Author: Francis Muli

Several personal cars were this morning turned into Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) as the crackdown on the famous Michuki rules intensified, forcing majority of matatu operators to withdraw services. The few PSVs in operation have hiked fares, with most doubling the fares. Those plying on Thika Roads were charging between Ksh200 to Ksh250, more than triple on the normal fare charges. The situation was no different for vehicles plying along Jogoo Road and Mombasa Road. Several police officers stood guard at various checkpoints to ensure that the regulations are followed to the letter. Read: Matatu Strike Still On As Government Tightens…

Tension is high in Somalia’s Mogadishu after three bomb explosions were reported with heavy gunfire near the CID headquarters, at Sahafi Hotel. Reports from online sources indicate that militant group Al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for Friday’s triple bombing in Mogadishu. The group says it targeted Sahafi Hotel using three VBIED’s and armed attackers. Read: Transport Crack Down To Touch Even The Police Service – CS Matiang’i Mogadishu based emergency service provider Aamin Ambulance confirms at least ten people died in Friday’s coordinated attack on Sahafi Hotel. More than 50 others were ferried to city hospitals with serious injuries. https://twitter.com/AbdulBillowAli/status/1060892972391297024 Do you…

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said that he will borrow more to sustain the development agenda in the country. President Kenyatta was responding to ANC Party leader Musalia Mudavadi’s sentiments, who wanted the President to halt the borrowing spree the government was engaging in. In response, the President said that borrowing was inevitable if the development agenda was to be carried on. “Mmeniambia nisikope lakini mnataka barabara…Hata mzee alikopa ili apate karo ya kumpeleka Kalonzo shuleni! Haja ni pesa isiibiwe, isitumiwe kulipa mishahara. (You tell me not to borrow yet you want roads… Even Mzee borrowed to get money to take Kalonzo…

Former Sanlam group CEO Mugo Kibati has been appointed Telkom Kenya Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr Kibati is taking over from Mr Aldo Mareuse who is moving on to pursue other interests having led the company from mid-2016. Kibati is the immediate former Group CEO of Sanlam Kenya PLC and and also the founding Director General of Kenya’s Vision 2030 Secretariat. He has also served as Group Managing Director and CEO at East African Cables PLC. Kibati is an Electrical Engineer and holds a Bachelors degree in Technology (Electrical Engineering) from Moi University (Kenya), a Master of Science Degree from…

Cabinet Secretary for Interior security Fred Matiang’i has said the the impending transport sector crack down will touch a chain of people including the police, to stamp out carelessness on the roads. “We have taken a longer route this time. We will institutionalise our response to address this insanity. We will focus on the whole chain of responsibility,” said Matiang’i. Also to face the wrath of the law is rogue insurance firms, that refuse to compensate accident victims. “We will go after wayward insurance companies, even if it means taking away their licenses,” he added. Vehicle owners, passengers, touts and…

A video shared online has surprised many, showing Indian men volunteering to be trampled on by a herd of cows in Ujjain of Madhya Pradesh in India. In the video, men are seen throwing themselves down, as the cows decorated with garland and henna trampled on them. A crowd is gathered around to cheer the volunteers and play drums. Those who sustain injuries believe that the ritual will bring healing to them, and on top of it prosperity. Read: Police Teargas Maasais Protesting The Killing Of Their Cows It is a ritual done among the Hindu community during Ekadashi, the eleventh day of each…

The National Assembly Special Funds Committee has recommended that 0.3 per cent of national revenue collection should go to political parties. In the current situation, this will amount to Ksh5 billion. The MPs want the treasury to comply with a 2017 rulling that required the treasury to comply with the rule, by implementing the same in 2018/19 financial year. If implemented, the Jubilee Party and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party will share more than Ksh3 billion. They will however have to share the chunk with their affiliate parties that supported them during the 2017 general elections. Jubilee was backed by…

An audio of Nairobi Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has revealed how he saved a school in Embakasi from being demolished, just before the KCSE exams. In the audio, Sonko is heard talking to the owner of the school which police and the provision administration had earmarked for demolition. He is heard telling the owner that his administration stopped the demolition of kiosks and small businesses in the city. In September, Sonko ordered for an immediate suspension of demolition of illegal structures in slums. The directive followed a public outcry from the overpopulated slum areas like Kibera and Mukuru on how…

Nigerian tycoon Aliko Dangote, through his company Dangote Cement, is in talks to take over troubled cement manufacturer, Athi River Mining (ARM). The tycoon revealed this in an interview with Bloomberg, where he gave a description of the company that fitted ARM. “There’s a company that has operations in Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda. We are talking to that company to see if we take over,” said the Tycoon. ARM is the only cement company with operations in the three countries. Read: NSE Extends ARM Suspension On Stock Market By 75 Days ARM has been placed under administration following a series of…

Genge artist Hubert Mbuku Nakitare alias Nonini is set to launch a taxi hailing app, CabAfrica. The service will provide services for a simple ride, a luxury ride or a shared ride (for family). According to an account belonging to CabAfrica, drivers will earn more, as compared to other taxi apps available in the market. “The app will take care of the needs of the drivers which is making more money at the same time giving affordable and secure services to customers,” says Nonini. A month ago, the Safaricom brand ambassador resigned as the chair of the Performers Rights Society of…

Inspector General of police (IG) Joseph Boinett yesterday disowned the dreaded undercover cops known by their social media pseudo names, Hessys. Speaking to Citizen TV last night, Boinett called the cops ‘chaps excited with security matters’, saying that they are not part of the police force. “I have heard of such a guy on social media. He is an excitable chap who has a lot of interest in security! He isn’t part of the police!” said Boinett. The cops, who use the Hessy pseudo name on social media such as Hessy wa Kayole, Hessy wa Dandora, Saigon Purnisher, Maliza Crime…

Debra Mallowah has been appointed Safaricom’s chief of business development, a post created recently in the reshuffle that saw Sylvia Mulinge appointed Chief Customer Officer(CCO). In her new post, Mallowah will be in charge of strategy & innovation, regional expansion and knowledge management (research & insights and big data). According to her Linked In profile, Ms Mallowah is the current general manager for GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare East Africa. She is responsible for leading the East Africa business across eight countries in the region: Kenya, Uganda,Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles. She is also a member of the Middle East Africa (MEA) leadership team.…

Seems Vera Sidika has moved on after the unceremonious break up with Otile Brown. If her latest updates on social media are anything to go by, the outspoken socialite might have found new love across borders, in the neighbouring Tanzania. In an Instagram post, Ms Sidika flaunted a brand new Mercedes Benz she allegedly bought a Tanzanian model Calisah, who is Wema Sepetu’s ex-boyfriend. In the post, she terms it as a promise she had to keep for Calisah. “I always keep promises. Hope you love your new car,” she wrote. A similar car Sidika’s ex-boyfriend Otile was planning to buy…

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers nabbed narcotics worth millions on Tuesday at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, hidden in a makeup consignment. The drugs, heroin and methamphetamine, were on transit to Newzealand and China according to the DCI. The owners of the consignment are still at large. https://twitter.com/DCI_Kenya/status/1060112203909644288 Do you have a story you want told? Do you know of a sensitive story you would like us to get our hands on? Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com Also WhatsApp 0708677607 with your news tips

Irungu Kibiru, the manager at Equity Bank accused of sexually harassing interns at the Equity leadership programme has been fired. The case was highlighted by the students in the Facebook group, and later exposed by Kahawa Tungu early August this year. In a statement, the bank confirmed that the manager made inappropriate advances at some female interns on the Equity Leaders Programme. “The Group has taken necessary measures in line with its policies and procedures, including disciplinary measures, and in some cases termination/separation of employment of certain staff,” said David Ansell, the group chairman designate. Read: Equity Bank’s Leadership Programme Riddled…