Author: staff reporter

By Maximilla Wafula

Dr. Esther Muchemi
The founder and CEO of Samchi Telecom today spoke in a panel discussion during the launch of ellevate by Ecobank Programme where she addressed women on a largely untapped and underserved segment in the entrepreneur sector.

She also talked how she made her investments early when she spent little money of her savings to establish a Safaricom outlet as one of the early adopters of the network’s dealers.

Her friends laughed at her but Esther knew what she was doing, a time when sim cards cost as high as Ksh 2, 500.

She has been able to recoup the investment many times to build one of the leading telecom dealerships. Her investments now cut across many industries like microfinance, real estate and hospitality where she owns five-star hotels in Nairobi and Mombasa and runs more than 20 Companies under her brand .
Ellevate by Ecobank , which is a flagship Women’s Programme, focuses on empowering , growing and supporting women – led and or women focused businesses with the customized financial and value -added solutions that will help them succeed. She added .

In attendance was
Bertha Dena, Board Member Ecobank Kenya Limited, Dr. Esther Muchemi, CEO Samchi Group, Dr. Divya Gandhi CEO, Prime Teleradiology Solutions Limited among others.

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3000 youth are set to benefit from an internships and job placement program through a partnership between BrighterMonday Kenya, Creative Management Consultants Ltd, and The Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Project (KYEOP) under The Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs.

The partnership was ratified and announced on Monday 19th September 2022  at the Ministry of ICT offices in Nairobi, Kenya marking the start of the World Bank-funded initiative that aims to drive socio-economic development for the youth. 

Announcing the partnership, BrighterMonday Kenya noted that the program will lay the ground for both organizations to shape more strategies for the youth to get empowered and be viable for employability. The project will offer opportunities to the Kenyan youth, drawn from 17 counties across the country who will get access to different employers across diverse work disciplines.

The announcement comes at a time when the unemployment rate in the country is on the increase with World Bank data showing that 5.7 percent of Kenya’s labour force was out of work in 2021, up from 2.8 percent in 2013. The initiative is timely to improve youth employability in the target counties and improve the livelihoods of young Kenyans.

National Project Co-ordinator at KYEOP Augustine Mayabi noted” We are happy to witness the unveiling of a great initiative that will enable the youth in these 17 counties to get access to training and employment opportunities. We have noticed that after training these youth with various training institutions, we lose track of some and we now want to bring them back on board to offer internships and employment opportunities as they are fully equipped. This is such a great step towards curbing unemployment because so many youths lack the necessary skills to help them land opportunities. We value such impactful and life-changing initiatives”

BrighterMonday’s  CEO  Brian Ntambirweki, further stated, “We remain keen on supporting the youth and enabling them to get access to jobs in Kenya, and by collaborating with the Ministry of ICT under KYEOP, which is working on different initiatives, we are confident that we are heading towards the right direction in solving labour market challenges in Kenya,”.

As Mercy Ships (www.MercyShips.Africa) marks 30 years of service on the continent, providing free surgical care, training, and support from its hospital ships to local development projects in Africa, its Africa Bureau Director Dr. Pierre M’Pele calls for continued vigilance and tireless pursuit in the efforts to improve the level of health of African populations.

Life expectancy across Africa has increased by 10 years since 2000 — a result of interventions such as the implementation of the 2000-2015 Millennium and successful commitments made by national governments in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2015-2030. Working to serve the greatest number of people in a sustainable way, having a people-centered vision, and planning for greater investment in health as part of national development programs, in conjunction with good democratic governance, stability and economic growth have also positively influenced health indicators across the continent.

“We must absolutely celebrate these positive results, however, we must be cautious and avoid complacency, because this positive news is a tree that hides the forest,” says Dr M’Pele. “One-third of clinical conditions in Africa require surgical, obstetric, and anesthetic care, and yet there is less than 1 surgical specialist per 100,000 inhabitants, so surgery is a particularly neglected component of health systems in Africa. It is a critical area where much improvement needs to be made. While much of the world is looking to the latest technologies to improve their clinical care, we are saying that in Africa, there is still a lot of work to do to increase the number of qualified, specialized, and dedicated doctors and nurses too.”

Access to quality, safe, and affordable surgical, obstetric, and anesthesia care is a luxury in most African countries, and especially for the poorest populations. The challenge of equity and the integration of surgical and anesthesia care into national health systems are prerequisites for achieving Universal Health Coverage in Africa.

ORGANIZATIONS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL NOMINATION IN 22 COUNTY ASSEMBLIES

By Maximilla Wafula

The Executive Director , association for physically disabled of Kenya ( APDK) Mr.Joseph Atela today with other organizations for persons with disabilities (OPDS) working with the consortium of disabled persons organizations in Kenya ( CDPOK) held a press briefing and called on the government to ensure inclusive governance and proper representation of persons with disability in all county assemblies , national assembly and senate .They congratulated all the elected legislators with disability in both National assembly and the County assemblies .

Atela noted that the politicians gave a spirited fight in the campaign trails as the electorate trusted in their leadership skills and the manifesto they presented to them.

IEBC gazetted 186 nominees to the county assembly

CDPOK noted with heightened concern that there was lack of representation of persons with disabilities in 22 county assemblies. This manifested continuation of previous patterns of intentional oversight where after 2017 General election , a total of 17 County assemblies did not have a single representation of persons with disability.

They called for open and fair democratic process that encompasses a component of fair representation and non discrimination as expressed in Article 81( c) of the Kenya constitution. Their representation and decision making spaces is essential in guaranteeing their inclusion and participation in societal affairs , Article 177in our constitution envisioned such representation .

Joseph Atela said that CDPOK has
filled a petition in court to challenge the lack of proper respresenation.

CDPOK expects the government to ensure actual implementation of Article 54 ( 2) that provides for a minimum of 5% representation of with disability for both appointive and elective positions , for examples Cabinet , Secretary, PS CAS CECs Ambassadors,CAS ,CECs, Ambassador’s, Commissioners, Parastatal boards , CEOs and many others.

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 Anne N. Williams, a trained agricultural specialist, has taken the helm as USAID Madagascar’s new Mission Director. Her appointment follows the U.S. Government’s designation of Madagascar as a target country for both the global Feed the Future initiative and USAID’s new resilience initiative, promising significant new investments by the American people to help Madagascar improve its food security and develop its agricultural sector.

At a recent swearing-in ceremony, for Williams, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power stressed that Madagascar needs someone who understands the country’s political, economic, and cultural context; can win the trust and respect of those who work for her; and can be decisive, yet collaborative, informed, and curious. “In all of those respects, Anne is the perfect person to take on this new role.”

U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros Claire A. Pierangelo highlighted USAID’s work in the region: “The entire Mission has been hard at work on initiatives to increase resilience, improve health outcomes, strengthen natural resource management, promote sustainable economic development, and address climate change.”

Williams described Madagascar as “a unique and fascinating country” that nonetheless “faces many daunting challenges stemming from both climate-related shocks and deep poverty.”   USAID, she added, works to implement programs “to help where we most can.”

A career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, Williams joined USAID in 2000.  She previously served as a Deputy Mission Director in Mali and held postings in Senegal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Washington, D.C.

By Ronald Njoroge

Dr. Davji Bhimji Secretary General  of  the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) on Monday urged media houses to be objective when reporting on issues affecting the medical fraternity.

Bhimji said that the story in the Daily nation of Saturday 24^th September 2022 carries a lot of fundamental errors of fact which make it read more like a witch-hunt.

“The story is nevertheless a good attempt at attracting the attention of Kenyans to the plight of the Kenya Public Health sector and to this effect, it must be commended,” he added.

Bhimji  observed that the media house ought to know that it is not a crime in Kenya for civil servants to run a business.

“Trying to selectively criminalize it for the doctors must be one of the most inhuman and calculated attempts to kill a dog by first giving it a bad name,” he added.

He urged the media house to study the content of the human resource policies and procedures for the public service which makes provisions for those whose work arrangements may not strictly follow the 8am to 5pm schedule.

“Doctors work in odd shifts because a doctor is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,”  Bhimji revealed.

He said that doctors’ salaries are not hefy as state agencies have studiously blocked any attempt for a CBA to be concluded.

The 23RD Nairobi International Bookfair kicks off on Sept 28 running up to Sunday Oct. 2 at the Sarit Center hall.

The event which is organized by the Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) comes as a source of great relief for local publishers still recovering from the devasting effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

Kiarie Kamau, the chairman of KPA said the pandemic and the attendant restrictions meant that the bookfair was not held in 2020 and 2021.

“We are excited that we are holding a phyiscal book fair after being unable to do so the last 2 years owing to the COVID-19 disruption,” Kamau said.

Kamau, who is also the managing director of East Africa Educational Publishers, noted that the NIBF has an admirable profile internationally.

“This is the biggest book fair in this part of Africa. Perhaps the only one that comes close is the Cairo International Book Fair,” he noted.

The theme of this year’s book fair is ‘publishing in the New Era’ which is a representation of current realities, both locally and internationally.

Kenya’s public sector trade unions on Sunday slammed the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for slashing their allowances.

Dr. Davji Bhimji Secretary General  of  the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) said that the SRC has become an impediment to the continuous social dialogue between workers and the employers.

“The SRC deliberately frustrates and suffocates collective bargaining process by issuing unrealistic advisories that not only render negotiation a public relation exercise but also veto mutually agreed agreements between social partners,” Bhimji said.

Bhimji joined other General Secretaries of Public Sector trade unions to strongly condemn constant interference in collective bargaining process and mutilation of successfully concluded collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) by the SRC.

Charles Mukhwaya, the Secretary General of the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) said that the  Constitution of Kenya, Article 41 (5) provides that every worker has a right to Collective Bargaining without any limits as is the International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98 which Kenya Government subscribes to giving every worker the Right to Collective Bargaining.

“However, since its inception, SRC frustrates, stifles or even blocks this right by barring negotiations on fiscal aspects of CBAs. Thus it frustrates workers while also tying the hands of employers who are willing and ready to engage with the unions,” he added.

By Jeff kizilah

Kenya Kwanza members of parliament led by MP Mosop Hon. Abraham Kirwa and Chesumei MP Paul Kibichiy and Bernard Kibor MP Nandi Hills have hit back at azimio leaders after threatened Chief Justice Hon.Martha Koome.

Mps were reacting to threats by Azimio leaders to boycot session in any case CJ will be addressing the induction.

The leaders have called it immaturity and backwardness when it comes to leadership
and bad message to the nation.

Hon. Kirwa has said leaders should show maturity and dignity to our institutions he was speaking during parliamentarian induction going on in Nairobi.

” We need to preach peace for stability of the nation .”Nandi Hills Mp

Kenya and Uganda have agreed to partner in order to combat trade in counterfeit goods.

Dr Robi Mbugua King’a CEO of Kenya’s Anti Counterfeit Authority said that criminal syndicates have taken advantage of porous borders to smuggle counterfeit products throughout the east African region.

Mbugua said that any counterfeit goods that passes through Kenyan territory to neighboring countries such as Uganda and South Sudan will be intercepted and perpetrators brought to book.

“We are engaging other government agencies to ensure that counterfeit goods crossing the border stopped is confiscated,” he added.

Dr John Akoten, director of research at Anti-Counterfeit Agency said that the level of counterfeit and illicit trade in Kenya is approximately 800 billion shillings.

He noted that the trade is increasing rapidly due to consumer demand for counterfeit products.