Year: 2023

The government has commissioned the first batch of the 100-grain dryers it procured to assist farmers in mitigating post-harvest losses in 15 maize-growing counties.

This is the first phase of the government plan to support the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), Farmers Cooperatives, and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) with 200-grain dryers to curb post-harvest losses occasioned by poor storage, inadequate drying facilities, and poor weather conditions.

The counties set to benefit from the first 100 dryers include Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Bungoma, and Kakamega.

West Pokot, Narok, Kericho, Migori, Bomet, Baringo, Nyandarua and Laikipia counties will also benefit from the first phase of the grain drying facilities for sustainable post-harvest management project.

Speaking at the NCPB Eldoret depot where he flagged off the dryers Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi said the 15 earmarked counties were mainly maize-growing counti
es whose crop harvesting coincides with the October-December short rains which are this year expected to be higher than normal due to the El Nino effect.

Linturi who also witnessed the operationalization of the dryers in Ziwa, Uasin Gishu County, said other counties will receive their dryers in the second phase.

The CS was accompanied by Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii, Soy MP David Kiplagat, Senator Jackson Mandago, and Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Edyson Nyale.

Linturi said that although food and nutrition security was one of the key pillars of the government’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda, post-harvest losses were a major impediment to achieving 100 percent food and nutrition security.

‘Each dryer has the capacity to dry 14 tons of maize in two hours, and there is no reason for a farmer not to dry their maize to the required moisture content,’ Linturi said.

This year maize production is expected to increase due to favourable weather conditions and farmers accessing low-cost fertil
izer under the government subsidy initiative.

The CS said the country expects to harvest more than 60 million bags of maize this year and lauded farmers for responding to the government’s call to produce more to make the country self-sufficient.

‘I appeal to our people to return to the farms now that the fertilizer cost has come down to Sh2500, so that we produce more and eradicate the shame of our country begging for food relief 60 years after independence,’ said Linturi.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani has advised residents in lowland and flood-prone areas to vacate their homes and move to higher grounds until the ongoing rain session is over.

Governor Achani said those in low-lying areas should consider relocating to higher grounds until the situation becomes normal.

She said the devolved unit was concerned about the lives and property of persons living in flood-prone areas as rains continue to batter the region.

The Governor also warned residents against blocking drainages with refuse in order to prevent further flooding and the loss of lives and properties.

She called on urban residents living close to major gutters and storm drains, culverts and bridges to move away to safeguard lives and property.

Numerous business premises and markets have been affected by the flooding with traders forced to evacuate and salvage their belongings from the rapid currents of the rainwater.

The ongoing deluge has also led to disruptions in crucial services in some areas such as access t
o drinking water, health, and electricity services.

Achani called on the urban dwellers to cease the practice of disposing waste into street gutters during rainfall noting that improper waste management worsens the flooding situation as it causes blockages that hinder the free flow of rainwater.

She also advised members of riverine communities to start moving to higher grounds as consistent downpours would increase the water levels of different rivers across the county.

Achani said special teams have been activated for repair of damaged roads, restoration of power lines, and health-related assistance.

The Governor pointed out that according to the weatherman, the coastal county will experience a few more weeks of rain before the end of the season.

In the last few weeks, the region has experienced heavy torrential rains leading to extensive flooding which caused havoc.

She appealed to residents engaged in farming activities along waterways to immediately avoid those areas for safety.

Some 680 families h
ave been displaced and forced to abandon their homes due to widespread floods across the county and at least five persons have lost their lives in what local authorities say is the worst flooding in recent years.

Schools in the affected areas are currently occupied by internally displaced persons seeking shelter and it’s not known how many hectares of crops have been destroyed but many farmers told KNA that they had lost everything.

Those interviewed say aid agencies have been overwhelmed by the extent of the damage caused by the above normal rainfall and the response needs stronger coordination.

Those in areas hit the hardest said they had never before experienced such extreme weather causing severe damage and disrupting power supply in towns and villages posing risks to the population.

Governor Achani noted that the ongoing torrential rains have the potential of wreaking more havoc in parts of the coastal county.

The coastal county boss was speaking when she toured the worst affected areas in Msambweni
Sub County where severe flooding also caused the destruction of huge tracts of farmlands.

She therefore urged residents, especially those living along the coastline where already fishing boats were destroyed, to brace themselves for more heavy rains in the days ahead.

‘As a county, we are not out of the woods yet so we have to brace ourselves for more downpours before we come out of it,’ she said.

Governor Achani revealed that the devolved government in close collaboration with the national government and humanitarian agencies are continuing to assess the situation and provide support and assistance to flood victims.

She urged residents to remain vigilant and follow safety guidelines during this challenging period.

Environmentalists have long blamed blocked drainage systems and river courses, saturated soil, disregard for building plans in lowlands and climate change as the main causes of flooding.

Many factors contribute to severe flooding but experts say climate change caused by global warming makes e
xtreme rainfall the new normal.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A consultant planner in Nakuru city, Timothy Maina has attributed the flooding in Kenyan cities and towns to a combination of natural and human factors, claiming that many urban areas lack proper drainage systems, which are essential for managing excess stormwater.

Mr. Maina observed that rapid urbanization often leads to the replacement of natural permeable surfaces with impermeable ones, such as concrete and asphalt.

He said these changes reduce the ability of the land to absorb rainfall, hence, increasing surface runoff and the risk of flooding.

In an interview with KNA in Nakuru today, Mr. Maina also pointed out that deforestation and other forms of environmental degradation have further reduced the natural capacity of land to absorb and retain water.

‘Without sufficient vegetation to act as a buffer, rainwater runs off more quickly, contributing to flooding,’ Maina said.

He further stated that informal settlements, which are common in the urban areas, often lack proper drainage systems, and added a
s a result, these areas are particularly susceptible to flooding during heavy rains, like the ongoing El Nino.

Changes in climate patterns, he said, including more frequent and higher intensity of rainfall, and improper disposal of solid waste, including plastics and other debris, can block drainage channels, leading to water accumulation in urban areas.

He said addressing flooding issues requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach involving urban planning, infrastructure development, environmental conservation, and community engagement, which are crucial steps toward mitigating the risk of flooding in urban areas.

Maina’s sentiments come on the backdrop of a tour of the ongoing construction of Kinuthia Mbugua stormwater drainage system by the Nakuru City management team to assess the extent of destruction following the recent heavy rains that has affected neighboring areas.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Two elderly men last night drowned in Garissa and Hulugho towns following a heavy downpour that lasted for over six hours which left behind a trail of destruction.

Confirming the two incidents, Garissa acting County Commissioner Solomon Chesut said that the two were trying to cross flooded roads when they were swept away.

Addressing the press in his office today, Chesut said the two bodies were recovered this morning and the police have taken over the cases.

The relentless downpour that started at around 7 pm in the evening went on past midnight destroying homes, and shops on the roadsides and collapsing pit latrines on the outskirts of Garissa town and neighbouring Madogo and Mororo in Tana River County.

He called on members of the public to stop making attempts to cross flooded roads, rivers, and valleys saying that the enhanced El-Nino rain is posing a huge danger to human lives in flood-prone areas.

‘I want to appeal to members of the public to move away from flood-prone areas. The enhanced El Nino
rains has devastated homes, roads, road networks, and other infrastructure,’ Chesut said.

‘Our people should stop sheltering under trees when it’s raining. The trees can fall on them or even be struck by lightning. Let us take all the necessary precautions because the rains will continue for some time,’ he added.

He said the main roads of Modiga – Modogashe, and Garissa – Dadaab have been completely cut off and motorists plying these routes should avoid them for now.

Chesut appealed to donor agencies and other partners to assist in airlifting food and non-food items to areas that have been cut off due to the ongoing rains.

He singled out Hulugho sub-county as one of the hardest hit adding Hulugho town ‘is almost completely submerged by floods’.

The administrator said the government will continue distributing relief food to those who have been displaced by floods and are taking shelter at various camps.

On the tragic helicopter accident that took place in Masalani sub-county this morning, Chesut termed i
t ‘quite unfortunate’ noting that the helicopter pilots have done an excellent job in delivering national examination papers to areas that have been cut off due to the ongoing rains.

Chesut called on officers manning the examination and the general public where helicopters are involved to be extra careful and keep away from the choppers.

‘Sometimes you see members of the public getting excited and milling around the helicopters. Let us keep off from these machines because they are very powerful and dangerous,’ he said.

The county commissioner confirmed that Ahmed Nur Ismael, who was the deputy head teacher Masalani primary school and was deployed as the sub-county examination officer attached to the KNEC container located at DCC office Ijara was hit on the head by the helicopter tail rotter while taking off, killing him instantly.

He said the pilot was dropping examination materials from Ijara secondary to the DCC container at Masalani when the tragic accident happened.

He said police removed the body fr
om the scene after processing the scene.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A religious-based organisation in Busia has urged religious leaders and environmentalists to engage children while on holiday in tree-planting initiatives in line with the government’s plan of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.

Compassion International, which has partnered with 16 churches in Busia, has challenged parents and guardians to mark various anniversaries of their young ones by planting trees.

This will give the children a lasting memory as well as a feeling for the environment they admire to see in the future.

Speaking at Bunyala forest during the family day for the organisation that supports over 5000 children in Busia, Compassion International director in Busia Eli Chengo noted that through children, the society will be well placed in environment conservation dialogue.

Chengo added that children have the best memory and given a chance they are the best implementers of any policy by an organisation or family.

‘The impact of the training we have started will see children becoming environmenta
lists on their own since they will know the importance of conserving the environment.’

His sentiments were echoed by Bunyala Forest Conservator Wilson Barasa who said the best way to teach children about the environment is by assigning them to care for trees, documenting growth progress and encouraging them to motivate each other to plant more trees.

‘The best way to teach children on the environment is by training them on how to take care of the trees they plant and encourage them to document the journey of the trees growing as they themselves grow and graduate from one class to the next,’ noted Barasa.

The exercise saw over 5000 trees planted by children who thereafter showcased various talents in a colourful event during the festive season.

‘It’s difficult for parents to cut down a tree his/her child planted and is documented. This will go a long way in helping in environmental conservation,’ he added.

Mr Chengo further called on religious leaders to be at the forefront of the fight against drug and s
ubstance abuse.

He emphasised that religious organisations cannot remain silent regarding the activities of drug barons, who are causing harm to the youth by promoting drug addiction.

‘Every institution must have a religious mentor to guide the children on religious nourishment to help mitigate effect of drug abuse among school-going children,’ the director added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Christian Blind Mission (CBM) Global has partnered with Kakamega County Disability Caucus to empower Persons with Disabilities to seek leadership positions.

The International Organisation is supporting the Training of Trainers of Leaders of Disability groups across the county who will then train their members on leadership and governance.

The Secretary General of Kakamega County Disability Caucus Catherine Namayi Shiundu revealed that by the end of the one-year project, most of Persons with Disability will be required to seek various roles and representation to articulate issues of disability mainstreaming.

She noted that their target is to have representatives sitting in every committee from the grassroots level up to the county level with capacity to defend the rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Shiundu noted that already some persons with disabilities are sitting in various committees including the climate change committee, National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF) Committees among o
thers.

She urged the representatives in these committees and those who will be included in others to ensure they raise concerns of persons with disabilities in order to influence policy changes and action from decision makers and office bearers.

She was speaking at Kakamega Daisy Special School during the Training of Trainers (TOTs) who will proceed to train persons with disabilities from all the sub-counties in Kakamega.

The Chair Navakholo Disability Initiative Group, Barthez Wechuli asked the county government to support the program by increasing funds to enable the Kakamega County Disability Committee to carry out more trainings and sensitisations to enhance inclusivity.

Gregory Nanzai a person with disability from Mumias East asked both the National and County governments to directly involve the leaders of people with disabilities in programs that are being implemented for them to pass information to others.

‘It’s easier for us to get information about government programs from our leaders than it is
to get from any other person or entity,’ he noted.

Nanzai asked the government and other agencies to ensure their offices are disability friendly and easily accessible to enable people with disabilities to access them without any challenges.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Soy South MCA Jonah Tanui has called on the recently launched El-Niño inter-agency preparedness committee to come to the aid of the ward residents after various roads were cut off by heavy rains.

The MCA said Kocholwo Kipsaos road was blocked by a landslide adding that most rivers have burst their banks destroying bridges.

Tanui cautioned motorists against using the road advising them to use alternative routes adding that most rivers had flooded making it risky, especially for small cars.

He regretted that most farmers were unable to take their products to various markets thus affecting their financial status and also leading to escalation of prices as a result of shortage.

‘Our farmers are not able to take their milk to the market leading to wastage as they cannot consume all the milk,’ he said.

He appealed to organizations dealing with tree planting like the Kenya Forest Services to consider working with residents to plant trees along the escarpment which is a source of various streams taking wate
r to the Kerio Valley.

The MCA said various groups had established nurseries with indigenous seedlings calling on institutions to buy from them as the ward strives to meet its targets of enabling the country to meet the 15 billion trees in 10 years.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A deputy head teacher at Masalani primary school died on the spot after being struck by the blades of a helicopter that crashed during an attempted take-off in Masalani, Ijara, Garissa County.

The body of the teacher who was part of the contingent of government officials overseeing the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams was severed during the botched take-off.

Preliminary reports into the incident indicated that the teacher who was invigilating the national examination was hit by the propellers when it lost control during the take-off in Masalani.

Ijara sub-county deputy director of education Mr Ibrahim Odowa said the late teacher identified as Mr Ahmed Noor Ismail, was taking the papers to Masalani Secondary School but was unfortunately struck by the blades of the ill-fated helicopter.

Odowa confirmed that the deceased died at the scene of the incident after the rotating propeller shaft slashed his head several times inflicting fatal injuries adding that the body was moved to
Masalani Hospital.

The news of the tragic death of the teacher sent Masalani town into mourning with the local imams praying for his family and the soul of the departed soul whom they described as a devoted Muslim.

The incident comes barely a day after two other chopper accidents occurred in the neighbouring Wajir County during a relief operation exercise as roads have been rendered impassable in the entire region due to the ongoing rains and floods across the country.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Vihiga County Commissioner Felix Watakila has called on parents and guardians to respect the rights of children.

Mr Watakila pointed out that some adult members of the society usually violate the rights of children by subjecting them to physical, emotional, and sexual violence.

The CC, who spoke at the Vihiga law courts during the children’s service week forum, lamented that his office had received numerous cases of defilement and in some instances, the crimes are committed by close relatives.

He asked the residents to uphold the traditional moral code of conduct that discouraged stray behaviour such as incest and promiscuity.

The administrator urged parents to fulfill their responsibilities by providing the basic needs for their offspring including food, shelter, clothing, and education.

He sounded a warning to parents who were abdicating their obligations by failing to provide for their families that they would be prosecuted for doing so.

The event was attended by among others children, parents, the
police, local administrators, the judicial staff and civil society activists.

Source: Kenya News Agency

World Health Organization (WHO) is advancing the global fight against acute malnutrition in children under five with the launch of its new guideline on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema (acute malnutrition).

This milestone is a crucial response to the persistent global issue of acute malnutrition, which affects millions of children worldwide.

In 2015, the world committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the ambitious target of eliminating malnutrition by 2030.

However, despite these commitments, the proportion of children with acute malnutrition has persisted at a worrying level, affecting an estimated 45 million children under five worldwide in 2022.

In 2022, approximately 7.3 million children received treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Although treatment coverage has increased, children with SAM in many of the worst affected countries are still unable to access the full necessary care for them to recover.

The Global Action Plan
(GAP) on child wasting recognized the need for updated normative guidance to support governments in preventing and managing acute malnutrition.

WHO answered this call to action and developed a comprehensive guideline that provides evidence-based recommendations and good practice statements and will be followed by guidance and tools for implementation.

‘This guideline helps to support countries to prevent and manage acute malnutrition with a specific emphasis on the continuum of care to deliver the best services possible for children and their families,’ said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

This is the first WHO guideline focusing on both the prevention and management of acute malnutrition and highlights the vital importance of investing in both these aspects to have a real impact on reducing the prevalence and negative impacts of acute malnutrition on children and their families around the world.

‘We are calling for more integration of nutrition services into health systems and the st
rengthening of those health systems. This is a more comprehensive approach to address the complex issue of acute malnutrition in children than ever,’ the WHO Director-General added.

Source: Kenya News Agency