An aspiring Member of Parliament Saturday criticised President William Ruto, accusing him of engaging in political rhetoric rather than delivering tangible development during his recent visit to Kisii County. Ruto was in Kisii Wednesday as part of a regional tour where he addressed residents, launched youth empowerment initiatives and reiterated his administration’s commitment to the bottom-up economic agenda. During the visit, Ruto highlighted government programmes targeting youth and small businesses, infrastructure development and job creation, insisting that his leadership was focused on action rather than empty promises. However, Nyaribari Masaba MP aspirant Alphoncious Machogu Nyaseti dismissed the remarks terming them…
Author: Magati Obebo
A milk feeding programme rolled out by Kisii Governor Simba Arati for Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) learners has come under sharp criticism from top lawyer Enock Ongiti and Masimba MCA Bouse Mairura. They raised concerns over its legality, cost, and sustainability. Ongiti especially questioned whether the programme was properly budgeted for and anchored in county policy, warning that it could amount to political grandstanding financed by public funds. “On the surface, the programme sounds noble,” Ongiti said. “But when you interrogate it, serious irregularities emerge. Was it provided for in the county budget? Is there a policy paper supporting…
President William Ruto on Thursday strongly defended the Nyota Fund programme, dismissing claims that it is a scam or a political inducement and describing it as a structured intervention aimed at addressing youth unemployment. Speaking at Gusii Stadium during a Nyota Fund disbursement ceremony, Ruto said the programme was deliberately designed to empower young people through access to affordable financing, business skills training and opportunities to participate meaningfully in the economy. “The Nyota Fund is not a scam. It is a well-thought-out intervention meant to help our youth start business enterprises. It is a practical demonstration of the Bottom-Up Economic…
Kisii Governor Simba Arati has accused his political rivals of deliberately frustrating his administration, saying persistent political attacks stalled key development projects during his early years in office. Speaking at Nyabisia in Bobasi while launching a new health centre, Arati claimed that sustained political hostility significantly slowed the county’s progress, forcing his government to operate under constant pressure. He singled out South Mugirango MP Sylvanus Osoro and former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, accusing the two of instigating repeated confrontations that disrupted governance and derailed service delivery. “For most of my time in office, it has been one battle after…
A devastating fire swept through Magena Boys High School in Bomachoge Borabu, Kisii County, on Sunday night, destroying at least seven dormitories and leaving more than 250 students without personal belongings. The inferno broke out shortly before midnight, rapidly spreading from one dormitory to another and lighting up the night sky as students fled in panic. By dawn, the once-busy school compound had been reduced to smoldering ruins, with charred mattresses, books and twisted metal bed frames scattered across the grounds. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Students recounted terrifying moments as they were jolted from sleep by screams…
A Kenyan-based US philanthropist David Smittcamp has sharply criticised the government’s approach to orphan care, accusing it of systemic hypocrisy, empty promises and failure to protect the country’s most vulnerable children. Speaking during a press conference on Sunday, the cleric said government policy statements paint a picture of robust funding and support for vulnerable children, yet the reality on the ground tells a very different story. He argued that the education system lacks a compassionate foundation, effectively denying orphans an equal chance at education. “If you look at government policy papers, you will see claims of massive funding for the…
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders on Sunday closed ranks in a show of force against internal dissent, insisting the party’s place in government is irreversible despite simmering feuds over leadership and direction. At a packed rally in Sameta, Kisii County, party heavyweights — including Party Leader Dr. Oburu Odinga, Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati, Chairperson Gladys Wanga, Minority Whip Junet Mohammed, Migori Governor Ochillo Ayako, and several legislators — rallied delegates and supporters in what many described as a defining moment for the party’s future. Dr. Oburu struck a defiant tone, vowing to safeguard and advance the legacy of ODM…
UDA-affiliated leaders from the Gusii region on Sunday launched a scathing attack on former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i, warning him against anchoring his presidential ambitions on retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, whom they said no longer wields the political clout to influence national succession politics. Speaking during a charged church service at Nyansakia village in Kegogi, Kitutu Chache North Constituency, the leaders told Dr Matiang’i that tying his political future to Mr Kenyatta was a “doomed gamble” that would lead to a humiliating defeat in 2027. The leaders argued that the former president failed to secure victory for ODM…
Kisii Governor Simba Arati is a man walking on clutches. And as he quietly assembles the machinery for a second-term bid, familiar controversies are resurfacing to test his political footing in Kisii County. The latest storm centers on explosive allegations of biased fuel levy allocations and deepening claims of administrative lethargy—potent ammunition that critics are eagerly loading to derail his re-election momentum. At the centre of the raging debate is the county’s utilisation of fuel levy allocations meant to maintain and upgrade rural road networks. Adding a fresh twist is the growing number of ward representatives who have turned the…
Months after vehicles were vandalised at the Kisii County Assembly parking lot, no arrests have been made, prompting affected Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) to raise concerns over alleged police inaction and selective enforcement of justice. The leaders suspect paid goons were trucked into the assembly to cause havoc. During the raid, Thomas Obare (Bobasi Boitangare Ward) and Amos Mokaya’s (Nyatieko Ward) cars were extensively vandalised. At least one had its tyres slashed and its body badly damaged. Later the MCAs described the raid as a coordinated attack aimed at silencing dissenting voices within the Assembly. And speaking to…
While concerns persist over low transition rates to Grade 10, several secondary schools in Kisii County are now reporting a notable rise in enrolment, offering a glimmer of hope for the education sector. By late Monday, some schools had recorded a sharp increase in admissions, a trend teachers attributed to intensified media sensitisation and targeted government interventions. At Hema Mixed Boarding Secondary School, a C4 institution, Principal Meshack Orure said enrolment had significantly improved compared to the previous week. “By this afternoon, we had enrolled more than 150 students, and more are still streaming in,” Orure told journalists late Monday.…
Property of unknown value was destroyed Sarturday evening following a strike by students of Moi Gesusu High School in Masaba South, Kisii County. The students were protesting poor performance in the recently released KCSE results. The unrest began shortly after Sabbath service late Saturday with thr students vandalising property inside the school before forcing their way out into the Keroka -Nyangusu highway where they blocked traffic for hours. Photos gleaned from the extra County school showed smashed glasses and torn books scattered on the floor of what appears an extensively vandalised class. Outside the streets, they chanted slogans castigating the…
Jane Moraa sits quietly under a tent outside Menyenya Mixed Secondary School in Nyamira County, her daughter standing close by. In her hands is an admission letter that is creased, unstamped, and heavy with uncertainty. “I have the letter, I have the child, but I don’t have the money,” she says, her voice low. As Grade 10 admissions entered their third day this week, scenes like these are playing out across many secondary schools in the Gusii region. Empty desks and half-filled classrooms reveal the growing cost of Kenya’s harsh economic climate. For many parents, the transition to senior school…
As discussion around national examination performance fades and admissions into Grade 10 continue in senior schools, proprietors of private secondary schools in Kisii County say their institutions’ strong academic results are often overshadowed by persistent funding challenges and lack of bursary support for needy students. For instance, at Nyacheki Township Junior and Senior Secondary School in Bobasi, director Thomas Menge said the impressive results posted by private schools reflect the dedication and resilience of both learners and teachers, many of whom work under difficult conditions. “Our candidates continue to perform well despite numerous challenges,” Menge said. “This success shows what…
Nyamira County Governor Amos Nyaribo has seen and survived all. These include a frosty relationship with his late former County boss, John Nyagarama, and a series of groveling appearances before Senate Committees over graft queries. Nature did not endow him with charisma. Yet, somehow thrust him from the shadows of serving as deputy governor to the public limelight, setting the former banker on a journey to big politics. Little is known much about his academics save a small detail that he has financial related skill. Nyaribo has survived three impeachment attempts emerging bruised but still standing. And as the polls…