63 schools get food aid

By Dennis Mwikya

63 primary schools in Machakos Town Constituency have this week benefited from relief food from the national government.

Mr Mule when he delivered food

Miwongoni primary school 

The Cosmopolitan Constituency had recieved 400 bags of Rice and 160 bags of Beans.

The food was delivered through the area  Member of Parliament Mr Caleb Mule. Speaking during the distribution exercise at Keaa Primary school in Mutituni/Ngelani ward, Mr  Mule said the move was aimed at reducing the high rate of student inconsistency in attending classes due to poverty levels.

"Learners have been suffering at home,some come to school even without meals,last time we distributed the food we received to vulnerable people,this time round we decided to feed our primary school learners across the Constituency " , he said.

Mule said an analysis conducted showed that providing the learners with free lunch, would lead to sustainable learning and improved performance.

"We will support them, to ensure they have lunch and when they return home in the evening, they may be able to help their parents, we want to ease the burden for parents, so that they send those students to school,” added Caleb

Parents commended the initiative which they said will sustain learners in school since meals are provided.

Questions over Ndeti's ECD Milk

 

What was launched last week as a great milestone for Machakos County may well become the newest White Elephant in the Wavinya Ndeti government.

Gov. Wavinya during the launch 

Dubbed a unique program- ‘Maziwa ya Mama’, Feeding the Future, the surely one-of-a-kind project aims to feed, energize and enhance the health of children as they pursue education in all 63 ECDE Centres in Machakos County.

As she launched the project at Mavoko, Wavinya likened it to the Maziwa ya Nyayo, a Moi era milk plan that not only served to retain children in school, but also prevented malnutrition among children especially those from Arid and semi-arid regions.

Governor Wavinya claimed the programme would boost the earnings of dairy farmers who, she further alleged, will supply the milk and live up to her campaign mantra of 'Chakula Mezani, Pesa Mfukoni'. No single farmer has been contracted to provide even a liter of milk.

As we went to press, teachers were in Mumbuni Location were being urged to collect milk supply from Manza Primary School, meaning that transport to the schools will not be forthcoming.

She further said the project would provide business opportunities to investors in the transport sector as they will get a chance to deliver milk across the County.

However, questions are lingering over the total budget for the ECD milk project, the source of both the money and the milk. Even as she launched the project to cheering officials and children at Kyemutheke Polytechnic, details as to the scope, funding, sustainability, procurement, packaging and farmer’s involvement were scanty.

Not even an invitation to Wavinya’s Chief of Staff Lawrence Ngovi to shed light on the matter has helped lift the lid on the project. This was the request for information “ Hello, COS. Please let me know the total budget for the ECD milk programme, the number of ECDs, and the source of the milk. Please also indicate who is packaging the milk, the cost, and the duration of the programme.

You may add any other relevant information that the county government of Machakos would want to share about the project. The Anchor will update when a response is provided.

Observers fear that the ECD Milk project may go the same way as the ECD Feeding Programme that Wavinya launched last year. It ended before most schools could get one day’s supply of food.

 

The Governor, a beneficiary of the Moi plan said the generation that benefitted from the Maziwa Ya Nyayo scheme today forms a bigger part of the present-day leaders and taxpayers in Kenya. “It is now time to join hands and give back to the society. What a better way to do that than to give our children the milk…”

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Wavinya said the programme is expected to increase enrollment, boost nutrition among our children as well as improve their health and general wellbeing.

 

The governor said the milk will be delivered weekly to all schools at no cost to the parents and urged the teachers and other caregivers to keep off the milk and ensure proper storage to avoid contamination.

 

 

Buglers raid county hospital again!

By Anchor Reporter

Burglars have once again returned to Machakos Hospital less than a month after stealing 14 computers at the County Lands and Energy headquarters

The incident at the hospital underlines  suspicions that the buglers are county government insiders.

Suspected burgler's Image captured on CCTV 

Dr Daniel Yumbya

 Police say the thieves only broke a padlock latch and then opened the door using a key.

It is the same style used as they accessed the Lands offices at an unknown day and time between December 22 and 26, 2023.

The offices was found open on December 27 when the theft was discovered. No door was broken to gain access to the offices located between the Machakos County Commissioner's office, Machakos Deputy County Commissioner's office, and  the Machakos National Intelligence Service offices 

 No recovery or arrests have been made in the hospital incident, and police suspect that the thieves were targeting important procurement data stored in the computers. 

The incident occurred on Thursday, January 18, in darkness. 

As is usual with buglaries in county offices, the thieves use duplicate or master keys to enter their targetted areas. This time round,they opened hospital’s chest clinic and a room known as Room 4 that is used by the clinic's nurses.

Police say the thieves carted away the  three desktop computers from the chest clinic and also took a desktop computer from Room 4.

Investigators are piecing together their findings to compare them with other findings from buglaries in other county offices.

" They want to understand if it is one gang of buglers or if they are separate gangs competing to steal desktops from county offices.

However police seem convinced that the buglars are targeting data stored in the machines that have the potential to incriminate some officials.

Curiously, no arrests have been made , nor has there been

recovery of the vital public assets.

Machakos County offices are rarely guarded as happens with offices of the central government where armed APs are routinely deployed when offices close.

The county administration occasionally post County Askaris, whose training revolves around enforcement of by- laws rather than crime detection and deterrence.

It is the second burglary to be reported at the hospital as many months after thieves broke into the office of the Health Minister Daniel Yumbya.

Wavinya Vs Ngunga tussle plays out in court

Mua Ward MCA Francis Mwaniki Ngunga is arraigned in a machakos court  for  failing to pay his business  licenses.

It is the aftermath of a week-long altercation with Machakos Wiper Governor Wavinya Ndeti,whose allergy for criticism is worryingly growing. 

Ngunga's businesses were raided by a battalion of county officials from all departments and escorted by a detachment of the County Inspectorate Askaris days after demanding accountability in the use of Kes 300m in the rehabilitation/ construction of 80 dams. Ngunga is questioning why contracts for the dams were awarded to Somalis.

Ngunga has also alleged that the local public mortuary had been closed down due to poor management of county affairs. 

Wavinya shot back claiming the civic leader, who is a contractor, was attempting to intimidate her into offering him some contracts to buy his silence.

These claims have been raised by othe local leaders as well as civil society and local activists and the government has not offered a solid response. 

The raid on the businesses only targeted Ngunga's two hotels and a private school, underlining that the alleged inspection was selective and targeted.

Ngunga appeared before  Machakos Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi and  pleaded not guilty to all the three counts.

In the first  count the law maker was charged with conducting  school business with no permit.,a count that he pleaded not guilty and was released on 10,000 cash bail.

On the second and third counts, Ngunga was charged with operating two  bars without permits.

He was admitted to Kes 10,000 cash bail on the first count and Kes 15,000 cash bail on  the second and third counts.

Three of his employess were also arraigned in the same court failing to obtain food handling certificates and were released on a Kes 10,000 cash bail each.

Stay Anchored!

Do MCAs trade without paying fees and licences?

Events unfolding in the past week in the County Government of Machakos are sending worrying signals to residents.

What begun as a question on use of millions of money in the rehabilitation of dams and the selection of contractors has mutated into despicable sideshows.

Rather than respond to querries on how much was used on the dams, the contractors deployed and the process used, governor Wavinya Ndeti responded angrily be stating that she will not be intimidated by anyone and added that her critics were cry babies who missed out on the contracts.

While it is true that Francis Ngunga, the MCA for Mua Ward is a contractor who previously executed contracts under Governor Alfred Mutua's administration, it has not been confirmed that he bid and missed tenders under Wavinya.

Be that as it may, there is a growing din of relentless questioning on the rehabilitation of approximately 80 dams that are alleged to have been done by contractors of Somali extraction, carrying out questionable works and being paid promptly and handsomely. It is alleged that the tenders are dispensed with between Finance Minister Muia Kuyu, Director of Procurement Mr Kekee Mathuki and a behind- the- shadows young man who works without an official title but has warm space in the inner sanctum of the Office of the Governor.

The Anchor has put the question to the Governor's Chief of Staff and no answers have been provided. Sample the question: " To debunk lies, propaganda or misinformation, can the Machakos County Government publish a list of all dams done under Gvn Ndeti, complete with name, address of contractors, amount used and current status?"

Wavinya herself has been reported as questioning why dams are being rehabilitated or constructed to the tune of Kes 40m.

Besides, the national procurement authority has entered the fray to probe the procurement of the 80 dams that cost over Kes 300 million- and therefore it is not a matter.

 Wavinya will brush aside easily.

While Ngunga's may have been a legitimate concern, it could also be that he was speaking over sore grapes🍇.

But what is callous to the extreme is the deployment of a battery of officials from the Works, revenue, public health, Liqour,water, trade and physical planning- escorted by a formation of County Enforcement Askaris to frisk Ngunga's businesses to establish whether he pays County dues.

The raid came at a time no single business in the County has a 2024 authorization to trade by way of required licensing. Indeed all traders are currently preparing to pay up. Those selling liquor like Ngunga have upto January 22 to have inspections done ahead of licensing. 

It is instructive that the raid or inspection was as selective as it was targeted to only one person; Francis Ngunga. No other business premises was 'inspected' that day. At the school, the Askaris reportedly whisked away a teacher, setting an unprecedented intervention in the education sector.

The Anchor was unable to establish if the two premises had licences for 2023. Some county sources say Ngunga had licences for 2023 while others say he did not show them any. The two positions cannot be true at the same time.  This shows that the county staff is so immersed in politics that the truth may remain obfuscated.

Nevertheless, Ngunga was hauled to the County Court to answer charges of trading without a licence. 

It is the newest turmoil after a chaotic  shake-up of the Revenue department that has seen revenue uncollected as staff struggle to report to new stations.

The raid on Ngunga has not settled quite well with some elected leaders in the County who see themselves as the next targets should they raise fingers against Wavinya.

It could also be a pointer to the question whether MCAs pay licences and fees that they pass in the County Assembly to be paid by their voters. 

What is alarming is the decision to deploy the county Askaris to raid a critic's business. Is the unit serving in the county's best intrest or has become a personal militia? Who deployed the team?

 All blame appears to be directed to the Machakos County Chief of Staff Lawrence Ngovi.

Ngunga accused the COS of witch hunt, an allegation that Ngovi instantly the rubbished, terming Ngunga's utterances as mere noise,maintaing that he has nothing to do with the on going public health and revenue department crackdown.

Even then,Ngovi went ahead to rub in that all the stipulated guidelines for business primises should be met and people should stop politicising issues especially when they are on the wrong side of the law.

He maintained that no one is above the law and those raids are regular exercises that are done to make sure that all business entities in the County have adhered to the set guidelines and standards.

Stand-off as quarry revenue officers defy transfer order

By Queen Mwandiki

Transferred revenue officers are still holed up in their stations, a week after being transferred to new stations.

Union Chairperson Ruth John(C)

Mr Senga

Yesterday, officials of the Machakos County Workers union demanded action by the county finance minister Onesmus Kuyu to implement  the just concluded reshuffles.

Most of those who haven't moved are serving in quarries that fetch upto Kes 1m each daily. The quarries are located in Mavoko Sub County that generates a huge chunk of county revenue.

The County Chief Officer for Revenue Mr Mike Jace Senga ordered the transfer of over 500 revenue staff in letters that were signed for him by the Director of Revenue Collection David Kakonzi.

The transfers were so confusing that both officers found themselves deployed to junior roles after the letters were drafted under direction of Mr Kuyu and placed before Mr Senga for signing.

When Senga explained that the role of shuffling the officers is not his, the letters were shoved to Mr Kakonzi who signed for Mr Senga. In the end, the two officers discovered each of them had a letter posting them as revenue officers in Mwala Sub County.

However the two ignored the drama and remained in office to sort out the crisis created by the shuffles that required those affected to report to new stations before January 5, 2024. Those transferred include sickly workers, elderly staff with days left to retirement while others are bed ridden due to disease. The movements affected 435 new revenue staff whose employment process is incomplete- including some between 60-70 years old.

Mr Kuyu was still smarting up from the fiasco this week and told reporters on Tuesday that the two officials (Senga and Kakonzi) would not be moving after all. 

Union chairperson Ms Ruth John said today that it's not logical for  some workers affected by the reshuffles to refuse to move, yet their replacements had reported. She said those reneging to move are those working in the lucrative quarries, pointing out that this could be because the exercise is upstaging undertakings by Cartels.

She urged the County Leadership to act swiftly in making sure that all transfers have been effected.

KCSE 2023 results: Makueni schools dwarf Machakos

By Daniel Kituku  

Makueni and Kitui counties registered major improvement in the 2023 KCSE, pushing back giant Machakos.

Mbooni Girls Pricipal Agnes Ithiga 

Makueni schools secured 12 slots in among top 30 schools in Lower Eastern region and hit the highest means score, followed by Kitui schools.

One spectacular performance was posted by AIC Sombe girls that will send all the 2023 candidates to the universities after attaining a 100 percent transition, though no student got the coveted A or A- grade.

Regional giant, Machakos School sunk further in ranking as shown in the listing in this article. 

Mbooni Girls High school led the giants by registering a meanscore of 9.53 an improvement of 0.611  followed by Makueni Boys High School with 8.37 an improvement of 0.547.

Precious blood kilingu was third position with.7.9 followed by St Peter's Claver  Kithuki at 7.846.

Other schools that registered good results are , Kyang'ondu Mixed Day  Secondary school 7.8, Kitondo boys High School  7.7, Makueni Girls 7.5, Mbooni Boys  High  School 7.5 , Kaumoni boys High School 7.4, St Alphonza Kisau  Girls high school  7.4 , St Martin Kathonzweni  boys High school 7.4 .

Mbooni Girls scored 14 A constant, 68 A- , 78 B+,  54 B, 41 B-, 17C+ , 9 C and C- 1.

Mbooni Girls Pricipal Agnes Ithiga said dedication,  hard work  and discipline is  the key to success .

She thanked teachers,  pupils and the entire school staff for the commitment and cooperation in the school creating a good environment for learning. 

Makueni  boys scored 14 A constant,   67 A- , B+ 79, B 64, B- 67 and  C+ 53.

Makueni Boys Pricipal Francis Mutua said  unity , cooperation,   hard work and students discipline led to the good performance.

Ends

County halts illegal works. on multi million property

The  government of Machakos County  has halted the restructuring of a multi million property in the heart of the town that belongs to the Islamic Foundation. 

The county's Deparment of planning, using the approval of an official named Mr Thomas Muthenya, who signed as Assistant Director of Physical Planning. The foundation paid Kes 4,000 after claiming it was renovating the building.

But upon inspection, it was discovered that the plan was to reconstruct the existing structure to create scores of shops and stalls that open up to all the streets and allays surrounding the building. Approximately 22 shops are expected to open to businesses.

Yesterday, The Anchor established that the Chief Officer for Enforcement Col Mbithi Wathi had to put his foot on the ground to stop corruption cartels in the town from defrauding the county authority in fees that developers ought to pay.

Our investigations show that the developer paid a paltry Kes 1,500 to cover application and Kes 2,500 for approval fees for renovations and fixing of 1 door.

But by the time an inspection was ordered, five doors and an entire wall had been partitioned, creating of shops facing Kiamba Mall with the open drainage separating the building from the road being partially covered.

No plan was submitted for approval that would indicate structural or engineering works to be done an neither had public health nor fire/ emergency departments made submissions on the building.

Yesterday, the town's enforcement officers painted yellow crosses on the walls as all works were halted on the structure that previously hostrd

Who has power to remove Chief Officers?

Chief Officer for Revenue Collection Mike Jace Senga remained in office defiantly as he launched damage control measures after unprecedented mass transfer of over 500 revenue officers across the county.

Mr Senga

The transfers were hatched by Finance Minister Muia Kuyu in an effort that has disrupted revenue collection since last Wednesday and is likely to linger into next week as officials settle in their new stations.

The aftermath of the movements show an illegal, misadvised bid to kick Mr. Senga out of office, yet it is only Governor Wavinya Ndeti who has powers to remove or transfer him. The County Assembly is the only other authority with powers to remove a Chief Officer by way of impeachment. 

Senga was vetted with other 27 Chief Officers by the County Assembly, where his father sits as an MCA.

The law prescribes a process that can remove him from office for whatever reason and the Finance Executive Committee Member does not feature at all in the process, unless in a bid to usurpe the authority of the appointing authority.

Observers are, therefore, asking: What is going on in the County Government of Machakos? What is the struggle about? What and where is the trophy? Is there a power struggle among the men and women surrounding Governor Wavinya? Is she firmly in charge?

Yesterday The Anchor reached out to a confidant of Mr Senga, who quoted him as saying he was in the office to stay. He brushed off reports  that  he has been demoted and moved, insisting that he was there to stay and dismissed the same as rumour mongering with ill intent.

This comes even as he holds a letter that purported not just to transfer him but also demoted him to be a revenue collector at Itithini Market.

Worse still, the controversial letter had his name as the author but was signed for him by the officer with the authority to transfer revenue officers. 

Questions are now flying as to the motive of Mr Kuyu to initiate the process to remove an officer he has no power to deploy. Did the governor know, let alone authorise the removal? Who is this who thinks he/she wields powers only vested in the  Governor of Machakos County?

Even if that is the case, why was his replacement not named, given the sensitivity of the office and that of the Director of Revenue Collection, David Kakonzi, who was also given marching orders to Muthetheni

The Anchor monitored goings-on and now reports authoritatively that the two officials have remained collected and composed in their respective offices to resolve the crisis created by the transfers that have a hallmark of grand sabotage of Wavinya's revenue collection strategy to fund her Chakula Mezani, Pesa Mfukoni mantra.

Among the issues being raised are about officials who are simply unable to move now or in the future due to being hospitalised, family concerns, impending retirements,and sickness.

Others do not simply have the means to report to new stations because they have not been paid.

Questions are being raised as to why the transfers were not carried out in phases to minimise harm and disruption of collection of revenue.

 In many of the actions, it shows the department does not know its staff component  well to descern the usefulness of transferring an official now on terminal or prolonged sick leave to far flung areas of the county.

The 28 km nightmare of a road

By Johnbosco Muia

More than ten years down the line, the completion of the tarmarcking of the 28 kilometer Tala-Ol donyo Sabuk  road in Mautngulu, Machakos county has remained a mirage 

Road users have been delt a big blow especially during the rains  when part of the road becomes impassable.

Several contractors who have been awarded  the contract end up withdrawing without completing the project. It was supposed to last for less than three years when it began.

The Kenya Rural Roads Authority, which is handling  the project, could not explain why the contractors had withdrawn without completing the work.

So far, about three quarters of the road has been done, with the remaining section being the worst for navigation, forcing drivers  to divert to private land to proceed with their journey. 

However, the completed sections of the road that have been poorly done are currently impassable due to potholes.

The remaining untarmacked eight kilometres strench to  Oldonyo Sabuk  market has been impassable, especially during rain seasons due to the deep trenches on section of  the road. 

On several occasions, national leaders who happened to tour the area for their political mileage have given  hot air promises   on the completion of the road.

Local residents have blamed local leaders and, in particular, area MP  Stephen Mule for failing to put the right focus on the project by going it easy. This vital link of Ukambani to Central Kenya has a potential to change lives in the region, yet leaders continue to keep a low profile on matters related to the delay in the completion of the project.

"We know very well this project is under the docket of the national government, but surprisingly nothing is being done" said Mutisya Lole, a regular user of the road.

On frequent occasions, when asked about the project, the MP has always maintained to be on the top gear in pursuit of the road' completion.

Drivers using the road, including BodaBoda operators, have indicated to have incured huge losses in terms of tare and ware of their vehicles due to the extremely poor condition of the road in some sections.

"We wonder why it has taken so long to complete  only a twenty-eight-kilometer road while in other regions much longer projects were done without any delay" says a resident of the area, Wayua Mutule.

The projection of the so-called "highway" according to locals is to connect Thika town with the rest of Kangundo/Tala and Machakos towns to enhance both commercial and industrial links between them.

Literally, the  transportation sector in the route is expected to grow further with more public service vehicles increasing leading to lowering fares when the road is completed

The residents are demaning an explanation from the national government as to why they are subjected to this raw deal, yet they pay taxes as those from other areas.

If completed, the road will also connect Isiolo , Nyeri, Muranga and parts of Kiambu county with Machakos.

It is envisaged that businesses will grow  and a new gateway to those travelling to Mombasa created.

Some matatu operators in the root complained that  the  delay in the completion of the road had stopped their desire to purchase modern vehicles which currently cannot operate in such  poor  condition road.

It is not known whether the national government will locate more funds to complete the remaing section of the road after the last contractor withdrew from the site mid-last year.

Mass transfers expose fiasco in Ndeti's Govt.

Ever heard someone transfer and demote himself simultaneously?

Mr Kuyu( above) and Mr Senga (below)

This is what is unfolding in Governor Wavinya Ndeti's government after her finance minister, Muia Kuyu, ordered a mass transfer of all revenue officers in Machakos County.

The ill advised exercise has not only disrupted revenue collection but also become a fiasco, where the signatory of the letters, Mike Senga "demoted" himself in the very same letters signed for him, by Mr. David Kakonzi.

Both Kakonzi who is the Director of Revenue Collection and the Revenue Collection Chief Officer, Mike Senga, ought to report to the senior revenue officer in Mwala sub-county.

In the transfers, Senga and Kakonzi have been moved to Mwala Sub County to report at Itithini and Muthetheni Markets respectively. 

It has emerged that the transfers letters were organised secretly and drafted with names of the department's staff beginning with Mike Senga's name listed therein.

The drafters of the transfer letters assumed that Senga's powers included deployment of staff yet that was the duty of the Director of Revenue Collection, Kakonzi. 

When the bundle of letters was presented to Senga, he indicated his reservations in signing off, so the letters were shoved to Mr Kakonzi who quickly signed 'For' Mr Senga, whose other names are Mike Jace.

In the end, the pair found their letters within the bundle, triggering the County's most dramatic show of a backfiring administration.

The transfers affect over 500 Revenue Officers, including 435 new recruits who do not have personell numbers and have hardly mastered their new assignment.

Interestingly, a number of Wavinya Ndeti's new staff are aged between 60 and 70 years while others are youngsters who have no means to move from one Subcounty to another.

The transfers, targeted to improve revenue collection, have completely disrupted collections as those who have been affected by the impromptu transfers scramble for other means to accrue resources to report to their new stations before the reporting deadline set for January 5, 2024.

Various revenue offices in hospitals, markets, cess stations and parking lots were in paralysis since the transfers were unveiled earlier in the week.

The transfers are in response to the dismal ranking of the county in the list of revenue collectors countrywide, where Machakos reported only 2.5 percent of its target of Kes 4bn.

Sources tell The Anchor that the county may have raised more revenue than in other years but was rated poorly due to the unrealistic target that the finance minister, Muia Kuyu, unilaterally set for the Machakos County. 

Critics of the transfers are questioning why the changes did not affect officers working in quarries in Athi River which are failing to meet their collection targets by over Kes 1.5M daily.

"This is the elephant in the room and Mr Kuyu knows it. The county is losing over Kes 60m monthly. This money is going into people's pockets yet innocent revenue collectors are being targeted for transfers", said an official in Mavoko who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Mysterious buglaries rock Machakos County offices

 A mysterious streak of buglaries has hit the Machakos County Government with no one being held to account.

The latest theft was discovered last week precisely on December 27, 2023, after some yet unknown people carted away 11 Desk Top computers and an equal number of monitors.

The offices closed on December 22,2024. The thieves may have struck on December 23,24,25 or 26. It could have been in broad daylight or at night. There is no CCTV surveillance, exposing the offices great vulnerability. 

They gained access to the Ministry of Lands, Environment and Energy without breaking any door. Police say the intruders carefully opened the gate, the main door to the office block and rummaged the offices disconnecting the computers.

What is more curious is that the office is located in the county's most secure and heavily guarded location. The office is straddled across the Machakos County Commissioner's office and the Machakos Land Registry. Further down is the Machakos Deputy County Commissioner's office which stands face to face with the  Machakos County National Intelligence Service offices.

More intriguing is the fact that the office was not guarded that night- just like most County offices, so the thieves walked in, stole  the computers and most likely loaded them into a vehicle, locked the offices and left. 

They were not interested with printers. Neither  did they steal disused computers in all the offices, meaning that the thieves knew the offices well enough not to steal useless stuff.

Police have recorded statements from nearly all  30 office users. The offices house the Minister for Lands Mr Nganga wa Ngangani. Investigators are not ruling out an inside job and believe they will crack the riddle. 

It is suspected that the thieves targeted to remove critical documents in the computers to deny auditors information that could expose official malfeasance.

In the past, the thieves entered the office of Health Minister Daniel Yumbya by opening doors the same way and carted away computers. Only one door was broken. Police were left pursuing the puzzle of an unusual large footprint left on Yumbya's neat carpet that night.

Men make New Year vow

Men must sit down and Talk

Over 100 Members of Mukuyuni Development Forum, who are mainly men have declared that "Men Must Rise up and provide leadership" for any community to achieve meaningful social and economic development.

The forum,the first in 2024, observed that the male gender is often absent in social, economic and spiritual matters.

It was noted that men rarely meet in social groups, church, barazas or school meetings  like their female counterparts do.

The forum concluded that the absence of the male gender is of negative consequence to community development as well as mental health.  

The forum agreed to do away with Akamba culture that demands that the boy child be "hardened" and to deal with his challenges internally and privately without sharing with anyone. This was noted to be the main reason why suicide cases are rising among the male gender.

On their part, women are allowed to be soft and often meet in forums where they share their personal challenges and this particularly helps them to deal with their mental challenges.

Speakers highlighted the worrying trend where men are absent in school meetings where their input is required to formulate effective school policies and thus improve academic performance in schools.

The forum chair the Reverend Jackson Kainde who is also Africa Inland Church (AIC) Machakos Area Administrative Secretary, quoting Ephesians 4:13, encouraged forum members to be kind and compassionate with one another. Further, citing Acts 20:35, he emphasized the need for members to continue reaching out to the less fortunate as they did when they contributed Christmas Gifts to 20 vulnerable families.

The forum declared that Men must attend every forum."  To this end, members vowed to be attending public meetings.

The Forum carried out community need assessments and tasked its leadership to come up with short-term and long-term work plan to address the identified challenges.

The Forum is focused on community development through persuing three pillars- Capacity Building, Infrastructure, and Resource Mobilization.

Wavinya's big sweep of revenue officers

Swift transfers ordered
 for hundreds of staff

 Hundreds of revenue officers in the County Government of Machakos have been moved in mass transfers in what seems to be Governor Wavinya Ndeti's response to her administration's dismal performance in revenue collection. 

During the last three months, the Controller of Budget reported that the county government only collected 2.5 percent of the projected local revenue, indicting the entire revenue collection strategy of Governor Wavinya.

No reason was given for the dismal performance in revenue collection though it is suspected to be a collection of causes from inefficiency, outright theft, corruption and sabotage.

Yesterday, over 500 transfer orders were distributed to Revenue Officers, Clerks and Accountants. Those moved include newly recruited revenue clerks who are hardly three months on the job. Terse transfer letters filled with individual staff names, staff numbers and designation instructed each of them to report to Sub- County Senior Revenue Officers with immediate effect for processing. The latest reporting date is Friday, January 5, 2024.They should also file handing over notes before departing their current stations.

Each of the officials were given instructions on their precise stations , meaning that the Senior Revenue Officers they are reporting to will not have latitude to deploy them to work stations. 

The transfer letters, fashioned as circulars, are dated December 28,2023 and signed for Mr Mike Jace, the Chief Officer for Revenue Management. It is believed Mike is also widely known as Mr Mike Senga and served under Governor Alfred Mutua who most likely actual substantive designation is Director of Revenue Collection.

Some of the revenue workers do not have staff numbers as manifested in the transfer document, meaning that some issues about their employment are still outstanding. 

Informed sources said though the transfers appeared to target lower cadre officers on the fields, the sweep will be completed with the mass transfer of the officers in charge of each of the sub-counties.

Details of the transfers for the accountants remained scanty and The Anchor is unable to confirm the numbers involved and who was moved to where.

Shock waves hit the staff after it also became evident that  older officers were posted to the furthest sub counties and remote markets even when they have 1-3 years of service remaining.

Those transferred started reporting to their new stations yesterday, some without Staff IDs, the fabled Yellow Dustcoats emblazoned 'Revenue Officers' at the back or even the  electronic revenue collection gadgetry.

Efforts to obtain a comment from  Ndeti's Chief of Staff Mr Lawrence Ngovi did not succeed after phone calls on his line were unanswered.

Critics of the move say the Governor has victimized the wrong people. " She has moved those who collect revenue and left untouched those who raid the coffers. Let us wait and see if her theatric will solve the problem", said   a source privy to the matter.

The source said the problem is endemic in nature as it runs through the revenue organization of the county government where every department collects revenue, creating pilferage opportunities at every level. " Moreover, everyone from the Minister for Finance, Chief Officers, Directors and other senior cadre become revenue collectors at one point or another, creating an organizational overlap that results in lethargy and zero morale levels", the source said.

7,000 Mwala students get bursaries,MP hits at Wavinya

By Alexander Kieti

Mwala MP Eng. Vincent Musyoka Kawaya has led distributed bursaries for over 7000 university and college students in Mwala Constituency at Makutano DEB Primary School.

In this year's exercise 7123 students from across the 6 wards of Mwala Subcounty are set to benefit from bursaries worth Kes.48 million from the Constituency NG-CDF fund after applying through the constituency's online platform designed by the MP.

The legislator, speaking at the event, faulted the county government of Machakos under Governor Wavinya Ndeti for continuously giving little amount to few needy students as bursary even though the county receives a greater allocation of funds from the national government compared to Constituencies that receive lower amount yet MPs give more money and to more students.

Mbiuni-Kathama ward MCA Peter Kilonzo PK backed the MP stating that the county government has been giving 800,000 per ward which adds up to 2.4 million for Mwala Constituency alone. 

 Kilonzo added that it has been difficult for MCAs across Machakos County to reach the needs of wananchi in the grassroots with such little budget allocation from the county government crippling the efforts to support education.

Besides education, Eng. Kawaya also raised a concern for the increased suicide cases which are higher among the youth particularly the male gender with Mwala recording more than 20 suicide cases in the last quarter of 2023 a lone for different reasons with the cost of living and family feuds as the major causes.

He called upon the youth to take personal initiative and protect their dignities by avoiding stress factors including drugs and seeking assistance when pressed instead of taking their lives.

Further, on the cost of living Kawaya argued that the national government is working tirelessly to harmonize the biting economy to ease the spiking cost of living. He defended the government measures including taxation saying it seeks to reduce national borrowing with the external date hitting a record 11 trillion.

According to Kawaya the current measures will come with many benefits which will fruit with time as it is no haste in relaxing the current economy status asking Mwala residents and Kenyans to be patient with the government.

Ever eaten donkey meat?

By Daniel Kituku. 

Police in Makueni have arrested 10 suspects in connection of slaughter and sale of donkey meat  .

Confirming the incident Makueni Sub County police Commader Winfred  Siele said the suspects admitted trading in Donkey Meat at Shauri  Moyo Market Nairobi. 

 Siele told the press that the incident was reported by Ms Jane Ndawa ,  the Assistant Chief for Kambi Mawe that within the homestead of one Makau Kimolo alias Jones Katiku  within KwaKathoka village  slaughtering of suspected stolen donkeys  was going on and 2  vehicles  were waiting to collect the meat.

Officers stationed at  Kwa Kathoka Police Post  laid an ambush at a feeder road and intercepted two motor vehicles Reg.No. KDB 991U make Toyota Fielder and KCK 434 M make Toyota Wish and inside the vehicles was discovered  suspected donkey meat .

The suspects admitted that they had slaughtered 15 donkeys 

Police visited the scene where the suspects slaughtered the Donkeys  necessary police action  taken and  established that hooves and heads of the donkeys were buried at the said compound.

The suspects and the exhibits were later escorted to Makueni Police Station as investigations begun .

With the admission that the suspects have been slaughtering donkeys, it is difficult for anyone who buys meat between Makueni and Nairobi  to confidently state that they have not fed on donkey meat.

Or can they?

Machakos misses World Bank's Kes 2b

Machakos County has missed out on Kes 2b from the World Bank fund for improvement of its Municipalities. 

Governor Wavinya Ndeti 

Machakos County has  missed out funds for two years running- first being 2022, the last year under former Governor Alfred Mutua and second in 2023, being the first year under current Governor Wavinya Ndeti.

At the centre of the funding fiasco is Kes 89m that the Machakos Municipalities Board earmarked for a road in Machakos Municipality that the two leaders seem to have vested interest. 

The road runs from Kimutwa Workshop and rips behind Lauh Hotel,Women Finance Trust, KFA and links to the road facing Equity Bank.

Our sources say Mutua wanted the funds used for construction of an air strip at the still born New Machakos City but the Board chaired by Mr Malcom Kateta resisted and Mutua ran out of time. 

The board, sources say, is fighting for autonomy to be able to run its programmes without interference from central or the County government. 

Matters have not improved after the arrival of Governor Ndeti at the Machakos White House. Since May when bids were floated for construction of the road by use of cabro, the tender has not been awarded. 

Tired of this administrative dithering,  the World Bank has given an altimatum to recall the Kes 89m and pull out of funding the needy Municipalities of Machakos County. 

WB donates Kes 1b annually to Machakos County under the Kenya Urban Transport Improvement Programme(KUTIP) to be shared between Machakos,Mavoko and Tala / Kangundo urban areas.

The programme targets improvement of Urban roads to bitumen standards to make the Municipalities dust free and boost standards of living.

Sources tell The Anchor that the current stalemate is as a result of cartels that are opposed to the contractor who won the tender.

" Since May, the winner has not been announced and we suspect that a tooth an nail fight is being conducted so that those allied to the current administration are awarded the works", the source added.

This development exposes an administration that failed to deploy a single shilling to development in the last quarter as citizens wait in dire need.

Wavinya's Chief Officer quits

Governor Wavinya Ndeti's Sewerage,Sanitation and Waste Management Chief Officer Mr Paul Wambua has quit his job.

Wambua send a two paragraph letter headed " Notice of Resignation as the County Chief Officer"(sic) to Governor Ndeti to herald his departure. 

The letter, dated December 18

2023, stated he was leaving due to personal reasons- the euphemism used by officials overwhelmed by work conditions and circumstances.

The letter gave a 30- day notice as per Section 45(6) of the County Government Act. He concluded be assuring governor Wavinya of his support 'wherever I will be' and thanked her for the opportunity to serve for almost one year.

He leaves as the wavinya administration battles allegations of massive corruption over works on 80 dams that activists claim were underlined by nepotism, cronyism, corruption and unaccountable procurement processes.

Chief Officer ousted

Kitheka is Suspended

By Brian Malasi

Simeon Kioko Kitheka,the Trade Chief Officer in Governor Wavinya Ndeti has been suspended. 

A letter written to him by County Secretary and Head of Public Service Dr. Muia Ndambuki said Kitheka is suspended indefinitely.

He is not authorised to act for the County Government of Machakos, the letter added.

He is the second Chief Officer to leave office in as many months after the exit of his Investments counterpart Peter Mutwiwa who  used fake University of Nairobi papers to get his job.

Mr Kitheka, an ex- school principal and immediate former chairman of Universal Traders Sacco was also given  24 hours to cause the surrender of his official car keys. It was not clear how he ended up keeping the keys.

No reasons were given for the suspension. The letter of suspension appears to be a follow-up of a memo from Kitheka's boss, the County Minister for Trade Ms Mutua, dated May 19,2023.

Though the contents of the minister's memo remain unclear, a video has emerged from an incident in Kitale where protesters were condemning Kitheka for tempering with Chamber elections in Kitale.

More to follow .

Why Climate Justice is a moral imperative

 A CSO's review of Kenya’s 
amended Climate Change Act

By Mercy John

In May 2016, former President Uhuru Kenyatta introduced the Climate Change Act, the first of its kind in Africa. It was designed not only to establish mechanisms and strategies for achieving low-carbon climate development, but also to mainstream climate change as a central agenda in the development process. The legislation was enacted as a response to a need for a regulatory framework that could address climate change more effectively, especially in the face of challenges, such as a severe drought affecting approximately two million Kenyans at the time.