NAKURU, Kenya, May 10 – Chief Justice Martha Koome, opening the 2nd National Conference on Criminal Justice Reform, urged stakeholders in the justice sector to promote rights-based access to justice.

Koome reiterated the judiciary’s commitment to strengthening human rights in the criminal justice arena by expanding the doors of the judiciary using Alternative Justice Systems (AJS).

She said AJS is a key component of community-run justice and an important aid in relieving prisons and court backlogs.

Speaking at the start of the three-day conference, the Chief Justice in Naivasha said AJS reflects the realities of local people who are faster and more approachable.

She said the use of non-governmental justice systems such as councils of elders, extended family members, nyumba kumi and religious institutions offer a different and sometimes more effective way to improve access to justice.

“This year’s theme is ‘Towards a rights-based criminal justice sector’ and this conference aims to advance the conversation on strengthening human rights in the criminal justice sector,” she said.

CJ Koome, who joined Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission chair Wafula Chebukati and Prosecutor’s Office chief Noordin Haji, along with other senior officials, said the conference enabled the sharing of unique experiences and best practices.

The conference was organized by the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ), of which she is Chair, and its partners.

She said stakeholders, which included various government departments and independent commissions such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission and the IEBC, would have an opportunity to exchange ideas and reflect on challenges that impede efficient service delivery.

“Through this annual conference, the different arms can develop workable solutions together,” said the CJ.

She added that the judiciary has made great strides by establishing a specialized court on sexual and gender-based violence at the Shanzu Courts in Mombasa, which is due to be rolled out in other parts of the country in the near future.

“The Judiciary has commissioned academics and senior legal and medical professionals to conduct a gap analysis study to inform important policies aimed at ensuring that cases of sexual and gender-based violence are dealt with as efficiently as possible,” Koome said.

Regarding the upcoming elections, the CJ said there was a need to address issues related to promoting accountability for electoral abuses in order to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

She added that duty bearers should promote and protect human rights throughout the process and ensure criminals are held accountable.

“The concerned commissions, security forces and judiciary will discuss the elections because they are responsible for the core agencies charged with helping to conduct free, fair and credible elections,” CJ Koome said.

By OTIATO GUGUYU
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• Property prices in Nairobi and land costs in satellite towns around the capital have risen to new highs on renewed demand from buyers.
• Land prices in Nairobi rose a marginal 1.07 percent and jumped 7.35 percent in satellite towns such as Kitengela and Juja.
• The rise in land costs in satellite towns was the fastest in five years, a reminder of the days when the housing frenzy led to coffee plantations in Nairobi’s suburbs being uprooted to make way for gated communities and shopping malls.

Nairobi property prices and land costs in satellite towns around the capital have risen to new highs on renewed demand from buyers who had been slowing acquisitions at the height of the Covid-19 economic difficulties.

Data from broker HassConsult shows that the price of an average home in the city rose 6.8 percent in the year to March, compared with a 1.8 percent drop in the same period last year.

This is the fastest increase since 2018, when growth was 8.5 percent, reflecting the real estate market’s recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Land prices in Nairobi rose a marginal 1.07 percent and in satellite cities like Kitengela and Juja posted a 7.35 percent increase, compared with growth of 0.58 percent in the year to March last year.

The rise in land costs in satellite towns was the fastest in five years, a reminder of the days when the housing frenzy led to coffee plantations in Nairobi’s suburbs being uprooted to make way for gated communities and shopping malls.

Real estate was among the sectors hardest hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic as orders from new homebuyers dried up, largely due to lost income and jobs, cautious lending by banks and investors opting to keep their cash in hand while driving to keep out of economic uncertainty.

The sector was one of the fastest growing in Kenya in the decade to 2015, with returns outperforming equities and government bonds.

“During the quarter, the cities of Thika, Juja and Ruiru sustained investor demand, reflected in land prices rising 6.3 percent, 4.6 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively,” said Sakina Hassanali, head of development consulting and research at HassConsult.

This was due to the rebound in Kenya’s economy over the past year, which grew at the fastest pace in 11 years following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

Growth fueled recovery in key sectors, with the exception of agriculture, whose activities were impacted by weak rains.

The price of an acre in Kiserian rose 16.6 per cent to Sh9.4 million from Sh8.06 million in 2020, while in Juja it rose 17.5 per cent from Sh14.8 million to Sh17.4 million rose.

In Athi River, land sellers increased their price for an acre by 4.86 per cent from Sh14.4 million to 15.1 million in 2020, while Syokimau’s price rose by 11.3 per cent from Sh24.6 million on 22 .1 million Sh rose.

However, land in most suburbs remains prohibitively expensive, costing up to Shsh409.4 million and Shh389.9 million per acre in Kilimani and Parklands respectively.

The availability of land for sale in upscale suburbs is also limited, and lots are also divided into larger sizes of half an acre and up in most areas.

Price gains were therefore limited in the suburbs, where Muthaiga made the biggest gain at 6.5 per cent, with an acre selling for Sh197.8 million.

Langata followed, up 6.3 per cent to Sh68.5 million, while Kitusuru’s price per acre rose 6.1 per cent to Sh95.4 million.

Riverside, Loresho and Donholm led the price declines of 2.3 per cent, 2.0 per cent and 3.6 per cent to Sh330 million, Sh86.1 million and Sh68.9 million per acre respectively.

An acre in Upper Hill is the most expensive in the city at Sh499.9 million, followed by Westlands and Kilimani at Sh435.5 million and Sh406 million respectively.

The economic recovery has also helped property prices rise as more people who lost their jobs in 2020 return to work and businesses can regain a foothold.

This recovery has given homebuyers the confidence to invest in real estate, while developers are also able to move forward with projects they had put on hold amid prospects of a rental market revival.

However, in Nairobi’s satellite towns, price gains on house sales have been more modest, largely because most people settling in these areas prefer to build their own units.

HassConsult said the home sales market has been largely driven by higher demand for single-family homes, the supply of which in the market has declined over the past two decades.

Langata recorded the largest increase in average house price, up 11.2% to Sh33.2m, followed by Spring Valley and Loresho, up 9.1% to Sh71.3m and 7.5% to Sh55.7m. sh

House prices fell 2.5 per cent to Sh93.3 million and 0.8 per cent to Sh82.9 million in Runda and Muthaiga.

Infrastructure developments and restrictions have also emerged as a major factor in the growth of land and house prices in the city.

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When all was grim and even conventional medicine could not ward off the onslaught of a deadly outbreak, a traditional chief devised a method to save his people from certain death.

More than 120 years ago, Kenya did not exist as we know it today. This geographic area was then just a patchwork of diverse communities living in remote enclaves and existing in exclusivity as sovereign states.

At about this time in August 1899, a deadly plague, smallpox, swept through many of the villages from Mombasa to Nairobi and everywhere in between and beyond. The pioneering European traders and hunters who roamed wild Africa in search of ivory have recorded harrowing experiences with what they saw.

One of these traders, John Boyes, recalls discovering the first case of smallpox in Tuthu, deep in Murang’a, where he had ventured and established the headquarters of his trading empire against the British administrators in 1898.

When he spotted an infected man, he ordered him to be isolated so he wouldn’t infect others, but he later freed himself. His host, Karuri Wa Gakure, the pioneer chief, used his powers as a witch doctor to keep the ominous wave at bay.

“One rather remarkable thing about this epidemic was that Karuri’s village completely escaped, not a single case occurred among the residents, which Karuri claimed, due to certain precautions he took to ward off the evil.

According to Boyes, “Karuri took some sticks and split them in half, then poured some gunpowder into the opening, and then fastened the sticks across all the footpaths leading to the village. It didn’t stop people from coming in, and I couldn’t see how the sticks could do any good, but Karuri had great faith in their virtues, and since there was no case of smallpox in the village, he took the credit for keeping it claim it away.”

Karuri explained that his people respected him because they believed he possessed “the most wondrous poison that had the power to kill anyone who looked at his medicine, passed down and cherished in his family for three generations.”

While Tuthu and his unconventional but “potent medicine” escaped unscathed, the administrator Francis Hall in Murang’a had isolated some of those infected, but dozens still died.

Further in Naivasha thousands died despite vaccination, but in Mombasa things got really bad.

The seaside town was described by Hall as a “confluence of smallpox,” where police picked up bodies on the streets and at times caused an average of 57 deaths in a day.

Later, even after Boyes rushed through the jungle to Naivasha where he vaccinated thousands of Africans, thousands still died from smallpox.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency

After traveling the world—from Poland to Kenya to Hawaii—to produce social justice documentaries, the Boston College filmmakers screened their completed film projects at the 24th Annual BC Arts Festival.

The students created the documentaries in collaboration with British Columbia’s Jacques Salmanowitz Civil Courage in Film Program, which provides financial grants to filmmakers in British Columbia who seek to investigate global injustices and strive for social justice.

Salmanowitz, the program’s namesake, was a Swiss businessman who helped Swiss citizens escape behind German lines during World War II. Launched in 2001, the program assists filmmakers with advising and distributing their films while attempting to emulate the boldness of the program’s namesake.

“The Jacques Salmanowitz Program for Moral Courage in Film is dedicated to promoting the production of films that explore civil courage and providing role models for youth worldwide,” states the program’s website.

The presentation of the documentary began with an introduction by John J. Michalczyk, Director of the Salmanowitz Program and Chair of the BC Department of Fine Arts. He emphasized the seriousness of the subject matter of the films.

“I think our students did very well at capturing … social justice,” Michalczyk said. “Students get between $2,000 and $3,000 and travel there [to] some great places.”

The first documentary Water Security on Indian Reservations by Rourke Morrison, MCAS ’22, and Tyler Gollin, MCAS ’23 observed various Native American reservations in the American Southwest and highlighted the region’s ongoing drought.

According to the documentary, one in ten Native Americans in the United States does not have access to safe drinking water. But the documentary points out that sugary soft drinks are plentiful and morbid obesity is rampant among the Native American population. The film also addresses high levels of arsenic in water in Native American land, the decentralization of water sources in the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe, and the negative effects of EPA deregulation.

“Mother Earth is losing her patience,” said the documentary’s narrator. “The time for action is now.”

The next documentary La Vida in San Juan by Nicole García, MCAS ’22, contrasted the bright, effortlessly beautiful landscapes of Puerto Rico with the sombre stories of Puerto Ricans. The film shed light on the chaos of Hurricane Maria and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the island territory.

The film discussed Hurricane Maria’s impact on the island’s energy and food crises and perceived inaction and mockery of Puerto Rico by the US government. The issue of the government prioritizing commercial enterprises over the standard of living of Puerto Rican citizens emerged as a recurring theme. Puerto Rican and U.S. government agencies restored power to malls months before many homes in the same neighborhoods after the hurricane struck.

“They give us food to warm up that we couldn’t even warm up [without power]’ said one interviewee in Spanish.

the next movie Building bridges in Poland by Mary Zgurzynski, MCAS ’22, and Angelos Bougas, MCAS ’21, focused on Brama Grodzka, an organization in Lublin, Poland that supports improving Polish-Jewish relations in the nation.

Leora Tec, a co-founder of the Polish organization and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, appeared frequently throughout the documentary and was present at Saturday’s screening. The documentary sheds light on the thousands of Jewish people in Poland who died in the Holocaust during World War II and explains that healing and empathy are the best ways to move forward.

“You have to understand this story if you want to understand why it’s so tragic,” Tec said in the film.

Other featured films included a documentary called Kenya Water Security Project: Protecting Our Children and The struggle for existence: making space in Poland’s “LGBT-free” zone, The latter concentrated on the existence of anti-LGBTQ homophobic zones in Poland. another movie Redfish Point: Stolen Land, Lost History and the Icons Who Built It focused on the lost history of the Redfish Point Native American community.

The last main film of the evening, Hawaii: The Price Of Paradise, got the most applause. The 31-minute film, created by Lauren Burd and Megan Traudt, both MCAS ’22, was the longest-running documentary and discussed the US tourism industry’s blackmail of the tropical beauty of the Hawaiian Islands. The documentary highlighted the beautiful coastlines of the archipelago while revealing the societal gentrification, land mismanagement and food crises that are also attributes of the island.

“The life of the land will be perpetuated in righteousness,” the documentary concluded, citing Hawaii’s first king Kamehameha I.

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trade focus
Alan Majuru

The ongoing engagement and re-engagement initiative driven by President Mnangagwa is bearing fruit.

More and more countries are warming to bilateral trade and economic relations with Zimbabwe.

Recently, the Second Republic has intensified its cooperation with other African countries to explore opportunities used by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In March, President Mnangagwa paid a state visit to Kenya, during which he held high-level talks with his counterpart, President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The two presidents discussed the need to expand cooperation between Harare and Nairobi in critical areas such as trade, investment and tourism. Additionally, in recent years, the Zimbabwe-Kenya Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation (JPCC) has engaged in areas that will strengthen ties between the two countries. What is perhaps important going forward is that local companies explore the opportunities available in Kenya and create strong synergies with like-minded companies in the East African country.

To get this going, ZimTrade – the country’s trade development and promotion agency – recently conducted a survey in Kenya, the aim of which was to identify local products and services with potential in the country.

The survey also included areas that local businesses can consider when onboarding potential business partners.

This article contains excerpts from the results of the survey, which will be discussed in detail at a seminar to be organized in the near future.

overview

Kenya’s economy is the largest in East Africa.

The country’s overall economic output is expected to be robust, registering growth of 4.9 percent in 2022-2023.

In recent years, Kenya’s gross domestic product has experienced sustained growth, supported by ongoing public infrastructure projects, strong public and private sector investment, and appropriate economic and fiscal policies, reflecting the broad-based and diversified nature of Kenya’s economy.

In terms of trade, Kenya is a high-volume import country, absorbing US$15.4 billion worth of products and services from around the world in 2020, according to the Trade Map.

Fuels and oils, machinery and equipment, electrical machinery and equipment, iron and steel, vehicles and vehicle parts accounted for most of the value of imports.

Other important Kenya import products are grain, medicines, fertilizers, sugar and confectionery, home and office furniture, clothing and textiles.

Of this import value, Zimbabwe’s share remains low, accounting for just US$53 million worth of products exported to the country in 2020, according to the Trade Map.

Zimbabwe’s exports to Kenya in 2020 were mainly driven by sugar, tobacco and processed tobacco substitutes.

At the same time, Zimbabwe imported US$11 million worth of products from Kenya, registering a trade surplus of US$43 million.

Although trade between the two countries is fairly light compared to the country’s other trading partners, it is expected to improve following the signing of five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen ties during the JPCC held in Kenya.

Fresh Produce

Although Kenya does well in terms of horticultural exports, it also has requirements that local farmers can meet.

For example, Kenya imports almost all of its citrus needs and there is a good market for grade B products that may not be good enough for the European market.

However, more opportunities in the fresh produce sector will be unlocked as Zimbabwean farmers consider partnerships with farmers in Kenya, where they will jointly supply markets.

Some of the farmers make agreements with Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda to grow export crops to fulfill contractual obligations from international markets.

Processed Foods

Kenya has a population of more than 52 million and offers great market opportunities for high quality and non-GMO consumer goods.

Products with potential include biscuits, cooking oil, sugar syrups, liqueurs, spaghetti and cereals. Kenya attracts high processed food prices compared to Zimbabwe, making it lucrative for local businesses eyeing the market.

Prices in Kenya are generally high, with certain products such as cooking oil costing 100 per cent more than the local retail price.

In terms of product range, Kenya has attracted international brands such as Proctor and Gamble, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson and Nestle. Local companies looking to export to Kenya need to step up their packaging and marketing game as the products are competitive.

Agricultural resources and equipment

The Kenyan government has prioritized agriculture as one of the key drivers of economic growth. Kenya has more than two million small farmers who contribute 60 percent of agricultural produce.

Notably, the country has a well-integrated smallholder value chain system.

Inputs and equipment geared towards small farmers are vital to Kenya and provide opportunities for local suppliers.

Products with potential include foliar fertilizers, controlled release fertilizers and irrigation equipment.

Irrigation equipment, design and construction of custom greenhouses and agricultural netting are other requirements that local exporters can supply.

oil and animal feed

Kenya needs cooking oil for human consumption and cakes for animal feed and current supply cannot meet demand.

Accordingly, in 2021, the Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers reported that thirty animal feed manufacturers were closed in two months due to shortages of raw materials. Currently the market is dependent on oilcake imports from Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and Malawi.

Shipments from these countries have fallen due to adverse weather, Zambia’s ban on soy exports and issues related to Covid-19.

All of these challenges present opportunities for local suppliers who can meet the required standards, quality and quantity.

norms

Kenya has strict product standards.

Importers and/or manufacturers must comply with regulatory standards set by the Kenya Bureau of Standards.

These standards apply across all sectors.

Every product sold in Kenya is subjected to KEBAS system compliance to minimize instances of counterfeit products being offered to customers.

market access

The Kenyan market offers various entry strategies and the most profitable for exporters is through a distributor.

Partnering to create a local presence will also help increase exports, particularly for products and services that require consumer support.

Supplying retail chains directly is also an option, but as with any other market, local businesses need to build a sufficient distribution and logistics network to ensure goods and services reach destination areas on time.

In terms of logistics, the product to be exported determines the best choice of means of transport. For small but expensive and perishable products, local businesses can take advantage of Kenya Airways serving the Harare-Nairobi route.

Bulk products can be delivered by road, with the most practical route being through Zambia and Tanzania.

Sea freight is inexpensive but takes longer compared to other modes of transport, so exporters and buyers need to agree on specific timetables to bring products to Kenya.

Allan Majuru is CEO of ZimTrade.

Several roads in Nairobi will be closed on Sunday May 7th as Kenya hosts the Nairobi City Marathon.

In a warning shared by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), city residents have been informed that the Uhuru Highway and Mombasa Road will be affected by the closure.

Other streets that will be closed are Haile Selassie Avenue, Moi Avenue, City Hall Way, Taifa Road, Parliament Road, Mama Ngina Street and Kimathi Street.

KeNHA also announced that Kenyatta Avenue, Koinange Street, Monrovia Street, Muindi Mbingu Street, University Way, Simba Street, Globe Roundabout, Kipande Road, Museum Hill Road, Bunyala Road and the Masaba Road will also be closed during marathon times.

The intersection of Mombasa Road and Likoni Road will be closed between midnight and 10am.

A lane on Lang’ata Road, Moi Avenue and Bunyala Road will also be closed. A section of Lang’ata Road on the Nyayo Stadium side will also be affected.

The Lang’ata Road section will be closed until 6am on Sunday. Uhuru Highway will be closed between midnight and 2 p.m., while Douglas Wakiihuri Road will not be used from midnight today and until 5 p.m. Sunday.

“Drivers are advised to avoid the closed sections of road and follow available alternate roads as directed by local traffic officers,” KeNHA said.

“The marathon route runs across a variety of roads, including the Nairobi Expressway.”

Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed described the marathon as the perfect tribute to President Uhuru Kenyatta for his immense contribution to the sports industry and legacy in infrastructure development.

Sport CS Amb. Amina Mohammed delivers her speech at the start of Team Betika at Nyayo Stadium on June 4, 2021

Kenyans.co.ke

“This will be an international marathon held on a legacy project of His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta. It is a perfect tribute to his legacy of infrastructure development and his contribution to sport.

“The Nairobi City Marathon will take place over the next 10 years and we hope it will continue to commemorate the tremendous milestones achieved by the President during his tenure,” stated CS Amina.

Image courtesy of TechTrendsKE