July 1-15, 2010
ISSUE 020
A bimonthly on-line newspaper by the Media Diversity Centre, a project of African Woman and Child Feature Service
ADoctor’s Life cut short, too fast negligence leads to death of mother and child By MUSEMBI NZENGU After carrying her pregnancy to full term, 26-year-old Mary Ndanu could only look forward to holding her baby when the time came. So when labour pains set in, she went to the only place she knew she would get help, the local Nguni Health Centre. However, because her labour was accompanied with bleeding, the medical personnel at Nguni felt her case was not easy and they could not handle it. They put Ndanu in an ambulance and rushed her to a more superior facility, the Mwingi District Hospital. This was the place where they knew she would get the specialised health care that she needed. Ndanu was immediately rushed into theatre since hers was an emergency and both mother and child had to be saved. Ndanu was accompanied to the hospital by sister-in-law, Ms Martha Yuma. Yuma told The Reject that when Ndanu was taken to the theatre, the doctor came, opened her womb and removed the baby. Unfortunately, the baby who had suffered in a prolonged labour was already dead. The doctor went on to removethe dead baby. However, after removing the baby, he removed his gloves and walked out of the theatre. He had not finished his job. He had not cleaned the mother’s womb. But worst of all, he had not stitched her up after opening the womb. Instead he walked out
and went to a pub in Mwingi town to drink. Yuma, who is an official with Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organisation, Nguni Division, claimed that the doctor who was already under influence of alcohol left the Ndanu on the operation table and dashed to the bar where he continued to drink to the chagrin of fellow hospital staff and the patient’s relatives. “When the doctor returned later in his drunken stupor, he found his patient had already passed on but went ahead to stitch the wound he had used to remove the woman’s dead baby,” Yuma explained. She added: “The two bodies were moved to the hospital mortuary.”
maternal death
A special report on
The Budget pages
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While cases of maternal deaths continue to soar, medical services personnel are not doing much to salvage an already pathetic situation. Some of them are said to be playing a role in escalating cases of mothers dying when giving life. Continued on page 2
Front view of Mwingi District Hospital where the late Mary Ndanu (inset) died due to a doctor’s negligence. Below: Ndanu’s mother-in-law with 4 of the children she left behind. Pictures: Musembi Nzengu
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ISSUE 020, July 1-15, 2010
Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
Doctor’s negligence leads to mother’s death
Continued from page 1
Ndanu was already a mother of five children who include the paralysed and mentally challenged Yuma Benjamin (11), David Kilonzo (8), who is in Standard 4 at Mwasuma Primary School; Amos Mutisya (6) in Standard Two, Naumi Misuvu (3) in pre-school and Josephine Kathembwa who is only one and half years old. These children might not know that the one who provided love, food and care is no longer there. Their future is now in jeopardy. The family unit, we pray will remain intact as it is known that the death of a mother normally affects growing children negatively. Those to whom Ndanu was invaluable are already mourning her death not knowing what will become of the space she fitted in their lives. Not to speak of her husband, who like Ndanu simply looked forward to welcoming a new member of the family only to receive the shocking news she was no more. When The Reject visited Ndanu’s home, her husband, Mr Titus Yuma, had travelled back to Mombasa but we managed to talk to him on phone.
Negligence He was still in shock after losing his wife. He described the incident as sheer negligence on the part of the medical staff. “I am not in a position to discuss this issue now. If only you could allow me time to first bury my wife. I am shocked and do not know what to say but one thing is for sure that the hospital is to blame for her death,” said Yuma after some prodding. When he appeared to cool down he begged for the support in getting to the bottom of this case as he sought justice and compensation. Yuma said it was the failure on the part of the hospital management to allow a drunken doctor to operate on a patient. He was also critical of the hospital administration for not instilling commitment to duty by members of the staff saying had the doctor been committed to work he would not have left his wife on the theatre table with an open and bleeding wound. “The bottom line is that the entire hospital management should be put to question and investigated for sleeping on the job thus causing needless deaths…I will pursue the case further once I bury my wife,” Yuma said. Even as he thought of seeking justice, Yuma was more worried about the job that awaited him. He wondered how he would single-handedly take care of the children. But he was certain it would not be smooth sailing.
Loss “I am really at a loss and do not know how I will be able to juggle my job in Mombasa and taking care of the children and aging mother…I may be forced to resign my job,” he said curtly. Ndanu’s mother in law, Ms Lydia Misuvu, 87, is equally at loss. She recalled that her daughter-in-law closed down her textile shop in Mombasa to come and take care of her due to old age and sickness. Speaking at their Kiisu home in Mwasuma sub location in Mwingi East District, Misuvu said: “I am at a loss not knowing
The theatre at Mwingi District Hospital. Below: the ambulance that ferried the deceased. Pictures: Musembi Nzemgu
what to do as I depended on her for everything since I am too old. She gave me food, clothing and ensured that I am comfortable.” Misuvu said her daughter-in-law had not been suffering from any serious ailment during the 11 years she had been married to her son. The old woman said despite developing complications during labour, Ndanu was still in good shape and was talking even as she was transported to the Mwingi District Hospital where she met her death. “This is a big blow, I do not know how at my age I will handle the children she has left behind,” mourned Misuvu. She said despite losing the person who fend for her, the deceased has left her with a heavy burden of taking care of the five young children she has left behind. “Now I leave everything to God because I do not know what to do next. I am too old to play all the roles the deceased played,” said Misuvu as she displayed a portrait of the deceased. The old woman, called for thorough investigations to establish the cause of her daughter in-law’s death and stern punitive action taken against the culprit. In the aftermath of the heartbreaking incident, nurses at the hospital boycottwork
the following day and for a while refused to take up any assignments demanding the immediate removal of the errant doctor. “These increasingly outrageous actions by the doctor and perpetual neglect of patients leading to deaths was giving the hospital fraternity in general a bad name,” said thenurses who requested anonymity They said they would only resume work after being assured of the doctor’s transfer. However, quick action by the hospital medical superintendent, Dr Daisy Ruto saved the situation when she summoned the nurses to her office assuring them that action had been taken against the doctor who had been moved to another hospital. Sources at the closed door meeting said the nurses were candid with Ruto that they would call a massive strike if the offending doctor continued to work at the facility. They even demanded that the doctor be barred from stepping into the hospital compound. It was only after assurance from the medical superintendent that the nurses resumed duty. When members of the press visited Ruto’s office to seek her comments on the woman’s death and the punitive action that was likely to be taken, she was unavailable. Ruto had instructed her secretary to tell
media that she was in theatre attending to an emergency. Inquiries, however, showed that she was not at the facility. Following the incident, Martha Yuma, and her brother Ben Kilyungi Yuma urged the Ministry of Health and police to take both punitive and legal action against the doctor. Speaking to The Reject a day after the incident, the siblings said they wanted thorough investigations on the doctor’s conduct and that he should be charged for professional negligence. Three Mwingi civic leaders, Peter Mulavu (Nguni), Patricia Kisio (Kivou) and Jonathan Muvinga (Mwingi town) condemned the incident saying it was the epitome of how medical staff at the hospital casually handled patients leading to a high number of deaths. “Since this is not the first patient to die in the hands of this doctor, he should be sacked immediately and arraigned before a court of law for murder charges,” said Kisio.
Alcohol abuse Mulavu wondered why hospital authorities allowed drunken staff to attend to patients. “Besides taking punitive action, the hospital authorities should state clearly whether it is the institution’s policy to allow medical staff to attend to patients when under the influence of alcohol because we have seen many treating patients while intoxicated,” said Mulavu. The Kenya Dentist and Practitioners Board (KDPB) had moved into action and interdicted Dr William Oduor following the death of Ndanu. A team of three doctors comprising of a gynaecologist, pathologist and psychiatric led by Dr Dominic Mburu confirmed Ndanu’s death and that of her unborn childas being caused by excessive bleeding (haemorrhage) after she was cut and left unattended. The three doctors spent the whole day at the Mwingi District Hospital interviewing personnel who were on duty on the fateful night before arriving on the decision to interdict the doctor.
ISSUE 020, July 1-15, 2010
Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
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Sorry state that is Mwingi District Hospital By MUNENI MUTHUSI It is only two weeks since a 12-year-boy died in the hands of a doctor at Mwingi District Hospital after yet another faulty operation was performed by Dr William Oduor. According to the boy’s parents, the operation had started normally only for the medics to realise later that they were lacking some equipment to successfully complete the operation. The parents of the boy, who was a Standard Five pupil at Kasevi Primary School, further alleged that the medics halted the operation, covered the operated wound in cotton before referring the patient to Embu Provincial and Referral Hospital. Unfortunately the boy died 20 minutes after being put in the ambulance.
The soil on his grave has not dried and another patient has died due to negligence at the same hospital. The death of Mary Ndanu has brought to the fore the tribulations of staff and patients at the Mwingi District Hospital. Taited reputation The hospital has been the talk of town and some urgent action needs to be taken to arrest the pathetic situation. Civic leaders in the region have described the hospital as a death trap. Speaking during the Madaraka Day celebrations, the leaders accused the medical officers at the hospital of allegedly being negligent and arrogant to the patients. Addressing the area DC, Mr Peter Kinuthia, the civic leaders among them councillors Jonathan Kitheka Muvinga
(Kyanika/Ithumbi), Patricia Kisio Kimanzi (Kivou) and Mwendwa of (Kavuvwani) petitioned to the Ministry of Health to urgently address the issue of the Mwingi District hospital before “incompetence, negligence and care-free attitude at the institution gets out of hands”. Councillor Jonathan Kitheka Muvinga said: “This is an urgent matter that the Ministry of Health must address immediately.” Barely two weeks ago, nurses at the hospital downed their tools protesting shortage of medical supplies that would protect them from infections. Confirming the incident, the acting medical superintendent, Dr Nasio Abnah, said the hospital has been experiencing shortage of supplies like gloves as well as
Red alert sounded Government commits to reduce over boy child time spent collecting water By DAVID KIARIE
Parents in Eastern Province have been cautioned against denying children, especially boys, education. Eastern Deputy Provincial Officer, Mr Elias Wanjala, observed that access to education and completion among boys was wanting in miraa growing areas like Igembe and Mbeere. Wanjala who was speaking during Mbeere South District Education Day at Nyangwa High School said the rate of absenteeism among male pupils was high and attributed it to child labour in miraa industry. He said while some boys miss classes at times to make quick money from picking or selling of miraa, others drop out of school altogether to engage in the business full time. Miraa “This kind of business exposes the boy child to drugs and substance abuse. Parents should make sure their children are not involved otherwise it will ruin their future,” Wanjala said. Gachoka Member of Parliament, Rev Mutava Musyimi said Mbeere is losing the boy child to miraa and called on parents and teachers to save the children. “We cannot afford to sit and watch as our children go astray,” Mutava told education stakeholders during the education and prize giving day. The MP said he is concerned with the low transition rate from primary to secondary schools and from secondary schools to universities. He called on pupils, students, teachers and parents to put more effort to ensure continuity of education. Mbeere South DO 1, Ms Margaret Githaiga regretted that the national examination performance in the district was poor and attributed it to child labour and early marriages. Githaiga said: “Boys are engaging in miraa trade and sand harvesting while some girls were dropping out of school to get married.” The administrator advised parents to prioritise the education of their children.
laboratory and pharmaceutical items that have not been supplied by Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA). He said they have been buying the items from the local pharmacies which did not have enough stock to supply the hospital. Dr Abnah said the hospital expected to get the supplies from the neighbouring Kyuso District Hospital to serve them for three days. Services at the hospital were temporarily disrupted after Ndanu’s death as the nurses staged a sit in until their grievances were addressed. The night shift nurses refused to retire to their homes in the morning after duty prompting their boss to convene an urgent meeting with them.
Kitui set for dizzy heights By MUASYA CHARLES Kitui County Council will conduct a resource mapping exercise to determine the quantity and quality of minerals within its jurisdiction before allowing mining of deposits. Council Town Clerk, Mr George Wambua, said they will formulate by-laws to regulate prospecting and mining of mineral deposits in the semi-arid region. The area is replete with huge deposits of coal, limestone, iron ore, gypsum, copper and manganese, among others. “The civic body wants to adopt a professional approach in mineral deposits exploitation within its administrative area that includes six districts hived from the larger Kitui District,” Wambua told The Reject in his office recently.
Mineral deposits
Women wash clothes at Kapingazi river in Embu. Picture: David Kiarie
By DAVID KIARIE The Water Services Trust Fund, Kenya has embarked on a major campaign to sensitise the public on environment protection. The Fund’s chief executive officer, Ms Jacqueline Musyoki said awareness creation on management of water resources would help in ensuring water for all Kenyans. Speaking in Embu during a threeday water institutions meeting, Musyoki stated the fund had mobilised the public through water users’ associations, where people are taught how best to conserve water, soil and forests. They are also engaged in tree planting. Musyoki said the Trust Fund is working with stakeholders to ensure awareness creation, adding that what matters is the management of riparian areas and other wetlands.
Musyoki who recently toured Israel, said the country that hardly has any rain has enough water for domestic and irrigation use. Israel desalinates its sea waters and uses the same for domestic and agricultural purposes. “Acquiring of a desalination machine could be costly but the end result will accrue great profits as a result of water being harvested for crop irrigation,” she asserted. She said while some people spend a few minutes to fetch water, others spend a whole day, adding that ideally this should be reduced to 15 minutes. “It is unfortunate that in some parts of this country, some people trek long distances to fetch water. We want to reduce the time spent to, at most, quarter of an hour and channel the time and manpower saved to generate income and build the nation,” explained Musyoki.
He said a large amount of good quality gypsum deposits — a vital ingredient in cement manufacturing — had been discovered in the area, further raising the need for laws governing exploitation. Wambua disclosed that people purporting to be geologists had sought to be allowed to prospect for the minerals but majority of them ended up conducting small-scale mining contrary to the council’s by-laws. “The conduct of the pseudo-geologists has necessitated formulation of by-laws governing mineral exploitation that will start with resource mapping,” explained Wambua. He pointed out that the absence of by-laws had resulted in a protracted legal battle between two cement-manufacturing firms that were seeking to exploit limestone in Mutomo District. The legal tussle pits Bamburi Portland against Athi-River Mining and dates back to 2006. The battle was exacerbated by the subsequent discovery of vast deposits of coal in the Mui Basin. Coal is a major energy supply component in cement manufacturing and is currently imported from South Africa. Its availability is expected to reduce the cost of cement countrywide.
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ISSUE 020, July 1-15, 2010
Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
A special repor t on
Wheat farmers protest lowering of import duty
By KABIA MATEGA The recent budget proposals by Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta did not go down well with wheat farmers in the larger Narok District. The farmers who are unhappy with the Minister’s speech even went to the extent of blocking the busy Narok/Mai Mahiu highway to protest the reduction of import duty on wheat from 35 to 10 per cent. The farmers were led by representatives of the Kenya Cereals Growers Association (KCGA) Mr Hugo Wood, Narok Wheat Growers Association (NWGA), Mr David Mpatian and Narok Small Scale Wheat Farmers Association Mr Dominic Ole Nchoe.
Price drop
They decried the sharp drop of wheat selling prices from last year’s KSh3,000 to the current KSh1,700, a situation they attributed to the recent budget proposals. The district security team had to intervene and save hundreds of commuters who were caught up in the melee. For hours, the farmers blocked the road using logs and human shields completely paralysing transport along the busy highway. The irate farmers shouted anti-government slogans while demanding for a stop to wheat importation until local farmers sold their harvest at an agreeable price between them, the government and millers. However, away from the farmers, the common man asked the Government to enforce the budget proposals and reduce prices of commodities that they use on a day to day basis such as paraffin, sugar, maize flour, cooking fat and wheat flour products to cushion them during this period of economic hardship. The offer of free primary and secondary education attracted praises from a number of parents who felt that their children will have an opportunity
to learn uninterrupted. “As a result of free education, enrolment in local primary schools is now at about 90 per cent unlike in the past when it was less than 50 per cent in some places,” said Lucy Sadera, a community mobiliser. She added: “The girl child, who is usually discriminated against among the Maasai, is today able to go through their education courtesy of free primary education.” School leavers also lauded the proposals that funds will be channelled through CDF to purchase computers to help equip rural youth with information technology skills to enable them start their own income generating activities. Intensified rural electrification is also expected to impact positively on rural folks who will be able to have electricity in their homesteads.
Cheap alcohol
However, beer consumers complained as the budget has forced them to dig deeper into their pockets to quench their thirst. However, beer drinkers interviewed told The Reject they could not go without one or two bottles of the drink. They argued that the price increase was aimed at locking them out of their social circles. Some consumers in Narok and Trans Mara districts said they had been forced to go for cheap brands. “I drink cheaply packed alcohol before I join my colleagues in middle class social places where we meet occasionally after office hours,’’ said a civil servant who requested anonymity. Others reached for comment said they have opted to secretly consume illicit brews sold in the slums to quench their thirst. However, public service vehicle drivers and conductors are elated as they will now process a certificate of good conduct at no cost. In the past, they had to pay to acquire the document needed for them to work.
Wheat farmers demonstrating along the Narok-Nairobi Highway which they blocked for hours expressing their anger over the reduction of wheat importation duty. Picture: Kabia Matega
Beer drinkers turn to cheap spirits By RYAN MATHENGE As Finance Minister, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta read the budget, many bar patrons showed displeasure after he announced increased cost to their favourite drinks. Investigations have revealed how many of the outlets are now reporting poor attendance unlike a day before the minister read the Budget. Now wines and spirits joints are turning to be more popular owing to the fake brands that have penetrated the market. In Murang’a District, for example, there are many brands of alternative wines and spirits that have been smuggled into the country without the knowledge of Liquor Licensing Board. After the Budget, Peter Kuria was forced to settle on taking wines and spirits which enables him to share with one or two revelers at a cost of not more than KSh300 irrespective of the brand. “Wines and spirits joints have now turned to be home to many of those who have been thrown out of bars as they can no longer afford KSh100 or KSh120 being charged per bottle of beer,” says Kuria. He further confesses to be ready to shift to traditional brews if Budget next year will target wine and spirits.
Budget failed to address rural populations By BEN OROKO As Kenyans struggle to come to terms with the impact of the recent Budget, residents of Boigesa village, Bassi Chache Location in Gucha District are a worried lot. A small scale tea farmer, Mrs Annah Mong’ina, received the Budget presented by Finance Minister, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, with reservations. She dismissed it as mere policy statement meant to overburden taxpayers. Mong’ina said that the Budget did not address the real issues affecting rural folk. “I am not happy with the budget since it failed to meet the expectations of rural communities, especially women who provide most of the labour towards sustainable agriculture and food security,” lamented Mong’ina. A shopkeeper at Iyabe Shopping Centre, Mr Dennis Aruya, accused the Government of failing to put in place price control mechanisms that would protect small-scale traders and the public against exploitation by greedy traders dealing in essential commodities like foodstuff. “Small-scale businessmen have nothing to gain from the budget, since we incur a lot of expenses bringing our stock from urban centres,” complained Aruya. “The impassable roads make it
costly to deliver the stock to our business premises.” He appealed to the Government to consider allocating enough funds for construction of rural roads to ease access to markets. This would earn them better income and improve on their standards of living. “The Government should be fair enough to channel more funds to the grassroots,” said Aruya. A small-scale trader from Riakemuma village in Giasaiga Sub-location in Gucha District dealing in whole grain cookies (Kangumu) expressed her disappointment with the budget. Mrs Agnes Nyaribo said the budget has failed to meet the expectations of grassroots population. Nyaribo blamed the budget for partly contributing to the high cost of living and reduced purchasing power in the community, leading to reduced demand for her goods in the local market. Due to poor sales, she is unable to make ends meet. She has been forced to relinquish some of her merry-go-round activities as a result of reduced income. “A national budget should impact positively on citizens’ lives as opposed to the current situation where I take my commodities to the local market and end up throwing it away as nobody is buying because people do not have money,” lamented Nyaribo.
ISSUE 020, July 1-15, 2010
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Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
The Budget
Residents cross over to Uganda for cheaper goods
By MICHAEL OONGO
By WAIKWA MAINA
Following price increases on beer and cigarettes during the budget, many Kenyan men and women are now flocking into Ugandan pubs and shops where the commodities are still cheaper compared to those in Kenyan, a survey by The Reject revealed. For instance, a 300 millilitre of Nile Special beer is sold at an equivalent of KSh80 while in bars on Kenyan side a bottle of Tusker is going for KSh100 up from KSh80. “We are experiencing good business as most residents of Busia Kenya are teeming our bars and shops to enjoy our comparatively cheap products,” says Sam Kiwanuka, a bar owner in Uganda’s Busia.
Crushed hope Like many Kenyans, Joseph Okello 47, a clearing and forwarding broker at the Kenya-Uganda border in Busia, listened keenly to the Budget speech by Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta on June 9. He hoped that it would reduce the cost of living by lowering the prices of essential commodities such as maize flour, sugar and cooking fat among other consumer goods. However, his hopes were dashed when he went to the local shop the next day only to find that the price of his favourite cooking fat had shot up from KSh140 to KSh156, an almost ten percent increase. To him, any budget which does not reduce the prices of essential goods can hardly be described as good because, he argues, only the rich are beneficiaries of
Mama Rose Wandhawa a fish monger at Busia market. She believes a good budget should lower the prices of essential commodities. Picture: Michael Oongo
such a financial plan. Okello’s sentiments are shared by a another border resident Mr Stephen Mugheyo who described the budget as being unfriendly to ordinary people. Mugheyo asked the Government to regulate the prices of essential goods to protect low income consumers. He said: “It has been a trend by traders in this country to hoard goods pre-budget and only to release them into the market after the budget has been read hoping to make huge profits by hiking their prices even if the budget does not provide for any upward adjustment in prices.” A fish trader Mama Rose Wandhawa felt that apart from the high transport
costs, there is nothing wrong with the budget. She says: “Transport cost is our main problem as small scale traders because for one to travel to Kisumu, he or she has to part with KSh300 instead of KSh 150. I appeal to the Government to look into this issue of bringing down the cost of fuel.” Wandhawa is also concerned that some greedy traders continue to hike prices of essential commodities even when the budget has not called for costs to go up. “There are some notorious traders who always take advantage of budget readings to fleece unsuspecting wananchi by hiking the prices of everything and blaming it on the budget,” she lamented.
Speech was classic sound of musical chairs By MUSEMBI NZENGU
Mwingi residents who spoke to The Reject are either totally ignorant of what transpired during the Budget Day or have a general feeling that the budget brought nothing of benefit to the common man. A teacher in Kyuso District, Mr Christopher Mutheki said that Uhuru’s budget was laced with good things like the expectation that prices of foodstuff would reduce following the lowering of import duty on the commodities. “Only a few days after the budget was read the prices of wheat flour and rice ironically went up along with that of other essentials goods like cooking oil thus rendering the budget irrelevant for the ordinary citizen,” explained Mutheki. He added: “As much as the Finance Minister did not announce any increase on essential commodities, there is nothing to celebrate for the ordinary man as some micro budgets will be coming soon leading to price increases.” His sentiments are echoed by Ms Janet
Farmers say Finance Minister ignored them
Kivuvi, an agro-vet attendant in Mwingi town. For Kivuvi, the budget was not of much meaning as her visits to shops and supermarkets revealed that prices of most essential commodities have increased since the budget was read. A pump attendant at a gas station in Mwingi town, Ms Florence Wamana Munyoki was impressed that the budget increased money for improvement of infrastructure. “Going by past experience, devolved funds especially the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) have assisted in improving schools, health facilities and bridges in Mwingi South Constituency,” said Wamana at her work station. She added: “Upped allocation will no doubt ensure more projects that are beneficial the public are implemented.” However, a civic leader, Councillor Mutemi Kiilu said that as long as no funds were allocated for the proposed tarmacking of Kibwezi-Kitui-MwingiMaua Road, the budget made little sense to him and his people.
“If any money was allocated to this project then we could say the budget was good for us,” said the civic leader for Kimangao in Kyuso district. A building contractor, Mr Mulonzya Mutemi said times were hard for Kenyans and the budget did not make the situation any better despite the fact that an increase of devolved funds like free primary and secondary education monies as well as the CDF. “The minister may have had good intentions but the problem is that in the past these monies have not been put into good use to benefit the common man. All the ordinary mwananchi has seen is embezzlement of funds,” said Mulonzya. A vegetable vendor, Ms Veronicah Kanyaa who sells tomatoes in the town said she was not concerned about the budget because she had been forced to tighten her belt every time the budget is read. Kanyaa said her expectations to see prices go down have never been realised over the years. The single mother said to the budget was a non-issue to her.
Just a few days after the budget was read, small-scale farmers in Murang’a say the Finance Minister, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta failed to speak on issues affecting them. The farmers lamented the fact that the budget highlights did not adequately address policy measures to ensure that farm inputs were affordable. According to Ms Ruth Wangari, a farmer from the lower dry parts of Murang’a region the policy measures put in place do not ensure that farmers got minimum guaranteed return from their farm produce. “Farmers have over the years been exploited by manufacturers of fertilizers and farm chemicals yet the budget did not attempt to control the prices of farm inputs,” said Wangari. She added: “We cannot talk of food security or reduced prices of essential foodstuff if the cost of production is still high.” Mr John Munga, who is a dairy farmer and chairman of Gaturi Kamacharia Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society said the budget failed to address issues facing the sector.
Exploitation “Dairy farmers are exploited by processors who determine the price of raw milk. The farmers have no bargaining power despite the high cost of production,” said Munga. He reiterated that currently the dairy industry is under threat due to high cost of production. He said farmers are operating at a loss. “Production cost per litre is KSh14 compared to KSh15 offered by processors since the milk surge that came with the rains,” explained Munga. He said the cost of supplements and other requirements in milk production has remained exploitative despite the poor milk prices. Munga thinks the minister should have initiated a revolving fund for dairy cooperative societies to enable them access loans at affordable rates. Such a fund would be used to purchase value addition equipment such as cooler plants, processing and packaging. “We are unable to collect more than 3, 000 litres of milk produced by farmers every afternoon because we do not have cooler plants. Efforts to get assistance from donors, Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and other government organs have been in vain while bank interest rates and conditions are prohibitive. We appeal to the government to chip in and save the situation,” urged Munga.
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ISSUE 020, July 1-15, 2010
Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
HIV and Aids preying on elderly people By Charles Njeru “I fear that when I die there will be nobody to alert the community of my death. It is only the terrible smell from my rotting body that will indicate that I am dead,” says Salome Wanjiru, 72, At her age Wanjiru, who is living with HIV/Aids, is facing many challenges. She acquired the disease through blood transfusion while taking care of her daughter who finally succumbed to the illness. “I am not under any medication as my cell count is still very good. I feel healthy and I am not in need of medication,” says Wanjiru. As HIV/Aids pandemic continues to take its toll on the Kenyan population, the elderly are forming a big chunk of those infected. Many of them have been found to be ignorant of the fact that HIV/Aids is real, and upon contracting it, they up being depressed and suicidal.
Lack of support According to a newly published study on the elderly in the United States, over a million older people in Kenya lack food, money, clean water and health services. They also have no family support in relation to HIV/Aids. Head of the National Aids and STD Control Programme (NASCOP), Dr Nicholas Muraguri, admits that the elderly have for long been ignored because it had been assumed that many of them are not sexually active. “The figures that we have show that the prevalence among the elderly is very high, and is on the increase. We have for long not even thought of putting the elderly on some of our HIV treatment programmes,” said Muraguri. He said that the Government is in discussions of how a special HIV/Aids programme will be set up to deal specifically with the elderly, aged above 50.
Related illnesses However, the stigma associated with HIV/Aids is even more disturbing among the elderly as compared to the youth. Social community worker in Nairobi’s Kibera slums, Ms Frieda Onyango, says the disease is now catching up with the elderly and they are dealing with it in a manner different from the youth. A number of studies have shown that through self-assessments, the older persons have singled out HIV/Aids as one of the illnesses that is increasingly being associated with their health conditions.
Salome Wanjiru who is living positively with HIV. Picture: Charles Njeru
Studies show that the elderly die very fast because they are more prone to opportunistic infections and diseases associated with old age. Research indicates many older persons have fallen victim to HIV/Aids because of limited knowledge about the disease as most awareness campaigns in Kenya and elsewhere, do not target this category of people. As a result, they end up contracting the disease out of ignorance. In 2006, UNAIDS stated that a substantial proportion of people living with HIV/ Aids are 50 years and older, and estimated that 2.8 million of this category, were victims of the pandemic. Nevertheless, HIV/Aids programmes often discriminate against older people, because many health and relief workers think that older people are no longer sexually active and, therefore, not at risk. Records have proved this a fatal miscalculation. According to Ms Annette Wasilwa, a PhD candidate at the University of Nai-
robi, even after infection, many older people take a long time to know their status, if at all. She attributes this to their strong belief in the use of traditional healing methods. Wasilwa laments lack of special healthcare programmes specifically for older persons in Kenya like there are for children,
Research indicates many older persons have fallen victim to HIV/Aids because of limited knowledge about the disease as most awareness campaigns in Kenya and elsewhere, do not target this category of people.
adolescents and maternal health. This is despite the fact that HIV/Aids has equally impacted greatly on the older persons.
Stigma “A research project I carried out revealed that the elderly are not free when getting treatment with the youth. Because they feel stigmatised, they rarely freely open up to young people who counsel them,” she explained. She said that they need their specific services. Besides this, it should be taken into account that the elderly look after many Aids patients who are either their own children or orphans left behind by their children who have died of the pandemic. Another study conducted last year in Kenya, revealed that when most of the adult females died as a result of HIV/Aids, the older persons become the lead care providers for the orphans, further compounding the hardships they must live under.
Management of ARVs a challenge to the aged By Njeru Charles Figures from non-government organisations show that HIV infection among those aged over 50 is on the increase. A research physician with the Kenya Aids Project funded by the University of Manitoba in Canada, Dr Francis Nyamiobo, says older people are more likely to die from Aids compared to younger people. “I have a lot of experience working with older people and they can be very difficult to deal with,” says Nyamiobo. “I always have to find new strategies for them to take their drugs on time. As one ages, their memory also deteriorates. Due to the side effects, they withdraw their intake,” explains the doctor. “Most old people also suffer other ailments such as diabetes that compounds the situation if they are infected with HIV.
So when one is on both ARVs and diabetes medication, they may not want to take the drugs regularly,” explains Nyamiobo. He adds: “Infections are also influenced by many cultural beliefs.” The issue of concurrent relationships is very common among members of this age group bracket. Many of them believe they cannot get infected with HIV. “I have recently dealt with matters of old people who regularly used sex enhancing drugs. Most of them have unprotected sex and in the process end up getting infected,” says the researcher. He discloses that older people also share ARVs if they suspect that they are positivewithout confirmation from an HIV test. “For some reason, I am not surprised about the ignorance by old people on matters relating to HIV. Some believe if their spouse has tested HIV
Salome drives a point home during the interview. Picture: Charles Njeru
negative that their status is also the same. The Government needs to look more into the situation of the over 50s,” advises the doctor. “I witnessed an incident where an old man stole his elderly wife’s ARVs,” says Nyamiobo. He blames the biggest overall risk factor on HIV infection among the elderly in the low education levels.
ISSUE 020, July 1-15, 2010
Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
Road opens up region to visitors
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By OLOO JANAK Florence Achieng’, a resident of Rusinga Island would previously take a whole year before venturing out of her home. The farthest she would travel is Mbita town, some five kilometres away. “Now it is so easy. Going to Kisumu was a nightmare and one was not sure of coming back on the same day as the roads have for a long time been in bad shape. Now I can visit Kisumu twice a day and get home before sunset,” she says with a sense of relief. She has started doing business, buying goods and selling in Mbita, an activity she says would not have been possible before. This however is happening due to the recent completion of the Ndori-Lwanda Kotieno Road which links the area to Kisumu, Kenya’s third largest city.
Rich scenery The Lake Victoria region with its breath taking beauty, idyllic beaches and hilly features, has for a long time remained out of reach to visitors, largely due to a poor road and lake transport network. Even as issues around the lake including abundant fish resources, HIV/Aids, deaths from lake accidents and international border dispute over Migingo Island dominate the media, many outsiders have a hazy idea of the region. This is, however, set to change as the lake’s beaches and towns will soon thrive and prosper to rival Mombasa as the favourite retreat for holiday makers and business people once the new road opens up. One section of the lake region that is famous but has remained cut off from the rest of the country and the world is Mbita town and Rusinga Island. The latter is the burial place for one of Kenya’s most outstanding politicians, the late Tom Mboya, whose activities shaped the nation before he was assassinated on a Nairobi street in July 1969. “We have begun to see an increase in business and in the number of both local and foreign tourists,” says an ecstatic Jack Otieno who is in the transport business. He ferries people around Mbita town and Rusinga Island by motorcycle.
Tedious Journey For Otieno and many others before him, going to Kisumu, which is less than 200 kilometres away, used to be such a daunting task as it took more than six hours through the Homa Bay-Kendu Bay road. The Ndori-Lwanda-Kotieno Road, now a tarmacked artery that terminates on the lake beach, is virtually complete, save for a few finishing touches in Uyoma area as one nears the lake shore. A visitor can access Mbita town in 30 minutes on a ferry across Lake Victoria. “It is a big relief to us and business is beginning to improve. We now have electricity and even the road to Homa Bay is to be improved,” says Mr Peter Omolo, a resident of Mbita area who has seen worse times. At Lwanda Kotieno, crowds of people, travellers of different backgrounds, traders, public officers, NGO workers and tourists mill around the pier. They are either busy boarding the ferry MV Uzinza, which is the larger of the two, or waiting for the MV
Mbita, to ferry them across the waters to Mbita town. It is an exciting and leisurely journey on any of the two ferries. The cool breeze, the breath taking sites, the blue clear waters of the lake, the small islands, either covered in thick lake vegetation or rocky outcrops with hundreds of birds, the picturesque Gwasi, Ruri and Gembe Hills and the imposing Rusinga Island Hill hugging the Uyoma Peninsula, all speak of an area itching to attract more visitors. As you approach Mbita, you catch a glimpse of the Mfangano Island in the distance just behind Rusinga, majestically straddling the horizon as if guarding Kenya’s border with Uganda against any invaders from yonder who have clung to the tiny fishing outpost known as Migingo Island. From Lwanda Kotieno, a fast developing market patched at the edge of the lake, one is able to get to Kisumu in an hour, aboard
Vehicles lining up at Lwanda Kotieno beach off Lake Victoria waiting to board the ferry. Below: MV Uzinza ferry sails off the Lwanda Kotieno Beach to Mbita. Picture: Oloo Janak
matatu shuttles, mini buses and the newly introduced Akamba Bus Services. During a recent trip on this route, I arrived in time to watch the beautiful evening sunset, a yellowish ball, sink slowly into the water in the distance of Uganda as the MV Uzinza and “her younger sister” MV Mbita sped towards Mbita with passengers including tourists, motor vehicles and other goods. “Where is Migingo Island from here?” one of the passengers who had never been to the area asked. “Are we about to pass it?”
I had to explain to the excited female passenger from Nairobi that we were more than 200 km from the famous island, which has been at the centre of a border dispute between Kenya and Uganda, with both claiming ownership. Migingo is on the Migori side towards Tanzania, and to reach it from Lwanda or Mbita, one needs to travel by speedboat for more than 15 hours, via Rusinga and Mfangano islands. To get to the island, one would have to traverse Ugandan waters.
Island connects to the ‘rest of the world’ By OLOO JANAK A few years ago a powerful delegation of government officials visited Mfangano Island in Lake Victoria. For the first time, they managed to get a helicopter and vehicle onto the island. It was a sight to behold for both the children and adults who had never ventured beyond the island. Schools virtually closed and other activities ground to a halt as people rushed to see the vehicle and helicopter. The dignitaries were ignored by the islanders. This was talk of town for a long, long time. Mfangano Island lies about 10 nautical miles off the western side of Rusinga Island, which is closer to the mainland and is about 20 nautical miles from Mbita, the nearest township and centre of civilisation. It is also the gateway to the outside world. The island is steep on most parts but beautiful with lush green vegetation and clear springs of water cascading from a top the hills to the beaches. It now has a cultural centre and museum which the European Union helped the residents put up. This and a tourist resort on the nearby Takawiri Island have helped improve contact with the rest of the world. The excitement that has come with the
knowledge that the area and islands will no longer be isolated from the rest of Kenya is understandable. So the improvement of the roads and other infrastructure means a lot to the area residents.
Stormy lake “Perhaps they will eventually build a bridge between Mfangano and Mbita to save us from sailing on these dangerous boats,” says Mr Erick Matunga, a resident of Mfangano as he boards a motorboat — popularly known here as “ndururu” or “anduro”, borrowed from the whining sound of the engine. Sometimes the engines stall in the middle of the lake or strong winds sway them dangerously. For the faint hearted, this is not a trip to make. “A ferry like the one from Mbita to Lwanda Kotieno may work, not a road,” suggests Mr Andrew Kiwadu a passenger colleague, as the coxswain pulls a string to start the engine for the journey in the evidently increasingly stormy lake around 4.30 pm. Even in Rusinga which has been connected to Mbita and mainland through the causeway filed way back in 1983 the sight of vehicles is not common because the ring road around the island has been in bad shape for many years. Due to the volcanic
nature of the soil here, the road is often quickly damaged by floods leaving huge gullies which render it impassable. But here the people have been lucky because Mbita is a walking distance from many parts of the island and most people have set their eyes on vehicles and other representations of modern civilisation. Residents of Rusinga Island have had long contact with aeroplanes which land at an airstrip next to the Tom Mboya home and mausoleum and an exclusive tourist hotel sitting by the edge of the lake. At least the ring road around the island has been improved slightly and now some vehicles ply the route at intervals. The most common means of transport now is the boda boda motorcycles that access nearly every part of the island. The two roads — the completed one from Ndori to Lwanda Kotieno and the connection via the ferry to Mbita as well as the one under construction from Mbita to Homa Bay can only make the situation better. “Now that we have electricity, the improved connection to the outside world will change life here completely and make us fully part of Kenya,” says an elated John Ochieng’, a teacher in a local primary school who also does some business in Mbita township.
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ISSUE 020, July 1-15, 2010
Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
From war cries to calls for peace
Warring community put down arms
T
By LYDIA MWANGI
he cries, loss of life for both man and livestock may soon be a thing of the past if the agreement signed by two warring communities in Northern Kenyan holds. The affected communities have lived in despair and desperation, not because of the harsh environment they live in, but the constant threat to livestock, their only source of livelihood. Hardly a fortnight would pass without a cattle raid. Their livestock is stolen by their age-old neighbours, who in latter times had turned into merciless serial killers — killing both man and animal. However, with the signing of a peace agreement, members of the warring Pokot and Samburu communities in Laikipia West District can now look to a prosperous future, free from the inter-tribal wars, as well as pillaging and destruction of yesteryears. This follows the recent historic signing of a peace pact between the two communities that will hopefully bring to an end horrifying loss in human life, theft of livestock and wanton destruction of property. It is an era that many of the elders in the two communities, that are traditional combatants over livestock and pasture, consider the worst in memorable history.
Laikipia West Member of Parliament Mr Ndiritu Muriithi addressing Samburu and Pokot communities during the peace pact signing ceremony at Dam Luyekundu. Below: Nominated MP Ms Maison Leshoomo addressing the same meeting. Picture: Lydia Mwangi
traumatised pastoralist communities in the ongoing disarmament exercise.
Weapons
Peace building Their hope and prayer is that the peace pact, concluded at Dam Nyekundu in Laikipia, will bring lasting peace to the communities within the vast semi-arid region. The peace ceremony involved the slaughter of two bulls from either side, followed by feasting as a mark of peace and unity by the erstwhile enemies. The ceremony, the elders say, rekindled the spirit of sharing, especially in a region with scarce resources. Initiatives that culminated in the historic event are attributed to Mr Ndiritu Muriithi, Member of Parliament for Laikipia West and his nominated colleague Ms Maison Leshoomo. The two legislators publicly declared their commitment to restoring and building peaceful co-existence in the region. The two leaders are working in conjunction with an association of Samburu, Pokot, Kikuyu and Turkana professionals under the chairmanship of Kenya Wild-
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life Service Assistant Director, Mr Richard Lesiyampe. The association has traversed Laikipia West Constituency, sensitising the residents of the need for building an everlasting peace in the marginalised, semi-arid region. Leshomo called on local leaders to strongly exercise political will in dealing with inequalities and regional marginalisation. “This will trigger development, which has all along been hampered by cattle rustling and banditry,” she said. However, the peace pact may be a challenge. As the peace pact was being signed, there was no government presence, yet it is the institution that the residents depend on for protection. Instead, the Government was busy disarming the
As a consequence, many chose to stay put and kept their guns, if only to survive the armed raids. They would rather risk Government sanctions than expose themselves to cattle rustlers who never spare woman or child in their frenzied raids. “The weapons we carry are not for perpetrating crime, but purely for guarding our livestock. As much as the Government would wish to protect us, the weapons in our hands and those in the hands of the Pokot supersede those with the few police officers in the local police posts by far,” cautioned Mr Ezekiel Lesimpur, a local resident. Visibly angry with the disarmament exercise, Lesimpur pointed out to a lone calf left in his expansive livestock shed after a whole herd was stolen in a daylight raid in September last year. The attack left in its wake 32 people dead and scores injured. Many are still recovering from the injuries they sustained. Over 10,000 animals were stolen during the raid that targeted Kanampiu Village, a raid that again caught security personnel in the area totally off guard. About 1,800 sheep were later stolen in the same area later that day. A man was
Executive Director: Rosemary Okello-Orlale Programme Coordinator: Wilson Ugangu Programme Officer: Florence Sipalla Programme Assistant: Mercy Mumo Editor: Jane Godia Designer: Noel Lumbama Contributors: Musembi Nzengu, Muneni Muthusi, David Kiarie, Muasya Charles, Kabia Matega, Ryan Mathenge, Ben Oroko, Michael Oongo, Waikwa Maina, Charles Njeru, Oloo Janak and Lydia Mwangi.
shot dead during the raid. Fifty-one were later recovered along the Mararal-Nyahururu Road from traders who had bought them from the Suguta Marmar livestock market and the said traders arrested. A week later, cattle rustlers believed to comprise of Pokot morans (warriors), invaded the area twice. In the first raid, a man was shot and injured. Two Pokot raiders were also shot dead by the Samburu and the bodies recovered the following morning by police officers who were combing bushes for guns.
Dam The Samburu believe the attacks are intended to move them out of the Dam Nyekundu area, where the Pokots intend to settle to ensure their livestock’s accessibility to water. The dam is the only one that survived the just ended long drought that dried up all surface water in both Laikipia West and Laikipia North districts. The heavy rains of the past few weeks have turned the region to a lush green, presenting local communities with lesser concerns for water and pasture for their livestock. This, however, is a temporary respite, considering the cyclic nature of drought in most areas in the country. Future peace and tranquillity for the communities depends on the peace pact that must ensure the fair sharing of resources.
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