The High Court has directed parties in a petition challenging President William Ruto’s Presidential Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests to file and exchange their pleadings within strict timelines. Justice Chacha Mwita, in orders issued on August 28, directed that the petitioners serve their pleadings immediately. Respondents and interested parties will then have seven days to file responses to both the application and the main petition. The petitioners will thereafter have seven days to file a supplementary affidavit, if necessary, along with written submissions not exceeding ten pages. Respondents and interested parties will also…
Author: Pinnah Mokeira
A Nyamira-based journalist has moved to court seeking his release from civil jail, arguing that he was condemned unheard after being jailed for six months for contempt of court. Through his lawyer Danstan Omari, Daniel Nyakundi alias Evans Nyakundi told the High Court in Nyamira that he was never aware of a suit filed against him by Dr. Asenath Maobe, nor the injunctive orders issued on April 7, 2025 which he is accused of disobeying. Nyakundi of People Daily is currently serving a six-month jail term imposed by the court on July 28. He contends that he was neither served…
The High Court temporarily barred the government from constructing a permanent church or any building linked to a religious faith within the grounds of State House, Nairobi, or in any other State House or State Lodge across the country. Justice Chacha Mwita issued the conservatory order on August 26, after finding that a petition filed by civil society groups raises “fundamental constitutional and legal questions touching on State and religion” that require urgent judicial consideration. The petitioners, led by the National Integrity Alliance which includes the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), Transparency International Kenya, Inuka Ni Sisi!, and Transparency International…
A group of human rights activists moved to court seeking to stop the implementation of President William Ruto’s newly created Presidential Panel of Experts on Compensation of Victims of Demonstrations and Public Protests, terming it unconstitutional and a waste of public resources. In a certificate of urgency filed by Dr. Magare-Gikenyi B., together with Eliud Karanja Matindi, Philemon Abuga Nyakundi and Dishon Keroti Mogire, the petitioners argue that the Head of State acted outside his constitutional powers in establishing the panel through a presidential proclamation dated August 6, and Gazette Notice No.12002 issued on August 25. According to the petition,…
A Nairobi court Wednesday ordered the detention of a woman accused of conspiring to steal 11 containers of bitumen worth more than Sh19 million belonging to China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). Senior principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on Wednesday directed that Joy Naomi Jelimo be held at Capitol Hill Police Station for one day to allow the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to complete investigations. The DCI Operations Support Unit, through Corporal Leonard Siele, told the court that Jelimo was arrested in Eldoret over the alleged theft of a consignment shipped from Dubai by Richmond Mercantile Ltd and delivered through…
Three university students were Monday charged in a Nairobi court with conspiring to defraud Sidian Bank of more than Sh7.8 million through a complex scheme of siphoning funds from customer accounts. The suspects Nelson Christiano Nangole, John Oboni Odidi, and Phostine Hesbon Ochieng were arraigned before Senior Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on charges of stealing, handling stolen property, and laundering proceeds of crime. According to the prosecution, the offences were committed on January 11, 2025, at unknown locations within Kenya. The trio are alleged to have colluded with others still at large to illegally transfer Sh7,882,845 from several Sidian Bank…
Former Nairobi governor Gideon Mbuvi, popularly known as Mike Sonko, lodged a formal complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over the officiating in Kenya’s 2025 CHAN quarter-final clash against Madagascar. In a complaint filed before the CAF Disciplinary Board, Sonko accused the match officials of bias and misconduct, claiming their decisions unfairly disadvantaged the Harambee Stars. The highly contested game, played on August 22, ended with Madagascar advancing after a penalty shoot-out. According to the complaint, Sonko alleged that referees wrongfully disallowed two goals scored by Kenya without subjecting the incidents to a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review…
An Uber driver was Friday charged before a Nairobi court with personation and unlawful possession of a national identity card belonging to another person. Emilly Wanjiku Kimani appeared before Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego on Friday, where she denied two counts linked to an incident at the National Bank of Kenya, Mountain Mall branch, on August 21. The prosecution told the court that Kimani, with intent to defraud, falsely identified herself as Naomi Mueni Kithuka to a bank sales executive, Wilkister Ziyeri. In a second charge, she was accused of unlawfully being in possession of a Kenya National Identity Card in…
A mother and her two sons were Friday charged before a Nairobi Court with multiple counts of forgery in connection with the alleged falsification of the last will and testament of a deceased man. Irene Wanjiru Ndiritu, together with her sons, Danson Ndiritu Gathirua and Alex Karuri Gathirua appeared before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Dolphina Alego. They were accused of forging and uttering documents relating to the estate of the late Dr. Cyrus Gathirua Ndiritu. According to the prosecution, the three, alongside others not before the court, allegedly forged the deceased’s last will and testament on various dates between May…
The Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) nullified the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party’s decision to expel nominated Senator Gloria Magoma Orwoba, declaring the disciplinary process against her unlawful and unprocedural. Delivering judgment on August 20, a three-member bench chaired by Desma Nungo found that UDA’s Disciplinary Committee violated Orwoba’s constitutional right to a fair hearing when it purported to expel her on May 16 and 19. This is a new twist into the saga as a new senator has been sworn in to succeed Orwoba. Consolata Wakwabubi was sworn in after her nomination by the ruling UDA party. The tribunal…
The hearing of a case in which political activist Nuru Maloba Okanga has been charged with publishing false, defamatory, and threatening information on social media kicked off before a Nairobi court. According to the arresting officer, Okanga was arrested on June 11, 2024 in Tasia, Embakasi, after a video clip circulated online, including on TikTok, allegedly showing him addressing members of the public and making remarks suggesting that the then Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua should “use his experience as a former District Commissioner and shoot the President since he was disturbing him.” Police constable Milton Mwanzi, a police officer attached…
The High Court Wednesday suspended the operations of President William Ruto’s newly created Presidential Multi-Agency Team on War Against Corruption (MAT-WAC) following a petition filed by human rights activists. In the petition filed before the Constitutional and Human Rights Division at Milimani, the activists Dr. Magare-Gikenyi B., Eliud Karanja Matindi, Philemon Abuga Nyakundi and Dishon Keroti Mogire sued the Presidential Multi-Agency Team, the Attorney-General and ten other state agencies, arguing that the team is unconstitutional, illegal and a duplication of existing institutions. Justice Bahati Mwamuye granted interim conservatory orders staying the implementation of the presidential proclamation that established MAT-WAC. The…
The High Court blocked the payment of over Sh220 million to an Italian firm Gregori International, over a contract for the upgrade of stadia ahead of the cancelled 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN). The temporary orders were issued after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) filed a suit on July 31 seeking to recover the funds. The EACC had sued former Principal Secretary for Sports Kirimi Peter Kaberia, former football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa, Harun Chebet Komen (Director of Administration), two other former senior ministry officials, and Gregori International. The disputed contract Tender No. MOSCA/CHAN/002/2017-2018 was valued at…
A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), filed a petition against the Inspector General of Police (IG), the National Police Service (NPS), and the Attorney General, challenging the unilateral control of the police payroll. The Sheria Mtaani na Shadrack Wambui, argued that the IG and NPS’s control of payroll functions undermines the National Police Service Commission’s (NPSC) constitutional mandate over human resource management. The petition was filed at the High Court by the NGO’s lawyer Danstan Omari. “The unilateral control of the payroll by the Inspector General undermines the Commission’s human resource mandate and creates a risk of alteration or deletion of payroll…
The High Court temporarily barred businessman Musa Hussein Lenyumpa from accessing Nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletian’s Samburu County residence or workplace following claims of threats, harassment, and defamation. The orders, issued by Senior Resident Magistrate Festus Terer, restrict Lenyumpa from assaulting, harassing, threatening, or interfering with Lemaletian’s safety and wellbeing. They also bar him from using her name, likeness, or image for any gain, publishing defamatory statements about her. Lemaletian through her Lawyer Danstan Omari, moved to court alleged that Lenyumpa had physically and verbally abused her and falsely claimed publicly that they were married. “The Applicant is living in fear…