Former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho's Director of Communication Mudathir Abdulkareem has landed a new government job.

The soft- spoken communication specialist and strategist has been appointed as  the Chief of Staff, office of the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Culture and Heritage.

Mudathir who once served as the public relations officer at the National museums of Kenya, served as the Deputy Director of Communications at the office of Mombasa governor from 2017 to 2019 before being appointed as the Director in 2019 where he served until 2022.

Mudathir will now undertake various mandates including managing the office of the Permanent Secretary Ummy Bashir. 

Kenyan Premier League side Bandari FC have sacked their head coach Anthony Kimani.

The dockers are said to have reached at the decision after recording a string of poor results..

"Bandari FC wishes to announce that we have parted ways with our head coach, Anthony Kimani, on mutual consent. The Board of Trustees arrived at this decision after thorough deliberations," said a club statement released on Monday.

Adding ""We also want to assure our fans and stakeholders that the club remains steadfast in its commitment to achieving our goals and aspirations as a club,"

The Mombasa based club was at the weekend knocked out of the Mozzart Bet Cup after a  3-0 defeat to AFC Leopards.

 Twahir Muhiddin now takes over the reins for the remainder of the campaign.

Kimani joined Bandari FC in February 2021 as an assistant coach to Rwandese tactician Andre Casa Mbungo before taking over in an acting capacity in February last year after Mbungo was sacked due to  the same reason, a series of poor performance.

The Kenya Ports Authority management led by KPA board chair Benjamin Tayari and Managing Director Captain William Ruto have scaled up efforts to improve port services along the Northern corridor.

The move is aimed at ensuring that the port of Mombasa remains the port of choice in the importation and transportation of cargo in transit markets along the corridor.

During a tour of the Mukwano Industries in Uganda on Wednesday, Chairman Tayari and MD Ruto assured the business community that delays at the Malaba border post will be addressed through automation to ensure cargo is delivered to its destination in good time.

"KPA will also work closely with the Kenyan embassy in Uganda to organize business symposiums with the business community in Uganda to pick emerging issues and effectively find solutions," said Tayari.

In the last visit to the transit markets, the KPA delegation met and engaged customers in Kampala Uganda in a bid to streamline services and address shipping and logistics challenges experienced by the business community.

Earlier on Tuesday, the KPA delegation met with the Burundi Business Community where they urged them to utilize the Naivasha and Nairobi Inland Container Depot for clearance of cargo.

"Non-tariff barriers like weighbridges along the northern corridor, free storage period and port charges are some of the customer concerns that KPA will address to improve efficiency of the Port of Mombasa," Tayari said.

The delegation was in Bujumbura for the ongoing transit stakeholder visit to understand customer concerns and needs.

The delegation later paid a courtesy call on Kenya's High Commissioner to Burundi H.E Daniel Wambura.

Last weekend, the KPA chair was in the Democratic Republic of Congo where he reiterated KPA’s commitment to faster and efficient clearance of cargo destined to DRC when he met the business community in Goma.

He said that the Kenyan government has undertaken to reduce the number of weigh bridges along the northern corridor which have caused delays in cargo movement to the hinterlands and transit markets.

"KPA is also planning to open an office in Goma to efficiently serve the DRC business community in DRC in shipping and transport logistics," he said.  

The Chairman and his delegation including Managing Director Captain William Ruto, Director Emmanuel Kibet, General Manager Corporate Services Edward Kamau and other senior managers earlier on paid a courtesy call on the Governor of North Kivu Lieutenant General Constant Ndima Kogba.

Mombasa Pastors fellowship has condemned the actions on Kilifi pastor, Paul Mackenzie, who is accused of influencing congregants to starve to death.

Led by the Pastors fellowship patron Bishop Tee Nalo, the clerics called on the government to properly investigate the actions, which have led to the loss of more than 100 lives.

"As the leadership of pastors from Coast we disassociate ourselves with Mr.Mckenzi and we condemn his actions of what we see as murder," said Bishop Nalo.

Bishop Nalo further emphasised the need for regulation in churches, saying churches should have umbrella bodies to enable them self-regulate.

"What we stand for is that churches should have umbrella bodies because we advocate for self regulation, churches need to be answerable to a body not operating on t heir own," said Nalo.

Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, Nalo said the pastors fellowship distances itself from the actions of Mackenzie saying churches should not be victimized for mistakes committed by an individual.

"We reiterate that whatever happened in Shakahola is an isolated case and it will be very unfortunate if the church is lumped together, we want it treated as an isolated case, there are laws that should be follow," Nalo added.

They say Mackenzi church was not aligned to any umbrella body and that he took advantage of that to conduct ‘evil activities’.

On his part Kwale house of Bishops deputy patron Elphas Goda called for investigation of senior police chiefs including DCI officers to state why they never took a action when the henious acts were being conducted by Mackenzie.

"The questions we are asking ourselves is what happened to the intelligence of this nation, we want to know if there were reports, and what did they do. We want to urge that as he is being investigated, the government should also investigate the police force and DCI to say what they knew and what they did with the information that they got," said Goda.

Kenya Police football club walloped Bandari football club 3-0 to collect three points during a mid-week league match played at Kenya Ports Authority [KPA] Mbaraki Sports Club in Mombasa county.

The visiting team scored their first goal through Cliffton Miheso in the 40th minute of the first half before rains flooded the pitch during the second half.

The disciplined forces recovered from the 1-0 defeat by former league champs Gor Mahia football club by taking advantage of the weather.

The visiting team scored their second goal through Elvis Rupia and Clipton  Kinago sealed the goal scoresheet with a third goal.

The entrance to watch the match, which was also attended by former Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, was free and it had attracted a fair fair crowd.

The visiting team enjoyed playing on the waterproof pitch as the spectators were treated to a circus.  

Home team striker Umar Kachuma tested the visiting team's goalkeeper Patrick  Matasi twice with the home team playing in an unfamiliar territory after rains almost disrupted the match in the second half.

Prior to the mid-week encounter Bandari were held 1-1 by  FC Talanta at the same venue.  

Musician Diamond Platnumz is among famous personalities who have landed jobs in the Tanzanian government.

The 'Zuwena' hitmaker has been appointed as a member of the Tanzania End Malaria Council, by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu.

The appointment was announced by Tanzania's Minister for Health Ummy Mwalimu on Tuesday morning while marking the world Malaria Day.

" As you are aware in every 100 people in Tanzania 75% of them are under the age of 35 and it is this fact that has seen President Samia Suluhu appoint singer Diamond Platnumz  to the End malaria council as the youth representative and ambassador." said Mwalimu.

Added "Diamond has a following of over 15 million on social media and we believe his influence will help us in the campaign against malaria."

Another singer appointed to the council is Shilole who will also be representing her fellow female musicians and youth.

Mwalimu noted "Shilole has a following of over 9 million and we believe she will also be of help to our campaign."

The African Development Bank and ILX Management B.V. (ILX) signed a partnership agreement to scale up investments and spur institutional investor capital mobilization for Sustainable Development Goals and climate-focussed private sector projects in the Bank Group’s regional member countries.

The signing ceremony took place at the offices of ILX Management in the Netherlands capital Amsterdam.

ILX’s investors are the Dutch pension fund asset managers APG Asset Management, (on behalf of ABP and bpfBOUW) and Achmea Investment Management, (on behalf of Pensioenfonds Vervoer), with other Dutch and European pension fund participants in ILX successor funds expected to join in the future.

ILX Fund I provides a scalable $1 billion private credit investment strategy to be deployed across emerging and developing countries, co-financing with global Multilateral Development Banks (MDB) and other DFIs.

The cooperation arrangement enables the African Development Bank to deliver on its ambition to mobilize financial resources from institutional investors to bridge the significant financing gap required to meet the Bank’s High Five priorities: Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa and Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.

This partnership will allow the Bank and ILX to support non-sovereign operations in these key priority sectors. The High 5s are intrinsically linked to the SDGs.

At the same time, the arrangement offers ILX Fund pension fund participants the opportunity to benefit from the AfDB’s long-standing track record of successfully investing in key economic sectors across Africa.

All loan investments are SDG or Climate Finance-focused while offering attractive risk-adjusted returns, combined with robust environmental, social and governance (ESG) safeguarding.

APG Asset Management, the Netherlands’ largest pension provider, together with Achmea Investment Management have committed $1,050 million to Emerging Market private credit fund ILX Fund I, to invest in four key economic sectors; energy access & clean energy, sustainable industry & infrastructure, inclusive finance and food security.

ILX invests in loan participations arranged by Multilateral Development Banks and other leading DFIs in support of their SDG and Climate focused projects across the Emerging Markets and Developing Economies. 

ILX received grant funding in its development phase from: KfW, the German Development Bank, on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ); the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

They strongly supported ILX's role in mobilising large scale pension fund capital for the leading MDBs and other DFIs in support of their SDG and climate-finance-related investments in emerging markets.

Hassatou N'Sele, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the African Development Bank Group, commented: “We are very pleased to be partnering with ILX to mobilize institutional capital with a Sustainable Development Goals focus. Our objectives are aligned, and the African Development Bank has a strong track record of structuring and financing projects with a strong development impact.” 

Manfred Schepers, Founder and CEO of ILX, said: “We are delighted to have established this strategic partnership. The launch of this partnership demonstrates AfDB’s strong commitment to engage actively with European pension funds, as a key partner in its mobilization effort and contribution to sustainable growth across the African continent. We look forward to a long-term partnership with AfDB on behalf of our pension fund investors, which are becoming key counterparts to finance SDG and climate-finance projects across the emerging markets.”

Kitty van der Heijden, Director-General for International Cooperation, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands said: “With this agreement, Dutch pension funds, ILX and the African Development Bank join hands to increase investments in the SDG and climate goals on the African continent. A very welcome step, as the challenges in achieving the SDGs, and the need to integrate the global climate commitments in African countries’ development pathways, are more urgent than ever.”

The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is handing over Ujiplus back to the Terik Community who hold the indigenous traditional knowledge of the product.

The product, a deworming porridge, was an initiative of the communities’ schools.

The community had requested partnership with KEMRI to support in scientific formulation and clinical trials of Ujiplus, a unique porridge with herbal deworming properties derived from the communities’ traditional herbal practices.

Prof Elijah Songok, the current Acting Director General of KEMRI had taken up the community’s request for partnership and together with his team of researchers at KEMRI carried out safety studies of the innovation including clinical trials leading to the approval and licensing of the product for use in Kenya as a supplement to national schools deworming programs.

Ujiplus is made of ordinary porridge flour fortified with herbal extracts. Clinical trials done in various schools in Kenya indicated to be not only highly nutritive, deworms and clears child skin infections.

The processing of the product was done at Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI).

Through TEPAD, the community received funding from the Canadian Government (Grand Challenges Canada) and Africa Academy of Science to confirm the safety, efficacy and market potential of Ujiplus.

The children from the communities’ schools of Kapsengere, Kapko, Kipchemwon, Soi, Chepkurgung and Gambogi were the first to volunteer for the clinical trials that confirmed the safety and efficacy of Ujiplus.

“We are here to hand back the product to the owners” Prof Songok said while providing sample bales of Ujiplus to Kapsengere Primary School ECD children.

“We in KEMRI work with communities and whatever belong to communities we hand them back” We urge communities in Kenya who have unique herbal products that we can partner with to come forward and work with us. We will not take away your innovation. We are a public institution and serve communities.”

While receiving the sample products, John Bor Chairman of Terik Council of Elders thanked KEMRI and KIRDI on behalf of the community.

He requested the two institutions to continue the partnership with the community through TEPAD.

Elisha Abwao, the TEPAD project coordinator intimated that the project had registered a start-up company Terik Foods Ltd to mass produce Ujiplus and other value-added products, and that community members will be invited to apply for shares in Terik Foods when it is up and running.

“The community need not get worried about the Intellectual property rights of the innovation for Terik Foods has already patented the product with Kenya Intellectual Property Institute (KIPI)”, said a jubilant Abwao.

Stanbic Bank in partnership with Radio Africa are excited to announce the upcoming second edition of the Stanbic Yetu Festival, which is set to take place on Saturday, June 10th, 2023, in Nairobi.

Following last year's highly successful event, which offered attendees an electrifying musical experience, this year's festival will feature an exceptional lineup of both Kenyan and international Rhythm and Blues artists.

Stanbic Yetu Festival has announced the main headline act as Boyz II Men - one of the most iconic R&B groups in the music industry’s history.

The group has redefined popular music and continues to create timeless hits that appeal to fans across all generations.

The band has penned and performed some of the most celebrated and best-known classics of the past two decades.

The group's 4 Grammy Awards are just the tip of the iceberg.

Throughout their 25-year career, Boyz II Men have won an incredible nine (9) American Music Awards, nine (9) Soul Train Awards, three (3) Billboard Awards, and the 2011 MOBO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.

They have also won a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well and a Casino Entertainment Award for their acclaimed residency at the Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, which has been ongoing since 2013.

The group’s mega hits include “End Of The Road”, I’ll Make Love To You”, “One Sweet Day”, “Its So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday”, “Motownphilly” and “On Bended Knees”. We expect Kenya to witness the greatest music show this year.

Kenya is the first leg of their first ever Africa tour.

They will also perform in Uganda and South Africa.

The concert will also showcase some of the best Kenyan Dj’s including DJ G-Money (Conrad Gray), DJ Forro (Andrew Waititu), Dj Shaky (Allan Wainaina) , DJ Grauchi (Zacchaeus Ngani), CNG (Charles Githumbi) and DJ Cream ( Derrick Kamau).

The first edition of the Stanbic Yetu Festival took place last year with multi award winning star, Anthony Hamilton together with Otile Brown and June Gachui.

The event was highly successful with most attendees voting it “the best organized music event in Kenya”.

Stanbic Bank and Radio Africa Group through The Stanbic Yetu Festival seeks to leverage music, a powerful human connector, to bring to life Stanbic’s brand promise “IT CAN BE” by creating a soulful and magical live musical experience in Kenya.

The Government has made good its pledge to KEMRI by advancing Kes. 100 million to establish a training hub for vaccine manufacturing in the country.

The pledge for funding was made by President William Ruto during his recent tour of Brussels in Belgium during which the president announced Kenya’s commitment to have local training hub for manufacturing of vaccines and other medical products as a top priority for his government.

The funding to KEMRI will be used to recruit the first cohort of trainees in vaccine manufacturing who will include highly talented graduating students from local universities competitively recruited to join KEMRI for the programme.

As part of the curriculum, the trainees will be attached to vaccine manufacturing companies in Europe, Korea and Japan to for in-depth practical exposure.

The program shall also recruit Kenya postdoctoral fellows from the diaspora to work with KEMRI to carry out Research and Development Projects under KEMRI scientists on vaccine development.

 “We have a very highly talented team of Kenyans out there in USA, Canada, Europe among others who are completing or have completed their PhD programs in vaccine and drug research that KEMRI will be reaching out to,” Prof. Elijah Songok, Acting Director General, KEMRI said while welcoming the government’s move to fund the initiative.

“Many of them are looking for a way to contribute to such home initiatives but there has been limited platforms for engagement. KEMRI shall provide one such an avenue,’’ Prof. Songok intimated.

Apart from the lessons learnt from the COVID-19, Kenya is racing against time to be self sustainable in vaccine. GAVI (Global Vaccine Initiative) the organization that has been supporting Kenya and other countries to access affordable vaccines for their Immunization programs shall cease support from 2027.