Paleki says goodbye

Southern Sudan's songbird, Paleki was the contestant to say goodbye to the Tusker Project Fame house this weekend.  Steve was saved by the audience while the faculty saved Msechu from Tanzania. That left the two female contestants, Paleki and Gaelle with their heads on the chopping board. Visibly surprised and emotional, a shaken Gaelle went back to join her fellow contestants while Paleki performed for the last time on the TPF stage. Gaelle has proved to be the proverbial cat with nine lives as she has braved her numerous probations, making it to the top five contestants.With only a week to go before the show wraps up, many a contestants have been sent parking, leaving the arguably less talented and soft-spoken Gaelle in the academy. On Sunday, the contestants sung their own compositions, with the judges terming them as "having grown." All five remaining contestants were put on probation "to level out the playing field" as Judge Ian  said.

Uganda taking TPF4 by storm

The Uganda contestants on the TPF4 house are aiming for the top most prize as they wow the crowd every week. The two Ugandan contestants, Davis and Rachel are the only in the house who have not earned a probation ticket since the start of the competition. And they continue to prove that Uganda is a force to be reckoned with as this week Rachel kicked off the performances with a bang. " You are a killer, fantastic performance..." Judge Ian told her, while Judge Hermes put her on the "...same level with Juliana." Rachel has wowed both the Judges and the crowd, never letting them down in any of her performances. She is not an attention seeker, always hanging behind the pack but when she steps on stage, her performances are electrifying.

Davis on the other hand is the ultimate attention guy. Just like Rachel, he has never been on probation, wowing the crowds evertime he steps on stage.He has been termed as "...growing vocally..." by Judge hermes while Judge Ian termed this week's performance as "...up there with Rachel..." The Ugandan nationals have ha amongst the best performances each and every week, with the judges raining praise on them. This contestants on probation include: Paleki, Gaelle, Steve and Msechu. Gabiro is the latest to leave the TPF house.

Cece Winan's show cost organisers 30 million.

She came, she sang and left a big dent in the organiser's pockets. Popular, celebrated gospel musician, Cece Winan's concert is said to have cost the organisers close 30 million Kenya shillings. The musician, together with her entourage, made the organisers cough up 4 million shillings just for air ticket and other travel expenses. They were also booked in the presidential suite at Hilton hotel. Her performance fee was around 4 million shillings. But it seems that the concert was worth the money as she rocked the worshippers as she belted her popular songs. The concert was graced by dignitaries, amongst them, Prime Minister's wife, Ida Odinga who received red carpet attention.

Cece Winans to grace Kenya

Witnesses for hire?

Seems like anything and anyone is for sale in Kenya, including witnesses.  Two Kenyans have stepped foward and signed affidavits with the police, claiming that the KNCHR was paying for their upkeep in posh hotels so that they could implicate Eldoret North MP, William Ruto for the 2007 Post Election Violence. The two witnesses, Ken Braziz Wekesa and William Kepkemboi Rono,  claim that they were given rent, upkeep and a promise to be relocated outside the country if they could record statements with the KNCHR and the Waki Commission. They also claimed that they were given the money by KNCHR boss, Mr. Hassan Omar Hassan. Mr Ruto was heading to the CID offices to record a statement with them.
"It is very unfortunate that the same body that was chosen to uphold human rights is the same body suppressing them," he said. 
There is a new twist to the story as the KNCHR claims to have "housed the witnesses" for security purposes and denied bribing and coaching Mr. Wekesa and Mr. Rono.
Meanwhile, the former Higher Education Minister's woes seem to be growing as a victim of the post election violence, Mr Adrian Gilbert Muteshi, is sueing Ruto for allegedly grabbing his piece of land, which is located at Uasin Gishu. 

Bebe Cool is the 2010 PAM Awards Artiste of the Year

The 2010 PAM Awards saw the most prestigious prize go to Ugandan music hotshot, Bebe Cool. Bebe Cool dedicated hi award to " Allah, my mom, H.E Yoweri Kaguta, My wife n kids, brothers and sisters, producers, djs, friends and fans of gagamel." Bebe Cool took the prize and beat fellow countrymen Chameleone, Bobby Wine and Radio and Weasle. He also scooped the Best Reggae Artiste Award and his album, Kasepiki scooped  Album of the year.

Bebe was not in the country to receive his awards.

"Siakago killer may have been psychologically disturbed"

Internal security minister, Prof. George Saitoti yesterday termed the Siakago killings as an isolated incident in the armed forces. Speaking in a news conference yesterday, Saitoti said that the "killer may have been psychologically disturbed." Peter Karanja, the AP officer who went on a shooting rampage last weekend, leaving 10 dead, including 2 colleagues is being held at an Embu prison "for investigations." He surrendered after killing the 10, including a university student who was on holiday. Mr. Karanja was looking for his girlfriend, whom he suspected to be having an affair.

Gebrselassie announces retirement

Ethiopian athletics star, Haile Gebrselassie announced his retirement at a New York news conference earlier today following his dropping out of the New York City marathon after 16 miles, suffering a swollen right knee.

He is quitting after 18 years of a very succesful career on the track.
"After nearly two glittering decades, i think this is the day," a tearful Gebrselassie was quoted.
"I had no discussiona with my manager or with anyone else but i have discussed it with myself and i think it's better to stop here."

The marathon was won by fellow countryman Gabre Gabremariam.

"Even if i got arms now, i wouldnt know how to use them" ms. Simona Artzori

She is the epitome of self confidence and determination and gives new meaning to the phrase" disability is not inability." She is a motivational speaker, a ballet dancer and a painter and she drives, cooks and eats with no help at all.

All these are chores that are normally performed with the use of hands. Ms. Artzori has never let her disability stand between her and her dreams and has travelled all over the world, encouraging children with disabilities. 

She is in Kenya and visited the Effatha Home for the Mentally Challenged Boys in Nyahururu town where she danced and performed for them. 

Her punchline: "Everything a person with hands does I do though slowly"

Shock and uproar as Gaelle is chosen over Leah

Last weekend was probably the most emotional and controversial of all TPF performances as the faculty chose the weaker contestant from Rwanda, Gaelle over stronger Tanzanian contestant Leah.
There was a general uproar of "NO" from the audience at the Saturday eviction show as principal Mtawali announced that the faculty had chosen to save Gaelle. Viewers used social websites like facebook to vent their anger as one facebooker wrote" ...were the faculty bribed to save Gaelle or they thought that leah missed her son so much that she had to go home? This is a not a beauty contest but a singing competition and that was not fair.." The sunday show saw Gaelle back on probabation as she gave a not so good performance. Judge Ian's comment was "BAD".

Val takes toto out for a treat

New mum in town, Valerie Kimani was spotted out with her new born baby at Bomas of kenya yesterday. Refusing to have photos of her female baby taken, Val said that she was happy to be a mum. Glowing and seeming to take motherhood so well, Val was very proud of her daughter.

'I am extremely happy and blessed to be a mum," she was quoted saying.

Val's pregnancy has been a matter of controversy and speculation as local media reported that the father to the baby is a local bigwig in the music industry in kenya. She played the lead role of Syombua in the Mo Faya musical that stole the hearts of many with its satirical and political look at society. In the musical, she was the love interest of Eric Wainaina who played DJ Lwanda.

Posh news wishes her and a baby the best in life.