Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga on Thursday came out in defence of Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna amid mounting criticism over his remarks questioning the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between President William Ruto and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. In a strongly worded statement, Ruth Odinga said the backlash against Sifuna—particularly following his recent interview on Citizen TV—reflects intolerance to internal dissent within the party, warning that silencing critical voices could harm ODM. Sifuna, who has been labelled a “rebel” by sections of the party, raised concerns over the source of funding for…

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Thursday appointed Moses Ledama Sunkuli as its Acting Chief Executive Officer and Commission Secretary with immediate effect. In a statement on Wednesday, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Ethekon said the appointment follows the exit of the former Chief Executive Officer Marjan Hussein and is aimed at ensuring continuity in the Commission’s operations. Sunkuli currently serves as the IEBC’s Director of Electoral Operations and brings with him extensive experience as well as deep institutional knowledge of the Commission’s processes. He will serve in an acting capacity for a period of six months or until the recruitment…

Business traders from Mombasa County have today urged Senators not to pass proposals contained in the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill which seeks to ban flavours in nicotine products, arguing that such a move would open the door to a floor of illicit products in the market which would negatively affect their businesses. According to the traders, the proposal, though well‑intentioned, risks worsening the already critical crisis of illicit trade in Kenya. Recent acknowledgment by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) shows that more than 50% of excisable products in Kenya are illicit, exposing consumers to unsafe goods and denying government billions…

Safaricom PLC has declared an interim dividend of KSh 0.85 per ordinary share for the financial year ending 31 March 2026, signaling strong financial performance and sustained confidence in the company’s growth outlook. The decision was approved by the board during a meeting held on 4 February 2026. The dividend will be payable to shareholders appearing on the company’s Register of Members at the close of business on 25 February 2026, with payments expected on or about 31 March 2026. This marks an increase from the previous interim dividend payout and reflects Safaricom’s continued solid earnings performance. The telecommunications giant…

Detectives are investigating an incident where a professor lost Sh950,000 to suspected thieves moments after he had left a bank in the Runda area, Nairobi. The professor who is a former chancellor of a public university told police he had been to Warwick Center in Gigiri on February 4 at 2 pm and withdrew the cash for use to pay for works at a construction site in Runda. He was in the company of a manager at the site and they drove from the bank to the site and parked his car about 15 meters away. He did not know…

A man escaped after killing his wife in a domestic attack in Tiaty, Baringo County. The incident happened on February 4, 2026 in Komolion village after the man killed his wife, aged 30. He had accused the wife of failing to prevent a wild animal from killing and eating his goat. The body of the woman had injuries in the head when it was found in her house and moved to the mortuary. Police said the suspect escaped the scene after the murder and efforts to trace him for questioning were ongoing. In Rangwe, Homa Bay County, one Peter Bwore,…

A Nairobi court issued a warrant of arrest against businessman Pius Mbugua Ngugi over unpaid legal fees amounting to more than Ksh.4.1 million. The warrant was issued by Deputy Registrar Cynthia Mercy Muhoro of the Environment and Land Court, who directed officers at Nairobi Central Police Station to execute the order in accordance with Order 22 Rule 32 of the Civil Procedure Rules. Court records show that Ngugi was ordered to settle a total of Sh4,193,578 following a judgment delivered in September 2025. The amount comprises Sh3,710,630 as the principal sum, Sh475,948 in accrued interest, Sh5,500 in additional costs, and…

US news anchor Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have posted an emotional video where they address whoever could have abducted their mother. “We are ready to talk,” the NBC presenter says in the video posted to Instagram. “We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen.” The clip comes amid a search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, who went missing in the middle of the night over the weekend. Authorities in Arizona have said they received a copy of a possible ransom…

Dozens of people have been killed by unidentified gunmen in a ferocious attack on two villages in Nigeria’s western state of Kwara, local lawmaker Saidu Baba Ahmed has told BBC Hausa. The attackers set fire to shops and homes, along with the residence of the traditional leader, forcing the residents of Nuku and Woro to flee, he added. The death toll is unclear, with Ahmed saying at least 35 people had died, while a Red Cross official told the AFP news agency the figure had gone up to 162. The attack, one of several across Nigeria in the last 24…

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for California to use a new voting map that favours Democrats, paving the way for the party to gain up to five congressional seats this year. The unsigned order from the court did not give a reason for the decision. Californians voted to approve changing the state’s voting districts last year, with the aim of cancelling gains made by Republicans through a redrawn map in Texas. Each district sends a lawmaker to the US House. The Republican party is working to hold on to its thin majority in the House in November’s…

Zimbabwe’s ex-President Robert Mugabe may have had financial ties with Jeffrey Epstein, according to the latest batch of files related to the convicted US sex offender. In an email exchange from 2015 with Japanese entrepreneur Joi Ito, the disgraced financier suggested they approach then-President Mugabe to provide Zimbabwe with a new currency after the local dollar collapsed because of hyperinflation. FBI documents from 2017 also released had unverified testimony from a “human confidential source”, who claimed Epstein was a wealth manager for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and provided the same service for Mugabe. Being named among the Epstein files is…

Kenya is losing more than Sh9 billion annually in potential tax revenue due to the rapidly growing illicit cigarette trade, according to a new report by international research firm Kantar. The study reveals that the illicit cigarette market has surged to a record high, with about 37 per cent of cigarettes sold in the country not paying taxes, up from approximately 27 per cent the previous year. Nearly all of these illegal products are smuggled into Kenya, highlighting persistent weaknesses in border controls and enforcement mechanisms. The findings have prompted renewed calls for action from British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya,…

A “notorious” Tanzanian drug-trafficking kingpin has been arrested in Zambia during a raid, the Zambian Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has announced. Ahmed Muharram was among several suspects detained in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, along with large quantities of marijuana and cough syrup containing codeine in several drug busts on Tuesday, the authorities said. “The suspect is a known transnational drug trafficker,” the DEC said, adding that the 40-year-old had long been on the anti-drug agency’s watch-list. The arrest of Muharram, who has not yet commented, was made possible thanks to a series of intelligence-led operations, the agency said. Under Zambian law,…

President Donald Trump signed into law legislation reauthorizing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference programme through December 31, 2026, extending a key pillar of U.S.–Africa trade relations while signaling a push for stricter terms aligned with his administration’s “America First” trade policy. The reauthorization takes retroactive effect from September 30, 2025, ensuring continuity of duty-free market access for eligible sub-Saharan African countries following the programme’s earlier expiry. U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer said the renewed AGOA framework must deliver greater benefits to American businesses while maintaining its role in boosting trade with Africa. “AGOA for the…

Kenya and the United Kingdom signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening border security cooperation and enhancing stability across Kenya’s borderlands. The agreement, signed through Kenya’s Ministry of Interior and National Administration and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, will deepen joint efforts to counter cross-border threats, including terrorism, human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and other forms of transnational organised crime. The Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo said the MoU marks a critical step in reinforcing collective efforts to promote peace, stability, and socio-economic development in Kenya’s border…