CELEBRATING THE AFRICA CHILD.

CELEBRATING THE AFRICA CHILD. JANE MUGAMBI 15TH JUNE 2012. Over 100 pupils from WAMUMU rehabilitation school in Kirinyaga County celebrated the African child day in style by being engaged in communal cleaning at Kimbimbi sub-district hospital. The pupils together with the school administrator’s participated in the cleaning of the sub-district hospital as well as talking to patients admitted in the hospital to give them encouragement. Speaking to the media, Davelyne Mundi said that the juvenile in the school had to interact with the community t show them that they were apart of the society. HE said that Wamumu is rated as a high risk school where children who have been found guilty of crimes like robbery with violence, rape, defilement and all other crimes are taken. “The school is rated as a high risk one where children who have committed all sorts of crime and have been convicted are taken after they are found guilty by our courts” added Mundi. The school head added that by being engaged in community work, they will be able to interact and will be enlightened and that they will be sensitized to demand for their rights so that they can live a decent life after the three years that they are in rehabilitation schools for correction. "The children are supposed to understand that they are not in rehabilitation schools because they are hated but it is because they have to be corrected and be seen tat they have a clean record to get back to their own homes and that their behavior have changed" added Mundi. He said that children being convicted in such schools from correction away from their homes and their loved ones gives them psychological torture seeing as if they are hated. Mundi also added that they receive children of different ages as from 13-17 years. He said that they have different programmes that help the children in behaviour, vocational and academic where they continue with their studies when they are away from homes. "In the rehabilitation school there are different programmes that help the children have complete behaviour change from education, vocational and behaviour programmes" he said. Mundi went on to say that from the school, they have an individual plan that they undertake in the rehabilitation process form the 130 children who are taken there so that the children are able to be self employed since there are different trainings apart from the normal class lessons citing that the reason is to have that when they are out from rehabilitation schools, they will not get engaged in crime activities and get back to the schools. ends.... 0723321326

SCRABBLE FOR TNA IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY.

SCRABBLE FOR TNA IN KIRINYAGA COUNTY. JANE MUGAMBI 10TH JUNE 2012. Scrabble for TNA (The National Alliance) party by politicians has intensified in Kirinyaga County with several emerging leaders claiming to be bona-fide officials of the party in the County. Every leader eying for a political seat in the fourth coming General Election has opened an office claiming to be TNA spokesperson in the County. In Mwea an aspiring parliamentary candidate Peter Ndambiri officially opened a TNA office at Ngurubani town and declared that he will is Uhuru’s appointee to coordinate party operations in the area. Speaking to press after unveiling the office Ndambiri revealed that the party will start a recruitment drive as they prepare for elections from the county level to the chairmanship position. He said that already they have appointed several youths in the area to be interim party official’s whose responsibility would be to carry out recruitment and popularize the party in the area. The candidate revealed that his move to open an office in the area have been Okayed by the party headquarter and dismissed other political leaders planning to open similar offices as opportunists. “I am the accredited person from the headquarters who has been given a go ahead to open a TNA office in Kirinyaga County, the others who will be doing it will be opportunists” added Ndambiri. Mr. Ndambiri said that the party will carry intensive campaign in the area to ensure it remains the sole political party in the area. But several leaders dismissed Ndambiri move terming it as self defeating and told him to stop misleading the residents. Mwea MP Peter Gitau said that he will soon be opening a TNA office in the same area saying that he will be cleared from the headquarters with certificate from the officials after receiving blessings from the party leader Uhuru Kenyatta. The MP said that some aspiring candidates want to hijack the party and impose themselves against the resident will a move he said will be strongly resisted. “There is no person who has been given a go ahead by Uhuru to open a TNA office because the party is barely a month old and there are some logistics that are going on which have not been completed. I will be countering Ndambiri by opening an office after I am cleared from Nairobi” added Gitau. Several leaders have started holding meetings in the county on how they are going to open offices under TNA. On Saturday, professionals, aspirants from the area held an indoor meeting on the move to decide how they re going to grab the attention of the party leader to be appointed to run the County’s affairs. Led by Beth Ngunyi who is aspiring to be the women leader, she said that they will not rest until they get Uhuru to convince him that the fit to run on the ticket since they are popular. “I will not rest until I get a sitting with Uhuru and convince him that I am popular in the area as I tested when I was contesting for the member of parliament position during the by-election that was held last year in Kirinyaga Central district” said Beth. Ends… 0723321326

COFFEE THEFT. JANE MUGAMBI 7TH JUNE 2012. Armed gangsters last night raided Mitondo coffee factory in Kirinyaga County and stole coffee worth million of shillings. Ten armed thugs armed with crude weapons raided the coffee factory at around midnight and attacked two night guards who were manning the factory injuring them seriously. According to Robert Ngari on of the guards, the thugs beat them senselessly before tying them with a rope and locked them in a kitchen. The two night guards said that they escaped death through grace of God as the gang members hacked them indiscriminately and left them to die. One of the guards Robert Ngari said that the thugs battered him with a metal bar and sustained broken legs and limbs. Ngari said that they were asleep when the gang made a surprise raid and ambushed them where they were guarding saying that when his colleague heard him scream in pain, he went to see what had happened to his colleague only to be attacked saying that despite that they were armed, the number of the gang members was big overpowering them and their efforts to rescue themselves was thwarted after they were subdued. This morning irate farmers stormed into the factory and accused the management of inefficiency and complicity counting losses with some breaking down after realizing the hope has been dazzled. They said that they hoped of a good time ahead after producing one of the best produce for many years. They argued that the management failed to ensure their coffee is well guarded pointing that hiring only two guards to watch coffee worth million of shillings was irresponsible and urged the police to do proper investigations. The Coffee according to the farmers was expected to be delivered for milling next week pointing out that they suspect collusion among the management of the factory. The two guards are still admitted in critical condition but doctors at Kerugoya district hospital termed their condition as fairly stable. Contacted for comment Kirinyaga police boss Patrick Oduma said that police have launched investigations but said that they are yet to recover the produce. He said that police are following crucial lead which he said would help them arrest the suspect. Oduma at same time called the farmers to give police any information which may assist them with investigation. Oduma termed the robbery as an inside job pointing out that several officials of the coffee factory have already recorded statement and are assisting police with investigations. He pointed out that police want to establish the security arrangements and the person responsible of records and store as the investigations point collusion among the senior officials. The police boss noted that going by many incident of coffee thefts being reported in the County the management ought to have had taken extra precautions to prevent such an incident. He said that management of all coffee factories in the County have been advised to beefing up their security and ensures the coffee does not stay in their factories for long period of time. Oduma said that CID officers are following crucial lead and soon they will have suspects in custody. The OCPD said that the guards would also record statement with police as they can give vital information which may assist the investigations. ENDS.. 0723321326