Author: Francis Muli

Deputy President is reportedly being targeted from all sides by his political foes, with new pressure now coming from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). According to sources, KRA is being reorganised to cut to size Ruto and his allies in a bid to suffocate his 2022 dream, which has gained traction in the recent past. This has silenced a number of his allies, with one vocal MP from the North Eastern region reported to be on his knees begging for pardon from KRA after being slapped with a Ksh10 billion tax demand. Read: Busia Governor Ojaamong To Face ODM’s Disciplinary…

Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) will inherit a Ksh31.4 billion bad loans from the troubled National Bank of Kenya (NBK) in the merger plans. According to a circular sent to shareholders, KCB say that it will prioritise collection of the bad loans, which amounts to more than 50 percent of NBK’s loan book. NBK loans amount to 60.4 billion currently. Most of the loans, according to previous media reports, were advanced to individuals deemed to be politically correct without any collateral, who later defaulted on the loans. Read: How Unscrupulous NBK Managers Are Stealing From Customers Before It Collapses “NBK loan…

Telecommunication giant Safaricom allegedly stole the ‘Thibitisha’ programme from an innovator who submitted it through the Zindua Cafe programme, Kahawa Tungu has learnt. Thibitisha is a software used on the Mpesa platform to curb direct deposits and remote withdrawals. Zindua platform is a web service created by Safaricom to allow submission of innovative ideas to the telco. According to documents in our possession, the idea was first developed by Solut Technology Limited and submitted to Safaricom through Zindua Cafe on October 31, 2016. The idea was submitted using Mr Jimnoon Magolo’s credentials, who is a director and shareholder at Solut.…

Over 500,000 Kenyans listed by various credit reference bureaus (CRBs) owe less than 200 shillings, it has emerged. All the ‘victims’ took their loans from mobile loan apps, which have become popular across Kenya’s middle and low class income earners population. Most of them are youths between the age of 18 to 24 years. Currently, there are over 500 mobile loan lenders who issue micro-loans to Kenyans, defined by short repayment period and high interests. Read: Parents With Fees Arrears To Be Listed On CRB – CS Magoha The shortest repayment period is one week while most apps give their…

Nyaribari Chache Mp Richard Tong’i this week surprised an Indian green grocer after travelling from Kenya to the country to repay a debt of Rs200 (Ksh300), which had stayed for over 30 years. The MP accumulated the debt between 1985 and 1989 while studying in India, by borrowing vegetables from the green grocer identified as Kashinath Gawli. Tong’i was studying management studies at a local college in Aurangabad during the aforementioned period, and made friends with the man who would help him whenever he did not have money. Read: Empty Shelves Depict A Bleak Future For Choppies Supermarket, 3 Years…

A tender advertisement by the State House seeking charcoal supplier has raised eyebrows, coming at a time when the government has banned logging. The ad which was published on the government’s special publication, MyGov, sought a ‘tenderpreneur’ who would supply charcoal, LPG gas among other goods and services to the State House. “Youth, women and the disabled should provide a valid certificate of registration for disadvantaged group. Pre-qualification documents duly completed should be submitted in plain sealed envelopes bearing appropriate category on the top of the envelope and deposited on the tender box,” read the notice. Read: Kitui County Assembly…

Jacaranda Hotel, owned by the family of the late politician Njenga Karume has been put on auction over unpaid Ksh257.6 million loan owed to Guaranty Trust Bank. The loan is said to have been advanced to the late defence who died seven years ago before he could clear it, with family members and board of trustees unable to clear it. “We have been advised by our client, Guaranty Trust Bank Ltd, that you are still in arrears amounting to Ksh257,645,708.53 as at 5th July 2019. We have set the auction date as 21st July 2019 at our auction mart new…

Kenya Airways (KQ) former finance head Alex Mbugua colluded with cartels to fleece the airline dry through fuel tenders, insiders have revealed. Information reaching Kahawa Tungu indicates that Mbugua colluded with cartels at Gulf Energy to sell fuel to KQ at exaggerated prices, which saw the carrier lose at least Ksh400 million per year. Our source intimates that Gulf Energy sold Jet Fuel to KQ with 15.3 USD cents (approximately Ksh16) per litre above the market price, despite there being cheaper options. The money was shared among the cartels as kickbacks. Read: Unceremonious Exit For KQ COO Jan de Vegt…

Troubled retailer Uchumi Supermarket could be evicted from the premises that house its Buruburu branch, following a default on rent for 28 months now. The owners of the premises, Fairlane Supermarkets Ltd, have gone to court seeking orders to evict Uchumi over the rent, which has now accumulated to Ksh27.7 million. The retailer has been occupying the ground floor of the Fairlane Centre in Buruburu Shopping Centre, and has been the only Supermarket until a recent entry by Tuskys and Naivas. Read: Uchumi Locks Horns With KDF Over Ksh2.8 Billion Land Along Thika Road “Uchumi ceased all commercial activities at…

Former Chief Justice (CJ) Bernard Chunga has rejected an appointment by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji. Haji had appointed Chunga to the Taskforce for the Operationalisation of Inspection Unit in a gazette notice last week. Rejecting the offer, Chunga said that he had other pressing matters to attend. “I regret to advise that I will not be able to undertake the appointment due to other pressing commitment I have undertaken elsewhere. It remains to wish you, your office and the task force the very best results in all your endeveavours,” Chunga wrote a letter while rejecting the…

Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has suspended stockbroker Aly-Khan Satchu from trading or holding any significant office in any listed firms at the Nairobi Stock Exchange. This follows him being implicated in possible insider trading in the Kenol Kobil take over by the French firm, Rubis Energie. Satchu was implicated alongside CEO and Executive Director Kestrel Capital Andre DeSimone, and Kunal Kamlesh Somchand Bid. Read: Key Individuals Involved in the KenolKobil – Kestrel Insider Unmasked “CMA established that Andre DeSimone disclosed price sensitive non-public information on the Kenol Kobil transaction on the sale of the 24.99 percent Wells Petroleum shareholding in…

The government lost at least Ksh870 million in the now failed Mwananchi Gas Project, Auditor General Edward Ouko has revealed. According to an audit report released recently, taxpayers did not get value for money in the project, which was supposed to benefit the less privileged and eliminate or reduce the use of kerosene and charcoal. “The project has not attained its intended purpose and further, value-for-money has not been obtained on expenditures totaling Ksh870,339,283 incurred on the project as at June 30, 2018. In addition, the status of the project remains unclear as its implementation appears to have stalled,” noted…

Family and friends have allegedly been denied a chance to see the State House Director, Digital and Media Communication Dennis Itumbi who is detained at Muthaiga Police Station. According to family members and friends who spoke to Kahawa Tungu, the officers investigating Itumbi’s case, Ms Yvone Onyango and Isaac Ruto, have denied them access to Itumbi since morning. Reports reaching Kahawa Tungu also indicate that a number of friends and family members have been camping at the Police Station since morning hours, but the police officers have remained adamant. Read: New Twist As Dennis Itumbi Claims To Have Audio, Video…

Mediamax Network Limited, the proprietor of K24 TV is openning a new Luo radio station, months after launching a Mijikenda radio station. According to a letter from the Communication Authority of Kenya (CAK), the company has already been assigned a frequency in Siaya and Homa Bay counties. The company, which has severally been associated with Deputy President William Ruto seems to be expanding its radio network across the country by opening several vernacular stations. Read: Radio Host Massawe Japanni Lashes Out At Celebs Sharing Private Chats With Bob Collymore On Social Media The new station, Osiepe FM, will be the…

The government is staring at a Ksh208 million loss as it is planning to dispose hatcheries bought with taxpayers’ money in 2012, since they have become obsolete. This was revealed by Youth Enterprise Development Fund CEO Josiah Moriasi who appeared before the National Assembly’s committee on Special Funds, to explain about the hatching machines that have been lying idle for over seven years now. The hatcheries were bought in 2012 for youth groups in 210 constituencies, but were never distributed to the groups to date. Read: Ksh1.8 Billion Scandal Unearthed At The Prisons Department Instead of being issued to the…