The Social Health Authority (SHA) is investigating hospital fraud and has new leadership, while Nyeri and Murang'a teachers demand medical allowance reinstatement ahead of the SHIF transition due to healthcare quality concerns. In other news, the government plans to privatize Kenya Pipeline via an IPO and clarified the lecturers' CBA dispute, while agriculture will restructure KTDA, not disband it. A new court ruling dictates matrimonial property division based on individual contribution, not an automatic 50:50. IEBC issued by-election guidelines, KANU moves to expel members over allegiances, and the Senate probes ethnic balance in the police service. Environmental experts oppose a 490 billion Kenyan Shillings Siaya nuclear project.
KANU Chairman Gideon Moi has withdrawn his candidacy from the upcoming Baringo senatorial by-election. This decision came after a private meeting with President William Ruto at State House, following which Moi failed to present his nomination papers to the Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC). His withdrawal from the race led to protests from his supporters. For the by-elections scheduled for November 27, the IEBC has issued fresh guidelines. These new rules limit campaign hours and set a final date for all political activities.
Kenya's public debt has now reached Sh12 trillion. This new figure was reached after the state borrowed an additional Sh95.5 billion in just five months. The significant increase highlights the growing financial burden on the nation. Concurrently, the Privatization Bill 2025 has been passed by Kenya's National Assembly. The bill aims to provide a legal framework for converting State corporations into commercial enterprises. Its passage occurred despite opposition from some Members of Parliament regarding its hurried nature.
Westcon-Comstor and Microsoft announced a partnership to accelerate Africa's adoption of AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity at a summit in Nairobi. Separately, NTT DATA signed a Strategic Collaboration Agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deliver AI-powered contact center solutions built on Amazon Connect. Google also expanded its cheaper AI Plus plan to six more African countries, including South Africa, Algeria, and Botswana, bringing its total reach to 77 countries. The AI Plus plan offers features like Gemini 2.5 Pro and a 128K token context window. In Europe, Nutanix and OVHcloud announced the immediate availability of Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) on OVHcloud in EMEA to offer hybrid and multicloud solutions with a focus on European data sovereignty.
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President Ruto urges COMESA states to invest in African-led financial institutions. Safaricom's 5G network expands to 1,700 sites. Meanwhile, a US banker warns of potential stock market fall, and the EU climate agency reports the world's third-warmest September.
Oga Obinna denies sacrificing musician Shalkido and faces co-parenting challenges with his fourth baby mama, Tallie. Producer Magix Enga appeals for financial help days after trolling fans.
Public supports the Senate's push for expanded oversight, including national budget approval and vetting. This comes as concerns are raised over the integrity of nominees for State awards. Meanwhile, ODM's Sifuna criticizes former DP Gachagua, while Ida Odinga defends Raila's health.
ADAK denies bungling Edward Zakayo's doping case. Brenda Bwire targets Deaflympics gold. Shujaa names squad for Safari Sevens. Maurine Chebor headlines Kericho cross country. Shabana and Posta Rangers lead in SportPesa Premier League as Tusker struggles.
Safaricom fired 113 staff for fraud as it rolls out video ringtones with Huawei. Microsoft and Westcon-Comstor partner for AI and cloud in Africa. Absa and GirlCode empower 112 women in tech. Google expands AI Plus to six more African countries, while Samsung updates phones in East Africa. Kenyan Gen Z turn voter registration into a TikTok trend.
The Social Health Authority (SHA) is investigating hospital fraud, urging Kenyans to scrutinize bills, and recently appointed new senior leadership. This comes as teachers in Nyeri and Murang'a demand medical allowance reinstatement for the SHIF transition, citing concerns about public healthcare quality. The government plans to privatize Kenya Pipeline through an IPO for revenue generation and has clarified the lecturers' CBA dispute amidst their strike. The Ministry of Agriculture will restructure, not disband, KTDA. A new court ruling dictates matrimonial property division based on individual contribution, not an automatic 50:50 split. The IEBC issued new by-election guidelines. Separately, KANU has moved to expel party members over allegiances, while the Senate probes ethnic balance in the police service ahead of recruitment. Environmental experts oppose a 490 billion Kenyan Shillings Siaya nuclear project citing feasibility and safety concerns.
The Kenyan government is accelerating the completion of the East African Kidney Institute (EAKI) in Nairobi, a project described by Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga as transformative for specialized healthcare in the region. In a separate initiative, Nairobi County is building an additional newborn unit at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital to alleviate crowding at Pumwani Maternal Hospital and improve maternal healthcare. To ensure regulatory compliance, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has opened the renewal window for 2026 medical and dental licenses. Practitioners and health facilities are urged to apply by October 31, as operating without a valid license is a serious offense.
The Social Health Authority (SHA) announced significant senior leadership changes, appointing 16 new Deputy Directors and 9 Principal Claims Management Officers following a recruitment process that began on July 9, 2025. These appointments aim to bolster operational efficiency in delivering quality healthcare. Concurrently, the SHA has urged citizens to meticulously check hospital bills under the new healthcare scheme to combat widespread fraud, an issue under investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). In light of the transition to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), teachers in Nyeri and Murang'a counties are demanding the reinstatement of their medical allowance, citing concerns over inadequate specialized care in public hospitals.
Shares of Car & General (Kenya) Plc surged to KSh 55, their highest since April 2022, after the motor-dealer announced a 920% increase in half-year profit and its first-ever interim dividend. In corporate acquisitions, the Competition Authority of Kenya approved the GenAfrica-backed Batian Property Fund's acquisition of Riverside Towers Limited. This deal includes The Cube commercial property in Westlands, Nairobi, and strengthens Batian's position in the real estate market. In the telecommunications sector, Safaricom significantly expanded its 5G network coverage. The company more than doubled its sites to 1,700 in the 2025 financial year, which is a 111.7 percent increase from the previous year.
The nurses' strike in Siaya County has entered its third week as they demand compensation for 20 of their colleagues injured during recent protests. In Kiambu, an ongoing doctors' strike is severely affecting health service delivery. The industrial action in both Nairobi and Kiambu counties has led to a significant increase in patient numbers at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), which is struggling to cope with the influx. The strain is also being felt at Murang’a Level 5 Hospital, which has been affected by an increasing number of patients. Amidst the crisis, the Kiambu County government has denied claims that mothers and newborns are dying as a result of the doctors' strike.
Teachers involved in the Junior Secondary School (JS) curriculum are protesting and threatening to paralyze learning over demands for greater autonomy. The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has been pushing for autonomy for Junior Secondary Schools (JSS). However, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) central region has declared its opposition to these proposals. Specifically, the Knut Central region branch rejected a proposal from Kuppet to transfer JSS students to secondary institutions. This indicates a disagreement between the two teacher unions on educational reforms for the Junior Secondary level.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have obtained a court order related to the disappearance of fisherman Brian Odhiambo from the Nakuru National Park in January. The DCI is planning to exhume bodies believed to be connected to the case. A search operation is set to commence in Lake Nakuru to recover Odhiambo's body. His family alleges that the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is obstructing their efforts to execute the court order for the search.
The ongoing lecturers' strike in Kenya continues to negatively affect students. A key issue in the dispute is a claim of unpaid salaries. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has publicly refuted allegations that the government owes university lecturers 7.9 billion shillings in unpaid salaries. Kenya's Education Minister explicitly denied the claims that the government owes the striking lecturers the Sh7.9 billion.
In the 2026 Fifa World Cup Qualifiers, the Harambee Stars secured a 1-0 victory over 10-man Burundi at Intwari Stadium in Bujumbura. Substitute Ryan Ogam scored the only goal in the 73rd minute. Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy is using the qualifiers to rebuild the national team, planning to rotate the squad in matches against Burundi and Ivory Coast. In other qualifier news, Egypt has qualified for the 2026 World Cup. The team earned a 3-0 victory over Djibouti, with star player Mohamed Salah scoring two goals, marking Egypt's fourth qualification for the tournament.
