Kenya Insights

Author: Kenya Insights Team

  • FIFA Gives A Life Ban For An African Football Official In Match Fixing Probe

    FIFA Gives A Life Ban For An African Football Official In Match Fixing Probe

    World Football governing body FIFA has banned for life former Botswana Football Association general secretary Mooketsi Kgotlele.

    Mooketsi has been permanently banned after being found guilty in the allegations of accepting bribes to manipulated international FIFA matches.

    On Monday, FIFA released a statement stating that adjudicatory chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee had also fined the former official $50,953.

    “The formal ethics proceedings against Mr Kgotlele… stem from an extensive investigation into various attempts to manipulate international matches for betting purposes by Mr Wilson Raj Perumal, a known match-fixer,” reads part of FIFA statement.

    According to FIFA, Kgoylele proceedings were initiated in late 2018.

    The ban slapped on Kgotlele covers all football-related activities.

    He has been banned from administrative, sports or any other FIFA related activities at both national and international level.

    This is not the first time FIFA has banned officials and players. Investigations into convicted Singapore-based match fixer Perumal and His activities has already seen players and former officials slapped with life ban.

    Togolese Football Association Refferee Kokou Hougnimon Fagla was banned from soccer-related activities last March for accepting bribes to manipulate an international friendly.

    In April this year, FIFA banned Seven current and former players for life.

    Amongst those given a life ban are Karlon Murray and Keyeno Thomas from Trinidad.

    Ibrahim Kargbo from Sierra Leone.

    Hellings Mwakasungula from Malawi.

    Seidath Tchomogo from Benin.

    Leonel Duarte from Cuba and,

    Mohammad Salim Israfeel Kohistani from Afghanistan.

    FIFA also gave Kenyan player George Owino Audi a 10-year ban.

    Zimbabwean football player agent Kudzanai Shaba was also banned for life.

    Perumal was jailed for 2 years by a Finnish court in 2011 after he was found guilty of bribing players and referees to fix matches.

  • DJ Slugface And Why Hip Hop Can Be The Uniting Face Of The East African Community

    DJ Slugface And Why Hip Hop Can Be The Uniting Face Of The East African Community

    Hip Hop is now the undisputed global culture for love and entertainment.

    Hip hop originated from humble streets of South Bronx in USA growing massively from the creative outlet of underrepresented black teenagers living in the late 1970s.

    Hip Hop is considered by many a synonym for rap music. But it’s not, the term Hip-Hop refers to a complex culture of four elements.

    1. Deejaying popularly referred to as “turn tabling” in USA.

    2. Rapping widely known as “MCing”.

    3. Rhyming and lastly,

    4. Graffiti popularly known as graf painting.

    According to the Philosopher Dr. Cornel West, Dance should be added as the 5th element of Hip Hop. He called it “postural semantics.”

    According to Forbes 100, Commercialized Hip Hop business grossed over $2.8 billion in sales in the United States alone.

    Hip-hop success is not only in the United States, but also, its enjoys the majority influence globally.

    Mos Def, one of the few all time influential Rap Hip hop artists once said that ‘We are Hip Hop’ In his 1999 Album dubbed ‘Fear Not of Man.’

    Mos Def’s “Fear Not of Man” stated that, “Me, you, everybody – we are hip-hop,” which directly implies that hip-hop music no longer represents solely the voice of the black community on the States.

    Global analysis of the commercialization and globalization of the Hip Hop reveals that Mos Def’s assessment is, without doubt, correct and the genre currently represents far more than the black community.

    Now with that out and aside, one DJ from Uganda has taken the mantle and wants to use the platform he has to unite all Hip Hop arts in East Africa.

    Muhiire Habyara Devis, popularly known as Dj Slugface, is a Ugandan born record Producer and TV personality who’s using his platform to share and spread love to all East African people and mostly Hip hop community.

    In an exclusive interview with this writer, Dj Slugface said that got exposed to music, rap hip hop, at a young age being born in 1990 when the genre was trending globally.

    On why he wants to share border less love musically, Dj Slugface told us that he got inspired to always share love in whatever he’ll be doing to or with others by his own Mother.

    His mother was the choir Leader at Her place of worship where Devis was a drummer during worship sessions.

    Fast forward to 2012, Devis moved to Ntinda, Uganda, where he embarked on his turn tabling and Music production career.

    He played and hosted the first Hip-hop radio show on touchFM which got him recognition in the UgHiphop culture.

    Dj Slugface efforts got him a spot in the first ever Hip Hop Awards dubbed ‘UgHiphop Awards 2016/17’

    DJ Slugface musical enthusiasm has also seen him perform at The E.A performing Arts Market that was held in 2016.

    Dj Slugface is a co-founder of Onelevelmusiq, a recording label that has worked with Uganda’s finest Hip Hop artists like Pryce teeba , Blacksimba,  H.A.B.O, Santana Karma and many more.

    As a music producer, DJ Slugface has directly involved in the production of Massive Hip Hop hits.

    Some of hits include;

    Badsegu- Djslugface Ft Blacksimba

    Bite- Djslugface Ft Blacksimba & Pryceteeba

    Natasha’s Eyes- Markmick Ft Scarface

    Stamina-Aspika Ft Spoila & Djslugface

    Davie, or as he’ll prefere to be called, DJ Slagface is currently a strong advocate in the promotion of UgHiphop In Uganda at the same time using all that he has to be the face

    Currently, DJ Slugface is working on his Own E.P produced under his own recording label. Name and release dates yet to be communicated.

    DJ Slugface is Inspiring a positive change in young people through an exploration of the roots of hip hop culture.

    At the same time playing every single hip hop music from across EAC sent or forwaded to him in what he called “love for the culture by the culture for love.”

    DJ Slugface efforts ensemble dynamic and energetic dancers too who use breakdancing and abundant audience participation to explore hip hop’s cultural roots and explaining how underserved inner city youths changed the world and entertainment industry at large.

    Well on my opinion,DJ Slugface is doing something good and sooner later it will be noticed if not embraced by East African Community.

    Y’all might not be fans of music and be probably asking what’s that got to do with EAC unity? Well, music and in this context, Hip Hop has to do with everything.

    Music has been in our lives almost like forever. The first music introduced to our ears was lullaby songs.

    At least every newborn baby was sung a lullaby, so much to an extent that I personally think many of us have been taking music for granted.

    Come to think of it Music penetrates almost, well let’s just say, every part of our lives. It’s our Entertainment, our education, our relationship, our worship, keep them flowing…

    Plato once said, “music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination”.

    I mean, if politics has been dividing us just as much as it has made us enemies why can’t we just play music and do what it’s four principles State.

    The Hip Hop’s four principles are; Peace, Love, Unity, and most importantly Fun.

    Music has been, is and will definitely always be shaping and reflecting the society with more positive change effects, even though, some will say more than politics.

    Hip Hop promotes ideals like peace and solidarity through it’s cultural set up of already prepared armies for battle.

    Everyone should agree with me that Competitive battling is part of, almost every, important collective and personal moment.

    Music is so powerful that not even Musicians themselves can explain the power that it has over our emotions. Well, for believers, isn’t that God’s divine gift?

    Personally I think politics has been more diverse in a society that values clash unlike music that has been leaping across language boundaries and uniting people of totally different cultural backgrounds.

    Professor Leon Botstein, former President of Bard College and music director and principal conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra once said the world can be more harmonious if everyone gives music chances and respects it deserves.

    And I, Just as DJ slugface is, believe that we can all be a united community if we give music its due respect on its ability to unite us.

  • Rift Valley MPs Says Ruto Has A 500,000 Acre Maize Farm In Congo The Reason He Told Farmers To Do Avocado Instead

    Rift Valley MPs Says Ruto Has A 500,000 Acre Maize Farm In Congo The Reason He Told Farmers To Do Avocado Instead

    Maize scandals surrounding DP Ruto seems like are here to haunt him forever.

    In an explosive political storm started by three Rift Valley MPs, Deputy President William Ruto has been accused of owning a 500,000-acre maize farm in the Republic of Congo.

    The controversial Jubilee lawmakers claimed that Ruto has been discouraging famers from planting Maize.

    The move is said to be positioning Ruto as the Principal and only maize supplier to the scandal-ridden NCPB.

    Joshua Kutuny, Cherangany MP , Alfred Keter of Nandi Hill and Silas Tiren of Moiben alleged that Ruto has been encouraging farmers to substitute maize farming with avocado and macadamia.

    “You can’t be telling us to plant avocados, plant macadamia but you are not telling us what happened to maize…Now you have gone even to Congo. You are growing 500,000 acres of maize,” Keter told a local press.

    Kutuny asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be open on the backdoor deals that he alleged that Ruto had signed with the Denis Nguesso on behalf of the government.

    In September last year, DP Ruto traveled to Brazzaville with a large delegation and held talks with the country’s top leaders.

    Ruto’s website says DP was in Congo Brazaville for an official visit and was received at the Maya International Airport by Prime Minister Clement Mouamba.

    According to the government, Ruto’s tour was aimed at promoting cooperation between the two countries in various fields of interest.

    Statements sent to media houses say that the two countries agreed to cooperate in political consultations, economics, trade and investment, agriculture, science and technology, culture and arts.

    Ruto accompanied Mining and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary John Munyes, Governor Kahiga Mutahi of Nyeri and Governor Granton Samboja of Taita Taveta. Also in delegation wasTrade Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo.

    It has been alleged that Ruto used this State sponsored trip to seal his maize deals in Congo.

    “Part of his mission to Congo recently was to sign the deal to start maize farming there. He wants local farmers to do avocado to occasion a maize shortage in the country so that his maize from Brazzaville can gets its way to the local market,” Kutuny stated.

    When local press reached DP’s office for comment, the DP’s communication director David Mugonyi said, “I will not respond to nonsense.”

    Rift Valley is the biggest maize producer in country but poor pricing and infiltration by maize cartels threaten the region’s economic mainstay.

    The Jubilee legislators have asked the DPP Noordin Haji to crack the whip on Ruto and other influential officers based at Harambee House Annex.

    “Farmers, you must know this: most of our problems involving maize and fertilizer have been brought about the Deputy President and his office. We want his office investigated,” Keter said.

    Our constitution does not insulate the Deputy President or any other leader from criminal or civil prosecution while still in office.

    On Ruto’s defense, there is also no law that bars anyone or any leader from farming outside the country and importing the produce to Kenya.

    “We want the DPP to investigate Ruto over maize. Every time the government releases money to NCPB to pay farmers, he calls all managers and instructs them who to pay and who not to pay,” Keter said.

    Maize scandal has had many accomplices including Agriculture Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe and top NCPB officials who all are currently facing charges of fraud in the payment of traders instead of genuine farmers.

    The Jubilee MPs from the maize growing rift valley have rubbished DP’s early 2022 campaigns saying that Ruto stands no chance to succeed Uhuru.

    Ruto has banked everything he has on his Rift Valley backyard to take him to State House but the criticism from within and parallel critics from Kanu’s Gideon Moi has already started threatening his grip.

    “We don’t want the 2022 talk. In fact, he has already lost. There is no direction. You are going nowhere,” Keter commented on Ruto’s bid.

    “Lifestyle audit should continue. They should not come here to fundraise for us. Farmers here don’t want fundraisers. They want good pricing for their maize, better pricing for tea and milk and hospitals and roads built,” Keter said.

    Their pressure seems to be bearing fruits. Last week, Mwangi Kiunjuri was forced to suspend Sh2,300 price tag for a 90kg bag of maize and called for further consultation following protests from farmers.

    According to Keter and the team, farmers must be paid at least Sh3,600 for every bag of maize.

    Keter also dismissed claims by the government that there was a bumper harvest last year.

    President Uhuru has on various occasions, fired warnings at Kiunjuri over the massive irregular payments made to maize cartels through NCPB.

    “I promise you, Kiunjuri, and I swear before God, try that again and you’ll see what will happen to you. Sisi hatutaki mchezo tena,” President Kenyatta ranted during the Nairobi International Trade Fair that was held on 4th September last year.

  • How Viral FaceApp Could Be Used To Influence US And Kenya’s Elections

    How Viral FaceApp Could Be Used To Influence US And Kenya’s Elections

    FaceApp – an app that lets you edit your photos to appear younger, older, or as the opposite gender has finally gone viral after 2 years of existence.

    FaceApp blew the internet globally making it the most downloaded and active app currently thanks to the #faceappChallenge.

    The viral Challenge has seen Celebrities and global social media influencers sharing images of their older and younger selves.

    Take for instance, theJonas Brothers did it.

    Even that most terrifying robot is doing it.

    But everyone should be extra cautious as you all flood the App giving it your full information and permissions to access your private data.

    Is FaceApp safe with all your faces and private information?

    Do you all know, understand or even have gone through their terms and Conditions?

    In recent years, we’ve had couple of scandals involving questionable data collection via social media Apps.

    Take for instance, Cambridge Analytica was alleged to have Used Millions of Facebook users Private data sway the results in all the election campaigns they were involved in.

    Perhaps, FaceApp, being owned by Russians who had data mining links with Cambridge Analytica might be a crisis everyone has embraced.

    For those of you who don’t remember Cambridge analytica was accused of using similar ‘viral influential’ methods in mining the data during elections.

    Do you all remember during those times Cambridge had funny questions on Facebook that prompted one to let funny apps get permissions to access private data?

    Well, Yes- the permissions gives not only biometrics but also is a smooth way to study your behaviors and give you targeted ads.

    Well, If Cambridge Analytica used hate campaigns then nothing can stop FaceApp from selling your data or any other company can use such unscrupulous deals.

    Cambridge did it in USA, where they swayed people’s opinions and votes for Trump.

    On Tuesday night, Alexandra Phillips admitted that Cambridge helped Jubilee leader, the Current President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta in unscrupulous way just the same way the did to Brexit vote.

    Big data is the new business and this FaceApp is definitely it. When you access FaceApp you give them permission to access so much of your personal data from their end.

    For instance in the US, Russia unleashed extensive campaigns of fake news and disinformation on social media with the aim of distorting US public opinion, sowing discord and swinging the election in favor of the Republican candidate Donald Trump.

    The US Attorney General William Barr, had released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election to Congress and the public.

    Mueller has spent nearly two years investigating attacks on the US 2016 Presidential election and whether the Trump campaign coordinated with the Russians behind it.

    Read the roughly 400-page report.

    Mueller also was tasked with looking into any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.

    Such instances is, without doubt what’s making some people wonder if FaceApp could be more ‘evil’ than it looks.

    Scott Budman, a technology report pointed out that FaceApp isn’t clear about what it does with images of your face once you’ve used the app.

    Everyone should should be warned that FaceApp was developed and being ranned by a Russian company.

    Recently companies have been caught selling privileged information of their users.

    In May, an international media had reported that a photo storage app, was using shared images to train facial recognition technology which it then sold on to private companies, law enforcement and the military.

    In February, IBM were found to be using Flickr photos to train facial recognition systems without users’ permission.

    FaceApp are allegedly uploading users’ entire camera roll to their server, rather than just photos that are explicitly selected from the users side.

    David Vaile, chair of the Australian Privacy Foundation, said this about this about FaceApp’s privacy policy in 2017.

    “They ask for way more rights than they need to offer the service to you, [they] can remove the data from any effective legal protection regime, share it with almost anyone, and retain it indefinitely.”

    “It is impossible to tell from this what happens when you upload it, that is the problem. The licence is so lax. They can claim you agree they can send to wherever they like to whoever they like, and so long as there is some connection, [they can] do a lot of things with it.” Viale added.

    Security expert Ariel Hochstadt Said this about FaceApp;
    “They also know who this image is, with the huge database they created of Facebook accounts and faces, and the data they have on that person is both private and accurate to the name, city and other details found on Facebook.”

    “With so many breaches, they can get information and hack cameras that are out there, and be able to create a database of people all over the world, with information these people didn’t imagine is collected on them.” Hochstadt added.

    UK-based Digital strategist James Whatley said on Twitter.

    Many tech companies, Just like FaceApp, quietly takes information from its users.

    Millions of people give up their data every day without realising it.

    You can read the FaceApp’s terms, conditions and their privacy policy here.

    Everyone, at least by now, should be extra cautious when giving up their private data for or in a simple viral challenge.

  • Narcotics Trafficking Kingping Joaquín Archivaldo ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán Loera Has Been Sentenced To Life In Prison

    Narcotics Trafficking Kingping Joaquín Archivaldo ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán Loera Has Been Sentenced To Life In Prison

    World most notorious drug lord Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera has been sentenced to life.

    The famed drug lord known as “El Chapo,” whose dramatic prison escapes fed his legend as an untouchable kingpin running the world’s largest narcotics trafficking group, was today, Wednesday, sentenced to life in prison.

    Before the sentence was imposed, Guzman, 61, angrily denounced his treatment, calling the trial unfair.

    “When extradited, I expected to have a fair trial where justice was blind and my fame would not be a factor, but what happened was actually the opposite,” El Chapo said in Court before sentence was imposed.

    “The government of the United States will send me to a prison where my name will never be heard again. I will take this opportunity to say there was no justice here.”

    U.S. District Court Judge Brian Cohan, said the law gave El Chapo no discretion in his life imprisonment.

    Guzmán was convicted in February after a three-month trial which detailed his murderous rise to power in Mexico, where his Sinaloa Cartel moved billions of dollars worth of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana from Mexico to the United States.

    Witnesses at the trial also described multimillion dollar bribes paid to senior Mexican officials to keep the cartels running.

    Prosecutors introduced extensive evidence — including 1 million intercepted messages between alleged cartel members and testimony from 14 cooperating witnesses — detailing ghastly killings in addition to the smuggling.

    The proceedings offered vivid insight into the cartel’s brutal force and intimidation, its reach and the profits it reaped.

    Over 25 years, Guzmán earned the organization more than $14 billion while exhibiting an extraordinary ability to evade law enforcement.

    After the conviction, Richard P. Donoghue, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, pronounced that Guzmán’s bloody reign had come to an end.

    “And the myth that he could not be brought to justice has been laid to rest,” Donoghue said at the time.

    Defense attorneys argued that Guzmán was a scapegoat, railroaded by witnesses who were gutter human beings lying to save themselves.

    After six days of deliberations, the jury found him guilty on all 10 counts on the indictment.

    Renowned for escaping two maximum-security prisons in Mexico — first in 2001, with the assistance of prison guards, and again in 2015 through a tunnel beneath the shower in his jail cell — Guzmán was recaptured in 2016 after a meeting with actor Sean Penn tipped authorities to his whereabouts near Mexico’s northwestern coast. He has lived in solitary confinement since his extradition from Mexico the following year.

    Last month, the judge denied Guzmán’s application for more comfortable prison conditions, citing prosecutors’ suggestions that the request could be part of a ploy to escape from prison for a third time.

    Source

  • Brexit Party MEP Alexandra Phillips Admits To Working With Cambridge Analytica For Uhuru In Mudslinging Raila

    Brexit Party MEP Alexandra Phillips Admits To Working With Cambridge Analytica For Uhuru In Mudslinging Raila

    Alexandra Phillips, the former head of media for Ukip and a vocal member of Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party has admitted to have secretly worked for Uhuru Kenyatta.

    Ms Phillips made the admission to Channel 4 News after initially denying any involvement with Cambridge analytica and SCL that was used to mudslign Raila.

    According to Channel 4 News, Ms Phillips accepted after a recording of an interview from 2017 surfaced online in which Alexandra confirms she had been employed by Cambridge Analytica to work for Uhuru Kenyatta, the current President of Kenya.

    According to a statement released to International media, Ms Phillips admitted to have worked for SCL, Cambridge Analytica’s parent company, on President Kenyatta’s successful re-election campaign.

    Cambridge Analytica Bosses were filmed by undercover investigators last year exposing the disgraced data firm’s dirty tricks and influencing elections globally.

    Analytica Bosses were caught on camera chest thumbing about their smear campaigns, bribing politicians, putting unattributable and untraceable propaganda on the Internet Search engines in a bid to sway campaigns for their political clients.

    In 2017, Kenyan election contest between Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta was full of misinformation and massive fake news were spread across the country via the Internet and on smartphones.

    Cambridge Analytica’s SCL, which was working as Uhuru’s campaign team smeared Raila Odinga with a series of viral videos which were notoriously depicting apocalyptic scenes for Kikuyu’s if, at all, Raila was to win the election.

    The notorious Cambridge Analytica have been facing accusation from every country they’ve worked for or with and have been unsuccessfully denying their involvement with the content, and any role in negative political campaigns in Kenya.

    Ms Phillips, in the past interview, had initially denied working for Cambridge Analytica nor being in contacy or knowing anyone on their political campaign team.

    “I didn’t work for them at all. That’s libellous. I’m being very serious now. You’re actually propagating a load of misinformation that’s been put online… based on nothing.” Ms Phillips said in an interview.

    “If you want to talk about the Cambridge Analytica campaign, speak to them, not me. I don’t know them. I really don’t know the people.” she insisted.

    Ms Phillips had also threatened investigator that she will sue them.

    “And if you use this online, it’s going to be very difficult, OK… And actually, please don’t pursue that because there’s going to be a lot of things that might be happening over the next weeks, months, which is going to make life very difficult. I’m being serious. I’ve never been employed by Cambridge Analytica in my life.” She ranted on an interview.

    However, an audio recording in possession of Channel 4 News has Alexandra admitting she was secretly employed by Cambridge Analytica to work for President Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party which was alleged to have swayed and rigged the elections in favour of Uhuru.

    She’s recorded saying “I’ve not been able to speak to you because I’ve been under my contract which finished yesterday. So now I’m able to talk. But whilst I’m under contract with Cambridge Analytica, if they’d found that I’d spoken to a journalist about them, then, you know what I mean non-disclosure agreements and all the rest of i… I wasn’t working for Jubilee I was employed by Cambridge Analytica who had the contract with Jubilee.”

    “I was brought on as a political communications consultant for the Kenya project. I’d be writing the president’s speeches and his talking points for rallies and State House statements. I trained their communications team; they’re all sort of journalists who came together to create a press office. So I had to train them up and daily management of that communications team.” She added

    SCL’s contract with Jubilee was so sensitive such that Ms Phillips was told to always say she’s working as an air hostess if anyone would ever ask what she was doing in Kenya.

    Ms Phillips had also claimed SCL’s contract with Jubilee was worth £300,000 a month and would add up to a total of around $6 million for the contract

    “The $6m they got me and another chap who are two of the best in the business at doing this kind of stuff, and paid us nowhere near that much, my friend. The only thing that appals me about Cambridge Analytica was when I realised essentially how much of a money-making exercise they are.” Ms Phillips said.

    Ms Phillips issued a statement last night admitting Cambridge’s involvement in Swaying voters and rigging for Jubilee’s candidate while distancing herself from SCL’s under deals.

    “In Kenya, I worked as a freelance contractor focusing on speechwriting with the team of President Kenyatta, who is a great ally of the UK. The campaigns I worked on promoted peace and national unity in a country that I love dearly.” Read part of Ms Phillips statement.

    “This work was sub-contracted out to me by SCL, which went on to become a different company. Out of respect for those whom I served, I will continue to respect the confidentiality agreements that I signed upon accepting the role in Kenya.” She insisted.

    Alexandra also insisted that she will not be bullied by agenda-driven and guilt-by-association reporting that has vilified her name.

  • Sonko Threatens To Storm The Parliament If Duale Remains Reluctant In 14 Days

    Sonko Threatens To Storm The Parliament If Duale Remains Reluctant In 14 Days

    Mike Sonko on Monday issued a 14-day ultimatum to Aden Duale to withdraw the proposed salary and allowances increment or he gives the public a go ahead to storm the Parliament.

    Sonko warned Duale throught his Facebook page that he will call a mass demonstration to storm the National Assembly if Duale does not comply within timeline he has issued.

    “I do hereby seek for historic support from members of the public, civil society, comrades and religious leaders in storming the National Assembly if Aden Duale does not withdraw the proposed salary and allowances increment at the expense of taxpayers within the next 14 days,” reads part of Sonko’s post.

    On the Post, Sonko emphasized that the demonstration will be legal and within the confinements of the new constitution.

    “We shall comply with all the due constitutional and legal requirements to ensure the success of this demonstration and protect the rights of the people of Kenya,” Assured Sonko’s Facebook post.

    Here’s Governor Sonko’s full post

    STORMING OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

    We believe that sovereign power belongs to the people, and only donated to elected leaders as enshrined in Article 1 of the Constitution of Kenya which states as follows:

    (1) All sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and shall be exercised only in accordance with this Constitution.

    (2) The people may exercise their sovereign power either directly or through their democratically elected representatives.

    I do hereby seek for historic support from members of the public, civil society, comrades and religious leaders in storming the National Assembly if Aden Duale does not withdraw the proposed salary and allowances increment at the expense of taxpayers within the next 14 days.

    We shall comply with all the due constitutional and legal requirements to ensure the success of this demonstration and protect the rights of the people of Kenya.

    The Jubilee majority leader Aden Duale is leading MPs who are pushing for a salary increment.

    Earlier last week, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo had said He’s has never been bankrupt like this before while on her part Suba MP, Millie Odhiambo, blamed her constituents for making her go broke.

    Member of Parliament are alleging that their salaries are stretched to the limit because of contributions and handouts.

    Which, on my opinion, is a total bluff from what we elected expecting to be our leaders and protectors.

    Most of our MPs have fixed their lives in an extremely flashy superstar lifestyle that exceeds their pay.

    Sonko rants and angry attack on Duale are over the delayed funds supposed to be allocated to counties by the National Assembly.

    Sonko while speaking at Alladina Grounds in Jomvu, Mombasa County on Sunday attacked Duale and his plot to undermine devolution.

    In a video doing rounds on the internet,that was shared by Sonko, Nairobi Governor is heard ranting to Duale “I want to tell Aden Duale that hii pesa ya devolution si pesa ya mama yako.”

    Sonko’s rants are coming at a time when Governors, led by Council of Governors Chairperson, Wycliffe Oparanya,
    forced their way into the Supreme Court buildings to submit a petition seeking to compel parliament to pass the Division of Revenue Allocation Bill 2019.

    The Division of Revenue Allocation Bill stipulates how money should be disbursed to counties.

  • Passaris Condemns Sonko On Pangani Estate Night Evictions And Demolitions

    Passaris Condemns Sonko On Pangani Estate Night Evictions And Demolitions

    Esther Passaris has criticized Governor Sonko for ordering night evictions and demolitions at Pangani estate.

    According to Passaris, the move to demolish houses at night was unfair to children and women who were caught unprepared.

    Passaris posted on her official Twitter handle Today, stating that Sonko’s administration was elected to protect citizens and not to ambush them with night demolitions and evictions like thieves.

    Passaris was responding to last night’s awful events that saw Sonko Buldoze and evicts Pangani Estate residents.

    “They came with around 15 bulldozers accompanied by a group of rowdy youths who provided security and were ready to deal with anyone who dared to oppose demolitions,” one of the residents affected residents told the press.

    ” We were terrified by the attack and rushed to Pangani Police Station to report the matter, we were surprised to learn that even the officers at the station were not aware there would be an exercise eviction,” said another tenant at the estate

  • Video: Sonko Buldozer Demolishes And Evicts Pangani Estate Tenants

    Video: Sonko Buldozer Demolishes And Evicts Pangani Estate Tenants

    Nairobi County government last night conducted a forceful eviction of the remaining residents of the Pangani Estate.

    The evicted tenants were living in houses in an area marked for the county affordable housing project that falls under President Uhuru’s Big 4 agenda.

    According to the tenants who spent their night outside, county officers arrived at midnight with a bulldozer and started demolishing before ordering them to vacate immediately.

    Here’s the video courtesy of DN.

     

    One of the Tenant vacating Pangani Estate Photo|Star

    Some of the Pangani Estate residents told local press that county askari came with a Lorry full of goons and fleet of county vehicles.

    Credible source speaking to the the tenants says that they were only served with a verbal notice whose deadline was on the 3rd July.

    The tenants said they were left with no choice but to move their household items to places they had to seek refuge through the night.

    The events of last night’s happening (Video courtesy)

    The forceful eviction and demolition is being done to pave way for construction of 14-storey buildings as part of the county’s affordable housing project.

    Sources say that by the end of May, 24 of the 48 tenants had already received their Sh600,000 cheques to seek alternative homes.

    According to City valuers, the 12.5 acres for Phase One in Pangani is valued at Sh4 billion and construction of the 14 storey building will cost 25billion.

    Pangani Estate was marked by Nairobi County to pilot the housing projects and Technofin Kenya was contracted to redevelop 1,434 units.

    Earlier in May, The Sonko led county had given the tenants up to July 31 to vacate the houses.

    According to the County’s former Lands executive Charles Kerich, the tenants said the one-month relocation notice wasn’t enough.

    “Due to the concerns raised, we pushed it till August since most tenants said their children were in school and some are observing in Ramadhan. But some have already moved,” Kerich told local press.

    According to Nairobi county officials, the demolitions and forceful evictions were arrived at because some tenants were allegedly not cooperating and would further delay the project.

    The County government say the project was supposed to ground break last year but failed because of a settlement disagreement between the tenants and City Hall.

    Pangani Estate is among seven Estates in Nairobi marked for demolition to pave way for the housing project.

    Other marked Estates include Old and New Ngara, Jeevanjee, Suna Road, Ngong Road Phase One and Two and Uhuru Estate

  • Ruto And His Allies Want To Eject Raphael Tuju From Jubilee

    Ruto And His Allies Want To Eject Raphael Tuju From Jubilee

    Deputy President William Ruto and his allies have turned their ‘guns’ to Jubilee Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju and want to see him out.

    Ruto’s allies have accused Tuju of working and sharing Jubilee’s political strategy with Former Prime minister Raila Odinga.

    On his defense, The former Rarieda MP, Raphael Tuju rubbished Ruto’s accusations saying that he is simply working to deliver on President Kenyatta’s Agenda.

    In an interview with a local press, Tuju said Ruto and his allies should follow party regulations if they have enough evidence to eject him.

    “There is a laid down procedure of how to remove someone from office. Those with issues should at least file them with the party then allow me to defend myself,” Tuju said.

    According to Tuju, he was in Siaya county over the weekend to commission development projects on behalf of Uhuru and had nothing to do with Raila.

    “I received a phone call from the President asking me to go and represent him. The only thing I did was to read the speech from the President. Now they want to impeach me because of that?” Tuju asked while on an interview with a local press.

    “Initially it was Interior CS Fred Matiang’i who was to go but some changes were made. I was facilitated by State House.” Tuju added.

    “The projects were in Siaya county, Rarieda constituency and therefore the host senator and area MP would automatically attend” Tuju said.

    On Ruto’s side, his political allies have vowed to eject Tuju.

    Faith Gitau, Nyandarua Woman Representative said Tuju is operating under instructions of ‘anti-Ruto’ figures in government and allegedly being used to undermine Ruto’s 2022 Presidential race.

    “He has no business being in our party if he has joined forces with the opposition to undermine the DP who is also our deputy party leader,” Ms Gitau told a local press.

    Another Ruto’s ally John Waluke, the current Sirisia member of Parliament has accused Tuju of taking advantage of the handshake between Uhuru and Raila to undermine Ruto.

    “Raila is an opportunist who is working closely with Tuju to wreck Jubilee. We will not allow this to happen, we know how we campaigned for Jubilee to form the government and the parties that were merged,” Waluke said.

    Naivasha MP Jayne Kihara said that Tuju is is compromised and can no longer be trusted as SG.

    “If he is now comfortable working with Raila after the handshake, then he should just quit rather than advance his political agenda using his position in the party by sharing our strategy to please Raila,” Ms Kihara said.

    “Tuju should stop undermining the unity of our party from within,” said Kapondi.

    “It is very unfortunate that the Secretary General of Jubilee can talk and plan how to incite communities. This is unbelievable,” said Pukose.

    “You cannot be a Secretary General of a party that formed the Government and you are engaging in divisive politics. I tell Raphael Tuju that if you want to engage in divisive politics, you are in the wrong place,” said Didmus Barasa.

    Kapseret MP and the self proclaimed Ruto’s Spokesman Oscar Sudi, accused Tuju and former Vice Chairman David Murathe of having become a liability to Jubilee Party.

    “Tuju and Murathe are rejects who should be removed from the party through elections,” Sudi told a local press.

    “We brought Tuju into Jubilee, not because he had any support, but because we wanted to create a national face for the party. He is now baggage and should be removed,” Sudi added.

    On Saturday, DP Ruto shared a tweet accusing Tuju of turning into a Raila strategist ahead of 2022 Presidential polls.

  • Scientists Name The Newly Discovered Fish Species After Marvel’s Wakanda Nation

    Scientists Name The Newly Discovered Fish Species After Marvel’s Wakanda Nation

    Marine biologists have discovered a new species of fairy wrasse fish in unexplored reef off the coast of Zanzibar.

    A pic of a Cirrhilabrus Wakanda, (Credits:Luiz Rocha)

    Luiz Rocha, a marine biologist shared photographs of the new species with Dr. Yi-Kai Tea, a researcher at University of Sydney.

    News of the newly discovered fairy wrasse named, Cirrhilabrus Wakanda, has created much excitement among reef researchers just as Marvel’s Black Panther did to movie fans.

    Yi-Kai Tea, lead author of the study published in the journal ZooKeys, said the team chose to name the newly discovered fairy wrasse in honor of the Black Panther storyline.

    “When we thought about the secretive and isolated nature of these unexplored African reefs, we knew we had to name this new species after Wakanda,” said Yi-Kai Tea

    Dr Tea said that the secretive and isolated nature of these unexplored African reefs mirrors characteristics of fictional Wakanda, the utopian but hidden home of the Marvel character.

    “When Luiz sent me a photo of this new fish he collected, I knew instantly what it was. He found the ‘missing piece’ to this biogeographical puzzle” Dr. Tea said.

    With vibranium, the vital resource which powers Wakanda’s technological advancement, and Black Panther’s suit known for its purple tinge, the newly found species was named Dr. Tea as Cirrhilabrus wakanda, or “vibranium fairy wrasse.”

    Wakanda fish was discovered more than 200 feet beneath the ocean’s surface in the dimly lit coral reefs of Zanzibar.

    Cirrhilabrus Wakanda are distinct for their purple scales which retains color even when preserved for research, unlike other fish species.

    Deep-diving scientists from the University of Sydney and California Academy of Sciences under Hope for Reefs initiative, have examined DNA, scales, fin rays and body structure of wakanda fish and determined that the newly discovered fairy wrasses are different from other species already identified in the western Indian Ocean and the Pacific.

    According credible science sources and publications, Cirrhilabrus species remained undiscovered until now because of the remote nature of its dimly lit home reef which is below recreational diving limits.

    Scientists believe that discovery of the vibranium fairy wrasse will prove vital for other species across deep-lying coral reefs scientifically known as “twilight zone” reefs.

    Hope for Reefs initiative has stepped up its campaign to explore the twilight zone habitats and ensure that they’re protected and preserved.

    The research team also noted that the habitat of Wakanda fish was full of discarded fishing gear and other garbage.

    “It is sobering that so much uncharacterized biodiversity is lost before it is even discovered. Every new species we describe is a reminder that we need to act fact before they are all gone.” reads part of Dr. Tea’s publication.

    Dr. Tea said that twilight zone reefs, despite typically lying 500 feet below ocean level,
    are also directly impacted by underwater development, such as cabling and anchoring, and need to be protected for future generations.

    Wakanda fish joins a growing list of animals named after pop culture figures.

    “I see this as a way to bridge the divide between science and the general public,” Said Dr. Tea

  • CBK Directs That CRB Shouldn’t Blackist Anyone Until Six Months

    CBK Directs That CRB Shouldn’t Blackist Anyone Until Six Months

    Central Bank of Kenya has nullified listing of loan defaulters to credit reference bureau.

    Millions of Kenyans have been listed on CRB, which permanently blocks them from accessing another loan before clearing with them at a fee.

    CBK has issued a new directive to commercial banks,m stating that a borrower will only be considered to have defaulted a loan after six months and will not be listed on CRB before that.

    The directive comes at a time when lenders had forwarded more than 2.7 million Kenyans to be listed on the CRB for defaulting their loans.

    According to CBK, the directive will affect both mobile loans and normal loans, which implies that, Kenyans will only be listed on the CRB only after defaulting a loan for six months.

    However, CBK’s directive doesn’t affect digital lenders like Tala, Branch, Okash, who forward millions of Kenyans for listing on credit reference bureaus after failing to pay a loan within 30 days.

    Currently, CRB has listed more than 2.7 million Kenyans with 500,000 of them having defaulted loans of 200 shillings and below.

    Research indicates that we have more than 500 digital lenders who give Kenyans instant loans via their mobile loans.

    Currently 90 percent of borrowers in Kenya are accessing loans via mobile loan apps.

    Commercial banks, microfinance, and CBRs were given three months period to adjust and start using the new guidelines.

    Template given in the new directive will classify non-performing as per prudential guidelines which state that “any loan, which is past 180 days shall be classified as doubtful.”

    Millions of Kenyans have been calling CBK to regulate mobile money lenders who are charging exorbitant interest rates on desperate Kenyans.

    It pains many to see how CBK has thrown people’s biggest problem under the bus.

    Digital lenders have blocked financial freedom for millions of Kenyans. Something doesn’t add up in all this.

    How do you skip a complain where someone who has been forced to pay CRB sh2,200 for a clearance certificate because he was listed to to the bureau for defaulting 200 shillings?

    The same Dr. Patrick Njoroge, CBK’s governor who once termed mobile lenders as “enhanced Shylocks who use digital platforms to prey on Kenyans with high-interest rates on their micro-loans.”!

  • Kasarani: A Woman Hacks Husband Strangles Two Children Before Committing Suicide

    Kasarani: A Woman Hacks Husband Strangles Two Children Before Committing Suicide

    32 year old woman has killed her husband and their two children at their home in Thome estate, Nairobi before committing suicide.

    Geoffrey Mugo, nyumba kumi chairman in Thome has confirmed the incident saying that the couple was embroiled in recurrent domestic disputes.

    Mugu alleged that the bereaved, aged 37, had on several times reported to him about being beaten by the wife.

    “A while back the man came to me and reported the wife had beaten him. But after speaking to him for awhile, the man said he did not want to report the matter to the police or chief,” Mugo told a local press.

    Preliminary report by Police indicate that the woman, who was a food trader, descended on his sleeping husband with an axe and thwacked him to death.

    Police believe that that the man, a casual labourer, was attacked while asleep because he was found lying dead on his bed.

    According to the Police, the woman later strangled to death their two children aged 14 and 3 years before hanging herself with a rope in the house.

    The bodies of the four were discovered today afternoon after the woman’s customers from a nearby construction site where she sells food raised queries over her whereabouts.

    Her customers would later alert Nyumba Kumi chairman who upon going to the couple’s house, found the entire family of four dead.

    Deputy OCPD Kasarani area and Kasarani police station OCS Andrew Muchemi visited the scene before the bodies were transferred to City Mortuary.

    OCPD told local press that Investigations into the matter are ongoing.

    This is at a time when Police in Kilgoris are hunting for a woman alleged to have killed her husband following a domestic quarrel on Sunday evening in Nkararo village, Narok county.

    According to Transmara West Deputy County Commissioner Mohammed Noor Hassan, the suspect is said to have hacked the 40-year -old man to death.

  • Police Recover Sh400M in Cash On Abandoned Boat

    Police Recover Sh400M in Cash On Abandoned Boat

    After border patrol agents in Puerto Rico chased after a boat on Sunday, they found five duffel bags stuffed with $3.7 million (about Ksh.370 million) in cash.

    US Customs and Border Protection agents, along with the DEA, made the seizure after tracking the vessel that was traveling without lights from Puerto Rico to the US Virgin Islands. As authorities followed the boat, it made an abrupt turn back toward Fajardo, on the east coast of Puerto Rico, and landed near the Rio Fajardo.

    Occupants in the vessel could be seen unloading bags, according to the press release. As agents closed in, they fled the scene.

    “We remain committed to working with other federal and local law enforcement partners to detect and deter smuggling attempts throughout the Caribbean,” Johnny Morales, director of air and marine operations for the Caribbean Air and Marine Branch, said in a statement Monday.

    Inside the boat, the duffel bags full of cash were recovered along with a loaded pistol and 63 rounds of ammunition.

    “CBP seized the currency under failure to declare and bulk cash smuggling laws,” stated the press release.

  • Dubai Sheikh Who Accused Moses Wetangula For Scamming Him Of Gold And His Wife Eloped Is In Kenya

    Dubai Sheikh Who Accused Moses Wetangula For Scamming Him Of Gold And His Wife Eloped Is In Kenya

    Just as he had promised, Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum is in Kenya.

    In May, Sheikh Mohammed made headlines in Kenya, after being defrauded close to Sh400 million worth in Gold.

    Maktoum had threatened to come into the country to ‘get’ his gold back from the fake gold smugglers who had allegedly received money for the said gold shipment.

    Here’s a pic of Maktoum in what was dubbed as “Sheikh Mohamed Bin Al Maktoum” walk.

    This is coming at a time when Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein, one of the wives of Shiekh Maktoum has fled the Palace for fearing for her life.

    According to The Sun, Sheikh Maktoum had expressed his distress in a series of poems published on his poetry websites.

    In one of Maktoum’s Poem titled ‘Affection in Your Eyes’, he writes about noting reproach in other persons (alleged to be the wife) eyes.

    “A fatal arrow has pierced my soul and left me insane,
    But, he pleads, Let the past be; soften your heart, Forgive my mistakes, and reward my good deeds”.reads part of Maktoum’s poem.

    The Daily Beast has also quoted Maktoum referring to Princess Haya as a traitor, quoting lines from the rulers poems.

    “You no longer have any place with me/ Go to who you have been busy with!/ And let this be good for you; I don’t care if you live or you die.”

    Haya, the 45-year-old Princess, who is Sheikh Maktoum’s second wife flee Dubai over the weekend.

    Credible sources have said that Maktoum’s wife took with her couple’s two children, 11-year-old daughter Al Jalila and seven-year-old son, Zayed that have been granted asylum in Germany, after a successful escape that was reportedly aided by a German diplomat.

    The Sun reports that Haya carried Sh4 billion (£31 million) to enable her “start a new life.” According to The Sun, Haya requested for asylum in Germany and filed for divorce immediately after fleeing to Europe.

    There’s were signs that all was not well as the Princess had not been seen publicly since February.

    Sheikh is, without doubt, a troubled man, in March last year, 33-year-old Princess Latifa disappeared from his Place after a foiled escape attempt.

    Princess Latifa posted a video recording alleging that her family had imprisoned her. However, the Dubai royal family handlers have since assured credible sources that Princess Latifa is safe.

    Locally, investigations into the alleged fraud that saw Sheikh Maktoum conned Sh400 in a gold are still underway.

    DCI’s George Kinoti said a team of detectives is in Dubai as part of an ongoing probe to talk to various concerned parties.

    “Let no one lie to you that the probe has stalled because we will get there soon. We know the parties involved and it will be a matter of summoning them for statements. Let them be patient,” said Kinoti

    Credible sources say Michael Kuria, the lead investigator in the case, and his team were granted visas to travel to UAE for further investigations. But the team is yet to leave.

    Kenya had assured Maktoum that they will look into the gold scam, and Police have raided various properties, from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to smelting joints, offices and residential buildings all from which they confiscated fake gold.

    Over 20 suspects linked to various gold scams have also been arrested and presented in court.

    But majority of the lead dealers have since gone underground and seem to be out of the DCI’s radar.

    Sheikh Maktoum at a Camp fire site

    Well, Maktoum silently jetted into the country and had maintained total privacy until his photos emerged online.

    No one knows exactly why the Dubai ruler is in the country but his silent arrival means he’s here for his own personal business and doesn’t seem to be in need of State help nor recognition.

    Is Wetangula and other named government officials in trouble?  No one knows but time will for sure tell.

  • Much Of Maize Reserved At NCPB Is Contaminated With Aflatoxin

    Much Of Maize Reserved At NCPB Is Contaminated With Aflatoxin

    State’s Strategic Food Reserve (SFR) are holding over 124,486 bags of maize contaminated with aflatoxin.

    This is coming at a time when the government is contemplating importing maize to plug a biting shortfall.

    Ministry of Agriculture has in a report tabled in Parliament revealed that more than half of the contaminated maize is to be destroyed through incineration.

    NCPB said that the other half will be used to process animal feeds.

    According to the World Health Organisation,WHO, large doses of aflatoxin leads to acute poisoning (aflatoxicosis) that is life-threatening, usually through damage to the liver.

    Long-term or chronic exposure to aflatoxins has several health consequences and may affect all organ systems, especially the liver and kidneys. It can also cause liver cancer.

    NCPB which stores the strategic food reserves (SFR), had issued a statement early last month saying that maize worth Sh9.2 billion was at risk of going to waste.

    The cash-strapped NCPB said they’ve ran out of funds to light storage silos and most importantly, carry out fumigation.

    Credible sources say that NCPB employees have gone two months without salaries.

    Kenya Power had also disconnected electricity over pending bills.

    Strategic Food Reserve’s board is yet to make a decision on whether to approve the destruction of the poisonous maize despite recommendations by an inter-agency team that the grain should be disposed through incineration under supervision of the Directorate of Public Health.

    A report tabled before the Senate committee on Agriculture, shows that about half of the maize with harmful aflatoxin levels (more than 20 parts per billion against the East African Community standard of 10 parts per billion) is currently held in Machakos and Nakuru Depots.

    The report also revealed that Nairobi, Meru, Migori, Lugari and Isiolo NCPB depots are holding contaminated maize with aflatoxin levels of below 20ppb.

    “Maize with total aflatoxin levels of more than 20ppb be disposed through incineration in a kiln preferably Bamburi Cement factory which can attain temperatures of more than 2,000 degrees centigrade required for denaturing the aflatoxin,” reads part of the report recommendations.

    Severe maize shortfall has seen shelf prices of packaged maize flour hit Sh125.

    In what was termed as, effort to meet the shortfall, The government last week announced through the ministry of Agriculture that it will open a window for duty-free import of 12.5 million bags of maize.

    Ten million bags out of the 12.5 million earmarked for importation will be white maize for household consumption while 2.5 million will be yellow maize for processing of animal feeds.

    According to the contaminated maize report, Machakos depot is holding 10,710 bags of the grain with the highest aflatoxin levels of 28.8 ppb followed by Nakuru depot which has 54,597 bags with 28.6ppb levels.

    Isiolo has 11,663 contaminated bags. Meru has14,460 contaminated bags. Lugari has 26,264, Nairobi 5,427 and Migori 1,504.

    The contamination levels range between 13.6ppb to 28.8ppb.

    Agriculture Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri says the Ministry constituted an inter-agency committee on food safety and standards with members from National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis), Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and Ministry of Health to carry out sampling and subsequent laboratory analysis for aflatoxin contamination.

    “The collected maize samples were subject to laboratory analysis and the results showed that a total of 6,231.25 MT in seven depots had aflatoxin levels of more than 10 ppb,” CS Kiunjuri said.

    CS for Agriculture also added that two rounds of sampling were carried out in November 2018 and January 18, 2019.

    According to CS Kiunjuri, a committee led by the ministry of Health visited the seven depots from March 3 and 7 to isolate and officially seize the maize contaminated with aflatoxin as required by the law.

    Mr Kiunjuri, in a brief presented to MPs by Andrew Tuimur, the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) told said the committee had made a number of recommendations pursuant to the East African Community (EAC) Policy Brief No.8 of 2018.

  • Choppies Stores Are Shutting Down Across The Country

    Choppies Stores Are Shutting Down Across The Country

    Choppies supermarket has shut down its Kiambu town branch just days after the retailer closed the Bungoma outlet.

    The Botswana owned retail stores were closed owing to stock shortage and debts.

    The Kiambu Mall developer in 2017 picked Choppies as the anchor tenant dropping also collapsing former market giants Nakumatt Supermarkets.

    The developer said that was arrived at due to financial difficulties around Nakumatt, a similar fate now suffered by the Botswana retail chain.

    Early last year audit reports after closure of debtridden Uchumi and Nakumatt revealed massive revenue losses adjudicating to infighting at the management level, as it is with Choppies Management in Botswana.

    The retail’s other outlets across the country are also dangling with empty shelves.

    Kisumu, Nanyuki, Embakasi and Mombasa road branches are at the edge of closure.

    Chopies has six, all struggling, branches in Kisumu city and eight others spread across Nakuru, Kisii and Kericho.

    “Choppies workers have not been paid in full to date. They have also failed to pay suppliers for a while now and this explains the closure of some branches and empty shelves on others. The supermarket is now dealing with similar issues faced by Nakumatt and Uchumi,” said Kenya Union of Commercial, Food and Allied Workers (KUCFAW) Secretary General, Bonface Kavuva.

    Choppies are barely 4 years old, they ventured into the country by taking over Ukwala Supermarkets in 2016.

    Choppies troubles blew up in 2018 when Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) and Johannesburg Stock Exchange halted the trading of its shares over the retail’s failure to release financial results for the year ended 30 June 2018.

    The retailer has since been facing innumerable challenges with the latest being the suspension of its CEO Ramachandran Ottapathu.

    Earlier in March, the board announced that the company would embark on legal and forensic investigations and would follow its recommendations which saw Ramachandran fired in May.

    Choppies operations are currently in seven African countries.

    The retailers stores operating in the new markets are down to 212 from 260.

  • Political Leader’s Tributes To The Late Football Legend Joe Kadenge

    Political Leader’s Tributes To The Late Football Legend Joe Kadenge

    Kenya’s football legend Joe Kadenge is dead.

    According to the family, Kadenge, who has been ailing for quite a while, passed away on Sunday while undergoing treatment at Meridian hospital in Nairobi.

    The 84 year old succumbed to his constant illness.

    Kadenge’s once robust fame had been turned into a pale shadow of constant illness.

    Joe, the Former Kenyan winger who tortures defenders manning him during his hey days.

    In January 2006, Joe suffered stroke.

    Joe condition worsened as days passed. He collapsed at Camp Toyoyo grounds in Jericho, Nairobi, while watching a football match on December 23.

    President Uhuru Kenyatta expressed his condolences, terming Kadenge’s death as “a loss to the sporting fraternity and our nation.”

    “It is with profound sadness that I have learnt of the demise of Mzee Joe Kadenge. His death is a loss to the sporting fraternity and our nation. Joe exemplified talent, dedication and patriotism. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this time,” said President Kenyatta.

    The President posted his condolences via the official twitter account of the State House of Kenya,

    Deputy President William Ruto also sent his condolences saying “Kadenge was a wonderful man, on and off the pitch; approachable, gentlemanly, courteous and a role model. May his soul rest in peace.”

    “Condolences to the family and friends of football legend Joe Kadenge. At his prime, Kadenge was unplayable; he terrorised defenders with dribbles, nutmegs and was a joy to watch. He raised a family of great footballers: Francis, Evans, Rogers and Oscar, who excelled in the sport,” reads Ruto’s tweet.

    Opposition chief Raila Odinga has also mourned also Kenya’s best ever known winger Kadenge.

    “We have today lost one of the greatest talents to ever grace a football pitch in our national uniform. Joe Kadenge was a true ambassador for the country and Kenyan soccer. May he rest in eternal bliss. May his spirit inspire more young people to pursue the game,” reads Raila’s tweet.

    ANC Party Leader Musalia Mudavadi said was the most legendary of Kenyan footballers and shall be remembered for his exploits on the pitch

    Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has also sent his condolences to Joe’s family.

    “The curtain has fallen on our football legend Joe Kadenge. His football artistry equaled modern day Thierry Henry, Christian Ronaldo, George Weah, Samuel Etoo etc. We must have a proper policy for the welfare of our sports heroes/heroines. RIP Joe.”

    Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho also sent his condolences to Joe’s family saying Kenyans will miss him because he was part of Our rich football history.

    Sports CS Amina Mohamed had this to say about Joe, “We celebrate Mr. Joe Kadenge as an enviable part of Kenya’s identity and aspire to keep his ever present spirit in the soul of our sporting nation. May the Almighty grant him eternal rest and fortify his family to bear this loss”

    Nairobi governor, Mike Sonko also joined the political fraternity in mourning and sending sincere condolences to the the family of the late Kadenge

  • Legendary Kenyan Footballer Joe Kadenge Is Dead

    Legendary Kenyan Footballer Joe Kadenge Is Dead

    Kenya’s greatest footballer of all time, Mzee Joe Kadenge has passed on at the Meridian hospital in Nairobi.

    His son Oscar has confirmed.

    Kadenge has passed on after a long illness, having suffered a stroke in February.

    Kadenge has been described as the finest footballer ever produced by Kenya.

    He played for Maragoli United scoring the fastest ever goal in the History of the Kenyan Premier League.

    Kadrnge had also played club football for Abaluhya United,current AFC leopardLeopards winning the Kenyan Premier League in 1966.

    Joe also managed the Kenya National Football team in 2002.

    His body has been transferred to Lee Funeral Home.

    He was 84 years old.

    More follows.

  • Update: A New Video Has Emerged Showing Ethic Crew’s Involvement In A Fight At Koroga Festivals

    Update: A New Video Has Emerged Showing Ethic Crew’s Involvement In A Fight At Koroga Festivals

    Members of Ethic Entertainment group have shared a video of them being attacked at Koroga festivals held on Saturday in Nairobi.

    The upcoming Kenyan music group took their complaints to twitter streets in a long thread of tweets of their ordeal at the Koroga Festival.

    According to Ethic Entertainment, guards from Kenyan security company “K9” viscously attacked the group members, their hype man, DJ and driver.

    Here’s what Ethic posted on their official twitter account:

    https://twitter.com/ethicofficial/status/1147644698435215361?s=19

    Ethic blames Koroga organizers for what happened late Saturday night and threatened to press legal charges for the alleged incident, which they termed as “targeted violence”.

    https://twitter.com/ethicofficial/status/1147645514252505088?s=19

    Ethic crew has also called out event organiser for not providing local talents with first class security details and superstar treatment like they do to International artists.

    Ethic crew entertainment Allegation Of mistreatment of local received support from Social media personality Xtiandela,

    Billy Miya, CEO Mideyah media and also award winning Media personality at Radio Maisha also was in support of the Crews calls against criminalisation of local acts

    https://twitter.com/BillyMiya/status/1147773105793916928?s=19

    Crew members also called their loyal fans to remain loyal to the their cause. They, Ethic, said That they’re working hard to make sure local talents are respected

    Here’s the video of the alleged members of Ethic crew being attacked at the Koroga Festival

    https://twitter.com/ethicofficial/status/1147647188996186112?s=19

    Ethic Entertainment became popular in Kenya after their biggest breakout in Kenya’s music scene in 2018.

    Ethic Group comprises a four member crew, Rekless, Swat, Zilla and Seska

    New Revelation:

    Koroga Festival organizers have shared  their video showing Ethic crew members coming in, after their time on stage,  to attack the security guard.

    The new video shows Ethic crew was to blame for everything that happened and are supposed to be the ones apologizing to K9 guard.

    https://twitter.com/MediaMK/status/1147853946259738625?s=19

    From the video, The guard is the one that is supposed to be seeking legal redress against Ethic Entertainment.

    Credible sources have accused the Ghetto self made group of being uncooperative and totally chaotic.

    Social media personalities have also called out Ethic,on their bad manners during events.

     

    https://twitter.com/ahmedsalims/status/1147860334776074243?s=19

    We can’t be throwing blame when such things happen. K9 Secufities should also issue out their statements about what exactly happened on the night of Saturday.

    Ethic Entertainment crew have also replied to the organizers video saying the video is the second after what had happened before

    So, honestly, what happened?

    There’s always a reason why such odeals happen and in this case, Ethic crew, Koroga organizers and K9 need to give us the exact reason(s) and stop playing with people’s feelings, emotions, support and mind by wasting time on PR gimmicks, hearsay and blame game