Moody Traffics

A week ago along Thika superhighway all vehicles formed serious queues towards Mt. Kenya region.

To most it was time to catch up with their peers and families back in the village. Ready for merry making all had saved for this particular day, 25th of December as they commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

It was incredible how much people had left for the upcountry. All jovial as others I could spot dancing from inside of their personal vehicles, all set to spent quality time and cash for this day.

But the situation today as we smell the dry spell of January is here. Most motorist today are serious, not even glancing from their window panes, not even dancing. Why? January is hours away and for most it's the harshest month to start as bills pile up. Ranging from school fees, house rent, and mortgage fee as well as simple utility bills are causing merry lovers serious trouble as they get back to the city.

My simple advise is, relax you had calculated all these cost associated with Christmas so please let respect other road users we all have a share of troubles to handle next month.

STRIPPING LADY IN DAYLIGHT IN THIKA TOWN

Business came to an abrupt stand still along Kenyatta Highway in Thika town after a woman decided to pose naked after being thrown out of court.

on the tree top

\

The lady who to most looked depressed, was carrying a bag full of clothes was allegedly thrown out of court environs over what security guards termed as noise making. According to Anne Mweni, security guard on duty, “This lady came in here saying that she wanted to talk to a Luo magistrate, I denied her entrance into the chambers and from that moment she started hurling insults at me.” She however said that only staff are allowed access to court chambers.

Peter Onyaiti the second security guard on duty said that he tried to push her away due to the choice of words she was using. “When I saw the direction of the conversation that my colleague and that woman was headed I decided to get her out.”

The woman whose identity is not known and she could not tell started to scream and that is the point at which the two security guards assisted by an AP officer decided to throw her outside.

“We had to call an officer to assist us to take her out of this quiet environment, beside she was indecently dressed.” He added. When the said woman was taken out at the gate, she continued to scream and throwing insults.

To surprise of most, she dared to undress as she continued to throw insults to the guards. According to Mariam Waiguru who said she had encountered her at high court, she said the woman seems to be mentally unstable as she had seen her repeat the same ordeal at high court.  

“This lady has either a mental case or family issues since I had again seen her at high court do the same thing. In fact she decided back then to climb a tree and continue making noise from there,” she added.

Finally she went up on a tree next to the Lands department Thika office from where she complained of being harassed whenever she tries to reach a magistrate. She continued to express bitterly how police officers had sexually abused her amidst daring them to come and molest her.

THE STATE OF PUBLIC TOILETS AT THIKA

There is public outcry of the state of public toilets in Thika town and in particular those at the District Commissioner headquarters along Kenyatta highway.

urinal section

There are multiple regional offices at the DCs headquarters ranging from Law courts, Lands department, immigration, forestry and many more. This means that this area is always flocked by people from all walks of life seeking services from various offices.

At a given point one will be compelled to answer to the call of nature but the state of the wash rooms are desperately requiring renovations.

Speaking to Miss Muraya Ngure, “I did not expect toilets to be this messed up considering that this is a place that is always flooded with people seeking services on a daily basis,” she said.

“In every public place there are symbols differentiating the ladies and gents washrooms,” Mr. Njiiri Kamau noted saying that beside the gent’s washroom being flooded with urine, there are no signs to distinguish them.

“It was a shock to me as I was helping myself at the urinal section then a lady dashed out running after she noted that these was gents section,” he added with a confused look.

According to Public Health Officer, James Kanyora, “We normally send agents to the field to inspect the state of public toilets around Thika town area,” he continued, “As we speak the toilets at Thika Police Station are under renovation after we wrote a report about their state.”

He however said it is a challenge to continually service the public toilets as some ladies drop their sanitary towels in the toilets thereby blocking the system. “We in fact wrote a notice on the ladies washrooms asking of them not to dump the pads,” he stated.

warning on the wall

“When a report is written about a particular public toilet say those at the DCs area, I forward the report to the DC and then we discuss in order for the renovations to take effect,” he added.

The big question among the most people we spoke to is who is sleeping on their job considering the state of this public toilets which seem not to be given routine inspection and renovations.

INMATES CALL IT HOME

To most of us when one is convicted of a crime in a court of law, it appears like it is the end of the convict’s future. Until you get a chance to visit the prisons it will always be the same notion that jail is only meant to punish the law breakers.

Inmates at their workshop

The government under the ministry of home affairs always work closely with the prison department in order to rehabilitate the inmates. Visiting Thika main prison, Deputy Officer in charge, Tom Ongeri, took us through his prison where he handles petty offenders and non-convicts who are waiting a trial.

Metal items

Thika main prison has a capacity of 250 inmates who do not exceed a maximum of five years and according to Officer Tom, he accolades the government for the efforts it has been providing in ensuring that the inmates are rehabilitated fully.

Mr. Ongeri said that after receiving the convicts from the courts they go through a rigorous selection exercise in order to provide the most efficient rehabilitation process. “We always classify the inmates according to level of education and those with skills,” he continued. “We do have different sections to offer craftsmanship; carpentry, tailoring, metal works, agriculture and formal education for those who want to redo their national examinations.

He however said every profession has its own challenges citing that his prison was limited in terms of space considering it is located at Thika CBD. “We are also under staffed in this prison in terms of prison police and we experience shortage of technical teachers,” he added. He also revealed that though not common they have experienced breakouts of inmates and in that case they call for administration officers in order to reinstate the inmates.

Certificate of merit

Tailor inmate

“If the inmate is apprehended, he is taken to serve the remaining term and thereafter pressed with charges of fleeing from prison,” said Mr. Ongeri.

Talking to Hillary Karira an inmate serving for one and a half years for man slaughter, he praised the prison officers of their cordial relationship between Officers and the inmates. He however said that considering that he was a professional high school teacher he is not gaining much in terms of technical skills. 

“I assist the officers with administrative work and paper work in the office,” he however said that the environment though conducive for one to restore their character, is congested with inmates. Asking Mr. Ongeri about the population issue he said that, “The reason why our prison is congested is that we house both the convicted and non-convicted while awaiting trial,” he said.

Mr. Karira said in case of a dispute among inmates the officer on duty establishes the issue as well as spells the punishment on the one found guilty.

In the technical department we met Inspector Njoroge Njuguna who took us through various items on display made by the inmates. “The qualifications of an inmate to learn a skill is first to have a jail term not less than three to five years,” he stated.

“Considering that most of these technical courses take up to three years in order to move from grades 3, 2, to 1 we can only train those serving a term that will enable them complete,” he continued.

Inspector Njoroge said that during the course of training they are tested with terminal examinations and a certificate is issued upon successful completion. He however added that the prison partnering with Father Grol’s Welfare Trust they help the inmates find employment opportunities upon completion of their term.

Office drawers made at Thika Prison

Inspector Njoroge added that there exist competition among prisons where products are displayed at the Nairobi show grounds and the most successful items are awarded with a trophy. “We compete with other prisons to come up with the best and once we acquire the trophy three years in a row, we retain the trophy as the best.”