Kitui women leaders condemn murder of 6 farmers

A section of women leaders in Kitui county have condemned the recent murder of six farmers in Mandongoi and Ngomeni sublocations in Mwingi North, Kitui county.

The farmers were allegedly attacked by invading heders from neighbouring counties.

Hundreds of residents from the two sublocations are said to have fled their homes fearing fresh attacks by the armed camel herders.

Kitui women leaders led by ODM nominated senator Beth Syengo and then CS Peninah Malonza said 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 CS 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 is said to have been 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.

The women leaders mourned six school children who were killed in a road accident 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 to a 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, Malonza presided distribution of 230 water tanks to individual members of the county women Sacco, which she also helped form back in her days as Kitui county deputy governor.

KICUSA is an umbrella Sacco for 72 women groups with a total of 15,000 members across the county.

In early 2024, the Sacco members raised Sh5.8m shillings during a Fundraiser organised and presided over by 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 tanks are being purchased with funds raised during a Harambee led by then CS Peninah Malonza," Gladys Julius, chairperson of  KICUSA said.

Speaking during the event, she said the initiative is crucial for the women who have struggled with unreliable water supply, aiming to significantly improve their daily lives.

The chair lady said each woman is required to contribute Sh10,000, while the union will cover the remaining costs to secure a 2,500-litre tank with a 17-year warranty.

Malonza said 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," Malonza said.