Day: March 13, 2023

Over 900 families in Syumile Sub-location in Makindu Sub-county over the weekend received assorted food relief from the Hindu Religious and Service Centre (HRSC).

The HRSC Famine Relief Convenor Vipul Shah said that each family received maize flour 4 kgs, sugar 2 kgs, green grams 5 kgs, 3 litres of cooking oil and 2 bars of soap during the distribution of the food relief at Syumile Chief’s Camp.

“We are happy to see the beneficiaries smile as they receive the relief food,” said Shah.

The organization which is affiliated to Hindu Council of Kenya, Famine Relief, has been participating in giving to the needy families especially in the three Ukambani counties during drought periods in the past.

He disclosed that plans were at an advanced stage to start distributing food relief to some schools that have been hit by the prolonged drought in Makueni County.

During the event, the organization’s Trustee Prakash Parmar said they have sunk nine boreholes in Wamunyu, Machakos County and one at Makindu town adding that they will sink more in the area.

He revealed that they have assisted residents of Syumile to start tree nurseries from whom they purchase the tree seedlings to plant in the area in a bid to conserve the environment.

A beneficiary, Elizabeth Nyamai thanked the organization for donating the food relief and appealed to other well-wishers to come to their help during this difficult period.

Speaking at the event, the Nguumu location Chief Tobius Mutuku also appealed to well-wishers to come to the aid of the people by donating relief food.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government has ordered people living in bandit hideouts in parts of Samburu, Turkana, Laikipia and Baringo counties to vacate within 24 hours to pave way for the second phase of the ongoing security operation in the northern region.

Speaking at the Malaso escarpments in Samburu West Sub County, Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof. Kithure Kindiki also banned low altitude overflights from private owned aircrafts in these areas with immediate effect.

He said that the government has established that heavily armed bandits are holed up in difficult terrains in remote and inaccessible areas where they hide after stealing livestock and killing innocent Kenyans.

“The bandits are living with unarmed civilians especially women and children whom we suspect are family members and use them as human shields in the event they engage with our security forces. We are providing a 24-hour window period for unarmed civilians to vacate,” he said.

Kindiki noted that despite the ongoing security operation in disturbed and dangerous areas of Samburu, Laikipia, Baringo, Turkana, West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet, in the last one week heavily armed bandits have killed 12 people in Samburu West and six people in Tot area in Elgeyo Marakwet County and in the last seven months over 135 innocent Kenyans including 20 police officers have been killed.

“The criminal elements have continued to taunt and dare the government and their activities have been supported all along by a toxic mix of bad terrain, weapon supply and banditry leadership. There are hundreds of heavily armed bandits hiding in remote and inaccessible areas at the bottom of gorges, escarpments, caves and ravines, some in the middle of hills spread across this region,” the CS said.

The bandits’ haven that have been declared scenes of crimes and must be vacated in Samburu County are Ltungai, Longewan, Nasur, Lochokia and Lekador escarpments, Lolmolog caves, Malaso escarpments, Pura valley, Suguta valley and the escarpment from Marti to Ltungai.

The vacate order in Baringo County was issued in Korkor hills, Tandare valley, and Silale gorges while in Turkana Nadome and Kamur caves, Kapelbok, Nakomoru, Lekobat, Ombolion and the Takwel escarpments at the interface of West Pokot and Turkana counties.

In Laikipia County, unarmed civilians were ordered to vacate from Mkogodo forest, Kamwenje, Warero and Ndungu riwo, Lekuruki hills, Losos and Kiape caves as well as Seku valley.

The CS said that they have identified a handful of senior commanders in charge of the bandit network as well as their spiritual leaders, political patrons and the commercial beneficiaries of bandit gangs.

“In a short while, we shall be circulating the names and photographs of those supporting banditry. The government will also offer monetary rewards to members of the public who will offer information that will lead to successful arrests of these dangerous elements,” he added.

At the same time, Prof. Kindiki appealed for patriotic solidarity of all Kenyans and the friends of Kenya and all stakeholders to isolate criminals and draw a line between them and the rest of us.

“At a solemn moment like this when our nationhood is being tested, its either you are with us or with the bandits; there is no in between. More than ever the victims of banditry require collective consciousness and support. They deserve protection from the government,” he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Meteorological Department has given an update on the March to May long rains season saying it will affect some parts of Kiambu County.

This comes after a long period of dry weather conditions in the county making it difficult for the agricultural sector, which is the driving force of the region, to flourish.

Director of Kenya Meteorological Department Dr. David Gikingu said that in Kiambu and the greater central region, the rainfall is expected over the western sector of the country and was likely to spill over to a few areas.

“Rainfall is expected to increase in intensity and spread to several places towards the end of the third week of March,” he said.

He added that the onset was also expected to start toward the end of the third week of March and beginning of the fourth week of March.

“The rainfall will intensify as we approach the onset dates and therefore farmers are advised to make use of the coming rains and also practice water harvesting when there is rain,” he said.

The rainfall expected over several parts of the country is as a result of the impacts of the cyclone Freddy that developed off the North Australian coast.

The storm has moved over the Indian Ocean crossing Madagascar and resulted in the current dry weather conditions in most parts of the country.

The cyclone is expected to intensify and make landfall in Mozambique on Friday bringing with it rainfall over some parts of the country.

The March-April-May (MAM) long rainy season has been a crucial period for farmers and is very impactful to the agricultural sector in the region hence affecting food security.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya Water for Health Organisation (KWAHO) has established that over 50 per cent of Tana River County population do not have pit latrines or toilets and they answer their call of nature in the bushes.

Speaking to the press at Hola County Referral Hospital KWAHO Tana River Coordinator Mr. William Mwango, said according to a survey conducted by his organisation in the last three years in the Tana River County, the county is losing about Sh257million per year due to poor sanitation.

Mwango said starting from this year, his organisation will start building pit latrines in 120 villages in the county in order to improve sanitation to reduce cases of cholera and malaria.

He blamed poor sanitation on the local community’s habits of refusing to use one pit latrine with in-laws saying it is against their customs hence, preferring to go to the bush.

The Coordinator said KWAHO would spent about Sh13million from DANIDA and Water Works Trust Fund from 2023 to 2024 to construct the 120 pit latrines and also build shallow wells in the County to improve sanitation in the area.

Mwango appealed to the local residents to disregard some habits and cultural beliefs that contributed to poor sanitation.

Source: Kenya News Agency