Day: April 24, 2024

With the onset of the rainy season, Benson Mutuku, a tree grower in Nanyuki expected a boon from seedling sale but as fate would have it, he is now counting huge losses following a heavy downpour that has destroyed his business.

Mutuku, narrating the incident to KNA, said that the raging waters of River Nanyuki swept away about Sh300,000 worth of tree seedlings in Nanyuki town as he watched helplessly on Tuesday afternoon.

‘I have incurred a huge loss, almost Sh300,000; everything is gone and I don’t know what to do now. This rainy season, I was well prepared and if the rains continue, I have nothing to sell,’ pensive Mutuku said.

Additionally, he said that it was his first time for such losses and urged the government to help the tree growers that were affected jumpstart their businesses.

‘If it is possible, since we are keen on environmental conservation, the government needs to come to our aid and support us. My children are depending on me and now I don’t know where to start,’ said Mutuku.

Mutuku is
among the scores of residents that were affected by the on-going rainfall in Laikipia County.

Further, motorists plying the Nanyuki-Timau route were caught up by the heavy rains causing them to seek alternative diversion after the River Nanyuki submerged the Nanyuki Bridge. There was traffic snarling up for nearly an hour before the rising water subsided.

Laikipia County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha said about seven families in Likii informal settlement and William Holdings animal sanctuary were affected by the flush floods. He said the government was monitoring the situation and there was no need for an alarm.

At the same time, the CC encouraged residents staying in areas prone to flooding to move to safer grounds.

Meanwhile, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department’s weekly weather forecast, the current rainfall is expected to continue in several parts of the country.

The weatherman warns that flooding is expected in low-lying lands and places with poor drainage and at the same time the public s
hould be cautious.

Source: Kenya News Agency

KCA University is among a number of Kenyan universities that have received grants in millions of shillings from the British Council to come up with programmes to help tackle climate change resilience challenges.

The university received a Sh6 million grant for a programme dubbed Learning and Design Lab that will see its students and those of Nottingham University in the UK collaborate to identify, develop, and implement practical solutions to real-world challenges related to climate change.

Other local universities and those from the UK who have been roped into the programme include Strathmore, Rongo, University of Portsmouth in the UK and Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine (UK).

KCA Vice Chancellor Prof Isaiah Wakindiki said 20 students from his university and those from Nottingham School of Business through an exchange programme will co-develop human-centred solutions to specific climate challenges.

‘We have put our students into different activities for specific challenges of climate
change and they will also do a lot of research and through interactions with their Nottingham counterparts, they will come up with specific human-centred solutions,’ Wakindiki told journalists at the university on Tuesday.

He added, ‘The students too will hone their skills and gain invaluable practical experience as they prepare to get into the environment of work and entrepreneurship.’

In addition, he said, the partnership will help the local universities get international recognition for helping tackle climate change and also help students gain experience collaborating with their counterparts in institutions abroad.

Other industry partners including Chemolex, Greenspoon and Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment will also benefit from the programme by using the recommendations from the students to identify opportunities for innovation, develop new products and services and also address their most pressing business challenges.

The British Council has appointed Circle Innovation which will facilit
ate the labs. Circle Innovation’s expertise in innovation practices is well-established across the region, encompassing processes, tools, and methods that enable the creation of impactful innovations scalable to various contexts.

Other universities that benefited from this grant include Rongo University (Kenya) University of Portsmouth (UK), Strathmore University (Kenya), and Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine (UK).

Source: Kenya News Agency

Elgeyo Marakwet County government has disbursed bursaries worth Sh 95 million to support the education of needy students in the county.

Governor Wisley Rotich presided over the disbursement benefiting 9705 students across the county at the Governor’s Square in Iten on Tuesday.

Accompanied by MPs Adams Kipsanai for Keiyo North and Caroline Ng’elechei, the County Women MP, Governor Rotich stressed the transparency of the bursary allocation process, ensuring that every deserving student received aid.

‘I can assure you that there is no complaint whatsoever from the grassroots. Disbursing Sh95 million fairly is not a joke because this is not pocket change anyway,’ Governor Rotich assured attendees.

The governor used the occasion to urge communities to engage in economic activities, stressing the importance of self-sustainability in meeting educational needs.

‘There is nothing as pleasant as being capable of paying your children’s school fees comfortably without having to line up for a bursary,’ he remarked.

Addressing the issue of youth unemployment, Rotich expressed satisfaction with the increased enrollment in vocational training centres and village polytechnics.

‘From the time I became governor, the student enrollment in polytechnics was 1,080 and currently we have 3,800 which represents a significant improvement. I believe we have managed to convince young people that going to polytechnic is not a demeanour,’ Rotich highlighted.

MP Kipsanai commended the governor for allocating a substantial amount towards bursaries while raising questions about the efficacy of the funds allocated for both bursaries and infrastructure development in learning institutions.

‘It is about time we ask ourselves about the value of the money that we have disbursed towards both bursaries and infrastructural development in the learning institutions,’ Kipsanai remarked.

Echoing similar sentiments, the Women Representative urged beneficiaries to ensure value for money in their academic performance.

‘I call upon every parent to ens
ure you give your children a good foundation. A good foundation doesn’t mean enrolling them in expensive academies. It means you instill discipline in them,’ Ng’elechei emphasised.

Furthermore, Ng’elechei highlighted the importance of students achieving quality grades commensurate with the funds disbursed to schools.

Deputy Governor Grace Cheserek stressed the importance of agricultural sustainability by urging bursary beneficiaries to participate in agricultural activities.

She announced that every beneficiary, upon receiving their checks, would be provided with free seeds by the County Department of Agriculture for planting.

The event, attended by education stakeholders including vocational training centre managers, secondary school heads, and officials from TSC, KNUT, and KUPPET, marks a significant effort by the Elgeyo Marakwet County government to prioritise education and youth empowerment.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) and Kenya Ports Authority have today signed a Service Level Agreement (SLA) for the operations and maintenance of the Sh40 billion new Kipevu Oil Terminal 2 (KOT 2).

The move aligns with a presidential directive for synergizing the two-state corporations.

KPC Chairperson Faith Boinett termed the signing a milestone that will open the country to regional businesses and employment opportunities. His KPA counterpart, Benjamin Tayari said the agreement will remove bottlenecks that resulted in ineffectiveness.

The SLA, KPC Managing Director (MD) Joe Sang stated it stipulates the role of the two-state corporations. KPC’s role is to provide security of supply of petroleum products across the region.

‘We are able to bring in through the pipeline 8.1 billion litres of petroleum products every year. It has been increasing, three years ago it was 7.5 billion litres. This year we are targeting close to 9 billion litres,’ said MD Sang after signing the SLA at KPA Headquarters in Mombas
a.

MD Sang noted that 60 percent of the petroleum products are consumed locally while the remaining 40 percent is for transit markets in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), some parts of Somalia, South Sudan and a bit in Tanzania.

The agreement the KPC MD said cements the Port of Mombasa as a gateway to East Africa as Uganda has already committed since June to import all their petroleum products through Kenya and will use KPA and KPC facilities.

‘I want to assure the Ugandans that we are ready to serve the market and we want all the volumes of petroleum products to be transported through the pipeline because it is safe, efficient, and cheap,’ stated Sang.

To bolster storage capacity, KPC plans to commission a storage facility to handle 100 million litres of petroleum products in Port Reitz, Changamwe.

‘We are improving our connectivity in terms of flow of the products. KPA can discharge up to 8 million litres per hour. We are also improving our capacity so that we can serve t
he country better and ensure Kenyans go about their work without the headache of having to imagine that there is a stockout,’ said MD Sang.

On his part, KPA MD Capt. William Ruto noted that SLA gives the two state corporations with shared responsibilities and obligations that will improve tankers’ turnaround times.

To enhance efficiency, KPA will allocate a space for KPC to set up a laboratory at KOT 2 instead of transferring samples to their laboratory.

Through the collaboration, Capt. Ruto stated that they are keen to enhance efficiency in the evacuation of petroleum products.

‘By giving them a small space to carry out laboratory tests here we will be able to reduce time before a ship starts operations. It is also important to give ourselves specific timelines to reduce the cost of doing business because time is money. If you delay a ship for an hour it’s so costly,’ said Capt. Ruto.

The KOT facility he added is one of its kind in the region and the government and KPA invested heavily in coming up with
a facility that is not only for the present but for the future too.

‘This facility is built to operate for about 100 years, in fact, this facility is dredged to minus 15 metres, but there is provision for re-dredging again to minus 18 metres,’ explained Capt. Ruto, adding the design allows for re-dredging when demand increases without affecting the infrastructure itself.

The KOT 2 facility has four berths with a total length of 770m and one work boat wharf at Westmont area for landing facilities.

It also has five sub-sea pipelines buried 26 metres under the seabed to allow for future dredging of the channel without interfering with the pipes.

There are risers dedicated to separate oil products and six onshore pipelines each dedicated to a separate oil product connecting the terminal to Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited and the Kenya Pipeline Company storage tanks.

It is also fitted with a liquid petroleum gas facility, crude oil and heavy fuel oil and has provisions for handling white petroleum products
.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Over one thousand beneficiaries of the Wings to Fly Scholarship from Equity Bank attended a mentorship programme at Kitui High School in Kitui County.

The programme which was the 15th Annual Equity Education and Leadership Congress, brought together a total of 1,102 beneficiaries drawn from various areas of Eastern Region including Matuu, Mwingi, Kitui and Mutomo.

The programme is part of a nationwide 3-day event that will see a total of 23,101 Form 3 and 4 students (beneficiaries) mentored by specialists assembled in 18 regions across the country.

Speaking during the official roll-out of the 3-day mentorship programme dubbed ‘the triad of success’, Equity Group Associate Director of Organisation Effectiveness, Culture and Change Mr Alex Obuhatsa, reiterated Equity Bank’s commitment to provide access to education and also nurture dreams of disadvantaged children.

‘Your journey through this programme is just the beginning of a chapter filled with endless great possibilities and opportunities. We encourage
you to continuously push the boundaries, pursue your passions, and never lose sight of your immense potential,’ he advised.

He urged the scholars to focus on education noting that the future holds promise for those who learn and relearn. Obukhatsa also advised the Equity Bank’s Wings to Fly education sponsorship programme beneficiaries to refrain from engaging in social evils that destroy their bright future.

Mr Obuhatsa also emphasised to the scholars that understanding what they are good at and what they are not is key with regards to their empowerment journey.

‘Associate yourselves with people who can help you do the right things ‘Walk the talk,’ he noted as he urged the scholars to always lead by example.

‘We in Equity Bank community are proud of you and what you have achieved. Focus and keep your eyes on the goal. Everyone has what it takes to become the best,’ added the Equity Group Associate Director of Organisation Effectiveness, Culture and Change.

For years Equity Bank, through its Wings to Fly
scholarship programme, has been assisting bright, needy students with fees and other educational necessities in a quest to help them achieve their education dreams.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kwale County government has kicked off the distribution of 1000 hybrid coconut tree seedlings to local farmers in a bid to significantly enhance coconut production across the coastal county.

The county government has embarked on an aggressive expansion programme for the cultivation of coconut plantations commonly called ‘the tree of life’ across Kwale to encourage massive production of coconut.

Every single part of the coconut tree is good and useful and is often referred to as the tree of life because of its usefulness starting from the leaves and fruits down to the trunk and roots.

Coconut trees are a source of food, beverage, oil seed, fibers and timber and health products and are also associated with mystery and omen in the lives of coastal communities.

Coir (fibre from the outer husk of the coconut) products such as floor mats, rope, brushes and filings for mattresses are made from the tough fibre of coconut husk.

Governor Fatuma Achani who has launched the distribution exercise has affirmed that th
e devolved government will continue to provide maximum support to all farmers in the coastal county.

She decried that the coconut production in the coastal region has been declining over the years owing to the wanton felling of coconut trees for housing, fuel and industrial use.

Achani also noted that the coconut subsector had also been constrained by lack of adequate research, poor agronomical practices, lack of appropriate and affordable technologies, exploitation by middlemen and lack of access to credit facilities by smallholder farmers.

‘The full potential of the coconut sub-sector can be realised by investing in value-added activities in the coconut value chain,’ she said.

Governor Achani says the initiative, which involves the distribution of hybrid coconut seedlings to over 1000 farmers, marks a pivotal moment in efforts to revitalise the coconut sub-sector and promote sustainable agriculture.

She says her administration will give the agricultural sector its rightful position in the development o
f the county and called on the people to avail themselves of the various opportunities in agriculture made possible by the devolved government to improve their standards of living.

Achani says the distribution of the seedlings dubbed ‘cash crop revolution programme’ is part of efforts by the devolved unit to increase the production level of coconut in the county.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony at the county headquarters, Governor Achani emphasised the critical role of farming in the county’s economy and urged farmers to seize the opportunity presented by the onset of the long rainy season.

‘I urge farmers to seize the opportunity at this onset of the long rains and that the distribution exercise will take place in all 20 administrative wards of Kwale to lift families out of poverty,’ she said.

She went on, ‘Farming is the backbone of our economy; I therefore call on all farmers to take advantage of the long rainy season and put efforts into farming,’.

Achani says the coconut tree seedlings distributio
n is part of efforts to revamp the coconut sector noting that coconut investors are available within and outside the county signifying the high potential of coconut farming.

She says the county through the partnership with the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) is poised to encourage the farmers to contribute to the collaborative effort of massive production of coconuts and its value chains describing coconut as a major game changer in terms of crop diversification.

Achani says her administration would ensure that the coconut seedlings allocated to the county through AFA will be judiciously and transparently distributed to the local farmers.

She acknowledged that the production level of coconut in the county is low and urged local farmers to invest in coconut production.

The coastal county boss emphasised that coconut farming is a cash-flowing business and encouraged local farmers to embrace coconut farming.

Achani says coconut is a highly significant commodity in the coastal region culturally, sociall
y and economically.

She says they are abundantly used in everyday life from consumption to cultural events and yield great potential for local and export markets.

Meanwhile Governor Achani opened a small scale cassava processing plant in Magodi in mivumoni village unit of Ramisi Ward, Msambweni Sub-county.

Achani challenged the local farmers to plant cassavas on a large scale so as to keep up with the milling process at the new plant and attract a wider market.

‘The cassava processing plant managed by vision Magodi cassava processors will help in converting the cassava tree final product into flour that can be used for various purposes,’ she said.

The processing plant project is financed by the European Union under the Go Blue Programme and is being implemented by CIHEAM Bari (International Centre for Advanced Agronomic Studies) as a sub-delegated agency of AICS (Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation).

She says the project is involved in cassava production where introduction of certified cassav
a seeds was done, cassava processing equipment was installed and training on marketing and linking the Magodi Cassava Processors to entrepreneurs and consumers.

Source: Kenya News Agency