Day: June 14, 2024

In the quiet village of Aroso in Suna East, Migori County, the sound of clucking chickens is a testament to the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of a young man who turned adversity into opportunity.

Tony Kisasati, a 28-year-old man’s tertiary academic journey, began at Kabete National Polytechnic, where he pursued a diploma in quantity surveying.

Graduating in 2019, he had high hopes for a promising career in the construction industry.

He managed to secure his first-ever paying job at the British American Tobacco Company, where he worked in the warehousing management department.

From this job, he was able to cater for his family’s needs. His dreams, however, were shattered when he lost his job at the company in ‘unclear circumstances.’

The unexpected job loss was a heavy blow, leaving him without a source of income to support his family.

Faced with the harsh reality of unemployment and the high cost of living, he decided to think quickly and creatively about alternative means of earning a living t
o shoulder his family’s expenses.

Speaking while feeding his chickens at his home in Aroso, Kisasati revealed the motivation behind his decision to venture into chicken farming.

‘I chose chicken farming because it required little capital,’ Tony explained. ‘With just Sh. 3,000, I could start something that would help me provide for my family.’

After researching various income-generating activities, he decided to venture into chicken farming. The choice was driven by the relatively high demand for chickens in Migori in comparison to other poultry.

With Sh. 3,000 from his little savings, he started his farm with 10 Kencross breed chicks, each purchased for Sh. 100 from a local farmer. He used the remaining Sh. 2000 to build a well-ventilated coop.

He decided to focus mainly on rearing broiler chickens, which mature after three or four months, instead of layers, whose maturity and production take a longer time.

He also chose rearing chicken for meat as he has yet to establish a hatchery for chicks and there
fore found it easier to manage, enabling him to make a faster profit before he brings in another stock of chicks.

To manage his business, he ensures that the chicken house is well-ventilated and meticulously cleaned, changing the sawdust regularly, washing the chicken feeders, and warming the coop during cold seasons as directed by his veterinarian.

‘Keeping the chicken house clean and well-ventilated is crucial,’ said Tony. ‘It helps prevent diseases and keeps the chickens healthy.’

Though he maintained the cleanliness of his coop, his chicks still became victims of diseases such as stress and reduced appetite, which slowed down their growth and resulted in some deaths.

He decided to seek the guidance of Robert Bramwel, a local veterinarian in Migori town, who recommended he buy medicines from the agro vet to boost their immunity, increase appetite, and aid in digestion.

‘Chicken formula and liquid paraffin are two of the solutions for chicks to grow healthy, therefore reducing their mortality rates,’ B
ramwell explained.

Another challenge Kisasati faced in the earlier stages of his business was the cold weather conditions at night, especially during the rainy seasons. This resulted in the loss of four of his chicks, which was a heavy blow to his business.

However, he did not give up on his business. He decided to, once again, seek professional assistance from the veterinarian. With his help, he was able to manage the situation after he was advised to install a bulb in the coop to help in the regulation of temperature by a dimmer switch, which ensured the survival of the remaining chicks during the cold seasons.

His persistence, however, paid off when he sold the six remaining chickens after four months for Sh. 1,100 each to a customer in Aroso. This amounted to his first-ever profit of Sh. 3,600 after deducting the capital. He reinvested the profits and some of his savings to purchase a stock of 50 more chicks.

Two years into the business, one of his first significant successes came when he sold 50 chic
kens for Sh. 54,600 to a local customer in Migori, with a cock selling for Sh. 800 and a hen for Sh. 1200.

This success allowed him to supplement his chicken farming with crop farming. Through the profit incurred from chicken farming, he rented out three acres of land.

He thus decided to innovate his feeds using a mix of sunflower seeds, sardines, and maize from his rented three-acre farm. He also supplements the chickens’ feed with greens from his farm, hence a homemade solution that has proven to be both economical and effective, contributing to the healthy growth of his chickens.

The maize crops provided an extra food source for his chickens, further reducing his feed costs. Furthermore, he could cut back on the capital required for buying feed, thereby enhancing his overall profitability.

Kisati has ambitious plans for his chicken business. He aims to scale up his operations, reinvesting the profits to increase the size of his flock and enhance his farming infrastructure. His goal is to become a leadi
ng chicken farmer in the region, providing high-quality chickens to a broader market.

‘I want to expand and become one of the leading poultry farmers in Migori,’ Kisati said confidently. ‘The profits from my business will help me achieve that goal.’

Source: Kenya News Agency

A Makueni Law Court has sentenced a 46-year-old man to serve 40 years in prison after he was found guilty of defiling a 12-year-old boy living with disability, contrary to Section 8(3) of Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2006.

John Mwania Ndisya appeared before the Makueni Law Court Senior Resident (SR) Magistrate Caroline Kemei on Thursday, where she made her ruling.

The court had been told Ndisya committed the offence on August 16, 2023, at Wathu Village in Makueni Subcounty between 5.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m., when the boy was bathing at the river while grazing his grandparents’s goats.

The accused took the minor, who is physically challenged, to a secluded spot and sexually assaulted him. In the second incident, the man lured the boy with a sugarcane to his house, where he committed the heinous act again and later tried to strangle the boy.

A psychiatrist at Makueni County Referral Hospital, Dr. Teresia Mutavi, told the court that the boy had been violent, set ablaze a mattress, and tried to torch his grandp
arents’s house.

‘The victim seemed to be absent-minded and was gloomy and emotionally disturbed whenever he visited the hospital,’ said Dr. Mutavi while giving evidence in court.

‘The offender remains a threat to the boy, and as such, withdrawal of the accused from the community will be a paramount protection measure for the victim,’ said Emily Njoroge, a probation officer, while giving her report to the court.

In her ruling, Kemei said that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt and that the accused was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

‘This court has found out that the accused took advantage of an innocent 12-year-old boy, knowing he is a person with a disability.’ In order to deter like-minded people, the offender is sentenced to 40 years in prison,’ said Kemei.

The accused has 14 days to appeal the sentence.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Government officers from Nyamira County have been sensitised on the importance of proper e-waste management because it has become an environmental hazard that accelerates the effects of climate change, courtesy of the ICT Authority Department.

Mr. Kepha Githinji, an officer from ICTA, revealed that Kenya accumulates an approximate 51,300 metric tonnes of e-waste annually, with just 5% reported to be formally recycled and the rest being disposed- of unsafely, endangering human life due to polluted environments, soil degradation, and resource wastage because it has not been utilised for profitable reuse.

‘E-waste growth has been necessitated by various factors, some of which include population growth that highly depends on electronic gadgets in their day-to-day lives, changes in lifestyle and status of people, rapid urbanisation and technological advancement, a short life span of electronic gadgets, and few repair options for electronic products, accelerating their end of usefulness.’ Enumerated Githinji.

H
e added that electronic devices or gadgets destined for the end of their useful lives, reuse, recycling, and disposal are all considered e-waste that is unsafely disposed of in homes, offices, stores, dumping sites, or buried.

‘Unsafe disposal of e-waste is a serious threat to our environment and has been identified as accelerating climate change. Decomposing e-waste contains lead and mercury metals that leach into the soil, endangering the natural minerals in it. Burning it emits toxic smoke, which is hazardous to human beings when they inhale it and causes acidic rain, whose runoff water drains to water sources, consequently endangering aquatic life.’ The ICTA officer explained.

The Environment and Land Judge at Nyamira High Court, Justice Kamau Mugo, warned against conspiracy by unscrupulous ICTA officers or government officers to damage or resell electronic gadgets that are still of good use and instead suggested to the ICTA to establish e-waste collection centres in counties to curb the looming menace
that is detrimental to the entire environment and its inhabitants.

Nyanza regional director for National Environment and Management Authority (NEMA), Stella Kamwasir said the sensitization by ICTA on e-waste management and disposal was very educative and timely because e-waste is a real threat to the environment and junks of electronics whose life span has expired have allowed emergence of the informal e-waste sector like the scrape industry which is endangering other infrastructure in the country which is not necessary electronic.

Orpher Nyaigoti from ICTA observed that though Kenya is still facing challenges in management of e-waste like ignorance on safe disposal mechanisms, inadequate infrastructure, and emergence of the informal e-waste sector, their department has come up with strategies to ensure Kenyans are adequately sensitized on proper e-waste management and disposal and are working in collaboration with partners of good will to assist in establishment of standard infrastructure to manage e-waste
in our country.

‘Now that you are informed and aware of the importance of proper e-waste management, you therefore need to be purposeful in adhering to policy and recommendations on proper e-waste management and disposal to secure and sustain a green and safe environment for all and cushion against the brunt of harmful pollutants and climate change.’ Nyaigoti appealed.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Membley Estate, located in Ruiru, now has a passable road after years of persistent pleas and unfulfilled promises.

On Wednesday this week, the long-awaited construction project reached completion, marking a significant milestone for the community.

This was all made possible by Ruiru constituency Member of Parliament, Simon Nganga King’ara. The road has been graded, gravelled, and compacted.

The residents of Membley Estate, who had endured countless difficulties due to the poor state of Rolex’s main road, are overjoyed by this much-needed development.

For years, the road leading into Membley Estate from Rolex Shopping Centre had been frustrating and inconvenient. Not only was the road too bumpy and filled with rocks, but it also harboured a lot of dust.

During the rainy seasons, the situation became dire, with the road turning into a muddy, impassable mess.

The most recent rains last month rendered the road nearly unusable, disrupting daily life, impending access to essential services, and causing dama
ge to homes as the road would carry all the water into house compounds.

However, the tide has turned for Membley Estate, and the new road now promises reliability and ease of access regardless of the weather conditions.

The road construction resulted from relentless advocacy by community members, who lobbied local government officials and mobilised resources to make this project a success.

The sense of relief and joy among the residents is palpable. ‘This new road is a dream come true,’ said Sarah Mwangi, a long-time resident of Membley Estate.

Mwangi’s sentiments are echoed by many in the community, as the improved infrastructure is expected to enhance property values, and the completion of the road is also seen as a testament to the power of community advocacy and persistence.

For the residents, it is more than just a road; it is a pathway to a better, more connected community.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Policymakers are being encouraged to include young people in key decision-making processes to help them exploit available opportunities for economic empowerment.

Speaking at a youth forum in Kisumu City, Joseph Ojuki, Executive Director of the Health and Economic Development Strategy Organisation (HEDSO), emphasised that youth inclusion in decision-making ensures they have full access to their social, economic, and political rights, enabling them to reach their full potential.

‘It is through full participation in decision-making processes that governments can create enabling environments for women, girls, and youths to gain the knowledge and expertise needed to engage lawmakers and effect changes on issues like climate change, sexual reproductive health, mental health, drug abuse, and the Finance Bill 2024,’ Ojuki stressed.

Ojuki pointed out that although the majority of Kenya’s population is young, they are underrepresented in decision-making processes across various economic sectors, which affects their
well-being. He noted that involving youth in formulating the contentious Finance Bill 2024 can facilitate smoother implementation by making them feel ownership of the process.

Youths face many pressing issues that they understand best. When given a platform to articulate their agendas and ideas, they can leverage their expertise to disseminate information among their peers, ensuring effective implementation of policies,’ Ojuki said.

Hillary Kitel from the Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative challenged the notion that youth are future leaders, asserting that they are the change-makers of today who influence policy implementation. He emphasised that young people must lead campaigns addressing joblessness, drug abuse, finances, gender-based violence, and other issues contributing to rising mental health cases among youth.

The convention, themed ‘Nafasi Yetu Ni Sauti Yangu,’ brought together various organisations working with young people to provide a platform for youth voices to be heard, delib
erate on issues, and advocate for change.

The youth summit, supported by the Voice Youth Community of Practice project, was attended by young professionals and policymakers from Kisumu, Nairobi, Mombasa, Homa Bay, Kakamega, and Siaya counties on June 13-14.

Ojuki noted that policymakers from the six counties were invited to respond to issues raised by young participants and commit to action. ‘After identifying tangible issues affecting young people and hindering their potential, we will have leaders who sit at decision-making tables commit to addressing these issues,’ Ojuki said.

He added, ‘We will use this agreement to follow up with these leaders, advocate for, and push to ensure these issues are addressed, enhancing the well-being of young people and ensuring their voices are heard in various forums.’

Source: Kenya News Agency

A truck carrying sugarcane overturned at the Kachok interchange on Kisumu-Nairobi Road Thursday morning.

Kisumu East Sub-County police commander Joseph Obara confirmed the 7.30 a.m. incident that left the truck driver with minor injuries.

Obara emphasised the need for the Kenya National Highway Authority (KENHA) to urgently address the problem caused by the narrow interchange on the bridge.

According to an eyewitness, John Onyango, the accident occurred when the driver applied sharp brakes to avoid hitting athletes training on the road, causing the truck to flip on its side.

The police commander warned the civilians to avoid using the road for inappropriate activities, as it puts their lives at risk.

‘Luckily, nobody was hit by the overturned truck, and the driver sustained only minor injuries. First aid was administered by St. John’s ambulance practitioners who arrived at the scene shortly after,’ Onyango noted.

The Kachok interchange has seen numerous accidents over the years, particularly involving
heavy trucks.

‘This area should be identified as a black spot. The road is narrow, making it difficult for heavy trucks to navigate the turn, which is why we have so many accidents here,’ he explained.

Source: Kenya News Agency