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Research in Limbo as Centres are
Hit By Post-Poll Violence
The Nation (Nairobi)
9 February 2008
Samwel Kumba
Nairobi
A number of research projects across the country are feeling the
pinch of the post-election violence with hundreds of scientists
among the victims of displacement.
The worst hit institutions are the Kenya Agricultural Research
Institute (Kari), Kenya Forest Research Institute (Kefri), Kenya
Plants Health Inspectorate Services (Kephis) and Kenya
Tryapanosomiasis Research Institute (Ketri).
At Kari, for example, most employees have been camping at various
centres as well as its headquarters from where the institution has
decided to ferry them and their families to their rural homes
pending a possible resolution to the election dispute.
Kari chief executive Ephraim Mukisira says the displacements will
have far-reaching effects on the country's economic development.
"Most of the developing countries invest a lot in research,
including agricultural, engineering and education," he adds. "Indeed,
research has proved to be the cornerstone of economic development
in many countries."
Agricultural growth
"Kenya, in particular, has made great strides in agricultural
development because of heavy investment in research as well as
human resource and physical infrastructure."
Dr Mukisira points out that projects likely to be worst affected
have been going on for many years, and cited as an example an
investigation into Nairobi's Waiyaki Way, which has been running
for the past 40 years. "If the scientists working on that project
are displaced, it becomes difficult to implement any activity
about it," ha says. "Yet a lot of resources, including millions of
shillings, have been sunk into the project. That is just an
example and there are several similar cases.
"Once we lose out on the scientists who monitor the experiments,
technicians who do the analysis and the supplies officers as well
as accountants who finance the project, nothing moves."
Among the Kari centres that have been hit by the violence is
Muguga in Kiambu district, which has about 1,000 employees.
Others are in the Rift Valley with centres in Molo, Njoro, Lanet,
Naivasha and Oljoro Orok. The centres play a key role in
developing technology used to help communities in rural Kenya as
well as those outside the country.
"This violence is a big threat to us in delivering the
technologies being demanded," Dr Mukisira says. "In central Kenya,
we have had disruptions, especially at Muguga, where we have a
gene bank and keep material collected from across the country for
posterity."
National Agriculture Research Centre director Caeser Riungu says
he hopes the violence will end sooner rather than later so that
this year's research work may start.
His National Veterinary Research Centre counterpart, Dr John
Mugambi, is concerned that its vaccine testing project might grind
to a halt. "Our key scientists have been displaced," he says.
"To keep it running, some are forced to come in during odd hours.
The whole project has now been delayed.
There are some employees who are specialised in the area that we
cannot move without them, neither can we replace them this far."
The head of the Trypanosomiasis Research Centre, Dr Grace Murilla,
says it is likely to be one of the institutions to bear the brunt
of the current crisis.
The centre, which works with collaborators from across the world,
is part of a consortium led by the University of North Carolina,
USA, that is developing new drugs to fight the tsetse fly.
The consortium's annual meeting was initially scheduled to be held
in Kenya in Kenya, but because of the unrest, it has been shifted
to Tanzania, a country that is not taking part in the research.
The centre is the only African institution involved in the project.
According to Dr Murilla, the drug is being produced in the US and
tested in Switzerland, but the safety data is produced in Kenya to
allow it to proceed with clinical trials.
"One of the reasons for the change of venue, as we were told, is
that a number of insurance companies refused to cover travellers
to Kenya, citing insecurity," she says. Dr Murilla adds that the
centre is working with an international NGO, Drugs for Neglected
Diseases, which it is helping in capacity building. The NGO's
meeting, scheduled for Nairobi next month, has also been moved to
Kampala, Uganda.
The centre is part of the Bio-Science East and Central Africa
Network, making it recognised as a centre of excellence in
trypanosomiasis research.
"Because of this recognition, we were identified as a research
centre for about 13 masters students from across the world, with a
focus on capacity building, especially in post-conflict countries,
including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan," Dr Murilla
says.
Some of these students were to be registered in our universities,
some of which have not reopened. We are pleading with them to give
us some time as we put our house in order. We only pray that
normalcy returns."
According to Dr Mukisira, the real impact of the disruption is
likely to be felt for a long time to come. "We usually run
experiments, say, for three years," he says.
"For example, one is feeding animals - this is done every day
without stopping. But once the experiment stops, it might need to
be started all over again for proper conclusions to be arrived
at."
Despite the current relative calm all over the country, it is not
yet business as usual at Kari. According to the chief executive,
normal work cannot proceed because the capacity to address some
activities is compromised.
"We normally employ staff to various centres because of their
individual capacities," he adds. "If they were to be replaced, it
would be difficult to find a suitable replacement.
"The staff's training is very expensive. For instance, we have
over 150 with doctorate degrees, more than 280 with second degrees
and others doing bachelor of science degree. In total, we have a
staff of about 550 scientists who work for us." Unfortunately,
transferring staff to Kari is not an option since a number of its
projects are location-specific.
Vaccine project
"That is why if the stalemate were resolved today, we would be the
happiest people because our activities would go on uninterrupted.
"Besides, since we carry out our activities in partnership with
other countries, we cannot let them down. If we slow down, this
will become the weak point."
But Dr Musikira won't quantify the loss so far, saying that it is
only after institution computes the returns for the first quarter
of the year at the end of March that it will have a clearer
picture. He also intends to find ways to recoup the loss. "I know
it would be a painful process and I would appeal for some form of
assistance from the Government to recoup the loss," he says.
In the hope for an end to the turmoil, the management has even
given the staffs some time off to resettle their families. "By
Monday, we expect reports from them (staff), he says.
"Then we can compare notes if the negotiations will have managed
to restore peace so that they may return to their work stations."
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