Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday, March 22, flew to neighbouring country Tanzania to attend the funeral service of the late John Pombe Magufuli. The ceremony is being held at Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma. President Kenyatta, who is the chairman of the East African Community (EAC), is among several heads of state from the African region attending the function. The leaders include Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Malawi’s Lazarus Chakwera, Zambia’s Edgar Lungu and Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo. https://twitter.com/Nairobi_News/status/1373902151790030852?s=20 Members of the public as well as dignitaries attending the function will have an opportunity to view the body of Magufuli. Read:…

17 more patients have succumbed to Covid-19, raising Kenya’s fatalities to 2,011, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday. Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said seven of the new deaths occurred in the last 48 hours while 10 are late death reports from facility record audits that have occurred on diverse dates. The CS further said 747 more people have tested positive for Covid-19, out of a sample size of 5,145 tested in the last 24 hours. The total confirmed positive cases now stand at 120,910. The total tests conducted so far are 1,414,865. The new cases comprise 710 Kenyans…

As 2022 General Elections draw closer, political realignments are taking shape with many leaders fighting to remain relevant ahead of the do or die contest. One such leader is Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa who has for some time now been associated with Deputy President William Ruto’s Tangatanga camp that supports the second in command’s 2022 presidential ambitions. Barasa, however, seems to be succumbing to pressure from the Western region think tanks, to join forces with other local leaders and push for the interests of one of their own ahead of the 2022 presidential race. The MP announced on…

Three people died on Saturday evening after a boat they were boarding capsized at Arongo Beach in Lake Victoria. Reports indicate that two others escaped death by a whisker after they were rescued from the ill-fated boat. Kahawa Tungu understands that a search for two others who are still missing is underway. Witnesses, who spoke to members of the press said, the boat lost its balance after one of its occupants rose up to take a selfie. Read: NEMA Stops Ugandan Company From Harvesting Sand In Lake Victoria The three women, who died, had travelled to Seme from Nyandarua County…

United States Vice President Kamala Harris has congratulated Tanzania’s new president Samia Suluhu Hassan, the first female to hold the position since independence. Harris, who also early this year made history as the first woman and person of colour to serve as US Vice President, said in a tweet on Saturday night that the United States was ready to strengthen ties between the two countries. “Sending best wishes to Suluhu Samia following her swearing in as Tanzania’s new President – the first woman to hold the office. The United States stands ready to work with you to strengthen relations between…

Police in Kisii are holding three people linked to a child racketeering syndicate in the South Nyanza. The main suspect, a 35-year-old woman identified as Ruth Moraa, is accused of having kidnapped a three-year-boy from his grandmother’s home in Soko Mjinga village, Nyanchwa in Kisii. According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Ismael Hassan disappeared mysteriously, as he was playing with other children outside his grandmother’s house. A Frantic search for the boy by his 60-year-old grandmother, parents and concerned neighbors yielded no fruits, prompting them to file a missing child’s report at Nyanchwa Police Station in Kitutu Central.…

The government has announced plans to scale down operations at the Immigration department’s passport processing office as a measure to curb the spread of Covid-19. In a statement issued on Friday, Alexander Muteshi, the Director-General Immigration Services, said the move aimed at protecting their staff and customers will lead to a reduced rate of processing passport documents. He said those who had applied for passports will be required to book new appointments. “Applicants who had booked appointments for submission and biometrics capture will receive SMS notifications advising them to book new appointments, ” said Muteshi. The new directive will take…

Tanzania’s Vice President Samia Suluhu has taken oath of office as the country’s Head of State following the demise of President John Pombe Magufuli. In a ceremony held at State House in Dar es Salaam on Friday morning, Samia made history as the first female leader of the East African nation since its independence from Britain in late 1961. https://twitter.com/samirasawlani/status/1372809899999178754?s=20 Samia, 61, is the 6th person to hold the position. She will serve for the remaining period of Magufuli’s five-year second term in line with the country’s Constitution. Read: Who is Samia Suluhu? Tanzania’s Next First Female President Magufuli, who…

Wiper party’s Agnes Kavindu is the winner of the Machakos Senatorial by-election held on Thursday, March 18, 2021. Kavindu secured a landslide victory with 104,080 votes against her closest competitor Urbanus Ngengele of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) who got 19, 705. Following the election victory declaration by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Kavindu is set to be sworn in to replace Senator Boniface Kabaka who passed on in December last year. The Wiper candidate’s victory was anticipated having received support from a number of parties including Jubilee, ODM, KANU, ANC and Ford Kenya. Recently, Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo…

Tanzania Vice President Samia Suluhu is set to be sworn in as the country’s Head of State today following the death of John Pombe Magufuli. The Tanzanian government has announced that the ceremony will take place at State House in Dar es Salaam from 10am. Samia, 61, will become the first woman President of the East African nation since its independence from Britain in late 1961. She will serve for the remaining period of Magufuli’s five-year second term in line with the country’s Constitution. Read: Who is Samia Suluhu? Tanzania’s Next First Female President Magufuli, who according to the government,…

On Thursday, March 18, 2021, the world woke up to the shocking news that Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli had passed on. Magufuli’s death was announced late on Wednesday night by Vice President Samia Suluhu after days of speculations on the Head of State’s whereabouts. Magufuli’s absence from the limelight had fueled health concerns with the opposition claiming that he had been airlifted to Nairobi for Covid-19 treatment. In a televised address, Samia said the former Chemistry and Mathematics teacher had succumbed to heart complications in a Tanzania hospital, a condition, according to the second in command, he had been…

Oppression of the opposition, attack on free speech and media censorship best describes President John Pombe Magufuli’s more than five-year rule that came to an end on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, according to critics. Magufuli, nicknamed “The Bulldozer” because of his reputation for pushing through policies despite opposition, passed on at the Mzena Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Vice President Samia Suluhu confirmed on Wednesday night. The 61-year-old, Samia said in a televised address, succumbed to a “heart condition”. The revelation ended days of speculations on Magufuli’s whereabouts after missing in action for two weeks. The opposition which bore brunt…

Goldenscape Greenhouses Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Wangai accused of conning Kenyan investors has finally been charged with fraud. Wangai was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku on Thursday. He pleaded not guilty to 21 fraud-related charges over the scam. Lawyers representing Wangai’s victims urged the magistrate to order the suspect to deposit his passport in court arguing that he is a flight risk. The court heard that Wangai’s accomplices had already fled to South Africa. However, the defence team dismissed the claims saying Wangai was the only director of Goldenscape. Read: Goldenscape Greenhouses CEO Peter Wangai Arrested Over Alleged…

Tanzania is soon set to get its first female president following the death of President John Pombe Magufuli on Wednesday night. Magufuli, according to the government, succumbed to heart complications last night at Mzena Hospital at 61 days after reports emerged that he had been hospitalised with Covid-19 complications. Vice President Samia Suluhu is set to be sworn in as Tanzania’s 6th President in line with the Constitution of the country, making history as the country’s female Head of State. The Constitution states that  “Where the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death, then the Vice-President shall be…

Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli is dead. Magufuli’s death was announced on Wednesday night by Vice President Samia Suluhu days after his absence from the limelight sparked speculations that he had been flown to Kenya for Covid-19 treatment. In a televised address Ms Suluhu said that Magufuli, 61, died of heart complications at about 6pm on Wednesday. Ms Suluhu said that Magufuli was hospitalized on March 6 at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute. He died at the Mzena Hospital where he was transferred to after his condition deteriorated. The VC announced Tanzania will observe 14 days of national mourning as…