Chinese loans for Mombasa to Malaba railway hit Sh1 trillion

Total Chinese loans to Kenya for the construction of the Mombasa to Malaba standard gauge railway will hit the Sh1 trillion mark after Exim Bank of China expressed interest in funding the third phase of the project.

The lender will pump in Sh490 billion to build the railway between Kisumu and Malaba to link Kenya and Uganda, bringing the total cost to Sh1.02 trillion.

This comes at a time when Kenya’s annual debt repayment is set to hit Sh618.5 billion next year, which will see the Treasury spend an estimated Sh40 out of every Sh100 collected from taxpayers on servicing the ballooning loans.

The bill represents a 38.5 per cent jump from Sh446.4 billion spent on public debt this year, compared to projected 12 per cent growth in tax collection; a key indicator of the country’s ability to repay.

The bank is already financing the first leg of the railway from Mombasa to Nairobi at a cost of Sh380 billion with completed work standing at over 90 per cent currently.

The second phase between Nairobi and Naivasha, a stretch of 120 kilometres, will cost Sh150 billion. The higher cost between Nairobi and Naivasha has been attributed to harsh terrain.

As a result, the cost of tunnels will take up 23 per cent of the total cost estimated at Sh18.2 billion. The tunnels will cut through Rift Valley escarpments, making design work more expensive.

Exim Bank will also fund construction of a modern Sh14 billion port on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kisumu as Kenya targets a bigger maritime trade stake with its land locked neighbours.

Kisumu is seen as a critical hub for trade with neighbouring countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the entire Great Lakes region.

Kisumu port registered robust business activity for decades, helped by a reliable railway system and maritime vessels which ferried cargo to ports such as Mwanza and Bukoba in Tanzania and Jinja and Port Bell in Uganda.

The first phase of the new railway will be commissioned next year in June.

The railway is one of Kenya’s Vision 2030 flagship projects.

It is expected to ease transport as well as strengthen cooperation among East African Community member states and promote trade and the region’s economic development.

A leaked letter details how Cheryl Kitonga was paid to lure Jacob Juma to his death

               

- The late Jacob Juma's clandestine lover, Cheryl Kitonga, has once again been cast into the horrific murder of her later lover

- The girl, a self-confession from a killer says, was paid to lure Juma into his death pit

A self-confession sent to activist Boniface Mwangi details the horrific murder of businessman, Jacob Juma.

The 3-page document narrates how the assassin- whose name was not included, was hired by William Ruto's aide, Farouk Kibet to exterminate the businessman.

The assassins reportedly used Juma's love for women to plan for his cold-blooded execution.

The letter says that Cheryl Kitonga was approached to help in the elimination of the businessman for a sum of KSh 500,000

Kitonga reportedly told the assassins how Juma loved to hangout at the Trattoria sea-food restaurant in town.

She had been asked to poison the businessman but the plan was foiled by a lady called Diana who lived at Juma's Rose apartments.

She made it easy for the attackers to get into his car as she was dropped off by the businessman.When Juma's was waiting for her to get a taxi home, the assassin slipped into his car and had him drive to the location where he was murdered.

Sassy singer Avril shows her 'pregnancy' months after breaking up with boyfriend

Kenyan sassy singer Avril Nyambura has shared a photo with a bulging baby bump months after breaking up with her fiancee of three years.

The image on her Instagram page has got tongues wagging many wondering how she kept the matter private.

The singer who also moonlights as an actress shared the picture on her Instagram captioned 'That awesome moment when you start showing'

Her fans were quick to send congratulatory messages as others doubted the pregnancy.

But photos on her Instagram page revealed the post was after all a lie since she performed on Thursday, December 1 and her tummy flat.

But photos on her Instagram page revealed the post was after all a lie since she performed on Thursday, December 1 and her tummy flat.

She recently split up with her South African fiancee, who she had dated for three years.

Avril revealed during an interview that she will not be having her dream wedding and is taking time off from her relationship. 

 

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Churchill; He used to clean bottles in industrial area…

We all love him. He has the skills and the power to turn our sad faces into balls of laughter. His name is Churchill. And as we wait all week for Sunday so that we can watch the funniest show on TV, we have to admit that we don’t know so much about the King of comedy, Mr. Daniel Ndambuki.
He rarely talks about his personal life as he is always telling jokes and making us laugh, but who is Churchill behind the stage?
It would interest you to find out some very inspiring life experiences about Churchil’s life and his path to success, and we have summed up ten things you probably didn’t know about him:

1. He comes from a very humble background

He is a successful man today, but 30 years ago, it might not have seemed like he would make it in life. He came from a very humble background at the heart of Eastern province’s Machakos.

2. He was headed for a Career in Football

After his O Level education, he joined Nyayo Stars an under 17 football team, which was very successful, but the officials did other things with the money the team was making.
That made Churchill retract and go backwards in his career and life path, as his love for football was not paying him well, if anything.

3. His cousin introduced him to Bible College

A close cousin of Churchill realized that he was wasting away his life with this Football career that seemed to have no future and so, she asked him to quit it and venture into something like Bible School, at the Word of life College in Kabete.

4. He became a Pastor, well, a Sunday School teacher.

He took an active role in Bible School and ended up teaching Sunday School Kids at the Kenya Assemblies of God Church in Bururburu.

5. He won a scholarship to study theology in the US

Unfortunately, because of his background, he was not able to raise the air fare. He had to remain at home.
He gathers that he gained a sense of purpose with the theology and Bible education he had acquired as it gave him a sense of balance in life, even though he lost an opportunity to go and further his studies in the US.

6. He moved to Makongeni neighborhood in Nairobi.

As he sought out for greener pastures, he moved to Makongeni where he lived in a tiny room which he shared with 5 other people. The rent was 500 shillings at the time.

7. He got a job at Industrial Area, where he cleaned bottles

Every day he would go to industrial area to get his hustle on and have some money to buy a meal for the day. He also carried timber, all of which he earned 115 shillings.
He says that he had to befriend the roadside woman who sold food, as jobs were not always promised each day, but hunger was bound to strike.

8. He heard about acting auditions at The Kenya National Theatre

He had tried acting in high school, so he decided to try out the auditions and he was picked out of over 200 people.
He was able to move to a new house which he paid 800 bob per month, he now had a mattress, a kerosene lamp and a few clothes.
He became popular in the acting world and landed a job at KBC as a Sports presenter alongside Torome Tirike.
He also got another opportunity at Citizen Radio.
He was now earning 15,000 shillings and for the third time, he moved to Kinoo.

9. He tried his luck in TV

He started out in a program called Public Noisemakers where he would carry clothes for the cast. With Public Noisemakers, he ended up in Trukallas, a popular comedy show.
After Trukallas he joined the team of Redykyulas as they were touring the US as a guest artist. This is where he realized he was very talented and had potential. Many people suggested that he should have his own show.

10. The struggle to have Churchill Show

Churchill linked up with Bob Nyanja who is his partner in Churchill live and together they came up with the idea of Churchill Show. Many media houses were not willing to buy into their dream and it proved to be quite challenging to have the show on air.
Eventually NTV bought the dream and what you see today is a result of a long story of daring to dream and stepping into the unknown. What surprised you most about Churchill that you didn’t know? Leave a comment below.

 

How to check for KCPE results from the comfort of your house by clicking on http://www.knec-portal.ac.ke

KCPE results have been released today by the Education Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i

- 952,445 candidates sat for the exam across the nation

- Parents who find any anomalies with their children's results should report to KNEC within a month after receiving the results

The Kenya Certificate Of Primary Education (KCPE) results were released today- a record one month earlier than the expected date. 

Students are expected to join form one from January 9, 2017 a feat that Kenyans can only marvel at.

Once the results have been released, the results can be accessed on the phone from the comfort of home.

For parents wishing to access their kid's KCPE results 2016 by SMS send an SMS with your Index Number to 22252 for Safaricom, Airtel and Orange networks.

You can also access the results online by clicking on http://www.knec-portal.ac.ke/ and entering your Index number.

Tough conditions had been imposed to the candidates during the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education(KCPE) in a bid to reduce the cases of exam malpractices in schools.

The marking of the KCPE was also very strict with examiners also being subjected to tough conditions and guidelines.

Kenya’s gospel singer Kambua signs major deal

- As Kenya’s gospel industry is under fierce attack over empty song, artiste Kambua who produces uplifting music has just landed a major deal

Charming gospel singer Kambua is the first ever beauty brand ambassador for Darling, a hair product by Style Industries Ltd.

Kambua received a lot of praises when signing the deal whose value is undiscloses but which is likely to run into over a million.

“We are privileged and honoured to have Kambua on board and we have confidence that she can take this brand to where it truly belongs,” Said CEO Mahmoud Saffideen

On her part, Kambua was humbled by the choice to make her the face of the brand.“I’m honoured to be a part of Darling because it’s such a great brand and to be a part of making women feel beautiful and confident about themselves,” Said Kambua.

The Darling brand started in the early 90s in Industrial Area in Nairobi with only 25 staff and five braid machines.

I did not share nude photos — Siaya politician

Nude photos of a prominent Siaya County politician who is eyeing a parliamentary seat are doing rounds in social media.
The middle aged woman who is currently a member of the Siaya County Assembly denied ‘accidentally’ posting her nude photos in a WhatsApp group and now blames politics for her predicament.
Rosemary Ogutu, the Ford Kenya nominated MCA recently shocked the ‘Siaya County Forum’ WhatsApp group, where she is the administrator, by posting pictures of herself in a ‘birthday suit.’ 
The group consists of politicians, opinion leaders and the public and is mostly used to dissect county politics. Rosemary who has declared her interest in running for the Alego-Usonga parliamentary seat during the 2017 General Elections said she suspected that the move may have angered her opponents who are now focused on bringing her down.
The photos which went viral on social media showed the MCA cuddling her breasts and smiling.
The MCA held a press conference in Siaya and defended herself saying ‘the female gender’ was under attack since her political opponents were behind the scheme to bring her downusing the pictures because she had made major political steps in readiness for the 2017 general election.
Rosemary now claims that her ‘tech-savvy’ friend has hinted to her that her phone was hacked and her line used to post the photos in the group, even as she had her phone in her hand.
“I want to say these pictures are seemingly photoshoped and are directed at character assassination, but I want to believe that my political opponents are behind it. I want to say the direction these people have taken with my private life will not deter me from the journey I have taken in Alego Usonga,” said Rosemary who said she reported the matter at the Siaya Police Station as the incident has brought embarrassment to her family.

A source within Siaya County Police Division confirmed that the case had been registered and police have already commenced investigations.
“I am sorry for my family, my supporters, Siaya County Assembly and my party. We are in a political season and if this is what is going to happen to the women of Kenya and Siaya County then I stand to condemn it. When it comes to the private life of a woman, we are always weak emotionally,” (sic) said Rosemary.
According to the County Assembly legislator, she had attended her party’s National Delegates Convention (NDC) at Bomas, where she had been taking photos of the proceedings and updating members of the said group.
“I can remember the last picture I took and updated was when Siaya Senator James Orengo was addressing the delegates,” she said, adding that shortly after posting that picture, a friend called her, inquiring if she was aware of what was happening in the WhatsApp group. Rosemary quickly checked the group, only to be greeted with her ‘naked’ image, posted by her own cell phone number.
She said before she could comment on the matter, she was removed from the group by an unknown member, and another person had taken over as the group administrator.
“I called another friend who is a teacher, who was also an admin in the group to ask her to delete the group but she was also removed,” she said adding that at no time did she hand over her cell phone to someone else.