As the drought ravages arid and semi-arid Kitui County, this has strained relationships among residents.

In Mwingi West, Mwendwa Mboo, a father killed his son after he sent him to go fetch water but the son chose to go play with his peers.

Mumo Mwendwa was a student in Kyome primary school. He was a class eight pupil. He was 14 years old.

Police in Migwani, Mwingi West Sub County are investigating the incident.

Speaking to MWINGI TIMES, Kyome location chief Grace Muli said that it was regrettable that a man killed his child.

“We had high hopes since he was a candidate this year. When the child was sent to go fetch water, there emerged a dispute with his dad.

He was sent to go fetch water and came back late. When he arrived, they started arguing. He hit him using an axe. When he was taken to hospital, he died”, said the chief.

The administrator advised parents to bring up their children with love and take care of them as well as guiding them to be responsible members of the society.

The chief said that she had prior information that the man did not relate well to his fellow neighbours. She called upon wananchi to be vigilant and report any untoward behaviours to her office. This, she said will help in curbing cases of crime in the area.

An aunt to the deceased said that she heard a commotion between the father and his son before the latter was killed by the former. She said that the dad smokes bhang and she heard him saying that he will kill the son and later commit suicide.

STORY By MWINGI TIMES TEAM

Eagerness and anxiety awaits the unveiling of Kitui County Cabinet by Governor Julius Malombe, some 55 days since he was elected.

The delay or slow in naming the Executive, according to some sources privy to the issue, claims it surrounds definite unverified reports that Dr Malombe may or may not absorb some or all members of the former Executive who served under the former governor Charity Ngilu’s leadership.

As the situation may be, politicians and residents in the region are waiting with bated breath when the governor will name senior members of his government and whether it will be a representative of the entire county that consists of eight constituencies.

Mwingi West MP, Charles Nguna, at the weekend told MWINGI TIMES that Dr Malombe should name his team without further delay and ensure it equitably represents the face of the county.

Nguna said Kitui Central constituency where the governor comes from should be excluded in the cabinet selection as well as Mwingi North where his deputy Augustine Kanani and County Assembly Speaker Kevin Kinengo both come from.

“Kitui Central and Mwingi North already have their share. Mwingi West should be rewarded with at least two CECs slots while balancing all the eight constituencies. Let the governor name the cabinet as soon as possible,” the Wiper legislator said.

Nguna joined many silent voices who looked upon Malombe to fulfill his election pledges by installing a clean and devoted administration, devoid of corruption, nepotism and fault-finding.

The county consists of Kitui Central, Kitui West, Kitui East, Kitui Rural, Kitui South, Mwingi North, Mwingi Central and Mwingi West constituencies with a total population of 1.2 million.

By the time of going to press this morning, MWINGI TIMES had not reached the governor to get his reaction on the appeal.

Seminar

Besides that, the members of the county assembly, the speaker Kevin Kinengo and the clerk, Elijah Mutambuki, were yet to return from a week-long seminar in Coastal region. 

However, in his maiden speech to workers early last month, the governor said he will not lead a government with questionable officers on board, and warned a few corrupt workers that they will face the harsh hand of the law and subsequently be forced to leave. 

“I want to lead a clean administration and that all county staff must adhere to Chapter Six of the Constitution on Integrity. My government is set to put into place proper measures to tame graft so that it realises its plan for the people,” Malombe said.

The county boss vowed to remain steadfast in serving residents and refuse to be dragged into sideshows aimed at derailing and sabotaging his development agenda.

He said his administration will progressively implement his commitments and deliver development to the residents for improvement of their livelihoods and living standards.

Saying that his government will oversee responsible budgeting to realise sustainable development and ensure equitable development across the county, the governor said it will also administer fairness to the people, guarantee accountability in revenue collection, focus on prompt payment to suppliers and contractors and observe the rule of law with an aim to deliver his 16-point manifesto.

Malombe told the workers drawn from the eight sub counties that he desired to build a responsive, participatory and consensus-oriented governance in writing a new chapter in people’s lives.

“I am committed to undertaking completion of abandoned projects in anticipation of people’s expectations which are high, particularly considering the extent of service delivery which deteriorated over the last five years,” the governor said.

Malombe said nevertheless he had no choice but to fold his sleeves and confront the challenges head on, saying there will be no excuses for failures.

The governor reflected back when he served as the pioneer county chief from 2013 to 2017 saying they achieved a lot and enumerated that every ward and village in the county benefited from various development projects.

“By the time I left office in August 2017, we had implemented a total of 5,294 projects throughout the county. This is an average of 132 projects in each of the 40 wards and an average of 21 projects in each of the 247 villages under a Village Administrator,” he said.

Malombe said there will be certainly need for the reorganisation of the county budget for 2022/2023 financial year to be done through a supplementary budgetary framework that will require the cooperation of both the County Executive and County Assembly.

Speaking during his swearing-in ceremony on August 25, the governor pledged in his 100 days in office to revive the county’s economy and rekindle people’s hope and aspiration by essentially having a county stock taking and mapping exercise.

He said his aim was to facilitate in-depth and clear appreciation of the county financial status including bank balances, human resource status including outstanding staff salaries, inventory of county asset and pending bills and other contractual commitments, outstanding staff salaries, review and ascertainment of the reports of the Assumption of Office of Governors report concerning county assets, bank balances and much more.

Malombe said his administration after being formed will also undertake completion of abandoned projects.

“I will resuscitate the development and transformation’s vision and agenda for the county in seeking to progressively improve residents’ livelihoods and their living standards,” he said.

The governor who bounced back into county leadership after losing the gubernatorial seat to Ngilu in 2017, said he will also seek to lead a county with vibrant rural and urban economies whose people enjoyed high quality of life.

STORY By PAUL MUTUA

 Kitui MCAs have asked the government to declare the drought situation in the country a national disaster.

Kitui County Assembly Speaker Kelvin Kinengo Katisya addresses the press after attending a thanksgiving church service at AIC Tudor, in Mombasa County on Sunday October 2, 2022. /MWINGI TIMES
 

Led by their Speaker Kelvin Kinengo the Ward Reps called on the national government to supplement the already ongoing measures to cushion citizens being ravaged by the menace across the country.

The pleadings come barely a week after President William Ruto flagged off relief food to some 23 counties hard hit by the drought.

The lawmakers were speaking after a thanksgiving church service at the AIC Tudor, in Mombasa County on Sunday. They are attending a week-long induction workshop at the Coastal city.

“There is hunger everywhere. We thank the president for the relief food. As Kitui County we have planned that when we open the Assembly next week, we will prioritize things that affect the people of Kitui including the drought”, said Mr. Katisya.

The MCAs vowed to prioritize passing a supplementary budget courtesy of the county executive as to deal with the biting drought and water challenges bedevilling the county.

“We have decided to work together with our governor irrespective of our political party affiliations,” the Assembly boss affirmed adding that “We have also pledged to work with the president William Ruto to ensure his bottom-up economic model serves its purpose”.  

The legislators lamented that their constituents have continued to face hunger, and therefore called for urgent and more stringent interventions to cushion and remedy the worsening situation.

Katisya’s sentiments were shared by Tharaka Ward MCA Muthengi Ndagara who reassured of the assembly’s commitment in mitigating the adversity brought about by the devastating calamity.

“As MCAs we ask the president to declare drought a national disaster so that all those affected by drought and especially Kitui County which is hard struck.  We are asking our governor to bring a supplementary budget that we will pass it to help our people, including getting seeds to plant when the rain comes,” said Ndagara.

STORY By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT

 A Kitui Member of Parliament legislator is the latest county politician to thank President William Ruto for appointing Penina Malonza as the Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary.

Kitui South MP Rachael Kaki Nyamai says Malonza’s appointment, who comes from her constituency, is a milestone achievement for the county in social, political and economic spheres.

She made the remarks while addressing mourners during a burial in Ikanga-Kyatune Ward in her constituency at the weekend.

“As your MP I want to thank H.E. President Ruto for appointing one of our own as a member of his Cabinet. Aren’t we residents of Ikanga-Kyatune ward thankful to the President for appointing our daughter and sister Penina Malonza as the Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary nominee? Can we show our appreciation by show of hands?” Nyamai moved the mourners.

The MP said she will work closely with the CS nominee and support her in her endeavours to deliver in her docket.

STORY BY PAUL MUTUA 

Tseikuru location chief Titus Mutui has called on residents to find amicable ways of conflict resolution when disagreements arise.

 

“As the chief of Tseikuru location, I request residents that when they have differences, let them find peaceful ways of solving their disputes without resulting to loss of life or fighting as we witnessed today (Sunday)” said Chief Mutui.

He attributed the violence to the family taking drugs since according to him, they appeared like they were drunk.

He was speaking on Sunday after an incident happened in Kyamalutu sublocation, Usueni location in Mwingi North Sub County where one person invaded a home of his three relatives and attacked them. In the scuffle, the man killed him uncle and injured his brother and cousin. The incident occurred at 1pm.

All the victims were rushed to Tseikuru Sub County Hospital for treatment.

On visiting them at around 4pm, the chief said that they were receiving treatment. Two of the injured were referred to Mwingi Level Four Hospital for better medical attention.

The man who is alleged to have committed the crime was arrested by police officers and taken to Tseikuru police station as investigations into the incident continue.

STORY By MUSYOKA NGUI