Author: Francis Muli

Rameshchandra Gorasia, the owner of demolished Nairobi’s Airgate Centre (formerly Taj Mall), has joined politics and will now battle for the Embakasi South Parliamentary seat. Gorasia who has already been cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will run on a Democratic Party (DP) ticket. “I am confident that Embakasi South people will massively vote for me in the April 5th by-election,” he said. Gorasia will battle it out with Julius Mawathe of Wiper and Irshad Mohamed Sumra of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Other candidates include Angela Mwikali (Thirdway Alliance) and Jafferson Teddy Kasingu (KANU) and Jairus Mulei Musyoka (Independent).…

Kenya Power has announced a 14-hour shut down of the online postpaid bills payment system tomorrow Saturday from 4 pm to Sunday at 6 am. The Kenya Power system shutdown is aimed at a routine system maintenance to enhance efficiency. The power man says that no customer will be disconnected for failure to pay their bill during this time. The exercise will not affect token purchase under the prepaid vending system. Last year July, Kenya Power suspended their prepaid services for over ten hours for maintenance. Postpaid consumers were however not affected during this period. Read: Muhoroni Sugar Factory Manager Walter Odum Allegedly Threatens Juniors…

Three Kenya Forest Service (KFS) rangers have been interdicted by the body for assaulting journalists at Kabaru, Nyeri County. The move to suspend the rangers was announced by acting Chief Conservator of Forests Monica Kalenda, and endorsed by the agency’s board chairman, Mr Peter Kinyua. “We are investigating to ascertain how many rangers were involved. There was a commotion between two groups but that does not allow us to behave that way. Our job is to protect forests and not to attack or chase away civilians with firearms,” Mr Kinyua said. Read: Telkom and Airtel Kenya Announces Merger, Employees Laugh Off New Entity’s…

Nine Dusit D2 terror attack suspects have been cleared of terror-link allegations by the Anti-terrorism Police Unit (ATPU). Among those acquitted include five National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) employees and four others. NTSA’s director of registration and licensing Jacqueline Githinji and her deputy Cosmas Ngesa, clerical officers, Irungu Irvin, Stephen Mbaka and Charles Ndung’u were acquitted today. The five were arrested in connection to a duplicate number plate on the car used in the attack that left 21 people dead. Also acquitted include Gladys Kaari, Guleid Abdihakim, Hussein Khamis and insurance agent Zipporah Karanja. Kaari was arrested for allowing one of the terrorist, Ali…

Deputy President William Ruto has proposed that Presidential election runners-up should join parliament so that they do not feel excluded. Speaking at Chatham House in London on Friday, Ruto also said that the Senate should be made the upper house to avoid conflicting interests between the two legislative houses. “Elections in Kenya are close-run contest. Often enough, the winner and runner-up achieve more than five million votes. The winner ascends to a formally constituted leadership role while the runner-up becomes a virtual stranger in leadership,” he said He also said that the same formula should be used in county governments,…

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho is on the spot after it emerged that senior county officials could be using fake receipts to accumulate wealth for him. It is alleged that Sultan, as he is popularly known, is aware of the vice and it could be happening under his instruction as he is milking the county coffers dry. In such scenarios, traders paying for services such as licences, land rates, house and stall rents are issued with fake receipts. Despite the money being indicated to go to county accounts, it is never reflected in the books of accounting. Auditors may not…

Things are getting murkier at the Muhoroni Sugar Company with the factory manager Walter Odum now threatening junior employees for leaking information regarding his corrupt ways at the company. According to inside sources, Odum, who brags to be former Nairobi governor Dr Evan Kidero’s cousin, called a meeting of his juniors last week to ‘warn’ the junior staffers. This happened even as the farmers were busy in a meeting with the receiver managers piling their pressure to have the looters removed from their positions. Kahawa Tungu’s investigative desk learns that Odum took more than 30 minutes threatening the staff members whom…

On October 3, 2018, Dr Rosa Ko, a senior lecturer in political science within Catholic University of East Africa’s (CUEA) Social Sciences Department was allegedly assaulted by the acting dean of students Mr Samuel Wakanyua. This opened the lid covering the rot in the university that is supposed to be an emblem of spiritual guide. After the assault, Dr Ko reported the incident to the Vice Chancellor Prof Stephen Mbugua who urged her to settle the matter internally. However, Dr Ko doubted the integrity of internal investigation, hence stressed on pursuing criminal investigations against Mr Wakanyua. She therefore reported the matter at…

Private Security company Kenya Kazi Services Ltd popularly known as KK Security has started sacking its security guards attached to the US Embassy following a tussle on overtime pay. Last week, Kahawa Tungu exposed a plot by the company to fire the employees who were demanding an overtime pay. Kahawa Tungu understands that over 900 guards working at the embassy are yet to receive payment for work done after official hours as indicated in their contracts. In summary dismissal letters seed by this desk, the guards are accused of insubordination, failure to go to work on January 28 and disobedience. It is estimated…

A total 561,000 students who sat for the 2018 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) will have to forgo their dreams of joining university. This is after government’s announcement that only 90,744 students who scored a grade of C+ and above will join institutions of higher learning. The rest will have to pursue diploma courses or join Vocational, Technical Training institutes or in the worst scenario repeat. However, Education CS Amina Mohammed has encouraged the remaining candidates to apply to the different institutions. “The Placement Service will process the application on merit taking into account students performances, choices, available capacity and affirmative…

75-year old chain retailer Ebrahim Supermarket has closed down its Nairobi city branch along Moi Avenue. Last week, shoppers were treated to discounted goods from the retailer as it prepared to exit the market. Saturday was the last working day for the retailer. Close to 30 workers who worked for Ebrahim lost their jobs, even as the building that housed it is set to be subdivided for smaller retailers. The employees were not informed of the decision to close, and only woke up to a closed shop. Read: JKIA Workers Call Off Strike After CS Macharia Promises Job Security Ebrahim set…

Troubled Ukwala Supermarket is on the verge of permanent closure after it applied to the court for liquidation, saying that it is unable to service its creditors. The supermarket owes over 300 creditors and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) over Ksh1 billion. The taxman is owed over Ksh840 million in tax arrears by the supermarket, making it the biggest loser in case of liquidation. The remaining assets for the once biggest retailer are valued at Ksh19.3 million, meaning that they can barely pay the creditors. “The Ukwala company is applying to be liquidated because of its indebtedness and inability to…

Rais wa Tanzania Dkt John Pombe Magufuli amehaidi shilingi milioni 200 (Ksh 8.6 milioni) kwa ajili ya kufadhili ununuzi wa vifaa vipya vya kituo cha redio cha Magic FM. Kituo hicho kinamilikiwa na shirika la Africa Media Group (AMG) ambalo linamilikiwa na chama tawala, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). Akitoa ufadhili huo Rais Magufuli amewarai wanahabari wa kituo hicho kuzalisha maudhui ambayo yatawasaidia Watanzania yakiwemo kilimo, biashara, ufugaji na uvuvi. “Nataka Africa Media Group Ltd iwe na vyombo vyenye nguvu vinavyotazamwa kila mahali hapa nchini hadi nje ya nchi. Tanzania haiwezi kuwa soko la kuangalia vyombo vya kutoka nje ya nchi.…

In March 2009, Safe Air Company Ltd (SAC) wanted to purchase an aircraft but had insufficient funds. Just like any other firm, it had to use loan facility with the Gulf Bank, to secure a Ksh95 million. SAC is an airline company based in Nairobi. They needed a guarantor for such a loan, with Mohamud Hussein coming through for them with his property in Eastleigh, L.R No. Eastleigh 36/11/1. Unknown to him, this is what would land him into trouble, whose cartels would connive with SAC to secure more loans. At the time, Hussein’s property was valued at Ksh160 million. Gulf Bank…

The late Mildred Odira could have been sexually assaulted before meeting her painful death, investigators have said. Prima facie reports from the sleuths indicate that the state of Ms Odira’s undergarments pointed to a possible sexual abuse ordeal before a horrendous murder. According to the Daily Nation, Ms Odira’s body had a wound on the forehead, another on the cheek, a cut on her abdomen and fractured legs. Tracing her last moments, the police learnt that she left her Kariobangi South home on January 29 at 4am, headed to hospital. She is said to have been diagnosed with diabetes and high…