Nanyuki Municipality, established in March 2016, has received a charter from Laikipia County.
Residents are optimistic that, with sufficient funding, urban infrastructure will be rehabilitated, including sports stadiums, sanitation, and drainage.
According to the county annual budget estimates for the financial year 2023-2024 supplementary budget, Nanyuki Municipality received Sh. 7 million for road network improvement, urban housing development, and board of management operations.
The proposed budgetary allocation for the financial year 2024–2025 is about Sh12 million, which residents said was not enough.
The Kenya Urban Support Programme (KUSP2), spearheaded by the World Bank, aims to catalyse urban infrastructure development.
The municipality also provides opportunities for youth in various sectors, including sports.
The government is expected to address challenges such as water, storm drainage, walkway improvements, and recreational park construction and maintenance.
Nakuru is set to increase milk production by providing subsidized artificial insemination services to over 200,000 farmers.
The plan aims to also improve beef animal breeds and boost meat production. The county currently produces an average of 318 million litres of milk annually, with an estimated turnover of Sh14 billion.
The initiative will provide pedigree semen to dairy farmers, increasing milk production from seven litres to around 12 litres per cow per day.
The cost of the services is expected to grow exponentially, with 23 cooperative societies benefiting from the programme.
The county produces 25,000 to 30,000 litres of milk daily. The Department’s sub-county officers will be provided with semen, nitrogen tanks, and technical expertise to offer AI services to dairy farmers.
Livestock Fisheries and Veterinary Services Chief Officer Dr. Michael Cheruiyot said the programme is a game changer, ensuring a thriving dairy and beef industry. The county will continue to provide capacity building training for cooperatives to ensure the success of the programme.
Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has announced that the country’s economy is set to grow to 7.2% in 2027/2028, up from 4.8% in 2022.
The launch of the Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP IV) 2023–2027, aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), aims to turn around the country’s economy.
Kuria, accompanied by the Principal Secretary in the State Department of Wildlife, Silvia Museiya, will monitor the MTP IV Plan’s delivery and performance.
“I am confident that by the year 2027 the government will achieve its goal of growing up the economy to 7 percent,” said Kuria, while urging Kenyans to be optimistic regarding economic growth and stop spreading negativity that the economy is not doing well.
He urged Kenyans to remain optimistic about economic growth and encouraged the Nairobi County team to focus on cosmopolitan development rather than societal vices like tribalism and corruption.
Priority projects in MTP IV include the construction and rehabilitation of railway and road works in Nairobi County.
Martha Sunda, Executive Director at Childline Kenya, has highlighted the lack of clear data on child labour in Kenya, which has made it difficult to address the issue.
She emphasised that cultural beliefs and practices do not differentiate between child responsibility at home and labour, which is a deprivation of children’s rights.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) sponsored a programme called Capacity Strengthening of Governments to Address Child Labour and/or Forced Labour and Violations of Acceptable Conditions of Work in Sub-Saharan Africa (CAPSA) to address this issue.
Sunda called for a proper definition of child labour to educate communities on the divide between a child’s responsibilities and child labour.
The ILO has been working with African governments to develop policies to end child labour, and Kenya is obligated to fulfil all the requirements of Convention Number 182 on Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour and Convention Number 138 on Minimum Age of Admission into Employment.
Five Kenya Prisons officers and six inmates were injured in a road accident in Homa Bay town.
The land cruiser pick-up belonging to Rachuonyo GK Prisons lost control and was overturned on the outskirts of the town.
Kenya Red Cross officials and security officers rushed the victims to Homa Bay County Referral Hospital.
Homa Bay County Prisons Commander Robert Basigwa said one of the officers sustained serious injuries after a firearm in his possession gored his stomach, while some inmates suffered minor injuries.
The accident occurred when the driver of the land cruiser swerved to avoid hitting a suddenly stopped vehicle. Eyewitnesses said the driver applied emergency breaks before the vehicle lost control and overturned.
John Kamau