The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) was on Saturday forced to apologize to Kenyans after being put on the spot for using using fake photos online.

The DCI had posted photos of what it described as suspects of Azimio protests.

"The Directorate of Criminal Investigations wishes to unreservedly apologize to the public for the mix-up of images in yesterday’s communication, which was meant to appeal for information regarding the whereabouts of criminal suspects involved in Monday’s illegal demonstrations." reads a statement from DCI , posted on Saturday.

Adding " The mix-up was partly occasioned by the overwhelming information that we had received via the #FichuakwaDCI online platform regarding the reported incidents of violence,"

DCI on Friday launched a manhunt for suspects alleged to have engaged in acts of violence during the Monday protests. They  requested the suspects to present themselves at the Serious Crimes offices based at DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road or at their nearest police station before close of business on Friday for further action.

Kenyans took to twitter to castigate the DCI over the photos.

On Friday, NTV ran a story on it's 9pm bulletin exposing the DCI over the fake photos.

In one of the  photos a man is seen aiming a teargas cannister at an unknown target. However, the image appears to first have been used in 2008. 

Kenyan music duo Vijana Barubaru (V-Be pronounced as Vee Bee) is on a song release streak, this time giving us a gem titled Romantic Call, which is now available as an audio on all music streaming sites and the video is out on YouTube.

Watch the song here: https://youtu.be/LoZXmobuKNk 

Romantic Call is the group’s second official release after their monster hit, Sasa Hivi ft. Ashley. The previous release Ipo Siku did considerably well and cemented them as one of the newest talents in Kenya that are set to put the country on the world map.

ABOUT THE SONG – ROMANTIC CALL

This song tells the tale of lovers on a call catching up on their individual experiences considering they are geographically distant. It is also a profession of love by the performer to their loved one. It is a feel-good song that asserts the performer’s willingness and intentions to remain in a romantic relationship with their partner till the end of time.

As the world marks the World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) highlights research milestones against a disease responsible for at least six percent all of deaths in the country.

While earlier research at KEMRI reduced the treatment period from 18 to 6 months, current research in TB is harnessing technology in diagnosis, clinical drugs and vaccine therapeutics towards better and lasting solutions to TB.

Kenya is moving towards shortening this treatment period further to 4 months and Institute hopes to support the National TB Control program in rolling out this new treatment program.

“KEMRI through its Centre for Respiratory Diseases Research (CRDR) has doubled efforts clinical trials for two promising TB vaccines for both adults and children. The team is working on a BCG recombinant Phase III vaccines trial for infants in Nairobi and Siaya Counties where at least 1,500 participants have been recruited for the vaccine candidate from the Serum Institute of India.”  Reads a statement from KEMRI.

Adding “Additionally, researchers are also following progress on another Phase III vaccine clinical trials for adolescents and adults. KEMRI participated in a Phase II trials of the m72 candidate TB vaccine that recruited approximately 3,500 adults across several African countries that showed an efficacy signal.”

 The development of this vaccine candidate was taken up by the Gates Medical Research Institute (GMRI) and KEMRI, if selected by the sponsor, is geared-up to participate in a Phase III licensure trials be conducted across many other countries in Africa.

“These vaccines have a likelihood to be adopted by World Health Organization (WHO) and used in protection for TB. This therefore means KEMRI is making the necessary strides in achieving the country's Universal Healthcare (UHC).” adds the statement.

At the same time, researchers in KEMRI together with partners are working on a novel technology that is to support TB diagnosing children which is still a major problem globally.

The study will devise the best ways to diagnose TB in children using a system that will be able to confirm the presence of TB in small amounts of blood obtained by checking for extracellular vesicles as well as accessing the presence of TB cell free DNA in urine and blood.

If successful, TB will be detected in less invasive specimen types which will highly contribute to increase in diagnosis in children.

Modern technology is also being embraced in TB diagnosis; another study is investigating cough sense which is a software that is able to distinguish between a TB cough and any other cough. This is going to change the dynamics of diagnosing a TB patient.

KEMRI has also actively participated in TB research that has seen its treatment period reduce from 18 to 6 months.

Researchers at the Institute are working tirelessly to find lasting solutions to TB diagnosis and treatment that will inform better human health in the country.

National assembly education committee says it will summon Kenya national examinations council KNEC top brass over what it termed as allegations of 2022 national exam national cheating.

The committee led by its chairman Julius Melly  held a public forum with members of the public at the Kenya coast national polytechnic  in Mombasa on Thursday where it received shocking revelations about exam irregularities reported in the 2022 Kenya certificate of secondary education examinations KCSE.

The committee heard that cheating is a collusion of major players from parents, principals, and the examination council officials. While responding to the allegations,Melly said KNEC officials have a date with the committee to explain the truth.

“The confessions and talks by members of public, that one thing that is quite true and cutting across is that there was cheating I the KCSE 2022, and the cheatings in most of the exams originated from KNEC, the council itself is actually the main source of cheating, it’s alleged that the council is the one selling its exams,” said Melly.

Melly said the committee will make recommendations that will spell very punitive measures to examination cheaters. The Mps have also vowed to review the KNEC laws to strengthen it and be able to tame cheating.Melly said the public engagement to seal national exams cheating gaps.

 “We want to investigate the extent at which the cheating was, the decision will be tough, we will make sure that these cheating stops. We are collecting views from the public so that we can know where exam cheating gaps are so that we can seal them, we are also here to find out if certain schools awarded marks more than others in the just concluded KCSE exam,” said Melly.

Speaking to journalists after the completion of the forum the legislators now say KNEC officials whi moght have been involved must carry their own cross.

"We will summon KNEC officials to come to the committee and explain why they leaked papers, we will sanitize this problem once and for all," Melly added.

 According to Timothy Kipchumba,a member of Parliament from Marakwet West  and member of the committee said the committee is determined to clean up the exam cheating menace in the country.

"We want to ensure we secure the exam, integrity and protest the certificates that are churned out ,we also want to ensure we produce graduates that are competent to work in the public service," said Kiprotich.

Committee also  got shocking allegations from members of the public regarding the 2022 Kenya certificate of secondary education KCSE exam cheating purge.

The committee chaired by Joshua Melly was told that some schools who are used to producing good grades, pay as much as sh 1 million to get exam leakages and help maintain their top performance grip in the national examination chart.

Without mentioning names, some of the teachers who wanted their names concealed for fear of victimization alleged that some national schools and private schools are the main suspects in the purchase and distribution.

According to Mombasa KUPPET executive secretary Lynatte Hamadi claimed that some principals collude with students who disappear from the school after registration of KCSE and then reappear during exam rehearsals to sneak in exam leakages.

"We have noted that some students deliberately commit offences so that they can be suspended, then they go on their way to buy exam papers, these are the ones who sneak leakages to the fellow students. As school heads, we want to be helped because the law does not allow us to deregister," claimed Hamadi.

Some of the speakers, who addressed the MPS public hearing, claimed that marking schemes are also leaked and generated to students even before the students sit for exams through a well coordinated scheme of people.

"The examinations of 2022 were marred with malpractices that saw examination papers and marking schemes circulating on social media before rolling out of the said papers. This means that within the council, there were persons who gained access to the examination materials and knowingly revealed the contents to unauthorised persons,"Hamadi added.

It also emerged that exam setters collude with principals of giant public schools or private schools to leak questions that will appear in the final national examination.

They claimed that some teachers are coerced by their employer, the teachers service commission TSC to produce grades so that they can get promotions.

Mombasa based human rights organisation , Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI) has appointed former Chief Justice Dr Willy Mutunga as it's new board chairman.

Mutunga now takes over from veteran human rights defender Khelef Khalifa.

According to a statement from Muhuri, Mutunga who served as the country's chief justice between 2011 and 2016 was elected unanimously due to his grasp on defending human rights.

"He brings an immense wealth of experience especially in the civil society and human rights sector. His impressive track record of defending the constitution and the rule of law will advance MUHURI's goal of averting impunity and boosting constitutionalism in Kenya" reads the statement.

The 2023 edition of Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Growth conversations will take place this week (Tuesday, 14th March 2023) in Mombasa, Kenya.

Dubbed ‘Tamaduni Conversations’, the conversations hosted by the British Council and Twaweza Communications will once again feature in-person discussions, keynote speeches and panel conversations on cross-cutting issues including cultural heritage and technology, gender, inclusive growth and climate.

The sessions will be live-streamed across The British Council’s social media platforms: YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

Leading with the theme of Safeguarding the Cultural Heritage of Mombasa County, Opportunities and Challenges, this year’s Tamaduni Conversations brings together cultural practitioners, government institutions, academics and policymakers to discuss and exchange on various issues contributing to the protection, valuing, discovery and sharing of the cultural heritage of Mombasa county and its people. 

In regards to the choice to take the Tamaduni conversations to the coastal city of Kenya, Prof Kimani Njogu, Executive Director, Twaweza Communications says, “The Tamaduni Conversations will explore the opportunities created by cultural heritage. The coastal region has a very rich cultural heritage that needs to be valued, shared and safeguarded for posterity.” 

He adds, “Our organization, Twaweza Communications, is working with the British Council to bring forward a platform to discuss the connections between heritage and the ocean-driven economy, historical and sacred sites, and restitution of cultural heritage in Mombasa. We hope that we can come up with concrete actions to anchor cultural heritage in community and government initiatives.”

It is hoped that the conversations will enable participants in the Cultural Heritage Programme to identify and create new businesses, and facilitate new jobs and new skills in the domains of tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

Under tangible cultural heritage, participants will gain skills related to movable cultural heritage (such as paintings, sculptures, etc.) and immovable cultural heritage (including monuments and archaeological sites etc.). 

There will also be knowledge shared about underwater cultural heritage. With regard to intangible cultural heritage, opportunities for businesses and jobs will be shared and skills developed in the areas of oral traditions, performing arts, festivals, social practices and rituals.

The involvement of county governments in organizing cultural festivals with diverse offerings will be underscored and opportunities in cultural heritage trade and tourism explored.

The participants will be drawn from public and private sectors, institutions and individuals involved in policy making in the cultural heritage sector and practitioners in cultural heritage.

Mombasa music industry legend Musa Babaz is dead.

Musa who worked closely with top musicians from Mombasa and Tanzania died on Monday afternoon at the Coast general hospital where he was receiving treatment.

Among the artists that Musa has nurtured and worked with include Chikuzee, Susumila, from Tanzania they include Chege, Roma and Stamina.

Tributes have poured in from across the music industry for the legend who was widely regarded as the "father of the Coast music industry".

"Dah, rest in peace King Babaz" posted Tanzanian singer Chege Chigunda.

"Inna lillaahi wa inna ileyhi raajiuun. Allaah akusamehe madh ambi yako na alijaalie kaburilako liwe miongoni mwa bustani za peponi. Kaka yangu ntazidi kukufanyia dua maana umekuwa mwanafamilia wa kutamani hatua zetu ziandamane pamoja kwenye kufanikisha mengi kupitia yale aliyotubariki nayo Mungu. Tulipanga mengi tangia Ramadhani ya mwaka jana tumefturu pamoja na kukutana hadi Tanzania kipindi cha kuugua kwako leo Allaah amekupokea rasmi kama alivyoahidi kwa kila kiumbe chake kuwa kwake kitarejea. Siwezi kuongea mengi sana nibakishe tu nguvu hii kwa kukuombea sana dua maana ndio zitakuwa na msaada na wewe huko ulipo. Rabbi akuzawadie pepo njema kwa juhudi zako na busara na imani yako kwa kusimama na kila mtu wa chini na juu. Uwepo wako utabaki na pengo la kuzibwa kiongozi. My brother #Musababaz Rest in Jannah" posted music Producer Shirko.

On his part Coast filmamker amd hotelier Hassan Faisal posted "The entertainment industry , we have lost a legend. "

Celebrations rocked the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) headquarters in Mombasa on Monday, March 13 after the newly appointed Kenya ports Authority KPA managing director Captain Wiliam Ruto  arrived to begin his work.

KPA employees sang and danced to welcome Ruto, who they regarded as a diligent performer and one who values the rights of employees in the parastatal.

Ruto arrived at the KPA offices on Monday morning, held a meeting with the outgoing acting MD John Mwangemi and the authority's board chairperson Benjamin Dalu Tayari before addressing thousands of waiting union workers.

Ruto was appointed last week by Transport and Road Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.

 KPA had remained without a substantive boss for the past three years since the resignation of Dr Daniel Manduku on March 26, 2020 over graft allegations.

Speaking after taking over from outgoing MD Amb John Mwangemi Captain Ruto said his ambition is to ensure port operations are seamless especially when the facility is experiencing significant growth.

"I have no grudge with anyone, I have not come to haunt anyone, if there is anyone who I wronged, I ask for forgiveness, "said Ruto saying he will ensure workers deliver their jobs.

"We need to improve performance, we need to work hard, if you are lazy, you are not my friend, if you are a hard worker, we will be friends and all the demands that you have tabled will be addressed.

Ruto said he will plan how to break records, asking politicians to stay away from port operations that have been affecting services. He warned against absenteeism at work saying he will not hesitate to crack the whip.

"I will be paying a lot of attention to our stakeholders and development partners to ensure that we deliver a significant development in the facility, “said Ruto.

KPA board of directors chairman Benjamin Tayari confirmed that the board exercised fairness during the interviews for selection of the new MD.

Ruto, who has worked at KPA for 32 years after joining in 1991 as a Cadet Marine Deck Officer before rising through the ranks to be a General Manager, Operations and later a Harbour Master, was on Friday named the new substantive boss of the parastatal.

Until this appointment, he was the General Manager of the Kisumu Port.

On Friday, the Mombasa port community led by the Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (Kifwa) national chairperson Roy Mwanthi, said they are optimistic that Captain Ruto will change operations at KPA.

“As a fraternity and practitioners in the clearing, forwarding and logistics sector, we are delighted to have Captain Ruto at the helm of KPA. He has been the general manager operations, he has been tried and tested, and found to be fit,” said Mwanthi.