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21:58
Thuku Joan Wanjiru from ACK St. Lukes Academy in Makongeni who scored 429 marks in KCPE 2019 to emerge top in Thika. 
Thuku Joan Wanjiru from ACK St. Lukes Academy in Makongeni has emerged Thika’s 2019 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) champion after scoring 429 marks in the just released results by the Kenya National Examination Council.

Munyi Rachel Wandia of Thika Bell House Academy followed her very closely with 427 marks.

Stepping Stone Preparatory with 8 candidates, dominated the list of the 18 candidates who managed 418 marks and above.

The number of girls who made it to the list tied with that of boys at 9-9

The following is the full list of candidates who managed to score 418 marks and above in Thika:-

1. THUKU JOAN WANJIRU – ACK ST. LUKES ACADEMY – 429 MARKS

2. MUNYI RACHEL WANDIA – THIKA BELL HOUSE ACADEMY – 427 MARKS

3. WANYOIKE JOSEPH GICHEHA – ST. CHARLES SCHOOL THIKA – 424 MARKS

 - IRAKOZE CHLOE MAOMBI – STEPPING STONE PREPARATORY – 424 MARKS

- LESLIE MUENI – STEPPING STONE PREPARATORY – 424 MARKS

- GITHAKA EUGENE GATURA – STEPPING STONE PREPARATORY – 424 MARKS

- MGANGA PHILIP MBOGHO – STEPPING STONE PREPARATORY – 424 MARKS

8. NJOROGE SALEM NYOIKE – AIPCA THIKA GLORY ACADEMY – 423 MARKS

9. JOEL MUREGA MBUTHIA – JOSEREEN JUNIOR ACADEMY – 422 MARKS

- NJUGUNA PRUDENCE WAITHIRA – PCEA ELIJAH KAGIRI ACADEMY – 422 MARKS

- WARURU DERRICK NGERU – PCEA DR. NGOIMA MEMORIAL SCHOOL – 422 MARKS

- WAMBUGU BRIDGET WAMBUI – ST. GEORGES ACADEMY – 422 MARKS

13. CHERIOT TEDD KIMOSOP – THIKA PRIMROSE – 420 MARKS

14. THIGA ZAWADI WANJIKU – THIKA PRIMROSE – 419 MARKS

15. KARURU COLLINS MWANGI – STEPPING STONE PREPARATORY – 418 MARKS

- DANILLA ASKUKU – STEPPING STONE PREPARATORY – 418 MARKS

- MUGO SULEIMAN MWAURA – STEPPING STONE PREPARATORY – 418 MARKS

- MURU O NEEMA WAMBUI – STEPPING STONE PREPARATORY – 418 MARKS 

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09:32

Bishop David Kariuki Ngari has expressed his disappointment with elected leaders from Mt. Kenya Region who he said were very quick to blame President Uhuru Kenyatta even for their own shortcomings and inability to perform the duties that they were elected to do.

Ngari, who is popularly known as Gakuyo, said that it was quite unfortunate that even though most of the services and programmes that had stalled fell squarely in their dockets, the leaders had opted to use the presidency as a whipping boy to cover for their failures.

“All this hue and cry by elected leaders is aimed at forming an opinion that the president has failed his people. Leaders should not seek for scapegoats for their own failures because most of the programmes they are referring to have been devolved and lie squarely within their dockets. Everyone should carry their own cross,” said the bishop.

Ngari added that the main problem with the leaders was that majority of them were so preoccupied with succession politics that they had no time to think about the people who elected them.

“Is there any programme or memorandum that they have ever presented to the president but he failed to honour? The only thing Kenyans are demanding from their leaders is proper representation and delivery of services. These leaders should be fighting to achieve the goals of Agenda 4 within their own areas. That’s what will bring the change Kenyans are yearning for,” he said.

The bishop pointed out that the challenges facing coffee, tea, milk and other sectors only called for proper policy formulation by the legislators who in turn should pass the baton to the governors since agriculture was a devolved function.

He also called for prudent use of the resources entrusted to these leaders since there was too much wastage of public resources both at the constituency level and within county governments.

He challenged governors to convene a regional caucus that will articulate the challenges facing their regions and then present their memorandum to the president for action.

“Most of these leaders never go to the grassroots to get firsthand information from the people on the ground. Theirs is to shout from Nairobi and arguing their case from information gathered on social media and media houses. Some of them even block development projects initiated by others so as to point out the failures and blame their opponents as they branded themselves as the people’s advocates,” he concluded.

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22:25
MKU Council Vice Chairman, Dr. Vincent Gichuru Gaitho
Entrepreneurship is today acknowledged as one of the key drivers of economic change all over the world, Ugandan First Lady and Minister for Education and Sports, Janet Museveni has said.

While speaking at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda during the launch of Makerere University Business School Incubation and Innovation Centre, Museveni said that entrepreneurship involves starting businesses and producing goods or services that society requires.

“This process of startup is also a process of job creation and s goods and services are created and sold, income is generated. Entrepreneurship therefore, is a crucial in any economy. It is important to note however, that entrepreneurship is driven by innovation. Innovation is the generation of ideas that finally lead into starting up of businesses.”
She added, “It is for this reason that the Ministry of Education and Sports supported the establishment of incubators in Public Universities. The Minister appreciates the partnership of African Development Bank which has supported entrepreneurship development in Uganda.”

She said universities have researchers who generate ideas and need to transform these ideas into products and services.

“This process for transforming ideas into products is what is popularly known as incubation. Incubation involves nurturing these ideas and finally turning them into products and services. Therefore, I was pleased to learn that MUBS had planned to launch its incubation activities and also open the Incubation Centre Building,” said the Ugandan First Lady.

She said Ugandan Government was faced with a large number of young people who are unemployed including graduates.

“Without jobs and incomes, these young people are a burden to the economy. Therefore, this initiative is timely because it will contribute to solving the unemployment challenge. MUBS pioneered the teaching of entrepreneurship in the early 1990s and I have been informed that the school has formal academic programmes including Diplomas, Undergraduates and Master’s Degrees in Entrepreneurship,” Museveni said.

In a speech read on his behalf by MKU Council Vice Chairman, Dr. Vincent Gichuru Gaitho, MKU Founder and Board of Directors Chairman, Prof. Simon Nyutu Gicharu urged Africa to train its young people on entrepreneurship so that they develop the requisite mindset that will enable them to see opportunities available in Africa, thus discourage them from risking their lives while going to seek “greener pastures” in foreign countries.

Prof. Gicharu said that Africa should help the youth to strive to harness the abundant opportunities available in the Continent. “With an entrepreneurial mind-set, the youth in Africa will become competitive and get to belief in themselves and become active job and wealth creators for socio-economic growth of our great Continent.”

He said it was unfortunate that many young people lose their lives in Africa while trying to migrate to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea.

“Many of these African youths are swept-off as they use crude transport means to cross the vast Sea. But why do these persons try to run away from their motherland? The reason is because their potential entrepreneurial skills have not been developed, they are dormant,” the Chairman said.

He added, “We are all aware about the infinite resources available in Africa. Unfortunately, these youth due to lack of guidance, they do not see these opportunities. At the same time, many other foreign nationalities are flocking into Africa to take advantage of the available resources. What is the implication in this? The implication is that we, therefore, need to train our young people on entrepreneurship so that they develop the requisite mind-set that enables them to see opportunities and strive to harness the abundant opportunities available in Africa.”

He said that MKU and MUBS have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to undertake joint project that will help hundreds of young people in East Africa to embrace job creation. The MKU-MUBS East Africa Business plan competition will see the winners come to this centre, which we are launching today for further training and to get funding.

“I am happy to reiterate that I have pledged to Makerere University Business School a donation of USD 6000 towards the project. We are, therefore very sure that, this new initiative will be of significant impact in East Africa and more countries across the continent will be able to emulate it,” said Prof. Simon Gicharu.

Prof. Simon Gicharu said the success of the said MKU-MUBS East Africa Business Plan competition would be best achieved when many stakeholders come on board especially as sponsors and therefore we invite the industry and philanthropists to join this unique initiative.

The occasion was among others attended by Eng. Isaac Ngobya, Chairman, University Council, Makerere University Business School, Prof. Waswa Balunywa, Principal, Makerere University Business School (MUBS).
 
 

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22:03
FILE: Acting Kiambu Governor Dr. James Nyoro in an earlier function.
Acting Kiambu Governor Dr. James Nyoro has said that the county government is looking for 50 acres of land in Thika to set up a tannery and leather manufacturing plant.

While speaking to the press at Thika Technical Institute ground after the closing ceremony of the Central Region SME Conference & Expo 2019, Nyoro pointed out that Kiambu County and in particular Dagoretti Market, produced the highest amount of hides and skins. However, he said, the bulk of these products was either neglected to waste or are sold at throwaway prices.

“Our priority as a government is to revive the leather industry. In this regards, we are sourcing for 50 acres of land in Thika where we will invest in tanneries and leather manufacturing plants to produce shoes for our armed forces and the general public, handbags, car seat cushions, jackets, leather garments and even industrial gloves,” explained Nyoro.

Nyoro added that the revival of this sector had the potential to turn around Thika’s economy and those of the people supplying these hides and skins

“This tannery has the potential to stimulate local employment and wealth creation in the leather industry in line with the president’s Big 4 Agenda.”

Nyoro said that his government was also focusing on ways to create conducive business environment especially for the small traders who struggled to make ends meet.

“We will invest on model kiosks and identify areas where we shall put them. Before that, we need to come up with other solutions that will be favourable to both the hawkers and those in formal businesses,” he said.

(Related Story: All the Highlights of the DG Nyoro-Thika traders meeting for “THE THIKA WE WANT”)

The Ag. Governor added that plans were underway to set up a multi-million Muguga Agripark in Kikuyu sub-county that will support the agribusiness sector in the county.

“We are about to sign an MOU with KARLO to support the investment with professional support on aspects of quality feed with regards to ingredients, sources of materials and use of new technologies.”
Nyoro said that they were in the process of reviving Uplands Bacon Factory in Lari Sub-county to ensure the pork sub-sector was up and running for its economic contributions to the county and also increase incomes and jobs creation.

He also pointed out that Kiambu County was among eight counties selected by the American Government under the Kenya Investment Mechanism (KIM) programme, which seeks to strengthen direct trade and investments between the United States and select counties.

(See Also: Government to start guaranteeing loans given to SMEs by commercial banks)

“The programme focuses on what counties value most, it's sustainability to facilitate a decent life for its residents and an increase in financial self-sufficiency. This will go a long way in promoting direct trade for our agricultural products; tea, coffee, avocado, pork, macadamia nuts, and poultry with emphasis on value addition. For Kiambu, the Americans chose to support our coffee sector,” he explained.
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10:52
Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya (centre), flanked by Ag. Kiambu Governor James Nyoro (right) and the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) President Richard Ngatia (extreme left) getting explanations from one of the participants of the Central Region SME Conference & Expo 2019 at Thika Technical Institute grounds

Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya has said that the government will start to guarantee commercial loans issued to SMEs by commercial banks as an initiative to counter the depressed credit to SMEs.

Under the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme SMEs will start accessing credit without being subjected to complex application procedures and collateral requirements.

While speaking at Thika Technical Institute grounds during the closing ceremony of the Central Region SME Conference & Expo 2019, Munya said that the scheme will unlock the potential of small businesses and was critical to production of competitive goods and services.

The Cs added that, as a ministry, they were also coming up with an SME Policy that will spell out the roadmap for the operations of small, micro and medium businesses.

“Over and above these measures, on the 29th of this month, we will launch 35 constituency industrial centres at Othaya in Nyeri with a target to having similar centres across all our constituencies. These 35 centres are the ones that are ready. Then from there, we will roll out a 100 days of completing another a 100 constituency industrial centres with a view to help SMEs with space to do business,” he said.

He appealed to county governments to cooperate with the national governments to ensure that all these programmes succeeded.

“We have already rolled out a handbook on investment that is intended to give county governments an idea of what they needed to do to set up their investment units and create landmarks for investment,” he said.

Munya said that the government had also rolled out an investment policy that gives the various investment decisions that the government had done to support and protect both local and foreign investors.

“And within this policy document, we have identified what we are referring to as the negative list that protects certain sectors of local investments after realising that we needed to give space for SMEs to thrive in business,” he said.

He challenged the Mt. Kenya governors to kick-start the process of starting the regional economic block which he promised that will get enough support from the national government.
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21:18

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday met all elected leaders as well community leaders from his Mt. Kenya backyard at Sagana Lodge in Nyeri County to help ease out the tension among the leaders and map out a way forward for the region, especially on matters development and seeking solutions to the challenges facing its people.

Uhuru challenged the leaders to take personal responsibility for their roles in solving some of the challenges facing their people and not always hiding behind the veil of the presidency even for their own failures and omissions.

He said that every leader had the right to their opinions but pleaded with them to avoid letting their differences in opinion create animosity among the people by using words that could plunge this country into anarchy.

While retracing the steps this country had made since the 2007-8 post election violence Uhuru, acknowledged the fact there can never be any development without peace. He therefore urged Mt Kenya leaders to focus on their work instead of succession politics.

"Let us work together for the development of our people and not just engage in insults. Unless you just want to be featured in newspapers so that you can tell your mother to check the newspapers," Uhuru said.

Uhuru added that, he would meet all the elected leaders next week to discuss all the challenges facing the region and map out a roadmap to solving them. He also said that he would, beginning with a tour of Meru County, visit the entire Mt Kenya region with an aim of discussing individual challenges and seeking to develop this region.

President Uhuru said that even though his party candidate Macdonald Mariga lost in the Kibra by-election, he was very happy that peace was maintained during the campaign period and on Election Day.

“If an election can be done in Kibra and people do not lose their things or their lives, that is already a victory and people must learn from this. The events in Kibra made me believe that we are winning and the country is coming together where Kenyans are uniting and respecting each other," Uhuru said.

The president dispelled rumours that the BBI was about creating positions, either for himself of for his handshake partner Raila Odinga but insisted that it was to bring peace to the country and the future of our children

He told off his critics of the handshake (and BBI) who insinuated that his association with Raila Odinga was about isolating his deputy William Ruto.

"When I talk to this other man, I never told him that we are talking so that he can get a big position. I told him that we are talking because of the peace of this country and the future of our children," Uhuru said.

“Election time will come. But have you ever heard me say that I have left my party and gone to another one? Have you ever heard me say that you should elect this one and not this other one? Why do some people think that they should remind me every morning? Who has asked you?" he continued.

Uhuru insisted that had never seen the BBI report and was ‘still waiting to see it’. He added that some of the things he would wish were in the report included how to make all votes equal and to have all corrupt individuals completely kept off leadership positions.

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08:20 ,
BY Juma Hemedi
14/11/2019

Of all the ninjas we were with in primary school, Chos was the "ninjaest" of them all. He had the ability to convince you to follow him into the valley of mischief and get you out of it in one piece.

Chos lived near the place where 'Kaengo', Ntoiti, and 'Aron' used to sell the twigs from the slopes of Nyambene around the hills that sorround Maua town. These twigs had their names that included 'giza asili', kangeta, and 'Alele'. All these were names given to 'miraa twigs' to separate them from each other and give them class. "Giza" were short miraa twigs that would be packed in about eight and ten small bunches and then rolled into one big bunch reffered as "kilo".

Kangeta twigs were a bit longer, they were given that name because of the place they were grown, a small stop over town on your way to Maua town, called Kangeta. Kangeta was a bit more classy and more expensive than 'giza'. It belonged to the people with class and money. 'Alele was the most classy and most expensive. Anyone chewing' Alele' miraa had to be given his respect. Some high class hotels in Nairobi and Thika had designated places where this category of people would sit undisturbed and chew away their twigs as they engage in conversations. If only all these conversations and ideas that were being generated during these chewing sessions were fully implemented, then Kenya would have achieved the vision 2030 before we even knew what the vision was about.

The family of Chos owned a 'hotel' called Biafra Super Cafe. Located near 'Ngabu Hotel' along the walls of Bible fellowship church. You should know that during those days TVs were scarce commodities especially in the Ghettos where we grew up. The entrepreneur spirit of chos and the family had helped solve a very big gap of providing a hall, seats and a 21 inch colored TV and a 'Video' (VHS) for showing movies at a fee of five shillings.

Reuben or 'Rube' was the no nonsense guy tasked with ensuring the operation of the video place was conducted in order. Reuben had made his name as a mechanic near Jamhuri Primary School. He was the only guy who had engraved a lion tattoo on his arm. Rumour had it that he did it himself. He was also rumoured to be a 'black-belt' karate thing and that he had once beaten three guys himself and broke some few bones in their bodies. Those guys had refused to pay for mechanical services rendered and had instead 'talked bad'. He also watched a lot of karate movies and would sometimes confuse himself for a movie star. He walked like the guys in the movies, talked like them and even wear their attitude at times.

Reuben was the only guy who would interpret Indian movies to us. We all believed he not only knew 'Kihindi' but also understood it and had spent some time in the land of Mahatma Ghandhi. So when the movie called 'Ajooba' was released featuring 'Amitabh Bachchan, Reuben would even translate the songs in the movie.' Ajooba was the Indian version of the movie "mask of Zoro" that had this outlaw character saving guys from tyrants and overzealous rulers and oppressors.

Anyway compulsory morning and evening tuition had been introduced when we were in class seven before we repeated. So since obviously we did not want to remain in class people had made a habit of jumping over the school wall into the 'chochoro' that would lead to U-Shop and would disappear into Majengo. Some enemy of development also known as 'kamati ya roho chafu' had alerted Mr. Kabuka, the toughest headmaster this part of the country. He decided to lay trap.

Chos came and told me "twende home" (lets go home) that meant we skip the evening preps. Some other fellows heard that too and followed chos and I in disappearing into Majengo, but chos wanted us to go to his home, where we found his mum. She had prepared some nice tea and 'mkate na blue band'. When we were through with eating Chos suggested we go back to school since the mum was around we couldn't stay there.

We were just on time to be back in class since Mr. Kabuka came a few minutes later and took the names of those who were in class. The following morning he came and said that "if you know you were not in class yesterday evening, come forward before I call out your name". The names of those that were in class were read out loud and you should have seen the shock on the faces of the other 'ninjas' who had followed Chos the previous day in going home.

The beating they received that morning did not pain them as much as the question of how Chos and I were not part of those receiving the beating. Chos the ninja had saved the day. Or was it the 'mkate blueband' that had brought us back to our senses?

Juma Hemedi
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09:41 ,

Police in Thika on Tuesday afternoon arrested three women for subjecting four young girls to female genital mutilation (FGM).

The girls, aged between 9 and 12 years, were rescued from a house in Majengo estate where they have been holed up since last Friday after undergoing the outlawed cultural practice.

Thika West Sub-County Police Commander Beatrice Kiraguri said they raided the home after some tip off from the members of public.

“Today, we got information that there were some small girls who had undergone FGM and upon raiding this house, we busted the women among them two mothers of the girls and a grandmother to one of them. We understand that the circumcision was administered on Friday by a woman from Kiandutu who we are now pursuing,” explained Kiraguri.

She added that they were still looking for the parents of the other two girls and would take action once they were apprehended.

Biashara Location Chief Simon Kamau thanked the residents for relaying the information that led to the arrest.

He warned those still stuck in the outdated practice that the law will soon catch up with them.

The women were detained at Thika Police Station as the girls to were taken to Thika Level 5 Hospital for medical examination and care.

The arrest comes just hours after President Uhuru Kenyatta warned of his personal commitment and that of the Government of Kenya to providing the leadership necessary to ensure that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) ended within this generation.

“I am referring to the 4 million girls who, every year, have to endure the painful and traumatic effects of Female Genital Mutilation. I would like to restate my personal commitment and that of the Government of Kenya to providing the leadership necessary to ensure that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) ends within this generation,” said President Kenyatta.

The president was speaking during the official opening of the International Conference on Population and Development, at KICC, Nairobi.

He challenged the world leaders to, at a minimum, commit to eliminate FGM which remains one of the most serious violations of human rights of women and girls.

“Last week, we signed an agreement with religious and cultural elders to eliminate FGM by 2022,” he said.
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23:22 , ,

Thika Town Constituency on Friday night made history for being the first National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) Committee in Kenya to win an award for best financial reporting at the 18th edition of Financial Reporting (FiRe) Awards 2019 that was held at the Carnivore Restaurant in Nairobi.

The NG-CDF committee won the award based on their 2018-2019 Fiscal Year audited reports. They were the only constituency that was recognised in the fete out of the 290 across the country.

While speaking to the press after the awards ceremony, Thika Town MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina attributed the success to his resolve to delink politics from service delivery adding that his team would dedicate this recognition and achievement by offering more services to his constituents.

“I am really excited! Beating all the 290 constituencies was a very pleasant surprise that had not crossed my mind. However, it all boils down to service leadership that has been our clarion call since we assumed office. In Thika, we say ‘Hapa Kazi Tu’. I promise my constituents to wait for greater times ahead. There is no turning back,” said an elated Wainaina.

He congratulated his CDF committee for their dedication to serve and wished that their predecessors did a similar job.

“Our 2018-19 CDF allocation only had Sh. 45 million set aside for development but the amount of work this team has done with it is enormous. How I wish our predecessors did the same. Thika Town would have made very big strides in development,” he noted.

CDF Chairman Huruko Njau thanked the MP for his hands on approach to issues and also allowing his committee to work independently without political interference which allowed them to optimise their service delivery.

“Our success has been driven by the belief that service to humanity is service to God. We also believe that God has given us this as an opportunity to serve Him and not one to dip our hands into public coffers. Stealing from the public will only bring a curse upon you and your generations,” explained Huruko.

His sentiments were echoed by the Fund Manager Joan Jebet Koech who challenged fellow youth to strive to do the best in whatever field they were, discouraging them from seeking quick fixes to issues.

“It’s all about commitment and believing in oneself. Seeking shortcuts to success will only bring you disaster as this kind of achievements never last.

NG-CDF Board Chairman Robert Masese congratulated the Thika team for this achievement and challenged other constituencies across the country to follow suit.

“The FiRe Awards recognise the best in financial reporting and record keeping. This eventually boils down to better services to the public,” said Masese.

The same was said by the Ag. NG-CDF Board CEO Yusuf Buno who acknowledged the enormous work that Thika Town Constituency had done with the amount they received in the just concluded fiscal year.

The FiRe Awards 2019 brought together more than a 100 participants from across East Africa, drawn from both private and public entities.

Permanent Secretary Treasury and National Planning Dr. Julius Muia was the chief guest in this year’s event.

Leaders present included Governors Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua)and Kibutha Kibwana (Makueni), State House Comptroller Kinuthia Mbugua and other distinguished leaders in drawn from Public-Sector Accounting Standards Board-Kenya (PSASB), the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), and the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

Financial Reporting (FiRe) Award was launched on 15th November 2002 promoted by ICPAK, CMA and NSE. 

It is the most prestigious and coveted Award in East Africa for financial reporting, usually presented annually during a gala evening by the joint promoters; the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) Kenya, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) and the Public-Sector Accounting Standards Board-Kenya (PSASB).
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02:20

Pongezi Bernard Okoth for Kibra.

Congrats Mariga, Team Jubilee and supporters for daring the so called 'bedroom', braving the chaos/violence, to double our vote from 12% (2017) to 26% now.

Our competitors came down from 78% (2017) to 52%. They retained the seat, we have served notice.
Kibra you are amazing! In spite of questionable reinforcements, the con-handshake candidate narrative, the violence/ intimidation, you went past the gate, the door and voted Jubilee a third of 'bedroom'.

You have changed the politics of, not just Kibra but Kenya. We are indebted.

Thank you all our leaders and members for standing firm with Mariga our JUBILEE candidate. We have demonstrated unprecedented resolve in the face of many odds to proudly double our % presence in territory otherwise considered no-go & shaming those who betrayed our leader & party.

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09:38 ,
A file photo of used cellphones
A security raid on Thursday afternoon netted three suspects believed to be part of a syndicate involved in the sale of stolen phones within Thika town.

Led by Municipality Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Lazarus Obuar, the area chiefs and their assistants recovered 110 phones from a business stall next Thika Main Bus terminus, all believed to have been stolen within the CBD area.

This followed tip offs from members of the area security policing following public outcry due to the influx of muggings and picks pocketing within the CBD.

“We believe all these stolen phones. The stall owner has no record to authenticate any of them. I urge anyone who has lost their phones to kindly come forward and check if it is among those we found at the stall,” said Obuar.

The ACC also warned anyone who has bought phones or electronic gadgets from unauthorised dealers to also make a point of checking with them as such phones might have been involved in serious crimes before they were sold to them.

“If you know that you bought a second-hand phone anywhere around the (Thika) main stage which you suspect might not be from a genuine dealer, kindly come report to us as the phone might have been gotten after someone committing a serious crime thus landing you into problems with the law,” he warned.

According to Obuar, the stall was disguised as a phone repair and sales shop but the owner dealt with the sale phone stolen around town. The other two suspects are said to be brokers who collected the phones from the thieves and handed them over to the first suspect at a fee.

Thika location chief Samuel Kamau said that once the phone reached the said stall, the owner “flushed” or reprogrammed it to erase all data from their previous owners.

“Once the phone memory is completely wiped out, they then sell it to unsuspecting customers who used it as though it was new,” he explained.

Of late, there has been so many cases of muggings and pick pocketing within Thika town where so many people have lost their valuables and documents. The most notorious areas include the main bus terminus, Whiteline matatu terminus and along Commercial Street especially between Kihanya Building and the Thika Stadium wall when there is too much human traffic caused by the hawkers who sell during the evening.

There are also cases of muggings along Kenyatta Highway from Thika Arcade all the way to U-Shop area.

The residents we spoke to blame these cases of insecurity to laxity among the police officers especially those on patrol, saying that majority of the cases happened even when the police patrolled the area.

“These people work with some of these policemen and even if they are arrested, you just find them back here within a short time. The patrols do not help much. Most of these suspects are well known to the police,” lamented one resident.
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02:26 ,
BY: Juma Hemedi
6/11/19

I want to start by making a disclaimer, that I do not have political hair on my chest. Just like many of my kind I make observations and try to make sense of the political environment I exist in. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way. I watched Hon. Moses Kuria the member of National Assembly for Gatundu south making some public apology on behalf of Parliament for what he termed as "errors of omission".

The honourable member did not just stop there, he also said that he is a Roman Catholic and he was making a "confession". He said that parliament has been lying to Kenyans that things are rosy while indeed they are not, that the Kenyan books of accounts are cooked and falsified and that they have collectively committed treason on this country for the last seven years. Treason in our criminal justice system is a capital offence. What essentially the Honourable member was saying is that parliament has committed a crime as an institution and the members are equally and individually guilty and therefore the precincts of parliament should be cordoned off as a Crime scene.

Hon. Moses Kuria also told us that our trusted treasurer at the treasury has been taking commercial instead of concessional loans, short term instead of long-term loans and that these bad economic and planning decisions have brought the country to a standstill and made the lives of Ordinary Kenyans very difficult. Hon. Moses Kuria who shares a name with Prophet Moses of the Bible who led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt into the promised land is a man who speaks his mind. The only problem was the people he was speaking to. Kenyans.

It is documented in the book of Exodus that at some point the children of Israel started questioning Moses of the Bible and wondered whether the God and the land he had told them about really existed. This had angered Moses to a point of breaking the tablets with the Ten commandments and he drew a line and asked those who believe in him stand on one side on the line and the others on the other side (you know the rest of the story) . But they had made a choice of following Moses.

The choices we make as Kenyans every five years determine and dictates the kind of life we will live for, not only the next five years but also the environment for which our children and the future generations will live. I have no idea what happens at the ballot and how we end up not soberly interrogating the people we elect. To paraphrase Prof PLO Lumumba who said "when given a choice between someone with ideas and someone without ideas, its amazing how Kenyans will robotically choose the fellow without ideas and expect something better from him"."we buy a tuktuk and expect it to perform like a Mercedes".

Every five years we are given the opportunity to rewrite our wrongs and choose individuals who we will hold up against the dreams of our fore fathers and the hopes of our future generations. Every five years we collectively commit crimes of both omissions and commissions. Hon. Moses Kuria is only saying what everyone knows.

Granted, Parliament has not lived up to its highest ideals, it has been dogged with issues ranging from sugar report scandals, maize scandals that stars from here to beyond the Namib dessert. County assemblies have not been better either these county assemblies are filled with a number of individuals who cant read and comprehend notices of motions, bills, and policies. There are individuals who cannot even speak in English. The most interesting part is that these individuals were elected or appointed by people who are well educated and learned.

How should we expect these individuals to know what their role is? How do we expect the assemblies both National and county to oversight the executive while still applying for tenders and getting other favours from the same executive? How do we expect them to perform the role or representation and legislation while they cant even read or speak in the languages that those roles require of them?

I have argued before that what we need in these houses are individuals elected independently without party Euphoria. Because Moses Kuria has confirmed to us that they have committed these crimes of omissions because they belong to the ruling party and what the party wants the party will get and if you disagree you will be shown the door (read Aisha Jumwa and ODM).

"We go into the elections having been so empowered, we elect individuals based on their tribal affiliation, depth of their pockets and party affiliations. When they mess the country we come back again and say they are bad, but they are ours" PLO concludes and asks a question, "should we even be allowed to vote?

The country is at a cross road, the people's hopes are diminishing, our economy is in a crisis, our healthcare system is wanting. We have an agriculture that needs to be brought back on track and a global warming and climate change challenges that we need to addressed. We have a young generation who are about to move from "infinite potential to definite disaster'. This things cannot wait for the coming of Christ, they need to be fixed. We need our president to borrow the economic Advisers of the retired President Mwai Kibaki. There is no harm in substituting a player who doesn't seem to add value in the team.

I agree with Moses Kuria that parliament has failed but I also want to add that as a people we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of our country, our fore fathers and our children. But now we need to rise up and save the future generations. Is there a Moses of the Bible among us to lead us into the promised land? Can you stand and be counted?


Juma Hemedi
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