Author: Eva Nyambura

Restaurants and eateries will remain open until 5pm despite extension of dawn to dusk curfew. Health CAS Rashid Aman clarified that the establishments will not have their timings extends till 8 pm as requested on Friday. Pubs, Entertainment and Restaurants Association of Kenya (PERAK) yesterday sought to have their closing time extended by at least four hours. We request to be allowed to operate up to at most 8pm, as our operators have their own arrangements for staff accommodation and transport, which means that curfew hours will be observed,” PERAK patron Patrick Muya said. In their briefing, the association asked…

In the last 24 hours, Kenya has tested a 3,503 sample size out of which 152 persons tested positive for the coronavirus. Addressing the media on Saturday, Health CAS Rashid Aman said that toll has risen to 3,457. Further, he noted, all the newly detected infections are Kenyan nationals. 116 are males while 36 are females. The youngest is a 2 year old and the oldest 65. So far 38 counties have confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the first case was reported exactly 3 months ago. According to Dr Aman, Nairobi is leading with 44 percent of the cases, Mombasa…

Matatu operators offering illegal courier services risk jail time or Sh300,000 fine. In a statement, Communications Authority (CA) Acting Director General Mercy Wanjau noted that the number of operators offering the services has risen in the past three months. This is as a result of movement restrictions imposed by the government to combat the spread of COVID-19. Ms Wanjau noted that PSV operators and e-commerce market platforms are taking advantage of the pandemic to operate without proper licensing. “It has come to the attention of the Authority that a number of PSVs, Sacco’s and e-commerce market platforms have taken advantage…

A police chopper registration 5Y-NPW, on Saturday morning crashed in Kaithe-Kithoka area in Meru county. According to the Star, the chopper developed mechanical problems causing the 7.30 am accident. The helicopter was ferrying a security team to Marsabit when the accident occurred. On board was Eastern Regional commissioner and his security team who were apparently headed for a meeting with North Eastern security personnel, the daily reports. https://twitter.com/Kenyan_Report/status/1271697937937162240 Confirming the incident was area police boss Patrick Lumumba who noted that the injured passengers have been rushed to hospital. Three of the occupants are said to have escaped with minor injuries…

Chinese nationals are seeking to be repatriated from Kenya as effects of the novel COVID-19 continue to be felt across the globe. The 400 Chinese nationals moved to court where they argued that they will feel much safer back home. According to the Nation, high court judge Justice Weldon Korir ruled in their favour, and should be able to return home on June 16. Their lawyer, Isaac Okinyo told the daily that some of the affected parties have underlying conditions hence vulnerable to the coronavirus. “We went to court last week and argued why it was necessary for the Chinese…

The Judiciary has asked DCI to look into banners insulting Chief Justice David Maraga. The banners were on Friday erected along major roads in Nairobi. They indicated a “vicious fight” against Maraga and the Judiciary was about to begin. “We wish to repeat this appeal today, and again request the Inspector General of Police, the DCI to investigate and do everything in their power to find and punish those responsible,” the Judiciary said in a statement. Also a target were senior judicial officers. They asked the Kenya National Highwasys Authority and Nairobi County government to ensure that public spaces are…

Villa Rosa Kempinski is set to let go of a number of employees as economic effects of COVID-19 bite on. According to Business Daily, the high-end hotel based at Westlands will pay redundancy fees in line with the Employment Act, 2007. The hotel’s Managing Director Roberto Simone noted that the move will affect a lot of staff members in various departments. He did however, deem it necessary as it will “put the hotel on a firm footing and allow us to grow sustainability for the years to come.” Without indicating how many employees will be sent packing, Mr Simone in…

Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale can breathe easy after Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji dropped incitement charges against him. Khalwale was set to be arraigned this morning for holding a meeting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gatherings of more than 15 people have been banned by the government. Addressing reporters on Friday morning, his lawyer Danstan Omari said that the charges have been withdrawn. Khalwale was summoned on Thursday over what he claimed was over food donations to Kakamega residents on June 5. Police said that the former legislator on the said day at Mungusi Village Mugomari sub-location Kakamega East,…

Treasury CS Ukur Yattani has allocated Sh10 billion to the “Kazi Mtaani” youth programme. During presentation of the Bugdet in Parliament on Thursday, the CS said the money will help unemployed youths who have been most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A KNBS report showed that youths between the ages of 20 to 24 are the worst hit by unemployment in Kenya at a figure of 241,728 during the period between January to May this year. This was followed by youths aged 25 to 29 making up 228,466 of the total. “Youth aged between 20-24 had the highest proportion of…

Coronavirus cases in Kenya have jumped to 3,215 after 121 more people tested positive for the respiratory disease. This was after testing a 3,291 sample size in the last 24 hours. In a statement, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said that 44 more patients have been discharged raising the number of recoveries to 1,092. On the other hand, 3 more people have died pushing number of fatalities to 92. CS Kagwe noted that Kenya has carried out a total of 106,247 tests so far. Of the new cases, 92 are males and 29 females. In terms of age, the youngest newly…

Tecra Muigai’s lover Omar Lali will be probed for a further 30 days, Lamu principal magistrate Allan Temba ruled on Wednesday. In a video link, the suspect’s lawyer Yusuf Aboubakar, the DCI and DPP agreed to investigate Lali. The suspect who lived with the Keroche heiress at their Shella town home, will not be detained for the said period. Two weeks ago, Lali, 54, was set free on a Sh300,000 bond and two sureties provided by his brother-in-law and mother, after spending 21 days behind bars. The same court declined to detain him further, noting that he was not a…

Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua has denied paying off youths to wreck havoc in Karatina town. In a video doing rounds on social media, the vocal Deputy President William Ruto ally is seen handing two people an unknown amount of money. In the clip, he orders the two to hire rowdy youths to cause chaos during a planned demonstration in Karatina. But according to the lawmaker, he handed the money to his friend’s wife. He was apparently holding a get together for media personalities. “My generosity is known in Mathira in addition to the respect I have for the family unit,”…

Burundi’s First Lady Denise Bucumi Nkurunziza has returned home after being hospitalized in Kenya for close to two weeks. She was airlifted to Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi after contracting the deadly COVID-19. Kahawa Tungu reported that Mrs Nkurunziza arrived in the capital city aboard Amref plane registration 5Y-FDP around 10 AM according to online flight logs. Her departure from Bujumbura was treated with a lot of secrecy as most of the airport staff were barred from accessing her records while the airport manager personally processed her travel documents. Now, the BBC reports, Mrs Nkurunziza, a philanthropist landed on Tuesday evening,…

A Kiambu magistrate court on Wednesday ordered the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to release five vehicles belonging to ex Sports CS Rashid Echesa. Senior Principal Magistrate Stella Atembo ruled that the motor vehicles were seized without “any support or any law of order of the court with sufficient reasons contravenes the constitution which provides for the right to private property and opportunity to be heard.” The vehicles include Toyota Lexus, Ford Ranger and a Mercedes Benz E-350 which were not part of the search warrant as issued by court. In March, DCI officers impounded five vehicles found at Echesa’s…

Kenya has recorded the highest number of recoveries in a single day, health CAS Rashid Aman has announced. In the last 24 hours, 175 patients have been discharged from various hospitals. Recovered cases are now at 1,048. “We are delighted to inform you that we have discharged the highest number of patients in a single 24-hour period; we have discharged 175 patients from the various facilities who have recovered from the coronavirus disease,” Dr Aman said during the daily COVID-19 briefing. On the other hand, 105 others tested positive after testing a 2,273 sample size. Kenya’s infections have as a…