Author: Francis Muli

The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has approved the takeover of cash-strapped flower firm Oserian Development Company Limited by Bohemian Flowers Limited. Oserian, which is on the verge of collapsing will see its floriculture business and certain assets taken over by the new firm, saving the jobs of over 700 employees. Bohemian is owned by Kongoni River Farm Limited, a company that cultivates flowers for export. “The business has consistently recorded losses since 2017. Additionally, the business is currently in a negative equity position. Based on the foregoing, the Authority noted that the proposed transaction is likely to salvage a failing…

Kenyan RnB singer, Otile Brown’s music videos have been reinstated back on YouTube after they were deleted on October 6 for unknown reasons. Among the singer’s videos which were removed from the platform are: Dusuma, aiyana, Baby love, Chaguo la Moyo, Hi, Watoto na Pombe, Samantha, Crush, In love,Regina and Ndagukunda. “We cannot go into the specific details that led to the deletion but we would like to assure you that we took up the issue with our legal team, partners and with YouTube/Google who confirmed that there had been an issue and assured us that they are working to…

Instagram is working on a status updates feature that will provide insight regarding content violations or any issues with your posts. “Today we’re launching a new feature called account status which will help you get more insight into how our community guidelines affect your account.” Instagram said in a post on the platform. According to the company, the feature is aimed at improving transparency by letting users know when they post something that should not be on Instagram, and how it affects their account. Read: Facebook Launches Integrated Instagram and Messenger Chats Users will also be able to know what action…

Cybercriminals stole at least Ksh106 million in 17 months to March 2021 from savings and credit co-operative societies (saccos), a new report has shown. This translates to Ksh6.23 million per month or Ksh208,000 daily. The report by financial regulators including Central Bank Kenya and Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority indicates that the losses were mostly through software vendors engaged by the saccos. “All saccos must now review and enhance their IT security including their service level agreements to ensure that affected saccos are compensated by the vendor in the event of an attack where the vendor is culpable. Saccos are also…

Kenya has defaulted on Ksh19.6 billion loan for Arror and Kimwarer dams acquired from Italian bank Intesa San Paolo, whose first instalment was to be paid in May. The government was scheduled to pay the first instalment of Ksh8.63 billion Kimwarer loan on May 9, and another Ksh11 billion for Arror dam on May 18. This comes at a time investigative agencies are yet to solve the puzzle of how at least Ksh21 billion meant for the projects were lost, with no one yet convicted for the theft. “Loan of Eur 258,688,881.72 (Ksh33bilion) repayable in semiannual instalments commencing 9th May…

Covid-19 positivity rate is now at 2.6 percent after 96 tested positive from a sample size of 3,702 tested in the last 24 hours. The total confirmed positive cases are now 251,248 while cumulative tests so far conducted are 2,609,854. From the cases 90 are Kenyans while 6 are foreigners. 62 are males while 34 are females. The youngest is a two-year-old child while the oldest is 86 years. The 96 new cases are distribited as follows: Nairobi 41, Uasin Gishu 31, Nakuru 4, Bomet 3, Kakamega 3, Mombasa 2, Kiambu 2, Makueni 1, Meru 1, Migori 1, Murang’a 1,…

Former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion has ditched the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party for United Democratic Alliance (UDA), a party associated with Deputy President William Ruto. Sossion who has been serving as a nominated MP under ODM is eying the Bungoma senatorial seat in the 2022 general elections, currently held by Dr Christopher Langat, also a lieutenant of Ruto. “The agenda of “bottom-up” in the whole world is a pro-common man and is an agenda of equality and prosperity of the common man. (For) the choice of this agenda, I can count you as one…

40 vehicles owned by bankrupt Italian company CMC di Ravenna have been put up for sale, following a Ksh585 million loan owed to Absa Bank. The vehicles, including Isuzu D/Max, tippers, prime movers and cranes, will be auctioned on October 28, 2021, according to a notice by Phillips International Auctioneers. “Duly instructed by our principals-the financiers, we shall sell by public auction the undermentioned vehicles and machinery at our offices situated at Kileleshwa estate along Kandara road in Nairobi on Thursday, October 28, 2021,” said the auctioneer. Absa Bank and CMC di Ravena have already signed an auction consent before…

Former military man Julius Mwale has offered Ksh27.6 billion in a bid to acquire struggling Mumias Sugar Company, dwarfing offers by businessman Narendra Raval and the Rai family. Raval through Devki Group had offered Ksh8.4 billion while the Rai family through West Kenya Sugar had offered Ksh3.5 billion. Tumaz and Tumaz enterprises, associated with Mwale is now the highest bidder for the miller, which was placed under in September 2019, after failing to service its loans. The Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), which is owed Ksh545 million, appointed Ponangipalli Venkata Ramana Rao of Tact Consultancy Services as the loss-making company’s receiver-manager.…

Safaricom has announced an extension of their sponsorship for rally driver Maxine Wahome with an additional KES. 2 million. The sponsorship will cater for the remaining rounds of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) and autocross competitions. In August, the telco had also sponsored Maxine during the Voi edition of the KNRC. Safaricom CEO, Peter Ndegwa said Maxine’s progress and competitive edge in the Voi, Machakos and Ramisi editions of the national rally championship made her stand out. “She has broken barriers in a sport where women’s participation has been low. I believe she can usher in a new generation…

Kenya has received an additional 860,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from COVAX. The vaccines were donated by Germany, Slovakia and France. Germany donated 401,900 vaccines while France donated 300,000 and Slovakia donated 160,000. Officials from the Ministry of Health received the vaccines at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Friday evening. Read: Kenya Receives 880,460 Doses of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Donated By the US “We have received some 701,600 doses of Astrazeneca vaccine from both the French and the German governments as well as another 160,000 from Slovakia.” health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr Rashid Aman said. “On behalf of the Kenya…

ODM Leader Raila Odinga has thrown his support behind the Competency-Based Curriculum, saying it is the solution to the country’s education system. The former Prime minister was speaking during the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of Raila Odinga Secondary School in Nyando, Kisumu county. He said the system which promotes critical thinking, communication, teamwork, leadership, professionalism, and information and communication technology had already been adopted in countries including Rwanda, Tanzania and South Africa. He also said that the current discussions surrounding the CBC system was healthy. “I know that ultimately we are going to find an amicable solution to…

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has appointed Engineer Kung’u Ndung’u as Director-General of the Kenya National Highways Authority(KeNHA) in place of Peter Mundinia who retired. Until his appointment, Eng. Kungu Ndungu was the Director Road Asset and Corridor Management in KeNHA. The appointment takes effect on October 8, 2021. “Eng Ndungu is well versed with various aspects of roads engineering and road sector management in Kenya. He has been responsible for large road development projects and maintenance and further demonstrated to the Board his knowledge and the qualities of leadership and management which covered prudent financial management human resource management…

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) never received evidence from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) linking appellate Judge Justice Sankale Kantai to Tob Cohen murder, it has emerged. According to a letter dated October 7 from the ODPP to Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, the purported evidence was leaked to the media by DCI, and has never been submitted to the ODPP for consideration. It has also emerged that the officer who swore the affidavit that was leaked to the media, Mr John Gachomo, was not part of the officers commissioned in investigating the murder…

Today, 170 people have tested positive for Covid-19  from a sample size 6,162. This brings the Positivity rate to 2.8 percent. 254 patients have recovered from Covid-19. Out of these, 216 are from Home-Based Isolation & Care program while 38 are from various health facilities countrywide. This brings the total number of recoveries to 243,591. One patient has succumbed to the coronavirus disease. The death was reported after conducting facility record audits in the month of October 2021. This now pushes the cumulative fatalities to 5,179. Read: President Suluhu Forms Tanzania Covid-19 Committee, Urges Caution Currently, 841 Covid-19 patients are admitted…