Kenya has dispatched a multi-agency delegation, spearheaded by community elders, to Somalia to initiate discussions aimed at securing the release of five chiefs who were kidnapped.

The chiefs were taken on Monday while they were evaluating the security conditions in Mandera County ahead of President William Ruto’s upcoming visit to the area.

According to intelligence reports, the chiefs were transported to Somalia following their abduction and are believed to be held by suspected Al-Shabaab militants in Jilib, where the negotiations are taking place.

Meanwhile, intelligence operatives have redirected their attention to the towns of Wante, Qurqura, Elele, Ires Kinto, Fino, and Kutayu, as these locations are suspected hideouts for the militants prior to the abduction of the local leaders.

Concerns persist that some militants may still be lurking in these regions, potentially planning an attack.

The chiefs were on official duty en route to the Elwak area for a meeting to prepare for President Ruto’s week-long tour of the North Eastern region when they were intercepted by their captors, who then drove their vehicle towards Somalia.

The missing chiefs include Mohammed Adawa, Mohammed Hassan Kulmia, Abdi Hassan Suraw, Mohammed Noor Hache, and assistant chief Ibrahim Gabow.

Officials report that the ongoing negotiations are showing signs of a positive resolution.

Tensions are running high in the South-Ngariama ranching scheme located in Mwea-East sub-county, Kirinyaga County, as furious residents continue their efforts to expel members of the banned Mungiki sect from their community.

On Thursday, a 50-year-old man, believed to be affiliated with the gang, was killed, and his home, along with all his possessions, was set ablaze at Itangi Trading Centre.

Mwea-East Sub-County Police Commander Mohammed Jarso confirmed the incident and criticized the residents for resorting to vigilante justice.

“Moses Njagi was killed by the enraged residents of the scheme. Sadly, he is no longer with us. We must value human life,” stated the police chief.

The residents of the 28,000-acre South-Ngariama ranching scheme began their campaign against the outlawed sect on January 29, 2025, resulting in the death of one member, followed by another on January 30, 2025. They accuse the gang of terrorizing the area since last year, forcibly seizing land and committing acts of violence against women.

“We will drive them all out; they have started assaulting our wives. Can you imagine someone taking your wife by force while you stand helpless, waiting for her return the next day without knowing what happened?” lamented one resident who wished to remain anonymous.

Over 500 residents are losing sleep as they search for the sect members, while elderly men stay behind to protect women and children.

“We learned that this man was advised by the security team to leave, but he was too late as we were already pursuing him,” the residents reported.

In response, the security team in Mwea-East Sub-County, led by Deputy County Commissioner Fred Ayieko, convened a security meeting at Itangi Shopping Centre this evening, urging the South-Ngariama residents to uphold the law and refrain from taking matters into their own hands.

A tragic incident unfolded in the Muthurwa area of Nairobi, where a student from Kenya Methodist University was discovered dead, raising suspicions of murder.

According to police reports, local residents alerted authorities after spotting a body along Muthurwa Road, prompting a swift response from a police team to the scene.

The victim has been identified as 21-year-old Simon Njoroge Nyoro, a student at the university.

Upon examination, it was found that he had suffered a stab wound to the upper left chest, along with bruised knees and bloodied clothing.

The authorities have since transported the body to the City Mortuary for a postmortem examination.

As of now, no arrests have been made, and Central police chief Stephen Okal indicated that the motive behind the murder, which occurred on Monday, February 3, remains unclear.

A 54-year-old woman was discovered deceased following a violent confrontation with her husband in Kibera, Nairobi.

Authorities reported that the body of Agnes Wetunga, a Ugandan national, was located on her bed after the incident occurred on the night of Sunday, February 2.

Her husband recounted to the police that a domestic dispute escalated into a physical altercation that ultimately led to her death.

During the struggle, he struck her on the head, resulting in severe injuries.

The woman was found with a laceration on the left side of her forehead and blood was seen coming from her mouth.

The husband has been taken into custody as the woman’s remains were transported to the Nairobi Funeral Home for an autopsy and further investigation.

Law enforcement officials are currently treating the case as a homicide investigation.

A virtual court session on Tuesday was unexpectedly interrupted when unidentified individuals inundated the screen with explicit adult material.

The court was in the midst of a significant case concerning sexual violence linked to the elections when the disruption occurred.

Among the shocking visuals displayed was an image of a man engaged in highly inappropriate conduct.

Judge Daniel Musinga of the Court of Appeal, visibly shaken by the incident, expressed his disbelief at the graphic content that had invaded the courtroom.

“It is profoundly disturbing and unsettling to have such grotesque images forced upon a courtroom, especially when we are addressing serious issues like sexual violence,” he stated.

The incident brought the appeal hearing to a standstill, prompting the court to instruct that a new link be distributed solely to the legal representatives involved, to prevent a recurrence of the same issue.

This appeal involves survivors of sexual violence that occurred during the 2007-2008 election period in Kenya.

Following the announcement of the December 2007 general election results, the country experienced widespread violence and protests that lasted from late December 2007 until March 2008.

During this tumultuous time, numerous women, men, and children were targeted and subjected to various forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), including rape, gang rape, sodomy, defilement, forced pregnancy, forced circumcision, and mutilation.

A petition was later filed in the constitutional division, where several human rights organizations and survivors accused the state of failing to implement adequate policing measures in anticipation of the civil unrest, which contributed to the SGBV incidents.

They also criticized the state for not providing effective remedies for the victims of SGBV, claiming this violated their right to life and other fundamental rights.

The petitioners claimed that the sexual and gender-based violence experienced by the survivors was exacerbated by the police’s lack of preparedness, discipline, and supervision during the civil unrest.

In response, the state argued that many victims found refuge at police stations where resources were available, and those requiring medical care received the necessary attention.

They refuted the claims of violence being inflicted by police officers.

High Court Judge Weldon Korir concluded that several rights, including the right to life, had been infringed upon for some of the petitioners.

“Due to the violation of their rights and the state’s failure to apprehend and prosecute the offenders, where evidence exists, the affected parties are entitled to compensation,” he stated.

As a result, four out of the eight survivors were awarded Sh4 million each for the infringement of their constitutional rights.

Subsequently, the remaining survivors filed a partial appeal against the judge’s ruling.

This hearing session was unexpectedly interrupted by hackers on Tuesday.

Two individuals suspected of human trafficking were apprehended on Tuesday after authorities discovered 58 Ethiopians being held in a residence in Kitengela, Kajiado County.

According to a police report, the suspects, identified as 33-year-old Daniel Nduati Kingoo and Peter Maina Kimemia, were found in the company of the malnourished individuals.

The report further revealed that following questioning by a multi-agency team, the Ethiopians disclosed they had arrived at the location approximately three days prior, waiting for transportation to South Africa.

Among the group, the youngest Ethiopian is just 14 years old, while the oldest is 35.

“28 individuals are currently in custody at Kitengela Police Station, while the remaining 30 have been taken to Isinya Police Station,” the report stated.

The two Kenyan suspects were also transported to Muthaiga Police Station by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

In addition, two motorcycles found on the premises have been seized and are now held as evidence at Kitengela Police Station.