Author: Erastus Maleve
Erastus Maleve
Erastus Maleve is a Daystar University graduate with a BA in Electronic Media. He began his career as a newsreader at Ghetto Radio 89.5 before serving as a producer and radio host at Radio Thome 88.1 FM in Kitui for four years. Erastus further honed his skills with an attachment at BBC East Africa Correspondence. He is the founder of Channel 15 News, where he leads news coverage, social media management, and digital marketing. Well-versed in event organizing, Erastus combines his media expertise with a keen understanding of social media dynamics to shape local and national narratives.
A firestorm erupted in Parliament yesterday as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) slammed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over KSh 1.8 billion sitting frozen in Kenya’s foreign missions, years after the funds were allocated for development projects and embassy operations. The committee raised the alarm over funds held in Kenya’s embassies in Washington, Addis Ababa, and London, describing the situation as a glaring lapse in financial accountability. The controversy emerged while scrutinizing the audited financial statements of the State Department for Foreign Affairs for the year ending June 2023. Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu’s report highlighted that the KSh 1.8 billion, recorded…
Kitui County is among nearly 30 devolved units currently under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) over alleged financial mismanagement and irregular payments. The investigations follow cases forwarded by the Senate Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), which identified more than 100 matters requiring EACC action. These include failure to adhere to proper accounting practices, payments outside the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), abuse of the imprest process, and weak internal controls in managing Own Source Revenue (OSR). Other issues highlighted involve unauthorized payments to the Council of Governors (CoG), repeated voidance of transactions without justification, stalled capital-intensive projects,…
Boda boda riders across Kenya will soon be required to wear county-specific uniforms and display unique identification numbers on their motorcycles as part of sweeping reforms aimed at curbing crime and boosting accountability in the sector. The measures were unveiled in Nairobi following a high-level meeting between senior police chiefs and officials of the National Boda Boda Association, chaired by Regional Police Commander George Seda. According to Seda, the new system will help authorities and the public easily identify riders, reduce cases of impersonation, and restore order in an industry often blamed for aiding crime and fueling road indiscipline. “Uniforms…
Senior UDA leaders in Kitui County were not seen on Thursday during a high-profile inspection at IthookweShowgrounds , raising fresh doubts about the party’s grip as Governor Malombe collaborated closely with the State and Kalonzo Musyoka effect looms larger in Ukambani politics. Channel 15 News can authoritatively report that the inspection of Ithookwe Stadium by Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya and the National State Events Organizing Committee sparked political debate after Kitui UDA officials were not seen at the high-profile event. Those not seen included local party officials, Livestock PS Jonathan Mueke , Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai, and Kitui…
The future of President William Ruto’s Presidential Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests hangs in the balance after the High Court ordered a halt to its operations. The panel, chaired by constitutional lawyer Prof. Makau Mutua, has now filed an application at the High Court in Kerugoya seeking to set aside the conservatory orders. In its submission, the team argues that the orders were obtained through concealment of facts and warned that prolonged delays could undermine its 120-day mandate, effectively rendering its work meaningless. The suspension has also stirred mixed reactions from within the…
The newly constructed Funeral Home at Kitui County Referral Hospital has been officially handed over by the contractor to the hospital management, marking a major milestone in modernizing mortuary services in the county. Chief Officer for Public Health, Lynn Kitwan, confirmed that the facility is fitted with two state-of-the-art cold rooms, each with a capacity of 32 bodies, bringing the total to 64. The coolers operate at temperatures between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius and use a monoblock system, which is more durable and requires less maintenance than the old cooling system. Each body will now rest in its own…
Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton has announced his surprise suspension from President William Ruto’s Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Protests and Demonstrations. Houghton said his decision was guided by respect for a High Court order that had halted the operations of the panel pending determination of a legal challenge. The outspoken human rights advocate emphasized that his move was based on principle, adding that the rule of law and judicial authority must be upheld above political considerations. The panel, unveiled by President Ruto earlier this year, was tasked with identifying and compensating victims of violent…
Kitui Governor Dr. Julius Malombe has lashed out at Livestock Principal Secretary for allegedly trying to hijack credit for the multi-billion shilling development projects tied to this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations. Speaking after inspecting the ongoing works at Ithookwe Stadium, the Governor said it was disingenuous for national officials to mislead the public about who initiated the projects. “Watu wengi wanapenda kujipatia majukumu hawastahili. Kuna watu wanatoka national government wanasema mambo mengi… just ignore them. We should always speak the truth and not claim credit that is not due to us,” Malombe declared. The Governor revealed that the idea of…
Kenya has issued a strong condemnation against Israel following a deadly airstrike in Doha, Qatar’s capital, on Tuesday, September 9, that left several people dead and dozens of others injured. In a statement released on Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs termed the strike a blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ministry stressed that such unilateral acts of aggression not only undermine regional stability but also pose a grave threat to global peace and security. “Kenya stands in solidarity with the government and people of Qatar during this tragic moment,” the statement read in part,…
A wave of shock has gripped Kisasi town in Kitui County after a well-known businessman, aged 43, was found dead in what authorities have confirmed as a case of suicide. Confirming the incident, Kitungate Location Chief said he had interacted with the businessman in the morning, noting that the deceased appeared in good spirits. “We spoke briefly, he even greeted me, only for me to receive reports moments later that he had taken his own life,” the administrator told reporters. The tragic news has left the local business community and residents reeling in disbelief, as the man was regarded as…