Author: Francis Muli

iPhone users can now share their tweets directly to their Instagram Stories, Twitter has announced through the social media platform. Skip the screenshots –– sharing Tweets to Instagram Stories right from the share menu is now rolling out to everyone on iOS! Tap the share icon on a Tweet and select “Instagram Stories”. Once your Instagram app opens, you can resize/reposition the Tweet sticker before posting. https://t.co/R1qayqMwYl pic.twitter.com/yp82IH5Tuk — Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) KahawaTungu reported earlier that Twitter had started testing the feature in December 2020, now the company is rolling it out to iOS users. According to a Twitter spokesperson…

Safaricom launched M-Pesa in Kenya over 14 years ago. This morning, the company unveiled its newly redesigned M-Pesa Super App with an aim of enhancing customers’ experience every time they use the service. Safaricom said the app will provide users with a simple, fun, secure, and convenient digital solution. The telco says the redesign follows the current digital shift and is a reflection of how Kenyans live their lives today and in the future. “We have always been willing to adapt M-PESA to meet different needs of our customers. In response, at M-PESA, we have continued to introduce new services…

When the government withdrew the use of Ksh1,000 old bank notes in June 2019, several people with both ill-gotten wealth and savings were in a rush to beat the government deadline, without raising suspicion. Among them was Kenya Rural Roads Authority deputy director in charge of supply chain management Margret Wanja Muthui, who bought 35 apartments in just four months. According to revelations by the Asset Recovery Agency (ARA), Ms Muthui bought 11 apartments in Kileleshwa for Ksh264 million between July and September 24, 2019. Before that, she had acquired 12 units in a flat in Ruaka for Ksh15 million…

Netflix is set to premier an African Reality Show featuring Tanzanian singer, Abdul Naseeb popularly known as Diamond Platnumz. The popular singer took to his social media to announce that he will feature in the “Young, Famous and African” Reality show. “From Tandale to the world…Go behind the scenes of what it takes to be an African Icon to the world with @netflixsa and @naijaonnetflix’s first African reality TV show, featuring your one and only SIMBA” Diamond posted on his timeline. Netflix South Africa had posted a teaser on its timeline asking users to guess who would be featured in…

Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa Google announced the Startups Accelerator: Africa program in 2018 to support the startup ecosystem, and has so far supported 67 startups from 17 African countries who have collectively raised $72M and created 2800 direct jobs. This year, the tech giant selected 15 high-potential startups to join its most diverse class yet, with 47% women co-founders from across seven countries and seven sectors. The companies are using technology to build exciting products as they work towards solving some Africa’s biggest challenges, with massive potential to contribute to the billion-dollar Africa internet economy GDP.  Below are the…

State agencies had outstanding loan balances of Ksh809,988,920,916 as at 30 June, 2019, auditor general Nancy Gathungu has revealed. However, the amount could not be authenticated since it was full of discrepancies between the reported loan balances and the confirmed balances. The discrepancies, according to the audit report, are over Ksh60 billion, putting into question the accounting transparency of state agencies. Kenya Railways Corporation had the highest discrepancy of Ksh37.7 billion, after reporting a loan balance of Ksh473.2 billion, but the auditor general was able to confirm Ksh435.5 billion. “The summary schedule of outstanding loans reflects an outstanding loans balance…

The Internet is playing a key role in Africa’s economic transition, generating new possibilities and paving the path for economic and social growth. According to a 2020 report, Africa’s Internet economy is expected to contribute nearly $189 billion to the continent’s overall GDP by 2025, rising to $712 billion by 2050. Google has announced a series of initiatives aimed at developing targeted programs that assist African Startups in accessing technical and financial assistance to support them in developing technologies that will benefit everyone. The programs, which include a $3 million USD Black Founders Fund for African startups and a $3 million…

Rescue operations are ongoing in Kangemi after a bridge under construction collapsed. So far, four people have been rescued and several others still trapped under the soil where the bridge collapsed on James Gichuru-Rironi Road in Westlands. “Two people have been taken to Eagle Nursing Home Medical and Health in Westlands, but the excavators are still at the scene, we do not know if there are still more people,” a witness quoted by The Standard said. [videopress UY2OE5nZ] In a statement, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) said that all of the workers on site had been accounted for. “Amid…

Safaricom has partnered with Trans Nzoia County Government to unveil an M-PESA cashless payment system for collecting county levies. Residents of Trans Nzoia County can now pay for parking, cess, and market fees, among other levies on the system. “We are delighted to enable digital lifestyles for the people of Trans Nzoia County through M-PESA. This will greatly enhance convenience for residents, enabling them to pay for county services wherever they are and at whatever time,” Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said. To pay for county services, Trans Nzoia residents will use a USSD code *818#, which gives them the option…

Kenya Power has launched a self-service portal to enable customers apply for electricity connections without having to visit the company’s offices physically. Customers can use Kenya Power’s mobile phone app ‘My Power’ to apply for electricity or visit the self-service website using a computer or a mobile phone. When making their applications, customers will be required to submit land/property ownership documents, ID cards and PIN certificates through the portal. Once they apply, customers will get a reference number instantaneously that they can use to proactively query and track their application status via USSD code *977#. The company will also send…

Raila Odinga Junior, son of ODM Leader Raila Odinga has expressed frustration after Twitter declined to verify his account. Junior shared a screenshot of a response from Twitter, regretfully telling him that they could not verify his account. ” This account will not be verified because it does not meet our criteria at this time. If you’d like to review our guidelines for being verified, please visit our Help centre.” Twitter wrote in a response to Junior. “If you believe the account may be a good candidate for verification in the future, we encourage you to submit again after 30…

Facebook will start rolling out podcasts on the platform this week with plans to introduce a feature allowing listeners to create clips from their favourite shows. The social media network sent out an email to podcast page owners with a link to put up their shows on the RSS feed. This will automatically generate Newsfeed posts for all episodes going forward. A new “Podcasts tab” on the page will feature the published episodes. Read: How to Download Facebook Videos on Your Device “Facebook will be the place where people can enjoy, discuss, and share the podcasts they love with each…

Kaluworks Limited, a company associated with business mogul Manu Chandaria has been placed under receivership over a Ksh4.3 billion debt. The company was placed under receivership by NCBA Bank, which is owed the money, in a bid to turn around things, or in the worst scenario, protect the company’s assets. Kaluworks specialises in the manufacture of aluminum utensils and roofing sheets has been recording poor sales due to increased competition from new manufacturers. Pongapipalli Rao will now be the receiver manager of the firm, even as financial firms rush to auction Kaluworks assets over ballooning debt. Read: AP Officer, Two Others…

A man in Kamagambo village in Gichugu, kirinyaga county is reported to have destroyed farm produce worth about Sh200,000 after his wife insisted on working on Father’s day. Witnesses said the man used a machete to slice green bananas and slash sacks of avocados meant for sale at Kitui market. The stock belonged to his wife and other traders who sell at the market. Hellen Kaari Muriithi who is among the traders whose groceries were destroyed said that Boda boss riders alerted her that their stock had been destroyed. She said that she had lost Sh15,000 of green bananas intended…

Today’s Covid-19 update shows that 283 people have tested positive for the disease from a sample size of 3,452 tested in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate now stands at 8.2%. Total confirmed positive cases are now 179,075 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,904,519. On a positive note 73 patients have recovered from the disease, 61 from the Home Based & Isolation Care program & 12 are from various health facilities countrywide. Total recoveries now stand at 122,704; 88,965 are from Home Based Care & Isolation program & 33,739 are from health facilities. Read: Kenya’s Covid-19 Caseload At…