Opposition leaders have questioned the procurement process for the newly unveiled police uniforms, demanding details about the company awarded the contract and the selection process used. Democratic Action Party (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa claimed the uniform procurement involved a contract worth nearly Ksh3 billion and called for transparency over how the deal was made.The demand was issued during a grassroots public engagement tour in Emali Township, Makueni County, on Friday, August 28, hosted by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka. “Today, we are demanding to know the company that made the uniform and how, and to whom, the tender was awarded,” Wamalwa stated.He also raised concerns over whether changing the police uniform should be a priority when officers continue to face other challenges affecting their welfare. “Just as Kalonzo has said, there is a contract of almost Ksh3 billion to make new uniforms for the police service. That money will not help our police officers. If you ask any officer today, is their problem the uniform or housing? Is it the uniform, or is it the housing levy and Social Health Authority (SHA) deductions? Currently, police officers, just like other Kenyans, have strained payslips. Changing their uniform does not change their lives,” he added.Wamalwa’s remarks came shortly after President William Ruto officially inspected and unveiled the new police uniform during the passing-out parade of recruits at the National Police College in Kiganjo, Nyeri County. The government had announced the replacement earlier in the week, prompting public debate over the cost and necessity of changing the attire. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen defended the decision during the ceremony, saying the new uniform followed recommendations by the National Taskforce on Police Reforms. Murkomen cautioned against reducing broader police reforms to the uniform, saying the changes recommended for the National Police Service (NPS) went beyond its appearance.“The taskforce established by the President recommended that the national police uniform needs to be changed. And the uniform unveiled today is as a result of rigorous public participation, and the police officers themselves chose it. I have seen some people equate the national police reforms to only the uniform. National police reforms cannot even be covered in one hour if I wanted to speak about them today,” the CS said.The debate comes as former Chief Justice David Maraga, who chaired the police reforms taskforce, said its recommendations are yet to be implemented and pressed President William Ruto to release the full report submitted in November 2023.Maraga gave the President seven days on August 18 to publish the unedited document, saying he would release it himself if the government failed to do so.
Read briefing The burial of KCB executive Rosemary Chemutai Kimwatu has been halted after her husband, Kevin Migwe Kimwatu, moved to court seeking to be involved in her funeral arrangements.
Read briefing The world's youngest reigning monarch has died aged 34.
Read briefing AP reports that nearly 200 countries wrapped up UN desertification talks in Mongolia without resolving a key push for a legally binding global drought agreement, while climate-driven land degradation continues to threaten food, water and livelihoods.Why it matters: This is a high-value climate story because it has immediate relevance to food security, drought policy and land resilience across Africa and the rest of the world.
Read briefing Microsoft Names Angela Ng’ang’a as East Africa Country Lead techweez.com
Read briefing House prices and rents in Kenya's prime residential areas have risen in the first half of this year, between January and June, with Limuru emerging as one of the most sought-after towns by home seekers.According to Knight Frank Kenya Market Update H1 2026, monthly rents in prime residential areas increased by 0.73 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared to December 2025, while sale prices rose by 6.2 per cent.For instance, in Nairobi, prime locations include Westlands, Muthaiga, Runda, Karen, Gigiri, Kitisuru, Riverside, Lavington, Kilimani, and Kileleshwa.In its report published on Thursday, August 27, Knight Frank attributed the increase to the limited supply of quality residential properties, particularly bungalows, villas, townhouses and maisonettes.The imbalance between demand and available houses has pushed property prices up, making quality houses more expensive for buyers and renters."The increase reflects a continued shortage of quality prime housing stock - particularly bungalows, villas, townhouses, and maisonettes - amid sustained demand from owner-occupiers and renters," the report revealed.Knight Frank identified Limuru as one of the prime locations where most Kenyans are now preferring to buy or rent a house.According to the real estate firm, Limuru, particularly in the Tilisu area, has benefited from the earlier developments within the master-planned Tilisi Special Economic Zone (SEZ)."Its strategic location, proximity to Nairobi, planned infrastructure, and tranquil natural environment continue to attract both developers and homebuyers seeking alternatives to the increasingly congested traditional suburban market," Knight Frank stated.Knight Frank attributed Limuru’s growing appeal among homebuyers and renters to upcoming developments, including gated communities and a residential project by 17 Group.The report also noted a shift in the preferences of Kenyan property buyers and tenants, with gated communities becoming increasingly attractive.Knight Frank noted that buyers are willing to pay more for homes with plenty of green space, with well-landscaped developments attracting more interest than those with limited outdoor areas.
Read briefing CS Kagwe urges Kenya to invest in meat processing to unlock US$3.01B industry Food Business Middle East & Africa
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Read briefing Court says the tea factory had not shown that excluding it from the case would affect its interests.
Read briefing Saudi Arabia, Syria sign four transport agreements to boost regional connectivity Food Business Middle East & Africa
Read briefing The unveiling of a new police uniform for general duty officers in the Kenya Police Service has been welcomed as a significant step.
Read briefing Before they built a production company serving some of the world’s biggest organisations, James Hakesley and Roy Kimani were simply two university friends with a shared passion for cameras and filmmaking. The British-born Hakesley and Kenyan-born Kimani met at university and began working together on small productions, gradually taking on larger projects as they honed […]
Read briefing A gang leader in Haiti has threatened to execute more than 50 hostages days after 47 people from a once-peaceful farming community were killed.
Read briefing Who is in the room when South Africa’s creative economy is decided? African Business
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Read briefing CIC Insurance Group 2026 H1Net Profit Jumps 70.3% to KSh1.09Billion - Business Today Kenya
Read briefing Britam Half-Year Profit Jumps 53% to Record KSh 2.66Bn The Kenyan Wallstreet
Read briefing Old Mutual Half-Year Profit Jumps 17,540% to KSh 882Mn The Kenyan Wallstreet
Read briefing The dispute stems from a Sh1.9 billion loan by Bank of Baroda to Infinity in 2019 to finance its industrial park project along Nairobi’s Eastern Bypass.
Read briefing Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89 after being hospitalised for treatment of a rare blood disorder. The Norwegian royal palace in Oslo announced that the monarch died peacefully at 6:35 a.m. local time (04:35 GMT) on Friday at the national hospital in Oslo. Following his death, the royal flag at […]
Read briefing China’s electric vehicle (EV) industry is expanding its footprint in Africa beyond vehicle exports and assembly, with investments increasingly moving into battery materials and component manufacturing.Morocco has emerged as one of the continent’s most advanced markets in this transition, attracting Chinese investment, government support and development finance for battery-related projects. South Africa, meanwhile, is positioning itself as another potential manufacturing base, with Chinese automaker BYD exploring the possibility of producing batteries locally.The developments point to a broader shift in Africa’s EV ambitions. Rather than limiting the continent’s role to importing electric vehicles or assembling vehicles from imported components, governments are increasingly seeking to capture more value from the battery supply chain.A major development in Morocco came with the African Development Bank’s approval of a $114 million loan for Gotion High-Tech’s planned battery gigafactory. The project is expected to strengthen Morocco’s position in battery manufacturing and represents a significant commitment from a development finance institution to an African battery production project. The financing is also significant because access to long-term capital remains one of the major challenges facing large-scale industrial projects across Africa. Development finance support could make battery manufacturing projects more attractive to commercial investors and potentially encourage similar investments elsewhere on the continent.Morocco has spent several years building the foundations for an automotive and battery manufacturing ecosystem. Chinese companies have increasingly become part of that strategy, with investments extending from vehicle production to battery materials. In 2024, Morocco signed a $300 million agreement with China’s BTR New Material Group to develop a cathode materials plant in Tangier. A separate Chinese-Moroccan joint venture, Cobco, is also developing battery component manufacturing capacity in the country.The country is also seeing investment in other parts of the battery supply chain. Abu Dhabi-based Falcon Energy Materials has commissioned a 25,000-tonne-per-year anode materials pilot project at Jorf Lasfar near Casablanca and has entered into technical partnerships with Chinese companies including Shanghai Shanshan New Material and Hensen. These projects complement Morocco’s established automotive manufacturing industry, creating the beginnings of a supply chain that connects raw and processed materials, battery components and vehicle production.Morocco’s advantage is partly the result of deliberate industrial policy. The country has spent years attracting automotive manufacturers and suppliers, creating an industrial base that can be extended into electric vehicles and their components.Further south, South Africa is pursuing a different route. BYD, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, is exploring the possibility of establishing battery manufacturing operations in the country. Rather than initially following other manufacturers into local vehicle assembly, the company is considering an investment centred on the battery technology that has been fundamental to its business.The possibility emerged more clearly following the launch of a BYD Finance joint venture with South African financial services group Absa in July, when company executives discussed ambitions extending beyond vehicle sales.For South Africa, battery manufacturing could connect the country’s automotive industry with its mineral resources while creating opportunities to participate in a higher-value segment of the EV supply chain. Policy is becoming an important part of that equation. The South African government has updated its Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy and is considering changes to automotive incentives designed to encourage greater local value addition in electric vehicle manufacturing.One proposed measure would allow a portion of the value of critical minerals sourced from Southern Africa to count towards local value addition in EV battery production. The objective is to encourage the processing of minerals within the region rather than exporting raw materials and importing finished battery components. If BYD moves ahead with a South African battery facility, the project could provide a significant boost to the country’s efforts to establish an EV manufacturing ecosystem. It could also provide the company with a regional base for batteries used in vehicles and energy storage applications. However, unlike Morocco, South Africa has yet to secure a comparable large-scale battery manufacturing commitment.The contrasting positions of Morocco and South Africa highlight a broader question for African countries seeking to participate in the EV transition: whether possessing mineral resources is enough to attract manufacturing investment. The evidence so far suggests it is not. Battery manufacturing requires access to electricity, transport infrastructure, skilled labour, industrial land, financing and reliable supply chains. It also requires policies that give investors enough certainty to commit capital to projects that can take years to reach commercial scale.
Read briefing Kenya Pipeline Signs KSh 93.7 Billion Gulf Energy Oil Deal The Kenyan Wallstreet
Read briefing Kenyan content creator turned DJ Pritty Vishy has clarified recent remarks regarding her influences, clarifying that her admiration for South African DJ Cyan was a matter of personal artistic preference rather than a discredit to local talent. Responding to public criticism via her Instagram stories on Thursday, August 27, 2026, Vishy stated that her comments […]
Read briefing Every day, governments make decisions that affect the health and well-being of millions of people, from responding to disease outbreaks and improving maternal and child health services to planning the health workforce and investing in stronger health systems. Yet these decisions are often made using information scattered across multiple systems, making it difficult to obtain a complete and timely picture of population health.Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa launched the Regional Health Data Hub, a new digital platform that brings together fragmented health data and transforms it into actionable intelligence for better health decision-making across the African Region.The consequences of fragmented data are practical. Efforts to reduce maternal deaths, for instance, depend on combining information on antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, emergency obstetric services, health workforce availability and medicine supplies, data that are often stored in separate systems. By bringing these datasets together, the Regional Health Data Hub helps decision-makers identify underserved populations, target resources where they are needed most and make more informed decisions that improve health outcomes.The Regional Health Data Hub is a shared digital platform that supports all 47 Member States of the WHO African Region. It enables governments, public health institutions, researchers, development partners, and other stakeholders to access harmonized health information, monitor trends, compare progress and generate the evidence needed to make informed decisions. Through a secure web platform, users can access integrated data while countries retain full ownership of their information.“No health decision in our region should be taken in the dark. Every policy, every investment and every action to improve people’s health should be guided by reliable evidence. The Regional Health Data Hub reflects our commitment to ensuring that countries have timely access to the evidence they need to anticipate challenges, direct resources where they are needed most and improve the health and well-being of their populations,” said Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.The Hub integrates information from multiple health programmes, including maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, noncommunicable diseases, infectious diseases and health systems, into a single interoperable platform. Through interactive dashboards, maps and analytical tools, it enables users to explore trends, monitor progress towards universal health coverage and generate insights that support timely, integrated and evidence-informed decision-making.The Regional Health Data Hub complements existing national health information systems rather than replacing them. Countries retain ownership of their data while benefiting from common standards that improve interoperability, strengthen data quality and support secure information sharing. A regional governance framework under development will further promote transparency, accountability and responsible data stewardship, helping to build trust in the use of health information across the Region.The platform also incorporates advanced analytics and artificial intelligence-enabled capabilities that support forecasting, trend analysis and evidence generation. As additional datasets, indicators and analytical tools are introduced through a phased approach, the Hub will continue to expand its ability to support proactive planning, better resource allocation and more resilient health systems across the Region.Better data alone do not improve people’s health—better decisions do. By giving countries faster access to reliable, integrated and actionable health information, the Regional Health Data Hub will help transform data into evidence, evidence into action, and action into better health outcomes for millions of people across the African Region.
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