Day: June 17, 2024

Landslide victims from Kangema subcounty, displaced over a month ago, have finally been settled at the ACK Kiarithe church compound, relocating them from a nearby primary school, where they had initially sought shelter.

The 25 families were moved from their Musoso village, when their land started sinking as the area is prone to landslides that date back a decade.

The area Member of Parliament, Peter Kihungi, led the process of resettling the families in the newly renovated houses on the church grounds, in an event that was also graced by the Mining PS, Elijah Mwangi.

The houses that the landslide victims were settled in. Photo by Florence Kinyua

‘In 1917, the first landslide happened, and it left many casualties. In 2018, after 100 years, the ground started sinking and the people were moved, albeit shortly before reoccupying their land,’ he said.

A few months ago, the heavy rains we experienced triggered landslides, and the land started sinking again. We had to act first and move the people to safe grou
nd before a catastrophe struck,’ added the MP.

‘We thank the church for allowing us to move the victims here and to use their infrastructure, and we also thank the Department of Special Programmes for availing the provisions for these people like food, mattresses, jikos, and clothes,’ said the MP.

Kihungi noted that the victims will occupy that compound for six months as a geological survey is carried out by the Ministry of Mining, whose report will direct a plan for moving and settling them somewhere else permanently.

‘We will also engage the services of counsellors so that these families can go through counselling for their psychosocial support and restore their lives,’ he added.

One of the victims, 60-year-old Simon Irungu, thanked the government for relocating them and getting a shelter for them.

‘Our lives have been unbearable since we lost our source of livelihood when the land started sinking and the living conditions in the school were difficult, so having a two-bedroom house for my family is a w
elcome relief,’ said Irungu.

Irungu notes that the families lost over 1200 tea plants and thousands of coffee stems. The land started sinking in 2017, and we relocated temporarily before moving back there, only to lose our source of income.

On her part, Lucy Mwihaki Waweru, a mother of three, says that the living conditions at the school have deteriorated since schools reopened, but having some shelter in the church compound will give them some relief.

‘At the school, there was no privacy, but now we will be able to await a permanent solution, so that our lives can go back to normalcy,’ she said.

The residents called on the government to offer them a permanent solution.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Bomet County Committee Executive Member for Education and Vocational Training Agnes Ngeno has called for concerted efforts in the fight against drug abuse among learners and youths in general.

Ngeno said various drugs, including alcohol, bhang, and various forms of tobacco, have infiltrated society and that the youths were the major partakers of the same.

She said drugs have ripped off moral values in society, citing criminal activities and suicide as the main results of drug abuse.

She was speaking during the official opening of Winners Premier School in Kapkwen, Chepalungu Sub County, where she urged private schools and non-governmental organisations to play a key role in the fight against the menace.

The official said schools should ensure that they employ chaplains who will be responsible for inculcating moral values among the students.

‘Religious teachings are one of the ways in which the youths acquire moral values that they will then employ for the rest of their lives,’ she said.

At the same tim
e, the executive raised concerns over the rising cases of suicide among youths and children, saying some of them were as young as nine years old.

Further, she urged the government, through the National Government Administration, to beef up the crackdown against illicit brews, second-generation alcohol, and illegal drugs.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kirinyaga County Women Representative Jane Njeri Maina has launched a foundation that will help vulnerable pupils access quality education through scholarships.

The ‘Mama Na Kazi’ Foundation (MNK Foundation) is one of the pillars under the MP’s Tupange Kesho programmes, funded through the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) kitty.

The launch event, presided over by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, raised over Sh16 million towards the foundation that will be used to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on quality education, decent work, and economic growth among the residents of Kirinyaga County.

The DP praised the initiative, saying it is key to transforming the lives of many Kenyans, who are unable to access education or develop their individual talents.

Gachagua asked residents of the county to take advantage of good leadership and programmes by the Women Representative to change their fortunes.

‘I ask you, the people of Kirinyaga, to take note of the good work Njeri is d
oing for the orphans and vulnerable people who need help to make their lives better. That is the kind of leadership we want,’ said DP.

He further challenged MPs to focus on their mandate and channel their energies into serving the people who elected them into office. The event was held at Kutus Primary School, in Kirinyaga County.

On her part, Njeri thanked the Deputy President for gracing her event, saying the foundation seeks to make the lives of Kirinyaga residents better, adding that her aim is to ensure all eligible children have access to education so that in the long run they can attain economic growth.

‘We aim at creating a county, where every individual has access to education that nurtures their potential and where economic growth is inclusive and sustainable, leaving no one behind,’ Njeri said.

The MNK Foundation also facilitates skills development, supports entrepreneurship, and promotes gender equality and economic growth.

‘We want to forge partnerships with governments, NGOs, educational in
stitutions, businesses, and local communities to leverage collective expertise, resources, and networks and make the lives of our people better,’ she said.

‘We will embrace innovation and technology to develop scalable and sustainable solutions that address the evolving challenges in education and economic development,’ Njeri added.

The women representative revealed that so far, over 200 women groups in Kirinyaga have benefited from the NGAAF Kitty and that she seeks to ensure more are empowered going forward.

‘I have visited more than 200 villages to empower our women with funds from the NGAAF Kitty. More than 3,000 students have received bursaries. We have also disbursed Sh5 million to special needs students,’ she said.

‘Education is the greatest equalizer.’ I hope there comes a day when education will be free for all. I am a champion for that,’ she added.

Nandi Women Representative Cynthia Muge emphasised the role of education in society, especially among the women folk, more so as the opener to oppor
tunities in and outside the country.

The legislators present praised the initiative, promising to ensure budgetary allocation for education is increased for more enrolment of pupils in basic and tertiary education.

However, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, present at the function, said he will push to have one national bursary kitty to ensure equality and equity among the beneficiaries countrywide.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Government employees who use fake certificates for either employment or promotion will not be tolerated.

Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, while speaking in Nandi, expressed deep concern over the ballooning number of Kenyans who fraudulently use what he described as ‘River Road’ certificates while seeking employment.

Evelyn Cheluget, the new Director General, Directorate of Immigration Services. Photo by Geoffrey Satia

‘It pains that fake papers are found in education, the police department, civil servants, and many other government employing bodies,’ he said.

He revealed that some Nandi County area chiefs are under investigation for forging both academic and professional certificates to find their way into government payroll.

Koskei warned that chiefs or government employees who will be found culpable will be punished according to the law.

‘I think with this trend, we’ll be teaching our young generation the wrong paths to secure government jobs,’ he regretted.

The head of public service, however,
promised that the government is ensuring qualified people with genuine certificates are doing what they are specialised at.

Further, Koskei assured Kenyans that the taxes which they pay, including those proposed in the Finance Bill 2024, will be used prudently.

‘I assure you, no single shilling will be stolen,’ Koskei promised.

He said all civil servants, both in National and County Governments, government agencies, and bodies, are under firm instructions that government funds be spent solely as per the law.

‘As government, there is no tolerance to corruption; any coin from the taxpayer shall be used only for intended purposes,’ he added.

Koskei pleaded with Kenyans to focus on what their taxes will deliver in terms of education, roads, health, agriculture, and many other sectors, as the government is their trusted custodian.

He said the government was focusing on widening its tax base as it struggles to close its budget deficit, which now stands below Sh6 billion.

On the other hand, Koskei thanked Nan
di County Commissioner Caroline Nzwili and her National Government Administrative Officers team for considerably reducing the consumption of illicit brew and the management of drug abuse.

‘We’ll lose the entire young generation if we don’t work together to arrest this mess,’ Koskei insisted while appealing to all stakeholders in Nandi to work together in dealing with illicit brew and drug abuse.

Nandi Deputy Governor Yulita Mitei, who also addressed the same function, beseeched the locals to accept the current government’s efforts to raise more money through taxes as Kenya’s foreign debt ceiling closed.

Mosop Member of Parliament Abraham Kirwa, also present, asked Kenyans to read for themselves the Finance Bill 2024, as it has good intentions for the country as opposed to what is being spread on certain social media platforms.

The leaders were speaking at the African Inland Church in Sigot, Mosop Constituency, during a Thanksgiving ceremony following the nomination of Evelyn Cheluget as Director General,
Directorate of Immigration Services.

In attendance were MPs, Josses Kiptoo for Emgwen; Marianne Kitany, Aldai; and Tinderet’s Julius Meli. Prof. Julius Bitok, Principal Secretary, Immigration and Citizen Services, Nandi County Commissioner Caroline Nzwili, AIC clergy and a host of other local leaders were present.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The First Lady Rachael Ruto has underscored the urgent need for educational reforms in the country.

Speaking during the celebrations to mark the Day of the African Child at Mwatate Primary School in Taita Taveta County, Mrs. Ruto emphasised the transformative power of education and the need to embrace educational reforms for the benefit of Kenyan children.

Addressing the participants, who included government officials, parents, children, and other stakeholders, The First Lady highlighted Kenya’s significant strides in boosting education, including the recruitment of 30,000 additional teachers in 2023, a remarkable 272% increase from the 11,00 hired in the previous year.

She noted that this recruitment brought the total number of teachers employed lately to 41,000, a testament to the Kenya Kwanza government’s commitment to improving the quality of education.

‘Kenya has made significant strides in advancing child rights and welfare, particularly in ensuring that our children get access to education. We mus
t commend our government for the significant strides we have made towards achieving the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘Education for all Children in Africa: The Time is Now,’ as well as the impactful steps we have taken to improve the state of education nationwide.’ she said.

The First Lady Rachael Ruto is shown some literature materials about the Day of African Child at Mwatete Primary School, Taita Taveta County on Sunday June 16, 2024. Photo by Arnold Linga Masila

The president’s spouse also celebrated the inclusion of 1.8 million additional primary school children in the school meal programme, which she said had boosted the transition rate from primary to secondary school from 84.5% in 2022 to an impressive 91% in 2023.

She noted that these initiatives are crucial steps to ensuring that every child in Kenya has access to quality education.

At the same time, the government has increased access to computers in learning institutions in the country, under the Jitume Digital Hubs programme by the Minis
try of Information, Communications, and The Digital Economy, through the Konza Technopolis.

She stated that 83 Jitume Digital Hubs have been inaugurated, the latest being at Butere Girls High School in Kakamega County.

Additionally, the First Lady stated that the government recruited an additional 1300 trainers for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) in 2023, an increase of 22% from the initial 5833 trainers in 2022.

Besides, TVETs have since been allocated a Sh21 billion boost for tertiary higher education funding, while the Ministry of Education will receive an extra Sh28 billion increase in budgetary allocations for the 2024-2025 financial year.

‘The county governments and various stakeholders in the education sector have equally achieved additional milestones, all aimed at developing systems that provide high-quality and pertinent education across all institutions, guaranteeing that no child falls behind. We are still making strides to ensure that all our children have access to th
e same quality of education, infrastructure, and facilities. We support the 100% transition at all levels, ensuring that every child enjoys tertiary training to equip them with the skills they require for economic productivity,’ she said, adding that every child, regardless of their gender, social, economic background, or geographical location, has the right to a quality life.

Mrs. Ruto further stated, ‘We must protect our children from any threat of abuse. Let us leverage the toll-free National Child Helpline number 116 to report any cases of violence against children.’

Stressing the need to leverage technology to bring education to the most remote corners of our country, the First Lady urged stakeholders to foster partnerships with non-governmental organisations, the private sector, and international bodies to enhance educational infrastructure in the country.

On her part, National Chair of the National Council for Children Services Sophia Abdi Noor, commended the First Lady’s dedication, marking her pre
sence as a significant milestone.

She lauded Kenya’s legislative progress, particularly Article 53 of the Constitution and the Children’s Act of 2022, which address children’s rights comprehensively.

‘If we take Kenya, we have made a lot of progress in terms of the laws that are in place. I think in Africa, we lead the pack. In the Kenyan constitution, if you look at Article 53, the children’s issues have been holistically addressed. It has given children access to education, a basic necessity. It has also given the children the right to participate in any decision that affects them. It is nowhere else regionally,’ said Noor.

However, despite these advancements, Noor highlighted the persistent challenges facing Kenyan children, including food insecurity, inadequate shelter, and barriers to education.

‘Despite all this progress, children in Kenya are still facing challenges in terms of food, shelter, education, and violence against them, especially in early childhood marriages, child trafficking, female ge
nital mutilation, and physical, mental, and social-emotional problems affecting them, within even their homesteads,’ she said, adding that there is a need to consider children in the 2024-2025 budget.

‘We want you to support us, so that our voices are heard and the emerging challenges are addressed,’ she added.

The National Director for World Vision Kenya, Gilbert Kamanga, echoed the urgency of the day’s theme, praising the collaborative efforts of civil society organisations and the government in alleviating child suffering.

He emphasised the need for educational reforms that instill skills for integrity, accountability, resilience, and stewardship.

Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore’s message, delivered by Social Protection and Citizen Affairs PS Joseph Motari, reinforced the government’s commitment to supporting vulnerable children.

Motari detailed initiatives like the Inua Jamii programme, which is supporting 1.2 million households, and the Niche programme, which provides essential support to pregnant m
others and young children.

The Presidential Secondary School Bursary Fund, which benefits an average of 20,000 vulnerable children annually, was also highlighted as a key effort in enhancing educational access.

‘We are also building the capacity of the Directorate of Children’s Services to enhance its capacity to prevent counter-violent extremism and protect children against radicalization.

In the quest to realise the objectives of the care reform strategy, which seeks to promote family and committed best care for children, my ministry is also implementing the National Policy on Family Promotion and Protection, which includes the National Positive Financing Programme that seeks to promote the psychosocial and economic well-being of families,’ said Bore in her speech.

The ministry, through various agencies, continues to provide social protection and welfare services to children, while operationalizing the Children Act 2022 and reviewing key policies to enhance children’s rights in Kenya, she added.

The Co
unty Governor Andrew Mwadime commended the government for choosing Taita Taveta County as the venue for celebrating the Day of the African Child, stating that this was a boost as it will advance the advocacy for children’s rights in the region.

Mwadime stated that water scarcity in schools remained a major challenge, urging the government to consider the Mzima Phase II project, which, he said, will solve the water challenges being experienced in the county.

‘Remind the President because we’ve talked about it before, and he said he will put plans in place to ensure Mzima Phase II is completed, and we fully support that,’ said Mwadime.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) has commemorated the Day of the African Child to realise the rights of the African Child towards access to education in the country.

FAWE, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, has maintained that the Children Service Act was established for every child to have a right to free and compulsory education.

Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Deputy Director of Children Services Shem Nyakutu, said that other basic rights of a child are included in the Act so as to create an enabling environment for access to education, and it gives the state obligations concerning the wellbeing of children in accordance with the general rules of international law and treaties.

He noted that the legislation is non-discriminatory as far as age, gender, origin, and disability are concerned.

In a speech read on her behalf by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, State Department of Social Protection and Citizenship, Secretary for Children Services Sidney
Achia, the Deputy Director said that the commemoration day gives an opportunity to celebrate the realisation of the rights of the African child in line with the African Charter on the rights and welfare of the child.

Nyakutu noted that the commemoration remembers the bloody massacre meted on children 48 years ago in South Africa, where hundreds of children, who protested the introduction of Afrikaans as a medium of learning were massacred in 1976, starting on June 16th, for three days.

The medium of learning, according to Nyakutu, was construed to be a language of oppressors towards the majority black population, adding that its change meant that the black students were to focus more on learning the language than the subject material taught in schools.

‘The revolt was led by the children themselves and was out of their desire to have an education which was to be of benefit to them in the long run for Universal education, aptly known as Education for All,’ he established.

Nyakutu cited the children’s selfl
ess effort, which was made and continues to be made, not only for South Africa but for the continent as a whole and the diaspora all over the world, and that the Organisation of African Union (OAU) in 1991, now the African Union (AU), has recognised the date as the day of the African child for its member states.

‘The AU coordinates the events marking the day by assigning a theme that is relevant to the needs of the African Child with the goal of obtaining solutions to the concerns raised around the theme,’ explained Nyakutu, stressing that the Union based in Addis Ababa has targeted the educational aspect of children and has emphasised the ‘Education for All, Time is Now’ theme.

Further, the Deputy Director mentioned that the theme will give an opportunity to reflect on the status of education in various countries and beyond, in realising the goal since children make up the biggest segment of the populace.

Nyakutu announced that the Directorate of Children Service works hand in hand with both state and non
-state actors to deliver its mandate of protecting and safeguarding the rights and welfare of the child.

‘The Directorate of Children Services acknowledges the good relationship with the private sector and partners as an enabler in child protection endeavours and looks forward to strengthening the systems to realise the well-intended theme of this year,’ he remarked.

Speaking at the event, FAWE Secretary General (SG) Dr. Mary Gorreti disclosed that FAWE is located in 34 countries, Kenya being one of them, where it also champions gender equality, equity, and education.

The SG pointed out that believing is key to social change, and despite challenges, many children, especially girls, are still facing barriers including poverty, cultural practices, and gender-based violence, among others, yet there is still hope in resilience and community support.

‘We must commit to inclusive education that addresses social and cultural barriers and fosters an environment for holistic development for the children,’ urged Dr
. Gorreti.

Dr. Gorreti highlighted that FAWE programmes such as Imarisha Msichana are in 160 schools in Kenya spread across 20 counties and were implemented in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation to empower girls through different initiatives such as TUSEME clubs, community engagement, media training, policy review, and implementation in the country and beyond Africa.

She called on parents and all congregants to nurture, protect, and empower the African child since investing in children is investing in Africa’s future.

Source: Kenya News Agency