The Online Kenyan

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is seeking public assistance to identify a person of interest in the murder investigation of PCEA Reverend Julius Ndumia Ngari, who was killed on May 3 in Nakuru North Sub-County. The DCI is also seeking public help to identify a key person of interest in the ongoing investigation into the murder of Reverend Julius Ngari. Nine years after a landmark 2017 ruling by the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights recognized the Ogiek people as ancestral owners of Kenya's Mau Forest, they continue to face evictions and exclusion from their ancestral lands.

Kenyan President William Ruto concluded a two-day State Visit to South Africa by signing six agreements aimed at deepening economic, diplomatic, and strategic ties, emphasizing the need for a united Africa on the global stage. At the joint Kenya-South Africa Business Forum in Midrand, South Africa, President William Ruto challenged African businesses to prioritize intra-Africa trade, emphasizing the continent as the next major frontier for investment and innovation. Kenya's Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen is establishing the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit with a focus on public order and business protection, drawing inspiration from the City of London Police.

The National Treasury is introducing a new staggered system for filing tax returns, including a specific timeline for nil filers, to alleviate congestion on the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)'s iTax platform. The NSSF has directed employers to continue remitting contributions at the enhanced rates, despite a recent Court of Appeal decision that did not suspend a ruling declaring the NSSF Act, 2013, unconstitutional. Meanwhile, Nairobi County's budget transparency score has dropped to 67 out of 100, a decline from 72 in 2024, according to the 2025 County Budget Transparency Survey.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly opposed the proposed establishment of an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility in Laikipia County, claiming it is a plot to harm the Mount Kenya community. Separately, Gachagua, through the Democracy for the Citizen Party (DCP), is urging Kenyans to reject the proposed 2026-27 budget, citing it as punitive and disconnected from the country's economic realities. Earlier, outspoken former Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter re-entered active politics, forming an alliance with the Linda Mwananchi faction of the Orange Party to challenge President William Ruto's UDA party in the Rift Valley ahead of the 2027 general election.

The Danish Chamber of Commerce (DCC) and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to boost trade and investment between Denmark and East Africa, positioning Kenya as a key business hub. Kibo Africa, an electric mobility company, plans to deploy 10,000 electric motorcycles in Kenya within the next 12 months, aiming to expand the company's presence in the nation's burgeoning boda boda sector. Separately, a Kenyan court has dismissed an application by Bia Tosha Distributors Limited to block the sale of Diageo's 65 per cent stake in East African Breweries Limited (EABL) to Japan's Asahi Group Holdings for Sh305 billion.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has waived Sh9.1 billion in taxes over two months to shield consumers from escalating fuel prices, following the government's decision to slash Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products. Additionally, the Kenyan government plans to use the Affordable Housing Levy collections as collateral for a Sh100 billion loan, potentially making the deduction a long-term feature on workers' payslips post-Ruto administration. Further, Kenya's Ministry of Health is proposing new rules to completely ban shisha smoking and all waterpipe tobacco products, including herbal and flavored variants, citing evolving public health risks.

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is reaffirming that current pension contribution rates remain in effect, despite ongoing court challenges to the NSSF Act, 2013. Kenya's Competition Authority (CAK) and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) are intensifying efforts to combat tender cartels that inflate government project costs. At the same time, new regulations have significantly increased the minimum wage for domestic workers in Kenya, raising monthly pay to Sh18,047 and introducing penalties for non-compliance.

Renowned image consultant and preacher Robert Burale has warned Kenyan schools against excessive entertainment, stating it contributes to student unrest by creating emotional highs followed by destructive lows. This comes amid heightened concern over school safety following the tragic fire at Utumishi Girls Academy that claimed the lives of 16 students, where Janet Mbugua is calling for broader shared responsibility for such incidents. Meanwhile, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has summoned management officials from Risen Sacco and Royal Swift Express Limited following two separate road accidents, including a fatal crash involving a customized PSV known as a "Nganya."