Plans are underway for the rolling out of the second phase of the Huduma Namba registration.

Government Spokesman, Col (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna said plans are at an advanced stage, and the date of commencement shall be announced soon.

“This phase will provide an opportunity for those who did not register during Phase I to do so,” he said in a statement to newsrooms.

To date, 9,154,184 cards from phase 1 have been processed and dispatched, out of which, 6,003,144 have been collected.

He urged people, particularly those who have already received notification messages, to go and collect their cards.

Those yet to receive notification messages, can now track the status of their card, by logging onto https://confrmation.hudumanamba.oo.ke using their ID Card number.

Political parties that would not have proper gender representation as required by the law will be locked out of the 2022 general elections.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, political parties must adhere to the law as far as Article 81(b) concerned.

“In compliance with article 81(b) on Two-Thirds Gender Rule, party nomination lists that do not adhere to the gender rule will be rejected by IEBC,” stated IEBC Boss Wafula Chebukati.

Chebukati also asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to take note of voter bribery stating that aspirants are dishing out handouts to electorates ahead of the 2022 polls.

He further stated that public officers intending to contest in the August 9, 2022 general elections must resign from their posts by February 9, 2022.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) requires Ksh40.9 billion to conduct the 2022 general elections.

IEBC Boss Wafula Chebukati revealed that the Commission also needs a further Ksh588m to procure Covid-19 prevention kits.

This indicates that the Commission needs Ksh 40.917 billion for the 2022 general polls.

But the Commission said that the National Treasury has only allocated Ksh26.3b leaving a deficit of Ksh14b to effectively run the poll.

“IEBC requires Ksh40.9 b for the 2022 polls and a further Ksh588m for procuring Covid-19 prevention kits” said Chebukati.

Regional low-cost carrier Jambojet has announced plans to begin operations to North Kivu Capital, Goma in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and to the Coastal Island of Lamu as part of its expansion program.

The inaugural flight to Goma will be on 10^th September 2021, starting with 2 frequencies weekly. This is set to grow to 4 frequencies weekly, flying on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The airline will fly to Lamu 4 times weekly, starting 15^th September 2021. Customers will be able to book Nairobi to Lamu and Mombasa to Lamu as well as Lamu to Mombasa and Lamu to Nairobi.

“Three years ago, we embarked on an expansion plan that would see us expand our network across the region as well as grow our fleet. We had to put on hold some of the plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are excited to launch these two new routes, and look forward to what is to come,” said Vincent Rague, Chairman, Jambojet Board of Directors.

The airline is taking advantage of the huge opportunity the African market has to offer, and the rising demand for air connectivity in the region.

“There is a growing demand for air transport across the continent, with the International Air Transport Association projecting that Africa will become one of the fastest growing aviation regions within the next 20 years, with an average annual expansion rate of almost 5%. We, as Jambojet, are keen to be part of this growth,” he added.

Jambojet currently flies to 6 destinations including Mombasa, Diani, Eldoret, Kisumu and Malindi from its primary hub in Nairobi. The airline also operates a direct flight from Mombasa to Kisumu and Eldoret. In a bid to diversify its product offering, Jambojet launched Charter services in October 2020.

Since inception in 2014, Jambojet, which is IOSA certified (IATA Operational Safety Audit registration), has achieved undeniable business growth with a fleet of 6 brand new De Havilland Dash 8-400 and flown over 4 million passengers across all its destinations.