Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

By Agencies Wagner mercenary boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has welcomed the military coup in Niger, according to an unverified audio message. Niger has been a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants in West Africa. The US and France, the former colonial power, both have military bases in the uranium-rich country. The unverified voice message from Mr Prigozhin appeared on a Telegram app channel associated with the group, saying the takeover was long overdue. According to the Reuters news agency, the speaker had the same distinctive intonation and turn of phrase in Russian as the Wagner boss. Read: Gen Abdourahmane…

Safaricom on Saturday announced an adjustment in the pricing of its services following the passing of the Finance Act 2023 and the lifting of the suspension of the Act. In a statement, the telco said that it had adjusted M-Pesa, call, data, SMS and home fibre charges to align with the revised excise duty in the Finance Act 2023. This means that mobile money transfer charges are going up while charges on call, data and SMS charges are going down. “Following the enactment into law of the Finance Act 2023 and the Court of Appeal ruling on 28th July 2023,…

By Agencies Sudan’s paramilitary force Friday posted a video on Twitter of its leader addressing fighters – his first video appearance since the conflict erupted in April. Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as “Hemedti”, looked thin in the footage and commentators say he was holding one of his arms oddly. There has been speculation that the commander, who is in his late 40s, has been injured in the war. His speech included his usual rhetoric against Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the military with whom he is involved in a bitter power struggle for control of the country.…

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Friday revealed the menace of academic fraud in the country warning it was a direct threat to the integrity of Kenya’s education system. While appearing before the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee of the National Assembly, EACC deputy CEO Abdi Mohamud said they had identified at least five categories of academic fraud in both the National and County Governments. The first category involves people who alter their high school grades on their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Certificates in order to ‘attain’ the requisite qualifications for gaining entry into the universities or other…

Safaricom shareholders on Friday approved two new subsidiaries, one dedicated to investing in seed-stage and another in growth-stage start-ups. These developments, approved during the telco’s 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM), represent a momentous step towards supporting tech entrepreneurs, fostering innovation, and fortifying Safaricom’s role as a key enabler of the Kenyan tech community. The incorporation of a company limited by guarantee to invest in seed-stage startups builds on the Spark Fund—an investment entity by Safaricom governed by a Board of Trustees—designed to empower and nurture seed-stage start-ups across Kenya. This new entity is expected to streamline administrative processes and enhance governance.…

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, opposition leader Raila Odinga, and other Azimio leaders have contributed over Sh4 million towards a fund set up to help victims of police brutality during the anti-government protests. Uhuru and Raila gave Sh1 million each while Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and DAP-K’s Eugene Wamalwa gave Sh500,000 and Sh200,000, respectively. Speaking on Friday, Kalonzo said they had launched Citizen Emergency Fund’ to help the wounded and bereaved families. Read: Uhuru Attends Azimio Interdenominational Prayer Service in Karen “Even as we continue to mourn, celebrate and pray for the victims, we’re going a step further and launching a citizen’s…

Kenya has condemned the coup in Niger. President William Ruto on Friday called for the immediate release of President Mohamed Bazoum who was seized by the presidential guard on Wednesday. “Kenya joins the rest of the world to condemn, in the strongest terms, this unconstitutional act that subverts democracy through a coup-de-tat and calls for the immediate release of President Bazoum who is reportedly seized by members of the Presidential Guard,” said Ruto. “Throughout our continental history, we have strived tirelessly to nurture the principles of democracy. This fundamental norm is crystallized in article 4P of the Constitutive Act of…

The Court of Appeal has lifted conservatory orders barring the implementation of the Finance Act, 2023. In a ruling delivered on Friday, Justice Mohammed Warsame said the appeal filed by Treasury Cabinet Secretary had merit. “The upshot of our decision is that the application has merit and the same is allowed as prayed with the effect that the order made on July 10, 2023, suspending the Finance Act 2023, and the order prohibiting the implementation of the Finance Act 2023, be and is hereby lifted pending the hearing and determination of the appeal. Costs shall abide the outcome of the…

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested an Inspector of Police In-Charge of Zimmerman Police Post in the Kasarani Police Division Susan Wambui Muiruri ahead of her arraignment before the Anti-Corruption Court in Milimani. The arrest came after the Director of Public Prosecutions concurred with the recommendations of the Commission to apprehend her to face charges of soliciting and receiving a bribe of Sh10,000 from the complainant, when she served at Kasarani Police Station, in order to facilitate the release of his girlfriend who had been arrested and held there. The suspect also said the demanded bribe was a fee…

There is apparent rot within the Machakos County Public Service Board as exposed by locals privy to the goings-on. The board is supposed to ensure that the recruitment of new staff to the county is above board, fair, and transparent. But according to a source who sought anonymity, the board that is chaired by Albanus Mutisya, hatched a plan to irregularly hire some 435 revenue officers. Other members include; Franklin Makola, John Kumbu, Marleen Misco Mwanika, and acting secretary Paul Muisyo. “The county government of Machakos under the leadership of Governor Wavinya Ndeti asked the county public service board to…

Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta is among the leaders attending the interdenominational prayer service called for victims of police brutality in the recent anti-government protests. The service was called by Azimio-OKA and was held at the SKM center in Karen. Uhuru arrived at the venue on Friday, a few minutes before 11 am and was ushered in by other leaders. The prayer service by the opposition doubles up as a mass to mourn supporters who lost their lives in the anti-government protests over the high cost of living and the new Finance Act 2023. Read: Azimio Suspends Wednesday Protests More than 50…

TikToker Brian Chira has been arrested for allegedly defaming Sound City radio host Azziad Nasenya. Reports indicate that Chira was nabbed by cops on Thursday night. According to Azziad’s lawyer, the TikToker not only defamed their client but also shared her phone number with the public, a move that has caused her distress. “Sometime last week Chira went live on TikTok at night and the Topic was Azziad he uttered some words which I cannot repeat here but those words are defamatory and he did not stop there he went ahead and gave and gave out her number,” the lawyer…

Police are hunting for a lone gunman who attacked and robbed a boutique attendant and her client of cash before shooting into the air in a daylight incident in Utawala, Nairobi. Police say the move by the gunman to strike on Thursday at 2 pm is a show of impunity and desperation. The attendant said the gunman posed as a client before he suddenly drew a pistol demanding the day’s collection. He then robbed her of Sh84,000 before turning to another woman who was present who was robbed of Sh50,000. The gunman then shot into the air before jumping into…

Kenya’s largest telecommunications company Safaricom has now made available the zero-interest credit option for purchases of items up to Sh100,000. Faraja, a credit service, is anticipated to shake up the mobile loans market, which has been controlled by Fuliza, a mobile overdraft service available on M-Pesa. More than 32 million Safaricom subscribers will be able to use the service to make purchases from merchants using the telco’s Lipa Na M-Pesa system on credit. The service that had previously been blocked by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) will enable Safaricom customers to buy items for between Sh20 and Sh100,000 with…

Former US President Donald Trump is accused of pressuring an employee to delete Mar-a-Lago security camera footage, new charges allege. In a revised indictment, Mr Trump is charged with three new counts, one of wilful retention of defence information and two of obstruction. An additional person, Mar-a-Lago staff member Carlos de Oliveira, has also been indicted in the case. Mr de Oliveira is alleged to have asked what could be done to delete footage. Also Read: McConnell Says He’s ‘Fine’ After Abruptly Stopping Press Conference Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty alongside his close aide Walt Nauta, who also received…