Category: General

Lokichogio – Turkana County commemorated World Disability Day in Lokichogio Sub-County, emphasizing the importance of registering people living with disabilities in an ongoing mapping exercise. The event, focused on integration and sustainable development for persons with disabilities, was presided over by Moses Korea, Chief Officer for Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Social Protection.

According to Kenya News Agency, the theme for this year’s celebration, ‘United in action to rescue and achieve the sustainable development goals for, with, and by persons with disabilities,’ aligns with the county’s efforts to gather data to enhance the provision of assistive devices. He encouraged individuals with disabilities to participate in the mapping exercise to improve service delivery. The event offered various services, including general medical reviews and eye check-ups, building on the success of last year’s event in Turkana North.

Korea reaffirmed the county’s commitment to implementing the Turkana County Disability Act (2017) and highlighted proposed amendments to the Act aimed at opening funding opportunities for the sector. He noted the establishment and operationalization of the County Disability Board and the assessment of persons with disabilities for inclusion in livelihood safety net programs as key achievements.

Daniel Epuyo, Member of the National Assembly for Turkana West, commended the county administration for forming an inclusive disability board dedicated to transformative programs for people with disabilities. Mark Amiyo, Director for Social Protection, acknowledged the vital contribution of partners in supporting the event and activities for people with disabilities across Turkana. He mentioned their role in facilitating participation in sporting events during the Turkana Cultural Festival and NONDO in Isiolo.

The event was attended by various dignitaries, including Lucas Lokusi, Member of the County Disability Board; Amos Ariong, Assistant Director of the Social Protection Department; Benson Ebei, Head of the Turkana Office of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD); Concepta Longole, Head of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitative Health; and Esther Tokusi, Social Protection Officer for Turkana West.

Windhoek – A 29-year-old man was taken into custody on Monday following the death of a 35-year-old woman, after a post-mortem examination revealed she had been raped and murdered. The incident occurred at Ignatius Loyola Street in Katutura, Windhoek.

According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), spokesperson for the Namibian Police Force, the victim, identified as Eveline Gariseb, and the suspect were drinking at her house before moving to his home. “The deceased was reportedly picked up by her male friend, and they had drinks at his room before going to sleep,” Muronga explained. Initial reports indicated that the suspect found Gariseb unresponsive the next morning and alerted the landlord, who then called an ambulance. The subsequent police update on Tuesday confirmed that the post-mortem concluded Gariseb was raped and strangled to death, with internal neck injuries evident.

The suspect now faces charges of murder and rape and is being held at the Katutura Police Station. The police are continuing their investigation into the case.

Murang’a, Kenya – The 10 tea factories in Murang’a County are now poised to sign management agreements with the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), marking a significant step in the tea industry’s reform process. This development follows the successful conclusion of negotiations between the factory directors and KTDA, which addressed concerns regarding proposed reforms in the new management agreements.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) Director for the Mt Kenya region, the agreement signing was postponed for nearly seven months to allow thorough discussions on the new reforms. The negotiations were initiated after the tea factories in Murang’a County rejected certain reforms stipulated in the initial management agreement draft. Key among the factory directors’ demands was to retain control over financial matters, leaving KTDA with the responsibility of managing staff and the processing of green leaf.

During the Annual General Meeting at Kiru Factory in Mathioya, Kirigwi announced that the directors representing Murang’a tea factories are ready to enter into a memorandum of understanding with KTDA, having resolved their initial reservations. He highlighted that all 19 tea factories west of the Rift had already signed the agreement in April. Kirigwi also commended Kiru factory chairman Chege Kirundi for his role in advocating for tea reforms and demanding negotiations for better deals for farmers and factories from KTDA.

Further, Kirigwi addressed the issue of the increasing trend of hawking green leaf in tea-growing zones, noting TBK’s commitment to tackling this challenge. He explained that hawking undermines the capacity at which tea factories operate and detailed measures to counteract this practice. Among these is the mandatory installation of trackers on vehicles transporting green leaf, which will be monitored by both the regulatory body and police. This measure is intended to streamline the tea industry and curb the activities of unauthorized merchants.

Kirigwi also revealed that TBK is investigating three firms suspected of being behind the hawking of green leaf. He emphasized the importance of every factory, before receiving a license, declaring its affiliated farmers and the expected quantity of green leaf supply. He expressed concern over the widespread issue of tea hawking, citing reduced production in factories due to this practice. The TBK Director further stated that the installation of car trackers would assist in identifying and addressing disruptions in the tea sector caused by external players.

Additionally, TBK has mandated tea factories to submit a list of their farmers to the regulator and to conduct regular inspections of weighing scales at tea buying centers, aiming to prevent corruption and protect the interests of tea growers.

Lokichogio – Turkana County commemorated World Disability Day in Lokichogio Sub-County, emphasizing the importance of registering people living with disabilities in an ongoing mapping exercise. The event, focused on integration and sustainable development for persons with disabilities, was presided over by Moses Korea, Chief Officer for Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Social Protection.

According to Kenya News Agency, the theme for this year’s celebration, ‘United in action to rescue and achieve the sustainable development goals for, with, and by persons with disabilities,’ aligns with the county’s efforts to gather data to enhance the provision of assistive devices. He encouraged individuals with disabilities to participate in the mapping exercise to improve service delivery. The event offered various services, including general medical reviews and eye check-ups, building on the success of last year’s event in Turkana North.

Korea reaffirmed the county’s commitment to implementing the Turkana County Disability Act (2017) and highlighted proposed amendments to the Act aimed at opening funding opportunities for the sector. He noted the establishment and operationalization of the County Disability Board and the assessment of persons with disabilities for inclusion in livelihood safety net programs as key achievements.

Daniel Epuyo, Member of the National Assembly for Turkana West, commended the county administration for forming an inclusive disability board dedicated to transformative programs for people with disabilities. Mark Amiyo, Director for Social Protection, acknowledged the vital contribution of partners in supporting the event and activities for people with disabilities across Turkana. He mentioned their role in facilitating participation in sporting events during the Turkana Cultural Festival and NONDO in Isiolo.

The event was attended by various dignitaries, including Lucas Lokusi, Member of the County Disability Board; Amos Ariong, Assistant Director of the Social Protection Department; Benson Ebei, Head of the Turkana Office of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD); Concepta Longole, Head of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitative Health; and Esther Tokusi, Social Protection Officer for Turkana West.

Turkana – The Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council (KENTTEC), in collaboration with the Turkana County Government, has initiated a campaign to control tsetse flies and trypanosomiasis. This preventive measure is particularly crucial due to the risk of these insects migrating from Uganda to Kenya.

According to Kenya News Agency, The initiative, led by Isaiah Ndaburu Kiteto, Director for Surveillance and Control at KENTTEC, along with the County Directorate of Veterinary Services, responds to concerns raised by residents of Turkana West and Loima sub-counties who have been significantly affected by tsetse flies. The team is engaged in screening livestock for trypanosomiasis (Nagana), treating positive cases, and deploying traps in areas like Lokiriama, Urum, Oropoi, and Natiira to monitor the presence of tsetse flies.

The control method involves livestock spraying, with supplies provided by both the Turkana County Government and KENTTEC. Kiteto encouraged other counties facing similar challenges to collaborate with KENTTEC and other partners for effective control initiatives.

Dr. Ezekiel Ekuwam, the county officer for Livestock Development, praised the strategic partnership with KENTTEC, LOKADO, and USAID NAWIRI, which he believes will positively impact communities affected by tsetse and trypanosomiasis. He thanked the supporters and reaffirmed the County Government’s commitment to involving more animal stakeholders in disease surveillance and control.

Dr. Benson Longor, the County Director for Veterinary Services, noted that the intervention targets tsetse and trypanosomiasis control in specific sub-counties of Turkana, including Lokiriama, Loima, Turkana West, and Lokichoggio. These areas were chosen due to their proximity to Uganda’s Kidepo Valley, a breeding ground for tsetse flies.

Dr. Longor emphasized the importance of pooling resources for this initiative to enhance health measures, encourage community-based reporting, and control zoonotic diseases along international borders.

Tses – A 29-year-old man, Joseph Hamajo, accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in Tses, was denied bail in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court on Monday. The case was presided over by Magistrate Erich Dandu.

According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), Dandu denied bail citing the early stage of police investigations and the risk of the accused interfering with State witnesses. The case has been postponed to 28 December 2023 for further investigation and to allow Hamajo time to acquire legal representation. He informed the court of his intention to seek legal aid. The State’s case was represented by Elyza Mucheka. The incident reportedly occurred between 22h30 and midnight on Friday at the Aukamp residential area in Tses, where Hamajo allegedly lured the girl to his room with the promise of food and then raped her. He threatened her to remain silent about the incident before escorting her back home. Hamajo, who was arrested on Sunday, will remain in custody at the Keetmanshoop police holding cells until his next court appearance.

Windhoek – The Ministry of Mines and Energy in Namibia has announced a significant decrease in fuel prices for December, providing relief to motorists during the festive season. This announcement was made in a statement issued by the ministry on Tuesday.

According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), The ministry confirmed that petrol and both diesel variants will see a decrease of 130 cents per liter. Consequently, the price of petrol will be N.dollars 21.58 per liter, diesel 50 ppm will be N.dollars 21.85 per liter, and diesel 10 ppm will be N.dollars 22.05 per liter in Walvis Bay. The new prices are set to take effect at midnight on Wednesday. The decision for the price reduction was influenced by the observed decreases in international market prices per barrel for both petrol and diesel in November.

Significant over-recoveries were noted on petrol and diesel products, leading to the price adjustment. Meanwhile, the ministry has increased the Road Fund Administration fuel levy by 20 cents per liter, adjusting it from 178 to 198 cents per liter on all products. Ali Iipinge, the Chief Executive Officer of the Road Fund Administration, welcomed the levy adjustment, stating it would significantly aid in road maintenance. Iipinge noted that the fund initially requested a 50-cent increment but received 30 cents mid-year. The additional 20 cents is expected to generate about N.dollars 200 million per year. “While it is not enough, it helps municipalities maintain their roads,” Iipinge said.