Day: May 30, 2024

Siaya Strategic Assembly (SSA), a community based organisation (CBO), has started a pad bank at Got Abiero secondary school in Bondo to enhance access to sanitary towels and improve menstrual hygiene for female students.

Got Abiero secondary school becomes the fourth school in Siaya County to benefit from the SSA initiative after similar pad banks were established in Lieta, Bondo Township and Mbaga girls’ secondary schools in the last four years.

Speaking during the launch of the pad bank at Got Abiero secondary school, West Gem Member of County Assembly Susan Okwiri said that the pad bank is intended to encourage stakeholders and parents to carry at least a pad for donation whenever they visit schools.

Okwiri said the initiative by SSA will supplement both the national and county governments’ efforts to ensure that girls in Siaya County have access to sanitary towels.

The MCA called upon stakeholders in the education sector in the region to donate sanitary towels to schools where the banks have been esta
blished saying the shortage of pads can only be bridged through concerted efforts by all stakeholders.

‘I know that there are different initiatives from both the national and county governments to avail the pads to our girls but there still exists a gap which can only be bridged by all the stakeholders’ joining hands and working together to provide more sanitary towels,’ Okwiri stated.

SSA secretary general Isaac Ngiendo who spoke during the donation of 25 boxes of sanitary towels to the school said the CBO has been supporting school activities in the region including provision of sanitary towels to schools in the county.

Ngiendo said the CBO relies on like-minded friends and leaders to pull resources together through networking and providing support to schools in the region.

The CBO chief whip Esther Amondi disclosed that the pad bank initiative primarily targets day secondary schools in Siaya County because of the economic vulnerability of the students learning in day schools.

‘I have been a teacher in
day schools for several years and from experience I know what girls in such schools go through during their menses. Most of them use inappropriate materials because their parents cannot afford sanitary towels,’ Amondi said.

Amondi, who is currently a teacher at Ngiya girls observed that unlike their primary school counterparts who benefit from sanitary towels provided through government donations, students in secondary schools suffer in silence and have to miss school during menses over lack of support.

She encouraged the involvement of boy students in menstrual education saying the boys need to be brought on board to understand that menstruation is a natural process and they need to support their female counterparts during this period.

‘It is important that we involve the boys from early on so that there is no shame in discussing menstruation; some of the men shy away from buying their daughters sanitary pads but if taught early, they will be part of the lives of their daughters and would buy them pads so
that predators do not take advantage to sexually exploit the young girls.

Got Abiero secondary school Principal Gladys Opondo expressed gratitude over the sanitary towel donation from SSA saying it will help address the problem of absenteeism and impact positively on the academic performance of the over 200 girls in the school.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya is set to commemorate World Food Safety Day with various activities, including clean-up of Soko Mpya market in Nyandarua County on June 4, 2024 and a conference from June 5 to 7, 2024 in Nairobi.

Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni Muriuki said that this year’s theme, ‘Food Safety; Prepare for the Unexpected,’ emphasizes the importance of readiness in handling food safety incidents, no matter their scale.

Ms. Muriuki said that unsafe food created a vicious cycle of disease and malnutrition, while foodborne diseases impeded socioeconomic development by straining healthcare systems, and harming national economies, tourism and trade.

‘Consequently, unsafe food threatens the Vision 2030 and the BETA Agenda, particularly in areas of Universal Health Coverage, Food and Nutrition Security and Manufacturing pillars,’ said Ms. Muriuki in a statement to newsrooms.

She explained that contaminated food, harbouring harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemical subst
ances, contributes to over 200 different diseases. Globally, approximately one in 10 individuals experience foodborne illnesses annually.

‘Moreover, unsafe food reduces nutrient bioavailability, significantly affecting vulnerable populations such as infants, pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly, thereby worsening malnutrition,’ said Ms. Muriuki.

The PS highlighted that Kenya faces several food safety challenges including contamination in cereals, legumes, milk, and other dairy products, pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables, veterinary drug residues in foods of animal origin, leading to Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) in consumers.

Other food safety concerns include food adulteration, such as the use of hydrogen peroxide and formalin in milk to extend shelf life, use of trans-fats, raising cholesterol levels and increasing the risks of type II diabetes and heart disease.

‘These issues significantly impact both consumer health and economic prosperity. The Constitution of Ken
ya 2010 provides the legal framework for enhancing the food safety environment. Article 43(1)(c) and (d) guarantees every Kenyan the right to adequate food of acceptable quality and safe water in sufficient quantities,’ said Ms. Muriuki.

She said that achieving this requires concerted efforts by national and county governments, development partners and other stakeholders to mitigate food safety risks, as outlined in the health Policy 2014-2030, which underscores the shared responsibility for food safety.

The PS highlighted that the Ministry of Health remained committed to supporting and collaborating with partners on initiatives to protect consumers from substandard foods.

She said that they were undertaking various key efforts in ensuring food safety which include the Food and Feed Safety Control Coordination Bill, 2023, currently in the Senate. Final stages were underway to enact the Food and Feed Safety Control Bill, 2023, facilitating seamless information exchange among government agencies and revision
of the National Food Policy, 2023, she added.

‘We are also distributing over 500 copies of the Kenya School Meals Food Safety and Quality Guideline with support from World Food Programme (WFP). We are also sensitizing 500 County Public Health Officers in 20 counties on food fortification regulations and surveillance with support from EU through JKUAT food fortification program and Nutrition International,’ said the PS.

She explained that other efforts included establishment of minilabs and installation of blue boxes for aflatoxin analysis in 18 counties with support from WFP, training of 400 County Public Health Officers on Multi Annual National Control Plan Principles with support from Mespt Agri-Fi programme and the Royal Danish Embassy, development of a guideline on risk-based inspection of Food Business Operators (FBOs)- a guide for PHOs-2023.

‘Despite stringent precautions, unforeseen food safety events can still occur, from minor mishaps to major crises. In such cases, swift action is essential to sa
feguard food integrity,’ said Ms. Muriuki.

She called on consumers to practice safe food handling at home, following WHO’s Five Keys to Safer Food that is keep clean, separate raw and cooked items, cook thoroughly, maintain safe food temperatures, and use safe water and raw materials.

‘We are also urging people to know how to keep food safe before, during, and after emergencies like floods or power outages. Always cover food to protect it from contamination and maintain freshness,’ advised Ms. Muriuki.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Canadian and German governments will spend Sh803 million to fund two major projects aimed at fighting malnutrition in Elgeyo Marakwet County for the next 10 years.

The Realizing gender Equality, Attitudinal Change and Transformative Systems In Nutrition (REACTS IN) project will be funded by the Canadian government while the government of Germany will fund Enhancing Nutrition Services to Improve Maternal and Child Health in Africa (ENRICH) with the two projects being implemented by World Vision Kenya and other partners.

Marie Bettings from World Vison Canada said escalating problems posed by climate change and increased cost of food has led to the rising challenge of malnutrition which affects the vulnerable and particularly women and girls.

She contended that poor feeding practices and lack of access to adequate nutritious food affects children’s education while they are also prone to suffering from various diseases as a result of low immunity.

Martha Nyang’aya from Nutrition International said des
pite various efforts to fight malnutrition in the county, stunting among children stood at 22%, underweight was 15% while wasting stood at 5% which she said was worrying and required a multi sectoral approach to fight.

She said there was need to redefine food security saying Kenya was one of 7 countries in Africa which has seen an increasing trend of malnutrition which manifested in stunting and also increasing micro nutrient deficiency saying 42% of adolescent girls were iron deficient.

Ms. Nyang’aya pointed out that although statistics indicate that Elgeyo Marakwet county is over 80% food secure, the food is mainly available during harvesting season which is later sold saying even sources of proteins like eggs are not consumed within the household but sold to meet financial needs.

She regretted that 12% of girls with iron deficiency get pregnant between the ages of 12-14 years and later drop out of school thus exacerbating the challenge of malnutrition and stunting.

She therefore called for concerted ef
forts in addressing issues affecting the development of girls in a holistic manner saying while perpetrators of sexual abuse should be arrested, there was need to empower the girls to say no and resist the perpetrators.

She called on county governments to set aside funds to cater for nutritional needs of the residents to ensure that projects such as ENRICH and REACTS IN are sustainable even after donors leave.

The CEO World Vision Kenya Gilbert Kamanga said gender equality was key to fighting malnutrition saying male engagement was key to ensuring that families get nutritious food but regretted that men were less concerned on what their families eat.

Noting that Nutrition need to be sustained both at home and in school, the CEO called for establishment of school feeding programmes that are sustainable.

The REACTS IN project will be implemented in Marakwet East which faces the twin problems of food insecurity and border conflicts while the ENRICH project will be implemented in Keiyo North, Keiyo South and
Marakwet West sub counties.

Source: Kenya News Agency

All government entities are required to leverage on technology to enable them utilize digital platforms to provide information needed by members of the public on a timely basis.

The Principal Secretary (PS) in the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Prof. Edward Kisiang’ani said it was imperative upon every organization to leverage on technology, develop and implement innovative ways of ensuring that routine and systematic information disclosure is promoted.

He said public authorities have a responsibility to proactively publish certain categories of information among them, their organizational structure, functions, financial statements, and cost of services, and called upon organizations to see how best the information they hold could reach the public within the set parameters.

‘This disclosure enhances transparency and accountability, minimizes corruption, improves service delivery and ultimately expands the democratic space,’ said Kisiang’ani,

He at the same time observed that the
information disclosure could be achieved through interactive and easy to navigate websites, social media platforms, broadcasting and use of local FM stations to reach citizens in the language they understood best.

The PS made the remarks on Thursday in a speech read on his behalf by an Assistant Director of Information from the Directorate of Information Mrs. Mary Musasia during a Multi-sectoral Stakeholder Forum on Access to Public Finance Information held at a Nairobi hotel.

He noted that granting citizens the right to access information held by public authorities would be in tandem with the Access to Information Act, of 2016 which aimed promoting transparency, accountability and good governance.

The PS said even though the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (MICDE) is mandated to formulate laws and policies that regulate standards and services information, communication and technology sector, all industry players must adhere to the set standards and progressively review thei
r performance towards meeting their obligation by making information they hold accessible to the public.

‘In doing so, we shall together facilitate development of knowledge-based information society,’ he stated.

The PS announced that the MICDE ministry through Kenya News Agency, is currently working with the National Government Administration Officers to disseminate government information through public barazas and national celebrations, a move he noted would enable citizens to get the right information and to make informed decisions regarding their economic and social life.

He said the Constitution 2010 states that it is a right for all citizens to receive any information that makes it possible for them to enjoy or protect their rights, it provides for freedom of expression which includes freedom to seek, receive or impart information or ideas. It also provides the state with the obligation to publish and publicize any important information affecting the nation.

Kisiang’ani however, noted that as much as
the citizens have a right to access information held in public and private entities, there exists justifiable limitation of this right as provided for under section 6 of the Act.

The PS said ‘Certain information may be exempted from disclosure to protect national security, privacy and other sensitive matters,’ adding that such exemptions must however be clearly spelt out, defined and justified to prevent misuse.

He added the Ministry’ Cabinet Secretary, Eliud Owalo in consultation with the Commission for Administrative Justice last year developed several regulations towards operationalizing the Act, whose regulation touched the information holders, the dissemination of information, proactive and reactive disclosures and procurement records among others.

He also said that the ministry has put in place the required guidelines, laws and infrastructure including data protection policies, laying of fibre optic network and opening up digital hubs in the counties with free WiFi among others.

Speaking at the foru
m, Commissioner Lucy Ndung’u from the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) said there is need the state agencies to come up with policies that addressed the real needs of the citizenry, information that can be used by researchers and universities and those that can protect whistle blowers.

‘As a regulator of information, the Commission will collaborate with members of the public and government agencies to address the issues on Access to Information to process how the government and citizens can use information to access other rights,’ she said.

Lucy said the Commission will come up with activities and actions which support good administration, prudent use of funds, accountability by fighting corruption and to enable the public access the right information that they can utilize and participate decision making.

The event was also addressed by the National Democratic Institute Country Director Mr. Dennis Omondi who urged organisations to break down information, avoid bulky documents and simply the langu
age used to make it easy for Wanjiku to comprehend and benefit from it as intended.

The forum was organized by the Commission on Administrative Justice in collaboration with the National Democratic Institute, a non-governmental organization.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Narok County Commissioner Kipkech Lotiatia has cautioned area residents against buying uninspected meat in a bid to prevent illegal slaughter of animals.

Speaking during a community Epidemic and Pandemic preparedness programme (CP3) stakeholders workshop convened by Kenya Red cross in Narok at Zebu Lodge, the CC said that the workshop is aimed at raising awareness to prevent zoonotic diseases following a spike in cases of illegal slaughtering of animals.

The CC added that Narok south and Narok west Sub counties are prone to illegal slaughtering of animals and handling of animals which might spread the zoonotic diseases.

‘In the past two weeks, we have two people who lost their lives, they had eaten the carcass of dead cow, which was infected of anthrax,’ added Lotiatia.

The CC warned area residents against eating the uninspected meat and said that all animal slaughtering should be done at the slaughterhouses and meat should be inspected by the public health officers.

The CC called on the area residents t
o work together with the security teams in all the sub counties to identify those hot spots of the illegal activities.

On his part, Edward Tangoi, County Public Health officer said that the mandate of the public health and veterinary is to ensure that people eat safe food.

Tangoi also said that there are many diseases such as anthrax that might have spilled off from animals to human beings and the members of the public should be cautious of such diseases.

He added that there were few individuals that add chemicals to milk either to make them thick or away from preservation of which they are harmful for human consumption.

Celestine Ogutu, officer from Kenya Red Cross Narok County, during her presentation, said that the CP3 programme has scaled up to Transmara East and West in Kilgoris Sub County.

Source: Kenya News Agency

In a significant step towards empowering the youth and reducing crime in Kerio Valley, 179 graduates from Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and polytechnics have been provided with assorted tools of trade.

The event, held at Chesongoch, Marakwet East Sub County, was presided over by the County Executive Committee (CEC) for Education Edwin Kibor and World Vision Coordinator, Moses Kiptugen.

Speaking at the event, Moses Kiptugen expressed his joy and gratitude for the distribution of the tools to the graduates

‘Today we are thrilled to be in Chesongoch to distribute tools of trade to 179 graduates who completed various courses at TVET institutions here in Elgeyo Marakwet,’ he said.

Kiptugen highlighted the collaboration between World Vision and the Elgeyo Marakwet County government, emphasizing its aim to provide these young people with alternative means of income, thereby steering them away from criminal activities, especially cattle rustling.

‘Some of these students were
previously involved in cattle rustling, but they have since reformed and acquired skills to support themselves,’ he noted.

He also extended his gratitude to the Swedish government for funding the Imara Project, which aims to build resilience through the sustainable management of natural resources in the community. The project, which started in 2018, is set to be completed by 2025.

‘We thank the Swedish government for funding the Imara Project through World Vision Kenya,’ Kiptugen added.

The graduates, trained in various fields including motor vehicle mechanics, hairdressing, plumbing, welding, carpentry, and tailoring, received tools of trade tailored to their specific skills.

Kiptugen noted that the tools would not only provide an alternative income but also uplift the community as a whole.

Kibor thanked World Vision for their support through the programme, stating, ‘All 179 graduates have obtained direct employment opportunities through the tools of trade they have received today.’

He acknowledged the
positive impact on the graduates, many of whom were reformed bandits, now engaged in lawful and productive activities.

The Member of the County Assembly (MCA) for Endoo Ward Jeremiah Biwott expressed his gratitude for the opportunities given to the youth.

‘I am grateful that these young people were allowed to attend school. It has helped them disengage from toxic and criminal activities in the county,’ he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mathew Chebei from Kiptumbur location, who studied masonry at Iten Polytechnic, shared his transformation. ‘Before going to school, I was supporting myself by selling bhang. After attending the TVET, I acquired skills that I will use to support myself and my family,’ he said.

Chebei urged other youths involved in crime to leave it behind and join TVET institutions. ‘Crime does not help; it can lead to loss of lives,’ he added.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in the efforts to equip the youth of Kerio Valley with the necessary tools to build a better future,
fostering a safer and more prosperous community.

Source: Kenya News Agency