Author: Francis Muli

Pan-African communications consultancy group,  APO has partnered with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to providing the public broadcaster with sports content from the whole of Africa. APO Group will provide sporting stories from the rest of the continent to South African audiences, much of it for the first time. All video footage and soundbites produced or distributed by APO Group and related to sport in Africa, will be made available to SABC free of charge and for unrestricted news use. The Group will also provide SABC with access to key stakeholders from sporting organizations in Africa and their associated…

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said the social media platform is redirecting its efforts to focus on younger adults on the platform. The move comes amid news that the company was alarmed by the decline of younger people in the platform. Zuckerberg says he has redirected his team to “make serving young adults their north star.” “So much of our services have gotten dialed to be the best for the most people who use them, rather than specifically for young adults,” Zuckerberg said. He also alluded that usage among older users would slow down due to the intended changes, but…

Ride-hailing company Uber has introduced a new ride category for its users. Dubbed Chapchap share, the option allows users to save up to 30 percent off their regular trip fare by sharing the ride with other users headed in the same direction. “When you share your ride with another rider heading in the same direction, you can save up to 30 percent on your Chapchap trip. If we can’t find other riders for you to share with, you still save five percent of your regular Chapchap fare.” Uber said in an email. According to the taxi-hailing app, once you request…

Kenyan education-based trivia startup mSwali has raised a pre-seed funding round that will enable the SME to expand its mSwali Quiz MVP from USSD app to a web app. mSwali a Kenyan mobile learning games developer which derives its unique name from two words, m for mobile and Swali which is Swahili for Question. The startup begun its operations in the year 2020 with its flagship game the mSwali Quiz which is currently available on USSD in Kenya & South Africa. mSwali Quiz has questions which aid learning about African countries, the continent & the world as a whole. Read: Kenya Gazettes Start Up…

Kenya Power Could have spent at least Ksh9.8 billion on deadstock including transformers, cables, and metres, an audit has revealed. According to Energy Principal Secretary Gordon Kihalangwa, the sole power distributor has been keeping the equipment for over five years. “We have realised that Kenya Power has a dead stock of Ksh9.8 billion currently,” he told the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Kihalangwa however did not provide a breakdown of the dead stock in question. Read: Kenya Power Loses Its Autonomy As Gov’t Cracks Whip This comes days after the government ordered Kenya Power to immediately suspend ongoing and pending negotiations…

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has embarked on a drive to weed out rogue driving schools in the country. The body has directed more than 500 driving schools to apply for fresh operating licenses, with plans to only issue them out to those in compliance with a set of new rules. Those that fail to meet the infrastructure and staff qualification expectations will be forced to close shop. The move comes amid a petition filed at the courts by the Kenya Driving Schools Association (KDSA) seeking to block NTSA from implementing the new rules. This petition by KDSA,…

Do you normally call or send a message to give more information about some money you sent to a friend, relative or business associate through M-Pesa? Well, you do not have to do all this now, since you can now accompany your transaction with additional information, emojis or even a Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) image to make it more interesting. “The new M-Pesa app is a lifestyle super-app for Kenyans. M-Pesa is there assisting users ever so silently and following on their life cycles so that whenever they need a financial transaction, it is available,” said M-Pesa Africa Managing Director…

Taxis have become a common fixture for quick navigation across various cities in Kenya. Before the digital age, taxi rides were a reserve of the rich. A trip to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport could cost as much as Sh2,500 and for a round trip within the Central Business District, one could part with as much as Sh300. The digital reveolution brought with it ride-hailing apps which have since dominated the market. Due to the competitive nature of the business, the prices have become more affordable for customers. The apps have given customers a few benefits over the traditional Taxis.…

Naivasha MP Jane Kihara’s property is set to be auctioned after the court of appeal threw out her petition seeking to stop the auction. The auction is as a result of a Ksh10 million debt owed to former National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) chair John Mututho. The amount arose from an election petition of 2008, where Wanjiru took Mututho to court challenging his election as Naivasha MP. “However, we take note that in the present situation, the applicant was ordered to pay half the costs within 14 days and secure a bank guarantee for…

Social media apps including Facebook and Instagram collect personal data without the users knowledge and proceed to store these data for months even after the users deletes the app. While helping people stay connected, informed and entertained, the apps are also used to harvest data. A report by Cybersecurity experts VPN overview showed the 10 most downloaded apps in 2020 and the amount of data each collects. The study focused on three privacy indicators: permission requests, data retention (showing how long the app keeps the data after exhausting its lawful usefulness) and data collected in a way that is linked…

Community Radio and TV stations spreading false information and propagating violence will be shut down by the government, the Cabinet Secreatry for Interior Fred Matiang’i has said. The CS was speaking during the launch of Trinity Radio and TV in Ol Kalou town. He urged players in the industry to spread peace and reconciliation especially during the election period. He expressed regret that a number of community radio and TV stations were being used to spread hatred. “We will shut you down in the best interest of this country. It is our duty to uphold peace and we will safeguard…

Kenya Airways (KQ) is the most expensive airline in Africa, a new study by competition authorities representing 24 African countries has revealed. The carrier risks losing its market to its peers like Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways and Air France. “Kenya Airways has the highest average passenger price per kilometre (APPK) for all its domestic, regional and international routes. In addition, the routes for the Tanzania markets from Nairobi have higher APPK than international routes, which are longer distances,” the report by the African Competition Forum (ACF) says. The study found that KQ’s average price per kilometre on the Nairobi-Johannesburg…

At least eight people have been arrested while police are pursuing more suspects linked to the violent chaos that marred DP William Ruto rally in Busia on Saturday. Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i said more arrests were expected for the masterminds and perpetrators of the incident and urged police to expedite the arrest and prosecution of the culprits. Speaking during the launch of Trinity TV and Radio stations in Ol-Kalou, Dr. Matiang’i chastised the organizers and perpetrators of the chaos that saw rowdy youth light bonfires and block the road at Korinda junction. He described the incident as an…

Lamu Senator Anwar Loitiptip has allegedly shot a woman after an argument in a hotel in Nanyuki. According to reports, the woman, Joy Makena, is nursing gunshot wounds at the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital while the senator has gone into hiding. “Joy Makena, aged 32 years was shot on her right leg above the ankle after a quarrel ensued between her and the senator Lamu county Hon. Anwar,” read part of the police report. The incident is reported to have happened at 2am on Saturday night at Kanu Grounds in Nanyuki town, Laikipia County. Read: Senator Anwar Loitiptip Accused of…

The match between Gor Mahia and Al Ahly Merowe of Sudan has been cancelled after Al Ahly Merowe failed to show up for the CAF Confederation Cup. The clash was set to be played at the Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi at 4pm. “Reference the above-mentioned match, we would like to inform you that the Sudanese federation has communicated the withdrawal of the club Ahly Merowe from the competition. Accordingly, we hereby inform you that the match is cancelled and that Gor Mahia have been qualified to the Additional 2nd Preliminary round of the competition,” said Emad Shenouda, Manager of Interclubs Competitions.…