Month: May 2024

The Department of Children’s Services in Wajir County has convened a crucial meeting, focusing on enhancing child protection measures in the face of potential flooding emergencies.

The County Coordinator of Children’s Services, Jillo Roba, has emphasised the critical need for preparedness, response, and recovery strategies.

He highlighted the county’s vulnerability to a spectrum of emergencies, spanning from recurrent droughts to both natural and man-made disasters.

Reflecting on the havoc wreaked by the devastating floods of October, November, and December 2023, Roba emphasised the urgent necessity of prioritising child protection efforts.

He said the loss of lives, destruction of property, and widespread displacement underscored the imperative for proactive measures.

‘We cannot afford to wait for disasters to strike before acting,’ said Roba, adding that ‘with early warnings of impending floods, it’s imperative that we prepare adequately to support our people.’

Addressing stakeholders from diverse sec
tors at a child protection emergencies meeting held on Monday at a Wajir hotel, the coordinator outlined the comprehensive plan aimed at encompassing pre-, during, and post-emergency phases.

Roba reiterated the commitment to mobilise resources, engage partners, and raise awareness among residents to enhance the county’s resilience.

On his part, Wajir West Deputy County Commissioner Kefa Kigeni, representing the County Commissioner, echoed Roba’s sentiments, emphasising the disproportionate impact of emergencies on children, the elderly, and the vulnerable.

Acknowledging the vital role played by non-state actors, Kigeni applauded the contributions of community-based organisations (CBOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and international agencies.

He called for sustained investment in emergency programmes to shield local children from the emerging disasters.

‘The discussion was fruitful, and we are united in our resolve to mitigate the effects of emergencies on our most vulnerable populations,’ Kige
ni stated.

‘We urge for increased investment in emergency programmes to safeguard our children,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Economists have been urged to create data-driven advisories so as to drive economic transformation.

Cabinet Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Idris Dokota speaking in Mombasa, where Economists are converging for a five-day inaugural Annual Conference of Economists organized by the Economists Society of Kenya (ESK), he said economists should expound on the kind of advisories they give to be backed up by data as they will be used in decision making.

‘That is the only time the country will adopt data-driven decision-making, for without the right advisory, the country will come up with decisions that are not backed up by data and then end up making what we call wrong decisions in terms of economic development,’ said Dr. Dokota.

The PS noted that ESK is the largest professional body in the country and has contributed a lot, churning out erudite professionals, thus leading to the transformation of the country.

‘This body needs to be anchored in law; once it has its own act of parliament, then we will be able to h
ave that sync, right foot in what we are doing,’ he stated.

Dr. Dokota, himself an accomplished Economist by profession, delivered a presentation on the effects of geopolitical uncertainties on climate change that have led to floods, prolonged droughts, and crop failure.

‘These have created export restrictions whereby countries have banned the export of certain commodities so that they can protect their food reserves and food security,’ he explained.

The PS stated that geopolitical uncertainties have caused mayhem and have affected the global economy; thus, it`s high time for economists to come up with structural changes in terms of policies, legal frameworks, and regulatory frameworks to tackle problems caused by geopolitical uncertainties.

The Chairman of ESK, Dr. Dunstone Ulwodi, said they are ready to support transformative policies that will change the country.

‘Economic policies require proper analysis to be data-led, not pronouncement-led, so that you analyse the data and come up with a policy tha
t is properly informed, and therefore it is a policy that is likely to transform the country,’ said Dr. Ulwodi.

The ESK chairman noted that Economists are not merely observers of economic phenomena, but are architects of solutions, the stewards of prosperity, and guardians of the future.

The discipline provides valuable insights into the intricate interplay of markets, policies, and human behaviour, offering a roadmap for sustainable and inclusive growth.

He noted that the involvement of economists in economic decision-making processes will ensure that policies are grounded in sound economic principles and empirical evidence.

Dr. Ulwodi emphasises the importance of economists’ engagement in policymaking to prevent costly mistakes and promote more effective and efficient solutions.

On his part, Suleiman Shahbal, East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) legislator, stated that there is no shortage of opportunities, ideas, or capital in Africa.

‘I think as a continent we have a lot of opportunities that are
not tapped, it doesn’t convert from being ideas into reality because there is a shortage of development capital.

Hence, a lot of our opportunities never materialised because there was no money to do the investment studies and tests to turn an idea into a bankable project,’ said Shahbal.

He promised to draft a bill in EALA for the establishment of an East African Investment Bank that will provide development capital.

The EALA Member of Parliament further challenged economists to look into the public-private partnership (PPP) policy to attract more investors because ‘There is a huge financing gap and infrastructure that cannot be filled only by government.’

Source: Kenya News Agency

Public health experts want the Ministry of Health to consider coming up with harm reduction alternatives when developing proposed graphic health warnings for tobacco products.

The industry stakeholders have also urged the ministry to consider factual, descent-based, and science-based regulation in the formation of the new graphic health warnings on these products.

While acknowledging the importance of the new graphic health warnings, Dr. Vivian Manyeki, a public health expert, said the introduction of harm reduction alternatives to tobacco products will give room for the current science that is teaching about harm reduction products that serve as an alternative to cigarettes.

Manyeki, who is also a health harm reduction advocate, said the size of the graphic warnings will cover the whole packet, and there will be no space to tell consumers about the content and important details of the product.

Tobacco industry players have also asked the ministry to come up with a differentiation of product categories wh
en developing proposed graphic warnings.

The National Chairman of the Pubs, Entertainment, and Restaurant Association of Kenya (PERAK), Michael Kiragu, said that the ministry is generalising all the products, thus asking them to differentiate.

Kiragu said they have agreed as industry experts on the harm cigarettes cause to human health, adding that different nicotine products have been classified as harm reduction products to consumers.

‘Putting the same graphics and health warnings on everything, including harm reduction supplements like’velo’, is inappropriate because when people are using them, they are not smoking,’ he added.

He urged the ministry to be realistic about what they are doing, saying a lot of warning labels are quite disturbing and not suitable for the Kenyan market.

According to the Ministry of Health, graphic health warnings were entrenched in the Tobacco Control Act 2007, to increase knowledge of the risks associated with tobacco use and deter initiation into tobacco.

However, tobacc
o players, health experts, and harm reduction campaigners have questioned the ministry’s decision, saying they should be differentiated from traditional tobacco products.

The Ministry of Health, through the Tobacco Control Board, has embarked on a country-wide public participation exercise on the Draft Graphic Health Warnings for Tobacco Products.

Speaking in Mombasa, Tobacco Control Board Chairperson Naomi Shaban said that the ministry aims to create public awareness and knowledge about the harmful effects of tobacco consumption and to possibly persuade tobacco users to quit smoking.

‘The main objective of the new graphics health warnings is to increase knowledge and public awareness about risks associated with tobacco use, deter initiation to tobacco, reduce tobacco consumption, and persuade tobacco users to quit, among others,’ she said.

Shaban added that the warnings have been met with mixed reactions from the public, with many urging the Ministry of Health to get back to the drawing board and redesig
n the graphics, terming them as disturbing in nature.

She said that with the rising population, which equals an increase in the use of various new tobacco products in the country, the consumption of the drug remains a major threat to public health.

The newly formed graphic health warnings will be displayed on tobacco products and are aimed at increasing awareness of the risks associated with tobacco use.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has said the Government plans to resettle victims of the current flooding in the country, especially those who are unable to go back to their former homes.

Nyoro said some of the flooded areas have been extensively destroyed by the floods, making the areas unfit for human habitation, even after the floods subside, making it necessary to resettle these victims.

‘Besides, there are Government institutions like schools which will also need to be relocated from the flooded areas, and all these require funding,’ the MP said.

To this end, Nyoro, who is the Chair of the Parliamentary Budget and Appropriations Committee, revealed that the Government would move to Parliament to request for some emergency funding for this resettlement exercise.

He was speaking in Mai Mahiu in Naivasha on Monday when he visited the victims of last Monday`s flooding in the area.

The Committee Chair was accompanied by other MPs, including Ali Wario (Garsen), Gabriel Kagombe (Gatundu South), an
d nominated MP Wilson Sossion.

The trio donated Sh1 million to the Mai Mahiu flood victims.

Meanwhile, Nyoro said the law allows Government departments dealing with emergencies to spend up to 10 per cent of the funding at their disposal on these emergencies without prior authorization and advised the relevant departments to use this law to respond to the ongoing flood disasters around the country, adding that the Parliament would approve these expenditures as long as they were accounted for.

According to the Kiharu MP, the funds would go towards restoring infrastructure that has been damaged by the raging floods across the country as well as resettling those affected.

The Committee noted that some of the victims of the current flooding could not go back to their land since it was completely destroyed.

The National Assembly, through the Parliamentary Committee on Budget, has expressed its support for the government’s resolution to use up to ten per cent of the country’s budget towards mitigating the effec
ts of the ongoing heavy rains that have wreaked havoc across different parts of the country.

So far, the death toll from the Mai Mahiu tragedy now stands at 52 people, but over 26 people were still missing since Monday`s tragedy.

The tragedy occurred in the wee hours of last Monday morning when a seasonal dam on the upper part of the Kijabe hills burst its banks, sending gallons of flash flood water gushing downstream and decimating hundreds of homes in the Mai Mahiu area of Naivasha.

112 people were hospitalised in different hospitals after the incident, with 32 still admitted to date.

Approximately 120 households which were being accommodated at Ngeya Girls Secondary School as a temporary shelter, have now been moved to a different location.

The move is aimed at allowing the school management to prepare for reopening at a future date after government postponement.

Hundreds of rescued victims continued to receive medical attention at the area health facilities, with government, church, and private coun
sellors deployed to offer psychosocial support to affected family members.

Over 250 people have been confirmed dead in the floods around the country, with over 200,000 others displaced, while many others are still missing in the 33 affected counties.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Embu County Government has recovered 138 vehicles from the defunct local authorities through the assistance of the State Agency, Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC).

Speaking Monday, while handing over the vehicles to Deputy Governor Kinyua Mugo, IGRTC Committee Member Dr. Perminus Nyaga said the move enables the devolved unit to have full ownership of the vehicles and effectively put them to use to enhance service delivery.

He said since the advent of devolution following the passage of the 2010 Constitution, the transfer of assets relating to the defunct local authorities to counties has remained pending, exposing them to theft or misuse.

‘Our aim is to assist counties in recovering assets that could be in the hands of individuals or not enlisted in the asset lists,’ Dr. Nyaga said.

He said a number of assets had gone missing in many counties and called for the administrations to work with staff inherited from the defunct authorities to assist in recovery.

‘These workers have instit
utional memories that could be very valuable in identifying those missing assets or those that were illegally sold,’ he said.

He said government agencies such as NTSA, KRA, and other relevant bodies were at hand to assist counties in acquiring what is rightfully theirs.

Additionally, Dr. Nyaga sounded a warning to those who may have embezzled or run away with public land and houses to return them before the law catches up with them.

He added that they were also seeking to transfer resources that belong to all the devolved functions.

‘The work is already done; we already have public participation, and once we are through with the legal processes, it will be the law that resources must follow those functions,’ he said.

The Deputy Governor commended the agency for the move, saying the vehicles would greatly assist in improving service delivery.

At the same time, Mugo appealed to those who may be holding on to county assets, including houses and land, to surrender them before they were forcefully recovered
and legal action taken against them.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The prevalence of severe cases of asthma in Kericho County decreased from 15,380 in 2020 to 11,119 in 2023, translating to 27.7 percent.

The decrease could be attributed to measures put in place to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, including COVID-19.

According to the clinician in charge of non-communicable diseases in Kericho County, Stanley Kemboi, reduced air pollution due to lockdowns and restrictions implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the year 2020 reduced industrial activities, vehicular traffic, and other sources of air pollution, which led to cleaner air, resulting in improved respiratory health for individuals with asthma.

Kemboi further said increased hygiene measures, such as frequent handwashing and wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to a decrease in respiratory infections and asthma exacerbations due to reduced exposure to respiratory viruses and allergens, therefore improving asthma control.

Speaking to the KNA as the world marked Asthma Day, the cl
inician disclosed that most Asthma cases were observed in Ainamoi, Bureti, and Belgut sub-counties, respectively.

He said his department was keen to raise awareness among individuals with asthma and their families to enhance their understanding of this complex condition, noting that Asthma is a diverse disease marked by persistent inflammation of the airways, manifesting in recurring symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.

‘These symptoms fluctuate in frequency and severity over time, often accompanied by unpredictable airflow restriction during exhalation. Sensitising affected individuals and their loved ones to these nuances is crucial for effective management and improved quality of life,’ added Kemboi.

The clinician remarked that uncontrolled asthma has major consequences for people living with the disease, their families and communities, healthcare systems, and national economies.

He pointed out that common triggers of Asthma include smoke, fumes, viral infectio
ns, pollen, changes in the weather, animal fur and feathers, and strong fragrances.

‘Know what affects you and try to avoid it if possible. If not possible, make sure you have your reliever inhaler readily available,’ said Kemboi.

The clinician also mentioned several treatments available for Asthma including the use of an inhaler, which delivers medication directly to the lungs, controlling the disease, thus enabling people with asthma to enjoy a normal and active life.

‘The two main types of inhalers include bronchodilators, which open the air passages and relieve symptoms; and steroids, which reduce inflammation in the air passages, which improves asthma symptoms and reduces the risk of severe asthma attacks and death,’ he disclosed.

According to the World Health Organization, several factors have been linked to an increased risk of developing asthma, if other family members also have asthma and people who have other allergic conditions, such as eczema and rhinitis (hay fever).

Events in early life aff
ect the developing lungs and can increase the risk of asthma. These include low birth weight, prematurity, exposure to tobacco smoke and other sources of air pollution, as well as viral respiratory infections and exposure to a range of environmental allergens and irritants.

In celebration of World Asthma Day 2024, the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) has selected the theme ‘Asthma Education Empowers,’ emphasising the need to empower people with asthma with the appropriate education to manage the disease and to recognise when to seek medical help.

According to GINA, Asthma is one of the most common chronic non-communicable diseases that affects over 260 million people and is responsible for over 450,000 deaths each year worldwide, most of which are preventable.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The County Government of Trans Nzoia has received movable assets to help enhance service delivery.

The multimillion assets received from the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) comprised of cars, Lorries, graders, and motorcycles, which originally belonged to national government departments, but were devolved.

Governor George Natembeya said the assets received will play a monumental role in hastening the completion of development projects.

Thus, the availability of these assets will enhance counties’ ability to complete development projects within set timelines, allowing the public to fully appreciate the value of their investment.

Liaising with relevant government organs, the Governor said the county will institute strategies to enable the change of number plates for vehicles with GK ones to county number plates.

Meanwhile, he revealed that plans are underway to ensure a proper registry of county government assets is developed, a move meant to ensure that none is stolen.

IGRTC Repre
sentative John Kimwela revealed that the estimated value of all the assets being transferred to counties was Sh3 billion.

Hence, ‘From the valuations IGRTC has been undertaking of all movable assets acquired from defunct local authorities and devolved departments, the approximate value is Sh3 billion,’ he said.

Others present during the handover ceremony included Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Gideon Oyagi, County Secretary Truphosa Amere, and County Attorney Walioli Wabwoba.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Northern Rangeland Trust (NRT) has donated a new vehicle, a Land Cruiser, to the Lower Tana Delta Conservancy to aid in conservation and community empowerment efforts.

The vehicle will aid the Lower Tana Delta Conservancy in enhancing their rangers’ rapid response capabilities in combating poaching, logging, and human/wildlife conflicts within the expansive 116,000-acre conservancy.

Speaking at the handover ceremony in the Lower Tana Delta area, NRT Regional Director Yusuf Hassan underscored the critical need for improved facilitation to address persistent challenges in the region.

‘The acquisition of this vehicle is a direct response to the Lower Tana Delta Conservancy’s plea for enhanced support in tackling illegal activities threatening our precious wildlife and ecosystems,’ stated Hassan.

Highlighting the multifaceted benefits of the vehicle, Hassan emphasised its role in complementing conservation efforts and bolstering community policing initiatives.

‘Beyond combating poaching and logging, the
vehicle will facilitate rapid responses to security and humanitarian emergencies, ensuring the well-being of both wildlife and local communities,’ he added.

The donation comes amid ongoing joint patrols conducted by a multi-agency taskforce, including Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officials, public administration personnel, and conservancy rangers.

NRT Coast Deputy Regional Director Kuso Ahmed, noted the positive impact of these collaborative efforts on wildlife conservation despite operational challenges.

Ahmed acknowledged the increase in wildlife numbers resulting from joint operations and outlined plans to expand ranger patrols to further safeguard the region’s biodiversity.

‘With the addition of the new vehicle, our ability to swiftly respond to security and humanitarian crises will be greatly enhanced, significantly improving our conservation outcomes,’ Ahmed affirmed.

On her part, Tana River County Secretary, Mwanajuma Hiribae, commended NRT for its commitment to conservation and community developm
ent.

She highlighted the vehicle’s broader significance, particularly in addressing humanitarian needs such as transporting expectant mothers to distant medical facilities.

Hiribae also praised the collaborative efforts between the Lower Tana Delta Conservancy, NRT, and USAID in preserving the Tana Delta’s ecological integrity amidst the challenges posed by climate change.

‘By prioritising conservation, we create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods, including farming, fishing, and herding, while fostering peaceful coexistence between communities and wildlife,’ she emphasised.

Looking ahead, Hiribae affirmed the Tana River County Government’s unwavering support for conservancy initiatives, underscoring their pivotal role in mitigating human/wildlife conflicts and safeguarding food security for local farmers.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government plans to leverage skills in the Jua Kali by certifying Kenyans who work in the informal sector without academic documents to make them competitive in the global job market.

Principal Secretary, State Department for Labour and Skills Development Shadrack Mwadime, said close to 19 million Kenyans in the Jua Kali sector have acquired valuable skills and knowledge through apprenticeship for many years but are not certified.

This, Mwandime noted, made it difficult for them to exploit job opportunities due to lack of professional qualification documents.

Mwadime said the government will, through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy, issue certificates to Kenyans in the sector based on their work experience.

‘The majority of these Kenyans in the informal sector have experience with what they have been doing over the years. The greatest challenge they face in establishing confidence with their clients is lack of certificates in accordance with the skills they have gained, and that’s why t
he government came up with the RPL policy, ‘he said.

The PS disclosed that, through the policy, the government will assign assessors from the various technical institutes to evaluate the skills and competencies that Kenyans in the sector have acquired and certify them based on their work experience.

‘Besides creating confidence in their clients, the certification will also enable Kenyans to capitalise on employment opportunities in the Western world and reduce employment, which is extremely high, especially among young people,’ said Mwadime.

He spoke on Monday in Machakos when he officially launched a three-day joint peer learning and capacity-building workshop on sector skills bodies and recognition of prior learning between Kenya and Nigeria.

He reiterated that RPL aligns with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which seeks to improve the social and economic status of Kenyans at the bottom of the economic pyramid.

‘Our expectations are that once these Kenyans in the inform
al sector get job opportunities abroad, they will acquire more skills, and once they come back to the country, they will transfer the technology they have learned and establish enterprises to produce goods that can compete in the international market and expand the economy,’ said the PS.

The Chairperson of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Samson Opaluwah, said the informal sector contributes hugely to the economy and underscored the need to properly certify, regulate, and license it.

Opaluwah noted that the informal sector can further boost the country’s economy and employ labour if given support through recognition, finance, and technology.

‘Africa has a huge challenge in the unregulated informal sector. ‘The time has come for Africa to solve its problems through homegrown solutions because adequate skills will free them from poverty,’ he said.

The CORBON chairperson hailed the Kenya National Federation of Juakali for opening their doors to the delegation from Nigeria to share expe
riences and exchange ideas on sector skills that will lift Africa.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Chairman of the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee, Ndindi Nyoro, has reiterated the government’s commitment to reduce the country`s debt.

Ndindi Nyoro revealed on the second day of the inaugural Annual Conference for the Economists Society of Kenya in Mombasa that in the proposed 3.9T budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025, the deficit has been lowered to 2.9 per cent.

He noted that they have allocated money, where a majority of Kenyans are, in the education and agricultural sectors because, ‘even as we make the budget, we want to play a key role in redistribution.’

‘We have brought down the amount of deficit or the amount of money we anticipate to borrow because we want to walk the talk of borrowing less and relying more on our internal resources,’ he stressed.

‘That is why we had to cut-off the budget by over two billion, so that we could make a budget that we would be able to fund using the resources that we are sure we are going to attain. This has been a very critical conside
ration as we make the budget for this financial year,’ Nyoro added.

Meanwhile, Nyoro, who is also the Kiharu MP, noted that they are still negotiating with counties that need more resources.

‘We must be deliberate in supporting our counties. There are many roles our counties are undertaking, which will definitely require more funding,’ stated Nyoro.

During the devastating floods, Nyoro, assured all the affected families of unequivocal support and a shoulder to lean on.

He said the government is allowed by the Constitution to spend money without the nod of Parliament, during emergencies and seek approval later.’

He assured the government of the Committee’s commitment to pass all the expenditures that are going into saving Kenyans’ lives and making their lives better, especially during this epoch of floods that have wreaked havoc in many regions.

On his part, Kakamega Governor, Fernandes Barasa, termed the Economists Conference crucial as they were discussing issues affecting the country`s economic growth
.

The meeting, he said, can offer solutions on how counties can come-up with alternative ways of resource mobilisation for counties which have largely depended on equitable share and conditional grants.

‘One of the ways of financing counties in terms of resource mobilisation is by considering the onboarding of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) programmes, which can largely support programmes in health, transport, and agricultural value chains,’ said Governor Barasa, adding counties are keen to optimise some of the programmes.

He underscored the importance of professionals in providing leadership on sustainable economic growth. ‘This is a very good step for the economists as professionals in terms of coming up with a policy and directions to support the national government in economic growth and also focusing on areas of production,’ said Governor Barasa.

Source: Kenya News Agency