Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

Six Iranian nationals charged with trafficking narcotic drugs valued at an estimated Sh8.2 billion have withdrawn their earlier guilty pleas, prompting the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to reaffirm its determination to pursue the case to its conclusion. The accused — Jaseem Darzadeh Nia, Nadeem Jadgal, Hassan Baloch, Raheem Baksh, Imran Baloch and Imtiyaz Daryay — appeared before Chief Magistrate Anthony Mwicigi, where they asked that the charges be read afresh, arguing that they did not fully understand them when they pleaded guilty two weeks ago. After the charges were re-read, all six entered pleas of not guilty. The DPP…

Xiaomi has officially unveiled the REDMI Note 15 Series in Kenya, introducing three new smartphones — the REDMI Note 15 Pro+ 5G, REDMI Note 15 Pro, and REDMI Note 15 — designed to deliver enhanced durability, powerful performance, and advanced imaging at competitive price points. The new lineup debuts REDMI Titan Durability, a reinforced design philosophy focused on long-lasting battery life, improved drop resistance, and advanced dust and water protection across all models. Xiaomi says the series is engineered to withstand the demands of everyday use while offering a smooth and reliable user experience. At the top of the range,…

Detectives from the Transnational Organised Crime Unit (TOCU) and the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) have uncovered a clandestine drug distribution operation masquerading as a butchery in Kasarani, Nairobi. In the operation, police arrested Paul Mwangi Karanja, the operator of East Butchery in the Marurui area, after acting on intelligence indicating that the premises was being used as a front to sell cannabis. A raid on the butchery led to the recovery of assorted narcotics, including 81 rolls of bhang, 18 cookies, 13 sim-sim rolls and five small containers of mabuyu, all laced with cannabis. Investigators said the items were packaged in…

A four-year-old boy died and 13 others were admitted to hospital after consuming meat from a dead carcass in Kimilili, Bungoma County. The incident happened in Namwanga village where a cow had died out of East Coast Fever on Monday January 26, 2026. The bull had died and villagers decided to slaughter and consume it. Police said a boy aged four died after consuming the meat from the cow. This was after he complained of stomach pain, vomiting and headache. He succumbed at a local hospital, police said. Police said 13 other people who also consumed the meat also complained…

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced Selam Demissie as the new Regional Managing Director based in Kenya on the margins of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau’s visit to the region. In this position, Demissie will oversee projects that advance market-driven growth and strengthen U.S. economic partnership in the region through DFC’s full suite of financial products. A statement said she will build on the work of the DFC’s East Africa Investment Advisor by leveraging existing research, relationships, and investment pipelines to refine and expand strategies that attract, retain, and support investors across priority sectors. “Kenya is…

Police are investigating the murder of a 63-year-old woman in a village in Navokholo, Kakamega County. The body of Pamela Maonga was found lying on bed in a pool of dried blood. She had not been seen in the area for hours and when locals went to check on her they found the body lying on bed. She had failed to wake up on Thursday which raised the suspicion of her neighbours. The body had visible injuries on the head and both hands. Police moved the body to the mortuary pending an autopsy and other procedures. No arrest had been…

A police officer attached to the General Service Unit was found dead after he had died by suicide at a camp in Kutulo, Mandera County. Constable Nicholas Omwega used his G3 rifle to blow up his head at the GSU Duce Camp on Thursday January 29, 2026. His colleagues said they heard one gunshot from the camp and on checking, they found his body lying in a pool of blood. The bullet had ripped off the head after he shot it from the chin. The weapon was found lying next to the body with 19 bullets. The motive of the…

US President Donald Trump said Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have reached an agreement to move forward with parts of a funding package. Senate Democrats and Republicans agreed to a package of five spending bills on Thursday, but removed a sixth bill from the package related to funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the BBC’s US partner CBS News reported. Funding for DHS will continue at its current amount for two weeks while both sides work out a new deal to fund the agency, CBS News said. US President Donald Trump endorsed the deal, and wrote in…

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba, as Washington steps up its pressure on the Caribbean nation. The proposed new levies were outlined in an executive order, although no details were given on specific tariff rates or which countries could be targeted. Trump has repeatedly threatened action against Cuba and its communist leadership. On Tuesday, Trump said Cuba “will be falling pretty soon”, as long-time ally Venezuela no longer sends oil or money to the country after President Nicolás Maduro was seized by US forces on 3 January. Previously, the South…

US President Donald Trump and his two sons have filed a billion-dollar lawsuit against the federal government over leaks of their business and personal tax returns. The civil complaint, filed in Miami federal court, seeks $10bn (£7.25bn) in damages. The Trump family accuses the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – the US-wide tax body – and the Treasury Department of failing to prevent the disclosure of “confidential, personal financial information” by a former IRS contractor. The contractor, Charles “Chaz” Littlejohn, is serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted of leaking the tax disclosures to US media outlets. Ahead of the…

A man accused of impersonating a federal agent in a bid to allegedly free Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down the CEO of United Healthcare in 2024, has been arrested. Mark Anderson, 36, is accused of going to the New York jail where Mangione is being housed and allegedly posing as an FBI agent, a criminal complaint states. He allegedly said he had paperwork that had been “signed by a judge” to free the accused killer. Though the complaint does not name Mangione, a law enforcement source told the BBC that Anderson allegedly sought to free him. He…

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta’s premier say the US should respect Canadian sovereignty after reports emerged that Alberta separatists had talked to the Trump administration about the province possibly leaving Canada. Carney said they “expect the US administration to respect Canadian sovereignty – I’m always clear with President Trump to that effect”. Similarly, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she expected US officials to leave discussions about the province’s “democratic process” to Albertans and Canadians. Currently, Alberta separatists are collecting signatures for a petition process that could lead to a referendum on leaving Canada. The Financial Times has reported they…

The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohamed Amin, has attended the Final Conference of Project ITEPA2 in Rome, Italy, marking the culmination of a flagship initiative aimed at strengthening law enforcement cooperation between Africa and Europe. The project focuses on combating transnational organised crime, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking through enhanced cross-border collaboration and intelligence sharing. The high-level conference brought together senior law enforcement officials, policy experts, and international partners to assess the implementation and impact of ITEPA2. Participants reviewed key milestones achieved under the project and discussed sustainable frameworks to ensure continued cooperation beyond its conclusion. DCI Amin, who…

The High Court dismissed a claim by a United States-based Kenyan woman who alleged that she was the widow of former Cabinet Minister and powerful civil servant Simeon Nyachae. This was seen as a win to Nyachae’s family. Justice Eric Ogola found that Margaret Chweya had failed to prove that she was lawfully married to the late Nyachae. The judge further ruled that her two sons could not be recognised as dependants of the deceased, noting that their biological fathers are alive. “Pictures on their own cannot prove marriage,” Justice Ogola ruled. The judge said marriage must be demonstrated through…

A husband and wife, alongside a third suspect, have been charged in court over the alleged theft of more than Sh22 million from the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK). The three were arraigned by detectives from the Investigations Bureau (IB) under the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum following investigations into a fraudulent scheme that led to the loss of Sh22,151,983 belonging to the State-owned oil firm. According to investigators, the case stemmed from a complaint lodged by NOCK over the suspected misappropriation of corporate funds. Subsequent investigations identified Gladys Kahaki Njubi, a former Assistant Accountant at the corporation, as…