Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala on Monday ordered the Kenya  Wildlife Services (KWS) to probe an alleged harassment incident of a local wildlife conservationist at Ol Jogi Conservancy in Laikipia County. The victim, Dr Mordecai Ogada, said he was harassed by armed private rangers on Saturday while on a game drive on a public road with his children. “The Government of Kenya and my Ministry will not condone any undue harassment or intimidation of Kenyans who are going about their normal businesses and enjoying their God-given heritage by anyone,” said Balala. The CS added, “no discriminatory harassment of any nature…

Beatrice Andega, the widow of legendary actor Charles Bukeko alias Papa Shirandula has accused the Karen Hospital of negligence. Speaking during the burial ceremony of the celebrated thespian, the widow alleged that the hospital’s negligence contributed to Papa’s death. Ms Andega said that the hospital’s medics didn’t attend to Papa in time as he died in the car when he rushed him to the hospital after developing breathing problems on Saturday morning. “They didn’t consider his condition an emergency and he died while we were waiting… he died in the car, he was yet to be admitted,” she said. She…

Government Spokesperson Cyrus Oguna has dismissed reports that he is admitted to hospital after contracting the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19). In a tweet on Sunday night, Oguna stated that he is well and not admitted to any hospital in the country. “We have noted reports on social media purporting that I have been admitted in hospital. I wish to clarify that I am well and just got back from an assignment out of town, ” said Oguna on the verified Twitter account of the Government Spokesperson. https://twitter.com/SpokespersonGoK/status/1284928783645122561?s=20 Oguna is among three senior state officials who were reported to have tested…

Local news outlet The Star was on Sunday forced to pull down an article calling for the extension of President Uhuru Kenyatta term after a backlash. In the article with 5th Estate show analyst Faith Ndindiri’s byline, the news outlet sought to debunk the “perception” that the Head of State is not a performer. “The idea that Uhuru has not performed well, or that he is not a reformer has been the great lie of our time, ” part of the article read. A section of Kenyans took to social media to castigate the Radio Africa Group-owned platform for pushing what…

Coronavirus cases in the country jumped to 13,353 on Sunday after 603 new infections were confirmed. In a statement to newsrooms Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said that the newly detected infections were from a 5,724 sample size. The government has tested 243,887 samples so far. At the same time, nine more patients have succumbed to the disease raising the death toll to 234. On a positive note, 682 more patients have fully recovered bringing to 5,122 the total number of recoveries recorded in the country so far. 562 of patients who recovered in the last 24 hours were under…

A section of Jubilee Members of Parliament on Sunday met and held prayers at incarcerated colleague John Waluke’s home. The Sirisia MP was sentenced to 67 years in jail alongside Grace Wakhungu for defrauding the National Cereals and Produce Board of millions of shillings in a maize tender scandal.  To avoid serving jail term they were directed to pay fines totalling to about Ksh2 billion. The MPs who attended the prayers are Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali, Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga and Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama. Former Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale, who is eyeing a governor’s seat in 2022…

The death of Charles Bukeko popularly known as Papa Shirandula due to his popular Citizen TV program by the same name came as a shock to many. Papa, 58, passed away on Saturday morning at Karen Hospital, Nairobi after developing breathing complications. Papa, who was born and bred in Mumias, Western Kenya, is regarded as the man who brought about fundamental changes in the comedy industry with popular entertainers in the country attributing their growth to his wise counsel. Being one of the finest thespians in his generation, Papa will for many years be remembered for his great work in…

Foreign ranch owners in Laikipia County are on the spot for harassing locals after a Kenyan wildlife conservationist was roughed up while on an animal viewing adventure. Dr Mordecai Ogada, a carnivore ecologist who has been involved in conservation work for many years in Kenya, says that he was labelled a poacher for being black while on a game drive over the weekend. Dr Ogada took to Facebook to narrate his ordeal accusing foreigners from Ol Jogi ranch of threatening to shoot him for taking wildlife pictures along public Nanyuki-Kinamba road. Dr Ogada details that he was in the company…

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is set to upscale issuance of police clearance certificate (Certificate of Good Conduct) services at various Huduma Centres countrywide from Monday, July 20. In a notice shared on DCI social media pages, residents in Nandi, Nyeri, Kisumu, Kisii and Kakamega counties have been advised to visit respective Hudama Centres for police clearance certificate services. Other Huduma centres set to resume services include Kajiado, Kajiado West, Isiolo, Meru, Siaya, Bungoma, Kwale, Makueni, Nyamira, Busia, Taita Taveta and Tharaka Nithi. Samburu, Kirinyaga, Homa Bay, Kilifi, Lamu, Muranga, Narok, Migori and Vihiga Huduma Centres also set to…

Tanzanian authorities have threatened to deregister opposition party Alliance for Change & Transparency Wazalendo even as the country prepares for general elections in October this year. In a tweet on Friday, party leader Zitto Kabwe said the move is part of the government’s tactics to stifle opposition ahead of the elections. According to Kabwe, one of the reasons the Registrar of Political parties in Tanzania wants to frustrate the party’s agenda is his recent hard stance on $500 Million World Bank loan. Kabwe led a group of activists to oppose the education loan over the government’s policy on blocking pregnant…

Nancy Gathungu was on Friday, July 17, sworn into office as the new Auditor General. The swearing-in ceremony was presided over by Chief Justice David Maraga. In his message, the President of the Supreme Court of Kenya, called on Gathungu now charged with the role of preventing theft of public resources to discharge her duties with a firm hand as she may, occasionally, find herself on the wrong footing of fellow public officers. “Very often it is the case in leadership positions in this country that you will counter challenges. As it were, you will step on toes, some of…

Three western diplomats have backed the Judiciary in calls for President Uhuru Kenyatta to expedite the appointment of 41 judges proposed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). In an op-ed, US ambassador Kyle McCarter, British High Commissioner Jane Marriot and their European Union counterpart Simon Mordue said that there is need for the Head of State to appoint the judges to vacant positions as part of efforts to better the country’s justice system. “Resolve the delay in the appointment of judges to vacant positions. Where there are substantial allegations of corruption, these should be swiftly and transparently addressed, while not…

Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju has deposited Ksh50 million in court in a bid to stop auctioneers from seizing his property in Karen over a Ksh1.6 billion loan dispute. The Court of Appeal had last month ordered Tuju to deposit the money within 30 days to stop the East African Development Bank from auctioning his assets. In a letter to Registrar of the Court of Appeal, the cabinet secretary without portfolio through his lawyer, said the amount had been deposited in a joint-interest earning account at NCBA bank. “We write to confirm that this condition has been complied with. Our…

President Uhuru Kenyatta is now pushing for the cancellation of debts owed by African countries amid the Covid-19 crisis that has crippled economies. Speaking during a virtual conference of European and African leaders on Thursday, July 16, the Head of State called for the crafting of a joint European Union and Africa Covid-19 response strategy. President Kenyatta said the EU-Africa Covid-19 strategy should among other interventions pursue the cancellation of debts owed by African countries. The President’s remarks come at a time the International Monetary Fund has raised Kenya’s risk of debt distress to high from moderate due to the…

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has said that the ministry is probing Lancet Kenya over a series of contradictory Covid-19 test results. Speaking in Nakuru on Thursday, Kagwe stated that even as officials from the Medical Board continue with the probe Kenyans should avoid laboratories whose results are questionable. Lancet was on the spot this week over Covid-19 results of 17 teaching staff of St Andrew’s School Turi who tested positive and negative three days later. “It is true that there is one lab, specifically Lancet that carried out these tests that eventually turned from positive to negative. It is…