The Online Kenyan

The Water Resources Authority launched a crackdown on illegal gold miners along River Yala in Kakamega County, accusing them of polluting the waterway with dangerous chemicals. The government is set to transition university funding from the national budget to a market-based model starting October to create a more sustainable financing system for tertiary education. Separately, Kenya's Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced an acceleration of security sector reforms aimed at enhancing public service delivery.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has expressed his intention to unite the Mt Kenya region following consultations at Wamunyoro. He has also stated that the people of Kenya want a public inquest into the 2024 Gen Z and Sabasaba protests. Separately, political leaders have indicated they are ready to set aside personal ambitions to remove President Ruto's government, highlighting a potential political shift. At the same time, Senate Speaker Kingi has stated that they do not support Ruto because they love him, but because he loves them.

The Kenyan government has allocated Sh18.51 billion towards schools, yet the education sector continues to grapple with significant debt. Kiharu lawmaker Ndindi Nyoro has accused the government of neglecting the education sector by withholding crucial funding to schools. Meanwhile, Speaker Wetang'ula has revealed how MPs receive and sell teachers' employment forms, exposing alleged irregularities in the teacher recruitment process.

The Kenyan government has announced a significant reduction in the price of subsidised fertiliser to KSh 2,000 and introduced a subsidy for maize seed to ease the financial burden on farmers. Additionally, the National Biosafety Authority is implementing measures to expedite the approval of Genetically Modified Organisms to enhance food security within Kenya. At the same time, the government is launching an investigation into widespread tea scale fraud, vowing to take decisive action against those deliberately short-changing farmers to restore fairness and transparency in the tea sector, a vital part of Kenya's economy.

Principals of the United Alternative Government have signed a unity pact and coalition agreement, vowing to back a single presidential candidate for the 2027 General Election. In a related development, the Linda Mwananchi movement is strategising to form a broader electoral coalition. These developments signal increased coordination among political forces preparing for the upcoming general election.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission arrested a Busia Law Courts clerk for a Ksh180,000 bribery scheme aimed at influencing a pending criminal case. The High Court subsequently granted Nyandarua Governor Moses Kiarie Badilisha anticipatory bail of Sh50,000 and barred the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and National Police Service from arresting or detaining him. Meanwhile, the Tax Appeals Tribunal ruled that the Kenya Revenue Authority must use available tax credits to offset outstanding tax debts before initiating enforcement actions, providing relief for taxpayers.

The Kenyan government is set to transition university funding from the national budget to a market-based model starting October, creating a more sustainable financing system for tertiary education. The Higher Education Loans Board launched a new education loan facility of up to Ksh500,000 specifically for civil servants seeking further education. Moi University lecturers are threatening to strike over the university's decision to declare 75 academic staff redundant. Meanwhile, protests erupted in Kapsabet Town over three weeks of unpaid wages for affordable housing project workers, who blocked a major highway causing significant traffic delays.

President William Ruto announced significant improvements to prison officer welfare, addressing decades of neglect through enhanced salaries, healthcare, and housing. The government pledged to enhance correctional services officer welfare and improve prison conditions alongside strengthening rehabilitation programs. President Ruto subsequently presided over the Kenya Prisons Service 27th Officer Cadet passing-out parade in Ruiru, Kiambu. Separately, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced an acceleration of security sector reforms aimed at enhancing public service delivery.