kikuyu elders perform rituals for a fig tree so as to pave way for the construction of the Kenol-Sagana-Marwa road

 Kikuyu elders yesterday held a second ceremony that included goat
sacrifice for another mugumo tree standing on the way of the ongoing
construction of the Kenol -Sagana-Marua daulcarriage way.

The cultural ceremony was allow the removal of the mugumo tree that
was blocking the works on the Sh30 billion dualling of the section of
the Great North highway.

Yesterday's ceremony was led by Harrison Ndambiri and involved seeking
God's permission to have the traditional religious shrine moved from
its site near Sagana township.

Ndambiri said they were approached by the contractor to perform the
ceremony that would permit the felling of the tree without any adverse
repercussions according to Gikuyu traditional beliefs.

The ceremony that started at 10.00 am, saw the smoke go up 30 minutes
after the goat was set on fire, giving the elders a nod that they have
been permitted to cut the tree.

The first shrine that necessitated a similar ceremony in April this
year was at Kiangwaci market which attracted a huge crowd of
onlookers.

Three goats had been brought for the occasion, with one being the
sacrificial offering whose carcass is allowed to roast to ashes to
please the spirits.

The other two are for the elders and those in attendance to feast on
roasted on a separate fire at the scene.

The elders however urged men to join the group so as to preserve the
rich culture that would have prevented the young generation from being
lost consumption of illicit brews.

I have a handsome husband-Waiguru to Ngirici

Kirinyaga woman representative Wangui Ngirici and the governor Anne Waiguru continue to trade bitter words before the public.

The two have been in bitter exchange of works following the mounting of the bill boards in Mwea-though it is Wangui’s husband Kirinyaga businessman Andrew Ngirici taking starting the fight.

Tell the governor of Kirinyaga one serves where they are married, she has a right to seek for a position in Murang’a, I am a Kirinyaga and my wife is from Kirinyaga and that is why Wangui is soliciting votes from Kirinyaga people.

When you buy a cow from the market you do not leave it in the market, you go with it at home,

For the first time the governor Anne Waiguru stood on the podium in Mwea where she described the husband.

Let us stop insults in public, as a husband you can never take insults to your family as food, and vice versa, we were elected to serve the people of Kirinyaga.

“Did you elect me (Waiguru) or my husband as your governor, Ngirici or anyone else who wants to source for votes should actually vie and not ride on the wife’s  back, you(Ngirici)  were not elected it is your wife” Waiguru to Ngirici.

“My husband is learned he is a constitutional lawyer, he has money, he is handsome well educated and they do not talk.

Wangui in a rejoinder said, I am not afraid of showing the handsomeness of my husband and that is why I always show him to the public.

Ngirici on his part said, he will not stop campaigning.

Wangui for the first time admitted that it is the husband who brought Waiguru onto the Kirinyaga politics-“It is my husband Ngirici who brought Waiguru to Kirinyaga, no one wanted to talk to her-remember she was in the NYS list” said Wangui.

The fight started when the interior Principal secretary Karanja Kibicho had a handshake with the Kirinyaga businessman in seeking peace for the county as it heads for Mashujaa celebrations.

The handshake was to bring all Kirinyaga leaders together to seek peace, where in the four events that the meetings have been held, Kirinyaga governor has never attended any-despite the national officials (PS Mwangi Maringa, PS Kibicho)among other senior government officials from the county sparing their time to attend.

Ends…

caption:Kirinyaga waman representative Wangui Ngirici who said she doesnt shy away from showing the husband to the world since he is handsome.

caption:Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru addressing a gathering.She said the husband is filthy rich, more so is a busy man to attend political rallies.

 

Waiguru disburses Ksh. 125.6 million bursaries in aid of needy students

 

 

 

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru on Thursday launched bursaries worth Ksh. 125.6 million to needy secondary school, college and university students in the county.

 

Speaking in Mwea where she disbursed cheques for Tebere and Nyangati Wards on Thursday, the governor said that the funds will benefit 42,527 students who were identified following a vetting process by the Ward Bursary Committees.

 

Out of these beneficiaries are 32,397 secondary school students, 5,388 university students and 4,742 students from tertiary institutions.

 

The governor said that the bursaries are aimed at enabling children from poor backgrounds to remain in school after enrolment adding that beneficiaries from all the wards will be receiving their money to ensure that they are not sent away from school.

 

“We remain committed to supporting the education of the children in the county, the improvement of academic performance and ultimately, the lives of the youth in the county” she said, observing that the future of our country depends on the children.

 

Waiguru noted that the bursaries will go a long way in lessening the burden of school fees on parents, many of who are facing Covid-19 related hardships.

 

Tebere ward has been allocated Ksh 4.65 million out of which Ksh 2.3 million will go to 1,025 secondary school students, Ksh. 900,750 to 450 tertiary institutions students while 351 university students will get Ksh1.4 million.

 

In Nyangati ward, Ksh 4.65 million has been allocated to 1,380 secondary school students who will get Ksh 3.5 million, 170 tertiary institution’s students who will get Ksh 522,000 and 196 university students who will get Ksh. 613,750.

 

This year’s disbursement is the largest compared to the previous years’ where slightly above Ksh. 200 million was collectively disbursed.

 

Ends.../

 

 

 

KIrinyaga registers 830 covid cases,65 deaths

Kirinyaga County has so far confirmed 830 Covid-19 cases and 65 Covid-19 confirmed deaths.

Currently there are 52 patients at the isolation centers, 15 of them on supplementary oxygen. About 45 people are on home based care.

Health executive member Gladys Kimingi, said that a total of close to about 47,000 people have so far been vaccinated.

Health workers vaccinated are 4941,teachers 7451,uniformed forces 1880,others 30110.

“There is evidence that people vaccinated against the corona virus are less likely to develop severe symptoms leading to hospitalization or death should they contract the virus. It is for this reason that my administration has in the last two weeks intensified campaigns in churches, towns and market places to tell our people to get vaccinated against the virus,” Ms. Kimingi said.

Waiguru cautioned politicians against using the vaccination exercise to seek political millage by mobilizing crowds to jam the vaccination centres saying such large gatherings could lead to more infections.

“We want to assure our residents that we have the capacity required to manage the pandemic as well as the ongoing vaccination exercise,” the governor added.

She pointed out that all the vaccines come with syringes and are given for free, cautioning Kirinyaga residents not to part with cash to get a vaccine.

“Further, it has come to my attention that unscrupulous staff in our hospitals are misdirecting the public to pay for services through their personal lines.  I wish to inform the public that any chargeable service at any of our 22 facilities should be paid though the official Paybill Numbers displayed at the facilities and at no time should any payments be sent to personal numbers,” She said.

The governor Anne Waiguru also added a voice to the Covid issue where she said the county which is home to over six hundred thousand residents, is a long way from attaining the recommended of 70% of the population.

She asked those already vaccinated to continue observing the MOH guidelines since they could still be susceptible to the virus. 

“It will take a while, we must all play our role in safeguarding ourselves and others, our loved ones and our livelihoods by adhering to the down laid prevention measures which include wearing masks properly whenever in public, washing hands regularly and observing social distance. Even if one is immunized, they still need to observe the protocols,” the governor stressed.

Waiguru said her administration has rolled out several interventions to curb spread of the virus among them; increased awareness campaigns and education, enforcement of MOH protocols, disinfection of markets, supply of free masks and sanitizers among others.

Waiguru said that the increase in vaccinated people is after the new 13 vaccination centers were added.

Ends…………..

 

utility

830 Covid patients as at Wednesday 

65 deaths

22 vaccination centers-9 existing,13 new centers

Health workers vaccinated are 4,941

teachers 7,451

uniformed & forces 1,880

others 32,000.

 

rape cases in Kirinyaga on the rise,women condemn it

Kirinyaga Assembly Women Caucus has condemn the killing of a four year old girl.

Led by nominated MCA Caroline Wanjiku condemned the crime and called on the Inspector General (IG) of Police Hillary Mutyambai intervene in the case saying that it is unfortunate the girl was not getting justice.

Wanjiku added that if no justice for the girl, they will hold peaceful demonstration pushing for her justice.

“If the IG is not going to work on the case, then as women we are going to demonstrate pushing for her justice, we cannot sit back and watch as our baby girls molested and later on killed to conceal evidence, No we have to act” said Wanjiku.

She said that it was unfortunate the girl was going to school, when she was attacked; only for her body to be seen three days later after she was reported missing.

Ngariama representative Rose Njeru, accused the police for not arresting a father who has been molesting the daughter.

She said the girl whose information was relayed by the teachers from her school, are demanding for his arrest.

 “It is very wrong for a biological father in Ngariama to defile her blood, we got the information from the school after the girl disclosed to her teachers the father has not been arrested,”said Njeru.

 

 ends

abortion

In 2018 a 20 year old secondary school student who was on midterm died while procuring an abortion at a private clinic in Sagana, Kirinyaga County.

The lady had been referred to the Sagana doctor from Murang’a after developing complications from a failed abortion-that had been done in Murang’a.

The student had been accompanied by her mother for the service.

When the mother saw her daughter pass on, she fled to unknown destination and switched off her phone.

There have been so many unsafe abortions being done in private clinics that are never reported, but get lime light when death occurs, at least two cases have been reported at the public health facilities across the county.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines unsafe abortion as a procedure for terminating pregnancy, carried out either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards, or both.

According to doctor Francis Kimani, Director medical Services in the ministry of health, Although unsafe abortion in Kenya has long been recognized as a leading cause of deaths and injuries to women - deaths and injuries that are preventable - there is limited scientific information available on the women who seek unsafe abortion, the magnitude of the problem of unsafe abortion in our society and the severity of complications that arise from unsafe abortion. A survey conducted by the African Population and Health Research Center in collaboration with the Ministry of Health addresses not only the numbers of unsafe abortions occurring annually in Kenya, but also the extent of unsafe abortion, the characteristics of women who seek abortion-related care in Kenyan health facilities. 

A John Kamau,medic at the Kerugoya hospital said that majority of such cases are from students who prefer procuring an abortion so as to continue with their education.

The medic stated, despite counselling and telling them on the dangers of abortion, they go ahead and if the medic becomes unfriendly, they walk out to seek services from private hospitals.

At the Kerugoya health Center, per the medic, there have been isolated cases brought after a failed back street abortion for fear of being arrested upon survival.

“We have received very isolated cases on abortion, majority of such cases are from students who want to join either college or university, when we do not cooperate, they walk out to seek the same services at the private facility” said the medic.

The recently promulgated 2010 constitution of Kenya permits abortion when the life or health of the woman is in danger.

The church on its part Mt. Kenya Yes pastors forum chair Daniel Njagi said that abortion is killing, that is prohibited by the bible.

He says that “The church does not support abortion, it is killing”.

Surgical abortion according to Njagi says it is allowed since it is a way of saving the mother from dying due to pregnancy related complication.

“Pregnancies such Ectopic or when the life of a mother is in danger, the church supports and allows such” the Yes forum chair added.

On those that separate and the lady decides to abort, Njagi added that rejection should not be a route cause for killing, suggesting that the lady should give birth and raise the child.

He also urged parents not to be at the Center of their children’s relationship, saying the kind of damage that happens is irreparable.

“We have parents who are so much involved in their children’s life even relationships, most separation between two lovers is attributed to family influence, if in such a case the lady was expectant, then after separation, she will have an abortion-an act that was not planned” Njagi added.

Data from Kenya Data and Health Survey (2014) show that 1 in every 5 girls between 15-19 years is either pregnant or already a mother. As of 2019 latest statistics from the Global Childhood Kenya has the third-highest teen pregnancy rates with 82 births per 1,000 births. According to the United Nations Population Fund Report, Kenya has recorded 378, 397 adolescent and teenage pregnancies for girls aged 10-19 years between July 2016 and June 2017, specifically, 28, 932 girls aged 10-14 and 349,465 girls aged 15-19 became pregnant.

Concurrently, over 13,000 teenage girls drop out of school annually because of pregnancy. (Kenya Data and Health Survey, 2014). Recent media reports show that 449 girls are failing to sit for their final examinations while others write examinations in maternity wards. This is a red flag on the girls’ education, health and opportunities not to mention a failure on the society as whole. The case of Narok County is an eye-opener with 40% of the teenagers being pregnant compared to Garissa, Wajir and Lamu at 10%.

In 2012, an estimated 464,000 induced abortions occurred in Kenya. This translates into an abortion rate of 48 per 1,000 women aged 15–49, and an abortion ratio of 30 per 100 live births. About 120,000 women received care for complications of induced abortion in health facilities. About half (49 %) of all pregnancies in Kenya were unintended and 41 % of unintended pregnancies ended in an abortion.

The risks of unsafe abortion run along a continuum ranging from severe morbidity (hemorrhage, sepsis, organ failure) to no complications. While abortion is getting safer worldwide, evidence indicates a higher rate of hospitalization due to unsafe abortion complications for the Eastern Africa region (10 per 1000 women aged 15–44 years) than for sub-Saharan Africa overall (7.5 per 1000 women aged 15–44 years). Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rates of hospitalization due to unsafe abortion worldwide.

Unlike developed countries where abortion is legalized, In Kenya a developing country,abortion is not recognized,but still happen in backstreet clinics-the government needs to put measures how to find a way to have it legalized to avert more deaths in back street clinics..

Ends….

The government buys 80,000 bags of rice at 600 Million from Mwea society

 The government buys 80,000 bags of rice at 600 Million from Mwea society

The government has bought over 80,000 bags of rice at shs85 from the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-operative Society Ltd (MRGM).

This is from the shs700 million government’s kitty that was given to the Kenya National  Trading corporation to buy rice from the society.

The chairman Ndege Muriuki said that the current stock at the silo’s is for December since that is the harvesting time and that through the president’s directive, all farmers brought their rice at the silos.

The price was very lucrative for farmers since independence adding that was the reason as to why they opted to voluntarily store their paddy rice at the silos.

“The KNTC bought rice but left some bags, we were forced to take a loan so as to first pay farmers” said Ndege.

At the moment the silos are full and we cannot store outside, due to the unpredictable climate in the area, if it rains then the rice will get destroyed by the rains.

Ndege said that farmers had the expectations of prices going up during the next season where Munya said that unless they (farmers) review the prices, the government is not able to buy from them citing competition. ”we expected the prices to be better next season than last years, but we are surprised that we have been told the price has to be reviewed downwards” said Ndege.

This year the society has been able to sell 15,000 bags from the 90,000 bags stocked at the silos.

 “This is because the market is flooded, what we can pay is very little we have been able to sell only 15,000 bags” Ndege added.

The chairman said that the only left option would be that through the agreement the society be selling to KNTC so as to pay farmers on time also to ensure that the crop of the that season is cleared-“we are unable to manage the current crop since there is no money in the farmers pocket” headed.

On his part the agriculture CS Peter Munya said that the government will not be able to buy rice from the society if at all the prices will not be reviewed.

Saa ile tunapea agencies zile ziko serikalini mchele wa Mwea wanasema bei iko juu,wanauliza mbona hii ya mwea iko na sh 85 na kuna ya sh 50 quality kama hiyo tu,nawaambia jaribuni kuwa na mpunga ambao utaweza kuuzwa kwa bei ya chini (when we approach the government agencies that we sell the rice to, they normally complain of high prices and say they get same quality at a cheaper price from other areas-leaving us with the rice)”Said Munya.

He said that the government agencies that receive rice from the ministry have complained of high prices from the Mwea rice-comparing same from other rice growing areas. Munya however urged farmers to consider a grade two product that will compete with that from other areas

 The CS said this will be the last time the government will be buying the rice, the society to also source for other areas where they can send their product.

 

ends..

I will not watch as Mt.Kenya is being divided,CS Munya says

 I will not watch as Mt.Kenya is being divided,CS Munya says

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya says this is not the time for Mt. Kenya to be divided.

Speaking after flagging off consignment of 80,000 bags of rice from Mwea Rice Growers multi-purpose cooperative society on Thursday, Munya says that divisive politics should be shunned.

He said that Mt. Kenya people do not need politicians to divide them, saying that some politicians are using their foot soldiers to bring the division.

Mt. Kenya has been one, this is not the time some politicians to use foot soldiers to divide Mt. Kenya divided.

“Kuna watu wengine wanatumia vibaraka kugawanya Mt. Kenya ati saa hii kuna Mt.Kenya East mara Mt. Kenya West hatujui sasa ni gani itawekwa, we need one Mt. Kenya for identity (There are some politicians who are using foot soldiers to bring division in Mt. Kenya, we have different clusters in Mt Kenya not knowing what other division will emerge, what we want is a united Mt. Kenya for identity” said Munya.

Tumejadiliana kuwa Mt.Kenya hatugawanyishwi,”We have agreed in unison in Mwea that Mt. Kenya is not going to be divided, we need one identity” Munya added.

On National Speaker Justin Muturi’s coronation, Munya said there was no consultation on who to be the spokesperson for Mt. Kenya saying that time is coming when all questions will have answers.

“There was no consultations on who to be the spokesperson for Mt.Kenya I was surprised to see Muturi being coroneted as Mt. Kenya spokesperson, a time is coming when the questions we have will be answered” Munya said.

He said that Mt. Kenya needs to be united as one and should not allow any politician to divide it, saying some politicians have been seeking elective positions yet they are in government asking why such leaders cannot work in peace.

"Kuna viongizi wenginje hapa wanazumguka wakisema wanauza sera na ukiskiza vizuri vile walianza hata sasa ndivo tu wanaendelea kusema, mimi hushangaa sana mbona viongozi kama hawa hawawezi tulia wafanye kazi wakati wa siasa ukifika wauze sera zao wakati huo(I have seen since politicians who have done politics since they got in office for four years, they claim to have agendas for Kenya but when you listen to them very carefully, they have been saying one thing over and over again, why cant they work for Kenyans)"Munya wondered.

 

ends...

hybrid to save cooking hours,fuel

 hybrid to save cooking hours

Kenyatta University researchers in collaboration with international partners are testing and evaluating cooking hybrid banana dabbed Naritas that will take shorter time to cook saving families fuel costs.

Narita is an acronym derived from Naro - the National Agriculture
Research Organization of Uganda and IITA – International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) that is high yielding and disease resistant hybrids.

 

The variety will be resistant to black sigatoka which is rated as the most devastating foliar disease in bananas.


Plant biotechnology lecturer, department of biochemistry, microbiology and biotechnology, Kenyatta University Mary Mwangi said that the research that has taken over 20 years will see the Kenyan families enjoy a soft matoke meal.

 

The cooking varieties developed under climate smart banana project will see introduction of climate resilience, high yielding non-GMO plantains into the Kenyan value chain, said Lecturer Mary.


“The varieties are not Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) – they are hybrids," added Lecturer Mwangi who added that the breath taking research had taken over 20 years to be completed.

“We have only known the indigenous cooking bananas that are hard even after
long hours of being on fire. We are also planning to introduce Narita, alongside a variety of sweet banana that is not only sweeter than what’s on the market but also resistant to panama disease. Panama disease is known to cause huge losses to banana farmers in Embu, Murang’a and Kirinyaga. All these efforts are geared towards making Kenya a matoke eating family to diversify from the normal Ugali and rice also improving their nutrition value” lecturer Mwangi added.

The climate smart banana project (Clismaban), seeks to establish varieties that can withstand the changes in climate, bananas that will survive high and low temperatures as a way of addressing food security.

The researchers said the variety is likely to be in high demand and therefore give farmers better earnings.

“We have a banana variety that can withstand to the adaptation of the climate whether low or high so as to address food security and also survive on the changing temperatures,” she added the variety that will
address food security and also be market potential”.

The project is planned to kick in three counties; Kirinyaga, Murang’a and Embu after the evaluating performance at the Kenyatta university laboratories, have so far been tested in Uganda and Kenya where it is doing well.

So far at the Kenyatta University laboratory there are 27 new hybrids that have been developed through crossbreeding of which 25 have been evaluated for agronomic performance in Uganda.

For the first time in Kenya we have embarked on similar evaluations.

We are also assessing their potential for adoptions by farmers,consumers and traders in Kenya through a participatory gender-responsive approach.

.

varieties where farmers will narrow down to four depending on the farmer’s choice and the area.

The project is being rolled out through participatory varietal selection, whereby gender-integrated farmers will work closely with the researchers to identify the most desirable varieties based on agronomic and sensory evaluations.

Prof. Grace Ngare, gender expert said that bananas are customarily considered a women’s crop but with the introduction of Naritas, this could change hence the need to guard against conflict in farming families.

 “When banana farming turns commercials, men will pick interest and seek to control proceeds from the venture. Besides, gender shifts arising from commercial banana farming have generated observable Gender-Based Violence within the households as observed in Meru. Its high time families started embracing sharing roles and information.

Kawanjara commercial village agribusiness cooperative society vice
chairman Francis Mugo a beneficiary said the way for valuable projects
to be felt is dealing with groups and not individuals citing that the
400 members will be able to spread the word of a new banana variety in
the region.

Mercy Wanja, a member, added that the banana variety is likely to be a
hit in the market saying bananas grown in the area are small in
bunches and raised little in cash.

Wanja said the participatory approach taken by the project will
solve the violence in homes since men dominate revenue generating crop farming and management of proceeds leaving the woman to do donkey work.

"We are very happy to see that this project has taken a step of engaging
gender both male and female to create awareness to avoid violence". Wanja added.

The project is co-funded by the Kenyan government and European Union to a tune of Sh. 83 million and is expected to run for three years.



Ends.../

Tough laws to save females seeking jobs overseas

Tough laws to save females seeking jobs overseas

National Assembly Labour Committee chairperson who is also the MP for Mwea Kabinga Wachira has said that the committee is coming up with laws that will see Kenyan job seeker protected from bogus bureaus.

Wachira said that the laws will also protect Kenyans working in the gulf from killings and mistreatment.

Kabinga said that the committee has formulated the laws so as to also curtail the bureaus from exploiting jobseekers.

"The law is to govern our children, sisters, brothers who have gotten jobs in the Gulf without being mistreated,” said Kabinga.

He said that if the National Assembly passes the bill, Kenya could benefit immensely through the money remitted from the Middle East citing the Philippines that gets 42 trillion from its workers who are in the Gulf and other countries.

“A protected Kenyan worker will be mean that the country can take huge advantage including borrowing from the Diaspora remittances,” the chairperson added.

Wachira said the government should clamp down on the recruiting agencies that have been taking advantage of poor job seekers.

“I am urging the recruiting agencies to start adjusting to the new laws, and exploited their own children for greed,” said Kabinga.

He also urged the employees to be well behaved in the diaspora and avoid situations that may put them in a corrosion course with the employers.

Ends.../

 

Kirinyaga comes third in abuse on the elderly.

Kirinyaga comes third in abuse on the elderly.

Kirinyaga County has been ranked third in abuse of the elderly persons, after Kilifi and Kisii.

The situational analysis regarding abuse of the elderly the Directorate for Social Development identified Mwea Community Capacity Support Program (CCSP) for renovation as a Rescue Centre. 

Speaking in Mwea cabinet secretary for social development Simon Chelugui said the elderly are supposed to be looked after and not abuse.

The abuse has been attributed to property inheritance where the life expectancy is shorter due to mistreatment, the abuse is perpetuated by family members.

The Sh47 Million modern rescue center situated in Ngurubani, Mwea constituency, will see 45 persons but the number of the abused is high.

It will be run by the directorate for social development.

“In this county, our studies showed that the abuses of the elderly persons were triggered by incidents of inheritance of family property especially land by their own children with some instances such parents being murdered, Chelugui said,

The facilities in this home include single self-contained rooms with hotel-like facilities ideal for an elderly person requiring time in privacy, while other rooms can accommodate up to four people, depending on the need of such clients.

The opening was witnessed by the Mwea MP Kabinga Wathayu, Nominated MP David Sankok-where they called upon Kenyans to look after the elderly.

The nominated MP said traditionally, the elderly are not supposed to be abused but taken care of but today the elderly have turned to be the target from their own children.

“Children take care of their elderly parents, they are our gold but the gold has turned out to be a target,”said Sankok.

Sankok also added that many elderly people are dying poor due to the treatment they are getting right at home.

Kabinga on his part said that Mwea leads in abuse on the elderly citing that, majority have been rendered homeless by their own children, relatives due to their land.

“We know Mwea has had a history of elderly being chased from their own homes by their children, wives due to land we hope that the center will be a temporary place for them to first get shelter, counselors are also going to be available for their mental wellness,” Kabinga added.

They urged Mwea residents and Kenyans at large to stop the vice saying it is a curse to chase the man of the house form his own matrimonial home.

 ends...

Fathers day losses after a jilted husband destroys farm produce worth shs 500,000

 Fathers day losses after a jilted husband destroys farm produce worth shs 500,000

Fathers day turned tragic in Kirinyaga when a jilted man went on rampage and destroyed farm produce worth shs 500,000.

The middle aged man from Kamagambo, Gichugu, was trying to prevent his wife from going to the market, instead stay at home with him to celebrate the day.

Business man David Muthike said that he was prepared to go to the market when he was called on Sunday morning being told that his bananas and avocados that were waiting to be taken to Kitui market had been destroyed.

Muthike went on to say that the market day in Kitui is normally on Sunday and that the man, went on rampage destroying their goods thinking that was his wife's who was supposed to go to the same market.

The man used a machete to slice the green bananas and sacks of avocados saying that his wife should have stayed at home because it was Father’s Day.

"I got a call from a neighbour that the bananas that we had packed on the roadside ready to be parked in a lorry has been destroyed, when I rushed there I found that most of our bananas and avocados," said Muthike.

"Mwanaume huyo alikuwa anataka bibi yake akae nyumbani ndio washerehekee siku ya Fathers Day,(The man who destroyed our farm produce wanted the wife to stay home since it was fathers day),” Muthike.

Hellen Kaari added that she had taken her goods along Kianyaga- Kiamutugu road ready for market.

The boda boda guy who witnessed the destruction informed her of the destruction saying she has lost produce worth sh15,000.

"I have lost farm produce worth sh 15,000,this is my way of survival,", said Kaari.

The farm produce that was destroyed belonged to six business people, who are yet to come to terms with the loss.

Kirinyaga East sub-county OCPD Anthony Mbogo said there is no report made on the matter.

"We do not have any complain from Kamagambo,we are still waiting for those whose farm produce was destroyed to report,"said Mbogo

ends..

Government has closed Sagana Muslim secondary school arrested director and over 100 students sent home in Kirinyaga.

 Government has closed  Sagana Muslim secondary school arrested director and over 100 students sent home in Kirinyaga.

The Government on Wednesday, closed a muslim secondary school  in Sagana, Ndia in Kirinyaga  county , arrested the school director and over 100 students sent home.

Speaking after closing the school Ndia sub-county Deputy County commissioner Moses Ivuto said the Director of Tahfidh-ul-Quran Academy has been operating an unregistered institution.

Ivuto warned those operating without following ministry of education circular.

 “Most of this institution does not meet the minimum standards required by the ministry of education and we will investigate the director further,” Ivuto said. 

The school had not also met the covid-19 requirements of one meter apart from each student’s and also the school was overcrowded.

 

Ndia Sub-county director of education Benard Kamande the school director will be charged for operating an unregistered school.

 

 “As you can see he has gone against covid-19 guidelines, the students are overcrowded, there is no social distancing.' Kamande said.

 

The school director Ismail Wanjohi is currently held at Baricho police station in Ndia, Kirinyaga West waiting to appear in court.

 

“The sub county director of education therefore closed the school indefinitely and the director of the school one Ismail Wanjohi was arrested and will be charged with offence of operating a school without license,”.

 

The Administrator said that ,”all parents were informed about the closure of the school and requested to facilitate the movement of the students so that they can reach home before curfew time 99% by 3Pm had left school”said Ivuto.

 

The school had 113 students, 53 boys and 62girls.

 

Ends…

Kirinyaga takes covid campaign as third wave is expected to be severe

As the threat of the third covid wave becomes a reality, an intensive sensitization campaign has been launched in Kirinyaga County.

 

Through the County Informational and Public Communication Office, the three day campaign is meant to alert the residents of the consequences should they fail to strictly observe the prescribed protective protocols by the government .

 

While launching the campaign outside his County Headquarters Tuesday Morning , Kirinyaga Central Deputy County Commissioner Daniel Ndege urged locals to disregard the negative propaganda being peddled around about the Covid- 19 jab .

 

“I want to assure everybody that there is no government anywhere in the world will allow its citizens to be injected with a harmful vaccine ,”he stressed.

 

Ndege said the vaccine being used was providing 80 per cent protection against the infection of the pandemic and wondered why anyone in his right sense should engage in the negative propaganda.

 

He asked those yet to receive the first jab to visit the nearest Health facility and get inoculated against the killer pandemic to avoid regrets.

 

“This pandemic is costly to treat since it can cost a family up to sh 1 million to treat a single patient and you can now imagine how many Kenyans can afford this kind of treatment due to the prevailing economic hardships and this is why we are urging you to stay safe , “ Ndega said.

 

He said the campaigns will be conducted under strict covid -19 protocols to avoid people congregating since the spread of the pandemic is through large gatherings .

 

The County Information Officer John Irungu said the campaign would be taken up to the door steps of various families to ensure families received the message meant to safeguard them against the killer disease.

 

He said his team which has been tasked with the campaign had since hit the road running and would even visit the furthest end of the county at Kiumbu , Kamwana, Kiangai , Kariti up to Makutano .

 

“We will also be speaking to those attending markets from distance since we have powerful public address system just to ensure neither our crew nor the residents were endangered during the message delivery ,”he said.

 

 ends..

Grub worm destroying Muguka in Kirinyaga

 Grub worm destroying Muguka in Kirinyaga

Manure worms have invaded Miraa farms in Kirinyaga County.

Grub worms have invaded Kirinyaga are wreaking havoc on Muguka farms.

Farmers are worried that the worms will wipe out thousands of acres of their crop if urgent measures are not taken.

In Kirinyaga, they have infested Mugambaciura, Kanjinji, Murinduko and Ngucui where muguka is grown in large scale.

The grubs which are giant larva is attacking the plant roots, leaving them to die and drying up.

Farmers started uprooting some of the affected muguka stems.

Maina said that most farmers have been using manure to enrich the plants, without knowing that they are taking the larva to the crop.

The most affected crops are where farmers have been using manure to enrich them, the larva has been transported right from the cowsheds o the farm said Maina.

Mercy Kamau a farmer in Mugambaciura said, "I'm losing Sh30,000 every week following the invasion of my one acre of muguka farm and it is now difficult for me to meet all my financial obligations.

Farmers said the pesticide used has turned out to be resistant calling for assistance.

"The chemicals we buy from the market are not killing the worms and we need to be helped," added Ms Kamau.

The farmers are now turning to ingenious methods like applying ashes to control the worms that still not working.

"We are applying ashes in a bid to control these pests. We are also removing out the worms and crushing them. However, the methods are not very effective," another farmer Ann Wawira lamented.

Most farmers depend on Muguka for their livelihood saying it is getting hard to provide basics due to the low income they are getting from the yields.

"Muguka is the only remaining crop which is giving us good money but it is now being destroyed. We need a solution to the problem," said Musyoka

An agricultural scientist Dr. John Wanyaga said such worms are highly destructive and they should be tamed as soon as possible.

Wanyaga said there are good chemicals which can be sprayed and get rid of the worms.

"Chemicals used to kill cutworms are the same ones which are sprayed on grub worms. Farmers should go for them to save their Muguka crop," he said.

He has however called on farmers to stop panicking saying the worm is controllable.

Ends

Environmentalists call upon the government not to lift moratorium.

Environmentalists call upon the government not to lift moratorium.

Environmentalists want the government not to lift the moratorium on logging activities in public forests saying the forest cover was still low in the country.

Led by Kirinyaga United Forum patron Kamau Kibanya who is also a lawyer, they said that allowing logging, at the time when the forest cover is markedly low would have an effect on water levels in most rivers.

He said that the government needed to fast track the addition of forest cover-before removing the moratorium.

He was speaking at Murinduko hill forest in Mwea East during a tree planting exercise  on Saturday where over 4,500 seedlings  were planted.

According to Julian Wanja, Chairman  of Green Spaces, the partnership between Kenya Forest service, Netfund, Tana water works agency and Kirinyaga united Forum, is to see that the county plant trees in badly degraded areas.

Simon Muriuki, secretary Murinduko Community Forest Association said they have so far planted 50 hectares of degraded land affected by deforestation and overgrazing.

Kenya forest manager Anthony Kinyua said that they had give farmers trees to plant in their land to stop over over dependence on the public forests.

Ends…./

A couple in Kirinyaga county welcomes triplets after three miscarriages

A couple in Kirinyaga county welcomes triplets after three miscarriages.

Grace Wambui, 32, dropped out of school after being partially blind. It is during this stay away from school that she met the love of her life Peter Muthii whom she agreed to marry.

They were blessed with their 12 year old daughter who is in class seven at the moment.

Wambui and her husband Muthii are casual labourers in nearby French bean shambas, where the pay is very little-make sh300 a day.

When she attended antenatal clinic at the Kerugoya referral hospital this January, she was told she was carrying triplets, news that shocked her.

She was lost in thoughts on how her life has drastically changed-have additional mouths to feed yet we are struggling to feed ourselves.

“We were three in our home, now additional three have come how is life going to be like, we are  casual labourers who are struggling to make ends meet” said Wambui.

Wambui already had three miscarriages for the twelve years she has been married though she had planned to have just one more child and concentrate on bringing up the two-but now they are four.

 She said that on April 22, during the antenatal clinic visit at the Kerugoya referral where she had been sent to where she developed a sharp pain on her lower belly and at the back, where she was wheeled to the maternity ward.

“I felt a sharp pain on my lower abdomen and at the back, the nurses had to wheel me to the maternity ward since I could not stand or even feel my legs” said Wambui.

In her lineage, her grandmother who she is named after had twins-cleared her thoughts but maintains she would have given birth to two and not three just like her grandmother.

”I would have given birth to twins since my grandmother had twins-triplets were a shock to me” Wambui added.

She woke up to be informed by her doctor that she had delivered three identical girls.

Sharteen Nyakio, Shantel Nyambura and Sharon Nyawira weighed 1.57kg, 1.57kg and 1.56kg, respectively. All were underweight and had to be put in incubators.

"I could not believe it until I saw them. I was told the babies were in good condition but they had to remain in the incubators for a whole month until each attained two kilos of weight," said Wambui.

"I was upset and many things went through my mind when I saw the babies. My biggest concern is finances, at the moment my husband is the one working as I look after the newborns" she said.

At the moment,Wambui is at her parents' home in Kirimunge village with her babies as a big space is needed and when she approached her parents, they did not turn her down.

"Life is becoming very difficult for us, I  plan to stay with my parents until the babies stop breast-feeding” she said.

"I will go back to our house when the babies stop breastfeeding, the milk for the three is not even enough, though my parents are equally poor, they have a big room for me and my babies," she said. I appeal to well-wishers and the government for assistance.

"What we need most at the moment is milk and clothes," she added.

"My in-laws understand the problem I'm facing and that is why they have temporarily accommodated my wife and the babies," said Mr Muthii.

 ends...