Author: Francis Muli

Radio Citizen’s morning show host Francis Luchivya has announced that he is leaving the leading radio station in the country. Luchivya first shared the news of his departure this weekend while filling in for legendary Fred Obachi in his weekend Rumba show, Rogaroga. Luchivya is know for his breakfast show dubbed Jambo Kenya, in which he hosts alongside comedians Wilbroda and Mwala. Read: Trevor Noah On The Spot For ‘Stealing’ Jokes Luchivya joined Citizen in 2010 to fill in the space left by Vincent Ateya who had run the show for seven years before leaving for Milele Fm then Qwetu Radio.…

Kenya’s Nation Media Group is in the process of selling 51 per cent of its shareholding in Mwananchi Communications Limited to a Tanzanian registered entity. This follows enactment of the Media Services Act that restricts foreign ownership in a print media enterprise to 49 per cent. Mwananchi Communications is the the publisher of Tanzania’s leading daily newspaper, Mwananchi, and others such as The Citizen, Sunday Citizen, Mwananchi Jumapili, and Mwanaspoti. The group chairman Wilfred Kiboro announced this during the 55th annual general meeting on Friday in Nairobi. The company had started experiencing hay days in Tanzania, where it was announced a new entrant in the top…

Kerosene will retail at Ksh87 in Nairobi after Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)  increased retail price by Ksh3. In a statement sent to newsrooms,ERC Director-General Robert Oimeke said that they had not factored in the proposals that were continued in the Finance Bill. “In the pump prices published on 15th June 2018, the Energy Regulatory Commission did not factor the increase of Sh3.10 per litre in excise duty for Kerosene as proposed under the Finance Bill. The increased duty takes effect on 1st July 2018,” he said. Read: Safaricom Hikes Mpesa Charges From July 1 Kerosene which is seen as an…

Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has proposed removal of the monthly fixed charges for all consumer categories and harmonize them in the energy charge. However, this will see domestic consumers using 0-15Kilowatt Hours (kWh) part with Ksh12 for one kWh instead of the existing Ksh2.5 for the same. In the new power scheme proposed to start working on July 1, ERC suggests development of a new lifeline category of consumers with consumption up to 15 units (mentioned above), which accounts for more than 3.6 million customers. Another category for domestic consumers, Domestic Ordinary, consuming between 16-50 kWh will part with with…

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has reinstated Brand Kenya’s KSh20 million sponsorship for the Kenya Rugby Team, Shujaas. The CS announced the good news in a joint meeting with Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), reviving hopes for the Kenya Sevens team whose sponsorship had been withdrawn. The ministry withdrew their support from the national team in what they termed as lack of transparency from KRU, after the body misappropriated funds meant for players’ allowances. Later, the ministry through Brand Kenya paid the players directly after a botched trial by KRU to force the players to sign an apology letter in order…

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala  has been attacked by rowdy youths at Mayoni area while coming from the opening ceremony of Fafa Medical School in Matungu, Kakamega. A number of people were reported to be injured in the fracas which took the intervention of Malala’s security detail to disperse the youths. Crew from the legislator’s security detail were forced to shoot in the air as some of Malala’s supporters retaliated. The senator’s vehicle’s wind screen was smashed but no one nursed major injuries. Read: Matiang’i Denies Interest In Sugar Business At the function, Malala had accused some politicians from Mumias of…

Mobile phone service providers Safaricom and giant social network Twitter have ended a service that became famous with Nakuru’s Lanet Umoja chief Francis Kariuki, for sharing important information to residents through text message. The service allowed twitter users to share their tweets to other people through text message free off-charge, upon subscription. The chief made headlines both locally and abroad for the way he took advantage of a service provided by social media to share tweets to hundreds of people via text message. The chief would communicate to residents in his location using Twitter by sending tweets which are then delivered…

Hennessy Global Brand Ambassador Monsieur Fabien Levieux made his maiden visit in the country early this week. Hennessy is the world’s largest cognac company, selling about 50 million bottles a year worldwide, or more than 40 percent of the world’s cognac. Kenya is regarded as the third largest market for Hennessy in Africa coming after Nigeria and South Africa Speaking in a Nairobi hotel, Monsieur Levieux thanked Kenyans for the continued support of the brand. “At Hennessy, we believe that our heritage is our future. With 8 generations of master blenders from the same family, that is over 252 years…

Kenyan Rugby Players (Shujaas) have received Ksh100,000 each as allowances from Brand Kenya as they prepare for the World Cup Series in San Francisco, USA on July 20-22. In total, Brand Kenya has released Ksh2.4 million to the players The amount was paid directly to the players after the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), the body that manages players’ funds, misappropriated funds meant for the players in the London series, prompting the champions to conceal Brand Kenya message while playing. This is a token that Brand Kenya had promised players before leaving for London. It should however be noted that Brand…

Early this month, French tycoon Vincent Bollore, warned that his logistics company would suffer losses from the ongoing graft investigations in African countries. Bollore is the owner of Ballore Transport and Logistics, the company that cleared the ship (Mykonos Bay) that vanished from Mombasa port carrying fertiliser, in what officials said that it was evading inspection from custom officials. The ship was carrying 10,000 tonnes of Morocco fertiliser worth Ksh368 million. The ship fled and docked off the coast of Mozambique, in Beira. Ballore had lied that the ship was carrying clinker and asked for direct release, an arrangement where cargo bypasses the usual…

Presidents and state leaders in all countries have the most active and the most followed social media accounts in almost all social networks. Most have gone an extra mile to create portals/websites to highlight their achievements, to impress the citizens. However, accounts can be mimicked by malicious people in the sphere of modern technology where social media is hard to monitor and control. In Zimbabwe, the President, Emerson Mnangagwa, has gone a notch higher to create an app that gives live updates to his followers, directly from him. The new app named Mnangagwa entails sections such as About Me, News, Manifesto,…

Kenya Investment Authority Chief Executive Dr Moses Ikiara has been appointed the Acting Managing Director of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). In a letter to KEBS Chairman, Mugambi Imanyara, Industrialization and Trade Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed said Ikiara has been appointed for three months with immediate effect, “following the recent events at the Kenya Bureau of Standards.” Last week, KEBS MD Charles Ongwae for allegedly releasing contaminated fertilizer in the market. He was, together with seven other officials from KEBS and Kenya Revenue Authority, charged with attempted murder and abuse of office. Read: KRU Forcing Shujaas Players To Sign Apology Letter…

Kenyan technological company, Taz Technologies, has developed an app that will offer virtual postal services to Kenyans through their phones, whether the ubiquitous feature phones or smart phones. Through the App,MPost, users will be able to register and get instant virtual postal address, change their postal codes for efficient delivery of mails and parcels and also dispatch mails and parcels to their preferred destinations. “This will enhance efficiency and convenience of mails and parcels delivery,” said AbdulAziz Mohammed, the Chief Executive Officer of Taz Technologies. MPost was initially started on the USSD (*890*90#) platform for feature phone users and is now…

Azuri Technologies, a solar energy provider, is targeting to connect more than 150,000 Kenyan households with off-grid energy in the next three years. General Manager East Africa Snehar Shah says the firm is ready to expand its reach with a Ksh2 billion commercial debt financing it received early this year. Of the Ksh2 billion, about ksh400 million will be deployed in Kenya. “The PayGo sector is growing rapidly and its continued expansion requires access to substantial levels of capital. The debt financing will go a long way in increasing the reach, a significant number of people are yet be connected to…

At least 15 people have been confirmed dead in Gikomba fire which broke out at midnight. More than 70 have sustained serious injuries and rushed to Kenyatta National hospital, according to the St John’s Ambulance. The cause of the fire has not yet been identified as efforts to put it out are still going on. Speaking at the scene, Nairobi Regional Commissioner William Kang’ethe Thuku said that that the fire has been contained and investigations started immediately. “At 2.30am fire broke out inside a timber shop near the Nairobi River but it was contained two hours later. Four children who were…