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Mustafa Juma

Talented and immensely creative journalist with a commitment to high-quality research and writing with over 5 years of professional experience. Dedication to sound investigative research methods and a strong desire to know the truth of the matter. Excellent reporting and interviewing skills and award-winning writing techniques. Experience writing and reporting across a variety of platforms, including Opera News Kenya, DailyActive.info, LitKenya.com, theexchange.africa and Scooper News

Politics

Imran disowns Twitter account attacking Mariga, KOT finger Itumbi

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

ODM candidate for the Kibra by-election, Imran Okoth, has disowned a Twitter account which has accused his opponent and Jubilee candidate, McDonald Mariga, of stealing his manifesto among other misdeeds.

In a tweet on Friday night, Imran said he is working to get his account verified and warned supporters against following @Imran_Okoth, which he said is a fake account.

Okoth reiterated his commitment to ODM party leader Raila Odinga and urged voters to turn out in big numbers to vote him in.

However, Kenyans on twitter have pointed fingers at Dennis Itumbi, arguing that he is the one responsible for Imran’s fake twitter account.

Imran is seeking to replace his brother, Ken Okoth, who succumbed to cancer in July.

Imran is among 24 candidates who will battle it out for the Kibra seat next Thursday.

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Politics

Hii ni njaa imemleta!Itumbi blasted for ‘hiring’ Jamaican artist to perform at Mariga’s rally

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Statehouse employee Dennis Itumbi has found himself in trouble with Kenyans on twitter after he shared the news of Legendary Jamaican reggae artist Kenyatta Hill endorsing Jubilee’s candidate in the November 7 Kibra by elections McDonald Mariga.

Itumbi posted Kenyatta Hill’s video, captioning it “Kenyatta Hill Endorses Mariga. He will be performing on Sunday in Kibra.”

In the video, the legendary singer who is the son to former reggae star Joseph Hill of the group Mighty Culture says he will be in Kenya for one reason.

Kenyatta Hill, who is named after Kenya’s founding father Jomo KenyattaĀ says he will be here to support Mariga because Mariga has promised to support the talent once elected.

But Kenyans on twitter have refused to take any of Itumbi’s narrative. They argue that Kenyatta Hill is just after money. Some are arguing that he comes from one of the most poorest regions in the world.

Some have accused Itumbi and his team of affording the money to pay the musician but can’t afford to upgrade Kibra.

Some blasted Itumbi for what they argued as thinking that performing at a rally based on a promise will make things change for their candidate.

Kenyatta Hill began his music career one day after the death of his father Joseph Hill who collapsed and died while on stage in Germany in 2006.

From the time of the death of his father, Kenyatta Hill has staged numerous shows across the world perhaps proving to the globe that he has the capacity to step into the shoes of his late dad who was internationally respected for songs including Adis Ababa, Where Do You Get Your Bread Mr Slagad, Wings Of A Dove, Be Honest To Yourselves, among others.

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Entertainment

Ethic’s new jam ‘Tarimbo’ lands them in deep trouble

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Music group Ethic Entertainment have found themselves in deep trouble after releasing their latest jam dubbed Tarimbo that premiered on You tube Friday morning.

The song which has got the attention of moral cop Eziekiel Mutua is set to be pulled down from you tube.

The seemingly angry Mutua took to his social media account on Friday morning to notify Kenyans that he had spoken to google to pull down the song which he has termed as crap.

According to Mutua, the song advocates for rape of women.

While noting that promoting violence against women is a crime, Mutua has called for George Kinoti-led Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to arrest the entire bunch of musicians under Article 33, for going beyond the prescribed delimitations on freedom of expression by advocating for violence against women.

I have spoken to Google to take down the damn crap called Tarimbo by Ethic Entertainment which advocates for rape of women. Promoting violence against women is criminal. The DCI should arrest the entire bunch of musicians called Ethic, under Article 33, for going beyond the prescribed delimitations on freedom of expression by advocating for violence against women.

He says the current musicians and performers have defied everything decent societies holds dear and thrown morality to the four winds in the name of money and popularity.

He has cautioned all the clubs and DJs not to play such type of songs.

“When we banned Wamlambez people said we were killing creativity. I asked these nincompoops if they could shout Wamlambez to their mothers and they said they could. I was baffled. These so called musicians and performers have defied everything decent societies holds dear. They have thrown morality to the four winds in the name of money and popularity. My interpretation of Wamlambez and Tarimbo is that these are not artists. They are demented circus thugs hiding behind art to promote indecency. Any self respecting DJ should not play these songs. No club should allow music that advocates for violence against women. Unless decent people rise against the wave immorality in Kenya, we are going to lose a generation in the name of creative freedom. No freedom is absolute. This time round we must draw the line!” Mutua posted on facebook.

This is not the first time Mutua is engaging in a tussle with the new generation artists.

Takataka hit maker Alvindo and Gengetone singers Sailors gang are among the artists that have found themselves in trouble with Mutua over the content in their songs.

A few months ago, Mutua banned Sailors Gang’s Wamlambez from playing outside the clubs.

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Latest News

Details of anticipated SportPesa meeting with ex-staff

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

More than 400 SportPesa employees, who were rendered jobless on October 2 after their contracts were terminated, were on Friday, November 1, issued with redundancy notices.

The meeting was called by the firmā€™s head of human resources, Terry Wanja Njagi, via an email dated Thursday, October 31, and addressed to all ex-staff members.

And, in their hundreds, the former employees of Kenyaā€™s leading betting firm trooped to the Chancery Building on Valley Road, Nairobi on Friday ahead of the 11am convention that they hoped would see them get their jobs back.

However, that did not happen.

According to sources who spoke to local dailies, the meeting, which lasted less than 20 minutes, yielded only one message: that all the employeesā€™ termination letters have been withdrawn, and replaced with redundancy letters.

Ā ā€œThey [SportPesa management] did not give us the information we expected [that weā€™ll have our jobs back]. In the extremely brief meeting, they said that our termination letters were withdrawn, and that we will, instead, be served with redundancy notices as the Kenyan labour law demands,ā€ said an informant, who spoke to a local daily on condition of anonymity.

In an October 31, the companyā€™s CEO Captain Ronald Karauri said via a letter: ā€œWe refer you to our notice of termination of employment dated October 2, 2019. By copy of this letter, please consider the said-notice withdrawn with immediate effect and the content therein nullified.ā€

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Politics

Kibaki admitted at Nairobi Hospital

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Former President Mwai Kibaki is admitted at The Nairobi Hospital.

According to reports by a local daily, Kibaki was admitted to hospital on Monday after he complained of pain on his knee.

Kibaki, 88, was in London last week for a series of medical checks where his knee was also examined. It is understood that Mzee’s knee has been paining.

“Mzee was taken to the hospital for some check-ups but we are praying for him,ā€ a family source was quoted by the local daily.

But Kibakiā€™s Private Secretary Ngari Gituku vehemently denied that the ex-President was admitted. He described him as ā€œcheerful and alert.ā€

Gituku said The Nairobi Hospital is one of the facilities the former Head of State occasionally visits for medical attention.

ā€œIt could be one of the medical facilities where he occasionally seek medical attention. That doesnā€™t mean he is there,ā€ Gituku was quoted.

Kibaki’s predecessor Daniel Moi is also undergoing treatment at the same hospital.

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Politics

Governor Sonko exposes city hall cartels milking Nairobi dry by supplying air

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Nairobi County governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has yet again exposed cartels who have been milking his government dry by supplying ‘hot air’.

Taking to his facebook account on Wednesday evening, Sonko said that the cartels who had siphoned money from the previous Evans Kidero-led administration have come back again.

The flamboyant governor says a company by the name PROLAND Ltd owned by Mr Fredrick Mungai recorded a consent with Nairobi County Gov’t during the previous administration to be paid Sh35m for supplying hot air

According to Sonko, the cartels were paid over Sh50m during the previous regime for the supply of air.

He notes that they are back with plain cloth Police officers at his Finance offices to force the County Government to pay more millions at the expense of taxpayerā€™s money.

The county chief says that so far the cartels have already been paid Sh175,000,000 without supplying anything to the county.

His facebook post reads “The cartels are back again at City Hall. PROLAND Ltd owned by a Mr Fredrick Mungai recorded a consent with Nairobi County Gov’t during the previous administration to be paid Sh35m for supplying hot air.

They were paid over Sh50m during the previous regime for the supply of air.

Now they’re back with plain cloth Police officers at our Finance offices to force the County Government to pay more millions at the expense of taxpayerā€™s money.

So far they have already been paid Sh175,000,000 without supplying anything to the county.

But as long as I’m the Governor of Nairobi, I will not allow the cartels to steal County Gov’t money.”

He has however vowed to fight the cartels saying that he will not allow them to steal County government money.

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Crime & Investigations

Things Sarah Wairimu want from slain Cohen’s Kitisuru home with Court’s permission

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Sarah Wairimu, the chief suspect in the murder of Tob Cohen, has asked the court to grant her permission to access her Kitisuru home so that she can collect her clothes, shoes, vehicle and other belonging.

Wairimu, through her lawyer Philip Murgor, says she is spending a lot of money on purchasing new clothes.

In the application filed by Murgor, Wairimu says her vehicle is not part of the investigations, and, therefore, it should be released to her.

The suspect claims she is surviving on lifts from relatives and friends and taxi rides, which she terms as expensive.

The prosecution, through Catherine Mwaniki, objected to the application, saying everything in Wairimuā€™s house is treated as part of exhibit in Tob Cohenā€™s murder case, and, therefore, should not be tampered with.

Justice Stella Mutuku declined to issue any order Wednesday, instead, asking Murgor to file a formal application that will be heard on Tuesday, November 5.

Wairimu, who in early October pleaded not guilty to killing Tob Cohen, is out on a Ksh2 million bond.

Tob Cohen, who went missing on July 19, was on September 13 found murdered, and his body dumped in an underground water tank at his Kitisuru home.

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Latest News

4 teachers land center manager, supervisors, invigilator in hot soup during KCPE

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

The center manager, two supervisors and an invigilator deployed to Hezta Primary School in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua County were arrested on Wednesday, October 30, after four teachers at the institution allegedly aided 29 pupils in exam cheating.

The tutors were also apprehended.

According to Nyandarua County Commissioner, Boaz Cherutich, security officers assigned to the school got suspicious when they saw the four teachers within the school compound as KCPE tests continued, an act which is prohibited by the national exam council.

ā€œAfter alerting my office, I assigned law enforcement agents to go to the school and investigate the allegations. Preliminary report shows there was negligence on the side of the center manager, two supervisors and an invigilator, given they allowed the four teachers to access the school, which is against KNEC ā€˜s exam supervision regulations,ā€ Cherutich was quoted by a local daily.

ā€œWe have asked the Teachersā€™ Service Commission to take disciplinary action against the eight. Tomorrow [Thursday, October 31], a new team will be deployed to supervise the Social Studies paper at Hezta Primary School,ā€ said Cherutich.

The suspects will be arraigned once investigations are concluded, said the county commissioner.

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Politics

VIDEO: Bungoma woman sends special plea to Uhuru over his foreign trips

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday hit the headlines when various media publications documented his 31 foreign trips in 21 months.

Uhuru left the country on October 21, heading to Japan after Mashujaa Day celebrations in Mombasa. He is currently in Saudi Arabia.

He will proceed to Botswana for the official swearing-in of President-elect Eric Mokgweetsi Masisi.

In Japan, Uhuru witnessed the enthronement of the new emperor, which was the climax of a long and detailed succession process that started on May 1.

He later left for Sochi, Russia, where he attended the inaugural Russia-Africa Summit.

The President’s trips come amid call for austerity measures as the country grapples with the debt burden.

It is this burden that has forced Bungoma woman Christine Wamalwa to send a special plea to the head of state.

Mrs Wamalwa urges the president to sit down and look into Kenya’s overwhelming debt burden, cancer menace, unemployment among other issues affecting Kenya.

She says Uhuru’s foreign trips won’t benefit the country in any way, urging the president to set up cancer centres to help battle the cancer menace in the country.

Watch Christine Wamalwa’s video via this twitter post courtesy of Daily Nation.

However, State House has defended President Kenyatta’s foreign trips, saying they will benefit the nation.

Nzioka Waita, the Chief of staff in the office of the President, took to Twitter on Wednesday to say it is Uhuru’s job to position Kenya on the world stage.

What do you think about president Kenyatta’s foreign trips?

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Politics

Tension in Mudavadi, Raila camps as 200 ANC youth leaders decamp to support Mariga

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

As Kibra by elections draws near, tension has hit the camps battling it out for the November 7 parliamentary seat with ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi being the most affected.

On Wednesday October 30, 2019, 200 youths alleged to be ANC youth leaders in Kibra were received in Jubilee party McDonald Mariga’s camp.

Taking to twitter on Wednesday afternoon, former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale while sharing the photos said that he had received the alleged ANC party youth leaders in Kibra, and that they had declared their support for Mariga.

Khalwale said that he alongside Starehe MP Charles Njagua and Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa had welcomed the youths in team Mariga.

He congratulated the youths for what he said having chosen the better option.

“Together with Hon Njagwa (Starehe) & @DidmusWaBarasa (Kimilili) received 200 @anc_party Kibra youth leaders into Team-Mariga-4-Kibra. Congratulations young people for choosing the better option,” posted Khalwale.

However, ODM aspirant in the party’s Kibra primaries Benson Musungu disputed Khalwale’s allegations saying that the alleged youths are ODM supporters and that they will vote for ODM candidate Bernard Imran Okoth.

He termed Khalwale’s allegations as Kibra lies.

“Omwami welcome to Kibra lies! Those are our youth wait and see them voting @TheODMparty on 7th!!” he posted.

Jubilee’s Mariga will face off with ODM’s Imran, ANC’s Eliud Owalo, Ford Kenya’s Khamisi Butichi among others in a hotly contested race to succeed Ken Okoth who succumbed to cancer.

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Latest News

KCPE candidate writes exam from hospital after taking poison

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A Class Eight pupil from Rarieda in Bondo Sub-County, Siaya County, sat his Mathematics paper at the Bondo Sub-County Referral Hospital, where he was taken after consuming poison on Monday evening (October 28).

According to a local daily, the boy ingested insecticide and was rushed to Ndori Health Centre by his parents, before being transferred to Bondo Sub-County hospital.

The pupil, 15, who was enrolled for the 2019 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at Kitambo Primary School is in a stable condition, Bondo Hospitalā€™s deputy medical superintendent, Dr. Paul Oloo, toldĀ the media.

ā€œThe teenager will sit the remaining tests in hospital as that will help him avoid the anxiety and fear that is brought by the classroom environment,ā€ said Dr. Oloo.

It remains unclear why the minor attempted suicide.

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Sports

John Terry’s message to Abraham, Loftus-Cheek and Tomori that Chelsea fans will love

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

John Terry made his Chelsea first-team debut 20 years ago this month.

In fact, it came on October 28, 1998 as he was a substitute against Aston Villa – with whom he’s currently an assistant head coach – in a League Cup tie at Stamford Bridge which ended 4-1 to the hosts.

And one member of the current Blues squad who has followed in Terry’s footsteps in terms of coming through the ranks at the club had a superb message for the former defender.

To mark the occasion, Tammy Abraham sent the Blues legend a picture of the club’s academy players watching that exact game from two decades ago.

The twist being that the players were babies at the time and were watching from their cots – something which made Terry feel rather old.

When @tammyabraham1 sends you this pic and makes you feel old,” Terry wrote on instagram and tagged Callum Hudson-Odoi, Mason Mount and Recce James.

He then brought up a brilliant and hilarious point about Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fikayo Tomori and Abraham.

“You 3 shouldnā€™t have been up that late watching the game,” he added.

This prompted every player tagged in the photo to respond.

Abraham said: “I keep laughing at this.”

MountĀ replied with: “That’s brilliant.”

Loftus-Cheek had the real question: “Am I the only one wondering why we have beards and are sleeping in cots?”

TomoriĀ said: “Love it.”Ā JamesĀ said: “Class.” WhileĀ Hudson-OdoiĀ reacted with a few laughing emojis.


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Latest News

VIDEO: Tractor comes to the rescue after bus carrying KCPE exam gets stuck in the mud

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A tractor had to come to the rescue after a school bus ferrying KCPE exams and a police car got stuck in mud in Kuresoi North, Nakuru County on Tuesday morning.

KCPE exams kicked off countrywide on Tuesday morning with close to 70,000 security officers being deployed to secure the exam papers and candidates.

In a video doing rounds on social media, a red-colored tractor is seen pulling the Mau Summit secondary school bus from the mud.

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha and his Interior counterpart Fred Matiangā€™i are overseeing the exercise that will take three days.

Prof Magoha started his day in Mombasa while Dr Matiangā€™i oversaw the opening of the exam papers at Garrison Primary School, Gilgil.

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Latest News

Headteacher lands in hot soup on first day of KCPE

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A headteacher at NYS Primary School in Gilgil has found himself in trouble when interior cabinet secretary Dr Fred Matiangā€™i evacuated candidates from a classroom with a leaking roof during KCPE exams.

The powerful CS has ordered disciplinary measures to be taken against the head teacher.

The teacher faces sanction for failing to alert relevant authorities that four classrooms needed urgent renovations to avoid putting pupilsā€™ lives in danger.

The Interior CS however urged the county director of education to ensure that the school is allocated funds to renovate the affected classrooms.

Matiang’i witnessed the opening of the examination container and distribution at Gilgil DCC’s office.

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Latest News

Magoha fires warning to headteachers as KCPE exams kick off

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Mahoga on Tuesday morning warned headteachers against blocking class eight candidates from sitting for their national examinations.

Magoha, who witnessed the opening of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination in Mombasa, said every child should be allowed to sit for their papers.

“I want to take this opportunity to warn very few centre managers, who may attempt to block children from taking examinations for whatever reasons. You cannot stop a child to sit for an exam because they failed to pay Sh300,”  he said.

The CS reiterated that every child must be given access and if there are any other issues, they will be sorted out later.

At the same time, Magoha said in this year’s KCPE examinations there were very few cases of fake papers being spread around.

“TheseĀ  exams have been seen for the first time this morning as I had told the nation earlier. Its fidelity is unquestionable,” Magoha said.

He said the good news is that this year,  they did not pick any fake examination papers prior to the starting date.

“We have not picked any fake examinations even though we had a lot of backroom plans by certain teachers in certain hotspots,” he added.

Magoha said parents, teachers and students should not be worried about cheating because there will be 100 percent transition into the secondary school.

For the regions affected by the floods, Magoha said the government has 10 helicopters that will be used to facilitate delivery of the papers in good time.

“The downside of this year’s examinations are the rains that have affected some regions. However, we have 10 helicopters that are at our disposal. No child will miss an examination,” he said.

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Latest News

Senate report on Likoni Tragedy exposes Kenya Ferry badly

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Senators have raised the alarm about the state of the five vessels operated by the Kenya Ferry Services (KFS), terming them potential deathtraps.

According to a report tabled in the Senate, MV Kwale, MV Nyayo, MV Kilindini, MV Harambee and MV Likoni, all plying the Likoni channel, are dysfunctional and unseaworthy.

In particular, the report reveals that MV Harambee does not have functional ramps, which is a contravention of International Safety Management (ISM) regulations, that requires all vessels to dry-dock after 8,500 hours of operations.

Further, the report accuses KFS of operating three decommissioned ferries, including MV Harambee, MV Nyayo and MV Kilindini.

The three vessels are some of Kenyaā€™s oldest ferries, having been bought as used vessels in 1990.

The report tabled by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior on Wednesday condemns the five vessels, saying they pose danger to the more than 300,000 passengers and over 6,000 motorists plying the Likoni channel every day.

ā€œI have it on record that the ramps commonly referred to as prows are not functioning and in the case of MV Kilindini, the prows are rising at less than 45 degrees,ā€ he said on the floor of the House on Wednesday.

ā€œHad the ramp of MV Harambee been functioning properly, the untimely death of Mariam Kighenda and her daughter Amanda Mutheu on 29th September 29,  2019, could have been avoided.ā€

Mariam Kighenda, 35, and her daughter Amanda, 4, died when their vehicle slid from MV Harambee into the Indian Ocean as the ferry was crossing the channel.

Investigations are underway and several employees of KFS who were in charge of the vessel on the day the tragedy happened have already been interrogated.

ā€œI received information that this incident was as a result of the sorry state of our five ferries operating on the Likoni channel; that is MV Kwale, MV Nyayo, MV Kilindini, MV Harambee and MV Likoni,ā€ the senator concludes.

According to the Makueni senator, MV Harambee was refurbished in what is commonly referred to in maritime terms as a dry dock at a cost of Kshs157million in the Financial Year 2016/ 2017.

ā€œI strongly suspect that the said amount of Kshs157million was misappropriated. This matter requires urgent investigations,ā€ he said.

The senator also called for a probe into the management of African Marine Limited which KFS has single-sourced for the servicing of its vessels.

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