Hope rekindled in Baringo County

By Paul Kiptai

CJ Reporters sourcing for news

Residents of Baringo County have for a long time been in the darkness in information base, thanks to the Marigat Citizen Voices for bridging the information gap. The training initiated by Arid Lands Information Network which took place from 11^th -15^th November 2013 became a sigh of relief to the information deprived citizen of Baringo County.

The platform provided by Marigat Maarifa centre has enabled the residents to share and communicate issues of concern including policy making, lobbying and advocating key county issues and economic development agendas for action”. Said Pastor Elijah Ruto.

Mr. Marutit, a community mobilizer and the Coordinator for Prudent Trust, a community based organization championing for community rights and welfare, is also a beneficiary of citizen Journalism.

He says that the training has not only helped him acquire skills and knowledge on writing and reporting but has also initiated a forum that citizen can express their feelings and concerns to the respective authorities.

Joyce Okuta enjoying fruits

The training brought about members drawn from respective communities who were trained on basic knowledge on journalism.This will enable consolidation of vital information from the diverse communities which according to Marutit brings unity and cohesion among the larger Baringo County.

He cites the area of lack of representation amongst communities in key government ministries, rampant corruption, gender based violence,resource disparity among others.

“It is worth noting that the people of Baringo County have lagged behind because authorities withhold sensitive information which would otherwise have been beneficial to the communities and this has led to lack of full citizen participation”. Said Marutit.

“The platform provided by Marigat Maarifa centre has enabled the residents to share and communicate issues of concern including policy making, lobbying and advocating key county issues and economic development agendas for action”. Said Pastor Elijah Ruto.

Besides,the training was very interactive.The trainees were cooperative throughout the training.He says that the bonding session,the welfare team and the news gathering session exhibited maturity and provided an opportunity to undertake the citizen journalism task.

Group bonding session

“The training aspect involved forming groups which will then gather particular information and communicate to the entire group also known as the Citizen crew. 

The information is then posted on the Marigat Citizen Voices platform which includes; MCV blog, Twitter and Facebook page”. Said Michael Okomo.

The environment at which the training was held,also provided  rare opportunity in bonding.The participants were always given a break to energize,experience seed extraction-fruit eating session courtesy of KARI-Perkerra.This enabled the training to be very lively and adventurous.

Marigat Citizen Voices Reporters met residents of Kaptich camping on makeshifts at the Kenya Forestry service Ground, believed to have been displaced by frequent bursting of the River Banks.

Energizing session

According to a resident, the problem has been persisting for long and the residents are calling upon the government rescue them from further destruction of their lands. 

“We have been camping here for one year depending on food and other basic needs from well wishers. The lives here are hard and we are forced to take one meal per day or none at all as opposed to the three meals we used to take before the displacement” said Mercy Chepkoech.

At some point the would be journalist were forced to divert their normal task of news gathering to attending into other activities;

“On our way to covering the impeding problem posed by the National Irrigation Board pan Dam to swimming kids, the journalists came across matchet wielding 50 year old man in pursuit of a minor ready to administer what would otherwise be called chastisement,” said Okomo.

Diet for seed extraction

By Irene Yemit, Henry Nyamweya, Henry Njehia, Obeta Sirma and Bernice Kikenyi

It is at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI)-Perkerra, that one is engaged mutually in extraction of seeds in gain of diet in the form of fruits. The high cost of fruit prices in Marigat town has been an issue since September.

Okomo and his friends extracting seeds

The centre initiated in 1956 with an objective of giving technical support to the farmers on the relevant crop and animal breeds in the region. The fruit seedling project was initiated in 1989 with aim of producing the seeds and seedlings for farmers around.

“The seeds are extracted to facilitate planting. They are normally extracted daily around early November to late January when the mangoes are ready,” says Susan Kazungu, Nursery Attendant at KARI-Perkerra.

It is in this process that the centre deployed a mechanism of seed extraction. The fruits are harvested where people within the institution strictly consume the fruit leaving behind the seed.The seedlings are then grafted and once they are mature they are sold out of the county.

“I always walk a distance of more than one kilometre to come and eat fruits. The fruits are very sweet. Most of the times I manage to eat ten (10) mangoes. I also slice some then I leave the seeds to take to my children,” said Michael Okomo, a local farmer.

People enjoying KARI Perkerra fruits

The varieties in the centre are pawpaw (solo sunrise), Mangoes comprising of apple, Kent, Vandyke and Tommy. Citrus seedlings include Valencia and Tangerines. This was promoted in the area based on their early maturity and resistance levels.

"Most families staying in Marigat are not able to buy fruits on a daily basis thus the seed extraction exercise will ensure that they get the commodity free of charge," said Peter Siele, KARI-Perkerra officer.

It was established that the centre sells the seedlings at affordable prices. Grafted mangoes goes for Ksh 110, pawpaws goes for Ksh 20 and citrus seedlings for Ksh 60.

A visit to the local market stalls indicated that most of the products were sourced from as far as Kisii, Ukambani, Marakwet and Eldoret though the centre has been in existence for that long.

KARI encourages members of the public particularly women and children to come and extract seeds.This will enhance their nutrition.

There is need to create awareness to the farmers within range on the available varieties so as to increase supply of the commodities locally.

Marigat Citizen Voices takes off

By Joyce Okuta and Bob Aston

Free Citizen Journalism training has just been concluded at Marigat Maarifa Centre under the sponsorship of Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN). The exercise that begun on 11^th November 2013 intensely drew over sixteen aspiring journalists from Baringo County.

Marigat Citizen Voices Reporters

The major motive behind ALIN’s approach in this kind of initiative was to create a responsible localized means of civic expression and social action amongst the communities, through the voices of their own reporters.

The five days course majored on basic Journalism skills like news writing, creative writing, Feature writing, Photography, online Journalism and interviewing skills.

The training will enable the reporters to be able to look at news from different angles and in addition give them a deeper understanding of what is going on in the outside world.

MCV Reporters during the training session

“I aspire to become a journalist. I am planning to start a newsletter featuring spiritual nourishment. Initially I lacked skills on writing. ALIN has come to my rescue at the right time,” said Elijah Ruto, Chairman of Marigat Urban Pastors Association.

Marigat Citizen Voices will be an advocacy and lobby blog that allows members of Marigat and the larger Baringo County to voice the concerns that would otherwise be ignored by mainstream media. It will attempt to boost development and livelihoods of the residents by highlighting issues affecting the community.

“I will be able to write more professionally now. We currently have a facebook page called Baringo County News where we cover events in Baringo. This training has given me more insight into issues dealing with Journalism,” said Obeta Sirma, one of the Citizen Journalists Reporters.

“I will now be able to create a blog for Baringo County News,” he added.

For ALIN to successfully meet this approach, Marigat Maarifa Centre Field Officer had to advertise through posters, facebook and twitter.

Team building exercise

“The training has given me basic Journalism skills which I will apply from January when I join University to study Journalism. I will ensure that I write a lot of articles to improve on my writing skills,” said Herodius Jepkonga.

ALIN has already formed a blog dubbed ‘Marigat Citizen Voices’ which gives the local communities a platform where they can share their own stories. It will also give them an opportunity to be part of a global community of men and women who are passionate about development news.

“I will use the skills that I have gained to train my fellow volunteers at Kenya Red Cross. I will ensure that I also contribute articles in our soon to be formed Kenya Red Cross, Marigat sub branch newsletters as well as Marigat Citizen Voices,” said Irene Yemit.

Unity focused on enriching the livelihood of believers

By Paul Marutit,Rebecca Chesire and Herodias Chepkong’a

Church members during fellowship

Marigat urban Pastors Development Initiative  is a registered faith based organization comprising of 21 pastors and church leaders drawn from different denominations who have come together to develop mechanisms on improving the lives of their members.               

Marigat Citizen Voices reporters meets Pastor Elijah Ruto of Deliverance church, donned in a cream trouser with a white shirt, a black-sharp pointed shoes and a matching overcoat in his Marigat office.

 “The Association has capacity built its members to form chamas who visit one another once every week to raise funds for their needs,” says Pastor Ruto who also serves as the organization’s chairman.

Through the association, the members have now been able to preach peace amongst the believers which has created a bench mark for development in the county. He also notes that the Association meets every week to review the progress of their churches and the pastors’ welfare too.

Pastor Ruto in his office

He says that since the association was formed on 2^nd November 2011, it has increased church attendants and community improved welfare and calls upon all other churches to emulate the same unity.

On youth participation, the association has been training youth on entrepreneurial skills mainly touching on life skills, business plans and proposal writing. They have also integrated other social trainings including HIV/Aids, effects of early marriages and dangers of FGM.

A group of pastors

Mrs. Naisula Naiweti a mother of three from Marigat town B, who is a staunch believer of Deliverance Church, says that the association has enabled the congregation to unite together and come up with mechanisms that have improved their lives.

“The unity experienced in the past one year has made my family able to build a house at Mukutani Division of Marigat District, hence mitigating the effects of cattle rustlers experienced recently,” she says.

Naisula together with another group of 12 women have started other investments such as chicken rearing and kitchen gardening. This has helped them in raising funds to educate their children hence creating financial independence.

Disaster in waiting at Kaptich

By Elijah Rutto, Rebecca Chesire, Paul Marutit and Herodious Jepkonga

Villagers watching destruction caused by the river bank

Five families in kaptich Village, Marigat District, have been displaced and about 10 acres of land which produces an estimate of 500 bags of maize every year affected.  This has been a continuous trend since July 2013.

The communities are currently living in fear of further displacement caused by heavy rains which has made river Perkerra bursts its banks.

The riverbank has often been bursting as reported by one of the affected villagers. Mary Kimosop, is among the displaced people who has already lost about 1 acre of land.

She used to plant maize and vegetables for her income as well as foodstuff for her family. As she narrated the story, Mary was worried because the bank was bursting daily which could cause them to relocate.

Massive destruction caused by heavy rains

“The bank busted a few seconds ago,’’ she said.

The affected villagers said that they had called for help from the government through the area chief but the response was taking too long.

The villagers are now calling for help from the government or any well wishers for funds to enable them acquire land to be able to sustain their families in terms of establishing shelter and food production.

Foot and mouth disease reported in Marigat District

By Koikoi Susan, Olesagana Samson, Akoth Mercy, Lekumbe Saitoti and Lemerige Samuel

In the recent past, residents of Marigat District have not been able to enjoy the sale of livestock in Marigat Auction ground, this is because of reported outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Kimalel Location in late October by the ministry of Agriculture, Marigat District.

‘’The ministry has issued a quarantine to reduce the spread of the disease, through separation of the sick animals from the healthy ones,’’ said Dr. Cheruiyot of Livestock department.

‘’This therefore, means that the movement of animals from one area to the other should stop.’’ He added.

Livestock traders at Marigat auction yard.

Dr. Cheruiyot said that the auction was closed to help in guarding the mobility of the livestock. He said that Marigat is the central place and thus all people of Marigat district come to sell their livestock.

The residents have been affected adversely by the closure of the auction as they mainly depend on the livestock for their livelihood. Dr. Cheruiyot said that the ministry was planning to begin vaccinating the cows as from 18^Th November this year.

He further said that the turn up of the cows for vaccination will determine the period of the quarantine.

“I rely on selling our livestock at auction because this is where I can get school fees for my children,” said Wesley Toroitich a farmer in Marigat.

Low circulation of money has also been experienced, according to the farmer.

“Farmers are forced to persevere since when such incidences occurs the Ministry of Livestock needs to take action,” said Wesley.