Local news - By Ken Simiyu - 21/03/2014 - Water crisis in Lodwar town

Residents of Lodwar town have been forced to buy water following a week long interruption of the commodity. They buy water from bodaboda operators which are costly. According to hotel business operators, life has become more expensive as they spend more money on water. They are buying 20 litres jerrican of water for Shs. 5 each and bodaboda transportation is Shs. 100 for 5 jerricans. At the end of the day, they pay more than Shs. 1,500. On the other hand, the public health officer Mr Kwaba Omwenga said that issues of water in Lodwar town may lead to closure of hotels as they fear water borne diseases may arise because they do not know where the bodaboda are getting water from. According to Lowasco Managing Director John Esekon, the supply of water in the town failed due to breaking of water pump machine and rationing of power by KPLC. Beside all this, he said they have sent spare parts to Nairobi and assured residents that water supply will be as usual soon. He added that the Company is planning to install generators to help in water pumping. However he said that the only places that are receiving water are Napetet, some parts of Kanamkemer and parts of Lodwar town during the night hours. He therefore apologized to his customers for unconvincing them and promised to rectify the situation.

LOCAL NEWS - 19.03.2014 - County wage bill being discussed in Turkana County Assembly

Turkana county finance and planning executive officer Ekuom Nabuin has said that the County’s wage bill will remain below 40 percent.Speaking along the sidelines of a public participation forum for the county fiscal strategy paper for the 2014/15 financial year in Lodwar, Nabuin said the ongoing recruitment of staff will not over burden tax payers because there exist a shortage of staff in the county. “What happened in Turkana is that when National Government posted staff to the County in the past, many of them were not coming and that is why we have the advantage of employing additional staff,” said Nabuin.

He termed the ongoing debate on reduction of National wage bill as healthy. Nabuin said that the debate should be encouraged so that Kenyans contribute on how to reduce wage bill.  Responding on calls to have some nominated positions abolished, he said that would require an amendment of the constitution. He said the County would include the public views in budget making and said the county government will raise issues that touch on National Government functions with the national government. He said this year’s county budget will be Kshs. 9.5 billion. He said the ministries of Roads, Health and Education will receive a lion’s share of the budget. He said the Ministry of Roads will receive more funds to ensure that the remote areas are opened up for development.

Local news - 18.3.14 - By Mary Tioko - Nakepokan Community Receives furniture donations from St. Andrew's Small Christian Community

The community of Nakepokan today received furniture for Masses celebrations from St. Andrews Small Christian community (SCC) of St. Augustine's Cathedral. Nakepokan is a village in Kapua location in Kalokol ward, Turkana Central District. The community was very much excited to see chairs and benches in their midst which they say will be used for all big functions in the area as the areas seems forgotten by the Political leadership which leaves them to turn their hopes in the catholic church for assistance. Addressing the Christians during his homily, the vicar General Fr. Joseph Ekalimon   encouraged them to be ready to share the little they have with one another especially during this Lenten period. He urged them to pray and fast in order to resist the works of the devil during these 40 days when the temptations are high so as to receive the fruits of Easter. He thanked St. Andrews Community for their generous efforts and urged them to keep helping others who need their help and nurture them in faith. Fr. Ekalimon further urged them to follow the example of Jesus Christ who resisted temptations through prayer keep off from bad behaviours that sway them away from the precepts of the lord. Elsewhere in the other outstation of Namerisinyen, the community seemed a forgotten lot that needs intervention in all aspects ranging from road network to education. The nursery school is there but due to lack of food in the school the teaching does not take place and primary school pupils are forced to walk long distance to the nearest schools for education while nursery school going age children remain with their mothers at home their lives remaining in the dark. This made some women present in the prayer afterwards to break in songs that relayed message of development within the county. Accompanying the vicar in these visit were Fr. Richard Mais of St. Augustine's cathedral and representatives of the St. Andrews community who promised to be visiting them and share a lot as one family of Christ and see how they can move forward together.

Local News - By Ken Simiyu - 17.03.2014 - IRC EMPOWERS WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE

The International Rescue Committee ( I. R. C] has started one week  training  of the community health workers  on Women Empowerment Program  at a guest House in Lodwar Town. During the training the HIV and AIDs counseling officer Gladys Muiga said that following the research that was done with the I R C in collaboration with AMREF which shows that women undergoes many challenges in the community without exposing it out  so they came up with W E P Program to help and protect women against Violent. The officer however added that the NGO came up with methodology with acronyms with the name Agro name SASA which means Start Awareness, Support Action (SASA) that shows the behavior change and development of skills towards Human relationship and Power balance in the Community. The participants were drawn from Kawalase, Napetet, Nakwamekwi, kawalase villages within Lodwar Township.

Local news - 17.3.14 - By Mary Tioko - Congratulations to St. Patrick's Fathers as they mark their feast day

The Catholic Diocese of Lodwar led by their bishop Dominic Kimengich congratulated the St. Patrick Fathers as they mark their feast day today. The secretariat prayed for them in their Monday morning mass that they can have more fruits in their work of evangelization and continue serving the Turkana community. Speaking to Akicha reporter today evening at Radio Akicha, his lordship Dominic Kimengich said that the efforts done by St. Patrick's missionaries in Diocese of Lodwar in the work of bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the county was an important spirit that needs to be emulated by all the young priests working in the Diocese of Lodwar. He said that the priests who have now grown old still continue serving the people of Turkana following the footsteps of the late Bishop Mahon who was the first St. Patrick's priests in the Diocese and lauded the work of the entire congregation.

We all join them to celebrate their work and pray that they have the peace of mind of heart and good will of serving the community. Congratulations to St. Patrick's congregation for your work.

Local news - 17.3.14 - By Mary Tioko - Catholic presence and Identity to be Promoted and Preserved in Catholic Sponsored Schools , Says Bishop.

The principals of the six secondary schools sponsored by the catholic Diocese of Lodwar have been informed to maintain the catholic identity in their various schools and uphold moral values of the Catholic Church. Addressing the Principals of the six schools today at Bethany Guest house Lodwar, the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar Bishop Dominic Kimengich said that catholic presence and identity has to be distinct in all the catholic Sponsored schools within Turkana County. Accompanying bishop in the meeting was the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar Education Secretary Fr. Ekai Linus Evans informed the principals present to adhere by the Catholic ethos and values in their respective schools by practically posting sign posts bearing the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar identity. The Principals present were from Turkana Girls secondary school, Lodwar High school, St. Kevins Secondary, Kakuma Boys Secondary, Katilu secondary and Our lady's Girls Secondary schools. The principals streamlined how they would improve the performances in their respective Schools and above all promote integral human development of the studens in-order to fit well in the society after their form four education. His lordship emphasized the need to pray together as one family in the individual schools to promote love and unity. He also said that he will appoint the schools chaplain soon who will take care of pastoral activities of the students in these schools thus promoting solidarity. He mentioned that good discipline results into good performance and encouraged the principal s present to keep up to the high standards of quality education. He thanked them for the good academic performance that were posted by the schools last year and urged them to work extra hard to improve the same this year. He encouraged them to share their challenges and spell out their expectations in the different schools. Present in the meeting were coordinators from the secretariat from Nurseries department, Adult Education Department and officer of Tullow scholarships program of the diocese who informed the principals to raise awareness on the requirements of these scholarships and encourage students to apply following the right channels of District Advisory committees. Bishop Kimengich also encouraged the principals to be aggressive in writing proposals to different donors to help fund projects in their individual schools.