Author: Francis Muli

The government has extended the ban on international passenger flights for 30 days following the expiry of the initial ban today. The ban exempts cargo flights and planes coming into the country to evacuate foreign nationals in the country. Announcing the ban, Transport CS James Macharia said that countries coming to evacuate their nationals must give a 72-hour notice of the planned flight. Read: British Army Suspends Operations In Kenya, Evacuated To UK Over COVID-19 Pandemic This comes as the government confirmed 16 more cases, bringing the total number of of cases in the country to 142. Out of those…

Kesses MP Mishra Swarup over the weekend threatened to have Kesses assistant sub-county commander Ceilia Kemboi transferred after she tried to stop his meeting in Eldoret. The MP was holding a meeting at his office in Kenmosa when the policewoman approached him and told him that he was not aware of the meeting. “This lady is saying that she is not aware of this meeting,” the Mp is heard saying after parading the officer before the people. “This is the time we need security in my country. Tell her to cooperate otherwise we’ll replace her with a good one,” he…

Customers will now be able to use Bonga Points to pay for essential goods and services in Safaricom’s new initiative, Bonga for Good. Through the initiative, Safaricom subscribers will also be able to donate their Bonga Points to those in need as a show of goodwill during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic period. “We have seen Kenyans lose some or all of their income as result of this pandemic, making it difficult to meet their needs. This initiative seeks to empower Kenyans to use the points earned from using Safaricom products over the years to pay for their essentials or to…

A 19-year-old robbery with violence suspect linked to the breaking and stealing from Kibos Police Post armoury and subsequent robbery of over Ksh230,000 from an M-pesa operator at Daraja Mbili in Kisumu has been arrested by at his Kanyakwar home in Kisumu. He is said to be a member of a gang that broke into Kibos police post armoury on Saturday night and stole three guns, a G3, a Liai and an MP5 rifles and 155 rounds of ammunition. “Reacting to the robbery reported by a female victim who was on 29th of March, 2020 accosted by a gang of five…

The current fuel prices in Kenya are the highest in a period of 12 years, since May 2008 when the prices averaged 1.59 USD/Liter (Ksh168/ litre according to the current exchange rate). On the other hand, the global oil prices are on an 18-year low, raising questions as to why the prices are still high in Kenya. Brent crude fell to 22.58 US dollars per barrel on Monday matching the 2002 price while the price of crude oil in the US West Texas Intermediate fell below 20 US dollars per barrel, the lowest in 18 years. This has been as…

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru supporters and journalists were forced to scamper for safety after alleged supporters of the deputy governor Peter Ndambiri stormed and disrupted a press conference organised by Waiguru’s supporters. The governor’s supporters were preparing to address journalists at Defatha Village in Mwea Constituency, before several youths armed with pangas and rungus stormed the meeting. The rowdy youths accused Waiguru of “hiring constituents to demonstrate against Ndambiri on Kirinyaga streets” according to reports by K24. “It is evident that Ndambiri has been undermined by Waiguru for long now. We have been meant to understand that she ordered the…

Popular videoconferencing app Zoom is reported to be experiencing several porn hacking and privacy issues. This comes at a time the app is in popular demand as companies desire to keep in touch with their employees, most of whom are working from home due to the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic. The AFP reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is already investigating the issue, which has been widely reported in US. According to the FBI, several users reported instances of conferences being disrupted by pornographic and/or hate images and threatening language. “A Massachusetts high school reported that an unidentified individual dialled…

The stock value of blue chip companies like Equity Bank  and EABL faced a decline at the Nairobi Stock  Exchange (NSE) after foreign investors withdrew Ksh11.2 billion in the first quarter of 2020. The investors (foreign) who are estimated to make up around 70 percent of daily trading at the NSE turned to fixed income assets such as government bonds. A market report by Standard Investment Bank (SIB) indicates that in March alone, when the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic hit hard in other parts of the world, investors withdrew Ksh9.1 billion. In February, the foreign investors shed shares worth Ksh2.76 billion,…

The government of Kenya has confirmed 22 more cases of Coronavirus (Covid-19) infections in the country. This comes after 300 tests were done in one day on people who had been quarantined by the government. This brings the total number of infections to 81, the highest in the East African region. “Over the last 24 hours we have tested over 300 Kenyans, out of those 22 have tested positive for covid-19 (13-males, 9-females). 21 out of the 22 cases are people who are currently in quarantine,” said CS Kagwe. Read: Uhuru Commends Kenya’s “Patient Zero” Brenda For Rushing To KNH…

President Uhuru Kenyatta has apologised to Kenyans for police brutality meted upon Kenyans during the implementation of the dusk-to-dawn curfew. In a televised address to survivors who have recovered from coronavirus (Covid-19), President Kenyatta however urged Kenyans to cooperate with government directives in a bid to curb the spread of  Covid-19. “I apologize to all Kenyans for excesses that happened during implementation of the curfew. I assure you, if we work together and understand that this problem needs all of us, we will overcome,” said the President. Last week, Deputy President William Ruto urged law enforcers while carrying out their…

Machakos governor Dr Alfred Mutua has faulted Kenyan scientists and professors for just idling waiting for scientists in other parts of the world to find the cure for coronavirus (Covid-19). In a video shared online, Dr Mutua says that Kenyan researchers should stop relying on foreign solutions, and develop our own. “We must start thinking that Kenya or East Africa, we are the only ones in the world and we have the pandemic here. Will it kill us all? We must find our home-grown solution. We have herbal medicine, which cures almost all diseases. Why can’t we get to the…

Over the weekend, this desk revealed how Bungoma County refused to buy personal protective equipment (PPEs) for its covid-19 response team worth Ksh123,000, but instead went ahead to borrow Ksh6.9 million for awareness campaign. Well, it did not end there. A further dig by Kahwa Tungu shows that the money borrowed from  Bungoma County Referral Hospital could have been misused, and a big chunk pocketed. At the centre of the saga is Caro Buyela, governor Wycliffe Wangamati’s special projects advisor. The confirmation of of coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country seems to have paved way for Buyela and several other public…

The value of Person to Person transfer over mobile money platforms hit Ksh684.5 billion in three months to December, latest statistics from Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) indicates. Unlike formative years when mobile money platforms were largely used for person-to-person (P2P) cash transfers, they are now increasingly being used to purchase of goods, processing of instant short-term loans as well as making payments for government services. During the period under review, Consumer to Business transfers were valued at Ksh294 billion. Business to Consumer transfers stood at Ksh377.4 billion, while the value of transfer from Business to Business stood at Ksh859.6…

Mutira MCA Kinyua Wangui is preparing a motion to oust Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru over alleged gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office and gross misconduct. The county assembly speaker has already acknowledged receipt of the motion,  awaiting the official filing. “The County assembly NOW resolves to remove Hon. Anne Mumbi (herein referred to as the County Governor) from the office of the county governor of Kirinyaga, pursuant to Article 181 (1) (a) & (c) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, Section 33 of the County Governments Act, 2012 and the County Assembly Standing Order. No 58,” read the…

President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the National Treasury to set up the Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund. The principal object of the Fund shall be to mobilize resources for emergency response towards containing the spread, effects and impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The seed capital of the Fund shall be drawn from the Exchequer, including the voluntary salary-cuts undertaken by the senior ranks of the Executive, Judiciary, Legislature and County Governments. The Exchequer contributions shall be supplemented by donations by Kenyan individuals and corporate entities, grants from development partners and multinational institutions, and such other gifts, subscriptions and contributions as the…