Day: May 3, 2024

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has called upon the government to declare the current floods a national disaster.

Kalonzo said this in Mumbuni Primary School in Machakos when he helped distribute food and non-food items to the residents who were affected by the floods in the county.

He said the floods that have killed and displaced thousands of Kenyans have also been worsened by the ongoing doctors’ strike and called on the government to put in place proper intervention measures to prevent further losses.

Kalonzo also urged Kenyans of good will to offer humanitarian support to those affected by the floods.

The Wiper leader was accompanied by Eugene Wamalwa who noted that 32 counties had been affected by the floods and asked the government to declare the floods a national crisis so that international partners and other non-state organisations can assist.

‘As Azimio we demand that the time has come for Kenya Kwanza to declare the floods a national disaster,’ said Wamalwa.

Governor Wavinya Ndeti disclosed th
at Machakos has so far lost 20 people and over 4,000 families displaced and affected by the floods.

Wavinya said the county government has distributed food and nonfood items to flood victims and was also assisting several families to rebuild their houses.She further called upon Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to fast track the inspection of bridges that have been destroyed by the floods to reduce the number of casualties and save lives.

Also present was Jubilee Party Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni and Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi and other County officials.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kisumu city is set for a major facelift following the release of Sh300 million Urban Development Grant (UDG) by the World Bank to improve infrastructure and strengthen service delivery.

The grant through the Kenya Urban Support Project II (KUSP II) will also see the recently launched Ahero Municipality receive Sh16.8 million to roll out similar projects.

This comes after a successful implementation of KUSP I where the city received Sh1.7 billion which was used to construct a modern fire station, Rotary Youth Innovation Center, Non-motorised transport facility, Upgrading of Jomo Kenyatta Sports Grounds, Upgrading of Jamhuri Gardens and botanical garden, Construction of Nyamasaria bus park, Construction of Kibuye Market and Kaloleni Community Centre.

State Department for Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary (PS) Charles Hinga said the program has transformed Kisumu greatly by putting in place infrastructure and structures that have created a modern and resilient city.

In a speech read on his b
ehalf by the Administration Secretary in the department, Hiram Kahiro in Kisumu during the launch of the Kisumu Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan and Sustainable Mobility Plan, the PS said KUSP II which targets a number of counties will build up on the foundation laid during the first phase of the project.

‘The second phase of KUSP is now on course following its execution on the 14th March 2024 and Kisumu County stands poised to reap further benefits,’ he said.

He asked the implementing agencies in the county to build on the successes achieved while proactively addressing any shortcomings highlighted during the first phase.

Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang Nyong’o lauded the World Bank-funded program, saying it was behind the transformative urban development being experienced in Kisumu city.

In a speech read on his behalf by Deputy Governor Dr. Mathews Owili, Nyong’o said the plan to restore the lakeside city was marked with ups and downs.

‘When I came into office in 2017, part of my work was to r
estore order in Kisumu. I found a city in a mess, with traders and hawkers selling their wares all over the streets. The pedestrians had nowhere to walk. Even the traders themselves worked in distress,’ he said.

‘Today the traders are happy in the new markets we built. Now they have shelter over their heads and a cleaner work environment,’ he added.

The county government, he said, was in the final stages of implementing the Geospatial Information System (GIS) to aid in planning the city.

The Kisumu Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan and Sustainable Mobility Plan which is a four zoned plan to guide the growth of the city for the period between 2020-2040, he said was a comprehensive document that would assist in the mitigation of disasters such as floods, reduce pollution, promote safe routes for transportation, promote ecologically balanced environment, minimize hazards, preserve open space and maintain physical health of the community.

The plan, he said, covers the entire city comprising the urb
an core including the lakefront, urban renewal and regeneration areas which include the slum belt, Eastern extension and the Northern extension.

He added that the plan further provides a roadmap for long-term infrastructural development and comes with zoning regulations, development control mechanisms and a clear environmental management plan.

This, he said, will transform Kisumu city into a vibrant, resilient and smart lake metropolis through polycentric spatial development.

The Sustainable Mobility Plan, he said, seeks to recalibrate transport investments in the area so as to benefit all road users.

‘This will avert mobility challenges characterized by increasing vehicular traffic, inefficient public transport, inadequate walking and cycling facilities and poor parking management,’ he said.

Bondo Member of Parliament (MP) Gideon Ochanda who represented the National Assembly Committee on Housing, Lands and Urban Development lauded the move by Kisumu saying the two plans were set to spur urban renewal an
d development in the city.

‘It may sound ambitious but this is the way to go. The western countries took the same route and are ahead of us. It must be done,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government, in collaboration with the African Union, is set to host the Second Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit from May 7th to 9th this year at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.

The AFSH Summit, which will be the continent’s largest soil health forum, will be held under the leadership of President William Ruto and directed by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki Mahamat.

The summit is expected to bring together over 2000 stakeholders from across the continent to evaluate the state of Africa’s soil health, network on how the best issues affecting agriculture could be addressed, and engage in business at the event themed ‘Listen to the Land’ that will culminate into a high-level Presidential Summit.

The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Mithika Linturi, in a speech read on his behalf by the Principal Secretary for Agriculture, Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh, at a Media Breakfast meeting held on Thursday at a Nair
obi hotel, said the country is proud to be the second AU Member State to host the summit in 17 years.

‘One of the key outcomes will be a Nairobi Declaration that will be a catalyst to achieve the goals set 17 years ago in Abuja, where the first Summit was held in June 2006,’ said Linturi.

He said the 10-year Action Plan that will be endorsed in the Nairobi Declaration will deliver concrete recommendations that would be undertaken by African leaders and stakeholders over the next 10 years.

‘The Action Plan will provide a focus for new policies and investments that will enable farmers to work towards re-building soil health and ultimately increase yield responses and profitability of fertilisers,’ said the CS.

During the first Summit, Heads of State and Governments of the AU endorsed the Abuja Declaration on Fertiliser for the Africa Green Revolution, a continental strategy aimed at reversing the worrying trend of poor productivity in African soils.

The CS mentioned that the declaration focused on key targ
ets required for agricultural growth, food security, and rural development on the continent, with a focus on the role of fertilisers, while recommending a rise in the use of fertilisers from 8-kg nutrients per hectare to 50 kg of nutrients per hectare in 10 years.

‘It also recommended the establishment of an African fertiliser financing mechanism to improve agricultural productivity by providing the finances required to boost fertiliser use on the continent,’ he stated.

Linturi added that the aim of the financing mechanism was to achieve the target of 50kg of nutrients per hectare, noting that, however, Africa still falls short of the Abuja Declaration targets, a need he said required the continent to explore its current soil condition and use of fertiliser and implement solutions fast to avert the worsening situations.

He said, according to statistics, Africa still needs to improve on fertiliser use, noting that research indicated that the average amount of fertiliser applied to crops grown on the contine
nt continued to degrade due to unsustainable soil management practices.

‘This is causing nutrient mining, increased soil degradation, reduced carbon stocks, resilience to climate change, and shocks,’ he stated, noting that the effects have led to low agricultural productivity, poor soils, as well as affected food and nutrition security on the continent.

Making her remarks virtually, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment of the African Union Commission, Josefa Sacko, said the summit is important as it will come up with a 10-year plan that will help the continent nourish its soils and become food secure by raising its productivity to feed its population by 2050.

‘Many African countries rely on imports of fertiliser, making them vulnerable. Time for action is now to stop the worsening of the soil for rapid transformation and to end malnutrition,’ she said.

Sacko said there was a need for regional partnerships for investment, production capacity collabo
rative research, sharing of best practices and capacity building, and inclusion of women in agricultural issues as contributors in the agricultural sector, noting that the Summit Action Plan will help Africa’s economy to thrive.

Source: Kenya News Agency

MaMa Doing Good in partnership with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) plans to plant 500 million trees across the Country by 2032 to increase tree cover by 30 percent and protect water catchment areas.

According to an official from the Organisation Arnold Kipchumba, the move is meant to compliment government efforts of planting 15 billion trees adding that so far, they have planted over 3 million trees in forests and learning institutions.

Speaking at Kimondi forest during a tree planting exercise, Kipchumba stated that forests play a key role in the Kenyan economy providing a substantial source of employment and economic growth as well as contributing to climate risk reduction.

He said there is need to reverse forest degradation and deforestation in line with global, continental and national goals on landscape and ecosystem restoration.

‘The office has adopted different strategies to achieve this ambitious commitment. These include forest adoption, promoting establishment of women and youth led tree nurseries,
promoting tree growing through agro forest for improved livelihoods and growing of forests and fruit trees within institutions and schools among others,’ he said

Nandi County Forest conservator Dennis Kerengo noted that the county tree cover is still low adding that to achieve 40% tree cover, residents should embark on tree planting on their lands.

‘Our responsibility as Kenya Forest Service is to ensure we plant 17 million tree seedlings and grow so that we increase our tree cover from 26 percent to 40 percent. As a county we have achieved 10 percent tree cover but the big task is to achieve the 30% as envisaged by our president,’ he said

He warned those individuals who will be found illegally cutting trees in the forest that they will bear the burden of paying a fine of Sh50,000 or six months’ imprisonment or both.

Kerengo challenged locals to plant indigenous trees that are environmental friendly along reparian land and remove eucalyptus trees which draw a lot of water and lower water levels.

Chesumei
Assistant County Commissioner Benson Kamau disclosed that one thousand trees were planted during the exercise adding that Nandi County is expected to plant over 174 million tree seedlings in those 10 years

Source: Kenya News Agency

Seven people who had been marooned by flooding waters in Kikuuni village in Kabaa,Mwala sub county after River Athi burst its banks have been rescued.

The seven, six men and a pregnant woman were evacuated to safety on Friday afternoon by a private chopper chartered by the Machakos County Government.

Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti and her Deputy Francis Mwangangi coordinated the rescue efforts after the seven got stuck on Wednesday evening when flooding waters surrounded their homes.

According to Mwala Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Dennis Muthomi earlier attempts to rescue the stranded residents were not successful due to the raging waters.

‘We have been trying since Wednesday to rescue the residents to no avail and we thank the county government and the national government for the collaboration,’ said Muthomi.

The ACC said the rescued residents are currently undergoing treatment at Kabaa Health Centre.

‘The victims are currently being treated here at Kabaa.They will also undergo counseling for
the ordeal they went through,’ he said.

The administrator called on residents living in flood prone areas to heed to the government’s directive to relocate to safer grounds.

‘Those residents whose houses are at the risk of mudslides or living near rivers and other dangerous water bodies should move for their own good,’ added Muthomi.

Governor Wavinya said the county government will facilitate alternative accommodation for the affected residents until the water subsides.

‘We will offer accommodation and support to the victims until it is safe for them to go back home,’ said Wavinya.

She appealed to residents of Kyeleni,Vulya and Matungulu to evacuate immediately to avoid floods following heavy rains that are expected in the area.

‘The meteorological department has issued a warning of heavy rains starting Friday evening and we are asking residents living in those areas to move to avoid casualties,’ added the governor.

Mary Mutheu,one the victims expressed her relief after the chopper evacuated them to sa
fety.

Mutheu said the flooding waters washed away crops and livestock following heavy rains.

‘We watched helplessly as the water levels kept on rising. We however decided to assemble in one place and keep each other company as we waited to be rescued,’ she said.

Paul Mulatya, described the three-day ordeal as scary and a brush with death.

‘We even ran out of food and were surviving on bananas and fish,’ said Mulatya.

Close to 20 people have lost their lives while 4,000 households have been displaced in the county by floods.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Nakuru County has today commenced the draining of Moricho Dam in Visoi Ward, Rongai Sub-County, to reduce the potential of the dam overflowing, which could result in the damage to properties and loss of life due to the heavy rains and the overflow from Baringo hills.

This decision comes as the dam which is a source of water for farmers, pastoralists and residents across Rongai Sub-County, reached its full capacity due to the recent heavy downpours experienced throughout the country.

According to the Rongai Sub county Water Officer Paul Muhuhe the resolution underscores the implementation of precautionary measures against flood-related disasters as recently witnessed in Mai Mahiu.

Muhuhe said similar inspections and necessary interventions have been carried out at other dams, including Nyenda and Kwa Njane in Turi Ward, Molo Sub- County, as well as Tuyotich Dam in Rongai, which are also undergoing spillway enhancements.

Additionally, he said the County will continue draining other dams at risk of overflow
ing to mitigate possible disasters and prevent any damage to properties and loss of lives.

The dams which are spread all over pastoralists areas are likely to turn into calamities since most of the times they are not maintained and a number of them are full of siltation.

A pastoralist from the area, Peter Rotich said the life of herders is always at the mercy of nature, since during droughts they lose livestock due to lack of pasture while floods make the animals sick and expensive to treat, and young ones get carried away by storm water.

Source: Kenya News Agency