December 30, 2021 – Kenya Tribune

December 30, 2021December 31, 2021

Do Not Send Students Away For Fees, Magoha Urges Principals

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has urged school principals not to send away students for fees but instead negotiate with parents on how to settle fee balances.
He reiterated his earlier assurance that the government would disburse tuition fees to all secondary schools next week and urged principals to retain all students in school irrespective of whether or not they will have cleared their fees.
Prof. Magoha said this at Barani Secondary School in Malindi town where he presided over the ground-breaking ceremony of three Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) classrooms. He was accompanied by Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr. Julius Juan.
Prof. Magoha urged principals to be considerate as most parents had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. “Do not send a Kenyan child home. If the parent comes with Sh4, 000 and the balance is Sh10, 000, take the Sh4, 000 and agree when he is going to bring the Sh10, 000, unless you know where Coronavirus came from and you know when it will end,” he quipped.
The CS’ sentiments give some relief to parents, who have been worried over the frequency of paying school fees following the crash programme in the education sector to compensate for time lost when schools closed for about nine months due to the pandemic. Some parents have lamented that they would not be able to raise third term fees for their children when schools re-open next week.
Prof Magoha however asked the principals to identify parents who are unwilling to pay despite being able to and send their children away for the fees. “If you have evidence that the child’s father is a big shot in town but instead of paying fees, they spend most of their time in the bar, by all means send their children home,” he told the principals.
At the same time, Mr. Magoha asked school administrators to be vigilant and flush out any unruly students before they burn school property, adding that arson in schools was the work of sadists. “If you identify a small group of students who want to go home, let them go. This nonsense of trying to burn schools because you have not been reading, you have been on drugs and now you want to burn the school so that everybody else suffers is sadistic,” he insisted.
Prof. Magoha said the government would not be deterred by the action of a few unruly students, noting that out of the more than 10,000 secondary schools in the country, only between 50 and 100 had been affected by arson.
“I do not condone indiscipline in my life and I am not about to condone it now. Any child who is bold enough to put fire either in his father’s house or in his own house, or in a public house, that one is a criminal,” he said.
On the construction of the CBC classrooms, Prof. Magoha assured contractors that they would be paid on time to be able to complete phase one earlier than the April 2022 deadline given by the President and start phase two by May 2022.

Source: Kenya News Agency

December 30, 2021December 31, 2021

Construction Of 125 CBC Classrooms Commences In Narok

The construction of 125 classrooms in Narok County under the first phase of Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) infrastructure development programme has begun.
Speaking during the groundbreaking event at Eor Ekule Secondary school in Narok East Sub County, Narok County Commissioner Evans Achoki reminded the contractors that they had up to April 2023 to complete the classrooms.
Achoki cautioned the contractors that the government will not accept substandard classrooms that would not last for a long time saying the County Development Implementation Coordination Committee (CDICC) will be visiting the schools impromptu to ensure everything was running smoothly.
“The contractors should be fast but be careful to do quality work as expected. We expect the contractors to finish the job before the candidates sit for the national examinations in March next year to avoid a lot of movement in the school compound when the examination is ongoing,” he said.
Other schools visited for ground breaking are Kimelok secondary school in Narok North Sub County and Olshapan secondary school in Narok South Sub County.
The County Commissioner reiterated that only the contractors who will do an excellent job in the first phase will be considered for the construction of the second phase.
Narok County director of Education Jane Njogu said the contractors have to stick to the deadlines because the country was preparing for a double intake in the year 2023 when two sets of candidates will be joining secondary school.
“We will have the first group of CBC pupils joining junior secondary and the other group that will complete class eight joining secondary school. This means we are left with no choice other than delivering the classrooms as directed by the government,” said Ms. Njogu.
The government targets to construct a total of 174 CBC classrooms at a cost of Sh137 million in all the public secondary schools in the county.
Narok West Sub County will take the lion’s share of 36 classrooms, while Narok South and Trans Mara West Sub counties will get 32 classrooms each. Trans Mara East has been allocated 30 classrooms, Narok North 28, while Narok East Sub County will get 17 classrooms.

Source: Kenya News Agency

December 30, 2021December 31, 2021

NCPB Announces New Maize Purchasing Price Of Sh3, 000 Per Bag

The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has announced new maize purchasing price of Sh3000 for a 90kg bag.
Payment for maize is done within 24 hours upon delivery.
A statement to newsrooms indicates that the Board is purchasing the maize for commercial purposes and all farmers within regions that are currently harvesting or have already harvested are encouraged to deliver their grain to the nearest NCPB depot.
“The price of Sh3, 000 we are offering will enable farmers get value for the maize they deliver due to the accuracy of our weighing services,” NCPB Managing Director Joseph Kimote said.
According to the statement, there are no administrative conditions for one to deliver maize to the Board as long as the produce meets the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Grade I and Grade II standards.
Mr Kimote said the Board was offering storage facilities at competitive rates and farmers can opt to store under the Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) or under regular warehousing.
In addition to offering storage services, the Board also offers other grain post-harvest services such as grain drying, cleaning, grain grading and aflatoxin testing.

Source: Kenya News Agency

December 30, 2021December 31, 2021

Government Devolved Funds Gaining Popularity Among The Youth

When the government introduced the Kazi Mtaani Program in July 2020, the main aim was to cushion the vulnerable youth from the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A number of youth in Busia town were recruited in the programme that lasted for around five months, earning each of them approximately Sh500 per day. While a number of the beneficiaries of the program are appealing to the government to reinstate the program, a few youth who took the programme seriously have made some milestones.
One of them Oscar Masiga who currently chairs a registered group says that the training that was being offered alongside the menial work during the programme has been a game changer to them.
Masiga chairs the Simba Youth Group, a product of sensitization given to youths who were enrolled in the Kazi Mtaani program. He says that the group comprises eight members and it was started by raising nine piglets through members’ contribution from their first earnings from Kazi Mtaani.
The official adds that group members raised more funds and purchased one and a half acres in Nangwe village Busia County, which they are utilizing in vegetable and yam growing.
“Through Kazi Mtaani training, we came to know about the existence of Uwezo Fund, tendered our application and we have received Sh100,000 from the empowerment kitty,’’ he says.
Masiga further says that the interest free loan from the Government will help his group to expand their horticultural farming at Nangwe village.
Women beneficiaries from the program have not been left behind either as evidenced by the chairperson of the Border Star youth group, Renilda Anyango. Anyango says that her group comprises 15 members who literally had no income generating activity before the government came up with the social protection initiative.
“We had no job before the Kazi Mtaani program was initiated,” she says, adding that they formed the group after being sensitized on Uwezo Fund and Youth Enterprise Funds by the directorate of youth Affairs.
The chairperson adds that the group first applied for a loan with the Youth Enterprise and Development Fund and were awarded Sh70, 000 which they used to start up a small eatery in Busia town.
Anyango further says that through the efforts and determination of members, the group expanded its clientele and today they are contracted to provide catering services at various events like baby showers and outside catering. During the 8th disbursement of Uwezo Fund, the group benefited from Sh100, 000 which it intends to expand its clientele.
Another group that benefitted from Uwezo Fund is the Widows Women Group that had applied for the third loan after repaying the previous ones as required. Uwezo Fund is not only meant for the youth but also women and special interest groups. That’s how the widows got empowerment during the 8th Uwezo Fund disbursement in Busia Sub County in early December. They received Sh300, 000.
According to Mary Auma, the group’s Secretary, the money will be invested in table banking with the remaining amount being given to individual members to invest in their own businesses under friendly repayment terms.
“Uwezo Fund has been our stronghold since we started this group and we always repay our loans in time,” she says, adding that they look forward to repaying this loan within twenty months.
She adds that the Government Empowerment funds have enabled widows to sustain their lives and educate their children.
“Members are lent up to Sh30, 000 at an interest of one percent,” she says, adding that they can also lend to outsiders but at a higher interest rate.
Auma urges the empowerment organizations to consider giving loans to individual applicants from groups that have demonstrated good repayment records so that they also have total control over their own properties and meet their personal goals.
Busia County Director of Youth Affairs Melody Nyongesa however expressed concern at low repayment rate within the Sub County.
“Since the inception of this empowerment fund in 2014, a total of 206 groups have been issued with Sh24,470,000 yet only Sh8,665 158 has been repaid,’’ she says.
Nyongesa urges the beneficiaries to use the funds for the intended purposes and ensure that they adhere to the grace period of six months before they begin repaying their loans. She hailed youth who engaged in Kazi mtaani for applying for the funds adding that the initiative will ensure that they sustain themselves.
“Youth fund has supported 10 groups from Kazi mtaani and Uwezo fund has supported two groups,” she said pointing out that Samia Sub County is leading in uptake of Uwezo funds within the County. She challenged other Sub Counties to emulate it.
She disclosed that at least 40 groups in Busia Sub County consisting of Women, Youth and Persons with disability have benefited from Uwezo fund to the tune of Sh4.9 million. Each of the groups is loaned from Sh100, 000 to 400,000.

Source: Kenya News Agency

December 30, 2021December 31, 2021

Octagon Africa Targets High School Students To Boost Savings Culture

Over 1,500 high school students across the East and Southern African region will benefit from financial literacy training meant to cultivate a healthy savings culture in them.
Octagon Africa, through the first virtual financial literacy training, themed Starting now for a better future, aims to educate the students on understanding money, budgeting and saving.
“Currently the pension coverage in the country is still low at about 22 percent of the total labour force which is heavily attributed to a poor savings culture,” said Octagon Africa Group CEO Fred Waswa.
He said in order to avert these glaring statistics there is a need to cultivate healthy saving habits from a young age.
An analysis by EFG Hermes reveals that Africa’s saving rate stands at an average of 17 per cent with Kenya’s saving rate at 12 per cent, half of the average for low-income countries.
“Our vision as Octagon Africa is to guarantee financial security and we believe that the key to this security lies in saving cultivated from a young age,” he added.
Through these financial literacy trainings, Waswa said they are confident of increasing the savings rate across the region.

He said the free financial literacy training for high school students was part of Octagon’s social responsibility to contribute to the region’s pension uptake across youth, employed and informal groups.

Source: Kenya News Agency

December 30, 2021December 31, 2021

Magoha Backs Mandatory Drug Tests For Students To Tame Unrest

Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof. George Magoha has supported the proposed mandatory drug tests for Maranda High School students ahead of schools reopening next week.
The CS said there was no doubt that some students at the school and across the country were using drugs, which explains the recent wave of unrest in schools. He said the testing is key in identifying errant students so that they are isolated and dealt with to ensure smooth running of the institutions.
Some parents, he said, were too busy to spend time with their children making it difficult for them to discover any unusual behavior in them.
He said the government was treating the issue of school unrest seriously and warned that stern action will be taken against any students found culpable.
Prof Magoha urged parents to spend time with their children, counsel and guide them to ensure they uphold high standards of discipline while in school. “The problem we are facing now starts at home. We have children who are being given everything they ask for at home and when they come to school they expect to get the same treatment,” he said.
He urged teachers to remain vigilant as schools reopen to ensure that the education calendar runs smoothly.
The government, he said, has released capitation funds to schools and asked parents to ensure that all children report to school on Monday.
Prof Magoha was speaking on Thursday at Obwolo Secondary School in Kisumu East Sub-County during the groundbreaking ceremony for Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) classrooms.
Magoha said the government was on course to deliver on the project which targets to construct 10, 000 classrooms for Junior Secondary across the country by April next year.
“In some areas we have been assured that the classrooms shall be ready by the end of February. This will give the President ample time to look for an additional Sh8 billion to construct more classrooms by June 2022,” he said.
Earlier, the CS met National Secondary School heads and urged them to put in more effort to ensure smooth running of the education calendar and national examinations next year.
He said the Government has put in place adequate measures to ensure that the examinations are protected and urged the teachers to ensure that no cases of irregularities are reported.

Source: Kenya News Agency

December 30, 2021December 31, 2021

Camel Resources Management Regional Strategy For IGAD Region Validated By Stakeholders

Dec 21,2021 (Naivasha , Kenya): IGAD region is home to about 21 million camels (60% of the world population) which dwell in arid and semi-arid land (ASALs). Camel is drought resilient and expanding to new frontier as introduced by pastoralists to counter recurrent droughts.
The demand for live camels, its meat and milk in the IGAD region and Middle East and North Africa countries is high because of the affordable price of its meat and the traditional belief of the potential medicinal value of the milk and perceived low risks from tuberculosis (TB) and Brucellosis. As a consequence, camel milk is favorably utilized in the diets of children, sick and elderly persons for medicinal purposes. Moreover, camels withstand drought rendering them easier to expand in many areas in the region. However; its husbandry, health and trade are not yet improved and value addition work on milk and meat are very limited. Moreover, sudden death of unknown etiology in the region affects adult lactating and pregnant females, breeding and working bulls.
Therefore, a one-day workshop was organized to review; verify and validate the draft regional camel strategy. The Workshop participants were from IGAD member states public and private sectors involved in the camel value chain (personnel from ministries responsible of animal resources, the private sector (milk processors, exporter and association, camel farmer); IGAD/ICPALD and AUIBAR. This action was supported by Live2 Africa project /AUIBAR/.
Dr. Ameha Sebsibe on behalf of ICPALD Director and Dr. Ahmed on behalf of the AUIBAR Director made welcome and opening remarks on the significance of the camel in the region and the importance of the strategy to coordinate and guide efforts, advocate and mobilize resources to complement the efforts of member states for implementation of the strategy. The objectives of the meeting were
• Review the draft regional strategy for camel resource development (face to face + virtual)
• Enrich /Verify/validate with especial focus to strategic pillars; proposed actions & action plan
• Receive Inputs to develop flagship project for resource mobilization to complement national efforts
The plenary meeting first reviewed the 7 strategic priorities, collapse and merge the 2 and finally agreed to restructure the draft strategy under 5 strategic priority areas

Recommendations and way forward
The participants suggested the following key items be considered in the revision of the strategy and follow up actions
• Support and strengthen regular surveillance and diagnosis of camel
• Develop and Support the regional platform on sharing information
• Strengthen the camel value chain covering live animal, milk, meat, hides, hooves and manure
• Develop/strengthen camel data in the region; covering Camel population, milk and meat production and other by products
• Documentation and preservation on Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK)
• Demand driven research focusing on addressing the camel keepers balance between basic and applied research
• Support knowledge on the role of camel on climate change, its environment, and resilience-to show potential of camel in the food system.
• Establish/strengthen camel regional Research centre;
• Encourage Technology and innovation to support service delivery
• Empowering youth and women in camel value chain
• Establish/strengthen camel forum network
• Develop and strengthening camel extension service provisions
• Advocacy and lobby for budget and resource allocation across countries
• Harmonize the policies and standards to stimulate local demands

Source: Intergovernmental Authority on Development

December 30, 2021December 31, 2021

Kenyan Lawmakers Brawl Over Controversial Bill

NAIROBI — Kenyan lawmakers brawled Wednesday as they debated proposed changes to a law governing the conduct of political parties and the formation of coalitions ahead of the 2022 election.
Video broadcast on television showed lawmakers engaged in a shouting match and coming to blows as they fought over the measure. One member of parliament was seen with blood on his cheek. Another was suspended.
At issue is a bill that will guide political parties on how to conduct political affairs leading up to the election. If passed, the legislation would allow several parties to form a coalition and choose a presidential candidate.
Political commentator Martin Andati said those behind the bill aim to use the constitution to force a political winning formula.
“The handshake team which is the president and the former prime minister, are trying to use a political route to find a way to get people who are not supporting them to either go on their side or Ruto’s side so that they are able to draw a political strategy,” he said.
Opponents of the bill, most supporting Deputy President William Ruto, see it as a plan by President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga to force the smaller parties to merge with them to win the election.
Those against the measure introduced separate amendments, which critics say were meant to paralyze the parliamentary proceedings.
Political expert Michael Agwanda said the proposed changes mean that lawmakers will have to be loyal to their parties.
“What it means is that you are either part of government or not part of government by instrument and you cannot cross on the other side unless you just decided to do that; but you will not be part of that government if you don’t belong to the coalition that makes the government,” he said.
The proposed changes will require the parties to form a coalition four months before the election, thereby blocking them from joining another coalition party.
Agwanda said bigger parties are targeting the support of the smaller ones.
“It’s incumbent upon the political parties now to decide which coalition they want to join because that’s key to either forming the next government or not. I think they are targeting smaller parties to make serious decisions to support the big guys, they are also targeting parties like ANC, they are also targeting parties like FORD Kenya and they know very well they cannot make the next government. As a result, they are saying you either belong to us or you don’t and if you don’t, then you go to oblivion,” he said.
Kenyan politicians are fond of changing political sides to suit their interests, which analysts say has hurt the opposition.
The sponsor of the bill, Amos Kimunya, said he has asked the parliament speaker for another meeting so the legislation can be wrapped up.
“Let’s keep up the spirit because at the end of it all what we are doing is for better political party governance in this country as we deepen and widen our democracy for purposes of posterity,” he said.
The debate ended with members of parliament voting for eight proposed changes out of 27. Parliament will reconvene in January to vote.

Source: Voice of America

December 30, 2021

Conférence biblique sur « Les Secrets du ciel dans les paraboles enseignées par Jésus »

Au milieu d’un déclin mondial de la population religieuse, une explication claire de la Bible a attiré plus de 140 000 croyants et l’attention de millions de personnes.

NEW YORK, 30 décembre 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Shincheonji l’Église de Jésus, le Temple du Tabernacle du Témoignage, organise la « Conférence en ligne de Shincheonji: Témoignage sur les paraboles et la réalité des secrets du ciel ». Cette conférence sur la compréhension des paraboles dans la Bible dans le Nouveau Testament sera en direct sur YouTube tous les lundis et jeudis du 3 janvier au 28 mars.

« Les paraboles sont la clé pour comprendre les secrets du ciel. Les prophéties de l’Ancien Testament se sont accomplies à la première venue de Jésus, et maintenant les prophéties du Nouveau Testament s’accomplira « quand le temps viendra » (Jean 16:25). Nous nous dirigeons vers le vrai sens alors que la prophétie est révélée », déclare un responsable de l’église.

Les conférences précédentes sur Apocalypse ont été diffusées en 24 langues et ont atteint 7 millions de vues dans 136 pays dont 16 000. 1 200 dirigeants d’églises mondiales dans 57 pays ont signé des protocoles d’accord avec l’église pour renforcer la coopération internationale et l’échange de matériel.

Plus de 140 000 personnes ont rejoint l’église depuis 2019, malgré le début de la pandémie de Covid-19.

Un responsable de Shincheonji a déclaré: « À travers le monde, de plus en plus de personnes souffrent de maladies, de catastrophes et de difficultés dues au COVID-19, réfléchissant profondément au sens de la vie et de la souffrance. La religion doit pouvoir apporter des réponses à ces personnes. Dans le monde religieux où les activités en face à face sont limitées, l’éducation devrait toucher chaque individu dans les communautés locales. »

« Ce qui attire les gens à Shincheonji, l’explication claire de la mission de Jésus dans le Nouveau Testament », a-t-il ajouté.

(Vous pouvez regarder la conférence en recherchant « Conférence en ligne de Shincheonji:

Témoignage sur les paraboles et la réalité des secrets du royaume des cieux » sur YouTube ou via le lien SCJ Americas.)

PRENDRE CONTACT: revelation@scjamericas.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1717662/The_True_Biblical_Meaning_of_the_Secrets_of_the_Kingdom_of_Heaven.jpg

December 30, 2021

Seminar Reveals the Secrets of Heaven Hidden in Parables Taught by Jesus

Amid a decline in church membership, one church has drawn more than 140,000 believers and attracted the attention of millions

NEW YORK, Dec. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Shincheonji Church of Jesus, The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, explains the Bible in plain language through free online seminars. Its latest seminar series, “Testimony on the Parables of the Secrets of Heaven and Their True Meanings” will be livestreamed via YouTube from January 3rd to March 28th. The series will provide a biblical explanation of the parables mentioned in the New Testament.

“Parables are the key element to understanding the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. The prophecy of the Old Testament was fulfilled at the time of Jesus in his first coming,” said a Shincheonji Church official. “Jesus gave the prophecies of the New Testament to be fulfilled ‘when the time comes’ (John 16:25). We are heading towards [receiving] the true meaning as the prophecy is revealed.”

Shincheonji Church concluded its series on Revelation in December. This seminar, which was released in 24 languages, reached 7 million viewers in 136 countries, including 16,000 pastors. As a result of their participation in the Revelation seminar series, 1,200 church leaders in 57 countries signed MOUs with Shincheonji Church to boost international cooperation and exchange educational materials.

“I want to be able to grow in the word and I want to teach our congregation…and help bring them from death to life. I want to be one with God’s kingdom and have open communication,” said Pastor Jerry Hagerman of Wayside Mission Church in Virginia, who signed an MOU with Shincheonji Church.

Shincheonji Church has seen a steady increase in membership. Over 140,000 people have joined the church since 2019, despite the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Across the world, more and more people are experiencing diseases, disasters, and hardships due to Covid-19 [and] thinking deeply about the meaning of life and suffering,” says a church official. “Religion must be able to provide answers to these people. In a world where face-to-face activities are limited, education should reach every individual in local communities.”

“What [makes] the Shincheonji Church appeal to people is the clear explanation of Jesus’ mission in the New Testament,” the church official said.

Watch “Shincheonji Online Seminar: Testimony on the Parables of the Secrets of Heaven and Their True Meanings” via the SCJ Americas YouTube Channel.

CONTACT: revelation@scjamericas.com

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1717662/The_True_Biblical_Meaning_of_the_Secrets_of_the_Kingdom_of_Heaven.jpg