The county government has launched its first Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) program in a meeting that was held at the county headquarters earlier this week.
The initiative’s main objective is to fast track service delivery to Kisumu county residents and to implement the governor’s manifesto.
Speaking during the launch, the County Minister for Environment, Water, Irrigation and Natural Resources, Mr. Salmon Orimba said, every directorate has to set up structures that includes, project planning and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, liaison and mobilization, administration and enforcement, in order to realize the RRI.
Mr. Orimba also noted that there is need for proper documentation that will put in place proper revenue collection plan and a list of all the actors in charge of services in all the 47 sub counties in Kisumu, adding that the procurement office should ensure that all payments made should be captured and recorded.
The RRI is structured in four thematic areas which include, Solid Waste Management, Pollution control, enforcement and administration. Each of the thematic areas have a taskforce that presented implementation strategy to ensure realistic projects and activities to be accomplished.
In his remarks, Mr. George Okong’o, the governor’s economic advisor reaffirmed the governors interest in ensuring service delivery to the residents of Kisumu and that projects that are geared towards the same are prioritized.
The RRI initiative is expected to complete all its 47 projects by June this year thus ensuring food security, reduced pollution and clean water for residents within Kisumu county.
By Enos Ambani
County Minister for Environment, Water, Irrigation & Natural Resources, Salmon Orimba addressing the task force during the RRI program launch ( Photo by Collins Owuor)
Counties and the National government have embarked on a joint initiative that seeks to address the rapid degradation of lake basins across the country.
The move will see the ministry of environment set up a national lake basin management secretariat with county governments mobilizing funds for their respective operations.
In a stakeholders meeting held at the Vic Hotel, Kisumu it was widely agreed that weak policies in environmental management had accelerated pollution levels in the country’s water bodies.
Uncontrolled pollution and effluent discharges from domestic households was highlighted as one of the major contributors to the degradation of water basins.
According to Prof. Daniel Olago, from the Institute for Climate Change and Adoption, the Department of Geology at Nairobi University, Lake Victoria has got enormous potential but weak policies on its management had turned it into a floating dump site.
The pronouncements comes in the wake a of county wide ban by the environment department on washing of all motorized vehicles and equipments on beaches and shores of lake Victoria among other water bodies in the county.
In a proposed draft by the participants, industry players had to think strategically and involve like minded players in organizing awareness campaigns that redressed the issues bedevilling the lake basins.
Kenya consists of five major basins: Lake Victoria, Rift Valley, Athi River, Tana River and Ewaso Nyiro. The renewed support from the national government could be a game changer in changing the basins fortunes.
By Collins Owuor
County Minister for Water, Environment, Irrigation and Natural Resources Mr Salmon Orimba (centre) consults with Lake Victoria Basin Commission Executive Secretary Dr Ally-Said Matano (left) and Prof Masahisa Nakamura of Center for Sustainability and Environment, Japan Chairman of International Lake Environment Committee (ILEC) during Kenya National Integrated Lake Basin Management Strategy stakeholders workshop at The Vic Hotel
MASHINANI CLEAN-UP EXERCISE
County Department of Environment, Water, Irrigation and Natural Resources in partnership with Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), this week organized a Cleanup exercise dubbed Kisumu County Clean – Up and tree planting awareness campaign across the Sub counties as from 3rd t0 7th December, 2018.
The campaign which was initiated by the County Minister for Water, Irrigation and Natural Resources, Hon. Salmon Orimba, brought together Stakeholders who included: Lake Basin development Authority, Kenya Medical Training College, Symbiocity International, Water Resource Users Associations, Community Based Organizations among other NGO’s who participated in the cleanup exercise that took place in; Kisumu Central, Muhoroni, Nyando, Nyakach, Seme and Kisumu West Sub-Counties.
The Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) supported the exercise by donating 2,000 bamboo tree seedlings which were planted along the riverbanks to conserve the environment.
The objective of the campaign is to mainstream environmental conservation and stewardship among the youth and communities through vibrant and alternative methods such as music, art, dance and other interactive platforms.
The week long clean up exercise culminated into a Mr. and Miss Environment pageant who will be mandated to spearhead green initiatives and address problems related to environmental degradation within the County. The event also saw both individual and corporate environmental champions honored in a high level red- carpet event.
By: Emily Mikwa
C lean up in Ahero town, Nyando Sub County by the SymbioCity waste management champions accompanied by Anna Backman SKL Project Manager , Maureen Njoga Project Manager , Ward Administrator, Mr. George Amimo, and Elvira Hawi Environment Officer