KBC Channel 1

Author: KNA NEWS

  • Nyanza leaders defend Raila over calls for dialogue

    Nyanza leaders defend Raila over calls for dialogue

    Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders from Nyanza have defended party leader, Raila Odinga’s calls for dialogue to solve the political stalemate in the country.

    Kisii Governor, Simba Arati with Siaya Governor, James Orengo and Alego / Usonga Member of Parliament, Samuel Atandi said that the former prime minister should not be condemned for his calls for dialogue as the issues being raised by Gen Z are the same ones Raila has been fighting for over the years.

    The trio was speaking at Ambrose Adeya Adongo secondary school grounds in Alego – Usonga constituency, Siaya County during the official launch of a multimillion shilling administration cum tuition block which was constructed by the area Constituency Development Fund.

    The leaders said dialogue was the only way through which Kenya can achieve long lasting stability and resolve the outstanding issues.

    Alego/Usonga MP Samuel Atandi and Governor Arati condemned the police brutality that was witnessed during the recent protests that left over 40 people killed and several hundreds nursing gunshot wounds.

    Atandi said President William Ruto must take responsibility for the lives which were lost during the anti-government protests.

    Governor Orengo demanded for compensation for the victims of police brutality during the anti-government protests.

  • Shakahola Forest to serve as resting place for unidentified cult victims

    Shakahola Forest to serve as resting place for unidentified cult victims

    Hundreds of victims of controversial preacher Paul Nthenge Mackenzie’s alleged cultic teachings could be buried within the Shakahola forest due to difficulties in positively identifying their bodies through scientific means.

    Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor on Tuesday hinted at the possibility of the unidentified bodies being interred within the forest in marked graves, facilitating future identification if DNA profiles are generated.

    So far, only 34 out of the 453 bodies of the ‘Fasting to death to see Jesus’ followers have been positively identified and handed over to relatives for burial.

    This leaves 419 bodies still in the process of identification.

    Dr Oduor told journalists after presiding over the commencement of phase five of autopsies on the cult victims that most of the 453 bodies preserved at the Malindi Sub County Hospital morgue had not been positively identified using scientific means because their relatives had not come forward to provide DNA samples for matching.

    Six out of the 24 bodies retrieved during phase five of the exhumations were examined, but the causes of death could not be established due to the high level of decomposition that had turned the bodies, which were of children, into skeletons, Dr Oduor said.

    “In forensic medicine, the general principle is that if you try your best to identify someone who is not known, the body is temporarily buried in a marked grave as we wait for the analysis to come so that if a profile is generated, we will be able to identify the grave and retrieve the body,” he explained.

    Dr Oduor, flanked by Homicide Director Martin Nyuguto, called upon relatives of the Shakahola victims to visit any nearby government chemist and have their DNA samples taken.

    He also urged those who had already given their samples to patiently wait for the profiles to be generated, explaining that “the process of extracting DNA is very complex. It is not like a test for malaria or typhoid whose results can be obtained within a day.”

    Dr Oduor said the government had generated many DNA samples from the bodies and skeletons preserved at the morgue but lacked reference samples from relatives, as not many had volunteered to provide their DNA samples.

    He also hinted at the termination of exhumations of bodies of the victims of Paul Nthenge Mackenzie’s cultic teachings, noting that all identified graves had been dug out.

    “What will happen now is that there will be a final survey undertaken by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) throughout the forest to ensure that no human remains are left behind when we wrap up,” he said.

  • Kericho MCAs unanimously impeach county secretary for alleged violations

    Kericho MCAs unanimously impeach county secretary for alleged violations

    Kericho MCAs have unanimously passed a motion to impeach County Secretary Dr Wesley Bor on allegations of gross violation of the constitution, breach of the County Government Act, and incompetence.

    Kapsaos MCA Paul Bii, the mover of the motion, stated that they have been closely monitoring the conduct of the County Secretary following numerous complaints from county staff and members of the public.

    Bii highlighted that among the allegations raised against Dr Bor is the unprocedural redeployment of county staff without following the due process as outlined in the Human Resource Management Policy and the County Government Act of 2012.

    Ainamoi MCA Cheruiyot Bett added that the County Secretary was adversely mentioned by an ADHOC Committee formed to investigate the misappropriation of Londiani Accident funds for the victims.

    He also accused Dr Bor of misusing Ksh 39 million meant for the Kazi Mtaani project, claiming the money was lost through companies associated with him.

    Cheruiyot said they are now awaiting the formation of a select committee, comprising no more than five members, to investigate the allegations and produce a report.

  • Police officer on the run after stabbing wife in domestic dispute

    Police officer on the run after stabbing wife in domestic dispute

    A police officer attached to the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU) has gone into hiding after stabbing his wife following a domestic quarrel on Monday night.

    The incident, which left the wife, Lavin Atieno, 25, hospitalized at Lwak Mission Hospital, took place at Kalandini KENHA residential houses in Rarieda sub-county, which CIPU officers occupy.

    According to Siaya County Police Commandant, Cleti Kimaiyo, the CIPU officer, identified only as Keneth, quarrelled with his wife and stabbed her in the left side of the abdomen with a knife before disappearing into the darkness.

    Kimaiyo said that other officers residing in the same building responded to Lavin Atieno’s distress calls and quickly rushed her to Lwak Mission Hospital, where she is currently hospitalized.

    Kimaiyo revealed that the area D.C.I.O., who had already processed the scene, launched an investigation into the incident. He added that the officer on the run will soon be tracked down.

    The county police boss further disclosed that Lavin Atieno is stable at Lwak Mission Hospital.

  • Triple threat campaign launched to combat teenage pregnancy in Samburu

    Triple threat campaign launched to combat teenage pregnancy in Samburu

    The National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) has revealed that fifty per cent of children born in Samburu County are born to teenage mothers aged fifteen to nineteen years.

    Speaking at a population stakeholders’ forum in Maralal town, South Rift Region Population Coordinator Janet Lunyao stated that 50 per cent of teenage girls in Samburu County, aged 15 to 19 years, have been pregnant at some point.

    Lunyao emphasized that teenage pregnancies infringed on the girls’ fundamental rights to education and called upon stakeholders to continue mitigating the rising teenage pregnancies through the triple threat approach.

    She explained that to tackle the teenage pregnancy issue, the NCPD, in partnership with the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) and other government entities and stakeholders, is running a campaign focused on the triple threat: Teenage pregnancy, HIV, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

    “Teenage pregnancies in Samburu County can lead to new HIV infections and early marriages, which might result in GBV. Therefore, the triple threat is a comprehensive commitment plan aimed at eradicating new HIV infections, GBV, and teenage pregnancies,” Lunyao said.

    Lunyao also highlighted various demographic challenges that require significant efforts from stakeholders, noting that 53 per cent of households in Samburu County lack pit latrines, leading to a preference for open defecation.

    “Eighty-six per cent of Samburu residents have no health insurance coverage, raising the dependency ratio to 108:100, which is high compared to the country’s dependency ratio of 75:100, and infant mortality stands at 38 per cent,” Lunyao noted.

    The forum brought together stakeholders from government and non-government organizations involved in population issues, where the population policy sessional paper number one of 2023 was disseminated.

  • WHO urges more funding to combat communicable diseases in developing countries

    WHO urges more funding to combat communicable diseases in developing countries

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged the international community to boost funding to control communicable diseases, particularly in Africa and other developing regions hosting refugees.

    WHO’s Director of Health and Migration, Dr Santino Severoni says that increased funding and revamping healthcare systems are crucial to addressing the threat of communicable diseases.

    Speaking at an international conference on economic transformation for Africa at the Mount Kenya University in Thika, Severoni expressed concern over the persistent threat of communicable diseases among migrants in financially challenged countries due to the rise of new infectious vectors.

    “There is an ongoing discussion on health and immigration to develop policies that can help tackle these health challenges. We have seen the emergence of new infectious vectors, and the lack of essential protection exacerbates the threat to people,” he said.

    Severoni, however, acknowledged the significant progress made in combating diseases like malaria but pointed out that chronic ailments remain a major global health challenge.

    He raised concern over the rising mortality rates from lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and hypertension, and called for stakeholders to collaborate in addressing these issues.

    MKU Pro-Chancellor Dr. Vincent Gaitho stated that the WHO’s migration health discourse would guide stakeholders on where to invest to tackle health challenges.

    “From the recommendations of this conference, stakeholders will be able to embrace the action areas needed to drive the future of the continent,” he said.

    Gaitho also urged African governments to promote policies that discourage migration.

    Prof. John Struthers, MKU Chancellor and Director at Careed for the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), noted that the challenges facing migrants globally have not been sufficiently addressed.

    He stressed the need to prioritize these issues to alleviate migrants’ suffering, a sentiment echoed by MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi.

    Prof. Jaganyi called for enhanced partnerships among stakeholders and the development of policies that support livelihoods and promote economic prosperity across sub-Saharan Africa.

    The 8th annual international conference of the Centre for African Research on Enterprise and Economic Development (Careed) is being held under the theme, “Fostering Economic Transformation in African Ecosystems: The Impact of Trade, Infrastructure, and Innovation.”

  • Media practitioners urged to stick to professional ethics

    Media practitioners urged to stick to professional ethics

    The Media Council of Kenya Director of Training Victor Bwire has challenged media practitioners to stick to professional ethics to earn admiration from the members of the public when carrying out duties.

    Bwire said that perfecting professionalism would promote honesty, accountability and credibility of journalists in the eyes of the people they serve in the society.

    Speaking while launching Isiolo Press Club at a hotel, the Training Director stressed the need to embrace teamwork spirit among the reporters and share ideas to help in improving their output in time of disseminating information to the public.

    He added that the media has been working closely with the government to get the correct information and impart it on time thus creating a society that is well-informed when making some important decisions concerning their lives.

    He said that collaboration between the journalists and security agencies had improved the security situation in Northern Kenya including Isiolo and Marsabit Counties.

    Isiolo County Commissioner Mr. Geoffrey Omoding said that the government was set to enhance security in the region where additional police officers would be deployed as well as use drones and modern security vehicles to deal with cattle rustlers who have been terrorizing herders in the area.

    Omoding said the government is preparing to train National Police Reservists to pursue cattle rustlers at night since they are in villages while regular police would back them in case of an attack.

    He said that the media has played a great role in security and also helped the County security team by providing vital information on what was happening in the County.

    The County administrator appreciated the working relationship with the media in the region as the journalists use their diverse channels to widely convey beneficial information to the residents and have an impact on their lives.

     

  • Family in Meru mourns two slain kin

    Family in Meru mourns two slain kin

    A family in Imenti Central of Meru County is in shock after a 27-year-old man went berserk and killed his mother and 90-year-old grandmother. 

    Residents of Ngeene Village in Mwanganthia Location were thrown into mourning after Jamleck Muriithi, killed the two family members.

    According to relatives, Muriithi, had on several occasions threatened that one day he will kill someone.

    The family says Muriithi made the threat several times in the last five years, but little did they know that he would live up to his threat.

    “He would come home drunk, hurl insults at his relatives and threaten to kill them.”

    Reuben Kabujo, recounted how he fought off his violent son, however, in an hour, Muriithi had killed his mother, Zipporah Mutura, aged 50 and grandmother, Tiritha Karimi.

    Mr Kabujo said his son waited until most area residents had gone to church before accosting him around 9am.

    He said Muriithi started hurling insults and saying family members had accused him of smoking bhang.

    “I was under a tree taking tea when Muriithi walked towards me and started shouting. In vain, I attempt to calm him down. I told him: ‘Nobody has ever accused you of using bhang’,” a distraught Mr Kabujo said.

    “Suddenly, he attempted to hit me. He took off when I dodged his blow and hit him, shouting obscenities and vowing to finish me.”

    Mr Kabujo added that he thought his son had gone to the farm.

    “I then heard three bangs. I did not know that he had gone to his grandmother’s house and picked an axe to fight me. He met her on the way,” he said.

    Mr Kabujo added that he ran towards where the   noise was coming from to check what was going on and was horrified by what he saw.

    His mother was sprawled on the ground, her head split in two. Fearing for his life, he took off, not knowing that Mutura was still in the compound.

    “I ran fast and reported the killing of my mother to the village head. As we were talking, we heard people shouting that Muriithi had also hacked his mother to death,” he said.

    Villagers said that after killing his grandmother, Muriithi heard his mother wailing in the house and followed her there. He hit her on the head several times.

    Relatives said that after the two killings, Muriithi dashed into his house, changed clothes and took off.

    He was accosted by a mob but was saved from lynching by Gaitu Police Station officers who took him into custody.

    Muriithi’s sister, Juster Kathuraniri, said he had a habit of threatening everyone, including her children when she visited her parents.

    “He told my children on many occasions that he would punish them for unspecified mistakes they had committed against him. I never took it seriously,” the 32-year-old Kathuraniri said amid sobs.

    Area chief, Godfrey Bundi, said the family has been living in fear of being harmed by Muriithi.

    “It is the first such incident in this village. I advise families with these kinds of people to take the threats seriously. The problem must be resolved before it gets out of hand,” he said.

    He advised residents   to report incidences of violence to security personnel   to avert crimes.

  • Case against 22 kikuyu elders arrested at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga withdrawn

    Case against 22 kikuyu elders arrested at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga withdrawn

    The Case against 22 persons who had been arrested at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga shrine on December 31, on suspicion that they were members of the outlawed Mungiki sect has been withdrawn as entreated by the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP).

    In a ruling made by the Senior Principal Magistrate Edwin Nyaga at Murang’a Law Courts on February 28, the case has been withdrawn under section 81(a) of the criminal procedure code.

    However, the lawyers of the accused, led by senior counsel Martha Karua, have expressed dissatisfaction at the withdrawal saying they will consider other legal avenues to ensure the accused get justice for the violation of their rights as enshrined in the constitution.

    Karua argued that withdrawing the case under section 81(a) sets a precedent that other people can be arrested and arraigned in court under similar circumstances.

    The 22 were arrested while they were supposedly performing end-of-year prayers and part of the evidence against them was Muratina, a traditional ritual stick and a fly whisk.

    “Although the case has been withdrawn the Kikuyu people will be living in fear of being arrested when they practice their freedom of worship,” Karua said,

    “No community should be profiled for practising the rights protected by the constitution and we are going to fight the criminalisation of the Kikuyu culture and any other culture,” she said,

    The prosecution, on its part, said the ODPP was withdrawing the case because there was no prospect of conviction as the evidence against the accused is insufficient.

    “These charges were preferred based on the threshold test, whereby the prosecution expected additional evidence to be furnished by the investigating agency. This evidence has not been furnished, and therefore, we do not intend to pursue the prosecution of the accused persons,” the prosecution said.

    They also wanted to withdraw the case on public interest grounds and particularly the ages of the accused as a majority of them are elderly citizens.

  • Conservationists look for new territories to translocate black rhinos

    Conservationists look for new territories to translocate black rhinos

    Following successful anti-poaching measures of the endangered black rhinos in Kenya that have seen the population increase, conservationists are now grappling with finding new ecological spaces to translocate them.

    Ol Pejeta Conservancy Head of Research and Species Conservation Samuel Mutisya in an interview with the media said that the black rhino population is growing at a very high rate and there is an urgent need for space to support the endangered species.

    “We have successful stories relative to others in Africa on stemming poaching of the rhinos. The numbers are growing rapidly and now, we are in dire need for new space to accommodate the growing population,” said Mutisya.

    He said that Kenya requires enough space that can accommodate at least 500 black rhinos in the next five years. This move is aimed at ensuring that the species continues to breed.

    “Kenya requires new land to house at least 500 rhinos in the next five years and this is something that must be done if this population has to grow,’’ urged the conservationist.

    Mutisya said that key sanctuaries in Kenya have already reached their carrying capacity and at the same time revealed that Ol Pejeta had an excess of 40 black rhinos as opposed to its normal supporting rate of 120.

    “Ol Pejeta Conservancy through scientific research, hosts 120 rhinos without compromising their ability to continue growing and by now, we have surpassed by 40 rhinos. There is demand for us to work together and secure more territories for the critically endangered species,” said Mutisya.

    Head of Community Programmes Ian Muiruri lauded the residents for their commitment in conserving the endangered species by noting they had not reported any incident of poaching in the past six years.

    “In the last six years, we haven’t had any incident of poaching, thanks to our community who give intelligence to the conservancy and their commitment to conservation. They have fostered good relationships with the park,” said Muiruri.

    Meanwhile, translocation of the rhinos is a very sensitive affair since they are sedated and revived thereafter which poses greater danger to the species.

    In 2018, eight rhinos died as they were being moved from Nairobi and Nakuru National Parks to Tsavo East National Park, which was a major blow to the conservation efforts.