Headlines

Two rival Isiolo County speakers clashed before a Senate committee over unanswered 2023–2024 audit queries, amid court battles, vandalised assembly offices and concerns over missing staff records.

As playgrounds disappear in Kenyan cities, children are pushed onto roads to play, heightening crash risks. Parents, riders and hospitals now face growing safety, cost and responsibility pressures.

Soldiers tried to seize Benin’s state broadcaster in a failed coup, citing security and political grievances. The mutiny was crushed, but analysts warn it exposes rising tensions and regional democratic backsliding.

A new study of African coups from 2001–2022 finds the AU firmly sanctions most military takeovers but rarely confronts leaders who rig constitutions or refuse to concede defeat, raising stability concerns.

A new IEA report shows global demand for applied technical workers is rising nearly twice as fast as graduate supply, straining energy firms and exposing skills gaps in countries like Kenya.

The National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said the prolonged dry spell has already pushed seven counties into the alert stage as conditions continue to deteriorate.

Tanzania’s Independence Day saw Dar es Salaam streets largely empty as police and soldiers blocked planned anti-government protests after disputed October elections and a deadly post-poll crackdown.

While 23 counties have county-level health insurance schemes, only 15 counties provide free or subsidised coverage to ensure persons with disabilities can afford care.

Duale said the government has largely met welfare commitments and only final steps remain.

The study looked at 17 areas, including maternal health services, family planning, caregiver practices, and child health and nutrition. Key results showed that more women started antenatal care early, up 5 per cent, more gave birth in health facilities, up 7.3 per cent and with skilled professionals, up 7.9 per cent.

An ILO report warns that over half of global circular economy workers remain in informal, unprotected jobs and urges governments, including Kenya’s, to link circular policies with stronger labour and social safeguards.

Reports from Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza, and Dodoma indicate an unusually heavy presence of police and military units, with armoured vehicles stationed at key intersections and government buildings.

The move comes amid rising concerns from education experts that the amount is still too low to meet the demands of the growing cost of living and the Competency-Based Curriculum.

NTSA directed that all the affected drivers undergo re-testing before they can return to service.

If passed, the law will prohibit anyone convicted of corruption from participating in public tenders for ten years, criminalise influence peddling, and provide robust protections for whistle-blowers who expose wrongdoing.

Lobby group Sheria Mtaani has filed an urgent case at the Employment and Labour Relations Court to block seven Privatisation Commission appointees from taking 3-year terms, arguing the law allows only one year.

The High Court in Mombasa has ordered the government to pay nearly Sh24 billion to Kwale International Sugar Company over a breached land deal that crippled a major sugar project.

Hamilton, a Scottish zoologist and a pioneering figure in elephant research, transformed the way the world understands African elephants.

Nyeri climate activist Truphena Muthoni is attempting a 72-hour nonstop tree hug outside the governor’s office to break her own record and highlight climate, mental health and indigenous trees.

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Chairman Kamau Thugge said the move is designed to sustain economic growth while keeping inflation and exchange rates stable.

The family of late singer Betty Bayo has petitioned the ODPP to order an independent inquest into her death, citing withheld medical records, missing autopsy details and a hurried burial.

Security presence was heightened in several cities. In Dar es Salaam, police and army personnel patrolled major streets.

A CIVICUS report says at least 180 journalists were detained across sub-Saharan Africa in 2025, with Somalia and Kenya leading arrests and deadly crackdowns on protests shrinking civic and media space.

The Confederation of Sahel States (AES), comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, confirmed the development in a statement, noting that the plane, which landed in Bobo-Dioulasso, did not have authorisation to enter the country.

The sanctuary now forms the world’s biggest black rhino haven, with 200 rhinos consolidated into a single founder population.

Abd-Al-Rahman, 76, also known as Ali Kushayb, was convicted in October of 27 counts, including murder, rape, torture and attacks against civilians in western Darfur between 2003 and 2004.

The order comes weeks after four suspects were remanded to allow investigators to gather forensic and witness evidence.

Kenya’s human rights commission reports three deaths, voter bribery, violence and partisan state officials during the November 27 by-elections, urging probes, political neutrality and protection of observers.

The Benin incident is the latest in a series of attempted power grabs across West Africa, often triggered by contested elections, constitutional disputes and public frustration.

Ngari, speaking to representatives from government agencies, private companies, and quality assurance professionals, said the conference offers a critical forum for shaping standards and governance in the country.

The high passenger death toll has raised concerns over speeding, vehicle overloading, and public service vehicles failing to follow safety regulations.

The Commission reiterated that the State, as primary duty bearer, is obliged to respect, protect, promote and fulfil all rights and fundamental freedoms, while all persons, as rights-holders, must exercise their rights responsibly and with due regard to the rights of others.

Tatu City, a 5,000-acre Special Economic Zone near Nairobi, blends housing, industry and schools with strict planning, tax incentives and jobs, offering a cleaner, planned alternative to congested urban areas.

Executive Director of Haki Yetu, Peter Kiama, said the group had submitted detailed evidence to the EACC in March 2024, but 18 months later, no substantive feedback has been provided.

The illness spreads through close contact with an infected person, including sexual contact, and can also be passed on through coughing or sneezing. It typically begins with flu-like symptoms such as chills, body aches, and fatigue, followed by a rash that may develop into blisters.

The National Police Service Commission has asked the Court of Appeal to overturn a ruling that let the Inspector-General control recruitment of over 10,000 officers, arguing it violated constitutional hiring safeguards.

Global leaders and philanthropists have pledged $1.9 billion at an Abu Dhabi summit to support polio eradication, aiming to vaccinate 370 million children annually and strengthen health systems worldwide.

A University of Arizona study links PFAS-contaminated well water to higher risks of low birth weight, preterm birth and infant mortality, underscoring long-term health and economic impacts in the US and beyond.

Empowering courts to intervene in unfair contracts strengthens protections for small businesses, consumers, and other parties who have historically been disadvantaged under existing contract rules.

Governor Andrew Mwadime emphasised that the reshuffle is part of a broader strategy to enhance efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness in the management of county affairs.

A contingent of 230 Kenyan officers has returned from Haiti after a tough security mission as another 230 deploy, underscoring Kenya’s ongoing role in stabilising the violence-hit nation.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan says Athi Water will replace ageing water mains with 15km of larger HDPE pipes in Eastleigh North and Airbase from January 2026 to ease chronic shortages.

KNCHR warns many Kenyans remain locked out of healthcare despite a Sh138.1 billion health budget and the SHA scheme, citing detained patients, low enrolment and gaps affecting vulnerable groups.

Nandi Governor Stephen Sang’s plan to rename Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Kapsabet after President William Ruto has sparked sharp criticism from Kenyans, who question sidelining sports legends for political naming.

Kenya’s human rights commission reports forced return of Turkish asylum seekers, clashes in Kakuma, non-compliance in Ogiek land rulings and child rights violations, urging stronger protections for refugees, Indigenous Peoples and PWDs.

A KNCHR report shows 2,848 rights complaints in Kenya, with healthcare, food, housing and education leading concerns and unmet socio-economic rights linked to civil and political violations.

KNCHR says many survivors and affected families are still struggling with incomplete investigations and slow progress on reported cases.

The activists led by Julius Kamau and Odhiambo Ojiro were rounded up by police who were both in uniform and plain clothes before being handcuffed to the Central Police Station.

The report urges the government to strengthen governance frameworks, ensure transparency, and tie public funding to measurable outcomes.

Laini criticised both levels of government for what she described as persistent neglect. According to her, many traders lack basic infrastructure such as functioning lighting, secure workspaces and properly designated business areas.