KIRINYAGA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LAUNCHES ITS STRATEGIC PLAN,QMS AND SERVICE CHARTER.

KIRINYAGA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LAUNCHES ITS STRATEGIC PLAN,QMS AND SERVICE CHARTER. JANE MUGAMBI 18TH JULY 2014. Kirinyaga university college on Thursday evening launched a five year strategic plan, the service charter and the ISO9001:2008 and the Quality management systems manual. Being the only public university in the county, region will use the three documents to give quality, equitable training for Kenyan manpower that is demanded by vision 2030. Council chairman Gideon Hanjari the documents fulfils the purpose in setting out the university strategic objectives for the five year period as well as reviewing and monitoring developments in the mandated area of provision of university education. Hanjari also said that the strategic plan will provide a clear picture of the university’s assessment of the factors that are affecting the education sector, the plan will also harmonise with the objectives of the second Medium term plan(MTPII) for the period 2013-2018 and the country’s economic blue print. He also said that the council is committed to improving the provision of the university’s education to ensure relevance, equity and technology transfer through sustainable development. The chairman also said that they want to produce fully trained, vibrant manpower to ensure a strong support structure for the economic development in the realization of vision 2030. "Ás the council we want to have a team of students who can handle their jobs after graduating, this will add the manpower in the country in the realization of vision 2030”said Hanjari. The development and execution of the strategic plan is projected to require 4.9billion so as to address the strategic objectives outlined, top training facilities and attraction and retention of competitive faculty for successful accomplishment. Hanjari was first to point out that race, religion should not be manner in denying any student or lecturers from Kenya admission or a chance to do their work citing that team work is what is needed in capacity building. University Principal Mrs. Mary Ndung’u said the they are ready to follow the three documents to improve education in the university. Ends….

FORESTS GRABED IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY

FOREST GRABBED. Kirinyaga County government has used over 300,000/- fencing its 2 county forests in Kirinyaga County avert land grabbing. The two Kerugoya urban forest and Karimandu forest in Kanyekiini location were fenced after encroachment for years in the 12.9Ha. According to environment CEC Dr Joseph Muthike they fenced to protect the indigenous rain forest which is there and also exotic trees that are there. He also said that the forest has been threatened for a longtime by encroachment and also land grabbing which is very prime. Muthike went on to say that the county government is keen in conserving the forest and also rehabilitate farmed patches within the forest areas. He said that fencing is going to be done in phases whereby 2017 it will be completed so as to protect it from land grabbers and the encroachers. “When we took over the 2 forests that are in Kerugoya town, we came to learn that there are some private developers who already had encroached the forest, we are fencing to avoid more encroachment so as to conserve and also rehabilitate them” said Muthike. The CEC also added that there are individuals who are claiming ownership of pieces of land within the forest saying the county government is not recognizing the ownership unless they have authentic documents or allotment letters. HE also said anyone who disputes the fencing of the forest exercise in protecting it present valid title deeds from the lands ministry where they will seek guidance from the National Lands commission. Muthike said that the final plan will be to convert the forest into an eco-tourism site and manage it with the local community and also do a forest management plan so as to conserve the rich species diversity of the forest. “As the ministry we want to make the forests into eco-tourism sites and manage them with local community, also conserve the rich species“ he added. In the near future, the ministry also has plans to construct board walks so that there is minimum impact by people who will be visiting the forest for education purposes. He said that since the ministry has received zero allocation of funds in the 2014/2015 budget in conserving these sensitive urban echo forest system ,he is appealing partnership with conservative bodies to partner with the county government in protecting and restoring the forest. Ends…

MUTIRA COFFEE FACTORY IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY PROCESSING,PACKAGING TIRA COFFEE AS A WAY TO INCREASE INCOME TO MEMBERS.

MUTIRA COFFEE FACTORY IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY PROCESSING,PACKAGING TIRA COFFEE AS A WAY TO INCREASE INCOME TO MEMBERS. JANE MUGAMBI 2ND JULY 2014. Mutira Farmers cooperative society in Kirinyaga County has embarked on a value addition project to increase payout to their coffee farmers in Kirinyaga Central constituency. According to Cecily Wangui the secretary manager in the society, said that they are processing and packing their coffee so as to help their farmers earn more money. She also said that the coffee is packed in 100gms packets and sold for 100/- from the factory with a brand name Tira Finest coffee. Wangui went on to say that they outsource the processing and branding as they are in the process of buying their own machines in the future citing a burden to the already burdened farmers by the little they get after deductions. “Tira Finest coffee is processed, packed by us Mutira farmers as a way to increase income to our farmers who are getting peanuts after the deductions. though we are outsourcing the processing services, we are embarking on having our own milling machines in the future to also cut down the cost being incurred through the outsource process” said Wangui. She also said that at the auction in floor the prices are very low citing that own packaging will double payment making profit to members and also farmers to get their own produce, also be proud of their product. Wangui also said 90% is exported and only 3% is left for consumption citing that if other factories can take a bold step in processing and packaging then their farmers will benefit. The secretary manager also added that research has shown that coffee is a cure to diabetes 2 and also an antioxidant, takers become more energetic urging farmers to consume their locally made coffee so as to promote it. ends...

KIRINYAGA COUNTY ASSEMBLY ADAPTS THE APPROPRIATION BILL WITHOUT AMENDING IT.

KIRINYAGA COUNTY ASSEMBLY ADAPTS THE APPROPRIATION BILL WITHOUT AMENDING IT. JANE MUGAMBI 4TH JULY 2014. Kirinyaga County assembly on Thursday evening adapted the county government appropriation bill,2014 in the second reading without the amendments that had been placed by the governor Joseph Ndathi after he declined to sign it. According to budget and appropriation committee chairman David Mathenge the county assembly adapted the appropriation bill 2014/2015 citing that there were no proposals from the executive. Mathenge also noted that the executive is not yet advised on budget making process which starts on 15th February saying that there is a fight between the assembly and the executive. “madam speaker the CEC Finance is not well conversant in budget making, this shows that there is a fight between the assembly and the executive” Mathenge said. Gudson Muchina Thiba ward representative said that CEC finance knows that there are two arms of budget allocation where they had scrutinized last year’s budget which acted as a guideline where the CEC did not present budgetary proposals. Gudson also added that the public finance management bill, the executive must know there are timelines that must be followed. Budget vice chairman John Mwai said that the amendments are requested after the budget has been passed, saying the CEC must understand that the county was curved from two counties(Embu and Nyeri) where the allocation is not sufficient. “Madam being the vice chair in the budget committee I can say that whatever the county is given is not enough, our county was curved from two counties making it hard to do development for insufficient funds” said Mwai. He also said that being the PAC chairman, they are going to investigate how the county government was able to withdraw 30 million shillings without the approval of the county assembly saying that executive is disrespecting them. Jennifer Wanjiru who was opposed cited that MCA’s are overspending funds through foreign trips where she said as part of the recommendations, the assembly was supposed to reduce trips.”I don’t agree with the report, Madam speaker we have been in the media for overspending on foreign trips which should be reduced, we are using 70 Million on trips which can be used for development” Jeniffer said. Deputy speaker Kinyua Mutugi, added his voice saying that what the governor had returned for review was a crafted budget which did not explain how n where they will take the money, had not been captured in last year budget where projects that had been stated were not included in 2014/2015 budget citing as MCA’s their role is to be with Wanjiku who are supposed to benefit from the money and not be given to the executive. “The executive has been using money without the approval of the assembly supply chain, in last year’s allocation, the executive withdrew 10 million when only 3 million had been allocated, time has come when the county assembly must stop being used as a rubber stamp” deputy speaker added. Adopting the bill, the speaker Ann Wangechi told the house that it (bill) will be sent to the executive within 14 days where the same will be sent to the controller of budget as it was supported by 2/3 in the house as per the standing order 49 of the county assembly. The issues that the governor wanted to be amended through the memorandum were, the allocation to the county assembly of Kshs.482,916,163(19% of recurrent expenditure) was not in line with the circular from the commission of revenue allocation. Allocations on traveling and subsistence, capacity building, hospitality and general office supplies were not guided prudent use of resources and should be shared equally between the assembly and executive. County assembly had allocated 228,324,448/- as salaries which the factual estimated salary was 177,480,001 holding 50,844,147/-. DANIDA grant that of 10,390,000/- was not adapted in the amendment where the executive was directed to negotiate with DANIDA funding so that the funds are considered in September supplementary budget. Ends…

BHANG BURNT BY A COURT IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY.

BHANG BURNT BY A COURT IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY. JANE MUGAMBI 8TH JULY 2014. A Wang’uru court burnt bhang worth 2 million after the case was dismissed. According to principal Magistrate Peter Kiama the case that started in 2013 took only 6 months for its completion citing technicalities that saw the case dismissed. Kiama also added that the exhibit was destroyed sop that it cannot go back to the market citing that there has been very many please reported daily at the courts. “We had to destroy the exhibit to avoid it going back to the market after the case was completed, we are having very many young people are arrested and brought to court” Kiama said. The 2000 stones of bhang that were nabbed in an abandoned house at Mahigaini in Mwea west in the month of May 2013 by police who were acting on a tip off from members of the public who suspected a house where the bhang had been packed at night was not being opened. The magistrate said that they are sending a message to peddlers and suppliers that they are on the look out and that the other which has cases will also be destroyed when the cases are completed. The prosecution side said that they were unable to show possession and that the landlord or the owner of the house was never arrested being one of the witnesses did not appear in court to testify for the period the case was in court. Eliud Mbui and Peter Kinyua Mwaniki were arrested on 1st May 2013 at Mahigaini village in Kirinyaga County jointly was found trafficking by storing 2041 bundles of cannabis sativa with a street value of 2 million shillings. Area police boss Titus Yoma who was also there urged members of the public to work closely with the police to ensure that the vice which has resurfaced is cleared completely. He pointed out that the most affected areas are Makutano, Ngurubani, slums in Mwea where he said the drug is being sold in rolls. ends....