Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi has urged investigative agencies probing alleged misappropriation of Covid-19 funds at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) to use the 21 days given by President Uhuru Kenyatta to deliver comprehensive results. In a tweet on Thursday morning, Mudavadi, who has been critical on the alleged theft, said the agencies led by the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission should deliver water tight evidence to meet the test of prosecution. “Following the Presidential directive Kenyans expect the investigative agencies to deliver in 21 days comprehensive results with sufficient evidence to meet the test of prosecution,…

Neighbouring country Tanzania has banned three more Kenyan airlines from flying into the country as the standoff between the two countries over management of the coronavirus pandemic worsens. Weeks after banning Kenya Airways (KQ) flights, Kahawa Tungu understands that Tanzanian authorities have now banned AirKenya Express, Fly540 and Safarilink Aviation flight companies from the country’s airspace. Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) Director-General Hamza Johari confirmed the development today, Wednesday August 26, 2020, to the country’s news outlet, The Citizen. “The basis of the decision to nullify our approval for the three Kenyan airlines is the ongoing dispute between the two…

Embattled Maasai Mara University Vice-Chancellor Mary Walingo was on Wednesday charged alongside four others over alleged embezzlement of Ksh177 million. The suspects were granted a Ksh20 million bond each after denying 10 counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and abuse of office The Nakuru court gave them an alternative of raising Ksh10 million bail to secure their release. Other suspects include the school’s Deputy VC of Finance and Planning Simon Kasine, Deputy VC of Academics John Almadi, Finance officer Anaclet Okumu and the VC’s driver Noor Hassan Abdi. The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji ordered the arrest of…

President Uhuru Kenyatta has given investigative agencies in the country 21 days to complete investigations into alleged misappropriation of Covid-19 funds at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA). In a state of the nation address on Wednesday, the head of state acknowledged that investigations led by the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) are ongoing but said they must be expedited due to public interest surrounding the matter. The agency is accused of having procured Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) at a double market price. Already, KEMSA CEO Jonah Mwangi Manjari, Head of Procurement Charles Juma and Commercial Director Eliud Mureithi have…

Health authorities have declared Africa free of wild polio, in what now experts hail as a momentous milestone for the continent. The disease that mainly affects children under the age of fives years attacks the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours. Death can occur when breathing muscles are affected. The disease has no cure but the polio vaccine protects children for life. The Tuesday announcement by the African Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication is touted as a major step in the campaign to eradicate the crippling viral disease across the world and more especially countries most…

The Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly has given the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu 60 days to conduct a forensic audit on the expenditures of COVID-19 funds. According to the MPs, the audit on the expenditure of Ksh236 billion received from different organizations including the Rapid Credit Facility of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank should focus on procurement, warehousing and distribution of essential medicines including personal protective equipment (PPE’s) with a view to confirming whether the expenditures were incurred lawfully and in an effective way in line with Article 227 of the Constitution. “The general…

Tanzanian presidential hopeful Tundu Lissu has protested over what he termed as widespread irregularities and organized sabotage of the opposition candidates on the nomination day. In a series of tweets on Tuesday afternoon, Lissu decried irregular scrutiny of opposition candidates’ nomination forms by the National Electoral Commission (NEC). He said that NEC had informed them that the exercise would take fifteen minutes but later subjected them to hours of irregular scrutiny of their papers while clearing President John Pombe Magufuli within minutes. The former Singida East lawmaker said that he was at the electoral commission headquarters in Dodoma at 5:45am…

Deputy President William Ruto has questioned ODM party’s call for audit to ascertain the veracity of the Covid-19 funds theft allegations facing the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA). Terming the alleged embezzlement of funds at the state agency as a deplorable manifestation of the worst public vice, Ruto accused the ODM party leadership led by Raila Odinga of double standards in the fight against graft in the country. According to Ruto, the opposition should let independent investigative institutions probe the matter without influence. “What is the REAL motive of the ‘special’ audit and to be carried out by who-cover up?…

The number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the country rose to 32,803 on Tuesday after 246 more people tested positive from 4,149 samples tested in the last 24 hours. The youngest patient is a two-year-old infant while the oldest is 77 years. Speaking during the daily Covid-19 briefing, Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rashid Aman said five more patients have succumbed to the disease. The Covid-19 death toll now stands at 559. At the same time, the total number of recoveries recorded in the country also rose to 19,050 after 160 patients recovered. Read: Nurses Union Boss Seth Panyako…

Jamii Bora Bank has been renamed to Kingdom Bank Limited after acquisition by Co-operative Bank. Co-op bank which acquired 90 per cent stake in the bank unveiled Anthony Mburu as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the rebranded institution. Mr Mburu has been the director for credit management at Co-op Bank. He is a senior executive in the banking industry with over 25 years of experience. The new CEO takes over from Tim Kabiru who has been heading Jamii Bora. Co-op bank also named a new board of the lender that will be chaired by Mrs Margaret Karangatha. Others…

Kirinyaga County Assembly has been closed for 21 days and ward representatives told to self isolate over Covid-19 fears. In a memo, Kamau Aindi, the clerk of the county assembly, said the House will resume operations on Monday, September 14, 2020. Aindi called on the MCAs to adhere to guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health during the period. This comes barely a week after mass testing was conducted at the assembly with a large number of MCAS skipping the exercise. The assembly staffers and a few ward reps who turned up for the testing are, however, yet to receive…

Seven people were killed on Monday afternoon after a lorry rammed into traders at Kaburengu along Eldoret-Webuye highway. The lorry with faulty brakes is said to have hit a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) before crashing into a group of traders at Kaburengu market. At least 14 other people were injured during the incident. Those who died include individuals who were selling vegetables on the roadside. Kakamega County Police Commander James Ngetich confirmed the accident saying the lorry, which was carrying gravel, was heading towards Webuye. The injured were rushed to Webuye Referral Hospital. Email your news TIPS to Editor@kahawatungu.com or WhatsApp +254707482874.…

Two suspects in the killing of Kevin Omwenga at Galana Suites in Kilimani, Nairobi, on Friday night will spend another night in police cells awaiting a ruling on whether they should be detained longer to allow police conclude investigations into the matter. The two, Chris Obure and his bodyguard Robert Bodo Ouko, were arraigned at the Kibera Law Courts on Monday morning. Earlier, the prosecution sought 14 days to detain the suspects to allow the police to complete a probe into the fatal shooting. “The continued detention of the two suspects is necessary for the furtherance and finalizing of the…

193 more people have tested for the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the country from 3,381 samples tested in the last 24 hours. The number of infections confirmed in the country now stands at 32,557. Of the 193 cases, 137 are male and 56 are female. The youngest patient is a 2-month-old infant and the oldest is aged 87 years. All the new cases were Kenyans except three. Speaking on Monday during the daily Covid-19 briefing, Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr Rashid Aman said six more people have succumbed to the disease raising Covid-19 death toll in the country…

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of doublespeak regarding reopening of schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking in Kitale, Trans-Nzoia County, on Monday while assessing the level of preparedness of a local technical institution to reopen, the CS dismissed calls for reopening of schools saying it’s not safe to do so at the moment. The tough-talking Magoha rubbished calls by WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for reopening of learning institutions in Africa saying the lives of learners are more important. “Do you think it is our president and his government who have…