Community led emergency response plan launched to deal with increased cases of gender violence

Community led emergency response plan launched to deal with increased cases of gender violence

Unreported cases of gender violence against women in Kajiado County is on the increase, locals have  little information on how gender violence has contributed to the situation, concerned authorities have done little in ensuring that locals  especially women and communities are educated on how to handle the cases when disaster strikes.

Antony Kariuki, Nekesa Jurian and Nancy Sitima (r)director Forum for Women in Development, Democracy and Justice share notes on unreported cases of gender violence in Kajiado County.

Community led emergency response plan launched to deal with increased cases of gender violence

Unreported cases of gender violence against women in Kajiado County is on the increase, locals have  little information on how gender violence has contributed to the situation, concerned authorities have done little in ensuring that locals  especially women and communities are educated on how to handle the cases when disaster strikes.

According to Hellen Njoroge who heads Women Gender Violence Recovery Centre in Nairobi Women Hospital cases of gender violence are still high, many people affected do not report for action to be taken.

Njoroge says that many cases of gender violence occur in slums and therefore much needs to be done protect the victims.

Many development actors and policy makers do not view violence against women ,girls and children during emergencies as an issue that warrants urgent reponse,the perspective have forced a Community Based Organization Forum for Women in Development, Democracy and Justice launch a community led emergency programme to address the issue.

According to the CBO programs manager Nancy Sitima the outreach and advocacy programme on Gender Based Violence Emergency  Response and preparedness will address challenges that have made life difficult for vulnerable persons especially women, girls and children.

With capacity building support from International Rescue Committee the organization had launched its first training program in Ngong targeting 25 health service providers from four health centres.

Speaking in Ngong, the officer said that most reported vulnerabilities reported is sexual abuse and exploitation which has led physical and emotional trauma. Women and girls are the most affected since they are the primary caregivers for their families.

“Communities should be prepared and equipped with information and tools on how they can strengthen their GBVs response mechanisms at the lowest level of community structures to better protect women, girls and children from further harm,” she says.

The program will enhance the capacity of local community to develop an effective and responsive emergency response plan on gender based related violence. It will also equip communities, service providers, authorities and policy makers to enhance their knowledge on how to better develop protective mechanisms to ensure social structure is not disrupted due to risks posed to women, girls and children during emergencies

KAJIADO COUNTY LAND FOR SALE,HOUSE FOR SALE text 0717 932 878

Kajiado County Land for Sale.
COUNTY PROPERTY LIMITED PO.BOX 453 NBI

Reformed drug addict journey to freedom

Reformed drug addict  journey to freedom

By Obegi Malack

Reformed drug addict George Kaniaru with Journalist Sheilla Mwanyiga.

When reformed drug addict George Kaniaru was a Standard 7 pupil, he had no idea that the cigarette sticks he was introduced to by a classmate would turn his life upside down for the next 14 years.

The 40-year-old Kiserian resident who is now the CEO of the Family Stability Focus Foundation, says that he knew little about drugs because he grew up without parents who would have guided him on important lessons in life.

After years of smoking all types of cigarettes, he advanced to more portent substance such as bhang.  When he joined high school, he graduated into  drug peddling. He plied his lethal trade in Nairobi schools where he recruited more students and pupils into the vice.

“I used to hide several rolls of bhang behind the school fence and I would direct the pupils and students who had paid in advance for the substance” says Kaniaru.

Several arrests by law enforcers did not stop him from his drug habits. He was later introduced to heroin by a girlfriend who later died from drug overdose.  He later expanded his flourishing business to the Nairobi Streets where he did brisk trade for three years.

His heroine and bhang smoking destroyed his life as he became more and more dependent on the substances.

Because he could no longer make money from drug trafficking owig to his condition, he started selling his house hold things to sustain and fund his drug addiction.

“I used to spend Sh800 per day in Nairobi streets to buy drugs in 1996. My parents would visit me with gifts urging me to go back home but they failed in their mission,” he said.

He was later put in handcuffs and forcefully taken to Asumbi Rehabilitation Centre in Nyanza where he spent six months.

“I did not sleep for three weeks in the rehabilitation center because I was suferng from severe withdrawal symptoms,” he said adding nobody visited him but he learnt a lot at the center .

He said his father who was also a drug addict stopped the habit after he came home sober from the centre.

His drug addiction was the cause of his inability to remain employed. He once worked with Bata Company but was sacked because he could not devote his time working for the firm. He later joined Kenya Breweries but resigned after a short time after the drugs made it impossible for him to carry out his responsibilities as an employee.

Kaniaru’s knowledge on drug abuse learned from Asumbi Rehabilitation Center and suffering on drugs for more than 14 years ushered him to rehabilitation field. With a number of courses on counseling from different institutions latest being Nazarene University he has been able to save many from drug addiction.

He is among the few Kenyans who have greatly contributed to rehabilitating many drug addicts in the county.

He has a total of five rehabilitation centers around the county.

“Different approach should be used in fighting alcohol and drug addiction,” he said adding Muthuto laws will never help in fighting alcohol and drug abuse.

The former drug addict said people should be educated on the effects of drugs and made to accout for their money and time.

He said addicts should be monitored at all times and asked questions that can jolt them into taking control of their lives once again.

“Ask them these simple questions, “Have you bought food for your family….have you paid school fees,  have you paid your loan…

“Such questions, says Kaniaru  makes them think twice before spending a lot on drinks, drugs and other substances,” he says.

He says that more energy should be put  on raising  awareness on drug abuse rather than restricting people on drinking hours.

“The barmaids should be trained on how to counsel people because many addicts and alcoholics spend people long hours in bars,” he says.

Kaniaru is among the founders of  Mass Initiation Programs in churches aimed at discouraging youth from drugs. The program also educates youth on how they can leave their lives as better and productive citizens.

The family Stability Foundation which Kaniaru heads has trained more than 3,000 people In Kajiado North and Kajiado West on issues related to alcoholism and drug abuse. The foundation is funded by MP Joseph Manje who donates 10% of his salary to help educate, train and rehabilitate affected people.

The training duration is three months after which some of the trainees are supported financially in setting up businesses.

source County Press

Maasai women invade Kibiko town to flash out wayward husbands

Maasai women invade Kibiko town  to flash out  wayward husbands

By Obegi Malack

Maasai women traders

More than hundred Maasai women from Kajiado West recently invaded Kibiko shopping Centre near Ngong destroying property  worth half a million.

The irate women were on a mission to free their randy husbands from the warm embraces of there concubines and other lovers at the center.

The angry women stoned bars and shops in the Centre pouring out several crates of beers before crashing beer drums worth thousands of shillings. After the mayhem, shops and bars owners were left counting their losses.  Others were seen trying to repair shattered windows and doors that tasted the women’s wrath.

Barmaids and bar owners ran for dear life as the women descended on them with all manner of weapons.

The women claimed that some women operating in the centre were trapping their husbands into having illicit affairs.

“Today we want to show them that what they are doing by breaking up other people’s marriages is not good,” said an angry woman wielding a huge stick ready to discipline the barmaids.

The women complained that their husbands spend all their money on barmaids and girlfriends leaving their families without any money for fees and food.

They said, some of the men had sold land and livestock and instead of investing or using the money in ventures that  will benefit their families, they take off to the embraces of the barmaids.

“We are tired of this behavior and we want our men back in our homes,” shouted another one.

One of the women said their men no longer fulfill their marital responsibilities such as  conjugal rights because they sleep with the women at the centre.

A Maasai shopkeeper in the centre said although her shop was affected by the chaos caused by the women hunting for husband snatchers in the centre, she fully supported the women’s cause because they were fighting for their rights.

“How can a man sell his cow or land and take all the money to the ladies of the night leaving his family without anything to eat?”  said the shopkeeper whose shop’s window was among those shattered wondered, adding that the men have gone wild as they sleep around with prostitutes as if they have no responsibilities whatsoever.

She said many children have been forced to cut short their education because of irresponsible parents who divert their income to prostitutes.

One of the bar owners,  Thabitha Wanjiru  lost beer and other property valued at Sh200, 000. She denied claims that barmaids were behind immorality in the town.

“My bar worker is a man. How can a man take their husbands,” she asked.

Wanjiru vowed to take action against the women who invaded her premises saying she knows them all.

The businesswoman who has operated in the area for more than 15 years said that some wayward Maasai men  party in Ngong and Kiserian day and night whenever they have money in their pockets.

She pointed out that no one forces the men to use their money as they wish because they are adults of sound minds.

Wanjiku however said, there is more than meets the eye in the manner in which the women were attacking businesses owned by people from a certain community.

“I believe they want to kick some of us out of this place or to stop them from carrying out their businesses in the area.” she said.

Another bar owner who identified himself as Jim Montet said he lost property worth Sh100,000.

An angry Montet  said  the women were wrong in attacking bars and shops as they destroyed property of innocent people saying they should all be prosecuted by taking the law into their own hands.

“Why did they invade bars instead of lodgings where their men spend nights and days with prostitutes,”she said.

He said that  only four women work as barmaids in the town and they  have nothing to do with luring other women’s men to their bosoms.

Montet warned the women to desist from breaking the law accusing them of being drunkards who pretend to be holier than thou.

The women were accused of escaping with several bottles of beer after they attacked the bars.

Some of the eyewitnesses said, the women were seen sipping the beer and some were already drunk by the time they were leaving the centre after visiting mayhem on innocent businessmen and women.

“They destroyed everything in my shop. All my electronic devices such as television sets and others were smashed by the women,” said Ole Tungei, one of the affected bar owners.

Later after the storm was over, the women invaders, their husbands, youths and affected business people were invited to a meeting by Kajiado North sub-county Deputy County Commissioner Peter Ole Matunga who condemned their actions warning them of dire consequences if they ever repeated the act.

He said  those who destroyed property will be arrested after investigations.

Matunga said business people should be given a conducive environment to operate their businesses  because  they are licensed.

He said  soon, all bars will be forced to operate according to Muthuto laws.

Area chiefs who attended the meeting condemned the demonstration and demanded that the women apologize to the affected businessmen.

//County News

Monitor children on social networks

Monitor children on social networks

By Obegi Malack

The long holidays are finally here and parents have been advised to be careful on information their children are feeding on from the internet.

Media personality, Alex Chamwanda said that many children have unfettered access to devices such as mobile phones and computers that present them with multiple avenues to social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

He added the social networks are teeming with all manner of bullies who could subject their little ones to a new phenomenon known as cyber-bullying that can drive young people to suicide and other sub-cultures.

“The internet is a quick resource of information for many people and it has transformed the way people communicate globally with one another,” he said adding that anybody, including criminals  can take part in online conversation and lure innocent children into crime.

He observed that companies operating social media sites have not come up with measures to put restriction on age limits of people who access their sites.

He said that many gullible children could end up chatting with pedophiles out to exploit them sexually and advised parents to promote teenagers online safety by monitoring what they do with their communication devices.

Speaking during a graduation ceremony at Serare High School in Kajiado North Sub-County,  Chwamwada said that children must to be protected from negative influence of the Internet.

The former Citizen TV journalist who is now involved in Independent Content Production said that parents and guardians should ensure that their children are involved in sports activities, which he said nurtures them  into great leaders.

“My child is in Ligi Ndogo nurturing his football skills. I therefore, urge my fellow parents to follow suit  by  supporting their children and ensuring that they are involved in sports activities,” he said.

Serare Schools’ Director,  Rose Montet echoed Chamwada’s sentiments saying that  children needed to be  nurtured by being allowed to participate in sports activities adding that nurturing children requires commitment, sacrifice and lots of  love.

The institution’s Principal Rachel Mbugua called on parents to be there for their children during this festive season adding that all children,  irrespective of their social backgrounds,  need parental guidance.

Source , County Press