Author: Francis Muli

It has emerged that the Interior Ministry is seeking an additional Ksh1 billion to print the infamous Huduma Namba cards, that have already gobbled up over Ksh7 billion. The National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS), famously known as Huduma Namba, was to be issued to Kenyans once listed, but made a U-turn and instead issued acknowledgement slips. It is estimated that at least 38 million have been listed with NIIMS, hence it would take at least Ksh26 to print each card. “At least we know the census numbers and we have seen the report being commissioned. The Huduma Namba is yet…

A South African family was forced to drag the body of their relative to Old Mutual offices to demand an insurance claim that had delayed. According video posted online, Ntombenhle Mhlongo and Thandaza Mtshali took the body of uncle Sifiso Justice Mhlongo into a branch of Old Mutual after the company delayed in releasing their funeral money amounting to £1,700 (Ksh222,000). “We are not rich people. We are poor and they were refusing to pay us. We are still so heartbroken.  We kept going back but they kept stonewalling and we were angry, frustrated and just wanted to make sure…

Online market company Jumia has left Cameroonian market over what it termed as unsustainable business environment. Jumia is said to have offloaded all its Cameroon workforce without making any public announcement, as is the norm in most organisations. The company is also yet to address the press or issue public statement as it seeks to downplay the reports and keep the public and the authorities in darkness. Read: Jumia Sued For Hiding Critical Information While Listing At The New York Stock Market According to a Jumia staffer based in Yaounde as quoted by international media, the closure “came as a…

Machakos governor Dr Alfred Mutua has blamed government finance officials for delayed processing of payments to individuals and companies, hence rendering Kenyans broke. In a clip shared on social media, Dr Mutua says that the officers take their time to process payments, depending on the recipient and kickbacks involved. “There is no money in the country because public servants supposed to process things process at their own time,” said Mutua. Mutua says that efforts by authorities to push for payments have been hindered by formation of cartels in both the county and national governments, where the involved officers meet in…

Only 79,982 employed Kenyans earn a salary of Ksh100,000 and above, a new report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), set to be released next week, has indicated. The number increased by 3,178, a 4.1 percent increase from last year, which is termed as the highest growth among the salaried workers in Kenya. The workers, receiving over Ksh100,000 represent a 2.89 percent of the 2.77 million formal workers captured in the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) database. The report reveals that the gross monthly per capita income is Ksh16,833. Read: Census Results Released, Population Stands At 47.56 Million 74.58…

In August this year, State corporations were ordered to surrender cash balances in their bank accounts to the treasury. The order was meant to reduce government’s cost of borrowing which has ballooned in the last six years during the reign of President Uhuru Kenyatta. However, most of the money could have been used to pay loans which matured between July and October, with the Treasury indicating that it used at least Ksh276.17 billion to repay maturing loans, a 41.55 percent jump from Ksh195.11 billion in the previous four months. Read: Parastatals Ordered To Surrender All Cash In Their Accounts To…

Vivo Energy Kenya has issued a statement claiming that its Managing Director Joe Muganda has resigned, something we suspect not to be true. According to the statement, Joe Muganda is to be replaced by place Peter Murungi who will take up his new role on December 1, 2019. We suspect that Joe Muganda has resigned as he was not able to understand the business which needs close handling and management by a seasoned professional well experienced in the energy sector. Joe couldn’t crack it as a professional and might have left the ownership with nothing but to fire him as…

Yesterday, Safaricom came under attack online on the issuance and use of the Okoa Jahazi credit facility, that enables subscribers to get advance credit airtime before recharging. In response to the attack, Safaricom came out to explain the terms and conditions of the service, that charges 10 percent service fee. The credit advance amount cannot  be transferred to another subscriber, neither can it be resold, according to Safaricom terms and conditions. Once the airtime is advanced to users, they will be required to repay the Credit Advance within a period of 96 hours from when the Credit Advance amount was…

At least 182 Kenyans were arrested in the United States of America while applying for citizenship to avoid deportation. The Kenyans are among are among 118,371 foreigners seeking US citizenship under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Under the DACA program, those with unlawful presence in the US after being brought in as children are eligible for a renewable two-year period of deferred action and can get work permits to work in the country. Mexico recorded the highest number of people arrested at 91,272, while Mali, New Zealand and Taiwan had the least number at 21. 464 of those…

The average core Earnings Per Share (EPS) growth for listed insurers increased by 3.8 percent in the first half of 2019 to 3.2 percent, from -0.6 percent in the first half of 2018, a new report has indicated. The report by Cytonn Investments Management Limited released today ranks Jubilee Insurance as the most attractive insurance company from both a potential return and financial health perspective. Sanlam Kenya took the second position, on the back of a strong franchise score, driven by the highest Return on Average Equity, while Liberty & Britam Holdings came in third and fourth position, respectively, with…

Central Kenya is yet to speak in one voice, even after meeting President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday in what was supposed to pacify the region ahead of the launch of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report. Appearing yesterday on K24, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua and his Nyeri Town counterpart Ngunjiri Wambugu seemed to be reading from different scripts regarding the BBI and 2022 politics. In the meeting which was exclusive to Mt Kenya leaders, it was reported that the President asked them to tone down on politics and support the BBI report. According to Wambugu, Deputy President William Ruto was…

Simba Corporation Limited has refuted claims that it is retrenching at least 95 percent of its staffers, saying that only five percent will be affected by a restructuring move. Last week, it was reported that at least 1,500 staffers would be sent home due to a difficult operating environment. “I don’t see myself having more than five percent of employees attached to this group,” Simba Corp Chief Executive Dinesh Kotecha was quoted by Business Daily. However, in a statement issued over the weekend, the company said that only five percent of their staffers would be affected. Read: Simba Corp to…

Kisumu governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s alleged gay son Junior Nyong’o has reportedly proposed to long time girlfriend, singer Wanja Wahoro. According to photos circulating online and media reports, Junior and Wahoro got engaged during the weekend in a private ceremony attended by close friends and family. Among those who attended the ceremony are Karen ‘Kaz’ Lucas and Deejay Kace. Karen shared the photos online, describing the two as an item. In a post dated October 28, Wahoro posted a photo on her Instagram page that showed her having a ring, drawing Kenyans to curiosity of the “beyond art bond”. Read: Lupita’s…

A part from the skirmishes witnessed outside the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). Nairobi governor Mike Sonko says that there was more than meets the eye, with him facing harassment with EACC officers. Speaking yesterday, Sonko said that at the entrance during security checks, the officers went a notch higher and unzipped his trousers, and putting machines into his private parts. “Walinifungua zip, wanaeka mashini kwa sehemu nyeti (they unzipped my trousers and used machines on my private parts) to check if I was hiding a camera,” said Sonko. Read: Sonko Takes Legal Action Against EACC, Director Of Investigations Mohamud Over…

The Central Organization of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary general Francis Atwoli now says that President Uhuru Kenyatta is destined to be the Prime Minister come 2022, after a new constitutional dispensation. Speaking yesterday during a funds drive at Evangelical Bible Church-Ilula in Uasin Gishu County, Atwoli said that the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) would give way to an expanded government that would accommodate leaders from different tribes hence kill the menace of post-election violence and tribalism. He also said that Uhuru was too young to retire, and that he had a lot to offer the country. “I said about three…