The High Court has allowed former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to withdraw two petitions challenging his impeachment, clearing the way for him to focus on his case at the Court of Appeal. A three-judge bench comprising Justices Eric Ogola, Anthony Mrima and Freda Mugambi granted the request on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, after his lawyers made an oral application to withdraw Petitions No. 522 of 2024 and No. 525 of 2024. The respondents did not oppose the application. “My lords and my lady, we are making the application to withdraw the said petitions on the instructions of our client, the…
Author: Davin Muthoni
A moderate tremor was felt in Nairobi and surrounding counties on Thursday afternoon, November 5, 2026, following a powerful earthquake that struck the Lake Victoria region of north-western Tanzania. According to real-time seismic monitoring data from the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the earthquake originated in Tanzania’s Geita region, approximately 14 to 17 kilometres east of Ushirombo. Initial automated alerts registered a magnitude 5.6 earthquake before EMSC experts revised its magnitude to 5.2, at a depth of 10 kilometres. The main shock struck Tanzania at approximately 12:22 PM East African Time (EAT). Within five minutes, at around 12:27 PM, seismic waves…
Moi University has been ranked the best-performing public institution in Kenya in gender mainstreaming, ranking ahead of 86 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in an evaluation for the 2025/2026 financial year. The Eldoret-based university posted an average score of 96.4 per cent, just ahead of Maasai Mara University, which came second with 96.3 per cent. Moi University led in both rounds of the assessment, scoring 96.5 per cent in the first half of the year and 96.2 per cent in the second. The evaluation measured how well public institutions integrate gender considerations into their operations and programmes. Institutions were scored…
Police are investigating the death of Joel Mwangi Wainaina, a businessman who had been accused in court of fronting for a suspect in the Sh1.5 billion Equity Bank theft, after his family raised claims of foul play. Wainaina died on October 27, 2026, a week after he was hit by a lorry in Ruiru town in an October 20 accident that also killed a mechanic. Ruiru Sub-County Police Commander Charles Kibathi said detectives were looking into several claims surrounding the death. “I am aware of the matter, and it is actively under investigation because there are so many theories surrounding…
Nominated Senator Veronica Maina has replaced Nakuru Senator Tabitha Keroche as Deputy Senate Majority Leader after the Senate Majority Party voted to remove Keroche from the post. Senate Speaker Amason Kingi formally announced the change to the House on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, saying he had verified the documents submitted by the party in line with the Senate Standing Orders. “I have verified the correspondence received and hereby communicate that the Majority Party has effected a change in the Office of the Deputy Senate Majority Leader. The new office holder, with immediate effect, is Sen. Veronica Maina,” Kingi said. The…
Doomsday cult leader Paul Mackenzie has asked the High Court to show mercy ahead of his sentencing on Friday, November 6, 2026, for the murder of 191 people in Shakahola Forest. The prosecution has asked for the death penalty. Mackenzie and 28 co-accused were convicted of killing 190 children and one adult in the forest in Kilifi County between January 2021 and September 2023. In mitigation before Justice Diana Kavedza, Mackenzie presented himself and his co-accused as victims of the tragedy, in which a total of 429 people died after being led to believe that they would meet Jesus. “In…
Kenyan jurist Phoebe Okowa has been re-elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a full nine-year term, ensuring Kenya remains represented on the United Nations’ highest court until 2036. Okowa secured the required majorities in the UN General Assembly and Security Council in New York on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, after several rounds of voting in which nine candidates competed for five seats. She received 183 votes in the General Assembly and 13 of the 15 votes in the Security Council. Okowa was elected alongside Professor Dapo Akande of the United Kingdom, Francois Alabrune of…
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has shortlisted five candidates, including acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Evaleen Jesang Mitei, for the position of Commission Secretary and CEO. The candidates will be interviewed on Monday, November 16, 2026, at the commission’s headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi. Mitei, from Uasin Gishu County, will compete with Cheptumo Ayabei of Baringo County, Robert Odette of Migori County, Lawrence Ngai Kaburu of Tharaka Nithi County and Farah Abdi Saman of Mandera County. The five were picked from 124 applicants. TSC has invited members of the public to share any credible information about the shortlisted candidates through…
Former Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki has died at the age of 72, his family and Chief Justice Martha Koome announced on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The place and cause of death were not disclosed. Tributes poured in for the veteran jurist, who served as President of the Court of Appeal and later as Attorney General under President Uhuru Kenyatta. Chief Justice Koome said she was deeply saddened by the passing of “Hon. Justice (Rtd.) Paul Kihara Kariuki”. President William Ruto led the nation in mourning the former Attorney General, paying tribute to his role in strengthening the country’s legal…
The National Assembly has dropped a proposal that would have required people nominated to county assemblies to be registered voters in the counties they represent, leaving political parties free to pick nominees from anywhere in the country. The change was made in the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2024, which the House passed with amendments on Thursday, October 22, 2026. The Bill now goes back to the Senate, where it originated, for consideration of the amendments. The proposal came from the report of the National Dialogue Committee (Nadco), which Parliament adopted. It was intended to ensure that nominated Members of…
