The stadium at the Embu showground at Njukiiri will be built in the next four and a half months, to host the Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1.

The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Interior and National Administration Dr Raymond Omollo, who led a high powered team of government officials on an inspection tour of the grounds, said contractors may be compelled to work day and night to see that the works were complete in time.

Dr Omollo was accompanied by Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire and the Principal Secretaries for Defence, Roads, ICT, Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Environment, and Culture. Eastern Regional Commissioner Paul Rotich was also in the entourage.

The PS said he could not immediately quantify what the intended works would cost but said the works had already commenced and were at the documentation stage.

He said the renovated stadium will have capacity to sit 20, 000 people who are expected to attend the celebrations whose theme will be “Universal Health Care”.

He added that he expected the completed works to be a good example of what can be achieved when national and county governments work together.

Governor Mbarire said they were proud to have been selected to host the event which she said would bring a lot of opportunities for Embu residents.

The MP for Manyatta Constituency Mr Gitonga Mukunji in whose constituency the event will be held said he hoped the proposed developments will create up to 5, 000 employment opportunities and urged local youth to present themselves to participate.

The developments include the upgrade of the stadium and supporting infrastructure.

Others in the entourage included Embu Woman Representative Njoki Njeru, Mbeere South MP Nebert Muriuki and Embu Senator Alexander Munyi Mundigi.

The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has arrested seven traders from Ololulunga Market who were in possession of banned plastic bags.

According to the agency, the traders will appear in court.

“NEMA appeals to all markets countrywide to desist using banned plastic bags and any offender found guilty risks a fine of not less than 2m or 6 months jail term,” Nema said. 

Earlier, two traders were arrested in Eldoret for packaging their products without a prerequisite clearance from Nema.

The prerequisite clearance from the organisation allows for primary packaging of products from manufacturers in such bags.

According to Nema, plastic bags exemption clearance is free. 

Police in Mombasa have launched investigations into the mysterious death of a 24-year-old university student.

According to local reports, Gregory Mutinda, a student at the Technical University of Mombasa was found lying on the floor of his rented house in the Kaa Chonjo area of Tudor, Mombasa county.

According to police OB number 64/26/1/ 2023, members of the public led police officers to the said house where the door was forcefully opened since it had been locked from the inside.

“The body of a young man was lying on the floor and a syringe with some fluids and pesticide powder beside him. A kitchen knife and blood-stained clothes were also found on the floor of the house,” part of the police statement reads.

According to his girlfriend, Ms. Mercy Munyao, who is assisting police with ongoing investigations, the boyfriend had spent the previous day (Sunday) with their son.

“I was not around that day. But together with his friend they visited my place and spent the day with our son. In my mind, I knew all was well. The next day we talked early in the morning around 9 am in the morning and asked if he was going to the workplace where he was doing his internship. He replied in the affirmative and we bid each other goodbye,” said Ms. Munyao.

Ms Munyao recalls Mutinda calling her minutes later and borrowing Sh150 to buy ‘Mandazi’.

“I did not have any money in my Mpesa so I told him I had cash, he went silent and hung up. At around 11 am I texted Gregory but the message was not delivered,” explained Ms. Munyao.

She claims she assumed her boyfriend was busy at work.

“Around 3 pm I called my boyfriend and he did not pick up. I decided to give him a few minutes assuring myself that maybe he was in a matatu heading home, and once he arrives he will call me back,” said Ms. Munyao.

“He never missed picking up my calls, I was worried and called a friend who stayed in the same apartment as Gregory. The colleague informed me, he had moved out. I called two more people who said they were in school at the time. The fourth person I rang raised red flags, he told me the previous day that he was with Mutinda, he looked dull and in a somber mood and that I should immediately go and look for him, which I did,” said Ms. Munyao.

She peered through the window when she arrived at her boyfriend’s house and saw items scattered inside and her boyfriend’s body lying on the floor.

“I did not open the door, I went and bought credit and called my friends who came and we opened the door together. We had to break down the door since it was locked from inside. We found a syringe beside him and he had injuries on his left side of the chest,” she narrated.

Mutinda was a third-year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology student at TUM.

At the time of his death, he was on attachment at Kenya pipeline Changamwe.

According to a police signal, a kitchen knife and blood-stained clothes were recovered on the floor of the house.

According to police, the deceased’s body had one deep knife stab.

Police are now looking into whether the death was a result of murder or suicide.

The body has been moved to the Coast General mortuary awaiting postmortem.