Author: Francis Muli

After a series of online leaks, Microsoft has unveiled the latest Windows 11. In a blog post, the tech company says the latest windows comes with a simplified design and user experience. Windows 11 has placed Start at the centre which the company says is designed to make it easier for you to find what you need. It points you to your most recent files from Microsoft 365 and cloud, making it easier to access your latest files viewed even from your Android or iOS devices. For flexibility,  Microsoft announced a new snap layouts feature. This places snap groups and…

Former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo has been accused of bribery and blackmail in a land row involving Stephen Jennings, a majority shareholder in some Tatu City projects. In court documents, Kabogo is said to be illegally holding five title deeds, demanding a five percent share in projects controlled by Jennings. Kabogo claims that he entered into a deal with the Tatu city developers through Gilulu Investments and Acres and Homes for a five percent share in a development occupying 128 acres in Tatu City. However, Jennings argues that Kabogo does not own the two firms, and if he owns the…

Drivers Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo, Hamza Anwar, Jeremy Wahome and McRae Kimathi have expressed confidence ahead of the WRC Safari Rally which will see drivers tackle some of Kenya’s most technical routes. Wahome and Anwar, both 22, and Kimathi 26, are some of the youngest Kenyan drivers participating at the event as part of the FIA Rally Star programme, a global initiative that seeks to identify, train, and develop talented young drivers between 17-26 years. Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo, a five-time winner of the Safari Rally and winner of this year’s Africa Rally Championship Equator Rally, was crowned the Intercontinental Rally Challenge…

Telkom customers will get to enjoy a lifetime value of 1GB of mobile internet data and 100 minutes of talk time to make Telkom-to-Telkom calls, for free, every month. This lifetime offer called Madaraka Life will also have the Telkom customer registered to T-kash, Telkom’s mobile money service. The customer will receive an instant cashback of Ksh50 to their mobile wallet, upon successful registration. This move follows Telkom’s announcement on the eve of this year’s Madaraka Day, when the company stated that it would be offering Kenyans an important access key to their own digital independence, for the Madaraka season,…

Google has announced plans to enhance its security on Google Drive and YouTube. The changes are however expected to affect existing public links for items stored on both tools. The tech giant said that files and videos on unused, abandoned, and inactive accounts could easily disappear in the process. The reason, Google explains, is because their enhanced security is meant to improve link sharing on Drive and YouTube. The new security settings are optional, meaning users can choose not to have them updated. The newly enhanced security settings will require viewers to be granted explicit access to open links. They…

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is estimated to collect Ksh6.8 trillion over the period 2021/22 to 2023/2024 financial years. According to KRA, through its eighth Corporate Plan, it is expected that the exchequer revenue will rise from Ksh1.76 trillion in 2021/22 to Ksh2.5 trillion in 2023/24. Through the target revenue collection, the Authority is expected to sustain an annual average growth of 16.9 per cent over the period in which nominal GDP growth is also projected to grow at 11.2 per cent. To increase revenue collection and achieve the set target, KRA will expand the tax base by tapping into new…

The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) Board has approved the application for environmental release of genetically modified (GM) cassava. In a statement, NBA said the approval was based on food/feed safety and  environmental safety assessment which showed that the cassava varieties containing Event 4046 are unlikely to pose any risk to human and animal health or to the  environment when consumed as food or feed or when cultivated in the open environment. “The variety was thus shown to be as safe as the conventional varieties that have been cultivated by farmers over the years. This approval implies that Kenya is the…

Instagram has announced plans to launch a new test following the positive reception of “suggested posts” on the app. The company says that it will now test placing the suggested posts within your timeline, in some cases above and ahead of posts from people you follow. In addition, Instagram says it will also test allowing users to select specific topics of interest for suggested posts. The new controls will include allowing users to snooze the suggested posts for 30 days This means that users who do not like the feature can hide the recommendations from their own feed. The feature…

Only 3.8 million Kenyans have filed their tax returns ahead of June 30, 2021 deadline, the Kenya Revenue Authority has said. The number is however an improvement as compared to 3.1 million who had filed their returns as of June 20, 2020. “The iTax system is currently very efficient, enabling taxpayers to file their returns 24 hours a day, without hitches,” said KRA’s Deputy Marketing and Communication Commissioner Grace Wandera. “We have also extended our Service Centers and Contact Center opening hours to serve the increasing footfall. In the month of June alone, we have served over 230, 000 customers,…

Facebook has announced plans to expand the “Shops” feature to popular messaging app, Whatsapp. The company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the plans this week while speaking at a Live Audio Rooms event. According to a previous blog post from the social media giant, at least 74 percent of the users surveyed visit the platform to discover brands and products online compared to 41 percent who visit the brands’ websites directly. 86 percent of the respondents purchased electronic, beauty, fashion or furniture products following findings from the platform. During the live event, Zuckerberg shared that Facebook shops and Instagram shops attract…

Moringa School, a Kenyan technology education company that provides transformative tech-based learning experiences, was selected among hundreds of candidates as one of the World Economic Forum’s “Technology Pioneers”. The World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers are early to growth-stage companies from around the world that are involved in the use of new technologies and innovation that are poised to have a significant impact on business and society. As a result, Moringa’s CEO Audrey Cheng will be invited to participate in World Economic Forum activities, events, and discussions throughout the year. The tech school says it will also contribute to Forum initiatives…

The Nigerian government is threatening to shut down social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp if they are found to be promoting posts capable of destabilizing the country. Nigeria’s Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed told the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Information, Justice, and Communication that they would not hesitate to suspend any apps that promote posts propagating division. Mohammed cited Twitter as one of the social networks that had enabled disunity by allowing inflammatory posts. As a result, the Nigerian government set a condition requiring Twitter to register formally in the country before…

Cytonn Investments CEO Edwin Dande now wants Capital Markets Authority (CMA) to desist from fighting the companies it regulates in public, following a series of attacks on the investment company. In a Facebook post, Dande said that CMA through its CEO Wycliffe Shamiah has been issuing misleading statements meant to mudsling Cytonn. “I am sure CBK (Central Bank of Kenya) has a lot of issues with some banks; I am sure RBA (Retirement Benefits Authority), which also regulates Cytonn Pensions, has a lot of issues with some pensions funds. I am sure IRA (Insurance Regulatory Authority, which also regulates Cytonn…

Microsoft has introduced basic photo editing features to the web and Android versions of OneDrive. You will now be able to crop, rotate and add filters to photos on the cloud storage feature. Users will be able to edit their JPEG and PNG images on their personal OneDrive accounts. Microsoft has said that there are plans to expand the feature to the school and business accounts in the coming months, and to the app thereafter. The Android version of the OneDrive app will come packed with additional features such as casting photos to flip them on a Chromecast-enabled device while…

Sports betting company 22Bet Kenya has introduced Friday Reload Bonus, where punters will get a 100 percent bonus up to Ksh12,000 for sports betting. Punters will have to first consent to receiving betting bonuses. For deposits made on Friday, customers will be able to claim only one 100 percent bonus of up to Ksh12,000. The bonus will be credited to a customer’s account automatically after a qualifying deposit is made, unless the box “I do not want any bonuses” is ticked. Read: All You Need To Know About 22Bet Kenya In order to withdraw the funds from the customer account, the…