For four years, university students work towards degrees hoping to secure careers in their chosen fields, but finding the right path can sometimes require starting over.Elishebar Muriuki, a business analyst, knows this experience firsthand after moving from graphic design into industrial software development and business analysis.Muriuki shared her experience during the Co-op Bank Youth Forums on Friday, September 18, under the theme "Building Your Own Lane: Career Growth, Switching and Creating Opportunities."Muriuki studied Computer Science and developed an interest in technology early on, including working on an artificial intelligence modelling project that trained a system to assess how businesses perform and predict future trends.Although she was trained to code, Miuruki said she eventually found herself struggling to connect with the field and began exploring other areas that could excite and challenge her.She moved into computer-related work, including CCTV installations and hardware, before trying graphic design. She later juggled graphic design with computer-related businesses as she searched for a career path that suited her interests.Speaking during the Co-op Bank Youth Forum, Muriuki advised young people considering a career change not to make emotional exits, particularly after investing years and money in a particular field.Before making the switch, she prepared two CVs, one focused on business analysis based on her university project and short courses, and another highlighting her graphic design experience.She said she applied for several graphic design jobs and attended more than 10 interviews without securing an opportunity.The experience eventually pushed her to make what she described as a difficult decision, particularly because she had already invested heavily in graphic design. However, she encouraged herself to "stretch to her customers" and use the skills she had gained from working with clients.Muriuki said her communication skills became an important advantage during the transition, having developed them through interactions with graphic design clients. She used the same skills when she moved into industrial software development in the insurance industry and later transitioned to business analysis.For young people beginning their corporate careers, Miuruki said internships can provide an important foundation by giving them an opportunity to understand different workplaces and assess where their interests lie.Alongside her current career, Muriuki also started a milk bar as a side hustle, which she viewed as an additional source of income and an opportunity to make a profit."Mostly we go the side hustle way after self-evaluation. A side hustle helps you bridge the financial gap. It will help you have some income to sort your personal bills," Muriuki said.She described a side hustle as a financial safety net that can provide an alternative source of income when circumstances change."It is like a shock absorber; if anything happens to the business, you still have somewhere to fall without going into depression," she said.On the right time to change careers, Muriuki observed that young people should focus less on timing and more on identifying where they want to go and what they need to do to get there.She advised those considering a career switch to research the field they want to enter, take relevant courses where necessary, and speak to people already working in the sector.She also encouraged employees to communicate with their bosses when planning a transition.Muriuki said she uses a 50/30/20 formula to manage her finances, allocating 50 per cent to expenses and personal bills, 30 per cent to savings and 20 per cent to entertainment.Her experience, she said, demonstrates that career growth does not always follow a straight path, and young people can use their existing skills, further training, and practical experience to build a different career lane.
Read briefing Youth unemployment continues to be a nightmare for Kenya, with the UN warning that this is a ticking time bomb that could pose a serious security threat.
Read briefing The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has confirmed an operational accident involving a Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) crane at the Port of Mombasa. In a statement obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, the authority said the incident occurred at approximately 3:40pm on Thursday, September 17, 2026, prompting an immediate response from the port’s safety and emergency teams. “KPA confirms that an operational incident involving an RTG occurred and was immediately attended to by the Authority’s safety and emergency response teams in accordance with established procedures,” the statement read.The authority said the truck tractor operator involved in the incident was not injured, but the RTG operator sustained minor soft-tissue injuries to his legs and was taken to hospital for assessment and treatment.According to KPA, the RTG operator was later discharged after being cleared by medical personnel.The clarification comes after footage circulated on social media showing the aftermath of stacked containers that appeared to have toppled over at the port, with KPA personnel at the scene.The statement did not provide details on the exact circumstances or sequence of events surrounding the incident.KPA urged the public to avoid circulating unverified information about incidents at the port and rely on its official communication channels for updates.“We urge the public to rely on official KPA communication channels for accurate and verified information and to refrain from sharing unverified reports that may cause unnecessary alarm or misinformation,” the statement added.KPA has now launched investigations to determine what caused the incident and establish the circumstances surrounding it. The authority said a review will be conducted in line with its safety and incident management procedures. KPA added that any necessary corrective measures would be implemented once the findings are concluded. The latest incident comes months after a KPA cargo rigger died at Berth 14 of the Port of Mombasa, after heavy pipes reportedly rolled over him during offloading from the MV Hin Hong Bao Shi.
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Read briefing NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 18 — Motorists heading to the Nairobi Expressway Westlands entrance from the James Gichuru Junction will be required to use the lower A8 road, Waiyaki Way, during planned maintenance and construction works on the elevated overpass.The temporary traffic diversion will take effect at 8pm on Saturday and run until noon on Monday, September 21, according to a notice issued by Moja Expressway Company.During the works, motorists travelling towards the CBD will not be allowed to use the elevated overpass deck to access the Westlands entrance.They will instead be directed to the lower A8 road, where traffic marshals will guide motorists through the affected section.Moja Expressway said outbound traffic exiting the Nairobi Expressway towards the overpass will resume normal operations from 5pm on Saturday.Motorists have been urged to exercise caution and follow directions from traffic marshals to minimise disruptions during the works.The company apologised for the inconvenience caused by the temporary diversion and thanked motorists for using the Nairobi Expressway.The works come as traffic volumes on the Nairobi Expressway continue to increase, placing greater demand on the key Nairobi transport corridor.Government data shows the expressway handled an average of 67,298 vehicles daily during the 2024/25 financial year, compared with about 59,000 vehicles two years earlier.Traffic volumes have risen significantly since the expressway began operations, when the route handled about 11,000 vehicles a day.During the first half of the 2024/25 financial year alone, approximately 12.5 million vehicles used the Nairobi Expressway, highlighting its growing importance for motorists travelling across the capital.Motorists planning to use the Westlands entrance over the affected period have been advised to allow extra travel time and follow temporary traffic arrangements.
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Read briefing The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has intercepted a popular passenger bus while attempting to smuggle cigarettes, shisha tobacco and powdered milk worth an estimated Ksh46.7 million.The goods were intercepted during an intelligence-led operation targeting a smuggling network operating along the Uganda-Kenya route, with the consignment reportedly destined for Nairobi.KRA on Friday, September 18, said the seized goods had an estimated Ksh29.17 million in taxes at risk, raising concerns over revenue losses linked to the illegal movement of excisable products."The intelligence indicated that the suspect was using a passenger bus as cover to transport excisable products sourced from Uganda through porous border routes to a pick-up point in Busia," KRA revealed.KRA officers mounted an ambush in Eldoret town to intercept the suspect and the vehicle, but the suspect fled after noticing the enforcement team, prompting officers to pursue him.The suspect was eventually caught and detained at Kondoo in the Burnt Forest area, while the bus was escorted back to Eldoret and taken to a KRA warehouse for inspection.The search found hidden compartments inside the bus where the smuggled goods had allegedly been stored to avoid detection by enforcement officers.The intercepted cigarettes were valued at about Ksh30.6 million, while shisha tobacco and accessories were estimated at Ksh8.4 million, including tobacco flavours, filters, pots and bowls.Powdered milk products worth an estimated Ksh7.77 million were also recovered, with KRA saying the use of hidden compartments showed the new methods used to evade detection along major routes."The concealment of the goods in specially configured compartments within a passenger bus points to the increasingly sophisticated methods employed to evade detection along major transportation corridors," KRA stated.KRA said it would continue strengthening intelligence gathering, surveillance and enforcement operations to disrupt smuggling networks and prevent illicit goods from entering and being distributed in the Kenyan market.“These efforts are aimed at protecting public health, legitimate businesses from unfair competition, safeguarding government revenue and promoting compliance with tax and customs laws,” the Authority noted.
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Read briefing At least 16 people have been killed in Pakistan after a vehicle carrying explosives rammed into a police compound and a gunfight broke out.
Read briefing Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has revealed that a Kenyan Senator first alerted him to Uganda’s reliance on petroleum middlemen in Kenya, prompting him to question the arrangement.Speaking on Thursday, September 17, during the groundbreaking of a 320-million-litre storage terminal in Mpigi, Museveni said he was unaware that Uganda was sourcing fuel through intermediaries until the senator, whose identity he did not disclose, brought the matter to his attention.“Uganda was buying petroleum products through middlemen in Kenya. The person who woke me up first was a senator from Kenya. He told me, ‘Do you know that your country is buying petroleum through middlemen?’ I didn’t know,” he said.Museveni said he subsequently contacted then-Energy Minister Irene Muloni to question why Uganda was not purchasing petroleum products directly from refiners or bulk suppliers.Museveni said the concerns were not immediately resolved, but Uganda later established links with suppliers that allowed it to move away from the intermediary arrangement. He argued that purchasing directly from refiners rather than traders offered a more efficient way for Uganda to source petroleum products. According to figures presented during the event, the premium paid for diesel fell from about Ksh15,280 ($118) to 10,740 ($83) per metric tonne, while the premium on petrol dropped from Ksh12,620 ($97.50) to Ksh7,964 ($61.50) after Uganda ended the previous arrangement with Kenyan intermediaries. Aviation fuel also recorded a reduction, with the premium dropping from Ksh14,790 ($114.25) to Ksh10,263 ($79.25) per metric tonne, according to the cited figures. Museveni said the differences demonstrated the need to end the previous procurement model and give the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) a larger role in direct imports, with the company partnering with global energy trader Vitol to source petroleum products directly.Uganda announced in November 2023 that it would end reliance on Kenyan oil marketing companies and intermediaries, with implementation initially targeted for January 2024. The transition faced a dispute after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) initially declined to issue UNOC an import licence.However, after the Ugandan government sued Kenya in December 2023, the matter was resolved in March 2024, paving the way for direct imports through the Port of Mombasa using Kenya Pipeline infrastructure.
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Read briefing MPs questioned disparities between capitation disbursements and the actual number of students in schools, which principals said had contributed to underfunding.
Read briefing IRA placed the insurers under statutory management in March over financial deterioration and failure to meet mandatory solvency and capital requirements.
Read briefing Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has opened up about the emotional toll and challenges of balancing a high-profile political career with raising three young children, admitting to experiencing frequent parental guilt. Speaking during a podcast-style interview posted to her Instagram page, the lawmaker reflected candidly on the constant tug-of-war between her public duties and maternal responsibilities. […]
Read briefing Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli delivered an emotional tribute at the memorial service of his late daughter-in-law, Maureen Nyadida Lukoye, declaring that no other member of his family will be cremated while he lives. The service, held on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi, brought together […]
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Read briefing Egypt is partnering with Intel on a national artificial intelligence (AI) skills initiative that aims to train one million citizens annually over the next three years. The programme, formalised through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and Intel, will focus on expanding AI literacy, developing technical skills and promoting the responsible use of AI.The initiative forms part of Egypt’s wider efforts to build a workforce capable of developing and deploying AI technologies as the country expands its digital economy. The MOU was signed by Hoda Baraka, advisor to the ICT minister for technology talent development and acting director of the Egyptian Centre for Responsible AI, and Taha Khalifa, Intel’s general manager for the Middle East and Africa.According to MCIT, the programme will target different groups through a range of capacity-building and upskilling initiatives. These will include foundational AI training and creative-thinking programmes for young people, as well as training designed to improve the labour-market readiness of technical and university students. Employees and job-seekers will also have access to reskilling and upskilling opportunities, while government leaders will receive training focused on technology-enabled decision-making.The programme will also include a Training of Trainers component, with plans to train 1,500 trainers over three years. The initiative will target 500 trainers annually, with the aim of supporting the continued delivery of AI education through local training and educational institutions. The collaboration comes as Egypt implements the second edition of its National AI Strategy, covering the 2025–2030 period. The strategy seeks to expand the use of AI and increase its economic and social impact.ICT Minister Raafat Hendy said AI is becoming an important factor in economic competitiveness, with applications spanning development and public services. Egypt has also set a target of developing 30,000 specialists in deep-tech and AI by 2030. The country expects the ICT sector’s contribution to GDP to reach 7.7% by the same year.The government has increasingly placed skills development at the centre of its digital transformation plans, reflecting the growing demand for professionals who can work with emerging technologies and apply them across different sectors. The AI training programme will also place emphasis on responsible technology use. MCIT said awareness of the opportunities and risks associated with AI will be incorporated into the training rather than treating responsible AI as a separate area of study.Baraka said the partnership would support efforts to improve understanding of AI applications among different sections of society and help people identify practical ways of using the technology. The initiative will be delivered through Intel’s “AI for Citizens” programme, which is intended to provide accessible AI education to a wider population.Gisselle Ruiz Lanza, Intel’s general manager for EMEA, said the collaboration reflects a shared objective of making AI more accessible and practical. Beyond general AI literacy, the agreement also includes technical workshops covering Intel’s AI infrastructure and computing technologies. The sessions are expected to contribute to the development of local expertise in the infrastructure required to support AI applications.The scale of the programme places Egypt’s AI skills development efforts within a broader push across Africa to expand digital capabilities and prepare workers and public institutions for increased adoption of AI.
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Read briefing A British man who has been detained in India for nearly nine years without conviction has been granted bail
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