Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

At least nine people have been isolated at Kauwi Level Four Hospital in Kitui County after a local Catholic Priest who had flouted self-quarantine orders tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19). The man of the cloth identified as Nicholas Maanzo was admitted at Mbagathi Hospital’s isolation facility on Sunday after he exhibited coronavirus-like symptoms. Among the individuals isolated are three nurses who had been deployed to Father Maanzo’s home in the company of police officers to examine him after residents spotted him at a local supermarket a day after returning home from Italy. Also under quarantine are two supermarket attendants from…

Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi has recovered from Coronavirus (COVID-19), Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said on Thursday. In a press statement, the CS said Saburi had been declared fit after being subjected to three tests. Kagwe further stated that the DG will be prosecuted for defying self-quarantine order. “All the tests turned negative. Naturally, the issue of the law will now follow up with him,” said Kagwe. Saburi, who has been under mandatory quarantine, had refused to self-isolate after arriving from Germany, which is afflicted by Coronavirus, on March 7. The DG attended a staff and Cabinet meeting without putting…

Two patients who had been infected with Coronavirus (COVID-19) have passed on. This brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths recorded in the country to three. Addressing the media on Thursday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said one patient died in Nairobi and the other in Mombasa. Kenya reported its first coronavirus-related death on March 26. Engineer Maurice Namiinda from Kiamlewa, Bungoma County, died at the Aga Khan Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. “The man who was suffering from Diabetes had arrived in the country on March 13, 2020 from South Africa via Swaziland,” Kagwe said in a statement. Read:…

The government has freed 4800 inmates to decongest the prisons  as part of its efforts to fight the spread Coronavirus (COVID-19), the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) has said. In a statement, NCAJ said all the prisoners had been incarcerated for petty offences. The inmates were serving jail sentences of less than six months. The council noted that new prisoners are being isolated for the requisite 14 days in a bid to prevent the outbreak of the contagious virus in correctional facilities. The government’s directive on social distancing, the council said, is being observed to the letter…

The late Catholic Archbishop emeritus Raphael Ndingi Mwana a’Nzeki will be laid to rest in a private ceremony next week on Tuesday, April 7. In a statement on Wednesday, the Catholic Church said a requiem mass will be held at the Holy Family Basilica from 10am followed by burial thereafter. Only about 100 people will be allowed at the funeral including representatives of the deceased’s family from Mwala area in Machakos County, Kenya Catholic Conference of Bishops, Diocese of Machakos, Diocese of Nakuru and the Archdiocese of Nairobi. “It will be a private funeral ceremony. Not more than 100 persons…

Peter Imwatok, the Nairobi County Assembly Minority Chief Whip now wants the City Leadership to waive rent for residents for the next three months over the unprecedented economic effects posed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a letter addressed to the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) Director General Maj. General Mohamed Abdalla Badi, Imwatok called on the leadership to waive rent for all low-income earners residing in county government’s houses in Makongeni, Kaloleni, Jericho, Bahati, Mbotela, Shauri Moyo, Maringo, Ngara estates among others who pay a rent of up to Ksh,5000. According to Imwatok, some of the measures the government has…

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has postponed polls that were scheduled in various parts of the country indefinitely due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a statement on Wednesday evening, Wafula Chebukati, the commission chairman, said the pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges that have disrupted the operations of the electoral body. Wafula noted that the ban on social gatherings and the dusk to dawn curfew is likely to affect the conduct of the elections hence the decision. The decision affects by-elections that were scheduled in Dabaso Ward in Kilifi County, Kisumu North Ward in Kisumu…

Safaricom pre-paid customers will from today, Wednesday, April 1, get a 2% extra airtime as the telecommunication company has effected the reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) from 16% to 14% as directed by the government last week. In a statement on Wednesday, the telco said a customer who tops up Ksh100 will receive KSh102 airtime. In addition, all Home Fibre customers will get back 2%, the cost of the package as a credit to their Home Fibre account to reflect the 14% VAT. “For instance, customers on the KES 2,900 Bronze package will get a KES 58 credit which…

Blogger Cyprian Nyakundi has been charged with publishing false information at a time the country is grappling with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Nyakundi, who was arraigned at Kibera Law Courts in Nairobi on Wednesday, is accused of contravening the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act 2018, which prohibits the publication of unverified information. According to the police, Nyakundi, through a tweet, falsely claimed that James Mburu, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner General, had defied the government’s self-quarantine directive after flying in from the United States of America (USA). The information, the police said, was meant to cause panic at…

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday spoke to two Kenyans who recently recovered from Coronavirus (COVID-19). The President held a virtual meeting with Brenda and Brian from State House, Nairobi. Brenda, formerly patient number one, said she tested positive for the virus after flying in from US via London. “I went to the US in December & took a flight to London & I believe that may be where I contracted the virus. I monitored my body for a day and went to Mbagathi Hospital the following day as it was on the media as an isolation facility, ” said Brenda.…

Taxi-hailing firm Uber has suspended its operations in Kenya between 6pm to 5am. In a statement, the company said the move is aimed ensuring efficient service delivery and compliance with the recent government directive on the 7pm to 5am curfew. “In accordance with this directive, Uber services will only operate under restricted hours from 5am to 6pm during the entire curfew period,” said Uber. The government imposed the curfew on Friday, March 27, as part of the measures to encourage social distancing and prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said people were being “careless” at night.…

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji has directed the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to urgently investigate a shooting incident of a 13-year-old boy at Kiamaiko in Mathare, Nairobi County. Yasin Moyo, who was on a balcony, was shot while he was trying to catch a glimpse of the men in uniform who were enforcing the nationwide curfew on Monday at around 8pm. He was rushed to Mama Lucy Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Nairobi county commander Philip Ndolo said the boy was accidentally hit by a ricochet as police were trying to disperse…

As Kenya grapples with rising cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) has suspended its operations in the country until further notice. BATUK Commander Colonel Paul Gilby revealed on Sunday that he had received instructions from the UK government to remove all army families back to their country on a temporary basis. “I wanted to write and reassure that BATUK’s intention is to stay in Kenya for the long term. However, I have received direction from the UK Government to extract all army families back to the UK temporarily,” said Col Gilby. The commander insisted that…

Meru National Park has welcomed a Southern White Rhino calf. Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala shared the news on his Twitter handle saying the calf was born three days ago. Balala went ahead to share photos of the calf alongside his mother named “Makosi”. “We have a newborn Male Southern White Rhino Calf at Meru National Park. He was born 3days ago. Pictured is the newborn Calf with his mum Makosi, ” said Balala. https://twitter.com/tunajibu/status/1244566130913619968?s=20 This comes about a month after the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) announced the birth of another Southern White rhino in Nairobi National Park. “We are…

The government has directed all employers to release their staff by 4pm in order to beat the 7pm to 5am curfew amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. This follows increased concerns from members of the public over harassment by police when heading home. In a press statement on Monday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the directive does not bar night shift staff from reporting to work. The CS warned employers against slashing employee salaries. “Do not withhold people’s salaries or wages just because of the situation that currently exists. The 4pm departure is not to say that you start reducing…