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Ommy Dallah

Ommy Dallah

The 2018 winners of Dj Pinye's Dreams 2 Beats - Vijana Barubaru present you their new music video titled ‘Urembo Ni Bonus’.

This song was inspired by the sad reality in our society about how some girls and women are shamed, stigmatized and rejected for the different skin, bodies, and conditions that they have.
 
"This truth broke our hearts, to say the least, and we feel very strongly that we have a say in this matter. We feel that it is our responsibility as artists and as people who understand that beauty is not all there is to a woman to enlighten people about this issue. We realize that we need to create awareness about it" says the group
 
Urembo Ni Bonus was produced by an American Music Producer and Singer/songwriter and Composer David Hunter. It was shot by a South Sudanese Film Director Chol Jurkuch and Co-directed by Vijana barubaru. The Executive Director was the Kenyan renowned  DJ and Music activist Peter Chuani best known as DJ Pinye. The record says it all.  

Watch the video below

 

A daughter of former Assistant minister Kassim Bakari Mwamzandi has opted to follow her father's footsteps by joining active politics.

Shariffa Kassim Mwamzandi, the third-born child of the one-time Msambweni MP and Mzee Jomo Kenyatta's Coast point man notes there have been several calls from some quarters including family members for her to go for the Msambweni Parliamentary seat come 2022, a seat currently being occupied by Suleiman Dori.

Sharrifa an officer at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) charged "So many people have approached me convincing me to go for the seat, something that i have been thinking about for sometime now"

Shariffa Mwamzandi (Left) having a word with First Lady Margaret Kenyatta(Right) at a past event in Mombasa

She lashed out at local politicians for using her father's name for political mileage.

"Some politicians who i dont want to mention their names have been going round claiming they want to emulate my father in terms of service delivery, i kindly  ask them to stop and look for something else to tell the constituents" she said   

On matters political party, she said " I will reveal more information regarding this when the right time comes" 

Mwamzandi served as Assistant minister during the late President Jomo Kenyatta and retired President Daniel arap Moi's eras.

He is currently board member of Base Titanium Company in Kwale county

 

 

Kenyan rapper King Kaka has just released his new video with Jamaican artist Romain Virgo.

The video titled 'One and Only' is off King Kaka's album, Royalty.

 

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta today invited fellow African First Ladies to participate in the forthcoming Beyond Zero Marathon in Nairobi. 

The Kenyan First Lady expressed optimism that resources raised through this year’s Beyond Zero Marathon will help scale up the provision of health services to vulnerable women, children and the youth in Kenya. 

She thanked the private and public sectors as well as ordinary Kenyans for supporting her work through the Marathons, saying it has helped in the provision of much needed modern medical equipment and services. 

“This work is done through direct support from partners in the public and private sectors and also support from ordinary citizens who mobilize resources by running with me in the Beyond Zero Marathons,” she said.

The First Lady was speaking today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the 22nd Ordinary General Assembly of the Organization of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), which she co-chaired in her capacity as Vice President of OAFLA, with First Lady Adjoavi Sika Kabore of Burkina Faso who is the President of the organization.

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta invited her fellow First Ladies to Kenya to participate in the 4th edition of the Marathon slated for March 10.

She observed that Kenya is currently at full-scale implementation of the Point of Care Technology for early infant HIV diagnosis. 

“This has accelerated the diagnosis to less than 24 hours, leading to early initiation of treatment and improved follow up for mothers and their children,” she said.

During the meeting, the name of the First Ladies’ organization was officially changed from the Organization of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS to a more broad based Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD). The event also witnessed the unveiling of OAFLAD’s logo and launching of its Strategic Plan for the 2019-2023 period.

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta affirmed her support to the 
First Ladies collective pledge of eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV as well as other campaigns that OAFLAD has prioritized in previous Strategic Plans such as ending child marriage and female genital mutilation.

“As the national champion of the eMTCT, I have advocated for increased resources to scale up programmes for the attainment of less than 5 per cent mother to child transmission rate in readiness for the World Health Organization validation,” she said.  

“We have scaled up our work in advocacy by supporting initiatives that accelerate policies centred on mother and child health,”she added. 

Implementation of the 2nd Strategic Framework of the Beyond Zero Initiative that was launched in March 2018 includes the Beyond Zero Medical Safaris which is a new and innovative approach of delivering health services. 

During a Medical Safari, service providers are concentrated in one location to provide integrated health services among them HIV testing; cervical, breast and prostate cancer screening; and screening for physical and intellectual challenges for children and young people.

“So, far we have impacted over 10,000 people and will continue to work throughout the country over the next year,” First Lady Margaret Kenyatta told the meeting.

She emphasized her commitment to advocating for the elimination of obstetric fistula, pointing out that the Beyond Zero Medical Safaris have already restored dignity to over 100 women, some of whom have suffered for decades.

Madam Kabore, the OAFLA President said that the change of the organization’s name marked a new beginning that heralded more commitment to serving vulnerable groups.

Ethiopia’s First Lady Zinash Tayachew urged the First Ladies to embrace the spirit of love and care as they carry out their work of improving the welfare of vulnerable people.

Other First Ladies who shared their work in promoting health and the wellbeing of communities included the First Ladies Isaura Nyusi (Mozambique), Auxillia Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe), Monica Geingos (Namibia), Denise Nkurunziza (Burundi), Neo Masisi (Botswana), Fatoumata Bah Barrow (the Gambia), and Rebecca Akufo-Addo (Ghana).

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the First Ladies committed to advocating for the wellbeing of the most vulnerable persons on the continent with renewed vigour.

The Kenya ferry Services (KFS) Board of Directors  led by its Chairman, former Changamwe Mp Ramadhan Kajembe has called for a crisis meeting to discuss the fate of the current Managing Director Bakari Gowa whose term is said to be expiring soon.

According to a source , the meeting is set for this Friday.

"All members of the board will be present with the main agenda being to discuss the fate of the MD and see if his stay at the office can be extended or not " said the source.

Gowa was appointed as the MD in 2016 (June 28) taking over from Musa Hassan Musa who was sacked early that year (2016) due to what was termed as "deterioration of  ferry services".

He (Gowa) has been hailed for improving services at the Likoni channel.

During his tenure Gowa has managed to acquire two new ferries, MV Jambo with the second vessel MV Safari still in Turkey awaiting the conclusion of an appeal before judges Alnashir Visram, Martha Koome and Wanjiru Karanja which is expected by the end of the month.  

Before his appointment Gowa was the finance manager at the state agency.

Meanwhile former Changamwe Parliamentary seat aspirant Philip Ndolo has been appointed as a board member at KFS, he is among the individuals who were last week appointed to different parastatals  by president Kenyatta

President Uhuru Kenyatta today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, hosted a historic meeting of world leaders on African renaissance as part of celebrations to mark the 400th Anniversary of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. 

The breakfast meeting held on the sidelines of the ongoing 32nd Summit of the African Union Heads of State and Government sought to inspire a global conversation geared towards reconciliation, reengagement and reconnection of all Africans and their descendants across the world. 

The conversation also aims at mobilizing African diaspora population in the world to reconnect with their heritage in recognition of its common ancestry. 

President Kenyatta said the conversation, in the spirit of Pan-Africanism, aims at producing a new framework for engagement that brings together Africa and its descendants in the Americas, and across the world for the sake of inspiration, investment, collaboration and cooperation.

As the world marks the 400th anniversary of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, it is estimated that between twelve and fifteen million African slaves were trans-shipped to America of which over 4 million are reportedly to have died on the high seas.

In his remarks, President Kenyatta said the Afro-conversation is further aimed at renewing ties between Africa and its descendants across the world.

He said all Africans have a common cultural heritage and historical experience that all citizens of the continent must understand to have a clearer insight of our desired destination

Besides the brutal and hellish conditions that African slaves went through and the millions that lost their lives, President Kenyatta observed that slavery eventually laid the grounds for colonialism, discrimination and racism.

“It undermined families and nations, and introduced the damaging and false hierarchy of racial superiority and inferiority that continues to afflict mankind,” the President said.

President Kenyatta called for unity of purpose among Africans for the renaissance to succeed and ensure the continent retains its current status as a new frontier of global economic growth and prosperity.

“For this upward surge to be sustained for generations to come demands that we be united,” said President Kenyatta who called for the full participation of the diaspora population towards the new revival and revitalization of Africa

He said the diaspora, wherever they are in the world and irrespective of their citizenship and nationality, constitutes the sixth region of the AU

“This includes the descendants of Africa in the Carribbean , North and South America. We are one and must find paths to reconnect and reengage with one another,” he said

President Kenyatta called for practical steps and the full engagement of the AU Commission to ensure workable and clear programs are put in place to actualize the new initiative.

The Kenyan leader further called for the initiative to be embedded in the legal and institutional frameworks of respective African states and the AUC.

Leaders who spoke at the meeting among them Presidents Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), Filipe Nyusi (Mozambique)  Hage Geingob (Namibia) and newly elected DRC Congo leader Felix Tshisekedi termed the initiative as historic and thanked  President Kenyatta for bringing the matter back to the table after it was first mooted by the founding fathers of African states in the 1950s and 1960s.

Other speakers were former US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Dr Jendayi Frazer and AU Special Envoy for Infrastructure Development Raila Odinga.

The leaders shared their perspectives on African renaissance and pledged their support for the new initiative.

African rennaissance is a concept born in mid 1940's and is premised on an understanding that for the continent to overcome challenges facing it, its people must come together in unity of purpose. 

Monday, 11 February 2019 12:20

New Video: Lava Lava- Tukaze Roho

Tanzanian artist signed under  WCB Laval Lava has just dropped his latest video titled 'Tukaze Roho'.

This comes just few days after his fellow label mates Rayvanny and Diamond Platnumz also dropped their video 'Tetema' which has been receiving alot of airplay and currently trending.

Watch Lava Lava's video below

 

Monday, 11 February 2019 12:03

Grammy Awards 2019:Full List Of Winners

The 61st Grammy Awards went down last evening the Staples Center in Los Angeles, hosted by Alicia Keys.

There were 84 categories in this year's award with.

 Kacey Musgraves won album of the year and Cardi B became the first woman to win best rap album as a solo artist.

Childish Gambino who, despite his absence earned several of the night’s highest honors, including Song of The Year for his “This Is America” track, marking the first time a rap song has ever won in the category.

Blow is the list of winners.

Album of the year
Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy
Brandi Carlile – By the Way, I Forgive You
Drake – Scorpion
H.E.R. – H.E.R.
Post Malone – Beerbongs & Bentleys
Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer
Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour – WINNER
Various artists – Black Panther OST

Record of the year
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin – I Like It
Brandi Carlile – The Joke
Childish Gambino – This Is America – WINNER
Drake – God’s Plan
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper – Shallow
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – All the Stars
Post Malone ft 21 Savage – Rockstar
Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey – The Middle

Best new artist
Chloe x Halle
Luke Combs
Greta Van Fleet
H.E.R.
Dua Lipa – WINNER
Margo Price
Bebe Rexha
Jorja Smith

Best rap album
Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy – WINNER
Mac Miller – Swimming
Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap
Pusha T – Daytona
Travis Scott – Astroworld

Best R&B album
Toni Braxton – Sex & Cigarettes
Leon Bridges – Good Thing
Lalah Hathaway – Honestly
H.E.R. – H.E.R. – WINNER
PJ Morton – Gumbo Unplugged (Live)

Best rap song
Drake – God’s Plan – WINNER
Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake – King’s Dead
Eminem ft Joyner Lucas – Lucky You
Travis Scott, Drake, Big Hawk and Swae Lee – Sicko Mode
Jay Rock – Win

Best country album
Kelsea Ballerini – Unapologetically
Brothers Osborne – Port Saint Joe
Ashley McBryde – Girl Going Nowhere
Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour – WINNER
Chris Stapleton – From a Room: Volume 2

Song of the year
Brandi Carlile – The Joke
Childish Gambino – This Is America – WINNER
Drake – God’s Plan
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper – Shallow
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – All the Stars
Ella Mai – Boo’d Up
Shawn Mendes – In My Blood
Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey – The Middle

Best pop duo/group performance
Christina Aguilera ft Demi Lovato – Fall in Line
Backstreet Boys – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
Tony Bennett and Diana Krall – ’S Wonderful
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper – Shallow – WINNER
Maroon 5 ft Cardi B – Girls Like You
Justin Timberlake ft Chris Stapleton – Say Something
Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey – The Middle

Best pop solo performance
Beck – Colors
Camila Cabello – Havana (live)
Ariana Grande – God Is a Woman
Lady Gaga – Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?) – WINNER
Post Malone – Better Now

Best pop vocal album
Camila Cabello – Camila
Kelly Clarkson – Meaning of Life
Ariana Grande – Sweetener – WINNER
Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes
Pink – Beautiful Trauma
Taylor Swift – Reputation

Best traditional pop vocal album
Tony Bennet and Diana Krall – Love Is Here to Stay
Willie Nelson – My Way – WINNER
Gregory Porter – Nat “King” Cole & Me
Seal – Standards (Deluxe)
Barbra Streisand – The Music … The Mem’ries … The Magic!

Best alternative music album
Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Beck – Colors – WINNER
Björk – Utopia
David Byrne – American Utopia
St Vincent – Masseduction

Best country solo performance
Loretta Lynn – Wouldn’t It Be Great
Maren Morris – Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Kacey Musgraves – Butterflies – WINNER
Chris Stapleton – Millionaire
Keith Urban – Parallel Line

Best country duo/group performance
Brothers Osborne – Shoot Me Straight
Dan + Shay – Tequila – WINNER
Little Big Town – When Someone Stops Loving You
Maren Morris ft Vince Gill – Dear Hate
Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line – Meant to Be

Best country song
Cole Swindell – Break Up in the End
Maren Morris ft Vince Gill – Dear Hate
Blake Shelton – I Lived In
Kacey Musgraves – Space Cowboy – WINNER
Dan + Shay – Tequila

Best gospel album
Jekalyn Carr – One Nation Under God
Tori Kelly – Hiding Place – WINNER
Jonathan McReynolds – Make Room
The Walls Group – The Other Side
Brian Courtney Wilson – A Great Work

Best Latin pop album
Pablo Alborán – Prometo
Claudia Brant – Sincera – WINNER
Natalia Lafourcade – Musas
Raquel Sofia – 2:00 AM
Carlos Vives – Vives

Best Americana album
Brandi Carlile – By the Way, I Forgive You – WINNER
Bettye Lavette – Things Have Changed
John Prine – The Tree of Forgiveness
Lee Ann Womack – The Lonely, the Lonesome & the Gone
The Wood Brothers – One Drop of Truth

Best compilation soundtrack for visual media
Call Me By Your Name
Deadpool 2
The Greatest Showman – WINNER
Lady Bird
Stranger Things

Best song written for visual media
All The Stars — Kendrick Duckworth, Solána Rowe, Alexander William Shuckburgh, Mark Anthony Spears & Anthony Tiffith, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar & SZA)
Mystery Of Love — Sufjan Stevens, songwriter (Sufjan Stevens)
Remember Me — Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, songwriters (Miguel Featuring Natalia Lafourcade)
Shallow — Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper) – WINNER
This Is Me — Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, songwriters (Keala Settle & The Greatest Showman Ensemble)

Best music video
APES*** — The Carters, Ricky Saiz, video director; Mélodie Buchris, Natan Schottenfels & Erinn Williams, video producers
This Is America — Childish Gambino, Hiro Murai, video director; Ibra Ake, Jason Cole & Fam Rothstein, video producers – WINNER
I’m Not Racist Joyner Lucas & Ben Proulx, video directors; Joyner Lucas, video producer
Pynk — Janelle Monáe, Emma Westenberg, video director; Justin Benoliel & Whitney Jackson, video producers
Mumbo Jumbo — Tierra Whack Marco Prestini, video director; Sara Nassim, video producer

Best comedy album
Annihilation — Patton Oswalt
Equanimity & The Bird Revelation — Dave Chappelle – WINNER
Noble Ape — Jim Gaffigan
Standup For Drummers — Fred Armisen
Tamborine — Chris Rock

Best dance/electronic album
Singularity —Jon Hopkins
Woman Worldwide — Justice – WINNER
Treehouse — Sofi Tukker
Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides — SOPHIE
Lune Rouge — TOKiMONSTA

Best rap performance
Cardi B – Be Careful
Drake – Nice for What
Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake – King’s Dead – TIE
Anderson .Paak – Bubblin – TIE

Travis Scott, Drake, Big Hawk & Swae Lee – Sicko Mode

Best traditional R&B performance
Leon Bridges – Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand – TIE
Bettye LaVette – Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight
Major. – Honest
PJ Morton ft Yebba – How Deep Is Your Love – TIE
Charlie Wilson ft Lalah Hathaway – Made for Love

Best R&B song
Ella Mai – Boo’d Up – WINNER
Miguel ft J Cole and Salaam Remi – Come Through and Chill
Childish Gambino – Feels Like Summer
HER – Focus
Toni Braxton – Long As I Live

Best rap/sung performance
Christina Aguilera ft Goldlink – Like I Do
6lack ft J Cole – Pretty Little Fears
Childish Gambino – This Is America – WINNER
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – All the Stars
Post Malone ft 21 Savage – Rockstar

Producer of the year, non-classical
BoI-1DA
Larry Klein
Linda Perry
Kanye West
Pharrell Williams – WINNER

Best rock song
Greta Van Fleet – Black Smoke Rising
Twenty One Pilots – Jumpsuit
Bring Me the Horizon – Mantra
St Vincent – Masseduction – WINNER
Ghost – Rats

Best rock performance
Arctic Monkeys – Four Out of Five
Chris Cornell – When Bad Does Good – WINNER
The Fever 333 – Made an America
Greta Van Fleet – Highway Tune
Halestorm – Uncomfortable

Best rock album
Alice in Chains – Rainier Fog
Fall Out Boy – Mania
Ghost – Prequelle
Greta Van Fleet – From the Fires – WINNER
Weezer – Pacific Daydream

Best metal performance
Between the Buried and Me – Condemned to the Gallows
Deafheaven – Honeycomb
High on Fire – Electric Messiah – WINNER
Trivium – Betrayer
Underoath – On My Teeth

Best urban contemporary album
The Carters – Everything Is Love – WINNER
Chloe x Halle – The Kids Are Alright
Chris Dave and the Drumhedz – Chris Dave and the Drumhedz
Miguel – War & Leisure
Meshell Ndegeocello – Ventriloquism

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta today at State House, Nairobi, challenged the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund Oversight Board, to utilize resources at its disposal to restore the country’s sporting glory, promote the arts, and preserve Kenya's rich national heritage. 

Speaking after being briefed on the progress made by the board in achieving its broad mandate, President Kenyatta said sports and the arts has the potential of being a major source of jobs for Kenya’s youth if well resourced and managed. 

“We need to revive sports and the arts in the country. One way of doing that is to motivate our young people through adequate resourcing,” the President said. 

He said that as part of fulfilling its mandate, the board should be able to facilitate all national teams participating in international games not only by funding them but also by branding them with national colours through provision of uniforms and other supplies necessary for the teams to succeed. 

“You need to be in the forefront of building strong national sporting teams through provision of adequate funding as well as through branding and provision of the necessary supplies they need to excel,” said the President.

President Kenyatta asked the sports oversight board to ensure that activities under its mandate which include national heritage, culture and the arts are fully catered for, saying preservation of the country’s heritage and culture will help in building a strong reference point for future generations.

He tasked the board to ensure that Kenya's heritage sites and resources including museums, monuments and artefacts are properly mapped, secured, resourced and managed. 

On the arts, the President called on the board to support the Studio Mashinani Initiative, a national government project aimed at ensuring availability of high quality multimedia studio production facilities and equipment to young talented Kenyans across the country. 

The President asked the board to ensure that the Studio Mashinani Initiative, which is growing very fast as a platform for talent development and source of livelihood for thousands of young Kenyans, is adequately resourced and expanded to cover the entire country within the shortest time possible. 

President Kenyatta further pointed out that the board should do all in its power to attract many more youths to utilize their talents in sports and the arts by renovating existing national facilities and by constructing new modern sports infrastructure including stadia. 

He observed that many young people get disillusioned when individuals who are mandated to facilitate them achieve their goals fail and frustrate their efforts, a vice that the Head of State said should end.

“You should refurbish existing sports infrastructure and develop new ones throughout the country. This will be one of the ways of attracting and enabling young Kenyans to explore and utilize their talents to earn a living,” President Kenyatta said. 

The President asked the board to partner with the private sector in resourcing and in the running of the National Drama and Music Festival activities which is one of the major platforms used by most children in Kenya to discover their talents and gifts in the arts.

“We appreciate the role played by the private sector in supporting the growth of sports and the arts in the country. Although we appreciate their support, as government, we need to take up our responsibility by participating fully in these noble activities,” he said. 

The Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund Oversight Board was gazetted in December last year and its members include former Vice President Moody Awori and Athletics Kenya President Lieutenant General (RTD) Jackson Tuwei. Other members of the board include National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, Principal Secretaries for Sports Amb. Kirimi Kaberia, and his Education and National Treasury counterparts Belio Kipsang and Kamau Thugge respectively. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta today issued a directive for the creation of a single system of revenue collection to eliminate duplications and wastage of resources.

He said the new system will be used across the 47 county governments and will be integrated with National Government systems.

President Kenyatta said currently counties are using 11 different revenue collection systems, which are not integrated with those used by the National Government or even those used by other counties.

“The bottom line is, this has severely limited the amount of revenue collected by the counties,” said the President.  

He spoke at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre where he was updated on the progress of a multi-agency  geospatial mapping project of Kenya.

“To eliminate this duplication of efforts and waste of resources, I hereby direct the Commission on Revenue Allocation, the Council of Governors, the National Treasury and the Kenya Revenue Authority to form a Multi-Agency Team whose principal aim shall be to deliver on a single revenue collection system, that is integrated with National Government Systems and to be used across all 47 Counties,” the President ordered. 

He said the Taskforce working on the revenue collection system must take into account the work done by the Multi-Agency Team on Joint National Resource Mapping Project. 

The mapping task force did a presentation on the progress it has achieved so far at very minimal costs as compared to what it would have cost tax payers if private firms were contracted for the job.

ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru said the team has already produced 75 maps of the country including some that will help the National Government and counties enhance revenue collection and utilization.

The maps that will come in handy for counties to collect revenue contain details of all businesses and all license paying premises.

"If revenue collection systems are integrated with the map, it will be easy, for example, to know who has paid land rates," the President observed. 

“This Multi-Agency Team has thus far updated 75 topographical maps and drawn six full county maps, in addition to digitizing the cadastral plans for Nairobi City County,” the President added as he observed that the digitised map of Nairobi heralds a new era for the city.

President  Kenyatta said the multi-agency task force has saved billions of Shillings of taxpayers money that would have been paid out if foreign or local private companies were hired for the work.

“Our initial projections had indicated that the production of a single map sheet would cost us Ksh. 148 million.  However, the multi-agency team has produced them for Shs 70,000 each,” said the President.

He added, “Initial estimates for the nationwide airborne geophysical survey indicated that the project would cost the country Shs 7 billion; but, through pooling of resources from different ministries and agencies, we have cut that cost to Shs 2 billion.”

President Kenyatta said the geospatial mapping project will be completed by November 2020 and will provide government agencies with the necessary data to spur enhanced and more efficient delivery of their mandates.

He said the private sector will also derive tremendous benefits through opening up opportunities in infrastructure development, e-commerce, extractive industries and the 24-hour economy.

President Kenyatta said the quick success in the mapping project is as a result of the multiagency approach as it drew representation from a broad spectrum of government agencies and departments..

“The present case is the latest in a long string of successes for multi-agency teams.  Leveraging on synergies and competencies of our various agencies and the economies of scale, we have secured encouraging results for the nation,” the Head of State said.

The President said great success has been achieved by multi-agency teams in a number of flagship national projects including LAPSSET, SGR, the Blue Economy, Immigration and Border Security, Counter-Terrorism and Environmental Conservation and Rejuvenation.

The Head of State commended the Kenya Defense Forces for their contribution to the success of the project and urged the disciplined forces to be part of all initiatives aimed at  transforming the country. 

Kakamega Governor Wycliff Oparanya who is also the Chairman of the Council of Governors, said resource mapping will help county governments enhance revenue collection.

He urged counties to adopt the option of cooperation, collaboration and dialogue in serving the public and working closely with the national government.