Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

Kenyan activist and staunch government critic Boniface Mwangi announced that he will run for president at the next elections in 2027.  This marked his most direct entry into the political arena after years of activism, photography and grassroots mobilisation. Mr Mwangi pledged to deliver what he called Kenya’s “third liberation” from corruption, poverty and misrule. Speaking at Ufungamano House in Nairobi on Wednesday during Katiba Day celebrations, Mwangi said his campaign will focus on free education, universal healthcare, free clean water and justice for victims of state brutality. “The future of our country is in our hands. Today, on Katiba Day, I announce my bid for the…

A petition was filed seeking a comprehensive investigation into allegations of misconduct by the Chairperson of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia. The petition accused him of abuse of office, financial mismanagement, and questionable academic qualifications. In the petition by Elizabeth Ochieng, she outlined a series of claims against Dr. Kobia, including presiding over alleged financial improprieties, issuing irregular employment contracts, and undermining constitutional standards of public leadership. The allegations, she argues, have significantly compromised transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the Commission. She said previous attempts to raise these concerns through internal mechanisms were…

Embattled Isiolo County Assembly Speaker Mohamed Roba was Tuesday arrested in Nairobi for withholding a government car. He was also detained for arson, assault and malicious damage to property. He was picked up by police picked by DCI along Thika Road and detained at Ruaraka Police Station, where he was held until morning. He was later moved to Mavoko Law Court where he was expected to face charges. But he produced a court order claiming a court had stopped his arrest and prosecution. The office of Director of Public Prosecutions had given consent for his prosecution following a probe. A…

Four suspects are Wednesday scheduled to appear before the Nyeri Law Courts on Wednesday to answer charges related to a Sh13 million procurement fraud at Nyandarua County Government. Those to be charged include Joseph Kimemia Thuita, the son of former Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia and Rose Esther Muthoni Wamuiya, former County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Trade. Also facing charges are Paul Ng’ang’a Ngugi and Catherine Mbobua, a director and an employee respectively of Catapult, the private firm at the center of the fraudulent transaction. The four suspects will face charges of engaging in fraudulent procurement practices, contrary to Section…

Detectives are investigating the murder of two people whose bodies were found lying in a pool of blood in Bambra village, Ugunja, Siaya County. The bodies of Nyamanga Otieno, 30 and that of his son aged five were found in a pool of blood in the house on Tuesday after the murder. Police said the husband had a scuffle with Nyamanga before he used a jembe to hit her in the head fatally. He later turned on the son and clobbered him to death. He later attempted suicide by swallowing a poisonous chemical. Police said they found him lying unconscious…

A logger died after a falling tree trapped him in a village in Kabartonjo, Baringo County. Police said Kennedy Wambulwa was among a group of loggers that had been hired to fell trees for commercial purposes when the incident happened on Monday August 25 in Kassit area. A tree that the group was cutting trapped him fatally, witnesses said adding their efforts to rescue him did not bear fruits. He was rushed to the Kabartonjo Sub County hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The deceased’s body was preserved at the Baringo County Referral Morgue awaiting autopsy. Elsewhere in…

A woman drowned after he jumped into River Yala in Yala Town, Siaya County. Police said the victim died by suicide in the incident and linked the same to an earlier domestic dispute in her nearby home. The incident happened on August 25 in the afternoon, witnesses and police said. A bag with documents that identified the woman as Seline Adhiambo, 18 was found on the bridge of the river where she had jumped from, police said. The police said they also found a pair of open shoes at the scene. The efforts to retrieve the body were ongoing, police…

SpaceX pulled off a successful test flight of its newest generation rocket Starship, reversing a trend of disappointing failures. The world’s largest and most powerful rocket blasted off from Texas just after 18:30 local time (23:30 BST) for a nail-biting 60-minute flight. Parts of the engine appeared to explode at one stage, and flaps on the side of the rocket caught fire and swung from side-to-side. US space agency Nasa plans to use Starship to send humans to the Moon for its ambitious Artemis programme in 2027. “Great work by the SpaceX team!!”, posted SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on X.…

US restaurant chain Cracker Barrel abandoned plans to adopt a new logo following fierce backlash. “We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain,” the company said in a social media post. Cracker Barrel received criticism after it unveiled a modern version of its logo which scrapped the “Old Timer” figure. President Donald Trump, who was among those slamming the rebrand, applauded the reversal, saying: “Congratulations ‘Cracker Barrel’ on changing your logo back to what it…

The FBI is investigating a wave of active shooter hoaxes at US universities which have triggered chaotic armed police responses as students return to campus for a new semester. Since Thursday, nearly a dozen universities have been hit by swatting hoaxes – leading to panic as students, parents and faculty flee. Authorities say swatting – making prank calls to emergency services to deploy a Special Weapons and Tactics team (Swat) – has grown in popularity. In a statement issued in response to the latest wave of hoaxes, the FBI encouraged the public “to remain vigilant and immediately report anything they…

Earlier this month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a promise. He said that a Diwali gift in the form of a “massive tax bonanza” was on its way for the common man and the millions of small businesses that power Asia’s third largest economy. Wearing a bright saffron turban and addressing crowds of spectators from the ramparts of Delhi’s Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations, Modi also made a rallying cry for self-reliance, urging small shop owners and businesses to put up boards of “Swadeshi” or “Made in India” outside their stores. “We should become self-reliant – not out…

Former Murang’a Senator Kembi Gitura resigned as Chairman of the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) Board Tuesday in a surprise move. This was barely eight months after his appointment, citing political and personal conflict. Gitura revealed in a statement that his decision was influenced by political considerations, noting that he has never supported the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government and continues to oppose its policies. The former senator, who is a former deputy speaker of the senate and was gazetted as chair on December 20, 2024, acknowledged that holding the position made it difficult for him…

Safaricom Business has stepped up its engagement with the media as part of efforts to highlight how its enterprise technology solutions are driving growth among Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and large corporates. During a media forum in Nairobi, the telco provided insights into its portfolio, which includes cloud services, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), and enterprise connectivity solutions. The company said its offerings are designed to tackle barriers faced by businesses such as limited access to capital and restricted digital reach. Frankline Okata, acting Chief Enterprise Business Officer at Safaricom, underscored the transformative role of technology in enabling…

A US panel investigating the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein has requested that the executors of his estate produce a number of documents, including a book said to have contained personal messages for his 50th birthday. The subpoena from James Comer, the leader of the House Oversight Committee, represents an expansion of his investigation into Epstein, the disgraced late paedophile financier. Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the birthday book his associate Ghislaine Maxwell created in 2003 contained submissions from various Epstein acquaintances, including a bawdy note allegedly bearing the name of Donald Trump, who was then his friend.…

France is on the brink of another political crisis, after Prime Minister François Bayrou’s shock decision to submit his government to a vote of confidence in parliament. The chances of his winning the vote in a special session of the National Assembly on September 8 being extremely slim, the prime minister’s days in office look numbered. If the vote is lost, Bayrou will be expected to resign, leaving France once again rudderless at a time of immense economic, social and geopolitical uncertainty. For the second time inside a year, the disastrous effects of President Emmanuel Macron’s hasty parliamentary dissolution of…