Raila Odinga, independent Kenya’s second Prime Minister and the son of Kenya’s founding Vice-President, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, has died while undergoing treatment in India. Odinga, who died at the age of 80, will be remembered as an astute politician and statesman, having served as an MP and Cabinet Minister. President William Ruto is expected to address the nation following the death of Odinga, who was also the Party Leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Dr Ruto is currently chairing an extraordinary National Security Council meeting at State House, Nairobi. The President has also summoned a special Cabinet meeting to…
Author: Mbugua Ng’ang’a
Kenya’s property market has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last two decades, making housing one of the most stable forms of investment. And as demand for homes grows — driven in part by the increased cash flow in counties — more landowners are feeling the pressure to convert agricultural land into commercial and residential real estate. As Kenya’s economy modernises, there has been an increase in the demand for development of commercial and residential properties, not just in the big cities, but also in county headquarters and adjoining townships. Everywhere one looks, from Murang’a to Eldoret, Kericho…
The knowledge industry is the foundation of modern society. Without it, life would be poor, nasty, brutish, short, and savage to paraphrase Thomas Hobbes, one of the philosophers who spent considerable time grappling with the question of how humanity can harness the power of knowledge to improve the quality of life for all. The industry has two pillars: The software — also technically known as pedagogy — and the hardware — the books, learning and teaching materials. The first is what teachers do for a living. The second is what publishers supply to facilitate meaningful teaching and learning. And whereas…
Because of the uneven field that characterises politics in Kenya, it is difficult for women aspirants to seek elective positions meaningfully and consistently. The net effect of the bottlenecks they face is that there are fewer women in political positions than there ought to be. However, this is not a curse that must hang around the neck of Kenyans forever. Political parties, if they chose to, can deliberately mainstream women and encourage them to vie at various levels. This is not only good for women but also for democracy because it increases diversity and engenders inclusion. One of the big…
Where are the 123,000 young learners who sat for the Grade Six national examinations three years ago and why are they not sitting Grade Nine exams this year? This is the one question that should worry education officials as the country prepares to administer the next set of KPSEA and KJSEA examinations. One of the serious problems that has dogged the education sector is failure by schools to keep proper records of their learner numbers on the one hand and the Executive’s failure to track the children who are either in school or have dropped out for one reason or…
Harambee Stars is today set to face off with the Gambia as it seeks a berth in the 2026 Fifa World Cup to be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico next journey. The journey ahead is tough for Kenya, which has never qualified to play in the World Cup finals. It is, however, gratifying to see Kenya at the top of Group F with 18 points, closely followed by Cote d’Ivoire with 16. If the numbers are anything to go by and given the recent enthusiasm for football following Kenya’s dream run at the just concluded CHAN tournament, most…
The Attorney General has challenged couples married under customary law to formally register their unions and obtain marriage certificates. The Registrar of Marriages has opened offices in every county and is ready to serve couples seeking to legalise their unions. Speaking in Kisumu County during a government outreach programme held at Kibigori Secondary School in Muhoroni Sub-County, AG Dorcas Oduor said it was important for couples to register their marriages to make them formal. She spoke after officers from her chambers oversaw the registration of a customary marriage for a polygamous man, during which both of his wives were issued…
Kenya has qualified for the CHAN quarterfinals for the first time under the head-to-head rule, having beaten both DR Congo and Morocco. Harambee Stars only need a win against Zambia on Sunday to finish top of group A, where most likely they will play Mauritania at Kasarani. If they finish second in the group, they will play their quarterfinal match against Tanzania in Dar-es-salam. CAF slams Kenya over CHAN chaos, threatens match relocation
Ah! By coming weekend, the African Nations Championship (CHAN) — a tournament that brings together Africa-based national team players — will get underway in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. What a magical moment we all expect it to be! And the joy of hearing that first whistle blow! This is a showpiece that should get all Kenyans excited, and for once, force politics and politicians to take a back burner as we all cheer on our national squad even though we secured the berth on account of being co-hosts. That notwithstanding, this is a team that represents hope and renewal and…
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of violently killing a boda boda operator at Malaba town on August 17, 2023. Malaba Principal Magistrate Ocharo Momanyi found Geoffrey Wafula Malunda guilty after the prosecutor presented evidence which matched a description of the accused. According to the evidence before the court, on the material day, at Upland Estate in Malaba, Teso North Sub-County, and jointly with others not before the court, Wafula robbed Jeremiah Otwane Papa of his motorcycle taxi and mobile phone before inflicting multiple injuries on him, thus causing his death. Wafula was…
