Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

Okela Mixed Secondary is the lastest learning institution in the country to be affected in a shocking wave of school fires. A dormitory in the school located in Rarieda, Siaya County, was destroyed on Sunday night. Kahawa Tungu understands that the fire broke out at about 8:30pm. It was discovered by one of the students who had gone to the toilet. According to the Assistant Chief of West Katweng’a sub-location Esau Oduru, the female student sounded alarm alerting school staff and other students who were in class for evening study. Despite attempts to put out the fire nothing was salvaged…

The much-awaited Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in Kenya from Tuesday, March 2, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has announced. Speaking to journalists in Nyeri County on Sunday, Kagwe said first priority will be given to health care workers across the country. Other frontline workers including security personnel, teachers, vulnerable persons and those working in the hospitality industry will also be among the first groups to receive the vaccine. “We are hoping Tuesday or Wednesday morning that the first batch of the vaccine will arrive in the country and after that, the rest will follow. We are expecting 10. 9 million…

The government has urged Kenyans to shelve the tendency of last-minute rush, calling on those who registered for Huduma Namba to respond to the SMS requiring them to indicate where they want to pick their cards. To avert backlog, the government said Kenyans are required to collect the cards as soon as possible once they are ready for collection. According to Spinica Makori, an Assistant County Commissioner who is the team leader in charge of training, Kenyans have started receiving SMSs in an exercise that will go on until December this year. Ms Makori noted that Kenyans have a tendency…

At least 95 pharmacies in the Lower Eastern region have been shut down by the Pharmacy & Poisons Board for operating illegally. The board launched the crackdown on February 22 with the help of officers from the National Police Service. So far the officers have traversed Kitui, Makueni and Machakos counties with the aim of weeding out illegal pharmacies. According to Dr Dominic Kariuki, the Deputy Director Inspectorate, Surveillance and Enforcement at the PPB, the crackdown targeted pharmacy outlets that had been identified during the routine inspection to have flouted regulations. 61 people have so far been arrested and arraigned…

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has dismissed claims that he is pushing for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) to further his political interests in the 2022 race to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta. Speaking in Kisii during the funeral service for former Bonchari MP Oroo Oiyoka on Friday, the ODM leader reiterated that his handshake with President Uhuru Kenyatta that gave birth to BBI was meant to address a myriad of challenges facing the country. Raila said it’s only Kenyans who have the power to make one president and when the time comes, they will decide who will take over from…

Stephen Wang’ondu Kinini, a man accused of hiring hitmen to kill his 32-year-old son in Nyeri, will spend five more days in custody pending completion of investigations into the matter. Kinini and five other suspects were arraigned in court on Friday morning where the prosecution asked Nyeri Principal Magistrate Mathias Okuche for more time to complete investigations into the murder. The other suspects are Geoffrey Waturi, Eddy Kariuki Ngari, Charity Muchiri, James Mahinda Mwangi and Raphael Wachira. The sixth suspect, Raphael Wachira, was arrested on Thursday in Nairobi’s Pipeline area after being on the run for days. Read: Man Who…

United States President Joe Biden on Thursday had his first official phone call with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta. A statement issued by the White House indicated that the talks centred on the importance of strong ties between the US and Kenya. Biden, the US government said, emphasized the United States’ continued commitment to working closely with Kenya to support regional peace and security, including at the United Nations Security Council. He also recognised the Kenyan government’s efforts in promoting peace and economic ties with its neighbours. “The President applauded Kenya’s leadership in the Horn of Africa and commitment to…

A Nairobi Member of County Assembly David Mberia has been found guilty in Ksh1.7 million graft case. In a ruling delivered on Thursday by a Nairobi Court, the Karen MCA was found guilty of demanding and receiving Ksh1.7 million bribe from Samuel Maina Kiragu, one of the owners of Kiragu Waichahi Private School, to resolve a land dispute. Senior Principal Magistrate Thomas Nzioki, however, acquitted Mberia’s co-accused MCAs Jared Okode (Mathare North Ward) and Abraham Mwangi (Woodley). The magistrate ruled that the prosecution did not establish a case against the two. The magistrate barred Mberia from holding public office and…

Slain businesswoman Caroline Wanjiku Maina died of head injuries inflicted with a blunt object, a post-mortem examination report has revealed. Rose Thogori, Wanjiku’s elder sister, said the blunt force trauma was inflicted on the deceased’s forehead and back. The 38-year-old also suffered injuries on her left hip, hand and wrist. The autopsy was carried out at the Kenyatta Memorial Funeral Home by Dr Charles Muturi on behalf of chief government pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor. “We have been briefed as a family and are satisfied with the results of the post-mortem, ” said Thogori. “She died out of head injuries after…

Wycliffe Orinda, the tout who last month left a Nairobi court in stitches after he confessed to smoking bhang to understand the Building Bridges Initiative Bill better, can now breathe easy after regaining his freedom. Orinda, who was charged with creating disturbance, was on Wednesday sentenced to three years probation by Milimani Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku. Probation is a type of criminal sentence that allows an offender to remain in the community as opposed to being in jail. One of the conditions the 31-year-old was given for his release from custody is to report to his area chief to run…

Over 200 representatives of African indigenous religious leaders on Wednesday pledged to support the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) process, a pet project of President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The leaders declared the stand during a meeting with Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho. According to the PS, the leaders concurred with the state that the BBI process presents a genuine opportunity for Kenya to secure its political and economic future by ensuring fairness in representation and allocation of resources. “While reaffirming their belief in BBI, African Independent indigenous church leaders appreciated the debunking of myths & lies…

Building Bridges Initiative proponent Raila Odinga on Wednesday hosted members of the West Pokot County Assembly leadership in Nairobi, days after the House passed the BBI Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020. West Pokot was the first County Assembly in the Rift Valley to approve the Bill that has received opposition from Deputy President William Ruto who hails from the region. 28 Members of the County Assembly, who attended the February 16 session unanimously passed the Bill. Five MCAs did not attend the session. The MCAs said West Pokot would benefit from the proposed 35 per cent revenue allocation. Read:…

Kericho County Assembly is the latest House from Deputy President William Ruto’s Rift Valley home turf to pass the BBI Constitution of Kenya (Amendment), Bill 2020. The Kericho Members of County Assembly (MCAs) passed the Bill by acclamation on Wednesday, becoming the 39th Assembly to say yes to the proposal to amend the constitution through the Building Bridges Initiative. DP Ruto and his Tangatanga allies have over the recent past maintained that BBI is not a priority at the moment, with the second in command claiming that those pushing the Bill “are out of touch with the reality on the…

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has sued Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi over alleged defamation. In documents filed at Milimali Law Courts’ Civil Division, the retired President of the Supreme Court of Kenya claimed that on January 12, 2021, the city lawyer published and circulated a defamatory, libellous and scandalous tweet on his Twitter page. In the tweet, the senior lawyer popularly known as “Grand Mullah” alleged that while serving as the Head of the Judiciary, Maraga protected a judge of the Supreme Court accused of receiving a bribe. “If CJ Maraga is a decent and honest Kenyan, he should come…

Tanzania has scaled up Covid-19 preventive measures in its transport sector. In what can be described as a step in the right direction, Dar Rapid Transit Agency, in a statement on Monday, announced strict protocols as part of efforts to combat the spread of Coronavirus in the country’s Rapid Bus Transit (BRT) system that operates in Dar es Salaam. In a list of measures announced by the agency, passengers are required to wash hands at BRT centres before boarding any bus. Wearing of face masks and social distancing in the buses is now mandatory. “Wait for another bus if the…