Over ten thousand Legio Maria church of Africa members have gathered at the church's headquarters in God Kwer hill in Migori district for their annual pilgrimage to mark the death of the church's founder. - The members, drawn from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda will be at the hill for the next eight days to mark the seventeenth anniversary since the church's founder Melkio Ondeto died who died in 1993. Speaking in God Kwer, Cardinal Walter Otieno, one of the leaders of the church said it was important that the church members stayed true to the church's doctrine all the time wherever they were. ‘We have to show people good example of how our church is by al…

Even before the implementation of the new constitution starts in Kenya, Kenyans are already giving their hopes on what they expect the new laws to do for them. - Speaking in Migori town, a number of residents' expertise their optimism that the new laws will at least lead to more resources being talent down to the grassroots level to help in initiating development within the rural areas. According to Mr. Tom Rachuonyo, a local journalist the new laws will make sure that funds meant for development will be distributed equally to all parts of the country and not just to select few. ‘We for the first time see every part of the country benefiting no matter where their political a…

- By Fred Okoth Controversy in Kenyan over new constitution Implementation Even before the new implementation of the new constitution starts, a row has emerged in Kenya over the future of the provincial administration officers under the new laws. And now, a group of legislators are accusing the government of what they say is distortion of facts on the fate of provincial administration under the new constitution. Speaking in Nairobi, the Members of parliament accused the government of not telling Kenyan the whole truth about the fate of the Provincial Administration Officer when the new laws eventually come into effect. “What the government is trying to do is to please the officer…

The fight against HIV/AIDS in Kenya got a massive boost this week after the Global Fund released $60 million to help the East African country to combat the virus and malaria. The funds were part of the round seven HIV/AIDS funds of which the government had already received $18,343,450, officials said. - According to Public Health Minister Beth Mugo a further $6543, 422 had been given to Care International acting on behalf of civil bodies in the country. “We as a country welcome the initiative by Global Fund,” she said. She dismissed earlier reports that Kenya was not getting support from the donors anymore saying the release of the funds had shown that the country was still…

Kenyans have continued to express divergent opinions following the direction given by the government two moths ago that all mobile phone SIM cards be registered. - While some have welcomed the decisions terming it a timely one that will see a marked reduction in criminal activities in the country, others have questioned whether registration of mobile phones alone could help in reducing the number of the criminal activities. Speaking in Migori town, Mr. George Olwalo, a teacher in one of the local primary schools said the decision will go a long way in reducing cases of people being lured to their deaths by use of mobile phone. ‘We have heard of cases of people being called with u…

There has been Calls for the immediate disbanding of the technical bench of the Kenyan national soccer team have intensified after the team it opening game of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations against minnows Guinea Bissau on Saturday. - Kenya, popularly known as Harambee Stars lost 0-1 against the lowly West African team thanks to a defensives lapse which enabled Cicero Semedi to sneak in between the Kenyan defence and score the winning goal in the 76th minute. Speaking in Kisumu town west of the country, Mr. Dedan Ouya, a soccer fan termed the defeat against a team ranked number 188 in the FIFA ranking as ‘unacceptable’ saying national couch Twahir Muhidin should leave office i…

- By Fred Okoth September 5, 2010 Killings Residents of Suba area in Migori district are still reeling in shock after an incident in which a man slashed his wife and two children to death before he was also beaten to death by angry villagers. During the incident, the second in two weeks in Nyanza province west of Kenya, the man woke up in the middle of the night and killed the three, his wife Esther Awino, and her two children Barrack Odhiambo, two and Lillian Akinyi, nine killing them instantly. According to the neighbors, the two had had a bitter argument just before going to bed the previous night forcing the neighbors to step in. “We th…

The death toll from cholera outbreak in Migori and Kuria West district about five hundred kilometers west of Nairobi has now hit eight after three more people succumbed to the disease. - According to the Nyanza Provincial Director of Medical Services Dr. Ojwang Lusi whose province covers the two districts, 146 people had since been treated and discharged while another eighty were still receiving treatment in various hospitals and health facilities within the region. “The Ministry is doing all it can to make sure that it contains the disease” He said adding that already, a number of health officials had been sent to the worse affected areas. The disease, which broke out two …

Following the decision by the Kenyan government to legalize all the local brews, varied opinions have been expressed by Migori residents on what they think of the decision. - While the decision has been met by heavy criticism from a section of the Kenyan population who believe it will turn the county into a 'drinking population', it has however been met with support from another section who believe it will open up the market and increase the hygienic conditions at the brews. According to Levice Ochieng, a young Migori resident, the decision was long overdue since it was one of the ways the government would encourage entrepreneurship by enabling the brewers to ply their trade. …

- By Fred Okoth Nyanza, West of Kenya. One person was killed and scores injured after violence broke out in Uriri district, about 500 kilometers west of Kenya as the campaigns for the proposed new constitution hit the homestretch. The man, whose name was given as Emmanuel Odhiambo died after being attacked by members of a rival group that had organized the meeting. According to the witnesses, the man was in a company of about ten men who had boarded a pick up and drove to the rally, allegedly to disrupt it. They were however attacked by the members of the group who pelted the vehicle with stones and other missiles, forcing the driver to drive away.…

- By Fred Okoth, There is an urgent need for all the East African countries to urgently eliminate work permits requirements for citizens of other East African Community member’s states seeking to work in their counties if the East African Protocol which came into effect on July 1st this year is to become a reality. A survey through the border points of most East African showed that most East Africans still considered the work permits as one of the major barriers to the integration in the region. According to Mr Peter Owiti, a Kenyan who works as a teacher in Tanzania, most of them still had to hide their identities to avoid being arrested and charged of working in the country ille…

With news that a Kenyan fan was recently killed after an argument over the results of a world cup game between Brazil and Portugal, soccer fans from Migori, west of the country have reacted to the dismay at the intolerance by a section of the fans. - Speaking in Migori, the fans termed the killing as unfortunate adding that it was time the government stepped in and stopped such acts of lawlessness. ‘There is no need to die because of a football game’, Trevor Oduor, a football fan said adding that win or loss, it was important that the fans went back to their homes in peace. His views were also supported by Steve, another Kenyan fan who wondered why someone had to lose his lif…

The fight against Malaria has taken a new dimension in west of Kenya after a spraying exercise was rolled out in four districts. The districts, Migori, Rongo, Uriri and Nyatike will over the next three year benefit from a spraying exercise which is aimed at eliminating mosquitoes which cause malaria in one of the most affected places by the disease in the country. - According to the coordinator of the exercise Mr. Joseph Ayieko, over five hundred thousand people are expected to benefit from the spraying exercise. ‘We hope everybody will have his house sprayed’, he said adding that the exercise will be taking six month every year for the next three years. The campaign, partl…

For the last two moths, heavy rains have been pounding many parts of Kenya with flooding and mudslides cases being reported in many part of the country. - And this has lead to roads getting destroyed and being made impassable as well as bridges being washed away. In Migori town, set of the country alongside its border with Tanzania, things are not any different with several bridges having been already been swept away by the rains. And now the residents, who only weeks ago would have given anything for the rains after a long drought which was experienced in the country last year, are beginning to have a second though about the rains. According to Mr Onesmus Kitaka, a resident of the …

For the residents of Masara mines within Migori district, about 500 Kilometers west of Nairobi, it has always been irony of living in extreme poverty despite being on top of probably the richest goldmine in the country. - Every morning, men women and children troop to the mines where they stay for the whole day, only to come out with just enough for them to eat for that one night. While the older men get into the caves to dig the mines, the younger men are handed the responsibility of crushing the rocks into finer form while the women draws water from the nearby well for separation of gold from the ores by use of mercury. According to Mr. John Ouru Juma, all their lives and the lives o…

With the Kenyan population estimated to reach the forty million mark according to the preliminary reports from the last year's national population census, the government for the first time last week announced that it might be forced to restrict the number of children one will be allowed to have. - And the proposal has surprisingly drawn massive support especially among the youths who believe it was time the government moved in and put a restriction on the number of children people were allowed to have. According to Christine Nyaboga, a youth from Migori, the move was timely as it would stop people from having more children that they can support. 'The prices of the basic commo…

With the HIV/AIDS infection rate in Migori district currently standing at 16% according to the latest figures by the National AIDS Control Committee, a figure twice that of the country which is 7.4%, it is only normal that the number of young children also infected by the disease should be high as well. - And since most of these infected children are orphans, coupled with the high rate of poverty in the region, most of them cannot even afford two meals per day despite the fact that they are on Anti Retroviral drugs. During a recent function at St Joseph Omboo Mission hospital in Migori where the children received food donations from relief Kenya, an NGO based in Alabama US, a local public he…

For Mr. Peter Ouma Oyugi, life has been dedicated to one major goal; that is to ensure that the disabled or as he call them 'the physically challenged' People are treated with dignity and respect in the society. Disabled early in life, Mr. Ouma says he was made to take up the duty after seeing a number of persons with disability not getting what they deserved in the society. - 'I thought it was important that someone at least speak for them' he says, adding that it was such cases that inspired him to start a Community Based Organization with specific duty of trying to make the voices of the disabled in the society be heard. First, he had to move within the region and talk…

- By Okoth Okoth March 23, 2010 Mining in Kenya All over the world, the availability of mineral resources always signifies wealth to the locals with high incomes and better life that their neighbor without the privilege. However, in the Macalder mines in the western part of Kenya, one of the biggest gold mines in the country, the reverse is true. High level of poverty coupled with the high HIV/AIDS prevalence in the mines has meant that life in the mines and the surrounding areas remain one of then worst in the country. Every morning, men, women and children troops to the mines at about five in the morning and stay there until late in…

The water crisis for the last thirty years, the over 100,000 residents of Migori town, 500 kilometers west of Nairobi, Kenya have one water point for nearly all their water requirements for their domestic use. And with the long dry spells regularly experienced in the area due to the climatic change, more and more people, some over five kilometers out of the town have had to travel the distances to the water point to have access of its water. - Every morning, men women and children armed with cans, and tins start lining at the point from as early as 4:00am in order to be able to get the water. However, they joy for having the most reliable water point in the town could be short lived. Abandon…

- Okoth Okoth March 17, 2010 Nairobi The planned East African Community got a major after all the member countries agreed to form a joint secretariat to and manage the integration of the member countries. The decision was agreed at during a meeting held early this month at the NSSF building in Mwanza Tanzania and which was attended by representatives from the five east African countries i.e. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Part of the work of the secretariat will be to coordinate the integration by looking into the finer detail of how the community, expected to come into start operations in terms of business within the…