The Online Kenyan

Apple has launched a new Mac mini with its cheapest configuration now starting at $899, representing a significant 50% price increase from previous models. The new Mac mini features the M6 and M5 Pro chips, with pre-orders currently open and units shipping on September 22nd. Simultaneously, Apple unveiled the M6 and M5 Ultra chips alongside new Mac Mini and Mac Studio models, all scheduled to ship on the same date. The new Mac Studio desktop computer features the powerful M5 Max chip at $2,499 and the M5 Ultra chip at $5,499, with pre-orders open and shipping beginning September 22nd.

The High Court has temporarily suspended a government directive that mandated tourists to purchase a mandatory health insurance policy upon entry into Kenya. The High Court in Marsabit has suspended the government's mandate for foreign visitors to obtain Sh6.4 million in mandatory travel health insurance, with the suspension in effect pending a hearing on September 16, 2026. Separately, the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) in Kenya is proposing new regulations to reform the private security industry, focusing on licensing, equipment, and oversight, while Kenya is set to enhance oversight of its private security industry with new proposed regulations aimed at strengthening licensing, equipment control, and operationalizing a fidelity fund.

The Kenyan government is set to transition university funding from the national budget to a market-based model starting October, aiming to create a more sustainable financing system for tertiary education. Kenyan teacher unions are expressing outrage after National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula revealed that teacher employment letters are being distributed to Members of Parliament (MPs) by State House, leading to claims of political patronage. Schools have received Sh18.5 billion in capitation for the third term, but this disbursement still leaves them short of the annual allocation. Meanwhile, Kiharu lawmaker Ndindi Nyoro has accused the government of neglecting the education sector by withholding crucial funding to schools.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has increased the benchmark tax value for 40-foot containers to Ksh3.2 million, up from Ksh2.5 million, effective August 20, 2026, aiming to combat under-declaration of imported goods by traders. KRA is intensifying its tax compliance efforts by increasing the customs benchmark value for consolidated cargo and extending checks to traders in informal markets like Eastleigh and Kamukunji. In a related development, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested two police officers attached to Kenya Power's Coast Regional Office for allegedly demanding a Ksh100,000 bribe, and separately arrested a Busia Law Courts clerk in connection with a Ksh180,000 bribery scheme aimed at influencing a pending criminal case.

The National Police Service will recommend individuals involved in political violence to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for potential disqualification from elective positions ahead of the 2027 General Election. Kenya's Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has pledged that the government will ensure Kenyans can campaign and vote safely in the 2027 General Election, launched through the National Cohesion and Integration Commission roadmap titled "Uchaguzi Bila Noma." Additionally, Interior CS Murkomen has stated that political rallies may be halted if security risks become too high, emphasizing citizens must comply with directives to disperse based on intelligence. Meanwhile, a split has emerged within the Kenyan church regarding calls for the resignation of Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja, highlighting differing views on security challenges ahead of the 2027 General Election.

After a 55-day period of reflection, Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has declared his readiness to compete for the Kenyan presidency in 2027, stating that Kenyans are encouraging him to run. He has declared himself the preferred presidential candidate for the United Alternative Government while expressing willingness to step aside for a stronger opposition candidate. Gachagua has ruled out any zoning arrangement with allied parties, stating that DCP will field candidates across all regions. He has also rejected proposed seat-zoning plans for opposition parties, asserting that only the presidency should be exempt from competition. Additionally, Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan officially left the Jubilee Party to join Gachagua's Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), signaling a potential shift in Nairobi's political landscape ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Former UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi has challenged Kenya's opposition to define a clear policy agenda beyond uniting to defeat President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election. Women leaders are warning that recent violence in Homa Bay signals rising political intolerance ahead of the 2027 General Election and are urging leaders to retrain their supporters. Meanwhile, Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has urged Gen Z to transition from street protests to seeking elective office to influence policy and governance. A new report by Code for Africa highlights how digital misinformation and toxic tribal profiling on social media platforms are dangerously exacerbating ethnic divisions in Kenya.