Day: April 22, 2024

Lamu County Government has announced a waiver of cess collection on murram extracted by the Chinese Communication Construction Company for the LAPSSET project within the county’s quarry sites.

This decision comes after a period of contention sparked by increased levies imposed on the transportation of murram, hindering the project’s advancement.

The Lamu-Garissa Road, stretching across 257 kilometres, is a vital component of the Lamu Port, South Sudan, Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor project.

The road, undertaken by the Chinese Communication Construction Company, holds strategic importance in connecting Kenya to Ethiopia, facilitating trade and logistics through the Northern Corridor to the Lamu Port.

Last year, the county government raised the cess levy on murram-laden lorries to Sh2,500, a substantial increase from the previous fee of Sh500.

This surge in charges led to operational slowdowns, with the contractor halting construction activities, citing financial constraints and logistical challeng
es.

Speaking to the media today, Salim Bunu, LAPSSET Regional Manager, emphasised the significance of the waiver in facilitating the timely completion of the Lamu-Garissa Road and its subsequent benefits to trade and investment in the region.

According to sources close to the project, the road’s completion had faced setbacks, with only 43 per cent accomplished by January of this year.

Factors such as security concerns and the increased cess on murram had also contributed to delays, prompting a reassessment by the road contractor on the project continuity.

In his remarks, Lamu Governor Issa Timamy expressed his commitment to the success of the LAPSSET initiative, emphasising its potential to generate employment opportunities and spur socioeconomic development in Lamu County.

Additionally, he highlighted the road’s role in enhancing security by improving access to the Boni Forest region, addressing challenges posed by sporadic Al-Shabaab attacks.

The Lamu-Garissa Road, with an estimated cost of Sh15 billi
on in budget, is a key component of the LAPSSET project, with President William Ruto affirming plans to upgrade it to bitumen status upon completion.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya National Union of Teachers officials have called on the government to end banditry in the North Rift region to allow schools to reopen.

The First National Vice Chairman, Malel Langat, said the Government should consider changing its approach towards ending banditry in the region.

Langat said children and teachers were out of school after being forced out by attacks from bandits, saying years of unyielding fight against the bandits call for a new approach that would bring a lasting solution.

He said the deaths of military officers, including the Chief of Defense Forces, was a turning point in dealing with banditry in the region.

He said the soldiers were on a noble mission of inspecting schools that were to be renovated before they met their deaths, and that this calls for rethinking by the government on the best ways to end the menace.

‘Too many lives have been lost over the years, and yet we continue to use the same approach. With the kind of attacks we have witnessed in the recent past, what
is the fate of schools that have been closed, and where are the learners and teachers supposed to operate from?’ he said.

Langat called for beefing up security by using local solutions to restore order.

Bomet Executive Secretary Desmond Langat said the reconstruction of those schools and strengthening of security should begin immediately.

Langat said this should be done in order to allow children to resume learning with the rest of their counterparts nationwide as schools are set to reopen early in May.

He said the banditry has led to rampant school dropouts, with the children joining banditry as a result.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kirinyaga Woman Representative Jane Njeri Maina, has launched the ‘Tupange Kesho Programme,’ which aims to support the less fortunate while also empowering women, youth, and people with disabilities in the county.

The programme will be funded by the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).

To date, the Tupange Kesho programme has distributed Sh3.6 million to different women, youth, and people with disabilities with the goal of empowering small-scale businesses.

‘We call on women, youth, and people with disabilities to unite and register in groups for them to benefit from the fund. We are going to distribute over $15 million this financial year to different groups. As we support women, men are also part of the programme since we encourage 70 per cent to be women and 30 per cent be men,’ she said.

Education bursaries amounting to Sh2.7 million were awarded to five hundred needy students in the county, each receiving five thousand Kenya shillings. She also disbursed a cheque of Sh832,000 to cover
the full scholarship for 104 to complete the four-year secondary school course.

Njeri said the bursary has been given only to needy students from deserving backgrounds.

She called on other elected leaders to be fully accountable for the funds they get from the national government, saying that if the funds are used for the intended purpose, they can benefit the community at large.

‘It’s my call to the national government to increase the NGAAF amount since there is a lot that needs to be addressed. We serve the whole county, thus making it challenging to touch all corners, but if the fund can be increased, there will be much impact to be seen,’ Njeri said.

Njeri, also through NGAAF, gave 100 tents to 100 groups from all over the county. Saying the tents will come in handy to groups when they have functions in their villages and will help members save what they have been incurring to rent tents. She promised more social economic programmes through the ‘Tupange Kesho Programme,’ saying that before the end of
the financial year, Sh15 million will be given as grants to different groups to start income-generating activities.

She further donated 100 water tanks, which will be distributed to schools, to help them have adequate and clean water to be used in their day-to-day activities.

‘Water is a basic need, said Tupange Kesho. We have given 100 water tanks to our schools as a way to help them store clean water and have water when there is a water shortage,’ she said.

Benson Kaloki, head teacher of Kiangoma Primary School, a school set to benefit from modern ablution facilities, said the school has been in bad condition since they have been using very old toilets, which has always been a challenge to learners.

‘NGAAF is a game changer in our communities, and as the headteacher of a public school that is set to benefit from the fund, I can attest to that. Once we are done with the project, we expect there will be improvement from the learners,’ Kaloki said.

Pauline Njoki, chairperson of a group of people living wi
th disabilities from Mwea Constituency, said they were among the groups that benefited last financial year from the NGAAF, and from what they received, their lives have changed as members since they have a source of income.

‘We got a hundred thousand from NGAAF through the office of the woman representative, and we were able to start layer farming, where she gave more than 200 active laying chickens. In the near future, everyone will be owning their own chicken. Personally, I can testify that I am not a beggar anymore; I pay for my own bills,’ she said.

She called on other elected and non-elected leaders to help people living with disabilities and give them something to do since they can change their own lives if supported.

‘We are not as disabled as you see, but we are differently talented; if given the chance, we can do just as well as others are doing,’ she said.

Maxwell Ngungi from Gichugu Constituency, a beneficiary of NGAAF, said they formed a youth group of 12 young men and women and approached the
office of the woman representative, and they were among those given funds to start businesses where they started by making detergent and selling it locally.

He added that with time, they were able to change from detergent and graduate to making bar soap.

Ngungi said they have been able to employ themselves permanently in their company and create employment for others who supply their products in the local market.

‘Through coming up together as youth, we were able to find something to do, and we have been able to help ourselves solve challenges the majority of youth are experiencing, like drug abuse, joining illegal groups, or even alcohol addiction. I can comfortably add that we have been able to go through different empowerment programmes from when we were making detergent to where we are now, where we have our own products,’ Maxwell said.

He also echoed MP Njeri’s call for youth to come up with self-help groups, saying it is hard for an individual to be helped by the government, but once people come tog
ether and join the groups, they are easily assisted.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Residents of Syokimau and Katani in Machakos County have been urged to relocate to safer areas, after their homes were submerged by flash floods due to heavy rainfall.

The County Chief of Staff, Lawrence Ngovi, asked families affected by the floods to relocate immediately until the government declares the areas safe for living.

He spoke, today, at 360 apartments in Syokimau when he led a multi-agency team to tour the area and assess the situation.

‘We are not sure of the rains, so find safer areas to go to avert loss of lives and property,’ said Ngovi.

The Chief of Staff said heavy rains have caused flash floods in Katani, Phase II, and Syokimau, where residents remained marooned in their houses for the better part of the day, while vehicles that had been parked outside the houses were submerged in water.

Ngovi said the county government was digging trenches to drain the water and rescue the marooned families.

‘We are collaborating with the National Government to ensure your safety, and we ask for your
cooperation,’ added Ngovi.

Athi River Deputy County Commissioner, Mr. Patrick Mwangi, assured them that the government will evacuate all families affected by the floods. Thus, Mwangi attributed the flooding to poor drainage and asked residents to relocate to safer grounds.

‘The Multi-agency team has directed that all affected households be evacuated from the premises due to the ongoing heavy rains to avoid any disaster,’ said DCC Mwangi.

Hence, he called upon well-wishers to donate both food and non-food items to help the affected families.

Source: Kenya News Agency

At least 12 African Ministers of Education will meet in Nairobi for the 6th Forum of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (PASET).

The Forum, to be held from April 23-25, 2024, brings together academia, industry, and governments across Africa to discuss the future of skills, education, and entrepreneurship on the continent.

The theme of the conference is ‘Leveraging Technical, Vocational, and Technical Training (TVET) in the Knowledge and Skills Ecosystem for Africa’s Industrialisation.’.

The forum, to be held at Safari Park Hotel, will particularly discuss the role of African higher education in shaping the Continent’s green economy and the future of work. More than 500 participants are expected to attend the forum.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Dr. Ezekiel Machogu said: ‘Africa’s socio-economic transformation relies on its ability to develop relevant skills and promote scientific research and technology for industry and society.
‘

He added, ‘It is evident that our collective efforts are not only driving the advancement of science, technology, and innovation in Africa but are also laying the foundation for socio-economic transformation across our nations. I am in no doubt that the objectives we set to achieve in the 6th PASET Forum will be achieved.’

The Forum will discuss the nature and type of knowledge and skills required for Africa’s industrialization, specifically the development and diffusion of digital technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, and data analytics in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the continent.

Kenya’s Ministry of Education is collaborating with the PASET Secretariat and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), the Regional Coordination Unit for PASET’s Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF), to organise the event.

Several PASET countries will share their experiences and expectations of how skills should evolve and prepare the continent’s youth for the fut
ure of work and industrialization.

The Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) scholars, together with their mentors, supervisors, and other stakeholders in the higher education sector in Africa and abroad, will showcase their work addressing needs for the green economy and the future of work. This will include the contributions of sectors like food security and agribusiness, AI and data science, climate change, energy and minerals, mining, and materials sciences.

Chair of the PASET Executive Board based in Senegal, Prof. Aminata Diallo, said: ‘The need to fill the skills gap in applied sciences, engineering, and technology and foster socio-economic transformation in Africa is what has motivated African governments to implement PASET since 2013 with the support of the World Bank.’

PASET is a unique Africa-led initiative, which focuses on building skills for key economic sectors that support Africa’s socio-economic transformation, from the upper-secondary/TVET level to postgraduate education and sci
entific research.

Currently, the PASET programme has 12 members, which include the Governments of Rwanda, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Benin, Tanzania, Somalia, Burkina Faso, and Kenya.

It is governed by African Education Ministers, scientists, development experts, business leaders, and African academics and is facilitated by the World Bank.

Source: Kenya News Agency

S.A.F.E Maa launched a film with the aim of ending retrogressive vices including Female Genital Cutting (FGC), Teenage Pregnancies, and early Marriages in Loita, Narok South Sub County.

While speaking at Loita High School in Narok County during the launch of the new film called ‘Sarah’, Sara Tenoi, a Project Manager, said the film will help in ending the cut among the young girls in the community of Loita and even in the entire county of Narok.

Tenoi thanked the partners for coming together to fight these retrogressive vices in the community so that the Maasai girls can also get their rights in society.

The Assistant County Commissioner of Loita Division, Boniface Mwenda, said that FGC and early marriages are still dragging the Loita community behind, adding that the filming methodology will act as an entry point to fight against the vices.

The ACC added that the film will be introduced in schools so that it will help to educate the young learners and the community within Loita on the negative effects of
the retrogressive vices to be able to end FGC.

‘Loita is known for its FGC practices, and by using such filming methodologies to fight against these retrogressive vices, we hope to introduce them in schools within Loita to educate young learners, and through this, the percentages will soon come down,’ Mweda added.

Further, the ACC urged the council of elders in Loita and National Government Administration Officers to use film methodology as an entry point to fight against the cut in the community, hoping that the cut will reduce in percentages in the near future.

Alice Cooden, who works for S.A.F.E Kenya, said the filming aims to facilitate the ending of the FGC in Loita and in the entirety of Narok County.

Cooden said S.A.F.E Kenya helps the community educate young girls to help them complete their education so as to avoid early marriages.

The National Government Affirmative Action Fund, Narok County Coordinator, Joyce Musere, thanked the Loita community for accepting the filming methodology in order to
fight against FGC among the young girls.

‘Let’s give our young girls time to grow, receive education, and also enjoy their rights in society,’ Musere added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) has been named the top winner of the Wage Bill Accountability Award as a State Corporation.

The IRA was recognised for the award by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) during its third National Wage Bill Conference held in Nairobi. The award was presented to the IRA’s Commissioner of Insurance and Chief Executive Officer, Godfrey Kiptum, by President William Ruto at its third national wage bill conference.

Mr. Kiptum said IRA was awarded for maintaining the ratio of personnel emolument Vis a Vis the revenue below 35 per cent in the last three years and for its consistency in maintaining the ratio during the entire period.

He said during the period, IRA was recognised for receiving unqualified opinions from the Office of the Auditor General for the last three years.

‘Another factor that SRC took into consideration was the productivity mainstreaming measures in government agencies, a requirement that IRA met,’ added the CEO.

The Insurance Regulatory Autho
rity is a statutory government agency established under the Insurance Act, CAP 487 of the Laws of Kenya, to regulate, supervise, and develop the insurance industry.

During the event, Salaries and Remuneration Commission Chairperson Lyn Mengich said that the public wage bill has consistently remained above the 35 per cent to revenue ratio and continues to be physically unsustainable, thus shrinking the resources available for development and the government’s priority agenda.

Mengich said Kenya is a resource-scarce country where the expenditures of the public wage Bill, government operations, maintenance development, and international commitment compete for the limited resources that are generated in the country as revenue.

She said that it is important to apply the management of the wage bill, which requires a multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary, and whole-government approach.

The primary outcome expected from the conference is the commitment to reduce the public Wage Bill to 35 per cent of revenue in line
with the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act of the year 2020-2012, with a target to achieve that by 2028.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Gor Mahia claimed a 1-0 victory over the AFC Leopards in their Mashemeji Derby clash on Sunday, April 21, 2024, at Nyayo Stadium.

The decisive moment arrived in the 30th minute when Austin Odhiambo, capitalised on a defensive lapse to slot the ball home, giving Gor Mahia the lead.

Despite a setback in the 35th minute when goalkeeper Kevin Omondi, was shown a red card, reducing them to 10 men, Gor Mahia held on to secure all three points.

Meanwhile, at the Ulinzi Sports Complex, Tusker FC clinched a narrow 1-0 win over Ulinzi Stars, courtesy of an Eric Kapaito strike in the 49th minute.

In other matches, Kenya Police kept pace with league leaders Gor Mahia, by securing a 2-1 win against Sofapaka, while Bidco United and Kariobangi Sharks also emerged triumphant in their respective fixtures against Posta Rangers and Nzoia Sugar.

With this victory, Gor Mahia maintains their pole position in the standings with 57 points. They are followed by Kenya Police and Tusker at 48 and 46 points, respectively.

Other re
sults for the FKF Premier League round 27 are Kenya Police 2-1 Sofapaka, Kariobangi Sharks 3-0 Nzoia Sugar, Bidco United 1-0 Posta Rangers, Shabana 0-0 Kakamega Homeboyz, Bandari 0-0 KCB FC, FC Talanta 0-3 Nairobi City Stars, and Murang’a Seal 0-0 Muhoroni Youth.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A number of households affected by floods in Bunyala Sub County have received support from the National government.

Speaking to the press at Bunyala DCC’s office premises on Monday, the Principal Secretary for ASALS and Regional Development, Kellow Harsama, said that the items consisted of 400 bags of rice, 720 bags of beans, and 20 bags of fortified foods.

‘The government has also committed to providing iron sheets to those whose houses have been affected,’ he said, adding that more support will be provided at the completion of the assessment.

Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary, Zacharia Njeru, said that a team from the NYS will be dispatched to the area within a period of less than two weeks to rectify the dykes as the government seeks a permanent solution for the flood menace.

‘We are here as government officials to assess the situation so that we can be able to come up with a permanent solution to the problem,’ he said.

Njeru noted that some areas had been rendered impassable, some s
chools closed, some hospitals were non-operational, and some homes uninhabitable.

He further stated that the government has ensured that the water from the River Nzoia does not affect the local residents negatively through the Lower Nzoia Irrigation Project, which directs water to flow through the irrigation canals.

‘The project is also important because farmers will be able to practice double cropping due to the continuous flow of water,’ he said.

The official said at the same time that the cost of production of rice and other crops will be reduced because of the use of gravity to pump water instead of electricity.

Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo thanked the government for the quick intervention to support the local residents.

Omanyo noted that the flood situation has affected sanitation facilities and curtailed the availability of clean drinking water.

The victims who spoke at the forum called for a permanent solution to the flood menace so that they could engage in economic development in
stead of waiting for relief food.

At least 1747 households have been affected by floods in Bunyala, Samia, and Teso North Subcounties in Busia County.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Agriculture stakeholders in the coast region have urged the government to prioritise the production of coconut across all six coastal counties, citing its potential to significantly improve the economy of not only the coast but the whole country.

Speaking during the National Coconut Week conference in Kilifi on Thursday, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation Industrial Crops Research Institute Director Dr. Finyange Pole stated that the coconut plant is very important to the coast region’s economy, but it has not been given the level of attention that it deserves.

He highlighted that other countries’ economies are greatly benefiting from giving priority to the production of coconuts and their by-products.

‘Asian countries have developed significantly because of this coconut plant. Among the products of coconut is bio-diesel, and countries like Vietnam use this by-product to move their economies ahead,’ Dr. Pole said.

He added that according to the 2012 census, the coast region had 10 milli
on coconut crops that produced 260 million coconuts, which, in his view, were too few as compared to countries like India, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka that produce coconuts in higher quantities.

Dr. Pole disclosed that among the challenges facing the coconut industry in Kenya is the use of poor quality seeds, which yield very little produce.

‘In Kenya, we have only two varieties: the East African Tall and the East African Dwarf, and their produce is very little. When well managed, you can harvest around 80 to 100 coconuts in a year, which is not enough to meet our economic needs,’ he explained.

Secretary of the Crop Production Department, Rashid Khator, said that planting more coconut plants along the coast will help the government achieve its poverty alleviation agenda among local farmers.

‘The government has a plan to remove the poverty mentality among farmers, and that is why we have organised this National Coconut Week conference to sensitise farmers on better coconut farming practices so that we can inc
rease its production in the coast region,’ Khator explained.

He urged farmers to take advantage of the rainy season to plant many coconut seedlings so that, after 2 to 3 years, they can begin to enjoy benefits.

Agricultural Consultant Baha Nguma stated that coconut farming is the backbone of the coast region’s economy, but its potential to improve the country’s economy has not been utilised.

He underscored the need for the government to invest more in coconut farming in order for Kenyans to reap more benefits from the crop.

‘There is a need for us to invest more in coconut farming to maximise the benefits. In my opinion, the government should aim at distributing 1 million coconut seedlings to farmers every year,’ Nguma stated.

Source: Kenya News Agency