4.7 million Kenyans benefit from free Tsetse fly project

A man making a tsetse fly trap 

Over 4.7million Kenyans are no longer at a risk of contracting sleeping sickness after African Development Bank (AfDB) project to create a sustainable ad free tsetse fly and trypanomiasis areas.

The Sh859 million project started in 2001 covered three project areas in Mwea Game Reserve area in Meru, Ruma National Park in Lake Victoria region and Lake Bogoria Game reserve which covered over 24,000km2 of land.

“The project which ended in 2010 involved mass-rearing of tsetse flies, sequential release of gamma-radiated sterile males to curb reproduction and traainnig of over 6,000 community members in involvement in baseline data collection and processing,” AfDB said in their report.

Other methods involved using community crush pens and tsetse fly traps and use of insecticides and logistical support to in head offices in Kisumu, Nakuru and Embu by offering six motor vehicles and 10 motorcycles among other items.

Equaly locals and cattle were treated for any symptoms of sleeping sickness and farmers trained on eradication and farming techniques.

“The project’s aim was to end tsetse fly and trypanomiasis risk which was a serious obstacle to poverty reduction and food security and ease difficulties experienced by people infected areas in obtaining an early diagnosis due to the lack of access to basic health care,” the bank said.

The report says that 6 million herd of cattle in the designated areas have been freed from tsetse fly affect which has increased meat and milk production annually by 13,360 and 180,000 metric tonnes respectively.

The project was attained by a total of 210 staff from AfDB, Kenya Wildlife Services, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Ministries of Livestock and Public Health and Sanitation.

The same project was carried out in other East and West African countries.

Photography: HIV testing through the eyes of children

A child looks on as a journalist interviews her mother at HIV support center in Kisumu, Kenya

Anxiuos children waiting for HIV results from their aunt as counselors visit their home in Chiga area, Kisumu

Phoebe Anyongo, a HIV +ve mother with her two health twins after a PMTCT in a clinic in Kisumu, Kenya

Burning Lens: A stuffed chicken at the Kisumu Museum

A stuffed chicken at the Kisumu museum

Neglect on Ndere Island National Park bad for the region.

I (carrying a bag) and a friend on our way to Ndere Island National Park.

For a national park that was gazetted 24 years ago the Ndere Island National park in Lake Victoria and only 35.8 Km from Kisumu city the standard of the park is low for Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) slogan of providing world leading parks. Actually, the potential of the park is yet to be fully unlocked for the benefit of the region and government.

Most Kenyans attention to the park was drawn in a visit by Prime Minister Raila Odinga to open the park (I wonder when it was closed!) together with the impala park in Kisumu. Prior to the visit someone from KWS hastily dotted signposts from Kisumu to the park, after the visit it the same old story.

Personally, my attention was drawn to the park on a recreational team building hike as a member of Maseno University Red Cross chapter in last semester. Sadly, since 1986 the campsite is till under construction without even a reception desk. Visitors will be content to carry their own packed food and beverages. What is seen on Asat beach before a 2Km boat ride to the island is a mere fence and white washed stones with tickets being sold on a bench!

The KWS officer in charge pointed out the Lorries we found carrying hay from the park to Nakuru and other parks for drought stricken animals shows the potential of Ndere.

Standing picturesque and majestic among other four islands; Ochola, Rambugu, Imra and Gera, the 4.2Km2/Sq park teams with baboons, impalas, statunga, hippos, crocodiles in addition to several bird species for an ornithologist haven. If marketed appropriately the feature of an island park nestled in the sparkling waters of the second largest lake in the world will attract not only foreign but local tourists like students from learning institution in the region and other Kenyans.

A fisherman, David Migot-Nyaluo who ferried us to the island says he only manages a trip a day. This is the same plight of the matatu drivers and conductor who we had hired, telling us they hardly make a trip a day. Like varsity students with blank stares on the park, the drivers and conductors playing the Kisian-Bondo route couldn’t pinpoint the way to the park; this clearly shows the level of neglect.

I know the recent opening by the PM is not sufficient enough and the KWS plan to relocate buffaloes, giraffes and maybe elephants to the park should be sped up. With proper marketing and resources the park can benefit the government and locals like Mr Migot-Nyaluo.

Opinion published on The Star issue of 7/9/2010 and Daily Nation issue on 8/9/2010 and DN online 

Kisumu mayor and police should act on rogue touts

I urge Kisumu mayor and traffic police commander to close the illegal bus stops around Kisumu Boys' High and Kisumu Girls' High. Touts have abandoned the bus stages designed for them and opt to pick and drop passengers at the Kisumu Boys' and Kisumu Girls' gate.

Tout operate on a commission basis extorting extra money from passengers to increase their cut. They know they are on the wrong but they seem not to care. Furthermore, a lot of time is spent haggling on the commission wasting travelers' time.

Published on Sunday March 14, 2010 by Sunday Nation/Kenya

My Early Days at Maseno University

Perhaps the first day and the early days at Maseno University will always be marked in my life as the dearest. I remember I insisted on coming from home on my own amid worried looks from my parents who according to me were only raising a storm in the tea cup.

With enough rumors of freedom and the institution where anyone was treated by everybody as an adult I couldn’t belittle myself to be escorted as a form one student.

On alighting from a matatu which had defied all Michuki laws; the first thing that struck me as odd was when I was directed from College campus main gate which in my mind was the university and directed to Siriba campus which I found strange due to the grinning monkeys swinging aimlessly on branches.

All around me other students trudged like drunkards carrying big suitcases to their respective halls of registration, I moved to the monument of Siriba campus where Arts and Social Sciences students were registering.

Among the first days I frequented the Campus Palace for the bottle to shekilegi to the tunes because the money from home and the interested-rated one from HELB made me ride in cloud number nine.

Looking back, I remember how we could show-off the palm toys irrespective of either it was first hand or tenth-hand from seedy backstreets of Nairobi.

 I was left at loose because my simu ya tochi a.k.a Nokia 1100 which made my cousins take ‘photos’ cuddling it was a thousand staircases down the others.

I was quickly integrated to the university slang where ‘freshers’ were being ‘ponyokwad’ with, ’resit’ was a term for failure and ‘exile’ was when your roommate ask you for time out to have a behind closed door meeting with a female student.

My early days were fun filled and we always joke a bout it my buddies.