Author: KahawaTungu Reporter

Donald Trump has sealed an historic victory in the US presidential election and completed his stunning political comeback. The Republican comfortably defeated Democrat Kamala Harris in what polls had suggested would be a very tight election, after he swept several key battleground states and won a commanding lead in the national popular vote. He becomes the first former president to return to the White House in more than 130 years and, at 78, the oldest man elected to America’s highest office. Claiming victory at a rally in Florida on Wednesday morning, Trump told supporters that he would usher in “a…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the UK’s Keir Starmer have been among the first world leaders to congratulate Donald Trump on winning the US presidential election. The election of a new president is not just a big deal for the US – a new leader in the White House can transform the country’s foreign policy and its position towards its friends and foes internationally. Here is how some of the world’s leaders have reacted so far: In his statement, Netanyahu – who has had a difficult relationship with President Joe Biden – spoke of “history’s greatest comeback”, adding that…

Voters in six states have approved measures to protect or expand abortion rights, but a bid to restore protections for the procedure failed in Florida. A variety of questions on abortion access were on the ballot in 10 states during the seismic election, in which the issue was a galvanizing force for many voters. The proposal in Florida would have allowed abortion until the point of fetal viability or about 24 weeks, but it fell short of the threshold of 60% support to pass. But an amendment aimed at overturning a near-total abortion ban in Missouri, where a majority of…

The US dollar has surged as Donald Trump is now projected to have won the presidency and will re-enter the White House. Bitcoin has also hit a record high while traders bet on potential tax cuts, increased tariffs, and rising inflation under Trump’s second term. This election result will have a major impact on the global economy. The Republican Party is also set to take control of the Senate, although there are still votes left to count. The dollar has soared by about 1.4% against a host of different currencies, including the pound, euro and the Japanese yen. In Japan,…

Detectives investigating a shocking crime scene at Langata Cemetery have made a significant breakthrough, uncovering more details on the activities of Hashim Dagane Muhumed, the prime suspect in the murders of a mother, her daughter, and her 12-year-old niece. This latest revelation comes after the discovery of a mutilated body, believed to be linked to Muhumed, found on October 31, 2024, in the Langata area. In their investigation, detectives traced the victim to a Quickmart supermarket in the city, where she was last seen on CCTV footage shopping on October 29, 2024. Further surveillance footage revealed that she later entered…

The High Court quashed the appointment of Dr. Charles Githinji as the chairperson of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) following a ruling by Justice Enock Mwita.  The judge ruled that the appointment violated constitutional principles surrounding leadership and integrity. The decision stems from the fact that Githinji’s appointment did not adhere to the required transparency, fairness, and merit standards stipulated in Kenya’s Constitution, particularly under Article 232, and the Public Service (Values and Principles) Act. Justice Mwita noted that the appointment lacked the essential qualities of personal integrity, competence, and suitability that are fundamental to public office appointments. The…

A Milimani Law Court Wednesday sentenced two former National Youth Service (NYS) employees to seven years in jail for Sh791 million fraud in 2015. They had been charged with conspiracy to defraud. Hendrick Nyongesa Pilisi was found guilty of making a false document contrary to Section 347(a) as read with Section 349 of the Penal Code, as well as breach of trust by a person employed in public service contrary to Section 127(1) as read with Section 127(2) of the Penal Code. Samuel Wachenje was convicted of breach of trust under the same provisions. Nyongesa, a former Head of Procurement…

Just after midnight, a few hundred feet from where Kamala Harris was expected to stand on stage for her election night party at Howard University in Washington, DC, a handful of students sat in a huddle. They began their night ecstatic, they said, ready to celebrate the ascent of a Howard alum to the highest office in the US. The Democratic presidential nominee had chosen to return to her alma mater for the special night, but later, she cancelled her planned appearance. “I felt so excited, like this is history in the making,” said Cori Ross, 20. “No other campus…

A closely watched proposal to restore abortion rights in Florida is on track for defeat, in a significant blow to efforts to expand local protections for the procedure. The ballot initiative would have allowed abortion until the point of foetal viability or about 24 weeks, but had to meet a threshold of 60% support in order to pass. Florida was one of 10 states this election where voters were asked to weigh in on abortion rights measures. The state-level fights come two years after a US Supreme Court ruling that struck down the national right to abortion, prompting many states…

Republicans are projected to have won the majority in the US Senate, after flipping Senate seats in West Virginia and Ohio. Jim Justice, West Virginia’s current governor, is projected to win the seat vacated by the former Democrat Joe Manchin, while Bernie Moreno in Ohio unseated Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown. The projected results move the Senate to a 51-49 split in favour of the Republicans. Results in other seats are pending, however. Republicans so far are leading in the House of Representatives though several races are still undecided. Winning the Senate will give the party greater leverage to enact its…

Investors around the world are closely watching the US election for clues on who will become the next president of the world’s biggest economy. Benchmark stock indexes across Asia were mostly higher on Wednesday, while the US dollar was also up. The result of the election is expected to have a major impact on the global economy, especially Asia. It is uncertain whether the result of the election will be known during Asian trading hours, as counts in swing states could take days to be completed. In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index ended the session up by 2.6%,…

Kenyan-American Huldah Momanyi Hiltsley made history by securing a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, becoming the first Kenyan-born politician to hold office in the United States. Running under the Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) Party, she won with 64.78% of the vote to represent Minnesota’s District 38A, which includes the southwestern parts of Brooklyn Park and Osseo. District 38A is a notably diverse area, with about 66% of residents identifying as people of colour, a large portion of whom are African immigrants. Hiltsley, a Bethel University alumna, credits her decision to enter politics to her commitment to uplifting her community and…

While this US election is not yet over, Donald Trump is in pole position and seemingly on track to complete one of the most remarkable comebacks in presidential history. The electoral map looks more like 2016, when Trump won, than 2020, when he lost to Joe Biden. Trump has been projected to win North Carolina and Georgia, the first two of the seven battleground states to be decided. Those victories came on the back of a strong performance in traditional rural areas. Across the US, in counties that have reported their results, the former president is making noticeable headway. Kamala…

Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia and taken a lead over Kamala Harris in most of the other four battleground states that will decide the winner of the US election, BBC’s US partner CBS projects. CBS says Wisconsin is leaning towards Trump and he is ahead in the other so-called Rust Belt state of Michigan. The results are not final. Incomplete returns also suggest Trump has a lead in Nevada, while the race remains tight in the other sun belt battleground of Arizona. In more good news for Trump’s fellow Republicans, the party is projected to win…

President William Ruto left for Juba, South Sudan, Wednesday for an official visit aimed at consolidating the South Sudanese political transition through the Tumaini Peace Consensus. This visit follows President Salva Kiir’s recent trip to Nairobi on August 27, 2024, where he attended the launch of Kenya’s African Union Commission candidacy. During that visit, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to shared growth, regional cooperation, and sustainable development. The Tumaini initiative, proposed by Kiir and supported by Kenya and several development partners, represents a progressive model for inclusive peace-building. Over the past six months, the initiative has evolved through intensive dialogue…