Love Eastlands; An NPC Initiative

Friends,
In our continuing efforts at sensitizing and mobilizing Kenyans to join in The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign, we had a meeting with Pst Felix Wandera of the Nairobi Pentecostal Church in Buru Buru Estate and it was really exciting.
The NPC Buru Buru have decided to join in the Clean-up Campaign and their focus is the Eastlands through an initiative they are calling Love Eastlands. Like KCDN, they also do believe that a Clean Kenya is possible and that it is our responsibility to make that happen. To this extent, they will be joining in The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign every Month as they spread the Good Word. They will be sponsoring a few Litter Bins to be placed strategically around Buru Buru Estate.

Clean and Neat

Earlier, we had met with Mr. Ben Mwaniki- Chairman Prudential Estate Welfare Association, Mr. John C Odhiambo- Chairman Buru Buru Residents Welfare Association and Ms Virginia Gichere- a Committee Member PEWA to discuss the logistics and planning for the 10th December 2011 launch of the Litter Bins Programme.
Lastly, we met with Mr. Paul M Kanyi- the Director Unity College of Professional Studies. Besides mobilizing his students to join in the Clean-up on the 10th Dec, the College will be Branding some Bins as well. It is worth noting that Unity College has been in the front line in beautifying many Round Abouts in Nairobi and maintaining the Gardens very clean and neat. They will continue in this tradition and their support and partnership in the Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign and the Litter Bins Programme will be really invaluable.
Through Mr. Mwaniki, Mr. Odhiambo, Ms Gichere, Pst Wandera, Mr. Kanyi and many more Friends of Kenya, we want to extend special invitations to all groups who may want to join us on the D-day in Prudential and Buru Buru Estates. We are happy that the following teams have confirmed their participation;

1. City Council of Nairobi
2. Provincial Administration
3. Public Service Transformation Department
4. Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources
5. Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development
6. Prudential Estate Welfare Association
7. Buru Buru Residents Welfare Association
8. Unity College of Professional Studies
9. Nairobi Pentecostal Church Buru Buru
10. Kenya Assemblies of God
11. Kenya Police; Buru Buru Police Station
12. Sherpherds Schools
13. Mesora Supermarkets
14. Matatu Crews Buru Buru
15. East Africa Assemblies of God
16. Uchumi Supermarkets
17. Tuskys Supermarkets
18. Makadara District Peace Committee
19. The Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
20. St James ACK Church

We are still mobilizing for the event and we want to invite you to help us mobilize further as we look forward to the best Clean Up Campaign ever.
Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch

CEO KCDN Nairobi

Nationwide Coordinator - Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign
National Coordinator- Friends of KNH Maternity Unit

PO Box 47890-00100,
Nairobi Kenya.
Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126
Email; oto@kcdnkenya.org, komarockswatch@yahoo.com
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Maringo Clean-up Campaign

Friends,
Today being the 3rd Saturday of the Month, we joined with the City Council of Nairobi to help clean the garbage that has been dumped along Nyanza Road, just as you approach Bahati Estate.
The problem
We are pleased that the following teams joined us;

1. City Council of Nairobi led by Mr. Isaac Muraya- Director of Environment at CCN
2. NPC Church Buru Buru led by Pastor Felix Wandera
3. Jica Study Team on decommissioning of Dandora Dump Site led by Mr. Shungo Soeda
4. The Provincial Administration led by Snr Chief Alice K Adhola
5. YWCA
6. Jogoo Road Primary School pupils
7. A German TV Station- did a documentary on the Clean-up
8. and members of the public.

The City Council of Nairobi placed this sign post today at Nyanza Road

The event started late but quickly picked up.
On behalf of the KCDN and The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign, I want to register our appreciation to all these Teams that joined us at Maringo Estate and all those Teams that did something across the whole Country.

Odhiambo T Oketch joins in the Clean-up

L-R; Mr. Soita, Odhiambo, Mr. Soeda and Mr. Duncan Miheso of City Council of Nairobi

L-R; Ass Chief John Kanyira, Ass Chief Eunice Njoroge, Odhiambo, Ass Chief Charles Gesora, Snr Chief Alice K Adhola and CCN Staff members

Snr Chief Adhola being interviewed by the German TV Station
I had to excuse myself and leave early because I am meeting with my Friends at 2.00pm at Garden Square to help plan for my Mum's funeral.
We at KCDN firmly believe that we the People of Kenya can help Clean Kenya.
This is a campaign for Kenya by Kenyans. Let us make it a huge success......
If it is to be, it is up to me. A Clean  Kenya  Starts With me. A Peaceful Kenya is my Responsibility.
Disclaimer; The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign is about us Kenyans. It involves all Kenyans from the various regions, religious persuasions, political thinking and we do not discriminate against any Kenyans nor any region.

Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch

CEO KCDN Nairobi

Nationwide Coordinator - Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign
National Coordinator- Friends of KNH Maternity Unit

PO Box 47890-00100,
Nairobi Kenya.
Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126
Email; oto@kcdnkenya.org, komarockswatch@yahoo.com
www.kcdnkenya.org    
http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com
friendsofkcdn@yahoogroups.com
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Prudential Estate; Another Best Practice

Friends,
We held our Consultative Forum with the leadership of Prudential Estate today morning.
The meeting was attended by the following people;

1. Mr. Ben Mwaniki- Chairman Prudential Welfare Association
2. Mr. Patrick Okungu- Ward Manager- City Council of Nairobi
3. Mr. Desmond Mwalo- Committee Member Prudential Welfare Association
4. Eng Virginia Gichere- Chairlady- Eastlands Business Association
5. Ms Mary Wangondu- Kenya Assemblies of God
6. Mr. Alphonce Siteyi- Shepherd Foundation Schools
7. Mr. Boaz Oigo- Mesora Supermakets
8. Mr. Justus Ng'etich- Committee Member prudential Welfare Association
9. Insp Mwangi- Buru Buru Police Station
10. Mr. Otieno Sungu- Head of Strategic Team KCDN
11. Mr. Odhiambo T Oketch of KCDN

We first took a walk around the Estate and witnessed for our selves what the residents of Prudential have done. They did construct their roads on Cabro at a cost of Kshs 1.5m which the Residents contributed for.
L-R; Mr. Otieno Sungu- Head of Strategic Team at KCDN and Mr. Ben Mwaniki- Chairman Prudential Welfare Association
They have each planted beautiful gardens in front of their houses and employed a small team of workers to clean and collect all garbage that might litter their Estate. Besides, they have contracted a garbage collector who picks their household garbage on a weekly basis.
It is important to note that Prudential is a small Estate of only 84 Housing Units and the good thing is, they have come together and decided to keep their Estate Clean.
This is Prudential Estate
Last Month we did visit NSSF Nyayo Embakasi Estate as a Best Practice. Nyayo is the single largest and cleanest Estate in Africa and now, we are feting Prudential as the next Best Practice which we will appreciate in December when we will be unveiling the Litter Bin Placement Programme in partnership with the City Council of Nairobi, the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, the Kepsa and our Friends from the Corporates.
Time for Consultations
If Nyayo, the biggest and the cleanest and Prudential, the smallest and the cleanest can get it right, it means that we can all get it right.
Our drive will hence to invite as many Neighbourhood Associations as possible to come forward and create a Partnership with us that will help drive this Campaign forward.
The Team; Officials from Prudential Welfare Association, Kenya Assemblies of God, Eastlands Business Association, the Kenya Police, City Council of Nairobi and KCDN
Lastly, we want to keep inviting Kenyans to The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign even as we appreciate all the Friends of KCDN who have made this Campaign the success story that it is.
Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch
CEO KCDN Kenya

Mr. Steve Nyabwa- Tusker Project Fame- joins in the Clean-up Campaign

Friends,
We are so elated that Mr. Steve Nyabwa- he of the Tusker Project Fame will be joining The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Campaign from this Month.
This discussions started in May 2011 when we met in Eldoret and through the process, we have covered lots of ground. Steve has done a captivating song on having a Clean Neighbourhood and be on the watch out for it.
L-R; Ms Lydia Maguza, Mr. Steve Nyabwa with Odhiambo T Oketch
In a meeting between myself, Ms Lydia Maguza- Steve's Manager and Steve himself today, we covered lots of ground.
We at KCDN are happy to have Steve on Board and we want to believe that Steve will help create greater awareness to us having and maintaining a Clean and Safe Neighbourhood.
We will be posting our Calender of Events after taking into account Steve's Diary in the next coming days.
The Clean-up Campaign is taking shape and we want to invite you to do something about your neighbourhood. Last Month we feted NSSF Nyayo Embakasi Estate as our Best Practice for October and this Month, we are visiting Prudential Estate as our next Best Practice for the Month of December.
NSSF Nyayo Embakasi Estate is the single largest Residential Estate in Africa that has maintained clean standards worth talking about. Prudential Estate is the smallest Estate that has also maintained Clean Standards that we will be appreciating.

In so doing, we will be unveiling The Litter Bin Placement Programme between KCDN, the various Councils, Corporates and the people of Kenya on the 10th December 2011 at a ceremony that we will host at Prudential Estate in Buru Buru.
We want to invite your support to help make Kenya Clean.
Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch
CEO KCDN Nairobi
Nationwide Coordinator - Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign
National Coordinator- Friends of KNH Maternity Unit
PO Box 47890-00100,
Nairobi Kenya.
Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126
Email; oto@kcdnkenya.org, komarockswatch@yahoo.com

The National Environment Convention

The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign, working in Partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, City Council of Nairobi and other stakeholders will be hosting a one day National Environment Convention at the KICC on the 19th January 2012.
The Theme for this Convention will be; A Clean and safe Kenya is Possible.
We are inviting all Kenyans, Corporates, NGOs, CBOs, FBOs, Youth, Women and all those who are keen on seeing a Clean and Safe Kenya to join us on this day.
We want to invite all the Corporates who are in waste recycling business to step forward and show case what they can do with waste.
In the interim, we are inviting Kenyans to take charge and organize themselves and maintain a clean neighbourhood. If NSSF Nyayo Embakasi Estate and Prudential Estate Residents can do it, we can all do it.
We will also start placing Litter Bins across our Estates in December 2011 in Partnership with the various Councils and Stakeholders and we want to invite the active support of Kenyans. It is in our interest to have and maintain a Clean and safe Neighbourhood.
It is a good example to the Children and it invites Friends.
Lastly, during the 2nd Circle of The Clean-up Campaign, we will be focusing on separation of waste from source as an economic activity for the Family Unit and the Neighbourhood Association. We are in discussions that may lead to Partnerships that will advance this course.
Peace and blessings to all.

Odhiambo T Oketch
CEO KCDN Kenya

Need for greater coordination; PC Nairobi

Friends,
The Provincial Commissioner Nairobi Mr. Njoroge Ndirangu today officially launched the 2nd Circle of The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign at Huruma Sports Grounds by calling for greater coordination in efforts that are aimed at Environmental Management.
R-L; Cllr Wanjohi, DC Mr. Gachichio, Mr. Ndirangu PC Nairobi, Mr. Muraya. Mr. Odhiambo and DO Mr. Omoke
In a function that was attended by 137 groups from Huruma and around, the Starehe DC Mr. Benjamin Gachichio, Mathare DO Mr. Gerald Omoke, an Administrative Officer from the PC's office Ms Rhoda Otieno, Director of Environment at the City Council of Nairobi Mr. Isaac Muraya, area Councilor Mr. George Wanjohi, Chairman Nyayo Embakasi Residents Association Mr. George Ochola and Assistant Directors at CCN, many Ward Managers and senior Officers from the Council, the PC did appreciate the efforts that have been put in place to help mobilize Kenyans to join in the Monthly Clean-up Campaigns.
Noting that our Constitution has now put lots of emphasis on a clean and safe neighbourhoood, he invited the residents of Nairobi to join hands and help in managing the garbage and waste that we generate. He noted that we generate 2,000 tonnes of waste daily against the 800 tonnes that the City Council can manage. This means that we are generating 1,200 more tonnes of waste that end up clogging our roads and drainage systems.
This calls for some radical shifts in our attitude.
Because of this, he indicated that he will be calling a Consultative Forum for all players in the Environmental Management Sector to plan how our efforts can be well coordinated and facilitated with an aim of supporting the Youth and Women Groups which have formed themselves to help in this area.

The PC planting a Tree to commemorate the launch

The PC invited Kenyans to live in harmony and unity devoid of tribalism, noting that the war against criminals must not be construed to mean that the Government is targeting some Religion. He said criminality knows no Religion and all Kenyans must join hands and help in flushing out all the criminal elements amongst us.
The PC then presented 100 Certificates of Appreciation to the first 100 of the 137 Groups that took part in today's event.
Earlier the area DC Mr, Gachichio had called on the residents to maintain peace even as they approach the next election.
The Director of Environment Mr. Muraya noted that we helped to pick and collect litter that was transported in 22 tracks of lorries. He said the operation to help Clean Huruma had started very early when the Council trucks and Tippers rolled along Juja Road to remove the mounds of garbage that had remained unattended to for long. He praised the partnership that the Council had entered into with the residents of Nairobi and invited the residents to join the Council every 3rd Saturday of the Month in the voluntary Clean-up Exercises.
The Area Councilor Mr.Wanjohi said he will lobby his colleagues to take the Clean-up Exercises more seriously. He was impressed with the attendance and promised to join in all the subsequent Clean-ups every Month.
Residents responding to The Clean-up Call
In all, we had a good launch. We want to thank all the groups that attended the official Launch of the 2nd Circle of The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign at the Huruma Estate today. We want to thank the Provincial Commissioner Mr. Njoroge Ndirangu for making time to come and join us in this exercise amidst his very tight schedules. We want to thank the area DC Mr. Gachichio, area DO Mr. Omoke, DO from the PC's office Ms Otieno and all the Provincial Administration Officers who helped make todays event the success that it was.
We want to thank the City Council of Nairobi, the Director of Environment and his team, the area Councilor, all the Ward Managers and the Council employees who attended and the One Stop Youth Resource Centre for your active support and participation.
We want to thank the Public Service Transformation Department for having supported all our 3 Consultative Forums in Komarock, Nyayo Embakasi and Huruma Estates. We also want to thank them for supporting the placement of a Supplement about the Clean-up Launch on the 13th October 2011 in the Daily Nation and for providing us with 200 Tshirts that used today.
We also want to thank the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources for giving us their support towards the launch. We will provide their list shortly.
The PC presenting Certificates of Participation to the group leaders.
We also want to thank the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya for providing us with the seedlings that we planted today at the Huruma Sports Grounds. Lastly, we want to thank Mr. Dan Juma of Global Peace Youth Corps who sent us Kshs 3,000.00 to help top up the PA and Sound System payments.
Thank you very much.
And as the Coordinators of this event, we had a few observations which we want toshare with the public;

1. There will be need for greater financial support and commitment from our Partners to help address logistical issues such as mobilization, communications, transport, PA and Sound, provision of Tents, Chairs and some refreshments, video and still photography coverage and entertainment.
2. There will also be greater need to bring together all actors in the environmental sector during such events to help have some clear focus, and
3. There will be even more greater need to start partnering with the media houses during such campaigns.

We will hence be knocking on your doors, not just for material support, but to also help us address the fore mentioned. This is the only way we will keep having the goodwill of Kenyans in this Campaign.
Otherwise, on behalf of The Consultative Team Members, I want to thank all those who made this day the huge success it was. Let us keep the fire burning and take stock of what will be facing us every Month in this Journey of Hope across Kenya.

Odhiambo T Oketch
National Cordinator
The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign

Reflections on Mashujaa Day

20th October is a day we reflect on the struggles of our Fathers, struggles that made us attain our Independence in 1963. 48 years down the line, things seems to have gone full circle and we are badly off than when we set on this Journey of Hope.
We set off with a few clear objectives;

1. To fight against illiteracy
2. To fight against disease
3. To avail clean drinking water to all
4. To avail electric power to all
5. To unite Kenyans as One Family Under God

We had other rafts of objectives that we set out to achieve and the good thing is, we set some time lines for which these different objectives were to be achieved. It is against this background that we should be celebrating our Heroes today.
a] Illiteracy

Now, the fight against illiteracy seems to have evaded us. In a recent study, one group reported how pupils in class 8 were ill prepared to sit for their exams. The sad part of the report was that pupils in class three were unable to read and write properly.
This is a national shame, because even at the highest institutions of learning, we have students who are struggling to effectively engage in any intellectual discourse.
The management of our school curriculum is far from convincing. Parents are not certain about how and what their children are being taught in school. Pupils in the various classes are not being given the same instructions as we have no set school syllabus and set books.
Our children are going through a system of education akin to robots. It saddens most parents to see their children at class one being subjected to instructions that cover well over 7 subjects while at that level, a child only needs to read and write.
Let us reflect on these disparities in our education system with a view to having some deliberate upward mobility that will create confidence in the parents and the children alike.
b] Disease
Eradicating disease is an uphill task and this was going to be difficult from the word go. But we have some manageable tropical diseases that the Ministry of Medical Services and that of Public Health and Sanitation have made great strides in controlling. But as we celebrate our heroes today, we must reflect on the cost of medication. The cost of medication is far way above the reach of many Kenyans.
This is why Kenyans were somewhat elated when the then Minister for Health Hon Charity Ngilu and her team came up with a Health Care Scheme that was going to be of real benefit to many Kenyans. This is a scheme that the Government must implement for the good of all. The National Hospital Insurance Scheme must roll out far and wide and this must be a very deliberate effort.
As we reflect on our Heroes, we must put in more efforts to ensure that Kenyans can access affordable Health Care.
c] Water
Water is life and this is very obvious, yet, 48 years down the line, even in Nairobi, residents are struggling and queuing to fetch this precious commodity. We had the slogan of water for all by the year 2000 and the year 2000 came and passed. 10 years down the line, we are still at the zero peg.
We are seeing some efforts at availing water for all being put in place currently but as it were, we are getting clouded in cobwebs of corruption allegations that tend to derail the positive efforts being put in place.
As we celebrate Mashujaa Day today, we must reflect on why we do not have running taps in our homes in Nairobi.
d] Electric Power
It goes without say that if Nairobi is not sufficiently electrified, then, the rest of the country is missing out on Electric Power. Currently the cost of Electric Power is driving investors out of Kenya and it looks like this does not bother anybody at the Ministry of Energy.
Again, the cost of Gas is increasingly becoming beyond the reach of many Kenyans and again, we are playing roulette and dancing to the tunes.
e] Unity
We all know how superficial our unity as Kenyans has always been. One minute we are all One Family Under God and the next minute, we are cutting each other with matchettes. Yet, we keep saddling ourselves with a leadership that tends to preach tribalism and nepotism as it pays lip or no service to the unity of Kenyans.
As we celebrate this day, let us reflect on our roles as Kenyans in creating an everlasting unity that will transcend any political interests.
Having looked at all these, we must appreciate that at long last something is being done to move Kenya out of the trench. We have been stuck for 48 years and now, we can see good attempts at taking Kenya to the next level.
Our roads are being expanded and new ones being built. But we seem to be facing the same old challenges where new roads tear off immediately upon being commissioned. This is a worrying trend and as we celebrate our Heroes today, we must ask our Road Engineers to live to their professional calling and build for us roads that have a life span. Not roads that develop pot-holes even before being commissioned.
When you move around our Towns, you will notice how poor our drainage systems are. THis calls for soul searching; are our engineers equal to the task? Or, should we also out source for man power to build our drainage system the way we have out sourced Chinese to build our roads?
The way our Markets are being developed leaves a lot to be desired. A quick walk at Muthurwa Market will inform you of how not to do it. Muthurwa has been invaded by hawkers from all sides. The Bus Termini has been invaded by hawkers and the powers that be seems to be very helpless. The Road that leads into and out of Muthurwa must not have been done by a Roads Engineers. This was a quack who got paid handsomely for doing nothing. Yet, we have the Police Force, the CID, the KACC, the Auditor and Controller General, the Efficiency Monitoring Unit, The City Council of Nairobi, the Provincial Administration, the Parent Ministries, the Office of the Prime Minister and ultimately, the Office of the President.
I want to ask a very simple fact; there is nobody in all these offices who has been able to see that Kenyans were cheated out of the more than Kshs 800m that was used to develop this nothing called Muthurwa Market? This is food for thought as we celebrate Mashujaa Day.
Kenyans are currently faced with myriad of problems in the Housing Construction, Garbage Collection, Water Provision, Electric Power Provision, Provision of Affordable Medical Health Care etc. Yet, we all know that these are issues that we can easily surmount as a Country if we put just some little efforts.
Just juxtapose these failures with our success with enterprises such as;

1. Anglo Leasing
2. Goldenberg
3. Triton
4. Maize
5.  

We did accomplish such enterprises with speed to an extent that up till now, Kenyans cannot put pieces of the rigmarole together to point at exactly who did what. We lost big and that is a clear fact.
We must hence join hands as Citizens of Kenya as we start Our Journey of Hope into our 49th year of Independence and demand for more action from the people whom we have put into elective office to govern the affairs of our Country on our behalf. This calls for supporting their actions if it is for the good of our Country, and chastising them if their act in a manner that does not add value to our wish as a Country.

One thing I am very sure about, no one will do it for us. The UN Agencies, the Donor Agencies, and all our Development Partners are more keen on workshops, seminars and those kind of Theatrics that add no known value to our aspiration as a Country.
We must appreciate that we now have a team in Government that is keen at Transforming Kenya and we need to hold hands and walk as a team, as One Family Under God.

Odhiambo T Oketch.
CEO KCDN Nairobi
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