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Showing posts from March, 2020

Kenya: Four More Test Positive for COVID-19

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Four more people have tested positive for coronavirus bringing the total number of confirmed positive cases to 42. During a briefing on Sunday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said of the four, one is a Kenyan, one American, one Cameroonian and one a Burkinabé. Mr Kagwe said three of the cases were based in Nairobi and one in Mombasa. The CS said of the 42 cases, 24 are male while 18 are females. Nairobi leads with 31 cases followed by Kilifi (six), Mombasa (Three) and Kwale and Kajiado on each. QUARANTINE He said that mass testing has begun on those who travelled into the country from last Sunday. Those currently on mandatory quarantine are 2,050 people. “Today our medical teams have embarked on mass testing for all those persons who arrived in the country last week, and are currently under mandatory quarantine in various designated hotels and Government facilities. These tests are based on dates of arrival, it is important that suspects remain in quarant

Six reasons why you shouldn't throw away banana peels

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Bananas are not only yummy they contain essential nutrients, are a healthy snack, fiber which is great for digestion and, as Healthline reports, can aid in weight loss. can be used in your daily routine? Their anti-inflammatory properties make them great for your skin. They can also be used in cleaning and general household maintenance.  Here's why you should stop throwing away banana peels. 1. Use them to whiten teeth Banana peels have a whitening component that will make your smile wider and brighter. Simply rub the inside of your peel on your teeth twice a day. Do this over a period of time to get the maximum effect.  ​ 2. The perfect hair mask Studies have been done that point to the benefits of using banana peels in hair. They can be blended with other ingredients to make a hair mask. These studies point out that the anti-oxidants in the banana peel can help remove free radicals from your hair. It also promotes shine and hair growth. 3. It shines your sil

Uhuru directives not for bigger portion of citizenry

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President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive on curfew and others to contain coronavirus only have a silver lining for the haves in the country.  The proportion of the employed with a payslip and not in the informal sector against those who live from hand to mouth like hawkers and small kiosk owners is heavily unbalanced. How is the 100 per cent tax waiver for people earning below Sh24,000 helping cushion the majority of Kenyans from the Covid-19 effects?  Again, how will the total deduction of two per cent VAT (16-14 per cent) make the flour, fuel, utility bills and transport affordable? I expected a zero VAT on foodstuff as the majority of the population will be put out of jobs.  Pharmaceutical supplies could also have been subsidised for the time being. This could have gone a long way on cushioning the poor mwananchi against possible hunger and diseases.  As it stands, the status quo still exists for the normal Kenyan. Expect to cough more for the flour and transport even

Covid-19: List of people exempted from 10-hour curfew

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President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced a daily curfew from 7 pm to 5 am effective Friday to contain the spread of the highly-contagious coronavirus. Already, 28 people have tested positive for the virus in Kenya. “All movement by persons not authorised to do so or not being medical professionals ,  health workers ,  critical and essential services providers are prohibited between those hours,” Uhuru Kenyatta said. President Uhuru held that the measure will help keep Kenya “ahead of the curve” in containing the virus spread. He added that the Government, both at the National and County levels, were implementing strict evaluation and monitoring protocol, “designed to proactively seek out and test persons who may be carriers of this virus.” “Defeating this pandemic demands cooperation, collaboration and common action. More than that, it calls for unity and shared understanding, strict adherence to the protocols issued by the Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies, and

Uhuru, Ruto take 80% pay cut in wake of economic crisis caused by Covid-19

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President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto will take an 80% pay cut as the country grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic. “My government has offered a voluntary salary reduction to senior government officials,” Uhuru said. Cabinet Secretaries will take a 30 per cent pay cut, as will Chief Administrative Secretaries. Uhuru has also directed the Treasury to offer 100 per cent tax relief for persons earning a gross income of Sh24000.   Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax will also be reduced from 30 per cent to 25. "There will be a reduction of the income tax rate from its maximum of 30 to 25 per cent," he said. These recommendations are subject to approval. Uhuru recommended a reduction of corporation tax from 30 per cent to 25 per cent. "There will also be a reduction of the turnover tax rate from three per cent to one percent," he said. Uhuru also suspended the listing on CRB of any persons in micro small or medium enterprises whose loan ac

Kenyans urged to maintain social distancing as lockdown nears

Kenya is edging towards a lockdown as the number of  coronavirus  cases rises to 15. The government is suspending all international flights from Wednesday and has ordered pubs and restaurants to remain closed. Kenyans are also being urged to take social distancing seriously. But that is a problem in the sprawling informal settlements where people have no room to isolate or even access to running water. Culled from: Aljzeera

Men to inherit wives’ property in proposed law

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The perception that it is only women who inherit their spouses' property will change if legislators pass the Law of Succession (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The Bill  removes gender inequality in succession and gives either gender absolute right and freedom to inherit property. The proposed law, sponsored by nominated Senator Abshiro Halake, is set for introduction in the Senate for the first reading. “The Bill in amending the Law of Succession Act seeks to ensure that the Act provides for gender equity with regards to succession matters,” Halake says. She adds: “The Bill deals with succession matters which essentially touch on land and other movable and immovable property of the deceased. Succession matters have implications on the well-being of members of the society especially dependants of the deceased.” The Kanu nominated legislator argues that stability and continuity of life of the dependants contribute greatly to the economy and security of a country, hence the need