Day: March 16, 2023

Residents of Kasambara in Eburu- Mbaruk Ward in Gilgil sub County, will soon enjoy the services of an abandoned donor funded hospital that the County Government of Nakuru hopes to manage. The Rhein Valley Hospital situated in Eburru-Mbaruk Ward may soon be reopened under the management of the County, with the residents warming up to its operationalisation to ease access to healthcare The hospital, closed its doors three years ago, when the community clashed with the donors from Switzerland on its ownership. The community had donated five acres of land on which the donors build and equipped the facility at a cost of Sh150 million. The 13 bed capacity hospital that had afforded the residents a 19-year service is still in good shape and fully equipped, with the community and the county government working on a proper legal framework for its management and operation. Speaking during a public participation forum held at the facility, County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura noted that the County Government of Nakuru will need to carefully consider the legal framework required to operationalise the facility and ensure that it is sustainable in the long run. ‘This hospital has a catchment population of 4,000, mainly from Kasambara and Thugunui locations with great potential to be a valuable resource for health care services,’ noted County Executive for Health Ms Jacqueline Osoro. The residents, who remembered the facility with nostalgia termed it as a ‘friend indeed’ with a number having survived by a whisker when they were resuscitated at the facility before being transferred to Nakuru Level 5 hospital, 25 KM away. ‘The facility was well equipped and would afford us the much needed services at low costs. Its closure was a blow to us as accessibility to the nearest facility was a problem,’ said Jane Mungaru. Present at the forum, area Member of the County Assembly Mike Gathanwa, who said the reopening of the Rhein Valley Hospital would be a significant development for the local community and would help to improve access to quality healthcare services, hoping that the community and the county will successfully conclude on the matter. The community had differed with the then manager Ruth Schafer, noting that the initial agreement was for the donor to build on the locals’ land, then have them manage and not as she claimed that it was solely donor funded.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has called for the removal of trade barriers that restrict movement of goods and people amongst the Commonwealth member states. Dr Mutua said the removal of restrictive visa regimes and other non-trade barriers would be vital in leveraging intra-Commonwealth trade. In a press statement sent to newsrooms, the CS reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to positive multilateralism, to the values and principles of the Commonwealth and to mutually beneficial partnerships that will safeguard and advance the welfare and wellbeing of citizenry in the member states. ‘I am also calling for a review of the global financing system that would help in easing and better management of debt among Commonwealth Member States,’ stated Dr Mutua. The CS made the remarks yesterday during the 22nd Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) held at the Commonwealth Headquarters, Marlborough House in London that was attended by ministers and representatives from across the Commonwealth, to discuss joint responses to shared challenges. The Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting is held annually to discuss matters of collective interest to the Commonwealth. This year’s meeting focused on enhancing the resilience of Commonwealth countries in times of crisis and provided a platform for members to appraise each other on the challenges faced by their countries on the effects of climate change, Covid-19 pandemic and high food and energy costs that risk impacting peace and stability. At the meeting, CS Mutua proposed various areas of concern where member States could work jointly together citing areas such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, matters of regional peace and security and in particular, countering violent extremism, debt management, elections and national cohesion. He commended Kenya for holding peaceful and fair elections as was validated by both regional and international election observer missions, and reiterated Kenya’s commitment to supporting African leadership in addressing climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, as well as Kenya’s role in advancing a cleaner, greener and more sustainable environment. The CS told the meeting that President William Ruto, is advocating for the planting of 15 billion trees by 2023, a move he said aims at increasing Kenya’s tree cover to 30 percent. On the sidelines of the meeting, Dr Mutua held a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom James Cleverly where they discussed issues of mutual interest and the need for peace and stability. On regional peace and security, they both agreed to collaboratively explore ingenious pathways to end conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and South Sudan. Mr Cleverly said UK appreciates and lauds Kenya’s commitment to improve peace, security and prosperity in Kenya and the region. The Ministers also discussed on the ongoing projects and agreements signed at COP 27 in Egypt which they noted will enable trade and development programmes in the two countries to grow to higher heights. On education, the Ministers agreed on increasing scholarships to Kenya from the current 40 Chevening and 20 Commonwealth scholarships. ‘Doubling of the number of scholarships offered to Kenyans would be ideal,’ Dr Mutua said and requested for a quota of additional 20,000 nurses to work in the UK. ‘We request for 10,000 jobs for seasonal agricultural workers in the UK farm sector and support to access as many as 8,000 seasonal labour jobs in construction, hospitality and health in the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey,’ he added.

Source: Kenya News Agency