Day: March 5, 2024

The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in the Omusati Region are in pursuit of a pastor who allegedly raped two women and a minor on different occasions at Okandi village in the Etayi Constituency.

NamPol’s Omusati Regional Commander, Commissioner Ismael Basson, confirmed this on Monday, saying the incidents allegedly occurred between 09 and 24 February.

According to Basson, the victims are aged 17, 19 and 24, while the age of the suspect, who remains on the run, is unknown.

‘The suspect, who is the pastor and owner of the church where the victims attend, allegedly had sexual intercourse with them without their consent,’ he said.

Police investigations into the matter continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital has received significant support in its healthcare following a donation of medical equipment for open-heart surgery from a United States of America (USA) based Foundation.

Deputy Governor Francis Thoya and officials from the Department of Health Services were in hand to receive the donation worth Sh80 million from Care for a Child’s Heart, USA based foundation.

The equipment is a shot in the arm for the coast region’s largest referral facility, as they will enhance the capacity for open surgery.

Among the donated medical equipment for cardiac care included a Defibrillator and a Heart-Lung machine, crucial for resuscitation and open-heart surgeries, respectively.

Other essential equipment included an electrosurgical unit, NIRS 5100 Cerebral Oxymetry, Laryngoscope sets, Medfusion Syringe pumps, and patient monitors.

Dr. Ayeso Peter Sore, an Open-Heart Surgeon at CGTRH, expressed his gratitude to the County Government of Mombasa, particularly to the pioneer G
overnor Hassan Joho, for being the first person to attract philanthropists to the hospital.

Dr. Sore underscored the hospital’s commitment to public health as it is the only facility in the region conducting open-heart surgeries.

‘The donation shows the USA-based foundation indeed cares for the wellbeing of Mombasa residents. We aim to conduct open-heart surgeries daily,’ said Dr. Sore, adding, that since 2015, the foundation donations have facilitated 210 procedures, marking a significant milestone in Mombasa’s healthcare landscape.

On his part, Thoya said the donation will save the lives of children not only in the Coast region, but the whole Country.

The deputy governor urged the foundation to continue with its contribution to CGTRH, which will enable thousands of residents to access better health services.

Solomon Makau, a representative of Care for a Child’s Heart Foundation, assured Mombasa leaders and residents that the support for the improvement of healthcare will continue.

Source: Kenya News
Agency

The national government has put in place plans to ensure the reacquisition of encroached public land.

Stating that any form of encroachment on public land would not be tolerated at all costs, Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome said the government was in the process of collecting data of all the public land reportedly grabbed, to launch a recovery mission.

Speaking in Trans Nzoia where she led a team from the Ministry to tour Kitale Prison land which has reportedly been grabbed, Wahome revealed that plans were underway to ensure issuance of a title to Kitale Medium Prison land.

The CS revealed that out of 159 acres of Kitale Medium Prison Land, 135 acres had been grabbed.

‘The government has so far managed to recover 96 acres as 30 remain under private developers. We are soon reclaiming the remaining part,’ she said.

There had been a court case filed by a teacher Sacco to challenge ownership of the land but the case was thrown out in October 2023 in favour of
Kitale Prison.

On the Kitale Main Prison land approximated to be 3000 acres, Wahome revealed that more than 2300 acres of the said piece has been grabbed.

Early last month, the government kicked off the process of reclaiming the 2300 acres by placing beacons.

The exercise saw several private facilities owned by business magnates in Kitale and some homesteads being enclosed.

By yesterday, Wahome revealed that no one had challenged the exercise in court giving the government clear room to move and reclaim the land.

The CS brushed off suggestions that the grabbers have valid titles saying that for any public property to be given to private owners, degazettement of the property is a requirement, something she said did not happen with Kitale Prison land.

‘From the records in our possession, the 3000 acres in question is a government land. Those claiming to have valid titles should come forward and engage us. We are aware due procedure was not followed,’ she declared.

Warning government staff in the Lands De
partment aiding the vice of land grabbing where fraudulent titles are awarded, Wahome said the government has set up mechanisms to bring them to book.

Accompanying the CS were Principal Secretaries Gen. Nixon Korir (State Department for Lands and Physical Planning) and Dr. Salome Beacco (State Department for Correctional Services, Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Gideon Oyagi, among others.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Hundreds of Narok residents with hearing problems volunteered for a one-day free check-up, thanks to Narok County Referral Hospital management, which organized the free camp to mark World Hearing Day.

Narok County Director of Health Dr. Francis Kiio said over 200 people volunteered for the free camp, where they were attended by doctors who have specialized in Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) complications.

Dr. Kiio said the main aim of the camp is to create awareness of hearing impairments and to screen patients with such and related conditions.

‘This is the first time we are commemorating this day. Our main aim is to create awareness and offer solutions, and those whom we cannot attend to are referred to other facilities so that they can get special packages of treatment,’ he said.

The Director advised residents with relatives suffering from hearing impairments to bring them to the hospital for checkups and treatment as some conditions are easy to treat.

He called on those who had received treatment to act a
s ambassadors of spreading the good news in their localities to encourage more people to seek medication in the hospitals.

John Ole Nkaiyaka, a resident of Narok West Sub County who had brought a patient with a hearing condition to be treated, lauded the hospital management for marking the day with a free medical camp, saying many people were suffering silently because of the huge treatment cost.

‘I am happy for this event and I appreciate the hospital management for offering these services. Many people in the villages are suffering from hearing conditions but fear going to the hospital because of lack of money,’ he said.

Nkaiyaka called on the hospital management to organize such camps in the villages to help more people with hearing complications.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), World Hearing Commemoration Day is marked every 3rd of March to create awareness, improve access and reduce costs of unaddressed hearing loss.

This year’s theme was ‘Changing Mindsets, let’s make ear and heari
ng care a reality for all’.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Addis Ababa: Addressing the challenges of cyber security requires a holistic approach involving collaboration among governments, private sector, and international organizations, Information Network Security Administration (INSA) Director-General Tigist Hamid said.

A two-day cyber security and digital transformation conference organized by INSA and Ethiopian Cyber Security Association kicked off today.

In her opening remark, Director-General of INSA, Tigist Hamid said that technology underpins every aspect of the society, from financial transactions to vital infrastructure and this reliance puts everyone at risk for never-before-seen dangers.

‘The rise of AI and the increase of cyber-attacks are known risks within the international community; yet, it does come as a surprise that both of these topics fall within the top five risks for 2024,’ she emphasized.

Citing the World Economic Forum, 2024 Report, Tigist pointed out that cyber security came in number four in the short-term and eighth in the long-term r
elating to global risks ranked by severity, and she added ‘while we should be happy about technological advancements, we also need to be cautious about the risks associated with improper technological understanding.’

‘In 2024, the cyber security landscape continues to present significant, evolving challenges. We should reassess our security strategies while becoming more nimble, adaptive, and proactive to stay ahead of the curve. The adversaries we face are not confined by borders; they navigate the virtual realm with stealth and sophistication. We must fortify our defenses, collaborate across sectors and borders, and remain vigilant in the face of this persistent danger,’ she stressed.

Furthermore, the Director-General pointed out the need for holistic approach that involves the collaboration among governments, private sector, and international organizations to address the challenges of cyber insecurity.

By the end of 2024, the cost of cyber-attacks on the global economy would top 10.5 trillion USD, she s
tated, and added that cyber security has evidently become a very critical concern that needs the attention of researchers, academicians, and organizations to confidentially ensure the protection and security.

‘The quantity, the complexity, the severity of cyber-attacks have also escalated at national level. In Ethiopia, 4,623 cyber-attack attempts were recorded during the first-half of the 2016 fiscal year. In the same period, the percentage of high risk cyber-attacks has more than doubled to 115 percent as compared to the first-six months of 2015 fiscal year report,’ Tigist elaborated.

According to the Director-General, majority of the institutions targeted by cyber attackers included banks and financial institutions, security and intelligence agencies, media outlets, critical government agencies, federal and regional offices as well as institutions of higher learning.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki has urged Northern Kenya security forces to be friendly to local communities for support and information, potentially leading to the enemy defeat.

Speaking in Garissa during the commissioning of the newly created Shanta Abaq sub county, Prof. Kindiki said that there is need to make the public part of the security operations by making sure that people are not hurt or injured unjustly.

However, the CS thanked the security agencies for their continued dedication to their duty and ensuring that the country is safe at all costs, sometimes even at the expense of their own lives.

‘Our special forces are doing a very good job because dealing with this enemy is not a small job. We have even lost some of them in the line of duty and others have been seriously injured, but their spirits against the militants are still unmoved,’ he said.

The CS urged officers leading the war against terrorism to maintain friendly relations with the public to
gather information that could aid in stopping the enemy and promoting peace.

Furthermore, Kindiki urged officers leading the war against terrorism to maintain friendly relations with the public to gather information that could aid in stopping the enemy and promoting peace.

The CS further reiterated that there is a need to change the way the public perceives security operations so that there can be a united front against al shabaab and banditry in the country.

Hence, the main agenda which he outlined, is to establish a direct relationship between security forces and Northern Kenya residents, enabling information sharing and intelligence sharing in the ongoing war against terror.

To add on, he appealed to regional political leaders to support and understand how a safer country can achieve success through businesses, agriculture and other activities.

Recently, the CS revealed that the government had rolled out a Sh7 billion state-of-the-art security equipment to bolster safety measures in regions prone to t
errorism and banditry.

The deployment is slated for areas prone to terrorism and banditry, with a focus on bolstering safety measures in regions like North Eastern, Upper Eastern and Upper Coastal areas.

Meanwhile, CS Kindiki has announced the recruitment and training of National Police Reservists (NPRs) starting next month, intended to complement the efforts of multi-agency security personnel in combating terrorism financiers and orchestrators.

At the same time, in a bid to tackle evolving security threats comprehensively, the government has unveiled a robust 5-year security equipment modernization plan, with an estimated cost of Sh37 billion.

Source: Kenya News Agency