Women Leaders condemn murder of six farmers by invading armed camel herders

Killings

A section of women leaders in Kitui county have condemned the recent murder of six farmers in Mandongoi and Ngomeni sub locations in Mwingi North, Kitui county allegedly by invading camel headers from neighbouring counties of Tana River and Garissa. 

Hundreds of residents from the two sub locations have already fled their homes fearing fresh attacks by the armed camel herders.

Kitui county local county women leaders, led by ODM nominated senator Beth Syengo and former Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza, have lamented that residents of the affected areas were forced to flee from their homes carrying their belongings to safer areas as a result of last week’s attack.

The two leaders were speaking during a forum for Kitui County Union for Saving and Credit Cooperative Society Sacco (KICUSA) held at Kabati trading centre, in Kitui West Constituency.

They urged Interior and National Government Administration Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to beef up security in the affected areas and ensure the camel herders are driven back to their respective counties to enable the displaced residents to return to their homes.

In the recent banditry attack, a Grade Seven pupil was shot and badly wounded on his left hand after the attackers ambushed him while grazing cattle at Mandongoi village. Several homes were also torched by the heavily armed camel herders.

They county women leaders also mourned six school children who were killed in a road accident that occurred near Kyoani market in Ikutha, along the Kitui-Kibwezi road on Friday. Two Form three girls and one Form One girl who were on their way to nearby Kyoani Mixed Day Secondary School in the early morning that Friday lost their lives.

The other three were primary school pupils, a Grade three boy and girl and a Grade six girl, all from Kyoani Primary – a public day school. According traffic police report compiled by Mutomo Traffic Police, the six pupils were on their way to school when a Toyota Probox car coming from Kibwezi veered off the road and hit them.

During the KICUSA event, the immediate former CS presided distribution of 230 water tanks to individual members of the county women Sacco, which she also helped form back her days as Kitui county deputy governor.

KICUSA is an umbrella Sacco for 72 women groups and with a total of 15,000 members across the county. Early this year, the Sacco members raised Sh 5.8m shillings during a Fundraiser organised and presided over by Ms Malonza, thus enabling the Sacco to procure the distributed Water Tanks.

In a bid to alleviate the water scarcity that has long plagued Kitui County, around 700 women are set to benefit from water tanks during phase one of the water tank distribution drive.  “The water are being purchased with funds raised during a harambee led by former Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza,” said Gladys Julius, chairperson of the Kitui County Union of Savings and Credit (KICUSA).

Speaking during the event the chairlady said that the initiative is crucial for the women who have struggled with unreliable water supply, aiming to significantly improve their daily lives. The chairlady outlined that each woman is required to contribute Sh10,000, while the union will cover the remaining costs to secure a 2,500-litre tank with 17 years’ warranty.

Malonza noted that KICUSA is open to all women across the county, thus other local women groups should feel free to join the KICUSA Sacco.  “There are more than 500,000 women across the county who are yet to join this Sacco. We target to recruit them into this Sacco so they can also benefit from our Sacco,” said Ms Malonza who aslo is a member of KICUSA Sacco.