
How mascots have become big business in Nairobi
Kenyan entrepreneurs are turning the mascot craze into big business — blending fun, marketing, and youth employment.
Kenyan entrepreneurs are turning the mascot craze into big business — blending fun, marketing, and youth employment.
Raila Odinga was expected to close the event.
'It is painful that Baba has rested. We are now orphans.'
Some reports claim Oburu Odinga collapsed and rushed to the hospital.
Jacque Maribe mourned Raila Odinga on Insta Stories, invoking the Luo dirge "Jowi Jowi Jowi." She also asked who will take over as the Luo nation's kingpin.
A team led by the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister is already at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, set to depart for India to bring back the remains of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The leaders were already dressed in travel gear, ready for the long journey to India, except for Musalia Mudavadi, who […]
DP Kithure Kindiki outlined ex-prime minister Raila Odinga’s final journey from India to Bondo. The events will be marked with state honours and emotional tributes.
Speaker Wetang'ula asked legislators to wear black clothing and black ribbons.
GT Bank countered that while it received a SWIFT MT103 message —an instruction to pay— the funds were never credited to its foreign currency account at Standard Chartered Bank in Frankfurt, Germany.
A flag has been stripped from the Deputy President’s vehicle in line with President William Ruto’s directive declaring the next seven days as a period of national mourning for the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. His aide was spotted removing the flag from the deputy president’s vehicle, which is normally mounted on top of […]
Former Citizen TV and NTV journalist Kimani Mbugua has died in Mombasa. His family confirmed to the Nation that he died by suicide, saying he left a note behind. The media personality’s death follows years of struggles with mental illness, challenges that saw him in and out of rehabilitation and medical facilities. Mbugua first honed his broadcasting skills at Moi University’s […]
Lawyer Danstan Omari details how Raila saved the former CS from DCI prosecution.
Kenyans should be prepared for content deemed illegal, whether posted on websites or digital devices such as mobile phones, to be taken down after President William Ruto assented to the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The said illegal activities include those touching on child pornography, terrorism, and extreme religious or cultic practices. Assented […]
Kenya’s veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga died aged 80 on Wednesday (October 15) in India. Odinga had been receiving medical treatment abroad and suffered a cardiac arrest, according to Dr Alphons, a cardiologist at the hospital in the city of Kochi where he died. “With all other criteria, we continued CPR. In spite of our […]
MIAKA michache iliyopita, Profesa Joseph Ngugi Kamau ambaye ni mhadhiri wa United States International University (USIU), alinunua ng’ombe wa hadhi wa maziwa ili kumtunuku mama yake anayeenzi sana ufugaji. Ng’ombe huyo, Prof Ngugi anasema, alipaniwa kumuongezea pato. Hata hivyo, hakushawishika kwamba mama yake angemudu kumtunza kwani alikuwa angali mateka wa mbinu za zamani kufanya ufugaji. “Alikuwa ng’ombe wa bei ghali na nilimpa kama zawadi,” anasema mhadhiri huyo anayefunza Ujasiriamali na Masuala ya Ubunifu kwenye biashara katika Chuo Kikuu cha USIU. [caption id="attachment_179185" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Profesa Joseph Ngugi Kamau, mhadhiri wa United States International University (USIU) ambaye anahamasisha ukuzaji wa Juncao Grass Murang'a. Picha|Sammy Waweru[/caption] Baada ya miezi miwili, aliporejea nyumbani eneo la Maragua, Kaunti ya Murang’a, alishangaa kugundua kuwa mama yake alikuwa ameshamuuza kwa bei anayotaja kama ya “kutupa”. “Alimuuza kwa bei ya kutupa ya Sh2,000 kwa sababu alisalia kwa mbinu za zamani kumlisha hivyo basi akakosa kumpa maziwa. Isitosha, aliugua akahofia angefariki na akauzia mhudumu wa buchari,” anakumbuka. Tukio hilo, pamoja na kumbukumbu zake za utotoni – kutembea zaidi ya kilomita mbili kutafutia ng’ombe majani, lilimfanya aone umuhimu wa njia bora za malisho. Hali hiyo ya mbinu za jadi kufanya ufugaji, anaeleza, si endelevu tena hasa kutokana na gharama ya juu ya chakula cha mifugo cha madukani na athari za mabadiliko ya tabianchi zinazokumba wafugaji nchini. [caption id="attachment_179186" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Prof Joseph Ngugi Kamau, akielezea kuhusu kilimo cha Juncao. Picha|Sammy Waweru[/caption] Ni kwa sababu hiyo Prof Ngugi amezindua eneo la Maragua ukuzaji wa nyasi ya Juncao, maarufu kama “nyasi ya miujiza”, akiwa na lengo la kubadilisha taswira ya ufugaji wa ng’ombe wa maziwa Murang’a na maeneo mengine. Nyasi hii ilianza kukuzwa Kenya mwaka 2021, baada ya kuidhinishwa na asasi za utafiti ikiwemo KEPHIS na tayari imepokelewa vyema na wakulima katika kaunti za Nakuru, Turkana, Garissa, Kajiado na Makueni kama njia mbadala kukabiliana na kero ya gharama ya chakula cha mifugo. Kulingana na wataalamu, Juncao ina protini ghafi ya asilimia 18 ikilinganishwa na Napier ya kawaida yenye asilimia 10 pekee. Nyasi hii inaweza kustawi eneo lolote lile, ikiwemo eneo kame na nusu kame (ASAL), jambo linaloifanya kuwa tegemeo hata wakati wa kiangazi. Prof Ngugi kwa sasa ana ekari mbili za nyasi hii Maragua na anasambaza mbegu za kupanda kwa wakazi. Mbegu zake – ni matawi yenye nodi mbili, yaani nodes kwa lugha ya Kiingereza. [caption id="attachment_179187" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Juncao Grass, inakua hadi zaidi ya urefu wa mita nane. Picha|Sammy Waweru[/caption] “Juncao kwenye ekari moja inaweza kuzalisha hadi tani 10 kwa mwaka, chakula kinachoweza kulisha zaidi ya ng’ombe 20 au mbuzi 200 kwa mwaka mzima,” anafafanua. Teknolojia ya Juncao ilivumbuliwa miaka ya themanini (1980’s) nchini China na Prof Lin Zhanxi, ambaye ni mhadhiri wa Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU), chuo kilichoko nchini humo. Uvumbuzi wake ulilenga kuzuia uharibifu wa miti ambapo Juncao ilitumika kusaidia kukuza uyoga (mushroom substrate), kuzuia mmomonyoko wa udongo, na baadaye kubainika kuwa ni chakula faafu cha mifugo, hivyo kusaidia pakubwa kuondoa lindi la umaskini. Wapo wakulima waliojaribu nyasi hii ya miuza, kama Sammy Kariuki kutoka Nakuru, na anasema ng’ombe wake sasa wanazalisha maziwa mara dufu ikilinganishwa na hapo awali. “Nilianza kulima Juncao 2022, na nimeona mabadiliko makubwa kiuzalishaji maziwa,” Kariuki anakiri. [caption id="attachment_179188" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Prof Joseph Kamau, mkulima, akionyesha tawi la Juncao. Picha|Sammy Waweru[/caption] Ng’ombe aliyekuwa akimpa lita tano za maziwa kwa siku, sasa anadokeza kwamba anampa lita 12. Prof Ngugi anapiga stamu kauli ya mkulima huyo. “Uzalishaji umeongezeka kwa kati ya asilimia 40 hadi 50,” anathibitisha. Mbali na kulisha ng’ombe, nyasi hii pia hutumika kwa mbuzi, kondoo, nguruwe, kuku na hata kutengeneza vipandio vya uyoga. Hali kadhalika, inasaidia kuboresha udongo kwani imesheheni virutubisho vya Kaboni. Prof Ngugi analenga vijana na wanawake, akisema wana nafasi kubwa kunufaika kupitia biashara ya ufugaji wa ng’ombe wa maziwa kwa kuwa Juncao ni teknolojia ya mambo leo. “Ni teknolojia ya kisasa inayoweza kubadilisha sekta ya ufugaji na kufanya kilimo kiwe chenye faida tele,” anasema. [caption id="attachment_179189" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Tawi lenye nodi mbili la Juncao ndilo mbegu ya upanzi. Picha|Sammy Waweru[/caption] Upanzi wake si tofauti na ule wa mahindi na mimea mingineyo. Mbegu – matawi yenye nodi mbili hupandwa kwa kulalisha na kuhakikisha nodi moja inazikwa udongoni. Vipimo, ni sentimita 50 kati ya mimea na vilevile kati ya laini ya mimea. Inakuwa tayari kulisha mifugo baada ya miezi mitatu au minne, na miezi minane kwa mbegu za kuendeleza uzalishaji, Juncao ikisifiwa kudumu shambani karibu miaka 25 kabla ya kuing’oa kupanda nyingine.
MAAFISA wa upelelezi wa Jinai (DCI) Kaunti ya Meru, wanachunguza kisa ambapo walanguzi wa bangi wanawatumia wavulana matineja kusafirisha dawa za kulevya. Hii ni baada ya maafisa hao kuwanasa vijana wawili walioabiri matatu katika kituo cha Tea Room Nairobi wakielekea Maua, Kaunti ya Meru.Wawili hao walifika katika kituo hicho wakiwa na mikoba kama wanafunzi. Gari hilo lilipofika katika Ofisi ya Upelelezi wa Jinai Kaunti ya Meru, maafisa wa polisi walipata misokoto 25 ya bangi yote ikiwa na uzito wa kilo 75.Kulingana na polisi bangi hiyo ina thamani ya Sh750,000. Mkurugenzi wa Kampuni ya Maua Shark Express Moses Kinyua alisema abiria hao wawili walifika kwenye kituo cha Tea Room kwa pikipiki na kupanda matatu. "Wafanyikazi wetu hawakujua ni nini kilikuwa kwenye mizigo hadi gari hilo lilipozuiliwa na polisi Meru. Inaonekana walanguzi hao wamekuwa wakitumia njia hizi kusafirisha dawa zao,"Bw Kinyua alisema. Kamanda wa Kaunti ya Meru Patrick Labolia alisema wamepokea taarifa za kijasusi kutoka kwa umma kwamba matatu kadhaa zinazoelekea Meru zilikuwa zikitumika kusafirisha bangi. "Tunafurahia uhusiano wetu mzuri na ushirikiano wetu na umma, maafisa wetu walipata habari abiria walipopanda matatu. Duru zetu zilidokeza kuwa wafanyabiashara wa dawa za kulevya walikuwa wakitumia njia hiyo kusafirisha bidhaa yao. Hata hivyo, tulifaulu kunasa shehena moja,' Bw Labolia alisema. Alisema wahusika hao wenye umri wa miaka 15 na 17 walikuwa wamebeba vifurushi hivyo kwenye mikoba ya shule kama njia ya kuficha. Bw Labolia alisema maafisa wa upelelezi sasa wanamsaka mwenye bidhaa hizo baada ya kukusanya taarifa za kijasusi kutoka kwa washukiwa hao wawili ambao sasa wako kizuizini. Kamishna wa Kaunti ya Meru Jacob Ouma alisema visa hivyo vimeenea katika eneo hilo.Bw Ouma alisema bangi na ethanol ndizo zinazouzwa zaidi ndani na nje ya kaunti. "Inasikitisha kwamba walanguzi wa dawa za kulevya wanatumia watoto wadogo katika biashara yao chafu. Tumetoa onyo kali kwa maafisa wa usalama dhidi ya kula nja au kuendeleza biashara hii haramu katika kaunti,' Bw Ouma alisema.Aliongeza, 'Utumiaji wa dawa hizo huchochea mimba za mapema, ukatili wa kijinsia, unajisi na vurugu katika familia.'