ISSUE 081, April 16-31, 2013
CHALLENGES of COUNTY GOVERNMENTS U n f i l t e r e d , u n i n h i b i t e d … j u s t t h e g r u e s o m e t r u t h
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Residents want soapstone industry upgraded By BEN OROKO The first Governor of Kisii County, James Ongwae, has his in-tray overflowing with the expectations of the residents. Topping the list is establishment of a permanent and all weather road network and agrobased industries to tap the potential of bananas, avocado and sugarcane grown in the region. The region is also endowed with two leading cash crops, coffee and tea, which are a major foreign exchange earner for the area and the country as a whole. Another expectation among some area residents is the exploitation of the soapstone industry in Tabaka in South Mugirango Constituency, as part of the efforts to create job opportunities for the youth and women entrepreneurs. However, despite the above, many residents still maintain that the County’s resources have not been fully exploited to their benefit, leading to a rise in poverty and unemployment among the youth.
Ventures
Kennedy Nyarwati, a resident of BomachogeBorabu constituency, cites the dilapidated Mogonga-Kenyenya-Nyakembene-Kamagambo road as an example. He says it traverses an agriculturally endowed area and if tarmacked could open up and link the region to other areas in the County to enhance agri-business. “The road network in the County, particularly in Bomachoge and South Mugirango constituencies, remains one of the challenges the Governor has to address,” says Nyarwati. Decrying exploitation of local banana farmers by middlemen, Nyarwati expects the Governor to lobby for the establishment of co-operative societies through which farmers could fix prices for their produce. Agnes Mogunde, a resident of South Mugirango, expects the county government to address challenges facing exploitation and mar-
keting of soapstone products at Tabaka, so that the community gets the best prices for their unique sculptures. Mogunde also expects the Governor to woo foreign and local investors to establish a soapstone, chalk industry in the County, to recycle soapstone waste materials and have them turned into chalk, instead of having the waste exported to a neighbouring country for manufacturing of chalk, thus denying the residents income and employment opportunities. She would like the county government to come up with policies that would ensure local community members establish co-operative societies to control and manage soapstone affairs collectively, to avert exploitation by middle-men.
Policy
“The soapstone industry in the County has a great potential for local residents but due to lack of policies governing the industry it has been left to middle-men who exploit unsuspecting local sculptors,” notes Mogunde. His thoughts are echoed by Peninah Abuya, a resident of South Mugirango, who would want the Governor and his team to streamline operations of the soapstone industry and ensure there is a level playing ground for all entrepreneurs, especially women. Abuya, who is one of the talented women sculptors in the area, says the county government should come up with industrial investment policies that are women-friendly, to encourage more women engage in investment ventures to create wealth and employment opportunities for the youth in the County. "I was brought up knowing that investment in the soapstone carving industry was a preserve of men but with women's gains in the Constitution I now have a chance to compete with men in the trade,” says Abuya. However, Geoffrey Nyakang'o, an entrepreneur in Kisii town and resident of Kitutu Chache North Constituency, expects the county government to put in place governance structures through
a citizen participation strategic plan for the County. “The first Governor of our County will succeed or fail depending on the approach of his governance structures. However, I am optimistic that he will succeed if he embraces citizen-participation strategic planning to ensure socio-economic priority projects he will implement come from the people themselves to avoid conflict,” notes Nyakang’o. Further, Nyakang’o expects the Governor to hire County staff on merit and not on clanbased sharing of public service positions. These sentiments are echoed by Cyrus Matoke, a youth in Kisii township, who expects the new Governor to create new job opportunities for the youth and ensure equitable distribution of the public service jobs in the County, with the youth being given priority, if they meet the required qualifications.
Expectations
Matoke expects the Governor to avoid rewarding friends and relatives with public service jobs Soapstone sculptor Peninah Abuya displays in the County, instead he should a carving of a woman taking porridge from a ensure qualified people are given traditional Gusii calabash at Tabaka in Gucha South job opportunities on merit for efDistrict. Picture: Ben Oroko ficient and professional delivery streamline revenue collection in the County to of services to the public in line with ensure all loopholes for revenue loss and misapservice charters. propriation are sealed. According to Julia Nyaboke, a fruit vendor “I expect the Governor to put in place efin Kisii town, the Governor can transform the ficient revenue collection policies to ensure no County by putting in place an investment hub revenue is lost, and have every cent collected and security measures that will attract more from the public accounted for, to enhance effiinvestors into the County to create job opporcient service delivery to the citizens," observes tunities for formal and informal sector players. Nyaboke. Nyaboke would like the County government to
Ganze mothers’ cry as malnutrition bites By YUSUF AMIN Women in Ganze are a worried lot because of the rising cases of malnutrition among their children. The constituency, which is in Kilifi County, has been a victim of food insecurity and this is adversely affecting children. Officials at the Kilifi District Hospital have also raised a red flag saying such cases are on the rise going by the number of children who have been treated and or admitted recently. The medics are appealing to the county leaders to intervene and help the children get nutritional foods to improve their health and save lives. A cross section of women interviewed at the hospital say they live in worry of losing their children. They are now asking other stakeholders including non-governmental organisations to intervene and come up with a lasting solution. Mama Kahaso Kadenge, who is one of the affected mothers points an accusing finger at the hunger situation in Ganze District.
Authority
Kadenge wants the authorities to intervene and save the situation. “Cases of malnutrition are on the rise and urgent measures must be taken to curb it,” said Kadenge. She added: “The county government needs to set aside funds to combat malnutrition in Ganze District.” She noted that the district has been rated as the poorest in the country.
However, according to Haro Said, Kilifi District nutritional officer, cases of malnutrition had increased in the district because of the recent strike of nurses in the country.
Promise
Said, however, promised Kilifi County residents that cases of malnutrition will be addressed as a matter of urgency. “The recent strike by nurses is also to blame for the rising cases of malnutrition but I promise that we have put measures in place to curb the problem,” he said. Kilifi District Medical Officer of Health, David Mulewa asked the leaders in the county to work together and improve services in the health sector. Mulewa said that the facility admits many patients from various parts of Kilifi County and there was need for its expansion. According to Pauline Masha, who is attached to the children’s ward at the hospital, most patients are from poor families who cannot afford two meals a day. Masha lamented that men had left the burden of looking for food to their wives while the children suffered. She assured the residents that they will work harder to improve standards at the hospital and assist the patients. She asked mothers in the district to be careful and detect symptoms of malnutrition early enough so that it could be tackled by nutritional officers at Kilifi District Hospital. “Mothers should be very alert with their children because malnutrition has been affecting
A mother with her malnutritioned child admitted at Kilifi District Hospital. Cases of malnutrition in Ganze District are increasing due to food scarcity that is looming in Kilifi County. Picture: Yusuf Amin many of them in various parts of Kilifi County,” Masha noted. One of the mothers, Kahonzi Katana, from Petanguo Village in Ganze District, who had her child admitted at Kilifi District Hospital, asked the county government to come up with strategies of food production at the banks of river Galana and Rare. Kahonzi said that the rivers continuously released water into the Indian Ocean instead of being used for irrigation of the nearby farms to produce food. “Enough production of food in the region
will be a means to curbing malnutrition among many children since they will have a well-balanced diet,” said Kahonzi. She expressed hope that her child would recover soon and be discharged to join the family at home. Mulewa invited well-wishers to support the hospital by providing foodstuffs to help fight malnutrition. He reminded the public that everyone had a responsibility in the fight against malnutrition by ensuring that children received a wellbalanced diet.