On Wednesday, January 28, newspapers highlighted various topics, including the insecurity situation in northern Kenya which has put the lives of teachers at risk.
Source: UGC
One of those newspapers highlighted the sad situation that befell a teacher who was killed by suspected Al-Shabaab militants.
1. Daily Nation
This newspaper devoted a special page to discuss the death of Stephen Musili, a 35-year-old teacher who taught at Hulugho Primary School, Garissa County.
Musili endured threats and violent incidents for several years before he was brutally killed by Al-Shabaab suspects in January 2026.
His case illustrates the dangers faced by non-native teachers working in the volatile regions of northeastern Kenya, where insecurity has long affected the education sector.
Musili’s ordeal began two years earlier when he narrowly survived an ambush by armed men who left a dire warning saying they would return.
His wife, Leah, recalled how the attackers once took off his shoes and wrote the words: “Lion One. Wait Lion Two.”
Threats were frequent, a situation that forced Musili and other male teachers to sleep in police stations, chiefs’ offices or even in the metro every time there was information about possible attacks.
Despite repeated requests to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for his transfer, his requests were rejected.
Leah explained that despite peace meetings held with parents and promises of safety being given, the head teacher refused to sign her transfer letter, telling her to resign if she did not want to continue working there.
Musili continued to stay in Hulugho because of the responsibility to take care of his family.
On January 2, 2025, he found permanent employment with pension benefits — a milestone that gave him hope for a stable life.
However, more than a year later, on January 26, 2026, armed men invaded his apartment building in Hulugho and shot him dead.
Witnesses said the attackers first entered the house of a female teacher and said they do not kill women, then they wanted to know where the male teachers were.
In fear, he showed them where Musili was.
He tried to hide but was shot in the legs and later killed by another shot in the back.
A few hours before he was killed, he had spoken calmly with his wife on the phone.
Leah, who is also a teacher in Garissa, expressed her deep sorrow. They got married in 2020 and had two children.
Musili was the main support of the family, also helping his family of parents and siblings.
Her dream was to be transferred to Garissa city so that their children could live in a safe environment. Now Leah has asked the county government to give her a job so that she can support her family.
Musili’s sister, Winfred, who is also a teacher Hulugho, said she is afraid for her life. With the same surname, he believes he may be targeted as well. He has vowed not to return to work until he is transferred to a safer area, saying 33 other non-local teachers also want transfer.
He criticized it TSC for failing to take action despite his brother’s frequent complaints, saying his case should have been given special weight due to the threats he received.
Colleagues explained that Musili was more vulnerable because he spoke Somali and interacted closely with residents, which led some people to mistakenly suspect him of being a spy.
Teachers’ unions have been pressing the TSC to relocate non-native teachers from vulnerable areas, but progress has been slow.
The chairman of TSC, Jamleck Muturi, condemned the killing and announced that the safety of teachers is now being handled by a force of various security agencies. Senior officers have been sent to Garissa to assess the situation and assist the affected teachers.
Musili’s body was taken to Mochwari in Chiromo, Nairobi, while the family prepared for the burial in Garissa.
His death highlights the great dangers faced by teachers in conflict zones and the urgent need for effective protection and policies that care for their safety.
2. Nation Today
The integrity of MPs in carrying out their constitutional duties in Parliament committees has been questioned again after the Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetang’ula, strongly warned MPs against the misuse of their powers.
Mr. Wetang’ula has asked MPs to observe the principles and values of the Parliament, accusing some committees of accepting bribes.
He said there are signs of deterioration in the relationship between MPs and government officials, noting that some MPs have turned Parliament committees into platforms for personal gain.
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He claimed that there are MPs who demand bribes directly or use agents called “welfare officers” (welfare officers) to pressure government officials to give money in the hope of getting reports or decisions in their favor.
The Speaker said he has received many complaints from government officials who claim to be harassed and even threatened when they appear before the Parliament’s committees.
He warned that the situation has damaged the image of the Parliament and weakened its main role of managing the government.
“There is a tendency to worry in some of our committees. Whenever there is an employment process in public institutions, the heads of those institutions start being called frequently in front of different committees on the same issue,” said Wetang’ula.
Speaking during the National Assembly session held in Naivasha, the Speaker expressed his dismay that some members of parliament have given themselves unofficial roles in the committee and used that opportunity to defraud government officials.
“I have been receiving many complaints that some of us harass government officials who come before our committees, while others pretend to be welfare officers in the committee. I absolutely forbid these things,” he told the MPs.
He explained that naturally, the welfare officer deals with social issues, but in the context of the Parliamentary committees, some people are used as brokers to collect bribes on behalf of MPs.
The Speaker gave an example of an incident where a public institution with a small request for an audit of about Sh400,000 rushed to his office claiming harassment by a parliamentary committee, which he did not mention.
“I met a case where an institution came running to my office. They only had a small audit issue of about Sh400,000 that could be explained, but the things that were being raised were not good for the respect of the Parliament,” he said.
Wetang’ula reminded the MPs that the role of management is constitutional and should not be misused.
He said it should be implemented in a way that respects the law, other government institutions and avoids causing administrative disturbances.
“Although management is the responsibility of Parliament, it must be carried out without creating the impression of undue pressure or causing disruption to service delivery and administration,” he said.
He added that he had received complaints about secretaries and ministers being called at the same time by three different parliamentary committees, a situation he said was unacceptable.
He cited the Inspector General of Police and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) as examples of institutions that have been called many times over similar issues.
3. People Daily
This newspaper reported on a plan to make major changes in the committees of the National Assembly as MPs were accused of engaging in the behavior of seeking personal income.
New information, as highlighted by People Dailyshow that parliamentarians have been threatening central government officials through self-serving actions and using their influence in the selection of public positions.
Reports also indicate that there is an ongoing plan to expel five members of parliament who violated the agreement of their parties during the recent by-elections.
The situation has become so bad that some committees are supposed to appoint “welfare officers” responsible for collecting money on behalf of the committee members.
Speaker Moses Wetang’ula revealed these issues while addressing MPs in their third annual session before Parliament returns in February.
He noted that whenever there is an employment process in public institutions, the heads of those institutions are called frequently by different committees on the same issue.
For example, the Inspector General of Police and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) have been called many times over similar issues.
On the same day, it was revealed that some of those expected to be removed from their committee positions include:
- Kitutu Chache Member of Parliament, Anthony Kibagendi, who risks losing his position as Deputy Chairman of the Public Investment Committee (PIC – Education and Administration),
- Member of Parliament for Kitutu Masaba, Clive Gesairo,
- Member of Parliament for Borabu, Patrick Onserio, both members of the Education Committee.
They are expected to be transferred to the Committee on Services and Facilities of Members of Parliament.
The changes are also expected to affect the commissioners of the Parliamentary Services Commission (PSC), Nyali Member of Parliament Mohamed Ali, and Nyamira Senator Senior Advocate Okong’o Omogeni, who were at the forefront of campaigns against the official positions of their parties in Magarini and Nyamira Counties.
The reconstitution of the Parliamentary committees in February is expected to formalize the changes.
Committees that can be changed include:
- Parliamentary Schedule Committee (HBC)
- Committee on Powers and Rights of Members of Parliament
- Parliamentary Procedures and Rules Committee
- Parliamentary Services and Equipment Committee
- Public Accounts Committee (PAC)
- Budget and Appropriation Committee
- Committee on Public Debt and Privatization
Source: TUKO.co.ke
