Reject Online issue 65

July 11-31, 2012

ISSUE 065

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

World Population Day

A people forgotten Where there is no government yet they were counted in 2009 Census

By JOYCE CHIMBI It is not clear where Mzee Musoo, now departed, had hailed from.

However, with his young bride Nzasi tagging along, they came to Utooni, less than two kilometres away from Kangundo town in Kangundo Constituency many years ago.

Like many others who came from many other parts of the expansive Eastern region, the lure of the pumpkins, which grew in plenty in Kangundo area was too tempting to resist.

Believing that they had found the Promised Land, they held on to a small piece of land patched up a

small hill. The area became ‘Utooni’ from which ‘utoonu’ means ‘to be greedy’ is derived.

Superstition

Labelled with a name that held such little promise, superstitious people claim that this could have jinxed the land that had for many years brought nothing but good tidings.

However, even in their wildest imagination, it is unlikely the couple envisioned the fate that would befall the generations that would later succeed them.

Having departed many years ago, the mouth watering pumpkins

that may have left them salivating for the unknown land atop a hill are no more.

Instead, dry and rocky land surrounds the community living in this region, setting it apart from the surrounding areas. Villagers here are not strangers to relief assistance.

“In fact, just yesterday, most of us trekked to Kathaana to receive relief food which a majority did not get because we lack national identity cards which are a prerequisite,” explains Jacinta Mutio, a resident.

She observes: “Perhaps our undoing has been that we are caught Continued on page 2

Pauline Nzula, who is mentally disabled, holds her four month old baby, with her is her daughter, her mother and a neighbor. Her motherhood is a representation of just one of the many problems ailing the Utooni community. Pictures: George Ngesa

Read more Reject stories online at w w w. m d c a f r i c a . o r g

2

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Where there is no government yet they were counted in 2009 Census Continued from page 1 up in the middle of land boundaries, we don’t belong anywhere and no one, not even the government feels beholden to us.”

Indeed Utooni community is sandwiched between two locations — Nguluni and Kathaani — and between two Constituencies — Matungulu and Kangundo. Here there is no government, not even a chief to handle matters of provincial administration.

Yet as we mark the World Population Day today, these are a people who have been forgotten, or do they simply not exist? Yet one wonders what informed government position to include them in the last population census.

Isolation

“This village is on high ground, we are cut out from everyone’s way. So we live in isolation, on your way here, you must have seen food in plenty, growing in farms as well as being sold along the roads but we have nothing,” explains Magdalene Ngina.

As if to emphasise the point, Mutio’s co-wife pulls her aside and explains to her that she needs her help since besides the strong black tea that they had shared the previous evening, they slept on empty stomachs.

Even after Mutio explains the situation to the women gathered around, no one seems surprised. Food is never in plenty in here, not even pumpkins that require very little encouragement in order for them to grow.

There are no roads to Utooni, if driving one has to follow a footpath that meanders through very steep and rocky terrain, it is risky.

On the way to the village, one comes across a dam, it is just an open pool of water. At one corner, young children cheer each other as they compete about who can blow water the farthest with their mouths.

So they scoop water in their hands and blow it back into the dam, through the mouth. Oblivious of the risk to their life and health.

Source of water

And it gets worse. Across the dam, a number of women chatter loudly as they wash clothes near the dam.

Impossible not to notice, the area around the dam is littered with cow dung, making it a source of water for the animals that have withstood living in an area so dry and with very little pasture.

Ngina interrupts our conversation to quench her thirst from the same dam. She scoops water severally and drains it into her mouth.

“This is how we live, what we need are boreholes. However, for as long as this dam remains our only source of water, human beings and animals have to share it,” notes Ngina.

Besides nutrition and sanitation, there are a myriad of other issues that bedevils this community. The land they live on has no title deeds, it is a

no man’s land.

Most of the residents do not take the trouble to register themselves with the government in order to be issued with national identity cards.

Registering surprise that Pauline Nzula, an 80 year old great grandmother, who has lived in Utooni for over five decades has an identification document, Mutio is quick to clarify.

“Her ID was issued in the 1970s, then, the Government demanded it and it was illegal not to have an ID. So her generation is well registered. However, times have changed.

“Very few people here go to school beyond Standard Five let alone have ID cards. Those who have gone up to Standard Eight have done so because of the free primary education that was rolled out in 2003,” observes Mutio.

Even as she expounds on this issue, one cannot help but notice the number of young girls between 13 and 17 years who are pregnant.

Ngina’s daughter, Wanza is one of her ten children. Wanza has no idea when she was born, a neighbour, who assisted during delivery explains that she is about 16.

Wanza’s baby hang’s loosely on her right arm as she tries to explain her predicament.

Education

“I went to school up to Standard Five, most of my peers are also primary school dropouts. Many of us get pregnant early, but the men responsible are also children like us, so we have to stay with our parents, in spite of our many other siblings,” Wanza explains.

Looking at the structure they call home, one finds it difficult to imagine how a family of ten children and a grandchild share such a small structure.

Ngina, again unaware of when she was born, continues to give birth, ignorant of the fact that she is putting her life in danger.

Rebecca Kitana, a woman’s leader from Kangundo Constituency pleads with her to consider family planning.

“Women in this region continue to give birth until their ovaries run dry. They are in polygamous families and bear many children. They start to deliver early and finish late,” Kitana explains.

Mutio, who became a community health worker to prevent an already bad situation from getting worse, explains: “It is difficult to understand how we live. The woman who is my immediate neighbour has a 15 year old daughter who is mentally impaired and has already had two pregnancies. Her

youngest baby is only four months old.”

The man/men who fathered her children remain unknown.

As if on cue, the girl in question joins us. It is easy to see that Pauline Nzula neither eats well nor observes personal hygiene, as a result, her body is full of rashes, her teeth are rotten too, the front ones are almost falling out.

Other than that, Nzula is jolly, and very friendly even as a stream of saliva runs down one side of her mouth.

She barely speaks but just grunts and seems to be in high spirits, perhaps excited to see new faces.

“Even in a situation such as this, where men are clearly taking advantage of her impairment, the mother will not consent to tubal ligation for her underage daughter, who is already a mother of two.”

Less than 200 metres away, Caroline Nduku sits quietly in her brother’s ‘simba’ a small hut built for a young man who has already undergone circumcision to become a man, a ritual in this community.

Nduku was born in 1990, but apart from the size of her head and its features that resemble that of a grown young woman, her body is like that of a child.

Disability

She was born disabled, her legs and hands did not fully form, but her legs are the most affected and are easily folded underneath her small body.

Her wheelchair is packed in a corner, but someone else has to help her, she cannot roll the wheels all by herself. The wheel chair is rudimentary.

Neither can Nduku perform other basic tasks such as going to the bathroom all by herself.

In spite of her physical impairment, she has learnt how to be neat, though with difficulties because her hands are small and weak.

“I knit scarves and hats in Rastafarian colours, young men at the quarry like them and buy from me,” Nduku says of her income generating activity.

If it were not for lack of resources, Nduku would have stayed in a school for special children.

“Women in this region continue to give birth until their ovaries run dry. They are in polygamous families and bear many children.

They start to deliver early and finish late.”

— Rebecca Kitana

Caroline Nduku, who is physically disabled knits a scarf as her mother and nephew look on. She is six months pregnant. Below is Pauline Nzula with her two children. Pictures: George Ngesa “I had a brother too, just like me, we were identical twins even in our disability, but he died when we were 10. He died while we were in school in Nanyuki. When I grew older, and I realised he had left me all by myself, forever, I grieved for him for a long time,” she explains.

As most people do when faced with such tremendous challenges, Nduku is trying to make the most of her life. She is now six months pregnant.

Although the actual delivery of the baby is a cause for worry among the women in the community, it has not dulled her excitement at the prospect of being called a mother.

Nduku may never hold the baby in her hands, she will need someone to help her support the baby while breastfeeding. However, for Nduku even though she herself requires constant care, life has never been better.

Scarcity

An entire day of interacting with the community and there is no sight of men. “They are all at the quarry now, that’s where they eke a living. Since few go to school beyond primary school level, this is the only life that embraces them.

“Luckily, due to free primary education, there are no young children digging stones. However, there are underage boys, though harsh living conditions have hardened their faces, they are married too, and they are barely 18 years,” Mutio explains.

On the journey out of Utooni, we are met by a large group of men dressed in marching orange T-shirts. They are clearly a youth group although half of them appear to be in their 40s.

Kitana addresses them, engaging them in conversation and it is after close inspection that one realises that indeed they are young men.

They speak about their work at the quarry. “Today we took half the day off, we had to respond to a problem in the family of one of our members,” explains Charles Musyoka, a teacher, one of the very few in this community.

Ironically, Musyoka also works at the quarry when he is not teaching in order to supplement his income.

“In our group we are 26, all of us largely depending on the quarry where we earn KSh100 a day, half of it pays for the food we eat at lunch time, a two kilogramme packet of maize flour is at least KSh100, what kind of life is this?” poses Innocent Mutie, Secretary General of the group.

As the hot weather turns cold signalling that night is about to fall, we say our goodbyes, to a people who have known nothing better.

Children here grow up in scarcity of food, barely go to school, give birth early and continue till old age, which means that the cycle of poverty and illiteracy remain strong.

This is Musoo’s and Nzasi’s fourth generation and they live in very difficult times. All too familiar with hardship and the future looks equally bleak.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

State of the Kenyan Population In this special issue of the Reject, we join millions of people across the globe in celebrating World Population Day, which since its establishment in 1989 has consistently aimed to increase people’s awareness on various population issues.

In keeping with this year’s theme: Re-energizing Family Planning and in light of the intrinsic relationship between family planning and population, we set out to explore whether Kenyans have access to family planning services, and consequently access to reproductive health services.

African countries have continued to face

3

EDITORIAL

many challenges relating to population, although a good number of them have cut back on aid and have become proactive in raising domestic revenue, the influx in population has affected the expansion of sustainable human development.

Budgeting

Many countries have continued to exploit the environment in order to meet the needs of the growing population. Although we were aware that the government is still struggling with unmet needs for contraceptives, we found ourselves on a journey of discovery

that took us to Utooni in Kangundo Constituency.

Here, we found a community grappling with a myriad of challenges, where women give birth until their uterus run dry. Where the society has taken advantage of the mentally impaired girl child to the extent that by the time she is seventeen, she is already a mother, often, to more than one child.

A population where people do not go to school, where there are no roads or clean water. Where both human and animals share a dam, not unaware of the health implications, but choosing to ignore them for lack of a bet-

ter option. Where a majority of those 18 years and above do not register for national identity cards.

Numbers

This journey took us to far flung areas in Northern Kenya, where we met the Dasanach Communities and were appalled by the degree and extent of marginalisation. But they are not all sad stories, we also found pockets of populations, albeit sparsely distributed across the country, who have found strength amongst themselves to overcome challenges relating to poverty, gender inequality and health.

Investing in the population Keeping healthy a people that continue to grow exponentially

By Joyce Chimbi It is estimated that the Kenyan population is growing at one million people per year. As the number of people continue to grow, the government is now finding itself at a cross roads, unable to raise enough resources to cater for the needs of the newly born while also keeping the rest of the population healthy.

With social amenities already stretched thin, it was clear during the last budget reading that the Government is becoming aggressive in raising domestic revenue in order to attain sustainable human development.

“This can be seen in the move to tax landlords for the very first time. The population seems to be growing at an uncontrollable pace,” explains Masha Newton, an activist in Nairobi.

He adds: “And yet people have rights as enumerated in the Constitution’s Bill of Rights which makes it imperative for the Government to facilitate the enjoyment of these rights.”

The right to health care is one of the outstanding aspects of Article 43 in the Constitution under the Bill of Rights. Article 43 (1) (a) states that: “Every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive right.”

Reproductive health

A central aspect of health care is the ability for people to enjoy reproductive health. Even more significant is the connection between population growth and reproductive health.

As the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) marks six decades of providing reproductive health and family planning services in over 170 countries across the world, they continue to lay emphasis on the fact that: “All people, particularly the poor, marginalized and under-served communities, have the opportunity to exercise their rights and to make free and informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.”

The global service provider and a leading advocate of sexual and reproductive health rights for all has continued to work with national organizations working with and for communities and individuals within a range of issues related to sexual health and sexuality.

“Reproductive health is fundamental to well being, it covers a whole range of issues. Many people perceive reproductive health to be syn-

Kenyan population is growing at an alarming rate yet the government does not seem to have a proper plan for its ever growing number. This has resulted to scramble for the scarce resources which are reducing day by day. Picture: Reject correspondent onymous to pregnancies and giving birth,” says Cecilia Watiri, a Gender and Reproductive Health Consultant in Kenya.

She notes: “This is not the case, of course it is a part of it, and a significant part, but it also refers to other equally significant issues such as having and enjoying a healthy sex life. Being able to decide who you want to have sex with and when.”

Although the issue of reproductive health is slowly under the spotlight of local and influential stakeholders particularly the Government, the pace is not fast enough.

International instruments put in place to catalyse the enjoyment of reproductive health rights by all are yet to be domesticated.

In order to address the disconnect between policy and practice, there are certain critical measures that should be put in place.

“To be able to succeed a kind of permanent campaign should be carried out to sensitise populations over the international instruments and commitments African leaders endorsed,” says Cesaire Pooda, Communications advisor at IPPF.

He observes: “It means there is here a huge role for media to play together with advocates in joining efforts to identify adequate means to hold African leaders and other policy/decisions makers accountable.”

Further, as the population continues to grow exponentially, reproductive health advocates continue to wonder where Kenya, and indeed many African countries went wrong in an attempt to develop sustainable solutions.

A number of years ago, it was largely the staggering number of unmet needs for contraceptives that largely contributed to uncontrollable population growth, however, in the last ten years, many governments and donors have continued to make family planning options available to those who need them.

African culture

In addition and perhaps going against the African culture that extensively glorifies having large families whether one is able to feed them or not, family planning campaigns are now aggressively penetrating traditions and culture, still population seems to be growing unabated.

“Every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive right.”

According to Pooda: “It might be seen as a severe judgment to say that this is happening because population related issues have never been really a priority in national and continental development plans until very recently.”

He reiterates: “Unless population and sexual and reproductive health rights issues are in the centre of development, all the efforts mentioned will fail because they will miss the point.”

According to Pooda, it is only in 2007, that the continent was able to come up with an agreed continental Policy Framework on SRHR and an Action Plan for it implementation called the Maputo Plan of Action, whose processes were initiated actually by IPPF-Africa Region. Yet its implementation has shown low results, leading the Heads of State to expand its timeframe (2007 -2010) to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015. This has raised the issue of not prioritizing them enough in their national plans.

With the MDGs only three years away from the set deadline, it is unlikely that Kenya will be among the few African countries that will have managed to achieve any of them other than the universal free primary education.

As the country marks this year’s World Population Day, the Government should lay greater emphasis on making efforts to keep its people healthy.

4

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Safe motherhood remains a challenge for Africa

By JOYCE CHIMBI Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most unsafe place to be a mother in the world as has been confirmed by a report on the state of the world’s mothers making nine out of the ten worst performing countries with regards safe motherhood.

Further, the review of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in September 2010 have shown that a significant number of countries in the sub-Saharan region will not be able to achieve the MDGs particularly as regards the health goals 4, 5b and 6.

Motherhood

The mothers’ index released by the Save the Child US analyses health, education and economic conditions for women and children in 164 countries has painted an extremely grim picture of the plight of many mothers in subSaharan Africa.

Against this back drop international Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)Africa region is among several other organisations who have now intensified their advocacy efforts towards the promotion of the objectives of the Maputo Plan of Action that would significantly improve health goals 4, 5b and 6.

According to Lucien Kouakou, Regional Director of IPPF: “A large number of women are dying while giving birth. In Ivory Coast it’s not any different with as many as 16 women dying daily due to pregnancy related compli-

cations.”

In Kenya, statistics on maternal health estimate that 25 women die daily due to pregnancy related complications.

The reverberating message in the safe motherhood index is the fact that the most dangerous step that a woman can take in sub-Saharan Africa is to get pregnant particularly if she is poor and uneducated.

Child birth

“Ironically, it is in Africa where in giving birth, and multiple births for that matter, that a woman nears an approximate of an ideal wife as children are considered to be a sign of wealth.

“It is a case of the content being much more valued than the container as thousands of women in this region continue to die from pregnancy related complications,” explains Kolorinda James, a traditional birth attendant (TBA) in Juba.

According to the Ministry of Health, South Sudan, Kolorinda James is one of the estimated 2,000 registered TBAs who have no formal qualification but remain indispensable in a country where there are a paltry 40 nurses who hold a diploma and 1,000 certified nurses.

Therefore, this means that for every 100,000 there are only 20 TBAs and only ten certified nurses for every 1,000 births. The figure is negligible in as far as diploma holding nurses are concerned standing at a negligible 0.4 per every 1,000 births.

It is, therefore, not surprising that for every 100,000 births, 2,037 women will die.

“The picture is not so different in Niger which has a staggering maternal mortality and morbidity rate particularly among the rural women and especially those with little or no education and consequently low or no income,” explains Ousmane Hadari, a reproductive health consultant.

Niger ranked 163 in the safe motherhood index, an astonishing high rate of maternal mortality which means that one in every seven women is dying from pregnancy related complications.

Unfortunately the situation is not any different in other African countries which pose varying but equally alarming high maternal mortality figures.

Maternal mortality

“ Clearly, the high maternal mortality in sub-Saharan countries remain largely unchanged in the face of the 15 years of the international “Safe Motherhood Initiatives” that has sought to focus on making it possible for women to deliver without compromising their health or losing their lives,” observes Hadari.

It, therefore, begs the question of just how many more women will have to die before various governments show some tangible commitment towards making their countries a safe haven to be a mother.

According to UNFPA, the state of unsafe motherhood is epitomized by

A significant number of women are not lucky enough to enjoy a pregnancy, endure the rigors of child birth, and survive to tell the story. Picture: Reject Correspondent high maternal mortality, low contraceptive prevalence rate and low rates of skilled attendance at deliveries. All these in the face of very high fertility rates.

Although the causes of maternal mortality are well known, rather than progress towards reducing birth related deaths and morbidity most sub-Saharan countries seem to be retrogressing.

As 2015 draws even nearer and countries signatory to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) feel the pressure to attain the commitments in the next four years, safe motherhood and in essence maternal health which is an aspiration of MDGs remains a difficult nut to crack.

According to 2000-2010 countdown to 2015 report on progress made in relation to achieving MDGs, Africa may

just have missed the train to safe motherhood.

Janet Michael of the Ministry of Health, South Sudan lays emphasis on the “need for trained birth attendants, high contraceptive prevalence and improved infrastructure to enhance access for women in need of various institution based services and a budget that can sustain this initiatives.”

Indeed the issue of underfunding has been the waterloo of African governments towards achieving Safe Motherhood. With the exception of Botswana and Seychelles, the health sector in all African countries signatory to the Maputo commitment receive less than 15 percent of the national budget, consequently, very little money trickles down to reproductive health.

Syumile-a model

community health unit

By Alex Ndirangu Syumile is a small nondescript location in the arid Makindu area, Makueni county. And to serve the 5,300 population is the Syumile dispensary, that stands in the middle of small bushes and few acacia trees that dot this rugged terrain in this hot and dusty semi arid land.

For many years, residents of this area have been having difficulties accessing healthcare, especially in reproductive health partly due to lack of information and the long distances that villagers have to walk to the nearest health facility.

Transformation

But for the last two years, the dispensary has undergone significant transformation to serve the community, whose only healthcare center lacked basic facilities and equipment to serve them.

On this calm Wednesday morning, the elated villagers can hardly wait to invite the visiting donors from Spain in a joyful jig not only to celebrate the improved healthcare services, but also to celebrate their village health unit, which has emerged as a model to be emulated by the neighboring villages.

Two years ago, Africa Medical and Research Foundation, (AMREF) moved in and sourced for the funds and facilitated the formation of this community health unit when the Ministry of Health launched the community based health initiative countrywide to enable communities take charge of their health.

The dispensary prides itself in a properly

equipped delivery room, water tanks and renovated structures. Above all, the over 50 community health workers, trained by AMREF offer essential support to the nurses at the facility by offering extension services in the community. we have been trained on how to identify health problems in the community and refer those that require medical attention to our now renovated and equipped dispensary”, says Amina Mwende, a CHW, holding one of the bikes donated by AMREF to aid the community workers movement the villages According to Dr. Emmanuel Akatch, the program manager, the unit has achieved rapid results beyond expectations within a very short period of one year. “Anecdotal evidence shows that it is one of the best in the country as the reports prove that they have achieved significant results within a short period and they work with minimum supervision.”, he noted.

Apart from ensuring best health practices in the community, the villagers have also gone out of their way to solve other social problems that afflict them.

Action

For instance, there is a recent case where a minor was defiled and the CHW brought this to the attention of the chief for legal action and helped the minor to the health facility for care and medical checkup.

In the past, such cases would go unreported.

Local leaders are also full of praise and laud the success that the project has achieved.

“In the past, a month could hardly pass be-

Community health workers in Makueni County celebrate their achievements in promoting healthy options. Picture: Alex Ndirangu fore you heard of a mother who died while giving birth. We are all happy now that our mothers are delivering safely in this dispensary since the community health workers visit then and refer them to this dispensary.” Says an optimistic assistant chief John Mukubo.

Through the intervention and hard work by the CHWs, the number of deliveries by unskilled attendants dropped from 104 to 19 within one year. The number of immunization defaulters also significantly reduced from 77 to 13 within the same period among other positive indicators.

Encourage

“We are glad for the work you have done and encourage you to do more to better your lives. We are behind you and promise to give you full support to ensure you succeed.” Said a jovial Beatriz Alvarez from AMREF Spain.

To make the project more successful the community has urged donors and other well wishers to assist in connecting electricity to the dispensary and sink a borehole as they have to source water from 6 kilometers away from an unreliable shallow well.

They have already started digging a well hoping to strike water for use in the health facility as well as irrigate a vegetable garden whose proceeds they hope to inject into the project.

The donor, who was in Syumile last year during the launch of the unit, applauded the CHWs for the good work and unity that has made them achieve great success against enormous odds.

“I feel humbled by your work. The change we are seeing now is great. We are happy for your achievements” she said while pledging more support.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Nyeri County low income earners find solution in SACCO

By JOSEPH MUKUBWA DUE to high lending rates and unnecessary charges, large populations of low income earners in Nyeri County have been unable to save their money in financial institutions.

But this can be a thing of the past since the so called ‘poor earners’ can now save as little as Sh 10 per day after a sacco targeting the low class was formed recently.

The Nyeri county low income earners have formed a Sacco aimed to boost their work through provision of affordable credit.

Small Scale Growers Sacco Society was launched recently by Housing assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru after the Sacco was registered by the government.

The Sacco aims to promote small scale farmers and small scale informal sector entrepreneurs through provision of affordable credit.

Some of the targeted members in the Sacco include carpenters, drivers, marketers, mechanics, hawkers and tailors among many others.

The Sacco was launched at Mweiga town in Kieni West district in a ceremony attended by among other government officials who included senior assistant commissioner of cooperatives John Waihenya, Nyeri County Council chairman Wachira Maina Ken and investor Njoroge Wainaina.

The chairman of the sacco David Mbogo says that they formed the sacco due to high lending rates in the banks, lack of formal employment as a form of security for the loans and lack of collaterals (security to guarantee their loans).

A nine-member board was elected led by the chairman.

The vice chairman is Gerald Mwai, Secretary Godfrey Mwai while the chairman of Investment committee is Pharis Mwangi.

The Sacco intends to take the Sacco to greater heights by first opening a Fosa soon.

“We have established links with other apex cooperative bodies like Cooperative Bank, Cooperative Insurance Services, International Cooperative Alliance and Nyeri County cooperative leaders forum etc and also partnered with county councils in order to easier services,” said the chairman.

He said the Sacco will also partner with the Government to disburse the youth and women development fund so that they can strive to their mission of offering cheap and affordable credit to the members.

Advantage

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

“We are going to intensify member’s education and training programs by educating the general public on the advantages of joining this Sacco. We shall also computerize and interlink our offices thereby make our operations easier,” said the chairman.

The idea to form the Sacco was mooted by likeminded members in November last year and the recruitment commenced in January this year with the guidance and assistance of the local district cooperative officer.

“The Sacco has since been well received by a majority of the sector and mostly of the lowest cadre and within the first three months of operations, the Sacco had registered growth. It’s worth to note that we are now moving as per our projections in terms of membership and share capital,” he adds.

The senior assistant commissioner lauded the move saying it will create employment for the youth.

The assistant minister said if the Sacco thrives, she will return in the area with an aim to change the bylaws so that the Sacco can open branches outside the Nyeri County.

The county council chairman challenged the Sacco to be very innovative and also introduce products which are not with the financial institutions.

The Sacco has since adopted a very efficient and favorable credit policy where they consult with experts on suitable investment policies.

The Sacco is also open to government’s supervision an audit for accountability and transparency.

However, they cited competition as the main challenge in the market.

The Sacco urges the Government, through the ministry of cooperatives and through the provincial administration to support the Sacco in its quest to better the lives of the local people.

5

Triplets changed my family for the worse

Lack of family Planning changed our lives for the worst

By BENARD KIMANI When Margaret Ngonyo was growing up, she had high hopes of starting a family. Her desire was to be a mother of both sexes. Getting more than three children, however, was not on her mind. She vividly recalls the day, January 15, 2009, at Pumwani Maternity Hospital when her childhood dream was ripped apart.

“My childhood dream was to raise three children, full stop,” says Ngonyo. A mishap caused by lack of family planning drugs at the clinic she attends in Ruai hospitals, left her with an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy. However, this was compounded by the birth of the triplets, something that was beyond her family’s expectations.

“There were no family planning drugs in the hospitals, and I visited several hospitals in search of the vital contraceptives without success,” explains Ngonyo. “Finally, I went into a chemist and bought what I was told were family planning drugs.”

Ngonyo laments that she took the drugs, not knowing that it would be a turning point in her life. She says she suspects the drugs could have been fake or expired.

Pregnant

Upon taking the drugs she thought all was well, but a month later she noticed that something was amiss. She was pregnant.

The then mother of three boys consoled herself, saying that the baby would be a girl this time round.

The couple had, in the past, hoped to give birth to a baby girl, but the first three attempts were without success.

“I am a strict adherent to family planning,” says Ngonyo, with a tinge of laughter on her face. She points that the spacing of their first three children was well within their means: “My first born is 16, second is 13 and third is only six years old.”

After conceiving for the fourth time, however, she was confronted with mixed reactions: shock, happiness and, even, confusion. She was happy that she had finally given birth to a girl.

However, the irony was that it was not one, but two: Jane Wambui and Cecilia Muthoni. Preliminary reports from a scan had shown that she would give birth to twins.

Triplets

This was not to be. On delivery she gave birth to triplets, throwing a spin to her family, and even doctors who had been expecting twins. She gave birth to two girls and a boy named James Njoroge.

However, the family had only budgeted for two babies. “When I received news about a third child I was shocked,” says Denis Kibugi.

He hastily did some extra shopping in Kamukunji for the third child.

Outside his shanty house in the Ruai area in Embakasi, Kibugi’s face displays his inner feelings. He opens his heart, and tells us that he does odd jobs in Ruai to sustain his family.

“It’s not easy to raise these children, considering that I have no reliable source of income,” he says, adding that sustaining a family of six children means working extra hard.

Denis Kibugi with his triplets. His life and that of the family has changed dramatically since their arrival. Picture: Benard Kimani “This kind of big family is of yore days, when there was enough food for large families,” notes Kibugi, adding that times have changed. These days, having such a big family is detrimental.

“Imagine what I am going through, especially now that everything has skyrocketed. It’s very hard to keep going,” laments Kibugi.

He notes that the help they received from friends and neighbours the first three months came in handy.

Ngonyo adds that she was in a dire need of help: “We have no money to employ a house girl. We relied on the well wishers for help.”

The news about the triplets spread far and wide, and so did the reactions of people.

Neighbours flocked to his home to witness

“It’s not easy to raise these children, considering that I have no reliable source of income,” he says, adding that sustaining a family of six children means working extra hard. This kind of big family is of yore days, when there was enough food for large families.”

— Denis Kibugi

it first hand, but one comment from Kibugi’s younger brother is what he will always remember: “I received a call from my own brother, he expressed how unfortunate it was this had happened to me,” says Kibugi, adding that he was upset about the sentiments.

Kibugi says that his poor state would not deter him from raising the children. “My children were all fine and I thank God for that.

There are people who deliver children with deformity, but they still raise them,” says Kibugi.

He notes that he is facing hard times, considering that he does odd jobs. At the same time he observes that, at 49, and with no distinct source of income, coupled with the current raising inflation, he would have preferred fewer children.

Unwanted pregnancy

While Kibugi’s family continues to reel from what was caused by a lack of proper contraceptives, which led to an unwanted pregnancy, there are many more women, especially teenage girls, who fall victim to such schemes and end up raising children the hard way.

While Kenya’s population hits 40 million, the government is keen on family planning. It is included in its endeavour to lower fertility rates, aimed at reducing pressure on the land and resources. Although government action is laudable, it still does not stipulate how many children a family can support, like its Chinese counterpart’s policy, which limits couples to one child.

However, many couples are opting to give birth to fewer children due to the rising inflation and lack of dependable sources of income.

6

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Patriarchy remains a major barrier to spaced births

By BEN OROKO Though family planning is widely believed to have important benefits for both maternal and child health, conservative patriarchal society continue depriving women of their reproductive health rights of making choices on the number of children to give birth to or family planning methods of their choice. The situation is so worrying that majority of the women from various traditional African societies where patriarchal dominance reigns supreme have no choice over their sexual and reproductive health rights.

Community

In such scenario, communities dictate the number of children a woman has to give birth to without seeking her consent on the matter which affects her sexuality and reproductive health.

Majority of women from such backgrounds continue giving birth to children they cannot take care of since they do not have a right to make a choice on the number of children to have or family planning method to use.

They must seek permission from their husbands or in-laws.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) indicates that family planning is important for both the health of the child and that of the mother as well as for the economic situation of the family.

The USAID further notes that having children less than two years apart can have devastating health consequences for both the mother and children. According to the Agency, the best health outcomes are in families where children are born two to three years apart and to mothers not younger than 18 years.

Delaying or spacing pregnancies more often than not has financial ben-

efits for mothers and their families.

Over the world, there exists various family planning philosophies which vary from country to country, with some countries restricting families to have only one child due to population control, while others encourage women to give birth to many children based on societal, cultural or religious attitudes against use of family planning services or birth control methods.

Hellen Kwamboka, a resident of Boigesa village, Sameta District, Kisii County and a mother of one, concurs that family planning has important benefits for the health of the child and mother.

“Planning the birth of one’s children at certain birth intervals leads to a healthy and manageable family,” observes Kwamboka She argues that planned pregnancies and spacing of children not only leads to healthy mothers and children but also translates to healthy families.

Sexuality

She challenges communities to respect women’s sexual and reproductive health rights to allow them make informed decisions on the number of children they should have and the family planning method to use.

“With the changing world every woman has a right to decide on the number of children to give birth to and the family planning method to use without coercion from their spouses or communities,” argues Kwamboka.

According Moffat Moindi, a father of one, family planning reduces the number of unintended and unwanted pregnancies which impact negatively on the health of mothers and children.

“Family planning has both health and financial benefits to families since it facilitates couples to decide on the number of children and when to have

them,” observes Moindi.

He says a woman’s body easily becomes exhausted through repeated pregnancies, breastfeeding and caring of small children born at close intervals.

According to Winfridah Abuya, a trained nurse and counsellor, the freedom to choose and how many children to have them is a fundamental right that women should not be deprived of.

Abuya, who offers family planning services at her Daraja Medical Centre in the outskirts of Kisii town, argues that every woman has a right to plan when to get pregnant and also choose a family planning methods without coercion.

“Though family planning remains a right of men and women to decide the number, timing and spacing of their children, statistics indicate that over 100 million women from developing countries who are married or living with men, report that their needs for contraceptives remain unmet,” observes Abuya.

Warning

She warns communities against denying women their right to choose family planning methods of their choice, contributing to majority of the rural poor women giving birth to children they cannot take care of.

Abuya argues that access to family planning services for all women and adolescent girls is a fundamental human right and would assist in reducing and preventing unwanted pregnancies which lead to cases of maternal and child deaths.

“A woman’s body needs a period of at least two years to recover from pregnancy and child birth. Too many births, too close together endanger both the mother and children’s lives,” states Abuya.

Hellen Kwamboka with her child at Boigesa village of Sameta district in the Kisii County Picture: Ben Oroko.

The medic warns men against viewing family planning as the responsibility of women alone. She says men need to be engaged in all processes of reproductive health including being educated on the importance of family planning to protect and sustain their families’ health.

Reproductive health

Underscoring the importance of family planning in improving the health of women and children, Abuya advises couples to prevent unwanted pregnancies through use of family planning methods that delay pregnancy, space births or limit the number of children they have.

According to the 2003 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey

(KDHS),there is still a huge unmet need for family planning services, estimated to be 25 per cent.

The practice of family planning in Kenya increased steadily since the early 1980s with contraceptive prevalence rate for all methods recording 39 per cent in 1998.

The country’s high fertility and declining mortality saw it ranked among countries with the fastest population growth rates in the 1970s and 1980s.

During the same period, the country became one of the African countries to encourage family planning to lower fertility rates to mitigate pressure on land and resources.

Law on right to health services leaves Kenyans at a cross road

By MERCY MUMO The journey towards achieving sexual and reproductive health rights for all in Kenya is still far from over.

Hundreds of young girls and mothers die due to reproductive health related complications every year since access to proper health care is a dream for many. For some, cultural and religious factors come into play when making reproductive health choices.

Constitution

Despite provisions in the Kenya Constitution 2010 on the basic right to health, this remains a pipe dream.

Article 26 speaks of the right to life with sub-section 1 and 2 stating that: “Every person has a right to life,” and, “The life of a person begins at conception,” respectively. Further, article 26(4) permits abortion “if 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”.

Article 43(1) (a) states that “Every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, including reproductive health care.”

According to the 2012 reproduc-

tive health report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), the right to maternal health should encompass access to antenatal care services; delivery services, including caesarean section where necessary; essential newborn care services; and post-partum care within two days of delivery.

Provision of these services requires availability of trained service providers (midwives, nurses, doctors and clinical officers) at all times and facilities equipped to respond to emergency cases, adequate physical facilities, and adequate equipment and supplies including essential medicines and vaccines.

Access to reproductive healthcare remains a challenge to many. Factors such as unavailability of reproductive health services, inhibitive cultural beliefs, religion, lack of knowledge, lack of access to the available services, economic constraints among others are what make health an expensive affair for Kenyans.

Abortion has been debated upon time and again and the question still remains, is it legal despite having a provision for it in article 26(4) of the Constitution? Kenya is among the countries that ratified the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the

Rights of Women in Africa, commonly known as the Maputo Protocol with reservations on abortion.

The supposed need to eliminate “unsafe abortions” is indirectly said to be legalising abortion on demand based on the assumption that legalised abortion improves maternal health.

The KNCHR report in its findings states that the Constitution has relaxed rigidity on termination of pregnancy that previously existed. The effect of Article 26 (4) of the Constitution is the repeal of the restrictive abortion laws and policies of Kenya that existed before the promulgation of the new Constitution, as stated in section 158-160 and 214 of the Penal Code.

Abortion

Article 26 (4) permits safe abortion if 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. Article 26 (1) of the Constitution protects the right to life and Article 26 (2) does further provide for when life begins; thus at conception.

It further states that these articles repealed section 214 of the Criminal Procedure Code that had earlier provided that a child becomes a person

and capable of being able to live when out of the mother’s womb.

“Article 26 does not criminalise abortion but gives the power to decide whether or not abortion should be undertaken by the health professional, not the pregnant woman. However, the penal codes 158, 159, 160, 214, which are still Kenyan laws, do criminalise abortion,” says Dr Amon Chirchir, an Obstetrics and Gynaecologist.

Chirchir notes that he does not see any conflict between Article 26 (4) and Article 43.

Article 43 (1) of the Constitution states that : “Every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health care services, including reproductive health care.”

The unmet need for contraception is also another challenge in realising reproductive health rights and poses a threat to the improvement of the quality of life and realisation of Vision 2030.

According to last year’s International Journal of Business and Social Science Vol. 2 No. 1, despite the various strategies and policies, total fertility rate remains high at 4.6 per cent, while contraceptive prevalence rate and unmet need for family planning are estimated at 46 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.

This is evidenced in the misuse of

the emergency contraception pill. Either, the youth using them are ignorant of the effects of the pill or other forms of contraception are not available or lack of youth friendly reproductive health services force them to seek ‘quick and easy’ solutions over the counter at pharmacies which ask no questions.

Implementation

“I think there are only two things left. The implementation of the Constitution to the letter and Parliament to enact legislation or an Act of Parliament that would specify the circumstances under which abortion would be accessible to those who genuinely need it,” says Chirchir. He adds: “For instance in cases of sexual abuse such as incest and rape of minors.”

This is as Article 26 states “under any other written law”.

Chirchir observes: “This will not require a constitutional amendment.

The main issue in Kenya is not the laws, it is the implementation of laws and policies.”

Health is a constitutional right of every citizen entrenched in our constitution. The government is tasked with ensuring that quality health care can be accessed by all especially in government hospitals and health centres.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

World Population Day

7

Without family planning, they trade child birth for school

By JANE GODIA As we walk into Clinique Cooperative de Ouando (Cooperative Clinic of Ouando) in Porto Novo, the capital city of Benin, we find 18 year old Dassi Euphrasie in labour.

Dassi is not married but fell pregnant when in school, may be for lack of sex education. While both her parents and the boyfriend have come to terms with her pregnancy, Dassi who was in secondary school can only have a better future if she is able to complete schooling and get into a college.

At the same maternity ward, is 22-year-old Ouinson Christine who has just given birth to her second baby. She dropped out of school in primary because she did not want to continue with her education. She had her first baby at 20 years. Ouinson is a hawker peddling goods along the streets of Porto Novo.

Together with them is 29-year-old Biao Cherifath who had just given birth to her fourth child. She had her first baby when she was 18 years old.

Biao did not complete school and is now married. Although she trades in hair and beauty products, she does not practice any method of family planning.

Victims

In July, last year, the world population reached the seven billion mark, and more and more children continue to be born. Some with proper planning but many others being victims of unwanted and unplanned pregnancies.

While in some countries birth rates have gone down tremendously, in other countries they have increased. A new study by the Guttmacher Institute and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), finds that the number of women in developing countries who want to avoid pregnancy but are not using modern contraception declined only slightly between 2008 and 2012, from 226 to 222 million. However, in the 69 poorest countries — where 73 per cent of all women with unmet need for modern contraceptives reside — the number actually increased, from 153 to 162 million women.

However, as the World Population is marked today, more and more children are having babies. In Africa girls are not completing education as a result of early pregnancy. This leaves many of them with limited options to a better future as poverty rules in their lives.

The girls in Benin are a true picture of what is happening to many African girls especially those who have not had an opportunity to complete schooling or have fallen pregnant in school.

According to Dr Assongba Joseph, doctor in-charge at the clinic, the girls who are giving birth are too young and do not know about family planning. “Many of the patients we get at the clinic are school girls and they do not know anything about family plan-

ning,” observes Assongba.

He regrets that because they are young and ignorant, the women come for ante-natal at the last minute when they are due and at times their condition is so bad. According to Assongba those who do not come to in time for ante-natal check up on time have problems such as malaria, urinary tract infection, anaemia and pneumonia among other complications since they did not get advice on how to manage themselves.

“If they come to the clinic early, they are advised on what to eat. Those who have anaemia end up dying if they have not been saved through caesarean section as they are too weak to push when in labour,” observes Assongba.

He adds: “Last year we lost two women in maternal death. One of them had anaemia and she only came for ante-natal at eight months. Two weeks later she went into labour and came to the hospital to give birth, but she died in the process.”

Assongba reiterates the importance of ante-natal because then women are advised on what to eat.

“Rural women work very hard and when they come to deliver they are too tired to give birth normally because they did not eat well during the pregnancy,” he says.

Although the hospital has a theatre that should handle complications that require surgery, there are women who they are unable to save because their condition has deteriorated.

“When the woman is too tired for delivery we are forced to save the baby and the mother.”

Poverty

However, all indications at this clinic indicate that poverty is making many women keep away from coming to the clinic for the services being offered as they are too busy chasing a livelihood.

The hospital has 20-25 patients a day and out of these 15 are maternity cases. The hospital is located next to the market, a factor that has encouraged women traders to visit the clinic for family planning among other services.

Family planning services are being offered by the Association Beninosie Pour La Promotion de la Famille (ABPF) which translates to Benin Association of Family Empowerment.

The organisation is the country arm of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Africa Region.

According to Assongba not many Beninese have accepted the culture of

planning families and staggering births. He notes that while women appreciate the need for smaller families, in most cases it is the husband who has to determine whether the woman will take contraceptives or not. This therefore makes the girls who start having children when they are barely 18 to have so many children.

Assongba says people like to have five to six children and others go upto eight. However, these are the ones with low levels of education. Those who are well educated will have two to three children.

“Education plays a major role in the number of children that a woman has,” observes Assongba.

However, the global meltdown that has hit the rest of the continent and sent inflation spiralling is making many families rethink the number of children that they can have.

“Education plays a major role in the number of children that a woman has.”

— Dr Assongba Joseph

Consequences

“The economic situation makes them understand that they cannot afford to have many children. They understand that it will be a problem to have many children,” says Assongba.

However, despite this after Dassi Euphrasie, delivery, although the women Ouinson Christine are introduced to family planand her baby ning, most of them do not come at the Clinique back to the clinic. The doctor Cooperative says the next time he will see de Ouando them is when they have come (Cooperative Clinic for the next delivery. “Out of ten women who have delivered, of Ouando) in Porto Novo, the capital only two will be back but for the city of Benin. rest may be the next time we see Pictures: Jane Godia them they will be pregnant,” he notes.

However, he blames all this on myths and misconceptions that men tend to have on family planning. “Sometimes the husyet she is on the injectibles. band thinks that if the wife is on fam“I decided to go for the injection ily, she will not have more children or because I do not want more children,” will be unfaithful. This thinking by says Djasalath. “However, I cannot the men is not true says Assongba. tell my husband about it because he It is for this reason that many would not consent. I know him very women prefer the injectibles because well and that is why I have kept this then the husband will not know that secret from him. they are already into family planning.

Djasalath’s husband would like her They prefer to even leave their clinic to have more children and if someone cards at the clinic. told him that his wife was on family planning he would say that person is lying. “There is trust between us,” she According to Chakibou Djasalath, says. a mother of three, she can never tell “If I am told to come to the clinic her husband about family planning with my husband he will never accept because he wants to have many children,” she states.

Djasalath also reiterates that she opted for the injection because it is the only method that can hold her secret. “I cannot go for the implants because my husband likes caressing me and he will feel them and that will create problems,” she says.

Djasalath who completed her secondary schooling and is running her own business at the market says she

Tradition

can only have more children if the economic situation improves.

Even though there are women who have information on family planning, myths and misconceptions as well as patriarchal dominance, remain a challenge to how Africa can reduce the burden of many children. It is also a challenge as to how girls can get information on delaying sexual debut or protecting themselves from pregnancy if they must have sex.

According to Agoumba Marie Genevieve, a midwife who is the regional coordinator for ABPF/IPPF Oueme Plateau in Benin, other than culture religion is also playing a role where girls are having children at a very early age.

“In areas where Islam is dominant, girls are forced to marry early. In some communities, some traditions are favourable for early marriages especially among Nomadic people,” observes Agoumba.

Pregnancy, therefore, remains a factor for early marriage and drop out in school.

8

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Working towards a healthy population

By HENRY OWINO This year, the world marks yet another population day. Although it would appear that most countries, particularly in Africa have been unable to control the skyrocketing growth in population, it is important that efforts and interventions are put in place to ensure that the population is healthy.

Last year, a number of East Africa countries were hit by ravaging drought. Million stared death in the face, but the situation has now changed.

Food security

According to Prof Ruth Oniang’o, chairperson of the Food Security and Nutrition Thematic Working Group and Founder of Rural Outreach Programme in Kenya, women, especially mothers, are key in the issue of nutrition because most of the time, it is them who make decisions regarding what is to be consumed in their homes.

Oniang’o made the remarks at an event organised by Nestle Equatorial Africa Region (EAR) to launch a consumer awareness campaign whose objective is to educate the general public about nutrition, especially the impact of micronutrient deficiencies and lifestyle diseases on general health.

Oniang’o who is a nutrition spe-

cialist expressed concern that most women are not taking nutrition seriously, and yet they are the ones who prepare meals for their families.

“How can a woman provide nonnutritious food to her family members for breakfast, lunch and supper and expect them to grow healthy?”

Oniang’o wondered.

Balance

She urged women to be at the forefront of championing healthy eating, adding that a balanced, nutritious and healthy diet for a family will help them live longer and enjoy good health.

“I would like to specify here that mothers and women as guardians are key to this campaign and we want to encourage all mothers to make the nutrition change in their homes.

Women must listen to their own bodies and again to the entire family to be able to provide what they demand,” stressed Oniang’o.

She observed that when the body lacks some nutrients it will sense and send messages as a warning. It is when one ignores those messages that it becomes a health problem.

“In adverse cases, nutrition may cause permanent health problems due to ignorance,” she noted.

According to Oniang’o poor eyesight can be caused by a lack of vitamin A. A lack of Vitamin C lowers the body’s immune system, and de-

Hard economic times should not be an excuse not to eat a well balanced diet. A table set with a dish that is not only mouth watering but also highly nutritious. Picture: Reject Correspondent. ficiencies in Vitamin D contribute to weakening bones.

Two areas that define nutrition are health and wellbeing as well as eating healthy and living well. The most micro-nutrient deficiency areas are in iron, Vitamin A, zinc and iodine. However, Oniang’o noted it does not translate into deep knowledge about the actual requirements and deficiencies in food and lifestyle.

The initiative dubbed “Listen to Your Body” is a nationwide campaign, which will also acts as a call to action for individuals to start paying closer attention to their health and lifestyle choices.

Solutions

According Pierre Trouilhat, Chief Executive Officer of Equatorial Africa Region (EAR), the initiative has been launched to generate awareness of common nutritional deficiencies and their related symptoms.

Trouilhat affirmed that the “Listen to Your Body” campaign is

aimed at encouraging consumers to be attuned to their bodies and to understand fundamental signs and signals that the body may be providing from time to time.

He reiterated that the campaign suggests a simple call to action; a simple everyday conversation that consumers can have with their bodies in order to better understand themselves and their health.

Nutrition education programmes in schools are underway in selected primary schools in Nairobi as the initiative is partnering with Ministry of Education.

“Today, Nestle is not only the world’s leading food and beverage company, but also increasingly recognised as the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company.

This shows a clear commitment by our management to single-mindedly focus on providing solutions that improve the health and wellbeing of our consumers,” emphasised Trouilhat.

He stressed that the company is not just simply providing the prod-

ucts to consumers, but rather they are making it their central mission to focus the company’s efforts to combat the dual problem of malnutrition and obesity that prevails at an alarming rate across the globe.

Wellbeing

Speaking at the same event, Phyllis Obote, the Nutrition, Health and Wellness Manager at Nestle EAR, said that the company has a comprehensive nutrition strategy that focuses on balance, understanding and responsible pleasure in the products.

Obote assured the public that the company has an internally developed a system to continuously monitor an existing product portfolio for its nutritional content, with regards to health sensitive ingredients like salt, fats and sugars.

He guaranteed the public, who are also the main consumers of the products, that they will be provided with the best tasting and most nutritious choices in a wide range of food and beverage categories.

Women now opting for herbal family planning methods

By JOHN KINYUA Beatrice Lang’at, 29, gave birth to triplets which raised the number of her children to ten in young age. Though the incident shocked the residents of Mukunga village, Kiambogo sub-location of Nyahururu district, she claims to be happy and contented.

In a candid interview, Lang’at admits that it was not her wish to give birth to so many children.

Side effects

“I have tried all methods of family planning and nothing has worked. The side effects of all methods are too difficult to bear,” she says.

According to report from Ng’arua Heath Centre, Lang’at’s two sons and daughter were born on intervals of 30 minutes from 11.00 am on December 14, last year. The names of the children — Kipchumba, Chepkoech and Kipchirichir — were all born healthy through normal delivery.

Lang’at’s husband Saina Lang’at, 45, who is a boda boda motorbike operator is also said

to have given up on seeking the appropriate family planning method.

The family’s oldest child is 13 years old.

They now have eight sons and two daughters.

The triple births came by as a surprise and the woman has now turned to herbalists for help.

Influx

According to a Nyahururu based herbalist HDR Tonny wa Njenga, population influx in the country is brought about by lack of cooperation between individual parents and government.

He says the junk foods eaten presently are to blame for the rise of fertility rate. “Our people have stopped eating the indigenous food which are cheap but have instead turned to junk foods,” notes Njenga.

Junk foods such as chips, sausages, samosa, bread hamburger, Pizzas and any other deep fried cookies are some of them. He observed that these foods are used in place of yams, sweet potatoes and other vegetables.

Handling food He says that human bodies grow as quickly as these foods are grown, processed and

cooked.

“It is for this reason that girls as young as 12 years are getting pregnant while that was not the case decades ago,” observes Njenga.

While individual’s persons carry the greatest portion of the blame, he says he government can also be blamed for accepting development of genetically modified foods in the country.

However, Njenga admits that there is a big challenge to birth control and calls upon men and women to play their role responsibly.

Support

“Men have particularly been blamed for failing to co-operate with their wives in the family planning. In 100 men only two support their women,” he says.

Njenga says cultural believes and myths held by men are the greatest barrier.

“Some men feel they can no longer enjoy sex if their wives are on family planning methods,” he says.

However, he says those who opt for herbal family planning methods that he offers are many. This is attested to by the file that he

keeps which has been signed by women coming for monthly prescriptions. “If one takes the medicine to take it at home she is not allowed to sign lest she returns pregnant and claims that the drug did not work,” explains Njenga.

He advises his clients to swallow the tablet in his clinic for clear records because he claims many women tend to forget once they arrive at home due to many chaos to attend to.

Prescription

The prescription is taken five days after a woman’s menstrual periods cease. It is then repeated after 20 days and the date to which it falls is made the fixed date for taking the pill.

“We started three years ago and none of the women who have been coming to us have conceived accidentally. If you want to conceive you just stop taking the monthly pill and the next month after you stop the conception must take place,” he says.

However he is emphatic that the husband must give consent though single mothers are considered too.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

9

Messengers of change

Benin turns to motor bike riders in repositioning family planning

By Jane Godia In Most African countries family planning seemed to have failed. Since last year, a network of organisations in Kenya came together to reposition family planning. While previously family planning was treated as a woman’s affair and hence the reason why it failed, today, stakeholders agree that it can only succeed if even the men are involved.

This therefore, forms the background in which family planning is being repositioned. Repositioning within the community will enable both parents — husband and wife — decide jointly on how they can space births as well as plan for the number of children they can take care of comfortably.

Repositioning

However, an innovative idea of repositioning family planning is taking place in Benin where more men are being involved in passing the message on why families must have fewer children whose births are spaced.

According to Edgard Cledjo, Executive Director, Association Beninosie Pour La Promotion de la Famille (ABPF) which translates to Benin Association of Family Empowerment, the country arm of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) Africa Region so many false information are the cause of this retrogression.

As the World Population Day is marked just a few days after IPPF celebrated 60 years of existence, family planning remains a challenge to many African communities where myths and misconceptions have made the intake of contraceptives to be very low.

IPPF was the first organisation to distribute contraceptives through commercial outlets. Today it is a leading champion in sexual and reproductive health rights.

While there are countries that have moved forward in ensuring that contraceptive uptake is high, and that women have fewer spaced children, this is not the case for Benin, which could rightly be a typical example of most of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Strategy

According to Cledjo, Benin has lagged behind and is retrogressing.

However ABPF/IPPF is now changing its strategy on how they can get the citizens of Benin to use contraceptives better.

They have gone to a group of messengers who are more organised and get to deal with the ordinary people and realities every day. These are the motor bike taxi riders. According to Cledjo, motor bike taxi riders are well organised and information among them spreads quickly.

Speaking to a group of motor bike taxi riders in Artiste, Benin, in the outskirts of Cotonou, Cledjo demys-

tified the misconception that family planning is foreign. “Our forefathers did family planning because it depended on them. Our fathers sis the same. We must find a solution to the gap and move forward and that is why e have sensitisation activities that are currently on going.”

In using men to create awareness, on family planning as well as other sexual and reproductive health, Cledjo noted that men have been barriers to family planning because of myths and misconceptions as well as rumours.

Representation

“We criticise family planning saying it is not good but it all depends on us as fathers,” noted Cledjo.

His sentiments were echoed by the ABPF national representative Simplice Sossou who noted that men have been barriers to women accessing family planning. “If a man does not agree, it is difficult for a woman to get contraceptives.”

ABPF gathered the male motor bike taxi riders to explain to them about family planning because if they understand, then it will be easy for women to access contraceptives.

“If men understand family planning they can speak about it to colleagues, clients, brothers and sisters,” said Sossou. He added: “There are many rumours and myths around family planning but because you are now armed with the right information, you can correct the misconceptions.”

This is echoed by Cledjo who said: “Benefits of family planning starts with the couple and the head of the family who is the man.”

Culture has also been a major hindrance to women accessing family planning. Cledjo said cultural beliefs where people understand giving birth as being a gift from God has been the biggest challenge. “They do not understand that they can stop God’s plans through family planning.”

According to Cledjo, the common belief is that when a woman uses contraceptives she is associated with prostitution. The situation is compounded by the fact that the French colonial masters imposed a rule on Francophone African countries banning activities that would promote family planning.

“If one was caught advertising

“If one was caught advertising family planning they would be jailed and this has affected the way people responded to family planning.”

— Edgard Cledjo

family planning they would be jailed and this has affected the way people responded to family planning,” notes Cledjo.

However, this can change if men actively embrace family planning and create awareness around it. It is noted that a father can only be in good psychological health if he is planning his family. When a father does planning for most of his projects like buying a car, property or house he gets disappointed when things do not work out. This is because if one has many children, then all the money will go to them instead of the projects. The children will not be healthy including their mother.

“If you want to save money you must also do family planning. Too many children do not make men happy,” Cledjo.

Changing times

Stressing on the message the motor bike riders must take out there, Cledjo noted that things have changed and people no longer rely on the farms. The days when the man would farm and bring in food for his family are long gone. “Today things are different and women must have things to do to help bring in extra welcome. If she gets pregnant, the money she gets will go into taking care of her pregnancy.”

According to Cledjo, a woman must have something to do and not get pregnant often. He noted that many organisations do not want to employ women who get pregnant often.

He observed that in Benin alone 1,500 women die from pregnancy related consequences every year. “This is why family planning is important for women so that we can reduce the number of maternal deaths.”

Motor bike riders have turned a new leaf in Benin and are now advocates of family planning. Above, in a meeting to strategise on repositioning family planning. Below, the riders in action. Pictures: Jane Godia The motor bike riders will use the opportunity that they have with their clients to spread the message of family planning and its importance. One of them said. “Benefits of family planning for children is that if the couple wait for their children to reach at least four years before the woman gets pregnant it will be important.”

These sentiments were echoed by another rider: “If you want your children to get good education and get to university, then you must plan your family. Income can only be managed well by one who has planned and spaced their children.”

In the meeting 15 groups of motor bike riders were represented.

They agreed that they have the space to spread the gospel of family planning and the message would spread quickly.

Messages

ABPF realised that they cannot work alone as family planning is not the work of one person.

The motor bike riders requested for ABPF to provide them with branded vests that have the message of family planning engraved in them and this will make them more visible as they spread the word. The motor bike taxi riders promised to keep what they have been told in mind and would speak

about it to their families, neighbours and clients. They were challenged to speak about family planning just as openly as they discuss politics. They are well known for giving politicians information on what people are saying about them or the political trend.

Repositioning of family planning in Benin is being funded by West African Health Organisation, who have been key partners in the process.

The funding for repositioning family planning will be used to buy contraceptives as well as in communications and advocacy activities.

Advocate

However, the National policy of Family Planning in Benin does not allow advocates to talk about limiting families, they are only allowed to talk about spacing.

This is a challenge that even the motor bike riders will have to deal with as they spread the message of change among the citizens.

Like the rest of the Continent, Benin paints a picture of what is happening in the region. However, use of motor bike taxi riders may open space to have more men involved in supporting their wives to have fewer and spaced children considering that most families in Africa still have five to seven children.

10

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Uncertainty looms as HIV funding dwindles

By ALLAN MURIMI National Aids Control Council (NACC) wants the Government to increase funding for HIV treatment now that some main donors have expressed intention to pull out.

The Central Kenya NACC regional monitoring and evaluation officer, James Kiiru, said that there will be an increase in Aids related deaths if the funding is not sustained.

Donors

The Clinton HIV/Aids Initiative, which has been a main donor in the fight against the disease, recently said that it will discontinue its support for paediatric antiretroviral drugs.

“The country faces a serious sustainability problem and we are asking the government to put up a trust fund,” said Kiiru.

NACC says that the government contributes 13 per cent towards the fight against HIV, while donors contribute 87 per cent. Future funding for HIV/Aids response is now becoming increasingly uncertain. Funding Speaking during a seminar in a Nyeri hotel yesterday, Kiiru said that other terminal diseases, like cancer, are funded by the ministry of health, but HIV has mainly been sponsored by donors.

“HIV treatment costs the patients KSh200,000 per month, which most Kenyans cannot afford as donors change priorities,” he said.

The council wants the Government to set

aside one per cent of its annual budget towards the establishment of an Aids Trust Fund.

Gaps

Kiiru said the trust fund will address the financial gaps that will be left when donors stop sponsoring the HIV programmes.

The council is lobbying MPs to pass the Kenya National Aids Commission Bill, 2012, to convert it and make it independent.

The Parliamentary Committee on Health has put the bill on its agenda, and the council legal officer, Charles Kariuki, said that passing the bill will strengthen the NACC. He said the commission will have a wider mandate and will be able to hold organisations involved in the fight against HIV accountable.

“We depend on information presented to us by organisations involved in the fight against HIV, and sometimes the information is not enough,” said Kariuki. He said the commission will be able to get waivers on ARVs, adding that it will be easier to import the drugs. Kariuki said the council, which was established by a legal notice, can be disbanded by the president, but the commission will be independent.

“This means the commission will be independent and will have legal powers, unlike today when it just has responsibilities without power,” he added.

There are 1.2 million Kenyans living with HIV. Almost half of them are married couples, and 81 per cent of the infected do not know their status.

Women take to the street to protest the unavailability of treatment for those living with HIV/Aids. Picture: Reject correspondent

Feminisation of poverty thrives unabated

By JOYCE MUTHOKA Wikipedia defines Poverty as the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution refers to the one who lacks basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live in absolute poverty today.

Women bear a disproportionate burden of the world’s poverty.

Statistics indicate that women are more likely than men to be poor and at risk of hunger because of the systematic discrimination they face in education, health care, employment and control of assets.

Poverty

Poverty implications are widespread for women, leaving many without even basic rights such as access to clean drinking water, sanitation, medical care and decent employment.

Women form the large majority of those who are illiterate. Discrimination in terms of them getting education because they will be married remains high. This leaves them with no opportunity to be exposed, learned and able to make informed

choices over their lives. Two thirds of the world’s illiterate adults are female and over 65 per cent of its poorest people are women and girls. Among these poor women is Irene Mueni, from Endau town in Kitui County.

Mueni is a mother of two children aged between three years old and one year old respectively. Her parents died when she was 18, and in Form Three and from then she has had to contend with harsh realities life.

Memories

With no one to offer proper guidance at a turbulent adolescent stage, Mueni got pregnant and dropped out of school.

Even though her wish right now is to fend for her two children, Mueni recalls her sisters’ warnings as they advised her to keep off men.

However, after giving birth to her first born, she soon met this handsome man. The man would visit her regularly. He wore expensive clothes, drove expensive cars and lived a cosy life. She thought this was a God-sent gift because he could bring pleasantries to her.

Eventually the man got interested in her and he became her boyfriend although he was not her age mate. One day he decided

that Mueni should pay him a visit.

When she went he took her around his compound.

Fear

“As we walked I saw a grave. He told me the grave belonged to his wife after I inquired. I went ahead and asked about the cause of the death and he replied that she had died of cancer,” Mueni remembers.

The man did not want to talk about it anymore, and Mueni thought that he was bothered by his late wife’s memories. She did not ask about it anymore. In the afternoon she went back home.

“This man’s wealth kept taking me aback each and every day my sisters warned me about that man but I thought they were jealous because luck had finally came my way” she explains.

Her elder sister is a secretary at the New Apostolic Church and her other sister is a house girl.

It was during those good days of their relationship that the man proposed for marriage. Mueni accepted without much thought. It only took two weeks before it dawned on her that she was heavy with child. This made her happy because she knew the love of her life had done it all.

Mueni had not seen any other handsome man like him. Every day

the man looked younger, smooth and healthy to her face. However, it was not too long before the man’s health started deteriorating with all sorts of scary signs.

Mueni could not wait any longer when her husband started developing pimples. She advised him to go to the hospital for a check up but he ignored her. Mueni was embarrassed by her husband’s choice.

In the process he became bedridden and could not go anywhere or do anything for himself.

One day, as Mueni looked for a document he had sent for, she found the life history of his wife. This is the day she realised that his wife died of Aids related complications.

“I was shocked and he started crying when I questioned him saying ‘I Have wasted your time, I have also stressed you up in your life’.

Later I came to realise that he was also HIV positive,” says Mueni.

Regret

“I wished the ground would open and swallow me,” she says with regret. Soon his brothers and sons came and took him to the Mwingi District Hospital. When his daughters came home and found me alone they beat me up and asked me to leave the homestead. I packed my bags and left.

The man who had become my husband died a week later.

“I sent a letter on the eve of the funeral day informing the organisers of his funeral to avoid mentioning me anywhere. I contemplated committing suicide, but my two siblings supported me. I gave birth to my second child and the doctors advised me not to breast feed the baby,” she explains.

“One day I met a woman who was in the same condition as mine.

She had been denied milk and had a hard time buying milk everyday for her daughter. That is when it dawned on me that I am not alone,” she notes.

Dilemma

Fortunately for Mueni, her children are fine and HIV negative.

Today Mueni lives on the street, sleeping anywhere, accepting anything from anywhere to enable them feed.

After talking to Mueni the main issue she raised was the accommodation problem, especially during the rainy season.

Mueni is in a dilemma. She keeps wondering who will look after her children. “Who will want to take care of another man’s children while her mother is HIV positive?” she asks.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

11

Commercial sex workers remain an ignored population

By JAMES MBAKA It is the world’s oldest profession yet prostitution or commercial sex as it is referred to by human rights advocates remains the most unacknowledged industry in the country.

In some countries prostitution is either controlled or punishable by law while in others it is a legalised form of business taxable by relevant governments.

Yet as we mark the World Population Day, this category remains discriminated against living under fear of sexual and gender based violence as well as stigma.

However, in Kenya where sexual escapades are taboo and the mention of sex is frowned upon, prostitution is a cat and mouse game that is steadily thriving into an economic activity.

Although it is illegal to practice prostitution in Kenya, lack of a legal framework has now turned it into a lucrative industry attracting both men and women alike.

Lack of structured regulations to control entry into the profession poses a serious risk to young girls, majority of who are innocently getting introduced into prostitution without their knowledge.

Young school and college girls are getting lured into commercial sex work even as it becomes evident that such unregulated business poses serious risks and challenges in the fight against HIV/Aids.

Stigmatisation

With heightened negative societal mentality, chronic stigmatisation and lack of effective access to health services, sex workers have been deprived of happiness. Their business is mainly nocturnal but harassment from authorities has opened new frontiers in the growth of sex business.

“I have a client on a daily basis and mainly in the afternoon but do not see anything wrong with that since it is not prescribed that it can only be done under the cover of darkness,” says Winnie Wangui, a commercial sex worker in Kisii town.

She says that demand for sex is constantly on the rise with men and women in stable marriages jumping ship to quench their thirst elsewhere.

It is a field that has no rules of the game but players rely on mutual consent and often have ganged up to up stakes in a match of mixed results, fear of unprotected sex and lust for money.

“They come to us during the day because their wives need them at night and we are not ashamed to give the quality they seek. Remember majority of our clients are married fellows who need protection and privacy and we give exactly that,” says Wangui who recently shifted from Nairobi to cash on opportunities in Kisii town.

Competition

It is apparently clear that cut-throat competition in the commercial sex work has forced some of the practitioners from major towns to cash on the oblivion and ignorance of the rural population.

Kisii is a strategic town as it hosts Kenya’s second largest open air market, Daraja Mbili.

“I had been living in Eldoret but moved here a month ago because local people do not know much about commercial sex, especially those who are joining the market,” says Mary Onyango, 26. She notes that ignorance among people seeking her services has enabled her make a kill.

“Competition in Eldoret was high given that young college girls had also started to offer the same services at low rates just to get pocket money and, therefore, destroying the business.

Here I pocket at least KSh5,000 everyday without breaking a sweat,” says Onyango, a mother of two children who are living with her mother in Siaya District.

Out of what she makes, Onyango sends KSh10,000 every month to pay school fees.

“I have put my children in one of the best academies, live in a self contained house, eat

Every person has a right to be protected by the government, as is clearly stipulated in the Constitution.

Picture: Reject correspondent well and live happily but……” she quips amid sobs, “I am HIV positive.”

Onyango says she advices men to have protected sex with her but regrets that majority of them insist on unprotected sex.

“They tell me they want quality for their money and nothing less, those who oblige to my appeal have God to thank but those who dismiss it have themselves to blame,” she notes.

Another sex worker Alice Odhiambo, 32, has a sad story to tell. She used to live in Kisumu but moved to Kisii three months ago. Although she is into commercial sex work, it has not been without challenges.

“A man beat me up and I lost my tooth in the process just because I insisted on a condom. He then infected me with HIV virus,” she narrates as tears flow down her face.

Another victim of unprotected sex Shiko, 35 laments that the industry lacks a strong union to protect them and fight for their rights given that they are not recognised by law in Kenya. Although there is the Kenya Sex Workers Union, it is not legally recognised and does not draw members from other small towns.

“They are only concerned with sex workers in major towns and Nairobi, it is a toothless dog that cannot help us,” says Shiko, who was brought up in a Christian family since her father was a pastor.

Harassment

Sexual harassment and forced unprotected sex remains the biggest challenges facing sex workers.

Gladys Biyaki, 27, thought that she lacked pleasure and enjoyment that comes with her age, then 19 years old.

After contemplating for sometime, Biyaki decided to join her friend, Jane Moraa for a Saturday afternoon in Kisii town.

“I was invited by my friend to accompany her to Kisii town at around 3pm on a Saturday evening since I did not have any unfinished household chores,” narrates Biyaki.

Given that her friend was in a hurry seemingly to get to town, they both decided to take boda boda to get there on time.

The two girls had just finished their Form Four examinations and had a lot of expecta-

tions in rediscovering the world around them.

After they reached town Moraa invited Biyaki for a cup of tea in a hotel upstairs. She did not decline as Moraa was a long time friend since when they were in Form One in high school.

However, the evening tea invite turned to be a bitter herb that changed Biyaki’s life completely.

“I wish I knew, imagine I was introduced to two gentlemen who were well dressed and above 40 years,” she recalls.

It later dawned on her that her friend was dating one of the two gentlemen.

“I was slowly trapped and found myself in love with a stranger but had little control over the events that followed,” recalls Biyaki amid sobs.

Unknowingly dusk had settled on them and it was late for her to get home when the business was finished. The man gave her KSh10,000.

“To my surprise the man had a thousand sharp notes and counted one to ten, ’this is for you in a appreciation of what you have done to me’,” she recalls.

Beginning

At the bottom of her heart, Biyaki’s memories revolved around what she had done. It was her first time to receive payment in exchange of sex and this marked her trip into commercial sex.

“Later I would make my own contacts and would occasionally meet other clients alone after I became accustomed,” notes Biyaki who is now a sex worker in Kisii town.

However, in her innocence she did not know how to negotiate for safe sex. She was in the process infected with HIV but has continued with the business.

“I cannot recall where I contracted the virus but all I know is that this happened after I was introduced to cheap and quick money in exchange of my body,” recalls Biyaki.

Later she gave birth to two children and today lives with them in her own house. She has employed a house girl to take care of the children as she concentrates on her business. However, despite still making money, Biyaki says her happiness was grabbed the day she tested positive.

“Since I tested positive my life has never been the same although I make good money on

a daily basis, which is not enough for a woman who lives in a society that is characterised by constant rejection and segregation of sex workers,” she says.

Competition

It is estimated that there are over 200,000 commercial sex workers in Kenya, 15,000 of who are men. This is a huge industry that cannot be ignored.

A recent survey conducted by the National Aids and Sexually Transmitted infections Control Programme (NASCOP), World Bank, Kenya Prisons and Canada’s University of Manitoba, found that Rift Valley and Nairobi provinces had the highest number of sex workers.

The report also found out that majority of the male sex workers are homosexuals and this puts them at a greater risk because anal sex is a catalyst for the spread of HIV. They also have to contend with the issue of stigma and so most of them do not seek health services like HIV testing.

Health implication

The high number of married sex workers could accelerate the spread of HIV within marriages. Statistics indicate that people in stable sexual partnerships account for 44 per cent of new HIV infections.

“Their spouses as well as girl or boyfriends do not know they are engaged in commercial sex work, which puts such unions at an even greater risk of HIV infection,” notes the report that was released in March.

According to the HIV prevention response and Modes of Transmission analysis, 2009, commercial sex workers and their clients together contribute 14 per cent of all new HIV infections while gays contribute to over 15 per cent of the infections.

Commercial sex workers continue to operate selectively in society because there are no safe conditions for them. The society views them as cursed lot but underneath there is hope if access to health care services either within the law or through change of societal mentality can be availed.

• Names have been changed to protect identity of the sources

12

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Northern Kenya in the spotlight

Pockets of extensively marginalized communities still exist

By HUSSEIN DIDO

It is yet another World Population Day, another grand opportunity to address issues facing various populations.

Over the years, Northern Kenya has faced a myriad of issues ranging from extensive marginalisation to insecurity.

Northern Kenya is not a homogeneous community and the various pockets of population that live in this region though faced by largely similar problems, it is often to varying degrees.

Take the El Molo’s for instance, the first El Molo graduated in 2007, first El Molo chief was withdrawn from Form 4 to be a chief in 2003 and taken to Germany for further education.

Dasanach

In the Dasanach community, who live along the Kenya-Ethiopia border, the first District Officer to visit was 10 years ago. The visitor’s book was signed by two District Education Officers since independence, in 1972 and 2002.

Other marginalized communities particularly in Garissa County are the Boni and Awere. In Marsabit for instance, a Councillor went unopposed in the last general elections since his opponent was unable to get transport to Marsabit.

In most of these communities, residents do not have national identity cards.

Further, tribal clashes among the tribes of northern Kenya is not new phenomenon but celebrating diversity during cultural festival is an emerging trend initiated to foster peaceful coexistence among the hitherto enemies.

As we drove through rough terrains, short acacia trees via Chalbi desert and finally to Kalacha area in North Horr this was vivid as communities embrace each other in a moment of sharing their culture and diversity.

The traditional dances could be heard from far as we approach Kalacha Cultural festival where more than 10 communities from Upper Eastern converge to celebrate culture in diversity. it was finally the Dassanach girls who were taking the centre stage in entertaining the guests.

Karibu, karibu sana were the words from the young girls who were performing their traditional songs in the middle of the desert to entertain the guests during a cultural festival dubbed Kalacha cultural food and music festival.

Pastoral communities

The pastoral communities have rich culture but little in a way of preserving historical heritage and most of this cultures are eroding as result of inter-marriage and modern culture which is also taking tall in the region.

Unlike other communities who opted for old men and women to present their tradition and culture. The Dasanach used young boys and girls as their ambassadors to propagate their culture and learn from their counterparts in the region.

The young girls sang and danced in pattern and style as other communities emulate them vowing to outdo each

other in presenting their culture.

A mentor to the group Mr Mike Asho says the group of young girls and boys were chosen from the communities to represent their culture after undergoing training from their elder women and men.

Culture

“ We have rich culture that we must embrace and always cherish and that is why we are encouraging our young groups to represent us in order to maintain the culture within the new generation,” says Mr Ashow.

He says though the community is preserving rich culture, at times communities undergo several challenges including lack of identification card where larger communities marginalize them to extent of denying them access to ID cards.

Mr Asho told the reporters in Marsabit that out of 6400 people who have attained the age of 18 years and above only 1,400 people have National identity cards while others have been locked out in obtaining the cards. “ We are very much disappointed because larger communities like Borana and Turkana are blocking us from accessing the cards just because of their selfish interest,” said Mr Asho.

He said in the last general elections only few people who obtained the National identity cards voted while others remained at their homes.

Mr Asho says high level of illiteracy and poverty among the communities had retarded development adding that the highly learned people are form four leavers who obtain their education far away from the area in Marsabit or Isiolo town.

“Marsabit district is almost five hundred kilometers away from Illirit and how can we access the government offices if the services are not brought closer to us,” claims Mr Asho.

According to Asho only few vehicles travel to the trading centre in a month while the communities live in their own isolation away from the other communities in the region.

A lady in charge of a youth group Baale Nagortiko told the reject that the communities vote for whom they dont know during the general elections.

She says neither the local MP nor the presidential candidates make to the places for campaigns adding that the area is far and vast while other communities dont value their vote.

Nagortiko says with the increasing population and demand for votes in the larger Marsabit County some communities will be forced to make an alignment where they can seal a deal on development.

Dasanach are a group of communities who were living on both sides of the river Omo and Illiret border of Kenya and Ethiopia, their population is slightly less than 10,000 in the last census in Kenya and are also refereed to as Galab, Shankilla and Merille by communities they live with depending on their way of life and the way they relate to each other.

The communities have rich culture which they abide to especially the rite of passage, the young unmarried girls, for their part, wear a kind of oval shape plate, in metal. It is used like a sun shield, but it tends to be rare

Northern Kenya has continued to suffer from extensive marginalisation, further, tribal and clan conflict has made it difficult for the people to pull their strengths together, but this situation is slowly changing as communities begin to reach out to one another. Pictures: Hussein Dido in the tribe and when they dance they shake them together to make patterns and rhythm to songs.

For the ritual is usually done by an older woman.

After the cutting, the girl is allowed to wear a leather skirt to show she is officially an adult and can marry. If a girl is not circumcised, her father won’t receive her bride-price. Until girls don’t get their clitoris cut, they are considered animals.

The communities rear cattle and also practice substance farming along the river banks in order to make the ends meet but many of them survive through hunting while their communities look down them as poorer because they don’t own cattle.

Inter-marriages

He says the pastoral communities shares rich and diverse cultures but other communities are also losing their culture to others due to intermarriage and factors .

The cultural event featured unique performances and demonstrations of ten ethnic communities which live in the Northern region, the El Molo, Rendille, Samburu, Turkana, Dassanach, Gabra, Borana, Konso, Wata and Burji.

The theme of the event was meant to celebrating diversity and restoring harmony among 13 tribes that used

to fight.

The event was not to dialogue over conflict resolution but to celebrate communities diverse culture which are expected to break tribal barriers and demystify mistrust that have dogged the region over the years.

Conflict resolution

The gala which is funded by Christened Fund, an International organization and Organized by Kivulini

Trust is expected to inculcate intercommunity tolerance after years of conflict and galvanize unity among the tribes. More than 700 people gathered at a cultural village in Kalacha on the edge of Chalib desert to showcase their traditional wares.

Cultural dances, cultural artefacts and traditional food were displayed as communities forget their differences and unite in celebrating their cultures.

Continued on page 13

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

World Population Day

13

How taming morans has left girls victims of sexual exploitation In the last issue of the Reject, we ran a story of a situation where girls were being given beads in exchange for free sex with the morans. In this second part, elders say this culture was meant to tame the young warriors from having affairs with the elders’ wives, writes MWANGI NDIRANGU Sixteen-year-old Letereuwa Rampaini considers herself lucky in that she will see her son grow.

Many others who have found themselves in her situation have been separated with their newborns, thanks to a deep-rooted tradition that brands children sired out of beading relationship outcasts.

Beading

Beading is a practice among the indigenous Samburu community where warriors (Morans) give young girls beads to “book” them into temporary marriage.

This kind of relationship guarantees the Moran unlimited sexual pleasure from the young girl mostly aged between 10 and 15 but pregnancy is forbidden though no contraceptives are used.

Girls who fall pregnant are forced to either abort using cruel methods, throw the baby away to die on its own soon after birth or give the infant to a barren woman from the Samburu or the Turkana community.

Margaret Lotaaba who is physically challenged is from the Turkana community and has adopted a boy and a girl from different mothers.

“I have only one child of my own and I happened to know when the biological mothers of my adopted children were pregnant. I requested the family not to throw away the newborns but to give me,” says Lotaaba, who resides near Ol Donyiro market.

For Rampaini, the intervention of a child rights activist who also involved the media in 2010 helped in altering an already prepared script on what awaited the unwanted offspring.

Josephine Kulea, a nurse who hails from the area came to know of the situation and pleaded with Rampaini’s parent to give the baby a chance to live with its mother.

The father pledged to give out his daughter to Kulea to be educated and also bring up her son though not at the family’s home at Ol Donyiro market in Isiolo County.

Consequently, the newborn was booked at a children’s home in Meru County soon after birth while the mother was enrolled at a school in the same

locality to begin her primary education at the age of 14.

“Someone tipped me that Rampaini was pregnant out of a beading relationship and I had to do everything to ensure that the young mother was not separated from her child,” says Kulea soon after the girl was enrolled in school, two years ago.

While Kulea’s intervention may have greatly changed the life of the victim of beading, many girls have not been lucky and it may require concerted efforts by all to reduce such births and wherever they occur, the mothers are accorded the right to bring up their children.

Ol Donyiro Ward Councillor Moses Lerosion says beading is rife in the area with at least 20 known children having been given out to the Turkana community in the last two decades.

“We cannot deny that Morans have been giving out beads to young girls just to derive sexual pleasure where in number of cases have resulted to pregnancy,” says the civic leader.

Outdated practice

Lerosion says this cultural practice is outdated and leaders from the community should come out strongly to denounce it.

He explains that for a Moran to bead a girl, he just needs to spot the minor in the grazing field, then approach the mother and when she (mother) agrees, he proceeds to buy the red beads which costs about KSh10,000 and then the girl is all his. The girl’s consent is never sought in this arrangement.

“Sometimes it is very hard to fight culture and especially to us elected leaders.

But sometimes we have to bold enough and say no regardless of the consequences,” says Lerosion, a former chairman of Isiolo County Council.

Lerosion says the best approach to fight this vice is to carry out civic education campaigns in the area where elites and opinion leaders are invited to participate.

According to Councillor Orietta Lemungesi it is women should be vocal in denouncing beading and other cultural practices that violate the rights of the girl child.

“We should lead by example and show that it is a wrong belief that a child branded an outcast brings bad omen to the family,” says Lemungesi, who has adopted a child born out of a beading relationship.

Religious leaders also agree that beading and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is rampant in the area despite the

gains realised in the Constitution and in the country’s education policy.

According to Father Paul Mwangi and Father Feliciano Luciano of Ol Donyiro and Kipsing parishes respectively believe that though religious approach may help, it has never been easy to fight culture especially if you are from a different community.

“Enlightened locals must be in the forefront, but it is sad to note that they have not denounced the vice to a point of making one thinking they are actually supporting it silently,” says Mwangi.

Luciano believes education for both the boy and the girl child will play a big role in fighting such vices as beading, FGM and forced marriages.

“As religious leaders, our role will be supplementary. The elite in the community must set the ball rolling by encouraging parents to take all their children to school,” says Luciano.

Statistics from local primary schools indicate that dropout rate is high for girls in upper primary.

For instance at Tuale Primary School, there are 135 boys and 52 girls while at Lenguruma Early Child Development (ECD), the number of girls is almost equal to that of boys standing at 48 against 50.

Though FGM and beading-related pregnancies are kept secret in the community, government officials are aware of their existence but little has been done with tough terrain and lack of communication infrastructure being cited as a major hindrance in fighting the vice.

Origin of beading

According to one of the community’s respected elders, the culture of beading is slightly over two centuries old.

Mzee Leshopoko says its origin has been traced back to sometime in 1780s when a large star was spotted moving across the skies. The big star reportedly appears once in a century.

According to the elder, beading was recommended as a way of taming the community warriors (morans) from admiring and “stealing” the elders’ wives.

Loshopoko who resides near Ol Donyiro market explains: “Beading started when the Samburu decided to separate age sets as a way of taming the morans. This came after an ugly incident when the warriors fought the elders during a ceremony

Pockets of extensively marginalized communities still exist Continued from page 12 The festival also aims at restoring the eroding traditional practice among the pastoralists as religions and modernization take toll on culture. The pastoralists have rich cultures which are celebrated across the country at different colourful events but as many young people get education they tend to edging away from their traditional activities.

The director of Kivulini Trust Dr Hussein Issak says the event will be held annually as it will give the warring pas-

toralists a platform for discussion. He observed that such meeting where the warring communities come together to celebrate culture will help elites learn their cultures and pass it on to the next generation.

“We are helping the communities from the region to document their culture and preserve them for future generation and the generations that are going to come,” said the Director.

The Minister Northern Kenya and other arid lands development Mr. Mohamed Elmi led the MPs from the re-

gion in officiating the occasion that saw hundreds of participants take part in the event.

Elmi urged the organizers to expand the participation to include people from north eastern to integrate Somali community.

North Horr MP Mr.Chachu Ganya urged the communities to build on the foundation laid by the festival to restore peace among the tribes for prosperity. He said the communities should employ the local peace building mechanism during conflict instead of revenge.

as they attempted to take away their wives.”

After the fight, a bull was slaughtered and a cleansing ritual called Lminong’ organised. It is during this ceremony that the idea of morans being allowed to take young uncircumcised girls as temporary brides was borne. It was resolved that warriors would be living in the forest where they would make their own food and not interact with elders or sleep with their wives.

“Anyone caught sleeping with a circumcised (read married) wife lost the coveted title of being referred to as a moran,” explains Loshopoko.

Some girls remain deeply steeped in tradition, others succumb to the lure of the Morans, a few are lucky to go to school. Pictures: Mwangi Ndirangu

14

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

World comes together to protect women from rape

By CAROLYNE OYUGI Whenever, conflict happens, women remain scared of one major thing. Not the bullets or the panga cuts, they fear being victims of rape and sexual abuse. This is because many of the people fighting try to use rape as a weapon of war and punishment for their enemy. The situation is compounded by the fact that even law enforcers rape in times when they are supposed to end conflict.

As the World Population Day is marked and issues of gender and human rights are addressed, sexual and gender based abuse remain at a high level. While the day seeks to raise awareness of global population issues, rape and sexual violence cannot be ignored as the number of women who are victims keep rising every day.

In the post election violence of 2007-2008, the official record of women who were raped is marked as 4,500. However, this is a number that Professor Karanja Njoroge, Director of Green Belt Movement, disputes.

Records

According to Njoroge, the records only reflect the number of women who were bold enough to come out and talk about their ordeals.

“Most women who were raped have not reported this crime for fear of being stigmatised in their communities — or for fear of reprisal from the perpetrators, many of whom are still out and about,” he said.

He adds that some men, who are supposed to protect the civilians, like the uniformed forces, are sometimes committing this grave sin.

Njuguna, who is also a member of the International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict Nobel Women Initiative, believes that the real numbers is either double or triple the official government figure.

Kenya is among four countries in Africa involved in an international campaign to stop rape and gender violence during conflicts.

The campaign, which calls for urgent and bold political leadership in order to prevent rape, is the brainchild of 25 organisations led by women peace laureates.

The campaign that was launched in Kenya will also be launched in the other three countries namely Burma, Colombia and the Democratic

Republic of Congo - where immediate attention is needed.

“Kenya is among countries where rape and gender violence was used against women and children during the 2007-2008 post-election violence,” says Yee Htun, coordinator of the International Campaign to Stop Rape and Gender Violence in Conflict Nobel Women Initiative.

Htun also pointed out the lack of political will is a hindrance to stopping rape. She stressed the need for governments to prevent and protect women against gender-based violence, especially by prosecuting perpetrators.

“Rape and gender based violence in Kenya will affect everyone, especially as we prepare for the coming General Election,” observed Htun.

However, Njuguna, believes that rape during conflict does not start with the conflict. He notes that the causes are in the politicking, not the announcement of the results.

culture of impunity persists to this day and perpetrators have never been held accountable,” Htun observed.

The weeklong campaign was launched at Freedom Corner in Uhuru Park by civil society organisations and survivors of sexual and gender based violence. The campaign Scores take to the streets to protest the informed on the continued failure prevalence of rape and other forms of gender of governments to stop rape during based violence. Pictures: Carolyne Oyugi conflict. of these officers and other men who are supNominated MP Rachel Shebesh posed to offer humanitarian goods and services pointed out that law enforcement officers are ofusually end up demanding for sex in exchange. ten the perpetrators of rape, yet they are the ones Shebesh further urged the government to who are supposed to protect women. control the conflicts that arise in the country.

“Whenever there is conflict women are vioShe stated that whenever there is any conflict, lated, but the most painful fact is that the offilike floods, drought or cattle raids, women are cers who are deployed to protect the civilians sexually abused in the process because they are and bring peace are the same men who rape the in their most vulnerable state. women,” observes Shebesh. She notes that some

“The emotions that are generated during the campaigns escalate to violence,” he says.

He called on the government and every Kenyan citizen to dig deep and give clear records of what happens after the post-election violence.

“All we hear is the number of houses burnt, people maimed, number of displaced people and deaths, but no one talks of how many women were raped,” Njoroge regrets.

According to Kennedy Otina of Men for Gender Equity, men have to rethink their actions. “When you violate women sexually you think that you are teaching your enemies a lesson, while the reality is that you are inviting problems to your family.” He says that at this day and time, when the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases is so high, men are contracting these diseases and bringing them home to their wives or sexual partners.

Otina noted that the atrocities committed during post-election violence were a wakeup call for the Government and international community to act urgently to prevent any recurrence.

“There are thousands of survivors throughout the country who have never received medical, psychological assistance or reparations for crimes that were afflicted against them, as the

She blamed the government on the slow pace of implementation of the Sexual Offence Act. “The police stations have no gender desks, the hospitals have no testing kits, and yet we want the cases to be handled different from how it was done before the bill was passed,” observes Shebesh who pledged that as a mother, sister, wife and a legislator, she will use to use her position to ensure that gender based violence is eliminated in Kenya.

“In conflict, rape is used as a weapon against women employed by insurgent groups, armed gangs as well as government troops,” she said.

The organisers noted that about 400,000 women were raped between 2006 and 2007 in Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to Odhiambo Oketch, Executive Director of the Clean Up Campaign, Kenyan men and men worldwide, should now act differently. “It is the men who start violence and then use the situation to rape women. It is men again who are sent to protect the victims and instead end up committing the same crime that they have been sent to stop,” he said.

Oketch noted that men hit back at other men by raping their daughters and wives. He urged the legislators not to come up with bills for the sake of having bills, but to have seriousness of purpose and implement them.

Campaigns

Implementations

“Whenever there is conflict women are violated, but the most painful fact is that the officers who are deployed to protect the civilians and bring peace are the same men who rape the women.”

— Nominated MP Rachel Shebesh.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Facility brings health care closer to the people

By KARIUKI MWANGI Access to health care facilities remains a challenge for many Kenyans and those in the developing world in general.

However, for the people of Kithimu, Embu West District a health centre costing KSh21.2 million in the economic stimulus project is now set to open its doors to the members of the public. It is officially ready for use after the Embu West District Inspection and Acceptance Committee gave a thumbs-up to its completion.

Led by its chairman Maalim Mohamed who is also Embu West District Commissioner, the committee toured the health centre to inspect the project before approving payment of the final phase.

According to Mohamed the committee has to ensure that the health centre is built to the requirements, so as to ensure that the Government gets value for its money and addresses the thorny issue of corruption that has continued to affect government projects.

“We have come here to make sure things have been done as per what we had anticipated, as we don’t want to pay any money to the contractor for work that he has not done,” he said, adding that the completion of the project is a major step in the realization of the Vision 2030.

Funding

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Embu West District medical service officer, Elizabeth Githinji, said that the project received KSh8.1 million for the first phase in 2009, and later received a similar amount for the second phase.

“We later received an extra KSh5 million for the final phase for the completion of the project, which now we have come to inspect before we approve the payments,” explained Githinji, adding that the health centre is now ready to start giving health services to the needy.

She said that the health centre, which has been offering dispensary services, now has a maternity and children’s wards as well as male and female observation wards among other services that were not there before.

According to Githinji residents of Kithimu area have been travelling as far as 20 kilometres away to get to the Embu Provincial General Hospital. The health centre has brought services closer to the people.

“Pregnant women, particularly, have been suffering a lot while using the 20-kilometre rough road to seek maternity services at the Embu PGH, and others have even lost their lives in the process due to the poor road network,” she noted.

Githinji said that the ministry is now organising itself to deploy more staff to the health facility. “Those who have been serving at the dispensary are not enough to give proper services to the public in such a big health institution,” she observed.

15

A baby receives the attention of health care providers as the mother looks on. Most children are not fortunate enough to access health care. Picture: Kariuki Mwangi

New health policy to boost devolved counties

By ROBERT NYAGAH The management of the Health Sector under a devolved system of government requires new institutional and management arrangements.

The Kenya Health Policy 2012-2030 has listed proposals on the provision of healthcare in two levels of government, which seek to enhance accountability, reporting and management.

The policy offers the devolved institutions operational autonomy with efficient and cost-effective monitoring, evaluation, reviewing and reporting systems.

The policy borrows heavily from the Constitution, which assigns the larger portion of delivery of health services to the counties and retains Referral Services to the Central government.

National policy

According to the policy, the national government’s mandate includes developing national policy and legislation, setting standards, national reporting, supervision, sector coordination and resource mobilisation.

Under the devolved system, the Ministry of Health is to offer technical support, with emphasis on the planning, development, and monitoring of health services and delivery standards throughout the country.

The policy also requires the national government to monitor the quality and standards of performance of County Governments and community organisations in the provision of health services, as well as provide guidelines on

tariffs to be charged by respective health facilities.

The national government is also expected to directly support the establishment of institutions with a capacity to provide healthcare at the county level during the transition period, which runs to 2017.

The policy is also clear about the functional assignments between the two levels of government, with respect to accountability, reporting and management.

The policy provides for the establishment of the county health department to coordinate and manage health services at the county level.

Accreditations

Further, the county health department is to license and give accreditation to non-state health service providers (HSPs) and finance county level health services. County authorities will also be expected to maintain, enhance and regulate health service providers, mainly in collaboration with the national Government, and gazette regulations for community managed health supplies to be implemented at county level.

The County Health Department will also manage assets, channel public and other funds to develop health facilities, and compile information at County level on the implementation of projects in order to document value for money.

The department also has to invest in Public Health Facilities and develop an investment plan to enable fulfilment of the highest attainable right to health. The two governments will also be required to document annual progress as required

by the Constitution.

They should also have a legal framework for on-lending arrangements to facilitate loan repayments and fees for use of assets by licensed. The policy directs that a professional and technical management structure be established in each county, in order to coordinate delivery of the constitutionally defined County health services through the network of health facilities in the county.

In order to achieve that, the county governments will be required under the policy to establish a County Health Management team. Their responsibilities will be to coordinate strategic and operational planning, supervision, monitoring and the review of health service delivery in the county.

Apart from coordinating the delivery of health services in the County, the team will also provide a linkage with County Executive and other actors to facilitate health sector dialogue at the county.

Leadership

The team will provide leadership and stewardship for the overall health management in the County, through building linkages with, and putting in place, influencing strategies for health related sector’s in the county, such as: education, roads, gender, nutrition, and others.

This will help improve health services and mobilise resources as well as coordinate the referral function across the level three facilities in the county, and between the different levels of the health system in line with the sector referral strategy.

16

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Technology saves community from infections

By LIZ WAMBUI When the majority of children in Mwariki B area, of Nakuru town, started falling prey to sanitation related infections, social worker Samuel Muiruri knew something was wrong.

Many children suffering from diarrhoea visited the local health centre on a weekly basis; some even paying repeat visits in less than a couple of months.

A survey done around the locality confirmed Muiruri’s fears: most homesteads were without properly dug toilets, and those that had latrines were dilapidated, dirty and unhygienic. Most families could not afford the cost of putting up new toilets. The situation posed a challenge to Muiruri, who wanted to end the suffering of hundreds of children in the locality.

Project

He then remembered a project he had witnessed in Kaduna State of Nigeria late last year while on a two month training tour on responsible leadership in Africa.

The project, which had been introduced by a German donor agency, involved a slum-upgrading project where readily available waste material — such as plastic bottle and fine soil - were used as building blocks.

Though the technology had initially baffled him when he first came across it in Nigeria, he got in touch with the agency, which furnished him with more details on how to build the ‘plastic bottle houses’ and immediately he remembered the idea.

He was amazed when the agency provided him with plans, and even pictures of maisonettes, bungalows and bridges that had been built using the technology.

“When I first floated the idea to my friends, they dismissed it.

However, I was determined to succeed and decided to go to the streets of Nakuru, where I talked to owners of bars, restaurants, party venues, dustbins, and even visited dumpsites where I collected as many plastic bottles as possible,” explains Muiruri.

From there, Muiruri approached one needy family and offered to build a latrine for them at no cost. When Veronicah Wanjiru first heard of the materials to be used in building her new toilet, she admits to being sceptical.

“I thought he was making fun, but since my three daughters had fallen sick in quick succession I was desperate. The toilet serving us had been run down and was unhygienic,” she says.

Building

She allowed Muiruri to build a pilot project in her homestead.

Helped by youths from Charisma Social Apostolate Youth Group, Muiruri dug a hole at the corner of the homestead and proceeded to fill the latrine with more than 1,000 half-litre bottles of soil.

“You have to fill up the bottles with soil completely and ensure there are no air spaces left. This makes the bottle harder than a brick,” he explains while going through the motions.

Once the bottles are filled up, the youth fetch water, which is then mixed with more soil to form the mud that is used to paste the bottles together.

Muiruri explains that it is a painstakingly careful process. The builders have to ensure that all the bottles are exactly in line with each other before pasting with mud. A manila string is then used to tie the top end of the bottles together to offer more support to the structure, before the roofing and door are installed.

He reveals that the four youths involved in the project needed

only four days to complete Wanjiru’s new latrine, and an immediate outpour of interest from all villagers greeted their new structure.

Interest

“My homestead has become a show house of some sorts. Every morning, I’m woken up by villagers wanting to see the ‘plastic toilet’ and once they have seen it, they express interest in having one built for them too,” says Wanjiru.

She adds that a jerri can hoisted at the entrance of the toilet has greatly improved her family’s hygiene, as her children are now remember to wash their hands after visiting the facility.

So overwhelmed is Muiruri by the number of villagers interested in the latrine that he can no longer acquire enough plastic bottle material for the project.

He says that in future he might be forced to charge a minimal fee for the service. It would enable him to train and employ a small group of destitute boys to offer labour. He adds that what attracted him to the project was not just its economic viability, but also its potential in environmental conservation.

Conservation

“Plastic bottles had become such a menace in most urban towns and cities in Africa. The fact that it is not degradable means that it will continue being a nuisance for generations to come. I saw a chance to convert this nuisance into good use and grabbed it,” Muiruri explains.

Muiruri is hopeful that after the toilet project in Mwariki area and its environs, he can expand to building three roomed houses in an effort to aid the slum-upgrading programme. He adds that the technology can also be

Top left: Members of Charisma Social Apostolate youth group work on how to properly fill up the plastic bottles to be used as building blocks. Social worker Samuel Muiruri demonstrates his latest project. Inside view of the pit latrine. The inside view of the plastic bottle wall pit latrine.

Below: The view from the outside of the plastic bottle pit latrine. Seven year old girl washes her hands after using the plastic bottle pit latrine.

An elated Veronicah Wanjiru describes the change that her new toilet has brought to her family’s life.

Pictures: Liz Wambui

used in rural areas, as opposed to the simple mud walled houses.

For this project, he says, one litre plastic bottles will be used to make the walls thicker. He says that the strength of the plastic bottled walls is unrivalled, and, once plastered, is aesthetically pleasing - just like any other walls built from stone bricks.

“I see a potential to improve the lives of thousands of urban poor, especially the youth, who can hardly afford to build even a one roomed house for themselves,” says Muiruri with conviction.

However, he is disturbed that, despite approaching various developmental and environmental agencies with the hope of getting assistance in spreading out the project, none has been interested so far.

“I hope agencies like the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) can see the potential this technology has in eradicating plastic pollution and take it up as a sustainable project,” he says.

Muiruri has also challenged leaders to not only focus on politics, but to take up projects that will improve the lives of Kenyans.

“After I started this project, my peers challenged me to take up politics, saying I had leadership potential, but I dream of using my capacity to change the lives of ordinary folks — even in the smallest of ways,” Muiruri says with a smile, as he stands watching a seven year old girl wash her hands outside Wanjiru’s new latrine.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

World Population Day

17

Poverty pushes miners to death traps

By WANGARI MWANGI As the World Population Day is celebrated, poverty remains a grim feature in the lives of many poor populations.

Efforts to earn a decent source of living has left many hanging on a thin thread as they risk their lives just to put a meal on the table.

With no cash crop to guarantee frequent income every month, residents of Kiharu and Kahuro districts in Murang’a County have ventured into mining as a way of earning their livelihoods.

Threat

Despite being aware of the threat that mines pose to their lives, extreme poverty has pushed them into these ‘death traps’.

Mwangi Muchiri, 40, from Kimathi has worked in the sand mines for the last 20 years, but to date he still struggles to put a meal on the table for his family.

He says that despite the hard work and risks involved in the mines, he only manages to get KSh150 to KSh200 every day, which is not enough to meet his daily needs.

The father of four says that he has seen some of his colleagues perish in the sand mines, but he has no option but to work in the mines to ensure his family does not starve.

“Several people have died in the mines, but this doesn’t scare us away. We have to stick here because it is the only work we can do to earn a living,” says Muchiri.

During the rainy seasons the mines become a no-go zone because there are high chances of them collapsing, but the miners still risk their lives. When they emerge out safely they count it a lucky day.

“We risk going into the fields, even during the rainy seasons.

Although we know it is risky, we solely derive our livelihoods from the mines and failing to report to work means sleeping hungry,” he remarks.

Exploitation

What’s more painful to Muchiri and other miners is the extreme exploitation they face from the landowners and brokers who give them meagre pay despite their hard work.

He points out that the landowner only gives them KSh150 for every lorry they fill, yet he sells it at approximately KSh6,000 to the brokers who later sell it at KSh8,000 to the consumer.

“These people do not know the risks involved in this work. They just assume it is an ordinary job and gives us such little money,” observes Muchiri.

Kamau Maina, 65 and a father of five, has been working in stone quarries for the last 40 years.

Though the job is not well paying, and has a lot of risks involved, he has managed to educate his children to O-level, with the last born being in Form Two. The picture of the five people who were crushed at the Mukangu quarries early last year is still vivid in his mind, and he wakes up every day hoping to get home safely in the evening.

“Accidents in the quarries

are not predictable, but if we don’t go there we won’t be able to feed our families,” says Maina.

He admits that if he could get something else to do he would immediately abandon this job.

“Poverty just drives us to these death traps, but if I could secure another job, I would never turn my face back to those ugly sites,” he says.

However, according to Patrick Lekenit, area environment officer, the quarries will only be safe for the miners if they follow the guidelines provided by the authority.

“The miners have been defiant in obeying mining rules and this has exposed them to dangerous working conditions and in some instances we have been forced to shut them down to avert deaths,” says Lekenit.

He says there is a lot of work that needs to be done to regulate mining activities in the area, noting that if stringent measures are not put into place more people are likely to lose their lives.

He points out that the miners have been using tunnelling and deep caving methods, which are the most dangerous forms of mining, instead of open cast which is highly recommended.

Explosives

He noted that the miners always evade doing the extra task of removing the top layer of the soil, which would enable them to carry on their activities safely, but instead dig deeper where the rocks are a little bit soft and beautiful.

“We have always emphasised on using the benching method so that no rocks or soil would be left hanging on top, but these people have not been following this,” he stresses.

Lekenit notes that some miners have been using explosives.

“They don’t have the technical knowledge of using them, and thus they cause massive destruction to the surroundings,” he reiterates.

According to George Natembeya, District Commissioner Murang’a East, who chairs the district environment board, abject poverty has been pushing the locals into theses death traps — adding that measures have to be put in place to make sure they benefit from the resource.

“I understand there is no cash crop that these people can rely on for a living, but this does not mean they blindly go to the mines which are a threat to their lives,” says Natembeya.

Two weeks ago the Provincial Administration and the National Environment Management Authority closed down seven quarries that they said posed a great threat to the miners.

He points out that exploitation by brokers is a major challenge facing them. He says the only way to bring an end to this is by formation of a sale group, which would boost their bargaining power.

“I have issued an order to all miners to make sure they form groups and have them registered with the Ministry of Gender and Social Services to safeguard their interests and enhance operations on the ground,” reiterates Natembeya.

He says mining should be carried out as a community project to ensure everybody benefits from it, noting that some brokers have been taking advantage of private ownership of the quarries to exploit the landowners.

Supervision

He noted that the brokers buy a lorry of sand for KSh3,000 to KSh5,000, but they sell the same to consumers at amount not less than KSh7,000. The same case applies to the building stones.

From top: A man working “Some of these people who in one of the quarries come to buy sand and stones don’t even know how they are which were closed down at obtained, yet they offer cheap Mukangu after they were prices because they get much declared unsafe for any more out there,” says Natemhuman activities. Miners beya. shaping the stone which He says the activities shall be they have extracted from conducted under strict supervithe quarry. An elderly man sion to ensure all the laid down conditions are met. He issued a working in Embassy quarry stern warning against breaking where he has been doing the rules, which would lead to the job for over 40 years. the closure of the mines and the Pictures: Wangari Mwangi quarries permanently.

18

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Women smallholder farmers key to Africa’s food security

By HENRY OWINO Climate change and global warming have had devastating effects on the world. However, the most affected have been the developing countries where food insecurity has been a challenge facing populations every day.

Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood and income for most Africans yet it is not taken seriously in the continent. In the continent it is women who are the key food producers and feed the whole continent.

Crisis

Today, the world is facing hunger crisis in a more pronounced form than ever before. As we mark the World Population Day today, about 925 million people are hungry, out of these 239 million are from sub-Saharan Africa. Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes. That is one child every five seconds.

There were 1.4 billion people in extreme poverty in 2005. The World Bank estimates that the spike in global food prices in 2008, followed by the global economic recession in 2009 and 2010 has pushed between 100-150 million people into poverty.

Urbanization

Urbanization may be gathering pace and new growth sectors emerging in manufacturing, mining and services, yet the livelihoods of two out of every three Africans continue to depend on farming.

Apart from providing jobs and food for rural populations, Africa’s farms also supply urban areas with food. However, many of Africa’s farmers are not supported by policy makers and small scale holders hardly make any impact as far as food security is concerned.

One reason for Africa’s modest progress in cutting poverty and malnutrition is the ongoing neglect of smallholders’ agriculture. This group of farmers, majority being women has been ignored yet they contribute a lot in the fight against food insecurity in the region.

Economic

Unlocking the productive potential of Africa’s farmers would strengthen economic recovery. It would raise incomes, create jobs, and create new markets, open new opportunities for investment and link farmers.

Since most of Africa’s poor live and work in rural areas, productivity gains would strengthen the twoway interaction between growth and poverty reduction.

In countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya, every percentage point of agriculture growth reduces the incidence of poverty at twice the rate of

growth in other sectors.

A more vibrant agriculture would provide a secure foundation for food security only if women are empowered financially through the provision of loans and fertilizer to enable them produce food in large scale.

Smallholder agriculture must be placed at the centre of a green revolution for Africa, as witnessed in the work of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

The statements were made by Africa Progress Panel during the launch of the 2012 Africa Progress report at a hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

nal health and education.

The need for equitable growth is all the more critical, the report The report warns that Africa’s states, because of Africa’s ‘prostrong economic growth trajectory found demographic shift’, which which aims to see the region increase will see the continent’s populathe pace of growth well beyond five per tion double in three decades and cent over the next two years, is at risk continue to rise into the second because of rising inequality and the half of the 21st Century.

The report highlights that tomarginalisation of whole sections of society. The section represents women. day there are 70 million more AfAccording to Caroline Kende- ricans aged under 14 than there Robb, Executive Director of the Af- were a decade ago. Over the next rica Progress Panel, Africa is rising decade that number is expected and African economies are growing to rise by another 76 million.

A snapshot of Kenya’s progfaster than those of almost any other region in the world. However, she ress in illustrative of the mixed Feminisation of agriculture prevails as women constitute a majority of regrets that the current pattern of balance sheet highlighted in the laborers in farms across Africa. Below, these are only two of the millions trickle-down growth is not benefit- report; in spite of the country’s of children across Africa at the brink of starvation. strong economic growth, ining many people.

Pictures:Reject Correspondent “Indeed benefits measured by equality levels in Kenya still rank “Unlocking productivity gains According to the Chair of African poverty reduction, maternal health among the highest in the contiand childhood survival fall short of nent. The richest 10 per cent of the will require new thinking, new ap- Progress Panel, Dr Kofi Annan, who what Africans expect. The report calls population control almost 40 per proaches to public spending and is also a former United Nations Secstrong political leadership .Govern- retary–General, Africa is on its way for renewed focus on jobs, justice and cent of wealth in the country.

The report calls for a relentless ments will, therefore, need to invest to becoming a preferred investment equity to ensure that Africa’s impressive economic growth is translated focus by policymakers on jobs, jus- in the infrastructure that makes it destination, a potential pole of global into shared growth for all Africans,” tice and equity to ensure sustainable, possible for smallholders to compete growth and a place of immense inshared growth that benefits all Af- in markets,” advises Kende-Robb. novation and creativity. explains Kende-Robb. ricans regardless of gender/sex, age However, Annan says there is also and social status. a long way to go and Africa’s governAfrican governments need to ments must as a matter of urgency Kende-Robb warns Africans, The report notes that Africa has seven of the world’s fastest-growing failure to generate equitable growth invest more in research and devel- turn their attention to smallholders economies, with 70 per cent of Af- could result in ‘a demographic disas- opment that is relevant to farmers most of who are women. rica’s population living in countries ter marked by rising levels of youth working with low levels of inputs that have averaged economic growth unemployment, social dislocation in rain-fed conditions, so that new seeds, fertilizers and technologies “I believe Africa and its leaders rate in excess of four per cent over and hunger’. can rise to this challenge. If they do, She emphasised that Africa’s gov- become available. the past decade.

The governments also needs to Africa will become more prosperous, The report further notes that ernments and development partners most countries are not on track to must urgently draw up plans for a strengthen soil and water manage- stable and equitable. This is a price achieve the Millennium Develop- big push towards the 2015 MDGs. ment systems and on the other hand which we all, wherever we live, will ment Goals (MDGs) by 2015, flag- Kende-Robb notes that women must stop those buying up large tracts of share,” Annan observes.

Rather than address these probging slow progress in areas such as be fully involved in the plans as the land which are never fully utilised.

About 80 per cent of Africa’s lems directly, some African governmalnutrition, child survival, mater- key developers. farms operate under rain-fed condi- ments have reached the conclusion tions whereas drought prone envi- that only large scale commercial farms ronments rely on irrigated agricul- can achieve a productivity breakture meaning productivity cannot be through. Such farms do have a critiincreased due to expenses. cal role to play, especially when they Lack of inputs of improved seeds, act as hubs linking producers to imnew technologies and pesticides, proved inputs and farming systems, farmers struggle to raise yields. The new markets and higher value chains. end result is that most smallholders This way Africa will not increase who in several occasions are women food production, create jobs or reare unable to produce enough food duce poverty at the scale required to meet household needs, let alone without unlocking the potential respond to the market opportunities class of the smallholders’ agriculcreated by rising urban demand. ture.

— Kende-Robb

Growth

Productivity

Rainfall

Management

“Unlocking productivity gains will require new thinking, new approaches to public spending and strong political leadership .Governments will, therefore, need to invest in the infrastructure that makes it possible for smallholders to compete in markets.”

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

19

Church offers a lifeline to street families

By MACHARIA MWANGI

They are often regarded as a nuisance and easily rebuffed by many as they go around soliciting for alms from passersby. Some, uncomfortable with their presence, display a high degree of hostility to the street boys seen as a menace in major towns in the country.

Some of their antics, bordering to misdemeanors, only add to their misery with impatient citizens. Glue sniffing and occasional unlawful activities sums up a rugged life led by majority of boys and girls wallowing in the streets.

Perhaps to keep afloat in the harsh condition, some of the ruffians adopt a rascal lifestyle that only alienate them further from the society and attract the wrath of the law enforcers Branded as social misfits, the street dwellers rarely draw sympathy from all and sundry but for more than 41 former street children in Naivasha, their life has taken a turn for the better after they were taken in by the Naivasha based, Family Care Center Church under the stewardship of Bishop Joseph Wambugu Removed from the backstreet, they were rough and grimy. Some, drooling due to many days of glue sniffing episodes despite their tender age, greasily outfit notwithstanding.

Substance abuse

Incoherence occasioned by calendar days of substance abuse was a vice they struggled to shed as they sought to rebuild their battered life under a serene and Godly atmosphere.

Some unable to cope with the military like type of discipline opted out and returned to the street life or what they call in their own dialect “bases” where they hibernate to as the night falls after rummaging through the dustbin.

But for those who preferred to soldier on the shimmer is surely back after they offered an olive branch and the church has taken turn to rehabilitate the former street rascals. For a start, they underwent through circumcision ceremony sponsored by the Bread of New Life Church.

The rite of passage was marked by vital counseling sessions imploring them to live a life that would guarantee them a bright future devoid of criminal activities and blushes with the law.

Several counseling session saw 31 of them opting to rejoin schooling and it was a dream come true after they secured a place at Central Primary School, one of the best performing public institution in the Naivasha district.

In a brief ceremony attended by the area member of parliament, John Mututho, the former street boys were immaculately dressed in black shoes, blue stockings and brown shorts complete with blue cardigans and white tops.

Like loyal soldiers, they lined up as their names were called out in a complete departure from lawlessness that they were previously accustomed to. “Today is your day,” said the legislator.

It was almost impossible to pick them out in the multitude as they fitted seamlessly with their peers, as the dignitaries that included former Naivasha district commissioner, Hellen Kiilu sa-

voured the rare occasion.

As they were cheered by the new found friends, some of the street urchins appeared apprehensive perhaps owing to their new look that at some point appeared a mirror in their short but troubled life. They never even envisioned such a time in their life.

A hearty handshake with the highly guarded parliamentarian was enough to give them jitters But, in unison, they all agreed to follow strict school rules and code of regulation both inside and outside classroom. “Discipline is a hallmark that you should embrace all times,” added Mr Mututho.

To make up for the lost time, the new entrants were implored to work overtime to catch up with their peers who have spent most of their formative years schooling.

And some of them like Justus Ngothe; they have already started looking up after he managed third position during last term’s examination paper. “I want to be a meteorologist,” said the small framed 15-year-old.

His classmate, the shy Robert “brown” Rukwaro has been sitting pretty in the pole position having been number one since joining class five. “I want to be an Army Commander, once I complete my studies,” he said.

James Ngotho another street boy is also showing reading prowess and was position one in his class five central. “I have learned to be disciplined and punctual at all times,” said Ngotho who has improved from 371 marks to 424 since joining formal schooling.

And the host of the day, Bishop Wambugu was short of words, only saying the whole scenario got him by surprise. “It was never planned for… infact there was never a budget to see them through formal schooling. It was like a miracle,” he summed up his feelings.

But he also recalled the day their paths crossed. “They approached me with a singular motive of rebuilding their troubled lives.” Touched by their request, he opted to incorporate them in the church as he sought ways of assisting them. “We started by inculcating church values to make them manageable,” he said.

Feeding programme

Initially, it was a feeding programme crafted hurriedly by the congregation to accommodate unlikely guests. “It has really stretched the church funding to the limit,” said the cleric.

But his greatest worry is the schooling programme might not be sustainable if well wishers fail to chip in and assist in the feeding programme and the buying of school materials including books.

“So far we have spent close to Ksh 500,000 and the figure keeps on rising,” said Bishop

You will most certainly find them sniffing glue and in their trademark tattered clothes, but not today. Hon John Mututho joins a number of former street boys who were immaculately dressed in a ceremony to mark a turning point in their lives.

Picture: Macharia Mwangi Wambugu.

He is, however, optimistic the government will help in educating the urchins as they go through formal schooling describing the event as a milestone.

Bishop Wambugu aims to build a home where the street children will be going after a hard day’s work in school. “We are currently put-

ting them up in the church compound but we need somewhere better where they can really call a home,” he explained Those interviewed agreed that crime levels have considerably slowed down since the boys were removed from the streets. “We are no-longer experiencing petty crime theft,’ said a Naivasha resident Steve Mwangi.

Medics seek solution to urchin dilemma

By MARTIN MURITHI A group of women medical practitioners have urged the Government to take the responsibility and seek ways of containing and removing street children from Meru town.

Kinoru Medical Women Group led by their chairperson Eunice Mboroki called upon the Government to team up with other like minded organisations to seek a permanent solution to the menace of street children who are growing up and indulging into various forms of crime.

“It’s unfortunate that there are many street children in Meru town and the number is rising up. The little we can do as a medical group is to encourage family planning because it’s not ethical for any mother to give birth and leave the child in the streets,” said Mboroki.

The medics are advising young women to shun unwanted pregnancies and are training them on the need of promoting togetherness in the family so that the parents can be able to take care of the children.

The women have bestowed upon them-

selves the need to revert to the former Meru Culture which has vanished because previously girls were not having babies before they were married but nowadays the norm has been pushed to the sidelines as many girls conceive out of wedlock.

Advocates

“The parents are busy looking for money and don’t have time for their families leaving their children to indulge in drugs. As mothers we are advocating for family planning and health messages to girls so that they can

be married when they are prepared,” noted Mboroki.

She was speaking when the women group visited Thelyan Children’s Home in Meru town and gave them foodstuffs and money for support.

“We decided to give back to the society by taking care of community through services like free medical camps which we do in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Lions Club. We identify and verify the needy people in the society and support them by contributing our own money,” she said.

20

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Down but not out after Syokimau demolitions

By HENRY OWINO As we mark the World Population Day many Kenyans remain homeless. However, a certain group of Kenyans who were evicted and their homes demolished have been living in anguish as they watched their investments go down.

Victims of Syokimau demolition in Nairobi are not sad about what happened to them after being left homeless when bulldozers knocked down their houses about eight months ago. They are riding on hope.

Tony Kiirinya, 33, is a victim of Syokimau demolition that left hundreds of people homeless, gasping for air and still others passed on is hopeful that things will be better.

Kiirinya decided to embrace life positively by turning lemons thrown at him into lemonade.

The young man is full of life, jovial, humorous, open minded, determined and hardworking.

However, Kiirinya always remembers the black Saturday morning of November 13, 2011 because it was the darkest moment of his life. He watched in disbelief as bulldozers demolished his house.

There was no room for negotiation as he stood at the scene helplessly watching every minute as the noisy bulldozers brought down his house.

Conqueror

“I am a victim of Syokimau demolitions but I do not consider myself as such. I see myself as a conqueror who has made it in life, but an enemy comes to take it away. Just like Job in the Bible, life is not fair, there are ups and down. I have come a long way to afford a smile, suffered high blood pressure but still positive and ready to invest again,” reiterates Kiirinya.

He recalls that it took him six months to build the house which was demolished in 40 minutes, turning his life awful. It is paradoxical that the efforts, money, and months he spent in his house project, were all washed to the drain in less than an hour.

Kiirinya says he may be looking brave, smart, composed and standing tall but all that lingers in his mind is actually the beautiful home he once owned. Anyway he thanks God for everything assuming it happened with a reason. He admits that the grim picture of the demolition remain fresh

in his mind as though it were yesterday.

Kiirinya had invested KSh8.7 million in the house which he had borrowed from financial institutions. The Commercial Bank of Africa had advanced him a loan of KSh5.5million while the Sacco gave him KSh1.8million. He also sold three personal cars to raise KSh1.5million.

“Like any typical Kenyan, I felt that my priority was to have a house where my family would call home and summoned all my savings to buy a plot at Syokimau,” Kiirinya discloses.

The house had four rooms built on an 80 by 160 plot that had been bought in instalments between March and April last year. To make matters worse the banks interest rates have since then shot up from 14 per cent to 26.5 per cent.

Kiirinya is now repaying KSh210,000 monthly up from KSh150,000 despite loss of investment. He keeps in mind on March 30th, last year when he paid the first deposit which was to be followed by single monthly instalment for ownership of the land. This was after a thorough search at the Ministry of Lands and the County Council of Mavoko offices.

He cleared the remaining balance on April 15th, same year and became the rightful owner of the plot upon which he was issued with a certificate for the land.

“Life is not fair, I put all my eggs in one basket because I wanted my family to have a roof of their own but I lost it all. Now again, I have to pay rent, repay a bank loan and refund money borrowed from friends,” Kiirinya says regretfully.

He wonders why the Government allowed them to go ahead constructing the houses with-

“Like any typical Kenyan, I felt that my priority was to have a house where my family would call home and summoned all my savings to buy a plot at Syokimau.”

— Tony Kiirinya

One of the houses in Syokimau being demolished after it was discovered that the land was acquired illegally. Many Kenyans were rendered homeless and properties lost hence shuttering many families dream of having shelter which is a basic need.

Picture: Reject Correspondent out warning them of pending demolitions. He me,” argues Kiirinya. suggests the Government could have notified He is now busy looking for piece of land to them in advance instead of moving in like a roar- buy but this time round. Despite being a victim ing lion ready devour the enemy. of illegal plot acquisition and house demolition, “If they wanted the land, they should have Kiirinya is extremely ambitious and wants to told us. There was no recourse, all we had were achieve his dream of owning a house. the District Commissioner (DC), District Officer The Syokimau residents are victims of land (DO), Officer Commanding Police Station (OCS) cartel officers, lawyers and brokers on the loose and Officer in Charge of Police District (OCPD) duping innocent Kenyans into buying illegal issuing threats during the demolition yet our MP pieces of land that do not belong to them. The were nowhere to be seen,” Kiirinya laments. well organised fraudsters use existing title deeds He says when they were busy building, Ma- to show location of the land in question. voko County Council would patrol around the The victim of the murky land deals admit that place and sometimes even ask residents to prop- racketeers are so thorough in their assignment erly put up the houses. that only keen and knowledgeable persons would Kiirinya is not alone as the demolition affected detect fraud. In most cases, the fraudsters sub300 households and put at risk over 5,000 people divide land and issue the buyers with certificates living and working in the area. He stated that all which are not in any case legal land documents. these victims were never given prior information According to Ibrahim Mwathane, Director, about the demolition.

Land Development and Governance Institution The young man is optimistic that justice will (LDGI), land buyers must be careful because prevail. The government had contracted the Price certificate and land title deeds are two different Water Coopers (PWC) to administer an audit of documents.

Syokimau demolitions between April 1st to 20th, Mwathane wonders how people in Nairobi 2012 and victims are hopeful they will get com- and other major towns rely on the certificates as legal land document which it is not. pensation.

“Certificates should not be mistaken as part of the legal land documents. Every interested He has already submitted all the documents land buyer should verify any documents with the showing the costs he incurred to the auditor gen- Land Ministry to avoid being conned and losing eral at PWC. After evaluation, it was estimated heavy investments,” Mwathane advises. that his house had cost KSh10.7 million which He says it is very risky just to be issued with he said even if refunded, will never fix emotional any document and walk away as the land owntides he suffered. er. He warns people that the same land may be “Even if the Government compensates me, owned by another person with the title deed and double the value of my house, it will not solve the so the one with certificate will be defenceless in a emotional tides and stress the demolition caused court of law.

Documents

Land remains an emotive issue in Kenya

By HENRY KAHARA As we mark the World Population Day, people and land in Africa remain inseparable. In Kenya, Land remains the lifeline for most communities as a major source of livelihood.

Since pre-independence days, land cases in Kenya have remained sensitive and complex. Land was identified as an issue that requires legal and policy reforms under Agenda four by the Kofi Annan-led Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation Project.

Only, a small percentage of high profile individuals in the country own large chunks of land, while the poor have none. Under the old Constitution, the President had been entrusted with public land in the country. This saw many people benefitting from the Kenyatta and Moi regimes. The two regimes are said to have dished-out public land to those who were loyal to them.

Ndung’u report

According to Ndung’u report on land and graft in Kenya, there was widespread abuse of presidential discretion with regard to inalienable urban land, where both Presidents Kenyatta and Moi dished out trust land to individuals without any consideration to

the public interest and proper pursuit of legal procedures.

The report says various Commissioners of Land had dished out government land without any authority from the President. Forged letters and documents were used to allocate land in numerous instances with many records at the Ministry of Lands and Settlements having been deliberately destroyed.

Often, land was sold without any adherence to the conditions outlined in letters of allotment, and many illegal titles to public land were transferred to third parties, often State Corporations, for massive sums of money.

Nairobi by-pass

Land earmarked for the proposed Nairobi by-pass was illegally allocated to individuals and companies and then sold on to third parties, whilst land reserved for public purposes such as schools, playgrounds, and hospitals had been sold off in blatant disregard of the law by both the Commissioner of Lands and numerous local authorities.

The Commission discovered that the powers vested in the President had been grossly abused by both the president and successive commissioners of Lands and their deputies over the years, under both previous regimes of public

land by local councillors and officials.

The report further says that illegal transactions were hugely facilitated by the extensive complicity of professionals (lawyers, surveyors, valuers, physical planners, engineers, architects, land registrars, estate agents and bankers) in the land and property market and most high profile allocations of public land were made to companies incorporated specifically for that purpose, largely to shield the directors and shareholders of such entities from easy public view.

This never hindered some people who were on the positions (of power) at that time to grab land for themselves while others sold it to innocent people without the consent of the relevant authority.

Up to date, many genuine people have built big storey houses on the public land unknowingly. With only a few days remaining before the Government enacts the land bill many people may find themselves on the receiving end.

Mathare River

Huruma estate is one of the areas where public land grabbing has been rampant. Some of the people who live near Mathare River have built near the banks leaving no space for foot paths.

Others have built storey houses on

roads without their knowledge. Chapter Five of the Constitution requires the passing of revised and consolidated land related laws 18 months from the effective date the Constitution was passed.

The passing of this article will see many injustices which had happened in public land being addressed comprehensively. According to Mathare Division Officer Gerald Omoke, cases of land grabbing are rampant in the area but having in mind what will follow this, he has started sensitising people through public barazas. Omoke says that the original map of Huruma is totally different from the way it looks like today.

“If we will happen to follow the surveyors’ map of how Huruma was projected to be, we will demolish houses worth millions,” he says. Omoke adds that he came to learn that there is a road which is supposed to be parallel with Juja road and is supposed to originate at Pangani to Huruma corner.

“Maumau Road which passes through the slum was meant to start from Pangani to Huruma corner,” he reiterates. For now the DO has tried to sensitise the residents about the massive plan to remove people who are living in public land.

“We will start with those who live along the banks of River Mathare, they are supposed to be 30 metres away from the river bank,” he says. He said there will be no compensation for the people who live in those houses.

Opposition

Omoke says they are still facing opposition from people who say they are on public land legally. “But councillors’ are very supportive, especially Kiamaiko Ward Representative, Michael Wanjohi,” he says.

You know politicians play games with people, but the right thing is to tell them the truth because at the end, the law will take its course. For now it’s ironical that Omoke’s office is taking advantage of the fire scenarios in Huruma to reclaim public land.

“We take advantage of fire hazards to reclaim some public land,” he says.

Immediately after the fire has brought down houses which were on public land they start working on it either to make by pass or they fence it.

Due to this Omoke says they need a lot of money to develop the area whenever chance arises. “We need money to develop such areas for we have to take charge immediately it is evacuated,” he says.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Dr Deqo Mohammed

Keeping hope alive among the Somali population aecologist resident in Russia until 2003 when she came back to Somali to take up the work in her mother’s hospital.

By ROSEMARY OKELLO Deqo Mohammed might not mean anything to a majority of people, but in her motherland Somali, the name is synonymous with hope and a place where the sick and injured gets solace and treatment.

Mohammed, the Chief Executive Officer of Dr Hawa Abdi Foundation Hospital recently spoke on: Action for Improving Health Systems and Maternal Care in Africa during the 1st Dialogue for Action Africa which took place in Libreville, Gabon.

Choices

Setting trend

The 37-year-old who is the first born in her family is also first female gynaecologist in Somali, knows too well what it means to have a country with no health care systems.

Speaking at the conference, Mohammed said what keeps her going especially being the only woman CEO operating a hospital in the war-torn country is the love for her people.

“The situation in Somali is very bad as there is no central government nor are there schools or functioning hospitals,” noted Mohammed. She observed: “Yet amid all these, one is faced with numerous people seeking medical care from maternal health to those who have been shot by Al-Shabaab, children who are sick from preventable diseases and it is my duty to give them hope.”

According to Mohammed, Somali women face various forms of abuses including domestic violence especially those within the internally displaced people’s (IDP) camps.

“Because within the camps there are certain rules people have to obey, at times these women’s husbands are told that if they cannot obey them then they have to leave the camp. Faced with uncertainty they normally opt to stay within the camp, even though their wives and daughters are frequently violated.”

Mohammed’s hospital which is situated within the Lafoole City, Algoye District in Lower Shabelle region is also like an extension of the IDP camp where the majority of women find refuge.

Every morning the hospital finds scores of people who have come for treatment. “At times you are in the theatre and immediately the door is opened and you are faced with a person pointing a gun at you and who tells you to stop whatever you are doing to attend to the injured person they have just brought it,” says Mohammed.

She explains: “That is the kind of environment we work under with the al-Shaabab.”

Born in a family of three where she is the first born daughter and to a mother who was the first woman doctor in Somali and a father who is a medical engineer, Mohammed has learnt from her mother what it means to serve people without relenting even in times of war.

Mohammed vividly recalls what her mother would tell her: “One has got two choices, leave and get good jobs outside Somali or stay to make your own oasis.”

She says her mother chose the latter, to make an oasis which has become a beacon of hope to the majority in Somali.

Before the war broke out, Dr Hawa Abdi worked in a paediatric hospital in Somali before she moved into gynaecology.

From the one room with only three beds, Dr Hawa Abdi Foundation Hospital which she built with her pension money stand now stands tall amid the ruins with 300 bed occupancy.

According to Mohammed, since there is no other hospital in the area, the community has actually taken ownership of the hospital.

Standing on her mother’s shoulders, Mohammed says what women in other countries take for granted is like a dream for them in Somalia.

These are simple things like family planning, ante-natal care and immunization.

“Majority of our people in rural areas do not even have access to clean water and this is the environment we operate under,” she explains.

Such is the experience which Jane Wallace writes that one morning in 2010, Abdi usually referred to as Mama Hawa woke up to the war outside her window. Automatic gunfire tore through the walls as 750 fighters from the Party of Islam surrounded her home and started ransacking the hospital. She was outnumbered. There was no government to call. She remembered one extremist shouting: “Why are you running this hospital?

You are old. You are a woman.”

A stubborn 5’2”, and by then 64 years old, Mama Hawa stood her ground.

“Yes, you are young, and you are a man. But what have you done for your society? I am not leaving my hospital. If I must die, I die with my people and my dignity.”

“We are not just helpless victims of civil war…We are the leaders...We make peace.

We are the hope of the future generations...

We can do everything.”

Hero

Her Mother Dr Hawa Abdi who is described in an article by Jane Wallace as a living hero before the eyes of hundreds of thousands of Somalis and those who are IDPs knew very early that through her profession she could make a difference to the majority of women who were dying from maternal mortality.

Described as a beacon of hope and peace as well as an inspiration, Abdi started the hospital in 1983 from her savings. Her aim was to build

— Dr Deqo Mohammed

something in a rural setting and this she did by constructing a room with three beds.

Following her medical training in Kiev, Ukraine, Abdi opened the clinic and soon the practice drew clients from all over the country.

She was one of Somalia’s first female gynaecologists. Married with three children, Abdi invested in hundreds of acres of farm-land where she opened a private clinic for women and children in 1983.

However, things changed in 1991 when the Somali government collapsed eight years she opened the clinic. During this time, her eldest daughter Deqo was only 15 years old. She was to evacuate her family to Kenya while she remained behind to ensure that the hospital was running.

During the war period, Abdi opened her doors to all, treating victims of gun shots, malnutrition and a string of epidemics. As word of her generosity spread, the needy flocked to the clinic.

More than 15,000 families currently live on her land. She offers medical treatment, clean water and what-ever food she can spare. Nowadays, few can pay for the services but no one is turned away even when they cannot afford.

Wallace narrates that; Abdi acknowledges that after 25 years, she dreams of escaping this place. “I’m tired,” she says, sighing. “Sometimes you lose hope, you feel depressed. I’ve been here so long.”

Known as the mother Teresa of Somalia, Dr Hawa Abdi is getting tired, but her daughter, Deqo Mohammed also studied medicine.

The younger doctor having been mentored and inspired by her mother has now taken full charge of the hospital. She recalls her mother used to tell her always when she was growing up; “I have built this hospital for you.” These words made her to work hard to achieve her dream.

Mohammed received medical training in Russia in 2000. She was an obstetrics-gyn-

Protests

While the heavily armed rebels held the compound at bay, two things happened that Somalia had rarely seen; Muslim women refugees risked their lives to stand beside Mama Hawa, and powerful clan leaders —at war with each other for 25 years — agreed Dr. Hawa Abdi should be saved.

Shamed by the protesting women and pressured by the warlords the fighters backed down.

The publicity about the incident drew international acclaim for Mama Hawa who badly needed resources for the Foundation, and some firm conclusions about women and war.

“We are not just helpless victims of civil war…We are the leaders...We make peace. We are the hope of the future generations...We can do everything.” In yet another Somali first, some went from calling her Mama Hawa, to Mayor.

Such is the Foundation where Mohammed is working and she hopes that the hospital will become one of the biggest referral hospitals in East and Central Africa.

21

Relief as 33 bars are de-registered to save the youthful population in Mukurwe-ini

By Joseph Mukubwa Statistics show that the majority of the population constitutes of young people. While girls seem to be taking education with the seriousness it deserves, it is unfortunately not the case with their male counterparts.

This trend has unfortunately permeated across the country, although some regions are much more affected than others. It is worse in regions where the youths have taken to drinking alcohol recklessly, spinning out of control.

Alcoholism

Central Kenya is one of the regions that has been greatly affected by an influx of alcohol dens. Here, youths have abandoned all pursuit of academic and or economic empowerment, choosing instead to spend their time in bars.

The health and economic implications of this wayward behavior has left a lot to be desired. It is not unusual to find a young man of barely 30 years, toothless.

But the impact of wanton alcohol consumption does not stop here, it has contributed significantly to the prevalence of crime in this region.

Helplessness

As more and more youths, as well as men across all ages continue to take refuge in alcohol, their mothers, guardians and in some cases wives, had for a long time watched from the sidelines as these beloved sons and husbands wasted their youth.

But with time, women have taken a more proactive approach and have remained in the forefront in demanding that the government steps in.

Consequently, it came as a relief when the Mukurwe-ini district liquor licensing committee recently de-registered 33 bars in the area for failure to meet regulations set by the Alcoholic Control and Drinking Act. Area District Commissioner Isaiah Masinde who chairs the committee said that applications to operate by the owners of the bars were rejected for failure to meet regulations in the Alcohol act popularly known as Mututho laws.

“Some of the bars had to be denied licenses to operate due to their proximity to leaning institutions while others were found to have been flouting the set regulations such as operating outside the stipulated hours,” Masinde said.

Eradicate

Speaking in Mukurweini trading centre Nyeri County during the presentation of cheques to social groups worth Sh 4 million towards poverty eradication in the area, the D.C noted that excessive drinking of alcohol was rampant in the area but assured that his committee would ensure that the vice is completely eradicated.

He urged area residents to volunteer information to authorities on bar operators selling alcohol to underage persons and outside the stipulated hours.

Masinde observed that bars had outstripped primary schools in the district by a hundred percent and vowed that liqueur committee would address the situation by reducing local bars further.

Youth and Sports Assistant Minister Kabando wa kabando who was also the area M.P said that he was rooting for reduction of drinking hours from by an hour while the legal drinking age be raised to 21 years.

Kabando urged the district security committee to act on political aspirants buying beer to youths as they seek for votes.

He challenged area residents to shun such politicians vowing that he would never buy beer to woo voters.

22

World Population Day

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Terrorist attacks holds a people at ransom

By Caroline Mango

As we mark the World Population Day, a new trend that is making Kenyans fearful is emerging. Insecurity and terrorist attacks are making things so hard to comprehend especially for the common man and woman who are bearing the greatest brunt.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Coastal region.

Insecurity in the vast Mombasa and Kilifi counties have reached alarming levels especially at the grassroots, a situation that is seriously threatening the economic and social well-being of the common people who basically drive the region’s economy.

Fading confidence

A perceived fading confidence in the police by the public in various areas, fierce business rivalry in the pub and restaurant sector, pure politics, village terrorists in the form of groups of disbanded community policing committees who are leading organised crimes and the activities of suspected members of the Al-Shabaab seem to be key factors under police investigations that continue to stagnate development agenda at the grassroots.

Also at stake is the delicate Coast region’s tourism industry, even as Community Based Organisations seek through fresh initiatives, to fill the gap between the communities and law enforcing agencies to rescue the women and youth, greatest victims of lawlessness.

Kisauni, one of the worst hit constituencies within Mombasa county and home to over 50 per cent of the region’s hospitality industry are crying foul over the return of local village terrorist groups like the Bagdad brothers as the strained police resources and personnel grapples with the over bloated population and highly porous border from Shimoni in the South Coast to Kiunga in the far North.

Strategies

However, operation efforts and strategies by the Coast Provincial Police Officer Aggrey Adoli and swift intelligence systems at the grassroots have seen major security disasters averted by his criminal investigations counterpart- (PCIO) Ambrose Munyasia. Although these are laudable, the public is crying foul over what it terms as ‘self-imposed curfews’ in residential areas and estates. The situation has affected the daily livelihoods of women as the youths are caught in between lack of jobs, drug abuse and to some extent, victimization in the tricky subject of ‘fighting crime’.

Our investigations also point to the ‘flourishing’ dozens of Rahani trade shops and centres that are interestingly keeping and selling surrendered household goods especially electronics along the old Mombasa-Malindi road.

And as interviews conducted by this writer revealed, there are serious security concerns by the local people and NGOS operating in densely populated areas like Kisauni, parts of Changamwe, Bamburi, Makupa, Mtwapa and beyond, is witnessing a situation of near revolt by frustrated youths whose sincere resolve to participate in small community self-help projects as their last resort to keep away from drugs and lawlessness has been thwarted by lack of financiers

and limited resources.

For instance, one of the most formidable and consistent social forums in Kisauni called Bunge la Vijana (Youth Parliament) which sits once a month with a full house of 46 shadow MPs, 16 ministers and upto 30 committee members from each of the nine wards in the constituency. They present issues affecting their areas and recommendations, feel that the government is not making any effort at the grassroots to listen and engage youth in similar forums.

Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere’s last visit to the Coast, weeks before the Bella Vista blast, put emphasis on individual and community vigilance initiatives to enhance community policing systems.

Iteere noted that there was need for local people to take time and ask basic questions where they live or work. He said: “People at the Coast are very hospitable going by tradition, but we have seen in the past that such attitude has caused more harm than good to peace loving people.

Kenyan coast has been a Iteere advised parents to monitarget of terrorist attacks tor their children. He said: “If your in the recent past. Many child is spending more time outside, lives have been lost ask yourself why. Take time to know and properties lost. The what happens around you. It does not residents are however hurt much to get information without blaming the security necessarily raising eye brows in your agents for their laxity in house or your estate. The effort has protecting them, they to be two way for effective results in even fear cooperating fighting organized crime.” with the police because President of the Bunge la Vijana, they usually end up being which continues to act as a powerful treated as suspects. centre for information and knowlPictures: Reject Correspondent edge, Ali Sudi says they have written 300 business proposals yet they are no one is willing to finance them. ple?” poses Mohammed. He notes: “This should tell you a lot about the relationship The proposals have brilliant ideas between the police and the such as charcoal selling, coconut in- public.” dustry, plastic bottles, fishing, kiosks, However, according to cyber cafes and Kongowea Market Sudi the gap between potrading business. lice and locals is worsening and with Says Sudi: “For a long time, the minimal co-operation with security factors causing insecurity levels in agencies. “Many youths who have volKisauni are the same. As much as the unteered information have ended up police are to blame to a major extent, being treated like suspects in issues you cannot expect two police stations that have never been attended to by — Nyali and Bamburi — built during the police despite invitations.” the colonial period for a smaller popuSudi’s comments are strongly suplation to continue serving increased ported by active non-government ornumber of people as well as the hotels ganisations at the Coast and in Momwhich are basically within these same basa specifically like the ACTION dwellings.”

AID, whose Coast team leader David The overcrowded dog section po- Ringa intimated in an interview that lice station is situated along the main the insecurity crisis is the reason why a road that leads to the Mshomoroni new grassroots initiative dubbed ‘Safe suburbs, a notorious crime haven Cities-Security in Urban Spaces’ seek where the Jericho Bar blast occurred. to help the common man who continThe Dog section was initially a traffic ues to fall victim to organised crime. police station and still is, but also acts as the dog unit base from where officers assemble for redeployment in According to Ringa, the slum various assignments. initiative to fight crime has already The Kisauni OCPD and his deputy kicked off in Ziwa la Ng’ombe, a slum are housed at the Dog section which area in the upmarket Nyali constitualso accommodates police residential ency, which accommodates some of houses. the top business tycoons and wealthy A resident who identified himself families but is ironically surrounded as Mohammed blames insecurity on by slums like the expansive Kisumu a ‘don’t care police attitude’ a term that Ndogo. has been used to the maximum by He says the project especially business rivals, village gangs and break- seeks to focus majorly on women and away community policing members girls who have borne the brunt of the whose groups were disbanded. insecurity.

“Are you saying that one will park a “While all the focus in the big vehicle outside Jericho Bar in a dense- hotels and posh estates in area like ly populated area, drop explosives or Kisauni, Mtwapa, the South Coast hurl grenades, get back into the car and beyond, women and young girls and drive away from Mshomoroni in the villages are the worst victims. without being noticed by the peo- Today, a woman has to think really

Proposals

Slum initiative

hard and even seek company of an able man to go out to buy a matchbox,” observes Ringa. He notes: “Girls coming from school in these slum dwellings are defenceless as some are raped and killed in cold blood right in their homes.”

Two local chiefs Mohammed Nzaro and Said Shumi, the new Kisauni DO and a female Sergeant in the provincial administration only identified as Mwari, have taken time out to mingle more with the communities and their names are popular even among school children.

According to the Bunge la Vijana officials in Kisauni, the four officers are regular attendees at every sitting held and have been instrumental in answering questions and seeking ways of solving others, contrary to the police who have never showed face in such forums.

The political leadership in Kisauni under area MP Hassan Joho, feels it is trying its best to help through available government funds and complimenting the situation through personal initiatives like the Joho Foundation which has helped to light up several remote walk ways and residential areas.

As much as the Coast police boss concurs on the need to enhance civic education and assert a much more ‘active’ initiative by the police, he says it is unfortunate that the attitude of the local people and the general hospitable nature and tradition of various communities has helped to harbour

some of the most dangerous criminals from within and without.

Says Adoli: “We are still appealing to the public and all other security stakeholders to be part and parcel of the solution and not the problem.

A popular Islamic Media FM Station –RADIO RAHMA which airs a daily popular ‘News Interactive segment’ after its 9pm news, aimed at helping the common mwananchi to air their views and opinions from news items, has been a buzz lately with a serious concern by the common man on the security in the residential areas which has curtailed their freedom to operate their businesses and walk freely.

Concerns

Callers have been expressing concerns during the radio show, which has set in house regulations on content, on increasing cases of attacks, break-ins, nights of terror with gangs targeting even 5am mosque goers, majority of victims being from Kisauni and parts of Likoni and Changamwe.

Callers also express frustration over reports that are made at some police stations which they claim are notorious at turning informers into suspects.

One caller, who resides in Changamwe, told listeners how the Mshomoroni blast last Sunday gave common criminals in Changamwe a field day as they took advantage of the Kisauni incident where security was diverted to, to terrorize helpless residents trying to digest the news of yet another blast.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

World Population Day

23

Cattle rustlers turn their weapons against hunger

By ROBERT WANJALA As we mark World Population Day, and look at issue of development and food security, something previously unheard of is happening among the Pokot and Illchamus, known for being die-hard cattle keepers. These communities that live in Marigat District, on the slopes of South Baringo County lead lives that are defined by extreme drought and flash floods.

The severe weather conditions bring misery to both human beings and livestock. However, livestock remains the lifeline of the Pokot and IIchamus, the communities that dominate this region. It is this lifeline that has been blamed as the genesis of conflict that has rocked these communities for decades.

For years they have fought over water and pasture. Hundreds of people have been killed and displaced. Property worth millions has been destroyed and thousands of livestock lost.

Today the deafening sounds of guns and distressing screams against the attacks have been replaced with cracking hoes and melodious songs from women and children clearing bushes for irrigation exercise.

“It was almost impossible seeing a Pokot and IIchamus talk or even look at each other without murmuring insults. However, today we toil side by side chatting as friends for a common good cause for all,” says Lekateya Lolchingei, a community elder.

Lolchingei who refuses to be identified with either community says the peace project has brought them together and is helping to cement reconciliation between the two communities.

The two communities known for cattle rustling have now turned their weapons, energies and skills, against hunger and poverty: their real common enemy.

Mukutani division which was a battle ground for the Pokot, who are the majority and IIchamus, the minority, is slowly and steadily becoming a farming ground and soon could become a haven for livelihood as a food granary to thousands across the district and beyond.

“In 2005, 100 people were reportedly killed in Mukutani, hundreds displaced and thousands of livestock stolen and up to date some schools in the area remain closed,” claims Amos Olempaka, an IIchamus spokesman who is also the chairman Rift Valley Youth for Peace Initiative.

According to Olempaka many women and children had become widows and orphans and on the verge of starvation.

Lasting solutions

Ntitochege Leparsalaach, 53, and a mother of eight lost her husband during the raid. Her wish is that the two communities learn to co-exist and angle their minds on lasting solutions to the issues affecting them.

“Our leaders from the two opposing sides should seek and encourage ways and means of cementing the relationship between the Pokot and IIchamus. This scheme offers solutions for peace instead of fighting over re-

sources,” advices Leparsalaach.

In an effort to defend his community as the main aggressors, Pokot Member of Parliament Asman Kamama, during a public hearing on historical injustices by the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission in Baringo County said that although the Pokot were tagged as the invaders, they had suffered untold pain too.

Banditry

Kamama said: “During the claimed raids in 2005 our community suffered immense loses. We have bore the brunt of banditry and cattle rustling in equal measure and we demand compensation by the Government.”

The government’s Food for Assets (FFA) through World Food Programme and World Vision International (WVI) initiated Lendorok Irrigation Scheme in 2010 and has so far benefited over 700 vulnerable groups within the area.

The beneficiaries provide labour at the scheme for three days a week and are provided with food after work as opposed to sitting idle waiting for relief rations.

Benson Kangogo, area district FFA says: “The project through World Vision prioritised the Lendorok Scheme as one of the initiatives that would improve food security and the general security of the area.”

According to Kangogo communities are involved in excavation of both primary and secondary canals for irrigation: “The communities started by excavating over 4,720 metres and followed by clearing of 39 hectares of crop land.”

Women with children strapped on their backs, youths and men have all been busy sweating it out in the field that was once a jungle of death.

“The community realises how much time was wasted on useless fights. They are now concentrating their energies on defeating hunger.

Time wasted cannot be recovered and this is an opportunity for working together as one family for the common good of all,” says Maxwel Lesaaya, a teacher in Mukutani Location.

Area District Agriculture officer, Ezekiel Chepkony says the communities are involved in joint clearing of farmland under irrigation and creating canals from rivers for food ration.

Residents used to relief food rations are now working on the farm before getting the food supplies.

“Involving them is a strategy to reducing idleness through which many youths have succumbed to anti-social activities like cattle raids and early sexual behaviour to make ends meet,” says Chepkony adding that these efforts are aimed at cushioning the community from overreliance on re-

lief and animal husbandry.

Chepkony notes that about 20,000 vulnerable groups in the area will benefit from the scheme: “About 702 households have benefited from the scheme. We are targeting to put at least 200 hectares under irrigation to benefit more people.”

Cohesion

This scheme has been instrumental in cohesion between indigenous communities living in the area who in the past were living in disharmony. “Through the scheme the Pokot and IIchamus communities working together have seen the project become successful,” says Kangogo.

Mercy Nabori, a resident agrees that indeed focusing their strength towards food security is not only important but also a uniting feature to them since hunger knows no bound.

“Now that we have embarked on fighting hunger as opposed to fighting each other, the Government should improve our poor roads and make our region accessible and enable us reach markets,” observes Kelvin Lekosek, the scheme beneficiary.

He adds: “We are not focusing on food sufficiency for our families only but targeting external market as well.”

Communities that live in Marigat District, on the slopes of South Baringo County have for a long time lead lives that are defined by extreme drought and According to nominated civic flash floods. leader Jacob Olesikamoi, for the They have now project to be successful, the Govburied their ernment should double its efforts differences and in addressing underlying issues are working such as land ownership, perennial floods, impassable roads, hard towards insecurity and education which food security. are barriers to development in According to Pictures: Reject the region.

Stanley Olemukup, Correspondent Olesikamoi says a women’s the peace commitgroup with membership drawn tee chairman in the from the two communities has been area, the scheme is proving successformed to educate women on vari- ful not only in ensuring food security ous issues including peace as well as but also fostering peace in the area. maternal and child heath.

“Since it’s bearing fruits in MukuWorld Vision Kenya through tani, we want relevant authorities to prepositioned Non Food Items encourage and spread the same proj(NFI) from WFP donated 385 kilo- ect in other volatile areas. It has taken grammes of assorted certified seeds long but we are beginning to see light and hand tools to the farmers while at the end of the tunnel,” observes Olthe Ministry of Agriculture donated emukup.

585 kilogrammes of high value tradiMarigat District Officer Obwocha tional crops seeds. About 76 farm- Bwobwocha says the project is a relief ers have planted 23 hectares of maize and one that will go a long way in cewhile the remaining 29 farmers are menting relationships between the two yet to plant the other 23 hectares. communities.

Barely two years since its incepBwobwocha notes that the two tion, the project is bearing fruit. “We communities will now concentrate are harvesting our first crops. This on the farm to generate food for their year our families will not sleep hun- families and stop overdependence on gry,” observes Simon Lekichep, a ben- relief ration. eficiary of the scheme.

“The project is not only geared to boost peaceful co-existence between the two warring groups but also to help the area to be food secure.”

However, Bwobwocha admits that there are still cattle raids on the lower parts including Arabal, Kiserian, Tangulobei, Rugus among other areas.

“Communities in these areas still rely heavily on livestock for survival — Amos Olempaka and during drought many animals are

Underlying issues

“In 2005, 100 people were reportedly killed in Mukutani, hundreds displaced and thousands of livestock stolen and up to date some schools in the area remain closed.”

lost and as a result the Pokot — alleged as assailants — embark on restocking,” observes Bwobwocha.

He says relevant authorities should come in and educate the community on alternative ways of livelihood. He urges the community to shun overreliance on livestock and instead embrace agriculture to end constant conflict linked to cattle rustling.

“Destocking is the only way to discourage conflict related to pasture and water for livestock. With introduction of irrigation schemes, pasture will become a problem and that could exacerbate the conflict,” Bwobwocha observes.

He also advices that sensitising the community to take education seriously would reduce poverty and stop retrogressive cultures, cattle rustling and child marriage in the area.

During a recent agriculture field day organised in the volatile Mukutani area, World Vision officer Nancy Chebii said the project was not only a uniting factor for the two communities but would also provide pasture and water for domestic use and livestock.

The organisation which is the lead agency in the program is prioritising soil conservation and rural access roads to reduce distances people take to reach social amenities like health facilities and schools.

24

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Women find alternative source of fuel from condemned plant

By Luckyland Chebukwa

As the world marks population day, certain groups of workers remain in challenging circumstances face different people. The World Population day aims to increase people’s awareness on various population issues such as the importance of family planning, including gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights. Among these is the exploitation of workers which leads to poverty and many times is an abuse of human rights.

Labourers in the tea industry contribute immensely to the country’s tea exports, which is one of the leading sources of foreign exchange earnings. However, very little of this trickles down to those who sweated their brows to ensure it happened.

Besides being a poorly paid workforce, the labourers work under deplorable conditions that more often than not pose health challenges to them. They also face challenges that include unreliable daily work opportunities, lack of protective gears, long working hours and ineligibility to medical cover as well as sick and maternity leaves, among others.

Florence Orenge, 38, and a mother of four describes tea picking as an energy consuming and insecure task that exposes workers to low wage payments.

Orenge has been fending for her family through casual tea picking in rural-based small-holder tea farms in Giasaiga sub-location.

Pressure

Congestion

“The idea was borne out of their daily meetings as a group and interactions with two young men visiting the area courtesy of Kopernic organization to propagate the gospel of environmentally friendly tin lamps,” says Akungwi.

The two, Takuro Haraguchi from Japan and Eric Wright from Canada, suggested the idea as a viable venture and offered to train them.

Over time, they are becoming adept at their work. Today, in less than three hours, the women can produce at least one 90 kilogram bag of charcoal from waste.

All that they invested in the venture was KSh2,300 for purchasing equipment that included tool of trade including a drum and compressor, an improvised cup-like metallic container with a matching round-ended iron rod.

Haraguchi developed interest in the technology when he encountered it in Australia and it came to mind when he met the women who were struggling to fend for their families single-handedly.

“I knew it would transform lives of the struggling women because they showed interest and determination to succeed,” he recalls.

That was the beginning of the journey towards turning waste plant material into an opportunity and a source of income.

However, it would not have made sense if he had not dug deep in his pocket to assist the women acquire equipment. Haraguchi

Tea pickers labouring under difficult circumstances

By BEN OROKO

Cassava tubers in parts of Kakamega County that are feared to be from the poisonous variety now have a new role. They are being used as an ingredient in the production of charcoal from agricultural waste.

In the hands of a group of women from the area, the tubers that farmers usually left to go to waste on their farms are now being combined with other plant waste to produce fuel for the rural communities.

According to Agneta Akungwi, coordinator Sisari Women’s Group that runs the project in Matungu District, it is no longer necessary to cut down trees for charcoal production.

“We gather maize stalks and cobs, cassava roots, and sugarcane baggase as our main raw material,” explains Akungwi.

This has relieved pressure from the falling of trees that has been blamed for the dwindling forest cover and severe effect on the climate, wildlife, streams and human population.

The group that is made up of 30 widows is not only countering wanton destruction of forests, and hence environmental degradation, but addressing need for fuel in the process and eking a living out of it.

The novel initiative that is at its pilot stage is already showing massive potential with high quality charcoal being produced. The women say that the lesser cost involved in its production has assured the clients of affordable product.

Sisari Women Group’s project also targets controlling respiratory diseases that may result from smoke emanating from firewood while cooking in the kitchen.

The response in the market is overwhelming with huge demand for charcoal that has made the group to work within a specified time frame since clients have started placing their orders. All stock realised during trials has been sold, and this has been a source of motivation to the mothers.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012 World Population Day

Duty

Agneta Akungwi, the coordinator of Sisari Women’s Group in Matungu District displays charcoal made from the poisonous cassava tubers.

Picture: Luckyland Chebukwa launched a revolving fund where the widows can borrow little interest free loans at individual level.

Their equipment includes a drum with a square hole on the upper end and four smaller ones at the bottom, Cassava flour and the waste material.

The waste is burned in the drum whose bigger hole at the top has to be sealed tightly to control the process. It is strategically rested on three supportive stones, under it the fire is lit.

The burning takes close to 30 minutes and a similar time is allowed for the contents to cool down before it is removed and grinded. The grinded stuff is then mixed with Cassava flour that has been mixed with water to form porridge like stuff.

It is time to scoop the black dust into the small cup like tool and the iron rod comes in-hand and is used to press it harder; the resultant product is compact small brick of charcoal ready for use.

The group has the capacity to produce up to 100 bags of charcoal everyday whose mar-

“I knew it would transform lives of the struggling women because they showed interest and determination to succeed.”

— Agneta Akungwi

ket price is KSh600 per bag, translating to KSh60, 000 every day. In a month, the group can rake in KSh180, 000.

Having scored at the pilot project, the group has approached a sugar milling firm in the area seeking the company to supply them with surplus baggase in order to have enough raw materials that would help increase production.

Muhoroni Sugar Company is the only sugar milling firm utilising the sugarcane waste or baggase to produce charcoal on large scale basically for commercial purposes. Haraguchi visited the miller to see how it is done but insist the women can do it on small scale and make a killing out of the venture.

Mumias Sugar Company, however, uses it in production of electricity part of which is exported to the national grid.

Loan

“We intend to seek a loan and expand the project in future with a sole aim of monopolizing charcoal industry while at the same time keep the campaign against environment degradation alive,” notes Akungwi.

Besides, they continue to be an alternative means of disposal for farmers’ unwanted cassava tubers.

While cassava is an important crop, meals prepared out it have in the past claimed several lives in Butere-Mumias district and locals know better than just eating any cassava meal without giving it a second thought.

Speaking to The Reject while on duty in one of the smallholder tea farms in rural Boigesa village in Sameta District, Orenge laments that, despite the high cost of living wages for casual tea workers in the rural-based small-holder tea farms remain at an all time low.

Orenge had a dream of pursuing her education and becoming a teacher but this never happened. She blames her current tribulations on her parents’ failure to sponsor her education beyond Standard Seven. She dropped out and ended up getting married after sensing her parents were not serious with her education.

“I regret working as a casual tea labourer and I blame it all on my parents, who failed to support me to complete my education to higher levels. Working for long hours, five days a week, in the tea farms where I am paid based on the amount of green leaf that I collect and deliver at the tea factory’s collection and buying centre is disheartening,” Orenge laments.

On a good day, she picks roughly 10 kilogrammes of green leaf tea, for which she is paid KSh7 per kilo, translating to KSh70. This is far below the current price of a two kilogramme tin of maize meal which is going for about KSH120, making it difficult for her to afford a day’s meal.

Even with the little money that is being paid work is not always available. Orenge laments that it is difficult for one to get reliable tea picking work. “It all depends on the season or the owner’s budget. It is a common phenomenon to wake one morning only to miss out on the opportunity, meaning that one’s children may sleep hungry if there is no alternative,” she says.

Orenge regrets that it is a double tragedy for casual tea workers in circumstances where the green leaf collection truck delays in collecting the leaf on time. This leads to loss of leaf weight, a disadvantage to the labourer, whose wage payments are based on kilogrammes one delivers to the buying centre.

Dangerous

Orenge’s co-worker Jane Chanai, who picks tea in Boigesa village, says tea picking is dangerous and insecure; one faces the risk of injuries in the course of duty, including skin bruises and severe backaches due to working for long hours.

Chanai observes that, injuries, respiratory problems and bad weather-related ailments are common among casual tea labourers in the small-holder tea farms.

“Tea picking is an exhausting task, since the labourers in the rural-based small-holder tea farms are poorly paid and yet they work for long hours on their feet all day with heavy baskets on their backs,” observes Chanai. She adds: “Imagine in the presence of all this strenuous task one is also tasked to make long trips to the tea factories’ collection and buying centres before being paid for the day’s work.”

Casual tea workers in the small-holder tea farms are not provided with gear to protect them against injuries, effects of bad weather or heavy downpours as is the case with their counterparts in the established tea estates in the country.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just World Population Day

25

the gruesome truth

Hawking weapons in the streets contributing to insecurity

By Carolyne Oyugi As we mark the World Population Day we must appreciate the fact that the number of people on earth is increasing while the natural resources are either constant or reducing at an alarming rate.

This situation has led to conflict since everyone wants to get a share of the precious natural yet scarce resources like land and water.

It has therefore become the case of survival for the fittest. There is thereforea sence of insecurity like never before and many people have resorted to arming themselves incase of an attack.

Some people have however taken advantage and are selling the needed weapons to the public.

It is 6pm and drizzling, after hours of heavy rain in Nairobi town. The roads are flooded and pedestrians are keeping a safe distance to avoid being splashed by dirty water as the vehicles pass.

The roads are full of vehicles, and they have either stopped or are moving at a snail pace — a usual occurrence in this city when it rains.

Bargain

The drivers hate the delay on the road, but some people enjoy it. These are the hawkers. They appreciate anything that slows down motorists so that they can sell their goods and the customers can have time to bargain, another common habit.

One such hawker is Peter Mulwa.

You can see the joy on his face whenever cars stop and he approaches the occupants.

Mulwa sells knives with aesthetic covers, whips, bows and arrows. In simple terms he is selling weapons. Not everyone is interested in what he sells, but he is in business anyway.

From my observation in the morn-

ing, Mulwa has sold most of his goods.

He is now light, and can run around after the vehicles whenever the jam opens up.

From the surface this business seems normal: an innocent and decent way of making honest money. What we must ask ourselves, however, is where do these weapons go to after they have been bought? What are they used for?

Self Defence

According to Mulwa, the weapons are used for self-defence. “You know the society has become insecure, everyone suspects the neighbour so it is good to be armed and be able to defend yourself whenever you are attacked,” says Mulwa.

He sells an average of four knives, three arrows and one whip per day. “I also have customers who make their orders through my mobile phone, so some days I don’t have to come to the road,” he says with a smile.

According residents of northern Kenya and the North Rift such as Samburu, Pokot, Turkana, Borana, Rendille, Somali and Gabbra, national law is not adequately enforced by the Kenyan police in the marginalized regions. The only option they have is to arm themselves. They do this as a defensive measure against bandits and other communities, as well as to advance their own interests, as they define them.

In the arid parts of Kenya, as well as in the greater part of the Horn of Africa, 65 per cent of the land is used by pastoralist or nomadic communities. These areas have harsh living conditions, little water and not enough pasture for livestock. In general, poverty looms large intensifying competition for scarce resources, which take the form of violent armed conflict.

An image of a Maasai man is not complete without a shield and arrow.

According to the Maasais, it is part of their dressing and culture.

It also comes in handy when they walk in the bush, since their homes are surrounded by wild animals and they need protection.

The Maasais, however, carry knives even when they are not in their villages.

The knives are well tucked under their shukas and kikoys.

The big question here is what are they defending themselves against?

Though there is no clear law regarding such weapons, if one is found in someone’s possession then he or she is charged with having the intent of using it.The Maasais, however, have been exempted from this law, though not officially.

Initiative

The government of Kenya recognised that the control of small arms should be a priority, and is actively engaged in advancing effective responses.

Government officials realised that initiatives are unlikely to succeed without community involvement. To this end the government launched the Community Policing Initiative in 2005, and encouraged community members to be on the forefront of fighting all forms of crime.

The Initiative is still active, particularly in pastoralist communities, where local leaders are encouraged to oppose the possession and use of illegal guns.

The Initiative, however, did not consider possession of weapons like arrows and machetes.

Though guns are more dangerous than the weapons that Mulwa and other hawkers sell, they are not the ones that are usually used when there is conflict in Kenya.

For example, when Kenya experienced post-election violence in 20072008, sights of people carrying ma-

chetes and arrows were very common. In normal circumstances, stories of relatives who have disagreed and took a garden panga to chop off another person’s head have also dominated the media.

The existing Kenyan laws only cover fire arms and small weapons. The Fire Arms Act of Kenya regulates licensing, certification, acquisition, maintenance of premises, and the forfeiture of certificates and firearms. To a great extent the act is clear and adequate; however, some of the sentences and fines are too lenient to deter the illegal possession of firearms. In Kenya, possession of illegal firearms is bailable. It is treated as petty case, notwithstanding the gravity of crimes that may be committed.

According to the Kenyan Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe, it is very hard to deal with such weapons. “Something like a panga is a domestic tool that people use every day, and so you cannot stop people from buying and possessing them. Bows and arrows are also made locally, you can even make one for yourself, so controlling how and where they are made is also very tricky.”

However, he, acknowledges that most of the weapons being bought in the streets end up in the wrong hands and are responsible for a big percentage of crimes being committed.

As much as the government encourages self-employment, selling of weapons should be regulated and controlled

Kenyans used small arms and what are commonly known as domestic and farm tools to attack one another during the Post Election Violence as displayed in the streets by Picha Mtaani. Pictures: Picha Mtaani to reduce the crime rate in Kenya.

There should be a mechanism in place to ensure that the person buying really needs the weapon and will not use it to harm others or cause violence, but just to defend him or herself.

Irony of free sanitary pads as taboo rears its ugly head

By ABISAI AMUGUNE Mary Cheruto is a teenager but she finds it an embarrassing and difficult stage of life to cope up with.

Cheruto (not her real name), a Standard Eight pupil at Kapchebuk Primary School in Mt. Elgon District, has been using rags during menstruation but after exhausting the worn out clothes she has no option but to rely on friends and other well-wishers.

Even the cotton-wool which her mother could afford once in a while is no more after they were evicted from their home following the tribal skirmishes that rocked the district in mid 2006.

Inter clan conflict

And after the inter-clan conflict was resolved following government intervention two years later, Cheruto found herself again in the ‘‘catch 22’’ position when she resumed classes at Kapchebuk Primary School.

However, it was with a sigh of relief that Cheruto and other girls received the news that the government had introduced the free distribution of sanitary towels to girls in primary schools.

For her, it meant that she would not miss lessons or bother her parents to buy her sanitary towels.

What this also meant for Cheruto

was that she was now going to concentrate on her studies more without being bothered by matters related to hygiene and personal health.

Cheruto’s experiences are similar to those of Jane Chemwotei from the neighbouring Chepkurkur Primary School and Ann Cherop of Banantega Primary School, both situated in areas that bore the biggest brunt of the 20062008 clashes and tribal turmoil.

For Chemwotoi (also her real name) the issue of sanitary towels was not new to her having only come to her knowledge when it was introduced to public schools by the government. She had been using traditional covering methods that included staying away from school altogether during her menses.

Cherop*, is now a happy that she can now access free sanitary towels from school.

However, while the idea of getting sanitary pads is good, there is a hurdle that makes a mockery of the whole situation. The girls have not been able to access the sanitary pads easily. Why? This has been the one million question that has been nagging the trio for a long time as they await to be supplied with the materials.

Not that the towels have not been supplied to their respective schools but the lack of female teachers to coordi-

nate the distribution is the problem.

According to the Mt. Elgon KNUT branch executive secretary Stephen Chemonges, most schools in the district have more male teachers than women. Yet, the teachers embrace culture that does not allow men to distribute the sanitary towels to the girls. ‘‘Out of more than 36 primary schools in the district, less than 18 have female teachers who do not even correspond to the number of girls,” says Chemonges.

But why this anomaly? And for how long will the situation prevail before being corrected?

Study

A study conducted by the KNUT office revealed that most local women teachers who worked in the conflict hit areas sought for transfers to safer zones. Others just resigned to pursue different jobs and greener pastures.

There is also the neglect to promote the girl child’s education.

For example, schools such as Korongotung and Kaporiot had more male teachers than women. The ratio of boys to girls is nearly 4:1.

For all the schools found in the former troubled Chepyuk division, they have all male teachers except for Korongotuny which has one woman teacher against a staff of ten.

Figures released by the KNUT office indicated that Kapchebuk School had two teachers against a population of 300 pupils, a similar figure at Chepkurkur again with a population of 480, Banantenga School has one teacher to serve 180 pupils well as Kaporiot with 200 pupils.

Chemonges says female teachers had shied away from working in local schools because of insecurity, old fashioned cultural practices as well as the need to stay together with their spouses. Newly recruited teachers forfeit their positions in the local schools for others that are far away. ‘‘Such reasons have affected the distribution of sanitary towels to our girls. In some cases, you will just find the towels lying in the stores within the education offices or landing in the wrong hands,” observed Chemonges.

He added: “This is just because there are no women teachers involved in the supply of the materials.”

He added: ‘‘ In other cases, the girl child would just ignore asking for the towels from a male teacher so as to keep her situation a secret. However, she would be willing to discuss freely the secrets with female teachers.”

According to Sabaot cultures, it is a taboo for a man to discuss sexuality matters with young girls. ‘‘The man is given the right to talk

to boys as a woman takes care of girls,” says Dorothy Mikis, a Kitale-based advocate for the rights of the Sabaot girl child.

The Nairobi County Director of Education Geoffrey Cherongis who is leading a campaign to revive education standards in Mt. Elgon says the local girl child should be accorded special attention. ‘‘The girl child has been neglected.

It is time parents took seriously the education of their daughters. Times have changed where girls were denied equal education opportunities,” he said while on an education tour in the district.

The Mt. Elgon KNUT woman representative Jane Chebet says the district has a shortfall of 435 teachers of which a big ratio of appointments should be accorded for women. She proposed that women leaders through the CDF coordinate the distribution of the towels. ‘‘We ask the Ministry of Education through the TSC to give more slots to women teachers when the recruitment exercise commences. This way, our disadvantaged daughters will interact freely with the female teachers on issues related to their bodies,” Chebet said. At the same time, she called for prompt release of the towels and decried the delay occasioned during the 2010-2011 financial year.

26

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Hers is no ordinary porridge

By Thomas Bwire Agnes Adongo is the cook at the Uweza Aid Foundation center, a local based non- governmental organization working in Kibera slums, but as many of the kids in Uweza programme will tell you, Adongo is much more than a cook. She has taken the organization’s mission as her own.

Adongo, age 32, lives in the Olympic, one of the estates in Kibera, with her husband and four children (of which 3 are boys and one is a girl).

She joined the organization in June 2011.She says that working here brings joy and personal fulfillment, as she is adored as a mother by the kids that come to the center after their school day to receive a cup of hot porridge.

Service

By this time, one of the rooms hosting some of the students is almost full and students presented are undertaking their school assignments silently. A hot, steamy porridge is served as each student gets a share and says “asante mathe,” meaning thank you

The Embu and Mbeere communities will no longer use the Kikuyu translated Bible to spread the gospel. They became the 19th community in the Country to get a Bible translated into their own language so that they can read and understand.

The Bible Society of Kenya (BSK) General Secretary, Elizabeth Muriuki, pointed out that it has taken the society more than 16 years to translate the English and Kiswahili Bible into Kiembu and Kimbeere.

“The first attempt to translate the Bible into Kiembu and Kimbeere was in March 1998, when the Gospel of Mark was released, while in September 2003 the translation of the New Testament was launched whose completion is our purpose here today,” she said.

Language

Agnes Adongo a cook at Uweza Aid Foundation in Kibera preparing porridge that is usually given to needy children after school.

Pictures: Thomas Bwire mum. Besides the students, staff members also get served a cup of porridge.

Upon completion, Adongo quickly washes the dishes and once she is done with all the kitchen chores, she bids me farewell and off she goes.

“She is exemplary, she consistently goes beyond the call of duty and demonstrates what participatory development and community service are about,” says country’s Director Jennifer Sapitro.

When justice delayed becomes impetus for crime

By BEN OROKO The backlog of cases and the delayed justice of courts of law have been blamed for the mushrooming of illegal gangs as an alternative option for community members seeking elusive justice in the Gusii region.

The Director of Public Prosecution, Kiriako Tobiko, observed that, owing to the delays in the handling of cases pending before the law courts, the public had lost confidence in the justice system. They are now resorting to illegal gangs to find homegrown solutions to their problems.

Responding to press interviews at the Eastern Nyanza Regional

Commissioner, Lydiah Muriuki’s office in Kisii town, while on his countrywide tour of the Judiciary Department Offices, Tobiko attributed the backlog to the challenges facing the administration of justice through the courts of law.

Tobiko warned that the intimidation of witnesses and the so called “instant administration of justice” by gangs was illegal, and he said that his department will report such cases to the courts for action.

The director also urged the Witness Protection Agency and law enforcers to move swiftly in addressing the issue of illegal gangs, which, he said, was rampant in the region.

However, the DDP said, the provincial administration offices played an intergral role in the delivery of justice through arbitration of cases, which would have otherwise ended up in courts, contributing to a backlog of cases.

He disclosed that,a total of 66 prosecutors will be recruited by the department in this financial year to fast-track expeditious handling of cases pending in the law courts and assure the affected parties of their justice.

Tobiko, however, regretted that the number of public prosecutors to be recruited was far below the much needed establishment, owing

to budgetary limitations.

The department, he revealed, had been allocated sh. 955m out of the estimated sh. 3.3 billion in the current financial year.

Tobiko assured the area residents that the reformed department under the new constitution will liaise with relevant agencies to respond quickly to their needs as regards to the delivery of justice.

He cited digitization of the case filing system as one of the reforms underway in the judiciary, which will enhance efficiency and expeditious handling of cases and address the problem of backlog of cases and delayed justice.

Cultural troupe calls for calm in polls period

By BEN OROKO As the country gears up for the forthcoming transitional general elections, a cultural group from Gusiiland has called on Kenyans to maintain peace during the campaigns and electioneering period to avert conflict such as the one that was witnessed in the country in 2008.

The Otenyo Cultural Group Secretary, James Namu, has led members of his group in appealing for peaceful campaigns and elections as

Embu and Mbeere sub tribes finally have a Bible in their local language

By KARIUKI MWANGI

Preparation

Her day at the center starts at 4pm and ends at 6.30 pm. Upon her arrival, she heads to the Kitchen located at one of the corners within the center premises and lights the jiko using charcoal. This takes less than five minutes, and once the jiko is ready she heads back to the kitchen and starts preparing the only meal provided by the center to all the Uweza kids.

Adongo took me through her preparation process of the porridge, “first put water into the Sufuria, give it sometime to boil, say 15 minutes. As you leave the water to boil, make a fine paste of flour using cold water. With a clean bucket steer till it becomes thick and all mixed well, then pour the paste into the boiling water and steer till it all starts releasing some bubbles. Add sugar. That is enough for intake, depending on the number of people you are cooking for. Give it 10 more minutes and your porridge is ready,” Adongo finishes with a smile, all this time under the watch of her little daughter.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012 World Population Day

the country prepares for the historic transitional polls that come with the new constitution.

Speaking in Keroka town during the group’s eighth annual cultural festival under theme ‘A united Kenya with diverse culture’, Namu challenged all communities across the country to live in harmony during and after the forthcoming general elections. He called for peaceful co-existence and national unity among Kenyans.

“As we approach the country’s

historic transitional general elections under the new constitutional dispensation as members Otenyo Cultural Group, I urge people from the Gusii community and Kenyans in general to embrace peaceful coexistence with their neighbours during and after the transitional general elections to avert violence as was witnessed in 2008,” said Namu.

Decrying loss of life and property worth billions of shillings during the 2008 post-election violence, Namu challenged Kenyans to put

the country first and embrace good neighbourliness among themselves to enhance peace and security.

He appealed for tolerance to divergent views during the campaigns and respect for each community’s cultural diversity.

“As a cultural group, we appeal to all Kenyans to use their culture to preach peace and harmony during the coming elections and to assure the country of sustainable national unity during and after the elections,” noted Namu.

Muriuki said that with the Bible in their own language, the Embu and Mbeere language will stop being regarded as the devil language when compared to the Kikuyu language, which has for long been regarded as God’s language.

“If you take the English Bible and compare the writings with the other translated languages of the same, they all mean the same, and we hope it will play a role in uniting Kenyans from all walks of life,” she posed.

Muriuki said that the organisation is currently working on the translation of the Bible into the Teso, Samia and Oluluhya languages, adding that they will be launching the Lukakamega translated Bible later in the year.

Anglican Diocese of Embu’s Bishop, Henry Kathii, said that the launch of the Bible is a reprieve to the Embu and Mbeere communities, which have been using the Kikuyu Bible.

“Am happy that we now have a Bible in the language that we own and understand, we can now solve the issue of differences in the meaning of some Kikuyu and Kiembu words,” he said.

Community

Kathii said that the Embu and Mbeere communities have now been liberated from the Kikuyu language, saying that now God will be speaking to them through the language that they understand well.

According to Dr. Cyrus Njiru, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, ignorance has played a big role in retarding the community, and the new Kiembu Bible will enlighten the society.

He said that the clergy must use it to enhance gospel outreach so as to solve the problem of youth moral decay, pervasiveness of new technology, broken homes and alcoholism – all of which are rampant in the Country today.

Njiru, who hails from Embu, said that the vices are mostly due to lack of sufficient spiritual guidance. He urges the clergy to use the well translated Bible to change behaviors and negative attitudes of the society.

“Lets not develop the habit of complaining all the time about the issues affecting us; everybody should do their part and be committed to it if we are to change things from what they are,” he posed.

Njiru, who is also the chairman of the Embu Professionals Forum, said that the launch of the Kiembu Kimbeere Bible is a major milestone in Ensuring that Embu County becomes self-reliant in economic development before 2030.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just World Population Day

27

the gruesome truth

Government ditches plans to scrap education system

By JANE MUGAMBI The government will explore new ways through which the current system of education can be improved in Kenya.

This comes on the heels of the earlier government plans to scrap the 8-4-4 system and replace it with a new one.

Education

According to Ayiecho Olweny, Assistant Minister for Education, a committee has been set up to explore ways through which the proposed radical changes to the system of education in the country can be incorporated in the current system.

Olweny said the committee will assess the current 8-4-4 system and come up with recommendations on how the system can be improved.

Challenges

“There is a committee that has been set up to look into the issue because scrapping 8-4-4 will not solve the problems bedevilling education sector,” he noted.

Olweny spoke at a prize giving ceremony in Waigiri Primary School, Kirinyaga Central District.

Olweny noted that introducing the proposed 2-6-6-3 system of education will require an excess of KSh340 billion to implement, adding that the money is too much.

He called on education stakeholders to go slow on the matter, since the ministry is starved in terms of funds.

“The money needed to implement the new 2-6-6-3 system is KSh340 billion which can be used to employ more teachers and improve the standards of education,” noted Olweny.

Requirement

He said that the country currently requires an additional 80,000 teachers to offset the shortages currently facing public schools.

The minister said that, instead of scrapping the 8-4-4 system, we can make some changes in the current system and still serve the

country better.

He also revealed that the Government plans to employ early childhood teachers to boost enrolment in nursery schools.

He further cautioned students against indulging in drugs while in school, saying that drugs will ruin their lives.

Causes

Olweny caused a stir when he told male students that they will be battered by their wives in the future if they start to indulge in alcoholism at an early stage.

The minister cited child labour, absenteeism and dropouts due to poverty as some of the major chal-

lenges facing his ministry while implementing the free primary and secondary education.

Area Member of Parliament, Gachoki Gitari, took the occasion to reward students who performed well in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations.

Performance

He attributed the good performance in Kirinyaga County to the good working relationship between all stakeholders in the education ministry.

Gitari called on parents to take their children to school and promised to support poor and vulnerable students to achieve their dreams.

Farmers in ASALs reap from new technology Corporate reaches

By AYOKI ONYANGO

Farmers in Arid and Semi Arid Lands ASALs are reaping from a new technology jointly introduced by the Kenya Forestry Research Institute KEFRI and National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme NALEP. The research on trees, crops and livestock is bearing fruits in Kenya’s dry lands. In Kitui, Joseph Kivelenge is among farmers that KEFRI and NALEP officials trained on how to grow mango through grafting method.

“The first 20 seedlings of grafted mango seedlings were provided by KEFRI free of charge and now I have 200 mango trees and each tree produces between 500 to 700 fruits”, says Residents of Arid and Semi Arid parts of Kenya have for a long time suffered the effects Kivelenge adding that this translates of drought. This has however changed after embracing a new farming technology that into 140,000 mango fruits and each assures them of food security. Picture: Ayoki Onyango fruit sells at Ksh. 15.

He says they formed a co-operburu KEFRI/NALEP have been promoting the farmers was shut down owing to a disative society and started a processing factory acacia trees for the gum arabica production, pute between farmers and the management. that now manufactures mango juice. “When water harvesting techniques and livestock Farmers wanted to be paid Ksh. 100 for a litre we realized that brokers were buying our farming. In Marigat KEFRI/NALEP partner- of sap while the factory management was ofmangoes at throw away prices, we decided to ship is giving technical support to farmers to fering Ksh. 35 a litre. form Chaluni Horticulture Farmers Society to produce aloe vera, prosophis juliflora (maNALEP Training Development Officer bargain or negotiate mango prices as a group, thenge tree) and food crops like sorghum, David Nyantika said his organization had “says Kivelenge. peageon peas, cow peas and livestock. earmarked Ksh 5 million to support capacity building in ASALs. “The capacity building included having tractors and machines for His counterpart Joseph Nzau, also a manThe officials from the two government cultivation, testing the techniques, training go farmer but in Kibwezi narrates a similar agencies are advising farmer to space, thin and of Kefri/Nalep staff to train farmers in groups story – he now exports mangoes directly to prune prosophis juliflora to allow other crops on livestock and crop management,” says Mr. Europe and not through brokers and reaps to grow. The locals use the tree for firewood, Nyantika. highly. charcoal production, timber, bee forage and KEFRI Director Dr. Ben Chikamai says Another farmer in Kibwezi Kaunda Ki- fodders for goats. According to KEFRI official to offer services to all ASAL areas in Kenya, vungi in Songea – Mutito Andei has seven Meshack Muga, his organisation helped the which covers over 80 per cent of Kenya’s acres of Jatropha Curcas plantation.

Baringo Aloe – Bio Enterprise BABE Farm- land, a lot of money is needed. “Financial He says he sells one kilo of Jatropha seeds ers Society to secure funding from the Euro- constraints have been our undoing – money at Ksh. 500. Kaunda reveals that at one time pean Union Community Development Fund is needed for climate change adaptation proKEFRI/NALEP officials organized for him to CDCF EU. The society received Ksh. 3 million grammes and the conservation of forests; sell of 100 kilos of Jatropha seeds that earned which went towards the setting up of a factory add Dr. Chikamai. He appeals to treasury him some Ksh. 50,000. to process sap from aloe vera. to allocate more money for forestry research In Isiolo, Garbatula, Laisamis and SamHowever, the factory, which used to serve works.

Success

Guidance

Teachers to be computer literate

By Reject Correspondent Teachers have been challenged to move from just knowing how to write with pen and chalk to embracing technology.

The Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor, Oliver Mugenda, urged teachers to embrace the e-learning technology, since many learning materials are to be found on the internet.

“Teachers are supposed to be computer literate since many learning materials are going to being found in the internet,” observed Mugenda.

She also added that, since they are the ones who will be teaching their students, they need to have computer skills, adding that they (the teachers) cannot teach what they do not know.

She also said that visionary leader-

ship needs to be focused on in all learning institutions if they are to be at all ready for competition, citing that it is through such leadership that grades are improved.

“Visionary leadership needs to be focused on very seriously if the learning institutions want to improve their grades through competition,” noted Mugenda.

out to varsity

By TITUS MAERO

Mobile service provider Safaricom is exploring ways of entering into a partnership with the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) in order to provide for the physical infrastructure needed for the Science and Technology Department.

According to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Barasa Wangila: “Modern technology was making a difference today in the world and it is, therefore, mandatory for the institution to invest heavily in science-oriented programmes.”

Enrol

Wangila pointed out that the increasing number of students enrolling at the institution had stretched physical facilities, including laboratories for research.

He noted that the science-oriented programmes have become marketable.

Speaking in his office after he received Sylvia Mulinge, the Safaricom Business General Manager, Wangila noted that the phenomenal demand for university education has resulted in an expansion of infrastructure, which includes tuition and accommodation.

Desire

“The desire for higher education from part time and fully-time students had resulted in an expansion of the university, through opening of satellite campuses - most of which lack requisite requirement to enable students to study well and compete with others in various public and private universities,” Wangila observed.

He said that the institution would strive to render relevant curricula to the increasing number of students, adding that student increases should be in tandem with the physical facilities, which are currently inadequate at the institution.

Aim

Wangila said that the national Information Communication Technology (ICT) Strategy for Education and Training at the institution has been developed, and is aimed at guiding the institution in the adoption of ICT. The administrator said that the institution takes serious recognition of the government’s sectional paper No. 1 of 2005, which emphasises the training of ICT and the e-learning model under the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) initiative.

“We have a science laboratory that houses video conferencing rooms that is yet to be furnished.

MMUST would like to take the road of corporate social responsibility with other organisations,” Wangila noted.

According to Mulinge, technology is making a difference in the world today. She noted that Safaricom is connecting people and that it was making a difference in institutions.

“We have an initiative to partner and work together at providing connectivity with other campuses,” Mulinge reiterated.

28

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012 World Population Day

Limited access to contraceptives Education leads to high population growth for peace

By Faith Muiruri As the country marks this year’s World Population Day, poor access to contraceptives continues to hamper efforts to control rapid population growth.

Dr Joachim Osir of the Ipas-Kenya says that contraceptives reach remains sparingly low to the majority of Kenyan women with historically marginalised areas registering low access to contraceptives.

North Eastern Province has the lowest access to contraceptives at 4 percent as glaring disparities in contraceptive use spread across the regions.

Coast Province follows at 34 percent while access in Nyanza Province stands at 37 percent. Rift Valley also has a high level of unmet need for family planning at 42 percent while Western Province stands at 47 percent.

However, Eastern and Nairobi provinces have remarkable ratings at 52percent and 55 percent respectively.

Central province has the highest access to contraceptives at 67 percent.

Interventions

He says that the Kenyan constitution is premised on the fact that Kenya faces serious challenges with maternal health and hence the need to act now.

Dr Osur calls for the scaling up of interventions to help address the disparities.

He says that the limited access to contraceptives has resulted in high fertility rates and thus the need to provide good quality family planning and reproductive health services.

He says citizens should be em-

By ROBERT WANJALA

The United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Education have partnered together to initiate a peace education programme aimed at developing harmonious coexistence among the teaching fraternity in the country.

The joint national peace campaign is intended to impart knowledge, skills and values among the teachers, learners and members of the community ahead of the forthcoming General Elections.

Chaos

Dr. Joachim Osir of Ipas Africa Alliance (left) receives award. Picture: Courtesy IPAS powered and facilitated to demand for better health services as stipulated in the Constitution.

“In addition, the government should allocate enough funds to support the family planning programme instead of relying on donor funding to sustain the programme,” he adds during an interview with The Reject.

He says that availability of contraceptives can help to prevent unwanted pregnancies which have also led to the high rates of abortion that currently account for 2,600 of maternal deaths both in public and private health institutions.

The 2008/09 Kenyan Demo-

graphic and Health survey (KDHS) indicates that 44.5 percent of births to women aged between 15- 49 are unplanned (includes unwanted and mistimed pregnancies).

The level of unwanted or mistimed pregnancies in Kenya has changed little from 2003, with the survey indicating that one in four married women in Kenya has an unmet need, while the contraceptive prevalence rate is estimated at 39 percent (KDHS).

In the late 1980s, contraceptives in the country were within reach of nearly 90 percent of the population.

However, in the 2003 Demographic

and Health Survey (DHS) from Kenya showed that 96% of married women and 98% of married men could name a modern method of contraception, while only 31.5% were using a method.

There is no doubt that safe and effective birth control, adequate sex education, available health care, and the ability to support children adequately are essentials for the realization of women’s reproductive rights.

The Ministry of Health has also taken action through prioritization and strengthening of Family Planning in the latest Reproductive Health Policy.

Motor cycle taxis trained on traffic rules

By ALLAN MURIMI More than 800 motor cycle riders in Embu East District have been trained on traffic rules to reduce the number of accidents associated with boda bodas.

The Runyenjes Constituency Development Fund sponsored the training of 886 riders, who have since been issued with licenses and had a private company provide them with reflector jackets.

According to area MP Cecily Mbarire, there has been a rise in the number of motorcycle related deaths, and that the boda bodas were being considered among the most dangerous forms of transport.

Accusations

Many youths in the area have turned to motorcycle riding and have been accused of reckless riding due to poor training.

The residents have blamed the increase in accidents in the area to the riders, most of whom had not been trained but learnt from their colleagues.

“The riders know how to ride, but only lack training on the Highway

— Cecily Mbarire, MP

and 150 matatu touts who will go through a full driving course,” observed Mbarire.

She said the touts will be equipped with driving skills and provided with driving licences so that they can become potential drivers.

According to Benson Gachoka, the technical director of Motorcycle Association of Kenya, most youths riding the motor cycles do not understand road signs.

He said that riders need to be made conversant with traffic rules and signs to avoid mishaps as they travel on terrains that are new to them.

“Those using roads they are not familiar with are more prone to accidents and there is, therefore, a need to understand the signs used to avoid causing accidents,” observed Gachoka.

Code,” noted Mbarire.

The second phase targets about 700 riders who will be trained and examined at local driving schools.

“We are now going to the second phase of the project, where we will train more boda boda riders

Most hospitals in the country introduced wards for riders after recording an upsurge in motorcycles accidents.

Recently the traffic commandant, Joseph Ole Tito, said that the lack of training and safety gear have

“The riders know how to ride, but only lack training on the Highway Code.”

Record

contributed to the number of motorcycle related deaths.

Speaking in Embu during a road safety forum, Tito asked companies that sell motorcycles to stock and sell protection gear with the bikes.

Train

“We will also not be licensing driving schools which do not offer training services to motorcycle operators because lack of riding skills is the major cause of increased accidents caused by motorcycles,” observed Tito.

The companies were asked to provide the buyers with two helmets, two jackets, two gloves and two boots for the rider and the passenger.

Tito said that providing all the gears will ensure that the rider and the passenger are well protected in case of an accident.

He said that the National Road Council will seek to have heavier penalties for the motorcycle passengers who will be found on board in excess.

“There is need for more regulations in the motor cycle sector to rein in accidents,” noted the traffic boss.

The Senior Deputy Director of education in the directorate of Policy Partnership and East Africa Community, Margaret Murage, said that the education sector was most affected during the 2007/8 post-election chaos and that was why the ministry had come up with the initiative for stakeholders in education on peaceful conflict management.

She pointed out that several public primary and secondary schools were torched during the violence, disrupting learning programs besides the displacement of children and their parents from their homes in various parts of the country. ”It is a high time we bring all education stakeholders together as we approach the next general elections to avert a similar scenario, which occurred in 2008 where learning was disrupted in majority of public schools due to violent chaos,” she said.

Campaign

The national peace education campaign, she stressed, will entail peace awareness caravans, national peace torch activities and peace education campaign forums in the 47 counties spread across the country.

“We want to create public awareness on peaceful co-existence and give a voice to children and young people on matters of peace and unity - regardless of one’s ethnic background or political affiliation,” stated Murage.

She was speaking in Eldoret during the opening of a sensitization workshop for District Education Officers drawn from several counties on the National Peace Education Campaign.

Achievement

Murage said that the Ministry of Education has recorded a number of achievements since the start of the peace education campaign.

She stated that some of the achievements recorded so far include the training of 8,909 field officers and primary school teachers on peace education between 2008 and 2011.

The ministry, she further revealed, had also sensitized 3,900 principals of public secondary schools and 4,000 Board of Governors members on peace education in 2009 and 2010.

“The ministry has also carried out a peace education monitoring exercise in various parts of the country during 2009 and 2010,” she added.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just World Population Day

29

the gruesome truth

Peace committees push for peace ahead of the elections

By Yobesh Onwong’a As Nakuru County braces itself for another election, peace committees have embarked on rigorous campaigns to forestall any escalation of conflict in the area.

According to Samuel Musumba, chairperson of Rift Valley Provincial Peace Forum, the committee is currently engaged in awareness campaigns to sensitise the public on the need to maintain peace both during and after elections.

“Peace forums have been mandated to carry out civic education aimed at preparing the ground for peaceful elections,” noted Musumba.

He said his office has created county peace forums to bring every community on board. He stressed on the need for accountability in these forums, which could eventually foster cohesion among Nakuru County residents.

Enlighten

He said there are 15 peace groups working in the region, among them National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), USAID, and Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK). “They are carrying out campaigns aimed at enlightening voters to elect credible leaders,” Musumba said.

However, he pointed out that the nomination of county representatives presents a major challenge to the gains made in restoring peace in the area.

“In Nakuru County, the issue of who will become governor is based on ethnicity and not leadership credentials,” he observed.

Musumba appealed to all communities in the county to entrust one of their own to negotiate for a peaceful outcome. They need to create a conducive environment during and after the electioneering period.

He pointed out that national politics have in the past influenced county politics despite the fact that they are pegged on identity rather than being issue oriented.

Musumba disclosed that the committees have put in place mechanisms aimed at strengthening peace structures through training, early warning and early response as well as gearing up efforts of reconciliation among communities.

The National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS) report states Nakuru is one of the major hotspots in the country.

Experience

Musumba said that even though there are issues of concern, they will not degenerate to levels experienced during the 2007-2008 post election violence because of the peace mechanisms that they have put in place and the lessons learnt from the International Criminal Court (ICC) process.

Musumba disclosed that conflict are dynamic but are worsened by negative ethnicity and polarization of politics.

He noted that major conflicts in the region revolved around land, boundaries, youth unemployment, population, Mau evictions, cattle rustling and pasture.

Musumba observed the committees approach is to create a platform of collaboration, networking and partnership with all stakeholders in addressing all the conflicts in the region.

He accused ‘briefcase’ community based organisations (CBOs) of contributing partly to the problems of Post Election Violence (PEV) by being partisan in their approach to resolving conflicts.

The administrator pointed out that the lessons learnt in 2007-2008 propelled the Government to form a structured and well-coordinated peace approach. “Sharing information from the grassroots to the national level will help to avert conflict,” he observed.

Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia joins elders from Nakuru County during the signing of the peace accord in Nairobi. Picture: Annie Waite

Warring communities in Nakuru County sign a peace accord ahead of the elections

By Faith Muiruri The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) mediated the signing of a peace accord between the Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities in Nakuru County.

The accord brings to an end hostilities and ethnic instigated clashes that have characterised the area over the last decade.

The accord, which was signed during a meeting convened by the NCIC and witnessed by elders from the communities at a Nairobi hotel, will bring on board other communities in the County including women, youth and the politicians.

The two communities have also agreed to form an elders mediation committee, which is to comprise of three respected members from each community.

Key issues outlined in the accord include the reduction of risks of violence (especially politically instigated violence) by, among others: “Acting towards one another in good faith by acknowledging each other’s perspectives and reasons and non participation in activities relating to ethnic violence.”

The Accord is anchored on trust as the centre for peace and espouses the need for communities to work together to earn each other’s trust.

Stereotype

Furthermore, the accord discourages the use of stereotypes against communities in the county, or the use of insulting language and assumptions as well as criminalizing a community based on crimes committed by individuals.

According to the accord, if the committee is unable to resolve any conflict, members will convene a meeting of elders within the targeted communities to discuss the issues, and, where appropriate, invite NCIC to chair, participate or convene such a meeting.

The accord will be revised after every three months to align itself to any developments within the community.

Elders from both communities committed themselves to embracing their diverse cultural backgrounds in line with the rights and freedoms outlined in the constitution, including dispute resolution mechanisms that inculcate trust and peace in the community.

Samuel Maigwa, who spoke on behalf of the Kikuyu community, said that they have resolved to shun negative ethnicity and ha-

tred which had in most instances resulted in violence.

“We have agreed to shun violence and denounce forces that are out to divide us including politicians during and after the elections,” he said during the meeting.

He said that elders from the two communities have also resolved to encourage politicians to preach peace and refrain from utterances that may fuel conflict amongst the two communities Maigwa said that the elders will be at the forefront of propagating harmony within the community and condemning skewed public appointments as they had in the past fuelled conflicts between the communities.

Former Kanu Chairman Wilson Leitich, who spoke on behalf of the Kalenjin community, said that the two communities have resolved to amicably solve disputes that may arise between them, including conflicts arising from unequal distribution of resources, youth unemployment and election related disputes.

“We will strive to ensure that all elected representatives demonstrate integrity and goodwill in working with all communities to address their needs, interests, concerns and aspirations,” he said.

Elders from both communities agreed to establish a joint secretariat and create a network of monitors that may play a critical role in reporting incidents at the grasroot level.

They will also jointly disseminate and explain the peace accord to their respective communities.

Nakuru has in the past been listed among hotspot areas in the country. According to NCIC chairman Dr. Mzalendo Kibunjia, a conflict mapping survey conducted by the commission prior to the referendum had confirmed that Nakuru is still a hotspot for violence.

He said that the NCIC conflict mapping had established that the key players of violence are more often between the Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities.

South Consulting has consistently pointed out in its quarterly reports that illegal arms have been flowing into Nakuru.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) and Waki Report highlighted Nakuru as an area that was highly affected by the 2007/8 Post Election Violence.

“The Commission has thus resolved to bring together representatives of the two communities to explore ways of establishing sustainable

peace before, during and after the general elections. They have agreed on a Peace Agreement as a way forward,” he explains.

Initiative

He said similar initiatives will be replicated in hot spot areas to enable the warring communities to identify with each other in a manner that supersedes ethnic, cultural or religious groupings, acquire political awareness, share common norms and values and develop attitudes favourable to the display of integrative behaviour among people of different groups.

The NCIC chairman called on the media to help re-brand Kenya, not as a country marred by ethnic conflicts, but as a showcase of the rich diversity to achieve Vision 2030.

“We need to change our behaviour and attitudes to promote values that can enhance cohesion and integration, and build cohesive communities in Kenya where people can live in harmony and invest,” he added.

Cohesion

He said that as the country heads to the General Elections, NCIC is committed to building a cohesive community, critical towards improving the quality of life of Kenyans and enabling them to achieve their potential irrespective of their ethnic, gender, age and religious background.

“Building cohesive communities must be seen as on-going process. Any regeneration initiative must include mechanisms, which will identify the different communities within the area. Any tension or conflict; current or potential must be managed,” he said, adding that communities need to be engaged in building a cohesive society.

Clashes that followed the disputed 2007 Presidential election saw over 1,300 Kenyans killed and over 600,000 others uprooted from their homes. Some are still in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps up to date.

Dr. Kibunjia also challenged political parties to include peace building in their manifestos and to ensure peace prevails during the next General Election.

NCIC also warned politicians against making inciting statements that might be a threat to the stability on the country ahead of the elections.

Elders, who have been key in the negotiations that have lasted 14 months, expressed optimism that the accord will foster peace among communities in the county.

30

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012 World Population Day

Central Province leads in Hepatitis B infection rates

By Faith Muiruri As Kenyans mark this year’s World Population Day, Hepatis B (HBV) remains highly prevalent in the country with Central Province taking the lead at 15.4 percent.

A study conducted by Sanofi Pasteur reveals that Nyanza and Western provinces follow closely at 14.3 percent.

The study says that one in every three people in every community in Kenya is infected with Hepatitis B. Among all the virus strains Hepatitis B strain is the most serious one and is the main reason of liver cancer in Kenya.

The study reveals that infants are more prone to contracting Hepatitis B infections.

According to Dr Mercy Njuguna who is a medical and regulatory Manager at Sanofi Pasteur, the Hepatitis B birth dose has been left out in the Kenya Expanded Programme on Immunization (KEPI), thus exposing more children to the dreaded virus.

“In Kenya, Vaccination for the last 10 years has targeted only infants from six weeks of age while adolescents and health care workers remain poorly targeted.

Recommendations

She says that all children must now receive their first dose of Hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours after birth in accordance with the guidelines outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO).

She says that any immunization done thereafter does not confer long term immunity in the absence of a 12 month booster.

Dr Njuguna says that the immunization programme should be expanded to incorporate adolescents (school children) before they become sexually active

“These are children born before introduction of HBV vaccine in the KEPI in 2001 who are still unprotected,” she explains during a recent midwives conference held at the Kakamega Golf Club.

Status

Routine Immunisation was introduced in the KEPI program in Oct 2001.

“Routine infant Hep B vaccination was implemented as part of EPI in 2001/2002 staring at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14, weeks,” she explains.

This group however missed the birth dose Hep B dose which is important to stop mother to child transmission as well as transmission before 6 weeks of age.

The program also excluded immunisation for older children at the time of introduction of infant vaccination.

In all regions of the world, mother to child transmission is responsible for a sizable proportion of chronic HBV infections.

Children may also contract the disease through close contact with infected family members.

“Accordingly, all infants must receive the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours after birth.

This, she says should be followed by two or three doses to complete the series adding that immunization programmes should work with maternal and child health programmes to promote administration of the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine.

Symptoms

She says the virus is more pronounced in children with 70 to 90 percent of acutely infected infants becoming chronic carriers while 6 to 10% of acutely infected adults becoming chronic carriers.

Clinical manifestations of acute

Hepatitis B include ‘‘influenza-like’’ symptoms and jaundice mainly reflected with the passing dark-colored urine, pale stools yellowish coloration of white eyes and the skin.

Hep B virus infection is preventable by targeting vaccination of high risk groups Dr Njuguna says that countries which have seen marked reduction in their cases of liver problems have done so through successful implementation of the vaccination in all high risk groups that include infants, health care workers, people with multiple sexual partners and travellers in high endemic areas.

Threat

However, there is no routine vaccination of other high risk groups including health workers who are at a high risk of Hepatitis B Virus infection due to professional exposure.

She says that a study conducted by Sanofi Pasteur in 2006 established that only 12.8 percent of health workers in the country had received vaccination previously despite revelations that 30 percent of them had reported one or more needle stick injuries in one year According to the study, none of the health workers had been screened for immunity.

This has been blamed on government’s failure to guarantee the safety of health workers in public facilities, which exposes them to infectious diseases.

Lucia Buyanza who is a senior official of the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK) says that there are no clear mechanisms to protect health workers from infectious diseases among them Hepatitis B, as most public facilities do not have the vaccines.

“Only health workers who can meet the exorbitant costs of vaccina-

Vaccination for Hepatitis B has been targeting only infants from six weeks of age for the last ten years hence leaving out the teenagers. Central province has the highest prevalence.

Picture: Carolyne Oyugi tion in private hospitals have been vaccinated. The vaccines cost between Ksh1000 to Ksh15,000 but this is beyond the reach of the majority whose medical allowances remain

sparingly low at Ksh 3850 while the risk allowance stands at Ksh 5,000 which is not enough to buy the vaccines,” she explains during an interview with the Reject.

Innovative solutions to food security

By Philip Kirui The greatest challenge of many Kenyans today is food security. Food prices keep soaring as effects of climate change begin to bite. Climatic conditions in many parts of this country appear unpredictable dodging farmers’ strategic planning. But as the old adage has aptly put it: “Poverty is an incentive to innovation”, some farmers in the dry savannah lowlands of Sigor, Chepalungu, South Rift, have known how to trick those menacing effects.

Other than sulk over the erratic rain patterns of the area, the farmers employ modern farming methods for better yields. Emily Kirui a 46 year old mother of seven is one such beneficiaries of modern farming in Sigor Division of Chepalungu, Bomet County.

Mrs. Kirui, a resident of Chepkosa Village, Chepkosa sub-location, Cheleget Location, Sigor Division, Chepalungu has grown Boma rods, a fodder grass that suits dry savannah environment such as hers, to supplement cut dry maize crops, kept for their animals as hey.

Along with better farming methods, the farmers in the region have endeavoured to venture into less strenuous activities that bring higher benefits. They have tried their hands on dairy goat

farming. Dairy goat farming has become not only a sure employment opportunity for the participant farmers, mainly for women of this region, but it has also ensured unceasing supply of milk needed by their families. “I have not lacked what to use for tea making for my family and even sometime this has supplied my family’s (mursik) curdled milk needs. I always get two litres of milk daily from one goat.

I like it because it has very high butterfat content,” said Mrs. Kirui.

She has three such goats in her kraal.

According to Mrs. Kirui, this type of farming has proven productive and less disappointing compared to the growing of cereals that many times fail as the scourging sun of the dry savannah climate of the lower altitudes of southern parts of the region descends upon the bare grounds. Farmers here formed Dairy Goat Farmers’ cooperative to facilitate them buy the pedigree goats.

This is how it all started according to Mr. Linus Kirui Emily’s husband, and the assistant chief of Chepkosa Sub location: “My grandfather Barkesa Arap Chepkok had the largest herd of cattle, goats and sheep in this sub location; he had up to a hundred cattle and an equal number of goats and sheep. He could see that he took pride

in keep such large herds in his farm.

However he was a hard working farmer who knew how to fend for his animals, though at extreme seasons we were forced to cut tree branches to feed the animals to sustain them from starvation. We would lose a lot of animals to drought and I felt it was a misfortune. This however, was out of my jurisdiction to decide what best to thing to do with the animals,” narrated Kirui.

Meagre resources

But his grand father’s generation was now gone and it was his turn to manage the farm on his own. “When the time came for us to share the shamba among my brothers the land became so small every one of us took just two and a half acres of land. I had to apply the best agricultural practices I ever learnt in school to utilize the size of land available to my family. I realized that continuing with the methods of my grandfather, would ditch my family in trouble, and so I along with other like minded farmers, made an effort of touring successful farmers who had made it with meagre resources,” narrated Mr. Kirui.

The tour became an eye opener for those who took keen interest in the new farming in which goats would be

kept in an enclosure and fed on fodder.

The chief said since he was preoccupied with the public administration he saw it good to involve his wife Emily at every step to ensure there was no lapse in the carrying on of this all important exercise. She joint farmers in the sub-location and formed a dairy goats’ development self help group known as Kiplabotwo Saramek dairy goats group, to assist them get pedigree goats. The group imported their first batch of improved breed of he goats, the Kenya Alpine Goats, from Tetu in Nyeri, of Central Province in 2004.

According to Emily Kirui the rule was that the farmers should keep each he goat for the first round of fertilization then they go for a new one to fertilize the resultant offspring. This saw their indigenous goats upgraded to what they call third to the first pedigree goats, cable of producing up to seven litres of milk per goat per day.

But the farmers’ efforts have been curtailed by diseases and commitment of finances to other more pressing issues such as school fees.

Worst impediment was the 2007/2008 Post Election Violence that hindered any further communication between the Rift Valley farmers and those from Central Province. Other challenges to this group come from

lack of steady market for their milk produce. “We have not really had any reasonable market for our goat milk though we expected some from the hospitals around here”, said Emily. But the advantage is we use the milk for making tea, leaving the cows produce for sale to the milk processing plants for the needed cash, “She continued.

Milk supply

Emily Kirui also keeps three dairy cows that supply her with fifteen litres of milk every day which she takes to the milk coolers at Siongiroi at a price of Kshs. 24 per litre. “The milk sale to the cooler has kept my account fat, helping me meet my family’s financial requirements and often supplement my husband’s income at the time we are sending the children to school. To meet the demands of our dairy cows we paddocked our two and a half acre piece of land and improved on the fodder.

I bought Boma Rods from the farmers’ store and sowed on this three quarter of an acre. I cut the fodder at flush and keep it in store for the animals. The remainder of land is on bananas and other fruits. The banana stalks are cut and fed to the cows when we harvest the fruit,” confided M/s Kirui as she milks the animals at 7 in the morning.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just World Population Day

31

the gruesome truth

Kieni residents benefit from water project

By Joseph Mukubwa OVER 300 homesteads in Kieni East District of Nyeri County have benefitted through the Ngogithi Water Project which has been initiated by several organizations.

The community led initiative project has been funded by the Safaricom Foundation, in partnership with the Action Aid, the government and the residents.

The joyful residents can now have access to clean tapped water as well as practice commercial farming through irrigation unlike in the past when they had to rely on relief food because Kieni is rated as a semi-arid area.

Supplement

This has been supplemented by a 225,000 litre tank that will ensure that at least 300 households have access to water for agricultural and domestic use round the year, thus freeing the affected community from reliance on relief food while raising household incomes.

Safaricom Foundation Trustee Les Baillie who handed over the project to the community said that by handing over the project to the community, it would lead to economic independence as Kieni is highly productive if only irrigation water is available.

“Through the Ngogithi Water project we are handing residents of Thirigitu, Ngogithi, Githiriti and Ngonde sub locations, the key to economic independence, because through the project, they can now be able to engage in commercial farming through irrigation,” said Baillie after unveiling the plaque of the tank.

Safaricom contributed Sh 8.1 million while Nyeri Municipal Council through Latf contributed Sh 0.2 million while Action Aid contributed Sh 2 million and the local CDF contributed Sh 0.7 million.

The community teamed up in a project

that tap water from the nearby river and channel it through a 16 kilometre network of pipes to homes by providing the 450 man days of unskilled labour mainly trenching, laying of pipes and backfilling.

Before the launch, residents were accessing water through a community based initiative that was started by the colonial government in 1936, through a furrow.

Compromise

It was however compromised by perennial water shortage and seepages along the canal.

Baillie lamented that a huge section of the rural population cannot access clean water in a convenient manSafaricom Foundation Trustee Les Baillie (left) unveils the ner. plaque after handing over the 225,000 liter water tank in According to a beneficiary Kieni East district of Nyeri County. On the right is Action of the project Eustace Matu who is also the chairman of Aid head of Programs Evelyn Samba. Behind Baillie is area DC Daniel Odambu. Safaricom Foundation Trustee Les the water project, he said that Baillie is shown the crops being grown using the water since they started using the from the project by farmer Helen Wairimu. water, standards of lives have Pictures: Joseph Mukubwa improved as they never line up in the District commissioner’s office for relief food as they ter after school. used to do in the past.

He said that they only charge a service and “These residents had to walk up to six kilomaintenance fee of Sh 300 per month per inmeters to fetch water from the river. The water is dividual. now at our door step and this has also improved A local woman leader Zaveriah Nderitu the food security and health of the region,” said said that women were also not able to particithe chairman. pate in other activities earlier on as they spent Action Aid head of Programmes Evelyn the whole day fetching water in long distances Samba said the children are now able to study but things now have changed according to well since they don’t waste time looking for wathem.

Water board meets target in supplying water

By TITUS MAERO Making safe water available to all has been a challenge that many governments and municipal councils have faced.

In Kenya, even in urban centres, taps are drier than ever before; making the rural community better off in terms of accessing water.

Many people in urban centres access water that, at times, may not be fit for human consumption. However, the Lake Victoria North Water Service Board (LVWSB) has been implementing a number of water and sanitation services infrastructures within its coverage area since its inception in 1994 with remarkable success.

Supply

According to Engineer Diru Magomere, the Chief Executive Officer, part of the areas the board covers include Kakamega County, where priority has been given to the development of water supply utilities - with little attention to sanitation infrastructure.

However, Magomere says that the board has began to re-focus more attention on the improvement of sanitation infrastructure alongside its water projects.

The board, which was established under the Water Sector Reforms Programme through the Water Act of 2002, is mandated to

ensure efficiency and sustainability in the provision of water supply and sanitation services.

“The board has scaled-up efforts to ensure greater expansion of services for both water and sanitation services within its area of jurisdiction,” says Magomere.

Services

The recent completion and commissioning of the Nzoia cluster phase two Water Programme, which covered the larger Kakamega area, over 300,000 people who hitherto had no regular access to water and sanitation services can now be guaranteed a reliable supply.

“Prior to Nzoia cluster phase two programme the board had just completed the phase one of the same programme, which targeted improvement and rehabilitation of water and sanitation facilities in Kakamega County,” Magomere said while at one of the water site in Kakamega.

He said that both programmes were funded by the government through the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, and Germany Government Co-operation, under the long term water and sanitation services improvement programme, at a cost of KSh2.3 billion and KSh3.2 billion respectively.

Both programmes have directly benefited over 500,000 water consumers, which is a very

impressive figure by any standards.

Under the Nzoia cluster the board expanded the sewage and sanitation components.

There was a dislargement of one sewer pond, the laying of an additional pond, and construction of 2.7 kilometre of new sewer lines.

Phase two of the project has incorporated sanitation components to the existing dilapidated sewage system and expansion into new developing areas. This includes the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) and the adjoining areas within Kakamega town, including town centre.

Treatment

The other include the Shirere treatment works, located in the densely populated low cost estate of Amalemba, and the Maraba sewer lines and sewage treatment works - noting that these were designed to handle the waste water disposal demand for Kakamega town by the year 2025.

The projects also incorporated expansion of sewer lines and plot connections to increase access to the sewage service in Kakamega town, headquarters of Kakamega County.

The board, in partnership with Water Services Trust Fund (WSTF) and GTZ, has launched a new technology in ecological sanitation (ECOSAN). The project is known as

Urine Diversion Dehydration System (UDDS).

The Urine Diversion Dehydration System has been recognised as an option instead of pit latrines because it can be implemented in areas with minimal space for construction of pit latrines: rocky surfaces, high water tables, as well as water logged and flood prone areas.

Provision

“It is a waterless, dehydration/evaporation system that provides a safe, non-polluting and cost effective solution to the world wide sanitation problem,” noted Magomere. He noted that it offers a standard of respectability and convenience compared to a water borne system, yet without prohibitive costs and obvious strain on precious water resources.

Some Kakamega professionals who spoke said that the water and sanitation ventures were in line with the country’s Vision 2030, which is a national long term development blue print that aims to create a globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life to all its citizens in a clean and secure environment.

They said the vision is anchored on three key pillars, which include: Economic, Social and Political governance - noting that the water sector is very critical in the accomplishment of the Vision 2030 goals.

32

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Mau evictees celebrate resettlement

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012 World Population Day

Recouping of Mau necessary for population’s survival

By YOBESH ONWONG’A

By WILSON ROTICH Her pierced mutilated ears are dangling, as if hugging her wrinkled cheeks, as she dances to the tune of a joyful song.

Martha Chepkwony puts on a smile that reveals a few scattered, grey teeth that have weathered the rigors of life for over the last eight decades. Her bowing back cannot prevent her from following the rhythm of the dance that is led by the younger women expressing their excitement.

Her shaky, skinny arms, that have nursed nine chilAbove: Mau evictees at Chemusian farm listening to the Rift Valley PC Osman Warfa. Below: Martha dren and several grand and Chepkwony and Peggoty Chesimet are happy to finally have a place to call home. Like the other great grandchildren, are firmly holding a land docupeople who were evicted from Mau forest three years ago they experienced many challenges but ment from the government. now all that is behind their backs. Pictures: Wilson Rotich She now has land at Chemusian farm, Kipkabus locafinally arrived to the land of plenty. jection and no other medication. are affecting the residents of this tion, Uasin Gishu County.

Expressing that she has finally Clara Rono, a young woman with It did not help me. I was in much farm.”

However, according to Osman seen the most precious thing she tears of joy oiling her eyes, gives pain. We proceeded to a doctor has been waiting for, Chepkwony “thanks to God for giving us a way at Bargetuny Plaza in Eldoret. He Warfa, Rift Valley Provincial Comsays: “I thank the government for out. Thanks to the Government referred us to the Moi Teaching missioner, the government is lookgiving us land. It is a good gov- for remembering us. We can see and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. ing into the issue of education and ernment. All we needed was land. that all our problems have ended We did not locate the Hospital. We health. today. We will sleep warmly today came back home. The following “For the time being we are reThank you very much.”

Chepkwony is not alone. She is because we have finally arrived at day which was a Sunday morning, questing the Ministry for Educawe successfully went to Moi Refer- tion to expand the nearest school. one among a group of 240 fami- our farms”.

However, the reality is that, ral Hospital where I was treated.”

For medical services we are going lies that had been evicted from Several leaders from across the to create what they call a mobile Mau forest and who the govern- as they plough, plant, weed and ment has finally bought and allo- wait for the harvest, they will country have been paying them unit, which will be here twice every need to earn wages to buy food, visits in a bid to give them human- week until we set up the structures,” cated land.

The resettlement of the Mau clothes, medication, and to pay itarian support. Dr Julius Bittok, says Warfa.

It has taken the Government evictees, in one way, is not only a school fees. Peggoty Chesimet is a finance lecturer at Moi Universcore to environmental conserva- one among many women who sity Eldoret is among personalities three years to settle these internally tion, but it is also going to prevent are determined to fend for their who have been visiting the fami- displaced persons at the farm after petty theft. Caroline Chemutai, in families, even if it means losing lies. He is aspiring for the seat of a they were evicted from Mau forest governor in Uasin Gishu County. in November 2009. Now the reher 30s, sees the government action an arm.

She narrates, in a pensive mood, settled evictees are wondering how as divine intervention. how she injured her leg one mornlong it will take the same governBittok is planning to “petition ment to bring education, medicaing when searching for casual laShe confesses: “I thank God for bour. “On the way I fell down and the government to build schools tion, and even clean drinking waproviding shelter to my children. I injured my knee. Despite this, I for the children of Chemusian ter to the farm which is over 1,000 have found a farm. I know poverty proceeded to cross the bridge be- farm. Schools are far from here. If acres.

Over 5,000 people were evicthas departed from me. My children cause we were to dig a farm at the possible, the government should build a temporary primary school.” ed from Mau forest after the Cabinow have a bright future. There is other side of the river.”

He adds: “This place is windy net adopted the Ndung’u report’s She continues: “I continued no more theft. We would have stolen our neighbours’ maize but now cultivating because I needed that and exposes children to numer- resolution to conserve the envithat we have our own farms we will day’s wage. After digging around ous diseases. We are requesting the ronment. This was the first group work hard to get our own produce.” one point, I felt much pain in my Government to construct a tempo- that has been settled at ChemuMost of those who have been leg. I was rushed to a dispensary rary dispensary or a mobile clinic sian farm. The rest are yet to be settled are thinking that they have at Burnt Forest. I was given an in- to address the many diseases that settled.

Poverty

Petition

Even as the world population day is marked, Kenyans cannot forget the need to protect the environment. This is why it was necessary to evict those who had resettled in the forest, which serves as a catchment area.

The Mau Forest has increasingly been under threat due to the encroachment on forested areas, which elevates the degradation and the need for their conservation and protection as a shared resource.

Speaking at Kiptunga Forest, Block 7 of the Mau Complex, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Engineer David Stower, said, in a speech read on his behalf by a director in the Ministry, David Jakaiti, that water is a social and human right for all.

Stower noted that the participation of key stakeholders in tree planting in the degraded riparian zone of the Amala River, within the Kibooyet Block 7 of the Mau Forest, would play a great role in the preservation, conservation and protection of the water catchment area.

Stower revealed that Mau has enormous potential as a key economic sector in Rift Valley and Western Kenya, in the provision of energy generation, avenue for tourism attraction, agricultural practices and water supply to local and adjacent neighbours.

“There is a need to increase the quantity and improve the quality of the catchment through the rehabilitation of the Amala catchment, a tributary of River Mara,” he noted.

During the tree planting event, over 13, 000 seedlings were planted to boost the rehabilitation efforts by the Kenya Forestry Service on a 10 hectare block.

Water Resources Management Authority (WRMA) Chairman, Francis Nyenze, said that in order to ensure the levels of water in these rivers do not go down, there is a need to stop illegal settlements, encroachment, charcoal production and logging of indigenous trees and to adopt better practices in saving the country’s water resources.

Effective protection

Nyenze disclosed that WRMA is committed to ensuring effective protections and conservation of water catchment areas to ensure the increase in quality and quantity of water as well as improve water resources management.

He further encouraged the active formation of Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs) to help largely in alleviation of destructive and threatening activities within the catchment areas.

To the water users, Nyenze reiterated WRMA’s support in ensuring that they comply with Water Resources Management’s rules to enhance effective management of water catchment areas.

“WRMA recognises the need for stakeholders’ involvement as an important aspect in integrated management of land, water and related biological resources,” Nyenze noted.

He added: “This will promote the sustainable use of natural resources and improve the quality and quantity of water that originates from the environment.”

According to John Tanui, chairman Mau Community Forests Association reiterated that communities living near the water towers’ resolved to bolster and support the government’s bid to conserve the water catchment areas.

ISSUE 065, July 11-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just World Population Day

33

the gruesome truth

Insurance scheme offers relief to pastoralists

By ABJATA KHALIF Hundreds of livestock herders in Marsabit District of Northern Kenya have received their first insurance payout against livestock they lost during the ravaging drought that hit the district and other parts of Northern Kenya.

The payout has, however, elicited mixed reactions from various actors in the dry patched district.

The insurance scheme which is the first of its kind in Africa and piloted in Marsabit District by various international organisations, has helped to cushion livestock farmers against adverse weather conditions that now threaten their only source of livelihood and food security.

About 650 livestock herders who purchased the insurance policy are smiling all the way to the bank, thanks to their resolve to participate in the simulation workshop that built their capacity and understanding of the scheme to insure their herds before incurring losses linked to climatic shock.

Most herders expressed optimism that the payout will assist them in restocking their herds while others said that the compensation is not enough to enable them restock their flock as they lost so much during the drought and the prices had gone down.

Abdi Ilalo, a livestock farmer from Dirib Gombo said: “I have received payment from the insurance and the payout cannot fetch me even half of the herd I was keeping when they were swept by the drought. I had 70 cattle and I thought that I could but at least 30 from the payout. The prices have gone up and it is costly. So I will only buy a few and use the remaining money to offset outstanding bills.”

Humanitarian crisis

Herders claim that the high cost of living largely blamed on drought, lack of food supplies, humanitarian crisis from April of this year to date has made them seek credit from local retail shops and most of the payout will be channelled towards offsetting outstanding bills.

Asha Male, a mother of four said: “I lost all my livestock from March to August 2011 and the situation was so bad that I was forced to incur credit in local shops to feed my family. I also borrowed money to pay school fees for my two secondary school going children. I have received the payout and I must balance things now between paying the credit and restocking,” Male explains.

However, Male is able to access credit on the strength of the insurance policy she received from the Equity Bank, Marsabit, that showed she was eligible for the payout and, therefore, a credit worthy person.

However, majority of the herders who were paid expressed hope that the payout was better than nothing and the scheme will assist them recover and restock unlike in the past when they had nowhere to turn to for post-drought recovery assistance.

“This programme will assist me and others in restocking and restarting afresh at this time when we are receiving rains, hoping the situation will

www.mdcafrica.org

change,” says Huka Dabaso, a recipient of the pay out. He adds: “In the past we used to depend on assistance from government agencies on restocking and there was no guarantee that we would get it. But now after the drought I have money to buy some 10 cattle, which is more than enough.”

The payout intervention was lauded by various peace building organisations in the area as it will help minimise cases of cattle rustling that escalate after drought as most herders resort to armed attacks and stealing herds from their neighbours for restocking.

According to Adan Garad, Executive Director Wagalla Centre for Peace and Human Rights: “The insurance payout will minimise cases of cattle rustling and armed attacks associated with restocking after droughts,” observed Garad. He noted: “This area is prone to such activities after drought period and it has led to hostilities between herders and families.”

According to Garad: “This payout will assist these communities to restock and avoid armed avenue of restocking and we hope other areas in Northern Kenya will embrace the initiative.”

The scheme uses satellite to access the grazing fields and vegetation and information from the satellite image is compared to past severe droughts that hit the district. The comparison of satellite image and the past climatic shock helps the insurer to estimate stock losses and prepare a pay out to the livestock farmers without following cases of individual losses.

Under the scheme which is managed by Equity Bank and UAP, a local insurance company, pastoralist communities from Marsabit areas hit by prolonged and severe droughts, pay a premium of 5.5 per cent of the value of their herds while those from areas which experience normal drought pay 3.25 per cent, the value of their herds.

According to drought patterns, Maikona and North Horr had been classified as high potential areas of severe drought while areas around Loyangalani, Marsabit central and Gadamoji are classified as those hit by normal drought.

The satellite image and pictures, however, showed that all areas within Marsabit district were uniformly ravaged by the severe drought therefore disputing earlier research that some areas will be less affected and others.

The worst severe drought that swept dry land areas of Northern Kenya saw communities in Marsabit areas losing a third of their livestock. Some fled to Ethiopia to salvage their stock while other groups opted for the traditional solution which entails moving with their livestock from one area to another in the hope that things will change and they will save some herds that will see them through the drought post construction period.

Initially, the pastoralist herders were reluctant to join the index based insurance cover in as much as they needed a plan that will cushion them against massive loss of their herds.

Those who dragged their feet towards the innovation kept wondering how it will work as most of them are used to traditional indigenous knowledge that inform them of drought cycles,

Livestock herders in Marsabit District of Northern Kenya will no longer have to bear the entire burden that comes with the death of livestock during drought thanks to a livestock insurance scheme which is the first of its kind in Africa. Pictures: Abjata Khalif seasons and movement of livestock along traditional livestock corridors into neighbouring countries in search of pasture and returning with remaining herds that will sustain families after drought.

A livestock farmer, Galgalo Wario, from Dirib Gombo village says: “I did not join the insurance scheme because I rely mainly on the system introduced to me by my forefathers that entails moving the livestock herds from one area to another depending with the severity of drought. I separate herds into groups and sell the weak ones and remain with ones I predict will survive through pasture movement.”

Scarcity

Wario who spoke to his neighbours says: “I asked some of my neighbours about the scheme and information they received from visitors from Nairobi (ILRI Team), but they told me about payment for insurance and also herders will be paid when feeds become scarce and not number of livestock lost. I was told they (ILRI), will know when the pasture are dried and they will pay herders for number of livestock’s and not all lost herds.”

Galgalo decided to stick to his normal method of moving with his herds, separating them and sending others across the border as part of traditional mitigation measure that help one retain some livestock for continuity unlike paying insurance policy and failing to get pay for all livestock lost.

However, another livestock herder Stephen Ekai from Loyangalani, regrets that if he had heed to the advice during the simulation workshop, then he could have a fallback position as he lost all his goats and cattle to the drought in Loyangalani area and he has nowhere to turn for assistance.

“I lost all my livestock herds and numbers of people in my village have received payment for the livestock lost during drought period. It is a sad moment for me as I bowed out of insuring my livestock and I lost everything. I calculated the amount of money I was to pay for the insurance bit I was a bit hesitant,” says Ekai. He adds: “Something stopped me and I think it is the Turkana cultural belief that jealously guarding your livestock and not disposing it in such manner.

Now I have lost 50 goats and 76 heads of cattle.

I now sit idle waiting for relief food and hoping that the government will start the restocking program which they have done in the past.”

According to John Silale of Pastoralist Empowerment Programme based in Loyangalani area of Marsabit, livestock herders need to be given large scale awareness campaign and educa-

Executive Director: Rosemary Okello Editor: Jane Godia Sub-Editors: Joyce Chimbi, Carolyne Oyugi and Faith Muiruri Designer: Noel Lumbama Contributors: Benard Kimani, John Kinyua, Ben Oroko, Mercy Mumo, Henry Owino, Allan Murimi, Joyce Muthoka, James Mbaka, Mwangi Ndirangu, Kariuki Mwangi, Robert Nyagah, Liz Wambui, Abisai Amugune, Wangari Mwangi, Robert Wanjala, Martin Murithi, Macharia Mwangi, Henry Kahara, Yobesh Onwong’a, Wilson Rotich, Caroline Mango, Luckyland Chebukwa, Thomas Bwire, Jane Mugambi, Titus Maero and Philip Kirui, Hussein Dido, Liz Wambui and Abjata Khalif.

tion on the scheme so that they can understand its benefits and discard popular cultural beliefs among pastoralist of sticking to livestock till they lose all herds and start a new chapter of pastoralism.

“Communities in this area need thorough education and large scale sensitisation campaigns so that they can understand the programme is meant to protect them and provide them with livestock replacements rather than sticking to cultural beliefs of maintaining traditional pride of sticking to livestock herds till drought wipes them out,” observes Ekai.

Such scenarios, says Ekai have led to increased cases of mental instability as most of them cannot comprehend when they lose large herds and hence contributing to rampant cases of livestock theft that come with many dangers like death, displacements, poverty, rape cases and general insecurity.

He says the large scale education and awareness campaign will connect all these issues and assist the community to shift traditional methods of pastoralism to improved methods of pastoralism with safeguards and safety nets.

ILRI director General Jimmy Smith alludes to some community members staying out of the livestock insurance scheme due to the need of understanding and assurance of how the scheme will work and pay for the livestock loss.

Smith hopes that the first payout events and celebration that accompanied it will encourage others left out of the programme to join the scheme and benefit from its product.

According Adhi Galma, chairlady of Turbi Conflict Widows Association, said that most women led households in the area affected by conflict did not benefit from the insurance scheme and they were secluded due to the number of livestock they keep.

“Most widows here in Turbi have not benefited from the program due to the number of livestock we keep,” says Adhi. She adds: “Most families lost livestock during the Turbi conflict and we have remained with few goats and cattle and we have enormous responsibility of heading our homes. So the scheme doesn’t cover the few livestock we have and we are appealing to insurance people to accommodate us.”

Under the terms of the insurance policy, insured herders are compensated for any losses above 15 per cent, with 15 per cent threshold acting as a sort of deductible.

Write to:

info@mdcafrica.org

The paper is produced with funds from