Month: May 2024

The Nakuru County government has begun the distribution of top-dressing fertiliser across the satellite stores to help farmers avoid transportation costs and reduce the habitually long queues at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).

Among the stores where the top dressing fertiliser has been delivered are the Karunga Farmers’ Cooperative Store, Kampi ya Moto Store, Kiamaina Store, Kabazi Store, and Kiambogo Stores.

Speaking to KNA at the NCPB stores, County Executive for Agriculture Leonard Bor said his department will ensure the continuous distribution of top-dressing fertiliser to other satellite stores across the county in collaboration with the National Cereals and Produce Board.

He noted that the initiative is aimed at supporting farmers during topdressing, which is meant to boost nutrients for crops to enable them to rejuvenate faster, increase production, and support food security for the country.

Additionally, the officer said when farmers pick and source from nearby stores, it eases thei
r financial burden by reducing transportation and logistical costs associated with acquiring essential agricultural inputs.

However, some maize farms, especially in Rongai sub-county, are already submerged in water, and unless the heavy rains subside faster, the chances of losing all their crops are quite high.

Much as the local farmers rely on rain-fed agriculture, excessive amounts, like the current ones, turn tragic due to the flooding of farms, and in worse scenarios, the crops get flattened and wither off.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Residents of Sunshine Shopping Centre in Joska, Machakos County, cross a flooded section of the Sunshine Stream after it flooded due to overnight rains on May 5, 2024. The sunshine stream feeds into the River Athi at Joska.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire in the driver’s cabin of a water drilling rig acquired by the county government to help tackle water problems in the semiarid parts of the region.

The rig, together with two support trucks, cost her government Shs53 million.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Ahero Bridge on the Kisumu-Nairobi highway has been rendered impassible following the overflow, leaving traffic and commuters stranded.

The waters have flooded most of Ahero town, causing significant damage and halting all town activities. On the other hand, the river Nyando has broken its bunk at Ahero town and crippled economic activities within the town, including severing transport activities for those accessing or leaving the town by the bridge.

Kisumu County Police Commander Alphonse Ombuya confirmed the Nyando river overflow at Ahero town and sadly noted that some residents have seized the opportunity to rob travellers of their belongings.

Police officers have since been deployed at the bridge to provide security and also to ensure that people safely cross the overflowing river, which has equally marooned the Ahero police post, with members of the public now being asked to use alternative routes to reach Kisumu town.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The National Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of Transport and Infrastructure, who is also Ndia MP George Kariuki, has announced plans for road and school reconstruction following the destruction occasioned by the heavy rains.

Kariuki has called on Kenyans to be patient and bear with the current situation, saying that immediately after the rainy season is over, reconstruction will be undertaken.

He stated that Mwea constituency faces 560 km of on-farm roads, affecting rice farms. Hence, the national government should assist farmers to reduce irrigation authority contributions, potentially outsourcing funds from the development fund.

Thus, ‘ National government has been providing fertilizer to rice farmers as a way to help them maximize profits, thus, if we minimize what the three thousand, we collect from rice farmers to one thousand we will have helped farmers. We call on leaders to work together and find a way farmers will benefit,’ he said.

Furthermore, Kirinyaga Deputy Speaker and Muthiti me
mber of the county assembly, Hon. Jenaro Jamumo, called on Kenyans to be cautious during this rainy season, saying it is high time for people to take their personal responsibility of protecting themselves before seeking assistance from the government.

For instance, a Member of the County Assembly for Tembere ward, Hon. Peter Karinga, has said the Kirinyaga County Government has shown support by providing some of the basic needs of the affected family. He has called for increments in the emergency fund in the next financial year.

At the same time, he called on both the national and county governments to provide funds to deploy doctors to deal with the expected outbreak of waterborne diseases.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Parliamentary Committee on Development visited the new rice mill at Kibos on Friday, which is being constructed by the Lake Basin Development Authority.

The committee appealed to the government to fast-track the allocation of funds to be used in completing the construction of the factory to help uplift rice farming in the area.

Maragua MP Mary Wamaua, who is also the Deputy Chair of the Committee, said, ‘I want to say today that they have done great, though there are a few challenges pertaining to the money that has been appropriated to them that have not been given 100 per cent, but we have seen that the much that has been given to them has been made good use of, and there is value for money, although there are some projects that have not yet been picked up because the money required is a lot.’

Wamaua further noted that the rice mill would greatly help improve the economic status of the rice farmers in the Nyanza region.

‘This is a project totaling Sh75 million, and there is still some pending money.
Yet they are producing because they are able to buy rice from farmers, and they are milling and getting whatever they are getting. They are then able to sell, and therefore this is a promise to the farmers that they grow rice because there is a ready market, and when they sell, they get money that can help them meet related expenditures like paying the staff and have something extra to use in running the project,’ she noted.

Matungu MP Peter Nabulindo noted that the new Kibos mill has the potential to employ many workers, thereby easing the prevailing unemployment rate.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The heavy rain pounding the country forced a venue change for the NCBA Nairobi Local Tour US Kids golf event that was slated for the Thika Sports Club.

The Junior Golf Foundation had to look for an alternative venue because of three challenges in Thika.

‘We had sightings of a hippo, then the Thika super highway was flooded in some sections; getting to Thika would have been a problem for everyone. Then the course in Thika is a bit wet because of the heavy rains,’ explained Regina Gachora, the Junior Golf Foundation president.

The tournament was moved to Windsor, which has also taken a beating from the rain but is in good playable condition. Despite the conditions, the junior played some impressive golf, with two categories decided via a play-off.

First in the play-offs were the girls 13-14 years old. Yolanda Yu and Sophia Nesbitt tied with a score of 85, and the tie breaker was a playoff. They both had a good start in the playoffs, but Yolanda was the stronger one in the end, calming her nerves to putt for
the win.

Yolanda says it was not easy, and she was nervous because she was playing against Sophia Nesbitt, who is more experienced.

‘My friends like Shuhan Peng and Nawembo were making fun of me before the play-offs; that was released by pressure and made me laugh a bit. Plus, my caddie came back! He was on his way home (before the scores were announced), and my mom called him back. I wasn’t stressed when he showed up,’ she said.

On facing Sophia Nesbitt in the play-off, she said, ‘Since she wins a lot of competitions and she has a longer golfing age than me, I kind of feel pressured whenever I play her because she is more experienced and I think her tempo and all these are way better than me, but I did it.’

Another category that was decided via a playoff was the boys 12 years category. George Ikirima and Jeff Kivi were tied for 82 and needed a tie breaker.

Despite a poor start in the playoffs, George Ikirima recovered well to beat Jeff Kivi to the title. He says he needed the win and worked towards achi
eving it.

‘I wanted to win because I wanted to climb up the ranks since I was ten points behind my opponents. So I needed to win,’ stated Ikirima.

He claims he had a poor start because he was nervous and was gripping his clubs very tightly.

The players hardly have time to relax as they head to the next leg of the US Kids series in a week’s time at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Following the devastating impact of floods and ongoing rains that led to the displacement of over 200 households in Nataparkakono in Turkana Central, Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus today led a food distribution exercise in the affected Tobong’u Lore IDP community.

The County Government provided 100 bags of maize and 20 cartons of vegetable oil (100 litres) to the affected households.

Dr. Erus acknowledged the efforts of the Directorate of Disaster Risk Management and emphasised the need to follow Governor Jeremiah Napotikan’s directive to continue joint assessments to identify areas in need of urgent attention until the communities receive the necessary long-term help from the county and national governments and development partners.

The Deputy Governor assured the Tobong’u Lore community that they would continue to have access to water trucking until a long-term solution is implemented.

He also cautioned the community on the importance of proper hygiene mechanisms to avoid potential health hazards.

In ad
dition to the food distribution at Nataparkakono, the County government, through the Directorate of Disaster Risk Management, has been conducting daily assessments across the county, including 156 villages, 30 wards, and 11 sub-counties in Turkana County.

The County Administrative Units have ensured government presence at the sub-county, ward, and village levels, facilitating information dissemination and relaying grassroots messages through existing channels of communication.

The County Government is working with Welthungerhilfe and UNICEF through the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) to support displaced households with non-food items in Nataparkakono, Lokangae, Todonya’ng, Kerio Delta, and Kalapata.

Dr. Erus expressed gratitude to the KRCS team in Turkana for distributing crucial non-food items to the displaced communities.

The Deputy Governor reassured the community that the County Government has included resettlement in the budget for the upcoming financial year 2024-2025, stating that a long-term reset
tlement solution would be found.

He called upon the county administration units, partners, and residents to prioritise care for the most vulnerable, including children under the age of five, expectant mothers, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

Lodwar Township, MCA Ruth Kuya urged the communities to work with the County Government to ensure they take action and move when cautioned, emphasising that no person with disabilities should be left behind when moving to higher grounds.

Kuya also called on the County Government to provide food and appoint health officers to attend to the displaced community to reduce the potential for health hazards, while urging the community to use the provided toilets to minimise the risks of cholera through contamination.

The CECM for Public Service, Administration, and Disaster Management, Wangiros Longole James, stated that according to the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), the rains have remained moderate to above average across the County, accompanied by stro
ng winds and thunderstorms that have resulted in loss of lives, displacement of households, damages to infrastructure, loss of livelihoods, and loss of properties.

The Kenya Red Cross Society Coordinator for Turkana County, Rukia Abubakar, called on the community to observe the government’s directive and take action to avoid harm and loss of lives. She also emphasised the need for continued joint assessment and community sensitization.

The Chief Officer for Administration and Disaster Risk Management, David Maraka, echoed the County Administration Unit and Kenya Red Cross Society for their joint assessment efforts in ensuring that even the most remote communities in Turkana have been reached and sensitised.

The County Government is working with the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) on weather forecast information sharing, which is key for preparedness.

Continuous dissemination of weather alerts is crucial in sensitization, mobilisation, and guiding evacuation when deemed appropriate, as per the nation
al government directive, and will be carried out through the county administration.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has sensitised Kericho residents about the new regulations regarding the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2024, and the Operations of Commercial Service Vehicles Regulations, 2024.

The forum that took place at the ACK Holy Trinity in Kericho town also enabled the participants to submit their views on the two regulations that will affect PSVs and school transport.

The NTSA Deputy Director of Licensing Board, Ava Nyawira, emphasised on licensing of all vehicles that operate as school transport vehicles and regular inspection of the vehicles to maintain them in good shape to avoid accidents.

Nyawira further observed that school principals and management play a key role in ensuring only qualified drivers and school vehicle attendants are hired as per the new rules and regulations.

‘Installing stop signal arms on the front and rear right-hand sides of school vehicles will ensure the safety of our learners when they are being picked up and dropped off from sch
ool. This is a new measure that will be very beneficial in the school transport sector,’ said Ms. Nyawira.

Also present was the Manager, of Legal Services at NTSA, Tom Abuga, who stressed the need for the installation of a vehicular telematic system on commercial vehicles as per the Kenya Bureau of Standards, saying commercial vehicle owners will be able to supervise the activities of their drivers and ensure proper adherence to road safety.

‘A driver of a commercial service vehicle should ensure they are duly licensed to drive the class of commercial vehicle they are driving and not exceed the prescribed maximum driving hours. Failure to adhere to these rules will lead to a fine or imprisonment of not less than 6 months,’ added Abuga.

Among the participants at the forum were school principals, police officers, National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), bodaboda operators, Public Service Vehicle operators, and Driving school representatives, among others.

Through the operation of Commercial Servi
ce Vehicle Regulations, (2024), NTSA seeks to regulate all commercial service vehicles whose tare weight is above 348 kilogrammes operating on a public road in Kenya. It also gives the NTSA the power to suspend or revoke any license issued under these Regulations in instances where the license holder fails or neglects to comply with the laws.

At the same time, the Traffic (School Transport) Rules, 2024, prohibit all drivers from overtaking school buses that have extended stop signs.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The engineers from the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) have been mobilised by the government to open diversion roads using caterpillars at the Kitale-Kapenguria-Lodwar Highway Road between Lous Market and Kambi Karaya in West Pokot County following the road being washed away by floods.

The KENHA engineers on site are evaluating the extent of the damage and have established alternative routes, diverting the road to ensure that travellers can continue their journey while road construction is ongoing.

Addressing the press on Monday, KeNHA North Rift Region, Regional Director, Eng. Philemon Kipkoech, stated that KeNHA is currently working on repairing the road between Lous Market and Kambi Karaya in West Pokot County. The road repairs are currently in progress.

Additionally, he mentioned that KeNHA officials are also present at the site, actively managing traffic to prevent any unexpected incidents.

Eng. Kipkoech further explained that, in response to the road damage, they facilitated the passage of
vehicles by establishing diversion routes on both sides of the road.

He clarified that the alternate path on both sides of the road is to ensure smooth movement of vehicles while road maintenance is ongoing.

”After the road suffered damage from floods, we implemented a road diversion on both sides. One side was designated for the passage of heavy commercial vehicles, while the other side was designated for smaller vehicles with lighter loads,” said Eng. Kipkoech.

Eng. Kipkoech mentioned that KeNHA has also taken action to demolish a section of the culvert that was left standing after the road was destroyed by floods, posing a risk to motorists using the highway.

He further mentioned that the construction of the culvert has commenced at the same location where they obtained materials from Nairobi, and by Tuesday, the culvert will be installed, and the road is expected to be open to motorists by Thursday at the latest.

He expressed that KeNHA is committed to facilitating a hassle-free passage for motoris
ts through the affected road area.

The Director said motorists travelling along the Kitale-Kapenguria-Lodwar Highway Road should exercise caution when approaching the stretch between Lous Market and Kambi Karaya in West Pokot County.

”Drivers using the Kitale-Kapenguria-Lodwar Highway Road must be extremely careful as they approach the stretch between Lous Market and Kambi Karaya due to a road damaged caused by heavy rainfall,” Eng. Kipkoech cautioned.

Eng. Kipkoech advised the drivers to adhere to the safety guidelines provided on the side, which are designed to enhance road safety.

On Saturday morning, travellers found themselves stranded on the Highway due to the road being impassable.

The road was damaged and cut off by ongoing heavy rains and floods in the area.

The Kenya News Agency (KNA) conducted an investigation in the morning hours of Saturday, confirming the critical significance of the road for commuters travelling between Turkana and South Sudan.

Consequently, transportation was halted,
and travellers observed the detrimental impact on businesses situated along the only highway linking Turkana County and South Sudan.

Numerous vehicles were observed congested on the highway.

Florence Manyonge, a teacher in Turkana, shared her experience of travelling to Turkana in preparation for the school reopening, only to return home after the opening was postponed indefinitely by the head of State last Friday.

Manyonge emphasised that the road was washed away by floods last Tuesday, and even after a week, it has not been reconstructed. As a result, they are stranded and in desperate need of food for themselves and their children, with no shops available to purchase anything to eat.

Angeline Wepukhulu, another teacher from Lokichogoi town in Turkana County, who was also using the road, mentioned that they began their journey at 2:00 AM. However, upon reaching Kambi Karaya in West Pokot County, they discovered that the road had been swept away by floods.

Dennis Omoi, a driver who has been using this r
oad for over 20 years without any issues, expressed his frustration with the current road conditions.

”I have been using this road for the last 20 years to make a living. This time around, things have turned upside down. We have stayed here for one and a half days, and we shall again stay at Lochwaa for more days,” he said.

He cited that they have also been affected by the curfew at Kainuk.

Omoi said he has spent one and a half days enduring the cold, urging the government to prioritise the reconstruction of the road.

Currently, the diversion road is ready for use, and travellers are using it as an alternative route.

Source: Kenya News Agency