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Kenyans.co.ke

KRA Sets Conditions for Employees to Receive Tax-Free Gratuity

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has clarified the conditions employees must meet to receive gratuity without paying income tax under the Finance Act 2026.Under the law, the employment contract must run for at least three continuous years or be an extension of a three-year contract.The gratuity must also not exceed 31 per cent of the employee's emoluments earned during the contract period.Employees who satisfy both conditions can receive qualifying gratuity without income tax.“Both conditions must be satisfied for the gratuity to qualify for the exemption. This means that not every employee receiving an end-of-service payment will automatically benefit from the tax relief,” KRA said.Gratuity is a payment an employer may provide to an employee at the end of a contract or period of service, depending on the terms of employment. It is separate from the employee's regular monthly salary.The Finance Act 2026 therefore provides a specific framework for determining when gratuity paid under qualifying employment arrangements can enjoy the tax exemption.For example, an employee whose contract has run continuously for at least three years would need to establish whether the gratuity payable falls within the 31 per cent threshold based on their emoluments during that period.For eligible employees, the benefit provides financial support when they leave employment, particularly after several years of service. Where the gratuity qualifies for the tax exemption under the applicable rules, the employee can keep more of the payment because no income tax is deducted from the exempt amount. The rules also cover employees whose three-year contracts have been extended, provided the employment arrangement meets the conditions set by the law. The clarification comes as taxpayers seek to understand how changes contained in the Finance Act 2026 affect employment income and end-of-service benefits.KRA's explanation provides employees and employers with a basis for determining whether a particular gratuity payment qualifies for the tax exemption before the payment is made.Employees expecting gratuity are therefore required to consider both the length of their qualifying contract and the amount of gratuity against their emoluments to establish whether they meet the conditions for the tax relief.

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Nation

Uganda to extradite Kenyans in Dr Mutiso murder probe

Dr Victoria Mutiso, a clinical psychologist who was gunned down in Nairobi. Preliminary findings indicate that she may have been followed from her home.Uganda will extradite two Kenyans suspected of killing Dr Victoria Mutiso, following their arrest in Kampala last Saturday.The extradition process is expected to take up to three days, after which Police Constable Collins Kiplangat Bett and Pius Muiru Mbugua will be released to the Interpol officers, who will then hand them over to the Kenyan Police.Kenyan detectives from the serious crimes unit at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) flew to Kampala on Friday and have since been working with Ugandan police and Interpol officers to arrest the two suspects.Read: Dr Mutiso Killers were paid Sh300,000 down payment, fresh court filings show “A combined team of Interpol, Kenyan crime busters and Ugandan intelligent security personnel led to the arrest of the two suspects who are now detained by the Ugandan Authorities awaiting extradition to face murder charges at the Kenyan High Court,” a DCI officer told the Daily Nation on Monday.The DCI officer said that the joint operation ended with arrest of the two suspects, and that Uganda’s Foreign Affairs ministry is processing an extradition request from its Nairobi counterpart.“Our officers have presented a request to the relevant Ugandan Foreign Ministry for processing of the two suspects,” our source stated.The Ugandan Foreign Affairs minister is liaising with the local Attorney General, who has in turn presented an application before a magistrate for extradition orders.Evidence on how Dr Victoria Nthunya Mutiso, a prominent neuroscientist and a former director of African Institute of Mental and Brain Health was killed in a gangland-style shooting has been presented to the Ugandan Magistrate for analysis and processing.The aim is for the Ugandan Court to establish there is sufficient evidence which can lead to a conviction.The arraignment of the three brings to seven the numbers of suspects arrested and detained over the murder of Dr Mutiso, a prominent neuroscientist and a former director of African Institute of Mental and Brain Health.Besides PC Bett and Mr Mbugua, police are also tracing Inspector Kipkemoi Sang whose Jericho Pistol was used to gun down Dr Mutiso on July 29,2026 along Mawensi Road Kilimani sub-county Nairobi.The Daily Nation has learned that immediately after the Ugandan authorities conclude processing the extradition request, a message will be relayed to Kenya’s Foreign Affairs ministry which will then inform Attorney-General Dorcas Oduor.Ms Oduor will then hand the writs to Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga, who will then pass them on to his officer Victor Owiti.Mr Owiti will use the writs to process Mr Bett, Mr Mbugua and a third suspect, Samuel Karanja Gathoni in Kenya’s courts.“Extradition proceedings take a while but the good thing is that we have managed to arrest two suspects who had allegedly fled into the neighbouring country. No one involved in the murder of Dr Mutiso will escape justice and the long hand of the law,” the top officer told the Daily Nation.So far those arrested and detained over the cold blooded murder of Dr Mutiso, are nine.They are Rose Mbithe Mulwa alias Rose Mbith Ndetei, her children Angella, Mulwa and Chris Mulwa (both advocates of the High Court) and Police Constable Elijah Kibellion Kimoi (who allegedly shot Dr Mutiso).Others in custody are Daniel Mwangi Njoroge and Kevin Ngugi Kinuthia. They were detained for 30 days on request by a lead investigator Corporal Romana Oduor on August 10,2028.CPL Oduor said preliminary investigations showed that PC Kimoi is the one who shot Dr Mutiso.Rose Mbithe, Chris, Angella and PC Kimoi were charged with murder before Justice Kanyi Kimondo on August 26,2026.Justice Kimondo ordered they be remanded until September 23, 2026 for mental examination to establish whether they are mentally fit to stand trial.Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.There was a stir in court as Rose Mulwa and her children made claims against the DCI and DPP.We come to you. We are always looking for ways to improve our stories. Let us know what you liked and what we can improve on.Detectives trying to establish how attackers entered and murdered the businessman inside his house.KRA issues new requirements for all suppliers engaging with government entities.

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Kenyans.co.ke

Nurses Threatened With Disciplinary Action as CoG Demands Return to Work

Council of Governors Chair Ahmed Abdullahi has urged striking nurses to return to work as negotiations continue over the implementation of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that has remained unresolved for years.Abdullahi said the Council of Governors was willing to engage nurses on the outstanding issues, but maintained that the ongoing strike was complicating efforts to reach an agreement.The CoG chair further added that the CBA dates back to discussions held ahead of the 2017 General Election but has never been fully implemented, with the two sides now seeking to resolve the matter through negotiations.“We’ve tried to negotiate with the nurses and while negotiations were still ongoing they called a strike," he revealed.He said the Council had been engaging nurses and was hopeful that an agreement could be reached despite previous positions taken by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) on some of the demands.Abdullahi also raised concern over the continued strike despite a court ruling declaring the industrial action illegal, saying disobedience of court orders was creating additional challenges for county governments.The remarks come days after the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) gave the SRC seven days to resolve the dispute, warning that the strike could be extended to national referral hospitals if the commission failed to act.KNUN Secretary-General Seth Panyako said the union was not seeking fresh negotiations, arguing that some counties had already reached and signed CBAs with nurses and that the outstanding issue was for the SRC to issue letters of no objection required for implementation.Panyako cited counties including Marakwet, where agreements had reportedly been reached, but said nurses had remained on strike because the required approval from SRC had not been issued.Abdullahi, on the other hand, said the Council had taken a position that governors and county public service boards should handle cases of employees who continued to remain absent from work in line with established human resource procedures.He warned that this could result in disciplinary action against nurses who defied lawful directives to resume duty, although the Council would seek to address any resulting cases through established procedures.The CoG chair said the Council was prepared to continue discussions with nurses and explore a possible agreement that could then be presented jointly to SRC, rather than allowing the dispute to continue disrupting healthcare services.He urged the nurses to return to work as negotiations proceed, saying the long-running CBA dispute could be resolved through dialogue while allowing patients to continue accessing essential healthcare services.

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Capital News

Flights disrupted for second day as Transport Ministry stays silent on aviation strike

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 31 — Kenya’s aviation strike entered its second day on Monday, with hundreds of passengers facing delays and cancellations as the Ministry of Roads and Transport remained publicly silent on the disruption.However, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said the government was working to reach an amicable settlement.Sing’oei, who is not in charge of the transport docket, offered the clearest public indication from government that efforts were underway to resolve the dispute, as disruption at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) continued.“We convey our sincere apologies to travelers for inconvenience caused by the ongoing industrial action at JKIA and assure that government is doing what it can to reach an amicable settlement on this matter,” Sing’oei said.The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) strike, which began on Sunday, has disrupted air traffic services at JKIA and other airports, leaving passengers stranded and forcing airlines to delay or cancel flights.Some passengers had been at JKIA for more than 12 hours as the disruption entered its second day.The Ministry of Roads and Transport had not issued a substantive public statement on the strike by Monday evening, despite the disruption directly affecting the country’s aviation and transport network.Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), however, acknowledged that the disruption to air traffic control services was continuing to affect operations at JKIA.“As a result, some flights are experiencing delays and cancellations,” KAA said, advising passengers to contact their airlines and confirm their flight status before travelling to the airport.KAA said it was working with airlines and other aviation stakeholders to mitigate the disruption and facilitate safe, secure and orderly airport operations.The impact has been felt by airlines operating through Kenya’s main international gateway.RwandAir cancelled two pairs of flights scheduled for Monday, citing operational challenges affecting air traffic control services at JKIA. The airline said affected passengers would be accommodated on the next available flights.Kenya Airways has also reported delays of more than six hours at JKIA and said the resulting backlog had forced it to reschedule and cancel some flights.The national carrier advised passengers not to go to the airport unless they had a confirmed flight and urged travellers to check their flight status before departure.The continuing disruption has also triggered concern from Kenya’s aviation and tourism industry.The Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO), African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) have called for an urgent end to the industrial action, warning that prolonged disruption could threaten safety, connectivity and Kenya’s reputation as a regional aviation hub.“Safety cannot be improvised,” said Liz Aluvanze, Chief Executive Officer of KAAO.The industry bodies said the latest disruption was particularly concerning because similar industrial action occurred in February, making the possibility of another disruption foreseeable.They called for tested contingency plans and better communication between aviation authorities, airlines and other industry players.The February strike provides an indication of the potential economic cost of the latest disruption.KAAO’s preliminary assessment of 16 operators recorded 150 flight cancellations and 382 delays, with direct losses estimated at about $5.1 million.That estimate did not include losses from aircraft diversions, crew disruption, network recovery or wider effects on tourism, trade and medical operations.AFRAA Secretary General Abdérahmane Berthé said disruption at JKIA could have consequences across the continent because of the airport’s role as a regional aviation gateway.“Kenya’s role as a continental aviation hub means that disruptions here are felt well beyond its borders, affecting connectivity, trade and travellers across Africa’s aviation network,” Berthé said.

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Kenyans.co.ke

NTSA Summons 9 Matatu Operators

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has summoned nine public service vehicle operators after flagging serious safety concerns in their operations across the country.The Authority made the announcement through a statement issued on Monday, August 31, listing the companies required to respond to these concerns."In exercising its powers, the Authority has summoned a number of public service vehicle operators after observing serious safety concerns," NTSA stated.Among those named is Moyalé Raha Transporter's Company Limited, which has been given a slightly earlier date of September 3 to appear.The remaining eight operators are expected to show up before NTSA on September 8, as directed in the same notice.They include Etams Classic Limited, Eastern Link Travellers Company Limited, and Manchester Travellers Coach Limited, all mentioned in the NTSA's list of summoned firms.On the list also includes Lake Naivasha Mai-Mahiu Line Service Limited and Sabaki Travellers Saving and Credit Co-operative Society Limited.Lumasa County Sacco, Bluemarks Shuttles Sacco Limited, and Nyamira Luxury Express Company Limited complete the list of nine operators facing scrutiny.The aforementioned saccos mostly operate outside Nairobi City, ferrying travellers to and from various counties across the country on a daily basis.Long-distance buses often violate traffic laws. Drivers often speed to meet tight schedules, while operators overload buses with excess passengers and luggage. Fatigued drivers also skip mandatory rest breaks, working beyond legal hours, raising accident risks.Additionally, dangerous overtaking on narrow, winding highways adds further risk, along with poorly maintained buses, with worn tyres, faulty brakes, or broken lights, which compounds the danger, while passengers rarely wear seatbelts and operators fail to enforce the rule.NTSA Director General Nashon Kondiwa reported an 11 per cent rise in road traffic deaths, with 2,150 lives lost between January and June 2026. Pedestrians suffered the highest fatalities at around 836, followed by motorcyclists and passengers.Kiambu, Nairobi, and Nakuru remain the worst-hit counties due to heavy traffic and rapid urbanization. NTSA estimates road crashes cost Kenya roughly 5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually through healthcare expenses, property damage, and lost productivity.Additionally, the NTSA’s July 2026 Road Safety Status Report shows that the weekends, particularly from Friday to Sunday, accounted for more than half of all road accidents recorded during the month, indicating that weekends are the most dangerous period to travel, where travellers mostly travel long distances to their families.

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Capital News

Aviation strike threatens Kenya’s regional hub status as flights disrupted

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 31 — Kenya’s aviation industry has called for an urgent end to an ongoing air traffic services strike, warning that prolonged disruption at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is threatening flight safety, passenger connectivity and the country’s reputation as a regional aviation hub.The Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO), African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) said the industrial action by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), which began on August 30, has caused delays, cancellations, diversions, rerouting and prolonged aircraft holding at JKIA and other Kenyan airports.The industry bodies said the disruption was particularly concerning because air traffic services are safety-critical and require tested contingency arrangements to prevent operational risks from being transferred to airlines, crews and passengers.“Safety cannot be improvised,” said Liz Aluvanze, Chief Executive Officer of KAAO.“Operators, crews and passengers should not carry the burden of a foreseeable disruption when timely notices, tested contingency measures and coordinated airport response should have been in place.”The associations said the latest strike was foreseeable following similar industrial action in February, which should have prompted authorities to activate and communicate effective contingency plans.They cited Regulation 40 of the Kenya Civil Aviation (Air Traffic Services) Regulations, which requires the air traffic services authority to develop contingency plans for actual or potential disruption of air traffic services and coordinate them with affected airspace users and neighbouring air traffic service authorities.According to the aviation bodies, operators were not briefed on an activated contingency plan during the latest disruption, while delayed issuance of the relevant Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) left airlines with less time to adjust flight plans, fuel requirements, alternate airports, crew rosters and passenger arrangements.They also called for more regular briefings from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) covering airport capacity, aircraft parking, gates, stands, apron congestion, ground handling, cargo facilities and the expected recovery sequence.The disruption has already affected Kenya’s national carrier, Kenya Airways, which said some flights were facing delays of more than six hours at JKIA because of the backlog created by the industrial action.The airline said it had been forced to reschedule and cancel some flights and advised passengers not to travel to the airport unless they had a confirmed flight.Kenya Airways said passengers could check their flight status through its website or mobile application and change or reschedule flights without penalty.“Safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority,” the airline said, apologising to customers for the disruption.The latest disruption has revived concerns over the wider economic consequences of instability at Kenya’s main aviation gateway.During the February 16–17 KAWU industrial action, KAAO’s preliminary assessment of 16 operators recorded 150 flight cancellations and 382 delays, resulting in approximately $5.1 million in direct losses.The figure did not include costs linked to aircraft diversions, crew disruption and network recovery, or wider losses to tourism, trade and medical operations.The industry bodies warned that repeated disruptions could undermine confidence in JKIA and weaken Kenya’s position as a gateway to East and Central Africa.“Kenya’s role as a continental aviation hub means that disruptions here are felt well beyond its borders, affecting connectivity, trade and travellers across Africa’s aviation network,” said Abdérahmane Berthé, Secretary General of AFRAA.“We join KAAO and KTF in calling for an urgent, amicable resolution and for contingency arrangements that protect the continent’s air transport system.”The groups said reliable air connectivity is critical to Kenya’s tourism industry, time-sensitive exports, humanitarian and medical flights, trade and investment.They called on KCAA, KAA, KAWU, the government and other aviation stakeholders to urgently resolve the dispute while ensuring safety-critical services remain protected during industrial action.The associations also urged authorities to strengthen contingency planning and airport coordination to ensure future disruptions do not leave airlines and passengers bearing avoidable operational and financial risks.“KAAO, AFRAA and KTF remain available to work constructively with all parties to restore safe, orderly and predictable operations,” the organisations said.They warned that Kenya’s ambition to remain a leading regional aviation gateway must be matched by an aviation system that is “prepared, accountable and resilient.”

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Kenyans.co.ke

Kenya Railways Announces Special Train Services

Kenya Railways has announced additional special train services for travellers planning to move between Nairobi and Mombasa over the next two days, offering commuters an alternative as the aviation sector grapples with disruptions linked to the ongoing standoff between the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) and the government.In a statement released on August 31, the corporation said the extra trips are meant to ease congestion and give passengers a wider window to book seats on the popular Madaraka Express route, at a time when thousands of air travellers remain stranded at airports countrywide."Kenya Railways wishes to inform members of the public that additional special train services will be available for booking on August 31, 2026 and September 1, 2026," the corporation stated.For the two days, between August 31 and September 1, there will be a special train departing from Mombasa Terminus at 8.40 p.m., offering an evening option for those heading to Nairobi.On Tuesday, September 1, two additional trips have been lined up, starting with a morning departure from Nairobi Terminus at 9.40 a.m. A second train on the same day will leave Mombasa Terminus at 4.30 p.m., rounding off the additional schedule for the two days.Ordinarily, the Madaraka Express SGR service runs three daily departures between Nairobi and Mombasa, with trains leaving both cities at 8.00 a.m., 3.00 p.m., and 10.00 p.m., giving passengers morning, afternoon, and overnight travel options.To pull off the special services, Kenya Railways draws on standby locomotives and carriages, which are assigned new train numbers and fresh time slots. Additional coaches are attached only when spare fleet stock is available, since operators generally prefer lengthening existing trains by coupling on extra carriages. Platform lengths and equipment shortages, however, often limit this option, at times forcing officials to acknowledge that no more coaches are on hand. Seat capacity can also be expanded through reconfiguration rather than simply adding more carriages.Meanwhile, the country's aviation crisis remains unresolved, with Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) standing firm on its industrial action over unmet demands from the government, a standoff that has left thousands of travellers stranded at airports nationwide.The timing of Kenya Railways' announcement could prove significant, as it may help ease pressure on stranded air travellers by giving them a reliable alternative for journeys between Nairobi and Mombasa.

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KBC

Education stakeholders stress the importance of teaching virtues to young people

Education stakeholders in Kenya are emphasising the need to instil virtues among the youth as the only solution to curb the rising cases of unrest and disciplinary issues in learning institutions and communities at large. Speaking during the 2nd African Regional Conference at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), Higher Education PS Beatrice Inyangala highlighted the critical role played by learning institutions in shaping the youth. “Education institutions are such a prominent context of character development, second only to home culture in shaping children’s values and character traits. In educational leadership, leaders need to model and manifest character virtues such as noble purpose, forgiveness, humility, integrity, gratitude, empowerment and empathy, “Said the PS She called on tertiary education faculties to promote and model continuous development of their characters as well as that of their followers -faculty members, support staff and students. “We need to speak about the character of our education institutions- the character of our college or character of our university. In this sense, the character of moral education literature often invites us to think of the character of an institution as its culture, climate, or ethos. When planting a seed, one tries to create around it the conditions in which that seed can flourish, such as adequate fertiliser,...

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Kenyans.co.ke

UDA MP Threatens to Quit Party, Gives Ruto Ultimatum

Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba has threatened to sever ties with United Democratic Alliance (UDA) over what she terms perpetuated hate speech from President William Ruto's allies.While speaking during an interview on a local radio station on August 31, the outspoken lawmaker says she can no longer stand by quietly as inflammatory remarks from within the ruling party's ranks go unpunished and unchecked.Her frustration has been building for weeks, and she is now accusing the government of running a two-tier justice system that shields its own, with leaders aligned to President Ruto's administration appearing to enjoy a form of immunity that ordinary citizens accused of similar offences would never receive.“We cannot have a selective party leadership, where those close to the President cannot face consequences of their own actions as opposed to those who are not,” Wamuchomba said. She insisted this selective treatment is dangerous, warning that unresolved ethnic tension within the political class could easily spiral into something far worse for the country.Wamuchomba says her patience has run out, especially after watching what she describes as repeated provocations targeting her own Kikuyu community go without consequence."I have been supporting him, believing that he can improve. I felt I had the responsibility to support him, pray for him and advise him. But the more we support him, the more he is messing, the more his people are messing up," she added.Her anger is rooted in two recent incidents that have stirred public debate around ethnicity and political loyalty inside President Ruto's UDA fold.The first ultimatum centers on nominated MP Joseph Wainaina, whose leaked remarks suggested Kikuyus opposed to Ruto's re-election bid should leave Uasin Gishu County altogether.Wainaina has denied the accusation, insisting his comments were taken out of context and that he has never encouraged any form of ethnic hostility.The second ultimatum targets Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, who came under fire in July for remarks widely perceived as demeaning to the Kikuyu community, describing them as ‘hyenas’.Duale, who was summoned by the National Cohesion Integration Commission (NCIC), has since defended himself, explaining that his words were drawn from a Somali proverb about entrenched habits and were never meant to target any specific group.Wamuchomba is now giving President Ruto exactly three days to have both leaders arrested, or risk losing the support of Mt Kenya politicians who have long backed him, vowing to lead mass protests and defections from the party in the region."We are going to speak, and we are going to demand the arrest of the culprits. If the arrest of Joseph Wainaina and CS Duale is not going to happen in the next three days, I am going to lead a massive protest of the party within Mt Kenya, and some of us who have been supporting William Ruto will walk away when he really needs us," Wamuchomba stated.Wamuchomba, who rejoined the UDA in January after quitting at the height of the Gen-Z protests, has been quiet on her position in the party, coming at a time when UDA party leaders within the Mt. Kenya region are camping outside Rigathi Gachagu’s Democracy for Citizens’ Party (DCP) camp in masses.However, over the past months, she has distanced herself from the UDA Party, yet has consistently maintained that she remains loyal to President Ruto and the party through the current term.

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