KBC Channel 1

Author: Nicholas Kigondu

  • Relief as over 40,000 Kenyans in UNHCR database acquire Kenyan Citizenship

    Relief as over 40,000 Kenyans in UNHCR database acquire Kenyan Citizenship

    The government has embarked on a vetting exercise meant to de-register Kenyans listed in UNHCR database.

    Over 40,000 Kenyans who have found themselves in the UN refugee agency database   have been living in desperation because of Kenyan Citizenship documentation.

    The Ministry of Interior has called on the county Security and Intelligence Committee to vet and register Kenyans who previously registered as refugees.

    According to the communiqué, Area chiefs should ensure the affected person is accompanied by a parent and a photo of the applicant. They are also required to produce acceptable documentary evidence as proof of age and also to declare their refugee status number acquired at the refugee camp.

    “Where the affected person’s parents or siblings are deceased, the chief will confirm in writing the blood guardian to support the identity of the affected person and shall be required to commit himself on the application forms,” reads the communiqué .

    Garissa’s Deputy County Commissioner Solomon Chesut said they encountered anomalies during the 2019 vetting process in the presentation of documents hence some individuals are yet to secure their citizenship documentation.

    Over 12,000 individuals were issued with identity cards in January 2022.

    “Those who applied ,we are assuring them that they should not worry because there were some anomalies and we are correcting it, the sub-county security and Intelligence committee are sitting down to make corrections where possible and if individuals are required they will be called,” noted Chesut.

    Haki Na Sheria Initiative’s program Officer Khasida Abdullahi urged the government to solve the double registration quagmire saying individuals registered in the UN’s Refugee agency database should manage to de-register themselves at will without undergoing such an exercise in the near future.

  • 12 Kenyans among officers feted by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia

    12 Kenyans among officers feted by the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia

    Twelve Kenyans were among eighteen senior staff officers serving at the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), who were on Thursday decorated with African Union medals for their distinguished service to the peacekeeping mission.

    The officers, who have completed their one-year tour of duty, were awarded AU medals of honour, pins of gallantry and certificates of appreciation for their service in various capacities including operations, logistics, medical and information among others.

    “I take this opportunity to congratulate you for your efforts in restoring peace and stability in Somalia and the horn of Africa region as a whole. Your contribution to this mission is highly appreciated,” said Maj. Gen. Marius Ngendabanka, the ATMIS Deputy Force Commander in charge of Operations and Plans.

    Maj.Gen. Ngendabanka who represented the AU Special Representative for Somalia, Ambassador Mohamed El- Amine Souef and ATMIS Force Commander Lt. Gen. Sam Okiding thanked the officers for their exceptional contribution to peace and stability in Somalia.

    The event held at the ATMIS Force Headquarters in Mogadishu, was also attended by ATMIS Deputy Force Commander, Logistics and Support Maj. Gen. Peter Kimani Muteti.

    “It is not the duration you were here that matters, but the contributions you rendered to the mission and of course towards achieving the mandate of ATMIS. I want to congratulate you for the respective roles you played,” Maj. Gen. Muteti told the staff officers.

    Twelve of the officers feted hail from Kenya. The other six officers come from Benin, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

    “We have done our best and we have given a lot. We are pleased to honourably pass on the button to our successors to make the African Union dream a reality and accomplish the ATMIS mandate,” said ATMIS Force Spokesperson Lt. Col. Abdullahi Ganale, who spoke on behalf of the outgoing staff officers. Among other notable achievements, the outgoing officers were instrumental in the operational success of the mission in the fight against Al-Shabaab and the successful drawdown of 2000 ATMIS troops and handover of six Forward Operating Bases to the Somali National Army in June.

  • Young people in Tana River County urged to embrace vocational training

    Young people in Tana River County urged to embrace vocational training

    Vocational training has been described as key in efforts aimed at empowering young people with requisite skills essential for the current job market.

    Speaking during skills and career launch at the Madogo vocational training centre, Bangale deputy county commissioner Joseph Korir said lack of vital skills for personal and communal growth has left are youth disadvantaged.

    A pressing concern expressed by local leaders and residents, who have observed a significant number of children dropping out of education, subsequently engaging in criminal activities within the Madogo region.

    A criminal gang, known as ‘Kayole,’ comprising of young individuals in the county wielding knives and crude weapons, has left area residents in fear. Terrorized residents retreat to their homes as early as 5 PM to evade potential attacks.

    Bangale OCPD Joseph Gatuko decried the neglect of parental responsibilities, emphasizing the need for parents to play proactive roles in raising their children.

    Tana River Deputy Governor Mahat Ali Loka urging law enforcement agencies to take stern measures to contain activities of the criminal gangs.  Loka said reluctance of local youth to join technical training colleges has hindered the community’s overall development progress.

    Tana River County’s First Lady, Zeinab Abdullahi, issued a call to women and young girls to seize the opportunity to register at the institution and acquire valuable skills.

  • Summit on traditional medicine to kick off next week

    Summit on traditional medicine to kick off next week

    A summit organized by WHO to explore traditional, complementary and integrative medicine in addressing pressing health challenges is set to be held in India next week.

    The summit, to be held on 17 and 18 august, will explore ways to scale up scientific advances and realize the potential of evidence-based knowledge in the use of traditional medicine for people’s health and well-being around the world. Scientists and other experts will lead technical discussions on research, evidence and learning; policy, data and regulation; innovation and digital health; and biodiversity, equity and Indigenous knowledge.

    “Traditional medicine can play an important and catalytic role in achieving the goal of universal health coverage and meeting global health-related targets that were off-track even before the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

    Heads of State and government at the 2019 UN high-level meeting on universal health coverage acknowledged the need to include evidence-based traditional and complementary medicine services particularly in primary health care, a cornerstone of health systems, in pursuit of health for all.

    Traditional medicine has contributed to breakthrough medical discoveries and continues to hold out great promise.

    Amid an expansion in the use of traditional medicine worldwide, safety, efficacy and quality control of traditional products and procedure-based therapies remain important priorities for health authorities and the public.

    “Advancing science on traditional medicine should be held to the same rigorous standards as in other fields of health. This may require new thinking on the methodologies to address these more holistic, contextual approaches and provide evidence that is sufficiently conclusive and robust to lead to policy recommendations,” said Dr John Reeder, WHO Director of Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases and Director of the Department of Research for Health.

    The Summit will explore research and evaluation of traditional medicine, including methodologies that can be used to develop a global research agenda and priorities in traditional medicine, as well as challenges and opportunities based on 25 years of research in traditional medicine. Findings from the systematic reviews of traditional medicine and health, evidence maps of clinical effectiveness, and an artificial intelligence global research map on traditional medicine will be presented.

     

  • Weather experts issues El Nino advisory in Uganda

    Weather experts issues El Nino advisory in Uganda

    Ugandans have been urged to prepare for potential impacts associated with the El Nino phenomenon which is usually associated with high levels of rainfall.

    World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and other Global Climate Centers reported that El Nino has been evolving since March 2023, after a long multi-year La Nina, and is likely to persist up to early 2024 in Uganda.

    It has been observed that the chance that the El Nino will continue through the rainfall season of September, October, November and December (SOND), 2023 is greater than 90%.

    At the end of July 2023, the Equatorial Sea Surface Temperatures (ESSTs) above sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) were experienced across the central and the eastern Pacific Ocean.

    However, the Pacific Ocean and the atmosphere are yet to become fully coupled: as it has normally happened during the previous El Nino events.

    However, the sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) in the tropical Pacific are exceeding El Nino thresholds, with climate models indicating that this is likely to continue at least up to the end of 2023.

    El Nino in Uganda is often associated with heavy (enhanced) rainfall. However, it does not translate into rainfall but rather an effect that modulates weather patterns that leads to increase of rainfall over Uganda during the September, October, November and December (SOND) rainfall season.

    Decision makers and the general public have been advised to develop preparedness and response actions to manage the likely impacts associated with El Nino phenomenon.

  • Paul Mackenzie to remain in police custody for a further 47 days

    Paul Mackenzie to remain in police custody for a further 47 days

    It is no respite yet for controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie after a Shanzu court allowed police to hold him for a further 47 days.

    Shanzu Senior Principal Magistrate Yusuf Shikanda directed Mackenzie, alongside his 28 co-accused, to remain in police custody for the next 47 days, to allow for the completion of investigations having already spent 90 days in custody.

    The Director of Public Prosecutions had on August 2nd  sought to have police granted the right to continue holding the suspects for at least seven weeks to allow them finalize their probe.

    At least 425 deaths have been reported in the Shakahola tragedy with Mackenzie, who is in police custody, facing several charges of human rights violations including murder.

    Mackenzie, his wife Rhoda Maweu and the co-accused are facing at least  12 charges including murder, counseling and aiding suicide, abduction, radicalization, genocide, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud, and money laundering.

    The discovery of mass graves at the Shakahola forest in Kilifi county back in April has continued to reveal more horror with the exhumation of more bodies at the expansive ranch.

     

     

  • NHIF Partners with Agha Khan Hospital to enhance access

    NHIF Partners with Agha Khan Hospital to enhance access

    The Agha Khan Medical Centre in Kisii County has forged partnership with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to enhance accessibility to quality and healthcare services within the region.

    The collaboration is an initiative by the county government to expand healthcare provision and is poised to extend a broader spectrum of services to the residents of Kisii County.

    Highlighting the significance of this initiative, centre manager Musymi expressed her delight in joining forces with NHIF and the county government, asserting that the collaboration marks a pivotal moment of increased access and harmonized efforts towards provision of quality healthcare.

    “When private facilities are brought on board with NHIF, we all win because we all take care of the people of Kisii County,” emphasized Musyimi.

  • KLM introduces new world business class seats

    KLM introduces new world business class seats

    KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has upgraded its World Business Class seats in all its Boeing 777 aircraft in a move aimed at meeting evolving customer needs.

    The Boeing 777-300 and the777-200 have been equipped with the updated World Business Class seats, which are an average 10-15 percent lighter because of the technological input, and allow them to be adjusted to a comfortable bed and sliding doors that can be closed for more privacy while working, relaxing and/or sleeping.

    It also contains several charging options conveniently located within sight of the passenger, a wireless charging option, a lockable cupboard with extra storage space and a built-in mirror. The chair offers recessed bottle holder to safely place a bottle of water ‘on’ the table, even in the event of turbulence

    AirFrance-KLM General Manager for East and Southern Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana Marius van der Ham said they aim to make these conversions without compromising on quality.

    “The seats have been improved in terms of design, technology and sustainability criteria. Based on extensive customer and competitive research, we have improved the seat so that the customer can enjoy even more privacy and comfort during the flight. “He said.

    More personal adjustment options and useful functionalities include adjustable support for the lower back and a relax mode with a subtle back massage, is available.

    KLM chose the Jamco Venture seat in a1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access for each passenger which is already in use in the World Business Class of the Boein g787 aircraft.

  • Porridge for education program credited with higher retention rates in Isiolo, Samburu and Garissa

    Porridge for education program credited with higher retention rates in Isiolo, Samburu and Garissa

    The ‘Porridge for Education’ programme has been hailed as a major game changer resulting in higher enrollment and retention of pupils.

    The programme is currently being piloted among learners in Grades 1, 2 and 3 in Isiolo, Samburu and Garissa by the Ministry of Education, through the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK).

    Speaking at Mwangaza Primary School in Isiolo County during an assessment tour of the programme, various stakeholders who have partnered with the Ministry of Education in the initiative noted that the impact brought about by the program during the pilot phase that began in July last year was clear, and that there was need for it to be rolled out across other parts of the country.

    According to Tetrapak East Africa Managing Director Jonathan Kinisu, the product that has been dubbed “Super Porridge” has proved efficient for early learners as it aids their development due to its wealth of nutritional content, while its production and proper packaging gives it a shelf life of at least six months, further making it suitable for the project.

    Ingredion’s Director for Africa and the Middle East Ken Ouma said  the program, which began with only 5,000 learners has been upscale to reach 50,000 learners, with a view to benefitting more than 2.4 million children by 2025.

    Mwangaza Primary School head teacher Abdulrizak Ali Demo attributed the increase in enrollment and retention of early learners in school to the success of the project, noting that children no longer miss school unlike when the program was not rolled out.

    The Porridge 4 Education program is an initiative of NACONEK that has brought together national and international partners who are in the school meals and nutrition space, to develop the first of its kind fortified composite ready to drink porridge administered to pupils in the ASAL counties, pockets of poverty counties, and urban informal settlements.

  • Bomet County: TSC urged to review teachers’ promotions

    Bomet County: TSC urged to review teachers’ promotions

    The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has urged the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to revisit its recent promotion interviews for County Teaching staff.

    Bomet’s KUPPET Executive Secretary Paul Kimeto claims the just completed exercise was unfair citing Chepalungu sub-county where he said there was no teacher who was promoted.

    “I would like to respectfully ask the Teachers Service Commission to conduct a review of job groups. Our concern has led us to seek a reconsideration,” Kimeto

    Kimeto emphasized that teachers who have been acting in their roles for an extended period seemed to have been overlooked in the promotion exercise; a state of affairs he says had sparked unease among teachers in the sub-county.

    Addressing the promotion criteria, Kimeto questioned the requirement for teachers to provide marriage certificates for promotions.

    The call for a review comes as KUPPET highlights the need for transparent and equitable promotion processes for teaching staff, aimed at ensuring a balanced and just professional growth opportunity for educators across the country.