Day: June 7, 2024

Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe has been released on a cash bail of Sh1 million by a Machakos High Court for allegedly killing a boda boda rider in Thika.

Kagombe was released Friday after he pleaded not guilty to the charges before Judge Francis Olel.

The MP took the plea after undergoing a mental assessment at Kiambu Level Five hospital as ordered by the court on Wednesday when he first appeared to face the charges leveled against him.

According to the charge sheet the legislator is accused of shooting and killing David Nduati,a boda boda rider at Kimuchu area in Makongeni location in Thika, Kiambu county at around 4.30 pm on May 17.

The mention of the case has been slated for July 17.

While releasing the accused on bail, Justice Olel directed him not to contact any witnesses in the case or visit the area where the incident occurred.

The MP has been in police custody for almost two weeks’ time after he was arrested for killing the boda boda rider.

Addressing the press from the Machakos law courts s
hortly after he posted the bail, Kagombe conveyed his message of condolences to the family of Nduati ahead of the burial tomorrow.

The MP expressed his confidence that the court will deliver justice to both parties.

”This matter is now perfectly before a court of competent jurisdiction and therefore I trust the judicial process will ensure that everyone is going to get justice’, said the legislator.

He thanked his family, friends and fellow MPs for supporting him during the two weeks he was in police custody.

”I wish to thank those who visited me when I was incarcerated and especially the people of Gatundu South who stood by me in these trying moments and having confidence in me as their MP, ‘added Kagombe.

He assured his constituents that the case will not hinder service delivery and vowed to continue fighting for their welfare and especially for tea farmers.

”I will ensure that tea farmers are represented by the right people in the forthcoming elections in the tea sector. Nobody should think that t
hey will use the judicial process to derail justice for farmers, added the MP.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) has launched the Sessional Paper no 1 of 2023 on the Kenya National Population Policy for Sustainable Development.

National Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary (CS) Njuguna Ndung’u said that the aim of the policy is to maximise investment in people through appropriate quality education, health care, nutrition, job creation and skills development.

Speaking at a Nairobi hotel on Thursday during the launch, Prof Ndung’u said that population growth has become a very critical issue since the population is growing faster than the economy and added this will become a problem if left unattended.

‘Our economic growth does not match the population growth and this will lead to problems in the future where demand for government services, amenities and infrastructure like roads, schools and hospitals will be very high,’ said Prof Ndung’u

The Treasury CS said that population growth is a dynamic issue which requires critical analysis and management
for there to be adequate development and good quality of life.

‘Population growth comes with various dynamics like infrastructure, migration, changes in mortality rates among others and if these fundamental factors are not addressed, they might lead to a slowdown in development,’ Prof. Ndung’u advised.

‘When we look at the young population, we look at how we can serve them and how to facilitate their diverse demands especially on their own career paths and this requires investing capital in various interventions like education to shape their future development in a structured manner,’ he said adding that over the years Kenya has been implementing population policies that have witnessed amazing results especially targeted at reduced poverty.

Ndung’u reiterated that having a youthful country, there are opportunities for economic growth that will accelerate the increase in incomes per capita adding that for Kenya to achieve the demographic dividend, there must be a development plan addressing the challenges i
n health, education, entrepreneurship and education sectors.

The CS called for partnership by the government, non-governmental organizations, and stakeholders to work together towards implementing the policy for a better and sustainable development.

NCPD Director General Dr Mohammed Sheikh said the aim of the sessional paper No.1 of 2023 on Kenya national population policy for sustainable development is to provide policy directions on the management of population and development in the country to improve the quality of lives and wellbeing of citizens.

He said the policy was developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders.

The policy document highlights that one of the key strategic focus for NCPD is advocacy and public education on population and development where the council continues to build its partnership with key stakeholders in efforts to realize its mandate.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Stakeholders overseeing the rights of children have urged Nakuru County Government to develop a child protection policy that would help address and reign in on the worrying trend of child sexual abuse, violence and exploitation.

The stakeholders noted that even though the country has put into law the Sexual Offenses Act (2006) and the Children Act (2022), there was need for the county to implement policies that would address concerns within its borders including allocation of adequate budgetary resources and capacity building of key agencies.

According to Nakuru County Head of Children Services Alice Wanyonyi, last year, the county recorded over 9,000 cases of child abuse, sexual exploitation, early marriages and neglect with informal settlements most affected.

Ms. Wanyonyi said the statistics recorded could be higher as cases that occurred in far flung areas went unreported with others compromised by close family relatives through Kangaroo courts, as victims lived with the trauma.

The Children Officer r
egretted the rising trend of child abuse, molestation, defilement and neglect which have been driven by alcohol and substance abuse in the children’s neighbourhoods with most cases perpetuated by people known to them.

Ms. Wanyonyi said the development and implementation of a child protection policy would facilitate prompt reporting of cases to authorities, increase community awareness as well allocate funds to children care facilities and rescue centres.

Speaking in Naivasha during a sensitization activity by KNOTE, a non-governmental organization, she said the policy would also address issues of child trafficking with information indicating that Nakuru County is a key transit town of trafficked children destined for Nairobi, Mombasa and other neighbouring countries.

‘The government has brought on board child protection volunteers to sensitize and create awareness in the communities to ensure the rights of children are equally protected as championed by the state laws,’ said Ms. Wanyonyi.

On her part, Cou
nty head of Gender based desk Jessicah Mung’au said the county continued to register increased cases of child defilement and violence among young intimate partners mostly driven by vulnerability of age, culture and religion beliefs.

Ms. Mung’au said the county has put in place measures to address the worrying concerns including creating awareness, training health personnel and police, to accelerate legal redress for the victims and ensure perpetrators face the full force of the law.

She noted that Naivasha was identified as a key hotspot area for cases involving children due to influx of informal settlements and tens of flower farms with rural areas recorded cases of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

According to John Kinuthia from Naivasha Gender Based Cluster, cases of defilement and molestation have been on the rise mostly in informal settlements if Karagita, Mirera, Sunctuary,Kihoto, Kabati and Mai Mahiu town.

Kinuthia said the project championed by KNOTE under tetea theme seeks to reverse the worrying
trend with communities sensitized to report cases to police gender desks that have been established to ensure victims get justice and perpetrators faced the law.

On her part, Elizabeth Wanjiru, a community health promoter at Maella ward in Naivasha said sexual abuse, early marriages and retrogressive cultural practices were some of the major challenges facing children.

She attributed the rising incidents to abuse of illicit alcohol and other substances including khat, bhang among the youth adding that the government must accelerate the war on illicit drugs and ensure perpetrators are brought to book.

Maureen Pacho from CISP, a NGO, said community declaration towards the fight for the rights of children is a key commitment to safeguarding the future of children in the education system and society as a whole.

‘Communities must be emboldened and sensitized to take action and protect children from early marriages, sex exploitation, violence and teenage pregnancies going forward,’ said Pacho.

Source: Kenya N
ews Agency

As the World Environmental Day themed ‘Ecosystem Restoration’ was marked this week, a group of young women conservationists dubbed the Forest Carbon Champions are leading efforts to protect the environment in their communities across Kenya.

Since the beginning of the year, these champions have brought together over 10,550 community members and planted more than 150,000 trees across the country.

Their work has inspired more people to join conservation efforts, with an eye on the country’s goal of restoring 10.6 million hectares of damaged land and planting 15 billion trees by 2032.

One champion, Theresa Aoko, leads the Kenya Forest Working Group. She has not only helped restore damaged lands but also created jobs for young people in the process.

‘As young people working in forestry, we plan to plant 12,000 trees, including native and fruit trees, in 10 schools in Siaya County to get youth involved in reforestation,’ said Aoko.

The Forest Carbon Champions received support from the Food and Agriculture Org
anization (FAO) and the Kenya Forest Service through the Improve Measurement for Payments to Reduce Emissions and Strengthen Sinks (IMPRESS) project – 2021-2023.

This project helped measure deforestation, monitor restoration efforts, and expand tracking to include mangrove forests. As early volunteers, the champions learned a lot about forestry, wetlands, and natural resources.

‘We used what we learned from Sharing the experience on Forest and Land Monitoring for Climate Action – SEPAL – a digital platform and tools for more effective forest and land monitoring, to monitor endangered trees in Ramogi Hills. This helped guide our restoration plans using local knowledge. We aim to do the same in Cherengani Hills, Western Kenya,’ said Olgah Hellen, founder of iConserve Organization in Kisumu.

Building on IMPRESS’s success, FAO started the Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Forests (AIM4Forests) programme in 2023, with funding from the UK.

This program aims to improve Kenya’s National Forest Monitoring Sys
tem (NFMS) using modern technology like space data and remote sensing. AIM4Forests will address technical gaps, strengthen institutions, and increase the involvement of women, youth, and indigenous peoples in forest monitoring.

‘The main goal of the Forest Carbon Champion Program 2024 is to mentor and empower the champions to make a bigger impact on Kenya’s forests,’ said Eva Ntara, an environmental expert.

Through teamwork and linking global innovation in forest monitoring to local actions, AIM4Forests is set to make a significant difference, protecting our natural resources for the future.

The dedicated young women of the Forest Carbon Champions are leading this important change.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The County Government of Nakuru has commenced the leveling of Mulwang Road in Soin Ward, Rongai Sub- County, aimed at creating a smooth and levelled road for residents to enhance accessibility and road safety in the region.

The Assistant Resident Engineer Robert Gitonga said the leveling project will involve significant groundwork to ensure that the road is not only smooth, but will also increase the overall efficiency in travelling especially for students at Mulwang Primary School.

Residents have welcomed the project, expressing optimism that the improved road will lead to better connectivity and accessibility of the area.

Peter Rotich, who spoke on behalf the community said the project was long overdue.

This signifies a positive move towards fulfilling the County’s infrastructural renovation, he added.

While commending devolution, Rotich said it would have taken years for the national engineer in Nairobi to appreciate the need for a road in a rural area. However, the proximity of the devolved governme
nt has now made it possible for the officers to acknowledge the suffering of villagers.

Eng. Gitonga said the project is just one of many road works, aimed at transforming the county into a more developed and accessible sub-county to enable farmers to market their products with ease.

He noted that Rongai is a high agricultural potential area, which just requires improved infrastructure for the quality of people’s lives to improve.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Over 1,000 journalists from across the country are set to benefit from a specialized training program on climate reporting by December 2024, utilizing the newly developed climate change reporting training module.

The curriculum, developed by the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry and the German Development Organization (GIZ), aims to enhance coverage of climate change in the country.

Speaking at the climate change reporting training workshop for editors, reporters, and climate change actors in Kisumu County on Thursday, Kennedy Ouma, the Advisor at the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) and Communications Expert at GIZ, stated that the manual would facilitate professional coverage of climate stories.

Ouma noted that the partners had held forums in Nairobi, Kisumu, and Mombasa counties to conduct a needs assessment survey, review, and validate the draft document. This process will culminate in developing a training module on climate change rep
orting by the end of June 2024.

‘We are training the journalists as trainers of trainers (ToT) to disseminate the information to their colleagues. This approach ensures the knowledge is passed from one individual to another, resulting in well-informed reporters from this region who can tackle climate and environment stories professionally,’ Ouma explained.

The initiative, he added, has so far identified a team of 150 beneficiaries composed of journalists, editors, and climate change actors from Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nairobi counties. These participants will undergo the initial training phase before the program is expanded to reach the targeted 1,000 reporters by December.

‘Out of the 150 trained journalists, we challenge each to identify at least 10 fellow journalists to mentor and help them become proficient climate change reporters,’ Ouma stated.

At the same time, he urged the journalists to identify and join available professional groups to network with colleagues, enhance their skills, and specialize i
n reporting on diverse news segments.

Meanwhile, KEG CEO Rosalia Omungo, in her remarks at a recent validation workshop for the Climate Change Reporting Training Curriculum in Nairobi, noted that the manual is designed to help journalists understand the science of climate change reporting.

‘This document will help us address misinformation, misreporting, and misrepresentation of scientific facts in climate change reporting,’ said Omungo.

Source: Kenya News Agency