Veteran rights defender Khelef Khalifa has announced his intention to sue the police after a distressing encounter that led to his nearly four-hour detention. Khalifa, director of Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), was arrested by police at Mida Creek near Watamu in Kilifi County at 10 a.m. on Saturday as he headed to a family wedding in Malindi. The incident began when Khalifa and his family were stopped by police officers who were reportedly covering their faces and lacked visible identification. Khalifa questioned the officers about their masked appearances and the absence of name tags, which are legally required for…
Author: Samuel Njihia
President William Ruto has ordered the Treasury to urgently open negotiations with teachers and lecturers unions to forestall any strikes.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has escalated its fight against police brutality by filing a lawsuit against officers involved in a deadly crackdown on Gen Z protesters weeks ago. The suit, lodged in the High Court, targets several police officials for gross misconduct during nationwide anti-government demonstrations in June. The lawsuit focuses on Sergeant Martin Mbae Kithinji, who is accused of manhandling reporter and activist Hanifa Safia on June 18. Clad in civilian attire and allegedly acting outside his official capacity, Kithinji detained Hanifa near the Kenya National Archives. LSK says Kithinji violated Hanifa’s rights during a peaceful protest…
A Nairobi preacher has been driven into hiding due to escalating threats from unidentified individuals, which have intensified amid a dispute over the church’s demolition. Peter Maithya, affiliated with Bishop Margaret Wanjiru’s Jesus Is Alive Ministries, has expressed grave concerns for his safety as he continues to defend the church against demolition efforts. Maithya’s fears began to escalate following an attack on the church on 8 March, during which unknown assailants vandalised the church’s parking lot wall and assaulted Wanjiru, injuring her hand and a security officer. Wanjiru also reported that the assailants stole a guard’s weapon, camera, and phone.…
Mobius Motors, a Kenya-based automaker backstopped by Playfair Capital, has accepted a buyout offer just a week after it announced its closure. In the notice, Mobius director Nicolas Guibert informed, “On August 14, Mobius accepted a bid for the acquisition of 100% of its shares by an undisclosed buyer.” The parties look to close the transaction within 30 days. In light of the offer, Mobius postponed the Thursday planned creditors meeting, allowing the acquisition negotiations to continue. The firm had announced, “As such notice is hereby given that the meeting of the creditors originally scheduled to 15 August 2024 at…
The University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) has issued a seven-day strike notice over delayed and incomplete salary payments, which may paralyze academic activities in all public universities. This was announced by Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga on Wednesday after a meeting of the National Executive Committee and warned that learning in all public universities might be disrupted in September when new and returning students report. “There will be no learning in universities from September,” Wasonga said. The union also condemned salary cuts at the Technical University of Kenya, where staff are reportedly receiving only 65 percent of their July pay. “The union…
The government has convened an emergency meeting with the leadership of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) in a bid to avert a looming nationwide teachers’ strike. The Tuesday meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, Alfred Mutua, and top Knut officials comes as the third school term draws near, with teachers threatening not to report to work over unmet promises in the government’s 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Tensions have been escalating, with KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu declaring on Monday that teachers would not resume their duties when schools reopen unless the government fulfilled its…
The United States has approved more than $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, in a deal that reportedly includes F-15 fighter jets and close to 33,000 tank cartridges. US media on Tuesday reported that the deal was approved by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The Associated Press reported that Congress was notified about the sale before the public announcement from the U.S. Department of State. The weapons sale is said to include over 50 F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), 120 mm tank ammunition and high explosive mortars, and military vehicles. “The United States is…
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has secured a landmark victory in a Sh1 billion Value Added Tax (VAT) fraud case against China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC). The case, which centred on an elaborate missing trader fraud scheme—a tactic used by organised crime groups to steal VAT from governments—involved the Chinese firm evading taxes through the use of shell companies. Investigations by the taxman revealed that the Chinese firm was filing fictitious invoices, and laying claims for an inflated input VAT through shell companies. “The upshot of the foregoing analysis is that the appeal lacks merit, and the tribunal accordingly…
A petition has been filed in court challenging Wycliffe Oparanya’s appointment as Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development. Fredrick Mulaa, the petitioner, says it was illegal for the Director of Public Prosecution, Renson Ingonga, to review and later withdraw charges against Mr. Oparanya. Mr Mulaa has argued that the decision of the DPP, which was made on 8th July 2024, to withdraw charges relating to corruption was not in the public interest and breach of legal requirements. Further, that it ran counter to several fundamental principles of transparency, accountability, social justice, and good governance. “In…