Nairobi City County Environment team and informal traders in Eastleigh 1st Avenue combined forces to remove illegally dumped waste on the median. The joint exercise entailed street sweeping and garbage collection.
According to Eastleigh Hawkers Chairman David Kinuthia he said that they want to lead by example in implementation of His Excellency The Governors development blueprint of making NAIROBI work.
The Honorable Beatrice Elachi has demonstrated her commitment to uplift education in her constituency.
“This morning, she launched bursaries worth Ksh 52 million for 7,000 beneficiaries in high school, universities, and tertiary institutions.”
Beatrice Elachi believes that’s education equalises the poor and the rich.
Dr Hassan Adam will move to the court of Appeal to challenge the high court’s declaration of Ahmed Abdullah as the elected Governor of Wajir County.
” Our decision to appeal is informed by our believe and is backed by material facts that elections were bundgled in three constituencies which in the end affected the outcome of last August’s election results, ” Dr Adam said.
Fai sub-clan of the larger Degodia clan in Wajir county settled on Nairobi South Hospital proprietor Dr Hassan Mohamed Adam to fly its flag in the Wajir governorship contest.
Abdullahi of ODM won the Wajir governor contest by 35,533 votes followed by Hassan Mohamed Adam of Jubilee who garnered 27,224 votes while Ahmed Mukhtar of UDA finished third with 21,859 votes.
Dr Adam said that he has asked his lawyers to prepare for the appeal the high court provided certified copies of it’s ruling and judgement.
He noted that his petition was against individuals and not the county government and thus no one should use the court petition to the people of Wajir services.
“Equation the government to two individuals must be seen for what it is; it’s an excuse to divert public resources for personal use through different activities other than those that would have met the needs of the people of Wajir,” he added.
Dr Adam observed that Wajir county has receive a whopping 4 billion shillings in the last six months yet services are not in tandem with such huge disbursement.
He noted that there have been cases of nepotism in new recruitment and dismally of others based on where they come from in county owned firms such as the Wajir Water Sewerage Company (WAJWASCO) and Wajir Referral Hospital.
Zetech University has entered into a pact with the Water Services Providers Association (WASPA) to promote innovation, research and best practices for the provision of efficient and sustainable water and sanitation services.
The partnership will focus on climate change and sustainability through innovation, research on water and sanitation services, corporate training in human resource management, leadership and governance. The collaboration will also involve a baseline survey to identify areas of focus and assess the current state of water and sanitation services.
This partnership between is not only significant for promoting efficient and sustainable water and sanitation services but it is also in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6, which advocates for the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
Kenya, Africa, and the world at large are grappling with the effects of climate change, drought, hunger, and starvation; and the water and sanitation sector has not been spared, with access to clean and safe water becoming increasingly difficult for many people.
Speaking during the MoU signing, Zetech University Vice Chancellor Prof. Njenga Munene noted that Zetech University was set to be a major conduit for information, innovation and knowledge creation to identify areas of focus and assess the current state of water and sanitation services in Kiambu and Nairobi Counties and Kenya at large.
“Through our iZET Hub and our experienced faculty, Zetech University has the capacity to conduct research and use the data to find sustainable solutions to the water accessibility and waste management in our cities.
On his part, WASPA CEO remarked that industry-academia pacts such as these were pivotal in providing an enabling environment for its stakeholders. “ We’ve had numerous challenges with our water service providers because we are losing 45% of water due to lack of adequate research and innovation on sustainable management of water and sanitation.
by Maximilla Wafula
Dr David Amudavi Executive Director of the Biovision Africa Trust
Decried the dire cases of starvation facing millions
Of Kenyans against the backdrop of large untapped agricultural
Resources.
Speaking during the launch of its first Eastern africa agro ecology conference in Nairobi he says
‘It’s a crushing disappointment that we have people sleeping hungry
In Kenya and only less than a quarter of our land being put under
Productive use,’ said Dr Amudavi.
Embracing sustainable food production mechanisms and re-
Adoption of local inputs like farmer managed seeds – traditional – in
Agriculture will boost the drive towards food security in africa and
the world. Players in the sustainable farming systems under the umbrella of the
Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) have urged the public and
Private sectors to be cognizant of the negative effects of artificial
farming inputs that have continued to increase the pace of climate
change and hindered the regeneration of soils for agricultural
purposes.
He noted that adoption of safe farming methods and use of farmer-owned seeds that were traditionally used in the country is the only way to ensure that we can have continuous supply
of food for the population.
‘We have witnessed even our rivers drying in areas like Baringo yet they would be flowing with fresh water!’ said Dr Amudavi during the launch of the Agroecology Conference.
This conference aims to invoke consciousness and motivate regional and continental communities to dialogue how to invest in interventions which can ameliorate the negative
impacts of the current unsustainable food systems by
transitioning towards more environmentally friendly solutions
with long-term vision and planning.
Speaking during the launch, Ms Grace Mugo from the Ministry
of Agriculture noted that there is an urgent need to scale up and ensure sustainability of farming systems based on
environmentally friendly technologies and methodologies and
that the ministry was very much involved in
the drive towards ensuring food security in the country and urged all players in the private and public sector to consolidate efforts to ensure interventions towards food sustainability and
adopted and put into practice.
Ends …
Kenyans have been complaining about the high cost of tariffs with the government being called upon to cushion Kenyans from such.
Isaac Ndereva is the Executive Director … Electricity Consumers Society of Kenya. and he has lamented the high prices that continue to impoverish Kenyans.
Mr Ndereva also called upon the government to explore newer energy sources such as wind power or solar.
“98% of our power comes from hydroelectric and this is risky. For example during the dry seasons we have to undergo constant rationing and the high cost of Electricity which has continued to soar
He spoke in the sidelines of a public participation of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority
Laikipia woman representative Jane Kagiri In a notice motion, Kagiri says that the Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC) has been buying large quantities of power from IPPs at exorbitant prices.
Instead, she argues that charges would have been lower if the utility company had bought electricity from the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen).
“Kenya Power has in the past procured a larger quantity of power from the IPPs at a greater cost, rather than from KenGen, leading to higher cost of power; cognizant of the fact that, there is need to put in place policies, strategies and regulatory measures for better planning to moderate the cost of electricity and enable access to energy by all particularly in the manufacturing sector to ease the cost of production and doing business,” Kagiri says.
KPLC has proposed a new tariff for domestic consumers that will see power charges rise by between 13 and 20 percent.
Consumers with a life-line consumption band of below 30 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month will pay Sh20.5 per unit, up from the current Sh18.14, representing a 13 percent jump.
Out of the Sh20.5, Sh14 is the consumption charge, meaning Sh6.5 is on taxes and levies.
The MP wants the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy to investigate Kenya Power’s agreements with IPPs and stop new IPP contracts, among others.
“The Departmental Committee on Energy undertakes an inquiry into the operations of Kenya Power in relation to agreements entered into with IPPs, factors affecting the cost of electricity, including over-reliance on IPPs against available renewable and other energy sources, and measures to reduce it and submits a report to the House within one hundred and twenty (120) days
by James Waithaka
The Pest Control and Products Board is rolling out an ambitious program targeting capacity building for farmers in respect to safe use of pesticides.
Dr Esther Kimani is the Chief Executive Officer and in a farmer’s sensitisation event in Oljororok Nyandarua County she observed:
“it’s pertinent for the farmers to be equipped with the right information regarding safe use of pest control products. For example, we are advising farmers to avoid use of unregistered pest control products because they pose a risk to human health. Additionally, farmers are urged to follow label instructions strictly when usingpestcontrolproducts.”
On his part the pest control products board chairman Njoroge Kagwe observed that the board will be partnering with Counties to train farmers and spray service providers to enhance responsible use of pesticides.
PCPB has approved both conventional and biological pest control products for the management and control of diverse pests & diseases in various crops. The list of registered products is available on the PCPB website.
PCPB’s aim is to promote productivity while safeguarding human health and environment by providing world class regulation of pest control products.
by James Waithaka
Optiven Group Founder and Chief Executive Officer George Wachiuri has today attended a lecture. He notes
“Earlier Today, I had the pleasure of attending a lecture delivered by Mr. Titus Muya, the founder of Family Bank and a top entrepreneur in the region. As the CEO of Optiven, I am always looking for opportunities to learn from successful business leaders, and Mr. Muya’s lecture did not disappoint.
During the lecture, Mr. Muya shared his personal journey and experiences in starting and growing a successful business. His insights into the world of entrepreneurship and business were invaluable, and I was impressed by his persistence, hard work, and clear vision.
One of the key takeaways from Mr. Muya’s lecture was the importance of listening to other leading lights in the industry. As a CEO, I am constantly seeking out opportunities to learn from others and to gain new perspectives on business and leadership. Mr. Muya’s advice reinforced the importance of being open to learning from others and seeking out mentorship and guidance from those who have achieved success in the field.
Indeed, it’s always a pleasure to learn from other leading lights in the industry and to also share my own experiences with them.”
by Tum David
Women and girls have been advised not to be deterred from using technology to advance gender quality and instead must work together to create safe and inclusive digital spaces that empower them to fully participate in all aspects of society.
Speaking during the Echo Network Africa (ENA) meeting convened at a pre- Internationak Women’s Day event to discuss the theme :
“DigitALL” and the launch of the ” STOPCberbullyingNow” campaign, Kirinyaga governor Ann Mumbi Waiguru congratulated Echo Network Africa and specifically Dr Jennifa Riria, for the tireless efforts in finding solutions to the issues that impact on women and girls providing them with sustainable solutions such as improved access to education, eradication of negative socio-cultural norms, opportunities for women leadership and financing.
However, as this is aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 67th Session of the Commission of the status of women (CSW-67) which is, ” Innovation and Technology change and education in the digital age for achieving gender, quality and empowerment for all women and girls”, Waiguru said women come together in the International Woman’s Day to celebrate achievements of women across the world and to acknowledge the challenges that women still face.
She urged women to speak with one voice and be steadfast to call out cyberbullying as a crime which all women should play a role in eliminating it.
A study commissioned by the African Development Bank suggeststhat upto 70% of women have endured cyber violence and that women are 27 times more likely than men to be harassed online. More than one in every five women in Kenya have experienced cyber bullying and it’s in public domain that cyberbullying will hinder how women participate in public discourse and processes as many women will cower, will self -sensor, and on some instances, will totally withdraw from public, civic and social media spaces.
Technology facilitated violence, it’s observed, comprises a spectrum of behaviours that included stalling, bullying, sexual harassment, defamation, hate speech and exploitation (against women).
Waiguru also decried the few interventions that are there in place specifically to address techology facilitated GBV, noting that while there are promising interventions out there, they are mostly small and untested.
In her speech she read as the Chief Guest during the launch at a Nairobi hotel, the CoG chair said the speed at which access to technology is rapidly spreading faster, and the policy efforts of government and other stakeholders to monitor or control the harmful usage of these gadgets, especially in developing countries like Kenya where dealing with cyberbullying is not among the top priorities, even though it’s recognized as a problem.
