The Water Resources Authority (WRA) has launched a crackdown on illegal gold miners along River Yala in Kakamega County, accusing them of polluting the waterway with dangerous chemicals.

• Most operators along the river are operating without licenses from any regulatory body, including the WRA, NEMA, or the Ministry of Mining.
• Deputy Director of Regional Coordination, James Nyang’eso, confirmed that processing plants rely heavily on mercury and cyanide, which are washed into the river during rainfall.
• The WRA intends to pursue criminal charges against offenders under Section 93(3) of the Water Resources Regulations.

Kenya is preparing for a worst-case scenario as meteorologists forecast an 81% probability of strong El Niño conditions, predicting above-normal rainfall for the October-November-December season.

• An estimated 1.5 million people could be affected, with up to 500,000 potentially displaced.
• The National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) is leading preparations, focusing on disruptions to transport, health, and essential services, particularly in North Eastern Kenya.
• Authorities are urging businesses to restock essentials and are planning for aerial evacuations and alternative shelters to avoid repeating past infrastructure failures.

A farmer is accusing a senior police officer, Commandant of the Anti-Theft Stock Unit (ASTU), Joseph Kibet Limo, of blocking his access to an 80-acre parcel of land in Muskut village, Elgeyo Marakwet County.

• The farmer, Wilson Kipchumba Chesonok, claims the land was lawfully acquired in 1997 from Limo's relatives.
• Chesonok has petitioned multiple authorities including the Inspector-General of Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), alleging abuse of office and disobedience of court orders.
• Court judgments from 2011, 2012, and 2018 have reportedly ruled in Chesonok's favor, but enforcement has been frustrated.