Thika Town Today

Police in Thika arrested a man and his wife for reportedly killing his wife’s lover

The suspect, Stanley Mwangi is said to have assaulted the deceased, Francis Maina, after he caught Maina red-handed having sex with his wife at their matrimonial home in Mali Mali area of Kiganjo Estate in Thika West Sub-County.

The incident happened on Sunday evening when the suspect arrived home unannounced only to catch the lovers in the act.

Confirming the incident, Thika OCPD Willy Simba said that the police arrested the suspect and his wife Stella Wambui who have now been arraigned in a Kiambu Court on charges of murder.

The body of the deceased is lying at General Kago Funeral Home awaiting postmortem.

Meanwhile, residents of Bahati Estate are protesting wanton dumping of human foetus suspected to be emanating from health facilities in the area believed to be procuring illegal abortions.

Yesterday, the angry residents accused a particular hospital for dumping the foetus in drainage tunnels in total disregard to the health dangers they were exposing the area residents.

“Today we have bumped into these three dead fetuses wrapped in polythene bags along with other harmful medical waste. Some of the documentation found within the trash point to one private hospital within this area,” said one of the residents.

He claimed that this was not the first instance that it had happened for the said facility had a habit of dumping this kind of waste almost on a weekly basis.

The stench emanating from the spot was unbearable with some of the residents claiming that the hospital employed the services of bodaboda riders who dumped them over the weekends.

Thika Town MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina Wa Jungle has slammed Jubilee politicians who are calling on President Uhuru Kenyatta and NASA leader Raila Odinga to initiate dialogue on election reforms ahead of October 26 fresh presidential poll.

Addressing the press in Masii Town Mwala Constituency after attending a presidential campaign rally, Wainaina termed the appeal as termed “ill-advised” such arrangements were unconstitutional, accusing them of subverting popular choice by attempting to push for a coalition government which was not anchored in law.

“It is wrong for any leader to mislead people on the basis of populist statements aimed at drawing attention to themselves after being rejected by the electorate. The only dialogue recognised by our constitution is through the ballot on October 26,” said Wainaina.

The MP instead called on them to join other area leaders to campaign for President Uhuru ahead of the repeat poll.

On Sunday, several Jubilee-allied leaders, Narc Kenya Leader Martha Karua, former governors William Kabogo, Samuel Ragwa, ex-MPs Ndung’u Gethenji, Kabando wa Kabando, Peter Mositet and Dr. Kilemi Mwiria, called for immediate national dialogue on electoral reforms ahead of the 

October 26 fresh presidential poll to calm the current political tension.

Under the banner ‘caucus of leaders that support the President’ they issued a statement claiming that the prevailing political environment could not allow a fresh presidential election. 

Eng. Wainaina also blamed the NASA leader for disrupting peace in the country through street protests that were geared towards plunging the country into chaos so as to bargain for a NUSU-MKATE government.

“If Raila is not ready for the election, why doesn’t he bow out of the race honourably? When NASA says they will disrupt the elections, what exactly does this mean? It is his (Raila) constitutional right not to vie just as it is the right of every Kenyan to go out and vote for the leaders of their choice,” he said.

He warned the youth against being used by politicians to disrupt voting on polling day but instead called for peace and respect for the constitution.

“Under no circumstances must Kenyans allow themselves to be misused by politicians to subvert the constitution or threaten the peace and security of our nation. It is actually treasonable for anyone to prevent the holding of the election.”

As campaigns for presidential rerun reach their homestretch, some youth from Murang’a and Kiambu Counties have devised new and very unique ways to campaign for President Uhuru Kenyatta.

This week, group of young men from Gatanga Constituency in Murang’a County caught Thika town residents by surprise when they hit the campaign trail on an African homemade go-kart drawing amused onlookers who followed them everywhere they passed.

Our team caught up with them along Kenyatta Highway near the Thika Police Station where their campaign ‘caravan’ which consisted of the kart, mounted loud speakers, a battery, amplifier and two microphones transversed around town.

There was no way their ‘convoy’ could not go unnoticed due to its uniqueness, attracting large crowds wherever they went singing own composed songs in praise and support of the president.

Unlike other politicians who have huge budgets, these youth are conducting their campaigns in a very simple but effective way.

“We are using this kart to campaign not out of choice, but because that is what we can afford. We cannot afford the big trucks or the mega sound systems but our mode of communication is as effective or even better,” said Harun Kariuki who is a teacher at Rwaitira Primary School in Gatanga.

Kariuki added that the group plans to crisscross both Murang’a County and parts of Kiambu to campaign for the president before the election period lapse.

He added that their strategy was to interact with the people directly and convince those who did not vote to do so on the 26^th October so as to accord President Uhuru another term to tackle their problems saying that he was best placed as he had shown his love for people of Kenya.

His colleague Santee aka Baba Thika said that he was using his talent as a secular artist to drive the message home.

“Through the songs I have composed for the president, I am able to attract a lot of people to us and use that to drive our message home,” said Baba Thika.

He however lamented that due to his humble background, he hasn’t been able to popularise the songs or reach the president.

“I recently gave a copy of my songs to our MP Eng. Joseph Nduati Ngugi and Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria and I hope the music will reach the intended audience. I would also appeal to our leaders to promote young and upcoming talent as this is the only way to empower the youth,” he commented.

Elsewhere, Zablon Omollo has been on the same mission using his bicycle to drive the Uhuru reelection message across Thika Town Constituency.

Omollo, who is a hawker has been all over the area hooting and shouting his voice hoarse trying to mobilise Thika residents to get out and vote Uhuru Kenyatta on October 26.

“Uhuru Kenyatta’ development record speaks for itself and it is for this reason I decided to do a door-to-door campaign to mobilise people to get out on the 26^th to reaffirm Uhuru as president. Only pretenders will say otherwise,” said Omollo, who lost in the August polls for the Township Ward as an independent candidate.

Omollo adds that his mainly targeting the ‘diaspora’ vote within the constituency who he said were also beneficiaries of the projects initiated by the president during his first term in office.

“I am asking the diaspora voters to reconsider their view of the president. As one of their own, I can frantically tell them that the opposition is currently lacking an agenda and they can never go wrong with President Uhuru Kenyatta,” he said.

He challenged other politicians to reevaluate their strategies as they seemed to be using similar methods as they did in August, thus unlikely to reach those who they missed out then.

“Instead of concentrating their campaigns on highways and within the shopping centres, I urge them to get out and reach those in the interior parts of the constituency who otherwise always get ignored by these caravans,” he said. 

The 97-year old granny, who has been enduring a seven-year sexual molestation ordeal in the hands of young men who qualify to be her great grandchildren in Witeithie Estate, Juja Constituency over the weekend had an emotional reunion with her biological kin.

Her ‘return to family’ became a possibility after media highlighted her plight about two weeks ago and her story going viral picked on social media, prompting several well-wishers to initiate action in coordination with the authorities to facilitate her rescue.

Upon learning of her ordeal, Mrs. Susan Njeri Waititu, the wife to Juja MP Hon. Francis Munyua Waititu alias Wakapee stepped forward to assist ‘cucu’ to secure a home for the elderly in Nairobi.

What followed was not only the overwhelming support from public, but also an incredible story of reunion. 

Coincidentally, on the day she was to be transferred to the home, the members of her biological family emerged to claim her.

The residents were treated to a drama as the ‘rescuers’ and family traded harsh words with each side insisting to go ahead with their separate mission. The residents scoffed at relatives whom they accused of abandoning the elderly woman only for them to turn up when her plight came to the media limelight.

Led by Gladys Nyaguthie, a community health worker who has been attending to cucu for all those years, they vowed that they could not comprehend how kins would leave their own to suffer for almost a decade only for them to appear when word went round that cucu was being taken to a rescue centre.

“Where have you been all those years she has been molested and suffering alone at her age? This is unacceptable and you should be ashamed of yourself to just bump in here and claim relations when we have struggled for that long to see that she is safe,” scoffed Nyaguthie.

However, after a heated debate, the residents allowed the family to take cucu on condition that they will take good care of her considering her age and health status and was still under medication.

Mrs. Wakapee vowed to follow up her progress and appealed to women leaders in Murang’a to take it upon themselves to ensure that the elderly lady was well taken care of. 

“We will allow you to take her but we will definitely keep an eye on her. I personally challenge women MPs and leaders from Murang’a County to take it upon themselves to ensure cucu is well taken care of,” said Susan.

(Related story: 90 year-old granny 7 years’ rape ordeal by several men.)

She thanked all those who came forward to lend assistance and ensure that she was safe.

In their defense, the family members denied ever abandoning cucu but instead blamed her for adamantly refusing to leave her piece of land every time they came for her.

“We have come for her on several occasions since both her husband and son died but in each of those times she had violently refused to leave this house,” said one of her brothers.

Cucu has been nursing seven years of serious psychological torture and sexual assault before her plight came on air. The assailants have been taking advantage of her It is alleged that the boys take advantage of her inability to scream due to age and sometimes use their hands to cover her mouth.

“They usually break into ‘cucu’s house where she lives alone by drilling a hole through the mud walls and open the door,” explains Nyaguthie.

She pointed out that majority of the culprits are youth between 18-25 years of age who have been into drug abuse, with some already assimilated into criminal gangs from neighbouring Nairobi County and environs. 

Four people have died when the car they were travelling in died rammed a stationary truck carrying bricks at Ndarugo in Juja Constituency on Sunday.

The accident occurred around early morning when the driver of the red saloon car failed to see the lorry that had stalled along the Thika Superhighway and rammed into it from the rear resulting in the death of the four on the spot

The impact of the collision was so severe that the deceased got trapped in mangled wreckage of the vehicle that was being driven towards Nairobi.

Confirming the incident, Juja OCPD Patricia Narsio said that the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash are being investigated adding that it was unclear how the driver of the ill-fated vehicle failed to spot the lorry from a distance even though a life saver signboard had been erected a few meters from the stationary truck.

Motorists and commuters had a horrific time with many of them spending hours as the police and good Samaritans struggled to free the dead bodies from crash wreckage. Vehicles heading towards Nairobi were affected by the gridlock as the axis is one of the busiest in Kenya, where thousands of private and commercial vehicles ply daily.

The bodies of the victims have been taken to General Kago Funeral home in Thika.

The highway has of late be prone to so many accidents involving both pedestrians and motorists especially early morning, in the evening and over the weekends. The numerous police roadblocks and impromptu NTSA checks seem to be producing no positive results as the duo seem to be on the road 

for a totally different agenda altogether.

On Friday night, another person died near Witeithie stage along the same Highway in a separate accident. Another matatu heading to Meru earlier rammed onto a tree as the driver attempted to avoid crashing onto a herd of cattle that were crossing the road near the Del Monte kiosk, just after Bluepost Hotel. 

Dennis Muthomi Wachira aka Deniro Ule Wa was born and raised in Thika he recorded his first track in 2012 after finishing his ‘O’ Levels. The Gatumaini Primary School Alumnus has fond memories of growing up in Thika from playing childhood games such as Brikicho (Hide and Seek) Duf Mpararo ( swimming in stagnant water), to going for adventures near the banks of River Chania.

He has several hit singles to his name such as "So Sick” ,“Vile Naskia” an EP "Msupa The EP" and  has also been featured in several mixtapes such as Hedi za Ruiru, and THC 

 2. What do you love about Thika Town?

First of all Thika is a chilled town, we are self-contained in a way, you don’t need to go all the way to neighbouring counties to spend time or enjoy your free time, with the emergence of malls such as Ananas Shopping Mall, entertainment spots such as Klub 237, Klub Porkiez, Bamboo, institutions of higher learning such as Mount Kenya University and also affordable housing, we have a diversity of some sorts that we take pride in.

 3. Do the people of Thika offer you any support in your work?

Yes we have done several tours with D’jungle and the reception has always been great, we are growing a huge fan base in Thika that soon will become a movement.

4. Thika is worth visiting because?

It’s a chilled town, lot’s of places to visit and unwind from panaromic scenes such as Ol’ Donyo Sabuk National Park, to entertainment spots also sample different lifestyles from the hoods of Kiandutu to leafy suburbs of Maboromoko you will appreciate our diversity.

5. What should your fans expect from you?

I have been featured in a couple of mixtapes, my fans should be on the lookout for fresh releases from an upcoming  mixtape JOTO17 that am working on. As well as a couple of tours before we wrap up the year.

To Connect with De' Niro Ule Wah on Facebook: www.facebook.com/deniroulewah

                                                              Instagram: www.instagram.com/deniro_ule_wah

                                                              theqatheqa.com

Thika Town MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina Wa Jungle has cautioned Jubilee Party supporters to take NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s withdrawal from the October 26^th race with a pinch of salt as all indicators point to a ploy.

In an exclusive interview at Ndumberi Grounds in Kiambu Town after a campaign rally spearheaded by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto, Eng. Wainaina said that Raila’s appeal for people to fundraise his campaigns at Chatham House was reason enough to believe that he was in the United Kingdom to fundraise for his election as president, contrary to what he wanted people to believe that he was out of the race.

He added that Raila’s refusal to sign IEBC’s Form 24A was another very clear sign that he was still in the race for State House.

“If at all he is no longer in the race, why was he asking people at Chatham House to contribute money into their paybill account? Secondly, failing to sign Form 24A is like paying one’s creditors with a stale cheque,” said Wainaina.

The legislator also reckoned that the opposition leader's tour abroad was aimed at convincing the international community to ‘midwife’ talks between him and President Uhuru Kenyatta with one eye at a coalition government just was the case in 2008.

“Just as the president has said here in Ndumberi, we are not in any form of crisis as a country and all Raila wants is to use foreigners to get him into State House through the backdoor. Let me remind him that he can never be President of Kenya through any other means other than through the ballot which is the voice of the people of Kenya,” he said.

Wainaina therefore appealed to all jubilee supporters to get out on the 26^th (of October) to vote for President Uhuru. He pleaded with ‘diaspora’ voters to vote for the president for it was through that route that he will be in a very opportune position to serve them better.

“I want all of us to be our own brother’s keepers and ensure that all those with challenges are assisted to the polling centres on that day. For our brothers and sisters from the diaspora, please I beg you, empower me to serve you better by voting in Uhuru Kenyatta as your president.” 

Makongeni Police on Friday arrested a 50-year-old woman in connection with an attack on her 70-year old husband in Gachagi Slums Thika West Sub-County.

The woman and her daughter are said to have attacked her husband and stabbed him on the head severally, injuring him seriously.

The old man, Kioko Mutiso Mutune was rushed to the nearby Umma University Hospital with head injuries where he was admitted for some deep cuts.

“We found him bleeding profusely and lying on the ground after the attack. He was in real danger. That’s all I can say. So we had to rush him to hospital where his injuries were treated before being discharged last evening,” explained the area Assistant Chief Josephat Waithaka Kamau.

Kamau says that the fight was as a result of what the wife described as negligence.

“The wife is accusing him of not providing for the family even though he always comes home drunk.”

He however said that even though the man might have erred, the action taken by the wife and her daughter was extreme and uncalled for.

The administrator is appealing to well-wishers to help raise sh. 6,000 already incurred by the victim which could rise with time.

He also appealed to spouses to solve their domestic misunderstanding amicably otherwise he advised them to separate if things got out of hand instead of taking the law unto their own hands.

The police are investigating the incident and will to press charges against his wife once they gather enough evidence.

Beginning today, President Uhuru Kenyatta will start a meet-the-people tour that will take him to at least 17 counties ahead of fresh elections on October 26, meeting voters in their homes, villages, markets, towns and counties.

His campaigns will however be briefly interrupted with a dash to the capital city of Nairobi for Mashujaa Day celebrations on October 20.

Schedule

Saturday 14 October 2017 (today), the President will hold a rally at Kenol in Murang’a County before proceeding for another rally at Ndumberi grounds in his home county of Kiambu. 

On Monday, 16 October 2017, he will visit Garissa, Mwingi (Kitui County) and Machakos County. 

The following is the full schedule of the president’s scheduled campaign program;-

 Saturday 14/10/2017

Muranga – Kenol – 11:00am

Kiambu – Ndumberi – 1:00pm

Monday 16/10/2017

Garissa – 10:00am

Mwingi – 12:00noon

Machakos – 3:00pm

Tuesday 17/10/2017

Samburu- 10:00am

Nanyuki – 12:00noon

Nakuru – 3:00pm

Wednesday 18/10/2017

Kuria – 10:00am

Kisii – 12:00noon

Kericho – 3:00pm

Thursday 19/10/2017

Kitale – 10:00am

Vihiga – 12:00noon

Nandi – 3:00pm

Friday 20/10/2017

Mashujaa Day celebrations at Uhuru Park grounds and later host a luncheon at the State House gardens

Saturday 21/10/2017

Mau – 10:00am

Kajiado – 1:00pm

Sunday 22/10/2017

National Prayers Day

Monday 23/10/2017

Nairobi Road Show

Ahead of the nine-day campaign blitz, the President said: “This is about taking my policies to the people of Kenya and allowing them to reconfirm their confidence in me. They already showed this trust and confidence in August when we believe they voted overwhelmingly for us.”

The High Court yesterday issued an injunction restraining Kiambu County Government (KCG) from invading or occupying a portion of land belonging to the Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK).

Environment and Lands Court judge Justice Lucy Gacheru barred the county government, its agents and servants from encroaching on the undeveloped three-quarter acre portion of land on Kiambu Municipality Block 2/284 valued at about Sh100 million pending the outcome of the dispute.

She also directed KCG to file a response within seven days to facilitate an expeditious hearing on October 25.

“An order is issued restraining the county or its agents from interfering with the applicant’s land, cutting down the trees, or destroying structures therein pending the hearing of the suit,” ruled Gacheru.

The application was filed by the corporation and Fave Gas Oil Limited, claiming their land had been illegally invaded by people believed to be county employees. 

Postmaster General Dan Kagwe claim to have written a protest letter to the National Land Commission (NLC) accusing the county government and members of the public of unauthorised occupation of the undeveloped portion of the property.

It is alleged that the county government had demolished seven unoccupied residential housing units and flattened the grounds. Kagwe explained that the State-owned parastatal had written to Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu complaining about the matter on October 3 but no response was forthcoming.

He added that the corporation had signed a lease agreement with a businessman to put up a petrol station on the land.

The land was leased to James Mungai for 10 years and the businessman had paid a Sh143,000 fee to the county for change of user.

PCK is assessing the damage on the property.

Kagwe said the only recognised tenant on the plot was Fave Gasoil (Kenya) Ltd, which has signed a lease agreement with PCK and is in the process of securing necessary operational approvals from the county government. The letter was copied to Lands Principal secretary Nicholas Muraguri, Information and Communications Cabinet secretary Joe Mucheru and his Devolution counterpart Mwangi Kiunjuri.

The disputed piece of land is located next to Kiambu Post Office is registered and in the corporation’s name started.

Last week, earthmovers invaded the property and started demolishing houses. Trees on the land were also cut down.

Reports say the Kiambu county government wants to use the land to construct a bus park. The construction of the terminus was expected to be completed before the end of this month. The project is geared towards easing congestion in the town by giving matatus an alternative place to pick and drop commuters.

The case will be heard on October 25.

A team of doctors from a Thika hospital late last week successfully removed a huge ovarian cyst weighing 16kilogrammes from a patient that was almost filling her whole abdomen.

46 year-old Fidelis Wanjiku Mulama had been referred to the Central Memorial Hospital only for the CT scan to revealed that a huge follicular cyst in her abdomen.

While narrating her 3-month ordeal, Mulama explained how she noticed her stomach ‘growing bigger’ and thought that it was something to do with her feeding habits.

“When I noticed that, I immediately started dieting but instead, my stomach continued to grow bigger and bigger until it was no longer bearable,” explained Mulama.

She visited several health centres in Ruiru who told her that she had “water” in her stomach, a condition that could only be handled by specialised doctors.

Due to the nurses’ strike, her only remedy was in the private hospitals.

She arrived at The Central Memorial Hospital bearing back aches, with prolonged pelvic pain and could hardly walk or breathe. The cyst had already started straining some of her internal organs. So, after the scan and diagnosis, the doctors embarked on the momentous task of removing the cyst.

The procedure to remove the cyst took the team of doctors about four hours. Dr. Moses Njoroge, the hospital’s resident obstetric gynecologist who led in the operation pointed out that they needed to prevent any injuries on the organs that the cyst was compressing with its mass. He warned that any form of rapture could risk spreading the cancerous cells to other organs.

“It was a risky procedure because the patient had earlier on gone through a Caesarian section while delivering her second-born child. Secondly, a 16kg cyst requires a lot of caution so as not to rapture its thin lining,” said Dr. Njoroge.

He added that had she delayed further with the cyst, she might have undergone excessive bleeding, subsequently damaging her organs.

“We would have been forced to put her under intensive care first thereby delaying the whole operation,” he said.

A jovial Mulama can now express her joy of being offloaded the 16kg burden off her abdomen. She is now feeding well, gradually getting back to her normal meal portions.

“I feel so good, way much lighter and gradually gaining my strength back,” she sighed with relief.

She advises other women never to ignore any abnormality in their bodies because, as she rightly put it, had she been diagnosed earlier, her case wouldn’t have been as serious as she was this time.

“If you notice any kind of pain or discomfort in your ovary area, you might want to book an appointment with your doctor to get it checked out,” she advises.

Dr. Njoroge describes ovarian cysts basically as a solid or fluid-filled sac or pocket that's found within or on the surface of an ovary.

“One in five women will develop ovarian cyst at some point in their lives and 8% of premenopausal women develop large cysts that need treatment like in the case of Mulama,” explains the doctor.

His colleague Dr. Joseph Mukala who is a general surgeon advises every woman to go for routine screening so that such problems can get detected early.

Research has shown that majority of women develop ovarian cyst during pregnancy. The symptoms do not present themselves and neither the mother nor the foetus is in danger. But if the cysts are over 6-8 cm in size, complications could arise and can be fatal to the mother and the baby.

During a woman’s menstrual cycle, an egg grows in a sac called a follicle that is located inside the ovaries. The follicle or sac is supposed to break open and release an egg. But if the follicle doesn’t break open, the fluid inside the follicle can form a cyst on the ovary and grow up to about seven centimetres in diameter thus necessitating its removal through a surgical procedure.

Most women will experience a cyst on the ovaries at least once, and most are painless, cause no symptoms, and are discovered during a routine pelvic exam. Most ovarian cysts are benign and naturally go away on their own without treatment. These cysts cause little, if any, symptoms.

The symptoms of an ovarian cyst include nausea, vomiting, bloating, painful bowel movements and pain during sex. In rare cases, an ovarian cyst can cause serious problems, so it’s best to have it checked by your doctor.