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Corrupt officials aid destruction of Kenya’s Mau Forest
Posted by AlertNet: Gitonga Njeru on November 1st, 2012
AlertNet: A syndicate involved in illegal logging of indigenous trees from Kenya's largest forest has been bribing police and civil servants in order to continue its activities, Kenyan forestry officials charge.
"Corruption involving the police and civil servants in illegal logging activities in the Mau Forest is a serious problem,' said David Mutoro, acting director of the Kenya Forest Service. "The destruction (has been) happening (since) the government launched reforestation efforts in mid-2009. It is...
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Water shortages driving growing thefts, conflicts in Kenya
Posted by AlertNet: Gitonga Njeru on August 6th, 2012
AlertNet: As droughts become more frequent and water shortages worsen, Kenya is seeing an increase in water thefts and other water-related crime, police records show.
The most common crimes are theft, muggings and illegal disconnections of water pipes by thieves who collect and sell the water. Many of the crimes occur in urban slums, which lack sufficient piped water.
"Since 2003, we have made piped water available to at least half of the slum residents in the entire country, but we are faced with severe...
Changing Kenyan climate threatens traditional rainmakers
Posted by AlertNet: Gitonga Njeru on September 27th, 2011
AlertNet: In the face of erratic rainfall patterns, persistent droughts and poor food production, many Kenyan farmers are struggling to maintain their livelihoods.
But another group is also finding itself a casualty of the country's unpredictable weather -rainmakers.
A traditional and familiar part of agricultural life in western Kenya, rainmakers have long been called upon to predict the coming of rain so farmers will know when to sow their crops.
But many are finding their skills short-circuited...
Kenyan herders switch to farming as droughts worsen
Posted by AlertNet: Gitonga Njeru on July 7th, 2011
AlertNet: Kenyan herders switch to farming as droughts worsen
Cattle graze near thorn trees in Eremit in Kenya's southern Rift Valley on July 21, 2007.Frequent droughts are causing a share of Kenya's cattle herders to abandon their longstanding tradition of livestock farming in favour of growing crops, in an effort to increase their income.
Poor rainfall over the past several years, likely related to climate change, has resulted in increasing levels of hunger and poverty in the east African country,...