An advocate has petitioned the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to challenge a directive by Chief Justice Martha Koome centralizing drug cases to just four courts, arguing it limits access to justice for thousands of Kenyans, particularly youth.

• The directive, Gazette Notice No. 387 of 2026, restricts cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act to courts at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Kahawa, Mombasa, and Busia.
• Advocate Francis Wanjiku warns this policy disproportionately affects low-level possession cases involving small quantities of cannabis and first-time offenders, many of whom are young people, students, or low-income individuals.
• Wanjiku highlights that this centralisation undermines constitutional rights to access justice and fair trial, and could lead to severe case backlogs and potential abuse in a politically charged environment.

The High Court in Kenya has rejected an application to suspend a previous judgment that nullified the creation of presidential advisory offices, marking a significant setback for efforts to maintain these positions. Justice Bahati Mwamuye ruled the request was res judicata, as the same arguments had been previously dismissed.

• The High Court dismissed the application on Monday, February 3.
• The case challenged the Executive's decision to create Advisors to the President roles without proper oversight from bodies like the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
• The original judgment on January 22, 2026, declared the advisory offices unconstitutional.

The High Court has compelled the Kenyan government to purchase all locally produced rice nationwide before allowing further duty-free imports. This ruling, in response to a petition filed by Kirinyaga Senator Kamau Murango and Baragwi Ward Representative David Mathenge, mandates a 30-day "mop-up" operation to clear local stocks.

• The court criticized the State for weak and selective purchasing, which excluded thousands of local producers while permitting cheaper foreign rice into the market.
• The mop-up must include cooperatives, individual farmers, traders, and millers across all major rice-producing regions, including Mwea, Bura, Ahero, and Nyatike.
• The previous duty-free rice imports in October 2025 saw only 514 tonnes purchased from local farmers, compared to 254,828 tonnes imported, despite court orders to prioritize local stocks.