Month: September 2024

The laying of a wreath, the raising of the Monument Flag and a cultural soiree marked, on Tuesday, the celebrations of the Day of the National Hero, António Agostinho Neto, in the province of Luanda.

The program began with the hoisting of the Monument Flag, in the Fortress of São Miguel, followed by the laying of the wreath in the sarcophagus of the first President of Angola, born on September 17, 1922, in Caxicane, Icolo and Bengo.

At the end of the program, chaired by the Minister of State and head of the Military Office of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado, a cultural soiree was held at the Dr. António Agostinho Neto Memorial.

The moment was marked by the interpretation of songs in honor of the also known ‘Greatest Poet’.

The moment brightened, among other artists, Romeu Miranda, Gizela Hossi and Maria Eduardo, Kapa Afonso, Anastácio Adão, Obadias Correia, Solene Neves, Judeth Ester and Mito Gaspar who performed songs and recited poetry such as ‘Havemos de voltar’, ‘Dois anos de
longe’, ‘Adeus a hora da largada’, among others.

Speaking to the press, Francisco Pereira Furtado highlighted the qualities of Agostinho Neto as a politician, nationalist and man of culture.

According to the Minister of State, the figure of Neto should be remembered eternally so that the current generation and those to come know the moments and deeds of the father of the Nation and proclaimer of independence.

‘Neto left a legacy that should be studied and known by all generations, not only from Angola but also from Angola.

He added that it is important to recognize the role and dimension of Agostinho Neto, in the achievement of independence, as well as in guaranteeing sovereignty and peace, examples followed by former President José Eduardo dos Santos and now also President João Lourenço.

In turn, present at the same act, the vice-president of the MPLA, Luísa Damião, said that Neto’s 102nd birthday should be exalted at all levels for being a national hero and an unavoidable figure in the history of Angol
a.

‘Each of us, in our daily actions, must know how to interpret well the thought of the founder of the Angolan nation, in a political, cultural, community and economic dimension,’ he stressed.

Luísa Damião also recalled that the motto chosen for the commemorations of September 17, ‘With Neto’s thinking we must continue to have a more dynamic economy’, responds to the maxim of the founder of the nation, according to which, ‘The most important thing is to solve the problems of the people’.

He defended the need to correctly cement the thought of Agostinho Neto, in order to solve the current challenges, which include the realization of the dream of a peaceful, developed, prosperous, inclusive Angola in which the rich cultural diversity continues to be valued.

In turn, the governor of Luanda, Manuel Homem, highlighted Agostinho Neto as the greatest poet and icon of freedom and that his date should revive the memory of all Angolans.

He stressed that the tribute to the late president represents the commitment
of the Angolan Government to continue to exalt and perpetuate in the collective memory, the nationalist, poetic and statesmanlike sense of Agostinho Neto, ensuring the continuity of meeting the needs of the populations.

He added that the Government has followed Neto’s ideals, returning social infrastructures, such as schools and hospitals, capable of ensuring the demand and satisfaction of the improvement of the living conditions of the population.

The ceremony was attended by members of the Executive, political parties, the Angolan Armed Forces, the Ministry of the Interior, religious, among others.

António Agostinho Neto, the first President of Angola, was born on September 17, 1922, in the village of Kaxicane, municipality of Icolo e Bengo, province of Luanda and would be 102 years old today.

He took over the leadership of the MPLA of which he had been honorary president since 1960, whose condition culminated in the proclamation of independence on November 11, 1975, becoming the first President of Ango
la until 1979.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

Betting is growing in leaps and bounds in Kenya, embedding itself deeply into the drill of everyday life of thousands of its fans.

A recent study from GeoPoll,(a mobile surveying platform) paints a shocking picture where 83.9 percent of Kenyans have at least tried betting and 3 out 4 people are doing so on a regular basis.

This statistic is not just a number but a reflection of a growing cultural shift, underscoring how betting has become more than a mere pastime and to a widespread social crisis that threatens to ruin an entire generation.

A report by the National Assembly on Sports and Culture tabled before the National Assembly in November last year put the amount of money gobbled through gambling at Sh 820.07 billion between 2018 and 2022.

Kenya is currently ranked third in Africa in terms of the number of people falling prey to betting coming behind Nigeria and South Africa respectively.

Between July 2022 and June 2023 at least Sh88.5 billion was sunk into online gaming with betting companies payin
g Sh6.64 billion as excise duty to the taxman.

On average Sh2,806 is spent on online betting every passing second in the country with one out of 10 adults transforming gaming into a full income generating activity.

Back home in Nyeri, a spot check by KNA has revealed that a large chunk of young people have taken up betting hoping against hope that sooner than later they will strike it real big.

As we were having a walk around town, we approached a group of bodaboda riders and decided to get their views on this craze which has mesmerized thousands like a magic spell.

But what we did discover was that most of these riders were already hooked into gambling.

One of the bodaboda riders who requested for anonymity narrated to us how he started betting in 2005 while he was still 19 years of age and has never looked back since then.

‘I started betting while I was still young and I don’t see myself coming out of this anytime soon. Last year I won around 60,000. In a month I would place bets three times a week wi
th a stake of not more than Sh100. From my wins, I would be in a position to take care of my family,’ he told KNA.

He went on to defend his decision to keep placing bets by terming gambling as an innocent activity that can pay big.

He nevertheless cautions peers from turning into a full-time occupation saying gabbling is not a source of income.

‘I would advise people to work and take betting as an entertainment but not as a source of income. You shouldn’t just sit and hope to earn from stakes. Make sure as you bet you have something that you are doing to earn some money.’ He advises.

Joy Wanderi, a businesswoman, shared a deeply personal story about her husband’s struggle with betting and his journey to recovery.

She recounted how his involvement in gambling took the better part of him to the extent of absconding his family responsibilities.

‘I’m truly grateful that with the support of our local church minister, my husband was able to turn his life around,’ Wanderi said.

‘For a long time, his only focu
s was betting. His work became secondary, and unfortunately, he would often lose more than he won. This pattern of loss led to a spiral of depression, to the point where he was unable to contribute anything to our household.’ she said.

Wanderi has warned the youth against taking up the practice owing to its bewitching addiction.

‘I strongly advise young people to steer clear of gambling. It’s a destructive habit that can quickly become all-consuming. From my own experience, I’ve seen first-hand how gambling can lead to severe personal and financial problems, and I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through what my family had to endure. It’s therefore important to recognize the risks and avoid getting entangled in the practice in the first place.’ she warns.

Dr Fabio Ogachi,a lecturer of Psychology at Kenyatta University says people hooked into gaming need help and not condemnation.

The don says majority of people who take to gambling do not do it out of fun but due to other underlying challenges such as fina
ncial problems.

He said that he got several cases where he helped some of the gambling addicts but the major problem he encountered was convincing such persons to change their attitude towards vice.

‘The biggest challenge is the change of attitude for someone to shift since such victims usually find themselves boxed into some financial crisis. With money being an essential part of our day to day living, many believe that the only alternative is to make quick money through gambling,’ said Dr Fabio.

Some of the adverse challenges that dog many gamblers include depression, insomnia and other stress related health disorders.

‘If left unchecked, such challenges can push one into criminal activities but with the help of a professional counselling anyone can be helped to overcome this gambling addiction.’ states Dr Fabio who revealed he has helped a number of gamblers make a complete turnaround from the grip of gaming.

Dr. Erastus Njoroge, ArchBishop Foursquare Gospel Church in Nyeri says the only panacea to t
he gambling mania sweeping across the country is to have stringent rules to regulate betting companies.

The cleric has equated online gaming to a malignant cancerous tumour that threatens to consume up every fabric of our society including our school going children.

Dr Njoroge also challenges religious organizations to take a central role in sensitising their followers about the dangers of this practice caution that any complacency on the side of the churches will only worsen the situation.

‘Many youths have drowned into the slavery of betting and the government should address the issue before it’s too late. I also urge family members to support those addicted by opening up to religious leaders in order to get spiritual guidance.’ he says.

Mwaniki Kung’u, acting Central Regional Director of Children’s Services, says his office has noted an increase in betting cases among school-going children.

He however says they are working with relevant stakeholders to address the challenge before it gets out of hand.

Mr Mwaniki said that they have various interventions for affected children, including referring them to agencies such as the Kenya Counsellors Association, Community Service Organizations (CSOs), and other supportive organizations that can assist these children.

‘There are very many betting dens in Nyeri, some disguised as casino’s majority of which are not even registered or known by authorities. When the police go for raids, they find children there who they refer to us. Most of such children are often addicted to gambling and therefore need therapy for them to continue with their normal classes,’ he says.

‘Guardians should also be aware of their children’s whereabouts and activities at all times. If they discover their children are betting, it is their responsibility to admonish them, explain that it is wrong, put an end to it, and ensure that the behaviour stops,’ he concludes.

Pastoralists’ community in Laikipia North Sub County are an inch closer to eradicating invasive Cactus plant (Opuntia Stricta)
by use of cochineal insects.

Cactus plant also known as Prickly pear had overrun 80% of Laikipia landscape hence displacing residents from their land which they use for grazing.

However, the situation is changing thanks to the introduction of a biological method use of Cochineal insects five years ago by Northern Rangeland Trust (NRT), a Laikipia based conservation organization.

Margrate Mamai demonstrated that insects effectively remove sap from cactus plants until it dies, a method that outperforms traditional methods due to its efficiency and minimal labor.

A 60-year-old woman in Ilpolei, Laikipia North, during a ceremony to mark the five years’ milestone on the eradicating the invasive plant, highlighted the suffering caused by the prickly pear plant, resulting in high poverty index due to livestock deaths.

”We don’t practice farming as a pastoral community and only depend on livestock to support our families but over the years, Opuntia has affected our goats and cows. We are left poor as a result,’
revealed Mamai.

Mamai noted that once the goats feed on the cactus fruits which have spines, they are lodged on the mouth and intestines hence causing them painful death and sometimes the large cactus spines blind the livestock when they are foraging.

However, Mamai, a Naibunga community member, attributed the eradication of Opuntia Stricta to the use of cochineal bugs, allowing their livestock to access pasture more easily.

Additionally, she said that they bled the cochineal insects by the help of NRT and which they apply to the cactus plants monthly to infect and kill them.

”We are celebrating since the insects are eradicating Opuntia Stricta and our land is clear. Earlier they were impassable due to this thorny plant, even my homestead, they were everywhere,’ she noted

On the other hand, Tom Putunoi reiterated the impact of Cochineal bugs noting they had helped the community have access to grazing fields which was suppressed by the invasive Cactus plant.

Naibunga conservancy Chairman Peter Kilesi re
vealed that they had reclaimed over 10-acres-of land in the area from the Opuntia Stricta in the area.

According to the UK – Based centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), it is estimated that the invasive species cost the world almost 5 percent of Gross Domestic Product which translates to US $1.4 trillion per year. The invasive weeds affect the most vulnerable people threatening their economic growth.

CABI further shows that if the invasive weeds are not managed more than 70 percent of natural pasture will be invaded.

Opuntia Stricta was first introduced in Kenya by the colonialists in the early 1900s as natural fencing but later spread across the region.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Angola and Egypt on Monday analyzed the state of multilateral cooperation, especially within the scope of the African Union (AU), according to a press release from the Angolan Diplomatic Representation to the continental organization sent to ANGOP.

During a meeting, Angola’s permanent representative to the AU and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), ambassador Miguel César Domingos Bembe, and his Egyptian counterpart, Mohamed Omar Gad, presented Egypt’s candidacy for the position of vice-chairman of the African Union Commission (AUC), Hanan Morsy.

The Egyptian candidate is an economist with more than 25 years of experience in international organizations and financial institutions, such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and UNECA, where he holds the role of deputy executive.

Under a deliberation of the 22nd Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union, held o
n March 15, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the next vice-chairman of the AUC, to be elected in February 2025, must be proposed by the region North Africa.

The decision is based on the principle of inter-regional rotation and age proportional to gender (presentation of female and male candidates).

In addition to Egypt, Algeria and the Kingdom of Morocco have also nominated candidates for the aforementioned post.

The vice-chairman of the AU executive body is in charge of the administration and finance issues which should guarantee the right availability of the necessary resources to meet the objectives of the continental organization.

It also has the task to implement the administrative, budgetary and financial reinforcement of the AU and lead, at continental level, training and development programs for African cadres.

The current African Union Commission, the fifth, elected in 2021 is expected to complete its mandate in February 2025, when the Republic of Angola will assume, for the first time, the Presidency
of the continental organization.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

In a testament to resilience and innovation, 34 women from Kalyet village have transformed their lives and their community by embarking on a poultry project.

United by shared challenges and the need to improve their standards of living, these women have defied societal expectations and carved out a path of economic empowerment.

The initiative, launched in 2019 under the banner of the Precious Cooperative Society, began with modest resources and ambitious dreams.

With an initial investment of Sh20 per week from each member, the project started with 400 improved kienyeji chicks.

In just one year, the cooperative has seen a remarkable growth, raising over Sh40,000 and establishing an operational rearing farm, including an egg brooder.

Chairperson Ms Grace Cheboi Limo shared the group’s journey with Kenya News Agency, highlighting their progress.

‘We began with 400 chicks, and today we brood and sell an average of 1,000 to 1,500 chicks. This success has enabled us to expand our enterprise, create local job
s, and even purchase our own brooding farm.’

The women’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. In 2021, the County Government of Bomet supported them with 800 chicks through the Department of Agriculture and Cooperatives.

Dr. Kibet Sitienei, the Chief Officer of Agriculture, emphasized the commitment of both county and national governments to bolster indigenous chicken production.

‘Bomet County produces over 1.3 million trays of eggs annually, with half sold locally. Empowering local farmers is crucial, and we are working to enhance production and support farmers through subsidized vaccination services.’

Despite facing challenges such as disease outbreaks and financial constraints, the cooperative remains optimistic.

In January 2023, the group purchased 500 chicks, managing to raise 700 despite losing over 100 to disease.

Secretary Mercy Mutai noted, ‘Our members need urgent education on chick diseases, financial management, and savings. Any support in these areas would greatly benefit us.’

The cooperative
has experienced fluctuations in demand, with higher needs for mature birds and lower for chicks between October and March. Yet, the women remain committed to meeting market demands despite the high cost of feed.

The group’s story is one of determination and success, stressing the potential for Bomet County to become a leading producer of chicken and related products.

With ongoing support from local and national institutions, the Precious Cooperative Society is poised to continue its impactful journey.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The province of Lunda-Norte is hosting on Tuesday the central act of the 102nd birthday of the Founder of the Nation, António Agostinho Neto, which, among several actions taken to improve the lives of Angolans, includes the division of the old Lunda, culminating in the current Lunda-Norte and Lunda-Sul.

Dundo, the capital, is located in the municipality of Chitato, and the province is located in the northeast of the country, with a population of 972,183 inhabitants, distributed by the municipalities of Chitato, Cambulo, Caungula, Cuilo, Cuango, Capenda Camulemba, Lucapa, Lubalo, Lóvua and Xá-muteba.

Already within the perspective of reducing asymmetries, the two provinces were created on July 4, 1978, through Presidential Decree No. 86/78, of July 4.

As the province of Lunda, the population living in the northern part was forced to travel to the city of Saurimo, then capital, where the services of the Local Administration of the State were installed, to obtain official documents and academic training.

At
that time, the northern part of Lunda was considered an economic capital, due to its mining and agricultural potential, a scenario changed with the division of Lunda, by the government of Angola, three years after National Independence, provisionally establishing the capital of the newly formed province of Lunda-Norte, in Lucapa, while a new one would be built in the Mulepi region.

The early days were marked by limitations on the movement of people within the province, especially in diamond exploration areas, and from there to the country’s capital and other regions.

The project to establish the capital of Lunda-Norte in Lucapa was not materialized, due to the political instability that the country was going through.

Meanwhile, in 2000, the capital of Lunda-Norte was transferred to Chitato, urban district of Dundo due to the fact that it has better administrative structures and from this year on, the province began to expand and open up to new growth prospects in all sectors.

To lead the new province and
change the scenario, the former guerrilla João Ernesto dos Santos ‘Liberdade’ was appointed as commissioner, who worked on creating conditions for the functioning of the administrative services.

Faced with the new challenges, the government started, at the end of the 2000s, the Mussungue Centrality project, in Chitato, to improve infrastructure and promote access to decent housing.

The Mussungue Centrality, currently with 5,004 apartments, has one million and five hundred thousand square meters, with a residential area of one million and 150 thousand square meters.

It has 419 buildings, five thousand and four apartments, 153 commercial spaces and consists of T4 and T5 apartments.

Designed to house about 30 thousand people, the project, whose first phase is subdivided into seven zones, six of which are residential and one of which is residential.

The apartments already completed, housing more than 20 thousand people, represent the first phase of the project that foresees 20 thousand dwellings, to be built
in a phased manner.

In 2009, a historic moment marks the province, for the first time, and in the eastern region, a university, Lueji A’nkonde, was created, comprising the faculties of Economics, Law and Pedagogy.

The same is true of the other education subsystems, where 208 schools have been built since 2000, in a universe of 1,873 classrooms, which today house 323,000 students, provided by 5,974 teachers.

The health sector was one of those that recorded the most gains, currently having 13 hospitals, 18 health centers and 67 posts, provided by more than 800 nurses and more than 100 doctors.

The division also allowed the construction of Camaquenzo Airport, with a runway two thousand and 500 meters long, 45 wide and 15 berms, a two-storey building, with capacity to receive 300 passengers.

To ensure comfort in road, urban, inter-municipal and inter-provincial traffic, 1,161 kilometres of roads and 34 reinforced concrete bridges were built and rehabilitated.

The Luachimo dam, with a production capacity of
34 megawatts of electricity, the rehabilitation of the Dundo Museum, which stands out in the conservation of various cultural collections, documentation, historical and specific research on the Lunda Tchokwe people, are, among others, the fruits of the strategic vision of the National Hero, Agostinho Neto, to divide Lunda into two provinces.

The province of Lunda Norte, which hosts the central act of the 102nd birthday of the Founder of the Nation, is located in the northeast of the country with a population of 972,183 inhabitants, distributed in the municipalities of Chitato (political and economic capital), Cambulo, Caungula, Cuilo, Cuango, Capenda Camulemba, Lucapa, Lubalo, Lóvua and Xá-muteba.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

The Government is seeking an investment of 3.4 Billion US dollars (Sh440 billion) spread over 10 years (from 2022 to 2032) from donors in order to make the livestock feed sector secure and resilient in times of calamities.

The head of Animal Feeds and Nutrition Services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Dr. Stanley Mutua said Ministry carried out a research in arid areas in 2018 -19 and in non-arid areas in 2019 to 2022 and the report showed that the country is facing a 60 percent feed shortage and even out of what is being produced, 46 percent goes to waste.

‘Kenya requires 55 million metric tonnes of dry matter animal feed annually but only produces 40 per cent leaving a huge supply gap of 33 million metric tonnes, which unfortunately has to be imported and this leaves this critical sector in a very precarious position,’ Dr. Mutua said.

He said it’s in this regard that the Ministry has come up with a National Feed Policy after it also emerged that Kenya`s livestock sector was fac
ing a 26 per cent malnutrition which has caused stunting, thus affecting productivity.

Dr. Mutua was speaking in Naivasha on Monday during a five-day workshop attended by six African countries piloting the Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS) program hosted by the African Union-Inter African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) to look at the issues facing African countries feed inventory and balance for Africa, establish the status of the feed sector and agree on common Africa approach on the sector.

Dr. Mutua said from the report of the aforementioned research which was done in two phases, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has come up with various Interventions which include; promotion and priotizing 10 feed value chain to produce required feed in the country.

He noted that the government’s national feed strategy will help to address animal feeds and water shortages for livestock and feed quality by looking at energy sources such as maize and sorghum and protein-rich sou
rces such as soya, sunflower and cotton seed and black soldier fly for animal protein.

To reduce losses, the animal health expert said the Government has initiated measures to address production, storage and conservation of the feed by investing in storage infrastructure where feed storage hubs will be constructed in every county with a capacity of 100,000 bales of fodder each weighing 15 kilograms. This translates to will help produce 4.3 billion bales of hay every year through an investment of 3.4 Billion dollars (Sh480 billion) spread over 10 years and help bridge the deficit in feed production.

‘Through the report, we have come up with a feed delivery model in order to stem malnutrition which now stands at 26 per cent and have also come up with a model to reduce cost by producing feed in bulk and a feed emergency program,’ Mutua stated.

We also intend to reduce post-harvest losses by linking the end user and producer and we have come up with Feed Investment Plan (2023-2024) which we have used to pitch
for funding and have already used Sh. 164 US million dollars on it and we expect to use a further 267 US million dollars on the same this financial year.

During the five-day meeting, Kenya will be reporting on how they have utilized data from research and explain a national feed strategy for 10years for sustainable livestock production.

Mr. David Maina from the AU-IBAR- Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS) program said the two organizations were working with farmers to create inventory that will show the status of livestock feed in the concerned countries for the purposes of planning.

This, he said will help the sector to bounce back and support economies of these countries, especially after a disaster such as drought.

‘We need know where we are and strategize so that the countries can have a robust livestock sector and this can be done by keeping the sector resilient to avoid losses when disasters strike,’ Maina said.

He said for now the livestock feed sector was not robust yet as, data has
been missing, making it difficult to act when disasters strike and prepare for the growing demand to feed the growing population

‘Each country should be able to evaluate themselves in order to prepare for any eventuality,’ He said.

Prof. Isabelle Baltenweck, an economist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi said the problems facing the livestock sector in Africa is diseases, poor genetics and lack of enough and quality feeds and countries should be able to be feed secure to avoid losing animals when disters occur.

‘We are embracing data policy where we rae bale to use technology to assess which feeds are availability in each area or country and ew are collaborating with them on methods on assessing feed availabilities in varies areas, what support is required in order to increase availability,’ She said.

The RAFFS Project is a three-year Emergency/ Short Term Response Project, jointly for AU-IBAR funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the African Union Commis
sion. It is mandated to lead and support livestock development across the continent. It is a collaborative effort to address the adverse effects of recent global crises, the triple C’s-COVID-19, climate change shocks, and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine-on African feed and fodder systems.

The project is also designed to stimulate a greater understanding of the impact of the recent and ongoing crises-COVID-19, climate change (drought and flooding), and the Russia-Ukraine conflict-on the feed and fodder sector.

An estimated 8.9 million livestock, 2,5 million of them in Kenya, were lost in the greater horn of Africa alone during the recent drought that ravaged the region for nearly two years, thus causing a loss to the affected countries totaling about half a billion US dollars (Sh. 70 billion).

Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe are the six African Union Member States where the project is being piloted since their livestock has a high contribution to livelihoods, incomes, and the
economy, and where coordinated action and substantive investment can be quickly mobilized to respond to the shortages.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Kenya’s livestock sector accounted for 4.4 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product equivalent of Sh. 3.4 billion as of 2017 statistics.

As of 2017 data, the country’s animal population comprised 44.6 million poultry, 18.8 million cattle, 26.7 million goats, 18.9 million sheep, 3.2 million camels, 1.9 million donkeys, and 0.5 million pigs.

According to FAO, Kenya’s beef production stands at 588,000 metric tonnes and cow milk production at 4.1 billion litres per year, and the demand for livestock products is projected to increase exponentially driven by population growth by the year 2050.

The study titled Future of Livestock in Kenya 2019 shows that by the year 2050, meat and cow milk consumption will increase by 1.4 and 6.6 million metric tonnes annually respectively.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Help Age International, a global non-profit organisation, that works o to improve lives older people around the World has launched research in four Kenyan counties aimed at establishing challenges facing elderly persons and recommending solutions.

This follows an outcry across the Country to the effect that elderly persons have been neglected, with many facing violence from, among others, their close relatives, while others were suffering indignity due to lack of finances.

The international nongovernmental organization held a sensitization workshop with relevant stakeholder organizations at the Catholic Institute in Malindi town, where it was agreed that the research would enable state and non-state actors to find a lasting solution to the woes bedeviling the elderly.

Ms. Lydia Makena Micheni from HelpAge International, Kenya Chapter, said the research would focus on establishing barriers and facilitators to access to social protection, income and health for older persons.

She said the research would be
conducted in Siaya, Kilifi, Kisii and Embu counties between September 2024 and December 2024.

She said similar research focusing on social protection, health and wellbeing of older persons was conducted in Nairobi where it was established that the greatest challenge facing elder persons was lack of income, security and health.

‘It is from that research that gave us the impetus to conduct similar research in the rural areas. We want to understand how older persons not getting social protection funds are coping with life and the barriers to social protection among older persons,’ she said.

Ms. Micheni said the menace of killing older persons on suspicion that they are practicing witchcraft was being fueled by lack of awareness about aging and that the research would come up with solutions to issues of violence and abuse towards older persons.

Mr. Joseph Karisa Mwarandu, the Secretary General of the Malindi District Cultural Association (MADCA), said older persons in Kilifi County had continued to suffer ind
ignity and violence because leaders had given the matter a deaf ear.

‘The problem has been exacerbated by the lack of concern from leaders about the plight of older persons, and therefore we urge the government and political and community leaders to come together and tackle this menace,’ he said.

He welcomed the research, saying for there to be a solution to the plight of older persons, thorough research should be conducted.

Mr. Mwarandu, whose organization is hosting a number of older persons who fled hostilities in their homes due to witchcraft claims, said political and religious leaders should come out and fight for the plight of the elderly.

‘In Kilifi County, together with the fact that older persons do not get good services, they are also being killed on allegations of witchcraft. This is a problem that has brought them great indignity as human beings.

Ms. Helder Lameck from the Malindi Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Network called for the establishment of special desks for elderly persons and at hos
pitals and police stations so that older person’s issues can be adequately addressed.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Meru County has kicked off a three-day participatory Scenario Planning Worksop which is majorly meant to guide farmers during the upcoming October-December rainy season.

The workshop is organised by the Kenya Meteorological Department with the sponsorship of SNV, a not-for-profit international development organisation founded in the Netherlands nearly 50 years ago, through Climate Resilient Agribusiness for Tomorrow (CRAFT) project.

Speaking during the official opening of the workshop, Meru County Agriculture, livestock development and fisheries Executive Dr Faith Mwende said the workshop and general engagement of various stakeholders during the forum comes at the right time considering that the long rains were around the corner.

She said the majority of farmers in the County and Kenya at large lack proper information on climate issues and as a result end up not carrying out the right agricultural practices.

‘It is due to lack of enough and proper information about climatic issues that farmers are not aw
are of the type of crops to plant during a given season depending on the amount of rain.’

‘Consequently, we end up having crop failure or even post-harvest losses, all of which lead to food insecurity in the country,’ Dr Mwende said.

She exuded confidence that the workshop will enable stakeholders to get the requisite information that will be eventually shared with farmers in order to make informed decisions on their farming practices.

County Commissioner Jacob Ouma said the workshop was vital considering that weather focus influences various activities in day-to-day lives and as a result the stakeholders should take the forum seriously considering the rainy season was approaching.

‘There are great expectations from the forum, especially from the end result of various discussions based on different weather forecast methods which will culminate to good advisories to the residents,’ said Mr Ouma.

He said the workshop’s outcome will enable farmers to know which crops to grow in a given time as opposed to ma
ize and beans as is a norm in the county.

Meteorological Application Services Deputy Director Ms Mary Githinji said the meteorological department’s mandate is usually to produce weather focus which is later used to carry out participatory scenario planning in specific counties.

She said the counties, once they receive the focus, are supposed to tailor-make it in order to make it useful for people in that area.

‘Participatory Scenario Planning can be used to predict the proper onset date for the season and get to know what, when and how to grow a given crop,’ said Ms Githinji.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Tatu City in collaboration with development partners have launched the Association of Special Economic Zones (AZES) with the objective of increasing employment opportunities in the country especially among the youth and ‘Gen-Z’.

Speaking at the event, Principal Secretary (PS) for Investment Hassan Abubakar pointed out that Kenya is known to be number 1 in producing the best human capital in Africa.

Abubakar disclosed that ASEZ endeavors to curb unemployment, foster development and boost investment in the country.

He added that this is an investment attraction tool for private investments of domestic and foreign parties.

The PS said the Ministry has made reforms in the SEZ such as removal of taxes for local integrations and elimination of withholding taxes for investors who have been financed through foreign money.

‘The ASEZ vision is to build world-class special zones that drive economic transformation, investment and industrial excellence,’ stated Abubakar.

Further, he stressed that ASEZ aims to empow
er SEZs such as Tatu City, through advocacy, strategic partnerships, capacity building and promoting innovation, sustainability and economic growth.

However, the PS acknowledged that the Association faces certain challenges and therefore the need for government’s intervention.

The Founding Chairman of the DL Group of Companies Dr David Langat emphasised that the Government should address issues on infrastructure as this is one of the challenges ASEZ is facing in the country.

Langat called upon the government to help in areas of concern in order to create a conducive environment for investors to thrive as this will encourage development in the country.

‘There are 38 Special Economic Zones in Kenya, 12 of which are eligible for operation,’ revealed Langat.

This, according to the Chairman, has encouraged the creation of good business environment despite scarcity in resources for investors.

‘There are numerous benefits arising from the ASEZ and Kenyans are being called to sharpen their skills so as to not m
iss out on the employment opportunities from this,’ he observed.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Judiciary has implemented a new system to manage all financial transactions aimed at improving efficiency in processing and managing the payment of court fees, deposits, refunds and administrative functions.

In a press statement from the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary, the transition to this new platform, which is fully integrated with the e-filing and case management systems, is now complete and the refund process which had been suspended has resumed.

With the new platform in place, payment receipts will now be accessible via SMS acknowledgement in addition to the e-filing and CTS platforms.

Further, depositors will be required to update their bank details through a link sent to their mobile phone when a refund is being processed.

‘We are working diligently to ensure that all outstanding refunds, forfeitures, and utilization are completed as swiftly as possible,’ read the statement.

Meanwhile, the judiciary has apologized to all the stakeholders for the inconvenience caused and urged them to cont
act the department through the email address: ictdirectorate@court.go.ke or automationdeputyregistrar@court.go.ke for enquiries.

Source: Kenya News Agency