Remittances from Kenyans in the Diaspora Drop to Sh30 Billion in July

Remittances from Kenyans in the Diaspora Drop to Sh30 Billion in July
By John Wanjohi Tue, 09/08/2020 @ 08:40am 313 views 0 comments
Remittances from Kenyans in the Diaspora Drop to Sh30 Billion in July
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Kenyans living and working abroad sent home $276.9 million (Sh30.03 billion) in July, according to the latest data by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).

This represents a four percent drop from $288.5 million (Sh31.28 billion) received in the previous month.

July’s remittances from Kenyans in North America, mainly the US and Canada, fell to $144.2 million (Sh15.6 billion) compared to $147.3 million (Sh15.9 billion) sent in June—a two percent drop.

Kenyans living in Europe sent more cash in the month under review at Sh5.2 billion up from June’s Sh4.7 billion, translating to a 10 percent growth.

During the month, remittances from the rest of the world stood at $85.04 million (Sh9.2 billion) down from $97.4 million (Sh10.6 billion) sent in June, representing a drop by 14 percent.

The cumulative diaspora inflows for the period between January and July 2020 hit $1.738 billion (Sh188.5 billion), a 3.9 percent increase compared to $1.674 billion (Sh181.5 billion) sent in a similar period in 2019.

Inflows from Kenyans in the US continue topping the charts as more money is sent back to Kenya.

“The fact that the inflows continued unabated, and in fact expanding on a 12-month cumulative comparison, suggests the resilience of the diaspora skillset,” Financial Risk Analyst Mihr Thakar said as reported by The Star.

“Where there was a period of lockdown in a country and the inflows continued relatively unabated, there is an indication of high dependency back home, albeit inconclusive,” Thakar added.

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Kenyan Boys Aged 5 and 7 DieAfter Botched TraditionalCircumcision

By John Wanjohi  Sun, 08/23/2020 @ 05:16pm 267 views 3 comments

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Police in Kitui County are investigating an incident where two minors lost their lives following a botched circumcision. 

The two boys aged five and seven died at their parents’ home in Lundi village in Mwingi East, Kitui County on Friday evening. 

Reports indicate the brothers bled to death without receiving any medical help since their parents are members of the Kavonokia sect, which forbids its faithful from visiting hospitals.

A 70-year-old circumciser who performed the failed surgical operation has since been arrested as investigations continue.

The bodies of the two children were moved to Mwingi Level Four Hospital pending postmortem examination.

Health CS Mutahi Kagwe recently urged traditional elders to postpone this year’s initiation ceremonies due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is better to have a postponed initiation ceremony than have somebody to initiate or carry out an initiation ceremony and kill our young men,” CS Kagwe said.

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Kenyan Family Seeks Help toTrace Son Who Moved to the US

By John Wanjohi  Thu, 08/20/2020 @ 09:00am 3204 views 17 comments

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A Kenyan family from Ruai, Nairobi County is seeking help to trace their son who lives in the US.

The distressed family says they have not communicated with Allan Gathungu Kangethe for a long time and are wondering what might have happened to him.

The last time they were in touch with him was when he was residing in Crescent Valley, Nevada many years ago. The family says it can no longer reach him through his last known telephone number, which ended in 1138. 

The family says Gathungu’s ailing dad desperately wants to talk to his son and has appealed to anyone with information about his whereabouts to help them locate him.

Gathungu was born and raised in Nairobi’s Buruburu estate before the family relocated to Ruai, where they currently live.

Anybody with information that may lead to his tracing may contact his mother Mrs. Kangethe (0723063611) or sister Christine Kariuki (0720219733).

Kenyan-American Teen Whowas Accepted to Eleven TopUniversities in the US FinallySettles for Stanford

By John Wanjohi  Mon, 08/17/2020 @ 11:25am 4868 views 7 comments

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A Kenyan-American teenager who was accepted to several prestigious universities in the US after completing her high school education earlier this year has finally made her choice.

Sharon Njeri Wambu, whose parents immigrated to the US from Kenya, received acceptance to 11 top universities including Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Cal Poly Pomona, and Vanderbilt.

Others are University of South California (USC), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), University of California Irvine (UCI), University of California, San Diego (UCSD), University of South California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and the University of California, Riverside (UCR).

Sharon, who graduated from Norco High in Norco, California, has chosen to join Stanford University to pursue Computer Science, according to African Warrior Magazine.

"I am excited to study computer science in college. In the future, I would like to use software engineering to work on platforms where people can share experiences with each other. I actually didn’t know I would venture into this field until the summer before my senior year. I feel that computer science gives me a tangible way to solve problems around me, and I appreciate the creativity that computer science requires, " she told the outlet in an interview.

"I now have the opportunity to not only improve my coding skills but also make connections with established engineers and receive funding and mentorship for my future projects. As a Kenyan American, I have faced some of the misconceptions that some people have about Kenya and other countries like it. Perhaps using technology such as virtual reality, I can show people the beautiful country, the value put on education, and the complex issues that Kenya is dealing with."

In April, Sharon's mother Sarah said her daughter’s acceptance to the 11 prestigious colleges did not come as a surprise, saying that Sharon put in all the hard work.

UK to Make Mobile CashTransfers Totaling Sh717 Millionto 50,000 Kenyan Families

By John Wanjohi  Fri, 08/21/2020 @ 10:10pm 337 views 0 comments

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The UK has pledged an additional funding of Sh717 million to support vulnerable families living in informal settlements in Kenya.

The funds will be disbursed to 50,000 poor households in Nairobi and Mombasa slum areas through mobile money platforms to cushion them from the harsh economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking on Friday, British High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriott said the UK is committed to supporting the people of Kenya during and after the pandemic.

“The coronavirus pandemic is global. We are all in this together. Across the world, there are a significant impact on people’s jobs and livelihoods,” Marriot said.

“This support will also stimulate the wider local economy as most of the basic items are supplied by small business owners living within their communities.”

The mobile cash transfer program is part of the efforts the UK has made to help Kenya to address the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis.

The cash transfers will be done through the UKaid-funded Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP), which has helped make timely and predictable cash disbursements to at least 600,000 vulnerable families in northern Kenya since 200

Kenyan-Born US Naval OfficerSentenced to 25 Years in Prisonfor Sexual Assault

By John Wanjohi  Thu, 08/20/2020 @ 09:15am 6667 views 24 comments

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A Kenyan-born US Naval Academy midshipman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by a military panel after he was found guilty of various offenses, chief among them sexual assault.

Nixon Keago was handed the sentence last Friday during a court martial at the Washington Navy Yard, where he was convicted of sexual assault, attempted sexual assault, obstruction of justice, and burglary. 

The 25-year-old was also dismissed from the service and sentenced to forfeit all pay and allowances, The Capital Gazette reported.

The charges were in connection with four different incidents involving three women who were Naval Academy midshipmen at the time of the assaults.

The court-martial heard that Keago broke into a victim's room while she was asleep and assaulted her. He also attacked two other female midshipmen during a Fleet Week cruise in New York.

He later pressured a victim to lie about the circumstances of the case, which is why he was charged with obstruction of justice.  Prosecutors said the last incident happened while Keago was aware that he was facing court-martial. 

Last month, government expert witness Reneau Kennedy, a psychologist who studies forensic recidivism, told the panel that Keago has a high likelihood of committing repeat offenses. 

The court-martial's seven-member panel convicted Keago in July but the sentencing was delayed for three weeks after he showed Covid-19 symptoms. He has since tested negative.

Keago plans to appeal against his conviction, his sister Nancy Moraa said.

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Shock as Kenyan Man in the USFakes Parents’ Death to SolicitMoney from Friends

By John Wanjohi  Sat, 08/15/2020 @ 06:55pm 936 views 3 comments

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A Kenyan family from Mwamarita village, Kisii County is in shock after learning that their son who lives in the US faked his parents’ death to solicit money from friends and well-wishers. 

Kenfrey Ondabu of Texas is said to have printed fake obituaries and death certificates in collusion with some people back in Kenya.

To further support his lie, he printed photos of men digging a grave where his ‘deceased’ parents were supposed to be laid to rest and a funeral program.

Ondabu used the fabricated documents do deceive his friends in the US into making contributions towards his parents’ burial arrangements in July. It is yet to be established how much Ondabu raised from his friends,

But Ondabu’s scheme was exposed after one of his friends, who also resides in the US, traveled home in Kisii only to find his parents are alive and healthy.

Zacharia Ondabu, the suspect’s father said the family was not aware that their son conned people by faking their deaths. He wants police to conduct a probe into the matter.

"We want to know who printed the papers lying that we were dead," Zacharia told Citizen TV on Thursday.

Reports indicate Ondabu may have conspired with a local chief and other people Kisii to produce fake death certificates.

Another family member said: "We want justice to be served and if it means going to court, we are ready." 

Comments

Sukari

Sat, 08/15/2020 @ 08:35pm

• REPLY

Laana! Pesa jamani.

Shaka

Sat, 08/15/2020 @ 09:21pm

• REPLY

U got to give him an A+ for comimg up with this con.

GUEST1

Sat, 08/15/2020 @ 10:41pm

• REPLY

How many times have I warned about some of these Texas Bastards? Let's see how @Maxiley is going to defend this man (like he has defended his other 13 disciples in HstnTx).