The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has denied allegations by opposition leaders that a large consignment of contaminated sugar has been released into the local market, terming the reports “false, misleading and unnecessarily alarming.” The claims, made during a press briefing by leaders of the opposition coalition, suggested that over 25,000 metric tonnes of condemned sugar declared unfit for human consumption in 2018 had found their way back into circulation through illegal repackaging and distribution. KEBS, the government agency mandated with setting and enforcing product quality standards, has denied any involvement in the clearance or release of such sugar, and…
Author: Wambui Wachira
The Employment and Labour Relations Court has delivered a major win to hundreds of former employees of the now-defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) by ruling that all staff affected by the transition to the Social Health Authority (SHA) must retain their full salaries and benefits. Justice Byram Ongaya, delivering the judgment on July 23, 2025, ruled that salary protection was not only a matter of fairness but a legal obligation the government must honour when restructuring public institutions. “The salaries of former NHIF employees must remain intact during and after redeployment. No one shall suffer financial loss as a…
The University of Nairobi (UoN) has warned of a fake admission advertisement targeting incoming first-year students that is circulating on social media, urging the public to avoid engaging with it. The message, styled as an official notice, instructs students to download their admission letters from the university portal using their KCSE index numbers. In a firm statement issued on July 21, UoN declared the message fraudulent and cautioned students against falling for the scam. “The University of Nairobi wishes to inform all applicants that the admission message circulating on social media is FAKE,” the statement read. “Students should strictly follow…
The Employment and Labour Relations Court has intervened in a years-long standoff between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and more than 100 non-local teachers who were interdicted after fleeing deadly terror attacks in Kenya’s North Eastern region. In a decisive move, the court has ordered both parties into a court-annexed mediation process — a step many see as long overdue in a matter that has dragged on since 2020. The directive, issued by Justice Byram Ongaya at the Milimani Law Courts, requires the TSC and the affected teachers to engage in structured negotiations by September 1, 2025. This follows years…
Naivasha Member of Parliament Jayne Kihara was arraigned at the Milimani Law Courts on Friday, July 19, 2025, after spending a night in police custody following her controversial arrest the previous night. The move sparked public attention and political reactions, with questions raised about the motive, manner, and timing of her detention. The arrest was carried out by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), who descended on the MP’s residence in Naivasha under the cover of darkness. According to sources close to the matter, Kihara had earlier received a summons from the DCI, which she allegedly declined to…
Secondary school principals across the country have raised a red flag over the delayed release of capitation funds, warning that the situation has pushed many learning institutions to the brink of collapse. Through their umbrella body, the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA), the principals have demanded the immediate disbursement of over Sh36 billion owed to schools for the 2025 academic year. Speaking during a press briefing held in Murang’a, KESSHA National Chairperson Willy Kuria said that the underfunding has placed schools in a critical financial position, making it increasingly difficult to run basic operations. He noted that the delays…
The embattled Deputy Inspector-General of Police Eliud Lagat is expected to resume his duties at Vigilance House, weeks after voluntarily stepping aside to pave the way for investigations into the death of teacher-blogger Albert Omondi Ojwang. His return comes despite a new legal petition challenging the legitimacy of his reinstatement, and amid growing public debate over accountability within the National Police Service. Lagat had stepped aside on June 16, 2025, following mounting pressure from civil society, human rights groups, and a section of the public demanding transparency and accountability over the death of Ojwang, who died while in police custody…
Kenya has unveiled a new policy to curb youth alcohol and drug abuse, raising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21, banning online sales, and restricting ads targeting children. The 2025 National Policy on Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Abuse signals a deliberate and urgent shift in the government’s response to an issue that has been quietly tearing through families, schools, and communities across the country. The reforms are to be spearheaded by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), which has been tasked with implementing the proposals in collaboration with county governments, local leaders,…
A stormy session in Parliament on Wednesday, July 10, 2025, saw Members of the National Assembly’s Education Committee sharply criticise the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over its failure to provide a detailed, county-by-county report on unemployed teachers aged 45 years and above. The lawmakers accused the Commission of sidelining experienced teachers and withholding crucial data that would assist in making informed decisions on recruitment and education funding. The clash unfolded as senior TSC officials, led by Acting CEO Evaleen Mitei, appeared before the committee to respond to inquiries about the Commission’s hiring practices and the status of jobless teachers over…
A parliamentary storm is brewing as the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy has summoned Cabinet Secretaries Opiyo Wandayi (Energy) and John Mbadi (Treasury) over a ballooning Sh30 billion debt owed to Kenya Power. The move comes amid rising public outrage over skyrocketing electricity bills and mounting concerns about the country’s power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), which many legislators believe are driving up the cost of electricity. The committee, chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing, is also investigating the role of REREC, which is reportedly entangled in a separate multi-million-shilling debt.…
