Author: Francis Muli

The rot at Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is yet to be cleared, with new information reaching Kahawa Tungu indicating that Kilindini Harbour is the home of rogue custom officials. This desk learns that the officials deliberately delay clearance of goods in a bid to coerce importers to part with bribes. “Documents lodged at the DPC are taking too long to be processed yet the exercise is simple and can take only a few hours. The unnecessary delay is meant to blackmail clients and importers to offer bribes through brokers who pass the loot to senior customs officers,” claimed a clearing…

Billionaire Narendra Raval ‘Guru’ through National Cement Company has bought Athi River Mining (ARM) Cement at Ksh5 billion. The deal signed today will see the National Cement acquire all cement and non-cement assets and business of cash strapped ARM Cement, which is currently under administration. “This Transaction is in line with National Cement’s growth strategy in Kenya to position itself as the leading cement manufacturer in the region. The industry is poised for growth and we are excited about the prospects for this next chapter of our business. We will endeavor to safeguard the interests of all stakeholders including the…

Troubled fashion shop Deacons has put six of its outlets for sale, as shareholders seem to lose hope with recovery plans. Among the outlets to be sold include those at Sarit Centre, Yaya Centre, Two Rivers, Village Market, Rwanda and Garden City. In a notice published on the local daily, the firm says that the outlets are open to “recapitalisation of the company through injection of equity and/or restructure of its debt obligations, or sale of all or some of the store of the company”. Read: Why Placing Deacons Under Administration Could Sink It, Never To Recover The company deals…

Kenya will issue its diaspora citizens with the new e-Passports across six centres in different regions like USA, Asia, Middle East, Europe and South Africa. The new centres will be based at Washington DC (United States), Beijing (China), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), London (United Kingdom), Paris (France), and Pretoria (South Africa). Previously, those seeking to get the new generation passports have been forced to travel to Nairobi, which saw very few people acquire the e-passports. Read: E-passports Required Before Issuance Of Visa – US Embassy In Nairobi Last year, Deputy President William Ruto said only 400,000 out of the 2.5…

Sistema.bio, a global social enterprise firm, has announced that it is investing Ksh1.2 billion in Kenya in a bid to scale up the Kenya biogas sector. The move will see over 100,000 farmers introduced to biodigester technology in the next three years. Sistema.bio is a social enterprise that works through technology for capacity building and financing to address poverty, food security and climate change. Read: Nominated MP Osotsi Loses Battle For ANC Secretary General Post Following Court Ruling Announcing the development, Company’s CEO Alex Eaton said that the move is in line with Government’s Big Four Agenda, which highlights Agriculture…

Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) lost three prime parcels of land in Mombasa under the watch of former National Lands Commission chairman Mohammed Swazuri, former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko and former KRC managing director Atanas Maina. According to information in our possession, the three plots in Mombasa Island, Shimanzi area were first illegally and irregularly converted into government property before being leased  to an individual and a company. Two of the parcels, Mombasa/Block XIV/374 (0.6229 hectares) and Mombasa/BlockXIV/367 (1.993) hectares) were leased by the government to Mohamed Said Shimasy and a private company known as M-Tech Building Works…

The government’s newly established Kenya Coast Guard Service [KCGS] in conjunction with other government agencies has impounded two foreign vessels in the Kenyan waters through their patrol vessel. KCGS Commander Glenn Majanga, who was leading a team to board and inspect the vessels, said the 20 crew members on board of the foreign vessels are likely to be taken to court to face charges of breach of law. He said members of crew comprised of 13 Chinese nationals and seven Indian nationals who were nabbed inside the impounded vessels. Read: Controversial Rai Family Now Targets Mumias Sugar Nucleus Estate “Kenya Maritime Authority [KMA] which is a…

“I am the mother of my baby and I never asked anyone to help me find the father,” are the words of a girl who was allegedly defiled by an MCA from Kisii at the age of 16. In an affidavit, the girl, now 21, says that she never instructed DCIO Nyamarambe, her mother and Silvanus Osoro (South Mugirango MP) to file any case on her behalf related to the issue. “I wish to have those charges withdrawn and terminated because I am not the complainant. As a mother of the baby, I know who his father is and I…

Nation Media Group (NMG) sports journalist Vincent Opiyo has resigned from his job to attend a higher calling, to become a Catholic priest. The 29-year old journo who joined NMG in 2017 will study priesthood through the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), a Roman Catholic congregation. “At the age of 12, I became an Altar Boy in my home parish, Nangina Catholic church. This was a year of finishing my catechism classes that culminated into receiving Holy Communion. It is during this period that I started dreaming of being like my parish priest who was a friend and a father figure.…

Kenyans this weekend were treated to a tease by renowned comedian Felix Odiwour alias Jalang’o, who had sojourned Diani Beach. In a hilarious video posted on his Instagram account, Jalango’o says that he is bowing to public demands that he should show his better half, which he  encodes as a b*tch. “For a long time people have been asking me, Jalas show us your b*tch. Tou want me to show you my b*tch? Ati oh Jalas, you don’t have a b*tch. Who told you I don’t have a b*tch? How can you even say that I don’t have bitch? Oh…

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has flown to China, even as the gold scandal gets murkier, where he has been adversely implicated. According to reports, Senator Wetangula is part of a House delegation to Hong Kong, according to Senate Speaker Keneth Lusaka. “He is out of the country on Senate business in Hong Kong,” said Lusaka. Read: Moses Wetangula’s Phone Conversation With Fake Gold Scammers Leaks – Audio Wetangula is reportedly being investigated by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for his role in the gold scandal that saw the Dubai royal family lose Ksh400 million. Despite being mentioned severally mentioned…

Fafi Member of Parliament Osman Mohamed is wanted in the United States of America for evading a jail term, which he was sentenced in 2015. According to reports by the Nation, the lawmaker was sentenced to 18 months in jail over tax evasion, but evaded the sentence. Mohamed had been charged with 32 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns totaling Ksh61 million. Read: Kakamega Deputy Governor Entangled In Messy Ksh21 Million Imprest Scandal He was nabbed by three undercover Criminal Investigation unit sleuths of the Internal Revenue Service who approached him to prepare their…

Olare Secondary School Principal Rose Adiambo is on the spot for allegedly embezzling funds meant for construction of school dormitory. According to sources within, the school had a fundraiser totaling to Ksh11 million graced by CS Fred Matiang’i last year. However, the project was not to see the light of the day at the construction of the said building has stalled due to poor quality and is set to be demolished. Read: Kakamega Deputy Governor Entangled In Messy Ksh21 Million Imprest Scandal The principal, according to evidence in our possession, has been doing direct transfer to her personal account from…

Mombasa bound Tahmeed bus has been involved in an accident at Interchick in Dar es Salaam today in the morning at around 6am. The bus is said to have been speeding when it lost control and hit a trailer, injuring several people. According to reports, three people had serious head injuries and were rushed to hospital. Read: Traffic Builds Up Along Nakuru-Eldoret Highway Following Lorry Accident In November last year, at least 47 passengers escaped unhurt after a Tahmeed Mombasa-bound bus caught fire in Manyani, Taita Taveta County. In October 2017, another Tahmeed bus which was was filmed speeding on…

President Uhuru Kenyatta has pushed Huduma Namba registration to May 25 following long ques witnessed today. In a statement, President Kenyatta announced that over 35 million Kenyans had registered for Huduma Namba in the 45 days the exercise was on, which came at end today. “I have observed with concern the long queues formed during these final days of the exercise in different parts of the country. It brings to the fore an ingrained last-minute rush habit that holds us back. Nevertheless, Kenyans are determined to register for their Huduma Namba and I have obliged to the numerous requests to…