National Social Security Fund sued for delayed compensation.

NSSF building in Nairobi

A retired don is suing the National Social Security Fund, NSSF and the attorney General for the delay of his retirement compensation.

The former dean of students and principal lecturer at Migori Teachers College want to be compensated over 200,000 on injuries suffered while performing his duty.

Mr. Philemon Barasa, 52, told the senior principal magistrate Ezra Awino of Migori law courts that he suffered fractures on both hands on 17th January 1994 when he slipped while checking students hostels.

The former don told the court that NSSF refusal t5o compensate him him for late compensation since it never applies to TSC employees quoting TSC workman compensation chapte3r which reads in part:

“Under the workman compensation act a teacher employed by TSC irrespective of his terms of service is entitled to compensation if injury or if he dies in the actual discharge of his duties, without his own default,,,”

NSSF refused to compensate the don although TSC recommended payment on a later date, 16th May 2000.

Verdict will be passed on 26th March this year.

(26/02/09  the article was written while i was a volunteer at Kenya News Agency)

A multimillion CDF truck to be acquired by Government

09/04/09

The government may be forced to be in charge of an idle multi-million tractor brought by the Nyatike Constituency Development Fund, CDF.

A technician from the ministry of agriculture in Migori district will be contracted to operate the tractor lying idle a year after its purchase at the District Office’s compound in Nyatike, south Nyanza.

Area water engineer Tom Simbi said then tractor designed to build dams and pans should help bring water to locals.

Nyatike CDF committee chairman Joshua Okumu gives the value of the tractor at Ksh. 7million but said he had no comment to why it has never been used because he is a civil servant.

Hon. Eric Anyanga is the area Member of Parliament.

Drama as two families went to collect a corpse.

Drama unfolded yesterday when two families went to collect the corpse of a woman they both alleged to be their wife.

The deceased aged in mid twenties had passed away on 1st April and her body was taken to Lake Side Mortuary at Sori Town in Nyatike District, Nyanza province.

The woman left her first husband in Rachuonyo district after having two children with him. She later remarried in 2000 to a second husband at west Karungu location in Nyatike district.

The area location chief Phares Ogutu said they helped the 1st husband get the wife’s body for burial together with their 9 years son after he produced documents stating they were legally married.

The 2nd husband fled for fear of being arrested and charged for living illegally as husband-and-wife with an officially married woman.

(08/04/09 the article was broadcasted by Radio Citizen and was written while a volunteer at Kenya News Agency in Migori district south Nyanza.)

Life after conviction: Should ex-prisoners be allowed to integrate in the society.



An inmate at the Athi River prison shows the French Ambassador Elisabeth Barbier what he learnt during a computer training 

 Luck of loan to start small scale business from skills learnt at the prisons and criminal records are the main hindrance for ex-convicts trying to integrate back to society.

This emerged during an open day at Migori district probation office attended by about 30 ex-convicts, parents and administrators working with the ex-convicts.

Citing referees with a criminal became the major challenge. Isaac Oriema, 24, who has been in probation for a year for possession of Marijuana said once the police had your finger prints most employers will luck trust in you.

Mr. Oriema is now a kale farmer. He urged the government to curb drug trafficking due to the district proximity to the Tanzanian border.

“Most youths abuse drugs for luck of knowledge of consequences against the law” observed Oriema.

Mr. Ombogo Osoro, 48 years, who was charged with felony is calling for the labor ministry and probation office to act as referees.

During the function officer in charge of Migori prisons Mr. Peter Kabande observed that probation help decongest prisons and aid petty offenders serve their sentences outside.

“I urge the public to welcome the ex-convicts on probation back” said Kabande “I applauded parents here today for accepting the children back”

Ex-convicts from approved schools, prisons and probation hostels participate in community development. The skills learnt are forestation by planting seedlings, Juakali artisans making energy saving jikos in conjunction with Forestry and Energy ministries respectively.

Currently there are over 100 prisoners on probation in three South Nyanza districts; Kuria, Migori and Rongo.
“ex-convicts who have successfully finished probation should be embraced by the public because their criminal sentences have been served erasing them from police records” said the area probation officer William Otieno.

(26th February 2009. This article was written during Volunteer Internship at Kenya News Agency.)

Male Circumcision in Nyanza, an illusion to curb HIV/AIDS?



More than 1,500 have been circumcised in Migori district in free government initiative started four months ago. The number is expected to increase when schools close for the first term holidays.
Male circumcision gained prominence after the call by Prime Minister Raila Odinga call for males from the Luo community to undergo the cut. Culturally the Luo don’t circumcise their males as a right of passage.

The fever was too created by the University of Nairobi and Illinois indicating that circumcised males are at 60% reduced risk of STI and HIV infection.

According to the study special cells that easily attract HIV on the foreskin are removed making the glans be thicker and tougher. This reduces bruises during sexual intercourses minimizing HIV infection.

Mr. Joshua Were, the counselor at Migori district hospital told KNA the hospital performs mobile field events in the three sub-district hospitals to cater for the surge of clients and the number expected during the holiday.

The men are appalled by the voluntary medical circumcision because it roughly takes 2 hours to administer. Firstly initiates and their family are counseled and educated on sexual and reproductive health for an hour where they go for a 30 minutes surgery and another equal minute rest afterwards.

An initiate must be at least 10 years old. Dan Onyango, 15, a primary school student in Migori township said he asked for permission from the school authority to attend the circumcision.

Accompanied by his mother, master Onyango said his class mates informed him that the practice was free at the district hospital.

Mr. Were said the initiates should bath three days after initiation and wash the wound with warm salty water to avoid complication on the wound.

(27/02/09. The article was written while a volunteer intern in Migori Kenya News Agency.)

23 Hectares Afforestation in Migori district.



The pine forest was salvaged from dying up since it was past the 25 years maturity and to reduce to fire outbreaks

 About 100 residents of Migori district are benefitting from an ongoing 23 hectares afforestation of hills started about a year ago.

The residents work as casual laborers and forest guards in planting the Cyprus and eucalyptus seedlings in three phases. The seedlings are to replace the pine forest harvested by the government in 2007.

“The pine forest was salvaged from dying up since it was past the 25 years maturity and to reduce to fire outbreaks.” Said Mr. Mathews Ogutu the district forest officer.

Mr. Ogutu added that Cyprus and eucalyptus species are in high demand due to their fast maturity and planting in phases will avoid the hills being bear during harvesting as in current case.

Due to the proximity of forest to Migori town seven guards will be employed to curb deforestation due to high pressure of land.

Alliance On, a tobacco firm partners with the government by providing seedlings and laborers since forest cover increase carbon variety in tobacco.

(27/02/10. The article was written for Kenyan News Agency while I was a volunteer intern.)

How moonlight VCT helps Curb HIV/AIDS infection in South Nyanza, Kenya

Counselors waiting clients at a moonlight VCT in North Eastern parts of Kenya. The same has been carried out in Migori County.

By Manuel Odeny/KNA

24th February 2009 (March 2009 issue of The Eye)

About 2,000 residents of Migori district have benefited from moonlight VCT services carried out in three centers; Migori Town, Lwanda Konyango and Muhuru-Bay.

The Moonlight services mainly targets prostitutes and truck drivers on Kenya-Tanzania highway because of their high risk behaviors. Additionally, fishermen also benefited by knowing their HIV/AIDS status.

A total of 1960 clients were tested and counseled with only 245 of them testing positive placing the prevalence rate at 14%.

The moonlight VCT which started on May this year operated from early evening to 10pm with aid from the Community Habitant Funding (CFH) under the USAID and Maanisha initiative of AMREF.

Speaking to KNA Dickens Owuor a counselor said they targeted the clients since they were busy during the day and rested at night while commercial sex workers were readily available at night.

“Government administrators like police and chiefs offering security to counselors were also tested and counseled” Said Mr. Owuor

On the other hand couples busy during the day also preferred the night counseling to avoid stigmatization.

“This high number of couples attending the night time VCT will help reduce the high prevalence rate among married couples as experienced today” said Valoriance Odhiambo a counselor.

 “For the fight against HIV/AIDS to be managed working formulas like this have to be continued and replicated countrywide” said Owuor.

Last year of 23,173 clients tested in the three centers the number of males was higher than females with 867. The prevalence rate was higher in females at 24% which was 10% more than males.

The general district prevalence rate was 18%.