Wrap-Up: Our pick of main stories, Monday October 26th, 2015

Kenya turns to technology to monitor illegal activities in Forests

Kenya on Friday launched a mobile app to monitor forests in order to curb illegal logging. Kenya Forest Service Director Emilio Mugo said that the smart phone application will enable users to report illegal activities in the forest. The director noted that Kenya has 142,000 hectares of plantation forest to supply wood to the timber industry. He added that the mobile app which is a joint initiative of the Kenya Forests Working Group and the University of Nairobi will enable communities to report on forests activities to a centralized server.

Ramogi FM radio presenter and actor Bon Okello passes on while undergoing treatment

Ramogi FM presenter and Inspekta Mwala actor Bon Okello has passed away. The actor known as Bokello to his fans, passed away in Mater Hospital on Sunday while undergoing treatment.  According to close friend and fellow actor Samuel Ochieng aka Morio, Bokello had been admitted for close to a month following health complications including pneumonia.

MultiChoice Kenya halves DStv decoder prices, targets Christmas shoppers

MultiChoice Kenya has reduced the price of its DStv High Definition decoders by 50 per cent, from Kshs 11, 000 to Kshs 5, 500 as part of its festive season campaign. The new price is inclusive of the decoder, satellite dish, cabling and installation fee. The promotion dubbed Drop The Rest, Get The Best will give Kenyans a chance to enjoy quality DStv content with over 120 international and local channels over the festive season at an affordable rate.

Ezekiel Mutua appointed as new CEO of Kenya Film Classification Board

Mr. Ezekiel Mutua has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer of KFCB. The announcement was made by Mr. Ezekiel Mutua through his Facebook page where he shared his joy and happiness for the appointment and promised to serve his country in his new capacity to the best of his abilities.

KCB increases interests rate on short-term M-Pesa loans

Kenya Commercial Bank has revised its M-Pesa loan interest rates, an indication that users of mobile money platforms will not escape the rising cost of borrowing. “Dear customer, effective October 26, 2015 (today), new loans on KCB M-Pesa will attract monthly loan interest of six per cent for one month, five per cent for three months and four per cent for six months,” KCB notified customers in a text message on Saturday.

Common SIM card registration to help curb mobile crime in East African

Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan have come up with a common mobile phone SIM card registration system that will help curb crime in the four countries. A joint statement that was signed by Kenya’s ICT Secretary Mr Fred Matiang’i, Uganda’s John Nasasira, Jean Philbert Nsengimana of Rwanda and South Sudan’s Rebecca Joshua Okwachi, stated that the four Governments would interconnect their national identification card (ID) systems.