Usual spectacular fireworks were notably missing in towns and markets in Migori County as the residents joined the World in ushering in the New Year, 2024.
There were a few glares of light and color to welcome the New Year as the region moved to close all its files of 2023.
From Isibania town at the border of Kenya and Tanzania to Rongo town at the border of Migori and Kisii Counties, the roars, cheers and claps from joyful residents that illuminated such quite balmy and moony nights in previous years as the clock’s three arrows tic-toked past 00.00 hours were visibly minimal in this area.
To the chagrins of the local population, the sky remained blackened at midnight as no fireworks were blown up from buildings and homes across the region.
‘This is a reality that the economic hardship dogging residents have removed Migori out of the map in terms of welcoming the New Year,’ retired teacher Mr. Gideon Odondi commented as he joined his fellow Seventh Day Adventists faithful in prayers at Nyaduong’ SDA Chur
ch this morning.
The celebratory mood was low in the region even as a host of Churches and Mosques whose pastors, bishops, Imams, and followers spent the night giving their followers spiritual nourishment mid serious poverty facing the population into the New Year.
At the Voice of Hope SDA Church in Uriri Market, Pastor Maurice Nguju ushered in the year 2024 with a sermon calling on Kenyans to embrace love, peace, and the spirit of open heart to give to the less fortunate people in society.
Pastor Nguju also urged parents not to spend too much of their money on celebrations but to spare enough to cater for their children’s education this year.
The majority of the residents however expressed confidence that the hard economic situation witnessed in 2023 will become better during the New Year.
Key voices from the business community, religious institutions, trade unions, women groups, and professional groups called on politicians to tone down their political rhetoric and focus their energies on growing the e
conomy.
They also asked politicians to ensure the full implementation and protection of the Constitution during 2024 or they risk blowing up the gains made in the past 13 years.
Source: Kenya News Agency
WINDHOEK: A 53-year-old Namibian man was reportedly raped and strangled to death by an unknown suspect at Walvis Bay in the Erongo region on Saturday.
The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) weekend crime report on Sunday indicated that the incident happened between 23h00 and 12h00 at Banker Close Street.
It is alleged that the deceased who lived alone, was found by his neighbour motionless in his shower with his legs tied up with curtain blinds, ropes and a face cloth stuffed in his mouth. No open wounds were observed on the deceased’s body.
His items such as a 50 cm plasma Samsung television, an Acer laptop, black Dakotas shoes, and telecom Fritz motor were found loaded into the deceased’s Opel Corsa pickup bakkie, which was parked in the locked garage, it read.
He was identified as Vernon John Gavin.
No arrests have been made, thus far.
In an unrelated incident, a year and 10-month-old baby was reportedly murdered by his mother’s boyfriend at Omireko village in the Kunene region.
It is alleged that the 2
2-year-old suspect collected the baby, Future Tjiavairara from other children, and hid him at his home where he proceeded to strangle and bite him on the neck before hitting him with a stone on the head.
The suspect hid the baby in a traditional hut and travelled back to Opuwo, where he handed himself over to the police.
Police investigations in both matters continue.
Source: Namibia Press Agency