Category: Uncategorized

By: James Mutua

Mombasa and Kilifi counties have been urged to develop a disability policy to end marginalisation.

Mombasa National Council for Persons with Disability coordinator Juliet Ruwa said that people with disabilities continue to suffer marginalisation in health, education and development due to legislative gaps.

She said the NCPWD, in partnership with Dream Achievers Youth Organisation and the Mombasa government, is drafting a policy to facilitate full disability mainstreaming in the devolved unit.

The policy seeks to strengthen legislation requiring at least a five per cent quota for PWDs in the public and private sector.

“In the previous county government, the policy was rejected and now we are making a new one that will inform data collection and the budget-making process,” Ruwa said.

 Dayo executive director Seif Jira said PWDs in Mombasa have continued to suffer adverse socioeconomic outcomes due to discriminatory prejudice and stigma.

“In every county, there is a need to have a policy that will guide the budget-making process, but in Mombasa we have none. This has continued to marginalise special groups. We want to bring everyone on board so that we can produce an all-inclusive document,” he said.
Jira said the county government has been unable to allocate enough resources to meet the needs of important groups, something which has led to a lack of reliable and desegregated data.

They said that the government relies on the data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data 2019, which is outdated considering the growing population.

They now want a quantitative study done to match the current dynamics.

 Jira said their organisation is developing a policy to ensure the plight of PWD is captured by the end of November when the new draft will be out.

He said the nomination of persons with disability in Mombasa county assembly was discriminatory.

“We want to put all stakeholders together in developing a Mombasa policy because we have noticed that Mombasa has no desegregated data on people with disability for budget planning purposes,” he said.

White Ribbon Alliance communications director Angel Katusya said there has been a continued disregard for disability rights in Kilifi county.

 She said the organisation is working towards championing disability rights in the county.

“We are building the capacity of girls because they are always discriminated against when accessing sexual reproductive health. We are trying to sensitise them on how they can demand their rights because they have continued to be marginalised,” Katusya said.

by Bruno Aero

Disability activists in Meru want the government to devolve medical assessments to reduce the backlog of unregistered persons.
Of about 70,000 such citizens in the county, only 25,000 are registered with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), said Daniel Mwangangi, a disability activist in Meru.

There were 49,815 people with disabilities in Meru in 2019, the highest in the country, a Kenya National Bureau of Statistics report shows. Of these, 19,508 are visually impaired and 19,281 had mobility disabilities.

Speaking at Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital during a medical assessment drive on Monday, county disability committee chairman Mike Makarina said the government should prioritise registration of people with disabilities to avert marginalisation.

“Government policy is very clear on the benefits that should go to a person with a disability, such as five percent of jobs and government contracts,” Mr Makarina said.

“These benefits can only be received if someone is registered. Putting barriers to the registration process is an attempt to marginalise persons with disability.”

He called on the NCPD to lobby for more medical assessment centres and doctors at the sub-county level to reach more residents.
Mr Makarina welcomed the ongoing renewal of disability registration, arguing that impostors had infiltrated earlier registration drives to benefit from disability services.

“We welcome the plan by the [NCPD] to introduce smart cards because it will weed out impostors. This will ease access to services,” he said.

Dr James Kinyua, an orthopaedic surgeon at Meru Referral, said the monthly medical assessment of disabilities draws more than 300 people to the hospital.

“We normally do community medical assessment drives but this had been suspended for four months due to the political campaigns,” Dr Kinyua said.

“The assessment also takes time because doctors from various specialties such as hearing, ophthalmologists, psychiatrists among others must be involved to determine the level of disability.”

The NCPD announced fresh registration after it rolled out a new system aimed at curbing fraud and enhancing accountability.

It devolved the signing of assessment reports to counties and eligible citizens are expected to register afresh by the end of the year.

By Jeff kizzilah

The equity bank plans to expand in 15 states in Africa by 2025.

At the moment equity have 6 offices cross Africa including DRC,Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Southern Sudan while plans to expand in Ethiopia and Burundi respectively.

Speaking during Equity 3rd Quoter performance report, Equity CEO Mr. James Mwangi said,our subsidiaries across Africa are doing much better efficiently than Kenya.

“The growth rate is very faster and currently Equity is a systematic,it’s not about opening many subsidiaries but credit penetration and financial access is our Kenya objective,” Mwangi said

The bank also was able to double 15% growth during the Covid duration.

Mr. Mwangi has said they are planning to expand their digital transactions to reach a trillion in 5years.

He also said he is happy to be involved in the Hustler Fund program being driven by the government.

He said it’s a very good program that will enable youths and Kenya practice saving mindset.

” Our fourth quoter will be dominated by agriculture with high volumes,”he said

By Jeff kizzilah and Nicolas Manduku

Patients with blood disorders will be supported to get rapid access to care thanks to the recently launched Accelerating Access to Blood Disorders Care in Kenya and Tanzania Project.

The 3-year joint project is a joint collaboration of Kenya Haemophilia Association (KHA), Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation (NNHF), Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) and Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania.

” It will focus on supporting rapid access to care for people with haemophilia and will also benefit people with sickle cell disease”, Dr. Stella wazaula, Project Coordinator and Head of Haemotology at Muhimbili National Hospital Tanzania.

Haemophilia and sickle cell disease are two haematological disorders that are overly inherited and afflict a large population of Kenyans with devastating outcomes. Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder that has severe complications if unattended and inappropriately managed. It can lead to mortality due to uncontrolled bleeding.

Speaking during the 2nd Accelerating access to Blood Disorder Care in Kenya and Tanzania,De. Stella Rwezaula ,who is the Project Coordinator says that majority of the patients are male due to the nature of inheritance, with a prevalence of 1:10,000 in a population, Kenya should be having 5,000 patients but has only diagnosed 14% of the population. This disease is evenly distributed and all communities are equally affected.

De Stella says it’s therefore, envisaged that this program, in collaboration with the various stakeholders, will aid in boosting care for Kenyans as well as Tanzanians under an environment of shared learning. The objectives of this program will drastically promote attainment of universal healthcare for patients with bleeding disorders as well as those living with sickle cell disease.

She added that Patient care is mainly through infusion of factor concentrates replacement of clotting factors.

by Jeff Kizzilah

Environment Cabinet Secretary Hon.Soipan Tuya has directed the Kenya forest service to ensure transportation of trees or including Baobab tree outside the country will have license.

This comes after two private companies were caught cutting and transporting trees from Tezo location in Kilifi county to United States.

“Baobab trees will not be exportation outside the country from now this tree is a national heritage” CS said

The CS has said Baobab trees are a unique species and part of our natural heritage protected under the constitution of Kenya.

“We will put a tracking mechanism to ensure we attain the target of Cop27 which has just ended”

CS has said as government we are on course for 30% to plant 3billion trees.

” There is a deliberate attempt to derail the planting process but we are sure their is less political will but if their are suspected leaders involved they will face the law,” she adds

By Jeff kizzilah and Nicolas Manduku

Patients with blood disorders will be supported to get rapid access to care thanks to the recently launched Accelerating Access to Blood Disorders Care in Kenya and Tanzania Project.

The 3-year joint project is a joint collaboration of Kenya Haemophilia Association (KHA), Novo Nordisk Haemophilia Foundation (NNHF), Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) and Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania.

” It will focus on supporting rapid access to care for people with haemophilia and will also benefit people with sickle cell disease”, Dr. Stella wazaula, Project Coordinator and Head of Haemotology at Muhimbili National Hospital Tanzania.

Haemophilia and sickle cell disease are two haematological disorders that are overly inherited and afflict a large population of Kenyans with devastating outcomes. Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder that has severe complications if unattended and inappropriately managed. It can lead to mortality due to uncontrolled bleeding.

Speaking during the 2nd Accelerating access to Blood Disorder Care in Kenya and Tanzania,Dr. Stella Rwanzaula ,who is the Project Coordinator says that majority of the patients are male due to the nature of inheritance, with a prevalence of 1:10,000 in a population, Kenya should be having 5,000 patients but has only diagnosed 14% of the population. This disease is evenly distributed and all communities are equally affected.

Dr. Stella says it’s therefore, envisaged that this program, in collaboration with the various stakeholders, will aid in boosting care for Kenyans as well as Tanzanians under an environment of shared learning. The objectives of this program will drastically promote attainment of universal healthcare for patients with bleeding disorders as well as those living with sickle cell disease.

She added that Patient care is mainly through infusion of factor concentrates replacement of clotting factors.

Jeff Kizzilah

TCL is one of the world’s best-selling consumer electronics brands and a leading display technology innovator, enhanced its award-winning 6-Series line with a stunning 85″ screen size.

The new 85″ premium model is the company’s largest mini-LED TV.

“By creating truly immersive entertainment experiences in the home and delivering unmatched value for consumers seeking premium picture quality with endless streaming content, TCL has maintained its position as one of the top two TV brands in the U.S. As a vertically integrated company,” Kenya Representative Director

As entertainment demands call for larger screens, TCL is once again leading TV industry innovation by making premium big-screen sizes more accessible through its investments in new panel production facility.

By Jeff kizzilah

Mr.Nelson Mwangi, Chairman of Super Metro Saccos have urged the Nairobi county inspectorate and police officers to work together to uphold security.

He said, insecurity in the city is becoming rampant day by day so their is a need for an urgent action from the authority.

The Chairman was speaking during the around table meeting with Governor Sakaja in restoring harmony in the city, most of the agreements were made to bring harmony including elections of various representative to various corridors within the city.

“We request the Governor and county inspectorate enforcement to treat all saccos equally,we understand the cartel has captured areas within the city but that cannot stop us from working for our passengers,”

The chairman has also supported the proposal to carry school children for free from ends fourth.

by Jeff Kizzilah

Matatu operators from all routes and saccos have been urged to follow rules to give easy work for inspectorate and police.

Speaking when they met Governor Sakaja, Matatu Operators urged the Governor overnor to help them out from harassment by city inspectorate officers.

The operators have also urged the governor to tackle insecurity in all corridors within the city.

The governor has ordered an election of leadership in each corridors who will act as representatives.

Operators were complaining about favoritism when it comes to giving or opening of city’s entry and exits, saying there are few saccos that get favors from inspectorate and police officers.

Governor also urge the operators to maintain hygiene.

by Jeff Kizzilah

Matatu operators from all routes and saccos have been urged to follow rules to give easy work for inspectorate and police.

Speaking during the meeting, Matatu Operators have urged the governor to help them out from harassment by city inspectorate officers.

The operators have also urged the governor to tackle insecurity in all corridors within the city.

The governor has ordered an election of leadership in each corridors who will act as representatives.

Operators were complaining about favoritism when it comes to giving or opening of city’s entry and exits, saying there are few saccos that get favors from inspectorate and police officers.

Governor also urge the operators to maintain hygiene.