Category Archives: Water

KENYA: WORKSHOP ON LAND AND WATER SECURITY

Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
WUNDANYI-TAITA TAVETA
FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011
TAKE-3

Workshop on land and water security entered its third day yesterday here at Taita Taveta County in Mombasa Catholic Archdiocese with challenges on the implementations of the new constitution with some participants wondering why Kenyans voted for it overwhelmingly despite the fact that some church leaders told their flocks to vote against it.

Some participants were even concerned why the very church leaders who rejected the constitution and called the meeting to condemn one single man for wearing stud on his ear cannot do the same for over 10 million Kenyans who die of hunger.

Church leaders fear they would be blamed if they don’t condemn things that touch on morality that is why they were afraid if they did not reject the constitution because of abortion or condemn Dr Willy Mutinga for wearing the studs, which to them meant that he was either homosexual or advocating for it they would be blamed.

Those who die of hunger or still live in IDPs camps is not of a great concern to church leaders because they don’t touch on morality and therefore don’t see any need to call for meeting to push on the government to ensure that no body is dying because of hunger when they are able to feed them.

Kenyans overwhelmingly and peacefully voted “YES” for a new constitution as opposed to some Church leaders who commanded their flocks to vote “NO”. ‘YES’ got 5,954,767- representing 67.25 percent of the total votes while “NO” got 2,687,193- representing 30.25 percent.

Kenyans and for that matter, the vast majority of Christians went against their church leaders’ command and voted “YES” because they generally agreed that the proposed constitution, while not perfect, is a huge improvement over the old constitution, a colonial-era document that gives almost total power to the President and leaves out any mention that the government serves at the behest of Kenya’s citizens.

They voted “YES” because Kenya’s new constitution is not only designed to re-distribute political power away from the capital, Nairobi, to 47 newly created counties (the devolution of powers), but also the land issue. It explains why numerous groups played a pivotal role in delivering this historically critical outcome, including established groups such as the Kenya Land Alliance.

Other groups included the Center for Land Economy, Women’s Right Movements, the Green Belt Movement, and newer groups such as the young women’s advocacy group Warembo ni Yes (an outgrowth of Bunge la Mwananchi—Women’s Social Movement).

Warembo ni Yes used new technologies such as mobile phones, Facebook, Twitters and the Internet, and more traditional methods such as community forums to amplify the voices of their constituency. In the process, innovative female leaders emerged to advance women’s rights.

Women were to vote overwhelmingly for the new constitution because it guarantees that they will fill at least one-third of elected and appointed government posts, land and property inheritance. Under Kenya’s previous law, inheritance was governed by customary law, often preventing women from inheriting property from their parents or laying claim to joint assets when their husbands’ died.

A new Bill of Rights also provides that all marriages shall be registered under an Act of Parliament. This means that even customary law marriages will be certified, protecting women’s interests in disputes between a widow and her in-laws over property. Currently, in the case of customary marriage it is the in-laws who attest to the existence of the union since they are the ones who oversee the traditional wedding.

In the new dispensation, all marriages will be officially registered. Women will also be protected from claims by other women who turn up following a man’s death, claiming to have been married to the same man under customary law and demanding a share of his estate – a common occurrence.

Historically land has been the centre for controversy in Kenya especially the issue of women being denied the right to own or inherit land. There are numerous cases where women are disinherited of land and new law seeks to change this as stated in the following articles Article 60:

(1) Land in Kenya shall be held, used and managed in a manner that is equitable, efficient, productive and sustainable, and in accordance with the following principles-

(f) Elimination of gender discrimination in law, customs and practices related to land and property in land: Article 68 Enact legislation (vi) To protect the dependants of deceased persons holding interests in any land; and water.

The new law defines community land as ancestral land and lands traditionally occupied by hunter –gatherer communities or lawfully held as trust land by the county governments. The new law entrenches provisions that protect culture and traditional lifestyles of indigenous people.

“The constitution shall protect indigenous communities that have retained and maintained a traditional lifestyle and livelihoods based on hunter- gatherer economy or pastoral persons and communities, whether they’re nomadic or settled community because of its relative geographical isolation who have experienced only marginal participation in social and economic life of Kenya as a whole.

That is why a day after Kenyans voted to accept a new constitution women across the country spoke about their hopes and expectations. Formerly women have been robbed of their financial contributions to matrimonial assets.

Men for example could just wake up one morning and sale the house they had bought together with his wife without her consent. This cannot happen now because the new constitution provides for the elimination of gender discrimination in law, customs and practices related to land and property.

This is indeed a very historic moment for the women of this country who have for years battled with their in-laws in succession cases. Formerly in the case of customary marriage it is the in-laws who attest to the existence of the union since they are the ones who oversee the traditional wedding.

The new constitution also grants health budgets for counties, making health care services more available in rural areas. It will ensure that there will be better deployment of health workers in all parts of the country, better nutrition and provision of health services. This will enable more women to deliver in hospitals and a sharp improvement of family planning services.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya
Tel 254-20-4441372
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org

KENYA: LAND AND WATER SECURITY IN MOMBASA ARCHDIOCESE

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from ouko joachim omolo

Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY DAVID KOBIA SIMON
WUNDANYI-TAITATA TAVETA
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2011
TAKE-2

Coast province is rated as one of the very sensitive regions in Kenya as far as the issue of land is concerned. According to government sources, Coast Province – in which the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa is located, has the highest number of landless people in the country.

Coastal land was previously owned by the Persians Arab Sultans and British. It was only much later handed over to the Government of Kenya. The squatter problem escalated due to rising populations, increased demand for land, and the non restriction of land ownership in the country. A presidential directive to regularize Coastal squatters on Government land was first issued in 1978. Since then, there have been concerted efforts to establish regional settlement schemes.

From the period of colonialism, Kenya has been grappling with the land question which subsequent government regimes have been unable to or unwilling to resolve. The land question has manifested itself in many ways including fragmentation, breakdown in land administration, disparities in land ownership and poverty.

This has resulted in environmental, social, economic and political problems including deterioration in land quality, squatting and landlessness, disinheritance of some groups and individuals, urban squalor, underutilization and abandonment of agricultural land, tenure insecurity and conflict.

In its pastoral and development mission, the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa virtually covers 9 administrative districts of the province and makes day to day interactions with huge populations seriously affected by land problems in the region. Many people in this region remain landless (and squatters) yet it is a critical asset to the economic, social and cultural development.

In Taveta deanery for instance, it was estimated that close to 40 percent of the population in Taveta district comprises of squatters found in clusters of close to 100 households in different parts of the large-scale farms some of which have been in dispute for a long period of time.

This has significantly contributed to increased levels of poverty and its subsequent effects in many sections of the community. The nature of colonial and neo colonial experience in coast can only be understood through the contradictory and multiple functions and conflicts that land generates.

The prevailing situation in the 10 mile Coastal strip is that land occupied by the indigenous Kenyans are still held under communal customary tenure as most of the land have not been adjudicated to determine the individual land rights. Areas which have been adjudicated under the Land Titles Act, have legal individual tenure except that most of the Landlords are absentee landlords.

It is estimated that absentee landlords at the coast own over 77, 753. 02 hectares of land in the deaneries covered by the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa, it is estimated that absentee landlords own a total of 77, 519 hectares. Squatters who believe they have the right of ownership as they have lived in these localities from time immemorial occupy these parcels.

Even though the Government has recently acquired a few of the farms and converted them to settlement schemes, such as Mtondia Roka and Shimba Hills, land tenure issues at the coast still remains one of the most sensitive issues as locals feel they were cheated at the time of adjudication in 1908. The land occupied by the indigenous Kenyans were not adjudicated as private property, but were alienated as crown land.

Although agriculture is the highest income in Kenya, many people in coast province are virtually denied the chance to practice it because they literally have no piece of land that they can legally claim as theirs. In extreme cases, it has even led to lose of lives.

The most urbanised part of Coast Province is the Mombasa metropolitan area. For example the overall growth of population in the Nyali-Bamburi-Shanzu area has resulted in rapid urbanisation. Large numbers of people seeking employment opportunities are moving into the area between the main road and the beach, as well as the surrounding areas.

Roads and other infrastructure development are not keeping pace with increasing development in the north coast, causing severe shortages of potable water and power. Moreover, hotels continue to develop in plots landward of the original beach hotels and are beginning to encroach on existing residential areas.

This situation is complicated by an unpredictable influx and temporary settlement of refugees, creating huge demands on the meagre public facilities and degradation of the local environment. Although there is a land use plan for the area, administered by the Municipal Council of Mombasa, development has not adhered to the plan.

Increasing commercial and residential development, urbanisation pressures and uncontrolled land use changes have placed a significant strain on existing services and infrastructure in the area. Trends suggest increasing growth of many sectors within the area, all of which will exacerbate the public service and infrastructure problems already being experienced.

The Kenya coast however, has played an important role for over 2,000 years in East Africa when merchants sailed from Arabia in search of gold, spices, ivory and other goods. Dating back to the seventh century, Arabs settled on the coast, and built trading centres and settlements along it.

The Portuguese had established trading posts along the coast since 1498 but were driven out in 1790 by the Arabs. Although many settlements have retained prominent facets of Arab culture, the coastal area has progressively integrated the distinct races of African, Asian, European and Arab people.

Because of its long history of human activity, Kenya’s coast has an estimated 70 significant historical sites and monuments. Out of these, 58 have been designated as National Monuments and Reserves.

These historical sites and monuments include isolated ruins of houses, mosques, tombs, townships – example, Gede Ruins – and fortified areas such as Fort Jesus. They also include monuments like the Vasco da Gama pillar at Malindi, and urban areas of historical and architectural importance, such as Mombasa Old Town.

Kenya’s coastline has about 53,000 hectares of mangroves in nine species, occuring mostly in creeks, bays and estuaries. Some villages still exploit mangroves for their wood both for commercial sale and subsistence use.

Depending on the size class, mangroves are harvested for their wood both for commercial sale and subsistence use. Mangrove wood can be used for building purposes, firewood or making charcoal.

A significant proportion of coast province land is contained in national parks, especially at Malindi, Watamu, Mpunguti and Kisite. Tsavo is the oldest, best known and largest. The 13,686 km2 of Tsavo in the province takes up a large chunk (about 66 percent) of Taita District and a small portion of Tana River District. This has resulted in acute land shortage in Taita, with a high population concentration in the Voi-Wundanyi corridor and another one in Taveta.

The coastal areas contain important coastal lowland forests which support a high diversity of flora and fauna. These resources are important parts of the coastal ecosystem and also provide additional tourist destinations. The Kaya Forests of the Kenya coast are relic patches of the once very extensive lowland forest of East Africa.

Today these forests are protected as sacred places and are still historically used by Mijikenda elders for prayer purposes and other ceremonies. These forests are being protected by the National Museums of Kenya as Forest Reserves, especially in the Kwale and Kilifi districts. However, many of these Kayas have been thinned out and are in danger of being lost completely.

The Miji Kenda, the dominant African tribe of the coast apart from the Taita, initially settled by the seashore. They were gradually pushed further inland to pave the way for Arab settlements. The term Miji Kenda describes the settlement pattern, which was based on the nine sub tribes of the people. They settled in nine fortress villages, one for each of their tribes. Inside the fortress villages, which were located in forests with only one exit, crop farming thrived.

The Kenya Coast was recently engulfed in violence emanating from Likoni (Mombasa District) and spreading to Kwale District. This violence lasted about two months, claiming the lives of many and shattering an important sector of Kenya’s economy.

The attackers raided the predominantly Luo slum of Maweni in Kongowea, Mombasa. Ujamaa and Shika Adabu villages were also invaded. This called for the scouring of the Simuani caves, Kaya Waa and Kaya Bombo forests where 10 members of the gang were arrested by Administration police and General Service Unit personnel.

Over the next few days, as the violence moved on north to Mtwapa, and the death toll increased, people continued taking refuge at the Likoni Catholic Church where the Kenya Red Cross Society extended aid. Some of the 69 suspects already arrested started appearing in court.

A Mombasa politician Emmanuel Karisa Maitha was in 1997 arrested in connection with the violence as bloodshed spilled over to Kwale in the South and Kilifi District in the North. By this time, the pressure exerted on the government by opposition leaders, lobby groups and religious leaders was so great that a high level security meeting was held to draw up new strategies to counter the violence.

The violence continued as is depicted by a stampede at the church when unknown people lobbed stones into the area. By then, the death toll had risen to 36 and destruction of property continued as 400 waterfront kiosks were brought down to ashes in Malindi. By 20/8/97, the number of suspects in police custody stood at 309 including Mr. Omar Masumbuko (East African Standard August 21st 1997).

David is a Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa coordinator

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya

Tel 254-20-4441372
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org

KENYA: LAND AND WATER SECURITY IN TAITA TAVETA COUNTY

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From: ouko joachim omolo

Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ

WUNDANYI-TAITA TAVETA

TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2011

TAKE-1

From July 24- 28 2011 myself (Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ,) Fr Ken Thesing, Maryknoll, Mr Joseph Adero Ngala, People for Peace in Africa are conducting workshop on land and water security in Taita Taveta County, Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa.

Taita Taveta Country is one of the forty seven counties of Kenya, located in the Coast Province of that country. It lies approximately 200 km northwest of Mombasa and 360 km southeast of Nairobi city. It covers an area of 16,975 km2. of which a bulk 62 percent or 11,100 km2. is within Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks.

Historically, about 86 per cent of Taita Taveta County was grabbed by the colonial government which carved out 62 percent of it and converted it into the two national parks while the remaining land was given freely to European war veterans for sisal estates and subsequent governments of Kenyatta, Moi and Kibaki, the Taita Taveta community was therefore displaced and rendered landless.

According to the latest census results, the county has a population of 284,657. These, however have to squeeze within 4,000 square kilometers for settlement and farming as the rest of the land is occupied by ranches, rocks and wetland.

The remaining 5,876 km2 is occupied by ranches, sisal estates, water bodies such as Lakes Chala and Jipe in Taveta and mzima springs, and the hilltop forests which occupy less than 100 km2. or approximately 10 km² out of 587.5 km².

The County has approximately 25 ranches. The main land use in ranche is cattle grazing. The three operating sisal estates of the district are the Teita Sisal Estate, Voi Sisal Estate and Taveta Sisal Estate.

There are 48 forests which have survived on hill tops in the district of which 28 are gazetted and are under government protection and management. They range in size from small 500 square metres with a few remnant trees to modestly vast 2 square kilometres indigenous and exotic forest mountains.

Land grabbing has become one of the major issues in this County. The large scale farmers who are wealthy Kenyans have continued grabbing land in this county. The land owned by the Kenyatta family alone in Taita Taveta farm is 74,000 acres. This is not to mention 50, 000 acres currently under Mrs Beth Mugo, Minister for Public Health and niece of the first President.

Former Assistant Minister for Roads and Public Works Basil Criticos who has been accused of one of the land grabbers in Taita Taveta was sacked by Moi. Mr Criticos had complained about the squatters who occupied his land. Several hundred families had moved on to his farm and a neighbouring farm, beaten up security personnel, and burnt sisal crops.

It is not clear why land in Taita Taveta has been known for its crisis. Historical background could give some hints. Historically the land was not occupied not until the Taita people migrated to Kenya through Tanzania. They migrated to Kenya in five groups each settling at different places of the present Taita Taveta County in Kenya.

While settling in these areas the Taita speaking people interacted with other communities or tribes particularly the Taveta, the Pare of Tanzania, the Borana, the Wakamba and the Maasai. Since then about 20 percent alone are from Western Kenya.

Others who settled in the area include the Falasha (Jewish) that settled in Taita Hills after conflicts in the Ethiopia or settled at the area during some migration south. Today there are sub groups or subtribes of Taita.

They can be divided into Wadawida, who traditionally lived around the Dawida, the Wasagalla who lived around the Saghalla, and the Wakasighau who lived around the Kasighau massif of the Taita Hills.

The Saghalla people speak Kisaghala which is much closer to the Kigiriama or mijikenda (nine tribes who speak almost same language). The Kasighau are closer to the Pare and Chagga of Tanzania but are Taita speaking people.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya

Tel 254-20-4441372
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org

KENYA: COMMUNITY LIFE IMPROVEMENT CENTER LAUNCHED TO AID CHILD HEALTH IN NYANZA

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By Dickens Wasonga.

Procter and Gamble through its leading Pampers Baby and Family Care Brand has established a pilot program aimed at promoting healthy development of babies and children in the greater Nyanza and Western regions.

The program, embodied in a Community Life Center, was set up by Procter and Gamble in partnership with Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) a local implementing NGO.

Statistics from the Kenya Health Demographic Survey (KHDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) show that out of every 1000 at babies, 149 died from preventable diseases, a figure that is higher than Africa’s average of 38 in every 1000.

Research conducted by the implementing agent in the Nyando region of Nyanza province over the last five years showed that diarrhea and malaria are preventable yet major causes of infant and child mortality.

The new Community Life Improvement Center, dubbed the ‘Pampers Baby and Family Center’ has four components; a clean water pump station for dispensing to the general public, a model traditional kitchen, an information resource center for the community and a baby and family care center.

Speaking at the official launch of the facility, Procter and Gamble East Africa Managing Director Adema Sangale explained that the Community Life Improvement Center was essentially a micro-franchise model with a market-based approach that had a social agenda of improving the community’s life thereby addressing social health and entrepreneurship issues in a sustainable manner.

There is a wide range of products sold at the Pampers Baby and Family Care Center that address the preventable diseases and promote healthy baby development.

“One of the products is safe water. The community plant here uses a mechanical pumping process to draw raw water from the local river Nyando to a 1,000 liter header tank located three meters high from where the water is fed by gravity through a special filter into a second tank of equal capacity,” she explained noting that it had been designed to pump a similar amount in a day.

This clean water is then distributed through piping to taps from where it is dispensed to the general public at a nominal cost. The water supply system, she said, was ideal for providing clean water for multiple uses in several households in the region.

PuR water purifier sachets are available for home treatment of the river water for individuals unable to fetch water from the center.

SWAP works with 900 groups of entrepreneurial women across the region to build capacity and link them to micro finance institutions to grow their small scale businesses. A case in point is the Baby and Family Center, a self-sustaining community based small business run by local entrepreneurs.

SWAP Program Director Alie Elevald said that the success of the pilot program was encouraging and would form the basis to consider the expansion of the concept of life improvement centers comprising Pampers Baby and Family Care Centers and community water purification and supply systems.

As a baby and family care brand, we believe that this initiative is in line with Pampers brand values.

The new baby and family care center is run by 4 people; one manager, an assistant manager and a staff of two.

Ends

KENYA: NGILU SAYS WATER COMPANIES TO BE HALVED.

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By Agwanda Jowi.

60% of the current 126 Water Companies are not sustainable and will be merged with others leading to only 47 water bodies countrywide, says Water and Irrigation Minister Charity Ngilu.

In a speech read on her behalf by the Director of Water Services Lawrence Simitu during a Water and Sanitation Expo in Kisumu, Ngilu lamented that the current water coverage in the country is 64 % with urban areas having 78% while rural areas being 48%

“The informal settlements have lowest coverage in urban areas where in some towns the coverage is as low as 20% while in the rural areas ASAL areas has the lowest coverage with some areas having coverage as low as 18% and for the sanitation ,the national coverage is about 55% with rural areas having lowest access” she added.

She further said that water security is important in Kenya to develop economically adding that the low water storage coupled with vulnerability to climate change has made the country water insecure and in order to reverse the trend,the Ministry had prioritized development of large dams in the country.

“Construction of the first five dams started in 2008 and will be completed by 2012 at atotal cost kshs 9.5 billion and will impound 11 billion litres of water,the dams are; Kiserian, Badassa, Umaa, Maruba and Chemususu in Kajiado, Marsabit, Kitui,Machakos and Baringo Counties respectively” Ngilu also said.

She further added that in order to achieve Millennium Development Goal Number 7 in the country,about 9 million more people will have to access safe drinking water through development of water infrastructure .

ENDS

Nile Basin: Egypt and Sudan finally lost the control of River Nile waters as upstream riparian nations ganged up in a new arrangements

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

INFORMATION emerging from the Ugandan capital, Kampala says control of the Nile waters by Egypt and Sudan came to an abrupt end last week, paving the way for development of irrigation related projects upstream of the river.

In a ceremony held in Kampala, the six riparian countries ratified the Cooperation Framework Agreement {CFA} that repeals the close to one century old treaty, which Egypt signed with the colonial power Great Britain in 1929.

The Treaty was signed between Great Britain colonial rulers and Egypt and was later reviewed in 1959 before most of the riparian countries got their political independent in early 1960s.

The World Bank Trust, which manages the Nile Basin resources, had been blocking development projects along the river because the Nile Basin Initiative {BBI} lacked legal basis, which the CFA now provides.

“As long as we do not have the CFA, Egypt and the Sudan will continue to block development activities because NBI has no legal recognition in other countries”, said Dr. Callist Tindimugaya, Uganda’s Nile Basin Initiative representative and also Commissioner of Water Resources Regulation at the Ministry of Water and Environment.

The colonial treat barred other countries from using the water for development purposes that could impact negatively on water flowing to Egypt.

The Egyptian government had posted a team of military water engineers, who are permanently stationed at the eastern Ugandan town of Jinja, where the source of River Nile is located at the northern tip of Lake Victoria to monitor the flow of the water to Egypt. It has posted similar team of water experts of its embassies located in Nairobi, Dar Es Salaam and Kampala as well as in other riparian countries.

In 1959, however, Egypt and Sudan renegotiated the treaty a fresh and came up with the Full Utilization of Nile Water Agreement, which allowed the construction of the Aswan Dam in Egypt for mutual benefit of both countries.

“Without the consent of Egypt no irrigation or hydroelectric works can be established on the tributaries of the Nile or their lakes if such works can cause a drop in water levels harmful to Egypt,” read the section in the 1959 treaty.

The riparian countries include the DRC Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Rwanda.

The breakaway group of riparian countries includes Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania-undertook technical audits that culminated in the establishment of CFA last year.

In February this year, Burundi became the sixth nation to sign up to the agreement to alter the historical water-sharing the River Nile, thus raising sufficient numbers to move the process towards ratification.

Egypt, Sudan and DRC Congo did not sign while Eritrea maintains observer status. The organization’s name changed from Nile Basin Initiative to Nile Basin Commission with its administrative secretariat in Uganda.

The CFA provides sharing of benefits and costs of maintaining the river.

Regional Interconnection Project a USD 385 million power project expected to be completed in 2014 – is one of the development programs that are expected to generate cross border electricity for the benefits of all tributaries countries.

Ends

Kenya: Man is being hospitalised after savage attack by a ferocious crocodile

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

A fisherman is recuperating at the New Nyanza General Hospital, Kisumu after he was attacked by a ferocious crocodile while fishing in Lake Victoria.

The incident occurred at Omia Mwalo village in Central Asembo Location, Rarieda Constituency, Rarieda district within Bondo County.

Maurice Ouma Omire had gone fishing along the lake’s shoreline when the reptile struck and tried to drag him away deep into the lake. His colleague braved the attack and hit the crocodiles head repeatedly until the animal disentangled from the jaws of the animal. The victim sustained injuries – – a badly devoured and damaged leg. The cases of wild animals attacking and even killing residents along the shoreline of Lake Victoria are on alarming increase. On the neighboring Rusinga Island, there is a record of attack by Hippos reported of having killed five people within the last two years.

Experts say the Hippo have become more wild and ferocious following the disappearance of green pasture which they usually feeds on.

There have been numerous reports whereby Hippo have attacked domesticated animals and even killed cows along River Kuja, which is the natural boundary between Ndhiwa and Uriri constituency.

An Assistant minister for Internal Security Joshua Orwa Ojode, is amongst the victims. He had lost two cows killed by crocodile when his herds of cattle ware taken for watering in Kuja River. The river traverses the MP’s farm and it is only a kilometer from his Unga village home in East Kanyamwa/South Kabuoch location boundaries.

Coun, Adongo of East Asembo called upon the government and KWS officials to combat the area and to ensure that hippos and crocodiles are driven away. A clause in the Kenya Wildlife Services Act stipulates that any citizen attacked, injured or killed by wild animal is entitled for compensation But in another not related incident, two young boys who were early this month attacked and injured by crocodile in Mwingi district, will not be paid compensation, and the KWS official argued that the boys had stayed into a game reserved conservancy area.

The two boys aged, between 16 and six years old, were savagely attacked by a killer crocodile while watering their goats in a place called Ikome. The boys, two brothers had strayed into the crocodile infested Tana River two weeks ago. The newspaper have quoted the KWS officer in-charge of the Mwingi North district Mr Fredrick Owino said that the boys had broken the law by venturing deep into the game park, a restricted areas.

Owino who previously was in-charge of KWS station in Tseikuru said the attack happened in a restricted area thereby denying the victim of any compensation payment.

The government, he said, cannot pay compensation to people who encroached deep into the game reserves. He cited a man who in 2009 was killed by a Jumbo {Elephant} in the same area was never paid compensation.

“This is a clear case, that anyone who ventured into game animals infested areas and get injured or killed are considered as the offender and therefore deserves no compensation payment.

The two brothers were Mwangani Mtunga 15 and his younger brother Mutia. They miraculously escaped at the jaws of a ferocious killer crocodile and were hospitalized for two weeks. Their father had already lodged a letter seeking compensation for his school going sons. The incident occurred on April 9, 2011. Mutunga is a standard two pupils at Ikome Primary School, while his younger brother is attending a nearby nursery school.

Ends

Tanzania: Nation headed for big trouble with Egypt for its diversion of Lake Victoria waters

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

Information emerging out of the Tanzanian capital city, Dar Es Salaam says that country is headed for another diplomatic row with the two northern African states of Egypt and the Sudan over the decision to draw water for domestic use from Lake Victoria.

This will be the second project using Lake Victoria water, which will be drawn for domestic use in Tabora Region, 278 kilometers south of the lake.

Designs for the project are to be drawn up this coming July with the implementation slated fir January 2013 and completion in December 2014.

The first project, in 2004, was implemented in two phases under which Lake Victoria water was pumped overland to benefit residents of Kahama and Shinyanga towns, about 176 kilometers to the south of the lake.

The USD 85.1 million project will serve a population of 420,000.It is reportedly raising concern in Egypt and Sudan, the main interested parties in the River Nile, of which Lake Victoria is a major source.

The influential EASTAFRICAN weekly, this week quoted the press attaché in the Egyptian embassy in Dar Es Salaam, Mr Ahmed Abdul Fatah, as saying the Egyptians have not been informed about the current project.

The two Nile Basin treaties signed during the British Colonial era in 1929 and in 1959 between Britain and the Egyptian governments restricted the carrying out of any project on the Nile River tributaries or their lakes that would adversely affect its water level without Cairo’s consent

And in order to make sure that the agreement is applied to the letter, Egypt has posted a team of military water engineers who are permanently station in Jinja Town, which is the source o the River Nile, a Ugandan City, Uganda’s second largest city, which is located about 90 kilometer to the east of the capital, Kampala.

The same Egyptian government has posted its water experts attached to its embassies in Nairobi, Kampala and Dar Es Salaam whose main responsibilities including the monitoring of Nile River water level on daily basis.

However, the Draft Agreement over the Nile River Basin Co-operative Framework, Section 15, all the countries except Egypt and the Sudan, take the position that the treaties in question are illegal, arguing that they were negotiated and signed before independence for Tanganyika, Kenya Uganda and the other riparian states.

The Framework involves nine countries among them are five member states of the East African Community {EAC} and Egypt, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia which are not ember of the EAC.

The Deputy Director of the Urban Water Ministry in Tanzania Elizabeth Kungu was quoted by the media this week as saying that the project would cost Tshs. 255 billion, which is equivalent to USD 176 million.

She noted that the project would be partly funded by the Tanzania government and its development partners including the World Bank under the water sector development program.

Asked about Egypt and Sudan concerns, she said that based on o the previous experience ”The quantity of water drawn or to be drawn for both Shinyanga and Tabora towns is very little compared with the size of the lake.”

Lake Victoria, the second largest sweet water in the world covered 68,000 square kilometers bordering Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Its maximum depth is 80 meters.

A[art from Tabora town, the regional headquarters, the planned project will also benefit Nzega,Igunga Kigongwa,Isaka and Muhesa towns as well as the residents of 76 villages situated along the pipeline.

Tanzania Vice President Mohammed Gharib Bilal described the project as a solution to the persistent water problems in area covered by the project.

In 1910, the Germany had contemplated using Lake Victoria waters for irrigation, transport and production of electricity in the dry parts of Mwanza,Shinyanga,Tabora and Singida regions.

Official document at the Ministry of Water reveals that the ideas of taking water from the Lake Victoria and supplying to the dry Central area of the country, dates back to the German’s colonial era in Tanganyika.

However, when the British took the control of the then Tanganika Territory from the Germans following the defeat of its forces in the East African military campaign during the First World ,the emphasis on using the Lake Victoria water into the dry Central zone of Dodoma and Singida which are naturally dry. Instead the use of Lake Victoria water has ever since been limited to the use in areas around the lake.

There have been persistent calls by Tanzania, experts for the government to extend for the use of Lake Victoria waters to end water shortage and create an environment for irrigated agriculture and economic development.

Ends

KENYA: KISUMU ASIANS UP IN ARMS AGAINST THE POLICE AND THE COUNCIL.

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By Our Reporter.

Residents of Kisumu along Apindi Street and its precincts are appealing to the Provincial Administration and the area police ,Kisumu Municipality Council to intervene in regard to the illegal erecting of kiosks near their residences which have led to major security lapse within the said areas, failure of which they take the Council to Court.

Under the auspice of Kisumu Town Asians Residents Community ( KITARCO) the residents are accusing the council of using its staff together with the owners of the said shacks under construction of getting protection from the council.

“As residents of the area, this blatant abuse of office is harmonizing our enjoyment of residing in the area, these shacks are being put up on our flowerbeds and right at our doorstep and it is an eyesore that trees that have been in existence for the last 40 years were chopped down to pave way for this eyesore“, read part of the petition which they took to Nyanza Provincial Police Officer Joh Njue Njagi and Nyanza Provincial Commissioner Francis Mutie.

They wondered why the council is turning against its own by-laws while claiming to be for the beautification of Kisumu is turning a blind eye to all these.

“All the alleys in this neighborhood have been sealed off and such tin shacks erected thus jeopardizing access to sewer lines, main water lines and phone lines should the need for maintenance arise, we cannot even unblock sewers as the man hole inspection units are built upon“, read part of the letter.

The residents further warned of the PPO and the PC of disaster in waiting any slight fire outbreaks on their respective residences, they will be reduced to ashes as they are surrounded by illegal shacks doing all manner of cooking and other occupations on the roads.

“They also contribute to the general disease risk spread as there are no sanitation facilities and its anyone’s guess as to where these occupiers relieve themselves”, the letter further lamented.

KITARCO is petitioning the council to immediately demolish and return the pavements to its original state for usage by pedestrians or they hold the council responsible.

“As residents of this town, we hold the council responsible to ensure our enjoyment of residing in the area without such blatant disregard of bylaws since we also contribute to the council coffers in numerous ways already known to you and your officers, the greedy and unscrupulous council members/officers cannot erect shacks on public and enjoy the benefit of collect”, they told Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello.

In their appeal to the PC, they called on him to seriously look into the issue as the alleys and pavements are public property that the council is entrusted to maintain and protect for the enjoyment of all dwellers and not to line pockets of corrupt abusers of public offices.

“Sir this matter needs to be investigated and the culprits charged for abuse of office and also pay costs of restoration apart from shaming naming”, they called on the PC.

Contacted Kisumu Council Clerk David ole Nkere said that he was not aware of the allegations and vowed to look into the issue once he returns to Kisumu as he said he was in Nairobi and called on anyone who was offended to see him personally in his office.

ENDS.

Kenya: Two children struck dead by lightning while three students hurt by another thunderbolt

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

AFTER long period of drought that had threatened the lives of millions of Kenyans and their livestock, particularly those living in the semi-arid region in Northern part of the country, the long rains have finally arrived, but have also brought calamities and natural disaster disasters.

It has arrived in time for the farmers to plant their farms in most part of Western Kenya and highlands west of the Rift Valley.

Two children were killed while herding their family cattle in Nkoreta area of Narok County in the South Rift while score of high school girls student at Lwanya Girls Secondary School in Busia County in Western Province narrowly escaped death when the institute was hit by thunderbolt late on Sunday during heavy downpour.

Narok Officer Commanding the Police Division {OCPD} Peterson Maelo confirmed that the incident occurred when several children were sheltering under a huge and tall tree during the stormy rains.

“It was raining heavily when the children who were looking after cattle in the open field decided to shelter under the tree and were struck by lightning killing two of them on the sport and injuring scores of other,” said Maelo.

The police boss said children were from different families. He urged the parents to advise their children against taking shelter under the trees when it rains. “The tree being the tallest object in a given place is always the target attracting the lightning”, he added.

The bodies of the victim were taken to Narok district waiting for the postmortem examination.

The area civic leaders led by their chairman Stephen Tronaiyan who visited the bereaved families, and announced that they will with effect from tomorrow hold a youth forum to be organized by NGO. And the agenda will include sensitizing and teaching the young people about the natural calamities and disaster like floods and lightning.

The meeting will offer the youth’s free education on how to protect themselves against the natural calamities, especially o the danger about lightning which has been so prevalent in the area, particularly during the rainy seasons after a long time of dry spells.

In another near disaster, but unrelated incident, lightning struck Lwanya Girls Secondary School injuring three girls in Busia County, Western Province during the late afternoon down-pour, which was accompanied by storms. The school is situated close to the Kenya-Uganda border.

Doctors at Busia district Hospital where the three students have been admitted for treatment and observation said the girls are in stable condition and are out of danger.

The PPO in Western Province Benson Kibui has urged the schools management to install lightning arrestors to ensure the safety of students.

He said the students had narrowly escaped death because they were not hurdled together.

Two months ago four pupils were strike dead in Nandi while they were playing football.

Last year alone close to 100 Kenyans lost their lives in lightning incidents while property worth thousands of shilling were destroyed or damaged beyond repair..

In Africa, Zimbabwe is leading followed by the neighboring Zambia with the largest figure of deaths caused by lightning every year. The deaths are moderately estimated to be between 180 and 200 in the two neighboring countries.

In Kenya more incidents of deaths are reported in Wstern Keya regions of the North and South Rift, Bungoma,Busia, Siaya,Kisumu, Kisii region and Southern Nyanza.

ends

Kenya: plans are in hand to revive the forty seven year old Western Kenya Tourist curcuit

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Report compiled By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The new constitution of Kenya, which was promulgated by President Mwai Kibaki on August 4, 2010 , and which created 47 Counties, will now open up most of the interior parts of Western Kenya for tourists.

It will open the regions surrounding Lake Victoria for overseas tourists as it will revive the forty five year old sleeping and nearly forgotten blueprint for Western Kenya Tourist Circuit.

Officially launched in 1966 by the then Minister for Tourism and Wildlife in the post-independence government headed by the founding President, the late Jomo Kenyatta, the late Samuel Onyango Ayodo who by then was the MP for Kasipul-Kabondo,the circuit was meant well to give the communities living in the Lake Victoria basin an opportunity to receive overseas visitors.

The program, however, was shelved for years for some unknown political reasons and did not see the light of the day. It remained in the drawing board for well over four decades. Local political pundits believes, this was part of the elaborate scheme hatched by the Kenyatta government to marginalize ad economically strangled rural communities living in the region, especially the residents of the highlands west of the Rift Valley for political reasons.

For many years, tourists from overseas countries were always diverted to the coast and to Kenya’s fertile National in Tsavo East and West National Game Parks and Reserves, which are located between the Coast and Eastern regions, and the famous Maasai Mara Game Park, Meru and Mt Kenya National Game Park and other parks like Abardare and Lake Nakuru Parks With exception of the famous Maasai Mara Game Park, most of these parks are situated in the highlands, east of the Rift Valley.

The aims and objectives were meant to frustrate the communities living in the region around the Lake Victoria basin. And it worked well temporarily serving the purposes of its perpetrators.

In the old days, Tourists were denied the opportunity of visiting the most populous regions in Western Kenya so that they could meet the people and view the villages as well as learnt about their rich diverse cultures and tradition in the villages.

A new private enterprise firm owned by a Kisumu and Nairobi based business magnate Aloys Otieno of the Otieno and Associates has embarked on a well elaborate plan to open and resuscitate the sleeping Western Kenya Tourist Circuit.

The plan is to open up the regions for tourists on several routes, which is expected to cover nearly all the tourist attraction centers, pre-historic sites, game parks with rare stocks wild animals species, bird watching sites, fish landing beaches.

When implemented fully, the program is expected to take the tourist to the Lake Basin regions via several routes, during which the visitors would have a golden opportunities of viewing the unique and green landscapes consisting of tea plantations, the largest concentration of Flamingoes in Lake Nakuru and Lake Elmtaita, hinterland lakes in Baringo County and the Mt Elgon on the northern zones.

It will take the visitors to the southern routes which include the Maasai Mara Game Park and Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe valley, which is situated only a few kilometers of the eastern shorelines of Lake Victoria in Homa-Bay County.

On the middle route, the circuit will take the visitors to the unique Kit Mikaye double storey Rock, which is located a few meters beside the Ksumu-Bondo main road in the west of Kisumu City and also branch o northward to the famous “Crying Rock, which situated a few kilometers outside Kakamega Town in the Kakamega County, and the visitors if lucky enough could have a chance of visiting the nearby Kakamega Forest, which famed to be the home of the deadliest poisonous snakes and unique species of birds.

All these places have very unique stories accompanying them. Tourist may be tempted to drive further west to Alego Kgelo Nyang’oma home of the now famous family of the US President Barack Obama in the Siaya County. President Obama has a family route in Kenya and ever since his accession to power in the US, which is one of the most powerful nation on the earth, there has been a great influx of foreign visitors to the tiny and previously sleeping and backward dusty rural village

Several tourist class hotels have sprung up in Alego Kogelo ancestral home of President Obama which is the burial sites of his grand father Hussein Onyango Obama and his biological father the late Barack Hussein Obama Senior. The Obama cultural Center is currently under the construction, and when completed will cater for the visitors as the family history and other works of the late Obama Snr., a former top economist adviser to the Kenya government.

Depending on the tourist guides, the visitors may drive on past Siaya Town and visit the nearby Lake Kanyaboli, which plans are no a foot to establish a small animal sanctuary to protect the rare, but extremely endangered sitatunga antelopes warthogs, wild-pigs, water-bucks and birds, the re-claimed Yala Swamp now housing a multinational rice farm owned by the multinational Dominion Farm Ltd from the US. The reclaimed land comprises an area roughly estimated to be approximately 17,500 hectares.

The tourist may drive on and cross the River Yala and visit the famous Got Ramogi, which is believed by the local communities to be the first homestead of the famous Ramogi Ajwang’, which is the ancestor of most of the Southern Luos who settled in Kenya about 600 years after harrowing movement from the Southern Sudan, through Uganda and Kenya. Parts of the community moved on and settled in the North Mara district in Western Tanzania. Got Ramogi was recently declared as an historic site, and a structure signifying its importance in the shape of a museum or a tourist camp is planned.

Otieno and Associate an enterprise owned by a Kenyan family has acquired the fleet of new vehicles which include several four-wheel drives vehicle for rough terrain of roads.

The tourists visiting this route may drive backward southern-ward and land at the Nyamira Kang’o Kajaramogi home of the late hero and freedom fighter, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who is the father of Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga. An ultra mausoleum has been construct there, which is housing all the work of the fame hero and the uncompromising champion fighter for democracy in Kenya..

Further southern, the tourist could drove up to Luanda-Kotieno jetty and catch up with Mbita Ferry on a the forty minutes voyage across the shallow water of the Nyanza Gulf to Mbita Point and drove on eight miles to the Mausoleum of another famed freedom fighter the late Tom Mboya at his Matenga village home village, Kamasengre home on Rusinga Island, where a mausoleum is built and declared as part of the National Museum.

And before one reached the late Mboya’s home there is another unique tourist attraction site called Nyama-Gi-Ware. Two small rocks in the sampling the two bulls fighting inside the lake near Wanyama fish landing beach and trading center. The locals believes and maintains that the two rocks were atone time living animals and one bull belonged to Ware the ancestral father of the Waware the largest clan on Rusing island and the other one belonged to Mnyama, a brother of Ware. And that the two bulls fought the fiercest battle until they enter into the lake water and turned rocks. The story is sounding rather suppesitution, but the rocks are worth viewing by any visitor on Rusinga Island.

Several tourist class hotels have sprung up ever since the opening of Rusinga Island via the causeway bridge across Mbita Chanel. They include Mbita Beach Hotel on the mainland, Mbita Holiday Inn Hotel on Rusing Island and a unique Lodge, which is not far away from Mboya’s home. There are also several middle class hotels, which could accommodate the tourist on both side of the Mbita Channel.

And from Rusinga Island tourists using boats could cruise on a one hour voyage to Mfangano Island where there are plenty to be seen. There are Old Caves and the unique Soklo Platoon for birds watching. This sparsely inhabited Island but large in size than its twin Rusinga Island.

There are properly maintained airstrips on both Rusinga and Mfangano Isands where planes carrying tourist have been landing almost on daily basis from Maasai Mara’s Kekorok based airstrip or flying tourists directly from Wilson Airport in Nairobi.

Coming back to the mainland, visitor could drive directly to Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley which has plenty of wild animals including the rare Roan Antelope, which are only found in Simba Hills and the coats and also in the Republic of South Africa. There is a disused tourist lodge, which was built close to 50 years ago by the then African District Council of South Nyanza, but which run-down and closed down its business in the late 1960s due to lack of customers. This magnificent could be renovated by a private entrepreneur and open its door once again if an investor could be found. It is situated rigt inside the Ruma National game Park

Tourist could move on to Gwassi Hills and travel down to Nyandiwa for a view of another important pre-historic site of Nyamgondho Wuod Ombare. Here the visitors come early in the morning hours, they could be able to see footprints of a man and his domestic animals on the rocks, which are believed to be that of the legendary Nyamgondho and his estranged bogus wife, who is believed to have deserted him and disappeared in the lake with her domestic animals and other sources of wealth.

The trip could take the visitors up to Sori Town in Karungu Bay or make a return journey to Mbita via Sindo and onward to Homa-Bay or drives on to Aora -Chuodho via the burial site of the famous polygamist the late Akuku Denja who died and was buried last December. A Mausoleum has since been constructed on the dangerman’s grave. The man is famed for having married close to 102 wives with whom he sired 216 children.

THE ECONOMIC DYNAMICS OF LAKE VICTORIA, AND ITS INFRASTRACTURAL DEVELOPMENT ITS REPERIAN COUNTIES TO SPUR GROWTH UNDER THE KENYA’S NEW CONSTITUTION DISPENSATION.

Kenyan portion of Lake Victoria which is only 1/6of the lake is bordered by the riparian Counties of Busia,Siaya.Kisumu,Homa-Bay and Migori.

The Nyanza Gulf part of Lake Victoria is shallow, highly polluted and frequently invaded by water hyacinth weed which is grossly impeding fishing and navigational of transport vessels.

The rise and fall of Lake Victoria waters and factors mentioned above have slowed down economic activities in the Western Kenyan regions.

With collapse of the Kenya Railways Corporation marine services in the 199s, main economic activities in the region are fishing and marine transport by ssese canoes which are prone to fatal marine accidents. Most of the vessels carrying large quantities of cargo to Kisumu port come from Tanzania and Uganda.

Gulf waters are of little economic use now as fish has emigrated o the deep and larger part of the lake. Waters highly polluted to an extent of even domestic animals do not use it. It is time other economic activities are introduced to spur development in the riparian counties.

Lake Victoria and rivers flowing into it are the major natural resources of the region whose waters should be put to better economic uses.

The Kenya Vision 2030, the current economic blueprint of the Kenya government and new constitution devolving development to the countries calls for initiation of new economic development in the region with the countries need to provide infrastructure for integrated transport system to attract investors to spur economic growth of the region.

To make good economic use of Lake Victoria new vessels need to be introduced for fishing and marine transport. Other activities such as cruise shipping leisure boat rides sport {games} fishing, water sports, rowing ,sailing and surfing need to be introduced to diversify economic activities.

“Hydrographic surveys must be carried out in the lake, navigational charts produced and navigational marks such as lights and buoys put in place. Safety of navigation and vessels can only be secured when the waters are charted as investors would not put in their vessels in uncharted waters“, says an expert.

Captain John Martin Odhach a retired captain who has since became a consultant on marine transport suggested in an article that ports and beaches in the riparian countries should be developed through the construction of piers, jetties and good access roads. Areas served by ferries with bow doors have to be with landing ramps.

Disposition of the ports and beaches are listed bellow;- Busia County Sio Port, Port Victoria, Marenga and Osieko Beach In Siaya County are Osieko Beach, Usenge Beach, Uhanya Beach, Wich Lum, Misori, Luanda KJotieno, Wayaga Beach, Kunya Beach and Asembo -Bay.

Kisumu County has the following beaches: Kaloka Beach, Ndere Island, Kisumu Port, Duga Beach, Sango Beach and Kusa Beach.

Homa-BayCounty has the following beaches: Karabondi, Seka Beach, Kendu Bay,Wath Mainuga,Kowuor, Homa-Bay, Mbita Town,Wanyama Beach, Utajo Beach,Luanda Kolunga, Siehenga and, Rusinga,Sindo Beach, Nyandiwa and Kisegi as well and Mfangano.

Migori County has the fewest beaches. They include Sori Bay in Karungu, Muhuru Bay and Migingo Island which is currently under the administrative authority of Uganda.

Kisumu City which is the regional hub of business and getaway to East Africa now houses regional and national institutions with mandate for economic development of the region such as Lake Victoria Basin Commission, an institution of the East African Community, Lake Basin Development Authority, Lake Victoria Environmental Program, Lake Victoria Water Management and Western fisheries as well as the regional branch of the Western Kenya Fisheries Research Institute.

The East African Common Market with a population of close to 120 million people is a bigger trading bloc requiring better coordinated integrated transport system of air, land water for better service delivery.

The new Counties should by now start putting infrastructure for integrated transport system by developing air strips, ports, piers, access roads, trunk roads and hydrographic surveys in the lake.

Experts says that the Lake Victoria navigational charts currently in use were published in 1901 when the lake was being opened for navigation to complete Uganda Railways arts in 1936,but since then the lake has experienced rise and fall in water level. The navigation Charts are now archaic and danger to navigation

It is now imperative that the lake must have hydrographic surveys carried out for the production of up-to date navigation Charts.

The East African governments have seen the importance of Lake Victoria Basin Commission with mandate to control and regulate marine transport, safety of navigation, vessels, training of marine personnel and efficient manning of ships plying the lake as promulgated by Lake Victoria Act f the EAC.

The government of Kenya and its counties should work with the Lake Basin Commission in effecting Hydrographic Surveys, particularly in the ports and beaches in the riparian counties to enhance safety. Navigation and port charts to be produced with navigational aids such as lights, buoys, wrecks and navigational danger marked on the charts for guidance of boat operators.

The Central government and countries have to construct ports the pier, jetties, ferry landing ramps and anchorages for vessels. Construction of facilities such as cold storage, passenger lounge should be essential part parts of the larger plan for tourist attraction to the regions.

The Central government and the countries need to construct ports, piers, ferry landing ramps anchorage,for mooring vessels.The jetties, piers, anchorage and channels need to be dredged to a reasonable depth for safety of vessels. Under water obstruction to be removed and danger points clearly marked with buoys.

Water hyacinth weed has been impediment to navigation activities in the lake for a long time, particularly in the Nyanza Gulf [Kavirondo Gulf] where it has been blocking ports and beaches The government, counties the government, counties and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission need to work out methods of removing these weeds manually by the labor which is abundance in the region.

The removal of hyacinth weeds will make navigation safe in Lake Victoria. The counties in turn and for the purpose ports attracting more revenues should construct access roads for ease of connections between air, land and water transport. Counties should strength the management of ports, beaches, recreation facilities to enhance their revenue base. The government and counties need to encourage local and international investors to participate in the creation of facilities and amenities.

Investors should be welcomed to put up boat building and repair yards in selected ports with resources as Kisumu City. Kenyan should be assisted to venture into acquisition by guaranteeing loans fro the lending financial institutions to provide marine transport and fishing..

The local counties should provide land in the ports and beaches for building of hotels and recreation amenities. The local Counties should create enabling environment for doing business by providing regulations which enhances safety and security of property and people.

INTEGRATED TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND LAKE VICTORIA AND SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE VILLAGES.

Kisumu City is arguably the hub of economic activities of the Western Kenya region and has a weekly regional market at Kibuye, which is serving Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi and to the extent Southern Sudan. The City is served by rail, road , air and water transport. Kisumu Airport is being upgraded to international standard and will soon be handling larger commercial planes carrying more passengers and cargo for international destinations.

The increase in trade in the region call for better integrated transport system to facilitate the movement of people and traded goods. Rail transport in the region is very limited as the line from Nairobi enters Kisumu County at Koru before reaching Kisumu City. There is a short rail line from Kisumu to Butere in Kakamega County transiting through Siaya County at Yala Town.

Major trunk roads in the region link Kisumu County to Busia Town, Port Victoria, Siaya Town, Mbita Town, Osieko Beach, Luanda K0otieno, Kendu-Bay, Homa-Bay, Migori Town, Muhuru Bay Town Oyugis Town and Sori Town in Karungu Bay. These roads form ring roads around Kenya portion of Lake Victoria. It was planned that by the year 2010 all ring roads around the lake were to be tarmacked and made all weather roads.

The poor dirt access roads to the port and beaches from the trunk roads and counties need to build these roads to ll weather standards to access transport jetties and piers.

When Lake Victoria Hydrographic surveys are completed navigational aids will be in place. Jetties and piers constructed for berthing of vessels, investors will be attracted to deploy their vessels for the provision of marine transport, leisure trips and water sports in the lake.

Residents of the region will be in a position to tap economic potentials of Lake Victoria by diversifying the uses of the waters such as surfing, rowing, surfing and fishing. About two million of cargo transported through the lake mainly in vessels owned by Tanzanian and Ugandan nationals,. Establishment of East African Community as a trading bloc of 120 people, has created huge market with big volume of traded goods requiring efficient marine transport. There is great potential for investing in vessels to provide marine services required in the lake.

Kenya owned Mbita Ferry provides service on the Mbita Channel between Luanda Kotieno in Uyoma peninsula to Mbita Point. The ferries owned by a local entrepreneurs Mr Sammy Wakiaga of Rusinga Island are sometime contracted to provide marine transport services to other destinations in the lake. The services offered at port from Kisumu to Mbita Town and environs by three hours.

Other routes to be opened up are Sio Port/Port Victoria to Rusinga and Mfangano Islands,Wayaga Beach to Homa-Bay, Kendu Bay, Asembo Bay Kowuor and Kisumu. There will be increased agricultural production of food crops to supply local demand particularly the larger Kisumu City market and for export to international market via the newly expanded Kisumu Airport. Fishing in the lake and fish farming will be enhanced for the production of fish. Agriculture and fishing are labor intensive which will result in employment of many people, especially the youths and school-leavers.

Kisumu City being the hub of economic activities in the region will be served by vessels from all over the ports and beaches in the region and those from neighboring countries of Uganda, Tanzania. Marine transport will spur trade in the region, local and foreign tourists will access the vessels for transport and recreation thereby spurring economic growth. The area now calls for the establishment of stronger road transport activities, and local business magnates are called upon to invest into small and bigger passenger vehicles to supplement the marine transport.

Horticulture crops such as vegetables, green maize, flowers grown in the area will be transported to Kisumu on a daily bas to meet the demand of Kisumu City population and for export to international market at Kisumu Airport.

Special built vessels for leisure trips and recreation will serve the tourists and locals who will want to enjoy these facilities. The newly created counties will need to provide integrated transport for people to access the facilities offered by the lakeside city.

Ends

Leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Kenya: Why we need Action on the Drought Situation

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From: stephen mwakesi

In 2009 Kenya witnessed one of the most severe droughts that have ever hit the country. The result of the drought was millions of Kenyans facing starvation as others lost livelihoods owing to the death of both cattle and crops. The impact was indeed severe and an outright evidence of the effects of climate change especially in vulnerable regions such as Africa.

Come 2011, situation hasn’t change as Kenya begins to experience yet another drought spell that could inevitable render millions facing hunger and starvation and millions worth of cattle dying. Already over 1.6 million Kenyans are already receiving relief food from the World Food Programme while it is anticipated that the figure could escalate to 5 million within the next three months. What’s bewildering is that at the same time we have tons of food wasting away in the fertile regions of the nation. This has been blamed on the lack of a comprehensive early warning system that would be able to see more food reserves in place in anticipation of drought. However this is not the matter at hand.

Unless something is done fast quick and in a hurry, we will see millions of Kenyans going hungry and staring death in the face. There is need to make concerted efforts to get emergency relief food to those who need it, not in three months time but right now. In addition there is need to take measures to ensure that there is provision of safe clean drinking water and available medication to fight off related diseases. Hunger and starvation breeds conflict as the fight for resources gets more and more vicious with each turning day. This cannot be allowed to happen.

In the coming days please look forward to joining a campaign against hunger where we are looking to raise a million youth voices to speak out against hunger.

NJAA MPAKA LINI? Rauka Ama HatutaSurvive

—

Stephen Mwakesi
Secretary General
Kenya Young Greens
Cell: +254 723 229 117/ +254 773 804041
Tel:+254 20 2613992/ 2613997
Fax: +254 (20) 3749132
Email: smwakesi@gmail.com
smwakesi@kenyayounggreens.org
Blog: mwakesi.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mwakesi
Facebook:www.facebook.com/mwakesi
Website: www.kenyayounggreens.org

KENYA: SCIENTISTS LAUNCH A FREE BILHARZIA STUDY AMONG KENYAN COMMUNITIES

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By Dickens Wasonga.

The Kenya Medical Research Institute in collaboration with the America’s Centers for Disease Control have launched a five year period study to compare school and community based mass drug administration delivery strategies for control of bilharzia, along lake Victoria’s riparian districts, where prevalence rates are high.

Speaking during the launch at a Kisumu hotel, the principal investigator, Dr. Pauline Mwinzi of KEMRI, said the study to compare Bilharzia control strategies in the western Kenya region will target over 150 communities and is expected to bring people together towards ensuring a Bilharzia -free communities.

The research study will determine the best combination of strategies for controlling the water borne disease, which affects commonly communities living along the shores of lake Victoria, where prevalence rates are as high as 75 per cent.

Speaking at the function, the investigator said the operational studies will include 150 communities where the prevalence of schistosomiasis is over 25%, and 75 communities where the rates are moderate and at between 10-25%.

The scientist said identified communities will be randomized into two arms, and further into 6 arms, half of which will receive community wide treatment, and the other half school based treatment, with variations over the years, to determine the best frequency and strategy for mass drug administration.

In year 5, a final evaluation of communities in all study arms will be performed.

The primary outcome will be comparison of schistosomiasis prevalence and intensity levels, among treatment arms, to identify the best strategies for mass drug administration.

Bilharzia is a neglected parasitic disease caused by several species of fluke.

Although it has a low mortality rate, schistosomiasis can damage internal organs, and, in children, impair growth and development. It is the second most socio-economically devastating parasitic disease after malaria.

This disease is most commonly found in Asia, Africa, and South America, especially in areas where the water contains numerous freshwater snails, which carry the parasite.

Infections, in the Lake Victoria basin in Western Kenya, are associated with lake water contact. Seven districts in the region have been picked for the study and includes Bondo, Rachuonyo North, Homa Bay,Rarieda, Kisumu east and west and Nyakach.

Previous studies demonstrated an association, between school proximity to the lake, and the prevalence of the disease, suggesting that the lake is the primary source of schistosomiasis transmission in this area.

The researchers said here, prevalence levels can go up to 100% and school children are the most affected.

Currently, the WHO recommended strategy for control is school based mass drug administration with praziquantel, the first line drug of choice.

Dr. Mwinzi said that the drug, which is administered orally, will be distributed by the community health workers and given, to a person, one dose per year.

She said the drug was available and cheap, but lacks the demand, since very few people who have the disease visit health facilities to seek treatment.

‘’This is what we target to reverse. The current strategy, which is school based, also does not reach all other people at risk of these infections, including fishermen and entire communities, who use the Lake for livelihood’’ she added.

Apart from Kenya, four other countries namely Mozambique, Niger, Uganda and Tanzania will also be taking part in the study in Africa.

The scientists said the five year study will cost Ksh.120 million, to be provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

ENDS.

Kenya: Plan is a foot to get rid of the menace caused by water hyacinth in Lake Victoria

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Oyugis Town

A plan, to have the menace water hyacinth in Lake Victoria mechanically cleared, has been envisaged. It would be undertaken by experts from Israel and South Africa.

The by product of the dreadful weeds, which has been hampering fishing and navigation facilities in the lake, would be used to produce biogas.

This was disclosed by an executive of the Microsoft Computer International, Dr. Mark Matunga, last Sunday when he addressed the congregation at the Deliverance Church in Oyugis town.

The 36 year old computer genius, Dr. Matunga, is among the dozen or so aspirants who have already declared their interest in the covenant position of Homa-Bay County governor.

He told the faithful that Lake Victoria is a big asset for the people of the region, therefore its environmental degradation would affect hundred of thousands of residents of the Homa-Bay country and other communities living within its basin. Efforts must be made to ensure its environments are protected.

Dr.Matunga disclosed that during his many trips abroad to Africa and elsewhere he had met a group of experts who are willing to have the water hyacinth removed from the lake’s shoreline. The removal work would be mechanized and would cost the Kenya government or the residents nothing.

This is because he attached a lot of value to Lake Victoria and its economic resources. “The lake”, he added, “is the mainstay of the region’s economy. It is the sole livelihood for fishermen and those involved in fish trade. The previous efforts to have the hyacinth mechanically cleared from the lake had failed even by introduction weevils”.

Homa-Bay County has the longer shoreline in eastern coast of Nyanza gulf {Kivirondo Gulf}, stretching from Kohbuya Nyakwere in East Karachuonyo Location, covering Central and West Karachuonyo, Kochia Homa-Bay Lambwe, Mbita and winding up in Gwassi.

He showered a lot of praise on the late Tom Mboya, who died in the hails of bullets from an assassin’s gun in a Nairobi street in 1969, saying “the former Planning and Development Minister was a visionary leader. His legacy are still being seen visibly everywhere forty years down the line after his death”.

Dr Matunga cited President Barack Obama of the United States, whose late father, Barrack Hussein Obama Snr, was among those young Kenyans who benefited from a student airlift, which was Mboya’s brainchild, and is now sitting on the chair of power, presiding over one of the most powerful nations on earth. He urged modern day politicians and leaders to emulate Mboya unselfish-lessens, dedication, dynamism and political magnanimity, which has made some of his work still very visible everywhere in the country. Mboya meant well for Kenya and its people.

Talking about the future of Homa-Bay County Dr.Matunga reiterated that the newly created County would need men and women of high integrity and ability to perform and tom deliver .It will not be the resting place for recycled, retired and tired deadwoods because the challenges ahead are so great.

It covered a much wider region whose population is still reeling in abject poverty, and concerted effort must be made on poverty eradication. The available resources within the country must be put into good use.

The budget allocation for the County from the Central government would not be sufficient to help it fund its functions, therefore additional fund would be required. But it will be the duty of its leaders to find out where they could source additional funds. This is the reason that the position of the government must be held by someone who has both the national and international outlook. Such a person would be in a position to go out there and negotiate with donors and international financial agencies for extra money.

But if the electorate can elect a tired retired politicians or ex-civil servants, the region would be doomed. These important positions in the country also need an administrator par excellence and genius manager, he said.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Kenya: KISUMU WATER WOES TO END, KIWASCO PLEDGES.

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By Dickens Wasonga.

Kisumu city has over the years faced perennial water shortage but it appears the problem is about to be fixed once and for all thanks to the current vibrant management at Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company formed in the year 2003.

The water company under the stewardship of Engineer David Onyango has in the recent past made great progress in supply of water and improvement of customer operations.

According to the MD ,KIWASCO has put steps in place to ensure Kisumu residents get timely and adequate water supply by the end of this year

Emergency works and expansion project which has been ongoing at the Dunga Water Treatment plant where a new treatment facility is being constructed is near completion and is due for commissioning by December.

When complete, the new treatment facility will see water supply to the over a half a million residents of the lake side city doubled to about 46,000m3.
KIWASCO has two water treatment plants both of which supply about 21,000m3 per day against a demand of about 46,000m3. Dunga Treatment Plant has a capacity of 20,000m3 while that of Kajulu is 1300m3.
Dunga treatment plant which was built in 1922 is the biggest and the main water treatment facility in the city . It has had only two rehabilitations , in 1938 and the last one was in 1968.
KIWASCO’s distribution system within the city is also set to undergo a major rehabilitation including the sewerage treatment which will boost their capacities to cope with the ever growing population of the town.

Initially the water company could barely supply water adequately to all the estates because its original supply system was designed for a small population back then and it was forced to introduce rationing of the commodity.Estates like Migosi which never had water in the past can now receive water.
The company faced numerous challenges including poor quality of water, poor supply, burst and leaking pipes.

Others included overflowing sewers and discharge of raw waste into Lake Victoria , irregular billing, poor communication and customer relationships,and massive water theft. In fact KIWASCO still loses up to 80 per cent of its water to theft . As a result the company suffered low revenue collection and a dented corporate image.
To counter this KIWASCO has embark on rigorous reforms, a process which is already bearing fruits. According to the MD, the company has managed to streamline its activities right from the Board level, Management and down to Operations level.
In its Short and Long Term Action Plan KIWASCO is also introducing customer-focused innovations which are bound to improve the quality and efficiency of services to its customers.
To address problems of bill repayment and shorten the long queues at the Head office, KIWASCO recently introduced a new bill payment option that will now enable customers to settle their bills through M-Pesa.

Customers can also interrogate their accounts through SMS and know their balances.

”We are delighted to offer our customers the easiest and most convenient methods to query and settle their bills. With the introduction of our M-Pesa bill payment services, all domestic customers now need not queue at the head office to pay their bills but do it from any part of the country.” said Eng. Onyango

It has also introduced a pre-paid water metering system to the informal settlement of Nyalenda in a move to improve access to water and revenue collection.
The pilot project scheduled to run for six months in Nyalenda is being implemented by a Namibian based company ,TagMeter Namibia and will provide an opportunity for KIWASCO and residents of Kisumu city to assess the suitability of implementing such systems to water distribution management.
KIWASCO has also acquired 31 motor cycles for meter readers and its maintenance staff .The company Chairman Israel Agina and Eng. Onyango launched the new motorcycles last week in a colorful ceremony at the Kibuye KIWASCO Plant.
Mr. Agina said that the mobility of meter readers is the very backbone of the firm given that it is its primary source of revenue.
He noted that customer base has been growing at a steady rate and that this is expected to rise even higher after the completion of the expansion works at Dunga water treatment plant.
During the launching ceremony the Managing Director said the motor cycles would help in improving billing and revenue collection which will in turn trickle down to the customer in terms of improved and reliable services.
“we are committed providing reliable, quality and affordable water and sewerage services in an efficient, viable, and environmentally friendly manner. We will continue to improve our efficiency in all sections of our operations and ensure our customers are satisfied.

To widen its scope of supply, KIWASCO has embarked on Re-activation of dormant accounts, where they reach out to customers who were disconnected due to huge bills and allow them to reconnect and continue to enjoy water supply
Daily contact with key customers on water situation to monitor supply reliability and quality of water is also done currently.

We established that plans are also at advanced stages to introduce a customer call center ensure that customers’ complaints are fully addressed in time.
A recent customers survey conducted in October 2009 majority of customers said there is an improvement in supply and reliability of water and sanitation services in the city.
KIWASCO has now also revamped treatment of waste water prior to discharge, at Kisat plant has been revamped after it stalled a few years ago and today the waste treatment process is active.
”The sewerage infrastructure in Kisumu is very old and has largely remained the same over the years despite the rapid population growth which has since grown to over double the capacity that can comfortably be served by the sewer network”Observed the MD
When the sewer network was constructed it was intended to serve a smaller population compared to the current population of over 500,000 residents yet the sewerage system has not undergone major expansions to keep pace with the population growth.

For several years, the biggest challenge to KIWASCO has been water loss but thanks to a team of dedicate staff, it has managed to reduce the amount of water being lost to theft and leakages from an all time high of 70% to now about 49%. and efforts to drive this figure further down by the end of this year are in place.

However water theft through illegal connections and vandalism of the supply systems is still a big setback for the water company.
Onyango said surveillance has been stepped up and with the help of members of the public , several arrests have been made and scores prosecuted.

”Apart from denying Kisumu residents their right to access to adequate water supply, KIWASCO also looses over 49% of the daily water supply to such illegal water connections. Such connections frustrate our efforts and mandate to supply clean and reliable water” He said
KIWASCO realizes that employees are the most valued assets of the company and therefore the company constantly looks for better ways to uphold and improve staff welfare.
With effect from October 1, 2010 KIWASCO entered into a new medical scheme cover for its employees with Madison insurance in an effort to improve healthcare for staff. This unlike earlier ones will cover both inpatient and outpatient cases.

ENDS.

KENYA: DESTRUCTION OF THE LATE ALBERT OWINO NYAOKE`S LAND BY SYNOHYDRO

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SENT BY: Leo Odera Omolo

DOCUMENTATION OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE LATE ALBERT OWINO NYAOKE`S LAND BY SYNOHYDRO CO-OPERATION THROUGH KIMIRA OLUCH SMALL HOLDER FARM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (KOSFIP). A shameless act of impunity and violation of fundamental rights of poor people has occurred:

PHYSICAL ADDRES: Village-Kogelo

Sub location-Kogweno Oriang East

Location-Kogweno Oriang

District-Rachuonyo North

County-Homa-Bay

FAMILY

The late Albert Owino Nyaoke died on 16/12/202 Left behind a widow Elizabeth A Nyaoke and seven children namely:

Peter Odhiambo Nyaoke

George Ouma Nyaoke

Victer Otieno Nyaoke

Everlyn Achieng Nyaoke

Halfline Atieno Nyaoke

Judith Anyango Nyaoke

Millicent Akinyi Nyaoke

The family has stayed in their home ever since and this is the only place they know as their home. The late Nyaoke secured A Title Deed for the said piece of Land, and up to date the title deed number 717 is still in the latte’s name.

DESTRUCTION

It was in July 2010-The Contractor Synohydro Co-operation without notice came and cleared all the vegetation within the homestead of the said family, destroyed the fence and any existing tree which was in the compound leaving the Home a bear field. The Family has tried to get explanation for the said destruction through the relevant authority and it has always felt on deaf ears. The first person they consulted for the same was there area chief (Kogweno Oriang Location) Mr. George Osumba who told them that the said project is a government project and it is beyond him

The contractors also passed through the farm and went ahead and cleared the existing crops which were due for harvesting.

ENCROCHMENT:

The destruction proceeded with a road construction, separating the mother’s house and the son’s house making it more difficult for the family to move from one house to the other. Since the road constructed is very busy in use. This has made the family crippled in conducting any meaningful business within the home stead since the vehicles which transport construction materials are

Frequently passing there.

In the said situation it is no longer a home where one can do any development. The small children cannot excise their rights of playing in the compound;

No livestock can be kept including the common local birds;

gweno;

Nobody neither the government administration nor the construction company has consulted the family about the construction in the middle of the existing home and the result of the economic and social consequences.

Since the construction of the road started two months ago the widow has never had a glimpse of sleep as the vehicles are passing there all day long 24hrs.The right of privacy has become a thing of the past, the rate of air and water born diseases is alarming in the said family as a result of passing vehicles and water logged due to poor drainage at the main entrance of the house.

INSECURITY:

The family has been leaving with a lot of fear of their own security as the road next to the house has become a major road for everybody using it 24 7 and numerous threats from those who use the road. AAAAR

CONCLUSION:

The organization, Ministry of Regional Development Authorities. Kimira –Oluch Small Holder Farm Improvement Project (KOSFIP) through the constructer Synohydro Cooperation has done nothing for the family, except promise by word of mouth that they will build for the family a house, no documentation to support the same.

NOTE

Feel free to contact the following for more information:

1) Peter Odhiambo Nyaoke Cell No. 0727 541 813

2) George Ouma Nyaoke Cell No. 0721 842 822

3) Elly Kisera Cell No. O724 505 962 Area project representative

J A OSANO

Uganda: The New Bujagali Power Station will be connected to the national grid next year

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The government owned NEWVISION reported this morning inits online news that the estimated about 50MW from the over $800m Bujagali hydro-power project will be connected onto the national grid by the end of next year, the project sponsors have said.

delayed: Men at work at the main Bujagali power plant in Jinja

This will increase Uganda’s electricity supply to 465MW. “The first 50MW-turbine is nearing completion. We anticipate that it will start producing power in December, 2011,” Kenneth Kaheru, the Bujagali Energy Limited (BEL) deputy construction manager, said.

Uganda produces about 415MW from the Nalubaale and Kiira dams and a host of thermal and mini-hydro-power plants countrywide. The firm’s revelation means that the project will not be fully commissioned in July, 2011 as was planned during the investment appraisal phase.

Works on the dam started in mid-2007 and were expected to be completed in 44 months, that is in July, 2011. Execution of the project met bottlenecks when engineers constructing the 30-metre high dam met poor rocks at the end of the dam (tail race section) of the gated spillway. This necessitated a re-design and setting up of a new major structure connected to the gated spillway to safeguard the dam.

The new date for the full commissioning of the dam is not yet known. “We cannot say what the exact date for the commissioning of the dam will be because we are not sure of what is below the water on the eastern part of the river,” Kaheru explained.

“Until we are sure of the riverbed, we can’t start talking about the completion date.” He, however, said the works were progressing well, explaining that they expect to divert the river in January so that River Nile flows entirely through the gates currently under construction. “This will allow us work on the the eastern section of the dam, where the river is currently flowing through.”

The 250MW power project is a joint venture between Industrial Promotion Services, an arm of the Aga Khan Foundation for Economic Development and Sithe Global, a US power firm.

On the project’s social and environmental aspects, BEL said has spent huge sums more than $3m in agricultural extension services, health, education, fisheries, skills training including entrepreneurship and environmental conservation as well as other social programmes specifically targeted for vulnerable persons.

The objective of the social and environment program is to ensure that the integrity of the environment in the project area is enhanced and that the Project Affected People (PAPs) are empowered to become self reliant and thus be capable of improving their livelihoods.

The project sponsors have built schools in Naminya settlement village as well as supporting other education initiatives in the other affected villages.

BEL is also equipping and upgrading health centres as well as training, equipping and facilitating village health teams with the tools they need to deliver healthcare services more efficiently to the project affected people.

It has also helped to organise the fishing community in the project area and has equipped the fishermen with appropriate fishing gear.

BEL completed a partnership arrangement with the National Water and Sewerage Corporation that will enable the project affected communities on both sides of the river get access to piped water.

Ends

Tanzania & Kenya: LAKE VICTORIA BASIN LAUNCHES UNIVERSITIES’ RESEARCH FUND FOR MARA RIVER BASIN

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By Agwanda Powerman

The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with three Universities; Ardhi University (Tanzania, Egerton University (Kenya) and Maseno University (Kenya) to support critical studies in natural resources and landscape conservation in the Mara River Basin.

The ceremony which took place in Kisumu will allow collaboration between the Commission and the Universities on applied research on Biodiversity Conservation in the Mara River Basin and the Environmental Flows Assessments of the Mara River.

The research will also include wildlife habitat conservation ,conservation enterprise and capacity building and leadership with an initial amount of US dollars 60,000 with 20,000 going to each of the three Universities under partnership.

“This new collaboration is part of broader initiatives being implemented under the “Trans boundary Water for Biodiversity and Human Health in the Mara River Basin Project” supported by USAID /East Africa and implemented by the LVBC” the organizations’ Executive Secretary General Dr.Tom Okurut said.

He added that under the recently -concluded Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan (BSAP) for the Mara Basin ,the measures to be undertaken will target improving policy,legislation and institutions,economics,investments,applied research ,communication ,education and awareness -raising.

“The LVBC is an institution of the East Africa Community responsible for coordinating the sustainable development agenda for the Lake Victoria Basin,the Mara Basin is one of the basins of the Lake Victoria Basin and is essential for the survival of wildlife anchoring Kenyan and Tanzanian tourism” Okurut further said.

He added that the survival of the Eco system depends on the flow of the Mara River and the collaboration between the Commission and the Universities will play an essential role of supporting a long term capacity development for science based management system of the ecosystem.

Nile Basin Countries: Egypt has issued a stern warning to Nile’ upstream countries over the Entebbe deal

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The last week signing of the new River Nile water agreement by four upstream states, which attended a meeting at Entebbe in Uganda has provoked sharp tongue lashing by Egypt which has threatened to take legal action and any other option it deemed necessary.

The four upstream countries represented at the Entebbe meeting were Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi were not represented. Kenya another important member of the Nile basin Initiative was represented by a junior officer, but it has since signed the document.

Kenya’s Water and Irrigation Minister Madam Charity Kaluki Ngilu signed the document in her Nairobi office early this week bringing the number to five countries out of the nine, which include Egypt and Sudan.

The new treaty is over the equitable sharing of the Nile water. It has since elicited strong opposition from Egypt and Sudan. The upstream countries must now be prepared for any consequences as Egypt has vowed not to lay low about.

The signing of the treaty in exclusion of the two North African countries has sparked a bitter row prompting Cairo’s harsh reaction. Egypt has threatened to mobilize international support or “other means”, the possibility of a conventional warfare cannot be ruled out, judging from the tone of Cairo’s rejoinder.

It could be remember that at time Egypt had threatened both Sudan and Ethiopia, saying it was ready to go war with any upstream states whose action is viewed as threatening her only source of life. And to protect its historical rights over the River Nile water, dating back to a century.

“This agreement benefits all of us” remarked Ethiopian Minister for Water Resources Asfaw Dingoma in Entebbe immediately after signing the new treaty.

The latest conflict of interest and disagreement come at the time Egypt is expected to support Ethiopia’s bid, especially after the two countries signing of a memorandum of understanding late last year, to establish a joint Ethiopian-Egyptian Council Trade and Commerce with the aim of strengthening economic ties between the two countries.

The upstream states want to be able to implement irrigation and hydro power projects in consultation with Egypt and Sudan, but with Egypt being disarmed and left without right to exercise its veto power.which Cairo was given by the 1929 colonial era treaty it signed with Great Britain.

The latest agreement signed by the five countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, the Nile Basin Co-operation Framework, is to replace a 1959 accord between Egypt and Sudan and British colonial power that gives the two North African countries control of more than 90 per cent of the Nile water flow.

The two countries have expressed fear that the water supply might dwindle and would be severely reduced, f the seven other Nile users diver the river for irrigation and hydro power projects.

The Nile Basin Initiative, which had been spearheading the talks will from now on ward be transformed to be known as Nile Basin Commission and will receive ,review and approve or reject projects related to Africa’s longest river.

The new Commission will have its secretariat based in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa and will have representation from all the nine Nile Basin countries.

Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Abul Abeit was early this week quoted by news agencies as having issued a stern warning to the upstream states that his country water rights were not.

‘Any unilateral agreement signed by the upstream Nile Basin Countries is null and void, therefore is not binding on downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, and lacks legitimacy,” said the Minister.

The Egyptian Minister described Ethiopia’s inauguration of 460MW Tana Beles hydro electric dam on the Nile, done at the same day the new agreement was being signed in Entebbe has provoked Egypt into taking action that would turn global opinion of the Nile water among the 9 Nile Basin states.

Ethiopia Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, on the other hand, said the Dam’s recent inauguration marks his country’s success in using Nile water after decades of biased laws.

Ethiopia industry, manufacturing sector has suffered persistent power shortage, whose demand has increased by 25 per cent every year.

Currently, Ethiopia’s power generation capacity is about 2,000MW and the government targets to generate capacity 5,000in the coming five ears and export energy to neighboring Kenya, Sudan and Djibouti.

Tana Beles is an ultra-modern hydro power dam complex is located underground and was constructed at a cost of 550 Birr {USD 369.2 million}

Earlier effort to build the Dam were frustrated by the refusal of the African Development Bank, the World Bank and the European Investment Bank among other creditors to fund the project a situation suspected to have been engineered clandestinely bye Egypt and Sudan.

Ethiopia has built it without foreign support. However, China is reportedly pumping million of dollars into the dam scheme.

Ethiopia is to generate 45 per cent of its energy from the Nile Basin, a plan that does not sit well with Cairo.

Ethiopia has also built multiple hydro dam along the Gibe 3 the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa despite growing protest from environmental groups over its impact on a half a million people in Northern Kenya, as fear mount that it would cause Lake Turkana in the region to dry up.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Kenya: Jubilation as Water Project is completed and handed over to the locals

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JUBILATION AS KEN GEN HANDS OVER KSH.143M PROJECT TO LOCALS.

By Dickens Wasonga in Kisumu.

Syprose Jump, 77 could not hold back her joy. For several years now, Juma and her neighbours in the remote village of Ongoro in Rachuonyo district have had to trek many kilometers in search of water.

Yesterday the drought stricken village broke into song and dance as the Kenya Electricity generating company(KEN GEN) Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Eddy Njoroge, flanked by the company chairman, Mr. Titus Mbathi, handed over two water projects worth ksh.143 million to communities around Sondu as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The water projects, targeting to benefit 14,000 residents of Nyakach,Kasipul Kabondo and Karachuonyo constituencies are part of KEN GEN’s corporate social responsibility activities associated with the multi million Sondu Hydropower project.

The first project in Nyakach area, on the right bank of river Sondu, comprises of a water regulating pond and a treatment plant, with a capacity to supply 30,000 liters of water per hour.

It has a 1.5 meter high prefabricated steel tank, with a storage capacity of 60,000 liters of water and a distribution network of 13 water kiosks, each with a capacity of 5000 liters.

The second project on the left bank of the River will serve residents of Kabondo and Karachuonyo, and comprises six boreholes, feeding three, ten meter high prefabricated steel tanks, complete with two storage tanks with a total of 90,000 liters capacity.

The second water project has 18 water kiosks for distribution, with a capacity of 5000 liters each.

According to the MD, the Ksh.143 million included the cost of drilling boreholes, civil works and power connections, out of which Kengen contributed ksh.128.3 million, while the community contributed ksh.14.8 million in kind, including donating land, way levies and masonry works for the kiosks.

The successful implementation of the project that is bound to change the lives of many of the villagers was undertaken by the Wells construction Limited, which is reputed for completing many successful government funded water projects, mainly at the Coast province, where the contractor,Daniel Muli is based.

Members of parliament in whose constituencies the projects are situated praised the contractor, whom they commended for implementing the project within the contract period, and asked the government institutions to consider local contractors like Muli, who have demonstrated that they have the capacity to deliver the projects timely.

Speaking at the ceremony, Kasipul kabondo Mp, Oyugi Magwanga, said that in the past, Asian contractors have been favoured by the government institutions to do the projects and many times with disappointing results.

“Today we have witnessed a satisfying job of one of our own constructors. What now needs to be done by the government is to continue to award tenders to these contractors who have shown exemplary performance, as a way of empowering them economically, since they also help us create jobs to our people”, said Magwanga.

He also asked the committees that will now run the water projects to manage them well for sustainability.

Also present at the handing over ceremony was Karachunyo MP, engineer James Rege, who is also the chairman of the parliamentary committee on energy, and his Nyakach counterpart, Mr.Pollyns Ochieng as well as the Nyanza deputy Pc, Mrs Susan Waweru, among other dignitaries.

ENDS

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Category Archives: Water

KENYA: WORKSHOP ON LAND AND WATER SECURITY

KENYA: LAND AND WATER SECURITY IN MOMBASA ARCHDIOCESE

KENYA: LAND AND WATER SECURITY IN TAITA TAVETA COUNTY

KENYA: COMMUNITY LIFE IMPROVEMENT CENTER LAUNCHED TO AID CHILD HEALTH IN NYANZA

KENYA: NGILU SAYS WATER COMPANIES TO BE HALVED.

Nile Basin: Egypt and Sudan finally lost the control of River Nile waters as upstream riparian nations ganged up in a new arrangements

Kenya: Man is being hospitalised after savage attack by a ferocious crocodile

Tanzania: Nation headed for big trouble with Egypt for its diversion of Lake Victoria waters

KENYA: KISUMU ASIANS UP IN ARMS AGAINST THE POLICE AND THE COUNCIL.

Kenya: Two children struck dead by lightning while three students hurt by another thunderbolt

Kenya: plans are in hand to revive the forty seven year old Western Kenya Tourist curcuit

Kenya: Why we need Action on the Drought Situation

KENYA: SCIENTISTS LAUNCH A FREE BILHARZIA STUDY AMONG KENYAN COMMUNITIES

Kenya: Plan is a foot to get rid of the menace caused by water hyacinth in Lake Victoria

Kenya: KISUMU WATER WOES TO END, KIWASCO PLEDGES.

KENYA: DESTRUCTION OF THE LATE ALBERT OWINO NYAOKE`S LAND BY SYNOHYDRO

Uganda: The New Bujagali Power Station will be connected to the national grid next year

Tanzania & Kenya: LAKE VICTORIA BASIN LAUNCHES UNIVERSITIES’ RESEARCH FUND FOR MARA RIVER BASIN

Nile Basin Countries: Egypt has issued a stern warning to Nile’ upstream countries over the Entebbe deal

Kenya: Jubilation as Water Project is completed and handed over to the locals