The High Court ruled that carrying out political campaigns outside the election period is unconstitutional. The court further directed the Attorney General (AG) to take the necessary steps, within 12 months, to enact a law governing political campaigns conducted outside the election period. “This law is expected to bring order, fairness, and legal clarity to the political landscape,”court noted The court said it is unconstitutional for public officers to engage in political activities while still in office. In a decision delivered by a three judge bench, the court declared that early political campaigns violate multiple fundamental rights enshrined in the…
Author: Pinnah Mokeira
Former Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga, Senior Counsel Martha Karua and four others have filed a case against the Tanzanian government at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) accusing it of unlawful detention, denial of entry at Julia’s Nyerere international Airport in Dar es Salaam, and deportation. The group also includes journalist Lynn Ngugi, advocates Gloria Kimani and Hussein Khalid, and human rights defender Hanifa Adan, The East Africa Law Society (EALS) and The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) The group alleges that between May 18 and May 19, Tanzanian immigration authorities arbitrarily detained them without explanation and denied…
The High Court is set to rule on June 16 2025 on whether to grant bail to four senior police officers charged with murder, rape, and crimes against humanity under the International Crimes Act. The accused officers include John Chengo Masha, Lina Kogey, Cyprine Robi Wankio, and James Rono. This is after the victim’s lawyers urged the court to deny them bail pending trial. The lawyers argue that the serving officers will intimidate witnesses or interfere with investigations if released. “The accused still wields immense police powers that could be misused,” stated the lawyers. “Granting bail would risk undermining the…
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) won a major case after the High Court ordered two former National Treasury and Planning officials to repay a total of Sh39.18 million fraudulently obtained as allowances. In the ruling, Lady Justice Lucy Mwihaki Njuguna found that Robert Theuri Murage and Dorris Nafula Simiyu, illegally received public funds disguised as extraneous, taskforce, entertainment, and other undefined allowances between January 2020 and June 2022. The court held that Murage fraudulently embezzled Sh20,318,000, while Simiyu was found to have irregularly received Sh18,862,000. Both amounts said the court, were paid without approval from the Salaries and Remuneration…
A Kenyan man has moved to court seeking damages for what he terms as a gross violation of his rights and fundamental freedoms after allegedly being trafficked to Myanmar under false pretenses. Duncan Okindo, the petitioner in the case, claims he was lured with the promise of a customer service job in Bangkok, Thailand, only to be smuggled by boat across the Moei River into Myanmar. There, he says he was forced to work in a scam compound, performing complex cyber fraud operations. In his petition, Okindo accuses Gratify Solutions International Ltd, Virginia Wacheke Muriithi, and other individuals of orchestrating…
Three men suspected of killing Kasipul MP Charles Ong’ondo Were were Wednesday denied bail by a court. The three William Imoli Shigali alias Imo, Edwin Oduor Odhiambo alias Machuani and Ebel Ochieng alias Dave Calo will be detained at Nairobi Remand Prisons pending mental assessment. High court judge, Lady Justice Diana Kavedza while detaining the trio ordered Lake Basin Director Ebel Ochieng to be isolated while in detention pending a psychiatric evaluation report to be submitted by June 17. This is after a court orderly, corporal Damien Mulongo told the court that the director had issued a chilling threat against…
A Nairobi Milimani court released a 25 year old man on bail after he denied charges of impersonating Charlene Ruto, the daughter of President William Ruto, in the publication of a book. Webstar Ochora Elijah appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo on Tuesday, where he was charged with personation contrary to Section 382(1) of the Penal Code. He pleaded not guilty to allegations that he falsely presented himself as Charlene Ruto while publishing a book titled “Beyond the Name Charlene Ruto and the Youth Uprising” under the name Zawadi Publishers. According to the charge sheet, the alleged offence took…
A Nairobi milimani court released software developer Rose Njeri on a personal bond of Sh100,000. Njeri was arrested on May 30, over allegations of cybercrime linked to a platform she created to support public participation in the 2025 Finance Bill. Magistrate Geoffrey Onsarigo granted the software developer personal bond pending ruling to determine whether she will answer to charges related to alleged cybercrime offences on June 20. Njeri is accused of unauthorized interference with computer systems after developing an online platform—https://civic-email.vercel.app—that enabled citizens to send email memorandums to the Finance Committee of the National Assembly. According to the prosecution, the…
A Nairobi-based lawyer moved to court seeking to stop President William Ruto from appointing any more advisors. In a petition filed under certificate of urgency, Lawyer Suyianka Lempaa claimed that the growing number of presidential advisors amounts to what he terms as an unconstitutional creation of a “parallel civil service.” Lempaa argued that the President has been flooding public offices with political appointees who were not subjected to competitive recruitment as required by law. The lawyer wants the National Treasury barred from paying salaries and allowances to 21 named presidential advisors. According to him, their positions are illegal and not…
One of the suspects in the Sharon Otieno murder case, firmly denied any involvement in the planning or execution of her killing. Michael Oyamo testified in court on May 22, regarding his interactions with the late Sharon Otieno and XYZ denying any involvement in their alleged abduction and insisting that the two left him at Gracia Hotel in Rongo on the evening of September 3, 2018. Oyamo who is a former personal assistant to then governor Okoth Obado stated that he was in Migori Town on that day finalizing preparations for a scheduled official trip to Rwanda. According to him,…
A Nairobi court allowed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to detain two suspects linked to the murder of Kasipul Member of Parliament Charles Were for 23 days to allow for further investigations. This is after Principal magistrate Irene Gichobi dismissed Ebel Ochieng alias Dave Calo and Edwin Oduor Odhiambo’s application that sought to disqualify herself from handling the case Calo is a board member of the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA). While dismissing the application Magistrate Gichobi held that the application lacked merit. The prosecution while seeking to detain the suspects for a further 30 days, argued that the…
A Nairobi court allowed the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to detain the primary suspect in the assassination of Kasipul MP Charles Ong’onda Were for 30 days pending investigations. Were was gunned down at the City Mortuary roundabout along Valley Road on April 30, 2025. According to an application filed by investigating officer Reuben Mwaniki, Isaac Kuria also known as “Kush” is believed to have been contracted to assassinate the MP. The deceased, who was reportedly trailed from Parliament by both a car and a motorcycle, was ambushed and fatally shot while driving. CCTV footage captured images resembling individuals already…
A Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) magistrate’s court is expected to rule on May 9 whether it will hear a miscellaneous application by the Director of criminal Investigations DCI) seeking to detain five suspects for 30 days in connection with the murder of Kasipul MP Charles Were pending investigations. When the matter came up for hearing Thursday, lawyers representing the suspects strongly objected to the application, arguing that the court lacked territorial jurisdiction to hear the matter. “This court lacks territorial jurisdiction to entertain the application before it,” said lawyer Danstan Omari, appearing alongside Cliff Ombeta, Shadrack Wambui, and Sam…
Legal team representing businessman Philip Aroko are now challenging what they describe as an unlawful and politically motivated detention by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in connection with the murder of Kasipul MP Charles Were. Aroko, presented himself voluntarily at DCI headquarters and was later booked at Gigiri cells on May 7 after the DCI issued a highly publicized statement declaring him a wanted person. According to his lawyer, Danstan Omari, the applicant has since been held incommunicado denied bail, access to legal counsel, and visitation by family members. In the documents filed in court, Omari argues that the…
A Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Chief Magistrate court allowed the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to detain four suspects linked to the murder of Kasipul Member of parliament Charles Ong’ondo Were for 30 days pending probe. The suspects William Imoli Shighali, Juma Ali Haikal, Douglas Muchiri Wambugu, and David Mihigo Kagame will remain in custody for 30 calender days pending investigations. The four were arrested in different parts of Nairobi. They will be held in separate police stations including Ruaraka, Muthaiga, Capitol Hill, and Kilimani. The court heard that the Shighali, Wambugu and Kagame were arrested in the Roysambu…