Month: May 2024

The government will deploy machinery used by road contractors in Laikipia County to create spillways on local dams that are all full to the brim and at risk of bursting.

A County Disaster Response Committee meeting was told that more than 31 dams spread across the county were full, and some had started leaking due to the ongoing heavy rains pounding the country.

The meeting co-chaired by County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha and Deputy Governor Reuben Kamuri in Nanyuki town, which brought together all National and County government departments, was informed by the County chief officer in charge of water, Samuel Lemanyishoe, that the area was staring at a disaster if the water in the local dams was not controlled.

‘All the dams, whether public or privately owned, are full. We need to ensure that their spillways are functional to prevent their walls from collapsing in order to avert any calamity,’ Lemanyishoe said.

The County Chief Officer in Charge of Roads and Public Works, Engineer Peter Macharia, told the
meeting that the county government had only two functional excavators that would not adequately respond to emergency cases in a timely manner should a need arise.

‘Our two excavators are not enough to open up the spillways of all the dams on time, bearing in mind that the rains are still pounding heavily. That’s why it’s important we bring on board machinery from local road contractors to assist in the works,’ Eng. Macharia said.

The County Commissioner noted that as the heavy rains continued to fall, the dams posed the greatest risk to lives, hence the need to move fast to avert any disaster.

‘Currently, the dams pose the greatest danger to the lives of people, livestock, and property. As a committee, we have to move very fast to ensure that their spillways are functional and also access the strength of the walls based on the water capacity,’ Kyatha said.

He instructed the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) to put all contractors working in the area on standby
should their services and machinery be required to be available immediately.

The Deputy Governor informed the meeting that the devolved unit was working hand in hand with the National government to ensure that no lives were lost due to flooding in the area.

‘As a county government, we have instructed the Chief Officer for Finance to set aside money for disaster response so that we are not caught flat-footed should an unfortunate thing happen,’ Kamuri said.

Elijah Mbugua from the agriculture department informed the meeting that a total of 341 acres under maize crop, 398 acres under beans, 310 acres under cabbages, 230 acres under onions, 300 acres under French beans, 178 acres under tomatoes, 30 acres under herbs and spices, and five acres under wheat had so far been swept by the current floods.

Mbugua, however, allayed fears that the flooding posed a food deficit at the moment but warned that should the heavy rains continue, the area would face food scarcity.

Beatrice Wachira from the Education Departmen
t said that 21 schools were flooded, 42 others had their pit latrines sinking, and that among the submerged ones, 10 had leaking and dilapidated roofing across the county.

Wachira observed that there was a risk of waterborne diseases in the affected schools due to the sunken latrines should learners resume, while calling for a speedy response to the disaster.

The meeting was also informed that several roads in the area had been rendered impassable due to the flooding being experienced.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Youth from Trans Nzoia County have been urged to take up the challenge for leadership positions.

The call was made during a one-day capacity-building workshop organised by the Office of Registrar of Political Parties in preparation for the 2027 General Election.

Addressing youth, the Coordinator of the Office of Registrar of Political Parties for Trans Nzoia, West Pokot and Turkana counties Serah Wacuka stated that being the cream of the society, youth should scramble for leadership positions and strive to take a center stage in decision.

Taking the youth through governance structure and political parties’ dispute resolution mechanisms, Wacuka advised youth to strategically position themselves in decision making organs of political parties.

She said it is only through this that the interests of the youth, who are a majority of the marginalised groups, will be taken care of.

‘We are urging our youth to come out and vie for positions within our political parties. They should not just be there to be seen bu
t also to be heard,’ she advised.

Orange Democratic Movement Youth Leader Trans Nzoia County Mike Ochola, present during the forum, called for the unity of the youth irrespective of party affiliations.

As the wheels of the 2027 General Election slowly begin to roll, Ochola challenged youth at all costs to avoid being used by selfish politicians who are out to satisfy their own interests.

Saying that Kenya has come of age, Ochola said that the time for political chaos is long gone as he called for mature and issue-based politics.

‘I urge our youth to be ready to unite on matters which benefit them, party differences notwithstanding. For a long time, youth have been used by politicians to climb to positions of power, only to be dumped after elections. The time has come for us to join hands and support each other. We should say no to handouts,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Egerton University and the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) have initiated a partnership to protect and restore wetlands in Nakuru County and curb further threats resulting from human activities.

The University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Kibwage, said they were planning to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with NEMA towards the restoration of key ecological assets, including the Keringet Forest area and Kenyatta Dam within Nakuru County.

While disclosing the university’s commitment to offer an acre of land within its Njoro main campus for NEMA’s tree planting initiatives, Prof. Kibwage explained that encroachment for agricultural activities, pollution, urbanisation, and climate change, among others, were the main threats to Kenya’s wetlands.

This, he added, has consequently led to the loss of key wetlands and associated products and services.

Speaking when he hosted a delegation led by NEMA Board Member Prof. Charles Ngome, the Vice Chancellor highlighted Egerton University’s
contributions to wetland restoration, including rehabilitation and handover of the Njoro River, the launch of plastic waste burning at the university in 2017, hosting nine consecutive Editions of Run for the Mau Forest Conservation Marathon, and the creation of a botanical garden at the University.

‘Egerton University’s Green Club activities and annual tree donations contribute to environmental conservation, while wetlands, crucial ecosystems, are often undervalued and unnoticed,’ he stated.

Prof. Ngome was accompanied by the Rift Valley Regional Director of Environment, Njoki Mukiri, and Nakuru NEMA County Director, Joseph Kopejo.

They noted that Wetlands are waterlogged areas, which can include marshes, swamps, and bogs. They are critical habitats for countless plant and animal species.

According to Professor Kibwage, wetlands act as natural sponges, absorbing and filtering excess nutrients, pollutants, and sediments from water bodies, which helps to purify water and prevent flooding.

Furthermore, wetl
ands are essential for biodiversity conservation. They provide critical habitat for migratory birds, fish, and other wildlife.

Wetlands are also important carbon sinks, with the ability to store large amounts of carbon in their soils and vegetation. He stated that by conserving and restoring wetlands, the country can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.

The Vice Chancellor urged NEMA officers, to help in stopping eucalyptus growing alongside riparian lands, saying people should plant indigenous trees and stop ploughing 30 metres up, away from water bodies and wetlands.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, wetlands are among the world’s most productive ecosystems, providing a wide range of ecosystem services.

These include flood control, water purification, biodiversity conservation, and climate regulation.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A total of 12 families from Emsoo ward, Keiyo North Sub County, are counting losses after their farms were swept away by a mudslide over the weekend.

Frederick Chepsoi said he had spent over sh100,000 to plant on his one-and-a-half-acre farm, which he was allocated by his father, but has been left with nothing after the mudslide.

Speaking to the press at his farm, Chepsoi said he was alerted by a neighbour on Thursday last week of a crack on a section of his farm; another bigger crack was evident on Friday before the farm finally gave in over the weekend.

Chepsoi, who says he is ailing and has to go for a medical checkup at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret every week, does not know where to start, saying he relies on the land to meet his medical and other financial needs.

‘I have been using the proceeds from the farm to pay for my medical expenses, pay school fees for my children, and meet other financial obligations. I don’t know how I will move on,’ he said.

Mercy Maiyo, who was also affec
ted by the mudslide, has appealed to the government to come to their rescue, saying the land which was swept away was all they had and that they have been seeking shelter from neighbours since last week.

‘We cannot stay with neighbours forever; we need to move out, but where do we go after the only land that we owned has been swept away?’ she posed.

Salina Biwott, a village elder, said farmers in the area have been relying on the growing of tomatoes and onions, which they supply to markets in Iten and Eldoret. She said that following the mudslide, the only road leading to the area has been cut off, and they have been forced to hire people to carry the produce on their backs up the steep terrain, which will lead to an increase in expenses, thus affecting their earnings.

Assistant Chief Charles Rotich said while they are grateful that no fatalities were recorded after all 12 families moved out, the area residents have been doing quite well economically but have now been reduced to paupers following the mudsl
ide.

Area Member of County Assembly Christopher Cheboiboch called on the County Executive Commissioner of Roads to clear the area of debris to ensure the road is passable in a bid to lessen the suffering of farmers by ensuring that their produce reaches the markets.

Cheboiboch said while the affected area is along the Kerio escarpment, which is susceptible to mudlsides, such an occurrence has never been witnessed in the area.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Ministry of Cooperative and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development has underscored its commitment to upholding principles of good corporate governance and integrity within the cooperative sector.

Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary (CS) Simon Chelugui said that the ministry remains committed to fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct within the cooperative sector.

He added that the ministry will spare no effort in safeguarding the interests of cooperative members and promoting sustainable development across all facets of cooperative enterprises.

‘As custodians of cooperative resources, we remain steadfast in our duty to ensure responsible and transparent management for the benefit of all stakeholders,’ he said.

The CS noted that the ministry had recently received the findings of an inspection conducted by the commissioner for cooperative development in October 2022.

He said administrative measures were taken, which includ
ed the dismissal of implicated top managers and administrators.

The CS said that the ministry has appointed Grant Thornton, a reputable auditing firm which conducted examinations of the Union’s financial affairs and found systemic deficiencies in the management of resources, including creative and unreliable financial records.

He said that the audit revealed unreliable financial records, including high cash withdrawals totaling Sh5.46 billion between February 2013 and April 2024, Inter Subsidiary Cash Transfers, loans to Senior KUSCCO staff and directors, among others.

‘It has come to light that despite incurring losses, the union proceeded to declare bonuses, dividends, and interest, a practice that cannot be condoned,’ said Chelugui.

He added that a consultative meeting that was convened last month with representatives from depositors reached a unanimous consensus on the future of the union, where they concluded that the current board of directors had failed in its duty to steer the union.

Chelugui ack
nowledged that the ministry has taken decisive action on the matter with the interest of ensuring accountability and restoring confidence, while reiterating the dismissal of the current board of directors.

He announced that the commissioner for cooperative development will appoint an interim board of 15 members drawn from esteemed leaders of affiliate cooperatives who will oversee the transformation and rehabilitation of the Union.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Dairy farmers in Kiambu County have benefited from subsidised Artificial Insemination (AI) services that seek to upgrade breeds of dairy cattle and provide better earnings for farmers in the region.

The AI services being offered by the country’s Department of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation are being distributed to farmers across all sub-counties.

The County Executive Committee for Agriculture, Wilfred Mwenda, said the initiative aims at giving dairy farmers a new improved breed that will increase milk production from the current seven litres to around 12 litres per cow per day, enabling farmers to earn more money from the sale of milk.

‘We are calling upon all of the county’s cattle farmers to visit our sub-county offices in their areas and take advantage of our certified semen and liquid nitrogen from the Kenya Animal Genetic Resource Centre,’ Mwenda said.

Initially, farmers would pay between Sh1000 to Sh2000 for each cow served, but the initiative has seen this drop to Sh500 per animal.

He adde
d that through the initiative, the Department’s sub-county offices have been provided with semen, nitrogen tanks, and technical expertise to offer AI services to dairy farmers.

‘The ultimate goal of this programme is to ensure that farmers increase their milk production and get more value from it so that they can uplift their living standards,’ he said.

The AI services support project is a partnership between the County Government and the Kenya Animal Genetic Resource Centre (KAGRIC).

‘The initiative has significantly reduced the cost of AI services, while at the same time improving the quality of the breeds the farmers get; this will translate into increased milk production when the calves mature to start milk production,’ Mwenda noted.

Farmers whose cows were served last year when the initiative was launched have already calved and are excitedly looking forward to high milk production in the coming years.

One of the beneficiary farmers, Grace Wanjiku from Githunguri Sub County, whose cows have calved,
said she has increased her herd from two to five cows’ courtesy of the support from the county government.

‘When I started, I just had two cows, but now I have five cows. So far, four of my cows have been served with the improved breed semen, and I am expecting more calves before the year ends, and slowly I am expanding by adding my stock,’ said Wanjiku.

Consequently, in a report done by the Agriculture Sector Development Support Programme (ASDSP), Kiambu County is one of the highest milk producers in the country, with 430 million litres annually.

Meanwhile, the national production per cow every day stands at 10.1 litres, while Kiambu has been registering a production of 12.6 litres per cow.

Source: Kenya News Agency