weaker common identity means there is less social trust to sustain our freedoms in the conventional way."

In a bold list of policy proposals to reinforce British norms, Mr Timothy says the Government must implement a "more muscular approach".

 

General Election - Social Issues© Getty

He calls for a "register of imams and mosques, with unacceptable behaviour leading to preaching bans and closures".

He also suggests Britain should follow France's example and ban the burqa in public places, and ban children from wearing the hijab.

Mr Timothy argues TV channels that broadcast hatred must be shut down, as well as charities that espouse extremist beliefs. 

The Tory candidate for West Suffolk - currently Matt Hancock's constituency - adds that all Sharia law must come to an end in Britain and Sharia marriages criminalised.

He denies that his policy prescriptions amount "to picking on the Islamic faith".

Mr Timothy argues the "problem we face emanates from the Islamic world", and "nothing will change until we tell ourselves the truth".

West Suffolk currently has a Tory majority of 23,000, so it's likely Mr Timothy will succeed in winning his seat regardless of Labour's national poll lead. Story By Christian Calgie, Daily Express

President William Ruto's directive that Taita Taveta residents will get at least 50 per cent of the revenue collected from Tsavo National park has not been received well by Makueni leaders.

On a tour in Voi last week, Dr Ruto announced that revenue collected from Tsavo East and West parks will be shared on a 50-50 basis between the national and Taita Taveta county governments.

The sharing has irked Makueni leaders who say it is discriminatory arguing that their region deserves a share of the cage since it borders the two parks. 

Led by Senator Dan Maanzo, Kaiti MP Joshua Kimilu and Ivingoni/Nzambani MCA Harrison Mutie, the trio expressed their disapproval of Ruto's directive insisting that there need to be a clearly defined revenue sharing formula that will benefit neighbouring counties of Makueni, Taita Taveta, Kwale and Kitui.

“Taita Taveta is not the only county that borders the two parks. Makueni and other counties have parks and conservancies which surround Tsavo National Park. I am appealing for a mutatis mutandis approach so that all counties benefit,” said Maanzo while warning that Makueni can not overlooked. 

“Elephants keep on straying into peoples’ farms destroying crops, killing and maiming our people. We can’t be the ones bearing the brunt of human-wildlife conflicts while elsewhere they are getting proceeds out of tourism,” he added

Both Tsavo East and Tsavo West national parks are the two Kenya’s largest and oldest protected areas in Kenya with a collection of more than Sh60 billion annually.

“When the Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua visited he gave himself seven days to ensure no animals maraud our villages. But the animals are still disturbing the peace of our people. We can’t be faced by all these problems alongside those arising from conservancies situated along the animal corridors and yet we are told we can’t have a share of these parks,” Maanzo decried 

Kimilu said there was need for a comprehensive formula that will capture the interest of Makueni people so that they can feel the importance of conserving the wildlife.

“The people of Makueni especially from Kibwezi East feel neglected unlike their neighbours in Taita Taveta. The president’s declaration was uncalled for. The persistent human-wildlife conflict and the section of Makueni land lying inside Tsavo national park should be used as reference to define a revenue sharing formula,” noted the MP. 

On his part, Mutie, a vocal MCA whose ward borders Tsavo West national park and Chyullu said Ruto's proposed formula will be a recipe for chaos as it will fuel hostilities amongst neighbouring counties.

“We are still having a problem with Taita Taveta over the boundary. Tsavo West national park depends on water flowing from Chyullu national park and Makueni is the custodian of Chyullu hills. We can’t be ignored at all,” stated Mutie.

He said sharing of resources from the parks equally between counties and the national government should never be rushed as it should involve various stakeholders. 

 “Before the sharing formula is arrived at, let governors of the affected counties meet, and agree so that we can forestall a problem that may arise in the future. Whatever we are doing today will affect us in the future,” added Mutie.

 But according to Morris Mutiso, a politician from Taveta Taveta, who unsuccessfully vied for the Taveta constituency seat in 2022, revenue sharing formula is not solely based on being close to the parks but the percentage of a county’s land occupied by wild animals. By Stephen Nzioka , The Standard

Several classrooms in Mandera East are flooded with rainwater even as the national examinations kicked off.

The Standard has established that several classes in schools along River Daua have flooded with the rain waters after the river burst its banks on Sunday, 29 October, 2023.

The head teacher of Umar Faruuq Integrated Academy, Sheikh Abdirahman says they have shifted all the candidates to occupy lower classes for the exams.

"As all those three classrooms flood with water, we have moved all our 74 pupils to conduct their national examinations in the lower classes. The level of water is on the increase," he said.

River Daua has overflowed and burst its banks following heavy downpours that continuously rained in Mandera for the past four days.

However, the County Commissioner Amos Mariba said the government will ensure every pupil will sit for the exams regardless of the floods reported across the county.

"We are aware of some schools flooded with rain water but that will not stop us from conducting the exams. I assure you every pupil will sit for the examinations," Mariba said.

Mariba has also assured exams safety as thousands of security personnel disbursed to escort the exams to various schools countywide.

"Thousands of security officers both in uniform and civilian will be guarding the exams as a high number will be posted to schools along the borderlines", he added.

On the other hand, Mandera County Director of Education Abdi Sheikh while overseeing the disbursement of the today's papers, has assured the exams will safely reach all the schools in the county as choppers ferry the papers 

"Two choppers will be assisting 22 schools in the county to ferry the exam papers to far-flung and hard-to-reach schools across the county" Said Sheikh

Some 9,301 pupils in Mandera county will sit for KCPE examinations and another 8,586 pupils will be sitting for KPSEA. - Ibrahim Adan Ali, The Standard

Machakos Club’s Veronica Muthiani was crowned the top golfer after emerging the ‘Winner of winners’ 2023 in the grand finale of the ICEALION King of the course golf tournament played at the par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club Course in Mombasa County on Saturday.

Playing off handicap 19 Muthiani braved the unfriendly Coastal heat by carding a total of 32 points in both nines to be crowned the ultimate winner.

“Iam astonished with this victory. It was a good day with the course playing well and my four ball partners who really made the day enjoyable. Thank you all and I hope to defend the title next year,”said Muthiani. 

The day’s event featured the Series winners from Machakos,Thika Greens,Ruiru,Eldoret,Nandi, Nanyuki was graced  by 237 golfers including those playing for the Nyali series supported by ICEALion group.

Muthiani will get a fully paid king of the Course golf tour for two in March 2024 which includes representation in the Regional Triangular Lekoa Classic tournament in Johannesburg 2 Vall River Golf Estate to be confirmed.

Home Club’s youthful 19 years old golfer Nathan Ngweno playing off handicap 7 brought an excellent score of 40 points to emerge the Nyali Series winner.

William Kaguta playing off handicap -1 was the gross winner on a four under par score of 67 gross to scoop the Gross winner prize and again Ngweno added another prize of being the gross runners up on a count back score of two over par 74 gross.

The men winner was handicap 16 George Thama who had a two way count back score of 39 points after tying on the same score with runners placed handicap 24 Kennedy Kisoi and third placed  handicap 19 Mburu Mwangi. 

The Lady winner was handicap 19  Grace Kwamboka on a count back score of 37 points tying on the same score with handicap 25 Caroline Nyarandi who was the runners up.

Paul Macharia playing off handicap 28 had a score of 39 points to claim the best senior prize while handicap 16 Tony Gachau on 36 points was the junior winner.

Handicap 39 Sarah Tuwei on 38 points won the ICEA Staff prize while handicap 18 Moonaver Dhanani  with 38 points and handicap 20 Dr.Mukhisa Kitui on 37 points were the guest and runners up winners respectively.

The High handicapper’s winner’s prize was scooped by handicap 36 Daniel Kigen with 44 points and handicap 41 Fina Almao returned 38 points to take the runners slot.

Nyali Golf and Country Club Chairman Kamami Njoroge and his Club Captain Dinesh Sasan said they were delighted to have hosted the Culmination of the event’s grand finale and thanked the sponsors and Golfers for making the day successful.

The ICEALION Series Golf Captain Joe Mboya who was the Machakos Country Club’s Captain when the series started in January, thanked Nyali for handling  the event successfully and praised  the Club’s green keeper George Choge maintaining the course in an excellent condition.

ICEALION group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Philip Lopokoiyit said they are extremely delighted to be back to Nyali to conclude the 7th leg of the ICEA LION King of the Course golf series which started in Machakos on January 7th.

“We have since held tournaments at Thika Greens, Ruiru, Nanyuki and later in the year Eldoret & Nandi Bears, continuously breaking records in attendance and the success of ICEA LION King of the Course series relies to a great extent on the support of our partner clubs and their membership as I especially take this opportunity to thank the participating Golf Captains some of whom sit at the ICEA LION King of the Course golf organizing committee, the other Clubs for hosting the series and the effort we have all put into making this great success.

"Our continuing commitment to the participating clubs is in recognition of the unwavering support of clubs whom we insure, the Clients within their memberships and the regions who have entrusted their insurance solutions to ICEA LION over a long period of time,” said Philip Lopokoiyit.

The CEO explained that Mombasa holds a very special and strategic place for ICEA LION which traces its history back to this Coastal town when Smith Mackenzie & Company were appointed as the local Lloyd’s Agents in 1895.

“We have maintained a presence in Mombasa since then and have recently moved into a new branch which houses both our General Insurance and Life Assurance Businesses at ACACIA Building, along Nyerere Avenue, Mezzanine floor. We also have an office at Nyali Mall and we urge each one of you to pay us a visit when looking for Insurance, Trusts and Investment solutions. Ours is to help you protect and create your wealth,” said Philip Lopokoiyit.

He said that although they have not formed a formidable team in golf at ICEA LION, he was encouraged to see more members of Staff and Directors participating in the ICEA LION King of the Course golf tournaments which provides a perfect platform for all of them to perfect their golfing skills as they engage with our customers. By Maarufu Mohamed, The Standard