Category Archives: HEADLINES

KENYA: THE NYANZA STAR WEEKLY NEWSPAPER HIT THE GROUND LIKE THUNDERSTORM AND QUICKLY SOLD OUT WITHIN HOURS IN MANY PARTS OF LUO-NYANZA.

12 Replies

Sent by Leo Odera Omolo
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

– – – – – – – – – – –

By Our Special Correspondent in Migori Tow

The second edition of the NYANZA STAR, the recently launched English weekly newspaper hit the ground like thunderstorm and quickly sold out like hot cake.

A survey conducted by hired team of experts has revealed.It has further disclosed that there is lust for newspaper readership inside the rural Luo-Nyanza.

The survey further revealed that despite the fact that the national dailies like the NATION, THE Standard and the Nairobi Star are widely circulating in the region, but there is still much more room for other publications and the NYANBZA STAR could be the possible filler of the existing gap, especially those written in simple English and catering for the local communities.

The second issue of the newspaper carried out numerous articles on the disbursement of CDF and other government revolving funds for rural development in each one of the 21 parliamentary electoral constituencies. It further examined the performance of individual MPs representing those constituencies and their chances of successfully defending their seats comes the year 2012.

The paper gave an insight forensic auditing of MPs performance and provisionally predicted the number of those who would face the wrath of the electorate at the next polls as well as those who might be shown the exit doors and possible winners and losers. The article was a real thought provoking.

In greater Southern Nyanza, reports filtering in indicated that there was near fight when readers scrambled for copies of the Weekly in places like Awendo, Rongo and Migori. Some readers are reported to have purchased more than one copies, particularly those coming from the far end of the region like Nyatike constituency.

It revealed for the first time that primary school pupils In Nyatike who sat for the last year CPE exam had carried the day beating schools in the entire Migori County. Nyatike had come on top of the rest.

It also revealed the rising star of the Lands Minister James Aggrey Orengo in his Ugenya constituency predicting that MPs who us known to his peers as {Nyatieng’} stands a better chance of retaining his seat either in Ugenya or in the newly created Ugunja constituency, whichever the way.

It further revealed how the Bondo MP Dr.Oburu Oginga is no longer hanging on his late father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’c coat-tail, but has cut a niche for himself and proved himself as a hard-working MP.

The MP who is the Finance Assistant Minister and the eldest brother of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga is among those MPs from the region whose popularity are said to be on the upward trend and expected to retain their parliamentary seats comes the year 2012.

The weekly had heaped a lot of praise for the abrasive Ndhiwa MP Joshua Orwa Ojode and placed him on top of those who have turned their constituencies around by way of initiating massive development. Ojode is also the Internal Security Assistant Minister and one of those tipped to retain their seats come 2012.

There were also other articles on various topics such as the confusion over the recent creation of an extra parliamentary seat in Kasipul Kabondo and the controversial issue of having it named.

Residents of the area have since come out with the suggestion that because the newly created constituency though has the majority of its voters being those of the Jo-Kabondo indigenous, it has three major administrative locations slashed from Kasipul and as such it is should be called Kasipul Kabondo, while the old constituency be either named Oyugis or Wire constituency.

The three locations, which have been included in the new constituency, include Kakelo, Kokwanyo and Kojwach.

With successes of the two previous editions, it is hoped that the publishers would reconsider the possibility of increasing more copies in the future publications. The distribution of the paper, however, is still in its teething problem, but the publishers were said to be working round the clock to ensure that copies reached the readers everywhere including remotest region like Gwassi, Mbita and the twin islands of Rusinga and Mfangano.

Our hawk-eyed reporters and correspondents would be stationed in every major town and trading centers through the six counties of Nyamira, Kisii, Migori, Homa-Bay, Kisumu and Siaya to bring to the readers an up-date news and the goings on in those regions.

We stand to be corrected whenever we go wrong, and criticized provided such criticism are constructive, healthy and devoid of individual confrontation, please join us and work with us as a team. Articles from individuals on topic issues are also welcome so long that as they re kept short and to the point.

Ends

KENYA: KISUMU LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS UNION ELECTIONS IN TOP GEARS.

Leave a reply

By Agwanda Jowi.

The Kenya Local Government Workers Union Kisumu City Branch will hold its elections on 3rd February 2011.

In a letter addressed to its rank and members ,the Union’s outgoing Secretary General Joel Omondi Ondu-“Rashidi” said that the Union’s Secretary General Bonface Munyao in a circular from the Registrar of Trade Union’s had instructed all trade union’s to carry out their branch elections not later than 30th March 2011.

“Following the letter, the General Secretary of KLGWU has instructed all branches to carry out their elections within the stipulated time and in accordance to Local Government Worker’s Union’s Constitution,as a branch in Kisumu we will conduct our elections on 3rd February 2011” said Rashidi in his letter.

He added that the elections of the nominated contestants will be eventually be conducted at the Annual General Meeting to be held on 3/02/2011 at the Kisumu Municipal Works Yard.

Following the circular,two factions have emerged with each selling its policies to the workers with the outgoing office led by the branch Chairman Otiende Didi and Rashidi Ondu going to defend their seats while the Solomon Akungu Taabu who has declared his candidacy for ther Secretary General’s seat led faction says that their time at the helm of the union is up.

“They were given time and showed the workers the stuff they are made of,the workers should usher in anew team”Akungu said while meeting the workers at Anderson estate while where he was flanked by his faction Chairman -to-be William Aduda,Oketch Batamba,Winston Odaro Churchil and Richard Oduor.

While Otiende when addressing the Bus Park workers told the workers to judge by themselves what his outgoing office had done for them.

“You do not have arrears and we have strongly agitated for your case, remember i was sacked because of my agitating for your rights” he lamented to the workers while he was soliciting for their votes.

He was accompanied by Rashidi and Stephen Sule.

The outgoing branch Chairman Otiende Didi (with a cap holding the microphone)campaigns at the Kisumu Bus Stop

ENDS

Kenya: Police are on the war-path against hard-core criminals in Uriri and Rongo

1 Reply

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

AN unidentified wealthy businessman from Ongata Rongai area of Nairobi had his decomposing body fished out from the swollen waters of River Kuja in lower part of Uriri district within Migori County by police.

The deceased seemed to have been lured into the area apparently for lucrative business opportunity by some young men from the area who are working in Nairobi. He drove his car all along from Nairobi to the area in the company of his assailants who later, for some unknown reason, killed him.

The killers had the deceased body tied up with heavy stones to conceal his death. But surprisingly the decomposed body later resurfaced and was seen floating in the water by herdsmen who reported the matter to the local administration and police.

The incident took place in Komenya sub-location on North Kanyamkago within Uriri district. The area D.C. George Kiplagat confirmed the incident and told this writer that the CID officers from both Migori and Rongo were handling the case as a murder case. Score of people are being questioned including those in whose homestead the deceased motor vehicle was recovered.

Meanwhile the residents of both Rongo and Uriri districts have expressed concern and disappointment over the high rate of police bonds being issued to the suspected hard-core criminals by the Awendo Police Station and wanted the matter to be investigated by the Commissioner of Police Mr Nteere.

They want those officers, including the OCS, who have stayed in one station for more than five years, to be shuffled and replaced by fresh officers. Something unusual is happening at Awendo Police Station. Criminals elements caught red handed with goods suspected to have been stolen are quickly freed on police bond before being arraigned to court.

The Uriri D.C. George Kiplagat expressed deep concern at what is happening at Awendo Police Station. He explained that Administration Police Officers in Uriri recently arrested a notorious criminal suspected to have been behind a series spate of housebreaking and theft around Mori near Rapogi and handed them to Awendo Police Station. But within a day or two the suspect were back home under the pretext that their cases were being actively investigated.

The high rate with which the suspected dangerous criminals are regaining their freedom at the Awendo Poiice Station, before they are arraigned in court, is worrying the local members of the Provincial Administration working in the areas. The station appeared to have been compromised by criminals.

In recent months, the Administration Police officers stationed at Uriri DC’s Office and Rapogi DO’s office have been battling with dangerous criminals in the areas who have adopted a new method of raiding homes of those working outside the region and helping themselves to the household goods, including sofa sets and beds and beddings as well as utensils – – at time clearing those houses empty.

A joint effort by these officers in the recent past resulted in some of the stolen goods being recovered in some homes of the suspected hard-core criminal elements.

Some of the suspects were arrested and handed over to the police, but they quickly regained their freedom after being released on police bond even before being arraigned in courts to answer criminal charges.

“The actions of some unpatriotic police officers in this particular station are making the administration of justice in the area rather difficult.”

”It is only the court of laws which are competent in assessing the security of the suspect applying for court bails, and the used of police bond by the officers at Awendo Police Station is an abuse of the exercise, and should be brought to an immediate end, said one resident who requested for his anonymity for fear of possible reprisal.

The residents alleged that there need to be some elements of transparency and accountability in the issuance of numerous police bonds in freeing suspect criminals and the matter need to be looked into urgently by the higher police authorities.

Ends

KENYA: MORE LUO MEN ARE EMBRACING THE “CUT”

Leave a reply

By Agwanda Jamach

Nyanza Provincial Director of Public Health and Sanitation Dr. Jackson Kioko is saying that the pace that has already been set in the province on Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision is promising with 426,500 targeted by 2013.

Dr. Kioko says that launching of Rapid Result Initiative on male circumcision in the last two years has plummeted the number of men seeking the services.

He says that so far a total of 130,000 men are still not circumcised in the province according to their statistics and is optimistic that by the year 2013 they will receive the services.

Speaking during the release of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision RRI in Kisumu, Dr. Kioko says that RRI was designed to accelerate access to voluntary medical male circumcision services in the province.

He says that a total of 50,454 men were circumcised during the RRI that started last year in November to December surpassing their target of 41,000 men.

Nyanza Provincial Commissioner Francis Mutie who was the chief guest at the function cautioned youths against indulging in drug abuse.

Mutie says that drug abuse is one of the factors that has led to high prevalence HIV rate among the youth in the country.

He also urged the circumscribed men to continue taking precautions as circumcision does not offer complete protection against HIV infection.

ENDS

Kenya: Tobacco farmers in Uriri told to switch to environmentally friendly crops

1 Reply

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

RESIDENTS of the agriculturally rich Uriri district have been urged to consider switching to more environmentally friendly cash crops instead of tobacco.

Tobacco is grown in abundance in Uriri ever since 1968, but the farmers are continuing to be much poorer. The crops are causing environmentally degradation such as pollution of rivers, mass destruction of indigenous trees.

The area District Commissioner George Kiplagat said during an interview in his Uriri Market office that river flowing downstream through the district was being polluted with chemicals used in the tobacco nurseries.

THE farmers, he said, are being exploited to the maximum and only paid peanuts after harrowing and grueling work in fire house where they are procuring tobacco grades, and despite the fact that the tobacco manufacturing companies are minting millions of shillings, the poverty index in the are has remained steadily the highest.

The DC urged the tobacco companies operating in the region to consider having corporate social responsibility of making hefty donations toward the socio-economic projects being undertaken by the locals.

“These companies should help the locals built schools, health centers, dispensaries, nursery schools as the good gesture of appreciation of the millions of shillings they are minting from tobacco crops, and yet the farmers continued be wallowing under the scourge of abject poverty,” said the D>C.

Residents have also told this writer that all the tobacco grown and harvested in the area are being transported along the way to Thika Town where they are processed. All the trucks, mostly trailers ferrying the crops from the buying centers in Uriri and Migori district belonged to Thika Transporters, and so are the workers employed at the processing factories in Thika, Nairobi and elsewhere.

They are insisting that the companies operating in the area should be forced to establish tobacco processing factories within the locality. By so doing many locals would be absorbed on employment in the factories and after this the tobacco should be exported outside as a finished product and not row product,” so they say.

The DC said because of the need for firewood for procuring tobacco grades, all the indigenous trees that used to stand on the hills have been felled indiscriminately and no new tree planted causing serious environmental degradation in the area. There is excessive use of fertilizers on and other chemicals on the soil.

All the fertile and arable land in the area could be destroyed turning the area into desert in not very long time in the future unless something is done to bring the tobacco growing in the area to a halt.

“Unlike the tobacco farmers, sugar cane growers within Awendo cane growing and those farming vegetables are minting good money and yet the amount of energy and work put n the ground is minimal compared to those put up by the tobacco famers.” said the DC.

Kiplagat, however, commended the good work by farmers, especially those growing maize, sugar cane and other crops for stepping u modern farming, which has made Uriri to be the bastion of food grain in the region.

Ends

Kenya: The construction of multi billion shillings road network in Nyanza is commendable

9 Replies

Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

RESIDENTS of Luo-Nyanza are overwhelmed with joy and highly appreciate the government initiative and efforts being put in the construction of ultra modern road network across the region.

The construction work on several important road links are currently taking places in various parts of Nyanza Province and are considered by the residents as significant steps for the development of the region, which for many years was marginalized by successive KANU regimes of the past.

Roads currently under the construction include the 25 kilometer Kendu-Bay-Homa-Bay road whose construction is already in advance stage and is expected to be opened before the end the year.

Another important road, which is currently under construction, is the 40 kilometer Homa-Bay Mbita road. The construction work is progressing well. This particular road is so important because it will link the rest of Kenya with the Ruma National Game Park,which is located at Lambwe Valley.

The road has some significance economically, because it will facilitate the easy transportation of fish from Mbita Point to the marketplaces on the mainland, and the one headed for processing in the various pants located in Kisumu, Homa-Bay and Nairobi, which are meant for export to the overseas markets.

Mbita Point is the largest fish landing beach in the region, where fresh fish from the smaller fishing islands scattered in Lake Victoria lands for eventual destination to market places in the main land. Other major fish landing beaches include Uhanya Beach in Bondo, Muhuru-Bay in Nyatike, Karungu-Bay in Nyatike, Nyandiwa and Kisegi in Gwassi, Misori and Luanda Kotieno in Rarieda and Usenge in Bondo.

Lack of fish preservation cold store is the other nightmare because fish is a perishable commodity, which must be transported outside to its market place as quickly as possible soon after it is land. Cold storage facilities are rare and could only be fond in Mbita Town.

The Homa-Bay -Mbita road will also open up the interior part of the Suba region, particularly the sceneries and pre-historic sites on the two islands of Rusinga and Mfangano, Gwassi Hills and Gembe areas.

The major repair work on the Katito-Kendu-Bay road was completed early last year. It now will give the motorist a quick drive between Nyakach and Karachuonyo and eventually to Homa-Bay.

There is however, the need to have the Oyugis –Kendu-Bay tarmacked in order to crown the region with a better road communication network.

Another road which needs to be constructed is the Muhuru-Bay Migori Town road. And the Oyugis-Rangwe road that could wind up at Rodi Kopany would be to the advantage of trade between Karungu-Bay and hinterland.

In Kisumu County all the access and feeder roads traversing the Nyando sugar belt are in pathetic conditions despite of the excess money being levied on sugar cane farmers by the Nyando County Council. It now takes a motorist to drive from Muhoroni Town via Chemelil Road close to three hours before reaching Kisumu due to the pathetic state f the road that runs through Miwani and Kibos cane growing zones.

Both Kisumu and Siaya Counties stand to benefit in getting major repair on Kisumu-Bondo-Usenge road, But the latest sensation, but significant development is the construction of the Ndori-Luanda Kotieno road, which now cut the travelling hours between Kisumu and Luanda Kotieno ferry by half. What remains to be done is the for the local entrepreneurs to construct good and tourist class hotels in strategic stop-over like Luanda Kotieno, Ndori and on both aside of the mainland and Rusinga Island at Mbita Point.

Motorists using the big four-wheel drives fuel guzzling vehicle could drive from Kisumu to Luanda –Kotieno in less than 50 minutes and catch up with the Mbita Ferry for another von voyage trip involving the crossing of the Nyanza Gulf from Rrieda to Mbita district. It traverses through the length of Uyoma peninsula, an area which has a lot in store for the tourists.

Plans are under the way for the planned construction of the Misori-Bondo-Siaya-Rang’ala road, which will be linked to the main Kisumu Busia Highway.

On realization of how important these road network for economic development of the region, local politicians have heaped a lot of praise to the coalition government and its principals. One such politician is Dr. Mark Matunga, an executive with Microsoft International who has declared his interest in the Homa-Bay County governor.

Matunga while thanking the Ministry of Roads urged the government to locate funds for the construction of Oyugis Rangwe – Rodi-Kopany road and also for the Oyugis-Kendu Bay road, adding that these two road links are so important for the Homa-Bay County because they are the best outlet for trades with the outside world.

Motorists using Kisumu Siaya road via Maseno and Luanda have also suggested that the repair work for the section of the road need to be carried out now. It is long over due.

Last year the Prime Minister Raila Odinga commissioned the short-but significantly important Ndori-Nyang’oma road, which will link visitors and tourists to the rural home of the Obama family in Alego Kogelo. The construction of the Obama cultural Center has commenced. The Center is being established in honor of the US President Barrack Obama who has the family root in the area.

There has been a big influx of visitors to the previously sleepy and dust village marker ever since the election of President Obama as the head of state in the US. Many visitors come there with the purpose of getting more information about President Obama ancestry and originality. Some of the development taking place in Siaya and its environs are likely to have a milestone changes in the pattern of development activities in the region, which also requires good roads communications.

The volume of trade in the region is also expected to be in the upward trend as the result of the improved road network. In the interior part of the region, the government revolving funds such as CDF and Road Maintenance funds are taking care of the feeder and access roads within the rural locations.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

KENYA: CHINESE BANK GRANTS KENYA GOV’T FOR HOUSING PROJECTS.

1 Reply

By Agwanda JaMach

THE government has secured a grant worth Sh. 1.5 billion from the Chinese Development Bank to increase housing units in the country.

Housing Minister Peter Soita Shitanda announced that the funds will be used to put up 800 residential units in Kisumu and hostels for female students at Masinde Muliro University in Kakamega.

Shitanda says that the hostels are expected to house 3,000 female students.

He says the university has a population of 11,000 students and accommodation has been a challenge to the institution.

The minister says that currently National Housing Corporation officers are in Western Kenya laying ground for the project that will address the housing shortage being experienced in the region.

Speaking in Kisumu during a visit to Kenya Slum Upgrading Projects, Shitanda noted that the housing officers are in consultations with the municipal councils before they embark on the projects.

He announced that they are ready and waiting for the release of the funds from the financier to enable them carry out the project.

Ends.

Kenya: Nyatike constituency is on the move and may soon realize the fastest development activities

12 Replies

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Karungu Bay, Migori County.

One of the recently created administrative districts, in greater southern Nyanza, which is currently on the move, is Nyatike.

Laying in the far end of the former greater Southern Nyanza and bordering Tanzania on the land and Uganda in Lake Victoria, Nyatike, is an area which is previously considered as the most backward in the region. It has had its own parliamentary constituency for the last 16 years ever since its separation from Ndhiwa in 1992.

In the first multi-party election, in 1992, Tobias Ocholla Ogur won the seat for the first time on a Ford Kenya party ticket. The party was then led by the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. Ogur, however, quickly made an about turn and crossed the floor back to the ruling KANU, and lost in the seat in the consequent by-election.

The NDP and then LDP supported and fronted the late Tom Onyango a petty kiosk trader in Migori town who carried the day.

The NDP and later LDP had swept the board clinching all the parliamentary and civic seats in Southern Nyanza.

In the general election of 1997, Ocholla Ogur bounced back and recaptured the seat of the defunct LDP party led by Raila Odinga. He successfully defended his seat in 2002, but performed dismally in the 2007 general election, and was beaten hands down by the youthful Edick Omondi Anyanga who appeared to have turned the previously sleeping constituency around.

Nyatike district previously had two administrative divisions, namely Karungu-Sori and Maclder. But it has now five division comprising of Got Kocholla, Kaler and Muhuru Bay Divisions. The area has a full pledged DC, DO I and district officers manning all the five divisions plus district heads of departments and all the government offices are functioning well.

Today Nyatike provide electricity supplies to all primary and secondary schools, market places and all the institutions. The area has the best rural feeder and access roads to the envious of other neighboring constituencies. This is perhaps because of the abrasive youthful and aggressive MP who has kept members of the local CDF committee on its toe.

On the education front, Nyatike beat all the other primary schools in the entire Migori County in last year CPE exam coming on top. This is due to the competitive nature of teaching initiated by the MP who is reported to be dishing out special gifts to teachers who performed well. The prizes include new suits, bicycles and other gifts. Earlier last year the MP had requested for teaching experts from other parts of the country who went to Nyatike for the purpose of carrying out refresher course for teachers through seminars and workshops.

Fishing and fish trade is the main economic mainstay in the constituency, which borders Tanzania on other main land and also a small portion on the Lake Victoria and Uganda in Lake Victoria. The disputed Migingo fishing island is believed by Kenyans to be part of Nyatike district, though Uganda had seized and posted its marine police to man the island to the chagrin of the local residents, who sees the government of Kenya for having failed them and abandoned them in the hand of hostile foreign occupying force.

The MP who is known to his peers as Omuk Lela {Rhino} has persistently demanded both in the August house and outside parliament that the Uganda security personnel said to be harassing about 500 Kenyan fishermen operating on the Migingo Island be driven out, and always scathingly criticized the government for its handling of the Migingo saga.

The shortage of fresh water for life will soon be over in Nyatike. Plans are under way for a major water project to be taken u by the UNICEF that will see the water piped from Lake Victoria and spread into the villages in Sori, Obware Secondary School and other nearby villages.

The water supplies will go beyond the constituency boundary and even benefit the residents of the neighboring Ndhiwa district. The residents are also said to be Liaoning with tourist operators in Nairobi with the view to ensure plans are earmarked for tourists to visit attractive tourist points in the region.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

KENYA: THOUSANDS OF MOURNERS ATTENDED THE BURIAL OF THE FORMER FIRST AFRICAN LABOUR COMMISSIONER AND THE DIRECTOR OF INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS IN 1963.

Leave a reply

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Ng’iya Village, Siaya County.

THOUSANDS of mourners at the weekend converged to the Ng’iya village home for the sending off of a high profile former top Kenya government official.

The late Jerry Walter Owuorwho died in Nairobi last month at age 81. He was buried at his Ng’iya village home in Alego East Location within Siaya County in a colorful burial ceremony, which was presided by the Anglican Bishop of Maseno West Diocese, the Rt Rev Dr.Joseph Otieno Wasonga.

Among the mourners was his boyhood friend and schoolmate and a former cabinet Minister Isaack Omolo Okero, the Alego-Usonga MP Edwin Ochieng’ Yinda, immediate former Alego Usonga MP Sammy Weya, former Migori MP George Owino Acholla, the Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello,former Rarieda MP Odeny Ngure,

Born on May 23,1929 at Ng’iya Mission. Jerry W. Owuor was the second born of the late Mzee Mannase Ogot and Mama Mama Mariam Ogot. He was the second born out of a family of twelve children. Jerry Owuor took his early education at Ng’iya Intermediate School, G>A>S Kakamega and Maseno CMS School where he sat for his Cambridge School Certificate before enrolling at Kagumo Teachers Training School, where he qualified as KT1 Primary Schoolteacher.

He was immediately posted to Western Province where he served as the headmaster of Musanda Intermediate School and thereafter won the India Cultural Scholarship which enabled him to study at the New Delhi University in India. He graduated with a BA {Hons} and later obtained a Maste’s degree from the same institution with specialization on labor and welfare as well as social science.

Upon his return to Kenya, the late Jerry W.Owuor.r was among the first few African to be appointed Labor Officer by the Colonial Administration and rose through the ladder of ranks and was later made the first African Labor Commissioner in Kenya.

Owing to his communication skills, Jerry Owuor rose to prominence in Kenya when he was first appointed the Director of Independence Celebrations in 1963 and later acted in the same capacity during the country attainment of republican status in December 1964.

He is survived by his widow Mrs Edith Mary Owuor a former school teachers and four children three daughters and a son all are grown ups and graduates in various field of professionalism. The late Mr Tom Mboya, the assassinated former Minister for Planning and Development acted as Mr Owuor’s best man during his marriage on May 23,1964.

He is survived by his wife Edith May Owuor and four children one son and three daughters, brothers and four sisters.

The late Owuor was later appointed the first General Manager f the Kenya Tourist Development Corporation Agency {KTDA} and director of public celebrations. He was later moved to the Office f the President and appointed a Senior Deputy Secretary and later served in the Ministry f Health in the same capacity.

He was the founder director of the Family Planning of Kenya. Upon his retirement from the long and rewarding carrier in public service, Mr Owuor pursued his professional interests and served various private firms as adviser on industrial relations matters and later formed his own consultancy firm.

His other services to humanity included Nairobi Rotary Club, where he played a critical role in organizing the very successful eye camps for over a decade. YWCA of Kenya and the Friendship Force Club of Kenya.

Speakers heaped a lot of praise on Mr Owuor as being articulate, good adviser, counselor, brilliant.

Ends

leooderaomoloYahoo.com

Kenya: Reports that KACC investgators have moved into secondry schools to investigate cases of looting causes allot of panicking in Nyanzag

4 Replies

Reports By Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.

INFORMATION filtering in from the outlaying districts in Nyanza Province say there is big panicking among the heads teachers of the various secondary schools following unconfirmed rumors that the sleuths of the Kenya Anti-corruption Commission {KACC} have embarked on a program to carry out forensic auditing and investigations into the alleged disappearance of school property.

The investigations, according to an impeccable source would be backed dated to cover some schools where the transfer of head teachers took place between two and three years ago.

The schools and institutions listed as those which will fall under this program cover most schools where the head teachers have remained in one station of work for more than 15 years.

The KACC teams, according to unconfirmed reports have already visited some schools in greater Southern Nyanza and the exercise will also cover other districts in the region.

He move followed numerous complaints by the PTAs and BOGs in a number of schools where the transfers of the old head teachers have taken place and the new head reported to work. In some places, the new head could not even trace the where about of schools utensils for feeding students. All the utensils and even sufurias could not be traced and the new head and PTA had to go for shopping sprees to get the new materials for feeding students.

Other reports say center of attractions for looting include electronic materials such as radio and TV sets. Money raised by PTAs for the purchase of schools buses are also said to have disappeared in the thin air in some schools and so the funds availed for the equipment laboratories

This has caused blame games between the incoming head teachers, their predecessors and those assigned the responsibilities of supervising the handing over of school property by the outgoing heads to the new one, with numerous complaints that those supervising the exercise in most cases are compromised.

In some places when the new year transfer window open, some teachers who have remained in one place of work for over ten years, are said to have resisted such a move and even deployed dirty tact and tricks. Other are said to have gone one step high by allegedly using “Juju” to intimidate their successors, while other are said to have sought for the services of hired goons to intimidate their successors.

There are some cases where the transferred head teachers are said to have maneuvered their way and quickly returned to the same old station of work in unexplainable circumstances. Such incidences are said to be so common in places where the transferred head teachers were removed from schools where they have over stayed following complaints of their laxity, complacency and unproductiveness’.

In several schools, especially in greater Southern Nyanza some teacher have over stayed their mandate in one school for well over ten years, but failed to turn out even one single student for admission at any of the country public universities. In such schools, parents through their PTAs became increasingly alarmed and sought for help from the Ministry through the PDE.

But when the PDE’s and the Ministry move to have such teachers transfers to new stations, some of them vehemently resisted such a move and quickly sought for the services f local influential politicians to come to their rescue. In some cases, the head teachers resisting transfers are said to have engaged the services of powerful politicians within the locality to plead for their cases and subvert the transfer arrangement.

The alleged plan by KACC team to investigate what is happening in secondary schools has sent shivers t the spinal code of many head teachers. But in some cases, the truly hardworking teachers are said to have readily accepted the transfers, and went into some school which were previously run down and turned them around for the better to be highly vibrant institution of higher learning.

A case in point is that of the long serving Principal of Kanga High School in Rongo district in the Migr8 County Mr Kaunda Ogweno . He was moved to Sawagongo High School in Gem within Siaya County,a school with a lot of ultra modern teaching gear, but which for some years was a non-performing.

Mr Kaunda Ogweno readily and quickly accepted the challenge, and move to Sawagongo with his talents and teaching prowess, which has kept his previous Kanga school for many years as the best performing institution in the region, and there are fresh reports that Sawagongo is quickly picking up and would soon once again soon appear in the country’s map as one of the best performing schools in the region.

Those unpatriotic school heads who are known to be resisting changes and transfers should emulate Mr Ogweno’s selfish less attitudes and get down to see the work is done towards the improvement of education standard in Luo-Nyanza.

Another teacher with the dedication worth mentioning in this article is Mr Otula of Maseno High School. He was transferred from Mangu High School near Thika n Central Kenya to Maseno under very controversial circumstances. But Mr Otula, however, readily accepted the challenge, took his talent and the ability to perform with him, and Maseno is today one of the top most performing National Schools in this country.

Those resisting changes in schools are the agents of corruption and impunity and should be routed out of the management of schools. Such unpatriotic school heads are said to be engaged on my dirty tricks aimed at looting schools property and even through the inflated prices of supplies through the suppliers in order to create rooms for “Kickbacks”.

Thieving is undermining the good running four schools and the government’s effort to improve education from grass roots, and as such thieves must be weeded

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

KENYA: FORMER MARIE STOPES COUNTY DIRECTOR GETS MORE BOOSTS.

2 Replies

By Agwanda Jowi.

SECRETARY General of Kenya Shoe and Leather Workers Union, Mr. Bolo Awach has thrown his weight behind former Marie Stopes’s director Cyprian Awiti for the post of governorship of Homa Bay County.

Speaking over the weekend in Kobala sublocation in Karachuonyo constituency during a funds drive in aid of the proposed Osodo secondary school, Awach described Awiti as a leader whose track record surpasses all in all spheres of resource management both in public and private sector s as well as his personal attachment with ordinary citizen.

The unionist urged electorate from Kasipul/Kabondo and Karachuonyo constituencies to unite as a block to push for Awiti’s candidature saying the future of the County and plight of residents were hinged on founding sound and focused leadership which Awiti could offer.

Awach said the management of vest resources of a county like Homa Bay requires a leader with helicopter eye view to issues with a sober mind and international acumen to attract investors. US based business professional, Mr. Josy Omanya, said as Rachuonyo residents of US, they will rally behind a candidate whose curriculum vitae and heart spells out true sense of development, can help create research institutions to make the community move from the current level of abject poverty to a better living standards.

Omanya noted that following the good ties US government enjoys with Kenya, it was high time proper vetting on transformative leadership was put in place under the new constitutional dispensation a head of 2012 to guarantee investment which will in turn increase employment opportunities.

“Kenya is good nation with immense and untapped resources, the only major problems are corruption, bad governance and impunity which the new constitution is addressing very effectively,” said Omanya.

Responding to the calls Awiti welcomed all aspiring candidates, but urged electorate to vet properly before deciding whom to elect in what positions in the forthcoming general elections.

ENDS

Kenya: PM Raila Odinga assured of the Kalenjin votes for his presidential bid in 2012

1 Reply

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The installation ceremony of the newly crowned Ker of the Luo Council of Elders, Mzee Willis Opiyo Otondi, had brought together the largest number of community’s elders from the major ethnic groups in Western Kenya and beyond.

Ker Opiy, who hails from Kisumo-Nyahera, takes over the mantled of leadership from the ousted controversial former Ker Meshack Riaga Ogal, from Kasipuil-Kabondo in Homa-Bay County.

The colorful ceremony was held at the Kenyatta’s Sports Ground, which is located right in the middle of Kisumu City and witnessed by thousands of enthusiasm crowd.

The gathering attracted several cabinet ministers, who included Gerald Otieno Kajwang’{Immigration}’, James Aggrey Orengo{Lands} Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o {Medical Services, Assistant Ministers MPs, civic leaders and representatives of special interests and ODM stalwarts.

For the first time, a large delegation of elders from the neighboring communities, like the Abagusii, Kurias, Luhyiah, Kalenjin, Pokot, Turkana, Samburus, Maasais and the Kikuyus, were adequately represented at the ceremony.

The elders from the Kalenjin community, who included Mzee Jackson Kibor, Mzee Said Chepkeitany from Eldoret, Mzee Eliud Koech, Mzee Kipsugut Lelei from the Kipsigis Laibons, Lt. Gen. {rtd} John Arap Koech, the retired former deputy CGS and others assured the Prime Minister Raila Odinga of the community unswerving support and backing for his quest for the presidency comes 2012.

Mzee Koech is the patron of the Kipsigis Council of Elders. He told the gathering that Raila Odinga was the most promising leader in this country and as such should be given the chance to have a shot at the presidency comes the year 2012.

Mzee Jackson Kibor, in a brief speech, during a meeting with the Prime Minister in his Rural Opoda Bar Opuk home in Bondo, said the perceived political differences between the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the Eldorey North MP William Ruto, who is the deputy leader of the ODM party, are personal and have got no bearing nor they could tilt the Kalenjin voting pattern in the next general election. He said the ODM members in the Kalenjin region have confidence and faith in Raila Odinga whom they viewed as the most forthright, trusted who is committed to the services of the Kenyan people.

Gen Koech, who appeared of late to have taken over the mantle of ODM political leadership in the entire Kipsigis region, said the community had no problem with Mr Odinga, and would definitely vote for him in bloc comes the year 2012.

Mzee Eliud Koech, the patron of the Kiosigis Council ODM Elders, urged Kenyans to adopt the political slogan of “One Kenya. one people”, as the unifying symbol. .Kipsugut Lelei, an elder from the <Laibon community, who was born in Gwassi during the time when the Kiposigis, Nandi and Tugen Laibons were vanished to the remote Gwassi Hills part of Southern Nyanza by the British Colonualk administration, and who speaks Dho-Luo fluently, said Raila Odinga is the right person to be the next president due to his total commitment to the services of all Kenyans irrespective of their tribes, color, religion and creed.

The Kisumu ceremony was also addressed by the Kuria elder, John Magaywa, who promised that his community will go along with other neighboring communities in voting for Raila Odinga to be the next President of the Republic of Kenya.

The gathering was also addressed by the Abagusii chairperson of Council of Elders, Mzee Kenneth Matundura Araka, who told the Kenyans to ensure that political differences do not deter the PM from winning the 2012 presidential bid.

Also in attendance was Dr. Wangari Gidhinji, who rep[resented the Kiukuyu Council of Elders who told the meeting that his community had Raila Odinga deeply placed in the peoples minds.

Six MPs from the Rift Valley, led by Assistant Minister for Energy Magerer Lang’{Kipkellion}, Dr. Lorna Laboso {Sotik} Musa Sirma {nominated} Beatrice Kones {Bomet and Chepkitony {Elkeyo North} were also in attendance.

Guessing from what transpired in Kisumu and Bondo, the perceived belief that Raila Odinga is no longer the darling of the Kalenjin voters, was brushed aside, judging from pledges made by the community leaders in their brief addresses.The Prime Minister therefore still commands the highest following among the Kalenjin in both the North and South Rift regions. This time the delegates had travelled as far as from Pokot, Turkana and Tugen communities.

Kisumu City was the beehive of activities, which saw most of the hotels in town filled to capacity with the visitors for the ceremony which was held on Monday 27th December 2010.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

EAC: Partner states signed an agreement to avoid double taxation

Leave a reply

Reports Leo Odera Omolo

POTENTIAL investors in the East African Community trading bloc may now have a good reason to smile, thanks to the partner states agreement to avoid double taxation.

The five EAC member countries have signed an agreement to avoid double taxation seeking to boost investment flow in the region.

The pact stipulates that investors operating in two or more EAC countries will only pay in one jurisdiction.

The Secretary General of the EAC Ambassador Juma V. Mwapachu was quoted last week by the influential EASTAFRICAN weekly as saying that he was optimistic that the move will attract more investors into trading bloc, which has a GDP of USD 80 billion and a population of 133 million people to make a vibrant common market.

He said the EAC partner states of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi entered into double taxation deal partly in order to attract investors by mitigating the taxation effects or investment capital.

The EAC Heads of states hailed the pact during their recent one day summit held at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in Arusha, Tanzania and said the agreement will boost intra-EAC trade.

The ambitious agreement had earlier been concluded and signed by the 21st session of the Council of Ministers held in Arusha.

A prominent tax expert said that double taxation occurs when two different countries levy a similar tax on the same transaction or income.

Double taxation has been blacklisted as the most notorious stumbling block threatening intra-EAC-trade in the region.

The bloc’s intra-trade at the moment stands at 13 per cent of the total trade volume, against the 87 per cent of business quantity that gives to the outside world. In the European Union for example, intra-trade accounts for 60 per cent of the total trade,while trade within the North America Free Trade Area accounts for 48 per cent of the total trade of its member states.

Trade specialist attached to the East African Business Council {EABC} Mr Adrian Njau was last week quoted as saying that the intra-EAC-trade is sure-way of creating jobs, spurring production and investment flows and raising more taxes, the key aspects for any economic growth.

Ends

Kenya: Eng Baraza has joined the race for the contest of Migori County governor

2 Replies

County News By Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

The contest for the Senate seat for the newly created Migori County has promised to be one of the toughest election races ever witnessed in the greater Southern Nyanza region in the recent years.

Migori County is laying in the far southern end of the now defunct Nyanza Province, and has a multi-ethnic residents consisting of the majority Luo, Kuria, Luhya,Maragolis, Somalis and Kisiis.

Some of the County’s outlaying parliamentary constituencies are mostly rural locations whose inhabitants are local peasants, but Migori Town and its constituency is a cosmopolitan constituencies, with highest population of non indigenous communities.

The population of the town is concocted by many immigrants from outside the district, most of them traders, petty traders, kiosk traders, matatu touts, cobblers, taxi and motor-cycle boda boda taxis, and civil servants.

Among the immigrants are traders from other district in Luo-Nyanza such as Siaya, Mbita, Suba, Rachuonyo, Kisumu, Ntando, Siaya,Vihiga,and other areas. In fact this is a fast growing frontier town which is the home to nearly all Kenyan communities, though its located right inside Luo-Nyanza.

This is because being a border town is a place of an open opportunity for everyone to try his or her luck either in business or illicit racketeers and smugglers of good across the border.

Migori is bordering Tanzania both on the land and in part of Lake Victoria hence its proximity for illicit trades and under hand dealings.

In the current parliament, Migori has five parliamentary electoral constituencies, namely Kuria, Migori, Nyatike, Uriri, and Rongo. But the County of Migori stands to benefit from the 80 additional parliamentary seats recently announced by the disbanded Interim Independent Boundary Commission, which was led by Andrew Ligale. It has been given two more additional seats, one for Kuria and the other one is the sub-division of Rongo and Awendo as different entity constituencies. This now bring the number of MPs to seven from five.

But what seemed to have attracted more senior personalities, is the very important position of the County governorship.

The entrance into the race for the Migori County by a senior lecturer at the Kenyatta University, Eng Jared Baraza is likely to complicate things for other aspirants.

Eng Baraza, who is a member of the world-wide Engineers Without Boundari,es has the head-start. One being an indigenous Ja-Suna and a son of the late Ex-Senior Chief Baraza, and a member of Katiba sub-clan of the larger Wasweta group living in Central Suba Diuvision.

Using his world-wide contact, Eng Baraza had secured some funds and also volunteers engineers from the US colleges who got involved in the construction of Nyamilu Water Project around Bondo Nyironge, which is now providing fresh water to close to 10,000 families in an eight kilometer radius in villages. The villages are now enjoying fresh water from the tap just to their doorstep.

Eng Baraza has initiated similar projects with the aims and objectives of fighting the water borne diseases among the rural population. The Nyamilu Water Project is a solar driven thereby making it the cheapest. However, the project had experienced a set back in recent months due to vandalism by some unpatriotic and mischievous youths in the villages who stole the solar system.

But Eng Baraza reported last week that working in collaboration with the Migori CDF offices, there is likely that the project would soon be allocated sufficient funds to install and connect itself to the Kenya Power and Lightning Co {KPLC}

Baraza, while speaking to this writer during an exclusive interview, appealed to the electorate not to elect the tired and retired politicians and civil servants to the so important position of County Governors. The jobs required youthful and energetic persons with higher managerial capacity to man the region resources and even source for external funding.

Other names being floated around in connection to the position of Migori County include that of Ezra Odondi from Central Sakwa in Awendo district, Ezra Olodi Okoth from Migori, the former PEO, Nairobi Mr Chacha Ogwe Prof Edward Oyugi Akong’o.

So far no name has been floated from the two Kuria districts which shared the country with other mainly Luo districts. The same could be said about the position of Senator for Migori Country. But more aspirants for both seats from the Kuria side are expected to join the race in the near future.

At the same time Migori County Senate seat appeared to have attracted the least number of contestants. Names being floated around include that of former two time MP for Ndhiwa Zablon Owigo Olang’, immediate former Nyatike MP Ocholla Ogur, former two time Homa-Bay MP Pharez Oluoch Kanindo,

Some of the aspirants have already hit the ground campaigning deep inside the villages, where they were seen driving up and down during Christmas festivities, conducting Harambee for this and that project, and praying in the churches.

In Uriri constituency, two prospective aspirants who will be challenging the incumbent MP Cyprian Ojwang Omolo whose lackluster and dismal performance has disappointed many constituents were seen driving up and down covering the full -length and width of the constituency.

Mr Martin Owiny was seen around Sibuoche and also Oyani Maasai, while his credible rival John Bob Awiti Otange had several teams of visitors to his Rapogi Ong’ora village home. The visitors were mainly supporters who had gathered at his homestead to brainstorm how to oust the sitting MP whose lackluster and dismal performance.

However, tensions are less in the usually volatile Rongo constituency. The reason being perhaps the recent sub-division of the constituency into two namely Awendoi and Rngo has lessened the tension between the supporters of two Rongo political giants, the incumbent Dalmas Otieno and his arch-rival George Ochillo Ayacko.The two have had their horns locked in the battle for Rongo seat ever since 2002.

The newly created Awendo seat will now have Ayacko on the different constituency, wile Dalmas Otieno, the Minister for Public Service will be left alone in Rongo.But for the two to recapture their seats in 2012 will be an uphill task as there are emerging young and resourceful younger generation of politician ready to take the two head on.

These are the changing pattern of Migori politics and more could be expected in 2012. The County is mineral rich and also rich in agriculture and fisheries.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

ICC & KENYA: “OCAMPO SIX HAVE NO CHANCE TO ESCAPE THE ICC PROCESS EVEN IF KENYA WAS TO WITHDRAW” – RAILA.

1 Reply

By Dickens Wasonga in Kisumu.

Hopes for the Ocampo Six ,as they are now commonly known, seemed to sink further as the Kenya’s prime minister declared the country had lost the opportunity to have the suspects tried locally.

Speaking at Kenyatta sports grounds in Kisumu, Raila Odinga said the ICC had taken over the case and it was formally underway adding that the recent developments in parliament where MPs passed a motion seeking the country’s withdrawal from the courts as futile efforts that should not worry Kenyans.

The PM, who was in Kisumu to witness the home coming ceremony of the recently installed chairman of Luo council of elders, Mr Willis Otondi, said those who initially opposed the Hague process, while describing the local tribunal option as vague, have now realized that the ICC process is real and was here with them.

” When the matter of forming a local tribunal was brought for debate before the floor of parliament, most MPs who are now anti-Hague, described it as the best option. One of them even told the house that we should not be vague,go to the Hague. They believed the process would take years to catch up with the perpetrators.”, said Raila.

The ODM supremo said Kenyans had all the time to ensure those implicated were tried locally but the MPs frustrated the move and they must now chew what they picked.

” If a child cry for a razor blade, you as a parent should give him or her and if he or she cut himself or herself with it,they learn”, Raila said in Kiswahili.

He said Kofi Annan,, who brokered a peace deal that eventually ended the post poll chaos and later saw Kenya form a coalition government, held the secret envelop, which had names of those believed to have organized and funded the violence, for three months with the hope that the leaders would chose the local option in vain.

” Even Ocampo also held the envelop for a while, thinking that we could agree to have a local solution to this matter, but it did not happen, so nobody should claim he is favouring any side of the political divide because he is not even a Kenyan” He said.

And as if to offer solace to the Ocampo six, Raila said the Hague process can be reversed only if a local tribunal was formed and a thorough judicial reforms are carried out which will meet the UN set standards.

Raila said that route would take several years, and the six would still be under the close watch of the ICC, until Kenya convinces the international community that it now has the capacity to try and deliver justice to the victims of the post poll chaos.

He said the only way to end impunity in the country was by ensuring those who committed any atrocity during the violence are tried.

Other MPsj who spoke at the functionj included MPs Nicholas Gumbo [Rarieda], James Rege [Rachuonyo], Oyugi Magwanga [Kasipul Kabondo, and also included ministers James Orengo [ lands] Otieno Kajwang’ [Immigration] and assistant ministers Ayiecho Olweny[ Education]and Dr.Oburu Odinga[Finance].

Since the naming of the suspects, MPs allied to those six have been making claims that Raila had and in the issue and allegedly knew who was to be picked.

Those now opposing the process have of-late been pushing for withdrawal of Kenya from the ICC claiming it was partisan.

ENDS.

AFRICA: EVEN AS YOU CELEBRATE REMEMBER MALARIA STILL IS THE BIGGEST KILLER ON THE CONTINENT

Leave a reply

By Dickens Wasonga in Kisumu.

We have celebrated Christmas, almost to the last man and soon the festive season will be over.

The sad fact however, is by the time the festive season is over 21,000 children will have died of malaria, majority of them from Africa.

Malaria still remains a killer disease with nearly 1 million people losing their lives every year. Eighty five per cent of deaths are children under 5 years of age.

Most malaria cases occur in Africa but it nevertheless remains a global problem also affecting countries in large parts of Asia and Latin America.

African Media and Malaria Research Network Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Charity Binka from Ghana, suggests that as families get together for the festive season, it is also important that they spare a moment and reflect on malaria, a disease that can be prevented and treated, yet continues to kill unnecessarily.

The African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), an advocacy network of scientists and journalists fighting for the eradication of malaria in Africa which she heads, is using this festive occasion to urge African governments and policy makers to fulfill the various promises to allocate more resources to the prevention and control of the disease.

In Abuja, Nigeria, ten years ago, African leaders committed to halving malaria mortality for Africa’s people by 2010.

Additionally, they agreed that:

– at least 60% of those suffering from malaria have prompt access to, and are able to correctly use, affordable and appropriate treatment within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms,
– at least 60% of those at risk of malaria, particularly children under five years and pregnant women, benefit from the most suitable combination of personal and community protective measures such as insecticide treated mosquito nets.

A whole decade has passed, yet we are nowhere near achieving the targets set. In September this year, African leaders again gathered in New York under the auspices of the UN to renew their pledge to boost access to life-saving bed nets and medicines as part of the fight against malaria, aiming to reach the goal of near-zero deaths by 2015.

Indeed some countries have taken up the challenge to introduce some policies that are yielding results.

Countries like Rwanda, Eritrea, Sao Tome & Principe, and Zanzibar, have been able to bring the disease under control using existing tools.

In Sierra Leon the government has launched a nationwide distribution of mosquito nets to every single household in the country. However, many more countries need to follow the example.

But what do we see? It is business as usual for majority of African countries, as funds for malaria work continues to be the burden of development partners from Europe and America.

Another disturbing factor is the ignorance about the disease. Because the disease has been around for so long, many people take it for granted and resort to self-medication.

Clearly there is the urgent need to step up education on malaria prevention and treatment to end the needless deaths and loss of man hours that are affecting productivity.

The good news is that the existing tools for malaria prevention and treatment, such as indoor residual spraying (IRS), insecticide treated nets (ITN), and Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT), are reliable and can protect lives.

A ground breaking project, the Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm), is now underway in Africa.

In Ghana, like many other countries in Africa, it is being implemented by the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP).

The aim is to provide inexpensive, effective anti-malaria treatment to crowd out less effective drugs. One can now buy heavily-subsidized ACT for less than US dollar.

The world is waiting anxiously for a malaria vaccine which is expected to reduce the burden of the disease by 50%.

The RTS, S vaccine, currently being researched at 11 study sites in seven African countries, has been billed as the magic bullet to end the malaria pandemic.

In Kenya for example, clinical trials of the vaccine candidate is underway in three study sites, namely in Kilifi, at the coastal strip, and Kombewa and Siaya, both in the western part of the east African country.

The sites in Kenya target to enroll at total of 1600 children below five years as study participants for the trials, which are in the third and last phase before being adopted for routine administration if found to be effective.

What is the Kenyan situation?

Statistics from the malaria control division indicates Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Kenya.

According to the facts, 25 million out of a population of 34 million Kenyans are at risk of malaria.

Malaria also accounts for 30-50 per cent of all outpatient attendance and 20 per cent of all admissions to health facilities.

According to the ministry of health,an estimated 170 million working days are lost to the disease each year.

The ministry in 2006 estimated that 20 per cent of all deaths in children under five were due to malaria.

The most vulnerable group to malaria infections are pregnant women and children under 5 years of age.

The Kenyan government , In collaboration with partners, developed a 10-year National Malaria Strategy which was launched last year.

According to the minister for public health Mrs Beth Mugo, the goal of the strategy is to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with malaria by 30 per cent by 2009 and to maintain it to 2017.

She said that over the period of operationalization of the strategy, the division made key achievements in case management.

The minister noted that key to this was the successful roll-out of the new treatment policy that was launched by the country’s president Mwai Kibaki three years ago.

She said treatment guidelines and job aids were also produced and training curricula and manuals for health workers developed.

More than 12,000 health workers were also trained countrywide on case management with AL.

The same year saw five hundred new health workers recruited under the Global Fund round 4 malaria grant . These workers were formally absorbed into the public service last year, according to the minister.

”We as a ministry also made great strides towards the prevention of malaria during pregnancy.The proportion of pregnant women using insecticide treated nets rose from 4.4 percent in 2003 to 39.7 percent in 2007 while the proportion of women who received at least two doses of IPT rose from 4 percent in 2002 to 24.5 percent in 2006,in sentinel districts, and to 13 percent in all malaria endemic districts in 2007” said the minister.

Fifteen million ITN and LLIN were distributed between 2001 and 2009 in Kenya, while the use of the nets by children under 5 years rose from 4.6 percent in 2003 to 50.2 percent in 2006, after a free mass insecticide treated net distribution targeting 3.4 million children under five.

She observed that the mass distribution of ITN in 2006 corrected the inequity against the poor in ITN ownership. The current ITN ownership of 0.8 per household in Kenya is far from universal access defined as 2 nets per household.

Indoor residual spraying has been used to prevent the occurrence of malaria epidemics in the western highlands of the east African nation.

Kenya appeared to have achieved a lot although more still needs to be done. The proportion of targeted structures sprayed for instance also rose from 27.1 percent in 2005 to 63 percent in 2008.

Currently general knowledge in Kenya about malaria transmission is at 95 percent; however only 10 percent know that malaria causes anemia, neonatal and maternal death.

However, only 40 percent of service providers are able to accurately state the effects of malaria in pregnancy here.

Also in the global front,there is still some good news.

The Global Fund has just announced a 574 million US dollars pledge to fight malaria. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the US governmen,t and many other developed countries, continue to increase funding for malaria work every year. This is a clear sign of commitment to tackling the disease.

But for the African nations,it is time to show willingness to win the war against the disease because those afflicted most by malaria are largely in Sub Saharan Africa.

It must be upon them to take action to push out malaria from the continent .

Most scientists working to find solutions to see Malaria wiped out in the continent notes that the success of various malaria initiatives depend on political will, dedication of health workers, and above all, the willingness of the individual to seek prompt treatment and use the available tools to prevent or treat the disease.

AMMREN which brings African journalists and scientists across the continent together towards the fight against malaria on its part want all Africans to continue the forward march towards realization of the dream day when no man, woman or child is killed by reason of malaria in Africa.

The Network also want partners and stakeholders to keep up the pressure at this time where a lot of global effort has gone into helping Africa to deal with the scourge of malaria.

‘’The time is right and the prospects are bright, however, it is the hope of AMMREN that as we make merry and celebrate late into the night during Christmas we will sing joy to the lord and, with a unity of purpose, also keep an eye on malaria’’ said Binka.

ENDS.

KENYA: NATION’S LEADERS WANT GOVERNMENT TO INVEST MORE IN THE LAKE.

4 Replies

By Agwanda Jowi

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, together with seven Members of Parliament drawn from Lake Victoria region, are now calling upon the government to put more investment into the lake in order to spur economic growth of the region.

The legislators say that the potential in the lake region remains underexploited.

Midiwo says that the central government continues to collect billions of shillings annually, from the lake’s resources, but does no development in return.

He says it is time the government plough back some money to the lake to improve infrastructure and improve on its sustainability.

He says there is a need to open up a ring road along the lake, alongside electricity, to assist fishermen to preserve their fish and access markets in time.

The MPs, who spoke during a meeting organized by the Indigenous Fisher People’s Network in Kisumu, noted that the fishing policies must be implemented to restructure the fishing sector.

Hon. Oyugi Magwanga, MP for Kasipul Kabondo, noted that good polices which can rejuvenate the fishing sector are just lying on the shelves and so must be implemented.

Magwanga says that there is no point of passing more policies while the existing laws remain unimplemented.

MPs present were Ekwe Ethuro, Pollyns Ochieng, John Pesa, James Rege, and Martin Ogindo.

ENDS

KENYA: THE BATTLE LINE IS ALREADY DRAWN FOR THE POTENTIAL CONTESTANTS TO THE COUNTY’S SEATS OF SENATE AND OF GOVERNOR

5 Replies

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town

The declaration of interest, and entry into the race, for Homa-Bay Senate seat last week, by the youthful Hilary Ochieng Alila, is said to have sent shock-waves to the spinal code of many politicians in the region, especially those who had intended to aspire for the same seat.

THE 37 YEAR OLD, Kampala based businessman, is the first credible and established politician to have come from Ndhiwa district, who has declared interest in the Senate seat. Alila was in Kisum and Homa-Bay over the weekend, during which time he presided over a Harambee fund drive meeting in Bondo constituency last Sunday, before returning to his business base in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.

During a brief interview with this writer, Ochieng Alila said he had mobilized youth and women’s groups in all the eight parliamentary constituencies which form the Homa-Bay County. At the moment there are only six constituencies. But the recent work of the interim Independent Boundary Commission, led by Andrew Legale, had created two more parliamentary seats, one for Kasipul- Kabondo, and the other one for homa-Bay Town, and its environs which was slashed out of the existing Rangwe.

Alila said the newly created Homa-Bay has the potential of leading the rest, if its natural resources are organized and put into proper use, for the benefit of its people. It could boost tourism and form the hub and bastion of food production. The area is also resourceful in yet to be exploited minerals. He cited the much improved farming in Kasipul Kabondo and Ndhiwa constituencies. And the recent disclosure that more new cash crops are being discovered is quite a blessing,

If those who will adhere to good governance in the new County woke up to the call, there could be pineapple processing plants in Kabondo and Kochia areas in Homa-Bay and Kabondo Division within the County within two or three years.

He told the electorate to vote only for progressive and aggressive young men and women in the year 2012 general election, who could turn the region around, in similar fashion as did the abrasive Ndhiw MP Joshua Orwa Ojode.

Alila said Ojode was elected for the first time to represent Ndhiwa in 1993. It was at a time when Ndhiwa was considered by many as the most backward rural constituencies in the greater Southern Nyanza. It lacked good roads, schools and other infrastructure. Ndhiwa had only one administrative division.

But now the era boasts five administrative divisions: Riana, Kobodo, Ndhiwa , Nyarongi, Kobama and Pala, and twenty locations instead of the old six..

On national politics, Alila, who is a staunch ODM member, appealed to all the communities living in Kenya, to love one another and work like a family. They should learn how to be cohesive and join hands in developing Kenya, instead of wasting time through rhetoric’s and political slogans, based on ethnicity. Cabinet Ministers, who are known profess ethnicity and tribalism, should be fired – – asked to vacate their office, and pave the way for the deployment of youthful and detribalized leaders.

Alila said he duly concurred with the recent remarks by one of the leading aspirant for governorship of Homa-Bay County, Dr, Mark Matunga, who had said that the new County should not be the haven of retiree and deadwoods. This is a new institution which required a high caliber of governance, and not old people in office.

In fact, politicians who have already attained the ages of 60 should pack, go home and leave the scene open for the youth to battle it out.

ends

KENYA: SCIENTISTS LAUNCH A FREE BILHARZIA STUDY AMONG KENYAN COMMUNITIES

Leave a reply

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 & UGANDA: MIGINGO RESIDENTS PROTEST RAILA’S CAMPAIGN PRESENCE IN UGANDA

4 Replies

BY INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER.

KENYA’S Prime minister Raila Odinga’s move to attend presidential campaigns in Uganda on Wednesday this week has received protests from residents of the disputed Migingo Island who perceived the visit as a show of support to the country’s president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

The residents said for a long time they have looked up to Raila to use his position in government to help them resolve the boundary row, between Kenya and Uganda, which has seen the two east Africa states spend huge a mounts of money to reevaluate the boundary to end squabbles, pitting the Kenya fishermen residing at the tiny island against the Ugandan authorities, in vain.

Led by beach management unit officials at the island, the Kenyan fishermen said the presence of the prime minister was a huge disappointment and a let down for them, adding they have realised they have all along been hanging their hopes on false illusion.

”It is a pity to see a man we have hoped to be the one to come to our aid in ending the persistent harassment at the island can visit and campaign alongside the very government that has visited pain and suffering to poor Kenyans living at the island. We are really disillusioned. It is like our leaders have secret agendas which we do not know but pretend to back efforts to resolve the controversy over Migingo.” said one of the bitter leaders.

Currently. reports from the island indicates that fishermen collects up to 150,000 daily from the fish landed at the Island which they then hand over to the Ugandan marine police patrolling the island. The fishermen also take care of the officersm in terms of feeding and accommodation daily, even though they do not support continued stay of the Ugandans.

The fishermen have on several occasions complained of persistent harassment, in the hands of the Ugandan police, whom they they accused also of taking away their catch and fishing gears worth thousands of shillings.

On many occasions the Kenyan fisherman have pleaded with their government to intervene, but such pleas have been largely ignored, with the local government representatives only accusing the fishermen of violating Kenyan waters.

Even though Raila was quoted as pushing, during the Museveni rallies at Iganga in Eastern Uganda and Kigulu, for a stronger cooperation with Kenya within the EAC, many residents of Migingo continued to raise doubts over whether regional integration will materialise.

Speaking after a meeting with Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni at the state lodge in Jinja on Wednesday, the PM said close relations between Kenya and Uganda could quicken the consolidation of unity among the East African Community states.

The PM said the days of borders between the East African States are numbered, saying the region is moving towards a federation, and Uganda and Kenya could lead the way.

Raila has also been viewed as a rival of Museveni, and unconfirmed reports claimed foreign forces took part in the post election chaos that rocked Kenya, and was murky in Kisumu city where several youths were executed.

But during his visit Raila, said he admired the progress Uganda has achieved since the end of the brutal era of Idi Amin, and Kenya has something to learn on post -war integration.

He called for peaceful elections in February, saying a stable and a peaceful Uganda is good for Kenya.

” I call upon all Ugandans to uphold peace during the elections. Let us maintain the cordial relations between the two countries”, Raila was quoted as saying by the PM press service.

The two leaders committed to forge closer ties, with Museveni describing Raila as ”a brother in the struggle” while the PM acknowledged the support he received from the Ugandan president during the struggle for the second liberation in Kenya.

ENDS.