Day: April 27, 2024

Nyeri residents have called for a reconstitution of the Affordable Housing Board to include more representation from county governments.

During a public participation where members of the public had been invited to give their views on the Affordable Housing Regulation 2024, the residents argued that the county governments are underrepresented in the Affordable Housing Board.

In their submissions, the residents say that having a single representative in the board at the national level may not be enough to represent the individual interests of the 47 counties.

‘We feel that County Executive Committee Members in-charge of Housing are not involved in this process and at the county level, we don’t expect that the board will come and manage the affairs of the county,’ said Ndirangu Gachunia who is also the CEC Lands and Physical planning.

The Affordable Housing Act provides for the establishment of the Affordable Housing Board which will oversee the development of the affordable housing project.

According to t
he Act, the constitution of the board should comprise of a non-executive chairperson who will be appointed by the president, National Treasury Principal Secretary and a nominee from the Organization of Trade Unions and the Federation of Kenya Employers.

The Act also stipulates that the Council of County Governors shall also nominate a representative, something that Gachunia says may push counties away from the decision making table.

‘We need a board where the CECs housing sit as mandatory members and not as an adhoc so that they are part and parcel decision making,’ he said.

Gachunia also called for strict adherence of the law especially during the land administration process to avoid exposing county governments to legal battles in the future.

‘The county government is the custodian of public land on behalf of the citizens of Nyeri. We are asking that the process annexing public land be followed the letter to avoid future litigation. We want to be able to enter an agreement on every parcel of land and pro
ject, we don’t want blanket agreement so that we ensure that the due process is followed,’ he said.

The government intends to solve the housing problem by constructing 200,000 houses annually through the Affordable Housing project. The state hopes to achieve this by constructing at least 200 affordable housing units in every constituency.

According to the regional lead in charge of the Affordable Housing project, Albert Gakuru, a total of 350 housing units are currently under construction at Blue Valley in Nyeri town constituency.

But even as the project continues to take shape at Blue Valley, the residents also sought assurance that their houses will not be demolished by the future administrations. Citing incidents where the government has demolished residential houses, the residents have asked the government to ensure that the security of tenure of the beneficiaries of the project is provided for in the regulations.

‘What assurance do we have that years to come these affordable houses will not be demoli
shed by a different administration like we have previously witnessed demolition of government houses in places like East-lands in Nairobi?’ Posed Kimunyu Ndegwa.

The residents also want the regulations to spell out what should happen in the event that the owner of an affordable housing unit nominates another owner of an affordable housing unit as their successor in the event of death. According to Thomas Mundia, the Act in its present state only allows a Kenyan to own a single unit under the project and does not give special considerations during succession.

‘The Act prohibits an individual from owning more than one unit. I think it should state what should happen if say a parent wants their child who may be the owner of a unit under the Affordable Housing project,’ said Mundia.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Garissa residents are facing imminent supply shortages which is likely to increase prices of basic commodities following closure of the Garissa – Madogo highway as a result of flooding caused by the ongoing rains.

Since Friday evening, transport along the four – kilometre stretch has been paralyzed making it impossible for people and vehicles to enter or exit Garissa town to Nairobi.

Being the gateway to the larger North eastern region, all travellers to Wajir and Mandera through this route are also stranded at Madogo town.

This is the third time that this road stretch has hampered movement is the area since the road was destroyed by El Nino rains in December last year.

The affected areas are the Tana River bridge surroundings, Mororo and Kona Punda, where temporary diversions had been set awaiting full repairs.

The Kenya National Highway Authority through its social media sites has already announced the closure of the road and warned the citizens to be cautious and wait for the waters to subside before
making crossing attempts.

‘KeNHA wishes to inform the public that the road section between Garissa and Madogo is CLOSED to all road users until the water levels subside to safe levels and restoration works on damaged sections completed,’ a statement from the roads agency on social media handles read.

Garissa county Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo has called on the motorists and pedestrians to avoid crossing through flood waters and at the same time called on those living along River Tana to move to higher grounds.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Member of Parliament for Nyando constituency Jared Okelo together with his Matayos Counterpart Geoffrey Makokha Odanga have visited Kakamega NCPB depot on a fact-finding mission on the alleged distribution of substandard fertilizer.

The MP’s who are members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock met with NCPB Kakamega staff before listening to concerns from farmers.

They also toured the depot to see for themselves the supplied fertilizer and took some samples which will undergo testing at the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and in other private laboratories for concurrence.

Speaking to the Media after the tour, Okelo said parliament will come up with drastic measures and recommend drastic actions to be taken against any culpable individuals who are subjecting the country into economic sabotage.

‘We intend to have two more weeks going around the country because we want a comprehensive report. So in the next three weeks we should be able to table a bill before parl
iament for debate,’ the MP said.

He assured farmers that the National Assembly will try to unravel the entire fake fertilizer expose’ and ensure justice is served and those found culpable face the law.

‘People spent money, people have wasted time, people have applied the wrong fertilizer on their farms, some of which have created coloring or discoloration of maize in the farms and other farm produce so it’s a mess that as a country we must address,’ he pointed out.

The MP also said with the findings, the National Assembly will come up with a raft of recommendations in order to ensure that the country does not experience a similar occurrence in the future that threatens the lives of Kenyans.

‘We have an agenda for food security in our country and when we have economic saboteurs such as what we witnessed here and in other places within our country then it goes against that wider vision, we must feed our country, we must be food sufficient going forward,’ he pointed out.

The Matayos MP on his part asked the
government to compensate farmers for all the costs incurred, which include transport costs and time wasted during the delays in planting.

‘We are also following up with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS), The Kenya Bureau of Standards and any other responsible quality assurance agency to establish the quality of the fertilizers and the quality of any other goods that we consume or use,’ Odanga noted.

Kakamega Senator Dr. Boni Khalwale who accompanied the Legislators asked the National Assembly to be firm and support farmers get justice as Kenyans are the ones who will grapple with high food prices if crops fail.

The Senator also said it was high time for the country to check on the governance system, which had allowed people of questionable character, who lack integrity and entrusted them with discharging important mandates.

‘There must be something fundamental with our governance system because it is that governance system which is wrong, that allows people who are actually saboteurs,
who are criminals, who are conmen to be in high office to the extent that they are doing this to the members of the public,’ he noted.

The Member of County Assembly for Kisa North Ward James Etabale said the County Assembly is also investigating to determine if fertilizer supplied to farmers by the County Government is substandard.

Etabale who is the chairman of the Agriculture committee in the county assembly said they have collected samples and taken them to KEPHIS, KEBS and the government chemist for analysis.

‘We have also visited the plant that supplied Kakamega County with the fertilizer. Once we get the results from these three agencies, we will be able to do our report and submit it to the people of Kakamega County,’ he added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Federation of Kenya Employers has advocated for sustainable solutions that enhance connectivity, promote economic growth and improve the overall resilience of the Coast region’s infrastructure network.

Speaking at the 63rd Annual General Meeting held at Nyali Reef Hotel, The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Jacqueline Mugo said that the Federation has been actively monitoring the infrastructure challenges plaguing the region, with particular attention to the industrial hub of Mombasa and its critical road connections to the northern and western parts of the Country.

Mugo highlighted that these vital routes not only facilitate the flow of goods and services but also serve as lifelines for businesses, industries, and communities across the region.

Mugo said that the annual general meeting brings together employers from the Coast Region to transact normal business, review the development in the labor sector, and also look at the state of companies in the region and areas that need to be foc
used on.

‘The deteriorating road conditions have resulted in severe traffic congestion, leading to substantial losses for business, additionally, the wear and tear on vehicles coupled with high maintenance costs are further burdens on the business community,’ Mugo said.

Mugo said that the Federation recognizes the commendable efforts undertaken to tackle certain infrastructure challenges, it remains apparent that the strides made thus far are yet to align entirely with the expectations of the business community.

‘FKE emphasizes the critical importance of efficient and well-maintained infrastructure for economic growth and business operations. We urge relevant authorities to prioritize infrastructure development and maintenance to alleviate these pressing concerns and support the region’s economic activity,’ she said.

Mugo acknowledged that the prices of inputs and purchase prices have decreased in quarter one, but it is hardly felt on the ground regarding the cost of doing business.

‘We appreciate that t
he positive weather conditions, the rain have boosted food production in agriculture. In some sectors we have seen some sales going up but by and large the unemployment situation remains a matter of concern in the country,’ she said.

The CEO said that the Agriculture sector has experienced a surge in demand (39.6 percent), production (24.7 percent), and sales (33.6 percent).

Mugo urged employers in the region to improve the business environment, address regulatory hurdles, enhance access to credit and markets for businesses of all sizes, and foster an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and innovation.

She noted that these measures are crucial in unlocking the full potential of the economy and ensuring that the growth translates into tangible improvements in the quality of life for all Kenyans.

Source: Kenya News Agency

In the wake of the mass destruction of lives and property by floods in different parts of the country, the National Assembly Committee on Budget now wants the National Treasury to use some of the money not approved in the budget to cushion the affected Kenyans.

Speaking during the commissioning of new classrooms at Ribe Primary and Junior Secondary School in Kilifi on Friday the committee chairperson Ndindi Nyoro revealed that in the case where there is a scarcity of resources in the budget to cater to such emergencies, the law allows the Treasury to go outside the stipulated budget to help Kenyans affected by natural crisis.

‘In the case of emergencies, article 223 allows National Treasury to utilize funds which have not been approved by Parliament to help Kenyans as long as the funds do not exceed 10% of the budget,’ Nyoro said.

He assured Kenyans that there was already money set aside in the budget to be used in emergencies such as the one currently being experienced in various parts of the country and
that the Treasury would only need to go off budget if the funds proved to be inadequate.

The Kiharu MP who was accompanied by Rabai MP Anthony Kenga added that the government was already in the process of offering relief services to flood affected Kenyans using the National Youth Service (NYS).

‘I want to assure the people of Kenya that as government we are doing everything possible to help all the affected people. As government we have directed the National Youth Service to offer relief services in different parts of the country,’ Nyoro noted.

He further assured flood-affected Kenyans of the government’s continued support throughout these heavy rains season.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a has called on the Ministry of Education to consider extension of the schools opening date on account of the prevailing rainy weather.

Ms Nganga said next week’s opening date for the second term comes too soon given the heavy rains and floods being witnessed in several parts of the country.

Speaking while presiding over the issuance of Sh45 million worth of bursary to about 10,000 secondary school learners from her constituency yesterday, the MP said reopening of schools may put to risk the lives of learners traveling back to their schools.

Ms Ng’ang’a who was accompanied by Kikuyu MP and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah asked the government to push the reopening date by at least one more week.

She added that next week’s reopening was not well thought out given due to Labour Day celebrations on Wednesday which might inconvenience learners

‘We would rather delay the reopening date than risk losing our children as a result of the ongoing flooding all over the
country. Again, why schools would reopen on Monday yet on Wednesday is a national holiday. The Ministry of Education should consider pushing the date to the other week,’ said the lawmaker.

This comes as the Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang maintained yesterday that schools will reopen next week.

He said a multi-agency team set up by President William Ruto will be able to deal with the challenges that have come with the rains to enable a smooth learning process.

Parents from Thika too have called on the government to push the reopening date until the rains subside.

Led by Martin Njoroge, they said children in most rural areas cross rivers and streams on their way to school adding that most of them have since burst banks and might be dangerous in this weather.

He added that other schools especially in flat areas are flooded, making reopening unrealistic.

The parents said they will not release their children to go to school next week unless the rains subside.

‘If the rains continue and the rive
rs continue to swell, my children will continue staying at home. I can’t risk the lives of my children to this weather,’ said Pauline Njeri, another Thika resident.

Source: Kenya News Agency