Former Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi has been appointed as the Chairperson of board of directors of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in President William Ruto’s latest shake-up of the executive. The announcement, delivered by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, outlined nominations, reassignments, and appointments across senior government positions. “His Excellency the President has today made nominations, reassignments, and appointments to the senior ranks of the Executive,” Koskei said in an official statement. Muriithi, an economist and financial markets expert with over 24 years of experience, has spearheaded financial reforms across Africa. His career includes improving bond markets, expanding mortgage…
Author: David Wafula
Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has been appointed Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi. The changes, conveyed by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, involved nominations, reassignments, and appointments across senior ranks of the Executive. “His Excellency the President has today made nominations, reassignments, and appointments to the senior ranks of the Executive,” Koskei stated in an official release. Namwamba, who previously served as Sports CS, left the Cabinet following political pressure during anti-government protests by Gen Z earlier in the year. His former docket was handed over to Kipchumba Murkomen in…
President William Ruto has announced significant changes to his administration, including the appointment of CS Andrew Karanja as Kenya’s Ambassador to Brazil. The reshuffles were made public by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei on Thursday, December 19, 2024. “His Excellency the President has today made nominations, reassignments, and appointments to the senior ranks of the Executive,” Koskei said in the official statement. Former Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has been nominated as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Other notable diplomatic appointments include Margaret Nyambura as Kenya’s Ambassador to Ghana and Dorothy Angote as…
OpenAI, the company behind the widely popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, has introduced a new way to interact with its technology—over the phone. U.S. users can now call 1-800-242-8478 to have a voice conversation with ChatGPT, the company announced on Wednesday. This innovative feature allows people to try ChatGPT without needing to download the app, making it particularly useful for those with limited access to high-speed internet. OpenAI also confirmed that users worldwide can communicate with the chatbot by messaging the same number on WhatsApp. Callers are allotted 15 minutes per month to interact with ChatGPT via phone. However, this phone…
Arnold Schwarzenegger, known worldwide for his versatile career as a bodybuilding champion, action movie star, and former governor of California, is taking on a festive new role. The iconic actor is set to play Santa Claus in an upcoming holiday movie titled The Man with the Bag. Announcing the news on his Instagram page, Schwarzenegger shared his excitement with fans. “Santa Claus is coming to town!” he wrote, adding, “I can’t wait to share all of this Christmas cheer with each and every one of you.” The actor also posted a photo from the film set in New York City,…
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi announced on Thursday that 29 inmates and prison officers graduated with degrees in law and medicine. Among them, 28 earned law degrees from the University of London, while one graduated in medicine from the University of Nairobi. Mudavadi also revealed a reduction in the number of inmates, from 64,000 to 60,000, attributing the decrease to collaboration with county governments that enable some inmates to serve community orders in local facilities. “Kenya Prisons Service lost only one officer in the line of duty this year, a testament to improved safety measures within the correctional system,” Mudavadi…
The government has digitized over 22,000 services on the e-Citizen platform, with 375,000 e-citizens accessing the system daily. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi revealed on Thursday that over 13 million Kenyans have registered on the platform, facilitating seamless access to government services. “Over 13 million users are registered on e-Citizen. We shut down 1,130 pay bills and created a single pay bill number, 222222, for all government services. This has resulted in collections of approximately Ksh900 million daily,” Mudavadi said. The government has also addressed delays in passport processing by investing in two high-capacity printers capable of producing 500 passports…
The government has reported a concerning rise in cases of femicide, with 100 women murdered between August and November 2024. Prime Cabinet Secretary and Interior CS Musalia Mudavadi revealed that 7,107 cases of sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) were recorded during the same period. “Currently, the elephant in the room in the security sector is the worrying trend of emerging cases of femicide which have brought to the fore the underlying and ongoing violations of the rights of mainly women,” Mudavadi said. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has completed investigations on many of these cases, with the majority now…
A report has recommended that religious organizations in Kenya submit annual financial reports as part of efforts to curb terrorism financing. The report titled “Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment for the NPO Sector in Kenya” emphasizes the need for religious bodies to register and maintain accountability for their finances. Some religious organizations, particularly within the Islamic faith, have been allegedly linked to militant groups like Al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab, which originated from the Islamic Courts Union in Somalia, has been classified as a Sunni Islamic terrorist organization. The group pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda in 2012 and continues to seek the overthrow of the Somali…
A recent report has identified charcoal and sugar smuggling as key sources of funding for Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group that poses a major threat in Kenya. The report, titled Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment for NPO Sector in Kenya, also highlights that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private donations play significant roles in financing terrorism. “Open-source reporting shows that terrorism funds are raised through charcoal and sugar smuggled into Somalia, and there are instances where funds are suspected to have originated outside Kenya and were transferred through banks and mobile money operators,” the report states. Al-Shabaab continues to exploit ungoverned spaces in…
Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua yesterday led Principal Secretaries and heads of state agencies, corporations, and departments in signing performance agreements for the 2024/2025 fiscal year. The event, held at the NSSF Building in Nairobi, emphasized the government’s commitment to accountability, innovation, and effective service delivery. Mutua described the agreements as a roadmap for achieving measurable progress in improving the lives of Kenyans. “This initiative reflects our dedication to aligning operations with the ministry’s strategic objectives and ensuring impactful results for the Kenyan people. By holding ourselves to higher standards of performance, we are fostering a culture…
Kenya’s aviation industry faces a potential crisis as the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has issued a strike notice set to disrupt operations just days before Christmas. The union announced the planned industrial action on Wednesday, December 18, citing claims of discrimination and poor pay by the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA). KAWU stated that prolonged grievances and unresolved issues have left its members with no choice but to take drastic action, despite efforts to address concerns through dialogue. This dispute arises just four months after KAWU ended a previous strike following a return-to-work agreement brokered by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis…
The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has reported increased vessels docking at the Port of Mombasa, driven by the festive season and the peak cashew nut export period at the neighboring Port of Mtwara in Tanzania. The Port of Mombasa is scheduled to handle 41 vessels in the two weeks before December 28, 2024, and the number is expected to rise further. KPA attributed the surge to major shipping lines introducing six feeder vessels to enhance connectivity between regional ports and global shipping networks. Additionally, a leading shipping line operating at the Mombasa port has significantly increased transshipment cargo volumes. The…
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says the club are “better” with Marcus Rashford after the forward suggested he could leave Old Trafford. The England international, 27, said on Tuesday that he was “ready for a new challenge and the next steps” in his career. It came two days after Rashford was dropped for United’s derby win against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium. Rashford’s last Premier League start came in a 4-0 win against Everton on 1 December, when he scored twice. Amorim suggested the club want the striker – who came through United’s youth ranks – to stay, saying: “I don’t talk…
The UK inflation rate has gone up for the second month in a row, with prices rising at their fastest pace since March. Inflation hit 2.6% in the year to November, according to official figures. Fuel and clothing were among the main drivers behind the rise. Increasing ticket prices for gigs and plays were also a factor. Analysts say the latest figures mean the Bank of England will almost certainly not cut interest rates when it meets on Thursday. “Inflation rose again this month as prices of motor fuel and clothing increased this year but fell a year ago,” said…