My Achievements And Work So Far

Joyce Emanikor - Achievements & Contributions

1. Personal Capacity enhancement and exposure

I have been able to do the following

  1. Undertake Women Parliamentary Legislative Exchange Programme funded by IRI, USAID and House Democracy Partnership (HDP) US House of Representatives. The training took place in November 15-22 2014 in DC and New York. I was able to interact with legislators from Albania, Bhutan, DRC, Georgia, Honduras, Afghanstan and Peru with a focus on successful strategies for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. I was also privileged to draw best practices from our US counterparts in the congress, US government officials and the UN at the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU). I was also able to connect with some Organizations, one of them being The Hunger Project (THP) of which I am now an online member. THP attempts to end hunger and poverty by pioneering innovative and sustainable women-centred strategies. I am to pursuing the partnership with THP.

  2. Participated on 30 June 2015 in a round table discussion with members of the US House of Representatives organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to evaluate the HDP programme impact of the peer-to-peer legislative strengthening activities.

  3. I am now in the process of writing a booklet to document and profile all my work for purposes of next campaign and record.

  4. In June 2013, I attended Tokyo’s International Conference for Africa’s Development (TICAD V) in Japan. In a meeting with JICA President, I was able to articulate the need for funding for the physical planning of Lodwar town, water development in Turkana and the Kitale-Lokichoggio road.

  5. In December 2013, I represented PCCF-K in Washington DC at the International Conservation Caucus, where I made presentations to World Bank, Global Environmental Facility, UNEP and US Treasury on the successful work of PCC-K, in particular the value of the Parliamentary Caucus model, and to lay the groundwork for future support from the broader environment and development community.

  6. In 2014, I represented the Environmental Committee at the International Water Conference in Israel, where we engaged some water investors with a view to exploitation of the water acquirers in Turkana.

  7. In 2015, I was named by the Mzalendo Trust titled “Debunking Myths: Women Contributions in Kenya’s 11th Parliament”, the second best female legislator in house contributions among all the females members of the National Assembly and Senate. I was also named the best female legislator in North Rift Kenya.

2. Personal Legislative work

For the last 3 years I have been able to undertake the following legislative proposals, motions and requests for statements:

2.1 Bills and amendments

  1. Education: The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (Amendment) Bill, 2015): This Bill seeks to amend section 4 of No. 4 of Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development Act of 2013. The principal object of this Bill is to enhance disaster risk reduction (DRR) in learning institutions. The school curricula/syllabi do not provide the learners with education on safety, particularly on how to conduct security drills, evacuation, first aid, how to locate explosives, how to sense danger, among other safety-related teachings. I decided to come up with this amendment after the Garissa University terrorist attack, where children became helpless. The bill has not yet come to the floor.

  2. The Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Bill, 2015

    1. Amended clause 10 in paragraph (l) of sub-clause (i) to provide reasons why the CS may order cessation of operations and withdraw all persons from any structure or building used in upstream operations.

    2. Amended clause 17 of the Bill be amended in sub-clause (1) (d) to clarify the inclusion of Director General in the Board of Directors.

    3. Amended clause 85 (a) sub-clause 4 to increase the community share of revenue from 5% to 10%.

2.2 Motions

  1. House resolves that the government comes up with a comprehensive policy to guarantee career advancement, promotions and security of tenure for workers and experts who undertake to refine their skills through further studies (the motion has been approved by the House Business Committee and awaiting debate).

  2. Aware that use of illicit alcohol and abuse of drugs has reached alarming levels and caused untold suffering to individuals and families throughout the country, the House resolves that the Government immediately establishes a policy that shall promote regional-level public rehabilitation facilities accessible to both urban and rural citizens.

2.3 Requests for Statements

  1. Request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education, Research and Technology regarding the status of Education in Turkana County, in particular the acute shortage of teachers: i) What measures the Government is taking to address the enormous shortfall in the teaching force in Turkana? ii) What mechanisms are in place to replace teachers who exit through external transfers, retirement and death? iii) What plans are there to ensure that teachers work in the recruiting county for at least 5 years before they go on external transfers? iv) Why teachers in Loyo school for the deaf and Katilu school for the visually handicapped, are not paid special allowances like their counterparts in the rest of the Country?

  2. Request for a Statement regarding the protest by boda boda operators against exorbitant and unaffordable fines for lack of helmets which resulted to loss of life and destruction of property. In dispersing the youth, the police officers used live bullets and, in the process, the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) shot dead Mr. Eregai Kapua while Mr. Paul Mburu was shot on both legs and hospitalized at Lodwar County referral hospital. Questions: (i) Why the OCS authorized the use of live bullets on unarmed protesting youth. (ii) Action that has been taken and will be taken against the officer involved; the measures taken by the Government to restore order and assure the business community of security in Lodwar Town. (iii) Whether the Government will meet the cost of treating the injured person and the burial cost of the dead. (vi) The deterrent measures that the Government will put in place to avoid similar incidents in future. (v) The Government’s plan to assist the boda boda operators in the country in terms of training on road use and traffic requirements, considering that most of them cannot afford formal training.

  3. Request for statement on the state of the deplorable Kitale-Lokichoggio Nadapal road and the plans the government has in fastracking the construction of this road which has turned to be a killer road through accidents and highway bandits.

2.4 Collective Legislative work

  1. As a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, we worked on the following laws: i) Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, ii) The Water bill, iii) The Mining bill, iv) The Climate Change Bill, v) Drought Management Authority bill among others

  2. As a member of the Pastoralists Parliamentary Group (PPG), we significantly contributed to the amendments to the Community Land bill 2015 focusing on such contentious areas as definition of communities, ownership, role of the County Government vis a vis that of the National Land Commission and Cabinet Secretary community registration among others. Also as PPG, we have lobbied for the revitalization of the livestock sector as a mainstay of pastoralists.

  3. As a Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Conservation Caucus, Kenya Chapter (PCCF-K), we worked closely with the Environmental committee on the Wildlife and water bills. We do undertake network-building with donors such as GEF, WB, UNEP, US Govt and others to support conservation work, legislation, policy and advocacy in Kenya. We have also formed a strong caucus of 62 MPs determined to enhance Partnerships among Parliamentarians and to be a Catalyst for communication between Conservation stakeholders. We educate the public on the benefits of conservation.

3. Capacity building of the Women MCAs

Regrettably, Turkana County did not elect any female MCA. This therefore compelled political parties to nominate women. It was evident that they needed capacity building to enable them effectively participate on the floor of the House. We therefore conducted trainings for 16 women MCAs on legislation processes, governance, gender sensitive planning and budgeting, public speaking and debating. I also supported them to form a Caucus “Turkana Women County Assembly Caucus” (TUWOCAC), a replica of the National Kenya Parliamentary Women Association (KEWOPA). I supported in the writing of their constitution and lobbied for it to be passed by the County Assembly, becoming the first in Kenya to be formalized and passed by the Assembly. I am now in the process of advocating for funding of TUWOCAC by the County Assembly.

With the technical support of IRI, I also mentored Hon. Naomi Enyang, the youth representative in the County Assembly to come up with two legislative proposals which have been passed by the Assembly: i) the youth enterprise Fund, which establishes a fund to support business and entrepreneurship by youths and to enact mechanisms for the funds administration. It also sets a ceiling for allocation. It further creates management and administration structures in several tiers right from the ward level and sets eligibility threshold on applicants; ii) the youth council Bill, which was established to put in place structure (secretariat) whose mandate is to oversee all the youth affairs.

4. Support to Education and Youth Programme

  1. Bursary

    Through the AASDF in 2016, 217 students from high school, vocational trainings, technical institute and universities received 2.73 million as bursary. In addition, I managed between 2013 and 2016 to secure a few more secondary school bursaries from KCB Bank, Equity Bank, friends and personal contribution.

  2. Donating text books to schools

    In 2015-16 I distributed hundreds of text books to Morulem Secondary school, Katilia and Korinyang Primary schools. Most books are the syllabus text books while others are for library. The books were donated by Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, Kenya Literature Bureau and the Miramar University, California. It is a project I wish to continue with, depending on how many donors I source.

  3. Fundraising for Education Projects

    I have officiated and participated in fund-raisers for schools’ infrastructural development in all the six constituencies, needless to enumerate all of them because they are many.

  4. Food Security campaigns in Schools

    I have been a passionate advocate of school gardens and green houses in schools, for the very reason that Turkana is food deficient and particularly in schools where sometimes the only available food is maize and occasionally with beans. The children lack the essential nutrients that are found in the various green vegetables. Vegetables provide such important nutrients as potassium, dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamins A, and C. This protects children from dieseas.

    I donated a green-house to one of the largest schools in the County and one that hosts scores of children living with HIV and AIDS, hence need for good nutrition. I am still lobbying other donors including government parastatals to consider supporting schools with green houses.

  5. Support to Extra-curricular activities

    I have promoted the Education County festivals in Music and sports through financial support for winning teams and trophies.

  6. Youth Engagement Forums

    Over 2000 youths in Turkana Central and specifically from Lodwar township, Kanamkemer and Kangatotha wards were mobilized in April 2014 to i) be provided with civic education on devolved funds and opportunities for the youth, and ii) interact with the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) and give suggestions on how they can be part of the CIDP.

  7. Personal donations for education and to Youth groups
    • Turkana County Drivers Association (TUCODA) received a desk top computer and printer for use by their secretariat.

    • Akiyar Kaapei Youth group in Lodwar received a computer for use by their secretariat

    • Loyapat Youth group received office furniture.

    • Two partial bursaries for a student in KU and another in MKU Thika.

  8. Mentorship programme

    I have held mentorship sessions with several youths including those in High schools: Uhuru high school, AGC Lokichar high school, TUCODA, Kanamkemer Ward youths, Letea girls among others. I have plans to do more formalized mentorship programme in schools and for young women.

  9. Nurturing of youth talent

    The AASDF conducted a football tournament this year (2016) for Loima and Central Constituencies for both boys and girls. To enhance the skill, the 8 teams were connected to the Kenya Football Federation Turkana chapter which helped organise and market the players. The teams were also given uniforms, balls and trophies as well as financial tokens to motivate them. Besides nurturing youth talents, this objective also occupies the youth who would otherwise engage in other vices due to idleness. The next plan is to promote the musicians.

  10. Support to Rehabilitation and Counselling

    In 2016, AASDF supported rehabilitation and counselling of 3 youths affected by alcohol and drug abuse. My long term plan is to establish next year a Rehabilitation and Counselling Centre in the County for control of drug and substance abuse and rehabilitation and counselling of people affected by alcohol and drug abuse.

  11. 5. Women Empowerment

    1. Table Banking
      In partnership with Joyful Women Organization (JoyWo), whose national Patron is the Her Excellency Mrs Rachel Ruto, I started table banking in Turkana. Table Banking is a group funding scheme where members meet once a month, place their savings, loan repayments and other contributions on the table then borrow immediately either as long term or short term loans. The women often utilize the funds borrowed as capital for their livelihoods and businesses. I now have 160 groups of over 3000 members revolving a whopping over 25 million Kenya shillings. Affirmative Action Social Development Fund (AASDF) will inject a grant of Kshs. 2.7 million this year to table banking to support groups as revolving fund. About 15% of the membership in table banking is men.
    2. Civic Education

      The AASDF spent 1.36 million in 2016 to conduct Civic education and community sensitization on government programmes and policies such as the 30% procurement reservations for women, youth and persons with disabilities as well as the existence of public social economic opportunities such as Uwezo fund, Women and Youth Enterprise funds. UNWOMEN has also conducted trainings on the same and as a result we have more women now registering companies in order to secure public tenders. I have put in place a system to facilitate women in registering companies. At the same time, I am advocating for AG’s office and Ministry of Devolution through the Huduma Centres to provide adequate support on the issue of companies.

    3. Value addition for initiatives

      For 2016, the AASDF has in its plan the following value addition Projects for the Affirmative action groups, largely women: Two fish coolants for Kalokol and Loarengak, Market sheds for Lokichoggio, Lochoremoit, Soweto and Kerio; Honey Processing for Turkwel in Loima and a cultural centre in Eliye Springs. Other Proposals are still being received.

    4. Successes of Partners’ Projects

      I food security proposal which I wrote in 2010 for Turkana Literacy and Development Bureau (TLDB), an NGO I co-founded, was finally funded by Community Development Trust Fund and DANIDA to undertake Turkwel River Agricultural Project (TRAP). I moved out of the NGO when I joined politics to avoid conflict of interest. However, I continued providing political goodwill and support to the project which has seen 13 agricultural sites belonging to 2000 poor households including widows and destitute engage in income generating activities accruing from the produce of the farms. The farms have been installed with a borehole, storage tanks and pipes for drip irrigation. Since the CDTF and DANIDA funding has ended, the onus is upon me to support the farmers secure other donor support through new proposals.

    5. Fundraisers and donations for Women Groups

      I have fundraised for women projects in Kakuma, Naadunga, Lodwar, Kalokol, Loarengak, Kainuk, Lokichar and many other villages. The Projects ranged from capital for business, construction of business premises, posho mills among others.

    6. Use of Media to demand for People’s Rights

    I have used the Kenyan media, both print and electronic to advance and promote the issues of Turkana as well as agitate for service delivery from the Government. Here are some of the media statements:

    1. Turkana women’s representative Joyce Emanikor has threatened to mobilise residents against the construction of Turkana- Lamu oil pipeline unless the government prioritises road network in the county.

    2. Turkana County Women Representative Joyce Emanikor has asked the National Government to deploy the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) to the volatile Turkana- South Sudan border.

    3. Turkana County Women Rep Joyce Emanikor has faulted the corruption survey, released by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC),which ranked Turkana county as a corruption free zone.

    4. Turkana women's representative Joyce Emanikor yesterday said ... Greenhouses in schools will curb Hunger.

    5. Cultural barriers to family planning in Turkana.

    6. Turkana woman representative Joyce Emanikor has backed the move by the government to close refugee camps but has asked the government to reconsider the dissolution of the Department of Refugee Affairs (DRA)

    7. Security, Peace-building and cross-border initiative

    I have been involved in peace building at two levels, within Kenya and within the East African region and Ethiopia.

    1. As part of the North Rift Leaders Peace initiative embracing leaders from West pokot, Baringo, Samburu and Turkana Counties, we undertook a peace caravan with the support of His Excellency President Kenyatta and His Excellency the Deputy President. The Caravan has more or less managed conflicts along the corridors of Turkana –Pokot, Turkana-samburu, Pokot-Samburu and Pokot-Tugen. Sustainability of the gains in this effort is the key issue, which can be achieved through constant engagement of communities and establishment of inter-community projects that will be shared by the warring ethnic groups.

    2. As part of the Turkana MPs’ Caucus and Turkana Leadership summit, we continuously undertake peace building activities between the Turkana people and other pastoralist communities living in the neighbouring countries. These are the Toposa of South Sudan, the Nyangatom and Daasenach of Ethiopia and the Karamoja ethnic groups of Uganda. We have attended many bi-lateral meetings in the 4 countries culminating in agreements and strategies of containing the communities and establishing cross-border development projects such as schools, roads, water, markets.