Kenya’s digital lending industry faces a fresh legal challenge after a Nairobi court ruled that fintech lenders without Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) approval may not have the standing to pursue borrowers through the courts. The decision places regulatory compliance at the centre of debt recovery disputes, with lenders now facing the possibility that loans issued before licensing could become difficult to enforce. Resident Magistrate Gladys Kiama delivered the rulings after rejecting recovery claims by Tri-State Capital Limited and Mombo iCapital Limited, not because the borrowers’ alleged defaults had been disproved, but because the lenders had not shown that they…
Author: Samuel Njihia
Sudan has rejected new US sanctions over alleged chemical weapons use by its military, accusing Washington of acting on “false allegations” and bypassing international verification procedures. The sanctions, which took effect on Monday, followed a US determination that Sudan’s army-aligned government used chemical weapons in 2024 during its war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Washington has not publicly disclosed details of the alleged attacks, including where they occurred or the type of chemical agents involved. The Sudanese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday dismissed the accusations, saying it “categorically rejects the unilateral and illegal sanctions announced by the United States against…
Civil servants have opposed a new salary structure issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), arguing that it interferes with ongoing negotiations for the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Kenya Civil Servants Union Secretary General Lawrence Ochieng said the salary review was introduced before negotiations between the government and the union had been concluded, warning that the move could trigger a legal challenge. According to the union, the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Public Service submitted the salary proposal to the SRC before the collective bargaining process was complete. “We have not signed any CBA to make…
The Supreme Court has deferred a ruling on whether impeached State officers can seek elective office while challenging their removal in court, directing Attorney-General Dorcas Oduor to give legal advice within 21 days. The matter raises a politically sensitive issue ahead of the 2027 General Election. The ruling could have a significant impact on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has remained active in politics after losing office through impeachment. It also touches on the political futures of former Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza and former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, who both lost office through removal processes. At the centre of…
Sammy Waweru Kamau of Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) has stormed to victory in Ol Kalou, clinching the MP seat with 35,440 votes and securing the party its first parliamentary seat in a landmark win. Kamau emerged victorious in a by-election held on Thursday to fill the vacancy left by former MP David Kiaraho, who died in March. He comfortably defeated United Democratic Alliance (UDA)’s Samuel Muchina Nyaga, who garnered 5,450 votes, in a decisive contest that saw voters hand the DCP candidate a clear mandate to represent Ol Kalou. Speaking after he was declared the winner on Friday…
The 2027 State House race could be fought under a new financial framework if the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) succeeds in implementing proposed campaign spending limits that would cap presidential campaigns at Sh4.4 billion and political party campaigns at Sh17.7 billion. The regulations, published on July 6, 2026, represent the electoral agency’s latest attempt to bring closer oversight to the billions of shillings spent during Kenyan elections. A previous attempt to regulate campaign financing failed almost a decade ago after facing resistance from Parliament. Under the proposed rules, presidential candidates would be allowed to spend a maximum of…
Millions of mourners poured into Tehran on Monday for the funeral procession of Iran’s assassinated supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, in a powerful show of support for the Islamic Republic just seven months after deadly anti-government protests gripped the country. Crowds moved from Revolution Square to Azadi Square after two days of funeral rites at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla mosque. Many carried Iranian flags, portraits of Khamenei and banners bearing the slogan, “We will rise”, while others chanted as they made their way through the city. “Mourning day is today. Martyr Khamenei is before God today,” mourners shouted. Khamenei was killed in…
Kenya has suspended preparations for a U.S.-run Ebola quarantine facility, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale told a court on Tuesday, following a contempt ruling for failing to comply with an earlier stop-work order. The move comes as a relief to a section of Kenyans who had strongly opposed the plan. Deadly protests have taken place since the facility was announced in May for potential U.S. citizens evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is grappling with a major Ebola outbreak. The facility has been built at Laikipia Air Base, about 200 kilometres from the capital, Nairobi. It includes around…
Senior Counsel and Kenyan presidential aspirant Martha Karua was denied entry into Uganda on Monday after being turned away at Entebbe International Airport, where she had arrived as part of a legal team involved in high-profile opposition treason cases, before being sent back to Nairobi. The Uganda Law Society said Karua had travelled as part of a defence team representing opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who is facing treason charges. She was also expected to join proceedings linked to Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, recently charged with a related offence and due for a bail hearing. Karma was stopped at the…
Justice Gatembu Kairu has been elected President of the Court of Appeal after securing 26 of the 41 votes cast on Monday in a tightly contested internal election held by appellate judges. He takes over from Justice Daniel Musinga, whose term ended on 24 May 2026. Justice Kairu beat Lady Justice Lydia Achode, Justice Patrick Kiage, and Lady Justice Agnes Murgor, who were also eying the position. In his new role, the judge will oversee the management of appeals, coordinate the work of appellate judges, and play a central role in ensuring the efficiency of the court system. Born in…
