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African press review 29 September 2014

Kenya celebrates Dennis Kimetto's Berlin marathon triumph and in South Africa there's speculation about Jacob Zuma's future - some of the stories in today's African papers...

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The Kenyan papers are delighted about Dennis Kimetto's world record in the marathon, set as the 30-year-old from Eldoret won yesterday's Berlin race in a time of 2 hours 2 minutes and 57 seconds. That's 26 seconds faster than the previous record, and the first time anyone has run the marathon in under 2 hours and 3 minutes.

The Standard points out that Kimetto clocked under three minutes for all but three kilometres with an average of two minutes and 55 seconds per kilometre in a sensational race. He ran the second half 30 seconds faster than the first.

The Daily Nation reports that Dennis Kimetto's wife, Caroline Chepkorir Kimetto, fainted for joy as she watched the finish in Eldoret. “I cheered throughout the entire race, but when the finish line came in sight, I felt dizzy and in no time I went off. I regained consciousness a few minutes later and was told that my husband was the new world record holder,” Caroline said.

This is the second consecutive world record along Berlin's flat route, considered the world's fastest marathon course. Another Kenyan, Wilson Kipsang, set the previous world best of 2:03:23 in the German capital last year.

Breaking the world record earns Kimetto €120,000 (about Sh14 million) and lots more in sponsorship bonuses.

Tirfi Tsegaye won the women's race with a time of 2:20:18, nine seconds ahead of fellow Ethiopian Feyse Tadese. American Shalane Flanagan was third.

The main story in the Daily Nation reports that teachers’ representatives are to meet their employers tomorrow to discuss demands for increases in salaries and allowances.

The meeting is a last gasp attempt to stop a nationwide strike set for next month.

Over at the Standard, the front page is dominated by a warning of the return of political intolerance and an old brand of dirty politics highlighted by threats, open violence and generous use of foul language against opponents.

The Nairobi-based paper says the political temperature has risen as some governors and opposition figures push for a referendum with President Uhuru Kenyatta's ruling Jubilee coalition terming the move a waste of time and a political gimmick devised by losers.

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission, supposed to be the monitoring agency for hate politics in Kenya, is in limbo as its newly-appointed leader does not have the legal authority to take action against politicians and enforce cohesion. His team is yet to be sworn in.

The front page of the Egypt Independent reports that militia inside Libya are holding 65 Egyptian truck drivers hostage for the fifth day in the city of Ajdabiya.

The hostage takers are demanding the release of a Libyan prisoner called Mohamed Salama, held in Egypt for attempting to enter the country without permission while possessing unlicensed weapons.

In South Africa, financial paper BusinessDay says the latest corruption claims against President Jacob Zuma are pushing the ruling ANC into a corner.

Yesterday, details emerged of how the president allegedly accepted a bribe from a "fixer" for the French arms firm Thales in 2000.

Observers say the latest allegations will make it even more difficult for the African National Congress to continue to support Zuma unconditionally.

Zuma has suffered a series of setbacks in recent months, with speculation growing that he may be forced from office, according to BusinessDay.

The main story in the Ugandan Daily Monitor says that a senior member of the ruling National Resistance Movement has asked recently sacked prime minister Amama Mbabazi to resign from the party’s highest decision-making organ.

Captain Mike Mukula, the NRM national vice chairperson said yesterday Mbabazi should leave the NRM Central Executive Committee.

President Museveni sacked Mbabazi in a recent reshuffle recently but the former premier is still the NRM’s secretary general. Mbabazi also sits on all the party’s key decision-making organs, including the Central Executive Committee, which sets the party’s agenda.

Mukula says the president no longer has confidence in Mbazazi. The Monitor quotes Mike Mukula as saying "the political marriage is over and the divorce papers have been signed.”

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