Day: April 18, 2024

Migori County has launched a Masingira Youth Programme to empower them economically.

Speaking during the launch of the programme at the Migori Green Stadium, Migori Deputy Governor Joseph Mahiri said the Programme planned to support 400 youths across the County.

Some of the 400 Masingira Youth Programme recruits. The County Project aims to empower youth through developmental programmes, fostering social and economic empowerment. Photo by Geoffrey Makokha.

He said the programme aimed at engaging the youth in town cleaning, environmental conservation, and climate change.

Mahiri said that the initiative would be an annual programme with a long-term goal of recruiting 1.2 million youths by the end of 2027.

He disclosed that the County would soon launch other programmes in the agricultural and education sectors to empower youth economically and steer the workforce of the county.

‘We will soon launch the youth agricultural extension service officers that will help our farmers in the agricultural, livestock, a
nd blue economic spaces to make our county food secure,’ noted Mahiri.

Osewe Collins, a Member of the County Assembly for North Kamagambo and Committee Member for the Environment, said that the County Assembly had passed the Youth Policy to empower the county youths, with the Masingira Youth Programme being one of such initiatives.

Osewe disclosed that Youth Policy would engage youths in entrepreneurship and governance-related projects to shape the talents and skills that youth possess.

The County Legislator also added that other passed policies, like Climate Change, have placed the youth at the centre of environmental conservation mechanisms.

Osewe explained that the Masingira Youth Programme will act as a catalyst in propelling future county programmes to ensure that the County youths benefit from their economic development to empower the growth of the county.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Services at the Likoni Channel ferry crossing have continued to show tremendous improvement and efficiency in operations, thanks to the interventions made by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

Since the merger of KPA and Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) in 2021, ferry users have expressed satisfaction with the management and handling of business at the crossing, with many lauding the swift operations.

KPA Senior Security Officer, Shee Famau (in a yellow reflector), briefs security guards at the Likoni crossing channel.Photo by Andrew Hinga

A spot check by KNA indicated that the implementation of key changes in policy and operations has restructured the workings of the channel, making movement and safety more efficient and reliable.

Professionalisation and the modernization of security services have by far been the most noteworthy enhancements.

Passenger safety and priority have seen a reduction in ill-fated incidences since the management has gradually reorganised the movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

Other
measures, including the use of security priority passes, automation of payment, and specific allocation of vessels to separate motor vehicles and passengers, have improved the waiting times and curbed haphazard movement at the channel.

Evans Momanyi, a resident of Likoni, said that the involvement of KPA was a timely and noble gesture since a positive transformation in the operations at the channel is visible.

He thanked the staff of both KPA and KFS for the exemplary services they have rendered to the residents of Mombasa and called on the management to substantively recognise them.

However, he urged the County Government of Mombasa to work with key stakeholders to find amicable ways of relocating hawkers plying their businesses on either side of the channel as they impeded movement along the busy entry to the ferries.

‘Hawking businesses along the entry and exits to the channel pose a great risk and obstruct the flow of traffic into the ferries, especially in the evening. We call on the County governmen
t to intervene and relocate these traders to a safer and more business-friendly location,’ said Momanyi.

He added that the efficiency of the channel would open up the Southern Corridor more and increase its attractiveness to investors.

Rashid Juma, a trader from Diani, said that the reduced waiting times at the crossing channel were a big boost for his business as he ferries goods from the Kongowea market to Diani.

He also lauded the security measures accorded at the channel, noting that there has been a significant reduction in the incidences of pickpocketing that were rampant.

Juma, however, said improvements could be made, including setting up more street lights and personnel additions to bolster the safety of ferry users, especially those who cross in the wee hours of the morning and night.

‘Improvement of the road network to the channel and street lighting should be a priority to the management. This will go a long way in securing the areas in and around the crossing channel that have traditionally
been porous,’ said Juma.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Lamu East Member of Parliament Captain Ruweida Obo has called upon the National Assembly and the executive to expedite the passage of the Wildlife Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill 2023.

The bill, which she sponsored in 2019, seeks to address compensation for victims affected by wildlife attacks. Highlighting the urgency of the matter, Ruweida emphasized the rising incidents of human-wildlife conflicts in the region.

She advocated for an expansion of the bill to include compensation for incidents involving sharks, stonefish, whales, and stingrays, which were previously excluded from the list of compensated wildlife species.

The National Assembly’s amendment of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act in 2019 omitted several species from the compensation list, a move that Ruweida considers detrimental to victims of wildlife-related incidents.

On the just concluded Kenya Wildlife Recruitment, Obo voiced her apprehensions regarding the recruitment process, citing concerns over fairness and tra
nsparency.

Speaking to the media today, the Lamu East legislator criticised the KWS for allegedly favouring recruits from Lamu West over Lamu East.

The nationwide recruitment exercise, spanning five days from April 15 to April 19, aimed to enlist rangers and assistant wardens.

Out of the total recruitment quota of 1,350 rangers and 150 cadets (assistant warden I), Lamu County was allocated 20 slots.Captain Ruweida Obo highlighted what she perceives as disparities in the allocation of slots between Lamu East and Lamu West.

According to her statement, Lamu East secured only 4 slots, while Lamu West received 6.

She further emphasised that a significant portion of the positions went to National Youth Service (NYS) graduates based in Lamu, as per President William Ruto’s directive of reserving 80 per cent of recruits in national security agencies and services for NYS graduates.

Expressing her dismay, Captain Ruweida Obo emphasized the abundance of game and marine reserves in Lamu East, suggesting that more o
pportunities should have been allotted to its youth.

‘This recruitment process undermines the aspirations of Lamu East youth, who are equally deserving of opportunities in the conservation sector,’ she asserted.

The MP underscored long-standing grievances regarding biased recruitment practices in Lamu County, particularly affecting Lamu East, which has historically been marginalised.

‘Fairness in recruitment is essential for ensuring equitable distribution of opportunities across the country, especially in marginalised areas,’ Ruweida remarked, urging for a more inclusive approach to government job recruitment.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kingdom of the Netherlands, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and the Counties of Marsabit and Turkana have signed an agreement to sustainably improve the livelihoods, food security, and nutrition of communities living along the shores of Lake Turkana.

The agreement was signed in Nairobi by H.E. Maarten Brouwer, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kenya, Lauren Landis, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in Kenya, Alexandros Makarigakis, Director and Representative, UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Mohamud M. Ali, Governor of Marsabit County; and Jeremiah E. Lomorukai, Governor of Turkana County.

A contribution of EUR 10 million (1.4 billion Kenya Shillings) from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, will enable UNESCO and WFP to partner with Marsabit and Turkana County Governments to change the lives of fishing communities around the Lake through integrated water resource management.

They
will provide modern fishing equipment, cold chain facilities to preserve fish catches, improved handling, storage, and transportation to reduce post-harvest losses, enhanced market access through partnerships with the private sector, and job creation for young people, in particular young women.

The programme is co-created with local communities to enable them to adapt to a changing climate, and foster peace and stability.

Brouwer said, ‘This engagement fits well with the Netherlands-Kenya partnership priorities. It’s a good example of a demand-driven, locally led programme where Counties are in the lead, community stakeholders are actively involved, and national government institutions engage from the policy angle.’

Lake Turkana is the world’s largest desert lake, and its abundance of nutritious fish is the main source of food, nutrition, and income for the surrounding communities.

However, the combined effects of recurrent climate shocks such as droughts and floods, localised conflicts, soaring food and
energy prices, and poor fishing practices have severely affected people’s ability to generate sustainable livelihoods and food security.

Both Marsabit and Turkana counties have some of the highest rates of child malnutrition in the country.

UNESCO’s role is to ensure science-based decision-making on future investments in fisheries, to advise the local population on the number of fish and in water resources management, climate proofing, and rendering them sustainable, thereby enhancing the resilience of the local communities.

A recent study commissioned by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Kenya to assess the economic potential of the fisheries sector in Lake Turkana revealed the enormous potential of the fish value chain to contribute to food security, yet an estimated 2 billion Kenya shillings (EUR 14.5 million) in potential revenue are lost every year due to poor post-harvest management practices.

Lauren Landis, WFP’s Country Director in Kenya, said, ‘Unlocking the economic potential of Lake Turkana has
the potential to eradicate hunger and malnutrition and generate sustainable livelihoods for those who depend on the lake for survival.

WFP’s expertise in food systems and vast operational scale, combined with UNESCO’s scientific knowledge, will reduce humanitarian needs by supporting county governments, communities, and families on the frontlines of the climate crisis to better protect themselves in the future.’

The agreement will be implemented for an initial period of five years.

Source: Kenya News Agency

About 9,595 teachers are undergoing a training course on the expectations of the ongoing school curriculum reforms that emphasise making learners acquire competencies to fit in the 21st century work environment.

The Coordinator of Special Programmes and Student Learning at the Centre for Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) that is facilitating the courses, Ms. Beatrice Macharia, said the programme being conducted during the April holidays targets Junior Secondary School teachers from 47 counties assigned to teach Pre-Technical Studies, Agriculture and Nutrition.

The trainings are being held in Nakuru, Machakos, and Kisumu counties.

Ms. Macharia explained that the teachers were being taken through the tenets of Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) where students gain knowledge by questioning and investigating information received from their teachers as opposed to imbibing established facts unchallenged, as has been the vogue in the past.

‘The method places students’ questions, idea
s, and observations at the centre of the learning experience to enhance the teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and inspire learners to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-related disciplines key to helping the country achieve Vision 2030,’ she said.

While disclosing that CEMASTEA had in December last year trained 7,380 teachers of Mathematics and Integrated science on pedagogical content knowledge, the coordinator said IBL enabled learners to be engaged in authentic investigations in which they identify problems, ask questions, propose solutions, make predictions, design procedures, collect and organise data, and draw conclusions.

Speaking in Nakuru during the inauguration of the training programme for junior school teachers of pre-technical studies, agriculture, and nutrition drawn from 15 counties, Ms. Macharia explained that the IBL model presupposes that teachers establish a classroom culture where ideas are respectfully challenged, tested, refined, and improved.

‘The c
ulture in the classroom should be one that allows learners to shift from a position of wondering to one of understanding and questioning,’ she noted.

Specially trained facilitators gave the participants sample lessons on the elements of the instructional model adopted by the new curriculum to ensure that learning happens by way of engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation (5E).

Teachers were coached on ways to motivate learners, create interest in the lessons, tap into what students know or think about the topic, and ask key questions while encouraging responses from their students.

The master trainers explained the rationale, objectives, goals, and expected outcomes of the sessions. They told teachers to appreciate IBL as a systematic process that begins with framing the investigation by identifying the questions to be answered.

They said the final stage in IBL consisted of reflecting on the inquiry activity with a view to engaging in further investigations.

Ms. Macharia indicate
d that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects were the building blocks of technology, adding that the ongoing training of teachers for the new curriculum was ‘very important’ in the new education order sweeping across the continent.

The Western Regional Director of Education, Mr. Jared Obiero, who was the chief guest, noted that by embracing digital devices and connected learning, classrooms around the country and around the globe cannot only connect to one another to share insights but also boost learning, experience, and communication skills.

He said public-private partnerships can help unlock the potential of digital learning in Kenya by providing first-class, affordable computer systems and digital access to content, textbooks, videos, audio, and training materials in both private and public schools.

Mr. Obiero praised the CBC method as a step in the right direction for the country to realise its industrialization dreams.

He stated that the training exercise is meant to equi
p Junior Secondary School teachers with skills to handle changing trends and class management as the education system shifts fully to the Competency-Based Curriculum.

”The new curriculum requires innovative human capacity, and revitalising the teaching profession will ensure quality, equity, and relevance at all levels of education,” said the director.

He added, ”Among the retooling aspects is the shift of the education system to remote learning through digital apps. The technology will enhance teaching and learning with their students as well as provide features to enhance teacher-learner engagement,”.

Mr. Obiero emphasised the effective use of learner-centred strategies in technology learning to enhance the understanding of mathematics and science.

He said technology had changed the way things are done, thanks to science and innovation.

‘The future lies in a digital world, and our education must adapt accordingly lest we are left behind,’ he added.

Mr. Obiero observed that the African Union had ad
opted Agenda 2063, which calls for a ‘revolution’ in education, skills, and the active promotion of science, technology, research, and innovation. He was addressing 96 county trainers training on pedagogical content knowledge, drawn from 15 counties.

The counties included Baringo, Kisumu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Kakakmega, Narok, and Kirinyaga. Others were Samburu, West Pokot, Machakos, Embu, Nairobi, and Nyeri.

He said the achievement of Vision 2030 hinged squarely on science, technology, and innovation, which are critical ingredients for a nation’s economic and technological takeoff in the modern world.

The teachers will also be taken through Project Based Learning (PBL), ICT integration, and Inquiry-Based Learning that are in line with on-going curriculum reforms emphasising on making learners experience science and acquire competencies to fit in the 21st-century work environment.

Mr. Obiero pointed out that a concept-based curriculum such as CBC ought to rely on the creativity, technical
, and pedagogical latitude of the teacher to come up with more engaging learning experiences that will enable learners to grasp concepts or skills better.

‘As such, the teacher must be at the centre of the CBC model. The teacher ought to be better equipped to deliver this. To understand what the whole concept of CBC is all about, the teachers need to be well oriented,’ he stated.

CEMASTEA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mrs. Jacinta Akatsa stated that in the CBC curriculum, teachers are expected to use a variety of teaching strategies and resources that involve the learner, while learners, on the other hand, are expected to be active and responsive during lessons so as to construct knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

In a speech read on her behalf by CEMASTEA Management Representative (MR) and Coordinator Field Services Ms. Gladys Masai, the CEO stated that the training had been designed to address teaching and learning gaps observed in schools in terms of interpretation of CBC designs for grade 8 and implemen
tation to realise learner-centred practices.

The CEO further added that the teachers were being trained on the preparation of innovative lessons that integrate ICT, enhancing professional growth by enacting communities of practice and pedagogical content knowledge, rationalising the implemented curriculum, and integrating mentorship and career guidance.

The Coordinator Programme of Junior School and Secondary at CEMASTEA, Mr. Livingstone Makanda, said the teacher is supposed to switch from the role of an expert who transfers knowledge to a coaching role, facilitating and guiding the learning process.

‘In competence-based curriculum, skills are not taught but are built. The learner is necessarily the first actor in the construction of their skills. Learner-centred teaching strategies advocated for the implementation of competence-based curriculum in schools include role plays, problem solving, projects, case studies, simulation, discussion, and outdoor activities.’

Mr. Makanda said the training was aimed a
t improving the quality of teachers in terms of attitude, pedagogy, mastery of content, resource mobilisation, and utilisation of locally available teaching materials.

He stated that besides improved performance by teachers and students, the benefits of IBL included the nurturing of student passion and talents, solving the problems of tomorrow in today’s classrooms, enabling students to take ownership of their own learning to reach their goals, deepening understanding beyond memorising facts and content, and fortifying the importance of answering questions.

‘Besides, the approach makes research more meaningful while fostering curiosity and a love of learning. It is an open-ended line to learning guided by students through questions to their teachers,’ he explained.

Sustainable Development Goal number 4, Mr. Makanda, added, advocates for quality and equitable education by 2030, and for this to be realised, improving the quality of teachers is a prerequisite.

He noted that the country’s education system is
currently on a reform path, a move geared towards improving the human capital index and quality of life.

Kenya has been making strides in providing quality education, which is not only a constitutional right but also guided by Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG), calling for inclusive and equitable education that promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all.

‘Every country is looking forward to responding to the demands of the 21st century, which requires innovative human capacity, and revitalising the teaching profession will ensure quality, equity, and relevance at all levels of education.’

Mr. Makanda affirmed that teachers should be well equipped with changing trends in teaching and class management while at the same time inculcating a tech-friendly model because it is impossible to separate technology from education.

He indicated that in a world where the education system is shifting to remote learning, with so many digital apps which have developed and become so popular, teachers should have ac
cess to more of them.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Government has warned the residents of Garissa, Tana River, and Lamu counties to be on the lookout for flooding along the banks of River Tana following reports that the Seven Forks Dams were filling up.

The largest of the reservoirs, Masinga, started spilling over after water reached its high-water mark of 1056.50 metres above sea level.

The last dam in the cascade, Kiambere, is expected to fill up and spill over in the next four to six days if the inflows continue at the current 328 cubic metres per second.

A high-powered government team that included Interior and National Administration PS Raymond Omollo, Energy PS Alex Wachira, Kengen MD Peter Njenga, and Garissa MP Dekow Mohammed Burow assessed the status of the dams and instructed members of the national administration in the downstream counties of Garissa, Tana River, and Lamu to start sensitising residents to expect enhanced flooding and move to higher grounds.

Mr. Omollo said the National Disaster Response Command has been operationalized and
will be moving in to help affected communities.

We are looking at what they need, and together with multiagency in the counties, we shall be moving to mitigate against the effects of the flooding and prevent loss of lives.

Mr. Wachira said that in the long term, they are taking measures to prevent flooding in the future.

He said they’ll be inviting bids in January for raising the Masinga dam spillway by 1.5 metres while the proposed construction of the Grand Falls Dam will be done on a private-public partnership when the studies are complete.

He said when the dam is completed, it will not only help flood control but will also increase power generation by 461 to 561 megawatts.

Garissa MP Dekow Mohammed Burrow said flooding has been frustrating farmers in Garissa and Tana River and said the proposed enlarging of Masinga and the construction of the Grand Falls Dam will be a big relief to the farmers who have in the past been frustrated by flooding.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Narok Presiding Judge Justice Francis Gikonyo has praised the Alternative Justice System (AJS) that is set to be rolled out in the county, saying it would ease the backlog of cases in court.

Gikonyo said AJS provides a platform for a win-win situation as those on the panel understand the parties well and can easily tell who is on the wrong or right.

‘When people come to court, they are strangers to us. Sometimes they can choose not to tell the truth, and we can’t tell because we don’t know their background. Others have more competent lawyers who defend them well to win the case, though they are the ones on the wrong side,’ he said.

Justice Gikonyo spoke to KNA at his office, where he observed that AJS would not be costly because it would be done in the villages, hence no travelling cost or any other technicalities that could prevent the people from going far to seek justice.

‘This morning, I was forced to postpone a number of cases because the people involved are travelling from faraway places where the r
oads are impassable following the heavy downpour. At AJS, the cases will be done in the villages, and the people will access justice faster than the court system,’ he continued.

Nevertheless, he was quick to mention that cases dealing with children will not be handled through AJS, as children need to be passionately protected.

He reiterated that children’s cases, among them Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), defilement, and early marriages, have been piling up in court despite the stiff penalties awarded to the culprits.

‘This is why the law doesn’t allow such cases to go the AJS way because such instances infringe on the rights of children and cause permanent damage to the children. We have a duty to protect children to ensure they all have a bright future,’ he added.

‘If you look at the judgements I have made, I have ordered that all those people involved in child abuse be charged in court. We cannot allow elderly people to defile our young children, some of whom are as young as five years old,’ he said.

‘
Other cases that are common in court are succession cases, and when you dig deeper, you see discrimination against women as men try to use their customs to discriminate against women from getting their parents property,’ he noted.

In AJS, we should remember that the constitution is superior to any other law; hence, any decision that the panellists make should adhere to the constitution, warned the judge.

The panellists will consist of men, women, youths, and persons with disabilities so as to ensure equal representation of all the parties involved.

On his part, County Attorney Allan Meing’ati said Narok County would be among the first counties to launch AJS in the country.

He observed that over 60 stakeholders drawn from various sectors, among them: religious leaders, the Maasai Council of Elders, the judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), Civil Society, Media, youth and women groups, had been trained on AJS.

Meing’ati recalled that before the modern courts came, the elders u
sed to resolve cases in the villages, and all the parties ended up getting justice.

‘This was my major assignment when I came into office because I have a desire to see people resolve their issues faster than the long court system. I believe AJS will resolve many issues we have in society today,’ said Meing’ati.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has put in place measures to intensify pharmacovigilance, which is aimed at regulating the practice of pharmacies, manufacturers, and traders in drugs and poisons for public safety.

Pharmacovigilance is the process and science of monitoring the safety of medicine and taking action to reduce the risks and increase the benefits of medicines.

PPB Product Safety Deputy Director Dr. Anthony Toroitich said that the purpose of post-market surveillance (PMS) is to ensure continued safety, efficacy, and quality of medical products throughout their lifecycle.

Speaking in Nairobi on Wednesday during a media sensitization workshop, Toroitich highlighted the benefits of post-market surveillance, which include maintaining and increasing public confidence and trust in healthcare delivery, protecting patients’ safety through reduction of adverse reactions (ADRs), enhancing cost effectiveness, improving clinical outcomes, preventing development resistance, and maintaining treatment regi
mens or guidelines.

‘Substandard medicines, also called ‘out of specification,’ are authorised medical products that fail to meet either their standards, specifications, or both. The characteristics include reduced stability and bioavailability, the presence of impurities, psychochemical products, defect characteristics, and reduced or increased content of the active ingredient,’ he said.

Toroitich noted that the factors affecting falsified medicines included inadequate enforcement of laws and regulations, high demand for supply, a high price of medicine, inadequate collaboration, online pharmacies and unregulated websites, and a lack of regulation by exporting countries and within trade zones.

‘Falsified medicines can be identified by examining packaging, spelling mistakes, or grammatical errors; checking manufacturer and expiry dates; ensuring details in the outer packaging match those in the inner packaging; ensuring medicine looks correct, is not discoloured, degraded, or has no unusual smell,’ he reve
aled.

PPB member Dr. Martha Mandale said that they regulate health products and technologies in order to protect public health, ensure access to safe, effective, quality health products, and maintain confidence.

She said that the system of the National Pharmacovigilance in Kenya is a national reporting system with reporting tools that include paper-based and electronic systems.

‘The national database system for collating and managing reports and a national safety advisory committee comprises the National Vaccine Safety and Advisory Committee (NVSAC) and the Pharmacovigilance Expert Review and Advisory Committee (PERAC),’ she explained.

Mandale acknowledged that during the monitoring of the safety of medicine lifecycle, PPB first tests the drug on animals where they do doze and toxicity level, which they later confirm on safety and whether the medicine works on people to over 3000 patients, after which the NRA approves the medicine for use.

She stated that safety monitoring is done in order to identify an
y new or changing risk as quickly as possible and take action, while adding that all medicines have benefits and risks, and during approval, the evidence comes from clinical trials, which, after approval, are used in real-life conditions by a larger population.

Mandale said that upon having a side effect or adverse event that can only occur with vaccines and medical devices such as needles, a person is required to report via mobile phones, USSD code *271#, mPvERS App, and Electronic Reporting System II (PvERS II), and thereafter, all reports are only processed by the pharmacovigilance officers in complete confidence.

While highlighting the roles of the public, a Pharmacovigilance Specialist at the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, Dr. Pamela Nambwa, said that a person on any medication should take the medicine prescribed by the doctor, report the side effects of the medicine, including no effect, to PPB through the report channels, and immediately seek medical attention at the nearest health facility if any undes
ired effect is observed.

She also highlighted the role of PPB, which includes conducting audits and inspections of the pharmaceutical industry, advocating for training and education on pharmacovigilance related issues, providing feedback to stakeholders on reported events through Quarterly PV summaries, collecting, accessing, analysing, identifying signals, and communicating safety information related to HTPs authorised by the board.

Additionally, she said that the role of media in enhancing patient safety is to address public concern, fears, and misconceptions, to alleviate anxiety, build confidence in the health care system, and advocate for healthcare accountability, among others.

Healthcare providers should report all suspected adverse events to the Board and detect appropriate clinical management and treatment of patients presenting with adverse reactions, among others, Dr. Nambwa noted.

Source: Kenya News Agency

In marking National Coconut Week, the national government, through the Agriculture and Food Authority and the Commodities Fund, has provided over 43,000 coconut seedlings to farmers in the region to improve their production in the coastal counties.

The seedling provision is a response by the government to the reduced coconut tree population and the existing room for expansion within the Coast region.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, while presiding over the launch of National Coconut Week in Kilifi, noted that a reduced coconut tree population has translated to low production, leading to reduced household incomes.

‘We need to work together to plant more coconut trees and maximise its production in order to meet this varied product demand, which extends from the leaves, the flowers, tender nuts, and mature nuts,’ Linturi said.

He recognized that the coconut value chain is one of the key agricultural subsections in the coastal region and supports an estimated 1 million people due to its effect
ive forward and backward linkages.

The CS called upon state departments and agencies, county governments, research institutions, and coconut farmers to make deliberate efforts to improve the production of coconut for both local consumption and export purposes.

‘I urge the county governments to ensure sustainability in the supply of quality coconut planting materials and the delivery of extension services towards increasing productivity from the annual lows of 30 nuts per tree to highs of 150 nuts per tree,’ he added.

Kilifi North Member of Parliament Owen Baya revealed that, in support of coconut farming, the government will allocate enough funds in the next financial year’s budget to make sure that coconut farming is given priority in the country.

While pointing out the shortcomings of the current Oil and Nuts Authority in supporting coconut farming, the MP stated that he has proposed a new bill in the National Assembly for the formation of a Coconut and Cashewnut Authority.

‘When the Oil and Nuts Autho
rity funds come in, very little is put into the production of coconuts. So I have suggested that we do away with that Directorate and form an Authority that will better look after the interests of coconut and cashew plants,’ Baya explained.

Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Representative Calistus Kundu informed that the authority will hold a conference for the next two days in Kilifi to further discuss how to improve coconut production across all six coastal counties.

‘We shall also work together to plant the seedlings that have been provided today from the 20th to the 26th of this month to ensure that none of the seedlings will be left out,’ he added.

Kilifi Agriculture and Crops Chief Officer Teddy Yawa boasted of the county’s leading status in the production of coconuts in the coastal region, adding that the county government has been working hard to ensure the plant is given a priority.

‘According to 2019 statistics, we are the ones leading in the production of coconut plants. 52 per cent of the e
ntire coconut tree population is in Kilifi,’ Yawa stated.

Speaking on behalf of coconut farmers, James Katana highlighted that they face a great challenge of diseases and pests attacking coconut trees on their farms and called on the government’s intervention in providing a lasting solution to the problem.

‘We are also asking the government to provide us with modern, improved hybrid coconut seedlings because the ones that we currently receive have lost value and are currently doing very poorly in this region,’ Katana added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenyans in the labour force have been urged to join pension schemes and start their contributions, which would enable them to have a stable future once they exit their employments.

According to the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA), only 26 per cent of people in the labour market were saving for retirement, meaning that in every 10 Kenyans in the labour service, 7 were likely to live in poverty after retirement because the appreciation of saving for retirement is not well embraced.

Speaking during a RBA service week at Garissa Huduma Centre on Wednesday, RBA’s Chief Executive Officer Charles Machira said that there was a need for concerted efforts by all government and non-state agencies to sensitise the people on setting aside resources from their current earnings and saving for the future when they retire.

At the same time, Machira also urged the young people in the informal sector, which has the highest population of the labour force in the country, to ensure that they joined pension schemes.

‘We hav
e assets beyond Sh1.7 trillion, but the people who own these assets are too few because they are the people who are either in the Civil Service or the formal sector,’ Machira said.

‘There is a huge population of our people; 85 per cent of our labour force, as we know, is in the informal sector, and we must have concerted efforts to bring these people into the space of saving for their pension,’ he added.

The CEO further sent a warning to all employers who were deducting pensions from their employees’ pay slips but failed to remit them to their respective pension schemes that they would face legal consequences, noting that employees’ savings must be safeguarded.

Machira noted that collective remedial action is already in progress to ensure that the perpetrators of any illegalities are properly punished within the context of the law to ensure members’ benefits are secure.

‘We have a responsibility to ensure that there is hygiene in the retirement benefits in Kenya, that the pension funds are properly manage
d, that there is optimal investment earning, and that when members retire, they go home with commensurable benefits for the services they rendered during their work lives,’ he said.

‘Any member of the pension fund who has worked, retired, or exited from service early must be paid their due benefits at the expected time of 30 days,’ he added.

Huduma Kenya Acting CEO Mugambi Njeru, on his part, said that the Huduma Centres, which bring services closer to the people, would be partnering more with agencies like RBA and others to ensure easy access through the Huduma Mashinani initiative.

Hassan Noor, a retiree from the Youth Enterprise Fund, urged those employed to start preparing their pension documents early so that by the time they exit service, everything is ready for them to start receiving their pension fund.

Noor said that it was difficult for a retiree to start the process after exiting service because it required a lot of money to travel, which would likely lead to a delay in the disbursement of thei
r retirement dues.

Present during the event were Garissa Township Deputy County Commissioner John Marete, Garissa Huduma Centre Manager Mohamed Abdullahi, and officials from the County Pension Fund (CPF), among others.

Source: Kenya News Agency