An NYS recruitment underway during the 2024 intake carried out in February.

He emphasized the need for evidence of the recruitment process in each ward to address the growing concerns among members of parliament and the public. 

Embakasi Central MP Benjamin Gathiru, popularly known as Mejja Donk, has raised concerns about the transparency of the recruitment process for the 15,000 National Youth Service (NYS) volunteers.

Gathiru questioned why the selection process did not take place at the ward level as originally planned, alleging interference in the recruitment process.

During a session in the house, the legislator sought clarification from Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria regarding the steps taken to ensure transparency in the NYS recruitment, particularly in the 85 wards within the City County.

He emphasized the need for evidence of the recruitment process in each ward to address the growing concerns among members of parliament and the public.

“There have been numerous concerns from members of parliament and the public regarding the level of transparency and equity in the distribution of available NYS slots,” he said.

In response to these concerns, Gathiru proposed that the Budget and Appropriation Committee consider withholding funding to the NYS in the ongoing budgetary process, either through a supplementary budget or in the next financial year, if corrective measures are not implemented to address the raised issues against the state agency.

Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management CS Moses Kuria had earlier announced that the recruitment would take place in 1,450 wards, with each ward allocated a share of the recruitment slots.

The recruitment exercise, which occurred from February 5 to February 9, aimed to enlist 15,000 volunteers.

Gathiru expressed suspicion of systematic interference in the recruitment process, particularly aimed at denying certain members of the public, especially in Nairobi, the opportunity to engage in national duty.

According to the distribution schedule released by the government, the recruitment was to be conducted at the sub-county level, with each of the 1,450 wards allocated a specific number of slots based on population demographics.

Candidates for the NYS volunteer positions were required to be Kenyan citizens and residents of the respective sub-counties where recruitment took place, aged between 18 to 24 years, and possess a mean Grade of D plain and above in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).

Additionally, candidates were required to provide original National Identity Cards and academic certificates, along with copies, at the recruitment centre.

Other prerequisites included a certificate of Good Conduct, readiness to undergo medical check-ups during and after recruitment, and preparedness to undergo rigorous physical training and offer voluntary service anywhere in Kenya.  By Irene Mwangi, Capital News

Centenary Bank, Uganda’s leading commercial microfinance bank, has today joined hands with Pamoja Foundation, a non-profit organization, to improve the working environment of over 15,000 workers at Nakawa Market, in Nakawa Division, Kampala City.

As part of this effort, the two partners conducted a cleaning exercise alongside the market vendors, to make the market cleaner and attractive to both the workers and shoppers at the market which is one of the country’s oldest and largest markets.

The cleaning exercise is in line with the bank’s commitment towards environmental conservation and its Environment Social and Governance (ESG) agenda. Speaking at the cleaning drive, Mrs Beatrice Lugalambi, General Manager, Corporate Communications and Marketing, Centenary Bank, said this drive aligns with a diverse range of initiatives by the bank aimed at mitigating environmental risks by reversing trends and behaviour that contribute to environmental degradation. Something that is aimed at promoting a sustainable future for Uganda.

 “We are delighted to participate in this activity alongside the Pamoja Foundation. Maintaining cleanliness in a bustling market like Nakawa is crucial to our commitment to preserving the environment in the communities where we operate. We firmly believe that this is a collective effort, which is why we’ve joined hands with other stakeholders such as the Pamoja Foundation, market leaders, and vendors to rejuvenate the market’s appearance,” Lugalambi said.

According to a 2021 report by the Institute for Social Transformation, Nakawa Market, one of the largest among the 51 markets in Kampala City, has a capacity of approximately 15,000 vendors. However, the disposal of waste by these vendors has posed a significant challenge to waste management. Such a problem, according to Lugalambi, is more reason for the bank to show commitment.

 “We cannot ignore the environmental impact of human activity, and it’s our responsibility to devise solutions to address the challenges we create. Initiating the cleanup of a significant market like Nakawa is merely the beginning. By setting an example for the thousands of individuals who work here, we can inspire them to collaboratively seek long-term solutions for managing their waste challenges.”

Additionally, Musimenta Bruce, the Executive Director Pamoja Foundation, emphasized the importance of a united front in addressing community and environmental challenges.

“At Pamoja Foundation, we are thrilled to partner with Centenary Bank on this commendable initiative to maintain cleanliness in one of the city’s largest markets. As a brand, we advocate for collective decision-making to address social issues, and currently, environmental degradation poses a significant threat to sustainable living. Alongside the stakeholders gathered here today, I am confident that we have set a precedent for effective waste management in this facility and others like it across the city.”

Centenary Bank, Uganda’s leading commercial microfinance bank, has today joined hands with Pamoja Foundation, a non-profit organization, to improve the working environment of over 15,000 workers at Nakawa Market, in Nakawa Division, Kampala City.

As part of this effort, the two partners conducted a cleaning exercise alongside the market vendors, to make the market cleaner and attractive to both the workers and shoppers at the market which is one of the country’s oldest and largest markets.

The cleaning exercise is in line with the bank’s commitment towards environmental conservation and its Environment Social and Governance (ESG) agenda. Speaking at the cleaning drive, Mrs Beatrice Lugalambi, General Manager, Corporate Communications and Marketing, Centenary Bank, said this drive aligns with a diverse range of initiatives by the bank aimed at mitigating environmental risks by reversing trends and behaviour that contribute to environmental degradation. Something that is aimed at promoting a sustainable future for Uganda.

 “We are delighted to participate in this activity alongside the Pamoja Foundation. Maintaining cleanliness in a bustling market like Nakawa is crucial to our commitment to preserving the environment in the communities where we operate. We firmly believe that this is a collective effort, which is why we’ve joined hands with other stakeholders such as the Pamoja Foundation, market leaders, and vendors to rejuvenate the market’s appearance,” Lugalambi said.

According to a 2021 report by the Institute for Social Transformation, Nakawa Market, one of the largest among the 51 markets in Kampala City, has a capacity of approximately 15,000 vendors. However, the disposal of waste by these vendors has posed a significant challenge to waste management. Such a problem, according to Lugalambi, is more reason for the bank to show commitment.

 “We cannot ignore the environmental impact of human activity, and it’s our responsibility to devise solutions to address the challenges we create. Initiating the cleanup of a significant market like Nakawa is merely the beginning. By setting an example for the thousands of individuals who work here, we can inspire them to collaboratively seek long-term solutions for managing their waste challenges.”

Additionally, Musimenta Bruce, the Executive Director Pamoja Foundation, emphasized the importance of a united front in addressing community and environmental challenges.

“At Pamoja Foundation, we are thrilled to partner with Centenary Bank on this commendable initiative to maintain cleanliness in one of the city’s largest markets. As a brand, we advocate for collective decision-making to address social issues, and currently, environmental degradation poses a significant threat to sustainable living. Alongside the stakeholders gathered here today, I am confident that we have set a precedent for effective waste management in this facility and others like it across the city.” By Klelve Calvin, The Tower Post

houthiredseastory Armed Rally And Parade Supporting Palestinians And Against Israel, U.S. - U.K. In Yemen© Getty

The US and Britain have struck more than a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen in response to a recent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea.

American and British fighter jets hit about 18 sites across multiple locations, targeting missiles, launchers, rockets, drones and unmanned surface and underwater vehicles, according to US officials.

This is the fourth time that the US and British militaries have conducted a combined operation against the Houthis since 12 January.

But the US has also been carrying out almost daily strikes to take out Houthi targets, including incoming missiles and drones aimed at ships, as well as weapons that were prepared to launch.

The US fighter jets launched from the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier, which is currently in the Red Sea.

President Joe Biden and other senior leaders have repeatedly warned that the US will not tolerate the Houthi attacks against commercial shipping.

But the counter-attacks have not appeared to diminish the Houthis’ campaign against shipping in the region, which the militants say is over Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The group has launched at least 57 attacks on commercial and military ships in the the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November 19, and the pace has picked up in recent days.

“We’ve certainly seen in the past 48, 72 hours an increase in attacks from the Houthis,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a briefing on Thursday. And she acknowledged that the Houthis have not been deterred.

“We never said we’ve wiped off the map all of their capabilities,” she told reporters. “We know that the Houthis maintain a large arsenal. They are very capable. They have sophisticated weapons, and that’s because they continue to get them from Iran.”

There have been at least 32 US strikes in Yemen over the past month and a half; a few were conducted with allied involvement. In addition, US warships have taken out dozens of incoming missiles, rockets and drones targeting commercial and other navy vessels.

Earlier on Saturday, the destroyer USS Mason downed an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from Houthi-held areas in Yemen towards the Gulf of Aden, US Central Command said, adding that the missile was probably targeting MV Torm Thor, a US-flagged, owned, and operated chemical and oil tanker.

The US attacks on the Houthis have targeted more than 120 launchers, more than 10 surface-to-air-missiles, 40 storage and support building, 15 drone storage buildings, more than 20 unmanned air, surface and underwater vehicles, several underground storage areas and a few other facilities. 

The rebels’ supreme leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, announced this past week an “escalation in sea operations” conducted by his forces as part of what they describe as a pressure campaign to end Israel’s war on Hamas.

But while the group says the attacks are aimed at stopping that war, the Houthis’ targets have grown more random, endangering a vital waterway for cargo and energy shipments travelling from Asia and the Middle East onwards to Europe.

During normal operations, about 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time. While the Houthi attacks have only actually struck a small number of vessels, the persistent targeting and near misses that have been shot down by the US and allies have prompted shipping companies to reroute their vessels from the Red Sea.

Instead, they have sent them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope - a much longer, costlier and less efficient passage. 

The threats also have led the US and its allies to set up a joint mission where warships from participating nations provide a protective umbrella of air defence for ships as they travel between the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

In Thursday’s attack in the Gulf of Aden, the Houthis fired two missiles at a Palau-flagged cargo ship named Islander, according to Central Command. A European naval force in the region said the attack sparked a fire and wounded a sailor on board the vessel, though the ship continued on its way.

Central Command launched attacks on Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Friday, destroying seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that the military said were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea.

Central Command also said on Saturday that a Houthi attack on a Belize-flagged ship on February 18 caused an 18-mile oil slick and the military warned of the danger of a spill from the vessel’s cargo of fertiliser. 

The Rubymar, a British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo vessel, was attacked while sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The missile attack forced the crew to abandon the vessel, which had been on its way to Bulgaria after leaving the United Arab Emirates. It was transporting more than 41,000 tons of fertiliser, according to a Central Command statement.

Yemen‘s internationally recognised government has called for other countries and maritime-protection organisations to quickly address the oil slick and avert “a significant environmental disaster”.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow. Story by Alexander Butler , The Independent