Yakwetu Foundation is a non-governmental, non-profit-making, voluntary organization which aims at empowering youth and youth groups through a Multi Faceted Development Program; currently spearheading “2012 Dare to Care AMANI Campaign."
For all you nature lovers out there, here is a list of mountains you could visit, be it for camping, team building or a day/week long hiking expedition.
Kenya is home to the two of the three highest mountains of the African continent Mt Kenya and Mt Elgon.
Mt Kenya
Mt Longonot
Mt Elgon
Namanga Hills
Taita Hills
Chyulu Hills
Many of these mountains are surrounded or have national parks. Mountain climbing, camping and game viewings are among some of the activities organized in the parks. Lodges hotels and campsites accommodate visitors.
Others Mountains and hills in Kenya
Menengai in Nakuru,
Loroghi Hills in Samburu
Cherangany Hills in Trans Nzoia
Shimba Hills
Mt Marsabit on the Ethiopia border
Mt Dukana on the Ethiopia border
North Island Volcano near Lake Turkana.
South Island Volcano near Lake Turkana.
Barrier Volcano near Lake Turkana.
Namarunu near Lake Turkana.
Nyambene Hills in Meru
Ngong Hills
Mt Kilimambogo
Mt Homa in the Winam Gulf
Suswa in Maasailand
Water towers in Kenya
Kenya has five key water towers:
Mau Escarpment
Mt Kenya
Aberdares Ranges
Cherangany Hills
Mt Elgon
The Government of Kenya has set out programmes to not only rehabilitate the water towers, but also protect them.
Influential Superbrands list reveals the strongest consumer brands in Kenya for 2012
Safaricom, one of the leading integrated communication companies in Africa, was this year named Kenya’s leading Superbrand following a detailed research process overseen by London based The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA).
The research incorporated the views of both an expert council and over 600 consumers, the latter surveyed in Kenya byTNS Research International, and sought to identify the nation’s strongest brands.
According to the study a Superbrand is a brand that represents high quality, reliability and distinction. In addition Superbrands are deemed to have established the finest reputation in their field, they offer customers significant emotional and/or tangible advantages over other brands, which (consciously or sub-consciously) customers want and recognize.
Safaricom, which was previously placed 46th in a pan-East African study by TCBA for Superbrands, beat newspaper The Daily Nation, which was placed second. Two other media brands reached the top ten, in the form of Citizen TV in fifth position and Citizen Radio in tenth.
In third position in the survey was Kenya Airways, followed by global brand icon Coca-Cola in forth. Nokia, which had topped the previous pan East African study failed to make the top 20, in the latest research. The internationally struggling handset manufacturer was down in 37th in the new Kenyan study.
The official top 20 Consumer Superbrands for 2012 are:
SAFARICOM
THE DAILY NATION
KENYA AIRWAYS
COCA-COLA
CITIZEN TV
M-PESA
EQUITY BANK
CROWN PAINTS
COLGATE
CITIZEN RADIO
NAKUMATT
SAFARICOM MARATHON
THE KENYA RED CROSS SOCIETY
TOYOTA KENYA
VASELINE
VITAFOAM MATTRESSES
OMO
KASUKU
DETTOL
SERENA LODGES AND HOTELS
Stephen Cheliotis, Chairman of The Centre for Brand Analysis said: “In difficult global economic times a strong brand provides businesses with a powerful advantage over rivals. As such all the brands rated highly by both the experts and consumer we surveyed should be delighted that their reputation might provide them with a vital foundation in which to outperform the market. Safaricom in particular should be delighted that among the large number of brands we researched they came out on top. This is testament to their hard work in building consumer trust”.
Cheliotis went on to add “it is notable and pleasing that although many international brands, such as Coca-Cola, have performed well in the study that the top end of the rankings are not dominated just by multinational brands”.
The leading brands will be showcased in the next edition of the Superbrands East Africa publication.
“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” ― J.K. Rowling,
In October, the President declined to sign in the controversial Finance 2012 bill. He termed it as unconstitutional and unaffordable. What President Kibaki has did is laudable and he should be applauded. The Salaries and Remuneration Commission was established by the The Constitution with a mandate to set and regularly review the remuneration and benefits of all State Officers and to advise both the national and county governments on the remuneration and benefits of all other public officers. Both the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) had vowed to move to court to block the package in case the President assented to it.
The MPs had previously added a last minute amendment to the bill which would have given each of them somewhere close to KES 10,000,000 as soon as parliament disbanded in January 2013. Placard waving protesters on Tuesday 9th October stood outside parliament shouting 'mwizi' to every MP they saw drive by. After a weekend of ranting and raving on the social media, Kenyans on Twitter organised themselves to peacefully show their disapproval of the move by marching to parliament. The MPs could not have picked a worse time to give themselves the KES 2 Billion send off package. The government had just faced strikes in the public sector with both the teachers and the doctors agitating for better pay and working conditions. The Finance Minister, Njeru Githae, was categorical that there was no money left to implement the salary increases being demanded. After several negotiations however, the teachers and then the doctors got their way, but this would come at a cost. The government said that in order to foot the bill, it was considering halting some development projects that hadn't yet been initialized while at the same time increasing taxes. Kenyans are already some of the highest taxed people in the world.
So in the eyes of many, the Tenth Parliament has gotten itself the reputation of being some of the most greedy and selfish group of legislatures Kenya has had since independence. Despite constitutional safeguards, this year alone, the MPs have raided the public coffers at least twice. For instance, some time in April they sparked public outrage by awarding themselves about KES 1 Billion in gratuity payments. Last week, the elections (amendment) bill 2012 was passed to prevent the legislators from losing their seats by party hoping. They had also in the recent past watered down the Political Parties Act which would have locked out many of them for not having degrees. Many suspect that this group of MPs are apathetic because many of them fear that a more informed public would not vote them back in come the next elections. And this is the crux of the matter. Kenyans need to be more careful as to the kind of leaders they are voting in. Bad leaders mean bad policies, which will in turn mean a poor and retrogressive society.
We need to know what the MPs role will be in the new constitution if we are to understand the kind of responsibility we will be giving our elected leaders. According to the new constitution, it is the MPs function to
➢ Represent the people of their constituency and to represent these people's interest at the National Assembly.
➢ Enact legislation in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution
➢ Determine the allocation of national revenue between the levels of government.
➢ Appropriate funds for expenditure by the national government and other national state organs.
➢ Exercise oversight over national revenue and its expenditure
➢ Review the conduct in office of the President, Deputy President and other state officers. They are also the ones to initiate the process that would remove them from office.
➢ Exercise oversight of state organs.
➢ Approve declarations of war and extensions of states of emergency.
The need to vote in leaders of integrity, who have the national interest at heart, cannot be overstated. Someone who was on the campaign trail during the recent by elections correctly noted that Kenyans need to shoulder some of the blame for the MPs antics. Any politician in Kenya will tell you that very few people would listen without you giving them hand-outs first. Men and women, both young and old will openly ask for 'something' before they listened to you. A significant chunk of the electorate isn't interested in talk of 'future prosperity of the nation' because their mind-set is on how they can benefit immediately.The mind of the typical electorate tells them that election time is the one chance they get to milk the politicians. The politicians know this, they are after all the ones who trained the people to think like that. So they give the hand-outs, knowing that after the elections, they will find a way to recover their money. And so the vicious cycle continues. This situation has to stop and it WILL stop if we as Kenyans took a stand and changed our thinking. We need to look beyond our stomachs and tribes.
The future of our nation can be very bright. We have all the ingredients. Diversity in people and cultures, a relatively well educated work force, natural resources, a strategic location in the continent, relative peace, good weather and good will in the international community to name but a few things. With the right leaders, Kenya can be one of the greatest African countries ever. It starts with us. Good leaders mean good policies, which in turn will mean a great and progressive society.
by www.eaclj.org
Look at what YOUNG KENYANS and a new generation of activists are capable of doing for KENYA!
Electoral process in Kenya is conducted by the Electoral Commission of Kenya.
What do I need in order to vote in a national election?
Be a Kenyan citizen.
Aged 18 years and above.
Have a national identity card or a passport
Have a voters card
Be residing in Kenya on the day of election
The electoral Commission of Kenya announces registration dates before a national election. New members can register and those who have changed names can have corrections made. Deceased are also removed from the register. During other times, the register can be accessed from district administration office.
When you get a voter's card, ensure the names on the card match those on your identity card. If they do not you will be disqualified from voting.
Do I need to belong to a political party?No you do not have to be a member of a political party to vote. All you need is to have an idea of whom you want to vote for. Belonging to a political party is a personal choice. You should not be coerced to join a party in order to be provided with services at constituencies’ offices.
How to voteOn the day of voting, you must present yourself to a voting station in the constituency where you registered as a voter. You must carry with you an identification document i.e. your ID or Passport and your voter's card. You shall present this at the voting desk. Tick the candidate of your choice and put each form in its designated ballot box.
Remember voting is your right. Do not allow to be influenced when at the voting centre to vote for someone other than candidate of your choice.
Where can I voteYou can only vote in the constituency where you registered as a voter. Currently, there are 210 constituencies in Kenya. You are free to register to vote in any part of Kenya.
Why should you vote
Voting is your right and EVERY vote counts. Imagine a scenario where YOUR 'ONE' vote makes a decision whether a bad or good President gets voted in. Look up 'Swing Vote'. Go make your vote count!
