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St. Mary’s Mission Hospital is one of the structures marked for demolition in a Kenyan government move to repossess illegally acquired Ngong forest land. Since 2017, the hospital has been run by the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi, who won a six-year legal battle over its control. Before that, it was run by former Maryknoll Father William Fryda. “The issue of the hospital having been built on public forest land came up about five years ago, but since the matter was in court, it could not be resolved then. I think the church and the nuns are aware of it,” Father Joachim Omollo Ouko, an Apostle of Jesus priest who is familiar with the facility, told  Catholic News Service. On June 26, Keriako Tobiko, Kenya’s secretary for the environment, said the government would repossess all land held by illegal developers inside the forest where the hospital stands. “Except the areas that were lawfully degazetted, all other parcels of this forest whether people have titles or not, whether t

After a dark season that has seen them lose massive earnings from the international circuit due to cancellation of global sporting events owing to the coronavirus pandemic, Kenyan athletes face another blow. Kenya is among the nations yet to be cleared to travel into Schengen states when the European Union (EU) opens its borders on July 1. The Kenya athletes will be hit hard should the country continue to remain on the Covid-19 compliace “blacklist” when the 2020 Diamond League circuit resumes in August. Kenya is not among 54 world countries that will benefit from the reopening of the EU borders from July 1. Things haven’t been made any easier as Kenya’s Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the country with 6,190 cases having been reported with 144 deaths and 2,013 recoveries by Monday. However, athletes from Kenyan neighbours Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda are among the African countries who will be allowed to enter the Schengen states from July 1. Should the ban be sustained,

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Sunday, was among the first African leaders to congratulate his new counterpart of Malawi, President Lazarus Chakwera after he won the repeat presidential election. President Kenyatta said: “It is with a great sense of joy that we join our Malawi brothers and sisters in celebrating your victory as the incoming President of the Republic of Malawi following the Tuesday presidential election. On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of Kenya and indeed on my own behalf, I wish to convey my warmest congratulations on your well-deserved victory.” “The mandate our Malawi brothers and sisters have given you is a clear expression of the confidence they have in your able leadership. It is also a confirmation of their desire for progressive leadership that will unite and propel their country to greater heights of development.” he submitted. Additionally, Kenyatta said that, Kenya and Malawi enjoy warm and historical ties dating b

The Ministry of Health has adopted a community based approach, that places County Governments and the people, at the centre of community health, particularly on COVID-19 related matters. The community health approach is a strategy that has been globally recognized, as an effective way for making improvements in health care delivery, as well as addressing the burden of diseases, and therefore, contributing to the health and socioeconomic development. The announcement was made today by the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for Health, Dr. Mercy Mwangangi during the COVID-19 media update. The community based approach is a key pillar of the Primary Health Care approach adopted by countries, Kenya included in 1978, through the Alma Ata Declaration 42 years ago, and later re-affirmed by Kenya in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2018. Kenya developed a primary health care approach in the 1980s, but was focused primarily on healthcare facilities, with minimal community participation. Since 2006, Kenya

A witness says three people were killed in a small town in Kenya’s Rift Valley during a confrontation between police and residents over the wearing of face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Police confirmed the deaths but gave a different account. Human rights activists for weeks have protested alleged killings by Kenyan police officers while enforcing virus-related restrictions. They also accuse officers of using the measures to extort bribes. Kenneth Kaunda told The Associated Press that violent protests erupted in Lessos on Thursday after residents tried to prevent police officers from taking a motorcycle taxi rider to the station for not wearing a mask. Kenya has made it compulsory to wear face masks in public and failure to comply brings a $200 fine, a hefty fee for many. Kaunda says residents were tired of police shaking down people for not wearing masks. He asserted that a policeman who had arrested the driver opened fire at the angry crowd, killing a local cobbler

New Kenya Cooperative Creameries finalized the preliminary phase of a tender this week to purchase electricity from a solar facility that will be built at its new KCC Sotik Factory. Kenya’s largest dairy producer will buy power from a project featuring both ground-mounted and rooftop PV arrays. The selected developer will finance, own and operate the plant and will sell all of its output to New Kenya Cooperative Creameries under a power purchase agreement. “The financial proposal will be quoted in payments per kWh as well as any other cost,” the company said.  “Average consumption from the grid was 1,428,016 kWh in 2017 and 945,206 kWh in 2018.” The company currently covers around 69% of its energy needs with electricity from utility Kenya Power and Lighting Co. (KPLC). It generates the remaining percentage internally with a 500 KVA standby generator. New Kenya Cooperative Creameries operates 22 milk-cooling plants and processing factories. It has a daily milk intake of aro

Kenya's appeals court has ruled that the contract between the Kenyan government and China Road Bridge Corporation(CRBC) failed to comply with its laws. The court said that the state-run Kenya railways failed to comply with the country's law in the procurement of the Standard Guage Railway(SGR), which is part of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative(BRI), according to a report. The court further declared that the contract was "illegal". A Kenyan activist along with the Law Society of Kenya had brought a lawsuit in 2014 to stop the construction of the railway link. It had alleged that the contract was "single-sourced" and not put on tender. The petition said that it was "a 100 per cent Kenyan funded venture" with the Kenyan taxpayers who would be repaying the loan repayments.  It was a reportedly a $3.2 billion project between Kenya and China. The Kenyan High Court had earlier dismissed the case as state-run railway along with CR

Kenya wants to increase spending for the fiscal year that ends in less than a week, to cover emergency expenditure from the coronavirus outbreak. The National Treasury’s third supplementary budget that allocates extra spending of 14.4 billion shillings ($135 million) will likely further widen the 2019-20 budget gap from the current estimate of 8.3% of gross domestic product. About half of the new spending will “cater for interventions geared toward addressing the Covid-19 disease,” according to documents that the Treasury submitted to the National Assembly. While Treasury documents didn’t include an update on revenue and debt estimates, the Parliamentary Budget office’s senior deputy director, Martin Masinde, said the deficit is expected to widen. Lawmakers, who reviewed this year’s budget for a second time in April, expect to consider the new proposals on Tuesday, according to the budget committee Vice Chairman Moses Lessonet. Other highlights in the supplementary budget include: Allo

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among the top 20 safest countries in the world during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to a comprehensive data analysis by Hong Kong-based Deep Knowledge Group. The UAE ranked 11th and Saudi Arabia 17th in Deep Knowledge’s COVID-19 Safety Assessment. Both countries are classified within the “Tier 1” category - 20 countries that ranked highest “in terms of regional safety and stability” in the era of COVID-19. The 250-page analysis report, which is based on 130 parameters, ranked Switzerland, Germany, Israel, Singapore, and Japan as the top five safest countries out of 200. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia took the number one spot in the analysis’ “regional resiliency” index, which considers how a country’s demography, geopolitical stability, and societal discipline, and other factors influence safety during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Kingdom ranked seventh in the emergency preparedness index, which takes into account four fa

Dubai's flagship carrier Emirates is ready to welcome travellers after the government on Sunday announced that airports are set to  welcome tourists from July 7 . The latest air travel protocols will facilitate international travel for UAE citizens, residents and tourists, and open Dubai to business and leisure visitors, while putting in place careful measures to ensure the health and safety of travellers and communities. Guidelines for tourists visiting Dubai Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates chairman and chief executive said: "I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and chairman of the Executive Council, for their latest directives to reopen air travel which show their vision for Dubai as a world leader in business and tourism. This is a strong affirmation of Dubai's readiness

Oumarou Moumouni Ali, Niger’s consul to Kenya and owner of the controversial Kiza Lounge in Nairobi’s Kilimani suburb, is free to return to Nairobi, nearly a year after he was deported over allegations of international crime links. High Court Judge James Makau has ruled that Mr Ali is a diplomat and is therefore immune to arrest and deportation in the manner done last year. The judge has also ordered the Interior ministry to consider Mr Ali’s application for a work permit extension within 30 days from the date of receiving the request, and issue a notification on the decision in writing. Mr Ali’s suit challenging his deportation has also revealed that Kenya had tried to expel the Niger national in December 2019. Court filings reveal that a deportation order was first issued against Mr Ali in December, 2018 but was not effected for nine months. Interestingly, the 2018 deportation order was issued just one day after Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued Mr Ali with recog

Kenya’s ruling party replaced a key parliamentary official Monday, the latest in a series of leadership changes that have strengthened President Uhuru Kenyatta‘s hold on power and weakened his deputy, William Ruto. Amos Kimunya, a former finance minister, will replace Aden Duale as the Jubilee Party’s majority leader in the National Assembly, Secretary-General Raphael Tuju said in a text message on Monday. Duale, who has held the post since 2013, is seen as a key ally of Ruto, who has ambitions of succeeding Kenyatta when his second term ends in 2022. Kenyatta and Ruto joined forces under the Jubilee banner in 2013 -- six years after a dispute between them over the outcome of a 2007 election descended into violence. Their relationship has grown increasingly fractious as the president struck alliances with opposition leaders who are also considered possible presidential contenders. Kenyatta is in the process of building a coalition ahead of the 2022 vote, and Ruto is being m

Kenya on Friday recorded 117 new cases of Covid-19, raising the country's total number to 4,374, Health CAS Rashid Aman has said. This is out of the 3,043 samples that were tested in the last 24 hours. Out of these, 112 are Kenyans while five are foreigners.  A total of 83 of these cases are males, while 54 are females. The youngest is 11 while the oldest is 75 years old. Another 91 patients have been discharged, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,550 However, another two patients have died, raising fatalities to 119. Of the new cases, 51 are from Nairobi, Mombasa has 22, Kajiado 18, Kiambu six, Machakos three, Kericho, Busia and Uasin Gishu have two cases each, Nakuru five and Wajir has one case. The cases in Nairobi are distributed as follows; Kibra and Langata have eight cases each, Makadara and Dagoretti North have six each, Kamukunji and Embakasi East with four, Embakasi North and Embakasi South three,  Mathare, Ruaraka, and  Embakasi Central have two whi

Kenya has been elected to the UN Security Council after defeating Djibouti in a run-off vote. Kenya takes the seat designated for African countries. The East African country polled 129 votes against Djibouti’s 62 in the second round to win the seat. Kenya will replace South Africa in the non-permanent seat. Niger and Tunisia are currently the other representatives of the African continent on the council. All non-permanent members serve for two years. Responding to Kenya’s win of the seat, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the win was a "demonstration of the country's growing profile and influence in the community of nations as a steadfast and dependable development partner". He congratulated Djibouti for being a "worthwhile opponent" and thanked the African Union for its endorsement. The UN organ that maintains international peace and security is made up of 15 countries. Five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members. The permanent members, who have

An American Christian missionary has pleaded guilty in a US court to sexually abusing young girls at the orphanage he started in Kenya. Gregory Dow, 61, admitted to four counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in a foreign place. The orphanage was in operation from 2008 to 2017 when Mr Dow left Kenya. The FBI and Kenyan authorities investigated him and he was charged in the US. In 2008, Dow founded the orphanage in western Kenya. It was partly funded by churches in Lancaster county in the US state of Pennsylvania, reports local newspaper LNP. He is accused of assaulting girls from 2013. Two of the girls were 11, one was 12 and another was 13, adds LNP. Fled Kenya "The defendant purported to be a Christian missionary who cared for these children and asked them to call him 'Dad'. But instead of being a father figure, he preyed on their youth and vulnerability," said the US Department of Justice in a statement. He fled Kenya in September 201

The Chinese government will evacuate 400 of its nationals from Kenya, with the first batch of 200 having left Tuesday at 11pm over fears of Covid-19. The evacuees procured their tickets on Sunday night but because of the social-distancing rule, all could not fit in the China Southern Airlines plane. “The remaining 200 will leave in the course of the week. We were expecting all of them to leave at once, but considering the social-distance rule and the new sitting arrangement, they could not leave at once,” said their lawyer Isaac Okinyo. The final arrangements, he said, were made after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave the lawyer the go-ahead to evacuate his clients. Mr Okinyo told the  Nation  that the Chinese had earlier requested their embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to leave the country but they both declined. This prompted him to move to the High Court, where he obtained an order directing the Kenyan government to allow them to leave on June 16, arguing t

  Four people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus at State House, Nairobi. According to State House spokesperson Kanze Dena, the four cases were recorded during a mass COVID-19 testing held on Thursday, June 11. The infected officers were admitted at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital in Kiambu County for treatment. “The tests are conducted on all staff including His Excellency the President and members of his family,” said Kanze Dena, in a statement. “Families and close contacts of the affected officers are also being attended to accordingly.” The State House spokesperson has assured the public that President Uhuru Kenyatta and the First Family are safe and free from COVID-19. Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 infections in Kenya on Monday rose to 3,727 after 133 more patients tested positive for the disease. Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, speaking in Nyandarua on a tour of the county’s health facilities, said a total

My determination for this coming election, is that we must bring this country together whatever the price and cost, DP William Ruto has said. These were the words of Ruto from a clip aired in  2012. The deputy president shared the clip on Sunday saying that "This was in 2012, 9 yrs ago. Am as persuaded now as was then."   In the clip, Ruto said he is convinced that Kenya must be united. "... those who do not believe that Kenya will be one are in for a shock. I have a lot of energy and I intend to dispense it to get it done," he said.  "We are determined that you will not vote for a person because of the village he is coming from, spelling of his name but what he can do for a nation." Ruto was speaking to Churchill live show in 2012 when he was campaigning. It was not clear what he was alluding to but over the last two weeks, Kenya has seen several politicians who are known foot soldiers of Ruto running to ODM leader Raila Odinga’s office purpor

Kenya’s increased budgetary allocation to sports will be used to fund an expansive anti-doping laboratory in Nairobi to accommodate more tests, a government official said on Saturday. Cabinet secretary Amina Mohamed, who was speaking to reporters after touring the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), said part of the 14 billion shilling (140 million U.S. dollar) government budget fund will be used to stage the three international competitions planned for Kenya in the 2020/21 season. It will also use the funds to prepare the country’s team for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games and other international competitions. Kenya is to stage the World Athletics Continental Tour series this September, the 2021 WRC Safari Rally, and the postponed World Athletics U-20 Championship, which had been due to be held in Nairobi this July. Kenya has intensified its drug testing procedures, with over 60 athletes suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for doping-related offenses in the last five ye

COVID-19 cases rose to 3,457 in Kenya Saturday, after 152 new infections were recorded. Dr Rashid Aman, the Chief Administrative Secretary at the Ministry of Health said the cases were detected from 3,503 samples tested since Friday. “You can see these numbers are rising and that is a pointer that we need to take all the measures of protecting ourselves seriously,” he told a news conference. He said 57 patients were also discharged on Saturday, raising the number of recoveries in the country to 1,221. Dr Aman said all the new cases are Kenyans who contracted the virus within the communities. “The more we restrict our movement or stay at home, the less we are exposing ourselves and the more we are protecting our families and our loved ones,” he said, “Observing these measures comes with the cost to all of us. It is not easy. We have to give up many of our freedoms and desires.” Kenya is implementing tough restrictions since March when the first case was confirmed in the country, with a

Kenya’s Health Ministry on Friday launched a blood donation campaign to restock the national blood bank that has been faced with shortages, an official announced. Rashid Aman, Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Health, said that prior to the COVID-19 situation, the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service (KNBTS) used to collect 500 pints of blood every day, but the pints have since reduced dismally. “With the entry of COVID-19 in the country, the situation has changed and the figures have dropped,” Aman told journalists in Nairobi. He revealed that to date KNBTS collects only 250 pints of blood hence the current shortage in the national banks that are strategically located in all parts of the country. He observed that the amount that is currently in the bank is below the World Health Organization (WHO) requirement that countries always maintain one percent of blood equivalent to their population. Aman noted that with Kenya’s population that is currently 50 m

The removal of a prominent reminder of Kenya's British colonization is being celebrated -- five years later. The statue Britain's Queen Victoria outlasted several of statues from before Kenya's independence from Britain in 1963. It was beheaded and thrown into nearby brush in 2015, after standing in Jeevanjee Gardens in Nairobi for more than century. Nairobi resident Samuel Obiero was among those this week who welcomed the removal of the statue, saying citizens do not want to be reminded of slavery, colonialism and the suffering it brought. Worldwide, statues that pay homage to people with a history linked to racism and slavery are coming down. The push accelerated after the death of George Floyd, a black American who died last month after a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The officer is jailed on a murder charge, and the FBI is investigating whether civil rights violations occurred. Three other officers on the scene are charge

Three Kenyan police officers have been arrested after a widely circulated video showed the men dragging a woman behind a motorcycle and whipping her. The arrests on Thursday came after the video taken the previous day in Kuresoi South, west of the capital, Nairobi, sparked outrage among social media users, activists and others. In the one-and-a-half minute clip, a police officer is seen riding a motorcycle, 21-year-old Mercy Cherono being pulled along behind it, while others beat her. The ordeal causes her trousers to slide off, leaving her naked from the waist down. "Three officers were yesterday arrested ... following circulation of a video depicting a woman being whipped & dragged on a motorbike in Kuresoi South Sub-County," the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said in a statement. "The suspects are in lawful custody helping with further investigations into the matter," it added. The woman was reportedly accused of breaking into a police officer's h

Former Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) boss Cosmas Cherop has been arrested over alleged corruption in the award of a tender. A statement from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission said Cherop (who was the Acting Director General of KMA) and seven others were arrested on Tuesday. “The suspects are alleged to have been involved in corruption and violation of provisions of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act No. 33 of 2015, in the award of tender for construction of a Multi-Storey Office Block in Mbaraki, Mombasa during the Financial Year 2016-2017,” the statement reads. The seven other suspects are: Edwin Mongare Momanyi (Head of Procurement, KMA) Denis Kipkorir Ng’eno (Project Manager/Electrical Engineer, State Department of Public Works) Jared Biwott (Director at Mengi Designs Ltd) Robinson Mwangi Karigu (Quantity Surveyor, Quanti-Bill Consults Co. Ltd) Seth Oluoch Arende (Member, Tender Evaluation Committee) Juma Ahmed Ali (Member, Tender Evaluation Committee

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza has died of heart failure, the government said on Tuesday in a post from its official Twitter account. “The Government of the Republic of Burundi announces with great sadness the unexpected death of His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, President of the Republic of Burundi… following heart failure on June 8, 2020,” the post said. Source: @TheNations

Today, the move to build up food resilience is paying off early in the face of another crisis: the coronavirus pandemic. When the United Arab Emirates (UAE) went into lockdown in April to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, residents had the same reaction as millions of others around the world - they started panic-buying. The instinct to stock up made sense in a country where more than 80% of food is imported, said Ismahane Elouafi, director general of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture ( ICBA ). Nonetheless supermarket shelves have remained fully stocked, partly because the UAE has long had policies in place to ensure an uninterrupted supply of food from abroad, she noted. But in the face of the pandemic, the UAE's confidence that it will continue to have enough food is bolstered by its success in growing its own, using innovations like vertical farming and climate-resilient crops, she added. "Thanks to the work being done to harness the b

P resident Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the Ministry of Education to expedite ongoing consultations on the safe reopening of schools ahead of the anticipated relaxing of movement restrictions on Saturday. Speaking when he delivered his Madaraka Day address, President Kenyatta asked the ministry to formulate a calendar on the gradual reopening of learning institutions which were shut in mid-March in a bid to avert the unrestrained spread of COVID-19 which has infected 1,962 people. “I am hereby directing that the Ministry of Education fast tracks and finalizes ongoing consultations with all stake holders that will provide us with an appropriate calendar for the gradual resumption of education in the country,” he said. While acknowledging concerns expressed by parents and guardians of candidates sitting for national examinations, Kenyatta however emphasized on the need to put protocols in place to ensure safety of learners and teachers once schools reopen. “I appreciate the an

Alarm As Virus Spreads To 36 Counties In COVID-19 cases are spreading fast in Kenya, nearly three months after the first case was confirmed. Kenya confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 12, on a student who had traveled in from the US through UK and cases had soared to 2,767 after 167 new cases were reported Sunday. The country’s Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the new cases were confirmed from 2,833 samples. On Sunday, Isiolo Governor Mohamed Kuti, who is chairman of the Health Committee at the Council of Governors, said 36 counties had reported positive cases by Sunday out of 47. “This virus is spreading very fast in counties now,” he said, “that is why we want the Counties Emergency Response Committee to urgently convene a meeting.” Of the new cases, reported Sunday, Nairobi was leading with 54 cases, Mombasa 47, Busia 28, Kiambu 14 and Uasin Gishu 11. “We are going to have direct intervention in Busia from the national government because of the rising numbers,” CS

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses Kenyans from State House, Nairobi. /PSCU. COVID-19 cases rose to 2,600 in Kenya Saturday, after 126 more people tested positive on the day President Uhuru Kenyatta said it is not yet time to ease restrictions completely. With new infections on the rise, the President extended the night curfew that has been started at 7pm to 5am, to now start at 9pm to 4am in what he said will help traders have more hours for business. The new order takes effect on Sunday and will last for 30 days. Kenya’s fatality tally from the virus also rose to 83 after four more people succumbed. The President urged Kenyans to exercise patience, saying the government was working on a plan that will see the economy re-opened, without exposing their lives to the pandemic. “I have seen many memes talking about independence and Freedom Day, but we are not doing this to punish anyone. This is about life and we are doing this to protect the lives of Kenyans,” the President said. He howe

To 4 President  Uhuru Kenyatta has extended the nationwide night curfew for 30 more days. President Uhuru Kenyatta has extended the nationwide night curfew for 30 more days. In an address from State House, Nairobi, the Head of State however, said the curfew will now start from 9pm to 4am to enable businesses thrive for more hours. The new order takes effect on June 7. The cessation of movement in and out of Eastleigh, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale will end on June 7 at 4am. President Kenyatta said he lifted the order, after infection rates slowed down in the four counties and following advise from experts and scientists. “I have applied my mind to the different scenarios presented by our experts.  And I have reconciled myself to the fact that to ‘open’ or not to ‘open’ up is not a dilemma between a right and a wrong.  It is a dilemma between two rights,” he said on Saturday while conceding that he is firmly committed to re-opening the economy but if and w

 A cloud of expectation hangs over Kenya as citizens are ready for the easing of some restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the COVID-19. Private businesses, places of worship and government offices are among entities that are gearing up for the resumption of operations after June 6, the day when current restrictions end and President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to review the measures. Kenyatta hinted that the government will loosen some of the restrictions, noting that lockdowns and curfews are unsustainable in the long term. He noted that once the restrictions are partially lifted, citizens will be expected to remain responsible by wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining social distancing to curb the spread of the disease. Kenya imposed a partial lockdown in the capital Nairobi and four other counties some 70 days ago and imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew across the country, which are the restrictions lauded for slowing down infections. But they have affected bus