Hours after a deadly Russian missile strike on Kyiv that left at least 12 people dead, US President Donald Trump has voiced his disapproval, describing the attack as “very bad timing” and stating bluntly, “I am not happy.” The strike, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called both “difficult” and “impudent,” has reignited international concern over the escalating war. Speaking during a hastily curtailed visit to South Africa, Zelensky has urged the international community to apply “more pressure” on Russia in order to achieve a ceasefire. Taking to social media, Trump has addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin directly with an…
Author: Samuel Njihia
Former Kenyan presidential candidate Mohamed Abduba Dida has been released from prison in the United States after serving three years of a seven-year sentence. Dida, who contested Kenya’s top seat in 2013 and 2017, was freed on parole from the Big Muddy Correctional Center in Illinois on March 4, 2025. According to his wife, Amina Liban, Dida is now living in Minnesota and focused on rebuilding his life and reviving his charity work. “Yes, he was released on March 4, 2025, on parole. He is living in his house in Minnesota,” she confirmed on Wednesday. “He had started the Dida…
Kenya, the world’s leading exporter of black tea, is ramping up efforts to expand market access in the Middle East by engaging with Iranian business groups in a bid to ease restrictions on tea exports. On Thursday, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mutahi Kagwe led a high-level delegation to meet Iranian trade representatives, focusing on unlocking access to Iran’s lucrative tea market — which has faced trade challenges in recent years due to pricing caps and financial restrictions linked to sanctions. “Reopening access to Iran’s robust market could be a game changer for tea farmers and the entire tea value chain,”…
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly cancelled his planned tour of Nairobi and Addis Ababa, hours after Kenya’s President William Ruto departed to Beijing for five-day State Visit to China. According to Africa Intelligence, Rubio’s first African tour since being appointed by President Trump last year — which was expected to cover both security and trade issues — has been postponed indefinitely. Rubio was set to land in Nairobi on Monday, April 28. Sources say the abrupt cancellation was occasioned by Kenya’s latest dalliance with Beijing, rising corruption, and President Ruto’s relationships with rebels in Sudan and the…
President William Ruto is set to begin his five-day State Visit to China today, becoming the first African leader to visit Beijing since US tariffs disrupted global trade. This visit, analysts say, presents Kenya with a unique opportunity to capitalise on the fallout. The East African nation is among the 185 countries affected by the punitive trade tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration. Since 5 April 2025, a 10 per cent baseline tariff has applied to all imports into the US from these countries. The 10 per cent levy is described as a “commencement tariff”, meaning there will be…
Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, the Vatican has confirmed. He passed away at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta within Vatican City, according to the Vatican News Service. “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in tribute. His death comes just a day after he appeared in St Peter’s Square to wish “Happy Easter” to thousands of worshippers. According to BBC News, Vatican officials said the Pope had been in declining health in recent months but continued to carry out limited public duties. His…
The US has warned it may withdraw from ongoing efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia within days unless there are clear signs of progress, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Washington “won’t stay at the table indefinitely. Speaking to reporters on Friday, April 18, 2025, following a summit in Paris with European counterparts, Rubio stressed that time was running out for a breakthrough. “We need to determine very quickly now — and I’m talking about a matter of days — whether or not this is doable,” he said. “If it’s not going to happen, then we’re just…
Public officers, including members of the police force and staff at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), are now free to operate liquor outlets without fear of losing their jobs. This follows a ruling by the High Court that declared a government directive barring them from engaging in the alcohol business as unconstitutional and invalid. The directive was part of a 25-point policy package introduced in March 2024 by then Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, now Deputy President, in a bid to curb alcohol abuse across the country. Among the measures was a controversial…
Geoffrey Ruku and Hannah Wendot Cheptumo have officially been sworn in at State House, Nairobi, as Cabinet Secretaries for Public Service and Gender, respectively. Their appointments are the latest in a series of changes within President William Ruto’s Cabinet, following a recent reshuffle. Ruku, who previously served as the Member of Parliament for Mbeere North, and Cheptumo both underwent thorough vetting by the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments earlier this week. During the sessions, they were questioned extensively about their public service records and their plans for tackling challenges within their new portfolios. Their elevation to Cabinet roles follows the…
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has been arrested by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) following early morning raids at his private residence and county offices. The arrest is part of a broader investigation into alleged corruption, including the embezzlement of public funds and conflicts of interest in county procurement deals. Along with Wamatangi, nine senior county officials were also detained during the operation. EACC investigators seized crucial documents and electronic devices that are expected to play a significant role in the ongoing investigation. The crackdown comes after months of mounting pressure from Kiambu leaders, who had called for…
