Day: April 13, 2024

The Department of Public Health has developed a workable plan for emergency flood response, which includes health promotion and distribution of Non-food items (NFIs) targeting Turkana Central, South, East, and North sub-counties.

The emergency response plan, supported by UNICEF Kenya and implemented by Welt HungerHilfe Kenya, aims to address Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) issues to protect the community from water-related diseases.

Speaking during the meeting, Public Health Officer Rael Akoru stated that the county, in conjunction with its partners, will distribute water storage containers, water treatment tablets, and soap.

‘The Non -food items will help the community address health and sanitation issues in response to the ongoing rains resulting in floods,’ she said.

She further mentioned that the plan will be critical in identifying sites prone to floods based on the magnitude of floods, household vulnerability, and population affected.

Turkana Central Deputy Sub-County Public Health Officer Di
nah Toroitich stated that the work plan would guide activities such as site and facility identification and community mobilisation for NFIs distribution.

Regional Manager of Welt HungerHilfe Kenya Turkana Office, Phillip Ewoton, mentioned that the distributed items will enable the community to mitigate and control the emergence of water-borne diseases.

He added that they were currently planning to visit Namukuse and Long’ech to sensitise village administrators, community Health Assistants, Public Health Officers, and facility in-charges on flood emergency preparedness.

In the meeting were Peter Mitunda (Public Health Officer), Vincent Chweywa (WASH Extender UNICEF Kenya), Sofia Lotin (Sub-County Community Health Services Focal Person), and Caroline Lotom (Field Officer, WHH- Kenya).

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Ports Authority has acquired three new ship-to-shore cranes for the Lamu Port, worth Kshs 4 billion, aimed at boosting transshipment business across the country’s Northern corridor.

Speaking to the media during the launch of the three ultra-modern state-of-the art cranes at Kililana Port, KPA Managing Director Captain William Ruto stated that the three cranes would increase the port’s capacity to handle any shipment coming from the Middle East or China.

The KPA MD further revealed that the Authority would also be importing four Rubber Tire Gantry Cranes that would further aid in ensuring the Lamu Port’s efficiency in handling transshipment business.

The arrival of the three state-of-the-art Super Post Panamax Ship-to-Shore (STS) gantry cranes aboard a heavy loader carrier, MV Zhen Hua 24, will position the Port of Lamu as a transshipment hub.

The KPA MD further hailed the move to bring in the ship-to-shore cranes as a milestone in ensuring the viability of the LAPSSET project and the Northern Co
rridor is realised.

‘The national government is committed to ensuring the security of the LAPSSET corridor is achieved,’ he added, adding that adequate personnel and resources have been disbursed to ensure investor confidence is maintained.

He further said that Ethiopia and South Sudan have both voiced their commitment to using the Lamu Port as well as the Northern Corridor, with plans already underway to rehabilitate parts of the LAPSSET road that were previously affected by rains.

The Port of Lamu is the first component of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor project, which is envisioned to have 23 berths. Already, three berths with a draft of 17.5 metres and a turning bay of 500 metres have been completed.

Since the first berth was operationalized in 2021, it has been handling transshipment cargo destined for Mozambique, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Seychelles, Comoros and Madagascar, including containerised and bulk cargo as well as motor vehicles.

The country has received praise fo
r the operationalization of Lamu’s first three berths from the Republic of South Sudan and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

Source: Kenya News Agency

In a bid to address the ongoing health workers’ strike, the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei, has issued a formal appeal to the Health Workers’ Unions, urging them to cease their industrial action and engage in constructive dialogue with their respective employers.

Speaking at the Kenya School of Government, Mombasa, as he officially closed the inaugural two-day Regulatory Authorities and Agencies Conference, Koskei said that there was a Court Order, that was issued to suspend the strike, and allow negotiations and discussions regarding the issues presented by the health workers.

‘We have invited them, and we are waiting for the Union to suspend the strike and come to the table, so we can sit down and negotiate terms that will leave both parties comfortable,’ Koskei said.

Koskei cautioned that the issue of CBA is most contentious, noting that there are about 50 employers of Doctors and 47 counties, Four National Government entities and Three level Six, and the Ministry itself.

‘It i
s only fair that the health workers go back to their respective employers, because they are ready to negotiate,’ he pleaded.

Koskei confirmed that they have sorted out the major contentious issues like basic salary arrears, both National and County government, and the fee arrears for postgraduate doctors, highlighting that the Treasury is processing the payment of about 150 million.

He went on to say that they have also sorted out the issue of comprehensive insurance coverage that they asked for and that from July 1st, they will be covered.

‘They are already on comprehensive cover, and I think they had an apprehension that perhaps with the changes in NHIF, they may lose the cover, but I want to assure them that they are not going to lose it because they are also public servants,’ Koskei said.

Koskei added that the Ministry of Health is also actively addressing human resource matters such as promotions and guidelines. Efforts are underway to ensure that qualified individuals are promoted promptly, with the
necessary funds allocated for that purpose, while ensuring that positions slated for promotion are vacant and that the promotion process aligns with the established criteria.

‘We are saying to let respective counties negotiate with the unions because counties like Mombasa have confirmed that they have no arrears and have all issues sorted,’ he said.

Koskei emphasized that interns are newly graduated doctors who are required by law to undergo a one-year internship as part of their curriculum that helps them to acquire practical experience and fulfill the requirements for obtaining a medical license thereafter.

This structured training period ensures that interns are adequately prepared to contribute effectively to healthcare delivery upon completion of their internship.

‘The contention is the stipend that they are supposed to be paid because it is not a salary. In 2017, the government signed to pay 206 thousand per month, and it has become very unsustainable to the extent that there is a backlog because th
ey are running under a very limited budget,’ he said.

He highlighted that the entire workforce may not be able to get an increment because the country’s economy is very dire to all sectors.

‘NRC analysis that we did says that we can pay them 70,000 per month for 12 months, and upon graduation, they can go get jobs that can pay them even a million in the country or even abroad,’ Koskei said.

He acknowledged the challenge posed by the duration of twelve months and the associated salary; however, he encouraged the interns to prioritise acquiring their licenses, emphasising its significance in liberating them from the constraints of being mere understudies.

The Chief of Staff reiterated the President’s words, urging Kenyans to live within their means because the government cannot afford to borrow loans to pay salaries.

‘The budget we have set aside of 204 billion, can afford to accommodate all the 1,200 interns with the 70,000 salary, but if they want 206,000, we will be forced to take a few of about 100, wh
ich will lead to a backlog of approximately 5 years,’ he concluded.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Farmers are set to benefit in the coming long rain season after the Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh, flagged off the second consignment of 50,000 metric tonnes (1,000,00 bags of 50kgs) of fertilisers.

The farm inputs will be distributed at the National Cereal and Produce Board (NCPB) and last-mile depots across the counties at a cost of Ksh 2,500 per 50-kg bag.

Ronoh said that the consignment supplemented the initial distribution, resulting in a cumulative total of 4 million bags that were distributed to farmers in the first cohort.

Speaking at the Port of Mombasa, Ronoh said that through a multi-agency team, the Ministry will ensure that farmers get the right quality of fertilisers all the time.

‘We have planned for 7.5. million bags for the long rains and 5 million bags for the short rains, totaling 12.5 million bags,’ Ronoh said.

He emphasized that the individuals who were involved in the manufacturing and distribution of substandard fertilizers would face the full force of the law.

Juma M
ukwana, PS Industry, assured that the fertiliser released is of the highest quality, and they encourage the farmers to use the right amount in a timely fashion.

‘We urge farmers to utilise this fertiliser promptly and efficiently before the rains subside to ensure a bountiful harvest. This will enable us to attain sufficient maize production, thereby securing the necessary raw materials for our industries to produce flour,’ Mukwana said.

Abubakar Hassan, PS Investment, said that the President made a shift in the country’s strategic intent, which informs the country’s strategic direction, which is four things; subsidising production, incentivizing value addition, widening and expanding the market base, and rescuing private investment.

He highlighted that the country’s current production capacity stands at 2.5 million bags, significantly below demand, necessitating the importation of over 10 million bags to sustain our subsidy programme.

‘We are seeing many investor opportunities, and we are discussing with
them whether they can manufacture here and create jobs here instead of importing,’ Hassan said.

The PS for transport, Mohammed Daghar, said that this is the epicentre of how the government should work because this is an operational area where multi-agency collaboration is always demonstrated to ensure they deliver as one.

He said that they are determined to ensure the cargo is evacuated from the port in record time.

‘We are going to use 47 waggons to Nairobi directly through the SGR to ensure the fertilisers are transported safely and in time,’ Daghar said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) has collaborated with the County Government of Homa Bay to sponsor 600 youth to undertake technical courses.

Governor Gladys Wanga said the initiative will go a long way in creating jobs for the youth.

Speaking Friday, when she launched the programme at Sero Technical and Vocational Training Institute, the governor said 24 million shillings had been allocated for the programme.

The initiative is dubbed the KCB Fundi Mang’ula Scholarship programme.

Governor Wanga, who was accompanied by the KCB Head of Programme, Joblin Omari, said the beneficiaries will start reporting to various institutions next month.

The students will later go on a three-month industrial attachment at firms of their choice.

‘The programme is meant to resolve the problem of unemployment for the youth. Technical skills are in high demand, and that is what we want our youths to have.’ The governor said.

She said some of the courses they expect to undertake include masonry, plumbing, carpentry, food and
beverage, fashion, and design, among others.

Governor Wanga said students who will excel in their fields of study will be given tools to start their own industries.

Ms. Wanga was accompanied by her Deputy Oyugi Magwanga, and County Assembly Speaker Julias Gaya.

She added that the beneficiaries were selected through a competitive process that involved a team from KCB and county government staff.

Ms. Wanga told the beneficiaries that they were ultimately expected to be job creators.

‘We are investing in the future of our county, and beneficiaries have no choice but to study hard. The bank and tax payers sacrificed to ensure you get the skills.’ She said.

She told beneficiaries to put all their energy into the programme. Mr. Omari said KCB gave out Sh12 million to support the programme.

He said it will help in improving the region’s economy as the beneficiaries will be able to create jobs for themselves and for others.

‘The beneficiaries will be trained on how to start and manage businesses,’ he said.

M
r. Omari added that the scholarship will also encourage investors to put their money in Homa Bay.

Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga told students to uphold high standards of discipline.

He said technical courses will address cases of youth unemployment.

Magwanga said that the government was committed to equipping technical training institutes and hiring staff.

‘It is our duty to ensure we provide a better environment for students in technical training institutions,’ he said.

Source: Kenya News Agency