Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have presented Ksh2 billion to the National Treasury to help with the fight against COVID-19 in the country. President Uhuru Kenyatta had on Monday directed the National Treasury to utilize the Ksh2 billion of already recovered corruption proceeds to support the most vulnerable members of the society who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. DPP Noordin Haji and EACC boss Twalib Mbarak said on Tuesday that the funds were part of recovered proceeds of crime such as corruption and money laundering. The Ksh2…

As the government continues to issue stringent measures to contain the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), President Uhuru Kenyatta says a total lockdown would be far fetched. In an interview with local Kikuyu radio stations (Inooro, Coro and Kameme), the Head of State said the option would be the last resort when all other measures have failed. Citing challenges related to provision of food capacity, President Kenyatta said a lockdown will lead to untold suffering. “We do not want to lockdown Kenyans in their houses like in other countries because what will they eat,” the President said. The President, however, warned…

Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi should be jailed for at least 10 years for flouting a self-quarantine directive, President Uhuru Kenyatta opined on Tuesday morning. In an interview with local Kikuyu radio stations (Inooro, Coro and Kameme), the Head of State said he is the one who called for Saburi’s arrest on Friday. “I am the one who said that the Kilifi Deputy Governor should be arrested… I am praying that he gets 10 years,” said President Kenyatta. Saburi, who was placed under mandatory quarantine, had refused to self-isolate after arriving from Germany, which is afflicted by Coronavirus, on March…

Both the National Assembly and the Senate have suspended scheduled special sittings indefinitely following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive on Monday banning the movement of people in and out of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. The Senate was scheduled to hold a special sitting tomorrow Tuesday, April 7 while that of the National assembly had been slated for Wednesday, April 8. The President issued the directive that also affects Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale Counties to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). According to the President, the Health Ministry had marked the counties COVID-19 hotspots. “In the circumstances, it has, therefore, become necessary…

President Uhuru Kenyatta has banned movement of people in and out of Nairobi, Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale Counties for 21 days as a measure to contain the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). In an address from State House in Nairobi on Monday, the President stated that the directive affects all passenger movement by road, rail and air. The Head of State said movement of food and cargo will continue as normal throughout the containment period. “Any passenger carrying bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, vehicles, railway wagons, aircraft shall not be allowed in & out of Nairobi Metropolitan Area, Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa, “…

Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi will spend three more days in police custody awaiting his bail ruling on Thursday, April 9, a Mombasa court ruled on Monday. Saburi was arraigned at Mombasa Law Courts following his arrest on Friday for refusing to isolate himself after a trip from Germany, one of the countries battling the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. He was not charged. Mombasa Chief Magistrate Edna Nyaloti directed that the DG be detained at Port Police Station where he spent the weekend. The prosecution had asked the court to detain the DG at Manyani Prison in Taita Taveta County for…

Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi was on Monday arraigned at the Mombasa Law Courts following his arrest on Friday for refusing to isolate himself after a trip from Germany. The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), wants the DG to be remanded at Manyani Prison in Taita Taveta County for 14 days to allow police complete investigations. Saburi, who tested positive for COVID-19, is accused of flouting a government directive that requires individuals who may have been exposed to Coronavirus self-quarantine hence endangering other people’s lives. Rabai MP William Kamoti tested positive for the deadly virus after coming into contact with…

Chinese businessman Jack Ma has donated ventilators and other medical equipment to combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in African countries. In a tweet on Monday, the Alibaba Co-founder stated the donation which includes 500 ventilators, 200,000 suits and face shields and 2000 thermometers to all the 54 countries in the African continent is on the way. The countries will also receive 1 million swabs and extraction kits as well as 500,000 gloves. “Our second donation to 54 countries in Africa is on the way. That includes 500 ventilators, 200K suits & face shields, 2K thermometers, 1M swabs & extraction kits…

The number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Kenya has risen to 142 after 16 more people tested positive. In a statement on Sunday, Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi said out the cases 15 are Kenyan citizens and a Nigerian national. “out of this number 11 have a history of travel while 5 are locally transmitted, ” she said. “Nine are from the quarantine facilities while seven are from contact tracing.” The patients have been moved into isolation in various health facilities and contact tracing is ongoing. In terms of gender, the CAS said, nine are males and seven female.…

Guests under mandatory quarantine at PrideInn Azure Hotel in Westlands, Nairobi, have protested the government’s move to extend their isolation period. Acting Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth on Saturday directed that persons in quarantine centres where positive COVID-19 cases have been confirmed be held for 14 more days awaiting repeat tests. In a memo addressed to heads of directorates and all quarantine site in-charges, Dr Amoth said the extension is meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as individuals in some isolation centres had “not maintained optimal social distance, prescribed hygiene measures and have instead had close contacts and interactions”.…

Road transport company Modern Coast is on the receiving end of criticism after delaying employees’ March salaries. The Company had on March 27 informed its staff over plans to delay salaries. In a memo seen by Kahawa Tungu,  Astrid Bock, the company’s Human Resource Manager, said the firm had scaled down its services across the country due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hence affecting its operations. “This Memo serves to inform the Modern Coast team and especially those working in the bus and courier departments that have significantly scaled-down operations for the next 14 days effective 30th March 2020 due…

Ride-hailing firm Uber has suspended its services in Uganda after the government halted all public transport services in the country as part of the measures to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the county. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said the 14-day suspension is meant to minimize movement. “The government has decided to suspend, for 14 days, all public transport. This means all taxis, all minibuses, all buses, all passenger trains, all tuk-tuks and all the Boda Bodas are suspended. Why? Because we want to minimize movement,” Museveni said. Uber said the services will resume once the situation normalizes. This…

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe took over at the helm of the crucial docket at the time the world was starting to feel the heat of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. The former Nyeri County Senator took oath of office on Friday, February 28, 2020, and literally hit the ground running. Unlike his predecessor Sicily Kariuki, the CS, who is also the Chairman of the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus, has been hailed as a man who inspired confidence at a time the country needed it most. Through his leadership style coupled with his demeanour amid COVID-19 pandemic, Kagwe has…

A 6-year-old boy, who had tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19), has passed on. This brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths confirmed in the country to four. In a  statement on Friday, Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi said the boy passed on at the Kenyatta National Hospital’s isolation facility. The child was also ailing from other undisclosed diseases. “Medical staff who handled the boy have been quarantined,”  she said. Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Thursday confirmed two COVID-19 related deaths. The two include a senior Kenya Airways pilot and a female Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) worker. Read: 12 More…

Radio Africa Group employees will from this month be subjected to 20 to 30 per cent salary cuts as the company struggles to generate revenue in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a circular to all members of staff, Radio Africa Group CEO Patrick Quarcoo said the management arrived at the decision after the firm recorded a drop in adverts as a result of the negative effects of COVID-19 on the economy. Employees earning a gross salary of more than Ksh100,000 will from April receive 30 per cent less what they have been taking home. “Effective 1st April…