Day: April 12, 2024

National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) has urged stakeholders to plan for the youthful population in the country which constitutes 75.1 percent of Kenya’s population as per the 2019 Census.

During a stakeholders’ forum convened in Narok on Thursday by NCPD that drew all stakeholders from Government and non-governmental players in the field of population and development they discussed the socio demographic profile in Narok county.

The regional population coordinator in charge of the South Rift region, Janet Lunayo said the stakeholders discussed the indicators that need the attention of different players so that the population is well managed, that will realise population development in the country.

Lunayo said the size of the population in Narok county as per 2019 census is 1.2 million people, adding that the population is growing.

The Coordinator added that the nature of the population is a youthful population where most of the people are aged 34 years and below constituting 81.9 percent
of the entire population in Narok County.

She said there is need to plan for the youthful population, but however, added that there is an implication of this population of which is a high dependency population that requires it to be well managed.

In Narok county, the dependency ratio is 105:100 which is high compared to the country’s dependency ratio of 75:100 and added this needs to come down.

‘High dependency ratio means that we cannot be able to save to realise economic development,’ Lunayo said.

Among other issues discussed is teenage pregnancy that Kenya stands at 15 percent of young women between the ages of 15-19 who are already mothers, whereby in Narok there is slight improvement as it stands at 28 percent down from 48 percent in 2022.

She urged all stakeholders to work around matters of teenage pregnancy, female genital mutilation (FGM), early marriages and protect these young girls from these issues so they can stay in school.

In addition, Lunayo said child malnutrition is another issue that
needs to be addressed in the country as the statistics stand at 18 percent while in Narok county it stands at 22 percent.

‘If children are too short as per their age, it is either they are not growing right and as they grow to adulthood they might not fully participate in the economic development, as such care for children aged two years and below is critical as they grow to adulthood,’ Lunayo added.

Maternal mortality rate is another issue affecting Narok county where the statistics stands at 522 per 100,000 high compared to the recommended figure by World Health Organisation which is 71 per 100,000.

Lunayo said the contributing factors of these deaths include, issues of FGM, women facing difficulties during delivery, issues of early marriages, early pregnancies, women not delivering in health facilities among others.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Murang’a and Nairobi County Governments are exploring modalities to partner in establishment of markets for agricultural produce in a bid to foster economic growth through market development, trade facilitation, and cooperative initiatives.

The Murang’a County administration has indicated that the move will ensure food for health sourcing partnership promotion and regulation of a sustainable and resilient food system for food and nutrition security.

Murang’a County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Kiringai Kamau has said the collaboration is motivated by a need to ensure the two counties build a sustainable food system that efficiently delivers food from source to consumer.

Speaking at Murang’a county headquarter offices after a consultative meeting with the Nairobi CEC Member for Environment, Water, Food and Agriculture Ibrahim Nyangoya and other county officials, Dr Kiringai said the partnership seeks to discuss and reach mutual agreements on matters pertaining t
o the smooth, efficient and sustainable supply and distribution of food from Murang’a to Nairobi county.

Dr Kiringai divulged that at production level, Nairobi county produces between 18 to 20 percent of its food and thus it is an end market of many regions, including Murang’a County which supply produce from their farming activities.

‘Nairobi serves as an end-market for many regions, with at least 30 out of 47 counties (Murang’a included) and four foreign countries supplying food to the city,’ he said adding that a food system is the intricate path that food traverses from production to distribution, processing and consumption

He said other suggested areas of partnerships include linkage to consumer market, types and quantities of food available for Nairobi market, branded food farmacies, agroecology and organic food system policy among others which ensures food safety from farm to people.

‘Through the study of our food systems, we are aware of a number of factors that imply that we must work with other
counties through meaningful partnerships in order to ensure consistent food security for our people,’ he said.

On his part, Nyangoya lauded the move saying that Murang’a County underscores the significance of their partnership, given its pivotal role as one of their major food and water suppliers.

He divulged that the county’s local food production is not sufficient due to competitive use of land forcing them to outsource most of their foods and produce to achieve food security in the county.

‘The current population of Nairobi metro area is 6.54 million and is growing at a rate of 4 percent which translates to growing rate faster than production,’ he said adding that the county has embraced a food system strategy to ensure food sustainability.

He said the strategy aims to achieve food security by increasing food production, ensuring stable food supply and incomes, reducing food losses, and enhancing the welfare of food consumers.

Murang’a Director for Policy and Strategy Daniel Gitahi said the proposed p
artnership on how the county can sustainably supply healthy food to Nairobi County is a positive indicator on a projection of the country’s economic growth.

‘The two counties will develop a working framework of action to ensure that we can organise our farmers into co-operatives to be able to supply specific markets for cereals, vegetables, coffee, milk among other produce that are grown sustainably to Nairobi,’ said Gitahi.

He divulged that the county has a digital platform dubbed IfoodSOS that integrates food systems that will ensure delivery of sustainable supply of healthy foods to Nairobi County

‘We have already done mapping of markets in Nairobi County and we have characterised them in terms of supply and demand and pricing,’ he said, adding that the digital platform underscores the interconnections of the county’s service delivery efforts.

The delegation, which comprised representatives from the Green Nairobi Sector and Murang’a department of Agriculture, visited Mukarara farm in Kangema, Murang’a
Coffee Mills and Murang’a Co-operative Creameries in Maragua to witness production efforts of the county government.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has voiced concern over non- promotion of over 50,000 teachers across the board who have stagnated for a long time.

During a meeting with the teachers’ employer in the country; Teachers` Service Commission (TSC) in Naivasha on Thursday, the union petitioned the Government to release Sh1billion to TSC for urgent promotion of 30,000 teachers who are part of the 50,000 who have stagnated for a long time.

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary General (SG) Maurice Akelo Misori said the priority group will be the current C4 and C5 teachers who will move to C5 and D1 respectively, in order to open up opportunities for long-serving teachers who are still stuck in Grade C3.

‘Some 7,400 teachers on C4 were also left out of the 2023-2024 promotions allegedly because they had served in the current grade for less than three years. However, the grade was opened to them only two years ago following KUPPET lobbying, after they had stagnat
ed in C3 and the previous Job Group L for many years and these too need to be promoted,’ Misori said.

Specifically, KUPPET proposed the abolition of Teacher Scale C5 for post-primary teachers, so that teachers will move from C4 into senior administration. The union also proposed the opening up of non-administrative positions for senior teachers at D4, even if they do not become school principals.

The KUPPET officials were speaking to the media in Naivasha after their meeting with the TSC whose main agenda was the resolution of the outcry from teachers over the recent promotions and the fate of over 50,000 teachers who have stagnated in their careers.

Misori said during the meeting, the TSC committed to employ 20,000 new teachers for Junior Secondary and 2,000 primary school teachers in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) areas within this financial year after the union raised concern over understaffing in public schools. TSC will also in January 2025, convert all the 26,000 intern teachers recruited in 2023 to
permanent and pensionable terms.

The KUPPET Secretary General also petitioned the teachers’ employer to urgently confirm the Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers and include the teachers who are currently operating in the dark, in the new teacher Career Guidelines.

The TSC on its part also agreed to the union’s demand to review the Career Progression Guidelines that have contributed to stagnation among teachers and to develop new career Guidelines through public participation. The union noted that the new Guidelines will fasten career growth by reducing the length of time taken from the lowest to the highest scale within the service.

On the issue of the recent promotions of teachers which raised hue and cry even by their Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) counterparts, KUPPET said they had scrutinised the entire list and found that the promotions by TSC were above board. There were allegations that the promotions were not fair and that some teachers who had retired or died had been promoted in uncle
ar circumstances.

In secondary schools, KUPPET demanded the conversion of all Board of Management (BOM) teachers into TSC employment, since the teachers are filling a gap created by the Commission’s slow employment and that these teachers were poorly paid by their institutions; they had no medical care and could not be disciplined by the Commission yet they are serving in public institutions. To this end, the Commission expressed a willingness to manage the BOM teachers if funds are made available.

The union lobbied the employer over the high number of teachers acting in administrative positions without any compensation, but the parties did not agree on the compensation of teachers on acting appointments as TSC claimed that acting positions were abolished by Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) Circulars, and therefore were not compensable.

KUPPET maintained that the teacher employer was violating the law by using acting administrators and not compensating them and noted that the union’s legal team w
ill consider instituting a legal demand to let the court pronounce itself on compensation for acting appointments.

KUPPET demanded the immediate implementation of new Group Life Cover, Group Personal Accident Cover and Work Injury Benefits (WIBA) insurance for teachers as part of the medical scheme and the Commission on its part committed to procure for the services within this financial year.

KUPPET also appealed to the Commission on bureaucratic delays in processing pensions for retired teachers where the commission stated that it was working jointly with the Department of Pensions on administrative action to quicken the pension processes.

The union on its part committed to work with Parliament in amending the People Living with Disability Act which requires teachers living with disabilities to renew certificates every five years.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kebili: The Rescue units of the Local Administration for Civil Protection, in coordination with the National Army and the National Guard, Friday evening, evacuated 13 tourists of various nationalities riding a tourist bus which was stuck between Wadi al-Khashab and Wadi al-Araj in the Qasr Ghilan area in the North Delegation of Douz. The incident occurred due to the rise in the water levels of these two valleys as a result of significant rainfalls, Local Director of Civil Protection, Seifeddine Dakhlaoui told TAP local correspondent.

«All tourists are safe,» the same source said, adding that some of them were taken to the Qasr Ghilan area while others were transported to the city of Douz in coordination with their travel agencies.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: The Tunisian Women’s Voices organization (Aswat Nissa) underlined that the rise in femicides in recent years shows the inability of relevant bodies and authorities to assess the threats women face and take necessary measures to protect them.

In a statement released on Friday, the organization said that 7 femicides were recorded from early January 2024 to April 12, stressing that this report is the result of the State’s continued indifference to the current situation despite the alarming results recorded in 2023 during which 25 femicides were reported, or an average of nearly two women killed every month.

According to Aswat Nissa, this phenomenon creates chaos in society and gives rise to a persistent feeling of insecurity among women for fear of being subjected to femicide.

The organization denounced «the State’s silence» which exacerbates the situation in the country in addition to its failure to take strict measures against the perpetrators as well as the lack of effective implementation of Law No
. 58 of 2017 related to combating violence against women.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: Tunis will host the 2nd Precision Medicine Academy (PMA- 2nd edition), organised by the Institut Pasteur de Tunis on April 15-18, 2024, as part of the training activities of the Personalised Medicine in North Africa (PerMediNA) project, with the participation of 120 medical specialists and researchers.

The Precision Medicine Academy comprises a set of lectures and interactive sessions led by leading experts in the precision medicine field.

The Academy will begin with an update on the progress of the PerMediNA project and the setting up of the Molecular Multidisciplinary Consultation Meetings and Functional Genomics Task Forces.

Other topics to be addressed, via training workshops and/or feedback, include the development of skills in leadership, mentorship, project management, scientific writing and communication, as well as other issues necessary for the career development of young researchers and healthcare staff, in addition to the involvement of the pharmaceutical industry and political decision-
makers, the health economy and its importance in the well-being of patients.

This second edition will focus on four main themes: a look back at the Academy of Precision Medicine and updates on the project, feedback from young researchers during internships and training courses with collaborators, workshops dedicated to developing skills such as communication and leadership, and an opening-up to other African initiatives.

The PerMediNA project is coordinated by the Institut Pasteur de Tunis and involves four Pasteur Network members: the Institut Pasteur de Tunis, the Institut Pasteur d’Algérie, the Institut Pasteur du Maroc and the Institut Pasteur de Paris.

The project aims to set up a Maghreb consortium for applied precision medicine in oncology.

PerMediNA is a founding project that marks an important step in structuring precision medicine in North Africa, enhancing collaboration between Pasteur Network members in the region and improving patient care by facilitating access to genetic tests and targeted
therapy.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

Tunis: President of the Republic Kais Saied stressed during his meeting, Friday afternoon, at Carthage Palace, with Public Works and Housing and aacting Minister of Transport Sarra Zaafrani Zanzari, to hasten the completion of several infrastructure projects across the country.

He pointed out that «they were not carried out because of the legislative framework which is no longer appropriate or because some parties seek to disrupt or delay their implementation.»

On the other hand, the Head of State discussed with the minister the restoration project of Menzah Olympic Stadium, within the framework of a cooperation programme between Tunisia and China.

«Neglecting sports facilities for a long period is unacceptable,» he indicated, adding that «no maintenance has been carried out for over a decade as it is the case with the Municipal Swimming Pool of Belvedere and other facilities.»

The project of completing the road linking Majel Bel Abbes and Umm Al-Qassab was also discussed during the meeting.

The Presiden
t of the Republic reiterated the need to increase the number of public means of transportation for citizens so that they can move comfortably.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse