Lamu County Government has today presented cheques to families who lost their next of kin in the recent terror attacks witnessed in Lamu county in early January 2022.
The eleven families, where six are from Widho, two from Juhudi and three from Hindi received Ksh. 100,000 cheques each as a way of cushioning them after the loss of their beloved ones.
The families which have been receiving relief food from Lamu County for over a month, were promised financial support by Lamu Governor Fahim Twaha when he visited them last month after the attacks that led to loss of lives, destruction of properties and displacement of persons.
The event which was held at Juhudi Primary school was presided over by CECM Health Dr. Gathoni, County Secretary Mr. John Mburu, Chief of Staff Mohamed Bute, Mkunumbi Ward MCA Hon. Paul Kimani among other officials.
Two fisher Community groups in Kiwayu and Mkokoni village in Lamu East Sub-County are a happy lot after receiving two fiber boats from the County Government of Lamu in partnership with World Bank-funded Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Program (KCSAP).
The beneficiary groups are Fish value chain from Kiunga ward Community Driven Development Committees including;
1. Muungango Self Help Group from Mkokoni village which received ksh 700,000 and procured a fibre boat for fishing activities
2. Kiwayu Blue Economy Self Help Group that also received 700,000 and procured a fibre fishing boat valued at 700,000
The ongoing multifaceted social protection program aims to increase productivity while creating resilience in members and minimizing green house gas emission.
Speaking when they handed over the boats to the fisher groups on Thursday, February 10th, 2022, Chief Officer Fisheries, Mr. Abdul Fatah, said Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture support will go a long way in increasing food security and rural poverty eradication through better disposable income to households. He went on to say that the project is in line with Lamu County Government policy as well as KCSAP’s goals.
“In line with its fisheries and agricultural agenda, Lamu County Government is committed to fulfilling its KCSAP partnership mission for the benefit of its fishermen, smallholder farmers, and pastoral communities. We will set aside funds to purchase engines for these two boats, as well as ensuring that the two groups are properly equipped with fishing gear.” Mr. Abdul Fatah stated
He said that Governor Fahim Twaha’s administration has already purchased fishing gear and will soon distribute it to fishermen around the county as part of the sector’s post-COVID recovery efforts to convert fishing into a successful business. Gill nets, lines, flippers, GPS, Eco-Sounders, Deep freezers, cooler boxes, and other fishing equipment will be distributed .
Mr Steven Mbuvi, the County KSCAP coordinator, accompanied CO Abdul Fatah.
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Story by: Adam Musa
For more information contact:
Lamu County Government Communications Office at info@lamu.go.ke
The Lamu County Government, in collaboration with the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), has flagged off medical supplies worth Sh 16.6 million to be delivered to 38 health facilities across the county beginning tomorrow, February 11th, 2022.
Today, a team from the County Departments of Health and Finance led by Director Health services, Dr Abubakar Baasba, visited KEMSA Depot in Nairobi to expedite the process of increasing important pharmaceutical supplies to County health centers and dispensaries.
The Lamu County Government and KEMSA have worked on a distribution operation that will see KEMSA deliver medical supplies to the doorsteps of over 38 public health facilities around the County.
The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority has assured Lamu County of prompt services, saying all orders placed with the Authority will be processed and dispatched in less than a week. KEMSA’s customer service team tasked with handling orders from the devolved units now guarantees swift turnaround times.
The order placed by Lamu County Government features pharmaceuticals, non-pharmaceuticals, laboratory, and renal consumables.
Speaking at the County headquarters in Mokowe, CECM Health Services, Dr Anne Gathoni assured Lamu County residents of availability of drugs as well as better service delivery from the now expanded manpower following the recruitment of 11 new doctors earlier this week.
Dr. Gathoni also urged all Lamu residents who have not yet received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine to do so at the nearest health facility.
“We intend to have everyone in Lamu vaccinated to enhance immunity and resilience against the Covid-19. It is critical that we all get vaccinated and urge others to do so, as this is the only way to restore our economy to where it was before Covid-19.” Dr. Gathon said
She further revealed that through the County Public Service Board, the county department of health services plans to hire more nurses soon to further expand health manpower in Lamu.
Viola Alosa, a supply chain management assistant, Abdulrahman Abdalla, Health Administration Officer, John Mungai, Accountant, Adil Ganzel, Internal Auditor, and Patrick Mburu, Lab Technologist, were among the County team that visited KEMSA Headquarters in Nairobi.
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For more information contact:
Lamu County Government Communications Office at info@lamu.go.ke
In Shela ward, the County Department of Sports is developing a new astro-turf pitch . The field is part of the County Government’s sports infrastructure development strategy focused at providing access to sports facilities in Lamu County.
This is one of six grassroots initiatives now underway, including:
-Lamu Boys astro-turf
– Twaif astro-turf
-Tchundwa Stadium’s Dias project is also in the works in Faza Ward.
-Bahari Ward’s Muungano basketball court
-Mkomani Ward’s Twaif Basketball Court
Governor Fahim Twaha’s overall sports infrastructure plan intends to help uncover, nurture, and develop indigenous sporting potential. The sporting infrastructure will allow leagues at all levels to play more frequently, which is essential for the development of local talent.
Sports are one of the key components of Governor Fahim Twaha’s administration’s goal to promote peace, education, violence prevention, gender equality, enhancing the County’s brand, and excellent health/physical fitness among the youth.
I had the opportunity to join Executive Office of The President’s The Oceans and Blue Economy Office(TOBEO) Head, General (Rtd) Samson Mwathethe, who was the chief guest, Coastal County Executive Committee Members, BMU Network Chairpersons and other stakeholders to kick start the public participation activity that will run for three weeks on the above mentioned regulations.
This is an opportunity to tap into this natural resource and come up with regulations that will ease the ways of conducting business in the Blue Economy sector in order to empower and improve the living standards of the people.
Specific to Lamu County, we have set the ball rolling for a massive public participation process, as per law, by reaching out to each and every village in all the wards in the County.
In this initial contact, we have engagedstakeholders that utilize Lake Moa, Lake Kenyatta and Kiongwe to Kiunga not only on these regulations but on the Kenya Marine Fisheries Socio-Economic Development Project (KEMSFED)which is a project that stands to transform the lives of our people, if properly implemented.
The public participation exercise will be officially launched and led by HE Governor Fahim Twaha, who is also the Council of Governor’s Chair of the Blue Economy Sector Committee.
There will be a comprehensive update on the public participation process.
Fahima Araphat,OGW
CECM
Fisheries, Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperative Development.
Lamu Governor H.E Fahim Twaha joins President Uhuru Kenyatta during the ongoing commissioning of the multi-million cancer centre at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH)
The new facility will be the second cancer center in Kenya after the one at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital in Nairobi.
The new facility, which was built in partnership between the national government and the county government, will offer both radiotherapy and chemotherapy sessions.
The national government provided infrastructure while the county government gave out land and human resources.
An 11 year old boy from Lamu County has undergone a succesful operation to remove a meter long rod that had torn through his rectum into the abdomen.
The rod which was curved at the end and could not be pulled back, was successfully removed in a rare operation carried out by Dr. Danson Makanga at Mpeketoni Hospital.
According to the mother of the young boy, the child was walking home from school when he slid and fell on the metal rod in an abandoned construction site. He was found six hours later and rushed to the nearby Mpeketoni Hospital in Lamu County.
According to Dr. Danson Makanga who performed the surgery, the rare case has been documented in the East African Health Commission Research (EAHCR) journal. He further noted such injuries are also rare in the general public and more common in the military, according to the EAHCR journal.
Dr. Makanga who is a general surgeon thanked HE Governor Fahim Twaha for his commitment towards equipping Hospitals in Lamu county, adding that he was able to perform the surgery because of availability of medical equipment at the facility.
“THE NAGELE LIVESTOCK MARKET WILL INCREASE COUNTY REVENUE BY OVER KSH. 20 MILLION ANNUALLY,” SAYS CECM TRADE, JOSEPHAT MUSEMBI
The Nagele Livestock Market in Witu Ward is set to officially open next week opening up Lamu County as the next livestock hub.
The market comes on the heels of commissioning of the Lamu Port’s planned Export Livestock Marshaling Yard and the Bargoni Pre-export Quarantine Area that will enable livestock supply to Middle Eastern and Asian countries.
The market is a huge reprieve for Lamu livestock traders who previously had to walk their animals for long distances to Tana River County’s Garsen Township for sale.
It is also expected to boost the county’s revenue stream by at least KSh.20 million per year through livestock trading revenue collection.
Speaking at a Nagele Market Committee meeting at Witu on behalf of H.E Governor Fahim Twaha, Trade CECM Hon. Josphat Musembi pledged to provide infrastructure and policy to expedite the region’s livestock marketing credentials.
“Lamu County has been losing livestock revenue to Tana River through its thriving Garsen market despite our rich livestock resources that comprise over 30 pastoralist villages and close proximity to significant animal production hubs,” said Hon. Musembi.
He added that Governor Fahim Twaha’s administration is determined to transform the County into the next livestock hub by creating an enabling environment for livestock traders and investors.
“We will prioritize infrastructure management and maintenance, market data recording and distribution, disease detection and mitigation, security, and other pertinent services necessary for a conducive livestock trade environment,” he stated.
The county’s Chief Officer Livestock Mr.Charles Gichohi emphasized the market’s economic significance, saying that with improved pasture and clean water for livestock in Lamu, the market will unlock the region’s and inhabitants’ economic potential.
H.E Fahim Twaha’s efforts to secure Nagele’s resumption of operations were lauded by the community. They called on other sector players to work with the Lamu County Government to enhance the livestock market.
The Nagele Market Committee meeting organized by the County Department of Livestock in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industrialization followed a mandate from H.E Governor Fahim Twaha during his recent visit to several villages in Witu ward.
11 new medical doctors have been hired to increase the doctor to patient ratio in the County medical institutions.
The new medics will be assigned to oversee the management of dispensary and health centres across the County.
The doctors, nine female and two male, qualified after a rigorous process that saw Lamu Public Service Board (LPSB) receive 110 applications.
The doctors were today issued with their appointment letters at a meeting held at the Mwanaarafa Hall, in the presence of Deputy Governor Abdulhakim Bwana and LPSB Chair man Mr.Abdalla Fadhili and Health CECM Dr. Anne Gathoni.
Dr Gathoni stated: “These newly employed medics will improve service delivery in Lamu County by bolstering our doctor-patient ratio. This is part of Governor Fahim Twaha’s immediate and long-term commitment to improving healthcare delivery by investing in human and infrastructural resources across County health facilities.
“Under Governor Fahim’s tenure, over 100 healthcare employees have been hired. 107 medics were promoted in the previous month,and the LPSB has committed to hire more nurses soon.
Other officials in attendance included Finance, Lands and Trade CECMs Hon. Abdu Godana, Hon. Ahmed Mohamed Hemed and Hon. Josphat Musembi; County Secretary Mr. John Mburu among other other senior County officials.
Mr. Abdalla Ahmed, Chief Officer Education, has urged students and youths across the county to take advantage of the county’s largest scholarship and bursary program to secure a better future for themselves and their families.
“The administration of Governor Fahim Twaha believes that every child deserves an education. It is a fundamental human right. Governor Fahim Twaha is committed to increasing access, retention, and transition to secondary schools, colleges, and universities for all Lamu youths by providing equal access to scholarships and bursaries “Mr. Ahmed stated
Mr. Abdalla Ahmed was addressing over 600 KCPE candidates drawn from different schools in Witu ward and Witu secondary school students, during a student’s guidance session by national Motivational speaker, Mr Wambungu wa Kamau.
He urged the kids to concentrate on their academics, stating that education has the potential of opening opportunities for those who take it seriously.
“Poverty levels could be cut in half if all adults finished secondary school, which is why Governor Fahim Twaha has set up the largest education fund since devolution began. Over 2,100 students with a KCPE score of 300 or higher are getting full scholarships from the county right now; this is four times the number of students who qualified when the initiative began in 2018/19. Another 8,500 secondary school students in boarding schools and day schools who could not get a score of 300 or higher are receiving Sh10,000 in boarding schools and Sh6,000 in day schools, respectively. Higher education will cover 2,200 students in colleges and universities, as well as another 4,000 in local TVETS.” He continued,
Chairman Witu Ward Bursary Committee Mr. Bwanamkuu Fumo, KESSHA representative,Witu Mjini Secondary School Board of Management, School Principal and Administration, Fund Manager CDF Lamu west were among those who attended the students motivating event.
