Author: Eva Nyambura

Popular Benga musician Albert Gacheru Wamaitu is dead. He breathed his last while receiving treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital. According to a family member, the benga maestro died on Monday 9 pm after spending two months in the ICU. Wamaitu was well known for his hit songs Mwendwa Wakwa Mariru, Mumunya, Hurry Hurry Waithera, Nindaguteire and Indo Ciakwa. Read: Kikuyu Benga Artist Kamande Wa Kioi Involved In A Gruesome Accident Starehe MP Charles Njagua aka Jaguar said the fallen musician was an inspiration to him. “It is with profound grief that I learn of the passing on of the legendary artiste…

A male convict who recently contracted Covid-19 has died at a police cell in Kuria West, Migori County. Samwel Marwa, 32, passed on Monday after being sentenced on April 1. According to Kuria West sub-county Police Commander Cleti Kimaiyo, the deceased could not serve his sentence at the Migori GK Prison because of his medical status hence he was isolated in a police cell. The convict was apparently stable until Sunday at around 2.22 pm when he collapsed in the cell and lost consciousness. Read: Covid-19 Numbers Dip As 460 Test Positive for Virus The departed also had blood-stained foam coming…

Kenya Airways (KQ) has suspended passenger flights between Nairobi and the UK effective April 9. In a statement on Monday, the national carrier cited a recent government directive suspending all flights from the UK. Due to increased demand for travel, KQ has added two new flights for April 7 and 8. For those impacted by the directive, the airline has advised that they change their bookings for later travel or seek a refund. All tickets, KQ said, must be utilised by March 31, 2022. https://twitter.com/KenyaAirways/status/1379071699241553920 On Saturday, the government imposed mandatory quarantine requirements for passengers traveling from UK. This was…

460 people have tested positive for Covid-19, from a 2,753 sample size tested in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate is currently at 16.7 percent. The total number of confirmed infections now stands at 139,448, while the cumulative tests conducted so far are 1,520, 390. 446 of the new cases are Kenyans while 14 are foreigners. 250 are male and 210 are female. The youngest is a seven month-old infant while the oldest is 89 years old. On the other hand, 20 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours 1 of them having occurred in the last…

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has finally released March pay for its pilots following a pay cut stand off. The airline, Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa) said, paid the pilots 75 percent of their pay instead of the 95 percent as requested. According to Kalpa which represents 414 of the KQ pilots, the loss-making airline disbursed the pay on April 2. The rest of the monies will apparently be paid when the airline is back up growth. Read: KQ Declines To Remit Pilots’ March Salaries Over Demand For Lower Pay Cuts “KQ wired our March pay on Friday, April 2, 2021.…

Kenya has accused the United Kingdom (UK) of discrimination after the European country banned travellers from or transiting through Kenya in a bid to contain the spread of Covid-19. In a statement on Saturday, the ministry of foreign affairs said Kenya was disappointed in the UK’s unilateral decision to restrict travellers. “This unilateral decision does not reflect a prevailing logic and scientific knowledge of the disease or the spread of the pandemic. Rather, the decision seems to be motivated by a discriminatory policy against certain countries and peoples,” Kenya said. “Kenya has been consistent in maintaining a positive stance towards…

The Communications Authority (CA) has revoked postal and courier licences of 21 companies. In a gazette notice, the government agency said the cancellation of licences takes effect on Thursday. “The revocation of these licences may affect the public and local authorities, companies, persons or bodies of persons within the country,” read the gazette notice. Read: October Cyber Security Awareness Month: Communications Authority Kicks Off Awareness Initiative The companies include; Randa Coach, Tahmeed Courier, Masterpiece Courier Services Limited, National Cargo Limited, Tencent Courier Limited, Arrow Industries Limited, Paynet Wireless Limited, Modern Coast Courier and Speedex Logistics Limited. Others are; Transcounty Couriers, Prime…

The government has appealed to both public and private health facilities to ensure safe disposal of used Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna on Friday urged the health facilities to shred and incinerate the PPEs before they are dumped. “The PPEs which include overalls, facemasks, gloves, hand wipes, and disinfecting waste should properly be disposed of for safety of the public,” Oguna said. https://twitter.com/SpokespersonGoK/status/1378063790143647745 This comes days after young men were seen donning used PPEs at the Dandora dumpsite, raising concerns over poor disposal of the crucial gear in the fight against Covid-19. Dandora is Nairobi’s main…

At least 100 revellers are cooling their heels behind bars for violating curfew orders. The revellers were apprehended during a raid on nightclubs along Oginga Odinga street and Makasembo, Jomo Kenyatta and Tom Mboya streets. Also behind bars are the joint owners. According to Nyanza region police commander Karanja Muiruri, at least 138 people were arrested and locked up at the Central police station. The raid, an officer told a local daily on condition of anonymity, started at 9.30 pm. Read: Here Are The Covid-19 Containment Measures For Five Counties Put On Partial Lockdown Kisumu central subcounty Police Commander Joshua Ng’etich…

International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved Sh255 billion loan to Kenya. Sh33.5 billion will be disbursed next week to support Covid-19 pandemic response efforts. In a statement, the Washington-based lender said its executive board had approved the 38-month program under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). “The three-year financing package will support the next phase of the authorities’ COVID-19 response and their plan to reduce debt vulnerabilities while safeguarding resources to protect vulnerable groups,” IMF said. Speaking on Tuesday, Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) governor Patrick Njoroge said Kenya was hopeful the loan facilities would…

The government has banned private importation of Covid-19 vaccine. Speaking on Friday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said the vaccines will no longer be sold locally until the state is confident in the transparency and accountability of the process. “The government is effective today closing the window of private sector importation, distribution and administration of vaccines until such a time when it is confident that there is greater transparency and accountability in the entire process,” CS Kagwe said. The CS also revoked licenses given to private players until further notice. The state, he said, remains the sole agent of vaccination. “There…

The United Kingdom (UK) will add Kenya to the red list in a bid to control the spread of Covid-19, starting April 9. In a statement issued by the British High Commission, other countries added to the travel ban list are Bangladesh, Pakistan and Philippines. Travellers who have been in or transited through these countries will be denied entry into the European country. “British, Irish and third-country nationals with residence rights arriving from these countries will be required to quarantine in a Government-approved facility for 10 days,” the statement reads. Read: Kenyans Banned From Travelling To Saudi Arabia Over Coronavirus Countries…

A Nyeri County staff in the department of housing and planning has succumbed to Covid-19, area governor Mutahi Kahiga has confirmed. Five others have been hospitalised, he added. Further, the county boss has suspended all non-essential services for a period of one month at the county government offices. According to governor Kahiga, health, finance and emergency services will be offered without interruption. Staffers in the other departments will be required to work from home. Read: UK To Ban Travellers From Kenya In A Bid To Control Covid-19 Spread At the same time, those above the age of 58 including those in…

A 24-year-old man lost his life on Wednesday night in Embakasi after being stabbed in the neck. Henry Mburu had gone to visit his estranged girlfriend when he found her, Caroline Mutinda, in the company of two other men. In a series of tweets, DCI said a fight ensued leading to Mburu’s stabbing. It is however not clear who among the three fatally injured the deceased. “On arrival at her house located on the fourth floor of Charles Mberia Flats, he found Carol with two other men making merry, as they imbibed drinks. According to witness staements taken by our…

Kenya has recorded 984 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, Health CAS Dr Rashid Aman has confirmed. Addressing the media from Afya House, Dr Aman said the new infections were from a 5,318 sample size. This pushes the tally to 135,042 and the cumulative tests to 1,494,777. The positivity rate is at 18.5 percent. 521 of the new cases are male while 463 are female. The youngest case is of a 6-year-old child and the oldest a 97-year-old person. Read: Why Sputnik V Is Kenya’s Best Bet Against COVID-19 On a positive note, Dr Rashid noted that 388…