Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

Kenya has confirmed 123 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours raising the national tally to 1,471. Addressing the nation during the daily Covid-19 update from Afya House on Wednesday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said a total of 3,077 people had been tested since the last update on Tuesday. This is the largest number of tests that have been conducted so far hence the surge in the Covid-19 cases in the country. Of the new cases, Nairobi recorded 85 cases, Mombasa, 24 and Kiambu four. In Nairobi, Mathare is on the spot after 33…

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion now wants the Ministry of Education to consider postponing national exams to next year over the Coronavirus  (Covid-19) pandemic. Speaking to members of the press at the Kenya Human Rights Commission offices in Lavington on Wednesday, the KNUT boss cited disruption of the education calendar as a reason for pushing for the changes. The vocal unionist, who doubles up as a nominated Member of Parliament, called on the government to focus on flattening the Covid-19 infection curve first before shifting attention to the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and…

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has dismissed as fake a press statement circulating on social media purporting to give details of the recently harmful relief food distributed in Kikuyu, Kiambu County. At least 12 people were reportedly taken ill and hospitalised after consuming the food that was distributed in Gikambura on Sunday. The items which included maize, flour and sugar were packaged in bags branded “William Ruto Foundation and Kimani Ichung’wa”. The statement which surfaced online on Tuesday evening and shared widely detailed that samples taken from the donated food in Gikambura area showed that the maize flour contained…

Former Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen has turned down the offer to serve in the Senate’s Devolution Committee in the new changes announced by the Jubilee Party on Tuesday. In the changes announced by new Senate Chief Whip Irungu Kang’ata, the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator was picked to replace Laikipia Senator John Kinyua who was stripped of his role as chairperson of the Devolution Committee. According to Murkomen, Kinyua, a perceived rebel and Deputy President William Ruto ally, was being punished for opposing his ouster as majority leader and voting to save Tharaka Nithi Senator Kithure Kindiki from kicked out as…

Kenya has confirmed 62 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours raising the national tally to 1,348. Addressing the nation during the daily Covid-19 update from Afya House on Tuesday, Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rashid Aman said a total of  2,293 people had been tested since the last update on Monday. 59 of the new cases are Kenyans while three are foreign nationals. Their ages range between six to 64 years. 23 of the new cases were confirmed in Nairobi, Mombasa (16), Kajiado (6), Kwale (8), Kiambu (6) and Kitui (3). In Nairobi, the…

The Jubilee party senate purge continued on Tuesday as perceived rebel senators allied to Deputy President William Ruto lost key positions in house committees. In the latest changes announced by new Chief Whip, Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata, and party Secretary General Raphael Tuju, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei was removed as chairman of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee. Bomet Senator Christopher Lang’at has been replaced at the House Business Committee by his Nairobi counterpart Johnson Sakaja. Lang’at also lost his position as the Education Committee chairman to Senator Alice Milgo. Read: “Rebel” Jubilee Senators Defend Actions Before Disciplinary Committee Meru…

Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina has agreed to withdraw a case challenging the ODM party’s move to remove him from the Senate Public Accounts Committee over the contested chairperson role, party leader Raila Odinga said on Tuesday. In a tweet, the former Prime Minister said this follows a meeting with the Senator at his home in Nairobi on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Odinga said Ledama pledged party allegiance, apologised for going against the party position and surrendered the seat. “…In return, I’ve instructed the party to reverse the decision to dewhip the Senator, ” said Odinga. https://twitter.com/RailaOdinga/status/1265187787030114307?s=20 Ole Kina was…

An alleged move by the national government to demolish a sanitation booth erected by Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko in Roysambu has elicited an angry reaction from residents amid the novel Coronavirus health crisis. In a post on Facebook, Sonko said the booth that had been erected at Marurui Stage was brought down yesterday by the area chief who was acting on instructions from Deputy County Commissioner. A video shared by the governor shows residents accusing the national government of frustrating efforts by Sonko to help in the fight against Covid-19 in the area. According to the residents, the sub-county administration…

Three cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) have been confirmed in Kisumu County, Governor Peter Anyang Nyong’o said on Monday. In a statement to newsrooms, the county boss said that the three are confirmed cases since last Saturday, May 23, 2020. The governor said the first two cases, both male, aged between 29-82 years, are long-distance truck drivers who were intercepted by the Public Health Surveillance teams having travelled from South Sudan and Uganda respectively through Busia Border Control on Saturday. The third patient is a 33-year-old female and was identified by the local Public Health surveillance team. Read: 21…

Deputy President William Ruto has denied reports on social media that he distributed harmful relief food to Kikuyu residents last week. Kenyans woke on Monday to reports that several residents of the constituents had developed stomach complications with others being hospitalised after consuming the food items packed in bags labelled William Ruto Foundation and Member of Parliament Kimani Ichung’wah. The DP’s critics accused him of donating poisonous food. But Ruto, in a statement through his Communications Secretary David Mugonyi, distanced himself from the distribution of the food saying his political opponents were out to soil his name. Terming the distribution…

Kieni Member of Parliament Kanini Kega has dismissed as fake reports circulating on social media over a purported motion to impeach Deputy President William Ruto. This comes days after Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria, a DP ally, alleged that the lawmaker had drafted a motion to impeach the second in command. The order that has been circulating on social media details that a motion to impeach Ruto will be tabled in the National Assembly by the Kieni MP on June 2, 2020 at 2.30pm. Charges against the DP include gross violation of the Constitution of Kenya and other…

George Kori, a K24 TV journalist based in Molo, Nakuru County, is dead. The body of the Mediamax employee was discovered dangling from a tree near his family’s Gatura home in Elburgon on Sunday, May 24. Reports from colleagues indicate that Kori was reported missing on Tuesday, May 19. The 34-year-old, the sources intimated, left his phone in his parents’ house and took a stroll to the farm but never returned home. “Actually, his mother had gone to report of his missing son when she heard that a body of a middle-aged man had been found somewhere. She accompanied the…

Two General Service Unit (GSU) officers have been nabbed transporting 600 kilogrammes of bhang valued at Ksh15 million in a government vehicle at Gotu in Isiolo County. The armed officers, sergeant Shariff Mohammed and constable Patrick Kinyua both attached to Mariara Police Station in Meru County were arrested by a multi-agency team while transporting the narcotics from Moyale on Sunday. The police acting on a tip-off seized the bhang that was wrapped in polythene bags and packed in sacs in the Toyota pick-up truck. Isiolo County Commissioner Herman Shambi said the security teams also arrested three civilians in a Toyota…

The government of Kenya has assured its citizens that it will meet the cost of Covid-19 treatment and quarantine for all those who test positive and their contacts in the ongoing free mass testing in Nairobi and Mombasa counties. This was revealed on Sunday by Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rashid Aman during the daily Covid-19 briefing from Afya House in Nairobi. The CAS said the move is aimed at encouraging Kenyans turn up for tests hence help in the fight against the disease. “We are aware that this has been a concern that has led to the weakening of…

Kenya has confirmed 22 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours raising the national tally to 1,214. Addressing the nation during the daily Covid-19 update from Afya House on Sunday, Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Rashid Aman said a total of 1,108 people had been tested since the last update on Saturday. 17 of the 22 who tested positive were male while 5 were female. The new cases are distributed as follows: Nairobi 10, Mombasa 9, Kwale, Nakuru and Taita Taveta counties one each. In Nairobi, the new cases are from Mathare (2), Kibra (2)…