Nakuru County Public Participation Forum on the Revision of the Sessional P
The National Council for Population and Development held a public Participation forum on the revision of the Population Policy for National Development (PPND) in Nakuru County. The meeting brought together over 50 Stakeholders who drawn from both public (National and County Government Departments), Non-Governmental Organizations, Faith Based Organizations, Special Interest Groups and Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organization with an aim of getting County specific population issues that affect Nakuru County. The Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Nakuru East Mr. Wanyonyi who represented the County Commissioner graced the occasion. Present in the forum was NCPD Board management member, Mr. Fredrick Mujumba.
The DCC, in his opening remarks noted that the revision of the Sessional Paper No.3 of 2012 on Population Policy for National Development (PPND) remains key to capture the emerging population issues that are being witnessed in the County. He stated that population change is critical in government programme and planning, hence need to align with contemporary issues in line with other policies, plans and strategies.
The deliberations focused on the five thematic categorised into Population Health; Child bearing (fertility); Age structure; Migration & urbanization and Human settlement. During the group discussions the participants highlighted various issues affecting the County in in each of the thematic areas. They were to report on the interventions in place, proposed solutions, and data availability and on technology and innovation in each thematic areas.
DCC Nakuru East, Mr. Wanyonyi during the Nakuru CCF
During group discussions, the participants presented the various challenges that are prevalent in the County which included criminal gangs especially for school-age-going children, drug and substance abuse among the young people, child labour in agriculture sector, increased gender based violence, high prevalence of teenage pregnancy, unplanned settlements, food insecurity, increased non-communicable diseases, communicable diseases such as Covid-19 with associated challenges of mortality and morbidity, burden of street children, inadequate homes for the elderly among other challenges
The stakeholders appreciated the population policy review process and requested for its wide dissemination countrywide once ready.
Group work deliberations during the forum
