• The stories making headlines in the Star this morning.
Image: DPPS
Good morning,
Tough questions are being raised regarding secret meeting by top government bureaucrat from President Uhuru Kenyatta’s backyard which DP William Ruto has claimed are meant to plot his assassination.
The details emerged even as the DP's office remained tight-lipped as to whether Ruto would officially record a statement on the alleged murder plot to propel the probe already ceased by the DCI detectives.
Top technocrats from Central, including cabinet secretaries, have openly admitted to having frequent meetings to spearhead development projects in the region.
Here are the other stories making headlines in the Star this morning.
Today's top stories in the Star.
New evidence in Maribe's ceiling could link her to murder
The prosecution has new evidence that could link TV personality Jackie Maribe to businesswoman Monica Kimani's murder.
Scene of crime police officer Jennifer Sirwa showed the court pictures, among them that of a briefcase packed with bullets found in the ceiling, taken in Maribe’s apartment at Royal Park, Lang'ata.
The briefcase was wrapped in a plastic bag. It had bullets and spent cartridges wrapped in a white paper. There were also two empty magazines.
How herbal clinics make guinea pigs of Kenyans
As officials from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board enter Dr Murugu Herbal Clinic, they find Henry* (not his real name) being attended to by the receptionist.
Henry's wife has been suffering from a stomach problem for a long time. Having seen adverts about the services Murugu Herbal Clinic offers, he decided to travel all the way from Kisii to come and seek alternative means of treatment for his wife.
Unify tobacco tax to boost revenue, Rotich advised
Treasury has been asked to change the tax structure for tobacco products in Kenya to gain more revenue and reduce abuse.
Tax experts said the current tier system denies the government revenue.
The International Institute for Legislative Affairs, a Nairobi-based economic think-tank, yesterday said the excise duty Act of 2015 created a simplified tobacco tax structure where all tobacco products were charged the same rate of excise duty irrespective of brand or price.
City Hall can't account for Sh18.7m beautification cash
County officials appearing before the assembly watchdog yesterday failed to account for how Sh18.7 million Nairobi beautification project was spent.
Finance chief officer Halkano Waqo and acting chief officer for environment Mohammed Abdi admitted that the payment vouchers were not attached to their submissions.
KRA widens tax net to rope in small scale traders
To tap into the vast informal sector, KRA plans to use a hybrid of the presumptive and turnover tax- done away with in the 2018/19 financial year.
Turnover tax was applicable to businesses whose turnover did not exceed Sh5 million in a given year of income and was payable after every three months commencing in each calendar year at a tax rate of three per cent of the gross income.