Author: Francis Muli

Nairobi Gubernatorial by-election has been suspended by the High Court pending determination of a petition filed by impeached governor Mike Sonko. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had set February 18, 2021 for the by-election, following Sonko’s impeachment. “It will only be fair and just if they are restrained from taking any further action that is prejudicial to my rights,” Sonko said in a 50-page petition. The petition indicates that Sonko’s removal was highly politicised and the process overturned the popular will of the people as contained in Article 1(1) of the Constitution. “He will suffer irreparable damage not…

Samsung has sent out invites for its first UNPACKED event this year with its flagship series set to be launched officially on January 14, 2021.The event follows a series of leaks for devices expected to be unveiled at the event. The devices anticipated in this year’s event include; The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus, Galaxy S21 Ultra, An affordable foldable phone, Galaxy Buds Pro and more smart home items. According to leaks doing the rounds online, Samsung might be discontinuing its Note Series as it introduces the S-pen to the Galaxy S-series. Speculations are rife that the change may be…

Former Moi University student leader Pacificah Mariita has pleaded with the public to help her clear a Ksh1 million hospital bill which accrued following her sister’s hospitalisation and death. Pacificah lost her sister Phylis Mariita on the Christmas Day of 2020, at the Mediheal Hospital in Eldoret where she has been receiving treatment for kidney failure since January 2019. Ms Phylis’ death occurred a month after their mother, Alice Mariita, passed on on November 25, after 18 years of ill-health. Before that, the family lost a sibling,  Risper Kwamboka, who left behind four children, all of school-going age. “I’m here to…

Safaricom signed up an additional 22,008 new customers to its fixed internet service between June and  September, data from the Communications Authority of Kenya shows. In the three months, the telco had 229,406 homes and offices under its fixed internet network connection increasing its market share to 35.6 percent. In June 2020, Safaricom had 207,398 connections with a 33.5 percent market share, overtaking Zuku to dominate the market. Zuku had 202,237 connections in September, accounting for 31.4 percent of the market share. This was a decline from 32.5 percent recorded at the end of June. Read: Safaricom To Offer Its…

Chinese billionaire and the founder of Alibaba Group has not been seen in public for over two months since he criticised the Chinese government in October 2020, raising speculations on whether he is actually missing. Ma was set to appear on his Africa’s Business Heroes show which gives budding African entrepreneurs the chance to compete for a slice of US $1.5 million. He however did not appear, and his photos were pulled down from the show’s website, with the management citing “schedule conflict”. “Due to a schedule conflict Mr Ma could no longer be part of the finale judge panel of…

The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) has moved to the Court of Appeal seeking to reverse a decision to award Sh10 million to a couple who had taken them to court over copyright infringement claims. NHIF used the couple’s photo to market on their social media pages without seeking their consent. The insurer faulted High Court Judge Ann Ong’injo for awarding Joel Mutuma Kirimi and his wife Sharon Chepkorir Koskei on February 19,2019. NHIF said the judge erred in law as she did not take into the account the fact that the images were not used for commercial purposes. The…

Data from the Communications Authority indicate that cyber-attacks in the country rose by 153 percent between June and September to 35.2 million.  This was a sharp rise from 13.9 million cases reported in June 2020, indicating the growing risk of employees working remotely. “This increase in Cyber threat attacks detected was attributed to the move to working remotely and increased uptake of e-commerce in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.” CA says in the report. The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated employees from State Corporations and private companies to adopt work from home policies. The increase in cyber-attacks exposed the vulnerabilities facing companies…

The management of Laico Regency Hotel (formerly Grand Regency Hotel) is on the spot nine-month unpaid leave for its workers, and also failing to remit millions shillings of deductions from employees. According to the employees, the hotel has not remitted statutory deductions such as taxes, pension, savings and loan repayment in Regency Savings and Credit Cooperative Society for over a year, despite making deductions. “You are under legal obligation to remit to our client, without fail and within statutory timeframes, all deductions made on emoluments of our clients’ membership,” the employees told the management through their lawyer. As of December…

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay an official visit to Tanzania from January 7 to 8, following the closure of the China Commercial Bank in Tanzania. The Chinese lender was placed under receivership late last year, in what the Central Bank of Tanzania termed as operating with capital levels below the legally minimum amount. “Be hereby notified that following the failure of China Commercial Bank Limited to meet regulatory requirements regarding capital adequacy and inability to effect restoration of capital to required levels, the Bank of Tanzania has taken over the administration of China Commercial Bank…

Samsung is set to unveil its truly wireless earbuds in the next few weeks. Many websites had already leaked details of the buds, but now Samsung has confirmed the upcoming buds indirectly. Samsung Canada has already listed one of the models- the Galaxy buds Pro, on its website. The model number is SM-R190 and this particular model is expected to be among Samsung’s top of the line buds. They are expected to come loaded with multiple features including noise cancellation. In terms of price, they are expected to cost more than Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Buds Live. Read: Samsung Unveils…

Politician and Nairobi Water and Sewerage company director Karen Nyamu seems to have confirmed the identity of her second child’s father after sharing a video of herself with popular Kikuyu Artist, Samidoh. After weeks of speculation, Nyamu shared a video of herself with the musician which showed the pair riding and giggling on a boat as they joked about going to buy weed. Prior to her giving birth, Nyamu had earlier hinted that she was carrying Samidoh’s baby, claims that the musician denied. Read: Ex-Nairobi Woman Rep Aspirant Karen Nyamu Smokes “Blunt” With Football Fans (Photos) Nyamu has been in the…

Detectives have launched probe on circumstances under which a police officer attached to Deputy President William Ruto’s office allegedly committed suicide in Ngeria, Uasin Gishu County. It is alleged that David Too jumped into a dam that had formed from a quarry at 9am on Friday in what was termed as job-related stress. According to his brother Aaron Sing’oei, the officer had misplaced a camera belonging to the Deputy President Press Service three days prior to the incidence. “He has been under pressure to explain how the camera he had in his possession got lost,” said Mr Sing’oei. The officer…

Baringo Senator Gideon Moi was on Saturday blocked by rowdy youth on his way to meet Talai elders in Nandi. According to reports by the Star, a section of the elders had invited Moi to Kapsisiywa for blessings, days after the elders blessed DP William Ruto as the Kalenjin spokesman and leader. The incident happened at around 4am along Sangalo-Kabiyet route where the youth had blocked the road, claiming that the community blessings had already been given to Ruto. Read: Biased? IEBC’s Burning Bridges Initiative Tweet Sparks Debate “GM was invited for blessings by Nandi elders while on his meet the people …

Vanessa Mdee is officially off the market after her actor/musician boyfriend Olurotimi Akinosho alias Rotimi put a ring on it. In a video shared on social media, Rotimi goes down on one knee before popping the question “Will you marry me?” An emotional Vanessa said yes before she accepts the ring and lips with her beau. Rotimi and Mdee have been in a relationship from October 2019 since they confirmed rumours after being spotted on baecation in Miami. Mdee has since relocated to Atlanta to stay with Rotimi. Read: Vanessa Mdee Confirms Dating “Power” Star Rotimi Mid this year, Mdee…

ICT CS Joe Mucheru has appointed former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chief executive Ezra Chiloba as member of Youth Enterprise Development Fund board for three years. The Youth Enterprise Development Fund is a state corporation under the Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Youth Affairs focused on enterprise development as a key strategy that will increase economic opportunities for, and participation by Kenyan Youth in nation building. The Fund seeks to create employment opportunities for young people through entrepreneurship and encouraging them to be job creators and not job seekers. It does this by providing easy and affordable…