Author: Mwenda Gitonga

A protected state witness has given chilling testimony in the ongoing trial of three men accused of orchestrating the gruesome murder of former Wells Fargo Human Resource Manager, Willis Ayieko, in October 2024. Testifying before the Siaya High Court on Monday, the witness revealed he was unknowingly roped into the deadly plot after being paid Ksh.9,000 to provide transportation services on the night Ayieko was abducted and later murdered. The suspects — Victor Ouma Okoth alias Sisco, Samuel Onyango alias Jaboda, and Dancun Ochieng — appeared before Justice David Kemei, where they were charged with the premeditated murder of Ayieko.…

The late Catholic priest Father Allois Cheruiyot Bett, who was brutally murdered in Kabartile Village, Elgeyo Marakwet County, will be buried on Friday, May 30, at a location to be announced later following consultations between the Catholic Church and his family. Father Bett, who served at St Matthias Mulumba Tot Parish, was ambushed and gunned down by unknown assailants last week. His killing has sent shockwaves across the Catholic community and reignited public outcry over growing insecurity in the banditry-prone Kerio Valley. During a requiem mass held at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Eldoret, Bishop Dominic Kimengich of…

Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has waded into the growing controversy surrounding the transfer of the Public Seal, claiming it reflects a deeper issue—President William Ruto’s apparent loss of confidence in Attorney General (AG) Dorcas Oduor. Speaking on Citizen TV, Onyonka asserted that the real issue at hand isn’t merely about the Public Seal’s custody, but about trust in the AG herself. “I don’t think this issue is about the seal. This issue is talking about the person who has the job of Attorney General. The president does not have the trust that the person he has given the responsibility of…

Kenya has thrown its weight behind Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed region of Western Sahara, joining a growing number of African, Arab, and Western nations supporting Rabat’s stance in the decades-long territorial conflict. In a joint statement issued Monday after high-level talks between Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat, Kenya affirmed that Morocco’s autonomy proposal is the “only credible and realistic solution” to resolve the Western Sahara dispute. The conflict over Western Sahara dates back to 1975 and pits Morocco — which considers the territory part of its sovereign land…

Kenya has officially suspended the inauguration of a planned Somaliland liaison office in Nairobi, amid rising diplomatic sensitivities with Somalia and a reaffirmation of its support for the Federal Government in Mogadishu. In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, May 26, the State Department for Foreign Affairs directed that the scheduled event on Tuesday, May 27, be called off, citing the lack of official approval and Kenya’s longstanding diplomatic position on Somalia’s sovereignty. “The Ministry notes with concern that to the extent the event of 27th May 2025 has not been granted approval from this Ministry, its investiture of…

The National Police Service (NPS) has issued a detailed statement addressing the widely circulated video reportedly showing Juja MP George Koimburi allegedly abducted and later abandoned at a farm in the Kibichoi area of Kiambu County. According to the press release from the Office of the Inspector General, the MP has been under investigation over a land fraud case. A consent to prosecute had already been issued by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). On Friday, May 23, Koimburi reportedly evaded a police operation by escaping on a motorcycle with his private security and turning off his…

Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has dismissed reports circulating on social media and elsewhere suggesting that Kenya is not ready to co-host the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN), especially at key venues like Nyayo Stadium and Kasarani. Speaking on Monday, Mvurya strongly affirmed that Kenya is on track to deliver a successful tournament in collaboration with regional co-hosts Tanzania and Uganda. “I have seen in some of the social media pages, people saying that Kenya is not ready to host CHAN,” Mvurya stated. “That is not true. I want to confirm that Kenya is ready.” He confirmed that his ministry…

President William Ruto has heaped praise on Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, hailing him as calm, competent, and committed to the government’s development agenda—while drawing a sharp contrast with his ousted former deputy, Rigathi Gachagua. Speaking during the launch of the Human-Wildlife Conflict Compensation Fund at Meru National Park, Ruto highlighted Kindiki’s understanding of national priorities such as infrastructure, electricity, education, health, and agriculture, describing him as instrumental in driving Kenya’s progress. “I now have a deputy who understands roads, electricity, and government plans. He is responsible and helps me in my work. You’ve seen him across the country,” Ruto told…

City businessman Joseph Kairo Wambui, popularly known as Khalif Kairo, was charged on Monday at the Nyeri Law Court with tax fraud amounting to Ksh.1.2 million. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) accuses Wambui, owner of the car dealership Kai & Karo Limited, of mis-declaring a Range Rover Vogue as a used Range Rover Sport on January 10, 2024, to evade payment of customs duty totaling Ksh.1,283,830. Wambui pleaded not guilty to the charge of fraudulent evasion of duty and was granted a bond of Ksh.500,000. The case is scheduled for mention on June 4, 2025. If found guilty, Wambui faces…

The government has released 200,000 bags of maize from the National Strategic Grain Reserve (NSGR) to ease pressure on maize flour (unga) prices, which have recently surged past the Ksh.160 mark for a 2kg packet—up from an average of Ksh.100 in January. The intervention aims to stabilise prices and avert a looming shortage of the staple food. The maize, currently being distributed to licensed millers at a subsidised rate of Ksh.4,250 per 90kg bag, is already being dispatched through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots in the North and South Rift regions. Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary…