The Head of State ordered ordered schools to admit students regardless of whether they had cleared their school fees balances or had acquired school uniforms.  President Ruto insisted that there should be 100 per cent transition transition from Grade 9 to Grade 10.

County Commissioner Erastus Mbui further told the mass media in his office that there was ongoing countywide mobilisation to ensure that all Grade 10 learners report to schools.  

After sitting for the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment,  KPSEA,  students should join senior schools.  In Kitui County's case, the remaining 20 per cent are still being verified to ensure compliance with the President's directive.  "We are still verifying because some learners may already be in school.  We are counterchecking through both schools and home visits to be certain", explained Kitui County Commissioner Erastus Mbui. 

All chiefs in Kitui County were instructed to visit former junior schools to obtain names of students who completed Grade 9 in 2025. This will be for confirming which senior schools they were admitted.

Commissioner Erastus Mbui warned that if a student will be found idling at home without a valid reason, he or she will be facilitated to enrol in a senior school near home. He reiterated that there was no justification for any student to be out of class.

Dr Kasalu said prolonged food shortages in Kitui County have left many pupils attending school on empty stomachs, a situation she described as detrimental to concentration, attendance and overall academic performance.

Kitui is among Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), where rainfall patterns remain highly unreliable, often resulting in poor harvests and chronic food insecurity.

Speaking to journalists in Kitui town on February 3, 2026 , shortly after launching a National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) full scholarship programme for Grade 10 to 12 learners, the Woman Representative said the hunger crisis has reached alarming levels.“Many families in Kitui County are struggling to put food on the table due to prolonged drought. Learners are expected to attend school daily, yet many of them do so without a meal, which puts their education at serious risk,” Dr Kasalu said.

She cited that the last rainy season, which was characterised by insufficient and poorly distributed rainfall across large parts of the county, leaving farms unproductive and households without adequate food supplies. According to Dr Kasalu, the situation has forced families to make difficult choices, often prioritising basic survival over education-related needs.“Kitui lies on the drought belt, and without deliberate intervention, life becomes extremely difficult for residents. Learners cannot be expected to perform well academically when hunger has become a daily reality,” she added.

Dr Kasalu noted that her office has already taken steps to seek support from development partners and humanitarian organisations. She revealed that she has written formal letters to several organisations appealing for food assistance, particularly targeting schools in the most affected and remote areas.“Through the Office of the Woman Representative in Kitui, I have reached out to organisations that can support the supply of food to schools. This will help learners stay in class and improve their learning experience, while also supporting vulnerable women and elderly people who struggle to access meals,” she explained.

She stressed that school feeding programmes have previously played a critical role in improving school attendance and retention, especially in drought-prone regions. Reintroducing them, she said, would provide immediate relief while long-term solutions to food insecurity are pursued.

Dr Kasalu called on organisations that have received her appeals to act with urgency, warning that delays could worsen the situation for thousands of households.“Hunger requires a rescue mission. Concentrating in class with an empty stomach is an almost impossible task. We urge both levels of government and our partners to act swiftly and restore school feeding programmes to protect the future of our children,” she said.

He studies at Kitui Teachers Training College.   He is from Twimyua location,  Kyuso Ward, Mwingi North sub county,  Kitui county. 

"I hereby cry with a loud voice that anyone with a kind heart may help me clear my fees balance of KSh. 122500. My colleagues have started teaching practice today on 5th January 2026 and I am yet to be posted due to my huge fees balance", he wrote on a WhatsApp post appealing for help from well-wishers including the government. 

The devolved unit targets strengthening food security by protecting livestock which are a major source of livelihoods. Speaking during the launch, Kitui CECM for Agriculture and Livestock Dr Stephen Mbaya said that FMD was among the most economically damaging livestock diseases leading to reduced productivity,  loss of income and frequent market closures. 

Dr Mbaya said Kenya experiences 52.5% prevalence of FMD. Kitui County,  he added, records a prevalence of 28.8%. Therefore,  there is need for sustained preventive measures.

FMD affects pastoralist and mixed farming communities. As for Kitui County,  a countywide vaccination will roll out from February 2,  2026. It will cover all the 40 wards. 

The vaccination will be conducted by trained and licensed veterinary officers using approved vaccines from the Kenya Veterinary Vaccine Production Institute,  KEVEVAPI.

The Agriculture and Livestock CECM said the county had subsidised FMD Vaccine from KSh160 to KSh50. "To enhance affordability,  the county government has subsidised the cost from KSh160 to KSh50 per animal. The county government has set aside KSh26million for vaccination of cattle against FMD", said CECM Dr Mbaya.

The Governor Dr Julius Malombe-led  government is implementing the FMD vaccination through an e-voucher system to promote transparency and efficiency by ensuring subsidised exercised reach all intended beneficiaries. 

Other government officials present during the FMD vaccination launch were the Deputy County Commissioner  for Mwingi East John Kipsia, Chief officers Jonathan Kyambi (Livestock), Stephen Salee (Decentralised Units), Mwingi Central sub county administrator Justus Kivuvo, chiefs,  assistant chiefs,   ward administrators and village administrators.

The County agriculture department said farmers are expected to avail their livestock for vaccination at KSh50 for every head of cattle. This amount is expected to be affordable in order not to deter farmers from this important exercise. 

All Kitui County's 40 wards will be reached says a  report on the exercise seen by MWINGI TIMES. "The campaign targets cattle in all 40 wards and will be carried out by trained veterinary officers administering approved vaccines. This is in line with Governor Dr Malombe’s manifesto," it further said.

The county government's use of e-voucher is expected to improve transparency and efficiency in service delivery.

Agriculture CECM Dr Stephen Mbaya Kimwele called upon all farmers to present their cattle for vaccination.

Dr Kimwele added that his department also plans to continue vaccinating sheep and goats against other diseases.

The witness further told our reporter that the motorbike rider was overtaking a Probox when he collided with an oncoming lorry.

The accident took place at Kyanundu area which is located between Mutwangombe and Kivou trading centres, in Mwingi Central sub county. 

Efforts to obtain a police report on this grisly incident were not successful by press time.

Kiema, who served for two terms as MP for the constituency from the year  2002 to the year 2012 before Mbai succeeded him, accuses the incumbent of  alleged felonious public utterances portraying him as corrupt, a thief, fraudulent, of questionable integrity, unfit to hold public office and that he has committed a criminal offence.

In a letter dated January 19, 2026, the former ambassador’s lawyers, Tom O. K’opere and company Advocates, told the the UDA MP unless he complies with the demands within the stipulated time, suitable defamatory proceedings will be instituted against him without any further reference to him and at his own risk to the attendant costs.

 The MP did not respond to our inquiry on the allegations. 

The demand letter said on about January 5, 2026 while addressing a public gathering and or political rally at Nzombe Market, Kitui East Constituency Mbai falsely and maliciously spoke, published and or broadcast of the defamatory utterances.

The advocates letter in our possession read in part “ take notice that unless you comply with our demand within the next Fourteen (14) days from the date hereof, we have instructions to institute defamatory proceedings as suitable against you without any further reference to you and at your risk to the attendant costs.”

“On or about 5th January 2026 while addressing a public gathering and or political rally at Nzombe Market, Kitui East Constituency you falsely and maliciously spoke, published and or broadcast of and concerning our client the words following (English translation), that is to say:  Kiema Kilonzo and……travelled to China, and were ………to sell coal that was discovered in Block A and B, that is in Nzombe and Mutito.”

The lawyers told the MP he should pay an appropriate sum in damages, the quantum of which shall be agreed, to compensate their client for the serious injury to his reputation, associated distress and embarrassment.

“You publish a suitable withdrawal and apology in terms to be approved by the client to be published in a daily newspaper of national circulation and in social platforms especially within Kitui County, give a written undertaking that you will not repeat the said or similar words and allegations concerning our client,” the latter continued.

Kiema lately served as Ambassador to Uganda. Before then he served as Kenyan ambassador to Turkey.

A Kenya delegation that visited China in 2012 returned findings that Fenxi Mining Company that won the contract for extraction at Mui Coal Basin in Kitui East has the capacity and ability to mine.

In 2011, Kenya picked China’s Fenxi Mining Industry Company to develop coal mining in Mui.

According to documents, the Chinese company, which won the controversial Mui coal concession, was introduced to Kenya by Dr George Kariithi, a Kenyan businessman with international business and links in Africa and Asia through his company Great Lakes Corporations which he co-owns with a New Zealand national, Mr Ian See Won.

Other documents show that Fenxi has 66,000 employees, and is incorporated in Shanxi Province, China where it excavates more than 30 million metric tonnes of coal per year in a coalfield with estimated 5.8 billion metric tonnes of the mineral.

It has also been established that the firm had a solid mining history spanning 50 years and has a registered capital of 31.6 billion Yuan (Sh379 billion). The company was founded in 1956.

However, Kiema teamed with other leaders to object to these findings challenging the Fenxi’s capacity to mine coal in Mui.

Kiema and the leaders had earlier in the same year travelled to China to disapprove that Fenxi lacked mines in China, leading to court challenges and questions about the vetting process, all part of broader scrutiny on China-Kenya ties.

The political bickering and protracted lawsuits smelt a rat in the extraction of estimated 400-million tonnes of commercially viable coal reserves in Block C in Mui coal basin, Kitui County.

The discovery of the Sh3.4 trillion ($40 billion) viable coal reserves at the basin was seen as a major breakthrough towards realisation of the dream of making Kenya an industrial hub.

Mwingi North MP Paul Nzengu during a public participation exercise in Ciampiu market,  Tharaka Ward where he unveiled NGCDF bursary distribution in the Ward. |MWINGI TIMES

Two  of the assisted learners will join senior school at  Tharaka Girls secondary school while one will proceed  to Gankanga secondary school. The legislator further committed to sponsor the trio throughout the rest of their academic journey.

Across the entire Mwingi North constituency, KES 65 million will be distributed by Nzengu to support students achieve their academic dreams with less strains on their parents' pockets. 

Mwingi North NGCDF has  partnered with KCB bank in a programme called 2jiajiri which Eng. Nzengu said so far has supported 120 beneficiaries. "That is a shilling for a shilling partnership  between CDF and KCB where all the beneficiaries are getting sponsored 100% in vocational training.They don't pay anything and they are trained on hands on skills including beauty, wiring and stuff like that," said the MP.

Tseikuru Deputy County Commissioner Anetta Mwangi (centre), OCPD Joachim Meja (in striped shirt), police officers and area assistant chiefs show part of illicit brews recovered on January 19,2026 during a raid in Mukamene village, Nziitu sublocation, Tseikuru location,  Kitui county.  The area was thrust to the national limelight when MWINGI TIMES reported tens of locals taking Illicit brews at Mukuna Ikuu river banks just nearby. |MWINGI TIMES

In an coordinated manner,  the officers surrounded the household of Musyoki Mbaluka which had stored brews. Tseikuru OCPD Joachim Meja told MWINGI TIMES that the officers destroyed plastic tanks used to store the liquor in order to curb the brewing taking place in the area.

Leading the administrators was Tseikuru Deputy County Commissioner Anetta Mwangi. The notoriety of Mukamene village appear to underscore a deeper rot. During the raids, a few school going children sat idling in the village while their peers were in school. 

To underscore the shock that befell the village a kilometer from Tseikuru town,  drinking dens which are usually noisy and full of fermented frothy drinks were abandoned with owners and patrons taking to the bushes and river banks to take cover as well as preserve their illicit drinks.  Among those who fled was a pregnant woman.

They left nothing to chance including allegedly hiding liquors in brick stores, or tightly locking their houses not to be seen again. During the operation, police recovered at least two empty 20 litre jericans, and three mugs used by patrons to partake of illicit brews. 

When MWINGI TIMES arrived at Mukamene village a few minutes past 1pm, the team was upbeat to make arrests. Two hours later, the terrain had proven a big advantage to locals who went into hiding and those who remained behind didn't cooperate in giving crucial leads in nabbing suspects or uncovering more brew dens.

By the time we went to press, police were waiting for their Landcruiser to come and collect exhibits as investigations went on. The area has accessibility challenges. 

Mukasya which is prepared with yeast and other ingredients has adverse effects to users who report liver damage.

A section of over hundred locals taking mukasa illicit brews at  Mukuna Ikuu river, Nziitu sublocation, Tseikuru location, Kitui county on Sunday January  18, 2026.|MWINGI TIMES

From left; Dr Anifa Atuhaire  Kyambogo University, Uganda, Prof Mosol Kandagor, Moi University, Kenya,  Prof Idris A. Rai, Ag Executive Secretary, IUCEA, Dr Zainabu Idd, State University of Zanzibar, Dr Sarah Ndanu Ngesu, South Eastern Kenya University, Prof, Alexis Ndabarushimana, In-Charge of the Project, Dr Robert Ayine who facilitated the sessions and coordinated discussions in line with the East African Community’s higher education agenda and other IUCEA staff pose for a group photo in Entebbe,  Uganda during a regional workshop for developing academic benchmarks for the Bachelor of Arts in Kiswahili programme.  The workshop was held from June 16th to June 18th 2025.

The workshop convened Kiswahili experts from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to create a unified academic framework that will guide curriculum design, teaching practices, student assessment, and quality assurance in Kiswahili programmes at the university level.

Kenya was represented by Dr. Sarah Ndanu Mwangangi Ngesu of South Eastern Kenya University and Prof. Mosol Kandagor of Moi University, both respected leaders in Kiswahili education and curriculum development.

Other representatives included:

*Burundi: Dr. Irankeje Fiacre and Mr. Mahariyo Innocent

*Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Prof. Kaby Muhubao and Mr. Kitandala Lulonga Zola

*Rwanda: Dr. Wallace Kapele Mlaga and Mr. Sylvain Ntawiyanga

*Somalia: Dr. Abdullah Ibrahim Mohamed

*Uganda: Dr. Atuhaire Anifa, Dr. Richard Ouma, and Dr. Boaz Mutungi

*Tanzania: Dr. Zainabu Idd and Dr. Rajabu Chipila

The workshop was led by senior officers from IUCEA, including Prof. Alexis Ndabarushimana, Prof. Michael Mawa, and Dr. Robert Ayine, who facilitated the sessions and coordinated discussions in line with the East African Community’s higher education agenda.

The core aim of the workshop was to develop harmonized academic benchmarks for the Bachelor of Arts in Kiswahili programme, providing a shared standard for course content, learning outcomes, and pedagogical approaches. This harmonization will help ensure academic quality across institutions while reinforcing Kiswahili’s role as a scholarly and cultural pillar of East Africa.

In her remarks, Dr. Sarah Ngesu highlighted the long-term value of the exercise: “This process will ensure that the teaching of Kiswahili at the university level reflects shared academic standards across East Africa. It is about more than just harmonization; it is about safeguarding the future of Kiswahili as a language of knowledge, identity, and unity.”

One of the most promising outcomes of the benchmarking initiative is the potential to enhance student mobility across the region. A harmonized curriculum will make it easier for students to transfer credits, enrol in institutions outside their home countries, and have their qualifications recognized across East Africa. This will foster academic exchange, cultural interaction, and deeper regional integration.

The initiative supports broader continental goals, aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the East African Community’s education harmonization strategy. By positioning Kiswahili as a language of instruction, diplomacy, and innovation, the benchmarks will contribute to the development of a robust, inclusive, and future-ready African education system.

As the workshop concluded on 18th June 2025, participants expressed confidence that the outcomes would serve as a cornerstone for the future of Kiswahili in higher education and as a catalyst for deeper academic collaboration across borders.

An elephant. Photo used for illustration only. Three stray elephants were spotted in Kiwanza area,  Ukasi village,  Mwingi East sub county, Kitui county.

According  to a resident who spoke to MWINGI TIMES, the animals are said to have been roaming  in the area for weeks now and reportedly invaded and destroyed a lorry that was in motion last night, though no injuries were recorded.

The jumbos are suspected to have strayed from the  Kora National Park and even though Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers have been seen visiting the area in the recent  days, they  have not managed to chase the animals away, posing a huge danger to the locals.

A Panga allegedly used to behead a 50-year-old woman in Kitui East. MWINGI TIMES

The woman was found dead in her home after a 30-year-old man allegedly severed her head using a panga during a minor argument. The suspect is said to have fled the scene immediately after committing the crime.

Confirming the incident, Kikuu Sub-Location Assistant Chief, Mr Justus Mutie Kisinga, said he was alerted by a member of the Nyumba Kumi initiative.“I received information from a Nyumba Kumi elder who informed me that a 50-year-old woman had been beheaded by a 30-year-old man known as Katuva Musingila, who then went into hiding,” said Mr Kisinga.

The assistant chief, accompanied by local residents, visited the scene and later contacted the police. Officers launched investigations and successfully traced and arrested the suspect from his hideout. He was taken to the nearest police station, where he is being held as investigations continue ahead of court proceedings.

Mr Kisinga condemned the brutal act and urged residents to seek peaceful ways of resolving conflicts.“I urge all residents, whenever disagreements arise, to involve a third party to help resolve disputes peacefully instead of resorting to violence,” he said.

Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.

Eric Munene of Ciambugu, Mbeere North, clings to a tree in a 90-hour protest. MWINGI TIMES |Brian Musyoka

Munene began the risky mission on Thursday last week at exactly 5pm, hugging a towering tree at the heart of Ciambugu market and vowing not to suspend the mission until the government listens to the cries of his community.

His demands were a proper health facilities, tarmac roads, and reliable water supply  services he says have been denied to the people of Ciambugu for far too long.

As hours turned into days, what started as a lone act of bravery quickly transformed into a powerful symbol of resistance and hope, drawing crowds from across Mbeere North and beyond.

Many had initially doubted whether Munene could survive even a single night on the tree, but he defied all expectations, enduring harsh sun, cold nights, hunger and physical exhaustion.

Traders abandoned their stalls and business in Ciambugu market nearly came to a halt as residents gathered below the tree to cheer him on, pray for him, and stand in solidarity.

Mothers brought their children, elders offered blessings, and youths kept vigil, turning the market into a living protest site driven by unity and shared frustration.

On Monday, 12th January 2025, Munene finally hit the 90-hour mark, triggering emotional scenes as the crowd erupted in applause, ululation and tears, celebrating a man who had pushed his body to the limit for the sake of his people.

Bancy Karimi, the wife of Eric Munene, described her husband as a determined go-getter who never gives up once he sets his mind on something. She revealed that before he began the daring 90-hour tree protest, she asked him whether he was sure he could complete it. “I asked him if he would really manage all those hours up there, and he confidently told me, "I will do it,"Bancy said.

Munene’s mother, Consolata Macharia, emotionally linked her son’s protest to a painful family experience. She recalled how Munene’s wife had to travel many kilometres to Embu Level Five Hospital to give birth because Ciambugu and the larger Nthawa area have no health facility. “My daughter-in-law delivered her baby at Embu Level Five Hospital because there is no hospital here in Ciambugu,” Consolata said adding that is why her son decided to take the bold step.

Consolata added that the long distance and poor roads make it difficult for expectant mothers and the sick to access timely medical care. “When someone falls ill here, they have to be rushed far away, and sometimes it becomes a matter of life and death,” she said, noting that Munene’s action was meant to highlight the daily struggles of ordinary families in the area.

Residents of Ciambugu and the wider Nthawa region have since praised Munene for standing up for the community. Many locals said his sacrifice had given voice to their long-standing grievances. “ Munene has spoken for all of us,"said Nebert Mugo.

Munene hopes his extreme action will now force the authorities to confront the reality facing Ciambugu residents. "We are not asking for luxury. We are asking for a health centre so that our people don’t die on the way to hospital, for roads so our produce can reach markets, and for water so our families can live with dignity,” he said.

His protest has since ignited fresh debate on how far citizens should go to be heard, and whether such dramatic acts are the only way marginalized communities can attract government attention.

Munene’s act joins a growing list of extraordinary public protests in Kenya, where citizens have in the past chained themselves to buildings, gone on hunger strikes, or camped outside government offices to demand justice and development.

As the dust settles in Ciambugu, the big question remains whether Munene’s 90-hour sacrifice will translate into real change or become yet another powerful cry in the long struggle for dignity and development.

Detaining the body of a deceased person has no legal foundation.|FILE

In Mutua  v Mater Misericordiae Hospital [2025] eKLR, the High Court emphatically held that there exists no law in Kenya permitting hospitals to detain patients or their remains to secure payment of hospital bills. The Court observed that since there is no property in a dead body, there can be no corresponding right of lien over it. The practice, though widespread, was described as “oppressive, unconscionable, and repugnant to justice and morality". 

Justice Sifuna further noted that upon death, the handling and disposal of human remains is governed by the Public Health Act (Cap 242) and applicable health protocols, which prioritize dignified disposal not commercial bargaining. The Court also confronted the human cost of this practice. It recognized that detaining bodies for debt recovery traumatizes bereaved families, disrespects the deceased, and is frequently used to embarrass, coerce, and emotionally blackmail families at their most vulnerable moment. 

In condemning this conduct, the Court reaffirmed that hospital and mortuary charges are ordinary civil debts, recoverable through lawful mechanisms such as demand and litigation, not through the detention of bodies. On this basis, the Court issued a mandatory injunction, ordering the immediate release of the deceased’s body upon payment of mortuary charges only, with the balance of the hospital bill to be pursued through civil recovery.

This decision is consistent with Kenya’s broader constitutional jurisprudence on human dignity under Article 28 and the right to health under Article 43. Human dignity does not end at death, nor can it be suspended by a billing dispute. 

Healthcare institutions exist to serve life and preserve dignity not to weaponize grief as a debt-collection tool.

The continued detention of bodies by hospitals is therefore not just unlawful; it is a moral failure and an institutional abuse of power. 

The Judiciary has done its part by declaring the practice illegal. What remains is decisive action by regulators, hospital boards, and policymakers to ensure compliance and accountability. Kenya must put an end to this practice and reaffirm a simple but profound principle: the dead are not collateral, and grief is not a bargaining chip.

Lorries being offloaded illegally harvested sand at Kamuwongo river in Mwingi North sub county, Kitui county on October 13, 2024. Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua has vowed to fight illegal sand harvesting in the county. |MWINGI TIMES

According to a press release from the senator's communications team,  the sand harvesting cartels have resorted to issuing threats to Senator Wambua."Self proclaimed sand harvesting cartels are already feeling the heat and have devised several fight back methods including sending barbaric text messages to woe him to stop his End to Sand Harvesting Push", the statement reads in part.

Senator Wambua said he will remain unmoved in fighting for the rights of current and future generations whose inheritance is being threatened by illegal sand harvesting cartels. He was speaking in separate burial ceremonies in Kitui West and Kitui Rural constituencies over the weekend.