Author: Francis Muli

Kenyans are decrying high penalties to graduates by the Higher Education Loans Board (Helb), amounting to Ksh5,000 per month. According to Kenyans who expressed their distaste online, most of the graduates are unemployed and have no source of livelihood, hence penalizing them would be like overburdening them. Here are some reactions from Twitter. “Nobody takes Helb loan out of fun. It is poverty that takes people there. This penalty is effectively a tax on poverty. There should be a law to cap the escalation otherwise the levy may be counterproductive and an exercise in futility,” tweeted Ainabkoi MP William Chepkut.…

10.2 million cyber threats were detected between October and December by the National Kenya Computer Incident Response Team – Coordination Centre (National KE-CIRT/CC), up from 1.8 million reported in the preceding quarter, nine million of which were malware attacks. In a report by the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA), October-December 2018 shows a dramatic spike in malware attacks, targeting mobile devices and which has seen unsuspecting Kenyans defrauded in online platforms. ‘‘In particular, there was a rise in cases of malware and the sale of stolen data and credentials including personal data and credit card information,’’ notes the report in…

Kenya is among the global money laundering hotspots, the United States of American government has said. According to a report by the United States Department of State Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the state of affairs in the country are instigated by lack of controls on terrorism financing. “Kenya remains vulnerable to money laundering and financial fraud. It is the financial hub of East Africa, its banking and financial sector in sophistication, and it is at the forefront of mobile banking,” read the report in part. The reports states that the laundering is deep-rooted in both the…

Land grabbers are back at a piece of land in Westlands’ Highridge Estate, which was earmarked for construction of Highridge Health Centre. In August 2018, Nairobi governor Mike Sonko announced repossession of the same land from cartels. “As promised, we will not spare anyone in this campaign aimed at restoring to the public what belongs to them,” Sonko said. It was reported that the land was sold to an ‘innocent’ buyer by the grabbers, but the governor did not disclose what measures had been taken to ward off the cartels from coming back. Read: Former Education CEC Janet Ouko Sues…

Citizen Tv’s Rauka host Enid Moraa has resigned from the station, after five years of service. The reasons behind her departure are still unclear, but it is thought that there is a silent rebellion from old employees who feel neglected by Royal Media Services (RMS) at the expense of newly poached workers. Last year, it was reported that the Maalim Juma-based media house was paying more money to new employees, while the salary of old employees stagnated. In her last show where her mother was invited, she termed her as a lady who stood stable in the the most unstable…

Nairobi governor Mike Sonko has reshuffled his cabinet, yet again even as new appointees wait to be sworn in. The reshuffle has seen existing ministers transferred to ‘sensitive’ dockets, where there were appointees in waiting. Among those transferred according to reports by the Daily Nation include Charle Kerich, who has been moved to the Finance and Economic Planning docket from Lands and Housing department. The finance docket was set be occupied by Winfred Kathagu who had gone through vetting and approved. Mohamed Dagane who headed the transport docket has been moved to the Health docket. He even presided over his…

Drama ensued in Kiambaa, Kiambu County on Sunday after a crowd blocked Deputy President William Ruto from boarding his chopper. Reports indicate the jubilant members of the public started gathering outside the St Martin Catholic Church Karuri where the DP was attending a church service. Shortly after the service was over, the huge crowd demanded the DP to address them before leaving. Chanting pro-Ruto slogans, the crowd in yellow t-shirts and carrying banners written “Dr. William Samoei Ruto, couldn’t heed to calls by DP’s men manning the area. The DP had to give in to calm down the elated supporters.…

Former Sports CS Rashid Echesa has said that President Uhuru Kenyatta is to blame for sugar woes affecting sugarcane farmers in Kenya. Echesa said the bilateral talks between President Kenyatta and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni is meant to kill the sugar industry in Kenya, as Kenyatta family takes monopoly of the dairy industry. “They want to sell the companies just like they did with Pan-Paper which was sold to Rai who has since converted it into go-downs to store his sugar. Uhuru lied to Museveni when he asked him about the Pan-Paper mill, that it was being revived when…

Several foreigners have died since Monday as a result of xenophobia attacks from South Africans, who accuse them of taking their jobs. The escalating cases of xenophobia in South Africa have elicited reactions from fellow Africans, who have condemned the acts. The attacks are said to have been instigated by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, who accused foreigners of opening shops and businesses in South Africa illegally. Citizens, including the police took up the sentiments as an ‘order’ and started attacking foreigners. https://twitter.com/ItsTheMagician/status/1112236733112958977 However, in a twist of events, Ramaphosa has termed the act as unacceptable. President Ramaphosa said that…

Rapper Henry Ohanga, commonly referred to by his stage name Octopizzo has sued KTN over a story it ran in January alleging that he was involved in the murder of 19-year-old Strathmore University student Kenneth Abom. In a recent radio interview, Octopizzo sad that he was taking the action over ‘unprofessional’ reporting that soiled his name. The problem was that what KTN reported, it wasn’t even about whatever was happening. It’s sad that in this generation media personalities don’t take time to report facts; a big TV station like that just doing hype,” he said. He further revealed that other…

Even before dust settles on Kimwarer and Arror dams scandal. it has emerged that Kenyan taxpayers have lost Ksh1.4 billion to a Chinese company. The Geothermal Development Company (GDC) contracted Hong Kong Offshore Oil Services Limited (HOOSL) from China to drill 15 to 20 geothermal wells in Bogoria-Silali in Baringo in April 2016. In the simmering scandal, HOOSl obtained Ksh1.4 billion as a advance payment before the job started. However, the bank recalled the advance payment guarantee just after payment had been issued and affirmed by the bank. In what looks like a movie script, the company tarried in starting…

Nine vehicles are wanted by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in ongoing investigations. The vehicles include five Toyota Prados, three Double Cabin and one Land Cruiser Pick-up that have been listed on the DCI’s Twitter handle, with their registration numbers. The DCI did not say what the vehicles are being investigated for, or the owner(s) of the vehicles in question. However, it is thought that the vehicles are connected to the Ksh21 billion Arror/Kimwarer dam scandal. “If you own, know or have seen any of the vehicles (below), kindly make a report at your nearest Police Station or DCI…

Former President Daniel Moi is hospitalised at the Nairobi Hospital. Reports by the Star indicate that the former President went for a medical check up, but details of when he was admitted and what he is ailing from still remain scanty. Uganda President Yoweri Museveni paid a visit to Moi, indicating that actually he was in hospital. “This morning, as I end my three-day state visit to Kenya, I visited the mausoleum where founding president Jomo Kenyatta rests and paid my respects. I also visited Mzee Daniel Toroitich arap Moi and our Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, who are in hospital. I…

Visiting Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni today faced it rought at Kenyatta University where students tried to shout him down as he delivered a public lecture at the facility. In a video shared online, the students are seen chanting Bobi Wine, Museveni’s political archrival in Uganda, who is the member of parliament for Kyadondo East. Police were forced to lobby tear-gas canisters to the students who had formed a sizeable crowd and causing disorder. At the beginning, the students complained about being locked out of the amphitheatre where Mr Museveni was giving his lecture. Read: Ksh10 Million Fiesta Condoms Burnt…

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board today oversaw destruction of Fiesta brand of condoms worth Ksh10 million over quality issues. In a statement, the board said the condoms were recalled from several point of sales after it was noted that they were substandard. The recalling exercise started last year when the Health ministry made a discovery of thickness defect. The Board had told the manufacture, Cupid Limited, through a letter on November 20, 2018, that the condoms were faulty. “The Fiesta Big Black failed the thickness test. You are hereby directed to immediately institute a recall of the affected batch. In…