Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has raised concerns in the Senate over alleged irregularities in the distribution of funds under the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHA), calling for immediate investigations into what he described as unfair and unexplained allocations to public hospitals. While making a statement on the Senate Floor, Senator Onyonka claimed that some Level 5 hospitals had received over Sh30 million, while others were allocated as little as Sh2,000, causing disruptions in service delivery. He urged the Senate Health Committee to probe the distribution formula and whether the Ministry of Health followed proper procedures in rolling out the…
Author: David Wafula
Most potato farmers in Nyandarua County are applying pesticides without following recommended safety guidelines, a new study has revealed. Only 11.85 percent of the farmers adhere to manufacturer instructions, while the rest depend on advice from agrochemical retailers or fellow farmers. The revelations were made on Thursday during a session between the Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Committee and researchers from Egerton University. The committee, chaired by Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli, convened to examine the extent and impact of pesticide misuse in Kenya’s potato sector. Researchers Prof. Joseph Wafula Matofari, Dr. John Masani Nduko, and Millicent Kanario presented findings from…
The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) will start sending out loans to first-year university students from August 15, 2025, the Ministry of Education has announced. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba, in a statement on Thursday, said the government has enabled both HELB and the Universities Fund to release money for scholarships and loans to support students joining higher education institutions. “These funds will be released in phases to allow a smooth start for university and TVET college students, helping them settle without disruption,” Ogamba said. The CS added that the Universities Fund had already begun distributing first-quarter scholarship funds…
Motorists in Nairobi should expect major traffic disruptions on August 3, 2025, as the city hosts matches for the 2024 TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN). Nairobi County Traffic Commandant Joseph Chirchir said several key roads will be closed to ensure smooth operations and security during the tournament. Aerodrome Road will be closed from Madaraka Roundabout to Nyayo Stadium (Unyala Roundabout). Lang’ata Road will also be closed from Madaraka Roundabout to Lusaka Roundabout, while Mombasa Road will be shut from Lusaka Roundabout to Bunyala Road. To avoid delays, motorists coming from Mombasa Road into the city centre are advised to…
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has outlined how it will collect the newly introduced Sugar Development Levy, targeting both local sugar millers and importers. In a public notice issued on Friday July 31, 2025, Taxman said the levy was applied from July 1, 2025, following the gazettement of the Sugar Development Levy Order, 2025, by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. “The order imposes the levy on millers and importers of sugar, effective July 1, 2025,” the notice read. For local millers, the levy will be charged at 4% of the ex-factory price and must be paid by the 10th day…
Opposition leaders have accused the government of allowing a cargo of sugar declared unfit for human consumption to enter Kenya. In a statement on Thursday, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua among other leaders claimed that a 25,000 metric tonne consignment had already arrived at the Port of Mombasa and was being transported to Western Kenya for repackaging. “We are aware of a cargo of 25,000MT of sugar that recently landed at our Port of Mombasa. This sugar, already declared unfit for human consumption at its port of origin, is on its way to a sugar…
Kenya Railways has revised the departure time for the Nairobi–Suswa train route to improve service for passengers along the corridor. In a public notice issued on Wednesday, the company announced that beginning August 1, 2025, the afternoon train from Suswa to Nairobi will now depart at 4:05 pm—15 minutes later than the current 3:50 pm departure. “The Suswa Leisure Train has adjusted its timings to better serve our passengers in Ngong, Rongai, Mai Mahiu, and Suswa,” the statement read. According to the new schedule, the train will: Arrive at Mai Mahiu at 4:30 pm and depart at 4:33 pm Reach…
The government has moved to assure local farmers that the ongoing importation of rice will not disrupt the market or disadvantage them. This follows complaints from farmers who said they still had large stocks of rice that had not been bought. In a statement released on July 31, Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Director General Bruno Linyiru explained that Kenya consumes about 1.3 million metric tonnes of rice every year, yet only 264,000 metric tonnes—about 20%—is produced locally. The rest has always been covered by imports. However, recent global disruptions and rising prices have made rice imports difficult, especially for…
Leading gaming firm SportPesa has made a major return to Kenyan football by signing a 10-year sponsorship deal worth Sh1.12 billion with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF). The agreement makes SportPesa the official title sponsor of the FKF Premier League. The deal was unveiled during the launch event in Nairobi, where it was announced that SportPesa will inject Sh85 million into the league in the upcoming season. Of this amount, 60 percent will go directly to the 18 Premier League clubs, while the remaining 40 percent will be used to run league operations and administration. Each team will receive about…
Egerton University Vice Chancellor Prof. Isaac Ogumbo was turned away by Members of Parliament on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, for failing to pay a fine imposed by a parliamentary committee. The Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education, chaired by Bumula MP Wanami Wamboka, had summoned the university’s management to respond to concerns raised in the Auditor General’s report on public institutions. The committee is currently investigating issues such as land grabbing, audit non-compliance, and poor leadership in various learning institutions. “We must protect public institutions from mismanagement,” said Wamboka. Earlier in the day, Baringo Technical University appeared before the…
The government has announced a reduction in university fees for students. In a memo dated July 30, 2025, addressed to all Vice Chancellors of public universities and principals of constituent colleges, Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala stated that the new fee structure follows extensive consultations with the public and stakeholders in the education sector. The changes are part of the government’s student-centered funding model. “In direct response to concerns raised by students and their families, the Government of Kenya has lowered fees payable by students across all academic programs,” Inyangala said. She directed public universities to begin implementing the…
The National Assembly has passed the Equalisation Fund Appropriation Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 21 of 2025), paving the way for the release of Sh16.8 billion to improve basic services in Kenya’s marginalised regions during the 2025/2026 financial year. The Bill gives effect to Article 204(1) of the Constitution, which established the Equalisation Fund to support the provision of water, roads, electricity, and health services in historically underserved areas. The aim is to bridge development gaps and ensure all communities enjoy similar quality of services as the rest of the country. Out of the total allocation, Sh6.2 billion is a…
A Cameroonian national has been arrested in Dagoretti, Nairobi, for allegedly defrauding a Canadian investor of Sh79.8 million (USD 618,000) in a fake gold scam. According to a statement from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), detectives from the Operation Support Unit (OSU) arrested the suspect, identified as Francis Talla Oufa, also known as Allain, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the scheme. The DCI said the incident began in November 2024 when the Canadian investor, still in his home country, was lured into a deal to buy 250 kilograms of gold. Attracted by the promise of high…
The National Assembly is currently reviewing a proposed law that seeks to overhaul the gambling sector in Kenya. The Gambling Control Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 70 of 2023) aims to regulate betting, casinos, public lotteries, and prize competitions, while also establishing a new oversight body—the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Kenya. On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, Members of Parliament debated the mediated version of the Bill during the afternoon session. Kinangop MP Kwenya Thuku, while moving the motion to adopt the Mediation Committee’s report, said the new authority will take over from the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) and…
The government has banned the importation of tobacco products in a bold move aimed at fighting the rising use of tobacco among young people in Kenya. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced the decision on Wednesday while appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation. He said the ban is part of wider efforts by the Ministry of Health to reduce the availability and attractiveness of tobacco in local markets. “Tobacco products have been flooding our markets, frustrating government efforts to curb their misuse. This is why we made the decision to ban imports,” said Duale. He revealed that…