Day: July 15, 2023

Isiolo Governor Abdi Guyo has launched a youth support programme in which some residents benefited with motorbikes, Tuk-tuk rickshaws and two Public Service vehicles vans among other equipment.

In an event held in Isiolo town, the governor donated a total of 100 motorbikes, four Tuk-tuks, two PSV vans, 100 sewing machines, 100 salon equipment, 30 shaving machines and 10 car washing machines and tanks to Isiolo youth and women.

Speaking during the launch on Friday, Mr Guyo said that the programme is geared towards supporting the youth and women to enable them to earn a daily income so as to improve their living standards.

He noted that the process of identifying the beneficiaries of the equipment was devoid of corruption and discrimination as he adopted a new strategy of identifying the most vulnerable in the community.

Mr Guyo said his government had renovated a total of 22 boreholes and nine were drilled as other development partners sunk eight since he assumed power in August last year.

‘We have rolled out a school feeding programme in all the 169 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres within the county,’ Guyo said.

He noted that the Isiolo County government has received Sh 1.5 billion from the national government for the construction of roads which will go a long way in improving 31 roads that have already been graded.

The governor further added that in line with President William Ruto’s agenda of setting up aggregation centres in each county, his government has set aside Sh250 million and the national government will give out an additional Sh250 million to facilitate this project.

The meeting was also attended by County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding, and Deputy Governor James Lowasa among other government officials.

Lowasa said that this is a noble programme that will change the lives of the youth and women within the county if put into proper use and urged residents to give the county and national governments time to fulfil the campaign promises.

He noted that all hospitals and dispensaries are equipped with the necessary facilities and medicines to offer quality health services to the people.

The County Commissioner said that the national government will work closely with the county government to enable fulfilment of the development agenda adding that Isiolo received close to Sh18 million to mitigate the effects of the recent prolonged drought.

‘This programme being launched by the governor is in line with President Ruto’s bottom-up transformation agenda of lifting the vulnerable members of the society,’ Mr Omoding said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has urged the government and the opposition to give dialogue a chance through bipartisan talks in order to promote peace and cohesion among citizens.

The Commission cautioned Kenyans against descending into violence and anarchy stressing it is not the solution to the strenuous cost of living in the country. They instead advocated for good relations, harmony, and peaceful coexistence of different ethnic, racial, and religious groups.

Addressing the media, NCIC Vice Chairperson Ms Wambui Nyutu noted with great concern, the loss of lives, and a trail of massive destruction of both public and private property in most parts of the country as a result of the demonstrations that took place on Wednesday, July 12 and also condoled with the families and friends of those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate mayhem.

‘We condemn the killing of innocent Kenyans, tear-gassing of learning institutions, and the burning of the Kenyan flag. This is an impediment to all the political, economic, and social gains we have made as a country over the years,’ expressed Nyutu.

She further added that whereas the Constitution 2010 guarantees the rights to freedom of expression as well as freedom of peaceful assembly and human rights, this freedom is restricted when it leads to provocation of imminent violence as witnessed on Wednesday the previous week.

The Vice Chairperson observed that the last few demonstrations had degenerated into ethnic-based conflict and violence and that as a commission, together with their key partners, they have invested huge amounts of resources that had since brought peaceful coexistence.

‘According to the National Crime Research Center Report 2017, there are 326 groups of criminal gangs hence, youth mobilization to engage in violent conflicts has provided fodder for criminal and armed militia gangs across the affected areas,’ Nyutu disclosed.

The Commission, she continued, has urged the mobilizers of these youth and militia to stop taking advantage of these vulnerable groups as she quoted the 31st American Herbert Hoover who said; ‘Older men declare war but it’s the youth that must fight and die.’

Further, in the spirit of inclusivity, she announced that the Commission is calling on all demonstrators to exercise tolerance and picket peacefully since it’s quite disheartening to see young people provoking law enforcement officers as well as destroying property worth billions, bullying and harassing innocent Kenyans.

Nyutu appealed to the police to implement their mandate within the confines of the law and avoid human rights abuses which include the use of live ammunition to disperse crowds as every life matters.

‘We discourage the rise in misinformation and disinformation bordering on hate speech and ethnic contempt across the social media platform and urge netizens to avoid forwarding unverified information that escalates tension amongst our communities. As a Commission, we reiterate our commitment to ensuring that we jealously protect Kenya’s peace and cohesion because we cannot afford to slide to the 2007/2008 post-election violence episode,’ she maintained.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A section of Azimio coalition leaders on Friday visited victims of Wednesday’s demonstrations admitted in various hospitals in Machakos county.

Led by Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka the leaders condemned the police for what they termed as the use of excessive force against unarmed civilians.

Speaking at Machakos Level Five Hospital where some of the victims are currently admitted Kalonzo said the constitution allows Kenyans to picket and demonstrate saying the brutality meted out by the police was unjustified.

‘We also visited Shalom Hospital and the majority of those injured or killed had bullet wounds. This is state-sponsored violence,’ he said.

The Wiper leader said the anti-government demonstrations are largely peaceful but only turn violent when police intervene.

‘We believe in peaceful demonstrations that are anchored in the supreme law which guarantees freedom,’ he added.

Kalonzo said police should operate within the law and desist from using live bullets on innocent Kenyans.

‘We should all abide by the rule of the law even if it doesn’t seem to favor your political side. We must guard the rule of law,’ noted the Wiper leader.

He was accompanied by Martha Karua, Jeremiah Kioni, former Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria, and Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti among other leaders.

Karua said the coalition will clear medical bills for those injured and cover burial expenses for those brutally killed during the protests.

She accused the government of using a killer squad to shoot protesters.

‘It’s unfortunate that police with orders are indiscriminately killing innocent Kenyans. Protests are freedoms enshrined in the constitution,’ added Karua.

The NARC leader called on police to exercise restraint and stop the extra judicial killings.

She rallied Kenyans not to relent on the fight against injustice.

‘Do not shun the demonstrations because we are fighting against the heavy burden laid on Kenyans through taxation,’ said Karua.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The State Department for Correctional Services has so far recorded a significant achievement in the ongoing reforms to decongest prisons by releasing over 23,000 petty offenders held in different correctional facilities in a move to ensure the inmates and prison staff live in a conducive environment.

State Department for Correctional Services Principal Secretary Salome Muhia said that the department plans to further review the sentences of an additional 5,000 inmates to attain its target of releasing over 35,000 prisoners by the end of 2023. Some 7,281 petty offenders had been released by March this year.

Muhia who was on an official tour of duty to all prison facilities in Kisumu County on Friday, promised to work closely with the Judiciary and other stakeholders in the criminal justice system to exploit the community service orders, probation and other non-custodial options to decongest prison facilities countrywide.

‘I’m urging all other development partners to come on board to support the prisons decongestion program to ensure that prisoners live a dignified life in line with articles 28 and 43 of the constitution which demands that every person should live in dignity,’ she stated at a press briefing at the Kodiaga Maximum Prison.

Principal Secretary State Department for Correctional Services Salome Muhia presents donations in favour of inmates at the Kodiaga Maximum Prisons in Kisumu County on Friday.

Photos by Chris Mahandara

The PS added that the government would also tap on the available 135 probation and Aftercare stations across the nation to push the judiciary to put offenders with petty offenses under community service.

The problem of overcrowding with some penal institutions holding double the expected capacity has been regarded as a contributing factor to poor prison conditions in the country. The challenge has posed a management crisis making it difficult to sustain the inmates with basic needs like food, medical care and sanitation facilities.

At the same time, Muhia disclosed that the renovation of the sewerage system at the Kodiaga Maximum Prison is 25% underway and is expected to be accomplished by December 2023 to address the problem of environmental pollution in the area.

‘Apart from Kisumu, we have also begun construction of modern sewerage systems in Lodwar and Naivasha prisons with a target to roll out similar projects in all other stations across the country in line with our commitment to tackling climate change menace,’ stated the PS.

To further contribute to combating the adverse effects of climate change and increase forest cover, the Correctional Department intends to utilize 20% of its land to plant a billion trees in line with President William Ruto’s directive to plant 15 billion tree seedlings by 2032.

‘Our target in the Correctional services sector comprising of the administration, Kenya Prison Service, Probation and Aftercare service is to plant at least 100 million trees in 2023 and progressively in the next 10 years plant another 900 million trees so that 20% of all our land under the correctional services is under tree coverage,’ she said.

Muhia hailed the skills development and training programs offered to inmates at various prison institutions aimed at empowering them for smooth reintegration into society.

She added that the state is partnering with other stakeholders to refurbish the training curriculum and modernize the workshop equipment in all prisons to boost the standards of training and equip the prisoners with up-to-date skills that are needed in the market.

The department in collaboration with other partners donated blankets, detergents, sanitary towels, and tissue papers to the inmates at the Kodiaga Maximum Prison and distributed children’s clothes to babies accompanying their mothers serving sentences at the Kisumu Women’s Prison.

Also in attendance during the tour were Commissioner General of Prisons (Rtd) John Warioba, Secretary of Probation and After Care Services Mary Mbau, Nyanza Region Prison Commander Patrick Nyaachi among other senior department officials.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Farmers in Migori County have received free training on a new variety of grass that will help to reduce soil erosion and provide fodder to animals.

The Kenya Vetiver Network (KEVN) lead researcher Jane Wegesa said that they were introducing the Vertiver Grass as a solution to bioengineering to help solve and address effects of climate change like drought, soil and water conservation in farms, industrial parks, and institutions.

Vetiver is a large strong bunchgrass that grows up to 1.5 meters high and its roots can attain depths of more than three meters making it one of the tallest grass in the world.

The grass was introduced two years ago in Rongo Sub County to help in soil and water conservation as well as reduce soil erosion and siltation along the river banks and Lake Victoria.

Wegesa explained that vetiver was an excellent stabilising hedge for watercourse banks and terraces in protecting the soils against erosion.

‘Vetiver grass helps to slow down run offs so helps to reduce soil erosion that leads to restoration of soil fertility and better crop aeration,’ noted Wegesa.

She noted that the grass should be embraced as a tool of agro ecology and farm culture in the fight against the ever persists effects of climate change in environmental ecosystem preservations.

Farmers in Central Kamagambo-Rongo Sub County during a free training on a new variety of grass that will help to reduce soil erosion and provide a folder to animals. Photo by Geoffrey Makokha.

Wegesa also urged the counties and the national government to embrace and adopt the bioengineering aspect of the grass in solving embankments instead of using expensive technologies like gabions and concrete wall constructions along the river and dam banks.

She emphasised that instead of investing heavily in gabions erections the country should invest in the Vetiver System (VS), a cheap and environmentally friendly system of soil and water conservation whose main constituent is the use of the vetiver plant in hedgerows.

Vetiver System uses vetiver plants in hedgerows for soil and water conservation, infrastructure stabilisation, and pollution control along the river and lake banks. The system can also be used for wastewater treatment, sediment control, and other environmental protection applications.

‘Vetiver grass can be used to stabilise railway and road cuttings or embankments to prevent mudslides and rockfalls,’ explained Wegesa.

The grass has been present in Kenya for at least 25 years and according to The Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization (KALRO) research publications it was recommended for use because of its effectiveness in soil and water conservation across the country.

Mwadime Kombo, a farmer from Central Kamagambo said that the training will enable him to utilise the enormous benefits that the Vetiver grass presents.

He pointed out that the Vetiver System will also enable area residents to restore the landscape soils that used to be washed down to Lake Victoria from their farm.

Kombo encouraged farmers in Migori to embrace the low-cost technology adding that the grass was rich in energy, proteins and a more digestible forage that will provide farmers with animal feeds as well as sell the surplus to generate income.

Source: Kenya News Agency