HALF FILLED FOR FULL AMOUNT

By John Njue

The resident of mwingi and the surrounding have complained of exploitation by cooking gas supplies and distributors

They said that some suppliers have been selling half-filled gas cylinders to unsuspecting customers. It is alleged that the 6kg cylinder used by a medium a family of 3 could not even take a month.  

This incident came out as a surprise for me. We had been getting our LPG cylinders from a gas agency for the past five years. One cylinder used to last for at least two months in our home.   

But don’t know what happened suddenly for the past three months our cylinder was not lasting for more than 20 days. 

Firstly we had thought that there might be a leak, because of which it is finishing off early, but when we checked it out but there was nothing.   

Then we realized that we might just be cheated on by the gas agencies. We got the cylinder checked and came to know that it was underweight said Peninah Kalekye.

The case has been reported to the police several times and no action has been taken but the police defended themselves saying that the resident come complaining when the gas exhausted but one cannot tell how it has been used.

"This is tricky because when you lift the cylinder it’s always heavy and one cannot recognize if it’s full or not. It’s as though the gas in one cylinder is redistributed in two cylinders and hence each is half filled," said kisoi mulwa. 

The gas suppliers should make sure that they have weighing machine so that the customer can weigh the commodity before purchase.

ADA consortium conduct a TOT training on climate Information services in Kitui county

By John Njue

Weather and climate have significant impacts on many aspects of people’s lives and particularly amongst populations whose livelihoods are directly dependent on natural resources. Reliable daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal information, as well as warnings and alerts on extreme weather events, can support decision making at many levels, within households and communities as well as at sub-county, county and national government levels. Information about longer term trends in climate variability and change is also vital to support major investments in infrastructure, including dams and roads, as well as conservation of the natural environment.  

Kenya Meteorological Services (KMS) aims to develop and deliver accessible, timely, relevant information about the weather and climate which can support decision making at all levels and time frames. These Climate Information Services (CIS) include both information about the weather and climate together with useful advice on what actions people should take to deal with the possible impacts on their lives. The development of effective CIS depends on continuous and ongoing engagement with the wide range of people using this information. 

Agricultural, Livestock, Forestry and Fisheries officers, provincial administration officer, NGOS, CBO, FBO from Mumoni Hills,   Kitui Central, Mutitu and Endau hills, Migwani, Mutha hills, Tseikuru, Kyuso, Mwingi, Ngomeni, Nguni and Nuu, Mutito and Mwitika, and Mutomo and Ikutha, benefited from the 3-day training of trainers (TOT) for those people who have been identified as primary intermediaries to extend the reach of climate information within their counties.  

Primary intermediaries are Representatives of relevant bodies and institutions at the sub-county or equivalent level who will be the primary intermediary contacts for County Director of Meteorology.

These people must be willing to receive and communicate SMS, train, support and collate feedback from secondary intermediaries. 

At the end of the training, the participants will be able to:

1. Receive, appreciate and effectively communicate climate information in a language and format that can be easily understood by the communities with whom they live and work;
2. Support appropriate application and provide feedback on the use and impact of using climate information; and
3. Train secondary intermediaries at ward level

The current initiative is being developed as part of the Adaptation Consortium which aims to support the devolution and decentralization process in Kenya though the introduction of County Adaptation Funds and the development and provision of improved Climate Information Services. The Adaptation Consortium is working across five Arid and Semi Arid Lands counties: Kitui, Makueni, Isiolo, Wajir and Garissa. 

In this pilot project Kenya meteorological service has been mandated to provide meteorological, hydrological and related services in support of relevant national needs, including safety of life and protection of property, safeguarding the environment and contributing to sustainable development. 

In line with the process of devolution and decentralization, KMS has established County Meteorological Offices (CMOs) in each County. Each County Meteorological Office is headed by a County Director of Meteorological Services (CDM).  Amongst other areas, the CDM is responsible for:

• Developing CIS which can best support the decision making needs of the County’s principal livelihood groups and County planning processes.
• Downscaling of national weather forecasts and climate outlooks to the County level;
• Issuing of public warnings on hazards and extremes related to weather, climate and air pollution.

All SMS weather forecasts will express information in the following order: Sub-county + degree of probability + type of weather

 

---

Ngura Fm holds a meeting to sensitize leaders on community radio.

By John Njue

Ngura community radio members and stakeholders held a leaders sensitization meeting at Ideal Hotel – Mwingi on 26th and 27th June, 2014 to sensitize leaders on the concept of RANET programme, highlights achievements of Ngura Fm, Deliberate on challenges and obstacles of establishing Ngura Fm and to Deliberate on the way forward on Ngura Fm.

Sub-county Administrator, Mr. Cosmas Musee officially 

opening the meeting 

Ngura Fm is a proposed community radio that will be established on a 2 acre land given by the government in Kyuso. Kenya meteorological services (KMS) through RANET programme- Kenya has promised to provide the community with broadcasting equipment and weather measuring equipments and so the mandate of the community and stakeholders is to construct the station, recruit the community reporters and managing the station.

The name Ngura was derived from the genre of Kamba language spoken in the area. It came out that the language spoken in Machakos, Kitui and Makueni is different from the language spoken in the larger Mwingi zone. This is the language that will be used for broadcasting the participants were informed.

The meeting was graced by the Sub-County Administrator in Kyuso sub-county, Mr. Cosmas Musee Mwanzia. He started by the members for find it important to start a local station and urged the stakeholders to actualize the plan because the FM station will ease dissemination of important information even to the interior community and to another target group that had never been targeted by other media. Mr. Musee said that the fact that the weather forecast of the area is generated from Makindu weather station which is several kilometers might be a cause of poor crop and animal production in the area. “If these weather data is collected and disseminated in kyuso, it will have positive impacts on food security” said Musee.

The community radio is aimed at disseminating development of the sub-county as well as empowering the community including and not limited to market information. The community radio compound will also be installed with weather station which is aimed at giving accurate weather forecast which is expected to be more accurate that the one at Makindu weather station which is approximately 308km from kyuso.

 

The station is hoped to ease dissemination of practical important information even to the interior where the level of illiteracy is very high. One of the indicator that the radio will be of much help is that, there will be Community participation /ownership, it’s not for profit nature, it will includes minorities and marginalized populations e.g. youth and disabled, it will use the local language (Kamba) e.tc

The meeting was attended by officials from Sub-county administration- County, county government of Kitui, deputy county commissioner, assistant county commissioner, National drought Management Authority (NDMA), Constituency development fund- Mwingi North, members of county assembly- Kyuso Ward, Murky (NGO), Arid lands information network and other community leaders

Kitui County raises voice for resilience to climate change

By John Njue
Kitui county government and its stakeholders have embraced effects of climate change and have action plan to adapt or mitigate to it.

The government of Kitui supported sustainable land management project funded by UNDP to organize a world environment day in Kyuso sub-county and have its governor Dr. Julius Malombe officiate it.

While addressing the gathering Malombe said that the most affected by effect of climate change is livestock due to lack of pasture caused by unreliable rainfall. He urged the residents to harvest water for domestic consumption using roof catchment and also conserve water in their farms by planting trees and digging terraces amongst  other structures.

He also urged stakeholders to promote use of traditional value crops such as sorghum, millet, cassava amongst others and urged the community too to embrace the use of these foods.

“The county government has a plan of constructing 60 subsurface dams in each ward” said Malombe. A subsurface dam is an impervious barrier constructed beneath the surface or a river or stream to retain water upstream by raising the water. The water will be used for irrigating small farms and hence increased income because these dams will be near to everyone.

World environment day (‘WED’) is celebrated every year on June 5 to raise global awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and planet earth. It was established by United Nation General Assembly in 1972 on the day that United Conference on the Human Environment began.

WED is celebrated every with different themes. Over the years WED has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach on environmental issues that is widely celebrated by stakeholders in over 100 countries. WED is one of the United Nation primary vehicle through which it stimulates environmental awareness, enhances political attention and action worldwide.

Today environmental concerns are major issues all over the world. These issues relates to the natural element that makes up the earth and surrounds living organism, enabling life. The environment is not a single factor but a lot of things which interact and interfere with human activities. Human environment concerns are related to proper hygienic conditions. Importance of clean and healthy environment should be emphasized to each and every individual on the planet. When it comes to maintaining a clean and healthy environment it's everybody’s responsibility.

 Climate change has been recognized as the most serious and threatening global environmental problem. While natural variations in climate over time is normal, human are contributing to climate change through emission of substantial amount of greenhouse gases. Some green gases exist naturally in the atmosphere and are necessary to keep earth at global temperature suitable for ecosystem and life as they have evolved. However greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere from human activities are building up and trapping extra heat in the atmosphere.

This year’s county theme was “RAISING OUR VOICE FOR RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.” Mwingi North sub-county` had an opportunity to show case the initiatives and best practices that the community and other stakeholders are undertaking and to act as an example for sub-counties to embrace

How will you make your voice heard this year for environment?

The call this year is to recognize that we all face the same challenges and are connected and united by our common goal of a sustainable and prosperous life. The call is to raise our voices in solidarity with one another, particularly with citizens of Kenya in general and Kitui County in particular. Whether it is to organize clean ups campaign, Food water reduction initiatives , plastic ban, art exhibit, tree planting drives, concerts, dances recitals, recycling drives and social media campaign because every action counts.

Kshs 26 million for ECDE teachers employment- Kitui county

By John Njue

Early childhood development teachers in Kitui County are expected to benefit from upcoming ECDE teachers employments, says his excellence the governor Dr. Julius Malombe.

The fate of thousands ECDE teachers employment in Kenya are uncertain after a month of conflicts on who is supposed to employ the said teachers. Some are claiming that the governors have no role to play in employment of ECDE teachers but the mandate lies fully to teachers service commission (TSC).

Some counties including Kitui County is alleged to have taken advantage of employing Nursery school teachers before the parliamentary committee on education could push the amendment of basic education act barring them from employing them.

It’s alleged that the county does not have scheme of work as it’s expected for teachers, secondly it’s claimed that governors want political mileage from employment of teachers. 

Despite the claims Malombe said that his government has allocated 26million shilling for employment ECDE teachers. He added that Kitui County has already employed 2800 teachers for the last one year and that the directives barring county government from employing early child hood education teachers will affects only those counties that had not started the employment. He said this while presiding over world environment day at Kyuso stadium.

On responding to claims that Mwingi north constituency was affected during the county government allocation of job appointments. He said that the county government has only employed 260 employees and the rest were absorbed from the previous local government which includes Town, Municipal and City councils. He added that out of 260 appointments people from Mwingi north shouldn’t be complaining.