Author: Francis Muli

Detained Tanzanian journalist Erick Kabendera’s mother, Verdiana Mjwahuzi, has died at the age of 80. According to the family, Mjwahuzi died on Tuesday morning at Amana Hospital in Dar es Salaam where she was receiving treatment. Mjwahuzi had been ailing before her son was arrested and detained in July. Kabendera, according to the late mother was the sole bread winner and care giver. Read: Detained Tanzanian Journalist Erick Kabendera Limps To Court As Health Deteriorates [Video] In a video that went viral a fortnight ago, the mother pleaded with President John Pombe Magufuli to release her son, but the pleas…

Kenya Airways (KQ) has fired over 70 contracted staff affiliated to Career Directions Limited (CDL), a recruitment firm. Media reports indicate that the most affected are those in ground handling. It is suspected that the staffers were sent packing after the company set new rules that would allow the airline investigate the employees’ backgrounds before they are hired directly. CDL is among four other firms that recruit for KQ including Insight Management, Tradewinds Aviation Services, Preferred Personnel Africa and Strami. In 2017, the airline required that all employees on contract should sign consent forms to allow Kenya Airways investigate their…

Even as Kenyans set their 2020 resolutions, only four percent of Kenyans are planning to start a family, a new research by TIFA released on Monday has shown. According to the study, 33 percent want to set up a business while 17 percent want to get a new job in 2020. The poll conducted between December 17 and 22 reveals that 13 percent of Kenyans want to own a house and pursue higher education in 2020. 18 percent of Kenyans have no resolutions for the coming year, while two percent just want to change their wardrobe. “The personal annual goals…

Uganda’s Makerere University management has responded to critics of the newly established Dr William Ruto Institute of Leadership Studies at Makerere University. In a statement published on its social media accounts, the management said that the critics are “misguided and out of context”. “William Ruto’s initiative should be commended by all patriotic African elites and not condemned out of apparent misconception. Makerere awaits the implementation of yet another initiative by another great Kenyan leader, Mwai Kibaki, which he launched four years ago,” said the University. In an opinion piece written by Makau Mutua, he termed the establishment as the “butt…

The name of Kandara MP Alice Wahome dominated social media discussions for the better part of Monday, December 30 over utterances that were perceived as arrogant. On Sunday, December 29, the legislator took to Twitter demanding to be shown a ‘contract’ that she should repair/construct schools in her constituency. “I challenge those who have commented to tell me where in my contract as an MP I was given the job of fixing school infrastructure then you will make sense, Wajinga Nyinyi. Haters,” she tweeted. https://twitter.com/WahomeHon/status/1211216558598610944 Read: Embakasi West MP George Theuri Entangled In Ksh18 Million Swimming Pool Scandal Earlier on,…

Wyckliffe Shamiah has been appointed the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) CEO in an acting capacity following the exit of Paul Muthaura. Mr Shamiah has been the director of market operations since November 2011, and will take up the new role from January 1, 2020. “The appointment is expected to run until the appointment of a substantive office holder by the Cabinet Secretary, National Treasury and Planning following recommendations made by the Board,” CMA said in a statement. The board began to look for Mr Muthaura’s replacement in September before his term ends on December 31, but the process has been…

The 2022 succession politics has now become the talk of the day, and guns have been drawn even as every politician aspires to have a bite when the ballot is cast. The main focus has been on the national/central government leadership, with the structure of government likely to change if the Building Bridges Inititiative (BBI) report is implemented. Among the proposals is the creation of a Prime Minister’s post, thought to be meant for President Uhuru Kenyatta after his 10-year term expires. If that is true, Kenyatta will have to be an elected MP, as proposed in the BBI report.…

Authorities in Narok County are holding an Administration Police officer who shot and killed a motorist after he allegedly refused to bribe him. Reports indicate that the Sunday night incident occurred on the Pusangi-Esoit road in Trans Mara. Transmara West Sub county Police boss Dahir Abdulahi identified the officer as APC Wilson Kortom attached to Mbata club in Lolgorian. “The accused after committing the offense surrendered at Esoit Patrol Base where he was later taken to Kilgoris Police Station,” said the Police boss. According to reports, the victim, a 21-year-old man, was driving a probox alongside his boss when they…

This week Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg was ousted following a a heated debate to his response on two deadly crashes of its top-selling 737 Max jetliner. David Calhoun, who had served as chairman since October, will replace Muilenburg as CEO as from January 13, 2020. In the changes, Boeing said that Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith will serve as interim CEO during a brief transition period while Director Larry Kellner will replace Calhoun as chairman. “A change in leadership was necessary to restore confidence in the company moving forward as it works to repair relationships with regulators, customers, and all…

Machakos governor Dr Alfred Mutua has revealed that he made at least Ksh36 million from his comical movie series Cobra Squad. Speaking to K24’s Anne Kiguta on Punch Line TV talk show on Sunday night, Mutua said that Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen and National Assembly majority leader Aden Duale talked about the movie “because it is one of the most successful in Kenya”. “I’m very happy that Murkomen and Duale are talking about Cobra Squad and it was successful and I’m glad it made at least 25 million for the first season. For the second one I made Ksh11…

Kenyans on Twitter on Sunday, December 22 took to Twitter to castigate delivery company Glovo for delivering alcohol to underage customers, before the parent intervened. According to a tweep using the handle David Mugo (@raidarmax), a bunch of teenagers, under 18  had come to hangout with his 16 year old daughter for her birthday. After sometime, Mr Mugo discovered that the teens had ordered for Vodka from Glovo, and the delivery man was already handing over the alcohol to the teens. Read: M-Kopa Unveils Solar Refrigerators for Off-Grid Customers “So today I had a bunch of teenagers, under 18 who…

The government is closely monitoring the health state of 12 counties over cholera outbreak that has left at least 147 hospitalised. The counties include Narok, Kajiado, Nairobi, Garissa, Mandera, Machakos, Embu, Wajir, Mombasa, Turkana, Makueni and Kisumu counties. This year alone, 4,961 cases of Cholera have been reported in Kenya, with 253 cases confirmed and 37 deaths resulting. The outbreak, according to the ministry of health, is active in Nairobi, Garissa, Mandera and Turkana. In Nairobi, the most affected sub-counties include Embakasi East, Embakasi West, Starehe, Ruaraka, Kibera, Lang’ata, Kasarani, Dagoretti North, Westlands and Kamukunji. Garissa County cases are from…

As of February 2020, Kenyan citizens will need to pay a fee of €80 (Approximately Ksh9,000) instead of the current €60 (Ksh7,000), when applying for a Schengen Visa from Kenya. Children too, will have to pay €40 (Ksh4,500) instead of €35 (Ksh4,000), as it is currently. Kenyans will be subject to several changes in terms of visa application procedures, rules and benefits, starting from Monday, February 2, 2020. Due to the implementation of the Updated Schengen Visa Code, adopted by the EU Council in June 2019, all representative missions of the Schengen Countries located abroad are obliged to apply the…

Death toll in the Kiongwani accident along the Mombasa-Nairobi highway has reached seven. Two Modern Coast buses collided at night, leaving five dead on the spot while at least 60 were left nursing injuries. Confirming the accident, Makueni County Police Commander Joseph ole Napeiyan said among the dead were the drivers of the two buses. Read: Kalenjin Musician Kills Self Over Domestic Wrangles With Wife “One of the buses was heading from Malaba town while the other one was heading towards Nairobi when the accident occurred. The bus coming from Mombasa left its lane and collided with the oncoming bus,”…

The Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (Brand Kenya) has launched a countdown of Kenya’s participation in the World Expo, Dubai 2020 that will be held from October 2020 to April 2021. The World Expo Dubai 2020 is expected to attract over 25 million buyers, sellers, investors and tourists, where it is projected that 70 per cent of visitors will come from outside the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Kenya is among 200 countries participating in this expo, which Brand Kenya says is a platform to gain more market access, investments, enhance tourism and improve the Country Brand. Read: Cytonn Ranks…