FAHAMU NETWORK

Saboti Constituency MP Caleb Amisi has officially launched a bursary application exercise aimed at supporting needy students from the region.  The launch took place at the Cattle Dip polling center in Matisi Ward, marking the beginning of a crucial initiative to assist students in their educational pursuits. Amisi emphasized the importance of this initiative in his address to the community, highlighting the need for equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of their financial situation. "It is important to me to ensure that the process began without any hitches, reflecting my dedication to supporting the education of Saboti residents. I believe every child deserves the opportunity to pursue their education, and this bursary initiative is a step towards making that a reality for many," said Amisi. The bursary distribution is part of a larger effort to alleviate the financial burdens faced by students in Saboti, ensuring that those from economically disadvant...

A new era of leadership has begun at the Kitale National Polytechnic with the official handover of leadership from the outgoing Principal, Mr. John Otieno Akola, to Dr. Tom Mulati. The ceremony was overseen by Dr. Lawrence Guantai, the director in charge of Training Management at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA). Dr. Mulati, who previously served as the Principal of Kisii National Polytechnic, exchanged positions with Mr. Akola, to whom he officially handed over in a similar ceremony on Tuesday. During the handover ceremony, Dr. Mulati expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to return to the institution, where he had previously served as a trainer before leaving in 2004. "I am happy to be back and look forward to working closely with the Governing Council and all stakeholders here," Dr. Mulati said, emphasizing his commitment to supporting the polytechnic’s continued growth and excellence. For his part, Mr. Akola, who has b...

  Nurses hired under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 took to the streets in Kitale, demanding that the Ministry of Health honor its promise of converting their contract-based employment to permanent and pensionable terms. The nurses, who were part of the 9,000 healthcare workers hired by the national government to help boost healthcare services during the height of the pandemic, also expressed concerns over unequal treatment and exclusion from essential allowances. The demonstration saw dozens of nurses from the North Rift counties of Trans Nzoia, Nandi, west Pokot, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet and Uasin Gishu who were crucial in Kenya's fight against the pandemic, gather to deliver petitions to the county government of Trans-Nzoia. The nurses voiced frustration over being employed on short-term contracts for nearly five years, a situation that has resulted in significant disparities in pay and benefits compared to their colleagues...

Five suspects were arraigned at the Kimilili Law Court, accused of instigating chaos and assaulting persons on a 100-acre plot of land co-owned by the late Minister Soita Shitanda and businessman George Mulamasi in Tongaren Constituency. The dangerously armed suspects were on a mission to intimidate the businessman, who has full ownership of the farm by virtue of being a co-director with a 50% stake in Kabras Farm Ltd, under which the farm is registered. Josphat Nyagaka (alias Mkisii), Denis Burale, Meshak Kere, Zedekia Inzilia, and Peter Walubengo are facing multiple serious charges, including grievous harm, assault, and malicious damage to property, in connection with the incident that occurred at Pwani Village on February 7, 2025. Senior Principal Magistrate Joseph Ndururi heard that the accused are said to have jointly and unlawfully inflicted grievous harm on Kennedy Shikanga, causing serious bodily injury. The incident occurred in Pwani Village, where the attackers re...

Supporters of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula have raised the alarm over a purported publicity conspiracy aimed at tarnishing his reputation and pushing for his impeachment. The group, which staged protests in Kitale town, accused political rivals of orchestrating a smear publicity campaign to discredit Wetang'ula. "We are urging the conspirators who are trying to tarnish the Speaker's image through biased publicity to stop immediately," said Mr. Boaz Werunga, a Ford Kenya official. The supporters claimed to have observed a systematic pattern of negative media coverage targeting Wetang'ula’s character, which they argue is politically motivated. "This is a political witch-hunt orchestrated by his opponents, who are resorting to negative publicity because they have run out of ideas," stated Harrison Wesa, Ford Kenya Youth leader. They also appealed to Western Kenya Members of Parliament to resist any efforts to support an impeach...

  Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Gideon Oyagi has emphasized the importance of adopting a collaborative, multi-dimensional approach to effectively address drug and substance abuse among the youth in the region. Oyagi stressed that relying solely on crackdowns to tackle the issue would not yield effective results, highlighting the need for a broader strategy that includes sensitization to address the negative trend, which is also a security concern. “Focusing only on enforcement measures limits the impact. A comprehensive approach is crucial to reversing this worrying trend, especially among the youth,” he said during the flag-off ceremony for the National Prevention Week in Kitale. The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) is leading the week-long campaign to engage local communities in Trans Nzoia, aiming to raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse. Trizah Mwangi, a representative from NACADA, outlined the campaign's obj...

A petitioner challenging the Bigamy Act in Kenya has filed a request for a three-judge bench to hear the case currently before the High Court in Kitale. The law currently prohibits men in legally recognized monogamous marriages from marrying additional wives. The petitioner, Bonface Ndura, through his lawyer Dennis Wanyama, has asked Justice Robert Limo to constitute a larger bench to hear the case due to its significance. "The petition before the court has far-reaching implications on the social, religious, and educational rights of Kenyans. Any potential bias from a single judge could influence the outcome, which is why a diverse bench is necessary," Mr. Wanyama argued. Winny Cheruiyot, the advocate representing the Attorney General, also requested that the National Assembly and the National Council of Churches of Kenya be included in the case. Ndura, who is also the author of Polygamists Will Also Go to Heaven, contends that the current legal framework, rooted ...

The County Government of Trans Nzoia, in collaboration with several key partners, organized a special blood donation drive in Kitale town to celebrate this Valentine’s Day. The initiative, coordinated by the county's Blood Transfusion Center and supported by the Allanet Foundation, Kenya Red Cross, and the Trans Nzoia Manchester United Fans Club, saw generous volunteers come together to donate blood, spreading love in its most meaningful form. The Trans Nzoia County Blood Transfusion Coordinator Yona Kutete emphasized the importance of such drives in meeting the ever-growing demand for blood. "We are targeting at least 200 units of blood. The demand in our hospitals is higher, yet our blood banks are running empty," Mr. Yona said.  He urged more community members to step forward and donate, highlighting that every donation can potentially save a life. Everline Masinde Chichi, a representative from the Allanet Foundation, explained the organization's motiva...

Kwanza Member of Parliament, Ferdinand Wanyonyi, has dismissed a recent Court ruling,which declared the Kenya Kwanza coalition as the minority party in Parliament.  The ruling, issued on Friday, overturned the National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula’s earlier declaration that President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance is the Majority Party. The three-judge bench, consisting of Justices John Chigiti, Lawrence Mugambi, and Jairus Ngaah, ruled that Wetang’ula’s October 6, 2022 declaration was unconstitutional.  They found that the Speaker had violated the Constitution by declaring Kenya Kwanza as the Majority Party without a sufficient legal basis. As a result, the court quashed Wetang’ula’s declaration and nullified the ruling.  The judges also took issue with Wetang'ula’s dual role as both Speaker and a leader within Ford Kenya, declaring that this arrangement was unlawful. Despite the court's decision, Wanyonyi argued that the ruling does not reflect the reality in...

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has criticized the government's decision to end the vetting process for national identity card applicants from the North Eastern region, stating that the move would have serious security implications. President William Ruto, who signed a Presidential Proclamation to abolish the vetting process, stated that the move would ease access to national identification documents and put an end to unjust and disenfranchising practices in border counties. However, Governor Natembeya noted that the region's proximity to neighboring Somalia, home to terror groups like Al-Shabaab, could allow them to obtain Kenyan citizenship and potentially use it for terrorism. “The President is supposed to guard Kenya’s borders jealously instead of creating a conducive environment that enables terrorists to take advantage of the opening to acquire citizenship and carry out their agenda,” he said while addressing mourners at the funeral of Mama Teresia Nangami at ...

A human rights activist based in Trans Nzoia has cast doubt on the likelihood of a strong political alliance emerging to challenge President William Ruto's re-election bid in 2027. The potential alliance is expected to include former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, former Vice President Kalonzo oMusyoka, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, former minister Fred Matiang’i, and Governor George Natembeya among others. The CEO of the Socio-Economic Development and Rights Alliance Juma Kiboi, dismissed the alliance as weak.  "The alliance is being hyped as having the potential to turn the country around, but it is made up of self-serving leaders," Kiboi stated. He expressed confidence in President Ruto's leadership, asserting that he deserves re-election to continue his development agenda.  "The president has demonstrated a commitment to addressing the challenges Kenyans face, despite the roadblocks," Kiboi observed. Kiboi also criticized the opposition, c...

Residents and students of Kwanza Constituency are calling on the Ministry of Education to address the halted construction of the Kwanza Technical and Vocational College, which was expected to open its doors in January 2025. They expressed frustration that learning activities at the institution, which was to be managed by the Kitale National Polytechnic, have not taken place due to its incompletion. The contractor left the site without handing over the project by the expected deadline of December 2024. “I am among the students who were supposed to start classes at this institute in January, following advice from the Kitale National Polytechnic, since my parents couldn’t afford the cost of studying further away, but nothing is happening,” said Mr. Maxwell Wafula. The residents had high hopes when former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Mochogu laid the foundation stone to pave the way for the construction of the institution, but the lack of communication from the government has ...

An aspirant for the county assembly seat in Nabiswa Ward, Trans Nzoia County, has called on security agencies in Kiminini Sub County to fast-track their investigation and apprehend a group of 40 individuals who attacked him after he left a funeral. Mr. Evans Nyongesa Nasiuma and one of his team members, Emmanuel Wasike, were leaving thefuneral  of Pastor Maurice Khaemba’s wife at Masaba Phase A village when they were waylaid by a gang wielding crude weapons. "We had just left the funeral when some youths approached us and began assaulting us, accusing me of causing political disturbance to their agenda. One even attempted to stab me with a knife, but his colleagues intervened,” said Mr. Nasiuma. The two were frog-marched and thoroughly beaten by the unruly youths, who later confiscated their belongings, stealing their money and phones, while leaving them with serious injuries and a death threat if Mr. Nasiuma did not stop his political ambition. “We sought medical attention and la...

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has dismissed calls by Kiminini MP Kakai Bisau to tone down his criticism of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. Mr. Bisau had urged Governor Natembeya to exercise caution in his political approach, emphasizing the importance of working with other leaders.The two attended the burial of Mary Clara Ndinyo at Sister Fridah farm. However, Natembeya maintained that he would not be silenced in his efforts to awaken the Luhya community politically, arguing that Wetang'ula and Mudavadi have failed in their leadership. “We cannot be intimidated into silence on issues that have long affected our community just to safeguard the interests of Mudavadi and Wetang'ula,” he said. The governor stressed that the Luhya community must rethink its political strategy to achieve meaningful progress. “Wetang'ula and Mudavadi are only defending their paychecks. We cannot keep glorifying them w...