Kenya News Weekly: Weekly: June 9-15, 2025
This week in Kenya, six tourists tragically died in a crash, prompting government investigations, while protests erupted over the death of influencer Albert Ojwang in police custody. In Parliament, the healthcare bill and Finance Bill discussions continued, with President Ruto making key appointments. Additionally, the government announced exam fee coverage for candidates and launched initiatives to improve digital courts and air quality monitoring.
Weekly Breakdown by Category
Top Stories
364 stories this weekTop Stories - Week's Highlights
Trial for Kianjokoma brothers' murder adjourned as one officer falls ill. Gachagua demands dismissal of Deputy IG Eliud Lagat over claimed accountability for crimes. High Court declares early campaigns illegal, impacting political strategies for upcoming elections. NTSA provides step-by-step guide on adding organizations to its portal. Karua, Mutunga, and activists sue the Tanzanian government seeking apology and special damages for travel costs. Karua and Willy Mutunga take legal action against Tanzania following recent diplomatic tensions. ChatGPT experiences global outage, highlighting users' reliance on the chatbot. Crowd pursues lawmaker from city mortuary during Albert Ojwang's autopsy after her speech was interrupted. Sports Ministry and KPLC announce vehicle mass auction with strict bidding guidelines for interested parties. Communications Authority clarifies that no location data was leaked in the Ojwang case. Gachagua seeks to establish a one-party dominance in Mt Kenya. Teachers plan vigil for Albert Ojwang, sparking justice calls. NTSA informs government institutions to comply with regulations. Sakaja vows to support Ojwang's son after his controversial death in police custody. Police continue to face criticism despite reform promises. Police have made the first arrest in the murder case of Albert Ojwang as IPOA progresses with its investigation. The 2025/2026 budget is set at 4.29 trillion Kenyan Shillings, impacting income tax rates. The government allocates 4.3 billion Kenyan Shillings from the 138 billion Kenyan Shillings health budget to support medical interns. A water plant was shut down after a university student jumped in, raising mental well-being concerns amid rising suicide cases. Senator Onyonka has made a demand ahead of the 2027 elections following the gazetting of new IEBC commissioners by President Ruto. The government outlines plans for evictions in Ngong Forest, a land dispute ongoing for several years. HELB funding increases to 41.5 billion Kenyan Shillings in a historic 702.7 billion Kenyan Shillings education budget, with allocations for free education and KNEC exams detailed by Mbadi. The Kenya Meteorological Department warns of strong winds and dangerous waves in 15 counties, urging residents to take precautions. Over 300 health facilities in Nairobi have been shut down due to non-compliance in a recent crackdown. Chaos erupted in Nairobi's CBD as hawkers burned a county vehicle near Afya Centre amid ongoing protests. President Ruto has criticized Governor Kang'ata regarding the medical scheme, Kang'ata Care. A new payment policy by SHA has sparked public outcry, with many Kenyans expressing their frustrations on social media. PS Mang’eni urges counties to partner with universities to develop priority value chains for MSMEs. DP Kindiki assures Kenyans of equitable development regardless of political affiliation during a meeting in Machakos.
Videos
1082 stories this weekVideos - Week's Highlights
Activists plan demonstrations demanding justice for Albert Ojwang' following his death in police custody, which has sparked a national outcry for accountability. Chandaria, Standard Group, and West Pokot partner to support children living with disabilities. President Ruto mourns the death of Albert Ojwang, stating that his death will be investigated and justice will be served. Finance Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi presented the 2025/2026 budget in Parliament, with the education sector set to receive the largest allocation of 702.7 billion shillings. Waziri Geoffrey Ruku assured Kibra residents that the government will support victims of a fire that left many homeless. Assistance measures are being planned for affected areas. Wandani wa Rais William Ruto continue to implement projects aimed at empowering Kenyans throughout the country.
Politics
29 stories this weekPolitics - Week's Highlights
ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna states that President William Ruto does not deserve a second term in 2027. Meanwhile, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo is adopting strategies to elevate the Opposition's profile. President Ruto pledges accountability for rogue police officers to ensure citizen protection. Meanwhile, Kindiki urges leaders to prioritize nation-building over political contests. DP Kindiki warns Kalonzo Musyoka against tribal politics, emphasizing unity and brotherhood. Meanwhile, President Ruto's executive order creates new power centers to strengthen his administration.
Business
87 stories this weekBusiness - Week's Highlights
Kenya loses 9 billion shillings annually to illicit cigarette trade, according to a recent report. This underscores the need for stronger regulatory measures. The Coast Water Works Development Agency seeks a contractor for the Mwache Water Project in Mombasa, funded by the EU bank. SEACOM names Kevin Kaburu as Managing Director for Digital Infrastructure in East Africa. Konza Technopolis launches an $8 million smart waste collection system by Envac. Kenya plans talks with the IMF in September regarding new funding. CBK calls for lower lending rates as the Central Bank Rate drops to 9.75%. Novotel Nairobi Westlands will host a themed brunch for Father's Day on June 16, 2025, celebrating the bond between fathers and their children. Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe has warned against the continued use of banned pesticides, citing the influence of powerful pesticide cartels in the sector. The UK economy experienced a decline in April due to rising taxes for businesses, increased household bills, and a drop in exports to the US, which may have indirect effects on Kenya's trade. Umeme seeks an additional compensation of 37.7 billion shillings from the Ugandan government through arbitration in London as share trading resumes. The Communications Authority of Kenya and the Judiciary have initiated a 250 million shillings project to digitize 42 courts across the country. Meta AI has made user search history public, raising privacy concerns among users.
Sports
64 stories this weekSports - Week's Highlights
Cristiano Ronaldo praised for his leadership after Portugal's Nations League win over Spain. Robert Lewandowski to boycott Poland's national team due to current coach Michal Probierz. Carlos Alcaraz credits "real champions" mindset for his comeback win in the French Open final. Seven KCB Women’s Volleyball players join Malkia Strikers ahead of the World Championship in Thailand. Vihiga Queens set to play Kibera Soccer Women in the FKF Women’s Cup final. Cristiano Ronaldo's leadership praised after Portugal wins Nations League final. Seven KCB players join Malkia Strikers for World Championship set for August in Thailand. Nakuru RFC aims to regain past glory as it was once a feared team. Meanwhile, skier Sabrina Simader targets improved records at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The Lionesses lost 19-12 to South Africa. Standard Group PLC joins seven other corporates to support Kenya's bid for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Tottenham Hotspur to appoint Brentford boss Thomas Frank as new head coach after parting with Ange Postecoglou. Trent Alexander-Arnold states Real Madrid is the "only" team he would have considered leaving Liverpool for, during his presentation. Patel aims for a third consecutive title at the Standard Classic set for Eldoret Club on Friday, facing local fighters Tuwei, Aggrawal, and Chumo. Nakuru County Darts League kicks off this morning at Jacaranda Sports Grill Hotel for the Kenya Counties Darts Championships. APS Bomet FC will participate in the FKF Premier League next season after gaining promotion. Kenya struggled in their first match at the Calvary Cup against Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, Under-20 and 18 athletes excelled at the North Rift regional championships in Trans Nzoia.
Tech
39 stories this weekTech - Week's Highlights
Samsung has rolled out the One UI 7.0 update based on Android 15 for Galaxy A05s and A15 5G users in Kenya. Sama ranked third in the 2025 Middle East Africa Inspiring Workplaces Awards for its employee wellbeing initiatives. Apple ends support for Intel Macs with macOS 26 being the final update. Future macOS will require Apple Silicon. Android 16 update not yet available for many Kenyans. Vertiv has appointed Mike Giresi as global Chief Information Officer, starting June 30, 2025. Sun King has opened its first customer experience centre in Mombasa for clean energy solutions. Salus Cloud has secured $3.7 million in funding to enhance software delivery in Africa and the Middle East. TECNO CAMON 30 series users report issues with refresh rate, battery drain, and audio after the Android 15 update. Safaricom offers a Ksh 2,000 cashback for flight bookings via Trips on M-PESA app during the Sokoni Festival. Equity Bank sponsors Murang'a Investment Conference 2025 with 15 million Kenyan Shillings to boost the county's industrial development and investment opportunities. Protests in Nairobi ahead of the M-PESA Sokoni Festival demand justice for Albert Ojwang’, who died in police custody at Central Police Station. Absa Bank and Visa introduce innovative business credit cards aimed at improving financing for MSMEs in Kenya, featuring flexible payment options and digital tools. A significant Google Cloud outage on June 12 disrupted services like Spotify and Discord globally, impacting millions of users, including those in Kenya. Pesapal partners with RACK to launch a POS solution for SMEs, enhancing digital payment options for small businesses in Kenya. Vertiv unveils a 142kW cooling architecture for NVIDIA's AI platforms, improving energy efficiency for tech applications. Meta launches the Llama Impact Accelerator in Kenya and three other African countries to support the development of open-source AI solutions.
Entertainment
11 stories this weekEntertainment - Week's Highlights
Officers at Nairobi’s Central Police Station have been suspended following the death of influencer Albert Ojwang in custody, in response to public outcry. Juja MP George Koimburi denies staging his abduction and recounts the experience amidst ongoing political discourse in Kenya. KPLC announces power maintenance on June 12, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., affecting multiple counties. Dennis Okari shares his daughter's illness struggles, highlighting healthcare challenges. Safaricom addresses Senate inquiry about alleged links to a death in police custody. Karangu Muraya faced an angry mob in Murang’a after a visit to State House. Khalif Kairo shares insights on politics and Ojwang’s death from his hospital bed. MP Peter Salasya introduces his newborn son.