Day: May 3, 2023

Hundreds of Mwatate Sub-county residents have benefitted from a free medical camp organized by Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in partnership with Taita Taveta County government. The medical camp, held at Mwakinyungu Primary school saw more than 800 patients from Msau, Ronge juu, Mlechi, Kithombo and Wundanyi benefit from free laboratory services, dental services, eye check-up, family planning, mother and child care, ENT and skin infections diagnosis, pharmaceutical services, cervical and prostate cancer screening, immunization, Covid – 19 vaccination as well as nutritional counselling. Speaking during the exercise Monday, KPA Chief Pharmacist Dr. Njau Majimbo said the initiative was part of the organization’s way of giving back to the society, aimed at providing easy access to quality medical care in the country. Dr. Majimbo said that most of the patients who were treated suffered from non-communicable diseases which have not been treated for a long time, among them high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. Some of the community members who benefited from the free medical camp lauded KPA for their noble gesture saying the medical camp enabled them to get proper medical treatment without paying a single cent. They urged the corporate body to be carrying out such exercises on regular basis. Led by Dishan Mshila and Linet Manga, the area residents said they have a challenge of getting proper medical care due to financial constraints and lack of essential drugs in the local medical facilities. Kenya Ports Authority Head of Corporate Communications, Bernard Osero, underscored the role the Authority plays in the Coastal region counties in helping the less privileged members of the society to get quality healthcare through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Osero who also doubles as the Chairman of the Corporate Social Investment Committee, said the Authority spent Sh3 million shillings to organize the medical camp. ‘The recipient and beneficiaries of the free medical camp have said we are doing a commendable job, most of the diseases we treated here are common ailments, the communities have been unable to seek medical attention due to high poverty levels and covering of long distances before accessing medical facilities,’ said Osero On her part, Taita Taveta County Deputy Governor (DG) Priscilla Kilalo who was present at the medical camp said there was an acute shortage of drugs for chronic ailments in the area because their medication was expensive. However, she urged county residents to enroll under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to enable them access health services with ease. Kilalo said the county is struggling to service debts arising from purchase of drugs supplied by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), besides paying for leased medical equipment they inherited from the previous regime. However, the devolved entity has since entered into an agreement with KEMSA and another private medical supplier to be delivering drugs to the county health facilities as a way of addressing shortage of the same. The DG further said that lack of drugs in the health facilities was also being contributed by a drug theft syndicate in the area. Meanwhile, the county government has procured modern equipment for treating cervical cancer, one of the deadliest diseases among women above 30 years of age in Kenya.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary (CS) Professor Kithure Kindiki has declared Meru’s Northern grazing zone a special operation area. This comes two days after former Antubetwe Member of County Assembly (MCA) George Kaliunga was killed by suspected bandits at Kinanduba, while following up stolen goats. Speaking during a security meeting at Antubetwe Chiefs Camp in Igembe North during a security meeting, the CS said Special Forces will be deployed in the area to flush out the criminals, who have been killing people and stealing their animals. ‘Just like we have been doing in other counties rocked with banditry, we will send special forces here with a view to restoring security and ensuring the stolen animals were returned back to their rightful owners. The CS further ordered for establishment of an Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) at Lololo to deal with the rampant cases of rustling at the border between Isiolo and Meru Counties. ‘As we firm up the operation exercise, I direct that an ASTU base be established at Lololo with immediate effect. We have enough police officers and arms to safeguard the people against any security threat,’ said Prof. Kindiki. The CS also directed the local security agencies to form a special unit to investigate the killing of the former MCA adding that there was likelihood that his death was not a case of cattle rustling. ‘According to the information I have gathered, the death of Kaliunga was not accidental. I therefore direct the investigators to seriously look into the issue, aimed at apprehending those who were involved,’ he said. He added: ‘Like I have done in other matters where Kenyans are killed in unusual circumstances, I will be giving out further directives on how investigations will be carried out.’ On the issue of the boundary disputes between Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties, the CS directed the County Commissioners from the two counties to hold an urgent meeting to come up with a program on how the disputes will be dealt with. He also promised to upscale the number of National Police Reservists in the Northern grazing zone from the current 60 to 200. Professor Kindiki was accompanied by Members of Parliament including Moses Kirima (Imenti Central), Mugambi Rindikiri (Buuri), Senator Kathuri Murungi and Meru County MCAs led by Majority Whip Jim Muchui.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Controversial Malindi preacher Paul Mackenize and his eight associates were Tuesday rearrested immediately after a Malindi court discharged them. Mackenzie, who is accused of influencing his followers to starve to death to meet Jesus and his associates appeared before Malindi Principal Magistrate Ivy Wasike where Senior State Counsel Vivian Kambaga applied for the closure of the case. However, they could not taste any liberty as police officers, who included the paramilitary General Service Unit officers, were waiting for him at the basement. They rearrested them ad bundled them in waiting police vans. Kambaka told the court that the prosecution intended to charge the suspects at the counter-terrorism court, under the prevention of Terrorism Act at Shanzu in Mombasa County. The prosecution applied for the closure of the miscellaneous file in which Mackenzie and the others had been ordered to remain in police custody for 14 days pending formal charges to be preferred against them. Kambaga described the ongoing investigations as complex, since exhumations and postmortem examinations were still underway and that preliminary investigations had revealed that the suspects could be charged under the prevention of Terrorism Act. ‘Your honour, the prosecution intends to charge the suspects in an appropriate court that handles radicalization and counter terrorism cases, and that is why we pray that this miscellaneous file be closed,’ The respondents’ lawyers, led by Elisha Otieno did not oppose the closure of the file, but asked the court to release the suspects on bond. A lawyer from the Law Society of Kenya, which is standing in for the victims, supported the prosecutions application. However, the magistrate said he could not release them on bond since there was no case before her. She also said she could not grant an anticipatory bond since the defence lawyers had not applied for the same. Immediately Mackenzie and his allies stepped out of the court room, police officers bundled them into two waiting vans with two escorts and drove off to Shanzu, Mombasa where they were expected to be formerly charged. Meanwhile, irate members of the public last night demolished the Good News International church building in Malindi and looted equipment of unspecified value. Earlier Monday, detectives took Mackenzie to the church building where they confiscated literature and computers believed to be containing radicalization materials. Haki Africa, a human rights organization, welcomed the move and hoped that victims of the atrocities in Shakahola would get justice.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A human rights organization, HAKI Africa has launched a three-year climate justice for human security project to address violations of human rights relating to environmental justice and climate change. The organization Deputy Executive Director Salma Hemed said the initiative first goal is to enhance partnership between the community groups involved in environmental conservation and the national and county governments. ‘We want to build resilience among community members who will be able to prepare for any natural calamity that may occur. We will also be able to address human rights abuse through environmental justice,” said Hemed during the launch of the project graced by Mombasa Deputy Governor Francis Thoya in Mkupe, Jomvu constituency, where 1000 mangrove seedlings were planted. At the same time, the project will promote urban farming, where people will be given capital to start kitchen gardens. Thoya said mangrove is a big resource which the community can tap into and benefit from through the selling of carbon credit to the international community. The deputy governor said mangroves retain carbon and the same can be measured by professionals to determine the quantity. ‘The more mangroves you plant means the more money you will earn. This effort to plant trees that the National Government has clearly embraced has great benefits,” he said. Thoya called on Mombasa residents to plant mangroves so as to benefit from carbon credits similar to Lamu County. ‘We have set aside an amount of about Sh20 million in the next financial year for the purchase of seedlings. As a government we want the money to benefit the community, people should start planting seedlings,” he said. The county executive for Blue Economy, Fisheries and Agriculture Kibibi Abdalla urged communities living adjacent to the forest to preserve the mangrove forest because they are the spawning grounds for fish. ‘If we preserve these mangroves, the first thing we will ensure is food security. If we destroy them that means sources of livelihood of our people will be in jeopardy,’ she emphasized. The Forest Conservator in charge of the Mkupe mangrove forest Hemedi Swaleh said they have intensified surveillance through boats and cooperation with Community Forest Associations (CFA) to protect the mangroves from illegal logging. On his part, local fisherman Athman Mwero said the anticipated planting of mangroves will guarantee the availability of fish, since most fish use mangroves as the spawning ground. ‘If many mangrove seedlings are planted, it means fish from the deep sea will come to these creeks to lay eggs and we are the ones to get a bumper harvest. If the trees are cut the fish will not be enough,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC) Board of Directors has appointed Hellen Chepchumba Chepkwony as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for a term of three years. A statement sent to newsrooms indicated that Chepkwony’s formal appointment follows a competitive recruitment process. The new boss has been serving the Corporation in an acting capacity for the last four months. ‘Chepkwony is a distinguished economist and risk management professional with an extensive exposure in both the public and private sectors,’ read part of the statement. It further stated that the Corporation is the country’s resolution authority for banks, mandated to promptly resolve problems, provide deposit insurance for customers of member institutions and generally ensure financial stability in the banking sector. KDIC protects depositors of banks, which are licensed and regulated by CBK.

Source: Kenya News Agency