Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

ODM leader Raila Odinga is recuperating well after a back surgery in Dubai. This was revealed on Thursday night by Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho who visited Odinga in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) country alongside Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed earlier today. “Delighted to see my party leader Baba Raila Odinga looking fit and in high spirits after undergoing the surgical procedure in Dubai last week. We in Mombasa and the country at large continue to pray for his speedy recovery and a safe return home to Kenya, ” Joho captioned a photo with the former Prime…

Beatrice Mwende, the Naivasha woman who confessed to having killed her 4 children late last month, has been committed to a mental institution. In a ruling delivered via video link today, Justice Richard Mwongo directed that the woman held at Naivasha Maximum Prison be transferred to Mathare Mental Hospital for treatment. A medical report tabled by the prosecution early this week showed that Mwende was unfit to stand a murder trial. The mental assessment was conducted at the Gilgil Mental Hospital. State counsel Alex Ndiema had told Naivasha Senior Resident Magistrate Lyna Sarapai that they were ready to charge the…

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga has been away for weeks with his family indicating that he is recuperating in Dubai after a successful back surgery. On Thursday, ODM members, Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and Suna East Member of Parliament Junet Mohamed shared photos aboard a private jet to Dubai. In a post shared on their social media pages, the two indicated that they were on their way to pay Raila a visit in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) country. Kahawa Tungu understands that the 19-seater Airbus A318 ACJ was chartered from Constellation Aviation in Dubai. The…

Kitui County Governor Charity Ngilu has been dealt a blow after the High Court dismissed an application challenging tabling of an impeachment motion against her by ward representatives. In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Weldon Korir dismissed the case with costs on grounds that it lacked merit. The impeachment motion sponsored by Athi Ward Representative Peter Kilonzo alias Tangawizi had been scheduled for hearing late last month before the court issued the governor with orders temporarily stopping the impeachment process. In the petition, the governor argued that she had been condemned unheard and that her rights to a fair…

A post-mortem examination conducted on the body of a 60-year-old woman who died in Lamu county on Tuesday evening has revealed that she succumbed to the novel coronavirus disease. Lamu County Health department has revealed that the woman had checked into the Lamu King Fahad County hospital seeking treatment for other ailments and died later. “The lady had other medical issues that forced her to seek treatment at the facility…She was later found to have died of coronavirus,” said Anne Gathoni, the Lamu County Health Executive. This is the first official Covid-19 death to be reported in the county that…

As Kenya prepares to reopen its air space, the government has announced that passengers and tourists flying into the country won’t be placed under mandatory quarantine if they don’t exhibit Covid-19 symptoms. Addressing members of the press on Wednesday, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said the move is aimed at encouraging tourism in order to boost the sector worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The CS said an individual will only be quarantined if they show signs such as body temperatures above 37.5 degree Celsius, a persistent cough, difficulty in breathing and other flu-like symptoms. “All passengers shall be exempt…

Madaraka Express passenger services between Nairobi and Mombasa will resume on Monday, July 13, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia announced on Wednesday. This is following the removal of travel restrictions between Nairobi and Mombasa by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday. Macharia told reporters that he train is scheduled to depart Nairobi at 8am on Monday and arrive at the Coast at 12.45pm. The train will then leave Mombasa for Nairobi at 1.25pm and is expected to arrive in Nairobi at 6.40pm. The CS stated that the government’s social distancing directive will be adhered to in the trains. Read: COVID-19: Madaraka…

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has directed school heads to refund term two and three fees to parents who had already paid. Addressing members of the press on Wednesday, the CS, however, noted that the parents and the institutions are free to enter into an agreement to carry forward the monies to cater for school fees when learners resume classes next year. The CS spoke a day after he declared the 2020 academic year “lost” due to the coronavirus pandemic threat. In a press briefing on Tuesday Magoha announced that primary and secondary schools will reopen  in January 2021. The…

A Nairobi court has barred the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and Criminal Investigations (DCI) from prosecuting Babu Owino’s case on attempted murder of Felix Orinda alias DJ Evolve in the media. Nairobi Senior Principal Magistrate Bernard Ochoi also ordered the media including blogs not to report on investigations in the case. The case will be mentioned on August 11 to confirm whether DJ Evolve has recorded a statement on the shooting incident that occurred at Kilimani’s B-Club in January this year. Babu Owino, whose real name is Paul Ongili, is accused of shooting DJ Evolve in…

Duncan Ndiema, a police officer charged with the murder of 13-year-old Yassin Moyo in Nairobi’s Huruma area in March this year, has been granted Ksh1 million bail. Ndiema, who pleaded not guilty to the murder charge a fortnight ago, was ordered not to interfere with witnesses in the case. The prosecution had opposed his release on bail on grounds that if released there is a likelihood of him intimidating witnesses in the case. Officer Ndiema is said to have shot the deceased in the stomach. The deceased was watching the police officers implement the dusk till dawn curfew while perched…

Kirinyaga Deputy Governor Peter Ndambiri is under probe over alleged theft of Ksh138 million from a donor-funded project in his county, Kahawa Tungu has learnt. Reports indicate that detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are seeking to unravel the mystery behind the missing funds from Homeland Educational International project, which aimed to provide an e-learning solution for students in low-income areas. Homeland is funded by DLAMS International, a non-governmental organisation that helps learners in low-income areas benefit from technology in their studies. A total of Ksh571 million had been raised by donors from across the world and the…

Human rights activist Boniface Mwangi has been arrested and is currently detained at Central Police Station. Kahawa Tungu understands that Mwangi was arrested after he went to the station to protest the arrest of at least 20 rights activists who participated in Saba Saba march on Tuesday morning. Among those said to have been arrested were Editar Ochieng and Wilfred Olal of Mathare Social Justice Centre. Others are Vincent Odhiambo, Frank Chacha, Ruth Ochieng, Rian Mercy, Belinda Adhiambo Caren Akinyi, Sharon Risper, Angela Hope, Caren Brandy, Emily Akinyi, Lavian Anyango, Beryl Anyango, Beatrice Adhiambo and Millicent Atieno. Mwangi had earlier,…

11 matatus belonging to Welkan and Latema Saccos were on Tuesday morning impounded as operators staged demonstrations over licencing row. The demonstrations, the police said, started at around 8am with at least 200 matatus completely blocking James Gichuru and Kabaserian Road at Kabaseria area. This made the road inaccessible inconveniencing other motorists and Kenyans who were heading to work. The operators were complaining about denial of road service licence to access Kawangware/Gatina via Chalbi, Isaac Gathanju and Convent drives. Efforts by police to negotiate with the operators proved futile as they stood their ground. Police were forced to lob teargas…

On Monday, July 6, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered gradual resumption of congregational worship after over three months of closure due to coronavirus fears. The directive, the head of state said, will take effect in the next three weeks under strict guidelines to curb the spread of the virus that has so far claimed 164 lives in the country. This writer has learnt that the government intends to reopen places of worship in four phases. In the first phase that the president talked about, the ministry of health requires clerics to limit the congregational services to a maximum of 100 people…

The office of the Registrar of Political Parties has declined to approve a request by the Amani National Congress (ANC) party to expel Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala over gross misconduct. In a letter addressed to ANC dated June 6, Anne Nderitu, the Registrar of Political Parties, stated that disciplinary proceedings that led to the expulsion of the Senator were not concluded within the stipulated timelines under Article 49 of the ANC Party Constitution. The registrar further noted that the National Governing Council did not approve the Disciplinary Committee as reconstituted by the NEC in line with Article 46 (1)(d)(ii) of…