Author: Francis Muli

Thousands of commuters this morning were left stranded, some opting to walk long distances as entry of matatus at the Central Business District (CBD) of Nairobi ban took effect. Even as some chose to work to the new matatu stages, others could not locate the new pick up points for matatus going their route. Some matatu operators chose not to go to their newly allocated stages, saying that they were congested hence leaving commuters before they reached their congestion. This mostly affected commuters along Jogoo Road. “We cannot go to Muthurwa stage. It can barely accomodate seven 14-seater matatus, so…

Former Prime Ministre Raila Odinga has told off MPs for plotting to  to raise their salaries terming it as grand larceny and impunity. In a statement to newsrooms, Raila said that the pay rise amounted to unfairness as the issue comes at a time other employees in the public sector, such as teachers and nurses, are going through pay restraint and accepting less pay for more work. “He (Odinga) therefore finds the Parliamentary Service Commission Bill a case of Grand Larceny and an anti-people and insensitive demand that should be disowned and rejected as inappropriate and unacceptable to a great…

Curvaceous Anerlisa Muigai has hinted that she might be walking down the aisle soon, with her recently unveiled lovebird, Tanzanian singer Ben Pol. In his hit song Sio Mbaya, which was dedicated to Ms Muigai,  Ben Pol confessed that he loved her, saying he can’t and will never stop loving her. Ms Muigai revealed this in a a questions and answers session with her fans on Saturday. ‘Married of single” a fan posed. In response,  Ms Muigai said, “About to be somebody’s wife”. It is also through the session she finally admitted to be dating Ben Pol. Kahawa Tungu learns…

The Council of Governors (CoG) and  West Pokot MCAs are up in arms against the police department demanding immediate restoration of West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo’s security detail. CoG Chairman Josephat Nanok, in a statement to newsrooms on Sunday said that the action was taken without notice or formal communication to the governor. “The Council of Governors strongly condemns the recent withdrawal of security detail attached to Prof. John Lonyagapuo. We note that the Governors body guards have been withdrawn from his official residence without notice. To this moment, no explanation of the same has been communicated,” reads the CoG’s statement. “The…

Activist Okiya Omtatah has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award from the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Kenya and the Working Group on Human Defenders. Omtatah was also awarded the Popular Vote award from the two groups in an annual general meeting held yesterday. Other notable winners in the event include Anastacia Nambo and Is’shaq Abubakar who were awarded the 2018 Human Rights Defender of the year award. Christine Kandie won the Upcoming Human Rights Defender of the Year award. From online sources, it is believed that Omtatah was called at the University of Nairobi to study a Bachelor of…

40,000 tonnes of sugar imported by Darasa Investment Limited was on Friday shipped back to Brazil after failing to meet Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) specifications, officials have said. The verification process involved a multi-agency team from Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Ports Authority, the Kenya Navy, National Intelligence Service, DCI Officers and the National Police Service. The news were confirmed by KRA Customs and Boarder Control acting commissioner Kenneth Ochola. In connection to the imported sugar, Darasa Ltd was to clear the Ksh2.5 billion tax and VAT arrears as per an out of court agreement with KRA. The sugar was…

Google has announced the 12 finalists for the first Google Impact Challenge in Kenya, which seeks to identify and fund the most innovative social enterprises using technology to improve society on a local or national scale. The company has invested a total of Ksh200 million in grants to 12 nonprofits in Kenya. Lewa Wildlife Marathon was named the winner of the Public Vote, while African Prisons Project, Startup Lions and Ujuzi Kilimo Solutions won the Judges’ Vote. The four winners won Ksh25 million each. The eight finalists, who each received Ksh2.5 million, include AfriScout, Creatives Garage, GiveDirectly Kenya, Global Minimum…

Two men were arrested today at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) for stealing from a passenger in the airport. The two, Mr Kennedy Ochieng (22 years old) and Mr Kevin Ogega (25), according to information from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI),  are employees of Tropical Promoters- a company that offers Trolley services at JKIA. According to passengers who have gone through the airport, this is not the first time such an incidence. To them, it has become a norm. “They also normally hide some peoples luggage at the international arrivals conveyor. The luggage magically appears after you accept…

Kenya Power has suspended all postpaid customer bill payments through Postal Corporation of Kenya. Instead, the power man has asked its customers to pay their bills at banking halls and other payment points. The company did not however reveal the reason behind the move. Currently, the leading modes of payment include M-pesa, Airtel Money, Equitel and banks. Few customers use the Postal service to pay for their bills, the most probable reason Kenya Power decided to drop the parastatal. “We are working to interlink our website with those of our partners to provide for easy access to bank specific payment…

United Bank for Africa Plc Kenya pretax profit grew by 262 per cent to hit Ksh52.2 million in nine months ended September, compared to Ksh14.4 million in 2017. This was attributed to new customers as well as an increase in the share of wallet size of existing customers. Total assets doubled from Ksh6.9 billion in September 2017 to Ksh15.8 billion in September 2018. Customer deposit book grew by 43 per cent from Ksh4.2 billion to Ksh5.9 billion. UBA East and Southern Africa Chief Executive, Emeke Iweriebor says the bank’s year to date performance has seen steady growth in key financial parameters.…

IMAGE/ COURTESY HF Group has recorded a Ksh332 million net loss in nine months for the period ending September as compared to a Ksh159.7 million profit in 2017. The management  attributes the slump to  reduced lending and loan defaults. The stock of gross non-performing loans went up by 10.3 per cent to Ksh8.9 billion from Ksh8.1 billion in 2017 while loan uptake went down by 11.2 per cent to Ksh45.4 billion. The total interest income declined by 14.1 per cent to Ksh4.6 billion. Customer deposits for the period recorded an increase of 3 per cent to Ksh34.6 billion up from…

Nairobi bound British Airways flight was forced to abort the journey mid-air, dump fuel and turn back to Heathrow Airport in London following a technical hitch after landing gear got stuck. According to sources, the Boeing 747 left the airport an hour later than scheduled before the problem ensued. The Daily Mail reports that the plane’s nose gear became stuck after take-off. The plane then had to circle the area at around 8,000ft, dumping fuel so it could land again. British Airways said the plane had a ‘minor technical issue’ and was returning to Heathrow as a precaution. “The aircraft has a…

Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Interior Fred Matiang’i has today made stops at Naivasha and Gilgil traffic police checks in an impromptu visit since the crackdown on the famous Michuki Rules began. The CS used the opportunity to sensitize road users, including matatu operators and passengers, on the need to obey traffic rules so as to ensure road safety, according to a tweet by the Ministry of Interior Security. https://twitter.com/InteriorKE/status/1068084248022781952 https://youtu.be/F7AY8JiTa5s Last week, National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Director-General Francis Meja announced that undercover cops would join the operation, to ensurer that the rules were followed to the letter. “All…

The county government of Nairobi has issued a notice operationalising the movement of matatu termini from the CBD. The move was announced through a gazette notice issued in May 2017, but has never been put in to practice due to disagreement between matatu operators and the county government. However, in the notice issued today the county government vowed to operationalise the move, that will render any other terminus useless. “The operators are required to take note that the changes take effect as from 3rd day of December 2018 and all previous gazette notices/lette allocating any other place as picking and…

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) governor Patrick Njoroge has rubbished a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicating that the country has over-valued its shilling, to remain stable against the dollar. Njoroge says that the IMF, a place he worked for 20 years, used the wrong method to come to a conclusion that the Kenyan Shilling was actually over-valued. He says that the method used by the IMF is new and can only be used by advanced economies. “We are the ones who are being used as a guinea pig in terms of EBA Lite methodology. That is…