Leaders condemn vandalism of Malaba water project main pipeline

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Leaders condemn vandalism of Malaba water project main pipeline
By Rueben Olita, Busia Leaders and residents of western Kenya have condemned vandalism of public utility projects in various parts of the border county, including the Malaba Water project that was commissioned in January this year by President William Ruto. Irked by the development, the Busia County Governor, Dr Paul Otuoma, has urged investigative and security agencies to bring to book the culprits who are behind the vandalism. There have been reports of vandalism of the main distribution line of Malaba water project at the border of Teso North and Sirisia Constituencies.
“Its true the process has taken long, but we have fast tracked the same and the communities around Chesikaki, Sirisia all the way to Malaba will be compensated and connected to the line. In the meantime the Water Police Unit has picked up matter for further action,” said Wamalwa.
A similar incident was reported on January 25th 2024, where more than 10 goons broke into Nasewa-based County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) in Matayos Sub county and disappeared with building materials and assorted equipment. Addressing the press in Matayos, the governor who was flanked by Members of Parliament Raphael Wanjala (Budalangi), Geoffrey Mulanya (Nambale), Joseph Oyula (Butula) and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency (LVNWWDA) Mr. Joel Wamalwa, warned that he will not allow anyone to destroy development projects aimed at facilitating residents to access basic services and amenities.
Malaba water project
  “Vandalism of this shared resource constitutes a major setback in our efforts to ensure that residents have uninterrupted safe, clean and sustainable water supply. Anyone who feels aggrieved should raise concern with appropriate channels for action,” he stated adding that the act risks denying at least 180,000 households access to water. However, Mr Wamalwa confirmed that they have commenced the process to compensate the communities affected by the project to allow smooth flow of water supply. “Its true the process has taken long, but we have fast tracked the same and the communities around Chesikaki, Sirisia all the way to Malaba will be compensated and connected to the line. In the meantime the Water Police Unit has picked up matter for further action,” said Wamalwa.
Malaba water project service station
The county government of Busia through Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency has secured Ksh 300 million from national government to operationalize the last mile connectivity of Malaba water treatment project to serve the community. The commissioning of the Malaba water treatment plant herald a new dawn for residents of five wards namely Angurai South, Malaba South, Malaba Central, Malaba North and Angurai East who used to encounter acute water shortage for several years. The mega water project constructed at Malakisi within Busia county, covers areas of Kocholia, Amagoro, Malaba, Angurai, Malaba town and its environs. Meanwhile, the county boss said that his government has streamlined the governance issues of Busia Water and Sewerage Company (BUWASCO) with a new board and CEO to enable the company to collaborate with development partners in order to avail clean water to the people of Busia. During the meeting, that was also attended by a section of county officials, the legislators discussed the upcoming water projects across the seven constituencies. The law makers were urged to submit their respective reports to the governor for onward transmission.

Western counties have over Sh6 billion in pending bills, says Controller of Budget

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Western counties have over Sh6 billion in pending bills, says Controller of Budget
The Controller of Budget (CoB) has exposed four counties with ‘high level of pending bills’ in the Western region. According to the CoB, the affected counties are still using the manual payroll, which is prone to abuse. Dr Margaret Nyakang’o, in her audit report, also revealed that the devolved units recorded a low absorption rate on development expenditure but spent up to over 90 percent of the budget under the recurrent expenditure. The Audit Report also revealed how governors from the four counties of Kakamega, Bungoma, Vihiga and Busia blew billions of shillings in non-priority expenditure on sitting allowances, unnecessary and extensive domestic and foreign travel, beautification and public participation.
In Bungoma, pending bills amounting to Sh86.45 million had been settled, while Busia managed to clear Sh 41.98 million in pending bills.  Kakamega and Vihiga Counties had settled Sh136.31 million and Sh345.32 million in pending bills, respectively.
The report dubbed ‘County Governments’ Budget Implementation Review Report for the First Half of Financial Year (FY) 2023/24, covering July 1 to December 31, 2023, further revealed that the counties missed set targets on their source revenue collections. According to the report, as of December 31, 2023, Bungoma had pending bills of Sh1.12billion, Busia Sh2.29 billion, Kakamega Sh1.47 billion, and Vihiga had accumulated Sh1.2billion in pending bills amounting to Sh6.08 billion. In Bungoma, pending bills amounting to Sh86.45 million had been settled, while Busia managed to clear Sh 41.98 million in pending bills.  Kakamega and Vihiga Counties had settled Sh136.31 million and Sh345.32 million in pending bills, respectively.
“The County government of Kakamega operated 17 accounts with commercial banks, excluding revenue collection accounts. This is contrary to Regulations 82(1)(b) of the PFM (County Governments) Regulations, 2015, which required that County government bank accounts must be opened and maintained at the Central Bank of Kenya,” the report further reads.
During the period under review, Vihiga spent a paltry Sh397.60 million on development projects and Sh1.37 billion on employee salaries and wages. “In Vihiga, the expenditure on employee compensation was Sh1.37 billion, or 58.7 percent of the available revenue, which amounted to Sh2.33 billion. This expenditure represented an increase from Sh1.18 billion reported in a similar period in FY 2022/23. The wage bill included Sh 529 million paid to health sector employees, translating to 39 percent of the total wage bill,” states the audit report. The report indicated that Vihiga processed a total of Sh34.9 million through manual payrolls. “The County Assembly spent Sh17.5 million on committee sitting allowances for the 36 MCAs. The average monthly sitting allowance was Sh79,194 per MCA,” the report disclosed. The CoB, in her report, noted an expenditure of two officials from the executive who gobbled up Sh2.055 million for a day to attend the registration accreditation of county delegation for participation in the Africa climate summit in New York, in the United States. In Kakamega, the county spent Sh873.55 million on development and Sh3.63 billion on recurrent expenditure. “Expenditure on development programmes represented an absorption rate of 13.8 per cent, while recurrent expenditure represented 31.9 per cent of the annual recurrent expenditure budget,” states the audit report. “The County government of Kakamega operated 17 accounts with commercial banks, excluding revenue collection accounts. This is contrary to Regulations 82(1)(b) of the PFM (County Governments) Regulations, 2015, which required that County government bank accounts must be opened and maintained at the Central Bank of Kenya,” the report further reads. The Controller of Budget noted that the county only collected a total of Sh301.67 million in own-source revenue against an annual projection of Sh2.20 billion, which represents 13.7 percent of the annual target. Kakamega paid for ‘Personnel emoluments’ amounting to Sh121.22 million through the manual payroll, accounting for 3.8 per cent of the total payroll cost, which the CoB says ‘the manual payroll is prone to abuse and may lead to the loss of public funds’ where there is a lack of proper controls. The CoB also flagged five unnecessary trips to the United States and Serbia between August and October 2023 by one officer of the executive which she noted in her audit report that ‘purpose of travel was not provided’ which cumulatively gobbled up Sh6.08million. The County Assembly of Kakamega spent Sh31.23 million on committee sitting allowances for the 88 MCAs and the Speaker, with each MCA averagely receiving a monthly sitting allowance of Sh 59,155. In Bungoma, a total of Sh 324.73 million was spent on development projects and Sh3.64 billion on recurrent expenditure, respectively, with expenditure on development programmes representing an absorption rate of 5.8 per cent, while recurrent expenditure represented 37.1 per cent of the annual recurrent expenditure budget. The County Assembly of Bungoma spent Sh19.61 million on committee sitting allowances for the 62 MCAs and the Speaker. The average monthly sitting allowance was Sh 51,880 per MCA. “During the period, expenditure on domestic travel amounted to Sh 247.66 million and comprised Sh 26.66 million spent by the County Assembly and Sh221.0 million by the County Executive. Expenditure on foreign travel amounted to Sh6.07 million and comprised Sh1.26 million by the County Assembly and Sh4.81 million by the County Executive,” the CoB report revealed. The report also revealed that ‘five county officials’ gobbled up Sh4.807 million as facilitation for a ‘high-level meeting’ in Israel in September last year. The county also missed own-source revenue collection targets in which only Sh130.39 million was collected against an annual projection of Sh868.20 million, representing 15.0 percent of the annual target. The county used manual payroll to process ‘Personnel emoluments’ of staff amounting tovSh75.2 million, which accounts for 3.0 percent of the total payroll cost. In Busia, the county spent Sh298.49 million on development and Sh2.93 billion on recurrent expenditure. The county used manual payroll to process ‘Personnel emoluments’ of staff amounting to Sh101.41 million, accounting for 3.0 percent of the total payroll cost. The CoB noted that the county government operated a total of 21 accounts with commercial banks instead of having the same domiciled at the Central Bank of Kenya. The county also collected a paltry Sh133.16million in own-source revenue at Sh 133.16 million against an annual projection of Sh 549.02 million, representing 24.3 per cent of the annual target and processed staff’s personnel emoluments amounting to Sh101.41 million using the manual payroll. The county executive and county assembly spent Sh12.802 million on foreign trips to the United States, Dubai, South Africa, China, and the United Kingdom. The executive also spent Sh 91,95 million, and Sh59.91 million on domestic travel. The County Assembly of Busia spent Sh19.49 million on committee sitting allowances for the 54 MCAs and the Speaker in which each MCA received an average monthly sitting allowance of Sh 60,155.

Rural electrification to connect 14,000 new clients in Western region to electricity grid

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Rural electrification to connect 14,000 new clients in Western region to electricity grid
By Nyankieya Enock, Busia Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) is set to connect over 14,000 new customers to electricity grid in the West Kenya region by mid this year. REREC Chief Executive Officer (Ceo) Rose Mukalama said the move is to enhance rural electrification to improve livelihoods and  to spur economic growth of the region. This comes after the corporation launched its Strategic Plan late last year that aims to connect 1 million customers in rural areas through electrification of 15,000 public facilities and installation of 5,000 transformers and contribute 18.372MWp to the national grid. Ms Mukalama says the corporation intends to complete the ongoing project by June, 2024. Speaking during the commissioning of four rural electrification projects in Teso South, Busia County, Ms Mukalama said the four projects have connected 370 customers to the national grid. “This commissioning marks a significant step towards enhancing access to electricity, bridging the energy gap in rural areas and promoting social economic development,” said Ms Mukalama.
Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) CEO Dr. Rose Mkalama planting a tree planting at St. Paul Ketelenyang Secondary School in Teso South Constituency
The projects commissioned include Kacherere trading center, Kalachamong village, Kakoldong village and Kochek village. The Western region which is composed of Bungoma, Kakamega, Busia, Siaya and Vihiga counties has a total of 245 ongoing projects funded by the exchequer at a cost of Sh1.29 billion. In Busia, the government has initiated 56 electrification projects since the 2022-2023 Financial Year at a cost of Sh311 million to ensure sustainable access to electricity for over 3,517 customers at the grassroots level. REREC Board Director Milton Lucheri highlighted the Matching Fund programme, an innovative participatory approach to financing projects where REREC collaborates with county governments and constituencies by contributing a shilling for every shilling given up to a maximum of Sh5 million per constituency. Busia county and various constituencies in the county have contributed a total of Sh143.7 million under the Matching Fund between 2017 and 2023 attracting Sh122.5 million from REREC. “The Corporation continues to implement projects countrywide aiming to enhance rural electrification in Kenya, improving livelihoods and contributing to the nation’s overall development,” said Mr Lucheri. Speaking when he presided the inaugural Kakamega International Investment Conference at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (Mmust) last week, President William Ruto said the government has set aside Sh2.5 billion for connecting 40,000 homes in Kakamega county to electricity this year under the Last Mile intervention. To support this, the Head of State said that in order to attract investors to Kakamega, construction of a Sh10 billion power transmission line is underway from Kibos in Kisumu to Kakamega with several sub-stations. “We want to ensure we have reliable electricity in Kakamega. We are at the final stages of the project under the public-private partnership. This will stabilise power supply in the county and the region at large,” said Ruto “We want to bring investments in our counties and make them a destination for investments. We are moving from being counties of immense potential by harnessing it,” he added.
“Once the households will be connected to power, Kakamega will achieve key programs like social lives of the rural communities, because the programs cuts across all sectors in health, education, health, agriculture and others,” said Mr Barasa.
“We are in the final stages of implementing the project before the end of this year,” he said, adding that it will give an opportunity to manufacturers and industries to carry out their activities without interruptions. Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa said the county is currently examining power distribution in every ward to come up with a report for the proper implementation of the rural electrification program. “Once the households will be connected to power, Kakamega will achieve key programs like social lives of the rural communities, because the programs cuts across all sectors in health, education, health, agriculture and others,” said Mr Barasa. He said the developing people in the smallest unit would also contribute to the economic development of the country and the GDP and commitment to working with MPs and MCAs to ensure that projects under this program are implemented efficiently and effectively. The county chief asked beneficiaries to use the electricity to start economic activities that will generate income and not just use it for lighting purposes.

ADAK joins climate change mitigation efforts by planting 1000 trees at Kakamega forest

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ADAK joins climate change mitigation efforts by planting 1000 trees at Kakamega forest
By Isaac Mutiso, Kakamega The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) has joined the climate change mitigation efforts by planting at least 1000 trees at Kakamega forest. Led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sarah Shibutse, the agency says the move is in response to the global call for action to halt and reverse adverse effects of environmental degradation.
“As an agency, we want to help in the afforestation of the country. We have started in Kakamega but we have earmarked other places to conduct a similar exercise like Ngong and Karura forests respectively,” said Shibutse
“We came here to plant trees in accordance with the presidential directive. We have been given a deliverable that every person should plant at least 30 trees within this financial year at the agency,” said Ms Shibutse
ADAK team with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officials during a tree planting exercise at Kakamega forest – Photo/Isaac Mutiso
She said ‘we are collaborating with the Kenya Forest Services to meet the set targets’, saying ‘we want to help the president achieve his goal’ President William Ruto launched a campaign to plant at least 15 billion trees by 2032 in order to increase the forest cover and in turn, realise forest restoration and tackle effects of climate change. “As an agency, we want to help in the afforestation of the country. We have started in Kakamega but we have earmarked other places to conduct a similar exercise like Ngong and Karura forests respectively,” said Shibutse She added: “By reducing greenhouse emissions and stopping deforestation, we shall have a safe country to live in. All that is needed is for every Kenyan to play his role as per the president’s directive,”
ADAK Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sarah Shibutse – Photo/Isaac Mutiso
The first phase which running up to 2027, will see about five billion trees, while the second phase (2027-2023) will focus on planting an extra 10 billion trees to meet the set targets,” Against the backdrop, Shibutse said that the country was on the right trajectory in fighting the doping menace. Already, Generali Milano Marathon 2021 champion Titus Ekiru is the latest Kenyan to be banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and handed a 10-year ban, thanks to doping. The marathoner tested positive twice for the Presence of Prohibited Substances, or their metabolites or markers, in his in-competition urine samples at marathons which he won in 2021. Mr Fred Ashiona, the Western region Deputy Forest Conservator said that ‘our main effort is to mitigate climate change mitigation’, adding ‘we are taking advantage of El Nino rains in pushing for the restoration of Kakamega forest.
Team ADAK with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officials
Mr Ashiona said  ‘Kakamega is a natural forest’ but due to human activities, some of the major species were depleted, saying that they have welcomed different partners on board including ADAK in a bid to plant ‘more of rightful species’  that will restore the forest  diversity. Currently, Kakamega has 10 per cent forest cover, Vihiga (34) and Busia has a paltry 5 per cent of its land under forest cover. James Gichihia, Kakamega Forest station manager said that the forest covers about 14,810 hectares. Aggrey Mwambili, Community Forest Association (CFA) board member, welcomed the tree planting initiative by ADAK, saying ‘it was a step in the right direction’. End      

Kakamega launches modern maternity wing to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality

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Kakamega launches modern maternity wing to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality
By Isaac Mutiso and Aggrey Barasa, Kakamega The county government of Kakamega has inked a partnership deal to enhance the delivery wards for expectant mothers as part of the Tutunze Kakamega Service Delivery Redesign strategy. The move is to help reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in the county. Through the support of like-minded players in the health sector, maternity wards in various hospitals in the county have been refurbished, with the latest being Lumakanda Level IV Hospital in Lugari constituency. The maternity wing is the second facility in the first phase of the service delivery Redesign that will focus on improving the distribution of financing, staff, equipment, beds and medicines to ensure that women receive ‘right place, high quality care’ and mothers deliver in or as close as possible to well-functioning Level (IV) hospitals.
“The county received a total of Sh223.278 million, Phase one of Tutunze Kakamega programme, out of which 40 per cent of the monies has come to Lugari Sub-county,” said Governor Barasa
The refurbished maternity wing has increased bed capacity by 50 per cent and patient’s privacy by 80 per cent. Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa who commissioned the refurbished facility said ‘we want to ensure that every person and particularly mothers who need medical attention access health care as soon as they require it’ Governor Barasa noted that currently, 30-45 per cent of mothers who go to health facilities to be assisted in delivery, approach facilities that cannot serve them effectively.
    Jacaranda Health country director Job Makoyo – Photo/Isaac Mutiso/county splash
“The county received a total of Sh223.278 million, Phase one of Tutunze Kakamega programme, out of which 40 per cent of the monies has come to Lugari Sub-county,” said Governor Barasa He added: ““My intention and that of our partners is to radically redesign how we offer health services so as to ensure that expectant mothers and other members of our community access health information and facilities with competent medical personnel and appropriate equipment as quickly as possible,” Governor Barasa said that Jacaranda Health in collaboration with Thinkwell are supporting health financing activities ‘in this hospital’ (Lugari) to ensure that Service Delivery Redesign (SDR) provides a pathway for sustainability, through revenue generation and cost-efficient activities. Lugari sub-county is the second out of the three sub-counties in Kakamega where the programme was launched. The other two sub-counties are Malava which we launched in March 2023 and Butere coming up sometime later in the year. Jacaranda Health country director Job Makoyo said they are collaborating with selected counties to expand and equip maternity and newborn units to create spaces that promote the provision of quality care.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa commissioning the new maternity wing at Lumakanda sub county hospital – Photo/Isaac Mutiso/county splash
Dr Makoyo said ‘Just like in Malava, our gathering today is a culmination of the great work that the Kakamega County government continues to do in collaboration with our partners towards realizing the Universal Health Coverage agenda’ “As most of us might be aware, successful governments are those that prioritize the health of her citizens. The county has fully embraced the true essence of “Tutunze Kakamega” by taking care of our mothers and making sure “wamama wetu” get access to quality maternal health services in the county.” Tutunze Kakamega is a programme sponsored by Kakamega county with the assistance from our partners who include Jacaranda Health; Thinkwell; Thinkplace; Rescue.co; Harvard University; and, 4 Buildx Studio (A consortium funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). The project’s core objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in Kakamega County from 316/100,000 and 19/1000 live births respectively to progressively meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets of 70/100000 and 12/1000 in 5 years. In the next 15 months, will have initiated similar reforms in Matungu, Likuyani and Navakholo sub-counties. They include, the expanding and equipping maternity/newborn units, improving urgent and emergency referral systems, ensuring all women are supported by sufficient and skilled providers and enhancing health financing arrangements for quality health care services. End                                    

Breaking News: One dead as PS Susan Mang’eni cheats death in Busia road accident

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Breaking News: One dead as PS Susan Mang’eni cheats death in Busia road accident
  By Maureen Maumo, Busia The State Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMES) Development Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni is nursing injuries after being involved in a road accident. The accident occurred after her  car rammed into a motorcycle killing the rider on the spot at Korinda junction in Busia town today. Mang’eni was heading to Busia from Nambale town. Busia County Commissioner Kipchumba Ruto has confirmed the incident.
The State Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMES) Development Principal Secretary Susan Mang’eni – Photo courtesy
“The PS rammed into a motorcycle where the rider died on the spot. The impact caused the release of an airbag which injured the principal secretary, her bodyguard and the driver,” said Ruto, saying the PS has been admitted at a private hospital undergoing treatment. Ruto said Ms Mang’eni was out of danger, saying she was complaining of chest pains after the incident. “The PS is out of danger even though the doctors have recommended for her to seek further treatment either in Kisumu or Nairobi, “said Ruto The body of the deceased is at Busia Referral hospital morgue. End  

Where guava, avocado and bamboo leaf tea treat lifestyle diseases

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Where guava, avocado and bamboo leaf tea treat lifestyle diseases
  By Sheila Chumba, Bungoma John Barasa Munyasia,76, panicked when he started experiencing an urgent need to pee at night. The former lawmaker could go for a short call four to six times on a single night and accompanied with pain occassionally. It was during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and people aged 59 years and above had been advised to stay home due to their weak immune system that could be easily compromised by the deadly virus. Munyasia was not taking chances and opted to go for a medical examination fearing that the sudden urge to urinate could be a pointer to a disease. It turned out his overwhelming urge to urinate was due to old age, an announcement which came as a huge relief to him. Experts argue that the bladder gradually starts losing elasticity as one gets older, making it hard for him or her to hold urine.
“At first, I was hesitant but decided to do thorough research and consulted widely with my friends who are medics, they assured me that leaves were safe. I could pluck young guava tree leaves, boil them and drink them as special tea. After two months, my problem was over,” said Munyasia.
“With movement restrictions, I had no option but to find something useful to do at home, I delved into reading books I had stocked,” Munyasia told The Standard. Inside his home library, Munyasia, a former high school teacher, came across a book that made him discover guava fruits and leaves are medicinal and could cure his condition. “At first, I was hesitant but decided to do thorough research and consulted widely with my friends who are medics, they assured me that leaves were safe. I could pluck young guava tree leaves, boil them and drink them as special tea. After two months, my problem was over,” said Munyasia. The former Sirisia MP between 1991-2002 told The Standard in an interview that from that moment, he decided to do more research to help many people with a similar problem and true to his words. He founded the Ten Star cottage industry and ventured fully into processing guava, avocado and bamboo ‘leaf tea’. The seasoned teacher said he first produced guava fruit jam which he said ‘was very sweet’ when applied to bread and vegetables. “If you want to make guava leaf tea, just pick the young leaves and boil.” Munyasia says one can also dry the guava leaves under the shed and then grind them in a posho mill then package the end product and store them in a conducive environment. The product has a shelf life of 12 months. “When you take a cup of guava leaf tea every day, it will help in weight loss, improve fertility for men, who have low sperm count and women with experiencing irregular periods by ending stomach cramps and muscle pain,” he said. He added: “Guava leaf tea, when taken daily for 2-3 months continuously, helps increase sperm and help men with that challenge to get children. In women, it will help clean the womb, stop irregular menses and make a woman conceive.”
A photo of guavas – Photo/Courtesy
It also stops diarrhoea, reduces cholesterol levels, manages sugar levels in the body, weight loss, fights cancer, improves skin texture and helps in good vision. Munyasia read widely on the benefits of avocado leaf tea and bamboo leaf tea. He learnt they have massive benefits. According to the veteran politician, bamboo leaf tea is best for making bones, teeth, and hair strong, while avocado leaf tea is a pain reliever, particularly headaches. Eileen Mulaa, a nutritionist, concurs with Munyasia saying guava, avocado and bamboo leaf tea offer numerous health benefits. “Avocado tea can be used to treat diarrhoea because it is rich in Vitamin C, have high protein, fibre, minerals and antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties,” avers Mulaa adding that avocado leaves are a one-stop shop for whole body health. Ms Mulaa said that avocado tea leaf has substances that play crucial roles in the solubility of calcium in urinary stones, like alkaloids, which breaks the stones in the urinary tract and make urinating easier. “A cup of avocado leaf tea after a meal can help boost digestion, cure stomach ache, and reduce inflammation. It also helps to prevent the formation of kidney stones by reducing the risk of dehydration, which can lead to kidney stones,” said Mulaa. According to Lewis Juma, a producer of bamboo leaf tea, the crop is ideal for boosting bone health, promoting the growth of hair and nails and acting as an anti-ageing agent. “Bamboo delays ageing as it contains silica (collagen), one of the important proteins in the human body. It also gets rid of wrinkles, rejuvenates the joints and helps in the production of other skin-rich proteins,” said Mr Juma. End

Farmers minting millions from avocado and pumpkin seed oil

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Farmers minting millions from avocado and pumpkin seed oil
  Sheila Chumba, Bungoma Pumpkins have been traditionally considered a poor man’s crop and are even associated with Halloween to celebrate the memory of lost souls. But farmers in Bungoma have found a niche in it and are now processing oil from pumpkin seeds and flour from its flesh enabling them to put food on the table. They are also extracting oil from avocados that are ‘readily available’  and common in the villages. John Munyasia,76, the founder of Tens Star Cottage industry is one of the farmers and says that ‘he came across a book’ that made him discover that pumpkin seeds and avocado can be processed into cooking oil at household level. “In the book, I learnt that conditions that can expose someone to dangers of cancer, heart and blood diseases, and urinary infections among men can be avoided by using pumpkin seed oil,” said Munyasia The former high school teacher said he started collecting pumpkin seeds ‘which he took’ to an agro-processing unit at Mabanga Agricultural Training Centre (MATC) to find out if oil could be extracted from the seeds.
John Munya -left- with his workers admires pumpkin seeds drying under the sun before being processed to produce pumpkin seed oil- Photo/Isaac Mutiso
“We indeed produced pumpkin seed oil and I saw a business opportunity in the venture,” said Munyasia, adding that he immediately converted three acres of his land into a pumpkin farm. After three months, Munyasia harvested his pumpkins and for ‘every 5 kilos of the produce he was able to extract 1-2 litres of pumpkin seed oil while its flesh was dried and ground into flour. He said the process requires no additives or heat to extract the oil which according to him is cholesterol free.
“There is a ready market for the oil we produce locally and in neighbouring counties of Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Kakamega and Kisumu as well as Uganda. The demand is very high as compared to supply and we are looking for partners to expand this project,” said Juma
Munyasia sells one litre of pumpkin seed at Sh 8000 while pumpkin flour goes that Sh 400 per kilo. “Pumpkin seed oil is good for cooking and can be taken as a supplement and applied to human hair as well,” said Munyasia, adding that it is rich in linoleic acid and contains high amounts of antioxidants compounds that help to protect against inflammation and chronic diseases.
John Munyasia holding two -litre bottles of avocado seed oil – Photo/Isaac Mutiso
According to Munyasia, he now has a 15-acre farm under pumpkin while at the same time, he has contracted about 40 farmers who have ventured into the project. He also imports pumpkins from Uganda where they are grown on a large scale. He also extracts oil from avocado. Lewis Juma is a farmer and a supervisor at Tens Star cottage industry. He (Juma) produces avocado seed oil which he sells at Sh3000 per litre. “Avocados are plenty in many homes and we don’t struggle to get ‘raw materials’ to extract oil,” said Juma. He said avocado seed oil improves skin health by promoting skin elasticity, saying it’s used to treat skin diseases like eczema and dermatitis. He said that the oil is rich in oleic acid that contains vitamin E as well as stimulating blood flow to the scalp and unclog blocked follicles. “There is a ready market for the oil we produce locally and in neighbouring counties of Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Kakamega and Kisumu as well as Uganda. The demand is very high as compared to supply and we are looking for partners to expand this project,” said Juma He added: “We are in the process of procuring sophisticated oil extraction machines to meet the demand and supply. We want to contract more farmers so that we can maximize on profits by expanding our market reach,” said Juma. Prof Gordon Nguka, a Clinical Nutritionist and Dietetics from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (Mmust), said that avocado and pumpkin seed oils are used as organic supplements since they are rich in nutrients. “Pumpkin seed oil supplements are ideal for treating prostate cancer (benign prostate hyperplasia), urinary tract problems and improve heart health,” said Prof Nguka Prof Nguka said that it’s recommended to use the oils since they are easily digested directly into the blood vessels as compared to ‘consuming’ the seeds. For pumpkin flour, he said it’s rich in immunity-boosting nutrients like Vitamins A and C as well as minerals like zinc that are essential for improved cognitive function, good vision and improved skin health. “The magnesium in pumpkin flour is good for improved mood and better sleep and the manganese in it supports collagen growth for optimal bone and skin health,” said Prof Nguka. Arnold Wamukota’s wife had a problem with her eyesight and started using pumpkin flour, saying after two to three months, she regained her vision. “My wife could not read without glasses but when we started adding a teaspoonful of pumpkin flour to her porridge, she was able to read without glasses. She had fully regained her vision,” said Mr Wamukota End

Wetang’ula’s father wants grabbed cultural land repossessed by county government  

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Wetang’ula’s father wants grabbed cultural land repossessed by county government  
By Micah Sali, Bungoma National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula father has called upon the County Government of Bungoma to repossess grabbed cultural land. Speaking at the Gender and Culture offices in Bungoma town, Mzee Dominic Wetang’ula told Governor Ken Lusaka’s administration to repossess 82 acres of public land grabbed at Mayanja area in Kanduyi constituency that had been used in the past as a venue for Bukusu cultural ceremonies. The cultural leader said that the Bukusu community should establish a cultural center like the Wanga,Iteso,Batura,Tachoni and Sabaoti communities  to celebrate their  cultural values.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba with Bungoma Gender and Sports Minister Agnes Wachie at a past function
Mzee Dominic said that the Sang’alo cultural center was established for the purpose of celebrating cultural values and traditions of the six major tribes living in Bungoma who include the Bongomek,Batura,Babukusu,Iteso,Sabaoti and the Tachoni communities. “The Wanga have their house at Matungu,Sabaoti at Kapsokwony,Teso’s at Kabkara, the Bukusu house should be at Tulyenge or Marakaru” said Mzee  Dominic. Mzee Dominic urged Governor Lusaka to work with the council of elders to ensure the grabbed land is repossessed and used for its intended purpose. “We can pinpoint the boundaries of the land at Tulyenge in Malakisi and Marakaru for celebrations used by the Bukusu community after the end of the second world war,” he added. Bungoma County Executive Committee Member (Cecm) in charge of Gender, culture,youth and Sports Eng. Agnes Wachie exuded confidence that they will ‘ensure land earmarked for cultural events’ is repossessed  and given back to the community. Ms Wachie said that the Bukusu community should use circumcision, marriage ceremonies and conflict resolution meetings to unite the community and maintain blood covenants for posterity. She called on the elders to ensure that the council has democratically established representation from the clan level to represent the aspirations of the people at the elder’s council summit. Phillip Wekesa, a human rights crusader, called on the elders to establish a legal framework for the cultural institution of Inzu ye Bamasaaba and support the designate Umukuka III Jude Mike Mudoma who will be coronated at Mutoto,Mbale city in Eastern Uganda on  October 14 2023. President Yoweri Museveni and the Kenyan Speaker of the National assembly are expected to lead a high-powered delegation to the fete. Masaaba had 3 sons,Mwambu,Mubuuya and Wanaale who include the Bagishu and Babukusu communities of Eastern Uganda and Western Kenya. The Umukuka III Jude Mudoma is expected to have a consultative meeting with  the Bamasaaba communities living in Kenya on Sunday, October 8 to explain his agenda for the community while in office for the next 5 years. His highness Jude Mike  Mudoma(UMUKUUKA III) who will be accompanied by a battery of dignitaries from Inzu ye Bamasaaba from Uganda  will meet elders, prominent leaders,youth,women  and eminent cultural leaders . End  

Breaking News: Mudavadi greatest beneficiary as President Ruto reshuffles Cabinet

Andrew Ombuni
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Breaking News: Mudavadi greatest beneficiary as President Ruto reshuffles Cabinet
By Isaac Mutiso, Nairobi Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is the great beneficiary in the latest Cabinet reshuffle by President William Ruto. Mudavadi besides his current job, will now head the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. Rebbecca Miano who was in charge of the East African Community (EAC) now becomes the Cabinet Secretary of Investments, Trade and Industry, formerly held by Moses Kuria who now moves to the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management. Former Water CS Alice Wahome has been moved to the Ministry of Lands while her predecessor, Zachariah Njeru, has been named Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary. Former Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua who has been in charge of Foreign Affairs Docket has been moved to Tourism and Wildlife. …..More to follow…….    
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