This is the second in a four-book mini-series by the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board (KYEB), capturing key interventions by the National Government in Manufacturing, which is the first Pillar of the Big 4 Agenda and the Third Medium-Term Plan (MTP III). Click HERE to read more on the Manufacturing Pillar of the Big Four Agenda.
This is the first in a four-book mini-series by the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board (KYEB), capturing key interventions by the National Government in Manufacturing, which is the first Pillar of the Big 4 Agenda and the Third Medium-Term Plan (MTP III). Click HERE to read more on Manufacturing Pillar of the Big Four Agenda.
Background
The Government introduced the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) to replace the 8-4-4 system of education following the results of a needs assessment carried out countrywide by a team of experts. The assessment indicated that the 8-4-4 system had become unpopular, because it was examination oriented at the expense of other education needs.
The resounding recommendation was that the country needed a curriculum that would embrace the differences in ability and learning styles of the recipients, and ultimately enable each learner to realise success and fulfillment within their individual capacities. This set the stage for conceptualisation of the relevant learning areas that would make these goals a reality.
The proposed curriculum basically replaces the current Standard One to Form Four with Grade 1 to Grade 12 and the changes have been captured in the ‘Basic Education Curriculum Framework,’ (BECF) that is available on the KICD website https://kicd.ac.ke/curriculum-reform/basic-education-curriculum-framework/. Besides, early identification and nurturing of talents, it mainly focuses on what the learner can do as opposed to just what one can remember.
Implementation of the 2-6-3-3 system of education is being undertaken in phases starting with Early Years Education (Pre-Primary 1 & 2, and Grade 1, 2 and 3)
CBC basically replaces the current Standard One to Form Four with Grades 1 to 12 and the changes have been captured in the BECF. Besides, early identification and nurturing of talents, it mainly focuses on what the learner can do as opposed to just what one can remember.
Parents are required to play a very active role in the growth and development of their children under the new curriculum. They must ensure the child’s learning is well supported both at home and school to help them grow into responsible citizens with the right values. KICD has developed the Guidelines on Parental Empowerment and Engagement (https://kicd.ac.ke/cbc-materials/guidelines-on-parental-empowerment-and-engagement/) to help parents with the shared responsibilities in with schools to provide an enabling environment that is conducive to learning and which motivates children to achieve their full potential.
The pilot phase began with an initial meeting with all the head teachers at the selected pilot schools on April 21 2016 at KICD, which was presided over by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education. This was followed by training of Quality Assurance and Standards Officers and Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs) to prepare them for their supervisory role, and teachers have also been trained.
The new curriculum, which is competency based emphasizes on utilization of formative assessment as the basis for improvement of teaching and learning. The continuous assessment tests set to replace one-off examinations will be standardized and administered at various levels.
The goal of the new curriculum is to provide citizens with skills for the 21st century, by placing emphasis on the learner’s competence, character, patriotism and ability to coexist as a responsible citizen.
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) led the design, development and launching of the new curriculum which is the product of the Task Force on Re-alignment of the Education Sector (Republic of Kenya, 2012; KICD, 2016).
The Task Force was mandated to review and align the education, training and research sector with the Constitution of Kenya. The focus was on the achievement of learning outcomes.
Current Status
The focus of the Ministry of Education in the 2021/22 financial year is to ensure the basic facilities for a smooth transition of CBC learners to Grade 6 are in place.
Construction of 10,000 CBC classrooms in public secondary schools will be completed before the end of 2022, ready to accommodate Junior Secondary School learners transiting from Grade 6 in January 2023. This is part of the CBC School Infrastructure Development Programme.
In the first phase, 5,200 classrooms are expected to be ready by April 2022.
There are schools with excess classrooms that will serve as junior secondary schools. Contractors have been warned against delayed and poor workmanship and the Government has said all contractors will be paid promptly.
Textbooks for CBC Grade 6 learners who will sit for the national assessment in December 2022, before transiting to junior secondary school in January 2023, will be printed and distributed by April 2022.
The Ministry of Education has spent KShs 28.8 billion since 2018 to purchase textbooks for learners in public primary and secondary schools.
“The National Treasury has accordingly availed an initial Sh.4 billion to the Ministry of Education to commence the first phase of the CBC school infrastructure development programme,” said Prof. Magoha.
A multi-agency team comprising the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government and other State Agencies are cooperating in the implementation of the programme.
The CBC Infrastructure Development Programme is being implemented under the Kenya economic stimulus package, using local contractors within the vicinity of the secondary schools to tap local skills and enhance economic opportunities.
By November 12, 2021, the contractors had been registered with the Deputy County Commissioners (DCCs) of the respective sub-counties at no cost and the Sub-County Implementation Committees. For prudent spending of public funds, the Government reduced the price of each classroom from KShs 1.26 million to KShs 788,000 including taxes.
Under CBC, formative assessment accounts for 60 per cent of the total marks, with Grades 4, 5 and 6 accounting for 20 per cent each and the remaining 40 per cent obtained from the final assessment in Grade 6 to establish consistency in performance.
Unlike the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) administered examinations, there will henceforth, be no policemen with guns and invigilators subjected to sleepless nights in the name of ensuring security of the exercise.
CBC has also introduced remote learning with the Government keeping learners positively engaged during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.
KICD launched the Kenya Education Cloud (KEC) to help ensure learners remote learning and safety and provided the website as www.kec.ac.ke for stakeholders seeking important information. Through the cloud, the Ministry of Education has enhanced learning via YouTube, Radio and TV.
Universities are also expected to realign their academic programmes to the requirements of the CBC being implemented in the country. The re-organisation of academic schools, faculties, departments and their staff will be necessary.
Funding models of universities also need to be changed to support the more research-oriented. CBC is implemented all over the world in developed economies.
The Government is seeking to achieve 100 per cent Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by scaling up National Housing Insurance Fund (NHIF) uptake. It has invested heavily to make access to health care a reality for millions of Kenyans at affordable or no cost. The Government distributed World Class medical equipment to all counties, introduced a free maternity health programme and expanded the NHIF.
On the 8th of February 2022, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the national scale-up of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with a call to all to register with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
The President affirmed the Government’s commitment to spreading the benefits of UHC across the country through the development of a focused policy to accelerate its implementation.
“In this regard, my administration has developed the Universal Healthcare Coverage Policy, covering the period 2020 – 2030, to guide the acceleration of the progress in attaining Universal Health Coverage,” the President said at Port Reitz sub county hospital in Mombasa, where he said the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to bear the urgent need for the country to upscale implementation of the UHC.
“Under this pillar, we seek to eradicate the ‘poverty of dignity’ and transition our nation into an era where no Kenyan should be forced to choose between medical bills and other essential needs,” President Kenyatta said.
The Head of State said the programme was started in the country in 2013 with the launch of the highly acclaimed free maternity programme dubbed “Linda Mama”, which currently benefits over one million mothers annually.
He outlined various initiatives the Government has put in place to ensure the successful implementation of UHC including investment in health infrastructure and development of a digital health platform to support the effective monitoring of the health sector.
On health infrastructure, President Kenyatta said the investments the Government has made since 2013 have seen an increase of 43 percent in public health facilities from a stock of 4,429 facilities in 2013 to 6,342 currently.
On Covid-19, President Kenyatta urged all Kenyans to be vaccinated and continue observing the Ministry of Health protocols even as he noted the progress the country has made in the vaccination exercise.
As of today, a total of 12,390,116 doses have been administered and we are well on our way to the target we have set for ourselves of 27 million fully vaccinated Kenyans by the end of 2022,” President Kenyatta said
On coordination of public health functions across all sectors, the President said on January 1st this year he established the Kenya National Public Health Institute to lead the coordination process and promote evidence-based decision-making on health matters.
At the same time, the President directed the Ministries of Health and the National Treasury to ensure consolidation of all Government sponsored programmes is finalized and operationalised by the end of June this Year.
Vaccines development
Kenya will begin making vaccines to be available from April 2022 following the establishment of Kenya Biovax Ltd.
The Covid-19 pandemic came with unexpected opportunities, including construction of 15 level two and three hospitals in various informal settlements in Nairobi with 15 others under construction under the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS).
The country’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity has also increased by 502 percent, from 108 to 651, fully equipped, for managing patients in critical state.
The total hospital bed capacity in Kenya also increased by 47 percent from 56,069 in 2013 to 82,291 across the country besides revamping medical oxygen from threemillion litres per day in March 2020 to 32 million litres per day by this October. The pandemic saw laboratory testing capacity increase from one in March 2020 to the current 95. The diagnostic investments have strengthened the country’s healthcare system especially in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kenya also played a key, behind-the-scenes role in the recent approval of the first-ever malaria vaccine in the world. The country was one of three in Africa, which provided pilot phases for the RTS vaccine since 2019 and which was tested in the counties of Vihiga, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Migori, Siaya, Busia, Bungoma and Kakamega.
The Ministry of Health, through the National Vaccines and Immunisation Programme, led the phased vaccine introduction in areas of high malaria transmission in Western parts of Kenya which bear a heavy malaria burden.
There are an estimated 3.5 million new clinical cases and 10,700 deaths annually in Kenya. The programme targeted about 120,000 children per year, who provided enough data for analysis of RTS,S. Eventually, it was approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO), whose Director General, Dr Tedros Adhonom, said the vaccine would not only save hundreds of thousands of children, but historically was “a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control.”
The vaccine made by GlaxoSmithKline was found to significantly protect children under five years against death and severe malaria illness.
At least more than 800,000 children have received one dose of RTS,S, in Kenya, Ghana and Malawi, through a pilot programme coordinated by WHO. In addition, a total of 2.3 million doses have been administered, through routine immunisation programmes.
The piloting programme was designed to address public health use of RTS,S, specifically the feasibility of administering the recommended four doses of the vaccine to establish its role in reducing childhood deaths, and its safety in the context of routine use.
The vaccine that has been on trial since 1987 reduces severe malaria by 30 percent, even in areas with diagnostic treatment and wide use of insecticides.
“Data from the pilots has shown that the vaccine has a favourable safety profile, significantly reduces severe, life-threatening malaria, and can be delivered effectively in real-life childhood vaccination settings, even during a pandemic,” noted WHO.
Financing for the pilot programme was mobilised through an unprecedented collaboration among three key global health funding bodies; namely Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and Unitaid.
The vaccine is the first to protect children against plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite globally and the most prevalent in Africa. RTS,S has demonstrated 56 percent efficacy and was most effective in children aged five to 17 months.
Flagship UHC Programmes
a) Managed Equipment Service
The Government undertook to radically improve the health sector by providing Kenyans access to uninterrupted quality healthcare services nationwide, by equipping 2 hospitals in each county, and the 4 referral hospitals with specialized medical equipment under the Managed Equipment Service (MES) Programme.
In 2013, only 4 public hospitals in Kenya were fully equipped with the 5 recommended classes of equipment; ICU/HDU Equipment, Renal (Dialysis) Equipment, Sterilization and Surgical sets, Imaging and Radiology Equipment and Theatre Equipment. These were insufficient and also costly to serve the entire Kenyan population.
Through the Managed Equipment Services (MES) the country equipped 115 hospitals with various theatre equipment, radiological and imaging equipment, 14 facilities with ICU equipment and 54 got renal equipment including dialysis machines, commissioned.
This has helped reduce historical disparities in the quality of care therefore moving the country towards equitability in the provision of health services. This has also improved access to world class health facilities at affordable costs.
The expansion of NHIF now allows for access to these world class services made possible by new equipment in the counties.
b) Free Maternity Programme
A Government directive on the 1st of June, 2013 declared that maternal health services would be offered at no charge in all public health facilities. The provision of high-quality maternal delivery services in public health facilities for free, coupled with access to world class facilities under the MES programme, was aimed at reducing maternal mortality, infant mortality and neonatal mortality and to increase the rate of child vaccination.
This initiative has seen an increase in deliveries taking place in public hospitals with a great reduction in mortality rates and an increase in vaccination.
Through NHIF expansion, the card service has also been extended to free maternal health services to allow mothers to access free pre and post-natal services at different health centres.
c) NHIF Expansion
The Government expanded NHIF cover which has enabled Kenyans from all walks of life to access medical cover at affordable costs. This includes vulnerable persons, orphans and the elderly. In 2013, NHIF only offered inpatient cover and non-comprehensive cover for civil servants & disciplined services. The expansion of NHIF has seen more members recruited and health financing increase. increase.
Social Protection (health insurance subsidy for vulnerable; poor, old, and disabled) was also introduced afresh. The cover is now comprehensive with expanded benefits comprising both inpatient & outpatient cover, surgical cover for both minor and major surgeries), cover for cardiac conditions and a chronic illness care package. This has enhanced access to specialised services, improved quality of life, reduced poverty levels occasioned by high medical bills, and reduced mortality caused by chronic diseases.
Kakamega county government partnered with the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) and -Push (Innovative Partnership for Universal and Sustainable Healthcare) to enlist vulnerable households under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) scheme.
Under the arrangement, the beneficiaries are paid for the full monthly premiums for the year (KShs 6,000) and then the ratio becomes 50:50 in the subsequent years..
i.
d) Beyond Zero
Through the Beyond Zero Initiative, spearheaded by the First Lady, Her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta, Kenyans were reminded of what is possible when people with shared convictions come together to act, steadfastly.
Kenyans were inspired to keep in mind the big picture and the Beyond Zero Initiative’s overall mission: ending the unnecessary deaths of women and children and eliminating new cases of HIV infections.
This initiative depended on the partnership with national, county governments and health stakeholders, whose drive and commitment, enabled the delivery mobile clinic to all the 47 counties—making good on the promise to deliver a mobile clinic to every single county in Kenya.
The work throughout the country has been based on the understanding that access to decent affordable healthcare is the constitutional right of every citizen in Kenya, and on the conviction that we all were willing to play a part our part in expanding access to that right. The race is not over yet. There are still significant healthcare gaps which affect Kenyans—particularly underprivileged women and children—and which need to be urgently addressed.
For more insight or information on Kenya’s UHC programme, you can go online and read a copy of The Road to Universal Health Coverage published by the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board, in partnership with the Ministry of Health. Just click on https://kenyayearbook.co.ke/publications.php or https://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Towards-Universal-Health-PRESS.pdf
Re-imagining National Sovereignty and Self-determination
As time passes, so does the risk of losing the gist of the major milestones that outline the journey of a nation escalate. On this score, Kenya is not an exemption. At almost 60 years since independence, only a handful of individuals alive today had the chance to witness firsthand the jubilation that lit up Kenya’s onset of self-determination.
Those who witnessed the excesses of colonial rule and then the watershed moment that marked the end of foreign domination in Kenya would, in all likelihood, explain what sovereignty and self-determination mean with a tinge of solemn reflection. The majority of Kenyans today, however, may not be too emotionally invested in what may pass as remote or romantic notions best left for intellectual adjudication by legal minds and scholars of History and Political Science.
But what then is national sovereignty? Simply put, national sovereignty is all about the assertion of full authority and power by a given nation’s leadership in running the affairs of a nation-state away from external influences or interference by alien entities.
To better appreciate the concept of sovereignty it is important to interrogate its variants and how the notion of sovereignty has evolved over time.
Titular sovereignty is nominal or, if you like, ceremonial. It is symbolic and may, yes, be habituated but in reality it doesn’t exercise effective power. This type of sovereignty thrives in set traditions, etiquette and honour. Such is the case of the Queen of England, the King of Japan or the President of India.
Internal and external sovereignty is a complex blend that recognizes the exercise of power over persons, groups and institutions within a certain jurisdiction whilst upholding the right and freedom to establish diplomatic ties with other sovereign state in within established foreign policy strictures.
On legal and political sovereignty, the state legislates and enforces its authority with minimal—if any—restrictions. In this type of sovereignty, political supremacy bequeaths legitimacy to legal authority.
As for De Jure and De Facto sovereignty, the main concerns are on what the dictates of the law command or where the reality on the ground wins hands-down. In other words, should sovereignty bend to the whims of the laws of the land or should it be about where reality and commonsense rein?
Finally, popular sovereignty… This type of sovereignty is primarily about people’s power and the active participation of the people themselves in their own governance.
Thankfully for us in Kenya and in accordance to Article 1 of our 2010 Constitution;
(1) All sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and shall be exercised only in accordance with this Constitution.
(2) The people may exercise their sovereign power either directly or through their democratically elected representatives.
(3) Sovereign power under this Constitution is delegated to the following State organs, which shall perform their functions in accordance with this Constitution —
(a) Parliament and the legislative assemblies in the county governments;
(b) the national executive and the executive structures in the county governments; and
(c) the Judiciary and independent tribunals.
(4) The sovereign power of the people is exercised at —
(a) the national level; and
(b) the county level.
All said, the notion of sovereignty, generally, has mutated significantly over time. The establishment of regional blocs and the effects of globalization, for instance has significantly redefined the classical definition of sovereignty. That notwithstanding, it is critical that independent states stamp their authority as entities that are sufficiently enabled to defend their freedom and right to determine their premeditated and hoped-for future. In all, any pursuit of sovereignty that doesn’t purpose to dignify its subjects is essentially dead on arrival.
Our Founding Fathers, led by the first president of the Republic of Kenya Mzee Jomo Kenyatta sought to rid Kenya of the unholy trinity of poverty, ignorance and disease. This dream, by extension, aimed at draping the citizens of newly independent Kenya with the dignity they had lost under imperial rule.
Kenya’s Founding Fathers seemed to echo Nelson Mandela’s wisdom when he surmised that, “Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.” Though the fight against poverty is hardly over, Kenya is certainly not where she was at independence.
The philosophy that informed Kenya’s education system during colonial times maintained that the African is trained primarily for clerical work. Very few Africans had access to tertiary education by design. Therefore, at the turn of independence only a handful of Kenyans had attained levels of education commensurate with positions that would soon fall vacant as self-rule kicked in.
That being the case at the time, it was imperative that access to higher education be accelerated as a precursor to the Africanisation of Kenya’s work force. Fighting ignorance therefore became one of the top priorities for the newly independent Kenya. Kenya’s Founding Fathers guided by Plato’s enduring wisdom—“Better be unborn than untaught, for ignorance is the root of misfortune”—erected to deal a body blow to ignorance.
In 1963 Kenya had 151 secondary schools with an enrolment of 30,120 students. Today, according to Ministry of education records, Kenya has 10,487 secondary schools—8,933 public and 1,554 private—as at 2019. By the year 2020, Kenya had 3.5 million students in both public and private secondary schools. Granted, at independence Kenya’s population stood at 10 million compared to today’s nearly 50 million. Still, the exponential growth of the secondary school sector is evident.
Back in 1964, the University College, Nairobi offered degrees awarded by the University of London. Two years later, the college started offering degrees of the University of East Africa headquartered at Makerere in Uganda. Today, Kenya has 30 public universities, 30 chartered private universities and a further 30 universities with Letters of Interim Authority. Clearly, no effort has been spared in providing Kenyans with opportunities to overcome ignorance.
Nothing stymies productivity across various economic sectors, as does poor health. Yet at independence, healthcare for Africans was clearly wanting in Kenya. Those who went to school in the early years of Kenya’s independence may remember learning about afflictions such as kwashiorkor, beriberi, marasmus and trachoma. These are sometimes regarded as diseases of the poor, which many Kenyans indeed were back in the day. Over time, child mortality and life expectancy have improved in tandem with progressive reforms in the health sector.
Today, Kenya has an elaborate healthcare structure with relatively well-equipped medical facilities of different levels right across the country. Much as Tuberculosis, Malaria and a number of lifestyle diseases still stalk us, impressive strides in the healthcare sector have been made since independence.
The majority of the youth today may not conjure up images of the Kenya of 40 or 50 years ago. However, we can only downplay the cumulative impact of Vision 2030 and The Big Four Agenda in delusion. In deed, gauging from what has happened over the last more than five and a half decades of Kenya’s independence, there is a lot to be proud of in terms of improved livelihoods across the country. That, however, does not mean there is no room to make things even better.
It is easy to forget that the progress Kenya has made since 1963 has been aided significantly by the fact that we are a sovereign state duly enabled to exercise our right to self-determination. To make the most of our sovereignty and self-determination Kenyans and particularly the youth, have a duty to make Kenya work in progress we achieve crucial national goals as outlined in key development blueprints. Promulgating the 2010 Constitution was a key milestone towards that end.
Lest we forget, Kenya has been the envy of her neighbours, some steeped in perpetual internal conflicts. It is time to leverage on the relative tranquility Kenya has enjoyed over the years in order to build a stronger economy driven by manufacturing, value addition of farm produce and all natural resources, modern agriculture, an efficient and thrifty bureaucracy and a fully empowered private sector.
If we dwell in unity with justice as our shield and defender, Kenya will reap peace and liberty and plenty will be found within our borders. In common bond united, if we build Kenya together we shall eat the fruit of our labour and fill every heart with thanksgiving.
Our Diversity, Our Strength
History is replete with records of ethnic, cultural, religious and racial intolerance and negative profiling since time immemorial. Professor Mariana Tepfenhard of the Department of History at Monmouth University in the United States in her 2013 paper on “Causes of Ethnic Conflicts” avers that “Many states are made up of numerous ethnic groups, defined as groups that share common heritage, interests, beliefs, historical experience, and cultural traits.”
In its wider sense, human diversity covers all possible differences in human experience and expression based on, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, language, age or disability. Whichever reason is assigned to any form of discord among people groups, the nobler human mission, as aptly said by Mahatma Gandhi, is to summon “Our ability to reach unity in diversity (as this) will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.”
The danger of disunity and suspicion among groups of people has left behind a trail of bloodletting across history. It happened when Hitler’s invaded Poland in 1939, in Nigeria’s Biafra War of the late 1960s till 1970, in Rwanda in 1994 and in Sudan between 1983 to 2005. Kenya had its own misadventure that almost imploded into an ugly faux pas in 2007. Such are reckless experiments to be avoided at all cost.
Yet, as if ingrained in the human DNA, there is always justification—however warped—for a community, race or group of persons to arrogate itself status superior to its cognates or to invoke spurious logic to demean and assail others. In any manifestation of human conflict on the basis of dissimilarity, there is a group or groups of people subjecting others to subordinate status and isolating them.
In reality, every new cultural or religious expression and encounter is a study in the intricate but enthralling nature of human diversity and indeed a cue to prompt the gleaning of authentic perspectives and divergent sensibilities that comprise the totality of humanity. Besides being a rich mosaic of traditions, heritage and viewpoints, human diversity is rich fodder for the enrichment of life and its endless lessons, options and opportunities.
When diverse cultures, and by extension new languages interact, the loaning of terminology that follows takes a natural course. English, for instance, is awash with many loanwords from across the world. Renowned lexicographer and former associate editor for the Merriam-Webster, Kory Stamper estimates that English has words derived from 350 odd cultural expressions whose total linguistic contribution to it stands at about 80 percent.
From Hungarian goulash and Kiswahili’s safari to Japanese Sodoku and Spanish siesta, the English experience is as decked as it is embellishing. Loaning of words across languages confirms just how cross-cultural influences enrich people’s worldviews. The same goes for cultures and distinct ethnic identities within a given jurisdiction, Kenya included.
According to a UNESCO document of 2021—The Infinite Reservoir: Cultural Diversity for Shaping the Future we Want—“Culture, in all its diversity, is an infinite reservoir from which we gain our knowledge of the world and which we tap into to find solutions to contemporary issues. … Our cultural diversity is our greatest strength. It is the ultimate renewable resource for humankind and societies. As such, valuing diversity and protecting and promoting cultures as assets for societies is imperative.”
Kenya has upwards of 42 people groups, usually referred to as tribes, itself an unflattering term connoting atavism. Pioneering anthropologists wh0 mapped Kenya’s tribal map for colonial domination purposes profiled each community and pigeonholed them into hypothetical cocoons. That profiling, which aided divide-and-rule governance mechanisms of the natives has persisted since. Prior to the advent of colonialism, Kenya’s and indeed Africa’s various communities had devised formulas of cohabiting. Yes human movement was limited due to lack of motorised transport back then but communities that neighboured each other found ways of interacting with and even benefitting from each other.
However, to avoid an uprising of clusters of communities against colonial masters, it became necessary to drive a wedge between communities through causing inter-ethnic strife. Some communities were adjudged loyal and rewarded for it while others were declared unreliable and were equally demonised for it. Unfortunately the colonial tags left behind by the colonial era were never really erased from Kenya’s national psyche in spite of efforts by successive leaderships to preach unity. The post-election cataclysm of 2007 is the clearest indicator that unifying Kenyans remains an incomplete task of nation building that should be re-embarked on with greater focus, different tack and more zest.
It is important and timely to re-imagine possible solutions to the unity challenge in Kenya. For starters we can borrow a leaf from our next-door neighbour, Tanzania. Tanzania has over 120 ethnic groups and tribes yet the dilemma of disunity on account of ethnic and tribal identity is minimal compared to the situation in Kenya. Perhaps adopting Kiswahili (notwithstanding its downsides in practice) as a dignifying language and deliberately embracing a humane manner of gelling across the breadth and width of the land at the turn of Tanzania’s independence helped in building a deeper sense of homogeneity and tolerance.
Chapter 10 of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution features a raft of national values and principles of governance that offer a starting point of negotiating where good examples should start. If public officers inspired confidence among the rest of Kenyans by observing the following, perhaps the journey of curing disaffection, which may cause suspicion, and by extension, strife will begin;
National values and principles of governance
(1) The national values and principles of governance in this Article bind all State organs, State officers, public officers and all persons whenever any of them;
(a) applies or interprets this Constitution;
(b) enacts, applies or interprets any law; or
(c) makes or implements public policy decisions.
(2) The national values and principles of governance include;
(a) patriotism, national unity, sharing and devolution of power, the rule of law, democracy and participation of the people;
(b) human dignity, equity, social justice, inclusiveness, equality, human rights, non-discrimination and protection of the marginalised;
(c) good governance, integrity, transparency and accountability; and
(d) sustainable development.
In the long run, it might be necessary to change tack in our efforts to debunk caustic myths that cast aspects of certain community’s belief systems, penchants and mores in diabolical light. The falsehoods and hyperboles on supposed weird traits of various Kenyan communities spewed willy-nilly feed into inter-ethnic intolerance, needless suspicions and strained relationships. A systematic and wholesome approach to mending this downside should be treated as a matter of priority. Perhaps it is time to consider how school curricula in favour of enhanced integration of Kenya’s communities can bolster much-needed cohesiveness. Perhaps we need to rethink our legislation on matters ethnic profiling and fanning tribal-bound dissension. This is a conversation that needs to be pursued and guided until a consensus is achieved.
On the same score, it is important to address the question of disunity on account of class and status. This is critical because a ‘we-versus-them’ stance pitting those who are perceived to have against those who do not have is a sure recipe for constant social tensions and possible dissent. Constantly working citizens’ emotions to frenzies in order to foment such a view for political expediency is uncivil and narcissistic. The same goes for religious, disability, racial or gender intolerance. For social cohesion to bear fruit, there is need to exercise temperance, restraint and level-headedness among leaders across cadres in order to show the way.
Kenyans are a resilient people. Indeed, our ability to bounce back after crises is laudable. This became evident during the 1998 terrorist bombing of the American Embassy and adjacent buildings in Nairobi in the city centre. The same spirit was visible during the Westgate Mall terrorist attack of 2013 and several times before and after. Clearly there is an underlying camaraderie and esprit de corps worth harnessing as capital for building bridges and solidifying national unity.
We celebrate wildly when our world-class athletes bag medals in far-flung lands and laud our sports teams—especially rugby, volleyball and sometime back cricket—what make a mark at the global arena. During such moments our ethnic identities evaporate and our common bond fuses into spontaneous jubilation until some loose-tongue reminds Kenyans about the foibles of this or the other ethnic group.
Perhaps we need to celebrate the very traits that we often lampoon about communities other than our own. For instance, why should we recognize and appreciate the supposed flamboyance of the lakeside folk as we laud their counterparts from Central Kenya for their propensity for entrepreneurship? We should also consider the athletic prowess of our brothers and sisters from the Rift as we celebrate the Maa community for claiming what we may loosely call the Kenyan identity particularly to the outside world because of their preferred mode of dress. If we look keenly, there are strands of beautiful cultural gems in each of our 40 plus communities that we should repackage and rebrand ourselves afresh with.
If we deal with the various manifestations of ethnic jaundice we suffer as a nation and purpose to sift through our cultural, linguistic, values and beliefs we can build a rich blend and formidable brand of a people defined by colour and substance. The capital for such a brand is our diversity. As aptly noted in the UNESCO’s document quoted elsewhere in this chapter, “…there is the need, especially in the intangible cultural heritage, to focus on the significance of traditional knowledge in the consolidation of communities and the wellness of the general society.” As we acknowledge so, we should not forget forms of diversity mentioned earlier in the chapter, other than cultural, that weaken our common bond as a people.
Unity in diversity and enhanced inclusivity away from ethnic slurs can only make us stronger and more cohesive.
Renewable energy
Kenya is on course to fully decarbonise its electricity sector, with 92.3 per cent of electricity distributed by Kenya Power now generated by renewables, also referred to as “green energy” sources.
The demand for electricity in Kenya continues is growing at an average rate of 4.5 per cent annually driven by economic activities as the country recovers from the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
At the same time, Kenya has scaled up use of renewable sources further boosting the country’s standing in the fight against climate change.
According to the 2021 Economic Survey from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the total installed electricity generation capacity was 2,836.7 MW in 2020 of which geothermal’s share was 863.1 MW, solar 52.5 MW in 2020. Generation from thermal sources decreased slightly to 749.1 MW in 2020.
Of the 2,836.7 MW installed, 2,705.3 MW is the “effective capacity” – the maximum electric output a power station can achieve under operating constraints.
In 2020, thermal power plants were responsible for just under 7 per cent of the electricity generated even as Kenya imported less power. Unfortunately, electricity transmission and distributive losses at 2,790.7 GWh in 2020, were still too high, amounting to 24.3 per cent of total supply.
Power Generation
The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) PLC on its website https://www.kengen.co.ke/ confirms that 86 per cent of the energy it generates today is green energy, and that its installed generation capacity market share is over 60 per cent.
The breakdown of the 1,818MW of installed generation capacity by KenGen is Hydro (826MW), Geothermal (713MW), Thermal (253MW), and Wind (26MW).
The company is also preparing to add another 83MW to the national grid in the first quarter of 2022 once the Olkaria I, Unit 6 geothermal power plant is commissioned this year.
In November 2021, the demand for electricity in Kenya hit a new record peaking at 2,036MW on the back of a resurgence lifting of COVID-19 lockdowns across the country.
At the same time, the country recorded a new energy gross demand peak of 36,381MWh mostly drawn from renewable energy sources as the economy responds positively to the lifting of some of the COVID-19 related restrictions.
Responding to the demand, KenGen scaled up generation from its geothermal, hydro and wind power stations to meet the growing demand.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) reported that KenGen’s hydro power stations exceeded the period’s projections by 581MWh or 5.56 per cent, with a total installed hydro capacity of 826 MW.
KenGen’s Gitaru, Kindaruma, Kamburu, and Kiambere Power Stations were among the hydro power stations surpassed the projected power generation output. The stations are part of the Seven Forks cascade and a crucial piece of KenGen’s power generation infrastructure, accounting for around 29 per cent of Kenya’s total installed capacity.
The power generation giant’s expertise is also in high demand across Africa with governments keen to track KenGen’s footprints in Olkaria, Naivasha where the company has successfully drilled about 320 geothermal wells. In November, the firm announced that it had begun drilling one of three geothermal wells in Djibouti under a Kshs 700,000,000 contract signed in February 2021.
The drilling of the first well is expected to take about two months to complete as KenGen seeks to export the expertise and experience earned.
The experts from KenGen comprise of mechanical Engineers, drilling Engineers, project managers, drillers, cementing technicians and specialised welders in the geothermal development value chain.
KenGen is also set to commence drilling of three geothermal wells for the Djibouti Office of Geothermal Energy Development (ODDEG) in 2022.
The Djiboutian venture is part of KenGen’s ambitious diversification strategy, in which the company is seeking to acquire new revenue streams by offering commercial drilling services, geothermal consulting and other related services across Africa.
This is the third mega geothermal drilling contract that KenGen is implementing in Africa. In October 2019, the company secured a Kshs 5.8 billion contract to drill 12 geothermal wells in Ethiopia. The contract with Ethiopia’s independent power producer Tulu Moye Geothermal Operations (TMGO) PLC includes installing a water supply system and equipment.
In February 2019, KenGen won a contract to drill geothermal wells for the Ethiopian Electric Company (EEP) in Aluto-Langano, Ethiopia. The contract is for the implementation of drilling rigs and accessories as well as rig operation and maintenance for drilling geothermal wells. It is financed by the World Bank through a loan to the Ethiopian Government.
In November 2021, KenGen announced that it had completed drilling the deepest geothermal well in the Aluto-Langano project reaching a depth of 3,000 meters, surpassing a target of 2,750 meters.
KenGen posted a 7 per cent increase pre-tax profit in its full year Financial Results ending 30th June 2021, from Kshs 13.79 billion to Kshs 14.76 billion and recommended a dividend payout of Kshs0.30 per share (Ksh.1.98 billion) to be paid to all its shareholders.
Environmental Warrior
On the environmental front, KenGen has completed plans to set up an Energy park at its geothermal power generation hub at Olkaria-Naivasha in order to take advantage of the competitively priced geothermal steam and electricity as key economic drivers of production.
The park will provide industrial, commercial and recreational facilities and will be developed in two phases, with completion of the first phase set for this year.
The park is strategically located along regional transport routes with access by road and rail. The park will provide quality and reliable utilities and energy supply (Electricity, high pressure stream and brine at 130 degree Celsius) which will be managed through an appointed developer who will develop infrastructure for a plug and play environment,
Ongoing Power Generation projects by KenGen are:
i. Seven Forks 40MW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Project
ii. Raising Of Masinga Hydropower Dam
iii. Ngong Wind Farm
iv. Olkaria 1 Units 1, 2 & 3 Rehabilitation Project
v. Olkaria V, (172MW) Projects
vi. Olkaria I Additional Unit 6 (83.3MW)
In an official Press release in January 2022, (KenGen), announced that it had completed Phase One of the 25 acres Ngong Forest Restoration Project.
Commenced in October 2018, the project involved planting 7,000 indigenous trees around a degraded site in Ngong hills forest power station, where KenGen generates 25.5 MW of electricity from wind energy.
The initiative is in line with the company’s Environmental Conservation Program and Corporate Environmental Sustainability Policy, which seeks to undertake an additional 10 Hectares ecosystem restoration project in Phase II within the KenGen lease area at Ngong during the 2021/2022 financial year.
According to Ngong forest restoration Phase I’s completion report, KenGen attained a 100 per cent trees survival rate, marking the project as completed and successful.
The report read: “The project’s final milestone verification for milestone 3 final quarter was carried out on 21st June 2021 followed by a final Project Implementation Team (PIT) meeting at Ngong project site where 7,134 seedlings were verified as surviving against a target of 7,000 seedlings thus a 100 per cent success achieved rehabilitating an area covering 10.7 acres (est).”
The company has fully aligned itself to climate action agenda and rolled out various environmental conservation projects across the country which will go a long way in in helping to slow down the effects on climate change.
It complements other climate action efforts by KenGen including its deployment of green energy power projects like the construction of the 83MW Olkaria I unit 6 which is almost complete.
KenGen plans to undertake an additional 10 hectares ecosystem restoration project within the lease area this year that will include planting, protecting, replacing and maintaining 10,000 assorted indigenous tree seedlings.
The state-owned power generation firm has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with partners including the Kenya Wildlife Services to carry out conservation and management activities in Ngong Forest and other mitigation measures identified in the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment study for the proposed construction of 10MW Ngong Phase IIIA wind project at Ngong Hill.
The project supports the commitment towards NETFUND 2 billion campaign where the company has pledged to plant and grow 400,000 seedlings per year.
Over the years, KenGen has supported initiatives to mitigate the effects of climate change while maintaining ecological balance. The initiatives such as the Green Initiative Challenge (GIC) launched in 2013 have been under the KenGen Foundation’s environmental pillar and community sensitisation.
Rural Electrification Projects
In December 2021, the Government launched the Electrification of Public Facilities Project (EPFP) to connect over 1,200 public institutions in 36 counties across the country to the national power grid at a cost of Kshs 6.4 billion.
The Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) is implementing the project in five sectors: Nyanza and Western; North Rift; South Rift; Central and Upper Eastern; and Lower Eastern and Coast regions. It is to be completed by June 2022.
Connecting the public facilities to the national power grid will improve their ability to provide social services such as education and health.
The public facilities to benefit include markets, health centres, educational institutions, tea buying centres, coffee factories and administration centres.
To expedite the project, the Government of Kenya, secured credit financing from Arab Bank for Economic Development for Africa (BADEA); OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID); Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) in conjunction with the Government of Kenya.
In schools, electrification will result in the uptake of ICT and use of modern learning methods, thereby improving the competitiveness of rural schools in attracting qualified teachers as well as improving their performance.
Availability of electricity in rural trading centers empowers the rural populace, enabling growth of income generating activities such as the Jua Kali sector and providing employment opportunities. It also enables mechanised farming for improved food security.
Sector Reforms
After President Uhuru Kenyatta received Report of the Presidential Taskforce on Review of Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) from the Chairman Mr John Ngumi, the Ministry of Energy began implementing its recommendations.
Energy is a critical enabler of economic development. The report documented reasons for the high cost of electricity, which has had a negative roll-on effect on the cost of doing business and the prices of consumer goods in the country.
In October 2021, Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i inaugurated the Steering Committee on Implementation of the Recommendations of the Presidential Taskforce on Power Purchase Agreements (PPA).
The Steering Committee was appointed on October 8, 2021 through Kenya Gazette Notice Vol.CXXIII No. 209 by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Energy Cabinet Secretary Amb Dr Monica Juma revealed that several teams were to be established to spearhead implementation in various power sub-sectors, adding that there was no room for failure.
Among the tasks is renegotiation of power purchase agreements (PPAs), which were found to be badly skewed in favour of the providers at the huge expense of the taxpayer. The other key task is restructuring of state-owned power distribution monopoly, Kenya Power.
The team is also examining policy issues in the energy sector, reviewing laws and analysing previous taskforce reports.
Terms of Reference for the Steering Committee are:
i. Oversee, coordinate and monitor implementation of the Recommendations of the Presidential Taskforce;
ii. Provide advisory and technical support during the implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Taskforce;
iii. Prepare progress Reports for presentation to his Excellency the President through the Cabinet Sub-Committee on KPLC; and
iv. Perform any other task ancillary to its terms of reference as may be directed by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on KPLC.
The Steering Committee had an almost immediate impact when it managed to lower the cost of electricity sold by Kenya Power to consumers just before the New Year.
Kenya Power has already experienced a turnaround registering a KShs 8.2 billion profit, from a loss of KShs 7.04 billion a 216 per cent growth, driven by the increased revenue of Sh144 billion alongside the restructuring of its operations.
Renegotiation of PPAs seeks to inject efficiency and effectiveness in the sector players to keep power prices on a sustainable curve, given Kenya’s attractive renewable energy mix that should result in cheaper electricity.
Kenya Power lowered its operating costs by 17 per cent by improving efficiency in operations.
The commissioning of nine new sub-stations and refurbishing of another five enhanced network capacity upwards to 500 Megavolt amperes (MVA), and Kenya Power is also automating its network. The automation of the distribution management system has improved the response time to power outages via the control center.
Kenya has made significant achievements in promoting environmental sustainability, and greening of the economy, by among others banning single-use polythene bags nationally and single-use plastics in protected conservation areas; developing a sustainable waste management policy and legislation; developing regulations on extended producer responsibility, plastic and chemical Management and e-waste
The push for environmental and forest conservation is driven by the critical role the sector plays in achieving sustainable development as captured in the BIG FOUR AGENDA
The circular economy and the ‘green recovery’
The circular economy is an economic model where there is minimal wastage. It entails reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling for as long as possible. It has guiding principles centered around embracing green technologies and gradually phasing out negative externalities.
Within this context, the Sustainable Waste Management Bill 2021 of the Senate sought to promote the Circular Economy by encouraging extended producer responsibility. Through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the Nairobi City County Environmental Sustainability and Circular Economy awareness campaign is promoting sustainable consumption among members of the public to reduce waste generation
According to GIZ, green recovery means measures that combat the social, economic and environmental impacts of the coronavirus crisis. The African Union launched new a five-year continental Green Recovery Action Plan 2021-2027. Kenya has the Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (GESIP), a macro-economic policy framework in tandem with Kenya’s Vision 2030.
Waste Management Policy and Legislation
The development of a sustainable Waste Management Policy and Legislation has an international, regional and national framework. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 requires a strong national framework for sustainable consumption and production that is integrated into national and sectoral plans, sustainable business practices and consumer behavior, together with adherence to international norms on the management of hazardous chemicals and wastes.
Africa adopted the Bamako Convention in 1991 to ban the import of fall hazardous and radioactive waste. When it comes to regional matters, the East African Community established the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill (2016), a regional approach to the control and regulation of use, sale and manufacture and importation of polythene materials and products. The EAC bill provided the regional framework for the Kenyan plastic carrier bag ban in 2017. Kenya followed by establishing the National Sustainable Waste Management Policy and the Sustainable Waste Management Bill 2021 guided by the circular economy on the 3Rs – Reuse, Recycle and Reduce. The rationale is that sustainable development is threatened by the waste challenge that can result in negative socio-economic, health and environmental impacts as per the Sessional Paper No.X of 2018.
Ban of single-use plastics
The ban of single-use plastics in Kenya was prefaced by various global efforts by the United Nations because of the harmful effects of plastic. Kenya first banned single-use plastic in 2017 and later in 2020 banned single-use plastics in protected areas. While there has been significant progress with a drastic reduction in plastic pollution there is still a lot to be done.
Four years down the line, there is still no law that requires manufacturers of plastics to take control of their wastage. The industry -ed initiative, Kenya PET Recycling Company (PETCO) whose main goal is to take Extended Producer Responsibility still has a limited membership base that is purely voluntary, despite intents by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to make it compulsory for single-use producers to be members.
Smuggling of single-use plastics into the country especially from Uganda continues to be a challenge but there is a marked reduction of environmental pollution as witnessed before when plastic waste papers littered the environment.
Regulations on Extended Producer Responsibility
Clean-up Kenya has gone deeper in the analysis on the Extended Producer Responsibility by looking at the 2021 Environmental Management and Coordination (Extended Producer Responsibility) Regulations that aims to have producers take greater responsibility for packaging.
The producers are required to join a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) which would undertake recovery, collection, sorting, recycling and treatment of packaging. The hiccups on the proposed law include the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Beer and soda companies require a deposit to manage glass companies as a tangible incentive to recycle. However, wine companies still have single-use wastage.
The challenge with the legislation is that it does emphasize the DRS but uses the word “may” to indicate the model is not compulsory but left in the hands of the producer. DRS has been effective for years enabling consumers to be part of the recycling efforts. The second issue with the law is that it gives room for the creation of the EPR monopoly.
A product falling under PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) will have one PRO as a member and shareholder. Kenya Association of Manufacturers already set up KEPRO which is already seen as a monopoly. Monopolies have been seen to inhibit legislation and even manipulate prices by shifting costs back to the consumer. Producers should be members of PRO, and not shareholders as the biggest companies may take the lead and have undue influence on the management. Finally, the law omits the mention of vulnerable groups who bear the biggest burden of recycling. The PRO should set up a percentage to aid the welfare of the vulnerable groups.
Further Kenya only recycles 15% of the plastic it produces, according to Zephaniah Ouma, NEMA Director for Compliance and Enforcement. International Agreements have also caused a threat to the ban on single-use plastics, such as the Kenya-USA Trade Agreement that had a proposal by America Chemistry Council with an intent to expand the plastic industry footprint across Africa. China also shut its borders to most plastic waste imports in 2018 but Kenya started taking in more of it.
Plastic and Chemical Management and E-waste
The National Environmental and Management Authority E-waste guidelines are handled through the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Regulations 2013 and the Waste Management Regulations (2006) as legislation dealing with Plastic and Chemical Management and E-waste.
The producers of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) shall establish or join a Producer Responsibility Organization as shareholders and operationalize an EPR Scheme collectively. The Cabinet’s approval of the Sustainable Waste Management Policy and Bill (2021) shows a clear transition from a linear to a circular economy. The counties are also required to enact a county sustainable waste management legislation.
National 200 million hectares tree planting initiative
Kenya’s most ambitious tree planting campaign unveiled in 2019 aims at planting two billion trees by 2022 to accelerate the achievement of the 10 per cent tree cover, which currently stands at 7 per cent, placing the country among the least forested in the world.
The strategy also entails protecting natural forests and water towers, rehabilitating degraded forest areas and mangroves, development of commercial forestry, restoration of degraded landscapes in the ASAL regions, greening of infrastructure and urban areas, adoption of forests among others.
This takes a whole government approach with line Ministries, Departments and Agencies involved. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko at a high-level online meeting of the Global Alliance on the Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE) outlined Kenya’s actions in promoting the circular economy in the context of the ‘green recovery’.
The CS mentioned the ban on single-use plastics, the sustainable Waste Management Policy and Legislation, regulations on Extended Producer Responsibility, Plastic and Chemical Management, and E-waste as some of the initiatives aimed at achieving a circular economy and environmental sustainability. The tree-planting initiative, besides restoring large areas of degraded forests, and the finalizing of Kenya’s Greenhouse Gas Emission Strategy (2050), will enhance the scope of the circular economy interventions.
Restoration of forests
The Government is targeting 5.1 million hectares of degraded and deforested landscapes for restoration by 2030, as a contribution to the African Forest and Landscape Restoration initiative. All these plans are backed by the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) 2018-2021 as a second five-year nationwide sectoral plan to guide Kenya’s Climate Action and the County Climate Change Fund.
The increasing rate of deforestation and forest degradation globally formed the basis of discussion during the COP26 World Leaders Summit on ‘Action on Forests and Land Use’. The Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use was endorsed by 133 nations who committed to collectively halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting inclusive rural transformation. Kenya is among the 133 countries that endorsed the declaration.
On March 21, the world celebrates the ‘International Day of Forests’. The theme for 2021 was “Forest Restoration; a path to recovery and well-being”. Even though Kenya did not commemorate the day publicly due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Government urged citizens to raise awareness on the importance of protecting and conserving forests.
Kenya adopted the Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) as one approach in forestry that has been used as a nature-based solution to restore degraded areas. One of the most impressive projects has been the Chyulu Hills REDD+ Project.
According to Forest Carbon Partnerships REDD+ stands for countries’ efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and foster conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. “Chyulu Hills steady stream of income from the sale of carbon credits — both before and during the pandemic — has been “transformational” for local communities, including Indigenous Maasai pastoralists and Kamba agriculturalists.”
Finalising of Kenya’s Greenhouse Gas Emission Strategy (2050)
Kenya committed itself to the COP Agreement. Through the Kenya Climate Change Action Plan,it pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030. Kenya like other African countries contributes very little in terms of carbon emissions but bears the brunt of climate change especially because it relies on rain-fed agriculture for the production of food. This is among the rationale for the Green Growth and Employment Strategy and Action Plan, where there is nationwide tree-planting campaigns and forest landscapes restoration under the ‘Greening Kenya’ Initiative.
Kenya is finalising its long-term Greenhouse Gas Emission Strategy (2050), which will, among others, enhance the scope of circular economy interventions in all sectors, and ensure principles that underpin the EU-Green Diplomacy are aligned with Kenya’s Green Growth Agenda. Scientists have noted that the energy and transport sectors contribute more GHG emissions compared to any other industry. This means adopting a more environmentally friendly mode in the future, with the government encouraging more non-motorized transport like cycling or solar-powered/rechargeable cars.
To increase carbon absorption in the atmosphere, Kenya is keen to plant more trees. Counties have their targets in the planting of trees and encouraging clean energy reducing charcoal burning. Legal tree cutting is regulated and one must have a licence.
In Kenya’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution and Joint Credit Mechanism activities dated 16 2021, Kenya mentions specific legislation like the Water Act (2016), Disaster Risk Financial Strategy (2018-2022) and the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Strategy (2017-2026). The mitigation measures include increasing renewables in the electricity generation mix of the national grid, Enhancement of energy and resource efficiency across the different sectors, clean, efficient and sustainable energy technologies to reduce overreliance on fossil and non-sustainable biomass fuels and sustainable waste management systems.
The sectors covered by the contribution include The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for all sectors: Energy, Transportation, Industrial Processes, Agriculture, Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) and waste sector. For adaptation to occur Kenya will mobilize resources to meet 13 per cent of this budget, requiring international support for the 87 per cent.. JCM activities include Electrification of communities using Ultra Low Head Micro Hydro Power Generation system, the introduction of Solar PV System at Salt Factory
b. Restoration of the Cherangany – Elgeyo Hills Ecosystem
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry launched an Integrated Masterplan to Restore Degraded Cherangany-Elgeyo Hills Eco-System in July 2021. The plan provides an overview of the importance of the ecosystem, the challenges it faces, and the need for its restoration and it also provides a legal framework for supporting the Plan, with a focus on the five conservation zones in this ecosystem. The Cherangany-Elgeyo Hills ecosystem traverses Elgeyo-Marakwet, West Pokot, Trans-Nzoia and UasinGishu Counties, and it covers an area of 414,928 hectares, consists of two water towers and 22 gazetted forest blocks. It lies within Lake Victoria and Rift Valley drainage basins, draining its water into Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana. The ecosystem is geared towards the conservation of the Kaptagat forest block which includes 225 hectares of degraded areas within Sabor, Penon, Kaptagat, Kipkabus and Kessup forest blocks. The project will need 7.5 billion over 10 years. During the 5th annual reforestation campaign, 319000 trees were planted. The last four editions have reached a total of 210 hectares and distributed 12,000 avocado seedlings to communities adjacent to the forest in UasinGishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
The Cherangani Hills Forest Strategic Ecosystem Management Plan 2015 –2040 seeks to conserve water catchment and enhance the unique biodiversity of the forest, contribute towards meeting subsistence needs and improving the livelihoods of forest adjacent communities, improve and develop the condition and potential for utilization of the forest resource. The approach to plan implementation includes; zonation of the eco-system, livelihood support zone, ecotourism, cultural sites and rehabilitation zone.
Cheragani Hills woes began during the colonial days when 12 forest blocks were gazetted as government forests by the colonial government. The Sengwer community thought it would get back its land after independence but that was not the case. This led to the dramatic loss of forest drastically especially in 1992. Justin Kenrick through the Forest Peoples Programme argues that “thousands of hectares of land were excised through illegal alterations of forest boundaries and irregular allocation of the land to non-Sengwer. The largest excision areas extended over the top of the Cherangany Escarpment (Eastern Cherangany Forest Reserve), impacting tremendously on water resources and altering the flow regime of major rivers feeding Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana, a trend threatening the stability of the lakes ecosystems.”
c. Green public procurement implementation
Green Public Procurement (GPP) is a process whereby public authorities seek to procure goods, services and works within a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle. GPP policy can be a strategic lever towards achieving its Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (GESIP) 2016 – 2030.
The Kenya government can capitalise on GPP to facilitate sustainable development and transition towards a circular economy; strengthen agriculture and food systems; generate economic gains; encourage the SME sector development; bolster eco-innovation; create opportunities for marginalised/vulnerable groups and enhance trust in public institutions.
Kenya’s Green Public Procurement Framework highlights an eight-point action plan to be implemented within the first five years after its approval. This includes Approve Green Public Procurement Framework (GPPF) by the Joint TaskForce; Implementing GPP pilot programme; Creating a legal environment for Green Public Procurement by amending the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act (PPADA) and Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Regulations (PPADR) to include “at least 30% of the government procurement is to be green procurement”; Implementation of Green Public Procurement in Kenya by Integrating Green Public Procurement cycle; Capacity building; Communication strategy by ensuring effective information dissemination and raising awareness on GPP; and Market engagement, Monitoring and Review by developing rapport with suppliers and ensuring that they benefit from GPP.
Integrating Green Public Procurement cycle includes prioritising goods, works and services for procurement planning and budgeting; Developing, Publishing, Implementing and Reporting Annual GPP Plans; Publishing GPP procurement opportunities in the Government Procurement Portal; Procuring Priority GPP Goods, services and works; Adopting green criteria-technical specifications and evaluation for awarding contracts in key sectors; Reports on GPP goods, services and work contracts; KEBS to develop quality certifications for GPP products; Initiating the formation and development of Kenya’s Ecolabel Programme by expanding NEMAs mandate to include Eco-labeling certification and environmental standards management; regular meetings with suppliers/manufacturers;, updating green goods/products and including them in the catalogues (like an e-shop); developing sector-specific GPP Products Specifications; Training
decision-makers.
d) Mitigation of the impact of deforestation and climate change
Deforestation and forest degradation present real challenges to Kenyans and touch on the lives of people, as highlighted at the country consultations held on Kenya’s Climate Change Action Plan in early 2012. Deforestation and forest degradation impact on livelihoods through reduced biomass energy, soil erosion and siltation, reduced water infiltration in the soil (leading to diminishing groundwater quantities), and changes, principally reductions, in precipitation. At independence in 1963, Kenya’s forest cover stood at approximately 11 percent. Deforestation has reduced Kenya’s forest cover to six percent, with the country losing approximately 12,000 hectares of forest a year despite the government’s attempts to alleviate the problem according to the Food and Agricultural Organization.
The drivers of deforestation in Kenya are diverse and encompass both direct and indirect pressures. The REDD+ Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP) notes that the main drivers of deforestation include conversion to agricultural land in response to demographic pressures, and unsustainable production methods and consumption patterns for charcoal. Other drivers include degazetting of forest lands (although steps have been taken to address this, including the 2005 Forest Act), ineffective institutions and enforcement, corruption, illegal logging and, in the case of private local authority forests, unclear land tenure for forest-adjacent peoples. Significant degradation has also occurred in gazetted forests because of decades of illegal logging. Similarly, many trust land forests have been degraded due to demand for charcoal, timber and fuelwood.
Kenya’s reforestation efforts are there to mitigate climate change. Other efforts include; mitigating the impact of deforestation and climate change, and enhance the provision of water facilities, by rehabilitating wells, water pans and underground tanks in the Arid and Semi-Arid areas at a budget of Ksh. 850 million. Kenya has a National Policy for Disaster Management.
Severe flooding affected wide areas of Kenya since the start of the “Long Rains” season in early April 2021. By 23 April, over 25,000 people had been displaced according to the Red Cross. Further heavy rainfall from 8th May worsened the situation, with flooding reported in Kakamega, Turkana, Homa Bay, Baringo, Busia, Siaya and Kisumu counties.
e. The Greening Kenya Campaign
The Campaign focuses on growing trees in schools, universities, education centers, farmlands and dryland. The initiative is part of Kenya’s aim to plant two billion trees and achieve more than 10 per cent forest cover in the country by 2022. The President, Uhuru Kenyatta, issued a decree that the attainment of 10 per cent National tree cover be accelerated by 2022 and subsequent directives that all Government Ministries, Departments and Parastatals/Agencies (MDAs) to commit 10 per cent of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budget to tree growing activities. Greening Kenya Campaign recognizes that planting trees must be all-inclusive that is the whole government/whole society approach.
The government says the campaign is an offshoot project conceptualized from the collaboration between the National Youth Service and the Kenya Prisons Service. The agreement will round off the cause with joint projects in planting and nurturing different types of exotic and indigenous trees and fruits The ultimate objective is to develop 50 million tree seedlings for planting and contribute to the realization of the recommended 10 percent forest cover in the country.
Anthems and flags are symbols that hem in allegiance among communities that subscribe to a common cause or a set of shared goals. While an anthem is a musical composition that extols the values, heritage and the driving spirit of a society, a flag is an insignia meant to express commitment to mutual interests and pursuits. Simply put, anthems and flags are emblems that affirm a kindred affinity among a group of people in pursuit of a common set of aspirations.
Anthems and flags are also instruments of unification. They are couched to breathe life and purpose to the soul of a community bound by a common cause.
Before we venture any further into the nitty-gritty of the origins and social significance of anthems and flags, let us interrogate where the two trace their origins.
The anthem is essentially a 19th century phenomenon with historical roots in Europe. The earliest national anthem—the Wilhelmus—traces its origins to the Netherlands. Though written during the Dutch Revolution of 1568 to 1572, the song became the official national anthem in 1932.
Melodies of most anthems easily agree to marching or hymnal routines. That is how many of anthems are delights of structured ensembles, especially brass bands. Anthems are usually translated into multiple versions depending on the language map of a given nation or jurisdiction they serve.
The Swiss Psalm, Switzerland’s national anthem, for instance, is available in four languages – French, German, Italian and Romansh. The four versions cater for Switzerland’s four official languages. Meanwhile and closer home, the case of South Africa’s national anthem is distinctly peculiar. In a single composition, five of South Africa’s eleven national languages fuse into a national ensign designed to celebrate the country’s homogeneity.
Back home, Kenya’s national anthem is available officially in both Kiswahili and English. The East African Community anthem, routinely intoned soon after national anthems of the respective member states is rendered in Kiswahili, a common denominator across the region.
Meanwhile, the African Union’s anthem has six renditions in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Swahili. The six versions are in recognition of the continent’s most dominant languages.
Still on anthems, very few national canticles are works of world-renowned composers aside from German’s Das Lied de Deutschen, a composition by Joseph Haydn and Austria’s Land der Berge, Land am Strome, credited to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
In hindsight, most national anthems are inspired by circumstances organic to user jurisdictions. Most hardly exude exoticism, perhaps to imbue in them an enduringly universal appeal. And this for a good reason! How else can anthems become ubiquitous capital on a regional or national scale?
Kenya’s national anthem got its impetus from a Pokomo lullaby reworked by five musically gifted individuals—Graham Hyslop, Ugandan-born George Senoga-Zake, Thomas Kalume, Peter Kibukosya and Washington Omondi—at the turn of independence. The Pokomo, a southeastern Bantu community whose population stood at 112,075 in 2019 is part of Kenya’s nearly 50 communities that collectively command a population of about 50 million to date.
The outset of independence was marked by high expectations and Kenyans were eager to savour the fruit of freedom after decades of colonial domination. This spirit informed the hope and aspirations expressed in our national anthem.
Essentially, Kenya’s national anthem is a prayer framed as a wish list. It is a statement of acknowledgement of what we hold dear as a people, what our worth as a country holds as well as a proclamation of our shared hopes. It is also a communiqué of our common purpose as Kenyans.
Though not as common as it was years back, Kenya’s national anthem was part of a package served alongside a National Pledge, itself a recital particularly popular among Boy Scouts and Girl Guides;
I pledge my loyalty to the President and Nation of Kenya,
My readiness and duty to defend the flag of our Republic.
My devotion to the words of our national anthem.
My life and strength in the task our nation’s building.
In the living spirit embodied in our
national motto – Harambee!
Anthems appeal to patriotic sensibilities that communicate a people’s identity, desires and pride. This is demonstrable in the words of our national anthem.
Kenya National Anthem
(English)
O God of all creation,
Bless this our land and nation.
Justice be our shield and defender,
May we dwell in unity,
Peace and liberty.
Plenty be found within our borders.
Let one and all arise
With hearts both strong and true.
Service be our earnest endeavour,
And our Homeland of Kenya,
Heritage of splendour,
Firm may we stand to defend.
Let all with one accord
In common bond united,
Build this our nation together,
And the glory of Kenya,
The fruit of our labour
Fill every heart with thanksgiving.
Perhaps an indication of the place God occupies in the list of Kenya’s priorities, the opening line of our national anthem seeks blessings upon the land from above. Justice, unity, peace, liberty and abundance follow as our top quests in that order. The second stanza of Kenya’s national anthem calls on every citizen to pull together in serving the nation in order to safeguard our national honour. The last stanza underlines the place of unity of purpose in working towards a more prosperous nation for which we stand to reap benefits that we will be thankful in the fullness of time.
Turning now to flags. Besides being predominantly oblong cloth pennants, usually held in place by staffs or halyards, flags—historically—are also symbols of shared kinship and devotion to a common cause.
Flags evolved from military standards. Their origin is traced to Egypt of 3,000 years ago. Flags were also used by the Roman Empire as logotypes of local armies. Roman armies had various standards among them the Signum, the Aquila and the Vexillum. It is from the Vexillum that the term vexillology—the study of flags—is derived. Back then, the loss of a standard was a scandalous affair, particularly so the Aquila. That should tell us something about the significance of flags and standards as badges of national identity, sovereignty and pride, then as now.
Some of the earliest vestiges of expressions of patriotism relating to the use of flags manifested in decorations on spears and cultural identity symbols meant to tell apart one group from another. This happened mostly in war related adventures.
With time, the use of flags was preferred for announcing presence or claiming sovereignty. Previously, erecting sculptures and other war-bound symbols was in vogue but not after flags took over. By using flags, explorers and colonialists signaled intended dominance over targeted territories. That is precisely why the lowering of the Union Jack and subsequent hoisting of the Kenyan flag on December 12th 1963 at Uhuru Gardens remains such a symbolic event in the history of Kenya.
Neil Armstrong was the first person to land on the moon in 1969. To mark that breakthrough, Armstrong erected the American flag on the moon’s surface to the pride of his motherland. Similarly, when Kenya attained independence on December 12th 1962, one Kisoi Munyao erected our flag atop Batian peak to celebrate the newfound freedom.
There are standard symbols used on flags to communicate the same meaning across the globe. The sun, for instance, stands for unity and vigour. For using the sun in its flag Japan is sometimes referred to as the “land of the rising sun”. The moon—mostly captured as a crescent—in the company of stars is a symbol of divinity especially to Muslims. Other common symbols that feature on flags include stars, representing energy, the cross for faith and wholesomeness and the square to convey balance.
A cursory survey will reveal that red and white are the commonest colours on world flags. Most flags go for primary colours and particularly blue, red and green. A few, however, feature yellow or a range of secondary colours. Gold, considered the colour of kings or also the colour of the sun features in some flags too.
Flags carry meaning through the choice of symbols or colours that appear on them. Some flags don the sun, the moon or stars while others use symbols such as the cross. Kenya’s flag has a shield and spears in the middle. The shield and spears are trophies of triumph over colonial domination just as they are accessories that signify the need for vigilance in protecting our sovereignty and territorial integrity. The colour red on Kenya’s flag is a reminder of the blood that was shed during Kenya’s liberation struggle, green is the colour of the landscape, white denotes peace and honour while black is archetypical of our skin colour.
At the turn of independence, some of Kenya African National Union officials wanted the party’s flag to become the national flag. However, the late Thomas Mboya championed the quest to have a flag that would represent wider interests beyond KANU. That is how the flag of Kenya got its distinctive colours and symbols.
In retrospect, Kenya’s anthem and flag are the most visible symbols of our nationhood. They exemplify the best of our shared ancestry, beliefs and ways of life. They remind us of where we have come from as they embolden us to approach the future with optimism and courage. It would be tragic to lose the import and meaning of our anthem and flag because that would then mean getting detached from our national soul.
The strategies for growing Kenya’s tourism industry are summed up in the Kenya Tourism Agenda 2018-2022 document.
The Kenya Tourism Agenda 2018 – 2022 establishes the foundation for the National Tourism Blueprint 2030. Its implementation during the 2018–2022 period ignites all the Blueprint components and actors and sets Kenya’s tourism on the path to sustainable growth for the tourism industry.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted the implementation of the Kenya Tourism Agenda with negative impact on the tourism and hospitality sectors. Recovery efforts in Tourism are now hinged on the Building Back Better: Strategy for Resilient and Sustainable Economic Recovery and Inclusive Growth developed by The National Treasury and Planning Ministry, which allocated KShs 23.1 billion to the Economic Recovery Strategy under the financial year 2021/22 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
In 2021 President Uhuru Kenyatta launched a KShs 25 billion economic stimulus package to jump-start the economy and create jobs following a global lockdown that severely dented the tourism industry.
Although the 2021 stimulus package sought largely to boost sub-sectors that would quickly put money in people’s pockets – like tea, coffee, sugar and livestock – it was a follow-up to a similar stimulus in 2020 that saw tourism and wildlife sector receive a total of KShs 5 billion to provide soft loans for refurbishment of the tourism facilities through the Tourism Finance Corporation (TFC).
In addition, Kshs 1 billion went to 5,500 wildlife scouts under the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Kshs 1 billion to the 160 wildlife conservancies in Kenya.
“The first and second stimulus packages were designed by my administration to ensure that our economy could endure shocks occasioned by the lockdown measures,” said President Kenyatta.
Kenya is placed at a strategic geographical location which creates immense opportunities for tourism investments. The country has one of the largest skilled human resources with majority of the workers with certification on tourism, this coupled with wide market access, and the quickly improving infrastructure, creates a positive environment for investing in Kenyan tourism.
The low-risk investments environment remains a plus for investors in the tourism industry. To make it more attractive the Government introduced tax incentives and favourable investment policies. To increase foreign and local investments, the Government provides the following fiscal and non-fiscal incentives:
Domestic Tourism
Domestic travel supports and develops local and national economies, provides a rationale for infrastructure upgrading, disperses visitors geographically across regions and to under-visited rural areas, bridges the seasonality gap and creates employment opportunities.
A strong domestic travel and tourism sector can help a country withstand shocks and demand fluctuations that may arise when crises affect external source markets. To incentivise domestic travel, certain governments and local authorities have intervened in the provision of local tourism services.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic which decimated international tourism, KTB has developed new marketing campaigns to boost domestic tourism industry, launching the #TembeaKenya and #MagicalKenya hashtags to encourage Kenyans to explore their own country, with a special emphasis on national parks in the Maasai Mara, Mount Kenya, Amboseli and Tsavo areas.
Another initiative from the private sector is the Okoa Holiday initiative that allows one to go on vacation and pay later. All these efforts have increased the popularity of national parks and beach resorts, particularly for honeymoons and weddings.
Also contributing to the growth of domestic tourism is a growing middle class with more disposable income who can afford leisure travel. Other factors relate to the increased internet usage, given that most holiday travellers are influenced by digital platforms, mainly social media, search engines, online agents and blogs.
Currently, there are numerous firms in the tourism private space leveraging on the online space, targeting social media users through digital campaigns and building their brand.
Supporting Infrastructure
Quality transport infrastructure enhances the experience of a destination and quality of life within it for both visitors and residents.
Dongo Kundu Bypass has made Diani more attractive for investors and eased traffic jams in Likoni The project that expanded and modernised Malindi Airport has enabled travel operators to book charter flights for tourists to the facility.
Meanwhile, the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) now links Lamu to Malindi, Mtwapa and Mariakani making it easier to connect to Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi and Malindi.
The Government has also intensified security in Coast. Many hotels were also able to weather the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to conferences and workshops by the national and county government officials.
The new KShs 350 million Mombasa Cruise Ship Terminal is another major boost for tourism, opening up the Coast for cruise ship tours, with tourists exploring Mombasa City and the nearby wildlife and marine parks, including Tsavo National Park.
The Terminal will enhance the passenger handling capacity of Mombasa Port and comprises duty-free shops, restaurants, conference facilities and offices for support private and Government support services.
It has given Kenya the ability to compete with South Africa, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Cape Verde and Zanzibar for cruise tourists. A recent survey carried out by the Tourism and Transport Consult International states that Mombasa could easily attract 140,000 passengers per year, putting it in on par with Cape Town, thanks to its dramatic coastline and strategic location on the Indian Ocean coast.
The national COVID-19 vaccination efforts by the Ministry of Health will also make Mombasa more attractive to cruise tourists as COVID-19 remains a real threat. Most major cruise lines have a vaccination mandate for passengers and crew prefer destinations with high vaccination rates and low infection numbers.
The Government has gazetted about 8 per cent of Kenya’s land mass as protected areas for wildlife conservation under the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) working with local and international investors.
These areas include forests, wetlands, savannah, marine, arid and semi-arid. The protected areas are 23 terrestrial National Parks, 28 terrestrial National Reserves, four marine National Parks, six marine National Reserves and four national sanctuaries.
KWS manages over a hundred field stations/ outposts outside the protected areas. As noted above protected areas in Kenya are categorized either as parks or reserves. The following are the branded national parks:
In December 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta led KWS staff and their families in celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the only national park in the world that is located within a city, the Nairobi National Park.
President Kenyatta noted that the celebrations were a reaffirmation of the Government’s commitment to preserving Kenya’s natural beauty and passing the same to future generations in pristine condition.
“Those that came before us made deliberate choices to balance rapid social and economic development with the conservation of our plant and animal life. Because of this foresight, Kenya today prides itself as having a thriving national park system, comprising 23 terrestrial and four marine national parks; 28 terrestrial and six marine national reserves as well as seven national nature sanctuaries,” the President said.
He asked the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife to implement the Management Plan for Nairobi National Park, “to ensure that the park serves humanity for posterity.”
Threats to Kenya’s wildlife conservation efforts remain, including poaching, habitat fragmentation and degradation, changes in land use, human encroachment and the adverse impact of climate change as well as the increasing levels of Human Wildlife Conflict, inadequate financing for conservation activities, lack of personnel, resources and equipment. To alleviate some of these challenges, the Government is increasing the National Budgetary Allocation to environment and wildlife conservation.
“As a Government, we are committed to eradicate poaching, and to end the illicit trade in wildlife. It is critically important to raise awareness, not just on the serious effects of wildlife crime, but also highlight the need to secure wildlife habitats. We have had an opportunity to increase this park by an additional 2,000 acres, and further expanded the corridor to the Swara International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) by increasing the space by a further 1,900 acres,” the President added.
President Kenyatta commended the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and the Kenya Wildlife Service management, for the job they are doing in ensuring the conservation and protection of Kenya’s national parks and wildlife.
We remain committed to continuing to support KWS and its multiagency partners in their quest for completely eradicating poaching from our midst. It is very pleasing, for the last few years, to consistently get reports of increasing numbers, especially of the most endangered species,” he complimented.
The President urged MoTW and KWS to embrace new technological innovations to address wildlife challenges, particularly poaching. This will greatly improve efficiency and reduce costs, as well as provide avenues for local universities to contribute to this noble campaign.
The President looked forward to honouring Kenya’s youth who contributed to keeping parks clear of litter, as well as those in rural areas who have also taken steps to address Human Wildlife Conflict in their communities, and others who have used their talents and platforms to bring awareness to the need to conserve our natural beauty and wildlife.
“By highlighting this next generation of conservation heroes, we are not only providing them, and others, with an example that other young people can follow, but we also lay the foundation for a new generation of nature warriors who will take up the fight in years to come,” he added.
However, he wondered about the future of conservation in the face of burgeoning populations: with an estimated 100 million people in 2063, the president stressed the need to think outside the box in terms of preservation of our wildlife heritage.
Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Najib Balala, thanked the President for expanding space for wildlife by expanding Nairobi National Park’s boundaries by 2,000 acres to open up the southern Athi-Kapiti area, saying that all conservationists highly appreciated this gesture. The CS lauded KWS’ anti-poaching efforts, which saw zero rhinos and 11 elephants poached in 2020.
He stated that one rhino was poached in 2021 at Ruma National Park, but the poachers were immediately arrested and the trophy recovered.
“We have established 170 community conservancies across the country, because we value the wildlife that is beyond protected areas and recognize that communities play a major role by being the buffer zone around protected areas,” Balala said, reiterating that his ministry had created a conducive environment for partnerships with donors and NGOs.
He highlighted the success story of protecting endangered species, which had resulted in increased populations of rhinos and elephants, at 1,700 and 36,000 respectively.
Balala stated that the biggest conservation challenge was climate change and lauded the President for ably representing Kenya during COP26, where he committed to harnessing low-carbon investment opportunities. The CS committed to Net Zero (the state that exists when the amount of energy provided by on-site renewable energy is equal or equivalent to the amount of energy used) for energy in Nairobi National Park, stating that all of KWS vehicles and facilities domiciled in the parks would be ‘green.’
Balala appreciated the Government’s support during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that two billion shillings was provided to support community conservancy rangers’ salaries for the last two years, in addition to recruiting 5,500 Community Scouts to support conservation. He reiterated Kenya’s commitment to donating two black rhinos to that country, in exchange for 20 Roan antelopes to boost the 15-strong population in Ruma National Park.
KWS Director General Brig (Rtd.) John Waweru said that KWS was expending all efforts to ensure that Nairobi National Park retained its pristine condition. [PO1] Waweru said that COVID-19 wreaked havoc on foreigner-based tourism revenues, with KWS losing approximately 90 per cent of its revenue streams. The silver lining to the pandemic was that KWS innovated ideas to focus inwards, and through the ZuruNaKWS campaign and other initiatives like the Tembo Naming Festival in Amboseli, local tourist numbers skyrocketed and kept KWS afloat.
Three local graphic designers who came up with Nairobi National Park’s new logo were feted, with the winner receiving 250, 000 shillings and two runners up receiving 150,000 and 100,000, respectively. Balala said this would spill over into other parks, with locals being granted opportunities to participate in branding other KWS parks.
The commemoration concluded with the cutting of a sumptuous, 75th anniversary cake.