Reject Online issue 62

May 16-31, 2012

ISSUE 062

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

Rush to reclaim lost land Families displaced during the state of emergency now make demands

By DAVID KIRWA As efforts to resolve long standing land disputes gain momentum across the country, hundreds of families from Nandi District who fled the area during the state of emergency in 1952 are making a quiet return in hope for restitution.

Unrelenting in their quest to reclaim their lost land, the families have settled in makeshift structures at the former Chemilil sisal estates as they await the implementation of reforms espoused in Agenda Four of the 2008 Peace Accord. They strongly believe that this is their ancestral land lost during the colonial era.

Majority

The families left for Tanzania in 1952 at the height of colonial repression and majority opted to remain in the country that offered them refuge in the face of calamity, even after Kenya attained independence.

And as they come back in droves, theirs is tale of mixed fortunes imbued with scenes of joy, pain and misery in a foreign land 60 years down the line.

They were forced out of their fertile land to pave way for white settlers who offered them security in their transit to Tanzania.

Their departure followed a directive by the colonial government limiting to a maximum of five, the number of cows the natives could herd in their homes.

However, this turned out to be a ploy coined by the colonial masters to force them into leaving.

Lose

“Our fathers loved animals and thus were unable to read between the lines to see that they were losing their ancestral land to the colonial government even as they sought to protect their livestock,” says Mzee Kipyego Talam (87).

He recalls that on the fateful day, his parents woke him up in the wee hours of the morning and asked him to join other youth in driving more than 400 herds of livestock from Chebarus village in Nandi to Busoga in Tanzania.

“According to our parents, the

A group of squatters mill around Pato Pato trading centre at the Mumias sugar plantation where hundreds of families who fled the country at the height of colonial repression in 1952 have pitched camp. The families who have been living in Tanzania over the last 60 years are now demanding that the government gives them back their land or allocates them an alternative land. Pictures: David Kirwa colonial government had given us a go ahead to settle in Tanzania where there was plenty of unutilised land to herd our cattle,” he explains.

By the time of departure, the com-

munity was at logger heads with the colonialists, having resisted the construction of the Mombasa-Kisumu railway line.

The community was also opposed

“Our fathers loved animals and thus were unable to read between the lines to see that they were losing their ancestral land to the colonial government even as they sought to protect their livestock.”

— Mzee Kipyego Talam

to plans by the Asians who wanted to take over their fertile land in Chemelil for sisal and sugarcane production.

The community was, therefore, perceived as a security threat to the white settlers because majority refused to work in the tea, sisal and coffee plantations, as casual labourers, preferring to look after their livestock. A tradition that they still embrace todate.

“The colonial government was relieved by our resolve to leave our ancestral land. They even offered us security to Tanzania through Kisumu, Kisii and Kuria districts, while our children and women were ferried in

lorries,” explains Talam.

He says that they were later settled at Busoga, Mwanza, Bunde, Mugumu and Butiama, the hometown of Tanzania’s founding President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.

“The Tanzanians, through their Ujamaa system were a great people and allowed us to settle in Butiama with hundreds of our cattle, sheep and goats,” Mzee Talam recounts.

The departure was formalised in a letter by the then colonial Nandi District Commissioner Mr P D Abrams dated October 12, 1951.

Continued on page 4

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ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Farmers protest sale of fake seeds

By JOY MONDAY The sale of fake maize seeds has irked hundreds of farmers in Trans-Nzoia County, amid panic of a serious drop in production this season.

The farmers’ fury came as the local security team smashed a syndicate behind the supply of fake seeds in the area and impounded one tonne of uncertified maize seed being sold at a leading supermarket in Kitale.

Suspicions

According to Wilfred Kinyua, area District Commissioner, packaging materials, bogus logos and coating equipments were seized from a home of a suspect behind the seed racket at Endebess, southwest of Kitale.

Dozens of farmers trooped to Kitale town to protest against the circulation of uncertified seeds in the region by prominent businessmen.

“Some people are out to make quick money by selling to us fake seeds. We want them arrested and prosecuted for the crime,” lamented William Kimosong, chairman of Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers (KNEFAP), a watchdog organisation for farmers.

Licensing

The farmers called for the withdrawal of licenses of the businessmen found selling the fake seeds.

The over 1,500 farmers expressed fear that production in the region could drop due to poor germination. Several farmers in the region have already reported to the local agricultural officials that the seeds they had planted have failed to germinate.

District Crops officer Zipporah Simiyu admitted that her office had received complaints from some farmers over failed germination.

Members of the local district agricultural committee chaired by the DC held a crisis meeting over the sale of fake seeds.

The officials later told journalists that two suspects including a Kitale tycoon licensed by Kenya Seed Company (KSC) to sell certified seeds are being probed over the sale of uncertified maize.

Acknowledging that the circulation of fake seeds is likely to sabotage production, he said

A sample of counterfeit seeds being sold to unsuspecting farmers in Trans- Nzoia.

Inset: Area District Commissioner Wilfred Kinyua addresses journalists outside Kitale police station over the circulation of fake maize seeds in Trans-Nzoia County.

Picture: Joy Monday and Correspondent some farmers had complained of poor germination.

“It is true some farmers have complained to the district agriculture office over germination but the number is minimal. We hope the fake seeds did not reach most farmers,” observed Kinyua.

The DC met officials from KSC and Kenya Planters Health Inspectorate Service Kephis at the Kitale Police Station, after allegations that prime suspects in the sale of the fake seeds were

being protected by government officials.

Reports are rife that some government officers had been compromised to protect unscrupulous businessmen found selling uncertified seeds.

However, Kinyua said that nobody would be spared in the fake seed racket including the local tycoon adversely mentioned in the scam.

Detectives led by Paul Wachira, Kitale Criminal Investigation Officer raided the home at Endebess and impounded equipments used

“We are not going to rest until those involved in the manufacture of the fake seeds are punished and we assure farmers that security measures have been put in place to curb the problem.”

— Wilfred Kinyua

KWS trails bandits as it fights to protect elephants

By JOY MONDAY Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has engaged a 24hour security patrols to trail bandits and poachers.

The KWS has also started inspection of vehicles on the Lodwar-Kitale highway to check the loss of more elephants after the recent killing of 16 herds.

Bandits reportedly hired by poachers have invaded Nasolot and South Turkana National Game Reserves in the past three months. KWS Western Conservation Area Assistant Director Mr. George Osuri said rangers supported by police are conducting raids in trading centres along the Kenyan- Sudan road where trading of ivory is rampant.

Apart from security measures, Osuri said the organisation is mobilizing and sensitizing pastoralists’ communities on the need to protect wildlife.

Osuri revealed that there is a cartel of ivory dealers who were using bandits to kill the elephants to extract tusks which are on high demand in China and Thailand.

Poaching

“We have lost 16 elephants to illegal poaching since January and we are urging the communities to support our protection efforts to save these animals that are now facing extinction,” he said.

According to Osuri, former cattle rustlers have turned to hunting of wild animals after the government become hard on the rustling menace in the region.

“Armed bandits are on the loose and are targeting elephants and the situation is worrying. I urge for

concerted efforts from the surrounding community to weed out the menace,’’ reiterated Osuri.

He noted that five bandits killed recently at Chepkorniswa area along Lodwar-Kitale road during a fierce fire exchange with KWS rangers were part of the team of poachers. The rangers recovered six pieces of ivory tusks, three AK-47 assault rifles and 15 rounds of ammunition during the gun battle.

Rangers

During the fight one ranger was seriously injured and was airlifted to Nairobi for specialised treatment. The rangers were on patrol along the highway when they stopped a vehicle with five occupants.

The poachers alighted from their double cabin vehicle and started to open fire at the officers sparking off a fierce fight.

“Our officers were on a normal patrol on the highway when they tried to stop the vehicle only for the occupants to come out and start firing at the officers prompting them to shoot back,” said Osuri. He said the officers managed to gun down the five poachers and recovered the firearms and the six tusks.

“The poachers were daring and they opened fire upon seeing the officers and we suspected they are behind the killing of elephants in Nasolot and South Turkana game reserves,” said Osuri.

He observed that KWS has intensified security patrols in the region to weed out a ring of illegal poachers targeting elephants in the area. The tusks are said to be transported to Nairobi before they get to their final destination which is China or Thailand where the demand for ivory is high.

to make the fake seeds.

Among the items recovered were eight kilos of red oxide, packaging materials, herbicides, fungicide, insecticide and a weighing machine.

The DC flanked by police chief Lucas Ogara, KSC marketing manager Francis Mwaura and Kephis Alfred Mosuya said a manhunt had been launched for suspects behind the manufacture of bogus seeds.

“We are not going to rest until those involved in the manufacture of the fake seeds are punished and we assure farmers that security measures have been put in place to curb the problem,” noted Kinyua.

Farmers urged the government to distribute the seeds through legitimate organizations such as National Cereals and Produce Board and Kenya Farmers Association to check on the circulation of the fake seeds.

Families reeling in poverty as plantations lose out to real estate

By RYAN MATHENGE Construction of Thika Super highway has opened avenues for exploiting the poor as they focus on establishing high cost gated community residential.

Since the construction of the highway started three years ago, millions of shillings have changed hands with the poor being forced to sell their ancestral land at below market rate prices.

Millions of shillings are minted on daily basis with investors scouting where road constructions in Central and Eastern region are being planned, buying land in advance only to dispose of it at prices higher than what was paid to the peasants.

Former coffee estates in Kiambu County are on death bed after former fertile lands have been converted to real estates.

The move on real estates is perceived to attract higher returns as compared to depending on agriculture.

Higher returns

Thome, Ruaka, Runda are examples of many areas where families have been forced to dispose off their land after being enticed by money hungry investors.

Tens of families after being enticed with money agreed to sell off their property as the tycoons coming out with multibillion shillings programme targeting those who want to re - locate their families

outside the city.

Milka Wanjiku, a resident of Thika says her family had been benefiting from the proceeds of a coffee estate that was sold to officials of a gated community.

Every year her family like thousands of others would receive dividends from the coffee estate before the land was sold.

“That was the end of the dividends that many of us used to educate children. The benefits are now a thing of the past,” says Wanjiku.

In Murang’a County, one company bought about 1,700 acres of land that was formerly coffee estates to establish a KSh25 billion housing project. The multi-billion shillings project will see establishment of a modern golf course, security office, a helipad supermarket and a tourist hotel among several other facilities.

Another gated project is being planned by another company with one plot going for not less than KSh3 million.

The surrounding communities are promised better services such as security, clean water, schools for their children among other things.

The most affected are families who are not in the picture how much was paid to those who sold off the land.

A trip to Murang’a from Nairobi one will not fail to see notices inviting potential buyers who are interested in having a share of the gated communities.

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

3

Grandma’s dream of higher education dies

By DAVID KIRWA She had huge dreams. These were dreams that were cut short in her childhood as she never went to school.

However, one not to be deterred, she enrolled in school again, this time as a grandmother. She was not giving up as she sat for her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations last year.

Aged

Veronica Chebwai, the oldest female pupil in Nandi County to be in school, courtesy of Free Primary Education in 2005 sat for her KCPE last year and scored 218 marks but could not pursue secondary education due to lack of fees.

The 63-year-old had been inspired by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan who intervened in the 2007 post election violence to be a mediator.

Chebwai, a pupil from Taito Primary School, Nandi East District intends to reconcile communities living in the area who fought during the post-election violence.

Speaking to the press, Chebwai thought she would proceed to secondary school after sitting for her KCPE and thereafter eventually get to university degree to enable her be able to reconcile communities the same way Annan did during the post-election violence.

Mediate

The mother of four and grandmother of eight would like to mediate among the communities that were antagonistic in 2007. She says: “I admired the way Annan helped bring our country to life again after the heinous acts of tribalism. I want my children and those of my neighbours to grow loving each other irrespective of their ethnicity.”

Speaking at her former school recently, Chebwai said: “I consider children in this school as my own. I feel so sad they had to witness tribalism in the form of deaths, when diversity could help bind them together.”

Like the late Maruge, life in school has not been hard for Chebwai. She mixes freely with other pupils and one will only notice her presence because of the grey hair. However, while in school uniform, she could easily pass unnoticed because of her height.

The media was able to talk to Chebwai and engaged her in lively session

after seeking permission from class teacher Sally Tenai and head teacher Angelina Kiprono.

Teachers at the school say since Chebwai joined Standard Three, she never missed school any single time.

“She is very determined to succeed,” observed Tenai.

Despite her age, Chebwai would beat many of her class-mates in class work and became position 18 out of 45 pupils in the end of the last year’s examinations before she sat for KCPE. Chebwai decided to join school after the Government said it had introduced free primary education. “It left me thinking of what I could do to achieve my dream of getting good education,” she says.

Complete

Many people thought she would drop out of school after a month or so but she stayed put until she sat her KCPE exams.

To get to school, Chebwai’s day would start at 5 am and she would commute from her rented house near Nandi Bears Club, a walking distance.

While she was determined to succeed, the female teachers also mentored and encouraged her to work hard. They offered to her help in times of need while almost all children at the school wanted to associate with her and were very friendly towards her.

“She was above average and determined to compete with other pupils in class work,” observes Tenai. She adds: “Children loved and respected Chebwai because of her age but when she went out for games it was difficult to identify her from the rest since she is not very tall.”

According to her class teacher, she was always punctual and would arrive in school on time to avoid any kind of punishment.

The school deputy head teacher

Eunice Maritim says Chebwai was very cooperative in class and active in extracurricular activities such as music and other cultural acts.

“Her presence in the school motivated other pupils to take education seriously,” notes Maritim.

Normally, she attends Sunday Church Service at All Saints in Nandi Hills town in Tinderet Constituency.

Life has not been easy for Chebwai who separated from her husband, a peasant farmer, eight years ago.

“I struggled to feed my children or take them to school and when I finished with them I decided to concentrate on my own education,” she says.

For many years, before she went back to school, Chebwai sang and danced to traditional songs during national holidays.

Dreams

However, today as she is out of school she does not want her dream to die. A former official of the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union Joshua Oyuga had given indication that the union will offer a bursary to Kenya’s oldest student if she proceeds to Form One after sitting her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination. However, the whole issue seems to have been forgotten after Oyuga retired as branch secretary of Kenya plantation and agriculture workers union of the Nandi County.

At the time Oyuga said Chebwai would remain an inspiration for Kenyans in reducing illiteracy levels in the society.

He noted that her interest for education would also help mould other pupils in becoming responsible citizens in the future.

Chebwai says all her children dropped out of school before reaching Standard Seven due to poverty and lack of resources to buy basic needs.

“Only one of them went up to sec-

“I admired the way Annan helped bring our country to life again after the heinous acts of tribalism. I want my children and those of my neighbours to grow loving each other irrespective of their ethnicity.”

— Veronica Chebwai

Veronica Chebwai, 63, a pupil at Taito Primary School, Nandi East District with her classmates and their class teacher Mrs. Tenai. Chebwai stands outside her classroom and Chebwai their headmistress and other teachers at the school. Pictures: David Kirwa ondary school level reaching Form Four but he died seven years ago as he prepared to join a middle level college,” she says.

Her first born daughter, Lormana Jepkoech, 36, is married and has five children. Her second born daughter Eunice is also married and has four children. Her last born son, Norman Kiptoo, 28, works as a youth leader in the African Inland Church at Cheblaskei in Uasin Gishu District.

Chebwai’s favourite subjects are English, Maths, Social Studies and Swahili. She also took keen interest in sports and loved playing netball and volleyball.

As her dream to qualify for a place in one of the seven public universities heightens, Chebwai also hopes that she will get a sponsor to enable her go further.

She believes, that her dream to be a mediator will only be realised if she has good education.

“I declined to go for adult education classes because I wanted to proceed with regular primary school curriculum and get a proper foundation in education,” she says.

According to Chebwai, her going to school was not provoked by late Kimani Maruge who has entered Guinness Book of Records as being one of the oldest pupils in the world.

Maruge shifted from Eldoret to Nairobi after the post-election violence that rocked the North Rift region before he died.

Chebwai says her efforts to seek help from provincial administration and local leaders in Nandi to be able to join secondary had failed and for now she is just at home and is very much willing to join secondary if she could get sponsorship.

Currently, her other major problem is how to get monthly house rent of Sh500.

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ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Taveta residents want park hived off to resettle squatters

By ROBBY NGOJHI The attractive flora and fauna in the expansive Tsavo National Park partly defines how Taita Taveta County is richly endowed by nature.

The County boasts of world class tourist hotels such Kilaguni, Ngulia, the Lions Bluff Lodge, Sarova Taita Hills and Sarova Saltlick game lodges as well as Voi Safari lodge among others.

These are some of the riches which single out Taita Taveta as one of the wealthiest counties in the country in terms of resources.

However, this wealth is not reflected on the ground as locals wallow in poverty, mainly due to rising cases of human wildlife conflict.

Residents say in spite of the fact that a vast area of the County falls under Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) and contributes vastly to the Country’s economy through tourism; the benefits have not trickled down to the locals.

Promising

“We host rare species in our home turf but nothing promising has been forthcoming. Instead, we only have to contend with the relentless agony of constant rivalry with the wild animals,” says Jeremiah Kiwoi of Mwatate Constituency.

In a telephone interview, Kiwoi says: “The national park has taken up 62 percent of this County’s surface area but surprisingly, a vast section of this land does not have wildlife.”

He observes: “I am sure that sometimes when most tourists come here for game drives normally find it boring because at times they have to go through some expansive plains before they spot wildlife” Kiwoi says this is pathetic because the same tourists also come across a huge population of squatters residing adjacent to parks.

“If the wildlife occupies only 20 per cent of the park, then why should we have squatters around it. Instead of politicising the issue of land while residents are suffering, I think the some sections of the park can be de-gazetted and allocated to those squatters. It is not a crime to de-gazette land belonging to a park.”

The residents say past injustices attributed to land grabbing from the colonial time in 1948 was to blame for the poverty, human wildlife conflict and landlessness that are currently afflicting the residents.

Land

According to Taita Taveta County Council Chairman Erasmus Mwarabu, the county covers an area of 17,128.3 square kilometres but a huge acreage of this was grabbed by the colonial government which carved out some 10,000 square kilometres (62 percent of the county) and converted it to national park.

He says the Queen of England gave out the remaining land to British warlords who participated in the Second World War as tokens of ap-

preciation.

Mwarabu resents the fact that warlords acquired huge tracts of land in Taveta, Mwatate and Voi after the end of the Second World War and the expansive land was later converted into the current sisal farms thereby continuing to worsen the issue of landlessness in the county.

“In Mwatate one Major Lezen was given over 40,000 acres. He used the land to hunt wild animals such as the rhinos, elephants and the big cats for game trophies.

This merciless grabbing left scores of locals displaced and they went on to breed thousands of squatters and the subsequent dispute with animals,” notes Mwarabu.

However, later in the 1950s, a local freedom fighter, Mengo Woresha led an uprising that saw Major Lezen relinquish some of the land he had acquired and settled at 33,000 acres where the Teita Sisal Estate falls.

As the Mwatate ward civic leader explains, before the colonialists came, locals used to plan usage of land in such a way that the upstream, was reserved as a water catchment area, while the lower zones were left for settlements and cultivation respectively and finally herding and hunting was done on the plains.

According to Mwarabu because of this well organised system of land usage, the locals used to live well with the wildlife without any conflict.

“After the 62 per cent was taken away, most of the population was forced to encroach on the forested zones,” Mwarabu explains.

Results

As a result, water levels from the Voi River have dwindled drastically as the river originates from the hills and serves wildlife and residents at the lower areas.

“This forces wildlife to stray from parks and invade villages in search of water leading to conflict with the locals,” notes Mwarabu.

Due to water shortage in the parks, jumbos have been invading villages adjacent to the parks and consequently cases of human-wildlife conflict continue to escalate.

Worst hit are areas of Aliya, Marungu, Mwanda, Msorongo, Maktau and Chakaleri in the Mwatate and Ikanga.

Mkatau Chief Cripus Mnyika laments that farmers often count loses following huge destruction of crops such as pawpaw, maize, beans, and

An ariel view of elephants being moved back to the park

by Kenya Worldlife Helicopter, a resident of the county digging traps for the wild animals and Erustus Mwarabu, Taita Taveta County Council Chairman narrating the ordeals of the Taveta residents. Human- wildlife conflict has given Taveta residents sleepless nights.

Pictures: Robby Ngojhi cowpeas among others and he says this has plunged the area into severe drought.

“Residents hopes of getting good yields are often doomed since crops get destroyed by the marauding elephants,” says Mnyika.

These sentiments are supported by Alphans Mborio, a resident of Maktau. “Students have not been attending school for fear of being attacked by wild animals that crisscross the routes to school.”

Mborio observes: “We are also forced to be indoors by 6 pm because the jumbos come out to invade our farms in the evenings. The only time that we feel a bit secure is around noon because they go to look for shelters under the trees due to the high temperatures.”

However, despite the constant anguish of rampant human elephant conflict, the residents have remained adamant that they do not want an electric fence erected around the park so as to bring the old problem to an end. They allege that KWS cannot be trusted again as it has a history of extending its boundaries and grabbing community land.

Mwarabu recalls that after the establishment of the Tsavo National Park, KWS further gazetted some of the wildlife corridors which were initially in the community land.

“In Njukini area in Taveta, 4,000 acres were reserved as migration corridors for animals migrating from the Mkomanzi National Park in Tanzania to Tsavo, but in 1997 KWS grabbed the area and gazetted it,” he says.

In another scenario, he claims the wildlife conservation body had grabbed some 300 acres at man-eaters near Voi which were initially identified by the council for establishment of a tourist resort.

Past

History of man-eaters dates back to the 17th Century when two Ghost lions famously known as-man eaters reportedly killed about 135 workers of the Kenya-Uganda railway construction, before a celebrated hunter Col John Henry Patterson killed them.

The story has been documented in a popular movie-the ghost and the darkness by Val Kilmer in a documentary which reveals how the two ghost lions devoured hundreds of railway line workers at the Tsavo during the construction of the rail around Voi town in 1898.

“This is a rich history which we want the locals to benefit from but unfortunately the place was shackled by KWS,” regrets Mwarabu.

“In Njukini area in Taveta, 4,000 acres were reserved as migration corridors for animals migrating from the Mkomanzi National Park in Tanzania to Tsavo, but in 1997 KWS grabbed the area and gazetted it.”

— Erasmus Mwarabu

Prior to the establishment of the Tsavo, the infamous Mudanda rock in Tsavo East was a hunting ground for the locals where after hunting; they would dry the bush meat on the rock.

The site which locals hold in reverence harbours traces of Taita culture.

The residents are up in arms against the move by KWS to gazette it.

“Mudanda comes from a local word Kudanda which locally means to dry meat. The rock carries some great importance to the community because the culture of Taita is diminishing. KWS should have left it to the community so that we could partner with it and establish ecotourism projects that would attract tourists would come and familiarize themselves with the local culture,” observes Mwarabu.

Such are the bitter experiences that have made locals object to fencing.

Difficulties

In some areas it has been difficult for KWS to put up the fence around the buffer zones- an area which separates the community land and the park because the residents feel that once the fence is put, the wildlife body might in future convert it into permanent boundary thereby further eating into the community land.

“Normally buffer zones are not supposed to be fenced because they neither belong to the park nor do they belong to the community. However,

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

5

Land value soars as Isiolo moves towards resort city status

By Cosmas Ekuwam The anticipated windfall and intense competition for land, has pushed value of land and properties in Isiolo higher as the town marches towards resort city status.

The area has lately been experiencing unprecedented infrastructural development activities, that have seen the rent of commercial and residential properties triple in the last five years.

Value for land has also gone up, sending influential individuals and councillors into

Taveta residents want park hived off to resettle squatters Continued from page 4 where there is a serious human animal conflict we normally opt to fence the area to solve the problem,” explains Wilson Korir, Assistant Director Tsavo conservation area.

“Try to sample a situation where a portion of your land has been grabbed and you are left with a tiny area to do subsistence farming for your family, then herds of elephants storm your farm and destroy everything, how would you feel?” poses Flumence Mshila, Maktau ward Councillor.

In the recent past, the issue of fencing has taken centre stage during public hearings of the parliamentary committee on land and natural resources in Voi. Local leaders led by Minister for Gender, Children and Social Development and Taveta MP Dr Naomi Shaban told the committee that if the fence must be erected, then there should be two fences with one right at the park boundary and another around the buffer zone.

“We need two fences so as to avoid further friction with the KWS concerning park boundaries. It is a very vast acreage which falls in no man’s land so we must be allowed to utilize it as well,” proposed Shaban.

Taita Taveta Human Rights Watch chair Haji Mwakio argues that during drought, local herdsmen usually rely on the buffer zone to graze their animals and at the same time wild animals also rely on the place for pasture. Therefore, locals should not denied access to the area by KWS. “The area between the park and the community land is supposed to benefit both parties but now only KWS benefits from the same,” says Mwakio.

Issues

The locals also took issue with the sisal farms and proposed that justice be done so that the locals get back their land saying that currently only a few individuals from outside the County are benefiting at the expense of the locals who are living as squatters.

“A very huge percentage of our community land is in the hands of individuals from outside.

All the sisal estate plus the parks belong to private entities while the locals languish in abject poverty,” Mwakio notes.

According to the executive director Taita Resource Centre Chrsitopher Mwambingu, if the current conflict is not resolved legally, the ongoing tension is likely to escalate into violence because the population is gradually growing and there is no land left for new generations.

“What was once community land have been taken over by sisal estates, national parks, tourists and mineral prospectors, including some controversial animal sanctuaries, compounded by tensions among the native and non-native ethnic and tribal groups now living in the area,” observes Mwambingu.

He says the current land laws are not understood by all stakeholders, particularly the poor and marginalised local residents, most of whom have seen little benefit from the area’s economic potential.

To avoid the situation escalating into violence, Mwambingu says there is a need to facilitate a process that will help all those involved to come up with lasting solutions that respond adequately to multiple priorities.

a frenzy, scrambling for piece of commercial plots.

According to Vincent Mburugu, a property manager with Vero Properties, rent for both residential and commercial buildings have skyrocketed.

In central business district, single residential rental houses are costing between KSh2,500 - KSh3,000 per month up from KSh1,000 KSh1,500 two years ago. Double rooms are going for between KSh5,000-KSh6,000 monthly up from KSh3,000 to KSh3,500 two years ago.

Rental houses have not been spared either

as rent has gone up from KSh6,000 - KSh6,500 up from KSh3,500 - KSh4,000 two years ago.

Two bedroomed rental houses currently fetch between KSh7,500 to KSh8,000. Residential houses in the outskirts of the town have also relatively gone up.

Business premises rent has also been hiked progressively. According to Mohamed Patel director Isiolo and Marsabit County Services, a property management firm which operates in upper eastern region, space for small business stalls are now going for about KSh8,000 up from KSh3,000 monthly two years ago. Shops

medium sized are being let for KSh30,000 KSh40,000 monthly up from KSh 10,000- KSh 15,000 two years ago.

Patel who has been in property management business for the last eight years, says there has been a scramble for business premises in the last two years. Patel says in the central business district, a piece of land 50 by 100 that has not been developed is being sold for KSh5million.

According to Patel, the soaring value of land in Isiolo to the envisioned vision resort city. A fact which was echoed by Mburugu of Vero Properties.

Families displaced during the state of emergency now make demands Continued from page 1 The letter addressed to Musoma District Commissioner in Tanzania read in part: “Nandi Migration to Musoma District: 20 Nandi elders including eight chiefs, eight Nandi African council members and four representatives of the prospective immigrants, accompanied by Mr. G S Snell, District officer have left the country to settle in Musoma area of Tanzania.”

The letter indicates that some of the immigrants were transported by a five tonne Thames Diesel Lorry and the journey started from Kapsabet at 8 am on October 24, 1951.

Only women and children were provided with transport while their husbands were tasked with the responsibility of driving animals through the forests infested with wild animals along Nandi, Nyanza and parts of Tanzanian districts.

“We lost a number of livestock to wild animals and diseases in the one month journey to the neighbouring country which was then under the British East African Protectorate,” notes Mzee Talam.

Another official document, affirming their departure is a correspondence from the then chief Native Commissioner Mr. L.F. G. Prichard dated 13th February 1953, and addressed to the Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner indicating that about 90 families from Nandi area had migrated to Musoma District.

Those who migrated were issued with movement permits by the Nandi District Commissioner and a livestock permit from the district veterinary department for at least 20 herds of cattle per family.

The migrating families had to use the Kisii-Tarime route through Mara district to the promised land in Musoma.

Over 400 families had migrated by 1953 to Tanganyika in Upper Suguti and South Uzanaki, Nata areas.

The British colonial government dictated on the number of immigrants and regions they were to occupy. This was mainly informed by the need to control the spread of diseases, notably the tsetse fly which would inflict the greatest killer disease for both human and cattle.

Identity

Mzee Amon Kipkosgei Chumo now 77 years old and whose parents migrated to Tanganyika when he was only 18 years is able to identify the family’s homestead at Chemarus Village near Muhoroni.

When they migrated to Tanganyika, entire villages were converted into sugar plantations by the white farmers.

However, Mzee Chumo says that all was not rosy in Tanzania. They

faced a lot of resistance from local chiefs in Musoma Mara District.

He singles out Chief Kambarage Nyerere, father of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, the former president of Tanzania as one of the few chiefs who welcomed and accepted the Nandi immigrants to settle in the country.

Though they stayed in Tanzania peacefully, they were not allowed to vote or seek to contest any political seats. However, they were provided with health and education services.

Harmony

Says Mzee Chumo: “We lived harmoniously with all tribes because of the support we received from Chief Kambarage although we were not granted citizenship by the Tanganyika Government.”

He says most of them settled in Butiama, Isenye, Ikisu, Ngilimu, Ikoma, Nata and Wemba towns.

“In Wemba parents of former Cabinet Minister John Kipruto Kirwa were my immediate neighbours and as a young boy Kirwa learned and adopted the Tanzanian Swahili which he speaks very fluently todate,” observes Chumo.

Speaking from Poto-Poto Trading Centre at the Chemelil sisal sugar plantation in Nandi South District where the families are pitching camp, Mzee Chumo says the situation started changing in 1991 and they had to endure a lot of suffering in Tanzania.

He recalled that the Tanzanian Government directed that the immigrants leave the country without further delay. The families were not allowed to sell any of their valuables.

He recalls that one farmer from Nandi lost over 420 heads of cattle and in average each family lost 50 heads of cattle as authorities rushed to enforce the directive.

They were bundled into lorries and transported back to Kenya where they were received by Government officials among them the District Commissioner Nandi.

The letter from the United Republic of Tanzania dated February 13, 1991 entitled “Notice to prohibited immigrants” states in part, “your presence in Tanzania is unlawful and you are hereby ordered to leave the Country within three weeks”.

According to Wilson Kipkoech Yiego one of the returnees, the directive came from a former Home Affairs Minister Joseph Murema who ordered the Nandis to leave follow-

John Chumo, one of the Nandis who came back to Kenya from Tanzania. Picture: David Kirwa ing a diplomatic row with the KANU regime.

Simeon Kiptoo Sigisio says the families must now be allowed to resettle in their ancestral land.

Sigisio who works as a mechanic at the Chemelil Sisal Estate says that time has come for the community to reclaim their land along the Nandi-Nyando districts and Muhoroni areas.

Speaking to the press at their camp Sigisio noted the population of Nandi living in different towns of Tanzania which currently more than 25,000 people who are willing to return to Kenya and be settled.

He added that by June this year, they expect about 4,000 Nandi back home because life in Tanzania has become unbearable.

“We are happy that our relatives have welcomed us back like the lost son in the Bible who went back to his father after consuming all his belongings,” observes Sigisio.

According to former chief Kipstuko Koech, coordinator of the displaced families, members of the local community were happy to receive their lost brothers, women and children back home after five decades.

Both Chief Koech and Wilson Yiego say the Government should resettle the displaced families.

Chief Koech said owners of larger sugarcane and sisal plantations are willing to sell their estates to the Government to pave way for the settlement of those who have returned.

He added that the government settled several families in Muhoroni area in 1961 after heavy floods swept parts of Luo land near Ahero in Nyanza Province and that there is still enough land in the settlement

“...your presence in Tanzania is unlawful and you are hereby ordered to leave the country within three weeks.”

— The quote is by United Republic of Tanzania

schemes that can be allocated to the victims.

“The families want the government to look for alternative land to resettle them as opposed to evicting families who have occupied their ancestral land,” observes Koech.

The former administrator says that so far, about 2,000 Nandis have returned to Kenya and have been accommodated by relatives after they evicted from Tanzania.

Majority want to be settled in settlement schemes along the Nandi-Kisumu–Londiani area.

True to the Nandi tradition and strong cultural beliefs, women were not allowed to give interviews. The men said that women are not allowed to articulate serious matters affecting the community.

They now want the Government to provide them with relief food as they do not have land where to can engage in any meaningful agriculture.

They speak fluent Kiswahili just like the Tanzanians do but and only went up to primary school level before dropping out to herd their livestock.

They also said they were not issued with Tanzania national identity cards since they were considered immigrants who could not be allowed to enjoy the full rights entitled to citizens.

“Some of our relatives have married in Tanzania and do not come to Kenya regularly due to high transport costs,” observes Koech.

They returnees admit that they were duped by the white settlers and call on Kenyans to think twice when the deal is too good before they agree to seek any greener pastures elsewhere.

Their return is raising pertinent questions among Kenyans who feel that the move could act as a precursor that allows other people including the US president to come back home and demand land.

6

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Watchmen adopt survival tactics as life becomes unbearable

By JAMES MBAKA James Osiemo is a man who likes what he does because it is out of his work that he is able to fend for his family. He does his work with passion and humility ensuring that all the time, situations, and circumstances are under control and nothing threatens the environment.

The 37 year old is a security guard in Kisii town. The father of three is among thousands of Kenyan workers in the security industry who did not smile as Labour Day was marked.

For Osiemo and his colleagues, this is a sad day that evokes bitter memories of unfulfilled promises by employers. To add salt to injury, the hard economic times occasioned by sharp price increases have overwhelmed their paltry earnings.

Duty

On a typical night duty, OsieSecurity officers in regular drills to hone their skills. Majority work under unbearable conditions, mo reports to his work station which have forced them to device survival tactics. Inset: James Osiemo, a security worker during by 6pm. He is required to sign in the interview in Kisii town. Below: Erick Odera who is a marriage counselor advises guards who and assume duty after relieving spend more time in their places of work to create time for their families. his predecessor. His work entails Photo: James Mbaka and Reject Correspondent protecting lives and property in now is getting them through school ground for majority of them. subscribe at say, KSh15,000 the home of wealthy businessman Those who work at night proceed a month while a guard is who has subscribed for security ser- and giving them the best education to casual jobs popularly referred to only paid a third of the than I received,” he projects. vices with Osiemo’s employer.

Osiemo moved to his current as ‘mjengo’ during the day. This has amount received as the rest Osiemo cuts the face of a brave man ready to protect with strong evi- employer three years ago where he forced many guards to ask to be de- is pocketed by firm owners.

“This is a dangerous precdence of muscularity. He braves the is paid KSh6,500 per a month. Ac- ployed on night shifts by their emchilly weather at night to ensure that cording to him this is just a drop in ployers as they juggle alternative ways edent in provision of private security in the country that security is under control. However, the ocean. Although the approved to fill the financial gaps. must be addressed at all costs a closer encounter with the eldest minimum wage of a Kenyan worker to ensure that subscriptions brother in a family of seven portrays is KSh7,578, workers in the security industry earn far much lower. This However, juggling with double and salaries among security an intelligent and learned guy. employment comes at a cost since guards are harmonised so as He speaks fluent English and Swa- has been increased by 13.1 per cent.

Osiemo is the sole bread winner one has to employ a delicate bal- to benefit both parties,” says hili, perhaps the reason why he was for his family after he wife became ancing act between work and other John Kamweru, a security assigned to guard a wealthy man.

“I am happy to be a security guard incapacitated after an accident. She family responsibilities. To juggle consultant. but regret that my job is not paying used to operate a as a vegetable ven- between the two has proved to be me well to cater for my needs de- dor at Daraja Mbili market but she is a serious challenge among security He discerns that if the guards with some claiming that lack spite the fact that I give it my best, now on a wheel chair.

“I hope she will get well and help of enough time to address bedroom Private Security Industry my qualifications notwithstanding,” me find an extra cent to finance our matters has propagated immoral- Bill 2010 is fast tracked it he quips. budget given that the expenses are ity and planted seeds of infidelity will address the gaps in the likely to increase as the children ap- among partners. provision of such service.

“The law once enacted “Working all day and night to look Osiemo completed secondary proach upper classes.

Osiemo was forced to move his for money has contributed greatly to will standardise operations schooling and scored a mean grade of C+ — a university minimum en- family to his rural home, some 10 marriage break-ups among spouses in the industry and streamline sertry grade — but failed to proceed kilometres from Kisii town after the given that husbands involved either vices so as to make private security with his studies because of poverty. accident given that he spent a lot of are too exhausted to satisfy conjugal provision competent and competineeds of their wives or they are too tive,” observes Kamweru.

He decided to seek employment as money to treat his wife.

He now lives in a single room busy concentrating on satisfying baHowever, Osiemo says security a security guard ten years ago. The company that first employed him in town where he pays KSh2,500 a sic wants until they forget those who guards are exposed to more dangers paid a paltry KSh3,500. After work- month as rent. His daily expenditure matter most in their lives,” observes than those they guard and need better facilities to be able to respond efing for three years he was able to he says is KSh200 on the lowest side. Erick Odera, a marriage counsellor.

But asked how he manages to foot Odera advises that guards and fectively to situations of emergency. educate his siblings.

Majority of the security compa“My immediate follower is now a this bill, Osiemo says he works as a those who spend more time away graduate teacher and was employed casual labourer during the day in a from their families must strive to nies often neglect their workers and two years ago, he has relieved me with construction companies where he is set aside reasonably enough time to fail to get crucial input from them private moments to listen to the in- with regards to improving service dethe responsibility of taking care of our paid KSh200 per day.

Osiemo is not alone in this. He is ner voices of the ones they love, or livery. Security guards often are not younger sisters who are in form two among many other security guards else the future of marriage is under supplied with special kits for their and three,” explains Osiemo. protection either against thugs or adAfter his brother finished school, who juggle life between night and attack.

“They must have moments of pri- verse weather conditions.

Osiemo got married and now has day to make a decent living. Many “My bosses insist that we should three children in classes one, three, of them look for alternative casual vacy with their loved ones whether and five. “I do not intend to add any employment during their free time wives or children to ensure that mar- be in uniform all the time but fail to more children because of the prevail- and when not on duty. The construc- riages are stable whether with mon- give us heavy pullovers and jackets to ing hard economic times, the task tion industry has become a hunting ey or poor,” advises Odera, who is a provide warmth at night,” says Jared Omweri, a security guard. marriage counsellor in Kisii town.

He says companies must make arrangements to ensure that they take Marriage instability is not the into consideration their health cononly problem beleaguering security cerns since they work in most cases guards, some security provider com- at night when temperatures are low.

Omweri says that some employpanies continue to deny the workers their rights. While those seeking ser- ers are often harsh towards security vices from those agents pay highly, guards without realising that security the guards in turn receive only a frac- is partnership and cooperation is important in a bid to enhance a secure tion of this.

An individual seeking private se- environment.

According to Ombaki Ondieki, — James Osiemo curity from affirm can be asked to

Employment

Gaps

Education

“I do not intend to add any more children because of the prevailing hard economic times, the task now is getting them through school and giving them the best education than I received.”

Stability

also a security guard they work under very poor conditions. “Some companies do not allow security guards to form unions that can advance their agenda for fear of rebellion,” notes Ondieki.

He also laments that the Kenya private security workers union has not been very consistent in fighting for the rights of its members so as to push other companies with nonunionised employees to feel free to join.

The union has been accused of drawing its membership only from big established companies in major towns while leaving out small companies in the outskirts of the city that account for over 40 per cent alone on private security workforce.

The union has of late been pushing for the enactment of a law that seeks to regulate operations of private security guards.

Measures

The Private Security Industry Bill 2010 which outlines a draft of measures to be taken in reforming the security sector has been pending in parliament for the last two years.

The bill calls for the registration of all security firms, training of its personnel and proper remuneration for all its security guards.

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Shoe shiners want a right to business operations

By ROBERT WANJALA The skies are no longer holding it. The pouring of the rains has signalled farmers in the North Rift and in the country to start sowing seeds on the ground. Joining the growing number of excited farmers is one Nicholas Ireri Kanambiu but for rather different reasons.

Ireri is a renowned shoe shiner and repairer who is counting his blessing that comes with the rain. Osama as he is fondly called by his customers says rainfall means booming business.

Ireri is an old hand in the shoe repair. His experience dates way back to 1975 when he started in Karatina, Central Province.

“I started off shoe shining business after quitting formal employment which was far below paying,” Ireri says.

The 61 year old, father of five says his business grew faster than he anticipated and soon opened other branches in Thika, Nairobi and Mombasa.

The Standard Seven drop-out together with his business became so popular and soon began mingling with all and sundry and even poking his naive nose into the politics of the day.

Before learning the cost of his association with the political celebrities especial those perceived enemies of the Moi regime and its systems, he was arrested for championing and expressing his displeasure against the then ruling Kanu government.

His stance at the ‘Baba na Mama’ government landed him a year term jail at the Kamiti Maximum prison. Languishing in Kamiti cells on 14 counts of unknown offences saw all his businesses collapse as his family faced grave danger of gnawing poverty.

Muite

Immediately after securing his release through the Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara and lawyer Paul Muite, Ireri bounced back to his shoe business. Having learned the heavy cost of ‘saying the right thing at the wrong time’, Ireri chose to keep a low profile and concentrate his energies in improving his family’s income.

As the God’s word says “make peace with all men without which no man shall see God”, Ireri today is a peace maker and doubling his flourishing shoe shinning career and conserving the environment. When he is not cleaning his “bosses” shoes, he is busy tending to his trees that form the shade under which he operates.

Daniel Okwaro, an employee with the bank, is among his 50 regular customers. Okwaro is happy with Ireri’s good services and his distinct public relations.

“I have been his customer for 11 years now.

Ireri knows how to treat people. He is honest and reliable”, Okwaro says adding that his services are quality.

However Okwaro says shoe polish and sole manufacturers should give incentives to loyal customers such as shoe shiners and repairers who have promoted their products for so long.

“These manufacturing companies should even think of building or modifying the shades for them as part of corporate social responsibility,” notes Okwaro.

Sammy Yakwa, a businessman and also Ireri’s regular customer echoes Okwaro’s sentiments and reiterates that indeed such companies need to look for ways of rewarding them or financing them to boost the business.

Sammy Ng’ang’a, a passion fruit farmer says he was attracted to Ireri’s shed because of his cleanliness: “His services are excellent,” he says.

Like the rest of Ireri’s customers, Ng’ang’a says during rainy seasons the shoe shiners experience hardship to meet the high demand for cleaning or repairing.

Among the challenges as expressed by the shoe customers, Jeremiah Ndung’u another

7

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Tarda to construct honey factory

By BONIFACE MULU The Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA) will construct a honey factory in Kitui town at a cost of KSh20 million.

According to Joses K. Mugambi, Project Manager of the Kitui Honey Refinery Project, who made the disclosure at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) Kitui Regional Research Centre the factory will be the largest in Eastern Province.

Development

He said construction of the factory offices will be complete by mid this year.

“Our role is just to assist honey farmers,” he said.

Mugambi was speaking during a sensitization session for hundreds of farmers and school children during an open day organised by the KEFRI Kitui Regional Research Centre at a function where the Centre Director, Dr James K. Ndufa, was the chief guest.

Mugambi said the Kitui County has been appointed by the TARDA Managing Director for the construction of the honey factory because it is the central place for honey in the TARDA’s region that covers Kitui, Nyeri, Machakos, Mbeere and Meru among others.

Nicholas Ireri doing what he knows best next to a tree he planted in honour of the late Environment minister, John Michuki. Below the cobbler cum environmentalist attends to a customer. Pictures: Robert Wanjala shoe shiner in town says shoe manufacturing industries should improve on the material they produce in order for them to offer quality and durable services to their clients.

“Our customers have often complained for poor quality materials they use. With the ever increasing prices for material, we have registered a decline in customers due loss of confidence in our work,” Ndung’u claims.

Pius Chumba, a customer care service provider says it is high time shoe shiners formed a union which would help them not only access financial support but also give them more bargaining power or be heard when expressing their work challenges.

An official from Youth Fund says any group that meets the requirement is welcome to apply funding. “So long as they are registered and meet other requirement by the ministry they can apply for funding,” explains the officer who requested anonymity because he is not allowed speak to press.

Joshua Oroni, an engineering student at local college and a part time shoe shiner says acquiring a business license is expensive and wishes that the municipal council could review the charges to accommodate more players in the business and especially youths rotting away in delinquency.

Oroni says other challenges facing them include space. According to Chumba, the council should designate places and allocate to them.

This is because shoe shining business has become viable as many families are educating their children through it.

Efforts to get comments on the business license fees and space from the Municipal Council did not bear fruits. The council’s officers re-

“I started off shoe shining business after quitting formal employment which was far below paying.”

— Nicholas Ireri Kanambiu

Planting

sponsible for speaking to media were said to be engaged on official duties.

Chairman civil society North Rift region Philip Barno says like any other business opportunity, shoe shiners should be given opportunity by the council to operate their business freely without intimidations.

“Repairing and polishing shoes remain essential services that we cannot do away with.

They need space to earn their living just like the other business people in the country,” observes Barno.

And although Oroni says it is hard to mobilise his colleagues into a group, the Kenya National Secretary General of Central Organisation of Workers Association, Gerald Mudaha says they should join the union to have more authority in advancing their grievances.

Potential

Like hawking business, shoe shinning is a potential venture and unless they form an association, getting the relevant authorities listen to their woes will remain a challenge.

Mudaha says any worker looking to succeed should join groups: “If they are mobilised into groups we can come in and help them join saving schemes and support them diversify their business to meet the runaway economy.”

Ireri’s advice to the youths is that they should not wait for formal employment but instead should start anything that will provide an income.

“I’m so happy and content with what I do for a living. I have opened several shoe repair branches which have improved my standards of livelihood.”

He adds that government should seek to improve workers remunerations to enable them (shoe shiners) who depend on them (workers) benefit.

Ireri’s calls on all Kenyans to plant at least one tree as this will not only add value to the environment but will be a sign of peace for the country.

He said this in Kitui while giving out commercial tree nurseries for the public to plant trees. In June last year, they planted more than 5,000 trees at the Kenya Medical Training College-Kitui.

Mugambi told the farmers that they must appreciate that honey does not expire.

“The honey can stay for even more than 20 years without expiring,” he said. Reiterating the importance of honey, Mugambi said honey is a good medicine for the treatment of wounds, severe coughs, colds and arthritis among many other ailments.

“The refinery and harvesting works of the honey do not require smells of perfumes, alcohols, cigarettes, soaps, chemicals and petroleum among others. This is because honey attracts and retains those smells. What you are supposed to do is just to wash with mere water or water with an un-perfumed soap to save the honey from those smells,” explained Mugambi.

Research

In his speech, Ndufa said KEFRI has several research centres situated in agroecological zones in Kenya. He said Kitui is one of those centres.

“We are supposed to work with farmers and other related stakeholders. So those are our basic mandate,” Ndufa noted. He added: “This is one of the seeds collection centres in the country.”

“We have trained people in various places in the region (Kitui) who can collect seeds for us. We pay them for the collection of the seeds,” said Ndufa.

He explained that basically the KEFRI is a research institution.

“What we usually do is to build capacity for the farmers,” said Ndufa adding that they offer trainings to farmers free of charge.

He said that the local farmers have cut indigenous trees for charcoal burning to get money for their children’s school fees and to purchase food due to poverty.

8

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Hard economic times bad for poor Kenyans

By LYDIA NGOOLO The cost of living in Kenya is no longer enjoyable. The prices of commodities have gone high starting with the normal KSL sweets. Every time the national budget is read in Parliament, the expectation of the public is reduction of essential commodities.

“It’s sad because the prices of commodities have shot up at once. The prices of the essential commodities like maize floor, cereal and cooking fat is never considered. We buy food but is never enough to put it on the table,’’ says Mama Mercy, who runs a shop near the old wholesale market in Mwingi.

She adds: “It’s shocking because every time I go for stocks, there is price hike.

A bundle of maize floor was costing KSh1,100 last week, but is now KSh1,300.

A bag of sugar went for KSh4,600 and now it is KSh6,000.

She says customers lament the increasing cost of goods. “Yesterday I bought a pack of one kilogram of maize at KSh30. Today, it is KSh35,” she says.

Mama Mercy says it is too hard to deal with the neighbours, who are her customers adding that her monthly profit has also decreased due to lower sales.

Again the rent is too high even the landlords are not sympathizing with them.

She pays rent of KSh6,000 per month

and KSh4,500 to the town council per year yet these are too expensive for a small shop she runs.

Customers expect goods be sold to them according to their living standards.

What shocks Mama Mercy is that if one is rich, he does not pay much for the good. To the less fortunate, they expect sympathy which does not go with any business.

Economy

“With the economic hard times, I sometimes wish the earth could swallow me. These children are too much for me to feed. I don’t regret anyway, they are mine,” says Muvai Munyithya from Mui in Mwingi East district, a grandmother charged with taking care of orphans.

Munyithya used to buy the small packet of milk last month, but currently, they are surviving on the strong tea which is accompanied by nothing. She lives in a rental house which she pays for KSh400.

The price of fuel is high and has affected access to most goods and the services.

However, the prayers of the common person are that the Government should check on the essential goods and services just at least to cushion the lives of the poor. “The government should look and address this issue of inflation with seriousness,” says a resident of Mwingi.

Mama Mercy weighing beans for her customer in her shop. The prices of important commodities are increasing at an alarming rate and so the shop keepers have to adjust their prices too. Picture: Lydia Ngoolo

Municipal council celebrates top performance

By OCHIENG JUMA Business in Machakos town recently came to a standstill as residents and traders joined staff and officials of Municipal Council of Machakos in celebrating their top performance.

This was after the released local authorities performance contract results. The council staff and officials marched through the town and later joined the residents for celebrations at the council grounds. Machakos town clerk Sheikh Abdullahi lauded the staff for their commitment in ensuring residents received quality services.

“It is through hard work by all our staff that we have managed to get recognition countrywide as a top performing council. I also want to thank the civic leaders for providing us with a good working environment,” noted Abdullahi.

Growth

He also lauded the residents and the business community for working closely with the council. He said the council would engage the business community through dialogue and consultations to ensure growth of the town.

“I want the business community to understand that the council will continue to engage them through dialogue to ensure the growth and development of the town through partnership because we cannot succeed alone without them,” reiterated Abdullahi.

The council’s performance in the last three years has been poor with previous reports showing that in 2007-2008 they were position 152, in 2008-2009 they jumped to position 13 and in 2009-2010 they went back to position 69 before jumping back to position 3 in the 2010-2011 local authorities performance contract.

The clerk said that in the municipalities category, the council was ranked in position one because the top position was taken by the town council of Kikuyu while position two was taken by the town council of Othaya.

“In the performance contract 20102011 we had 70 targets and we managed to excel in eight of them meaning we surpassed the targets by 30 percent.

We scored highly in 59 of the targets while good in three of the targets and that is how we managed to become position three countrywide in local authorities’ performance contract,” explained Abdullahi.

Newly elected Machakos County Chamber of Commerce boss Simon Kitheka also lauded the council and pledged to rally the business community in efforts to support the council for the continued development of the town. Machakos Town Member of Parliament Dr Victor Munyaka who was present at the event lauded the council and added that the council should be given the lead role in development and planning of the Konza ICT City.

“I will move a motion in Parliament to endorse the Municipal Council of Machakos as the lead agency in planning and development of the Konza ICT City because it has shown that it is capable and can perform better,” noted Munyaka.

He also said that the Konza ICT City is within Machakos County and not Makueni County as speculated by leaders from Makueni.

Munyaka urged local investors to embrace the development opportunities provided by the Konza ICT City.

“I call upon the locals to embrace the Konza ICT City and invest heavily because they stand to benefit. We do not want people from outside the

Machakos town clerk Sheikh Abdullahi, displays the trophy awarded to the council after it was ranked position three in local authorities performance contract results. Below: The clerk and civic leaders lead council workers and residents in a procession through Machakos town to celebrate their top performance.

Pictures: Ochieng Juma county to be the only investors at Konza,” reiterated the legislator.

Machakos town mayor Timothy Kilonzo urged civic leaders and council staff to continue working in harmony to ensure that they maintain their performance and take the lead position in the next local gov-

ernment’s performance results.

Kilonzo urged all stakeholders to continue partnering with the council

to develop the town and ensure quality service delivery in order to maintain the top position in performance.

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

9

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Gaps threaten land reforms

By FAITH MUIRURI The much hyped land reforms in the country are likely to stall if the proposed laws are enacted in their present form.

The three major bills that have been assented to by President Kibaki are mired with inconsistencies which negate the spirit and letter of the National Land Policy and the land chapter of the Constitution in developing key steps and legislation.

The Land Bill, for instance runs contrary to the principles of devolution; does not bring out the tenure systems or attempt to offer any form of restitution to the long-standing tenure problems associated with the landless poor, persons in informal settlement in urban areas, or those who have weak tenure claims such as the so-called “squatters”.

Mandate

According to Priscilla Nyokabi, executive director of Kituo cha Sheria the Land Bill takes away the constitutional mandate of the National Land Commission and lumps them on the Cabinet Secretary (the executive) which makes the Bill no different from the existing system.

The Land Bill does not offer mechanisms for allocation and disposal of public land including entrenching public participation procedures perpetuating the same legal order that has caused abuse to public land by those in authority in Kenya.

“The Land Registration Bill is equally inconsistent with the Constitution for instance with regard to devolution, gender equity and systems for land registration that would promote the constitutionally required resolution of historical injustices for marginalised groups, minorities, women and historically disadvantaged groups,” she explains.

Nyokabi says that the Community Land Bill on its part is completely unconstitutional and it appears to have been modelled from an existing Act of a foreign country with no bearing whatsoever on the demands of Kenya’s new constitution and the National Land Policy.

“The Bill is not even linked at all with the mandate of the National Land Commission,” avers Nyokabi.

Similar glaring inconsistencies can be seen to exist in respect of all bills developed by the

Ministry of Lands under Article 68. The Bills are complex and voluminous and need for a careful review and specifically on a clause by clause basis. Such analysis would also identify content gaps in the existing bills and propose concretely how those gaps can be filled.

• Ensure that the constitutional mandate of the National Land Commission is recognised in each bill and that the role of the commission is synchronised with other Government agencies that may have specific mandate on matters of certain public land such as the Kenya Wildlife and Kenya Forestry Service.

More public consultations and participation and in particular engagement of experienced and qualified persons in Land Law to review the various land Bills to analyze and critique each of the Bills should be done. Such consultations will be able to identify gaps and propose amendments for consideration by the various entities in the Constitutional implementation legislationmaking chain. The experts on land laws must especially analyze and critique each of the Land bills from a poor, minorities, marginalised and historically disadvantaged groups perspectives.

The position by Kituo cha Sheria came as the Director Land Development and Governance Institute (LDGI) Mwenda Makathimo claimed that the bills have been originated by a private consultant hired by the Ministry of Lands to whom he is exclusively answerable as opposed to a cross-sectoral multi-stakeholder team.

This, Makathimo said, had created divergence and caused unnecessary delays. Currently, the bills are running behind schedule having surpassed the February 26 deadline set out in the Constitution.

Marginalized

The pro-poor, marginalized, minorities and historically disadvantaged analytical perspective is required because it responds to most of the challenges affecting a majority of Kenyans and in the spirit of the new Constitution and the radical National Land Policy of 2009. Such perspective must fully inform the land Bills and should not be subservient to the pro-investment, pro-property perspective that seem to run across the existing land laws and the proposed Bills.

Moreover, land is at the core of Kenya’s political, economic, social and cultural problems.

The land related ethnic clashes over the years that culminated in the post-election violence in 2007/2008 support the view that unless there is radical land reform with a view to promoting land rights of the poor, marginalized, minorities and historically disadvantaged groups, Kenya’s future stability is at stake. This view was underlined conspicuously in the Kofi Annan mediation agreements particularly Agenda IV on long standing issues.

Kituo cha Sheria urges for a review of the Bills and making of concrete proposals in order to input into the process before it is too late. In their present form the bills stand the risk of being declared unconstitutional. The Bills that are supposed to be enacted under Article 68 and which should be reviewed are the Land Bill, the Land Registration Bill, National Land Commission Bill, the Community Land Bill, the Matrimonial Property Bill and the Law of Succession Bill.

So far the Ministry has only released the first three Bills unconstitutionally sidelining the gender friendly Land bills. The proposed land laws must generally: • Translate the broad constitutional principles in chapter 5 (Land and Environment) and the National Land Policy into tangible legal provisions promoting the land rights of the urban and rural poor, marginalized, minorities and historical disadvantaged groups; • Provide for mechanisms for the envisaged

Reform

Makathimo noted that although the long Farmers have been become victims of the term land reforms have been entrenched in the contradicting land laws. National Accord, the two principals have not Picture: Corespondent been proactive on the land reform implementation debate. land re-distribution of irregularly acquired He says that the lawmakers are gradually land and resettlement programme proposed switching to campaign mode in readiness for in the National Land Policy and the Constithe General Elections and, therefore, may not be tution; able to give adequate attention to the important • Entrench affirmative action in institutions that and fundamental land reforms. make decisions on allocation of land rights; “Although the land reform implementation • Give full effect to the broad principles that process has already taken off, it must move in govern the issue of land under Chapter Five of the right direction and at a desirable speed so the Constitution, as well as the national values that the benefits can be realized sooner rather stated in Art 10; than later,” noted Makathimo.

• Align the new laws with relevant applicable He underscored the need to realign the reinternational standards contained in treaties form implementation process with the guiding ratified by Kenya and general principles of inprinciples as stated in the National Land Policy ternational law pursuant to Art 2 (5) and Art 2 and ensure policy enforcement.

(6) of the Constitution;

Bills on land management in Parliament

By WALKER MWANDOTO

Government but the findings have never been implemented. Coast Province accuse the colonial and subsequent governments in Kenya of historical injustices, where their land was forcefully taken, forcing them to become landless or squatters on their ancestral lands,” Wanyepe said.

The Mijikenda, Taita and Ormas are a few communities that were dispossessed of their land not only by the colonial governments, but also post independence governments through marked transactions and the process of adjudication, consolidation, registration and resettlement programmes in the region.

the Kalenjins in Rift Valley to recover what they think they lost when the Europeans forcibly acquired their ancestral land, the desire to remove non-Kalenjins and political and ethnic loyalty as the main reasons for the 2007 post-elections violence.

As a measure to resolve the problem, the Njonjo Report said as part of the process of tenure reforms, mechanisms to be provided for investigations and resolution of historical claims in Rift Valley and Coast Province be made.

Wanyepe said area adversely affected by land alienation is Taita/Taveta County, here the land belongs to two millionaires, while all the native residents are squatters.

that which was vested in the government of Kenya by Sections 204 and 205 of the constitution while trust land is land that is declared to be trust land and defined in Section 114 of the constitution. Neither the government nor the county councils own it. Private land is land to which an individual owns a registered title deed.

The article belongs to page 4, could not fit

The Bills meant to usher in better management of land in the country are being debated in Parliament by the legislators before they are enacted into law, an official from a Mombasa based NGO, Ujamaa Centre, has said.

Nicholas Mrima Wanyepe said debate about land is always emotive and more often than not ends-up without solutions being provided.

Ownership

“Land ownership is seen as a privilege and those who own huge tracts of land are high up on the economic ladder. This is because it is a factor of production and those who do not have it are condemned to life,” he said.

Wanyepe was addressing a Workshop of Land Issue in Coast Province held at Titanic Hotel in Kilifi town in Kilifi County. He said, ‘no wonder land has remained to be the main source of conflicts among communities in Kenya yet it was the reason why Kenyans fought for independence.”

He said after independence, leaders in power and their cronies continued to grab land forcing many Kenyans, particularly in Coast Province to become squatters and attempts to remedy the situation have failed miserably.

“Land commissions have been set by the

Report

“The Ndung’u Report, the Njonjo Commission of Inquiry into the Land Law System in Kenya, the Waki Commission of Inquiry into the Post-Election Violence and the Kriegler Commission on the 2007 Post Election Violence have all acknowledged that such feelings are the cause of ethnic clashes in many parts of the country,” he said.

According to Wanyepe, the Ndung’u Report said that in the 1980s and 1990s land was illegally and irregularly allocated to senior public servants and political cronies in total disregard of public interests. The report also identified land that was irregularly allocated that should be repossessed.

The Kriegler Report identified attempt by

Rights

Land in pre-colonial Kenya was under the customary law with the distinction between rights of access and control of those rights.

But when, the British came things changed after the promulgation of the Crown Land Ordinances of 1902 and 1915.

The Ordinances gave the Governors powers to make grants of freehold and leasehold in favour of individuals and corporate bodies on behalf of the Crown. By 1949, settlers who had acquired 99-year agricultural leases were allowed to convert them into 999-year leases.

“In Kenya, land ownership is divided into three legal categories. These are government, trust and private land. Government land is

Entitlement

But former presidents and commissioners of lands, Wanyepe said, have most often misused their offices to irregularly allocate land to their families, relatives and friends with impunity.

The local leaders in Coast Province are also to blame as they conspired with the outsiders to grab land in various parts of the region. They even through the land officials working in the area they ensured they got pieces of land and sold to up-country people.

Wanyepe said: “The cries of the local communities over land grabbing while they lived as squatter led to the formation of what the government call illegal groups such as Mulungu Nipa, Kaya Bombo, Nyuki Movement, Black Power, Congo by Force and now the Mombasa Republican Council to fight for the rights of the coastal people.”

He challenged participants to read and understand the Constitution, which Kenyans voted in support of saying it will assist communities in the country. He also said that the new law allows women to inherit their husbands’ properties including land.

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ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Residents shunned as land grabbers invade resort city

By COSMAS EKUWAM While Isiolo town is a buzz with a flurry of activities to pave for the highly anticipated resort city, the local pastoralist communities have been left out of the loop.

The government, through Vision 2030 secretariat, the Ministry of Tourism and other actors has embarked on putting in place the necessary institutional infrastructure and enabling facilities towards realising the dream of driving the country into middle-income economy by 2030.

However, the local communities remain in the dark over the unfolding development activities. “As a resident, it is disheartening to note that although I am directly affected by the government policy action, I only have vague idea about the planned Isiolo resort city. I solely rely on information in the media just like the rest of Kenyans,” complains Joseph Kalapata, a civil society activist in Isiolo.

Consult

The local communities feel that, though the idea may be noble, no consultations have been done by the government officials involved in the project, raising concerns among the locals about the motive of those involved.

“We feel that the Treasury officials, in cahoots with a powerful clique around President Kibaki are using the resort city project to grab huge chunks of land under the guise of development of resort city,” noted Kalapata.

Residents have grown weary and apprehensive over the whole project, and due to lack of sensitization, rumour mills are doing rounds leading to communities fighting over ownership of land at the proposed city site.

“From the project conceptualization, design and implementation, there has been no community sensitisation, consultations and inputs on the whole project idea. This is unfair, bearing in mind that we are the same people who have had to contend with evictions in the area around the airport. Further, the grazing land and watering point have been set aside for development of resort city,” observes Hassan Shano, project manager of Waso Trustland, a non-governmental organisation that advocates for land rights.

Clarity

Confusion has crept in due to lack of clarity on issues surrounding land coupled with ambiguity on land tenure system. Land in Isiolo has mainly been classified as trustland under the old Constitution and the matter is still shrouded in controversy.

Meanwhile the local communities have been sucked into violent conflicts in Isiolo west area, which has been earmarked for development of the resort city.

“The local communities have unfortunately been embroiled in tribal conflicts, with warring ethnic groups trying to displace each other from the site earmarked for resort city in anticipation of compensation once the project takes off,” reveals Hassan Nunow, a livestock trader.

More than 60 people have been killed, thousands displaced, houses torched and property worth millions destroyed during inter-community fighting mainly between the Turkana on one hand and the Somali and Borana communities on the other, something that has been recurring for the past six months.

Accuse

The government has been accused of failing to enlighten the communities on the need to stop senseless fightings and focus on development.

Businessmen community has taken advantage of the confusion to gain stronghold on the opportunities presented by the project, especially the commissioning of the Isiolo International Airport.

Real estate developers are in high gear, seeking to acquire prime land for the development of both residential and leisure facilities that will be in high demand once the airport is commissioned.

“As construction of the international air-

port nears completion, investors are planning to build houses and hotels as well as recreation facilities,” says Mohammed Ahmed Patel who is the managing director County Services, a property management company.

The commissioning of the airport by President Mwai Kibaki is expected this month (May) and preparations have been finalised, according Engineer Michieka of Kundan Singh, the contractors hired by Kenya Airports Authority.

Reprieve

The airport comes as reprieve to Miraa (khat) traders in the neighbouring Nyambene District who will reap highly owing to the ease in transporting their produce to Mombasa, Nairobi and Kisumu.

Tarmac road directly linking miraa farms in Nyambene to the airporthas already been constructed, with miraa vans waiting to cruise the ‘Nyambene gold’.

The airport will also enhance other sectors such as agriculture, banking, housing and art work.

The resort city resonates with casinos, international filming facilities and all the trappings of lavish living money can buy.

The construction of international Airport, railway line joining Lamu-Isiolo-Turkana to Juba, dual super-highway, and abattoir are some of the infrastructural activities that have put land speculators on overdrive.

Railway lines and petroleum pipeline, all passing through Isiolo, will attract tourists to the resort city. The city links Southern Sudan through Samburu and Turkana counties, and connects to Ethiopia through Marsabit and Moyale under LAPPESET transport corridor.

The proposed resort has three to six-star hotels, a local art and craft museum, theatres for international festivals and international conference centres.

Other features are golf courses, cultural events like the International Camel Derby and mountaineering, biking and natural walks.

The city is home to national parks that stretch from the Aberdares, Mt Kenya and Meru, archaeological sites, mountaineering and biking trails and natural walks.

Diverse

The circuit is figuratively known as the Jewel in the Crown for its rich diversity in fauna and flora, as well as wide ranging species of wildlife which include the “big five” — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino.

Isiolo district development and planning officer Joseph Ng’ang’a says the county was selected due to its central position in the country,

rich culture by the pastoralists — Borana, Somali, Samburu and Turkana — and its natural heritage that includes beautiful arid scenery and rare wildlife.

Tour

The five rare animals only found in northern Kenya tourism circuit are reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, generuk, gravy zebra and oryx.

According to Anthony Kashero, Manager Sarova Shaba Lodge, the world renowned game sanctuWorkers busy at the proposed Isiolo International Airport ary which was thrust into which is part of the ongoing refurbishments in the area global lime light and fame to pave way for the resort City. A section of the tarmac after CBS TV blockbuster road. Below: Senior Government officials during a tour series Survivor Africa and of the ongoing construction of the road that connects to the films To Walk with LiEthiopia through Marsabit and Moyale under LAPPESET ons, Out of Africa, Sheena the Queen of the Jungle, Born transport corridor. Pictures: Hussein Dido Free and The White Maasai were shot in the area.

Kulamawe and Archers Post after factors such as Under the economic pillar of Vision 2030, security, accessibility, cultural diversity, natural the government intends to develop a resort diversity and wildlife attractions, availability of city that provides sustainable world-class living water, electricity and sewerage system, among standards and working environment — a centre others, were considered. for finance, trade, business, services, sports, leiThe land, which is sandwiched between two sure and entertainment. gazetted hills — Katim and Oldonyo Degishu — Japanese Port Consultant, identified the site is bordered to the South by the world famous for the proposed resort city and developed a Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, to the north by conceptual design after a nine-month feasibil- Buffalo Springs and Shaba National Reserve, ity study. and Samburu Game Park and Ewaso Ng’iro Kipsing Gap was picked by the firm ahead of River to the west.

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

11

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Orphaned girl defies odds, trains as barber

By GILBERT OCHIENG For a 23-year-old orphan, Linnet Nabwire who hails from Nanderema location in Funyula Constituency in Samia district, Busia County, a job is a job and that no job is a preserve of men.

The orphaned girl, the second born in a family of four, comprising two boys and two girls, who is currently employed at Zsangalo Queens Hair Cut and Salon situated at Harambee Shopping Centre, Ru-

ambwa sub-location, Bunyala East location in Bunyala district, says she had been compelled to drop out of school due to lack of school fees.

for only one term when my father unfortunately passed away as I had nobody to cater for my education,” she explains.

“I sat for my Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination in the year 2006 and scored 345 marks out of 500 at Ofafa Jericho Primary School in Nairobi. I joined Nanderema Secondary School just within my home district the following year, but I only managed to learn

Nabwire said the owner of the hairdressing salon and kinyozi, a close relative, then offered to teach her the art of hairdressing for a period of six months with effect from June 2011.

“I had no option except to drop out of school prematurely, a situation

Schooling

Offer

that seriously curtailed my dream of becoming a doctor, so that I could provide for my other siblings who had also been forced to drop out of school,” she says.

“My day begins at 6.30 am, the official opening time and ends at 8.30 pm depending with the influx of clients,” says Nabwire, adding that with a daily pay of KSh150, she is now in a position to provide for her ailing mother and siblings.

The orphan further says apart from taking care of her family, she is

saving part of her daily pay, KSh50 per day totalling to KSh1,500 per month with the hope that within a span of one year, she will have saved enough money that will enable her to set up her own hairdressing salon.

“I am saving part of the money I am earning to enable me venture into a business of my own, be it in hairdressing or any other so that I can be able to meet my personal needs and fend for my siblings and ailing mother,” she says.

Government official Professionals urged to assures women on health make county plan

By Jane Cherotich Busia professionals have been challenged to come up with a master plan for the county development. Addressing the professionals at a Busia hotel, Paul Otuoma Sports and Youth Affairs minister said that this will enable the country to develop and give solutions to problems faced by the counties.

“This is quite in order for this county to progress,” Otuoma noted adding that culture must come in order for them to progress.

However, he urged them to transform themselves into a serious lobby group and emphasise the master plan thing. “You must develop your own agenda in Busia taking issues concerning the county in consideration,” Otuoma reiterated.

Among the issues addressed by the professionals were security, banking, livestock, infrastructure, education and health.

Speaking in the meeting, area police boss Kenneth Kimani lamented lack of income generation activities among the youths in Busia County.

“The youth should be encouraged into

getting engaged in activities that enable them to earn income and this will reduce the rate of crime in the area,” observed Kimani.

Occurrence

He urged the residents to participate in identifying criminals and promised to intensify security in the area owing to the increase in cases of crime that have been reported to him in the recent past.

Amagoro MP Sospeter Ojamong’ who was also present promised to support Busia professionals as a Member of Parliament.

“It is important that you develop the best master plan as a county because once professionals take over, things will move in the right perspective,” observed Ojamong’.

Chairman Busia County Council Charles Onyango reiterated that the county should set up mechanisms to collect revenue in the right way in order to succeed.

“I feel sorry that Lake Victoria is not utilised properly. I proposed that Busia should have its own mechanisms to process fish and export to other countries,” noted Onyango.

Residents demand inclusion by KenGen

By YUSUF AMIN Hundreds of Zowerani residents in Kilifi District have vowed to strongly oppose plans by the Ministry of Energy to establish a coal plant in the area.

The residents say that they were never consulted when the government hived off 350 acres of community land to pave way for the construction of a power generation plant in the area.

Led by their chairman Benjamin Dadu, the residents say that more than 600 people will be displaced if the project goes on as planned.

Consent

Dadu says that the community will only consent to the project if the affected community members are fully compensated and given an alternative site for resettlement.

“The land targeted for the project is covered by palm and cashew nut trees from which the community derive their livelihood,” noted Dadu.

He demanded that an environmental impact assessment survey be undertaken to establish the viability of the project.

The residents lamented that the project may not generate equal value to the land and the plants if they allowed the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen)

to forge ahead with the project.

Area councillor Gambo Mwambeni said local leaders were not involved by the provincial administration in the consultative meetings that preceded with the identification of the site.

Impose

“We will oppose plans to impose the project on the community and respective investors must work hand in hand with the residents so that the project will succeed,” observed Mwambeni.

Women led by Naomi Kadzo said that their land is fertile and they have been practicing agriculture for many years.

They demanded for an explanation from the provincial administration as to why the land was hived off without their consent.

According to Kadzo the residents were shocked when a group of strangers visited the area to conduct feasibility studies without prior consultations.

However, Kilifi DC Benjamin Gachichio said the residents were consulted and he was disappointed by the move they had taken.

Gachichio said he would convene a public baraza to resolve the problem. He also asked the residents to embrace projects initiated in the area by the government and other organisations as they are geared towards the realization of Vision 2030.

By TITUS MAERO The government is committed towards improving women and children’s health in the country.

According to Mrs Tabitha Mwangi, a programme officer with the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation this can be achieved through government policies and individual participation.

Mwangi said there was need for the Government to enact and reinforce its policies in order to improve the health of women and children noting that a mother’s health was the key to the baby’s survival.

Speaking during the official opening of the 17th Midwives Scientific Conference at the Kakamega Golf Hotel in Kakamega recently, Mwangi said population control policies should also be put in place to check birth for better services.

Availability

She urged midwives all over the country that once the population is controlled agricultural production will be improved and food will be available for the people adding that Kakamega County has good climate for food production.

“With good policies, healthcare services will be readily available to prevent, promote, cure and rehabilitate, thereby improve the health of women and children,” Mwangi said.

She noted that good nutrition to all people helps to prevent and treat many people, improve body immunity and also prevent disabilities.

Youths demonstrating to demand better health care for women. Picture: Reject correspondent She said security and stability promotes communication, agricultural production and sale of commodities thereby increasing income for its people and also promoting health.

“Women play important role in the country’s economy, and security and stability also helps in implementation of policies thereby allowing the citizens to access and use them freely and thereby assisting in promoting the health of women and children,” she observed.

Safe

Mwangi said the improved system of clean and safe water also helps in the promotion of good health to a country’s people especially the vulnerable women and children who mostly reside in the countryside.

“A clean and safe environment helps to prevent many diseases thereby improving health for children,” said Mwangi. She added: “Education to all makes the people understand what is done at what time, reasons and benefits.”

Describing who a midwife, Mwangi said that, such a person is the one who having been regularly admitted to midwifery education programme recognised in a country in which it is located and has successfully completed the prescribed course of studies in midwifery and has acquired qualifications to be registered and licensed to practice midwifery.

“The midwife takes care of pregnant women, labour, delivery, new born and executes medical assistance in hospitals, provides care in clinics, family planning and extension services to the community,” Mwangi explained.

Sexuality

She said in reproductive health education, a mid-wife plays an important role in improving women and children’s health and also gives education to couples to enable them understand sexual health, sexual rights and ensure that sexual health is free from fear, shame, injury, disease among others.

She noted that sexual health is integrated as the somatic, emotional intellectual and social aspects which positively enrich and enhance communication among the populace.

“In improving women and children health in the country, reproductive health is given priority in medical circles because it gives couples a chance and freedom to decide when or how often to help them make an informal choice and access safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning,” she reiterated.

Mwangi also said research had shown that women who are prepared for pregnancy do not develop complications but if they develop they are few adding that women who prepare for pregnancy deliver healthy babies.

12

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Voluntary male circumcision bears fruits in families

By HENRY OWINO With the benefits of Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision (VMMC), women are now urging their husbands, brothers and sons to get circumcised. The medical procedure is now getting popular in Kenya even to communities who opposed it as detrimental their culture.

After realising that they too can benefit from male cut, women say they have nothing to hide as it is for medical reasons. They are now advocating for the cut among men to lessen the spread of HIV and female doctors are encouraging Kenyan women to learn more about VMMC and support it.

Speaking at a workshop in Nairobi recently, female public health officials, surgeons, counsellors and spouses, who have managed to convince their husbands to undertake the cut, said the action was laudable.

Circumcision

According to Eunice Ngoma, a VMMC counsellor, most of feedback they get from posts circumcision clients is that love in the house has since then doubled. The fear of contracting cervical cancer and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is also minimal or no longer exists but increase in sexual enjoyment which cannot be emphasised.

The group came out boldly to encourage other women to push their husbands and partners to embrace the initiative. They urged women to encourage their husbands and partners to undergo male circumcision in hospital to keep STIs and HIV at bay.

For the last five years since the project was launched, many people have been streaming into health clinics with their husbands or boy-friends to get circumcised. The turnout in most clinics is rated between 60-100 men per day.

According to Dr Fridah Govedi, Provincial Aids and STIs Coordinator (PASCO), Nairobi,

VMMC began in Kenya in 2008 after five years of thorough research and trials were carried out in Uganda, Kenya and South Africa.

“In Kenya, Nyanza Province was the first place for the trial and it had a positive turn out then the initiative was spread to other parts of the country,” explained Govedi.

She noted the turnout has been overwhelmingly compelling nurses and doctors to work even late in the night. “In some places they work 24 hours, seven days in the week just to serve clients at their own convenient time,” observed Govedi.

Myths

In Nairobi County, the VMMC are done at Jericho, Dandora, Mathare and Kibera among places.

“People should not believe in rumours and myths that circumcision shortens the manhood and therefore reduces man’s performance. This is not true. Instead, the cut sharpens it and increases sexual enjoyment between the couples.

It is the foreskin which is removed and that has no nothing to do with the sex apart from gathering diseases,” Govedi clarified.

She said there are many benefits of male circumcision apart from better sexual intercourse. The man stands 60 per cent chances of escaping HIV infection in case the woman she sleeps with is infected, reduces chances of contracting Genital human papilloma virus also called HPV which is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). HPV is so common that at least 50 per cent of sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives.

Infection

Govedi said surprisingly, most people who become infected with HPV do not even know they have it and it is possible to pass the virus to others years later in life. Cervical cancer is just some of the infections could that be spread

Milda Vugutsa and Arnold Musambai, a young couple share a light moment during the sensitization workshop in Nairobi. Picture: Henry Owino from a woman to a man and vice versa hence need for circumcision.

Milda Vugutsa, a young woman, who got married three years ago to Arnold Musambai, who had not been circumcised says she convinced him to get circumcised. She said their relationship for marriage began very well, but her fear was that he was not circumcised. Since she loved the man so much she could not think of any other man, they got married.

Vugutsa says had to use all the sweet words in her dialect to convince her husband go for the cut. “This I proposed just in case the husband moves outside with another lady without protective devices, he would be 60 percent safe from being infected by STIs.” She admits that the struggle to have her husband circumcised was not an easy task. It took her almost one year to convince him to go the cut but with pressure from his friends it eventually bore fruits.

“I was surprised on February 14, when he asked me in the morning to escort him for the cut that he was in the mood. We did not know the occasion until later on in the day when we saw many people dressed in red that we both

realized it was Valentine Day,” explains Vugutsa.

Musambai says he does regret going through the painful process that chilly morning as the benefits are enormous for both of them. He admitted that the fear was due to his age which he thought would make people look down upon him as an unclean man.

“When I got circumcised, I had to refrain from sexual activity for six weeks as the surgeons recommended and also had to agree with my wife to abstain for that period. Temptations were there, especially in the morning, but my wife encouraged me not to until I healed completely. Today I enjoy it and soon God will bless us with another baby,” says Musambai.

Among the women champions who came forward to advocate for VMMC include Eunice Ngoma (VMMC counsellor), Lutgard Oketch (VMMC community mobilise), Alice Ngoma (VMMC surgeon), Dr Fridah Govedi (Provincial Aids and STIs Coordinator Nairobi area), Milda Okenga and Beryl Atieno, who unanimously agreed the advantages of the cut are more than what disadvantages there might be.

Kenya still far in accessing safe drinking water for all

By HENRY KAHARA Shortage of clean running water is something that many Kenyans are used to even as the world call to attain environmental stability and ensure that every household has access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015.

This is through the Millennium Development Goal number seven.

However, reports coming out indicate that Kenya may not meet this target by 2015. The report says that whereas the world is on track to meeting the drinking water target, much remains to be done in Kenya.

Water shortage is a frequent occurrence in most parts of the country especially in urban centres. One of the most affected areas is Huruma estate in Nairobi.

Huruma is a residential estate which houses many lower and middle income citizens and has been suffering water shortage for long.

Mercy Kabibi, a resident of the estate says water shortage is a major problem in the area. “We mostly get water for two to three days in a week and buy from vendors to keep us going.”

Prices with the vendors vary with the area from which one is buying

and the time. “In the evening it is expensive to get a jar compared to during the day because demand is high at the time,” says Kabibi.

Blame

According to residents, water shortage in the area has largely been blamed on illegal cartels that have been interfering with water pipes, blocking flow to houses.

“There are some people who have illegal water connections where we buy water when there is shortage,” she says.

Kabibi wonders why such people have transacted their businesses without being questioned by any authority.

“I think people fear them including the landlords because since I came here in 2010 nothing has changed.

Landlords will always blame the ongoing road construction of which I doubt because I think our water pass through Juja Road,” notes Kabibi adding that there is no single construction going on in the area.

However, Elijah Njoroge also a resident of Huruma, blames the inability to expand water pipes to meet increased demand by the large population in the area.

“I think pressure is the problem

such that the piped water supply link lacks the capacity to meet the rising demand,” he says.

According to Njoroge, they are supposed to divide the estate into groups so that they can know what side gets water in particular days.

Mary Ajwang, a resident of Juja Road Estate near Pangani Girls High School, says water has become the scarcest commodity in the area.

She claims that the estate never gets water and residents have to rely on water vendors who charge KSh40 for a 20 litre container.

Interfere

Ajwang suspects that someone could be interfering with the piped water in order to reap from the hawking business.

According to a recent World Bank report, efforts to expand access to safe drinking water are on track to achieve this target in most regions: the proportion of the world’s population with access increased from 76 per cent to 86 per cent between 1990 and 2006.

Millennium Development Goal number seven also calls for improving access to sanitation as well as integrating sustainable development into country policies and programmes.

Nairobi residents have devised ways to store water in the face of scarcity. Majority now have to buy water from vendors even as the country commits itself to ensuring everyone has access to safe drinking water by 2011. Picture: Henry Kahara Land is still being degraded, forests are being lost and species are becoming extinct, as carbon emissions continue to change the environment we live in. The World Bank has been integrating Environmental and Natural Resource Management (ENRM)

activities increasingly into agriculture, water sanitation, urban, and other projects to help counter these losses.

On average, ENRM activities have accounted for nine per cent of total new World Bank lending over the past five years.

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Knut petitions elections body to change polls date

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

13

Voter education kicks off in Bondo

By CAROLINE WANGECHI The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has called on the Independent Election and Boundary omission (IEBC) to consider changing the elections date to December saying that if elections are held in March as suggested it will interrupt with the smooth running of learning institutions across the country.

The teacher’s union further called for peaceful elections and campaigns noting that children bear the brunt of violence as witnessed in the bungled 2007-2008 general elections.

These remarks were made by KNUT national chairman Wilson Sossion at Kiandangae village during the burial ceremony of Ainsworth Murimi Gichira, son of Mr Harrison Gichira, KNUT Executive Secretary, Kirinyaga branch who died in a road accident.

Address

Addressing the mourners at the ceremony, Sossion said that teachers are engaged as elections officials as well as using schools as the venue for casting votes and, therefore, learning will be interfered with.

“In case of a runoff, learning will be interfered with even more stating that teachers will accept nothing later than December elections,” he warned.

Sossion took the occasion to put the government on notice for a nationwide teachers strike if money to employ ECD teachers and pay teachers allowances in full is not incorporated in this year’s national budget.

In a thinly veiled reference to Finance Minister Njeru Githae, who is also the area MP, the KNUT chairman told the residents of Kirinyaga County not to listen to leaders who do not address the needs of teachers who are tasked with taking care of the country’s children.

Sossion called on the government to pay school heads their deputy’s and heads of departments responsibility allowances to motivate them adding that this will turn around the running of learning institutions and better the lives of Kenyans.

Compel

“This will make school leadership competitive and motivate students to work hard to be like their teachers instead of compelling them to sign performance contracts,” he observed.

He added that teaching is a calling and should not be compared with construction of roads where we give construction workers timelines saying that teachers need time and peace of mind to perform.

Sossion further faulted a task force report on employment of teachers saying that the country needs to employ 80,000 teachers and not 10,000 as contained in the report.

Task

“The task-force did a shoddy job,” he reiterated.

The KNUT chairman said scrapping the 8-4-4 system was not a wise move adding that the current system needs to be strengthened since it has served the country well in the last years.

He wondered where more than KSh320 billion needed to implement the new system will come from. “The government should use half of that amount to employ more teachers and build modern structures in school to improve the quality of education,” he advised.

He further took the occasion to condemn the rising cases of road accidents along the Thika super highway calling on the government to come up with safety rules to save our children and other Kenyans from untimely deaths caused on the roads.

Residents of Usenge sub-location follow the proceedings of voter education. Below, Bondo Constituency IEBC Co-ordinator Rose Obari. The exercise was conducted to identify any challenges that The Independent Electoral and might be experienced during the coming general elections.

Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has Pictures: Omondi Gwengi launched voter education exercise as it prepares for the general election 2013 as it was passed by the court,” amid row over the polls date. she explained.

According to Bondo ConstituAccording to the Commission, ency Electoral coordinator, Rose the two constituencies —Kajiado Obari, who facilitated the exercise North and Malindi — were selected in Usenge sub-location, the purpose due to their rural and urban features, of the exercise is to test the six balwhich will be used to determine the lot election papers and identify any time taken to cast a vote by a rural challenges that the Commission and an urban voter. may face during the general election.

Addressing the voters, West Yim“With the challenges identified bo Development Committee chairduring the mock exercise held in man, Samson Osanya suggested that Kajiado North and Lamu constituthe elections be held in two days. “I encies, the Commission will be able do suggest that the elections be held to come up with solutions ahead of in two days because this time round, the polls in order to hold smooth we will be voting six positions and and credible election,” said Obari. this will hence take a lot of time. If During this exercise, voters exwe can have the presidential elecpressed fears about what the Comtion held on day one and the other mission says and what the law states positions on the second day,” recomon the election date. mended Osanya.

As the country prepares for the However, Obari said the Compolls, there is fear among the dismission was within the law to set abled in Bondo about how they will the March 4, 2013 general elections be treated. “Going by what happened date arguing that the activities priduring the ODM grassroots elecor to the election could not allow tions, we fear that the worst might the polls to be conducted this year. happen for the disabled,” said Dorsila “The Commission respects the Adhiambo Okoth. rule of law and, therefore, decided to She added: “We need security — Rose Obari have the elections held on March 4, to protect us from harassment and

By Omondi Gwengi

Commission

“We have been experiencing a challenge because most of the voters are fishermen and therefore goes on fishing expeditions on the Election Day.”

mistreatment by some rowdy youths hired by some politicians. If this can’t be taken into consideration, then we aren’t going to participate in the elections.”

However, Obari urged party leaders to ensure that they intensify security during party elections in order to avoid disillusionment and violence.

“Although the Commission has no responsibility of conducting party elections, I urge political leaders to make sure that their elections are free and fair,” she said.

However, the biggest hurdle that Obari cited is the acquisition of identity cards and voter registration cards in Bondo District. She said most people register as voters but hardly cast their votes on the election day.

“We have been experiencing a challenge because most of the voters are fishermen and therefore goes on fishing expedition on the Election Day,” Obari noted.

Elsewhere, Yimbo West location acting Chief Manasseh Osuri is appealing to those who have not collected their identity cards to do so since this is the only way that they can register as voters.

“We have many uncollected identity cards in our office and we are, therefore, going to conduct doorto-door inspection to identify those who have not collected their cards,” he said.

Sacco increases loan advancements to members

By TITUS MAERO The Kakamega Teachers Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (KATECO) Limited Chairman Joseph Sagalla said loan disbursement to its members increased from Ksh 1.8 Billion in the year 2010 to Ksh2.7 Billion last year.

Sagalla said the increment in the loan disbursement was encouraging given that in the year 2010 loan disbursement increased by nine per cent, while in the year 2011 it leaped to a credible and massive 49 per cent.

Recruitment

Speaking during the KATECO Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Sheywe Hotel in Kakamega, the official pointed out that the strong financial base of the Sacco was partly at-

tributed to the aggressive recruitment of new members across the board.

He observed that the Sacco had not restricted its membership to primary schools alone but had diversified to include post primary learning institutions, Board of Governors (BOGs) staff and also the civil servants.

Services

Sagalla noted that the monetary stability had witnessed the opening of more Sacco branches in Mumias, Butere and Mbale noting that this was in line with the Sacco’s policy of taking services closer to its members.

He said the total active membership as at December 2011 was 16,574 noting that in the year 2010 the Sacco recruited 750 new members, while in 2011 some 890 members were recruited

in the largest Sacco in Kakamega County.

Noting that the loan demand had increased, the official said funds available were inadequate to cater for the large membership at the Sacco given the stringent conditions meted out on the Sacco by commercial banks.

Sagalla further noted that the provision for loan loss has a bearing on the value of loan in default noting that it is this in mind that the management had been urged to continue in its efforts to educate members against defaulting in loan re-payment.

He observed that times in the Sacco sector had drastically changed adding that to operate efficiently there is need to change with the times saying that Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) lending rates to banks is at 18 per cent while the banks lend the Saccos at between 25-30 per cent.

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ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

News polls, how accurate are they?

By Carolyne Oyugi Kenyan media has developed and adopted a uniform trend of conducting opinion polls in their programmes without considering at least the minimum requirements of an opinion survey.

Every TV station asks a question in their news programme seeking the viewers’ opinion on what they are discussing. Some views are then read after giving percentages that are for and against what they asked.

The ‘news poll’ as they are usually called has developed a big following.

The results of the polls, however, do not reflect the real opinion of the public.

Survey

The survey method used in these programmes is Push Poll which is known to be non-representative. According to Aaron Erlich, an international expert on opinion polls, the news polls are unscientific and do not even satisfy the minimum requirements of an opinion poll.

“We do not know the margin of error in these polls and so we cannot tell the difference between the Yes and No voters,” said Erlich when training journalists on Opinion Polls Reporting in Nairobi.

He added that the difference may be within the margin of error and so TV presenters are wrong to suggest that a certain group is leading.

The news poll also has a sampling bias, it is the viewers who decide to give their views yet the standard requirement states that it is the pollsters to randomly choose the interviewees.

Those who participate in these polls are also from a certain economic bracket, those who own TV sets, mobile phones and have airtime to send the their opinion.

The polls are also prone to manipulation depending on the media houses or the audiences’ intentions.

For example, if the question has an impact on an individual’s reputation or the number of supporters, the individual or the group involved can vote for or against in order to have a desired results.

There have been unconfirmed rumours that politicians have been distributing airtime and phones to youths and placing them in a room to vote as per the desired result.

According to Bonny Khalwale, Ikolomani Member of Parliament, who is also working on a bill to regulate horse race opinion polls in the country, Kenyan politicians are desperate and they can do anything to gain support or just to give a false impression that they are supported.

Support

Bonny Khalwale (second left) interacting with participants during a media workshop.

Aaron Erlich an international consultant facilitating a media workshop on Reporting on Opinion Polls. Khalwale introduced a bill in parliament to regulate Horse race opinion polls in Kenya.

Pictures: Carolyne Oyugi

“No politician wants to be seen as losing public support and so they will go as far as strategising and funding the viewers to support them,” he said while addressing journalists at an Opinion Polls workshop in Nairobi.

According to Macharia Gaitho, Managing Editor Special Projects at Nation and the chairman Kenya Editors’ Guild, media houses can detect when the mobile phone texts are from the same sim card but they do not bother to find out if they are from the same room.

“The mobile phone service pro-

viders can help the media houses to detect whether the texts are from the same room but again this may take time hence the presenters may not be able to give the results within the programme,” he said.

Pie chart representation of how interviewees responded to the questions by a local firm.

This, therefore, leads to demographic bias where the interviewees are from the same location.

The presenters have also been using leading questions hence bending the audiences’ views. For example, ‘do you think the ICC process is unfair to the Kenyan suspects? SMS Yes or No.’ This question already plants the idea that ICC process is unfair and so you have to agree or disagree.

The results are also prone to manipulation by the media houses depending on what their desired result is. The audience is not told the quality control method used and so they cannot be sure that that is how they voted.

The Kenya Editors Guild is of the opinion that the news poll be regulated. “The presenters should tell its audience how many people participated as they give the percentage of those who voted ‘Yes’ and ‘N’ so that the audience can decide whether it is a reasonable number and what impact the results have,” said Gaitho.

The media houses should also explain to the public that the survey is not scientific and so should not be considered as such.

During the workshop, what came out is that the research desks in the media houses who should be framing the questions are very relaxed and so the questions are usually suggested in a hurry at the last minute.

According to John Osewe who was interviewed for this story, he does not understand what the intentions of the media houses are. “The story usually ends as soon as the results are read and so I am usually left wondering why the poll was conducted in the first place,” he said.

Bias

His feelings are echoed by Mary Nyambura who says that she does not believe the results are a true reflection of the Kenyan opinion.

The polls are not only done in Kenya but Kenyans are known to attach much importance and emotions to politics.

Importance

The political atmosphere is always heated in Kenya so people do not take the results at face value. They trigger emotions and reactions.

The questions asked are also more often than not political questions.

Politics is a very important part of human life but Robinson Aura who was also interviewed for this story believes that there are times when he is fed up with politics and needs a change like science, agriculture and other social related issues.

Other people also think that the questions are usually framed in a way that they feed people with opinions and all they need is back up and justifications.

“You can always tell what the media houses’ stand is from the way they frame their question and the timing of the question,” said Khalwale.

These questions should be given much thought because they are asked

every day. They come into our houses as we watch news unlike the major opinion polls which takes place periodically.

Others interviewed by the Reject are, however, against regulation of the opinion polls sighting that there is freedom of expression and regulating them will infringe on those rights.

Others are also for the opinion that the media houses are only interested in generating money from the exercise and are not concerned with the implications of their acts.

The Electoral Opinion Polls Bill, aimed at regulating opinion polling in the country, has however been a source of conflict between political parties.

The act has failed twice to be introduced in parliament. On March 7 it was blocked due to lack of quorum in the house.

There is, however, a growing consensus among MPs that regulating opinion polls can help the country instil discipline and professionalism among pollsters.

Severally politicians have been spotted blaming the sampling method and doubting the results depending on the outcome of the results.

The bill also requires that the pollsters disclose who financed the research among other requirements.

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

15

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Need to re-examine laws on reproductive health

By FAITH MUIRURI The Kenya Medical Association (KMA) has called for the repeal of archaic laws which continue to derail efforts to address the glaring maternal deaths resulting from unsafe abortions in the country Dr. Boaz Otieno-Nyunya who is the convenor of Reproductive Health Committee of the KMA says that although the Constitution explicitly specifies the minimum situations in which abortion is permitted, the legal regime on abortion has largely been characterised by restrictions and a lack of clarity on what the law provides for.

Inequality

He says that it is unfortunate that the country still retains retrogressive laws which perpetuate inequality and increase women’s vulnerability and risk of maternal death.

Dr Nyunya who is the Chairman, Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society cites the penal code (section 158) which still hampers attempts to arrest deaths arising from back street abortions that occur in unsafe and unsanitary conditions in the hands of quacks.

He says that maternal deaths in the country remain unacceptably high with approximately 8,000 women dying every year from complications arising from pregnancy and child bearing. Unsafe abortion accounts for 2,600 of these deaths.

Studies indicate that nine women die on a daily basis as a result of an unsafe abortion. Adolescent girls represent four of the 10 deaths registered in public hospitals. In Kenya an estimated 308,000 abortions occur annually.

A study conducted in the slums of Nairobi found that 50 percent of women who died from unsafe abortion did not seek care at a health facility Another study estimates that more than 20,000 women are admitted each year to public hospitals for complications of incomplete and unsafe abortion which costs the tax payer Ksh 18 million annually, in Post Abortion Care.

Prevalence

The situation has been compounded by weak and uncoordinated approach to policy implementation and the low investment in reproductive health.

Speaking at the 40th Kenya Medical Association Annual Scientific Conference in Nairobi, Dr Nyunya underscores the need to re-examine and reinforce laws and policies on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights.

He singles out the Reproductive Health Policy which he says aims at eliminating all forms of discrimination against women and the girl child but does not address unsafe abortion.

Dr Nyunya says that the population policy on the other hand only affirms that all couples have right to decide freely the number and spacing of their children.

The Penal code, he says legitimizes abortion only in cases where the life of the woman is at risk and according to FIDA could also be extended to include cases where conception is as a result of rape or other sexual violation.

Penalty

Kenya Medical Practitioners & Dentists Board Guidelines on Termination of Pregnancy on the other hand outlines that the laws of Kenya do not allow for termination of pregnancy on demand and severe penalties are meted out to those found guilty of procuring or attempting to procure an abortion or miscarriage. There is room, however, for carrying out termination when in the opinion of attending doctors it is necessary in the interest of the health of the mother or baby.

In these circumstances, it is strongly advised that the practitioner consults with at least two senior and experienced colleagues, obtains their opinion in writing, and performs the operation openly in hospital if he considers himself competent to do so in the absence of a gynaecologist.

He is however optimistic that the Constitution offers a reprieve to provision reproductive health care. According to Dr Nyunya, the constitution specifies conditions under which abortion may be legally provided. He says this may help address the terrible toll caused by unsafe illegal abortion.

“The Constitution (Article 26(4)) explicitly permits abortion when in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if permitted by any other written law,” he explains.

Training

Dr Nyunya notes that a “trained health professional” can be interpreted to include doctors, clinical officers, nurses and midwives who have appropriate training in providing information, counselling and the procedure of safe and comprehensive abortion care services.

However, the proposed Health Act March 2012 appears to contradict the provision and attempts to criminalize “elective abortion”.

“The bill tends to lump abortion with other Family Planning methods and turns a blind eye to article 26 of the constitution,” he laments.

Women breastfeeding their children as they wait to be attended to at a local clinic.

Existing laws on abortion have been blamed for the deaths of women during post abortion care. Pictures: Reject correspondent The Act is meant actualise Article 43 of the Constitution; to provide for the maintenance and advancement of health and the provision of health services of the highest attainable standard; to provide for the powers, functions, and responsibilities of the Health Council, the Health Services Authority, the National Health Inspectorate Service and the Council for Health Professionals and for other connected purposes

Caution

He says the bill quotes article 43 and ignores article 26 yet it discusses issues of article 26.

“In so doing it attempts to dilute the rights accorded to Kenyans in article 26, particularly 26(4). It is a form of dishonesty,” he cautions.

He adds that the bill should have as one of its objectives compliance with Kenya’s regional and

“The Constitution (Article 26(4)) explicitly permits abortion when in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if permitted by any other written law.”

— Dr Boaz Otieno- Nyunya

international human rights obligations.

Speaking at the same function Dr. A. Otara who is a member of KMA Reproductive Health Committee explains that sexual and reproductive rights derive from fundamental human rights and freedoms that are already enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya and are included in several international agreements and treaties to which the Government of Kenya is a signatory.

Dr Otara says that the country should prioritize SRHR by increasing access to health care, access to family planning services and emergency obstetric care.

Priority

Dr John Nyamu of the Reproductive Health Right Alliance who was present at the meeting said that health workers can now be able to work in an enabling environment in the provision of reproductive health services including provision of safe and legal abortion.

He said that currently the organization was training health workers on the need to embrace values and attitudes sensitive to the plight of women seeking reproductive health services.

He said that health workers must realign their operations to provisions in the constitution to avoid violating women rights.

“We are also engaged in a series of campaigns to highlight the magnitude and consequences of unsafe abortion at the community level and empowering health workers to avoid security and legal issues,” he adds during the conference.

Government aids fish farmers in Coast region

By Yusuf Amin-Kilifi

The Government has released Ksh3 billion to boost fish industry in the coast region.

Fisheries Development Minister Amason Kingi said that the money is meant to boost fish farming in the region.

The minister who was addressing fish pond farmers in Kilifi County urged them to take advantage of the funds to benefit from the sector

which largely remains unexploited in the area.

He added that the funds would be used in the construction of cold storage facilities for fishermen and urged them to work hand in hand with the ministry officials to make the project successful.

The minister further added that the ministry was collaborating with the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute to make sure that the local fishermen were educated on modern

skills of fishing through the funds.

The Minister was responding to complaints from the fishermen that fishing activities in the region have been neglected despite enormous potential to help eradicate poverty The funding follows complaints by fishermen in the coast region who decried poor fish production despite enormous water at the Indian Ocean.

In Ganze, Kaloleni, Bahari and Rabai District the minister commended fish farmers for making sure

that fish pond project was doing well in the districts.

The Ministry started the fishing farming project in semi-arid and arid areas across the country so that it can boost fish production and make many Kenyans to get engaged in it to fight poverty.

During the inspection of the projects, Mr Kingi asked farmers to cooperate with the ministry to benefit from the initiative which is part of projects supported by the govern-

ment towards the realization of Vision 2030 to make Kenya a poverty free country.

The Assistant Fisheries Development Minister Mohamed Abu Chiaba who accompanied Mr Kingi also called upon residents to utilize the funds properly to make the project successful.

He urged the local leaders to visit the Districts Fisheries Offices so that they can get information on how the projects can become successful.

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ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Experts warn of future environmental crisis

By Parsai Ole Joto Experts in climate change drawn from Africa led by Kenya’s minister for forestry and wildlife, Dr Noah Wekesa are worried the continent will in future experience worse environmental consequences caused by destruction of its natural forests or woodlands.

Pressure

They note that communities across Africa have continued to exert pressure on a resource that could have cushioned the continent from the impact of climate change, compromising environmental services and goods provided by such forests.

Destruction of this vital resource has continued to take place regardless of the fact that forests and trees will always form an integral part of the livelihoods, especially for subSahara Africa rural communities, where 65 percent of the population depends directly or indirectly on natural forests or woodlands.

“Because of the negative effects of climate change on the continent, it is urgent that appropriate technologies to mitigate these consequences and adaptive measures, be developed and shared across our boundaries,” said Dr Wekesa, noting: “There is therefore need to develop strategies to manage, and use forest and tree resources in a sustainable manner, if quality life is to be maintained in Africa.

Snow engulfs sections of a road in Nyandarua town. These are some of the environmental consequences currently being experienced due to the destruction of natural forests and woodlands. Picture: Reject Correspondent

Conclusion

The minister arrived at the conclusion of the need to take remedial measures when he officiated at the opening of the 3rd regional training course on mitigating climate change in Africa through social forestry held at Kenya Forest Research Institute, Muguga.

This year’s Regional Training Course has attracted 24 participants drawn from 16 countries in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, namely; Botswana, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somaliland, Southern Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“This indeed is a significant number of African countries and with such a diverse group of participants, I am positive that there will be great synergies to exhaustively deliberate on a way forward to mitigating effects of climate change in Africa,” said Dr Wekesa.

Skills imparted by organizers are expected to enable participants to address, with greater determination and commitment, threats to threats to forestry resources, a resource whose sustainability is endangered by climate change.

Increment

Climate change currently presents the single most significant threat to environmental sustainability, poverty reduction, food and water security, as well as human and livestock health in sub-Saharan Africa.

The impacts of climate change already experienced in African include increased frequency and severity of droughts and floods, which have continued to erode development efforts achieved over the years.

He persuaded delegates who are basically involved in forestry and allied resources management to rise to the occasion and move beyond the normal and traditional approach of sensitizing communities about the issues of climate change.

“Let us demonstrate to our people the importance to reverse deforestation and degradation of forests through mobilizing and involving communities, and harnessing skills and practical experiences of all stakeholders in

environmental conservation,” said Dr Wekesa.

According to experts, participants felt the training would enable those present to significantly contribute to this global initiative, whose purpose is to raise awareness on the need to strengthen sustainable management, conservation, and development of all types of forests for the benefit of current and future generations.

The training was organized at a time when the global community has undertaken to mark international year of the forests events which in Kenya last month was held at Uhuru Parks’ Freedom Corner in Nairobi.

Conservationists paid tribute to the fallen Nobel Peace Prize and environmental icon; the late Prof. Wangari Maathai when they gathered to dedicate the global event to recognize the contribution she made to save the country’ forestry landscape.

Representative

They planted a mutamaiyo tree species at Uhuru Parks’ Freedom Corner in the city where 21 years in honor of Pro. Maathai on World Forestry Day on March 21 where for the first time unleashed the first salvo to save the park that private developers intended to build a skyscraper.

Said United Nations Environment Programme country representative, Henry Ndede of Prof. Wangari Maathai remembered for

providing leadership that inspired at the occasion marked under the theme Forests for Community Livelihoods: “She endured incessant insult, many times physical abuse, but she tarried to the end to bequeath this generation, and generations to come, a better environment - for sustainable economic growth, human well-being, human rights, good governance, democracy, peace and security.”

Ndede recalled while Prof. Wangari lived she turned out to be a strong she was also a champion of African culture and championed forest conservation for its intrinsic values of providing food, medicine, shelter, spiritual wellness, fresh air, water.

“Even if she is no longer with us today, her appeal should provoke serious reflections on what contribution each one of us has made singularly and collectively to protect the environment that she so loved.”

— Dr Noah Wekesa.

Protect

“The bounties that we enjoy from ‘Mother Nature’ would not be without forests that Wangari dearly protected with her life, and for which ‘it was all well with her soul” if she had to die for,” he stressed, and noted: “Prof.

Maathai was a great teacher of learning and an icon of freedom and hope, and for her grievous sins in pursuits of these basic human rights, she was ostracized. If she lived in the times of kings of old, Wangari would have been banished from this land.”

And as raging fire in Mt Kenya region entered its second week, the government announced during the occasion it will secure firefighting

equipment at a cost of Sh.200 million to be used to battle unexpected fire outbreaks in forests and wildlife parks.

The effort demonstrates commitment on the part of the government that is aimed at protecting the environment which is in line with the wish of the late Noble Peace Prize laureate, Prof. Wangari Maathai.

Prof. Maathai had made a passionate appeal to Kenyans to take environmental efforts a notch higher a year before he demise on World Forestry Day that had been held at Karura Forest.

And with a raging fire that broke out in Mt Kenya region eleven days ago, the government appeared to respond to the wish as the nation marked this year’s world forestry day to commemorate the departed soul.

Equip

It is the first time in the history of forest fires that the government has taken the bold step to fight the menace by securing the specialized equipment.

They comprise surveillance equipment, all terrain motor vehicles and motorcycles, personal protective gear and other assorted fire suppression tools.

Dr Wekesa said on the occasion to mark the day held at Uhuru Parks’ Freedom Corner the equipment will be used by Kenya Forest Service and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

It was at the corner 21 years when Prof.

Maathai pulled the first salvo and staged a hunger strike in company of several other women with a after the government declared intention to have a private developer invest at the location of freedom corner.

“Even if she is no longer with us today, her appeal should provoke serious reflections on what contribution each one of us has made singularly and collectively to protect the environment that she so loved, “ said Dr Wekesa.

World Forestry Day served as symbolic occasion at which those who have contributed to forest preservation in relation to human development, particularly on livelihoods improvements were recognized.

Heroes who have contributed to peace and development through environmental conservation, like the late cabinet minister, John Michuki were recognized.

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Desperate measures now bringing a fortune

By ALLAN MURIMI After looking for all sorts of employment with no luck, a man and his wife decided to try making a living by making fertiliser from a dumpsite in Mathira East district.

Robert Muriuki and his wife Agnes Nyaguthii wakes up early in the morning and heads to their place of work at the Karindundu dumping site in the outskirts of Karatina town where they toil all day long separating organic from inorganic waste.

Dismissed

“There is a lot nauseating mud especially when it rains and when I asked some friends to join me in this business they said that they cannot do such a stupid job,” he said.

He added that most youths in the area are soft hearted and cannot go into the business therefore he decided to bring in his wife because they are able to make enough money at the end of the day.

They said that their major problem is lack of enough market for their manure but they are optimistic as some farmers have realised the quality of the manure they produce.

The two sometimes suffer injuries from broken glass and scrap metal and they have to go for tetanus injection every week but they are not about to abandon the site.

These challenges are soon going to be a thing of the past after a community based organisation concentrating on environmental conservation decided to establish a waste recycling plant at the dumping site.

Regionet Resources Self-help group entered into a partnership with the Karatina municipal council to establish the plant to reduce pollution in the area.

Robert Muriuki center and his wife Agnes Nyaguthii (right) being assisted by a member of the Reguionet Group to sift manure at the Karindundu dumpsite in the outskirts of Karatina town. The couple has been able to support itself through the sale of organic manure they make by separating the organic from inorganic material they collect at the dumping site. Picture: Allan Murimi Regionet chairman Stephen Munyiri said that the two who are members of Regionet will be provided with protection gear and will be getting allowances.

The recycling plant is part of the group’s three pronged approach to mitigate against environmental pollution, said Mr Munyiri.

The other two prongs will be setting up of 8 green houses across Mathira east district to teach farmers on new farming methods and constructing energy saving jikos.

The group is being funded by the Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF) and it will sort and recycle plastic wastes processes.

Mr Munyiri said that they will use organic waste to produce affordable organic fertiliser which he said will replace chemical based fertilisers.

Pollution

Residents have been suffering from pollution related diseases due to poor waste management by the Karatina municipal dumpsite around residential areas, schools and market centres.

The project has received a Ksh16.2 million sponsorship from Denmark and will be implemented in a period of four years.

It is part of the seven projects in Nyeri County that have been funded by Denmark through the Community Development Fund CDTF.

Denmark deputy ambassador Ole Thonke said that the European Union and Danida have funded the seven projects to a tune of Ksh151 million.

He said that Denmark has decided to scale up its sponsorship of ICDT projects from Ksh800 million to Ksh1.4 billion.

“Denmark is scaling up the project to support projects for a sustainable environment and educating the communities to ensure they do not degrade the environment,” said Mr Thonke.

Allocation

CDTF allocated Ksh2.4 billion for the formulation and implementation of community based projects each covering three years.

The ministry of State, Planning and National Development and vision 2030 PS Edward Sambili said that 39 out of 97 projects are targeting the Mt Kenya, Aberdares, Cherangani hills and Mt Elgon water towers.

Ecosystem He said that the remaining 58 projects are located in other important environmental ecosystems like river basins, coastal and marine areas, wildlife conservation areas and dry lands.

The PS said that 14 projects will target reducing vulnerability and risks to the local communities.

Nyaguthii asked the youths to start small income generating projects and not wait for white collar employment.

Sacco grows in leaps and bounds

By BONIFACE MULU Kitui Schools Workers Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited has registered remarkable growth with its share capital rising from KSh23,087,711 in 2010 to some KSh24,193,739 this year.

The society’s membership also went up from 574 in 2010 to 597 this year with the growth rate being 30 per cent.

Loans

According to the society’s chairman, Mr. Robert Masila, the sacco loaned to its members some Ksh15,559,717 in 2010 and an additional Ksh20,206,254 this year.

He was addressing the society’s 597 members during their 26thannual general meeting

Farmers join hands to fight exploitation by middlemen

By Kariuki Mwangi

Discouraged

Curious onlookers stare at the couple and at times dismiss them as a street family but the two form four leavers say that they are contented with their job.

Speaking to the The Reject at the site, they said that they are able to educate their three children at a private school through their earnings from the waste.

“Some people look at and call us chokoras (street family) but we are not bothered because we know we can live comfortably without depending on anyone,” said the 26 year old Nyaguthii.

After separating the organic from the inorganic wastes, they are able to make a substantial amount of manure, which they sell manure at Ksh3 per kilo to farmers in the area.

They never run out of raw materials because tractors pour wastes collected from Karatina town on a daily basis and the two have pilled a huge amount of manure at the site.

17

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

held at the Kitui Multi-purpose Development Training Institute. Kitui

Deductions

District Cooperatives Officer George Nduto was the chief guest. Masila said that Sacco was owed Ksh5,801,506 in unremitted deductions and this was mainly caused by the prevailing harsh conditions which made employers fail to submit members contributions. He further said: “As most of you might have noted we have employed a new accounts clerk who is conversant with computer operations and all our SACCO operations will be computerised very soon. Also we have started generating statements from the office to be forwarded to nonremitting schools. Masila said that the society was faced by myriad challenges among them

lack of enough funds to meet the ever increasing loan demand and withdrawal of members to join the SACCOs within their newly created districts.

Remittance

He said: “Our monthly visits to schools which are not remitting are still going on. As you can see in the year 2010, we recruited 45 new members and this year we have recruited 17 making a total of 62 and the process still continues. I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for coming and also both the management and supervisory committees members for their efforts to keep our SACCO going,” Masila said. “I also encourage all of you members to save regularly, borrow wisely and pay promptly to take our SACCO,” he said.

Farmers from seven different agricultural sectors in Embu County have joined hands under one umbrella body so as to have a bargaining power in the agricultural sector.

The farmers drawn from the dairy farming sector, the horticultural sector and other areas have joined hands so as to analyze the various bridges that exist in the agricultural sector and come up with solutions to avert them.

KARES agribusiness services organizing director Cyrus Mbogo said that the farmers under the Rugendo dairy alliance want to build a strong farmers institution that will help them in outsourcing the financial services.

Mbogo pointed out that the farmer’s have realized that it is only through working together as a group that they can attain the required economic benefits from their farming activities and avoid the trap of being exploited by middlemen.

“We are trying to come together as farmers from all the sectors to ensure a strong and powerful bargaining power, as doing farming business as individuals is only exposing us to exploitation and in the end lack value for our products.” He said.

Intention Mbogo noted that they intend to increase the agricultural productivity of the area by having accessible, reliable and affordable farm inputs.

Irene Ndwiga a farmer in Embu district said that they are looking forward for the operationalization of the Rugendo dairy factory which is expecting installation of milk cooling systems from the ministry of cooperatives development and marketing.

Ndwiga said that the farmer’s are working on the best developments in which they will not be selling their milk to other companies but instead add value and pack the milk and release it ready for use by the consumers.

“We have come to realize that we have been losing a lot of money selling our milk to companies at a throw away price whereas they later add value to it and sell to consumers at high prices, and we want also to do the same so as we can start getting value for our products.” She said.

She said that the Rugendo dairy receives 40 000 litres of milk dairy from farmers from Embu only, saying if they can have access to quality animal feeds they can be able to produce even more and help on curbing the country’s milk shortage.

Ndwiga was categorical that the farmers will be having difficulties in practicing farming for economic development unless they come together and have a collective access to credit services, farm inputs and a collective sale for their products.

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ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Global Warning: Millions stare death in the eye

By Robert Wanjala Stakeholders in environment recently boycotted a meeting on Climate Change in Uasin Gishu that was aimed at seeking their commitment to reducing emissions in the country.

The meeting was convened to chat a joint strategy on actualizing the country’s Climate Change Action Plan, NCCAP. Ali Ramtu, director of Meteorological Department, Rift Valley Province said: “We invited all stakeholders including top managers in big industries. We wish not to speculate on why they failed to show up but I suppose it is out of fear that they could be the subject for discussion in such meetings.”

Kenya’s climate change discussions kicked off amidst warning of tough times ahead due to global warming. Effects of prolonged droughts linked to Climate Change in the country remain the greatest threat to food security, water resources and accessibility to quality health care.

Vision

Former assistant minister for Environment and Mineral Resources, MOEMR Prof. Margaret Kamar said: “Climate Change would derail the country’s bid to achieving vision 2030 unless government takes drastic measures to protect the environment by increasing forest acreage, stopping destruction of forests and keeping rivers clean”.

Climate change effects have put a strain on Kenya’s development and budgetary planning. Recent impact statics shows the cost of climate change could be equivalent to 2.6 per cent of the country’s GDP each year by 2030.

According to the Ministry of Planning and National Development, MOPND, the cost of drought in 1998/2000 were estimated at US$ 2.8 billion. In the recent past some regions up to one third of all livestock perished due persistent droughts.

Dr. Mohammed Isahakia, Permanent Secretary, office of the Prime minister warns that Kenyans could pay dearly unless an action plan by

the national climate change committee was implemented.

Dr. Isahaki says that his office was committed to implementing the climate change strategic plan and increasing forest cover to 10 per cent from the current 1.76 per cent.

Strategize

He says: “The government has put in place a national climate change response and strategic action plan, NCCRSAP, and is in the process of implementing it through MOEMR.” Osman Warfa, Commissioner, Rift Valley adds that government was ready to help communities affected by climate change on how to deal with it.

“Making climate change action plan responsive to the needs, Kenyans must be willing to share their experiences of its evidence and impacts, adaptation and mitigation strategies they have put in place to address the situation,” Warfa says.

Omedi Jura, member to the Technological Executive Committee, UN Convention on Climate Change says that the Action Plan A vehicle stalls in the mud as most roads become impassable due to the heavy rains pounding different was to develop and actualize adparts of the country. Picture: Robert Wanjala aptation and mitigation measures through consultative process with all stakeholders on board. activity because of erratic rainfall and to develop adaptation and mitigation at the national and international level; Jura says: “With risks such as pe- runaway costs of farm inputs. strategies to reduce and sustain effects which ultimately will help preserve rennial and prolonged droughts and forest ecosystems.

As a result many farmers have of climate change. flash flooding in the arid and semi- been pushed to diversify farming REDD+ sustainability will need Local NGOs positioning to have arid areas of Kenya, our priority to business to at least hold together the a share of the over US$ 130 million concerted effort including private building resilience to the impacts diminishing family incomes. A num- Kenyan government annual climate sector. Christiana Figueres, Executive would reduce vulnerabilities to af- ber of farmers have ventured into change funding says government Secretary to the UN Framework on fected communities.” crops like millet, sorghum and barley should consider rewarding or com- climate change during her recent lecLast year over 4 million people in due to attractive market prices than pensating individuals or communi- ture at IIED, was quoted saying new Kenya experienced pangs of hunger that of maize and wheat. ties keeping their forest unharmed technologies and the involvement of due to hard-hitting droughts, statics Kamar adds that millions of Ke- or for reducing level of deforestation, the private sector were critical to tackat MOPND shows with additional nyans are staring death in the eye: says Philip Barno, a farmer and also le climate change emissions. “Don’t burden of over 450,000 Somali refu- “Kenya is fast loosing fertile land due chairman of Civil Societies. depend on governments because they gees who are victims of prolonged the effects climate change resulting International Institute for envi- can’t deliver 100%,” she said, IIED drought according to Africa Union. from destroyed environment,” urging ronment and Development, IIED, press lease quotes.

Jura who also sits at Kenya’s naKenyans to embrace nuclear energy latest report on how the REDD+ to boost power supplies in rural areas. schemes proposed to tackle climate tional Climate change secretariat The number is likely to increase She also called on the government to change could benefit poor communi- concurs with Figueres and adds that observes Joseph Cheboi, a District revive agriculture clubs in schools. ties living near forests, says adopting reducing or sustaining effects of cliAgriculture Officer.Rift Valley is KeThe climate change consulta- pro-poor benefit approach in distrib- mate change will need more than just nya’s food basket and failed to meet tive conferences target to integrate uting these schemes would not only political pronouncements. It will need the targeted harvest of maize and all stakeholders across sectors in the profit them ‘poorest of the poor’ but sustained efforts, funding and well wheat – the region’s main farming Kenya’s new 47 Counties with an aim also build (REDD+’s) legitimacy both representation from all stakeholders.

Farming

Government funds youth group to establish Sacco

BY BEN OROKO Aware of the youth’s challenges in accessing credits and loans from established financial institutions and commercial banks, the Ministry of Youth Affairs in Masaba South District has swiftly moved in and registered a savings and credit co-operative society Sacco to empower the youth in the area to venture into income generating activities.

The sacco identified as Masaba South Youth Sacco Society is a brainchild of Masaba South District Youth Officer, Mr Daniel Komen whose experience and interactions with the youth at the grassroots level gave birth to the idea that will transform local young people’s lives through savings and borrowing from the society at friendly interest rates.

Speaking to The Reject in his office, Komen confirmed that the Sacco had already been registered and hundreds of youth had joined the Society as members.

Underscoring the importance of young people’s socio-economic development in their immediate communities and the country, Komen challenged more youth from the District to join the sacco to strengthen its revolving capital base to ensure more young people access soft loans and micro-credits to finance their businesses at affordable interest rates.

He said the Sacco will facilitate the youth save and borrow soft loans to finance their businesses and investments, adding they will also earn end year dividends from their investment in the Sacco.

Income

“Given the youth’s low incomes compounded by lack of unreliable income generating activities, as a ministry on the ground we thought it wise to come up with a Sacco society that will encourage the youth save whatever amount they have and later borrow from the Sacco at affordable interest rate to finance their busi-

nesses and income generating activities as part of the efforts to empower themselves economically, “disclosed Komen.

However, Komen disclosed that twelve youth groups from the District have benefited from the Governmentsponsored Youth Enterprise Development Fund kitty as part of the efforts to empower young people economically.

He confirmed that the twelve youth groups benefited from Ksh 50,000 each under the Fund’s Constituency Youth Enterprise Scheme Loan, while seven individual youths benefitted from Sh25,000 each under the Fund’s Easy Youth Enterprise Scheme.

During the presentation of the cheques to the groups, Komen challenged the youth to use the funds wisely in the initiation of projects that will transform their lives and those of their immediate communities, instead of engaging in unproductive socio-economic activities

which may ruin their future life careers.

The DYO challenged more youth in the area to apply for the funds from the Youth Enterprise Development Fund Kitty, instead of leaving the money lying idle and yet it was meant to empower young people economically and transform their lives.

Empower

Masimba Town Council Chairman, Simon Omwoyo who has been spearheading youth empowerment programmes in the area, challenged the youth to come up with strategic plans to guide them in their project implementation.

Omwoyo warned the youth who had benefited from the Youth Enterprise Development Fund against sharing out the funds amongst themselves, reminding them the money was meant to empower them economically through initiation of projects and they had an obligation of repaying the loans to ensure other youths

and groups benefit from the revolving funds.

The civic leader challenged the youth who are endowed with sports talents to exploit such opportunities to empower themselves economically and transform their lives and those of members of their immediate communities.

Area District Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi blamed rural-urban migration among young people for impacting negatively on rural development across the country.

The DC challenged the youth to utilize the potential of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund,to come up with creative investment ideas that will go beyond the country’s borders for their benefit and the country.

Mwiwawi challenged the youth to use their group leadership potentials to offer leadership and solutions to conflicts affecting their immediate communities to enhance cohesion and national unity in the country.

ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Family struggling to keep son alive

By Benard Kimani A family in Nairobi is grappling to come to terms with what has befallen them following a rare disease affecting their only son.

It all started as a stomach pain in June 2011, but the family has lived through a harrowing experience that has turned into months; with the hope of seeing their son fully recover.

The fight against Aplastic Anaemia disease (AA) is still on, but the life of Ben Ombasa Kengere now 11-year –old hangs in the balance. When we visited the family in their Mwiki home, we found Ombasa lying on the seat with his face held up with one nostril stuffed with a white piece of sterilized linen. He had been nose bleeding and this was part of first aid to manage the situation. He is accustomed to it now and so is his entire family.

They do not take any chance to administer first aid, not even his eight year old sister June Gloria Moraa, who dashes with a surgeon’s mask to cover his nose and mouth after the nose bleeding stops.

Ombasa is supposed to be playing with peers or in school studying, but this will only happen at his own peril.

He has been advised by his doctor to avoid crowded places and even getting injuries.

It is an uphill task for the classfive boy whose parents describe him as very playful. They say he is a good athlete and likes running very much, always challenging older boys during school competitions.

These are painful facts the family of four has lived with since he was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia disease over six months now. It’s a rare disease which could be responsible for the deaths of innocent Kenyans due to the soaring costs of treatment. Ombasa family is a living example to this fact.

Slightly over half a year now after their son was diagnosed with AA disease they are still not out of the loop.

“We are now struggling to get drugs for our son on a daily basis,” says Mr David Kengere, Ombasa father.

Treatment

According the Dr Geoffrey Zambezi Mutuma , consultant pathologist AA treatment is very expensive. “The only therapeutic treatment of the disease is bone marrow replacement to the one that has already failed, transplant are not easy and are very complicated and always very expensive for a common Kenyan to afford,” says Dr Mutuma.

Aplastic Anaemia is a rare serious disease caused by bone marrow failure to produce blood cells such as red cells, platelets and white cells.

“We were advised to observe high standards of cleanliness, make sure he does not go into crowded areas where he can get infections,” says Nancy Kengere, Ombasa’s mother. Nancy says these are some of the reasons that they resolved that he can attend school only two days in a week, adding that they try to advice the boy always to keep safe because if he gets injured, the bleeding will not stop because his blood does not coagulate easily.

Reduction

But although reduced number of visits to school seems to pose a major challenge to the future of Ombasa’s education, he pulls a brave face and says the disease will not dampen his desire to become a doctor in future, he looks

forward to help sick people the way he has been helped.

And indeed Ombasa has struggled with the disease. After he was treated with Amoeba, Nancy says the family was thrown into confusion one morning when they discovered the bed sheets of their only son covered with blood. Ombasa had lost a lot of blood through nose bleeding, gum, and on the black spots which they had noted early all over his body. His eyes were also very red.

This marked the start for their long struggle to seek help for their child.

“We moved from one hospital to the other to seek treatment. Many tests were carried out, finally we got a rude shock at Aga Khan Hospital where we learnt what was ailing our child,” says Kengere.

Kengere says he has spent a lot of money on the disease which he says is far beyond their means. “Where we work we cannot afford the amount of money that is required to have our son receive bone marrow transplant which seems to be the only panacea to the disease,” Laments Kengere.

Shock

He says his son has undergone close to 20 the number of blood transfusions which have helped him to stay alive.

When he was first diagnosed with the disease, Kengere says his son could not even walk, his knees were very weak and he looked tired. Shockingly, when the blood test results were communicated to them they learnt that among others their son blood platelets which are responsible for blood clotting and eventually stopping bleeding were very low. He had a single platelet left out of 150 to 400 considered as normal range.

The worst thing was that the platelet could only be extracted from flesh blood. They on various occasions mobilized friends, relatives, church colleagues and even Ombasa teachers to donate blood. A single visit would see them take up two to 20 people.

Four blood donors extracting only one platelet and he received six on the first day. The procedure would be repeated five days later.

“It was then that I realized what we had initially thought to be a simple condition could turn fatal,” says Kengere. In his pocket he had only Kshs 5,700 but the blood test cost him Kshs 16,000. This notwithstanding, Ombasa was admitted in the high dependency unit which cost him Kshs 15,000 a day.

In three weeks he was admitted in the hospital the families spend over Sh 600,000.

The high cost that accrued left them with little option than to take their son home and have him to attend clinics. The doctor recommended that Ombasa takes drugs for a period of 60 days to see whether his condition will stabilize although the ultimate solution remains bone marrow transplant.

However, according to Kengere the treatments has kept their son alive by reducing bleeding, but they are expen-

sive and they are slowly finding it hard to buy them especially with the current inflation.

Cause

Dr Mutuma says the cause of AA remains unknown, the farthest doctors in the country go is to treat symptoms to replace what is missing which include infections, adding platelets and supplementing red blood cells essential for supply of oxygen in the body to boost hae-moglobin. He says lack of a single medicine that cures the disease has made it very expensive to treat.

While the only remedy to the disease is a bone marrow replacement, the doctor laments that currently the country is not comfortable in conducting this complex bone marrow transplant. At the same time he says the disease is not very common in Kenya.

Kengeres’ family is one of those who have faced this reality. “Some of the drugs are imported only on order. The only hospital you can get this drugs is Nairobi Hospital,” says Nancy.

On average the family spends Kshs 1,000 daily on drugs, over Kshs 40,000 shillings in a month including hospital visits. They are always on high alert, as Ombasa develops fever often requiring medical attention.

On the contrary the drugs administered to Ombasa have side effects that baffle the family. The drugs seem to interfere with his hormones. “You are very lucky to have found him in this state; last week he had grown very big, you would think he is a body builder,” says Nancy. She adds that the drugs had at the same time made him grow hairs on his entire body, noticeably is the beard and under the armpits, his tempers flare up at times and he would hit anything including his eight year old sister.

These are some of the situations that the family will have to contend with much longer. They have on several occasions tried to save funds to pay for bone marrow test with little success. The only test they have managed to conduct is blood test to two of their daughters with intent that they will come in handy as bone marrow donors. The donors according to experts mostly come from siblings.

“The only therapeutic treatment of the disease is bone marrow replacement to the one that has already failed, transplant are not easy and are very complicated and always very expensive for a common Kenyan to afford.”

— Dr Geoffrey Zambezi Mutuma

Ben Ombasa, 11-years and his family during the interview at their home in Mwiki. Below: Ben lies on the seat with his face held up with one nostril stuffed with a white piece of sterilized linen to stop nose bleeding. He has been struggling with Aplastic Anaemia, a rare condition which keeps him indoors to avoid injuries.

Pictures: Bernard Kimani “I have been striving to save money to secure bone marrow tests on my daughters but the money has ended up on solving crisis when my son gets sick,” says Kengere. The money required to conduct these tests is Kshs 206,000. The test will be conducted in South Africa labs but samples which include bone marrow will be flown to Nairobi,” says Kengere.

This notwithstanding, the actual treatment is more expensive and can only be carried out either in South Africa, India and Britain among other places. Mr Kengere says if funds are available he will seek these services in India which he says is a little cheaper. In total he says the operation will cost up to Kshs 7 million in India but the cost will balloon to Kshs10 million in SA. He now wants to seek help from friends but is quick to lament that, “ where I come from I have never seen people fundraise this kind of money, I have seen people fundraise up to Kshs100,000 for school fees’’.

Sadly, Ombasa’s mother is also supposed to go for a back bone op-

eration but has opted to deal with her son first. “I was diagnosed with lumba loidosis which has left my back with a lot of pain,” says Nancy adding that she cannot sleep for two hours, if she wants to turn on the bed she is forced to sit down first and then turn. She has vowed to first see her son treated before she can proceed with her own.

Finance

While treating the disease to an average Kenyan seems to be a pipe dream, Mr Kengere urges the government to establish trust funds like the one started for the cancer patients’ recently. He observes that in UK and USA such trust funds have been established and the funds are available to help in the treatments of the disease.

However his attempt to seek help from UK Aplastic Anemia trust fund bore no fruits, as the fund is meant for citizens. On the contrary he has received a lot of support, he shares experience with patients in UK since his efforts to establish contacts with a local patient or in Africa has not succeeded.

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ISSUE 062, May 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Coffee theft scandal

By Ryan Mathenge

hoots’ with cartels buying the stolen coffee and facilitating the crime.

Registered private millers in the country are Thika Mills, Socfinaf, KPCU, Sasini, Central Kenya, Nyambene Coffee Mills and the government backed Kenya Coffee Cooperative Exporters (KCCE).

During a meeting at the Coffee Research Foundation (CRF) one of the licensed millers disclosed how some millers were reaping highly from the malpractice that has dented the reputation of the firms.

Martin Mwangi, a coffee Coffee Board of Kenya Managing Director farmer attends to his coffee Loise Njeru was at pains to explain why the farm that has become board was yet to institute lasting measures to a target by thieves. A curb coffee theft. lorry ferrying stolen She was taken to task by farmers, who accoffee is intercepted by cused the board of failing to contain the vice.

The farmers expressed fears many of the cases Administration Police in pending in court would be lost as police prosKiambu. Inset: The APs ecutors were not conversant with the Coffee guard coffee earmarked for Act. transportation to the millers.

CBK, she explained held meetings with sePictures: Ryan Mathenge curity committees in the coffee growing areas in an effort to stem the menace.

A former director at CBK Hiram Mwaniki says the board has reluctantly failed to flex its rati- Kangari highways. muscle to arrest the situation.

Management of coffee fac“The board should ban transportation of tories in Kandara district have coffee at night as a lasting step to curb the vice installed security alarms. and investigate some of the suspected private The security systems invesmillers linked with the theft,” said Mwaniki. tigations have established that In the last crop year, the sector fetched Ksh many have been vandalized by 22 billion from a production of 50,000 metric errant workers suspected to be tons. working in cahoots with marauding gangs.

In Kigumo and Kandara disIn Kenya, 150,000 acres is under the crop tricts, after the gangs realized which is however on the decline as farmers sell factories are guarded, turned to land to developers for real estate development. invading farms at night harvestTo ensure safety of their coffee, some of ing the ripe coffee berries. the farmers have engaged the services of witch doctors to keep away gangs from their farms at night.

At Thanga ini Cooperative Society, all the 7 Nearly all coffee factories in Murang’a have factories are guarded farmers after a series of fallen victim to theft with farmers from the incidents that left a trail of destruction and lose worst hit areas of Kigumo and Kandara opting of coffee. for night vigils to keep the thieves at bay as facEvery week, factories management list down tory managers and watchmen had been sulked names of the farmers to guard the factory and into the syndicate. in default one pays a fine of Ksh 500 to be deWatchmen have had it rough because law ducted from his payment. enforcement agents target them as cartels use The old are not spared but they are given a them as sacrificial lamps as the main suspects lee way of hiring somebody to stand on their go scot-free. behalf.

A number of the guards have been killed The recent scenario in Kangurumai factory after blocking the gangs to gain access into the saw 100 bags of coffee lost in what the police stores leaving scores injured. described as an inside job.

Some of the guards in Makuyu area were Investigations revealed that raids at the facoverpowered by a gang before being forced to tories occur after transportation permit have drink soft liquor laced with addictive drugs. been secured from CBK offices and indication In Kiambu County, Administration Police produce have been graded. officers attached to a pulping factory escaped In the history of coffee theft in Murang’a, death narrowly after a daring gang descended only coffee that belongs to Karichiungu factory on them with machetes and pangas leaving valued at Ksh 5.5 million has been recovered them injured. after the getaway lorry was intercepted after The police were hired after watchmen develdeveloping mechanical failure on the night of oped cold feet after a series of attempts by the December 18 last year. gang to break into the stores.

Guards at the factory permitted 74 bags of In Murang’a region, the affected factories are parchment coffee to be loaded into the truck those located along the Thika-Nyeri and Kahabut the residents who live nearby alerted

Well-connected cartels are behind a series of raids in coffee factories in Murang’a that have left farmers reeling in misery.

The trend has become deeply rooted in Murang’a, Nyeri and Kiambu especially during the coffee harvesting season over the past three years.

This has sent shivers in coffee growing areas as demand for Kenyan coffee goes up at the international market despite the sharp decrease in production.

The cartel has been traversing coffee growing regions scouting for processed beans awaiting to be transported to contracted millers.

Farmers now have to spend nights guarding factories as well as their farms after it was suspected that some of the watchmen could be compromised.

Several guards have lost their lives when blocking gangs from accessing the stores.

Recovery

No recoveries have been made with police blaming management of the societies on late reporting of the incidents.

Kigumo OCPD Saidi Mohammed said some of the societies fail to report making it difficult for police to make recoveries.

It is suspected that the syndicates comprise security agents, leadership at factories and some rogue millers.

According to a reliable source privy to the operations, a group of criminals monitor operations at the factories from the onset of the harvesting season to the stage when coffee is delivered to millers.

Peter Njuguna (not his real name) says the factory lost 60 bags of black gold after a man rented a room next to the factory.

He claims that the man would take him for tea at around 10 pm as ploy to divert his attention from the factory.

One night this man engaged him in a political debate and he was shocked to learn later that a gang had raided the factory and made away with 120 bags of coffee.

“That was the last time I saw that friend who had given his name as Jimmy Mutheki,” said Njuguna now a hawker in Thika town.

Decline

Destruction

Cartels

As cartels wreck havoc in the industry, players in the sector blame the menace on the Coffee Board of Kenya (CBK) over failure to institute measures to curb the vice.

Accusations against the board range from licensing many of the players against a backdrop of diminishing production of the precious commodity.

Cooperative societies accuse the board of licensing private millers at the farm level without establishing the suitability of the applicants.

Investigations further revealed that farmers who have been issued with licenses to operate pulping stations do not have the required acreage of coffee and mainly buy coffee from farmers at a throw away price.

Some millers are accused of working in ca-

Executive Director: Rosemary Okello

Editor: Jane Godia

Murang’a East DC George Natembeya who mobilized his officers. The matter is pending before a Murang’a Court after several people were arrested including owner of the truck.

Murang’a coffee production despite being less that 60,000 metric tonnes has attracted all the CBK licensed millers. (Kenya Cooperative Coffee Exporters (KCCE), Nyambene, Thika Mils, Socfinaf, Central Kenya and Sasini.)

Coffee farmers are demanding the disbandment of CBK leadership, which they accuse of laxity and complicity saying coffee was being ferried at night as they watched.

Office of the President has ordered formation of an anti coffee rustling unit that will be positioned in coffee growing areas but the directive is yet to be implemented.

Giving the orders, Head of Civil Service formerly Internal Security PS Mr Francis Kimemia said the government was concerned with rampant theft of the commodity in various parts of the country.

With harvesting seasons expected early this month, all the DC’s, Natembeya, Albanos Ndiso (Kigumo), Mohammed Birik (Kahuro) Thomas Sese (Kandara) and Fred Muli (Kangema) have committed themselves towards enhancing the security in coffee growing regions.

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Sub-Editors: Joyce Chimbi, Carolyne Oyugi and Faith Muiruri Designer: Noel Lumbama

www.mediadiversityafrica.org

Contributors: David Kirwa, Joy Monday , Ryan Mathenge, Robby Njojhi, Cosmas Ekuwam, James Mbaka, Robert Wanjala, Boniface Mulu, Lydia Ngoolo, Walker Mwandoto, Gilbert Ochieng, Jane Cherotich, Yusuf Amin, Titus Maero, Henry Owino, Henry Kahara, Caroline Wangechi, Omondi Gwengi, Yusuf Amin-Kilifi, Parsai Ole Joto, Allan Murimi, Kariuki Mwangi, Ben Oroko and Benard Kimani.

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