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On Thursday, May 14, the number of Covid-19 cases in Kenya stood at 758, with 42 fatalities. These numbers are likely to go higher as testing increases.

As the government increases the testing of the virus and the population is advised on protection measures, some trends have become noticeable - some age groups are more vulnerable while others account for most of the transmissions.

Amref Health Africa Global CEO Dr Githinji Gitahi spoke to Kenyans.co.ke shedding more light on the concept of spreaders and how to keep the virus cases at a manageable level.

Amref Health Africa Global CEO Dr Githinji Gitahi

"By spreaders, we are basically referring to the people who are transmitting the disease to others," he told this writer over the phone.

Dr Githinji, who's a Co-Chair of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) 2030 steering committee, added that the people who are the least mobile are the ones least likely to transmit the disease to others while attributing most spreaders to the 20 to 40-year-old group which is most active.

The group accounts for almost 50 per cent of all infections in Kenya but only 9 percent of deaths so far.

"When somebody in this age group gets infected, they are likely to move around a lot by going to work and boarding matatus. So they infect more people due to their interactions. The interactions are less for someone who is 59 years," the health professional conveyed.

From the figures of Kenya's Covid-19 cases, Dr Githinji noted that men above 60 years were most vulnerable to severe disease with 38 percent of all those in this age bracket who are positive in Kenya, dying. 

Age and Sex Distribution of Covid-19 Cases in Kenya

Twitter

Only 16 per cent of women above 60 years who tested positive have died. While that’s still high compared to the general population, it is less than half the case fatality rate as in men of the same age.

He attributed the disparity to men's lifestyles that made them more susceptible to getting infected and also socialization. These risky lifestyles (drinking alcohol and smoking) put men at more risk of the severity of the disease.

Age and Sex Distribution of Covid-19 Cases in Kenya

World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday, May 13, had warned that the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic may escalate into an endemic like Malaria or HIV and may never truly go away.

Dr Githinji explained that by being endemic, the disease would be present for a long time with waves where cases spike and drop.

"Assuming there is no vaccine, all of us are susceptible meaning we can be infected by the virus.  Over time almost all of us will get infected. As we get infected the chances of the virus transmitting from one person to another reduces because the assumption is cases of reinfection are reportedly milder than the first time.

"As more people get infected, the rate of infection becomes lower because there are fewer people to infect as the majority have become immune are not susceptible. 60 or 70 per cent of the population gets infected and the virus dies away because reaching the other 30 per cent is harder as people are spread randomly," he stated.

Flattening the curve involves planning for getting 60 percent of the population over a long period of time so as not to overwhelm the health systems.

"If you spread over one year, then 2 or 3 percent of the critical cases can access the ventilators and heal. but if the 60 per cent gets infected  in three months, you will have too many people needing specialized care at the same time."

He explained that if practiced diligently social distancing would be efficient in flattening the curve.

A graphical representation of the meaning of Flattening the curve

NYTimes

ODM leader Raila Odinga's political charm is without a doubt an enigma to many people trying to figure out how exactly he has remained relevant in the ever-changing political scene in the country.

While many have indeed had the chance to work with Raila in one capacity or the other, only a few have stuck with him for a very long time, one of them being the ODM Communications Director Philip Etale.

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Thursday, May 14, Etale revealed that his work with Raila and the ODM party began during the Yes and No Campaign for the Constitution of Kenya 2020 referendum.

File image of ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga (left) with his party's Communication Director Philip Etale (right)

Before that, however, he revealed that he had been constantly watching Odinga's political campaigns and was always fascinated with the charm that he exuded and the passion in his delivery. 

"When I was a journalist working at Citizen TV, I was a big admirer of Raila Odinga's politics. I, however, first met Odinga when I was only 20 years old in 2000 after he joined forces with Kanu.

"I remember very well that I was the first journalist to cover Raila after the merger with LDP. After my tenure in the mainstream media, I left and showed my interest in political communications," Etale narrated.

Etale stated that it was at this point that he joined the Yes campaign in favor of the constitution working alongside Odinga, the late George Saitoti, Mzee Kibaki and Kalonzo Musyoka among others

He further stated that he was hired by the ODM Party after the new constitution was passed and normal politics resumed. 

He, however, stated that his work has never been totally easy as there are times when he has been approached by people looking to exploit his closeness with Odinga's for personal gains. 

"I have been at the height of political storms, where I have even been approached by other political parties that were hell-bent on teaching Raila a lesson in politics. 

"They have offered me a better house and a better car but I have turned them down because I am loyal. My loyalty to Raila is insurmountable. It cannot waver," Etale confessed. 

Etale hailed Odinga as a revolutionary and a gentleman and also explained that contrary to the opinions of many out there, Odinga was indeed a keen listener and a careful planner. 

Watch a video interview of Philip Etale and Digital Strategist Dennis Itumbi below: 

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"Raila is a very good man, one man who understands things and also a man who listens. Many people might say that Raila never listens but I can tell that he is a very good listener.

"Raila uses every bit of information given to him that can help and be the father of democracy in the county and the man who stood for equality. You can say that these skills have come in handy, " he praised. 

Etale further let it slip that he has political ambitions but was not keen on practicing right now because time was not right but in the near future he would declare his stand.

As the Jubilee Party carries out a purge against legislators perceived to be fighting President Uhuru Kenyatta's agenda, speculation is rife on where the axe will fall next.

Already, Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen and his Nakuru Counterpart Susan Kihika have been ejected from their posts as Majority Leader and Majority Whip respectively. Five nominated senators, Falhada Dekow, Waqo Naomi Jillo, Prengei Victor, Mary Yiane and Millicent Omanga could lose their seats after the party's Secretary General Raphael Tuju announced that it had kickstarted the process of expelling them. 

The message is clear from the party's official, "shape up or ship out" and after the Senate, the cleaning up is now focussed on the National Assembly, as confirmed by Tuju on Wednesday, May 13.

Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju during a press briefing on January 9, 2019.

"Yes, it is headed there (National Assembly), but we are still monitoring the behaviour of the leaders. We will not tolerate deviant behaviour," Tuju stated.

The big question that stands now is whether National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale will face the same fate as Murkomen.

The Garissa Town MP was brought to the Jubilee Party under the United Republican Party (URP) by Deputy President William Ruto and has been a major campaigner for the party's agenda in the parliament.

According to political analyst Herman Manyora, the majority leader might just be spared in the current purge by the ruling party.

"He hasn't come out strongly for either of the factions (Kieleweke or Tangatanga) which has proved a smart move and may see him survive," the analyst told Kenyans.co.ke.

President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) with Deputy President William Ruto (right) and Majority Leader Aden Duale at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on January 29, 2014.

PSCU

Manyora opined that after the changes in the Senate, other leaders will fall in line with the party agenda and speak with one voice noting that Kikuyu MP, Kimani Ichung'wah (Budget and Appropriations Committee chair), Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali (Majority Whip) and Nominated MP Cecily Mbarire (Deputy Majority Chief Whip) may be eject from the seats.

"For Duale, what he has to do now is not only support the president but actually facilitate the removal of the 'rebels' from the positions of power in Parliament. It will happen the same way Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka was made to declare the changes official," he conveyed.

In the event, Duale is ejected, will he still remain relevant? Nafula Kisiangani, a political analyst, is of the idea that he will because, for politicians, relevance is derived from the support of the people in their backyard.

"Even if he is removed, he will still have the people's support and therefore still have some sway. What he may lose is the powers and privileges that come with the majority leader post," the Development Practitioner explained.

Duale has survived moves to eject him from the majority leader seat in the past. In 2015, Kieni MP Kanini Kega drafted a censure motion against Duale following the killing of 12 quarry workers who hailed from Nyeri in a terrorist attack in Mandera.

Duale, however, quashed the threat by mobilising MPs from the Rift Valley to shoot down the intended motion, arguing that it would create animosity within the Jubilee Party.

This time around though, such a move may not work in his favour as was the case for Murkomen who appeared to have the numbers but was still ousted from the seat.

Environment CS Aden Duale(left) with President William Ruto during the Pastoralists Leadership Summit in Garissa on March 1, 2019.

DPPS

You've come across the tags that make you do a double-take to make sure you read something right... probably even the first image in this story had that effect on you.

But after you process the information in the story you go back to the tag that is three or four words and it makes perfect sense - the perfect summary!

These are the tags that NTV chooses to present the news with - light and meaningful at the same time, seasoned with a little humor and they spark conversations.

NTV Anchor Dennis Okari presenting the news with the tag that went viral on social media.

Twitter

NTV's Dann Mwangi spoke to Kenyans.co.ke and revealed how the team at the station develops the tags for their news items.

"First of all, it's a communal effort, we brainstorm over the tags for stories," he says.

Everyone is talented in their own right and we have quite a number of poets, creative thinkers, and writers in our newsroom - he adds in reference to Mark Masai, Sheila Sendeyo, Zainab Wandati, Watson Karuma, Emmanuel Juma.  Joseph Warungu, Dennis Okari and Edmond Nyabola, as well as other editors, reporters and various team members who play different roles.

The Swahili tags are done by the journalists at the Swahili Desk  - Jane Ngoiri, Shabaan Ulaya, Francis Mutegi, Salim Swaleh, Harith Salim.

"The team is very alive to the fact that not everyone is alike in their creativity or wordplay, so they will not shun, but gladly accommodate the tags that are not punny, and more straightforward, but factual and accurate," the seasoned journalist conveyed.

Dann, who serves as an anchor and Innovation and Training editor explained that a number of factors are considered when creating the tags.

NTV news anchor Dann Mwangi at a past event.

Facebook

"The purpose of the tags is to add value to a story without cheapening it. So we have to be careful about how we present the news stories on Prime Time.

"We avoid wordplay on sensitive stories or some that may have negative implications on a company or the government," he conveyed.

Mwangi added that the audience is also considered when developing the tags, especially children.

"We were having a discussion not to be too extreme as children will watch the news and they may not understand," he stated.

The NTV anchor gave an example of how they come about a tag. "With the recent disquiet at the Jubilee party, we play around with the words and come up with "No Party at Jubilee."

"Wordplay on names for example when President Uhuru Kenyatta sent flowers to the United Kingdom the tag was "UK Sends Flowers to the UK."

The journalist further explained a tag that was a source of conversation on social media by his colleague Mark Masai on a report on the treatment of Africans in China during the Covid-19 crisis which ended up with the tag "Ni How China" a wordplay on greetings in Chinese "Ni Hao" and Sheng' slang for "What's happening."

"We also try to make them short by truncating but also careful not to lose the gist. If it is too long to be in the tag we try to write it into the anchor's introduction or the voice over of the story when editing," he conveyed. 

Dann further stated that a source of inspiration comes from social media and they can even borrow puns from posts that work with the news items adding that they try to avoid cliches in the tags.

"I've always been good at wordplay. I am very punny as I was a poet before I was a journalist. Even when I am anchoring the news, you'll hear me do that and put puns in the reporting," he explained.

NTV anchor Mark Masai anchoring a bulletin in May 2020.

He further stated that their boss, NTV's Managing editor Emmanuel Juma was a creative person as his work is evident in "Bull's Eye."

The anchor concluded by stating "it means a lot especially during these times to do something that brings joy to people's lives."

Beatrice Dorea Chege who plays the role of Maggy in Citizen TV's drama series Maria has managed to keep her audience anticipating for more.

In the series, Maggie acts as Silas' girlfriend, creating enmity between her and Vanessa Hausa, whom Silas once dated.

She is clingy and tries her best to win Silas' love against Vanesa, who comes from a rich family. Silas' mother approves of their relationship and wants his son to get married to her.

Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, May 13, spoke exclusively to Dorea, who shared her life journey and how she landed the role on the popular TV series.

Beatrice Dorea Chege who plays the role of Maggy in Citizen TV's drama series 'Maria'

Instagram

1.) Describe yourself as both Dorea and Maggie?

Dorea is a God-fearing, hardworking, focused, a go-getter and always self-motivated while Maggie is a reserved pretender who is so desperate.

2.) How did you land a role in the TV series?

I went for auditions but my role on Uriru wa Wendo, a series that airs on Inooro TV, also played a part in me landing a role on Maria.

3.) What was your childhood like? Did you always want to be an actress?

I grew up in Kahawa west. I did my journalism and mass communication diploma at Daystar University and I'm planning to go back to school and pursue a degree. I am the firstborn in a family of three and both my parents are pastors.

I always wanted to be a singer because of the influence of participating in a church choir.

4.) Do you get stalkers due to fame? What has been your biggest challenge in playing Maggy?

Stalkers are always there actually, as a pretty lady, by now I am used to it. My biggest challenge has been meeting people who are full of hatred. They think I am cold-hearted and a husband snatcher. They advise me against it.

Beatrice Dorea Chege who plays the role of Maggy in Citizen TV's drama series 'Maria'

Instagram

5.) Do you have any side hustles?

Yes. I am the CEO of Dorea's Parlour, a company that deals with beauty.

6.) Is Silas your boyfriend in real life? If not, are you dating?

Silas is my favourite cast. However, he is not my boyfriend in real life and no I'm not dating anyone at the moment.

7.) What would be your message to your fans?

Always put God first, have the right network and always believe in yourself.

Citizen TV's Maria series cast.

Facebook

On April 16, 2020, Kabuchai MP James Lusweti Mukwe's conditioned worsened and he had to be airlifted to Nairobi hospital.

Not many details were known about his condition then as the Ford Kenya MP received medical attention.

Weeks after his transfer, the 2nd term legislator gave an update on his condition to Kenyans.co.ke.

Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula with Kabuchai MP James Lusweti Mukwe at his hospital bed in May 11, 2020.

"Three weeks ago I had a severe case of gout with the swelling starting from my big toe and all the way up to my knee. I was in so much pain," he told this writer over the phone.

Seemingly in better spirits, the MP stated that having seen a specialist from the Nairobi Hospital, the infection was clearing up as he was responding well to the medication.

He added that he had received visitors with Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula making a trip to his hospital room on Monday, May 11.

Lusweti further revealed that he hadn't been keeping tabs with the happenings in Parliament since he was admitted in the hospital.

He was however excited and optimistic to get discharged soon as his conditioned improved.

File image of James Lusweti, Kabuchai MP, Bungoma County

File

Gout is a common form of arthritis that is exhibited by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness in the joints, often the big toe. 

A Clinician, Dr Jeremiah Thiong'o explained to this writer that the mechanism underlying the increased risk for nocturnal gout flare is unknown, but suspects include lower body temperature at night (leading to a higher risk for uric acid crystallisation), dehydration during sleep or periarticular dehydration resulting from sleep position, and a nighttime dip in blood cortisol levels.

He said that in addition to intense joint pain, one could experience a limited range of motions due to the swelling as well.

The doctor further explained that gout is caused by high levels of uric acid. Pain and inflammation occur when too much uric acid crystallises and deposits in the joints.

He added that people have an increased risk of gout due to diet that is rich in meat, beverages sweetened with fruit sugar, have high alcohol consumption, are obese and medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney diseases.

Dr Edwin Mutisya, a general practitioner observed that Kenya’s prevalent nyama coma and alcohol culture provides a perfect breeding ground for this disease to flourish and is now one of the fastest-growing problems.

"The age group of patients suffering from this condition has come down from people in their 40s to as young as those in their 20s," he stated.

He further explained that gout mainly affects men as women are protected by estrogen until they reach menopause then they become equally vulnerable. The disease is further complicated by hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Gout patients often have acute inflammation around their joints.

Medical News Today

"The most effective way to treat gout is by the correct use of prescribed medication and dietary modification," Dr Mutisya advised.

Preventing gout is by drinking plenty of fluids while limiting how many sweetened beverages you drink, limiting or avoiding alcohol and opting for low-fat dairy products and limit your intake of meat, fish and poultry as well as maintaining a desirable

body weight.

"There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that, once unleashed, can make any vision, dream, or desire a reality," American author Tony Robbins is famously quoted. 

Every entrepreneur knows just how much effort and sacrifice it takes to bring a vision to fruition. It takes a certain level of madness to push through when everything is fighting against you. 

For Robert Kamaru, the CEO of Escrow Kenya, the journey of getting his company to the level it is today is anything but a fairytale, but still, he is grateful, taking his wins as they come and making sure he takes every opportunity possible to grow.

Escrow Kenya CEO Robert Kamaru

His business idea came about in an unusual way, a con he explained to this writer, ignited a drive to find a solution to prevent others from making the same mistake. 

Your business inception story is quite interesting, tell me about it...

The idea to launch the service was born out of a personally painful experience when I was conned while buying an iPhone online. I saw a good deal from some guy on one of the buy-and-sell Facebook groups, in which he was selling a high-end iPhone at Ksh40,000. The market value at that time was upwards of Ksh50,000, so this was definitely a good deal. 

His personal profile and Facebook page checked out all right. His page posted regularly; his profile had photos of him. There was nothing spooky about him.

So, when we discussed upfront payment and delivery, I was confident that everything would go as planned. I got the rude shock when I could no longer view his profile or page, or contact him, shortly after sending him a cool Ksh40,000. My money was gone!

From that moment I vowed to never trust blindly online. Better yet, I started researching ways to protect other unsuspecting internet users from falling prey to such scammers.

That’s how I came across the escrow concept - common in the real estate market - and adopted it to develop a form of buyer-seller protection for e-commerce transactions over the next two years since the incident. The service was launched in October 2018 and has been up and running to date.

What Does Escrow Kenya do?

Escrow Kenya solves the problem of trust in e-commerce. Because buyers do not want to make payments until they receive the items they buy online, Escrow Kenya acts as a trusted middle party to e-commerce transactions.

The company holds a buyer’s payment, gives the seller the green light to proceed with the delivery and releases the funds to the seller when the buyer confirms receipt. In case of any disputes, the company helps the two parties reach an amicable solution.

What’s a day in the life of a CEO like...

I struggle with adopting the “CEO” title. For a startup, “CEO” is just another fancy term to mean “the person in charge of everything and who should always be on standby to take over any role – including customer support – when things go crazy”. 

A typical weekday for me begins at 6 a.m. and ends at midnight. In-between will be a mandatory one-hour morning exercise session, either at the gym or out running on the trail; another mandatory 3 hours of undivided time with family; while the rest of the time is spent ensuring people and systems at Escrow Kenya function in-sync.

What's the best business advice you've received?

That has got to be the Rachleff’s Law of Startup Success. Andy Rachleff, the co-founder of Benchmark Capital and CEO of Wealthfront, says, “The #1 company-killer is lack of market. When a great team meets a lousy market, market wins. When a lousy team meets a great market, market wins. When a great team meets a great market, something special happens.” 

What would you do differently business-wise with what you know now as compared to when you started?

I would start sooner and while at it, do things formally right from the onset. There’s no such thing as a perfect business idea and never the perfect time to start a business. The greatest, most efficient products and businesses were built on continuous improvement and adjustment.

Additionally, avoiding formal processes limits the potential of a business.

While such things as registering a business or company, engaging regulators for licensing and observing strict separation of business finance from personal finance can seem like a daunting task, all these formalities prove beneficial in the later stages of a business - such as when seeking financing or funding.

Escrow Kenya CEO Robert Kamaru (right) with co-founder Simon Karugu at the E-commerce awards in August 10, 2019.

You've never been employed...

The reasons are part chance and part passion. Right from a young age, I always wanted to be a businessperson. My father was a fulltime businessman, well into my early teenage years, before going back to employment. Business income is often unstable, so growing up, we never got used to comfort or any other perks that come with a guaranteed paycheck at the end of the month. I guess I fell in love with this uncertainty.

On the flip side, I did not have any mentors around me, and everyone – my father included – wanted me to study hard, get a good job and live a better life.

So, when I started my first business in college and it turned out to be promising by a stroke of luck, that’s how I began my journey into the world of business and entrepreneurship.

How did appearing on Lion's Den help you in your business?

Being featured on the KCB Lions’ Den was the holy grail that catapulted Escrow Kenya into a brighter future. You see, it is already hard enough that individuals have a hard time trusting each other online; the introduction of a third party to an e-commerce transaction runs the risk of worsening the trust issues where one of the parties does not have prior information about the escrow service provider.

The KCB Lions’ Den feature greatly helped increase awareness and passively added a stamp of credibility to our solution.

While it took us eight months from launch to secure a cumulative total volume of Ksh1M, the growth has been exponential since the show was aired in September 2019.

For instance, we crossed the Ksh5M mark only 3 months later in January 2020 and the Ksh10M mark only three months after in March 2020. 

Escrow Kenya Quarterly growth in business volume: Launch-Q1 2020

Robert Kamaru

We hit the Ksh1M-a-month mark in February 2020 and doubled that to cross the Ksh2M-a-month mark in March 2020. Additionally, we have partnered with several individual e-commerce stores and digital marketplaces by integrating our escrow service on their websites through API.

This growth is slowly but surely validating our efforts to make the Kenyan e-commerce space safer.

How do you wind down...

I am an outdoorer. If it’s going down outdoors, it goes for me. Outdoor fitness, especially hiking, is close to my hike. Beyond that, I enjoy writing; I will occasionally pen down my thoughts on my blog or Facebook page. 

You have a traveling/ fitness company... How did that come about?

Outdoorer.ke is more of a movement than a business. I love the outdoors and I am on a mission to encourage more Kenyans across all ages to embrace outdoor fitness.

Gyms can accommodate only so many people, but the outdoors are unlimited. Being out in the wild allows one an invaluable opportunity to disconnect from technology and connect with self, others and nature. I can hardly wait for the Covid-19 epidemic to be over so that we can be reunited with Mother Nature!

Robert Kamaru during an excursion at Mt Longonot on April 24, 2019.

Facebook

Robert Kamaru

How has Covid-19 affected your business... What strategies have you used to adapt and make sure you are still running?

Talk of a bitter-sweet experience! On the one hand, Covid-19 has caused e-commerce and its enablers to thrive amidst the crisis. Escrow Kenya has, consequently, received increased business both in terms of frequency and volumes.

On the other hand, the travel and hospitality industry has been crippled by the partial lockdown and additional restrictions. Outdoorer.ke has, consequently, experienced a total shutdown since March.

Being an online business, it has been easy transitioning into remote working at Escrow Kenya. Although our offices are closed, the team has continued working – surprisingly, more efficiently – from home.

We have managed to adapt swiftly through two key strategies: ensuring that everyone in the team has good internet access and power backup; and encouraging the team to be versatile in the execution of various duties and roles, to ensure that we meet customer demands as efficiently as possible.

For instance, we have had a spike in chat volumes; therefore, every team member has recently been trained on basic customer support duties to enable them assist the customer support department when there are surges. We just might have to rethink the way we work and do business post-Covid-19 and beyond. 

You Parting Shot...

If you are a young entrepreneur like me, it does not matter what stage your business is in right now. The important thing is getting started and always keeping in mind why you started.

Titi Nagwala, is a major player in the field of journalism, despite being an engineer by profession. The self-proclaimed Mfalme wa Rhumba/Rhumba maestro has rocked the airwaves for nearly two decades, with his career sprouting in 2004.

Speaking with Kenyans.co.ke on Tuesday, May 12, the former Head of Radio at Milele FM revealed his whereabouts since exiting the Mediamax Network-owned station in December 2018.

With his eloquent Swahili and trademark laughter, Nagwala, who also worked at Royal Media Services' Radio Citizen, during its early days, and at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, detailed that he ventured into business and digital journalism after he took a sabbatical.

Former KBC and Royal Media Services journalist, Titi Nagwala

File

"I took a sabbatical after exiting Milele FM and had planned to land another job in March 2020, however, with the Coronavirus pandemic breaking out, I decided to shelve the plan for a while.

"Right now, I am running my YouTube channel where I post my work and still connect with my fans. I also have been doing consultancy work for the past year. I believe I will be back in the media in a few months, as that is my passion and calling.

"Digital is the new wave and everyone is adjusting. Competition is stiff in the media but digital gives u an opportunity to shine," Nagwala disclosed. 

For the media guru, he believed in himself even at a time his family didn't. While choosing a career to undertake, his parents and elder brother directed him to pursue Mechanical Engineering at Railways Training Institute (RTI), Nairobi. He even travelled to Canada for further studies, for three years. 

"Journalism is a passion for me and a talent. Although I worked at big engineering firms, I left a hefty salary for an unpaid internship at KBC. I joined the current affairs desk at KBC, where I became a writer and also did voice-overs. 

"While I was in Canada, I used to speak with journalists at CNN, DW and Voice of America (VOA), as I sought opportunities in media," Nagwala revealed in an interview with KTN's Lofty Matambo in 2015.

Upon returning to Kenya, opportunities in engineering were scarce and he resorted to hawking, as a means to an end. 

"The course proved hard as I tarmacked selling groundnuts and maize while looking for an engineering job. I farmed and also worked at Kahawa plantations in Kiambu.

"My parents realised that I had to follow what I wanted in life and asked me to pursue journalism. In 2004, I joined KBC," Nagwala added. 

A few years later, he landed a job at Royal Media Services where he worked with Granton Samboja (incumbent Taita Taveta Governor), and the two would, later on, join Mediamax.

Ex-Milele FM presenter, Titi Nagwala

File

Update: On Wednesday, May 20, one suspect was apprehended arrested by detectives based at Buruburu Police Station.

The suspect was arrested at Kariobangi and claimed that he had bought the phone from a robbery suspect who is on police radar. 

The suspect is being held in custody to help police with the investigation.

KTN reporter Franklin Wallah was on Saturday, May 9, a victim of a mugging that occurred just outside's Kariobangi Police Station.

The reporter took to social media to speak on the robbery that saw him lose his mobile phone.

"Yesterday at around 4 p.m. a group of boys on a motorbike attacked me and robbed me along Outering /Kangundo Road junction. They managed to snatch my phone away but I survived the mugging," he posted.

KTN Crimes and Investigative reporter Franklin Wallah in the studio on September 4, 2019.

Facebook

Franklin Wallah

Ironically, the journalist was coming from an assignment at another police station in the city. He was following up on a crime report when he had an encounter with the robbers. 

A police report seen by Kenyans.co.ke indicates that the crime reporter experienced a problem with his car when he stopped outside Kariobangi Police Station.

As he got out of the car, a bodaboda with two men passed the journalist threatening to hit him. As his attention was focussed on the first motorcycle, a second bodaboda passed by with the passenger snatching his phone from his hand.

The reporter's attempts to raise the alarm fell on deaf ears as no one seemed to spring to action to stop the thieves. He managed to flag down another bodaboda rider where he put up a chase that didn't yield much.

Wallah managed to file a police report at Buru Buru Police Station.

Buruburu Police Station was ranked the second-best detention facility in the country and the best in Nairobi in 2017.

Photo

There has been an increase in muggings in the city with many occurring in broad daylight.

In another incident, a gang shot dead a fourth-year university student, Rodgers Opiyo, during a robbery mission at a hospital in Umoja, Nairobi.

The Meru University student was killed on the spot by the gang of two while purchasing medicine for his ailing mother. The two would later be tracked down by police and killed after gunfight.  

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has revealed that plans are in high gear to construct an international airport in Machakos valued at Ksh250 million.

Speaking exclusively to Kenyans.co.ke, the vocal county boss disclosed that the airport was part of the promised Machakos City project that is set to make the county an international business hub.

He revealed that he has already secured Ksh100 million from Machakos County Assembly budget allocation which will help in taking care of the basics.

A plane flying above the clouds

He further noted that the airport was aimed at bringing employment to 50,000 people in the area.

"We have also put money for an airport. We are constructing an airport further than commercial development. The airport is to open up the region.

"We want the airport because it will bring cargo to Machakos and be able to provide over 50,000 jobs. Machakos County Assembly has already put down Ksh100 million seed money which will enable us to do the basics and then it will grow according to the need over a period of time," stated the governor.

"The airport itself will cost us at least Ksh250 million and then we bring private investors who will build on the airport," he added.

He further clarified that the airport was to serve as a complementary to the busy Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

"It will start as a regional airport and within a few years, it will go international. It will be an alternative to JKIA when Jomo Kenyatta is closed, planes can land there but for us it will make us a lot of money. We are upgrading Machakos to an international place which will make the people of Machakos rich," he added.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport's international arrivals terminus.

Daily Nation

Our attempts to capture the requirements from Kenya Civil Aviation Authority for an airport's construction were unsuccessful but fiery political analyst Mark Bichache noted that the airport's construction was unnecessary.

Comparing with those in Kisumu and Mombasa, he explained that JKIA remained supreme and that the closeness that Machakos enjoys with Nairobi should show that another airport was not necessary.

"Ksh250 million is very little money. JKIA is one of the best airports in Africa and took a lot of money and time to construct. How do you build an alternative that is not needed?

"Look at Mombasa and other airports, what do they have. But Mombasa can't compete with JKIA and it is far. Unless he is going to do a miracle, it is a waste of time," he explained.

Machakos City

The governor also revealed that the county is set to launch the first instalment of Machakos City which involves his ultramodern office complex that rivals State House which was constructed at a little over Ksh200 million.

"Out of the Machakos City programme, we have a conference facility, Machakos Conference Center, at the People's Park, which costs Ksh73 million and we will be unveiling it very soon. There is also a public facility that costs Ksh37 million and there is another Ksh36 million for drainage, road works and landscaping for the facility and interconnectivity.

"There is also a County Commercial Block coming up, a fire station that has already been built and a major stadium that is coming up," he explained adding that the project would be done by mid-2021.

He also noted that some of the projects were being developed by private stakeholders and that the County received additional funding from the World Bank.

He explained that the initial launch is to take place within two or three months.

Machakos County Government's new offices.

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