Day: June 21, 2024

Underit Youth Group, an implementing partner of USAID through the Electoral Conflict Mitigation and Civic Voter Education Support (ECCES) program has partnered with Nandi South Sub County registration bureau to register youths for national Identity Cards in a bid to enhance their participation in democratic processes.

The group, which has been running this project for a period of two years in the Aldai constituency, has been supporting the youths and women in democratic processes as a way to make them take part in such processes and therefore ensure their issues are well addressed.

Speaking during their fourth registration session held at Koyo Ndurio Chief’s office grounds, Underit Youth Group (UYG) coordinator Jacob Sanga divulged that while carrying out their ECCES program they realized that a greater percentage of women and youths in rural areas do not take part in governance issues due to lack of National Identity cards.

Sanga noted that during their assessment they discovered that many married women
in rural areas had no Identity cards, adding that cases of late registration were also rampant in rural areas, the more reason they came up with the program of partnering with the registration bureau to bring services close to them.

‘Today we mark a milestone in terms of supporting the youths. We have been moving to villages where people lack access to these services to support women and youth participation in governance issues.

However, we realised that some youths have not realised the importance of having vital documents like the Identity Cards,’ noted the coordinator, adding that there is still need to support communities in rural areas to access such services to ensure majority of youths and women take part in democratic processes.

Nandi South Sub County registrar of persons Josphat Musuli observed that an Identity card is an essential document that is required in several fields among them when seeking for a loan, jobs, businesses opening bank accounts, and even security purposes.

Musuli lauded UYG f
or their support in initiating a mobile registration revealing that through that program the sub-county office had managed to reach more people especially the youths and women who underrate such an essential document.

‘Registration of persons is the work of the national registration bureau, however, due to financial constraints we are unable to take our services to the interior villages. As an office we commend UYG for their partnership,’ pointed out Musuli, adding that for those applying for the first time, a person is required to pay Sh300 for replacements, Sh1000 for change of particulars Sh1000 and for searches for those who do not have their ID numbers Sh1000.

UYG project officer, Francis Ng’eny observed that most people ignore the idea of acquiring national identity cards on time due to the distance, where the services are offered, which poses a financial challenge to them.

‘In our mobile sessions in the rural areas we have managed to register 441 people in this sub County as of today,’ pointed Ng’en
y, adding that according to most youths and women, they find it expensive to travel to and from the sub County headquarters or Huduma centers at the County Headquarters, where the services are offered.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Wajir County Inter-Ministerial Policy Steering Committee met Thursday, under the guidance of the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) in a move towards addressing population and development issues.

Moses Auma, the NCPD Regional Population Coordinator for North Eastern, highlighted the recent launch of the National Population Policy Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2023, which will guide population and development efforts for the next decade.

He said that the policy underscores the importance of each county having an inter-ministerial policy steering committee to address pressing population issues and advise county governments accordingly.

‘These committees play a critical role in linking the national and county governments on population matters,’ said Auma.

‘Our role at NCPD is to convene these committees so that members can deliberate, decide, and agree on key priority areas that both state and non-state partners can implement over a given period,’ he said.

The meeting in Wajir focused on
identifying and prioritizing the key population issues that will be addressed in the upcoming fiscal year 2024/25.

The discussions were thorough, and several critical issues were highlighted, including insecurity, illiteracy, high fertility rates, female genital mutilation (FGM) practices, early marriages, and teenage pregnancies.

Auma emphasized the urgency of tackling these problems, particularly the practices of early marriages and teenage pregnancies.

‘These issues jeopardize the quality of our future generations,’ he warned. ‘Young girls who should be in school are instead being married off and becoming mothers. As an organization, we are deeply concerned,’ he added.

He also reiterated the sentiments of NCPD’s Director General, Dr. Mohamed Said, on the importance of investing in young girls.

‘Empowering a girl is like empowering the whole community,’ Auma quoted Dr. Said, adding it is vital that we safeguard the future by investing in these young women.

The inter-ministerial committee’s efforts are
expected to foster substantial improvements in the county’s development and population quality, ensuring a better future for the upcoming generations.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of the 2007/2008 post-election violence from Nyanza and Western regions have urged the government to fast-track the payment of their compensation

Led by the Kisii County Coordinator for IDPs Mr. James Oroo, the victims called for close collaboration with the government to ensure everyone who was affected by the clashes benefit from the stipends.

The Coordinator lauded the President for promoting national unity and shunning tribal alliances adding that they were optimistic the exercise will be transparent under his leadership.

He was speaking during the remembrance of persons who were injured, displaced and killed in the clashes as part of marking the World Refugees Day at Riana market in Kisii South Sub County.

Simon Atandi, one of the victims who was working on a tea farm in Sotik, Kericho County recalled how he was attacked on his way to work and lost both arms during the post-election violence.

‘I met six armed persons who tortured me with arrows and knives and end
ed up chopping off my arms, and hitting my head leaving me unconscious, ‘ he said.

Atandi pleaded with the government to help him acquire artificial hands that would help him carry out his duties without depending on his spouse who supports him with the same.

On her part, Hannah Nyaosi who was displaced from her home in Molo, Nakuru County, noted that those who accommodated them after being displaced have become impatient and they needed compensation so that they be independent.

Thomas Chacha, another victim whose business was destroyed in Molo and two children said the stipend would improve his livelihood as he has been surviving with an artificial leg, making him unable to carry out heavy tasks.

Chacha urged the Coordinator to remain resilient and continue fighting for their rights because they are ready to support him.

This comes after the passing of Public Petition No. 6 of 2022 regarding the compensation of Nyanza Western IDPs Caucus that was tabled by Seme MP James Nyikal in Parliament.

Source: K
enya News Agency