By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT 

The driver and conductor of the said vehicle were arrested and taken to Kanyonyoo police station where they are awaiting being presented in court to answer charges related to the shocking incident.

Speaking to the press, the county police boss revealed that the discovery happened at around 2.30am along Garissa-Thika road on Thursday morning. The bus was travelling from Dadaab in Garissa county to Nairobi City.

"Police impounded the  bus registration number KDG 358Q. It was travelling from Dadaab to Nairobi.  They found a bag with a milk container. Inside it had pieces of meat used to conceal 48 bullets of  the AK47 calibre," said Ms Kalondu.

She appealed to Kenyans to cooperate with investigating agencies as police commence the probe. She called for the volunteering information that will help restore security in the region.

By MWINGI TIMES TEAM

On Wednesday,  IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon announced the by-election date in a special Kenya gazette notice. "Following the declaration of a vacancy that occurred in the office of the MCA Migwani ward in Mwingi West Constituency,  Kitui County issued by the Speaker on August 6, there shall be a by-election in Migwani ward on Tuesday, November 17, 2026", said the IEBC boss Ethekon.

Election campaigns kicked off on October 21 and willl terminate on November 14.  

The IEBC announced voter registration will stay suspended until after the by-election day, November 17.

By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT 

A spot-check at the Assembly revealed that the few Ward Reps who show up during sitting days intentionally keep off the debating chambers and instead opt to while away time at the Member’s lounge.

On the other hand, several other MCAs also show up casually dressed in jeans and t-shirts instead of suits and ties as per parliamentary requirements in order to avoid attending the plenary sittings at the August House.

The go-slow by MCAs has also led to lethargy by legislative staff who have been adamant to schedule legislative business on the Order Papers. Several Order Papers for previous sittings have been blank, leaving the few MCAs attending plenary sittings to enter the House and leave immediately without transacting any business.

Committee meetings have also been hard hit by the quorum hitches, with Member’s failing to show up to deliberate on matters requiring their attention, leaving Embu County residents with a serious representation gap.

A source who did not wish to be quoted intimated to the press that despite absconding the plenary and committee sittings, the absentee MCAs always conspire to have attendance registers signed to draw sitting allowances.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that the MCAs who have unofficially started campaigns to defend their seats in the August 2027 General Election are now opting to accompany senior politicians in the county during development project launching and commissioning ceremonies.

However, Deputy Speaker Ibrahim Swaleh was quick to downplay allegations of his counterparts being in a go-slow, saying quorum hitches are normal in the parliamentary setup.

Swaleh who is also the MCA for Kirimari ward nonetheless cautioned MCAs that the public was keenly watching their conduct, and therefore should always uphold integrity and avoid truancy.

By JOHN MUSEMBI 

Most mornings will start with partly cloudy conditions while the rest of the day will witness sunny intervals,  said Dr Daniel Mbithi,  the County Director of Meteorological Services.  Further, he said that maximum temperature readings will oscillate between 25°C and 35°C in Kitui County.  The lowest temperatures felt are likely to be ranging between 13°C and 21°C for the week between September 22nd and 28th, 2026.

There is also a likelihood of wind blowing at a speed of 25 knots from southern side of the county to south-eastern direction. 

This weather forecast is part of the government's measures put in place to help Kenyans prepare for the predicted El Nino rains which may disrupt various sectors of the economy.

By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT 

Ruku said the elders, drawn from different parts of the Mt Kenya region, impressed upon him that his advocacy, including equitable development and political representation, could be pursued more effectively through a united region speaking with one voice.

He said the Kirigiti gathering marked a turning point in his political advocacy, with the elders urging him to drop his push for a distinction between Mt Kenya East and Mt Kenya West and devote his efforts to building unity across the region.

He said the elders also endorsed Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as a spokesperson for the region which was among his push for a distinct Mt Kenya East following what he reffered to as vilification from some political leaders. "They also called on leaders to rally behind the DP  in advancing the interests of the region as a whole."

Ruku said he accepted the elders' counsel because of their experience and understanding of the region's history, arguing that their overriding concern was to leave future generations with a united community.

“It is the wisdom of the elders who are the custodians of our heritage, our history and our future. And when they sit and agree on a common direction, then you should be able to listen to them,” Ruku said during a local television interview.

The CS said the elders had made it clear that the region's concerns over equitable development did not require political fragmentation and could instead be addressed through a united Mt Kenya pursuing its interests collectively.

He said his change of position should therefore not be interpreted as abandoning the demand for equity, but as a change in strategy following the intervention of the elders.

Ruku's earlier campaign for greater recognition of Mt Kenya East had been driven by what he described as longstanding disparities in leadership, development, particularly in roads and other infrastructure.

He noted that the Kenya Kwanza administration under President William Ruto has begun addressing some of the concerns but a section of  political leaders from the West were not happy with it. He added that this informed his campaign, pointing to road projects in Meru, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu, Mwea and Isiolo.

“The government of President William Ruto is ensuring that we have development projects which we have been denied for many years by previous governments,” he said.

Ruku cited his constituency as an example of the infrastructure deficit he had been highlighting in his push for a stronger Mt Kenya East voice.

He said that when he was elected MP in 2022, the constituency had only 37 kilometres of tarmacked roads despite its large geographical area. He said 20 kilometres have since been completed under the Kenya Kwanza administration, while another 45 kilometres were under construction.

It was the development gap, Ruku said, that had informed his earlier advocacy for a stronger political voice for Mt Kenya East.

He said he had also linked the region's development to its political support for President Ruto.

“That's why I've been championing and saying at the top of my voice that Mt Kenya East would definitely give President William Ruto two terms,” he said.

Ruku, however, maintained that such development demands could now be pursued without creating political divisions between the eastern and western regions of Mt Kenya.

He dismissed claims that his change of position amounted to an admission that his earlier campaign had failed, saying it was instead the result of the elders' intervention and their appeal for the region to remain united.

According to CS Ruku, the elders were motivated by the long-term interests of the community rather than personal or political gain as articulated by the former DP and other opposition leaders.

“They don't want to profit. They have seen it all,” he said, adding that the elders wanted to bequeath future generations a united community capable of contributing to a united Kenya.

He said some of the elders involved in the Kirigiti process had previously served as Cabinet ministers, senior legislators and professionals, giving them considerable experience in public affairs.

Ruku said their intervention also resonated with the region's history of working together, including during the struggle for independence, when freedom fighters from different parts of Mt Kenya collaborated in the fight against colonial rule.

He said the spirit of cooperation should similarly guide the region's politics today.

The CS also renewed his criticism of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of turning what he described as a personal political dispute with Parliament into a broader community issue.

Ruku said disagreements between Gachagua and the President should not be portrayed as a conflict between the Head of State and the people of Mt Kenya.

He challenged Gachagua to engage the elders publicly and allow them to explain the decision they reached at Kirigiti rather than continue contesting their position.

Ruku said the elders had acted independently and that their decision should be respected.

He further accused the former Deputy President of allowing his political differences to become a matter for the wider community. "Stop making the matters of your own inadequacies to be matters of a community,” Ruku said.

The CS said the region should now work together under Kindiki's leadership rather than allow political differences to deepen divisions within Mt Kenya or between the region and the President.

He stated that Kindiki's position as Deputy President had given Mt Kenya East an opportunity to demonstrate that political leadership of the region need not always come from Mt Kenya West.

Ruku said future presidents and deputy presidents from the region could emerge from Meru, Embu, Chuka or other parts of Mt Kenya and still command the support of the entire region.

“It’s not necessary that a Deputy President must come from Mt Kenya West or a President must come from Mt Kenya West. He can come or she can come from Meru, from Embu, from Chuka and get supported by the entire region,” he said.

Ruku said his immediate priority was now to promote peace and unity across the region as advised by elders, marking a clear shift from his earlier campaign for a separate Mt Kenya East political identity.

He said the flywhisk handed to him by the elders at Kirigiti has consequently become a symbol of his new message: a united Mt Kenya pursuing equity, development and political interests through a common voice.

“My first task is a peace caravan from Githurai through Kenol to Kirinyaga, and you will see this soon,” he said.