Category: General

More than 200 volunteers participated in cleaning River Nanyuki in Laikipia County as part of activities to mark World Wildlife Day.

The volunteers who included university students and community-based environment conservation groups joined Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers in removing about nine tons of solid waste from the river.

World Wildlife Day is celebrated on March 3 every year to help promote the conservation of wildlife. The culmination of this week’s celebration will be on Monday when conservationists and community groups from counties neighbouring Laikipia will converge in Nanyuki Town for a street procession and later hold a daylong exhibition.

KWS Assistant Director in charge of Laikipia County Rose Malenya said river pollution was a major threat in the efforts to conserve water sources noting that they only managed to cover two kilometers in the clean-up exercise.

‘We only worked on two kilometers of the river and removed a huge amount of garbage. Suppose we were to cover the entire rive
r? This shows how serious river pollution is serious in the country,’ said Malenya.

The 97 km long River Nanyuki is one of the major tributaries of River Ewaso Nyiro, a source of livelihood in semi-arid northern Kenya also supporting tens of wildlife species.

Most of the garbage collected from the river included plastic bottles and other non-biodegradable materials that blocked the free flow of the river.

Malenya said as part of celebrating this year’s World Wildlife Day whose theme is ‘Connecting people and planet-innovation for wildlife conservation’, KWS and other stakeholders had organized various activities throughout the week all geared to protecting two major water towers within the mountain region.

‘We decided to clean the Nanyuki River since many people depend on it and wildlife downstream too. This is a clear message that the river is dirty. There is a need to conduct periodical clean-up exercises for the welfare of the community and wild animals,’ she pointed out.

She said they have planted mo
re than 4,000 trees in Mt Kenya and Aberdare forest and invited students to visit national parks and other wildlife-protected areas as part of a sensitization campaign on wildlife and environmental conservation.

Participants during the celebrations called for concerted efforts among conservationists, development partners, and government agencies in combating climate change whose adverse effects were taking a toll on livelihoods.

‘It’s important to conserve the environment and especially the water sources because water is life. And remember that when you use river upstream, there is someone downstream,’ said Ms Silvia Chemtai Ruto, Dedan Kimathi University student and one of Nanyuki River clean-up exercise participants.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula has appealed to the electorate to be patient with the government as it strives to fix the economy.

Wetang’ula admitted that the country is experiencing hard economic times but assured the masses that efforts were in place to change the situation.

He was speaking at Chavakali High School grounds during a function for mobilizing funds in aid of the Sabatia Empowerment Initiative championed by the area Member of Parliament (MP) Clement Sloya.

The Ford Kenya Party Leader called for unity of purpose amongst the political class urging them to pool resources together for distribution to common interest groups for collective prosperity.

Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera urged the political leaders to embrace mutual respect and come together irrespective of party affiliations for the sake of uplifting the living standards of the people.

He urged the legislators from the western region to rally behind Wetang’ula as their trailblazer so that they walk on the same politica
l lane.

The area MP Clement Sloya stated that he had started fulfilling his campaign manifesto that had underscored the economic empowerment of the women and the youth.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Migori Transporter-Pick-Up Car Association has promised to work with the Migori County government to help the youth acquire valid driving licenses.

Speaking during the Pickup Association’s elections held at the Migori Green Stadium, the newly elected Chairperson Thomas Indire said that the Association was going to work closely with the Office of the Governor to help the youths acquire the crucial document for job creation.

Ondire vowed to work with each member in the pickup sector to ensure professionalism and proper specialization in the transport sector promising to provide a conducive and healthier leadership environment.

Indire also disclosed that the Association would embark on sponsoring needy students whose parents were registered members of the Association to join high schools from across the county.

The newly elected Association’s Treasurer Ms Julian Otieno noted that they would work tirelessly and transparently to ensure the association achieves its goals of recruiting more qualified members to
streamline the transport sector.

Julian however urged women to join the organization and participate in its activities to empower themselves economically.

‘For a long time, the transport sector has been regarded as a male thing and my urge to my fellow women is that they should keep trying to equip themselves with numerous opportunities presented to the female gender,’ said Julian.

She called upon the members to work as a team to enable the association to access county services and tenders for the social and economic growth of the association and the individual members.

Meanwhile, the members decried the high fuel prices and lack of enough parking spaces within Migori town as some of the challenges that have reduced their profit margins.

They called upon the county and the national governments to address these challenges to enable them to survive the harsh economic times in the transport sector.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The World Bank has encouraged farmers in Africa to take up insect farming to end the continued food security crisis and malnutrition wreaking havoc on the continent.

Chief Agricultural Economist for Africa, Dr. Dorte Verner said only 850 farmers in 16 countries in the continent rear insects, a huge concern given the severity of the food crisis in the region. Kenya has only 17 such farmers.

According to World Bank estimates, insect farming will be a multi-billion-dollar market estimated at around US $8 billion by 2030. Besides, they provide food, animal feed, create jobs, diversify livelihoods, and improve nutrition.

Addressing stakeholders during an Insect for Green Economy conference at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Dr. Dorte termed the venture lucrative due to the huge demand for insect blended food saying farmers record total returns in initial capital invested in only 127 days.

She cited black soldier fly, mealworm, crickets, and desert locusts as some of the insects
whose farming has gained momentum in the region.

‘With 70 percent of the world’s arable land being used for feed farming, there is an urgency to move to insect farming which offers consistent supply throughout the year. Africa faces a huge food security crisis and thus the need to complement the food crop farming with that of insects,’ she said.

‘This creates a circular economy where the already produced household waste is fed to the insects and because of their ferocious appetite they can repurpose it to fertilizer to be used in farming and proteins, fats, and oils for human consumption,’ she added.

She at the same time added that insect farming has the potential to create 15 million jobs in Africa meeting 75 percent of the required direct and indirect jobs.

Deputy Director State Department of Agriculture Teresia Karanja encouraged local farmers to embrace this type of farming due to the dwindling sizes of arable land.

She said insect farming has the potential to help transform the country’s agriculture
agenda adding that the government will continue supporting the farmers through inputs and market linkages.

The Director called on researchers to help in coming up with new mass breeds and better ways of rearing insects to help farmers who have invested in this sector.

‘There is a need for extensive research on technologically advanced areas such as selective breeding. We also need to continuously raise awareness to investors, farmers, suppliers, and consumers on this new form of farming,’ said Karanja.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Boda bodas are a popular means of transport across Kenya and they continue to gain popularity as they can evade traffic and access places where other traditional means of transport, such as taxis and matatus, cannot.

Official data shows that the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) registered 285,203 motorcycles in 2021, compared to the 186,434 registered in 2017. During the review period, the highest growth was recorded when 356,603 motorcycles were registered.

Most people cannot imagine that bicycles are still being used as boda bodas in some Kenyan towns. However, in Thika, bicycles are a common means of transport. Walking through the town and its environs, you will see bicycles parked alongside motorcycles at the boda boda stages waiting for customers.

Kevin Maina, a bicycle taxi rider, told KNA that bicycles as a mode of transport are more popular than the regular motorcycle boda bodas as the bicycle transport business is a source of livelihood for a majority of rural people who do not have
the resources required to purchase motorcycles.

‘For men like me who do not have any other sources of income, this business enables us to earn our daily bread. Besides, commuters prefer our services due to our prices that are significantly lower than those of the regular motorcycle boda bodas and we offer more security in terms of safety,’ said Maina.

David Wanjau, a resident of Kisii Estate in Makongeni, Thika concurs that indeed bicycle taxis are safer compared to motorcycles.

‘Going by statistics, there are quite a lot of accidents that occur frequently caused by motorcycles, and for this reason, most people here prefer to be ferried by bicycles. This choice is reinforced by the belief that motorcycle operators are careless and love speeding,’ said Wanjau.

Additionally, Wanjau noted that accidents from bicycles are minimal when they do occur, and do not cause as much damage.

Charles Kimani, another bicycle taxi operator said there were places bicycles could access that motorcycles couldn’t. He also st
ated that the fare was dependent on the distance and luggage.

‘As Thika natives, we understand the terrain and we can very well access narrow routes that may not be possible for motorcycles. The fare is also dependent on the distance and luggage. We charge Sh20 for short distances but the price can go up to Sh200 for longer distances. I make between Sh400-800 on a good day,’ Kimani said.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Climate change experts have called for increased sensitization of communities on climate change and its effects.

The experts, led by Professor Benard Muok, said sensitization was key in addressing climate change effects, adding that the private sector ought to make investments that generate money to address the menace.

Professor Muok, a climate change expert, said that addressing climate change requires all stakeholders’ efforts.

The Don said that funding is also an integral part of curbing the effects of climate change, despite several proposed actions by climate change experts.

‘Often people think that addressing climate change effects is the work of the government, donors, and NGOs, but we forget the most important player; the private sector,’ he said.

Professor Muok’s sentiments were echoed by Ester Mutua, a carbon market specialist, who reiterated that experts must sensitize the public as part of the solution.

They made the remarks at Tom Mboya University during the close of the second Homa Bay Cou
nty International Investment Conference.

Ms Mutua commended Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga for working with the local communities to develop carbon sinks which she said is a step towards climate stability.

Governor Wanga affirmed that her administration has established a public participation model with climate change committees, consisting of people from villages who are trained as one of the measures of curbing climate change.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Chief Justice Martha Koome has congratulated the Law Society of Kenya President-Elect, Ms. Faith Odhiambo along with other LSK Council Members who were elected to steer the lawyers’ organisation for the next two years.

Koome said Ms. Odhiambo’s election marks a significant milestone as the second woman to hold the esteemed office of the President in the Law Society of Kenya’s history.

‘This is a remarkable step towards promoting inclusion and diversity in our professional organizations,’ remarked the CJ, noting that she was looking forward to working closely with Ms. Odhiambo and her Council members.

Koome who is also the President of the Supreme Court of Kenya, also congratulated Mr. Omwanza Ombati on his election as the Male Representative of Law Society of Kenya to the Judicial Service Commission.

In a press statement sent to newsrooms, the CJ observed that LSK and the Judiciary have historically embraced a collaborative and consultative approach in working towards their shared objective of enhancing a
ccess to justice, improving efficiency in the system of administration of justice, and advancing the rule of law in the country.

‘Continue championing these transformative objectives,’ she urged.

CJ Koome at the same time commended all candidates who participated in the elections and advocates across the country for conducting themselves in a peaceful and orderly manner during the campaign period and election day.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei, has emphasized on the need for global collaboration in tackling interconnected challenges, urging nations not to work in silos.

Speaking during the closing ceremony of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS), Kenya School of Government (KSG) 2024 conference in Mombasa, Koskei noted that collaboration is a long-term strategy to overcome common problems.

The Head of Public Service said that global problems could not be solved through fragmented efforts at the national or regional level.

‘The world is rapidly becoming interconnected and different countries, regions, and categories of the population are becoming interdependent,’ he stated.

He further underscored the value of dialogue, cooperation, and partnership for securing a sustainable future.

He also stressed the significance of institutional frameworks, communication channels, and mutual trust among stakeholders.

‘Successful collaborative initiatives require a conducive institutional envi
ronment, clear communication channels, mutual trust, and shared commitment to common goals,’ said Koskei.

He said the enhancement of skills and capabilities of public service professionals should involve various stakeholders to achieve the desired objectives.

Principal Secretary State Department for Public Service, Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management Amos Gathecha commended IIAS for choosing Kenya as the host of the conference, signalling a significant milestone in the international discourse on governance.

He called for the revisiting of existing governance frameworks to rectify economic imbalances and inequalities among nations, setting the stage for enhanced cooperation and policy development worldwide.

The Director General of KSG Prof. Ludeki Chweya accentuated the need for inclusive development, the challenging of global norms to enhance the well-being of every segment of the society, and the creation of an enabling environment where citizens can enjoy improved livelihoods
.

‘It is important that society continuously challenges global models and standards to improve the welfare of all segments to create a barrier-free environment that enables all citizens to enjoy and benefit from improved livelihoods,’ said Prof. Chweya.

Industrialization, he added, is key to advancing the quality of life thus collaboration between countries is crucial.

The three-day conference was attended by over 130 delegates representing more than 40 countries. It facilitated a diverse exchange of insights and experiences related to international collaborative governance.

The sessions were structured to encourage participation and discourse. Various sub-themes, including collaboration, technology, decoloniality, and globalization were discussed.

Key concepts such as co-production in public service delivery, skills development for collaborative governance, adaptive leadership, and meaningful participation of officials from developing countries emerged as focal points of deliberation.

Discussions encom
passed the mobilization of global resources to address pressing issues such as climate change, poverty, inequality, and trade imbalance.

The conference participants commended IIAS and KSG for their pioneering efforts in pushing the boundaries of governance and public administration. They promised to implement lessons learned in their countries.

The conference adopted a comprehensive definition of collaborative governance, providing a common understanding for further deliberations. It emphasized the formal, consensus-oriented, and deliberative nature of governing arrangements involving public agencies and non-state stakeholders.

The outcomes of the conference are set to be published online and are expected to inform policy-making and administrative practices globally, contributing to enhanced cooperation among nations and international organizations.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Women in West Pokot County have a reason to smile after undergoing training on how to establish kitchen gardens for food security and combat the adverse effects of climate change.

The women who hail from Murpus village received the training sponsored by Perur Rays of Hope organization and its development partners in response to the ever-changing climatic conditions and erratic rainfall patterns which pose a threat to food security.

They were trained on the methods of growing vegetables in a kitchen garden within a small area using minimal water with maximum production of vegetables.

Caroline Menach, Principal of St. Elizabeth Girls’ Secondary School and Director of Perur Ray of Hope Organization explained that the women are known for their unwavering commitment to their work, which is why the Perur Ray of Hope Organization in collaboration with other development partners joined forces to build their capacity to combat the effects of climate change.

She said the organization primarily focuses on assisting
women since the community heavily relies on women because they play a vital role in providing food and taking care of the children besides ensuring that the children get a good education.

Ms. Menach said Murpus village is an area with scarce water resources and added women needed to be trained in using minimal water to generate enough food for their families.

She revealed that a single conical kitchen garden can accommodate 100 vegetable seedlings, and with two gardens, a woman can adequately feed her family with vegetables such as kales, spinach, cabbage, and carrots, ensuring a nutritious diet for the children.

‘Through such training, women will not only be able to feed their children but also sell any surplus vegetables, enabling them to send their children to school,’ she noted.

Menach said they are actively involved in environmental conservation, particularly in establishing tree nurseries and selling tree seedlings which generate income to support children’s education.

She said the main objective o
f the Perur Ray of Hope Organization and its development partners is to prioritize child welfare and to uplift the economy in remote areas for the benefit of children.

Ms Menach expressed gratitude to all the partners who have contributed to the training of the women.

Mary Cherotich, a beneficiary of the program said she was grateful to the organization for the training which has enabled her to acquire skills that she can utilize to maximise the use of a small plot of land to cultivate varied crops with minimal water usage due to low rainfall in the region.

Cherotich also divulged that they have also been trained on how to hatch eggs and they currently have 1000 eggs in an incubator, which they are eagerly waiting to hatch.

She stressed that through women-focused initiatives, with the support of Ms. Menach, they have been able to provide food for their families and educate their children.

Ms. Cherotich firmly believes that empowering women to access food and income-generating projects will alleviate thei
r economic situation.

‘With Madam Menach’s guidance, we have been trained in various income-generating activities that have significantly enhanced our living standards, and we wish to be trained more on sustainability and knowledge about savings,’ she said.

She further noted that if provided with adequate water for domestic and agricultural purposes, they can effectively utilize their land to generate income for themselves and their families.

Mr. Zakayo Kasikar, an elder in the community, was excited about the new agricultural technology, remarking that he had never seen such gardens in the region.

‘They have erected something like a staircase and planted vegetables, something which I have never seen in this area,’ he said.

He reiterated that there have been multiple occurrences of women and children in the region falling from Tuyunwo trees while collecting Sokoria leaves and wild fruits for food during drought and lauded the kitchen garden initiative, saying it could mark an end to such incidents of tra
gedies resulting from people falling from trees.

Elder Kasikar stated that when you assist a woman, it is equivalent to assisting the entire community.

He further acknowledged that when women are supported, men also benefit from the assistance.

Additionally, he noted that women tend to take what they receive home unlike men who are unlikely to do so in many cases.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Nakuru County has seen its first cohort of firemen go through disaster management training as part of measures to establish well-equipped fire stations and rescue centers in all 11 sub-counties by 2027.

The training, carried out in partnership with the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF), focused on various disaster response areas that included fire command systems, emergency medical care, structural firefighting and personal skills such as discipline.

County Executive Committee Member for Public Service, Devolution, Citizen Engagement, Disaster Management Humanitarian Assistance, Jacqueline Osoro, implored the officers to use the skills they have acquired to tackle various disasters such as fires, accidents, and floods among others.

‘This training will help the county have adequate capacity to respond effectively to emergencies, including fires, floods, and accidents, particularly since Nakuru is a transit for the busy Nairobi-Nakuru-Busia Northern corridor,’ added Osoro.

The CECM disclosed that Nakuru County und
er the leadership of Governor Susan Kihika, has plans to have fully equipped fire stations and rescue centers in all the sub-counties by 2027, as expounded in the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP).

‘Use these skills that you have acquired to tackle various disasters in the county and outside the county, as may be requested. We promise to look into issues affecting the officers so that we can enhance their work,’ she noted.

The firefighters, who showcased their skills with a coordinated fire drill to demonstrate their capability in handling fire incidences, also received training on counter-terrorism response as well as counseling to maintain their well-being and mental health, among others.

The 21 firefighters were drawn from the Nakuru City, Molo and Naivasha Sub counties stations.

Nakuru has made tremendous strides in disaster response since Governor Susan Kihika took over the leadership of the county, with plans to acquire more modern equipment to respond to various disasters.

Source: Kenya N
ews Agency

A family from Gicegeri Village in Embu, is appealing for financial assistance to help them bury their kin whose body is detained at Kenyatta University Hospital mortuary over a Sh335,000 bill.

Forty-nine-year-old Cecilia Marigu died of cancer on February 3 after spending a month at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), where she incurred a bill of Sh635,000.

Marigu started ailing in 2022 after suffering a swollen leg and has been in and out of various hospitals in Embu until late last year when she was diagnosed with cancer and referred to KUTRRH.

The family after holding several fundraisers, was able to raise Sh300,000 and has been unable to clear the balance to facilitate the release of the body for burial owing to financial hardships.

The bill continues to accumulate with every passing day the body stays at the morgue at the rate of Sh1,000 per day, prompting the family to plead for assistance.

‘We have reached a dead end and we are now appealing to well-wishers to com
e to assist us offset the bill to enable us to bury my daughter,’ said her 84-year-old mother Agatha Murangi.

The deceased’s sister Felista Muthoni said she sold her piece of land and a stall she owned in Embu Town to fund her treatment and has no other means to raise more money to offset the bill.

She said she is the one now left taking care of her elderly mother and two children left behind by the deceased as her other siblings are financially unstable.

‘The issues of our sister’s body are giving us sleepless nights as a family having not been able to bury her so that we can also have closure over the matter,’ she said.

Muthoni said no mourners come to their home anymore as they got tired of attending the rites with no indication of burial.

‘People also stopped contributing towards the burial and we have been left on our own,’ Muthoni lamented, as she reached out to people of goodwill to come to their rescue.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kitui Governor Dr. Julius Malombe assented to the Kitui County River Basins Sand Utilization and Conservation Bill 2023, which will curb the destruction of river basins and the environment due to unregulated sand harvesting.

Speaking during the ceremony in his office in Kitui town, Malombe regretted the adverse consequences of sand harvesting include the wanton destruction of the environment and local seasonal rivers.

Some of the adverse consequences caused by the massive destruction of the environment due to illegal sand harvesting, the governor mentioned include receding water tables, drying up of rivers, unstable river banks, and unchecked floods, leading to destruction of property, farmlands, crops and, in some cases, the loss of human life and breakdown of societal norms.

‘Among the severely affected rivers are Kivou, Tiva, Nzeeu, Mutendea, Mwitasyano, Tyaa, Nguutani, Enziu, and Mwania,’ he noted.

He observed that owing to the proximity of the county to big cities, urban centers, mushrooming settleme
nts, the high quality of the county sand, and good road network connectivity, Kitui County has in the recent past experienced an ever-increasing demand for her naturally occurring sand.

The governor emphasized that the assent of the bill aligns with constitutional requirements, citing Articles 69 and 70, which outline individual and collective contributions and roles in environmental conservation.

‘The absence of a legislative framework had led to resource-based conflicts, environmental destruction, unequal benefit sharing, socio-economic disruptions, and increased poverty,’ the Kitui County government boss added.

The newly enacted law, the governor stated, addresses these challenges and stands as a testament to his commitment outlined in his manifesto to uphold environmental protection and conservation.

Speaking during the occasion, Kitui Central Sub County Commissioner (DCC) Dorcus Rono welcomed the new Bill and promised that national government, through the office of the County Commissioner, will suppo
rt and cooperate with the county government in enforcing the new Act to the letter.

The DCC lamented the wanton destruction due to unregulated sand harvesting at local seasonal rivers, the surrounding environment and also regretted the high cost being incurred by both governments in mitigating the destruction caused by unregulated sand harvesting in the county.

‘County Commissioner’s office will work jointly with the county government to ensure the new regulations as stipulated in the Conservation Bill 2023 and meant to address massive destruction of our environment are adhered to,’ madam Rono said.

Commending the collaborative efforts behind the legislation, County Assembly Speaker Kinengo Katisya termed the law a product of the joint endeavors of the people of Kitui, the County Assembly, and the executive.

He applauded the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) for prioritizing the interests of the people and contributing to the realization of a sustainable and environmentally conscious Kitui County.

Th
e Kitui County River Basins Sand Utilization and Conservation Bill 2023 signals a significant step forward in ensuring the responsible use of natural resources, protecting the delicate balance of ecosystems, and promoting the well-being of Kitui residents.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Government is set to release Sh2.8 billion given by the Universal Service Fund (USF) to improve digital connectivity in the country, Principal Secretary (PS), the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications Professor Edward Kisiang’ani has announced

Prof. Kisiang’ani said the money which is set to be released by the Treasury next week is meant to help the underserved areas to be connected digitally so that they can also reap the benefits of technology.

The PS reiterated that Government is in the process of establishing 25,000 WiFi hotspots across the country as well as 1,450 digital hubs spread across all constituencies.

He said the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) will allocate three percent of its monies towards infrastructural upgrades on this digital hubs initiative in the constituency digital hubs, which are physical spaces with access to superfast broadband alongside community and business-focused services.

The PS said the digital hubs in the country have t
hree components; Centres of excellence, the standard, and the ordinary, but the centres of excellence are key in helping the communities that do not have internet access to get this service, as they are constructed in the villages to bring this service closer to the people.

‘This will help these underserved communities to even start sources of income and improve the quality of their lives,’ the PS said.

He was speaking in Naivasha during the Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy stakeholders’ workshop organized by Parliament.

The Information Communications Technology (ICT) hubs will also be used for citizen digital literacy training, film creation, and public access to government services in all wards across the country beginning this year.

This will help provide digital connectivity, support the development of digital skills, and create jobs and this will be done through the laying of 10,000 kilometres of fiber, thanks to the digital superhighway initiative.

Prof. Kisiang’ani a
lso revealed that the new structure for the State Department of Broadcasting and Telecommunications has been approved and will be rolled out soon and the department has also been carrying out interviews for promotions to upgrade the officers who have stagnated for a long time.

Turning his guns on the media in the country, the PS lamented that the media fraternity has been giving the Government what he termed as negative coverage and implored it to endeavor to highlight the many positive things that are happening in the country.

‘We all belong to this country and the Government belongs to all of us, we should also try and show the world the good things that are happening in the country,’ Kisiang’ani stated.

Dagoretti South Member of Parliament (MP) John Kiarie Waweru who is also the Chair of the Communication, Information Innovation Committee in the National Assembly decried the low funding to the Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy, which he said is a critical ministry mandated to f
acilitate digitization of government services and increased internet connectivity to underserved communities at a time that the ICT sector is expected to contribute 10 percent to the National Gross Domestic Product by 2025.

Kiarie urged the Ministry to work with available resources towards achieving priority areas such as government digitization and digitalization agenda.

He revealed that the Government had digitized over 15,845 services and added that the digitization program would enable the sealing of revenue leakages and facilitate increased revenue collections.

Kiarie said the Naivasha workshop which entails engagements with the state departments will help review their performance and achievements based on this financial year’s budget allocation and announced that 1.2 million Digital Literacy (DL) devices have been distributed over 22,000 schools to enhance digital literacy.

Kiarie noted that the Kenya Kwanza Administration is on course to facilitate the setting up of 25,000 WIFI hotspots across the
country to boost e-commerce, build 1,450 digital hubs across constituencies, and targets to roll out 100,000 kilometres of fiber out of which 20,000 kilometers have already been laid. All these, he said are geared towards driving the digitization agenda in the next three years.

Kenya has notably emerged as a significant force in Africa’s digital evolution over time. The country has launched numerous digital infrastructure projects to open doors for development and economic expansion.

Kenya, which is ranked second among African nations with the greatest level of technological advancement, recently unveiled a ten-year digital master plan.

In the digital master plan, the four main pillars are digital infrastructure, digital services and data management, digital skills, and encouraging digital innovation for entrepreneurship.

The creation of 1,450 information and communication hubs across the country is in line with the digital infrastructure pillar, which also entails the installation of 25,000 hotspots in p
ublic spaces as mentioned earlier, and important business centres.

It will also entail the development of the government Cloud, the acceleration of the Konza Technopolis and Smart City development, the construction of regional ICT infrastructure, and the creation of a sustainable power plan to support the infrastructure.

Source: Kenya News Agency

While attending an Agricultural Expo in Siaya County that brought together various Azimio politicians as well as diverse players in the Agricultural sector from the county, Raila Odinga pointed out that Siaya has many small-scale farmers and called for sustainability in the practice of agriculture.

Odinga also urged the Siaya county government to prioritize the issue of addressing land security and how to enforce consolidation of land to get economies of scale from farm use.

‘I am pleased to be in Siaya to meet various stakeholders in the agricultural space and I am happy to see different farmers like cotton and chicken farmers and many more who attended because self-sufficiency in food production is primary.

The former Prime Minister also stated that food security is important in ensuring a growing population. ‘We want small-scale agriculture to be sustainable and this issue requires proper planning,’ he observed.

Raila lauded the steps taken by Siaya government to ensure farmers are supported, such as h
aving tractors for hire which is hired at two thousand Kenyan shilling per acre enabling farmers to plough their farms at affordable rates and plant on time.

He also lauded measures and standards put in place by seed companies to ensure availability of high-quality seeds.

The governor of Siaya, James Orengo while speaking at the same forum, echoed Raila’s sentiments, noting that the only thing that can lift Siaya’s status economically is farming and the blue economy, adding that plans are underway to put in place a cotton milling machine in Madiany in Rarieda sub county.

Orengo also touched on the recent successes by his administration in the rice milling sector, pointing out that the major challenge previously faced by rice farmers within the county had been addressed and now, thanks to the Sh60 million rice milling plant at Siriwo, Siaya rice farmers no longer have to move out of the county to have their rice milled, saving them vital production costs.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Pottery is one of the oldest forms of art that gained a lot of popularity around the world and is greatly attributed to helping mankind solve some of the challenges he faced.

In the new millennium, pottery has been viewed merely as a decorative art for improving scenery and aesthetics as opposed to helping address and solve some of the challenges the human race is currently facing. For instance it can be an undisputable answer to climate change, pollution, and lifestyle diseases.

For many years, pottery has been a process and the product of developing vessels and other objects with the use of clay and other raw materials that consisted of functional vessels, such as plates and bowls as well as decorative pieces like tableware, decorative items, and sanitary wares.

With the changing technologies and innovations, the world has been fast-moving from traditional earthenware to metallic and plastic products that have greatly contributed to world pollution and climate change.

According to Ms. Robbie Felix, a pe
rmaculturist and Founder President of Planeta Sano, ceramics or pottery are forms of earthenware that have been used since the inception of the art to conserve our environment.

Felix, a Costa Rican native says that the wrong modern mentality that everything should be disposable is what is ailing the world; creating human-made calamities like pollution and climate change.

The Planeta Sano organisation has been supporting women and youth groups in Kenya and Uganda in permaculture activities to enable them to safeguard their local environment as well as embrace traditional methods of agriculture for healthier living.

In Kenya, the organisation has been helping women groups like the ‘Rongo Women Permaculture’ to make pottery for economic development as well as a form of sustaining environmentally friendly surroundings.

In the twenty-first century, most traditional pottery craftsmen and women numbers have been diminishing and the few that have been left can only be found in remote villages across Africa. Felix
says that it is important to pass the craftsmanship knowledge to the future generation on the importance of pottery in conserving our already polluted environment.

She pointed out that in Africa there is a high pool of educated youth that only requires minimum training to help them work in the sectors of agriculture and pottery to generate income.

Damaris Anyago, one of the members of Rongo Women Permaculture group disclosed that by embracing permaculture, the community can benefit from the health benefits and environmental conservation that pottery offers.

The usage of clay pots, for example, to cook meals makes it appealing, softens the food, and adds nutrients like potassium to food which dissolves during the cooking process.

Potassium, one of the minerals found in clay soil, has been known to play very important functions in the human body like allowing the nerves to respond to stimulation and muscles to contract and tighten as well as reducing the effect of sodium (present in table salt) on blood pre
ssure. The mineral has also been attributed to helping to move nutrients into body cells and waste products out of the cells.

Anyago says that the group makes an average of Sh2,000 daily through the sale of pots, a sign that the Migori community has started to appreciate the forgotten artistic lifestyle.

She acknowledges that with the introduction of modern technologies in kitchen wares like metallic pans and plastic utensils, the population abandoned pottery saying that they were heavy, bulky, and difficult to use.

But modern technologies have brought a lot of problems like soil, water, and air pollution, contributed to lifestyle diseases like cancer, destroyed our environment, and brought climate change.

Her encouragement to the public is that they should embrace the usage of clay pots which have been known to be very sustainable and environmentally friendly items as opposed to plastics and metallic products.

‘We are using the metallic sufurias that are usually cleaned with steel wool, and if not clean
ed properly the iron residues can cause health problems if consumed,’ elaborated Anyango.

Meanwhile, the Director and Founder of Sustainable Village Resources, Caleb Omolo, said that they have been working with women and youth enterprises in the country to sensitise and train them on the importance of embracing permaculture and pottery.

Permaculture refers to the development of agricultural ecosystems that embrace a traditional approach to agriculture to create sustainable and self-sufficient food production.

Omolo explained that the aspect of permaculture is bound by three fundamental principles of caring for the earth, caring for the people, and caring for the future.

The practice integrates knowledge and practices from the best traditional cultures like pottery and natural agricultural practices like crop rotation by linking them to solutions to meet human needs while ensuring a robust future.

Omolo acknowledged that the organisation will continue to train and equip the youth with permaculture skills
to help them employ structural thinking, patterns, relationships, and flows to enable them to link solutions together into synergistic plans that work with nature to fit their local conditions.

He noted that by embracing permaculture in our society we can generate plenty of healthy things, share them justly, and limit overconsumption to benefit the whole society.

‘We want to improve the healthy living of our people, conserve our environment, and improve our traditional modes of agriculture to reduce chemical usage that has continuously polluted our soils, rivers, and air,’ said Omolo.

Source: Kenya News Agency