Latest Updates: Meru

Showing posts with label Meru. Show all posts

Monday, July 25, 2022

NTSA halts operations of Modern Coast buses after fatal Nithi bridge crash

Eric July 25, 2022 0

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has suspended the operations of Modern Coast buses, a day after an accident involving one of its buses killed 34 passengers, and injured scores at Nithi bridge, Tharaka Nithi.

In a statement on Monday, the NTSA said the company's fleet of 31 buses has been grounded as investigation into the deadly crash commence.

"A thorough multi-agency investigation into the crash and an evaluation of the operator's safety operational standards is currently underway," the statement from NTSA reads.

"We condole with the families of those who lost their loved ones in this tragic crash and wish quick recovery to those undergoing treatment."

Meanwhile, the death toll from the Sunday accident hit 34 on Monday morning after more passengers who had sustained injuries succumbed while undergoing treatment at various health facilities in the county.

According to reports, the bus was ferrying passengers from Maua to Mombasa before the bus plunged into the 40 feet deep Nithi bridge at 6:30 PM.

Police officers at the accident scene said the bus likely lost brakes, hitting an oncoming vehicle before plunging 40 into the river .

Meru MCAs: Hospital bills for cancer patients who die should be waived

Meru

Eric October 01, 2021 0

Meru MCAs have called for lowered costs for cancer drugs and a waiver to the medical bills for those who succumb to cancer.

The MCAs were speaking after passing the Meru Cancer Institute (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which now awaits Governor Kiraitu Murungi’s action.

They complained that cancer had rendered many families in Meru poor.

According to Abothoguchi West MCA, Patrick Muthuri, government hospitals should not detain bodies of cancer patients due to unpaid bills.

He added that when patients die, the families' financial situation worsens as they are forced to sell land for treatment costs, travel and incur other costs.

Kiegoi-Antobochiu MCA Kimathi Ithibua and Nkuene MCA Martin Koome said managing a chronic disease was expensive.

Koome said, “Cancer is ravaging Meru more than others (counties). I attend fundraisers all the time. Patients go for specialised treatment in Nairobi, which many cannot afford.”

According to Health Committee Chairman Martin Mworia and Mr Ithibua, there is a need to expeditiously conclude a research at Kiegoi, Riaki and Buuri where cancer prevalence rates are reportedly high.

Ithibua said, “We want the research to establish if, as it is claimed, that pesticides and asbestos used in buildings in Kiegoi are to blame.”

The Cancer Institute Board's first mandate will be to cluster Buuri, Igembe and Imenti to establish cancer types in the areas and causative factors, Mworia affirmed.

Man hangs, beats son to death in Meru

Meru

Eric August 07, 2021 0

A man in Meru has been arrested by police for allegedly hanging his seven-year-old son and caning him to death for allegedly damaging a mobile phone.

According to a police report, the suspect hanged the boy inside their house and he canned him until neighbours came to his rescue having heard him wailing.

Reportedly, the suspect who was identified as Evans Mutwiri, turned the neighbors away, claiming they were invading his privacy.

However, the neighbors refused to leave and alerted police officers who arrived at the home and found the boy unconscious.

A neighbour, Florence Mwende, stated, “When the police arrived, he denied them access at first. He answered rudely and told them that they were not welcome and that the boy was asleep. The police forced their way into the house and found the boy lying unconsciously.”

According to Laare Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Ezra Zambu, the boy died while being taken to the Meru Level V Hospital as the level of injuries he had could not be treated at the neighbouring health facilities.

Mutwiri denied killing the boy, claiming that he was only disciplining him.

He said, "I swear I did not kill the child. How can I kill my own child? I have never even thought of committing murder."

The child's mother said she found out her estranged husband killed her son after inquiring at the police station where she works following word going round that a suspect was brought in for killing a child.

She stated, "I heard that someone had killed a child. And since I work at the police station serving food to those who have been arrested, I asked to see who he was only to find out that it was my husband."

While disclosing that a postmortem will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death, Zambu warned parents against using excessive force when disciplining their children.

Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi tests positive for COVID-19

Meru

Eric March 19, 2021 0

Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi has tested

positive for COVID-19.

Meru County CEC for Health Misheck Mutuma confirmed the news this Friday afternoon, adding that the Governor is under self Isolation.

Mutuma revealed that the current number for active cases in Meru County is 137.

The CEC further urged Meru County residents to help in curbing the spread of Covid-19 by observing the safety protocols outlined by the Ministry of Health.

Meru court staffer succumbs to Covid-19, court temporarily closed

Meru

Eric March 15, 2021 0

Meru Law Courts will be closed temporarily for seven days after a case of Covid-19 was reported.

According to Acting Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu, an employee from the Meru court succumbed to Covid-19 related health complications on Sunday evening. She expressed her condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased.

The staffer worked in the Civil Registry of the High Court at Meru that has a staff contingent of 12.

The Acting CJ noted that Civil Registry is quite busy with a high volume of file movement and extensive interactions between staff, as well as between staff and clients and court users.

She said, “There is a high probability that there was general interaction with the affected person and justifiable apprehension as to the potential for exposure and the spread of the virus.”

The recommendation of the Courts User’s Committee (CuC) that held an urgent meeting on Monday morning led by the Presiding Judge of the High Court at Meru was that the court station should be temporarily closed with immediate effect.

“…we have arrived at the considered decision to temporarily close Meru Law Courts for a period of seven (7) days from today. The closure will enable personnel at the station to undergo a mass testing exercise scheduled for March 15, 2021, and facilitate a fumigation exercise scheduled for March 16, 2021,” the CuC recommended.

Consequently, any affected personnel will be able to quarantine in adherence to Ministry of Health Covid-19 protocols and help in breaking the chain of transmission.

All urgent matters for the Magistrates’ Courts at Meru Law Courts shall be directed to Githongo, Tigania, and Nkubu Law Courts during the closure period.

All urgent matters for the High Court at Meru shall be directed to the High Courts at Embu and Nanyuki while those for ELC at Meru shall be directed to the ELC at Embu.

Meru County receives Sh72m water supply grant from World Bank

Meru

Eric February 08, 2021 0

The World Bank has given the County Government of Meru Sh72 million grant to improve water supply and sewerage systems in the county's various urban areas.

The Water Trust Fund and Meru Water and Sewerage Services officials signed the grant from the World Bank as Water Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki and Governor Kiraitu Murungi witnessed.

The water pipeline in urban areas such as Muriri, Giaki, Nkubu and Kanyekine will be extended using part of the money.

Kiraitu thanked the national government for a Sh1 billion water and sewerage system covering Meru town, and appealed for further assistance in Laare, Maua and Mikinduri towns.

He also mentioned the inadequacy of the 180 boreholes his administration had sunk in arid regions.

“We are working very well with President Uhuru Kenyatta to ensure all residents get water,” the Meru Governor said.

According to Kariuki, the Water Trust Fund was part of the national government’s Covid-19 interventions.

The water CS added that the national government had invested more than Sh3.3 billion in water projects in Meru, including some 45 irrigation and sewerage systems ones.

“Some of the projects are close to completion,” she confirmed.

Court bars DCJ Mwilu from acting as Chief Justice

Meru

Eric January 29, 2021 0

A court in Meru has barred Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu from holding her office or acting as Chief Justice until a case filed by a city lawyer is heard and determined.

Justice Patrick Jeremy Otieno also barred Justice Mwilu from taking part in Judicial Service Commission( JSC) and Ombudsman of the Judiciary activities.

"That a conservatory order be and is hereby issued against the respondent restraining her continued occupation of the offices of Deputy Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya, Judge of the Supreme Court of Kenya, Member of the Judicial Service Commission and Ombudsman of the Judiciary pending the hearing and determination of this application, "

Lawyer Isaiah Mbiti Mwongela moved to the court accusing Justice Mwilu of abuse of office and improperly benefiting from Sh 12 million from the collapsed Imperial Bank.

The decision will now stop the DCJ from participating in the process of selecting the CJ to succeed David Maraga.

The selection process will kick-off on February 10th.

Students fake kidnapping, demands ransom from parents

Meru

Eric January 09, 2021 0

DCI detectives have discovered that a Form 3 student whom they were searching for as a kidnapping victim had faked his own kidnapping.

According to the detectives, calls had been made to the boy's distraught parents and relatives, demanding a ransom for his release. However, the amount of the ransom demanded was not disclosed.

DCI said that they discovered that the student, who attends a renowned school in Meru county, had fabricated his own kidnapping after they put on a search for him.

"After days of our officers’ search for him, we discovered the student had faked his kidnapping and was whiling away his time, unperturbed, at Nkubu town, extorting money from his poor parents and relatives," the DCI stated.

Furthermore, the detectives warned students against engaging in crime.

The DCI statement read, "Any form of criminal activity shall be met with the full force of the law, regardless of one’s status in the society."

DCI pursue man accused of defiling a 8 year old child

Meru

Eric January 07, 2021 0

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are pursuing a Meru bodaboda rider who is reported to have defiled an eight-year-old girl.

The detectives say the unidentified suspect on Wednesday evening offered the girl a ride to her home at Baibariu in Igembe South, but along the way diverted to his house where he committed the act.

He later dropped the helpless minor near their homestead before taking off into hiding.

The detectives say as the victim receives medical attention at a local hospital, a manhunt for the suspected paedophile has been launched.

This is just a day after a Kenya Defence Forces soldier was arrested after he defiled a minor.

Maraga suspends physical sessions at Meru Law Courts

Meru

Eric November 22, 2020 0

Chief Justice David Maraga has suspended all physical sessions at Meru Law Courts for 14 days after several staff contracted COVID-19.

Maraga, in a statement sent to newswrooms on Sunday, said a staff as well advocates who frequent the courts contracted the virus.

“To minimize the spread of the pandemic, protect public health as well as the health of members of staff, Court Users and Justice Sector partners, after consultation with key stakeholders and Public Health Officials, it has been decided that all in-person court operations and services at Meru Law Courts be and are hereby suspended for 14 days with effect from Monday 23rd November 2020,” said the CJ.

Maraga however noted that urgent matters shall be handled by the court virtually, adding that the Presiding Judge will issue further directions on the resumption of regular court operations after testing of staff and upon the advice of Meru County Public Health officials

Meru riders donate pads and inner wears to over 2000 girls and boys

Meru

Eric October 12, 2020 0

Meru Passionate Riders, a motorbike riders' group in Meru, have joined the bandwagon of raising awareness on teen pregnancies by donating sanitary pads and innerwear to over 2,000 girls and boys in Mugae, Tigania West.

The riders group comprises of over 50 people riding for charity and recreation. It's donation gesture was instigated by the 'sex for pads' reports in the area.

According to Rei Sub-location Assistant Chief, Peter Gitile, school closure during the Covid-19 pandemic saw many teenage pregnancy cases.

During a teen pregnancy awareness seminar Mr. Gitile said, “We have received several reports of teen pregnancies in the area, prompting us to consider holding seminars for the youth. Many of the teenagers affected come from poor backgrounds and end up dropping out of school. Such forums will go a long way in enlightening the teenagers on how to safeguard their future.”

The seminar was held over the previous weekend

at Kiburuti Kerith Church in Tigania West.

The Chairman of Meru Passionate Riders, Koome Kinyua, denounced men who sexually abuse teenage girls, taking advantage of the girls' need for sanitary pads. He said such men should face serious penalties.

Mr. Kinyua said addressing the rising cases of teenage pregnancies requires concerted efforts.

“We have brought together reproductive health professionals and health awareness organisations to ensure the teenagers are advised on how to abstain, protect themselves and avoid falling prey. Besides giving sanitary pads, we are also giving underwear to boys as part of efforts to raise awareness,” he noted.

Casty Micheni, the founder of Tujijenge Mashinani Initiative, urged parents engage with their children more on matters concerning reproductive health.