KBC Channel 1

Author: Martin Mwanje

  • Africa calls for global action to combat climate change

    Africa calls for global action to combat climate change

    Africa has called for collective global action in resource mobilisation for both development and climate action.

    African leaders challenged the global community to honor its commitments citing the Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact.

    The pact dictates that no country should ever have to choose between development aspirations and climate action.

    Led by President William Ruto and AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki, the leaders urged development partners to align their technical and financial resources towards promoting sustainable utilization of Africa’s natural assets.

    The declaration was made on Wednesday at the Africa Climate Summit, KICC, Nairobi, dubbed The African Leaders Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change.

    “We call upon the global community to act with urgency in reducing emissions, fulfilling its obligations, keeping past promises, and supporting the continent in addressing climate change,” read a statement.

    Presidents Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Julius Maada (Sierra Leone), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia), Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (Djibouti), Isaias Afwerki (Eritrea) and Idriss Deby (Chad) and DRC Congo Prime Minister Sama Lukonde Kyenge were present.

    Others were First Lady Rachel Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Angola Vice President Esperança da Costa, Namibia Vice President Nangolo Mbumba, Commonwealth SSecretary-GeneralPatricia Scotland, former Nigeria President Olusegun Obasanjo and 66 ministers from different countries.

    The African leaders appealed to world leaders to consider the proposal for a global carbon taxation regime.

    The leaders also called for affordable and accessible finance for climate-positive investments.

    President Ruto challenged the global community to address unjust international development financial institutions and governance frameworks.

    He said reforms in the multilateral financial architecture and the mobilization of adequate financial resources were vital to the continent’s well-being and the success of climate action.

    “We have challenged the international community to exercise a level of imagination in governance and climate action that is commensurate with the imperative to overcome the immense existential challenges of our time, ” he said.

    The President observed that Africa’s vast resources makes the continent the future of climate action and green industrialisation.

    He cited the continent’s incomparably young, resilient and motivated human capital, natural resource wealth and green energy potential assets that will drive the future.

    Dr Ruto described the Africa Climate Summit as a success citing the move by governments, the private sector, multilateral banks and philanthropists to commit $23 billion for green growth, mitigation and adaptation efforts across Africa.

    The Nairobi Declaration, he added, has set the stage for a new phase in the global climate action and sustainable development agenda.

    “We have demonstrated to the world what we have and what we can do and also asked the world for what we need and what the global community can do,” he said.

    Mr Faki said the Nairobi declaration has been endorsed unanimously, demonstrating the continent’s desire to mitigate climate change.

    “The Africa Union will work out a road map for the implementation of this declaration,” he said.

    He called on African leaders to continue pushing for climate justice, concrete action and honouring of commitments.

  • Africa has spoken, President Ruto says as 3-day Africa Climate Summit ends

    Africa has spoken, President Ruto says as 3-day Africa Climate Summit ends

    The inaugural Africa Climate Summit ended Wednesday in Nairobi with the host President William Ruto expressing confidence that the climate action that has been the clarion call by African leaders for the last three days has been heard far and wide.

    And by the time the echoes of that clarion call populate every corner of the globe, African leaders hope there will be a paradigm shift in terms of how the delicate issue of climate financing is handled going forward.

    In particular, it is hoped that developed nations will unleash the power of their purse and avail the much-needed resources to developing nations to help them nip the effects of climate extremes in the bud.

    “We call upon the global community to act with urgency in reducing emissions, fulfilling its obligations, keeping past promises, and supporting the continent in addressing climate change,” African leaders urged through the Nairobi Declaration.

    They are in particular calling for the acceleration of all efforts to reduce emissions to align with goals set forth in the Paris Agreement,  the commitment to provide $100 billion in annual climate finance honored as promised 14 years ago at the Copenhagen conference, commitments to a fair and accelerated process of phasing down coal upheld and all fossil fuel subsidies abolished, and the Loss and Damage facility agreed at COP27 operationalized swiftly.

    Further, they are calling for climate-positive investments that catalyze a growth trajectory, anchored in the industries poised to transform the planet and enable African countries to achieve stable middle-income status by 2050.

    For them, Africa possesses both the potential and the ambition to be a vital
    component of the global solution to climate change since it is home to the world’s youngest and fastest-growing workforce, coupled with massive untapped renewable energy potential, abundant natural assets and entrepreneurial spirit.

    “Our continent has the fundamentals to pioneer a climate-positive pathway as a thriving, cost-competitive industrial hub with the capacity to support other regions in achieving their net zero ambitions,” they said.

    A collective resolution and message that President William Ruto says has been well articulated by the leadership of the continent.

    “Africa has spoken. We have articulated clearly the way forward for our continent and the world,” President Ruto remarked as the three-day conference attended by over 15 Heads of State and Government came to a close.

    “Our needs, priorities and commitments are clear, and so too are the tasks and responsibilities of the global community. We must seize this opportunity to rewrite the narrative of climate change to include Africa’s leadership, resources and ability to make a difference.”

    Already, the fruits of their coming together to champion a common course are beginning to manifest.

    Stakeholders in the just concluded first of its kind summit have pledged $23 billion (Ksh 3.4 trillion) to African countries in what is evidently a major boost to the fight against effects of climate change.

    President Ruto says the amount will go towards green development, mitigation and adaptation efforts across the continent.

    Other notable gains include a $4.5 billion commitment from the UAE to boost renewable energy, substantial contributions from European nations, and significant investments from private sector entities like Masdar, PowerGen, Leapfrog, Cross Boundary and Husk Power, emphasizing renewable energy initiatives.

    “The Nairobi Declaration, our common stand and firm resolution, reaffirms our determination and sets the stage for a new phase in the global climate action and sustainable development agenda, giving the future of socio-economic transformation a distinct and affirmative African character,” noted President Ruto who also heads the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change.

    During the three-day summit, African Heads of State agreed to lead the way in finding sustainable solutions to the climate crisis and expressed their intention to collaborate with developed nations while also reminding them of their climate action commitments.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ODM NEC resolves to expel five ‘rebel’ MPs

    ODM NEC resolves to expel five ‘rebel’ MPs

    The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ODM Party has resolved to expel five of its lawmakers that it considers renegade from within its ranks.

    The Raila Odinga-led Opposition party says the decision was reached after the said lawmakers “defied party position and for gross misconduct.”

    Legislators shown the door for their dalliance with the ruling Kenya Kwanza administration are first time lawmakers Felix Odiwuor of Lang’ata and Prof. Tom Ojienda who won Kisumu County Senatorial seat with a landslide in the last election.

    Also not spared the axe are Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo, Gideon Ochanda of Bondo and Suba South MP Caroli Omondi.

    Omondi has unapologetically averred that he doesn’t need the ODM party to retain his seat come the 2027 polls.

    “The NEC has resolved to expel from the party Hon. Elisha Odhiambo (Gem), Sen. Tom Ojienda (Kisumu), Hon. Gideon Ochanda (Bondo), Hon. Felix Odiwuor (Lang’ata) and Hon. Caroli Omondi (Suba South) for defying party position and gross misconduct,” said the ODM in a statement after the party’s top decision-making organ met Wednesday.

    Today’s NEC, convened by Raila himself, has now instructed the ODM to initiate the process of removing the five lawmakers from the party register.

    The lawmakers in question mounted a strong defence against accusations of gross misconduct when they earlier appeared before the party’s disciplinary committee.

    It would appear their pleas of innocence fell on deaf ears.

    Signs of looming trouble for the lawmakers were evident once they begun becoming guests of State House in a move that was interpreted in some quarters to mean they were slowly shifting their political allegiance.

    Despite being roundly condemned within the ODM ranks, the lawmakers have maintained that they will work with the government of the day in a move they say is meant to catalyze development in their areas of jurisdiction.

  • CJ Koome: SRC, Controller of Budget impeding administration of justice

    CJ Koome: SRC, Controller of Budget impeding administration of justice

    The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the Controller of Budget (CoB) are some of the stumbling blocks to the quest by the judiciary to ensure administration of justice in the country.

    Chief Justice Martha Koome accuses the Lyn Mengich-led SRC of meddling with the mandate of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) contrary to the law established.

    “The SRC has encroached on the JSC’s mandate under Article 172(1)(b) of the Constitution which is to ‘review and make recommendations on the conditions of service’ of the staff of the Judiciary, falling outside remuneration and benefits for State Officers,” submitted CJ Koome in a speech delivered on her behalf by her Deputy Philomena Mwilu during the 2023 Annual Judges Colloquium held at a Mombasa hotel Wednesday.

    She also accuses the Controller of Budget of erecting unnecessary barriers that have paralyzed efforts to operationalize the Judiciary Fund.

    “The Judiciary Fund is not operating optimally as envisaged by the Constitution due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and roadblocks erected by the Controller of Budget.”

    CJ Koome who also doubles up as the President of the Supreme Court says the judiciary is already in talks with the said institutions with a view to resolving the ensuing misunderstandings in line with the Constitution.

    However, the challenges that confront the judiciary are not exclusively external.

    Internally, the Chief Justice says challenges relating to enhancing public confidence and trust still abound.

    “One of the emerging areas of complaints that we are dealing with at the JSC and Office of the Judiciary Ombudsperson relates to predictability and consistency in judicial decisions…Where a court makes no effort to strike a balance between predictability and flexibility, public confidence in the judiciary is eroded; and often this is seen as a decision arrived at for considerations other than the facts, evidence or statute,” CJ Koome told the judges drawn from all courts countrywide.

    “We need to be aware that the litigants we serve are an enlightened lot; scrutinizing determinations on every issue and the findings of other courts on the authorities cited.”

    Other internal challenges relate to delay in delivery of judgement and failure to avail judgments promptly to litigants after pronouncement.

    She appealed to judges to always strive to adhere to the stipulated statutory timelines for delivery of judgments to litigants immediately after pronouncement.

    The judges, she added, must also endeavor not only to interpret the law but to infuse it with the spirit of social transformation as envisaged by the Constitution.

    The Annual Judges Colloquium is organized and hosted by the Kenya Judiciary Academy (KJA).
    It brings together Judges from all courts in the country and provides a forum for dialogue and reflection on topical issues affecting the Judiciary, key developments in the law and emerging jurisprudence from the courts.
    It also provides a platform for introspection and feedback from the Judiciary’s stakeholders.
    This year’s Judges’ Colloquium is themed: The Judiciary’s Role in Realization of the Social Transformation Promise of the 2010 Constitution: Looking Back, Holding Ground and Forging Ahead.
  • Children displaced by climate crisis in Kenya in 2022 seven times higher

    Children displaced by climate crisis in Kenya in 2022 seven times higher

    At least 187, 000 children in Kenya were rendered homeless due to climate shocks at the end of 2022.

    The number is seven times higher when compared to the 27,000 children that were displaced by climate-induced disasters the previous year.

    Save the Children says the number could be much higher, as these figures are only from the four Northern counties of Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit na Turkana.

    The organization’s Country Director for Kenya and Madagascar Yvonne Arunga has termed this trend as worrisome.

    “The impact of climate shocks on children is very worrying. When children lose their homes, they lose almost everything: their access to healthcare, education, food, and safety. They also lose the building blocks for mental and emotional stability and wellbeing, like a sense of routine, their friends, and the right to play,” she said at a time policy makers are meeting in Nairobi this week to discuss solutions to the climate crisis at the Africa Climate Summit.

    According to the analysis of data from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, some of these children were displaced multiple times, while others only once, but all remained displaced from home at the end of the year.

    The climate shocks forced the displaced to live in camps with extended family, or other temporary arrangements.

    Regionally, the number of new internal displacements throughout the year across sub-Saharan Africa in 2022 due to such disasters was three times higher than the previous year, with 7.4 million new displacements reported in 2022 compared to 2.6 million in 2021.

    Save the Children says the figure counts the times people were displaced – sometimes multiples times for one individual – even if they were able to return home by the end of the year.

    This is the highest annual number of new displacements from climate disasters ever reported for the region, as the impacts of consecutive climate shocks have begun to sink in and both the resilience of the land and the coping mechanisms of communities become exhausted.

    The figures a clear indication that the rights of children in Kenya and across the region are being eroded at an alarming rate by the impacts of the climate crisis.

    “These figures are enough to bring anyone to a standstill and hopefully will spur leaders at Africa Climate Summit to wake up to the experiences of children across the region, acknowledge that the climate crisis is having a disastrous impact on their lives, and act urgently to factor in children’s needs and rights into the much-needed response,” said Arunga.

    She says with the El Niño weather pattern taking hold, causing even more extreme weather events and pushing up global temperatures further, it is likely that this figure will increase this year.

    In the Horn of Africa, El Niño is historically associated with above-average rain during the October to December rainy season.

    According to a report earlier this year by the Children’s Environmental Rights Initiative, Save the Children and partners, just 2.4% of key global climate funds can be classified as supporting child-responsive activities, despite more than a billion children being at extremely high risk of the impacts of the climate crisis.

    “We need to urgently scale up climate finance and support adaptation measures that protect children from the worst effects of climate change. We must also ensure that children have access to essential services such as education and healthcare, regardless of their displacement status,” urged Arunga.

    The analysis show that African countries have contributed the least to the climate crisis, with the smallest share of global greenhouse gas emissions of all the world’s regions.

     

  • Climate action key to combating climate extremes, says UN Boss

    Climate action key to combating climate extremes, says UN Boss

    Deadly climate extremes can only be averted if the international community joins hands in amplifying climate action.

    While he is on record warning that the era of global warming has ended and the era of global boiling has set in, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres is oozing with optimism that it is still possible to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

    This optimism can only translate into reality with a quantum leap in climate action, he says.

    “The people of Africa — and people everywhere — need action to respond to deadly climate extremes. First — we need far greater climate ambition, with countries hitting fast-forward, and massively accelerating action to limit temperature rises and impacts,” said Guterres when he addressed the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi Tuesday.

    The UN Boss is of the view that the largest emitters must lead the charge, in line with Climate Solidarity Pact and Acceleration Agenda.

    On the other hand, developed countries must commit to reaching net-zero emissions as close as possible to 2040 — and emerging economies as close as possible to 2050, with support from developed countries to do so.

    He says the time is nigh for the world to end the use of fossil fuels and invest in a just and equitable transition.

    “We need to see credible plans to exit coal by 2030 for OECD countries — and by 2040 for the rest of the world. We need ambitious renewable energy goals in line with the 1.5 degree limit,” he told the well-attended gathering that included at least 15 Heads of State and Government.

    “And we must bring affordable electricity to everyone on earth — particularly in Africa — while simultaneously reaching net-zero electricity by 2035 in developed countries and 2040 elsewhere.”

    And he did not end there. The UN Chief told the participants of the three-day event that there was need to ensure climate justice if these targets are to become a reality.

    According to Guterres, there is need for developed countries to present a clear and credible roadmap to double adaptation finance by 2025 as a first step towards devoting at least half of all climate finance to adaptation.

    “They must also keep their promise to provide $100 billion a year to developing countries for climate support, and fully replenish the Green Climate Fund.”

    At the start of the Africa Climate Summit Monday, speaker after speaker cried foul terming lack of financing to be Africa’s key impediment to the ongoing efforts to combat the effects of climate change.

    Guterres used the occasion to call on countries to operationalize the loss and damage fund proposed at COP28 this year, adding that every person globally must be covered by an early warning system by 2027.

    This, he noted, can be achieved by implementing the Action Plan that was launched last year.

    Six out of every 10 Africans currently lack access to the said systems and it is expected that the Early Warning for All Africa Action Plan that was launched Monday under the leadership of the African Union will be critical in addressing this need.

    “More broadly, we need a course correction in the global financial system so that it supports accelerated climate action in the context of sustainable development. We can’t achieve one without the other,” noted Guterres who advocated for an effective debt-relief mechanism that supports payment suspensions, longer lending terms, and lower rates.

    Further, he underscored the need to re-capitalize and change the business model of Multilateral Development Banks to enable them leverage private finance at affordable rates in a move he says will help developing countries build sustainable economies.

  • President Ruto: Africa Climate Summit no ordinary summit

    President Ruto: Africa Climate Summit no ordinary summit

    The three-day inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS) being held in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi is the first of its kind that seeks to be a panacea to environmental challenges that have plagued the world for years. 

    President William Ruto says unlike other summits, ACS is one that seeks to imagine, design and then build a future of prosperity for Africa and the world.

    “You have not just stepped into a conference hall; you have entered the future—a future ripe with potential, driven by global partnerships, committed to African prosperity, inclusive growth, and a liveable planet for all,” he told a gathering of about 30,000 delegates drawn from all over the world as he officially opened the Africa Climate Summit 2023 at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, KICC.

    “We are not here just to talk about Africa or climate change in the usual way, which often accentuates our divisions—north versus south, developed versus developing, polluters versus the victims. And even within our own governments, economic development, so badly needed for us to achieve stable and dignified livelihoods, is often cast as a trade off with environmental stewardship as if they are mutually exclusive, when in fact they must be positively reinforcing.”

    President Ruto says science and emerging experience have proven that it is possible to catalyze Africa’s prosperity while ensuring the wellbeing of her citizens without pushing the world deeper into climate disaster.

    This, he contends, can only be attained through the birthing of an opportunity-oriented focus on climate action which he termed a key driver needed to propel the continent into a realm of stability and prosperity, thus elevating it into middle-income status and beyond.

    “This context is precisely what sets this Climate Summit apart from others. It aims to unite us – across neighborhoods, across sectors and institutions, across country borders, across continents and across generations. It is because we all have a shared stake in the Earth’s ability to sustain life, that we must envision together a future that embraces the values of equality, human security, and shared prosperity.”

    As they explore ways of fixing challenges brought about by climate change, President Ruto, himself a scientist by training, urged the delegates to prioritize the urgency to address loss and damage, and to configure appropriate financial mechanisms for resilience grows with each extreme weather event and each bout of climate-induced insecurity.

    Aware that similar summits have ended without any meaningful outcomes, the Head of State implored the participants not to allow what he called “a complex interplay of needs and responsibilities” which he noted is a daily challenge to result in a deadlock.

    “We must be alert to the fact that they can sometimes blind us to the bigger picture.”

  • Chebukati: Coups a threat to Africa’s democratic gains

    Chebukati: Coups a threat to Africa’s democratic gains

    The wave of military coups being witnessed in Africa is a setback to the continent’s democratic gains.  

    Ex-IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati attributes the coups to lack of transparency in electoral processes.

    In late July, 2023, President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger was ousted in a military coup that was preceded by a string of similar military takeovers in West African nations of Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali.

    In Gabon, army officers Wednesday also announced that they had seized power and deposed President Ali Bongo who is now calling on his friends globally to “make noise” on his behalf.

    President Bongo’s overthrow in effect ended his family’s grip on power that spans over 50 years.

    The army officers have already announced the annulment of last Saturday’s contested election results in which President Bongo was declared the winner and named General Brice Oligui Nguema as the country’s transitional leader.

    According to Chebukati, the situation in the affected countries could be much different had electoral processes been more transparent through the inclusion of electoral observers.

    “The avalanche of election related military coups in Africa disrupts democratic gains. In most of these elections, Observers were excluded from the electoral process,” Chebukati observed.

    “Election Observers are necessary as they contribute towards transparency & accountability of an election outcome.”

    Back home, the Opposition has roundly condemned the ex-IEBC Chairman accusing him of bungling the 2022 presidential poll.

    In fact, the outcome of the poll in which the Raila Odinga led Azimio outfit lost to Kenya Kwanza, is now set to be audited by the Kalonzo Musyoka and Kimani Ichung’wah led National Dialogue Committee.

    However, in a paper that he recently presented titled, “Role of Technology in Improving the Integrity of the Electoral Process in Kenya,” Chebukati has termed the 2022 poll as the freest, fairest and most credible election that has ever been held in the country.

  • National Music Festival Boss roots for children with special needs

    National Music Festival Boss roots for children with special needs

    The Chairperson of the National Music Festival Prof. Frederick Ngala is calling for increased participation of children with special needs at the annual event.

    For the first time ever, 120 students with special needs participated in the just concluded 95th edition of the National Music Festival held at the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology in Nyeri.

    The two-week competition that kicked-off on August 11, was officially closed by President William Ruto Wednesday and attracted a total of 9,600 teams.

    “We should establish a national studio for the recording of music to support talents and contribute to national development,” urged Prof. Ngala.

    “The 95th edition of the festival is a clear indication that the Competency-Based Curriculum is working in Kenya.”

    Kenya National Music Festival seeks to nurture, develop, and promote talent development across the country. It is a forum through which students interact, learn, practice and appreciate their culture and that of other communities through various genres of art.

    The theme of the 2023 Festival was “Nurturing talent for innovation and national development.”

    On the last day of the competition that was characterized by remarkable display of talents in various genres, 31 schools from lower primary to university level showcased a live performance of coral verses, folk songs, traditional dances and music.

    The schools included Kerio Boys High School, Karatina DEB Primary School, Kakuma Primary School, Sigalagala Polytechnic School, and Wajir Secondary School.

    President Ruto awarded schools for their best performance during the Kenya National Music Festival 2023.

    They included Kitengela International School, Moses Mudavadi Primary School, Kianda School, Bunyore Girls High School, and Thogoto Teachers College.

  • Ruto reads riot act over Finland, Canada Scholarships Scam

    Ruto reads riot act over Finland, Canada Scholarships Scam

    Anyone who misappropriated monies meant for Finland and Canada Overseas Education Programme in Uasin Gishu County must be ready to refund the same or face the music.

    President William Ruto, while breaking his silence over the scam that saw parents swindled over Ksh. 800 million, has also undertaken to look for possible ways of helping the affected students pursue their dreams once investigations into matter are finalized.

    “The people who embezzled the funds must be ready to refund before they get into trouble. Nobody will be allowed to go scot-free. Hard-earned money of the affected people must be refunded,” President Ruto said while addressing residents of Eldoret town Wednesday.

    “Once investigations are finalized, I will see how better we can assist the affected students who are innocent by giving them scholarships locally to enable them pursue their education.”

    President Ruto spoke at a time the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has ordered the arrest of Uasin Gishu County Senator Jackson Mandago and three others over the scam.

    Also wanted by the police are Joseph Kipkemoi Maritim, Meshak Rono and Joshua Kipkemoi Lelei.

    They are expected to face charges of forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy to commit a felony and stealing.

    The suspects are accused of conspiring to steal Ksh. 1 billion from an account domiciled at the Kenya Commercial Bank in Eldoret registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund meant for overseas university fees for students under Uasin Gishu County Overseas Education Programme.

    According to the detectives handling the matter, they had tried to reach the wanted officials in vain as they claimed they were attending the Devolution Conference currently underway in Eldoret town. This prompted police to move to Nakuru law courts to seek warrants to arrest the suspects.

    Last week, Mandago and other officials were grilled at the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) headquarters by a team that is investigating the Finland and Canada Overseas Education Programme.

    Mandago confirmed the grilling but did not disclose what he told the officers on his possible role in the saga.

    The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has also been investigating allegations of embezzlement of over Ksh. 837 million by officials.

    The funds in question were collected from parents for the facilitation of Tertiary Education in Finland and Canada during the FY 2021/2022.

    According to the EACC, Mandago was interviewed as a person of interest after summons were issued to appear before the Commission.