Day: May 30, 2023

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has called upon the government to zero-rate sanitary pads for school-going girls in order to increase the supply and reduce the cost of purchasing the commodity.

Speaking during the commemoration of World Menstrual Hygiene Day held at Kisii University on the outskirts of Kisii town, AHF Regional Prevention Programme Coordinator, Ms. Peninah Mauda said political goodwill and zero-rating of sanitary towels will ensure that local manufacturers can acquire the raw materials used in their production of the commodity at a lower price.

“As AHF, we are calling for political goodwill from the government since it is critical in supplying and zero-rating sanitary towels because, at the moment, we are importing sanitary towels,” noted Mauda.

Currently, sanitary pads are exempted from value-added tax VAT and attract zero excise duty but, the raw materials used in their manufacture attract a VAT of 16 percent and excise duty of 25 percent.

The Programme Coordinator also urged the political leadership to help the stakeholders at the grassroots level in ensuring school-going girls remain in school through the provision of free sanitary towels and ultimately, preventing teenage pregnancies.

She noted that the lack of sanitary towels is a major driver of teenage pregnancy and HIV infections among young adolescent girls because they are forced to engage in early sexual activities in order to get funds to purchase the pads.

Mauda said they were targeting at least 800 school-going girls who will receive free sanitary towels and be engaged in health talks and health education sessions in relation to menstrual hygiene in an effort to end period stigma.

In addition, the Programme Coordinator said that in conjunction with teachers, they will identify more vulnerable girls who will be provided with menstrual hygiene-related commodities including inner wears that are used to hold the pads for the girls.

Kisii County Public Health Officer, Thomas Oirere noted the event was meant to sensitize the community on menstrual hygiene management, a topic that has been considered a taboo for a long time within the Gusii community.

Oirere said they are encouraging young girls and women to adopt biodegradable or reusable sanitary pads as well as menstrual cups because the disposable ones negatively affect the environment due to lack of capacity to manage them.

The Public Health Officer pointed out that the county government of Kisii in partnership with the Western Kenya Sanitation project is in the process of setting up a plant that will manufacture disposable and biodegradable sanitary pads.

“The county government has availed the land and the process is ongoing. We welcome all partners, stakeholders, and the general public to join us in raising awareness of menstrual hygiene. Our county remains committed to ending period stigma against women and girls,” he noted.

On her part, Kisii Reproductive Health Officer, Elizabeth Nyabicha encouraged the community members to shun myths and misconceptions about menstruation and speak up, saying that some school-going girls are forced to stay indoors and miss school while menstruating.

According to the Ministry of Education, a girl who is absent from school for four days in 28 days (month) loses 13 learning days equivalent to two weeks of learning in every school term.

Subsequently, a girl loses 39 learning days equivalent to six weeks of learning time in an academic year (nine months).

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage has launched the National Wildlife Research Agenda (NWRA) to guide and coordinate all activities in research on wildlife for the next four years.

Speaking during the launch of the document at Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) in Naivasha on Monday, Tourism Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ms. Peninah Malonza said the NWRA document was timely and will go a long way in guiding, coordinating and giving impetus to all the activities of all stakeholders while carrying research in wildlife.

The CS said it will also help to improve the provision of scientific, evidence-based information to support wildlife conservation, management decision-making and policy formulation while at the same time addressing present and emerging wildlife conservation and management challenges in Kenya.

“Despite research on wild animals and their habitats in Kenya having been going on since the establishment of the first Protected Area (PA), the Nairobi National Park in 1946, it has been uncoordinated with limited access and sharing of data and information. It has often been disconnected from the prevailing needs of wildlife conservation and management in the Country,” Malonza said.

She noted the agenda has identified seven (7) priority thematic areas for wildlife research that will provide an all-encompassing science-driven framework to support the implementation of the National Wildlife Strategy 2030, the WRTI Strategic Plan 2022-2027, the KWS Strategic Plan 2019-2024, relevant Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013.

The thematic areas include; wildlife species population dynamics where the researches will establish and update the status, trends, and distribution of wildlife, Wildlife Habitat dynamics which seeks to maintain the integrity of wildlife habitat in conservation areas and its management, wildlife health where the researches will help safeguard wildlife through early prevention and early detection and management of diseases and Natural Resources Governance, to help improve security rights and sharing of power between communities and diversity.

Other thematic areas of researches include; researches covering specimens and inventions in wildlife, researches in Climate change which seeks to look at effects of climate change on wildlife and propose adaptation plans by both the national and county governments in the affected counties and lastly, wildlife resource information management for posterity.

Malonza has directed the WRTI Institute in Naivasha to establish the national wildlife data portal to facilitate consolidation of wildlife data across the country and its synthesis to inform science driven decision -making and policy formulation in order for the proposals in the agenda to be effective.

She revealed that the Government has already provided some seed money towards this initiative and welcomes support from partners to realize this goal. Further, Malonza advised the Institute needs to make the permitting of wildlife research facilitative by adopting online platforms.

The CS reiterated the Government`s commitment to support the implementation of this document and observed the implementation of the research agenda will require strategic partnerships and stakeholders’ collaborations to ensure proper stewardship, science-based decision making, and adaptive management in the wildlife sector

On the issue of the drought that have ravaged the country for five consecutive seasons, Ms. Malonza announced that they will launching a report on the same next month.

Parts of the country have experienced five consecutive seasons with inadequate rain in the past two years, which severely affected people and animals, including livestock. The worst-affected ecosystems are home to some of Kenya’s most-visited national parks, reserves and conservancies, including the Amboseli, Tsavo and Laikipia – Samburu areas.

It’s estimated that more than five million Kenyans were affected by the drought in more than 24 counties and more that 2.4 million livestock and wildlife killed by the drought.

Tourism in Kenya is the second-largest source of foreign exchange revenue, hot on the heels of the agriculture sector which earns Kenya about 70 per cent of her Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

According to data from the Ministry of Tourism released in March this year, Kenya international tourist arrivals in 2022 were 1,483,752 which represents 70.45 per cent increase as compared to 2021 arrivals of 870,465. The incoming earnings grew up to Sh. 268.09 billion compared to Sh. 146.51 billion in 2021 when Kenya was still in the jaws of Covid-19 pandemic, which is a growth of 83 per cent.

Kenya has been considered an attractive tourist destination for decades. With over two million tourists annually, the country has long since adapted to foreign guests and can offer not only breathtaking nature, but also all other amenities.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government in partnership with Ugandan authorities are working on modalities to entrench an efficient transport corridor through the two countries to ensure that movement of transit cargo was seamless to the East and Central African region.

The two governments have partnered to decongest the busy Eldoret-Malaba highway which is the gateway to the larger East African hinterland and other landlocked countries

Speaking after inspection of Malaba dry port, the CS for Roads and Transport Kipchumba Murkomen noted that Kenyan government has plans in place to install more improved and digital scanners at Malaba and Busia One Stop Border Posts(OSBP) as a way of reducing time wasted to clear trucks at the border.

The CS made his remarks when he played host to Uganda’s state minister for Works and Transport Musa Ecweru who was in the country to deliberate on possible solutions to the road transport that has caused uproar among road users.

The two East African Community member states also said an agreement had been struck to open auxiliary roads at the border to eliminate traffic jams along the Malaba-Bungoma highway.

“After much deliberation, the scanning process has been identified as the main challenge that has contributed largely to the heavy traffic witnessed within the border and we have suggested increasing the number of scanners within three months to boost the efficiency thus enhancing trade,” noted CS Murkomen.

“However, this will be a temporary measure as we advance talks with our sister countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to extend SGR up to DRC Congo as a permanent solution,” added the CS noted that the government of Kenya will shift the operation of dry port from Naivasha to Malaba to expend trade.

CS roads Kipchumba Murkomen lead the delegation of infrastructure experts from Kenya and Uganda to inspect Malaba dry port that is 85 per cent complete.

Malaba Border is the busiest OSBP where over 2500 trucks are cleared daily generating over 15billion revenue annually.

The move comes weeks after the Ugandan government continued to record an increasing number of empty trucks heading back to Mombasa that build a stretch of over 15KM from Malaba waiting for clearance along Malaba-Jinja Highway.

“Our objective is to make sure the SGR in the fullness of time is taken all the way to DR Congo so that it can foster faster movement of goods and people and deepen integration as a region. We will engage further to bolster the partnership on transport and trade,” Murkomen said.

His sentiments were echoed by Uganda state minister of Works Musa Ecweru who said the partnership aims at smoothening the transport sector that has witnessed a lot of hiccups.

According to Ecweru, the government of Uganda has renewed its commitment in construction of SGR from Malaba to Kampala and rehabilitation of Tororo- Gulu- Pakwach meter gauge railway.

“Our nature of engagement with Kenyan CS for roads was aligned in ensuring cost of business is effective and efficient thus boosting regional integration on matters of trade and transport,” noted Ecweru.

The two governments agreed on the issue of empty trucks reroute back to Kenya through Lwakhakha road as a temporary measure to improve services as the agencies at the custom will concentrate more on cargo-transits.

Teso North MP Oku Kaunya applauded the move by CS Murkomen to respond promptly to the plights of truck drivers and residents of Teso by assuring the community that the government will prioritize dueling of the road from Kanduyi to Malaba OSBP to minimize traffic congestion as well as mitigating accidents.

“I am delighted by the move by the CS to address the traffic mirage and also to reduce dangers exposed to road users as a result of traffic. We have witnessed fatal accidents weekly along this road involving truck drivers and motorists, we believe the engagement will offer a permanent solution,” noted Hon. Kaunya.

The lawmaker noted that even though trucks contribute to the business and development of Malaba town, measures need to be taken to mitigate risks the community is exposed to.

Source: Kenya News Agency