Otherwise?

Hello friends! This episode is a dedication to you, who has walked this journey with me and my team for the last three years of creating Otherwise?! I am off to graduate school (The London School of Economics and Political Science) for a Masters in Public Policy and Administration, and I wanted to do one last episode before I left! :)

This episode answers the questions many of you have asked me since the inception of Otherwise?. Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me. We will be taking a break while I pursue my graduate studies, but we will be back when I'm done; bigger, better, and bolder. Kwaheri ya kuonana!

The Constitution in Article 43, sub-article 1 (a) states that “Every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to healthcare services, including reproductive healthcare”. Article 43 sub-article 2 also states that a person shall not be denied emergency medical treatment. The Jubilee government, as part of its Big Four Agenda, plans to roll out universal health coverage to all Kenyans by 2022, guaranteeing quality and affordable healthcare to all Kenyans. In the 2018/2019 budget, universal health coverage received a provision KES 2.5 billion.

The government plans to reconfigure the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and reform the governance of private insurance companies. They also plan to have 100% of the poor covered by government, 9 million people covered by KES 32 billion formal member contributions, 12 million people covered by KES 28 billion informal member contributions, and a 50% decrease in out of pocket medical expenses.

We're joined by Dr. Amakove Wala, Programme Director - Health Systems Strengthening at Amref in Kenya, to talk about how we can achieve universal health coverage in Kenya.

Resources

Constitution of Kenya - Article 43: Economic and social rights

2018 Budget Policy Statement

Big Four Agenda at core of Kenya spending, to spur economic growth

Refocusing on quality of care and increasing demand for services; Essential elements in attaining universal health coverage in Kenya

Towards Universal Health Coverage in Kenya: Are We On The Right Path?

Kenya National Hospital Insurance Fund Reforms: Implications and Lessons for Universal Health Coverage

County Governments At The Centre of Achieving Universal Health Care

Universal Health Care As Inspired By The Kenya Vision 2030

President Uhuru launches Universal Health Coverage Pilot Program Nairobi, (KENYA) December 13, 2018

How Kenya can attain universal health care

Universal Health Coverage: What you need to know

The Path to Universal Health Coverage in Kenya : Repositioning the Role of the National Hospital Insurance Fund

Domestic Resource Mobilization for Health: National Health Financing Dialogue for Implementation of the Health Sector Domestic Financing Sustainability Plan [UHC Delivery for Kenya – Issue Paper]

Universal Health Coverage Advocacy Guide

Linda Mama, Boresha Jamii: Implementation Manual for Programme Managers

Only 20% Kenyans have medical cover

Start of a new era of health care in Makueni

County Universal Social Protection Coverage for All: A Case Study of Makueni County, Kenya

What makes Makaueni's Sh 500-a year universal Health Care Programme tick

How to achieve universal health coverage? Focus on primary care

Episode 21: #LipaKamaTender

Episode 70: Financing the Kenyan Government

Episode 105: Social Protection in Kenya

Episode 110: Non-Communicable Diseases

Image Credit: AFIDEP

Human-wildlife conflict is a growing problem in Kenya today, and it has a huge negative impact on both human and wildlife populations. It happens when there is close interaction between wild animals and human beings, which leads to injury, death, predation and transmission of diseases. In February 2019, Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) issued a notice to the public that the dry spell being experienced in most parts of the country was displacing wildlife from their traditional habitats in search of pasture and water. This had increased conflict as the wildlife came into contact with the public and human activities. They said that as the dry spell progressed, the risk of human wildlife conflict was expected to increase until the country received the long rains. Areas that have experienced increased incidence of human wildlife conflict were in Narok, Taita Taveta, Laikipia, Kajiado, Meru, Mau, Marsabit, Lamu and the Mt. Kenya region. We can assume that such warnings will become more frequent in coming years.

We’re joined by Susanna Maingi, a research scientist and wildlife ecologist with expertise in human-wildlife conflict, antipoaching and conservation outreach, to discuss the increasing cases of human-wildlife conflict in Kenya. Press play!

Resources

KENYA’S ORIGINAL SIN: Root causes of rising human-wildlife conflicts

Characteristics of Human-Wildlife Conflicts in Kenya: Examples of Tsavo and Maasai Mara Regions

77 people killed in human-wildlife conflicts in 2018: Balala

Alert on Increased Incidence of Human - Wildlife Conflict

Collapse of Wildlife migratory corridors as 100 mapped areas threatened

KWS says SGR affecting wildlife movement in Tsavo

Human-wildlife payment claims hit Sh15bn in last 5 years: PS

Human-Wildlife Conflicts and compensation for losses in Kenya

Why wildlife is critical for human existence

Human–Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence

Illegal Hunting and the Bushmeat Trade in Savanna Africa

KWS unearths illegal bushmeat trade

Report Of The Taskforce On Consumptive Wildlife Utilization in Kenya

The ugly truth about wildlife conservation in Kenya

The 2017 Shooting of Kuki Gallmann and the Politics of Conservation in Northern Kenya

How Conservation Became Colonialism

When WWF's conservation looks like colonialism, it's time for a new approach

A Leaked Report Shows WWF Was Warned Years Ago Of “Frightening” Abuses

Conservation's Biggest Challenge? The Legacy of Colonialism (Op-Ed)

Is Conservation a New Form of Colonialism?

Why are we not seeing many black faces in conservation?

Saving the world's wildlife is not just "a white person thing"

Analyzing collective action

Exploring the Hidden Costs of Human–Wildlife Conflict in Northern Kenya

Public land, historical land injustices and the new Constitution

Invasive alien species in Kenya: status and management

Invasive alien species in Kenya (PDF)

Episode 24: Drought Begins With You

Episode 60: Na Ni Who?

Episode 65: The Oil in Turkana

Episode 66: The Politics of Food in Nairobi

Episode 78: Public Finance and the Right to Food [Part 1]

Episode 79: Public Finance and the Right to Food [Part 2]

Episode 93: Global Warming at The Equator

Image Credit: World Wildlife

The Constitution of Kenya (2010) in Article 46 gives consumers the right - to goods and services of reasonable quality; to the information necessary for them to gain full benefit from goods and services; to the protection of their health, safety, and economic interests; and to compensation for loss or injury arising from defects in goods or services. It states that parliament shall enact legislation to provide for consumer protection and for fair, honest and decent advertising (which is the Consumer Protection Act, 2012). It applies to goods and services offered by public entities or private persons.

We’re joined by Nzilani Mweu, founder of Rilani Advocates, to talk about consumer protection in Kenya. Press play!

Resources

Constitution of Kenya (2010) - Article 46

The Consumer Protection Act (2012)

The Competition Act (2010)

The Competition Authority of Kenya

Kenya Information and Communications (Consumer Protection) Regulations, 2010.

Consumer protection diagnostic study – Kenya

Consumer Protection Law in Kenya

Protecting Consumers Means Thinking Like Consumers

Insurance Regulatory Authority - Consumer Protection

Central Bank of Kenya: Guidelines on Consumer Protection

It’s Time to Change the Equation on Consumer Protection

Financial consumer protection in Kenya: Key research findings and policy recommendations

Intersections between Intellectual Property, Consumer Protection and Competition Law in Kenya

Printing Out The Privacy Policies Of Facebook, Snap, And Others

State not committed to protecting consumer rights

Competition enforcement and consumer protection in a digital economy

Image Credit: FSD Kenya

In a survey carried out by Women’s Empowerment Link (WEL) in 2015, in the wake of the #MyDressMyChoice protest in 2014, it was found that 54% of women had experienced gender based violence (physical, sexual or psychological harm) while using public transport. The women shared that they been harassed, with the abuse ranging from derogatory comments to rape. Many witnessed female passengers being stripped naked, but the female survivors neither received any help nor reported the violation, and they reported a culture of silence held up by both male and female passengers. We also have a Geopoll survey from 2016 that highlighted that at least 46% of women in Kenya have been harassed by matatu crews.

We’re joined by Mary Mwangi, Programs Manager at Flone Initiative, to discuss the relationship between women and public transport.

Resources

Eastern Africa Women in Transportation Conference Report

Gender Sensitive Mini-Bus Services & Transport Infrastructure for African Cities: A Practical Toolkit

How to Ease Women’s Fear of Transportation Environments: Case Studies and Best Practices

Gender and Urban Transport

Gender in Public Transportation: A Perspective of Women Users of Public Transportation

Approaches for Gender Responsive Urban Mobility

Women in the Transport Sector

Women and Urban Transport: Draft Policy [India]

Safety In Kenya’s Public Transport Vehicles (Matatu)

I Just Wanted To Go Home

Women and transportation in East Africa

Women are changing the narrative in East Africa’s public transport sector

Violence against Women and Girls in Public Road Transport and Connected Spaces in Nairobi County, Kenya

Report on Mobility of Care Assessment of Nairobi’s Public Minibus Transport Services

Report on Gender Equity Assessment of Nairobi’s Public Minibus Transport Services

Why your Public Transportation Sucks - Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj

2019 Women and Transport Africa Conference

Tumi’s 5 Principles to Empower Women in Transport

Episode 77: The Problem With Our Roads

Image Credit: East Africa Women In Transport Conference

The conversation on cancer and other non-communicable diseases has taken centre stage after the death of high profile Kenyans in recent weeks – Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso, and Kibra MP Ken Okoth. According to the Ministry of Health, Kenya in undergoing an epidemiological transition marked by a decline in morbidity and mortality due to communicable conditions, and an increase in the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which include diseases such as diabetes, cancers, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory infections.

We’re joined by Dr. Laura Muambayi, a medical doctor with experience treating NCDs, as well as a primary healthcare giver, to discuss non-communicable diseases and their health implications in Kenya.

Resources

Kenya National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (2015 - 2020)

Lifestyle Diseases - An Increasing Cause Of Health Loss (Policy Brief)

Kenya Case Study: NCD Situation

Analysis of Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Policies in Kenya

Noncommunicable diseases: Fact Sheet (WHO)

Noncommunicable diseases country profiles 2018

Kenya: Cancer Profile

National Cancer Screening Guidelines

National Guidelines for Cancer Management

Why many Kenyans are dying of cancer

Woman with breast cancer commits suicide in Naivasha

In East Africa, a cancer diagnosis means a death sentence

Pancreatic tumour fastest-growing cause of Kenya’s cancer deaths

IDF Diabetes Atlas - 8th Edition

Taking Diabetes to Heart - Report

Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease - executive summary

Cost-effective solutions for the prevention of type 2 diabetes

Kenya National Diabetes Strategy (2010 - 2015)

Kenya faces rising burden of diabetes

Cases of diabetes have doubled in Kenya, warn experts

The Sugar Wars

How the Sugar Industry Shifted Blame to Fat

How Big Business Got Brazil Hooked on Junk Food

Kenya National Guidelines for Cardiovascular Diseases Management

The emerging problem of coronary heart disease in Kenya

Ignorance fueling spread of heart diseases in Kenya

The danger that rheumatic heart disease poses in Kenya

Kenyans at risk of heart disease due to unhealthy lifestyles

Addressing NCDs to Fast-Track Achievement of Universal Health Coverage

Episode 10: Dereva, Chunga Maisha!

Episode 82: Debunking Mental Health Myths

Episode 89: The Air We Breathe

Image Credit: Roche

This week, we’re joined by Tayiana Chao, a digital heritage specialist and digital humanities scholar, of African Digital Heritage, the Museum of British Colonialism, Save the Railway and Skills 4 Culture to discuss the importance of having a digital cultural heritage for the African continent. What is the current situation in Kenya when it comes to cultural heritage? Why is it important to have conversations about cultural heritage in Kenya, especially at this moment? How do we ensure that the collection, curation, conservation, exhibition and marketing of our cultural heritage centres Kenyans?

What role does technology have to play in our archiving, exploring and understanding our cultural heritage? What gaps currently exist in terms of the skills required in this sector? What gaps exist in the collection, curation, conservation, exhibition and marketing of our heritage? How can we bridge these gaps? What role will cultural heritage will play in the Kenyan socio-political experience in the coming years? Press play to find out!

Resources

National Museums and Heritage Act (2006)

National Museums of Kenya

Kenya National Archives and Documentation Service

Kenya National Library Service

Museum of British Colonialism

African Digital Heritage

Save The Railway

Mau Mau Detention Camp - Field Work

International Inventories Program

Skills 4 Culture

Book Bunk

Grand history of the lunatic express

End of Lunatic Express

Museums are hiding their imperial pasts – which is why my tours are needed

Museums and Empire: Natural History, Human Cultures and Colonial Identities

Museums have long overlooked the violence of empire

Anthropology and Colonialism

Radio Lab: Mau Mau

Kenya lifts ban on Mau Mau

Operation Legacy’: Britain’s Destruction and Concealment of Colonial Records Worldwide

Revealed: the bonfire of papers at the end of Empire

Britain destroyed records of colonial crimes

Foreign Office hoarding 1m historic files in secret archive

Sins of colonialists lay concealed for decades in secret archive

Mau Mau torture claim Kenyans win right to sue British government

Kenyan torture victims give evidence in high court compensation case

Kenya: UK expresses regret over abuse as Mau Mau promised payout

Kenyan Mau Mau victims in talks with UK government over legal settlement

The Mau Mau may rewrite the history of the British empire

Britain's Gulag : The Brutal End of Empire in Kenya

Joseph Murumbi's Legacy

African Heritage House

The house at the end of history: The little city gem that is the Murumbi Gallery

Ethical Issues In Digitization Of Cultural Heritage

Digitization of Cultural Heritage

Digitisation of Cultural Heritage

Understanding the Impact of Digitisation on Culture

Image Credit: Magical Kenya

This week, we're throwing it back to the old school format, where I take topic suggestions from the pod's community and address them in around 15 minutes. The first question is on foreign investors in Kenya. Should we set stricter criteria to attract quality investors and protect our SMEs? The second question asks what we as citizens can do to fight the Huduma Bill, and the final one asks about Mike Sonko’s behaviour at Ken Okoth’s funeral, and his blatant admission of guilt when he said that he nominated the late MP’s alleged second wife to the Nairobi County Assembly as an MCA. If this is true, what redress can we seek as Kenyans to stop this nonsense? Press play to find out!

Resources

World Investment Report (2019)

Ease of Doing Business Rankings (2019)

Foreign Investment Survey Report 2018

The Investment Promotion Act (2004)

2016 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Survey Basic Report

Cheap imports, high costs: Why many businesses are closing shop

StanChart branch closure signals banking job losses

Deacons blames tough business environment for Sh180 mn loss

The Huduma Bill (2019)

No healthcare, voting without Huduma Namba, Bill proposes

Parliamentary dictatorship a frontal assault on democracy

Episode 49: Women and Youth in Kenyan Politics

Episode 62: Tax Justice in Kenya

Episode 68: Women and the 2017 Elections

Episode 80: The Two-Thirds Gender Principle

Episode 85: Persons of Interest

Episode 90: On Femicide and Women at the Frontline

Episode 99: Manufacturing Prosperity

Episode 100: The Journey to Constitutional Reform

Image Credit: Techweez

On July 14th 2019, NTV aired a feature titled Red Alert, which revealed that Kenyan supermarkets and retail outlets were using sodium metabisulfite to increase the shelf life of meat products by making them look fresher for longer, so as to prevent losses. They were also found to repackage these products and change the dates so as to dupe their customers into buying these products past their sell-by date. The conversation that arose after was intense, pointing out that supermarkets were using excess quantities of the compound, without disclosing it to consumers, which was exacerbated by changing the dates on products to deceive customers.

This is not the first time we have had widespread panic and anxiety over food in Kenya. We have had reports of sukuma wiki and spinach being grown next to sewers and being toxic and containing heavy metals, water containing microplastics, chicken being fattened using antibiotics, formalin being used to preserve meat, maize with aflatoxin, sugar containing mercury, and fruits being ripened using calcium carbide. This is in addition to pesticide use in farm products that elicits the same concerns. We’re joined by Wanjiru Kamau, an agricultural and environmental policy expert, to discuss food safety in general in Kenya.

Resources

The Kenya Food Control System

The Kenya Food and Drugs Authority Bill (2019)

Kenya National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (2015 - 2020)

Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS)

Pest Control Products Board (PCPB)

Dietary risk factors for non-communicable diseases in Kenya: findings of the STEPS survey, 2015

Food safety and quality management in Kenya: An overview of the roles played by various stakeholders

Food Safety in Kenya: Focus on fruits and vegetables

SBS Senior Lecturer Publishes Case Study on Food Safety Concerns in Kenya

Why food safety is a major national issue

Lifestyle Diseases: An Increasing Cause Of Health Loss

Heavy Metal Concentration in Vegetables Grown around Dumpsites in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Coca-Cola admits presence of plastic in Dasani

Antibiotics in meat: why Kenya needs to do more

Keep birds free from antibiotics, use supplements

Kenya's 'contaminated sugar' row: What we know

Report reveals seized sugar contains Mercury

Tests show dangerous levels of toxins in foods sold in Nairobi

Could your fruit vendor be selling you poison?

Experts poke holes in proposed food and drugs law

How safe is your food? Be careful what you eat

Conversation on food safety is long overdue

Study warns of highly contaminated fruits,vegetables in open markets and supermarkets

How safe is your sukuma wiki?

The local food revolution in Brazil's schools

Learning from Brazil’s Food and Nutrition Security Policies

The road to restoration: Cuba’s modern farming revolution

Cuba's organic revolution

How does organic agriculture contribute to food security of small land holders?: A case study in the North of Thailand

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

On 27th June 2019, Kenya beat Tanzania 3-2 in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), moving us to third place in Group C, right behind Algeria and Senegal. This renewed the conversation around sports reform in Kenya. This is the first time Kenya has qualified for AFCON since 2004. We're joined by Ng'arua Kamuya, a lawyer, advocate of the High Court of Kenya and sports pundit, for a fun chat on what we can do to reform sports in Kenya. Press play!

Resources

Dennis Ombachi's Thread

Image Credit: The Guardian