Libsyn Directory

Episode 105: Social Protection in Kenya

Release Date: 06/20/2019

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,...

Episode 114: Towards Universal Health Coverage

Otherwise?

The Constitution in Article 43, 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”. The Jubilee government, as part of its Big Four Agenda, plans to roll out universal health coverage to all Kenyans by 2022.

Episode 113: Human - Wildlife Conflict in Kenya

Otherwise?

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.

Episode 112: Consumer Protection in Kenya

Otherwise?

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.

Episode 111: Women and Public Transport

Otherwise?

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.

Episode 110: Non-Communicable Diseases

Otherwise?

The conversation on cancer and other non-communicable diseases has taken centre stage after the death of high profile Kenyans in recent weeks. 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).

Episode 109: Kenya's Cultural Heritage

Otherwise?

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.

Episode 108: Otherwise? Q&A

Otherwise?

This week, we're throwing it back to the old school format, where I take topic suggestions from the pod's community. Should we set stricter criteria to attract quality investors and protect our SMEs? What can we as citizens can do to fight the Huduma Bill? What 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? Press play to hear the answers!

Episode 107: Food Safety in Kenya

Otherwise?

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. The conversation that arose after was intense.

Episode 106: How Do We Fix Sports in Kenya?

Otherwise?

On 27th June 2019, Kenya beat Tanzania 3-2 in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), moving us to second place in Group F, right behind Ghana. 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!

More Episodes

According to Kenya's Social Protection Policy, poverty, disease, and ignorance were identified at the time of independence in 1963 as the critical challenges facing the new nation of Kenya. While some degree of success has been achieved in the area of education, progress in reducing poverty and providing healthcare has barely been made. 56 years after independence, “poverty and vulnerability remain major challenges, with almost one in every two Kenyans trapped in a long-term, chronic and inter-generational cycle of poverty."

Our Constitution in Article 43 guarantees all Kenyans their economic, social, and cultural rights. It asserts the "right for every person...to social security and binds the state to provide appropriate social security to persons who are unable to support themselves and their dependents." This right is closely linked to other social protection rights, including the right to healthcare, human dignity, reasonable working conditions, and access to justice. Article 21 establishes the progressive realization of social and economic rights and obligates the state to "observe, respect, protect, promote, and fulfill the rights and fundamental freedoms in the Bill of Rights.”

We’re joined by Pauline Vata, Executive Director of Hakijamii Trust, to discuss social protection in Kenya.

Resources

Kenya National Social Protection Policy (2012)

Article 43, Constitution of Kenya (2010)

National Social Security Fund Act (2013)

National Hospital Insurance Fund Act (2013)

Social Assistance Act (2013)

Analytical Review of the Pension System in Kenya

Social security reforms in Kenya: Towards a workerist or a citizenship-based system?

Policy Brief on National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF)

NHIF Strategic Plan 2014 - 2018: Sustainable Financing Towards Universal Health Coverage in Kenya

HEALTHY AMBITIONS? KENYA’S NATIONAL HOSPITAL INSURANCE FUND (NHIF) MUST BECOME MORE TRANSPARENT IF IT IS TO ANCHOR UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE