A Happy Kenya?

By Moses Mwaniki

“If we want a happier world, we need a completely new deal on mental illness,” these are the words in a report by Columbia University’s Earth Institute on 23^rd March.

Kenya has scooped the second position in Africa as the happiest state with Rwanda being the second happiest country in Africa. Sudan is the least happy nation.

According to the report, “the world has become a slightly happier and a nice place over the past five years,” the report continued to state that the economic and political upheavals have resulted in greatly reduced levels of well-being for some nations.  

Globally, Denmark was ranked as the happiest nation with Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden following it in that order. Kenya ranked position 33 globally while the top Africa’s happiest state Rwanda is position 15.

According to the report, the single factor that reduces happiness levels is a reduction in people’s perceived “freedom to make key life choices.”

Reduced levels of corruption also contributes to a rise in the level of national happiness. The report urged governments that seek to improve the happiness of their citizens to spend a larger portion of their health budgets on mental illness which is the single biggest determinant of misery in all the countries assessed.

The report’s also points out that, “It is important to balance economic measures of societal progress with measures of subjective well-being to ensure that economic progress leads to broad improvements across life domains not just economic capacity.”

Report on population and development, media told.

By Eric G Ndubi

The media has been asked to prioritize population and development stories in their coverage of news to promote awareness.

Speaking at a media sensitization forum on population and development matters at the Nairobi Comfort Hotel the assistant director National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) Jane Wanjuria said information about family planning, maternal healthcare services and dependency should be incorporated in programs, features and news reporting as the media plays its role of public education.

She stressed that the high rate of population growth in the country is highly undesirable for a developing economy and continues to increase dependency ratio.

“Forty three percent of our population is made up of people below the age of fifteen who are fully dependent on their parents. These parents often are not able to fully provide for their basic needs, leave alone saving for investment,” the director said.

The council that was established in 2004 under the then ministry of devolution and planning, is now under the ministry of state for planning, national development and vision 2030.

After the 2009 national census the council developed the sessional paper No. 3 on population policy for national development to address the issue of rapid population growth, majorly through control of unplanned births.

“With a population composition like this, it means that at any one time there are so many people entering the reproductive age. This group accounts for the highest percentage of unplanned births.” She said.

Mrs. Wanjuria challenged journalists not only to center their reporting on individuals in politics but rather dwell on issues that touch on development and population, which politicians address at surface value.

“When politicians talk about tyranny of numbers, you should engage them on the quality of these numbers, their health, can they feed themselves? Do they contribute to the economy? Let them ensure quality accompany these numbers.” She said.

She noted that there was need for programs that sensitize the public on the need for male involvement in family planning saying that the man is an essential part of ensuring manageable number of children in the family.

She observed that the majority of themes about family planning depicted women as to bear the sole responsibility with no deliberate effort to bring to the fore or championing contraceptive methods that are available for men, save for the condom.

“Family planning is dependent on men, since ours is a patriarchal society. The media should try to dispel the misconception that it is only a woman’s work.” She added.

The media was also encouraged to give more coverage on maternal healthcare where the council showed a mismatch between pregnant women who attended antenatal care and those who delivered in hospitals. Up to almost half of those who attended antenatal care did not deliver in hospital, for instance the 2008/9 year 92% attended antenatal care but only 43% delivered in hospitals. This has resulted in high maternal deaths with young mothers being highly susceptible.

The council seeks to improve life expectancy as a way of discouraging couples from having too many children and at the same time stating that their policy is non-coercive but rather seeks to make information available to the public.

“We want to give people the ability to make those hard choices, when all facts are on the table.” The Director said.

Seek solution to problems, student innovators told

By Jennifer Kamura

University students have been urged to focus on innovations that seek to address challenges facing Kenyans to boost growth.

Speaking during a forum for students to showcase their creative works at the Technical University of Kenya's Main Hall on March 6, Mr Fredrick Odhiambo, a software engineer with Intel Kenya, cautioned that “innovations should be unique and reasonable and should focus on solving problems".

"Intel Kenya finances ideas and innovations hence students should step forward and stop whining over lack of capital," he said.

The event organised by Students Association of Technical University (Satuk) created a platform through which students could present their innovations to the invited guests, who included Kenyatta University's Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre (CBIIC) director George Kosimbei.

“I have been overwhelmed by the level of creativity in TUK students. Some of the innovations I have seen here if well supported can provide solutions to the existing, thorny problems in our society, for example environmental conservation," Dr Kosimbei said.

He said CBIIC was established in 2011 as the first public incubation centre in Kenya. 

The centre, which is situated at the Kenyatta University, serves 70 per cent of KU students while the rest come from other higher learning institutions.

He urged students to contact the incubation centre for assistance but pointed out that that the innovations should be consistent with the problems in the society.

Dr Susan Musembi of Chandaria BIIC said students seeking help at the incubation centre are usually screened through various stages before they are selected, with the major emphasis being sustainable innovation.

Ms Kanze Dena, who was the event moderator and is also a presenter at Citizen TV, noted that innovation is not just about machines and technical appliances but also doing things differently from others.

Some of the creative works at the forum were fluid level controller from engineering department, explore Kenya (mobile app) by ICT club, interior design lamp shades by Eugine Ochieng (urban design student), natural green soap handwash, video editing and journalistic photography by Kennedy Korir of the Journalism and Media Studies department.

At the same time, Prof David Ogolla, the director of technical and vocational training who represented Vice Chancellor Francis Aduol, said the government was planning to increase technical universities in Kenya to 10.

Address traffic crisis on Thika Road, urge motorists

By Moses Mwaniki

Motorists who use Thika superhighway have complained of frequent traffic snarl-ups on the road.
Matatu drivers, who spoke to Crown Weekly said they were losing a lot of money because of reduced number of trips.
Besides, most commuters using the highway have to start their journey by 5am to avoid being late for work.
Those coming from as far as Thika are the most affected and have to start their journey as early as 4am to make it to town centre by 7am, a journey that should normally take less than 30 minutes.
“I have to be at the bus stop by latest 5pm if I have to open my shop in time. If the day care for my daughter is not open in time, then I get late. I feel overstretched," says Farida Amina, a beautician along Moi Avenue.
Mr James Muriuki, a driver with Chania Travelers Sacco, says: "When former President Mwai Kibaki opened the superhighway, we thought that it would save us the traffic jam which is a chronic problem.”
Some attribute the traffic to the influx of private cars and 14-seater matatus in the city. Mr. Isaac Omollo, a taxi driver, says the traffic problem could be resolved by regulating the number of cars getting into town.
“Take a case where 20 private vehicles get into town with only a driver in each of the cars. This is unnecessary considering there is a perfect public transport in place," he says.
He continues: “This problem is mainly during the rush hours of the morning and evening, so what does that indicate? People with personal cars coming to and from work contribute a lot to the traffic jam.”
Mr Kamau Njoroge, who opertaes a tuk tuk urged the government to relocate some sectors away from the city centre to ease congestion.
"I don’t think Gikomba, Muthurwa, and Jua kali markets are in the right locations," he said.
Thika superhighway, which consists of four lanes between Thika and Nairobi and a service lane on each side, was completed in 2012 with the aim of ending the traffic crisis between the two towns.

New team to take over from transition agency

By FRANCIS MUTHII

A new devolution committee is set to succeed the Transition Authority.
Devolution Cabinet Secretary Ann Waiguru unveiled the 10-member intergovernmental relations technical committee on Friday March 6.
The new team is responsible for coordinating activities of the Summit headed by President Uhuru Kenyatta and also comprises the Council of Governors. It will ensure a good working relationship between the national and county governments.
The committee will be chaired by Prof Karega Mutahi, the former Education permanent secretary.
“This committee will oversee the shifting of any functions that would not have been completed by the TA whose mandate ends in a year’s time and is not renewable,” Ms Waiguru said.
The authority, which is mandated to oversee transfer of functions and resources from central government to the county governments protested the formation of the committee.
Council of Governors spokesman Barrack Muluka, however, supported the decision.
There have been concerns that the new committee might replicate the roles of the Transition Authority.
But Ms Waiguru said the TA will stick to ensuring a smooth transition while the Mutahi-led commission will implement the summit and Council of Governors’decisions.
She said the county bosses had been involved in the decision.

Mount Kenya University Shut after Student Protests

By Eric G Ndubi

Mount Kenya University has been closed after students took to the streets on Friday March 6 to protest against the killing of their female colleague who was stabbed to death on Thursday night.
The student was killed in Kiango’mbe area near BIDCO in Thika,  Kiambu County.
The students held demonstrations on Garissa Road and General Kago Road in Thika, Kiambu County, burning tyres near the university and chanting slogans before anti-riot police dispersed them late in the afternoon.
The university administration cited "increasing tension" for the decision to close down the institution.
“In view of the current increasing tension the university, Thika Campus, is hereby closed immediately till further notice," the memo read.
Some students posted on Twitter that police used live bullets and that two of their colleagues who were injured in the protest were admitted to Thika Level Five Hospital.
The students blamed the university for failing to provide them with adequate security.
At the same time, the students accused their leaders of inefficiency in representing their interests.
A popular Facebook page called 'MKU Mashinani' said: "A student stabbed to death around bidco.... MKUSA watch out or u will all park."
These are some of the tweets around this event:
bkuHABARI Official @bkuHABARI
University closed indefinitely. Student hospitalized aftr gunshot mku thika #mkustrike
The Menace ‏@Swaggdee
If you are in Thika take caution. MKU out on a rampage. Engaging police in running battles. Two alleged to be shot.
Magazine Reel ‏@MagazineReel
MKU Thika Campus students on the rampage. Two students shot and taken to Thika Level 5 Hospital. One Confirmed... http://fb.me/7yhWpHZvQ

National schools shamed as 2014 KCSE results released

BY ERIC G NDUBI


Five national secondary schools were involved in cheating in last year's Kenya Certificate of Secondary School examination.
While releasing the exam results at the Kenya National Examinations Centre in Nairobi on Tuesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi noted that sub-county, county and national schools reported the highest number of irregularities despite admitting top students.
Prof Kaimenyi said there was tremendous improvement in last year's exams compared to 2013.
More than 450,000 candidates sat the exams in 2014, with 149,717 candidates attaining C+ and above.
Grade C+ is the minimum grade for university entry in Kenya, which means 30.8 per cent of the candidates qualified to join public universities compared to 27.5 per cent in 2013.
Some 3,073 (0.63 per cent) candidates scored a mean grade of A plain  in 2014 compared to 2,722 (0.6 per cent) in 2013 while 15 out of 31 subjects recorded improvement.

Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi during the releasing of 2014 KCSE Results at the Kenya National Examinations Center in Nairobi, Tuesday morning (Photo: Courtesy Daily Nation )

“I'm delighted to announce that general performance improved tremendously in 2014 KCSE examination compared to 2013," the CS said.
Male candidates outperformed their female counterparts, with 59 per cent attaining C+ and above compared to girls at 41 per cent.
However, the girls still managed to outshine the boys in five subjects - English, Kiswahili, Christian Religious Education (CRE), Home Science, and Art and Design.
Special Needs Education (SNE) students registered impressive performance, with 180 out of 1,090 candidates attaining C+ and above, five A plains and 14 A minus.
Prof Kaimenyi attributed the improved results to government efforts to tailor education to the needs of students, adding that Kenya is “among few countries in Africa to tailor their education curriculum with needs of students with special needs”.
Meanwhile, Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General Wilson Sossion has criticized the abolition of school and student rankings saying the decision has reduced the morale of students and teachers and denying them the right to be recognised for their exemplary performance.
“It must be reinstated, it cannot be removed altogether," Mr Sossion said.
At the same time, Prof Kaimenyi warned head teachers against defying the set school fees guidelines, which seek to cushion needy students.
According to the guidelines, Boarding schools are not supposed to charge more than Sh53,000 annually and while day schools are required to charge a maximum of Sh9,394.
School heads, however, say the new school fees regulations are way below their budgets.

Satuk leader denies misusing union funds

BY NICHOLAS SEWE

Technical University of Kenya student leader Raphael Ragot has denied claims that he misappropriated funds allocated to cater for bursaries and social events.
Mr Ragot, who is the  Student Association of Technical University of Kenya (Satuk) chairman, termed the allegations as cheap propaganda meant to weaken his administration.
While addressing students at the university’s Red Square, Mr Ragot asked his opponents to embrace dialogue to solve the problems facing the students.
He was reacting to claims by Mr Duke Ombagi, who unsuccessfully contested the Satuk chairman post in the 2014 elections, that he used the union funds to set up his own businesses.
“It is surprising that after all those words full of promises during campaigns Ragot promised the comrades good leadership with proper accountability in management of funds allocated to Satuk yet he is doing the opposite, putting students funds in his pockets,” Mr Ombagi said.
He went on: “We as comrades will not put up with such behaviour. We will rally everyone and pass a motion of no confidence in the chairman in the congress and oust him."
Mr Ragot, however, asked Mr Ombagi to stop inciting students.
“I would like to ask my colleague Ombagi to instead come for dialogue, my office is open for anyone with a problem to come so that we iron it out," he said.

Varsity students protest over death of colleague

By Eric G Ndubi
University of Nairobi students went on the rampage on Wednesday protesting the death of their colleague who had been killed by a motorist.
It started with warnings on Twitter for the public to keep off the city centre. They had planned to hold demonstrations to "mourn" his death.
The student was knocked by the vehicle as he crossed University Way. He was taken to Kenyatta National Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
The students hurled stones at motorists for more than two hours before police quelled the riots around 9.30am. Property of unknown value was destroyed in the riots.
Some of the students said they had to "moan a comrade in style".

Students of the University of Nairobi protesting along Uhuru Highway following the death of their colleague who was knocked down by a motorist (Photo: Courtesy Capital FM)

While student riots are not entirely new in Kenya or world over, the motives for demonstrations have been changing over the years.
On May 10, 1966, about 20,000 students  took to the streets in Paris to join workers in a protest over bad governance. They braved heavy police fights throughout the night in an attempt to force the French government to change governance with key objectives such as self-management by workers, decentralisation of economic and political power and participatory democracy at the grassroots. They managed to get then President Charles de Gaulle to announce elections in June.
In 1967, US college students were in the forefront in the opposition to the government's involvement in the Vietnamese war.
In the late 1960s, student activism contributed highly to the democratisation process in Kenya. For instance, on January 27, 1969 when the government prevented Kenya Peoples Union leader Oginga Odinga from addressing students at the University College of East Africa (now University of Nairobi), there occurred a serious demonstration which led to closure of the university.
Other notable strikes were in1972 when Nairobi University students held a protest demanding an underpass on Uhuru-Highway and in 1974 they held a demonstration to demand the introduction of a loan system.
Those were the days when university student leaders were darlings of Kenya's reform agenda. Some of the students paid a heavy price through arbitrary arrests and expulsions. Some have had successful political careers and have been forces for change in Parliament, former Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang' who died last year.
These arguably contrast with the current university student leadership motivation for riots characterized by unwarranted destruction of property.