Kenyan lady drowns in Canada while videoing herself swimming
A Kenyan lady, Hellen Wendy, has drowned in a swimming pool in Canada while live-streaming herself on Facebook.
Wendy, whose Facebook profile indicates that she was a nurse living in Toronto, Ontario was in a happy mood moments before the tragic incident which occurred on Thursday, August 18.
“Nimetoka job, I’m feeling good,” she said moments after she went live.
“It’s 2 o’clock here,” she said while responding to viewers in the comment section.
At exactly 5:45 minutes, Wendy took a dive in the waters several meters away from her recording gadget.
She kept taking the dives while holding her face beneath the water for several seconds before swimming back to read comments.
This went on for several minutes until the tenth minute when she took the final leap into what appeared like the deep end of the pool.
At exactly 10:33 minutes, Wendy started gasping for air as she made gurgle sounds while kicking and screaming in a futile effort to swim away from the danger zone.
At exactly 11:54, she made the last sound before it all went silent.
From this point, the camera kept rolling for 3 hours before a man came around at the 3:09 hour mark.
Two minutes later, another man came around and asked the one in the pool what was in the water.
I thought it’s a poodle or something,” the man said.
“What if it’s actually someone dead?” the other man asked.
He went round the pool and confirmed that it was indeed a person at which point he went to call the caretaker of the facility.
As at 5:30pm on Friday, August 19, the recorded live stream had over 8000 comments,7000 Likes and has been shared over 1,400 times.
Frashia Muthoni, a 30-year-old woman from Kongoini village in Murang’a with a visual disability, has thrived in the highly competitive supplies and construction business.
Frashia Muthoni, a 30-year-old woman PHOTO FILE
Muthoni who is the founder of a company known as Frashia Life Limited has constructed several roads and facilities, dispensaries, and classrooms across the country after being awarded tenders by various national and county government departments.
Speaking to one of our sources, Muthoni narrated how she lost her sight at the age of about 10 when she was in class six and how she has been thriving and achieving her dreams regardless of her disability. “I was born with eye problems and I wore glasses all my childhood until I completely lost my sight at about the age of 10,” she said.
Muthoni explained how learning to live with a visual disability was a great challenge for her because she had to move from her old school and join Thika Primary School for the Blind.
“I left all my friends and the familiar environment and went to a school where I started learning everything afresh,” she recalls. “Learning braille was like going back to nursery school. I almost gave up and quit on education altogether,” she added.
According to Muthoni, most of her friends and neighbors distanced themselves from her and her family after she became blind, something which made her new experience even more challenging.
After secondary school, Muthoni joined Machakos Teacher’s College where she, however, realized education was not the career for her and she switched to Baraka Agricultural College in Molo where she acquired a certificate in agriculture. She later acquired a diploma in agriculture from the same college.
Muthoni first ventured into business in 2015 at South B estate in Nairobi where she was hawking avocados, eggs, and liquid soap for one year.
In 2016, when she was pregnant with her son, the mother of one changed to making handmade purses using beads at Kariokor market; a job she says was not as tasking as her first one. “When I found out I was pregnant, I could not continue hawking anymore so I changed to making purses,” she said.
It was in 2017 that she founded her General Supplies and Construction company named Frashia Life Solutions at the time.
In 2019, a former classmate and friend who is an accountant joined her in business and she says he has been a great part of the journey as he handles the company finances. “My friend Felix Ng’etich helps with filing tax returns and other business financial matters. He also helped me upgrade the company to Frashia Life Limited,” Muthoni said.
She fondly recalls how the first tender she got awarded in Kakamega gave her the financial breakthrough she had been hoping for. “That first job is the one that made me have faith in my business,” she says.
Muthoni observed that one of the major challenges she faces in her line of work is delayed payments after delivering goods or services. “Sometimes you will bid and be awarded a tender then do the work but the payments may be delayed for months,” she notes. “And of course, because the business involves bidding, you may not always win the tender,” she added.
She however noted that the tenders she eventually gets are worth the wait and the effort. “I usually take big jobs and my profits from each of the jobs I have done are at least Sh200, 000,” she said.
The businesswoman urged other persons with disabilities who are in business or intending to venture into business to do so without fear. She challenged them to find a trustworthy business partner who would help them where their disability was a limitation. “I found my friend and he has offered immeasurable help to me and my business,” she said noting that she knows it is not easy to find someone trustworthy, especially where money is concerned.
She applauded the national government for being transparent and fair when it comes to awarding tenders and asked the county governments to try and do the same.
Muthoni who has not abandoned her life’s dream of becoming a veterinary doctor is currently a first-year student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) where she is pursuing a degree in animal health and crop production.
Muthoni called upon all parents with disabled children to give them support and opportunities so that they could achieve their goals in life.
Exiled lawyer Miguna Miguna cast his vote in Canada despite the fact that he was deported in 2018 by the government. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) allowed the vocal lawyer to vote since he possesses a valid passport and ID that have previously been presented before court as he fought to be granted access to the country.
Embattled lawyer Miguna Miguna cast his vote in Canada on Tuesday, August 9, 2022.COURTESY MIGUNA MIGUNA
Miguna was born in Kenya and the question of his citizenship was proved in a court of law he had also voted in 2017, hence the IEBC could not stop him from participating in the elections this year. He shared his experience on social media where he declared that his vote was in favour of UDA Presidential candidate Deputy President William Ruto and his running mate Rigathi Gachagua.
The lawyer has been living in Canada for close to 5 years now after the government controversially deported him in early 2018. Elections are a pain point for Miguna since they cost him his freedom to access the country and the government has disobeyed court orders to allow the lawyer back in Kenya.
In 2021, Miguna’s return to the country from Canada received a boost after the government informed the court that the red alerts he complained of were not in existence.
Miguna, through advocate Dr John Khaminwa, wanted the court to order the lifting of red alerts issued by the Kenyan government to two international airlines; Air France and Lufthansa Group (operating as German Airlines), to allow him to travel to Kenya.
The lawyer was deported soon after the 2017 election, days after orchestrating the mock swearing-in of Odinga who had lost the election to Kenyatta. He was sworn in as the People’s President at an event held at Uhuru Park on January 30, 2018.
He switched his alliance from Raila Odinga after the March 2018 handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta and accused the former Prime Minister of abandoning him when the government was baying for his blood.
In March 2022, Miguna endorsed the Deputy President’s presidential bid stating that he was far much better than his former ally the Azimio La Umoja candidate Raila Odinga.
Miguna, who is known not to have kind words for President Uhuru Kenyatta and Odinga, opined that electing DP Ruto was the only way to end impunity in the country. “I Miguna Miguna 100 per cent endorse William Ruto and I ask Kenyans to vote for him so that we can put an end to dynastic tyranny,” Miguna told Look Up TV in an interview from Canada.
The embattled lawyer also claimed that individuals from the Azimio camp had approached him and asked him to support their flagbearer, Raila Odinga. “I can’t endorse Raila, I was approached by a good friend of mine from central who is in Azimio who was sent to talk to me but his efforts were unsuccessful. But I can’t do that,” he declared.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says only 12 million people had cast their votes by 4.00 pm Tuesday, a 56 per cent voter turnout. This is out of the 22 million registered voters across the 46, 229 polling stations countrywide.
From left: IEBC Commissioner Francis Wanderi, Vice Chair Julian Cherera, and CEO Marjan Hussein at Bomas of Kenya.
In its national update, IEBC Commissioner Francis Wanderi said some 12, 065, 803 voters had cast their votes as of 4 pm, excluding the manual register.
“At around 4 pm 12, 065, 803 registered voters out of 22, 120, 458 million registered voters had cast their votes. This equates to 56.17 per cent excluding voting through the manual register. Further, the commission has noted long queues in some areas where voting is still underway,” Wanderi said.
By 5.00 pm, the statistics had gone up to 56.7 per cent.
In addition, the commission has also said that it had scheduled eight by-elections on August 23 for areas whose polling was suspended. The electoral areas include Mombasa and Kakamega governor seats, Kitui Rural, Kacheliba, West pokot, Pokot South, and Rongai constituencies in Nakuru.
The by-election will also be conducted in Nyaki West Ward in Meru County and Kwa Njenga in Embakasi South constituency. “Our voters in these elective areas deserve to be given a period to elect their leaders and the commissioners also need to dispense other election activities to save on cost of training and new equipment,” he added.
The commission however reiterated that the by-elections will not affect the timeline set for announcing the president-elect.
Moreover, IEBC has scheduled voting in Eldas constituency for tomorrow at 6.00 am. The commission suspended the voting exercise in the area after a shooting incident on the eve of election day.
Last night, the Chebukati-led commission encountered challenges that forced it to suspend elections for four elective positions in certain counties. The ballot papers for Kakamega and Mombasa counties’ governor candidates as well as those for Kacheliba and Pokot South parliamentary seats had incorrect names and images of aspirants, forcing the electoral body to suspend elections in the affected areas at the last minute.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Ali Joho and former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko were on Tuesday evening involved in a near fist fight at a polling station in the Coastal city, forcing police officers to fire in the air to disperse the increasingly agitated crowd that had gathered during the incident.
A side-by-side image of former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Mombasa County chief Hassan Joho. PHOTOS | COURTESY
The incident is reported to have happened after Sonko made his way to the Marycliff Primary School polling station shortly after leaving the Makupa Police Station.
He reportedly ran into Joho in the company of ODM candidate in the Mombasa gubernatorial race Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir, during which a heated argument is said to have ensued.
Police officers however responded to the incident and whisked Sonko away to his vehicle, after firing in the air to keep supporters of the rival camps from going at each other’s throats.
Sonko, speaking to an NTV reporter while being driven away, claimed: “Wanataka kuiba kura…vitisho iliisha. Wametoka ndio tumetoka, walikuwa wanasema tutoke wabaki peke yao, hatutatishwa tena.”
The former Nairobi Governor had earlier on bailed out the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party’s Mvita MP aspirant Omar Shallo and his Tudor Ward counterpart Samir Bhalo from Makupa Police Station where there were being detained.
The two leaders had been arrested over claims of causing violence Marycliff Primary School polling station.
Jubilee Party’s Migori Governor aspirant Dalmas Otieno was on Tuesday reportedly attacked at the Anindo Primary School polling centre in Awendo sub-county. Mr. Otieno’s bodyguard suffered head injuries, while the windscreens of two of his vehicles were cracked following an alleged attack by a group of about ten youth.
Jubilee Party’s Migori Governor aspirant Dalmas Otieno casts his vote on August 8, 2022. PHOTO | COURTESY
Confirming the incident, Migori County Police Commander Mark Wanjala said Mr. Otieno was inspecting the voting exercise at the polling station when the youth started pelting stones at his vehicles. According to Mr. Wanjala, the gubernatorial aspirant’s bodyguard then came out of the vehicle to respond but was hacked on the head and his firearm snatched from him.
The police boss said officers however responded swiftly and managed to recover the firearm with 13 rounds of ammunition. He also said Mr. Otieno managed to escape unhurt during the fracas, while his bodyguard was treated at Rapcom hospital. Mr. Wanjala further stated that they have since been able to identify some of the suspects and the police are now pursuing them.
Elsewhere in Suna West sub-county, a clerk attached to Kosege polling station was arrested after he was found in possession of five ballot papers. The county police commander said the ballot papers were for the Woman Representative and Governor positions placed on his desk. He said the clerk is presently in police custody pending investigations.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has cautioned Kenyans against sharing photos of marked ballot papers as the voting exercise is ongoing.
Elections offences act prohibits sharing photos of marked ballot papers.
This after Kenyans started sharing photos of marked ballot papers online, showing the candidates they have voted for. IEBC warned voters that such acts are unacceptable and are punishable by law. “Voters are warned that violating secrecy of the ballot through sharing of photos of marked ballot papers is punishable by law,” wrote IEBC on Twitter. The caution lies under dictates enshrined in the Election Offenses Act of 2016, which prohibits voters against disclosing information related to election proceedings.
Voters found culpable are likely to face a fine not exceeding one million shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both. “Capturing an image of any marked ballot for purposes of financial gain or for showing allegiance, commits an offence and is liable on conviction,” reads part of the act. “Communication before the poll is closed, or information obtained at those proceedings as to any official perforation, stamp or mark to be used in connection with any paper” shall also be considered a violation. The Election Act further warns that receipt numbers of ballot papers should not be shared.
Mumias West parliamentary seat candidate Rashid Echesa is on the spot for allegedly assaulting a journalist covering the ongoing hotly contested elections.
The journalist attached to Nation Media was taking photos of activities at Mumia Township polling station in Kakamega county. However, Echesa took issue with the journalist and questioned her who she was and why she was taking him photos, Nation reported.
Within no time, the goons who had accompanied the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) MP candidate surrounded the media personality. Surrounded by his bodyguards, Echessa then forced the journalist to delete the photos she had taken some of which had captured him casting his vote.
Nakuru East Member of Parliament David Gikaria has been arrested. According to Nakuru Police Commander Peter Mwanzo, the MP was arrested following an altercation at a polling station within the county.
He is being detained at the Central Police Station. Gikaria, the incumbent MP is defending his seat on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket in a race that has attracted four contenders.
Former Nakuru Town MP David Manyara, former Nakuru Mayor Benson Mwangi, county assembly speaker Joel Kairu, and Kanu women league coordinator Grace Karuga are among those seeking an electoral mandate to unseat the MP.
Bewilderment engulfed Kabarnet polling station in Baringo County on Tuesday after the station received the ballot papers meant for Meru prison in Meru County. The materials were, however, airlifted back to Meru.
Ballot papers for Kabarnet polling station in Baringo County are airlifted to Meru prison in Meru County.
Citizen Digital established that by 1pm the exercise had commenced on both stations, with 46% of the total registered voters in Kabarnet having cast their ballots.
Presiding officers said they were still expecting more turnout in the area. Elsewhere in Dadaab Constituency, Garissa County, voting had not begun by noon and four polling stations had not been opened. IEBC stated that they are working on addressing security challenges in the area, and if the stalemate is not solved today, the polls could be conducted tomorrow.
On the failure of KIEMS kits, the commission reported that 200 machines had technical errors. It also permitted the use of manual voter registers in Makueni and Kakamega Counties. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) confirmed that 6,567,869 Kenyans had turned out to vote as of Tuesday noon.
In a press briefing at the Bomas of Kenya, the commission said that the people that had voted by the time only accounted for 30.65% of the 22,120,458 voters who are expected to partake in the General Election.
The percentage of Kenyans that had turned up to vote at noon – 6 hours after polling stations were opened and 5 hours before they close – was below half the total number of registered voters.
