Day: July 29, 2023

Information, Communications and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo has assured Kenyans that their digital data contained in the E-Citizen is safe.

CS Owalo said on Friday that despite the attempted cyber-attack on government digital services on Thursday, the attackers who targeted government and private institutions did not manage to infringe the privacy of or interfere with the Kenyan data contained in various digital platforms.

He confirmed it was a botched cyberattack and that the mitigation framework around the system repulsed the attempt, thus the Kenyan data was not alternated or interfered with.

He said the attackers tried to jam the system by making over and above ordinary levels of requests to the system so that they interfered with the efficiency and effectiveness of the platform.

‘On Thursday evening, our technical team managed to restore our system and Kenyans should feel free to explore government digital services. The government is committed to dealing with cybercrime now that many government services are being rendered using digital platforms,’ said the CS when he launched Jitume Digital Laboratories in Mathioya and Michuki Technical Institutes in Murang’a County.

He reiterated that cyberattacks would not deter the government’s efforts to provide key services through digital platforms.

‘Currently, more than 5,000 government services are offered through digital platforms and those criminal attacks on our systems will not stop us from exploiting digital advancements,’ added Owalo.

He noted that the government is investing hugely in digital developments in an effort to exploit opportunities in the digital world, especially for youth.

‘We are currently establishing Jitume digital laboratories in various parts of the country to boost digital literacy and provide a platform for young people to exploit online jobs. The Jitume programme has been designed to equip TVETs countrywide with 23, 000 virtual desktops and through this programme we expect to equip one million learners with market-ready business and ICT-related courses for free,’ explained the CS.

Owalo said the government is also reaching out to global technological companies to provide digital jobs for Kenyan youth.

Water CS Alice Wahome, who accompanied Owalo, urged young people to maximally exploit the opportunities provided by the government to earn a living.

Information CS Eliud Owalo joins students of Michuki Technical Institute to launch Jitume digital laboratory on Friday, July 28, 2023. Photo by Bernard Munyao.

‘Our young people need to fully use these laboratories and earn a living. The money the government is using to establish the digital laboratories is a lot and we want our young people to work and earn income through digital jobs,’ she said.

Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie, who chairs Parliamentary Committee on Communication, Information and Technology, said the Jitume centres the government has established are proving to be a game changer for youth.

He said there is an oversubscription of digital jobs to be done, thus indicating many young people are embracing the services of the digital centres.

‘Some of the Jitume centres in the country are running on a 24-hour basis, where there are three 8-hour shifts. This shows the young people are quite committed to doing online jobs, which makes them global citizens who are globally employable,’ he added.

On the cyberattack, Kiarie said the National Assembly is working on a legal, legislative and policy framework to govern cyberspace operations.

He stressed that Kenya has a robust data protection law to curb cybercrime that was put in place by the 12th Parliament.

‘I urge Kenyans not to fear transacting their services through online platforms as their data is legally protected,’ he noted.

Mathioya MP Edwin Mugo praised the establishment of the Jitume centre in his constituency, saying it would provide jobs to thousands of local youths.

He noted that the local NG-CDF is working to install WiFi spots at various parts of the constituency to enable those engaged in digital jobs to work from their homes.

‘In Mathioya, we have four Ajira digital hubs and we are targeting installing WiFi spots to support online working. The move will assist in mitigating unemployment among our young people,’ added Mugo.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Keiyo North MP Adams Kipsanai has called on residents from the constituency to register into groups so that they could benefit from various government funds to advance their businesses.

The MP said the government has millions of money being advanced through funds like Uwezo, Youth, Women, and Hustler, which only those in registered groups could access.

He was speaking in Iten town when he distributed Sh10 million to 17 groups comprising boda bodas, women and market traders from the constituency.

The MP said all the groups receiving the funds had undergone training to ensure that the funds were put to proper use and that he would continue monitoring them and offering more training to ensure that the groups benefited from the funds.

‘It will be very bad if the funds are misappropriated and thus end up not benefiting the members. That is why I will ensure that there is monitoring of how each group is faring,’ said the MP.

He said the distribution of the funds was to fulfil part of his campaign pledge to uplift the lives of his constituents.

The MP said the groups were selected from all four wards in the constituency.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Prime Cabinet Secretary (CS) Musalia Mudavadi has urged stakeholders and local leaders to establish sustainable practises and modalities that seek to address challenges ailing the sugar industry.

The sugar sector, he noted, serves the western region as the main source of livelihood and employment. Despite its role in Kenya’s economic growth, Mudavadi decried that historical difficulties continued to cripple the industry.

The Prime CS pointed out the acute cane shortage that has led to the closure of sugar mills.

Several sugar milling factories in Nyanza and western Kenya’s Sugar Belt temporarily halted their operations in July 2023 after demoralised farmers owed millions in unpaid delivered cane stopped growing the crop, causing the biting shortage.

Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi visits the Communication Authority exhibition stand at the Kisumu Regional Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) show at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo on Friday, July 28, 2023. Photo by Chris Mahandara

Kenya produced 802,846 metric tonnes of sugar in 2022, against a national consumption of 1 million metric tonnes annually, forcing the country to import the deficit.

The global sugar shortage, Mudavadi observed, has compounded the problems in the sector, resulting in an increased price from an average of Sh6,199 per 50kg bag last year to Sh7,244.

The Prime CS noted that the imminent challenges had contributed to the skyrocketing cost of sugar in the country, pushing the price of the commodity to over Sh200 per kg, a record high in recent weeks.

‘We must be honest and say that the scarcity of the commodity is the cause of current high prices. We must also be honest and admit that there are no easy solutions to longstanding issues aggravating the sugar industry. We have a national problem that requires leaders to engage for a lasting solution to the hindrances the industry faces,’ the senior government official pleaded.

According to Mudavadi, the sugar industry has had its fair share of challenges that required urgent intervention, including the existence of old mills, high indebtedness, managerial incompetence, and cheap import competition.

He made the remarks when he officiated at the opening of the Kisumu Regional Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) show at Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo, Kisumu County, on Friday.

Consequently, Mudavadi expressed the national government’s commitment to boosting agricultural production through agro-processing and value addition to empower farmers by putting money in their pockets.

In addition, the Kenya Kwanza administration has resolved to prioritise providing subsidies for production as opposed to consumption under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BeTA).

BeTA, as the Prime CS emphasised, has prioritised rice, edible oils, cotton, coffee, maize, tea, leather, and dairy value chains with the aim of enhancing food security, increasing exports, reducing imports, and creating employment.

‘Studies show that agricultural development has 11 times more potential to reduce poverty than any other sector of our economy. Our commitment, therefore, is to transform from subsistence agriculture to a commercially and globally competitive industry,’ he said.

To succeed in tapping the huge agricultural potential, he noted, there is a need to address the decreasing soil fertility and deteriorating climatic conditions caused by climate change, as well as reduced farm sizes.

To this end, the fertiliser subsidy programme by the government has borne fruit, as farmers expect bumper harvests that would substantially lower the cost of food.

‘In the first round, we reduced prices from Sh6,500 to Sh3,500 for the 50-kg bag of fertiliser. Consequently, we expect 41.2 million 90-kg bags of maize, a 31 percent increase from a long-term annual average of 31.3 million bags,’ Mudavadi stated.

In the coming short planting season, he added, fertiliser prices would further go down to Sh2,500 per bag.

He revealed that the government seeks to encourage local investors to manufacture and blend the commodity in Kenya to reduce dependence on importation as a long-term measure to stabilise fertiliser prices.

Further, the government seeks to adopt climate-smart technologies in irrigation to build a more resilient agriculture sector.

Already, the state has initiated plans to construct 100 mega dams and a further 1,000 uptake dams in various parts of the country to increase irrigable land to 500,000 acres by 2026.

Through the initiative, Mudavadi disclosed, the government would save close to Sh87.5 billion on food imports, create 3 million new jobs and attain food self-sufficiency.

He raised concern regarding the nation’s over-reliance on food importation, which he described as a precursor to straining foreign exchange reserves. High import reliance also predisposes the country to food insecurity and impoverishes local farmers.

‘We have no option but to urgently become self-reliant by increasing agricultural production,’ insisted the Prime CS.

He stated that the national government, in collaboration with counties, is supporting farmers with high-yielding seed varieties, increasing mechanisation, controlling pests, and strengthening farmers’ groups and cooperatives to enhance productivity.

Mudavadi noted that Kisumu has the agro-ecological conditions to become a leading producer of edible oils; however, the sector remains untapped in the region.

Kenya’s annual consumption of edible oil is estimated to be over 900,000 metric tonnes, with a mere 80,000 metric tonnes being sourced locally.

‘We import 95 percent of our vegetable oil, valued at Sh100 billion. Yet this region has the potential to produce these oils and pump some of these billions into the pockets of local people here,’ he said.

However, he announced that the government has allocated Sh134 million to the Edible Oil Crops Promotion Project in the 2023-24 financial year and urged county governments to dip into the fund to procure planting material and build the capacity of farmers to produce edible oil crops.

In addition to vegetable oil processing, the edible oil value chain feeds into the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food processing industries.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Busia farmers remain optimistic about attaining food security following intervention from the national government with an additional supply of 2,888 bags of subsidised fertilisers that were flagged off by UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala at Amukura DCC ground.

While addressing the residents of Teso South and North subcounties, Malala noted that the government remains committed to ensuring farmers are cushioned from high prices of farm produce in order to ensure Kenya is food secure.

‘The subsidised fertiliser programme is in line with the Kenya Kwanza agenda of cushioning the farmers against the high cost of fertiliser, which in the previous administration was nearly Sh7,000 to current Sh2,500 per 50kg bag, which will mitigate the food insecurity cases witnessed in the past few months,’ said Malala.

Malala added that the government would conduct soil sampling in Busia County to address the challenge of soil acidity, which has been a hindrance to farmers ability to get maximum farm produce.

‘Busia will receive lime next week to neutralise the soil acidity that stands at 75 percent. The government will also engage with seed companies to ensure farmers get certified and affordable seeds on time,’ he added.

He urged farmers across the country to register at any NCPB store or assistant chief’s office near them to access the subsidised fertiliser, as it aims to promote accountability and efficiency in fertiliser distribution.

Busia Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma applauded the move by the national government to support efforts of farmers in both long and short rains, which has seen maize prices in Busia drop from Sh230 to Sh80 per two-kg tin within the first eight months of its administration.

UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala, Governor Dr. Paul Otuoma, Teso South MP Mary Emase and PS Kello Harsama flag off the 2,888 bags of subsidized fertilizers at Amukura DCC ground.

‘I will support every development initiative by the national government that aims to revitalise the agriculture and economy of the Busia people. My government has put all measures in place to ensure agriculture is the top employer as the county has great potential,’ said Otuoma.

The governor added that he has instructed the Agriculture Department to employ 10 agriculture extension officers in every ward to address agriculture problems at the village level. Busia County government has already registered over 100,000 farmers.

Their sentiments were echoed by PS Agriculture Kello Harshama, who noted that Busia and other counties that have two planting seasons would always be given first priority in the subsidised fertiliser supply.

‘Busia, among other western counties that have two planting seasons, will be given first priority when there is a supply of subsidised fertilisers to help farmers plant on time,’ said the PS.

He added that depots would be decentralised to sub-county levels to save farmers from travel costs. They have been inquiring about accessing a few designated NCPB depots.

Busia County received 23,065 bags in the first phase of subsided fertiliser supply, out of which 12,140 bags were sold and 10,925 bags were yet to be picked by farmers. 8750 of the fertilisers that were supplied in phase one were for planting and 14,315 for top-dressing.

Teso South led the list of farmers who registered for the second phase with over 1230 farmers, followed by Teso North with 1061, while Bunyala had the least with 5 farmers registering for subsidised fertiliser.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Office of State House Comptroller donated a 46-seater bus on Friday to Iltilal Day and Boarding Secondary School in Loitoktok Sub County.

While commissioning the Sh39.3 million bus for the school management, Paul Kelembu, who represented State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito, said the bus was an expression of Katoo’s appreciation to the local residents, whom he hails from.

Kelembu praised his boss for being development-conscious and hailed his concern for education.

Apart from the provision of the bus, Kelembu pointed out that the State House Comptroller built various school infrastructures within Kajiado South when he was the area Member of Parliament prior to the last election.

He further noted that the bus would ease transportation hardships in the school and its neighbourhood.

The officer applauded President William Ruto for considering Katoo for the State House job, which has enabled him to remember his people.

He called upon the students to reciprocate Katoo’s good gesture by working hard in their studies.

Loitoktok Sub County Deputy Commissioner Antony Maina appreciated the State House Comptroller providing the bus to the school, adding that this gesture would help the school be known not only at the sub-county or county level but in the country.

Maina called upon the students to emulate Katoo as their role model in their studies, who, despite the hardships of his time as a student, endured and now enjoys the fruits of hard work.

Loitoktok Sub County Director of Education Peter Bitah urged the school principal to ensure the bus is utilised in the right way.

Bitah also called upon the school to ensure the bus is well maintained and its safety is observed by ensuring it has a good, well-protected parking bay.

He urged the parents, teachers and students to show appreciation for the gift to the State House Comptroller by ensuring the school performs exemplary well in exams.

Loitoktok Sub-County Police Commander Shandrack Rutto tasked the school to ensure traffic rules are observed, especially the stipulated hours of movement of school buses.

Source: Kenya News Agency