Reject Online Issue 41

June 1-15, 2011

ISSUE 041

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

Poverty mars the face of Budget Biting inflation forcing Kenyans to skip meals with few options available

By JAMES MBAKA Spiralling inflation coupled with high energy costs have pushed northwards the persistent high cost of living, rendering life virtually unbearable, among millions of Kenyans who earn less than a dollar a day.

Many have opted for at least a meal each day while thousands of other low income earners sleep on empty stomachs as the rising inflation takes its toll on Kenyans.

Cutting down

Even those who would be otherwise economically comfortable have not been spared with many shelving or marginally cutting down spending on capital plans to redirect finances to basic needs in the face of high commodity prices fuelled by increasing production costs.

The dwindling shilling and all high energy costs may further complicate lives among the poor rural and urban dwellers with no sign of relief in the foreseeable future.

As the sun sets west and birds retire back into their nests after a busy day, so is Joseph Oyugi, winding up his rather exhaustive day as a casual labourer at a construction site in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

It is about 6pm and unlike birds which have been successively reaping all day from where they did not sow, the 45-year father of three is faced with a glaring and rather onerous responsibility of fending for his family.

He has been working throughout the day and expects some pay that will put a plate food on the table for his family, at least for today.

Oyugi is fatigued and wears a worn-out and desperate countenance signalling much more dissatisfaction and disappointment. The peanuts he will earn today paint a gloomy picture around his face with no hope in the foreseeable future.

“I have not eaten anything since morning save for a remainder-cup of sugarless porridge that my wife prepared for our children before they left for school,” says Oyugi as he fumbles with his pocket as if to remove something that seems to bite him, “I did not eat lunch. If I ate, do you think I could go home with any cent?” he poses.

Despair

Oyugi is a labourer who needs a lot of energy to effectively do his job. But he cannot afford to eat enough to push him through and his shrunken skin is evidence of a weak and malnourished person.

He reaches into his pocket and displays a KSh50 note, stretches it out and quips: “This is my pay for the day after working for nine hours.

Expectations are high with my family hoping for at least a better meal today — sukuma wiki and ugali.”

From left clockwise: Women sit under the sun, patiently waiting for relief food.

Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta displays his briefcase before making the Budget speech last year. A group of Kenyans sleep under the scorching sun in the hope that food will come their way. People queue with jerry cans for fuel at a petrol station during the recent fuel crisis hoping to get some of the scarce commodity.

Pictures: Reject correspondent He looks at his wrist watch, puts arms akimbo and his half-tattered sweater on his shoulder ready to start his five kilometre journey home.

Although despair and hopelessness is written on his aging face, one thing is clear in his mind, today was double luck for him for he was not only hired for the day but will be here for two more days, courtesy of a compassionate foreman.

According to Oyugi, this is sheer reprieve and he is assured that his family will have at least something for to eat for the two days he will be working at the construction site.

“My family lives without certainty on when the next meal will be available. For now, I think they can be sure of something,” says Oyugi as he embarks on his journey home.

Continued on page 5

Read more Reject stories online at www.mediadiversityafrica.org

BUDGET

continues on pages 4-7, 21

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Shifta War returns to haunt How an attempt to secede led to mass killings

By HUSSEIN DIDO

The word Daaba, means concentration camp. It came up following events that took place between 1965 and 1967, immediately after Kenya’s independence in Isiolo district, Eastern Province of Kenya.

The concentration camps were centred on the then three divisions of Merti, Garba Tulla and Modogashe.

The clamour for Kenya’s independence was rising in the 1950s and 1960s and this lead to the creation of Daaba. New political parties cropped up in Southern Kenya. The Northern Frontier Districts (NFD) region of Kenya was not left out.

It led to formation of political parties representing the interests of the pastoralists. The two major parties from the north were the Northern Province Peoples Progressive Party (NPPPP) and the Northern People Union Association (NPUA).

Political party

While the NPPPP, predominantly supported by the four districts of Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera and Wajir wanted the NFD to secede to the Republic of Somalia, the NPUA predominantly supported by Marsabit and Moyale districts, agitated for it to remain in Kenya. There seemed to be a split in the opinions of the people of the Cushitic part of the NFD. In a bid to determine the future of the NFD, the British government through the office of the Secretary of State for the colonies formed the Northern Frontier District Commission, late 1962 (Report of NFD Commission, 1962).

According to the survivors of the Shifta War, those who were frustrated by the decision opted to wage a guerrilla war against Kenya Government. This was the beginning of the infamous ‘Shifta War’.

The Government of the newly independent Kenya used excessive military force to quell the uprising in most parts of the NFD. They said though the civilians in NFD generally suffered from the retributive measures taken by the Kenyan authorities, the Waso Boran was collectively condemned to bear the brunt of the war.

Eighty-six year old Habiba Raqa, a survivor of Daaba moved the crowd to tears when she recounted the ordeal in 1967 where soldiers massacred more than 2,700 people in a concentration camp.

Raqa spoke as the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) wound up their hearing in the larger Isiolo.

She recalled that it was on a Thursday morning when armed soldiers descended on the villagers and took them to a concentration camp. They were beaten with batons and gun butts before being shot.

“One of the soldiers shot at me and bullets came out through my left hand rendering me disheveled,” said Raqa.

She said many women were raped while others tortured and beaten alongside their husbands and children during the incident.

Lone survivor

Raqa, by then 49 years old, said a Good Samaritan, whom she recalls by the name Mr Thomson, who took her to hospital where she is the only one who survived out of more than 400 people.

“They thought I was dead and left me. But I got courage and moved on up to a road side where the white man found me,” recalled Raqa.

Raqa has lived with the pain and anger for the last 50 years and expects that justice will one day prevail and those behind the killings will be arrested and brought to book.

With tears flowing down her cheeks, Raqa said some women were taken away by security forces especially the ones who were married to men who fled to join Shifta from the concentration camps in Merti, Garba-tulla and Modogashe camps.

“I recall the massacres and mass killings of livestock by the army officers during the state of emergency declared by

Top: Mzee Diba Koto, a survivor of Garbatulla massacre of 1967. Army officers tortured and confined locals to concentration camps, killing an estimated 2,700 people. Below: Mzee Diba shows the elders one of the mass graves where some victims were buried after they were killed by the military. Pictures: Hussein Dido the Government in 1965,” she says.

Hundreds of livestock worth millions of shillings were taken away in lorries while others were shot. Survivors say this is what has been the cause for abject poverty among the communities in the region.

Survivors recalled that camels and donkeys were mostly shot on the spot. The camel population was almost wiped out by 93.4 percent during the incidents.

Raqa recalled how a former Member of Parliament, Adan Wako Bonaya, was forced to resign following the mass killings.

Resignation

“I opted to resign and this led to my being arrested and detained after I raised alarm in Parliament that my people were being subjected to untold suffering and killing,” says Bonaya.

The 75 year old former MP remembers how former Isiolo DC Mr Dabaso Wabera and Paramount Chief Galma Dido were killed to stop opposition to secessionist movement during the colonial era.

“They were killed near Madogashe town on June 28, 1963 at 4pm by hired assassins,” says the former MP. He says a colonial security officer was involved in an operation to eliminate him.

Bonaya says the killings were done on suspicion that the two leaders were proponents of breaking Kenya. He claims that the killings were secretly done and the killers found their way out of the country to escape justice.

The Commission had received a memorandum entailing the details of the progressive party formed to as the country settled down after independence.

“I am calling upon the Government to rehabilitate and resettle the displaced population from Somalia through restocking and other sustainable means to provide basic needs like education, water and health,” urged Bonaya.

He said the Government must also provide physical infrastructure like roads, telecommunication and railway network.

More than 500 returnees from Somalia have found their way back after they opted to flee to Somalia after Daaba massacre. Garba Tulla DC Joseph Onyango said the returnees are now living in Kombola, Gafarsa and Dabele.

“The Government is working out a strategy to issue them with identity cards because most of them are of age and have to go through the normal committee vetting process,” said the DC. Some victims who presented their memorandum to the Commission called on the Government to provide monetary compensation for them to restart their life afresh.

They said this will not only appease the affected section of the Kenyan society, whose human rights have hitherto been violated, but would also encourage national reconciliation.

Background information about the Shifta War

By KENNEDY LESIEW Barely a month after independence, Kenya found itself at the brink of civil war in January, 1964.

The then Kenyatta Administration was struggling to impose its authority over a divided nation. On one side were the people of Northern Frontier District (NFD), united behind the Northern Province Progressive Party (NPPP) calling for recognition to their to self-determination and unity with Somali Government.

All these is said to have been triggered by political and economic marginalization of the region by both the colonial and independent governments.

In March 1963, Duncan Sandys, the colonial secretary announced that NFD will remain part of Kenya’s regional constitution. This was despite the finding of a commission of enquiry which reported that the Somali and Muslim minorities in NFD unanimously favoured secession.

Frustrated and antagonised, a number of them engaged in guerrilla insurgence in an attempt to force their right. With the help of the Somali Government in Mogadishu, they conducted systematic guerrilla operation targeting police posts as well as security and administrative personnel.

The Government response to all this was encompassing. The NFD was declared a prohibited zone and more security personnel were deployed in the region with directive to shoot and confiscate livestock and property. Detention camps were established in different parts of NFD to confine the insurgents who were thought to be politically dangerous.

The Shifta War, as it was then called, continued until January 1968 when the diplomatic relations between Kenya and Somali was re-established following the signing of a cease-fire agreement signed by then Somali President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke and Prime minister Muhamad Haji Ibrahim. As a result, this brought to a close technical and logistical support for the rebels.

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

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Atrocities that defied religious norms

By KENNEDY LESIEW “It was better when we were being ruled by the colonialists. These African military officers had no respect for the old, children and women.

They went as far as using knives and broken bottles which they inserted in women’s vaginas in their pursuit of the bandits.”

These were the sentiments of Fatuma Ibrahim, a survivor of the Shifta War who lived to tell the story of the torment they underwent during the Government operation to weed out shiftas or bandits in the region which was then known as the Northern Frontier District (NFD).

Ibrahim who baby sat Gatundu MP Uhuru Kenyatta during the colonial period, bitterly explained how military officers abused her alongside other women.

“I will never forget the brutal killing of my best friend Mama Rukia. How they tied her hands and then her legs with each tied to a different military vehicle. Thereafter, the two vehicles were driven in different directions splitting her body into two halves,” Ibrahim recalled as she broke down in tears.

Attitude change

According to Adam Hussein of the Centre for Minority Rights Development (CMRD), after being sensitised about the Commission’s role, many Muslim women changed their attitude towards it. “This change came early in the year, and that is why more stories of atrocities against them are being told like never before,” Hussein explained.

“Most of them have been suffering in silence and could not share with anyone the gross violation meted to them for fear of being stigmatized,” observed Hussein. He explained: “It is also against Islamic rule for women to speak openly of sexuality issues such as rape as this is seen as a sign of weakness.”

However, due to what could be seen as a change of attitude, majority of these women came out in large numbers and spoke of the

crimes meted against them, by the military officers during the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) hearing held in Isiolo.

“During the statement taking exercise conducted in this region, we received an overwhelming number of statements and memoranda. They were close to 30,000 from this region,” said Tecla Namachanja, TJRC Chair. She added: “What was even more encouraging was the number of women who were willing to testify.

Bloody history

This showed that they were adversely affected.” Iman Tarry, a survivor of the bloodiest moments in the history recalls how it started. “Before the establishment of the concentration camp, we were beaten up by the military officers without any good reason. Some would even use their gun butts to hit us on the back.

We didn’t know what mistake we had committed,” recalls Tarry.

“I remember one day when military officers invaded our shanties. I was with my eldest son Ahmed and they ordered all men in our village out and frog–matched them from the hut. They were shot at close range. All this was happening in broad day light in presence of my son,” explained Tarry as tears welled up her eyes.

The mother of 11 recalls: “We were ferried to a camp where we faced hunger since there was no food nor water. Life was hard for us. At night we lit boxes to keep the children warm. We used basins as our toilet.”

Eighty year old Khadija Ahmed Osman from Modogashe recalls how women were particularly abused.

“It is against our religious beliefs to expose our body and hair in public. This is why we wear the hijab (scarf) to cover our heads,” said Osman.

However, during the operation, officers removed all the women’s hijabs as they played with their hair. They tore all their clothes, making them parade naked as they made a joke of their nudity.

“We were rounded up and beaten by gov-

ernment officers. I was expectant at the time but due to the frequent beatings I suffered a miscarriage. This made me sad in life and I lost hope for tomorrow,” Osman recalled.

Atrocities of the Shifta War are not different from those that took place all over the Northern Frontier Corridor. A survivor of the Garbutula Massacre 86-year-old Habiba Raqa’s story resonates.

“They [military] used the stoke of their guns to hit us with. I was shot twice by an officer as I was running for my life during the operation.

The first bullet hit my stomach, while the second bullet got my hand,” Raqa said displaying her broken hand.

According to Raqa, security forces came in the night, breaking doors open and forcing them out of their houses. They were subjected to all kinds of forced labour. Anyone who defied their

“I was expectant at the time but due to the frequent beatings I suffered a miscarriage. This made me sad and I lost hope for tomorrow.”

— Khadija Ahmed Osman

Maleto Adan, 69 year old torture victim of the Garbatula concentration camp.

Picture: Correspondent orders was either shot or indecently assaulted.

“We were forced to carry huge stones on our heads and dig tunnels under close watch of the security forces,” recalls Raqa a sobbing said amid her sobs. After being hit by the bullet, she fell down and remained unconscious for some time making the officers in her pursuit think that she was dead that is how she survived.

Director of Legal affairs at the TJRC Thomas Shavangi noted that preliminary findings show there were a lot of human rights violations perpetuated against individuals and communities in the NFD. “In terms of individual hearing that has been taking place, there is clear indication of violation of both individual and communal rights,” Shavangi said.

He added: “Unfortunately as we speak now, what we call first class violation of human rights is still the order of the day 45 years after independence.”

As the sun sets along Isiolo hills, two questions remain, whether justice will be done for women and children abused during the Shifta War. And secondly whether officers involved in the atrocities, who are protected under the Indemnity Act enacted by Parliament, will face the full force of the law.

Emotions run high as TJRC visits mass graves

By EKUWAM ADOU A field visit by Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) to mass graves and a concentration camp in Garbatulla rekindled bitter memories of the 1966 events that left thousands dead, hundreds permanently maimed, thousands fleeing to the neighbouring country and livestock wiped out.

Tears flowed freely when the survivors of what has been dubbed as ‘Daaba Massacre’ recounted their ordeal in the hands of brutal security forces in an incident that left over 2,700 people dead.

Acting TJRC Chairperson, Ms Tecla Namachanja was overcome by emotion while listening to accounts of Shifta War by the survivors who underwent torture and untold sufferings at the hands of security forces.

Namachanja was moved to tears listening to testimonies from survivors, some of who were permanently maimed by gunshots and bombs used by the forces.

Eighty-six year old victim Habiba Raqa cut a pitiful figure with her left hand completely disfigured by bullets fired at her by the military during the operation to suppress dissent and quest by the region’s residents to secede to neighbouring Somali.

Displaying her maimed hand, Raqa says she was shot in the stomach but the bullet ricocheted through her left hand, and she is lucky to have lived to tell the story.

Mzee Gobo Guyo, 79, recounted how he lost his father who was kidnapped together with 400 other men and transported to a concentration camp where they were sprayed with bullets and

buried in mass graves. Guyo recalls how women were raped and tortured in the presence of their husbands and children in a humiliating experience.

Relatives, witnesses and survivors who had turned up at the mass grave in prison could not hold back their tears after victims recounted memories of the past massacre where they were herded into a concentration camp and shot at close range.

Narrow escape

Mr Halkano Hamana who testified during the TJRC public hearing at the mass grave said he escaped narrowly when more than 500 men were taken away and killed at Taiboto.

Haman lost his father and two other relatives to the soldiers who were shooting indiscriminately. The 73 year old man broke down after narrating how some women were taken away by security forces especially the ones who were married to men who fled to join Shifta from the concentration camps in Merti, Garba Tulla and Modogashe camps.

Commissioners who conducted the hearing during the winding up of the exercise in Garba Tulla sympathised with the survivors and could not hold back their tears.

Other victims narrated the massacre and mass killing of livestock by army officers during the state of emergency declared by the Government.

During the hearing, victims said the Government should undertake a comprehensive development initiative. They said they had been reduced to relief food dependants unlike before when they used to have hundreds of livestock.

Habiba Raqa displays the hand that was disfigured during the military operations aimed at quelling the quest to secede by Northern Kenya residents in the 1960s.

Picture: Hussein Dido They claimed livestock worth millions of shillings were lost during the massacre and that the only way to relieve them was through reparation and compensation.

The victims recalled that camels and donkeys were shot on sight, as they were considered by the military as instruments of war.

They said security forces thought that the Shifta usually took away the livestock either for food or transportation and this led to their being killed.

Namachanja regretted that communities have gone through untold suffering in the hands of people who were supposed to protect them.

“Though the truth has been told in camera and in public, cases will be investigated to ensure justice prevails for the victims,”

Namachanja noted.

She recommended that the Government rehabilitate and resettle the displaced population through restocking and other sustainable means to provide basic needs like education, water and health.

Namachanja said the Government must also provide physical infrastructure like roads and telecommunication adding that the situation has been worsened by slow development.

Some victims who presented their memorandum to the commission called on the Government to provide monetary compensation to those directly affected.

Civil society organisations in the region demanded a Commission of Inquiry be constituted to establish the truth about Daaba and justice be seen to be done.

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

BUDGET

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

A citizen driven plan would be more welcome

By OMONDI GWENGI

To beat the high cost of living majority of the Kenyans are developing various ways to cope with the rising inflation.

Jared Onyango, 21 who works as a carpenter in Usenge, Bondo District says things have not been very rosy for the ordinary mwananchi. This has driven many youth to turn to taking up loans.

However, it is still hard to cope with the high rate of inflation. “We cannot afford to have three meals a day and only eat once a day.

Sometimes we go hungry,” explains Onyango.

The situation is the same for 27 year-old Shem Owino, a boda boda operator. Being in the transport sector, Owino says that they are feeling the pinch of the rise in fuel prices which they are forced to transfer to customers.

Rising costs

“When the budget was read last year, spare parts for motor bikes were affordable. Today, they are extremely expensive and a litre of fuel has risen to KSh115 up from KSh92 about six months ago,” observes Owino.

“We are forced to hike fares to enable us get an income where some money will be left for us and the rest we give to the owner of the motorbikes,” he says.

Owino has adjusted his budget in order to cope with the situation. “We cannot cease to live simply because the cost of living has gone up but we should learn to live within our means,” he says.

He applauds last year’s budget as effective and citizen-driven. “I would like the principals to sit down and bring about change that will benefit the ordinary citizen,” says Owino.

A widow and a mother of four, life for Margaret Adhiambo, 20, has been equally hard.

She now faces a double tragedy on the rising cost of inflation and the three-month ban on omena fishing has had a negative effect on her earnings. Five months ago, a two kilogramme tin of omena was KSh70. Today, it is KSh150.

Basic commodities

Adhiambo says that last year’s budget did not improve her standards of living because there has been a regular rise in the cost of basic commodities. “I would wish to see a budget that serves the needs of the ordinary mwanan-

chi,” she hopes.

Making just about KSh100 per day, Adhiambo says it is very difficult to pay rent, feed the family and take her children to school. The expenditure leaves her with nothing to save.

Just like Adhiambo, Michael Wan’gan’ga, a mobile phones’ technician says previous budgets have not had significant meaning to the ordinary citizen. He recalls the previous budget where KSh2.5 million was allocated per constituency for construction of jua kali sheds and another KSh1 million to equip these sheds with appropriate tools to provide youths with employment. However, says Wan’gan’ga, this has not been rolled out to the intended group.

“With the high cost of spare parts, it has become very difficult to serve our customers in a better way because they always think that we are hiking the cost of our services for our own interest,” says Wan’gan’ga.

He hopes to see a budget that will Jared Onyango working have a reduction in the cost of spare to make a living in his parts and phone accessories. carpentry workshop in Wan’gan’ga says that the GovUsenge, Bondo district. He ernment should consider lowering says he has had to change the cost of essential commodities his eating patterns owing rather than lowering the cost of to the rising cost of living. non-essential commodities like alcoholic drinks.

Shem Owino, a boda boda The rising cost of inflation has operator says they have had driven them to spending everyto raise fares to cope with thing they make leaving them with inflation. nothing to save.

Pictures: Omondi Gwengi Economists say a lot needs to be done in enhancing the capacof local authorities; ity of leaders and executives of new including municipal, structures and institutions to manage funds in city, town, and county a better way that will ensure transparency and councils was KSh37 service delivery. billion in 2009/10.

There are upto 15 devolved funds, includThis excluded some ing the Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF), devolved funds that are run independently. women’s and youth development funds, conCounty and town councils spent KSh10.8 stituency bursary scheme, Constituency Debillion in the 2009/10 fiscal year. This is less velopment Fund (CDF), road maintenance than half of what the counties would have relevy and the Economic Stimulus Package. ceived had the new laws been in operation.

Going by the statistics, the total spending

According to Wan’gan’ga, this being the first budget to be presented under the new law, County governments should come up with a budget that will improve the lives of citizens.

“I would wish to see a County budget that will be development driven,” he says.

Hike in fuel prices disrupts relief operations

By EKUWAM ADOU The current spiralling fuel prices have led to a domino effect of raising the cost of relief assistance to millions of Kenya’s faced by hunger.

The situation has worsened the plight of families struggling to cope with the current drought, local residents and relief workers revealed.

Residents of Northern Kenya, currently reeling under effects of drought may continue to suf-

“NGOs and the government must be realistic. We offer transport services to earn a living, we are not a charitable organisation.

They must increase the current payment of KSh23 for a kilometre to at least KSh40 to cover the high fuel prices.”

— Truck Driver, Isiolo

fer as the cost of transporting humanitarian relief assistance increases due to skyrocketing fuel pump prices.

The price hike has affected critical services like transport, access to health facilities, business transactions and further raised food prices.

Logistical nightmare

Aid agencies operating in northern Kenya say the high cost of transporting relief assistance may be adversely affected, leading to a logistical nightmare that may force scaling down and eventually discontinuation of the services to the detriment of starving families.

Transporters contracted by World Food Programme (WFP) through Action Aid, to deliver food in Isiolo, Marsabit and Mandera have grounded their trucks demanding a review of their payments.

The transporters who were supposed to start delivery of relief food after two weeks said there was urgent need to increase rates in the face of soaring fuel pump prices.

“NGOs and the government must be realistic. We offer transport services to earn a living, we are not a chariContinued on page 5

Workers prepare to distribute relief food. Relief food operations have been affected by fuel hikes with transporters demanding a payment increase to match the rising fuel costs. Picture: Reject correspondent

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Hike in fuel prices disrupts relief Continued from page 4 table organisation. They must increase the current payment of KSh23 for a kilometre to at least KSh40 to cover the high fuel prices, maintenance costs and of course the high cost of maintaining our families,” said a truck driver in Isiolo.

Humanitarian services likely to be disrupted include provision of relief food as well as water for both domestic and livestock use. Public transporters raised and doubled charged passengers in almost all parts of the country prompting retailers to raise the prices of food crops and livestock.

Highest prices of petrol, diesel and paraffin have been reported at Kenya-Somalia border districts of Mandera, Ijara and Marsabit which are located more than 1,000 km away from the capital city of Nairobi. In these towns petrol is selling at KSh150 a litre, diesel KSh140 and paraffin KSh100.

Crisis

A volunteer aid worker from Isiolo, Joseph Kalapata says the soaring fuel prices have created a chain of problems for the areas residents who are faced with a serious crisis emanating from the current drought.

“The fare from Isiolo to Merti has doubled from KSh500 to KSh1,000. Many people who are poor including those who have been referred for medical checks and treatment to Isiolo or Nairobi are stranded in remote parts of the region because they cannot afford the high cost of travelling.

Kalapata said the Government should urgently intervene to save thousands of human lives and livestock. It should also offer relief food which has not been distributed in the past two months.

“A majority, almost 80 percent of the population in remote areas, who depended on livestock, require relief food. Their animals have moved away to look for pasture. They have no milk to sell and buy food, retail shops have foodstuffs but these are expensive,” he observed.

Juma Lekaruaki from Samburu East spoke about the high prohibitive costs of vegetables saying one tomato was unrealistically selling at KSh15 while a cabbage was selling at KSh150 making it untenable for many families to afford a decent meal.

“Many families are feeding on porridge and ngiteke, a slippery ugali like meal eaten without any accompaniment,” said Lekaruaki who is a herdsman.

“The current situation has made life in Kenya very tough. I support the demo in Nairobi; our people are too weak, faced with a lot of problems to protest on the streets. The government should act fast and provide food assistance,” he says adding that military trucks should be offered to transport people and goods.

In Mandera, Mohamud Dualle of who works with a local non-government organisation RACIDA says fuel prices in the town were the highest in the country selling at up to KSh150 and this adversely affected the cost of relief operations.

Relief support

“Relief services, providing food, water and fuelling six generators to supply water to people and animals in Mandera are the most expensive programme. It has raised the cost of relief assistance and certainly this will exceed the funds at our disposal,” explained Dualle.

The organization is thinking of adjusting its relief support programme should the funding not be available to bridge the gap. It is likely to reduce the current 120,000 households they support who are less than a quarter of families in dire need of assistance in Mandera.

The main economic mainstay in the region is livestock trade and this has also been affected with the increase of overhead costs for traders transporting their livestock.

Gregory Lowasa of Isiolo Livestock Traders Association says increased cost of hiring vehicles to ferry animals to Nairobi and nearby towns is eating into the profits as the market prices have not been adjusted to reflect the increase.

The net effects of fuel prices is more likely to negatively affect livelihoods in Northern Kenya and everything should be done by the Government and other stakeholders before the situation turns catastrophic.

BUDGET

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Kenyans will only listen if Uhuru addresses price issues

By RYAN MATHENGE In the past three months, millions of Kenyans, especially the middle and low income earners have suffered due to the increment of commodity prices.

Many of the citizens are calling on the government to look for ways to bring down the cost of living saying the rate at which prices are going up is leaving many without basic commodities.

Cecilia Njambi, a mother of two is in a state of confusion following the high prices of petroleum products.

With the increasing cost of cooking gas, Njambi has been forced to go back to traditional methods of cooking.

With the cost of 6kg gas costing KSh1,100, she has moved to fetching firewood in order to place food on the table.

“There is no way I can manage the cost when I use the 6 kilogram for two months. I have no other option but to revert to fetching firewood as I walk home from my casual job on daily basis,” said Njambi.

As he reads the budget speech later this month, millions of Kenyans have expressed concern to only listen to Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta if he will address price reductions.

With the expected reading of the national budget by Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, many Kenyans are expecting reduction in prices of basic commodities.

Basic commodities

Nyeri residents shop for household goods at Samrat Supermarket in the town. Many residents have been complaining about the high prices of goods in these harsh economic times.

Picture: Joseph Mukubwa

Inflation has affected many Kenyans and left them to only live on basic commodities. In a supermarket, a bar of soap costs KSh110 up from KSh70. This has left many families seeking cheaper detergents to do their washing.

Karuri Nguyo says the Government should reduce the number of Cabinet ministers and ministries as a way of reducing expenses.

“I expect Finance Minister to come up with a strategy that will see citizens’ issues addressed, failure to which the cost of living will remain high, pinning down millions of Kenyans,” says Nguyo.

Benjamin Mwangi, a resident of Murang’a County says with the devolved systems of government, residents will in future participate in utilisation of their money.

Major projects that will have impact on the community will be given first priority unlike the current system.

“Currently, projects that are not of any benefit to the community are given priority but with the county governments, locals will be directly involved in earmarking them for funding,” says Mwangi.

The county governments will be different from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) which has had members of parliament misleading the management committees by imposing their decisions.

“The devolved government will see community involvement in decision making,” says Mwangi during an interview with the Reject.

Biting inflation forcing citizens to sleep hungry Continued from page 1 At home, his wife Jane Wairimu, 35, has also arrived from the nearby Mukuru Kwa Njenga market where she sells groundnuts.

The smile on her face a sign of the fruitful day she has had.

“This is our bedroom, sitting room and kitchen, it also serves as the children’s sleeping and study room,” says Wairimu as she ushers me into their 10 feet square self-serving room.

The room is partitioned by a curtain which used to give the couple the privacy that is critical for a marriage but now looks as old as them with many percolations created by the tattering-sheet seemingly with nothing to hide.

Scarce resources

“Daddy I want to do my homework,” says their second-born Erick, 14, a Standard Eight student at Mukuru Primary School, as he enters the house. It is getting dark and they need to light their tin lamp but Njeri, the elder daughter, 16, now in Form Two, reminds her father that there is no kerosene.

“Daddy, give me money for kerosene. You know we have started our mid-term exams and I need to revise,” says Njeri.

Her younger brother Okiondo 12, echoes the same sentiments as he moves closer to his father: “Yes daddy we were given a lot of homework today.”

After a short while the elementary school drop out father of three scratches his head and ponders a little bit definitely does some arithmetic before dipping his hand into his pocket and removing the KSh50 note. “Run to Washiro’s shop and buy: Cooking fat KSh10, kerosene KSh10, sukuma wiki KSh10, flour KSh20.

His wife knows that there is no charcoal and tops up with KSh30 for charcoal. Today she made a profit of KSh30.

They will neither buy onions nor tomatoes because they are used to eating without such additives to spice it up and regard them as a luxury. A bunch of four tomatoes sells at KSh20 up from KSh10 in less than a month.

The price of cooking fat has not changed

but the 100gms that they used to buy at KSh10 has been reduced to only 80gms.

Oyugi’s family cannot afford anything beyond what they have spent with nothing left for breakfast, this means that porridge will be prepared from the flour that will remain after cooking the evening ugali.

The couple says they are forced to forego lunch in a bid to cut down on the expenditure that comes with having three meals in a day.

They thank God that the schools which their children attend have lunch programmes and this has enabled them implement their resolute stand — no lunch.

Oyugi spends KSh1200 every month as rent for their single room house. He fears that the landlord might increase rent. He hopes this will not be the case, as they plan to save for next year when their second-born will be joining Form One. Oyugi says that the Government move to increase minimum wage by 12.5 percent during Labour Day was too little and was nothing to celebrate.

Barely surviving

Oyugi’s neighbour John Njoroge, 50, and a father of six has also not eaten anything since morning. He is a cobbler in the slums and has been working all day. He is lucky, today he made KSh75 although a sharp contrast to his single-meal budget that should be KSh110.

He rarely makes KSh50 a day and to him what he has made today is a fortune.

His wife a Dagaa fish trader will supplement the remaining deficit. She did not sell very well today as she left late for the market after attending a parents’ day at Mukuru PCA Primary School. She managed to make a net profit of

They are forced to forego lunch in a bid to cut down on the expenditure that comes with having three meals in a day.

KSh60 and with this they will pool to sustain them through to the next day. They did not eat lunch today and expectations among the children are high as they wait for something to eat.

Like these families, millions of Kenyans are living on less than a dollar a day and continue to wallow in abject poverty unable to meet the ever increasing cost of living. High energy costs have seen much of the commodity prices shoot up with the inflation rate now standing above 30 percent.

And with the dwindling shilling and stability uncertainties in the oil-rich Arab countries, many Kenyans on stable jobs have also not been spared. They have been forced to either shelve or cut down spending on capital goods and luxuries to shield themselves from the effects of high energy costs.

Adjustments

James Okiondo, a civil servant says he has put off plans to build a permanent house in his rural home and will instead construct one that is semi-permanent. He says the chunk of his salary caters for household and foodstuff expenses is substantial.

“I spend a lot of money buying foodstuff and other household goods every month with very little or no savings at all,” Okiondo says.

Okiondo who also owns a private car reveals he cannot afford to fuel it daily given the high fuel costs with a litre of petrol selling at above KSh115.

As the country gets ready to hear the Budget read by Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenyans should brace themselves for harder economic times ahead with manufacturers having pushed their bill to the consumer given the high cost of production. For instance, a two kilogramme packet of baking flour has shot up from KSh90 to KSh125; a 2kg bag of cooking flour now sells at KSh86 in most retail shops across Nairobi from KSh66 translating to over 33 percent increase.

A bunch of four onions now sell at KSh20 up from KSh10 while a bunch of four tomatoes retails at KSh20 with 100 percent increase.

And it will not be with smiling faces that Kenyans will wake up to Budget day.

6

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

BUDGET

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Slum dwellers see hope in the Bill of Rights

By DIANA WANYONYI Moroto Slum in the fringes of Mombasa Island is the largest urban jungle at the Coast. It is densely populated with sub-standard housing.

Located next to the Tudor Sports Water which is part of the Indian Ocean, the slum residents are living in hazardous conditions with open sewage running through ditches and pathways littered with garbage and human waste.

In the heart of the slum, lives one Dorcas Machila, a mother of two who has been resident here for the last 16 years.

In her one room shack with white painted walls is a hole on one side of the wall which she says was caused by a heavy downpour that rendered 30 families homeless after their houses were swept away by a storm.

Relocation

“I came to Mombasa County from Taita Taveta as a young girl after being informed by my friends that I could get a better job. I landed here through the hands of the father of my children with whom we are now separated,” she says with tears rolling down her eyes.

Machila has literally built almost three quarters of the houses in Moroto slum as a way of earning a living.

“I decided to build the shacks and do laundry for people as a way of earning money. I live from hand to mouth given that I did not get much education since I came from a poor family,” Machila explains. She adds: “With what

I make, I am also educating my daughters who are apparently doing well in school.”

Machila is optimistic that with this year’s budget, slum residents will be favoured especially after enactment of the new Constitution.

“The Government should set aside money for us to access safe clean water and enhance sanitation in the slums,” she says.

According to Machila, women are tired of buying water from the neighbouring area.

“We buy fresh water every day but some families cannot access a penny to get that water. What we need is for the Government to consider digging some boreholes for us.”

Inadequate toilets in the slum pose an insecurity risk for women and children as it heightens the risk of gender based violence.

“Some residents are forced to use ‘flying toilets’ or the nearby mangrove forest as an alternative leading to spread of diseases,” she says.

Housing is one of the most basic human needs but it remains a major challenge many low income people.

Machila, just like other residents who live in the slum, would like this year’s budget to set aside money for construction of better housing.

Due to the increasing cost of living, Machila says there is need for the budget to reduce food prices as she is unable to provide adequately for her family.

Dorcas Machila in her house in Moroto slums in Mombasa, lights up a stove so as to prepare black tea for her family. The cost of living makes this the only meal they can afford. Picture: Diana Wanyonyi

Could the village be Kenyans seek the better option? options in dealing Women contemplate leaving urban areas for the village as cost of living runs amok

By EVELYNE OGUTU With the cost of living rising day by day, women living in the informal settlement are the worst hit. The ever rising inflation is now forcing women living in the slums to contemplate going back to their rural homes.

With the country’s inflation rate jumping to 12.05 percent in April from 9.19 percent in March, the sixth straight rise driven by food and fuel costs in East Africa’s biggest economy, businesses in slums are closing down as life is becoming expensive day by day.

Jane Nyakerario, a mother of five children aged between five and 15 years is contemplating going back to her rural home in Metamaywa, Nyamira District.

Slow business

Nyakerario, a seamstress who operates her business in Karanja Road area within Kibera, says life has not been rosy since the beginning of the year.

Her customers have been dwindling day in, day out, and this means her income too has gone down by over 75 percent. “I used to get a total of five customers per day. Now, I can wait a whole day with no one coming in. This is very bad. People are no longer making clothes.

They prefer buying from mitumba (second hand clothes which are cheaper,” she said, adding “most people do not have money”.

Due to the decline of her workload, Nyakerario has been forced to undertake other jobs like washing clothes to supplement her daily earnings. So before she reports to her base, Nyakerario, 36, moves on from one house to another in the nearby estates like Ayany seeking manual jobs like washing clothes.

“As a single mother, this has been tough on me. My children who attend Kibera Primary

School do not take breakfast and lunch since I cannot afford. I can only afford one meal per day — supper. Maisha yamekuwa magumu sana (life has become unbearable),” she says.

Nyakerario is not alone. Many women are suffering the high cost of living that Kenyans are currently facing. Another businesswoman in Kibera, Gatwikera area, Rosebell Auma, 32, a mandazi vendor is also feeling the inflation heat. From three packets of wheat flour, which she would buy to use for cooking mandazi for sale at KSh5 each, she has gone down to one packet per day.

Her profit margin has also gone down by over 60 percent. “Things are really tough and we are surviving by the grace of God. We are praying that the economy will improve. I am contemplating going back to my rural home in Bondo since I cannot afford to take care of my children at this rate,” she says.

Consumer prices have surged in Kenya since November, 2010 when the inflation rate was just 3.84 percent thanks to steady increases in food and fuel prices, a trend also been seen neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania.

Analysts say the jump to 12.05 percent in April would put further pressure on the Central Bank of Kenya to raise interest rates at its next meeting in May, following a modest 25 basis point increase in its benchmark lending rate in March.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics said the consumer price index rose 3.2 percent in April from a month earlier, driven by a 4.76 percent jump in food and non-alcoholic drinks prices and 4.29 percent increase in transport costs.

The monthly increases meant that year-onyear inflation for transport costs jumped to 20.44 percent in April from 15.89 percent in March while the food price inflation rate increased to 19.14 percent from 15.09 percent.

with inflation

By HENRY KAHARA Inflation is not a new term to Kenyans as its current effect has been felt by all and sundry. Kenyans’ pockets have not only been left stretched by the rise of inflation rate but it has also left their minds wandering on options to make ends meet.

Many Kenyan’s have not just sat down and let the situation pass quietly but instead are thinking on how to deal with the situation.

Compromise

Some people like Michael Kindangi are now less bothered by the quality of the products and more interested in the price.

“For now I am very much interested with price but not the quality,” says Kindangi who was found comparing the price of different packets of rice in Nairobi.

Kindangi has cut down his budget so that he can meet his demands. “I am also not buying some products which may be seen as prestigious. For instance, I used to buy biscuits and cakes for my family. Today that cannot appear on my list,” reiterates Kindangi.

“I first go round to establish the price of different commodities in a shop like this before I can start buying them,” explains Kindangi who has been at the supermarket for more than 20 minutes and up to the time he had not started picking the products of his choice.

He says the situation is worse for parents like him who are the only bread winners in their family.

Kindangi urges the Government to consider the common mwananchi in the coming budget because if the situation persists,

many people will suffer as their salaries remain constant.

Kindangi’s sentiments are echoed by the shop owners and employees in the supermarkets who are crying for the loss of business.

An employee at Ukwala Supermarket, Mr Stanley Mungai says that at the end of the month the supermarket is usually filled with shoppers. However, the situation has changed and at the beginning of this month one could have even counted the number of people who were in the market especially in the clothing department.

Mungai says they are now looking for ways of retaining their customers through the magic cards.

“We are giving our customers magic cards which are helping them to buy products without paying cash depending with the reward points each has,” says Mungai.

For each KSh100 one uses in the supermarket, they earn a point which they are allowed to redeem later.

Mungai says: “Due to this many customers have decided to remain royal to them.”

Others Kenyans are parking their cars and opting for public transport. Peter Otieno has gone back to using public transport as fuel prices continue to sky rocket.

“For now I am not using my car as the cost of fuel has gone very high and now I only use it occasionally,” he says.

According to a survey conducted by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the inflation rate has accelerated forcing the Central Bank of Kenya to raise interest rates further.

The rise in fuel prices is also expected to raise the inflation higher.

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Taveta people expect equal distribution of resources

By BENSON MWANGA

BUDGET

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

7

Leadership style to blame for bad budget policies

As the Government is about to read this year’s budget since the promulgation of the new Constitution, Taita-Taveta residents hope it will spur economic growth and improve their socio-economic status.

A cross-section of residents and leaders including business people said they were expecting more budgetary allocations to be channelled to the rural areas to not only stimulate economic growth but also help in alleviating poverty and the high unemployment among the local youth.

The residents said they want the funds to be used in a transparent and accountable manner unlike in the previous budgets. They said marginalized communities like the Taita and Tavetas that have been lagging behind in terms of development should be allocated more funds to place them at par with other parts of the country.

Resource distribution

“This region has been discriminated in terms of resource allocation and distribution. The new Constitution guarantees equality in resource distribution and this time round we want to see many things happening in the County to improve the socio-economic well-being of the locals,” said those interviewed by the Reject.

Speaking with high expectations, the residents complained of poor roads as well as lack of health facilities and water. They claimed these had promoted poverty in the area.

They appealed for an improved road network as this would boost tourism activities and also ensure that dairy and horticultural farmers took their farm produce to market centres with ease. The region has 28 community ranches but there is nothing to show for it and they would like them rehabilitated. One businessman Pascal Mtula said tourism is a key sector of the local economy and should be fully supported.

“The poor state of roads has adversely affected tourism activities in the area. This is an issue that the Government needs to address,” he said. Mtula said the area had potential for eco-tourism activities that needs to be fully exploited for the benefit of the local community.

A horticultural farmer Jonam Mugho said they have been incurring heavy losses owing to the poor state of the rural access roads. “Once the roads are done properly farmers will have no problem in transporting their farm produce to market centres,” Mugho reiterated.

“We have one of the worst road infrastructures in the country. The roads should be improved to the required standards to help in facilitating development,” said Gabriel Nyambu, chairman Taita Council of Elders.

Residents also urged the government to put in place measures that will check the spiralling prices of goods.

“We want the Government to control the prices and put in place measures that will contain inflation posed by the vagaries of weather and the high cost of fuel,” said Richard Mwangeka, chairman Taita-Taveta Human Rights organisation. He added: “The Government should stabilise prices to ensure they remain within the reach of ordinary Kenyans.”

Self reliant

Mwangeka said unemployment among the youth had been a thorny issue in the area. He called for the establishment of a fund that would enable the youth to become self-reliant.

He noted that since the region was endowed with vast mineral resources, the Government should set aside a kitty to give local youth credit facilities to engage in mining.

“About 70 percent of mining in the country is carried out in the area but residents are languishing in poverty as the mines have been left to outsiders,” observed Mwangeka. He added: “This time round, the Government should ensure that residents are given loans to engage in mining to economically empower themselves.”

He said the Government should also give more funds to help in gravitating water from Challa and Jipe lakes for irrigation purposes in rural areas to improve food security in the region.

The region, he noted, was endowed with adequate water bodies among them the Mzima Springs but residents continue depending on relief supplies from the Government.

“We want to see many things happening to help the poor in rural areas sustain themselves without necessarily depending on the Government and politicians for handouts,” said Mwangeka.

The residents said funds channelled to the County Government should to be administered in a transparent way unlike the previous where funds were not distributed equally.

By AGGREY BUCHUNJU Pastor Rodgers Wanyama of Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG), like many other Kenyans, looks back at yesteryear’s budgets with nostalgia.

For him budget estimates during Jomo Kenyatta’s regime were realistic and more effective than what have been presented by post-Kenyatta governments.

Wanyama notes that the budget speeches nowadays are rhetoric and inconsequential to the common mwananchi since the fiscal policy is not always strictly followed when it comes to implementation and resource allocation.

Compliance

“During Kenyatta’s regime, changes in taxation/levies and subsidies announced on budget days would take effect from the next midnight,” says Wanyama.

He attributes compliance with the budget proposals and fiscal expenditures during Kenyatta’s era to the then respected leadership.

Wanyama avers that during Kenyatta’s era the masses, and people in public offices respected leadership. He adds that perhaps this is why Government policies were followed to the letter.

“During Kenyatta’s era and a better part of Moi’s regime, the president’s word could not be subjected to intellectual analysis since it was final and law,” he says.

Wanyama asserts that unless the present leadership emulates the yesteryears’ authority, budgets will remain irrelevant to the needs and aspirations of the common people.

Yet national budgets form the basis for aggregate level of spending, composition of spending and efficiency spending of citizens’ taxes within the given fiscal year.

In functional democracies, the allocations made in the budget for the country to function effectively if they are well executed and accounted for.

However, in many countries, Kenya included, fiscal policy framework for tax/levies and all subsidies outlined in the budget lack discipline.

Many proposed projects are abandoned or fail to start due to mismanagement of funds. One such project is Road C41 which connects Bungoma with Kakamega town.

Talks about tarmacking this road have been

Women display their wares at a market awaiting buyers. As we await budget day, some Kenyans reminisce on the days when the budget did not spell doom for the ordinary mwananchi. Picture: Reject correspondent on since early 1990s. Gone are days when budget proposals, taxation measures and resources allocations meant business.

Wanyama regrets that many Kenyans including civil servants, teachers, businessmen and even church ministers have resorted to unethical behaviour in order to make ends meet.

“It is a shame that prostitution and corruption have invaded all sectors including the church due to the rising cost of living,” he laments.

Wanyama alleges that public servants have become more corrupt than ever before, a factor that is affecting service delivery in all Government offices.

He appeals to the Finance Minister, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta to put in place fiscal policy measures during this year’s budget that are aimed at lowering general Government consumption expenditure and reducing interest on the public debt.

Wanyama observes that such measures, if strictly followed, will alleviate the suffering of many Kenyans who are now currently going without food and other basic necessities.

Tax breaks

He suggests that the minister should relook into tax/levies on basic commodities with a view to zero rating them and ensuring that all players adhere to the policies.

This, he adds may enable many Kenyans to afford at least one meal a day and buy building materials which are beyond the reach of common people.

“During Kenyatta’s regime, changes in taxation/levies and subsidies announced on budget days would take effect from the next midnight.”

— Pastor Rodgers Wanyama, Pentecostal Assemblies of God

On food security, Wanyama says that time has come for this country to have State farmers who would be remitting farm produce to the Government for storage.

This, he claims, will enable Kenyans to buy food from Government stores during famine at subsidised prices. “It is absurd for the Government to talk about agricultural subsidies when it does not have its own farm produce,” he says.

Wanyama urges the Government to make use of the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) farms to ensure that the country is self-reliant in food production.

He notes with disappointment that some ADC farms have been grabbed by senior Government officials while others are lying fallow due to lack of budgetary allocations.

“I think the Government should repossess these farms and lease them to state farmers in order to fight perennial hunger in this country,” reiterates the preacher.

Desperate measures

A wares hawker in Bungoma town and a mother of three who only identified herself as Njeri admits that she sometimes goes to the parking bay to engage in prostitution when the situation becomes tough.

“I cannot leave my children to starve when there are other sources of livelihood to exploit from,” says Njeri. She expects nothing strange or positive in this year’s budget.

“I am sure this year’s budget will be another public relations exercise just like the previous budgets. It will not add value to my life or put a plate of ugali on my table,” she says.

A youth representative, Mr Bernard Wakamala appeals to the Finance Minister to take into consideration the contents of Article 43 of the new Constitution in his budget speech.

“Kenyans had very high expectations in the new Constitution and this is the time to benefit from it,” says Wakamala.

Wakamala observes that for this year’s budget to meet Wanjiku’s expectations, it must positively address basic needs such as food, attainable medication, housing, sanitation and education.

8

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

People living with Aids wants to be in charge of aligned bodies

By DUNCAN MBOYAH The Government has been asked to stop appointing people who are not living with HIV/ Aids to head bodies created to help streamline issues dealing with the scourge.

“It is only infected people who know how opportunistic diseases affect fellow infected people. It is important that infected people be appointed to such positions to assist the needy,” reiterated Davis Njuguna, chairman of the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK).

AIDS policy

Njuguna also threatened that they will take mass action against those who do not want to implement Aids policies.

Addressing the press on the sidelines during the first national Biennial HIV/Aids Research conference in Nairobi, Njuguna said positive people are being taken in circles by politicians.

“We will vote as a block against persons holding position in the Government for failing to implement the Abuja Declaration and the Greater and Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV/Aids (GIPA),” he noted.

Njuguna further blamed the Government for not honouring a pledge to increase the budget allocation for HIV/Aids sector as was promised by Finance minister during his 2010-2011 budget speech.

He warned that it is becoming unnecessary to hold conference after conference on HIV/Aids since ideas presented are hardly followed by the implementing authorities.

“Speaker after speaker continue calling for increased funding to the HIV/Aids kitty but this is not taken seriously by policy makers,” he said.

The group also said that GIPA is the best opportunity for fighting HIV/Aids in the country.

During the conference, a group of civil society organisations led by the National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV Aids in Kenya (NEPHAK) disrupted the function for over 10 minutes.

In a memorandum presented to Murugi, the group demanded an end to the spread of Aids by fully funding for the universal access to treatment, keep funding promises, putting 15 million people on Aids treatment by 2015 and also to stop trade deals that prefer pharmaceutical profits to lives.

The group further challenged US President Barrack Obama and Kenya’s Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta to keep their pledges on HIV/ Aids funding.

They noted that Obama signed a pledge in 2008 to provide $50 billion to fight global Aids by 2013 but has not honoured the promise.

Kenyatta was, however, accused of reneging in honouring an agreement he signed with the US government to increase overall health budget by 10 percent annually with domestically generated funding as well as increasing funding for HIV/Aids by 10 percent.

According to the Vice Chancellor of Great Lakes University of Kisumu (GLUK) Prof Richard Muga, a new model that empowers local people to fight ill health is urgently needed in the fight against HIV/Aids.

He said that it is clear that the Government and donors have different policies with regard to funding HIV Aids projects since the donors pump in 85 percent support while the government only gives 15 percent.

“Chances are that the donors may stop funding HIV/Aids hence calling for a radical alternative to be put in place,” he said.

Muga observed that it was unfortunate that out of the 1.4 million HIV/Aids positive people, only 400,000 people are under Antiretroviral courtesy of Clinton Foundation, PEPFAR and Global Fund.

“Once endorsed by the ministers, it will open avenues for more resources for the entire HIV burden.”

— Esther Murugi, Special Programmes Minister

Activists demonstrate as they agitate for governments to honour their pledges to support universal HIV treatment.

Pictures: Reject correspondent

The Chairman of Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) Engineer Patrick Obath blamed lack of leadership commitment in the public sector towards fighting HIV/Aids in the country.

Obath disclosed that 90 percent of employees in the private sector have been tested, a sign that their leaders value health unlike the public sector where officials shy away from knowing their status.

Dismissal

He noted that HIV/Aids employees in the private sector are no longer dismissed as was before, and instead they are being deployed to departments they fit in.

“We have realised that they have their families and other needs to take care of, hence no private company is laying off employees anymore,” said Obath. The Director of the National Aids Control Council (NACC) Prof Alloys Orago said resources for programmes are currently dwindling due to the global crisis.

“We must think radically by interrogating the global evidence and apply locally in delivering services to the people,” he noted.

Orago revealed that the Government contributes only 15 percent whereas the donors contribute 85 percent.

He blamed feminisation of HIV/Aids in subSaharan Africa to the patriarchal family nature that tends to empower men as opposed to empowering all genders.

“We are currently involving the communities at the grassroots level in designing, implementation, monitoring and review of programmes,”

he said. However, during the conference it was revealed that the Government has set up a task force to establish a trust fund towards financing HIV Aids programmes in the country.

Special Programmes Minister Esther Murugi said over dependence on donor funds must come to an end once the task force reports back their findings.

While opening the first national Biennial HIV Aids Research conference in Nairobi, Murugi revealed that a paper on sustainable domestic financing for HIV/Aids is at the Cabinet level and is likely to be approved soon.

“Once endorsed by the ministers, it will open avenues for more resources for the entire HIV burden,” she said.

Murugi promised that the Government is considering pumping money towards research in HIV/Aids through Vision 2030 to help reduce the cost of the scourge’s services and commodities to affordable levels for all citizens.

The Minister observed that the scourge has negatively affected Kenya’s economy by reducing the population’s coping mechanisms in dealing with climate change effects, loss of skills, absenteeism, increased cost of health care and burden of the disease.

“We need new ideas on how best to address the challenges caused by the scourge on people that are at high risk of infection. The lessons we have learnt over the years must be repackaged to inform programming to avoid making the same mistakes,” she noted.

People living with HIV urge G8 countries to fulfill their HIV commitments The Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+) is calling on the G8 countries to fulfill their commitments to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support; and to counter stigma, discrimination and other HIV related human rights violations against people living with HIV. GNP+ calls on the G8 to take responsible leadership by intensifying their HIV response efforts and set the tone for the United Nations High Level Meeting on AIDS, June 8-10.

Two weeks prior to United Nations High Level Meeting on HIV in New York, the G8 countries; Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, United Kingdom, and United States, are meeting in Deauville, France on May 26-27. GNP+ acknowledges and commends the considerable contributions made by the G8 countries unilaterally and jointly, to increase access to HIV treatment, prevention, care and support. They are amongst the most important contributors to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. However, the G8 contributions have been lagging behind, threatening gains made in slowing down the HIV epidemic.

Realizing Universal Access and the effects of treatment on prevention Thirty years into the epidemic, there is now evidence showing that early initiation of anti-

retroviral therapy (ART) not only has increased health benefits for HIV positive people, but also has significant effects on preventing HIV transmission. The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052 study results released in May 2011 confirmed what UNAIDS epidemiological figures were suggesting and the experiences of people living with HIV in sero-different relationships. The study showed a 96% reduction in risk of HIV transmission upon initiating HIV treatment when CD4 cell counts are between 350 - 550.

GNP+ welcomes these findings and urges the G8 to support the WHO in issuing appropriate and timely guidance for country action. It is critical, however, to understand that the public health benefits of treatment on preventing new HIV infections can only be realized where human rights are respected and if programmes are implemented in ways that respect the values and principles of Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention.

Kevin Moody, International Coordinator and CEO of GNP+, states: “While the health and well-being of people living with HIV should be central in the use and promotion of HIV treatment, GNP+ welcomes treatment’s preventative benefits. Within the context of limited resources, these benefits should focus the G8 to

see treatment as an investment in prevention.

Increasing availability of treatment will reduce long-term demand on health services. This has important implications for universal access to treatment because it lowers the long-term cost of treatment rollout and scale-up.”

Stigma, discrimination and HIV related human rights violations Universal access to treatment, prevention, care and support cannot be achieved in an environment of stigma and marginalisation, nor where programmes are beset by potential human rights violations – such as forced or uninformed testing or coerced initiation of ART primarily for the benefit of public health rather than the health and well-being of the individual.

Networks of people living with HIV in the past few years have been collecting evidence on HIV related human rights violations worldwide.

For example:

1. During recent consultations on the prevention of mother to child transmission, GNP+ has documented instances in Indonesia and Uganda where women living with HIV have undergone forced sterilization.

2. In every implementation of the GNP+ Human Rights Count! project so far in Africa, Asia and North America evidence showed widespread mistreatment of people living with HIV and denial of services in healthcare settings.

3. The PLHIV Stigma Index in Estonia, Poland, Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine shows that the fear for stigma and discrimi-

nation keeps people from testing as well as initiating treatment once having tested positive.

4. Operational research on the sexual and reproductive health and rights experiences of people living with HIV in Nigeria showed an increase of gender based violence following disclosure of HIV positive status by women.

GNP+ call for the G8 countries to:

5. Increase efforts to achieve universal access to treatment, prevention, care and support; 6. Continue funding the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

7. Support with policies and resources the development and implementation of guidelines for treatment and prevention; 8. Leadership in pushing pharmaceutical companies to drop prices for HIV treatment; 9. Refrain from Free Trade Agreements limiting the flexibilities of TRIPS for the production and distribution of generic HIV treatment; 10. Fulfill their commitment to counter any form of stigma, discrimination, and human rights violations and promote the rights of persons with disabilities and the elimination of travel restrictions on people living with HIV; 11. Commit to country level HIV responses that are evidence based and transparent and accountable to those most affected

by HIV;

Recognize and respond to the needs of key affected populations, in particular men who have sex with men, drug users, sex workers, and transgender people, and including young people and women.

Source: www.gnpplus.net/en/programmes/positivehealth-dignity-and-prevention

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

9

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Eating sisal in the face of adversity

By NZINGA MUASYA When the Minister for Finance will be reading the Budget this month, he will be speaking in a language that will only be understood by those who will be within the precincts of Parliament.

The rest of Kenyans will be thinking about where their next meal will come from, not considering whether it is suitable for human consumption.

The true picture of what Kenyans are facing is aptly painted by the situation facing the Residents of Kabati Division in Kitui County, in lower Eastern Kenya.

In the wake of the looming famine occasioned by insufficient rainfall, many people are waiting for the Government to come to their aid with relief food.

Alternatives

Residents of Kabati are making do with what is available to make sure that life goes on, rain or no rains. The residents have turned to the sisal plant for survival after their crops dried following the recent rainfall failure in the region.

Crops like cow-peas, maize, beans and sorghum have dried up in most farms.

This has forced the local farmers to turn to their next option which is the sisal plant, adding credence to the saying that extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.

The farmers are in sisal fibre production which they produce in bulk and sell to merchants in the nearby markets. Others are making ropes and other products from the sisal fibre for sale. The proceeds are then used to buy foodstuff.

The plant which is drought resistant seems to be doing exceptionally well even as other crops succumb to the effects of the ravaging drought.

Although less appreciated, its value stands out among the plants that could be found in Arid and Semi Arid (ASAL) lands. In some ASAL areas, the plant whose scientific name is Agave Sisalana grows wildly, favoured by the hot temperatures.

In many parts of Ukambani, sisal plants are used to mark land boundaries and for fencing. The sisal plant consists of a rosette of sword or spear shaped leaves about 1.5 to two metres tall. The plant has a seven to ten year life span and produces 200-500 usable leaves, each leaf containing around 1000 fibres. It does well in semi-arid and arid climate, with temperatures ranging above 30 degrees Celsius

Decortication

The fibre is extracted through a process known as decortication where the leaves are crushed and beaten by a rotating wheel set with blunt knives so that only the fibres remain as the outer green layer is evenly removed. Propagation of sisal is generally by using bulbils produced from the buds in the flower stalk or by suckers growing around the base of the plant.

One of the farmers who is in sisal fibre production to eke out a living is Mrs Mwende Muema. At her Kau’wi village, in Kitui West District, she is busy on the improvised machine scrapping sisal leaves to remove the

From left clockwise: Mwende Muema scrapping the sisal leaves on a machine to remove the fibre at her farm in Kauw’i village. A lorry loaded with sisal fibre, ready for transportation to the market. Daniel Kyatha at his shop in Kabati where he buys sisal fibre in bulk. Pictures: Nzinga Muasya finer fibre.

The improvised machine is locally known as Kikuni which is made of two blunt knives placed on a tree stump facing each other. Muema first scans a canopy of sisal plants to choose the best leaves which she proceeds to methodically remove the sharp thorns at the tip.

Sisal processing

“One has to be careful when cutting the sisal leaves because its thorns are quite poisonous,” explains Muema, a mother of four.

After getting sizeable number of the leaves, she dissects them into several almost similar pieces. These are then dried in the sun for about 30 minutes to lessen the moisture content.

“If you fail to dry them, most of the fibre will be wasted since it will come off together with the outer layer,” advises Muema.

Before she begins the process of getting the fibre, Muema says that one has to cover their wrists with a piece of clothing to prevent the sisal fluid coming into contact with the skin.

“The fluid is acidic and corrosive and it can eat into one’s skin leaving charred patches,” she says adding that the fluid can make the skin itch for hours.

After securing her wrists, Muema picks a piece of a sisal leaf squeezes it between the small space between the knives and pulls with some force.

She does this twice and the outer layer is scrapped off leaving only lustrous strands of creamy white fibre.

Once done, the fibre is dried before

being packaged. The pulp which is left behind is dried and used as livestock feed or compost manure.

“I can produce about six to ten kilogrammes of fibre in a day which I sell to a merchant in the nearby market. The sisal plant which many take for granted is helping us put food on the table as well as pay school fees,” she avers.

Muema says that one kilogramme retails at between KSh30 to KSh32 at the nearby Kabati market. The sisal merchants are now planning on starting a group that will help them sell their produce directly to major towns instead of being exploited by middlemen.

When Muema produces what she terms as surplus, she uses the extra fibre to make ropes and kiondos that are sold in the nearby Kitui town.

Unknown to Muema, the fibre she produces finds its way into foreign

“We also loan money to our members in merry-go-rounds and this is really helping us. Without sisal plants things would be pretty tough but we are coping.”

— Alice Muithi, group treasurer

countries where they make car scratching brushes, rugs, slippers, floor covers, tiles, handbags, shopping bags and even clothing. These products are again imported into the country where they are expensively sold such that Muema and her ilk can only admire them in shops.

One man who is buying sisal in large quantities from people like Muema is Mr Daniel Kyatha. After buying the fibre, it is rolled into huge bales ready to be sold in Thika and Nairobi.

“In a good month, I take about two to three lorries of about eight tonnes each to Nairobi. The fibre has a ready market and the returns are good,” quips Kyatha, who is based in Kabati.

“With sisal, people cannot sleep hungry even with drying of crops,” says Kyatha who seems to be doing brisk business. Although sisal fibres are a great alternative to plastics, Kyatha laments that sisal products are expensively priced and many people cannot afford them.

Benefits

“Sisal products like gunny bags should be relatively cheaper compared to plastics because the raw material is readily available and is durable. Besides they are biodegradable and not harmful to the environment,” observes Kyatha.

Elsewhere in the neighbouring Mutanda Village, a group of women have come together to form a selfhelp group. However, this group uses the sisal fibre to make kiondos and ropes which are sold in Kitui, Machakos, Mwingi and Nairobi.

Ms Alice Muithi, treasurer of the

group who is involved in selling the products says that the group members use the proceeds to buy food and pay school fees for their children.

“We also loan money to our members in merry-go-rounds and this is really helping us. Without sisal plants things would be pretty tough but we are coping,” observes Muithi. The ropes are sold according to their sizes ranging from KSh10 to KSh30.

International Development Partners Kenya, a non-governmental organisation based in the area is seeking to partner with the sisal farmers to help in marketing their products.

The coordinator of the NGO, Mr Rodgers Kaleve says the aim is to provide capacity building for sisal farmers as well as get markets for their products.

Group formation

“We want these people to be organised into groups to ward off unscrupulous middlemen. If they operate individually they will continue to be exploited since they are vulnerable.

The sisal plants which grow large scale in this area can improve their economic well being if well tapped,” observes Kaleve.

He appeals to the Government and the private sector to realise the viability of the plant noting that when fully exploited, it can improve the people’s economic standards.

Kitui sisal farmers are figuratively eating sisal in the face of the biting drought. Sisal is one plant they want to cling to since it is helping them put food on the table as other crops succumb to the searing heat.

10

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Challenges of raising a special needs child within an economy in a tailspin

By DAVID NJAGI A struggling mother delivered a healthy baby boy but three years later, little Owen Otieno was taken ill with meningitis which later developed into autism.

For two months, mother and baby lay their hopes with the medical staff at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), who Margaret Sambile, learnt later could not cope with the number of patients streaming into the autism ward.

This is how the 44-year-old single mother found herself back in her Mathare Area Two home after being informed that they had to be discharged to create space for new patients.

The two-month stretch also proved to be an excuse for Sambile’s husband to bolt after learning that the child he had fathered was autistic.

Accident

“He tripped and fell into a sewage pit. Were it not for a neighbour who found him half sunk and raised the alarm, it would have been the last day that I saw my lovely boy,” recalls Sambile.

Things were looking rosy when Otieno was born. There was nothing in his health profile to suggest that he would develop a medical condition, although Sambile recalls developing complications during her pregnancy.

She was also operating a sec-

Struggling to stay above the water

By MACHARIA MWANGI

Shop attendant Lucy Kagwi is among hundreds of Kenyans reeling from harsh economic times that have seen prices of essential commodities skyrocket in the recent past.

To stay afloat, the mother of one has devised ways to ensure her pay (which she says is hardly enough) sustains her through the month.

“I have done away with impulse buying and only purchase what is necessary,” she said.

This has forced the young mother to stop shopping from malls and supermarkets. “This is where the temptation to buy superfluous items emanates from,” explains Kagwi.

With a house girl to pay, Kagwi has forgone the prestigious three course meals with bread and margarine being among the items painfully discarded.

Compounding problem

Struggling mother

Alone and taking care of four children including Otieno, life for Sambile has been a struggle. She cannot figure how she pulled through to celebrate Otieno’s seventh birthday, this year.

However, with determination and support from friends and relatives as well as the Special Education Professionals (SEP), Sambile has been able to appreciate the challenges of raising an autistic child, a feat she has almost mastered.

But there is an emerging trend that Sambile says is costing her the gains she has made, and which she acknowledges is weighing heavily on families that are nursing disadvantaged children.

According to Sambile, the cost of living has gone up, and like other Kenyan homesteads which have a physically challenged family members, the big question is often how to split the little revenue stream to foot medical and food bills.

“Most of the times, I have to make do with one meal per day because most of the food expenses are spent on Otieno’s special diet,” says Sambile. “To make matters worse, I cannot sustain a full time job because I have to keep a close watch over him.”

It is easy to understand Sambile’s predicament. It happened that one day Otieno slipped out of his mother’s watch and wandered off into the slum’s hazardous establishment.

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Margaret Sambile with her seven year old autistic child, Owen Otieno at her home in Mathare slums, Nairobi. Picture: David Njagi ond hand clothes business in the slum which used to fetch about KSh10,000 to KSh20,000 a month.

“We were a happy family because my business was doing well. I was even thinking of venturing into wholesale business,” recalls the single mother who has now been forced to entrust her two children with her mother in the village in Western Kenya because of inflation.

Special schools

Living in a rented house, for which she pays KSh2,900, Sambile is jobless.

Even the spirited efforts she makes by asking for soft loans from friends to try and revive the second hand business have left her with accumulated debts.

While a bill of KSh24,000 is yet to be cleared at KNH, Sambile says the reason she cannot pay full attention to the business is because she has to invest most of her time on Otieno. She is almost despairing having made numerous unsuccessful attempts to enrol him in a special school.

“The special schools are very expen-

sive. I have tried raising money through hawking but often find myself out of business because I cannot pay full attention towards its growth,” explains Sambile. She adds: “The little I earn is often spent on Otieno’s diet and medical bills.”

If he were in school, Sambile could put some of the time she invests in caregiving into working to earn a living to sustain her family.

Sambile wishes the Government could set aside a special fund to take care of households that are raising disadvantaged children, especially those that are mentally challenged.

“Most of the times, I have to make do with one meal per day because most of the food expenses are spent on Otieno’s special diet. To make matters worse, I cannot sustain a full time job because I have to keep a close watch over him.”

Margaret Sambile, Mother of autistic child

Lobbying government

The little efforts she and some of her friends have made to lobby the Government to their attention has often been met with blank promises. Efforts to seek help from the Autism Society of Kenya (ASK) have also gone unfulfilled.

“The Government does not appear to care for mentally challenged children.

When we reach out to them we are told that no budget has been allocated to take care of these special children,” says Sambile. She adds: “Government officials then promise they will do something about it and that is the end of the story.”

For now, Sambile, like other mothers taking care of children with special needs remain hopeful that their pleas for funding will be factored in this year’s budget.

But with the Commissions that are expected to handle Sambile’s case already embroiled in wrangles over positions, it remains to be seen how the Government will fulfil its pledge to take care Kenyans with special needs as enshrined in the new Constitution.

She has other worries too with the house girl threatening to quit unless she gets a pay rise. “She says the KSh2,500 I’m paying her is barely enough for her survival,” Kagwi explains.

She is not lost to the fact that her house help has genuine concerns but her hands are tied.

“We can only call it a cycle of poverty because I am also feeling the heat bearing in mind that I am not earning much myself,” she confides.

She is now calling on the Government to put in place price controls to stem the current phenomenon that has seen the cost of living reach alarming levels.

Kagwi now regards doing her hair as a luxury as it has also been affected by unfriendly economic times. She now prefers to go for a simple hairdo as opposed to expensive styles that she spotted when times were good.

Buying new outfits has been relegated to the backburner as the shop attendant struggles to stay above the water.

Businesswoman Juliet Kanyi is also at sea with the biting inflation. The second hand clothes dealer says business is bad since the prices of commodities began to escalate.

“We are barely making enough to pay rent,” she confided. To confirm the tricky times, majority of business people are closing down their stalls and outlets as they can no longer afford to pay rent.

Tough times

“Many of us have been put between a rock and a hard place,” said Kanyi. She is also calling on the Government to reduce the cost of fuel to help arrest the runaway problem which has pushed the cost of living to unbearable levels.

Kanyi is also not sure of her business’s future and is keeping her fingers crossed that the Government will come up with remedial measures.

However, she still has reservations about the upcoming budget going by past trends.

“In the past, we have seen the prices of essential commodities being minimally reduced. We are still apprehensive this time round,” Kanyi observed.

She summed up her frustration: “We are not pinning our hopes on the coming budget, as things stand, the Government seems unable to do something radical,” she says.

According to the Finance Chairman at the Municipal Council of Naivasha, Simon Wanyoike Wanango, the only hope now lies with the implementation of the new Constitution.

The civic leader says with County government will get 15 per cent budgetary allocation from the Central government to run its affairs.

“The Revenue Allocation Commission for will come up with a criterion on how the funds will be administered,” explained Wanango.

The funds will be channelled through the various mini committees that will be formed at the county level. “The mini committees will then decide on how the funds will be disbursed to the various development projects,” Wanango reiterated.

However, all these will depend with the passing of the crucial Bill on devolved funds by Parliament.

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

11

Kenyans want fuel prices reduced

By MNYAZI JOE Calls are being made for the Government to reduce the price of petrol so as to make living conditions favourable for the common man in the forthcoming national budget.

The Government is also being asked to invest more in education and agriculture.

Residents of Malindi and Magarini say the Government should introduce a monitoring system for the funds allocated in the various sectors to ensure they reach the targeted people.

Low yields

Ms Gertrude Bahati, a local leader in Malindi and the Chairperson Mweria Women’s Association says there are many projects initiated in Malindi for irrigation and farming but they lack support and hence the low yields.

Bahati says each year huge sums of cash are allocated for projects but end up at the Treasury. The money is not seen to be working on the ground, that is why people have not been able to produce enough food.

“There are various irrigation projects in Chakama and Kakoneni for maize production but they are not doing well due to lack of resources,” observes Bahati.

She says if the funds were invested to reach the targeted people it will be enable more production of crops like maize and end the constant appeals for relief food.

Currently, many Kenyans cannot afford to buy even the two kilogramme packet of flour now selling at KSh120 and is expected to rise.

“Farmers should be empowered to get the right ingredients for production. This will reduce food shortages,” she says.

According to Bahati, the Ministry of Finance should come up with a board or commission that will control prices so as to reduce abnormal price increments.

“The common man is suffering a lot because he/she cannot afford the high cost of living. It is only the rich who can live comfortably,” she says.

School dropouts

Bahati would also like to see more funds allocated to the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) to enable bright needy students from Magarini and Malindi as well as other rural areas to access education.

Majority of bright needy students have dropped out of school and are doing casual jobs because the cost of education is too high and parents are too poor to afford.

Business people and other locals are worried about the way fuel costs have been increasing in the past three months.

Nicholas Mteti, a clothes dealer in the resort town says he used to travel to Nairobi from Malindi once every week in the previous years to buy goods. Currently he can only afford to travel once a month due to the rising cost of fuel.

Initially, Mteti would spend KSh9,000 on fuel to drive his Toyota Noah which has enough space to carry huge stock of clothing for sale. It is now difficult for him to do the same because he spends over KSh15,000 on fuel alone.

Mteti who has been in the business for over 10 years says the high petrol price has affected business since even customers have reduced by over 60 percent.

No money

“The customers we rely on are common people who have no ability to spend because their economic status is low,” he says.

Mteti narrates his experience with a lot of bitterness and is constantly expressing hope that the Government will consider reducing the cost of fuel to enable him sustain the business.

He says: “Our business has become difficult because for every product we buy we need to make a profit. We usually set a price of KSh80

A woman wades through a flooded street in Malindi town during the rainy season with her basket of vegetables. She has to sell her wares to survive in these harsh economic times. Picture: Mnyazi Joe extra to enable us meet the cost of transport and get a little profit from it.”

He used to buy clothes at KSh200 per piece to resell them at KSh280 but now this has become difficult. Customers are no longer buying from him and his business is running at a loss.

Mteti thinks this is just a plan by rich individuals to oppress the poor because the cost of living continues to escalate while the common mwananchi remains poor.

His sentiments echo what residents of Malindi and Magarini are facing. The director of Inono Enterprises, Mr Alexander M’mirianga M’manta, popularly known as Inono, says this

year’s budget should take into consideration reducing fuel prices.

Inono says the Government should publicly announce new rates in fuel pricing. “The common man is suffering and it is very important that the Government reduces the price of fuel in the budget to make life sustainable because we are suffering,” he observes.

He says it will be better for fuel prices to be reduced by at least 40 percent because currently it is too high and making it difficult for people to afford goods and services.

Malindi is a tourist resort town and people mostly depend on tourism for a living.

Ms Jane Karambu, a single mother of two

who sells porridge in the town says in the past she would make over KSh300 profit a day but now business has gone down.

Life for her has now become unbearable because her business can no longer sustain them.

“Life has become so tough that it is impossible to cater for my family. I sometimes wonder whether my children will be able to go to school and get the three meals they deserve in a day,” she says.

Many people are living from hand to mouth and their only hope is in the forthcoming budget which they hope will bring with it positive changes.

Cost of fuel leaves transporters disgruntled

By JOHN NDIRANGU Matatu operators from Murang’a have expressed their fears over collapsing of the matatu sector following increased fuel prices.

Murang’a, Thika and Nairobi (MTN) Sacco Chairman Francis Manyeki said the high prices are likely to cause unemployment among matatu operators since most of the passengers have reduced their travels.

Speaking in his office in Murang’a, Manyeki said this will force matatus to reduce their daily trips to Nairobi or Thika from the usual four or five times to once or twice a day.

“I am afraid we are going to lose a number of our customers since most of them do not have the capacity to raise the required fare,” he said.

Manyeki said this poses a great threat to the survival of the sector which largely contributes to economic development.

He said people with less economic power are the most affected. Manyeki added that the Government must to do something to ease the huge burden.

“Though oil is one of the major sources of revenue for the government, the latter should lay down strategies to ensure the prices of such commodities do not exceed the consumer’s purchasing power,” he said.

Manyeki said that the Government seems to have lost control over the product which is imported from outside even though there is global fuel crisis.

Rising fares

The matatu operators could also not hide their anguish over the prices saying that all the money they get from the trips made is used on fuel.

According to one of the drivers plying the Murang’a-Nairobi route, currently they are managing to save approximately KSh2,000 as compared to previously when they could save about KSh6,000.

He said things are becoming tough for them as they have been forced to reduce the number of trips per day.

“We are really suffering because we cannot manage to make good money as is required of

us so we go home empty handed,” he said.

Justifying the hiked fare, a driver who spoke on anonymity said that this will be the only way to keep them going though they still incur losses due to the increasing expenses.

“Even with the hiked prices, we are still operating at a loss since the money we are getting is not enough to pay us and maintain the vehicle,” he said.

Elsewhere, housewives have not been spared the agony of digging deeper into their pockets to produce an extra coin for the household budget.

Mary Njoki a mother of two says that one litre of kerosene in her house last two days. She expressed worry that it might now be difficult to buy the commodity on a regular basis.

“I think I have to look for an alternative source of fuel since I cannot afford to buy a litre of paraffin at KSh95 after every two days,” she said.

Turning to charcoal might be the option though it may not be the best due to the health effects and the inconvenience when preparing meals.

12

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Corporation donates new rice breed seeds

By GILBERT OCHIENG

Farmers in Western Kenya are set for better times after receiving inputs for this season. The farmers from Butula received seeds for a new variety of rice and soya beans.

Butula Member of Parliament Alfred Odhiambo lauded the Lake Basin Development Authority for donating seven tonnes of New Rice in Africa (NERICA) rice and four tonnes of soya beans to 1,000 farmers in the district.

Odhiambo who was addressing farmers at Butula District headquarters thanked the corporation for providing the farmers with farm inputs worth KSh9million which include certified seeds and fertilizers.

The MP urged the beneficiaries to make maximum use of the farm inputs they have been given by planting the same in their farms so as to reduce the high poverty level in the region.

Food security

District Agricultural Officer Benjamin Onyancha urged farmers in the district to grow short seasoned crops that take at least three months to harvest in order to address food insecurity and nutrition.

Onyancha assured the farmers that there was ready market for their crops because the Lake Basin Development Authority will purchase the same from them once they harvest.

“The new breed of rice has a bigger advantage over other crops as compared to sugar-

cane farming,” reiterated Onyancha.

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has donated four milling machines in the district to facilitate milling of the crops.

Onyancha said a kilo of the new rice breed has a very high yield and that it is capable of producing 100 kilogrammes of the same hence earning the farmers good profit.

Training for farmers

“The Government has also allocated a total of KSh1.1million to 3,140 subsistence farmers in four locations in the district to facilitate the orphaned crop programme and train the said farmers on how to undertake green house farming,” he said.

Some of the farmers have already been given a grant to the tune of KSh120,000 each under a programme known as Njaa Marufuku Kenya (NMK), Swahili for eliminate hunger in Kenya, to facilitate the growing of indigenous bananas so as to curb over dependence of the same from neighbouring countries.

Onyancha expressed satisfaction with the farmers who had started with only 90kgs of the new rice breed but managed to harvest 3,600 kilogrammes.

The Lake Basin Development Authority

Farmers in Butula receiving a donation of a new rice variety from the Lake Basin Development Authority. Picture: Gilbert Ochieng Community Empowerment and Social Services Officer Kennedy Bolingo said the organization will also provide a tractor that will enable the farmers plough their farms at a subsidised cost.

Traditional systems enhanced in spinning the wheels of justice

By JOY MONDAY The Ministry of Constitutional Affairs in partnership with European Union EU has established eight small claim courts in Turkana and West Pokot counties to enhance delivery of justice among the pastoralists.

The Kitale Catholic Church Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) has been selected as an implementing agency.

The Commission’s programme director Leonard Barasa and legal officer Simon Malenya said 15 paralegals and 35 chiefs as well as village elders have been trained on criminal law and civil procedure to administer the programme dubbed Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

The Small Claim Courts have been opened in Cheptorer, Suam Kunyao, Alale, Kiwawa and Sigor (West Pokot County) and Julluk, Kutaboi and Kakuma.

Speaking during a training of the paralegals in Kitale, Malenya said the programme aims at accelerating the wheels of justice in pastoralist regions.

He observed that many petty cases brought to Court were delayed due to logistics and the cost of filing the cases considering the poverty level among the pastoralists.

“Some Kenyans in Alale cross the border to Amdat in Uganda to seek for justice instead of travelling to Kapen-

guria 200km away for the same service,” Barasa revealed.

Traditions in the two counties are in consistency with the law and informal justice system is purely relied upon to solve disputes.

“The ADR entails reconciliation and paying fines and these would reduce the burden of the pastoralists from accessing justice in the formal justice,” said Barasa.

The courts to be presided by paralegals, chiefs and village elders will handle petty civil matters such as boundary dispute, domestic, wife inheritance, marriage and grazing rights.

Meanwhile, non-governmental organisations have been urged to support and improve the livelihoods of ex-convicts.

Kitale Medium GK Prison Officer in charge Chelimo Chesang said lack of support make reformed prisoners feel neglected forcing them to return to their past wayward behaviour.

Chelimo called on NGOs to assist reformed prisoners in order to cope with life after serving their term and shun crime.

He was speaking when he handed over a carpentry kit to Anthony Wanjala who was released from prison after completing his three year jail term.

Traders defy omena fishing ban

By ODHIAMBO ODHIAMBO Omena fishing and trade is still going on in South Nyanza despite Government ban.

A spot check on the beaches along Lake Victoria located in Migori, Nyatike, Homa Bay, Suba and Gwasii districts showed that fishermen were still harvesting the fish species from the water mass.

They are venturing into the Lake past midnight to avoid possible arrests and prosecution by the authorities.

Traders at local open-air markets however said fishermen had increased the cost of omena since the ban announced by the Government that took effect on April 1.

“This has forced us to pass on the increase to the consumers. However, many people still buy omena because the price of Tilapia and Nile Perch is out of the reach for many families to due harsh economic times,” said Mary Auma, a trader at the Migori market.

Some fisheries and police officers engaged in the swoop are said to be making good money from the hefty bribes

being offered by the fishermen and traders transporting the fish to the markets.

Fisheries Minister Amason Jefferson Kingi has backed the ban despite protests from the riparian communities and warned offenders that they risked stiff penalties.

The minister said the small fish in Lake Victoria faced extinction and it was his obligation to save it from being wiped out.

“We call on the provincial and district fisheries officers to openly and publicly announce the official position with the same zeal that they earlier announced there will not be a ban, thereby creating confusion,” Kingi said.

Fishermen caught defying the ban risk going to prison for two years and a fine of KSh20,000. The ban on omena fishing stretches from April 1 and August 1, this year.

Kingi said he was disappointed with people inciting fishermen to stage demonstrations to protest the ban.

He clarified that the ban only affected the omena species and that fishermen were free to harvest other fish species.

The organization will also purchase a motorbike to facilitate easy field supervision to monitor how the farmers are progressing at their respective locations.

Laikipia residents faced with dire hunger

By ELIUD WAITHAKA

Over 98,000 residents in Laikipia County are in dire need of relief food. Among those in need are 31,786 children who are under the school feeding programme in 110 public primary schools and Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres.

According to a survey done by the Ministry of Northern Kenya and Arid Lands, about 75 percent of the residents are facing hunger in five divisions. The most affected areas in the five districts of Laikipia are Mukogodo, Lamuria, Olmoran and Rumuruti.

Mitigation

The report recommends various urgent measures be taken to mitigate the situation which includes monitoring pastoralists migrating into the County from neighbouring counties as well as pre-positioning peace building committees to facilitate peaceful co-existence.

Others measures include disease surveillance as the County prepares to host a large number of livestock from other drought stricken counties and re-introduction of school feeding programmes in the entire pastoral livelihood zones.

Among the diseases that the livestock population of the County need to be vaccinated against are the contagious caprine Pleura-Pneumonia (CCPP), sheep and goat pox, foot and mouth disease (FMD) and lumpy skin disease (LSD).

The report which was released recently also recommends repairing and maintenance of five strategic boreholes and completion of

another one in Lamuria.

This has been caused by delay in the long rains that were expected in the months of March and April.

It is also clear that there will be no crop harvesting between May and July and this will have to wait until early September.

In connection to this, a targeted food aid programme will be required to bridge the gap in needy households and schools in the affected areas.

The report notes that the condition was worsened by the presence of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who settled in Wamura/Kirathimo and Tigithi zones in Laikipia Central District.

Drought and the high cost of food have also contributed to food insecurity posing a major challenge.

Population

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics census results of 2009, Laikipia County has an estimated population of 440,781 people.

The report recommends vigorous lobbying for funds to carry out baseline nutrition survey in all districts of the county in order to provide accurate information necessary for targeting vulnerable groups.

Other recommendations include lobbying for funds to rehabilitate existing earth dams, promotion of roof catchments which are a source of quality domestic water and introduction of improved breed of doper sheep and dairy goats in addition to training pastoralists on pasture and environmental conservation.

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

IDPs finally find a home in Trans Nzoia

By JOY MONDAY After being rejected for a week by host communities, the 255 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) finally reached the promised land.

Unlike the biblical story where Moses led the children of Israel to the promised land, the IDPs from Nakuru had to be escorted by armed security officers to access the land in Kwanza District, Trans-Nzoia County.

There were tears of joy when families were dropped at the two farms that the Government had purchased for them. The host communities were at hand to welcome them as local leaders shunned the exercise, claiming they had not been consulted on the resettlement.

In their first attempt to access the farm, the IDPs were stopped by irate residents led by political leaders who blocked the Kitale-Endebess road and barred the families from getting to the farms in Molem and Kapomboi.

Rejection

The IDPs who had been living at a camp in Rongai, were rejected upon arriving in Kitale forcing the Government to take them to Soil Conservation Primary School near Kitale.

It emerged that some leaders who had taken a tough stand not to let the IDPs access their new homes negotiated with the Government for accommodation of some squatters in the resettlement programme.

Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner Osman Warfa and North Rift Regional Commissioner Wilson Wanyanga mobilised and coordinated security agencies to ensure the IDPs were transported to the resettlement areas in Kwanza district.

A combined security force escorted the IDPs boarding lorries and buses from Soil Conservation Primary School to the promised farms in

13

Kapomboi and Molem.

Warfa kicked off the exercise despite a warning from local leaders to block the resettlement.

The Kitale-Endebess road was tightly secured by security officers to thwart any attempts by residents to block the IDPs from accessing the farms.

Kwanza District Officer One Banuel Nyagaka and Kitale OCS Bonaya Galgalo escorted 37 families to the 90 acre land at Kapomboi area near the troubled Kwanza-West Pokot border.

Living standards

Warfa assured the IDPs of their security and pledged that the Government would provide the families with food and basic needs to improve their standards of living as they attempted to cope with resettlement.

He lauded the residents for accepting the IDPs and urged them to support them start a new life.

“It is the intention of the Government to support the citizens and greedy individuals should not use the resettlement programme to play political games. I thank you for receiving the IDPs and appeal for your support to enable these families start a new life,” Warfa urged while addressing the IDPs and hosts at Kapomboi.

He faulted some politicians for inciting the residents to block the resettlement. He warned that the Government will not allow people to partition the country along tribal lines.

As a sign of acceptance, the host communities mingled with the IDPs and gave a hand in erecting temporary structures that were being put up ahead of permanent houses.

Wanyanga closely monitored the transportation and resettlement of the 218 IDPs at Molem in Chepchoina. “The exercise has been successfully implemented and I ask those opposed to the exercise to follow the right procedure if there are people they want resettled,” he urged.

Thomas Kakai, a resident of Kapomboi welcomed the IDPs and said they empathised with their plight and assured them of the residents’ support. “We welcome them here and we are ready to peacefully live with these families because they are Kenyans like us,” assured Kakai.

Another resident Maximilla Nekesa said she was moved by the plight of the IDPs especially the children and women and accused those opposed to the resettlement as misplaced.

“It is unfortunate that we are seeing fellow Kenyans suffering in the cold. We will support these families who have been brought to live with us,” she said.

Stephen Odour and his wife Lorine Auma were upbeat with the turn of events after they finally got to a new home.“We have finally reached Caanan.

We have longed to have sound sleep and bring up our children in a better way,” said an excited Auma.

Forestry and Wildlife Minister Dr A police officer watches over IDPs constructing a Noah Wekesa and Kitale deputy mayor pit-latrine after 218 IDPs relocated to their new Herbert Wambaya opposed the resettle- home in Molem Farm in Endebess in Trans Nzoia ment arguing that Government had nedistrict. Picture: Joy Monday glected local IDPs and squatters.

Home grown solutions bring peace North Rift embarks A drop in banditry and cattle rustling as tough rules are effected

By JOY MONDAY Sounds of gun shots have reduced drastically after a peace treaty reached to end the perennial cattle rustling pitting rival communities in Kenyan’s Northwest last year started gaining fruits.

Pokot and Turkana communities have now turned to meaningful development activities leaving behind only isolated cases of gun shot sounds.

For decades, the Government with the support from non-governmental organisations has made frantic efforts to silence the mighty gun with little success.

Last year the Government together with elders from the affected communities initiated a plan to contain the menace that has for many years claimed lives and seen property worth millions of shillings destroyed.

“After many failed attempts to end cattle rustling, provincial administrators, elders and the police came up with home grown solutions to contain the menace and we are now seeing fruits,” says Tegla Loroupe, athlete turned peace advocate. “There is sound peace as people have changed attitude.”

The Government has in the past years launched forceful attempts in Pokot, Samburu and Turkana to wipe out illegal arms in an attempt to end banditry and cattle rustling. In some incidents, action by police to enforce the law only aggravated the situation, sometimes leading to vicious gun battles, with the porous borders making it easy for cattle rustlers to flee to neighbouring countries.

But following various meetings among stakeholders in the region, a home grown solution was fronted and the Government suspended use of force as the answer to the rampant insecurity.

The signing of the Kainuk-Sarmach-

Turkwel-Masol Corridor Peace Agreement in December 20, 2010 has yielded fruits as cases of banditry and cattle rustling have declined significantly.

The peace treaty allowed pastoralist communities in the region and across the borders to share available resources without conflict.

“The peace agreement was reached at following a meeting between elders from both Pokot and Turkana communities. Police officers, professionals and chiefs were also present,” explains Joseph Kanyiri, District Commissioner for Turkana South District.

An agreement was established following ravaging drought in the region that has been blamed as the main cause of conflict. Rules were put in place to prevent further cases of violence. The rules included punitive measures for those who commit murder or steal livestock.

Those found interfering with alternative sources of livelihoods being established, like irrigation, farming and beehives would be punished. The regulations, dubbed as the 13 Commandments, has led to the recovery of stolen livestock and deterred unscrupulous individuals who had commercialised cattle rustling.

For one stolen goat, a rustler is fined four goats and a compensation of 40 cows for loss of a life while 20 cows are paid for injuries sustained.

“These tough rules and fines imposed have reduced rustling and people are now turning to better ways of earning a living instead of engaging in dangerous business,” observes John Lokitiola, key founder of the rules.

Incidents of vicious bloody clashes leading to loss of lives and destruction of property have been the norm whenever one community revenges against an attack. To curb revenge, the rules require that any incident of attack be

reported to the area chief ’s office and elders.

“Since the treaty was established there has been no reported revenge attack over any accidental or intentional injury. Respective administrators are informed and the hunt for the cattle rustlers is launched,” explains Kanyiri who has been mandated to oversee the success of the treaty.

The DC says that the Turkana returned 314 goats and 100 cows that had been stolen from the Pokot. Twenty goats had been paid as a fine for a cow that had been stolen and slaughtered by Turkana youths.

The Pokot also returned eight sheep stolen from Turkana herders and a fine of four goats for a goat roasted by Pokot youths.

Though the vastness of the region is posing a major setback to effective implementation of the rules, both the Government and elders have something to celebrate about as the regulations solved some of the most critical conflicts.

The elders have favoured this system which they say has promoted inter-marriage between the two communities. Conflicts involving access to water and pasture especially during drought had been the major cause of insecurity.

The MP for Turkana South Josephat Nanok, who helped draft the regulations, notes that the rule of force had for many years failed to establish law and order.

“For many years pastoralists have engaged in vicious conflicts fuelled by proliferation of illegal arms and scarce resources,” explains Nanok.

The rules also call for the naming and shaming of those engaging in the vice and this has made some culprits shy away from the menace.

Kanyiri observes that honesty among all the pastoralists’ communities has made the treaty effective.

on reconciliation initiatives

By FRANK OUMA

Youth and women along the Lemok-Yamumbi border in Wareng District who could never see eye to eye during the post-election violence have initiated peace efforts aimed at uniting them.

The Lemok side is inhabited by Kalenjins while Yamumbi is mostly inhabited by Kikuyus, the two communities fought each other during the post election violence.

The youth from the Kalenjin community recently helped their Kikuyu counterparts in reconstruction of houses that were destroyed during the violence in 2008.

“We want to forget the past and move on as we have discovered that fighting among ourselves will never solve our problems,” said Joseph Rotich.

Many people in the area lost their lives in the chaos that followed disputed polls. Property worth millions of shillings was burnt to the ground in the violence that saw 1,133 Kenyans lose their lives. About 350,000 were displaced with several of them still languishing in camps across the country.

Yamumbi ward civic leader Francis Muya who has been behind various peace initiatives in the area said that unity ought to be spearheaded at the village level and not in hotels.

“We must use those at the grassroots as it is them who were affected and not politicians. Politicians will only come when General Elections are around the corner,” said Muya.

Kenya’s National Cohesion and Integration Commission has warned that tension was still high in most parts of the country three years after the violence.

The commission chairman Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia points out that residents of Nyanza, Western, Central and Rift Valley are still living in fear as talks of reconciliation and healing are yet to fully take effect.

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ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Sanitary kit initiative to keep girls in school

By BEN ONYANGO

Sanitary towels are out of reach for many girls and in rural Kenya given their relatively high prices. This makes them absent themselves from school, sometimes for as long as one week.

However, for the next one year over 5,000 secondary school students from Karachuonyo Constituency in Nyanza will benefit from a year’s supply of sanitary towels.

Donation

At a cost of KSh2.1 million, Safaricom will supply the girls’ drawn from various secondary schools in the entire constituency with the crucial kit. Over 40 schools stand to benefit from the initiative. A number of special schools in the constituency will also benefit from the sanitary towels donation.

Safaricom came in to help after Karachuonyo Member of Parliament, Engineer James Rege approached the organisation for assistance.

Safaricom CEO, Mr Bob Collymore, while presiding over the distribution of the kits at Ogenya Girls’ and Kendu Muslim Mixed secondary schools, said the company was committed to partnering with Kenyan communities in initiatives targeted at development and education.

“Safaricom believes in empowering communities. We realise that this can only be achieved if we ensure adequate education and good healthcare for our youth. We are particularly proud to be involved in this initiative,” said Collymore.

Safaricom, through its sponsorship function

has over the years partnered with organisations across the country in distributing sanitary kits aimed at keeping girls in school and improving their menstrual health. These efforts have also been supported by the company’s long-term corporate giving arm, the Safaricom Foundation.

Apart from health, the company is also involved in corporate giving projects and initiatives in other sectors such as sports, culture, environmental conservation and water all over Kenya.

During a visit by Collymore to the two schools in Karachuonyo, girls were assured that they will benefit from a re-usable sanitary pads initiative which aims at keeping them in school.

Each girl was given a kit which contained a drawstring bag that also functions as a backpack with eight reusable sanitary napkins, three pairs of underwear, a bar of soap to wash the pads, information on proper pad use as well as HIV/ Aids prevention including sexual and reproductive health. There was also a waterproof bag to safely store used pads.

The sanitary kits were distributed to over 5,000 girls from girls’ schools in Karachuonyo.

Schools that benefitted included Nyangajo, Ogenya and Kendu Muslim among others.

The girls are forced to opt for unhealthy alternatives which include scavenging for old clothes or rags, toilet paper, pieces of mattresses or sheets of newspaper as makeshift pads.

Due to lack of sanitary kits, some of the girls also fail to attend classes whenever they are having monthly periods. This in the long run impacts negatively on their performance

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore (centre) flanked by Karachuonyo MP James Rege when the company donated sanitary pads to girls schools in the Constituency.

Picture: Ben Onyango academically.

Safaricom Foundation is spearheading the healthy living project by providing girls with sanitary towels.

Uninterrupted learning

Collymore thanked Rege for his dedication in ensuring that the girl-child has access to uninterrupted learning which is critical in equipping future generations to participate fully in realising development for his constituency and Kenya as a whole.

Through the Safaricom Foundation, 5,250 girls from Karachuonyo Constituency will benefit from a year-long supply of sanitary towels.

Rege added that various research studies indicate that poverty is to blame for the inability to access sanitary towels which is a major contribu-

tor towards poor attendance by girls in school.

The challenge is with parents who are continuously faced with the choice of buying pads or meeting immediate needs like food and shelter.

Poor attendance in turn largely affects girls’ performance and self-esteem which hinders their progress in the school system and development in general.

“We note with concern that some girls are forced to resort to unsustainable alternatives that impede their right to education as it exposes them to infections that may in the long term affect their health,” observed Rege.

Collymore urged Kenyans to support gender empowerment and encourage the education of the girl child right from the tender age by offering whatever provisions are needed for their comfort and good health.

Sanitary pads a basic right for girls

By NICK ODHIAMBO

Results from national examinations have a way of telling how girls are performing compared to boys. However, the results are also able to give disaggregated data on how girls in rural areas are performing compared to girls in the urban areas.

The results released in February 2011 indicated clearly that girls in rural schools were not doing well.

Many performed dismally and educationists say among other reasons, girls fail just because they lack sanitary towels, which are often out of reach for majority of them due to high prices.

Sanitary towels

It is said that adolescent girls from disadvantaged backgrounds lose up to 288 lessons a year due to lack of sanitary pads to manage their menstrual cycles. The sanitary towels are a basic requirement for the girl child to comfortably stay in school.

According to Migori District Education Officer, Mrs. Pamela Akello, girls who are in their periods and lack sanitary towels lose a lot in class because of discomfort while others stay either in their dormitories or at home.

“When they have the pads, regular absenteeism from class will reduce. Girls from poor backgrounds experience challenges in dealing with menstruation and something has to be done,” explains Akello.

Jacinta Awuor, 16, a Form Two student in Kisumu County is one of the students who has been a victim. She recalls how at times she fails to go to class during her menstruation.

The torn pieces of clothes she uses make her uncomfortable. She is constantly in fear that something bad could happen to her while in class during this period.

“My parents cannot buy pads for me. Again during my period, I feel pain that cannot allow me concentrate in class so I remain in the dormitory,” Awuor says.

Sometimes, men in the rural areas take advantage of the girls’ predicament and entice

them into sex in exchange for sanitary towels and other material needs. This has also led to the spread of HIV/Aids and early pregnancy which forces them to drop out of school.

Since they cannot afford to buy the pads, some girls resort to using unhygienic dirty rags that causes vaginal infections.

The Commission for the Implementation of Constitution (CIC) says for the new Constitution to be practically active, girl-child education should be taken seriously to enable them have the compulsory and free basic education as spelt in the document.

During the launch of Geno Kisumu Community Women and Community Based Organisation in Nyakach, Kisumu County, the CIC Chairman, Mr Charles Nyachae said giving girls sanitary towels is a way of keeping them in school and promoting basic education to all.

“If this is done, our girls would recognise the Constitution as a living document. The pads are important in promoting girl-child education,” said Nyachae.

The organisation has so far identified over ten schools in Western and Nyanza provinces where they are targeting over 1,000 girls to benefit from the programme in supplying sanitary towels.

Promoting education

The Director of Geno Women, Ms June Mboya says more needs be done to provide girls with the pads in a bid to promote girl-child education in rural areas countrywide.

“We should supply girls with the pads to promote girl child education in the country.

Girls from rural areas are in need of these,” observed Mboya.

When presenting KSh2.1 million sanitary towels to over 5,000 girls from over 40 secondary schools in Karachuonyo Constituency, Homa Bay County, Safaricom Chief Executive Officer Mr Bob Collymore said giving sanitary towels to girls was a way of keeping them in school and improving on their menstrual health.

“This is the key plank of the company’s mandate. We shall help the initiatives and ensure

Girls from Ogenya Secondary School carry sanitary towels donated by Safaricom to 40 schools in Karachuonyo constituency. Many girls in rural schools skip school during their menses for lack of sanitary towels. Picture: Nick Odhiambo our target is achieved. Special schools should also be taken into consideration,” he said.

A teacher in Kisumu County, Ms Jackline Anyoso, says having pads is important to keep girls in school. “Sometimes when you are teaching, you will realise that a student is not concentrating and on further inquiry the girl will reveal she is experiencing her menstrual period,” explains Anyoso. She adds: “Pads are important and should be supplied to girls in rural schools who cannot afford them.”

In Nyatike District, the Blue Cross, a community based organisation, is so far targeting about 700 pupils in the region to benefit from the pads supply.

According to the Director, Mr Erick Okoth, there are many needy cases which they cannot

afford to help due to lack of enough funds.

“There are many cases, but we do not have enough funds to help the situation. We only have a little money to benefit a few girls in both primary and secondary schools around,” Okoth says.

However, children on the islands in the lakes such as Ringiti and Remba in Lake Victoria are facing serious problems due to poverty and distance from urban centres.

Many of the NGOs and even individuals who are able to supply the materials may not reach the islands.

“Something has to be done to ensure the children on the islands are helped. The girlchild should be given maximum support,” observes Okoth.

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Cassava project to help reduce relief food dependency

By KIGONDU NDAVANO Lucy Kadzo, with her baby strapped on her back, was excited to savour her first piece of cassava from her farm.

“I am so happy to know that we can stop depending on relief food by adopting farming of Cassava and other drought resistant foods,” said Kadzo.

Kadzo was among more than 100 farmers in Dhololo — an ever drought ravaged and hunger stricken village of Bungale Location in Magarini District — who harvested and tasted the first crop of their 10 acre Cassava plantation.

Good harvest

The farmers were celebrating the reward from months of hard work. The farmers were speaking at Dhololo Village in Bungale Location, Magarini District during a tour to inspect 10 acres of a Cassava plantation project sponsored by Kenya Red Cross.

Chairman of the farmers’ group, Mbirya Masha was overjoyed and appreciated the Red Cross and extension officers for the support they provided. He noted that although the farmers experienced some challenges, they were able to overcome them and learn many lessons.

“We faced many drawbacks but eventually we have succeeded. We have emerged with better skills and are now sure that we will do more,” explained Masha as he chewed a piece of Cassava from the first harvest.

The organisation’s Secretary General, Mr Abbas Gulet participated in the harvest and joined farmers in tasting the cassava roots as they celebrated their success.

After listening to appeals from farmers keen on expanding the project, Gulet promised further sponsorship of four more acres. He also donated various seeds of orphan crops, including sorghum, millet, cassava, green grams and cow peas, which are now being popularised in the area.

“Red Cross is fully prepared to mitigate prolonged drought or floods in the country by providing relief and will concentrate more in making Kenyans self reliant with food among other needs,” Gulet explained.

He noted that the organisation prepared itself for mitigation based on various research findings by the Government and the Meteorological Department.

“Weather predictions by the Meteorological Department that some parts of the country would receive heavy rains and floods while others would experience prolonged drought have helped us prepare well for both situations,” observed Gulet.

Crop diversity

He stressed on the need for diversity in choice of crop urging farmers in arid and semi arid areas to start planting orphan crops like sorghum, millet, cassava and green grams.

Gulet expressed joy at the success of cassava farming in the area and challenged the farmers to adopt farming of the same at individual

plots because the Government and the Red Cross had a partnership to ensure that better seeds for drought resistant crops were distributed among needy Kenyans.

“I am happy to know that you are ready to discard the habit of depending on relief food. Relief food should only come as an emergency and with the energy you have shown in this Cassava plantation I see the potential for greater success in farming,” said Mr Gulet.

He assured Kenyans in food deficit areas that the Red Cross was undertaking several agricultural projects to ensure that over-reliance on relief food stopped with communities learning to use the resources closer home in dealing with food shortage.

“Forget about the Government, chief, councillor, MP or any leader. Decide to kick out hunger on your own by working hard on the land,” reiterated Gulet.

15

An elderly man enjoys the first cassava crop harvested in Bungale location, Magarini district. Kenya Red Cross is supporting farmers in the area to cultivate drought resistant foods and stop reliance on food aid.

Picture: Kigondu Ndavano

“Forget about the Government, chief, councillor, MP or any leader. Decide to kick out hunger on your own by working hard on the land.”

— Abbas Gulet, Kenya Red Cross

He urged farmers to use modern methods of farming and certified seeds which will guarantee them better yields every time. Red Cross will also help residents with water.

District Arid Lands officer, Mr Herman Shera and Magarini DO Mr Ore Galgacho John among other officers noted that with the success of the 10 acre farm it was clear that adoption of orphan crops would greatly reduce hunger and improve food security in the area.

Orphan crops help women realise farming potential

By BENDARO TSUMA Eighty six women in rural Magarini District in Malindi are setting the pace in sustainable agriculture by growing cassava for domestic and commercial use. They are only armed with basic education and agricultural skills but they have developed a motto: “Self reliance is the answer”.

Today, the women under the Dhololo Women’s Group no longer talk of relief food supplies for they can feed their families and educate their children through proceeds from an eight acre cassava farm that they devotedly till.

Chair person of the group Ms Winfred Lucas is full of praise for the project. “This project has helped us reduce the perpetual famine in our area. We can today boast of the ability to educate our children and fend for our families”.

Transforming lives

A member of the Women’s Group, Ms Mary Nzisa says the project was god sent. Since it started three years ago, the lives of the people here has never been the same. The local farmers who are not members of the group are learning from the project and adopting best practice in their shambas.

The project was started by the Kenya Red Cross Society to reduce hunger and dependence on relief food as well as boost the economy of the rural folk. The women embraced it with open arms and have set the pace providing an outstanding example to the community that everything is possible, agriculture wise, despite the little and unreliable rain experienced in some parts of Magarini district.

The Reject recently travelled with the Red Cross team to Dhololo, some 150km West of Malindi to visit this unique project undertaken by the women’s group.

The team was greeted with song and dance

by the joyful women. Their bodies almost completely covered with red earth, their hoes on their shoulders and round their waists tied ragged lessos and kikois — a sign of hard work.

They had toiled the earth since morning and patiently waiting for the team led by Secretary General Mr Abbas Gullet that arrived after 3pm.

No relief food

“Do not ever again rely on relief food. Self reliance is the best. The earth provides all your food needs.

You only need to work hard,” advised Gulet. He added: “Through this cassava, you will send your children to school and feed your families. The government and NGOs can not meet all your needs.”

Gullet and other officials who went to the project reiterated the need for the farmers to diversify their crops by adopting orphan crops such as millet, sorghum, green grams and cowpeas among others.

Red Cross took the opportunity to distribute certified seeds that included four tonnes of green grams, four tonnes cowpeas, eight tonnes sorghum and eight tonnes maize to help them diversify crops.

District Arid Lands officer Mr Herman Shera promised to assist farmers in agriculture given the arid nature of the area. The District Public Health officer Mr Daniel Wanje urged the farmers to expand their acreage.

The Red Cross Society Coast Coordinator Mr Jerald Bombe said the organisation will continue to distribute drought resistant seeds to the rural farmers to enable them sustain their agriculture.

The area chief Mr Samuel Kahindi and proj-

Kenya Red Cross staff led by Secretary General Abbas Gullet display the first harvest of the cassava crop. Picture: Kigondu Ndavano ect manager Mr Birya Masha Dena shed light on the importance of the project and how it has and will further change the lives of the people.

Magarini District Officer Mr Ore Galgacho John said poverty levels were so high in the district and urged Red Cross to increase its intervention programmes in the area.

He urged farmers to embrace modern farming methods and form groups that would make it easier for well wishers to assist them. “We shall increase four more acres for the group to

enable it grow more crops so as to earn more money,” pledged Gulet.

The issue of lack of water came up prominently during the visit. Gulet regretted that over 45 years after independence, some Kenyans still did not have access to clean drinking water. He said the new Constitution makes it mandatory for the State to provide water to all citizens. He promised to help in supplying water from the Galana River that flows 16km from the cassava project site.

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ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Girls kicked out of school on suspicion of devil worshiping

By CAROLINE WANGECHI Two pupils have been kicked out from a school in Kirinyaga County on suspicion that they were devil worshipers. The two girls were sent away after parents held a crisis meeting with the school administration over the issue. The girls were kicked out of school after being accused of recruiting several other pupils who had confessed to their parents and teachers.

The Standard Four and Five pupils of Kirima Primary School have also been chased away from their homes by angry villagers who fear that their children could be sacrificed.

One of the girl’s grandmother claimed her granddaughter had changed from a human being to a snake one Saturday when church members had gone to their home in Gatuto village for prayers.

Peculiar habits

“The girls have very strange behaviours of disappearing mostly during the night, giving villagers reason to suspect that they have joined a cult,” said the grandmother.

On that Saturday, when prayers were held for the two girls, one of them was delivered but she is still traumatised since nobody wanted to be associated with her. Prayers are still being held for the deliverance of the second girl.

The school’s head teacher, James Kariuki said they were forced to send away the girls

Parents at a meeting at Kirima primary school to discuss the students suspected of being devil worshippers. Picture: Caroline Wangeci after one of them wrote a note to her teacher ordering for blood from him.

“The fear pervading the school could not have allowed us to retain them as pupils started dropping out for fear of being recruited,” said Kariuki.

Vicar-in-Charge of Kiamuthambi parish Benson Munene led the villagers in prayers saying there is no devil worshipping and that investigations were being carried out.

He said that initially one of the girls was supposed to go to Kenyatta National Hospital for a head scan after suffering several falls when she was a baby but did not as KSh60,000 was needed.

However, Munene urged the residents to stop having mixed beliefs but to stick to their Christian values. Prayers are going to be held at the girls’ homes with pastors coming in from as far as Nairobi to cast the demons out of the girls.

Public ignore ban on Kitui Sacco using institution buses realises profits

By BONIFACE MULU

By ODHIAMBO ODHIAMBO Despite the ban imposed on the hiring of secondary school and college buses by the public, the vehicles are still being used in weddings, church functions, transporting mourners to funerals, carrying caskets, and other social functions in Nyanza.

A spot check showed that the buses were still being hired out by heads of the institutions who said they needed additional cash accruing from the hire in supplementing their institutions’ income.

“Hiring of the buses has really boosted the income of our schools and colleges besides helping the community within which we operate. The Education PS, Prof James Ole Kiyiapi might have been misadvised in announcing the ban and should consider reviewing it,” said a college principal from South Nyanza who requested anonymity.

Sources indicated that the Government might have taken the action following reports that principals of various schools and colleges were pocketing money raised from hiring of the vehicles and using the cash on personal projects. A crosssection of parents from Migori, Rongo, Awendo and Uriri Districts protested at the ban saying the buses were bought through their efforts and must, therefore, be at their disposal whenever they needed them.

“We have always raised money through parents associations to buy the school vehicles and any principal who will heed the directive will be sent packing by the community,”

said Onyango Akelo, a father of five.

He added: “We are not allowed to hire GK vehicles. This is why parents in every secondary school and college ensured a bus was bought for their institutions.”

The ban took effect immediately it was announced by Prof Kiyiapi in a circular copied to various education stakeholders across the country.

The circular said in part that only in “exceptional cases” will the PS approve the release of a college or school bus for use by the public.

In the past, communities near schools and colleges hired the vehicles as well as furniture at will.

The circular was copied to the Minister for Education, PS in the Ministry of Transport and Commissioner of Police.

“The vehicles must be used only for the purposes for which they were bought and any exception to this can only be approved by the PS,” the circular said in part.

Kiyiapi said in the wake of the increased road carnage, the vehicles will only be used by students and their teachers. The circular does not even mention support staff working in the institutions.

The PS wants the various school and college boards to ensure that their bus drivers were well trained to manage vehicles besides being disciplined.

“Boards must ensure that only trained and disciplined drivers operate such vehicles which must always be in sound mechanical condition before use,” noted the PS.

The profitability of the Kitui Teachers Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited has grown from KSh95 million in 2005 to KSh113 million in 2010.

Making the announcement at the Kitui Multi-Purpose Development Training Institute recently, the society’s chairman Antony K. Mbiti said they have retained some 10 per cent of the KSh113 million as per the SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) requirement.

He disclosed that the society’s shareholders funds have increased from KSh514,987,987 in 2005 to KSh921,606,974 in 2010.

“This was largely attributed to the improved confidence in the society and increased profitability,” Mbiti said.

He was addressing about 9,000 members of the Kitui Teachers Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited during their society’s 34th annual general meeting that was also attended by the Kitui District Cooperatives Development Officer George Nduto.

Changes

Mbiti said the society is operating on an open business environment and it is not exempted from the changes taking place in banking and non-banking institutions.

These changes include stiff competition, changes in technology and regulation of SACCOs. The Sacco registered significant growth in its membership which is attributed to the opening of the common bond in 2009 and aggressive marketing.

“Loans are the main assets of the society and we have registered a steady growth in loans and Front Office Services Activity (FOSA) advances since 2005,” Mbiti.

As part of its achievement, the Sacco conducted awareness creation sessions for its members in February.

The Sacco has come up with a business plan which is a requirement of the SASRA. “The strategy is a four year plan which guides the society towards the SASRA compliance,” explained Mbiti.

As per the business plan, share capital will be increased from KSh2,000 to KSh3,000 in the first year to meet the SASRA requirements. The Sacco’s management proposes to dispose off some of its obsolete assets as per the requirement of the Public Procurement Oversight Authority (PPOA).

The said assets include furniture and fittings, office equipment and computer related items.

Government committed to quality education

By TITUS MAERO The Government is committed to provide quality education, training and research to students at all levels in the wake of enhanced reforms initiated in the education sector.

Addressing teachers at the Chavakali Secondary School in Vihiga County, the Local Government Minister who is also the Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi said the Government is also determined to achieve the international development commitments such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA) targets.

“In the recent past, the education sector has undergone accelerated reforms in order to address the overall goals of the economic recovery strategy for empowerment and wealth creation,” said Mudavadi.

He pointed out that the launch and implementation of the Free Secondary School Education and Free Primary Education are good examples of improving education standards. He described the two as milestones which take the lead in the reform process.

The MP also singled out the Development Sessional Paper No. 1 of 2005 on Policy Framework for Education, Training and Research plus adoption of the Sector Wide Approach (SWAP) in the planning and financing of education and training as other successful reform initiatives.

“The development and implementation of the Kenya Education Sector Programme (KESSP) is an important programme that allows different stakeholders to support the education sector,” said the MP. He applauded the teachers at Chavakali Boys’ Secondary School for ensuring that students posted good results in last year’s Kenya Secondary Certificate of Education (KCSE) examinations. He said Government initiatives such as development of the education governance and accountability plan as well as production of financial management and procurement manuals had facilitated provision of free education.

Parents cautioned against not educating daughters

By AGGREY BUCHUNJU Parents have been challenged to value girl child education in Bungoma District. An officer from Bungoma South District Education office Mr Elijah Owiti asked parents to take girl-child education seriously.

Owiti, who is in charge of the administration of both primary and secondary schools in the district, reminded parents that educated girls stood better chances of leading independent lives than those who are not properly educated.

Owiti said: “If a girl fails to get into a stable marriage due to her mediocre level of education, the father will be forced to give her land as per article 60 [1] [f] of the new Constitution.”

He made the remarks at St Martin’s Mwibale Secondary School where he was the chief guest during the institution’s annual general meeting.

The guest speaker at the meeting told parents that they risk suffering from stress and even dying young if they do not educate their children.

Ramadhan Macho challenged parents to ensure that all their children get quality education. “The only investment parents can live to enjoy is the education of their children,” said Macho. He added: “If your children have good careers they will always take good care of your welfare.”

The school principal Emily Muhonja urged parents to value education by providing the girls with requisite materials so they are lured into immoral activities by boda boda operators.

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

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Modern art buildings dot Kilifi school

By KIGONDU NDAVANO

The air is clean as the girls in uniform welcome guests who are mainly parents and officials from the Ministry of Education.

The visitors are pouring in to witness the opening of the school’s state of the art library.

Perhaps the only one of its class to be in an institution of learning in the entire Coast region.

New building

Observing a section of the girls as they walk towards a large building some 40 metres away and as they mingle with returning colleagues, one cannot avoid admiring the magnificent dinning hall whose colour matches the girls’ uniform. It seems to be the colour scheme for the whole the surrounding.

More than 450 students of Ngala Girls’ Memorial Secondary School in Malindi District, Kilifi County have every reason to smile. Despite the general lack facilities associated with majority of schools in the area, a non governmental organisation has positively changed the image of the institution.

The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) has spent more than KSh40 million to support development projects at the school making it one of the most well equipped institutions.

Joyce Karisa smiles as she admits that since she joined three years ago, she has seen many positive changes which have made learning easy.

“I have realised that learning in well built classrooms, eating in a state of the art dinning hall and sleeping in a well ventilated dormitory creates a very conducive atmosphere for learning,” says Karisa.

Her sentiments are echoed by an official from Amref. “I can see great satisfaction on their faces. l also think they could be the only group of girls in the entire Coast Province who enjoy such modern education facilities,” says Mary Mathenge, a Project Officer with Amref. She adds: “What they need now is to work hard.”

Exam results

“We have done our best here, now it is up to the girls to excel in national examinations and do us proud,” says Karisa. They have ensures a supply of clean water as well as provision of a modern dinning hall and comfortable accommodation in the dormitories.

Daniel Kazungu, a team leader for the Kabilolo Troupe which played a significant role in raising funds and linking the school to the donors from Italy says that the only way out to make projects succeed is to involve people across the board who can plan and follow up on them.

Amref Kenya Programme Manager, Gerald Rukunga, says the organisation successfully partnered with the school community to construct a twin dormitory, a modern dining hall and library

to the tune of KSh33 million over the same period.

Rukunga said AMREF had given 70 percent of the funds while parents, through the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) contributed KSh7 million, representing 30 percent which came in the form of labour and local materials and skills.

Rukunga was speaking during the official handing over of the library constructed at a cost of KSh8 million with donations coming from Amref Italy. He stressed on the need for cooperation between donor organisations and parents in identifying the most crucial facilities and supporting them to completion.

“The organisation is focused on women and the girl child in its health promotion programmes. This is why it had partnered with the girls’ school to provide well equipped facilities all in a bid to improve the quality of education,” said Rukungu.

Malindi District Education Officer Newton Okwatsa lamented that despite the various facilities at the school its performance in national examinations had not improved. “I now want to challenge your girls to work hard so as to post better results,” said Okwatsa.

“Now that you have these facilities, you should work harder and post better results. It is a pity that the top girl in the school scored a mean grade of B plain in the 2010 KCSE examination which does not match with the facilities’ available here,” he reiterated.

Okwatsa stressed the need for the students to take care of the facilities provided to ensure that learning continued in an improved atmosphere now made possible by the facilities.

The Director of Amref Italy, Tommy Simons warned the students against destroying school property.

“Your parents and donors have invested a lot to put up these facilities. Please take great care of them

From top: The new buildings at Ngala Girls Memorial Secondary School in Malindi built with funds donated

by AMREF Italy. Girls at the school celebrate during the official opening of the building. The school’s headmistress Mary Mwasaru presents a gift to AMREF Italy Director Mr. Tommy Simons.

Pictures: Kigondu Ndavano

“I now want to challenge your girls to work hard so as to post better results.

Now that you have these facilities, you should work harder.”

— Newton Okwatsa, DEO, Malindi

and utilize them for your success in national examinations,” he said.

The school’s principal, Mary Mwasaru expressed joy at the improved school facilities. “We are all set to prove that the money spent at the school was invested for the right cause by ensuring that we teach the girls properly with the aim to ensure that they succeeded academically, socially and morally,” said Mwasaru.

Girls need a conducive environment to excel

By BEN OROKO Retrogressive cultural practices and discrimination by parents are to blame for poor performance by girls from Kisii and Nyamira counties.

Women professionals from the community have castigated the practice which they blame for not only depriving the girl-child her right to education but also violating her human rights.

Nyabururu Girls’ High School Principal Elmelda Ochenge accused parents from the Gusii community of sticking to outdated cultural beliefs and practices which deny the girl-child her right to education while male child continues to excel.

Ochenge challenged parents from the community to positively contribute towards girlchild education and shun outdated traditional practices which deny them a right to education opportunities.

Responding to her school’s performance in

last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, Ochenge told the Reject that girls in the region had the potential of performing well in national examinations if given a conducive learning environment.

“Going by our performance in last year’s KCSE national examinations, I am convinced that girls from the Gusii community have the potential of doing well in national examinations if their parents and other stakeholders played their rightful roles in offering them a conducive learning environment,” she observed.

The Principal disclosed that her school, which has been earmarked to be one of the national schools, was up to the task. She appealed to the Ministry of Education to ensure the school gets adequate mathematics and science teachers to enhance good performance among girls sitting for national examinations.

The school posted a mean score of 7.6 points, an improvement from 6.8 in 2009.

Mwasaru who has been transferred from the school after pioneering the projects noted: “When we started the projects, the school had a huge population of day scholars. The day scholars had a negative influence on the boarders but following the implementation of the full boarding policy it is easy to monitor all and ensure proper guidance and counselling.”

Call for emphasis to be put on vocational training

By FRANK OUMA The Government may not be able to realise vision 2030 unless more funds are channelled to technical and vocational training institutes for the youth.

Speaking in Eldoret during a three day technical institution exhibition in North Rift region, Assistant Minister for Environment, Prof Margaret Kamar said that the institutions had the capacity to train manpower but lacked funds.

“The budgetary allocation for technical institutions should be increased so that more manpower can be trained as it is the middle level colleges that will make Kenya a middle income earner come 2030,” observed Kamar.

She said technical institutions should

be allowed to grow into technical universities and not be taken over by public universities. Kamar reiterated that technical institutions should be at the forefront of initiating policies that will be forwarded to Parliament for implementation.

“Research will help Kenya as a country to grow and stop relying on products from the outside world which deny our people opportunities,” she said.

Kamar regretted that Kenya was importing products that it was producing noting that such a move was demoralising to local producers.

The assistant minister also called for patenting of products warning that other institutions or countries could hijack such efforts as was the case with the kiondo.

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ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Northern corridor takes a paradigm shift in agriculture

By MALACHI MOTANO Harsh economic times and attempts to fight food insecurity are making nomadic communities in Isiolo County make a paradigm shift from pastoralism to modern agriculture.

A section of Samburu, Turkana, Rendille, Borana and Somali communities who have traditionally engaged in cattle rustling have changed their lifestyle and are today engaging in farming.

Subsistence crops

They are growing beans and sukuma wiki (kales) among other subsistence crops not only for consumption but also for sale.

All this is with support from the Isiolo River that has provided water for irrigation.

Augustine Moto is the voice of young farmers in Kitile Village who have been engaged in subsistence agriculture for the past one year.

“My dad had 80 cows, 40 goats and five donkeys. Long drought epidemics in this area claimed more than three quarters of his herd. Today he is only left with 25 animals out of the 125 he had in 2009,” explains Moto. He adds: “It was from this experience that together with a few friends, I mobilised young men and women to take immediate action that would reverse the trend.”

Although the decision sounded brilliant, implementing it was challenging.

Kitile Village is five kilometres from Isiolo River. The young farmers needed to carry out irrigation but lacked proper equipment and were forced to do it manually.

The women would fetch water from the river with large buckets for irrigation as their men prepared the land.

Irrigation

“We decided to start growing food crops though it was not easy. The river is far from where we live. We do not have long pipes to bring water from the river.

There is inadequate rainfall in this area and life has to continue. What else could we do?” poses Moto. He adds: “The only option we had back then was to literally fetch water from the river to our farms. We

were a small group of about 20 men and women.”

In June last year, for the first time Samburu residents consumed their own agricultural produce. They even had extra produce which was sold in the open air market in Isiolo. The small group harvested tonnes of kales, tomatoes and spinach from ten farms approximately two acres each.

“We managed to get a bumper harvest.

For the first time my mother did not buy sukuma wiki. The produce was too much for home consumption and one of us suggested that we try selling some of the harvest,” observes Moto. He adds: “After making a good sale, we decided that we will not only be consuming the vegetables at home but we will also take them to Isiolo Market and today we are doing cash crop farming.”

It is until this group of 20 young men and women made a huge harvest that most people in the region decided to copy what they were doing an engage in crop farming.

Today, about 40 percent of vegetables consumed in Isiolo town are locally produced. Chairman of Isiolo County Council Mr Adan Ali Wako, wishes the residents had realised the importance of subsistence agriculture much earlier.

Local produce

“I am very happy because my people can today produce their own food. When you find people selling vegetables in the streets of Isiolo town, most of them will tell you that they have not made their purchase from Meru farmers,” says Wako.

Isiolo River has been here for a very long but people had not exploited it. Today, farms are all over around the river.

They have even been allowed to move closer to the river to do their crop production.

“Nowadays I only use KSh300 to buy from the local farmers as opposed to before when I had to use at least KSh2,000 because I had to go myself or send somebody because the ones that are brought here are even more expensive,” says Zubaida Ahmana, a vegetable vendor in Isiolo town.

From top: Women preparing sukumawiki for sale in Samburu. Some of the youth working at their small farms in Kitile village in Samburu. A woman fetches water from the river where the youth get water for irrigating their farms. For the first time, Samburu residents are eating food produced locally. Pictures: Malachi Motano

Farmers urged to embrace subsidized fertilizer

By KARIUKI MWANGI and CAROLINE WANGECHI Farmers have been asked to take advantage of the subsidised fertilisers that the Government has provided so that they can improve on crop production which will boost food security in the country.

Permanent secretary in the ministry of Agriculture Dr Romano Kiome launched a KSh1.8 billion subsidised fertilizer to farmers countrywide in a move to boost food production in the country.

Crop production

The PS accompanied by senior agricultural officials launched the exercise at Sagana’s National and Cereals Produce Board depot. He urged the farmers to take the initiative of buying the seeds and fertilizers at

the affordable rates to enable them invest in crop production.

Kiome said that the procedure for the farmers to acquire seeds and fertilizers is thorough and transparent. “After the current drought situation that has hit the country, the Government has taken the initiative of ensuring that there is good food production in the country so as to avoid a similar situation in days to come,” he said.

For the farmers to be eligible for the subsidised seeds and fertilisers, they must have ploughed their land which the agricultural officers must inspect before they fill in the forms.

“The fertilisers are not meant for misuse or sale. Farmers should work together with the ministry to ensure the seeds and fertilisers do not get to the traders for selling,” said Kiome.

The PS pointed out that the country is

able to provide enough food for its citizens and for export. The farmers can buy the fertilizers (DAP, NPK and CAN) at a subsidised price of KSh2,600 instead of KSh3,500 which is the market price.

Kiome pointed out that the KSh900 government subsidy is meant to also push traders in the fertilizer business to reduce their prices. He noted that the Government does not have the capacity to put controls on the prices of the inputs.

He observed that a consignment of 600,000 bags is already being distributed all over the country adding that already the Government has procured two million bags of DAP fertilizer which will be sold to farmers at subsidised prices by end of June.

Those who qualify for subsided fertiliser will fill a special form given out by the agricultural officers. He warned that any

other person including traders and stockists found selling the fertilizer, stern action will be taken.

Addressing the press in Sagana, Kiome said that there is enough food in the country and the situation especially in North Eastern and Eastern provinces where famine caused death has been managed.

False alarm

“Technical people in my ministry and that of Special Programmes have assessed the situation and found that the situation is not as alarming as reported in the media,” Kiome observed.

However, he gave an assurance that areas affected by drought will continue to receive relief supply. The Government will also continue to provide subsidized seeds for planting during this season.

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

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Rock of life brings hope to a thirsty population

By NZINGA MUASYA Kitheka Kyutha, 70, a resident of Kanziku remembers vividly the hard times the people of Mutomo faced while searching for water.

The situation was made worse by the fact that the region is semi-arid. Seasonal rivers cutting across could only last for about a month with flowing water.

Due to high temperatures, the wells dug on the rivers would produce little salty water.

Within a month all the wells would dry up leaving the residents wallowing in an unpredictable situation.

“We can only thank God for this valuable project that has come to our aid. Initially, we used to fetch water from Kituvwi and Yaayu streams that are far away. Staying for about two weeks without a shower was all too common,” says Kyutha.

Search for water

The thirst for water would also push the community to encroach on the South Kitui Game Reserve at a spring locally known as Malilu where they would quench their thirst and that of their livestock.

Kyutha says that the locals gave little thought to the giant rock in their midst until a white man settled in the area in the 1960s.

“The mzungu constructed the first concrete water reservoir at the foot of the rock to collect the fast flowing water from the rock. At first we thought the white man was crazy until the dam started collecting water that we began to use for domestic and livestock use,” says the septuagenarian.

Ndilili Community Water Project was started through mobilisation by local political leaders.

They were able to get help from non-governmental organisations to construct more tanks and water reservoirs at the base of the rock.

Since then, other tanks have been constructed at the top of the rock and a special staircase built to enable the residents scale the rock when going to fetch water.

The imposing Ndilili rock at the heart of Kanziku location in Mutomo district, Kitui County has now become a lifeline for the area residents.

At the foot of the giant rock is the Ndilili rock water catchment where tanks and water reservoirs have been constructed to tap water from the rock.

The water is used by the residents of Mutha, Kanziku and Mathima locations in Mutomo District. Before this noble project was started, the residents of the three locations would walk for an average of 50 kilometres in search of water under the scorching sun.

This feature is so important that residents call it the rock of life.

It is an amazing scene to see residents scal-

ing down the rock with jerry cans of water perched on their backs or shoulders in a breath taking balancing act. Others prefer to fetch the water that spills over when the top tanks are full and collect it at the foot of the rock.

To date the projects boasts of seven tanks and three water reservoirs that collect the water from the rock. A concrete alignment and pipes have been erected to direct the water from the rock to the tanks and the reservoirs.

Regina Mwende, a mother of four says that to a large extent water problems in the area have been addressed. However, she notes that more needs to be done to completely address the recurring problem.

“I remember as a young girl accompanying my mother with gourds balanced on our backs.

We would trek for several kilometres in search of water. By the time we returned home in the evening, we would be very tired and the water would be salty and murky,” she reminiscences.

Mwende observes that many girls from the area did not get time to go to school because they were required to accompany their mothers in the search of the valuable commodity. This action led to women being marginalized in the area.

“When there is no water at home, it is the duty of the woman to look for it. Now with this project, the walking distance has been shortened and the water is clean and soft,” she observes.

During a visit to the area, women with babies strapped on their backs would be seen mounting bicycles ferrying two to three jerry cans of water from the project. School girls were also seen carrying small jerry cans.

Development partners

One of the organisations that has come to the aid of the community is German AgroAction which helped construct three tanks in the area in 2007. However most of the tanks are now old and have developed cracks leading to water leaking.

The community is appealing for help to repair the tanks so that the harnessed water can last for the most part of the year.

Vincent Nyerere, assistant chief of Mivuni Sub-Location lamented about the tree cutting for charcoal only 700 metres from Ndilili at Nzooani Government Forest.

He says depletion of trees in the water catchment area is a big loss and calls on the local community to reverse the trend. “Trees are known to attract rains, so if there are no trees, then it means our tanks will be empty and the cycle of water problems is repeated,” says the administrator. He appeals to the zonal forest office to provide seedlings and educate the local community on how to plant trees in order to conserve the environment.

Sammy Mbuko, Kenya Forest Extension

From top: Some of the tanks at the foot of Ndilili rock in Mivuni area, Kanziku location. Women and children preparing to fetch water. Young men rest as they await their turn to collect water at a reservoir at the foot of the rock. The water has turned green due to algae because it is not covered.

Pictures: Nzinga Muasya Officer in Mutomo District says that the Government is in the process of re-afforesting the catchment zone with a view to increase the forest cover that would improve rain attraction.

Mbuko cautions the locals against cutting down trees for charcoal burning.

However as they wait for help to repair the

old leaking tanks, Kanziku community is happy to have Ndilili rock in their midst as it is positively changing their lives.

“We can now sleep easy knowing that there is water to cook and that our children are assured of a shower, at least once a day,” says Mwende, balancing a jerry can on her back.

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

National Prayer Breakfast:

Is this the new face of Kenya?

By ODHIAMBO ORLALE They came, had a sumptuous meal and enjoyed an inspirational talk by a visiting former British minister Mr Jonathan Aitken before entering their sleek limousines and getting back to the rat race.

This was billed as one of the most expensive breakfasts in the country’s recent history. The who-is-who in and out of Government trooped to the deluxe Safari Park Hotel at the crack of dawn to share a spiritual and nutritional meal together in the name of the Ninth National Prayer breakfast meeting.

For the dignitaries, who included most of the Cabinet and Parliament, led by President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, the three-hour session was full of fun, light moments and a sense of brotherhood.

New face

For a change, the public saw their other side, different from their usual bickering and arrogance. Some MPs had formed a choir, with Mathioya MP, Clement Muchiri as the choirmaster, sang in solidarity, joy and humility. How the viewers wished that our leaders would promote that spirit patriotism and brotherhood outside the tourist hotel and spread it to all corners of the country.

The crème dela crème of the society, who also included a big contingent of members of the clergy, also enjoyed the luxury of being covered live on television by the country’s leading media houses as they had their five-course breakfast.

But for most of the ordinary folk who are unemployed and/or eke a living on a shoestring budget, that day was just another one full of frustrations and stress.

Most people lamented that they neither had time nor interest to watch the live transmission and only caught a summary in the evening TV and radio bulletins.

A cross section of people interviewed after the function had the following mixed reactions about the annual event.

Mrs Joyce Auma who is a retiree, said she was too busy taking care of her small-scale business in Kariobangi South on that day to make time to watch the event live on TV. Says Mrs Auma: “I am a prayerful person, but I am concerned that the national prayer breakfast is being turned into a routine for the elite in society. If this trend continues, it is likely to make it irrelevant to the ordinary people on the streets, like me.”

Reconciliation

On his part, Mr Harris Muiruri, said he was happy with the idea of dedicating one day in the year to pray for the nation saying it was for good for both the leaders and the public as a healing and reconciliation process.

But he too cautioned that the event would be more useful if the leaders who are paraded on the TV screens also have a change of heart and attitude in the way they conduct their activities officially and in private.

“Unless our leaders walk the talk, the public will not be convinced that the National Prayer Breakfast is paying dividends,” said Mr Muiruri.

Also supporting the event was Mrs Terry Waweru, who is a staunch Catholic, maintained that time has come for the nation to turn to God for repentance and blessings.

However, she noted that the event had too many speeches by politicians than actual time dedicated to prayers and preaching.

“The long list of speakers spoke one after

the other and we missed the part about prayers. Next time, we would expect more praying than talking, otherwise it would become routine used by politicians as a platform to promote their selfish interests.”

Jail term

The keynote speaker was former powerful British Finance minister, Mr Jonathan Aitken, who revealed how he served, for 18 months, as a jailbird for lying to court under oath. This forced him to resign as an MP and minister, in 1995.

Said Aitken: “It is almost unthinkable in the African context (for a high flying minister to be jailed), but we shouldn’t be so judgmental. It is a process – we should not move from the principle that all are equal to before the law.”

President Kibaki and the Guests mingling at the National Prayer Breakfast at Speaker of Parliament, Mr Safari Park Hotel last week. The MP choir entertains Kenneth Marende, in their speeches appealed to Kenyans guests at the event. Former British Minister Jonathan to be vigilant on the enactAitken who was the chief guest at the meeting. ment phase of the new ConPictures: Reject correspondent stitution.

“I urge all stakeholders to the following powerful words to share with join hands and be ready to enfellow politicians and the nation at large. gage in productive dialogue so that we can open “My Christian faith has been a sustaining a new chapter of prosperity for our nation. Let force for me over these last few years. More so, us say no to political sideshows that can slow when Michelle and I hear our faith questioned the implementation process,” the President told from time to time, we are reminded that ultithe jubilant guests. mately what matters is not what other people The Kenyan event has been borrowed say about us but whether we’re being true to from the United States where it was started our conscience and true to our God.” 58 years ago, and is attended by over 3,500 For now, the ordinary Kenyan can only guests who include 100 foreign dignitaries. hope that God will hear our prayers if our This year, the US President Barack Obama, leaders fail to hear our pleas to ease the rising attended the annual event held in February at cost of living. the annual event in Washington, DC, and had

ISSUE 041, June 1-15, 2011

BUDGET

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

21

High cost of transport bars sick man from his benefits

By MWANGI NDIRANGU While Kenyans continue to scowl at the skyrocketing prices of fuel, Daniel Kaburia is bitterly cursing the rising cost of living that is slowly driving him into a state of hopelessness.

Until April this year, the former employee of Homegrown, a large scale flower farm based in Buuri District, Meru County had been struggling to raise some KSh5,500 to enable him travel to Nairobi to visit a doctor in an effort to establish the nature and cause of his sickness.

Kaburia has been unwell but believes that the chest pains he suffers is an occupational health problem which he contracted while working at the flower farm neighbouring his Sirimon village home.

The rising cost of transport and essential goods occasioned by high fuel prices means that Kaburia may not to travel to Nairobi soon unless the Government does something to reverse the situation.

Deteriorating health

“The doctor has warned me not to undertake strenuous work due to my health condition,” says the father of seven at his home located two kilometres from Homegrown’s Ibis Farm.

Since December Kaburia’s mind has been preoccupied by the desire to establish the cause of his illness with a view of seeking compensation from his former employer.

However, things have now changed and Kaburia is confused about whether to seek treatment or feed the family with the little money that comes his way.

Kaburia lives as a squatter on land owned by a family friend. Currently with no source of income, raising money for fare and providing for his large family is proving to be an uphill task.

His priority has been seeking treatment and establishing the cause of his deteriorating health but this is now taking a back seat due to rising cost of food. He traces his problems to the day he sought casual jobs at the flower farm.

Kaburia who is illiterate and is not sure when he was employed at Homegrown. All he is sure about is that he has worked since the early 1990s as a casual labourer.

Employment

On May 19, 2008, however, the 37 year-old was employed on permanent terms with a starting gross salary of KSh5,756. Kaburia’s work involved cutting flowers which are then neatly packaged for overseas markets.

He was happy with the new terms of employment and reasoned that he would no longer struggle to put food on the table for his family.

However, barely a year into his new position, his legs started swelling and this was accompanied by persistent coughs.

Other symptoms were general body weakness, unending thirst for water and chest pain.

It was time to seek treatment. The flower farm has a dispensary and a resident nurse recommended light duties for Kaburia. These duties still involved coming into contact with flowers which are laced with chemicals.

When his condition failed to improve, he

www.mediadiversityafrica.org

visited Nanyuki District Hospital where he was diagnosed with bronchospasm — a condition associated with chest congestion due to exposure to cold, dust, pollen and strong chemical odour.

A skin and chest specialist at the hospital Mr S. W. Wachira instructed Kaburia to avoid areas where such conditions existed.

When he went back to his place of work, he was informed that there was no other kind of work and all he could do was continue packing the flowers.

Three months later, Kaburia was back to hospital where a doctor established that his condition was not improving. During this visit, stronger antibiotics were prescribed.

After this visit, Kaburia decided to stop going to work temporarily as it was no longer safe to work in an environment where his health was at risk. He opted to stay at home and see whether his condition would improve. Three months later on September 15, 2009, he was summarily dismissed on account of absenting himself.

The general manager of the farm, Bart Ridder directed him to return all company property before he could claim any benefits. Kaburia declined and protested his sacking to the management.

Dismissal

His action led to him being locked out of the farm for eight months and it was then he decided to seek intervention from the labour office.

Kaburia argues it was wrong for the company to dismiss him when he was on “sick leave”. He is now seeking the government’s intervention for compensation for his illness which he claims is associated with poor working conditions at the farm.

Laikipia District Labour Officer Pasqualina Kiruki referred Kaburia to the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services at the ministry’s head office.

“Until we have proof that he contracted the disease while working at the farm, we cannot compel the company to compensate him. If it is established that his health condition is as a result of the nature of his work at the farm, he will definitely be compensated,” Kiruki told the Reject in an interview.

The labour officer said Kaburia cannot get his terminal benefits because his dismissal from work is still being contested. “Our immediate concern is to establish if indeed he got the disease from the farm. That is what we are pursuing and the issue of whether he will get the benefits or continue working will come later,” she said.

At the Ministry of Labour headquarters, the head of medical surveillance Dr J O Owino referred Kaburia to a Dr Chakaya, a consultant chest physician at Mater Hospital.

Owino also wrote to Ridder, the general

From top: Kaburia displays the medical documents he intends to present to a chest specialist in Nairobi in a bid to establish if he got ill from working at the flower farm. Kaburia together with his four children outside their house.

Bottom: Kaburia (in blue cap) with colleagues working at the Homegrown Ibis Flower Farm.

Pictures: Mwangi Ndirangu manger of Homegrown asking him to provide a detailed report on the exact nature of work Kaburia was doing including the chemicals he was exposed to and medical examination tests carried at the farm dispensary.

Through Kiruki’s intervention, Kaburia was given fare by Homegrown which enabled him travel to Nairobi to visit Chakaya on March 9.

He was to go back and pay KSh4,000 so that his results could be analysed before they were sent to the Ministry of Labour head office.

Since then, Kaburia has been trying to raise money to go back to Nairobi and the recent increase in fuel prices could not have come at a worse time.

“My life has greatly changed in the last two years. Since my dismissal, I have been on drugs and many times I depend on well wishers to buy me medicine,” he says.

Last year, he was admitted at the Nanyuki District Hospital for three weeks and is sup-

“My life has greatly changed in the last two years. Since my dismissal, I have been on drugs and I depend on well wishers to buy medicine.”

Daniel Kaburia

Executive Director: Rosemary Okello-Orlale Programme Coordinator: Wilson Ugangu Editor: Jane Godia Sub-Editors: Florence Sipalla and Mercy Mumo Designer: Noel Lumbama Contributors: Valerie Aseto, Hussein Dido, Kennedy Lesiew, Ekuwam Adow, Omondi Gwengi, Ryan Mathenge, Diana Wanyonyi, Evelyne Ogutu, Henry Kahara, Benson Mwanga, Aggrey Buchunju, Mwangi Ndirangu, Nzinga Muasya, David Njagi, Macharia Mwangi, Mnyazi Joe, John Ndirangu, Gilbert Ochieng, Joy Monday, Eliud Waithaka, Odhiambo Odhiambo, Frank Ouma, Ben Onyango, Nick Odhiambo, Kigondu Ndavano, Bendaro Tsuma, Caroline Wangeci, Titus Maero, Boniface Mulu, Ben Oroko, Malachi Motano, Kariuki Mwangi, Duncan Mboya and Odhiambo Orlale.

posed to be attending frequent chest clinics but he cannot afford KSh120 to travel to Nanyuki and back home.

“If I am unable to raise KSh120 for my fare to Nanyuki, how do you expect me to raise KSh5500 to travel to Nairobi? poses Kaburia, referring to the cost of transport and consultation fees.

Kaburia and his children are now depending on his wife Susan Kaburia who does manuals job to put food on the table.

Susan, who is also suffering from an unknown skin condition used to work at the farm too but left the job when her condition worsened in 2008.

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