Month: July 2024

The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) has advised Imams to deliver sermons on peace and make a special prayer for the country to have peace.

CIPK Chairman Sheikh Abdalla Ateka commiserated with families that lost their loved ones in the nationwide protests that were initiated by Gen Z.

‘I appeal to all Imams in the towns and villages on Friday to deliver sermons on the importance of peace and loving the country. They should make a special prayer for the country to have peace,’ said Sheikh Ateka at the CIPK Mombasa office.

The clerics condemned the destruction of property witnessed in Tuesday’s protests. They urged the youth to halt the protests and heed the President’s call for dialogue for the country to have peace and business to thrive.

‘We can’t blame the Gen Z. They had a message to pass and they delivered it well but what we are seeing now we are heading in the wrong direction. Gen Z started well but criminals have hijacked the protests,’ said Sheikh Ateka.

‘We are witnessing wanton de
struction of properties, burning of vehicles, and theft,’ he added.

Ateka said the country should take a cue from countries that had similar protests that ended with anarchy.

‘Let’s shun tribalism, fueling the protests and destruction of properties of innocent citizens, especially in Mombasa which is known to be a haven of peace,’ encouraged the CIPK Chairman.

On his part, CIPK Organizing Secretary Sheikh Mohamed Khalifa said the bone of contention was the Finance Bill, 2024 and since the Head of State declined to append his signature the youth should stop the protests that have been hijacked by criminals to avert loss of more lives and destruction of properties.

‘On Tuesday learners were out of school, the transport sector was paralyzed and businesses were affected.

The way you saved Kenya from the Finance bill, now we want you to save the country by halting the protests which will in turn prevent criminals from carrying out atrocities,’ Sheikh Khalifa appealed to the youths.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Haki Yetu Organisation is calling on the government to strengthen policies within the proposed Older Persons Bill 2024 to better support the welfare of older individuals in society.

In a press briefing during a public participation forum on the bill held in Kilifi, Haki Yetu Executive Director Peter Kiama voiced his dissatisfaction with the current level of public involvement.

He criticised the decision to have the forum at the county headquarters instead of at the grassroots level, where elderly residents are often subjected to abuse.

‘We welcome the government’s initiative to come to Kilifi to provide a space for public participation but it should have been held in the rural areas where most elderly people live and are greatly abused instead of here at the county headquarters,’ he said.

Kiama highlighted the organisation’s alarming findings, documenting the deaths of 138 senior citizens in Kilifi and 22 in Kwale between 2020 and 2022, adding that within the past week, three elderly individuals were repo
rted killed in Ganze and Rabai sub-counties.

He emphasised the need for the care of elderly persons to become a devolved function, allowing county governments to more effectively address their needs, including the distribution of monthly allowances.

‘Currently the Ministry of Social Protection is issuing 2,000 Shillings every month to elderly persons across the country. We do believe that it should be the responsibility of the county government to facilitate the disbursement,’ Kiama remarked.

He also stressed the importance of the Bill acknowledging African cultural traditions in caring for the elderly, noting that institutionalising them in old age homes goes against the cultural norms.

Haki Yetu Programme Coordinator Julius Wanyama supported Kiama’s views, pointing out the government’s lack of comprehensive measures to ensure the welfare and safety of older persons.

‘From the cases that we have observed here, it is clear that the government still does not have an elaborate way of effectively looking af
ter the welfare and safety of older persons,’ Wanyama noted.

He mentioned the collaboration between Haki Yetu and the justice system to develop the Alternative Justice System, aimed at better handling elder abuse cases.

Wanyama expressed frustration with the police service’s failure to deliver justice for abused older persons, citing issues such as the non-arrest of perpetrators and the failure to bring witnesses to court, which have led to many cases stalling or being dismissed.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Coffee drawn from various societies and estates on Wednesday netted Sh619 million at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) as the auction took a three-week recess.

The auction witnessed an increase of volume traded where 19, 031 bags of coffee were sold as compared to 10, 737 bags that were auctioned last week.

A total of 9, 240 bags of premier grades of AA and AB representing 48 percent of total volume auctioned, earned farmers Sh439 million.

Alliance Berries limited led seven other agents by trading the highest volume of coffee amounting to 9,456 bags earning Sh299.7 million.

New KPCU traded 3,101 bags followed by Minnesota Coffee Marketers Ltd which sold 2,093 bags and Kipkelion Broker Company sold 1,097 bags.

Maganjo factory of Nyeri County earned the highest price after selling a bag of grade AA at Sh41, 728.

The factory which is part of Ramukia coffee had 39 bags of grade AA which was presented for auction by the New KPCU.

New Mitaboni factory got the second best price after netting Sh38,678 per bag
of grade AA while Gathaithi factory earned Sh37, 779 per bag of the premier grade.

In the category of buyers, Ibero Kenya limited led other 21 buyers drawn locally and internationally by purchasing 5,395 bags of coffee at Sh172.7 million.

Kenyacof limited bought 3,216 bags of coffee at Sh98.5 million, while C.Dorman Ltd purchased 2, 123 bags at Sh79.5 million.

Other buyers including Louis Dreyfus Ltd bought 2, 478 bags at Sh76.45 million, Taylor Winch Coffee Company purchased 1, 732 bags at Sh67 million and Sasini Limited spent Sh39. 8 million for 1, 328 bags.

NCE chief executive officer Lisper Ndungu said the auction was shifted from Tuesday to yesterday due to the Gen Z anti-government protests that were witnessed in some parts of the country.

She noted that the auction was done successfully saying the average price for a kilo of cherry was Sh80 and Sh26, 214 per bag of 50 kilos.

Ndung’u called upon cooperative societies to make plans and pay farmers without delay saying the auction has proceeded for
a three-week recess and is expected to resume on August 6.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kiambu County Government has devised a new strategy for opening up rural and feeder access roads, which has reduced the cost of construction and enhanced efficiency.

The administration has assembled specialised road construction units that comprise dozens of county-owned graders, roller compactors, trucks, water bowsers, and excavators.

These have been instrumental in opening up new roads and undertaking routine maintenance on feeder roads at significantly reduced costs.

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi announced that Rural Access Roads Rehabilitation Programme Road construction units aims to enhance the region’s infrastructure while optimising resource allocation.

‘The use of county-owned equipment has resulted in substantial cost savings, enabling more extensive and frequent road maintenance and construction efforts,’ he said.

He explained that three (3) km road project that was costing Sh 6 million is now costing Sh400, 000.

‘Previously, the works would be allocated to contractors and the excess fund
s would be shared among some county officials, leaders, and brokers. That’s why there is an outcry from the disgruntled cartels and their minders who thought I would allow the pattern to continue,’ he quipped

Wamatangi noted that since he took office in August 2022, the Department of Roads, Transport, Public Works and Utilities has opened up and rehabilitated over 700 rural access roads in 40 out of the 60 wards at a rate of four wards per week

‘So far, we have graded over 700 rural access roads in various wards, and excavation of murram in public quarries has kicked off in public quarries in Juja, Ruiru, Kabete, Ngoliba and Thika and Limuru sub-counties’, he added.

He added, ‘We are also sourcing for other sites in Githunguri, Lari, and Kikuyu. I intend to make all the areas accessible by the next of the year before moving to the next phase of tarmacking. I have an elaborate plan to source funding for that,’ he added.

The Governor noted that corruption was a major concern in the roads department, for ins
tance the government may have paid over Sh900 million for road rehabilitation and maintenance works during the previous regime, while a senior officer admitted that the genuine contracts only totaled Sh175 million for all the works.

‘That could have been a Sh800 million loss in one year by a single department. But what we have adopted has eliminated brokers and other dealers because all we have to do is deploy our equipment operated by our staff. The extra cost we are incurring is for just fueling and the necessary allowances,’ he added.

County Executive Committee Member in the Department of Roads, Transport, Public Works and uutilities Mburu Kange said the County is working on assembling road construction units in each of the 12 sub-counties that will include monitoring and evaluating the workmanship for maximum output.

‘With such an arrangement, we will have work continue in all the wards throughout the year. It will enhance service delivery,’ Kange said.

Under the Governors’ leadership, the devolved go
vernment remains committed to improving transportation infrastructure, ensuring better connectivity and accessibility for residents and businesses.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Security teams from Kitui and Tana River have called upon residents living along the porous border of the two counties to co-exist peacefully and end perennial violent conflict.

The two county security teams convened a day-long meeting in the wake of a border dispute arising from a site earmarked for construction of a border police station at a location in Bangale ward, Bura constituency in Tana River.

A section of Tana River County residents and majorly at Bangale ward which borders Mwingi East Constituency, stopped construction of the said border police station at the earmarked point, until a survey is done to establish official border points dividing the two counties.

County Commissioners Jepchumba Rutto of Kitui and David Koskey of Tana River, while addressing the residents of Bangale during the meeting, appealed to them to allow the construction of the border police station irrespective of the earmarked border area for its construction.

The two administrators reiterated that the border police station
is meant to provide the much-needed security services to all border communities in the two counties, emphasizing that the government is committed towards helping residents of both counties and wants the communities to co-exist peacefully.

Both County Commissioners advocated for the construction of the border police station at the area noting that security officers from both counties would continue to work closely to ensure there is a lasting peace.

‘We are working together as security agents from both counties as well as collaborating with the two county governments to ensure there is peace and stability at the border,’ Kitui County Commissioner Mr Jepchumba Rutto said.

The disputed construction of a police station at the Bangale border area is one of the eight border police stations, currently under construction and funded by Kitui County government in conjunction with the national government in efforts to restore peace among the border communities.

County Commissioner Rutto also condemned the murder of
two residents in the Mwingi North Constituency last month.

He said the two were shot dead by armed herders from Tana River county who had crossed over to Kitui county in search of pasture.

Residents present during the meeting, admitted witnessing boundary conflicts, including violence resulting in fatalities and cattle rustling activities that have deeply affected residents in both counties.

The two administrators called for the formation of border peace committees comprising representatives from both Bura and Mwingi East Constituencies to foster dialogue, mediate disputes, and promote sustainable solutions to outstanding grievances, thereby pave way for peaceful coexistence and development in the border areas.

Tana River County Commissioner David Koskey, issued a stern warning that any illegally armed herder involved in causing insecurity within the borders of the two counties will face the full wrath of the law once caught.

Historically, recurrent conflicts have been witnessed between the farmers in Ki
tui county and armed herders from neighbouring border counties including Garissa and Tana River.

Communities living along the border in Tana River have been crossing over into Kitui county in search of pasture and water leading to conflicts and scores of deaths hence the need to address the biting insecurity menace along the county borders.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Two suspects including a police officer on Wednesday charged before a Naivasha court with being in illegal possession and trafficking of elephant tusks worth sh. 2.9 million.

The two, Dismus Omari Mongari, a police officer attached at Suswa station and Dennis Okinda Atuke were arrested by officers from Kenya Wildlife Service acting on intelligence at Governors area in Mai Mahiu in possession of 20 pieces of ivory weighing 29 kg which was being transported from Suswa to Nairobi.

According to Naivasha KWS Senior Warden Francis Mutuku, the two were intercepted by an anti-poaching police unit while awaiting to board a Matatu to Nairobi with the tusks starched in polythene carrier bags.

The accused, who appeared before Naivasha Principal Magistrate Abdulqudir Ramadan were charged with possessing and trafficking elephant tusks, classified as an endangered species needing special protection, without a permit from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The two pleaded not guilty to the charges against them an
d were released on a bond of sh. One million each pending the next hearing date scheduled for July 16, this year.

If found guilty, the two risk heaving penalties and lengthy jail terms thanks to the overhauled Kenya Wildlife Conservation Act of 2013 which stimulates a maximum fine of Sh. 20 million or life imprisonment for perpetrators.

The Act classifies the African Elephant as an endangered species due to poaching which threatened its existence with Kenya having led the ban on game hunting to contain the vice.

Mutuku had earlier in a press release decried increased cases of poaching activities in the area with Naivasha – Nakuru and Narok Mai Mahiu highways being the major trafficking routes.

According to data from (KWS), although the country has strengthened its anti-poaching laws to curb the menace, some unscrupulous traders have continued to target these endangered species for tusks and game meat.

The Senior Warden committed to strengthening surveillance systems in the area to unearth the web of crim
inals that risks diminishing the numerous gains in the fight against poaching and trafficking of wildlife trophies that have won the country accolades.

KWS statistics also show that in the 1970s to early 80s, Kenya’s elephant population was estimated at 170,000 individuals which sharply declined to 16,000 elephants by the end of 1989 due to worldwide demand for ivory.

Thanks to the government’s continued interventions through legal and policy measures, the declining trend has been reversed resulting in the national elephant population increasing by more than five per cent to the current population of 36,000 by August last year.

To steer clear in the war on poaching, former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2016 led the setting ablaze of more than 100 tons of ivory and rhino horns that had been apprehended from poachers in various parts of the country in Nairobi National Park.

Source: Kenya News Agency