Day: February 4, 2024

GARISSA – A government initiative aimed at increasing school enrollment in the North Eastern region of Kenya has significantly boosted the transition rates from primary to secondary education. The mop-up campaign targeted students who had not yet reported for Form One and Grade 7, resulting in an increase in the transition rate from 83.4 percent to 96 percent.

According to Kenya News Agency, speaking in Dadaab town, the efforts have led to Mandera and Wajir counties achieving a 100 percent transition rate. However, Garissa County is still behind with an 88 percent transition rate, translating to 1,418 students who have yet to enroll in Form One. Despite this, Fafi and Bura East sub-counties within Garissa have reached a 100 percent reporting rate for Form One students, largely attributed to a zero fees program initiated by Fafi MP Salah Yakub. This program covers the entirety of students’ school fees and also provides them with school uniforms, boxes, shoes, and other personal effects.

Otieno urged local chiefs and their assistants from Fafi, Dadaab, and other sub-counties to intensify efforts to ensure the remaining students report to school by the following Monday. He highlighted the importance of this initiative, noting that allowing students to remain out of school not only hampers their educational progress but also exposes them to the risk of being recruited by terror groups. This, according to Otieno, poses a significant challenge to the government’s efforts to eradicate violent extremism from the region.

The Regional Commissioner also mentioned that the government has released the capitation funding through the Ministry of Education, and area Members of Parliament are providing bursaries through the Constituency Development Fund. These measures aim to remove financial barriers to education, ensuring no child is left out of school for economic reasons.

VIHIGA, Kenya – In a significant move to conserve wetlands, the Deputy Governor of Vihiga, Wilberforce Kitiezo, spearheaded a community effort in the Wakikuyu area of North Maragoli by planting 1,500 bamboo seedlings. This initiative, marking the World Wetlands Day, was supported by the County Executive for Environment and Water Resources, Dr. Richard Boiyo.

According to Kenya News Agency, the choice of bamboo was deliberate due to its environmentally friendly nature and potential to aid in the preservation of the North Maragoli wetlands. Kitiezo also emphasized the need for replacing eucalyptus trees along rivers and streams, citing their detrimental effect on water sources.

Further addressing the community, Kitiezo encouraged the substitution of eucalyptus with indigenous tree species that are less demanding in water consumption and more conducive to the local ecosystem. His appeal to residents was a part of a broader strategy to safeguard natural resources.

Dr. Boiyo, in his remarks, outlined the county government’s commitment to environmental conservation. This commitment includes promoting tree planting and the adoption of contour farming in areas with uneven terrain. He mentioned the collaboration with various organizations, such as Kenya Power, the Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI), and Friends of River Ezava (FOREZAVA), to further their goals of sustainable environmental protection.

This collaborative initiative in Vihiga signifies a strong community and governmental response to environmental challenges, aligning with global efforts to preserve and nurture vital ecosystems like wetlands.

Marsabit County – A Rift Valley Fever (RVF) outbreak has been confirmed in Marsabit County, prompting a government alert to residents. Marsabit County Deputy Governor, Solomon Gubo, announced that out of 43 samples analyzed at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), four cases have tested positive for the virus. Gubo revealed this information during the County Steering Group (CSG) meeting held at Jirme Hotel.

According to Kenya News Agency, the confirmed cases are all from the Shurr area, located in the Turbi-Bubisa Ward of North Horr Constituency. This area has also seen a notable number of animal abortions. Gubo expressed concerns over the county’s capacity to handle the virus and called for urgent support from the National Government and other partners. Measures are being implemented to educate residents on avoiding contact with potentially sick animals and eliminating mosquito breeding grounds.

Additionally, Gubo disclosed that Saku and Moyale Sub-counties are experiencing a malaria outbreak, despite not being typical malaria zones. Efforts to control mosquitoes, including household spraying and the use of mosquito nets, are being intensified.

Grace Galmo, County Executive Member for Health, stated that all confirmed RVF cases are outpatient, with no hospital admissions or deaths reported. She attributed the outbreaks to recent El-Nino rains, which have increased mosquito populations, facilitating the transmission of RVF from livestock to humans. Galmo mentioned that additional samples are being sent to KEMRI, with results pending. She also noted the challenges faced due to resource limitations in procuring necessary health supplies like nets, vaccines, and drugs. Of the affected individuals, five are children under ten years of age, and disease surveillance is being increased across the county.

The news of the RVF outbreak in Marsabit comes alongside reports of two similar cases in neighboring Wajir County. In response, government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura stated that the Ministry of Health has distributed over 1.2 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets nationwide.

KISUMU – In a significant move to address water and food security challenges, the Kenyan government has initiated negotiations with the contractor of the Koru-Soin Dam, aiming to resume the stalled project. Six months ago, operations were suspended by China Jianxi International Kenya Limited and China Jianxi International Economic and Cooperation Company Limited due to non-payment issues. Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru highlighted the importance of the 19.9 billion shilling project, fully funded by the Kenyan government, for its critical role in enhancing rice production in the Ahero area.

According to Kenya News Agency, the project situated on the border of Kisumu and Kericho counties is pivotal for ensuring the take-off of enhanced rice production efforts in Ahero. During a tour of the project site, Njeru explained that the completion of the dam would allow for water to be fed into the Ahero Irrigation Scheme by gravity, significantly reducing the current production costs associated with the use of electric pumps, which incur monthly bills of up to 4.5 million shillings.

“The completion of this dam will enable us to decommission these pumps, benefiting both the government and farmers by lowering the cost of production,” Njeru stated. He further noted the plan to expand the land under irrigation to address the national rice deficit. “Currently, we import 700,000 metric tonnes of rice annually, but this project is expected to significantly contribute to meeting this demand,” he added.

Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho emphasized the government’s focus on the Western region and the Tana water basin to expand irrigation activities. Kimotho mentioned that last year, the State Department for Irrigation succeeded in opening up 47,933 acres for irrigation, with a target to increase this to 60,000 acres this year. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance food security by adding up to one million acres under irrigation by 2027.

“Intensifying irrigation infrastructure in the Western region, which hosts one of the best water basins, is key to our efforts to boost food security,” Kimotho remarked.

GARISSA – A government initiative aimed at increasing school enrollment in the North Eastern region of Kenya has significantly boosted the transition rates from primary to secondary education. The mop-up campaign targeted students who had not yet reported for Form One and Grade 7, resulting in an increase in the transition rate from 83.4 percent to 96 percent.

According to Kenya News Agency, speaking in Dadaab town, the efforts have led to Mandera and Wajir counties achieving a 100 percent transition rate. However, Garissa County is still behind with an 88 percent transition rate, translating to 1,418 students who have yet to enroll in Form One. Despite this, Fafi and Bura East sub-counties within Garissa have reached a 100 percent reporting rate for Form One students, largely attributed to a zero fees program initiated by Fafi MP Salah Yakub. This program covers the entirety of students’ school fees and also provides them with school uniforms, boxes, shoes, and other personal effects.

Otieno urged local chiefs and their assistants from Fafi, Dadaab, and other sub-counties to intensify efforts to ensure the remaining students report to school by the following Monday. He highlighted the importance of this initiative, noting that allowing students to remain out of school not only hampers their educational progress but also exposes them to the risk of being recruited by terror groups. This, according to Otieno, poses a significant challenge to the government’s efforts to eradicate violent extremism from the region.

The Regional Commissioner also mentioned that the government has released the capitation funding through the Ministry of Education, and area Members of Parliament are providing bursaries through the Constituency Development Fund. These measures aim to remove financial barriers to education, ensuring no child is left out of school for economic reasons.

KERICHO – In a significant push towards environmental conservation, Kericho County Executive for Water, Environment, Energy, Forestry and Natural Resources, Rosemary Rop, has called for concerted efforts to restore, protect, and utilize wetlands for economic benefit. Speaking at the World Wetlands Day event held at the University of Kabianga, Rop emphasized the potential of wetlands to provide jobs and wealth, urging graduates to innovate around biodiversity conservation.

According to Kenya News Agency, wetlands are not only crucial for their ecological benefits, such as supporting diverse habitats and wildlife, but also offer economic opportunities through tourism, agriculture, and other sustainable practices. She highlighted the capacity of wetlands to support bamboo cultivation, attract bird watchers, and serve as sites for eco-tourism, thus contributing to Kericho’s economic development. “We are moving beyond protecting the wetlands; we want it to be an economic foundation for new jobs and activities within this county,” Rop stated.

The County Executive also addressed the importance of wetlands in providing essential resources like construction materials, food, medicine, and water for domestic and industrial use. She called on local chiefs and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) officers to enforce regulations against harmful practices like eucalyptus planting near water bodies and urged the community to adopt sustainable land use practices.

Highlighting the challenges faced by wetlands, University of Kabianga Vice Chancellor, Prof. Erick Koech, noted the encroachment issues in several local wetlands, including the Daraja Sita wetland on the Kericho-Bomet border. These activities threaten the wetlands’ ecological balance and the species that depend on them.

The event, which also featured a tree planting exercise led by Rop, underlined the need for enhanced forestry education at institutions like Kabianga University and Londiani Forest College, to train future leaders in wetland and natural resource conservation. Kenya Forestry Research Institute Officer, Joram Binga, reported that over 600 trees were planted to commemorate the day, marking a step towards the restoration of the university’s wetland areas.

This year’s World Wetlands Day theme, “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing,” highlighted the intrinsic link between wetlands and human life, showcasing the dependence of communities on these vital ecosystems for sustenance, inspiration, and resilience.