Day: March 23, 2024

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Peya Mushelenga on Saturday called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to guarantee equality and parity by ensuring that everyone, including women, are actively involved in decision-making across the board.

Mushelenga noted that the issue of women in peace and security has become a subject of debate, in respect of implementing the provisions in the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325.

He cited a publication which revealed that the lack of resources, political will and understanding of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) principles failed in the implementation of UNSCR 1325.

‘As governments and inter-governmental organisations, we should create an impetus for Resolution 1325 and allocate resources to programmes that address its provisions.

We should demonstrate the will and zeal in our actions and bring women to play meaningful roles as titans in the front row of peace-making efforts and programmes,’ he noted.

Mushelenga during the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) High-Level Seminar on WPS at Swakopmund said, Namibia’s trajectory in the adoption of the historic UNSCR 1325 WPS which recognises and affirms the crucial role women play in the prevention and management of conflict, is well recognised.

The seminar is aimed to take stock of women’s participation and leadership in peacebuilding processes.

UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the AU and Head of the United Nations Office Parfait Onanga-Anyanga said the world needs more women peacebuilders with meaningful participation, thus harnessing the vision and talent of women for a more peaceful and prosperous world.

Adopting quotas for women’s participation in peace processes is one of the strategies that could help secure space for women and bring concrete changes in the participation and leadership of women in peace and governance processes, a key pillar of the WPS Agenda.

Meanwhile, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Ambassador Bankole Adeoye called on members to focus on formulating an action blueprint for the future that will finally lead to substantial and comprehensive systemic change to execute the goals and calls for action on resolution 1325 and its successor resolutions.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The government has commissioned the grading of the 100 kilometer Maralal-Baragoi road to uplift the standards of road in an effort to reduce rampant cases of banditry and highway robberies.

Speaking in Morijo area after commissioning the road rehabilitation project, Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen said that once the road was renovated, it would enable herders to access markets for their livestock and also aid quick security response when cattle rustlers and bandits strike.

Murkomen noted that a number of people have lost their lives after being shot by bandits who take advantage of the dilapidated road infrastructure to launch attacks, the most recent being Ang’ata Nanyukie MCA Stephen Leshimpero who was shot and killed by bandits while driving to home in February.

‘The efforts we are making to upgrade infrastructure is going to aid the efforts of the Ministry of Interior and National Administration in the fight against cattle rustlers and bandits in Samburu County. The works will later
be extended to South Horr and ultimately to North Horr on the Kenya Ethiopia border,’ he said.

The CS further noted that for many years, the A4 road category has been receiving inadequate money for maintenance saying that his Ministry has pumped Sh50 million through the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) for rehabilitation.

Murkomen also revealed that efforts to secure funding for the tarmacking of the 400 kilometer Maralal-Baragoi-Sarima to Ilerate along the Kenya Ethiopia border were at an advanced stage.

Samburu County Governor Lati Lelelit welcomed the road renovation project saying it was a form of improving security along the treacherous route at the same time urging the CS to budget for security roads.

The governor said that the tarmacking of the road would be a permanent solution to the perpetual insecurity incidents that hindered development in Samburu North Sub County.

‘Criminals like operating in inaccessible areas and I believe good roads provide a lasting solution to insecurity more t
han security operations,’ the governor noted.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The ongoing road maintenance exercise in Trans Nzoia County which seeks to enhance accessibility has hit a notch higher.

This was revealed during an inspection exercise conducted by the County Executive Committee Member in charge of Roads Mr. Jackson Amboka.

As he urged the contractors to adhere to quality, Amboka stressed on the need to ensure the works are completed on time to allow the public get the value for their money.

Present during the inspection exercise was Eng. Rachel Wangoi who echoed Amboka’s words and advised the contractors to use specified standard materials for the construction, adding that this will ensure durability.

‘We want to ensure these roads serve our people longer than expected. This will only be achieved if the maintenance exercise is done to specifications. Use of quality materials is a key element to this,’ she said.

The County had set aside Sh90 million for the construction and maintenance works which kicked off a month ago.

The works will see close to 800 kilometers of ro
ad network across the 25 wards in the county being attended to.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government is ready to distribute artificial insemination semen to 31 counties to improve the country’s livestock quality and production.

The Director of Livestock Production Dr. Bishar Elmi said that Isiolo County would get 40,000 of Borana cattle breed and another 40,000 of indigenous stocks capable of improving milk, meat and skin productions.

Dr. Elmi said drought would not be an emergency any more since the government has also planned to establish 450 feedlots in every county to address the long dry spells’ situation in the country.

He made the remarks in Isiolo town where he joined 300 herders to celebrate completion of a joint Northern Rangeland Trust (NRT) organization and the government training through the ‘Ufugaji Bora Mashinani’ programme that taught them on how to achieve better livelihood from better livestock husbandry.

The Livestock Director said the government would educate farmers on modern feedlots management technologies where grass would be planted using minimal amounts of water.

D
r. Elmi said that the government was partnering with stakeholders to speed up completion of modern slaughter house in Isiolo in order to help livestock farmers maximize profits from their undertakings through exporting meat and other products to foreign Countries and create more jobs for young people.

Elmi said that Isiolo modern slaughter house is 99 percent complete and would be opened soon. More than 160 camels, 300 cows and 2,500 goats would be slaughtered at the abattoir daily and hence create over 1000 jobs for skilled and unskilled personnel.

He said that more meat was needed locally and internationally from Kenya where there is a deficit in demand since the current production of 45,000 tonnes could not match the 66,000 required.

Isiolo Deputy County Commissioner Mr. Patrick Musango urged livestock farmers to use modern technologies and embrace zero grazing of their stocks formally so as to keep away the cattle rustlers who had been terrorizing them in the grazing fields, sometimes losing lives and
property to cattle thieves.

The DCC directed chiefs to be attending training workshops in their locations and sub locations so as to disseminate the government information and policies to local residents and other stakeholders.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Vihiga county government intends to partner with the Safaricom Company to establish a model maternal and child health care centre in the area.

Governor Dr. Wilber Ottichilo, speaking after hosting the tech-firm team led by Senior Manager of Safaricom Foundation’s programmes Henry Kilonzo, said the centre would go a long way in boosting the services to the mothers and children.

Dr. Ottichilo explained that the inception of Boresha Afya ya Mama na Mtoto programme five years ago has seen a significant reduction in maternal and child deaths in the county.

He noted that once established, the centre would have all the essential facilities and personnel to offer services efficiently and effectively.

On his part, Kilonzo disclosed that they have so far entered a similar deal with Kilifi and Mombasa counties, and so nothing could prevent them from doing it in Vihiga.

He stated that the telecoms Kenya is ready to work with the devolved units to ensure the provision of quality health services to the people.

Sourc
e: Kenya News Agency

Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki has warned criminals against using Tala town in Matungulu Sub County as their hideout.

Kindiki said the majority of criminals who have been flashed out of Nairobi hid in Tala due to its proximity to the city.

Speaking in Tala after a security and intelligence committee meeting, Kindiki revealed that there were criminals terrorizing Nairobi residents especially in Eastlands and fleeing to close by towns.

The CS added that the government would flash out all criminals especially those selling and consuming prohibited substances and urged security teams from Machakos and Nairobi to work together and ensure the suspects have nowhere to hide.

‘We are working on flashing out all drug peddlers and criminals selling or consuming shisha and any other prohibited substance,’ warned Kindiki.

He directed the security teams in Machakos led by the County Commissioner Josephine Ouko to ensure Tala, due to its proximity to Nairobi, is not used to harm children through expos
ure to alcohol, narcotic drugs, child pornography and child trafficking.

Additionally, Kindiki said the ongoing operation on illicit liquor was bearing fruit and over 9000 facilities operating without any formal license have been shut down across the country and would not be allowed to resume their businesses in the country.

He said since the operation started on March 7, illegal operating distilleries in the country have been shut down and their capacity to produce disabled.

The CS also added that no bar license would be valid if it doesn’t meet the laid down requirements on distance and disclosed that so far down 4800 premises have had their licenses revoked due to proximity to learning institutions.

‘We are not going to remove our feet from the pedal. We will have to cleanse our country from the curse of addiction and drugs since no society aspires to be successful if a good proportion of its able bodied population has been degraded by alcohol and drugs,’ pointed out Kindiki.

Source: Kenya News Agenc
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