Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly criticized Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing the government of aiding the sale and distribution of illicit alcohol even as it claims to be fighting the problem. Gachagua, through his official X account on Thursday, July 31, said the recent efforts by the Ministry of Interior were misleading and merely for show. “CS Interior, you are wasting your time and treating Kenyans as fools,” Gachagua said. “While in office, I put in place practical measures to curb illicit alcohol and drug abuse. In just one year, we eliminated poisonous drinks and restored sobriety…
Author: David Wafula
The Senate Public Investments and Special Funds Committee has flagged serious financial mismanagement in Trans Nzoia County, where a handful of senior officials allocated themselves loans amounting to Sh30.7 million without any form of security or insurance. During a session chaired by Senator Eddy Oketch, the committee revealed that the funds were drawn from the Car Loan and Mortgage Fund with no collateral or supporting documentation. Oketch condemned the move as a betrayal of public trust. “Millions have been issued to a few individuals, some of whom have left the county service and are no longer repaying. Meanwhile, wananchi can’t…
Security operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) are under fresh scrutiny after concerns were raised in the Senate over vehicles being allowed entry without proper checks. Nominated Senator Beth Syengo has asked the Senate Committee on Roads, Transportation, and Housing to provide a statement on the status of security infrastructure at JKIA, especially the Under Vehicle Surveillance Systems (UVSS) installed at terminal entry points. Speaking in the Senate, Senator Syengo said several of the UVSS scanners are currently not working, forcing security officers to rely on manual checks. She warned that this has left a serious security gap at…
The government has revoked the placement of 348 nursing interns after investigations revealed that a majority of them were unqualified for posting. In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said 306 interns were removed from the list after it was discovered they had not yet graduated, and therefore did not meet the minimum qualifications. This move follows an earlier revocation of 42 interns announced on July 21, bringing the total number of withdrawn placements to 348. “Following a review of the 2,098 pre-interns posted on July 1, 2025, the Ministry has established that…
A parliamentary session to examine the financial health of the struggling National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) was postponed on Wednesday after lawmakers raised alarm over the state of the corporation and a controversial Sh3 billion agreement with oil marketer Rubis. The Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy, chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing, had scheduled to review NOCK’s audited accounts from the 2018/19 to 2022/23 financial years. However, the session was adjourned to Thursday to allow for further scrutiny, with Members describing NOCK as a “dead” entity with unclear operations and murky finances. During the session,…
A dramatic incident unfolded along the Isiolo–Marsabit highway near River Waso Nyiro after a fierce gun battle between police and suspected drug traffickers led to the recovery of cannabis worth Sh1.9 million. A multi-agency security team, including officers from Archers Post Police Station, National Police Reservists (NPR), and rangers from the Samburu National Reserve (SNR), launched an operation after receiving intelligence on July 30, 2025. The tip-off was about a suspicious white Toyota Probox, with unknown registration details, travelling from Isiolo towards Marsabit. According to police, further information indicated that the vehicle had been spotted near the Waso Nyiro River,…
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has dismissed recent media reports suggesting that it has banned alcohol advertising, online sales, home deliveries, or celebrity endorsements. Following growing public concern, NACADA CEO Anthony Omerikwa clarified that no such bans are currently in place. This follows speculation that arose after the launch of the National Policy for the Prevention, Management and Control of Alcohol, Drugs, and Substance Abuse (2025) by Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen in Nairobi. “This is a national policy, and contrary to reports suggesting that NACADA has banned certain practices such…
The Government of Kenya has responded to Tanzania’s recent decision to ban non-citizens, including Kenyans, from operating certain small businesses, calling for the removal of the restrictions in line with regional economic integration agreements. Tanzania officially enacted the new policy through a legal notice—Government Notice No. 487A—issued on July 28, 2025, under the Business Licensing Act. The directive, signed by Minister for Industry and Trade Selemani Saidi Jafo, bars foreigners from engaging in 15 categories of business activities ranging from mobile money transfers and phone repair services to operation of kiosks, small shops, and micro industries. The order defines a…
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has assured Kenyans that the government is taking concrete steps to restore public trust and improve safety in health institutions across the country. This follows the tragic incidents at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), which brought to light major security lapses in public hospitals where two patients were killed in the hospital within three months. Speaking during a meeting with officials from the Kenya Medical Association (KMA), led by its President Dr. Simon Kigondu, Duale emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to making patients feel safe and respected in line with the Taifa Care model, which puts people…
Concerns are growing over the lack of coverage for cochlear implant surgery under the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), prompting calls for urgent government intervention. Nominated Member of Parliament Sabina Chege on Tuesday requested a statement in the National Assembly, seeking clarity on whether SHIF caters for individuals with hearing impairments in need of cochlear implants. “I wish to request a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Health regarding the coverage of cochlear implant surgery under the Social Health Insurance Fund,” said Chege. Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and the World Health Organization show…
Two suspects have been arrested by detectives in Nyamira North over a shocking mob justice incident where a man suspected of theft was assaulted and thrown into a burning fire. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said in a statement on Wednesday that the suspects — James Nyang’au Kieri and Evans Nyang’au Anyoka — were captured in a viral video mercilessly beating the man before pushing him into the flames. The disturbing footage, widely circulated on social media, shows the suspects attacking the victim in broad daylight as onlookers watched. “Through forensic analysis, detectives tracked down the suspects and arrested…
Eldas MP Dr. Adan Keynan has urged the government to prioritise the expansion of banking and financial services in Northern Kenya, warning that the continued shortage is stalling development and leaving pastoralist communities behind. Speaking in the National Assembly, Dr. Keynan called for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning on what the government is doing to address the limited access to banks in the region. “There has been a shortage of adequate banking and financial institutions in Northern Kenya,” said Dr. Keynan. “This shortage has negatively affected the residents, who are predominantly…
Repeated failure to meet performance targets will now lead to sanctions against public servants, according to new directives issued by Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei. Koskei made the announcement on Wednesday during a virtual consultative meeting with Principal Secretaries, Heads of Legal, Human Resources, Audit, Procurement, and members of Standing Committees. The session agreed on concrete steps to implement the Matrix of Legal Consequences for Infractions—a structured framework aimed at guiding consistent and lawful responses to poor performance and misconduct. “The message is clear and consistent. Administratively, the rules are known—and so are the consequences,”…
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has explained why Members of Parliament cannot currently be recalled by voters. IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said there is no law that clearly outlines how MPs can be removed from office by the public. “There is currently no enabling legislation defining the grounds and procedures for recall,” he said. He explained that this legal gap follows a High Court decision in the case Katiba Institute and Transformation Empowerment for Action Initiative (TEAM) v Attorney General & Another [2027] KEHC 4648 (KLR), where parts of the Elections Act 2011 were declared unconstitutional for…
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has defended the nomination of Kipchumba Harold Kimuge as a Member of Parliament, replacing former ODM-nominated MP John Mbadi who recently joined the Cabinet. Kimuge, who was sworn in on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, was appointed following a Gazette Notice published by the IEBC on July 22. His nomination had drawn criticism from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which questioned the legality and procedure of his selection. In response, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon issued a statement clarifying that the process followed was lawful and in line with both the Constitution and electoral…