LOCAL NEWS – 05.04.2011 - By Zacheaus Otaba - Lodwar receives the second air bus flight

The ALS air bus today launched its first flights to Lodwar air strip as the second service provider. Speaking during the launch at the Lodwar air strip, the company operation's manager Mohammed Taher said that their aim is curb the increasing number of travelers in the region.
Mohammed said that his company is not just aiming at competing with other companies, but also to expand their business in the region. He added that for a start they are going to have 3 flights per week, that is Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. He agreed that due to demand, they may have the daily flights in future.
Taher said that they are also bringing change in the transportation sector in the North region.
He said that his company will be finding rout to Kakuma, and other areas like Garisa, Moyale and Marsabet, which has difficulty in transportation. He urged the residents to use the ALS flight since it has an advantage of direct flights to Nairobi as compared to the rest.
ALS is coming in after the famous fly 540, which has been providing services in the ground a number of years now. However it has been flying to Lokichogio air port for the last ten years.

Fishermen at Lokipetot receive Fishing gears from wom and livelihood department Lodwar Diocese

The fishermen of Lokipetot and Ille springs today had reason to smile after receiving fishing gears from the Diocesan Women and livelihood programme. The progamme that was started in 2002 by the Missionary community of St. Paul the Apostle initiated by Fr. Manuel with fishermen along Ille springs and lokipetot now has expanded and spread to other areas like Kerio. The project was started with an aim of making fishermen become self reliant, create wider market for their fish and later enable them support the education of their children.
Speaking during the distribution of Fishing gears at Lokipetot today, the Assistant women co-coordinator Mrs. Rose Angela Nakoi said that the project has now spread to Kerio areas where they have already 7 working groups that will benefit from the fishing gears in the second round of distribution which will take place soon. Presenting the fishing gears the supervisor of the fishermen Mr. Stanislaus Losiru gave out the 100 Twines, 400 Manilas, and 100 Nets where by each group received 10 nets, 10 twine and 40 manilas among the 10 groups reached at lokipetot.
The groups that were given the materials were, Lokipetot , Napokosikina Ekwakaye, Nakaposikiria Ekwakabo ,Naremiet , Ekitoe Abei, Ngakoges, Napaskomol, Naturtur, Nakode, and Naruchoto. The two new groups still under lokipetot are, Nakarpanok and Ayapokori making the groups at lokipetot to be 12.
Mrs. Nakoi also said that the project is Sponsored by Bridderlech Dellan- Luxembourg and implemented by the Women programme which took over from May last year 2010. The projects sponsored by the same organization under livelihood programme are fishing, I.G.As which is also supporting the loaning system aspect, Bakeries, Livestock and Agriculture.
The 10 groups at lokipetot have 10 boats which are owned by 10 fishermen each member contributing 100 shillings to their group account that will enable them to get loans and boost their existing businesses. The Luxembourg facilitates the training of these groups to meet their specific needs and also the supervision visits.

Local news – 04.04.2011 - By Zacheaus Otaba - Make sure the water facility is working

The Japanese Ambassador to Kenya Toshihisa TAKATA has urged the people of Turkana, to maintain the water facilities and make sure that water is available always. Speaking at Naagis primary school where he was on his second day of Assessment, TAKATA said that proper maintenance will facilitate additional cooperation from Japan and UNICEF towards the development of the region.
TAKATA who was doing his final assessment today, was proud that school children are keen about the use of water. However he noted that the government of Japan is not committed only to water projects, in the region but there are other small scale projects all over the country.
He urged pupils to be the Ambassadors of wash programme, which is in full practice in the two schools he visited yesterday and today. Today early he visited sanitary pad making workshop at the Lydia center in the Diocese of Lodwar which is part of the wash programme in schools.
The Ambassador was accompanied by the deputy UNICEF representative Dr. Juan Ortiz, the district commissioner Loima District Mr. Evans Ketenji and other departmental heads from water and irrigation, public health and UNICEF.

Local news – 3.4.11 - By Mary Tioko - Bishop Dominic Kimengich celebrates his 1st mass as the Bishop of Lodwar Diocese

Bishop Dominic Kimengich celebrates his 1st mass as the Bishop of Lodwar at St. Augustine's Cathedral parish today. The mass was marred with lively hymns of praise and worship. Bishop Dominic started his homily by saying that the mass is so special because it is his first mass as the shepherd of the Diocese of Lodwar. He said that it is not so easy to be the shepherd of this vast county of Turkana and urged the Christians to pray and support him in bringing the reign of Christ here on earth.
Commenting on the readings of the day, his lordship said that christ calls us always to perform different tasks and that we should always obey and say yes to his call. He said that christ looks at our inward feelings and not what we do outwardly. His lordship called upon the faithfuls to say yes to the call of Christ and act faithfully. He encouraged the faithfuls to put God first in their lives and all will be well with them.
His lordship encouraged the faithfuls to be people of light and come out of darkness. He said that by being Christians they have become people of light. Bishop Dominic said that all that people do in secret when they are alone is seen by Christ and urged them to be people of light. He said that we can hide ourselves from each other but we cannot hide from God. He also encouraged them to be Christians and let nobody doubt their Christianity. In this lent season he called them upon to repent and belief the gospel. He said that people have all been born with sin and that they need to be cleansed , He thus urged them to accept that they have problems in life and then look for the right person who can solve the problem and later do what they are told.

Local news – 1.4.11 - By Mary Tioko - Farewell words of Bishop Emeritus Patrick Joseph Harrington

The christian community of Lodwar, Catholic Men Association from St. Michaels 's church Napetet and the Staff of the Diocese of Lodwar today Assembled at the Lodwar airstrip to see off the Bishop Emeritus Patrick Joseph Harrington.
Quoting his last speech during the installation ceremony of Dominic Kimengich as Bishop of Lodwar, the Bishop Emeritus thanked God for giving him the privilege and strength to serve as Bishop of Lodwar for eleven years. He also said that for him Christ has been the Rock, the Solace and the Comfort in carrying out his duties. Bishop Emeritus also thanked the Turkana people and all who live and work in this vast county for their cooperation over the years.
Harrington was also grateful to the holy father, pope Benedict xvi for understanding and accepting his reasons for retiring from the Episcopal Ministry in Lodwar Diocese. He said that this was his peaceful moment and the right time for him to retire. He also reminded the Christians that the catholic church in Turkana will celebrate fifty years this year 2011. He said that at the end of 1961, the first missionaries officially came to this place. He said that over the years missionaries men and women in collaboration with dedicated catechists, diocesan clergy, and lay faithful- have been doing their part to establish the reign of Christ in this vast and challenging part of Kenya. He said that as a missionary himself his work was to prepare the way and put himself out of business at the appropriate time which is now for him.
He is hoping that all of the people will work well with Bishop Dominic Kimengich to bring about the kingdom of God within themselves and in the area. He concluded by saying that Turkana will always remain in his heart and prayers. He said the people and the place are special.

LOCAL NEWS -01.04.2011 - By Zacheaus Otaba - A family of ten left homeless at show ground

Property worthy hundreds of thousands has been brought down at show ground, leaving a family of ten homeless. The OCS Lodwar police station Mr. Evans Omuga confirmed the incident, which happened at around 11.00am when there was no body at home.
Mr. Omuga said that though the cause of the incident has not been established immediately, he is going to carry investigation to ascertain it. According to the owner, Andrew Lotukoi who is a carpenter, the incident happened when none was at home.
The cause of the fire out break has not been determined since the house was locked and both Lotukoi and his wife were at their business premise. The fire brought down more than 10,000 cash money and other property worthy thousands of shilings.
This has happened exactly two months after another house caught fire in unclear circumstance in Soweto and every thing was turned to ashes.