Tobacco Control in Africa - TCA

BAT to invest in a nicotine pouches plant in Kenya

Here the link to the article by Julie Owino for Capital Business.

Philip Morris in talks to buy Majority stake in Kenyan Tobacco company

Kenya’s Mastermind Tobacco is expected to sell its majority stake to Philip Morris International Inc, at undisclosed amount if their current talks conclude successfully. Mastermind manufacture brands that target the poorer smokers in the region with brands such as Supermatch, Superman, Rocket and Rally.

KETCA holds a tobacco control forum at Nazarene University

The kenya tobacco control alliance (KETCA) held a student centered tobacco control forum earlier this week. The purpose for the forum that brought students from both public and private universities was to sensitize the students on the dangers of tobacco use, to gain support for the enforcement of shisha ban and ultimately, to bring together students to deliberate on how they can be meaningfully engaged in the fight against tobacco.

Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance (KETCA) calls for increased taxes

The chairman for Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance , Mr. Joel Shunza Gitali in a recent interview on public television, called for an increase in tobacco taxes by Government. He argues that an increase in taxes will add revenue to the Government ex-checker and saves lives as well. KETCA have been spearheading this campaign since 2008.

A rendez-vous with Joseph Magero

I initially posted this cyber interview on my THR-rendezvous blog. It also belongs here.

Joseph Magero writes a blog called Tobacco Harm Reduction and he is active on Twitter.
Thank you, Joseph, for accepting our rendez-vous.

May I first ask you to introduce yourself by giving us a brief personal background about your journey in tobacco control and tobacco harm reduction?

Joseph Magero: I am a tobacco harm-reduction advocate based in Kenya.

A study of tobacco farmers in Zambia, Kenya and Malawi

Here.

Links to the factsheets for the most recent GATS done by CDC in Africa

GATS Nigeria 2012

 

GATS Cameroon 2013

 

GATS Uganda 2013

 

GATS Kenya 2014

 

GATS Senegal 2015

 

GATS Ethiopia 2016

 

Shisha ban in Kenya.

Here.

Kenya: Judge suspends the implementation of the new tobacco control regulations

From Business Daily. The regulations, which were supposed to have been effected last month, would have compelled cigarette makers to display graphic images on packages as warnings to smokers. The regulations also ban advertising, promoting and sponsorship of tobacco and its products as well as smoking in open spaces to protect members of the public from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.

Voluntourism?

Do Tobacco Control Advocates succumb to voluntourism (as discussed in the New York Times). In our internet age I often wonder about the real use of many (costly) trips/meetings under the pretense of helping out. Of course there are always great group pictures, but what else?

Bloomberg Initiative 2014: 4 grants to DRC, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda.

The Bloomberg Initiative has funded 4 projects in Africa since the beginning of 2014, in DRC ($80K), Kenya ($60K), Uganda ($18K), Ghana ($20K) for a total of $178K. All are linked to support passing legislation or implementing existing regulations.

Kenya: 3 Bloomberg Initiative grants (for a total of $260,077) to promote smoke-free workplaces and tobacco control policies

A one year grant of $100,484 to the African Women's Alliance for Tobacco Control to promote smoke-free workplaces, $68,254 for the Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance, $91,339 for the Tobacco Control Board. Total awarded = $260,077.

Study about a 2007 tobacco control public opinion survey in Kenya

The journal Tobacco Control publishes in his November 2013 issue a research paper about a poll conducted in Kenya in 2007 whose results helped to advocate for a new tobacco control law.

Bloomberg Initiative: recent grants awarded

The Bloomberg Initiative has recently awarded the following grants: 6 months support for the Ghana advocates ($100,463), one year media initiative in Kenya ($73,659), one year grant for advocacy support in Nigeria ($170,380) and the Nigeria Adult Tobacco Survey ($12,000), 3 months grant for advocacy support in Senegal ($31,241) for a grand total of a little less than $400,000. Applications for the next round end July 26.

Most recent grants from CTFK - Bloomberg Initiative for Kenya, Togo and Uganda

Grants for programs in Kenya,Togo and Uganda (see details below). The grant for Kenya amounts to $49.380, the grant to Togo to $152.963 while 4 grants to Uganda total $456.440.

Electronic chips to track tobacco products in Kenya

Doug Bettcher mentions this use of electronic chips to track tobacco products and combat illicit trade in a interview with the Russian newspaper Gazeta.

Kenya: Tobacco industry tries to amend 2007 Tobacco Control Act

From AllAfrica.com

Kenya: What is it like to be a pregnant woman farming tobacco?

A short video by Marty Otanez. Produced with the support of Women for Justice in Africa and the International Labor Rights Forum.

From COP4: in Kenya the new government tobacco control plan includes graphic warnings

The Kenyan Government has announced that spine-chilling images of throat cancer tumours and rotten teeth are to appear on cigarette packets before 2012, intended to shock smokers out of the habit.

Findings show that the enlarged health warnings that manufacturers put oncigarette packets over the past two years have had little effect. Only two per cent of middle-aged Kenyans are kicking the smoking habit every year, according to government research.

Source: FCA Bulletin 109, article by John Muchangi on page 2 (here in pdf format)

Kenya: a "shadow report" shows the poor implementation of the law

The shadow report published by the Institute for Legislative Affairs (ILA) and presented by the Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance (KETCA) points to poor implementation of the ban on advertising, rise in youth prevalence, lack of pictorial warnings on the packs, lack of tax/price increases. 

Source: Business Daily article by George Omondi

Kenya: BAT contests the smoking restrictions and the ad ban

Interesting article in Nairobi's Business Daily, by Mwangi Muiruri who details the lobbying arguments of BAT along with the antitobacco advocates answers. Illustrated with an original picture of a smoking area. 

A previous article about the Antitobacco Coalition in Kenya.

Diversification for tobacco growers: Is bamboo a solution?

IDRC funded several grants (phase 1, phase 2) to study the possible use of bamboo to replace tobacco. Tobaccotobamboo.org (not tobaccotobamboo.com) is a site devoted to present the research taking place in Kenya. TCA is trying to obtain an update as its results now take a special importance in the context of the present controversy with the International Tobacco Growers Association.

Kenya: BAT wants the Tobacco Control Bill reviewed

From CapitalFM, this article about BAT's complaints. 

In Tobacco Control Journal: IDRC's story as told by Rachel Kitonyo

In the News Analysis section of the June issue of Tobacco Control, Rachel Kitonyo tells the story of IDRC/ATSA as she sees it.

Maybe she could have said the discovery that Barbara McDougall was a board member of Imperial Tobacco was first published on this blog as our Editor was the one who found about this problematic connexion.

Women Champions on the International Resource Center of the Bloomberg Initiative

Two African women are among the Women Champions persented on the International Resource Center of the Bloomberg Initiative: Dorcas Kiptui and Kaluki Ngilu, both from Kenya.

Kenya: Kenyan girls puff away

An article by Catherine Karongo of Capital News. Have a look at the comments at the bottom. They are also interesting.

Kenya: the Bloomberg Initiative supports the creation of the Journalists Against Tobacco Forum

To develop a network of journalists (the Journalists Against Tobacco Forum) to cover and report on tobacco control issues in Kenya in a secure consistent and positive way, the Bloomberg Initiative grants $30,545 for one year to the Institute for Legislative Affairs.

Country: Kenya   Website: http://ilakenya.org  Amount: $30,545
Start Date: Jan 2010   End Date: Dec 2010

Programmes antitabac financés par l'initiative Bloomberg en Afrique

Les montants des contrats passés sont maintenant mentionnés sur le site de CTFK.

Ils ont concerné (de 2007 à début 2009) 4 pays anglophones: le Nigéria, le Kenya, la Tanzanie, la Zambie et 3 pays francophones: le Burkina Faso, le Niger et le Tchad.

En 2009, deux projets au Kenya ont reçu globalement $361.750
En 2008 deux projets au Burkina Faso ont globalement reçu $192.452, un projet au Tchad $64,125, tandis que la coalition de Tanzanie a reçu  $310,062 et l'Association des consommateurs en Zambie $88,770 (total pour 2008: 566.649)
En 2007, SOS Tabagisme Niger a reçu $94,900 et un projet au Nigeria $627,690 (total pour 2007: 722.590)

Rachel Kitonyo's Acceptance Speech for the 2009 Judy Wilkenfeld Award International Tobacco Control Excellence

Picture Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Ever since I was a child, I have always known that I want to be a lawyer.

Lawyers to me then were this characters that I saw on TV who were glamorous, savvy, sweet talking people that I longed to emulate.

Somewhere inside me also was a passion for justice but the glamour came first

But there are defining moments in one’s life – moments that change the course of one’s path through life irrevocably. I would like to share three such moments with you.

Kenya: KATOGA Secretary beaten up by tobacco buying company representative

The alliance one Tobacco buying manger thoroughly beat the executive secretary of Kenya Anti Tobacco Growing Association (KATOGA) as he was leading the media to interview the tobacco farmers at Bware market infront of the camera men and tobaco farmers.

Source: KETCA (KEnya Tobacco Control Alliance)

Kenya: hausse des ventes et des bénéfices (+ 22%) pour BAT

Le cigarettier British American Tobacco annonce une hausse de 22% de son bénéfice pour l’année 2008. Le résultat est soutenu par une hausse des ventes et un contrôle des dépenses.

Le chiffre d’affaires pour la même période s’est établi à 1,7 milliard Sh (21,3 millions $), contre 1,39 milliard Sh un an plus tôt.

Source: Les Afriques.com

Kenya: State law or local law to control smoking?

About the discrepancies between local smoke-free regulations and the new Tobacco Control Act.
Business Daily (Nairobi)

A cyberinterview with Rachel Kitonyo of the Institute for Legal Affairs about tobacco control in Kenya

Rachel Kitonyo is lawyer and works with the Institute for Legal Affairs-Kenya in Nairobi.
This cyberinterview was originally posted on the blog Rendez-vous.

World No Tobacco Day 2008: Pr. Peter A. Odhiambo from Kenya

Pr. Peter A. Odhiambo (right on the picture) is given the award by Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, WHO regional Director for Africa. Peter Odhiambo is a Professor of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. He has been actively involved in tobacco control since for more than 30 years now. He is the founder member of the Kenya Cardiac Society an organization that mounted the initial advocacy for tobacco control in Kenya over 20 years ago.

BAT blocks in court the implementation of the new tobacco control Act in Kenya

The high court in Nairobi has suspended the new law after an application by 2 firms Mastermind Tobacco and multinational British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya Limited until the matter is heard and determined, in a suit in which the attorney general and the public health ministry are named as defendants.

Source:Maina Waruru in Nairobi for Africanews

A blogging experience in Nairobi

From Advocacy Net this project.

Kenya: The new Tobacco Control Act becomes effective

Effective July 8, smoking is now prohibited in all public places such as offices and workplaces, court and public buildings, factories, cinema halls, theatres, video houses, disco halls, hospitals and other health institutions.
Source: Daily Nation, Nairobi

Kenya: A Million Children Hooked to Smoking

At least one million primary school children are cigarette smokers.

A national opinion poll on tobacco control conducted by the Ministry of Health shows that 13 per cent of primary school children abuse tobacco.

Source: East African Standard

Le Kenya ne plaisante pas avec la loi antitabac

Désormais, il est interdit de fumer dans les lieux publics dans la capitale kenyane, ainsi qu'à Nakuru, ville située à 150 kilomètres au nord-ouest, et dans la ville portuaire et touristique de Mombasa. Une amie venue me rendre visite de Paris n'en croyait pas ses oreilles.

BAT and the new law in Kenya

From a research paper published on line by Tobacco Control Journal under the title "The law was actually drafted by us but the Government is to be congratulated on its wise actions": British American Tobacco and public policy in Kenya.

Women Testify About Tobacco Farming in Ethiopia and Kenya

TESTIMONY - Presented by International Network of Women Against Tobacco
(INWAT) and the International Alliance of Women (IAW).
For the WHO hearings February 26, Brasilia, in connection with the WHO
Study group meeting on alternative crops (27-28 February), Brasilia.
Hadda Wolde Giorgis, Deputy Director of the Centre for Human Environment in
Ethiopia and Litha Musyimi-Ogana from Kenya.

Kenya: Tobacco Firm to Offer Bursaries

A cigarette manufacturer will pay secondary school fees for the bright children of tobacco farmers.