New-Kenyatta-Science-Complex of Sironga High School Close Up View
It’s alleged with the information held by Kenyaleo.co.ke that female teachers in sironga, A madam of history and a madam of English , are insulting students by use of mean and unpalatable statements as they are using students’ weaknesses to demoralize and ashame, which has lead to mental torture.
The insider has however hinted to Ienyaleo.co.ke that they’ve normalized it without shame to the extent that some male teachers are wondering why female adults would turn insulting and mentally torturing female students.
The insider quotes “Infact the male teachers have taken the responsibility of boasting the students self esteem by encouraging them over their lessons time I’m assuring you that even the School administration is all aware about this and even the school chaplains knows this but it’s like this two mentioned are untouchable., maybe we train our kids to stand strong and fight for there rights , something they couldn’t do for we gave them a responsibility to respect the seniors.” Insider said.
The insider added that “Our daughters in Sironga all fear victimization. Like in an example where one of my daughters was insulted and slapped over her severe eye medical problem, She only came to tell me a while after a while of holding the pain.”
The insider writes “I almost travelled to Sironga but my husband decided to play it down for fear of her welfare at school.
I got a clearer picture of the allegation over this holiday when my daughter and her colleagues had a sleep over ,When we were doing laundry, we had a chat, A motherly chat, since this girls in my compound belongs to me,that was all healthy convo and they opened up.” Insider reveals.
The notes however states that “Lastly, Sironga recently added construction fee to that we currently pay, but I’ll love to say all is good till you hear girl state that they’re only allowed to take a shower once a day, there is also need to work on their sewage system.Their toilets haven’t been worked on for so long. A good number of students are suffering infections that aren’t probably treated and in some cases go untreated .”
On the same information shared by the sought anonymity said “Bathrooms also don’t flow well, they’re clogged , a lot of stagnant water around it, our girls do step on them when taking a bath, kindly re – look that, we know you have a population but something must be done for safety of that population. Amongst the leaders of this post, there could be parents, who have ever visited the dormitories, toilets, bathrooms or any other sanitation facilities,? If any please! Only class representatives that have been pocketed by the school hierarchy have visited yes but they only report positives to parents and the wrongs are smoothed. I’m hereby requesting Nyamira Healthy and sanitation department to do an impromptu visit and give it a clear finding.I’ll also request the Education ministry to send someone down there and get facts before we send our daughters to another agonizing environment.”
The quote ends, “Lastly, Sironga security, you doing good work, You do a clean search that’s okay, however not all you find in ladies is edible, Be careful on that, I was once told to eat tampon I feel sensitisation is required.”
Memoi Africa, a leading ecosystem for African developers driving innovation and empowerment in Africa’s developer landscape, held a two day Code Africa Conference 2024.
The conference takes place on May 10th and 11th with a theme; ‘Pioneering the Future of Developers’ .The global event which is hosted in Nairobi, provides accessibility to participants from the emerging African tech space and top ecosystem shapers from around the world.
“Web3 is the imminent future, with
enormous opportunities for young people in this field which has no limits.
New funding models and collaborations will enable access to money. Students in any University can tap into this web3 which enables one to be hired anywhere in the world. Coding and token economics are part of skills required. One can be an entrpreneur, or work in companies provided they have skills in this aspect.” Said Jason Eisen founder and Ceo Utu Technologies.
The Code Africa Virtual Conference 2024 brings together developers, VCs,
industry leaders, and innovators from the blockchain industry and other emerging
technologies. This milestone event follows the highly anticipated Code Africa Hackathon, which fosters collaboration and showcases the talents of African developers.
Participants during the Code Africa Conference
Sponsored by Leading Blockchain Protocols,
The Code Africa Virtual Conference 2024 is proudly sponsored by top blockchain
protocols in Web3, including The Graph, Ethereum Support Program, Scroll, Lisk, Base, Celo Africa DAO, ICP Hub Kenya, Ubuntu Tribe, Tether, NoOnes, Yellow Card, Safari DAO,and Flincap.
Right to left, Monalisa Agbata, Moses Kemibaro, Elizabeth Ndungu, Jason Kettman, Joan Jerop group Photo during Code Africa Conference Nairobi.
The event features esteemed speakers from the blockchain industry, providing
insights and expertise on the future of technology in Africa.
Speakers include: Stanley Kamanguya, CEO of ICT Authority, Ray Yousef, CEO of NoOnes, Yin Zhang, Co-founder of Scroll, Prof. Stephen Gitahi Kiama, Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, Dr. Bright G. Mawudor, Founder of Africahackon, Tim Theuri, Executive Head of Cybersecurity at M-PESA Africa, Elizabeth Ndungu, Director of Digital Economy & Startups at Nairobi City County, Josephine Ndambuki, Chief Manager of Business Development and Innovation at Konza Technopolis Development Authority.
In the wake of devastating floods that have wreaked havoc in low-lying communities around the country, the Tujiamini Initiative, powered by SportPesa, came out on Friday to support the rehabilitation and cleanup of the Ngong River in Nairobi’s Nyayo Highrise Ward.
In partnership with Empowering the Community (ETCO), an environmental activist group, and other humanitarian agencies, Tujiamini mobilized residents and volunteers to help restore the river’s health along a one-kilometer stretch by clearing refuse and flotsam that came downstream with the floods. This was in addition to a tree planting exercise to mark National Tree Planting Day in memory of the lives lost due to flooding experienced in various parts of the country.
ETCO, spearheaded by the founder, Collince Onyango, also a Nondies rugby player, raised concern regarding the challenges and other risks of environmental damage on account of flooding, such as river blockage due to floating debris going downstream, most of which gets deposited at various intersections, thus affecting communities along the river.
“We have witnessed unprecedented flooding and backflow in people’s houses, heavily impacting families along the river. In this time of devastation characterized by the unfortunate loss of life and homes, schools, businesses, and general disruption of livelihoods, the environment might not feature highly on the priority list. Still, by kick-starting efforts to clean up the neighborhoods and reducing vectors for risks such as disease due to blockage of streams and such water bodies, we can quickly help restore the affected community's well-being, among other efforts in recovery," said Onyango.
During the exercise, the Tujiamini Initiative, a grassroots sports and talent support endeavor, donated Kshs500,000 worth of essential foodstuffs and other consumables to support 300 families who were impacted by the floods along the river. There is a clear intersection between sports and environmental responsibility. Tujiamini is taking a proactive stance in addressing the urgent needs brought about by the ongoing heavy rains. Our commitment in this regard extends beyond sporting and talent-related activities, by supporting sustainable and positive community initiatives with the aim of
improving living conditions for affected residents,” said Willis Ojwang, Communication and Advertising Manager, at SportPesa.
The community members participated in a sensitization exercise by ETCO and Tujiamini emphasizing the importance of environmental responsibility towards making a collective impact, with plans of extending the exercise throughout the year to mitigate immediate and future risks posed by overflowing rivers and flooding scenarios.
Also at the exercise were representatives from the local government, who underscored the importance of community-driven environmental stewardship.
Tasha, who is 14, hails from Kibra. When our team met the young, bubbly teen, she walked with her mother in Kibra’s Soweto area.
Tasha, who is 14, hails from Kibra. When our team met the young, bubbly teen, she walked with her mother in Kibra’s Soweto area.
At a height slightly below 150cm, Tasha weighs 63 kg, which works out to a body mass index (BMI) of 28.05 kilograms per square meter, a score considered overweight.
She explains how she’s grown up in the bustling informal settlement, home to about 186,000 people.
“Going to school is always fun because my parents would give me lunch money. I would use this money to buy the tasty snacks I wanted,” she says.
For Tasha, the favorite snacks on her street food list included French fries, popularly known as chips in Kenya, smokies, sausages, and small-sized juices with different flavors such as passion, strawberry, samosas, and ice cream.
“During short and long lunch breaks, I would happily stuff myself with whatever treat I could afford with the lunch money,” she said.
Things began to get tricky when she began to experience tiredness whenever she had to play games with schoolmates, which included running, skipping rope,, or taking part in soccer matches.
“I would huff and puff, and be forced to take breaks in between the activities,” she said.
Her worried mother took her for tests during a free clinic hosted by a non-governmental organization in Kibra during the 2023 World Heart Day.
“I was told that my daughter is obese, and also advised to take tests, which resulted in a diabetes diagnosis,” says her mother, Selina.
The diagnosis came as a shock, but it forced the teenager’s family to make hard choices.
“We had to switch from a diet of sugary, salty, and fatty snacks to more wholesome foods, and also embrace an exercise regimen,” she explains.
According to Ms. Jane Mangwana, who works with the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC), cases like Tasha’s are not unique.
“Gone are the days when NCDS like hypertension, cancer, and diabetes were seen as diseases of the rich. We are at that point where they are increasingly showing up in economically challenged families and resource-scarce settings,” she says.
The latest Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) data has shown an upward trend in overweight and obesity prevalence, rising from 25% in 2002 to 33% in 2014, and 49% in 2022. This increased prevalence is the proportion of a population with a disease or particular condition at a specific point in time.
By 2022, a World Health Organization report indicated that an estimated 37 million children under the age of 5 were overweight globally. Once considered a high-income country problem, overweight is on the rise in low- and middle-income countries. In Africa, WHO reports that the number of overweight children under 5 years has increased by nearly 23% since 2000.
According to Dr. Catherine Karekezi of the Non-Communicable Disease Alliance of Kenya (NCD Alliance), unhealthy diets are the biggest contributor to NCD prevalence in the country. She also names sedentary lifestyles that prevent people from regularly exercising as another major factor in the development of NCDs.
“Obesity and overweight due to unhealthy diets with high levels of refined sugar, salt, and fat, as well as sitting down for long hours without physical activity, can drive the onset of NCDs,” the pharmacist, medic, researcher, and healthy lifestyle advocate says.
Speaking at a recent media roundtable hosted in Nairobi by the NCD Alliance to focus on the APHRC study findings, she noted that an NCD diagnosis does not have to be a death sentence for Kenyans.
The NCD Alliance is actively involved in creating awareness about the threat posed by lifestyle diseases and recently completed a workshop for 250 women from Kiambu County. It is expected that they will use the knowledge gained from the event to empower their communities.
Dr. Karekezi is advising diabetics and high blood pressure patients to adopt healthy diets to supplement their medication regimen. She is also cautioning that climate change can lead to more people falling ill.
Dr. Catherine Karekezi of the NCDAK made her presentation at the April 19, 2024, media roundtable held to discuss the findings of the APHRC report on Kenyan consumers’ awareness of the sugar, salt, and nutrient levels in refined food products. She is asking Kenyans with NCDs to embrace healthy diets and adhere to prescribed medication.
“NCDs like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), can also be triggered by changes in air quality due to pollution,” she adds.
In an increasingly consumerist society where Kenyans are often bombarded with enticing images and sounds of refined foods, what options do consumers have in their quest to ensure that they purchase healthy and wholesome foods?
Front-of-pack food labels (FoPLs) are simplified symbols placed on packaged food products to offer consumers clear and quick information about nutritional content.
Dr. Shukri Mohamed of the APHRC says that the FOPL symbols are the most effective system to improve Kenyan consumers’ knowledge of sugar, salt, fats, and saturated fat levels in packaged foods.
“There is research evidence showing that FoPLs improve product selection and purchases, and improve knowledge and the ability to identify healthier food products. FoPL on pre-packaged foods and beverages can provide quick and easy-to-understand information for consumers at the point of purchase, allowing them to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy food and drink options,” Dr. Mohamed says.
These labels facilitate informed product choices, improve knowledge about healthier food options, and aid in distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy choices. This is crucial in Kenya, where diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are prevalent, especially among women.
In Kenya, NCDs cause a significant economic impact on households by decreasing 28.6% of household income on average and subjecting families to catastrophic expenditures that force them into the downward spiral of a vicious cycle of poverty.
Between October and December 2023, APHRC undertook interviews and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to gauge consumers’ ability to assess the healthiness of food using three symbols: the red and Green Octagon (RG), Red and Green with icons Octagons (RGI), and Warning Label (WL) Octagon.
These symbols were suggested by a Ministry of Health-led technical committee responsible for crafting the Front-of-Pack Labeling (FoPL) standard for Kenya. Additionally, 12 focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted in four focus counties (Kisumu, Nairobi, Mombasa, and Garissa) to delve into consumer perceptions and comprehension of the proposed FoPLs.
APHRC’s study encompassed 2,198 consumers drawn from supermarkets and minimarts in the focus counties, selected to represent both rural and urban demographics. The study aimed to ascertain consumers’ ability to accurately identify foods with high nutrient content and to recognize unhealthy foods based on the provided symbols.
Research scientist Dr. Shukri Mohammed of the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC) speaks to the press during the April 19, 2024, media roundtable hosted by the Non-Communicable Disease Alliance of Kenya (NCDAK). APHRC is calling on the government to implement a front-of-pack labeling (FOPL) policy to help Kenyans make healthier food purchases.
Research findings revealed that approximately two-thirds (64.3%) of the study participants were aware of back-of-pack food labels, with 55% indicating that they perused nutrition information before making purchases.
Reasons cited for not reading nutritional information included lack of time (24.0%), difficulty comprehending label information (8.4%), and ignorance (52.0%).
The primary source of information was reading product labels (42%), with 19.34% obtaining updates from the media. Respondents who correctly interpreted the labels were less likely to buy products with high levels of sugar, salt, and other nutrients of concern.
However, Dr. Mohamed emphasized that the ability of some consumers to read product labels does not guarantee informed purchasing decisions.
“It’s commendable that people read food product labels, but whether or not they comprehend what they read is a separate matter. Some of the information on the labels may only be understandable to individuals with a background in nutrition and therefore possess knowledge on the subject,” she says. She recommends more investment in public awareness creation to empower consumers with the correct product information for refined foods.
According to the Kenya Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries Poverty Commission Report, interventions to mitigate the impact of NCDs would require 17% of total health expenditure, or $11.97 per capita annually. This represents an almost three-fold increase in current NCD expenditure. FoPLs can be a solution to improve consumer understanding of the foods they eat and guide them towards healthier choices.
She further points out that the country’s public health policy could benefit from FOPL by restricting the marketing of food products to children, implementing regulatory fiscal policy measures like an increased tax on sweeteners, sugary beverages, and food products containing certain preservatives, and providing subsidies for public institutions like hospitals, schools that serve natural foods to the public.
“Enforcement of FOPL could also compel industries to reformulate their products and comply with public health and food industry regulations. This will result in a healthier array of product purchase options for Kenyans,” she concludes.
During the AHF forum at Heron Portico Hotel Nairobi.
In a resounding declaration against profit-driven policies at the expense of global health, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) alongside civil society organizations, convened have condemned the deeply flawed Proposal for the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
The April 16, 2024, Proposal for the WHO Pandemic Agreement has undergone extensive negotiations, resulting in a text that has been watered down and lacks accountability.
“The recent iteration of the text is filled with platitudes, anemic in obligations, and devoid of any accountability,” remarked Dr. Samuel Kinyanjui, Country Director of AHF Kenya. The proposal, criticized by The Lancet as “shameful, unjust, and inequitable,” fails to prioritize global health security over profit-driven interests.
From May 27th to June 1st, 2024, during the World Health Assembly, UN member countries are expected to agree on a pandemic agreement. Under the present terms, only 20% of pandemic-related health products are guaranteed to the WHO, leaving the remaining 80% vulnerable to market forces. “Such an arrangement will effectively leave 80% of crucial vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics prey to the international scramble seen in COVID-19,” noted Dr. Kinyanjui. The statistics underscore the urgent need for equitable access to life-saving medical resources.
Equally troubling is the absence of effective mechanisms for accountability and enforcement. “Equity will not be operationalized without effective mechanisms for accountability and enforcement,” emphasized Mr. Timothy Wafula, Programme Manager, Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN). The proposal lacks tangible provisions for monitoring and compliance, perpetuating past failures in global health security.
Calls for accountability have been widespread, echoed by the United Nations General Assembly and prominent international bodies. “Relying solely on state self-reporting mechanisms does not work,” stated Kinyanjui. The absence of independent oversight and clear enforcement frameworks undermines the agreement’s effectiveness.
Civil society’s participation in decision-making processes remains marginalized, despite their critical contributions during past health crises. “The voices of civil society remain marginalized in the decision-making processes of the WHO and its implementation,” remarked Mr. Fitsum Lakew Alemayehu, AU Liaison Manager/CiSPHA Coordinator at WACI Health. Their inclusion is vital for meaningful participation and effective governance.
James Kamau, CEO of the Kenya Treatment Access Movement (KETAM), emphasized the need for binding financial commitments to establish a robust pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response architecture. “Without binding financial commitments and a coherent long-term financing strategy, we risk repeating the failures of the past,” warned Kamau.
As negotiations enter their final stretch, the coalition of civil society organizations urges delegates to heed the warnings of experts and take decisive action. “Empty handshakes in Geneva will not prevent another global health disaster,” concluded Kinyanjui. The time for meaningful action is now.
AHF Kenya was registered as an NGO in Kenya in 2008 to provide and run the following programs in the country: HIV testing, condom education and distribution, the Adolescents and Youth Program, Girls ACT program, Boys 2 Men program, management of HIV, TB, STI, and opportunistic infections, advocacy, and marketing. With a presence in 10 counties and over 100,000 clients in care, AHF has been at the forefront of the battle against HIV/AIDS in Kenya for 15 years. The organization’s legacy is characterized by unwavering dedication to those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS and a relentless pursuit of a world where the epidemic is not just treated but ultimately eradicated.
The Donkey Sanctuary Vet Dr. E Otieno attending to the sick donkeys during WDD
The Donkey Sanctuary Kenya has today honoured the vital role of working donkeys and their indispensable contribution to the lives of people across Kenya.
The World Donkey Day this year’s theme is “Punda Poa, Kazi Poa” which is a Swahili phrase to mean if your donkey is healthy or in good welfare then it will do a great job for you.
To commemorate this significant day, The Donkey Sanctuary Kenya hosted a special event in the village of Manda-Maweni on Manda Island, one of the islands comprising the Lamu Archipelago. The village is home to approximately 120 donkeys. These gentle creatures play a crucial role in the local community, primarily tasked with transporting heavy coral stone and ballast from nearby quarries to the seaport. Additionally, they assist in fetching and transporting water and carrying essential household goods from the shore to inland villages.
The labour performed by Manda-Maweni’s donkeys leaves them susceptible to a range of welfare issues such as sores due to inadequate harnessing, cart-related injuries, and lameness.
People following the speeches during the celebration and donkeys relaxing after treatment, awaiting feeding.
The Donkey Sanctuary Kenya is committed to improving the welfare of working donkeys. Therefore, ass part of the event, The Donkey Sanctuary’s dedicated veterinary team in collaboration with the County Government of Lamu are providing comprehensive health checks and treatments to donkeys in need, alongside distributing nutritious feed to ensure their well-being and vitality.
Moreover, The Donkey Sanctuary has joined forces with the Lamu Art and Theatre Alliance (LATA) to deliver a captivating interactive drama piece to the residents of Manda. This engaging performance aims to promote understanding of donkeys as sentient beings with the capacity to experience a wide range of emotional responses to events or situations. This is important because evidence suggests that owners who recognise sentience in their donkeys are more likely to work in a manner that is good for their welfare.
The drama was collaboratively developed by LATA and researchers from the University of Portsmouth, incorporating valuable insights from Lamu’s donkey owners. This marks the first-time the performance is being showcased in Manda, following its successful debut on Lamu Island.
Audiences can expect an accessible and entertaining medium of theatre, coupled with impactful messaging that celebrates the intrinsic value of these beloved creatures and advocates for their well-being.
Dr Solomon Onyango, the Country Director for The Donkey Sanctuary Kenya stated that “As we come together to celebrate World Donkey Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to protecting and cherishing these noble animals who play an irreplaceable role in the fabric of our society.”
The Donkey Sanctuary is an international animal welfare charity dedicated to improving the lives of donkeys and mules worldwide. We provide lifelong care to over 7,000 donkeys in the UK and Europe, and reach many more globally through our international programmes and partnerships. Our colleagues are based all over the world and we work with a global network of partners, NGOs and governments, who share our vision of a world where every donkey has a good quality of life.
The County Executive Committee Member (CECM), Department of Fisheries Blue Economy Livestock and Cooperative Development, Lamu County government Mr. Faiz Fankupi giving a speech at Manda during World Donkey Day celebration
The Donkey Sanctuary has been working in Kenya since 1987, where our mission remains to improve the welfare of donkeys and, in doing so, help safeguard the livelihood of millions of people who depend on donkeys for their everyday sustenance.
The Association of Consulting Engineers of Kenya (ACEK) are calling upon both the National and County Governments to take immediate action in accordance with the legislative frameworks that places execution of relevance at this time to avoid future disasters and flood occurrences during the rainy seasons
Some of the measures that ACEK are beseeching both levels of government to implore is to respond to situation of human settlement on/or along waterways and river flood plains, review and align to policy and legislative frameworks developed in yesteryears in addressing the situation of communities living downstream of the 7 forks dams of the River Tana Flood
Constitute Specialists Taskforce to review adequacy and capacity of the drainage system and water channels to adequately convey and evacuate storm water to the natural outfall.
The government has also been advised to review their current frameworks around regular cleaning and removal of debris from the surface drains and river channels and take into consideration, avoiding the dumping of construction waste and excavated spoils along the river channels.
According to the association Secretary, Eng. Gabriel Jabongo, the Governments should review policy frameworks that will respond to the situation of careless blocking of road drains and access to culverts especially by the roadside business community, which has recently occupied the road reserve with reckless abandon.
‘’We are asking the Government to review the effectiveness of current policy frameworks in addressing deliberate/ignorant blocking/damage of the Road Drainage Channels by developers to access private property. Also to review the effectiveness of current legislative and policy frameworks that guides good practice in the management of the river catchments through evaluated and approved farming methods, conservation of natural forest and natural vegetation cover, along the entire river catchments.’’ Said Jabongo
He added ‘’ Review of the effectiveness of current policy frameworks that guides river channel maintenance programmes and Assessment of effectiveness of the populations towards heeding to all warnings and alerts ahead of suspected/impending flooding’’
Public have also been urged to always seek involve and consult for professional advice, only from qualified engineers on matters to do with development of buildings, civil and power/energy and infrastructure
Kenya’s leading supermarket chain, Naivas has donated Kshs. 5 million worth of essential foodstuffs to support flood relief efforts in Kenya.
The donation, comprising 4,500 care packs containing items like cooking oil, flour, rice, and salt was channeled through the Kenya Red Cross.
Naivas collaborated with Capwell Industries, Kensalt, and Pwani Oil for this initiative.
The donations were delivered to the Kenya Red Cross Head Office in South C for distribution to 4,500 households affected by the floods.
Naivas expressed its commitment to continuing support for flood-affected communities beyond this donation.
“We understand that time is of the essence given how dire the situation is and continues to be, and extending this support in the shortest timeframe has been our priority. Naivas feels a strong duty to assist the communities in which we operate, and this is one of those times when we must stand up to be counted. This is not a one-off initiative, but we are looking at other ways to leverage our network to keep playing our part in supporting those impacted by the devastating floods,” said David Kimani, Managing Director, Naivas.
Public participation on proposed new graphic health warnings for tobacco products kicked off in Kisumu yesterday where a section of stakeholders who turned up to share their views accused the Ministry of Health (MoH) of laziness in coming up with the proposed warnings which are to be used on packaging of tobacco and nicotine products.
Speaking at the exercise held at the Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu yesterday, stakeholders took on the MoH over what they said was lack of research on the Ministry’s part in formulating the new warning, adding that there’s need to ensure that the proposed warnings conform to existing laws.
The stakeholders asked the Ministry to rethink its approach to new products being introduced in the tobacco industry which, they say, is meant to help smokers transition from the more harmful traditional cigarettes to the less-riskier modern nicotine products.
The public participation exercise in Kisumu was the second for the day, with another taking place concurrently in Nyeri. The Kisumu session was however marred with delays owing to lack of venue booking by the ministry, leading to a three-hour delay in commencing the proceedings.
Dr. Kariuki Michael of Harm Reduction address the stakeholders
Speaking at the event, Boniface Gachoka, Secretary-General of the Bars, Hotels, and Liquor Traders Association of Kenya (BAHLITA) urged the Ministry to undertake wider consultations in considering new proposals to regulate the tobacco sector, adding that there is opportunity for the Government to consider new innovations in the industry.
“There is a lot of laziness from the Ministry of Health, because what we have witnessed is the copy-pasting of images from different places, some which do not comply with data protection laws. We are very serious about control of tobacco products, but some of the efforts we are seeing are discouraging investments that have been made in this country for many years. That is why we are asking the Ministry of Health to undertake a lot of consultations and to undertake serious research in this regard,” he said.
He added: “As an organization, we have decided to support the harm reduction campaign – which is a global campaign that has introduced nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes, and others. This is because they are the future just as everyone else across other industries is adopting new technologies, innovating, and improving on their products.”
On his part, the Harm Reduction Society of Kenya (HRS) Secretary-General, Dr. Michael Kariuki said:
“When coming up with these graphic health warnings, relevant authorities need to check whether they are appropriate and, particularly, whether they conform to the law because some of these products also need to have other information printed on them such as their composition, warnings, and manufacturers’ emblems. What we are saying is that we need a balanced approach to this issue and the Government through the Ministry of Health needs to engage stakeholders more in a bid to ensure that the health warnings being presented are aligned to the law.”
The Ministry of Health has invited stakeholders to submit their comments, views, representations, and memoranda on the proposed graphic warnings with in-person submissions taking place across seven counties namely Kisumu, Kakamega, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Mombasa, and Embu.
The public participation sessions continue today in Kakamega and Embu counties.
Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), chairman Irungu Nyakera, embarked on a mission of improving lives and giving back to the community where he toured Delmonte Fresh for a public participation in Murang’a.
Nyakera was on a mission to ascertain the progress of the locals in the presence of the multimillionaire company, Delmonte Fresh if it’s improving the lives of the locals.
Nyakera asked “My question to them was on whether Delmonte is doing enough for the local community to be identified with farmers and the people of Murang’a. The answer was NO.”
Nyakera has however urged the company to improve its relationships with the locals by offering their youth jobs, and offer more CSR activities to fully integrate with the community.
He added “Worth noting is that 40% of the cases at the Kenol law courts relate to youth caught stealing from Delmonte farm – there has to be a better way to handle this issue outside courts.”
Nyakera notes there is a need to explore possibilities of setting more industries to better the lives of the society.
“Further, there is a need to explore the possibility of creating a pineapple outgrowers program that will then make pineapples a cash crop for Murang’a farmers. These programs will enlist farmers who will grow pineapples and sell to Delmonte under proper extension services.” Nyakera noted.
Nyakera reported on an impressive movement set by the company.
“In all, I am happy at Delmonte opening up to possibilities of engagement and partnership with the local community.”
