KENYANS GEAR UP FOR THE NEW SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Hundreds of citizens have participated in a peaceful demonstration in Nairobi dubbed ' Light The Way' as a way to sending a message to the leaders that the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs should be achieved by 2030.

The Civil Society in Kenya has taken leaders to task to involve its citizens in order to achieve the yet to be unveiled SDGs.

Led by Action 2015 a consortium of NGOs and Government Agencies, Co-ordinating Chair Stephen Cheboi has insisted that the Millennium Development Goals MDGs were not achieved in 2015 as stipulated because of alienating citizens  during development projects.

'Leaders did not give priority to MDGs Goals. May be the citizens also did not take these targets seriously also.Poverty and social injustices are still a problem in the community.So leaders need to embrace more action and less talk,' continues Cheboi.

Head of Policy from HelpAge International Jamillah Mwanjisi has blamed thee leaders for contributing in the failures to reaching the MDGs targets.

'They lacked political commitment. They did not evaluate much the strategies to be taken to achieve the set targets. I urge the leaders tostep up and not let us down in this SDGs journey,' she advises.

Senior citizens also do not want to be left out in this post 2015 Development Agenda.

"Not much emphasis is not given to older persons. Stakeholders should remember that we are still alive and we are still pushing the wheel of life. We are the ones who gave birth to the youth of this country.We are the ones who teach our children life skills. Leaders should set aside funds for us to take our children to school,' says 69 year old Mary Wanjiru.

In 2000, the Millennium Summit of the United Nations adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration requiring all United Nations member states and partner organizations to implement the global Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Today, progress towards the goals remains uneven. Some countries achieved many goals, while others are not on track to realize any. Dr Prafulla Mishra, HelpAge International Regional Director, East, West and Central Africa said subsequent reviews of the progress resulted in the adoption of a global plan to achieve the eight MDG’s by their target date. 

According to the United Nations On September 25th, countries will have the opportunity to adopt a set of global goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of anew sustainable agenda.

KENYAN EDUCATION CS CALLS FOR STAKEHOLDER UNITY TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY IN AFRICA

The Minister for Education Science and Technology Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi has called for local, regional and international players to unite in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In his speech read by Elymarta Khaoya Senior Deputy Secretary Ministry of Education the CS has pronounced the importance using science and technology to achieve the SDGs targets.

‘Sustainable development is probably the most intimidating challenge that we face and achieving it requires  that fundamental issues be addressed immediately at local, international and global levels. Science is important to resolve economic, social and environmental problems,’ says Kaimenyi.

The SDGs are a UN backed 15 year strategic plan that sets to ensure social and economic inclusivity to promote growth in different sectors of the global economy by 2030.

Kenya’s National Commission of Science and Technology NACOSTI is among the selected councils that will participate in a new initiative to strengthen national science systems to conduct research that contributes to national and regional development .

‘This is an initiative that will help in moulding the future of Sub Saharan states,’ says NACOSTI CEO Moses Rugut.

Lisa Philips Head of Department for International Development says that effective investments in science, technology and innovation by African governments would help to address the continent’s development challenge and support long term prosperity.

‘This new initiative identifies a set of inter related challenges facing organsations that are central to funding and catalyzing research and innovation across Africa, adds Ms. Phillips who was speaking on behalf of the United Kingdom’s Department for Development DFID.

‘We recognize the important role granting councils play in ensuring that government investment in Science is directed towards solving problems and promoting economic growth, ‘ reiterates Stephen McGurk Vice President for Programs and Partnership in the International Development Research Centre .

This was at the First Forum of the Science Granting Council in Sub Saharan Africa Initiative that took place in Nairobi.

Kenya was among the 12 countries to benefit from this new initiative to strengthen science, technology and innovation in Africa.