Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration has withdrawn his name from consideration.  Chad Chronister, who currently serves as the sheriff in Hillsborough County, Florida, pointed to “more work to be done” for those living there. “Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I’ve concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,” he wrote in a statement posted on X. “I sincerely appreciate the nomination, outpouring of support by the American people, and look forward to continuing my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County,” he added. Chronister has spent…

A Chinese national living in California has been arrested and charged with illegally sending weapons and ammunition from the US to North Korea, the justice department has said. Shenghua Wen is alleged to have “successfully” exported at least two shipments of weapons, ammunition and other items that he purchased and shipped using the roughly $2m (£1.5m) North Korea had wired to him. In September, federal agents said they seized 50,000 rounds of ammunition from a van parked outside Mr Wen’s home in Ontario, which he allegedly said he procured “at the direction of North Korean government officials”, according to an…

The British partner of former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution. Matthew Smith, in a tan oversized shirt and black rimmed glasses, sat tight-lipped in New York federal court on Long Island as lawyers entered his plea. The 61-year old was released under house arrest on condition of a $10m (£7.7m) bond. Mr Smith, along with Mr Jeffries, 80, and their alleged middleman James Jacobson, 71, were arrested in October and charged with running an international sex trafficking and prostitution business. Mr Jeffries and Mr Jacobson have also…

An American woman whose case was one of the sparks behind a baseless claims about Haitian immigrants has been sentenced to a year in prison for animal cruelty. Authorities said that Allexis Ferrell, 27, attacked a cat in Canton, Ohio. Ferrell is a US citizen and the incident happened about 170 miles (270km) away from a large Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio. Her case was one of several incidents cited online, which fed into rumours about immigrant eating pets. The stories were eventually repeated by President-elect Donald Trump and his vice-presidential running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance. Ferrell was sentenced…

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said early Wednesday local time that he would lift the martial law he had declared just hours earlier, acceding to legislators who voted late Tuesday to block the decree. By early Wednesday, the country’s cabinet had passed a measure approving the reversal. Still, opposition lawmakers called for Yoon to resign or be impeached, while striking members of South Korea’s largest labor unions gathered in downtown Seoul on Wednesday morning to demand his resignation. South Korea’s main opposition party is calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol to resign or face impeachment. In a statement, senior…

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Tuesday issued a 21-day strike notice, effective December 22, if the government fails to honor terms of their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In a statement by KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah on Tuesday, the union expressed frustration over what it termed ongoing neglect by the government in enacting the CBA. “The national and county governments have totally disregarded our agreements. It is an extraordinary time when promises and agreements are not honored and mean nothing, a time when Collective Bargaining Agreement that has been honored and respected for over 7…

The Ministry of Education circular directing the closure of boarding sections in 348 schools across the country over safety concerns has been received with widespread criticism from stakeholders, who maintain they were not involved or consulted. Owners of some of the schools are accusing the ministry of causing unnecessary panic among parents and learners. They say no assessment was done as alleged by the ministry. Major concerns pointed out during the assessment exercise include dormitory safety, sanitation, fire equipment maintenance, and overall learner welfare. Officials expect more chaos ahead of the start of learning in January. The Ministry of Education,…

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration, with the National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that lawmakers “will protect democracy with the people.” Woo called for police and military personnel to withdraw from the Assembly’s grounds. The president’s surprising move harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s, and it was immediately…

Second-hand car dealer Joseph Kairo Wambui, also known as Khalif Kairo was Tuesday December 3 arrested over an undelivered Sh26 million Range Rover. A businessman identified as only Murimi had complained to police Kairo obtained the money and promised to deliver the state of the art car but failed. Detectives from Kasarani police station arrested from a car yard in Ridgeways for grilling and possible arraignment. He has another yard on Kiambu Road and Westlands Park. Kairo was detained as police grilled him ahead of planned arraignment. His lawyer rushed to the station and started to negotiate how to solve…

A group of counter terrorism experts are meeting in Nairobi to plan contingencies for hosting and enhancing the security of major sporting events. The teams from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are focused on the Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 which they will jointly co-host. This is after it emerged sporting activities are soft targets for violent extremism. The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in partnership with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) are hosting the two-day multi-stakeholder workshop focused on enhancing the security of major sporting events.  Local, regional, and international stakeholders, including security agencies, government representatives, and experts…

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Ingonga Tuesday emphasized the need for collaborative efforts and strategic approaches to effectively combat the intricate connections between drug trafficking and other forms of transnational organized crime.  He also called for collaboration to mitigate the severe threats these crimes pose to the region. Speaking at the official opening of the workshop on International and Regional Cooperation to Fight Organized Crime and Drug Trafficking in Eastern Africa, organized by the European Union Action Against Drugs and Organised Crime (EU-ACT) in partnership with the Eastern Africa Association of Prosecutors (EAAP), the DPP who is also the…

At least 12 people have been killed in separate incidents by floods in the country.  The Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, Dr. Raymond Omollo Tuesday assessed flood affected regions in Busia and Kisumu counties to evaluate the extent of damage, oversee the distribution of relief supplies, and engage with displaced families. This was as the government intensified its disaster response efforts. Nationwide, he said, the floods have displaced over 3,970 households, disrupted transport and agriculture, and caused 12 fatalities, with one person still missing. In Bunyala Sub-County, Dr. Omollo visited Lunyofu Primary School, which currently shelters 500…

Detectives are investigating an incident in which a man was stabbed and killed in an attack at the Mkuru slums, Nairobi. The man was pronounced dead at the Mkuru Kwa Njenga Level Four Hospital on Monday morning after the stabbing. Police said good Samaritans found the man bleeding on the roadside near a local primary school moments after he had been stabbed and rushed him to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police said he had been stabbed by a sharp object on the clavicle bone. The body was moved to the mortuary pending autopsy. Elsewhere, a Burundi…

At least six people were separately killed in accidents reported in Nairobi, Bungoma and Mlolongo area, police said. In the first incident reported on December 2, police said they are investigating an incident in which the body of a man was found on the railway line after he had been killed by a speeding commuter train in Imara Daima area, Nairobi. The body of the man was found lying on the railway line on Monday evening long after he had died. Police who visited the scene said the body had multiple injuries on the head and both legs. The man…

Police are investigating suicide after bodies of two police officers were separately found in Kitui and Thika police stations. In the first incident a police officer died by suicide after shooting himself at his place of work at Kyuso police station, Kitui County. The incident happened on Monday December 2 morning after constable Isaac Wesonga had been issued with a firearm for the day’s work. The motive of the incident is yet to be known, police said. Wesonga had been issued with the firearm alongside his colleague when he stepped out of the cell sentry office and shot himself at…