Aileen Ogolla, the wife of the former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Francis Ogolla on Tuesday handed over the leadership of the Military Wives Association of Kenya (MWAK) to Grace Kahariri, the spouse of current CDF Charles Kahariri.
Kahariri’s wife passed on the baton for the MWAK Vice Chair position which she held to Hellen Omenda, the spouse of Lieutenant General John Omenda, the Vice Chief of Defence Forces (VCDF).
The transition followed recent promotions and appointments of General Officers at the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) by President William Samoei Ruto.
The KDF explained that MWAK’s leadership mirrors its own structure, thus, changes in the association are reflective of changes within the military.
Madam Grace Kahariri takes over from Aileen Ogolla. She will be assisted by Hellen Omenda. MWAK borrows heavily from KDF structure. Grace is a spouse to Gen. Kahariri, while Hellen is married to Lt. Gen. Omenda.
In her farewell speech, Ogolla expressed her gratitude to her fellow MWAK members and the office staff for their commitment to the cause and support throughout her term.
She encouraged the members to accord the same support to her successor, whom she said is just as capable and passionate about making a positive difference for women and the families of the KDF personnel.
“I look forward to seeing this organization morph into something bigger and register even more achievements. As I step down, I’d like to say thank you for making it a pleasure to serve you,” Ogolla said.
She assured the incoming leaders of her availability should they need to consult her on matters of welfare.
Kahariri thanked her predecessor for her vision and noble projects, which she says have benefited diverse groups, including the youth, widows, and wives of both serving and retired soldiers.
She pledged her commitment to further the mission of MWAK during her term and urged her fellow members to showcase team spirit and harmony for the betterment of the KDF families.
Her sentiments were echoed by the MWAK founding Chairperson, Tabitha Kibochi, who emphasized the importance of bonding as women and being responsible for one another, especially during moments of transition and grief.
Over twenty members of the association were present.
Nyashinski’s latest Instagram story has raised eyebrows after the rapper and vocalist directed a strongly worded message towards Tecno Kenya as the conflict between the artist and the tech giant continues to escalate.
“Your time is up. You have caused me enough distress. I want to make sure I’m the last person you will EVER mess with. Itakuwa funzo,” reads the post.
This statement comes amidst ongoing legal battles involving Nyashinski and Tecno Kenya.
The rapper whose legal name is Inyatta Nyamari Ongegu is currently embroiled in a copyright infringement case filed by Nigerian producer Sam Eliapenda Jedidah, popularly known as Sam Eli.
The case revolves around an endorsement deal Nyashinski signed with Tecno Kenya Limited in May 2023 which was worth millions of shillings.
Sam Eli accuses Nyashinski of using a song he produced, “Wach Wach,” to promote Tecno’s Camon 20 device without proper compensation.
The legal proceedings have seen Nyashinski’s defense team request additional time to furnish the court with contract documents related to the Tecno endorsement deal.
Sam Eli argued that as the producer of the song, he is entitled to 50 percent of the fortune made from the endorsement deal but his effort to contact the rapper for his fair share has remained futile.
The Nigerian says he immediately contacted Nyashinski inquiring how his composition was published without his knowledge.
But the rapper argued that he did not know that he needed to inform him of the use of the song by Tecno because as far as he was concerned, he owns 100 percent of the master rights.
In his defense statement, Nyashinski argued that the suit against him was in bad taste as it was instituted against non-parties urging the court to dismiss it with costs.
“In response to Para 9 and 10 of the Amended Plaint, the 1st Defendant avers that he is the owner of 100 percent master rights and 50 percent publishing rights to the song Wach Wach is owned by GETA International and not the 1st Defendant. The plaintiff owns 50% publishing rights to the song Wach Wach. GETA International Company Limited is not a party to this suit,” Nyashinski stated in his defence.
The musician stated that his contract with Tecno wasn’t a publishing deal as the Nigerian music producer claimed but rather one which included image rights, appearance, interviews, photo/video shoots, travel time and social media associations.
Nyashinski also argued that GETA International signed a fair use agreement with the 2nd defendant for the use of the song Wach Wach which he had every right to as a 100 percent master rights owner and 50 percent publishing right owner, this is in addition to the fact that Nyashinski appears on the advert(s).
“The 1st Defendant avers that the plaintiff is however misguided in both law and fact about what entitlements he possesses on account of 50 percent share of publishing rights to a song,” his defence argued.
YouTube sensation Jimmy Donaldson aka MrBeast, is breaking the internet in marking his 26th birthday with an extravagant gesture, where he will be gifting away 26 Teslas.
With over 256 million subscribers on YouTube, his channel is the second-most followed on the video sharing platform.
The YouTuber is known for making popular giveaways and his extravagant philanthropy including in Kenya.
Mr Beast in Kenya
Previously, the YouTuber captured the hearts of Kenyans by revealing that he funded and participated in the drilling of 52 boreholes across Kenya. Mr Beast shared a compelling 10-minute video on his YouTube channel, showcasing his hands-on involvement in the borehole drilling process. The video quickly gained international attention, leading to a wave of praise for Mr Beast’s philanthropic endeavors.
The announcement was made via MrBeast’s Instagram and other social media platforms, accompanied by a video showing him amidst 25 Tesla Model 3s and a lone Cybertruck, which serves as the grand prize.
How to enter the competition
Entering the contest is simple: comment on the original Instagram video and tag two friends. Donaldson will then randomly select 26 winners from the eligible participants.
While there are some conditions to meet, they’re relatively minor. Participants must be residents of select countries including the U.S., Australia, Canada, and others listed. Additionally, entrants must be at least 18 years old, with Canadians and Mexicans needing to answer a skill-testing question to claim their prize.
The entry period runs from May 7 to 11:59 ET on May 10, with winners set to be announced on May 14. Winners must follow MrBeast’s Instagram account for notification and may need to sign a release, given the nature of the giveaway.
Notably, the contest is not sponsored by Tesla. Winners can choose between receiving the vehicle or a cash prize, with $39,000 for Model 3 recipients and $120,000 for the Cybertruck winner, as outlined in the contest guidelines.
The prosecution has closed its case in the murder of LGBTQ activist Edwin Kiptoo alias Chiloba after about one year of court hearings.
The prosecution presented 22 witnesses to testify in the matter before the High Court sitting in Eldoret.
Counsel Mark Mugun told presiding Judge Reuben Nyakundi that the prosecution was ready to pave the way for the defence team led by the accused person Jackton Odhiambo and his advocate to argue their case.
Justice Nyakundi directed Mugun and Odhiambo’s lawyer Mathai Maina to file their final submissions before he can rule on whether the accused has a case to answer or not.
During the onset of the trial, Mugun told the court how the body of the 26-year-old student was found stashed in a metallic box and how the investigating agencies pieced together the evidence.
“This is a case of circumstantial evidence. We will present 22 witnesses who will piece together a chain of events that will point unerringly to the accused person as the one behind the unlawful death of Mr Chiloba. You will hear testimonies of betrayal. The deceased was murdered in his own house, betrayed by someone he trusted the most,” the prosecution said.
Chiloba’s friends would later tell the court that the slain University of Eldoret student and Odhiambo were lovers.
Other witnesses who testified before Justice Nyakundi were the accused’s relatives who allegedly helped him load the metallic box bearing Chiloba’s body in a car and unknowingly covered up the gruesome murder.
“You will also hear testimonies of relatives of the accused person who will tell you how their trust was abused and how they inadvertently helped the accused to cover up for the crime,” Mugun said during the pre-trial conference.
Among the witnesses were experts including a Data Analyst from the DCI, who told the court the movements and the occurrences that led to the death and disposal of Chiloba’s body.
The court heard that immediately after the student’s gruesome murder, Odhiambo began spending his (Chiloba) money.
Corporal Jonathan Limo, a DCI data analyst seconded to Safaricom, tabled in court the call data records and Mpesa statements belonging to the accused and the deceased.
The court heard that Odhiambo visited various entertainment joints and hotels and even paid for massage and sex using Chiloba’s Mpesa number. Even the metallic box in which the student’s body was found stashed had been bought using his own money.
Polycarp Kweyu, principal chemist from the Government chemist in Kisumu told the court that DNA profiles generated from Chiloba’s anal swab, stains from his clothes and bed sheets matched that of the accused person.
Kweyu further revealed that the male DNA profiles generated from the bed cover matched seminal fluids that were extracted from Odhiambo.
Another witness Jane Waya, a Government Analyst from Kisumu who conducted a toxicological analysis on samples taken from the deceased’s body said that no chemical substances were detected.
Chief Inspector Julius Irungu a forensic expert based at the National Forensic Laboratory, DCI headquarters who accompanied homicide investigators to the murder scene and to the mortuary where an autopsy was conducted tabled photographs, which are exhibits in the case.
Odhiambo is accused of killing Chiloba, who was a fourth-year student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Fashion and Design at the University of Eldoret.
He denied killing the fashionista between December 31, 2022, and January 3, 2023, at Noble Breeze Apartments in Chebisaas area, Moiben sub-county, Uasin Gishu county.
Chiloba’s decomposing body was discovered stashed in a metallic box on January 3, 2023, along the busy Kipkenyo-Kaptinga road in Kapseret sub-county, Uasin Gishu county.
According to an autopsy report conducted by government pathologist, Johansen Oduor at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, the deceased died of asphyxiation.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is pressuring landlords to raise rents for their properties, which is likely to add another financial burden to already financially struggling tenants.
Last month, the Authority sent out notices to property owners expressing concerns over the constant figures declared as rental income, asking them to adjust the amount to reflect market changes.
“The commissioner has noted that your rental income has been a constant figure or has slightly declined for the period filed,” read one of the notices.
“We understand that rent is an appreciating commodity with economic times, and we expect your declarations for the current month will reflect that. If needed, previous return declarations can be amended. Filing Nil or a decline in rental income is highly discouraged.”
Many landlords were shocked by the notices, especially considering that declines in declared rental income often coincide with vacancies, presenting a challenging situation for property owners as their tenants are likely to move to cheaper houses as soon as rents are raised.
Property owners were expected to pay monthly rental income tax at the rate of 7.5% of the gross rent they collect from tenants starting in January. This rate is slightly lower than the previous 10%.
The rental income tax is applicable for landlords earning annual rental income between Sh280,000 and Sh15 million, equivalent to at least Sh23,333 per month.
Real estate analysts have criticised the directive, stating that raising rents for residential houses is challenging due to the absence of binding tenancy agreements in most leases, and many tenants may quickly move houses when rents are hiked.
“What happens is that rental income in a residential area increases when you have a vacancy,” Johnson Denge, a real estate expert, told the Business Daily.
This was corroborated by a landlord, who stated that he is only able to raise rents when somebody new moves into his house.
“The rental income goes up when I get a new tenant, but not when they have been there for a long time. Getting a constant tenant is not easy, so I do not raise their rents,” said the unnamed property owner.
“In the estate where I have my flats, there is a glut of flats, so rent is a constant figure. If you are the only landlord raising rent, you will automatically transfer your tenants to other properties.”
Meanwhile, KRA has also issued notices to property owners asking them to pay a 1.5% levy on the rent received as an affordable housing levy. In the advisory issued earlier this week, the KRA clarified that property owners will pay 1.5% of the rent received and not the net of the landlord’s incomes after deducting expenses like mortgages and property management fees.
Small businesses, whose annual sales range between Sh1 million and Sh25 million, are also required to pay the levy from their gross sales and not operating profits – a move that is likely to pile pressure on microenterprises such as barbershops and beauty salons.
A Boeing 737-300 aircraft has crashed during take-off in Senegal, injuring 11 people, four of them severely.
The Air Senegal plane bound for the Malian capital Bamako went off the runway in the early hours of Thursday, Dakar’s Blaise Diagne airport said in a statement.
The pilot was slightly injured, but most of the 78 passengers on board were not hurt in the incident.
Operations have since been halted at the airport.
Emergency services at the airport have been mobilised to evacuate passengers, the airport’s statement said.
An inquiry is under way to determine the causes of the incident, which took place at around 0100 GMT.
Boeing has not yet commented on the incident.
Though it is not yet known what caused the crash, it comes as the manufacturer faces a deepening crisis over its safety record.
An unused door blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max in January shortly after take-off in the US.
The company is facing a criminal investigation into that incident.
Authorities on Thursday arrested a Congolese fake-gold scammer who in 2023 engineered fraudulent machinations that bamboozled a Ghanaian merchant into a raw USD 100,000 deal is cooling his heels in Kenyan cells after attempting a sneak-back through the Busia border.
Puati Poba Dally, 35 was intercepted by immigration officials following a stop order issued in September 2023 when the complaint was lodged at the Operations Support Unit offices in Nairobi.
In a classic case of clueless gold dealers losing millions to transnational organized ruthless gold diggers, the victim’s woes and journey to destitution began when he met Puati at a hotel in Ghana over lunch hour.
Puati introduced himself as Osuman from Nigeria, who was in Ghana for business but whose residence and business addresses were in Uganda. In the course of their interaction, Puati learned that the victim was interested in the purchase and sale of gold, where he promised to introduce him to dealers in Uganda whereafter he could sell the gold in Dubai.
Armed with dollars and prayers for a smooth ride, the victim flew to Uganda on August 1, 2023 where Puati introduced him to the alleged dealers only identified as Ben and Hassan (brothers).
The weeks that followed saw the victim tossed back and forth by the three racketeers, and with each toss came the milking of dollars to a tune of USD 71,300 (Sh10.7 million) in the name of documentation of 10kg of gold, non-criminality certification, melting and taxation. Payment for the gold which was agreed at USD 33,000 per kg was to be made upon delivery to Dubai.
Confident that he was done with all the logistical procedures, the victim boarded a UAE-bound flight on August 9 ahead of his cargo. He would days later book a flight back to Uganda on August 13 to check his gold, only to be told that it was being held at customs offices in Kenya where it had been erroneously flown through.
Boarding a flight to the Jomo Kenyatta Intn’l Airport (JKIA) the following day, the victim met Puati’s accomplices only identified as Daniel and Lucy, who fleeced him of close to USD 30,000 (over Sh4.3 million) in tax and clearance of non-existent gold between August 14 and September 1, 2023 when they put him to a flight back to Dubai, in pretext that they were having a flight attendant secure his safe containing gold.
DCI OSU team would only learn of the fraud when uncontrollable screams and wails were witnessed during take-off, forcing the victim to be ejected from the flight and his complaint recorded.
Following the arrest of the prime suspect yesterday, interrogations are being conducted with a view to nab other members of the criminal syndicate.
A special unit has been established within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to monitor threats targeted at bloggers exercising their freedom of speech through the cyberspace.
Speaking while he made his submissions on Wednesday before the Senate Plenary, Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki noted that detectives are actively investigating several incidents in 19 counties, with a sharp focus on gangs perpetuating online attacks and offline violence against Kenyans expressing divergent opinions through various digital platforms.
He also divulged that several suspects have already been arraigned in connection with the brutal murder of Meru-based blogger Daniel Muthiani Bernard, popularly known as Sniper, a case which he described as “water-tight” and reiterated that all the culprits must account for their actions.
NTV news anchor Olive Burrows has announced her departure from Nation Media Group after six years stint.
Burrows anchored her last show on Wednesday.
“This is not goodbye, it is see you later.” She said in the broadcast.
“You guys have been working to see me cry today, I will wait for it to start raining (laughs) then I’ll blame it on the sound,” she said after watching colleagues give their goodbye messages.
Media sources privy to the arrangement say she’ll be joining Citizen TV to replace Victoria Rubadiri who left the Royal Media Services owned station to join CNN.
She went on to say that the station took a chance on her, and the chance has paid off in many aspects of her life, including solid friendships.
She added that she will always remain friends with her colleagues even as she leaves the next phase of her career.
“I love you guys. It has been an absolute privilege working here at the Nation Media Group for the last six years.
“They took a chance on me, and it has paid off, not just careerwise but also the friendships, and we remain comrades in arms because this craft we are in together for the greater good of Kenyans,” Burrows said.
Before joining NTV, she worked as a news anchor at Capital FM.
Rubadiri had been anchoring the weekend news alongside veteran Jeff Koinange.
Government has announced its continued commitment of saving a Kenyan man set to be executed for a murder conviction in Saudi Arabia.
Stephen Bertrand Munyakho who has been in jail for 13 years has been given the option of paying the deceased family Sh123.3 million by Wednesday May 15 to save his life.
Speaking on Wednesday night, Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing’oei said the government is already in the process of seeking a review in Steve’s case giving a sigh of relief to the family.
“Based on the engagements of our Ambassador in Saudi, we have the strong belief that the deadline might be extended,” he added.
Background
Munyakho better known as Stevo to his family and friends, had been involved in an argument which turned violent with his friend and colleague Abdul Halim Mujahid Makrad Saleh.
In the altercation involving a letter opener, Saleh was stabbed and wounded. He managed to get to the hospital where he later succumbed.
Stevo was also injured but not fatally.
A trial began and Stevo was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison.
Saleh’s family however appealed at a Shariah court and in a turn from bad to worse, Stevo was sentenced to death.
This meant that besides having an ‘expiry date’, the Kenyan, who is a father of three – two sons and a daughter, was to face his death by a sword.
Alternatively, a “diya” or “blood money”, could be paid as financial compensation to the victim or his heir in cases of murder, bodily harm or property destruction by mistake.
This is provided by the Islamic law.
In Stevo’s case, being manslaughter – killing by mistake- Saleh’s family agreed to 10 million Saudi Arabia Riyals (SAR).
This was however negotiated and managed to get it reduced to 3.5 million Saudi Riyals, which translated to approximately Sh150 million.
This is the amount which must be paid, in full, before Stevo is released and the sword hanging over his head is taken away.
Committee
In a bid to save his life and considering how fast approaching the date is and the gravity of any action regarding it, Stevo’s family and friends are now appealing to Kenyans of goodwill to help raise the money.
Stevo’s mother Dorothy Kweyu during a press briefing on ‘Bring Back Stevo Campaign Committee’ aimed to save his son from execution in Saudi Arabia, at Sarova PanAfric hotel, Nairobi on May 8, 2024 Image: LEAH MUKANGAI
Thanking those who have since extended their help, a committee formed for this matter ‘Bring Back Stevo’ noted that if a million people would contribute Sh150 before Wednesday, there is hope for getting Kenya’s son back home safely.
The committee chaired by Joseph Odindo has organized a fundraising drive for Sunday, May 11 at 3 pm at a venue to be communicated.
A link for the fundraiser will also be shared for those willing to participate virtually.
“We appeal to all wellwishers to join us in this harambee,” Odindo urged Kenyans.
Those wishing to send their contributions for Stevo’s release can use Paybill No: 8056675 (Let’s Bring Back Stevo) with the Account Name being the donor’s name.
Alternatively, one can send via M pesa to 0702878717 (Dorothy Musopole).
The Committee also appealed to President William Ruto to intervene and help Stevo.
“We urge him to apply his authority and influence to help secure the release of Stephen Munyakho or plead an extension of the May 15 deadline to give the family more time to raise the money,” Odindo said.
The businessman at the centre of the fake fertiliser scandal, Josiah Kariuki Kimani popularly known as Joe Kariuki, spent at least two years in a Tanzanian jail for fraud and at one time pushed a narrative in the media that he owned an airline that did not exist.
Kariuki has been in the limelight for the last month after his company, Silica Booster Limited, popularly known as SBL Innovate Limited, was exposed by African Uncensored for selling fake fertilizer to farmers across the country.
Last month, Kariuki appeared at a church service in Nakuru with area senator Tabitha Karanja where they claimed that the businessman is being fought by unnamed people for political reasons.
“He was implicated as the one bringing fake fertilizer. As a senator whose business has been fought on the basis of politics previously, I saw from a distance that this is a campaign being done by John Alan Namu who has been paid,” said Senator Tabitha at Shabaab Catholic Church.
For now, it is unclear whether Kariuki’s attempt to use the tried and tested technique of blaming politics by businessmen whenever caught in a scandal will save him.
What many people do not know, however, is that this is not the first time that Kariuki is finding himself in controversy, even as he puts up a spirited fight to defend himself.
The businessman who rose within the entertainment circles in Nairobi was first thrust into the limelight as a boisterous music promoter in 2012. He loved selling a larger-than-life persona in the blogs and entertainment sections of the newspapers.
If faking it until making it refers to a person; Joe Kariuki has been there and done that for years until he became mentioned in what could easily be the Kenya Kwanza government’s first major scandal.
Before he started selling fake fertilizer in the government scheme under controversial circumstances, Kariuki faked his image as a ‘billionaire music mogul’ between 2012 and 2015.
Operating from Vision Plaza along Mombasa Road, Kariuki initially sold himself as the owner of Candy n Candy Records, a music label and artist management company.
At that time, he had just moved back to Kenya from the United Kingdom under controversial circumstances when he was 34. No one knows why he decided to come back to Kenya or what he was doing in the UK.
However, the official narrative, pushed by Kariuki when he joined the local music business was that he has worked with big record labels like Virgin Records and he wanted to transfer the skills he had learned abroad to assist Kenyan artists.
Candy n Candy began in Mombasa in 2013 before moving to Nairobi a year later. During its entire existence, the record label never produced any musical hits but pure air.
Kariuki was however a master salesman who knew how to entice journalists to write fictitious tales showering him with praises. These stories were interestingly, rarely challenged by editors or fact-checked for that matter.
Like in one article run by popular entertainment website Ghafla in 2016, Kariuki had apparently been named as one of Africa’s Top 40 Inspirational Visionaries by an un-named Rwandan think tank.
The article did not name who did the poll but said, “Joe Kariuki came second,right behind Tanzania’s maverick President John Pombe Magufuli as one of Africa’s top 40 most inspirational visionaries.”
“I didn’t see that coming,” Joe was quoted in the article which was obviously fake news but being pushed as a real story.
“I mean, I’ve had great moments in my life, found many blessings, and achieved fairly good recognition from far and wide but to be mentioned as the second most influential visionary in Africa?
“Alongside the likes of President Magufuli, Strive Masiyiwa, and Aliko Dangote? Wow! No one could predict that. I’m still trying to digest the news,” said Kariuki.
In another such article published by the Star, Kariuki claimed that his record label Candy n Candy had signed among others American rapper Jay Z.
If you think these claims are outrageous, Kariuki at one time went as far as claiming that his record label had entered into a contract with Mombasa’s Sarova White Sands Hotel to manage a nonexistent nightclub located within the five-star establishment.
According to the claims which were published by the Standard in 2014, Candy n Candy had been given exclusive rights to manage Rhythm Night Club which had been renamed Candy Rhythm Night Club.
Apparently, according to the article, the information about Candy n Candy entering into a ‘deal’ with Sarova had been leaked to the press and he was therefore responding to the claims.
Almost all the articles about him were written in this same manner. And there are dozens of them. Just Google ‘Music Mogul Joe Kariuki Candy n Candy’ and you will see for yourself how one man managed to lie to the whole country through high-grade deceptive marketing.
“I have nothing to worry about, this is a big recording company with all the machinery needed in terms of the music industry is concerned.
“The club sound is proof with a classic VIP room and can host up to 700 fans,” Kariuki told the Standard in the article about his company entering into a deal with the Sarova White Sands Hotel for instance.
I met Kariuki around 2015 when his snake oil salesmanship was at its peak.
At that time he had just signed former Tanzanian Bongo star Mr Nice to his record label.
The artist released one song ‘Mama’ in an effort to resuscitate his career but it flopped.
A colleague called me and said there was a businessman who had started an airline and whether I would be interested in covering him. I agreed.
As I was waiting for the company car to take me to meet Kariuki, I did a quick background check on him on the internet like any journalist would.
Everything I saw about him was marvelous. Apart from his successful record label, the businessman had just launched Candy Empire TV and Candy Empire Radio.
Once I sat down with him, he gave me a long rags-to-riches story of how he was born in Naivasha and dropped down in form two at Magomano Secondary School in Kinangop before ending up in the UK using a Sh50,000 loan that his father had given him.
He also gave me an explanation of his experience in the music business and how it had given him millions of shillings and that he was investing in his next venture, an airline called Candy Air.
He then turned around the screen of his computer and showed me Candy Air’s website which had several airplanes on it, booking procedures, and any other thing an airline should have on the internet.
When I asked him where the planes were so that I come with a photojournalist to photograph them for the newspaper, he explained that all his planes were all out on assignment across the African continent.
He promised to have his people call me when they were positioned at Wilson Airport later that week so that we could photograph them.
We ended that conversation there. A few hours after I got back to the office, Kariuki’s guys started calling me asking about the whereabouts of the article and when it would be published.
I explained about our agreement on the photographs but they insisted that I ran the article first using just his photograph.
I went back to the airline’s website to have a look at the planes again. When I ran their tail numbers to establish ownership, I realised it was all fake. The planes were all registered to other airlines. So I shelved the article to avoid embarrassing myself and my young career.
Interestingly, days later articles about Kariuki launching an airline started appearing in other news websites.
Three months after the airline debacle, Kariuki announced that he was running for the Langata Parliamentary seat on a TNA ticket. He had also invested in a multimillion mining venture in Taita Taveta was soon going to unveil TwinTalk; a “Facebook-like” social media platform.
“I have registered a company under the trademark Hard Assets which now has a licence to mine along the coastal belt. We will be shipping the minerals to Europe where they will be refined and sold to the American gemstone market,” he told the Star on April 15, 2015.
He then suddenly disappeared from the limelight until two years later on August 17, 2017, when it was announced that Kariuki had been arrested in Tanzania for defrauding Yusuf Mohamed, a Tanzanian businessman Sh13 million.
He was sentenced to seven years in an Arusha prison but was released in 2019 after winning an appeal. Once back in Kenya, Kariuki ventured into the online forex trading business through a company called 51 Capital Business.
The company was launched in typical Kariuki style together with another Tanzanian ex-convict Don Bosco Gichana on December 5, 2019.
“Dressed in a Ksh87,000 Yves Saint Laurent black suit, white shirt, and a red tie, Mr Bosco spoke passionately about the future of forex trading, the benefits of cryptocurrency, the emergence of new economic trends, and the lucrative online forex trading,” reported Business Today about the launch.
A few weeks after the launch, the Star reported that Joe Kariuki had been named the Best African Forex Trader 2019 by IC Markets, a leading Forex Contract For Difference provider based in Sydney, Australia.
Allan Ochieng alias Hype Ballo, accused of the murder of DCI officer Felix Kintosi was released Wednesday on a Kshs 500,000 bond with a surety of a similar amount or an alternative cash bail of Kshs 500,000 by a Kiambu Law Court.
In her ruling, Lady Justice Dorah Chepkwony ordered the accused to attend all court sessions, report to DCI Kikuyu Sub-county on the first day of every month until the key witness testifies, and remain under the supervision of Kibera area chief until his case is finalized.
Case
The deceased DCI officer who was then attached to the Kabete Police Station died on March 21 from injuries allegedly sustained during a traffic rage encounter a week earlier.
The alleged assault happened on March 16 after the officer was involved in a non-injury traffic accident at around 4am within Kikuyu market.
Police said in their report Kelian did not identify himself as an officer during the incident.
Ballo had been in custody since his arrest on March 23, after the ODPP through prosecution counsel Jenifer Ndeda applied for his detention pending the completion of a social inquiry report by Probation and Aftercare.
Lady Justice Chepkwony while granting the bail terms ordered the accused to attend all court sessions and to report to DCI Kikuyu Subcounty on the first day of every month until the key witness testifies.
She also directed the accused to remain under the supervision of the Kibera area chief until the conclusion of his case.
This case will be mentioned on 22th May, 2024 for pretrial and scheduling of a hearing date.
Hype Ballo was arrested alongside six others, including DJ Joe Mfalme, in connection with Kelian’s death.
The others are Eric Kariuki Gathua, Simon Wambugu Wanjiru, Khadija Abdi Wako, Sammy Cheruiyot Rotich and Agnes Kerubo Mogoire.
The six were later released and truned into prosecution witnesses.
Members of Kenya’s Maasai pastoralist community are clashing with managers of a major carbon project, raising new concerns that international demand for carbon credits generated in Africa could have damaging consequences for local communities.
The Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP), which describes itself as the world’s largest soil carbon removal project, has sold carbon credits to corporations including Meta, Netflix and UK bank NatWest. It restores and maintains grasslands to absorb carbon by managing the grazing patterns of livestock herds on the 4.7 million acres it covers. Absorbing carbon allows it to generate carbon credits, which can be purchased by corporations to compensate for their greenhouse gas emissions.
Many members of affected local communities say the project is disrupting their ways of life and denying them access to their ancestral land. Some also say it puts women at risk due to harsh work conditions in some areas.
Community activists working in Baringo, Narok and Kajiado counties in Kenya, where the project operates, say that NKRCP had failed to undertake proper public participation or educate local communities, leading to complaints from members of affected communities and resistance to the project’s efforts to fence off land in some areas.
They claimed that the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT), which runs the project, has failed to gain the informed consent of affected communities for the carbon project as is legally required, despite the NRT’s insistence that it has letters of consent.
President William Ruto has ordered the reopening of all schools on Monday next week May 13.
Ruto made the announcement at Statehouse after advice from the Kenya Met Department.
The president made the announcement when during a meeting with Kajiado and Laikipa leaders.
Kenya has been worst hit by floods due to heavy rains linked to El Nino in what has led to deaths of 238 people and displacement of more than 200,000 others.
The president said the government will avail funds for damaged schools infrastructure through NG-CDF
At the same time, Kenya designates Friday, May 10th, 2024, as a day to commemorate those impacted by climate change and commit to environmental improvement efforts.
Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge says in an interview with the BBC that he feared for the life of his family and that he was sacrificed to an online hate campaign in which he was wrongly linked to the death of fellow Kenyan marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum.
Kelvin Kiptum
Kiptum, the world record holder who was on point Kipchoge’s dominance on the marathon definitive over the taking died at the age of 24 from the consequences of a car accident in February.Some social media users began to speculate that Kipchoge was part of a conspiracy to kill Kiptum. Kiptum improved Kipchoge’s world record marathon in Chicago last October and put it at a wee hour and 35 seconds.
Family and family threatened
‘I was shocked that people on social media platforms claimed ‘Eliud is involved in the death of this boy,” said 39-year-old Kipchoge.. That was the worst news ever in my life.” I have received many bad things; that they will set the training camp on fire, that they will burn my investments in the city, that they will burn my house, that they will burn my family.” It didn’t happen, but that’s just how the world is put together.”
Kipchoge’s first reaction when he saw the abuse and the false rumors was to see if his family was safe. “I don’t have the power to go to the police and tell them that my life is in danger. So I wanted to tell my family to be extra careful,” he said.
“I started calling a lot of people. I really feared that my children would go to school and not come back.” Sometimes they cycle around, but we had to stop them because you never know what will happen. We went to take them to school and pick them up again.” My daughter is at boarding school – that was positive that she didn’t have access to social media – but it’s hard for my boys to hear ‘Your father killed someone’.”
Mother
Kipchoge was overwhelmed by emotion during a candid interview at his home in Eldoret when he talked about the impact the abuse campaign had on his mother. “My worst moment was when I tried to call my mother,” he said.
“She said to me ‘Be careful’ and ‘A lot has happened’. Where I come from is a real outland. That my mother already knew about the threats hit me hard and I realized that social media has influence everywhere. But she gave me courage. It was a really tough month.”
Lost ninety percent of friends
However, Kipchoge, who only became the third person to win consecutive Olympic marathons when he defended his title in Tokyo in 2021, decided not to take precautions for his own safety. “I saw no reason to change training location because my life is transparent,” he explained.
“Our sport is not exercising in the gym, but going outside to run. I walk freely on the street.”
Kipchoge claims he lost ‘about 90%’ of his friends due to the wrong link to Kiptum’s accident and online abuse.
“It was really painful for me to hear even negative words from my own people, my training mates, those I contacted. I was really depressed when I experienced that.”
Poor performance in Tokyo
Kipchoge’s team decided to remove him from social media in the aftermath of the hate campaign, but he said he never considered deleting his accounts.” If I delete my accounts, it shows that I’m hiding something,” he said. “I will keep accounts I haven’t done anything.”
However, he believes the abuse of social media has affected his performance during the Tokyo marathon. Kipchoge finished 10th during the Tokyo Marathon on March 3, his worst finish since his debut in 2013.
He crossed the line more than two and a half minutes behind the winner Benson Kipruto. “When I was in Tokyo, I didn’t sleep for three days,” he revealed. “It was my worst final standings ever.”
Olympic marathon
Despite that setback, he was included in Kenya’s marathon team for the Paris 2024 Olympics last Wednesday and is now focusing on writing more history at the Games if he wants to win a third gold medal in a row.
“It’s about getting up and going straight again, towards your goal,” added Kipchoge, who became the first person to run a marathon under two hours in 2019, albeit under controlled conditions in Vienna.
“I want to go into the history books, be the first person to win the Olympic marthon three times in a row.”
Dangerous
Kipchoge has himself been the victim of harassment and threats and believes that social media companies are ‘not doing much’ to prevent abuse on their platforms. “These faceless people post bad things and are really dangerous,” he said.
“If you report some accounts, it will take a while before they delete those accounts. They need to act quickly, collect the facts, and delete accounts. People need to know that if you say something that is not right, your account will be deleted.”
However, Kipchoge has welcomed an announcement from the International Olympic Committee that it plans to “react proactively and on a large scale” to protect athletes from online abuse during Paris 2024. The IOC plans to use artificial intelligence, to help recognize offensive messages and report them to social media companies.” I think that’s the right method,” said Kipchoge.
Trust
But for Kipchoge, it’s already too late to prevent the emotional scars he’s suffered.” I’ve learned that friendship can’t be forever,” he said. I’m sorry this happened at the moment I’ve been active in the sport for over 20 years.” What happened has made me not trust anyone anymore. I don’t even trust my own shadow.”
Drake has released a new diss track as the rap battle with Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick Lamar continues.
The new song titled “The Heart Part 6” is a reference to Lamar’s ongoing single series.
“And we know you’re dropping 6 mins after so instead of posting my address you have a lot to address,” Drake wrote about the release.
Drake’s track responds to the two singles Lamar dropped over the weekend, Friday’s late-night “Meet the Grahams” and Saturday’s “Not Like Us.”
After Lamar aimed at Drake’s parents, son, security guard, and label affiliates, the Toronto rapper is now claiming that he intentionally fed false information to people in hopes that Lamar would unknowingly use it in a track.
“The one’s that you’re getting your stories from, they’re all clowns,” Drake raps. “We plotted for a week and then we fed you the information. A daughter that’s 11 years old, I bet he takes it.”
Drake goes on to claim that Lamar’s songs are “trauma for your own confessions” and directly states “I never been with no one under age.”
Weekend roundup
The intensifying feud between the rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake reached new heights over the weekend, with the simultaneous release of two scathing diss tracks.
After weeks of back and forth, the new songs got personal, with allegations of domestic violence and secret children.
Drake’s track, “Family Matters”, appears to suggest that one of Lamar’s children was fathered by another man.
Lamar’s response, “Meet The Grahams”, alleges that Drake is addicted to gambling, sex, drugs and alcohol.
Drake rejects the claims as a “shambles”.
The two songs, released within minutes of each other on Saturday morning, are much darker than earlier missives in their war of words.
Drake, who is the most streamed rapper in the world, casually suggests that Lamar is a perpetrator of spousal abuse, rapping: “They hired a crisis management team/To clean up the fact that you beat on your queen.”
Outside of the song, Lamar has never been accused of any form of domestic violence.
Drake also addresses the legal aftermath of his earlier diss track, “Taylor Made Freestyle”.
The song, which used Artificial Intelligence to duplicate the voice of Tupac Shakur, was taken down after a complaint from Shakur’s estate.
In “Family Matters”, he accuses Lamar of pulling strings behind the scenes to force that outcome.
“You called the 2Pac Estate/And begged ’em to sue me and get that [expletive] down,” he says.
Lamar wasted no time in retaliating. His song, “Meet The Grahams”, arrived 20 minutes later, along with the warning: “You [messed] up the minute you called out my family’s name”.
The Compton-born rapper proceeded to call out Drake’s parents, and his six-year-old son, by name.
“Dear Adonis, I’m sorry that that man is your father,” he raps in the opening bars. “Let me be honest, it takes a man to be a man, your dad is not responsive.”
He later calls Drake a “deadbeat” and suggests he has secretly fathered another child. Drake responded to the latter accusation with an Instagram post, stating: “Hold on, can someone find my hidden daughter and send her to me pls… These guys are in shambles”, accompanied by several laughing emojis.
Elsewhere on “Meet The Grahams”, Lamar repeats allegations that Drake has used ghostwriters instead of composing his verses, and that he has undergone plastic surgery.
Lamar also alleges that people on the payroll at Drake’s record label OVO are “sex offenders”.
The lyric appears to be a reference to Canadian rapper Baka Not Nice, who began his career as a security guard for Drake, and who was charged in 2014 with forcing a 22-year-old woman into prostitution.
The rapper, whose real name is Travis Savoury, pleaded guilty to assault, but the prostitution charges were dropped.
Timeline of the beef
Drake and Lamar’s feud dates back to 2013 when Lamar was a relative newcomer.
During a performance at the BET Awards, he boasted that his skills had “tucked a sensitive rapper back in his pyjama clothes”. The line was interpreted as a reference to Drake, whose soul-baring blend of rap and R&B had changed the sound of hip-hop.
The feud simmered for a few years, boiling over again last year when J Cole and Drake described themselves, along with Lamar, as the “big three” of rap, on the song “First Person Shooter”.
Lamar responded with a fiery verse on the song “Like That”, declaring that there was no “big three – it’s just big me”.
Since then, both sides have released several diss tracks, with the tension continually ramping up.
The fall-out has been good for business, with both sides scoring hits in this week’s Top 40.
Kenya Power has set up two EV charging stations in Nairobi for free use by motorists, addressing the limited demand for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the country. The stations are located at Stima Plaza in Parklands and the company’s depot in Ruaraka.
To access the charging facilities, motorists must obtain an RFID card from the security desk at any of the two locations.
Kenya Power claims that the availability of these stations can help hybrid vehicles cut travel costs by combining zero-emission electric driving with petrol power for longer distances. A case study showed that one motorist could charge his 12 kWh Outlander battery to 80% in just under 40 minutes when connected to a DC fast charger.
KPLC announced in April that it had set up the charging station at a cost of Sh6.5 million, comprising two chargers: a 50 kW DC (1 hour charging time) and a 22 kW AC (2 hour charging time) charger. Managing director and CEO Joseph Siror plans to inject Sh258 million towards advancing e-mobility in Kenya, including investing in charging infrastructure and acquiring electric vehicles and motorbikes for company use.
In addition to the charging stations at Ruaraka depot and Stima Plaza, plans are underway to install charging stations at company offices across the country by the end of July 2024 at a cost of Sh20 million.
Donholm, Nakuru, Mombasa, Mtito Andei, Kisumu, Eldoret, Roysambu, electricity House Nairobi, and Ragati offices will receive a station each.
The US Embassy in Nairobi on Monday issued a new set of Visa processing requirements.
The Embassy through its X handle, formerly Twitter said applicants have until May 18 to comply.
The Embassy said the move seeks to improve customer experience.
Under the new directive, all non-immigrant visa applicants are required to present the same DS-160 application form during the visa interview as was used to book the appointment.
Non-immigrant visas are for foreign nationals wishing to enter the United States on a temporary basis.
This can be for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work, study or other similar reasons
“Failure to comply with the below will result in the cancellation of their Visa appointment,” the Embassy said.
Under the directive, all visa applicants must locate their DS-160 confirmation page.
They will then be required to log in to their account at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ke to confirm the DS-160 number on their account matches the DS-160 number on the confirmation page.
“If the numbers match, please attend your interview at the time you have scheduled,” the Embassy said.
However, should the confirmation numbers not match, applicants will be required to go to https://ceac.state.gov/GenNIV/Default.aspx and follow the instructions there to complete a new DS-160.
They will then have to print out the confirmation page for their new DS-160 and bring it to their new appointment.
According to the Embassy, the applicants will then log in to their account at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ke again, click on the gear icon at the far right end.
From there, they will be able to select the edit button and replace the old DS-160 number with your new, correct DS-160 number.
Those having issues entering their new DS-160 number are advised to click on ‘Contact Us’ at the bottom of the webpage and follow the instructions to obtain assistance.
“If you fail to confirm or update your DS-160 number by May 18, the U.S. Embassy will cancel your appointment and instruct you to schedule a new appointment,” it said.
Lydiah Mbotela, one of the two Kenya Airways employees detained by the Congolese military intelligence unit has been released.
Foreign Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei announced that the diplomatic efforts by the Kenyan Mission in DRC paid off.
“Deeply grateful to inform that Lydia Mbotela, KQ Manager in DRC, has just been released by the authorities in Kinshasa. I commend the team at our Mission: our Military Attaché, the FRO and the Charge d’affaires, for this incredible work of negotiating our compatriot’s release.” Mr. Songei posted on X.
KQ resumes flights
Meanwhile, KQ CEO, Allan Kilavuka has also confirmed the release, in a statement to the media, the airline operator said the two were released unconditionally and thanked the government for the sustained efforts to secure their release.
“We wish to thank all those who worked tirelessly for the release of our innocent colleagues. Special thanks to KQ colleagues who have been on the ground in Kinshasa and those in Nairobi working to secure their release. We would also like to thank the Government of Kenya, led by the Prime Cabinet Secretary, His Excellency Musalia Mudavadi, and the Kenyan embassy in Kinshasa.” The statement reads.
The operator maintains the innocence of their employees even in the face of grace accusations that saw them detained since April 19.
“We want to reiterate that our employees are innocent and were only carrying out their duties in strict adherence to the laid-out procedures. We stand by their innocence and will continue to support them.”
Mr. Kilavuka has also announced the resumption of flights to DRC following the deal, “with the necessary ground support in place, we are pleased to announce that Kenya Airways will resume flights to Kinshasa on 8 May 2024. We look forward to serving our valued customers once again.” He stated.
Hamas Movement announced that Ismail Haniyeh, the Chief of Hamas’s Political Bureau, called the Prime Minister of Qatar and the Minister of Intelligence of Egypt to inform them of Hamas’s agreement to their proposal regarding a ceasefire agreement.
