Policy Tracker: East Africa

KENYA

The government of Kenya has passed a law called The Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act No. 4 of 2022 which is an amendment of the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act and for connected purposes (1994). The law was passed on 7 March 2022

The new legislation aims at a way towards responding to the high mental health that has risen in Kenya which has resulted in the high consumption of drugs by citizens especially the youth. The legislation will work also with the Kenya Mental Health Policy (2015-2030) to ensure significant reduction in the overall ill health in Kenya in line with the country’s Vision 2030 and the Kenya Constitution (2010). The new bill passed provides the framework for combating abuse of narcotics, drugs and psychotropic substances in Kenya. It provides the parameters on the control, possession, transportation, trafficking and use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Some of the issues addressed in the new bill includes enhancing penalties on the offenses relating to possession and trafficking in narcotics and psychotropic substances: the proposals stipulate penalties per the weight of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substance; defining precursors and chemical substances that may be used in manufacture of narcotics; introducing the offense of conspiring with persons outside or inside Kenya to commit offenses related to drug manufacturing, possession and trafficking in or outside Kenya.

This legislation to Kenyans means a step forward in addressing issues of drug and substance abuse that has accelerated mental health problems. With the implementation of the mental health policy , mental health programs and the enforcement of this law, this means the government taking a role in dealing with both the causes and effects of mental health in Kenya.

RWANDA

The President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame on 2 August 2020 swore in new two Ministers at an event which took place at the House of Parliament. The two newly appointed ministers are the Minister of State of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) (Ildephonse Musafiri) and the Minister of Public Investment and Privatization (Eric Rwigamba). The duo’s appointments were announced by Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente in a statement issued on July 30 2022.

The newly elected Minister of Public Investments will be leading the newly formed ministry and enhance policies directed on public investments, that are profit-oriented and also responsible for identifying opportunities for the government to invest, monitor performance of the existing government investments in various companies, and where necessary implement the privatization of public investments.

For the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Musafiri, has replaced Mr Ngabitsinze in the agriculture docket after he was moved to the Ministry of Trade and Industry as the minister. Prior to his appointment, Musafiri was Executive Director of the Strategy and Policy Council (SPC) in the Office of the President.

These two appointments are equally important as they promise towards a new ….in Rwanda’s agriculture and investments sectors and at the same time directly benefit the citizens of Rwanda. For the Agriculture sector which constitutes 70% of the population engaged and employed in the sector, accounting for 33% of the national GDP, this new appointment is worth commenting on, giving on the expertise of the newly appointed Minister.

The appointment promises a paradigm to agriculture policy in Rwanda and promises to tackle issues of agriculture and poverty, as despite remarkable improvements over recent years, the agricultural sector in Rwanda still faces many challenges especially to small scale-farmers and vulnerable communities

UGANDA

The Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) has launched a digital learning innovation titled “Can’t wait to Learn'' in collaboration with War Child Holland in a bid to promote Basic Education. The program is centered on improving literacy and numerical skills for children, using the gaming approach as a mode of learning.

Tailored by the objectives of the National Curriculum Development Center, the approach aims for innovation at an early stage for Primary (P1-P3) children, a stage where foundational skills in learning are tailored.

The Permanent Secretary, Alex Kakooza urged the stakeholders involved to play critical roles to ensure and assess the effectiveness of the approach before it is scaled up. He further revealed that the Ministry through the Department of Teacher Instructor Education and Training (TIET) will also integrate this approach into the teacher training framework in a bid that teachers are equipped and well prepared to support learners using this innovation.

This innovation is one of the many that are partaking in closing the education gap through technology. This to Ugandans means a prepared long-term step and program facilitated by the government in terms of education and development. Moreover, with the effects of COVID-19 and how the pandemic has been a lesson to Uganda, and any other country, this is a way towards achieving goals and solving issues using technology and innovation.