Author: Eva Nyambura

Tanzanian Star Naseeb Abdul Juma but best known by his stage moniker, Diamond Platnumz has reached another milestone. The Bongo Flava star became the first African artiste to surpass 900 million views on the video viewing platform, YouTube. Diamond, only a decade old in the music industry has beaten the likes of Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy among others. For example, Davido has 543 million views, Wizkid with 792 million and Burna Boy with some 429 million views. The father of four is at the top of the list with 903 million views. The Wasafi CEO who is currently in self-isolation…

President Uhuru Kenyatta was among the most followed heads of state in Africa until he deactivated all his social media accounts. This was on March 22, 2019 when it was claimed that some staff members had hacked his accounts. Then, the head of state had 3.62 million followers on his verified Twitter account @UKenyatta. “Sorry, that page doesn’t exist!” was the explanation given by the microblogging site. There was also no evidence indicating that he had violated any of the Twitter rules. The account, though a parody is back online. It has 348 followers a few retweets. According to Twitter, …

A Kenya Airways (KQ) whistleblower has been moved from his current position after sharing a video of a Southern China flight landing at JKIA at a time when China was grappling with COVID-19. According to the Standard, Ali Gire now a former assistant security agent at JKIA has been moved to another department. Fire, who was suspended on February 27, declined to reveal his new work station due to security reasons. “It has been determined that you be suspended from duty with effect from February 27, 2020 in accordance with provisions of clause 16.5 of the Company HR Policy Manual,”…

Even science needs God, President Uhuru Kenyatta said during the National Prayer day held at State House. Uhuru said this as he urged Kenyans to seek forgiveness as the country fights coronavirus. “There are those who are saying we depend on science and not prayer but I want to tell them that even science needs God,” he said. “Our God is a listening God and He will grant us our hearts desires.. let us seek his forgiveness for anything we may have done wrong individually, collectively and to ask for His favor in the face of the challenges that we…

Kenya Airways (KQ) management team will effective April 1 take a 75 per cent pay cut as a result of suspended flights due to coronavirus pandemic. The national carrier will starting this date send some employees on unpaid leave. “All employees who will not be required at work will take their annual leave with immediate effect,” CEO Allan Kilavuka said on Friday. He also noted that staff members at grade H06 and above will be on a one week paid and three weeks unpaid leave starting April 1. All those at H05 and below will be on two weeks paid…

The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council on Saturday suspended Avane Limited Medical Clinic proprietor Dr Pranav Pancholi for advertising fake Covid19 test kits. The clinic’s license was also withdrawn for six months, KMPDC chairperson Eva Njenga said. “Dr. Pancholi is hereby admonished for allowing his institution to publish a deceitful, erroneous and misleading advertisement,” Dr Njenga said. Further, Avane clinic will be required to pay a Sh500,000 fine in two weeks. The clinic was raided on Monday by council members accompanied by police officers. The fake tests were going for Sh3,000 and were offering instant results. “No specialized equipment…

Police officers on leave have been asked to report back to their work stations. Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai has asked all those on leave to return to work over coronavirus pandemic. In a memo dated March 20 copied to Director of Criminal Investigations and Director Internal Affairs Unit, Mutyambai recalled all officers apart from those on terminal leave. “Due to unfolding events related to coronavirus, the Inspector General National Police Service has cancelled all annual leaves except those partaining proceeding to their terminal leave. “…all officers of all ranks under your respective services he recalled back to their…

While the government is tackling the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, others have taken this time to get their groove on. For example, a tweet Mura Kariuki hailed a taxi via the cab-hailing app Uber only for his driver to show up drunk. In a video shared on Twitter, the driver of KCU 968W denies being intoxicated. His excuse was he was sleepy. An inquisitive Kariuki threatens to report the unidentified driver to Uber, who then gets defensive. After a few confrontational seconds, the driver dismisses the client and asks him to “report to my mama.” The exchange goes on for a…

Matatu operators have been asked to reduce the number of passengers depending on the vehicle capacity. Addressing reporters on Friday at Afya House, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said 14 seaters will carry 8 people while 25 seaters will be required to transport 15 passengers. Those with a larger capacity including the SGR and other trains, will be required to keep a 60 per cent capacity. This, CS Kagwe said will help passengers adhere to the 1.5 metres social distancing requirement. He also asked employers to allow their employees to proceed on leave. Should they choose to keep them on, then…

Kenya’s largest telecommunications company Safaricom has scheduled a system maintenance for Sunday, March 22. The maintenance will start at 2 am until 8 am. All call, data, SMS and internet services will be available during the six hour exercise. https://twitter.com/SafaricomPLC/status/1240884783430975488 All airtime top up services including via MPesa will be temporarily be unavailable. Also affected will be balance transfers, all airtime, data bundles and SMS balance enquires. Customers will also not purchase data, voice and SMS bundles. Further, Safaricom customers will not have access to all Bonga Points services including redeeming the points. The telco has apologized to its customers…

Tanzanian rapper Hamis Mwinjuma alias Mwana FA on Thursday tested positive for the coronavirus. The artist had traveled to South Africa recently and upon his return home experienced flu like symptoms and a fever. This he said via Instagram. The former East Coast crew rapper said he has been in isolation since he returned and has not a chance to see his children. According to Mwana FA, the symptoms forced him to get tested on Wednesday and only received the results today. Now, he says, the symptoms are gone and is feeling okay. He will however continue to isolate himself,…

The government will on Saturday March 21 start randomly screening members of the public in specific areas, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has said. Speaking at Afya House, the CS also noted that the state has so far tested 173 people for the virus. “We have tested 173 people out of which seven are the ones that have turned out positive. The seven are in stable conditions,” he said, adding that 600,000 people entering Kenya have been screened. Kagwe also said that eight suspected cases of COVID-19 tested in the last 24 hours came back negative. He also told reporters that…

Tanzanian heartthrob Diamond Platnumz’s manager Sallam Sharaf on Thursday tested positive for the coronavirus. In an Instagram post, Sharaf who was in South Africa recently announced that tests results came back positive for the deadly virus. He did however note that medics at the health facility at which he is quarantined are taking good care of him. “I have received coronavirus test results, and I would like to confirm that it has turned out positive. Currently, I am under mandatory quarantine, and being monitored closely by doctors. I would like to thank the Tanzanian Government for the good medical services…

A Kenya Airways (KQ) flight was turned away in Sierra Leone after one of four Japanese passengers showed coronavirus symptoms. In a statement, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority said a KQ station manager alerted authorities of the suspected COVID-19 case when the plane landed in Liberia. The Freetown bound flight was then delayed as relevant teams prepared for its landing. Every other passenger, SLCAA director general Moses Tiffa Balo said, was allowed into the country apart from the four Japanese nationals. The others have since been quarantined. Sierra Leone has asked its citizens to stay calm as she ensures coronavirus…

Kenyans will soon receive free alcohol-based hand sanitizers as the government seeks to curb the coronavirus menace. So far Kenya has recorded seven cases of COVID-19 with the latest being a couple that traveled from Dubai and a Burundian national. Since the outbreak was reported, hand sanitizers have disappeared from supermarket shelves while other business owners have opted to hike prices. But in a memo by Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, the government will liaise with oil industry players to distribute the sanitizers for free. “The government is desirous of distributing affordable sanitizers to the general public. To this…