Category: General

Residents of Busia County who attended the public participation forum on proposed affordable housing regulations have lauded the government’s initiative.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Busia County Secretary for Interfaith network Sheikh Mohammed Ayuolo said that a number of Kenyans were doubtful when President William Ruto mooted the idea of affordable housing.

‘A number of Kenyans including residents of Busia expressed their dissatisfaction, thinking that it was one way of fleecing the taxpayers,’ he said.

Ayuolo stated that the public participation forum was an eye opener after the facilitators clarified issues that were raised by the locals.

‘We want to thank President William Ruto for coming up with the initiative,’ he said. Noting that existing houses being occupied by civil servants were constructed by the government 60 years ago.

He further said that the project will elevate the status of the country from where the colonialists left it in terms of housing.

‘Let us support this project b
ecause it will help the future generations,’ he said.

Western Regional Director of Housing Polycarp Onyango said that the government targets to construct 10,000 houses in Busia County.

We are doing 2000 hostels at Alupe University and 5,000 houses at Busia Agricultural training centre,’ he said

He explained that the cost of purchasing the houses will range between Sh 800,000 to Sh 5 million.

‘I want to ask you people of Busia to register with boma yangu. Registration goes for just 200 shillings after which you will create an account where you will be saving your money. This will give you an opportunity to own an affordable house,’ he said.

The official at the same time said that the government also plans to construct modern markets at Bumala, Korinda, Matayos, Musokoto, Mungatsi and Mau Mau areas.

Busia county commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga said the government is aiming at providing many house units and increasing the mortgage with favorable ownership terms.

Under the affordable housing pillar, the go
vernment aims at providing 200,000 units per annum to reduce the deficit. It also targets to grow the number of mortgages from thirty thousand shillings to one million with favorable ownership terms that have monthly payment of as low as 5,000 shillings,’ he said.

The forum brought together civil servants, county government employees, religious leaders among other stakeholders to give views on the draft regulations on the affordable housing project.

Key areas of concerns by the participants were consideration of low income earners, accessibility of the housing units, proof of ownership and priority to be given to the local residents.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Five people have drowned in floods since the ongoing heavy rains started pounding Embu County, County Commissioner Jack Obuo has revealed.

He said two of the victims died in Evurore in Embu Mbeere North, two in Mwea, Mbeere South and one in Embu West.

He said the County Disaster Management Committee is monitoring the situation in real time especially in 16 villages at risk of flooding where River Thura joins River Tana.

He said the situation was changing rapidly at the confluence of Thura and Tana because River Thura was back-flowing due to the fact that Tana is in full force after the Seven Forks Dams started spilling two days ago.

He added that they are also monitoring the areas prone to landslides on the upper side of the county bordering Mt Kenya Forest and urged residents to be ready to move quickly should cracks emerge in the ground.

He said the Disaster Management Committee was ready to give any assistance needed by those who may be displaced.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Turkana County Executive for Health and Sanitation, Dr Francis Mariao has said the county government and partners are committed to increasing the uptake of vaccines in the county from the current 69 percent to 85 percent in a bid to bridge the gap with the national average which stands at 80%.

He said partners and the Turkana County Government have developed a strategic plan geared towards increasing the uptake of vaccines to a target of 85% for the current year.

Dr Mariao was speaking during the commemoration of the World Immunisation Week in Kanamkemer Sub-County Hospital which began on April 24 and ends on April 30, 2024.

The CECM said, ‘While commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, the plans to increase the vaccines uptake in Turkana are and not limited to; integrated surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases banking on one health approach (locally known as Kimormor), considering the health of both humans, animals and the environment’.

He added there is a delib
erate effort to improve on the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccine coverage across the County.

However, CECM Mariao noted that despite schools being closed, his team would continue focus on those due for HPV2, targeting youth centres.

He said there is a plan targeting immunisation of children who have defaulted on routine childhood vaccines using the January-March 2024 data, riding on the Community Health Services and any other ongoing outreaches.

This targeted immunisation activities, County Executive said will be done through special clinics (MOPC, CCC, renal, cancer) for at-risk populations such as PCV for cancer and dialysis patients, HPV for 10-14-year-old at Comprehensive Care Clinic, and C-19 for diabetic patients.

While recognising the support of the partners in the event, Dr Mariao called on partners and other stakeholders in the health sector working group to jointly address the existing gaps and fully strengthen the immunisation Programme.

During the commemoration, a total number of 35 doses w
ere administered comprising of; BCG (4), OPV (3), DPT (3), PCV (3), Y/F (6), MRI (6), MRII (8), TD (2) and FIC (5).

In the same breath, the UNICEF’s Health Officer, Lodwar Zonal Office, Stella Kogo said UNICEF has worked closely with the government to improve the cold stain capacity in Turkana County, ensuring the vaccines remain safe and effective from manufacture to administration.

According to Kogo, UNICEF has supported government in vaccine management, including procurement, distribution, and stock management.

She also called on other partners and government agencies stating, ‘Let’s reaffirm our commitment to equitable access to vaccines for all children in Turkana County, regardless of their geographical location or socio-economic background’.

In so doing, the Health Officer said, it is possible to create a world, where no child is left behind and where vaccines are not just a privilege, but a fundamental right.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Nakuru County Chief Officer for Gender and Social Services Gladys Kamuren, has handed over the construction site of the Githioro Social Hall in Dundori ward of Bahati Sub County to the contractor.

The new Social Hall is poised to significantly benefit the community, particularly in providing a proper venue for meetings, replacing the current practice of gathering under trees and sitting on the grass.

During the handover ceremony Thursday, Ms Kamuren emphasised the Governor’s commitment to constructing and equipping Social Halls throughout the County.

‘These halls will not only serve as venues for meetings but also as centres for skills empowerment, talent search and addressing community needs,’ she said.

She noted that Social Halls or Community Centres are important because they serve as neutral ground where people of all ages, ethnicity, and socioeconomic statuses can meet, interact, and engage with each other on various issues from politics, health and education.

Additionally, she said they act as an i
mportant place for group activities, social support, sharing of vital public information, and other purposes including playing in door games.

Community Social halls have played important role in political decisions by previous leaders in the past including the famous Jericho social hall in Nairobi, and the Menengai Social Hall based at Bondeni estate in Nakuru.

Furthermore, Ms. Kamuren urged the contractor to prioritise employing local labour, thereby providing job opportunities within the community and to expedite the construction process. The same policy has been applied in the construction of affordable houses throughout the country.

She was accompanied by Dundori Ward MCA James Mwangi, Project Coordinator Abel Mungai, Ward Administrator Lilian Karanja and Project Management Committee Members (PMCs).

Source: Kenya News Agency

World Vision Kenya has launched a Global campaign dubbed’ ENOUGH’ that aims to end child hunger and malnutrition in the Country.

The initiative seeks to address the alarming prevalence of food insecurity, ensuring every child has access to nutritious food for their well-being and development.

In 2023 an estimated 942,000 children aged under-5 and 135,000 pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers were acutely malnourished and in need of treatment in Kenya.

The National Director World Vision Kenya, Gilbert Kamanga said that they will be intensifying their advocacy and collaboration efforts to work with government, partners and communities to develop and implement sustainable solutions.

‘We must prioritise awareness, community resilience, and long-term strategies to address the root cause of hunger. No child in Kenya should die from hunger and malnutrition’, he said, noting that more needs to be done to address the malnutrition challenge in the country.

Kamanga said this will be in line with the Government’s
commitment to enhance the school meals programme initiative by working with multiple stakeholders to find innovative and sustainable funding sources for school meals and expand the coverage from the current 1.9 million children to universal coverage by 2030.

The Campaign, he added, also calls for improved data collection, climate-smart agriculture, and policy reforms even as the Government plans to establish a national policy on school meals by June 2023.

Dr David Githanga, Board Chair of World Vision Kenya said that despite advancements, the statistics remain staggering and that globally up to 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, with Kenya bearing its share of the burden. Our vision is a world where every child enjoys enough nourishing food,’ he added

He explained that last year, World Vision Kenya invested over Sh 13 billion with more than half dedicated to projects directly contributing to food and nutrition security, benefiting 1.9 million children and 1.5 million adults.

Through integrated healt
h programmes, the organisation operated in 21 counties, focusing on child protection, and disease prevention.

Additionally, humanitarian efforts provided vital assistance to 1.3 million individuals affected by emergencies, with over 780,000 children receiving life-saving aid.

Lilian Dodzo, Regional Leader, World Vision East Africa Region said, ‘children in Kenya and across Africa are counting on us to join together as we call for ENOUGH nutritious food for every child, sourced ethically and sustainably, enabling them to flourish always and everywhere’.

First Lady Rachel Ruto who was the chief guest during the launch lauded World Vision for the initiative, noting that advocating for enough nutritious food for every child, both at home and in school, through ethical and sustainable sourcing is commendable.

‘There’s no greater indignity than children attending school hungry. We’ve made significant strides, reducing stunting from 26 percent in 2014 to 18 percent in 2022. Overall, nutrition has improved. Yet,
847,000 Kenyan children under five face acute malnutrition, down 14.5 percent from 2023,’ she said.

Mrs Ruto noted that all must unite to scale interventions in food security, health, nutrition, and finance to reach the goal of less than 5 percent childhood wasting by 2025.

The Campaign will be running for the next three years and will aim to improve nutritional status of vulnerable children in the country through targeted interventions of reducing hunger in the most affected communities.

Conflict, climate shocks, rising cost of living, and declining food production have all contributed to food scarcity and high food prices.

According to the 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI), Kenya ranks 90th out of the 125 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2023 GHI scores. With a score of 22.0, Kenya has a level of hunger that is serious.

Kenya is the second country, after Ethiopia, to launch its national ENOUGH Campaign.

On September 20, 2023 WVI launched its global ENOUGH campaign at a side event during the UN
General Assembly in New York, USA where World Vision committed and announced a global commitment of USD3.4 billion as part of its new global campaign,

The campaign is to focus on reducing hunger and improving nutrition for 125 million children across 67 countries where they are suffering most, 27 of those countries are in Africa, and 9 are in the African region, including parts of Kenya.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The rescue team searching for six bodies of a youth group whose boat capsized on Sunday in Lake Baringo has ended the mission after retrieval of six bodies that were still unaccounted for.

The mission that begun on Sunday afternoon, after a motorboat that was ferrying 23 youths from Salabani en-route to Kokwa Island capsized midway.

Sixteen youth were rescued the same evening and a body was also recovered, whereas a search for the six missing persons by a multi-agency team has been going on till yesterday morning when the bodies became buoyant.

The youth aged between nine and 17 years, were going for a church activity on the Island when the tragedy struck.

The six bodies were found early morning yesterday and transferred to Baringo County referral hospital mortuary for preservation, awaiting burial.

Among the bodies recovered were those of the three children of Pastor Jane Kikenyi of Kabukoki Revival Church.

Baringo County Commissioner (CC), Stephen Kutwa, who oversaw the rescue mission, said the govern
ment is going to put-up a raft of measures to minimize instances of such cases from occurring in the future.

‘A Kenya Maritime Officer is on the ground to access the gaps, while coast guards have been asked to tighten their belts in enforcing regulations on matters transport in the lake,’ said Mr. Kutwa.

The administrator also said that the County government has been called upon to fast track the training of coxswains, as there are only two trained and licensed coxswains in lake Baringo with scores of others operating the boats without requisite expertise.

He added that families of victims have been supported with food, as they prepare for burial even as the County government through the Deputy Governor, Eng. Felix Kipng’ok, promised to waive all the expenses at the County Referral Hospital.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Residents of Igembe South Sub County have been warned against taking the law into their own hands following an incident which saw a 25 year old Dennis Matheta burnt to ashes by an angry mob.

The suspect was believed to have been stealing livestock and poultry around Kimongoro, Ankamia and Akachiu in Igembe South sub-county.

According to the angry residents, the man has been caught severally and escaped with minor beating but on Wednesday morning, the situation escalated when he was caught red handed escaping with around 20 chickens from the neighbourhood, where angry residents beat the man and set his body ablaze.

The area OCS Samada cautioned the residents not to be taking laws into their hands maintaining that, ‘We strongly condemn this act of violence and lawlessness and we urge the residents to allow justice system to perform its mandate’.

The law enforcement officer said they would not tolerate such acts which compromised the law and justice in the community.

He reiterated the importance of law, pea
ce and order and urged the residents to report any suspected criminal incident for the law to take its course.

The OCS maintained that his office is doing all it could to crack down any incidence of crime including smoking out illicit brewers.

He further called the community policing to be extra vigilant and to continue liaising with the security agencies in ensuring law and order is maintained.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya is revamping the Technical, Vocation Education and Training system with the aim of making it meet the growing industrial and labour market needs of the country, Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu has said.

Mr Machogu noted that TVET is a powerful tool to prepare the youth for the labour market and provide lifelong learning opportunities to adults, hence the need to provide strong training space for young people.

The Cabinet Secretary was speaking during 6th Conference on The Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) at a Nairobi hotel.

Present during the panel discussion included Chair of PASET Governing Council and Minister of State for Education, Rwanda, Claudette Irere.

The forum attracted the academia, industry and governments across Africa for the last two days, to discuss the future of skills, education and entrepreneurship in the continent under the theme of the conference is ‘Leveraging Technical, Vocational and Technical Training (TVET) in
the knowledge and skills ecosystem for Africa’s industrialisation’.

Mr Machogu said the 100 percent Transition to Secondary School, capitation for students who enroll in TVET institutions, rebranding of TVET and support for Special Needs TVETs had led to massive enrollment of students into TVET system.

He said the support of the government for TVET and the interest by students had outstripped the capacity of the current infrastructure, equipment and support facilities to meet the training needs of the students.

He said current enrollment into TVET institutions was 389,962 students against 7,133 Trainers.

Mr Machogu said the enrolment has outstripped the recommended ratio between trainers and trainee of 1:20 with the current trainer versus trainee ratio of being 1:55.

‘The government has recruited 2,000 trainers as part of the continuous Recruitment of trainers to address the imbalance,’ said Mr Machogu.

He said the government was reviewing the legal framework of the TVET system to streamline the managem
ent of technical trainers and to harmonise their schemes of service.

African Development Bank (AfDB) Education, Human Capital, and Skills Development Division Manager Hendrina Doroba said African governments should give top priority to the development of Technical Vocational education and Training institutions in their respective countries.

She said the countries should set their own agenda on development and ask development partners to support them.

‘The governments should be firm in determining the direction of their socioeconomic development,’ said Mrs Doroba.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government will construct 1,000 hostel rooms and their amenities at Turkana University College as part of the affordable housing programme.

At the same time, proposals have been made to construct an additional 700 housing units in Lodwar and 300 others in Kakuma.

However, members of the public have been asked to turn up for a public participation forum to be held at Lodwar youth polytechnic in Lodwar this Saturday April 27 to share their views.

These revelations were made by the county housing director Brian Kangogo at the county service delivery committee meeting in Lodwar.

The meeting was chaired by County Commissioner Julius Kavita and attended by heads of department of various government departments and agencies.

Meanwhile, concerns were raised over the poor state of some of the civil servants’ houses and recommendations for an increase in renovation funds made.

Although Turkana County has 482 housing units meant to accommodate national and county government staff, these are adequate for all sta
ff in the county hence the need for more houses.

At the same time, the forum was informed of plans to review rents for houses since the last review was effected many years ago.

At the same the government plans to construct one market in every constituency as part of the economic stimulus.

‘The construction of Lokichar market has already commenced and the contractor is already on site,’ Kangogo said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Over sixty teachers drawn from Ndhiwa Sub County have been trained to effectively tackle social challenges affecting teenagers.

The training which targeted teachers from Nyokal Division was conducted by an organisation dubbed Nyokal Women Network.

The organisation’s programme officer Margret Aswani said that the training equipped teachers with skills to engage adolescents and resolve their challenges.

She said students were expected to open up and share experiences in dealing with social vices such as teenage pregnancies.

Aswani said many teenage victims of gender-based violence fail to report the cases until it is too late.

She said the training has equipped teachers with skills on how they can engage teenagers fight sexual abuse.

‘We are trying to solve issues affecting teenagers and women by involving teachers to take up the matters,’ Ms. Swani said, adding that tutors drawn from 32 schools will have private sessions with the students.

‘The teachers expect to get an insight on human rights violation
s committed on their students.’ Aswani said.

She said male and female students had different sessions with their teachers who offered psychosocial support to the learners.

‘We expect the learners to speak freely about issues affecting them,’ Ms Aswani said.

Upon confession, teachers will scale up the matters to relevant authorities.

Ms Aswani said cases that requires police intervention will be reported and necessary action taken against perpetrators.

She said poverty is the key driver of teenage pregnancies in Ndhiwa.

Mr Jackson Amboga, a teacher at Sibuoche Primary School thanked the organisers saying that they were now better equipped.

‘We are going to ensure the rights of the children are safeguarded and reduce vices that lead to school dropouts,’ he said.

Mr Polycap Kitembe, a teacher at Kodida Primary School said he is confident that the skills they acquired will have an impact on the lives of adolescents.

‘The future of this region lies in the hands of the teenagers. If we fail to mould them n
ow, they will suffer,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency