The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) held a youth summit with members drawn from more than 15 African Countries at the Maanzoni Safari Lounge in Machakos County today.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Stephen Mbaya Kimwele, Bishop Dr. Nzomo and Joyce Mutua, the County Ministers in charge of Agriculture from Kitui, Machakos and Makueni Counties respectively.
AFSA is a broad alliance of civil society actors who are part of the struggle for food sovereignty and agroecology in Africa.
These include African food producer networks, African CSO networks, indigenous people’s organizations, faithbased organizations, women and youth groups, consumer movements, and international organizations that support the stance of AFSA.
It is in simpler definitions a network of networks, currently with 40 active members in 50 African countries.
AFSA aims at transitioning to agroecology for climate, strengthening farmer managed seed systems, strengthening community voices for land rights.
The Agriculture and Livestock CECMs and AFSA discussed on possible areas of collaboration between the three counties to promote and safeguard agricultural production through creation of healthy policies and legislation.
To mark this year’s Lover’s day on the 14th of February, The Woods Restaurant – Kaveta, known for it’s Live Rhumba nights and delicious meals is hosting a special Valentines Candle light Garden dinner.
Going for only 750 kshs per person and a free glass of wine for the ladies, this promises to be one of the best highlights of Valentines day this year.
Lovers will have an exquisitely wonderful menu to choose from.
For the starter, there will be a variety of soups to choose from: ranging from the normal bone soup and chicken soup to the chef’s special butter nut soup.
The Main course has been specially designed to fill up and revellers will choose from four types of meats, namely: chicken, fish, mutton and beef.
The special chef brought in just for Valentines day has prepared a special surprise for desert and promises that everyone will leave with stomachs fully content and all hearts fully powered with love.
Be ready to be wowed by the special Rhumba and Romantic ballads from the Dj and Live performances
For early bookings and reservations, please call Warda and Meshack on tel numbers 0795737135 and 0740305093
A cross section of the larger Mwingi leaders and key opinion shapers have pledged to work hand in hand with the youth activist Job Mbeta (popularly known as JB) to ensure that their fight for water security in the region.
Speaking during a consultative meeting held in Mwingi West on Saturday, the leaders affirmed that they are in full support of activist JB’s idea of poverty elevation by liasing with the county government to have water bills passed in county government and senate.
Addressing the press after the meeting, the team confided that they have fathered a revolution that will help Kitui County and Kamba nation at large solve the perenial water problem predominant in the lower sahelian regions of the three Ukambani counties.
Mr Nyenya, a senior Knut official stressed on the importance of a water-secure community, adding that water scarcity contributes negatively to education in the region. “Water and education are are directly related,” he said, “One of the main factors contributing to poor performances in our schools is water scarcity.”
The Kitui Senator and senate Deputy Minority Leader hon. Enoch Kiio Wambua addresses a mamoth crowd at the Azimio’s mega rally at the Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi.
The Kitui Senator and Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Senator Enoch Kiio Wambua has passionately beseached the Azimio Principal Hon. Raila Odinga to release the controversial IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati’s video.
Speaking today during the mega Azimio rally held at Jacaranda grounds in Nairobi city, the senator stressed that the public are eargerly waiting for the video, to a satisfying roar of the crowd.
The senator also added that the public were tired already of a corrupt government. He attacked also the spectator role the government has taken as the entire country is starving.
“Any government that can’t feed its people then has no business being in office,” Senator Kiio added.
The Jacaranda mega rally is the second of a series of planned rallies by the Azimio political wing, which is challenging president William Ruto’s win in the 2022 general elections.
Senator Enoch Kiio Wambua shares a moment with fellow Azimio leaders during today’s rally.
Both offices of the Kitui County Clerk and IEBC have today cleared Augustus Kyalo Muli to run for the Kitui Assembly Speaker position, following its vacancy gazzettement a few days ago.
Kyalo, a renown Dubai business magnate and the most popular candidate so far, has been cleared to contest amongst eight others in the coveted county assembly post.
Hon. Kyalo Muli has taught music globally for over 20 years, has worked and studied in Italy, England, Switzerland, the USA among others, and for the last 14 years been based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
For family:
Hon. Muli hails from Kitui Central, and is happily married with one daughter, currently pursuing Law in Dubai.
Kyalo Muli is an allumni of Starehe Boys Center, has a bachelor of arts degree in education from the Kenyatta University, and did his MBA in Dubai UAE.
Kyalo Muli is a renown global music teacher with over 20 years experience. He owns a major events company in Dubai, agiant logistics company in the same country, and runs an international business consultancy firm that is famed for bringing major investors to Kenya. He is the Diaspora agent for Investment and Mortgage bank (I&M) He has been into international meat business for 6 years, exporting goat meat to Dubai and also runs a real estate consultancy firm in the same country.
Kyalo is into the restaurants and hospitality business in Kenya, and also owns a major security firm in Kenya, alongside a water purification and bottling company in Kenya
He has a four-point manifesto:
Best welfare for the Kitui County Honorable MCAs
Effective and all inclusive assembly leadership for all Honorable Members
Ensure excellent performance of the statutory duty of Legislation, Oversight and Representation without fear or favor
Ensure smooth and reproductive cooperation between the Assembly and the Executive.
With over 30 years of experience in Management and Administration, International Relations, and Business Consultancy; HON. KYALO MULI is without doubt the MCAs’ most prefered candidate for the Kitui County Assembly Speaker position come tomorrow,, as the Wiper caucus seems unable to agree on who is their ideal candidate between the three being fronted by their party.
The speaker elections are set to be held tomorrow, immediately after the new mcas are sworn in.
The scales are tipping towards Hon. John Kisangau alias Mbaki Mbaki’ s win for a second term as the Yatta/Kwa Vonza ward rep, as the second most popular candidate dropped his bid to back him up.
Speaking during a community baraza convened by Hon. Mbaki at Ngamyone grounds yesterday, Joshua mwinzi alias Ngamyone went public that he is supporting Mbaki for his second bid, since the ward needs someone who will fight tooth and nail to bring tangible developments in the region.
He gave out the example of the 500,000 litre water tank that was installed at the Kwa Vonza town during Mbaki’s first term, terming it as a life-changing project that will benefit even generations to come.
Hon. Mbaki had met over 300 Ngamyone community members to discuss the state of development projects already established, and possible future projects. Among those present were: Youth leader Moses Munyalo, local youth representative Musyoka, women representative Monicah, Chairman Kwakwa na Kwaku funeral welfare group, the secretary Highway women Group, the PTA chairman Ngamyone Primary school, among many more.
The Kitui Rural Constituency Returning Officer Winfred Ndoti hands over the IEBC clearance certificate to the Kisasi MCA Hon. Emeritus Kasee Musya after being cleared to defend his seat in the August polls.
Kisasi Ward MCA Emeritus Kasee Musya has been cleared by the IEBC to defend his seat during the August 9 General Election.
In a less-hyped event that happened today at the Kitui Rural Constituency IEBC office in Kwa Vonza town, the former Kitui County Assembly deputy speaker and two-time MCA was cleared to defend his seat for the third time on a Wiper Democratic Movement ticket.
Speaking to our reporter after the event, the popular MCA vowed to continue his good work for the Kisasi Ward people, and urged them to vote for Dr. Malombe as their next Governor, terming him as the best governor he can work with for the next five years and deliver his manifesto to the electorate.
Hon. Kasee Musya is famous for his hard political stands and lack of compromise on integrity matters.
In a gazzette notice dated 16th January 2018, the outgoing governor Charity Kaluki Ngilu banned the sale and transport of sand and charcoal in Kitui county.
The move was largely touted as a solution to environmental degradation in the region. However, what most people did not realize then, it was the birth of another cash cow for her, her ‘Super minister’ Patrick Koki Musau aka Kuvasila, and a few individuals on the top of her cartels.
The Kitui Newspaper sleuths have been undercover since then, and we boldly present to you the hidden secrets behind the sly ban and the scrupulous individuals involved in the sand harvesting racket in Kitui County.
The Tiva River is located barely 20km from the county HQs, along the Kitui- Kwa Vonza highway. To any guest in Kitui, this looks like the ultimate place the ministry of environment and natural resources should be most vigilant in enforcing the sand ban. However, this is the biggest sand harvesting hub, closely followed by Tyaa river in Mwingi Central, and the dubiously ‘gazzetted sand harvesting area’ of Kiromboko dam in Mwingi West. Here, more than 50 lorries leave for Thika ladden with sand, to the full audience of both the public and county enforcement officers! What’s even more; the cess point at the Kanyonyoo junction does not stop them either.
In one instance when our sleuths followed the lorries from the river to the Kitui-Machakos border at Kanyonyoo, we noticed that the lorries’ drivers only showed the enforcement officers manning the cess point a simple hand-filled reciept and they were let through without even an inspection. They were also escorted by a toyota probox number plates KDA 757L ferrying a handful of goons to handle any community unrests along the way.
The reciepts they produced read Sand Transporters & Environmental Conservation Group, and every lorry we saw had allegedly paid 1,000 shillings for ‘sacco cess’ at the loading zone in Tiva or Tyaa Rivers.
We did further digging into the Sand Transporters and Environmental Conservation Group, and what we found was even more intriguing: There doesn’t exist such a community group, and there are no other active members in the ‘group’! Some of the purpoted members of the group are not even aware there exists such a group in the first place! Only one name kept popping up, one of Ngilu’s cartels’ kingpin from Kitui West named Kalungu. For those who might not know who Kalungu is, well, the former Kithumula/Mutonga ward MCA is the hardy man for Ngilu. He pops up money when the county accounts have run dry, and there is a sum needed for either a funeral here or a wedding there. Of course, he is also among waziri Kuvasila’s main confidantes.
So, a question popped up: how did a lone ranger manage to be selling between 80 to 100 lorries of sand per day, in a county where commercial harvesting and transportation of sand is illegal?
It was not easy at first to connect the dots, but our moles at the ministry of environment and mineral resources came at hardy! We managed to lay our hands on a purpotted sand mining permit from the ministry, issued by one Josephine Malusi under instructions from the very minister or environment Patrick Kuvasila Musau. We also established that the minister owns and operates an account with Equity Bank on the name: Patrick Koki Musau, where the most interesting daily transactions happen.
The permits indicate that the lorry owners pay Ksh. 10,000 for up to five lorries per year. Funny though, the Finance minister Bernard Katungi however denied his ministry ever issuing such permits nor being aware of any cess being generated from sand sales since it was already illegal by the time he took over the docket from his predecessor Mary Nguli.
A source close to the governor, who sought annonymity whispered to us at one point that the Sand Transporters and Environmental conservation group; or should we just say Kalungu; bribe the minister up to 1 million for the permit, and a flat rate of 200,000 shillings to the governor for the illegal permits to be issued. The lorry drivers also have to pay 10,000 shillings per lorry per year to the environment minister too, to be allowed to cart away the sand. In the sand pits, county enforcement officers and revenue collectors issue the ‘sacco’ reciepts to the lorry drivers for 1,000 per truck per trip. The collected money is then handed over to a representative of Kalungu, who takes it to his boss, who later banks waziri Kuvasila’s share in his Equity account.
Now here’s the sweetening pot: not one of the revenue collectors or enforcement officers can dare question the authority behind these drivers. On one instance, our sleuths questioned a senior revenue officer why they were allowing lorries full of sand through their cess point while they knew it was illegal. Somehow, the word spread to the cartel boss and minister, and it took both our driver’s speed-driving skill and the border police to save us from being lynched by hired goons in the earlier mentioned probox and motorbikes.
EACC, NEMA, and Environmental conservationists should dig into the forementioned Equity account and find all the transactions there.
Coming soon: how the Kitui County treasury has been losing your money
The Kitui County governor is among the top 100 most influential women in the continent, per a survey done by Africa’s leading media and public relations agency.
According to the survey done by Avance Media, HE. Charity Ngilu was placed among the most influential women in Africa on the governance category.
Others in the category include HE. Aja Jallow-Tambajano, the former Gambian Vice President; Angeléle Makombo, The President, League of Congolese Democrats; Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru; Athaliah Malokomme, the Parmanent UN Rep of Botwana; Emma Theofelus, Namibia Deputy Minister; Eve Baziaba, Deputy Prime Minister DR Congo; Jeannette Kagame, First Lady Rwanda; Filsan Abdullahi, Ethiopian Minister of Gender, Children and Youth; HE. Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, the Vice President Uganda; Kaba Nialé, Minister for Planning and Development Ivory Coast, HE. Miriam Talanta, Vice President Benin; Kenyan Chief Justice Martha Koome; HE. Sahle-Work Zewde, President Ethiopia; HE. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President Tanzania; and Victoire Dogbé, the Prime Minister Togo.
The list, which featured women who have climbed the corporate ladder, started their own successful businesses, or have been in the forefront of decision making both locally and internationally; also included among others: Graça Machel (wife to the late Mozambican freedom fighter and pan-africanist Samoa Machel), Founder Graça Machel Trust; HE. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former Liberian President and Board Chair EJS Center; Pumzile Mlambo, the Executive Director UN Women; Dorothy Ghettuna, the NetFlix Content Manager for Africa; among other renown public figures.
According to their survey report, the criteria Avance Media used in settling for the 100 most influential women in the continent included:
Excellence in leadership and performance
Personal accomplishments
Commitment to sharing knowledge
Breaking status quo, and
Being an accomplished African Woman.
The survey report features 100 women, drawn from 28 countries in Africa, and classified into 8 categories.
Kenya’s political graft has again revolved around its own axis sending its long tentacles to Kitui MCAs and thrusting them into a tumultuous centre of public glare.
The confetti of MCAs flocked for dinner hosted by the deputy president at his Karen residence. This comes as a surprise to many Kitui stakeholders, grass roots leaders and professionals because alot has been said about the DP, and a lot remains in question about the influence (if any) of the MCAs.
While the MCAs expressed their commitment to work fully and closely with Ruto for a sound partnership tailored to a balanced development, a cross section of embittered Kenyans feel that Ruto has already started his strategic campaign plans for his top seat come 2022. This is evidently shown by other series of meetings the deputy president has been having in the recent past with civil society and other stakeholders in other parts of the country. However, what Hon. Nimrod Mbai forgot to mention to the DP is that he actually presented to him a circus of politically barren legislators, most of them who can’t even retain their seats come 2022!
The 15 faces of confusion included Hon. Wangunze, Philma, Ndoo Mbaki Mbaki, Nzamba, Kyene, Luusa, Masaku, Kivali, Katheke, Sammy, Kawaya, Mbiti, and Hon. Ndile. The purported mobilizer was Hon. Mbaki, the former minority leader and a man whom it seems bad omen really loves to follow!
In Yatta/Kwa Vonza ward, Mbaki has over five strong competitors, including his first runners up Mr. Nding’o and the former MCA Hon. Kililiku. The once flamboyant legislator has totally lost his taste with the people, after he tried to blackmail the county stone crusher project into including him as a direct beneficiary. The distraught chap has resulted to yapping on radio and social media about the crusher, yet he has never raised a single question on the issue in the county assembly! A deeper look into the past of Mbaki reveals that he has lost all his political battles on the floor of the house. He failed to see an impeachment motion he’d tabled against the governor come true. He fought the PSB nominees list, yet the assembly still passed the names. Looking back to when he was the minority leader, the opposition successfully passed THREE impeachment motions! Solely driven by a desire akin to that of a jilted lover, the former minority leader, who was dropped from the post because of misadvising the governor has nothing worth the name to bring into the DP’s camp; save for drama and immature emotional tantrums. Oh, did I forget to mention that he actually pocketed all the “chai” the DP gave him to share with his fellow clowns after the dinner?
Surprisingly, the deputy president who is not in the same political league with the most powerful kamba leaders like Charity Kaluki Ngilu and Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka is the same man who the MCAs went to see. This has raised eyebrows of many. If really meeting the deputy president was done by the MCAs for the interest of the Kitui people, then why were people like Charity Kaluki Ngilu and other prominent leaders not involved? Who is in a better position to meet the deputy president to discuss with him on matters related to development of their county? Were the MCAs betraying the governor or sabotaging her? Not at all. Atleast not the 15 in this picture. There are only a few personalities in the county assembly of Kitui that can impact on the direction of Kitui County Politics: The Speaker Hon. Ndoto, The Majority Leader Hon. Tangawizi, The Minority Leader Hon. Nganga, Majority Whip Hon. Kivunzi, Minority Whip Hon. Katumo, and the former Deputy Speaker Hon. Kasee Musya.
Besides,why did the meeting take place at The deputy president’s residence? Where are such matters supposed to be discussed? And if the Deputy president is ready to change the phase of development in the whole country as he alleges, why is he targeting counties that have greater number of people? The development plan he is talking about is part of the strategies that the jubilee government promised to deliver to people.Why is the deputy president acting on his own without involving the president? Who is the head of state? Is Ruto the acting president or president in waiting?
All persons detect dubious games and graft. Ruto’ is initiating his campaign process in the name of discussing revolutionary measures. Kenyans are aware that the MCAs left the deputy president’s residence with a handsome package meant to oil their ambitions and strengthen them to derail the politics of kamba community. But although Hon. Mbaki pocketed it all and left them high and dry, the truth should be told to the DP; Hon. Nimrod Mbai brought you a basket of destitute future failures, who leave alone influencing your political direction in Kitui County, can’t even salvage their own skins in the next general elections!
The Kitui MCAs must stop their dirty games of lying to Kitui people that they went to discuss socio – economic transformation of Kenya with the Deputy president. Why didn’t they discuss it with the president? Or is it because the term of the current president is almost over and they are lobbying for more profitable posts in the coming government that is likely to be Ruto’s?
The DP was proudly presented with what can be termed figuratively as a loud political fart. But the day of recon is nigh, and the truth of the misfire shall gradually dawn on him as 2022 approaches.
Kitui West grassroots Change Enthusiast Benedict Muasya has had a series of meetings with the Deputy president H.E Dr. Willam Ruto on matters Kitui west including creating business for corporatives, Youth empowerment and also ways to make retirees benefit payment seemless.
Ben Muasya is the patron for cooperatives in Kitui west Constituency that has seen more than 1,000 people benefit under his leadership.
Under his slogan #Wathi Mweu, the renown businessman has been involved in uncountable youth and women empowerment projects, that have earned him the pseudonym Wa- Ma Sacco (The Saccos guy), due to his bottom-up approach in economic empowerment for the poor majority; which falls in line with the DP’s manifesto.
It was joy and jubilation for the Mwingi women as Wamama Na Essie was launched . The launch took place at Mwingi township on Thursday 15th July 2021.
Wamama na Essie is a brainchild of Hon Ndile and a platform for women empowerment. The event was attended by hundreds of women from all over Mwingi sub county.
HON NDILE who is aspiring for KITUI WOMEN REPRESENTATIVE in 2022, also revealed her working agendas which will govern her leadership and top on the list is “ Women Empowerment and Leadership trainings “.
With Ndile it can only get better for the Kitui Women!
Hon.Esther Ndile is the Former Vice-Chairperson to the County Assemblies’ Forum (CAF), A Member of the Kitui County Assembly, and a Passionate Activist for Women empowerment.
Hon. Jonathan Mueke begins talk on Kwa Vonza City project development
Visionary Kitui County gubernatorial aspirant and former Nairobi Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke has stressed on the need for the county government to invest more in the proposed Kwa Vonza City Project.
Speaking during a meeting with leaders from all the sub-locations in Yatta/Kwa Vonza Ward, held in a lush hotel at the Kwa Vonza Market, after concluding his Kitui Rural tour earlier this week, the popular gubernatorial aspirant expressed confidence that Kwa Vonza has the potential to grow into a major economic zone in Kitui County if only the county government channelled the right efforts towards it.
“Unfortunately, no meaningful investment has been made in the area by the County Government,” mused former deputy governor Mueke.
Mueke promised to work with them once elected as their Governor, to build the necessary infrastructure that will in turn attract investors.
“This will unlock the unlimited economic potential this Univeristy town has and create many, many jobs,” assured Hon. Mueke.
Kwa Vonza Town is the home to the South Eastern Kenya University, and the Kenyatta University; the two biggest tertiary institutions in the region; among an assortment of various colleges and technical institutions. It was earmarked as the ideal site for the proposed Kitui City, in line with the Kenyan Vision 2030.
A renown grassroots change-making enthusiast held a series of Consultative meeting with representatives from all local markets in Kitui West about how they can best change the face of business in the region at his home in Katheka Village, Kauwi Ward last weekend.
The delegation, which included mama mbogas, shoe makers, grocery vendors, and mali mali traders; widely drawn from Kabati, Katutu, Matinyani and Tulia markets; met Business magnate and activist Benedict Muasya over the weekend to discuss potential financial and infrastructural support that’s geared towards boosting trade in the region.
In support of their ventures, Hon. Benedict Muasya later distributed Kikois and other assorted garments to vendors in these markets.
Speaking to press after the meeting, the renown businessman and grassroots Change Enthusiast Benedict Muasya stressed on the need for the government to create a more favourable business environment for the traders and make credit facilities more accessible and easier for small scale traders in the region. He called upon the local leaders to embrace the bottom-top approach for financial empowerment in the community.
Benedict Muasya, who is aspiring to run for the Kitui West MP seat in 2022, vowed that under his leadership, he intends to make Kabati, Tulia and Matinyani dustless towns, improve lighting to spur a 24 hours economy post covid, and improve garbage collection services through working closely with the county government among other pro-trade techniques.
Kitui county governor Charity Ngilu and Assembly speaker George Ndoto shake hands during a past event. The two have been MPs for Kitui Central during the Umaa Dam mega scandal.
On the slopes of the Kavonge Hills, barely 10km from the county head quarters Kitui Town, skeletons of stalled heavy machinery litters the shrubby overgrown banks of River Mukolekya; forgotten effigies of a ghost dam that cost the country billions of shillings in the past decade. Designed in 1992, the 2500 cubic meters capacity Umaa Dam was conceived as the ultimate solution package to the county’s chronic water shortages.
Twenty nine years down the line and over 1.2 billion shillings spent, there’s nothing to show for it, and the county is still grappling with water scarcity and droughts due to poor rainfall. Kitui Newspaper takes you back in time, to the very beginning of the mega dam project that turned into one of the mega looting sprees for powerful individuals in the government, who today drive around in posh cars and even government bodyguards.
Part 1: Politics, Politicians and the Paper
Construction works for the Umaa Dam project kicked off in 2007, after over a decade of political tussles between the former Kitui Central MP Hon. Ndoto, now current speaker of the county assembly of Kitui; and the then sitting MP Hon. Charity Ngilu, now the Kitui County governor.
The ground breaking was warmly welcomed by the locals, who had great hopes that finally their perennial water problems would get a parmanent solution. Things however didn’t go as smoothly as anticipated and the project stopped after barely a year, with the contractor citing lack of funds to complete the project.
From National Assembly archives, in a hansard dated 10/09/2009, while responding to a question by Mr. Kaino on the status of the construction of Arror and Chesuman dams in Marakwet; the then assistant minister for water and irrigation Mr. Kiunjuri went on record stating: “…..the Umaa Dam will cost the government another Ksh. 700 million….” In another hansard, while replying to the issue raised by Hon. Charles Nyamao and Kiema Kilonzo on the acute water shortages within the old Kitui District (now Kitui County), the then Minister for Water and Irrigation Charity Ngilu(current governor) went on record saying: “… We also have another project,namely Umaa Dam, that can serve those areas(Mutitu and Kitui Rural constituencies). Once the dam is complete, all these people will get water….”
Also, on Thursday 12tth May 2011, the then Kitui West MP Hon. Charles Nyamai raised the issue again in parliament, citing acute shortage of water in Mutonguni and Matinyani districts(National Assembly hansards).
Upon disatisfaction of the responses given on the floor of the house by minister Ngilu, and following allegations of corruption during the procurement process, whereby the assistant minister for public works Kiunjuri accused the Water and Irrigation’s minister Charity Ngilu of influencing the tender awarding; two engineers, Wilberforce Odhiambo and Zablon Oonge were hired as private consultants to investigate the matter and report to the Parliamentary Lands and Natural Resources Committee. The committee was chaired by then Gachoka MP Hon. Mutava Musyimi. (Read more of this in Part III: The Stall and the Law suits)
The contractor, Draft and Development Engineers fully pulled out of site in the year 2011, two years after the project had stalled due to political and financial pressure. The contractor had been paid Ksh. 824 million earlier, but launched a claim demanding Ksh. 1.6 billion, and a further Ksh. 97 million for “works completed”, although in some instances, the contractor had only managed 20% of the contract specifications. The contractor also moved to court stopping National Water and Pipelines Corporation (NWPC) from evicting him from the site.
NWPC had decided to take over the dam and complete it, after the afore-mentioned private consultants disclosed that by the time they met the parastatal’s tender Committee, the contractor had already been pre-qualified. NWPC had declared that it could complete the project with a budget of Ksh. 824 million, plus a 15% index margin as allowed in the contract. The Mutava Musyimi led committee however cleared Draft and Development Engineers to be “… responsible and capable of completing the works…(when they) evaluated his bid…”
Later on, in 2018, a report by the Government Parastatals General Manager for Construction Eng. Ali Hassan, presented to the National Assembly Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (chaired by Hon. Kareke Mbiuki) cleared the contractor for payment: after “…long-drawn negotiations and verifications, the 1.6 b claim (by the contractor) was eventually downgraded to Ksh. 536 million…” The amount was paid to the contractor in 2018.
The Mwingi North MP Hon. Paul Nzengu, who is currently a member of the committee visited the dam, in company of other Committee members, that same year. The report from their findings had still not been made public by the time of going to press, but that nailed the last nail on the project’s coffin, and both the media and political class shifted their focus to other matters; turning a blind eye to the apparent runaway embezzlement of public funds and a multimillion shillings ‘dam’ that can’t even hold a gallon of water today.
Could powerful figures in the government have been complicit to this mega scandal? Why would IEBC clear the then Water and Irrigation’s Minister Charity Ngilu to run for a gubernatorial post in the 2017 general elections, with all evidence of the role she played in the Umaa Dam plunder contained in the Kiunjuri Dossier which the government possesses? Find out that and more in the next episode; Part II: Japhet Rutere,The Cowboy Engineer behind Mega Dam Scandals.
Award winning Kamba gospel maestro Stephen Kasolo has apologized to his fans for the foul language he used in the audios circulating on social media, claiming that co- singer Fortune Mwikali provoked him to extremes with her insults.
In an exclusive interview with the Kitui Newspaper this morning, Kasolo shared exclusive screenshots of threats and insults by Fortune, that range from accusations of being gay to rather personal insults on his family and his physical looks. In one of the shared conversations, Fortune appears to be blackmailing Kasolo; and she further confesses of being ‘an agent with a mission that only prayers and real prayers can stop’!
“As a man of God and a born again christian, I feel obliged to own up to my audios and apologize to both my fans and fellow artist for letting anger get the better of me,” admitted Kasolo. “Am only human, and anyone would have snapped too, under the weight of such deep insults,” he added. “Even our Lord Jesus Christ once lost his temper too.”
He further called upon fellow musicians to be wary of singer Fortune Mwikali as ‘she is an evil agent who’s out on a mission’.
“We really need to get down on our knees and pray hard,” beseeched Kasolo. “This lady is apparently on an evil mission, and if we don’t pray hard, the devil will disintegrate our ministry,” he added.
Fortune Mwikali broke into the limelight after she did a collabo with Kasolo, and since then, the gospel maestro and Kitole hit-maker has nurtured her musical career till they fell out a week ago.
Below are screenshots of some of the insults and messages (Viewer discretion advised: Extreme Language and content!)
On 7th February,2020 , the governor summarily dismissed the then CECM Environment & Natural Resources. The reasons for the dismissal were not stated.
Aggrieved with the decision, the CECM moved to the Employment & Labour Relations Court in Nbi and obtained orders barring the filing of the position until the matter is heard and determined. See a copy of the order below.
However, our sleuths have dug out and unearthed serious issues which transpired in the course of the hearing of the case.
First, forged affidavits were filed in court by Mbee Nzei, supporting the governor’s application to be removed from the case. This prompted the advocate of the CECM to refer the affidavits to a document examiner at the Cid HQs. The sleuths visited kitui and took signature specimens from the governor . Fearing criminal repurcussions, the affidavit and the attendant application were promptly withdrawn. See letter to the Cid hqs, Kiambu road.
The games of Mbee Nzei nzei did not end there. Whilst the matter was awaiting judgment and during the pendency of the stay orders, the regime filled the vacancy barely seven days to the day of judgment. This was strange for various reasons among them: 1. How did Mbee Nzei know that for sure the judgment would be delivered within the 7 days without delay? This is because a delay in reading the judgment would have automatically exposed the regime to be cited for contempt of court.
2. How did the regime know that the issue of reinstatement, which was one of the prayers, will not be considered by the court?
In its judgment delivered on 28/1/2021, the high court ruled that the dismissal was unlawful because due process was not followed and awarded kshs 1,005,000.00 plus unpaid leave. Aggrieved by this judgment, the CECM lodged an appeal in the court of appeal in March and served it on the regimes’ advocate on 15/3/2021. Incidentally, our sleuths have unearthed a letter written to the CECM, not from the Mbee Nzei advocate as the case should be, but from the disgraced CS, who was declared persona non grata by a court in Kitui, asking the CECM to collect the court award!
When will Mbee Nzei get proper counsel to avoid these gaffes?
The above information, among others can be obtained from both the high court and court of appeal files.
A copy of the letter written to former environment minister by the county Secretary asking him to collect his dues.A copy of the filed appeal. Take note of the acknowledged receipt date(bottom right corner)
Kamala Harris made global news just the other day when she became the first woman Vice President of the United States of America, a country that has boasted male domination since time immemorial!
With Kenya now on the verge of a possible referendum for new constitutional reforms, there are several leaves we can borrow from the Americans as one of the best models of democracy globally.
First; The role of women on the global political arena.
Globalization has made Women to suddenly come up & demand equal representation in leadership positions, as compared to the past where the woman’s position was traditionally in the kitchen & was only to be heard and never seen. The otherwise unexpected act by the American voter to vote in the duo with a woman Vice President is alone a big statement in itself! We have come of age and it is high time for us as Kenyans to accept that gender has no role to play when it comes to leadership qualities, & that no gender is more superior than the other.
Ad°
Let’s also shun away from the caveman’s mentality that feminine is the ultimate synonym for weakness. How I long for the day when the Kenyan president shall be female or if it’s a mn, then we have the Vice President from the opposite gender; Am deeply disturbed by events at a recent press conference where the governors were up-in-arms against the BBI recommendation that “ If it’s a male governor then the deputy should be a woman & vice versa”! We should also borrow a leaf of the US and endeavor to have the male presidential aspirants choosing women as their running mates and the other way round.
There’s so much we can pick from the U.S. in regards to equal opportunities for women, but I can’t outline it all in a single write-up. However, it is worth noting that leadership and gender are in no way synonymous; just like Carl Max once said about capitalism and democracy.
I believe that a day will dawn someday, here in our great country of Kenya and the Kenyan voter shall experience their wake-up call in realizing that both women and men can lead this beautiful country regardless of the archaic belief that one gender is “weaker”.
Lastly; in conclusion, I wish to specifically salute the Kenyan women who have gone ahead of us & made great sacrifices to create space and platforms for posterity’s sake. For now, I remain hopeful that only time will tell. The future is bright for the women leadership, and the future is now!
Hon. Esther Ndile is the former vice-chair to the County Assemblies’ Forum (CAF), A Jubilee nominated MCA, a member of the Kitui County Assembly, and a passionate activist for women empowerment in Kenya. She recently also unveiled her bid to vie for the Kitui County Women Representative Post in 2022.
A section of leaders and community members in deliberations during today’s meeting to resolve the Kiromboko Dam sand harvesting dispute between the community and the County Government of Kitui.
Elected leaders from Mwingi West Subcounty, Kitui have today held a consultative meeting between the Kitui County Government and the community in a bid to resolve the long-existing wrangles over sand harvesting in the area.
The meeting, which was held at the Kiromboko Sand Harvesting Zone along the Tyaa River in Mumoni/Kiomo Kyethani Wards, which borders the Mwingi North/Mwingi West Sub-Counties; was attended by the Kitui County Minister for Tourism, Sports and Culture who is also the Ag. Minister for Environment and Natural Resources; Mwingi North MP Hon Eng. Paul Musyimi Nzengu a.k.a Malili; Mwingi West MP Hon Charles Ngusya Nguna a.k.a CNN, Mumoni Ward MCA Hon Johnson Kanandu; Kiomo/Kyethani MCA Hon James Musyoka; and Kyome/Thaana MCA Hon Alex Wambua; and officials from the Kiromboko Sand Base Leaders’ Forum who are the representatives of the community.
The residents have for long of called for public participation on the issue of sand harvesting in the region, ever since the County Government of Kitui banned sand harvesting and the charcoal trade two years ago.
Others in attendance were the Mumoni Deputy County Commissioner madam Hellen Chege, Sub-County Administrators, and administration and security details from all the neighbouring Sub-Counties in the region.
On the surface some of the protests by certain candidates look justified. However, looked at deeply, it smacks of mischief and a certain fear of the polls.
Among the most contentious requirements is that candidates who want to contest must have served in any capacity for two of the last five years.
Surprisingly, those who have raised protest about the requirement qualify themselves raising questions as to their motive.
Do they really want elections in the first place or are they scared of losing?
Herbert Mwachiro is a former FKF Deputy Secretary General and is one of the presidential contenders in this year’s elections. but surprisingly, Mwachiro has dismissed the requirement even though he is not barred considering that it is less than three years since he left FKF and therefore qualifies to contest. So, one wonders, why does Mwachiro have a problem with this requirement? Or he is simply scared of the forth-coming elections as he does not have support on the ground.
Former FKF chairman Sam Nyamweya has been in the forefront of dismissing the newly released electoral code even though the last elections which he presided over had the same requirements. Nyamweya also qualifies to contest having been the first chairman of FKF.
Nicholas Musonye who has joined Nyamweya in protesting the rules is a former Council for East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) Secretary General a position he was forced out a few months ago. So, one wonders why he is opposed to these requirements.
As for Aduda, Twaha Mbarak, Alex Ole Magelo, and others, the least needs to be said.
Though they have also been vocal in protesting the requirements, they have no capacity to mount a stab at the top seat in FKF. They are just busybodies not keen on seeing the process end but are glad to cause as much delay as possible. The electoral board should ignore them with the contempt it deserves.
James Kamau is the outgoing FKF Aberdares Branch Secretary
Kitui Newspaper 