Isukuti Dancers to showcase Luhya culture and heritage in the USA

A Kakamega County based dancing group Matende Isukuti Youth Group is headed to USA to attend Smithson Folk life Festival.

This year’s festival will take place from the 24^th June to 7thJuly 2014 at the National Mall in Washington DC.

Smithson Folk Life Festival celebrates several cultures and lives of people all over the world through music, crafts, food, dances, interactive discussions and storytelling.

Kakamega county governor Wycliffe Oparanya asked the dancers to showcase the cou

nty’s diversity and culture through their performance.

He said the group participation in the festivals has provided a platform for the county to market the county as a cultural heritage and a tourist destination to the outside world.

“To the youth who are travelling to the USA, remember that you are carrying the image of Kakamega County. You will represent all the citizens of this great county. Maintain very high discipline, market our culture, heritage and county to others and respect everyone,” said Oparanya.

He urged the youths to identify their talents and utilize it to earn a living instead of waiting for white collar jobs that have become scarce in the country.

“Most of our youth still depend on finishing school and waiting to be employed in an office. Its time you identify your capabilities and utilize them. The world of today has provided you with opportunities to develop yourself,” he said.

The governor was speaking during the flag handing over ceremony held in his office yesterday.

“The trip has coasted the county government sh7.69 million. Of these funds, sh5.28 million will go to the group trip’s cost of return air ticket, travel insurance, accommodation, meals and local transport in the USA for 16 days,” said Oparanya.

The county executive member for Kakamega County government Executive member for Labour, Social services, Culture, Youth and sports Jamin Shitsukane observed that the festivals is an opportunity for the youths to showcase their talent and promised that the county will help in nurturing and their talents.

He said Isukuti dancing is a county culture and if well marketed, it will attract tourists and hence improve economic development of the county.

“Culture is one of the most tourist attractions all over the world. Let’s us use this opportunity to market our culture to the world. We need to make Isukuti our county cultural trademark and if we can execute this opportunity well, I am sure we will benefit from the festival,” said Shitsukane.

The dancing group chairman Johnstone Asutsi said they will use the opportunity to not only market the county but the country at large by giving a strong and performance.

“We will become the county ambassadors during the time we will be attending the festival. We promise to work hard, execute our moves well and showcase the Isukuti to the entire world. We are the representatives of our Isukuti culture,” said a beaming Asutsi.

The 10 members youth group will leave be travelling to USA ON 22^nd June and they will be accompanied by the county executive minister for  Labour, Social services, Culture, Youth and sports Jamin Shitsukane.

High HIV/AIDS prevalence attributed to cross border trade

Budalangi Sub County is the leading region with high HIV/Aids prevalence rate in Busia County with the upsurge attributed to fishing industry, cultural beliefs and cross border trade.

According to a survey carried out by Busia county government, Budalangi leads the pack with HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 8.3 percent.

“Budalangi is the leading sub county in HIV/aids prevalence rate in this county and this is due to entrenched behaviours of fish for sex, high rate of alcohol and substance abuse, wife inheritance and cross border trade,” reads part of the report.

Matayos Sub County was ranked second with prevalence rate of 7.4 percent.

The rate is attributed to cross border trade and increased commercial sex business in Busia town.

The report indicates that there are estimated over 2000 sex workers in Busia town targeting long distance truck drivers and travelers crossing to the neighboring country.

“Truck drivers presents a ready-made demand for sexual workers in town this has seen an increase of HIV/Aids in the sub county compared to 2011/2012 survey,” reads the report.

The report indicates that Funyula Sub County is third with a prevalence rate of 6.3percentfolowed by Butula Sub County with 5.1 percent, Teso North with 4.2 percent, Teso South with 3.4 percent and Nambale with 3.1percent respectively.

The HIV/ aids prevalence in Teso sub counties was attributed to cultural beliefs that is hindering male circumcision.

Other causes of are high poverty index that currently stands at 65percent, the Trans African Highway in Malaba and Busia borders, cultural issues and illiteracy.

Busia County first lady Judith Ojaamong observed that with an adult prevalence rate of 6.8percent, Busia County firmly remains in the list of top ten counties with high HIV and AIDS burden in the country with women and children bearing the biggest brunt of the scourge.

However, she said there are encouraging signs such as the fact that the prevalence, though high, has steadily dropped.

“The free maternity services has seen a significant rise in the number of mothers delivering in our health facilities under skilled hands from 38.9percent in 2012 and 44.2percent in 2013 to 67.9percent in early 2014. The proportion of HIV positive mothers receiving preventative ARVs has been higher than percent and steadily risen,” she observed.

She was speaking during the launch of ‘Beyond Zero Campaign’ in Busia over the weekend.

The campaigns aims to accelerate the implementation of the national and counties plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children.

“The beyond zero campaign therefore seeks to bring together high-level leadership in the county to end new HIV infections among children and keep HIV infected mothers alive.” Mrs. Ojaamong’ cited.

Mrs. Ojaamong’ reiterated that in Busia County the exercise will target 7,700 adults and 234 young children over a period of three months starting in July 2014.

The campaign will involve all the county departments of health under the patronage of all the first ladies in all the 47 counties with technical support from National Aids and STI Control Program (NASCOP) and National Aids Control Council (NACC).

“I therefore take this this opportunity to inform you of  a nationwide HIV counseling and testing Rapid Result  Initiative (HTC-RRI) which is a follow up to this engagement, an exercise that will target 1,000,000 contacts and partners of  HIV positive clients already in our care and 20,000 children for early infant diagnosis.” The first lady said.

Speaking at the launch, the County AIDS coordinator Wilfred Magoba said that in the past 5years, the prevalence rate in Busia has dropped from 14percent to the current 6.8percent.

“We have managed to reduce the number of new infections in the County and related deaths, and discrimination. We have seen more people declare their status in public.”Magoba said.    

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leaders slam issuance of condoms and contraceptive pills to primary school pupils.

June 25, 2014

Leaders in Western region are opposed to the proposed reproductive health bill presented in senate that seeks to provide school going children with condoms and contraceptive pills saying it will be  a recipe for decay of morals and geared toward promoting sexual escapades among children.

Teso North MP Arthur Odera, Kakamega County Interfaith Association Chairman Bishop Nicholas Olumasai, Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe, Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi, and Vihiga County Knut Chairman Dickson Atsiaya condemned the bill terming it immoral and un- African.

Odera said the government should entrench sex education in the curriculum to arm children with information on sex to enable them be brought up as morally responsible citizens of this country.

He explained informing children about sex will enable them to make informed choices about their behaviours.

“The message in giving children condoms and pills is that teenage or even pre-teenage sex is ok as long as you can use a condom or a pill. This is a height of moral decadence and we will regret later if it is implemented,” observed Odera.

Bishop Olumasai said the bill is against religious, moral and cultural values of children and called for the amendments of the controversial clause.

He accused those supporting the bill as being ignorant and advocating for immorality.

“We should be teaching our children to be responsible and not how to use condoms and pills. After giving them the condoms, they will surely want to do an experiment with them.The clause should be expunged from the bill or the bill should be thrown away,” said Olumasai.

Wangwe termed the bill as morally unacceptable and vowed to oppose it saying if it’s passed, it will deny children their ability for self-control.

The MP said there is nothing good in teaching primary school children how to use condoms and other family planning contraceptives methods.

“How do you start giving a 10-years-old child a condom? I wonder what they want to achieve from this. I am totally against this bill and I think it’s unwise to even discuss it,” Wangwe told The Microscope.

Atsiaya termed the aspect of giving children condoms and contraceptive pills unfortunate and ill motivated.

He suggested that the government should instead employ professional counsellors in all public schools to offer guiding and counseling to pupils as a way of ensuring they remain morally upright.

“We as teachers will not accept that. A 10-year old is still young and tender and we will not encourage our children to access condoms. That is illogical,” observed Atsiaya.

Sabatia MP said the idea is bad for the school going children and explained that leaders should not be seen as encouraging children to engage in sexual experiments instead of education.

“Teenagers and children should be discouraged at all costs as it impacts negatively on their lives, career and morals. The issuance of condoms and contraceptives will worsen the situation,” said Agoi.

The reproductive Health Care Bill 2014 proposes that adolescent be persons aged between aged ten and seventeen.

The bill proposed by nominated senator Judith Sijeny seeks to have adolescent given access to comprehensive sexual education and services.

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