KBC Channel 1

Author: Eric Biegon

  • President Ruto: We shall implement guaranteed minimum returns

    President Ruto: We shall implement guaranteed minimum returns

    The Government will implement the Guaranteed Minimum Returns programme as pledged.

    President William Ruto said this will ensure that farmers earn a stable income even when market conditions are adverse.

    It was his desire to see farmers profit from their economic activities.

    “We must break the poverty cycle that is associated with farming in our country,” he argued.

    The Head of State was speaking on Saturday during a public meeting in Karatina, Nyeri County.

    “We want agriculture to be transformed into a profit-making venture so that our farmers can earn more.”

    He said the move will be supported by the Government’s deliberate plan to invest in agro-processing and value addition.

    Earlier, the President, who is on a five-day working tour of Mt Kenya, opened the Githurai Market and commissioned the Ruiru-Juja and Greater Githurai Water Project.

    The project is expected to serve more than 500,000 people in Ruiru, Githurai, Mwihoko and Kahawa.

    In Kirinyaga, he launched the Kagio Water Supply Project before commissioning the Marua-State Lodge Road in Karatina.

    “The sustained supply of water for irrigation in Kirinyaga will increase rice acreage by 10,000 and boost production,” he added.

    On his way, he made stop-overs in Githurai, Juja, Kenol, Makuyu, Kambiti, Makutano, Kagio, Baricho and Kiburu.

    In the meetings, the President explained that the bipartisan talks were not meant to give birth to a Handshake or sharing of positions in Government.

    Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretaries Moses Kuria, Alice Wahome, Zacharia Njeru, Governors Kimani Wamatangi (Kiambu), Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a), Anne Waiguru (Kirinyaga) and MPs led by Majority Leader Kimani Ichungw’ah were present.

  • CS Nakhumicha says NHIF rates will drop to Ksh. 300 starting September

    CS Nakhumicha says NHIF rates will drop to Ksh. 300 starting September

    The Cabinet Secretary for Health Susan Nakhumicha has announced that starting September, contributions to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) will have reduced by Ksh. 200, as part of the reforms being made to streamline the health sector.

    The CS who was in Bungoma County indicated that the budgetary allocation to the sector in the current financial year will enable her Ministry to institute the much-needed reforms including revamping of maternal services and medical logistics all across the country.

    “President William Ruto’s government is doing a lot in the area of health. Two months from now, NHIF rates will be revised from Ksh. 500 to Ksh. 300. This financial year Ksh 4.1 billion has also been allocated to support the Linda Mama program,” said Nakhumicha

    Nakhumicha said the Kenya Kwanza government is actively reforming the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) alongside NHIF while also equipping community health promoters.  She said the initiatives are aimed at improving healthcare services and accessibility in the country.

    Nakhumicha claimed a lot had gone wrong in the Ministry of Health by the time she was appointed to lead it citing corruption and mismanagement. She said there are ongoing initiatives to bring order back to the sector and Kenyans will soon see changes.

    “When I joined the Ministry of Health, I found a huge mess. I immediately moved in to clean the rot at KEMSA and things are back in good order there. I am also streamlining NHIF and soon the Fund will have a new CEO,” Health CS, Susan Nakhumicha

  • Chinese embassy gets new deputy head of mission as Zhao Xiyuan’s tour of duty ends

    Chinese embassy gets new deputy head of mission as Zhao Xiyuan’s tour of duty ends

    Zhao Xiyuan’s time as Minister Counsellor and China’s Deputy Head of Mission in Nairobi has come to an end. Zhao has been Beijing’s second-highest-ranked diplomat in Kenya for the last four and a half years.

    During a farewell dinner held in his honor at the embassy on Friday, Zhao was celebrated for playing an important role at the embassy to strengthen ties between Nairobi and Beijing. He was praised for helping to channel much-needed support to Kenya during the covid-19 pandemic period.

    During the pandemic period, Zhao disclosed that he personally felt the support and expectations from the Kenyan people for China-Kenya friendship.

    “What I cannot forget forever is while fighting covid-19 together, we donated medical equipment to Kenya and helped some Kenyans in Guangzhou, China, at the beginning of Covid-19,” Zhao Xiyuan told the congregants who included other diplomats, government officials, elected leaders, media practitioners, business executives, scholars among others.

    While lauding the existing diplomatic relations between Nairobi and Beijing, he said the Swahili proverb “Akufaaye kwa dhiki ndiye rafiki” best describes the value of friendship between the two sides. He said the 60 years since the establishment of Kenya-China diplomatic relations has been an extraordinary journey that is worth recording and commemorating.

    “The 60 years have witnessed our deepening mutual trust expanding pragmatic cooperation strengthening the bond between the Chinese and the Kenyan people. I wish Kenya-China relations flourish in the future,” he said

    According to Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Zhou Pingjian, Zhao played an important role in strengthening China-Kenya relations during his time in Nairobi.

    “Everybody has played a good part in this but definitely, Mr Zhao has done a lot in promoting our friendship and cooperation. Out of the more than four years that he has been with us, three years we were in the pandemic, that was a huge challenge,” said the Chinese envoy

    As a second-in-command at the embassy, Ambassador Zhou noted that Zhao has numerous tasks on his shoulders, but he executed them all with excellence and professionalism.

    “We appreciate you. You have done a good job. I really admire you,” the ambassador told the outgoing diplomat, even as he praised his ability to create links and develop networks both in government, the private sector, and communities.

    “I was in his position before as deputy head of mission and Minister Counselor. You have done a much better job than me. You have friends from all branches of the government, the media, academia, and all walks of life in Kenya and the UN system” he said

    Zhao Xiyuan’s position at the embassy will be taken up by Mr Zhang Zhizhong who previously served in Asia and America.

    In his speech, Zhang said he was happy that Kenya was his first country of posting in Africa and promised to continue the good work done by his predecessor Zhao Xiyuan.

    “I feel very proud to be here as a diplomat. An old Chinese saying that says Amity between people holds the key to sound relations between states” he said of his plans to promote people-to-people exchanges between Chinese and Kenyans

    He expressed satisfaction as a diplomat that Kenya was an important part of the Chinese-sponsored Belt and Road Initiative and that the relations between the two countries have seen profound progress.

    “I already feel the great responsibility on my shoulders but I am confident that, led by our Ambassador Zhou and with all your support, I will do my best to strengthen our bilateral relations and strongly believe that we can make the future days right,” the new Minister Counselor said

    Ambassador Zhou Pinjian said Zhang belongs to a new generation of Chinese diplomats.

  • City Hall conducts review of amended County Alcoholic Drinks Control Licensing Act

    City Hall conducts review of amended County Alcoholic Drinks Control Licensing Act

    The Nairobi Liquor Control and Licensing Section of the Business and Hustlers Opportunities Sector, this week led by the County Executive Maureen Njeri and representation from the County Attorney’s office, reviewed the amended Nairobi County Alcoholic Drinks control licensing Act 2014 at a workshop in Naivasha.

    Maureen Njeri, the County Executive, Business and Hustler Opportunities said the team spent time analysing and synthesizing the proposed amendments; Prepare a final draft amendment bill for presentation to the County Executive Committee Members for approval and to review the public participation report on zoning of areas for operation of night clubs.

    “We used the opportunity to engage and agree on mechanisms that ought to be put in place to ensure improved efficiency in the delivery of services to Nairobians by the entire liquor control and licensing team.” She said

    City Hall says the team spearheaded by CECM Njeri managed to; Finalise amendments to the bill and synthesize and make recommendations of the public participation reports on night clubs zoning and rehabilitation centers. This will create an opportunity to better align and streamline structures for the Liquor Licensing operations and ensure an efficient legal framework for Liquor control and licensing as well as a better framework for multi-sectoral approach to handling noise pollution issues from liquor outlets.

    “Equally we will ensure all the related sectors are defined in the review of the Act and are adequately engaged in the implementation for effective operations. Hence the involvement of all relevant sectors of the county will be critical in enhancing service delivery and streamlining operations; especially in lieu of the forthcoming decentralization of services through the

    Five Administrative Boroughs (Central,East, West, North and South),” said County Executive for Boroughs, Mr Patrick Mbogo,

    Participants included teams from Nairobi County; County Executive Boroughs and Administration,  Mr. Patrick Mbogo, Mike Rabar, The Liquor Board Chair, Zipporah Mwangi, County Chief Officer, Business and Hustler Opportunities, Rhoda Otieno; Director, Liquor Control and Licensing Section, NACADA, The  County’s  Planning, Public Participation and Environment departments, County Attorneys’ office and a Consultant.

  • Ultra-high altitude wind farm in southwest China’s Xizang connects to grid

    Ultra-high altitude wind farm in southwest China’s Xizang connects to grid

    A wind farm built at an altitude of 5,000 to 5,200 meters connected to the grid on Thursday in Shannan Prefecture, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, making it the highest wind plant in China so far.

    In wind projects, a plant built at an altitude of 3,500 to 5,500 meters is considered as ultra-high, according to its developer, the China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG).

    With an installed capacity of 72.6 megawatts (MW), the project will generate 200 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually after completion, which can meet the demand of some 140,000 households for a year.

    Located in the northern foothills of the Himalayas, the plant is the first wind power project to be connected to the power grid of the Xizang Autonomous Region.

    Technical difficulties 

    The power available in the wind is directly proportional to air density. As air density decreases on the plateau, the available power also decreases, Wang Liang, who is in charge of the project at CTG, told China Media Group (CMG).

    Wang said that they choose to use turbines with a single-unit capacity of over three MW, of which the largest capacity reaches 3.6 MW, to increase wind farm energy output.

    The 3.6 MW turbine has a rotor diameter of 160 meters, about 20 meters longer compared with those used in other regions, and the swept area increased by nearly 30 percent, he added.

    The wind turbines can adapt to high altitude, ultraviolet, lightning and low temperature, so they could be operated stably for a long time under harsh natural environments, according to Wang.

    Ecological protection 

    Since the ecological environment on the plateau area is relatively fragile, Wang said that they have taken environmental protection into consideration, striving to minimize the impact from the beginning of the design to road selection during construction, and topsoil protection and restoration after construction.

    He said that they had planned to build 22 turbines, but only built 15 to use the land intensively.

    The power-transmission collection line, which is connected to each wind turbine and the incoming switchgear at the low-voltage side of the booster station, has been designed to bypass grassland to better protect pastures.

     

  • PS Korir leads initiative to unlock decades-old land dispute blocking expansion of Kericho town

    PS Korir leads initiative to unlock decades-old land dispute blocking expansion of Kericho town

    Lands and Physical Planning PS Generali Nixon Korir on Saturday spearheaded a process to resolve the decades-old Chelimo squatter problem which had blocked the expansion of Kericho town.

    The PS, who was joined by Kericho Governor Dr Erick Mutai and Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, was in Kericho County to hold consultative meetings with residents aimed at creating consensus before the planned resettlement process begins.

    The PS and the County leaders held a public gathering where an agreement was made for the formation of a task force to start working immediately to identify and settle the genuine squatters.

    Addressing the public gathering at Chelimo, PS Korir said settling the genuine squatters will create the space required for the expansion of Kericho

    “I thank the Kericho area leaders led by Governor Mutai and  Senator Cheruiyot for making the baraza a success and putting to an end the dispute that has lasted for decades,” said PS Korir.

    Dr. Mutai said public participation is key for the development of the country.

    “I am happy for the positive response from Chelimo residents who are in support of the Government’s affordable housing plan. We are going to use this opportunity of the municipality expansion to provide a lasting solution to the residents,” said the Governor.

    National Land Commission Chairman Mr. Gershom Otachi, who was in the company of the PS, said he is committed to working closely to ensure disputes over the land are resolved quickly and amicably.

    Earlier in the day, the PS held meetings with County political leaders and National Government Administration officers.

  • Kenya Kwanza-Azimio Dialogue: Ruto says he won’t be arm-twisted by Opposition

    Kenya Kwanza-Azimio Dialogue: Ruto says he won’t be arm-twisted by Opposition

    Remarks made by top Kenya Kwanza leaders in Kiambu County on Saturday appear to have yet again thrown into limbo the yet-to-begin dialogue between the ruling party and the opposition.

    The leaders led by President William Ruto argue that amid push to have structured talks between the Majority and the Minority side they won’t be arm-twisted by the Raila Odinga-led coalition into a formation of a unity government.

    Addressing residents of Kiambu County at the start of his five-day tour of Mt. Kenya, President Ruto reiterated that Kenya is a democratic country but one that must abide by law. He promised not to succumb to what he described as constant threats from the Opposition.

    “I have told the Opposition that the threats they were issuing in order to get a share of government will not work. And I will be so tough on them (Azimio),” said the President.

    His allies amplified the same massage and even went ahead to ask him to reject all attempts to meet the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition leaders. They claimed the opposition was keen to use the talks to find a way into government.

    “As Kenya Kwanza we won’t allow any Handshake. No one will join our government through the back door. We are asking you Mr. President to abandon this dialogue (with opposition) and work for the people of Kenya,” charged Kiharu MP – Ndindi Nyoro during a stopover in Githurai

    National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah who was picked to spearhead talks from the side of Kenya Kwanza declared that the ruling party will not entertain talks to consider co-opting members of Raila’s camp to Ruto government.

    “As we go into negotiations with our friends in Azimio, we want to tell them we are discussing how to end violence in our politics. We will discuss how they will accept election results. I can assure you that the dialogue we will have with Azimio will be about Kenyans. We will not discuss anything about sharing government or individuals and their interests,” said Ichung’wah.

  • German group establishes East Africa’s biggest water pumps assembling plant in Kenya

    German group establishes East Africa’s biggest water pumps assembling plant in Kenya

    Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome presided over the grand opening of the Wilo East Africa Assembling plant in Nairobi.

    The Wilo Group is a multinational technology group and one of the world’s leading premium suppliers of pumps and pump systems for building services, water management and the industrial sector.

    CS Wahome said she recognizes that the private sector has a pivotal role to play in complementing the efforts of the government and other stakeholders.

    The Cabinet Secretary further expressed optimism that introduction of such plants will be a game-changer in the journey toward efficient water management.

    “By partnering with companies like Wilo, Kenya is not only revolutionizing water services but also stimulating economic growth and job creation,” she said

    Wilo group is already collaborating with Nakuru water service providers on an ongoing energy performance project.

    “Through the replacement of old pumps, this project aims to reduce the utility’s energy bill significantly, translating into cost savings that can be reinvested into further improvements in water infrastructure and services,” said the CS

    Wahome says the establishment of a training center within Wilo East Africa’s assembly plant, providing opportunities for young Kenyans and East Africans, to access training and skill development programs, is a remarkable step towards building a skilled workforce for the water sector.

  • Chinese envoy calls for efforts to address root causes of food insecurity

    Chinese envoy calls for efforts to address root causes of food insecurity

    A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the international community to address the root causes of food insecurity.

    “In order to resolve the food crisis, the international community must focus on the root causes and conduct a systematic review of the situation,” said Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN).

    The most severely affected victims of the food crisis are, without exception, developing countries, he noted.

    “Food insecurity is essentially the result of insufficient and unbalanced development worldwide, and a concrete manifestation of the development gap between the North and the South,” he told a UN Security Council open debate on famine and conflict-induced global food insecurity.

    “It is closely related to the longstanding, unjust and unreasonable food production and trade system and the global governance system as a whole. The international community should address both the symptoms and root causes, improve rules and regulations, and take comprehensive measures to achieve the goal of zero hunger in 2030 as planned,” he said.

    The Chinese envoy urged developed countries to cancel unreasonable agricultural subsidies and adopt reasonable monetary policies, reduce the impact of factors including imported inflation and exchange rate fluctuations on food security in developing countries.

    He also called for efforts to remove the restrictions of unilateral sanctions on food production and exports, combat speculative capitals and price monopoly, and to build a safe, stable and mutually beneficial industrial and supply chain system.

  • Kenya to host sixth African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices conference

    Kenya to host sixth African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices conference

    The Parliament of Kenya is set to host the Sixth Annual Conference in Mombasa later this month. The forum which is held in conjunction with the African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices (AN-PBO) will be coordinated by the Parliamentary Budget Office and is expected to focus on experience sharing on how the power of the purse can be used effectively to tackle Africa’s development challenges and the future of Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBOs).

    Delegates expected to attend the event which is scheduled to be opened by the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Moses Wetang’ula, come from countries in Africa and across the world, including those with PBOs and representatives of international organisations supporting legislatures’ oversight of public funds.

    Top of the conference’s agenda will be deliberations on the global economic outlook.

    This discussion is informed by the fact that the global economy is grappling with a web of complex challenges as countries attempt to rebuild and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Further, Geopolitical conflicts have surged from the ongoing war in Ukraine to the conflict in Sudan.

    This session will discuss how fiscal policy can respond to the economic vulnerabilities exposed by the crises and the role of fiscal oversight in ensuring transparent and responsible financial management as the call for greater accountability and fiscal prudence continues.

    Given  that the  knowledge of Members of the Legislatures varies across the world and that the PBOs have a crucial role to play in enhancing the fiscal oversight and technical capacity of legislative members in processes involving Budget or Money Bills, the Conference has scheduled a session on ‘The role of PBOs in supporting Parliament processes with Budget or Money Bills Amendments’ . During this session, Speakers will  lead presentations on how they have supported their Parliaments in this regard.

    The conference is also scheduled to hold discussions on Managing public debt and fiscal sustainability in times of uncertainty.  This discussions comes in the wake of countries witnessing  a decline in the state of public finances over the past few years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic instabilities. The session is set to cast a spotlight on effective public debt management, including balancing borrowing for growth and ensuring fiscal sustainability and how this is pivotal in determining a country’s financial health and resilience in uncertain times.

    The conference scheduled to run from scheduled to run from August 27 to September 1, 2023 will also focus on the nexus between Public participation by country citizens acting as individuals or represented through civic societies in national budget processes and its crucial place in upholding democratic principles and promoting transparency, accountability, equitable public resource allocation and trust in government processes.

    The AN-PBO is a platform for African Parliamentary Budget Offices and similar institutions to share ideas and experiences about strengthening support for parliamentary fiscal oversight.