the western watch newsletter pdf_1

WESTERN WATCH THE Issue 3 Volume 8 December 2012T

Quarterly Journal of Vihiga Community Development Organization

BEE FARMING

VERSUS

MAIZE FARMING

Climate change and malariaClimate change escalating malaria in Vihiga

Preach peace Kenyans urged to embrace peace in elections

The Youth Leadership & GovernanceAre the Youth participating in ensuring good governance

and leadership?

Community Initiative for Millennium Development Goals

WATCH WESTERN

2

Editorial Committee

Chief Editor

Edward M. Alitsi

Editor

Jean Eyase

Asst Editor

Kevin Kidiga

Researcher/Contributor

Arthur Asava

Jamilah Khaji

Edom Kassaye

Designer

VCDO Editorial Team

From the Editor’s desk

VIHIGA COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION

Chavakali/ Kapsabet Road

P.O.Box 250-50311

Wodanga, Kenya

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.vcdorg.

wordpress.com

Tel: +254-(056)-45407

Mobile: +254 722 244 434

This year’s last edition of the Western Watch o"ers interesting articles

benchmarked on its traditional coverage of issues that a"ect our everyday

life, with emphasis on the need to embrace peace during the coming

general elections, better farming methods and the representation of

women vying for di"erent elective positions.

As we near the general elections, the Western Watch has been keen to

cover the participation of women and youths in leadership since they are

considered in the Kenyan Constitution as part of the marginalized groups.

In our previous edition, we highlighted the provisions of women and

youth in the constitution as key to them to fully participate in leadership.

In this edition, we have pro#led di"erent women vying for elective

positions and whether Kenyans are ready to support female leaders. We

have also shown how far the youth have gone in engaging in leadership

and governance.

Peace and security are essential components to a country’s development.

The 2007 post election violence and the various security threats that

have befallen Kenya have seen the government use a lot of resources in

resettling victims. The theme of peace has therefore been given emphasis

in this edition in a quest to help prevent a recurrence of the 2007 chaos.

Bee farming is an enterprise farmers in Vihiga are adopting and it has so

far proven to be one of the best alternative land use system that favors this

area. In this issue, we have taken farmers to the next level of comparing

modern beekeeping and maize farming. A comparative analysis has

therefore been done between the two types of farming to show how bee

farming is less intensive and highly productive.

We have also highlighted a story on how climate change greatly

contributes to the spread of malaria. Other articles on community capacity

development through mobilization of funds have also been featured.

VCDO highly appreciates and acknowledges various contributors: The

department of gender and social development in Sabatia and Ustadi for

their valuable input towards this successful edition.

We welcome you (our readers) to stay with us and we invite your comments

and views on how we can enrich the quality of this publication.

Jean Eyase

Editor


WATCH WESTERN

3

page 11

PREACH PEACE,

LEADERS URGED

The post election

violence was a huge

blow to the country’s

overall security, economy

and democratic gains. Kenya

lagged behind economically

since some of the Key sectors

like tourism, was paralyzed.

Many foreigners shunned

visiting our parks and

museums due to the state

the country was in. “Kenyans

should learn a lesson from

that and embrace peace in

the coming elections since

the government had to

divert development funds

to resettle the displaced

people” said Irene Ngochi a

human rights activist from

Emakwenje in Emuhaya

district.

A survey by Peace and

Development Network

(Peace Net Kenya), an NGO

that whose objective is

to initiate peace building,

promotion of justice and

con"ict resolution shows that

Rift Valley Province bore the

largest numbers of displaced

people as 49% of IDPs

(Internally Displaced People)

came from the areas between

Naivasha and Eldoret.

Rift Valley borders Vihiga

County and as a result many

people from Vihiga and

generally Western Kenya

have migrated to Rift Valley

in search of employment

and land. Thus Vihiga was

a#ected by large numbers of

IDP’s who were forced back

to ancestral homes they had

migrated from many years

ago and did not have houses

for shelter.

Irene testi$ed that the

situation in Vihiga was a bit

di#erent as we had people

displaced from towns

like Nakuru and Naivasha

come back to their native

land to start life all over

again “Another ugly scene

experienced in the County

was burning and destruction

of property and closure of

businesses which impacted

negatively on businessmen.”

Irene added.

Jessica Omongo, 58 year old

widow and mother of $ve

says memory of the misery

she and her late husband

went through when their

house was set on $re a day

after President Mwai Kibaki

was declared the winner of

the elections held 1997.

Jessica and her family had

lived in Ronda, Nakuru for 20

years and had never thought

that violence would be the

main cause of "eeing what

had been home for all these

years. “I have never gone

back there, I forgave the

attackers but I do not think

I can go back there and live

with them” said Jessica.

Victims of post election

violence su#ered great

violation of human rights

including being forced to "ee

from their homes, having their

property destroyed, injuries,

loss of family members, and

sexual violence like rape. Just

like the rest of the victims

Jessica

lamented that the education

of her children was disrupted

when they moved back to

their native home.

“We could not even a#ord

buying school uniforms for

the children for enrolment in

a new school. This made two

of my sons quit secondary

school. They gave up when

they saw us struggling to keep

them in school and decided

to start working on people’s

farms,” said Jessica.Asked

whether she will participant

in voting in leaders come

March the 4th, Jessica said;

“voting is a democratic right

to all Kenyans and she urged

leaders vying for di#erent

positions to preach peace

and ensure that Kenyans

do not have a repeat of the

violence.”

In a report by $lled by the

Waki’s committee on sexual

violence, the most hit during

the violence were children

and women. According to the

report, children and women

faced many social injustices.

The Western Watch spoke

to Elizabeth Moche a

daughter to Mr. Daudi and

Sarah from Emuhaya district

who su#ered the violence

while residing in Naivasha.

Elizabeth, who was only nine

in 2008, said all she can recall

is seeing people beat others

and burning down of houses.

“We heard people shouting,

when we got out, there was

$re all over. We ran to the

police station for refuge.

While there, we had no food.

The police would sometime

bring us bread and milk” said

Elizabeth.

By Jean Eyase


WATCH WESTERN

4

Beekeeping Versus Maize Farming

By Kevin Kidiga

Traveling through Vihiga

County, one would

observe that maize is

the dominant crop cultivated

in this part of the country and

maize meal (Ugali) the staple

food. However, telling from

the size of land and the poor

state of the crop, very little in

terms of yields is expected

from these mini-farms come

harvest time. Miniscule

parcels of land, coupled with

exhausted soils conspire to

deny the inhabitants any

meaningful returns on their

labour.

Due to the rapid population

growth and subsequent land

sub-division, land ownership

is a critical issue. Households

own ¼ an acre on average,

making pro$table and

commercial cultivation of

land impossible. This state of

a#airs has driven the Sabatia

District Agriculture O*ce

in conjunction with other

stakeholders like the Vihiga

Community Development

Organization (VCDO) to

explore alternative types

of farming bene$cial to the

people of Vihiga County.

To achieve this, the Sabatia

District Agriculture O*ce

commissioned a comparative

study to ascertain the most

viable type of farming in the

County based on land size,

climatic conditions, labour

and capital requirements.

Bee keeping emerged the

most suitable agricultural

activity over poultry keeping,

$sh farming and cultivation

of maize in that order.

The $ndings reveal that the

initial investiment in bee

keeping is a bit high but this

can be recouped within a very

short period of time – 8 – 12

months. Labour requirements

are equally modest at

establishment stage. This

plummets signi$cantly soon

after establishment of the

apiary and placement of the

modern bee hives).

According to Henry Okile,

apiarist Vihiga Community

Development Organisation

(VCDO), to start bee farming,

one only needs to set aside

capital for the purchase of

bee hives if a parcel of land

already exists to set up an

apiary.

One modern Langstroth bee-

hive at VCDO (next to Sabatia

District Head-quarters) costs

KShs 3500. Basing on the

number of bee-hives a farmer

requires constitutes the only

major cost the bee farmer

will incur to begin this type of

farming.

After the purchase of the

hives, an apiary (a raised

platform where bee hives

are kept to attract bees) is set

up and due to the suitable

climatic conditions in Vihiga

County, the bee-hives are

colonized within 2 – 8 months

of the apiary being set up in

most instances.

“The worker bees begin

collecting pollen grains and

nectar, once the bee-hives

are colonized, harvesting of

honey can be done 3 months

later,” adds Okile.

One Langstroth hive can

yield up to 10 kgs of honey

and with the prevailing

market price of KShs 400

per kilogram, one bee- hive’s

harvest can fetch in excess

of KShs 4000, enabling the

bee farmer recoup the cost

of the bee-hives within

the $rst or second harvest.

The subsequent honey

harvests will be around 80%

pro$t because bee farming

requires minimal inputs once

an apiary is set up, and the

Langstroth hives are made

sturdy enough to last 15

years before any major repair

work can be done. This keeps

the cost of production to the

bare minimum.

The Sabatia Division livestock

An apiary site on a bee farmer’s in Chepsonoi


WATCH WESTERN

5

Beekeeping Versus Maize Farming

o cer (DLO), Afanda

Eng’alwa, says that ¼ an

acre of land can hold 250

langstroth hives, therefore

at 10 kgs of honey per hive,

farmers with 250 bee-hives

will produce 2500 kgs of

honey worth KShs 1million.

This sum is way above what a

maize farmer may earn in the

6 months it takes to harvest

maize. In a similar period, a

bee farmer will harvest honey

worth 2 million, provided

that the bee-hives are 100%

colonized.

An apiary of 250 bee-hives

requires 2 farm hands on 1/4

an acre to assist in planting

crops like sun-$ower,

spider weed (tsisaga) sweet

potatoes,bottle, brush and

beans, rich sources of nectar

and pollen, says the DLO,

Sabatia. These farm hands

assist the farmer maintain

the apiary, restore damaged

hives and harvest honey,

thus expending a negligible

amount of the bee farmer’s

earnings.

On the other hand, the

returns on maize farming

compares poorly with

earnings from bee-keeping.

According to the Sabatia

District Agricultural O cer

Mr Enock Tallam, on average

1/4 acre of land yields 2.5

bags of grain fetching a

market price of KShs 7500 at

harvest time when prices are

stable. The average cost of

producing 2.5 bags of maize

is Ksh. 3000 and is riddled

with numerous inputs and

labour costs (tilling, weeding,

application of fertilizer,

harvesting, transport etc) to

earn a net pro&t of between

KShs 4000 and KShs4500 per

1/4 acre per harvest.

The above statistics and the

inability of the native farming

fraternity to feed the people

in the County and ensure

food security illustrate lack

of bene&ts and failure of

maize farming in Vihiga.

Subsequently, the people

of Vihiga look up to the

neighbouring Trans Nzoia

and Nandi Counties to supply

the maize grain.

The small acreage, the cost

of the maize seed, fertilizers,

general labour, the erratic

weather patterns and

the exhausted soils have

conspired and consigned

maize farming into a

wasteful, expensive, and

loss-making enterprise.

Despite provision of seed

and fertilizer subsidies under

the National Agricultural

Accelerate Inputs Access

Programme (NAAIAP), short,

frail and yellowing stalks of

the maize crop stand on the

&elds every new season.

Florence Mugaro, a maize

farmer from Mudungu, in

Sabatia district was voted

the best farmer in 2012 for

harvesting 15 bags of maize

(90kgs per bag) from her 1.25

acres. However, this was on

account of the support she

received from the NAAIAP,

thus 10 kgs of certi&ed seed,

50kgs of DAP fertilizer for

planting and 50kgs CAN

fertilizer for top-dressing.

Though this yield has been

feted, it is di cult to replicate

it in the entire Vihiga County

because farmers either fail or

use inadequate farm inputs,

leading to maize grain de&cit

of 137,317 bags in Sabatia

District in 2011.

According to a report

‘Agri-business and Market

Development’ from the

D.A.O Sabatia, the cost of

cultivating ¼ an acre of land

for the maize crop is KShs

2524. Therefore Florence

Mugaro’s earnings after the

costs of cultivating ¼ an

acre at KShs 2524 was KShs

6476 .The D.A.O. adds that a

harvest of less than 2.5 bags

page 13


WATCH WESTERN

6

By Jean Eyase

The new constitution givens women

a voice and strength to &ght for

these positions since it addresses

issues of gender balance in political

and public o ces. The constitution

guards women against all sorts of

discrimination and violence that have

been part of the challenges they greatly

faced when vying for political seats.

As women are gearing up to take what

rightfully belongs to them, the Kenya

Supreme Court recently ruled that the

one third gender representation rule

is not achievable in the March 2013

elections, but will be progressively

implemented to be fully realized by

August, 2015. This move saw several

organs and organizations championing

the rights of women voice concerns

that the rule was to be achieved in the

forthcoming elections. Among them

were,Federation of Female Lawyers in

Kenya (FIDA), Maendeleo ya Wanawake

and the National Gender and Equality

Commission.

According to Article 81(b) of the Kenyan

constitution, “not more than two-thirds

of the members of elective public bodies

shall be of the same gender.” The rule was

meant to increase women’s participation

in politics, and based on the rule at least

117 Members of Parliament would have

to be female (or male if women made up

the majority in Parliament).

However, it has been evident that

majority of women have concentrated

on the women representative seat and

very few are willing to run as members

of parliament, senators and governors.

Only one woman has stayed put to run

for the presidential seat. The scenario in

counties is not di*erent.

In Vihiga County, majority of women

vying are for the women representative

seat which is guaranteed female

candidates and the County ward

representative seat. None is willing to

&ght for no senator or governor seat.

The table below shows women aspiring

for di*erent positions in Vihiga.

The question is, do women fear

competing with men or is it Kenyans

who have a negative attitude towards

having female leaders? Speaking to

several people around Vihiga County,

they noted that women are capable

of leading the nation. Doreen Kenda,

a techer at Lusengeli said that the

few women in power have not been

involved in any corruption or violence

thus could make better leaders. She

added that women are better managers

of &nances than men and they will

empower female women who play a

big role in the county’s economy. “Let

us stop being enemies of our own and

support our fellow women clinch this

seats.” Said Doreen Kenda.

Fridah Gibendi Chahale, a teacher

by profession who holds a degree in

education aspiring for the women

representative seat said she settle for

the seat after doing a SWOT analysis of

herself and found out that she is capable

of serving best in this position. “Having

worked in Vihiga County as a teacher and

a church leader, I got a chance to work

closely with women. I therefore would

like to see these women empowered

since they greatly contribute to the

economy of the country.” Said Fridah.

Fridah also noted that it is important

for the public to understand that the

women representative leader will

not just concentrate on empowering

women and providing solutions to

problems faced by women. “This is a

parliamentary seat and one of its core

mandates is to represent the county at

the national level during parliamentary

proceedings. Another responsibility is

to mobilize resources for the county for

the betterment of the county.” Fridah

added.

In her manifesto, she is looking forward

to empowering the people of Vihiga

with skills and knowledge in project

management and entrepreneurship,

develop a work culture among the youth

by maximizing on the use of available

natural resources and civic education.

She also wants to improve education

standards, improve service delivery in

health sector since as reported by her,

at the moment the ratio of doctor to

patient in the county stands at 1: 50000.

“We have high poverty levels in Vihiga

(62 percent). We need to move things

like merry-go-round to a di*erent level

where people will involve themselves in

WOMEN ELECTIONS

&NAME POSITIONAlice Kirambi County Women Representative

Bishop Hellen Alitsi County Women Representative

Isiaho Hellen County Women Representative

Doris Vugutsa County Women Representative

Dorcas Kedogo County Women Representative

Beatrice Achando County Women Representative

Elizabeth Okila County Women Representative

Irene Amisi County Women Representative

Margaret Mbuni M. P Sabatia Constituency

Carolyne Angote Member of Parliament

Angelina Miloyo Onzere Ward Representative

Gladys Analo Ward Representative

Beatrice Chakava Ward Representative

Mary Muliro Ward Representative

Brenda Chacha Ward Representative- Chepkoyai

Iminza Janet Ward Representative


WATCH WESTERN

7

Fridah ChahaleWomen Representative Aspirant

Beatrice AdagalaWomen Representative Aspirant

Judith Sereta ChogeAspirant Member of Parliament -

Sabatia

buying shares with "nancial

institutions rather than the

usual table baking.” Said

Fridah. She "nalized by

saying that her service to the

people will be incomplete

if she does not stand up

for the rights of women

and help stamp out many

social injustices women go

through.

Her counter part Beatrice

Adagala 43 and a business

woman in Mbale said in

the past women have

been there to support

male candidates. In her

list of changes she wants

for the County, Adagala

said she wants to work

on empowering women,

ensure food security since

the County faces high rates

of population growth and

land has become a scarce

source, improve health

facilities and provide water.

“Majority of the people here

are small scale farmers with

less than an acre of land

each. They should therefore

be exposed to a#ordable

"nancial strategies with low

interest rates for them to

stabilize "nancially.” Beatrice

said.

Mabel Kifworo also vying for

the women representative

seat says she is going to

work on empowering the

community on income

generating activities to

help eradicate poverty,

advocate for improvement

of infrastructure, create

job opportunities by

encouraging the youth to

join the Jua kali enterprise

schemes and also by

teaming up with other

leaders and set up industries

and factories through

government and donor

funding.

Mabel said the County has

no proper sewerage system

and she therefore aims

at improvin this to help

reduce health hazards and

embrace proper sanitation.

Health, education and food

security were also in her list

of priorities for the Vihiga

people.

Judith Sereta, 42, is among

the few women vying for

the member of Parliament

seat in the County. She is

aspiring to represent Sabatia

constituency in the next

parliament. Judith said that

the representation of women

in the next government

will not just happen unless

Kenyans change and

embrace women as leaders.

“We need to have civic

education through barazas

especially to the women

since they are the majority

voters on good governance

for them to know whom to

vote for come March 4th.”

Said Judith.

She cited countries like

Malawi and Rwanda where

female have been elected

leaders and the are working

towards development and

improvement of people’s

living standards. In her

manifesto, Judith is working

at placing people’s needs

in the forefront saying that

it is the best way to have

their mind-set changed for

better education, farming

methods that will ensure

food security.

“If the rood networks all

over are poor, How will

you encourage farmers to

participate in farming yet

they will incur high costs of

transport for their produce

to get to the market?” Judith

lamented. She urged fellow

leaders to embrace high

integrity and be driven by

people’s policies.

Judith also promises to work

on developing projects that

will ensure that Vihiga has

water, electrict and better

education. This she said will

be through participation of

the community members

and good utilization of the

Community Development

Funds (CDF).

The ball is now in the hands

of Kenyans and this time, the

government has made clear

the rules and regulations

of choice of o$ce bearers.

Come March 4th, Kenyans

would like the democratic

rights manifested through a

free and fair election where

politicians will not force their

way n but respect peoples

decisions.

Are

we

read

y to

suppor

t

our

fello

w w

omen

?


WATCH WESTERN

8

THE YOUTH

LEADERSHIP &

GOVERNANCE

On 4th March 2013

Kenyans will go to

the polls to elect

leaders to manage the

public a#airs of this Country

for the next 5 years. The

election will be the Country’s

"rst since the promulgation

of the new constitution.

Candidates for president,

senator, County, governor,

Member of Parliament,

women representative and

County representative will

be contesting making it

the most crowded election

in the Country’s history in

terms of the high number

of aspirants. The election

will also be di#erent from

the past polls because of

the likelihood of a run-o#

in the absence of a clear

presidential winner in the

"rst round.

Considering the new aspects

of this election and the fact

that the Country will turn 50

years after independence

next year, have the

Kenyan youth actively

participated in the politics

and governance of their

motherland adequately? Are

the youthful contestants a

re%ection of their numbers

given that they form the

biggest segment of the

population.

According to the O$cer

in charge of Governance

issues at the Christian

Partners Development

Agency (CPDA) Mr. Nelson

Omido, the numbers of

youth participating in

governance issues is small

when compared against

their size in the Country’s

population. He cites lack of

information as one of the

reasons why the youths are

not positioning themselves

for leadership nor engaging

their leaders to ensure good

governance of the Country.

“The youth have displayed

lack of interest in information

that would empower them

make informed contribution

to debates on matters of

policy in the Country. “They

consistently shy away from

barazas and other discussion

forums,” says the O$cer

who is participating in the

Independent Electoral and

Boundaries Commission

(IEBC) voter education

campaign in Vihiga County.

He adds that the relics of

bad governance and voter

bribery manifest when the

youth ask for money when

urged to register as voters.

“It is unfortunate that

many youths do not have

identity cards and those

who have demand money

to induce them to register

as voters. This culture of

corruption in the electoral

process has denied

aspiring youthful leaders

positions of leadership

because the youth do not

vote for their peers because

of lack of "nancial muscle

for vote buying amongst

youthful contenders. This

explains why political

power in this Country still

lies and is wielded by the

old guard born in the pre-

independence era, 49 years

after independence.

Mr. Wilberforce Kitiezo 29,

is a sitting councilor for

Wamuluma Ward decries

the voter apathy in the on-

going voter registration.

Mr. Kitiezo is running for

the Wamuluma/ Lugaga

ward representative in

the coming election and

opines that youthful

leadership does not

guarantee corruption

free, accountable and

transparent governance

that this Country deserves.

“It is unfortunate that the

youth have consistently

demanded largesse from

politicians emulating

voter bribery that has

characterized campaigns

and electioneering in

this Country. The youth

should be able to make

good choices based on

integrity, accountability and

By Arthur Asava

Youth in a civic education forum Picture obtained from www.amkeniwakenya.org

Women RightsBy Jean Eyase

“Women rights are now provided in the constitution, so people “Women rights are now provided in the constitution, so people

have to realize themselves to the constitution and respect it.” have to realize themselves to the constitution and respect it.”

Says Joseph Kanyiri, the District Commission Sabatia.

In chapter four, part 2, article 27 sections 3 of the constitution, In chapter four, part 2, article 27 sections 3 of the constitution,

women and men have the right to equal treatment, including

rights to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural the rights to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural

and social spheres.

Kanyiri said, women now have the right to inherit property and Kanyiri said, women now have the right to inherit property and

equal opportunity to employment, health services and political

participation.

Mukhavali from Budaywa sub location says, since her Janet Mukhavali from Budaywa sub location says, since her

’s family took the land from her and husband died the husband’s family took the land from her and

left her and her two children with nothing.

went to the chief of my location and the case was referred “I went to the chief of my location and the case was referred

to the District O"ce where the o"cer in charge, wrote a letter to the District O"ce where the o"cer in charge, wrote a letter

ordering my father in law to give me back the land but he only

gave me a quarter of it and sold the remaining” says Janet gave me a quarter of it and sold the remaining” says Janet

Mukhavali.

She said women rights are written in the constitution but never

implemented on ground. Women do not know their rights, they

are not informed on what to do if they face men’s violations and

so they keep quite.

“I am HIV positive and I get free medicine (ARV) from the

government, with that we are very thankful to our government

but there are other aids like food which we are suppose to be

given but our local leaders do not care about that” she says.

She asks the government to provide information for women

about their rights as Kenyan citizen and not just print it in the

constitution.

“Women rights are violated because women are not “Women rights are violated because women are not

wered, they are not given information about what they empowered, they are not given information about what they

are suppose to do or where to go if they face any challenge, for

example, they are many rape cases but women do not report

fear what the society is going to think of them because they fear what the society is going to think of

them or the victim” Janet mukhavali says.

Patrick Vulimu from Itegero sub location said, women rights are Patrick Vulimu from Itegero sub location said, women rights are

ted because most of the decisions in families are made by violated because most of the decisions in families are made by

men which means they must take their side.

“The main reason for most women rights violation is culture, “The main reason for most women rights violation is culture,

e does not give women the right to do or decide on our culture does not give women the right to do or decide on

anything, also people both men and women are not informed anything, also people both men and women are not informed

about their rights as citizen” Patrick says.

, at this age and time, some women are not allowed He said, at this age and time, some women are not allowed

to inherit or own anything from the parents even if they are

ried, they will always be under their brothers and also not married, they will always be under their brothers and also

ried women in some areas are denied ownership of their married women in some areas are denied ownership of their

husband’s property after the death of their husbands.

“When it comes to rape cases women do not report to the

e because they are being threatened by members of the police because they are being threatened by members of the

community most cases are handled within families in the name

of maintaining relationships, and of course the accused will not

page 17


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WATCH WESTERN

9transparency of their leaders

other than the ability to give

out hand-outs”

He adds that good

leadership does not lie

within an age group but with

integrity, accountability and

transparency as opposed to

voter bribery, violence and

intimidation that the youth

of this Country have been

used as cogs to perpetrate

bad governance.

David Kasikwa 32, a scrape

metal dealer in Chavakali

market in Vihiga County

believes otherwise. He

says that the youth are

the best alternative to

the Country’s leadership.

“The young generations

have been constrained by

limited "nancial resources

to sell their visions to the

citizenry.” Mr. Kasikwa

says that the youth have

displayed good governance

at corporate and youth

group levels that has been

free from "nancial scandals,

corruption and nepotism,

typical of leaders born in the

pre-independence era who

perpetrate tribalism and

nepotism to the detriment

of the nations cohesion.

Mr. Kasikwa hails sheng, a

corruption of the Kiswahili

and assorted vernacular

languages as a unifying

factor. “The youth interact

in sheng which does not

de"ne the tribal a#liation

of the speaker hence

enabling them to discuss

governance issues free of

tribal orientation.”

The CPDA o#cer on

governance, Nelson Omido,

believes that the youth hold

the key to good governance

despite the vigorous vetting

process for aspirants to

political o#ce demands. He

cites hefty political party

nomination fees, clearance

with the Higher Education

Loans Board (HELB), the

Kenya National Examination

Council (KNEC), the Kenya

Revenue Authority (KRA)

as conditions for aspirants

seeking political o#ce few

youthful aspirants meet.

“The youth must endeavor

to meet these conditions

because they are provided

for in the guidelines for

the implementation of

the constitution,” explains

Omido, adding that the

Country is ready for youthful

leadership despite the

"nancial challenges they

face in running for political

o#ce.

Cllr. Kitiezo calls upon

youthful aspirants to

embrace issue based

campaigns and the

engagement of political

leaders to ensure good

governance. “The youth

must seek information

that will enable them to

detect extortion, bribery,

tribalism and political

patronage and engage

their leaders as the society’s

watchdogs to propagate

good governance.” says the

councilor.

David Kasikwa believes

that harsh measures

against leaders implicated

in corruption, bribery and

nepotism will send signals

to both the old and youthful

leadership to embrace good

governance.

“Robust voter education

and leveling of the election

landscape in terms of

campaign "nance will

propel the youth to vie for

key political o#ce on the

same footing with their old

and wealthy aspirants” says

Omido.

“The youth must not be

content with being referred

to as the future leaders of the

Country. They must position

themselves to acquire

leadership and power

because political o#ce is not

given but is taken within the

con"nes of the constitution.”

says Cllr. Kitiezo.


WATCH WESTERN

10

VCDO IN ACTION

1

3

2

5

4

6

1. VCDO staff during

Ustadi exhibition at

Kakamega

2. VCDOs Apiarist

demonstrating mod-

ern

Beekeeping to farm-

ers

3. Editorial crew in

Kakamega forest on a

4. VCDO at Kidundu exhibition

5. Director VCDO donates a computer to the

6. Apiarist inspecting hives

“Ethnicity is like cancer in this

nation, and it is our responsibility

to shut down all leaders who

spread this disease. History

speaks for itself, 2007 election

is an example for everyone to

learn. Let democracy be the key

in choosing all our leaders and

avoid shutting down the voice

of the people.”

Floice Jane Omukhango

Student Moi Girls Vokoli“The electrol board should be well

organized and e#cient in its duties

since this violence greatly a$ects

students. The youths should also

desire to live in a peaceful country

and work hard so as not to involve

themselves in violence.”


WATCH WESTERN

11

By Jean Eyase

PREACH PEACE, LEADERS URGEDpage 3

John Kidali

Chief- Wodanga

Location“The peace building com-

mittee has done a lot to

educate the public on peace

lets see this re%ect in the

general elections next year.

Let us vote peacefully and al-

low other people to express

their views. Kenya has come

a long way.”

Young Eliza, as she is fondly

referred to by her grandmother

who took them back in after

the chaos says she would like

the president to urge people

not to cause violence again

during the coming elections

since many people su$ered.

Eliza also added that she misses

many of her friends back in

Naivasha.

It has been evident that most

of the people involved in the

violence were youths. Elam

Malenge an elder in Vihiga

and the Chairman for the

Peace forum, said, one of the

major reasons why the youth

participated in the violence is

unemployment. “This was an

ideal time for the youth to loot

and commit other crimes that

were witnessed all over.” He

said.

So far, very little concerning

civic education has been

done in the County due to

lack of funds, according to Mr

Malenge. “Lack of funds to

organize civic education within

the community made us to

think of alternative ways. We

therefore use public forums

like weddings, funerals and

chief’s barazas to create peace

awareness,’’ Said Malenge.

He added that the Provincial

administration has been at

the fore front in educating

the community on embracing

peace on 4th of March 2013,

the date of the next elections.

Mr. Malenge advised the

youths not to get involved

in violence and to vote in

leaders with a development

agenda because the future of

this Country depended on the

decisions they make today.

Stanley Khamasi Ganira

Aspirant County Rep

Banja Ward


WATCH WESTERN

12

By Edom Kassaye

According to Mr Andrew Githeko,

the Chief Research O#cer,

Climate and Human Research

unit of the Kenya Medical Research

Institute (KEMRI), malaria poses the

biggest health risk to the communities

living in Vihiga County.

Malaria is rated among the top 5 killer

diseases in the County alongside

respiratory infections, pneumonia,

Aids and waterborne diseases, says Mr

Andrew Githeko.

He attributes this trend to various

factors. Chief among them is the climatic

conditions prevailing in the County that

promote rapid breeding of mosquitoes.

In a study conducted by Susan

Imbahale for the University Of

Wagenigen, Netherlands in 2006,

around Lunyerere village in Vihiga

County, local environmental conditions

such as climate, altitude and land use

were found to signi&cantly impact on

population dynamics of mosquito larvae

and indirectly a$ecting the dynamics of

mosquito-borne diseases.

‘The humid condition, basin-shaped

valleys and an altitude of 1520-

1560M o$ers ideal breeding habitat

for mosquitoes, says the report.

Underground water that seeps to the

surface in reclaimed swampy areas

provide mosquitoes with good breeding

grounds all year round.

Agricultural activities that are tied to

weather patterns were also found to

promote malaria prevalence during the

long rains (April-June) and short rains

(November-December). Tea bushes

and maize present moist conditions

that sustain immature larva and adult

mosquitoes, according to the study.

Though environmental factors are

hugely responsible for escalating

malaria in the County, other factors play

supporting roles in the spread of the

disease.

The Vihiga District Public Health

O#cer Patrick Lutta blames the local

communities in the County for the

misuse of treated mosquito nets as

fencing material for their vegetable

gardens instead of sleeping under the

nets for protection against mosquito

bites. Mr Lutta emphasizes the need

for preventive measures in the &ght

against malaria to realize reduced costs

in treating the disease.

Another challenge that has slowed

down the &ght against malaria is

inadequate funding characterized by

shortage of anti-malaria drugs and

lack of diagnostic kits in public health

facilities. This compels doctors to rely

more on signs and symptoms thereby

compromising diagnostic accuracy.

“According to World Health Organisation,

to provide quality healthcare, every 600

people must haveone doctor at their

disposal. The ratio in Vihiga County is

one doctor to a population of 50000

people. This makes the &ght against

malaria to be very complicated and

ine$ective.,

The malaria parasite’s ability to develop

resistance to drugs o$ers yet another

challenge. Drug manufacturing

companies invest huge amounts in their

Research and Development (R&D) units

to come up with new anti-malarial drugs

when resistance is observed against the

existing drugs. The cost of such research

is consequently passed to the patient in

terms of high price of drugs.

“The price of doctors’ preferred drugs in

treatment of malaria is so

prohibitive that the poor who are a

majority in Vihiga County can hardly

a$ord”, he explains.

“To win the &ght against malaria,

sustained e$orts by line ministries of

government, civil societies and the

general public must be involved.” says

Mr Githeko. He proposes mapping the

entire country in respect to weather

patterns and malaria prevalence all year

round.

“Once the mappings are done, the

government and other stakeholders

must put in place an alert system where

members of the public may be informed

Climate Change

Escalating

Malaria

in Vihiga

A mosquito net used for fencing vegetable a garden


WATCH WESTERN

13of impending critical outbreaks and

campaigns rolled out through mass

media detailing preventive measures.”

Mr Githeko emphasizes the importance

of deployment to the ground of Public

Health o"cers and O"cers of the

provincial administration to sensitize

members of the public about preventive

measure to be taken through public

gatherings (barazas)

In her study, “A Longitudinal Study

On Anopheles Mosquito Larva

Abundance In Distinct Geographical

And Environmental Settings In Western

Kenya,”Susan Imbahale, views creation

of awareness on how to control/stop

mosquito breeding as a panacea to the

malaria menace. “Information should

be disseminated to people residing in

Lunyerere village and Vihiga County to

help them identify mosquito breeding

grounds” She lists river fringes, damaged

pipes, leaking pipes, animals hoof- prints

and erosion pits as breeding places that

have been given scant attention in past

anti-malaria drives.

To combat malaria, the Vihiga District

Public Health O"cer Mr Patrick Lutta

advocates increased funding to push

the #ght against malaria to a new level.

“The budget vote for the ministries

of Public Health and Medical Services

should be increased to address

understa"ng, shortage of drugs and

lack of equipment”, he is however quick

to add that stricter spending controls

would #rst be put in place.

Though climatic factors take the lion’s

share of blame over escalation of malaria

in Vihiga County, meaningful action to

reverse the trend is long overdue. The

time is now and all must be involved.

per ¼ acre is a sure loss and lends his

voice to calls for a change in the farming

activities of the people of Vihiga.

Conversely, bee farmers require more

technical support as opposed to #nance

oriented assistance. A bee farmer

requires #nancial support in the event

he envisages major expansion of his

operations, thus cash injection for the

purchase of more bee-hives.

Despite bee keeping being a fairly new

type of farming in Vihiga County some

farmers have adopted it and realized

the bene#ts. The most notable of this

cadre of farmers is the Sabatia HIV/AIDS

Support Group which made a debut in

bee keeping in 1998 with 5 bee-hives.

By 2006, the group had increased the

number of bee-hives to 25 and more

than quadrupled their earnings from

honey.

The Sabatia D.L.O, Mr Afanda Eng’alwa

adds his voice to farmers to make the

big switch from maize farming to bee-

keeping saying that the latter is more

pro#table, sustainable and supply is yet

to meet demand further challenging

them to make a choice between earning

KShs 2 million from bee-keeping and

KShs 3000 cultivating maize on ¼ acre

of land in 6 months.

The joint e%orts by the Ministries of

agriculture, Livestock Development and

Organisations like VCDO in providing

technical support, awareness and other

extension services through seminars

and workshops has won over farmers

like Alfred Lulu, Joseph Nabella and

Sabatia HIV/AIDS Support Group who

have become models and poster people

for bee farming in Sabatia District.

Though the bee farming future looks

bright, challenges lurk out there for

newcomers. First is the aspect of bee

farmers dabbling in horticulture as well

as rearing livestock. To rid their animals

and crops of pests, highly potent

pesticides and fungicides are used with

the negative e%ects of killing bees in

the surrounding environment hence a

decline in bee populations and a dip in

honey production.

Secondly, new entrants into bee farming

is the ignorance in safety measures

associated with bee-keeping. When

not handled with caution, bees pose

risks of injuries to the bee-keepers,

their families, livestock and the general

neighborhood.

Third is the logistical challenge of night

mobility for the extension o"cers who

assist farmers harvest honey. This pose

transport and security concerns for

extension o"cers from organizations

like VCDO.

However, the VCDO Director Mr. Edward

Alitsi in conjunction with the Sabatia

District Agriculture O"ce and other

stakeholders plan to roll out various

activities including workshops, seminars

and inspection tours of bee farms

to create awareness on the inherent

challenges and provoke debate on

possible solutions.

The Director is determined to shift

Vihiga farmers’ focus from the less

pro#table maize farming to the lucrative

bee farming. He is con#dent that with

increased awareness and sustained

farmer education, the uptake of bee

farming will soar translating into better

returns on agricultural activities in

Vihiga County.

Beekeeping Versus Maize Farmingpage 5

A bee hive on a trapping site


WATCH WESTERN

14

By Jean Eyase

In our previous issue, we

highlighted #sh farming

as a rapidly becoming

an important income

generating activity for many

households in Vihiga County

and indeed, the rest of the

country. In Vihiga, over 800

farmers were initiated into

#sh farming through the

ongoing Economic Stimulus

Program (ESP) that was

&agged o% by the Ministry of

Fisheries in 2009.

The program aims at

enhancing food security,

organizing farmers in

clusters and advocating for

commercial aqua culture in

the County. The project has so

far contributed to improving

the living standards of people

in Vihiga through creation

of employment. However,

these farmers face several

challenges which hinder

them from fully exploiting

the potentials that this

enterprise holds.

Natural disasters

The changes in climatic

conditions have made it

di"cult for farmers to predict

when to expect heavy or

short rains. This has caused

some farmers to experience

great losses when &oods

come knocking in months

where they have not been

having heavy rains in the

past.

Solomon Alitsii, a farmer in

Sabatia District su%ered great

loss in #ve of his ponds just

before the #sh were ready

for the market. “The #sh

were big enough to go for at

least Ksh. 300 per piece. The

same price as in Kisumu. It is

very sad we have lost all that

plus everything we put into

it. We had hopes of being

exemplary #sh farmers in our

community. Unfortunately,

such setbacks are a major

hindrance”, mzee Solomon

lamented. He added that if

they had money, they would

have installed much bigger

wire mesh at the outlets

to prevent #sh from being

swept away during heavy

rains.

Another natural disaster

in #sh farming as told by

Charles Kalerwa, Fisheries

O"cer Vihiga County, is

drought, although this has

never been experienced

among farmers in Vihiga.

Charles said, to avoid such

disasters, a farmer should

involve #sheries o"cers who

carry out site selection and

advice accordingly before

setting up #sh ponds. “This is

done to ensure that the area

has continuous &ow of water

to prevent drying up of the

ponds.

“Another reason why site

selection should be done

carefully is so that we can

establish whether the site/

location has a history of

&ooding” added Charles.

For areas that are prone to

&ooding, farmers are advised

to construct core trenches on

the sides of the ponds that

can take in the water when it

&oods. However, if the rains

are too much this method

may not help.

Theft and Vandalism

Erick Majanga, a farmer

in Itegero sub-location,,,

explained that majority of the

Not yet Sunset for

Fish Farmers


WATCH WESTERN

15farmers have been brought

down by envious community

members who come stealing

and poisoning "sh. “In most

cases, the thieves come

and "sh all night once they

realize your pond is ready for

harvesting. Some who are

envious, poison the "sh using

used engine oil, para#n or

pepper. We have also heard

of incidences where ponds

have been $ushed out and all

the "sh taken,” says Erick.

To cub this challenge,

technical education is given

to community members on

how "sh farming can be an

enterprise for all and how

it can greatly contribute to

food security in the County

as noted by Charles Kalerwa,

the Fisheries O#cer. Farmers

are also advised on the

need for good relations with

neighbors who can help in

sounding alarms whenever

they see such ill intentioned

people loitering around their

"sh ponds.

“We also encourage farmers

to report theft cases to the

Provincial Administration

so that action can be taken

on the suspects to serve as

a warning to others. Some

farmers have fenced their

ponds using wire mesh to

prevent the above cases but

majority of our farmers "nd it

expensive,” Charles added.

Predators

“Birds, snakes, monitor lizards

and frogs are common

predators around. If given

a chance, they can make

a farmer loose up to Ksh.

100,000 by each feasting

on a "sh daily. Immediate

measures that can be put in

place are clearing of areas

surrounding the pond,

ensuring that the pond has

animal wastes like cow dung

or chicken droppings.” Says

Charles Kalerwa.

This contributes to

fertilization of the pond

which enables water plants to

grow at the base thus acting

as a source of nutrients to the

"sh. The waste also darken

the water making it hard for

birds to spot "sh. In some

cases farmers tie a square of

strings as a remedy to scare

o% birds.

Charles added that screening

of ponds by putting sieves at

inlets and outlets is vital in

preventing frogs. “Another

method that can keep o%

frogs is by "lling the pond

with agricultural lime

calcite (calcium carbonate)

or dolomite (calcium

magnesium carbonate) that

kills micro organisms and

eggs of snakes and frogs.

The lime also neutralizes the

water by reducing acidity.”

Said Charles.

Preservation and Marketing

For many farmers, one thing

that has made them not to

increase productivity is lack

of preservation equipment.

This makes them not access

bigger markets where

they can sell the "sh at

better prices. The available

preservation methods are

still expensive to farmers

since they have to go for deep

frying which consumes a lot

of oil. Consumers are said to

use this set back in exploiting

farmers by buying the "sh

at very low prices since the

farmer has no alternative.

Farmers have therefore been

advised to form groups and

work in clusters so as to

realize maximum bene"ts.

“Through the clusters,

farmers can organize

marketing strategies by

calling in their customers to

buy the "sh whenever one of

them harvests.” Said Charles

Kalerwa. Some of the groups

that have been successful

working in clusters are;

Munoywa, Busali East, Izava

South and Chavakali "sh

farmers in Sabatia district,

Lugaga and Wamuluma "sh

farmers in Vihiga district

and Bidii "sh farmers from

Emuhaya district.

“It is also easier for farmers

to access loans from "nancial

institutions and funds from

donors when working

in groups rather than as

individuals. These funds

can help them to establish

preservation units or buy

feeds thus cutting down

on the cost of production”,

Charles added.

Ministry of Fisheries

In Vihiga County, this

department works with "sh

farmers in o%ering them

training on aqua business

and "nancial management

to help improve their living

standards. The department

also writes recommendations

for groups whenever they

want to access aid from

"nancial institutions.

The ministry is also

governments watchdog;

overseeing the progress of

farmers in the County. Charles

Kalerwa, the Fisheries O#cer

in the County, however, said

that one area where farmers

should greatly improve on is

record keeping. He cited that

record keeping is important

for evaluation of progress in

any business. He therefore

urged farmers to ensure

systematic record keeping

whenever a project has been

funded by the government or

other donor organizations.

For the government through

the Ministry of Fisheries to

initiate more programmes,

the Fisheries o#cers should

present data that reveals

the real situation in Vihiga

County. “Farmers should be

in a position to give records

of feeding, fertilization and

harvesting for us to be able

to calculate pro"ts and write

evaluation reports and if

the project proves to be

bene"cial to the community

then more of such projects

can be initiated,” Said Charles.

“One thing that

has made farmers

not to increase

productivity is the

lack of preservation

equipment. This

makes them not to

access bigger markets

where they can sell

"sh at better prices. ”


WATCH WESTERN

16

By; Joel Asiago, Tollander Wabwire

and Halima Keah

The basis for consideration, initiative

and establishment of local capacity

development market places is

a culmination of lengthy dialogue

between and among key stakeholders

in Kenya particularly those collaborating

in the sectors of Water, Agriculture and

Civil Society Strengthening. Through

a facilitation of SNV Netherlands

Regional O#ce in Kenya, several

months of discussions and re$ections

on the challenges facing local service

providers on the one hand and the

service demand side on the other led to

the realization of weaknesses in quality,

standard, supply levels and consistency

(all of which constitute capacity). There

is a strong belief that a mechanism that

strengthens the interaction between

demand and supply sides while

leveraging knowledge, technologies

and skills transfer has a great potential

in improving the local activities of

users and providers in a market based

approach. Some common elements

and learning emerge from the capacity

de"nitions;

Capacity development is a process

of change, and hence is about

managing transformations. People’s

capacities and institutional capacity

and a society’s capacity change over

time. A focus on what development

policies and investments work best

to strengthen the abilities, networks,

skills and knowledge base cannot be

a one-o% intervention.

There can be short term results.

And often in crises and post con$ict

situations there is a need for such. But

even short term capacity gains, such

as increase in monetary incentives

or introducing a new information

system, must be supported by a

sustained resource and political

commitment to yield longer term

results that truly impact on existing

capacities.

Capacity development takes place at

three di%erent levels: the individual

level, the organizational level and the

societal level. These three levels are

interlinked and interdependent. An

investment in capacity development

must design and account for impact

at these multiple levels.

Capacity development is also about

who and how and where the decisions

are made, management takes place,

services are delivered and results

are monitored and evaluated. It is

primarily an endogenous process,

and whilst supported and facilitated

by the international development

community, it cannot be owned

or driven from the outside. At the

end of the day, it is about capable

and transformational states, which

enable capable and resilient societies

to achieve their own development

objectives over time.

Key Levels of Capacity – Who’s

Capacity?

All the de"nitions of capacity

development provided in this

manual suggest that capacity

development is a process that takes

place at three di%erent levels: the

individual level, the organizational

level and the systemic/societal level.

The individual level - Individuals,

as the tissues of organizations

and societies, represent the "rst

layer of capacity. For societies and

organizations to transform and

grow, they need individuals with

skills, knowledge and experience.

At the individual level capacity

development takes place through

demand-driven processes of learning

and knowledge acquisition and

sharing, experiencing, participation

in communities of practice, south-

south learning initiatives, on-the-job

training, mentoring and coaching

and other learning techniques that

empower and place the individual in

a central and active position.

The organizational/institutional level

- The second layer of capacity is the

organizational or institutional level.

As individuals make up the tissues

of organizations and institutions,

the sharing of skills, knowledge,

experience and values amongst

individuals belonging to a group or

organization translates, over time,

into the very organization’s capacity,

consisting of procedures, systems,

policies and culture. Developing

organizations or institutions’ capacity

means fostering change within

their complex system of policies,

systems, procedures, regulations

and organizational culture.

The societal level - The third layer at

which capacity development takes

place is the societal level. In turn,

the values system of a society, its

customs, body of laws and policies,

the system of governance are all

elements that impinge on the ability

of individuals and organizations to

develop further their capacity and

transform. Change in capacity at

the societal level is a long process,

which is di#cult to control and steer;

however, it is not to be considered an

externality or a variable that cannot

be controlled for.

These three di%erent levels

of capacity development are

indeed equally important and

strictly interdependent: capacity

USTADI: A new model in

Local Capacity Development


WATCH WESTERN

17

development interventions at one

level are likely to have an impact

on other levels as well. Likewise,

if investments in capacity are

made only at one of these three

levels, neglecting the others, the

results might not be long-lasting

and sustainable as they might

be con"ned to a small group of

individuals or organizations.

Case study

VIMPRO (Vihiga Mushroom Project

(VIMPRO); Contact persons – Mr.

Silingi (Chairman of Service User

group) and Mr. Muyanji (Service

Provider)

VIMPRO is working with farmers

around Vihiga with a strong emphasis

on mushroom production. Their

model revolves around out growers’

support, where farmers buy planting

materials from them and retain the

option of selling back mushrooms

to VIMPRO or to alternative markets

that o#er more competitive prices to

them. Through Ustadi market place

capacity development grant scheme,

Mr. Muyanji was seconded to

support the group in value addition

and product development. His "rst

assignment was to address issues

around phyto-contamination of the

spawns; this was achieved through

partnership with KARI. With the

help of SP, the group had diversi"ed

products under processing based on

complementarily with mushrooms

including forti"ed pumpkin puree

and pawpaw products. Samples

of these products had been taken

to KEBS for testing and awarding

of quality certi"cation (mushroom

$our, pawpaw jam and "nger-

millet porridge). The group has now

embraced some of the hygienic

food processing practices such as

Barcodes (for improved marketing),

quality assurance procedures – HACCP,

use of pectin as a product stabilizer and

documentation of processes.

Since training began in June, 2012,

VIMPRO has distributed 350 tubes (@

KES 1,500) translating to a total of KES.

525,000 with the potential of producing

up to 30kgs of dry mushroom @ KES

200/kg. The group formed a cooperative

society to facilitate farmer payments. The

group now looks forward to establishing

a fully functional food factory. The group

has a cooperative society that serves a

dual purpose for the farmers; facilitating

payments for produce supplied and

enhancing savings and loan facilities.

has ati iety that

Capacity development is a

process that takes place at

three different levels: the

individual level, the organiza-

tional level and the systemic/

societal level.

These three different levels

of capacity development are

indeed equally important and

strictly interdependent: capac-

ity development interventions

at one level are likely to have

an impact on other levels as

well.

of quality certi"cation (mushroom

be punished as they are suppose to be”

he added.

Patrick said that, there are even some

small cultural practices which makes a

woman feel she cannot do anything. For example, they are not

allowed to eat some foods or parts of the chicken, also in some

families a woman is not even allowed to plant a tree or banana

because it is tabooed that it can course disaster in the family.

“It has reach a time for we men to see women as part of us,

they have the same rights as we do ,we should respect and

understand them because they are our mothers, sisters,

daughters and wives” Patrick advised.

“When we get cases of domestic violence or any other

violation, we call all the family members and elders, we discuss

the matters, if we reach an agreement the case end here but if

we don’t reach an agreement we refer it to the District O%cer

or to the court” says John Kidali Kisaka, chief of wodanga

location.

western watch newsletter reporter in Speaking with the western watch newsletter reporter in

his o%ce, John said there are still women’s rights violations

comes to inheritance and rape cases though especially when it comes to inheritance and rape cases though

now the rate has gone down.

“We still have domestic violence, men do not provide for the

family, they spend their money outside and they go home and

demand food which results to "ghting, in a month I receive

two or three cases, rape cases are going down because people

are informed” he says.

John advised courts to speed up cases concerning women

rights and decide on time so as to encourage them to report

their cases.

page 9

By Jean Eyase

Tumaini Support Women Group showcases their


WATCH WESTERN

18

Social Development

Role of The Department of Gender &

The department of Gender and Social

Development is a department

within the Ministry of Gender,

Children and Social Development. The

mission of this department is to mobilize

and build capacities of communities in

a Gender responsive manner through

participatory approaches for gender

equality and sustainable socioeconomic

development.

The word gender in this perspective

means, men, women, boys and girls all

put together. In the department, we do

not segregate but work with all sexes in

order to achieve social development.

The core mandate of the department

is to mobilize communities so as to

harness their potential to achieve social

and economic development by drawing

strength from each member’s unique

capabilities. This is done through group

dynamics by making the communities

understand that their dynamism

should be used to enhance their living

standards.

Thus the department is charged with

the responsibility of mobilizing people

to form groups and register so as to be

able to mobilize their resources and also

manage them in a fruitful manner.

The word resources in this instance

refers to both material and human

resources that can be used to improve

the lives of the local communities.. Thus

the department in conjunction with

local authorities employees referred

to as Social Development Assistants

(SDAs), mobilize groups, train them and

helps them to register so that they can

be able to pull together their resources

and do projects that enhance their living

standards.

The department works hand in glove

with other government ministries,

departments and non –governmental

organizations in making sure that the

projects that the community establishes

are viable and sustainable. Through

trainings, we help communities to own

projects for purposes of sustainability.

There are also government agencies that

we work with to ensure that communities

are empowered. A good example is the

Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) which

is a Semi Autonomous Government

Agency (SAGA). This agency gives loans

to women led groups so as to make

sure that women are introduced to

credit facilities that are friendly and do

not require a lot of security. So far the

following groups have bene"ted from

the WEF:-The Women Enterprise loans

advanced to groups are interest free with

a grace period of three months from the

date of the cheque disbursement. The

initial loan is Ksh. 50,000 payable within

one year or less as per what the group

decides.

The only charge on this loan is 5%

administrative fee charged on the fund.

This fee is charged at disbursement

so the amount of money received is

normally Ksh. 47,500 but when paying

back, the groups have to give Ksh.

50,000.

After the group has repaid the "rst loan

fully, they are eligible for a second loan

of Ksh. 100,000 with the same terms.

Before a group is funded, it has to meet

various conditions. Mainly, the group

must have a bank account with proof of

the account being active by producing

an up to date bank statement, minutes of

the group having discussed and agreed

to borrow money from WEF, photocopies

of identity cards of the group members.

The group must have also gone through

training on credit management which is

administered by a volunteer employed

by WEF and the certi"cates of the

groups o%cials must be attached to the

application foams.

The department also works with the

National Council for persons with

disabilities (NCPWD). We work with the

By Mumalasi Kanuli; District Social Development O"cer Sabatia


WATCH WESTERN

19

provincial administration to identify persons with disabilities

who we send to assessment centers to be able to ascertain the

levels of disability, and then assist them to register with the

council (NCPWD).

Also, the NCPWD works closely with the National Fund for

persons with disabilities by assisting them to get assistive

devices, tools for income generating activities and also assist

to pay fees for genuine needy cases that are either in schools,

collages or even in rehabilitation facilities.

Another component of the Department of Gender is Social

Protection. There are two aspects of social protection:

The cash transfer program for older persons.

The cash transfer program for persons with severe disabilities.

The cash transfer program for older persons targets the elderly

and vulnerable people in the society. Currently, the program is

bene"ting twenty three people in Sabatia constituency who

are above 65 years, very poor and vulnerable. Through the

Postal Corporation, this people get a stipend of Ksh. 2,000 per

month which is paid bi- monthly.

The other cash transfer program for persons with severe

disabilities also targets the persons living with severe

disabilities that need a caregiver throughout. They also get

a stipend of Ksh. 2,000 per month which is paid bi- monthly

through the postal corporation of Kenya. The money is paid

to the caregivers whose details the department headquarters

has.

Thus generally the department of Gender looks at the welfare

of the whole society i.e Men, women, boys and girls and even

the elderly and persons with disabilities in the society.

WARD WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 TOTAL

LYADUYWA/ IZAVA 3,132 1,820 1,661 2,065 8,678

WEST SABATIA 2,851 1,570 1,262 1,502 7,185

CHAVAKALI 2,199 1,521 1,255 1,227 6,202

BUSALI 2,782 1,718 1,545 1,733 7,778

NORTH MARAGOLI 2,314 1,251 1,183 1,517 6,265

WODANGA 2,655 1,582 1,294 1,615 7,146

CONSTITUENCY SUM 15,933 9,462 8,200 9,659 43,254

Voter Registration: Sabatia District

Photo: Courtesy of IEBC

After four weeks of the

voter registration exercise,

Sabatia constituency had

registered a total of 43,254

voters which translates to

72% of the expected liable

voters.

If we want a better Kenya, we

must then fully participate

in choosing leaders who will

foster peace and sustainable

development in our county.

It begins with registering as

a voter.

By Arthur Asava

The date is 30th October, 2012,

the place, Muliro Gardens in

Kakamega town. The mood is

up-beat, background music plays with

periodic interludes of commentaries on

what is on o�er in the brightly coloured,

well-decked tents as buzzes of chit-chat

emerge from the throngs of visitors

surging forward for a better view of the

stands.

Products and services on display

are as diverse as the social status of

the visitors vying to have a look. A

modern Langstroth bee-hive here, a

honey extraction centrifuge there, an

array of dairy products, a goat for milk

production, �lters for water puri�cation,

soya bean yoghurt etc.

Welcome to the ‘Market Place’ a gathering

of buyers and sellers of products and

services brought together by Ustadi,

a consortium of Non-governmental

Organisations (NGO’s) like the Kenya

Local Capacity Development Facility

(KLCDF) SNV (Netherlands Development

Organisation), ACT (formerly Pact Kenya)

various Civil society organizations and

the private sector.

The Ustadi Market Place is unique;

other than goods and services, it is a

market place of ideas, a forum linking

producers of goods and

services to buyers, attracting

new players while providing

technical assistance to local

communities engaged in

agriculture, delivery of water

and sanitation.

“The Market place serves as

a platform to educate local

communities to change the

way they have always done

what they do. It emphasizes

the need for Organizations

and communities to build

business relationships,

network and in�uence new

rules around local capacity

development”, says Alice

Kirambi, Director, Christian Partners

Development Agency, (CPDA).

This concept is demonstrated by the

Vihiga community Development

Organisation’s (VCDO) Apiarist, Henry

Okile who ably explains the advantages

of the modern Langstroth bee-hive over

the traditional hives.

“The Langstroth bee-hive is designed

light, painted in colours attractive to

bees and has a scented wax foundation

embedded in it to limit the period it take

bees to establish a colony,” he says.

“Harvesting honey is easy and

sustainable- the bees are not driven

away nor the wax structure destroyed,

ensuring that the bees begin collecting

nectar immediately afterwards,” he adds.

This second edition of the ‘Market Place’

in Kakamega town (the �rst event was

held there on 27th of June 2012) has been

facilitated CPDA, a provider of capacity

building support to communities within

Western Kenya.

The event coincides with a visit by Ustadi

commissioned consultants, Cobtrad on

a mid-term review to assess structures

of disbursement of the Ustadi grants.

Working towards Development

through community initiative!

Vihiga Community Development Organization (VCDO)

Chavakali/ Kapsabet Road

P.O.Box 250-50311, Wodanga, Kenya

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.vcdorg.wordprss.com

Tel: +254-(056)-45407

Mobile: +254 722 244 434

VCDO IN ACTIONUstadis Market Place Event Returns Ustadis Market Place Event Returns

to Kakamega Townto Kakamega Town

VCDO’s Apiarist explaining how

Harvesting is done to farmers

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