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Yahil Felix

A former Malawian Deputy Speaker Clement Chiwaya shot himself in the head on Thursday while attending a meeting in parliament.

According to a Malawian parliament report, the 50 year-old man shot himself in parliament buildings while attending a meeting to discuss vehicle benefits entitled to him when he left office in 2019.

Police spokesperson James Kadadzera however refused to give further information saying until they get the full details from the investigators.

The statement released by parliament revealed that the ex-deputy speaker’s suicide was attributed to the ‘frustration with the implementations of his conditions of service.’

Chiwaya bought his official car at the end of his five-year term in 2019 as stipulated by his contract. But he tried to get to parliament to pay for damages incurred in an accident that occured six months later.

He took The case to court but the legal process is still pending.

The statement from parliament suggested that Chiwaya who moves in a wheelchair sneaked a gun into the high security building.

Having been a person with disability, the security scanner alerts were deemed to be from the wheelchair. AFP confirmed that Chiwaya shot himself inside the office of the clerk of parliament. Before serving as a deputy speaker, he had served as an MP since 2004.

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A group of dancers from Kajiado had a bad day and had to spend their night in a police cell after their event organizer failed to properly arrange for their transport back from an event where they entertained guests.

The 16 dancers comprising of 14 women and two men said that they had been invited on Wednesday to perform in an adults education forum by Kajiado County’s First Lady Edna Lenku. She however failed to arrange for their transport back home.

One of the dancers said that the First Lady told them to hire a vehicle to the event and they did so. They told the driver he would be paid on reaching the event. However, they didn’t know a disappointment awaited them when the First Lady told them, “I have been told by the PA that the vehicle you used belonged to the county, so the staff has been asked by Lenku to give you money for lunch instead of bus fare.”

An elder member of the dance group said that their attempts to reach to Mrs. Lenku turned futile and the driver decided to drive the group to the police station for a solution to their predicament. Sources reveal that it was only through the intervention of a former MCA and good samaritans that the group got bus fare back home.

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It’s a few days since the residents of Laikipia let out a sigh of relief after stability was brought in the areas. Various security personnel were deployed and brought little moments of relief, little did they know that the bandits would strike again.

According to a report from the police, the bandits managed to beat a security dragnet and stole livestock at Ndunyu Village in Kirima location on Thursday morning but luckily, no one was injured. The National Police Service has issued a statement that a team of security team comprising of the KDF and the NPS are pursuing the bandits in an attempt to recover the livestock.

The police also assured the residents of Laikipia that it will do everything possible to bring the culprits to book and warned anyone trying to disrupt peace in the area that their days are numbered. A fortnight ago, Police Spokesperson Bruno Shioso said that bandits who had invaded Laikipia Nature Conservancy had been chased away with their livestock.

Security operations have been running in Laikipia to bring calm after weeks of unrest. The rebuilding of homes razed down by the bandits are also underway. Interior Cabinet Seretary Fred Matiang’i spent two days in Ol-Moran to oversee distribution of foodstuffs and building materials and he expressed confidence in all the operations meant to bring calm in the area.

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ODM’s Central Committee on Wednesday threatened to take disciplinary action against members planning to open branch offices without consulting the national office. The committee claimed that it had received many reports over opening of offices across the country, perhaps in Jimmy Wanjigi’s move.

ODM’s Secretary General Edwin Sifuna issued a statement that anyone willing to open a branch office should consult the national office failure to do so, such offices will not be recognized. He reminded members that such brazen violation of their rules will attract disciplinary action.

Wanjigi began opening offices in Mt. Kenya two months ago after declaring his interest in the presidency. This statement from Sifuna comes a few days after the Registar of Political Parties acknowledged receiving a letter from Wanjigi seeking that the party summarizes the presidential nomination process.

A month ago, Wanjigi wrote to ODM demanding certified list of party delegates who are to attend the National Delegates Convention. The committee resolved to extend free membership registration for ordinary members that was September 30 to December 31. The Central Committee advised party leaders at the grassroots to go back to their respective areas to coordinate and support voter registration.

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In the year ending March 2021, Teleco Company Safaricom PLC fired 28 of its staff over various fraud related allegations.

This was an increase compared to 16 dismissals in 2020.

According to the company’s latest sustainability report released on Wednesday, it indicated that 36 investigations were conducted into the alleged fraud and made 28 dismissals.

All the same, 19 employees were warned. One of the cases was forwarded to government agencies for further action.

Most of these cases, 22, involved data privacy while eight was breach of policy and four SIM swap and two cases of asset misappropriation.

The Teleco Company has said that it has established fraud management team specializing in analytics, customer awareness and process reviews to drive safety of its clients.

Data protection has become a vital area since the government instituted rules restricting the State and companies handling information from misuse, imposing a fine of up to 5 million or one percent of annual turnover for corporations.

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A standard eight dropout in Rongo sub-county is in trouble after attacking his former headteacher when he was asked to return the books he lost.

The police have since then launched manhunt for the suspect who escaped after the act.

According to Rongo Sub-County Commander Mr. Peter Okiring, the suspect had gone to do clearance at his former school Arundo Primary School when the headteacher asked him to return lost stationery.

Sources say that the suspect later went to attack the teacher while he was in his office with a crude weapon.

At the time of the attack, the other teachers were busy with exams in various classrooms and they later found the school head unconscious where they took him to the hospital.

Mr. Kepher Onsongo was first rushed to Nyamarambe health center before being referred to Nyangena Hospital in Kisii Sub-county for special treatment.

After the incident, irate villagers combed the area in search of the learner who took off on a motorcycle. The deputy headteacher filed a report at Kamagambo divisional headquarters.

A resident identified as Linus Obudho said that the learner dropped out of school and is a boda boda operator at Nyamarambe trading center in South Mugirango Sub-county.

Villagers added that the suspect had a problem in school and was feared by fellow learners.

The officials of KNUT Rongo Sub-County group said that premiliminary investigations conducted by their members found out that the culprit had a problem in school and was always alone.

He joined the school after being expelled from another school.

The police have urged anyone with information about his hideouts to give it to them.

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While the African 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala is still celebrating his triumph and looking for further sponsorship, a law firm that handled his doping case has terminated its contract with the athlete.

In a statement, SNOLEGAL Sports and Entertainment Law firm indicated that it had withdrawn its legal representation with Omanyala. On Monday, DBA Africa also announced its termination of contract with the athlete after working together for since March this year.

The law firm’s Principal Counsel Sarah Ochwanda revealed that it was important to clarity the role they played for Omanyala. She said that her firm provided Omanyala with legal, reputation management, Intellectual property management, PR and Communications services up until September 7th when they made a decision to stop representing him.

Ochwanda said they are proud of their efforts in saving the athletes name by correcting false information and defamatory narratives in the media about his past Anti-doping Rule Violation. The terms said its now their time to leave to allow the athlete to grow and take charge of his destiny. She added that they will continue to be proud and celebrate Omanayala’s achievements.

Omanyala was banned for 14 months by Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya in September 17 2018 after testing positive for a banned substance.

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A woman is in trouble after an Asian man narrated to court how she tried to swindle him Ksh 120M. He told Milimani Law Courts how the 33 year-old woman forged death certificate, a marriage certificate and a birth certificate of a non-existing child in a well-planned scheme to rob him the amount.

The 70 year-old Alihadi Dafilla Ali told the court that he received a phone call from the Kenya Commercial Bank while in his office in Kampala, summoning him to their office in Nairobi. He took a journey via road after missing flight to Kenya and upon arriving at the bank’s manager’s office, the manager was in company of two officers from the Central Bank of Kenya.

He told the court that he was shocked to be asked whether he had died. They also asked him whether he was married with one child and he told them he was once married to a lady from Yemen, her name was Fatuma Abdulmoniem but they later divorced in 1983 having no kid together.

He told the court that the bank told him about a lady who had visited them claiming that he was dead and she was his widow. He stated that he told a bank staff identified as Rotich that he didn’t know the woman since he had not gotten married since 1983. “I was shown my death and birth certificates of Amina Zainab alleging to be my daughter, and also a land sales agreement,” said Mr. Ali. He added that the certificates are forged with the intentions of stealing money from his account.

In the case, Mercy Njoki also known as Fatuma and Bakari Abdalla Vuwa were charged with conspiring to defraud the old man Ksh 120M.

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Laikipia University students are mourning one of their comrade after she was allegedly stabbed by her roommate’s boyfriend.

According to sources, the man who is reported to be from Egerton University had an unknown issue with his girlfriend, a first year student at the institution.

On Wednesday 29th 2021, the man is reported to have traveled to the main campus in Nyahururu to see the girl.

Upon arriving at her place of residence near Cherika at Peska Hostels, he entered the girlfriend’s room and found another man inside and a roommate to his girlfriend.

It is alleged that his girlfriend was in school sitting for exams and she luckily escaped the man’s wrath. Sources privy to the editor said that his girlfriend’s roommate identified as Getrude Chepkoech was in company of the male classmate who is said to have visited the room for revision.

The man stabbed Getrude to death while her male companion also sustained injuries.

The accused is also reported to have tried committing suicide.

The police arrived in the scene to take the young lady to the morgue while the two men are being treated at Nyahururu Hospital. The case is currently under investigations.

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President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday 29th September 2021 made changes in the cabinet. The statement read by Statehouse Spokesperson Kanze Dena surprised many as it reveals several cabinet secretaries moved from one docket to another and changes in Sate Departments.

Uhuru moved Eugene Wamalwa from Devolution to the Ministry of Defense. His former position is now occupied by Charles Keter who was the then CS for energy. Also the former defense CS Rachel Omamo has been placed to be the CS for Energy.

Various principal secretaries were also not spared by Uhuru’s move and four of them have been reassigned different state departments. Dr. (Eng.) Joseph K. Njoroge was moved to the State Department for Transport while Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Gordon O. Kihalangwa will be attached to the State Department fr Energy. Mr. Nelson Marwa Sospeter will move to the State Department for Social Protection, Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programs while Mr. Solomon Kitungu will move to the State Department for Public Works.

The Head of State also announced the transfer of State Departments for ASALs and the State Department for Social Protection, Pensions and Senior Citizens to the Ministry of Public Service and Gender. The Department of Special Programmes has been transferred to the State Department for Social Protection, Pension and Senior Citizens Affairs; which State Department is renamed as the State Department for Social Protection, Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programmes.

The Ministry of Devolution and ASALs has been reconstituted and renamed as the Ministry of Devolution. The President also reconstituted and renamed the Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programmes. The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection was also reconstituted and renamed as the Ministry of Labour.

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ODM leader Raila Odinga for the Central people has been for a long time portrayed as an ‘enemy’ especially in the 2007, 2013 and 2017 general elections. This was a tactic employed by his opponents to deny him support in the vote-rich region. However, this time as 2022 general elections nears, he has a chance to eke it out with his opponents for support.

Over the weekend, he made eight stopovers between Nanyuki and Nairobi, including Karatina, where he addressed an excited crowd chanting his name and displaying oranges, ODM’s symbol, which is a situation distinct from 2007 when he was jeered in some instances and chased out of a local hotel. After the Laikipia and Nairobi campaigns, he attended another important meeting with leaders and tycoons from Mt. Kenya, who embraced him and dubbed the forum, “the beginning of the search for President Kenyatta’s successor.”

He was hosted by the Mt. kenya Foundation, whose chairman is Mr. Peter Munga. They said that they were impressed with Mr. Odinga’s forays into Mt. Kenya on Monday. The meeting was vital because it composed of the wealthy supporters of Uhuru Kenyatta and his predecessor Mwai Kibaki’s campaigns. This meeting is a clear indication that Raila’s fortunes have changed.

Mr. Munga likened Raila’as entry into Mt. Kenya to Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem. He told Raila not to worry about getting mass support in Mt. Kenya but he should support the gradual positive changes. The foundation’s vice chairman Mr. Titus Ibui said the group is looking for President Kenyatta’s successor who will stick to the Constitution and offer them a conducive environment to run their businesses.

During his meeting with the Mt. Kenya leaders, Raila acknowledged the problems faced by boda boda operators and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). He said he had forwarded their issues to President Kenyatta. Raila said to improve the economy, the youths should be empowered.

Igembe North MP Maoka Maore said that he heard Uhuru Kenyatta complaining that the person who ought to have taken the button from him ran in the opposite direction. He said it is now the time for Raila to be handed over the button. The Mt. Kenya Foundation leaders said they would meet OKA leaders to learn their plans for the region.

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Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago is on spot over Sh 372 million stalled projects. According to an auditor report, the residents were denied services due to the incomplete projects and could have lost millions as a result of contracts terminated by Mandago’s government.

This was unearthed during the questioning of the governor by the Senate watchdog committee over audit queries on Monday. These queries were flagged by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu for the period ending June 30th, 2019.

Mandago faced a hard time trying to explain to the Senate County Public Accounts and Investments Committee why several projects started by his administration, some in his first terms, had stalled thus denying services to the residents.

It was revealed that his administration had terminated some contracts, thus exposing the taxpayer’s money to risk of loss. The auditor’s report indicated that out of the 54 development projects worth Sh 1.35 billion initiated by the county, 9 worth Sh 372.71 million had stalled and sh 79.57 million had been paid to contractors.

According to the report, the county executive failed to explain why the projects stalled or disclose actions it had taken to revive and complete them.

At the time of the audit, six projects worth 522.63 million were ongoing at the time of the audit. No value had been received on funds totaling 79.57 million invested therein and after. It further stated that the services the projects were to provide to the residents of Uasin Gishu were no realized.

Additionally, the county government was also accused of spending 132.08 million on a building that later stalled. The auditor also pointed out delays in the construction of milk coolers despite the county making payments amounting to 187.07 million shillings

The report further states that the construction of 13 cooling plants were contracted at 63.45 million and payments totaling 40.88 million were made but they stalled. Thereafter, the contracts were terminated and the tenders were re-advertised in October 2019.

In his defense, Mandago said that most of the projects were in their initial stages of implementation when the auditors visited the site. Adding that some of them have since then been completed, while others are already in use and others at various stages of completion.

He told the oversight committee chaired by Migori Senator Ochillo Oyacko that his government had to terminate some projects after finding out that some contractors were unable to complete the projects. He said some contractors under-quoted the contract sum, and in the middle, the found out the sum was not enough. The legislators however had an issue with the high number of stalled projects and terminated contracts.

Governor Mandago denied any loss f cash stating that the contractors were only paid for what they had done. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei did not spare the governor as he asked if due diligence was conducted by the county administration in award of tenders. Cherargei added that termination of tenders and re-tendering have consequences.

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A witness in the murder case against Joseph Irungu alias Jowie and journalist Jackie Maribe was on Tuesday the center of attention after the court questioned him over a text he received from the slain businesswoman Monica Kimani.

The court asked Anthony Kariuki to explain if Monica was his lover. Kariuki told the court that she was his friend even though she sent him a weird text at 11 pm in the day she was wa murdered, saying, “Come help me sleep.”

Anthony Kariuki told the court that he found the text weird because their relationship had not moved to that level. ” But I responded that I would go the next morning,” said Kariuki.

While being led by the security counsel Catherine Mwaniki, he said that he had met Monica At around September 19 2018, at around 9:20pm. He said that he drove his car to Lamuria Gardens to meet her.

Kariuki was testifying in a case in which Jowie and Jackie Maribe are charged with the murder of Monica Kimani in 2018.

He said he first met the deceased during a dowry ceremony for his friend Willis in Nyeri on August 25, 2018 and it was Willis who introduced him to her. He told Justice Grace Nzioka that they talked and after the event, they went to have drinks together in Juja along Thinks road where other friends were.

Kariuki told the court that he met twice with Monica in her house at Lamuria Gardens to discuss business opportunities in South Sudan. In his second visit, he was told Monica has visitors, a Lebanese and a security guard from state house. But he didn’t enter the house, Monica went downstairs where they met.

On being asked how close they were, Kariuki said that Monica once asked food from him and not Willis who had introduced him to her, because Willis was in South Sudan. Kariuki said that he sent the food. During the hearing, Lawyer Katwa Kigen raised concerns that Jackie Maribe might be depressed because the case is taking too long. The court said that everyone standing trial must be mentally fit and anyone raising such claims should have prove of

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As Kenya is struggling with the high costs of fuel, drivers in Britain encountered frustrations as they hunted petrol for hours or sat stuck in queues wanting to fill their tanks in gas stations. This is was as a result of major gas stations running dry as a result of trucker shortage, this compelled the government to deploy the army to out the army on standby.

According to Reuters, dozens of forecourts had been closed with signs that saying they had no petrol or diesel. This was exasberated by a shortage of lorry drivers and a halt to truck-driving license testing during COVID-19 lockdowns. This has resulted in chaos through supply chains and increasing the spectre of shortages and increase in prices up to Christmas.

Kwasi kwareteng, the Business Secretary said that a limited number of military tanker drivers are ready to be deployed to deliver fuel if necessary.

Reports say that fights broke out in some fuel stations as drivers struggled for fuel. Medics have said that health workers should be given a priority to fill their cars.

Chaos erupted in the world’s fifth largest economy as shortage of truck drivers grio the nation, straining the supply chain and an increase in European wholesale natural gas prices tipped energy companies into bankruptcy.

Retailers, truckers and logistics companies have warned that prices for everything from energy to Christmas gifts ought to rise.

Ministers in the country, fuel companies and petrol stations claim that there are sufficient supply of fuel but the lack of drivers coupled with panic buying has drained the system.

On Sunday, the government announced that it was making plans to issue 5000 visas to foreign truck drivers. Polish hauliers have however seen this as a joke arguing that only fee might take it up. Hauliers and petrol dealers in Britain have argued that there are no quick solutions as the shortage of drivers is estimated at 100,000, they said this is serious and transporting fuel needs extra training and licensing.

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It was an unlucky day for former MCA Barnaba Lagat after police officers from Kapcherop in Elgeyo Marakwet shot him over mask on Monday. In an incident that occured in the evening at Kapcherop center in Cherangany, reports indicate that the former Kiptoror ward representative was involved in an argument with officers from the neighboring Trans Zoia County.

It is alleged that the officers had crossed over to the center and we’re beating up a youngstar for breaking Covid rules.

Witnesses say that Lagat rushed to the scene but his intervention irked one of the officers who shot him on the upper left arm. The officers who were in a police car went back to their station after the incident.

Cherangany parliamentary aspirant Julius Tunduria has confirmed that Lagat was rushed to Ziwa health center before being referred to Moi Referral and Teaching Hospital.

There’s tension in the area as residents threaten to storm Kapchorop Police Station to protest the shooting. Area MP Joshua Kuttuny has condemned the act and called for action against the officers.

However, Trans Zoia County commander Jacinta Wesonga has denied the allegations against the officers. She said that officers were conducting a crackdown against illegal goods when he public started throwing stones at them, which prompted the officers to shoot.

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Murder suspect Naftali Kinuthia accused of killing Ivy Wangeci in 2019 outside Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital has made new demands. Before the High Court in Eldoret, Kinuthia filed a new application wanting to have the presiding Judge Stephen Githinji recuse himself from handling his case over alleged bias.

During hearing of the matter, he used his lawyer to present the application to have the judge recuse himself.

A part of the application read, “The judge gave considerations to extraneous reasons while delivering the bail ruling delivered on September 23, 2021. Some reasons (for denial of bail) were not based on law or facts.”

The application further argued that the court is an neutral arbiter and should now be influenced by the media and public reporting while handling cases that attract public attention.

Kinuthia argued in his supporting affidavit that some reasons that led to his denial of bail were irrelevant. It included reasons such as, the court had attracted wide media coverage and the public would be concerned if he was released on bond or bail.

He further argued that he is facing a serious offence and any acts of biasness are prejudicial to him. He said being young, he may be sentenced to life imprisonment not based on evidence but by the court’s views as displayed when delivering bond.

The court however ruled that the denial of bail was because circumstances which had earlier led to his denial of bail had not changed.

Kinuthia’s case comes barely a month since Martha Koome (Chief Justice) ordered Justice Githinji to give a priority hearing to the murder case. In her letter, she direƧted Githinji to have the hearing completed beforer October 1.

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