CDF Set to Be Axed Obure Now Ready for by MUSA RADOLI

The SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT REPORT THE PARTNERSHIP NEW NATIONAL FOR PEACE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY TO REIN IN PROJECT FUNDED LEnhancingink governance for all COWBOY CONTRACTORS BY THE EU — PAGES 14 & 19 — PAGES 15 - 18 MARCH 2011 Issue No. 077 Kshs 40/=

CDF set to be axed Obure now ready for By MUSA RADOLI

THE future of the multi-billion shil- lings Constituency Development Fund (CDF) may be sealed forever under the new constitutional dis- cowboy contractors pensation as a technical committee at the treasury works out modalities By FAITH MUIRURI The body outlined in the National er things provide a legal and institu- value exceeds Kshs5 million will be that may decide its fate. Construction Authority Bill 2011, is tional framework for the development required to pay a levy equivalent to The CDF which has over the LANS are underway to replete with powers to sanction and of local construction industry (See 0.25 percent of the total value of work. years since its introduction been introduce a new set of blacklist rogue contractors who have special report on Pg 14) The new law comes in the wake transformed into a fat cow and po- rules to reign in on cow- in the past led to excessive losses in According to the law proposed by of hue and cry by local contractors litical tool by most legislators and boy contractors in the billions of shillings. the Minister for Public Works, Chris who feel that they might be losing out their cronies is likely to face the Pcountry. The law that proposes Already, the Constituency Devel- Obure, contractors who engage in pro- on some of the major capital projects axe as the government strives to opment Fund (CDF) board has en- fessional misconduct will be deregis- because new conditions set by donors the establishment of a National listed the support of anti-corruption tered and in some instances attract im- had blocked local firms. streamline national fiscal alloca- Construction Authority will help tions to conform to the demands of commission to recover substantive prisonment for a term not exceeding Local traders and firms involved to address massive corruption amounts of money lost through poor one year. in construction are questioning the the new constitution. witnessed in the construction in- The most critical issue being workmanship. Further, the law stipulates that con- checking on duplication of resourc- dustry over the years. The Authority seeks to among oth- tractors who undertake work whose Turn to Page 2, Col. 1 es as the 47 counties are expected to receive 15 per cent of the national cake to run their operations includ- ing 0.5 per as an equalisation fund to the marginalised communities. Considering the fact that the devolved county governments will be in charge of the constituencies under them, direct allocations to CDF will amount to duplication and wastage. Indeed the ministry of finance has already established a technical committee known as The Fiscal Decentralisation Kenya which is working out the technical fiscal mo- dalities that may eventually seal the fate of the Constituency Develop- ment Fund as Treasury seeks a new system of funding the grassroots. CDF currently enjoys 2.5 per cent of the national revenue which is transferred to the fund by the central government. Of the money collected, 75 per cent is divided equally among constituencies and 25 per cent shared on the basis of poverty index outlined by the Min- istry of Planning and National De- velopment. The Committee says that Local Authorities Transfer Fund (LATF) is also expected to be phased out. The Fiscal Decentralisation Road under construction: The establishment of a National Construction Authority will help to address massive corruption Turn to Page 2, Col. 1 witnessed in the construction industry over the years. Inset: Public Works minister, Chris Obure. Photo/File

Varsity signs pact with CDF managers to sign Lake Victoria Basin water body performance contracts Commission to build —Pg. 6 —Pg. 13 office in Kisumu —Pg. 26

Constitution: Let experts Beware of conman offering Orphans graduate at PAGES take charge jobs to Mombasa residents Kaheti Youth Polytechnic

ON OTHER —Pg. 9 —Pg. 20 —Pg. 30 The Link, March 2011 2 GOVERNANCE

Obure now ready for cowboy contractors Varsities From page 1 told to align rationale of shifting towards China when the balance of trade is tilted to- wards the Chinese. with Vision Contractors who spoke on condi- tion of anonymity lament that most firms have dwindled due to the stiff 2030 competition from Chinese firms. By FRANCIS ONTOMWA “Many of us may be forced to close down or lay off staff due to un- UNIVERSITIES and mid- fair competition,” one of the contrac- dle level training institutions tor intimates. have been urged to impart The construction sector – housing knowledge and skills that are and roads – has attracted the highest relevant to vision 2030. number of Chinese companies with Director of Strategy Vision key roads in the country under reha- 2030, Andrew Toboso, has bilitation or construction by them. said that for Kenya’s gradu- Among the major projects under- ates to compete globally, it is taken by the Chinese firms include imperative that higher educa- the expansion of the Kisumu airport, tion courses remain pegged to rehabilitation of the Moi International demands at the global market. Sports Centre, expansion of Thika- “There are numerous op- Nairobi highway, the Sondu Miriu portunities for Kenyan gradu- power plant interface and oil explora- ates all over the world if our tion in northern Kenya. skills become competitive and market driven” he noted. However, most local companies A section of finished road along Thika Road in Nairobi. have been locked out as majority are Speaking during this year’s viewed as shadowy contractors who chitects, quantity surveyors or public part. projects are sometimes awarded fol- Masinde Muliro University have been paid for non existence health experts especially in regard to The report further states that fail- lowing hefty bribes by contractors. of Science and Technology roads or shoddy work. projects undertaken through the Con- ure to advertise tenders has often led In its report, TI blames cartels be- (MMUST)’s Careers Week A recent progress report by the stituency Development Fund (CDF) to single sourcing which is by defini- hind the endemic corruption and po- opening ceremony on Tues- National Anti Corruption Campaign kitty may have led to the shoddy work tion illegal since it contravenes gov- litical leaders who aid them in looting day, Toboso pointed out that Steering Committee (NASSC) reveals witnessed in many parts of the coun- ernment tendering and procurement State resources. all present fresh opportunities that public coffers have been looted try. regulations. The report concludes that the bil- for research and development dry as contractors inflate prices of “There are no clear tendering “In such underhand deals, some lions if salvaged could fund other anti- must be geared towards ad- construction. and procurement guidelines and/or committee members collude to “win” poverty programmes like housing, dressing emerging challenges “Some operate in cartels that deny procedures and tenders are not usu- tenders then sub-contract to their kin more roads and public works and help and opportunities globally. the government value for money ally advertised. This invites corrup- and kith. Usually, tender winners have assure pupils in primary schools 10 He criticized the move to paid,” adds the report addressed to the tion through irregular award of ten- the blessings of the sitting MP or are years of free education. disband certain course in the President Mwai Kibaki who is the pa- ders and nepotism. The lowest bidder given to his/her close relatives, friends However, with the new regula- arts, saying that they were tron of the committee. is not always awarded a contract and or associates,” says the report. tions, the sector is highly expected to needed for the country to The report by committee at the some contractors were said to be brib- A similar report by the Transpar- witness a rebound that will redeem make meaningful economic same time notes that failure to involve ing key CDF committee members to ency International revealed that major integrity and transparency in the man- progress. professionals such as engineers, ar- “win” tenders,” reads the report in construction and medical supplies agement of public resources. “What Kenya needs is a holistic approach to develop- ment, we need legal experts, social scientists, performing be impossible for the central govern- artists, sportsmen and others ment to continue rolling out cash to in the quest to realize vision the constituencies in the counties and 2030” he said. CDF set to be axed it also remains to be seen whether any The running theme during of the 47 counties will be keen to re- From page 1 working with the International Mon- He says that his team is working the four day workshop is “Ex- tain the CDF in their counties with ploiting versatility in career Kenya Team Leader Kamau Thugge etary Fund (IMF) after working with hard to ensure that under the new MPs wielding immense powers over prospects and opportunities in says that the technical committee has the treasury as an economic secre- constitution fiscal transition is also the funds. achieving vision 2030”. established that: “The CDF has no tary says that he was recalled from devolved accordingly to the county Though architects (the MPs) of the The director revealed of a place in a system where the governor Washington in the United States to be governments as stipulated by the con- CDF are expected to strongly resist comprehensive skills inven- is accountable for resources allocated in charge of the transition to the de- stitution, which means the constituen- that move, they may have no option tory currently undertaken in to the county. The Local Authorities volved financial system in the country cies will also have to look up to their but to try and craft some kind of new the education sector that tar- Transfer Fund, which takes up five per which has for decades since independ- respective county governments that legislation that might ensure the sur- gets to facilitate strategic and cent of all income tax collected in the ence been controlled from the central will have their own individual and in- vival of the fund as a legitimate entity systematic planning for the country, may also be discontinued.” government fiscal systems under the dependent budgetary considerations. under the new constitutional dispensa- country’s future development Mr. Thugge who is currently old constitutional dispensation. Under such circumstances it will tion. needs. Past reports by The Institute of He urged industrial bodies Social Accountability (TISA) in re- and partners to give students gard to governance and management opportunities for attachment of the CDF and many other devolved in a bid to make their learning funds under the old constitutional dis- experiences relevant. pensation indicate that they have been Others who graced the oc- subject to widespread abuse and Mr. casion were Masinde Muliro Thugge’s team members says that al- University vice-chancellor though it appears like translating the Prof. Barasa Wangila, Street requirements of the New Constitution Smart Chief Executive Of- into reality is proving to be a chal- ficer Geoffrey Kioko among lenge for budget makers, they have others. VC professor Wangila already set the current devolved funds asked students in pioneering on the firing line since their continued courses to hold their horses existence may only act as a burden to and remain patient as they the central government. break the ground. They also argue that the county He said, they should not governments will be better placed to be worried on the past job set grassroots development priorities trends saying emerging trends with the communities’ involvement have been given importance and oversee the management of the in those courses but rather funds at that level than the central move with confidence in the government under the new constitu- job market in their areas of A defunct CDF funded project lying idle in a bush in Nambale. Photo/File tional dispensation. specialization. The Link, March 2011 EDUCATION 3

Othaya KUPPET rift widens as teachers blamed for poor officials split over leadership performance

By JOEL JUMA By JOSEPH MUKUBWA LEADERSHIP wrangles at the LACK of commitment by teach- Kenya Union of Post Primary ers and poor syllabus coverage are Education of Teachers (KUPPET) some of the major challenges af- have deepened further after of- fecting education sector in Othaya. ficials in Kakamega County split Nyeri South District Educa- into two camps. tion Officer Jackson Kaberia says Kakamega and Mumias that teachers negative attitudes to- branches are likely to run as in- wards their work, their classroom dependent entities after leaders management and their interaction differed on which district should with pupils had adversely affected produce the County Executive education standards in the area. Secretary. “Low level of commitment, A meeting convened to build poor syllabus coverage and un- consensus ended in disarray. willingness by teachers to plan Kakamega branch executive their work are some of the chal- secretary Harrison Otato has main- lenges affecting education sector tained that he will be contesting in the region,” adds the DEO dur- for the Executive Secretary while ing a prize giving day at Kiaguthu his Mumias counterpart Macdaff Primary School in Othaya. Rapando has drawn a line-up that Kaberia says that the situation excludes him. has been compounded by weak The two have since come up management systems in some with two parallel line-ups, which schools and the poor state of phys- have split members in the County. ical facilities which were not con- Otato’s camp is reportedly al- ducive for learning. lied to the union’s national Chair- The DEO who was accompa- man Misori Akello while Rapando nied by the patron of the school is said to get support from the sec- Kanyi Kimondo however says the retary General Njeru Kanyamba. district has very committed stake- Otato said Kakamega branch holders should be allowed to produce a “We also have adequate trained candidate for the Executive Secre- teachers, adequate learning facili- tary seat because it has over 700 Primary pupils in class. Leadership wrangles splits Kuppet Kakamega branch into two groups. ties, willing students, supportive members. parents and stakeholders and ad- He argued that Kakamega also and should have more than 1,000 locked up in leadership battles af- council officials. equate textbooks,” he added. has the Headquarters of the Minis- members. ter they both declared to run for Kisienya said Misori’s camp The DEO says many learning try of Education where most sec- Rapando said teachers have one seat. has already visited Coast, Eastern institutions have access to piped ondary schools cases are handled. asked him to contest for the post The two are both contesting for and North Eastern provinces for water and electricity and access to He added that Rapando should and that he cannot step down be- the Secretary General slot. Kan- campaigns. Free Primary Education funds and step down because he has failed cause of a resolution made by un- yamba has his own line-up as well Vihiga branch chairman Free Secondary Education. to recruit teachers in his Mumias, ion officials. “Let us meet at the as Misori. Milemba Imboko has also de- Nyeri South district is one of Matungu, Butere and Khwisero ballot,” said Rapando. Kuppet national Vice Chair- clared interest to run for the local the eight newly created districts districts. Kakamega branch assistant man Zadock Kisienya said Mi- executive secretary seat. Imboko curved from the larger Nyeri dis- Rapando’s branch has 320 treasurer Akaka Shisoka said sori’s line up has brought together is backing Kanyamba for the ex- trict. members. Otota and Rapando should harmo- officials who include the national ecutive secretary seat. The district has 78 primary Rapando disputed the claims nise their lists to prevent the union treasurer Njenga Mwethi, assistant He will be opposing his branch schools out of which 56 are public saying that Kakamega branch has from splitting. secretary General Lewis Nyak- executive secretary Mark Amendi while 22 are private schools. There been in existence for many years Kanyamba and Misori are also weba and many other provincial during the polls. are 34 public secondary schools. Study reveals increased sexual activity in schools

By BEKADZO TONDO Teachers Association (PTA) in Coast tion and service providers in the fight region on mainstreaming HIV/AIDS against the scourge. The director at the MORE girls than boys are registering under total war against the epidemic same time cautioned teachers’ against a high incidence of sexual activity in held at Mombasa polytechnic discriminating their colleagues and the country. According to the director of Policy students who have contracted the dis- A survey by the Ministry of Edu- Partnership and East African Commu- ease and instead support them. cation indicates 75 per cent of girls nity Affairs’ Mr. Kiragu Magochi, the ‘I urge teachers to avoid discrimi- were engaging in sex compared to findings could be worse in some other nating fellow teachers and students boys who recorded 69 per cent. provinces. who might have contracted the dis- The survey which involved 2584 Mr Magochi who officially opened ease but instead to support and give students from selected high schools in the workshop said there was need for them courage,” said Mr Magochi. Nairobi reveals that 25 percent of the managers of secondary schools in the Director of education in Coast student respondents admitted to have country to form HIV/AIDS interven- province Mr Tom Majani said cases multiple sexual partners. tion programs to create awareness of sex among students in the area had The study indicated that 39 percent among the students. risen to worrying levels. of the students had sex with opposite He that said teachers, BOGs and Majani said chances of students sex while 16.7 percent had sex with PTAs play an important role in equip- contracting HIV/AIDS were high be- same sex partners. ping learners with knowledge and cause the students do not use preven- The report further says that same skills on the prevention of HIV/AIDS tive measures due to lack of informa- sex behavior was noted to be rampant The director at the same time said tion. in mixed secondary schools. the ministry of education has in place The director said school manag- The findings were made public an education sector policy on the ers have an obligation to ensure that during a two day workshop for prin- HIV/AIDS which aims at facilitating awareness and advocacy forums were cipals, secondary school Board of a broader understanding and strength- held regularly to sensitize students on Girls are registering a high incidence of sexual activity than boys in the Governors (BOGs) and Parents and ening of partnerships between educa- the dangers of engaging in early sex. country. Photo/File The Link, March 2011 4 GOVERNANCE Directive on state secrets violates new Constitution HE recent directive by the ing hot on the heels of increased to information is a constitutional ing requests for records on the: Government barring min- scrutiny of Cabinet Ministers by right even without enabling leg- disbursement and utilization of Tisters from disclosing state the legislature in its watchdog COMMENT islation. However a law laying devolved funds like the Constitu- secrets is an affront to the spirit role. The onus is on the President out the mechanisms of access- ency Development Fund, pro- and letter of the new constitution and Prime Minister to justify and ing public information and what curement and issuance of medical which provides for the right to ac- refine or withdraw the directive, as By SHEILA MASINDE constitutes exempted information supplies at local hospitals, alloca- cess public information. Article 35 a demonstration of their commit- amongst other requisite details is tion of low cost housing units, ex- in the Bill of Rights obligates the ment to the full and successful im- urgently needed. penditure of free education funds State to publish and publicize any plementation of the Constitution. mental right. Continued advocacy Kenyans are still oblivious of by local schools, allocation of important information affecting The Government must wake led to the publication of the FOI the outcomes of various corrup- water projects, qualification of in- the nation. up to the new reality borne by Bill, 2007. However, the Bill was tion investigations and commis- dividuals appointed to the public It is acknowledged that the the Constitution that gives a great not prioritized in house business sions of inquiry. This would not service, amongst other informa- State may reasonably withhold sense of being to transparency and and it lapsed as the curtains were be the case if freedom of informa- tion. Government responsiveness information pertaining to sensi- accountability. Being a Constitu- drawn on the Ninth Parliament in tion was the rule. The recent graft in this matter largely depends on tive issues like national security tional right, access to information December 2007. The Bill is yet to scandals in the ministries of For- the pressure mounted by the pub- which action may deny the exer- takes precedence over legislation be republished, and efforts to en- eign Affairs, Water and Defense lic. cise or protection of any right or such as the Official Secrets Act gage relevant government offices could have been averted if inter- Finally, the government should freedom contained in the Con- which has been used repeatedly to on its status have come a cropper ested parties and the public had commence the proactive release stitution. However, this does not hold back vital public information amid conflicting information from open access to information on the of public information and recast warrant abuse or justifications to thus fuelling a facilitative environ- state officials on Kenya’s standing procurement processes. Access to the primordial oath of secrecy, cover up irregular and illegal ac- ment for corruption and impunity as far as the Bill is concerned. such information would enable like the one ministers and their as- tivities involving public officials. to thrive An FOI law is not among the effective monitoring and ensure sistants were reminded to uphold A definition on the nature of infor- A freedom of information enabling legislation prioritized transparency. It is also the key that recently, and similar laws that im- mation that should be kept secret (FOI) law has been elusive to Ken- in the fifth schedule of the new will open the door to critical infor- pede integrity in the country. Only is therefore in order. The directive yans, despite a decade-long clam- Constitution neither is a specific mation required to hold public of- a small spectrum of public affairs as currently communicated can be or by the civil society. Both the timetable for Parliament to enact ficials accountable. should enjoy secrecy. That spec- interpreted as aiming to contain Bomas draft Constitution and the such legislation provided. Parlia- Kenyans must begin testing trum is what needs to be clarified information on corruption inci- Wako draft (rejected in the 2005 ment is unlikely to enact the law the Government’s commitment to give public officials guidance dents and whistle-blowing by gov- constitutional referendum) con- in the next five years given its jam- towards the actualization of this on how to deal with information ernment officers, especially com- tained provisions for this funda- packed legislative agenda. Access right. This can be done by plac- in their custody. Education key Teachers call for repair of Busia schools to peace in By NYAKWAR ODAWO communities PRIMARY school heads in the Busia County are appeal- — Bishop ing to the government to al- locate more funds to assist in By AGGREY BUCHUNJU the renovation and upgrading of learning facilities in the re- EDUCATION is a requisite tool for peaceful co-existence within communi- gion. ties, a church minister says. The head teachers say that Bishop Shadrack Juma of Church most schools in the area are of Christ in Africa (CCA), Kakamega currently faced with a number Diocese argues that educated people of challenges that range from stay peacefully with each other. inadequate teachers to high The church minister, appeals to the pupil population and lack in- Luhya community to educate their chil- frastructure. dren to guard them against manipula- The head teacher of Bulan- tions during electioneering period. da primary school Mr.Alfonus Bishop Juma notes that majority of the youths who easily fall preys to the Masakha says that school re- politicians’ destructive activities are il- quires additional teachers to literate or semi-literate. He, however, cater for the high enrolment urges the youth regardless of their level figures which currently stand of education, to desist from participat- at 2,500 pupils. ing in destructive activities at the whims He says that despite the hic- of selfish politicians. cups, the school has contin- The prelate tells the youth not to de- ued to register improved per- mand weapons with which to harm peo- formance from a mean score ple from politicians but affordable edu- of 243.28 in the year 2008 to cation, jobs and responsible leadership. This, the church minister says will 260.73 in last years from Ken- compel the politicians to change from ya certificate of primary Edu- confrontational tactics to diplomacy cation (KCPE). while dealing with their opponents. “In order for the school to “Once you refuse to take handouts do much better, I am appeal- School heads appeals to the government to allocate more funds. Photo/File from the politicians they will see the ing to the government to send need to embrace peace,” the bishop tells us more teachers to reduce the The head teacher revealed adding that the school man- “In order for the school the youths. high teacher pupil ratio which that he has further sought help agement committee intends to The devolved governance structures, currently stands at 1:59. The from Nambale Constituency construct toilets, repair dilapi- to do much better, I bishop Juma says will require youths school also requires additional am appealing to the who can manage the decentralized re- Development Fund (CDF) dated classrooms, introduce sources effectively but not hecklers. classrooms to accommodate committee to aid in the con- boarding facilities to give the government to send us Consequently, the church leader the high pupil population,” the struction of additional class- candidates ample time to con- more teachers to reduce appeals to politicians from the area to head teachers said. rooms to help accommodate centrate in their studies. the high teacher pupil ensure that youths acquire high levels of The school head at the same the rising student population. The school head at the same ratio which currently education. This, Bishop Juma adds will time commended the govern- “I am appealing to the gov- time revealed that the school enable the youths to gain skills and be- ment for allocating Kshs2.9 ernment to chip in so that we has been picked among those stands at 1:59. The school come professionals who can spur eco- million under Economic Stim- can introduce school feeding set for elevation into a model also requires additional nomic growth of the region. ulus Programme (ESP) to as- programme to help retain the school and appealed for more classrooms to accommodate He notes with regrets that politi- sist in the construction of five orphaned vulnerable children funds to facilitate the speedy the high pupil population.” cians misuse the youths and dump them more classrooms. every other general election and even (OVCs) in the school,” he says renovation of the schools. during the plebiscite. The Link, March 2011 EDUCATION 5 Official decries poor education in Kwale By BRIGHTON KAZUNGU er will come forward to help boys. “There are many boys who are un- DEBATE may be raging elsewhere able to go to secondary school be- throughout the country over admis- cause their parents are too poor,” he sion ratio to national schools be- said. tween public and private primary The coordinator of the Verkaart schools but in Kwale County, most Development Trust, Ms. Beasy candidates scored less than 200 Mbogo, says that the Trust has found marks in KCPE, locking them out of it difficult to raise funds for boys. Its the contest. founder had at inception established Kwale District Education Officer that girls’ access to education in Wilbert Nyangweso, citing past ex- Kwale was way below that of boys. perience, further expresses fears that Ms. Mbogo says that the Trust’s not all 14 students selected to join attempt to take boys to secondary national schools will make it. schools did not get support from There are parents in the County their Dutch sponsors. who for a number of reasons, pre- Ms. Mbogo says the Trust has fer sending their children to local reconstructed 72 primary schools in schools even when they have quali- the County to ease learning for the fied to join national schools, says students. It has also built four sec- Mr. Nyangweso. ondary schools. The sponsorship He says top among the challeng- beneficiaries are in three of the sec- es for parents are high fees, expen- ondary schools. sive shopping list and the costly long The Trust picked 500 students distances the children have to travel. last year for sponsorship but has de- Mr. Nyangweso says though the cided to reduce the number to 40 per transition rate in Kwale District was class to boost the quality of educa- 80.31 per cent for the 2009 class, tion, said Ms. Mbogo. the number does not reflect the true She says that they are currently picture on the ground. The percent- Admission ratio to national schools between public and private primary schools is raging. sponsoring 1,500 students, adding age represents children who are ex- that the Trust has been forced to stop pected to take up Form One slots in Development Trust sponsored her to had to threaten a parent with police school education a poor alternative. the programmes targeting vulner- public schools, notwithstanding the Kwale Girls’ Secondary School. action after he withdrew a class eight Mr. Nyangweso and Mr. Wanjau able girls in primary schools as the many hurdles that deny the candi- Mr. Wanjau says well-wishers at son from school. The father, a trader say sponsorship has boosted transi- aid, channeled through school heads, dates an opportunity to join second- times raise funds for the beneficiar- in Mombasa, plucked the pupil – tion rates. Equity Bank will sponsor hardly ever reached the beneficiar- ary school. ies first year in school, only for some who went on to score 370 marks in four students from Kinango and 12 ies. His Kinango district counterpart, of them to be forced out of school in last year’s KCPE – out of school to in the entire county. Ms. Mbogo says of the 1,400 Mr. Maina Wanjau, says transition Form Two or Three for lack of fees. oversee the family business. Mr. Wanjau says the full schol- beneficiaries who have sat KCSE has been rising steadily from 27 per Mr. Nyangweso says the constit- The DEO says it will be an uphill arships will cater for fare to school, since the programme began, only cent in 2007 to 63 per cent in 2009. uency bursary fund, that should save task to keep the pupil in class, given pocket money and school fee. six have qualified for university. The The rate for last year’s class is needy students, has many vested in- the father’s attitude. He says Kenya Commercial poor results, with many of the girls yet to be calculated but he is upbeat terests, mainly because individuals He says failure by parents to Bank and the Kinango Profession- getting grade ‘D’ or below, attribut- as the area has doubled the number in the committees that oversee the send children to secondary school als Forum will also sponsor more ing the trend to poor attitude. of secondary schools from eight in distribution of the money have too discourages younger pupils from students. Ms. Mbogo observed that absen- 2007 to 16 this year. many people to please. The result working hard. Mr. Nyangweso says But the biggest secondary school teeism is rife among the girls. She Mr. Wanjau agrees with Mr. is disbursement of meager amounts many primary school students drop student’s sponsor in the county is the carries out monthly checks and each Nyangweso that even with increased of cash that is too little to meet out- out during tourism’s high season to Verkaart Development Trust. time she discovers at least five ab- access to secondary school, some standing fees balances. comb beaches and hang out in tour- The Trust funds secondary sentees. “The schools have medical children cannot make it. Many parents in the County, es- ist’s favourite joints and those lucky school education for orphaned and facilities but some of the girls insist He cites the case of a girl who pecially the illiterate ones, have a enough to pick foreign tourists ap- vulnerable girls. This year, 480 girls on being treated by traditional heal- was set to join Kenya High School carefree attitude towards education pear to lead better lives than their will benefit from free secondary ers at home,” she says. in 2009. Her mother was mentally and see no value in keeping a child peers who proceed to secondary education. There have also been cases of ill and her father had abandoned the in school for eight years. For such school. Such boys and girls become Mr. Nyangweso says that the girls dropping from after getting family. No sponsor was forthcoming parents taking children to secondary the role models for those in school Trust has improved the transition of pregnant. As a result, some sponsors to enable the girl take up her place school is stretching the matter. and enjoy an elevated status in the girls into secondary school. have pulled out after most benefici- in the national school. The Verkaart Mr. Nyangweso says last year, he community, making secondary He, however, hopes a well-wish- aries performed poorly. Huge losses due to text books theft in Murang’a

By MORRIS GITHENYA books are delivered during the schools have lost text books day to enable them to be regis- valued at millions of shillings THE government is losing mil- tered and distributed to pupils. in a spate of robberies. lions of shillings in a syndicate Schools in Mathioya Dis- In Kiharu area, books val- that involves the stealing of trict have registered 19 break- ued at Kshs.25,000 were sto- text books in public primary ins between December and len from Gathuki-ini primary schools. January, during which books school. A report by DFID indicates bought with funds sourced In Gikindu primary school, that 5.8 million books have from free primary education police arrested suspects found been lost since the beginning programme have been stolen. with text books bearing the of 2003 when the Free Primary The latest incident occurred school’s official rubber stamp. Education was introduced. at Gikindu primary school Gitugi and Karung’e prima- In Murang’a North region, near Kiria ini market where a ry schools lost text books worth about 23 learning institutions school guard Samuel Kigotho Kshs200,000 and Kshs100,000 have lost text books worth mil- was brutally murdered after respectively. lions of shillings in raids over a gang struck and stole text Murang’a East DC George the past three months. books. Natembeya said security meas- Sources divulge that the Mathioya acting DC Musee ures have been taken to ensure text books are later sold in Mwanzia however said secu- none of the government books the backstreets through estab- rity has been beefed up near to curb the raids. lished cartels. the schools to help safe guard Natembeya called on com- The Link has established the books. munities neighbouring learn- most schools affected by the Between December 15,2010 ing institutions’ to be alert and vice have refused to comply and February 2 this year, he respond to distress calls raised DFID report indicates that 5.8 million books have been lost with a directive that requires said, more than 19 primary by school guards. since the beginning of 2003. The Link, March 2011 6 EDUCATION Varsity signs pact with water body Kuria By JOSEPH MUKUBWA resources and water laws and policies to issues on water resources management per cent of the area is either arid or semi community address dynamics of water resources. and time management, study the rela- arid. TANA Water and Services Board Others areas set to benefit include tionship between water resources and To increase access to water and sani- (TWSB) has signed a Memorundum of appropriate water resources man- poverty, studies on water conservation tation services for the residents, TWSB told to value Understanding with Kimathi University agement for sustainability - artificial in agriculture, demonstration sites for is currently implementing a five-year College of Technology. The five year groundwater recharge from rainwater, community outreach and also training strategic plan (2009-2012). Under the MoU was signed by CEO Eng. Moses integrated water resources and envi- and consultancies on any other emerg- Strategic Plan, TWSB intends to meet education Naivasha and the KUCT Principal Eng. ronmental management and wetland ing issues in water and related disci- water demand by employing a bulk sup- Ndirangu Kioni at the university Re- conservation and management and hy- plines. ply approach. The new approach will in- By JOHN NYAMBUNE source Centre in Nyeri County. drology and hydrogeology - informatics Tana Water Services Board is among volve tapping water from the three main “The MoU will help integrate joint and related services – data collection, eight other Water Services Boards in the water towers: the Aberdares Ranges, NYANZA Provincial Director research in areas of mutual interest, pro- documentation and dissemination (in- country and works towards increasing Mt. Kenya and the Nyambene Hills, of Education (PDE), Mr. Geof- vision of laboratory services for testing formation networking), water and dis- access to safe, adequate and sustainable which will then be supplied to a grouped frey Cherongis, has told mem- water quality, student attachments, train- aster management –drought, floods and water and sewerage services to both ru- number of distribution schemes to serve landslides, archiving and dissemination ral and urban populations in six counties the residents. bers of the Kuria Community ing in areas such as water engineering, to discard retrogressive cultures water conservation strategies especially of information, water GIS-database and of Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Embu, KUCT is one of the 19 Public Uni- indigenous technology in water. Meru and Tharaka-Nithi. versities and a constituent college of that interfere with the education on waste water re-use and other tech- of their children. niques of water resources management, It is will also cover water, educa- The board covers an area of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agricul- sharing facilities and undertaking of tion and community by creating aware- 19,169km2 with a population of ture and Technology (JKUAT) and has “It is very unfortunate that joint resource mobilization in water re- ness through community outreach pro- 4,238,439 (2009 Census) with about a strong emphasis on scientific and tech- the Kuria community still puts lated matters,” said Kioni. grammes on water conservation, gender 80 per cent living in the rural areas. 40 nological programmes. a high premium on circumci- The principal added that the signing sion of both boys and girls at comes as a strategic joint initiative that the expense of the education combines the strengths and expertise of of school-going children.” Mr. both organizations in an effort to meet Cherongis said during a stake- the foreseen regional market demand for holder’s forum held in Kehan- water and sanitation services. cha town. “This collaboration between KUCT The provincial education and TWSB will be undertaken through the Centre for Water Resources Con- boss expressed dissatisfaction servation and Management. This is a with the overall performance university centre attached to the Depart- of schools in last year’s KCPE ment of Civil Engineering. The centre examination, in which the area boasts of qualified technical staff in was ranked poorly nationally. water engineering, public health engi- He said no district could neering, environmental and Geomatic register good performance if Engineering,” he added. parents, teachers and leaders ig- The Centre once equipped will be nored the spirit of cooperation a rich resource for conducting research in handling education matters. in water resources management in re- sponse to climatic changes, surface and He said the Government was groundwater modeling and water qual- aware of the plight of many ity monitoring and water resources con- schools in the area which he servation and land use – managing water cited as including shortage of resources as a shared responsibility and teachers, the lethargy exhibited recognizing other line-sectors ( i.e. En- by some teachers who fail to do vironment, land, forest etc), catchment their work effectively, leading and river basin management, abstraction KUCT Principal Mr Ndirangu Kioni (left) chats with Tana Water Services Board CEO Mr Moses Naivasha to pupils sitting for examina- and pollution control measures for water after the signing of the MoU. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa tions without having completed syllabuses. The two districts of Kuria have a total teacher-deficit of Busia’s dismal KCPE performance 660 in primary and 150 in sec- ondary schools. By NYAKWAR ODAWO who registered for the national exami- Kenya Certificate of Primary Educa- 400 marks with 388 candidates scor- As a measure to ensure ac- nation. tion (KCPE) examination with a mean ing between 300 and above. countability, Mr. Cherongis THE low transition rates from Pri- This clearly indicated that a total score of 100.1 compared to 105.81 in Samia district in Funyula constitu- of 839 pupils were either asked to re- the previous year. ency came third with three candidates warned head teachers against mary to Secondary schools in Busia misappropriating school funds, District have been blamed on forced peat standard seven or transferred to In the larger Busia County which managing 400 marks and above. repetitions. other schools where they registered has 6 districts namely Busia, Teso In Butula district only 2 boys man- calling upon them to be good Data availed to The Link reveals for the exam. North, Samia, Bunyala, Teso South aged to scoop 400 and above. managers of the institutions for that there has been massive repetition The number of candidates who sat and Butula districts, Busia district led Teso North district was ranked in better results. and transfers of pupils and teachers re- for the exam had gone down by 112 with a total of 11(four girls and seven the fifth position with only one girl He said some 28 head teach- spectively to other schools. compared to the previous year (2009) boys) candidates who scored 400 scoring 400 marks while Bunyala dis- ers in the region had been de- In 2010 for instance, the actual where a total of 1,934 candidates had marks and above out of the possible trict in Budalangi constituency was moted because of financial standard seven population in was attempted the exam. The number of 500 marks. ranked in the last position with no mismanagement and failing to 2661 pupils. girls also dropped remarkably by 96 In Teso South district under Ama- candidate scoring 400 and above. ensure that syllabuses are com- However, the district registered a the previous year. goro constituency which scooped sec- Overcrowding and acute teacher Busia district also registered a ond position, a total of five candidates shortages are mainly to blame for the pleted within the required pe- total 1,822 candidates of which 959 riod of time. The education boss were boys whereas 863 were girls significant drop during last year’s (2boys and 3girls) managed to score poor performances. also cautioned head teachers against forcing pupils to repeat classes, saying the move has oc- casionally led to unwarranted Starehe students get help from KCB drop-outs. During the meeting attended By MALACHI MOTANO The Students who are in form one KCB for its commitment in the lives ary education in public schools. This mostly received Kshs2.8 million for of the young students, sentiments however, is only limited to tuition that by area MP, Dr. Wilfred Mach- KENYA Commercial Bank has given the boys where each of the ten students which were also echoed by Margaret represents just about 25 per cent of all age, participants blamed cattle 20 scholarships to needy Starehe Girls got Kshs70,000 per year for a period of Wanjohi,the Director Starehe Girls’ necessary fees “she said. In its bid to rustling, feuds between teachers and Boys Centres students 4 years and the girls on other hand got Centre. The Starehe Scholarship brings support the education sector this year, and schools committees, poor The bursaries worth Kshs5.4 mil- 2.6 million from the kitty. to 70 the number of students funded by the KCB Foundation has partnered inspection and supervision of lion were announced by the KCB Omanga said the bursaries were in the KCB Foundation to pursue second- with Computer for Schools Kenya to schools and retrogressive cul- Foundation Chairman Susan Omanga line with the KCB Foundation’s educa- ary education. establish ICT laboratories in various ture for the poor performing in during a cheque handover ceremony tion support pillar that aims to improve Omanga also challenged the pri- locations of the country. last year’s KCPE. held at a Nairobi hotel. literacy levels in the country by provid- vate sector to invest more in the edu- The partnership so far saw KCB “KCB Group is delighted to ing access to needy but bright students. cation sector to ensure even a greater launch 8 laboratories in 2010 at a cost Dr. Machage said he would present these outstanding students who This year alone KCB has spent Kshs number of bright students from needy of 2.9 million. This year the Founda- prevail upon the community would otherwise fall in the cracks, with 25 million in support of education. backgrounds get an equal chance to tion intends to put up another 18 com- elders to change the December school fees support that will see them Also present at the ceremony was finish their formal education. puter laboratories in various counties circumcision calendar, which he through their education for the next Matthew Kithara, Director, Starehe “We do recognize the govern- with the aim of realizing one labora- said interferes with preparation four years “she said Boys Centre and School who praised ment’s introduction of free second- tory per county by 2012. of students for national exams. The Link, March 2011 EDUCATION 7

By MALACHI MOTANO Parents urged PARENTS in Isiolo town are wor- ried that their daughters in sec- Alarm over student to stop transfer ondary schools are being lured into prostitution by long distance of students truck drivers, the military and the patrol police at a time when the prostitution in Isiolo By AGGREY BUCHUNJU HIV prevalent rate in the area is FREQUENT transfers of pupils from 4.7 percent. one school to another, negatively im- Joel Lobengula, a head teach- pacts on their performance in Nation- ers, at Webera Secondary School al exams, an education official says. and also a father to a form three An official from Bungoma South student regrets that his 17 year District Education office, Mrs. Joan old daughter has dropped out of Oyamo claims that pupils who move school after getting impregnated from one school to another every by a truck driver, according to her year, perform poorly in National ex- close friends who had seen her ams due to stress. severally in at ‘The Hills’, a fa- Most parents remove their chil- mous night pub in the town. dren from schools which post poor Isiolo town is a highway stop performances during the Kenya cer- over town for the trucks that go to tificate of primary education (KCPE) Moyale and Ethiopia among oth- and enroll them in schools with good ers. There are also many military results. barracks surrounding it, for exam- In some schools, the irate parents ple, the 47 para –batallion troop. lock the gates and demand for the The area DEO Domnic Opek says transfers of head teachers and other it is because of the harsh economic teachers perceived not to be working time that makes school girls look hard to improve the academic stand- ards. at prostitution as the alternative. Mrs. Oyamo, however, hints that “Most of the families in Isiolo good performance in every school is countryside are large. You may a result of collective responsibility of have parents having 21 children. teachers’ pupils and parents. Now that he may not take care of She challenges parents to take them well, boys will resort to pas- stock of their investment in the edu- toralism while their daughters opt cation of their children before trans- for prostitution, resulting in many ferring them to schools which post cases of early pregnancies and sterling performance. high risks of HIV infection” The education officer points out According to Doctor Kiriga, that good performance is always as- who is in charge of the district HIV sociated with proper investment in programme in the country’s urban the sector by all stakeholders. areas ,about 30 per cent of school Consequently, Mrs. Oyamo asks going age (15-19) are HIV posi- parents to take good care of the teach- tive. “This is why the government Agness Heir, is adventure-loving student from France at the exit of Isiolo town. Photo/Malachi Motano ers’ welfare and at the same time en- has ordered schools to start teach- sure that their children are provided ing sex education despite protests married off for wealth ( cows-large every ten female students with the prevalence rate, which was 25 with the necessary learning materials. from religious organizations.” herds). The Health official says HIV, there are 14 to 15 male stu- per cent in 1995, is still rising. “How do you expect your chil- The high rate of HIV infec- poverty is a major determinant for dents who are infected with the So far the United Nations Chil- dren to perform well in KCPE when you do not feed them well, provide tion in schools is linked to the in- HIV infection among female stu- virus.” dren’s Fund has offered to sup- dents whose families cannot meet Figures from the local World ply education materials to public them with books and other materi- cidence of Aids-related illnesses als,” she asks. among those aged between 16 - 22. the cost-sharing regime in Kenya’s Health Organisation reference learning institutions. Mr. Oyamo, at the same time urg- Students from poor communities education. centre on HIV/Aids indicate that The 800 km journey I was es parents to be open with their chil- for example the pastoral commu- “Some female students with 30 per cent of Kenyan students supposed to cover in three days dren while discussing matters that af- nities like the Turkana, Samburu funding problems especially at seeking admission to foreign uni- took five days. I was supposed to fect them both at school and at home. and the Borana in the Giant Isiolo the higher learning level (tertiary versities are infected. request for a lift from Isiolo to The education officer was speak- County are particularly likely to be colleges) are in relationships with According to Maritim Songok, Malaba from a truck driver, to see ing recently at Wacheka A.C.K pri- infected and develop Aids. rich men, especially in return for head of the HIV/Aids laboratory at if he would ask me to join him in mary school during the institution’s Also at risk are young girls assistance to pay tuition fees. For Kenya Medical Research Institute, his bed along the way. Annual General Meeting (AGM). HelpAge takes campaigns against AIDS to schools By HENRY OWINO promote and provide for the rights and program is aimed at equipping Older er persons and 9percent of male older Mr. Mugenda said the ministry entitlements to prevention, care and Persons’ with skills that will allow persons live alone. HIV prevalence recognizes the elderly and many have HELPAGE Kenya that is known for support. them to provide support to their peers stand at 8percent for adults aged be- joined either to start from class one its advocacy in the promotion of rights The competition was open to both in relation to increasing awareness of tween 50-54 in Kenya (KAIS 2007). or to continue from where they had and entitlements for older persons in- private and public schools in upper HIV/AIDS, accessing VCT and ART Ms. Jane Muguhe from Kenya In- stopped schooling. He added that age fected and affected by HIV/AIDS, primary from class 4 to 7 and Forms services, rights and entitlements, and stitute of Education (K.I.E) said they should not be a limitation factor for now targets schools to create more 1 to 3 for secondary. Age and gender coping with the psychosocial impact have included older persons in the ed- any older person thirst for education. awareness to the general public. were not considered as eligibility cri- of HIV/AIDS. ucation curriculum, where they offer Present at the function were the The organization came up with teria for entry. The program will train 150 Older they educate them through the K.I.E older persons from Central, Nyanza primary and secondary schools na- Among the students who entered Persons as peer educators every year media and provide them with special and Nairobi provinces, parents, teach- tional Essay/Art competition initiative in the competition, twelve emerged to provide accompaniment on HIV teachers who speak their language and ers and students from all over the eight intended to arouse awareness and self- victorious with 3 students from each prevention to five Older Persons. understand them best. provinces in the country. motivation among the students. This slots and category. These winners Globally, there were 83 male Ms. Muguhe reiterated that older Mama Rhoda Ngima aged over 80 was aimed at involving the schools received participation certificates, Older Persons for every 100 female people are very vital in any given so- said she was very pleased with Hel- to advocate for AIDS free society and shopping vouchers and reward for the Older Persons among those aged 80 ciety and should not be looked down pAge Kenya for coming up with an specifically unreserved respect, care, school. and over in 2009. About 80percent of upon as they provide solutions to very initiative to advocate for their needs. and support for the older persons. Speaking at the function, the Hel- older men are still married compared technical issues. She said there is a Mama Ngima said old people are hu- The Art/Essay competition ques- pAge Kenya Programme Officer, to only 48percent of older women. proposal to have special programme man beings just like any other person tion theme was, “working with HIV Erastus Maina said more of such Again 14percent of these older per- for old persons in schools so that they but the government and some NGOs infected and affected older persons school initiatives would be carried out sons live alone. feel more comfortable and attract agencies have deliberately ignored the to claim, safeguard and promote their in future and urged teachers to encour- Globally, 24percent of male older more to join. elderly group. rights” age their students to participate. persons and 14percent female older Mr. Charles Mugenda from min- Mama Ngima called upon the The entrants were expected to Mr. Maina said the older people’s persons are economically active in de- istry of education said the ministry is Kenyan government to support the highlight through essay or art the con- rights are human rights and need to be veloping countries. In Kenya, 76per- working out plans to see how it will older persons because they carry cerns and problems of infected and respected by others. He added that if cent male older persons for every 100 support the older persons in schools heavy burden apart from being af- affected older persons and suggest it were not for death, then everybody are economically active, whereas, 50 both infected and affected. He said fected. Her advice to the young gen- practical ways the government, com- would grow old since it is the age fac- female older persons for every 100 are older people are free to join any public eration is to hold on until they are munities and institutions including tor. economically active. school of their wish to continue with officially married, traditional style or schools need to implement in order to He added that the peer education In Kenya, 18percent of female old- education. through church. The Link, March 2011 8 EDITORIAL & COMMENTARY The

LinkEnhancing governance for all Science can help resolve conflicts S PRESIDENT Barack Obama has in the recent past spoken strongly on the need to promote science-based Utechnologies to “protect our planet, and create count- less new jobs for our people”. His words have significance not only for the United States, but also for the Arab world. Arab countries are now beginning to look at how to pro- mote political stability and revitalize their social institutions in the aftermath of the seismic political changes — partly prompted by high levels of youth unemployment — that have been sweeping across the region in the past few weeks. There are good reasons to be optimistic that a shift from COMMENTARY authoritarian to genuinely democratic rule in countries such as Egypt and Tunisia will help science to flourish. Scientific communities in both nations have shown widespread sup- port for the protestors’ demands. These countries now have the opportunity to use their Billions lost annually full potential to build modern knowledge-based economies. But they cannot achieve this on their own — more than ever, they need the support of the international community. And through graft due to secrecy this is where science diplomacy, an idea that has gained sup- port in recent years, could come into its own. But science diplomacy — the use of scientific cooperation INANCE Permanent Secre- the public to get information from public offices as a matter of entitle- as a tool of international diplomacy — can never substitute tary Joseph Kinyua was re- COMMENT for political initiatives. Nothing illustrates this more clearly cently reported in the media ment. This law needs to be priori- F tized as it has an impact also on the than the lack of any significant follow-through to, or indeed stating before a Parliamentary Com- By SAMUEL MBITHI KIMEU impact of, a speech given by Obama in Cairo in the summer mittee that between 25-30% of the roles of various commissions estab- of 2009, in which he publicly advocated the use of closer sci- national budget, or about 270 Bil- lished under Agenda 4, including entific contacts between the United States and Muslim coun- lion Shillings is lost through corrup- to mundane issues of every day to the Truth Justice and Reconciliation tries as a form of “soft diplomacy”. tion annually. This may be the first day administration. Legislation and Commission. As a public official But science diplomacy can be invaluable when it provides time that such a senior government policy has failed to define the realm privy to critical information on a the basis for a genuine scientific partnership between two official has disclosed the extent of of secrecy justifiable in public af- matter that is the subject of interest (or more) countries — and especially when such partner- theft of public resources. By putting fairs in a democracy like Kenya, to these commissions, what protec- ships allow the sharing of skills and experience, for example a percentage and a figure to it, PS giving public officials a wide discre- tion is there that disclosure of that through joint teaching or research projects. Kinyua allowed Kenyans to authori- tion that is often abused. Ultimately, information will not lead to official The danger of this approach, of course, is that the strong- tatively project the loss they suffer the public is ill facilitated to play its reprisals? It is instructive that the er partner may come to dominate, for example in planning every year in the hands of corrupt watchdog role. Waki Commission prioritized the en- or implementing a research project. And collaboration with public officials. The local dailies Despite the vague nature of our actment of an access to information developed country partners should not undermine attempts ably elaborated what this money information communication regime, law. This however seems to have to create regional initiatives. North–South partnerships are could do if put into good use to illus- time and again Kenyans have been fallen off the table and is least men- often the only way to create the critical mass required to get trate the enormity of this loss. This treated to calls from high ranking tioned in official circles as a matter a viable local research community off the ground, but are of concern. not a substitute for local capacity. theft has been going on for a long government officials reminding time and needs to be eliminated. At civil servants to uphold state secrets. Section 35 of the Constitution The virtue of scientific partnerships is that skill-sharing now enshrines access to information can help countries produce potentially valuable research the core of this loss is the issue of ac- These calls are least satisfactory, es- results, and at the same time enhance their capacity to pro- cess to information as a critical tool pecially because they tend to be is- as a fundamental right. The Bill of duce more results. In turn, if skill-sharing takes place within in the fight against corruption. sued during or after corrupt schemes rights is not one of those parts of the a supportive environment, it strengthens the platform on It is recognized that corruption in government have been unearthed. constitution that are suspended and which a vibrant knowledge economy can be built. thrives where projects are executed More importantly, the calls are blan- came into effect upon promulgation. Western countries could use scientific partnerships to under the cover of secrecy and the ket and do not define what exactly While this is now a right enforceable help restore political stability to the countries of the Arab public has little access to critical state secrets are and seem to largely in law, the public can only benefit world in the months ahead. Done in a genuine spirit of part- information to enable them ques- serve the purpose of intimidating fully from this provision if a legisla- nership, this can lay the groundwork for advancing science tion the planning and prioritization whistle blowers and civil servants tive framework is elaborated. In the and innovation without developed countries being accused of projects as well as expenditure of from disclosing information that meantime, it would be a good step of doing so purely in their own interests — although un- public resources. Unfortunately re- may be embarrassing to government forward for government to issue a doubtedly this is a situation that can benefit both sides. striction of access to information in officials. It is no wonder that corrup- circular clarifying that matters relat- the hands of public officials seems tion has become so entrenched. The ing to prioritization of development to be a government policy. The Of- public becomes the ultimate loser by projects, public expenditure and who ficial Secrets Act and official prac- being denied information that may benefits from public resources are tice not based in any law have cast be critical for development or hold- matters of public interest that require The Link is published a long shadow on our public affairs ing government officials to account. full disclosure. This will go a long monthly by the Institute since the colonial and single-party Eventually the result is the kind of way in reducing the waste of public for Civic Affairs and era. Public servants operate under waste that the Permanent Secretary resources that has accompanied the an inexplicable aura of secrecy that was decrying. administration of devolved funds, Development (ICAD) has its roots in a bygone era when The government needs to facili- the economic stimulus package and government affairs were siri kali, tate the public and public-spirited public resources generally. Access to irrespective of the nature and pur- civil servants to play their watchdog information is the key missing pillar P.O. Box 7438-00200, Nairobi, Kenya. pose of the information. The result role and perform the patriotic duty in the fight against corruption. is that the extent and justification of of safeguarding public resources. Tel: 020 6001776 / 020 6001274 secrecy in Kenya’s public affairs is There is perhaps no greater way to The writer is the Executive Direc- Email: [email protected] virtually unknown and could cover do this than the enactment of an ac- tor of Transparency International- important matters of state security cess to information law that enables Kenya. The Link, March 2011 GOVERNANCE 9

The Plans to assist Link Nyeri churches join fight cane farmers Enhancing governance for all fall apart By JOSEPH MUKUBWA By JOEL JUMA EDITOR against hunger DANIEL OTUNGE WITH the looming famine in some parts PLANS to assist sugarcane farmers to of Mukurwe-ini district, the church has access over Kshs500 million for cane SUB-EDITOR come up with a strategy to fight hunger development have fallen apart. in the area and the larger Nyeri County The Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) FAITH MUIRURI through the introduction of quick matur- said it was still withholding the mon- ing and drought resistant crops. ey because the management is yet to ASSOCIATE EDITOR The Redeemed Gospel, Gospel Out- agree with Equity Bank on the inter- OLOO JANAK reach and End Time Message Churches est rates to be charged on the loans. through a Self Help Group namely The “The board is still negotiating Redeemed Agricultural Entrepreneurs with the bank so that the money can (TRAE) note that biting hunger in some be loaned out to farmers at an inter- WRITERS parts of the county such as Mukurwe-ini est rate of less than 10 per cent,” said and Kieni districts can only be conquered KSB Director Mohammed Mukhwa- through increase of root crop production. ANDERSON MURENJE Coast The Self help group has been in op- na. 0727 582135 eration for one year, propagating drought Mukhwana and, his colleague, resistant crops such as yams and sweet Billy Wanjala, said the board is BOB OMBATI Nyanza potatoes which they later sell to locals at against the bank’s demand to charge 0728 435255 a reduced price. an interest rate of 15 per cent. “Our campaigns have been geared to- The two noted that plans to dis- NYAKWAR ODAWO Western wards promoting drought resistant crops burse the money last year aborted af- 0726264153 as people have been storming our homes ter Treasury insisted that Equity Bank should be subjected to competition to purchase yams seedlings and sweet potatoes cuttings,” says the group’s co- over provision of the funds. MORRIS GITHENYA Central ordinator Mrs Lucy Njeri who adds that “We were forced to advertise after 0735855586 Some of the church members work in their sweet potato farm in they sell seedlings locally and during field Mukurwe-ini district. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa the Treasury questioned the criteria days. used in awarding Equity Bank the JONES MAGARE Nyanza Unlike in the traditional way where last year that she started using the knowl- tend to prepare sweet potatoes crisps and deal,” said Mukhwana. 0721127511 farmers use bones to propagate yams, edge,” says the group Secretary Mrs Mil- sell them in supermarkets. The directors were speaking at they use fresh yams to propagate yams ka Gichuki. “We shall also encourage other farm- Malaha market in Mumias District BILL ESSAU Western seedlings through Mini-sett technology The group also bought five types of ers to grow them in large quantities so that during a meeting with farmers. 0721761408 which takes about five months to propa- sweet potato cuttings from KARI that we can buy from them and add value and Cabinet minister Wycliffe gate. Yams propagated the traditional way include Nars pot, Tainung, SPK 004, sell them,” says Njeri. Oparanya and farmers led by the takes two years to break dormancy and Bungoma and Kembu 10 all of which take The Central Province Provincial Di- BEKADZO TONDO Coast propagate. Mumias Sugar Cane Growers As- 0728341240 about 3-4 months to mature and can give a rector of Agriculture Mr. Mr J.M. Gach- sociation Executive Director Simon “The use of Mini-sett yam technol- yield of about 80-90 bags per acre. ingiri has praised the work done by the ogy can increase yield dramatically to an Wesechere recently called for the dis- Milka says they have managed to gen- group, claiming they are playing a piv- solution of the board. NEVINS BIKO Rift Valley average of 34,090 kilograms per hectare, erate Kshs100,000 from the sale of sweet otal role in the fight against hunger in the 0723932857 as opposed to 15,909 kilograms when the potato cuttings and yam seedlings in the County. Last year, Gachingiri sponsored Oparanya (Planning) urged Ag- traditional method is used,” says Njeri. past one year, where yam seedlings costs two of the group members to and from riculture Minister Sally Kosgey to JOSEPH MUKUBWA Central Mini-sett yam technology involves Kshs100 while a potato cutting goes at Mukurwe-ini to Kabiru-ini ASK show dissolve the board for engaging in 0724 039787 the use of yam vine or fresh yam tubers to Kshs2 per cutting. ground in Nyeri, where they showcased leadership wrangles at the expense of propagate the plant. She says if they get funds, they intend their farming techniques. farmers. LUKE KAPCHANGA Western “We were taught this technique by one to purchase machines which they will use Mukurwe-ini District Agricultural Wesechere accused the board of of us who had been trained by the Kenya not serving the interest of farmers as 0723622136 to make flour from both yams and sweet Officer Mrs Beatrice Theuri also boosted Agriculture Research Institute (KARI) in potatoes. This they say will enable them their morale by taking two of the members it has failed to purchase and distribute Embu county in year 2004, but it was until store them for a long time. They also in- to five days training on farming recently. fertilizers to cane growers. AGGREY BUCHUNJU Western 0733 537002

OJWANG OGOCH Nyanza 0734 971205 Constitution: Let experts take charge By MUSA RADOLI challenge will be the initial balkanization PETER MUTUKU Eastern of certain areas because devolution if not 0721 455048 PROFESSIONALS must take a centre handled well in the initial stages might stage in the implementation of the new leave some counties behind for longer constitution which is currently being de- periods of time than anticipated. At the railed by politicians. same time there will also be temptations to LAYOUT AND DESIGN: A consultant with the Association of throw people out of their jobs, particularly WALTON GRAPHICS Professional Societies of East Africa (AP- those who may not be indigenous to the SEA) Mr. Gideon Ochanda says that the counties where they work.” 0725 903 938 new constitution has a transitional period Other challenges expected include [email protected] of five years during which a lot of legisla- possibilities of endless litigations because tion and policy changes have to be medi- the constitution places a heavy premium ated unfortunately by some organs of the on the judiciary. old constitution. Further, some individuals who are He says that it is paramount that pro- keen on maintaining the status quo are fessionals engage the implementing insti- likely to slow down reforms. tutions and organs, not only to give their “The transitional arrangements are in-put but also to monitor and evaluate fairly complex against a fairly un-friendly the entire process to protect the interests environment. The constitution suspends of millions of Kenyans and the nation as the implementation of the changes in This Newspaper appreciates a whole. some structures of the government to sus- President Kibaki during Promulgation of the new Constitution. Says Mr. Ochanda: “APSEA as a tain transition. The same organs are under the facilitation accorded by conglomeration of core professional as- threat of extinction in the new constitution. no adequate good will combined with re- the counties accept them and at what cost? the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung sociations has to be on the thick of things. They include the numerous task forces sistance for change expected in the state The public administration (provincial (KAS) in Kenya The legislative and policy baskets whether started by ministries, the role of the Attor- bureaucracy, devolution will be greatly administration) and the local authorities private or public are first and foremost ney General, the Chief Justice, the minis- challenged. have so far already generated a huge con- technical and in many respects guided by try of justice, parliament among others,” The report also identifies the massive fusion as to their future and place. So far professionals.” The Consultant says that documents the report. public service personnel as yet another the respective parent ministries indicating All correspondence and there are at least 700 existing legislations It goes on to state: “Transitional time- challenge since at the moment it is a fore- a stay on position while the entire person- and more than 60 new ones that must be lines not getting honored is yet another gone conclusion that the entire service is a nel still go with the positions taken by the enquiries to the editor, looked at afresh to harmonize them with challenge. Parliament and the executive central government bureaucracy consum- ministry heads that appear to be playing the new dispensation. are constantly at war. There is a divided ing up to 78 per cent of the national budget, politics – it is in the reverse of the provi- P.O. Box 7438, 00200, He says that the professionals should chain of command in the government yet hence the new constitution drastically re- sions in the new constitution. also monitor the initiation of bills and the the constitution insists on compulsory duces the functions of the central govern- The report says that the counties will Nairobi, Kenya. litigation process by actively engaging consultations between the president and ment, limits its tentacles and takes away be bolting out after 2015 and are most with the implementation organs. the prime minister.” a minimum 15.5 per cent of the national likely to take over the all the public service Tel: 020 6001274 In a report entitled: “The Constitution The other likely challenge to be ex- budget to counties, what next? employees who are currently at the district of Kenya and the Role of APSEA in its pected in the implementation process ac- Here critical queries arise whether the level and below as part of the national gov- Telefax: 020 6001776 Implementation”, Mr. Ochanda points out cording to the report lies with the place of national government can run its develop- ernment facilitation to the counties. How- that apathy by the general public to inter- counties in the transition, because the na- ment portfolio with just 6.5 per cent of the ever, the critical part is that in practice, the e-mail: [email protected] nalize the new constitution is likely ham- tional government is supposed to facilitate, national budget? Or will the national gov- counties might only need less than half per the implementation process. build the capacities and transfer county ernment hive out its lower ranks of the civ- of the number since most are likely to be According to the report, the other functions in phases, therefore if there is il service personnel to the counties? Will downsized. The Link, March 2011 10 GOVERNANCE Gatara MPs Body unhappy with Tourism Bill 2010 demand By JOSEPH MUKUBWA payment for MOUNT Kenya Tourism Cir- cuit Association has dismissed their people the Tourism Bill 2010 saying it has many flaws and shortcom- By MORRIS GITHENYA ings. The association which is a body representing tourism MURANG’A MPs want Gatara stakeholders in Mt. Kenya re- residents fully compensated be- gion said the Bill has flaws fore they are relocated to pave and shortcomings that need to way for the construction of a be corrected before it becomes dam in the area. law. Led by Planning and National The Bill has already gone Development Assistant Minister through the first reading in Peter Kenneth, the MPs who in- Parliament and is now at the clude Muturi Mwangi (Kiharu) committee stage after it was and his Maragua counterpart Mr. published by the Minister for Elias Mbau, say that residents Tourism Najib Balala in the will remain at the site until they are properly compensated to Kenya Gazette. give room for the construction “The first fundamental flaw of the 4km square dam in Gatara in this bill is the proposed tour- area of Kiharu constituency. ism marketing strategy. The On completion, the dam is bill gives the centralized Kenya expected to boost water supply Tourism Board (KTB) monop- in Nairobi and its environs. oly to market Kenya and its di- However, speaking at Ka- verse and unique regions. ganda market, the MPs said they Historically and practically will soon deploy lawyers and this approach has not borne valuers to ensure that residents much fruit and has ended up are not shortchanged in the proc- promoting two regions and re- ess. ducing Kenya’s tourism prod- “Before you agree to relocate ucts to the detriment of other to another site, the water compa- regions and the industry as a ny must provide you with clean whole,” said the association water, health, education and CEO Mr Simon Wachira. other infrastructural facilities as Speaking to a press con- part of the compensation plan,” ference at the association of- said Kenneth. fices in Nyeri town recently, Officials of Mt. Kenya Tourism Circuit Association speaking to the press in Nyeri town recently where He said some people in Nda- they criticized the Tourism Bill 2010. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa Wachira who was accompa- ka-ini area in his constituency nied by the association board were currently languishing in members said the approach association chairman Mr Si- were better placed to articulate available of Tourism Trust Fund misery after they were duped in contradicts the new constitu- mon Kathata and Secretary Mr required interventions in their and replacing it with a fund to a compensation plan. tional dispensation and spirit Charles Karuga. respective areas and comple- finance government operations “Nobody should give way for of devolution. The association threatened ment KTB in international mar- only,” the association added. the construction of the dam until “The Bill does not create a to move to court if the Bill is keting adding that this is the The association proposed he or she is fully compensated,” mechanism to address issues of not amended adding that it ne- best practice adopted by fast that the Bill should have a pro- said Muturi. curriculum development and gates gains envisioned in Vi- growing tourism destinations vision for affirmative action to Maragua Mp said after those examinations. The growth of sion 2030. like South Africa, Botswana, promote community, SME’s affected by the dam are fully education cannot be ignored. “We propose that the earlier Morocco and others. and informal sector participa- compensated, they must be Trained human resource is crit- agreed proposal of stakeholders “Tourism is the only export tion in the growth of the indus- provided with domestic water ical to the growth of the indus- to establish regional tourism product consumed at source. try and its sustainability. among other basic necessities. try. This can only be guaranteed boards during the Utalii valida- Communities are the produc- They also proposed that the “Residents of Ndaka- ini lack through maintenance of high tion conference be reinstated in ers and custodians of this prod- Bill establishes under the pro- clean water despite hosting the standards,” the CEO added. the Bill,” he added. uct. This Bill deprives them the posed research institute a cur- dam which provides a large per- Others who attended the They said there is need for right to government funding by riculum development and ex- centage of water consumed in press conference included the regional tourism boards as they removing the only arrangement amination organ like KASNEB. Nairobi,” said Mbau. Webuye behind in projects implementation By LUKE KAPCHANGA was earmarked for the projects but nevertheless included impres- projects benefited from the alloca- own project identification process- 38 projects never started. sive enrolment figures in primary tion but three others never took off. es, disregarding those in the plan, WEBUYE constituency lags be- The 48 per cent achievement schools which stood at 99.5 per On agriculture a total of hence leaving most untouched,” hind in the implementation of is attributed to the introduction of cent and 32.6 per cent in secondary Kshs.20 million was released to reads the report. projects undertaken through a gov- Constituency Development Fund, schools. oversee the completion of projects The high levels of poverty are ernment plan covering the period Local Authority Transfer Fund, Dropout rate also declined dur- geared towards strengthening ag- said to have affected projects im- between 2002-2008. and the Youth Enterprise Fund as ing the period under review to 14 ricultural extension services and plementation, especially those that The constituency has managed major catalyst which spurred the percent up from 55.3 per cent in improve access to credit. required community contribution to complete a mere 48 percent of implementation. primary schools, while in second- Short comings in the implemen- to attract donor funding. the projects, according to statis- Roads projects were the most ary it stands at 9 per cent. tation of the projects is blamed on Political interference in de- tics from the Ministry of Planning, affected with just one project being The success was largely due to shortages of technical staff by im- volved funding led to duplication National Development and Vision implemented out of seven projects the Free Primary Education pro- plementing agencies, delayed and projects which negated the essence 2030. slated for Kshs200million. gram, Free Secondary Education inadequate funding and changes in of planning and made it impossible The district development Education was billed as the program, CDF bursary and con- government policies. to efficiently utilize resources. analysis captures 96 projects and highest beneficiary Kshs.350 mil- struction of physical facilities and Decentralization of funds The report recommends that programmes, which were to be lion pumped into projects in the provision of furniture, and school through CDF, LATF resulted in politicians be sensitized on gov- implemented between 2002-2008 sector. However, data reveals that feeding program. drastic change of plans with some ernment policies and the capacity covering Webuye and Ndivisi divi- three projects listed for develop- Culture, recreation and sports projects being abandoned halfway. of the communities be enhanced to sions. ment never took off. for the five year plan received “Devolved funds which were utilize devolved funds in a sustain- An estimated Kshs.900 million Achievements in the sector Kshs1.3million. However only two highly politicized developed their able manner. The Link, March 2011 CITIZENS’ WATCH 11 @

Leaders should stick Let’s stand firm and defeat swindlers Do not allow to law and save us wastage of embarrasing drama who are opposed to reform agenda THE country is now used to situations HE main reason Kenyans cash meant where political appointments are made reformists were maimed, based on who knows who. It starts with the jailed and killed was for removing interested candidates lobbying viciously T for the positions, ranging from regional to get a new constitution that representation to the survival of ‘my peo- would provide an environment lake weed ple’. for the country to prosper, and THE local press recently reported that In the psyche of our so-called leaders; halt the imperial presidency that Lake Victoria Environmental Man- cronyism nepotism, tribalism, my people had no respect for human rights agement Programme (LVEMP) and syndrome among others, are totally in- and enhanced the culture of im- local authorities, the World Bank and grained. To overcome this behaviour, there punity. the government will spend Kshs.2.2 is only one way. To stick to the tenets of We hoped to nurture good billion in the next two years to combat the Constitution. Advertise all the posi- governance in public institutions water hyacinth in Lake Victoria. tions that are vacant at national level and guided by the new constitution. Unfortunately, the bulk of the let those qualified apply. Kshs.2.2 billion will go down the The current Constitution provides for The political debates, alle- giance shifts, sycophancy and drain through endless seminars in the above process. Therefore, it is very dif- five-star hotels, overseas trips, high ficult to understand where all the brouhaha unethical utterances that we regarding the appointment of the Chief Jus- have been experiencing from salaries for expatriates,luxurious 4x4 tice (CJ), Attorney General (AG), Director our elected leaders in relation vehicles, allocations to inept and non- of Prosecution and Director of Budgeting to the implementation of key existent to NGOs, CBOs and corrupt is coming from. local authorities. sections in the new constitution It will be a repetition of failed past Of significance, there have been ef- is a clear manifestation of who forts, reflected in the papers that,the two efforts to control the hyacinth. among the politicians are either At the moment, some “experts” principals should meet and agree on the reformist or conformist. appointments to pre-empt plunging the from the USA are spending billions country into conflict as seen in 2007/2008. We must make anti-reform- of dollars to control hyacinth in rivers ists — particularly those who Presidnet Kibaki and PM Raila at a YES rally during the campaign of and lakes in the DRC, through the use To begin with, Kenya does not belong to the new Constitution. Photo/File the two principals, in essence, have failed rejected or were undecided dur- of weevils and other insects. Kenyans by not implementing the proc- ing the referendum on the new and the Judiciary took an oath to ethnic interest. The experts will not tell DRC what esses provided for in the Constitution. The constitution — understand that protect and defend the new con- Political intrigue, blackmail, the weevils will feed on after killing disappointments have been in plenty since implementing the document se- stitution. It would be unethical tribal chieftains,brinkmanship, off the hyacinth. 2002. Kenyans expected more. lectively so as to vest power on to go against the same document deceit and arrogance have char- With the current scramble for The response by leaders is also a to- an individual is a recipe for the that they swore to protect. acterised the political leadership scarce natural resources in the world, tal let down for Kenyans for two reasons: it is wrong to merely remove and then violation of human rights and Kenyans must be wary of in Kenya, yet these have no room First, leaders should not appear in public unequal distribution of resourc- destroy the water hyacinth without shouting like children as they are supposed chameleon-like political players in this new constitution that em- es. Yet that is the very reason putting the weed to serious economic to be referent of the public. How can some- who change tune based on their phasises high levels of integrity. use. body differentiate these leaders from touts? some Kenyans paid with their individual gains at the expense Our leaders must cultivate self An industrious Kenyan is already They have lost sense of reason. They fail lives to have a new constitution. of the beloved country Kenya. control, patience and humility. making fertiliser from hyacinth re- to deal with issues like IDPs, starvation, History has it that imperial Most of these individuals who They must desist from public ut- moved from Nairobi dam. The man and corruption,and turn to their tribes for presidency has demonstrated have swindled Kenyans and terances that fuel ethnic animos- proposes to do the same in Lake Vic- solace after they have indulged themselves barbaric acts of land grabbing, amassed wealth while serving ity. Instead they must ensure the toria. The government must talk to in mischief. political assassination, detention in previous and current regimes constitution is implemented to this man. Second, in Kenya there is always acri- without trial, wanton destruction have not been happy with the the letter to guarantee equitable The nileperch fish received same monious occurrences when political posi- of our natural resources and so new constitution. They have distribution of resources and re- contempt treatment from East Af- tions are being filled that selection should many evils arising from stupid ricans when it was first introduced be done regionally. This regional represen- now-regrouped with a view to spect of human rights. This con- governance. diluting the Bills that are yet to stitution is the bedrock of good to the lake. Today, even skeletons, tation is subjective and has helped to en- scales, skins, gall bladders and other trench tribalism. It is alien to merit,which Upon the promulgation of the be tabled in Parliament, they are governance. new constitution, all members eager to take advantage of any Fred Opundo, uneatable left overs of the nileperch is the quality that Kenya desperately needs. are put to some use. We should do If we have to learn from the private sector, of the Executive, Legislature loophole for their selfish and Nairobi. where meritocracy is valued, the results are the same to water hyacinth and thank obvious. those who accidentally or maliciously Kenyans would have been saved from introduced it in the lake. the current acrimonies if the Kibaki nomi- Finally, water hyacinth deserves to nees declined the positions. By subjecting be treated as an important natural re- us to unnecessary quarrels, they are also vi- source. It is not menace or punishment olating the Constitution, as they can remind to man. God forgive our ignorance in the person appointing them that the law is the use of water hyacinth. being flouted. Our educated lot should en- S.R. Athembo Onyuro, deavour to do things properly, to save us Kisumu. from going the North Africa and the Mid- dle East way in the future. The time is now. However, it is important to note that Kenya is full of best practices as demon- strated in the private sector. There are in- stitutions doing Kenyans proud without heads being linked to any regional repre- sentation. Can our emulate them? All those * Kenyans, leaders, diplomats and others, The editor welcomes letters and who are advocating for the two principals comments on a variety of issues. to meet to solve the impasse are not calling a spade a spade. They should just tell the The letters should be brief, principals to follow the law. topical and issue based. This process if endorsed, will gradually The editor reserves the right to remove the cancer of nepotism, patronage, edit for brevity or clarity. regionalism, tribalism, sycophancy and cronyism from our system. It will remove Write to: our leadership from subjectivity to objec- The Editor, tivity. The Link, Prof. Philista Onyango P.O. Box 7438 – 00200, Nairobi. Via e-mail E-mail: [email protected] 12 The Link, March 2011 GOVERNANCE Bifwoli Nyeri County residents under fire claim ESP funds misused over CDF By JOEL JUMA By JOSEPH MUKUBWA formed groups in order to get mon- Nyeri Town, Mathira, Othaya, in Nyeri County. ey but when the money was not Mukurwe-ini and Kieni districts A Kieni Social worker Mrs Residents of Bumula Constituency A CROSS section of Nyeri resi- forthcoming; they abandoned the were presenting their views to Esther Wamuyu said that it is un- in Bungoma County want the Con- dents want an audit done on funds ponds which have now become APRM council who were visit- fortunate that some CDF projects stituency Development Fund (CDF) earmarked for projects under the breeding places for mosquitoes ing Nyeri during a meeting held at which were started by former MPs accounts frozen to pave way for an Economic Stimulus Programme and hazardous to our being. There IFAD hall in Nyeri town. in Kieni and Mathira constituencies independent audit. (ESP) in the area. was no visibility study which was It was chaired by a council were abandoned by their succes- Through their lawyer Boniface Ot- The residents who were giving done. The ponds are white elephant member Kareithi Njogu who comes sors. sula, the residents want the accounts their views at a meeting prepared by projects,” said Mt Kenya Human from the Nepad desk under the Min- Miss Anastashia Wanjiru from frozen until the Kenya Anti Corrup- African Peer Review Mechanism Rights Commission coordinator Mr istry of Planning and Vision 2030. Kieni said the misuse of funds is tion Commission (KACC) completes (APRM) said that a significant pro- Samuel Wandimi. The meeting was attended by still rampant in the area and strict its investigations. portion of the funds meant to build Speaker after speaker said some among others Karatina mayor Mr measures need to be put in place “Residents do not want the CDF fish ponds cannot be accounted for. of the fish ponds dried up since the Christopher Kamau and Maendeleo to control the misappropriation of committee to make any further with- water was not enough while others ya Wanawake Nyeri branch Chair- funds. drawals until investigations are com- According to the residents some pleted,” he added. of the ponds have turned into breed- have overgrown weeds as construc- person Mrs Emma Njora. Mr Wachira Migwi who is a tion in most of the ponds stalled af- Meanwhile, other residents la- person with disability lamented that An audit report for the 2008/2009 ing grounds for mosquitoes as they financial year cited embezzlement of were never completed. ter consultations failed. mented that misuse of Constituency Nyeri County has no sports facili- The residents drawn from Tetu, Development Funds is still rampant ties for people with disability. Kshs37.4 million earmarked for a wa- “Many of the locals hurriedly ter project in Bumula. The Controller and Auditor Gener- al report on appropriation accounts in- dicated that an expenditure of Kshs37. 4 million had been incurred yet there were no benefits to residents. The report indicated that no dam had been constructed as entailed in the project. “Instead, the contractor laid pipes from an existing water project known as Malakisi Water Station, which sup- plies water to Malaba town,” read part of the report. In the letter to KACC director PLO Lumumba dated January 27, 2011, the residents said the Constitu- ency Development Board Secretariat had failed to address their complaints. They further said their complaint to the former director of KACC had not been dealt with either. “This time round, please come to our aid and help rescue our CDF,” they said in the letter. Former PC Maurice Makhanu, civic leaders and the business com- munity among other leaders signed the letter. They cited the construction of a water dam and laying of pipes in Mukwa, Kibuke and Siboti locations as one of the projects KACC should investigate. “The project was commissioned by President Kibaki in 2007. Kshs37 million was spent but locals have not seen a drop of water,” read part of the letter. They further cited alleged alloca- tion of funds to a secondary school twice, yet the institution received only A boy checks at some of the fish ponds at Ngangarithi area at the outskirts of Nyeri town Photo/Joseph Mukubwa the first batch of the money. “Netima Secondary School and St Patrick Netima Secondary School are one and the same school. However, an allocation of Sh900, 000 and Sh800, 000 was made to the school but only State set to revamp fishing industry the latter was received,” residents claimed. By BEKADZO TONDO losses due to lack of better stor- production. However, area MP Bifwoli Wa- age facilities. He noted that 94 percent of koli, who is also Lands Assistant THE government has set aside “With the cooling plants in the fish production in the coun- Minister, dismissed the allegations as Kshs3 billion to revamp the col- place, fishermen will be able to try was mainly concentrated in baseless. lapsed fishing industry in the preserve their produce and look the lakes and rivers with Coast He claims those behind the allega- country. for better market,” he said. Province managing to produce a tions were driven by political motives. According to the Minister In the letter to KACC, residents The minister further noted paltry 6percent. further claimed the CDF committee for Fisheries Development, Mr. that refrigerated vehicles will At the same time, he said the Amason Kingi, the project is be- was funding ghost projects. be bought to serve areas where government had introduced the They said Kshs2.4 million was al- ing financed with support from farmers can hardly access cool- fish farming as a measure to located to Kabula Dispensary for an the World Bank. ing plants. revive the collapsed fishing ambulance yet no vehicle has been Speaking to The Link in Kilifi, Under the programme, he said industry in the country. purchased. Kingi noted that the funds will farmers will receive cash to ac- He said each of the constitu- “Other questionable expenditures help in the construction of cool- quire modern fishing gears to im- encies under the program will include the purchase of Kamaeti Sec- ing plants in different parts of prove on their production. construct 300 fish ponds to be ondary School bus, construction of the country. Mr. Kingi regretted that the managed by groups, individual CDF office, cattle dips, chiefs offices Kingi said fishermen have vast water mass in coast prov- farmers and education institu- among others,” said Joseph Wekesa, a over the years suffered huge ince remain unexploited in fish tions. Mr. Kingi resident from Kabula location. The Link, March 2011 GOVERNANCE 13 Nyeri County acquires a new law courts

By JOSEPH MUKUBWA different kinds. When we con- template the caseload in the NYERI County has acquired courts today, there can be no multi- million magnificent courts. comparison with the caseload at The Nyeri Law Courts Com- the time of the construction of the plex which is situated in Nyeri old court building,” said the CJ. town was officially opened re- Among those who attended cently by Chief Justice Evans the function were Central PC Gicheru. Mr Kiplimo Rugut, the Regis- The project took more than trar of the High Court Mrs Lydia three years to be complete. Achode, Public Works PS Mr The complex is fitted with John Lonyangapuo, Nyeri High communication gadgets which Court judge Mr Joseph Sergon, are essential accessories needed magistrates and lawyers among to ensure the efficient administra- others. tion of justice in the courts. He promised the public that “The design and layout of the judiciary will continue to put this court has moved away from up modern facilities and refur- the traditional idea of what halls bish the existing ones in order to of justice usually look like. Fa- provide dignity and privacy of cilities for storage, retrieval and those who seek redress before the communication at broadband courts or those who have cause to speed are incorporated in this appear there. building,” Gicheru reminded judges and While commissioning the magistrates of their role as guard- project, Gicheru emphasized the ians of the rule of the law saying need for the courts to have mod- they have a particular responsi- ern facilities in order to serve the bility to protect the constitutional public better and ensure timely rights of each and every citizen as delivery of justice to all. well as the integrity of the consti- He said one of the most im- tution by which those rights exist. portant responsibilities of the He said the provision of mod- judiciary is to provide space and ern facilities by the judiciary will amenities needed by magistrates ensure these responsibilities are and judges to operate from as met by providing the necessary they help decide critical issues of facilities for upholding the consti- the day. tutional responsibility bestowed “The increasing number of on the judicial officers under the cases coming before the courts new constitutional dispensation continues to create demands of on behalf of the citizenry. The new magnificent Nyeri Law courts complex. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa

Union threatens employers with court action CDF projects By BOB OMBATI He said that many companies have workers well lest they face the wrath constitutional and greatly hampered idle: German been noted to be barring their employ- of the union. Nyamasege lamented that the attainment of the Millennium THE Kenya Union of Commercial ees from joining trade unions against some firms paid their workers salaries Development Goals (MDGs) and the Food and Allied workers (KUC- their constitutional right and labour and wages ranging from Kshs. 1500 to achievement for vision 2030. Ambassador FAW) will soon move to court to laws, hence said the union shall not sit Kshs. 2000 per month. KUCFAW caters for workers By MORRIS GITHENYA seek redress against employers who back and watch its members suffer. And, Kisii Branch Kenya Building, serving in distributive and commer- contravene existing labour laws and The secretary says that the union Construction, Timber and allied em- cial sector including Supermarkets, A SIGNIFICANT proportion of Con- the new constitution. has the backing of the law and thus is ployees ( KBCTAE) union Secretary, shops, food manufacturing industries stituency Development Fund (CDF) The newly elected Kisii branch geared at staging a real battle against Leonard Ombati, who was re-elected such as Unga millers, KCC among Projects in the country are lying idle KUCFAW secretary Andrew Nya- such oppressive employers. said the union will sensitize its mem- others. despite the enormous public resources masege says that the labour laws and The official who was elected unop- bers on their rights to challenge ex- Tobacco industries, banks and pumped into them. the new constitution are very clear posed during an exercise overseen by ploitative employers in order to curb financial institutions and security German Ambassador to Kenya on the freedom of employees and Kisii Central district labour Officer, the practice. companies among other sectors not Margit Hellwig – Boette says it is un- therefore employers who oppress Joshua Nyiera at Gusii county council The Secretary faulted rich people mentioned here are some of the ar- fortunate that vast amount of resourc- and engage in dictatorial practices hall urged employers to improve who capitalize on workers ignorance to eas that the union champions for the es spent on the projects had not trans- will face legal action. working conditions and pay their underpay them, stressing this was un- rights of employees. lated to any meaningful change due to poor leadership and lack of planning. Speaking after touring C.D.F projects and those supported by Ger- CDF managers to sign performance contracts —Raila many in Gatanga constituency, the envoy said that in future develop- By JOEL JUMA tions. covery Strategy for Employment ment funds should solely be directed He noted that the Government and Wealth Creation of 2003-2007 to projects that will have the greatest Constituency Development Fund will enlist the support of stake- had positive impact on majority of the (CDF) managers have been in- holders from the private sector to reccommended sweeping re- people. cluded in performance contracting see that the economy of the coun- forms in the management of the The ambassador who was flanked programmes. try continues to grow to the satis- public service. by Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth and Prime Minister Raila Odinga faction of Kenyans. He explained that the Govern- C.D.F committee members led by says the move seeks to raise the Raila made the remarks in a ment is fully integrating the per- standards of resource management their chairman J.G. Thiga said projects speech read on his behalf by as- formance agenda by cascading jointly initiated by Germany and local at the grassroot level. sistant minister the Office of the critical management skills in bu- Raila also announced that pub- Prime Minister Alfred Khang’ati reaucratic levels. residents over the last 2 years had lic officers in both Central and during the official opening of a Toboso and Ndunga said DCs been completed. County Governments will be re- three-day workshop on perform- are required to attend all training Kenneth said in the last seven quired to sign performance con- ance contracting in Kakamega. programmes for them to monitor years, C.D.F had planted 3 million tracts. Permanent Secretary Richard the implementation of the con- trees to conserve the environment. He said CDF managers have Ndubai, Deputy Secretary in the tracts effectively. He said C.D.F projects in the con- been brought on board to ensure Office of the President Fred Ndun- “If the DCs fail to monitor the stituency had registered the desirable Government projects are imple- ga and the Director of Vision 2030 implementation process, then they impact because they had picked on mented as expected. Andrew Toboso also addressed the should blame themselves for poor fewer projects. Raila further said the move will meeting. delivery of services at the grass- He called for more funds to be encourage efficiency in opera- Raila said the Economic Re- roots,” said Ndunga. PM Raila channeled into the C.D.F kitty.

The Link, March 2011 SUPPLEMENT 15

PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE A monthly supplement funded by the European Union and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung New tool for reporting conflicts launched FTER participating hesion and were not politicized. engage Kenyans in adding their voice MANAGER’S COLUMN in the last provin- Integration The meeting in Kisumu dealt to peace-building efforts in Kenya. cial policy dialogue is followed with resources, with a special focus Managed by the National Steering Ameeting, the third to the letter. on the Sugar and Fishing Industry. Committee on Conflict Management one in February, I can con- By The pol- This article was written before de- and Peace-building (NSC), funded clude that the Partnership icy makes liberations on the working papers by the United Nations Development for Peace project is well on HANNA discrimina- took place but the outcome will be Programme-Kenya (UNDP), the plat- the way. CARLSSON tion on the published in a later issue of this sup- form integrates text messages, inci- In all the three meetings basis of eth- plement. However, so far the par- dent reports and media reports. Any that have taken place, we nicity and ticipants, especially from civil soci- citizen can report through the avail- have had a good mixture of race a crime. ety organizations, have aired their able means which are text message participants from both civil so- In Kakamega, concerns about the negligence of (to 108), email (to amani@nscpeace. ciety organization, provincial admin- Western Province, the topic was the provincial administration to act go.ke), Facebook (amanikenya108), istration and other important stake- the right to own land, an issue that swiftly on the early warning signs twitter (#amanikenya108) or the holders. Policy focused discussions has been haunting Kenya since the and conflicts. On the other hand, website, www.nscpeace.go.ke/108. have taken place and a number of colonial time when white settlers the provincial administration present All reports received are validated and recommendations have been high- pushed away the natives and took stressed that that was not usually thereafter the correct institutions are lighted which will be further dis- their land. The Mount Elgon area the case but before they intervene contacted to take action. The plat- cussed with policy makers in Nairobi was used as a case study. There is they need information sources to form, correctly and widely used, will in April this year. a National Land Policy in place and be validated and the motive to be help to strengthen peace and conflict In the Rift Valley the delibera- also the new constitution deals with expounded. Considering the con- prevention efforts in Kenya. tions focused on Negative Ethnicity land rights. Both legal frameworks straints that most provincial admin- Information sharing is one of the which influences and cuts across set out to correct historical injus- istration offices in Kenya have this most important tools in conflict pre- all sectors of society from political tices that led to inequitable land task may be overwhelming. vention and peace-building, there- alignment to job recruitment. It was distribution as well as eliminating However, the good news is that a fore, I encourage all the readers to concluded that Negative Ethnicity gender-based discrimination in land new tool has been initiated for citi- actively use this tool. was the main cause of discrimina- ownership. Notwithstanding, the zens to report any sign of tensions tion and that the Government, with participants emphasized the need of or open conflicts. The tool is a public The writer is the International help of other actors, needs to make full implementation and highlighted platform called Amani Kenya @ 108. Manager of the Partnership for sure that the policy of National Co- the need to make sure the policies The platform was a public initiative to Peace Project. For comments or suggestions write to: TJRC moves on despite setbacks [email protected] INSIDE THIS ISSUE: fter attending a tional Accord signed of communities to fuelling of ethnic Reflection Forum in 2008. Although the tensions. It is authorised to investi- Aon the work of By HANNA TJRC was created im- gate and identify not only individual Resettlement of the Truth Justice and CLIFFORD mediately following perpetrators of such crimes, including Saboats begins soon Reconciliation Com- the post-election vio- holders of public office, but also public mission (TJRC) in lence, it is responsible institutions, organisations, the State — 16 Kisumu last month, it was clear for investigating and reporting on all itself, and those working on behalf of that many people, including mem- human rights violations in Kenya be- the State. Although the TJRC cannot bers of civil society organisations, tween 12th December 1963 and 28th arrest and prosecute those responsi- Fix youth employment did not have a clear idea about February 2008. The overall goal is to ble for human rights violations, it can exactly what the TJRC does. This provide Kenyans, as individuals and as recommend for their prosecution by to avoid conflict was rather alarming given the im- a nation, with the opportunity to heal the government. portance of civil society support past wounds and build peace, by es- It also offers support to victims of — 16 to the TJRC, not to mention the tablishing a definitive account of past past crimes, such as witness protec- importance of the TJRC for those crimes and ending impunity. tion, as well as making recommen - working for peace in Kenya. Thus The TJRC’s mandate does not only dations as to how people should get The difference it calls for a thorough introduction cover a long time-frame of abuses, redress, for example through repara- to the role of the TJRC. it is also concerned with a wide vari- tions. To prevent future violations, the between ICC and TJRC The TJRC was created in order ety of crimes, from physical injury to to fulfil the accountability compo- economic crimes - such as illegal land Turn to Page 17 — 18 nent of Agenda Four of the Na- acquisition – from the marginalisation

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The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission. The Partnership for Peace Project is responsible for the views reflected in this supplement. 16 The Link, March 2011 SUPPLEMENT

Resettlement of Saboats begins soon BY JOEL JUMA The PC said the Government is set to ensure that peace pre- HE re-settlement of fami- vails during the allocations and lies that were displaced warned that gangsters contem- by activities of the de- T plating to re-group will be face funct Sabaot Land Defence the full force of law. Force is set to commence soon. Western Kenya Human Rights Survey of land in Chebyuk Watch Executive Director Job has been finalised and the Bwonya said the Government 1,732 beneficiaries identified should engage all stakeholders for settlement. before the list of the beneficiar- Western PC Samuel Kilele ies is made public. says beneficiaries will start Bwonya said the selection of to get their allocations from beneficiaries could generate an- March. imosity among residents if the Kilele says the beneficiaries matter is not tackled collectively. are expected to use their al- “We should avoid a situation locations to engage in farming where some people will go back activities. “The survey work is to the forest to revive their at- almost complete and the Min- tacks on the beneficiaries,” said istry of Lands is set to issue Bwonya. ownership documents to the He said the provincial admin- families,” adds Kilele. istration contributed to previous Kilele says he does not ex- skirmishes following disputed al- pect any disputes in the al- Victims of post-election violence in 2007 are still living in tents. locations. locations, as the exercise will Regional Commissioner Rash- ticipants from both private and Kilele, however, said only gen- be conducted in a free and fair id Mohammud during a peace public sectors from the region. uine squatters will benefit from manner. meeting held at a Kakamega Kilele toured Mt Elgon with the allocations. He said tribalism The PC made the remarks hoThe workshop organised the members of the task force will not be dragged into the al- in a speech delivered on his by the Partnership for Peace appointed by President Mwai locations. behalf by the Lower Western Project brought together par- Kibaki to oversee the process. Fix youth employment to avoid conflicts BY OLUOCH AYALO constitute about 60% of the popula- unemployment and poverty (in the in Kenya were the major civilian per- tion, yet the rate of unemployment face of high corruption, concentra- petrators’ in committing these atroci- XPERTS in various fields grap- in most of these states stands at an tion of wealth in the hands of a few, ties and were too willing to be used pled with how to deal with ris- average of 35 per cent, considering the constant widening gap between to do the politicians billing. Eing youth unemployment and both the formal and informal sec- the rich and the poor, dictatorship There is strength in numbers and underemployment. tors. This is despite countries like and lack of respect for the principles two heads are better than one. The Suggested remedies to this prob- Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt and of democracy) is very much at the youth in Africa have the potential to lem have been varied in both con- Zimbabwe having vast numbers of heart of these uprisings’. It is a sad achieve economic success for them- cept and application but what is evi- the youth population who are highly day for Africa when the youth, in or- selves and by extension accelerate dent is that most of these attempted skilled and academically qualified ei- der to make themselves heard feel the rate of development on the con- solutions have fallen short, with very ther wallowing in poverty, disease, they have no choice but to resort to tinent by harnessing their knowledge few success stories. desperation and crime or a concoc- mass demonstrations which however and skills to pursue group income The underlying factor is always tion of all these elements. peaceful, creates chaos, destabilizes generating projects. captured by some certain negative The current historic people driven law and order, negates economic de- This is not anything new, but development indices like low GDP, revolutions we are witnessing in Af- velopment and hurts investor confi- there needs to be a multidimension- high poverty levels, food insecurity, rican states like Tunisia, Egypt, Al- dence. Kenya which was caught up al strategy aimed at making social high rate of unemployment, low ac- geria, Lybia, Morroco and Djibouti in the 2007 post election violence is capital work and herein lays the Afri- cess to health care, among others are all driven by the so called ‘fa- still recovering from the effects of can challenge. Most African govern- but what is perplexing is how comes cebook generation’ of young peo- that conflict which saw massive loot- ments do not have youth empower- all these great minds get it wrong ple who clearly feel the incumbent ing, killing, rape, burning of property ment legislation in place. Some lack most of the time. leadership in these countries have and eviction of people from their In most African states, the youth failed to address their issues. Youth homes. The idle unemployed youth Turn to Page 17

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The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission. The Partnership for Peace Project is responsible for the views reflected in this supplement. The Link, March 2011 SUPPLEMENT 17

TJRC moves on despite setbacks From Page 15 for those affected by crimes to have of civil society. The third type of hear- deeply divided nation. TJRC is looking at ways to transform their stories told and will be an op- ing will deal with cases, such as those The TJRC has been dogged by the current social and political institu- portunity for those accused of crimes relating to land, women, children and controversy since its inception. The tions– both procedurally and in terms to be faced with the devastation their grand corruption. appointment of Ambassador Bethuel of the values which underpin them. actions have caused. This is a crucial The schedule for the hearings be- Kiplagat as Chairman of the TJRC The findings and recommendations initial step in the process of reconcili- gins in Northern and Upper Eastern brought the credibility of the Commis- will be included in a final report by ation as it is not until a full account Kenya then moves to Nairobi and sion into question due to his alleged the TJRC, which is expected to be re- of events is in the public domain that Nyanza, Central and Rift Valley, Lower involvement in a number of the vio- leased towards the end of this year. people can move forward to recon- Eastern and Coast, and finishing in lations being investigated. The Com- The central mechanism which the ciliation. Due to the scale of abuses, Western and Mt Elgon regions. These mission has also been criticised for TJRC will use to create a full picture however, it is not possible that each will be followed by institutional and failing to do enough to inform peo- of events over the last 45 years is person who provided a statement to thematic hearings. The hearings are ple of their activities, particularly the through public hearings, which are the TJRC will be able to speak at the public and people are urged to attend. process of statement taking.. These to be conducted throughout Kenya. hearings, even if they were directly Following the hearings the TJRC issues aside, and with the appoint- Since the TJRC was first established affected by a particular crime. Instead will be supervising community dia- ment of an interim Chairperson Tecla in 2008, it has been working- albeit the Commission will call upon certain logues between different groups Namachanja, the TJRC is moving for- slowly- towards the holding of the individuals, whose experiences can that may have experienced previous ward with its work. hearings, which will begin shortly. In together give a representative picture tensions and conflict. This will allow That the TJRC succeeds in its goal order to gather as much evidence as of the violations. people to mediate conflicts better in of revealing the truth and bringing possible for the hearings, the TJRC There will be three kinds of public the future so that there is a reduced justice to Kenyans is something we spent 5 months touring the country hearing, designed to cover the differ- chance of violence breaking out. An- are all stakeholders in. Unless peo- collecting statements from people af- ent types of violations committed. The other of the mechanisms hoping to be ple can move on from the past with fected by or witness to human rights first type of hearings to take place will used by the TJRC will be to provide a belief that people have been held violations. The statement-taking be those dealing with individual per- perpetrators with the opportunity to to account for their crimes, it will be phase is now complete, with the TJRC petrators followed by institutional publically acknowledge and repent for difficult for Kenyan’s to sustain lasting having recorded around 20,000 state- hearings, which will focus on the ac- their crimes through a Truth Telling peace. ments, and analysis of that and the tions of public institutions or private Commission. A similar process was rest of the evidence is now underway. organisations, such as the military, used in South Africa after the end of Clifford is an intern at the KAS, The hearings will provide a platform media, business groups and sections Apartheid to bring reconciliation to a Kisumu office Fix youth employment to avoid conflicts

From Page 16 “Vision 2030”. The private sector is an integral national youth policies or programs partner in supporting the develop- that are integrated to support the ment of the youth through social village and slum grassroots youth. capital (guided by the established These are fundamental structures government framework). Banks and which are necessary foundations for other financial institutions can come the youth to succeed through social up with innovative loan packages to capital. support youth groups as a source of The government of Rwanda has starting or working capital, support a five year plan for promoting youth them in developing business plans, employment within the framework of provide training on book keeping a program they call Youth Employ- and provide incentives to motivate ment Network or YEN. These strat- those groups that utilise their funds egies though noble need to focus effectively. Other forms of support much more on the strengths and ca- by the private sector could include pacity of the African youth and one training on current technology, inter- is certainly the ability to achieve eco- nal governance of the groups, and nomic development collectively with registration of business entities, in- the net effect of improving income tellectual property rights, mentorship levels of individual members of these programs and promotion of business Youth during post-election violence in early 2008. Photo/File groups and by extension improving best practices and models. the standard of living of their fami- The youth groups are the final generating youth groups. lies. The strategies would also be poverty that is the cause of conflicts piece of the puzzle and probably the None of these challenges are in- in Africa. much more effective if intergraded most important one. Several chal- surmountable and with proper plan- into the general economic and fiscal The writer is the Chaiperson of lenges face these youth groups but ning, partnership, collaboration and Youth Reconciliation Forum of plan of the country for example Ken- these can be summarised into one: goodwill the African youth may be ya’s economic long term blueprint- Kenya (YOREF-K). how to establish and sustain income uplifted from the ferocious cycle of Email: [email protected]

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The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission. The Partnership for Peace Project is responsible for the views reflected in this supplement. 18 The Link, March 2011 SUPPLEMENT PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE The difference between ICC and TJRC BY HANNAH CLIFFORD Although Kenya is a signatory to the Rome Statute, which gives the ICC the legal author- HERE are often so many different insti- ity to prosecute any people believed to be re- tutions, organisations and acronyms, sponsible for serious crimes, the Statute de- many people find it hard to keep up clares that the Hague Court can only exercise and know which is which. Two of the jurisdiction when the state in which crimes T are committed is unable or unwilling to pros- most important of these dealing with the post-election violence are the Truth, Justice ecute crimes itself. As the Kenyan Govern- and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) and ment had demonstrated it was unwilling to the International Criminal Court (ICC). De- prosecute the perpetrators itself, the ICC’s spite their importance there is often confu- mandate was invoked. The Chief Prosecutor sion about where one ends and the other for the Kenyan case, Justice Luis Moreno- begins. Let’s get some clarity. Ocampo, thus sought permission to proceed The most important difference between with the case against the six suspects. There the TJRC and ICC is that the TJRC operates was judged to be enough evidence to try the at a national level, while the ICC is an inter- Ocampo six for crimes against humanity and national court which exists above the juris- crimes of aggression. The six suspects are diction of any single nation, including Kenya. waiting to be called before the court. Within any country there is a judicial system The TJRC is funded by, and thus reliant which has a hierarchy governing the national on, the Kenyan National Government in order court system. The ICC is a criminal court to carry out its work. The government pays which functions outside and above the Ken- the salaries of the Commissioners and staff as yan national judiciary. well as financing its resources as opposed to The ICC is an independent international the ICC process which is independent of any organization based at The Hague in the Neth- government’s influence. Justice Waki hands over his Commission’s report on Post Election Violence in Kenya to While the TJRC and ICC have many dif- erlands. The Court is the creation of the inter- President Kibaki. Looking on PM Odinga. Photo/File national community, which came to consen- ferences, they also share an important simi- sus over the need for an international court to during the post-election violence. tional level but is independent of the ordinary larity: in order for both to succeed, they rely try the perpetrators of the world’s most seri- The TJRC is able to investigate the foot- judicial system and is run by both local and on the support of the Kenyan people. Where ous crimes, such as genocide, crimes against soldiers of the post-election violence, along international judges and prosecutors. the criminals seek to delay and dodge justice, humanity and war crimes. with others it finds responsible, and recom- The Commission found Kenya’s ordinary the people must be there to demand the law The ICC was established by the Rome mend that they are prosecuted by the nation- judicial system to be incapable of offering is upheld. When criminals attempt to silence Statue, which 120 States adopted in 1998. al courts in Kenya. It is then left to the courts justice for the victims of the post-election victims through bribes and intimidation, peo- The international community has long aspired and police to deal with such people. Why, violence, due to the enormity of the crimes ple must speak out in support of the truth. to the creation of a permanent international then, can this not happen for the Ocampo Six committed and the pervasion of political When criminals use hate speech to distract court, and, in the 20th century, it reached – why can’t the national courts prosecute at pressure. The issue of judicial integrity was us from the wickedness of their actions, the consensus on definitions of The Nuremberg the highest level also? This was the intention of particular importance given that many of people must reject their poison. and Tokyo trials – the first trials to take place following the post-election violence when the those behind the violence occupy positions Kenyans are already working in this direc- at an international level - addressed war Waki Commission – so named after its Chair- of influence within the government. Finally tion, through the signing of a petition to op- crimes, crimes against peace, and crimes man Justice Philip Waki - was established. the Waki Commission recommended that, pose the deferral of the ICC cases; through against humanity committed during the Sec- After the power-sharing agreement was failing the creation of a special tribunal, the the attendance of conferences held by the ond World War. signed the new government set up the Com- Commission would require the mediator-Kofi TJRC; by recording statements with the TJRC In the 1990s tribunals like the Interna- mission of Inquiry on Post-Election Violence Annan-to pass a sealed envelope with the statement takers; and by applying pressure tional Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the (the Waki Commission) to investigate the vio- names of chief suspects to the International on President Kibaki after he attempted to International Criminal Tribunal for the former lence and recommend action to be taken by Criminal Court (ICC). The Kenyan parliament place sympathetic allies in positions respon- Yugoslavia, were established to put an end to the government. In its final report, the Waki voted against a constitutional amendment bill sible for bringing justice. So keep pushing for impunity for crimes believed to be too serious Commission recommended the creation of a establishing the proposed tribunal as directed justice! to go unpunished. However, because these special tribunal; one that operates at the na- by the Waki Commission Clifford is an intern at the KAS, Kisumu office tribunals were established to only try crimes committed within a specific time-frame and during a specific conflict, there was general agreement that a permanent, independent CONTACT ADDRESSES: criminal court was needed. The TJRC in con- trast is not a criminal court. Rather, it is sim- EU-KAS Project Office in Kisumu, Varsity Apartments 3rd Floor, ply a commission which, although working at P.O. Box 668, 40100 Kisumu, the national level, has no powers to arrest or Telephone. +254 057 2023 484 prosecute people. The TJRC can only inves- tigate, record and make recommendations +254 711 358 013 relating to the perpetrators of crimes. e-mail: [email protected] Another key difference is that the TJRC is mandated to investigate a wide number of crimes, including all human rights violations, PARTNERS economic crimes, and inciting violence. The Mt. Elgon Residents Association (MERA) Community Initiative Action-Group (CIAG-K) Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) TJRC can also investigate people and institu- Chem Ngeywo, Project Coordinator Mr. Chrispin Owalla, Project Coordinator Mr. James Kimisoi, Project Coordinator tions at all levels, from community leaders Western Province Nyanza Province Rift Valley Province to state institutions. The ICC is mandated P.O Box 21-50201, Cheptais-Mt. Elgon Varsity Apartments 3rd Floor, The Catholic Diocese of Eldoret to prosecute only those accused of the most Mobile : 0720-744827; 0734-517489. P.O. Box 668, 40100 Kisumu. P.O. Box 842 -30100, Eldoret. serious crimes and at the highest level of re- Email: [email protected] Tel: 0737-470558/0716-384135 Tel 2031272; 0722 448110 sponsibility. This is why the ICC is only pro- [email protected] or E-mail: [email protected] ceeding with the prosecutions of the alleged [email protected] six key organizers of the violence – the so- called Ocampo Six – and not any of the lower level criminals who were out in the streets

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The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission. The Partnership for Peace Project is responsible for the views reflected in this supplement.

The Link, March 2011 20 GOVERNANCE MPs demand immediate release of roads fund Mudavadi urges farmers By JOEL JUMA to buy shares PARLIAMENTARY Transport Com- mittee wants the Government to im- By JOEL JUMA mediately release the last tranche of over Kshs300 million meant for the Deputy Prime Minister and min- rehabilitation of roads in the constitu- ister for Local Government, Mr. encies. Musalia Mudavadi, has urged tea The Committee said the state of farmers in Vihiga and Kakamega roads was worrying in many con- counties to actively involve them- stituencies, adding that the ministry selves in the management of indus- of Roads must disburse the money to try. enable constituencies improve their Mudavadi told farmers to buy dilapidated road networks. shares at Mudete Tea Factory as a “We are almost winding up the way of enhancing their bargaining financial year and delays by the Gov- power in the management of the ernment to release the money amounts firm. to corruption,” said the Committee He regretted that tea farmers in Chairman David Were. the two counties had not shown in- Were and committee members terest in acquisition of shares at the who included Vice Chairman Isaac factory. Muoki, Yusuf Chanzu, captain Clem- Mudete Tea Factory is one of ent Wambugu, Edwin Yinda, Dr those enlisted for privatisation by Wilbur Ottichillo and a political activ- Kenya Tea Development Agency. ist Joseph Wamoto said that the state “Farmers in this region have of roads was pathetic in rural areas. been allocated over Kshs10 million All the constituencies require over but it is sad that they are not turn- Kshs14 million as part of the last dis- ing up to purchase shares and time bursement from the Government for is running out,” said Mudavad. roads rehabilitation. Mudavadi said agriculture will The Government allocated Kshs27 play a key role in the management million to each constituency this year of Vihiga County adding that farm- for roads rehabilitation. ers should start to invest in tea Contractors who applied for ten- farming. ders in Kakamega County have not Government should release funds to complete road construction. “A large section of our county been given the jobs due to lack of is full of rocks and investment in money. ro-Buyangu Road where over Kshs “We Know the Government is in Were also said the committee will the shares should not be underesti- The ministry was allocated over 2.2 billion has been spent and yet the the process of planning for the next summon Transport minister Amos mated,” said Mudavadi. Kshs104 billion to road works in the road remains incomplete. financial year and we want to avoid a Kimunya to explain why airstrips in Mudavadi was speaking at current financial year and the commit- Speaking at Bumala market during situation where the money is returned the country are not well maintained. Kisangula Secondary School dur- tee is assessing how the money was the inspection of the roads and struc- to the Treasury because it was not He explained that a tour of some ing the inspection of Constituency utilised. tures constructed by the Government used,” said Were. of the airstrips indicated that the fields Development Fund projects. The committee expressed shock under the Economic stimulus pro- The Matungu MP explained that have The school has received over that some roads have not been com- gramme, Were said that the commit- the Minister for Roads Franklin Bett been ignored. “Animals are being Kshs2.6 million from the CDF pleted despite the Government having tee wants to ascertain the progress of should advise Treasury to release the grazed in the airstrips especially in kitty. paid the contractors. They cited Eke- the projects. money to avoid stalling of projects. Busia and Bungoma,” said Were. Mudavadi said farmers can buy the shares through installments which may entail piecemeal de- duction of their monthly earnings. Beware of conman giving fake jobs to Mombasa residents This, he said will ensure that and people should be wary of they are not burdened in the acqui- By BRIGHTON KAZUNGU The local authority has raised walked into his office armed with sition of the factory. the red flag over a trick merchant fake appointment letters bearing fraudsters, and notify law en- He noted that over Kshs13mil- THE Mombasa Municipal Coun- who has allegedly duped several the Town Clerk’s logo, but the forcers when asked to part with lion has been released by the Gov- cil has unearthed an employment job seekers to part with between letter head bearing the emblem cash in order to secure employ- ernment for development projects scam in which a city-based con- Kshs.80,000 and Kshs.200,000 of the Nairobi City Council. ment in any organization”, he in Sabatia Constituency. man has been fleecing unsus- to secure the non-existing vacan- Mr. Otieno also regretted that cautioned. Mudavadi said MPs who are pecting job seekers of cash for cies. the appointment letters also bore Speaking in his office recent- delaying to submit proposals to non-existent jobs at the local au- Town Clerk Tubman Otieno, his forged signature. ly, Mr. Otieno added that people the National Constituency De- thority. says a number of victims have “Employment scams are real should not be duped. “We are velopment Fund National Board not employing anybody neither should blame themselves for non- have we contracted anyone to implementation of projects in their hire people for us.” respective areas. The Town Clerk was speak- He said education programmes ing to the press after turning rely on CDF money and wondered away a young man who walked why some legislators were not ad- into his office with a letter of hering to the set guidelines. appointment reading: “Appoint- “We cannot blame Planning ment as a senior clerk at treas- Minister Wycliffe Oparanya over ury department local pension- the delays,” said Mudavadi. able post”. Mr. Otieno said he He noted that over 500 students empathized with the job seeker have benefited from the CDF kitty and offered to call the trickster this month in Sabatia constituency. He said Kshs6 million was allo- who secured him the phantom cated to needy students especially job only for the man who picked students who were selected to join the phone to disconnect the line national secondary schools. upon inquiries. He spoke even as the Kenya The fake appointment letter Primary Schools Head Teachers goes ahead to give the salary scale Association Western branch sec- as Kshs.21,000 per month with a retary David Ikunza said many pu- Kshs6,000 house allowance. pils who were selected to join na- The chief officer said this tional schools may not report due was the third case, adding that a to lack of fees. young woman had also fallen vic- “We have received cases where tim to the fraudster, who she paid some parents in Kakamega are opt- Kshs.75,000 to secure employ- ing to enroll their children to day ment at the Mombasa Municipal schools due to lack of fees,” said Mombasa Municipal Council Hall Council. Ikunza. The Link, March 2011 GOVERNANCE 21 Concerns over insecurity in Mt. Elgon elders demand their dues Sabatia By NYAKWAR ODAWO VILLAGE elders who presided over a By JOEL JUMA vetting exercise in Mt Elgon have ap- pealed to the Director of National Reg- A TEACHERS union has petitioned istration Bureau to intervene and assist the Government to address the ris- them get their outstanding dues. ing cases of insecurity in Sabatia The elders say that they were recruit- District, as thugs continue to target ed through the provincial administration schools in the area. to assist in the identification of eligible Kenya Union of Post Primary persons to be issued with the national Education of Teachers (Kuppet) identification cards as Mt. Elgon district said education standards in the dis- is a border town. trict are likely to drop drastically if However, the elders led by Mr. the trend is not reversed. Matayo Psisei expressed concern saying Speaking after a branch execu- that despite the government releasing tive committee meeting, provincial their payments, they are yet to receive council secretary Omboko Milemba their payments save for Kshs500 paid and the Vihiga branch executive to them recently after they bitterly com- secretary Mark Amendi said that plained to the Mt. Elgon District Regis- panic has gripped the district’s trar of Persons. teaching fraternity. “The district registrar of persons has Mr. Kajwang’: Immigration minister Mr. Kapondi: Mt. Elgon MP “Teachers are coming to us to failed to assist us despite our persistent intervene as a matter of urgency and ers were incurring huge losses due to the and the Kenya Roads Levy Fund to en- ask for assistance to get transfers to appeal to his office for intervention,” compel the contractor to speed up the poor road network. sure transparency and accountability in other areas,” Amendi added. they said, adding that during the finan- construction of the road which is in bad The residents at the same time com- the utilization of taxpayers’ money. He challenged the Government cial year 2008/2009, the government state or another contractor be awarded plained that the funds allocated towards “The association will utilize every to assure teachers that their security released a total of Kshs324, 000 and the tender to complete the road,” the the construction of the said road had not resource at its disposal to carry out a spot is guaranteed. Kshs174, 000 during the financial year residents said. been properly accounted for since the al- check on all the projects in the region “Something must be done very 2009/2010 to the district to facilitate the The irate residents further said that location does not reflect the amount of that have been done by the respective de- fast. Officers must be reshuffled and vetting exercise. the road from Kapsokwony to Kopsiro work so far undertaken. However, the volved funds to ensure they are properly supplied with enough vehicles and However, efforts to get comments is completely impassable such that for residents lauded the Kenya Red Cross done for purposes of transparency and equipments,” Amendi added. from the Mt. Elgon District Registrar, one to travel to Kapsokwony from Kop- society for funding the opening up of accountability,” said Ochemo, adding Recently armed thugs raided Mr. Robert Nayere on the issue did not siro, he/she is forced to pass through Kubra (Kopsiro), Katama and Cheptais that incase of audit queries, the associa- two secondary schools in the district bear fruit as he could not be reached. Chwele, Kimilili. “We are appealing to feeder road. tion will forward the same to the Kenya and attacked teachers before mak- At the same time the residents ex- the Kenya Roads Board (KRB), the lo- The Mount Elgon Residents As- Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) ing away with unknown amount of pressed concern over the delay by a con- cal authority through the Local Author- sociation (MERA) chairman Mr. John so that legal action can be taken against money. tractor to tarmac the 52kilometre road ity Transfer Fund (LATF) and Mount Ochemo, on his part said that the asso- those concerned. The raid came just a day after a from Kamukuywa to Namwela through Elgon Constituency Development Fund ciation has embarked on monitoring and The association chairman said that gang hacked to death Joram Chagu- Kapsokwony three years ago despite the [CDF] committee to allocate us funds evaluation of all the projects financed by currently they were compiling data of all sia Mbogani, who was Vokoli sub- funds having been allocated to facilitate from their respective kitties to facilitate devolved funds such as Local Authority the projects that have been done by the location assistant chief. the construction of the same. the construction of the said road for the Transfer Fund (LATF), Constituency devolved funds in the district as well as The thugs raided Moi Girls “We are earnestly appealing to the sake of the realization of development in Development Funds (CDF), Poverty the amount allocated to each project to Vokoli and Keveye Girls. A teacher Roads Minister Mr. Franklin Bett to the county,” they said, adding that farm- Eradication Funds, HIV/AIDS Funds facilitate easy monitoring and evaluation. at Vokoli was injured and is still ad- mitted at Mbale District Hospital. A teacher at Chavakali High School was attacked in a separate incident. The cases prompted Dep- uty Prime Minister Musalia Mu- Plans afoot to uplift Kakamega Airstrip davadi to call Internal Security PS Francis Kimemia to protest over the By JOEL JUMA of the Parliamentary Committee on Kakamega Airstrip started operating before the families can be issued with rising insecurity. Transport that a runaway covering over last year after it was officially launched notices of movement. Mudavadi, who is the area MP, KAKAMEGA Airstrip requires Kshs74 150 meters was required at the facility to by the Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Kizito who is the area MP said com- asked Kimemia to reshuffle the se- million to have it expanded to the re- avoid take off problems for the aircrafts. Mudavadi with 540 airlines being the pensation for the families whose trees curity machinery in Sabatia. quired standards as set out by the Kenya “We need a parking yard and taxi ways first users of the facility. The number of were brought down last year should not He further requested the PS to Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). that are far from the run ways,” said passengers using the facility has since be delayed by the Government authori- provide area police officers with A study conducted by the Kenya Wafula. grown to 983. ties. “The Government should also lure more vehicles for night patrols. Airports Authority (KAA) established This, Wafula told committee mem- Were urged the Government to more airlines to fly to Kakamega as part Milemba said teachers in the that essential facilities are urgently re- bers who included Committee Chair- source for an alternative land where the of improving tourist flow in the region,” area are living in fear, particularly quired to have the airstrip comply with man David Were, MPs Yusuf Chanzu, community around the airstrip can be said Kizito. the principals. the international standards that can at- Dr Wilbur Ottichillo, Walter Mbati, settled before evicting them to pave way Kizito explained that the road to the “Teachers will not deliver if they tract more airlines. Edwin Yinda, Clement Wambugu that for expansion of the airstrip. airstrip needs to be tamarcked to im- worry about their lives,” he added. The airstrip lacks a fire fighting -en water supply was required at the airstrip. Over 20 acres of land is required prove accessibility to the facility. Speaking on phone, Milemba gine, weather centre, electricity and land “We need a fire fighting engine to be from the community during the expan- Were however said that the commit- also called on the Government to that can be used as a safety landing site on stand by as part of complying with sion. tee will make its recommendations to reshuffle the police and bring in ad- for aircrafts during emergency period. the standards for airports,” said Wafula Area DC Mohammed Birik and the ministry of Roads and that of Trans- ditional officers. KAA Manager in charge of Eldoret who oversees the airstrips in Western Shinyalu MP Justus Kizito said the port to have the money included in their Airport Peter Wafula said during a tour province and Rift valley regions. Government was still sourcing for land annual financial year budgets.

By JOHN NYAMBUNE THE structure and administration of the Constituency Development Fund CDF may be restructured soon (CDF) is set for a major review in order to make it effective and trans- of the panel include Wilfred Onono opment. Among the changes recom- reforms will streamline operations parent. (accountant), Grace Kiptui (lawyer), mended by the Karue report include of the Fund to achieve the set objec- In response to reports of alleged James Okundo (financial analyst), an increase of the Fund from 2.5 to tives in a more accountable manner, misuse of the devolved fund in vari- Joseph Mukui (director of Rural De- 3.0 per cent of the national budget, pointing out that the Fund’s main ous constituencies, the Fund’s top velopment) and Njeri Wachira who creation of new organs to oversee challenge lies in the organizational administrators met in Nairobi re- represents the Attorney General. CDF projects at constituency level. and structural weaknesses especially cently to review how to structure and As the streamlining process gets Other reforms include the in- at the constituency level where it come up with solutions for its effec- underway, adjustments will have to volvement of private sector in the should benefit as many Kenyans as tive operationalisation. And there are be made to the report to ensure the fund’s operations as it remains the possible. renewed hopes that the Fund’s op- recommendations conform to the re- most effective method of devolving CDF has been lauded the world erations will steadily be streamlined quirements of the new constitution resources. “We are in the process over as an ingenious innovation for the benefits of more ordinary on devolved funds. of making necessary changes and worth replicating elsewhere in Af- Kenyans. Under the new constitution, while an adjustment in order to ensure the rica. It has transformed the lives The review is guided by recom- the CDF retain its share of fund- CDF operates more efficiently and of many people at grassroots level mendations by “a reform panel head- ing from the national budget, more effectively for the benefit of Ken- by financing construction of roads, ed by former MP for Ol Kalou, Mr. money will go to County govern- yans,” the Fund’s Chief Executive schools, medical facilities, social Karue Muriuki, who is the brainchild ments. The law makes counties the Officer, Mrs. Agnes Odhiambo, said. amenities and education bursaries of the CDF concept. Other members focal point for devolution and devel- Mr. Karue said that once effected the for bright but poor children. Mr. Karue: Former MP The Link, March 2011 22 GOVERNANCE

Shitanda carps Fraudsters target at Kibunja Trouble looms in Yatta land buyers in By JOEL JUMA Kakamega CABINET Minister Soita Shitanda has ac- cused the National Cohesion and Integra- over grazing rights By AGGREY BUCHUNJU tion Commission of sleeping on the job. Mr Shitanda argued that the commission is A PROVINCIAL administrator not taking action against MPs who are is- By PETER MUTUKU and should leave after the expiry tion Officer Joseph Kirea visited of the lease period. the ranch to assess viability of the in Kakamega County has raised suing inflammatory statements that could alarm over the increasing cases divide Kenyans. HERDERS from North Eastern The DC said the pastoralists fodder and water and advise the of fraudulent acquisition of land He told the commission’s chairman, Province have moved their cat- had hired a section of the ranch to ranch officials whether or not they in the area. The Navakholo Divi- Mzalendo Kibunja, to act on leaders who tle to a ranch in Kitui County in fatten animals before they are of- could lease it out. sion Officer (DO) Miss Mary Ki- are disregarding the new Constitution on search of pasture and water, rais- floaded for the market, but a rival Mr. Kirea said the ranch had saka says that scores of unsuspect- matters that relate to human rights. Mr. ing fears of possible conflict with group contesting part of the ranch sought technical advice which will ing residents have been duped in Shitanda said legal action should be taken local residents. had also done the same. ensure mutually beneficial contin- fraudulent land transaction deals. on legislators who are attacking one anoth- Officials of B2 Yatta Ranching B2 Yatta Cooperative Society gency measures were taken for all Miss Kisaka further points out er at public rallies in premature campaigns Cooperative Society have asked Vice chairman Joseph Mulila says stakeholders. that many parcels of land have ahead of the 2012 elections. the government to ensure the in- the arrival of herders from neigh- “The ranch can either lease out changed ownership in the area The Housing Minister explained that trusion of herders with their thou- bouring province was of concern, some sections, or cut the grass and without the consent of land control ODM and PNU MPs should be forced to sands of animals does not lead to pointing out that the nomadic sell the fodder as hay,” said the board as required by law. respect the new constitution. conflict. group often uses threats to graze. livestock officer adding that seeds The administrator, as a result, “We are being forced start thinking Mr. Mulila says the ranch had of mature grass should also be har- cautions land buyers and sell- about the next General Elections, which is And in a move to forestall any possible conflict, lower Yatta DC also introduced animals from vested for sale and generation of ers against disregarding the land many months away,” said Shitanda, who control Act cap 302 of the laws was speaking in Kakamega town. Gideon Sirai said proactive meas- North Eastern Province for fatten- revenue. ures have been taken to ensure a ing, but the rival Ngwamuka com- The B2 officials expressed of Kenya during land transaction He noted that both ODM and PNU process. “Any dealing or transac- MPs were misleading Kenyans with their win-win situation was reached. munity based organization had fear that the large herds traversing done the same, raising competition Mwingi and Kitui regions could tion in agricultural land, which assertions that Parliament could be dis- There is enough grass and wa- does not go through the land con- solved with the ongoing wrangles. He said ter to feed the animals for a period for resources. also cause an outbreak of livestock “Our dams are in danger of diseases. trol Board, will be deemed as null the Government has not formulated laws but harmony must be maintained and avoid,” she adds. to govern elections, adding that the Na- by all to avoid causing security drying up because of the large Jacob Mutua, the treasurer of She says that the land control tional Accord and Reconciliation Act was problems,” said Sirai. herds of animals from neighbour- the ranch said outbreaks of fires Act cap 302 clearly stipulates that still in intact till the next polls. The DC said animals in the ing Garissa County,” says Mulila. had triggered degradation of the any dealing and transaction in ag- Shitanda without making reference to ranch were there for a limited time The District Livestock Produc- ranch ricultural land must go through the individuals, urged Kibunja to take action land control Board. against leaders campaigning for top posi- The provincial administrator tions with abusive language. “We are still reiterates that land buyers should working on new legislations. Our focus either follow the correct procedure should be directed towards the imple- mentation of the new Constitution,” said or continue to use short cuts and Shitanda. suffer the consequences. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Commit- She at the same time cautions tee on Roads and Housing has expressed area residents against interfering concern over congestion in public schools with existing boundary alignments that benefited from the Economic Stimu- mapped by the survey expertise. lus Programme. The committee said it is “Uprooting main boundary marks regrettable that some schools that ben- and intruding into Gazzeted public efited from the over Kshs630 million fund paths is illegal and can attract liti- are yet to complete projects to allow more gation” the administration warns. intakes. “We are worried that some money Many public paths leading to may be returned to Treasury because of de- water points in the region and es- lays by contractors to complete projects,” pecially animal watering points said the committee chairman David Were. along the rivers have been inter- He noted that each constituency was fered with. allocated Kshs30 million to upgrade one A civil society organization secondary school selected by education based in Bungoma County concurs stakeholders in the area. Were said Treas- with Navakholo Division officer’s ury should not be blamed if the money is assertion that cases of fraudulent returned as schools identified in project are land acquisition are rampant in yet to utilize the funding. Kakamega County. The co-ordi- He told MPs to push the schools iden- nator of torture survivors organi- tified by the District Education Boards zation, Mr., Taiga Wanyanja, cites to hasten their respective projects as the land parcel N/Wanga/Matungu financial year is almost winding up. The 487 which he claims was fraudu- legislator was speaking at St James Bulim- lently acquired. bo Girls Secondary School in his Matungu Mr. Wanyanja says that the Constituency during an education stake- recent eviction of Mr. Panyako holders meeting. Wabwire Dondi from the land he The Kenya National Union of Teach- had occupied for over 40 years ers (Knut) branch executive secretary was “inhuman, mischievous and a John Wesonga and the chairman of the gross violation of the law”. Kenya Secondary schools Head-teachers The lobby group co-ordinator Association Regional Chairman Heze- is as a result appealing to the Ken- kia Akang’o also addressed the meeting. ya Anti- Corruption Commission The legislator noted that Kakamega High (KACC) to probe the history of School and Mabole Secondary School in Cattle at a ranch in Kitui County in search of pasture and water. this parcel of land. Butere district are yet to complete their projects. “It is only at Mwitoti in Mumias and Koyonzo in Matungu where I have seen new projects that prove the schools were in need of the money,” said Were. Building of Kilifi market faces huddles He told MPs whose schools are yet to complete project to act to reduce the suf- By BEKADZO TONDO The traders who spoke during a changed to meet their demands. “I have called for a special council fering of students. “We need more class- stakeholders consultative meeting The Mp said that the current design meeting and that of the town planning rooms and laboratories to achieve quality THE construction of a Kshs10 million vowed to resist any attempts to imple- discriminated against traders especially to enable us discuss the matter in depth education. Congestion of students should market in Kilifi is embroiled in con- ment the project unless the initial plan those who operated food joints, salon, and get a lasting solution before I can have gone down when the Government troversy after the traders rejected the is repackaged to include their concerns. tailors and therefore must be changed comment to the press,” said Mr Mo- released money,” said Were. project. They suggested that the pro- to accommodate all entrepreneurs. hamed. Were urged the Minister for Roads According to the more than 300 posed market be put up at Mnarani or Gunda said the Economic Stimu- Kilifi Township councillor Mr Franklin Bett to release the Kshs300 mil- traders, the planning process was not Kibaraini as they were centrally placed lus Project (ESP) funded market must Athman Matano said the government lion meant for rehabilitation of the roads inclusive and therefore did not address to fetch good money for the traders. meet the desirable standards and pro- should build a modern market with spe- by next month. He explained that a meet- their needs. Leaders present at the meeting led vide adequate space for traders. cial stalls to accommodate all traders. ing between his committee and the Minis- The traders argue that the govern- by Bahari MP Benedict Fondo Gunda, Clerk Mohamed said he will soon Mr. Matano said as per the plan ter agreed to have MPs get the money by ment plan will automatically lock out Kilifi town clerk Ibrahim Mohamed convene a special full council meeting given out by the government, the de- next month to improve on their roads in small business entrepreneurs who form and civic leaders said they will only al- to deliberate on the matter further be- sign of the market is not suitable for the constituencies. a large bulk of the population. low the project to kick off if the plan is fore they settle for a lasting solution. traders. The Link, March 2011 23 DEVELOPMENT Mobile ID Mukurwe-ini groups get cash from Youth Fund centers By JOSEPH MUKUBWA

popular with FOURTEEN youth groups from Mukurwe-ini district have ben- the public efited from a disbursement of Kshs700,000 through the Youth By AGGREY BUCHUNJU Enterprise Development Funds. The groups received a cheque AN identification card is one of the of Kshs50,000 each presented to most important documents in Kenya, them by Youth assistant Minister just as it is in other countries. Mr Kabando wa Kabando who It is a requisite legal document is also the local MP at Giathugu in all transactions between the peo- Youth Polytechnic’s hall recently. ple themselves, between the citizens During the function, the Assist- and the government, and between the ant Minister warned that the gov- people and other institutions. ernment will terminate contrac- Acquisition of the document is, tual arrangements with financial however, tiresome and expensive in intermediaries that fail to disburse terms of several trips one makes to loans earmarked for the youth. vetting and registration centers “Intermediaries withhold gov- Majority of youths, especially ernment funds, then loan to gen- in the rural areas are yet to acquire eral credit lines at exorbitant inter- Identity cards due to the strenuous est rates. This is fraud. They must process. disclose and account for the funds. The provincial registrar of per- Shortchanging in my ministry will sons, western, Mr. John Onzere is be punished,” he warned. now calling on registration clerks in Kabando lauded some youth the region to decentralize services to groups who had done well in loan the villagers. repayment and also utilized the This, he says will enable majority funds fully. of the people who cannot trek long “These youths were from dif- distances in search of the documents ferent active registered youth to apply for them at their door steps. groups from all corners of the Mr. Onzere, appeals to the po- constituency who had qualified for litical leaders and provincial admin- Youth Enterprise Fund loan. The istration to sensitize citizens on the youth groups are expected to uti- importance of having IDs as he dis- lize the funds in the income gener- Youth assistant minister Mr Kabando wa Kabando (centre with specks) presents a cheque of Kshs50,000 to patches personnel to the villages. ating projects and be self reliant,” Kaini Gichungu Youth Group. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa He discloses that in Kakamega said the assistant minister. County alone, over 20,000 youths He singled out some groups for which will ensure access to indus- applied for the document through their successful initiatives which trial skills and apprentice to facili- various mobile registration centers include German Alpine goat rear- tate in job and wealth circulation. within one week ing, bee keeping, and fish farming, Central Provincial Director of ADVERTISING RATES The provincial registrar, as a re- amongst others. Youth Affairs Francis Kariu who sult, calls on the district registrars “You ought to be self reliant also attended the function lament- of persons in his area of jurisdiction and watchful on all the develop- ed that drug abuse and alcoholism Your support as our reader or advertiser ensures that the stories to move registration clerks from the ment projects within your regions. are the biggest challenges affect- offices to the field. He claims that This will help in ensuring that eve- ing youths in the country. that matter - the stories that help people make decisions about the move will bear fruit since the ryone is involved and playing a He challenged the youths to their education, health, governance, their livelihood, and their role in achieving the development be industrious and identify oppor- targeted group will be reached and communities - reach them in a simplified but factual way. registered. goal of Vision 2030,” he added. tunities in their areas which will The registrar of persons, at the “Groups that have shown economically empower them. same time is, appealing to people unique success in their pro- Kariu said that micro invest- How to Advertise who had earlier applied for the docu- gram have received cash grant ments were the way forward and Send us the details of what you want advertised and we’ll do the ments to check for them at their near- of Kshs525,000 and dairy goats he congratulated the youth group est collection centers. worth Kshs 0.5 million while oth- members for the various projects rest. These can be sent in electronic form as e-mail attachments or Mr. Onzere was speaking recent- ers received rabbits and entrepre- they had started in their regions. in diskettes/CDs as well as hard copies. ly at Muliro Gardens in Kakamega neurial industrial equipments. A The youths urged the govern- few have received entrepreneurial ment to help keep open the op- town during a vetting and applica- Our advertising rates are as follows: tion for IDS exercise. During the facilities like Television set,” he portunities available through the exercise, hundreds of people from said. youth Enterprise Development Full page colour Kshs. 72,000 the municipality and adjacent areas Four youth polytechnics in the Fund for both the groups and in- Full page black and white (inside) Kshs. 40,000 constituency have been revived dividuals. applied for the documents. Half page (Black and White) Kshs. 20,000 Quarter page inside Kshs. 10,000 The Link Classified Kshs. 4,000 UK NGO assists Nyaribari residents Front Page Earpiece (colour) Kshs. 8,000 By BOB OMBATI ers acquire compute knowledge and “It is prudent that the alumni Front page strap Kshs. 6,000 skills. support educational projects in their Back page strap Kshs. 4,000 A BRITISH-based Non-Govern- Nielsen who was accompanied respective schools to supplement mental Organization (NGO) has em- by the Organization’s directors, In- government efforts,” said Mogusu Back Page Earpiece Kshs. 7,000 barked on an elaborate programme nocent Abayi, Gilbert Mangwa and during the function at the school. Front Page Solus (colour) Kshs. 20,000 that seeks to equip schools in Lise Nielsen urged the schools The commissioner also urged Back Page Solus (colour) Kshs. 15,000 Nyaribari Chache constituency with and health facilities to fully uti- Kenyans residing abroad to invest computers. lize the computers to attract more in the newly created counties to fast Health and Education Instrumen- support from the organization. track development and help in the at- Special Rates tal Resources (HEIR) international Poverty Eradication Commis- tainment vision 2030. We offer very special rates for advertisement of charitable activities president, Dr.Peder Bo Nielsen says sioner, Edward Mogusu urged alum- He said such initiatives will help the project will also be replicated in ni of various schools to support their create jobs for thousands of gradu- programmes or services. To get special rates, contact the Editor or health facilities to enhance their ef- former schools to help uplift their ates and spur the country’s socio- the Editorial Assistant. ficacy. standards of education and perform- economic and political development. Nielsen who spoke when he do- ance in national exams. The school Board chairman, The details should be mailed to the Editor, P.O. Box 7438, 00200, nated five computers to Nyanko- Mogusu, who is also the area Daniel Anyona and Principal, Wil- roro secondary school recently, said Constituency Development Fund liam Machani appealed to well wish- Nairobi, Kenya. Telephone 020-601776, 020-3572365. You can also that the organization will set up a (CDF) Secretary challenged profes- ers to support in the development of e­mail us at [email protected] or [email protected]. resource center in the constituency sionals from the area who had relo- the school to enable students maxi- NOTE: All payments should be made through cheques, payable to: to service and supply computers to cated to foreign countries to assist mize on the Free Day Secondary all schools in the area to help learn- develop schools in the area. Education. Institute for Civic Affairs and Development (ICAD). The Link, March 2011 24 DEVELOPMENT CREADIS transforming lives in Bungoma Relisa members to By AGGREY BUCHUNJU get new share WHEN it was formed and registered as a Non-Governmental Organization certificates (NGO) in 2000, little did people know or imagine that it will eventually benefit them. By AGRREY BUCHUNJU Community Research in Environ- ment and Development Initiatives FORMER employees of the defunct (CREADIS) is one of the pioneer NGOs Kenya Railways Corporation who in Bungoma County and by extension, bought Relisa house through shares western province. will be issued with new shareholders’ High poverty levels in western certificates. Kenya drove Mrs. Gladys Nabiswa, the The Relisa society National chair executive director to form the NGO as Mr. Michael Sande said, rise in value a response to this issue. “This densely of the house precipitated the society populated region in Kenya suffers from to issue new certificates to members endemic poverty which is why I formed to match the current valuation. CREADIS to address this problem Mr. Sande was speaking recent- through a holistic approach integrating ly at Bungoma railway station in different sectors”, Mrs. Nabiswa says. Bungoma County during Bungoma Mrs. Nabiswa adds that CREADIS branch Release Annual General reduces poverty and empowers the poor, meeting (AGM). disadvantage and vulnerable communi- The National chairman was ac- ties by building their capacities. companied by his deputy Mr. Idd The executive director says capacity Omar and the society treasurer Mr. building enables the targeted groups to Stephen Juma at the meeting attended exploit their full potential and drive their by about 120 members. own development processes. Mr. Sande disclosed that the house The programs through which which is situated in Nairobi city cen- CREADIS’ undertakes to empower tre was bought in 1986 at Kshs. 11.5 people include: million by 14,000 members. Each l Community health and nutrition Officials inspect CREADIS project in Bungoma. member, he added contributed Kshs. l Agriculture and environmental 800 through the then Railway Sav- management. “I had lost hope in education while trition Janet Kilavuka says, most of the ronmental conservation. They are doing ings and Credits Co-operative Soci- l Gender and Governance still in form one because of financial OVC are always neglected, adding that something to contribute to conservation ety. l Community Economic Development constraints, but I thank CREADIS for unless someone intervenes they may not rather than waiting for the Government, The initial shareholders certifi- Community health and Nutrition stepping in and paying my school fees. live a comfortable life. “says Mr. Geoffrey Kololi Wanyama, cates Mr. Sande said, reflected the projects have enhanced community care With this support I was encouraged to Under agriculture and Environmen- program manager. Kshs. 800 which the members paid, and support of OVC, especially those work hard in school and attained a mean tal management program, the NGO Gender and Governance program adding that the amount was at some affected or infected with HIV/AIDS. grade of B+ in KCSE, 2009”, says Mr. focuses on improving the health status focuses mainly on increasing the po- point raised to Kshs.1,400 to match CREADIS takes a holistic approach Tobias Wanjala, one of the beneficiaries. of pregnant mothers and children under litical, social and economic benefits for the value of the house. He told mem- to improving their standards of living The smile on Ms Dory Nasimiyu’s the age of 2 years through promotion of women and youth. CREADIS conducts bers that valuers recently put the by not only supporting the children, but face is infectious, as she lauds the organ- consumption of Orange Fleshed Sweet civic education sessions, trainings and house at Kshs. 139 million, which is also supporting their care givers. ization and speaks of her future plans. Potatoes (OFSP). The organization sup- awareness creation on devolved funds why the society is in the process of Children receive both educational “I never believed one day I would plies sweet potatoes vines to expectant with women and youth to create greater issuing new shareholders certificates. and health support while caregivers keep a goat in my compound, I thank mothers attending antenatal clinics, access to these resources. Mr. Sande said that according to engage in income generating activities CREADIS a lot for what it has done to thereby, merging agriculture and health. “Our eyes were opened when the current value of the house each such as chicken or dairy goats, in order restore my health and economic status. OFSP are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin CREADIS came to our area. We used shareholder will be issued with a cer- to economically empower them. I hope to live longer so as to ensure that C and beta-caratene and all these boost not to question use of devolved funds. tificate worth Kshs. 4,800. Consequently, the living standards my children get quality education” says immunity and prevent blindness. Culti- But now we can question,” says Mama The society chair asked branch and development of 920 OVC have been Nasimiyu. vation of OFSP addresses food security Sarah Omwenda, a village elder in Ich- delegates to ensure that all members improved and 38 caregivers received in- The CREADIS community Health because they only take two and a half inga, Mumias district. are issued with the new sharehold- come generating activities through this and Nutrition Department Field Officer months to mature and can be cultivated Ms Jaime MacGrane, youth associ- ers certificates. He further asked the program that began in 2006. Mr. Joshua Mutanyi, reiterates that the year round. ate from the Coady International Insti- members to liaise with delegates with This program, funded by Academy NGO’s overall objective is to reduce Biodiversity conservation through tute working in CREADIS’ Gender and a view to updating the records. for Education and Development and the poverty and empower the poor in or- recycling of sugarcane waste into char- Governance sector, admits that the pro- During the meeting, two mem- Stephen Lewis Foundation, addresses der for them to achieve sustainable live coal briquettes, an activity under the gram has been very usefully in inform- bers were elected as delegates to food security by engaging care givers in hoods and live dignified lives. environment programme, is one of the ing community members, especially represent Bungoma branch at the Na- income generating activities. “It is just about improving the lives jewels in CREADIS’ crown since it women and youth about the Govern- tional level. It also improves access to second- of OVCs by ensuring they have access was voted the best innovative project in ment devolved funds. The elections supervised by Mary ary and higher education for the OVC to psychosocial support, education, nu- western region by the World Bank and Ultimately, CREADIS’ interven- Mwangu from Bungoma South Dis- by co-paying their school fees. Through trition, shelter, and child protection” awarded Kshs.200,000. tions through its programs will improve trict Co-operatives Officer’s office this program, 10 OVC are now attend- says Mr. Mutanyi. “This project was rated one of the the quality of life for the people of west- (DCO’s) saw Mr. Philip Amwayi and ing tertiary institutions and 66 OVC are The assistant Director and project most innovative. We received a reward. ern province and North Rift where they Mr. Ben Watitwa elected as branch attending secondary school. Manager of community Health and Nu- The community is now aware of envi- have ongoing projects. delegates.

Mariakani Water Service Company (KIMAWASCO) that is charged with Italy funded projects in Rabai water provision had installed a master meter for the scheme. By BRIGHTON KAZUNGU Institutions to benefit include Isaac said. Mwachai, said the project will im- Rabai DC Carolyne Nzwili urged Nyondo, Lugwe, Benyoka and Kailo Mr. Melli asked beneficiaries to prove education as children will be the management committee to ensure Residents of Rabai district are among primary schools as well as Rabai and form strong committees to sustain the relieved of the burden of fetching wa- prudent management of the facility beneficiaries of Kshs.23.3 million Canon Kituri secondary schools. Ra- project, saying his government had ter and get quality study time. He said and commended KIDDP for address- development projects implemented bai Academy Compassion, Bengo and also financed capacity building for the women will get more time for other ing the perennial water crisis in the under the Kenya Italy Debt for Devel- Humanist nursery schools will also current 13-member committee whose domestic chores for development and district that was created towards the opment Programme (KIDDP). access water. members, he added, had been trained earning income for the families. end of 2010. Mwele Simakeni Water Project, Health facilities that will draw wa- on plant operation and maintenance, Mwachai said women spent a lot She urged residents to ensure all which was commissioned recently, is ter under the programme are Bengo and book keeping. of time searching for water, especially problems affecting the programme one of the five projects implemented Health Centre and Rabai Sub-district He asked beneficiaries to utilize during the dry seasons. Before the were immediately reported to relevant under the KIDDP project. Hospital. Speaking during the com- the water well to uplift their living construction of the project, many resi- authorities for quick action, but also An estimated 12,000 people are missioning of project, KIDDP direc- standards and ensure food security dents walked for over 15 km to fetch asked residents not to ignore environ- expected to benefit alongside several tor, Mr. Martino Melli, hailed the part- through irrigation. The project com- untreated water from the Kombeni mental concerns and water-harvesting institutions, including schools, dispen- nership with local community through prises the installation of four water River and other shallow wells. options. saries and market centres. Agriculture the Government that had helped real- storage tanks, construction of 15 ki- The CEO said Mwele Simakeni A resident, Mr. Johnson Chengo, is also expected to improve, with wa- ize success for the project. osks, eight VIP latrines and five com- Water Project involved laying of 11.5 lauded the new project, saying it ter available for minimal irrigation and “This is one of my happiest days. munal water points. km of pipeline from Mazeras to Ra- brings relief to area residents who pre- watering livestock in Mwele Kisuru- To see the glowing faces of commu- Coast Water Service Board Chief bai. The project would be extended to viously had to walk long distances in tini and Buni Kisimani sub-locations. nity members gives me great joy,” he Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Hamisi Kaloleni district. Mwachai said Kilifi/ search of water. The Link, March 2011 DEVELOPMENT 25 Nyeri matatu operators move to comply with new rules Victoria water By JOSEPH MUKUBWA board on MATATU operators in Nyeri ambitious County have launched a secre- tariat to fast- track the phasing mission out of the 14seater Public Service By NYAKWAR ODAWO Vehicles. The nine member secretariat THE Lake Victoria North Water Serv- which was launched recently at a ices Board (LVNWSB) in collabora- Nyeri hotel and attended by mem- tion with the Busia water department bers of the 20 transport saccos has embarked on an ambitious project from the county will also ensure aimed at ensuring the provision of ad- that the new reforms become ef- equate clean water to the community. fective. The project entails the construc- The secretariat has partnered tion of two water treatment plants in with the Kenya Vehicle Manufac- the region and the installation of four turers, Equity Bank and the Coop- more new water tanks within Busia ers Motor Association among oth- municipality. The project also in- ers. cludes the construction of sewer lines The secretariat will also ensure in order to reduce the rampant cases of waterborne diseases like cholera and that sanity is maintained on the typhoid. roads and regulate the sector. In an interview with The Link at “Our service will be customer his office recently, the Busia District based just like any other business. Water Supply Manager Mr. Bush There will no pushing or pulling Orondo said 80percent of the work of passengers like before. We do has been done and the impact is im- not want to have unfair competi- pressive as the supply has been in- tion,” said the Mr Peter Theuri creased to cover Alupe, Burumba and who is the organizer of the sec- Air strip areas. On completion of the retariat and also the chairman of remaining work, the production of Nyena Sacco. water is expected to go up to a total of Theuri said they will also part- 7,000 cubic units per day. Nyeri Matatu operators during a meeting recently at a Nyeri hotel where they launched a secretariat to The water supply manager at the ner with police and the Nyeri Mu- brace new reforms. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa nicipal Council to ensure that Mi- same time said that the department has chuki rules are adhered to. The new rules also requires gone an extra mile to construct a total is an official at Kenya Vehicle started booking for the buses of 26 water kiosks in the region which The saccos which attended the that only vehicles whose carrying Manufacturers based in Thika as part of the new reforms,” she meeting included Gathuthi, Kian- are currently selling clean water at capacity is 40 and above will be said they are ready to assist in the added. Kshs2 per 20 litre Jerican. du, Marua and Kamakwa among allowed within the City centre. matatus reform. Over 100 matatu operators at- others. “In order to own a water kiosk, Mrs Beatrice Githange who “Many matatu saccos have tended the launch in Nyeri town. one is required to pay a deposit of Kshs. 3000 which is relatively cheap and I am now appealing to the local community to invest in this project,” Orondo said, adding that out of the 26 New container terminal to decongest port of Mombasa water kiosks, three have been funded through the Nzoia Phase II project KPA managing director Gichiri whereas seven of them have been By BRIGHTON KAZUNGU measuring capacity in container funded by the Trust Fund. Ndua, says that the port had han- involve attaining or surpassing transportation). the ship turnaround time of three However, the manager lamented THE completion of the US$235 dled 14 million tones of cargo by The project has been financed that frequent pipe bursts, high opera- million (19 billion) second con- the end of the third quarter of 2010, days, and return on investment of entirely through soft loans from 14.7 per cent. It also includes the tional costs in terms of electricity bills, tainer terminal at the Mombasa compared with 13.7 million tones the Japan International Coopera- water theft as a result of illegal con- Port is expected to more than dou- handled in the same period in 2009. construction of a new access road tion Agency (JICA), making it the nections, frequent power outages, lack ble the handling capacity of what is This represented a growth rate and the installation of new buoys largest Japanese-funded project in of large consumers such as factories, already the region’s busiest port. of 2.1 per cent as container traffic and markets in the maritime access Kenya. universities and major hotel industries The new terminal will occupy a recorded an impressive growth rate channel. Work on the scheme started in as some of the impediments that con- 48.4 hectare site west of the Kipevu of 11.5 per cent. Information released through 2009 and is being supervised by tinue to affect the project. Oil Terminal. The project includes The authority’s focus for the the Port website, indicates that Japan Port Consultancy Limited. He said that the situation has been the extension of the railway line current financial year includes the second container terminal will KPA has already decided that the compounded by the mushrooming of that currently serves the container meeting the targets set in the have an annual throughput capac- second terminal should be operated boreholes with Busia town alone hav- terminal operated by the Kenya 2010/2011 Performance Contract ity of 1.2 million TEUs (TEU is by a concessionaire in liaison with ing over 100 of them. Ports Authority (KPA). with the Government. The targets a 20-foot equipment unit used in the authority’s own container han- Orondo further said that the Min- dling facility. istry plans to shut down some of the The total freight handled by the boreholes most of which have been port rose by over 10 per cent from constructed closer to the pit latrines 16.41m tones in 2008 to 19.06 mil- adding that the situation has contribut- lion in 2009, while the total transit ed a great deal to cases of waterborne infections. cargo rose from 4.8m tones in 2009, At the same time, a spot check car- representing an improvement in the ried out by The Link at the rural areas regional economic performance. revealed that majority of the water ki- Until 2007, the Port experienced osks have been without water for the the handling of too many in-bound last three months allegedly as a result containers and not adequate space of frequent pipe bursts. to stack or handle them. The long- One of the beneficiaries of the wa- standing issue had pushed up costs ter kiosks, a resident of Rest Estate for importers and caused headaches within Busia municipality who gave for the port authority. But the prob- her names as Ms Christine Omoth lem was finally solved with the es- expressed concern saying that since tablishment of a series of container the installation of the water kiosk by freight stations located off-port and the department of water in September run by independent operators. last year there has been frequent water The second container terminal shortages for two consecutive months concessionaire will be free to ar- hence incurring a big loss in terms of range for the procurement of fork electricity bill. lift trucks and terminal tractors. Since the installation of this water However, the main container kiosk in September by the depart- handling equipment, including the ment of water, there has been frequent water shortages for two consecutive ship to gantry cranes and the rub- months,” said Catherine, adding that ber tyred gantries, will be provided the situation has caused her to incur by the Japanese as part of the loan New containers at Mombasa Port big losses in terms electricity and wa- agreement. ter bills. The Link, March 2011 26 DEVELOPMENT Lake Victoria Basin Commission to build office in Kisumu By JOHN NYAMBUNE hyacinth infestation of the water bod- ies paralyzing transport and other THE Government has donated land related social-economic activities, in Kisumu for the construction of increasing incidences of poverty and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission declining quality of life among the comprising the five-member East Af- people,” said Dr. Wekesa. rican Community. “The situation is bound to get The commission, which con- worse in the light of the current en- cluded its eighth council meeting in ergy, food, water and financial crisis. Kisumu last month, will construct its Negative impacts of climate change new headquarters on the 2.8 hectare are predicted to have adverse impacts piece of land on the shores of Lake to our economics and peoples liveli- Victoria. hoods,” he said. Currently, the Lake Victoria Basin The minister said multi-sectoral Commission occupies rented offices strategies and approaches are re- at the Re-Insurance Plaza Building in quired in order to address these issues Kisumu. and challenges. The sectoral council of minis- He said Kenya is committed to ters that brought together permanent provision of enabling policies, leg- secretaries, ambassadors and other islation and infrastructure to ensure senior government officials from the effective conservation, management EAC, adopted the progress report on and exploitation of the environment the implementation of the Mt. Elgon and natural resources. Regional Ecosystem Conservation He thanked France, Norway, Swe- Programme (MERECP). den, Finland and the World Bank, The meeting further directed the the East African Development Bank LVBC secretariat to improve the ab- and other development partners for sorption capacity for phase two of the their continued support to the LVBC, Lake Victoria Environment Manage- which is geared towards improving ment Project (LVEMP II), MERECP the lives of the riparian community. and Partnership Agreement Fund. Others in the Kenyan delegation The LVBC secretariat was com- included Livestock Development mended for successfully organizing minister Dr. Mohamed Kuti, assist- the first ever Lake Victoria Basin ant ministers Peter Munya (East Af- Investment Forum in Mwanza, Tan- Dr. Noah Wekesa addressing the Lake Victoria Basin Commission in Kisumu recently. rican Community) and Simon Ogari zania last year, which it said would (Transport), Permanent Secretaries go a long way in enhancing the liveli- for the management and develop- development partners to partner with that need to be addressed. David Nalo (EAC), Mohamed wa hoods options in the region. ment of the Lake Victoria Basin to the LVBC in realizing the vast invest- “Key among them are destruction Mwachai (Forestry and Wildlife) Forestry and Wildlife Ministry positively contribute to turning the ment opportunities in the region. of water catchment areas by human and Kenneth Lusaka (Livestock De- Dr. Noah Wekesa said all stakehold- region into an ideal social-economic Dr. Wekesa said the Lake Victoria activities, discharge of agro-chemi- velopment) and Kenya’s High Com- ers must be involved in the imple- growth zone. Basin continues to face a wide range cals, waste and refuse into the water missioner to Tanzania, Mr. John Mu- mentation of the strategy framework He invited the private sector and of environment threats and challenges bodies, loss of bio-diversity, water tinda. Jubilation as Wote civil servants house nears completion Sango installs By PETER MUTUKU The construction company, Unis- house in a secluded enclosure contain- sites have common parking bays, play- pan, moved onto the site immediately ing self contained servant quarters with ground for children and a basket ball CIVIL servants in Makueni District to commence work for the completion a parking bay and flower garden. court. The civil servants quarters will be solar panels in headquarters can now breathe a sigh of of the 203 units that were scheduled to The ten mansions will house top installed with water, power and modern relief as construction of their houses at be completed within a two year contract senior Government officers in the Dis- facilities including a solar water heating Siaya schools Wote town nears completion. between the ministries of Public Works, trict who will share a basket ball court system. The project also includes construc- housing and Unispan Building and Con- and parking bay for visitors. Over400 local youth have been By JOHN NYAMBUNE tion of the District Headquarters and struction Company. The second site, which is 300 me- engaged by Unispan, majority of who many civil servants in the area are now The housing scheme has been ters away from the DCs house, has 30 have been providing unskilled labour. A US-based non-governmental optimistic that they will soon have de- among the 224 Government housing maisonettes each with a three bedroom “We are also using local skilled organization, Sango Association, cent dwelling quarters in addition to bet- projects that stalled across the country. house that has a servant quarter and a workers,” says the engineer. has started installing solar lighting ter offices. Construction of 179housing units flower garden. The 30 houses are meant But the contractor faces a major panels in 15 primary and second- The housing scheme has dragged has so far been completed. for district departmental heads .This site challenge of water scarcity that has ary schools in Usonga location, for over 20 years and the works stalled Speaking at his office, the site man- accommodates a common basket ball forced the company to hire dealers to Siaya district. sometime in 1992 but revived when ager, Mr. Dexter Jhikas, says the units court and parking bay for visitors. ensure constant supply. The project During a recent visit, the or- President Mwai Kibaki’s came to pow- are in four categories, each on its site. The third and fourth sites which lie stalled in 1992 after the contractor with- ganisation’s chairman, Mr. Otieno er. The upcoming modern quarters situ- These include a one floor maison- adjacent to each other have two storied drew despite almost 90 percent of work Ochieng, said they will also sink ated adjacent to the district administra- ette on a quarter acre piece of land with flats of ten and 17 units respectively. having been done. five boreholes for the local com- tion block are set to accommodate over a parking bay and garden which will Each unit has six houses comprising two “Thanks to the Government over its munity at a cost of Kshs2 million 200 public servants. serve as the District Commissioner’s bedrooms. resolve to complete stalled projects. We courtesy of Rotary clubs of Bari- Hope in the project was revived mid residence. Mr. Jhikas says the third and fourth are soon shifting to decent houses,” said ton, in Chicago. He lamented over last year when the government released The DCs residence also houses ten sites will house middle level public of- Maxwell James, a youth officer working frequent power blackouts that in- Kshs800 million for its completion. other units, each with a four bedroom ficers, including security officers. The at the District Headquarters. terrupt learners’ concentration on studies, but was optimistic that the solar project would improve local education standards by giving By JOHN NYAMBUNE students more study time beyond EAC to speed up integration processes normal school hours. THE Ministry of East African Commu- Mr. Ochieng’, who was ac- nity has pledged to fast track three key only on their lives but also for the East tive (RRI) workshop was organized in the issues about arrests of truck drivers companied by a representative of areas of its integration mandate in the African Community integration proc- collaboration with the Public Service in Burundi while Tanzania is imposing the US District 13 Rotary Club, next three months. ess. Transformation Department in the office new standards on Kenyan goods,” said Mr. Larry Barnet, said a survey EAC Permanent Secretary David He said lack of awareness about the of the Prime Minister. A similar work- the PS. carried by Sango Association es- Nalo said the areas are the legislative processes involved in the implementa- shop was held last December. He urged bureaucrats to go easy on tablished that many pupils in rural framework to operationalise the Com- tion of the various stages of the East He said the RRI and results-based restrictions. “Many government depart- areas of Nyanza were disadvan- mon Market Protocol, increased public African Community integration was a management were introduced to fast- ments do not realize that some of their taged because most schools had and stakeholder awareness on the inte- major impediment. track the implementation of the new actions, although well-intentioned, in- no power to allow extra time for gration process and the elimination of “We must radically transform our Constitution using the RRI. stead cause hiccups for integration.” studies. non-tariff barriers. approach to creating awareness beyond On the controversy over the non- He said the EAC ministry would in Sango officials presided over Mr. Nalo said the ministry had al- the traditional means,” said Mr. Nalo. tariff trade barriers, Mr. Nalo said such the next few days roll out a massive sen- the installation of the first solar ready identified 27 pieces of legislation “We must involve all stakeholders barriers are on the rise even after many sitization programme to cover all the 47 panel at Dibuoro Primary School that require amending and aligning to in this exercise, the civil society uni- of them were eliminated when the cus- counties. where they told beneficiaries to the Common Market and the new Con- versities, Parliament and the ordinary toms union came into effect in 2005. Mr. Nalo thanked both the local ensure the facilities were used for stitution. wananchi. I look forward to creative “Practically every country is com- media for giving wide coverage to the educational purposes. Mr. Nalo said the Government had proposals to be executed over the next plaining about these barriers. Rwanda integration process saying the media has They said the union was also a duty to educate the citizenry on the 100 days,” he told participants at the is complaining about insecurity along been a true champion for its enormous sponsoring 38 needy students in implications of the new Constitution not ministry’s second Rapid Results Initia- the Northern Corridor. Kenya is raising support towards regional integration. various secondary schools The Link, March 2011 FARMING 27 Crops failure may lead to famine in Central Kenya Fishing project By JOSEPH MUKUBWA Meanwhile, the Ministry of Live- tion of about 35,000 herds of cattle and gions have not fully recovered from the gives hope for stock Development in the region re- 27,000 goats and sheep. 2009 drought,” said the director. CENTRAL Provincial Director for Ag- quires approximately Kshs1.1 billion to The drought has also affected aver- Warugongo says that in order to riculture Mr Joseph Gachingiri has said assist in the mitigation of adverse effects age milk production in the area which curb the situation, the department is car- coast youths that about 730,000 people in Central in the next two months. has gone down from 6 litres to 4 litres rying out intensive training for farmers Kenya are faced with starvation. The Central Provincial Deputy Di- per livestock with the prices of milk also on fodder conservation in form of silage By BEKADZO TONDO Gachingiri said the current drought rector for Livestock Development Mr expected to rise due to scarcity. and hay but currently there is no fodder season has affected 730,000 people out Theuri Warugongo said the department “The situation has been worsened or pasture to conserve. THE Economic Stimulus Fish of a population of 4 million in the re- intends to take mitigation measures by intrusion of herds of livestock from The department is also planning on Enterprise Programme is set to gion. since the rains are not expected until late other regions resulting to over utiliza- short interventions such as livestock off employ 45,000 workers from 15 He said inadequate rainfall in the March this year. tion of water and forage leading to en- take, emerging livestock feeding, and constituencies in coast region. lower parts of the region had resulted The affected areas have a popula- vironmental degradation since these re- restocking programmes. About ten people will be of- in total crop failure with farmers barely fered direct jobs in the construc- recording any harvests. tion of one fish pond. A total of The director noted that despite the 1, 300 fish ponds are set to be fact that the region had projected to constructed in every constituency produce 1.2 million bags of maize, only bringing the total to 4,500 ponds. 200,000 bags of maize are expected this According to the director of season creating a huge food shortfall fisheries development in coast re- due to crop failure. gion Mr. Nicholas Ndekethe, the Gachingiri who was speaking in Ny- ministry will offer special training eri town however noted that no drought to selected farmers to equip them related deaths have been reported. with knowledge on how best to The most affected areas include Thika undertake the project. East, Murang’a South, Kiharu, Kirin- Mr. Ndekethe says that his of- yaga South, Kieni East, Kieni West, ficers will offer the necessary ex- Nyandarua North, Nyandarua Central and Limuru (Ndeiya) which are mainly pertise in the construction of the ASAL lands. ponds and equipping them with The short rains ended prematurely in appropriate fingerlings based on mid December before maize and beans their suitability and needs of the had matured in the lower parts of the beneficiaries. province, which forms the main grow- The officer further says the ing area for the crops. stocking is to be done in the ap- “The yields will be drastically re- propriate rates and ratio as out- duced to five bags per hectare of maize, lined by aquaculture extension and one bag per hectare of beans during officers. the next harvest season. The water lev- Speaking during the official els in the rivers within the regions have launching of the pragramme in also decreased. I advise farmers to use four constituencies in Kilifi Coun- drip irrigation as it is more efficient and ty, the minister for fisheries devel- utilizes minimal amounts of water,” said Crop failure has been reported in many parts of Central Kenya like this farm in Nairutia in Kieni west opment Mr. Amason Kingi said the director. district. This will lead to low production in this season. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa the progamme will address food shortages in Kilifi county. Minister Kingi said his minis- try plans to put up cold rooms to Tana River County has potential to feed all Kenyans ensure that farmers do not incur By BRIGHTON KAZUNGU Mr. Bunu said there are four major rainfall patterns, low base farmer in- He says feeder roads should be im- loses. farming systems practiced in Tana River come that often leads to poor investment proved for the easier transportation of The minister said that Bahari, ALTHOUGH Tana River County has County such as rain-fed agriculture tak- in the activity. farm produce to markets. He said the Ganze, Malindi, Kaloleni and his enormous potential to feed her 240,000 ing place along river line and hinter- Other causes include illiteracy, land tenure system should move from Magarini constituency will benefit residents, drought and unpredictable lands. Irrigated agriculture is undertaken floods, poor road network, ethnic con- current communal and Government from the programme. weather patterns have frequently con- at Hola and Bura Irrigation schemes. flict, high prevalence of pests and dis- trust lands to individual ownership. The minister at the same time Traditional flood recession agricul- eases. Poor land tenure and lack of vi- Mr. Bunu says in order to mini- spired to subject the people to starvation. said the government was in the The district’s capacity to boost the ture along river Tana is practiced by the brant and well organized market groups mize the impact of prolonged drought, Government’s Strategic Grain Reserves, pastoral communities. have also been blamed for the low pro- production using pumps should be en- process of recovering grabbed fish has perennially been frustrated by poor Projects undertaken by the depart- duction of foods. couraged while irrigation potential of landing sites along the coastal re- rainfall patterns. ment are funded by the Government and The agricultural officer says in order Hola and Bura schemes should be maxi- gion. The Tana River District Agricultural donors. They are Njaa Marufu Kenya to achieve sufficient food production, mized. He notes that most of the sites Officer, Mr. Ahmed Haji Bunu, says the (NMK), National Agriculture and Live- there should be increased grassroots ex- He says wildlife-human conflicts have been grabbed by influential County has the potential to grow ade- stock Extension Programme (NALEP). tension approaches that involve women can be checked by initiating constant investors among them foreigners quate food, especially maize, that could The so called orphaned crops, are jointly and youth in decision making on invest- dialogue between various groups and and said all those sites will be re- feed the entire country. funded by NALEP-SIDA. ment and ownership. ensuring respect to private property. verted to the local fishermen. Mr. Bunu says soils are favourable Some of the groups that have ben- for the production of maize, cow peas, efited from Njaa Marufu Kenya fund green grams, rice, bananas and cassava. include Chewele bee keeping, Onduke # The conditions are also ideal for other youth group livestock trading, Kipini The SUBSCRIPTION FORM crops, including sim sim, coconut, sugar small-scale traders, while those that cane, cashew nuts and cash crops such have benefited from NALEP-SIDA pro- grammes are Nanighi and Biskidera. as mangoes, citrus, cotton and vegeta- LinkEnhancing governance for all bles. Mr. Bunu says NALEP seeks to Mr. Bunu says apart from the Hola fund agricultural activities as part of and Bura irrigation schemes, there are their efforts to eliminate food insecurity. 3,500 hectares of land with capacity to Project beneficiaries include Kileleng- Please accept my/our subscription to The Link for the period of ...... months produce five tones of maize per hec- wani group that is involved in oil crop tares. However, current production is promotion and extraction (sim sim). dating from ...... to...... just 1.8 tones per hectare. Another group is the Galole Broad I/We …………………….………………...………………… of P.O. Box...... ….…...... …… The Regional Development min- Based Community Organisation that ister, Mr. Fred Gumo, says cow peas is undertaking the Neem soap making Code ……...…… Town …...... ….…..….…Tel No.…….……...... …. Street ...... can be produced in 1,050 hectares but project. Mr. Bunu says the orphan crops current production is confined to only project involves cassava clean seed Building ...... Floor ...... Room No ...... Mobile ...... …… 185 hectares. He says the potential for multiplication where 2,000 cuttings are rice production stands at 800 hectares bought from Kari, Mtwapa and distrib- Email: ……...... have paid Kshs...... that can produce five tones per hectare. uted to farmers for multiplication. However, currently 160 hectares under The County has a poor record of (Attached, please find money order No ...... crop produces 0.6 tones per hectares. meeting the County’s demands of about Please send me ……...... ………....………..copies per issue every month. Mr. Bunu says bananas which are 27,000 metric tones of grains per year the staple food crop for the local com- only producing 12,000 tones. Signature and /or stamp of client/:...... …...… Date ...... munity has production levels at 350 Mr. Bunu attributes insufficient food hectares, with an output of 0.7 tones per production to unreliable rainfall, floods, Back issues No/Months: ...... hectare. drought and unpredictable weather pat- Potential production for mangoes is terns. Efficient mango production has Fill in this form and attach a postal money order of Kshs. 660 and post back to:- 1,500 hectares that can produce 50 tones been suffering because of poor road net- per hectare. However, current produc- work, leading to about 50 per cent loss. Institute for Civic Affairs and Development tion is 782 hectares capable of produc- The main challenges behind food P.O. Box 7438 - 00200 Nairobi ing 20 tones per hectare. shortage include inadequate and poor The Link, March 2011 28 FARMING Tea factories seek certification to sell in world market By JOSEPH MUKUBWA will also continue to seek and identify suitable parcels of land TEA Factories planning to ex- for tree planting in order to mini- plore the lucrative Global Mar- mize on costs,” added the Ragati kets will have to attain the Rain Tea Factory chairman Mr Eustace Forest Alliance Certification by Karanja. the year 2015. And due to high manufac- The certification requires -fac turing costs, Kanyago adds that tories to educate their workers plans by the factories and KTDA and farmers from their catch- to start Hydro power generation ments areas on various environ- at Gura River in Othaya were in mental practices that have been the final stages and the contractor stipulated in a charter the facto- will be working on site in the first ries are supposed to sign. week of April. Among the environmental “The Gura Hydropower conservation practices required Project was initially intended to include proper use of pesticides, produce three megawatts of elec- controlled cultivation along river tricity but we have been informed beds and restrained use of child it can produce five megawatts. labour. This is a joint project of Iria-ini, Kenya Tea Development Gathuthi, Chinga and Gitugi tea Agency (KTDA) Zone IV board factories,” adds Kanyago. member Mr. Peter Kanyago, while The Project was established to addressing farmers during the An- help cut the rising cost of power nual General Meeting at Gitugi used by the factories. It will also Tea Factory in Nyeri County said produce extra power to be sold to RIPFOM, an International Com- the national power provider Ken- pany that buys Kenya’s tea will ya Power and Lighting Company. not purchase tea from factories Recently, tea factories from which will not have acquired the the Region adopted a modern certification. technology of weighing green “Our buyers want to know the Tea farmers of Ragati Tea Factory in Mathira district during the AGM recently. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa leaf using Electronic Weighing steps we have taken in conserving Systems which the board member our environment and also improv- ones as the plantation farmers ries indicate crop production in- The whole of Nyeri County says has been well received by the ing our produce.” said Kanyago. have already introduced them,” creased last year than that of the which has about 30,000 tea farm- farmers. The Board member noted the added the board member. previous years but the KTDA ers was paid over Kshs 2.7 billion Other initiatives adopted by factories in Nyeri County were Among the five tea factories in board member says though pro- as the total returns last year. some of the factories include working to ensure they acquire the County, it is only Iria-ini Tea duction is higher, tea prices have Other factories include Ragati Fair Trade funded projects where the Certification before the dead- Factory which currently has the not been as good as last year urg- which received Kshs552 million farmers practice Bee Keeping and line to continue selling their pro- Rain Forest Certification. ing farmers to continue tendering and Gathuthi Kshs540 million. Fruit farming to boost their in- duce to the Company. “The factory is also Fair Trade, their crops to get more yields. Apart from Iria-ini and Ragati come. He said farmers from the re- ISO 9001 and 22000 and UTZ Last year, farmers in Chinga which have leased land to plant The activities were first -in gion had continued to deliver Solidaridad Certified,” added Tea Factory were paid Kshs616 trees for firewood, the other fac- troduced at Iria-ini Tea Factory good tea and advised them to the chairman of the factory Mr million for the green leaf deliv- tories are seeking to buy land for which is currently pursuing a bri- keep good crop husbandry to Hutchison Wanjohi. ered while Iria-ini and Gitugi Tea the same issue. quette making project. boost their production. Kanyago says the factory is factories paid Kshs553 million “The company has continued The briquette which is a com- Kanyago says Tea Research set to become the first to do value and Kshs 433 million respective- to develop the Luisoi farm by pressed biomass form of charcoal Foundation is in the process of in- addition of tea if plans by a UK ly which was about 70 per cent of planting more trees and putting in is intended to supplement the use troducing more viable clones that based company to buy tea directly the total revenue. place necessary infrastructure and of firewood in the making of tea. will yield more produce than the from the factory succeed. Reports from the three facto- it is expected that the whole farm Kanyago hailed the factory’s current ones. He added the plan would boost ries however indicate production acreage will be put under tree management for being in the front “We will advise our farmers to the income of the farmers. cost had increased last year com- plantation before the end of the line in embracing new projects. replace their old clones with new Reports from various facto- pared to the previous years. next financial year. The company Coffee production drops in Othaya due to heavy rains By JOSEPH MUKUBWA to 724.99 tonnes. Over 300 farmers attended the PROLONGED period of rainfall reg- meeting which was peaceful unlike istered last year led to lower coffee other years marred by violence. production in Othaya. The society is moving to the next The heavy rainfall led to poor level of value addition through acqui- flowering of the crop thus leading to sition of a commercial roaster, grind- drop in coffee production according to ing machine and packaging machine. Othaya Farmers Cooperative Society These will help to market coffee chairman Mr Newton Mwangi. at various supermarkets in the country Speaking during this year’s An- and selling of the coffee locally. nual General Meeting which was “I’m urging all the members to im- held at Approved School Grounds prove on quantity and quality coffee in recently, the chairman said the pro- order to take advantage of good and duction dropped from 3.6 million attractive prices in the market. Good Kilogrammes in the year 2009/2010 quality coffee is currently fetching to 905,137Kgs for 2010/2011 season. very high prices in the auction,” he The coffee was from the 19 coffee added. factories affiliated to the farmer’s so- By the end of the year, the society ciety which has about 15,000 farmers. will have computerized part of the About Kshs130 million has al- society especially the headquarters as ready paid to farmers for this season they now have five computers as part with Kamoko Coffee Factory fetch- of improving technology. ing Kshs48.95 per Kg of coffee which The management committee has was the highest price. entered into contract with members Average farmer was paid that in normal circumstances it will Kshs35.37 per Kg. always pay 80 per cent of the net in- The society purchased their own come received from the marketers af- milling plant last year from Brazil and ter the reduction of the milling charges has milled all the coffee parchment and the society to retain 20 per cent for Othaya Coffee Farmers enjoy coffee from the Othaya Farmers Coffee Mill during this year’s AGM of Othaya Coffee Farm- and Mbuni for 2009/2010 amounting operations. ers Cooperative Society at Approved School Grounds recently.. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa The Link, March 2011 29 FEATURE Lake Vitoria facing imminent death By JOHN NYAMBUNE RI) that has monitored the grooving health hazards posed by both human AFRICA’S largest lake is under siege, waste and other pollutants. with life-sustaining waters and fish “One hundred per cent of car increasingly polluted by sewage, in- washers are schistosomiasis infect- dustrial waste and chemicals. ed,” says KEMRI’s Diana Karanja. The lake and the 30million peo- “It’s very rare to find somebody in ple, who rely on it in Kenya, Tanzania good health among the people dealing and Uganda, face an uncertain future with the lake. Most of the residents as the contaminants abet countless are sick.” diseases and cut fish catches as water Schistosomiasis, bilhazia, cholera, levels fall for various reasons. pneumonia, diarrhea and skin diseas- “In terms of water quality and es are among the water-borne or abet- quantity, the situation is bad and ted illnesses that afflict Lake Victoria worsening,” said Ladisy Chengula, a residents with increasing frequency, natural resources management spe- health officials says. cialist for the World Bank. “We don’t And the human excrement ex- know where it will end up”. pelled into the lake from Kisumu car The Presidents of Kenya, Tanza- washers is by far one of the least of nia and Uganda have jointly called the pollutants. for action to reverse the trend but that “Millions of liters of untreated will require an indeterminate amount sewage sludge flow into the lake of study. Along a beach in Kisumu, every day from major urban centres Kenya’s third-largest city, no fewer along the lake shore.” The UN en- than 500 vehicles a day are soaped up vironment Programme (UNEP) said and scrubbed down by some 300 car of Victoria in its 2006 assessment of washers, leaving effluent to drain into East Africa’s lakes. This contamina- the lake despite a ban on the activity. tion, coupled with chemical and fer- Car wahsers clean vehicles inside Lake Victoria. “I know that I’m polluting the lake tilizer run-off from lakeside industry but I have no alternative job,” says and agriculture, has had a devastating amount of sediment going into the result of a vicious cycle, saying the subsistence and commercial fishing. Patrick Otieno, who for the past three effect, contributing to a disturbing rise lake because of deforestation from more people need the lake to survive More than 80 per cent of the popu- years has washed cars here, earning in anoxia, lack of oxygen, in the lake people who need firewood,” he said. the less they will respect the precious lation is engaged in agricultural pro- daily wages of about Kshs.300. water, it said. Over the past four years, the wa- and fragile nature of its resources. duction as small-scale farmers and “I have to eat at the end of the “Nearly half of the lake floor cur- ter level of Lake Victoria has ebbed The falling lake levels are affect- livestock owners. The low water lev- day,” the 29-year-old says, thankful rently experiences prolonged anoxia by 1.5 meters (five feet), bringing it ing East Africa’s economy. els have begun to affect Uganda and for having a job in a region where the for several months of the year, com- to only 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) Providing potable water, hy- Kenya’s electricity supply, prompting unemployment rate hovers at 30 per- pared to the 1960s when anocia was above the lowest-recorded level in droelectric power and inland water unprecedented power cuts. cent. Mr. Otieno, his car-washing col- localized and sporadic,” UNEP said. 1923. transport, the lake also supports many Uganda has resorted to severe leagues and others who work on the “The sanitation is becoming Some researchers have accused industries, such as agriculture, trade, power rationing, with some areas beach number about 1,000 – and they alarming,” says a geology lecturer at Uganda of diverting water from riv- tourism, wildlife and fisheries. having electricity for less than five toil all day in an area with just a single a local university, who co-authored a ers and streams that feed Victoria for The lake basin serves as a major hours in a day. Ugandan industrial- public pay toilet. UNEP report and has called for hefty hydroelectricity but many say blame source of employment for an estimat- ists predict harder times ahead for the “People are using alternative bush increases in fines for polluters. for the lake’s poor health is due to a ed 30million people. industrial sector, saying escalation in places,” says Erick Muok of the Ken- “Another major problem is the variety of factors, including poverty. About three million people are operation cots will force them to shut ya Medical Research Institute (KEM- Karanja believes the drop is a engaged, directly or indirectly, in down, costing thousands of jobs.

Another project that is set to ben- efit under UN-Habitat programme is the Kisii water supply through which The irony of water crisis in Kisumu the Government projects to boost Ke- gati water services at a cost of Kshs.70 By JOHN NYAMBUNE es by funding projects to supply clean with a mandate to improve water and the Board is required to reduce, by drinking water for Kisumu County sanitation infrastructure at commu- half, the number of residents without million. “This will increase the supply THERE are many ironies in Kenya, residents. nity level through the identification access to clean water by 2015, one of to 12,000 cubic meters per day and the and Kisumu is one of them. The town The UN agency has mobilized of challenges frustrating efforts to the Millennium Development Goals project was expected to be ready by and its environs sit on the shore of the rural communities of Kisumu to sink achieve adequate water supply to resi- (MDGs). August 2010 but delayed due to cir- world’s second-largest fresh water 50 wells at strategic schools, 20 bore- dents adjacent to Lake Victoria. Mr. Ochieng pointed out that cumstances beyond the Board’s con- lake, Lake Victoria, yet it is among holes and 200 shallow wells in the The Board was mandated to tackle Koru dam, located in Muhoroni Dis- trol,” he says. the many areas that suffer an acute Western Kenya region. the challenges which for decades had trict (formerly Nyando), is one of Mr. Ochieng says Kshs.800 million shortage of clean drinking water. But Other development partners have led to massive water shortages and the projects whose target is to tackle will go towards the expansion of Bon- thanks to concerted government ef- also chipped in with a Kshs13 billion poor sanitation. It was also required to persistent flooding and water sup- do and Sakwa water supply and the forts supported by development part- grant in liaison with the Government deal with water supply issues, the lack ply problems in rural areas served by Sidindi/Malanga supply expansion to ners, Kisumu has started enjoying a to enable Lake Victoria South Water of which led to waterborne diseases LVSWSB. “Other areas to be covered cover up to 2032 at a cost of Kshs.8000 reliable supply of clean water. Services Board (LVSWSB) supply such as cholera, typhoid, diarrhea and by the programme include Bomet, million through ADB funding. The United Nations Children’s clean water for domestic and other bilharzia. Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Homa Bay, “Under the Nile Basin Initiative Fund (Unicef) has stepped in to assist uses. LVSWSB Chief Executive Officer Siaya and Bondo, among others,” the in Bomet through funding by Neth- curb the spread of water borne diseas- LVSWSB was established in 2004 (CEO) Mr. Michael Ochieng said that CEO said recently at LVSWSB of- erlands, LVSWSB has mobilized fices in Nyalenda. Kshs.1.6 billion from which Kshs.600 The project serving Kisumu million will boost supply in rural areas County was built in 1965 to provide and Kshs.1.2 billion will target urban water to the expansive area until 2005. areas,” he says. The expansion of However, the infrastructure’s capac- Kisumu supply has started in earnest ity has been overstretched by the fast with the rehabilitation of Dunga uptake growing population. and intake plant completed. Mr. Ochieng’ said that in Kericho, “This will tremendously boost the infrastructure requires upgrad- Kisumu water supply by 24,000 metric ing to cope with the rising demand cubic meters per day, thus the City is for water for the next 20 years, add- assured of water supply 24 hours every ing that working with development week,” he said. partners since 2005 has enabled the The company will construct huge company to mobilize huge amounts of storage reservoirs, a new sewerage resources. plant and repair Nyalenda and Kisat “In Kericho, Kshs1.3 billion has ponds to facilitate anticipated supply. been allocated to expand projects in “LVSWSB will use the Kshs.2.8 Kericho, Keroka and Isebania through billion and a further Kshs.3.4 billion funding from the African Develop- to ensure sustainability of the supply ment Bank (ADB), while Migori has without hitches up to 2032,” the CEO received Kshs.800 million,” says Mr. said. Ochieng. “We also received funding Mr. Ochieng was optimistic, saying from German government to upscale that Kisumu water supply will hit the water supply at Timbilil, Nyahera, 45,000 cubic meters per day mark, up Kisii, Ugunja, Sega and Ukwala at a from current 21,000. LVSWSB targets Residents wash vehicles along the shores of Lake Victoria. cost of Kshs.3.5 billion,” he says. 48,000 cubic meters by 2032. The Link, March 2011 30 REGIONAL NEWS

NEMA told Orphans graduate at to lift ban on sand Kaheti Youth Polytechnic harvesting

By JOSEPH MUKUBWA By PETER MUTUKU THIRTY-SIX students mostly or- SAND harvesters in Mwingi phans have graduated at the newly District want the ban imposed refurbished Kaheti Youth Poly- by National Environmental technic in Mukurwe-ini District. Management Agency (NEMA) The students who are mostly lifted. orphans and vulnerable children The harvesters who include received certificates, tools and Mwingi Town Council and equipments to start their work im- Mwingi Sand Harvesters Co- mediately after graduation. operative Society argue that Youth and Sports Assistant the ban had adversely affected Minister Kabando wa Kabando their operations as they had who is also the area MP presided collectively lost direct income over the colorful ceremony at the amounting to Kshs300,000 polytechnic hall. they have been collecting as The course was sponsored by revenue. non-governmental organizations The Town Council chair- which include USAID through man, Mr. Felix Musya APHIA II and Vision Garden Nzung’u, says his authority which paid for the upkeep includ- had lost an average of Kshs0.2 ing purchasing tools and equip- million it has been collecting ments presented unto them. on a weekly basis as cess. More than Kshs2 million has Meanwhile , Mwingi Sand been used in the institution by Harvesters Cooperative Socie- these sponsors. ty Secretary Charles Ndambu- The Government through the ki says the union had lost up to Ministry of Youth and Sports sup- Kshs100,000 it has been rak- ported the institution since last Youth Assistant Minister Mr Kabando wa Kabando (right) awards graduands of Kaheti Youth ing in on weekly basis from year by giving Subsidized Youth Polytechnic with a certificate and one equipment each in Mukurwe-ini during the graduation of the the sale of sand to transporters. Polytechnic Tuition (SYPT) funds polytechnic recently. Photo/Joseph Wambugu Cllr Nzung’u said although which have gone a long way in the harvesting ban was feasible enhancing academic and develop- self reliant and supportive as that it will continue to get support money sourced from parents and due to adverse environmental ment activities in the institution. they now have income generating from the Government since it is urged the Government to at least degradation caused in the past The graduands were urged by projects. We shall also be moni- helping the orphans and vulner- post two Government paid in- five years, it had destabilized the chairman to use the knowledge toring them to see how they are able students in the society. structors. the council’s financial base. and skills they have gained to ad- continuing with their work,” said The chairman of the Board More funds are also needed to He says the council initi- vance their future careers. Kabando. said the main challenge is paying enhance development in the facil- ated the sand harvesting ban in “The graduands will now be Kabando assured the institution salaries to the instructors from the ity. consultation with Nema with hopes that with the March and May rains, the multi-million enterprise would resume once the council resumes tax collec- Ukambani mango farmers get market advice tion. By PETER MUTUKU The NGO’s mission is to help the apple mango variety which should She says she was optimistic the Ndambuki says the harvest- small entrepreneurs to build ventures be preserved for export at about Government through the Horticul- ing and selling ban had effec- TECHNO-SERVE, a nonprofit or- that create income for them and their Kshs15 which is low compared with tural Crops Development Authority tively denied the 12 permanent ganization, wants mango farmers in families. what the same would fetch at the in- (HCDA) and other relevant agencies staff of Mwingi Sand Harvest- Ukambani region to stop selling their She says local farmers had for ternational market,” she said. were working to strengthen the mar- ers Cooperative and the 600 produce to agents but deal with out- long not enjoyed economic returns She said Tommyatins and Ngow ket for mangoes by creating linkage people working as casual la- lets that offer better prices. from the venture yet most of them that are the other two high grade va- between the lot and the lucrative mar- bourers a source of livelihood. “With the onset of the harvesting produced high quality mangoes fit for rieties were fetching as little as below ket outlets locally and internationally. He has expressed fear that season, you should avoid dealing with export to international markets. Kshs5 and utmost Kshs10 which was Ms Biashara was presiding over the ban was likely to lead to in- brokers and instead come together in She attributes the problem to lack outright cheating. Production of local the official launching of the new creased cases of crime as those groups and target reliable buyers, in- of reliable market and over exploita- breeds such as Batawi, Sabre, Peach, Mwala Mango Farmers Association who used to work in the quar- cluding juice manufacturing firms tion by agents who offer farmers de- Harries and Dodo had diminished be- in Mwala town which has a member- ries are likely to try out dishon- and honest individual mango traders pressed prices but resold fruits three cause most farmers had adopted graft- ship of 1,400 farmers. The growers est means of eking out a living. who are ready to offer you reason- or four times higher in Nairobi and ing to enhance quality. are drawn from Masii, Mbiuni, Mwa- The Sacco boss has ex- able price for the popular fruit,” Ms surrounding urban centres, thus mak- She accuses the agents of taking la and Kathama areas. pressed concern that the coop- Jane Biashara , a representative of the ing huge profits. advantage of farmers ignorance and The farmers lamented at the mas- erative stands to lose heavily NGO in Mwala District. “Agents are buying grade one of impoverishment to exploit them. sive exploitation by middlemen and and may not give annual divi- commended efforts by stakeholders dends due in March. to revamp the subsector. “We ap- He said the union members preciate the Government efforts and normally collect dividends of those of techno-serve for coming up between 30 and 40 percent of with strategies to ensure we get reli- their shares. able market for our produce and pro- Mwingi District Nema of- duction of quality fruits which meet ficer in charge, Ms Patricia standards at the lucrative global mar- Wambua, in collaboration with kets,” Mr. Kennedy Muli Kivai who the provincial administration was picked as the chairman of the banned sand harvesting in Jan- forum. uary following public outcry Techno-serve has trained groups over massive sand harvesting of mango farmers on productivity, resulting in the shortage of wa- marketing and venturing into new ter as drought sets in. outlets and has provided them with a The residents said harvest- list of 40 potential buyers. ing activities had led to de- Mr. Kivai says in Kangundo and struction of seasonal rivers Makueni districts, the farmers were from which they collected wa- most affected by exploitation by bro- ter for domestic and livestock kers for failing to join cooperative use especially during the dry societies where they could bargain for spell. Mango farmers in Ukambani to sell their produce to better offers. better prices. The Link, March 2011 REGIONAL NEWS 31 Tobacco Mugeni’s declared world Committee formed to inspiring grass leading killer to grace story By PETER MUTUKU resolved sugar rows By NYAKWAR ODAWO TOBACCO is said to be among By JOEL JUMA County requires more factories that company went to court to contest over WHEN Margaret Mugeni, 49, lost her the leading causes of preventable can create employment and also im- the issuance of the crushing license. husband who was the sole breadwinner deaths as it kill about five million A CAUCUS of five MPs from prove the economy of the residents The farmers led by James Barasa sixteen years ago, her life turned into a Kakamega County has been formed adding that shutting down Butali will urged Government to resolve the mat- wade in murky waters. She woke up to the people globally on a daily basis. to end legal battles between Butali work against the spirit of implement- ter arguing that their livelihoods are at reality of the void and was suddenly faced It is estimated by the year Sugar Mills and West Kenya Sugar ing policies of Vision 2030. stake with the unending court battles with enormous task of raising her seven 2020, tobacco related deaths Company. The Mps said that cabinet minis- between Butali and West Kenya Sugar children single handedly. will reach 10 million in Kenya The legislators want to have the ter Soita Shitanda was applying con- Company. The untimely death of her husband, alone, where smoking preva- disputes between the two companies frontational methods , which will not “Our Government should move a former Warrant Officer with the Kenya lence in men is estimated at 19 Army, in 1994 inspired her to venture into resolved to stop the suffering by the restore harmony among the two inves- in and protect us. We are tired of con- economic activities to make ends meet. percent and less than one percent cane farmers who have invested in the tors. tinuous court cases,” they said. Today, Margaret who is the chair- in women. sugar industry. Shitanda who is the minister for A three-judge bench, comprising lady of a community based organization A survey on tobacco use MPs Ben Washiali of Mumias and Housing was reported to have said of High Court Judges Jeane Gacheche, known as Busibwabo Widows and Or- among school going children Manyala Keya of Lurambi are lead- that he will lead farmers to demon- George Dulu and Daniel Musinga re- phans HIV/AIDS Women group is smil- conducted by the Global Youth ing the talks aimed at ending the woes strate against West Kenya Sugar Com- instated extensions orders barring the ing all the way to the bank after an ambi- Tobacco (GYTS) in 2007 indi- facing the stakeholders of the sugar in- pany following their decision to block newly opened factory from operating. tious project they set up bore fruit. cates that 13percent of children dustry in the Malava and Lugari sugar Butali from crushing cane, barely a The court order now stays in place The group which is made up of are smokers. Out of the total, zones. month after the machines were com- until the petition by West Kenya Sugar twenty members with sixteen of them “We shall include the provincial missioned by Prime Minister Raila Company is heard and determined in being women and four men are currently 15.8 percent are boys and 10 per- engaged in poultry keeping which has cent are girls. administration in resolving the dis- Odinga. April. Washiali said that they have en- Residents now want the Govern- helped boost their income. Margaret says There are other national prev- putes as Kenya sugar Board has failed the group was formed in 2003 with the listed services of MPs David Were ment to stop investors from undermin- alence surveys that have been in its mandate,” said Washiali. aim of consoling bereaved women fol- Washiali and Keya explained that (Matungu), Cyrus Jirongo of Lugari ing development of the region. lowing the demise of their spouses. conducted, including the GYTS they want to reach out on the manage- and Moses Wetangula from Sirisia to “This is like taking us for a ride. of 2001, GSHS in 2003, KHDS “Most of us had thought that after the ment of West Kenya with a view to assist in the arbitration process. Some of our children have already demise of our spouses who were the sole 2003, Nacada in 2004 and 2006. withdrawing the cases against Butali The Mps were speaking in secured employment at the firm while breadwinners, we would become beg- All the surveys indicate ris- in Court so that the matters can be set- Kakamega town following reports some of us benefited from the first gars,” says the chairlady, adding that the ing levels of Tobacco use among tled by leaders from the County. that Butali Sugar Company has Kshs7million pay cheques given to group has strengthened and even encour- Kenyans and school going chil- They explained that Kakamega stopped crushing cane after the rival over 100 farmers,” said Baraza. aged them to work even harder towards dren in particular. their survival. “At the moment, we are The surveys by the authori- engaged in poultry keeping with financial support from the Ministry of Agriculture tative anti drug crusaders were sponsored Njaa Marufuku Kenya which all in agreement that tobacco is has advanced Kshs102,000 to the group,” a drug of first abuse among chil- adds the chairperson. dren and young people in Kenya. She says the project has bailed them Tobacco acts as a gatekeeper out of poverty and over-dependence on drug and many users graduate handouts from well-wishers especially from the drug to hard substances. politicians who have always taken advan- tage of their situation to manipulate them Other studies have shown to- for their own selfish interests. bacco production and consump- Margaret says her husband died when tion has led to deaths, disability, her first- born son was just about to join diseases, environmental degra- form one, but is quick to add that since dation, poverty and exploitation she joined the group she has been able to of women and child labour in pay school fees for her son who is now Kenya. at Egerton university undertaking a com- puter science course whereas others are in A recent study by Nacada has various secondary schools in the province. revealed that the most common- Another member, Lillian Vihenda, ly abused drugs in Kenya include the group secretary on her part lauded the alcohol and tobacco products. project saying she, too, has been able to “Current trends in alcohol educate her children, buy uniforms since and drug abuse point to a bleak the demise of her spouse a few years future if nothing is not done to back. One of the beneficiaries who gave her names as Margaret Oduori said dur- reverse the scenario,” says Ag- ing the December festive season she man- grey Busena of Nacada. aged to raise Kshs60,000 after selling ten The official told a recent cocks . “The money helped me complete workshop on development of our brick house that had stalled since the curriculum on alcohol and sub- death of my husband five years ago,” says stance abuse that there was ur- Sugarcane farmers in dilemma due to row over two factories. Margaret Oduori, adding that the project gent need to incorporate drug has changed her life a great deal. abuse prevention and manage- ment in efforts to stem the rising tide. He says there was rising use of drugs, including tobacco, bhang (Marijuana), miraa (Khat) Magnam to weed out hyacinth and heroin. About 1 percent of the popu- By By NYAKWAR ODAWO ous schools and the local commu- with an inlet that allows mature fish Magnam Environmental Network lation use bhang, with the high- nity to come up with environmen- to return to the lake without any is currently engaging the Korando est population in Coast Province. A COMMUNITY Based Organi- tal interventions such as awareness hindrance. community in tree planting exer- Busena says alcohol con- zation (CBO) has embarked on a campaigns, market cleanups and The group members are also ap- cises. tree planting among others. pealing to the government and es- “We have also initiated an ur- sumption has gone up to 17 per- process to remove water hyacinth on the shows of Lake Victoria. “The group members have con- pecially the Kenya Anti-Corruption ban forestry approach to the resi- cent over the 2003-2007 period, structed a community water point Commission (KACC) to move with dents of Kisumu on a pilot basis while a study in Nairobi schools The Magnam Environmental Network, is also engaged in a next to the blocked lake where speed to help end illegal fishing. where we encourage the planting indicates alcohol initiation age villagers draw water for washing “Officers from the fisheries of fruit trees,” the group coordina- had gone as low as 12 years. campaign that seeks to implore the community on the need to and domestic consumption. The department have continued to con- tor said, adding that it was high Over 15 percent of youth aged water point is a great relief to the travene the fisheries Act by issuing time the Lake Victoria Environ- 16-17 have consumed alcohol. embrace sustainable methods of fishing to help conserve the envi- local community especially at this licenses to those engaged in the il- mental Management Programme The official urges Kenyans to ronment. time that a large proportion of the legal vice,” they said adding that (II) considered working with the take part in the campaign against The group’s coordinator water mass is covered with water corrupt illegal Beach Management community based organization the substance and consider it a Michael Otieno Nyaguti says that hyacinth and hippo grass weed,” Unit (BMU) committees have con- in collaboration with the beach serious issue since consump- since inception, the group has Otieno says, adding that the water tinued to operate with impunity. management units (BMUs) in the tion of drugs was destroying the been working closely with vari- point also serves as a fish sanctuary, Otieno at the same time said that region. youth. The Read The Link monthly for issues affecting communities LinkEnhancing governance for all across Kenya The Link, March 2011 CIA draws list Nyeri tea farmers paid billions of Kilifi women By JOSEPH MUKUBWA leaders ABOUT 30,000 tea farmers in By BEKADZO TONDO Nyeri County last year were A CIVIL society organization has de- paid a total of Kshs 2.7 billion veloped a data base for potential women from the sale of their crop. leaders in Kilifi and Mombasa counties. The data availed during a workshop This is the total income for women leaders at a Kilifi hotel re- that the farmers got in form of vealed that about 220 women leaders monthly proceeds and the end have so far been identified of the year payments common- The data base developed by Com- ly known as bonus in the year munity Aid International (CIA) was mooted to empower women leaders which ended last June. to contest for the many political seats The farmers were from the outlined in the new constitutional dis- five tea factories which include pensation. According to CIA executive Ragati, Chinga, Iria-ini, Gath- director Mr Joseph Kwaka, the data uthi and Gitugi tea factories who base will form the basis through which strong women leaders will be propelled delivered the green leaves to the into positions of power both at the local factories. and national levels. KTDA Zone IV board mem- Mr Kwaka said the data base con- ber, Mr Peter Kanyago, said this tained educational background of the is one of the highest amount paid listed women, their work experience and therefore making it easy to refill any to farmers in the recent past. available opportunities where women Speaking during the Annual are required. “We have many educated General Meeting at Ragati Tea women in the province with adequate Factory in Mathira district, Kan- capacity to hold senior positions in the yago said Ragati farmers were government and political scene but due to lack of a data base, they have not ben- paid Kshs552 million. efitted,” said Kwaka. Chinga Tea Factory received Women leaders who spoke includ- the highest amount of Kshs 616 ing the former chairlady of Kilifi town million, Iria-ini got Kshs 553 KTDA Zone IV board member Mr Peter Kanyago (right standing) with directors of Ragati Tea Fac- council Asha Karisa said that women million while Gathuthi was paid tory in Mathira district during the factory’s AGM recently. Photo/Joseph Mukubwa hardly benefitted from leadership posi- tions despite forming the large number Kshs 540 million and Gitugi farmers 75 per cent this year. average manufacturing cost of of voters during general elections. Kshs433 million. Karanja told farmers that due Kshs 60.63 per Kg for the previ- “The crop Former Deputy Director of the Ken- “The crop production was to high manufacturing costs, the ous year. There was an increase ya Airports Authority Ms Naom Sidi, high due to the favourable cli- factory is joining hands with of cost by Kshs11.33 per every production was challenged women voters to support matic conditions and about 70 their own to enable them capture the other factories from Kirinyaga kilogramme of made tea,” noted high due to the available elective political positions in per cent of the total revenue was County in order to produce hy- the chairman. the Kilifi County. She said the data base paid to the farmers,” said the dropower. The Hydro power During the meeting which favourable climatic created for potential women leaders will board member who is also the project is expected to take two was held under tight security, conditions and about serve as reference point for the govern- chairman of Chinga Tea Factory. years. one of the directors Mr Evan ment and other organizations seeking to Ragati Tea Factory chairman fill in positions with qualified women “The manufacturing costs Mwai was endorsed to continue 70 per cent of the leaders. Mr Eustace Karanja said the fac- increased last year. The aver- serving as a director until his She insisted that parents must accord tory’s 8,000 farmers were paid age manufacturing cost for the term is finished despite stiff op- total revenue was equal opportunities to all their children 71 per cent of the total revenue year was Kshs71.96 for every position from a cross section of paid to the farmers.” to help secure their future especially the and the factory plans to pay kilogram of made tea against the farmers. girls who are currently disadvantaged in the region. USAID unveils massive aid for Nyanza, Western By JOSEPH OJWANG cies to strengthen health care services locals,” he said. in December 31, 2015,” he says. Dr. able to reach the entire vulnerable throughout the two provinces. Speaking during the launch of Misore also noted that this is USAID’s group in the two provinces regardless USAID has disbursed Kshs120 bil- Misore says that studies have the program in Kisumu, Misore an- largest health investment to Kenya un- of where they are. “These two prov- lion to improve health care system in shown that diseases such as HIV, nounced that the project will also der the US President Barrack Obama’s inces are hit by numerous diseases and Western Kenya. malaria and tuberculosis are causing improve home and community sup- Global Health Initiative. majority of the locals live in abject The five year project under AIDS, greater suffering and death in West- port program for people and families He noted that APHIAplus will poverty. It will be upon us to come in Population and Health Integrated As- ern Kenya than any other part of the infected and affected by HIV/Aids, in- build on the systems already created and improve on their lives,” he said. sistance (APHIAplus) will cover all country. cluding orphans and other vulnerable by APHI II Nyanza that ended last USAID Office of Population and districts in Nyanza and Western prov- He says that they will also improve children. He says that the new health year after successful work. “We are Health director Lynn Adrian says the inces. The project aims at improving and expand civil society activities to project for comprehensive health not new, what we are going to do is to health care project is very elaborate and expanding sustainable facility increase healthier behaviors, includ- service delivery was awarded to the built on the already existing avenues and seeks to improve access to health based services for HIV, TB, reproduc- ing prevention programs that target programme for Appropriate Technol- created by APHIA II Nyanza that has care services and strengthen the ca- tive health, family planning, malaria populations at higher risks. “We are ogy in Health (PATH) to improve the come to an end,” he said. pacity of communities to manage their and maternal child health. set to meet community based organi- health of Kenyans in the Western re- He announced that they will pur- own health. Adrian says that USAID Western Kenya APHIA plus di- zations and youth groups in every gion of the country. chase three motor boats to be used in has redoubled their effort to assist the rector Dr. Ambrose Misore says they district to integrate them in our work “PATH and its partners will imple- Lake Victoria to reach far flung areas government in ensuring that they meet will work closely with the govern- to enable us have bottom up approach ment the APHIAplus project in West- in Islands within the lake. the Millennium Development Goals ment and non governmental agen- in improving health care system to the ern and Nyanza provinces which ends Dr. Misore says that they will be on health by the year 2015.

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The Link, March 2011 14 SPECIAL REPORT New National Construction Authority to rein in corrupt contractors

INTRODUCTION development, improvement and expansion of the con The construction industry in Kenya has over the HE National Con- struction industry struction Authority is l Advising and making years been turned into a conduit for swindling anchored by an Act recommendations to the tax payers of billions of shillings. Shoddy and un- of Parliament, 2010. Minister on matters affecting TThe Act introduces a relatively or connected to the finished work due to inflated construction costs new concept that sets out basic construction industry underpin the sector, infiltrated by shadowy con- requirements for the registra- l Undertaking or tion of contractors, the stand- commissioning research tractors. This has prompted the Constituency De- ardization and improvement into any matter relating to velopment Fund (CDF) board to enlist the support of construction techniques and the construction industry materials, accreditation and l Prescribing the of anti-corruption commission to recover substan- certification of skilled construc- qualifications or other tive amounts of money lost through poor work- tion workers and construction attributes required for site supervisors. At the outset, registration as a contractor manship. However, the newly established National the Authority has powers to, under this Act Construction Authority is bound to change all that among other, things blacklist l Assisting in the exportation rogue contractors and promote of services connected to the by providing legal and institutional frameworks for the industry writes the establishment of construc- construction industry our Sub-editor FAITH MUIRURI. tion companies. l Providing consultancy and The Authority comes into advisory services with force as the Kenya Anti Cor- respect to the construction ruption Commission (KACC) industry reviewing and (iv) Accrediting and and construction site hires six engineers to work with l Promoting quality coordinating training certifying skilled supervisors the Kenya National Highways assurance in the programmes organized construction workers Authority (KeNHA) to monitor construction industry by public and private and construction site (ii) Imposing fees or any other quality countrywide. l Encouraging the accredited training supervisors charges as it deems fit in standardization and centres for skilled respect of any of its Functions improvement of construction workers Powers of the Authority functions or powers with Section 5 (1) empowers the au- construction techniques and and construction site Section 6(1) is explicit on the the approval of the Minister thority to oversee the construc- materials through : supervisors powers of the Authority which of Public Works tion industry and coordinate (i) Initiating and (iii) Accrediting and range from: (iii) Establishing or expanding its development. Further, other maintaining a registering contractors (i) Awarding certificates or promoting the functions as specified under construction industry and regulating their of proficiency to establishment or expansion Section 5 (2) include: information system professional contractors, skilled of companies, corporations l Promoting and stimulating (ii) Providing, promoting, undertakings construction workers or other bodies to carry on any activities related to construction either under the control or partial control of the Authority or independently (iv) Receiving, in consideration of any services that may be rendered by it, such commission or payments as may be agreed upon with any person

Composition The Authority is to be run by a board comprised of (a) Chairperson to be appointed by the Minister from any of the following institutions l Architectural Association of Kenya l The Institution Engineers of Kenya l The Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya l Law Society of Kenya l The Federation of Master Builders l The Kenya Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors l The Roads and Civil Engineering Contractors Association Other members are to include (b) The Permanent Secretaries in the Ministries of Public Works, A section of road under construction. A National Construction Authority is to be set up to regulate construction industry. Roads, Local Government and

The Link, March 2011 SPECIAL REPORT 19 New National Construction Authority to rein in corrupt contractors

the Treasury (c) Seven members drawn from the Architectural Association of Kenya, the Institution Engineers of Kenya, the Institute of Quantity Surveyors of Kenya, Law Society of Kenya, the Federation of Master Builders, the Keny Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors and the Roads and Civil Engineering Contractors Association (d) A representative of groups with special interests Registration as a contractor.

All contractors are to be registered by the Board under this Act. To become eligible for registration, contractors must (a) Have minimum technical qualifications and skills prescribed by the Board in respect to the contract under which registration is sought (b) Have the necessary experience prescribed by the Board in Contractors on the spot over shoddy work. regard to construction, erection, installation, alteration or any other activity if the firm: register must indicate, in respect edged by the Registrar. the Board in question (a) Intends to be present in to every person or firm: The law requires that the con- (c) Has contravened the (c) Have professional and general Kenya only for the purpose tractor responds to the complaint regulations or bylaws of conduct which in the opinion of carrying out the (a) The date of registration filed against him through an af- the Authority (b) The Physical and postal fidavit within a specified period of the Board, makes them specified work. address of time. Section21 (6) gives un- Appeals Board suitable to be registered under (b) Has a certificate of Section 25 (1) provides for the compliance from the (c) The registration number equivocal rights to the contractor this Act (d) The class of works for to appear before the Board and establishment of a National Con- (d) Have the necessary plant and Registrar of Companies struction Appeals Board. showing that prior to which the person is to be heard either personally or equipment for the category of registered through his advocate. The Board to be appointed by the works for which the entering Kenya was Minister for Public Works is to trading as a contractor in (e) The capital and other However, a contractor who de- registration is sought. financial resources fies summons against him com- comprise of: the capacity which satisfies (f) Tools, plants and mits an offense and is liable upon (a) A chairperson who must be an advocate of the High The Board may refuse to register the Board equipment conviction to a fine not exceeding Court a contractor if: (c) Has lodged an affidavit (g) The key managerial, Kshs10,000 or to imprisonment (a) The contractor does not meet with the Board to the (b) A person with professional professional or technical for a term not exceeding one year knowledge and experience specified conditions effect that once the and other personnel or both. in architecture, quantity (b) Is a member of a consulting contracted works are (h) Names and qualifications Upon the completion of in- completed and the period surveying, engineering, firm providing architectural, of directors or partners quiry into the alleged misconduct building surveying or quantity surveying or of defects liability or who are technically of any contractor, the Board has a maintenance has elapsed, project management engineering services, unless qualified or experienced leeway to: (c) A person nominated by the the person is authorized to it shall wind up business in the relevant works as (a) Caution the contractor Charted Institute of seek such registration by the and not engage itself in the prescribed by the Board (b) Direct the contractor as it Arbitrators respective registration board construction business (i) In the case of an may deem appropriate in (c) Is a person whose registration within Kenya individual, his the circumstances The National Construction as a contractor shall result (d) Has the necessary plant qualifications or skills and (c) Direct that the registration Authority Fund in conflict of interest with his and equipment for experience of the Contractor be In order to guarantee employer category of works for (j) The annual turnover of suspended as it may sustainability, section 32 (1) construction activities specify which the registration is provides for the establishment (k) The duration of (d) Direct the name of the Further, Section 16 (4) outlines sought of a fund. The fund will draw its registration contractor be removed revenue from: that upon registration, the person Section 17 (2) directs that the (l) The type of registration from the register is to be issued with a certificate of (a) The budgetary provision by Board may require an applicant the government registration indicating the registra- Suspension under this section to appear be- Inquiry by Board (b) The charges levied on tion number, the class of works for fore it and produce documentary The Board has powers to institute Section 22(1) empowers the Board to suspend contractors if: contractors on services given which registered, the date of regis- evidence of its competence in ex- an inquiry into the conduct of a by the Authority (a) convicted of an offense tration and duration of registration ecuting construction works prior contractor either out of its own (c) Such moneys or assets as Another important feature that to its entry in Kenya. initiative or in pursuit of a written under this Act may accrue to or vest in the relates to registration focuses on Further, the Act places an ob- complaint lodged before it alleg- (b) found guilty of any Authority in the course of the accreditation of firms incor- ligation on the Registrar who is ing professional misconduct act or omission amounting the exercise of its powers or porated outside Kenya. Section expected to keep and maintain Section 21 (2) provides that to improper, disgraceful the performance of its 17(1) stipulates that the Board is to registers of contractors approved the Board notifies the contrac- conduct or gross functions under this Act allow such companies to carry out by the Board. tor of the complaint against him professional misconduct (d) All proceeds from the levy after due inquiry held by construction works in Kenya only Section 18(2) provides that the through his last address acknowl- imposed by the Appeal Board.