The County Diary

‎BY THE COUNTY DIARY  5Th, May 2026 ‎According to political pundits, Hon KALUNDA NDILE is currently leading the pack as the most formidable force to succeed KASALU as the Kitui Women Rep, The COUNTY DIARY has learnt. ‎ ‎Her upward trajectory in Kitui politics and her special relationship with powerful honchos at State House seems to endear her to the masses, where she continues to win hearts and minds. Ndile has consistently reached out to meet the needs of the people. ‎ ‎Consider her current status as the patron of WAMAMA NA RUTO Tutam movement and you will get the picture of how powerful this former MCA & Vice Chairperson of County Assemblies Forum( CAF) has become. Ndile who has been working with an International Agency abroad is currently engaging with Kituians on the ground. ‎ ‎Meanwhile, her own initiatives are; ‎ ‎1. Wamama Na Essie Women Empowerment ( registered CBO) dealing with uplifting women economically. Climax was du...

COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli addresses shop stewards at the cotu - Kenya headquarters IN  NAIROBI, on April 18, 2026 . NAIROBI, KENYA – In a high-stakes consultative meeting at the COTU Solidarity Centre today, convened to finalize preparations for the 61st Labour Day celebrations in Vihiga, the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU-K) set the stage for a major industrial showdown. Secretary-General Dr. Francis Atwoli issued a bold, non-negotiable mandate for a 23% increase in the minimum wage, warning that the Kenyan worker is being crushed by an economy where the cost of living "no longer walks, but runs." Addressing a national assembly of General Secretaries and shop stewards, Atwoli painted a grim picture of the eroding dignity of labor. "Fellow workers, we stand at a crossroads," Atwoli declared. "The Kenyan worker, the backbone of our nation, is being squeezed by inflation and a shifting labor market. We make this firm demand for a 23% incre...

  Presiding over the launch on Monday, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni underscored the gravity of the health crisis and called for urgent collective action. Nairobi, Kenya - April 20, 2026 - Kenya has solidified its position as a hub for continental healthcare innovation by hosting the second edition of the Mental Health Leadership Programme (MHLP). Held at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in partnership with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the two-week intensive training brings together professionals from 17 African countries to bridge the gap in mental health governance and care. Presiding over the launch on Monday, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, underscored the gravity of the crisis. She noted that in Kenya, approximately one in four people seeking medical care has an underlying mental health condition, emphasizing that mental wellness is...

By Maximilla Wafula, Crime Journalist, The County Diary News NAIROBI, Kenya – Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja Kirocho has issued a decisive statement from the National Police Service (NPS) Headquarters regarding a "disturbing pattern" of coordinated lawlessness across several counties. Addressing the nation on April 17, 2026, the Inspector-General condemned recent attacks on police stations, law enforcement officers, and critical infrastructure, describing these acts as a direct assault on national security and public safety. He emphasized that police stations are the bedrock of emergency response and that any assault on these installations regardless of perceived justification is an attack on collective freedom that requires immediate, decisive action to prevent further escalation. The Inspector-General specifically highlighted a surge in political violence and thuggery, alleging that certain leaders across the political divide are using criminal gangs and "g...

Kitui Rolls Out Agripreneur Model to Modernize Extension Services and Empower Youth Kitui County has taken a bold step toward modernizing agricultural support with the rollout of the Agripreneur Model, a hybrid extension approach designed to empower youth and improve services to smallholder farmers. County Executive for Agriculture and Livestock, Dr. Stephen Mbaya Kimwele, this week presided over a three-day training of 183 agripreneurs in Kiusyani, Kitui Rural, and Mutomo Sub-Counties. The initiative is part of a strategic plan to strengthen farmer support systems and unlock agribusiness opportunities across all 40 wards. *Blending Agriculture with Enterprise*   The training brought together young innovators, agricultural actors, Community-Driven Development Committees (CDDCs), Frontline Extension Officers (FEOs), and Sacco leadership. Participants were equipped with skills to deliver modern, demand-driven extension services while positioning themselve...

By Maximilla Wafula  In a scathing indictment of the current administration, the United Alternative Government led by H.E. Kalonzo Musyoka, H.E. Rigathi Gachagua, Dr. Fred Matiang’i, Hon. Eugene Wamalwa, and Hon. JB Muturi has uncovered what they describe as a predatory fuel scandal designed to enrich a few at the expense of struggling Kenyans. During a high-stakes press conference at the SKM Command Center, the leaders detailed how a manipulated procurement process has directly spiked the cost of living. Reading the joint statement, H.E. Rigathi Gachagua alleged that the government utilized "staged arrests" to distract the public while shielding the true masterminds of the scheme. According to the opposition, the original, law-abiding emergency procurement procedures were bypassed to forcibly insert select oil marketing companies specifically Gulf Energy into the supply chain, despite their failure to meet technical and timing requirements. The financial implications of ...