It’s Games Time!

By Geoffrey Rumbe

The primary schools zonal ball games were held yesterday at Isinya primary school amid tight competition from the schools present, who took part in football, handball, volleyball and netball games as scheduled per the Ministry of education term one games whose vision is to nurture and enhance talent among school going children.

the crowd cheering

boys in action;handball

Some of the schools that made it possible for the games to take place were Isinya Primary, Top-ride Academy, St. Bernard and Musa Primary. All the schools had to come together to form a formidable team to compete with other teams created from other zones to play within Isinya district.

soccer time,girls can play too!

The girls and boys made a lovely performance in all the games trying to win the prestigious position of representing the zone at the district level. The teachers and the sports officials were on the look out to get the best to make up a good team.

the coach(Tr.Winnie) reacting to a squandered goal scoring chance

the penalts

When the curtains fell down on the games the hardest part came when selecting a good team for the district level. Some of the officials and teachers clashed on whom to pick and leave out. It was eminent that some of the best sports performers were left out creating a spark of emotions and exchange of words between the officials and teachers leaving the students amazed on what was taking place.

girls playing netball

The district competitions are expected to start by the end of this month and to run before schools finally close for term one holidays. Kudos for those who got the chance to be picked to represent this zone at the district level.

Community policing eight years down the lane

By Collins Shahonya

Community policing is a framework to counter insecurity launched by the immediate former president of the republic of Kenya Hon. Mwai Kibaki. It was launched as a pilot programme in Ruai, Nairobi. The program has been rolled out countrywide but with varying degrees of success.

As other areas lag behind, Isinya District has soared to greater heights making the dream of safer communities a reality. The success of community policing in Isinya has been attributed to Mr. Jeremiah Musumpai Ateti, the Chairman of Isinya District community policing.

Apart from being the Chairman of Isinya district community policing, Musumpai can be defined as a jerk of all trades; he is the chair of Isinya Peace committee, a village elder and he also a member of the constituency development fund committee.

Isinya district community policing Chairman Jeremiah Musumpai

Musumpai has a crème de la crème experience in matters relating to security, having served as a police officer for more than ten years. He took an early retirement from the police force to serve his community with diligence and willingness, thus giving back to his community.

“We have almost ten guiding values that have seen us succeed. These are accountability, inclusiveness, transparency, gender sensitivity and interaction between members and the public,” said Musumpai.

Musumpai said that community policing is a collaborative effort by the police and community that identifies problems of crime and disorder based on an assumption that police alone cannot control crime.

“We want to establish an active partnership between the police and the community for the purpose of realizing safer communities,” said Musumpai.

Musumpai said that community policing should not be confused with vigilantism and at the same time neither does it convey police powers to the members of the community policing committees.

Isinya community policing committees is made up of Chairman who is the community leader, co-chaired by the OCS (Officer In charge of a Station), a secretary, preferably a police liaison officer, an assistant secretary from the administration police and twelve to fifteen members from the ex-officio and stakeholders category.

Musumpai said that the person who was behind community policing was Robert Peel who discovered its effectiveness in the 1820’s. Though it was re discovered, modified, and re-introduced in the 1980’s

Musumpai said that he has now served in Isinya community policing committees for close to ten years. He said that for one to qualify to be selected he or she ought to be a Kenyan citizen over the age of eighteen years, a resident of that location for at least twelve months and a person of high integrity.

“To serve in the committee one must not have been convicted of a criminal offence for five years preceding his or her nomination.  One needs also to be influential and of a warm character,” said Musumpai.

He said that a person’s character should be able to win him allies all round. The person should also be trusted and respected rather than being feared.

He said that crime is a breach of one or more rules or laws for which some governing authority may prescribe punishment while an offence is an act, attempt or omission punishable by law.

Musumpai said that with his leadership they have been able to monitor crime trends, identify crime locations and find solutions to the local problems.

He said that they have been able to improve crime reporting as well as cultivating public spirit in assisting police in combating crime.

“We have been able to develop closer liaison between the police and the public, hereby improving their relationship and removing fear of police,” said Musumpai.

Musumpai said for this frame work to be sustained in the near future, facilitation is needed to hold meetings, pay fares and buy mobile air time.

“Our meager resources may not allow us to meet the expenses and we also need to be recognized and appreciated hence being a motivation for those volunteering in service for the sake of humanity,” Said Musumpai.

The COTU secretary general in Isinya

By Monica Soila & Sophia Suleiman

There was a workers meeting in Isinya on Sunday 2^nd of March, 2014, which was attended by COTU secretary general Francis Atwoli and area MP Hon. Peris Tobiko.

Majority of people around were not aware of the meeting but on seeing the tents mounted and the music, they formed a gathering. The meeting comprised of mostly flower farm workers from Isinya and  Athi River.People from Athi River were ferried by buses to the venue.

After the entertainment, speakers took to the stage one by one. Flower farms especially P.J Dave Flowers were heavily criticized for poor disposal of harmful chemicals, victimization of workers including poor pay among others. Corruption was termed as the biggest hurdle in addressing challenges facing the workers in the flower farms.Mr.Jonathan Ekai, area D.O was accused for allegedly being on P.J Dave’s payroll.

“These flower farms make millions in a day while those who work for them languish in poverty. Their licenses should be revoked if they don’t comply with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)”, said Meshack Khisa, from the office of COTU secretary general.

 

Mr. Francis Atwoli,COTU sec. general

The leaders spoke in one voice that something needs to be done to curb the impunity of these ‘rich men’, reffering to the proprietors and owners of flower farms. Those without the CBA form were given a seven day ultimatum whereby they risk losing their licenses and markets for their flowers.

Hon. Peris Tobiko

“I don’t have any court to sue them, a gun to shoot them or any other weapon for that matter, you are my only weapon; that is why I urge you to stand firm on this seven days strike”, said Mr. Atwoli.

 

during the meeting

Population influx has been evident especially in Majengo area, Isinya. It is in this regard that the area MP Hon.Tobiko has decided to put up a school in this area.

“My office has set aside Ksh 1000,000 to start building a school in Majengo”, she said.

As these events start to unfold, and with the attention from the outspoken COTU secretary general; one can only wait and see what comes of it and after how long.

A date with the sub-county agricultural officers

By Monica Soila

An agricultural stakeholder’s consultative meeting was held on Thursday 20^th  at the Maasai Discovery hotel in Kitengela; by the ministry of agriculture, livestock development and fisheries, aimed at finding ways of revamping livestock, fisheries and crop subsectors in the county.

extension officers

The public was given a podium to air their grievances and suggestions on their agricultural activities. It was such a positive opportunity for the farmers because they got to meet all the extension officers of the Isinya sub-county.

Most of the challenges aired by the farmers were similar across the sub-county: lack of enough land and pasture to graze livestock due to population growth, losses brought about by planting in the wrong season owing to lack of awareness on climate change.Defforestation and lack of information on water harvesting seemed a big challenge too. Other farmers stressed that the extension officers are never available when needed.

community during the meeting

Mr. David Nkirimpai, the area member of county assembly, who was also present, assured the meeting that all the challenges would be addressed without delay, however he cautioned the community on hasty selling of land in contention that it poses dangerous problems in the near future.

A change for the better

By Sophia Suleiman

Over the years Kajiado County has been resided by the Maasai people who are predominantly pastoralists. This seems not to be the case anymore due to the effects of climate change. Agriculturally, this region has a lot of potential due to the black cotton soil which favors most crops; and the population have since taken advantage and ventured into agriculture.

Today, a lot of agricultural activities are evident especially in Isinya sub-county; from flower production, to fruits and vegetables for export. There is also Kenchic limited, a big producer of chicken in the country at large. 

The biggest challenge facing agriculture in this area is water scarcity. Being an arid area, rainfall is not reliable therefore it becomes costly for most people to do farming; given that one has to drill a borehole for irrigation. Aside from that, the level of technology is low as the area is not quite urbanized. Lack of skilled labor is also a challenge.

Farmers and farmer groups are calling upon the county government to come up with strategies to deal with some of these issues facing agriculture in the area; since farming is the backbone of the county and country.

Dogs gone wild

 

By Monica Soila

On Saturday 8^th morning, in MRTC, Isinya, a sheepherder woke up to find his flock dead after being attacked by a pack of dogs from a neighboring boma.

a dead sheep

According to Mr.Mogira Kiseento, a watchman at MRTC, the sheepherder had sought refuge for the night as it was heavily raining; he was coming from Marempeti in Kitengela heading to Bissil.

The total number of the flock was 24 and now 13 were no more after being killed by the said dogs.

“hii si mara ya kwanza hisi maumbwa simefanya hifyo”, (this isn’t the first case about these dog) said the agitated watchman;”jusi walifamia kondoo sa ranch na wakauwa salasini na tatu”, (they attacked and killed 33 sheeps at the MRTC ranch, just the other day), he added.

a sheep killed by the dogs

The sheepherder, who was now considering reporting the matter to the Isinya police station, could not understand why legal action was not taken the first time this incidence occurred.

“Hii ni mbaya sana na ni hasara tupu,” (this is very bad and it’s a big loss) he said, after being silent for a long time.

A drastic measure needs to be taken by the relevant authority before this challenge gets out of hand. Livestock have been attacked by wild animals before or swept away by drought. This is obviously an added burden to the community which of course something can be done about it!