Day: March 23, 2023

The County government of Murang’a has embarked on drilling 20 boreholes in an effort to increase water connections to local homesteads. Governor Irungu Kang’ata on Wednesday revealed that his administration will give priority to semi-arid areas which have low water connections. Kang’ata said residents in some wards have requested for provision of water noting that the boreholes will complement water being provided by local water firms. The Governor spoke when he launched drilling of a borehole at Mbogoini Primary School in Kuhumbu Ward of Kigumo Sub County during celebrations to mark World’s Water Day. He disclosed that water connection in the County currently stands at about 60 per cent and with the addition of the boreholes, the connectivity is expected to increase to more than 70 per cent. ‘Water is one of our priorities and the County administration is working with local water companies to increase connections to homesteads,’ he stated. Some Wards which lie in semiarid areas including Makuyu, Kambiti, Ithanga among others, Kang’ata noted, are slated to benefit from boreholes before closure of the year. Noting that water connections in Kahumbu ward is low, the county boss noted the Mbogoini borehole is expected to serve more than 15 000 homesteads thus boost water supply to residents. Some of the leaders who graced the occasion called for proper coordination between National and County government water projects. Kigumo MP Joseph Munyoro said despite his Constituency having permanent rivers, water connection is low but with better planning water can be tapped from Aberdare forests and be distributed to locals. ‘We appreciate the borehole but since the national government has the responsibility of providing bulky water, we request for a major project which will see water being tapped from upper parts of the constituency and be distributed to locals especially to lower parts of Kahumbu which receive minimal rainfall,’ added Munyoro. His words were echoed by the County Woman Representative, Betty Maina who called for more resources to implement water projects. She said as the County embarks to provide domestic water, there is a need to provide the commodity to actualize irrigation farming. ‘There is a need to provide water for irrigation farming. Currently people are experiencing food shortage due to a prolonged dry spell which was experienced in the county,’ she averred. Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company Managing Director Engineer Daniel Ng’ang’a lauded the sinking of water boreholes saying the move will ensure they have plenty of the commodity to connect more families. He revealed that his company has embarked to conserve water catchment areas by planting trees so as to ensure continuous availability of water. ‘We have a target to plant more than 10, 000 seedlings at water catchment areas. We have also engaged community leaders to help us mitigate vandalism of our infrastructure which is frustrating efforts to effectively provide water in some parts of our area of jurisdiction,’ added Ng’anga.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The County Government of Nakuru has embarked on a mission to combat carbon dioxide emissions in the country by planting 10 million trees between now and the year 2025. In a bid to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on the environment, the devolved unit has further announced its commitment to increase the tree cover to more than 15 per cent. Kenya currently contributes 0.05 per cent of the world’s total carbon emissions with a drop by 13.80 per cent from 19.0 million tonnes in 2019 to 16.4 million tonnes in 2020, according to a study by Knoema Data Experts. Governor Susan Kihika said her administration was working with various stakeholders to turn around the negative effects of environmental degradation and climate change. Kihika cited partnerships with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Kenyatta University, Green Blue Foundation Africa and the County Commissioner’s office, adding that the current 9.2 per cent forest cover in the county was too low. ‘The work will include enabling communities to raise tree nurseries and supply seedlings to residents for planting under a programme that will be implemented in all the eleven sub-counties. The communities are encouraged to plant trees with high commercial value that are environmentally friendly,’ stated the County boss. Climate change, she said, has also burdened other sectors, including health and infrastructure, as well as disrupting local and international supply chains. ‘To a considerable extent, these adversities are the direct and indirect consequences of human failure to observe its ecological imperative. The solution is to plant trees to reduce greenhouse emissions, to stop and reverse deforestation so that the human race is saved from the climate catastrophe,’ added Kihika. In a speech delivered on her behalf by County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in Charge of Water, Environment, Energy, Natural Resources and Climate Change Dr Nelson Maara during a tree planting exercise at Kamere beach in Naivasha Sub-County, Kihika stated that increasing tree cover in Kenya would help reduce human-wildlife conflicts. The Governor indicated that millions of wildlife that depend on forest cover for their existence are faced with extinction due to illegal logging and failure to plant trees. ‘A high number of animals have been killed by communities after straying from the forests, national parks and game reserves for lack of tree cover, food and water,’ she said. ‘This trend can be reversed with sensitization of the local communities on the need to conserve the environment and protect wildlife, which is a national heritage,’ she noted. The national government wants to have a minimum of 10 per cent forest cover in Kenya by involving various stakeholders. In November last year President Dr. William Ruto launched a tree restoration program at Ngong Hills Forest to kick start his plan of planting 15 billion trees by 2032. Ruto said the initiative will help combat the effects of climate change, which has unleashed calamities such as droughts, floods, unpredictable rainfall patterns and disease and pest outbreaks. Nyeri County leads with an estimated 38 per cent tree cover, a record that the Nakuru County administration is confident it will surpass in a couple of years. According to KFS, Rift Valley has an average forest cover of 14.6 per cent with Elgeyo Marakwet accounting for the highest at 37 per cent, followed by Baringo at 25 per cent, Kericho at 23.5 per cent, Nandi 16.8 per cent, Narok 16.6 per cent and Trans Nzoia at 16.1 per cent. Others are Samburu at 12.8 per cent, Bomet 12.7 per cent, Nakuru 9.2 per cent, West Pokot 8.3 per cent, Uasin Gishu 7.5 per cent, Kajiado 7.1 per cent, with Laikipia and Turkana trailing at 6.7 per cent and 4.06 per cent respectively. In his remarks, Maara said women, youths and vulnerable groups will be incorporated into the programme to establish tree nurseries with the support of Community Forest Associations (CFAs) in the ambitious plan to raise tree cover. ‘KFS is expected to provide eight million tree seedlings with the county government topping up with two million tree seedlings that will be distributed for planting in farmlands and gazetted forests,’ the CECM pointed out. With the challenges brought by global warming, Maara said, there was an urgent need for counties to join hands with various development partners and donor agencies to formulate sound and practical policies to conserve the environment, increase forest cover, provide clean and safe-to-drink water for the communities and raise the people’s livelihoods. Maara observed that if every Kenyan plays their part, each would only have to plant 30 trees per year, or 300 in 10 years. He stated that the devolved unit was fast-tracking development and implementation of spatial plans so as to guide environmental conservation and food security and create job opportunities. Nakuru County Forest Ecosystem Conservator Mr. Peter Mukira asked administrators of learning institutions to take a leading role in environmental conservation programmes and inculcate in local communities the culture of protecting natural resources. Mukira observed that County governments play a leading role in efforts to increase the on-farm tree cover across the country. He urged land owners to set aside 10 per cent of their farms for tree planting. He said KFS was committed to take charge of efforts to raise tree cover by involving all government institutions, private citizens, donor organizations, private sector players and other stakeholders.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The national government has expressed its commitment to supply farmers with more than 300,000 metric tonnes of fertilizers during this long rain season to enable them to increase crop yields and enhance productivity. Speaking to the press at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) offices in Kisii town, State House Spokesperson Mr. Hussein Mohamed said the government had transacted Sh. 3.7 billion in the purchase of fertilizers and over one million bags had been bought by farmers at a subsidized rate of Sh. 3500 per bag, throughout the country. ‘Farmers in Kisii and Nyamira counties are now receiving subsidized fertilizer through the government’s Fertilizer Subsidy programme, meant to cushion farmers against the high cost of fertilizer, increase agricultural production and address food insecurity,’ Mohamed said. He noted the high cost of fertilizers has been a major challenge to farmers prompting the President to address the issue by making fertilizers more accessible and affordable and getting rid of middlemen so that farmers can get what they deserve. Mohamed noted the government has registered five million farmers in the last six months and distribution is being managed and implemented digitally and efficiently. The Spokesperson noted that out of the 134,538 registered farmers in Kisii County, 7,800 bags of fertilizers had been supplied while in Nyamira County, 80170 farmers had registered for the subsidy and 2,780 bags had been disbursed. He urged farmers to take advantage of the ongoing digital registration at the Assistant Chiefs’ offices countrywide saying the process will not only promote efficiency, but also enhance traceability, accountability, and transparency in fertilizer distribution. Meanwhile, President Dr. William Ruto is expected to begin a three-day working tour of Kisii and Nyamira counties where he will inspect and commission several projects in line with the government’s bottom-up economic transformation agenda. Some of the development projects that will be launched include the commissioning of the Kegati Water project in Kisii, the affordable housing project in Sironga (Nyamira County), and the commissioning of Gamba-Kegogi and Gekano-Rigoma-Amabuko roads. President Ruto will also attend a thanksgiving ceremony of the Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu in Getacho primary school and thereafter, hold several meetings with the people and leaders from the region. Gusii leaders from the region led by the Education CS have welcomed the President’s visit terming it timely adding that it will go a long way to change the lives of the people of Gusii.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has organized a two-day training exercise for clerks who will be collecting, verifying, and validating signatures and bank accounts of 4,734 fisher folk ahead of their compensation for lost fishing grounds following the construction of the Port of Lamu. The training facilitated by KPA aims to equip the clerks with the necessary skills to ensure a smooth compensation process for fisher folks as reparation for damaging their livelihoods. KPA Board Chairman Benjamin Tayari is set to launch the exercise this week with the clerks proceeding to the field soon after. Tayari said all pending issues that had occasioned the delay in the release of the cash had been cleared and added that individual fishermen will soon be receiving their dues. ‘As a clerk it is your responsibility to always ensure that you have the validated list of the fishermen and the agreements for the area you have been allocated,’ said KPA’s Principal Legal Officer Stephen Kyandih. He said during the exercise, deliberate efforts would be made to ensure each individual fisher folk is physically reached to append their signature to the agreement. ‘In cases where the fisher folk is indisposed and is unable to physically come to the designated venue to sign the agreement, the appointed officials and clerks will make arrangements to reach the person physically for the signature,’ he added. The compensation committee co-chair and KPA’s Corporate Communication Manager Bernard Osero thanked the fishermen for their patience and urged the clerks to be thorough and accurate during the verification process. He said the compensation exercise is being implemented pursuant to the court order issued in Nairobi Civil Appeal no.230 of 2018 issued of December 5, 2022. The sentiments were echoed by Lamu County Beach Management Unit (BMU) Chairman Somo Somo and Save Lamu Chair Mohamed Athman, both of whom assured KPA of their support for the successful conclusion of the exercise. Somo expressed his satisfaction following the resolution of the matter after a long legal tussle. The fishermen were awarded by the court Sh1.76 billion compensation after they demonstrated they would no longer be able to undertake fishing due to dredging activities at the Port of Lamu. The fishermen will receive 65 per cent direct cash compensation with 35 per cent remainder set aside for sustainability of Lamu County fishing activities.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Over 500 Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in Isiolo County have benefited from medical kits donated by the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) to help them provide better services to local residents. The health volunteers play a significant part in promoting primary health care which involves activities aimed at prevention of diseases as well as identifying infection outbreaks and referring patients to the nearest health facilities. Receiving the donation, Chief Officer for Public Health Mr. Bisharo Hassan said CHVs in their normal duties visit homes to deliver health promotion messages, treat common illnesses and also establish protocols for maternal and newborn health at the community level. The non-governmental organization, ‘Concern Worldwide’ County Representative Mr. Hassan Olow, said that the support given to the CHVs will ensure the people living in the remote areas where there are inadequate healthcare providers, receive care and avoid travelling for over 10 kilometers in search of services. ‘Our aim is to ensure the CHVs who have been playing a crucial role in the community receive sufficient and appropriate medical tools that will help them deliver good and immediate response to health issues,’ Olow said. He further called upon the devolved government and especially the County Assembly to ensure they enact laws to ease implementation of the CHVs activities to improve performance of their duties. The kits will serve residents of Garbatulla, Sericho, Ngaremara, Oldonyiro, Cherab and Chari Wards where the CHVs lack adequate kits for effective services. The donation comprised 500 aprons for CHV identification purposes, 600 bags for carrying medical tools, cups and spoons for demonstration during home visits, 900 copies of Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI) tools, and copies of community health system act, copies of household registers, referral forms and checklists for community health. Isiolo Chief Officer for Medical Services Mr. Abdirahman Ibrahim said that the donation would greatly uplift the primary healthcare in the county with the CHVs having received enough medical kits. Ibrahim also appealed to other donors to partner with the health sector in order to strengthen the healthcare systems in the area saying that the current status could not satisfy the County’s large population. The Catholic Relief Services in partnership with other non-governmental organizations through the Nawiri program which has been serving residents for the past five years has been committed to strengthening the community health systems through donating of the kits to remote areas and also provision of other kinds of healthiness support.

Source: Kenya News Agency