Onesmus Kyatha is the new Mombasa County Commissioner.

Mr. Kyatha takes over from Gilbert Kitiyo who has been transferred to Makueni county in the latest reshuffle anounced by Interrior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho.

Kilifi county has also got a new county commissioner Olaka Kutswa who has been transferred from Nandi County.

Former Mombasa county commisioner Evans Achoki was moved to Eastern as the Regional commissioner.

Other areas affected in the new changes are Western, Central, Rift Valley and North Eastern.

ODM leader Raila Odinga returns to the Coast region for a one day visit to hunt for votes ahead of the August 9 election.

The former Prime Minister is expected to tour Taita Taveta county on Friday.

According to his itinerary, Odinga is scheduled to hold a meeting at Kwamnengwa before heading to Maktau to commission the Sh98.6 million Nyangoro water project funded by the local county government and the World Bank.

He is finally expected to hold a political rally at Mwatate town, together with his host Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samoja and other ODM leaders from the region.

The last time Odinga visited Taita Taveta county was March 2021 where he held several meetings with local leaders and a series of rallies in Mwatate and Voi town.

In a recent interview with with Nam Lolwe FM , Raila's campaign board chair Ndiritu Muriithi disclosed they are putting everything in place to ensure that Odinga wins the August elections.

“This is a campaign like no other. It is only comparable to the National Rainbow campaign of 2002,” said Nderitu.

Adding "Traditional Raila supporters are intact, he has also gained many supporters in North Eastern, Rift Valley especially Nakuru and Laikipia. Supporters should feel very encouraged”

Fourteen (14) people including six journalists died on Tuesday morning after a horrific road accident in Simiyu, Tanzania.

The accident involved a personal car and a public service vehicle (PSV).

The six journalists travelling on the personal vehicle,a Toyota Land Cruiser were among a team heading to Bunda to cover an event by the Mwanza Regional Commissioner Eng. Robert Gabriel.

The Land Cruiser transporting the journalists rammed an oncoming PSV, killing five of the journalists on the spot. The sixth journalist died while receiving treatment at a local hospital.

The journalists who died have been identified as Van Charles from Icon TV, Abel Ngapemba, Husna Mlanzi from ITV, Anthony Chuwa from Habari Leo Digital, Regional communication officer,  Steven Msengi, Ukerewe Communications officer and Paul Silanga, the driver.

The accident also claimed the lives of eight passengers who were aboard the PSV. Six died at the scene, the two succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

Tanzania President Samia Suluhu was forced to cut short her speech in Zanzibar where she was presiding over an official function, to break the news to the public and called for a moment of silence for the victims.

"Nimeshtushwa na vifo vya Watu 14 wakiwemo Wanahabari 6 vilivyotokea leo asubuhi baada ya gari lililokuwa katika msafara wa Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Mwanza kugonga na Daladala. Poleni Wafiwa, Wanahabari na jamaa wote. Mungu aziweke mahali pema roho za Marehemu na Majeruhi wapone haraka." she said.

Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) Chairman who is also the Secretary Congress of African Journalists (CAJ), William Janak termed the deaths as big loss to Tanzania's media fraternity.

"On behalf of KCA and Congres of African Journalists "CAJ) wish to send our deepest condolences to JOWUTA and all journalists in Tanzania following the death of six journalists in an accident in Tanzania's Northern City of Mwanza. Poleni sana." said Janak

The Kenya Ports Authority has acquired a new modern, state-of-the-art tugboat to help boost it's operations.

The new tugboat christened 'Mkombozi' 2, RAstar 4200 built in Turkey at a cost of 1.9 billion shillings.

The high-performance Azimuth Stern Driven (ASD) , joins KPA fleet of tugboats to primarily offer salvage and harbour operations as well as complement other marine crafts crucial for tuggage services at the port.

Equipped with excellent maneuverability and packing a hefty 120 tonnes of bollard pull, the vessel with a length overall of 42 metres and maximum draft of 7.2 metres will deliver enhanced towing and ship handling services for vessels stuck at sea/ or with mechanical problems.

Nigerian singer Goya Menor is set to visit Kenya for two major performances.

The ‘You want to bamba’ hitmaker through a video posted on Instagram on Sunday, announced that he will be performing at the B- Club Nairobi on January 16, 2022.   

"On the 16th of January if you really want to chill with the big boys come to B Club Nairobi because I'm going to be there," Menor announced. 

According to a poster shared by B- Club on their social media handles, the singer who has just concluded his Tanzania tour is also set to perform at the B- Club Mombasa club on January 14th.

The Amapiano remix has gotten massive airplay, while also receiving a lot of playbacks from TikTok users who are keen non chilling with the big boys. 

Among those who turned out to be a fan of the song is Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho who recently recorded himself jamming to the song and shared it on social media.

The visit by Goya Menor has however not gone down well with Kenyan comedian Eric Omondi who expressed his disappointment arguing that Kenyans are being taken as a joke for allowing foreign acts to continue performing in the country, adding that the trend of sidelining local artistes must end in 2022.

"This nonsense will end this year! We are becoming a joke," he wrote. 

Kenya Railways has today (Monday) run the first trial train with cargo from Mombasa which arrived via the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line and was transhipped onto the Metre Gauge Railway (MGR) line for onward transportation to Malaba.

The cargo which was loaded at the Port of Mombasa and transported via SGR was seamlessly transhipped onto the MG line at the Naivasha Inland Container Depot (NICD), and is destined for Malaba.

The SGR/MGR paves way for seamless transportation of cargo to the Great Lakes Region including neighbouring countries of  Uganda, Burundi, DR Congo, South Sudan, parts of Tanzania and Rwand.

According to Kenya Railways, Mombasa to the Malaba Railway Railway Yard, via Naivasha ICD, cargo will take 36 hours compared to road transport which takes 96 hours. Similarly, it will cost $860 per TEU compared to road which costs $ 2032 per TEU

According to Kenya Rilways Managing Director Philip Mainga, this will further enhance efficiencies and ease the transshipment process.

Mainga noted “We will have regular, speedy, and reliable delivery of cargo through well-organized trains schedules with strict timetables for the evacuation of cargo and empty container repatriation from the Inland Container Terminals.

This comes just days after Kenya Railways and the tea development agency launched their partnership to transport tea via the SGR from Nairobi to the port of Mombasa.

Under the partnership, tea from KTDA-managed factories will be transported from the tea growing counties to the Nairobi Freight Terminal.

KTDA transported 31 containers of packed tea on their maiden trip from the partnership.

Former Mombasa councillor Kombo Juma Mzee has died.

Mr. Kombo who served as Mikindani Ward councillor between 1992 to 2012 died on Monday morning at his home after a long illness.

He was laid to rest on Monday evening at the Kwashee muslim cemetry, Mikindani.

Several leaders led by Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki, Jomvu Mp Badi Twalib attended the burial.

In his condolence message, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho described him as a charismatic leader.

"I receive the news of the demise of Hon. Kombo Juma Mzee the former Mikindani ward councillor. He was a charismatic leader who served the people of Mikindani and Mombasa at large with utmost rigour and enthusiasm" said Joho.

On his part Jomvu Mp Badi Twalib said the late politician was a mentor and father figure to many young politians.

"It was a honor for me to serve with him way back at the municipal council of Mombasa as councillors. Surely death has robbed Mombasa county one of his gallant sons." said Twalib.

South met West Africa for the first annual cross boarder music festival which took place over the festive season for The Amapiano Festival in Ghana.

Joining some of Ghana’s leading artists - Amapiano royalty DBN Gogo, Kamo Mphela, Uncle Waffles, Focalistic, Bontle Smith, Felo Le Tee and Ntosh took to the stage in Ghana this past December for the first Amapiano Festival.

Over the past couple of years, South Africans in the entertainment industry have vastly enjoyed the dance type that has taken the world and the African continent by storm. The sound and amapiano culture have received recognition in parts the world and has proudly represented South Africa within afro pop culture.

To celebrate this incredible music milestone, D Global Entertainment hosted the first music festival, purely dedicated to the genre.

Hosting some of the leading artists from South Africa, D Global Entertainment brought amapiano to life in Ghana for a unique music showcase that also featured Major League and Uncle Vinny as guests at the festival.

Ensuring the first of an annual celebration of Amapiano in Ghana, the festival saw thousands of music fans in attendance at Garage Lounge in East Legon – which also kicked off the December Festivities in West Africa.

He’s a look at what went down at The Amapiano Festival in Ghana here.

Mombasa artists have come to the defense of the county governor Hassan Joho over the New Year fireworks concert expenditure that has come under criticism.

This is after Mombasa health workers, who have threatened to down tools tomorrow over an impending two months’ salary arrears, accused Joho over his exorbitant expenditure in the concert at the expense of unpaid staff.

Last week during a media briefing, the Mombasa county health workers questioned why the county had to spend an unidentified sum of money in a new year concert while employees of the county have two months unpaid salaries.

Governor led locals in ushering the New Year in style at the Mama Ngina Waterfront where an array of artists entertained the mammoth crowd who had thronged the grounds for the governor’s final fireworks concert.

Speaking during a media Briefing at the Mama Ngina Water front in Mombasa on Monday, the artists drawn from singers, producers, MCs acknowledged the governor Joho’s contribution towards supporting the industry.

“We have a big contribution to the economy of this country and we should not be understated, we respect the doctors but we ask them to respect our professionals as well,” said Peter Siku Karisa alias P-DAY.

Among the artists who took part in the new year eve concert include Stephanie Khatiera alias Tiera Gee,Ali Hamisi alias Ally B,Esther Mwangala alias Adasa,Peter Siku Karisa alias P-DAY,Yusuf Kombo also known as Susumila among others.

 “People should stop thinking being an artist is a simple thing, we are perturbed by these sentiments by our fellow professionals who have underrated the creative industry by making the sentiments against us,” said Stepahie Khattiera alias Tiera Gee.

Yusuf Kombo also known as Susumila , said what has angered them most is that the artists are still awaiting the balance of their payments while they are being regarded as highly paid.

"Everyone was paid half of the amount according to their market rate, therefore it pains us seeing people say we were exorbitantly paid by the county government at the expense of other employees who are also agitating for their rights,” said Susumila.

Ali Hamisi, alias Ally B thanked the Mombasa governor for his continued support to the music industry, saying the industry is still struggling due to covid-19 disease thus needs much support.

 “The job we do is like another job in any profession, we deserve better and not condemnation since we are still feeling the heat from the disruptions of the coronavirus,” lamented. Ally B.

The coastal stretch showed off a spectacular display of fireworks as the hospitality sector reaped bountifully as it recorded a hundred percent occupancy after two years of incurring losses owing to the covid-19 pandemic pandemic.

American singer and actor Rotimi has postponed his World music tour.

Last year, the 'In My bed' hitmaker and Vanessa Mdee's lover revealed that he was a planning a world tour dubbed 'All Or Nothing World Tour' citing Nairobi as one of the places he would be visiting.

http://ommydalla.co.ke/gossip/item/2466-power-star-rotimi-to-visit-kenya

In a statement, Rotimi revealed that he has postponed the tour due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Due to the recent surge in covid cases amid the Omnicron variant, my team and I have made the tough decision to postpone the tour. We feel it is best for the safety of my fans and crew." he said.

Adding " All tickets purchased will remain fully valid and available to be used at the new dates. If you wish to have your tickets refunded that is possible as well. We are working diligently alongside our tour partners to finalize an updated tour schedule which will be announced soon. I appreciate your love and support. Please stay safe and I’ll see you soon."