March 10, 2024

Government Officials From Nyanza Launch Bursary To Support Needy Students

Top government officials in the Kenya Kwanza government from Nyanza have launched an education kitty that will support bright but needy students from the region to access education.

Speaking during the launch of the kitty at Ambira High School in Ugunja sub-county on Saturday, Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo said the initiative will complement the existing bursary schemes run by both the government and other non-state actors.

He said that this was part of the Kenya Kwanza government’s commitment to ensuring that the Kenyan child got the best education, adding that all senior officials from the government have clear instructions from the President to support education matters.

The Cabinet Secretary, who later joined the Principal Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Dr. Raymond Omollo at Ruma Secondary School in Rarieda where they donated a school bus and opened a digital hub, said that the bursary scheme was part of the leaders’ agenda t
o give back to the community.

He said that the kitty will be disbursing funds each year, adding that each of the four counties, Migori, Homabay, Kisumu and Siaya, will have such kitties.

During the launch at Ambira, the CS Owalo donated a total of Sh1.5 million to support the education of 100 students from Siaya County.

Former Rarieda MP, Nicholas Gumbo hailed the initiative and challenged like-minded people to support such programmes.

Gumbo pointed out that most people in the rural areas were unable to meet the rising cost of educating their children and noted that such initiatives would make a big difference in the lives of the young Kenyans.

Interior Principal Secretary, Raymond Omollo challenged learners to reciprocate the support they get from both their leaders and parents by working hard and excelling in their studies.

Source: Kenya News Agency

March 10, 2024

Kamati calls for indigenous languages to be taught in schoolsWhy The Government Must Focus On Boosting Skills In The Informal Sector

TSUMEB: Hai//om Traditional Authority (HTA)’s vice chairperson, Ndapandula Kamati, has urged the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MoEAC) to teach children in their indigenous languages.

Kamati said this during the celebration of International Mother Language Day at Tsumeb on Saturday in the Oshikoto Region.

‘We want to be taught in our language and be proud in our language and also on how to do poems, design art in our very own language,’ she said.

Kamati further expressed disappointment at the fact that some languages, such as hers, are not recognised formally in Namibia.

‘It is so unfortunate that our language is not written and we are not even recognised in local schools, which makes it difficult for our learners to go forward with their studies,’ said Kamati.

MoEAC Director for the Oshikoto Region, Aletta Eises, said they have 7 000 Khoisan speaking learners in schools, and only Khoekoegowab is taught in schools with only 100 learners being taught the language from grade 1 to 12.

‘It is high
time we stand up for our languages so we preserve them for our future generation,’ said Eises.

She further urged people to value their languages and stop denouncing them as that is their identity and their pride.

‘If the mother tongues are not investing and speaking their languages in their social setting and meetings, then the language will be extinct.

Deputy Mayor of Tsumeb, Anmire Garises, at the same occasion urged Tsumeb’s Hai//om communities to protect and preserve their culture as well as to recognise its significance in shaping a collective future.

‘Let us celebrate the beauty of our mother tongues and recognise the importance of it in our society,’ said Garises.

She further said that they should wear their traditional attire with pride and speak the language with pride, as well as continue celebrating International Mother Language Day

The theme of the event was to set goals for preserving endangered languages, promoting multilingualism and sustaining linguistic heritage.

Source: The Namibia P
ress Agency

The government needs to refocus on the informal sector to create jobs at a faster rate and get thousands of unemployed youths into sustainable careers.

The Kenya Internally Displaced Persons Patron Mr Peter Tena indicated that the informal economy constitutes an important component in the economic fabric of the country and a notable source of employment.

Mr Tena pointed out that about 84 percent of Kenya’s workforce is in the informal sector, posing the biggest challenge in skills development.

The rate of job growth in the informal sector, he added, is estimated to be four times more than in the formal sector.

According to the Economic Survey 2022, 80 percent of the slightly more than 900,000 jobs created in 2021 were in the informal sector dominated by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Speaking during a meeting to drum up support for the uptake of informal jobs by youths whose parents have been internally displaced due to conflicts, the patron said the Jua Kali industry must be encouraged in Kenya as
it requires less capital to establish, adding that this helps in industrial decentralization as well as inclusive participation by the masses.

He stated that the MSME economy absorbs nine out of 10 of the young people joining the workforce which translates to 750,000 people per year on average while the formal wage corporate economy barely absorbs 50,000.

Mr Tena underscored the fact that about three million people work in formal jobs in both the public and private sectors, with the private sector employing two million people and the public sector employing just under 900,000 people.

He emphasized the fact that when MSMEs are properly established, they can contribute significantly to the economy.

Mr Tena indicated that despite the huge opportunities, the lack of standards in the sector makes it difficult to map out existing skills and gauge the skilling requirement.

For instance, he said while thousands of workers in the sector are experienced expert welders, plumbers, carpenters, masons and electricians
, few have the certificates and testimonials to prove their worth to railway, road, and building contractors.

However, he expressed optimism that National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), a State Corporation established under the Industrial Training Act Cap 237, revised in 2011, has now prepared a training programme to equip craftsmen with the necessary pedagogical skills to enhance their training delivery.

While urging the youth to embrace the informal sector during the meeting held in Free Area, the patron indicated that going forward, the Jua Kali sector requires attention and financial inclusion by both county and national governments just like other sectors heavily contributing to development in the country’s industrialization process

He said that the role of job creation in driving economic growth in Kenya cannot be overstated, particularly in the context of Kenya Kwanza’s government economic plan.

‘Creating more job opportunities for the country’s citizens can significantly reduce poverty leve
ls, increase household incomes, and stimulate economic activity through enhanced consumer spending and taxation,’ added the patron.

He observed that the Kenya Kwanza Bottom-Up Agenda prioritized five key pillars – agriculture, micro, small and medium economy, housing and settlement, healthcare, digital superhighway and creative economy.

‘To increase job creation, the Kenya Kwanza Bottom-Up Agenda is committed to transforming the micro and small enterprises (MSME’) economy,’ he added.

Mr Tena said both levels of government should continue working to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. This, he said can be achieved by reducing red tape, improving and building quality infrastructure to connect domestically and globally, and providing incentives for investment.

By doing so, it can attract both domestic and foreign investment, which can in turn create more jobs and drive economic growth.

The government should, he further pointed out, also consider investing in sectors such as manufacturin
g, agriculture, and tourism that have a high potential of generating numerous job opportunities

It is also vital for the government to harness the technological advancements and entrepreneurship that are creating new and different jobs.

He observed that the main engine of job growth is the private sector. The Kenya Kwanza government Mr Tena said, should therefore work closely with the private sector and take public policy actions that will enable it to achieve its goals towards job creation as articulated in the Kenya Kwanza Bottom-Up Agenda.

This will unlock Kenya’s human and economic potential and significantly reduce poverty as well as the quality of life of its citizens.

Source: Kenya News Agency

March 10, 2024

Governor Wavinya Ndeti Asks Women To Go For Elective Posts

Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has challenged women to seek elective posts instead of waiting to be nominated by political parties.

Wavinya said women should not shy away from politics and must present themselves to be elected and fight it out with their male counterparts in general elections.

‘Women should not fear to present themselves for elective positions, they should not expect anything to be given to them on a silver platter,’ Governor Wavinya said.

She noted that although Kenya’s political scene is marred by misogyny and insults, women should develop a thick skin for them to be elected as leaders.

‘When seeking political seats women face a lot of challenges including threats, insults, and sometimes violence but these should not discourage us,’ added Wavinya.

She observed that the electorate’s confidence in women’s leadership has increased over the last ten years due to their transformative agenda.

‘With the advent of devolution in 2013 no woman governor was elected, however in 2017 three women
were elected and the number increased to seven in the 2022 General Election an indication that the electorate is embracing women leaders,’ added the governor.

She noted that Kenya was lagging behind in terms of women’s leadership in East Africa and underscored the need to bridge the gender gap.

She spoke at Mavoko subcounty headquarters Saturday when she handed bursary cheques to women nominated Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).

Source: Kenya News Agency

March 10, 2024

Muslims Set To Begin Fasting For The Month Of Ramadhan

Muslims around the globe are preparing to begin fasting from dawn to dusk for the month of Ramadhan.

This time round most of the Muslim world Ramadhan is expected to begin on Monday, March 11, and end on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 culminating in Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

Fasting during Ramadhan is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, five daily prayers, giving Zakah (charity), and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The start of Ramadhan, the ninth and holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is determined by the sighting of a new moon, and in the Muslim world, all eyes will be set on the heavens on Saturday and Sunday to see the Ramadhan moon.

Islam adheres to the lunar calendar which means that the month of Ramadhan begins or ends when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted.

The exact dates of Islamic occasions can’t be set in advance due to the nature of the Islamic lunar calendar as opposed to the Gregorian one that uses the solar calendar.

The lunar calendar, which is followed by Islam, is 10 to 11 days shorter than the modern 365-day Gregorian calendar, which is based on the Earth’s rotation around the sun, The difference means that Ramadhan begins and ends on a different date each year.

The commencement of Ramadhan, the month of worship, sacrifice, and charity begins next week as soon as the new crescent moon is sighted.

Ramadhan is the most sacred period of the year for Muslims who have to abstain from all forms of food and drinks during the daylight hours, breaking their fast at sunset.

Fasting is compulsory for every Muslim male or female but exemptions include children under the age of puberty, insane people, men, and women who are too old to undertake the obligation of fasting.

Others include sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by the observance of fast, pregnant women and women breast-feeding their children and women in the period of menstruation.

It’s the season when Muslims around the globe focus on prayer,
fasting, giving charity, and religious devotion.

Muslims are highly encouraged to pray more during this month and there are extra prayers at night ‘Taraweeh’, which are mostly performed in the mosques as congregational prayers.

In Mombasa mosques across town have started special sessions and classes (Darsa) to usher in the holy month of fasting.

Mosques have started publishing and distributing Ramadhan timetables containing the dates of the beginning and end of the holy month to the faithful.

Local mosques also provide iftar dinners (food for breaking fast), coffee, and dates for the needy faithful to break their fast-during sunset.

The Chief Kadhi Sheikh Abdulhalim Hussein Athman has called on Muslims in Kenya to keenly watch out for the crescent moon on the evening of Saturday and Sunday.

He asked Muslims to avoid the controversy that usually surrounds the sighting of the crescent moon marking the beginning of the fast by respecting the directions offered by the office of Chief Kadhi on the matter.

T
he religious scholar said Muslims in Kenya will commence observing the fast once the new crescent moon is sighted in the East African region.

Sheikh Athman says abstaining from food and drink during daylight hours allows Muslims to practice willpower and focus their energy on working on their faith.

He said an initiative to end the incessant differences witnessed during Ramadhan moon sighting has been launched and called for cooperation and unity among the faithful.

The senior judicial officer says a moon sighting committee with representation from across the country is in place and will give directions.

He says his office has formed a dedicated committee that checks and officially announces the start and end date of the fasting month of Ramadhan.

The moon sighting is usually done with telescopes or gazing at the skies with the naked eye before it is announced.

He urged the Muslim community in the country to be peaceful, united, and live harmoniously with Kenyans of different religious affiliations.

Sh
eikh Athman said the month commemorates the first revelation of the holy Quran (Koran) to Prophet Muhammad according to the Islamic faith.

The cleric said during the blessed month, Muslims observe a strict fast between dawn and dusk and participate in pious activities such as Koran recitations, prayers, and charitable giving.

Sheikh Athman urged the well-endowed members of the society to use the fasting period to assist the less fortunate members of the society by giving out alms and foodstuffs to poor households.

He noted that Ramadhan is about more than just giving up food and water but focuses on spiritual discipline.

The religious leader-cum-judicial officer said Ramadhan is a time for renewing faith and purifying the ‘heart and soul’ of the millions who share in the Muslim faith around the world.

‘Muslims should look out for the crescent moon this weekend,’ said Sheikh Aboud Mohamed of Jundan mosque.

Sheikh Mohamed said the fast is intended to bring the faithful closer to Allah and to remind them o
f the sufferings of the less fortunate members of society.

He says fasting allows Muslims to empathize with those who are less fortunate and be more compassionate to those in need of help.

The cleric says eating or drinking intentionally invalidates one’s fast, as the purpose of Ramadhan is to practice self-restraint and engage in religious acts; however, eating or drinking, if it is done through a genuine mistake, does not nullify the fast and faithful can continue fasting as normal.

‘Ramadhan is almost upon us and we should be preparing to mark the holy month with fasting and intense prayers,’ he said in his weekly Friday sermon.

The cleric said during the blessed month, Muslims observe a strict fast between dawn and dusk and participate in pious activities such as Koran recitations, prayers, and charitable giving.

‘Ramadhan is a month of mercy and bonding and spreading happiness all around,’ he said, adding that Muslims should pray for religious harmony, peace, prosperity, and tranquility in the count
ry.

In Mombasa as elsewhere in the Muslim world during the entire period of fasting business premises, especially hotels, cafes, and juice parlors are shut during the day out of respect for the fasting month.

Source: Kenya News Agency

March 10, 2024

Government To Involve Locals In Fighting Poaching

Kwale County Commissioner (CC) Stephen Orinde has pledged to put in place stiff measures to prevent Sable antelope poaching and illegal wildlife trade in the Shimba Hills National Reserve.

Kwale County is home to Sable antelopes which are critically endangered and solely found in Shimba Hills National Reserve that straddles Shimba Hills and Matuga sub-counties.

Apart from being among the largest coastal forests in East Africa, Shimba Hills Forest Reserve is also home to the beautiful Sable antelope.

The Sable is a rotund, barrel-chested antelope with a short neck, long face, and dark mane and boasts impressive ringed horns that rise vertically and curve backward.

Conservationists contend that the Sable antelope tends to settle near water, in areas with good drainage and good grazing, putting them in direct conflict with humans who also value this type of land for farming and livestock rearing.

According to the Tourism and Wildlife Ministry the Sable antelope population has been facing threats such as poa
ching, predation, habitat loss, and inbreeding leading to a significant reduction in numbers.

Orinde says Kenyans should never allow any wildlife species to go extinct due to poaching resulting in tourist revenue stream cut-offs in the national parks.

The CC who is also the Chairman of the County Security and Intelligence Committee urged the Kenya Wildlife Service wardens to enhance patrols in poaching hotspots.

KWS in collaboration with conservation partners and stakeholders recently launched the second edition of the recovery and action plan for the Sable Antelope (2022-2031).

According to the KWS the Sable antelope numbers have plummeted from 265 in 1960 to 56 in the last 2023 wildlife census.

The recovery action plan focuses on preserving and restoring Sable antelope habitats, strengthening anti-poaching measures, promoting sustainable land use practices, and engaging local communities in conservation efforts.

The CC noted that conflict between wildlife and surrounding communities is one of the bigg
est threats to conservation efforts in the region and the safety of residents.

Mr. Orinde underscored the need for all and sundry to join hands to protect and safeguard these magnificent rare Sable antelopes for posterity.

The county administrator directed chiefs and their assistants in the two sub-counties to engage the local communities to stop illicit activities in the wildlife sector.

Orinde says chiefs and their assistants should put in place activities aimed at raising awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and promoting sustainable conservation practices in their areas of jurisdiction.

He said the grassroots administrators should join hands with the KWS in the protection of wildlife resources through anti-poaching operations.

‘Chiefs and their assistants must be in the forefront against wildlife poaching by conducting community sensitization campaigns against the vice,’ he said and underscored the need to involve people to reduce incidents of poaching.

He said the grassroots admi
nistrators should sensitize the public on the importance of understanding how wild species interact within their ecosystems and how human activities such as logging and poaching cause biodiversity loss.

Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani expressed the pressing need for greater benefits to be derived from wildlife conservation initiatives by local communities emphasizing the potential of Kwale’s diverse wildlife population.

Governor Achani called for enhanced collaboration between relevant stakeholders including conservation organizations, national authorities, and local communities to reverse the devastating poaching trends.

Achani encouraged KWS personnel to maintain good relations with the communities living adjacent to animal parks and reserves as they go about protecting wildlife.

She said the devolved government will work closely with KWS in reducing cases of human-wildlife conflict in the coastal county.

The Governor said the county administration will undertake mitigation measures such as the constructi
on of dams, pans, and boreholes aimed at curbing human-wildlife conflict which is caused by the adverse climate change and growing human populations.

Source: Kenya News Agency

March 10, 2024

Leaders Raise Alarm Over Rise In Gender Violence Against Women

Scores of leaders in Kitui County have decried increased cases of gender-based violence (GBV) against women and underage girls reported in recent months in the county.

The leaders who included Members of Parliament Mr Charles Nguna of Mwingi West constituency and his Mwingi Central counterpart Gideon Mulyungi, the county woman representative Irene Kasalu, and nominated Senator Beth Syengo urged leaders and GBV activists to jointly work towards minimizing gender crimes.

Speaking on Friday at the International Women’s Day ceremony held at Nguutani trading center in Mwingi West constituency and presided over by Governor Dr Julius Malombe, leaders mourned the deaths of two GBV victims killed in separate incidents last week in the county.

They also challenged the GBV activists and the two levels of governments and local security agents to come up with strategies that will help to protect and minimize cases of gender-based violence against women, lamenting that the women are heavily affected by the vice.

The co
unty woman representative Irene Kasalu condemned the brutal killings of the two women, recalling that in one of the incidents that happened at Mutha ward in Kitui South constituency, a form three student was sexually abused before she was brutally murdered.

‘In the second incident, the victim’s head was chopped off and her body dumped in Kiomo-Kyaithani Ward in Mwingi West constituency in what detectives suspect is a family dispute,’ Kasalu said.

The Woman Rep further condemned an incident in Ikanga ward in Kitui South constituency where two sisters, both pupils in a local primary school were impregnated by their neighbour. The two underage girls were however rescued last week by security officers and placed in a children’s home.

‘It is not only the girl-child who has been sexually abused, the boy-child is also a victim of GBV as cases of boys having been sodomised have been reported to me,’ lamented Kasalu.

Kitui County Commissioner Mr Jipchumba Rutto while speaking during the ceremony which was also att
ended by Cabinet Secretary for EAC, ASAL’s and Regional Development, Peninah Malonza, warned that stern action will be taken against GBV perpetrators.

The county commissioner promised to provide security support and as well work jointly with local leaders and GBV activists in the fight to curb rising GBV crimes in the county.

Governor Malombe underscored several interventions his government had under taken to date to mitigate against GBV activities in the county.

He hailed women for the role they play in spearheading development in families and at community levels.

Malombe noted that in the mitigation of GBV against women, his government has implemented measures aimed at improving the livelihoods of women and minimized vulnerability to GBV threats.

Among the activities implemented include the empowerment of women, however, the governor also observed the need to re-double efforts to empower women and girls.

‘My government has been at the forefront in attaining of the two-thirds gender rule; ensuring both
men and women access equal opportunities.

Having women in leadership positions should become the norm, not an exception, and slowly but steadily, Kitui County under my leadership is changing.

Currently, we have 12 women and 24 men as members of the top executive which includes county executives and chief officers. Out of the total number of employees (5,631), 3,438 are women while 2,193 are men (County Data Sheet 2024)’ the governor said.

The governor underscored several interventions made towards the provision of clean water and as well as reducing distance women cover to get to the nearest water sources as one of measures to mitigate vulnerability to hardships that women and the girl child encounter while searching for water.

Some of the measures the county government undertook to address water scarcity included initiating several projects including rehabilitation of 43 boreholes across the county.

He directed Health and Sanitation officials to assess World Health Organization standards and ensure the
county meets the minimum distance of 5 kilometers a patient is required to cover to reach the nearest health care facility.

Applauding Women for the crucial role they play in agriculture, contributing significantly to food production and rural economies, Dr Malombe assured residents that the county government will continue empowering women in agriculture since its essential for building a world free from hunger and poverty.

‘In the effort to support women in Agriculture, the County Government of Kitui has developed irrigation infrastructure for nine micro irrigation schemes in collaboration with the Small Irrigation Value Addition,’ the governor said.

The governor singled out some of the agricultural development activities implemented by his government in Mwingi West constituency. Among them is the Project (SIVAP) in four groups (Kauwi, Nguutani, Kyome/Thaana and Mutonguni) benefitting 460 farmers to increase food production.

Threshers and green gram cleaning machines have been distributed to local groups
to enhance efficiency and add value to agricultural produce, with Nguutani, Kyome/Thaana, and Kiomo/Kyethani groups reaping the benefits of these interventions.

Source: Kenya News Agency