Reject Online Issue 27

October 16-31, 2010

ISSUE 027

A bimonthly on-line newspaper by the Media Diversity Centre, a project of African Woman and Child Feature Service

Kibera’s revolutionary answer to nature’s call

By Musa Radoli For years, the Rogo family among other residents of the sprawling Kibera slums had been entirely dependent on ‘flying toilets’ to answer to their nature’s call.

That was because there are completely no toilet facilities for one to use when hard pressed to a call of nature. Landlords have been perennially using the excuse that there is no space to construct a pit latrine.

Most of them have claimed not being able to afford installation of standard flush toilet facilities for their tenants.

However, there is a ray of hope with the emergence of a highly improved hygienic and profitable version of the flying toilet, only that it will not be flying anymore. It is instead being used to produce fertiliser for agricultural purposes as well as earning cash to the users and particularly empowering women financially.

Mrs Millicent Anyango Rogo whose household has suffered in the informal settlement of Laini Saba within Kibera says this state of affairs forced the residents to find alternative ways of relieving themselves.

This was extremely difficult and is still very hard even

with the innovation of ‘flying toilets’ because of disposal difficulties.

“Even if there were good ways of disposal there is no sense of privacy when using flying toilets — especially for women,” says Rogo. She poses: “How can you answer to a call of nature in a flying toilet in front of your children and prying neighbours in this congested environment?”

She explains: “The situation is even worse when you are visited by your parents in-law because according to African tradition it is taboo for your parent-in-law to observe or even imagine your partial nakedness. It is an abomination.”

Rogo poses again: “Without proper toilets how and where would you use a flying toilet in their presence?”

She says the ‘flying toilets’ were simply a contraption of nylon paper bags which were used for toilet purposes and then thrown away in garbage dumps and any available un-used space or even on the streets due to extreme congestion in the informal settlements. It was the act of throwing away the paper bags containing the human waste that earned the nylon paper bags the tag ‘flying toilets’.

Continued on page 2

Top: Peepoo has been field tested by users in Kibera, where the official Peepoo launch will take place in October.

Above: Peepoople’s Project Director Camilla Wirseen demonstrating how to use Peepoo to users in Kibera.

Pictures: Nicklas Palmklint & Camilla Wirseen/Peepoople

Read more Reject stories online at www.mediadiversityafrica.org

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ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Slum women seek to better their lives

By JOSEPH MUKUBWA

The project involves art and craft skills which include stitching, knitting and crocheting. These they use in making necklaces, bangles, bed sheets, and earrings, kikois, lampshades, tee-shirts and pullovers.

The mothers aged between 25 and 50 years have also gone a step further by providing outside catering services where they make food and are normally hired during weddings.

If one is living in the slums it does not mean that you sit and mourn about your condition. It is taking a positive step towards making the best of your situation that brings a change to your life.

And this is exactly what women living in the slums of Nyeri, who proscribe to the Islamic faith have decided to do with their lives.

After working together within the borders of their religious aspirations, the women have diversified their interests a step further and started income generating activities.

Exhibition

New investment About 30 women are members of the Muslim Women Self Help Group drawn from the sprawling Majengo and Kiawara slums. They have started investing in income generating projects which involve art and craft works.

“We had initially started as an initiative to learn about our faith in what is known as Ustadha Fatma but realised that despite sticking together in our faith and also looking out for our families, we would go

The chairlady of Muslim Women Self Help Group Asha Shabaan admires cakes and mandazis during the exhibition and craft fair held at a Nyeri mosque recently.

Picture: Joseph mukubwa

a step further to meet our daily needs and support ourselves,” says Ms Asha Shabaan, chairlady of the group.

“Since we were registered four years ago, we have sold a lot of our products which

has enabled us meet our daily needs. Our husbands have been very supportive of this project. The single mothers in the group who are the family breadwinners have also benefited from the project,” she explains.

In the first ever exhibition and craft fair held at a mosque in the town, the women exposed their skills to Nyeri residents who were impressed by the work they are doing.Nyeri businesses, individuals and organisations like Alfallah Islamic Centre who have supported the group were impressed with what was exhibited.

“We meet regularly and do the work.

Our colleague Roshan Nathoo has been gracious enough to teach us skills that have brought as this far,” reiterates Shabaan. She says the project has also brought them together and the sky is the limit for them. They vow that come the end of the year, they will be selling their products abroad.

Kibera residents replace flying toilets Continued from page 1

The new innovation known as peepoo has revolutionised answering to nature’s call in the slum.

Says Rogo: “With the coming of peepoo we have began living better lives with improved sanitation in our environment.

We are also earning some money in the process to augment our extremely limited income even if we have to buy the newspaper toilets.” She adds: “We send the used papers to collection points where they are taken for processing into fertiliser.”

The dilemma facing the Rogo family is an extremely widespread problem. It has attracted not only the attention of government institutions but also non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that are still grappling with the problem to come up with lasting solutions.

Though it may be argued that it is the duty of the Nairobi City Council to provide such facilities through the Local Authorities Transfer Fund (LATF) or any other initiative like that of the Nairobi Central Business District Association (NCBDA), in Kibera, just like in most slums, the Council does not exist.

With peepoo whose demand is soaring constantly, the environmental pollution that is a major problem with flying toilets which constantly break as they are haphazardly disposed off is slowly but surely turning into past tense. Residents look forward to making an extra shilling for attending to calls of nature in a peepoo.

Introduced by a Swedish NGO whose target is to empower women through the provision of dignified and hygienic sanitation, Peepoo is quickly replacing the paper

bag based flying toilets that thousands like the Rogo family have been dependent on.

Peepoo sanitation facilities were mooted by the Peepoople NGO which is largely involved in eradicating poor sanitation in many countries across the world, with Kibera being the first beneficiary of the product as a sanitation problem solution especially in the congested informal settlement residential areas.

The Project Director, Ms Camilla Wirsee says: “The toilet sanitation bag is designed in such a way that it is self sanitising and bio-degradable in the form of a slen-

the resulting fertilizer,” she explains.

The project director says marketing of the fertilizer processed from the human waste has not taken off since the processing facilities are still in the course of being put up, but the end result will be affordable quality fertiliser for farmers.

The women will not just be benefiting from the health advantages of peepoo, they will also be earning money in the process.

This is because they will be selling the accumulated fertilizer to the farmers after a period of two to three weeks when the human waste will have been bio-graded to

“Even if there were good ways of disposal there is no sense of privacy when using flying toilets — especially for women.” — Millicent Rogo der elongated plastic bag lined up inside with a thin layer of gauze.” She adds: “It is also very important to note that Peepoo is completely odourless and, therefore, does not pose storage problems like the common ‘flying toilet’.”

The internal part of the bag is coated up with a thin film of urea made for single usage by anybody while standing, sitting or squatting held by the hands or spread in a small size bucket or even plastic bottle.

“We seriously started rolling out more of the peepoos in August to meet the overwhelming demand. This is just in phase one of the project which we expected to spread to cover large areas and in the process also open market and distribution outlets for

quality fertilizer for farm use.

Wirsee says: “They are buying the bags at KSh3 each and they are also assured of a getting their refunds of KSh1 per bag after having used them. We will ensure they are in all corners of Kibera as we continue to roll out the project.”

The initial tests on the performance and acceptance of peepoo was done in Kibera’s Silanga area in 2009 with overwhelming enthusiastic responses from especially women who were targeted before the organisation increased the roll out of the product by the end of last month.

The pilot project saw the distribution of more than 500 that is soaring to the 1000 mark. Wirseen says they originally target-

ed at least two public primary schools in Gatwekera and Silanga areas of the sprawling informal settlement estate.

She explains: “This going to be dignified sanitation that will strongly empower the women of Kibera and other informal settlement areas in the country that will adopt them, because the women in slums also require secure and quality sanitation that is private because they are at great risk of being sexually assaulted when they use public toilets especially during the night.”

The risk of being sexually assaulted in public toilets is reduced as peepoos are used within the households in designated areas. In the long run, women who will have fully adapted to using the toilet facility, will save time and the environment from human waste pollution.

A resident of the slum, Ms Priscilla Nyongesa, who has adopted the use of the peepoo toilet facility says that many users are saving a lot of time because virtually all public toilets in the area are constantly teeming with long queues of people who want to relieve themselves day and night.

“Though we are yet to start making money from selling the fertilizer out of the accumulated peepoo bags, we are enjoying its services in a hygienic, un-polluted environment at affordable prices with our own personal security and safety assured including our children,” explains Nyongesa.

The mother of three who is a housewife says most Kibera residents were acutely aware of the fact that finding a permanent solution to toilet facilities including bathrooms might never be completely achieved since the population of the area is forever growing.

ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

A century plus eight

Granny takes it all in her stride as she marks birthday

By Joseph Mukubwa The proverbial saying old is gold was actually seen in Mathira District recently when generations gathered to celebrate with song and dance the 108th birthday of a granny.

At the foot of Ragati Forest which is part of Mt Kenya Forest, a joyful Lucy Wandia danced to this very important day in celebration with friends and relatives who joined in to cut the cake marking her eighth year above a century.

While life expectancy in Kenya is just about 40 years, Wandia has gone many times over this and is on her way to tripling it.

The old woman was born in 1902 while her late husband was born in year 1886.

She had eight children — six daughters and two sons. Of these children, only three daughters are still alive. Almost all her age mates in the district are dead.

Political involvement An active politician, Wandia joined politics at a time when many women were just housewives and would not dare join in the ‘dirty’ game. She has been a KANU life member since 1964 and has been leading various women groups within the region.

Currently, she is the honorary chairlady KANU Gitunduti sub-Location. She is also the treasurer of Magutu Location and vows to remain in that position until death.

“She loves KANU and still follows party matters diligently despite her age. The matriarch remains a very jovial politician,” says Mr Miano Mathenge who is the local KANU chairman.

Wandia’s only wish is that she gets to meet former President Daniel Moi and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka before she dies. These are the people who remind her of what the political party has been.

She is still going strong and has the energy to till the land, feed her goats and cows and also walks daily for a few kilometres while visiting friends. Asked what the secret is to her living long, she said: “Eating boiled foods, walking long distances and laughing a lot.”

Wandia remembers the days of her youth when she was a servant to a colonial master. The freedom fighter recalls working as a supervisor in the colonialists farms especially one named S. Kush. However, despite the job she did not like the way the white people treated the Africans.

Mau Mau It is then that she decided to join the Mau Mau movement 1948 in Mathira area, near Mt Kenya Forest where she was supporting the fighters with food and intelligence reports against the colonialists. However, her days were numbered as she could not carry out these activities for long. She was arrested and detained for four years from 1954 to 1958 at Kamiti Prison where she was later joined by Mama Ngina Kenyatta in 1952.

From top clockwise: The birthday cake commemorating Wandia’s 108th birthday. Wandia at her home at Nduma-ini village in Mathira East District. Pauline Kalonzo, wife to Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka assists Wandia cut her cake during the celebrations.

Picture: Joseph Mukubwa

At the detention camp she rose to become a supervisor. On being released in 1958 she got a job at the Kagochi tea farm as a supervisor in charge of about 200 tea pickers.

“She says they were detained together with Mama Ngina Kenyatta — Kenya’s pioneer first lady who was wife of the late President Jomo Kenyatta — for over five years during the emergency era and they were part of the group that was forced to build Wilson Airport manually during the Mau Mau era,” says her grandson Paul Kanyi who has stayed with her for over 20 years.

Looking back at the risks she took in her involvement with the Mau Mau struggle, Wandia says: “It was a painful and risky job. Some said we were enemies but we conquered. We suffered in the process. Getting independence was not an easy job.”

Though toothless, she still has her peacock voice, she can still sing traditional and war songs, which they used to sing when they were young. She entertains her guests with some of those songs. At least everyday she laughs and does a jig. The old lady enjoys singing war songs and dancing.

Wandia did not go to school since during the colonial days locals believed edu-

“It was a painful and risky job. Some said we were enemies but we conquered. We suffered in the process. Getting independence was not an easy job.” — Lucy Wandia

cation was not adding any value. “I cannot write with a pen but you cannot defeat me with my tongue,” says Wandia.

Since she is unable to take care of herself it is her daughter, who is not young either, who comes over everyday to help.

“I walk from Gitunduti daily to come and care for her. I’m dedicated to the responsibility of taking care of her,” says Ann Wanjiku, 76, who is one of Wandia’s surviving three daughters.

Walking With her rough skin and walking stick, Wandia can take a jig with other women and would do anything she is directed to which shows that her eyes and ears are still very sharp.

She had been walking for long distances sometimes from her current home to Embu to purchase items for sale. This went on until she was 100 years.

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ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Garden in a sack leaves slum dwellers food secure

By HENRY OWINO Urban centres hardly have space for farming. This means that most urban residents have to rely on foodstuff coming from rural areas to meet their needs.

It, therefore, calls for innovativeness among urban dwellers considering that inflation is hitting hard and that climate change is also affecting agricultural activities.

Innovation A group in the expansive Kibera slum is turning out to be innovative and finding ways of addressing their vegetable needs.

Solidarites, a group based in Kianda within the sprawling slums has come up with an innovation to growing vegetables known as garden-in-a-sack. The project is expected to counter this challenge and improve food security for the vulnerable urban population.

This project came after the residents faced a major food crisis following the post election violence that hit the country, and more so the slum. There were no supplies coming from upcountry and many slum residents found themselves without access to the food they normally get from the farms.

The chairman of the group, Mr David Omari, says they started with 20 members in 2008. The group became quite active in February this year. It has grown to 40 members with almost all communi-

ties in Kenya represented,” explains Omari.

The members belong to a church known as God Last and Final Call Ministry Church. “As members of the church, we sat together and thought of what we could do to generate income for the jobless women, men and youth who were part of our congregation,” says Omari.

There were several ideas that came up from members but they settled on growing vegetables.

Vegetables cultivation had its own challenges as well. Although they did not have land in which to farm, what they knew is that vegetables are the easiest, cheapest and fastest in maturing compared to other crops. There was not enough land, water, security among other things that were needed for the project to be successful.

Says Omari: “Again the group thought of how to counter all these challenges and an idea came from one member that we could plant kales in sacks and onions on the actual farm (seedbed).”

Kales in sacks The first trial came out positively and everybody else in the group was impressed. Since then the group has never looked back.

The group’s treasurer Mrs Moni-

Members of the Solidarites group tend to the vegetable garden. Pictures: Henry Owino

Continued on page 5

From arid to green, with bounty returns

By NZINGA MUASYA Ukambani region is touted as unproductive for agriculture but one farmer is turning the tables and proving that with modern farming methods, the region can produce bumper harvest.

Mr Titus Nyanzu’s farm at the windswept and dry Tulia Village in Mutonguni Division, Kitui West District conspicuously stands out due to its rich green signifying robust and healthy horticultural crops.

Nyanzu has used simple and effective innovations that have endeared many locals to him consequently nicknaming the lush farm kwa-mbuni (place of plenty).

Retirement The farmer who retired about three years ago from the private sector started by digging two wells of about 20 feet deep each that would ensure a constant and reliable water supply.

After taking care of the water problem, Nyanzu constructed a simple green house measuring eight by 30 metres. Drip irrigation was installed to water more that 500 seedlings of Anne F1 tomato variety, kales, capsicum, onions, cabbages, spinach and pepper.

“Every week hundreds of crates of this produce is harvested. With adequate water and good farming skills, Ukambani can

easily sustain itself,” says Nyanzu as he tends to capsicum plants with bulging fruits.

Nyanzu’s journey to full time farming started in October 2007 when he attended a seminar for would be retirees organised by the Retirement Benefits Authority.

At the time, Nyanzu was the marketing manager with Amedo based in Nairobi. He was also only two years away from his retirement. The objective of the workshop was to prepare participants for life in retirement and Nyanzu says that it opened up his mind to the realities of lucrative horticultural farming.

“I always admired farming but I did not know where to begin. The workshop was a The greenhouse at Nyanzu’s farm. Inset: Mr. Titus Nyanzu tends to capsicum plants inside a complete eye opener and it gave greenhouse at his farm in Tulia village, Kitui West me courage to go full swing into District. farming,” he says.

Pictures: Nzinga Muasya Propelled by the skills he had acquired during the workshop 62, observes adding that he wanted to make and a strong desire to venture into farming, Nyanzu tendered his resigna- his retirement enjoyable and fulfilling.

With his retirement benefits, the farmer tion before his retirement date.

“It dawned on me that I had been sitting dedicated himself to the one acre barren on a goldmine all my life and wanted to ven- piece of land to make it green with vegetature into horticultural farming,” Nyanzu, Continued on page 5

ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

Garden in a sack Continued from page 4

ca Amara says an NGO known as Solidarites came to support them after realising their efforts and determination. They were trying to help vulnerable members such as the sick, orphans, widows and the community as a whole.

“Solidarites as a group has really boosted the group’s morale in terms of farming ideas, provision of chemicals, sacks, watering cans, pipes and now a green house is in place as one of the ways of expanding the project,” explains Amara.

The green house project will be for tomatoes and pepper depending on the market demand. The Ministry of Agriculture has also seen their work and is willing to work with them and give support where necessary.

Solidarites group have now become the chief supplier of kales to residents of Kibera community.

It is also carrying out capacity building for other small groups within the slum and now everywhere you walk, there is at least a garden sack of kales besides a house.

“Many residents have embraced the garden sack idea and today majority do not buy kales from the market,” says Amara.

“Through this, they end up saving a lot of money which they use to manage other domestic needs.”

Solidarity Group also gives kales for free to poor and vulnerable families some of who live positively. “Even those living with Aids have joined the group as the awareness the group gets from the sponsors is more than just farming. We are taught about

nutrition content of each food grown,” explains Amara.

The group is now growing beetroots, irish potatoes, courgettes, green pepper, coriander and the indigenous vegetables managu, and mchicha. They plan to start rearing of animals and birds such as chicken and rabbits.

A member of the Solidarite Group, Mrs Benter Juma is challenging other women who are jobless and depend on their husbands for nearly everything in the home to embrace the idea.

Juma says: “Several women in urban centres live in flats with balconies yet do nothing about it.”

She reiterates: “If there is space for you to stand on, then perhaps that is exactly what you should do, garden sack kales.

Another member of the group Mr Joseph Ogango Ogara says maintaining a garden sack is a job someone can do besides his or her normal employment.

Ogara says: “It is easy since one does not require labour once the kales are in the sack.

You use the domestic waste water from the kitchen to water the kales only in the evenings.”

Free seedlings are provided to the vulnerable families who are willing to take up the idea. The project is economical and pocket friendly. It also saves energy and time. He adds: “You do not need a big chunk of land if you are a subsistence farmer.”

Ogara is calling on the Government to provide the group with land since they are growing bigger every day. Currently they are using land that has been leased to them by the Rift Valley Railways.

From arid to green, with bounty returns Continued from page 4

bles. The greenhouse cost him KSh110,000 to construct while the two wells consumed KSh50,000.

The dedicated farmer reaps a good fortune from the proceeds of various horticultural crops. The produce is sold in Kitui, Mwingi and Matuu among other neighbouring shopping centres.

Within one year of establishing the farm, Nyanzu was able to recover all that he had spent due to good returns. He notes that the greenhouse yields eight to 10 times what outdoor farms would produce.

“The workmanship is also less since one person is able to manage a greenhouse,” explains Nyanzu. He adds: “The crops are not affected by diseases and pests like outdoor plants.”

Green house Nyanzu advises: “Greenhouse farming is an economical venture that is ideal for arid and semi arid regions because it offers conducive environment for mass production with low labour input.” He adds: “Crops in a greenhouse do not consume a lot of water since they are protected from the scorching sun and erratic weather patterns.”

Nyanzu’s neighbours who during drought rely on inadequate relief food celebrate having Nyanzu in their midst.

“With a few shillings, I am able to buy enough vegetables Kwa-mbuni and my fam-

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ily of five will be okay,” says Mukai Kilunda who frequently buys kales popularly known as sukumawiki and tomatoes from his neighbour’s farm.

Nyanzu urges the local leadership that is known for shouting about relief food that they need to empower the locals and facilitate them with homegrown practical solutions to eradicate hunger.

“Ukambani is not poor or unproductive, what is needed is reliable water for irrigation which will make hunger and poverty a thing of the past,” asserts Nyanzu.

According to agricultural experts, greenhouse farming is suitable in the semi arid Ukambani where crops like tomatoes, cabbages and spinach yield poor returns outdoors.

Nyanzu intends to turn his farm into a demonstration centre where farmers in the region can learn the simple skills and replicate them in their farms. “This will help in arresting food insecurity,” he says. He is now constructing another greenhouse to expand his farming business.

Nyanzu observes: “The people of Ukambani do not need relief food but adequate water and skills on modern farming methods in order to improve their economic welfare and standards of living.”

He advises: “Let us have water everywhere and teach farmers modern farming methods.

This is the only way to free the community from the shackles of famine and pangs of hunger.”

A ray of hope illuminates from sorghum harvest

By Paul Kimanzi

A mention of Ukambani evokes impressions of an arid, drought ravaged and starvation ridden region.

That may have been the picture mid last year. Not any more as the region is now awash with the colour green.

Farmers have harvested tonnes of sorghum.

This story may not ring true to many Kenyans, unless they set foot in the erstwhile dry and desolate Mwingi District, where the farmers’ gamble on sorghum has paid off handsomely.

The farmers have come out to prove they can produce enough grain for local consumption with a big surplus for sale.

Gains Such is the harvest that sales to the World Food Programme have dropped from KSh17 to KSh4 per kilogramme, a classic case of a bitter-sweet pill. The harvests have surpassed any Mwingi resident’s wildest dream. But at what cost?

The purchased sorghum is handed over to international non-government organisation Action Aid –Kenya, which in turn distributes the grain to areas ravaged by famine in the expansive district.

Agents of a WFP team known as Purchase for Progress (P4P) in Mwingi, buy the sorghum directly from the farmers and pay on the spot.

“Our aim is to link small farmers to the market,” says Ms Rose Ogola, WFP Pubic Information Officer.

Farmers in the district have formed groups, each having a representative to facilitate selling of their produce to P4P. The organisation can only buy the cereal in bulks from the groups, but vests in the agents the responsibility to buy from individual farmers.

Markets There are already 13 groups each consisting of at least 20 farmers each.

The group membership has no limit to age or gender as can be attested by Ms Veronica Kimwele, 61, from Edui location, Mwingi Central who has not been left out in this “money making” business. She is the group leader of 38 partners known as Enziu Commercial Bakers, who sell their harvest to P4P including baked food stuffs made from sorghum and millet.

She attributes the farmers’ decision to plant sorghum as the hardy plant

is resistant to drought and thrives in short rains (October-November) season. “This is our fifth year since we formed this group. We are grateful that we can educate our children from sorghum sales,” she says.

A group leader of 28 members from Kyethani Location Ms Kathina Kilonzi, 45, is equally in a celebratory mood. “We have advanced from relying on relief food to supplying food,” boasts Kilonzi.

Middlemen When we visited her at her home she was busy weeding her sorghum shamba. A closer look at the small farm confirmed her preoccupation with the grain as 90 per cent of the plantation comprised nothing but sorghum. The scenario is replicated in neighbouring farms. Unfortunately for most of the region, most sorghum farmers are unaware of the WFP project and still sell their produce at throw away prices to unscrupulous middlemen.

Ogola says plans are underway to ensure the WFP agents reach all the farmers in the interior parts in the district. The organisation also liaises with the Ministry of Agriculture in the district and involves the ministry in their programmes.

The District Agricultural Officer, Mr Aaron Goro confirms that there was more than 1,000 metric tonnes of sorghum already in the store awaiting handing over to the Action Aid. “We bought all this sorghum from farmers in Mwingi. It will help the dry parts of the district,” explains Goro.

Transformation He hopes that in the near future the ministry will transform all the farmers in Ukambani region into pure sorghum farmers and in the process, change their lives for the better.

The farmers had previously heavily relied on maize and beans cultivation that, unfortunately the crops rarely thrived under scarce and unreliable rainfall that bedevils most of the Ukambani region, leading to endemic food shortage and famine.

Recently, the P4P presented the first consignment of 112 metric tonnes of sorghum worth KSh2.8 million to the Action Aid. The cereal was then stored at National Cereals and Produce Board in Mwingi to await distribution to the hungry.

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ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Millionaire beach boy

By Jackson Mleka

If one has a vision, then they will most probably realise their dreams because they have a will and there will be a way.

This is the case for Mr Shehe K. Nyale, 35. Popularly known as Catanzaro along the beaches of Malindi, he dropped out of primary school in 1989 to become a beach boy. He came from a very poor family and needed to work to support his parents and siblings.

Tourist guide

The beach boy-turned-celebrity and a role model to his colleagues would sneak from school and go to the beach to guide tourists. In the process he would earn a little cash. This he would share with members of his poverty-stricken family. However, when the situation in his family did not improve, he decided to quit school altogether. He then fully devoted his energy to the beaches. Catanzaro was forced to leave Takaye Primary School at Standard Six. Catanzaro does not have the school certificates that normally open doors for most people. However, he does not sit and mourn about his situation. Instead, he has had to make do with the skills that he has to make a living for himself.

Seeing that he had minimal chances of getting proper employment, he decided to use the resources within Malindi to earn his livelihood. He plunged into the difficult and sometimes risky business of being a beach boy.

However, he was not going to make it with his poor English. He had to learn the Italian language from the older beach boys.

He decided that he had to be perfect in the language as it will be the gateway to the opportunities he saw ahead of him.

And today it is the Italian language that has propelled him to great fortune, thanks to the thousands of Italian tourists who regularly flock the world-famous tourist resort town.

“I did not go to a foreign language school to learn Italian. I used my intelligence, discipline and honesty at the beach to acquire the knowledge,” explains Catanzaro, now a father of two.

Family problems

He adds: “I had no alternative but to quit because of family problems. That is why I find the Italian language to be much easier than English because I did not get the chance to further my studies.”

Today, just over 20 years later, Catanzaro is a millionaire. Nothing shows that he is a primary school dropout. He learnt that it is only through investment that he would get out of poverty. And truly his investments have paid off.

We found Catanzaro speaking to an Italian girlfriend at Sea Breeze area in Malindi town, where we later learnt he planned to launch an air travel office.

Catanzaro enjoys what he is doing.

Among his possessions is a luxury cottage with a capacity to hold 42 tourists. He is also the proud owner of several rental

houses among other real estate property within Malindi resort town.

Catanzaro sees the occupation as a genuine economic activity, which just needs government regulation.

To other beach boys he is a hero and a role model. Many just want to be like him. And as he approaches the beaches he is welcomed by a group of boys spotting dreadlocks, chanting in Italian ‘Ciao Catanzaro’ (Hi Catanzaro).

“Most of them never went to college but teach Italian on the beaches. They can sweet talk a new tourist without fear. It is from this that they get money to feed their families,” he says.

He adds: “The language is not hard but needs to be used with integrity when speaking to the tourists so as to win them over when you meet them for the first time. This makes them trust you and often they will strike a deal with you.”

Catanzaro explains how he was forced to quit school to give a chance to his young brothers pursue their studies.

Licenses “I then went to Club Nine in Malindi for a vetting exercise and got a license to operate on the beach as a legal beach operator. I later joined the hotel industry and worked with Duna Safaris Company.”

In 1994, Catanzaro went back to the beach and formed Mwangaza Tour and Travel Company with Mr Bahati Dzombo and others after getting a loan of KSh2 million from a French tourist.

They paid back the loan after making their profit and shared the remaining amount among themselves. They then disbanded the company. He took his share of KSh80,000 and started Moro Tours and Safaris Company, which is still in operation.

Last year, together with another group they formed the Umbrella Tour Operators Association, which covers all beach associations. However, having suffered themselves they also give back to the community so the children coming after them can have a better life.

Catanzaro has been raising funds for orphans in the environs within Malindi.

He managed to organise a show in Milan, Italy while in Malindi to raise funds for orphans. They raised KSh6 million which was distributed to various orphanages in the region.

His dream is to assist young beach boys follow the right procedures and acquire licenses to avoid police harassment.

“The Government should introduce refresher courses for beach boys that should include skills in discipline, and on how to behave and treat tourists to avoid conflicts because most of the boys

Sheke Nyale, commonly known as Cantazaro is now a millionaire after working as a beach boy since he dropped out of school 21 years ago. Picture: Jackson Mleka

are illiterate,” Catanzaro explains.

Many of the inexperienced beach boys are usually arrested by tourist police who accuse them of harassing tourists. The few who have licenses are never arrested because they have badges that identify them to both to tourists and the police.

Catanzaro plans to hold a meeting with the local leaders to press for licensing of all beach boys who are 18 years and above.

Training “The licenses will enable the young beach boys to work as professionals as they will be trained on how to conduct themselves,” he reiterates. Catanzaro is just one among many beach boys who have made it big. Most of his peers have had it rough as they are still struggling to make ends meet after years of hard work at the beaches.

Baraka Rashid Baya alias Porta Bene (translated this means a good person in Italian), a Standard Six dropout from HGM Primary School in Malindi says he struggled for over one year to learn Italian but has still not realised his dream.

He says English was too hard for him because after six years in school he still could not speak it fluently but it only took him one year to learn Italian.

Most beach boys find it more difficult to communicate with English speaking tourists as opposed to the Italians.

“I did not go to a foreign language school to learn Italian. I used my intelligence, discipline and honesty at the beach to acquire the knowledge.”

— Catanzaro

Says Porta Bene: “I started with borrowing camicia laborsa, scarpe (Italian for shirts bags and shoes) before I graduated to the business language.” Now he is able to communicate with Italian visitors and organises safaris to Tsavo National Park and other touristic sites such as Mayungu, Watamu and Cheshalle among others at a fee.

But Mr Jumaa Ngumbao, a Standard Four dropout from Bate, is new on the beach as he just ventured into the field last year. He says life has really been tough for him. “Sometimes I can go for five days without getting any money because I am not good in Italian and this makes life challenging.”

He dreams of the day when he will marry a beautiful Italian woman who will change his life for good.

Linkages In the local scenario, beachboys are the link between the people and the tourists as they guide them to the villages and give them an opportunity to experience the unique local culture. They also help to boost the economy since during high season as there is a lot of money in circulation.

For Giulio Giovany, an Italian tourist who is on holiday in Malindi the beach boys are harmless and play a major role in creating fun for the tourists. “The boys are good. They can take you around to places in the Indian Ocean like Serdenia Island, Cheshale, Tsavo East and the villages safely. We have no problem with them,” he says.

Giovany thinks beach boys have good public relations and respect tourists but says there could be a few bad ones who tarnish the image of beach boys.

ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

7

Are the boys a blessing or a menace?

By Jackson Mleka With role models such as Catanzaro, a worrying trend is taking root in Malindi. Children are dropping out of primary school at an escalating rate that is worrying education officials who are desperately groping for solutions.

Italian is not being taught in the local public schools in Malindi, yet primary school children speak the language fluently.

Many will sneak from school and go to the beaches to look for a few shillings. It is the case for majority of the beach boys who began their careers while in school like their local hero, Catanzaro.

The Italian language has served them well as it enables them to quickly establish a rapport with the lira-laden tourists from the Mediterranean country who have a pathological affinity to the coastal resort town. Malindi Deputy District Education Officer, Mr Abdalla Chai says the future for the beach boys is dark because what they are doing is not a profession that can enable one to get a certificate.

“To be a beach boy one has to keep dreadlocks, walk without shoes, pierce ears and take drugs to attract tourists,” Chai says. He adds: “The easy money the boys earn promotes high dropout rates in primary schools.”

On a positive note, however, Italian has helped the local youth with the skill to get jobs in hotels and lodges. They easily learn Italian on the beach because it is practical and is the single most important attribute for commercial purposes in Malindi, unlike Eng-

lish that is a compulsory subject in Kenyan schools. Italian is almost the lingua franca in Malindi.

Most beach boys befriend the Italian tourists easily, paradoxically because they are semi-literate, hence easily manipulated by the Italians. It is the belief at the resort town that Italian tourists rarely befriend well educated local people.

Beach boys have managed to support the construction of modern buildings at local primary schools, among other aspects of local development. However, whenever the tourists engage in local projects, beach boys demand 10 percent of everything, be it cash, pens, books or anything of value, claims Chai.

“We should advocate for the development of education in Malindi District and Coast Province at large, since this will reduce the rush to the beaches by the younger generation,” says the DEO. To others though, beach boys play a big role in the economy of Malindi. Without them, the economy of Malindi would be nothing.

During high season they get easy money to spend. A substantial portion reaches the local people, unlike other professions where money earned is invested away from the region. They are big spenders who squander thousands of shillings without a second thought in the high season, but end up with nothing during the low season.

During the low season, the beach boys sell the gifts they received during high season at low prices. Malindi District Officer, Ms

A group of beach boys interacting with tourists in malindi.

Picture: Jackson Mleka

”Beach boys are highly respected in the region as they are human beings and desire to live a good life.”

— Phillip Chai

Josephine Njenga says beach boys are useful to the economy because they bring development projects and assist poor children get them sponsorships from philanthropic tourists. “Beach boys also assist in the transfer of tourists to national parks and other areas of interest in the country,” she says.

In the government offices they also help in translation since majority of the officers cannot speak Italian.

Harassment of tourists by some beach boys, which has been reported in the recent past, is one of the factors that scare away tourists, according to Government tourism officials. Catanzaro says the Government should give licenses to those who deserve and train them in public relations.

To some hoteliers, although area beach boys play a big role in promoting tourism, they still find

them a bother as they “disturb tourists who are relaxing.” Kenya Hotel Keepers and Caterers Association Chairman North Coast region, Mr Phillip Chai says beach boys are highly respected in the region as they are human beings and desire to live a good life.

He says hoteliers should work with them as it is impossible to chase them from the beaches where tourists enjoy. However, he says, there should be a proper structure of operation to ensure tourists enjoy their holidays at the beaches.

“Harassing tourists and forcing them to buy products in the beach is oppressing. They should be left to enjoy their holidays as they relax freely on the beaches,” he says.

A beach operations association should be formed to create proper guidelines and regulations to govern the boys.

Freelance operators want own space

By ROBERT NYAGAH Malindi is recording a huge number of freelance tour guides and safari sellers who confront tourists at the beaches.

The behaviour by the beach operators has led to protests by hotel managers who argue the action was affecting tourists who always feel harassed by beach boys.

While the freelance beach operators may be troublesome, Ms Consolata Agutu a beach curio traders operating at an access roads in Malindi says there is need to put freelance safari sellers to a designated area.

However, lack of a place where the freelancers can operate from has instead created a situation where beach operators are left to loiter in the beaches and harass tourists who would like to rest.

To try and address the problem, Malindi DC Mr Arthur Mugira has asked the Ministry of Tourism to hasten plans to

develop a designated area where beach tour guides and safari sellers can operate from.

Beach curio traders who operate at the access roads in Malindi have protested continued operations by some groups yet the traders remain in the temporary stalls.

Agutu said disturbances at the beach affected the business by organised groups of curio dealers who do not go to the beach.

“It is better if all beach operators have designated areas to operate from to avoid harassment of tourists at the beach,” argued Agutu.

Operations at the access roads are complicated by lack of sanitation facilities such as toilets and water. There is need for the Malindi Municipal Council to build such facilities and if possible privatise them to ensure cleanliness and hygiene at the temporary curio markets.

Consolata Agutu arranges her wares at her stand in Malindi.

Picture: Robert Nyagah

8

ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Bhang trade ebbs with drought

By Odhiambo Odhiambo

Following the devastating drought that hit the country, among other farming activities and businesses that suffered was the bhang trade.

Other than the climatic factors, a recent move by the Tanzanian Government to uproot the drug in most farms in Tarime District in the north of the country, also affected the illicit trade in south west Kenya.

In an interview with the Reject at the Isebania border town, dealers who requested anonymity, say the cross-border trafficking of bhang between Kenya and Tanzania has declined significantly.

The dealers, who mostly transport the drug to Nairobi and Mombasa say they are now trafficking only about 10,000 stones to the big towns per week, down from 30,000 stones.

“A vehicle like a Toyota Prado only carries 4,000 stones between Migori and Nairobi and only makes one trip in a day due to the shortage,” says one of the dealers.

The Kenyan Government recently protested to Tanzanian authorities over the continued growing of bhang in the wet highlands of Mara Province, which is then smuggled northwards in Kenya. The protest has prompted the latter to uproot the plant in the Mara Province.

Packing According to investigations, the bhang stones are usually packed in sacks in the Kenyan homes in Migori and Kuria West districts, along the common national border, to await collection at night by smugglers driving top of the range cars.

The traffickers target secondary school and college students and as well as tourists in the major towns.

“The next move is to make bhang unavailable particularly in large quantities,” says a police officer in Migori, who attributes rising crime in the country to bhang smoking.

In Nairobi and Mombasa, one stone of the drug is said to cost between KSh800 and KSh1,000 after acquisition at source for KSh20 per stone, giving the dealers massive profit margins.

The consignments are usually packed carefully in bags that are sprayed with perfume to mask the putrid bhang odour.

The frequent arrests and prosecution of large scale dealers does not seem to have dented the trade, largely due to the huge profits.

To beat the law enforcers, the smugglers constantly switch the mode of transportation — from bicycles to charcoal-carrying lorries, Mercedes Benzes, Toyota Prados, passenger buses and petrol tankers.

In this way, the volume of bhang trafficking to the cities continues, albeit with the hiccups as those caused by the current action by the Tanzanian authorities.

Migori DC Julius Mutula (second right) confers with the area police boss Eric Mugambi (left) over 2,000 rolls of bhang that had been confiscated. The consignment was on transit to Mombasa when it was nabbed. Picture: Odhiambo Odhiambo

The insatiable demand and huge profits in Kenya and abroad especially among students, is a great motivation for the traffickers who will stop at nothing to keep the trade flowing.

Expensive cars Car hire firms have lost new expensive vehicles impounded by police while transporting the illicit drug. Clients to car hire pose as business executives wanting to go to upcountry for a retreat, company meeting, holiday or private visit, only to use the posh cars for smuggling the drug. The preferred vehicles are rarely stopped at police roadblocks. In any case, the traffickers will usually carry huge sums of money for bribing inquisitive officers.

“In fact, the police would only impound such a vehicle if they have a tip off. Ordinarily, they would only salute you at all the roadblocks from Nyanza to Nairobi and eventually Mombasa,” says a dealer who was charged in court recently.

He explains: “There was a business associate who bought a Toyota Prado and

fixed a flag on it. Law enforcers mistook the car for a minister’s all the way.”

There have also been small scale traders, carrying the drugs in suit cases, while some and particularly women, strap the drug around their waists.

Three women were recently charged in a Migori court for transporting bhang but their mode of transportation perplexed everybody including the court.

Several stones of bhang were tied around their waists, significantly enhancing their buttocks. They had wrapped the cargo with a shuka (local wrap) and completed the foolery by carrying babies “borrowed” from neighbours. Mothers totting babies are rarely subjected to body searches by the police.

On this particular occasion, alert officers noticed the buttocks were abnormally big and asked their female colleagues to frisk the suspects. The search revealed several stones of bhang.

The illegal entry points at the border through which consignments of bhang pass have been sealed and security officers posted to man them. Last year, a chief in Migori District seized a bhang haul

“In fact, the police would only impound such a vehicle if they have a tip off. Ordinarily, they would only salute you at all the roadblocks from Nyanza to Nairobi and eventually Mombasa.”

— A bhang dealer

with a street value of KSh10 million.

Mr John Opiyo of Kaler Location, Nyatike Division impounded 15,000 stones of the illicit drug packed in sacks, awaiting transportation to Nairobi and Mombasa for sale.

The dealers who were waiting for vehicles to pick up the consignments disappeared on foot immediately they spotted the administrator during the 9pm incident. Other people at the home where the consignment was lying also escaped.

Parents have complained that the drug was pushing their children out of school and all they are left to do is engage in reckless smoking of bhang and drinking of alcohol.

School drop out

John Owiti, a reformed street boy, says he dropped out of school when his peers introduced him to bhang smoking.

“It gave me a false illusion that I could make it in life without necessarily going to school. I wasted my time smoking bhang in the streets. I wish I could be young again and go back to school,” he says remorsefully.

Owiti is now 35 years old and works as a carpenter in Migori town. He learnt carpentry in a rehabilitation centre in Nairobi after dropping out of school in Standard Five.

The National Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) has called on the police to thoroughly check all vehicles at the roadblocks that could be transporting bhang from Nyanza and Rift Valley to other parts of the country.

ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

Government blamed for laxity on insecurity

By JANE MUGAMBI The Church would like the Government to take more responsibility in dealing with insecurity.

The National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK) has blamed the Government of laxity in dealing with insecurity in the Mt Kenya region.

Led by NCCK Secretary General, the Rev Peter Karanja, clerics from the region wondered how a Government with state machinery and capacity could not deal with the wave of crime that is rampant in the region.

“As the church, we want the Government to do something about all organised gangs who have terrorised and killed innocent people for years,” said Rev Karanja.

The clerics called for an immediate crackdown all organised gangs that have been terrorising residents in Mt Kenya region for more than a decade.

They claimed that residents of Mt Kenya have suffered greatly through illegal taxation by the outlawed Mungiki Sect. They also condemned extra-judicial killings by the police as a way of dealing with the problem.

Broken homes Speaking at the same function, the NCCK chairman for the Central Kenya region, Rev Hiram Githaiga, called on the Government to intervene and bring to an end the manufacture of all intoxicating brews in the region.

“The drinks have resulted into broken homes since the men can no longer perform their matrimonial duties,” explained Githaiga.

Speaking at a Kerugoya hotel, the men of cloth said the illegal drinks have rendered young men useless and ruined their lives as they are no longer sexually active.

In Kirinyaga County, there are eight second generation breweries that manufacture cheap liquor that has ruined the lives of the young ones.

“Why is it that there are eight breweries manufacturing second generation beer which has rendered our youths useless?” he asked.

They further added that the illicit drinks have undermined development in the region and education standards have drastically gone down as a result of the narcotic drinks.

The church leaders said that the Government should strengthen wealth creation measure in order to absorb youth who are jobless in the region.

They also appealed to the youth to stop depending on hand outs from politicians but instead look for ways of earning an honest living.

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

9

Kenya asked to emulate Japan in her development agenda

By ERIC MUTAI Japan will increase its financial support for self sustaining projects aimed at improving the lives of arid and semi arid residents.

Japanese Ambassador to Kenya, Mr Shigeo Iwatani said Kenya can achieve its Vision 2030 targets by focusing on improving the lives of the poor and harnessing its own development ideas.

“Japan was devastated after the end of the Second World War and with the help of the International Monetary Fund and other development partners we were able to rise from the dust,” explained Iwatani. He adds: “It is because we came up with our own development agenda focusing on individual progress that we have managed to go this far.”

Development

Japanese ambassador to Kenya, mr Shigeo Iwatani and Siakago MP Lenny Kivuti testing bicycles donated to students in Mbeere District at Kigwambiti Secondary School.

Picture: Eric Mutai

He advised that Kenya should borrow a leaf from Japan to move towards achieving her development goals.

Iwatani asked Mbeere residents to establish self-sustaining projects that will ease their livelihoods. He at the same time promised full support from Japan.

The envoy was speaking at St Thomas Kigwambiti Secondary School in Mbeere North District after launching the green bicycle project.

The project offers bicycles to students and other poor members of the community. It was initiated in 2000 and has helped students in rural areas, who walk long distances to access school and are able to arrive on time. Over 50 schools have since benefited from the project.

“The bicycle project offers an ease in mobility and helps the community access facilities like schools and hospitals on time,” explained Iwatani.

Students, community groups and religious institutions have been called upon

to be the green ambassadors and plant trees that can be used in the production of fossil fuel.

According to the Green Africa Foundation (GAF) chairman Dr Isaack Kalua, the project will enhance environmental conservation, raise awareness and imprint environmental consciousness in communities.

Kalua said that the country must focus on bio fossils since the world fuel reservoirs will soon be depleted.

Bicycles He reiterated: “Bicycles are treated as tools for the poor but rural communities need them for movement.”

Each recipient of the bicycle was required to grow trees in their respective institutions and replicate the same in their home and neighbourhood.

“Green Africa Foundation is the first recipient in Africa to receive bicycle dona-

tions from Japan Bicycle Parking Facility Foundation. The five year project aims at distributing 2,000 bicycles in Kenya,” explained Kalua.

Ishiara Location in Mbeere is an arid region that suffers constant drought and this has affected agricultural productivity as well as increased poverty levels.

Green Africa Foundation and Trocaire are working with community groups in environmental projects that aim at reforesting the region and introducing environmentally friendly income generating activities.

Siakago MP, Mr Lenny Kivuti who was present, asked the residents to plant mangoes and other food producing trees that do well under arid conditions to avert hunger.

“Even as you plant Jatropha and other trees that do not conflict with the environment, you should plant mangoes and other trees that offer you food to fight hunger,” urged Kivuti.

Mechanic calls for training of motor cycle riders

By BONIFACE MULU Lack of riding skills among motorcycle operators is to blame for the increased accidents in the country.

As a result, the Government has been petitioned to train riders operating the motor bikes through training seminars.

A Kitui motor vehicle mechanic, Mr Francis Kamau, expressed his concerns when he visited the Kitui District Hospital’s casualty ward. He decried the rate at which many hundreds of

Kenyans lost their lives through motor bike related accidents and many more injured.

Kamau, who owns a garage and auto spares shop at the Kalundu market in Kitui town, said: “The solution to the problem is to impart proper motor bike driving skills to the operators.”

He regretted that most operators are below 18 years. “They are causing accidents because they are inexperienced and it is not their wish,” said the motor vehicle mechanic.

He reiterated that it was important

to prevent the accidents and not arrest the motor bike driver after causing the accident.

“Arresting of the driver by the police will not help the victim because he or she is already a casualty,” Kamau stressed. He said most of the drivers are not familiar with the road signs.

“They also carry more than one passenger and also do not wear helmets.

They do not wear safety jackets and it is because they have not been trained on riding motor bike and safety procedures,” he added.

10

ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Male circumcision comes to Nairobi Anti-FGM fighter dies in hospital

By ODHIAMBO ODHIAMBO The Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) programme is now expanding beyond Nyanza Province where players reported huge success.

The male cut services are now available for free in Nairobi’s Lang’ata District as part of the Government’s efforts to curb the spread of HIV infection in the country.

The Ministry of Medical Services is collaborating with Impact Research and Development Organisation (IRDO) to offer the services, which are currently available at Lang’ata Health Centre, Ushirika Medical Clinic and the AMREF health facility in Laini Saba.

According to a Male Circumcision Consortium newsletter, a mobile unit will soon be added to make the voluntary male circumcision services available in other parts of the city.

Nairobi is the second province after Nyanza to offer free voluntary male circumcision as part of a comprehensive package for HIV prevention services. The services include HIV counselling and testing, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, risk-reduction counselling and provision of condoms.

According to the newsletter, since the Government launched the programme in Nyanza in November 2008, more than 130,000 men have been circumcised.

IRDO is among the organisations supporting the programme in Nyanza Province.

The organization’s director, Dr Kawango Agot says they are applying the lessons learnt in Nyanza to help set up the Nairobi programme.

“We are borrowing lessons learnt in Nyanza so as not to reinvent the wheel,” Agot explained. He added: “However, we also recognise that each place is unique and requires different approaches to service delivery.”

The Government adopted VMMC as part of its HIV prevention strategy after studies in Kenya, South Africa and Uganda showed that being circumcised reduces a man’s chances of becoming infected with HIV by about 60 percent.

The Government took a phased approach to rolling out the programme. In the first phase, from 2009 to 2013, the strategy is to prevent as many HIV infections as possible by focusing on parts of the country where the prevalence of male circumcision is low and the prevalence of HIV infection high. These areas include Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley, and Nairobi provinces.

In Western Province, about 50 health workers recently received training on the provision of safe male circumcision services in preparation for the expansion of the programme to Teso District.

The government also plans to extend the programme to Turkana District, in the Rift Valley Province. Already, male circumcision protective effect against HIV infection appears to be yielding fruit.

Researchers from the universities of Nairobi, Illinois, and Manitoba (UNIM) Project said a study revealed a 66 percent reduced risk of HIV infection among circumcised men compared to uncircumcised men after four-and-a-half years of follow-up.

The study followed a cohort of about 1,500 men who participated in the randomised controlled trial of male circumcision that was conducted in Kisumu.

By ODHIAMBO ODHIAMBO The fight against FGM and the rights of girl-child among the Kuria suffered a big blow following the death of Mrs Beatrice Robi Mwita.

The human rights activist and a former Kuria parliamentary aspirant died at a Migori Hospital after a short illness.

Mwita gallantly fought against FGM in her community and sometimes rescued girls from the practise and lived with them in her home.

She unsuccessfully vied for the Kuria seat on Ford People ticket but lost to the current MP Wilfred Machage.

Mwita was also the chairperson of MYWO Kuria branch until her death.

The deceased was also a Director at the Lake Victoria South Water Services Board and committee member of Kuria

The late Beatrice Robi Mwita.

Peace Caravan.

Mwita was also a committee member of the Kuria CDF and chairlady of the Kuria Girl Child Organisation.

She will be remembered for her active role in ensuring that outdated cultural practices that denied the Kuria girl child an opportunity to pursue her education were completely kicked out.

Men asked to help fight female cut

By ODHIAMBO ODHIAMBO The Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation (MYWO) is now reaching out to men in South Nyanza to support the fight against female genital mutilation (FGM) and other forms of gender based violence.

The organisation’s national treasurer, Mrs Naomi Okul, said they wanted men to change their attitude and “refuse to marry women who have been circumcised in an attempt to discourage the practice”.

Okul was speaking in Migori town during a meeting of community and faith based organisations in the region.

“FGM and gender based violence is on

the rise among members of the Kuria and Suba communities and because of this the girl–child education is under constant threat from these outdated practices,” Okul said.

She reiterated: “Because men are the key decision makers in most households, I would like them to stand up and support anti-FGM initiatives.”

The anti-FGM advocates are now moving to primary and secondary schools to sensitise girls on the dangers of the cut. “Circumcised women experience a lot of pain when giving birth and when they are having sex. Women have a right to safe and enjoyable delivery and pleasurable sex,” Okul explained.

Principals accused of exploiting non-teaching staff Local authorities fail to meet directive

By NICK ODHIAMBO Public secondary school principals in Nyanza Province have been challenged to improve on the working conditions and salaries of non-teaching staff in their schools.

The Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) Senior Deputy Secretary General, Mr Colonel Oundah, said many schools in the province were exploiting non-teaching staff who are not paid well and cannot join workers’ unions.

“Secondary school principals are mismanaging funds meant to pay nonteaching staff,” said Oundah. This money comes from the Government and parents to schools towards non-teaching staff salaries.

“There is money sent by the Government and the parents contribute towards the salaries of these workers but the monies are squandered and these workers are also denied opportunities to join unions to help them fight for their rights,” he said.

The personal emoluments funds is the money that should be paid to the non-

teaching staff in schools, but many principals have been accused of diverting this money to other uses including personal use. They end up paying the workers very little from the funds.

For the Personal Emoluments, the Government sends to schools KSh3,950 per student while parents also pay KSh2,750 per student every year.

“This is good money and the principals should wholeheartedly pay the nonteaching staff well,” he added.

Addressing a workers meeting in Homa Bay town, Oundah said in most schools in Nyanza Province, non-teaching staff earn as little as KSh2,000 per month while the least they should be earning is KSh7,000.

“This situation is pathetic in the region where some principals give peanuts to workers who are having families to take care of. What is KSh2,000 for a father or a mother in a month?” he posed.

He urged the principals of public schools to allow non-teaching staff to join workers unions, saying it is the right of the workers under the Labour Relations Act to be given the opportunity to join the unions.

By JOSEPH MUKUBWA

Not a single local authority has met all the waste management regulations set by the Ministry of Environment four years ago.

National Environment Management Authority (Nema) acting director, Dr Ayub Macharia said out of the 175 local authorities, not even one had met the regulations. He said they risk being prosecuted for not adhering to the rules.

“This means that no council has a license from the environment body to collect, transport and dispose off waste material,” explained Macharia.

Macharia said: “Since the rules were gazetted in 2006, no council has been licensed for waste disposal since they have not met the regulations.” He was speaking after touring dumpsites in Nyeri and Karatina. He said Nema will seek legal redress since some councils are acting in hazardous ways that might endanger the health of Kenyans.

Macharia reiterated: “Nema will start taking the councils to court since they have been given enough time and those found guilty will be fined KSh1 million or have their town clerks jailed for two years.”

The visit to the two dumpsites followed complaints from members of the public over the health effects of the dumpsites on them.

In Karatina the residents complained that garbage which included medical waste being dumped in the area which is adjacent to their homes had spilled to the road.

“We are giving you to the end of next month to fence off the area. The sewerage system in the area is also very poor and councils must be very careful when handling waste,” he cautioned.

However, an engineer from the council, Mr Timothy Muchemi denied that medical waste was being dumped by local clinics.

At the Nyeri dumpsite, the director was angry that the municipal council fire fighters arrived to put off the open fire which was burning dangerous wastes.

“This is very serious. There should be no open fires because it unsafe for the locals as there is chlorine and dangerous chemical waste burning,” Macharia said.

The council was given up to February to find an alternative dumpsite away from the residential areas.

ISSUE 027, October 16-31, 2010

11

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Ghost of corruption haunts bursary plans

By Musa Radoli The story of 16 year old Kathleen Anyango Opudho (not her real name) is like a damning testimony of the nightmares students experience attempting to access constituency bursary funds across the country.

The devastating disaster that haunts her quest for education began with the death of her father. She had just passed her Form One third term school examinations and was now waiting to proceed to the Form Two at Dudi Secondary School in 2004.

Yet before she could take a step to this stage of her life her mother also died.

However, despite the challenges, Kathleen was determined to pursue her education dreams whatever the circumstances and challenges. In the year 2005, she applied for bursary support from the Alego Usonga Constituency Bursary Fund (CBF).

Vetting After being vetted and sanctioned by the community right from the village level by those who knew her prowess and love for education, she submitted her bursary application documents to the Constituency Bursary Fund Committee (CBFC) for approval.

“I was sure that I qualified for the bursary and had every reason to believe I would get it considering the support I had from the community in the village. I also knew that I had met all the requirements. I desperately needed and still need the bursary support my education,” says Kathleen.

However, this was not to be. On learning that the other applicants had succeeded in being awarded the bursaries and her name was not among the beneficiaries, Kathleen was devastated.

When the news came that she once again had not qualified, it was a catastrophic blow that nearly consigned her to bed. Kathleen says: “I was completely numbed and depressed and could not comprehend why I had not qualified despite the glowing recommendations I had received from school supported by my report cards among other application requirements. I felt like dying.”

Though she has not lost her determination in pursuing her education dreams, Kathleen says she has lost confidence in the Alego Usonga Constituency Bursary Fund and the Constituency Development Fund or any other local bursary funds since they completely ignore the needs of the desperately needy and bright total orphans like her.

But unknown to Kathleen, majority of the beneficiaries of bursaries from both the devolved funds were students whose parents were alive and working, majority of them with relatives on the Constituency Bursary Funds Committees including other students who are not from the constituency.

This is according to the constituency’s

www.mediadiversityafrica.org

Students at Muvuli Secondary School in Alego-Usonga Constituency listen to CDF officials explain how they can access bursary funds. For many orphaned children, CDF bursaries are their only hope to completing their education. Corruption in the disbursement of these funds shatters many of their dreams. Picture: Musa Radoli

social audit report by Centre for Peace and Democracy. However, Kathleen admits openly that she is not aware that there are completely new CBF and CDF management teams whose operations, transparency and accountability levels are completely the reverse.

“I am not aware of any changes because I have lost interest and faith in the funds after my initial disappointments,” she says.

However, according to a Centre for Peace and Democracy (CEPAD) official, Mr Mike Juma, the new teams managing the funds have completely turned around the style of management and interactions with members of the community.

CEPAD conducted the social audit report on the constituency covering the five years between 2003 and 2008 before a new legislator was elected to bring in new teams.

“The new teams are open and transparent. Members of the public can access any information or documents they wish to get from both devolved funds which has greatly improved public confidence,” explains Juma.

He says as a result of the CEPAD audit report, many changes and improvements have been made by the new leadership of the funds which took the findings seriously and embraced community involvement and ownership of the projects.

The official says that some of the marked changes in the management of the two funds by the new teams are the transparent, accountable and receptive manner in which the stakeholders are engaged in running of the funds with fairly strict adherence to the laid down procedures.

The Alego Usonga Constituency Social Audit Report by CEPAD documents indicate that out of a total of 171 beneficiaries from the Constituency Bursary Fund in 2008, 68 were students with both parents alive, 58 partial or single parent orphans, 30 total orphans, 13 unknown students and three working adults.

The document tabulates that: “The categorisation of the beneficiaries by family backgrounds both from the Constituency Bursary Fund and the Constituency Development Fund were that CBF had 28 total orphans, CDF only two total orphans; partial or single parent orphans CBF had 43 and CDF had 14; both parents alive CBF had 42 and CDF 26; unknown students CBF had 14 and CDF had one and working adults with CBF having none and CDF having three.”

The committees are supposed to work closely together in awarding bursaries to ensure that there is no duplication or duplication and procedures are followed.

The CEPAD report states that some of the beneficiaries were traced to their learning institutions, their homes in the villages across the constituency, while some could not be traced, even from records in the learning institutions they were purported to have been schooling and yet cheques were disbursed.

Interviews

It says that during the interviews with beneficiaries, it was established that many did not apply for the bursaries, were not even aware of having got them, while others did not know about the existence of the two bursary funds, contrary to the bursary disbursement regulations.

The Alego-Usonga bursary fund committee social audit report declares: “Three of the beneficiaries were from the same family and benefited from the fund for three consecutive years yet both of their parents are still alive and employees of a popular religious institution. One member of that family is a member of the committee and hence must have influenced the process.”

About ten percent of the beneficiaries who were interviewed never applied and did not understand the application process. This was mainly under the cdf bursary fund and is an indication of serious flaws in the bursary allocation process.

Executive Director: Rosemary Okello-Orlale Programme Coordinator: Wilson Ugangu

Editor: Jane Godia

Sub-Editors: Florence Sipalla and Mercy Mumo

Designer: Noel Lumbama

Contributors: Musa Radoli, Joseph Mukubwa, Henry Owino, Paul Kimanzi, Nzinga Muasya, Jackson Mleka, Robert Nyagah, Odhiambo Odhiambo, Jane Mugambi, Eric Mutai, Boniface Mulu and Nick Odhiambo.

CEPAD goes on to document that the same happened to a senior member of the constituency bursary fund committee and an employee of the Ministry of Education whose daughter was awarded a bursary despite the fact that they (daughter and ministry employee) were not members of the constituency.

Complaints

The audit report documents that there were numerous complaints from members of the community during public locational forums about cases of needy orphaned students like Kathleen who had made annual applications for the bursary funds without any success nor any feedback for years before change came.

It emerged that while most of the beneficiaries were traceable, either at their institutions of learning or villages, 13 could not be found either because they had already completed school or others were not known in the institutions where their names appeared as beneficiaries.

“The case for the former group is understandable but the latter raises questions on whether they were ghost students. Information on the procedure ‘these students’ followed to be awarded, their family backgrounds and real benefit from the funds could not be established,” says the social audit.

Contacted for comment, a former constituency bursary fund committee chairman, a Rev Odhiambo said: “We tried our level best to strictly follow the ministry guidelines, though I must accept that we had problems and tried to tackle them. This is normal and I can assure you that things will be very fine, that is all I can say.”

The chairman completely declined to answer any questions as to why and how some of the documented beneficiaries were children whose both parents were alive. Why some of the beneficiaries did not apply while others were not from the constituency.

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