Local news - by Ken Simiyu - 4.12.2013 - Woman killed, three officers injured in lokori in Turkana East attack.

A woman was on Tuesday evening shot dead and three police officers injured in an ambush attack by bandits in Turkana East.

The bandits attacked the District Commissioner’s vehicle between Lokori and Lomelo in Turkana East sub county killing Ms Hellen Achiru Alunye and injured Two police officers and a reservist [ KPR].The OCPD Turkana East sub county  Mr Mathew Manyira said an Administration Police (AP) sergeant who went missing after the incident was found today in the morning by a team of AP and GSU officers patrolling the area.

Mr Manyira however confirmed that the AP officer who was missing was found safe and now admitted at Kapedo District Hospital. OCPD also said that chief was unhurt, two officers and a police reservist were injured during the incident 

Those injured were taken to Lodwar District Hospital for treatment today in the morning.

The OCPD added that the gun had gone missing after the attack and the police officers are searching it and the motive of attack is not established as the ambush occurred in the forest.

He pointed out that Lomelo center is 100 kilometers to Lokori where the incident occurred while the vehicle of Turkana east DC had carried them heading to Lokori.  In a statement to the press, Turkana County Governor Josphat Nanok condemned the incident and urged the national government to straighten its efforts to restore security in the county to rescue the Innocent people who are being killed every day as they promised after the Lorogon siege that more than 900 villagers were held hostages.

LOCAL NEWS - BY KEN SIMIYU - 1.12.2013 - WORLD AIDS DAY CELEBRATION AT MIKEKA GROUND, LODWAR TOWN

The worlds AIDS day today was celebrated worldwide and in Lodwar it was celebrated at Mikeka ground.

The celebration was grazed by the Minister of health hon Jane Ajele who was accompanied by Education Minister Hon Margaret Kuchal among other respected leaders. During the celebration Minister said that this year's world AIDS day in Kenya is unique, it has come when Kenya is celebrating 50 anniversaries since Independence, it has also occurred when the county has released HIV and AIDS estimate. The theme of this year's world day is getting to zero-and zero new HIV infection zero discrimination and zero AIDS related to death. The objectives of celebrating is are to share experience and express solidarity with those infected and affected by HIV AIDS, they also aim to raise awareness on the Impact of HIV and AIDS in the counties.

The function was supported by IRC, APHIA PLUS IMARISH, GOK and many other stake holders.

The Bishop says peace meeting is a dream come true.

For three days, they converged at St. Teresa’s Pastoral Centre Lodwar discussing challenges that face pastoralists and how to counter them using peace as an important tool. It was a follow up to a similar meeting that took place in Lodwar last December, Courtesy of our own the Rt. Rev Dominic Kimengich. The Inter-diocesan Conference on Peace and Cross-Border Evangelization that that was held from 8^th to 10^th December at St. Teresa’s Pastoral Centre, Lodwar was a dream comes true. According to the host of the Important conference that was aimed at advocating for peace among the Turkana community with her neighborsm Uganda, Ethiopia, Southern Sudan and the nnnnneighboringioceses of Kitale and Nakuru, among others, the initiative kicked off when the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar was celebrating 50 years of evangelization in Turkana.

“We had invited up to 10 bishops and seized the opportunity to start something that would help in bringing about peace in the region,” he told us in an interview held in Lodwar. “When we held the first Inter-diocesan Conference on Peace and Cross-Border Evangelization, 5 bishops attended the meeting at which various issues regarding peace were discussed that was held in Lodwar and certainly this was a good start,” he continued. “Since then, for the first time, we have managed to have our people from various places sit together and discuss common problems facing them and to me this is a very good start since for a long time it has not been able to do this,” he added.

The second meeting which ran from 8^th to 10^th December 2013 was a follow up to the first meeting at which notes from all the participants of the first meeting compared notes and also chart the best way forward. The three day conference, which was held at St. Teresa’s Pastoral Centre in Lodwar township, was officially opened, first with mass at St. Augustine’s Cathedral, Lodwar, by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo, brought together delegates from Torit Diocese (Southern Sudan); Jimma-Bonga Vicariate (Ethiopia); Kotido and Moroto (Uganda) as well as Kitale, Ngong, Lodwar and Nakuru (Kenya). The Ethiopian delegates were led by their Bishop Rt. Rev. Markos Gebewedhin. It was organized by The Catholic Diocese of Lodwar and sponsored by Funded by the Association of Member Episcopal Conference of Central and East Africa (AMECEA). Action plan that will see this important peace initiative developed further in order to help bring about long-lasting solutions to the challenges faced by the participating dioceses was drawn.

Turkana county Launched Kenya pastoralist program on 29-11-2013 at Bishop Mahon Center Lodwar Town.

The exercise which took three days  attracting 17 counties  which Includes Marsabit, Moyale, Isiolo,Turkana,Tana River Kajiado among others. Over the years, pastoralist has suffered marginalization by government and feel excluded from the mainstream development agenda of the country. Speaking during the occasion the Turkana county pastoralist coordinator Mr Gabriel Naspaan said that the arid and semi arid counties need to come together to find out the possible ways of improving the livelyhood of live stock in the marginalized areas. They also indent to promote democratic governance and accountable exercise of power since the devolution allows the county to be independent and do their own development. They also plan to facilitate the decentralization of state organs, their function and services from the capital of Kenya. However, is it has been observed that the local pastoralists are facing severe challenges pulling down their social activities including abject poverty; hunger and conflict have defined their existence.

In the forum were Mr. Yobo Rutin executive director CIEMIRIDE, Julius Mathenge Turkana county commissioner, Hon. Josphat Nanok Turkana county governor, Mr. Joseph Mbatha, Mr. Odenda Lumumba National coordinator Kenya Land alliance, Mr. James Longolee Transition authority and            Mr. Augustine Lambard International organization for migration among others.

They all had one goal of achieving the pastoralist’s vision that would change their lives in future and the subsequent generation.

Local News-By Ken Simiyu-Vice president William Ruto Graces the Pastoralists week in Lodwar Town

Today marked the second day of Kenya Pastoralists Week which is an annual event intended to bring together multi-stakeholders from Pastoralist communities to discuss and share issues affecting them. During the first and second day the delegates came up with some of the problems they are facing which include security, cross border development, education, water and livestock marketing among others. The guest of honor was deputy president William Ruto who was accompanied by Speaker of the Senate Ekwee Ethuro, Turkana County Governor Josephat Nanok, and other respected leaders. Speaking at the conference Vice President William Ruto responded on security matters whereby he said the government is procuring 120 vehicles for the police force every year to curb incidents of insecurity in the country. Deputy President also highlighted on the issue of vetting of police for the reform process which will enable police officers to perform their duty and serve the citizens without corruption.

Local News-By Ken Simiyu-Vice president William Ruto Graces the Pastoralists week in Lodwar Town

Today marked the second day of Kenya Pastoralists Week which is an annual event intended to bring together stakeholders from Pastoralists communities to discuss and share issues affecting them. During the first and second day the delegates came up with some of the problems they are facing which include security, cross border development, education, water and livestock marketing among others. The guest of honor was deputy president William Ruto who was accompanied by Speaker of the Senate Ekwee Ethuro, Turkana County Governor Josephat Nanok, and other respected leaders. Speaking at the conference Vice President William Ruto responded on security matters whereby he said the government is procuring 120 vehicles for the police force every year to curb incidents of insecurity in the country. Deputy President also highlighted on the issue of vetting of police for the reform process which will enable police officers to perform their duty and serve the citizens without corruption.