Category: Politics

Most parts of Murang’a County are likely to receive below average rainfall amounts during the expected long rains.

The County Director of Meteorological Services, Mr. Paul Murage, observed that the onset of the rains will be delayed by a week, saying upper zones of the County rains may start receiving rains from March 22.

In normal times, the onset of the long rainfall season in the County is between March 15 and 20.

He noted in lower parts of the County, including areas of Murang’a South, Gatanga and Ithanga Sub-counties, the rains are likely to commence in the first week of April.

Murage stated the rains will be poorly distributed both in time and space. “Due to climate change, there is a significant effect on seasonal rainfall totals with noticeable fluctuations. The amounts of the rainfall will vary between 320 mm to 600mm,” he added.

The Director noted tea growing zones are likely to receive above 600 mm of rains, saying the amount is far below the normal rains, where the areas receive above 1,000mm of rains.

During the last short rains season, the County also received depressed rains, thus affecting maturity of crops such as maize.

Murage said the forecast can guide various sectors which mostly depend on rains like agriculture.

“Farmers can seek advice from agricultural officers on the time of crops to plant considering the amounts of rains expected. Some crops like maize may fail to properly mature with 320mm amounts of rain,” he stated.

The Director said the rainfall during the month of April will be intense on some days, but cautioned that there will be intervals of dry days.

“I urge locals to harvest rain water for future use, they can also take advantage of the rains and plant trees as a way to mitigate adverse climate change,” he added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Public Service Governance (PSG) has established a Taskforce that aims at looking deeply into issues affecting Kenyan households and offer the requisite legal framework for their new legislation ‘Affordable Kitchen for All Bill’.

The Taskforce is already at work, and is in the process of organizing for public participation engagements with Kenyans across the eight regions on the proposed Bill.

Speaking during the Celebrations of the International Women’s Day at the Lutheran Plaza Nairobi, PSG President, Amb. Esther Waringa, said the Taskforce will collect proposals on the Bill from the citizens and discuss how to go about their demands as per their proposals.

“The high cost of these basic kitchen commodities; Unga, Cooking oil, Sugar, Rice and Cooking gas has made a kitchen which is a woman’s territory to remain a no go zone,” said Waringa.

She stated that the legislation also focuses on growing Kenya’s economy, to a point that the cost of living is reduced completely, making it easy for anyone to survive in the country.

According to PSG President, leadership and governance, food security, water, education, health, Special Programs and Humanitarian Assistance are the seven Key monumental areas of intervention, which will highly transform the lives of all citizens.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya’s first female Member of Parliament (MP), Mama Grace Onyango, is dead.

Grace Onyango, 98, died while receiving treatment at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu.

The celebrated icon was a woman of many fists who started out as a teacher. She later served as the first female Mayor of Kisumu Town from 1965-1969.

In 1969 she was elected as the first female MP in post-independence Kenya, representing Kisumu Town Constituency.

In parliament, she is remembered for her no nonsense demeanor, as she stood firm and championed for the rights of women.

In a male dominated House, Mama Grace Onyango went ahead and became the first woman to act as Deputy Speaker, a position she held from 1979-1984. She took a break from politics after losing the seat to Wilson Ndolo Ayah in 1984.

Her daughter, Pauline Akwacha said the former legislator’s death on International Women’s day, has left a big gap in the family and country. She described her as a mentor and pillar whose work impacted positively on other women across the country.

Mama Grace cause to champion for women rights, she said, was evident in the number of key positions held by women in the country today.

Various leaders and women described Mama Grace Onyango as a trailblazer, who played a critical role to shape the development of the country.

Kisumu Governor, Prof. Anyang Nyong’o, in a statement, described her as a pillar of women leadership and a great role model who blazed the trail in the county’s political leadership.

Her death just hours after being honoured during the International Women Day celebrations, he said, was a big blow. “Grace was selfless, focused and visionary. A mother and grandmother to many. She will be remembered for mentoring young girls and women leaders,” he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Uasin Gishu County Commissioner, Dr. Eddyson Nyale, has called on citizens to join pension schemes to start saving for their future by contributing for retirement benefits.

In a speech read on his behalf by Soy Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Solomon Kiptoo, during the launch of RBA @ Huduma Centre mobile clinic activation in Eldoret, the County Commissioner said pension schemes savings, are very important to beneficiaries’ life when they attain retirement age.

He added that, through pension, the retirees will be able to cater for their family needs and will be better placed to enjoy their social life at old age.

Dr. Nyale encouraged the residents of Uasin Gishu to take advantage of the opportunity to learn as much as possible and make informed choices on securing their retirement life.

He lauded the key stakeholders in pension sector, including the regulator Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA), National Social Security Fund (NSSF), National Treasury Pension Department, County Pension Fund (CPF) and other individual pension schemes for their move to educate the residents of Uasin Gishu on the importance of saving for retirement and the options available to start saving.

He decried the current worrying statistics from the pension regulator RBA that revealed that for every 10 working Kenyans, almost 8 of them do not save for retirement.

“Statistics from the Retirement Benefits Authority indicate that pension coverage in Kenya currently stands at 25 percent of the work force. This means that of every 10 working Kenyans, almost eight of them are not saving for retirement,” said Dr. Nyale.

The CC pointed out that it was the right time for residents to learn on how to start saving and secure their sunset years.

“As a government we are keen to ensure our workers do not retire into poverty and I believe saving for retirement is one way to achieve that,” he added.

He recalled on instances where retirees struggle for years before receiving their pension as he noted that the pension regulator together with the National Treasury’s Pension Department and NSSF will put proper measures to address all concerns pertaining access to retirement benefits.

“RBA Huduma clinic is indeed a welcome gesture since all matters pertaining to pensions shall be addressed under one roof. Anyone earning income can join an individual pension scheme from today, I encourage all Uasin Gishu residents to take advantage of this opportunity to learn and make informed choices on securing their retirement,” he said.

Dr. Nyale further noted that the schemes also allow civil servants to save for post-retirement medical cover while still in service, adding that those are key developments one should learn about to make informed choices about sustaining oneself in retirement.

The NSSF Branch Manager, Evans Tonui, complained that many Kenyans have been retiring to poverty because of low savings while in employment.

“According to the statistics given, the number of people who are still saving is still low. The only person who will take care of the older you is the younger you, that is why we encourage Kenyans to save while still young, you are also saving for your people when you die, “said Tonui.

Tonui mentioned the new changes in NSSF Act which has seen increased savings from Sh 200 to Sh 2160 and that the Fund has transited from being a provident fund which pays people all the savings upon retirement to pension scheme where a beneficiary will continue earning for the rest of his life.

The Branch Manager noted that NSSF money earns compound interest and is free from tax when one is earning and also when one retires.

He outlined various claim services provided by the fund including the survivors claim which is paid when members die, invalidity which is paid when one becomes sick, age retirement when you attain normal retirement age and other claim when a member is paid when immigrating to another country.

The NSSF also allows an active member to transfer his savings when joining another pension scheme that is recognized by the Retirement Benefits Authority.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kericho residents have applauded the recruitment of forest rangers as the most transparent, impartial and the best recruitment exercise for the disciplined forces ever to be conducted in the County.

Mr John Boit, a resident of Kapsoit, stated that the exercise was the most open and fair since even the members of the public, were also allowed into the Kericho Green Stadium as observers.

“Let other government institutions copy from the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) on how they conduct their recruitment exercise and replicate the same in their institutions,” Mr Boit remarked.

Speaking to the KNA, the designated Recruiting Officer, Evans Maneno, said that the exercise kicked-off well at 5.30 am this morning, and by 8.00am they had closed the gates and the exercise procedures commenced.

Mr Maneno, said that he was conducting the recruitment exercise as per the government instructions to recruit best forest rangers.

He revealed that they were expected to be recruiting approximately 40 rangers in Kericho, adding to a total of 1,900 rangers to be recruited countrywide of both genders between the ages of 18 and 28 years.

“The exercise has been smooth and devoid of any challenges as all the applicants were co-operating and adhering to the required procedures, which included a minimum qualification grade of D+(plus) standard height measure, dental formula, straight body structure, eyesight among others,” Mr Maneno said.

Other positions that the KFS has advertised through the Public Service Commission PSC, include those of forest rangers and forest technicians, who are supposed to apply online.

A spot check by KNA during the exercise revealed that hundreds of young men and women below the age of 30 years turned up to try their luck and according to the recruiting officer only a handful of the prospective candidates would be taken up.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops operating under African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS II) were joined by Somali National Police women and a group of women from Dhobley region,on Wednesday 8th March 2023 to celebrate International Women’s Day at ATMIS Sector II Headquarters in Dhobley.

The day was marked with fascinating songs that highlighted important women issues in the society. KDF female soldiers celebrated in traditional and Swahili tunes as Somali cultural songs and moves added flavor and created a comprehensive understanding of the diversity of cultures which is key in enhancing operational effectiveness in the mission area.

The Commander Sector II, Brigadier William Kamoiro, who was also the Chief guest, assured the women leaders that the ATMIS II troops shall continue to work together with them in order to enhance interoperability on gender issues. He also commended on the sacrifices made by the female ATMIS personnel to ensure there is peace and stability in the region.

‘‘I salute all the women out there who are doing wonders all around the globe and making their nations proud, including women soldiers in the frontline, who are supporting the achievement of the mission mandate. Apart from them serving in different capacities they are also the caregivers and mother’s to our soldiers who serve in the mission areas to protect their countries’’, added Brigadier Kamoiro.

Under the theme, “Embrace Equity”, the ATMIS Sector II Gender Officer, Captain Ruth Omedi spent the day assessing the roles and involvement of women in championing for peace, security and stability in Somalia.

“Today, I stand here, proud to be part of ATMIS II as a female peace keeper and actively involved in pacifying this land, that has for a very long time suffered conflict. It has indeed taken a paradigm shift in our social constructs to embrace this current state of affairs”, said sector II gender Officer.

Speaking during the celebrations, women representative in Dhobley Madam Fatuma Abdi Yusuf, thanked the ATMIS II troops for their role of empowering women in the area through the Female Engagement Teams (FET), an initiative that has improved their standards of living.

There has been an increasing trend of number of women being deployed in the frontline. This is a broad daylight indication that the KDF and ATMIS in general are committed towards embracing equality even in its operational deployment.

The Commander finally marked the International Women’s Day by donating foodstuffs as a show of love and care to the local women.

Also present during the event were, Deputy Sector Commander, Colonel Anda Safe, Dhobley town Deputy Commissioner, Muktar Mohamed, Dhobley Police Commander, Mohamed Omar, Individual Police Officer (IPO),Senior Officers, Officers and Service members.

Source: Ministry of Defence

Senior Joint Command and Staff Course participants and Staff from the Joint Command and Staff College (JCSC) in Karen visited the Kenya Navy (KN) Headquarters in Mtongwe.

The participants, led by the Commandant JCSC Major General Eric Kinuthia, paid a courtesy call to the Deputy Commander Kenya Navy Brigadier Lawrence Gituma who welcomed them emphasizing the significance of the visit in performing future staff duties.

The visit to the Maritime Operations Center saw the participants equipped with knowledge on KN’s response to contemporary maritime security threats, harnessing the blue economy and co-operation with key Maritime Departments and Agencies.

At the Kenya Naval Training College, the participants were acquainted with the importance of the Full Mission Bridge Simulator, the Navigation Square and other facilities at the institution in training junior officers, seamen and other maritime agencies.

Later, the participants were briefed on the roles, responsibilities and achievements of the Kenya Shipyards Limited before witnessing the midlife refit of Kenya Navy Ship (KNS) Shupavu.

The climax of the visit was a tour of the KN fleet and a short sea ride on board KNS Jasiri to familiarize with ship operations.

The visit was aimed at acquainting the participants drawn from the three services (Army, Airforce and Navy) of the Kenya Defence Forces with the organization, functions and capabilities of the KN in executing the mandate of safeguarding Kenya’s territorial waters.

Source: Ministry of Defence

A world that is free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated.

DotConnectAfrica in conjunction with Fempower aka Miss. Africa Digital wants to celebrate International Women’s Day today, 8 March 2023.

This year’s theme is DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality. We will join UN Women to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about discrimination and take action to drive gender parity.

According to the United Nations, women in tech make up only 22 percent in the world.

From the earliest days of computing to the present age of virtual reality and artificial intelligence, women have made untold contributions to the digital world in which we increasingly live.

Their accomplishments have been against all odds in a field that has historically neither welcomed nor appreciated them.

Today, a persistent gender gap in digital access keeps women from unlocking technology’s full potential.

Their underrepresentation in STEM education and careers remains a significant barrier to their tech design and governance participation. And the pervasive threat of online gender-based violence coupled with a lack of legal recourse too often forces them out of the digital spaces they do occupy.

At the same time, digital technology is opening new doors for the global empowerment of women, girls, and other marginalized groups. From gender-responsive digital learning to tech-facilitated sexual and reproductive healthcare, the digital age represents an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate all forms of disparity and inequality.

We at DCA we have a purpose-driven approach to meeting our overall objectives of bridging digital divide via innovation. Sponsored by our Digital Academy, we run a Tech Booth Camp for youth and a yearly competitive Seed-Fund financial Impact Award Program, to women-led organizations throughout Africa, to encourage the involvement of women and girls in STEM fields and tech leadership.

The program has now been in 15 African Nations and has impacted over 10,000 women and girls, including the youth.

The pioneering women-in-tech Miss.Africa Digital Program aka Fempower is a gender-focused program targeted mainly at female youth audiences in Africa to increase their personal involvement in early technology use and adoption with a view to improving their digital self-awareness and empowerment and bridging the economic divide through employment and/or entrepreneurship.

It is one of the central pillars of DotConnectAfrica Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program to attract a sizable women and girls demographic of Internet users in Africa in complementary gender development initiatives that improve lives through digital inclusion.

This March 8, during IWD, we are calling on governments, activists, and the private sector alike to power in their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive, and more equitable. Facing a multiplicity of global crises, we have a chance to create a better future not just for women and girls but for all humanity and all life on Earth.

Source: African Science News

Over 100 households from Enga’boli Village in Kajiado Central now have a reason to smile, after receiving food donations from the International Mission Board (IMB) and other well-wishers.

The vulnerable households received food rations to cushion them from starvation occasioned by the prolonged drought.

According to Pastor James Kilomi of Enga’boli Baptist Church in Maili Tisa Kajiado Central, the hunger situation in the area was dire, as many families had lost all their livestock, their only source of income to the drought.

Kilomi said families were now left desperate and at the mercies of well-wishers to provide them with food.

Speaking after overseeing the distribution of relief food to local residents, Kilomi said women, children and the elderly were the most affected and called on more well-wishers to come to their rescue.

“The drought has resulted in loss of livestock thus pastoralists have lost their only source of income thus cannot provide food for themselves. We are calling upon all well-wishers to chip in and donate food to those in need,” said the Bishop.

He further called on the government to introduce a school-feeding program in all public schools, to ensure the pupils attend and remain in school.

Paul Anderson from the IMB, noted that the hunger situation was dire and children under the age of five were at risk of acute malnutrition.

Anderson added that many locals were feeding on one meal a day and appealed to the government and other organizations to chip in by sending food rations to the affected families.

Josephine Tipape, a resident, said water shortage was also a big problem in the area.

She revealed that they have to walk for 15 kilometers to the nearest water point to fetch water for domestic use.

She called on the County Government to sink boreholes in the area and introduce long lasting sustainable solutions to deal with the drought menace.

“There is a huge shortage of water, women are forced to walk over 15 kilometers on an empty stomach to fetch water. I want to appeal to the County Government to sink boreholes so as to solve this water shortage menace once and for all,” she said.

According to the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) an estimated 2.6 million livestock deaths have been reported in the Arid and Semi-Arid (ASAL) counties.

Over 6 million people are facing food insecurity in 32 counties as the prolonged drought persists.

The 32 counties are; Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Isiolo, Garissa, Tana River, Samburu, Baringo, West Pokot, Laikipia, Embu (Mbeere), Meru (Meru North), Nyeri (Kieni), Kitui, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi (Tharaka), Kajiado, Narok, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu.

Others are Migori, Siaya, Homa Bay, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nakuru, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, and Machakos.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kitui Governor Dr. Julius Malombe has called for prudent utilization of resources by County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) and the Chief Officers (COs), for improved efficiency in service delivery.

Dr. Malombe further asked the county government departmental bosses to dedicate their work to improving performance in their departments and embrace with transparency and accountability to help reach desired objectives.

Governor Malombe made the remarks while speaking to the media when he opened a workshop for the Kitui Public Service on Performance Management at Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) grounds, in Kitui.

“My 16-sector development priorities and the budget allocations in the supplementary budget (1) will be the development of a blueprint to put in place the Performance Contracting Systems,” said the Governor.

The County Executive Committee Members and the Chief Officers are expected to put forward clear targets and SMART performance indicators at the end of the capacity building exercise in line with the supplementary budget (1) for the FY 2022/23.

Other staff of the county will also sign performance appraisals with the COs in accordance with the Human Resource Policy and procedures.

The signing of performance contracts and appraisals will be key in generating a culture of result-oriented management within Kitui County Government and in the delivery of services to its people.

The-week long workshop was presided over by the Director of Performance monitoring and evaluation Mr. J.M. Magua from the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary.

Source: Kenya News Agency