Category: General

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

Macadamia farmers have been cautioned over falling to traps of unscrupulous brokers who are defying the government’s directive on the set prices for the nuts.

Officials of the Nuts Traders Association of Kenya have claimed that some buyers were buying a kilo of macadamia nuts below Sh100 which was against the directive by the Ministry of Agriculture.

In November last year, the Ministry of Agriculture suspended Section 43 of Crops Act of 2013 thus allowing selling of raw macadamia nuts.

The suspension of the Act was aimed at increasing prices of the nuts which had gone down to about Sh20 per kilo.

One of the set conditions for the suspension of the law was to ensure a farm gate price for a kilo of macadamia was not below Sh100.

On Tuesday, while meeting macadamia farmers in parts of Kandara, the association’s chairman Johnson Kihara claimed that there were some brokers who were going against the directive of the government and offering prices below the set amount.

He said the price of macadamia has gone
up after lifting exportation of raw macadamia hence no farmer should be paid less than Sh100 per kilo.

‘I am warning all the brokers, especially those who supply macadamia factories, to stop taking advantage of the farmers. They should not buy macadamia at prices which disadvantage the farmers. I have talked to macadamia farmers in several counties and they have all agreed that they shall not be selling their produce to brokers at lower prices,’ said Kihara.

The chairman further said suspension of Section 43 of the Crops Act 2013 for one year may not have a lasting solution in the sector saying the law should be repealed.

He noted that countries especially from the Far East considered buying raw macadamia since they got more value than buying already processed macadamia.

‘Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi should know that Section 43 of Crops Act 2013 oppresses the farmer, and we urge this law to be done away with and allow the exportation of raw macadamia. The suspension of the law is just a short-term relie
f,’ he remarked.

Echoing his words, Murang’a CEC for Trade, Industrialization, and Tourism Paul Kimani Mugo noted repealing of the law would enable the farmers to sell their produce at a competitive price in the international markets thus reducing the oppression by unscrupulous brokers.

‘Murang’a county administration is in agreement with farmers requesting the national government to intervene on Section 43 of the Crops Act 2013 so that we can liberalize the macadamia industry, such that the farmer can sell their produce at a competitive price,’ he said.

To protect farmers from unscrupulous brokers, the leaders called on the County government to support the farmers by building for them macadamia dryers.

According to the chairman of the Kariua Cooperative Society Julius Mwangi, the dryers would add value to their produce and double the price for a kilo of the nuts, while also creating employment for the youths in Murang’a.

‘To double the price of a kilo of macadamia to Sh200, the County government should
establish dryers so that value addition can be done there. This will not only benefit the farmers but also reduce the unemployment in the county,’ said Mwangi.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The European Union (EU) Ambassador, Mrs Henriette Geiger, has said that the EU-funded One- Stop- Border- Post at Isebania-Sirare towns along the Kenya- Tanzania Borders, will ease trade among the East Africa Community (EAC) Member States.

Geiger who paid a courtesy call to the Migori Governor, Ochilo Ayacko, Tuesday, accompanied by the Austria, Germany, Sweden and Poland Ambassadors to Kenya, encouraged the East Africa Community to emulate the European Union bloc, to strengthen the economic aspect of individual counties, to foster peace, unity and enhance free trade and movement of EAC people.

The EU Ambassador applauded the EAC efforts in the integration process, noting that the bloc was a union to recon with in relations to existing regional partnerships in Africa.

Geiger added that the free trade and economic partnership agreements between the European Union and Kenya, will enhance the trade through the duty-free access to goods and services, between Kenya and the EU.

She confirmed the EU’s position to
strengthen co-operation directly with the counties, to ensure that the services of the government benefit individuals at the lowest levels.

Migori Governor, Ochilo Ayacko, who welcomed the EU delegation at his office, said that the Union has been involved in numerous projects in sectors of agriculture, trade and environment.

Ochilo affirmed that the signed co-operation agreement between the National government and the EU, will help counties to actualise, develop and explore huge opportunities, within the country.

Ochilo noted that Migori has continued benefiting from the EU support in areas of agriculture, blue economy and fishery, with an intention to partner further in climate change and climate-smart agriculture.

He added that the support by the EU to help in East Africa Community (EAC) integration through the One- Stop- Border- Post, will benefit Migori County due to its proximity with Tanzania and Uganda.

He applauded the EU’s commitment to supporting the Kenyan devolution as an avenue to expand dem
ocracy and taking services closer to people.

EU has supported several development projects in the County, with the most notable one being the completion of Sh117 million potato processing plant at Getonganya in Kuria West Sub- County.

Source: Kenya News Agency

WINDHOEK: The Namibian Police in the Khomas Region are investigating a case of robbery with aggravating circumstances, after suspected robbers stole N.dollars 789 707 from the Monte Christo service station in Windhoek on Tuesday.

According to police spokesperson Chief Inspector Elifas Kuwinga, three suspects entered the service station and pointed a firearm at the cashiers before proceeding to enter the manager’s office and grabbing three cash boxes. The boxes, he said, were prepared for pick up by the G4S security company, for banking purposes.

‘The suspects got into a blue Mazda Demio vehicle and sped off with the cash in the amount of N.dollars 789 707. The fourth suspect is the driver who remained in the car,’ Kuwinga said.

No arrests have been made yet as the suspects are unknown. Investigations into the matter are ongoing and no recoveries are made.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The Lower Nzoia irrigation project will inject over Sh.5 billion into the economy once fully actualized, the Principal Secretary for Irrigation, Ephantus Kimotho has said.

Kimotho said that the multibillion project, that is nearing completion, will put 10,000 acres under rice production in Siaya and Busia Counties hence helping to reduce rice deficit in the Country.

He was speaking in Siaya Town on Tuesday when, together with his trade counterpart, Alfred Kombudo and World Bank officials paid a courtesy call on Siaya Governor, James Orengo.

Kimotho said that the Lower Nzoia Irrigation project was expected to produce 56,000 metric tonnes of rice.

‘This will help reduce the Country’s rice deficit that stands at 700,000 metric tonnes’ he said.

The PS called on the County Government of Siaya to establish the County irrigation development unit which, he added, will offer essential services to farmers.

The Principal Secretary for Trade, Alfred Kombudo said his Ministry was keen to ensure that markets work cor
rectly so that farmers who will venture into rice and high value crops production can realize profits.

‘We are keen to use instruments within the Ministry of Trade and the finance and production cluster to ensure we work with better aggregation of produce, better storage to reduce post-harvest loses and better connection to markets through commodities exchange and warehouse receipt systems to benefit our farmers,’ said Kombudo.

Siaya Governor, James Orengo hailed the National Government for its commitment to the successful completion of the project.

Orengo said that the region had for a long time not had a project of that magnitude in the agricultural sector.

The Governor said that his government will support initiatives aimed at expanding the acreage under rice production, adding that the construction of a rice mill by the County Government of Siaya was almost complete in Usonga Ward.

He expressed hope that the second phase of the Lower Nzoia Irrigation project will kick off immediately the first phase
is finalized early next year.

Source: Kenya News Agency