Hello and welcome to the Tuesday edition of the Evening Brief Newsletter where the government has responded to the flooded Expressway while also flagging meat sold in Nairobi.
Situational Awareness: Join our expansive community of 18,000 subscribers and get a breakdown of the day's important stories. Join them by subscribing here.
Murkomen on Nairobi Expressway Flaws
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has finally broken the ice over concerns regarding the Nairobi Expressway following a flooding incident that was witnessed three weeks ago.
During an interview with Citizen TV's Trevor Ombija, Murkomen allayed any fears that the multi-billion road may have been constructed with design flaws.
According to Murkomen, the flooding that was witnessed last month was only occasioned by the blockage of its drainage system.
He noted that the issue was fixed within a short time with other measures being explored to address any future incident.
"I asked why it flooded and it was because the drainage was blocked by waste, which they were unable to clean in good time.
"In a very short time, they sorted out that problem and that is appreciated. They also admitted that they may need to provide more drainage systems on the Expressway," he stated.
On the other hand, he credited the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja for addressing the flooding that used to be witnessed on the road below the Expressway in previous years.
He added that the old road would be worked on in the coming months while calling on Kenyans to also acknowledge the work that had been put in by the government.
"Do you know what the good news is? This year, on the lower road there was no flooding. What does that tell you? We sorted the drainage system as KeNHA and the Nairobi County government led by the governor," he stated.
The Scoop
Kenyans.co.ke has established that there will be a major entry to TV47 in the coming days.
Our reporter Hellen Njoroge, through her source at the station, confirmed that renowned TV anchor Betty Kyalo will be joining the TV47 team.
Her exact date for reporting is yet to be established. However, speculations have it that she will be anchoring the news on Fridays and will also have a show thereafter.
Nairobi Meat Flagged
Could Nairobi residents be the biggest beneficiaries of banditry in the country? While it may seem far-fetched, the Ministry of Interior and the Police believe so. Here how;
According to the Ministry led by CS Kithure Kindiki, most of the livestock stolen by bandits usually end up in Nairobi and the neighbouring counties.
Alarmed by the trend, the government has launched a crackdown to deal with those facilitating the illicit trade.
Some of the government departments and agencies involved in the exercise include the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Department for Livestock Development.
"During a high-level meeting, PS Dr Raymond Omollo emphasised the ongoing issues of livestock theft linked to bandits and cattle rustlers, who distribute meat and other animal products through illicit channels.
"In response, all County Commissioners are directed to form multi-agency teams that will enforce compliance and tackle illegal activities, including the slaughter of donkeys which was banned in 2020 and the smuggling of animal products," the Ministry highlighted.
News Twist
Following our coverage of yesterday's Golden Scandal edition, there are new developments that have emerged in China.
Find out new details emerging on two Kenyan athletes who participated in the Beijing Half Marathon race here.
Here are the top five stories for the day;
The millionaires club! Nairobi ranked as the fourth city that hosts the highest number of tycoons in Africa.
Govt announces plans to close 56 TV stations. Here is the list of the affected stations.
Kenyan passport drops three places in the latest ranking.
A new law proposed to block two-term governors from contesting for two seats in the 2027 polls.
The State Department of Housing proposes new regulations that give guidelines on who will be exempted from the 1.5 per cent Housing Levy.
This newsletter was written by Washington Mito and edited by Brian Muuo.
Derrick Kubasu contributed to the content.
Graphics prepared by Adongo Kyalo and Ronnie Mbugua.