Nakuru blogger Elijah Kinyanjui questioned by DCIO over social media post

Nakuru based Journalist cum blogger Elijah Kinyanjui has recorded a statement with the Nakuru DCIO following a complaint raised over a story he recently published on social media touching on Nakuru’s Victonel Academy school head identified as Ms Mary.

According to Kinyanjui’s write-up on social media,he stated, “A  highly reliable source puts one Madam Mary, who’s headteacher at Victonell Academy, Pangani, on spot, alleging she’s been playing several fundraising games to get the bucks.The most horrifying is the tact she reportedly used for that… claiming that her own mother had died.”

In the write-up, Kinyanjui added that parents at the school have been trying to get the school owners to act on her but to no avail despite what they’re saying is glaring evidence that she doesn’t deserve to remain school head.

It is in this context that the said teacher moved to DCIO in Nakuru to launch a complaint against Kinyanjui’s publication refuting the claims raised.

This saw Kinyanjui summoned by DCIO and on Monday morning, he together with his lawyer Steve Kabita reported and recorded a statement.

Lawyer Kabita differed with the investigating officers over their move to have Kinyanjui’s phone to help them trace the source of the information.According to the Lawyer, Journalists as whistle-blowers have a right not to reveal their news sources.

Addressing media after recording the statement with DCIO, Kabita maintained that the law on media freedom is clear and should not be compromised by any quota.

“There is a procedure in the law where anyone who has a complain on journalists should do so through Media Council of Kenya and not police. However we honored the summons and we have recorded a statement. We expect investigations to be conducted on the authenticity of what he posted” said Kabita.

Kinyanjui on his part maintains that what he posted was genuine complaints from parents of the school.

He called on the investigating officers to play their part for he was only a whistle blower on the ills in the society.

“Let the officers conducted independent Investigations and they’ll unearth that this is the truth. But in as far as disclosing my sources, that I won’t do and it’s a cardinal rule in journalism to protect one’s sources even before court’ said Kinyanjui.

 

Nakuru school Empowers Girl child through ESD Program

St Mary’s Girls’ Primary school in Nakuru Town East has embraced the art of shaping girls both in Education, art as well as environmental sector.

The school which is among the best in Nakuru as far as education is concerned has also embraced the education for sustainable development program with projects such as poultry, environmental conservation projects and art.

According to Fidelis Aula who is one of the persons spearheading the education for sustainable development program, the world is now focusing on the strategic development goals and therefore the education for sustainable development will ensure the goals are achieved.

“The world is now focusing on the Strategic Development Goals and therefore the education for sustainable development will ensure the goals are achieved. More so we are now imbedding this into our curriculum” he said.

The projects at St.Mary’s Girls Primary in Nakuru East Sub County include Poultry project and Environmental projects (Environment conservation) as well as artistic aspect –projects that are sponsored by Israel Embassy.

Nurit Hashimshong and Michal Dolev from Israel speaking when they visited the school commended the work being done especially on environment conservation through the ‘bottles project’ which the girls in the school are suing to make beautiful fence and at the same time conserve environmental.

While stating that the project was one of its kinds, the two guests called on other schools to embrace and emulate the same as far as environment conservation is concerned.

“We came from Israel and we just here in this school to see what they are doing as far as environmental conservation and we must say this school is doing great work and we hope other schools will also emulate the same” they said.

When you step in St.Mary’s Girls’ Primary school in Nakuru East indeed the conducive environment will welcome you before next you spot the bottle made fence allover which makes the environment even more beautiful.

But then how do bottles make a fence ?That is the question that lingers into one’s mind when you hear about this project being done in this school and which in one way is also advocating for clean environment.

Lucy Musanga-a standard Eight in the school and who is also the chairperson of the Environment club narrates that the project is one of its kind and brain child of their Head teacher who visited Israel on the same before coming back ad initiating the same in the school.

“We started this in 2015 after our Head teacher attended a conference on the same in Israel. The concept is simple we make holes in the bottles and then with the assistance of support staff we join the bottles with string to come up with a fence like the one you are seeing” narrates Musanga.

A walk in the school’s compound will enable one understand that indeed not only do the girls make this fence for the beauty of the school but in another way they are being shaped into environmentalists who are ensuring that no plastic bottles are littering the environment.

Apart from the environment club, the school is also empowering the girls through art where they make artistic items for sale hence the girls are economically empowered.

Hope Wangari who is the chairperson of the Art club in the school narrates that theirs is not only all about education but to produce an all round self reliable person who can depend on themselves even if they fail to pursue their career they can succeed through art.

“Here at art club we are not only about education but to produce an all round self reliable person even if we’ll no t be able to nurture our carrier we can achieve through art which can help in life” she said.

The club has a membership of 42 pupils who are drawn from all the classes from class four to standard eight all with their specific days and times to attend give ideas which are summed up on Saturday for production of an item.

This is indeed education for sustainable development which as the pupils state that they are empowered not only to excel in education but also in matters of art.

Fidelis Aula who is one of the persons spearheading the education for sustainable development program says this is an added advantage to learners adding that in situation where learners are fully engaged then the discipline in schools will improve.

“When you find learners spending their energy doing such productive things then discipline becomes super. They have a lot to engage and you can say they kill many birds with one stone. So we are grateful for this school and we have another called Kiamaina and we would like others to emulate same” he said.

According to the School’s Head teacher Mrs.Damaris Ochieng, theirs is to really embrace and implement what they were taught in Israel during their visit in 2015.

She says they are working closely with the other stakeholders to ensure that the girls in the school and the community at large embrace the same for sustainable development.

“Apart from the academics, we are also doing education for sustainable development and we can promise you that the girls when they leave St.Mary’s Girls Primary school after the 8 years they know what to do when in the community” she said.

Education for sustainable development program is being rolled out to schools across the country with aim to ensure that children are empowered academically as well as in terms of entrepreneurial skills in order to enable production of job creators in the education system.

It should be noted that for a long time the education system in Kenya has been producing job seekers hence no development.

PHOTO/Pristone Mambili:Pupils from St.Marys Girls Primary school in Nakuru Town East make a fence from used Plastic bottles.

Kenya after Supreme court ruling

Even as Kenyans await the Supreme Court ruling on the Presidential petition this Friday, Nakuru East Deputy County Commissioner Omar Hajji Salat has called on Nakuru residents to ensure peace.
Speaking in his office on Thursday, the DCC said peace is paramount for Nakuru county and the nation at large and called on residents to accept the outcome of the court.
“We have agreed that regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court, Kenya is one and there must be peace” he said.
While assuring the residents of Nakuru of all the plans put in place to ensure a peaceful environment, the administrator also called on residents to go back to their normal daily routine after the elections.
He said the nation can never prosper if people have no peaceful environment to conduct their daily businesses.
“As administrators our role is to ensure peaceful environment for all persons to go about their duties. I therefore call upon everyone to resume their normal duties for Kenya is a working nation” he said.
The DCC revealed that they are fully following their strategic plan as administrators after the elections.
According to the plan, at the moment they have embarked reconciliation activities among them organizing public meetings in areas identified to have had challenges in Nakuru East Sub County such as Kivumbini and Bondeni.
“We are following our strategy and we want to ensure reconciliation. we have identified areas in Nakuru East such as Bondeni and Kivumbini and we shall hold meetings to address some of the challenges for peace to prevail” he said.
This even as security team across the nation are on alert ahead of the Supreme Court ruling on Friday.

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