Author: eradmin

Calls to the National Government to employ graduates from the National Youth Service (NYS) intuitions dominated a public participation forum on NYS reforms in Busia on Monday.

Various speakers at a forum held in a hotel in Busia town on Monday appealed to the National Government to employ at least 60 -80 per cent of graduates from such training institutions.

They argued that graduates who were already trained in the paramilitary would be dangerous to the community especially if left idle and without any source of income.

The Commission also heard that there was a need to increase the stipend from the current Sh. 1,600 per student to Sh. 3,000 to enable beneficiaries survive in the current economy.

Participants further said that there was a need to establish a University for NYS graduates so that they can further their education.

The taskforce also heard that there was a need to consider the inter-faith in the recruitment process and the need to ensure that certificates issued to NYS graduates are recognized during the time of employment.

The participants noted that there was bias in choice of courses by beneficiaries hinting that it could be a source of corruption by some conduits because students are normally given their last choice and might be forced to beg for the first choices using money.

A section of former NYS graduates complained that stipend savings have not been given to them years after graduating from the institution.

Participants at the same time suggested that the government should set aside startup funds to enable each graduate from the institution to establish an income generating project.

The taskforce was also informed on the need to devolve the NYS in all the 47 counties so that locals can access the training in their own counties hence cutting on costs.

Participants also cited political interference as the main source of corruption especially during the recruitment exercise.

They called upon the government to ensure that the institution offers competitive courses and training so that graduates from the learning institutions become relevant in the job market.

Participants living with disability appealed to the government to consider them for training in the institutions noting that they are always left behind.

Commissioner Roseline Odede who led the taskforce team assured the local residents that all their recommendations will be taken into consideration by the former Chief Justice David Maraga-led team.

The forum brought together religious leaders, Civil Society Organizations, former NYS graduates, parents and various heads of Government Departments to give their views on NYS reforms.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kakuzi squatters have called on the government to speed up resettling them on a piece of land that the food processing company ceded years ago, so as to get them out of the untold suffering that they have gone through in the hands of the company.

The over 4,000 squatters said the continued dragging of the process has invited more fake squatters lining up and demanding a share of the land.

They said, as the process drags, their suffering continues to mount, and the hope of one day owning land diminishes each passing day.

David Musau (89), who lives in a wooden shack, covered with polythene papers and roofed using rust iron sheets, wishes the survey and subdivisions of the land would be fast-tracked so as to open a new chapter of his life.

He has gone through hell during this rainy season as his leaking roof cannot give him rest at night.

Musau has to squeeze himself in one of the corners of his almost falling house where he has placed his bed, and hope the rains subside.

‘At night, we undergo incurable agony when the rains pound. We fear our shanties may be carried away by the rains. We endured the rain all night. We can’t repair our houses because once the guards catch you, they severely punish,’ he said.

Esther Kalekye, now over 100 years old, suffers the same fate. Her greatest fear is where she would be buried.

The company, they said, cannot allow burials in the land. Residents however conduct night burials out of fear.

‘I know my time is almost up. However, my fear is will I be thrown in the bush after death?’ she posed.

Esther Njeri and Joseph Muriuki survive on burning charcoal whose logs they steal from Kakuzi forest. If only the company’s watchmen knew, they say, the punishment would be severe.

These are among the tales that the squatters told government officials who had visited the area, to explain to the residents on the progress of the resettlement exercise.

Their chairman Murigi Njogu, during a meeting attended by state officials assured them that the government was in the process of allocating them land.

He however said the land may not be enough for every squatter as the number has increased from 400 to the current 4,000 over the years.

‘The surveying of the land that Kakuzi ceded is ongoing. However, it is slow and residents are slowly giving up,’ Murigi said.

He at the same time called on the company to consider ceding some of its unused land to settle the 4,000 squatters who have been doubling each year.

‘Kakuzi should borrow a leaf from the nearby Fruit Processing Multinational Delmonte (K) LTD that has ceded land to Kiambu and Murang’a residents. It has huge tracks of unused land. That way, more squatters will be resettled,’ he added.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The county government of Murang’a is working to clear all pending bills amounting to more than Sh600 million by December this year.

In a public notice on settlement of pending bills, the devolved administration has indicated that after review of 514 pending bills, 171 claims amounting to sh642, 197, 909, were cleared for payment.

The notice which was published in local dailies stated that so far three trenches of pending bills totaling to sh140, 353, 705 have been paid.

‘Another trench of approximately Sh. 50 million is currently being processed and will be paid before the end of April,’ read part of the notice.

In September last year, Governor Irungu Kang’ata constituted a committee for the purpose of verifying, scrutinizing and analyzing unpaid claims on account of provision of goods and services.

Payment of the eligible bills, the county administration stated, shall be informed by the order in which claimants appeared before the committee, exchequer releases and availability of budgetary vote in either the recurrent or development budget.

‘Bills falling under the recurrent budget amounting to Sh. 340 million will be paid from august this year. Pending bills relating to legal representation will be addressed through the new budget lines of the next financial year budget. Payment for this will commence in September this year,’ read part of the notice.

Contractors and suppliers whose bills were rejected, were advised to appeal to the County Ineligible Bills Committee or lodge their appeals, with the office of auditor general.

‘Pending bills that were deemed to be out of scope can only be paid once approved by the auditor general,’ the notice further indicated.

The county administration further referred the pending bills totaling to Sh. 400 to the county assembly for deliberation and guidance on the way forward.

The county assembly is expected to come up with a report by mid-June this year, with a view of having its implementation by October.

Meanwhile, Kang’ata administration has outlined various transformative measures to avoid future pending bills.

The measures include staffing the county attorney with two advocates, recruiting chief officers for revenue and engaging professional accountants.

‘Going forward, procurement shall be done through IFMIS open tender system and contractors are advised to ensure that all projects are finalized on or before 20th of June of any financial year in order to avoid rolling over to the next financial year with a pending bill,’ stated the notice.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Ethiopian Airlines is anticipating a second daily flight to Seychelles with the aim to boost the visibility of the island nation as a destination, Tourism Seychelles – the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism – said on Tuesday.

The new local head of the airlines, Kassahun Terefa, met with Seychelles’ principal secretary for tourism, Sherin Francis, and the director general for destination marketing, Bernadette Willemin last week.

The meeting follows a recent visit made by Francis and Willemin to the airline’s headquarters in Addis Ababa in March to discuss areas of cooperation and the signing of a potential memorandum of understanding.

During the meeting, Francis stressed the importance of the two parties joining forces to make Seychelles visible and enhance sales for the airline that began its flight to the island nation in 2013. Ethiopian Airlines is currently making daily flights to Seychelles.

“We have had several successful collaborations with Ethiopian Airlines, and they have proven to be extremely reliable and service-oriented. Ethiopia is an important hub with excellent connections, and we look forward to expanding our relationship with the airline,” said Francis.

Willemin expressed her satisfaction with the visit and highlighted the importance of making Seychelles more accessible to potential visitors worldwide.

“This meeting cements what was discussed in Addis. We are now signing an MOU with Ethiopian Airlines to advance to the next level,” she said.

On his part, Terefa expressed his dedication to promoting Seychelles as a critical market for their network and said: “We are pleased to cooperate with our local partners and continue to promote Seychelles.”

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, relies heavily on tourism, the top pillar of its economy.

Source: Seychelles News Agency