Day: March 21, 2023

Kitui Governor Dr Julius Malombe flagged off drugs and Medical supplies worth Sh 81.5 million set to be delivered to 306 health facilities across the county, to aggregate efforts in providing quality healthcare. Presiding the ceremony held at the County Referral Hospital, Malombe said the consignment of assorted pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical commodities based on the disease patterns in the county will boost healthcare to the local residents. The governor revealed the county had cleared all the accrued debts from KEMSA and MEDS totaling Sh. 144 million to facilitate smooth supply from these institutions and cultivate a mutually beneficial relationship and to ensure smooth running of the supply chain. He further added that the county expects drugs and other medical supplies to be delivered in the next three weeks. ‘Going forward, we expect that drugs and other medical supplies will be supplied in time and in the ordered quantities as discussed with the two key partners (KEMSA and MEDS),’ he said. The Governor further pointed out that his government will recruit 2,470 County Health Volunteers for the 247 villages in efforts to enhance primary health of preventive and promotive health care. Among his plans include establishing Teaching and Referral hospitals in both Kitui and Mwingi, continually upgrade healthcare facilities, and establish modern maternity facilities in all hospitals. Other health sector priority areas in his plan are to equip maternity units in selected healthcare facilities, construct the Nzamba Kitonga Memorial Hospital in Mutitu/Kaliku among others as part of his development plan. The Deputy Governor Mr. Augustine Kanani, who accompanied his boss at the flagging off ceremony, added that their administration is looking forward to automating health facilities. ‘As we move to the next step, we are looking on automating our health facility services to enhance quality services delivery to our people,’ said the Deputy Governor. In October last year, Malombe flagged off similar consignment worth Sh 108 million of assortment drugs and medical supplies to the 306 health facilities across the county. Other county officers and invited guests present during the flagging off ceremony included, the Kitui County Executive Member for Health Ruth Koki, Bernard Sila chairperson of the county committee of health in the assembly, several county CECMs, KEMSA officers, scores of county chief officers and clergymen, officers of County Chamber Of Commerce, health workers and members of the public.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Uasin Gishu County earmarks to plant 21 million tree seedlings this year as part of increasing the county’s tree cover. Uasin Gishu County Forest Conservator Mr. Joseph Kingori said more than nine million tree seedlings, eight million in private tree nurseries and one million in Kenya Forest Service (KFS), were available for planting during the rainy season. Speaking during a public consultative baraza at Songoliet sub-location in Kapseret Constituency that was chaired by Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Eddyson Nyale, Kingori said the tree seedlings would be available for Sh 10 each for those interested in buying. ‘To combat climate change that has affected weather patterns, including prolonged droughts, every resident has a responsibility to take part in environmental conservation by supporting tree planting,’ he added. ‘In line with the government’s plan to plant five billion trees in five years’ time, the country has to at least plant 106 million tree seedlings annually to achieve the target announced by President William Ruto on October 20th 2022,’ said the CFC. The President during last year’s Mashujaa day celebrations announced that Kenya intends to plant five billion trees in the next five years through Special Presidential Forestry and Rangeland Restoration Programme. The President said this would eventually lead to 15 billion trees by the year 2032. The objective is the rehabilitation and restoration of 10.6 million hectares in the 290 constituencies, as well as selected ecosystems and water towers threatened by degradation and destruction due to human activity. In his remarks, the CC asked chiefs and their assistants in each sub-county to ensure they start tree nurseries where members of the public can get tree seedlings when they require. ‘It is also important that every farmer or land owners in Uasin Gishu set aside a section of their land to plant trees to increase tree cover in the county that was identified as one of the county’s with very low tree cover,’ said the CC. ‘It is the responsibility of every Kenyan to protect and conserve the environment for posterity, said Nyale. During the baraza, residents raised concerns over rampant illicit brewing and alcohol consumption, especially among the youth whom they claimed had been made dysfunctional by illicit alcohol. ‘We have lost young lives due to alcohol, the youth are no longer productive, the millions the government is putting in ECDE infrastructure will be useless since our youth can no longer sire children because excessive alcoholism is turning most into a vegetative state,’ they lamented. The National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) North Rift Regional Coordinator Ms. Eunice Arubia said to curb the brewing and sale of cheap illicit alcohol, residents and the National Government Administrative officers as well as the Police need to identify chronic brewers who can be assisted to start other legal businesses through social services.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Police at Sagamian area in Narok South Sub County destroyed over 3000 litres of illicit brew during a crackdown along River Amala at the border of Narok and Bomet Counties. Narok South Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Felix Kisalu said the Sagamian location Chief Patrick Koskei and his assistant chief Duncan Kones led the police to the brewing site where they discovered the illicit brew. The illicit brew, he said, included 3000 litres of Kangara and 20 litres of Chang’aa that were put in 20 and 50 litres tanks. ‘We thank the Nyumba Kumi representatives and village elders who gave the information that led to the crackdown. We will continue keeping vigil until we ensure no illicit brew business is done in this area,’ said the DCC. During the impromptu crackdown, no person was arrested as they fled the brewing den when the police arrived. Kisalu said they will intensify the fight to crackdown all illicit brewing points in the area so that the residents can only consume the recommended drinks that are authorized by the government. He called on those who engage in such illicit business to look for alternative productive jobs to do like rearing chicken, farming or bee keeping that will earn them an income. He called upon residents to work with the government officials to report those engaging in the outlawed business so as to eradicate the vice in the area. The crackdown comes only a few days after Narok Central Acting DCC Abdi Shakur Ali destroyed hundreds of litres of illegal brew that was being sold in local wine and spirit shops.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The ongoing renovation of Embu Stadium is on course in readiness to host this year’s Madaraka Day Celebrations, the project undertakers have assured. The refurbishment work is being carried out by Modern Precast K. Ltd. under the supervision of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) at a cost of Sh300 million. KDF Deputy Commander Construction Engineer, Colonel Maurice Owende, speaking on during an inspection tour, said the work was on schedule towards delivery of the stadium by mid-May. He said most of the foundation work on the main pavilion and public terraces had been done and the structures are expected to be complete by end of April. ‘We have no choice, the stadium has to be ready because Madaraka Day is a date cast in stone,’ Owende said. He also said work of levelling the pitch including backfilling of red soil to be followed by grass planting had also commenced. He said with production of materials done using the new precast concrete technology where beams and benches were being made and cured elsewhere and only shipped to the site for installation had saved on time that would have been taken if done on-site. The contractor, Chandreshbhai Babariya, said they had already done 90 percent of production and the technology had reduced time that would have been spent using the traditional method by 60-70 percent. Embu CEC in charge of Lands, Mining, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development, Raymond Kinyua, said they were satisfied with the progress and confident that the stadium will be complete on time to give to give KDF time and space to practice ahead of the national celebrations. ‘We have given the contractor up to May 15 to give the military adequate time to do their drills,’ he said. He said once complete, the stadium will have a sitting capacity of 8,700 with the main pavilion for dignitaries having a capacity to hold 1,700 people. He however said with proper utilisation of the remaining open spaces, the stadium has a capacity of holding more people.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Non-governmental organizations involved with charitable donations are asking the government to relinquish taxes imposed on charitable aids destined to help the vulnerable communities in the country. The organizations now claim donations worth millions of shillings are stuck abroad after the government started taxing charitable donations bestowed from the UK and Germany. They said the majority of Kenyans who depend on donations, especially wheelchairs, hospital beds and sanitary pads are suffering due to the situation. All firms making donations to charitable organizations should be registered under the Companies Act, the Societies Act or the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Coordination Act for them to qualify tax exceptions. Speaking in Mombasa during the commemoration of the NGOs week, Mr. Habib Hakim Secretary of Helping Hand (Pwani), a charitable organization in the Coast, requested the government to give tax waivers to charitable donations so that the needy can benefit. ‘As you know, the government has stopped all tax waivers on donations, they don’t give us waiver on duties and taxes on donations, we want to ask the NGOs Coordination Board to intervene because we have a lot of valuable stuff stuck in Germany and UK,’ Hakim said. ‘We brought a container of wheel chairs and hospital beds last month and we paid duty, when it reached here they told us the government has removed waivers,’ he added. They were speaking during the 2023 NGO week held at Serani grounds in Mombasa where different NGOS showcased what they do. The event was graced by the NGOs Coordination Board Executive Director Mutuma Nkanata. ‘The donations we get from abroad, especially wheel chairs from Germany are very durable, there are patients who are bedridden and need beds at home, sanitary pads that can be supplied to more than 50,000 learners in schools per month, they are now stuck because of taxes,’ Hakim said. The organization also requested for tax waiver on the date fruits used by Muslims during the month of Ramadhan as the holy month approaches. Kenya has made significant strides in the regulation of Non-Governmental Organizations. The NGO’s Coordination Board Executive Director Mutuma Nkatana said that the board is committed to assist all the NGOs that need assistance from the Government Agency. ‘We can sit down, reach out to the treasury on behalf of the organizations to look at specific issues, I don’t see why this cannot happen, we will make a follow up especially on tax exemptions, and assist where possible,’ said Nkanata. Nkanata said NGOs bring in more than Sh 170 billion to the Kenyan economy on an annual basis. He said the agency is keen to facilitate work permits where necessary so as to grow the economy. ‘As you know NGOs contribute towards development, they contribute over Sh170 billion annually, so we are ready to facilitate their activities, and we are ready to help them,’ Nkanata said while lauding the Non-Governmental Organizations for complementing government services. Nkanata asked NGOs to solely focus on sustaining livelihoods of the vulnerable communities in the country, as per their mandate as it promised to conduct a countrywide crackdown on defaulters.

Source: Kenya News Agency