Kenyaleo.co.ke

Author: David Bogonko Nyokang’i

  • Zutari Kenya officially launched in Nairobi to focus on East African market

    Zutari Kenya officially launched in Nairobi to focus on East African market

    Leading consulting engineering and infrastructure advisory firm Zutari, headquartered in South Africa has officially been launched in the country after receiving registration as a fully licensed company in Nairobi, Kenya.

    “East Africa has long been identified as a growth area for Zutari, with Kenya at the centre of our expansion initiatives into the region,” says Zutari CEO Teddy Daka.

    Diplomatic relations between Kenya and South Africa have been growing since the introduction of a mutual visa-free agreement in January 2023. Engagements between Trade ministries from both countries are set to address trade barriers opening up of business opportunities for both countries.

    The advisory firm, which has been involved in a couple of projects in the country including Two Rivers Mall and the Kenya Water Security and Climate Resilience Project, aims to grow its presence in the country through engagements with government agencies such as the Kenya National Highways Agency (KeNHA), Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) and Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), in the improvement of transport infrastructure in the country. Other areas of interest for the firm include installation of intelligent transport systems and engagement in private public partnership projects.

    In recent years, Kenya has placed more emphasis on the extent to which companies are locally owned. The engineering profession in Kenya is regulated by the Kenyan Engineers Act (2011), which contains stringent requirements for engineering companies and consulting firms who would like to conduct business in Kenya. To ensure compliance to the Act, these organisations must be registered with the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK).  Zutari Kenya Ltd has since reached this important milestone and is now registered with the EBK in civil and electrical engineering disciplines.

    “We are proud of the impact our Nairobi office has unlocked through its many infrastructure feats over multiple decades of operating in Kenya. These still stand proudly across all of Kenya, a testament to the enduring power of infrastructure to create the kind of change the world needs today,” comments Paul Lombard, Regional Director of East Africa, Zutari.

    As an infrastructure engineering and advisory practice in Kenya, flagship projects to date have included design and management services to support Scania to build the first of 15 global service centres in Nairobi, comprising an extensive warehouse complex, service pits, and offices.

    Zutari also provided its services for the East African Community (EAC) Transport Master Plan and was tasked to develop a unified transport and regional road sector development programme for the EAC. The region is served by an extensive road, rail, lake, and pipeline transportation network, as well as two major seaports and several international airports.

    Creating a strategy and multi-year development plan to guide regional transport policies and investment involved considerable technical expertise and co-engineered impact by unifying the goals and aspirations of seven member states.

    In 2017, Zutari was appointed as an implementation support consultant for a sub-component of the Kenya Water Security and Climate Resilience Project, Phase 1 (KWSCRP-1), funded by the World Bank. The project is aimed at financing critical investments in the water sector in Kenya, promoting sustained investment, and building an enabling legal and institutional foundation.

    Zutari completed its first project in Kenya in 1995, resulting in 28+ years of engineered impact across Kenya and East Africa. It has 20+ Kenyan engineering consultants and trusted advisors working from the Nairobi office on projects across Kenya and East Africa. To date, it has been involved with 100+ infrastructure projects in Kenya, spanning full infrastructure lifecycle solutions across the water, transport, energy, resources, and built-environment infrastructure markets.

  • KCB and UNITAR Launch 100,000 Electric Motor Bikes Project

    KCB and UNITAR Launch 100,000 Electric Motor Bikes Project

    KCB has partnered with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to roll out a programme that will see 100,000 riders benefit from electric motorbikes over the next 6 years.

    This is expected to create over 150,000 new green jobs in the boda-boda sector.

    The Bank will provide green affordable loans to the riders to acquire electric bikes and tuktuks through local electric motorbikes sellers.

    The project that was commissioned by the Cabinet Secretary, Roads and Transport Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen in Nairobi has been rolled out in Machakos county with a plan to extend it to all counties through the period.

    The move is in line with KCB Group’s commitment to enhance sustainable finance, consequently accelerating the transition to a low-carbon resilient economy. Currently, the Group has set a target of transitioning 25% of its total loan portfolio to green investments by 2025, as part of its Net Zero ambition.

    KCB Group CEO Paul Russo said: “The initiative is in line with our commitment to increase our green lending loan portfolio by working with like-minded partners to enhance green job creation and attaining the net zero ambitions.”

    “We seek to make it possible for players in the transport sector to acquire electric motorbikes at an affordable rate and earn a living. At the same time, the boda-boda riders play a key role in reducing carbon emissions in the environment, which is part of our long-term plans to conserve the environment,” Russo said.

    The programme is aligned to the government’s plans to roll out an electric vehicle public transport system that seeks to bring down the cost of transport for all stakeholders. This is aligned to the government’s economic transformation agenda and climate action, which is also expected to reduce the country’s carbon emissions.

    Cabinet Secretary, Roads and Transport Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen said “The government has prioritized the adoption of e-mobility, to achieve a number of targets. There is a need to reduce carbon emissions by 32% by 2030. In 2022 emissions in the transport sector were estimated to be 1.26 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.”

    “The adoption of electric motorbikes by boda-boda riders will help the country to achieve this target given that 1CE motorcycle emits more carbon than two saloon cars” added Murkomen.

    Over 60 youth boda-boda riders drawn from across Nairobi were the first recipients of the electric boda-bodas today, following comprehensive training on electric bikes, the rule of law, customer service and mastering conflict resolution. The youth will also get training in Business Development and Entrepreneurship.

    To qualify for the loan, the youth participants are obligated to undergo a mandatory training covering technical skills training, capital and business management, safety and peace building under KCB Foundation’s 2jiajiri youth programme. This is to enable them to qualify for green loans from KCB micro bankers.

    The transport sector is the second highest contributor of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions in the country and has been identified as a focus sector in Kenya’s enhanced National Determine Contribution (NDC) commitments and National Climate Change Action Plan.

    KCB launched 2jiajiri in 2016, a programme that seeks to formalize the informal sector and skill for self-employment targeting the youth and small businesses. It focuses on growing youth micro-businesses in the informal sector, bringing them to a place where they can employ others.

    Since its inception, 20,736 youth have received skills training and the bank has disbursed over KShs. 246 million loans to the youth as capital and asset financing, which has resulted in 64,380 jobs being directly created. A total of 3,402 small businesses are under incubation within the business development phase of the programme.

  • THE POWER OF SIMPLICITY: MEET THE INNOVATORS WHO BROUGHT SMARTTHINGS STATION TO LIFE

    THE POWER OF SIMPLICITY: MEET THE INNOVATORS WHO BROUGHT SMARTTHINGS STATION TO LIFE

    As we approach the cusp of a smart living revolution, a few challenges prevent our leap toward a truly harmonious and fluid experience. Smart home appliances continue to surge in popularity, escalating the demand for a digital home hub a gateway bridging diverse IoT (Internet of Things) devices with seamless integration.

    At CES 2023 in January of this year, Samsung Electronics unveiled SmartThings Station which revolutionized new smart home hubs supporting Matter, the home IoT compatibility standard. This platform promotes expansive connectivity, empowering users to sync smart products irrespective of their manufacturer. SmartThings Station gained media spotlight for dismantling the entry barriers to IoT.

    Since 100 days passed since the product’s release, Samsung sat down with SmartThings Station developer Eugene Park and product planner Kiyoung Kwon to learn more about the smart home hub’s development.

    What Does Smart Living Look Like?

    Imagine coming home after a long day to find your home already working for you. As you enter, the curtains close and the bathroom lights turn on so you can go wash your hands. Your favorite tunes play softly in the background. The air purifier kicks in as you prepare dinner. When you open the windows for ventilation, the air conditioner automatically powers down.

    Is It Possible for a Home To Take Care of Your Entire Daily Routine?

    This kind of dream home is no longer a fantasy. With SmartThings Station, you can tailor your smart home to your family’s routines. This smart hub not only connects Samsung products: it unifies multiple devices using the latest Matter IoT standards, regardless of manufacturer.

    “When developing SmartThings Station, we focused on enabling more users to effortlessly connect various devices, so they can enjoy a smart home experience without entry barriers,” said product planner Kiyoung Kwon.

    “Our goal with SmartThings Station was to create a product that would take center stage in your home,” explained Kwon. Most hub products are typically set up in a corner and quickly forgotten about. “Our challenge was to design a product that served not only as a hub but also as a device people want to use,” he added. This goal remained a significant focus for his team throughout the product planning phase.

    By adding the well-loved wireless charging feature as well as the Find My Mobile feature, Kwon increased product usability and encouraged users to incorporate the hub as a natural part of their day-to-day routine.

    “A lot of thought went into eliminating IoT entry barriers. That’s how the Smart Button came to be,” said developer Eugene Park. “Touch the Smart Button, and it activates the automated routines that are already set up.”

    The SmartThings Station development team overcame this hurdle with a “Calm Onboarding” strategy. “We’ve minimized any inconveniences users may encounter by simplifying the onboarding process. In less than three steps, users can register the product on the cloud and control it with a mobile device,” said Kwon. “We’ve also enabled users to activate routines through three different touch methods — tap shortly, tap twice and hold so that they don’t have to open an app. Since users can activate various hub features while wirelessly charging, they can use the product for multiple purposes.”

    What Are the Security Features of SmartThings Station?

    According to Park, SmartThings Station demonstrates enhanced security in two aspects: the product key feature equipped in the product itself and the encryption feature for cloud communication data security. “SmartThings Station comes with a unique product key. So, when users connect the product to the cloud, they must go through identity verification to access it,” said Park. “This leads to the crucial part: the cloud communication data security. All data transferred between the cloud and Station is encrypted through the embedded Secure Element (eSE). This secures the data during communication.”

    Nearly all home IoT products big or small, from Samsung or another brand can be connected to SmartThings Station, thanks to the home IoT compatibility standard called Matter. Samsung is a member of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), an organization unifying the different communication languages IoT manufacturers use. After three years of thorough discussions with more than 280 member companies, the protocol standard Matter v1.0 was released.

    The expansion of the smart home ecosystem is just getting started. The SmartThings Station development team considers the 100th day milestone as a new starting point. “SmartThings Station will create more ways to provide convenience at home,” said Park and Kwon.

    “We plan on providing continuous software updates for SmartThings Station, and we’ll deliver satisfying improvements each time,” said the SmartThings Station team.

    “I really appreciate the positive feedback our users shared with us,” said Kwon. “The launch of SmartThings Station is just the starting point in making smart home ecosystems mainstream. Our next goal is to develop and present various IoT products that meet the Matter standard so that users can fully utilize their smart home hub.”

    Samsung, among other global companies, envisions a world where more users can enjoy the convenience of an unfettered home IoT experience. Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom to see what’s next for SmartThings Station and the development team.

  • Huawei roots for more innovation to deepen 5G uptake

    Huawei roots for more innovation to deepen 5G uptake

    As commercial deployment of 5G gains momentum in Kenya with Safaricom and Airtel leading its rollout across the country, it has created a growing appetite for more groundbreaking, leapfrog innovation needed to apply it to more sectors. But to do so necessitates diving deeper into industrial scenarios, truly understanding customers’ pain points, and adopting a more holistic systems engineering mindset.

    In a statement from the head office, Huawei Rotating Chairwoman and CFO Sabrina Meng said that the technology industry needs to work more closely together both up and down the value chain – with peers and partners, customers and developers – throughout the entire product lifecycle, from R&D and procurement, to supply and marketing, to pave way for solution modeling, optimization, tools and methodologies

    “5G has been in commercial use around the world for four years now. It’s driving new value creation, and 5.5G is the next step forward and as science and technology moves towards large, complex systems, it requires matching technology to specific scenarios and performing systems engineering, in order to pave the way for 5G’s ongoing success,” explained Sabrina.

    The digital infrastructure of the future intelligent world will be deeply integrated into every aspect of people’s lives, industry, and society. It won’t be based on advancements in individual technologies, but rather on incredibly massive, complex systems – the convergence of multiple elements. It’s going to require systems-level thinking and design.

    Meng spoke about two specific types of integrated capabilities. “The first is integrating different technologies. We can achieve greater synergy across cloud, networks, edge, and devices through systematic design and cross-domain innovation. When coupled with optimization across software, hardware, chips, and algorithms, we can address the challenges associated with developing complex solutions for vastly different industrial scenarios,” she added.

    “The second,” she continued, “is the ability to integrate different approaches to management. Digital and intelligent transformation is more about transforming your approach to management. Going digital requires redefining the relationships between people, events, things, and theory, and adopting a more open, forward-looking management approach to address future challenges.”

    Sabrina pointed out that across all industries and countless households around the world, 5G has been changing the way people work and live, creating tremendous economic, industrial, and social value.

    For consumers, 5G, cloud and AI have set off a chain reaction and new forms of business are emerging in great quantities. For industries, to become a driver of productivity, the technology has to become a component of production systems in large-scale industrial applications.

    Moving ahead, 5G is expected to give rise to new devices and applications that deliver a more immersive experience, like 5G New Calling and naked-eye 3D. It is also ushering in a new era of super-connectivity between things, bringing new strength to IoT networks and driving new forms of productivity.

  • The Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge Launched

    The Young Environmentalist Innovation Challenge Launched

    The Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) has today launched the Young Environmentalist Innovative Challenge (YEIC), an environmental innovation fund that aims at developing action-oriented young individuals committed to the conservation of the environment.

    The finalists of this challenge will be awarded in two categories; the first category will see three young environment champions awarded a grant of between Ksh. 800,000 to Ksh. 1,500,000, while the second category will have six organizations awarded a grant of between 3,000,000 to Ksh. 5,000,000 each implementing their unique environment conservation-based ideas.

    YEIC is an environmental innovation fund established by KCDF through the generous gift of Mackenzie Scott to support innovative ideas and solutions that promote environmental conservation, sustainable resource management, and community resilience. KCDF has partnered with the National Environment Trust Fund (NetFund) and Green Generation Initiative.

    In a ceremony that brought together, youth representatives, the private sector, environment champions, advocates and enthusiasts, the event highlighted the importance of conserving the environment as part of the efforts to mitigate the current global challenges like drought and climate change.

    Speaking during the event, the Chief Guest Mr. Samson Toniok, CEO – National Environment Trust Fund (NetFund) applauded the initiative as timely when the world today is faced by unprecedented environmental crisis including the global phenomena of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

    “The effects of these global challenges remain stark realities in our day-to-day lives such as frequent droughts, rising waters, extreme weather and flash floods that continue to take the toll on Kenyans and their livelihoods. For this reason, I would like to applaud KCDF for this noble initiative and encourage you continue fostering partnerships for future and continued success of this challenge.” He said.

    On her part, the KCDF Executive Director highlighted the need to embrace and promote innovation in the development sector.

    “When you give organizations unrestricted funding, innovation comes about. People are able to take the money where it is most needed. One of the key innovations we came up with is YEIC, that challenges the youth and youth organizations to come up with environmental solutions that would advance livelihoods and education. The narrative in the community has been that if we are conserving the environment, livelihoods suffer, and our intention is to burst this myth.” Said Ms.Grace Maingi.

    Gordon Odundo, a Board Director at KCDF challenged the youth to take lead in conserving the environment.

    “The youth, this environment is your future, you need to protect it, look after it and participate in the good work of preserving it.” He said.

    Elizabeth Wathuti the Founder of Green Generation Initiative (GGI) said that the YEIC challenge was very timely as an empowering platform for the Kenyan youth who continue to face a stiff competition for resources against bigger organizations. Michael Waiyaki, C.EO and Founder Miti Alliance said that as a community we need to know the difference between tree planting and tree growing and embrace the latter which is more effective. Josephine Wawira, the Communications Lead,

    Sustainable Inclusive Business Kenya insisted on the need to avoid using complex jargon on issues of environment and climate change and come down to the community’s level and communicate effective contextual strategies towards climate change mitigation.

    Ebenezer Amadi a Program Manager at the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) said that the private sector continues to play a pivotal role in advocating for proper pro-environment policies and regulations in the country.

    This Young Environmentalist Innovative Challenge is built on KCDF’s environment work that began in 2016 under the Wangari Maathai Scholarship Fund.

     

  • Condemnation On Assault Of Kenya Power Staff While On Official Duty

    Condemnation On Assault Of Kenya Power Staff While On Official Duty

    By Steve Sabai

     

    Kenya Power’s mandate is to plan for sufficient electricity generation and transmission capacity, build and maintain the power distribution and transmission network, and retail electricity to its customers.

    As a Company, our desire and unwavering commitment is to provide quality and reliable electricity to power people for better lives and to enable the country’s socio-economic development in a sustainable manner.

    To do that, the Company carries out routine surveillance of the network, to ensure that it is safe and free from any illegal activities that endanger the lives of members of the public. Illegal connections on the network are a leading cause of deaths by electrocution and damage to assets. They also compromise the quality of power supply and lead to loss of revenue for the Company. Last year, we lost 214 units of transformers valued at an average of Shs.800,000 per unit due to overloading from illegal connections and vandalism.

    While working to weed the network off these illegal and dangerous connections, we regrettably note an emerging trend of violent attacks against our staff. The latest of these incidents happened on Monday, 3rd July 2023 in Kitengela where our staff were attacked by the Kitui East Member of Parliament, Nimrod Mbai.

    We have taken up this issue with the relevant authorities and the matter is now before the courts. As an entity that prioritizes the welfare of its staff and the public, we condemn this incident and we wish to categorically state that we do not condone any form of violence, at least not on our staff while on official duty.

    In line with our mandate to provide reliable and quality electricity supply to our customers, the Company will intensify network surveillance and continue to work closely with the National Government Administration Officers and other security agencies to stamp out all illegal activities.

    In pursuit of our mission to power people for better lives, we invite members of the public to report any cases of vandalism, illegal connections, theft of power and any other suspicious activity on the electricity network through 97771 (call or text) or the nearest authorities.

  • Lenku to submit detailed legal documents on Jamii Bora Estate wrangles

    Lenku to submit detailed legal documents on Jamii Bora Estate wrangles

    The Senate Committee on Roads, Housing, and Transportation put to task Governor Joseph Ole Lenku of Kajiado County to address a petition regarding access to title deeds for properties purchased in the Jamii Bora estate in Kisaju, Kajiado County.

    According to the Governor, the Kisaju Estate, initially intended to provide housing for the poor from Nairobi slums such as Korogocho, Kibera, and Mathare, was later converted by Ms. Sofia Ingrid Munro from a charity project to commercial development. This change allowed the County Government of Kajiado to collect rent and rates from the estate.

    Governor Ole Lenku explained that the County Government granted a change of land use from agricultural to commercial and residential development.

    Lenku stated that the directors of Jamii Bora Estate should surrender the mother title to facilitate the subdivision process and enable property owners in Kisaju Estate to obtain their title deeds.

    The Governor further informed the committee that since the change of land use, the Jamii Bora Charitable Trust ceased to be a trust and became liable for rents and rates amounting to Ksh. 1,069,634,990.

    The Committee Chairperson, Senator Karungo, questioned the Governor regarding why the County Government of Kajiado charged rates and rent for 5,871 plots instead of the two parcels of land. In response, the Kajiado County Executive for Finance, Economic Planning, and ICT explained that the county enforces revenue collection through the Finance Act, which requires individuals and entities to pay taxes annually. Failure to pay taxes results in penalties.

    The Committee Vice Chairperson, Sen. Peris Tobiko asked the Governor to fast-track the process of sub-division of the Kisaju Estate land so that the residents can get title deeds.
    The Governor assured the committee that in two weeks’ time, the County Government of Kajiado will provide the Committee with detailed legal documents demonstrating how the Jamii Bora Estate Limited accrued a debt of one billion shillings in rent and rates.
  • Public Petitions committee seeks to find the truth of River Athi pollution

    Public Petitions committee seeks to find the truth of River Athi pollution

    The National Assembly’s Public Petitions committee, headed by Hon. Nimrod Mbai, met with stakeholders to peruse a petition by Hon. Vincent Musyoka of Mwala regarding the pollution affecting River Athi.

    The pollution is primarily caused by industrial effluents and residential waste. In order to gather comprehensive information, the committee conducted fact-finding missions both upstream and downstream of the river.

    During the proceedings, Mr. Liban Roba, the Managing Director of Tana Athi River Development Authority (TARDA), informed the committee that their authority had been diminished and delegated to other agencies, rendering them unable to take effective action. Hon. Bwire raised concerns about TARDA’s collaboration with other agencies to fulfill its mandate and challenged the notion that being “toothless” should serve as a valid excuse.

    Hon. Mbai questioned TARDA’s involvement in the Nairobi River Commission and urged them to take action to prevent Kenyans from consuming contaminated water containing heavy metals, as River Athi serves as a source for Thwake Dam.

    The hon members also expressed concerns about the County Government of Machakos approving developments that do not meet legally established standards. When accountability for the pollution issue was addressed, the CEO of MAVWASCO highlighted the main challenge they face, which is the National Government’s failure to transfer assets to county governments. This has resulted in agencies competing for limited resources without clear mandates, leading to overlaps in responsibilities.

    Expressing their disappointment, the committee reiterated its intention to hold the stakeholders accountable and stressed that simply claiming to be doing their best is inadequate. The committee demanded answers, emphasizing the potential hazards if the issue with River Athi is left unaddressed, particularly regarding its drainage into Thwake Dam.

  • The third cohort of the Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justices starts with a fresh call

    The third cohort of the Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justices starts with a fresh call

    The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) in partnership with Kenyatta University opened the third Nairobi Summer School of Climate Justice (NSSCJ) cohort in Nairobi Kenya. The official opening symposium was held at Kenyatta University and attracted over 500 participants featuring over 250 students from across the continent and beyond.

    Addressing participants, Dr. Mithika Mwenda described Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice as a unique and innovative initiative that aims to equip young leaders and activists with the knowledge, skills, and tools to advance the cause of climate justice in their communities and beyond.

    Defending the historical idea of starting the Nairobi Summer School on Climate Justice initiative, Dr. Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of PACJA said that the mobilization, policy engagement, and other engagements that PACJA has been undertaking is a team effort and hence the Nairobi Summer School was a quick idea bearing solutions.

    “We have been engaging with policymakers and stakeholders to influence and shape policies and actions that are responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people. We have built alliances and partnerships with other actors and movements that share our vision and values. But we cannot do this alone. We need you, the young leaders and activists, to join us in this struggle.”

    Regarding the theme of the Symposium, “Connecting Ideas and shaping narratives for Climate Justice, ” Amb. Ayele Kabede, the Program Manager of the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) pointed out that the program is invaluable in building intergenerational knowledge in the context of Climate Change.

    “I am glad to hear that this edition of Nairobi Summer School brought together over 600 hundred physical and virtual students to be equipped with knowledge on Climate Change. This is a big achievement, said Amb. Kabede before he encouraged youth to think of the valuable contribution because they are actors of change in climate action.

    “That is why you are here and that is why this platform is here for you”, he stressed.

    The Netherlands is one of the developed countries that has been supporting Climate action and was represented by Amb. Maarten, the Dutch Ambassador in Kenya. appreciated the initiative which he qualified as the groundswell of youth climate activists.

    “Climate change is indispensable in addressing the existential threat posed by Climate Change.
    The voices of people and communities need to be heard to influence decisions and policies that
    will impact their lives for the years to come”, said HE Amb. Maarten Brouwer.

    He also added that “Strengthening justice is a priority to our work to contribute to the 2030 agenda and to Leave No One Behind and time for incremental change is over.”

    The Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education said that Climate Change has been destroying infrastructures, schools, and other learning materials, and hence mainstreaming climate change in all education systems is important to build the capacities of the young generation.

    “The Ministry of Education aims to inspire students to take action in advocacy and action on climate change through environmental clubs, tree planting initiatives to implement environmentally friendly initiatives in their communities, intimated Hon, Ezekiel Machogu, the Cabinet Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Kenya.

  • Embracing Green Energy in Kirinyaga

    Embracing Green Energy in Kirinyaga

    Kirinyaga County MP The Hon. Wakili Njeri Maina has demonstrated her commitment towards advancing the clamour for green energy which is one of the prerequisites to save mother nature from the wrath of climate change.

    Hon. Njeri is working in collaboration with stakeholders in rolling out an initiative that aims to promote use of energy saving jikos across Kirinyaga County.

    In a distribution exercise on Tuesday, Njeri Maina noted:

    “I would like to thank the ministry of energy for facilitating distribution of energy saving jikos across Kirinyaga.

    My office will be partnering with the ministry to offer renewable and sustainable solutions to the energy needs of our people across Kirinyaga.

    We will also be constructing biogas production zones in select areas across the county in bids to bolster and counter environmental degradation.

    She was in the company of MCA Baragwi David Mathenge , Engineer Wangombe, area ACC, Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs, and staff from KAWI; where they distributed energy saving jikos in Gichugu sub-county.

    Energy saving jikos are efficient as they provide higher energy content per unit mass, reduce GreenHouseGas emissions, and promote conservation of the environment.

    “Every beneficiary of the energy saving jikos will plant a tree in a bid to support the 15B climate action plan by our president William Samoei Ruto.”