The body was found in a ditch on the Motonto-Ogembo road.

It was later identified to be that of Charles Makenge, 40 who is a resident of Kebute village. Police said they are yet to establish the cause of the death.

This increased to three, the number of bodies discovered separately on Tuesday January 7.

Police described the incidents as sudden deaths but added investigations into the same are ongoing.

The first incident was reported in Kiwanja area, Kasarani on Tuesday evening where a body was found under a tree.

Police said they were informed of the presence of the body of a man aged about 35 and picked it up to the mortuary pending identification and autopsy.

Locals said the deceased was last seen resting under a tree before the body was discovered by a passerby.

In Kulamawe, Isiolo, one Peter Muthomi was found lying dead in his house.

The deceased had earlier gone for a church service before retreating into his bedroom where he was found dead.

Police said the cause of the death was not immediately known and that the body was moved to the mortuary pending autopsy.

Elsewhere in Sengera, Nyamira County, one James Makori, 46 was found dead after a suicide incident.

His body was found hanging from a tree adjacent to his house after suspected suicide using a white mosquito net.

A suicide note was discovered in the house, police said.

The body was moved to the mortuary pending autopsy and other investigations, police said.

In Hamisi, Vihiga County, a mob killed a suspect who was found in a private residence.

One accomplice managed to escape from the scene in the Nyangori area, police said.

The police discourage mob lynching and want suspects to be handed over to authorities for processing.

The body was moved to the mortuary after the Tuesday January 7 morning drama.

The post Man Found Dead on Roadside in Kisii appeared first on KahawaTungu.

Speaking separately, the clerics said the abuse of the platforms, especially by the youth, was reason fueling the growing number of abductions in the country.

The latest disappearances have been primarily young men who have criticized President William Ruto online.

Some of the victims have been released traumatized.

Police have denied involvement, but activists have questioned why they appear not to be investigating the disappearances.

“Social media is open to all of us, let there be honest efforts to exploit the space with meaningful communication not defaming the country’s leadership,” said Pastor Denis Sosi of Glorious Life International church.

Social media, he added, is an important means of disseminating information today and provides large space which should be exploited for the good of society.

“They (youth) can use it to market things online and innovations but not abusing leaders disparaging them with caricature in a way that erodes the significance of such spaces,” added the cleric.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) says there had been 82 abductions carried out “clandestinely, with unidentified armed persons” since June, with 29 still missing.

Refecting on 2024, Sosi said the was truly a tumultuous both economically and politically for most Kenyans but expressed optimism that things would brighten as they walk the path of 2025.

“Around Kisii, especially funeral, there were constant skirmishes engineered by politicians. Such are among the things that we should abandon as a people and forge forward on the path of development,” stated Sosi.

He also called for surveillance against prevalent drug use amon the youth.

He especially asked the chiefs to scale up vigilance in the villages where drug abuse was steadily growing.

“In fact before we begin blaming the youth, let our security agencies go for those who trade in these drugs,” he said.

Speaking separately, Pentacostal Evangelistic Fellow of Africa (P.E.F.A.) cleric Rev Andrew Ogola asked the government to streamline higher education in the country.

He said issues that have been raised are critical and should not be triviliazed by those in authority.

Ogola also urged leaders to invest more time in action, undertake development and stop early campaigns for the sake of the country.

“When people already campaigning when they are already in office it smells of incompetence. It is time to work not make noise around,” Ogola said.

He was speaking at an event at the Pefa church in Kisii town where widows were gifted with merchandise and food by Purity International.

The Charity leader Rebecca Moseti asked the government to empower widows so as to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.

The post Clerics Urge Sober Use of Social Media  appeared first on KahawaTungu.

It further fingers suspicious payments to unauthorized staff among them a senior officer employed irregularly.

In most incidents, Governor Simba Arati was at pains explaining the expenditure of funds allocated to him in 2023-2024 fiscal year.

He breached the law by also supplying to auditors doctored records on spending.

For instance a staggering Sh14 million could not be accounted for after the administration reported using Sh96 million on domestic travel and tea.

The Auditor however reported variation in the data captured in the Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis) with the officers saying they had expended Sh82.7 million.

As a result Sh14 million could not be accounted for.

The report narrates how the County officers sold a lie of receiving at a total of Sh96 million in reimbursements when in fact they were paid before setting out for field assignment.

The officers had reported that they were paid as reimbursements for using own cash in carrying out official assignments.

An analysis of the Ifmis system, indicated that money was actually paid out to them before going out for work related activities pointing to suspicion of graft.

The report has also raised concerns on the county attorney, who continues to earn a salary despite his appointment getting quashed in court early this year.

According to the Auditor General, a private citizen moved to the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu to challenge the appointment of the county attorney, which was done on December 1, 2022.

On January 24, 2024, the officer’s appointment was quashed by the court.

But an analysis of the financial statements as per September 2024, found out that the officer was still drawing salary from his account.

It was established that between January 2024 and August 2024, the officer had taken home a hefty pay of Sh3,384,632.

Another anomaly was discovered in the Department of Trade Development and Regulations where an excess of Sh698,000 was paid to a contractor for the printing and the supply of assorted materials.

The contractor had been given a contract sum of Sh2,298,500 but he ended up receiving Sh2,997,000 with no explanation being given for the excess payment.

Audit queries have also been raised on the running of the banana processing plant at Kisii Agricultural and Training Centre (KATC).

The auditors noted that there was great secrecy in the manner in which the investor who is currently running the plant was brought on board even if the leasing of the factory was advertised through an open international tender.

The plant’s construction was co-funded by the County Government of Kisii and the European Union with an ambitious vision of helping banana farmers reap maximum benefits from the cultivation of the crop that is grown in plenty in the region through value addition.

Upon its completion, the plant according to the auditor general was handed over to an irregularly appointed investor who was supposed to pay a rental income of Sh150,000 per month.

However, it was established that the amount had been un-procedurally slashed to Sh90,000 after the grace period of six months given to the investor elapsed.

Interestingly, after that reduction, auditors established that the investor who was given the responsibility of running the factory had not paid any rent to date and the 30-year lease given to the investor also remains a mystery on how it was arrived at.

The Department of Education has also been put on the spotlight in terms of how it distributed bursaries to needy students.

An analysis of the records from the sampled beneficiaries list revealed that 54 students were evaluated and given bursaries of Sh289,000.

However, these beneficiaries did not have school admission numbers.

There was also a double allocation of bursaries amounting to Sh225,100 to 37 students who had identical student and parent details but were listed as coming from different wards.

In addition, the auditors also noted that there was another double allocation of bursaries of Sh344,000 to 46 students who had identical student and parents’ details but were listed as coming from different schools.

It was also established that some 18 students were awarded double bursaries amounting to Sh416,000.

Each bursary ranged between Sh10,000 to Sh20,000 but no justifiable reasons were given for the double allocations.

The department is also said to have allocated Sh20,000,000 to 1,854 students whom were classified as special needy cases but no evidence was provide that this money was actually given out.

Auditors also raised concerns whether the value of money was achieved in several projects that are currently being undertaken by the devolved unit.

Top of the projects whose implementation has been flagged as irregular, is the ongoing construction of the new county headquarters that is taking place next to Kisii school.

The project, which is being done by a private company will gobble Sh500,000,000.

But auditors have queried why the contractor was paid an advance payment of Sh99,999,113 yet he had been deemed to be financially sound and there were no any exceptional circumstances that guaranteed this payment.

This was done in total disregard of section 146 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2025, which provides that contracts for works, goods or services may only be paid for after they are executed and approved by the accounting officer.

The Auditor General asked why the county government had to use another Sh24,921, 817 to renovate the old municipal building which hosts the current county executive offices yet it had other ambitions of building new county headquarters, a few metres from Kisii town.

A similar scenario has been raised in the ongoing construction of the county industrial and aggregation park in Bomachoge Borabu Constituency.

This park, whose construction fee is being co-shared with the national government was allocated Sh477,941,470 by the devolved unit.

The company, which was given the tender is said to have been given an advance payment of Sh95,588, 294 yet it had been deemed as financially stable.

“No evidence of exceptional circumstances that warranted the advance payment of the company deemed financially sound was provided,” the draft report said.

The Auditor General now wants the county government of Kisii to respond to these findings before it makes its final comment on the matter.

In a letter addressed to the county’s finance executive Kennedy Abincha, dated December 9, 2024, the Auditor General asked the county executive to submit its written responses within three days from the issue date, failure to which, the findings in the draft report would be taken as they were for further processing.

“Kindly submit your written responses to this draft Audit Report within three days from the date of this letter for further examination. If no comments are received by 11 December 2024, it will be assumed that you agree with the facts as stated and the report will be processed as it is for issue,” part of the letter signed by Dr Simon Nabosu on behalf of Auditor General Nancy Gathungu said.

The post Auditor Flags Astounding Misappropriation of Funds in Kisii County  appeared first on KahawaTungu.

Ruto would be breaking the tradition where other presidents had been hosting the new year fetes in Mombasa.

He last year ushered in the new year in Nakuru.

In Kisii, South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro, also Majority Chief Whip, in a tweet, welcomed the head of State to the County Capital.

“We are looking forward to hosting the President, this is definitely a special gesture to the community at large,” he later told this journalist in a text.

By late Monday, the Kisii State Lodge was a hive of activity with tents being hosted to accommodate about 1200 invitees.

Invites to journalists were however, yet to be formalized by Tuesday morning.

County Commissioner Joseph Kibet said they would be handled by Statehouse itself.

“What we have are general invites which have already been depleted,” he said.

Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba was at hand leading the preparations ahead of Ruto landing in town.

County Police Commander Charles Kases said all was set for the event.

Surveillance appears to had been heightened in the streets of Kisii following fresh outburst of protests against a string of abductions in the country.

Already activists have fingered security agencies for orchestrating the abductions of bloggers critical of Ruto administration.

Police have since denied the claims.

The post Ruto to Usher in New Year in Kisii  appeared first on KahawaTungu.

The Juhudi Africa communications executive, Benard Nyamwaro, was however, rescued by police officers after raising alarm through a proxy.

Speaking to journalists, Nyamwaro claimed the goons had descended on him while visiting the office of a senior Kisii County executive Friday afternoon.

He was accompanied by Cephas Tungai, also an activist.

“We were visiting him with a friend when a group of goons sauntered into the office and viciously attacked me,” he told journalists outside Kisii Central Police Station where he went to file a complaint.

He said he sustained injuries to the abdomen from the kicks the thugs rained on him.

Tungai witnessed the drama.

It was not immediately established what the vocal activist had gone to do at the County office when he was manhandled.

Nyamwaro is, however, known for being vocal in criticizing the County administration.

The post Vocal Kisii County Critic, Activist Injured in Office Scuffle  appeared first on KahawaTungu.

The wife and children were stabbed with a knife, villagers and local administration officials confirmed .

The amorous elder identified as James Mose was rushed to hospital with machete injuries.

Bodies of the dead were found sprawled on the floor of their house Friday morning.

The killer suspect was reported to to had picked a quarrel with his father early late Thursday attacking and injuring him with a machete.

Later, he stormed his house in rage, butchered his two sons and wife in a suspected homicide.

Villagers at Riomuga, in Bomanyamasicho area said Mr James had for a while suspected his father of having an adulterous affair with his wife.

The incestuous relationship, villager said, later drove the suspect into drinking.

Weeks later he turned a sharp knife on his family wiping it out in maddening fury before hanging himself on house rafter.

Jane Onchoke, an aunt to the James, said the talk about the uncle involving himself in an incestuous relationship with his son’s wife was known well in the village and there had been various attempts at addressing it.

“It was no surprise then that he (James) had reached out to his father at night and attacked him with a machete. It was said that even the said woman even sired the two children killed in the carnage,” she told journalists.

Violet James, a villager elder, said as villager leaders, they had severally tried to intervene in the family dispute for a while but in vain.

“He had been lamenting that his dad was having sex with his wife and as leaders, including the chief had sat down to address it in vain,” she told journalists.

Area chief Douglas Onchari at certain point they had referred the matter to Nyanturago church where the two and their father were worshiping.

He said the pastor and elders tried to arbitrate and it appeared as if settled.

“It was actually talked over and personally i advised that because he (James)had another house near the shopping center to move there only a few days to be called and told he has killed his family,” he said.

The post Kisii Church Deacon Slaughters Wife, Children in Suspected Adulterous Affair  appeared first on KahawaTungu.

At Mwembe, in Kisii town they said the mounds of garbage along the access roads have remained uncollected for more than a week attracting flies and rodents.

In some swelling heaps, cows and goats from the neighborhood villages leisurely munch the food remains dumped there.

Gesare Osero, a shopkeeper, she keeps the door to her house closed all the time to keep flies away.

“I had bought sprays but there are are expensive, they are already eating into whatever little i am getting from this kiosk,” she told Kahawa Tungu.

John Kerosi, a businessman, said his young children had been wandering into the dumps.

“My son was coughing uncontrollably yesterday night and i suspect the garbage has something to do with this,” he said.

Most affected are traders at Menyinkwa, Mwembe, Milimani and Jogoo.

Down town, traders at the grocery market lamented constant delays in collecting garbage from the bins.

“There was a time this town was clean, not anymore. We can’t precisely explain what is going on at the moment,” said Jane Gesare, a fruit vendor.

She said even the number of buyers purchasing from them has shrunk considerably.

“Some now prefer going to the supermarket than coming here, we are registering loses.,with no other place to go we will continue to suffer,” she narrated.

In Keumbu, Nyaribari Chache, the market sweepers had been on strike for two years over salary arrears.

The traders voiced concern over delays by the municipal staff from collecting the garbage.

“We have raised this issue severally but the responses is tardy,” he said.

He had vowed to bring sanity during the period to the polls, it is sad we are not seeing the results.

“Severally he said he was to do with until angels in heaven get happy. Today only garbage greets us from each street. Governor kindly do something,” stated the trader.

At Magena, the traders said they may hold protests if the situation persists.

“Governor Arati, during the campaigns had promised to work like a donkey to improve services but that is not what we are seeing now,” said Rose Kemuma.

At Masimba, the town dwellers are disposing waste at a riverbank with some refuse washing down the streams,” said George Thomas.

The post Fury as Garbage Buries Kisii County Towns  appeared first on KahawaTungu.

The meeting was underway when the goon set loose the insects which he had stashed inside a polythene bag.

The event resumed after the goon was cornered, clobbered and forced out of the venue.

The event held at historic Nyanturago playground in Nyaribari Chache was aimed at galvanizing unity the larger Nyaribari region unity.

Sitting local MPs Zaheer Jhanda (Nyaribari Chache) and Daniel Manduku (Nyaribari Masaba) skipped it despite invites extended to them.

County Deputy Governor Elijah Obebo also sent apology through a proxy.

Sitting Ward Reps from both constituencies also absconded the invites but for aspirants angling for the seats in the coming polls .

Only Kisii Central MCA Wilfred Monyenye turned up among the elected.

Many that attended, however, vowed a fresh unity bid among the electorate from both Nyaribari Masaba and Nyaribari Chache ahead of the 2027 polls.

More and similar upcoming forums would gravitate around positioning the region in both national and local politics as an agenda even as the leaders leader sounded alarm over the diminishing stature and waning influence of the region’s politics years after the death of political fathers Simeon Nyachae and Andrew Omanga.

“Today was just the start but going forward we shall be engaging our leaders to leverage our bargaining power in all levels of governance,” stated Rachel Otundo who unsuccessfully vied for the Kisii Woman Representative seat.

She said the region would continue to lag behind in the absence of unity among the leaders.

“It pains that a people initially united, a people trusted to make key decisions for the community are now being used as doormats. We were here to say no to this,” she told journalists during a briefing.

Lawyer Fred Orora who read the memoranda said the Monday function provided the region with a refreshing start on how it will be engaging in politics.

“There are definitely very sobering lessons that we have learnt , we are determined to slowly crawl back to where we initially were,” he said.

We must come together to leverage our bargaining power and the time is now, he said.

“It is not about where we begun from but where we are determined to to head to after these deliberations,” he said.

He hailed the forum as a watershed that would turn the tide of Nyaribari politics.

Isaac Ogero, from Nyaribari Masaba, said the forum at the historic venue was decisive and offers solid political direction to the residents.

“We must tame our appetite to field so many candidates in polls which only fritters away important opportunities to put in power credible leaders,” he stated.

Samuel Siriako from Nyaribari Masaba said there must be voice in the concerted voice to bring unity to the region.

“Without unity we can achieve little, our children would continue to rot at home, let’s be more deliberate in identifying crucial investment opportunities for our region” , he said.

John Sagero, from Nyaribari Chache said all fear was now gone in the quest to tackle issues troubling the region.

“We must entertain honest conversations about ourselves and important issues that are dear to us ,”, he told the dozens who turned up.

He said as a people we must shun violence.

“Let us begin to instill key values in our children from now. We must also stand strong and support those elected into office amongst us.”

“Let’s start by seeking forgiveness from those who we have already fought off power among them CS Machogu and Monda,” he said.

Christopher Matara reminisced moments when Nyaribari was firmly united.

He said the time is now that we must water the same unity, grow ot again.

Samuel Ocharo said With 180000 votes the region has opportunity to redeem itself.

Other leaders include James Kenani and ex-Nyaribari Masaba MP Elija Moindi.

The post Bees Nearly Scatter Nyaribari Leaders’ Unity Bid in Kisii  appeared first on KahawaTungu.

The arrests came after a thorough investigation and a relentless manhunt by Gucha South detectives.

On the evening of the incident, the gang ambushed the 22-year-old guard at Engako Bar, located in Nyachenge trading center.

They attacked him with crude weapons, leaving him to die as they stole Sh26,000 worth of alcohol. The victim, who was severely beaten, bled out before help could arrive.

The attack was reported to the police by the Tabaka area chief, prompting the swift deployment of a specialized team of detectives.

Following intelligence leads, the investigators tracked down the first suspect, Festus Odhiambo, also known as Arum, aged 31, in Migori. At his residence, officers recovered blood-stained clothes believed to be linked to the crime.

During subsequent interviews, Odhiambo led detectives to two more suspects: Thomas Momanyi Omenta, 31, and 26-year-old Grace Kerubo Oseko. Both were arrested in Kisii township, and a mobile phone stolen from the scene of the murder was recovered from them.

An identification parade was conducted today, where several regular patrons of Engako Bar positively identified the suspects, confirming their presence at the bar earlier that night.

The trio is currently in custody at Nyamarambe Police Station, where they were arraigned under a miscellaneous application to assist with further investigations.

The post Robbery Suspects Arrested in Connection with Killing of Kisii Security Guard appeared first on KahawaTungu.

Speaking in Suneka Tuesday, Arati accused James Ongwae of fighting proxy wars against him when he himself had failed as a governor.

“There was garbage everywhere, sleaze in every corner of the County when i came to office. These are the same people loitering around lecturing me and calling me an excrement. They are the very human waste they are abusing me around,” retorted Arati.

The County boss spoke while visiting Suneka market, a project that had remained stalled for years.

The Governor also inaugurated Motonto Market which has been under construction from the National Government.

The project visits have come hours away to meet two Senatorial committee – County Public Accounts Committee and the Devolution Committees for separate grillings over expenditure.

Arati had lately been a punching bag of growing critics, many now describing him as a flop.

A fortnight ago, the Senate Devolution Committee had called him asked him to explain the dismal absorptions of development funds by the administration.

He was to meet the committee Wednesday.

At home, the Governor continues to face mounting criticism from Senator Richard Onyonka, Woman Rep Donya Toto and lately Ongwae.

The three have since unveiled former Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital executive Dr Enoch Ondari to face Arati in the 2027 poll.

Arati has since dismissed the alliance saying it consists of a bunch of those who had angling to eat from County coffers.

On Tuesday, Arati maintained no cent would be frittered away to satiate anybody’s greed including them.

“I have fought hard fight to clean the mess but even as i do this i have heard whispers that I loosen the purse for some people to eat. There shall be no eating under my watch,” the combative governor said.

Arati said he was more intentional in making service more felt, fixing roads and constructing more ecde classes.

The post You are the axis of political evil in Kisii, Arati tells Ongwae  appeared first on KahawaTungu.