Author: Francis Muli

, October is the official global Cyber security awareness month. This year, the initiative kicks off with the theme ‘Do Your Part, #BeCyberSmart. The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) in a statement, said it will partner with local and international players to participate in the global initiative. This is with an aim to raise awareness on the importance of cyber hygiene amongst individuals, communities and organizations. During the Cyber Security awareness Month, CA intends to empower individuals, organizations and communities to take up their role in improving cybersecurity through cyber education, awareness and capacity building,. The Covid-19 pandemic brought about…

The Tax Appeals Tribunal has ordered the Rift Valley Railways (RVR) to pay the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Ksh1.69 billion in unremitted tax. RVR had petitioned to block KRA from recovering the amount, arguing that some of the equipment it imported among them locomotives and diesel engines were tax exempt. The tribunal however found that the items were taxable, hence KRA was right in demanding the amount. “This therefore leaves room for one reasonable conclusion; that the appellant (RVR) was not granted remission in respect of the locomotives and as such the taxes as assessed by the respondent (KRA) are…

Huawei officially launched its latest smartphone in the Kenyan market, Huawei Y9A. This is the fourth Y9 smartphone in two years, an upgrade from the previous models. “Young consumers demand a smartphone that excels at mobile gaming, and the Huawei Y9a certainly delivers on that front. Super narrow bezels and the enhanced auto selfie pop-up camera facilitate an unobstructed, immersive viewing experience, allowing you to enjoy a FullView Display whether you are gaming, browsing or watching videos.” Huawei Mobile Kenya Country Head, Jim Zhiujie said. The phone features a 6.63 inch display with rounded corners and runs on a MediaTek…

Airtel Africa has unveiled a new financing plan to help subscribers access smartphones on loan basis. The partnership, with Mastercard and Samsung will see users from Kenya and 13 other markets purchase devices and pay for them in monthly installments. Uganda will be the first country to benefit from the deal in October, pending regulatory approval. The service will then be rolled out to other markets including Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, DRC, Gabon, Malawi, Zambia and Madagascar. Others are Seychelles, Chad, Niger and Congo Brazzaville. “This innovative partnership will help Airtel feature phone customers upgrade to smartphones and pay with…

Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA) Coast regional manager Benson Muteti Musila is on the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) radar over his Ksh1.5 billion wealth. The manager who earns an estimated monthly salary of Ksh390,000 was found with over 35 high net-worth assets in Makueni, Nairobi and Kilifi counties that are managed by his wife Zipporah Mwongeli. EACC raised a red flag against Mr Muteti’s  wealth, prompting him to move to court to block investigations against him. However, Anti-corruption judge Mumbi Ngugi dismissed the case, saying that it was in the public interest that the investigative bodies are allowed to…

A new Kenyan app, SwiftAide, promises to connect Kenyans to service providers, from casual labourers to the most skilled service providers. The app, developed to run like a taxi-hailing app, allows users to look for labourers and professionals online and comparing prices from different online job seekers. The app also allows businesses and professionals alike to market themselves for free on their SwiftAide business app making it easier for clients to access their services. From motor vehicle mechanics, to plumbers, gym instructors, beauticians, the app allows users to compare offers from professionals who bid for a certain task, enabling to…

Microsoft outlook services are down worldwide. The emailing services’ outage is affecting its web mail, desktop and mobile platforms. The company has confirmed that the outage is affecting all users worldwide. “We’re collecting additional data from the affected infrastructure to aid in our investigation to determine the cause of impact,” says a Microsoft support update. The outage seems to be as a result of a recent change on Microsoft’s end. “We’re reviewing recent changes to our service to further determine the cause of impact,” says Microsoft’s 365 status Twitter account. Read: Microsoft To End Support For Internet Explorer in 2021…

Eliud Kipchoge is already set for the London Marathon set to take place on Sunday. Staff and athletes present at the marathon will be required to wear social distancing devices as a precautionary measure against Covid-19. Kipchoge, who is among a group of 100 elite runners, together with the 500 staff will all be required to wear the bump devices which produce a sound alerting the other person when they are too close. The device, designed by robotics company Tharsus, uses radio frequency technology which allows the organizers to track the racers and staff when they are in close proximity…

Ethiopian Ride Service, Taxiye, has officially entered the Kenyan Market in a bid to win a chunk of the market in the highly competitive taxi and Boda Boda hailing sector. The launch was held in Karen and officiated by Kenya’s ICT Cabinet Secretary, Joe Mucheru, who welcomed the move while reaffirming that Kenya is a big player in the continent’s digital transformation plans. “We welcome more digital investments in the country, as we continue to take the lead in Africa in digital transformation. As we have always said, the future is digital and we are here to support and facilitate…

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi has distanced himself from reports that he is vying for Presidency in 2022. In an email to UNCTAD staffers exclusively obtained by Kahawa Tungu, Kituyi says that he will “remain totally away from Kenyan politics, and make no statements or take any action of a political nature”. “I would like to take this opportunity to address a matter that has been recently brought to my attention in relation to various statements in the Kenyan print and electronic media regarding my candidature for President of Kenya at the next…

The list of shortlisted candidates for teacher recruitment is now ready, the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) has said. The candidates will now be interviewed in venues that will be communicated later to them. “The timelines for the recruitment of teachers have been reviewed as shown. Successful applicants will be informed about the venues of the interviews by county officers,” TSC said. Reports had earlier emerged that TSC had abandoned the recruitment due to ICT breakdown which caused the loss of applicants’ data. This came after TSC delayed interviewes that were expected to happen this week. The commissioned dismissed the reports,…

Facebook has been planning for a long time to merge its messaging feature on its Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp apps. The company has finally launched the feature, allowing users to send messages to each other across Facebook messenger and Instagram. In addition to that, Instagram DM will be getting a complete overhaul with additional features taken from messenger. The new additional Instagram messaging tools include vanishing messages, custom emoji, selfie stickers, chat colours, new ways to block messages and the addition of the Watch Together Feature, which was launched on Facebook two weeks ago. Read: Facebook Begins Integrating Messenger And…

Detectives are piecing together evidence that could unravel untimely disappearance of Thika millionaire Mr Julius Gitau, 46. According to media reports, Mr Gitau left his wholesale shop in Thika in the morning of September 21 using his lorry, saying that he had gone to the gym. However, it is reported that moments later the businessman did not reach the gym, but instead called his driver Geoffrey Wachira directing him to get the vehicle from Blue Post Hotel. Wachira is his second wife’s brother. Reports further indicate that the driver found truck keys and his phone left on the dashboard. There…

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has given a nod to banks to blacklist loan defaulters who had been pardoned due to Covid-19. The banks will now be free to forward the names of the defaulters to the three Credit Reference Bureaus (CRBs) – Metropol, TransUnion and Creditinfo International – for blacklisting. On Wednesday, CBK governor Dr Patrick Njoroge refused to extend the six-month moratorium that expired on September 30. The defaulters, under the law, will have a three-month notice that expires in January 2021. If they fail to pay within that period, they will be blacklisted. “The point here…

A lot of employed people, stay at home moms, students and youth are in search of the perfect side hustle. It has become common place to advise almost everyone to launch a business online. It’s the new gold. Those who have gotten the formula right are reaping big from the global markets and opportunities present on the internet. However, like any other big marketplace, there are a lot of cons and unscrupulous dealers spoiling the names of legitimate business people and duping unsuspecting customers out of their hard earned cash. Here are a few platforms you should be wary of.…