Deputy County Commissioner gives warning to bandits

By John Njue

Kyuso deputy county commissioner Mr. Peter Maina has given a stiff warning to bandits who have been interfering with peace of people from Ngomeni division of kyuso sub-county.

He said that the bandits have been threatening the residents by shooting on the air. He added that those bandits have become a bother to the resident and to the security officers in the area since they have been spending sleepless nights pursuing these bandits.

“Nobody has been arrested of the same but soon or later we will” said Mr. Maina. He assured the resident of the government efforts to restore peace in Ngomeni especially Kavaani which is the most affected with insecurity.  He said that the government has procured and delivered 2 DT GK motorbikes for use by officers with the help of locals in pursuing these bandits.

The resident cannot go to their farms because of fear of being attacked. It’s expected that people from this area might become food insecure if this problem persist since they didn’t get time to cater for their crops.

Mr. Maina was speaking at Kyuso stadium when he preceded over independence day- Jamhuri as Kenya commemorated 50years of self independence. 50 years of independence in kyuso was celebrated well with heavy down pour.

He said that the cause of all this conflict is all about boundary between kamba farmers and Somali herders. “I think the best thing is for these two communities to know their boundary and stay in their land. Said Maina “It’s extremely funny that there is no a single day that kambas have evaded the herders but opposite happens why! Why! "

The residents were also advised not to go near the “Mboga wells” where these armed bandits are saturated. 

Donkey to help in ensuring food security in Kyuso

By John Njue
Women in Kyuso sub-county have something to smile about after they were introduced to use of donkey for land preparation. 

Even though donkeys have been extensively used by people in many areas in the world their use has been synonymous with backwardness, underdevelopment and low status.

Donkey ownership has been associated to women in this area but is only used for ferrying water and farm produce to the market. The symbolic animals for wealth have been considered to be cattle, goats and sheep whereas donkeys reflect poverty and marginalization. 

The Sustainable Land Management (SLM) project under the Ministry of livestock production in Kyuso led by Mr. John Chege Ndung’u has done a difficult work to convince the residents to use donkey for other activities such as land preparation through plowing.

The farmer have been sensitized to use donkey for plowing as well as how to make proper harness for donkey using locally available materials. Speaking with Mr. Chege at  a women plowing competition using donkeys at Kyandoo he said use of donkey for other chore except ferrying water in the area is alleged to lower the social status of the user.  

He informed the congregation that each family in U  kambani has a donkey but few have oxen for plowing. Family without oxen and especially woman led family are queued last when it comes to plowing services by those who have the oxen.

Due to the unreliable rain fall experience in the area, farmer can use donkey for plowing instead of waiting for those who have the oxen to come and offer the service at later date. It’s expected that if farmers adopt using of donkey for plowing they will do early planting and hence producing more leading to ensuring food security in the area.

Kyuso Maarifa centre Field officer Mr. John Njue also promised them of marketing linkages after harvesting through Sokopepe platform which he said can also be accessed on mobile phone. E.g. check agricultural commodity prices by sending a SMS Price#commodity name#Town to 20245. E.g. Price#maize#Nairobi.  For more info http://sokopepe.co.ke/

Hope for kyuso Maarifa centre to resume ICT training.

By Carlos Mutua

Kyuso community will have all the reasons to smile again as resumption of the ended ICT training is on discussion to cater for high demand for IT knowledge in kyuso. It’s now three months since the
last group of trainees were trained on free basic ICT skills.

‘’The ICT training project late July due to end of the Access to learning award that was Granted to ALIN by the Bill and Melinda Foundation, as the donor funded ICT training only for two years, ALIN has sokopepe as the only funded project with the aim of linking the producers/farmers with buyers’’, said Esther Lungahi- ALIN project officer. She added that apart from sokopepe connecting farmers with market, farmers can access affordable inputs as well as banking services such as loans. 

Speaking at a meeting in Kyuso empowerment center on Tuesday Esther added that sokopepe platform is aimed at ensuring that farmers get fair prices for their agricultural commodities for the improved livelihood.

Mr. Antony Mugo who presented the country director in the meeting urged the people at the meeting to encourage people to be registered in sokopepe through their mobile phone or online at the Maarifa. He shared with participants the short code used for accessing sokopepe services using mobile number which he said is 20245. He added that any mobile phone as well as service providers. The field officer Mr. John Njue too promised to be visiting farmers group to help them in sokopepe registration.

The former ICT trainer furnished the participants of the meeting with data of people trained and the impact of the training in larger Mwingi sub-county. Julius Mwonga the ICT trainer said that more than five hundred people have benefited from training since January 2012. He added that many people have been asking for enrollment in ICT training.

Agnes Mughi the advisory chairperson said that with help of other members will do all possible means to have ICT Training back to its feet as well as sokopepe registration so as to improve the community livelihood and bridging digital divide.

A lorry hit a teenage girl to death

By John Njue, Hellen Lennah, Vaati Mwandikwa

An epileptic girl was on Friday knocked by a reversing lorry to death. The incident occurred in the morning when a lorry was reversing near Osa vinya petrol station –Kyuso.

Screams from the girls attracted residents who came to her rescue but all was not well because the girl died on the spot.

The girl is said to have spend the night at the market at unknown place. She is said to have bought chapatti at a hotel for supper and was left with Kshs 20 which she was found with even during her time of death.

Due to her condition she couldn’t have realized that the lorry was reversing. More over the lorry is said to be non road worthy vehicle since it didn’t have prover side mirrors. It’s alleged that if the lorry had all the side mirrors in place it wouldn’t have knocked the girl

Eye witness alleges that the girl was knocked and then run over by the rear wheels at around the head and shoulder before the driver realized he had run over something.

The lorry is said to have been used for distributing beer ‘Keg’ to various bar owners in Kyuso as well as fetching water from the dams to construction sites

The deputy county commissioner gave a vehicle that took the body to the mortuary as the lorry was taken to the police station.

This accident happens recently after the father was brutally murdered as he was manning church crusade pulpits at kyuso market.

After the body was taken to the mortuary, people are speculating what might have caused the grandmother of the deceased to collect the blood remains put in her hand bags and go with it.

Rural to Urban Migration on the rise

By Rose Mwasya

Population in urban areas is increasing day by day. Consequently, the population in rural areas is decreasing. In kyuso district, significant number of young people has moved to urban areas in search of green pastures, leaving an image of deserted homesteads. The population here basically consists of elderly people who are comparatively less active to push forward the development agenda of this area.

Photo by geography GCSE

Idleness among young people has been rampant recently. Some youths here engage in activities such as alcohol abuse and other drugs. This can in turn result to social crimes such as theft which results to insecurity.

This has left many of the residents here with many questions as to who will be responsible for the growth and development of these rural areas. According to Mutie, a resident in kyuso district, many young people get frustrated after completing their studies and move to urban areas to look for employment. He therefore urges the government to put a proper framework for the young people to empower themselves economically. This may in turn reduce rural to urban migration whereby which has led to congestion due to over population in major towns and cities.

Initiatives such as youth enterprise development fund however, can be useful to those young people wishing to become job creators rather than job seekers. This may in turn lead to young people pushing forward the development agenda in rural areas.

However, according to mwikali a business lady in kyuso town says there is need for mobilization of the young people to start focusing on entrepreneurship since agriculture seems not to bear much fruits as the climate is not favorable. On this issue, the government in rural areas needs to take an action in order to inform and educate young people on the issues of economic growth.

Police car swept by stream raging water

By John Njue

Kyuso police division is counting loses after their vehicle was swept away by raging water at Kwa Mangutu stream at around 8-9pm at night.

The accident took place at approximately 1km from Kyuso market when the vehicle was coming from katse police post to collect inmates who were to be taken to court the following morning. Its recently acquired police patrol vehicles bought by the government

The vehicle assigned to the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD)-Kyuso is said to have been carrying 3 police officers (1 driver and 2 more officers). Due to the condition of the road on the stream the vehicle is said to have stuck on the sand.

The vehicle is said to have stack before heavy rain started. When the officers were trying their way out of the area heavy water flow came and swept the vehicle away. No casualty was reported since the officers had to run for their life.

“The water came with a lot of pressure as we were crossing the river. I felt I could not move the vehicle so we stepped out of the car before we saw it roll down the river," an officer who sought anonymity said.

The vehicle was carried away for approximately 50 meters downstream where it lied until the following morning. The vehicle was pulled back to the road by the residents, administration police and Kenya police officers.

The vehicle was extremely damaged since the body was removed by raging water, windscreen broken, window and door mirrors broken as well as side mirrors.

There has been complains from the community on how the kwa ngutu drift was constructed and more specifically how the contractor was awarded the tender.   

Destructive to more destructive

By Karlen Mutongoi

The Ukambani people claim that they can for sure say they have witnessed that God is the provider their today and their tomorrow. Why say so? Most people from other parts of the country blame them for not taking care of their environment. 

For years, they have been experiencing great famine but through all this, they have gotten a way out. In 2009 as they recall the severe famine that attacked both people and more so, their flock God provided a way out. They dug out some roots tubers (Thurnbegiaguekeana) locally known as “Marunzu” for their cattle. The tubers are found in many arid and semi-arid lands and are highly nourishing and hold a lot of water, providing some of the 60 litres a cow need per day. Also used was acacia pod from acacia tree species too. Although they lost a lot what survived,   they say thanks.

Early this year, they lacked enough rainfall and due to this there is a great hunger experienced by the people but they still got away to manage their lives. Between the months March and May 2013, most people involved themselves in the activity of selling building ballast. The activity was a hard to the people with no income. 

“We had to carry stones, hammer them into pieces or even digging underground to get material suitable for building in a place that is not rocky”. It’s not just having the stones we had to transport the stones to the nearby roads” said Katuni. For those who had no donkey to carry the ballast they had to carry it on their back. People who also donkeys but would travel for a long distance in the morning would use basket to carry the ballast.  The ballast is measured using a wheelbarrow at cost Ksh70 per wheelbarrow.” Says Katuki 

Since May 2013 people have now changed their income generating activities.  They have involved themselves into an immense charcoal burning in Kyuso district leading to increased environmental degradation. Individuals involved are alleged to be from Machakos County. This has led to the residents also turning into this lucrative exercise. Although compared to the stones the charcoal has a greater financial benefit which is Ksh500 per a sack although it is still negatively affecting the district. 

There is no big financial benefit that this activity is bringing to the economy of kyuso sub-county and instead its causing depletion of our natural forests and makes one wonder if this area will be able to cater for lots of livestock reared around this place and which seems to be the larger economic activity for the area is semi arid. There has been massive destruction of vegetation as individuals clear the bush to put up kilns and a lot of logging is taking place as the huge tree trunks are targeted.

This business is calling for government intervention as this activity is putting the residents to a great risk in the near future because the little grazing land will be vast and will not be able to support herds of cattle and fleet of sheep and goats, which residents depend on for financial gains and which are sold to buy food brought from the other well endowed districts.