BUSIA County Government, private bag busia, Busia (2026)

03/06/2026

KENYA & UGANDA JOIN FORCES WITH ECSA-HC TO BOLSTER EBOLA PREPAREDNESS AT BUSIA BORDER

Kenya and Uganda have launched a joint assessment mission at the Busia One Stop Border Post, partnering with the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) to evaluate gaps in Ebola preparedness, screening systems, and Standard Operating Procedures compliance. The team-up comes as Busia remains one of East Africa's busiest trade corridors, where any disruption carries serious weight for regional cross-border operations.

The assessment as led by Senior Medical Epidemiologists from ECSA-HC, alongside regional emergency preparedness specialists, country health teams, immigration officers, and frontline port health authorities from both nations were ascertaining deployment of specialized screening assessment tools originally developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which enabled the joint team to analyze operational gaps, standardize screening protocols, and roll out immediate corrective measures to prevent any viral threat from crossing undetected.

The collaboration underscores a defining principle in global health security indicating that infectious diseases do not respect geopolitical boundaries. Through ECSA-HC, member states leverage WHO-designed diagnostic frameworks to audit passenger screening in real time, address vulnerabilities as they emerge, and enforce life-saving health protocols at shared entry points.

Beyond Kenya and Uganda, ECSA-HC's membership spans ten countries across the region, including Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Mauritius, Lesotho, and Eswatini.

03/06/2026

To boost cotton farming in the county, the County Government of Busia, in partnership with the National government through the Office of the Presidential Economic Transformation Secretariat, flagged off 24 metric tons of cotton seeds for farmers across the county.
According to Dr. George Mukok, the County Executive Committee Member for Smart Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Blue Economy and Agribusiness, with support from the National government, the county has revived the cotton farming sector, including the operationalization of Mulwanda Ginning Factory and its satellite ginnery at Jairos in Teso North.
Addressing the media during the flag-off of trucks to Mulwanda Ginning Factory in Samia Sub-County, Jairos in Teso North, and Nambale Cotton Farmers Cooperative in Nambale, Dr. Mukok noted that the county has a conducive climate for cotton growing and urged more than 2,000 farmers across the county to embrace cotton farming to improve their livelihoods.
The CECM also revealed that last year the county ranked fourth in cotton production in Kenya, and added that measures are in place to further increase production, including an adequate cadre of extension officers to guide farmers on crop care.

03/06/2026

COMPREHENSIVE YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP POLICY TO UNLOCK YOUTH POTENTIAL IN BUSIA

The Directorate of Youth Affairs brought together young people from different backgrounds to provide their input on the proposed Youth Apprenticeship Policy, which is aimed at addressing emerging youth issues and enhancing opportunities for young people in Busia County.

The Youth Apprenticeship Policy is expected to provide a structured framework that will enable young people to acquire practical skills, gain work experience, and access employment opportunities. It will also help bridge the gap between education and the labour market.

Speaking during the engagement, the Chief Officer for Youth Affairs, Mr. Saviour Panyako, said the policy is a scalable five-year blueprint designed to respond to the evolving needs of the county's youth population. He noted that the policy will incorporate periodic evaluations to assess progress and ensure its continued relevance.

Mr. Panyako further stated that the county government is moving swiftly to operationalize the Youth Development Fund. Once established, the policy will provide an official framework for mobilizing resources from both internal and external strategic partners.

02/06/2026

BUSIA COUNTY BREAKS GROUND FOR NEW ECDE CLASSROOMS

Busia County Department of Education and Public Works today continued the rollout of its ECDE infrastructure development program with groundbreaking ceremonies for new classroom projects in Matayos Sub‑County.

The exercise took place at Bwamani Primary School, St. Teresa’s Primary School, St. Joseph’s Primary School, Burumba Primary School, and Buderie Primary School.

Attendees included clergy, teachers, ECDE learners, Project Management Committee (PMC) members, ward administrators, the county engineer, and the Sub‑County Coordinator.

Clergy led prayers and blessings for the construction sites as stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to the successful implementation of the projects.

The groundbreaking follows recent training for Project Management Committees and site handovers, marking another key step in the County Government’s efforts to improve learning environments for ECDE learners across Busia.

02/06/2026

Normal healthcare services resume tomorrow in all Busia County health facilities after the strike is suspended by union representatives.

31/05/2026

BUSIA COUNTY FRONTLINE WORKERS CONDUCT EBOLA PREPAREDNESS DRILL AMID RISING REGIONAL CASES

Frontline health workers in Busia County yesterday conducted a live Ebola simulation drill at the Alupe Isolation Site, demonstrating their readiness to respond to a potential outbreak following an intensive week-long training programme for designated response teams.

The exercise comes at a critical moment, as the threat of Ebola transmission in the region continues to escalate rapidly. According to the World Health Organization's latest report dated 29 May, a good number of confirmed cases and deaths have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Of particular concern to Busia County is neighbouring Uganda, which has already registered nine confirmed positive cases a factor that has put the border county on high alert given its direct geographical proximity.

The simulation, conducted at the Alupe Isolation Site, was designed to test the county's end-to-end response capacity, from early detection and patient handling to isolation and case management.

Having successfully completed the exercise, Busia County is now considered equipped and prepared to manage an Ebola case should one emerge within its borders. Surveillance at border crossing points has simultaneously been heightened as a precautionary measure.

The drill was coordinated through a robust multi-agency partnership, bringing together the World Health Organization ( ), the Ministry of Health ( ), the National Public Health Institute ( ), US. Department of State through Strengthening Infectious Disease Systems ( ), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development ( ), and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( -U.S.), reflecting the seriousness with which regional and international health bodies are treating the growing threat.

30/05/2026

BREAKING THE SILENCE: BUSIA COUNTY CHAMPIONS MENSTRUAL DIGNITY & YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

Busia County marked World Menstrual Hygiene Management Day this week through a series of mentorship sessions and health talks held across schools, bringing together students, caregivers, and community leaders with a clear and united message: menstruation is a normal part of life, and no girl should face it without support.

The commemoration held on Thursday at St. Augustine’s Kingandole Secondary School stood out for one deliberate and powerful choice of boys being in the room. County health officials, mentors, and community educators gathered with both male and female students to talk openly about menstruation: what it is, what it means, and what responsible figures and young people can do to support.

The inclusion of boys was not incidental. It was a deliberate response to emerging realities on the ground where rising cases of gender-based violence, new HIV infections, and early teenage pregnancies among youth are trending and all said is that the three are deeply interconnected with gaps in menstrual health education. When boys do not understand the realities girls face, they are less equipped to be allies, and more likely to become part of the problem.

On Friday, the week’s activities reached their conclusion as students from Our Lady of Mercy in Busia and St. Mary’s Amukura Girls High School finalized mentorship sessions. The atmosphere was candid and affirming, with facilitators creating space for honest conversations that girls often struggle to have with the adults around them. Personal hygiene products were again distributed, reinforcing the message that access to menstrual supplies is not a privilege but a right, and that the lack of it should never be the reason a girl seeks help from the wrong quarters.

Running through every session was a message from the mentors: menstruation is a normal biological process, and the silence and stigma surrounding it cause real harm. Society, they argued, must collectively choose to speak about it openly, not with embarrassment, but with the dignity the subject deserves.

Caregivers were urged to close the distance between themselves and the young people in their homes. Being present, approachable, and honest, officials said, is one of the most protective things a parent or guardian can offer. The goal is simple: that a girl who needs a sanitary pad, or who has a question she is afraid to ask, knows exactly who to turn to.

Young people, meanwhile, were called upon to abstain and focus on their futures, with facilitators reminding students that their education and ambitions matter far more than the pressures of the moment.

This year’s global theme, “Together for a ,” provided the backdrop for everything that unfolded in Busia County this week. The theme calls for long-term, systemic action: breaking stigma once and for all, ensuring universal access to menstrual hygiene products, and providing safe and adequate sanitation facilities so that menstruation never becomes the reason a girl misses school, loses an opportunity, or is held back from her potential.

Partners who supported the exercise were Rural Action Development, Sustainable Futures Nexus and Baridi kwa Baridi CBO

28/05/2026

COUNTY GOVERNMENT'S INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS HEALTHCARE WORKERS' GRIEVANCES

The County Government of Busia has moved swiftly to address concerns raised by health care workers currently engaged in industrial action, reaffirming its commitment to improving the welfare of medical personnel and ensuring uninterrupted delivery of health services to residents.

In a communication issued by County Secretary Oscar Juma, the County Government outlined a raft of measures already undertaken and others scheduled for implementation to resolve the grievances raised by the workers.

Top among the interventions is the immediate restoration and streamlining of the medical insurance scheme for health workers to ensure members access quality health care services without interruption. Under the arrangement, officers will continue accessing treatment through the fee-for-service model within the approved scheme benefits.

The Administration of H.E, Dr Paul Nyongesa Otuoma, has also expanded access to medical services by allowing members to seek treatment from a wider network of health facilities across the country, including specialized referral services where necessary.

On the issue of pending third-party deductions, the County Treasury has already initiated a structured settlement plan as captured in the Debt Management Strategy Paper (2026/2027), which was approved by the County Assembly.

According to the County Government, the outstanding debt stood at Kshs. 928.7 million as at June 2025. Out of this amount, Kshs. 89.4 million has already been settled during the 2025/2026 financial year, while a further Kshs. 105 million is expected to be paid by June 30, 2026 through the second supplementary budget.

The remaining balance of Kshs. 734.3 million will be cleared progressively over a five-year budget cycle in line with the approved debt management framework.

Further, the County Government has confirmed that funds have already been factored into the 2026/2027 budget to facilitate payment of outstanding salary arrears affecting nurses and clinical officers beginning July 2026.

On the implementation of salary increments by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, under Phases III and IV, effective July 2024, the County noted that the adjustments were already effected from February 2026.

The administration has also committed to addressing long-standing promotion concerns among health workers. Officers who successfully underwent suitability interviews and are awaiting placement onto the payroll will receive their promotion letters effective July 1, 2026. At the same time, the Department of Health has been tasked with fast-tracking the promotion process for officers who were due for advancement in November 2024 and July 2025 through the relevant human resource and administrative channels.

In a major boost to health service delivery, the County Government has allocated Kshs. 58 million in the 2026/2027 financial year for recruitment of additional health care workers to address staffing shortages occasioned by attrition in county health facilities. County officials have reiterated that the administration remains fully committed to dialogue and constructive engagement with health workers to ensure a lasting solution to the current impasse.

28/05/2026

BUSIA COUNTY ON HIGH ALERT AS UGANDA RECORDS 7 EBOLA CASES

Busia County has been placed on high alert following confirmation of seven Ebola cases and one death in neighboring Uganda, with health authorities expressing concern over the county's vulnerability to cross-border transmission.

The county's two legal border points and 19 porous crossing points have been identified as significant risk factors, prompting an urgent multi-agency response.

In a response dialogue held today, partners drawn from the Ministry of Health (MoH), National Public Health Institute (NPHI), Stride, World Health Organization (WHO), IGAD, and the US-CDC Kenya Representative convened with the county's Department of Health and Sanitation leadership to assess gaps and strengthen preparedness measures.

Key outcomes of the meeting include the refurbishment of an isolation site at Alupe and the rollout of health screening along the porous border points.

Meanwhile, residents are advised to refrain from handshaking and to maintain proper hand hygiene as a precautionary measure.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as the regional response is scaled up.

26/05/2026

252 STUDENTS RECEIVE MENSTRUAL HYGIENE & LIFE SKILLS MENTORSHIP AHEAD OF WORLD MHM DAY

Two hundred and fifty-two students at Canon Awori Nambale A.C Secondary School received professional mentorship on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and the "Triple Threat" -HIV infections, early pregnancies, and Gender-Based Violence in a timely session ahead of World MHM Day, which will be commemorated on Thursday, 28th May 2026.

Leading the mentors, Dr. Susan Outa, Chief Officer for Public Health and Sanitation urged students to cultivate the right attitude, abstain and keep their focus on what truly matters for a brighter tomorrow.

The activity seeks to highlight the growing recognition that menstrual health is not a stand alone issue, it intersects deeply with a young person's safety, dignity, and access to education. By addressing MHM alongside HIV prevention, reproductive health, and gender-based violence in one forum, health officers delivered a holistic message to a generation that needs it most.

The exercise was supported by the County Government of Busia in collaboration with KCB bank, Busia branch.

BUSIA County Government

03/06/2026

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