Former trade and industry Cabinet Secretary Adan Abdulla Mohammed was officially appointed as the new Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), taking over from Humphrey Wattanga. The appointment, published in a Special Issue of The Kenya Gazette dated May 18, 2026, showed that Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi appointed Mohammed under Section 11(1) of the Kenya Revenue Authority Act for a three-year term effective immediately. He has been an advisor to president William Ruto. This followed an interview conducted Monday May 18 on eight shortlisted candidates. Mohammed brings decades of experience in banking, economic policy, trade and public…
Author: Oki Bin Oki
A standoff between the government and stakeholders in the matatu sector remained unresolved Monday night after hours of talks failed to break the deadlock that has paralysed public transport across the country. Negotiations led by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi stretched into the night, but no agreement was reached by the time the parties addressed the media at around 9:30 p.m. In a joint press briefing, Wandayi initially suggested that progress had been made and that the discussions had yielded results. However, officials from the matatu sector interrupted the briefing, insisting that no final…
A Spanish court has ordered the country’s tax authority to refund €55m (£48m, $64m) to singer Shakira after ruling that the money was improperly collected in a dispute over her taxes. The national high court has acquitted the Colombian singer of tax fraud and ordered the Treasury to repay the money plus interest to her. It said tax authorities had failed to prove she spent 183 days in Spain in 2011 – the minimum required for residents to pay personal income tax there. Shakira said the court had “finally set the record straight” after she had spent eight years “enduring…
A New York judge will allow a gun and writings found in Luigi Mangione’s backpack after his 2024 arrest to be presented at his state murder trial over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, but has ruled that other items are inadmissible. Judge Gregory Carro ruled on Monday that certain evidence “must be suppressed, including the magazine, cellphone, passport, wallet and computer chip” found with Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s. Carro said that evidence was recovered as part of an “improper and warrantless search” of the then-26-year-old. However, prosecutors will be allowed to present items found during a search…
A gunman has opened fire in southern Turkey, killing four people, local media report. Another eight people were injured in the Tarsus district, Mersin province, according to Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper and CNN Türk. Monday’s shooting is reported to have started at a restaurant, and the suspect then fled in a car. Police have launched a large-scale operation with helicopter support as they try to apprehend the gunman. Turkish media reports say two people were killed in the restaurant. They are believed to be the owner and an employee. The gunman then continued shooting, killing a shepherd grazing his sheep nearby…
The Government announced a series of interventions aimed at cushioning Kenyans from rising fuel prices triggered by the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, which has disrupted global oil supply chains. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had significantly affected global shipping, forcing vessels to take longer routes while insurance costs for cargo surged sharply. According to Kindiki, the crisis has pushed up international fuel prices, with officials warning that pump prices in Kenya could have risen to as high as Sh300 per litre without intervention measures. Prof Kindiki said the Government had already reduced Value Added…
Cuba’s foreign minister has accused the US of building a “fraudulent case” for military intervention, following a report that it had acquired attack drones capable of targeting Florida. Bruno Rodríguez stressed that Havana “neither threatens nor desires war” after US news site Axios reported, citing classified intelligence, that Cuba now possessed 300 drones and was discussing striking nearby US targets. Cuba is suffering from a fuel crisis, exacerbated by an effective US oil blockade, while under pressure by the Trump administration to “make a deal”. US President Donald Trump has threatened Cuba’s communist regime with similar intervention to the capture…
At least six Americans have been exposed to the Ebola virus during a deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, sources have told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak as an international emergency, with the DR Congo’s health ministry reporting around 350 suspected cases and 91 deaths. One American is believed to have symptoms, with three others said to have faced a high-risk contact or exposure. It is unclear whether any have been infected. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was supporting the “safe withdrawal…
The bodies of four Italian divers who went missing during a scuba diving accident in the Maldives last week have been found, officials have confirmed to the BBC. One body, belonging to a fifth member of the group, had already been located after the incident on Thursday. The Italian nationals were found inside a 60-metre-deep (197ft) cave in Vaavu Atoll by a joint team of highly trained Finnish and Maldivian divers, according to local authorities. A rescue diver also died on Saturday while searching for the bodies of the group. “Further dives [are] to be carried out in the coming…
A woman believed to be the mastermind behind a gold scam that fleeced an American national of USDT 431,380 was arrested by detectives domiciled at the DCI Nairobi Regional Headquarters. According to the police, the con game began with sweet promises and polished deals, as the smooth-talking suspects convinced the foreign investor they could supply 400 kilograms of genuine gold bars. Hooked by the seemingly lucrative deal, the American national flew into Nairobi to seal the agreement, unaware he was stepping straight into a carefully staged trap. Investigators say everything appeared convincing, as documents were drawn, negotiations held, and once…
Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has called for unity within the Luo community, urging leaders and supporters to rally behind President William Ruto while defending recent remarks made by Winnie Odinga directed at Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi. In a strongly worded statement, Kidero said Winnie Odinga’s comments were a legitimate reminder that the National Treasury is a constitutional office focused on public service rather than political contests. He argued that Kenyans are grappling with the high cost of living and economic uncertainty, adding that Mbadi’s focus should remain on implementing policies that ease the burden on ordinary citizens. “The…
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran the “clock is ticking” as talks to bring the war to an end have stalled. “They better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. “TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!” The message came as the president was due to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. Iranian media reported on Sunday that the US had failed to make any concrete concessions in its response to Tehran’s latest proposals to end the conflict. A lack of compromise from Washington would lead to…
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen visited gospel artist Rachel Wandeto in hospital after she was attacked and burnt in Mwiki area, Nairobi. The assailants used petrol to douse her before they escaped on Friday night. She said she was attacked and injured for expressing her political opinion. The CS said Wandeto had suffered significant burns and that doctors were giving her the best care possible. He condemned the attack, saying the Constitution allows for free expression of political opinion that cannot be taken away by anybody. “I condemn this barbaric act that has no place in our society. Our investigative…
A section of schools postponed classes for Monday following s planned strike by the transport sector players. This is over rising fuel prices. Transport Alliance umbrella, including matatu operators, digital cab drivers, boda boda operators, and members of the Truckers Association of Kenya, has called for a nationwide transport strike scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2026, in response to recent fuel price increases. Separately, there have been unverified online discussions relating to possible protests. Police indicated that patrols will be enhanced across key areas within the Nairobi CBD and surrounding areas as a precautionary measure. Some schools sent messages to…
A drone strike targeted the United Arab Emirates’ sole nuclear power plant on Sunday, sparking a fire on its perimeter. There were no reports of injuries or radiological release, but it highlighted the risk of renewed war as the Iran ceasefire remains tenuous. No one immediately claimed responsibility, and the UAE did not blame anyone. It has however accused Iran of launching multiple drone and missile attacks in recent days as tensions have risen over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy waterway that Iran still has in a chokehold. The United States is blockading Iranian ports and diplomatic efforts…