Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

Two lunar landers built by private companies in the US and Japan left Earth aboard a SpaceX rocket as part of a rideshare to the Moon.  The Falcon 9 took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 01:09 local time (06:09 GMT) on Wednesday, carrying landers belonging to America’s Firefly Aerospace and Japan’s ispace. The landers will eventually separate once they reach the Moon’s orbit and conduct independent explorations. They are the latest in a growing number of commercial missions to the Moon. Firefly’s rover, Blue Ghost, is expected to take about 45 days to reach the Moon,…

Eight people have died in Tanzania following an outbreak of suspected Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in the Kagera region, with health officials advising against any travel and trade restrictions with Tanzania. This has triggered fears of the spread of the disease regionally. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a high alert for neighboring countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique. “Surveillance and response capacities should be strengthened at relevant points of entry. Collaboration with neighboring countries should be enhanced to harmonize reporting mechanisms,” WHO said in a statement. WHO added that surrounding countries should…

South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol has become the country’s first sitting president to be arrested, ending a weeks-long standoff between investigators and his personal security. Yoon, whose failed attempt to impose martial law plunged the country into turmoil and saw him impeached by parliament, is being investigated on charges of insurrection. He is, however, still technically the president as a constitutional court has to decide whether his impeachment is valid. Investigators used ladders and wire cutters in the freezing cold to get to Yoon, whose Presidential Security Service (PSS) personnel had erected barricades in a bid to thwart his arrest.…

Multi-agency teams were Wednesday pursuing gunmen who shot and injured two herders in a village in Baragoi, Samburu County. The incident happened on Monday evening in Simale Sub Location when gunmen raided in Mparasian area and made away with an unknown number of livestock. During the drama, two herders were injured and later rushed to Tuum Dispensary. This is the latest such incident to happen in the area amid operations to address the menace. Police said they had joined in the hunt for the gunmen. In Turkana’s Katilu area, police recovered an AK47 rifle and 100 stolen goats in an…

The US markets watchdog has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk alleging he failed to disclose that he had amassed a stake in Twitter, allowing him to buy shares at “artificially low prices.” The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit alleges that the multi-billionaire Tesla boss saved $150m (£123m) in share purchases as a result. According to SEC rules, investors whose holdings surpass 5% have 10 days to report that they have crossed that threshold. Musk did so 21 days after the purchase, the filing says. In a social media post, Musk called the SEC a “totally broken organisation.” He…

A senior police officer was on Tuesday January 14 arrested for illegally conducting traffic duties outside his station.  Inspector Guyo Dida was found at the Globe Cinema roundabout in Nairobi conducting traffic duties and detaining a motorist. It was the second time in three months Dida was being arrested over similar drama. He is attached to Mavindini Police Station in Kathonzweni sub-county within Makueni County as a deputy Officer Commanding Station (OCS). He had on October 23, 2024 arrested along Bunyala Road while in full uniform, on leave and away from his work station. On Tuesday, Dida had positioned himself…

The prosecution wants the bond of a suspect facing charges of being in the country illegally be canceled.  The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions filed an application Tuesday January 14 seeking to cancel bond terms of Abdirizak Mohamed Hassan citing interference of witness. The ODPP informed Senior Principal Magistrate Boaz Ombewa at Kahawa Law Court that there were matters that arose from the side of the suspect that required serious attention of the court. As a result, the ODPP informed court that they will be moving with speed to make an application for the cancellation of the accused…

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi is Tuesday afternoon expected to record a statement with the police over the abduction of his son last year in Nairobi.  Muturi said he will present a written statement on the issue Tuesday January 14. This will take the debate on abductions in the country a notch higher. Whereas some government officials are opposed to the trend, others seem to be supportive of the same. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had asked Muturi to record a statement over an incident in which his son was last year abducted by unknown people. Muturi had…

US President-elect Donald Trump has hired a former Special Air Service (SAS) soldier who saved lives during the 2019 Dusit terror attack in Nairobi as one of his bodyguards. Christian Craighead (not his real name), 48, is now set to serve a crucial role in Trump’s security team ahead of the president-elect’s upcoming inauguration in Washington DC on January 20. The attack, carried out by Somalia-based al-Shabaab terrorists rocked Nairobi on January 15, 2019, leaving 21 people dead. All the five terrorists were also killed in the drama. Last year, the former SAS Warrant Officer was invited by the Trump…

Detectives arrested three prime suspects in connection with the murdered Kilifi County Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission election manager Aisha Abubakar. The suspects were identified as Isa Omari, Brian Shikuku Mudari and Brian Templer Oyare. The suspects have been operating in Bamburi area, police said. Aisha was stabbed to death at her home in Utange, Mombasa County on January 5, 2025. During the attack, her son was attacked and seriously wounded. He is recovering from the injuries. A team of detectives combing the area said they recovered a mobile phone that was stolen from the son Hassan Abubakar during the…

An activist claims his life is in danger after he shot and injured an intruder into his home in Syokimau, Machakos County. Bukas Omole said he was asleep on Saturday night when he heard a commotion in his house. He woke up and noticed eight men had intruded into the house and some were outside. They had also held a female relative in the house hostage. Bukas who is a licensed gun holder rushed for his pistol and fired twice targeting the said group. He said he hit one of them prompting the gang to abandon their mission and escape.…

Tanzanian activist and media practitioner Maria Sarungi Tsehai Monday recounted the terrifying details of her abduction in Nairobi’s Kilimani neighborhood on Sunday afternoon.  Sarungi known for her criticism of the Tanzanian government, was apprehended by three armed and hooded men before being released later that evening after public pressure and intervention by human rights organisations. She explained during a media briefing on Monday that the incident began when she left the house to go to a hair salon on Chaka Place. While at the salon, she said, she noticed a masked woman enter quickly, which made her suspicious. As she…

Second-hand car marketer Joseph Kairu Wambui, also known as Khalif Kairo, was arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Monday on charges of defrauding two clients out of Sh2.1 million and Sh2.9 million, respectively. Kairo is accused of deceiving Jeff Kyule Munane between July 10 and July 29, 2024, in Westlands, Nairobi. The alleged scheme involved Kairo’s company, Kai & Karo Limited, collecting ash 2,145,150 under the pretense of facilitating the importation of a Honda Vezel Hybrid from Japan, which was never delivered. Kairo was also accused of obtaining Sh2.9 million from Dona Ayalo Okoth ‘through a fraudulent trick,’ claiming…

President William Ruto departed the country Monday January 13 evening to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) Summit in the UAE, a high-level forum that convenes world leaders to advance the global sustainability agenda. Ruto is scheduled to speak during the opening session of the summit, whose theme is “Exploring the Global Energy Transition.” He will highlight Kenya’s leadership in renewable energy, particularly geothermal power, and identify opportunities for global partnerships to address energy challenges and foster green growth, State House said. Ruto will also hold high-level bilateral discussions with key global leaders, including His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin…

Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary, Dr. Raymond Omollo Monday told the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to prioritise human rights, and improved accountability and transparency in the police service. Omollo met the board during an induction training for new team and insisted that it focuses on enhancing the crucial role of IPOA in promoting accountability, transparency, and human rights in policing. Speaking at the start of the five-day training being held at the Great Rift Valley Lodge and Golf Resort in Naivasha, Omollo emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to fostering a human-rights-centered approach in law enforcement, reiterating that…