Kitui-based journalist Kitavi Mutua has died after suffering a snake bite, plunging the journalism fraternity into mourning. Mutua died on Saturday at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, where he had been admitted following the snake attack, according to family members and friends. He had spent several days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) before succumbing to multiple organ failure, hospital officials said. His death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, friends and members of the media fraternity, who remember him as a seasoned journalist and storyteller who made a significant contribution to journalism in the region.…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
The Linda Mwananchi Movement (LMM) has unveiled its proposed national leadership structure, naming Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi as chairperson and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna as party leader. The officials-designate were announced on Friday, October 30, 2026, during the official launch of the movement in Nairobi. The proposed appointments, however, remain subject to approval by the National Delegates Convention (NDC) scheduled for November 13, 2026. Under the proposed structure, former Nairobi Governor Kawira Mwangaza, Faith Odhiambo and Patrick Makau have been named deputy party leaders, with a fourth position reserved for the Coast region. Osotsi will be deputised by Reuben Ndolo,…
President William Ruto has announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian military, following bilateral talks at the Kremlin in Moscow. Ruto said Putin had confirmed that Kenya would no longer be considered a source country for recruitment into the Russian military, a move expected to stop further enlistment of Kenyans into the conflict. The President said he had appointed a Defence Attaché at the Kenyan Embassy in Moscow to coordinate with Russia’s Ministry of Defence on the return of Kenyans who travelled to Russia for military-related purposes. The Defence Attaché…
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has threatened legal action against Parliament over proposed changes to election laws that could weaken public scrutiny and verification of results ahead of the 2027 General Election. LSK President Charles Kanjama said the society would move to court to challenge any legislation that undermines transparency in the management and declaration of election results, insisting that Kenyans must be able to independently scrutinise results transmitted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). In a wide-ranging statement on Friday, Kanjama called on Parliament to publish the approved text of the Elections (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill,…
A top Democratic senator has blamed a crackdown on independent journalism in Egypt on a decision by the Trump administration to waive human rights conditions on US military funding to the country. Chris Murphy, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, accused the US government of “abandoning” the Egyptian people after it lifted restrictions relating to more than $300m of defence assistance. Over the last month a series of arrests has taken place of journalists at two of the few remaining independent news outlets in Egypt, where newspapers and TV stations are closely controlled by the authorities. The US…
Pope Leo XIV has submitted his mail-in ballot in Illinois, for the midterm elections, becoming the first-ever pope to vote in a US election. “The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement. The Chicago-born pontiff is the first US citizen to hold the Vatican’s highest seat, after his selection in May 2025. Since then, he has clashed with the Trump administration over various issues, including immigration enforcement and the US-Israel war with Iran. “Pope Leo XIV has exercised his right…
Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja has warned senior police commanders against tolerating criminal gangs and politically sponsored goons ahead of the 2027 General Election, saying officers who fail to contain the groups will face personal accountability. Kanja said commanders would be held responsible for the presence and activities of criminal gangs in their areas of jurisdiction, warning that ineffective policing would be treated as negligence and attract disciplinary consequences. He directed regional, formation and county commanders to intensify intelligence-led operations to dismantle criminal networks before they become a major threat to electoral security. “My directives on criminal gangs and goons…
The High Court Friday ordered the Inspector General of Police and other police authorities to produce before the court a Tanzanian Opposition Activist, Twaha Mwaipaya, either alive or dead, as questions emerge over his arrest and detention. The activist is missing after his abduction in Kamulu, Nairobi. Justice Alexander Muteti has directed the Inspector General of Police, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Officer Commanding Ruai Police Station to produce Mwaipaya before the court on Monday, November 2, 2026, at 11 am. The three respondents have also been ordered to produce the original detention warrant and show cause why…
For the last three decades, Novaya Gazeta has been one of the most high-profile independent news outlets in Russia. Now it’s shutting down – and it has accused the Russian authorities of the “murder” of a newspaper. “They’ve killed us,” reads a statement on the Novaya Gazeta website. “The newspaper is no more. The Russian authorities and Russian special services have forced the paper to stop its work.” Novaya Gazeta has received an eviction order. Crucially, at the same time, the system that had allowed the paper to receive donations from readers was disabled. That leaves no way to fund…
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Leader Oburu Oginga has reaffirmed the party’s position on negotiations with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), insisting that the full implementation of the 10-point agenda remains non-negotiable. In a statement, Oburu expressed gratitude to Kenyans, ODM members, friends and well-wishers for their prayers and support during his recovery, saying he was making steady progress towards full recovery. He, however, expressed concern over what he described as attempts by some individuals, including people who are not ODM members, to exploit his temporary absence from active politics by dictating how the party should conduct negotiations with UDA.…
Detectives in Isinya, Kajiado County, arrested a man suspected of murdering his 34-year-old wife, Farida Peter Sangka, and attempting to conceal the crime by burying her body in a shallow grave at their farm in Entarakuet. The discovery followed a report made by Ndayishimiye Deo, a Burundian national employed as a farmhand by the suspect, identified as Shon David Rabassa Kioko The farmhand reported that his employer had murdered his wife before instructing him to help bury her body in a shallow grave. Acting on the report, detectives visited the scene, where they arrested the suspect and the farmhand for…
DoorDash will acquire grocery delivery firm Instacart in a $17bn (£12.8bn) deal, creating a behemoth that will bring more meals, quick-need purchases and big weekly shops directly to customers. DoorDash said the deal, expected to be final in about a year, will expand options for customers and let more sellers use the companies’ services. Instacart shoppers will be able to buy from 150,000 stores, up from the current 100,000, while DoorDash will reach beyond restaurants into retail, the firms said. “Together, we can accelerate innovation across the grocery industry and make online grocery more seamless and affordable for the millions…
The United Nations refugee agency has warned of growing humanitarian needs in northern Kenya after an estimated 50,000 people fled clashes in Ethiopia and crossed the border into Moyale in search of safety. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said significant cross-border movements had been reported since October 22, with the number of arrivals remaining fluid as registration and verification efforts continued. Local authorities estimate that up to 50,000 people have entered Kenya, with reports indicating that additional crossings could further increase the number of people requiring assistance. Many of those fleeing the violence are women and children,…
The Republican governor of Alaska has ordered an investigation into an alleged “scheme” which led to two Dan Sullivans standing in the state’s US Senate race. Governor Mike Dunleavy said he was responding to a New York Times (NYT) storywhich said the team of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola worked with people who tried to recruit spoiler candidates in the Senate race. The governor’s post on X said he would investigate “whether this scheme violated Alaska’s laws”. He did not say which laws he had in mind. Dan Sullivan, the incumbent Republican senator running for re-election, and allies have accused the…
The High Court has declined to lift orders suspending the implementation of a Teachers Service Commission (TSC) circular regulating teachers’ conduct on social media, ruling that the petition challenging the guidelines raises substantial constitutional questions. In its ruling, the court dismissed TSC’s application seeking to set aside the conservatory orders, finding that petitioner Fredrick Ochieng Oduor had established a prima facie case that the circular could infringe teachers’ constitutional right to freedom of expression. The judge observed that the circular did not sufficiently define the online conduct that could expose teachers to disciplinary action, potentially granting the commission excessive discretion…