A fireman cleaning up Thika Road after a tanker overtuned | PHOTO COURTESY
A Ksh. 1 billion contracts awarded to little known Debroso Construction Company Ltd was put to test on Monday 14th October, after an alarm over an accident along Thika Superhighway hit the interwebs.
A fuel tanker had lost control and overturned near the Kenyatta University, causing a snarl-up that stretched across the busy 12 lane highway.
As the locals were grappling with what they could possibly do to save the situation, firetrucks, ambulances could be seen from afar advancing towards the crash site.
Debroso company then cordoned off a perimeter and began preventive measures that cushioned tragedy from striking. The firefighters brought out their anti-fire equipment and managed to contain the incident.
Kenyans took to social media to applaud the Kenyan based company for its actions.
Debroso Construction company will be expected to maintain the Nairobi-Ruiru section of the highway, keeping it under 24-hour surveillance for two years, according to tender details made public by KeNHA.
Debraso excavators uncloggs drainage near Kahawa Garisson. | Uzalendo News
The firm on Monday night opened up drainage channels on Thika Super Highway. It repairs broken railings, cleans the road, repairs potholes and carpets the road whenever the need arises.
The firm also works with the Kenyan Police to clear accident vehicles from Thika Highway.
There are concerns that heroin use is growing but also concern over the high HIV infection rates of users, particularly among women. Injection drug behaviours are recognised as key facilitators of HIV transmission.
Research conducted four years ago among people who inject drugs in Nairobi found that 18.3% of them were HIV positive. Of these, 16% of men were HIV positive and 44.5% of women were HIV positive. Women who inject drugs are therefore more than two times more likely to have HIV than men.
Our research sought to understand why and how young girls and women progressed from using legal drugs – like alcohol and cigarettes – into illicit narcotics, like heroin.
We found that most women were introduced into drug use by male sexual partners in their teenage years, between the ages of 11 and 17 years. A key factor in their continued drug use were these, often volatile, relationships.
Our findings also gave us insights into why women were more at risk of HIV infections: they often faced significant stigma which meant they were less likely to participate in drug treatment or needle exchange programmes and they usually depended on male partners for drugs and needles. This meant that they shared equipment. In addition, many of the women participated in commercial sex work to fund their drug habit and often didn’t use condoms.
The high HIV prevalence among women who use drugs is not just an issue in Kenya. The same can be seen in Senegal – 13.0% versus 3.0% for men and in Nigeria (37.7% versus 7.4%).
Our findings could help identify which girls and women are at risk. The hope is that this could better inform strategies to stop them from becoming drug users.
Women at risk
We spoke to 306 women from low-income settlements in Nairobi who were attending a community harm reduction programme ran by a non-govermental organisation. The women were injecting drugs – mainly heroin, in combination with other drugs like bhang, valium, rohypnol and artane. The women were between 18 and 42 years old.
Most of the women were born in low-income settlements and did not have much of a formal education. About 60% were educated to primary school level and 32% reported going to secondary school or higher. About 7% of the respondents never went to school.
The vast majority, over 90%, were living with a partner.
Most of the women started to use drugs when they were about 17 years old. About 74% said that sex partners, including spouses and casual sex partners, introduced them to drugs.
Women who started to use drugs early (between the ages of 11 and 19) tended to be those who had dropped out of school or those who didn’t graduate from secondary school. They also tended to have had sex at a younger age, usually with male partners who were already using drugs. The women usually started with licit drugs such as alcohol and Miraa (Khat).
The men were usually older, able to support the women financially and controlling and abusive. Relationships would frequently break up and the stress of this meant they would use more licit and illicit drugs. The women would also start new relationships, which would sometimes introduce new drugs, like heroin.
To get money to buy the heroin women would engage in sex work or be in a relationship with male users so that they could share it with them.
These insights are important to inform the design of effective HIV prevention interventions. They show that HIV programmes for adolescent girls and young women must also address substance abuse, gender based violence and the stigma towards women who take drugs.
Strategies moving forward
Health policies and programmes for women who inject drugs must identify and target potential users early. Lessons can be learned from a US government programme called “Teens Linked to Care” which successfully targeted high-risk teenagers with education programmes on substance use and sexual health education. These could help young women to avoid, or positively manage the risk of substance use in sexual relationships.
In Kenya, the ministry of health, through the National Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infection Control Program, has been implementing the nine WHO recommended interventions for prevention of HIV among people who inject drugs. These interventions include needle and syringe programmes, drug dependence treatment, HIV testing and counselling, antiretroviral therapy, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and targeted information, education and communication.
The interventions have been successful in reducing the sharing of needles and syringes among people who inject drugs, reducing the risk of HIV transmission.
But, the programme has its limitations. The main one is that it only reaches a few women because it doesn’t have targeted mobilisation strategies. Various surveys show that the people who engage most with drug reduction programmes are men.
Going forward HIV prevention programmes must target girls in their adolescent phase with a package composed of identifying girls at risk, substance use interventions, sexual health education and improved educational attainment.
Uhuru Kenyatta with Outgoing Algerian Ambassador to Kenya, Salah Elhamdi | PHOTO COURTESY
Algeria has pledged to support Kenya in its bid for the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) non-permanent seat for the 2021-2022 term.
Outgoing Algerian Ambassador to Kenya, Salah Francis Elhamdi said his
country believes that Kenya is best placed to voice Africa’s interests at the
UNSC given its record in regional and continental security and peacekeeping
experience.
Amb. Elhamdi gave the assurance today at State House Nairobi when he paid a farewell call on President Uhuru Kenyatta.
President Kenyatta welcomed Algeria’s support and commended the outgoing ambassador for the role he played in enhancing relations between Kenya and Algeria.
“You made significant contribution to strengthening our relations during your tour of duty in Kenya. It has been a joy working with you,” President Kenyatta told the outgoing envoy.
The President expressed optimism that Kenya and Algeria will continue to grow their bilateral relations through enhanced people-to-people interactions, pointing out that the two countries hold share aspirations for their people, in Africa and on the global stage.
At a separate meeting at State House, Nairobi President Kenyatta hosted a Singaporean delegation that was led by High Commissioner Yatiman Bin Yusof.
The meeting with the Singaporean delegation, which is a follow up to the President’s visit to Singapore last month, discussed how the two countries will work more closely in various areas to boost their bilateral relations.
Some of the areas that featured in the discussion included partnerships to accelerate implementation of Kenya’s Big 4 Agenda aligned projects, especially in the provision of affordable housing and the roll out of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The meeting, attended by the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua,
Attorney General Paul Kihara and Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiang’i and James
Macharia among others, also explored how the two countries can work together to
make Mombasa Port the most efficient seaport in the East African region.
The Singapore delegation thanked President Kenyatta for his recent visit
to their country to attend the Singapore Summit 2019, saying it sent a strong
message about Kenya’s readiness to partner with Singapore especially on the
trade and investment front.
The county assembly of Busia has rejected the Punguza Mzigo bill.
The bill which was tabled on Monday afternoon, recieved backlash for its proposal to trash the position of the deputy speaker and women representatives.
ThirdWay party alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot who spoke during a presser held last week, claimed that they are plotting legal measures against county assemblies for unlawful manner in which the bill was handled in their chambers.
A sombre mood engulf the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when loved ones gathered to recieve the remains of their loved ones who perished in the ill fated Ethiopian Airlines crash.
The crash that claimed 157 lives, left some of the relatives collecting soil owing to the state of the bodies retrieved at the crash site.
The plane crash that occurred on March 30th 2019, has taken approximately 6 months for the Ethiopian Authorities to establish the identity of the crash victims.
The Kenyan families had earlier sued Boeing, the giant Aerospace manufacturer for its role in the plane crash, claim that saw each family getting $1.2 million.
The crash saw the worldwide grounding of Boeing 737- MAX airline model, a move that has plunged Boeing into losses.
Interior CS, Dr. Fred Matiang’i has announced that all officers and teachers’ leave days scheduled for October-November will be canceled ahead of National Examinations.
While addressing the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi, CS Matiang’i retaliated that the committment to oversee a bright future of Kenyan school-goers is more important now.
“We are not going to allow any of our security people, especially the senior ones, to take leave because you know this time of the year is when we all have to focus on the welfare of our children,” he said.
The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams period will be between October 29 and November 27.
The Interior Ministry, according to the CS, will be carrying out regular security checks to ensure that all will go smoothly, and according to plan.
“Every morning, PS Kibicho and I get security reports from across the country. Every County Commissioner files a report every morning and every evening, and we’re in touch with all of them, and I can tell you with authority that we’re fine,” he stated.
Teachers Service Commission (TSC) boss Nancy Macharia on the otherhand has announced that 33,720 teachers will be involved in marking the crucial examinations.
There have been several changes in the media council of Kenya, with the old board reaching its expiration date and a new one being appointed.
Information Communication and Technology cabinet secretary Joe Mucheru gazetted the names of the new board. Heading the board is Maina Muiruri, a former managing editor at People’s Daily who has been appointed as he chairman.
Others in the board include Baraka FM managing editor Susan Karago, Standaard Media Group Parliamentary Reporter Roselyn Obala,Kenya National Commission on Human Rights assistant director Patience Nyange.
Independence Electrol and Boundaries Commission Corporate Communications manager Tabitha Mutemi and former Nation Media Group head of content Tim Wanyonyi also made it to the list of board members.
Others were corporate counsel Davidson Mwaisaka , University Lecturer Stanley Njoroge and Advertising Agency director Gwaro Ogaro.
Kenyatta National Hospital has unveiled its plans to construct a Sh15 billion seven-floor private hospital in a bid to solicit funds to fund its services in the parent institution.
The hospital (KNH) said the 300-bed facility will stand on 3.6 Hectares parcel of land, and be developed under a design, construct, equip, finance, operate and maintain model within the next five years.
“Kenyatta National Hospital Board (KNHB) now wishes to have developed a separate private hospital (the Project) under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement that will serve fee-paying private patients, hence providing a source of additional funding to support the main public hospital,” says the published request for qualification (RFQ) notice.
The level six facility whose construction starts in 2020 is set to offer premium services and will be a standalone facility, complete with 500 parking slots for vehicles.
By Friday evening, a quick drive in town and you could mistake a regular Friday for a Christmas holiday.
Everyone was rooting for team Kenya and crossed fingers hoping that World’s greatest marathoner Eliud Kipchoge would beat his INEOS 159 challenge to become the first man to run a marathon in under two hours.
Come Saturday morning, and the whole country came to a standstill as Kenyans from all walks of life celebrated the marathoner. Eliud overcame the final obstacle in Marathon history, crossing the finish line at a record time of 1.59.40.
Shortly after, Kenyans had something to celebrate during the 2019 edition of the Chicago Marathon. Kenya’s representative, Lawrence Cherono, outkicked Debisa at the final 50m to clinch the men’s category in the marathon, defeating his opponent by mere seconds.
Shortly after, Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei broke a 16-year world record in the women’s category after she finished at 2:14:04.
The Kenyan Lionesses, female rugby team, also faced their South African side in a bid to solidify their chances of qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. After a slight 15-14 loss, they qualified, thus bringing the curtains down on a good athletic weekend for Team Kenya.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock
Abiy Ahmed, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, has won the Nobel Peace Prize. He becomes the 100th Nobel Peace Prize winner, and the first Ethiopian to receive the accolade.
Abiy is the 12th winner from Africa to be awarded the prize. Last year it was won by medical doctor Denis Mukwege from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other African winners have included Albert Luthuli, Anwar al-Sadat, Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk, Kofi Annan, Wangari Maathai, Mohamed ElBaradei, Leymah Gbowee and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Tunisia’s National Dialogue Quartet won it in 2015.
Office of the Prime Minister reacts on twitter to the announcement.
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 under the instructions of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel in his will. The Peace Prize is awarded to the person who, in the preceding year, has:
done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.
The formal announcement by the Nobel Prize said that Abiy was awarded the prize for:
his important work to promote reconciliation, solidarity and social justice. The prize is also meant to recognise all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast African regions…efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.
But who is Abiy Ahmed? Does he deserve an international accolade? And what of the challenges still facing the country he leads?
Berit Reiss-Andersen, the Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, commented in her announcement speech that:
… many challenges remain unresolved. Ethnic strife continues to escalate, and we have seen troubling examples of this in recent weeks and months.
Unexpected rise to power
Barely two years ago Abiy Ahmed was largely an unknown figure. In early 2017 a couple of YouTube clips started to circulate on social media that showed him gathered with veteran leaders at a party meeting. He came onto the scene with a simple, but powerful, message of togetherness.
At the time he was a political leader at regional and cabinet levels. But he didn’t sound like one. He comes across as remarkably authentic and his approach was distinct. At a time of elevated fear that the nation might head into disintegration, his message soared above the popular anxiety of possible conflict.
Unlike Ethiopian politicians of the past four decades his rhetoric mimicked neither Albanian Marxism nor Maoism. He has anchored his story on local cultural and religious sensibilities.
Delicate course
Abiy’s extraordinary rise to power, as well as his ability to steer a more peaceful political course in Ethiopia, is remarkable given the tensions and complexities of the country’s politics.
He has distanced himself, at least in his political outlook, from his party’s maligned old guard. He has had to steer a delicate course to keep various factions of the political coalition that has ruled Ethiopia for almost three decades – the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) – on board. The ruling elites from this party have never tolerated dissent. There have been numerous accusations levelled against them of human rights abuses and the imprisonment of journalists who criticised the regime.
Instead of dismantling the existing system, Abiy opted for internal transformation.
It has taken tremendous courage to break away from a powerful political machine while remaining within the system. But he has stuck to his beliefs, even promoting the notion of “Medemer” – synergy and togetherness – while remaining within the party.
Hopeful times
Abiy inherited a nation that was in political disarray. Hundreds of people had died in three years of anti-government protests.
But shortly after taking office from Hailemariam Desalegn in April 2018, Abiy began to move ahead rapidly with political reforms. He released political prisoners, unfairly incarcerated journalists and activists. He opened the door for political dissidents.
His message was that the country needed to win through bold ideas, not through the barrel of a gun.
He also showed his intention to build institutions. One example was the appointment of the well-known political dissident Birtukan Mideksa as the head the electoral board.
He has also championed the role of women, including in politics. He appointed women in the positions of president, chief justice and press secretary. He also brought their share in his cabinet to 50%.
International diplomacy
But arguably his biggest achievements have been in international diplomacy. Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea share a common culture, language and ways of life. But a decades-long conflict between the two nations has brought immense misery to people who live on the border, and to families split by the fighting.
Abiy brought the conflict with Eritrea to an end. A treaty ended the state of war between Eritrea and Ethiopia and declared a new era of peace, friendship and comprehensive cooperation. A lot remains to be done, though.
He also played a crucial role in regional politics. He was key to bringing leaders of Sudan and South Sudan to the negotiating table and helped mediate between Kenya and Somalia in a maritime territory dispute.
His popularity in the region and further abroad is evident when he’s travelling. He’s often greeted more like a rock star than a head of state. But maintaining the same image at home has been more complicated.
Challenges ahead
The Nobel Prize is an acknowledgement of Abiy’s achievements over the past two years. But it doesn’t guarantee his future success.
A case in point is Myanmar’s Aung San Suu kyi. After surviving house arrest, and attacks on her life by the ruling junta, she won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1991. But her fortunes turned after her party won a national election. It now stands accused of carrying out what the United Nations high commissioner for human rights has called “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing” against the Rohingya Muslims.
There are a great many troubling issues still unresolved in Ethiopia and tense times ahead with an election due next year. Abiy also has many enemies. These include agitators who try to use ethnic fault-lines for their own political ends, powerful ethno-nationalist activists who thrive on division and political entrepreneurs who only see politics as a means of personal enrichment. All are relentlessly working to exploit a fragile situation. Securing the safety of the citizens is the bare minimum he needs to do.
In my view he needs to accept the Nobel Peace Prize as acknowledgement of what he’s achieved, as well as a mandate to champion equality, justice and lasting unity in Ethiopia.
