INVEST IN REAL ESTATE

By Anthony Mwachiro
Leaders in Rabai have challenged youth in the area to take advantage of the new Uwezo fund and other devolved funds targeting youth and women to invest more in real estate.
addressing to the youth, Rabai legislature William Kamoti noted that despite the area being rich in investors many of them are forced to look for decent housing away from the area.
According to him many youth are focusing on white collar jobs saying that groups are enough to create employment opportunities.
“We lack adequate houses to absorb our investors, teachers and other government staffs in our sub county, and it’s high time you come together and exploit this opportunity.” Adviced Kamoti.
Speaking in Rabai, the Mp urged the youth and women in the area to consider creating employment opportunities adding that the increasing number of investors in the area have created a ready market.
The legislature called on security officers to allow youth and women to work in groups to discuss and get their mechanism to access the funds.
 According to Kamoti, most youth’s challenge is, “ they are afraid that they might end up behind bars as their grouping might be mistaken to security threat. All over Kenya youth are in groups discussing how
to benefit with the new Uwezo fund and should not be viewed as security threat.”
He added saying despite the need to have secure environment, there was need to enquire the groupings agenda before dispatching them.
Similar sentiments were shared by Ruruma ward representative Naphtali Kombo, who expressed the need to have youth work closely with their leaders to address their challenges.
According to him, the employment opportunities in Kilifi county government might not be enough to all unemployed youth, but there were other mechanism to empower the young generation to use the new Uwezo
fund and other devolved funds to invest.
 “The idea of we are used to politicians should not arise this time, we are in a devolved system of government and it’s out time to empower our young generation and our mothers economically.” Noted the Ruruma
county rep.
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Rabai community marks its cultural new year

Rabai community marks its new year

It was pomp and color as Rabai community among the Mijikenda inKenya marked its cultural new year, a day characterized by smearing of ash on houses to mark a new beginning.

Lined in the exhibition usually are natural traditional foods, dance and equipments used before the coming of technology among other traditional medication practices.

The New Year was celebrated on 22^nd October, but was prolonged dubbed Rabai cultural week with activities running from 18th to 26^th October with a climax being traditional dance competition and football match for the young generation.
With the African community risking the loss of their culture due to what is said modern world, the event is expected to encourage the African Rabai community to embrace their tradition under the theme “Cultural preservation through modernization”.
on 18th  there was what is called “kutsangira mwaka” meaning ‘welcoming the year’ which was be spearheaded by Kaya elders in the morning hours to clean the roads leading to “Kaya mudzi muvya “ a cultural village center in the kaya forest launched recently.
Also accompanying this exercise is the construction of what is called by the Rabai community as
Kadzumba ka vitumbakazi.
On 20th the kaya elders  lead a ritual ceremony at Mwareni in Chang’ombe accompanied by a rare dance called Ngoto dance which is played once every year or during cultural activities to deal with evil spirits.
Among the key activities associated with this Rabai celebration is “kumwagira urunzi” (smearing of ash to the walls of every house) done in the morning of the New Year; an activity they believe is welcoming of blessings.
However, dancing competition ‘Kutsomana’ will be on going between 23^rd to 25th where members of various traditional dance.
According to the curator, Rabai Museum, William Tsaka noted that climax of the celebrations are expected to be conducted at Mkapuni council grounds on the 26^th.

This is after night out known as ‘Kularira mwaka’ which was conducted on the eve of the new year which was held at Mwamumba village where the community enjoy the natural coconut wine.

He said, “We opted for a full week to empower and educate the young generation and our visitors on the richness of our traditions and how our people used to do before the coming of Christianity and Islam. “
With the coming of devolved system of government Rabai community have embarked o various measures to shore case their culture to the outside world.

Funding

The Rabai museum curator challenged the Kilifi county government to consider allocating of funds to sell the local culture of the communities within the county.

“there is need to support conservation of local culture at all level as compared to the one given to miss tourism” adviced Tsaka.

Speaking to Kilifian, the principal curator at Fort Jesus, national monument, Mbarak Abdulqadir Abdallah, noted the best thing to different between two African communities is through their cultural practice.

“It’s high time we embrace our native culture to stand out from others as the traditions are different among African communities.” He said

Abdallah urged all communities to start a similar celebration to sell out their culture adding that cultural tourism has been embraced in recent days which give visitors a chance to interact with the locals and learn different African practice.

He challenged on the need for both central and county government to promote cultural tourism which according to him Masaai culture has been uplifted despite Kenyan communities having more unique cultural practices.

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http://youtu.be/KmknDmJTyIk

LAND, A HURDLE IN HOSPITAL EXPANSION

Over 300,000 people depending on the Mariakani sub county hospital may need to wait for long before the institution is expanded to meet the increasing demand.
Lack of land has proved to be a hurdle in expansion of the hospital which according to officials in the ministry of health the land meant for exercise ended up in private hands.
The hospital located along the Nairobi Mombasa highway has witnessed its work load increased to over 10,000 patients a month.
The hospital which started as a dispensary in 1960 before elevated to a health center in 1976 due to increased population.
The hospital  became a sub county hospital after Kaloleni become a district in 2007 making it a major health facility the  current Kaloleni, Rabai sub counties from Kilifi County and neighboring Kinango Sub County from Kwale County.
According to Kilifi county health officer, Dr Anisa Omar, the hospital has been facing hard time in dealing with emergency cases particularly accidents victims.
“This hospital serves three sub counties, Kaloleni, Rabai and neighboring Kinango due its location the institution has been receiving about 200 accidents victims a month of which about 60 we are
forced to refer them to Coast general hospital.” She said.
According to her the hospital’s number in delivery has increased to 391 over the last month due to the commencing of free service.
Speaking at a ceremony to hand over an ambulance donated to the hospital by the Turkey embassy, Dr. Omar noted that the facility despite resembling like a dispensary was serving the purpose of a
level 4 hospital.
Sources noted that reluctance to acquire title deeds for government institutions among them health facilities and schools has led to massive grabbing of public land to private developers.

A hole at the sinking male ward building

The county government of Kilifi has set aside 80M to improve the hospital infrastructure and construction of mortuary facility that the management says has been waited for a long time.
According to Kaloleni district medical health officer, Dr. David Mang’ong’o the construction of the facility will reduce the cost to many locals who seek for services from the institution.
“There have been difficulties by the locals here who are forced to get the body of their diseased to coast general hospital a move that is not easy to many.” He revealed.
Despite the challenge facing the expansion, the hospital’s male ward might fall if efforts are not take at an early stage to stop the building which is in the verge of sinking with crack on its walls due
to what experts in building industry said was poor workmanship.

Relocation
However, the minister in charge of health in Kilifi county government, Dr.Swabah Ahmed revealed that they have set aside 10M to rehabilitate the sinking building.
“We have been working with experts from public works, ministry of lands officials and currently plans are at advanced stage to have structural engineering work on the male ward building for it to continue give the necessary service to the public.” She said.
According to the minister effort are underway to acquire land from Kenya agricultural research institute (KARI) in Mariakani to construct a bigger hospital to serve the increased population.
However Kilifi county senator, Stewart Madzayo, warned that no one was going to let go with a public land and revealed that the original they were going to use the original mapping of the hospital to get back the hospital land.

Governor Kingi confer with Kaloleni MOH, Dr David Mang'ong'o

He said the locals seeking service to the hospital were more important than an individual holding the land meant for public institution and added that hospital land cannot be private.
“As leaders we are accountable to the entire problems our people are facing and the county government will not rest until all the land problems come to a rest in this county. We do not care who has which
connections in the corridors of power but all those who acquired land illegally the constitution is clear.” Warned Madzayo
Also present during the handing over of the ambulance donated to Turkish embassy, was Governor Amason Kingi, echoed sentiment by leaders present of getting all public land out of private hands.
He revealed that they were working with the central government to secure all the public land and have schools, hospitals and other public institutions have title deeds to prevent grabbers.
The governor pointed fingers to local for sidelining with outsiders to sell of public land to private developers.
“We have been accusing upcountry people grabbing our land but the truth of land is that our own people are responsible. In the case of Mariakani those who allowed this to happen are the people who were in
charge of Mariakani county council.” said Kingi
The governor urged those holding public land acquired illegally to surrender failure they were going to face the full force of the law as they give a guideline to revoke all the titles obtained unlawfully.
Kingi revealed that the county government will in the next financial year set aside, 210M to facilitate land survey and adjudication aimed to solve the land problem and promised to deal with squatters’ problem in the county for the next two years.
End

Antonyzedy communications: EMPOWER DISABLED SAYS TRANSPARENCY

Antonyzedy communications: EMPOWER DISABLED SAYS TRANSPARENCY: Transparency international has raised concern over the need to empower the disable members of the community to champion for their right...

EMPOWER DISABLED SAYS TRANSPARENCY

Transparency international has raised concern over the need to empower the disable members of the community to champion for their rights. dis

Led by Francis Kairu, despite efforts to address the plight of disabled members of the community as most of the funds channeled towards helping them end in the wrong hands.

Speaking at the sideline of an awareness workshop to empower people with disability in Likoni, he called on the need to have proper mechanisms to curb corruption in funds distribution.

“About 50% of funds meant to empower disabled members of the community due to corruption with no legal mechanism in curbing those involved in malpractices in Kenya.” Said Kairu

Francis Kairu- Transparency Mombasa

According to him, the allocation of 300m for people with disability in the Kenyan 2013/2014 budget was not enough and called on the need to more funds to empower the disabled in Kenya.

However he took issues with the how the county government for what he said they sidelined the disabled in their budgets as most counties honored only the constitutional directive to include people with disability in their leadership slots but no or little funds was set for them to empower them economically.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Kombo Malama, who insisted there was much to be done to for disabled members of the community to enjoy their rights as granted in the Kenyan constitution.

“From this workshop I now informed that we need to stand to question anywhere we see our right being violated. The idea of us raising some amount to get registered with the national council of people with disability has been a hurdle to some of us; the government should give this service free.” He said.

According to Malama, many children with disability are still held up in their homes and unable to get any government assistance as their parents and guardian cannot afford to raise the registration fee.

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ENACT BY LAWS TO STREAM LINE EDUCATION AT COUNTY LEVEL; LEADERS SAY

Leaders in Kwale County are calling on the county government to enact by laws to deal with early pregnancies school dropout which has been threatening child education in the area.

Led by Kinango mp, Gonzi Rai, they noted despite effort to improve education standards in the area, some have taken advantage of poor family background in the area to force girls into ways that end up ruining their education.

Speaking in Samburu at the sideline of a baraza for citizen to give out their proposal on project, he revealed that Kinango had set about 85million of its Constituency Development Fund to address education challenges in the area.

“I have been in consultation with our county government to see how best we can curb this menace through formulation of laws that will deal firmly with those found guilty at our local level.” Revealed the Mp.

Rai admitted some parents were still reluctant in monitoring their children progress in school a move that he said has been playing a key role in poor performance.

The legislature urged youth who have qualified to join medical collages and might have some challenges to lias with their leaders at all levels to secure the necessary support to have them enroll in higher education institution.

Samburu residents during a baraza at Ndohivyo primary

“ I believe with the devolved system we will need more nurses and other professionals and its high time we facilitate our children to join higher learning institutions. We lack enough nurses in Kinango only out of the 20 vacancies advertised last year we could only fill three from within.” Revealed Rai.

Speaking separately Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Kwale branch called on the need to have more funds channeled to counties to have infrastructure problem in school addressed by county governments.

The county secretary general, John Mackenzi Tuki, insisted only the governor will be in a position to physically know the status of school infrastructures at their locality.

“Unlike what is happening where county governments are left to deal with pre-school education and youth polytechnics, there is need to increase the funding to 45% of the national budget to counties to have it address other problems in both primary and secondary schools.” He said.

However, Tuki, took issues with the rampant campaign to save the girl child saying that the boy child now is suffering as all attention is geared towards the female.

According to the kwale kuppet boss, there is need to address the issues affecting education equally regardless of genders as boys are facing stiff competition from girls.

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COUNTY GOVERNMENTS URGED TO WORK WITH JOURNALISTS TO UPHOLD MEDIA FREEDOM

Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) has called on the County Governments to work closely with journalists based in their areas and to uphold media freedom to facilitate free flow of information to the public in line with the provisions of the constitution.

KCA, which has launched a project to train journalists on effective reporting on the implementation of Devolution and the operations of the County Governments, has noted with concern that some of County Governments have already began to deny journalists access to information and in some cases, have shown hostility towards the media.

“KCA has launched a project on media and devolution, which aims at building the capacity of journalists in reporting devolution.  We call on the County Governments to uphold media freedom and create an enabling environment for journalists to do their work, including putting up press galleries in the County Assemblies,” said William Oloo Janak, the KCA Chairman.

Janak urged journalists across the country generate accurate and well researched stories on the devolution implementation process and the role of the county governments to enable citizens participate effectively and from an informed position.

The association formally launched the Media and Devolution Project for Nairobi County on Tuesday August 20, 2013 at forum in Nairobi attended by officials of the Nairobi County Government, journalists and stakeholders including key institutions involved in the implementation of Devolution.

KCA members during a workshop at a Mombasa hotel recently

Key institutions including the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), Transition Authority (TA) and Nairobi County Government pledged to work closely with KCA and other media organizations to enhance access to information and effective public participation.

The project, which has kicked off in both the Coast Region and Nairobi County aims at building the capacity of 60 journalists on County Budget Literacy, Governance and Planning and reporting County Assemblies. It will be rolled out to other counties and is expected to benefit more than 500 journalists, mostly correspondents spread in the 47 Counties.

Speakers at the forum urged the National and the County Governments to encourage greater consultation in the implementation of the devolution process to reduce the ongoing acrimony as this could lead to the collapse of devolution as happened in the country’s first experiment with the process between 1963 and 1966.