Author: Francis Muli

Troubled Scangroup CEO Bharat Thakrar has resigned both as a CEO and a board member days after the board suspended him over alleged gross misconduct. In a statement, Scangroup board announced that the process to recruit a new CEO had commenced following Thakrar’s unceremonious exit. “The Chief Executive Officer, Mr Bharat Thakrar, has tendered his resignation as CEO and board member, which the Board has accepted. Mr Thakrar has also resigned a director of the Company’s subsidiaries and affiliates. The investigation into the allegations of gross misconduct and possible offences against the two executives will continue,” said the board in…

President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed Prof Fatuma Chege as Principal Secretary in State Department of Curriculum Development Prof Chege she led the taskforce on transition from 8-4-4 to 2-6-3-3 education system. National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has consequently directed Education Committee chaired by Busia MP Florence Mutua to vet Prof Chege and report back to the House by April 15. “I wish to report to the House that I have received a message from His Excellency the President conveying his nomination of Prof. Fatuma Nyaguthii Chege for appointment as a Principal Secretary in the newly created State Department for Implementation…

The Communication Authority of Kenya has launched the  2021 Kuza Broadcasting Awards, an initiative to recognize and fete broadcasters who demonstrate excellence in their broadcasts in line with the ICT law provisions. The theme of the 2021 Awards is “Preserving our Heritage through Broadcasting (Kenya a Heritage of Splendour)”, which seeks to acknowledge broadcasters who: Promote patriotism, Uphold Kenyan culture, beliefs, and values, and those who have made a contribution towards national unity and cohesion. There are three major award categories in the 4th edition of the Kuza awards. The Regulatory and People’s Choice Awards are standing award categories, while…

Telegram has unveiled a number of voice chat features for channels in its latest update. The feature will support an unlimited number of participants in the channel allowing millions of users to tune in and listen to the voice call host. “It’s like public radio reinvented for the 21st century.” Telegram says in its blog. The update also brings recordable voice chats, rich lists of participants, raise hand mechanics, invite links for speakers and listeners, voice chat titles, and a way for public figures to join voice chats as their channels. Read: Telegram Launches Video Calls on Android and iOS Admins will…

LG may finally be pulling the plug on its smartphone business after it failed to secure a buyer. The company had earlier in the year hinted at closing its mobile division before exploring a sale idea. LG has reportedly been in talks with two companies for a sales deal which seems to have hit a dead end. The company is now said to be exploring the idea of shutting down the mobile division as opposed to finding other candidates.LG is reported to have held talks with Germany’s Volkswagen AG and Vietnam’s Vingroup JSC after LG Electronics CEO Kwon Bong-seok suggested…

YouTube is running yet another experiment that will feature an automated list of products detected in a video. “We are experimenting with a new feature that displays a list of products detected in some videos, as well as related products. The feature will appear in between the recommended videos, to viewers scrolling below the video player. The goal is to help people explore more videos and information about those products on YouTube.” a spokesperson told The Verge. Read: YouTube Testing a New Way For Users to Shop On The Videos The feature will allow YouTube to tap into the affiliate…

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) as recorded a Ksh36.57 loss before tax in the financial year ended December 2020. Revenues for the cash strapped carrier dipped by more than half during the period, even as lockdown measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19 took toll on business. The revenue shrunk by 59 percent to Ksh52.8 billion from Ksh128.3 billion in 2019. The loss is almost three times the loss recorded in 2019 of Ksh13 billion, worsening hopes of a recovery plan for the carrier that is in place. During the period under review, KQ ferried 1.8 million individuals in contrast…

The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has warned the public against a fraudster allegedly extorting businessmen for licence fees. In a statement, EPRA said that a man only identified as Engineer Maingi is not their staff and is not allowed to transact business on behalf of EPRA. “EPRA has received numerous reports of an individual purporting to be EPRA staff. The individual is soliciting money from our licensees in pretence of processing their licences,” read the statement in part. “The Authority wishes to notify all licensees that license application or renewal fee is only payable through the Authority’s Kenya Commercial Bank…

Interior CS Dr Fred Matiang’i has directed the lifting of the 6.00 pm to 6.00 am curfew in Kapedo that has lasted for 30 days, after successful restoration of peace and normalcy in the area. In a statement, Dr Matiang’i said the government will retain the 10.00 pm to 4.00 am nationwide curfew in line with the Presidential Directives on the Revised Covid-19 Containment Measures. “Roadblocks within Kapedo area will be retained but humanitarian assistance shall be facilitated by security officers to ensure that it reaches the targeted beneficiaries,” said Matiang’i. He said that 53 firearms have been recovered through…

The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has asked Journalists to be more sensitive in their approach to reporting news on death and sexual assault. MCK’s Chief Executive Officer David Omwoyo said the treatment of such factors was now a matter of great public concern. “The Council’s attention has been drawn to media items and reports on broadcast and print that violate the Code of ethics for the practice of journalism in Kenya as provided for in the Second Schedule of the Media Council Act, 2013,” Omwoyo said Read: IEBC To Take Punitive Action Against Staffer Tabitha Mutemi For Taking Up…

Public Relations company Gina Din director Lorna Irungu has passed away. Ms Irungu succumbed to Covid-19 complications. She is famously known for a 1990 TV programme that aired on KBC known as Omo-Pick-a-Box. She also hosted the show alongside the late Regina Mutoko, sister to celebrated media personality Caroline Mutoko. Ms Irungu also hosted Club Kiboko for five years between 1994 and 1999, while also producing magazine show Maisha and a youth dialogue dubbed Niaje. She later hosted State of The Nation at then-Nation FM. She has had three kidney transplants donated by her father, brother and sister between 1998 and 2008. Irungu has been running her…

Facebook took down 1.3 billion fake accounts between October and December 2020, the company has announced in a blog. The company said the move was just one of the ways the company tackled misinformation. “Tackling misinformation actually requires addressing several challenges including fake accounts, deceptive behavior, and misleading and harmful content.” read the blog post. Facebook says it removed more than 12 million pieces of content that had been flagged by Global health bodies as Covid-19 misinformation. The company said it was working with independent fact-checkers to review content. Read: Tech Giants Join in Efforts to Tackle Covid-19 Vaccine Misinformation…

Close to 800 youth in Oloitokitok, Kajiado county have benefitted from a Ksh32 million funded Safaricom Foundation Youth in Agribusiness programme. Another 50 young women in Bungoma are also being supported in poultry farming. In Kajiado youth have been supported to grow rainfed and high value crops such as sunflower, onions and tomatoes. The programme has also been tailor-made to empower the youth by giving them access to land, inputs, learning content and infrastructure. “There is an opportunity for us to create employment for youth and increase their productivity in the agricultural sector. Through this programme, we are reinforcing that…

Defaults on real estate loans such as mortgages rose by Ksh5.1 billion to Ksh57.7 billion by the end of 2020. This according to the latest data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), which reveals that car owners and investors in the transport industry defaulted loans rose to Ksh27 billion. The borrowers now face forced recovery of the loans, following the expiry of moratoriums instituted by state that offered temporary relief. “For the quarter ending March 31, 2021, banks expect to intensify their credit recovery efforts in all economic sectors. The intensified recovery efforts are aimed at improving the overall…

Trump is planning a return to social media with his own platform, a spokesperson has said. Speaking to Fox News, Trump’s long time advisor and spokesperson for his 2020 campaigns Jason Miller said the former President would be back in two or three months. According to Miller, Trump’s new platform is set to attract tens of millions of followers and will “redefine the game.” “This is something that I think will be the hottest ticket in social media,” Miller said. “It’s going to completely redefine the game, and everybody is going to be waiting and watching to see what President…