Author: Mercy Auma

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has appointed Wenwa Akinyi as a member of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) board. Dr Wenwa has been appointed alongside Prof Timothy Mwololo Waema, Dr George Njoroge and Marstella Bahati Kahindi and will serve for three years effective May 17, 2021. Dr Wenwa Akinyi is the sister to ODM leader Raila Odinga who has served as a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi since 2004 in the department of chemistry. She also previously served as a senior assistant secretary for the Commission for University Education and a chief chemist at the Pyrethrum Board…

Migori County has been put on the spot over the increasing county wage bill. The County’s Public Service Board chairman Jared Kopiyo has raised concerns over the county’s spending habits on wages. According to Kopiyo, the increasing spending on wages is likely to lead to downsizing. For instance, Kopiyo alludes that there exist ghost workers in the county hence a headcount and payroll audit will be conducted to distinguish the genuine county workers from the ghost workers. Currently, Migori County has approximately 3,000 workers on the payroll. In an audit conducted in 2018, it was revealed that the county was…

Kenya has announced 494 new Covid-19 cases after 6,428 samples were tested. The country’s caseload is now at 166,876. The positivity rate is now at 7.7% with the cumulative tests so far conducted now at 1,763,274. Sadly, 5 deaths have been recorded bringing the country’s cumulative death toll to 3,040. Also, 50 patients have recovered from the disease, 27 from the Home-Based & Isolation Care program, & 23 are from various health facilities countrywide bringing the cumulative recoveries in the country to 114,285. Read: Ministry Of Health Embarks On Polio Vaccination Campaign Targeting Over 3.4 Million Children 1,085 patients are currently…

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has embarked on a polio vaccination campaign that targets over 3.4 million children. Through a series of tweets, the Ministry revealed that 6 cases of polio virus had been discovered in Mombasa and Garissa earlier in February. Following the outbreak, so far 13 counties have been targeted as high risks hence emergency polio vaccination to commence from Saturday, May 22 and runs till Wednesday, May 26, 2021. Read: Momentous Milestone As Africa Declared Free Of Wild Polio These counties are Mandera, Isiolo, Wajir, Garissa, Lamu, Tana River, Kilifi, Mombasa, Kitui, Machakos, Kajiado, Kiambu and Nairobi. The…

Eight senior officials at the County Government of Turkana who were charged with conspiracy to steal Sh42 million through illegal tenders are still in office despite a court order barring them from the same. The accused are Joseph Emate (Chief Officer Finance), Richard Emou (Director Procurement), Mark Ewesit (Chief Officer, Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Areas Management), Francis Esimit, an accountant, Lomowe Shakespear (Director Revenue) and Peter Lobali, an accountant. Also charged are James Ekaran (accountant) and Naweed Akaran, who is the director of Winston International Company Limited. The case dates back to between December 2015 and November 2016 in…

Kenya has announced 376 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours after 4,153 samples were tested. The cumulative caseload is now at 166,382. As of today, the country’s positivity rate is at 9.1% with the cumulative tests so far conducted now at 1,756,846. Sadly, 14 deaths have been recorded bringing the country’s death toll to 3,035. Also, 318 patients have recovered from the virus bringing the cumulative recoveries to 117,235. 93 patients are separately on supplemental oxygen with 89 of them in general wards and 4 in High Dependency Units. Read: Kenya’s Covid-19 Positivity Rate Now At 7.5% As 469…

The Council of Governors (CoG) has expressed displeasure on how Senators handled the impeachment of Wajir Governor Mohamed Mohamud Abdi. Addressing media today, CoG Chairman Martin Wambora stated that the process was hurriedly done as the allegations cited were not investigated as provided under Section 33 (4) of the County Governments Act. The council further termed the ouster a political witchhunt adding that it should not be allowed as it disrupts government. “Notably, the allegation that was upheld against the Governor was not substantiated. The Senate has lowered the threshold for the impeachment of a Governor and this largely exposes…

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has slammed activist Boniface Mwangi over the “sleepover” slur he made yesterday. Yesterday, Mwangi faulted the people of Kirinyaga county for voting Waiguru as governor alluding that so far, no development has been brought forth. He further urged the Kirinyaga people to vote wisely come 2022. “The people of Kirinyaga who voted for someone because they assumed the president will be coming for sleepovers, how are you this morning? Has a single sleepover happened? Has that brought development to Kirinyaga County? I hope you vote wisely in 2022,” Mwangi wrote. https://twitter.com/bonifacemwangi/status/1394541923281612801 Read: Museveni Grooming Son For Power…

A Prison Warden attached to Waita GK Prison in Mwingi has been arrested for allegedly shooting dead his wife and one-year-old son. The incident reportedly took place in Kitui County where the warden, David Nduati killed the girlfriend, Joyce Mwende and son Raji Mwende. An OB report from the police indicates that Nduati surrendered his GK riffle to officers manning the gate after committing the said crime. He further confessed. “The duty officer received information that Pc David Nduati Kimani had surrendered his G3 Rifle to the officers manning the main gate and he confessed that he had killed someone…

Kenya has announced 469 new Covid-19 cases after a sample size of 6,244 was tested in the last 24 hours. The country’s positivity rate is now 7.5%. The country’s caseload is now at 166,006 and cumulative tests so far conducted now at 1,752,693. Sadly, 8 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours bringing the cumulative fatalities to 3,021. 43 patients have recovered from the disease, 29 from the Home-Based & Isolation Care, while 14 are from various health facilities countrywide. Read: Africa Day Virtual Concert To Raise Funds For Families Affected by Covid-19 The total recoveries now stand…

25 people have so far been arrested in Mathare’s Mlango Kubwa area after two communities clashed. Reports indicate that several people have been injured with police having a hard time dispersing the crowds that had gathered in the area. According to Citizen, the clash is between Kenyans and a section of Ugandans living in Kenya. For instance, the chaos have been going on for two days with roads being blocked and tyres burnt. Apparently, the communities have been fighting over who has more power controlling businesses in the area including the sale of illicit brews. Read: Kakamega Residents Burn Down Police…

The Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) has explained traffic disruption along Mombasa Road linking it to the construction of the Nairobi Expressway. Through a statement, the authority indicated that the situation has been worsened by the heavy rains witnessed across the country. Apparently, the heavy rains interfered with drainage systems leading to flooding in different locations hence leading to traffic. “The disruption to traffic on the A8 Road within the section from Mlolongo to James Gichuru has been occasioned by the ongoing construction of the Expressway within the central median and associated relocation of utilities such as water and sewer…

Kajiado GovernorJoseph Ole Lenku’s Aide, Jackson Meliyio is caught up in alleged gun drama with a blogger. Reports by a local publication reveal that the aide, identified as Jackson Meliyio threatened to shoot blogger Simon Kasaine in Kimana Town, Kajiado County following a misunderstanding. However, when questioned about the same, Meliyio denied the claims adding that he only asked the blogger among other people to keep quiet after they turned chaotic during a meeting organized by Governor Ole Lenku. Apparently, when the blogger refused to keep quiet, he was asked to leave hence the commotion started. Read: Governor Ole Lenku, CS…

Kenya has announced 72 new Covid-19 cases after 2,056 samples were tested in the last 24 hours. The country’s caseload is now at 165,537. The country’s positivity rate is now 3.5%with the cumulative tests so far conducted now at 1,746,449. Sadly, 10 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours bringing Kenya’s death toll to 3,031. Also, 262 have recovered bringing the tally for recoveries to 113,874. 235 were from the Home-Based & Isolation Care, while 27 are from various health facilities countrywide. 82,777 are from Home Based Care & Isolation & 31,097 are from various health facilities. Read:…

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched investigations into the death of two men whose bodies were retrieved from Thika River after being arrested by police. Through a statement by IPOA Chairperson Anne Makora, investigations have commenced to establish exactly what happened to the men as witness statements conflict with police accounts. “In line with its mandate, IPOA took up the matter for investigations as it seeks to establish what exactly transpired and if the police were involved as alleged by the witness accounts. The investigations are ongoing,” said IPOA Chairperson Anne Makori. Read: Bodies of Two Men who had…