Day: September 17, 2024

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Nyamira governor survives second impeachment


Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo has survived a second impeachment at the county assembly after Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) failed to attain the voting threshold of two thirds to impeach him.

Twenty-two MCAs voted for governor Nyaribo’s impeachment while 12 voted no to the motion. The house needed 23 votes for the impeachment motion to sail through. Nyaribo missed the ouster from office by just one vote out of the 34 votes cast.

The mover of the governor’s impeachment motion at the county assembly, Evans Matunda, nominated MCA from the wiper party, claimed that the governor has grossly violated the constitution and other laws, denying students their rights to education, violation of the Nyamira County Persons with Disability act, 2023 by failing to constitute the Nyamira County Persons with Disability Board, failing to contain the county wage bill within the legal threshold under the public finance management Act amongst other accusations.

The Governor’s Nyaribo legal team led by Julius Anyoka, wit
h his colleague Jacob Ngwele in response to the outcome after voting congratulated MCAs who stood their ground against all odds and intimidation to defend the constitution and trounce the malicious motion of impeachment.

‘The assembly displayed overtones of vendetta and malice and the grounds of the impeachment motion totally failed to meet the constitution threshold to remove the governor from office.

‘I appeal to the MCAs to respect the constitution, in particular Article 1 of the constitution of Kenya which states that ‘All sovereign power belongs to the people of kenya and shall be exercised only in accordance with the constitution’. Impeachment therefore is not a proper way to oversight the governor and settle differences, instead it denies electorates the opportunity to directly access services and other development initiatives meant to benefit them.

Advocate Jacob Ngwele argued that he has encountered one of the weakest impeachment motions in the history of Kenya. This impeachment motion lacked subs
tantive and convincing evidence for it to succeed. He said that most issues raised were sheer propaganda and unsubstantiated rumors.

The county assembly legislatures will now have to work on a cordial working relationship for the best interest of the residents of Nyamira so that the county can spur its development agenda.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Minister of Culture pays tribute to Agostinho Neto

The Minister of Culture, Filipe Zau, on Tuesday paid tribute to the first President of Angola, António Agostinho Neto, by laying a wreath at the monument in his memory, in the city of Dundo, Lunda-Norte.

The event was part of the festivities of the 102nd anniversary of the founder of the Nation, which today September 17, is celebrated, under the motto “With Neto’s ideas, We Built a Strong and Dynamic Economy”, whose central event takes place in the city of Dundo, capital of the province of Lunda-Norte.

Also paying tribute were the secretaries of state of the ministries of Health, Territorial Administration, Education, the local governor, Filomena Miza, officials of the defense and security agencies, politicians, entities, religious, representatives of non-governmental organizations, among other entities.

The central event of National Hero’s Day will be presided over by the Minister of Culture, Filipe Silvino de Pina Zau, representing the Head of State, João Manuel Lourenço.

The celebration of the 17th of
September, takes place across the country, as well as the Angolan embassies, with the aim to praise the figure of the first President of Angola and praise his contribution to the freedom of Angola and Africa.

António Agostinho Neto was born on September 17, 1922, 102 years ago, in the village of Caxicane, municipality of Icolo e Bengo, province of Luanda. He died of illness in Moscow on September 10, 1979.

He assumed the leadership of the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) from who had already been honorary president since 1960, and proclaimed National Independence on November 11, 1975, therefore becoming the highest leader of the nation.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

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Jomvu MP promise to solicit Sh800M for construction of access roads


Jomvu Member of Parliament Badi Twalib has assured residents in informal settlements in the constituency of his commitment to lobby for funds to construct access roads.

MP Twalib said during an inspection of roads and drainage works in Owino Uhuru village tucked between factories. He vowed to put his best foot forward and look for funds from the government and private companies to construct access roads.

The MP opened a 400-meter cabro paved road constructed by the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) in Obion Uhuru before the onset of the October-November-December rains.

The road would bring a new lease of life to the area which according to the MP since independence had lagged in government development projects but since he was elected he has ensured the area has cabro roads.

‘As a member of the National Assembly Departmental Committee of Transport, I strived and got funding to construct a murram road of 1.2 kilometres from Owino Uhuru connecting to the Allidina area,’ said the MP

‘I believe in two yea
rs the road will give impetus to the construction of apartments,’ he added.

The road starts at the corrugated factory belonging to the late Mombasa businessman and philanthropist par excellence Hasmukh Patel who died two weeks ago. To appreciate his significant contributions to Port City, the road was named after him.

‘This road is christened Hasmukh Patel access road, Owino-Uhuru so that we can honour him. I will take responsibility as MP to talk with them to finish the remaining 1.2 KM through their Corporate Social Responsibility programs,’ stated the MP.

The access road, he noted has led to expansion of businesses, and residents can go to worship.

‘Business has been revamped and supplies can come on time. No past MP has succeeded in opening up this area like I have done,’ said Twalib, adding that the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) will allocate more funds for road construction.

Boda Boda Operators lauded the MP for the road saying it will ease accessibility in the informal settlement. They want
the completion of the remaining 1.2km to be hasten in phase two.

‘Now we can even ferry patients to hospitals before when it rained we were not able to access the low-lying areas,’ said Mark Otieno, a Boda Boda Operator.

Another Operator Godfrey Opiyo, said the road is a relief as they were using a lot of money to service their motorcycles when the road was in a deplorable state.

He added that the road will improve security in the locality as they are the first responders to distress calls because of their ability to access remote areas.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Journalists sensitized on Early Childhood Development advocacy


In a bid to enhance Early Childhood Development (ECD) in the counties of Siaya and Busia, journalists from vernacular radio stations were recently equipped with crucial knowledge on nurturing care for children aged 0-3 years.

The training, organized by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in partnership with the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya, aimed to empower media professionals to become advocates of early childhood care.

Judith Atieno, the lead trainer from CRS, emphasized the importance of the first three years of a child’s life, noting that the brain’s rapid development during this period requires critical care and parental involvement.

‘The period of childhood is a crucial period for shaping the child’s future.’ Atieno said. ‘The interactions and experiences during these formative years lay the foundation for a child’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development, setting the stage for their lifelong well-being,’ she stated.

The initiative aims to use the power and influence of both religious
leaders and the media to strengthen advocacy efforts. Through their reach, they hope to educate the public on the significance of nurturing care, which involves good health, adequate nutrition, responsive care, safety, and early learning opportunities for children.

‘By empowering journalists with this knowledge, we are ensuring that the message reaches grassroots communities where vernacular stations have the strongest influence,’ added Atieno.

‘When parents and caregivers understand the critical role they play in these early years, they are more likely to provide the necessary support for their children’s holistic development,’

The collaboration between the Inter-Religious Council and CRS underscores the growing recognition of ECD as a vital component in child development strategies. Through this initiative, both organizations seek to ensure that every child in Siaya and Busia has access to the nurturing care needed to thrive in their early years.

The advocacy efforts are expected to create a ripple effe
ct, with religious leaders and the media working hand in hand to promote a better understanding of the crucial early childhood period. In doing so, they hope to raise awareness about the role of communities, parents, and institutions in supporting the growth and well-being of children across Kenya.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Migori County commences school assessments to ascertain safety measures


The Ministry of Education in conjunction with local county administration has started to ascertain the safety standards of schools within Migori.

Speaking at his office after meeting county education officials and local administration, Migori County Commissioner Kisilu Mutua said that a multiagency team comprising of education and security stakeholders will be visiting all schools in Migori to ensure the safety measures are adhered to.

‘We are focused on safety measures to ensure the security of boarding schools is followed. For instance, we will be advocating for dormitory windows without grills as well as ensuring the door opens from outside’, said Mutua.

Mutia said that the multiagency team will be visiting major boarding schools to ascertain that the kid’s and students’ surroundings are safe.

He also noted that education stakeholders will be focused on civic education to both teachers and students to ensure high standards of safety within schools.

Mutua also affirmed that most of the county schools
had a good percentage of safety standards put in place but added that they will reinforce high standards of safety as the schools and students prepare for their national examinations.

Migori County Director of Education Jacob Onyiego said that Sub County Directors in each Sub-County will be involved to ensure that schools within their jurisdiction adhere to the safety standards laid out by the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Education is considering upgrading school safety regulations into law. According to the Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogambo, the safety guidelines and policies set by the Ministry are sufficient but laxity on the part of those entrusted with enforcing them is what is exposing learners to risk.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Kabete Polytechnic students protest against hiked examination fees


Students from Kabete National Polytechnic have taken to the streets today in protest against increased tuition fees among other issues.

The majority of the students marched towards the institutions main offices and forcefully evicted the principal, Patrick Muchemi from office and vandalized the premises, with some of the students torching banners and documents that were inside the principal’s office.

The demonstrations are in response to the hiking of examination fees which is beside the normal tuition fee. Other grievances include the change of dressing code with many of the students terming it ‘too strict’.

A section of the protesting students further burnt tires outside of the school while others used rocks to block the normally busy Waiyaki way.

Police officers from the nearby Kabete police station were called upon to diffuse the situation but not before the protesting students’ voices were heard.

‘A new curriculum student has to pay an examination fee of Ksh.2000 for every practical unit and Ksh.15
00 for every theory unit and to make it worse we are enraged because most of the students didn’t receive capitation money’ Alexis Odongo, a second year student at Kabete says.

The students want the examination fees scrapped as they are a heavy burden to their parents.

The protests come even as as the country is implementing a new university fees model called the ‘University Fund’ which will see students pay higher fees while reducing government funding and scholarships.

The model is being rolled out ahead of the new academic year and will place students in different categories depending on their family income, the size of their family, and the number of children in school.

This new fee structure has not been witnessed since 1991 when the Government ended free University education and introduced the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to provide financial support to the poorest students.

With the volatile situation surrounding the country’s institutions it remains to be seen whether the new model will be
embraced by students and parents alike.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Multimedia University students protest over water shortage


Transport along the busy Magadi Road was disrupted for hours on Tuesday morning after students from the Multimedia University blocked the road to demonstrate over water scarcity in the Campus.

The students accused the university administration of neglect, highlighting that they had gone days without access to clean water in their hostels and some other parts of the institution, which they described as a major inconvenience.

In addition to the water crisis, the students expressed their frustrations over unstable internet connectivity, which they claimed has interfered with their learning activities. Despite issuing a strike notice last Thursday and attempting to engage with the administration their efforts yielded no results.

Naomi Oketch student leader at the university says they have tried to reach out to the administration but they have remained mute amid their constant pleas for assistance declaring that the demonstrations will persist until the administration addresses their concerns.

‘We resorted to
going on strike since our call to the administration remained unanswered, ‘said Oketch.

The protest escalated as students barricaded the highway prompting motorists to seek alternative routes.

The student leader also raised concern about some of the hostels having dysfunctional sockets while others lack study chairs, while the administration remains unanswered to them.

‘Some of the hostels have dysfunctional sockets. Others lack study chairs. We have raised these issues but no one has responded to our cries for help,’ added Oketch.

Source: Kenya News Agency