Shock as body of missing nursery school girl found in maize farm

Waitua village residents watch as a police vehicle transports a badly mutilated body of a five year old nursery school pupil who was found murdered after she went missing since Friday last week. [PHOTO: BONIFACE GIKANDI/STANDARD]

MURANG’A COUNTY: A five-year-old nursery school pupil was found murdered and her body dumped in a maize farm in Waitua village in Kandara sub-county.

The badly mutilated body was reportedly found in a farm by a search party in the village after she went missing on Friday last week.

The discovery of the body came a day after irate residents gave an ultimatum to anybody hiding her to ensure she returns home or face unspecified consequences.

Hundreds of residents milled around the scene after the body was discovered and police from the nearby Kandara Police Station alerted.

Thursday, relatives and neighbours recounted how they had frantically been searching for the child since she went missing last week.

The incident followed another one in Maragua Ridge where a girl was brutally murdered before being buried in a shallow grave by unknown persons.

Kandara Deputy County Commissioner Kennedy Sese said police have launched investigations into the two murders.

"We are appealing to the residents to volunteer information that may lead to the arrest of the culprits," said the sub-county administrator.

Kandara MP Alice Wahome expressed concern over the rising insecurity in the constituency, adding that it was also worrying that the criminals were targeting minors.

"With this new wave of crime, parents are duty bound to ensure they monitor the movement of their children," said the lawmaker.

She also called on the Murang'a county government to rein in illegal brewers in the area to reverse a worrying trend where an increasing number of young people were plunging into alcoholism.

ENFORCE LAWS

Speaking at Wangai Primary School where she commissioned classroom rehabilitation project facilitated by the CDF, Wahome said she will enforce alcohol laws to the letter.

Meanwhile, county leaders Thursday welcomed the Government's directive to lower electricity connection charges to Sh15,000.

Governor Mwangi wa Iria and MPs Jamleck Kamau (Kigumo) and Alice wahome (Kandara), who spoke separately, said the move will see more residents connected to power and also boost job creation.

"Increased electricity connection is an indication that Jubilee government is committed to realising its development agenda," said Kamau.

During the launch the Sh34 billion 'Last Mile' project in Machakos County on Wednesday, President Kenyatta announced that power connection fee will now be 15,000 from the previous Sh35,000.

He said this is aimed at ensuring poor Kenyans get access to the power connection easily.

He also ordered Kenya Power to accept payment in installments from Kenyans. "Kenyans must be allowed access to power at a cheap and affordable cost," he said.

The Government's plan is to have at least 70 per cent of Kenyan households connected to electricity by 2017.