The Kwale County Assembly has approved an additional budget of sh.25 million to improve services at Msambweni Referral Hospital.
According to Ramisi ward MCA Ms. Hanifah Mwajirani, the referral hospital needs a facelift and improvement of medical care at the hospital.
She also said the money will also be used to private security guards at the hospital.
Mwajirani also indicated that the sheriffs would work with county police to tackle rampant robberies at the hospital.
Fuel pump prices will remain unchanged.
In the new review released by Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority fuel prices will remain meaning fuel prices have only dropped by two shillings in three months.
“In accordance with Section 101(y) of the Petroleum Act 2019 and Legal Notice No.192 of 2022 Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has calculated the maximum retail prices of petroleum products which will be in force from 15th December 2022 to 14th January 2023,” read a statement from EPRA.
Also read: Fuel prices down by a shilling
Super Petrol will still sell at sh.177.30 per litre in Nairobi and sh.174.98 in Mombasa. Diesel pump prices per litre in Nairobi remain at sh.162.00 and 156.76 in Mombasa. Kerosene will continue to sell at sh.145.94 in Nairobi and 143.69 in Mombasa.
“The prices are inclusive of the 8% VAT in line with the provisions of the Finance Act 2018, the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act 2020 and the revised rates for excise duty adjusted for inflation as per Legal Notice No. 194 of 2020,” read the statement from EPRA.
Coast and Nyanza regions’ efforts to combat Malaria on Wednesday were boosted following the launch of a solar-powered insecticide-free mosquito trapping system.
The system was launched into the Kenyan market this year by global energy and services group Engie Energy Access and Dutch-based social enterprise PreMal, as an innovative solution to fight Malaria
The system, MTego, involves an outdoor mosquito trap designed to capture Malaria carriers without using insecticides before they enter the home.
“Malaria causes an enormous drain on African economies, with countries spending huge sums of resources for the control of malaria – resources that could have been devoted to other productive sectors,” said Engie Energy Access Kenya Country Director Fredrick Noballa.
Noballa said that the new vector control technology is affordable, leverages clean energy, and is a game-changer for livelihoods in rural areas where the disease is prevalent.
“To achieve malaria elimination in the country, we must empower households to acquire long-term sustainable solutions. MTego is a critical innovative enabler with a sizeable effectiveness radius that will keep the insects away and in effect end malaria and help Kenyans focus on income-generating activities and their welfare,” said Noballa.
PreMal co-founder Lorenzo Fiori explained that the odour-baited trap replicates human characteristics to attract mosquitoes. The technology employs a counter-airflow principle which uses an electric fan to create suction and emit a plume of odour.
“What this technology does is that it mimics human odour to lure host-seeking malaria mosquitoes which prevent them from flying indoors. The mosquitoes follow the odour plume to the source and, on approach, are sucked into a catch-pot and killed by dehydration,” said Fiori.
When optimally placed, the 12V-powered MTego has an attractive range of 100m2.
The bio-inspired environmental solution is a synthetic odour based on components present in human sweat. It is highly attractive to all human-biting mosquitoes, but imperceptible to human beings.
“Cutting down mosquito population and fewer mosquito bites reduces the risk of transmission of malaria,” added Fiori.
The system was launched in the Coastal and Nyanza regions as they are Malaria prevalent with insecticide-treated bed nets being the main preventive tool.
The latest report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that the number of deaths caused by Malaria in Kenya increased from 11,768 in 2020 to 12,011 in 2021.
This even as the number of Malaria cases in the country rose by over 100,000, said the WHO findings named World Malaria Report which also further showed that Kenya’s malaria load accounted for about 1.3 per cent of the world’s malaria cases, the bulk of which emanate from Nyanza and Coastal regions.
Mombasa County government will conduct an audit to weed out ghost workers.
Governor Abdulswamad Sherrif Nassir said that the ghost workers earn a monthly salary even though they are not registered as employees in the County government register.
Nassir said his government has been losing billions of shillings paying ghost workers, a situation that has affected the county coffers negatively.
“It’s not right that some workers work tirelessly while others don’t work. We must conduct an audit so that when we use half a billion shillings on staff salaries monthly, we know whom we are paying”, he said.
Meanwhile, Nassir has promised to solve the issue of delayed salaries for county employees once and for all.
He was speaking at the launch of the BIONEAR digital laboratory in Mombasa.
The BIONEAR laboratory will make it possible to deliver health services to communities in rural areas and even improve the health sector in Mombasa County.
The Laboratory will be used for Covid-19, HIV and Aids, and TB tests.
Former Kenyan star Martin Imbalambala will join Kenya Footballers Welfare Association [KEFWA] after graduating on Friday from The Kenya Society for the Blind (KSB) in Nairobi.
The 33-year-old revealed he had gone blind, which abruptly ended his football career and was inducted into the Kenya Society for the Blind (KSB) so as to undergo rehabilitation for six months.
Imbalambala also taught Braille to learn how to read, write and communicate using devices like the Dot Watches.
His Key roles in the committee will include representing the welfare of People With Disabilities (PWDs).
Apart from Ingwe Imbalambala also represented Nakumatt fc, Bidco and Vihiga united in the Kenya Premier League top tier.
Harambee Starlet forward Mbeyu Esse Akida has clinched the women’s Greece league top Scorer award of the season.
The FC PAOK Thessaloniki star used her Facebook page to express her feelings about getting the award and being recognized for her brilliant performance.
“First allow me to thank the people of Greece and the entire PSAPP who made this happen and I want to thank those who made this possible for recognizing our efforts in a game that is predominantly dominated by men,” she said.
This is not her first time emerging as a top Scorer, the former Thika Queens attacker was awarded top scorer for the 2016 COTIF Women’s Football Tournament in Valencia, Spain.
The 30-year-old joined the Greek side in 2021 after spending one year in Turkey while she was representing Beşiktaş J.K.
Akida has found the net 17 times in her 18 appearances with her famous number 14 shirt with PAOK.
The Kilifi-born forward dedicated the award to her family after receiving it.
“I want to thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me and pray that we win more things together in the coming years,” she stated.
At least 20 people were arrested on Thursday in a joint overnight operation by the Mombasa County inspectorate and police, against alcohol dealers flouting licensing regulations.
The operation, carried out in Bamburi and Kisauni areas at night, saw dozens of bars and liquor stores shut as operators were bundled into waiting County trucks.
A county official who led the operation said the crackdown targeted alcohol dealers who were operating without current business licenses and permits, and therefore denying the County government the necessary revenue.
‘We had a meeting with the alcohol dealers and agreed that they ensure they are compliant in regards to licenses within two weeks, which already elapsed,’ the official, identified only as Halima, said at the Nyali police station where those arrested were booked.
“We found that some dealers had been operating for as long as two or more years without renewing their licenses,” Halima added.
Those arrested are expected to be arraigned in court today, Friday.
The operation is set to continue and will cover more areas including Changamwe and Likoni, she said.
Mombasa county government, through newly elected governor Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir, is seeking to seal revenue loopholes and increase collections, as it battles huge unpaid bills including staff salaries and suppliers.
Mombasa County Nominated Senator Miraj Abdullahi now wants the community to pinpoint all crime suspects in the community.
This is aimed at addressing the challenge of insecurity in some parts of the county.
“The community should mention all these youth suspected of having committed a criminal offense,’’ noted the vocal senator.
Miraj says the move will also ensure that those suspected of committing crimes are apprehended.
She further noted that the move will ensure that suspects are molded into becoming useful members of the community.
“How do you feel if one of your family members is lynched by a ruthless mob? Whatever happened in Junda is pathetic,’’ she said.
Miraj urged the community to devise a proper mechanism to combat criminals.
Her sentiments come days after three suspects were lynched by a mob in Junda ward, Kisauni sub-county.
In a separate incident in Bilima area within Kisauni, two suspected criminals were killed on Wednesday morning after allegedly attacking a resident with a machete.
You will likely not eat meat this festive season or find it very expensive if you are in Mombasa County.
Mombasa County is facing a meat shortage in the markets known for selling meat.
At Marikiti market in Mombasa Town, traders have decried low business saying they don’t have meat to sell.
Speaking exclusively to Baraka FM, Marikiti Traders Association chair Arif Bagazan, said they hardly receive any meat from Mariakani slaughterhouse.
Gbazan says they are experiencing a shortage of beef and mutton.
“Sometimes we get beef to sell, sometimes we don’t. As we speak, I can confidently say we might be facing a meat shortage in Mombasa”, he said.
He also wants customers to bare with new prices saying supply and demand dictate the prices.
“ Don’t complain because we have no option but to increase our prices of beef and mutton”, he stated.
Marikiti market supplies meat to most households in Mombasa town, butcheries and eateries.
After four dozen group matches and eight eliminators and 17 days of action, the 2022 Qatar FIFA world cup will take a break for two days before returning to the last eight.
Top teams like Germany and Belgium were already eliminated in the group stage while the Round of 16 saw 2010 champions Spain crashing out after a defeat to Morocco on penalties.
Giants like France, Brazil, Portugal, and England have booked their qualification into the last 8 with convincing results.
Morocco remains the only country to represent Africa in the World Cup so far since the other four (Ghana, Tunisia, Senegal and Cameroon) are already out.
Achraf Hakimi booked the Atlas lions’ first-ever quarter-finals with one of the great major tournament penalties on Tuesday against Spain.
Morocco will now face another difficult task against Portugal on Saturday as the semi-final headache is against Cristiano Ronaldo’s side.
2010 finalists Netherlands will face two-time champions Argentina, and five-time champions Brazil will battle against 2018 runners-up Croatia.
Defending champions France will face England.
England vs France showdown is arguably the most exciting contest in the quarter-finals, while Argentina vs Netherlands battle is also expected to be a tightly-contested one.
Some exciting contests await in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup from where only 4 teams will go through to the semi-finals.
December 9th, Friday: Croatia vs Brazil in Education City Stadium
December 10th, Saturday: Netherlands vs Argentina in Lusail Stadium
December 10th, Saturday: Portugal vs Morocco in Al Thumama Stadium
December 11th, Sunday: England vs France in Al Bayt Stadium.
