Digital solutions to define the future of quality healthcare
The African Union Agenda 2063 envisions a prosperous continent based on inclusive growth and sustainable development.
For this to happen, there is need to safeguard the citizens’ healthcare and food security. Governments have prioritised achieving universal healthcare access in their national development agenda but progress has been hindered by the lack of sufficient investment.
How to make your New Year resolutions stick in 2023
Creating a new year’s resolutions list has been a tradition that has gone on for decades. The basic theme of resolutions is becoming a better version of yourself by vowing to make the necessary changes right from the beginning of a new year.
Of late though, people have been calling out this tradition and we can understand why. Apparently, only 16 per cent of people keep up with what’s on their list while the rest fail.
Despite the criticism, having resolutions can actually help you improve your life significantly. They teach you how to be disciplined because if at the end of the year you haven’t made any effort, you’re the one who will have to deal with reality.
So, the solution might not be to completely ditch resolutions. You can make them stick by trying these suggestions:
Figure out the “why”
As you think of things you would want to change next year, reflect on your reasons for wanting that change. This is important because it’s what will add purpose to your resolutions.
If for example, you want to lose weight so that you can show your ex-boyfriend what he’s missing, your resolution won’t last that long. A better reason would be to lose weight because you truly want to be healthy and feel confidentQ
Activities in the beaches banned past 5pm
Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Salim Mvurya, has banned all activities along the beaches of the Indian Ocean past 5pm.
Addressing the media in Diani, Kwale County, Mvurya said swimming and boat rides in the ocean will not be allowed after 5pm.
The CS also warned boat operators to ensure their vessels are inspected and certified before they can be used for boat rides by holiday makers during the festive season.
“No boat shall be allowed to carry passengers on holiday in the Indian Ocean without life saver jackets and other safety gadgets. All boats must be inspected to ensure compliance before they are authorized for rides,” said Mvurya.
Mvurya said the Ministry and stakeholders in the tourism sector have put measures in place to ensure the safety of holiday goers along the Indian Ocean beaches.
Mvurya’s directive come in the wake of Sunday evening capsizing of a boat at the Jomo Kenyatta Public beach, popularly referred to as “Pirates beach,” where two people died through drowning at 5.40pm.
The deceased, Abdulshakur Haji, 55, and Mohamed Sabir, 35, are Memons and were in Mombasa for Christmas day merrymaking before the tragedy.
Churches preach hope, unity, ask Ruto to tackle high living cost
Messages of hope, peace and unity dominated speeches and sermons in Nyanza as thousands of residents flocked to churches to celebrate Christmas.
In Homa Bay, the clergy urged the government to fulfil its promise to reduce the cost of living
Homa Bay Catholic Diocese Vicar General Francis Lesso and Legio Maria Vicar General John Okumu of Pap Ndege Parish said they are concerned about the suffering many Kenyans are undergoing because of the high cost of living.
Fr Lesso lamented that while President William Ruto had promised to reduce the cost of living in his first 100 days in office, nothing has changed.
“During his campaigns ahead of the last General Election, the president promised Kenyans that his government will reduce the cost of living. It is therefore unfortunate that the situation has instead continued to worsen. Oil prices, which determine the cost of consumable goods, still continue to rise,” he said.
The priest urged the government to focus on how oil prices can be reduced and in the process reduce the cost of living.
Fr Okumu told President Ruto to fulfil the promises he gave Kenyans during his election campaigns
“Many people are afflicted by famine and the situation has been made worse by the high cost of living. It is time for Christmas celebrations but families have nothing to eat because of the difficult economic situation,” he said.
In Bondo, ODM leader Raila Odinga described the Christmas season as a period to reflect on the tough year the country has gone through.
Raila used his Christmas Day speech to sell hope to Kenyans, saying he was hoping for a better year.
He was speaking at Nyamira ACK in Bondo where he rallied Kenyans to join hands and support each other during the festive season.
“As a country, we have had tough times but as we head to the New Year, we are praying for better things,” said Raila.
He urged the church to use its influence to fight for justice.
Raila was accompanied by Siaya Governor James Orengo, Senator Oburu Oginga, former Governor Cornel Rasanga and Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda.
In Migori County, Christians congregated in various churches to give thanks and celebrate Christmas.
At St Joseph Ombo Catholic Church, hundreds of believers sat patiently as Fr Jacob Oyugi preached about perseverance and belief in God.
The priest told the congregants how the world loved darkness and they should accept God’s light.
He asked them to remember all the gifts the Lord has blessed them with and share with others who lack.
“We cannot say we are celebrating Christmas when we cannot make someone smile, even your enemy,” Fr Oyugi said.
He told the congregants that when they love their enemies, the light of the Lord will shine in their lives.
Believers who attended the 11am service said they were happy for the day, despite the challenges they faced.
Beatrice Awuor, a resident of Migori town, said despite how unbearable life had become, she got the strength to attend the church service and celebrate Christmas.
“I am very happy we have been able to meet as Christians. We believe that no matter how difficult it is, it is well with God,” Ms Awuor said.
Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary General Akello Misori, who attended the service, wished teachers a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
He urged them to be patient as they waited for deliberations that would take place between them and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over the anxiety related to the promotion of teachers.
Misori said a decision by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to pull down an advert they had placed on promotion of teachers was discriminatory
Let’s tackle illicit trade head on
The recent crackdown on various forms of illicit goods revealed the extent to which criminal networks have proliferated across the country and posed a threat to the lives and safety of all citizens.
The initiative has unearthed many illicit products, among them pharmaceutical products, cosmetics, and alcoholic products, as reported in the media
According to the National Baseline Survey on Counterfeit and Other Forms of Illicit Trade in Kenya released in 2020 by the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), the total value of illicit trade was Sh826 billion in 2018, a 14 per cent increase from Sh726 billion in 2017.
In terms of their GDP share, this represents an increase from 8.9 per cent in 2017 to 9.3 per cent in 2018. Currently, ACA estimates that the numbers have hit more than Sh1 trillion this year.
Illicit trade is a longstanding grave issue, that has grown in scope and magnitude and is derailing economic development.
Citizens and legitimate businesses bear the burden of illicit trade. For instance, entrepreneurs spend more resources to protect their products and services, whereas citizens not only spend money without value from counterfeits but are exposed to potential health risks posed by such products and services.
Illicit trade manifests itself in six major and interrelated ways – smuggling, transit fraud or dumping, trade in prohibited goods or products, illicit cash flows, human and wildlife trafficking, trade in small arms and light weapons and counterfeiting, piracy and substandard goods.
Help China to deal with new Covid-19 outbreak
It appears China is back to square one in regard to Covid-19. Millions of people are said to have been infected since the country lifted its zero-Covid policy last month following protests by the public against strict lockdowns.
According to Bloomberg News, almost 250 million people could have been infected in the first 20 days of this month. That, on average, is 12.5 million people every day.
Keep off politics, Raila Odinga asks church
ODM leader Raila Odinga has criticized the church over what he considers their deep involvement in politics and termed it a threat to democracy and good governance.
In his Christmas day message at Nyamira ACK church in Bondo Siaya County, Raila condemned a section of the country’s religious leadership whom he says are out to impress the government at the expense of promoting democratic ideals.
Raila believes some rogue church officials are part of the problem the country is experiencing and wants them to stick to their role of uniting the country and preaching for justice.
I was saddened to see the leadership of our Anglican church asking the politicians particularly those of Azimio who had petitioned the elections because of the rigging that they must withdraw the petitions as supposedly in the interest of the communal unity. Shame!” Raila said.
Raila called on the church to be very cautious of political leaders keen to use the church for their own selfish gains.
“The church must not discrete the pulpit by allowing politicians to use churches for purposes of political agitation. Church should never be used as a political platform. We never go to the churches to play politics,” he said.
He challenged the church to use its influence to fight for justice.
Raila was accompanied by Governor James Orengo, former governor Cornel Rasanga, Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda as well as Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga.
He also expressed optimism that the New Year 2023 will be a better one for Kenyans saying that the year 2022 has been a difficult one for Kenyans owing to various economic and social challenges that they have had to contend with.
“Kenyans have been through difficult period, it was the end of Covid 19 but then also these period we’ve had several disasters, famine have uplifted many people in our society dying because of hunger” Raila said.
He expressed optimism that the coming year will be a better one for Kenyans.
Leaders reflect on the year, give Kenyans hope in Christmas messages
President William Ruto on Saturday urged wananchi to take advantage of the rains and plant more trees to protect the environment
In his Christmas message, Dr Ruto called on Kenyans to take up his challenge as a show that they care for themselves, humanity and the earth.
“We as a generation have an obligation to stop environmental destruction, prevent the loss of biodiversity and protect the integrity of the earth ecosystem,” said Ruto
Speaking at the State Lodge in Eldoret, the president said the birth of Jesus Christ changed the world. The president was accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto.
Ruto said his prayer was that every Kenyan strives to live up to the spirit of this season – the spirit of goodwill among all people.
“Let us look out for each other. As we celebrate the divine gift of our Lord and Savior, let us also reflect on the deeper significance of his miraculous path and the lessons in the place and timing of his path, which is much more than a standard expectant couple,” said the president.
Sakaja to DP Gachagua: I am not a pushover
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has insisted he will remain steadfast in implementing what is for the common good, telling off big men, cartels and voices of impunity to look elsewhere for another county to capture.
Appearing to respond to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s ominous warning that he should slow on implementing bylaws that might persecute Mt Kenya community, Mr Sakaja in his Tuesday evening interview on Royal Media Services said “there are certain things we cannot compromise on…it is about a stand, sticking to it and providing leadership”.
Tellingly, Mr Sakaja said “there is a deep state in terms of statecraft…There are few people who make certain decisions…few individuals who have great influence over billions in resources…but state capture can never be louder than the voice of the people. We have the rule of law”.
