The Online Kenyan

Kenya plans to import one million 90-kilogram bags of maize to address a projected shortfall in the 2026 harvest, driven by adverse weather conditions. The country faces a potential deficit of up to 5.4 million bags. The Kenyan government is separately planning a Ksh12.9 billion palm oil processing plant in Lamu County, aiming to reduce reliance on imports. The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) are renewing their push for a reduction in Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax to boost workers' take-home pay amidst rising living costs. Nairobi County staff are facing a salary delay for July due to a hold-up in the approval and uploading of the county budget.

President William Ruto has confirmed that the Kenya Kwanza coalition and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will formally unite to contest the 2027 General Election. President Ruto and ODM party leader Oburu Oginga have agreed to form joint committees to negotiate a coalition agreement and power-sharing framework. The Kenya Kwanza coalition and ODM have also formed a joint 10-member team to draft a common manifesto for the 2027 general election. High-profile Mt Kenya leaders, including Governors Irungu Kangata and Kimani Wamatangi, notably skipped a crucial three-day joint UDA-ODM leadership retreat in Naivasha.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has initiated the process to bring a private investor onto the Nairobi-Mombasa Road through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has extended the bid submission deadline for Phase II of Nairobi's Ksh10 billion smart traffic project, which aims to integrate CCTVs and e-police units into city junctions for real-time traffic monitoring. The busy Isebania-Sirare Highway has been closed following the collapse of the Migori Bridge, a critical crossing in Migori County, leaving a significant hole in the bridge's surface.

President William Ruto has declared that winning the 2027 General Election is non-negotiable for the leaders of the broad-based government, highlighting the emerging political partnership between the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). President Ruto and ODM leader Oburu Oginga have announced plans to formalize their political partnership for the 2027 General Election, emphasizing the necessity of victory. Meanwhile, in Narok, Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged the Maasai and Mount Kenya communities to unite and vote out President William Ruto and his allies in the 2027 General Election. Former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has refuted claims that he is a "mole" working with President Ruto, stating that political differences should not be misconstrued as betrayal.

A coalition of civil society organizations, under the name Uchaguzi Platform, is urging swift implementation of 10 key electoral reforms in Kenya before the 2027 polls. Civil society groups, under the Uchaguzi Platform, are demanding urgent electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 General Election, warning that inaction could compromise the polls' integrity. Organized gangs are increasingly being used as instruments of political competition in Kenya, threatening the credibility of the upcoming 2027 General Election. The 2027 Kenyan General Election is poised to be a contest dominated by financial power, with concerns growing that democracy is becoming accessible only to the wealthy.

The United Opposition in Kenya has pledged to unite and present a single presidential candidate to challenge President William Ruto in the upcoming 2027 election. Opposition leaders, led by Kalonzo Musyoka, have vowed to unite and work together to unseat President William Ruto in the upcoming 2027 general election. Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Jubilee Party presidential hopeful Fred Matiang'i have highlighted the challenges in uniting Kenya's opposition for a single candidate against President William Ruto in 2027, exposing the hard road to achieving this unity.

A reported gold discovery in West Pokot County has triggered a significant influx of fortune seekers to Cheparor village, all hoping to find wealth beneath the soil. This gold rush comes as the government has identified 18 counties at high risk of experiencing adverse effects from the impending El Niño phenomenon, requiring attention on disaster preparedness alongside the economic opportunity.

Three suspects in the murder of Dr. Victoria Mutiso have been ordered to remain in custody for 30 more days. This development follows the detention of three suspects linked to the murder case. In a separate incident, two families in Mombasa are desperately searching for their loved ones who disappeared on Friday night after their release by anti-terrorism officers.