Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has proposed a raft of changes to Kenya’s tax administration system, including new deadlines for filing tax returns, as the government seeks to strengthen compliance and give the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) more time to verify taxpayer information. Under the proposals contained in the 2026/27 Budget Policy Highlights, Kenyans filing nil returns would be required to submit them within one month after the end of the year of income. Individuals whose income is fully taxed at source, including salaried employees earning only employment income, would have four months to file their returns, while all other…
Author: Davin Muthoni
Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua has rejected the Sh50 million compensation awarded to him by the High Court, describing the payout as insufficient and insisting that his fight is about justice and constitutional accountability rather than money. Speaking on Tuesday, a day after the High Court upheld his impeachment, Gachagua criticised the ruling, arguing that the court contradicted itself by finding that his right to a fair hearing had been violated while still allowing the impeachment to stand. “The Sh50 million awarded to me is an insult to my fundamental rights and freedoms and a mockery…
President William Ruto’s administration has reassigned Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok to the State Department for Tourism in the latest government reshuffle, with Tourism PS John Lekakeny Ololtuaa taking over the education docket. The changes were announced on Tuesday by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, who said the reassignments took effect immediately. Bitok leaves the education sector after serving as Principal Secretary for Basic Education since March 2025, when he swapped positions with Belio Kipsang, who moved to the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services. Ololtuaa assumes the Basic Education portfolio at a time when the government…
Police on Tuesday fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Nanyuki, Laikipia County, who were demonstrating against the planned establishment of a US-linked Ebola quarantine and treatment facility. The demonstrators, some waving Kenyan flags and carrying placards, also staged symbolic protests, including a coffin marked “Ebola,” demanding that the project be halted. Security officers blocked several groups as early as 8am, leading to running clashes in parts of the town. The protests came despite a notice issued by local police banning the demonstrations over security concerns following earlier violent protests in the area. In the notice to a human rights…
A dispute over the amount of money to be allocated to county governments in the 2026/27 financial year remained unresolved on Monday after the Senate and National Assembly failed to agree on a revenue-sharing formula. Members of the mediation committee formed to reconcile differences on the Division of Revenue Bill 2026 ended their meeting without a breakthrough, leaving a Sh18 billion gap. The Senate is pushing for counties to receive Sh443 billion, while the National Assembly is standing by its proposal of Sh425 billion. The mediation committee, co-chaired by Mandera Senator Ali Roba and Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi, comprises…
The High Court has ordered the Senate to pay former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Sh50 million in constitutional damages after finding that his right to a fair hearing was violated during the impeachment proceedings that led to his removal from office in October 2024. In a landmark judgment delivered on Monday, a three-judge bench comprising Justices Eric Ogola, Anthony Mrima and Freda Mugambi ruled that the Senate infringed Gachagua’s fair trial rights when it declined to adjourn the proceedings despite his absence. The court held that compensation was necessary to remedy the constitutional violation and protect the integrity of due…
Former Chief Justice David Maraga was on Monday arrested during a protest against plans to hive off 76 acres of Nairobi National Park for the expansion of Bomas of Kenya and the relocation of the Nairobi Animal Orphanage. Maraga, who was demonstrating alongside environmental activists and conservation campaigners near Bomas of Kenya along Lang’ata Road, was apprehended by plain-clothes police officers together with several other protesters. The demonstration was sparked by proposals by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to allocate part of the park for the Sh41.9 billion Bomas of Kenya expansion project, which includes the construction of the Bomas…
A wave of unrest has disrupted learning in about 100 schools across Kenya in the early weeks of Term Two, forcing several institutions to send students home as authorities grapple with rising cases of strikes, arson, and vandalism. The affected schools are spread across Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru, Central, Eastern, Western and Nyanza regions, pointing to a widespread and fast-moving trend that has unsettled the education sector at a critical point in the academic calendar. Among the institutions reported to have been affected are Lenana School, Loreto High School Limuru, Buruburu Girls High School, Nakuru Girls High School, Naivasha Girls High…
Ten students from Alliance High School have been arrested in connection with a fire that broke out at the institution’s mattress storage area on Thursday morning, as investigations into the incident continue. Board of Management chairperson Sam Ncheeri confirmed the arrests, saying police are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the fire and determine the role of the suspects. The development comes shortly after the school was temporarily closed following the incident, which raised concern among parents and prompted internal reviews by the administration. In a communication to parents dated June 4, the school principal said learners were not in…
Nine students from Utumishi Girls’ Academy in Gilgil, suspected in a dormitory fire that killed 16 learners, will remain in custody for 21 days after a Naivasha court ordered their detention. Chief Magistrate Abdulqadir Ramathan granted the prosecution’s application but reduced the requested 30-day detention period to 21 days, saying it would allow investigators sufficient time to complete their inquiries. He also declined to release the suspects on bail or bond, agreeing that the prosecution had presented compelling grounds. The case will be mentioned on 24 June 2026 for a progress update and further directions. The prosecution told the court…