Reject Online Issue 67

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

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August 16-31, 2012

ISSUE 067

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

Nduku’s mixed blessings Nduku’s fate, and that of her unborn child lies in the women of Utooni village. Women who bear children until their wombs run dry, they never go to the hospital and maternal deaths from a home delivery gone wrong is not new to these women. Who will come to her rescue?

By JOYCE CHIMBI It is almost midday and temperatures are close to 40 degrees Celsius, other than for the scattered goats braving the sun, the village is all but deserted.

At this time of the day, men will be found at quarries around the village. Here, they break their back all day, for less than a dollar a day.

A good number of women spend their day at the quarry too. They sell food and drinks to the men who work at the quarry.

The quiet is however broken by squeals of children coming from the village dam. They are washing their head in the dam while splashing water at each other.

It is chilling to see just how oblivious they are to the dangers of drowning.

Carolyne Nduku’s dream of being a mother is drawing nearer yet great challenges abound. In Utooni village where she lives there are no health facilities or even health attendants. None the less this has not deamed her excitement.

Pictures Joyce Chimbi and George Ngesa.

A group of women doing their laundry at the dam go on with their chores, undeterred.

Even the health implication of washing clothes at the dam escapes them.

Yet this is the only source of water for the people who live in Utooni village, only two Kilome-

ters away from Kangundo town in Eastern part of Kenya.

Food, water and proper sanitation are scarce in this area. There are no roads to get to the village.

To get to the village, one has to brave the rocky footpaths.

Continued on page 2

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ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Nduku’s mixed blessings Continued from page 1 Children in this village barely go to school, and those that do drop out in Standard five. Not even the allure of free primary education program which the government rolled out in 2003, is enough to keep them in school.

Majority

It is therefore mainly for this reason that a majority of girls under the age of 18 are mothers, even with breast milk still in their own mouths.

Amidst this misery, scarcity and despair lives Carolyne Nduku. Her mother estimates her to be about 22 years.

But looking at Nduku, she resembles a baby of about a year and a half. The only part of her body that resembles that of her age mates, is her head.

Her nephew, who is about four years, looks much bigger than Nduku, in fact, an eight year old child can easily move Nduku from one part of the room to the next.

Her upper torso is significantly small. Her legs are barely visible, it is easy to assume that Nduku has no other body parts beyond her waist.

Misconception

As if to dispel this misconception, she lifts the shawl with which she has been wrapped in, despite the heat.

Her legs are obviously too weak, as if without limbs. They are very soft and fleshy at the joints making it easy for her to coil them underneath her small form.

Nduku’s hands are small too. And visibly weak since she can barely hold still a cell phone. While using this gadget, she has to place it against the seat, to cushion her weak hands against

the weight. But the soft spoken young woman, is nonetheless cheerful and friendly.

“This is not as a result of polio. I was born with all these physical deformities. We were born two of us actually. Identical in every way including our deformity. But my brother died when we were about 10 years old,” Says Nduku.

At the time, they were in a special boarding school in Nanyuki. Shortly after his death, Nduku returned home, in Utooni village, prematurely ending her academic life.

“I loved being in school, mingling with others like me even though my condition is much more severe than most. I need help to move around, it is easier for me to be fed than to feed myself,” She explains.

Nduku’s mother follows the interview closely, only interjecting to explain just how challenging it has been to look after Nduku.

Growth

“She is a baby in many ways, even though just looking at her head might fool you because it resembles that of a grown woman. There is very little that Nduku can do for herself,” She explains.

Nduku adds “ I watch helplessly as my younger siblings grow and become independent. I am the third born in a family of seven children. All my younger siblings have crawled, walked and become old enough to look after me.” To alleviate the loneliness and despair that often creeps in, Nduku learnt how to knit.

“She knits scarves and hats in Rastafarian colors. A friend or sibling then wheels her to quarries around the village where she sells them to the men she finds digging stones,” explains Ja-

cinta Mutio, a neighbor, and a woman who has known Nduku for about 19 years.

Quarry

It is during one of her visits to the quarry when a friendship developed with a young man, changing the course of her life forever.

A quick glance at her and one may easily dismiss the little bump in her stomach as just part of her deformity.

But, Nduku is now about seven months pregnant.

She is quick to assert that she was not coerced into the sexually relationship, and whatever transpired between her and the young man in question, was by mutual consent.

“We tend to believe her because it obviously took a lot of maneuvering for them to actualise whatever sexual feelings may have existed, Nduku’s form resembles that of a baby, we were all surprised when we discovered that she was pregnant,” explains Lesa Mbula.

Mbula is also quick to add that there

Rebecca Katana who is an aspiring politician in Kangundo chats with Nduku during a recent visit. Picture: Joyce Chimbi. are fears regarding the impending birth of the baby. An issue that Mutio, a community health worker and the only midwife in the area is also very emphatic about.

“Nduku cannot deliver in the normal way. She would surely die, most of her body parts are barely formed.

People here give birth at home, there are no hospitals or dispensaries other than for those in Kangundo Town,” Mutio explains.

Mutio further explains that in the event of an emergency, it would significantly endanger Nduku’s life because no one in the village owns a car.

“Poverty has made us resilient, we walk everywhere. Of course there are those homes that own a bicycle but that would be of no use to Nduku, neither would be her wheel chair because we are talking about at least two kilometers of very rough terrain,” Mutio expounds.

Nduku is however optimistic.

Speaking about the father of her unborn baby, she says, “He doesn’t support me financially, but he says that once the child is born, he will take responsibility.”

It is however not clear what shape or form this responsibility will take.

Still, Nduku is hopeful that the father of her unborn child will keep his word. The man is not well known in Utooni, he had come to look for work at the quarry.

Abandon

He does not visit Nduku but the possibility that he may well disappear, never to be seen again is a prospect that Nduku has refused to contemplate.

For now, Nduku’s fate, and that of her unborn child lies in the women of Utooni village.

Women who bear children until their wombs run dry, they never go to the hospital and maternal deaths from a home delivery gone wrong is not new to these women.

Ecstatic father finds bridge to success

By HENRY KAHARA For years Isaiah Kinyanya had worked tirelessly, all in the hope of providing his children with quality education.

Kinyanya, a G4S employee, has a reason to smile thanks to Bridge Academy which has opened doors to needy students in the sprawling Kawangware slums.

“It’s a dream of each and every parent to give his children quality education, but many of us are limited by situations which are beyond our control,” he says.

“I have always prayed God to help me to transform my children’s life by giving them quality education, but for long this has been impossible,” narrates Kinyanya, 38.

Representative

Kinyanya is just but a representative of many parents who are enjoying Bridge Academies services in Kenya. Kinyanya, a parent in Gatina Bridge Academy located in Kawangware, says that he first heard of the ‘good news’ through a friend.

“At first I never took it seriously, for I thought they are con men. You know Nairobi,” he poses. It was only after he heard this from more than two parents that he decided to enroll his children in Bridge Academies.

Bridge International Academy is a project

that was conceived in 2007 by Jay Kimmelman, out of the belief that giving every child access to a high quality education would reduce poverty worldwide.

With that guiding insight, it developed a strategy that enables it to launch a large-scale network of high-quality, ultra low-cost, forprofit primary schools.

Although Bridge Academy’s fees vary slightly, they make sure that the residents are able to pay the amount for their centre.

School fees

For instance, in Gatina Branch each child is supposed to part with Kshs 450 per month.

For the last two years, since Kinyanya’s child joined the school, he says that he has noted a tremendous improvement with his daughter’s performance. Currently his daughter is in class two.

“I have seen an admirable improvement in my child, as for now she is able to express herself in English fluently, contrary to her age mates who attend public schools,” says father of four.

For now, Kinyanya wishes that the school, which caters for pupils up to standard four, extends to class eight for he could transfer his other child, who is in class six, to come and taste the Bridge’s sweetness.

“I wish they were up to class five, for I wouldn’t hesitate to bring my other child here,” he confesses.

Jenifer Khasunga is another beneficiary of this project. Before her daughter used to be in a private school, but comparing it with Bridge Academy doesn’t make sense.

“First, this school is affordable. You can easily access teachers, they have text books and there is real competition,” she says, trying to count the profits one enjoys at Bridge.

According to Khasungu, she never had an option but to enroll her daughter in a private school with limited facilities.

“Nairobi County does not have enough schools and is still served by schools meant to serve a small population,” says mother of one.

Khasungu laments that the few available public schools are sometimes not accessible because some are kilometres away, and those which are near are much congested, therefore making it hard for teachers to deliver.

Difference

According to the Kawangware Bridges Academy Manager, Mr. Samuel Wanyoike, the school’s demand is growing on a daily basis as many people can now perceive the difference between Bridge’s children and others.

“Currently we have a very big waiting list,” he explains, adding that they are not authorised to register any student without permission from the main office.

Wanyoike points out that the unique way

they have been trained to teach makes all the difference. “There is no stupid pupil. The approach you use while teaching makes the difference,” she notes.

For one to be a teacher in Bridge he has to go for training for six weeks, as if this is not enough they keep on going back for training during holidays. Furthermore, Bridge Academy prepares its own curricula and books, which are in line with Kenyan education.

Wanyoike says that despite all this they are facing a real challenge in security as just a few days ago thieves vandalised the Gatina branch.

“Some people think we have a lot of money, especially when they see whites in our institution, but the truth is we don’t deal with cash money,” he reveals.

According to the Bridge Academies, no parent is supposed to pay cash money. They do it through M-pesa, which is transferred directly to their main office in Nairobi. This message is then saved in the smart phone so in case of complaint the concerned party can easily access it.

The first Bridge International Academies school was launched successfully in Kenya in 2009, and up to date they have more than 73 branches country wide. Plans are under way to open many others.

Through rapid and strategic expansion, Bridge International plans to enroll over a million students in the coming years.

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Health Nurses adopt new regulatory tools facilities feted

By KARIUKI MWANGI

The Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation launched the Health Sector Services Fund Excellence Award Programme in Embu County, which is aimed at recognizing and awarding health facilities that meet objectives of the fund.

Speaking during the launch, Head of HSSF, Secretariat Dr Jackson Songa, said the fund aims at improving the scope and quality of health services by funding level 2 and 3 dispensaries and health centers countrywide.

He said that the pilot excellence awards scheme will be rolled out among the various health facilities in the county. It will award participants in six different categories, particularly strategic management, financial management, community focus, frontline award and measurement and results.

“Every beneficiary health facility in Embu County that has been funded will participate in the programme, where ten health centers and ten dispensaries will be awarded and four health workers will also be honored in the frontline award,” he posed.

Dr Songa said that the fund, which was created in 2010, was to ensure that health facilities at the grassroots were adequately funded to enhance service delivery.

Beneficiaries

“The fund has so far benefited 720 public health centers in the country and over 2500 dispensaries spread across the country, and all will take part in the competition to ensure the best are awarded and provide a challenge to others,” he posed.

Dr Songa said that the adjudication panel will be conducted by representatives from: the Kenya Medical Association, Kenya Nurses Association, Kenya Clinical Officers Association, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (Kemri) Christian Health Association and the Pharmaceuticals Society of Kenya.

He said that the awards will play an important role in ensuring health workers are able to provide quality services besides addressing challenges facing the same facilities.

“The HSSF awards programme is simply a way of measuring if the systems and mechanisms that the ministry has put in place are properly utilized to meet the funds objective,” he said, adding that the outcome of the pilot programme will be used to roll out the plan of the awards for the next three years.

The awarding programme is in partnership of the Danish International Development Agency, the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development and the German Development Cooperation.

Dr Songa said that the adjudication panel will go through the results of all the health centers and dispensaries in Embu County for the next three weeks, where the best facilities and health workers will be awarded by mid August this year..

By Faith Muiruri The Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) has unveiled new regulatory tools to ensure that health care workers in the country operate within a framework that complies with the constitution.

The NCK Registrar Mrs Elizabeth Oywer says the regulatory tools that cover both the code of conduct and scope of practice will help to ensure that the rights to access quality health care as enshrined in the Constitution are fully safeguarded as nurses discharge their duties.

Speaking during the launch of the regulatory tools, the Registrar said the new scope of practice defines the limits of care and legal boundaries of the nursing practice.

“This will help to ensure that health care workers who contravene the guidelines are held accountable in the course of their work,” she said adding that this will help address cases of negligence and poor services that have continued to undermine provision of health care services in the country.

The first scope of practice was developed in 1997, followed by a second edition in 2007.

Misconduct

The regulatory tools come at a time when health care workers in the country are on the spotlight for ill treatment and abusive care in public health facilities.

A recent study undertaken by the Population Council reveals that one in every five women have been disrespected or humiliated at childbirth in government facilities.

According to the study, many women are thus opting for home deliveries to evade ill treatment at government facilities.

The population Council Chief Researcher, Charlotte Warren says that too many women were opting to deliver at home under the care of traditional birth attendants or imposters and this has contributed to the high rate of maternal mortality.

She points out that the main reason for low birth rates in hospitals and clinics is mistreatments from the midwives.

Action

The Deputy Director of Medical Services Dr Judith Bwonya who presided over the launch of the regulatory tools blamed the rising cases of professional misconduct, negligence and poor services to laxity among health workers.

She said that most of these cases are replete with questionable deeds about the practice and

Dr Judith Bwonya holding the latest three copies of nursing guide books after official launch as members look on. Picture: Henry Owino warned that stern action will be taken against the offenders.

She said the law is clear and those found culpable must be dealt with firmly adding that the era of impunity is gone.

The director said that all regulatory bodies have a primary responsibility to protect the beneficiary while at the same time enforcing discipline among practitioners.

She called on all health regulatory bodies to realign their services to the demands of the constitution and remain objective when enforcing punishment to errant health workers.

“If you want to uphold professionalism avoid looking at the colleague and instead look at the impact of the error committed. If you spare errant health workers, then you are destroying the profession,” she advised.

Constitution

“The constitution now vests power on the people through the Bill of rights and you will soon be dragged to constitutional courts to answer to charges of professional misconduct, negligence and poor services,” she cautioned.

She said the era when offenders would find refuge in professional bodies are long gone as the Constitution has empowered Kenyans to move to court and seek redress in case of a violation.

“The constitution provides restitution even in cases where practitioners fail to admit to mistakes despite overwhelming evidence of professional misconduct, negligence and poor services,” she added.

The official at the same time asked training institutions to entrench the spirit of constitutionalism in their curriculum to ensure students are properly equipped when they start practicing.

Tools

She said that the tools cover the scope of practice and will help practitioners to become more vigilant, professional, client centered and bring down cases of indiscipline.

“The tools provide guidelines as to how the practitioner is to be regulated and this includes trainer, the training institution and institution where health care services are being offered,” she added.

She said that all regulators must quickly

establish mechanisms on how to carry their business in a devolved system of Government so that the person in Lokichogio does not have to come all the way to Nairobi to seek medical services.

Framework

The regulatory tools have incorporated a framework through which education programs will be realigned to prepare safe and competent practitioners who will function effectively not only as members but also as leaders in health care delivery system.

The education and practice guide provides that all educational programs must meet accreditation requirements outlined by the Nursing Council of Kenya, Commission of Higher Education and universities.

This, the guide says will help to ensure Nursing education programs achieve health outcomes and expectations of the profession and the community.

The guidelines will further ensure that nursing education programs are appropriate and adequate in preparing nurses to join the profession.

Progress

The new guide is also expected to foster continuing improvements in nursing education and professional practice.

The guiding ethical principles on the other hand lay emphasis on the need for nurses to promote health, prevent illness, restore health and alleviate suffering.

“Nurses have an obligation to uphold Human Rights including the right to life, to dignity and respect of patients seeking services in respective health institutions,” reads the guide in part.

The NCK Registrar says that Nurses must therefore strive to provide quality care to their patients without discrimination as they share responsibility in initiating social support action to meet the health needs of the public in particular those of vulnerable populations.

Other areas addressed by the regulatory tools include improving provider capacity, support supervision, improving leadership and governance skill among health managers across all levels of the healthcare.

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ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Community continues to shun rehabilitated urchins

By Catherine Muringi The community should employ former urchins who graduate from the Children and Youth Empowerment Centres, so as to make the programmes started by the Government nine years ago a success.

The Head of Children and Youth Empowerment Centre –Thunguma in Nyeri town, Mr. Edward Njoi, said that a spirited campaign targeting members of the community is needed to integrate people with the programme.

Target

The institution targets street families and families that are vulnerable to street lives.

“We want the community to be aware that such rehabilitation programmes exist and what they have to offer in transforming lives of street families. We also want them to feel free to integrate with them, as what we are doing here is for the betterment of society,” said Edward.

He said that cementing the relationship will enable the community to share a moment with the children and be their mentors, adopt some of them and host them in their homes during holidays, or even provide them food from their farms.

The administrator, who was

speaking to The Reject, said that the negative attitude by the community is a major challenge facing such rehabilitation centres.

He said that despite undergoing rehabilitation at the centres, the community has refused to employ those who complete the training programme.

“One of the major challenges is attitude. These children reform a great deal after training, but people are not willing to hire them as they have been seeing them in the streets or they have a background of coming from a rehabilitation centre or a training centre of this kind,” said Edward.

He advises the community to accept the rehabilitated boys and girls, as the programme can only succeed if the reformed youth are welcomed back to the community.

He asks people to treat them just like other members of the society.

Rehabilitation

He said that the programme has helped to enhance security within the towns adding that beneficiaries leave the rehabilitation facilities ready to contribute in the development of the country.

He affirmed that Thunguma has plans to ensure that the youth do not drift back to their former lives after they leave the centre, as has been the case in other similar

programmes.

The centre, according to him, has, as a result, acquired a piece of land in Othaya and Lamuria within Nyeri County to be used to start income generating projects for them.

Part of the proceeds, he said, will be used as capital to start their own businesses after the rehabilitation exercise.

The land will be used for commercial agriculture and start shops and communication centres, among other projects.

Inception

Since its inception in 2006 through the initiative of the Narc Government, the centre has hosted and rehabilitated hundreds of street children.

Thunguma has 25 children under Early Childhood Development, 89 in primary and 18 in secondary schools. Two are in college, with one studying for a diploma in IT at Kimathi University College while the other is pursuing a diploma in political science at Nairobi University, according to Edward.

The children currently keep livestock and poultry, including goats and chicken, in the 14acre piece of land. They also grow

kale, spinach, tomato, carrots and cabbages,among other horticultural crops. The food is consumed in the institution and the surplus is sold locally.

The institution, which has 12 members of staff, offers vocational courses such as welding, carpentry, and tailoring, among others.

Children who are undergoing rehabilitation at Children and Youth Empowerment Centre –Thunguma in Nyeri town. These children however face discrimination from the communities even after successful rehabilitation.

Pictures: Catherine Muringi.

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Farmer sets pace for onion growing Irrigation

projects in Embu hampered by lack of water

By JOSEPH MUKUBWA His parents wanted him to be an accountant and they worked hard to ensure that he pursued his education to completion. However, instead of being an accountant, the 44-year-old Daniel Gakuu opted for farming. Today he is popularly known as Farmer Number One. Gakuu who hails from Kinyaiti village, Kieni West of Nyeri County, ventured into small scale farming in 1991, specialising in onion production. He turned down most job opportunities that came his way and whenever he got a job, he resigned soon after employment. Today, he is one of the most prominent onion farmers in the county.

Gakuu first started by farming on less than an acre, until in 1998 when he increased to one and a half acres.

“I spent only KSh40,000 as capital and after selling the harvest, I earned KSh0.4 million. This motivated me, and together with my wife, we resolved to expand the land under onions to three acres the following year,” Gakuu explains.

Losses

That year’s venture, however, was not a walk in the park. Gakuu incurred huge losses due to rain shortage that hit the country. This prompted him to seek for employment as a farm manager.

“I regard challenges as a chance to learn new things, and so I used my stint in the employment as an opportunity for exposure. I met many people who turned out to be very knowledgeable to me. They included seed companies’ officials and agricultural officers among others,” he explains.

In 2009, Safari Seed Company conducted research for the Red Tropicana F1 onion variety, which turned out to be a major success. They requested him to be one of their marketing agents, selling their seed to other farmers as he was a good witness and model to the locals.

Capital

This was his turning point. They sent him seeds worth KSh200,000, from which he got enough capital and went back into onion farming full force. He distributed the seeds to the entire county. Since then, seed companies have been using him to research their new products before introducing them into the area.

From 2010 to 2011, Gakuu grew onions in a 4.5 acre piece of land, which registered bumper harvest.

From this harvest, he reaped a net profit of KSh0.9 million, after spending KSh0.2 million.

“Not many of my fellow farmers who grow onions ever harvested over

By ALLAN MURIMI

3,000 kilos in an acre due to various challenges. Consequently, this earned me the nickname Farmer Number One,” he reveals.

Through the onion proceeds he has bought a personal car and a pick up. He uses the personal vehicle for his other work while the pickup is used to transport workers to the farm.

The father of five has also managed to educate four children to secondary school level. He is optimistic that he will educate them to university level. He has also built a decent house where he stays with his family. Gakuu is now an onion farming consultant in his own right where he provides consultant services to area residents including some prominent personalities. He has also managed to employ over 30 casual workers from needy families.

Challenges

“However, we do have various challenges. One is the issue of labourers who have been a headache to us.

They are the ones who dictate charges to us during planting seasons, where they demand between KSh300 to KSh400,” he complains, adding that in other areas labourers earn between KSh150 to KSh200 in a day. However, he is quick to add: “We are glad that many of our youth have ventured into onion farming, which has brought down cases of crime in the area as this has drastically reduced idlers.”

Gakuu adds: “They have been growing onions, whose proceeds they use in the purchase of boda boda motor bikes as well as raising money to pay dowry among other uses.”

Other challenges include high farm input prices and the lack of warehouses for proper storage of their onions. They thus sell them at a throw away prices to avoid damages in the farm.

“We are optimistic that most of the problems will soon be over, following an intervention by a company

Daniel Gakuu’s farm in Kinyaiti village, Kieni West of Nyeri County, He specializes in onion production and is one of the most prominent onion farmers in the county.

Pictures: Joseph Mukubwa. known as Farm Concern International, which came in the area in 2007. It brought most of the solutions to our problems,” says Gakuu.

According to the company’s representative in the area, Gerald Watoro, it is a market development agency that focuses on empowering small scale farm holders to commercialise farming activities by assisting them to produce quality and quantity harvests.

It offers farmers technical advice on construction of storage facilities, which has helped add value to their onions by prolonging the products shelf life. This enables the farmer to keep the produce and sell them when the price improves.

Brokers

It also links the farmers directly to buyers, eliminating brokers who earlier ended up with the lion’s share of their proceeds. The elimination of brokers has seen the prices of onions improve from between KSh3 and KSh5 to about KSh20 to KSh30 per kilo.

“It also introduced a programme known as Domestic Horticultural and Market, which uses commercial village models as a vehicle to em-

power the community to develop an economic block in order to achieve the desired volume for markets and organization structures within farming communities,” notes Watoro.

Gakuu says that before the company came into the area, farmers used to plant the Open Pollinated Variety (OPV) onions, which were a low yielding variety. That variety produced as low as 1,500 kilogrammes unlike the current hybrid varieties that are capable of producing about 10 tonnes of onions in an acre, thanks to the company’s advice. The hybrid variety matures in four months as compared to OPV variety, which matures in six months.

Currently, Gakuu has put 10 acres under onions and expects to reap about KSh2 million which he hopes to sell as KSh30 a kilo. He is also preparing three more acres soon.

His future prospects are to open a consultancy firm, where he expects to help more people from the county to venture in agribusiness.

The farmer says that he spent most of his time in people’s lands, guiding them on how to grow the crop.

He also hopes that the current season will have a bumper harvest.

Government rolls out fish project to stop overreliance on Lake Victoria

By MAUREEN OGUTU A project to promote aquaculture and reduce pressure of fishing on Lake Victoria has been initiated jointly by the Governments of Germany, Israel and Kenya.

Under the agreement, fish farmers from the western Kenya region are to be trained on better fishing methods in order to reduce the overdependence on Lake Victoria.

Speaking at Ramogi Institute of Science and Technology (RIAT) in Kisumu County during the official launch the 2nd trilateral Tilapia Value

Chain, the German Ambassador to Kenya, Margit Hellwig-Boette, said that the tripartite agreement will become official next month.

Produce

She confirmed that 1000 fishermen from the region are to be empowered not only to improve the quality of fish produced, but also to ensure the products meet international standards.

Margit said that due to fishing pressure on Lake Victoria, fish stocks had declined hence the need to look for alternative ways to boost production. It is necessary to reduce the stress placed

upon the lake.

She revealed that the initial training targets trainers who will eventually roll out the programme to the targeted farmers.

The training seeks to develop a clear strategy for capacity building along the value chain, and will act as a basis for aquaculture practices in and around Lake Victoria.

The programmes are being facilitated through a tripartite partnership between the Ministries of Fisheries Development, the Foreign Ministry of Germany, and the Centre for International Development of Israel.

Millions of shillings set aside for irrigation projects in Meru and Embu might go to waste due to lack of water. An environment watchdog has warned that the projects might not be viable and could end up wasting public resources, since the rivers around cannot sustain the projects.

The Eastern National Environment Management Authority boss, Stephen Njoka, says the projects could stall if water storage facilities were not constructed first in order to harvest water from other sources.

The project managers had sought environmental impact assessment licenses from Nema in February, but the environmental watchdog directed them to apply for abstraction licenses from the Water Resources Management Authority (Warma).

“They have not come to us again, and it is highly unlikely there will be enough water. They need dams to store water for use during the dry periods, which they did not have in their concepts,” said Mr. Njoka.

There are three main irrigation projects being undertaken in the area to provide farmers with irrigation water.

Water storage

Nema says the projects at Kagaari in Embu County, Maara in Tharaka County and another one in Meru should have been used to store flood waters and for dry periods when the farmers need to irrigate their farms.

Speaking to the Reject, Mr. Njoka said that the normal river flow cannot sustain the irrigation projects, adding that people living downstream might be denied water.

Nema says it is getting concerned that the projects might end up wasting resources because they do not engage the relevant authorities before they embark on these projects. Water withdrawal from rivers depends on the amount of water available, and Warma determines whether the water will be enough.

“If the water becomes too little due to over withdrawal it will affect the river ecosystem and kill the micro-organisms and plants which depend on the water,” said Mr. Njoka.

Environmental officers have raised concerns that digging trenches for pipe lying is being done without the required permits.

Mr. Njoka said that some of the projects are too big and the water may not be enough, adding that irrigation water should be harvested from floods.

He said that farmers use irrigation during the dry seasons and that is the time when the rivers have the smallest volumes, adding that a lack of enough water could render the projects unsustainable.

Most of the irrigation water in Embu County is being harvested from River Thuchi, which drains 311,700 cubic meters of water and has two irrigation projects for Runyenjes and Siakago constituencies.

Rukuriri Tea Factory is constructing a dam for generation of hydroelectric power, and Kyeni Water and Sanitation Company also draws water from the river.

The amount of money spent could not be determined before we went to press because the Eastern PC, Clare Omolo, could not be reached.

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ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Women are angered by the drinking problem in Naivasha

By Nicole Waithera The desperation, disappointment and weariness in their eyes depict a life of misery for the women in the Karate area of Nyondia village.

The more than two hundred women explain how they have given up hope after their husbands ditch their responsibilities for the popular local brew: chang’aa.

The affordability of this drink has seen the men turn into zombies, with any shilling earned by the men being directed towards quenching their thirst.

The irate women are now forced to engage in different menial jobs to fend for their families. A majority of them meet everyday at Mithuri, a local quarry where they spend the whole day cracking stones to sell. It is this trend that has seen young girls initiated into jobs as they are forced to drop out of school due to a lack of fees.

Frustration

“My mother could not get any money to pay for my high school education, and yet still my father is a habitual drinker and I cannot remember anytime I have ever a seen him sober,” said Jane Njeri.

According to Njeri, alcohol has turned her father into a beast that resorts to beating them every evening that he comes home from his drinking sprees.

“He comes and demands food, not even thinking of where the supper came from. Sometimes he even urinates on the food just to spite my mother and I,” she adds amidst tears. At times, the men

even steal their meager salary and use it to buy drinks.

“We are forced to hide any cash that we make.We are prisoners to ourselves,” she added.

She decries that there has been a sharp increase in wife battering, which she blames on the increased intake in alcohol in the area.

“We rarely sleep at night, as the whole village is engulfed by screams from different women in different houses who are being ‘disciplined’ by their wayward husbands,” she adds. Desperation.

Desperation

An inferiority complex forces the women not to respond or fight them, which, she says, has forced them to endure untold suffering for their whole lives. They argue that in traditional African society, a woman was supposed to submit to everything that the husband proposed.

More worrying is the women’s claim that the men in the area are now attracted to other men to satisfy their sexual desire.

They have also neglected their matrimonial duties, leaving their women sexually starved.

The women argue that this has led to a huge decrease in the number of children in the area.

A survey in the area’s nursery school indicates a decreased intake of pupils. In contrast, the local bars are occupied with men who are drunk. The women claim that they are also given the extra baggage of washing their beddings, since the men urinate on the beds late at night.

“A majority of the men cannot father children, and the few who can are not able to sustain the

“My mother could not get money to pay for my high school education, and yet still my father is a habitual drinker. I cannot remember ever seeing him sober.”

— Jane Njeri

Kisumu bodaboda menace

By MAUREEN OGUTU The increased spate of robberies in Kisumu has been partly blamed on the boda boda operators.

Speaking during a Family Planning sensitization meeting organized by Tupange in collaboration with the Kenya police for boda boda operators in Kisumu, Kondele Traffic Officer, Saul Kulecho said it has been noted that the motorcycle transport industry is infested by thugs.

Giving an example of an operator who was caught in January in Nyahera area in possession of an AK47 rifle, he said some operators turn into thugs when night comes.

He encouraged the operators to practice community policing in their work areas by spotting the bad elements and forwarding them to the police for arrest.

Nyanza Boda Boda Asso-

ciation Chairman, Nelson Odine said the incident of crimes was tainting their image adding that they will work hand in hand with the law enforcers to apprehend the suspects so as to gain back the trust of passengers.

The operators were urged to observe road safety by adhering to the Traffic Amendment of 2009 that emphasizes on the need for safety gears that includes helmets and reflectors for every operator.

He further asked the operators to not only ensure their safety but also that of their passengers by providing them with the safety gears and insuring their motorbikes.

Department also saw the boda boda operators taken through family planning methods.

They were later handed reflector jackets branded with family planning messages.

Irate women from Nyondia village, Naivasha demonstrating over illicit drinks which has rendered their husbands impotent ,destroying families. The women used the opportunity to ‘discipline’ drunkards loitering in the sleepy trading center. Below, Police in Kieni impound 300 litres of Chang’aa.

Pictures: Reject correspondent/Joseph Mukubwa. education of their children. School fees are as low as Ksh. 600 per term, but we still get pupils dropping from kindergarten,” said Eunice Mureithi, a teacher.

Alcohol is slowly tearing a whole village apart, which has seen the calmness in the village shattered as women finally take to the streets in protest. Armed with sticks, placards and branches, the women admit that they have had enough.

Solution

“We are tired of being the ‘men’ in society and it’s time somebody stood up to them and asked them to man up,” said Elizabeth Wanjiru, their leader.

The women have decided to flush the men out of the bars, which they do early in the evening.

This has seen them beating the men who are drinking in the bars with sticks and branches and forcefully drags them home.

The women are blaming their local leaders for not dealing with the chang’aa issue; they say that some of them are beneficiaries to the illegal trade.

They are now appealing to the administration police to help flush out the problem once and for all.

“We, as women, will do all we can to return sanity to our men, even if it means using the lash against them,” added Wanjiru.

Kakamega posts high fertility rates in the country

By TITUS MAERO Kakamega has the highest fertility rate (4.1 percent birth per woman) in the country, a report by Kenya Urban Health Reproductive Health Initiative (KUHRHI) says.

Report

According to the report, Machakos urban area has the lowest number of births per woman (2.5 percent). It also notes that fertility rate falls uniformly from the age of 30 years. A total of 140 households were selected for the report, representing 37,170 people, both men and women.

The report, which is the first survey to look at urban family planning, was undertaken by KUHRH in conjunction with the TUPANGE organization.

It presents some key findings from a baseline survey that was executed by

the Kenya National Bureau of Standards and Statistics (KEBS).

According to the Chief executive officer, TUPANGE, Dr. Nelson Keyonzo, the survey was conducted in five urban areas Kakamega, Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Machakos.

Other organizations behind the initiative include Jhpiego, Centre for Communication Programme (CCP), John Hopkins University, Marie Stopes International, and the Bills and Melinda Gates Foundation, among others.

Survey

Dr Keyonzo, said that the survey targeted women and men aged between 1549 years in selected households who were asked about their fertility and family planning backgrounds.

“Although many surveys had been done in Kenya by various other or-

ganizations, this one is unique in essence,which makes it exceptionally useful for decision making in the government,” said the official.

The report notes that 57 percent of women in Kakamega believe that the use of contraceptive injection could make a woman permanently infertile. In Kisumu and Machakos, women interviewed said that a woman who uses contraceptive ends up being promiscuous.

It was also revealed that, in all the urban areas, women more than men were willing to get family planning counseling after every delivery.

The report notes that the proportion of births delivered by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) remains high in Kisumu, at 15 percent, and in Mombasa, at 11 percent. It was found that knowledge of fertility in all the five urban centres was minimal.

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

7

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Women scientists grant lies idle Even as the government intensifies efforts to incorporate the gender perspective in science technology, women are still largely underrepresented

By Faith Muiruri Questions regarding the full and effective participation of women in decision-making and implementation process related to science and technology continues to spur intense debate in the country with calls to mainstream gender perspectives into the field of research and innovation.

The debate has been characterized by explicit references on the important role that women play as intermediaries of the natural environment and society in respect to agro ecosystems, safe water and food and as producers, users and managers of energy resources.

Inclusion

This has inevitably pushed for the inclusion of women at all levels of decision making and implementation of technology driven projects which mainly seek to alleviate hunger, improve the quality of life by providing clean water and simplifying housework through labour saving devices.

Most recently, the government has launched initiatives that specifically target women scientists to enable them to contribute equally to the development of science, technology and innovation in their respective areas.

In this regard, the government has rolled out, the Women Scientists grant which seeks to promote women empowerment and participation in all scientific, technological and innovation processes in the country.

Funding

The grant is currently being administered by the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST).

A total of 73 research projects by women scientists from both public and private institutions have been funded since the inception of the grant three years ago.

Notable projects include technological interventions to reduce incidences of drought related human diseases in Yatta District funded during the 2011/2012 financial year.

Data available at the NCST reveals that the project is ongoing and focuses mainly on the adoption of water harvesting, green house and food drying technologies as remedy to myriad health related challenges such as malnourishment afflicting residents, in addition to introducing income generating projects. The project is slated to benefit 173,943 people on completion.

The project is a joint initiative by Dr Jane Mputhia, Benter Onyango, Eng. Jokatsa Kalungu, Alice Mutungi and Prof Stella Obanyi of Kenya Polytechnic University College. Records

indicate that the green house project that has been rolled out at Ngangani area is doing well.

“A water reservoir has been excavated and covered with dam liners and is awaiting roofing while the other one at Kenyatta site is ongoing. The solar food drier has already been constructed awaiting surplus vegetables to dry in order to boost food preservation and conservation,” reads the NCST report in part.

Diversity

Another striking technology funded under the grant includes the regeneration of bamboo to diversify the food base and help stop depletion of forests. The project seeks to introduce the previously neglected bamboo shoots as an alternative source of food and income for majority of vulnerable communities in Kenya.

According to the lead researcher Dr Margaret Karembu of International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), the potential of bamboo shoots as food source remain largely unexploited in the country, compared to Asian countries where consumption ranges from classy menus to food cottage industries.

The project thus seeks to regenerate and domesticate edible bamboo varieties available in the country thus expanding the food security base while at the same time helping to stem the tide of deforestation in Kenya.

The project has incorporated two bamboo growing farmers in Kakamega and Kiambu districts comprising of 13 and 14 persons respectively. Shoots of the naturally growing and exotic edible bamboo varieties have been harvested in Kakamega and Kamae forests and their nutritional composition determined using standard methods to obtain nutritional composition.

Domestication

The researcher notes that the government has already intensified efforts towards the domestication of bamboo.

“Consumption of bamboo shoots has also been introduced to the communities and there are communities in and around Mt Elgon sun drying or smoking the shoots which are then taken as vegetables,” she reveals adding that the nutritional analysis of the varieties

Dr Margaret Karembu of International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) and the lead researcher on the generation of bamboo to diversify the food base.

Picture courtesy ISAAA. indicate a high level of potassium calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and fibre.

But even as the projects continue to transform communities at the grassroots by focusing more on satisfying their basic needs such as adequate food, shelter, medical care, safety and education, women are yet to tap on the vast potential in the field of science and technology.

Reality

This can be attested by the fact that only a few women are coming out to exploit the grant that specifically targets deployment of technological efforts informed by local realities.

According to Dr Edwardina Ndhine who is a Senior Science Secretary with NCST, out of the Ksh 500 million that has been allocated to the fund, only Ksh73,894,755 million has been utilised.

She says that in the current financial year, NCST has already invited proposals under the women grant with a Ksh 5 million tag on every successful proposal, but the response is quite discouraging.

“Even as the call goes out, we have very few women applicants seeking out funding, which means that women are either ignorant of the fund or our strategy is not working,” she explains during the interview.

Projects that qualify for funding under the grant include agricultural, health, basic and applied sciences, engineering, mathematics, technology and social sciences inclined to STI.

Beneficiaries

Dr Ndhine says that the few women scientists who have benefitted from the funding are not eligible for additional funds under the grant.

She however says women scientists have also failed to submit their proposals for funding in general grants and cites innovations grant where 13 male scientists were recently funded to the tune of Ksh 15 million with no single woman applying for funding.

The official says this is despite the fact that science and technology is the engine that translates to profound social change in the 21st century.

Opportunity

Dr Ndhine who also chairs the committee that seeks to mainstream gender in the council warns that unless women scientists are willing to take up the opportunities at their disposal, they will remain as mere spectators in the wind of change.

“Women researchers must take charge of science driven technolo-

“Even as the call goes out, we have very few women applicants seeking out funding, which means that women are either ignorant of the fund or our strategy is not working.”

— Dr Edwardina Ndhine Senior Science Secretary with NCST

gies to help foster and diffuse a greater number of innovations which can play an important role in resolving the numerous problems bedeviling other women at the local level,” she adds.

Dr Ndhine says that the country is faced with numerous challenges that range from poverty to hunger and climate change and thus women must become involved if they are to have an input into the manner in which science and technology are used and if societies are to benefit from their insights and knowledge.

Equality

“Women must be able to contribute equally to the development of science and technology and innovation which enhance economic growth, job creation and general society well being and which will ensure that the needs of both women and men are met in new products and applications,” she affirms.

She points out that, practical outcomes of science and technology are not value free and the more women participate in science and technology, the more empowered they become to articulate women issues to help reduce existing gender disparities the society.

She says that many more women researchers are needed to help use science and technology in a variety of applications and called for the establishment of support systems to increase the number of women funded scientific projects.

“The numerous challenges that face women at the grassroots can be addressed if more women drive research at the local level,” she adds.

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ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Pyrethrum board targets regional market

By Larry Kimori

The Pyrethrum Board of Kenya (PBK) is targeting the regional market to boost prices for the revered quality Kenyan Pyrethrum.

Speaking in Nakuru, Managing Director, Dr Isaac Mulagoli, said that the board is shifting its attention to the regional market to help reap from the unexploited market.

Dr Mulagoli also said that the board plans to invest in value addition and produce products such as insecticides.

By ANDANJE WAKHUNGU

Target

The MD disclosed that, as part of attaining Vision 2030, the board has registered six insecticides targeting the animal and crop protection sectors in the country.

He said that investing in insecticides would help the board generate its own income in a bid to become self-reliant rather than seeking financial support from the government.

He revealed that in the next five years the board would add four other insecticides as it prepares to penetrate the international market, which, he observed, could only be sustained through continuous research on the pyrethrum bi-products.

Commenting on liberalization of the industry, Dr Mulagoli said that PBK is not a public enterprise, adding that farmers own the board, and, therefore, the sector cannot be liberalized to allow other players to join them.

Dr. Mulagoli said that pyrethrum is highly protected because it is poisonous and thus deserves protection, by an Act of parliament.

Agent

He revealed that PBK is steward for the crop, adding that any other person intending to engage in the trade would be an agent authorized by PBK to transact business on behalf of the board.

The MD revealed that the Kenyan pyrethrum could not be blended with

A pyrethrum farmer in Kenya. The pyrethrum board is shifting its attention to the unexploited market in order to reap more benefits. Picture: Reject correspondent any other similar produce from any part of the world because it is patented.

He said that sourcing farm inputs for farmers is a challenge, since most Kenyan companies want to be paid in US dollars. That means they have no confidence in the Kenyan shilling.

Culture

The Technical Services General Manager, Mary Ontiri, said that the board has embarked on tissue culture to curb diseases and produce high yields.

Ms. Ontiri also said that the international market consumes 8,000 metric tonnes out of the 21,000 metric tonnes produced annually.

She said that the board is targeting 200,000 farmers in 18 counties to plant the crop, which, in turn, would offer employment to more than 3,000 staff over the next few years.

The general manager observed that the insecticides produced by the board are environmental friendly, terming them nature’s herbicides that mitigate crop and animal pests.

On the other hand, the PBK has suspended the tendering process of that would have seen it dispose off some of its non-core assets.

Dr Mulagoli said that treasury allocated the board Ksh. 300 million this financial year to support the rise in their revenue base and financing their budget.

Dr Mulagolialso said that the revival of the board has seen an increase of tonnage delivered to the factory, from 462 tonnes last year to 518 tonnes this year.

The MD said that the board’s decision to pay farmers upon delivery of their produce has triggered farmers back to the industry previously shunned due to mismanagement of resources and bad governance.

Dr. Mulagoli was delighted that the acreage under the crop is rising steadily, from 10,000 acres last year to 20,490 acres this year. He added that the Ksh. 300 million financial back up would revive farming of the crop in the country.

He lamented that illegal trade of pyrethrum is on the rise in the country because of the board’s inability to assure farmers of the payment for their

produce.

Dr Mulagoli disclosed that local politicians, through corruption, recruited Chinese agents to buy pyrethrum from unsuspecting farmers at throwaway prices ranging between Ksh. 50100 per kilo.

The MD said that this was way below what the board pays farmers, noting that they pay between Ksh. 100- 375 per kilo of pyrethrum.

To curb the illegal trade, the board introduced Miscellaneous Amendment Bill 2012 in parliament to increase the fine charged on suspects from Sh. 5,000 to Sh. 3 million or five years imprisonment, or both, in order to deter the illegal traders.

So far, the board has arrested Chinese agents thrice who pay the cash bail of Ksh. 5,000, which is not punitive enough. They then resume their illicit trade, depriving Kenyans of their hardearned livelihoods.

He disclosed that the product in the international market fetches the Chinese close to Ksh. 6 million, after buying the commodity locally from farmers at Ksh 50.

Proliferation of small arms still a threat in Busia

By GILBERT OCHIENG The Busia County Task Force Committee has been urged to liaise with respective community policing committees to rid the area of small arms.

Addressing stakeholders during the official opening of a one day forum on illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons organized by the Kenya National Focal Point Secretariat at a Busia hotel recently, Busia County Commissioner Joyce Isiakho called for unity, saying no single country can address adequately or handle the issues of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Isolation.

The County Commissioner underscored the importance of the forum, saying that it is part of a wider global campaign against the proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in the attempt to lift humanity out of widespread loss of life, destruction and illegal usage of weapons.

“In this regard we appreciate the International, Regional and Sub-Regional Instruments, such as UN Protocol, United Nations Programme of Actions (UNPOA), Bamako Declaration, Nairobi Declaration and Nairobi Protocols, together with other initiatives, which provide us with moral and legal direction of action and interaction in the Great Lake Region and Horn of Africa and the continent

Calls to enforce labour laws

implementation being finalized as envisaged,” said the Commissioner, adding that this calls for a stronger political will and good will from the Government and the members of public re“We are all witnesses to daily spectively. atrocities visited on our people by The commissioner also indiscriminate use of illicit Small noted the importance of Arms and Light Weapons. Cross Gender Mainstreaming in border banditry, cattle rustling, all peace and security proarmed conflicts amongst comcesses, including addressmunities, car-jacking, increased ing the problems of prolifacts of terrorism and other crimieration of illicit Small Arms nal activities are fuelled by the and Light Weapons. easy availability of small arms and “We should always light weapons,” she added. endeavor to uphold the Some of the illegal arms impounded by the spirit of our constitution Isiakhoalso noted that, unKenyan police in a process aimed to ensure that by promoting women der the Office the President, the the arms do not end up in the wrong hands. participation at all levels,” Ministry of Provincial AdminPicture: Reject correspondent she said, emphasizing that istration and Internal Security trict Task Forces is an important inthrough the Kenya National Fothe success of the efforts cal Point is a model of the struggle novation - one that brings together all can only be measured by the levels at the members to be empowered with which the task-force is able to effect against the vice since 2003.

“We must, therefore, acknowledge the necessary skills and knowledge to reduction in the evils caused by usage and applaud the effort of our Govern- enable them carry out their mandate of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapment who have ensured the establish- as per the protocols and other existing ons, as well as the degree to which the ment and operationalization of the policies and legislation. move is able to attain for the country’s “It must, however, be acknowl- meaningful peace, stability and develNational Focal Point and have put other measures in place in accordance edged that, due to limited resources, opment. with the Nairobi Protocol,” said the the pace of the implementation of the Provincial administration, educaNairobi Protocol has not been carried tion officers, and local political and Commissioner.

She said the establishment and op- out as expected and we hope that jump religious leaders from the entire Busia eration of both the Provincial and Dis- starting the process again will see the County all attended the meeting. at large - since no single country can address adequately or handle the issues of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Isolation,” said Isiakho.

Witnesses

Measures should be put in place to ensure that all employers within the country conform to labour laws.

Most employers have been accused of failing to adhere to the labour laws, leading to the infringement of employee rights.

According to Steve Mwiti of Mwiti and Associates (a human resource consultant buisness), a majority of employment firms were humiliating casual workers by overworking them and paying them below the required minimum wage.

Mwiti was speaking during the labour and security workshop held in Mombasa for the Pubs, Entertainment and Restaurant Association of Kenya (PERAK) and Human Resource officials. He called on the employment firms to comply with the labour laws to avoid legal actions.

He warned those firms that had continued to ignore workers rights by exposing them in harsh and draconian working conditions.

He also took issue with the labour office for colluding with the employers to suppress the workers who lodge complaints at the labour office.

“Measures are in place to see to it that every worker gets his or her full rights, and any firm that will contradict these measures shall have to face the full wrath of the industrial courts.”

He also noted that the labour market had become a lucrative business, gauging from the numerous cases being presented at the industrial courts.

“Most casual workers are being denied their rights to medical attention (sick leave), leave pays, leave, NSSF payment, and un-ceremonial sacking without notice, among many others. Those are just a tip of the iceberg,” he said.

He advised firms to start appreciating their casual workers, to help improve on service delivery and increase morale as well as create good customer delivery.

“It is important for every employer to familiarize and practice all the labour laws to avoid prosecution, especially at this time when most employees are rushing to court to file cases against their employers.”

At the same time, the PERAK Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Ikwaye, said the workshop was part of their pilot project, which aimed to create awareness and discuss issues affecting the industry.

“As we approach the peak season in the tourist industry, it is important to discuss security, labour and human resource issues in relation to the casual labour, as most hotels will be recruiting new employees,” he said.

Ikwaye agreed that the courts have been flooded with casual employment cases, and added that the workshop was part of creating awareness and strategies on how well the government should initiate policies that affect the business.

The workshop, which was funded by the Business Advocacy Fund (BAF), is aimed at also building capacity for its members to sustain their operations.

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

9

Retired teacher invents ways to curb exam cheating

By CAROLINE WANGECHI A retired teacher has come up with a new method that seeks to curb cheating during national examinations.

John Ndungo, a former teacher at St Agustin in Embu has come up with a computer programme that is currently in use by several schools in Kirinyaga County to test its practicability.

Ndungo was motivated when he saw a circular from Education Ministry asking teachers to familiarise themselves with computer operations.

He later got a scholarship to study computer science at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), where he graduated with a degree.

Ndungo says that after the four years at JKUAT, he went back to his former school, St Agustin, where he was appointed as the Director of Studies.

Training

“With that position, I was able to put my computer skills into practice. A computer class was also started to make sure that teachers streamline their lesson plans through computer training,” he explains.

Ndungo says that in 2010 he came up with formulae on learning habits outlined in books that included synergic simulations in schools, simulations in computer method, simulations in synergic thinking, syllabus instructions to computer technology habits that were a culmination of 13 years in research on computer skills in primary and secondary schools in Ke-

nya.

“I also came up with several guide books on computer studies that have proved a success when used on learners,” he notes.

According to Ndungo, telling a teacher to be computer literate is not enough because majority will only acquire packages that everybody else has.

Guideline

“The government needs to come up with clear guidelines on how computer learning can become a success in schools,” he observes.

Ndungo has been able to put up computer centres in Ishiara, Embu and Kianyaga where teachers can acquire skills.

He says that teaching is supposed to be taken beyond chalkboard learning and converted to computer technology if Vision 2030 is to be realised.

He said that cheating in exams can be a thing of the past if schools adopt this technology.

“I have been able to invent a programme that has been used during mock examinations and we ascertained that it can help curb cheating as students do not need writing pads,” he said.

According to Ndungo, students can enrol in the programme right from standard one to university level.

He has been able to train over 300 teachers and over 100 nurses.

John Ndungo demonstrating how the computer program works. Below, a teacher being trained on computer technology. Pictures: Caroline Wangechi

School wants KituiKibwezi road diverted

By BONIFACE MULU The government has been called upon to change the route of the Kitui -Kibwezi road from the Isaangwa Primary School in Kitui District to accommodate the learning institution. The call was made by the Green Africa Foundation Managing Director, Dr. Isaac P.Kalua.

The Kitui - Kibwezi road which is being constructed by the government, is passing through the compound and buildings of the school. “When that road passes within this school, this school will no longer be there,” Kalua regretted. The managing director at the same time blamed some parents in the Kitui County who do not take the education of their children seriously.

“The children of the Kitui County have learning talents and they should learn like the other Kenyan children,” he said. He was

speaking to the pupils, parents and teachers of the Isaangwa Primary School when he launched a solar lantern project at the school on behalf of the Green Africa Foundation. He donated ten solar lanterns worth 20,000 shillings to the school’s most needy families for the benefits of their (the families) children. Kalua said that the teachers can not improve the education without being backed by parents and other education stakeholders.

Water

He said that he has plans to provide the people of the Isaangwa village and the neighbouring villages with enough water through the partnership with some donors. The head teacher of the Isaangwa Primary School, Mr. Johannes Wambua, said that the solar lantern project will greatly help the academic performance at the learning institution.

He highly thanked Kalua for his continued assistance to the school citing the donations of bicycles and textbooks to the school’s needy pupils and conservation of the school’s compound environment by planting plenty of trees in the compound. Wambua disclosed that the school, which was started in 1985, has 247 pupils, 15 teachers and two pre-school teachers. The school’s management committee chairman David Mutinda also thanked Kalua for the support.

Addressing the function, the local District Environment Officer, Mr. Boniface M.Mutinda, said that it is the responsibility of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to ensure that the environment is conserved. “We recognise what the Green Africa Foundation is doing in the area,” Mutinda said.

He asked everybody to plant trees to conserve the environment.

Primary school girls to benefit from free sanitary towels

By Kariuki Mwangi The ministry of education plans to distribute free sanitary towels to all schools in the country to avoid cases where girls miss classes during their menstrual cycle.

Education Minister Mutula Kilonzo has said that the ministry has already been allocated Ksh 2.6 billion to implement the initiative but is yet to receive the funds.

Speaking in Masinga Girl’s Secondary School during the commissioning of various education projects, Mutula said that the lack of sanitary towels in schools has been a major impediment to the improvement of girl child education.

Equality

“Article 53 of the new constitution stipulates that all the children have equal rights and thus girls should not miss class for lack of sanitary towels,” he said, adding that once all the funds are released the towels will be disbursed annually.

Mutula pointed out that in the arid

and semi arid areas of the country, mostly inhabited by the pastoralist communities, the government has been forced to also distribute undergarments as most of the people cannot afford them.

Mutula at the same time called on the President to assent to the National Examination Bill which he says seeks to seal loopholes that create room for exam cheating.

“It is wrong to punish students and leave examination council officials who are responsible for leakage,” he posed.

“The current crop of candidates should sit their KCSE under the new laws, and I plead with the President and the Prime Minister to enact the law before August,” he said, adding that never again should a child be punished for alleged cheating while the culprit who stole the paper walks away free.

“Under the new law all the children are the same. We should no longer hear of children learning in makeshift structures in the name of classrooms,” he posed, adding that teachers will also be treated with respect.

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ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Geothermal set to meet Keep away from drugsstudents urged rising energy demands

By Larry Kimori

Kenya is set to see an improvement in supply and reliability of electric power through accelerated geothermal development to meet the rising energy demands.

The Geothermal Development Company Managing Director, Dr Silas Simiyu, disclosed that the completed surface exploration from Lake Magadi to Lake Turkana revealed the country’s enormous potential for geothermal energy, which stands at over 10,000 megawatts.

Growth

Dr Simiyu said that the vast geothermal resources would be exploited to meet the country’s energy demands and steer the growth of industries in order to meet Vision 2030 goals.

Speaking during this year’s Nakuru ASK Show, the MD noted that Menengai has a potential of 1,200 megawatts, which would go directly to the national grid to ease the country’s need for electricity.

Dr Simiyu noted that the company has drilled six wells in Menengai, adding that four of them have a capacity of 24 Megawatts.

The MD also noted that in order to circumvent the long gestation periods in streaming geothermal electricity to the national grid, GDC will be installing modular power plants before the end of the year.

Drilling

Dr. Simiyu said that GDC expects two deep drilling rigs this financial year, aimed at reducing drilling costs, which, in turn, would reduce electricity tariffs passed to the consumers.

An additional two rigs would be set up in the Bogoria-Silale Block that has a potential of 3000 megawatts.

GDC is tasked to develop 5000 megawatts by 2030 to drive the country’s economic progression and people’s quality of life.

Dr Simiyu exuded confidence in the geothermal sector in developing resources to put power in the grid for the country’s economic growth.

Beyond electricity, Geothermal Development Company (GDC) is introducing something fresh to this enterprise – a direct utilization of geothermal resources.

Dr Simiyu disclosed that the company intends to utilize the direct heat of geothermal fluids to operate grain driers, milk pasteurizers, for the processing of hides and skins and in greenhouse heating.

Dr Simiyu observed that GDC would also tap on bi-products, like sulfur and carbon dioxide, for industrial use.

The MD noted that communities stand a great chance to benefit from investment approaches designed for tourist enterprises, such as hot pools and saunas.

He disclosed that the company would drill highend wells in Lake Bogoria, making use of the geysers in spas as tourist attractions that would, in turn, earn the country foreign exchange.

Dr Simiyu further noted that since geothermal generates immense water, GDC would provide the same for irrigation schemes in the dry regions where it has operations.

He revealed that irrigation would boost food security and improve the economic status of people living in those areas.

The MD said that the GDC business development model is to encourage participation by communities into the geothermal economy through groups and cooperatives.

Strategy

He said that this strategy would hugely tame the runaway rural-urban migration and check poverty and starvation, consequently allowing the rural economy to thrive.

In pastoralist communities, the MD said that the company would initiate the development of industries that leverage on geothermal development, like meat processing.

Dr Simiyu noted that the generation of power for captive industries would attract these industries to move to where it has generation points in order to cut transmission costs, which could create several metropolises in those regions.

Commenting on the Vision 2030 flagship project, Lamu Port Southern Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET), Dr Simiyu said that GDC would generate power to run the rail line connecting these countries and pump fuel from Southern Sudan to Lamu.

On the other hand, the MD said that the transport sector in the country would see an introduction of electric trains to ease transport and reduce road carnage.

On devolution of counties, Dr Simiyu said that GDC would leverage carbon credit earnings by registering these projects to benefit communities directly managed by the county assembly.

The MD disclosed that the company would receive $11 per megawatt of carbon credits,which would go directly into improving the counties that GDC operates in.

By BEN ONYANGO

Titus Naikuni, Kenya Airways CEO, addressing students during a recent event.

Picture: Reject correspondent

The Kenya Airways CEO, Mr Titus Naikuni, has called upon school children to keep off drugs if they wanted to succeed in their education.

Mr Naikuni, who was speaking at Ongora Primary School in Rongo Constituency, Migori County said that drug abuse remained one of the biggest challenges to the students, as it was impossible for them to be on drugs and concentrate on their education at the same time.

Choices

“Students have to learn to make the right choices while still having the chance,” he said, adding that it was only when they kept off drugs that they manage to concentrate on their studies and get better results.

At the same time, the KQ boss called for more efforts to be put into combating drug use in schools across the country. He says that drug remained one of the biggest challenges facing Kenyan schools.

“It is time we realize how bad the drugs

affect our students,” he said, adding that the fight against drugs needed cooperation from all the parties involved,including: teachers, students, parents and the relevant government agencies.

Solution

He further decried the increase in drug use among students, especially those in urban areas, noting that it was important that the issue is immediately addressed to stop it from getting worse.

Earlier, Naikuni had opened two new classrooms funded by Kenya Airways (to the tune of over 2 million shillings). He announced that he will construct another classroom within the school to make sure that the pupils had a place to learn.

Speaking at the same forum, the area MP, who is also the Public Service Minister, Dalmas Otieno, who had accompanied Naikuni, called upon parents to take an active role in developing schools.

Nyeri churches devise ways to curb attacks

By ALLAN MURIMI Fear of terror attacks has forced churches in the Central and Eastern Regions to be creative, with some using camcorder cameras to record those going in. Ushers in other churches are not worshipping with the congregation, and have allocated their own time to be on the lookout during prayers.

At the Nyamachaki Pentecostal Church of East Africa in Nyeri, the Reject found a watchman recording those going into the church. The guard, David Mwangi, was trained on how to operate the camera by the church, and he recorded everyone going in.

He said that he makes records of the congregation as they enter the church, and is stationed there until the service ends at around one O’clock.

Recording

“The church has not purchased metal detectors and we are using only one door where there is another camera recording those going in,” he said. There were four armed administration officers stationed at the church gate, but they were not checking the congregation.

The congregation has also been asked

to watch out for worshippers who could be entering and leaving the church, said Mr. Mwangi.

At the Great Commission Center in Embu North District, the ushers were being used to check the bags of worshippers. Pastor James Mugo said no police have been posted at the church, but that the ushers have been trained to check the bags with care.

“We have not seen any police within the vicinity of the church, but we have organized for the ushers to have their own time to worship,” he said. The pastor added that the ushers do not pray with the congregation, saying that the prayer time is the time when there is vulnerability.

Caution

“The ushers have to keep their eyes open as the congregation worships, as we cannot all close our eyes at the same time. We have to provide our own security,” he added.

Pastor Mugo said the churches in the area are comfortable, but called on the government to deploy police in civilian clothes and armed with concealed detectors. He said there is need for more intelligence gathering to prevent attacks,adding that the presence of armed officers may deter attacks in main

churches but the smaller churches also need security.

At the Our Lady of Consolata Catholic Church in Nyeri, the Reject spotted two armed police officers at the gate.

There were also two security guards armed with metal detectors checking those going into worship.

The police say they have deployed officers in all places of worship following the attacks at two churches in Garissa, where 17 people died recently.

Eastern police boss Marcus Ochola said that the plain clothed officers were sent to places of worship, where they positioned themselves in strategic places. He also said that the officers were being supervised to ensure they do not leave their designated areas.

Central police spokesman John Katumo said that four officers were sent to each church across the region to tighten security.

The Embu police boss, Gasper Makau, said that four uniformed officers and two plain clothed detectives were sent to the churches. He added the officers were ordered to remain in the places of worship, even after the congregation had left.

With the rising number of terror attacks in worship places it is no longer business as usual in most churches.

Picture: Reject correspondent

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Women must read the Political parties’ manifestos

Women in Coast province need political parties that have women issues clearly stipulated in their manifestos yet most of them have not read the document

By Carolyne Oyugi

Drugs, unemployment and land have been cited as the most crucial issues affecting coastal citizens.

The parliament committee on administration and security heard that over 90 percent of youth (mostly unemployed) within the province were drug addicts - a percentage that is threatening the population of the next generation.

“The government knows who the drug barons are and the origin of the drug and thus should apprehend the culprit to curb the vice,” explained Hassan Mohammed Hassan from the old town.

At the same time, Likoni councilor Hemed Salama, backed by various youth, caused a stir during the meeting after he inquired on the whereabouts of the Sultan Agreement that was drafted years back.

Representation

The political parties act requires the parties to have clear manifesto and demonstrate how they will work and represent a national face.

One of the women interviewed by Reject reporter Mwanaisha Zawadi a resident of Malindi district is not even aware that such a thing exists.

Zawadi already has a political party in mind which she will vote come the next elections but apart from the name of the party and the leader, she knows nothing more about it.

Zawadi represents majority of the women in her area and to them they have no business reading the manifestos.

Agreement

He wondered why the government had turned a deaf ear on the agreement, knowing that it was signed and agreed upon by the leaders of this country.

At one point the committee had to be defended by an old town resident of Asian origin, who stood up to face the charged crowd and informed them that they were directing their anger to the wrong people - the committee were only messengers sent to collect views.

The deputy chairman said that they were sent by Parliament to investigate the reasons leading to the existence of the MRC after two MPs (Jeremiah Kioni (UDF) Ndaragwa and Ababu Namwamba Budalangi (ODM)) presented two different motions before Parliament on the Mombasa Republic Council and the need to address their grievances.

Concern

Issues

According to Amina every voter and especially women must read the parties manifestos to ensure that their issues are addressed.

In Kenya, the choice of one’s political party is crucial in an election. Political parties are necessary for the process of institutionalizing and sustaining democracy. In fact, developing political parties is one of the basic challenges facing Kenya’s multiparty democracy.

Political parties have become vehicles to attain political office with individuals owing no allegiance to them. There is need, therefore, for members of political parties in Kenya to understand the meaning of a party.

Many problems within political parties seem to arise because individuals who form them have not discussed and come to a consensus on the meaning of a party in general and their individual parties in particular.

Even after the introduction of the new legislation governing political parties, confusion, indiscipline and wrangling is still rampant in these outfits.

“A political party cannot be a political party without a manifesto,” said Millicent Odhiambo an aspiring governor for Mombasa County. “It will remain a party without a stand and focus and react to events initiated by others without being able to set its own agenda. Many registered political parties in Kenya remain without manifestos. Some manifestos are really not party manifestos because they were written by a few individuals – and sometimes foreigners and are never studied, discussed, comprehended and im-

Coast residents want drug barons arrested

By ANDANJE WAKHUNGU

Kenyan Coasts Residents have for a long time complained of being sidelined when the rest of the country is sharing the national cake. Women have however bore the brunt than their male counterparts in a region where women are not recognized.

Apart from being poor, there are many coastal women who are also illiterate and can not make a decision without consulting with their husbands.

As Kenya approaches the election period the sad reality is that most women have not taken their time to read the political parties’ manifestos so as to choose which party will serve them better.

Amina Abdallah who aspires to be the Kisauni Mp is also worried that Coastal women may not be able to acquire at least one third representation which has been provided by the constitution.

“No political party barres anyone, including women, from joining the parties. However, deliberate mechanism/strategy needs to be put in place to encourage more women to join and participate actively in parties in line with the affirmative action principle and go beyond the minimum thresholds,” she said adding that as much as the constitution has provided them the opportunity they can not be spoon fed.

“Apart from the women representation the men will not sit back and allow us to occupy the seats as they watch. We must therefore be informed and prepared,” she said while addressing women in a leadership forum in Mombasa.

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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Mwanaisha Zawadi and her child waiting to be attended to at Malindi District Hospital.

Millicent Odhiambo, aspiring Governor for Mombasa County. Women in Coast province are gearing up to vote come the next general elections yet they do not know what is contained in the political parties’ manifestos.

Pictures: Carolyne Oyug bued by the vast majority of the members, including the leadership” she added.

Although the leadership of all political parties is composed of members from the diverse ethnic groups of the country, they are still distinguished not by ideologies but by personalities who lead them and their ethnic base. Hitherto, political parties in Kenya hardly distinguish between their members and their voters, between the party and the masses who identify with it, between holders of party cards and actual members of the party.

Health

Zawadi who was attending a post natal clinic during the interview, wants a political party that ensures will ensure her health issues especially reproductive health issues are addressed.

She had to travel for approximately 10kilometres to get the essential services. “If our leaders can give our needs first priorities then most of our problems are sorted,” she said.

Although Zawadi has good wishes, this can only be achieved by voting people who have women issues in mind and this starts from the parties manifesto.

According to Daisy Amdany, programmes coordinator and board member of the Women’s Political

“Apart from the women representative seats the men will not sit back and allow us to occupy the seats as they watch.

We must therefore be informed and prepared.”

— Amina Abdhalla

Alliance. What most women do not know is, if gender is not one of the guiding principles of the Party then it will be treated as a peripheral rather than mainstream issue/agenda in Political Parties operations.

Coast province has a low literacy level of 55.95% and women take the most of this percentage a situation that made Coast Rights Forum to point out that there is need to translate pertinent information into user friendly languages such as Swahili and Giriama for development of democracy in the country.

Network

CRF is a coalition of thirteen civil society organizations with a network of over two thousand community based organization in the seven districts of the Coast Province of Kenya The group emphasizes that real political parties should be based on defined ideologies that expound internal democracy as necessary as the new constitution and legislation regulating conduct of political parties.

The current political parties will transform themselves into real political parties if they address, among others, membership needs, aspirations and strict adherence to the legislation governing operations of political parties. Kenyans have to be vigilant and struggle to defend their democratic gains while striving for a better society.

Views

The two committees later met in Nairobi with all the Coastal MPs to get their views on the existence of the outfit.

“We also met Mzalendo Kibunja of the National Cohesion and Integration Committee (NCIC), who has also investigated the claims of the MRC before meeting the late internal security Minister on the same,” he explained He added that they had split into two, with the other team of experts headed to Lamu then KwaleKilifi then Malindi, after which they will draft a report to be tabled before parliament for investigations and further implementations.

“As we have heard here that employment opportunities need to be given an affirmative action and the land issue needs to be handled by the Ministry of Lands as soon as possible.”

12

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

County council accused of sleeping on the job

By CAROLINE WANGECHI

Residents of Mwea are blaming Kirinyaga County Council for laxity in solid waste management.

The residents complain that the area is littered with waste material as council workers had abandoned their work of keeping the town clean.

According to Stephen Maina, area resident, the town is ever dirty as the council lacks the commitment to maintain it.

He noted that the drainage system was poor and has been clogged up by waste materials that include plastic bags.

By ODHIAMBO ODHIAMBO MPs from Southern Nyanza have been criticised for skipping a peace workshop in Migori Town, despite being invited.

The leaders failed to attend the meeting that brought together leaders from Migori County to discuss ways of fostering coexistence between communities living in the area during and after the general elections.

The one-day workshop, organised by African Centre for Volunteers (ACV), a non-governmental organisation was called to explore ways of having a participatory, free and fair general election in the area, which is mapped as one of the violence hotspots in the country.

“We needed all political leaders to be here because they are often the triggers of violence during political competition,” said Erastus Omondi Otieno, Executive Director of ACV. “But we will not be held back in our peace initiatives by their absence. We will continue to sensitise the locals to embrace peace as well as unity and also shun leaders who preach violence and divisive politics,” he added.

Otieno observed that conflict has always characterized Kenya’s electioneering periods.

Garbage

“Kirinyaga County Council has not been collecting garbage.

Plastic bags are strewn all over to the extent that even water drainage systems are now blocked,” he said.

Maina noted that other problems have resulted from poor management of waste water from rental houses, car wash and hotels which end up in Thiba River.

However, Maina uses the waste-water to plant trees and sweet potatoes that are he sells despite the health hazards that the water poses.

Dilemma

“I find it convenient to use the waste water since the river is very far to provide clean water for my trees and other food crops that I sell,” he says adding that he is aware of the threat this poses to consumers.

Another farmer, Samson Mwangangi, notes that the waste-water is a health hazard as it drains to River Thiba that supplies water to over 20,000 people downstream.

Mwangangi observes that while the council is partly to blame poor waste management, the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) has failed to crack the whip on polluters and the council.

Violence

Laxity

He notes that failure by NEMA to enforce environmental regulations had left the residents at the mercy of the council and polluters.

“NEMA and the Department of Public Health must act now to avert any possible outbreak of water borne diseases,” said Heaps of garbage has become a dominant feature in Mwea Division of Kirinyaga District. The Mwangangi. council has been blamed for laxity and failing to collect garbage heaps despite collecting Mwea MP Peter Gitau accused the levies from the residents. Below: A private truck that has been hired by residents with support council of laxity and alleged that the land from the area MP Peter Gitau to collect garbage in the area. meant for the construction of a proper Pictures: Joseph Mukubwa sewerage system in the town was sold by a former Kirinyaga town clerk to private developers.

21 days or face stern action. area was transferred to a private developer who Gitau said that at one point he was forced to has built residential houses in the disputed plot,” hire a lorry and people to clean the town when he alleged Gitau. made a visit.

The clerk blamed the residents for poor state The current clerk to council, Johnston AriThe Mp reiterated the fact that the council is of the town and accused them of failing to comithi, said that he is aware that the land meant for supposed to use the levies collected from busiply with the council’s notices. He noted that the the construction of a sewerage system was sold nesses in the town to clean up the town. civic body had hired two motorcycle carts that saying that investigations have been launched. will be used to empty the bins on a daily basis as The council has deployed an administration they collect litter twice a week. officer on the ground to verify the claims. HowHe called for investigations to ensure that the “We have hired a motorcycle cart that will be ever, he observed that contrary to what the resiland earmarked for the construction of a sewerused to ferry the litter on a daily basis to the dumpdents are saying, the council has been collecting age system reverts back to the council. site,” stressed Ariithi. litter.

“The former clerk to the council should be He pointed out that the town was poorly Ariithi also added that the council has issued compelled to explain how land meant for the planned, a factor that made the cleaning exernotices to rental house owners to comply with a construction of a sewerage system in Gathigiriri cises impossible as the area lacks good roads. directive on effective waste water disposal within

Compliance

Recover

MPs shun a peace meeting in Migori

“Although the scale varies, cases of violence have had far reaching effects including death, displacement and destruction of property. This cannot be tolerated,” he noted.

The invited MPs’ who failed to show up included Dalmas Otieno (Rongo), John Pesa (Migori), Cyprian Ojwang’ (Uriri), Edick Anyanga (Nyatike) and Wilfred Machage (Kuria).

However, officials of ODM, Kanu and UDF political parties attended the function and signed a peace memorandum binding them to keep peace during the polls.

Former Energy Assistant Minister Shadrack Manga noted that peace was paramount for the county to achieve Vision 2030, and asked leaders to avoid causing unnecessary tribal conflicts between Kenyans.

He explained that fears of marginalization by the majorities still existed in some counties, including Migori.

Participants criticized Parliament for the slow passage of bills aimed at effecting the implementation of the new Constitution.

They urged the MPs to take their work seriously and stop mutilating “the letter and spirit of the new laws”.

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Farming after retirement offers ex-chief better prospects

By KARIUKI MWANGI Agriculture has always been regarded as the economic back bone of our country. This can perhaps explain why a retired senior chief has invested in farming to provide for his family and contribute towards economic development.

Patrick Njagi, a retired senior chief of Kithungururu sub-location in Ngandori Location, Embu West District, specializes in bee and fish farming besides producing other agricultural products to sustain his family.

Njagi told the Reject that since his retirement in 2008, he has engaged in coffee, maize, arrow root, banana, macadamia and bee farming, whose products he has been selling to earn a living.

Long journey

“My long journey in farming business started in 2008, after my pension was delayed for a year to the point that I did not have money to sustain my family. It is then that I realised I was sitting on gold mine that was craving for exploitation,” he explains.

Njagi notes that part of his land had potential for fish farming as it was very swampy. He decided to put up a fish pond and try his luck and invested over 500 fingerlings, 100 of which were mad fish and the rest Tilapia.

Since then, he has never looked back and estimates that currently the fish pond has over 5,000 fish, which he harvests every five months.

“I harvest fish after every five months, some of which is consumed by my family and the rest is sold locally,” he says, adding that the last time he harvested 300 fish and sold them at between KSh50 and KSh100 each.

Maintainance

Njagi has found fish farming to be one of the easiest income generating activities since they do not require much work to maintain.

Apart from engaging in fish farming, Njagi also has more than 28 traditional bee hives. He harvests more than 20 jerri cans of honey which he sells at KSh4,500 per jerri can annually.

He always gets a ready market for

13

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

the honey. It is natural and he only harvests very little honey during the dry seasons as compared to the rainy seasons.

Njagi cannot compare his revenue with what he previously earned as a chief.

He is happy that he has been able to influence other people on the best ways to earn a living through farming.

By CAROLINE WANGECHI Maize farmers in Kirinyaga County are counting losses following an outbreak of a strange disease that has caused the crop to wither.

Luke Mwaniki, a farmer, says that the disease has caused leaves of the crop to dry up while still young and green.

Symptoms

Diversity

“The strange disease has adversely affecting my maize. I planted in March and the crop was doing well until the disease struck,” says Mwaniki. He adds: “I noticed that the leaves were turning yellow-brown, and as a result drying while still young.”

Mwaniki reported the matter to the Kirinyaga East District Agricultural Officer, who visited his farm and took samples of the affected maize.

He estimates to have lost approximately 80 per cent of the crop adding that he will not harvest anything this season.

“This is a great loss since and translates to total crop failure,” added Mwaniki.

Mwaniki also said that he applied normal manure after planting and later used fertilizer after being advised by the area agricultural officer, saying that he cannot deduce the reason as to why his maize is drying.

“I have been encouraging other farmers to stop relying on maize and beans alone and also diversify so that they can earn a living from various channels,” he says. He sells fingerlings at an affordable price of KSh10 per each.

The retired chief has also been engaging himself in Macadamia farming, where he currently has 35 trees of the nut. Each tree produces 200 kilogrammes of macadamia nuts, which, with a good market, fetches him a lot of money.

“Even when the cost of the macadamia is at its lowest (KSh50), I still have some money from my trees and I am able to support my family even after retirement,” he reiterates.

Arrow roots

Njagi has set aside a small portion of about quarter an acre for arrow root farming. He harvests the plant after every six months and gets close to six buckets. Since venturing into arrow root farming, Njagi has never gone to the shop to buy bread.

The retired civil servant also has close to over 2,000 stems of coffee.

A father of ten children, some of whom have since been married, while two of them are in secondary school, Njagi says he has been able to pay for their school fees from the mixed farming.

He challenges the youths who are unemployed to invest in farming, adding that farmers should stop farming solely for consumption and instead view farming as a source of income.

“People should manage their farms well and use proper farming techniques so that they can achieve the proper yields at the end of the

Strange disease hits maize crops in Kirinyaga

Experience

He said this is the first time that he has experienced such a blow, 40 years since he started farming as the disease has spread through his eight acre farm.

Area District Agricultural Officer Stephen Baru said that they have taken samples in the affected farms to find out the actual cause of the disease.

The officers also took soil samples to see whether the drying could have resulted from soil acidity.

“As the ministry of Agriculture, we have taken samples from his farm and KARI has also done that to help us in know what is causing the maize to dry up,” added Baru.

Patrick Njagi in his farm in Embu West district. He ventured in farming after retirement and has never looked back.

Pictures: Kariuki Mwangi. year,” Njagi.

notes

Kutus in need of quality health care services

By CAROLINE WANGECHI Health care remains a challenge to the residents of Kutus town in Kirinyaga County due to lack health facilities in the area.

Kutus town which falls under Mwea Constituency does not have a health facility and the nearest health centre is in pathetic condition.

MDGs

As the country grapples with realisation of Millennium Development Goals, especially goal number five, area Member of Parliament Peter Gitau has disbursed KSh1 mil-

lion through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to assist in the rehabilitation of the facility and construction of a maternity ward. This will bring health services closer to wananchi.

Shortage

The health centre, which serves over 50,000 residents, has only two nurses and one clinical officer. The hospital management would like another four nurses to assist the team in offering quality services to Kutus town and its environs.

The maternity ward will be constructed at a cost of KSh300,000 to help reduce maternal deaths as well as number of mothers deliver-

ing at home due to lack of a facility.

“I am giving this money for the construction of a maternity ward since there is no mother who is supposed to deliver at home, by the roadside or die while giving birth for lack of a maternity ward,” observed Gitau.

He noted that the nearest health facility is in Kerugoya, where a number of cases are referred for lack of better equipment and manpower. He said once the facility is completed, residents can access quality health care promptly.

Children’s wards

“I am calling on the clinical officer incharge to make sure that there will be con-

struction of a children’s ward since many patients are referred to Kerugoya District Hospital for specialised treatment,” urged Gitau.

He said the facility will fenced off to keep criminals at bay.

Gitau urged the Ministry of Medical Services to equip the facility with enough staff to enable the residents access its services.

“I urge Medical Services Minister Prof Anyang Nyong’o to equip the facility with beds to enhance its capacity to handle emergency cases,” reiterated Gitau.

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ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Advanced plans to fence Mt. Kenya forests Evicted Ogiek squatters die in forest camp

By DAVID KIRWA

By JOSEPH MUKUBWA The fencing of Mt Kenya and Mau Eburu forest is set to kick off at any time. According to Christian Lambrechts, Rhino Ark Executive Director, the project which targets the two major towers is set to cost over KSh1.1 billion.

Speaking recently during the flagging of a relay run at the Aberdares Forest by the Rhino Ark patron Charles Njonjo, Lambrechts said that Mt Kenya Forest needs KSh1 billion to fence 400 kilometres, which will take about five years.

Most of the funds are available for the project after the government promised to release KSh100 million for Mt Kenya Forest.

The project involves Rhino Ark, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and the local community.

The funds have been raised from donors, Rhino Ark and Government.

“I am optimistic that the work will be complete within five years despite challenges of heavy terrain, deep valley and resistance by some community members. Mt Kenya forest brings about KSh56 billion economically per year and so we must conserve the flora and fauna,” said Lambrechts.

Mt Kenya forest is a major water tower, with its rivers draining in to River Tana, whose water is used for hydro power production. The forest touches parts of Embu, Chuka, Chogoria, Timau, Nanyuki, Narumoru and Ragati, among other areas.

Conflict

This will also help end human/ wildlife conflict and also boost food production in the area as well as raise land value in the neighbouring community.

Meanwhile, Mau Eburu Forest, which is part of Mau forest, needs a 50 kilometre fence that is estimated

An electric fence similar to the one that will be erected at Mt Kenya forest and Mau Eburu. Rhino Ark Executive director Christian Lambrechts (left) chats with an official from KWS official Paul Mbugua at Aberdere forest recently during the flagging off of the forest relay. Pictures: Joseph Mukubwa at a cost of KSh100 million within 18 months.

Others present during the function were Lord Aberdare, Rhino Ark Chairman Colin Church, Area DC Abdi Mohammed and KWS official

Paul Mbugua.

The flagging of the relay was meant to raise funds to help maintain the 400 kilometre Aberdare forest.

Sixty schools around Aberdare forest will participate in the exercise.

Concoction provides remedy for ticks

By LUCKYLAND CHEBUKWA Controlling ticks on her animals was once a nightmare for PhaniceOsiako’s. Today it has turned into a source of income for the livestock keeper who hails from Kakamega County.

Ms.Osiako is the local tick buster. Armed with a concoction prepared from a plant known locally as Masambu (scientific name Tephrosiavogelii), a purple flowered plant that grows in the bush, she goes after the pests on the livestock reared in her Shikoti Village. She is paid Ksh10 for every animal that she sprays.

Ticks cause huge direct and indirect losses to cattle farmers. They transmit a large number of parasites that are responsible for dangerous diseases, such as East Coast Fever (ECF), Anaplasmosis, Babeosis, and Heart Water, among others.

Report

According to a report by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), farmers in East and Central Africa lose more than 300 million dollars (Ksh195 billion) a year to East Coast Fever (ECF) alone. Even without causing diseases, their bites can cause wounds on the skin and reduce the quality of the hide.

The most common methods of tick control consist of dipping or spraying cattle with acaricides or through grazing management. However, ticks are difficult pests to eradicate due their ability to develop resistance to the drugs used to control them.

Demonstrating the huge power that information has, Ms.Osiako is one of the farmers who are leading the fight against ticks. Now, farmers from the area use less acaricides to control the ticks. The fight against ticks in the area has gone green, using natural control methods.

It all began with an encounter between her group and Alfred Amusibwa, an extension worker from The Organic Farmer, a monthly magazine that is distributed to farmers’ groups.

“There are many useful plants in our sur-

roundings, but most farmers do not know about their benefits,” says Mr.Amusibwa. The farmers were trained on pest control using locally available plants.

Solution

One of the useful plants that they learnt about is Tephrosia, which Ms.Osiako and a few other farmers tried out and found to be effective. The ticks dropped from the cow’s skin and died as soon as they had contact with the solution.

Besides translating into a saving for the farmers, since they do not have to bear the cost of buying chemicals against the ticks anymore, this new tact is environmentally friendly.

However, many small-scale farmers across Kenya have little chance of learning such innovative, cost-effective eco-friendly solutions right under their noses, to challenges that they face daily, thanks to a weak government agricultural extension system.

Analysts say that it is smallholder farmers who hold the key to improved agricultural productivity, and hence food security in the country. However, they are hampered in playing this role by poor access to the improved agricultural practices that are constantly being developed by researchers.

It is this gap in the flow of information that organisations such as The Organic Farmer are attempting to bridge.

Information

It was founded six years ago, to provide relevant, reliable and ecologically sound information which is both appropriate and applicable for farmers in East Africa.

Apart from the 20,000 copies of The Organic Farmer magazine that is distributed free to farmers’groups across the country, the organization runs a weekly 15 minute radio programme, which goes by the same name, and an information service through which extension officers train farmers.

“Through our eight page magazine we have

managed to bring small-scale farmers valuable information on sustainable agriculture, research and modern farming methods that are slowly transforming agriculture in rural areas in Kenya and the East African region,” says Peter Kamau, one of its editors.

Institutions

Mr. Kamau argues that a lot of agricultural information and technologies developed by research institutions do not reach farmers because of the language barrier and poor information dissemination methods.

“The Organic Farmer has bridged this information gap, enabling the transfer of technology and new agricultural innovations to many rural communities in Kenya,” he says.

According to John Cheburet, the initiative’s radio producer, the magazine is written in a simple language that gives practical tips that are not only easy to understand but also apply.

“Farmers need up to date information in order to make good decisions in the farm. They also require material that they can refer to once in a while.

Our mission is to provide this information,” he says.

Already, he adds, information has enabled farmers to increase crop yields and raised income for many rural households.

With 21,000 copies every month, the magazine is enabling farmers to access vital information and also aid in farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing. Farmers have innovations that are based on indigenous knowledge and experiences.

With the change in fortunes of Ms.Osiako and other farmers across the country, the service is already having an impact on agricultural production in the country. Thanks to it, women, who provide most of the labour in smallholder farms are being empowered.

There is only so much that organizations like the Organic Farmer and other stakeholders can do in improving agriculture growth, however, the government may see the need to synergize those efforts.

Four squatters who were evicted from Government Forest in 2006 in Nandi County have died in the past month due to an outbreak of pneumonia.

The squatters, who live in makeshift structures along a road reserve in Tindiret Constituency, succumbed to cold after heavy rains destroyed their structures in Cherobon, in Cerengonik Forest in Nandi East District.

The Chairman of the Ogiek squatters, Mr. Paul Tuwei, said that the evictees live in poor and miserable conditions after the government directed that the Ogiek squatters be evicted from public forest in Nandi County.

Mr. Tuwei named the Ogiek squatters who had died in the past one month as Evelyn Chepkosgei aged 65 years, Mary Talkuen aged 28 years, Shadrack Bett aged 56 years and Richard Cheruiyot aged 24 years.

Mobile clinic

They appealed to the government to open mobile clinics to enable them access treatment adding that they have been forced to abandon the dead in government forest since they had no land.

They also asked the government and NGOs to supply them with tents, saying that the temporary structures and shanties that they erected at Cerengonik Forest had been destroyed by the rains and that they have been rendered homeless and have to contend with cold in the night.

The officials of the Ogiek, which includes the Secretary Julius Tuwei and the Treasurer Mr. David Sirma, also asked the Red Cross and the government to supply them with enough relief maize and open mobile schools to enable their children acquire education.

They also asked the Tindiret CDF Committee to allocate some funds for the children of the Ogiek squatters and asked the area MP, Henry Kosgey, to intervene so that the children who had dropped out of school can get back.

Settle

More than 3000 squatters of Ogiek origin were forcefully evicted from public forest in Tindiret where they had lived for decades, and the government promised that they would be settled within 2 years (after the government carried out an investigation in order to kick out bogus squatters and settle the genuine ones).

The officials of the squatters said they continued to stay in a road reserve, and questioned how long the government would take to settle them.

The squatters’ spokesmen questioned why the government was putting a lot of pressure to settle the squatters from Mau Forest, yet those from Tindiret had not been settled even though they were evicted many years ago.

Mr. Tuwei said that, “we want Ogiek squatters rights to be respected so that they are also given permanent settlement just like their colleagues who had been evicted from Mau forest in Narok County.”

They added that the Ogiek are friendly to the forest and were able to feed themselves through farming, but now they had been reduced into beggars. A number of them have died since they were evicted from the forest. They currently live in places unfit for human settlement, and are tired of staying in shanties.

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

NGO intensifies campaign to stop gender based violence

By Gilbert Ochieng Western Education Advocacy and Empowerment Program (WEAWP), a Kakamega based NGO has embarked on an exercise that seeks to sensitize 100 community elders on the dangers of harmful cultural practices that promote gender based violence.

The organization’s programme officer, Silira Muganda, says initiative targets elders from Mount Elgon, Kakamega and Busia who will also sensitize other community members.

Domestic violence

He explains that about 82 percent of girls in Western Province experience domestic violence and abuse due to patriarchal society and male chauvinism.

He blames this on women’s low economic status, low literacy levels, non-enforcement of rights, unfair justice system and lack of support services which he says had continued to perpetuate the culture of impunity.

“Most girls drop out of primary and secondary schools due to increased cases of

15

early marriages and pregnancies, lack of rights knowledge and confidence, poor school environment and gender insensitive facilities and non-enforcement of readmission policy,” says the program officer.

Support

“Currently, our organization is supporting a total of 800 children annually. About 3,400 children have benefited from the organization’s services in the last three years. The organization is also supporting street children and young people to secure education and vocational training, providing rehabilitation to street children, facilitating support, enrolment of orphans, placement and increment of economic activities for affected families, especially women and building the capacity of local CBOs and government departments to improve on the lives of the disadvantaged children in the society,” she says.

The program which is funded by PATH in collaboration with APHIA plus Western Education Advocacy and Empowerment Pro-

Silira Muganda, programme officer Western Education Advocacy and Empowerment Program. The organization seeks to reduce the crimes committed towards women and girls due to their gender. Picture Gilbert Ochieng gram will run through 2012 to 2015.

The initiative seeks to promote attitude change in the society to reduce the culture of impunity against women and girls, increase community involvement in the campaign against Gender Based Violence, develop support systems and services that are gender responsive and increase of institutional strength-

ening capacity on Gender Based Violence operations.

“It is expected that at the end of the project period, men will acknowledge the rights of women and girls in the society, push for legal redress and justice for survivors of Gender Based Violence and a result based operational coordinating mechanisms set in place.

Bid to secure justice for the victims

By SHEM SUCHIA DESPITE the enactment of the Sexual Offences Act 2006, cases of sexual abuse and harassment especially targeting minors have continued unabated.

Although the laws were expected to serve as a deterrent measure to the vice, legal practitioners have been unable to secure redress for the victims especially in cases where children are involved.

Negative attitudes coupled with inconclusive investigations by the prosecution are some of the reasons that have derailed the quest for justice. In some instances, male prosecutors have become hostile during cross-examination of the victims which amounts to harassment in itself; while in other instances some do shoddy investigations and would not dare to collect crucial evidence like the victims panties.

The situation has been compounded by ignorance on the part of parents with some opting for out of court settlements with their children’s assailants. Observers have advanced that the lack of a proper model for a children’s court and the conditions in the normal courts are not conducive for children, as is the evident lack of pre and post-trail psychological and emotional counseling for the abused children have only added to the impediment of justice for the abused children.

Challenges

The success of a defilement case is determined by how the child’s evidence is secured, preserved and presented before the court. Delays in compiling of evidence at this early stage

have certainly rendered weak most cases of child abuse.

Suffice to say that although things have somewhat slowly improved, and are expected to improve the more in the advent of the new constitution and the on-going judicial and legal reforms, the abused child cannot have his smile just yet.

Child rights advocates like Mary Makokha who heads the pro-child REEP non-governmental organisation in Western Province underscore the need for hastened reforms.

Interventions

Makokha is of the view that cases of defilement should be fast-tracked because the child can easily forget relevant things like dates, the dressing type of her abuser and other things that could be crucial in her evidence.

As a strategy, REEP works directly with the child victims of abuse in securing the evidence before it is tampered with. The strategy circumvents the hurdle brought by some of the abused victims’ parents who would rather want the matter handled out of court through a compromise between the victim and her assailants.

That had been the common reality in Bu-

tula and Nambale a few years back where a culture of silence coupled with rampant poverty and ignorance saw sex offenders approaching their victims’ families with money to buy them into silence. But now this is changing with the heightened awareness.

REEP’s strategy dubbed as ‘Body Map Approach’ empowers the abused children to use their body parts in recounting when anybody makes undue move on them, other than being alert to the possibility of being abused.

For this, the children are taught of the dangers the would be abusers can exert on their physical body organs, thereby making it easier for them to remember what happened in the event of being assaulted. The approach enables the victims to tell their stores in first person voice by making reference to their body organs.

Take 14 year-old Margaret’s recollections.

She was gang-raped by five men who pulled her into a sugar plantation in Mushibiri village.

Using the Body Map Approach this is how she gave her evidence: • Her EYES saw the five man come to her • Her EARS heard one of them order the other to put on a piece of cloth on her mouth

The Sexual Offences Act of 2006 prescribes: Sentences of between 10 years and life in jail for convicted rapists, including perpetrators of incest  A minimum sentence of five years for attempted rape  Life sentence for the rape of minors 

• Her MOUTH couldn’t shout as a result • Her NOSE nearly chocked from the pungent smell of alcohol in the men’s breath.

• Her NECK was twisted and bore visible nail marks • Her BREAST pained after one of the men tried to suckle it • Her HANDS were tied behind her back by a piece of rope, such that she couldn’t move them • Her LEGS were pulled wide apart during the ordeal • Her VAGINA pained and oozed blood during the ordeal • Her FEET would not move thereafter until she got first-aid “With such an approach, the abused children are much willing to recollect their ordeal and give details with precision that are crucial in evidence,” Makokha observes.

“We get it when it is still fresh in them, just when their memory is alive.”

The outcome has been encouraging as the quality of evidence gathered has enabled her organisation win most of the over 250 child abuse cases it has brought to court in the past two years. Remarkably, she adds, even in cases where the parents of the victims would have wanted things resolved in an out-of-court settlement, it is now the children themselves who come forward to out them.

This is the gist of Makokha’s joy: that the communities are now fast at owning up on child abuse as a crime and demanding for justice.

Nevertheless, the battle is far from over.

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ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Group plans to export venom extracted from snakes

By TITUS MAERO A Kakamega Environmental Group that keeps some of the world’s most poisonous snakes plans to export venom from the deadly serpents.

The Chairman of Kakamega Environment Education Programme (KEEP) Mr Benjamin Okalo said there is high demand for venom at the international market which is used to make medicine.

Okalo said a gram of venom currently fetches more money than a gram of gold internationally.

Venom

The official said once they breed and stock more snakes they would team up with international snake handlers to extract venom from their snakes for export to get better and competitive prizes for the venom.

Okalo, who briefed reporters in Kakamega on the progress made to stock the snake farm with snakes and other animals for public viewing and research, further said they have stocked the two year farm with six different species of snakes out of the twenty species of serpents they want to keep.

During the briefing, Okalo showed reporters the snakes they have captured from Kakamega forest and its neighbourhood in different cages.

Variety

He also displayed crocodiles, tortoise, ostrich and chameleon which the farm was keeping to increase its animal bio-diversity.

The official said among the world’s most poisonous snakes at the farm include Black Mamba, Gabon Viper and Puff Adder.

Okalo pointed out that Gabon Viper is said to have migrated to Kakamega forest from Gabon in West Africa when the tropical equatorial forest from West to East Africa was still intact from human activities and erratic weather conditions.

Harmless snakes

“We are going to keep some harmless snakes such as Sandbow for people to touch while at the same time learning about snakes on the farm,” he added.

Okalo observed that such snakes play a big role in reducing rodents that eat grain in the farm and granary and advised members of the public not to kill them when they come into close contact as they are not harmful.

“I sometimes wonder why people kill harmless creatures such as chameleons,” Okalo said as he practically displayed using his bare hands.

He said the group which is also involved in planting of tree seedlings has also been making special charcoal from dry leaves and waste paper to reduce dependence on wood fuel to save Kakamega forest from extinction.

St Francis Xavier Chapel still stands 513 years on

By Carolyne Oyugi Malindi is one of the most popular

tourist destination in Kenya .it is a historic Swahili town dating back to the 12th C and a modern tourist center with resorts, shopping and white sandy beaches .

The residents are very friendly and everyone you meet seems to be pleased to meet you.

The most fascinating part of history in Malindi is that you can actually see and touch what you hear.

One of the oldest churches in East and Central African, Church of St. Francis Xavier, is still in use in Malindi with the original walls still standing.

The little chapel that stands about 100 metres from the waterline at Shella is said to be the oldest Christian chapel in East Africa .

The church is situated next to hotels and a night club. It is sandwiched between residential houses and if not for the sign board at the gate you may confuse it for an abandoned home where everyone has died and has been turned to a grave site.

Walls

The chapel was built by Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in 1498 before St. Francis Xavier visited Malindi in 1542 .The walls have defied age and still stands strong.

According to the caretaker of this chapel Masha Bendrick, the explorer buried two sailors who died on his ship within this compound.

The chapel now St Francis Xavier Chapel, under the Catholic Diocese of Malindi initially was built to serve only 60 Christians. “That was the entire population in the East African Coast,” he said.

The southeast wall had a crucifix painted by the Portuguese. Outside the Chapel was a graveyard of Portuguese tombstones, but today there are many modern graves.

Graves

Masha Bendrick the caretaker of St Francis Xhavier chapel in Malindi pointing at where church offerings were kept in this old church. Local people believe that the church has stood the taste of time for more than five centuries because of its connections with the saint.

Pictures: Carolyne Oyugi

he explained adding that that is how worship was practiced before the Vatican ruled that priests should always say Mass facing the congregation.

In this church there is also a hole in the wall that was used to keep offerings. “People just put offerings there and it was safe unlike nowadays where there money has to be taken very good care of,” said Masha.

Concealed

Among them is the grave of Malindi pioneer Commander Lawford of Lawford Hotel and J. Bell Smith, the first British administrator in Malindi who died in 1894.

One of the graves is the last resting place of Charles Arnold Frank Mathews, buried in 1968. He was the son of Canon Mathew, a pioneer tea grower in Kericho and had gone to Malindi on holiday when he drowned while swimming.

Masha who has worked here for more than 20 years took me through the graves one by one telling me who is buried in them.

The church’s 2feet wall was originally built from sand and corals, makuti (palm tree leaves) roofs. The roof is usually replaced after every 6-7 months to maintain its looks.

The church which is noticeably small was built that way by design.

First there were no many Christians then and second the size made it easy for it to be hidden in the forest without being noticed by the authority which was mostly Arabic Muslims.

“This church is the same way it was 513 years ago. We have renovated some part of it but it still looks the same,” said Masha There is a small opening through the wall which is big from inside and small on the outside. The hole was made for security. Just like in Forte Jesus the Portuguese used it to peep out incase of an attack.

People now travel from all over the world to wed in this small church because they believe that St Francis Xhaviers powers still exist in that church since he visited it.

Its floor was originally just sand but has now been cemented. “St Anthony’s Church donated these palm tree stem seats for the church ten years ago,” said Masha.

One thing that is very conspicuous in that church is that the positioning of the altar, it faces away from the congregation.

Noticing the question marks on my face, Masha , a very jovial man took me through how the old church conducted their prayers. “Everyone faced one direction with the presiding priest’s back to the worshippers,”

People also meet for over night prayers and fasting with a strong believe that their prayers will be heard.

Saint Francis Xhavier died in Dec 3, 1552 at the age of 46 years, seven months and twenty six days, of which he had spent 10 years and 7 months minus 4 days in Asia according to the history of the Catholic Church.

He fell ill with a fever which lasted 13 day and finally succumbed in the night between Dec 2 and Dec 3.

The next day his body was given a lowly burial of the poor, on the beach

Floor

Believe

of Sancian off the coast of China.

Only four persons were present at the grave: Antonio the Chinaman, two servants to dig the grave, and a fellow Portuguese, Francisco Sanches.

They had decided to pack the body with lime “as it would consume the flesh and leave only the bare bones” in the event it would be decided to transport the remains back to Goa.

Details

It is not just the precise details in the time and the number of people during his burial that is fascinating considering that this took place long ago but what happens after his death.

According to most Catholic books narrating the events that took place after the saints death the body was exhumed three months later to see if it was fit for transport to Malacca and then to Goa. They were amazed to find the body without any sign of decay or corruption.

A piece of flesh was cut from above the left knee, from which it gushed blood as if from a living person. They took the body in an open coffin and filled it with lime, hoping the open sea would help the lime do its work decomposing the flesh quicker.

Two years after his death the little toe on the right foot was bitten off by a Portuguese lady named Dona Isabel de Carom, “as she was anxious to have a relic of the Saint.” It gushed blood. Three other toes were later removed as relics from his right foot, one which rests in its native Castle of Xavier (birthplace of Francis Xavier).

It’s now nearly five-hundred-yearold since he died and it is believed that his hair and nails still grow and people visit his remains to have a glimpse of the miracle.

The story of what happened to his body after his death is amongst the most sensational and certainly most documented miracles.

These days the chapel hosts an annual Mass in remembrance of St Francis Xavier plus occasional services for the ancestors of British settlers who were buried there.

And in addition, weddings are still conducted there, some of the couples being celebrities from Europe.

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

17

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

The Changing face of child abuse

By SHEM SUCHIA “I didn’t rape her,” the man pleaded, his voice barely audible above the din of the frenzied mob that had milled around him baying for his blood.

They had cornered him near the banana plantation after a woman raised an alarm shortly after she saw the 36 year-old man emerge from the deserted bush with a known 13 year-old orphan.

Acting on impulse, the mob took turns to tear into pieces his blood-spluttered clothes even as they administered painful kicks and blows on his now semi-nude frame. Blood profusely oozed from his badly beaten head that now spotted a gaping wound just above the nape of the neck.

Pleading

“Spare me. She’s my girlfriend. She’s my- “he frantically begged between spats of bloodied saliva. As if on a cue, the mob’s fury mounted and they set on him the more.

“Please hear me. She’s only my girlfriend,” he repeated, pointing to the direction of the visibly shaken girl clutching her creased wrapper over her diminutive frame. As tears gushed down her face, she nodded in sympathy.

“Yes, he’s my boyfriend. Leave him alone.

We’re friends,” she shrilly uttered.

At this, everything went quiet. Nobody would believe his ears. It must have been that she meant to say something else, they thought. But when she repeated it over and over again, the unpalatable sank in. The ‘affair’ had been long drawn and ‘consensual’, the young girl pointed out.

By now, the police had zoomed in prompting the mob to dissipate one after the other, nobody wanting to record witness statements with the law enforcers – as is usual of such Mob Justice Courts.

Confession

“She’s my girlfriend,” the man repeated to the police as they pushed him onto their van.

“Had I raped her she would have said it a long time ago. This was purely consensual,” he muttered, the police taking no notice of him as the van sped off. The next stop would be the police station where the puzzling assertion would be repeated by the two in a desperate bid to plead for innocence. Unconvinced, the police have pressed defilement charges against him.

He might have been plucked out of the society and now tucked safely within the confines of the police remand unable to continue with his illicit affair with the gullible young girl, but child rights activists are warning that his ilk could be out prowling with impunity unleashing their villain acts on girls like this.

Caution

And this is the message the child rights advocates want parents to take serious note of: Child sex abusers are getting more innovative and your child could be acting as an accomplice right under your nose!

Forget about the traditional scheming the child sex abusers once employed in unleashing their ordeal on their would-be targets. No more way-laying by the roadside, no pulling into the bush thickets, nothing closer to being drugged and forced into the act.

Today’s child abusers come suave and overtly friendly to convincingly solicit for the action.

And before the target knows it, she shall have unknowingly consented to it one way or the other. Yet it will not be sex-abuse to the victimnot until something disastrous like pregnancy or contracting a venereal disease crops up, by which time they had been together for some considerable duration.

“It is now a sort of a bargain and agreement game between the rapists and his gullible target who is unable to contemplate the lurking danger,” claims Mary Makokha, executive head of REEP, an organisation fighting for the rights and welfare of widows, orphans and vulnerable children in Western Province.

And this is how she explains it: With incentives such as money, mobile phones, air-

Children are no longer safe even with the people who they should trust. Child abusers have changed their tactics thus making it hard for the children to protect themselves. Picture: Carolyne Oyugi time vouchers, gifts among other treats to the would-be targets, the rapists would carefully conceal their intents by making their ‘generous’ actions appear as a genuine show of affection and concern.

Conspiracy

Duped, the targets would play along- drawing closer to the ill-motive of individuals purporting to be real friend. Such a child may even start aiding the person to accomplish his intents quickly by concealing her movements from the parents and even advising him on when it would be appropriate to meet.

Not long thereafter, they are bound to play along and even consent to sex against the backdrop of the incentives dangled before their faces.

“The child is brain-washed to believing that they owe their allegiance to the villain for the goodies they get from him,” she advances, drawing from first-hand experiences on child cases her organisation handles in Western Province.

And the reality is worrying.

Welcome to the changing face of sexual child abuse where- without knowing it- the would-be targeted children is increasingly turning into accomplices of their abusers by aiding or even concealing any clues that may betray the former, all on the mistaken belief the villains are their for their good.

Strategy

“Instead of grabbing or forcefully luring their victims, the abusers are now very much alive to the attendant risks that such actions may invite, and as such have managed to camouflage their actions,” Makokha says.

It is a view point shared by police officers we talked to but who didn’t have the authority

“The child abuser wins when he manages to convince the targeted child to assume that theirs is a ‘normal’ relationshipthe sort of boyfriendgirlfriend kind of a thing.”

to speak to the media hence requested anonymity.

“The child abuser wins when he manages to convince the targeted child to assume that theirs is a ‘normal’ relationship- the sort of boyfriendgirlfriend kind of a thing,” one of the officers attached at the Children Desk advanced, pointing out that this trend is what should be worrying parents the more.

Examples

A typical case is that of a 38 year-old man in Bumutiru village of Butula District in Busia who allegedly defiled a 14 year-old Class Six pupil but made it appear that he was all but a friend. He would spoil her with gifts and money and frequently visit the homestead where she was living with her grandmother. Soon the granny would learn the bitter truth that the man was having an illicit affair with the young girl- thanks to the obviously visible protruding pregnancy on her young tummy.

But the shock of the year for the granny would be the vehement defense her granddaughter puts for the man.

“He took me to his house and did it. He told me I had proved my love for him and would be giving me gifts if I kept mum. He is my boyfriend. I love him,” the insisted.

It painfully dawned on the granny that what seemed to have been the rape of her granddaughter might have as well been consented.

Worst, the ‘affair’ had carried on for months until the pregnancy showed. The man has since fled but the girl still swears to his love and is hopeful he will return some day.

Irony

“And that is the irony of it all,” regrets REEP’s Makokha, “the fact that the victims such as this girl gets so much brainwashed into seeing their villains as friends may as well have been a contributory factor in it being difficult to detect the affair.”

More worrying is the fact that such girls might even play along the villain while disguising the existing of their ‘affairs’ to the villains’ advantage.

In a similar case, a 35 year-old man was recently convicted for having repeated sexual acts with a 14 year-old minor in Kisoko village of Nambale District. He is said to have been offering the girl roasted arrow roots as a bait.

“I could go to his place to eat nduma (arrow roots). He was a friend,” the girl recalled. But

for the fact that she got pregnant, she would not have given anyone an impression that something was happening between the two.

Another girl aged 11 from the same village talked about how her 25 year-old uncle used to give her fish, and she became an acquaintance.

“I used to sneak to his isimba (the bachelor’s hut) careful not to betray my movements to anyone. I made sure I played the game without making my parents get suspicious,” she admits.

The ‘affair’ went on for about a year until she developed complications on her reproductive organs that now discharged a smelly fluid. The mother admits that if this twist of fate had not occurred, it would have been impossible to immediately discover that the uncle was improperly seeing the niece.

Duped

In yet another recent case, eight married men allegedly abused three girls aged 14, 12 and 11 in exchange for snacks and sweets.

“The men knew each other well and would alternately have us together in the home of one of their friend,” one of the victims stated.

A manhunt for the culprits has been launched after medical reports confirmed that the girls had been sexually abused.

And the distressing cases go on and on.

While most children would only realize late the danger they had exposed themselves to in dealing with child abusers camouflaged as friends, experts say there are some who could give out tell-tale signs if only their parents were more observant to pre- notice any slight change in the child’s behaviour.

“Parents should learn to be more observant of their children and should not be quick to dismiss their instincts,” says REEP’s Makokha. She cites the case of a 10 year-old girl who despite reporting to her parent that their neighbour had made it a habit to sexually abuse her; she was met by a rebuff from them.

“I told them Baba Sidi (the neighbour) was doing bad things to me but they won’t believe me and told me to stop saying bad things about adults,” the girl stated in her testimony to REEP’s paralegals who pressed for the arrest of the man. The case is pending in the court of law.

“And such won’t have happened had the parents listened to her and acted,” Makokha sums.

Suffice it to say that would-be abusers have changed their strategy calls for more awareness and vigilance in the society.

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ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

New push to check poll violence through agriculture

Dairy farmers opposing the proposed VAT bill

By Kariuki Mwangi

Dairy farmers drawn from Embu, Kirinyaga, Murang’a and Tharaka Nithi counties have opposed the proposed VAT bill which is set to be tabled in parliament and which is expected to increase the VAT on various products to 16 percent.

Speaking during a consultative meeting with Cooperatives development minister Joseph Nyaga in Runyenjes Embu County, the farmers argued that the increase in the vat to 16 percent will lead to the increase in the price of commodities thus hurting the farmers in a great way.

Led by the chairman Kirinyaga, Embu and Mbeere Marketing association, Hezekiah Nyaga, the farmers said that the bill will only oppress the farmers even more than they are now adding that instead of introducing the VAT, the government should work on ways to support them to produce more.

The farmers also said that the government should increase the proposed number of shares that the dairy farmers are supposed to get during the privatization of the new KCC from the proposed 42 percent to 51 percent.

“Initially farmers were the owner’s of the Kenya cooperatives creameries and now that the government wants to give the organization back to the farmers they should give us 51 percent to ensure we are the majority share holders,” he posed.

Politics

By David Njagi A new project is uniting farmers in Kenya’s Rift Valley through communal agriculture, a move that could prevent future conflict over resources.

The project, funded by the Japanese government through the World Bank is targeting 3,400 women farmers in Molo and Kitui, for the next three years.

With an initial grant of US$ 3 million (about Ksh. 255 million), women will be subsidized to access more opportunities in agriculture such as access to markets and new technologies.

Peace

“But they have to work together in communal groups,” says Esther Mwaura, the Grassroots Organizations Operating Together in Sisterhood (GROOTS) Kenya, national coordinator. “This will create peace networks.

The project, Accelerating Rural Women’s Access to Agricultural

Markets and Trade is encouraging farmers to tap into agriculture, dairy farming as well as cottage investments such as chicken rearing.

According to Molo District Commissioner, Julius Kavita, the project is a perfect approach to bring peace to the region which has proved elusive every time Kenya goes to the polls.

Projects

“It is a fact that 85 per cent of projects led by women usually succeed,” says Kavita. “If such projects were in place previously violence would not have erupted because it makes households work collectively.”

According to him, the project leaders have confirmed that the project has no political influ-

Women admiring a demo unit in the Farmers Training Center Garissa held by Amiran Farmers Kit (AFK). women involvement in agriculture could prevent future conflict over resources. Picture: Reject correspondent ence and that it is meant to equip women on agriculture value addition skills to keep off exploitative brokers.

The Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) confirms its stake in the project where the research institution committed to subsidizing women with grade chicken from its Naivasha station through mobile phone technology.

Market

“KARI will help in the processing and sourcing for markets for the women,” says Dr. Mabel

“KARI will help in the processing and sourcing for markets for the women.”

Dr. Mabel Mahasi, KARI center director, Molo

Mahasi, the KARI center director, Molo. “The women will also benefit from our new research approach in which we are working with grassroots groups.”

By investing in alternatives such as horticulture, the project is expected to give the women an edge over controversial land inheritance issues and position them to benefit from new opportunities like micro finance.

“Farmers have suffered for long because of maize diseases,” says D. Mary Kamau, the director of agriculture in charge of extension. “Kenya is a center of excellence in daily farming in East Africa.”

According to her Ministry, agriculture contributes directly about 26 per cent of GDP and 60 per cent of export earnings, while it employs nearly 75 per cent of the population.

The chairman pointed out that the privatization of the new KCC should be put on hold until after the general elections saying that the reasons why the previous milk processing company collapsed was due to the involvement of politics in the farming sector.

“We know what usually happens when such things are done during the election time, and to avoid political interference, the privatization should be rolled out after the elections when the country will have ushered in the new government,” he said.

On his part, Cooperatives Development and Marketing Minister Joseph Nyaga said that the government will put into consideration all the recommendations of dairy farmers over the privatization of the new KCC. The minister said that the privatization process will also be open to the consumers, the staff members of the new Kenya cooperatives creameries and also the government which has to have a 20 percent share holding in the sector.

“We have also set aside some 4 percent of the shares for the staff members so that they can have a sense of ownership of the company and in that sense they will work for the economic development of the company,” he posed.

The minister said that after various consultations with dairy farmers from various parts of the country, the farmers seems unanimous that they want the shares set aside for them to be increased to 51 percent as they are the major contributors in the dairy sector saying that the issue will be looked into.

Nyaga said that the government will also consider selling the shares of the New KCC to the farmers at a reasonable price so as many farmers can be able to buy them and be part of the ownership of the company.

Group in plea for help to boost their business

By David Kimani The 2007/2008 post election violence left scores homeless and brought untold suffering not only among the internally displaced persons but also to the entire nation.

Today, most internally displaced persons continue to grapple with the pain of losing their property and loved ones.

But in a bid to forge ahead with their lives, a group of women in Mai Mahiu’s Governor area, have ventured into a project that has is slowly transforming their lives.

The 16 member group dubbed Single Mother Unit engages in decorating porches and handbags using beads of various colours and designs in a bid to fend for their families.

According to the group’s chairlady, Ms. Rose Nyambura, the group was started six months ago as their only source of livelihood.

“Lack of livelihood prompted us to organize ourselves in a group and venture into income generating activities,” said Ms. Nyambura.

She explained that income earned from working on locals’ farms as casual laborers was not enough to meet their daily needs.

They said that despite not having received any financial assistance for the project from anyone, they managed to start with their little savings.

Challenges

The group’s major challenges, according to the chairlady, are lack of a ready market to sell their products and capital to expand their

business.

The group also grapples with lack of enough stock to keep the wheel rolling.

“The business is still very young and does not fully cater for the needs of the 16 members as it should,” said Ms. Nyambura citing this as the reason why they still depend on other means of earning a livelihood like working as casual laborers.

Ms. Nyambura notes that before the 2007/2008 post election violence, they had stable lives.

“Nevertheless we must forget all that and focus on the future because we still have a future and I know success awaits us,” said Ms. Wangui.

The spoke during a two day workshop in Naivasha organized by Disability Resource

Information Centre (DRIC) to showcase the different talents among the people living with disability.

She urged other IDPs to emulate the group and start income generating projects to sustain livelihoods.

Future plans

Ms. Nyambura, plans to acquire a centralized place where they can work and sell their wares.

“Currently we operate from our camp and this limits the number of days we can work,” she explains.

She says that the group is determined to restore their lives and dreams shattered at the height of the violence.

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

19

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

IEBC rebrands in readiness for polls

By HENRY OWINO The Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC) has re-branded in preparation for the coming general election slated for 4th March, 2013. This is going to be a comprehensive electoral process with electorates choosing at least six candidates at ones in the history of Kenya.

Had the Commission been restructured earlier and funds made available, elections could have been held the second Tuesday of August, 7th 2012 according to the current Constitution.

However, the Court of Appeal ruling now makes it clear that elections will not be conducted in December this year.

It is now clear that the verge of this first General Election under this current Constitution will take place in early next year meaning parliament will be dissolved at least three months to polls. The President and the Prime Minister now have no mandate to dissolve the parliament but runs on its own calendar.

Despite the Commission rebranding and ready to go, there are lots of challenges facing them in terms of money to procure equipment necessary for elections, whether to conduct the exercise manually or electronically but at least now resolved, voters registration timing, civic education, vested political interests among other tussles.

Efforts

However efforts are being made to ensure that elections are carried out in a free, fair, transparent and in peaceful environment. Despite security threats by groups such as Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) at the Coast, the Commission believes the Government would have sorted out the problems.

According to Isaack Hassan, the chairperson of IEBC, programs of activities and timelines to necessitate General Elections are conducted in transparent manner, proper preparations are required in terms of timing, logistics and manpower.

Isaack added that the Commission needs good will and support to deliver clean and credible results.

Assurance

The chairman of IEBC assured the public that elections will be held as per the Constitution requirements “Today we are rebranding our logo as a Commission to show smooth and peaceful transition from IIEC to IEBC though most people cannot differentiate it. Some call us names like KICC, KBC and even worse of them all as ICC. I hope with time we shall be known by the good work we are ready to perform for the country,” said Isaack the IEBC chairperson.

He however, clarified that the success of the forth coming elections requires the concerted efforts of all institutions including the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, the Registrar of Political Parties among others.

“I urge all other stakeholders to fully cooperate and support the

IEBC so that we can ensure peaceful, free and fair elections for our country,” urged Isaack.

Isaack praised the Commission staff for the good work and support they have accorded him in the past few elections exercises done and results received without disputes.

He encouraged the staff to continue with the same spirit as they prepare for huge task ahead of them in history of Kenyan elections.

Eugene Wamalwa, the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs who was the Chief Guest said the Commission has restored confidence of Kenyan people in their professionalism and dedication to the mandate given.

Successes

He applauded the Commission for successfully and professionally conducting the by-elections and referendum peacefully with clear winners, losers and without disputes.

“Let me first congratulate the Commission for having had a smooth transition from IIEC to IEBC. The Chairman, the Commissioners and indeed all staff within the Commission deserves applause.

This is indeed a milestone in the transformation of this very critical institution and could not have come at a more opportune time,” Wamalwa said enthusiastically while praising the Commission team.

Wamalwa described the Commission performance to one which has gone a long way towards institutionalizing the rule of law and respect for institutions and legal pro-

The Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC) during the launch of their new look and structures. The commission has rebranded in preparation for the coming general election.

Picture: Henry Owino cesses. He reiterated that Kenyans would never forget why respect for institutions is critical for wellbeing of a nation and indeed for all citizens.

The Justice Minister regretted that Electoral Commission and the Judiciary were in the eye of the storm during the last general election of 2007 because the nation suffered a crisis of confidence in the country’s institutions.

“When we had disputed presidential results, instead of having grievances arbitrated before the Courts we chose to go to the streets and we all know the result. But now we have turned a new leaf,” recalls Wamalwa, the Justice Minister.

The passage and promulgation of the Constitution in 2010 marks the beginning of the transformation of the nation. The Constitution has given the people opportunity to put right the shortcomings in the society and institutions. Various laws have been passed to implement the new framework, institutions restructured and others established.

All the changes and activities are carried out with an eye on the spirit and the letter of the Constitution so as to ensure that true transformation of the society and institutions in line with the aspirations of the Kenya people as pronounced in the Constitution.

“I am glad to note that IEBC is one of the Institutions that is a good

example of successful institutional reforms,” Wamalwa pointed out.

Voter Registration

The recent ruling by the High Court on the boundary reviews undertaken by the Commission gives the green light to proceed with preparations for the general elections including the commencement of the voter registration.

The Justice Minister said the country expects Commission to give a clear road map to 4th March 2013 when Kenyans will cast their votes and subsequent dates if 3rd April in the likely even of a rerun.

“This places great responsibility upon the Commission and as the scripture says to whom much is given much is expected. Discharge your mandate in manner that we may say of your Commission as Winston Churchill said of his countrymen that never in the history of mankind has no much been owed by so many to so few,” paraphrased Justice Minister.

Political parties are also rebranding and developing their regulations as they gear up for the upcoming general elections but they need to preach peace, practice issue based politics, avoid disparaging the institutions that Kenyans took pains to put together.

Politicians are called to support the institutions in word and deeds so that even if they are competing for

political space among themselves, voters should see them as competitors and not as enemies. So, in as much as they (politicians) compete and believe that they shall win, they must keep in mind that defeat is a possibility and prepare their supporters appropriately for either outcome.

Verdict

The candidates contesting for various seats especially presidential aspirants must all accept the verdict of election body and seek for redress in courts if not satisfied with its decision.

“All contestants must accept the verdict of IEBC and if aggrieved they must seek recourse to the Courts.

Never again should Kenyans resort to violence as a tool of politics or as a means of settling disputes,” advised the Minister for Justice, Eugene Wamalwa.

The hopes and aspirations of people of Kenya for peaceful elections rest squarely upon the IEBC shoulders. The Commission has a well cut out task to navigate the country’s through the treacherous politically charged waters of the next few months’ polls and ensure peace.

Even after the announcement of the results of next general elections, the confidence of the citizens to Commissioners in the entire electoral process shall remain intact if only peace and transparency prevails.

20

ISSUE 067, August 16-31, 2012

Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth

Dispensaries get new microscopes for minor tests

By Kariuki Mwangi Six dispensaries from Embu East District have benefited from Microscopes worth half a million shillings, donated by the Runyenjes Constituency Development Fund in a bid to improve health care services in the area.

Area Member of Parliament and Tourism Assistant Minister Cecily Mbarire said that the availability of the testing machine will ease congestion at the Runyenjes Sub District Hospital.

“Members of the public have been flooding the Runyenjes sub district hospital in the quest for minor tests that could have otherwise been done at the dispensary level,” she posed.

Acquiring

Mbarire also said that the office is in the process of acquiring more of the microscopes in order to ensure all the ancient and newly constructed dispensaries are able to test and treat minor diseases, such as Malaria and typhoid.

“We have distributed the microscopes to the six dispensaries in the district and will be distributing others to the remaining five dispensaries to ensure they are well equipped to provide proper health care to the public,” she said.

The Tourism Assistant Minister said that her office is in the process of constructing other dispensaries in the constituency, to increase access to health services.

Overstretched

Embu East District Health Officer, Dr. Naftaly Munene, said that the Runyenjes Sub District Hospital is currently overstretched as people from all over the region flock the facility in search of medical services.

Dr Munene said that with the machines, the Runyenjes Sub District Hospital will only be treating major illnesses and the dispensaries will take care of minor ones, so that proper delivery of health care can be realized.

“Most of the patients, particularly women and children, have been traveling for very long distances in search of medical care, and with the testing machines now available at their doorsteps, they can now save their money and time to do other things,” he posed.

He also said that members of the public

Cecily Mbarire, Member of Parliament Runyenjes constituency issuing a microscope to a dispensary in her constituency.

Picture: Kariuki Mwangi.

“We have distributed the microscopes to the six dispensaries in the district and will be distributing others to the remaining five dispensaries to ensure they are well equipped to provide proper health care to the public.”

— Cecily Mbarire

must properly utilize the equipment at their disposal, saying that minor tests (such as those of Malaria and Typhoid) can be tested and treated there, whereas major diseases will be brought to the sub district hospital.

Munene said that for proper health services to be realized in the area, all the stakeholders involved must come out to help the various health care centers reach the required standards in service delivery.

Kenyan teens out to advocate for peaceful campaign ahead of 2013 polls

By HENRY OWINO Kenyan teens launched a global peace campaign to forestall ethnic polarization ahead of the 2013 polls. The teenagers from the Africa Leadership Academy are advocating for peace in the country,with or without general elections.

Objective

The aim of this campaign is mobilize as many teens as possible in the country to be ambassadors of peace and avoid any replication of the last general elections.

The campaign is set to be officially launched and graced by various Kenyan artists on the 11th of August, 2012 at Uhuru Park, Nairobi. A prior pledge is to be signed by President

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Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, as an agreement to hold peaceful elections and accept the elections outcome.

Aspirants

All presidential aspirants are also expected to attend the event and lead their supporters in signing the peace deal that would ensure no violence occurs during and after the polls.

Addressing journalists, Sophie Umazi, aged 18 and the CEO of the Teens Initiative, said the programme is in the pipeline to roll down to the grassroots in other violence prone regions.

According to Umazi, the unity campaign is dubbed “I am Kenyan”is aimed at promoting peace and patriotism through photography.

Umazi said that the programme is divided into three phases. The first phase involves a collection of photographs from people holding a placard that says, “I am Kenyan.”The pictures will then be posted on various media platforms,including social media, billboards and newspapers.

Future

“We are concerned about our future as young people because of the increasing polarization of our country along tribal lines,” says Ms Umazi. “As young people, we have the right to demand a peaceful future, and that’s why we are seeking help from the world to raise awareness and build collective consciousness,” she added.

The six youngsters Brandon Macharia, Musila Munuve, Steve Bob

Oluoch, Trevor Mwendwa and Elizabeth (aged between 17 and 19) say that they are determined to mobilize people around the world to support peace during the electioneering period.

All the six teens are studying at various colleges in foreign countries, but currently have a long vacation.

They promised to influence other students from local schools and colleges/ universities to embrace the initiative and carry it forward after they would have reported back to their respective colleges.

Importance

They hoped that when people see the photographs around the city on daily basis, it will help them to identify themselves as Kenyans before anything else, and avoid a repeat of

Executive Director: Rosemary Okello Editor: Jane Godia Sub-Editors: Joyce Chimbi, Carolyne Oyugi and Faith Muiruri Designer: Noel Lumbama Contributors: Joseph Mukubwa, Caroline Wangechi, Odhiambo Odhiambo, Kariuki Mwangi, Gilbert Ochieng, Henry Kahara, Maureen Ogutu, Allan Murimi, Nicole Waithera, David Kirwa, Henry Owino, Larry Kimori, Andanje Wakhungu, Ben Onyango, Catherine Muringi, Titus Maero, Luckyland Chebukwa,, Shem Suchia , David Kimani, David Njagi, Boniface Mulu.

what was witnessed after the 2007 polls.

“The team has thus far received pictures through Facebook and the project website from all over the world, including countries such as Senegal, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, USA, England and Singapore.

Locally the team has conducted photo shoots in Kariobangi, Mathare North, Huruma and various high schools across the country to bring the total uploaded photos so far to slightly over 3,500,” explained Umazi.

The campaign is expected to hit the ground around Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) with a peaceful march, concert and placards bearing the phrase “I am Kenyan”. After the official launch at Uhuru Park, the initiative is expected to roll out to other towns in the country.

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