Laikipia County Archives

GSU Officer Opens Fire At Camp, Shoots Colleague Dead

by Mustafa Juma November 24, 2021

A General Servive Unit (GSU) officer at the Miteta camp in Laikipia County is on the run after he reportedly opened fire and shot dead his colleague.

Laikipia County Police Commander John Nyoike while confirming the incident said the suspect shot his colleague on the head after a heated debate.

The debate which led to the heated argument is however still unknown. The suspect is said to have fled after committing the incident.

He is said to have picked his rifle and opened fire, shooting the other one on the head after their argument got hot, killing him on the spot.

After the incident, the assailant picked up his belongings that were packed in a bag, his rifle and fled towards the conservancy.

The officer further started shooting indiscriminately at the camp as he fled towards the Laikipia Nature Conservancy.

Officers have since been dispatched to the area to pursue, track and capture him.

The body of the victim was taken to Nyahururu County Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting post mortem.

November 24, 2021 0 comment

Crime & Investigations

Another Police Officer On The Run After Shooting Dead A Colleague

by Mustafa Juma August 18, 2021

written by Mustafa Juma

A Police officer based at Doldol station in Laikipia County is on the run after shooting dead his colleague using an AK47.

According to report, the officer identified as Titus Keen escaped with the loaded gun immediately after shooting dead the colleague identified as Leonard Ojwang.

Police have hence launched a manhunt for Titus, who is armed and dangerous.

This comes barely a month after the late female cop Caroline Kangogo was accused of killing two of his colleagues and escaped.

She went on the run days after John Ogweno, a police constable, was found dead in his car at Kasarani police line in Nakuru. Kangogo was linked to his shooting.

A few days later, Peter Ndwiga, a businessman, was also found dead in a lodging in Juja. His shooting, too, was linked to the policewoman.

Police thereafter announced they had launched a manhunt for Kangogo, who they said was a key suspect in the murders.

Kangogo would later be found dead, taking with her anything she may have known about the killings to the grave.

August 18, 2021 0 comment

Sherehe Sio Sheria! Nanyuki Nurses Who Attended Party As Woman Died Sacked

by Mustafa Juma June 5, 2021

written by Mustafa Juma

Two nurses at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital in Laikipia County have lost their jobs after a 58-year-old woman died at the hospital after helplessly seeking for treatment at the health facility.

It later emerged that the nurses were unavailable to attend to the patient since they were at their colleague’s birthday party within the hospital’s premises.

The two nurses have been sacked by the Laikipia County government following an uproar from the deceased’s family and the members of the public.

According to the deceased’s son, his plea to the Nanyuki hospital staff went unheeded, even as his mother’s condition deteriorated until she died.

The heartbroken son noted that his mother had been taken to the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral hospital’s emergency unit on Monday and several lab tests had been prescribed. The mother was also in dire need of blood transfusion.

However, they were told to wait as nurses and laboratory attendants attended the party.

On Friday, the county health authorities said they had conducted investigations and noted that while the patient “had multiple medical complications… there was a significant level of laxity and rudeness from our laboratory staff”.

June 5, 2021 0 comment

Business

Laikipia County, Co-op Bank Launch Affordable Financing Kitty For SMEs And Saccos

by Mustafa Juma July 6, 2020

written by Mustafa Juma

.The Laikipia County Government and the Co-operative Bank of Kenya (Co-op Bank) have today (Monday July 6) launched the Laikipia Enterprise Fund with an initial kitty of Ksh 300 million, to offer affordable financing and business support to co-operatives and entrepreneursin Laikipia County.

To kick-off the Fund, the bank and the county government have entered into an InterestSharing and Guarantee Arrangement.

This is aimed at supporting two key segments; First, to empower co-operatives in Laikipia County through affordable financing and Consultancy Services, to enable them have sufficient liquidity for lending to members, and strengthen their management structures, and Second, to support over 7,000 entrepreneurs in Laikipia County recover from the challenges of
the Covid-19 Pandemic by way of affordable financing and training.

Borrowers will pay single-digit interest rates, which makes this arrangement perhaps the most affordable lending program in Kenya today.

The low interest rate has been made possible by the interest-sharing arrangement, whereby the Laikipia County Government will be offering an interest subsidy of 5 per cent, thereby reducing the bank lending rate from 12.1 per cent to 7.1 per cent per annum for all borrowers.

In addition, borrowers will enjoy a reduced appraisal fee at 1.5 per cent of the approved loan amount.

Co-op Bank will match three times the amount that the County Government will place in the Enterprise Fund, to ensure as many borrowers benefit from the opportunity.

In addition to financing, the bank will make available the full basket of services that include digital banking tools, workshops for business training, and capacity-building consultancy services for cooperatives.

Repayment period for the loans will be upto 12 months for SMEs and upto 18 months for cooperatives. The county government shall undertake initial vetting of loan applicants as provided for in the Laikipia County Enterprise Fund Regulations 2020.

Co-op Bank will further appraise for qualification. The Laikipia Enterprise Fund commences operations immediately.

July 6, 2020 0 comment

Politics

Ruto Left With Only One Foot Soldier in Laikipia

by Mustafa Juma June 20, 2020

written by Mustafa Juma

Deputy President Dr William Ruto has now been left with only one foot soldier in Laikipia County.

The decamping of Laikipia woman representative Kate Waruguru and Laikipia North MP Sarah Korere from DP Ruto’s Tanga tanga camp to President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga’s camp has left the second in command with only one foot soldier in the vast county inhabited largely by the Kikuyu and Maasai communities, the youthful area senator John Kinyua.

Waruguru was the first to abandon Ruto when she met Raila at his Capitol Hills offices and a day later she was followed by Korere, also elected on a Jubilee Party ticket.

Cate Waruguru with Raila Odinga. Photo/Courtesy

Their defection leaves Kinyua as the only diehard supporter of the DP as the other two legislators, Amin Mohamed of Laikipia East and Mariru Kariuki of Laikipia West, both elected on Jubilee ticket, are said to lean on the president’s side.

Kinyua’s loyalty to Ruto saw him lose his post as the chair of the Senate Devolution Committee in the changes that were announced by the chief whip and Murang’a senator Irungu Kang’ata.

In the changes meant to clip the wings of Ruto’s allies in the senate, Kinyua was moved to the less influential ICT Committee to replace West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio who was named the Senate Majority Leader to replace Elgeyo Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen, also stripped of his majority leader’s docket.

Kinyua was also among the seven senators who defended then deputy speaker Kithure Kindiki from impeachment. He joined Murkomen, Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho), Christopher Langat (Bomet), Susan Kihika (Nakuru) and Samson Cherargey (Nandi) in defending Kindiki (Tharaka Nithi) against claims of being disloyal to the head of state.

Early this year, Kinyua affirmed his support for Ruto when he joined Laikipia leaders in endorsing former Agriculture Cabinet secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri as the next Mt Kenya kingpin and suggested he be the DP’s running mate in the 2022 presidential election.

The senator had teamed up with county assembly speaker Patrick Waigwa in rooting for Kiunjuri saying he has what it takes to be the next number two to safeguard the political interests of the vast region with over six million voters.

But days later Kiunjuri was sacked as cabinet secretary by Uhuru Kenyatta, sending him into political oblivion. Warunguru was in the news when she led her supporters in storming AIPCA Nanyuki as Jubilee nominated MP Maina Kamanda was addressing the congregation.

Presiding Bishop Ndirangu Ngunjiri was forced to order Waruguru out as she had not been invited. She had arrived accompanied by over 200 drunken supporters. She is also on record vowing to vie for the Laikipia governor’s seat in 2022 to unseat Ndiritu Muriithi.

June 20, 2020 0 comment