Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

Moderna said on Thursday it had paused its plans to build a vaccine manufacturing facility in Kenya, following a post-pandemic decline in demand for COVID-19 vaccines. The move is in line with Moderna’s strategy of resizing its manufacturing network to cut costs, even as it aims to spend around $4.5 billion this year (around Ksh.585 billion) in research and development of several new vaccines, including for cancer and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Many of the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines that Moderna is developing, like for HIV and malaria, are at an early stage. “Given this, and in alignment with our…

Runway lights at the Wilson Airport in Nairobi are out of service, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has announced. KAA on Thursday said the outage was caused by a technical fault. However, the authority explained, efforts were underway to remedy the situation. It also apologized to travellers for the inconvenience caused by the unprecedented outage. “We would like to inform the public that the runway lights at Wilson Airport are currently out of service due to a technical fault. Our team is in the process of identifying the root cause,” said KAA. “As a precautionary measure, a Notice to Airmen…

A Mombasa court Thursday granted police 21 days to investigate two men suspected of recruiting youths to join Somalia and DRC-based terror groups. An investigating officer told Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo that Hussein Yusuf Mrafi and Ali Mwalimu Mwinyi are suspected ISIS and al Shabaab recruiters. They are suspected to have committed the offence of Recruiting of Members of a Terrorist Group contrary to Section 13 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 30 of 2012. Detectives believe tha Mrafi, 27, and Mwinyi, 21, may be part of a terror cell brewing in Likoni sub-county, Mombasa County recruiting youths…

A key suspect in a series of frauds affecting local and foreign gold merchants was Thursday arraigned at Milimani Law Courts, after he was arrested Tuesday evening for obtaining Sh35 million from a businessman in a fake gold scam. In the fraudulent scheme orchestrated on diverse dates between July 13 and October 18, 2023, 28-year-old Nahashon Otieno Angudha is accused of swindling the victim out of the millions by luring him to a purchase and export deal of 100 kilos of gold to Dubai, the amount being fees for transportation and insurance. After parting with the money which was paid…

It was the most spectacular trial ever held in Vietnam, befitting one of the greatest bank frauds the world has ever seen.  Behind the stately yellow portico of the colonial-era courthouse in Ho Chi Minh City, a 67-year-old Vietnamese property developer was sentenced to death on Thursday for looting one of the country’s largest banks over a period of 11 years. It’s a rare verdict – she is one of very few women in Vietnam to be sentenced to death for a white collar crime. The decision is a reflection of the dizzying scale of the fraud. Truong My Lan…

The National Assembly approved the regulations that will provide a framework to monitor, detect and respond to cybersecurity threats within Kenya’s cyberspace and ensure the protection of the critical information structure. The Computer Misuse and Cybercrime (Critical Information Infrastructure and Cybercrime Management) Regulations, 2024 was approved after it was subjected to months of public participation. Known as Legal Notice No. 44 of 2024, the regulations were drafted by the National Computer and Cybercrimes Coordination Committee (NC4) to operationalize the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018. Internal Security Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo said the key aspects the CMCA Regulations address…

The UK announced Thursday it had temporarily removed Global Tariff for cut flowers, with the aim of making trade with the UK easier and cheaper for growers in East Africa and beyond. Unlimited quantities of flowers can now be exported to the UK at zero percent tariff, even if they transit via a third country. This is particularly important for East African flower growers who transport their blooms via third-countries or auction houses before they arrive in the UK. The move aims to increase trade and further strengthen the economic relationship between the UK and the region. UK consumers could…

A majority of Kenyans feel the country is headed in the wrong direction, a poll has shown. According to an Infotrak poll released on April 11, 58 per cent of Kenyans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, especially over the high cost of living. 64 percent of Kenyans cited the cost of living as one of the reasons why the country was headed in the wrong direction. 38 percent cited unemployment, poor governance and poverty. A measly 19 per cent of Kenyans said the country was headed in the right direction. The survey sample was 1000 represented…

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja was fined Sh500,000 for failing to appear before the Senate Energy Committee. Sakaja was summoned by the Senate Energy Committee that was looking into the Mradi gas explosion in Embakasi that occurred on February 1, leaving 6 dead and 200 people injured. Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna requested the Inspector General (IG) of police, Japhet Koome to arrest the Nairobi governor and present him to the Senate committee. Sakaja Thursday defended himself saying he was out of the country. “Appearing before the Senate is a constitutional requirement which I take seriously. It is the same members who…

Kenya’s Consul General to Los Angeles, USA nominee Ezra Chiloba is off the hook in the mismanagement of Staff Mortgage Scheme at the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA). The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) launched a probe into the allegations in September 2023. But in a communique dated April 4, 2024, the anti-graft CEO Twalib Mbarak says there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations leveled against Chiloba who is facing MPs later today (Thursday) for vetting. The matter, Mbarak says, has been closed “with no further action pursuant to Section 25A of the ACECA of 2003”. “However, we recommend…

A wanted robbery with violence suspect was Wednesday shot and killed in a dramatic chase in Mlango Kubwa area, Nairobi. Police said they recovered a homemade gun from the suspect popularly known as Pirates. His accomplice managed to escape on a motorbike, police said of the 10 am incident. A team was on patrol when they met the two riding on a motorcycle with the concealed number plate. The two sped off towards Muthaiga Bridge where the officers also jumped on a motorcycle and pursued them. They later clashed at Total Petrol station along Juja Road where they were robbing…

Seven suspects who recorded themselves sexually assaulting a woman in a village in Bomet were Thursday arrested. This follows the circulation of a video on social media, which showed the victim being sexually assaulted by men in a house. The woman screamed even as the gang called her aunt in local dialect while pestering her to cooperate. Police said the incident took place in Chebanyi village in Kimaya, Chepalungu. The pornographic video is now referred as Sigor Boys. Police officers together with area chief and Nyumba Kumi elders conducted the operation at the said area and managed to arrest seven…

Officials from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority are investigating the death of a man who had been detained at the Muthangari police station, Nairobi. The family of Anthony George Maina is questioning how their kin died while being detained at the cells over claims of being drunk. They say the said offence was minor and did not warrant his detention and death at the cells on April 10. Police claim Maina died after knocking his head against the wall while in the cells. His body was discovered at 2 am. This was after other suspects being detained therein raised an…

The family of retired president the late Daniel arap Moi is mourning the death of his youngest daughter June Chebet. June who is Moi’s youngest daughter died on Thursday April 11 morning at the age of 60. The Moi family confirmed the sad news and asked for privacy during the mourning period. “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing on of our beloved, June Chebet Moi this morning. At this time of grief, we request for your prayers and privacy as we the family come to terms with the tragic loss of our sister. May her soul rest in…

Police are seeking to establish the identity of a man whose body was found floating near the Ruai Sewerage area, Nairobi. The body was found at the sewerage sieving area by security officials. It had been swept to the area overnight before it was found on April 10 in the afternoon, police said. A team of police visited the scene and retrieved the body from the sewer and realized it had several visible bruises and cuts on the left side of the head above the ear. Police said they will know more once the man is identified. The body was…