Author: Francis Muli

The Higher Education Loans Board (Helb) has announced that all university students will receive their overdue January loans by Thursday 18 March. “We have today (Monday) received the financial year 2020/21 quarter three capitation of Sh2.8 billion from the National Treasury. The pending student loan payments are currently being addressed and will be concluded by March 18,” Helb said in a tweet. Helb disbursed up to Sh37,000 to students twice a year. Helb CEO Charles Ringera said the first disbursement is made in September for the first semester and by end of January for the second. According to Ringera, Helb…

Former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko’s lawyers led by Dr John Khaminwa have withdrawn from a Ksh10 million graft case against Sonko, citing frustrations from Chief Magistrate Douglas Ogoti. Dr Khaminwa, who is the lead counsel, termed the proceedings as illegal, after Ogoti refused to grant them time to gather evidence on the case. Addressing journalists after storming out of Milimani Courts, Khaminwa said that Ogoti also went against doctors’ advice, that sought to give Sonko more resting time. “I do not want to participate in an illegal process. l have disqualified myself from the matter since l think l will…

Twitter is planning to introduce the use of security keys as the only authentication method for accounts that have two-factor authentication enabled. At the moment, people who use security keys must have an extra authentication method such as SMS codes. Authentication methods such as Google Authenticator have been found to be more secure than using SMS codes for two-factor authentication. However, security keys that connect to your computer through USB and Bluetooth have deemed the most effective means of securing your accounts online. Users do not have to type codes that can easily be intercepted by third-parties. Read: Twitter Spaces…

Acting Director of Surveys Polly Wanjiku Gitimu has been declared unfit to hold public office, after being linked to a Ksh8 billion land saga in Karen. Ms Gitimu was linked to the fraudulent transfer of the 134-acre land by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), which recommended fraud charges against her. In a ruling delivered on Monday, Justice Nelson Abuodha faulted the Ministry of Lands for promoting Ms Gitimu, despite being aware of the case. “In view of the unresolved issues touching on the 1st interested party (Ms Gitimu) involvement in fraud and corruption, she is unfit to hold the…

India could soon ban cryptocurrencies. According to Reuters, the country’s legislature is set to introduce a bill that will make trading, mining, issuing, transferring, or possessing cryptocurrency illegal. The bill is deemed likely to pass as it is in line with the government’s strategy to ban private cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin in order to pave way for an official digital currency. Cryptocurrency holders will be given six months to liquidate, after which penalties will be applied. An official who spoke to Reuters did not reveal the exact penalties to be meted. A government panel had earlier recommended a jail sentence…

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has launched a platform to empower women in the region. Dubbed the 50 Million African Women Speak (50MAWSP), the platform will provide a networking space where women can access information and promote their interests. The one-stop-shop will enable women access to financial and non-financial support as they start, grow and scale up their businesses. The project will be implemented by COMESA in partnership with the East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). “It is funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and enables women in…

The East African Law Society has taken the Ugandan government to court over the Shutdown of the internet during the election period. The EALS filed a petition at the Arusha-based regional courts accusing Uganda’s government of shutting down social media and VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) access in the country prior to imposing a total internet shutdown in the country on January 13,2021. Uganda’s general elections were held early this year on January 14. “Such actions are part of a worrying and growing trend of mass censorship and intolerance to dissent within the member states of the East African Community (EAC),”…

Tanzanian Vice President Samia Suluhu has for the first time spoken about President John Pombe Magufuli’s health since he went missing from the public eye. Speaking about the issue in a public event in Tanga, Ms Suluhu said that “it is normal for humans to undergo (health) checks”, calling on Tanzanians to unite “during this time”. “Tanzania tuko salama.Tanzania tuko salama. Ni kawaida ya binadamu kukaguliwakagulia. Mara mafua, mara homa… chochote kile. Lakini nataka niwaambie kwamba, katika wakati muhimu wa Watanzania kushikamana, ni wakati huu. (We are safe Tanzanians. It is normal for human beings to undergo (health) tests on…

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has received the go-ahead to operationalise the Civil Aviation (Regulatory Fees and Charges for Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations, 2020 after they were acceded to by the National Assembly on 6 March 2021. The proposed charges had been gazetted by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works, Mr James W. Macharia under Legal Notice No. 4 of 2021 on 22 January 2021. The approval of the Civil Aviation (Regulatory Fees and Charges for Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations, 2020 paves the way for full implementation of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems…

The Chinese government could take over the Port of Mombasa over Ksh363.96 billion Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) loan, the auditor general Nancy Gathungu has warned. According to the report tabled in Parliament, the Kenyan government used assets of Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) as security in the loan agreement. The report signed by former Auditor General Edward Ouko in April 2019 revealed that KPA and Kenya Railways Corporation gave up claim to any immunity from legal proceedings or any of their assets, in case the government defaulted. “Under this clause (17.5) the borrowers – KPA and KRC – agree that any…

Google has failed in a bid to stop a Sh530 billion class-action lawsuit against them. The company has been sued in the US for tracking users in Incognito mode. A number of users claimed that the tech company invades the privacy of users by tracking the activity of users browsing in ‘private mode’. “The court concludes that Google did not notify users that Google engages in the alleged data collection while the user is in private browsing mode,” US District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, wrote in her ruling. Boles Schiller Flexner filed the suit in California which…

Nigerian artistes Burna Boy and Wizkid are among the winners of Grammy Awards 2021. Burna Boy scooped the Grammy for the Best Global Music Album category while Wizkid won the Best Music Video for his song with Beyoncé; Brown Skin Girl, from Lion King: The Gift album. Blue Ivy, Beyonce’s daughter, also won a Grammy for the song. The award for the best music video is given to the artist, video director, and video producer. “To every African out there, no matter where you are, no matter what you plan to do, you can achieve it, no matter where you’re…

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has asked the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) to revoke the newly announced fuel prices. In a statement, ODM said that Kenyans are already overtaxed in hard economic times caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and an increase in fuel prices would exponentially increase the cost of living. “EPRA has just announced a shocking increase in the price of fuel, so soon after the previous one, and just as the country is going into a third wave of the pandemic. Whereas, we understand the urgent need to raise some taxes to cover government operations…

The price of one litre of super petrol has shot up by Ksh7.63 while that of diesel and kerosene has increased by Ksh5.75 and Ksh5.41 respectively. This is according to the March 2021 fuel price review by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). This means that a litre of super petrol in Nairobi will retail at Ksh122.81 while diesel and kerosene will retail at Ksh107.66 and Ksh97.85 per litre respectively. “The prices are inclusive of the 8% Value Added Tax (VAT) in line with the provisions of the Finance Act 2018, the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act 2020 and the revised…

There was drama in Busia this weekend as a man was wrestled down by Deputy President William Ruto’s security team while he tried to give the DP a black chicken. The DP was attending a political rally in Busia, when the young man emerged from the crowd and rushed towards Ruto who was ascending to the pavilion to give his speech. However, he was intercepted by the DP’s security team and overpowered, before the black chicken was taken away. There were no curtain raisers in the rally, and the DP spoke for only 23 minutes. Read: DP Ruto Suspends Public Engagements…