Category: General

Anglican Development Services (ADS)-Pwani in partnership with Kilifi County Government and Welt Hunger Hilfe (WHH) is implementing a climate change resiliency project aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change in the county.

The project named ‘Promoting Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience’ is implemented in Ganze Sub County, one of the most affected areas by the adverse climate change.

Speaking to the media during a stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday in Kilifi town, ADS Pwani’s Executive Director James Munga revealed that the project would spend over Sh120 million to help and empower 5,000 households through various programmes including provision of water and other necessities.

‘Ganze is one of the areas in Kilifi that has been repeatedly impacted by droughts and occasional floods. Despite these challenges, we believe that by empowering communities, we can enhance their resilience throughout all seasons,’ stated Munga.

Munga further revealed that the programme they would undertake includes the
construction and rehabilitation of water pans, enhancement of agricultural practices for both livestock and crop farming and provision of nutritional assistance to beneficiaries.

‘Water scarcity is a significant concern in Ganze; residents heavily rely on surface run-off water, necessitating long journeys for access. As part of this project, we aim to rehabilitate at least five water pans to bring water closer to the community,’ he explained.

‘We also intend to provide farmers with drought-tolerant seeds and train them in modern agricultural techniques suitable for producing such crops,’ he added.

Munga emphasized the close collaboration with relevant county government departments to ensure effective project implementation and technical support on the ground.

Kilifi County Director for Special Programs and Disaster Management Collins Mwahendo applauded the initiative, highlighting its significance to the county government’s efforts in supporting areas affected by severe climatic conditions.

‘We are pleas
ed to be part of this initiative and are ready to collaborate with ADS Pwani and other stakeholders to develop programmes that positively impact the people of Kilifi,’ remarked Mwahendo.

ADS Pwani also engaged the County Steering Group members to identify other organizations undertaking similar interventions in Ganze sub-county to avoid duplication of activities.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Over 1 100 cadet constables were recruited during the 2023/24 financial year as part of the Namibian Police’s effort to strengthen its policing capacity.

This was in addition to the six new police stations which were constructed at Tutaleni in Erongo Region; Onkumbula in the Oshikoto Region; Nkurenkuru and Namasira in Kavango West Region; Kamenga in the Zambezi Region as well as Omatako in Otjozondjupa Region, during the same period.

This was revealed by President Nangolo Mbumba during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday while noting that plans are also underway to recruit an additional 1 700 Cadet Constables during the 2024/25 Financial Year.

Mbumba said the government will continue to maintain a zero-tolerance stance against perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence and violence against children.

‘Let me strongly emphasise the need for visible police patrols, anti-crime operations and greater police presence on the ground, most particularly in crime hot spots in and around our cities and town
s. Furthermore, let me encourage the public to play an active role by holding hands with the law enforcement agencies in ensuring that our Namibian House is crime free,’ he expressed.

The president further noted that in an effort to ease the movement of people across the SADC region, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration and Safety and Security has also introduced the issuance of visas on arrival at several entry points, with the latest additions being Katima Mulilo, Impalila and Ngoma Border posts.

‘Furthermore, the Trans-Kalahari and Katima Mulilo border posts are now operating on a 24-hour basis, which has improved trade across borders as well as the movement of persons, resulting in reduced congestion at the two border posts.’

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Kenyans with children born with disability have been challenged not to hide them but enrol them in institutions that will help in their rehabilitation.

According to the National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya trustee, Prof Julia Ojiambo, it was disheartening that at this age, several people were still shying away from exposing their children with disabilities, choosing to instead lock them in doors.

She was speaking at St. Sylvester Anyiko special school for the intellectually challenged in Ugenya sub county Tuesday when she presided over the official opening of a twin dormitory that was constructed by the fund to the tune of Sh2,650,000/- and furnished by Safaricom foundation.

‘The government and churches have been in the forefront to advocate that in this age, there is no need for a parent of community to hide a child with disability,’ said Prof Ojiambo adding that as God’s creation, children living with disability deserved a chance.

She urged those with such children to seek assistance from relevant bo
dies who were always ready to come to the aid of people living with disability.

The head teacher of the school Lillian Luta hailed NFDK and Safaricom Foundation for the gesture, adding that previously, they could not admit more students due to lack of adequate dormitories.

She however appealed for more support from well-wishers to enable the school have water, adding that currently, the pupils were forced to draw water from boreholes outside the institution.

‘The nature of our learners is challenging and they need a caretaker to accompany them whenever they go out to draw water,’ she said adding that they would welcome assistance to drill a bore hole or even water tanks for rain water harvesting.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A 41-year-old man was on Tuesday arraigned in a Kenol court charged of theft of 745 pieces of pineapples.

Appearing before Resident Magistrate Jackinda Rennah, Peter Wakahia Kimani was charged that on March 11 at his home in Gikono village, Murang’a South, he was found with 745 stolen pineapples.

According to the facts tabled before the court by the Prosecutor, Ms. Odour, officers from Gikono police post while on foot patrol accompanied by the area Assistant Chief were informed that at the home of the accused, there was ongoing selling and buying of pineapples suspected to have been stolen from Delmonte Kenya Limited.

The officers proceeded to the home and found the pineapples concealed with a black polythene bag stored in a house used as a store.

Consequently, with the help of officers from Kenol police station, the accused was arrested.

Kimani pleaded guilty to the offence of theft of farm produce and in mitigation said he has children and pleaded with the court for clemency.

The court was further tol
d that the accused was a first offender.

The accused was sentenced on his own plea of guilty with the pre-sentencing date set for March 20,2024.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, has launched its 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, a policy blue print that will guide the Ministry to deliver its mandate in serving the citizenry and attaining their developmental aspirations.

The Strategic Plan, is also expected to address emerging issues and challenges, empower staff, partners and the public with adequate information, with which they can hold the Ministry accountable.

The Plan has identified seven key result areas namely; policy, legal and institutional frameworks, digital superhighway and telecommunications infrastructure, digital government services and products, universal access to information, business process outsourcing/ IT enabled services and local content development, governance, finance and human capital development, cyber security, data governance and emerging technologies.

Speaking during the launch of the document, Wednesday, at a Nairobi hotel, the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Information, Communications and the D
igital Economy, Eliud Owalo, expounded that the blue print and roadmap, will guide the Ministry in implementing its activities, projects and programmes for four years.

Owalo said the Strategic Plan formulated by the Ministry and key stakeholders in the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) sector ensured that key priority programmes and projects in the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), are implemented as planned.

‘This project and programmes are crucial towards eradicating poverty, creating jobs, increasing revenue collection, improving our foreign exchange balance for economic growth and development,’ he said.

‘This Strategy will establish a national addressing system, revitalize Postal Corporation of Kenya, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and the Kenya News Agency, as well as roll-out broadband connectivity, to the ward level,’ said Owalo.

The Strategy will also be used in the installation of free public WiFi, digitization of government services, strengthening of data protection a
nd enhancement of cybersecurity, besides setting targets for annual work plans, performance contracts and appraising staff performance.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to provide an enabling business environment that enhances access to information and a digitally enabled startups and investments by leading multinational technology companies during the 2023-2027 Medium Term period.

‘This Plan goes further by ensuring that the Ministry’s vision of an informed and digitally empowered Kenyan society is aligned to the government’s transformative agenda, Vision 2030, Sustainable Development Goals, Africa Agenda 2063 and other National government priorities,’ said the CS.

He said the Ministry has included the agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises economy, housing and settlement, healthcare and the digital superhighway and creative economy pillars in its Digital Economy Blueprint and the Digital Master Plan 2022-2032 priorities.

‘ICT sector in Kenya Vision 2030, is expected to contribute 10 p
ercent to Gross Domestic Product of the Kenyan Economy, as an enabler it has contributed immensely to improve e-government services, e-business, e-commerce, entrepreneurship a digital skill while enhancing market competitiveness of the country’s products and services,’ he added.

On resources, the CS said, the Ministry has a total resource requirement of over Sh. 456 billion against a projected budget of Sh. 168.3 billion, thereby, creating a resource gap of Sh. 287.5 billion over the period.

He, therefore, called upon the Ministry’s partners to assist in bridging the gap, to enable the ministry realize its goal of implementing the strategy plan.

The CS called on all staff in the ministry to embrace commitment and teamwork to enable the ministry achieve its mandate.

In his remarks, the Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Prof. Edward Kisiang’ani announced that the government has approved a new structure in the State Department of Broadcasting where it will have three positions of C
ommunication Secretaries.

Prof. Kisiang’ani said the government is committed to protect and revamp all its national institutions including learning institutions to enable the citizenry benefit from all government’s services and products.

‘The government’s policy is to help our national institutions to operate well, we will not allow hospitals, government and learning institutions to be destroyed,’ he stressed.

The PS said the government has adopted new methods of addressing challenges and will ensure through technology Kenyans will access electricity and internet in their homes.

Speaking at the event, the Principal Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy Eng. John Tanui said the Strategic Plan has prioritized the development of enabling infrastructure to ease the cost of doing business.

‘This plan will be a catalyst toward the future direction for the ICT sector, as well as spurring economic growth and transformation,’ he stated.

He also thanked the German Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale (GIZ) an
d other partners for supporting the Strategic Plan.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) announced that it will provide a cold chain facility to boost immunization coverage in Ethiopia.

This was disclosed while State Minister of Finance, Semereta Sewasew held discussion with GAVI’s Director of High Impact Countries Country Programmes Delivery, Tokunbo Oshin.

The discussion mainly highlighted co-financing requirements, the approved Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform (CCEOP), and financial accountability.

The two sides approved support to Ethiopia on the Cold Chain facility through which 18 million USD is expected to be provided by GAVI and 4 million USD is allocated as joint investment from the government in two years period.

On the occasion, Semereta affirmed that Ethiopia will remain consistent in terms of meeting the co-financing requirements to show the unwavering commitment of the government to invest on the implementation of the national immunization plan.

Moreover, she appreciated GAVI for its valuable supports in the health s
ector.

Tokunbo mentioned that Ethiopia is one of the priority countries in terms of vaccine and vaccine-related supports for the last two decades.

It has been honoring the co-financing obligation as required by GAVI for vaccine delivery and cash grants for immunization-related interventions in the country, he added.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

A Murang’a philanthropist, Nduta Mwaniki has said that equipping recovering alcoholics with vocational skills is a fundamental step in their fight against addiction.

Mwaniki who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dream Hub Foundation, speaking at Kangema vocational training centre said her organization has collaborated with the local vocational training centres where they continue to enroll several recovering alcoholics for artisan courses as a lifeline aiding in their recovery from addiction.

She noted that desperation resulting from unemployment and the high cost of living were some of the factors driving young Kenyans into alcohol and drug abuse and rehabilitating them without offering them a way of earning a livelihood often proved futile which led her to start collaborating with the local vocational training centres.

‘We noticed that there is a need to teach employability skills to the young men and women after rehabilitating them,’ Mwaniki said,

‘Dream Hub has collaborated with Gakoe, Mutitu, a
nd now Kangema vocational training centres where we employ more trainers for the students and provide food for them when they are in school.’ She added,

Ms. Mwaniki who explained that she has been at the forefront of the fight against alcoholism for over 25 years inspired by her own family’s struggle with the vice emphasized that equipping the youth with an income-generating skill is an important part of rehabilitation.

According to Mwaniki, 5000 recovering alcoholics in Murang’a have benefitted from free vocational training since she began this program.

‘I grew up in a family where my father and brothers were drunkards and this made me realize that something needs to be done about alcoholism.’ She said,

‘The many years of experience have taught me that having a skill or an income-generating venture plays a big part in enabling those recovering to stay sober.’ She added,

The CEO explained that they work closely with the local administration where they educate people against alcohol and drug abuse in thei
r public barazas.

‘Once we identify addicts, we offer counseling and rehabilitation before enrolling those successfully rehabilitated to the vocational training centres for skills that will help them earn a living.’ She said,

Mwaniki further explained that after completion of the training, the youths are empowered with equipment such as brick or cabro making machines for their startup businesses.

She urged the government and other well-wishers to revive more vocational training centres across the country and enroll many young people so that they can learn artisan skills saying this will go a long way in sustaining the strides made by the government in the fight against alcoholism.

Muguru Member of County Assembly, Moses Muchiri applauded the initiative to revive the vocational centres saying the artisan courses help youths earn a living and act as motivation for them to stay sober.

He applauded this rehabilitation program saying it teaches useful skills to many young people who need them but cannot affor
d them by themselves.

‘Currently this polytechnic has only 150 students but under the partnership with Dream Hub we target 500 more by the end of the month,’ he said,

The MCA said he will lobby for employing more trainers and also for funds to improve infrastructure in the institution hence improving the quality of education.

Faith Njoroge who is in charge of vocational training in Murang’a County, on her part explained that the county is keen on ensuring young people have income generating skills.

‘We have the first cohort of Murang’a Youth Service (MYS) who were employed to clean up local market centres and are currently undergoing vocational training in various vocational centres fully sponsored by the county government.’ Njoroge said,

Njoroge requested the youth to be flexible in career choices and embrace vocational training in order to learn skills after basic education instead of staying idle.

She said that there are currently 4031 students enrolled for regular courses in the various vocational t
raining centres across the county and 1040 students sponsored by MYS for short courses.

Samuel Mwangi, who is a community leader, applauded the government for banning third generation alcohol manufacturers and asked politicians to either keep off or support such initiatives by well-wishers instead of viewing them as competition.

He further called upon parents to encourage and support their children to join TVETs so as to encourage the youths to stay sober as productive members of the society.

Peter Kamathiro, one of the beneficiaries of the program and a recovering alcoholic, formed a group with other addicts and they formed a youth group that is now making a living through baking.

‘After rehabilitation, learning how to bake has given us a purpose, a reason to stay sober and we can also provide for our families.’ He said,

Kamathiro urged youths to stay away from alcohol and drugs and called upon the community and other well-wishers to help those already addicted through counselling and rehabilitation.

Source: Kenya News Agency

A section of farmers in Homa Bay county are delighted following the rolling out of an agricultural project aimed at enhancing climate resilience in crop production.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga said that the programme was being implemented through the support of the European Union (EU) in partnership with the Homa Bay County Government.

The programme encompasses agricultural production which reduces emission of carbon into the atmosphere through the use of organic fertilizers.

The Governor said over 3000 farmers have already begun to benefit from a package of farm inputs which includes seeds and organic fertilizers.

The beneficiaries access the farm inputs at subsidized prices in which they pay only a tenth of the total cost of the package.

Each package comprises maize, beans, sorghum, beans and fertilizers. The farmers hail from Ndhiwa and Rachuonyo North Sub-counties.

Wanga said that the fertilizers were distributed by dealers who have been approved by the programme implementers and research institu
tions.

She said already over 6000 farmers have been trained on climate-resilient agricultural practices through the programme.

Governor Wanga spoke today when she received a host of diplomats led by EU Ambassador to Kenya Henriette Geiger in her office.

The ambassadors in the entourage included Sebastian Groth (Germany), Arnaud Suquet (France), Christian Fellner (Austria), Miroslaw Gojdz (Poland) and Caroline Vicini (Sweden).

Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga expressed optimism that the programme will boost food production in the county.

He said the programme is going to encourage many farmers to participate in food production in the county due to the efficiency of the new technologies.

‘We are grateful as a county that over 3000 farmers are going to benefit from seeds and bio-fertilizers while 6000 others were going to benefit from capacity empowerment on climate-smart Agriculture,’ Magwanga said.

He appealed to the EU and other partners to include sweet potato production in Rachuonyo East Sub-county as
a value chain supported in the programme.

‘We have Rachuonyo East sub-county which produces sweet potatoes. I appeal to you to include sweet potato production in this programme,’ he said.

Geiger urged the farmers to utilize the programme to transform their lives.

‘The EU is planting a seed in you but it is up to you to utilize the seeds and make it profitable in a manner that can transform your lives,’ Geiger said.

She urged the youth in Kenya to embrace agriculture to improve food security.

‘We are making agriculture attractive to the youth through the introduction of new technologies which enables farmers to reap more from their sweat,’ she said.

She said the EU is committed to promoting the green economy through climate-resilient agricultural practices.

Source: Kenya News Agency