Day: April 25, 2024

The National Youth Council (NYC) has launched its 2nd Strategic Plan for the year 2023-2028 which aims to empower and develop the Youths in the country by amplifying their voices.

‘The strategic plan is designed to harness the immense potential of Youth by providing them with the necessary tools, resources and opportunities to thrive in the rapidly changing world through initiative, participation, representation and association,’ said Youth Affairs, Sports and Arts Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba.

The CS made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by the State Department for Youth Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Ismail Madey on Wednesday during the launch of the NYC 2nd strategic plan for the year 2023/2024-2027/2028 themed Amplifying the Youth Voice held at Utalii Hotel in Nairobi.

Namwamba said that the launch marks a significant milestone in the commitment to the empowerment and development of the Youth in the country while adding that it recognizes the critical role that the Youth played in
shaping the future of the nation.

He noted that with over 75 percent of the country’s population being under the age of 35, the youth represent not just the country’s present but also the future leaders, innovators and drivers of progress.

‘It is within this context that the National Youth Council Strategic plan takes on the renewed significance,’ he said.

Namwamba reiterated that the strategic plan aims to create an enabling environment where every youth in the country can thrive and fulfill their potential adding that the plan addresses the strategic issues as well as key result areas that align with the national priorities and aspirations of youths.

Additionally, he said that the plan emphasizes on the importance of addressing the diverse needs of the young people including those from marginalized communities, persons living with disabilities and vulnerable groups.

The CS acknowledge the partners and stakeholders who contributed in shaping the strategic plan and look forward to stronger and deeper coo
peration with the youth and partners to bring the shared vision in to life while he also urges them to embark together towards a whole new dawn of both promise and fulfillment since the youth are both the present and future pillars of the nation.

He noted that the government has transformed the country’s economic model from perennial top- down to empower the youth and harness their potential for the economic revitalization of the country.

‘This revolutionary shift is championed by his Excellency Dr. William Ruto the President of Kenya himself who envisions Kenya and Europe as a fully empowered catalyst for the rapid transformation of our Nation,’ CS Said.

He announced that the launch signifies NYC commitment to harnessing the immense talent, energy and creativity of the youths and outlines a vision for empowering young people to become active participants in National development.

‘Through this plan, we aim to implement a levering environment that fosters your representation, inclusive participation, assoc
iation across all spheres of life,’ he stated.

The CS has urged the people to reaffirm their commitment to the youth and harness creativity Talent Energy and to build a more prosperous equitable society for all and leave lasting legacy empowerment and opportunities for generations to come.

‘To the youths of this Nation, keep believing in your abilities and dreams and break all ceilings of any limitation, connect with one another by strengthening, deepening and broadening networks locally and globally to unleash your full potential,’ CS advised.

Source: Kenya News Agency

In a bid to address Kenya’s significant rice production shortfall and enhance farmers’ income, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) is pushing for the adoption of high yielding hybrid varieties to reduce the government’s annual rice import bill.

AATF, a non-profit African led organisation has partnered with farmers across the country to pilot several hybrid rice varieties to help the country bridge the shortage of the commodity which currently stands at 800, 000 metric tonnes.

Dr Kayode Sanni who heads AATF’s rice initiative said the situation has forced the country to rely heavily on imports from Pakistan, India, Thailand and Indonesia to meet the demand costing the taxpayer Sh 42 billion annually.

Kenya, he said has a huge potential for rice production adding that over ten new hybrid rice varieties have been authorised for planting which if well adopted will see the country join the league of top rice producers on the continent.

The varieties among them AH18007, AH18004, AH18003, Pwan G
old Plus, Komboka, Farm Gold Plus and Arise Gold Plus, he said were high yielding with good grain quality adding that the farmers brought on board during the pilot have registered yields of up to 10 tonnes per hectare.

This compared to inbred local varieties, he said signifies a 30 % increase in production per hectare (20-30 bags) promising farmers more income and stabilised production to enhance food security.

‘This shows that using the same set of inputs farmers planting hybrid rice are able to produce more and earn more. This in the long run is going to reduce the cost of production and make locally produced rice competitive in terms of grain quality,’ he said.

The hybrid varieties, he added, mature in 100-120 days and have demonstrated resilience to climate change shocks with research fields yielding up to 12 tonnes per hectare.

Dr Sanni said the National Rice Development Strategy 2019-2030, through which the government targets to scale up production per hectare to 7 tonnes by the year 2030 could be r
ealised faster if hybrid rice is fully embraced.

‘By using hybrid rice it is possible to achieve this target by the year 2025 if this technology we are championing is fully embraced and supported by the government,’ he said.

The adoption of hybrid rice, he said, holds promise not only for addressing the production deficit but also for enhancing farmers’ resilience to climate change and other environmental challenges.

With higher yields and improved pest and disease resistance, hybrid rice varieties, he said, offer a sustainable solution to the pressing issues facing Kenya’s rice sector.

The seeds, he added, are produced in the country, a move that promises to create job opportunities in seed production companies and rice farms if the uptake of the new technology is scaled up.

‘The parental line of these varieties is developed here in Kenya. Therefore seed companies interested in the venture will have access to it to produce their own hybrid seeds,’ he said.

Even though the uptake is still low, Dr Sanni
disclosed that AATF has partnered with the Alliance for Hybrid Rice in Africa (AHRA) which is a consortium of public and private sector players and the Cereal Growers Association (CGA) to rope in more farmers.

Through the partnership, the agency, he said, was advancing hybrid rice technologies, bringing together expertise and resources to create an enabling environment for the widespread adoption of hybrid rice cultivation practices in the country.

‘The potential impact of this initiative extends far beyond economic gains. By reducing rice imports, Kenya can enhance its food sovereignty, mitigate the risks associated with fluctuating global rice prices, and create new job opportunities,’ he said.

So far, he said over 1,500 farmers have embraced hybrid rice adding that through partnership with the Cereals Growers Association (CGA) which has a membership of over 600,000 farmers the agency plans to enlist 150,000 more farmers as the push to adopt the technology gains momentum.

CGA Project Manager Oswald Miri
ti attributed the low uptake for hybrid rice to farmer behaviour expressing optimism that more farmers will come on board by the end of this year.

‘Farmers take time to adopt new technology. We have introduced these varieties in Mwea but farmers still insist on growing basmati pishori. However, now that they are seeing the output of these new varieties and the reduced cost of production we are seeing a steady increase in the uptake,’ he said.

Grace Taka, a hybrid rice farmer at Khuluano in Bunyala North, Busia County confirmed that the varieties were high yielding promising farmers high returns as compared to local varieties.

‘I planted 0.4 hectare during the pilot and managed to get 26 bags valued at Sh150, 000. This means if I had planted a big area I would have earned more. During this time we had a problem with water but this did not affect the production much,’ she said.

Former Alego Usonga Member of Parliament (MP) Sammy Weya said hybrid rice was the way to go to empower farmers economically and loc
al production to satisfy the demand.

However, the farmers, he added, must pool together and pursue the venture on a large scale to reap maximum benefits.

Cultivating the crop on a small scale, he said, was too costly given the high costs involved in land preparation.

With the government opening up 250, 000 acres for irrigation in Nzoia, Weya said this presents a good opportunity for farmers in western Kenya to explore commercial hybrid rice farming to feed into the national basket and for export.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Embu County Commissioner Jack Obuo goes on his knee to plant indigenous tree seedlings at Camp Ndunda in the Njukiiri Forest Block of the Mt Kenya Ecosystem. He was launching this year’s tree growing season spearheaded by the Kenya Forest Service Thursday morning.

Source: Kenya News Agency

An estimated 51.2 million lives have been saved through vaccines in the African region over the past 50 years.

For every infant life saved over that period, close to 60 years of life are lived, a new report by World Health Organization (WHO) finds.

These achievements according to WHO have been possible under the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), a WHO initiative launched in 1974 as a global endeavor to ensure equitable access to life-saving vaccines for every child, regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic status.

‘From disease prevention to eradication, the success story of vaccines is a compelling one. Millions of people are alive and healthy today thanks to the protection vaccines offer,’ said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa in a statement today.

She added that with half a century of momentum, much has accomplished so what is needed now is to sustain and expand vaccine equity to end the threat of vaccine-preventable diseases.

UNICEF Regional Director for
Eastern and Southern Africa Etleva Kadilli called on leaders, partners and donors to strive to protect immunization gains in the region, especially in the face of backsliding rates in recent years.

‘Today we celebrate the monumental advances governments and partners have taken across Africa in the last fifty years to ensure so many more children on the continent are living past their fifth birthday thanks to vaccination,’ she said.

Gilles Fagninou, the UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa said ‘Children that are not, or not enough, vaccinated often come from communities missed across the spectrum of social services. We must focus our efforts on finding them and ensuring they receive the life-saving vaccines and other services they need. Together, with leaders and communities, we can make this a reality.’

Thabani Maphosa, Managing Director of Country Programmes Delivery at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance said that with climate change crises and the threat of infectious disease on the rise, it was
more important than ever that governments invest in immunization to help ensure everyone, everywhere has an equal opportunity for a safe and healthy future.

‘The evidence is clear: vaccines are one of the most impactful and cost-effective investments in health and development in history. Over the past two decades, Gavi has worked with 40 African countries to expand immunization coverage while delivering new innovations like the HPV and malaria vaccines and responding to deadly outbreaks – saving millions of lives and generating billions in economic benefits,’ said Thabani.

The report, which assesses the life-saving impact of vaccines, was released today at the start of this year’s African Vaccination Week and World Immunization Week being marked from 24-30 April under the theme ‘Safeguarding Our Future: Humanly Possible’.

With the continuous support from WHO, UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and many others, today most countries in the region provide antigens for 13 vaccine-preventable diseases, up fr
om the initial six when the EPI was introduced.

Notable achievements have been made, including reduction in measles deaths, with an estimated 19.5 million deaths averted over the last 22 years.

The region has also witnessed a sharp decline in meningitis deaths by up to 39 percent in 2019 compared with 2000 while the maternal and neonatal tetanus has nearly been eliminated in the region an African region was declared free of indigenous wild poliovirus in 2022 following years of relentless work to protect every child from the virus.

Efforts to address gaps in immunization coverage have been intensified through the ‘Big Catch-Up’ initiative that aims to reach children who have been underserved or missed by routine vaccination programmes.

Innovative initiatives such as the Zero-Dose Immunization Programme have also been established to reach communities that are living in conflict and fragile areas with essential health services.

According to the experts, further efforts are needed to accelerate progress to m
eet the goals of Immunization Agenda 2030, a strategy endorsed during the WHO World Health Assembly in 2020, which seeks to reduce mortality and morbidity from vaccine-preventable diseases, ensure equitable access to vaccines and strengthen immunization within primary health care.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Heavy rainfall is expected to continue this month in most parts of the county, Kiambu County Director of Meteorological Services Magdalene Gateri has said.

The announcement comes at a time when several parts of the County are still reeling under devastating flash floods that have destroyed property and livelihoods.

Giving the weekly forecast for the next one week running from Tuesday April 23 to Monday 29, Gateri added that flooding in the region is to be expected in areas with poor drainage and in the lowland regions.

‘We expect flooding in areas with poor drainage and in low lying regions in the County,’ she said.

She further said that areas that are prone to landslides may be affected by the flash floods warning residents to avoid such areas.

‘Areas likely to have landslides may be affected and I kindly advise people to avoid such areas for safety purposes,’ Gateri said.

According to the Director, the mornings are likely to be cloudy with occasional rains over a few places giving way to sunny interva
ls.

While in the afternoon and at night, several places within the county will experience light showers with thunderstorms and lightning.

On Tuesday, scenes of houses submerged in water were witnessed in Kiambu County, especially in Thindigua and Ruaka due to a heavy downpour witnessed on Monday night.

One person was declared dead on Monday and two others were injured after a perimeter wall collapsed. Many houses in the area have been submerged.

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi on Monday this week issued a warning to tenants of the affected residential buildings to vacate them until the County government ascertains their suitability and safety.

He also promised to inspect buildings in the area to ensure the structures are suitable for living to avoid any cave ins that might happen especially with the erratic continuous rains

The forecast comes even as an advisory message from the Director of Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), David Gikungu, issued last week advised Kenyans to be on the lookout for p
otential floods, flash floods and reduced visibility caused by the heavy rainfall.

‘Flood waters may appear in places where it has not rained heavily, especially downstream.’ said Gikungu

Heavy rainfall is being experienced over several parts of the Country in the Lake Victoria Basin, the Rift Valley, and Highlands West and East of the Rift Valley, Southeastern Lowlands, coastal and North Eastern sectors.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kisii County Commissioner Joseph Kibet has urged the residents of Kisii to work hand-in-hand with security agencies to improve security and reduce the crime rate in the region.

Speaking at Kiango market in Kenyenya Sub County after planting trees in various primary schools, Mr. Kibet said that security is a collective responsibility and members of the public should collaborate with the security teams to promote peaceful co-existence in the community.

The CC assured the residents that police officers are on high alert and were ready to combat criminal activities as soon as they are reported.

He encouraged the public to identify and report law breakers to community policing members who play a critical role in connecting the residents with the security officers.

‘Let residents volunteer to give information on insecurity incidences whenever they occur and avoid taking matters into their own hands,’ said Kibet.

The County Commissioner also urged the public to share vital information and provide witness statem
ents whenever they witness a crime to ensure criminals are brought to book.

The residents appealed to the government to open Kiango market that serves neighbouring communities in Kisii and Narok counties saying it will boost their agricultural activities.

According to Henry Nyamwega, a village elder from Magena Sub location, the market has stalls that can be used by the farmers in the region to sell their agricultural produce and generate revenue for the county.

‘The Water Project inside the market can also supply water to the neighbouring primary and secondary schools as well as the Kiango Dispensary,’ said Nyamwega.

Kiango Market Interim Committee Member Mary Ainga noted the border communities have been coexisting peacefully and the market which was built years ago should be operational to enable the women to sell their vegetables and earn an income.

The CC was accompanied by Kisii Police Commander Charles Kases, the County Criminal Investigations Officer Cathrine Njue, Kenyenya Deputy County Commissio
ner Mbiuki Mutembei and various Heads of Departments among others.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government will construct 1,000 hostel rooms and their amenities at Turkana University College as part of the affordable housing programme.

At the same time, proposals have been made to construct an additional 700 housing units in Lodwar and 300 others in Kakuma.

However, members of the public have been asked to turn up for a public participation forum to be held at Lodwar youth polytechnic in Lodwar this Saturday April 27 to share their views.

These revelations were made by the county housing director Brian Kangogo at the county service delivery committee meeting in Lodwar.

The meeting was chaired by County Commissioner Julius Kavita and attended by heads of department of various government departments and agencies.

Meanwhile, concerns were raised over the poor state of some of the civil servants’ houses and recommendations for an increase in renovation funds made.

Although Turkana County has 482 housing units meant to accommodate national and county government staff, these are adequate for all sta
ff in the county hence the need for more houses.

At the same time, the forum was informed of plans to review rents for houses since the last review was effected many years ago.

At the same the government plans to construct one market in every constituency as part of the economic stimulus.

‘The construction of Lokichar market has already commenced and the contractor is already on site,’ Kangogo said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The rescue team searching for six bodies of a youth group whose boat capsized on Sunday in Lake Baringo has ended the mission after retrieval of six bodies that were still unaccounted for.

The mission that begun on Sunday afternoon, after a motorboat that was ferrying 23 youths from Salabani en-route to Kokwa Island capsized midway.

Sixteen youth were rescued the same evening and a body was also recovered, whereas a search for the six missing persons by a multi-agency team has been going on till yesterday morning when the bodies became buoyant.

The youth aged between nine and 17 years, were going for a church activity on the Island when the tragedy struck.

The six bodies were found early morning yesterday and transferred to Baringo County referral hospital mortuary for preservation, awaiting burial.

Among the bodies recovered were those of the three children of Pastor Jane Kikenyi of Kabukoki Revival Church.

Baringo County Commissioner (CC), Stephen Kutwa, who oversaw the rescue mission, said the govern
ment is going to put-up a raft of measures to minimize instances of such cases from occurring in the future.

‘A Kenya Maritime Officer is on the ground to access the gaps, while coast guards have been asked to tighten their belts in enforcing regulations on matters transport in the lake,’ said Mr. Kutwa.

The administrator also said that the County government has been called upon to fast track the training of coxswains, as there are only two trained and licensed coxswains in lake Baringo with scores of others operating the boats without requisite expertise.

He added that families of victims have been supported with food, as they prepare for burial even as the County government through the Deputy Governor, Eng. Felix Kipng’ok, promised to waive all the expenses at the County Referral Hospital.

Source: Kenya News Agency