Voting in the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election entered its final hours on Thursday, July 16, 2026, with thousands of voters turning out across the constituency to choose a new Member of Parliament following the death of former MP David Kiaraho. Polling stations opened at 6am, with voting reported to be peaceful as security officers were deployed across the constituency to maintain order. United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina, who cast his vote at Huruma Primary School in the morning, said he was confident of victory but would respect the final decision of voters. “I am ready for the outcome…
Author: Special Correspondent
Parliament plans to summon principals of large secondary schools to explain the management of institutional funds, even as the Ministry of Education blamed chronic underfunding and delayed release of Exchequer funds for the financial challenges facing schools, TVET institutions and universities. The revelations were made during a parliamentary committee sitting where Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba appeared before lawmakers. Committee Chairperson Dick Maungu said the committee had already begun receiving reports on the management of funds in secondary schools and would soon begin summoning principals. “We have since begun receiving reports of high schools and very soon we shall be…
Apple has sued OpenAI, alleging that the artificial intelligence company misappropriated trade secrets by hiring former Apple employees who allegedly brought confidential information related to unreleased products and hardware projects. The lawsuit, filed on Friday, marks a significant deterioration in relations between the two companies, which were previously business partners but have increasingly become competitors as the race to dominate artificial intelligence intensifies. In its court filing, Apple claims that OpenAI recruited senior engineers and executives who had access to highly sensitive company information. Apple alleges that some of those former employees disclosed confidential product designs, supplier details and internal…
A contempt application certified as urgent by the High Court on Monday seeks to have National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula jailed or fined Sh725,017 for allegedly violating conservatory orders issued on July 8, 2026. The proceedings arise from orders issued by the same court restraining Wetang’ula and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi from using, invoking, relying on, or benefiting from the authority, prestige, dignity, influence, or incidents of their constitutional offices in the organisation, promotion, endorsement, leadership, or conduct of organised partisan political campaigns pending the hearing of a constitutional petition. Justice David Mburu had issued orders restraining Wetang’ula from using…
The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election has emerged as a key test of political influence in Mt Kenya, with President William Ruto, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua backing different candidates ahead of the 2027 General Election. The election, scheduled for July 16, follows the death of Jubilee MP David Kiaraho. Although the vote is meant to fill the vacant parliamentary seat, the campaign has attracted national attention because of the high-profile political figures involved. Nine candidates are competing for the seat, but the contest has largely narrowed to three main political formations:…
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has rolled out sweeping reforms to Kenya’s income tax return filing system, replacing Excel-based templates with a web-based platform aimed at simplifying tax compliance. The changes are intended to make annual return filing easier for individual taxpayers and businesses while reducing system congestion during the peak filing season. “We are not going to require you to fill out Excel sheets anymore. It will be web-based and simplified for all the annual returns, both for individuals and companies, making it less system-intensive and less tedious,” said KRA Chief Manager for Policy and Tax, Josephine Mugure. Under…
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has resigned from his position as deputy party leader of the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) following months of internal disagreements over the future direction of the political outfit. Mr Natembeya said his decision was prompted by the refusal of party leader Eugene Wamalwa to support his proposal to modernise and expand DAP-K into a broader national movement. “I requested Eugene Wamalwa to grant me the opportunity to expand DAP-K into a broader national movement,” Mr Natembeya said during an interview. He said the proposal was rejected, leaving him with no option but to…
After an eight-month delay, KCSE examiners have begun receiving their payments following the release of Sh1.5 billion by the National Treasury to settle outstanding dues. In a statement, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) had already started disbursing the funds to examiners’ respective accounts. “This disbursement follows the receipt of Sh1.5 billion from the National Treasury, being the allocation for clearing the balance,” Ogamba said. The funds received will be used to pay examiners and other contracted professionals who took part in the administration of national tests and assessments last year. Teachers’ unions had…
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nairobi have arrested four suspects linked to a suspected employment fraud scheme targeting job seekers. The arrests followed investigations into a complaint by a victim who reported losing Sh600,000 after being lured by individuals who claimed they could secure her a job at the National Intelligence Service (NIS). According to the DCI, the suspects allegedly made the recruitment process appear genuine by issuing the victim with a fake NIS calling letter purporting to show that she had been successfully recruited. The four suspects identified by the DCI as Patrick Kibor, Moses…
The High Court has issued conservatory orders restraining National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Senate Speaker Amason Kingi from using the authority attached to their constitutional offices to advance partisan political campaigns pending the hearing of a petition challenging their political activities. Justice David Mburu issued the interim orders on Wednesday after certifying as urgent a constitutional petition filed by human rights organization Vocal Africa. The central argument presented by the lobby group is that the political involvement of these two key legislative leaders constitutes an alleged breach of constitutional principles requiring holders of the office of Speaker to uphold…
