Day: August 7, 2023

It was all joy and jubilation at the Thika Rescue Centre after one of the destitute children in the institution graduated from Mt. Kenya University (MKU) with a bachelor’s degree in commerce with an accounting option on Friday.

Daudi Hani, who hails from Garissa County, managed to beat all the odds since he was rescued after the death of his single mom when he was 10 and succeeded in scaling the educational ladder.

His journey started at Garissa Rescue Centre before he transferred to Thika, where he joined Junior Academy School in Class 5. He passed well in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCSE) scoring 400 marks, then joined Kiambu Secondary School, where he scored a ‘C’ plain.

Since he couldn’t get university admission with that grade, he says he opted to repeat Form Four at Bishop Ndingi Secondary School in Naivasha, where he got a ‘B’ minus.

He was then admitted to Mount Kenya University, where, despite the educational hardships and lack of psychosocial support, he managed to score a second-class Lower division.

‘The journey has been unbelievable. Having no parents and not much psychosocial support, it wasn’t easy at all. However, a number of well-wishers and some organisations came through and supported my cause,’ said Hani.

Hani’s dream might have come true after the Secretary, Department of Children Services, Shem Nyakutu, who joined the children during their celebrations, announced the Ministry will employ him this month to reward him for the hard work he put in despite the difficult learning environment.

‘With financial and psychosocial support, I believe no one is limited. These rescue centres have several bright students who, if supported well, will attain their dreams, ‘said Hani.

Nyakutu termed the achievement a milestone and a motivation for the disadvantaged children as they seek to achieve their dreams.

He said the government will continue supporting rescue centres by providing a good environment and support systems, adding that they seek to employ more teachers and psychosocial support workers to help the children get out of life’s traumas.

While noting that they have a huge staff deficit, he said a lot was being done to address the gap.

He added that they have set aside Sh100 million to secure land in all 30 government rescue centres from grabbers.

‘Our land is under serious threat from grabbers. The process to fence the centres starts this year. We will also equip the facilities to improve the environment, ‘said Nyakutu.

Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a, while lauding the achievement, said the boy has set a good precedent and proved that disadvantaged children can as well make it.

Ng’ang’a, who is the chair of Social Protection Services in Parliament, said her committee was taking priority in uplifting the lives of the less fortunate in society, saying every child has a right to education and other essential services just like any other.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Farmers in Meru County are at the moment reaping big rewards thanks to subsidised fertiliser that was issued by the government.

Some of those who spoke to KNA confessed that they had never experienced the bumper harvest they have now in the recent past and are calling on the government to ensure that the programme is upheld.

Ms. Agnes Bundi, from Mbuinjiru village in Imenti North, who engages in potato and maize farming, said for the last four years, she has never reaped as much as is the case at the moment.

‘I have been planting potatoes on my farm for the last four years, but I have never realised the kind of harvest I have now. I guess I have been using the wrong fertilisers, and we thank the government for coming up with the subsidised fertiliser programme, which has really helped us to increase our harvest,’ said Ms. Bundi.

She added that she has also realised the same success from her maize farm, adding that she can now comfortably feed her family and sell some produce for other purposes.

Mr. Joseph Bundi, a neighbouring farmer, also reported a similar story from his cabbage farm.

‘I have been planting cabbages on this farm for some years now, but I have never had such good tidings. I want to believe that the whole secret is about the type of fertiliser we have been using, and this is the reason we are pleading with the government to uphold this programme so we can have enough food for our families and the country at large,’ said Mr. Bundi.

Ms. Purity Gatwiri, another maize farmer, is also expecting to have a bumper harvest from her one-acre farm courtesy of the same intervention.

But Caroline Murithi, an officer from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Meru Depot, warns farmers against buying fertilisers from unauthorised sellers who have been selling substandard ones.

‘We are calling on the farmers to ensure they get their fertiliser direct from our depot since there are people out there lying to them and selling substandard fertiliser. Don’t fall prey to such people if you want to get quality fertiliser,’ said Ms. Murithi.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Dairy farmers in Malava Sub County have a reason to smile after Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa promised to complete the Tumbeni dairy plant within the financial year.

Mr. Barasa said the dairy plant, after its completion, will benefit farmers from Malava, Lugari, Matete, and Likuyani sub-counties.

The Governor was speaking Saturday after celebrating Holy Mass at St. Mary’s Lwanda Catholic Church in West Kabras Ward, Malava Sub County.

‘After operationalisation of the project, it will be a game changer and maximise all the available dairy value chains in the region,’ he said.

The Governor said the plant will create wealth and boost food security for the residents of the County.

The governor further stated that the County government plans to upgrade the Kambi ya Mwanza-Lukume all-weather road to bitumen standard as well as the construction of the Bukhakunga-Musuma Bridge in the sub-county.

He said the county government will also construct a new dispensary at Shikutse that will also host a Maternity wing to aid in the delivery of quality health services to the locals and minimise the pressure currently being shouldered by the neighbouring Shihome Dispensary in South Kabras Ward.

Present were MCAs led by the host, who is also Minority Leader David Ndakwa, Chief Officer for Lands David Kulova, and other leaders.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has assured sugarcane farmers of the revival of Mumias Sugar Company.

Barasa said that as an experienced sugarcane farmer, his primary focus is to revive the company, which has not been performing at its best.

‘As the Governor of Kakamega, my goal is to ensure its resurgence and, most importantly, to benefit the local communities,’ he said.

The Governor, who was speaking yesterday after celebrating Holy Mass at St. Mary’s Lwanda Catholic Church in West Kabras Ward, Malava Sub County, said he will address matters related to Mumias Sugar Company and the sugar sub-sector.

‘It is essential to conduct a candid conversion involving stakeholders and experts. This discussion is scheduled to take place on the 8th of next month at Bhukungu Stadium,’ he said.

He said the conference includes other millers and a 14-member sugar-rich Lake Region Economy Block (LREB). The conference is expected to iron out challenges facing the sugar industry in Kenya by finding and implementing best management practises.

Present were MCAs led by the host, who is also Minority Leader, Mr. David Ndakwa, Chief Officer for Lands, and other leaders.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Recredit-Asset Management has brought to the court cases estimated at 129 billion kwanzas, as part of the recovery of toxic assets acquired from the Credit Savings Bank (BPC).

In addition to the aforementioned amount, 23 billion kwanzas are intended for the precautionary measures requested from the Court, according to the institution’s CEO, Valter Barros.

Also at the court level, Valter Barros said that, for two years, an insolvency procedure has been underway for a company, whose owner, considered “very famous”, is unable to pay the amount of the debt.

“After evaluating the company’s assets, we have found that it is unable to pay the amount of the referred debt in the company’s insolvency,” Valter Barros said

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The auction of 34 vehicles seized as part of the state property recovery process, held Sunday, raised 1.7 billion kwanzas, twice the expected value (771, 6 million Kz).

Some 1,980 people participated in the sale, which was carried out on the Internet via the platform of the General Tax Administration (AGT), said the director of the National Service for the Recovery of State Assets, Eduarda Rodrigues.

Eduarda Rodrigues, who put the number of offers at 568, said the amount resulting from these sales will be in charge of the State – National Bank of Angola (BNA) – until the end of the process, in accordance with article 233 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

She said that many question the early sale of the seized goods before the completion of the process, but she replied that the law allows it (article 233 of the code of criminal procedure).

The auction of vehicles and boats takes place in public auction, on the electronic platform of the General Administration of Taxes (AGT) www.leilão.agt.minfin.gov.ao, where thousands of taxpayers can compete purchase.

During the process, the AGT system will automatically determine the winners without any human intervention

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The efforts being made to conserve national parks and strengthen forestations through the Green Legacy Initiative in Ethiopia play significant role to enhance tourism development and environmental protection, Ambassador of France to Ethiopia, Rémi Maréchaux.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Ambassador Maréchaux said the Green Legacy Initiative and the national parks preservation activities belong to the same approach in preserving the national assets of Ethiopia which are crucial to strengthen the tourism sector and benefits of the people.

He said that to increase the tourism industry, the protection of bio-diversity and preserve the wellbeing of the environment is essential.

In this regard, Ethiopia’s environmental protection activities being carried out through its Green Legacy Initiative, a flagship program initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in June 2019, is also believed to boost biodiversity in addition to its contribution to ensuring food security of the country.

As per the initiative, the nation has planted 25 billion seedlings in four years exceeding the target by 5 billion.

Ethiopia’s forest coverage has jumped over 17 percent due to the planting of seedlings carried out during the stated years through the initiative.

Ambassador Maréchaux pointed out that the efforts being made through the Green Legacy Initiative and conserve national parks in Ethiopia play significant role to enhance tourism development and environmental protection.

According to him, Ethiopia is endowed with enormous varieties of plant and animal species vital to the development of ecotourism.

Ethiopia is an incredibly rich country for biodiversity with more than 6000 plant species amongst which 10 percent are endemic.

Ethiopia is also house of many endemic animal species. It has thus a leading role in the preservation of biodiversity.

Therefore, the Ambassador said, besides the conservation of the historical heritages of Ethiopia, such as the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, it is very important to complement these assets by conserving wild life assets in order to help flourish the tourism sector of the country.

It is to be noted the French Development Agency, AFD, and the Hailemariam & Roman Foundation (HRF) have signed a 5-million-Euro grant agreement for a project to preserve Ethiopia’s Maze National Park and its watershed last week.

The ambassador said “This project is the first of its kind regarding of the biodiversity, so it is very important to start with this Maze National park project region of the country of rich biodiversity projects this one is the first in Ethiopia.

He further expressed hope that the project will be followed by other projects to conserve other national parks and all together with the heritages it will help to increase the tourist attractions of Ethiopia.

‘’We can be exemplary for other Ethiopian National Parks and that wildlife could become tourist attractions in addition to the heritages in Ethiopia.’’

The project on the Preservation of Maze National Park (MzNP) and its Watershed in Ethiopia is envisaged to make the park a model of well-managed, functional national park which adequately renders social, economic, and ecological benefits to the local communities that have long been the guardians of this relatively intact park.

France has been working in collaboration with Ethiopia in the tourism sector in protecting and restoring historical heritages, and human resources development in the tourism sector including the preservation of the Lalibela Rock-Hewn Churches.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Some 23 officers drawn from nine Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) member countries have started taking a 12-day-long Formed Police Unit Commanders Course for Peace Support Operations (PSO) in Addis Ababa today.

The ten-member EASF with military, police, and civilian components is mandated to enhance peace and security in the East Africa region.

Some 23 officers drawn from Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, and Uganda are attending the course until August 18, 2023, at the Ethiopian Police University in Sendafa in the outskirt of Addis Ababa.

EASF was established as a regional mechanism to provide capability for the rapid deployment of forces to carry out preventive deployment, rapid intervention, peace support/stability operations, and peace enforcement.

EASF Police Component Head, Commissioner Ali Said Bacar stated that the course is intended to enhance the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the participants on the roles, tasks, structure, equipment, and tactics of Formed Police Unit, including support, for effective participation and performance in a multidimensional peace Support.

“It has become common practice in Africa that the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) are now the first responders to conflict and other crisis situations in the region. The need to adequately prepare the required police and other capabilities cannot be overemphasized.”

Stating that the formed police units are a critical police capability in the crisis phase of PSO, the head said: “They play key roles in protecting civilians and mission staff and providing operational support to host nation police and other security forces. They are the operational backbone of Police Components in PSO.”

Ethiopian Police University President, Deputy Commissioner Mesfin Abebe expressed his gratitude to the EASF Management for selecting the Ethiopian Police University to host the course and for the continued cooperation with Ethiopia.

He pointed out that the African continent has sadly witnessed a number of conflicts and calamities, which are a manifestation of the need to have a robust peace and security mechanism to prevent and resolve conflicts in this region.

“In this regard, Ethiopia is committed to bringing all regional police officers to transfer their skills, knowledge and to share their experience. It is that time we can enhance our cooperation and develop a culture of working together to keep the peace and development of the region.”

He expressed belief that the combined experiences of the participants from the region will go a long way in ensuring that the course objectives are met and exceeded.

The course is expected to help the participants conversant with the AU/EASF mission structures and functions in Peace Support Operations (PSOs) as well as understanding the challenges in the PSOs environment and eventually become competent peacekeepers, according to Mesfin.

To achieve these objectives, the Ethiopian police university and its management are ready to provide proper service during your stay at the university, he added.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency