Posts by Agnes:
Safaricom Staff Pension Construction Suspended by Environment Body
July 25th, 2021
The Machakos environment and land court has suspended construction of Safaricom staff pension project and road works along crystal River along quarry and Mombasa road Athi river until a case filed by Mavoko water and sewarage company (Mavawasco) over interfearance with its sewer line is heard by both parties on 27th July 2021.
The Machakos environment and land court Deputy registered on 14th July 2021 issued the directive after certifying the matter as agent.
Mavasco had filed a petition against Safaricom pension trustees project and prestine contractors limited on allegations that the ongoing construction of the two are interfering with the company sewerage system and likely to affects hundreds of residents in sorrounding the estates.
“Defendant either by itself, agents, servants, employees or proxies from escavation, laying foundation, construction, cementing, culverting, building structure on top of the plaintiff sewerline and using structure dealing in anyway whatsoever with the plaintiff sewerline at crystal river project along quarry and Mombasa road, “reads part of the ruling.
The court directive further instructed the Athi-river officer commanding station to to enforce the restraining measure.
The case is scheduled to be heard in the same court on 27/07/2021 where both the three parties are directed to appear.
Farmers Accuse Busia Sugar For Using The Police To Intimidate Them
July 22nd, 2021Trouble has erupted at the Busia Sugar Industries (BSI) Company between farmers and the management over the company hiring plain clothes police officers allegedly from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to harass and intimidate the farmers.
The farmers are up in-arms against the BSI management accusing it of abusing the power of its colossal financial resources to harass, intimidate and stop them from fighting for their rights after they wrote a protest communication that was copied to government officials, leaders, stakeholders and leaders documenting their woes and demands.
It was signed complete with the identification cards and telephone numbers of the out-grower farmers’ leaders who are now directly being targeted by the alleged DCI operatives from Busia County where the miller is based as the only industrial concern in the county.
At stake are vast swathes of sugarcane farms with the raw material estimated to be more than Kshs. 100 million in the last one and half years alone denied but translated into losses to the cane farmers for which now the alleged DCI operatives are intimidating the farmers with allegations of plotting to burn down the sugar factory after which BSI management bribe them off with a token of Kshs. 1, 000 to 2000 for transport back home from grilling sessions at the factory’s police station.
They are accusing the miller of trashing their contracts and failing to harvest their sugarcane for processing at the miller’s sugar factory located at Busibwabo market in Matayos sub-county – leaving them with over-age, rotten or firewood dried raw material and unpaid production costs in loans on the contracted farmers’ farms for a period of nearly five years since they begun producing the crop.
The letter addressed to the BSI Managing Director Ali Ahmed Taib in part reads: “The biggest problem here is that the miller has chosen to buy the raw material from brokers for as little as Kshs. 3, 500 instead of the government recommended producer price of Kshs. 4, 040 per tonne.”
It goes on: “We invested heavily in the production of this crop under contract with BSI, but he is now dealing with sugarcane thieves from as far as Kabras in Kakamega County and smugglers from Uganda to make profits at our expense yet we stood with him in his endless legal battles trying to stop construction of this sugar milling facility”.
The letter was copied to agriculture Cabinet Secretary Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, the Agriculture Fisheries and Food Authority (AFFA) Boss, Kello Harsama, Busia County Governor Sospeter Ojaamong among others.
The farmers clearly state in the letter that they were demanding for the miller to meet his contractual obligations with his contracted farmers and stop dealing with the cane brokers and smugglers that could easily lead to the collapse of the only factory in Busia County like the country’s giant miller Mumias Sugar did a few years ago because farmers stopped cane production over a more than Kshs. 3.5 billion they were owed for cane delivered.
Apart from that the farmers led by the Western Development Initiative Association (WEDIA) boss, Joseph Barasa said that the brokers are instead creating a situation in which they are literally stealing the raw material from farmers at as little as Kshs. 1, 500 tonne or less and getting away with it after the BSI management refused to harvest and transport it to the factory for milling.
Asked whether company had hired the DCI operatives and were being used by the miller to harass and intimidate farmers to pander to the company interests, the CEO Mr. Taib said: “I don’t think so. We are just carrying out business as usual as any business entity will do. We are also protecting our business interests as any business entity to stay afloat.”
Pressed to comment on the concerns of the letter (in our possession) raised by the aggrieved cane farmers, Taib said that was ‘an internal business matter that cannot be addressed through the media which also conducts its business in its own way.’
The CEO is on record publicly telling the media that as a business entity, BSI will not shed off the brokers and smugglers but will buy the raw material from the market on a “willing seller, willing buyer basis at prices dictated by the supply demand forces to stay in business to market profits with a harvesting programme to take care of its contracted farmers’ interests.”
He also declined to respond to queries why the BSI management had trashed with its cane contracted farmers like IMA, Agroline, Shiva among others and grounded its own transport fleet to transport the harvested raw material from its contracted farmers’ farms to the factory for processing.
However, above all declined to state the company’s cane development engagement programmes with the farmers every year to ensure that there was no shortage of the raw material supplies for milling that inevitably led to the deadly sugarcane poaching problem that has literally brought the industry to its knees or near collapse.
Pope Greets Faithful For Prayer From Rome Clinic Balcony
July 11th, 2021“I have deeply felt your closeness and the support of your prayers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he told 200 people gathered below.
Pope Francis greeted supporters for prayers on Sunday from the 10th floor balcony of his hospital where he is recovering from colon surgery.
“I am glad to be able to keep the Sunday Angelus appointment, even here” at the hospital, he said.
“I have deeply felt your closeness and the support of your prayers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he told 200 people gathered below.
“In these days of being hospitalised, I have experienced how important good health care is, accessible to all, as it is in Italy and in other countries.
“A healthcare system that assures good service, accessible to everyone. This precious benefit must not be lost. It needs to be kept,” Francis said.
The 84-year-old pontiff has been in Rome’s Gemelli hospital since last Sunday, when he underwent planned surgery for an inflammation of the colon.
He temporarily ran a fever last week after his operation, but a chest and abdomen scan and other tests revealed no particular abnormalities.
“I would like to express my appreciation and my encouragement to the doctors and all healthcare workers and hospital staff,” Francis said.
And the Church leader asked people to “pray for all the sick, especially for those in the most difficult conditions: may no one be left alone, may everyone receive the anointing of listening, closeness and care”.
Shock in Turkana After Python Emerges From House of Dead Handler After Burial
July 11th, 2021The incident which has sent villagers talking happened barely 48 hours after Ewei Nakorot, the famous Baringo snake handler was laid to rest at his home in the outskirts of Lake Baringo.
Shock has gripped residents of Kampi Samaki in Baringo County after a huge snake was discovered inside the house of a dead snake handler.
The incident which has sent villagers talking happened barely 48 hours after Ewei Nakorot, the famous Baringo snake handler was laid to rest at his home in the outskirts of Lake Baringo.
After his burial on Thursday, a huge python was found inside his house in what locals describe as mourning of the famous snake handler who spent most of his life handling the venomous reptiles in different parts of the country before starting a snake park at the shores of Lake Baringo.
Locals further say that the appearance of the huge python in his house might be a sign that the old man was a good friend of the snakes since he used to take good care of them.
Born in 1935 in Turkana, Ewei alias Dr.William, started working with Jonathan Leaky as snake tracker by capturing snakes, milking them for venom and showcasing them to tourists who frequent lake Baringo.
Interestingly, Ewei picked up a career in snake tracking after he was bitten by a snake.
Instead of developing fear after the snake bite experience Ewei became a professional venom harvester who saved lives of those bitten by snakes until his death last week.
According to locals, Ewei championed for the care of snakes in the community because he saw the reptiles as a source of revenue.
Ewei’s family is synonymous with snakes since his wife treats victims of snakebites while two of his sons have taken up from him as professional snake handlers.
Kirinyaga Woman in Court For Dumping Newborn in 30-feet Pit Latrine
July 11th, 2021Phyllis Nyakio, 23, will spend the weekend at Kerugoya Police Station and is expected back in court on Monday afternoon.
Kirinyaga woman who dumped her five-day-old baby in a pit latrine on Thursday evening has pleaded guilty to the offense of attempted murder before Kerugoya Court Chief Magistrate Alex Ithuku. .
Phyllis Nyakio, 23, will spend the weekend at Kerugoya Police Station and is expected back in court on Monday afternoon.
“On the day of 8th July 2021, at Kagumo shopping center the accused attempted to cause the death of an infant by throwing it into a 30 feet deep pit latrine,” the charge sheet read in part.
Confirming the incident, Kirinyaga Central Sub county Police Commander Johnstone Mwarigha told K24 Digital that after dumping the toddler in a pit latrine at Kathitî Village, Nyakio fled to an unknown destination only to show up later at the Kerugoya Level Four Hospital where the child was admitted following a successful rescue operation led by Kirinyaga County Fire Department team.
The moment she walked into the hospital, at around 4pm, the medics attending to the newborn baby at the hospital alerted the police who moved in swiftly to arrest her.
“It is like she was monitoring the whole situation because the rushed to the hospital when she learnt that her kid had been taken there for treatment. Immediately she walked into the hospital, the medics alerted us and we moved in with speed to arrest her,” Kirinyaga Central Sub county Police Commander said.
Masinde Muliro University Lecturer Found Dead in His House
July 9th, 2021The lifeless body of Professor Ezekiel Kasiera was discovered at his home in Lurambi by his house-help in the morning of Thursday.
Masinde Muliro University don was found dead at his house in Kakamega.
The lifeless body of Professor Ezekiel Kasiera was discovered at his home in Lurambi by his house-help in the morning of Thursday, July 8.
“When I woke up, I found the toilet he uses was dirty so I cleaned it,” the househelp said adding that the Professor coughed a lot during the night.
Kasiera’s death comes barely a week after a third year student at the university was brutally murdered.
According to police, the student who was studying education was first raped before she was hit with a blunt object on the head which caused her death.
“This is not the first time a comrade is found dead around Lurambi, Kefinco and Tizo,” a student leader from the university claimed.
The students took to the streets on Wednesday last week to demonstrate against the attacks on their own and the rise in insecurity cases.
“Insecurity has been very high in Kefinco. This is a very sad case, you’ll find that perhaps the murdered student was the only child her parents had. We ask the police to ensure that such cases are stopped and perpetrators of such crimes are arrested,” a resident of Kakamega told a local TV station.
“Some of the security lights are not working. We even launched an official complaint at the governor’s office but nothing has been done,” a student added.
Kiambu Senator Wamatangi on The Spot for Failing to Pay Daughter’s School Fees
July 9th, 2021The lawmaker who is also the Senate Majority Whip has been accused of failing to pay school fees for his daughter who he allegedly sired with another woman.
Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi has yet again been embroiled in a tussle with his former house girl Winfred Wangui after he allegedly neglected their daughter.
The lawmaker who is also the Senate Majority Whip has been accused of failing to pay school fees for his daughter who he allegedly sired after he sexually assaulted Wangui in 2006 in his home.
The minor who was born later in 2007 has been invited for admission at State House Girls’ High School after she excelled in her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams but her impoverished mother has been unable to raise the required fees. We have copies of the State House Girls’ High School calling letter on our desk.
The girl who schooled at Crowns King Academy in Juja farm, Kiambu county managed to score 391 marks which translates to an A in the Primary School national exams.
A 2019 court decree issued by a Nairobi children’s court, whose copy is in our possession, had ordered Wamatangi to take care of her daughter’s education and all school-related expenses – orders that the lawmaker is accused of disregarding.
“School fees is paid termly and therefore it is not a monthly maintenance. The defendant ( Wamatangi) shall pay school fees as per the school fees structure. He shall also pay school fees related expenses,” Hon M. Murage in a section of her ruling ordered.
Further, Wamatangi had been ordered to henceforth take up the responsibility of meeting her daughter’s medical expenses and in addition, take a medical cover for the minor.
On the other hand, Wangui had been instructed to take care of rent, clothing and miscellaneous expenses of the young girl. But Wangui says that the politician had failed to take up his fatherly roles and had instead been taking them in circles.
She says that despite sending him all the KCPE results and admission requirements, the lawmaker has remained tight-lipped over whether he will educate his daughter or otherwise.
“The girl has received an admission letter to a good school but I cannot manage to raise the required money. Wamatangi, who is the father of the bright girl, blocked me and failed to respond to my text messages that I wrote to him reminding him of his role,” hysterical Wangui, a casual labourer, told journalists.
She said that Wamatangi has been sending ksh5,000 as primary school fees, money she said has never been enough and that she has in most instances been forced to go an extra mile to raise more money to ensure that their daughter gets quality education.
The distraught woman who expressed fears that the bright girl could miss Form One enrollment in early August (next month) over lack of fees urged well-wishers to help her raise money to see her daughter through.
Virginia Wanjiku, the grandmother to the young girl said that Wamatangi has been sending the school fees money through his proxies, money that is usually sent to her phone.
Wanjiku decried that Wamatangi had abandoned her blood daughter and switched off his phone to avoid calls from the mother seeking his help.
“I cry every day because of that girl. You may hate me because I am poor but take up your responsibility seriously. Your daughter has not been sleeping since the exam results were announced over fears of whether she will continue with education or not,” said the woman.
The panic-stricken elderly woman said she will sell her only cow to raise the school fees required.
Efforts to reach Wamatangi for a comment has been futile as his phone has not been going through and he has not responded to text messages sent to him since June 29.
Kalonzo to Meet Raila Over Nasa Funds Dispute
July 8th, 2021Reacting to Raila’s sentiments, Kalonzo said that the coalition is receiving money from the office of the Registrar of Political Parties, which is taxpayers’ money.
Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has said he has arranged to meet with the ODM party leader Raila Odinga over sharing of Nasa money.
The sharing of Nasa money among the coalition member parties has become a thorn in the flesh, with ODM being accused of starving other parties.
On Thursday morning during an interview with Radio Citizen, Raila said that his party will not share its rightful amount with other affiliate parties.
Raila said that ODM is receiving money based on the number of the MPs in both Houses who were sponsored by the party, and not through the 2017 presidential election outcome.
“If we were receiving money based on the presidential elections, that would have been fine to share with our colleagues,” Raila said.
He continued that, “There are those who are spreading rumours that ODM is denying other affiliates money. If that money is available, we will share with them.”
Reacting to Raila’s sentiments, Kalonzo said that the coalition is receiving money from the office of the Registrar of Political Parties, which is taxpayers’ money.
“Basically, the issue is about sharing of the revenue out of the Political Parties funds because these are public funds. This is taxpayers’ money,” Kalonzo said on Thursday.
The other parties say that according to the agreement dated April 2017, each party was to get an equal share of the fund, since they agreed to jointly contest for the various seats.
“Funds due to the party from which the coalition presidential candidate has been attributed to the presidential vote shall be shared equally among the coalition parties,” part of the agreement reads.
But the other parties are still calling for their share, about thirteen months to the next general elections.
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford-Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula had also asked ODM to give them their share.
Mudavadi had said that the problem with the coalition is dishonesty.
The ANC leader had said that the betrayal that rocked the Nasa coalition since its formation in January 2017 is beyond repair, as leaders from the coalition’s constituencies are sending conflicting messages.
“When you send conflicting messages, you discourage people. As leaders, we must not send conflicting messages. I was the founder of Nasa, and we really pushed…but I want Kenyans to know there is a serious deficit of trust in Nasa,” Mudavadi said.
Corporal Caroline Kangogo: Father, Mother Speak as Killer Cop Hunt Intensifies
July 8th, 2021The family of a fugitive police killer Caroline Chemutai Kangogo, who is being hunted down by detectives, has finally spoken on the whole incidents revolving around their daughter.
His father Barnaba Kipkoech Korir and mother Leah Jepkosgei Kangogo spoke to a local television on Wednesday, at their home in Nyawa village, Elgeyo Marakwet county, where they opened up on several issues about their daughter.
The two parents regretted their daughter’s action and asked for forgiveness from the family of the murdered police officer John Ongweno and Peter Ndwiga Njiru.
“Tunaambia familia mbili enye walipoteza watoto yao pole (We are apologizing to the two families that lost their loved ones),” the father said.
The mother on her part said Kangogo, who is her firstborn, was a well-mannered child adding she is shocked by the news of her killings.
“Alifanya mbaya kuua watu ata. Angewacha watu alafu akuje kusema kama kuna shida ilikua inamsumbua. Alikua mtoto yangu ya kwanza lakini sijui shida ilikua ni nini akafanya maneno kama hayo. Nimeshtula sana vile ameua watu (She should not have killed the two people however much she was harangued. She should have consulted us on any issue that is disturbing her. She is our firstborn child and I don’t know what the problem was that she had to kill the two. I have been shocked that she is a murderer),” she said.
The father went on to urge her daughter to present herself to the police so that the law can take its course.
“Ajisalimishe kwa polisi sababu pia yeye ni askari ambaye anajua sheria. Ni vzuri ajitoe na ajisalimishe kwa polisi (She should surrender to police because she is an officer who knows what the law dictates. It is important that she gets out of her hiding and surrenders to police),” he said.
The family had converged for a prayer session at their homestead following the horrific acts of their daughter.
OCS, 4 Police Officers Arrested After Assaulting EACC officials
July 3rd, 2021Molo Police Station OCS Ann Kanorio Justus and his four officers have been arrested for allegedly clobbering four EACC officials who were investigating the OCS for reportedly demanding a bribe.
The four police officers arrested include constable Emily Atsieno, constable Peter Lemuli, constable Eveline Chepkoech, corporal Erick Kibet.
According to a police OB report seen by K24 Digital, four EACC police officers arrived at Molo Police Station to investigate the Molo OCS on Friday around 1930hrs.
This is after he allegedly demanded money from a member of the public who in consequence reported the matter to the EACC office in Nakuru.
Upon filing the complaint, four EACC officers namely Abdi Muktar, Joseph Njuguna, Ephrahim Shombe, Nancy Kirui, Mildred Miloya and Daniel Samuel swung into action and pursued the accused.
The EACC officers were accompanied by two police officers namely Adison Madiangiro and corporal Esther Githua.
