Day: March 15, 2024

Thirteen Mining sites in Dabel Location, Moyale Sub-county in Marsabit County are now a disturbed area, interior Cabinet Secretary (CS), Prof Kithure Kindiki, has declared.

Prof. Kindiki has also ordered for a one week rapid assessment in the affected County, to ascertain if there were other areas with mineral deposits and which could attract a problem, akin to that in Dabel.

The CS who toured the area, soon after issuing a gazette, notice declaring the mining area as dangerous, said Kenya was a country governed by the rule of Law and advised that every investment should be carried out as per the Constitution.

He noted with satisfaction that the local County Security Teams had managed to clear the affected area, popularly known as Hillo, of the thousands of illegal artisanal miners, majority of whom were migrants from outside the country.

Prof Kindiki directed the County Police Commander, Nyambu Mwakio, to ensure that the affected area was not accessed by any person, including public servants and ensure
it remained an operation area as stated.

The gazette notice signed, today, by the CS read in part, ‘Pursuant to Section 8(1) of the Public Order Act, Cap 56 of the Laws of Kenya, and Section 106(1) of the National Police Service Act, no person may be found present in the areas specified in the Gazette Notice at any time without the written authority of the County Police Commander, Marsabit County.’

The CS pointed out that it was of great concern how unauthorized aliens moved into the country and started exploiting highly valuable minerals with unknown beneficiaries of the proceeds.

‘We have no room for any security breach’, he said, adding that it was mind boggling how foreigners ended-up at the as their motives could be suspect.

The mining sites that were declared security zones are Hilo Karray, Hillo Hudda, Hillo Qoranjido, Hillo Irress Shindia, Hillo Rabaalee and Hillo Godde Haroressa.

Others include Hillo Gorgora, Hillo Orofa, Hillo Walkite, Hillo Tanzania, Hillo Iress Abamartile, Hillo Gootu and Hil
lo Tessum Qalicha.

The CS, however, asked the County Security Team headed by County Commissioner, Nobert Komora, to allow miners with machinery like crushing units on the ground to move them away.

In addition, Prof. Kindiki made it clear that no any other government agency would be allowed into the remedying and restoration of the area, which has also been subjected to huge environmental degradation.

He asked the County Commissioner, to task National Government Administrations in the 10 Sub-counties and the State Department of Mining in establishing other potential mining areas in Marsabit, so that appropriate measures can be taken to avoid a repeat of what happened in Dabel.

Also present was the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Noor Gabow, Senior Superintendent Inspector of Mines, Jidruph Baru and the County Criminal Investigations Office (CCIO), Luka Tumbo.

Last Sunday, a skirmish between two groups of artisanal miners left Six people dead and scores of others with injuries over control of gold depo
sits at Hillo Orofa mining site.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government has launched a 3 year project that will address productivity, post-harvest management and expand market access for African Indigenous Vegetables (AIV)

The project is being funded by USAID Feed the Future Horticulture Innovation Lab to a tune of Ksh 104.2 million (USD750,00) in the next three and a half years and will involve AIVs small holder farmers specifically women and youth

This project is also being carried out by the research teams led by Kenya Agricultural Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) , in collaboration with the University of Nairobi (UON) and the North Carolina State University (NCSU)

Speaking today when launching the project, KALRO Director General Eliud Kireger said there is untapped potential of AIVs and therefore there is need to enhance their productivity, streamline post-harvest management practices and facilitate better market access.

‘This initiative is not just about improving yields or increasing profits; it is about empowering our farmers, especially women an
d youth, revitalizing rural communities, and promoting food security and nutrition for all Kenyans’, he said .

He noted that through collaborative efforts, the project will address various challenges that have hindered the full realization of the potential of indigenous vegetables from inadequate access to quality seeds and inputs to poor post-harvest handling techniques and limited market linkages.

‘By harnessing the inherent resilience and adaptability of AIVs, we can build a more resilient and diversified agricultural system that is better equipped to withstand the challenges of climate change and other external shocks’, Dr. Kireger said .

The DG explained that Indigenous Vegetable is one of the prioritized value chains under BETA for food and nutrition security; and income generation as well as a priority value chain in County Integrated Development Plans for both Kisii and Kakamega Counties where the Connecting Research, Education, and Outreach (CREdO) programme will be undertaken on a pilot basis.

D
r. Mumina Shibia, the Principal Investigator for the project said the project aims to address the issue of pre-harvest losses, post-harvest loss management value addition, processing, aggregation enhancing market linkages and capacity building, which is very important.

‘This project highly targets youth and women in the two pilot counties of Kisii and Kakamega that were selected due to their high population density, small land sizes typically managed by small holder farmers and prioritizing the AIVs as a key value chain by the Counties.

‘What this project is expected to deliver and the first point of interventions that we are looking at is issues of commercialization of the African indigenous vegetable value chain, starting from the seed systems and commercialization, the issue of germplasm, and then from there we deliver on reduction of pre and post-harvest losses’, Dr. Mumina said .

She explained that African indigenous vegetables despite their adaptability to local conditions experience high losses in t
erms of post-harvest of between 40 to 50 percent of the production due to sub standard storage practices.

‘ Our point of intervention will be from the pre-harvest perspective such that it does not lead finally to post-harvest even as we address the post-harvest management’, Dr. Mumina said adding that the project will also strive to provide safe and quality AIVs products. Through value addition such as smoothies, coming up with different recipes and targeting different consumers.

Prof Jane Ambuko from UON and Co-PI said they hope that the project is going to move the needle in unlocking the potential of ALVs as a source of possible nutrition for communities, but also source of livelihood for vulnerable groups, women, People living with disability and even the youth.

‘It has potential across the chain, from production all the way to market linkages. We know the story of ALVs is not new in Kenya, but all the time we talk about potential, so this time we hope that with the resources available, we will unlock
that potential right from production, increasing productivity so that we produce efficient quality and the quantity vegetables that is expected and can be accessed by the consumer’, she added.

Prof. Peter Ojiambo, a professor in the Department of Entomology and Plantomology at North Carolina State said the African indigenous vegetables has always been seen often as a women crop and therefore the project wants to ensure that there is a change in their livelihood particularly because they bear the family of what is happening at home .

‘We also want to empower the youth as well, because we know unemployment is a major problem here in Kenya. But AIV provides an avenue for them to get employment and to be self-reliant with the general care of gain over the years through the colleges and training’, he said.

Dr. Penina Yumbya East Africa Horticulture Regional Hub Manager said that as a host organization for the Feed the Future Innovation lab the channel which USAID is funding the project it was a long process whi
ch targeted Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia and proposals were done by over 55 organizations from the region

‘The process of reviewing ended up with us picking only 3 projects from the 55 proposals and one of them was the KALRO one on AVLs’, she said adding that the project is ideal as the PIs will be working directly with the small scale farmers and also the youth.

‘Our end goal, and what we are looking forward to is that after 3.5 years, we will have an impact on the lives of those people we are working with to enhance their lives of course, in terms of nutrition and economic empowerment’. Dr. Yumbya said.

In Kenya, African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) are primarily cultivated by small holder female farmers particularly in urban areas where commercialization efforts are increasing. However challenges such as seasonality low productivity and post-harvest losses imped meeting the rising demand ,

There are over 210 AIV species that play a critical role in addressing micronutrient deficiencies due to their rich
natural content. Indigenous Vegetable is also one of the prioritized value chains under BETA for food and nutrition security; and income generation,

Source: Kenya News Agency

Mango and dairy farmers in Murang’a listed in the minimum guaranteed subsidy programme will from April this year receive their financial support from the county government in form of e-voucher.

Since last year, more than 21, 000 farmers from the two sectors have been receiving the subsidy in form of cash with the county government changing the mode of payment in order to seal loopholes in the programme.

The Governor Irungu Kang’ata’s administration has announced the listed farmers will get e-voucher to enable them access farm inputs and foodstuff from locally prequalified agrovet stores and shops.

The county government established a subsidy programme early in 2023 to help mango and dairy farmers to increase production as well as caution them from fluctuation of prices.

Mango farmers were receiving Sh 3.50 per kilo of delivered produce while those in dairy farming were getting Sh7 per delivered litre of milk.

‘The county administration will stop issuing cash support and instead introduce an e-voucher mob
ile phone-based system. Milk and Mango farmers will redeem the said vouchers in agro vets across the county for various items including dairy meal, Artificial Insemination, maize/sorghum seedlings and foodstuffs,’ read part of the notice issued by the county government.

The move to change mode of giving subsidy through e-voucher the county administration stated it was informed by advice from various stakeholders so as to make the programme more impactful.

With the e-voucher, the devolved unit promised to increase the number of beneficiaries by 20,000, by the end of March this year.

In the notice, the county explained that with the new mode of payment of subsidies all farmers will get an equal amount which will ensure support to the majority of farmers.

‘With the e-voucher, the county government will increase the number of farmers benefiting from the programme.’ read part of the notice.

The county administration further announced that from March 14 to March 24, it will conduct a farmers’ list verification
exercise and public participation meetings in every ward.

With the e-voucher, Kang’ata’s administration stated farmers will spend the county’s resources strictly on inputs and not on other unrelated matters.

‘The farmers who stop supplying milk/mango to their respective cooperatives will be easily detected and replaced. This method will also support other stakeholders like agrovets and veterinary officers.’ indicated the county government.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Uasin Gishu County Government, has partnered with Colgate Palmolive East Africa, to promote oral health education, by implementing an in-school brushing programme, targeting a total of 38,000 Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) learners, parents and teachers across the County.

Speaking during the launch of the programme dubbed Koti Oral Health Care, Governor Jonathan Chelilim, said the programme is aimed at benefiting learners in Early Childhood Education and Development centres, through inculcating good and oral hygiene practices at an early age.

‘As an Administration, we prioritize the health and welfare of our young learners, recognizing it as a valuable investment in their long-term dental health,’ he said.

He noted that the initiative is backed by the Kenya National Oral Health Policy 2022-2030, which is why the County extended their collaborative efforts with Colgate Palmolive, on a 50-50 funding model, to ensure learners in all 673 ECDEs receive training on good oral hygiene practices.

‘T
hrough our partnership, we are ensuring that the Koti Oral Health Care program, is not only realized but also impactful. Together, we have agreed on a 50-50 Co-funding model, with Colgate. Our focus will be on providing pupils with toothbrushes, toothpaste, and training in proper handwashing techniques,’ said Chelilim.

He affirmed that initiative will benefit their physical health and also establish a foundation for a lifetime of good dental habits and overall well-being.

The Kenya National Oral Health Survey, indicates that 5-year-old children are particularly vulnerable to oral conditions, which carries prevalence in 46 percent and gingivitis in 99.9 percent.

‘These oral health issues persist into adulthood, largely due to only 32 percent of children brushing twice daily. This is a collective responsibility and I urge parents to be fully involved,’ added the Governor.

County Executive for Health Services, Abraham Serem, said the programme with Colgate Palmolive East Africa, will primarily focus on ECDE
centres, therefore, the need to emphasise the importance of oral hygiene, proper nutrition, and preventive measures against tooth decay.

‘By incorporating these essential aspects into the curriculum, the initiative is poised to have a positive impact on the overall oral health of the learners,’ said Dr Serem.

According to Promotive and Preventive Health Chief Officer, Dr Paul Wangwe, the collaborative effort between the County Government of Uasin Gishu and Colgate Palmolive, marks a significant step towards enhancing oral health awareness within the community.

Clinical Services Chief Officer, Dr Joyce Sang, noted that through targeted educational programmes and practical initiatives such as the in-school brushing program, the partnership aims to promote good oral health habits from an early age, ultimately contributing to improved dental health outcomes among the learners, teachers and parents.

The collaboration is expected to boost oral hygiene through its three times child brushing exercise, (1 at schoo
l and two at home), allowing parents to brush two times a day at home. In addition, it will improve access to water for learners in schools, through the drilling exercise, a total of two boreholes per Sub- County, making it to 12 and also training of nurses on dental care.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) held a consultative forum in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu to help find lasting solutions to address backlog of cases both at law courts and high court in Uasin Gishu.

Speaking when he presided over a conference that brought together various stakeholders from the National police service, advocates, prosecution team and others, themed; ‘Criminal Justice Administration and Adjudication of Cases in Uasin Gishu County’, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Renson Ingonga revealed that there were over 7000 pending criminal cases both in the magistrate and high courts.

He indicated that they must find ways of hastening the criminal trials and one of them is through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), where parties in a conflict, may sit down and talk and agree on solutions to solve their cases without going to court, hence reducing time and cost as compared to when the case goes before the court which is a long process.

He noted that in the ODPP they embrace
diversion and plea bargaining which is in essence the alternative justice system called ADR.

DPP Ingonga pointed out that there is a need to sensitize the members of the public to understand and embrace ADR because it will be easier for them to use it if the people understand and are ready to embrace it.

Additionally, ADR can happen even at the police station, if the parties in a case can sit down and decide to solve the case without going to court, which is acceptable according to the DPP.

‘Before going to court, a case can come to us and we see that these are close people from one community, no need for them to go to court, they can speak and we talk to them to agree. That is called diversion, before it goes to course, you can agree and find a solution,’ he explained.

‘Plea bargaining is on case which has already gone to court, people are already in court and we see that they have agreed on each other, we say let us reduce these charges for instance it is a big offence we make it small offence and when
they agree we conclude the case there to enable both sides get justice on time,’ noted the DPP.

Ingonga noted that there are cases which are exempted from plea bargaining and ADR like those on terrorism, defilement and others.

Uasin Gishu Governor, Jonathan Chelilim lauded the harmonious relationship between the county the judicial system which is reflected in the establishment and gazettement of two new courts in Moiben and Turbo sub counties to bring services closer to the people which will help reduce case backlog in the courts.

The courts will be equipped with modern amenities, including internet connectivity, ensuring that our residents no longer need to undertake a tough journey in search of justice.

‘Our aim is to bring justice closer to the people, to reduce the burden on our citizens, and to expedite the resolution of cases,’ noted the governor.

The establishment of these courts in Moiben and Turbo will significantly alleviate the challenges faced by law enforcement officers in transporting peop
le to distant areas for legal proceedings, saving time and resources, and ultimately leading to the swift conclusion of cases.

He affirmed his administration’s support for the ADR Mechanism which he said empowers community leaders, such as chiefs and village elders, to play a more active role in mediation and conflict resolution.

‘As members of the Court Users Committee (CUC), we are strong proponents of the Alternative Justice System (AJS). This system, rooted in our traditions and values, holds immense potential in resolving disputes swiftly and fairly,’ noted Chelilim.

He hinted that, through the CUC, they are able to provide training and support to the community leaders, enabling them to effectively mediate conflicts and render fair judgments.

‘One such example is the ongoing resolution of a decades-long land dispute in Kesses Sub County. Through the Alternative Justice System, we are making tangible progress towards granting title deeds to the involved parties,’ he added.

He further pointed that; th
ey are prepared to allocate additional spaces within the sub-counties to ensure that justice is accessible at the grassroots level.

Governor Chelilim called on the office of the Chief Justice to consider deploying more judges and magistrates to Eldoret, which is on the verge of receiving a charter to become the fifth city, to help boost access to justice up to the grass root level.

On his part, Justice Reuben Nyakundi, the presiding judge, Eldoret High Court, acknowledged the DPP for answering his call to come to help find lasting solutions to the overwhelming backlog of cases in Eldoret courts in order to ensure residents get justice on time.

‘We have had discussions to find a lasting solution to the problem, so that the people in this region may get justice as per the constitution. The constitution states that if a case is started it should last for a specified period but sometimes, we find that in our courts a case may take up to 6 or 7 years in courts without judgement, which is worrying,’ said Justice
Nyakundi.

He outlined various reasons that may cause case delays like lack of witnesses for example on murder cases, missing case files among others.

He further commended the introduction of an e-filing system in the judiciary which he said will help hasten expedition of justice as case files will be accessed online as compared to when everything was done manually which sometimes caused delays as files got misplaced from time to time.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Secretary General of the Communication Workers Union of Kenya (COWU), Benson Okwaro, has voiced his support for the government’s decision to advertise with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).

Okwaro notes this initiative as a step towards empowering the organisation to become financially self-reliant and ensure full payment of its employees.

Speaking at the Pride Inn Flamingo, Mombasa, Okwaro said that this endorsement underscores the importance of governmental collaboration in strengthening the financial stability of the public broadcasting entity, while also addressing concerns regarding employee remuneration.

‘This initiative has raised many concerns from the other media houses as they are making complaints that this will bring some discrimination, but as representative of the Communication Union of workers, I think that is a right decision the government has made,’ Okwaro said.

In his statement, he reiterated the union’s backing of the decision, emphasizing their shared goal of facilitating
KBC’s financial autonomy, expansion, and ensuring prompt and complete payment of its workforce.

He noted that it is only fair for KBC to be supported by the Government as it owns it and that the other media should not feel discriminated against because it was not announced that the Government would not do business with them but to give the Broadcasting Corporation time to get on its feet.

‘I also want to take this opportunity to plead with the management of KBC through the MD that he has a job to do, to grab this opportunity and exploit all the potential the Corporation has’, he added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Migori County plans to assist local farmers acquire the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) certification to promote the value addition of their products to gain a competitive market edge.

Migori County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Fishery, and Blue Economy Lucas Mosenda said the county has a lot of products created by various farmers’ groups in the county that cannot be sold beyond the county due to lack of proper KEBS certification.

Mosenda announced that the Department of Agriculture will ensure that county products receive food safety certifications from relevant bodies like KEBS, allowing farmers to benefit from their produce.

KEBS ensures food products are safe for human and animal consumption, providing confidence in usage and performance capability. Public health organizations ensure food certification safety by obtaining health certificates that demonstrate the business’s approval and non-harmful impact on human and animal health.

Mosenda urged the farmers to embrace value add
ition of their products to enable them to have a competitive edge in the markets for better returns. The County plans to offer youth internships to enhance agricultural and livestock education, information, and practical skills for farmers at the grassroots level.

The official, however, called upon the county farmers to register to enjoy services offered by both the County and the National government. He noted that the national government has been issuing subsidized fertilizer while the county has been giving out seeds for the March planting season to promote agricultural activities in the county.

The county and its developmental partners will continue to hold and promote agricultural exhibitions to help grassroots farmers enhance their agricultural production capacity.

Julius Otieno a bee farmer from Rongo Sub County noted that it has been very hard to sell their group honey produce on the shelves because of lack of KEBS certification. He was, however, pleased that the County has stepped in to assist coun
ty farmers.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) has introduced two new maize varieties, the Ukamez-1 and Embu-537 that are drought resistant and high yielding, ahead of the planting season,

Kalro Board Chairman Peter Weru while calling on farmers in semi-arid regions to embrace the two varieties said they are responsive to the effects of climate change and will help them get enough yields.

Speaking during a two-day Mkulima Expo 2024 at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) in Kandara, Murang’a County yesterday, Weru said as an organisation, they will continue to develop technologies including planting materials that are drought resistant and adaptive and that can withstand pests and diseases.

‘We have continued to develop varieties that are drought responsive and high yielding. We can proudly say that agriculture has supported our country’s economy. We are calling on our farmers to ensure that they plant high quality and verified seeds for maximum production
,’ Weru said.

The Chairman at the same time called on the farmers to be on the lookout during this planting season, not to plant counterfeit seeds that have flooded the market.

He said they are working closely with other stakeholders including the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) to ensure there are no fake seeds in the market.

He at the same time called for support from the government and the private sector to promote research and dissemination of the technologies to benefit farmers in the grassroots.

‘While we appreciate the support from stakeholders and the government, we also appeal for more support to ensure that these exhibitions on new technologies get to the farmer through outreach programmes and publicity,’ Weru said.

He added that they have developed ICT platforms where farmers can access the best varieties of seeds within their comfort, making farming cheaper.

Farmers led by Beatrice Mwangi welcomed the new varieties and called on Kalro to ensure they are available in the mark
et early enough.

‘Some of us have started planting and we hope the new varieties will not delay before they are distributed to the markets. We also ask them to shield us from shops that sell counterfeit seeds,’ she said.

The farmers at the same time took issue with the new Finance Act that ensures that they produce an e-Tims invoice after selling their produce.

While terming it punitive, they accused MPs of failing them and taking them for a ride with the ’empty’ promises.

MPs from the Central region led by Edward Muriu (Gatanga) are proposing to have the Act amended to have a threshold introduced on whom to produce an e-Tims invoice after selling their farm produce.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A group of youth environmentalists from Makima Ward in Mbeere Sub-county, Embu, participated in the International Day of Action for Rivers by conducting a cleanup exercise.

The day is observed on March 14 every year and is dedicated to saving, cleaning, and creating awareness about the importance of rivers. The youth under the umbrella of the Activist Movement spent the better part of the day sprucing up the dam shoreline which is a popular picnic site for tourists visiting the game reserve.

They were accompanied by game wardens at the reservoir in collecting and burning floating waste and litter left strewn along the shores of the dam by visitors. The group leader Triza Musyoka said the clean-up was part of their contribution in tackling the pollution of rivers and dams in the protection of aquatic life.

The aim is to educate the public about the importance of responsible waste disposal practices within the community. She emphasized plastic waste was the major contributor of pollution within the dam and
has the potential to suffocate and kill wild animals which was a major heritage in the area and income earner.

Another member of the group Boniface Musyoka called on farmers neighboring the dam to ensure they properly dispose bottles used for chemicals so that they may not end up being washed into the dam.

Mwea Game Reserve measuring 42 square kilometers is home to a significant number of wild animals including elephants, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, and gazelles.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Baringo County government has closed five livestock markets in Tiaty East Sub- County, in a bid to tame the current runaway insecurity in the area.

Speaking to KNA, Friday, Tiaty East Sub- County Administrator, Charles Bunden, said the County Administration in consultation with area security team, have resolved to close Ngingan’g, Chepkalacha, Tangulbei, Amaya and Churo open auction yards as a measure of preventing stolen livestock from infiltrating the market.

Bunden who confirmed issuing a public notice which take effects immediately, said the directive will remain in force until such a time when the fight against the ravaging cattle rustling and banditry is successful.

He stated that the closure targets sale yards which the County Security Team believe are being supplied with livestock that have been stolen from neighbouring Baringo North and South Sub-counties.

The Sub- County Administrator, however, said that the directive only applies to his Sub- County, which for a very long time, is known to be h
ideout for armed criminals.

‘The notice does not apply to Tiaty West Sub- County, but they shall be also affected because of Ngingan’g, is their other main livestock market,’ he said.

County Executive Committee member for Agriculture, Risper Chepkonga, in a rejoinder said the livestock business will resume once the security situation has normalised.

She urged residents living in affected areas to live harmoniously and stop vices that could hinder them from realising development.

Source: Kenya News Agency