Teachers in Kenya will be required to renew their teaching licenses every five years after completing a mandatory Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programme under new rules introduced by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). The changes were announced during the 49th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) conference in Mombasa and are aimed at improving the quality of education. Acting TSC chief executive Evaleen Mitei said the new policy is meant to strengthen the teaching profession by ensuring teachers continue improving their knowledge and skills throughout their careers. “The purpose of TPD is to improve teachers’ competencies. Like other professions, the…
Author: Special Correspondent
About 74 people held during Thursday’s Gen Z memorial protests appeared before the Milimani Magistrates’ Court on Friday for a hearing, as legal teams moved to secure their representation. Former Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo said the legal team had visited Central Police Station earlier in the day after receiving reports that about 74 individuals were being held following their arrest during the demonstrations. She said advocates had pushed for the suspects to be arraigned in court without delay, in line with their constitutional right to a fair trial. “We had information that about 74 people were being…
The price of oil has fallen to levels not seen since before the Iran war as traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route gradually resumes. Global benchmark Brent crude briefly fell below $72.48 (£55) a barrel, the price it was at the day before the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February, before edging up to $73.23. Energy prices have been on a wild ride since Iran responded to the strikes by effectively closing the strait, a critical waterway for oil and gas shipments. The cost of crude has been moving sharply lower since the…
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced he will resign as prime minister and leader of the Labour Party. In a statement outside 10 Downing Street, he said every decision he has made in office has been about “putting the country I love first”. Starmer thanked his “fantastic wife, Vic”, describing her as a “rock”. He also says he wants to be the “best dad I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and joy”. He further said he will do everything he can to ensure an orderly handover of power and will give his successor his full…
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is the big winner following the country’s general election as his party has retained its overwhelming parliamentary majority, despite the poll being overshadowed by conflict, accusations of repression and little participation by opposition parties. The Prosperity Party, which won 438 of the 501 contested seats, will form the new government with Abiy set to be sworn in for another term at the beginning of October. It is a boon for Abiy’s supporters, who believe he will continue with the economic gains he has overseen. But others fear the internal divisions and security challenges facing Africa’s…
Opposition to data centers in the United States has surged in recent months, evolving from neighborhood resistance to a policy fight over land use, electricity costs and water access. The backlash is spreading from city halls to state legislatures as communities confront the physical footprint of the AI boom across the country. Data centers, which house the computing systems needed to train and run AI models, are essential to expanding the technology. They also require enormous amounts of resources, like electricity, land and water. The surging demands are increasingly colliding with local concerns about utility bills, the environment, farmland, quality…
Kenyan taxpayers will not face immediate enforcement action on disputed taxes after Members of Parliament rejected proposals that would have allowed the Kenya Revenue Authority to freeze bank accounts, issue agency notices, and recover funds while tax disputes are still under appeal. The proposals, contained in the Finance Bill 2026, sought to strengthen the tax authority’s powers by enabling it to recover disputed taxes before determinations are made by the Tax Appeals Tribunal or the courts. Lawmakers opposed the changes, arguing that granting such powers to the tax authority would undermine constitutional protections and expose businesses and individuals to financial…
Africa’s first anti-corruption studies and research centre was launched in Nairobi, Kenya, on Wednesday, marking a major milestone in the continent’s efforts to strengthen research, policy development and regional cooperation in the fight against corruption. The launch was done during the 8th annual General Assembly of the African Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities, currently underway in the Kenyan capital, as leaders called for a shift beyond stronger laws and enforcement toward research, innovation and knowledge sharing in the fight against corruption. The meeting brought together 43 African countries heads of anti-corruption agencies from across the continent. The new center is expected…
Nairobi could soon see major improvements in traffic management after the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) launched an international tender for the second phase of its Intelligent Transport System (ITS), a project designed to ease congestion at some of the city’s busiest junctions. The Sh10.8 billion project will see the installation of advanced traffic management technologies and the upgrading of 60 intersections across the capital, as the government steps up efforts to tackle traffic jams that cost the economy billions of shillings every year. The project is being financed through a loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea under the…
A consortium that includes IMC Construction Kenya, a company reportedly linked to Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, has been selected to participate in the planned expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), one of Kenya’s largest infrastructure projects. The consortium is led by the state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), in partnership with its subsidiary China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and IMC Construction Kenya. The group is expected to undertake the US$2.9 billion airport modernisation and expansion programme. The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has not yet issued a detailed public breakdown of the final contract structure, but the project is…
