Mombasa County Senator Mohammed Faki and Nyali Mp Mohammed Ali have differed with the county governor Hassan Joho on his approach on the issue of mass testing for coronavirus in the county.

Yesterday, a furious Joho threatened to lock down residents of Old Town after they failed to show up for the exercise. Old town is one of the hardest hit areas in Mombasa county.

Joho accused the residents of also ignoring other guidelines set by the government through ministry of health including social distancing, avoiding places of worship (mosques) and staying at home.

https://ommydalla.co.ke/people/item/1514-joho-breathes-fire-over-old-town

On his part Senator Mohammed Faki called on the county government to first address the issue of stigmatisation before subjecting the residents to mandatory mass testing.

''Before we subject the people to the testing we should deal with the problem of Stigma associated with the disease. There is alot of Stigma and many people would rather not take the test than Volunteer and allow your family to suffer'' said Faki.

Adding ''As matter stand now, immediately you test positive you will have to be isolated and your family quarantined and all your contacts are supposed to be quarantined. The cost involved is also prohibitive considering the hard economic times courtesy of the Pandemic''.

In a statement Faki challenged the county government to come up with a counseling program to assure the residents that the virus is not a death sentence.

''So we need to relook the issue of Mass Testing so that we can be able to get as many people to go out and be tested as possible. We need first to have a Counselling Program before you take the test. The Counselling will assure the person that being infected with Corona is not a death Sentence and 98% of the people of get infected and develop symptoms of the disease get cured'' he charged.

The statement further reads ''The Counselling should assure that if there is any quarantine or isolation it could be done at your own home to avoid unnecessary costs or at a Quarantine facility but costs will be borne by the County Government. Finally the test is safe because there is alot of information out there saying that some of the testing kits are not safe''

Nyali Mp Mohammed Ali has also come out to differ with the county chief on the issue calling on him to stop forcing the residents on mass testing

'' We are politicians and when it comes to the health of our people we need to put politics aside, let's leave the issue to professionals. Let's stop threatening the people with this issue mass testing, it is a good idea but we should not force the people'' said Ali.

Ali explained that a number of residents in the county had shunned the exercise because they were threatened that if they turned out positive, they would have to foot their own bills.

"People fear to partake in the test because they will be told to foot the bills once they test positive. Who do you think will turn up for the test if they have to foot the bill on their own?" he posed.

Last night, the department of health announced that has struck an agreement with the Kenya Medical Training College at Port Reitz and Mombasa Campus to release 38 people who were quarantined at the institutions.

According to  the county health executive Health Hazel Koitaba, this is in line with the County’s resolve to come to the rescue of those who are unable to pay the quarantine fees of 2,000 shillings per day to the institutions.

Twenty were due for discharge today at Port Reitz and 18 at Mombasa Campus.

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has raised his concern over what he terms as ignorance from residents of Old Town.

According to Joho, this is the major reason for the rising cases of coronavirus not only in the area but county at large.

The governor also raised concern over the low turnout in the mass testing exercise.

''Out of over 28,000 residents only 130 have come out to be tested. If you people continue ignoring the measures we have put in place we will propose for a lockdown in Old Town, no one will be allowed in or out of Old town''. said Joho

He added ''This is very serious business my friend, it is not a joke. We know of cases where neigbours are hiding individuals who are on our contact tracing list, some of them even call their Mp saying they are scared they will be sent to quarantine, you will only be sent to quarantine if you misbehave".

Joho also warned the residents who majority are muslims against interacting and sharing meal after breaking the fast.

Joho charged ''We also have families that we can share a meal with but we are avoiding this because of the current situation so please let's stop this, let everyone break the fast at their own homes. Avoid going to the mosques too or we will take action".

On his part Mombasa County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo called on residents of Mombasa to avoid the area (Old Town) saying it's now the new hotspot in the county.

"We already have 38 cases of infection and 6 deaths, this is a danger zone and i plead with other residents of Mombasa to avoid this place" said Kitiyo.

Kitiyo also revealed that the government will now be forced to test every resident of the area.

''Mass testing is a must, everyone in Old Town must be tested and i'm directed all the chiefs to come out with a list of all families in Old Town so that we can establish which family is avoiding the testing" charged Kitiyo.

The County Commissioner further said  each mosque in the area will now be manned by police officers as a way of keeping away the  residents.

German promoter and rap act Mattan has steadily built up his momentum within reliability, competence and originality of his events and concerts across the globe, delving deep into the fusion of events and artist booking.

He has recently been on a collaborative spree with African artists including and not limited to Jah Lead and now on to the next one who is going to Nigerian singer Blak-I

Blak-I who adds up as a producer, singer & rap artist has had numerous gigs and music projects both in Nigeria and Germany as the owner from the music label BI Media Productions.

He is currently solely working on the "Da Zukunst" album as the lead producer.

The two (Mattan and Blak-I) have since come together to form a boy band "Da Zukunst” whereas Zukunft means future and Kunst means art, hence Da Zukunst is a combination from the two words future & art, that only works in German language.

In a scene blooming with acts who have found a creative avenue within the miscegenation that music provides, Mattan seems to be at the foreground.

The aim is to unite artists from different countries and draw attention to talented African artists in Europe.

Their hypnotic melodies and swirling textures are a nod to both their African and German musical heritage which borrows from different parts of Europe and Africa. The influences vary from Brazilian Caetano Veloso, Argentinian Atahualpa Yupanqui and Venezuelan Simón Díaz to Colombian cumbia and Ecuadorian duet Benitez-Valencia, among others.

Watch the visuals below:

https://youtu.be/Dc-7SSGzReY

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has defended the ongoing exercise of distributing food aid to vulnerable families in the county.

Speaking during a live interview broadcast on all stations in Mombasa, Joho dismissed claims that the exercise is biased.

There have been complaints especially on socia medial that the food does not reach to the intended families but few individuals who are well connected and known to those involved in the distribution exercise.

"There is so much that is being said out there but what i can say is let's encourage those who have volunteered to distribute the food, these people are not paid by the county government. Let's learn to appreciate" said Joho

"We have so many cases of vulnerable families who have received the food, why don't they talk about this"' he added.

The governor also took issue with sentiments that his efforts to help the vulnerable families are a public relation exercise.

He charged "You know very well that am serving my last term, i'm not in a political contest anymore and not after any mileage".

The food aid which aims at helping vulnerable families during this tough times of corona virus targets over 200,000 families.

Joho also urged the residents to shun stigmatisation insisting the corona virus is not a death sentence.

''Covid-19 is not a curse , shame or death sentence, we need to stop stigmatisation,” he said.

He further called for a behavioural change from residents saying this will be the only way to defeat the deadly virus.

By Francis Ontomwa                                    

The more I cover deaths from conflicts and tragic happenings, the more I realize how hard it is! I hate human suffering! I abhor disasters! Extending a microphone to someone who has just lost a leg in an accident or lost a relative-is somewhat the hardest thing to do in journalism!  

Right now, the world is amid the Covid19 pandemic. So many lives have been lost, and the death toll is rising globally. We are fast getting used to a new way of life, what others are now calling a new normal, and journalists are found on the frontline.

Such moments are challenging and present a huge ask! Everyone in the broadcasting business will tell you-reporting about death is tough.

I have, however, listened to people who say journalists have a particular proclivity for negative news. That their world is abstract, and they lack the milk of human kindness. That is not true!

But let’s put this to bed-no matter how difficult it is, someone has to do it! Telling stories about life and death is a journalist’s work to do. It has something to do with creating human connections! It’s part of why journalists exist!

I covered the March 2019 horrific Ethiopian air crash! The saddest story I have had to cover! The crash killed all the 157 people on board, just some six minutes after the plane took-off from Addis Ababa. This happened near a small town called Bishoftu, some 60 km South East of the capital.

I remember that Sunday morning quite vividly. My editor called just as I was about to leave the house for the office. By this time, the news had already started spreading-the world was mourning. She directed that I prepare my travel documents and depart the very day for Addis. There were no two ways about it- this was the biggest story of the day!

We arrived in Addis Ababa later that evening to a grieving welcoming right from the airport to the streets. Information about the cause of the air crash was coming out, albeit in piecemeal, and everyone struggled to wrap their heads around the happening!

We were among the first to arrive at the scene of the tragedy! It was terrifying to a degree! Absolute horror! Here was a wide depression on a plateau with everything burnt down to ashes. Ethiopia was shaken to the core by the tragedy, and so was the world! The only things visible were small pieces of computer chips, books, clothes and parts of the plane, all strewn everywhere. Not a scintilla of the human body! Investigators were still combing the area at the time, as some families started arriving to witness the horror.  

Our cameras were rolling. Our mics were getting ready! But here was the hardest test of them all-getting grieving families to speak to us. I have covered enough tragic events, but this one felt different. I was in a dilemma.

Quite often, most journalists find themselves in such spots when covering moments of grief. So, where and how do you get started?

According to The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, how you conduct an interview can impact a subject’s frame of mind, since, in most cases, everything around them has changed dramatically.

Journalists have a high calling to measure how far they can go and make every effort to minimize harm to their subjects and themselves.

The Poynter Institute for Media Studies suggests that for starters, as a cardinal rule-journalists should speak to immediate family members. Not every source is credible; you want only the right people to speak.

Be polite and empathetic. Do not pressure your subjects to remember everything during the interview; they could be dealing with memory loss. This is quite common in such moments.

If you are arriving at an active scene, make sure your subject doesn't need medical attention – Before jumping into questions, first, ask if they need any medical attention and inform them of the ways they can get this attention.

Reporting about death is a hard necessity for journalists. Some psychologists say that journalism plays an important role in mourning and the search for answers, especially in mysterious deaths.

Do some research beforehand. You don’t want to start an interview with awkwardness just because you cannot picture what to ask next. Find invaluable information about the deceased’s birthplace, where they schooled, when they graduated, and suchlike.

Allow the interviewee to take some control in the process. Usually, this is not the practice, but it goes a long way. You might want to allow them to tell you when to stop or take a break.

Also, do not lift pictures of the deceased online, but if you must, get approval from the immediate family. It is courteous and ethical.

Talking about death is uncomfortable.

The Poynter Institute advises journalists not to bottle up their feelings. Covering a traumatic event can affect you, too. Be sure to find ways to talk about the experience with your friends, family, or editor. At this point, a listening ear could make all the difference.

The writer is a Broadcast Journalist and a Communications Trainer.

A widow to the late Ronald Ngala will be buried this weekend in Kilfi county.

Esther Mwenda Ngala, mother to former cabinet minister Katana Ngala, will be buried  tomorrow next to her late husband's grave who died 50 years ago.

The body will leave Mombasa hospital on the same day at 8 am for burial and no burial service will be held in Mombasa county.

Katana said her mother, aged 90, will be buried beside his late father's grave at Vishatani village in Kaloleni constituency.

He said the burial will be conducted with a limited number of people in line with government directives due to the corona virus.

"The burial service will be held at the burial site on the material  day before 2 pm," he pointed out.

The former cabinet minister during the KANU regime told journalists they will abide by public health guidelines on physical distancing and no gatherings.

He said as the family itself would be a crowd only a few members will be allowed at the burial ceremony.

"Our mother had children, grand children and great grand children which is a big family," he pointed out.

Meanwhile the death of Ngala 50 years ago still remains a mystery to the leadership of the coast region.

Since his death the family through their late mother had petitioned the government to establish who was behind it.

The late Ngala was the region's king pin during the era of the founder of the nation the late Mzee  Jomo Kenyatta.

With the sudden increase of domestic violence attributed to the corona virus pandemic, most stakeholders have made a stand to fight the increase of it in Kenya and the world as a whole, while also shading light on the causes of the same.

As detective Jane Mugo shares, most of the violence in relationships are attributed to cheating spouses.

Crimes of passion as top detective Jane Mugo calls them are highly contributed by cheating.

“I would wish to see cases of crime of passion reduce, this includes divorce and stress in relationships,” says Mugo.

According to Mugo, cheating is an act of dishonesty.

“In most domestic cases I handled, it’s a violation of a couples contracts regarding emotions of sex. In my line of duty years back, I discovered most spouses cheat because of the following; financial gains, poverty and provision for the families. Peer pressure and lack of sexual satisfaction, exploration- when someone is trying to compare their spouses with an incoming partner'' shares Mugo

Adding ''Emotional attachment especially when there is a child involved and a natural desire for intimacy,''.

According to the detective, most of cheating cases are attributed to alcohol or drug abuse, stress and anxiety in men while for women sometimes it is revenge for mistreatment in the marriage.

“I have one woman who confessed to have cheated because the husband mistreated her when she was pregnant,” she says.

In addition to this, some men choose to cheat on their partners with women who appear to be better financial advisors as compared to who they are in a relationship with. Sometimes ending up dropping their spouses and marrying the “better” woman who inspire them to save and invest rather than just spending.

“A man who earns 50,000 shillings may have to drop his girlfriend who prefers a party life and instead end up marrying a woman he was cheating with, who advises him to save maybe 10,000 shillings a month or invest in a small business,”

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday urged African countries to collaborate more in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic through information sharing and pooling of intervention resources.

Speaking during a virtual African Union Peace and Security meeting, President Kenyatta appreciated the support Africa has received from the international community but emphasized the need for the continent to stand together in the fight against Covid-19 saying unity will ensure better results.

“I want to say that we need to be able to work together and to pool whatever little resources we have and show that we are also capable of coming together to defeat this virus.

“I also believe that at the end of the day it is going to take each  and everyone of us individually and collectively to win this war and not necessarily depending 100 percent on our friends from the outside world coming to support us,” President Kenyatta said.

He said African leaders need to understand that countries the world over are overwhelmed by the pandemic pointing out that even the richest nations are struggling to meet demands brought about by Covid-19.

“We are facing financial, material and structural constraints. However, we must also face up to the reality that resources are finite everywhere and even the richest countries today are struggling in the wake of this global pandemic. Therefore, I am very encouraged by what we are doing for ourselves on the continent,” the Kenyan leader said.

He pointed out that African nations need to move with speed in mobilizing and deploying resources to support countries in the fight against Covid-19.

So far, African countries led by South Africa and Egypt have pledged 61 million US Dollars for the fight against the virus on the continent.

The Kenyan Head of State said there was need to encourage more African nations to contribute to the kitty so as to scale up continental interventions.

“As we continue to fight this pandemic which continues to pose an existential threat to many of our countries, I also believe that there are encouraging signs if we continue to stay the course, remain focused, vigilant and more importantly disciplined,” he said.

President Kenyatta however expressed concern about the rise of infections on a daily basis noting that 10 countries in Africa have over a thousand cases with three of them having passed the four thousand mark.

He therefore urged countries to intensify actions aimed at containing the spread of the respiratory disease including increased testing and enhanced surveillance measures.

The President emphasized the need to use Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as enablers of effective monitoring and implementation of continental response to Covid-19, saying enhanced cross-border communication will help slow down the spread of the virus.

“I just think that if we were to defeat this enemy, we need to really be able to ensure that through our RECs we are able to communicate, to work together, to be able to deal with cross-border issues because unless we fight together, we will lose together,” he said.

President Kenyatta thanked the African Union Chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa for organising four summits in a span of one month with the objective of unifying the continent in the fight against the global novel Coronavirus pandemic.

Other leaders who participated in the meeting included Presidents Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Egypt), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Idriss Deby (Chad), Andry Rajoelina (Madagascar), Felix Tshisekedi (DRC), Ali Bongo Ondimba (Gabon), Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (Mali) and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat

In 2018 Uganda's top model and socialite Judith Heard made headlines after her nude photos leaked online, she not only found herself under arrest  but also under attack in the media and online with some accusing her of deliberately leaking the photos for fame.

''There is no day I am not reminded about my private parts, when I hear them say that I leaked my pictures, It really Kills me. It happened to me before, i went through the heart break, i was depressed, i almost committed suicide'' she said in an earlier interview with BBC.

The experience did not discourage her from pursuing her career and dreams infact it also made her start a community organisation (Day one global) that seeks to end rape and sexual assault through creating awareness and providing rehabilitation to survivors.

In an interview with Ommy Dallah, the mother of three speaks about her career and plans to launch a beauty product.

When did you start modeling?

 

I started way in my childhood but proffesionally in 2005.

 

What drove you into her modeling?

 

My height is the biggest aspiration and modelling is a self expression of me.  

 

 

What was your first big break in the industry?

 

I can say is at Sylivia Owori Zipper Modelling gigs.

 

What do you like most about modeling?

 

I like travelling and the vintage photoshoots.

 

How do you deal with the traveling that is required by being a model?

 

We normally  work on schedule and planning makes everything easier and manageable.

 

If you were not a model, what would have been?

 

I would be practising law, a lawyer.

 

Where is your favourite place to travel?

 

I love Milan.

 

Which is your favourite cloth and shoe brand?

 

My favourite brands are Dior and Giuseppe Zanotti when it comes to cloth, I love my African print clothes

 

Who do you look up to in terms of modeling, your role model?

 

My role model is Naomi Campbell, I love her work.

 

What's your opinion about the modeling industry in Uganda and East Africa in general?

 

It's picking up so well, we have so many models from East Africa representing on the international runway which is a very good thing.

 

How has the coronavirus impacted your work and how are you handling it?

 

Frankly speaking, it is so hard for me but we are managing, I believe there is no situation God is going to give me that  He knows i cannot handle it.

 

Word has it that you will be launching a beauty product kindly tell us more about this.

 

Yes, yes i'm launching my beauty product soon that will also have CBD oil.

 

What are the challenges that come with your job?

 

The job comes with misconceptions and bad biased perception mills, I also get to miss my family whenever i travel for long.

 

What is your advice to upcoming models especially from the region, East Africa?

 

All I can tell them is just stay focused and always  go for what you want in life