Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

President Uhuru Kenyata has announced a 100 per cent tax relief for people earning a monthly gross pay of up to Ksh24,000. In a state of the nation address on Wednesday evening, the President also directed the reduction of the income tax, Paye As You Earn (PAYE), rate from its maximum of 30 to 25 per cent. The president said the move was necessitated by the prevailing Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis that has grossly affected the economy. The Head of State ordered a reduction of resident income tax (corporation tax from 30 to 25. Uhuru directed the National Treasury to facilitate…

Kenya has confirmed three more cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infections recorded in the country to 28. In a state of the nation address on Wednesday evening, President Uhuru Kenyatta said one patient has fully recovered from the virus. The cases decreased from the nine that were reported yesterday by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. The new patients have been isolated in government facilities and are being monitored by medical personnel together with other patients who previously tested positive for the virus. Yesterday, Kagwe said the government is tracing individuals who came into contact with the…

Uganda has confirmed five new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infections in the country to 14. The five include three Ugandans and two Chinese nationals. Among the three Ugandans is an 8-month-old baby, a resident of Iganga District in Eastern Uganda. Dr Henry Mwebesa, the Director-General Health Services at Ministry of Health, said the baby’s father travelled from Kisumu, Kenya about a week ago. “The baby presented with flu and difficult in breathing and was brought to Iganga Hospital where the baby was admitted, ” Mwebesa said. “But seeing the signs and symptoms of the condition…

British Airways has increased its flights from Nairobi to London in a bid to evacuate British nationals wishing to return home amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. In a tweet, the United Kingdom Embassy in Kenya urged the individuals to reserve their flight as early as possible. “British Airways have opened up a small number of additional flights from Nairobi to London, for those wishing to return to the UK. We recommend you book on as early a flight as possible. Please visit http://ba.com to book, ” the tweet read. https://twitter.com/UKinKenya/status/1242677086223060993?s=20 Jane Marriot, the British Diplomat and High Commissioner to Kenya…

With increasing concerns over the safety of commuters relying on ferry transport in Mombasa amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the county emergence response committee has resolved to bar all individuals with flu symptoms from boarding the vessels. In a statement on Tuesday, Governor Ali Hassan Joho and County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo said the individuals are advised to seek medical assistance from local health facilities. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness clinically resembling viral pneumonia and manifesting as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Individuals who have been infected often exhibit flu-like symptoms. Ferry users have been urged to follow good hand…

Kenya has confirmed nine new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infections in the country to 25. Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said on Tuesday that the new cases include seven Kenyan nationals and two foreigners. The cases are spread out in four counties namely Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale. “Of the seven Kenyans, three contacted the virus from close contacts of previously confirmed cases, ” said Kagwe. The other four, the CS said, contracted the virus from countries that have been hit by the Coronavirus pandemic. The new patients have been isolated in government facilities and are…

Kenya’s share of a donation from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, meant to contain the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Africa, has arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi from Addis Ababa Ethiopia. An Ethiopian Airline’s flight carrying the donation touched down at JKA on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. The donation includes 20,000 masks, testing kits and protective suits meant to help the Kenyan government in its efforts to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. The Alibaba co-founder had on March 16, 2020, said he would donate a total of 1.1 million testing kits, 6 million masks and 60,000 medical use protective…

Kenya Airways (KQ) is offering free one-way tickets to Kenyan citizens in the United States of America (USA) in urgent need to travel back home in the wake of Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the national carrier said on Tuesday. In a tweet, KQ said the last flight departs from John F Kennedy International Airport in New York on Tuesday. The airline encouraged Kenyans in need of the tickets to contact its team ahead of the departure time. KQ noted that all the passengers will be screened inline with the Ministry of Health (MoH) guidelines before they are allowed to board the…

Rwanda has confirmed 17 new cases of Coronavirus bringing the total number of COVID-19 patients in the country to 36. An update by the country’s Health Ministry indicates that the largest number of patients (9) flew in from Dubai. Others include three travellers from Kenya, two from the United States, and one each from Qatar and India. The 17th patient is the contact of a previously confirmed Covid-19 case who was identified through tracing. “All these cases were tested and quarantined between March 17-20, 2020” read the communiqué from the Ministry of Health. Read: Coronavirus Cases In Kenya Rise To 16,…

Kenya has confirmed one more case of Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infections confirmed in the country to 16. In a state of the nation address on Monday, Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said the new case is a close contact of one of the eight cases that he confirmed yesterday. The CS said 646 persons who had come into contact with the COVID-19 patients in the country have been traced. 96 of these cases, the CS said, have been released after completing the mandatory 14-day follow up period, while 550 remain on the follow-up list. He urged Kenyans…

ODM leader Raila Odinga has dismissed reports that he recently came into close contact with Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi who has since tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19). Saburi, who is under forced 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 himself under 14 days quarantine. Reports emerged on social media on Monday that Saburi met Odinga last week during the former Prime Minister’s visit in Mombasa and was exposed to the virus. After the alleged meeting, Odinga flew to Nairobi…

Commuters reporting to work in many parts of the country were on Monday forced to pay double in bus fare as Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) limit the number of passengers to curb the spread of coronavirus as directed by the government. The directive, which was issued on Friday by Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe, requires 14-seater matatu operators to reduce their passengers to 8 and 25 seaters to transport 15 passengers. Those with a larger capacity including the SGR and other trains were ordered to keep a 60 per cent capacity. This, CS Kagwe said will help passengers adhere to the…

Blogger Robert Alai was on Monday morning charged with publishing false information regarding the situation of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country. Alai, who spent the weekend at Muthaiga Police Station, was arraigned at Milimani Law Courts. The court heard that the alleged false information was published on Alai’s Twitter account on March 19. In the said tweet, the DCI accused Alai of falsely claiming that the government was hiding information on Coronavirus related deaths. “On the 19th day of March 2020 at an unknown place, within the Republic of Kenya, posted on your Twitter account @RobertAlai to wit ‘Coronavirus: Is…

The Kenyan government has suspended all international flights following the rise of confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) to 15 on Sunday. In a state of the nation address on Sunday Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the directive will come into effect on Wednesday, March 25, mid-night. The CS said only cargo planes will be allowed to enter the country. The airlines’ crew will be required to observe strict safety guidelines. The government further directed that individuals coming into the country between today and Wednesday will undergo mandatory quarantine at a government-designated facility at their own expense. The CS said countries…

Kenya has confirmed 8 more cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of infections confirmed in the country to 15. Out of the eight cases, five are Kenyans and three are foreigners. The foreigners include two French nationals and one Mexican. In a state of the nation address on Sunday Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said all the eight are imported cases from Europe and America. The individuals entered the country through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) between March 4 and March 17. The patients have been isolated at various isolation facilities in the country and are being…