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Nairobi 29^th November 2021:  The government plans to curb Kenya’s strong reliance on solid biomass fuels by the year 2028, especially in rural areas where over 80% of the households depend on firewood and charcoal as their primary sources of cooking fuel.

To achieve this, the government will collaborate with clean cooking sector stakeholders and support the development of appropriate policy frameworks, increased funding for clean cooking, and development of sustainable markets specifically LPG, electricity, clean biomass solutions, ethanol, and biogas.

In Kenya, up to 34% percent of wood fuel harvested is unsustainable, contributing to environmental degradation and climate change. Approximately 70% of households in Kenya still use a type of wood-stove as either their primary or secondary cook-stove, with a greater prevalence of 92% in rural areas. This corresponds to 64.7% (equivalent to 8.1 million) of households in Kenya using wood as their primary cooking fuel.

Speaking during the launch of the clean cooking week 2021 Principal Secretary, ministry of Energy Maj. Gen. (Rtd). Dr. Gordon O. Kihalangwa says, “As a government, we have committed to gradually phase-out of the use of charcoal in urban areas by 2028 and transition all public institutions from use of biomass cooking fuels to higher tier cooking Solutions by 2025. Further, we will accelerate the adoption of and use of clean cooking technologies and fuels to 100 % by 2028.

Jechoniah Kitala, chair of, Clean Cooking Association of Kenya has said that there is a need to enhance sector coordination and action both within and outside of government for the country to achieve its goal for universal access to modern clean cooking solutions. “Household energy plays a significant role in facilitating sustainable development due to its nexus nature with other elements of development hence we need to make it an integral part of countries’ policies,” he added. “Clean cooking technologies need attention if the country’s efforts to deal with pollution, reduce disease burden and mitigate adverse effects of climate change are to bear any fruits,” said Kitala.

The launch of the Clean cooking week 2021 aligns with Kenya’s commitment to achieving universal clean cooking by 2028 that was announced by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Amb. Monica Juma during COP 26 conference in Glasgow Scotland.

It is estimated that complications from Household Air Pollution (HAP) through inefficient stoves and fuels in claims 21,560 lives annually in Kenya according to a recent study by the  Kenya Cooking Sector. The most affected people are the women and children below the age of 5 who spend most of their time with their mothers.

GIZ-Endev Component Leader at GTZ – Kenya Anna Ingwe called on the government and the development partners to put more effort into supporting innovation by youth and women. “Kenya’s economy backbone comprises largely of SMEs, therefore, there is a need to be supported as they are expected to play a prominent role in improving the environment and creating job opportunities. “ she added.

It is estimated that complications from Household Air Pollution (HAP) through inefficient stoves and fuels in claims 21,560 lives annually in Kenya according to a recent study by the  Kenya Cooking Sector. The most affected people are the women and children below the age of 5 who spend most of their time with their mothers. The benefits of the clean cooking sector will cut across health, environmental sustainability, income opportunities, and affordability.

The ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN) mobilized its members and the wider Kenyan community in an online campaign to raise awareness and demand accountability on the ongoing drought facing ASAL Counties. With over 2.5 million people in 23 ASAL Counties affected and numbers are expected to continue rising, the AHN is concerned by the little or no response from the authorities concerned.

As the world is watching COP26 in Glasgow, these commitments to address the impact of climate change come too late for millions of Kenyans. Under the #DroughtKE21, AHN in collaboration with Kenyan social media activists reached a total of 651,870 online users who expressed solidarity with the plight of Kenyans in ASAL counties. Kenyans online expressed concern over the lackadaisical approach taken by both the County and National Government through the departments concerned.

The underperformance of the long rains means that pasture and browse conditions are below average for this time of year and with forecasts of yet another below-average short rains upcoming, the situation in the ASALs will only continue to deteriorate. The below-average conditions of pasture and browse affect the condition of livestock and their condition is worsening due to increased distances to water and pasture and an anticipated increase in livestock diseases and livestock deaths.

Tensions and conflict over limited access to resources are increasing as pastoralist communities are moving in search of water and pasture, both within the traditionally negotiated areas or outside of these locations.

@Qamar Queen a twitter user posting from Daadab shared this post with disturbing images of
dead livestock spanning the expansive arid landscape of Akakaile Ward:
“There’s no much intervention on the ground. Communities lost hope and are crying for
help. This is Alikune, Abakaile ward, Dadab subcounty. #DroughtKE21”

Another user Ahmed Malim Adow shared: DroughtKE21 its just another phenomenon that shows governance is not working for the people in Kenya! …This is not due to lack of resources but politicians do not prioritise the
needs of the community but their wellbeing! ….We don’t lack water or land but plans &
intentions .

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the situation by restricting access to health and
nutrition services, a slowdown in trade and losses of income and livelihoods due to measures put
in place to control the spread of the virus. The locust, COVID-19 and drought crises come at a time
when Kenya is grappling with a growing debt and fiscal crisis.

While we take note and appreciate that national media reports of government action immediately
after our online #DroughtKE21 campaign where the government committed to disburse cash
stipends to households targeting 369,000 vulnerable households and 734,119 individuals every
two months, the entitlements people are receiving are not sufficient to cover immediate household
needs.

The ASAL Humanitarian Network:
• Calls upon the national and county governments to release available funding to scale up
the response with both a top-up to most vulnerable households to minimum household needs
as well as widening the safety net program to include a larger population and to create social
accountability mechanisms that will involve community humanitarian partners and
stakeholders in planning, monitoring and implementation of the action.
• Urges the Government of Kenya and the wider humanitarian community to scale up the
response beyond December 2021, in light of anticipated below-average performance of short
rains from October to December.
• Appeals for special focus on the needs of women and young girls who are
disproportionately affected by the adverse effects of the drought and put at greater risk, for
example risk of sexual and gender based violence and early marriage.
• Interrogates existing opportunities for the development of more responsive Disaster
Management Policies and Legislation that look into the socio-economic impact of the
drought and its effect on women, youth, household incomes, pastoralists and persons living
with disabilities.
• Recommends the adoption of Forecast Based Action that combines water and food
security indicators, urges the Water and Sanitation Coordination Group (WESCORD) to
prioritize the incorporation of a water severity index, which sets in prior to food insecurity in
ASAL context
• Calls for locally led responses that are timely, and that sustain and reinforce existing
community efforts and linking these to the global Climate Justice agenda in line with recent
commitments made by President Uhuru Kenyatta during the COP26 Summit.

Kenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM) is established under Section 3(1) of the Supplies Practitioners Management Act, 2007 (the SPMA) to inter alia, register, license all supplies practitioners in Kenya and to regulate their practice. 

The KISM Council’s attention has been drawn to the Media Statement issued by the Kenya Medical Supplies Association (KEMSA) Board on the impending reforms to strengthen Universal Health Coverage. 

KEMSA is a Supply Chain Management (SCM) Organization mandated to undertake roles and responsibilities to ensure supply chain excellence for Health Products and Technologies. The KISM Council is fully aware of the financial, supply chain and procurement, warehouse and distribution challenges facing KEMSA, which have severely affected the Institution’s effectiveness in fulfilling its mandate.

As the umbrella body for Supplies Practitioners with statutory powers, KISM welcomes efforts to transform KEMSA into an effective public body. A functional KEMSA will always be a good showcase of supply chain management excellence. While we welcome the ongoing reforms, we wish to petition the Board to engage all stakeholders, particularly KISM. We are the custodians and regulators of Supply Chain Management practitioners and are at hand to provide the necessary technical support towards transforming KEMSA.

Further, as the Regulator of the SCM Profession in Kenya, we note that all the staff sent home from the warehouse and the procurement departments are Members of KISM. We want to be involved in decisions and investigations involving our members with a view of subjecting them to our internal disciplinary mechanisms, where applicable. We would also like to know the criteria used to decide who leaves and who remains at the Institution and advocate for a systematic, structured, transparent and equitable process There will be a need to revisit the goals and objectives of KEMSA to determine the optimal structure consisting of the appropriate supply chain management competencies that are responsive to the complex, ambiguous, volatile and uncertain business environment in which we are all operating. We also note that Development Partners and Local Procurement experts, some of whom are members of our Institute and the international professional organizations, have been working closely with the KEMSA Reforms Teams. Therefore, it would be essential to ensure concerted efforts on building SCM capacity and capability to implement these reforms, both at the Staff and Board levels. 

The KISM council is ready to offer any support to this end, taking cognizance of the critical role of supply chain management in achieving Universal Health Coverage, Sustainable Goal number 3 and our country’s Vision 2030. Our considered counsel is that a drastic and emotional approach to this may not achieve these desired goals, particularly in the absence of competent stakeholders in the reforms committee.

At KISM, stand on the side of professionalism and integrity in Supply Chain Management and commit to partner with the KEMSA Board and Management in providing technical assistance, expertise and capacity building for the correct size SCM Organization that will enable the Institution to deliver its mandate.