IEBC has published a current outreach update on youth and stakeholder engagement tied to electoral participation ahead of the 2027 General Election. While not a policy change, the activity is relevant because it signals how the commission plans to mobilise voters, address misinformation, and build county-level participation infrastructure ahead of registration and campaign periods.Why it matters: Youth mobilisation and stakeholder outreach can shape county participation, voter-registration uptake, and election trust; this is a live national lead with county implications and should be marked sensitive for editor review.
Read briefing AP’s reported feature shows how nightlife persists in conservative Sokoto despite insecurity and social restrictions.Why it matters: A vivid but grounded social-economy piece from Africa’s biggest market, with strong visual material and wide audience interest.
Read briefing Rwanda’s president is defending a crackdown on unsafe alcoholic drinks, including some reportedly originating in Kenya, as a public-health enforcement measure.Why it matters: A cross-border Kenya-linked regulatory and consumer-safety story with regional trade and health implications.
Read briefing Ghana is facing a significant shortfall tied to reduced external support, with officials warning that childhood immunisation progress could be undermined.Why it matters: This is a high-impact public health and financing story with wider implications for African health systems.
Read briefing Reporting examines whether Kenya’s push into AI and data infrastructure can be reconciled with water stress concerns in Naivasha and surrounding areas.Why it matters: It connects fast-growing tech investment with a real resource constraint, making it relevant for policy, business and environment desks.
Read briefing Kenyan nurses are escalating industrial action over pay and workplace conditions, adding pressure to an already strained health system and risking service disruptions in public hospitals.Why it matters: This is a live domestic labor and public-health story with immediate implications for patients, county governments and national bargaining.
Read briefing The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is harmonising seed laws across the region to boost agricultural production, food security, and cross-border trade in quality planting materials. Speaking during a public hearingLeaders have called for renewed and coordinated efforts to protect children and adolescents from the "Triple Threat” of HIV infections, teenage pregnancies, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The First Lady,The Government Spokesperson, Charles Owino, has urged Kenyans to assess President William Ruto’s Administration against the promises contained in the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, rather than relying on political rhetoric and propaganda. Owino, whoThe National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has set a target of reducing road fatalities by 50 per cent by 2028, as motorists and boda boda riders in Kwale CountyKenya increased its education budget to Sh784.5 billion for the 2026/27 financial year, up from Sh702 billion in 2025/26, as the Government steps up investment in teachers, equity, education data
Read briefing Comprehensive, up-to-date news coverage, aggregated from sources all over the world by Google News.
Read briefing In tonight's programme, we speak to a Lagos analyst behind a new report laying out the figures behind abductions. Also, Tanzania's ruling party kicks the vice-president out even after he announces his plans to step down next week. And finally in Senegal, the first African-manufactured generic drug to treat sickle cell disease is raising hopes of better treatment and reduced reliance on costly imported medicine.
Read briefing Comprehensive, up-to-date news coverage, aggregated from sources all over the world by Google News.
Read briefing Prosecutors argued Clancy made a calculated decision to murder the children, while the defence argued that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis.
Read briefing Comprehensive, up-to-date news coverage, aggregated from sources all over the world by Google News.
Read briefing Comprehensive, up-to-date news coverage, aggregated from sources all over the world by Google News.
Read briefing The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has defended its decision to raise the minimum yield for containers carrying general consolidated cargo to Sh3.2 million, saying the measure is aimed at keeping customs valuation in line with prevailing economic and trading conditions.This comes amid planned protests on August 28 by cargo handlers and the importers. Traders plan to camp at the tax man offices in Nairobi in a move that may paralyze operations at large.KRA said it recognises the importance of cargo consolidation, particularly for small-scale traders who pool shipments to access more affordable logistics and simplify customs clearance.The authority said customs valuation of imported goods is governed by Section 122 and the Fourth Schedule of the East African Community Customs Management Act, under which duty is assessed based on the transaction value of goods.KRA said where an import declaration is supported by proper commercial documentation, Customs assesses goods based on the declared transaction value, subject to applicable legal and risk-management requirements.However, the authority said consolidated cargo presents unique challenges because it can contain numerous small consignments belonging to different traders.To facilitate faster clearance, Customs uses a minimum yield test for containers carrying commonly imported general goods. The test provides a reference point for identifying containers that meet established thresholds and can be cleared with minimal Customs intervention.KRA said the minimum yield was last reviewed in the 2022/23 financial year, but significant changes in the operating environment, including exchange rates, freight charges and national and East African Community tax laws, necessitated a fresh review.The revised minimum yield of Sh3.2 million took effect on August 21, 2026, following consultations with industry stakeholders.KRA said it had initially granted traders a one-month grace period after stakeholders requested additional time to prepare for implementation.The authority, however, stressed that the Sh3.2 million figure does not represent the actual tax liability for goods contained in a particular container.Instead, it is a risk-management reference used under the simplified clearance arrangement. The actual taxes payable are determined by the nature, value and classification of the goods in accordance with applicable customs valuation and tax laws.Traders who believe the minimum yield does not reflect the actual value of their goods can opt out of the simplified arrangement and request Customs to verify the contents of their containers.They can also de-consolidate their cargo into individual parcels or consignments, allowing each importer to make an individual declaration and pay taxes directly to KRA based on the actual goods and their correct customs value and classification.KRA said it would continue supporting small-scale traders and legitimate businesses while taking measures to prevent abuse of customs procedures.The authority said its objective was to balance trade facilitation with the need to protect government revenue and maintain a fair business environment. Some of those affected have since moved to court accusing the government of violating their rights. The matter was slated for September 22.Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
Read briefing The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has strongly dismissed allegations of corruption, political interference and voter suppression linked to preparations for the 2027 General Election, accusing Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) leader Rigathi Gachagua of spreading unsubstantiated claims.In a statement issued Thursday, IEBC Chairperson Erastus Edung Ethekon said the commission had taken note of reports circulating in mainstream and social media following remarks made by Mr Gachagua during a press briefing on Wednesday.Ethekon said the commission was properly constituted and focused on delivering its constitutional mandate ahead of the August 10, 2027 General Election.He dismissed attempts to question the appointment of the current commissioners, saying the process was conducted publicly and subsequently subjected to judicial scrutiny, which found it lawful.“The Commission having been properly constituted is focused on its mandate and owes its allegiance to the Constitution and the people of Kenya,” Ethekon said.The commission also challenged Gachagua to provide evidence for his allegation that politicians had purchased a house for the IEBC chairperson to influence his decisions.According to the IEBC, the alleged value of the house had initially been put at Sh80 million but had since risen to Sh200 million.Ethekon demanded that the DCP leader provide the alleged property’s location and transaction documents, including sale and transfer agreements, payment receipts and details of the buyer and seller, and submit them to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission for investigation.The IEBC said that without evidence, the allegations amounted to a smear campaign against its leadership and staff.It urged politicians with specific complaints against commissioners or employees to use established legal and constitutional mechanisms rather than making public accusations.The commission further rejected allegations of misconduct against Mr Ethekon and Vice Chairperson, saying similar claims made against the vice chairperson during last year’s Magarini by-election remained unsubstantiated.The IEBC said the Magarini by-election was conducted in a free, fair and credible manner and no election petition was filed challenging the outcome.The commission also addressed growing scrutiny over the procurement of technology and ballot papers for the 2027 elections.It said two major tenders had temporarily been halted after requests for review were filed before the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.The affected tenders are IEBC/OIT/01/2026-2027 for the supply, installation, testing, commissioning, support and maintenance of the Integrated Elections Management System, including hardware and accessories.The second is IEBC/OIT/02/2026-2027 for the supply and delivery of ballot papers, tactile folders, the Register of Voters and statutory election result declaration forms.The commission insisted that the procurement processes were being conducted in accordance with Article 227 of the Constitution, the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act and other applicable regulations.It said documents relating to the technology tender were uploaded to the IEBC website and the Public Procurement Information Portal on August 11.The commission further rejected claims that the technology tender had already been awarded to a particular company.According to Ethekon, the procurement is still at an early stage and no award has been made.He said the technical specifications were generic and performance-based, allowing any qualified supplier to compete.The specifications, he added, had been developed with reference to Supreme Court directives, lessons learnt from previous elections and feedback from IEBC field officers.“The tendering processes are elaborate, and the final decisions will be reached after rigorous, open and transparent processes are concluded in accordance with the procurement laws,” he said.The commission warned bidders against seeking political influence or associating themselves with politicians in an attempt to influence the procurement process.It said all decisions would be based on the law and established procurement procedures.The commission also moved to reassure Kenyans over the security of the Register of Voters, amid allegations that voter information could be manipulated or shared with external parties during system migration.Ethekon said the Register of Voters remained under the exclusive custody of the IEBC and there was no plan or directive to suppress voters from any region or tamper with their data.He said allegations that the commission was sharing voter registration data with external parties were false and unsubstantiated.The chairperson outlined the process through which the register is developed, beginning with in-person registration and verification of voters using official identification documents.Biographical and biometric information, including fingerprints and facial images, is captured before the data is transmitted to a central database.
Read briefing In a video titled “I ain’t dead yet!,” the singer explained: “Back when my husband Carl was sick, that was a long time, and then he passed, I didn’t take care of myself, so I let a lot of things go that I should have been taking care of.”Parton’s husband, Carl Dean, died in March 2025. While the couple never disclosed what disease he had, Parton shared that he was “ill for quite a while.” Parton, of course, died this week of cancer, which she didn’t talk about publicly, following a couple of years of health issues including kidney stones. We don’t know how she didn’t take care of herself, but her few words speak volumes given that she had been taking such extensive care of her husband.While that video update 10 months ago may have felt like a small detail in the life of one of America’s most beloved musicians, it gives voice to a big problem immediately recognized by many of America’s 63 million caregivers.When you care for someone else, it is all too easy to neglect to care for yourself.“The data shows this is happening in millions of homes across America. Caregivers’ health is worn down by the labor of care. Even with her privilege, Dolly is not an exception,” said Jason Resendez, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving.Caregiving comes with a serious health risk Some 23% of caregivers report that they find it difficult to pay attention to their own health while caring for another, according to a report from the National Alliance for Caregiving and the AARP. The percentage goes up for female, LGBTQ+, Latino and lower-income caregivers.Nancy Slavin, 57, is a “24-hour” caregiver to her mom in their shared home near Portland, Oregon. She deeply values this time they have had together, but the care has come at a cost to her health. Slavin had neglected routine cancer screenings for years until she finally got around to it and had a scare that got her attention. On top of that neglect, it has limited her capacity to socialize and do things like attend literary readings and gatherings she once loved.“Ultimately, I love my mom and will never regret having done this,” she said. “But at the same time, I don’t want it to kill me because I am a mom, have a spouse, and I want a good life.”Even those who do long-distance caregiving can experience burnout and self-neglect.Heidi Lescanec, 54, lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, far from her mom in Ontario. Still, the demands of caring for her mom physically and emotionally overwhelm her. She’s found it hard to take deep breaths, chew her food, let alone do other types of more meaningful self-care while feeling deeply responsible for another person.“You can’t distribute that work. You are the one person they will speak to. Even if you wish to delegate some of the work, there has to be one person at the helm and that’s me,” she said.The average family caregiver spends 27 hours a week on care, Resendez told me, and many put in 40 hours or more. “There is an intensity that comes with caring for someone with a serious illness. It is a job that doesn’t leave much room for self-care,” he said.And many caregivers physically and emotionally struggle because they lack financial resources to hire help with care, and therefore receive no assistance with, or break from, the repetitive and demanding work.Close to two-thirds of caregivers report emotional stress, and 45% report physical strain. There is the additional burden of loneliness, experienced by nearly a quarter of all caregivers who may be missing opportunities to socialize and connect outside their homes, away from the family members and friends they care for.As Parton’s last chapter tells us, even caregivers who can afford hired help, along with easy-to-navigate medical care, risk compromising their own well-being while tending to another. Caregivers just don’t have the bandwidthCaregivers’ self-neglect often comes down to practical matters. “There is a logistical piece that drives a lot of this,” said Allison Applebaum, professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine and director of the Steven S. Elbaum Family Center for Caregiving at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. “It is impossible to schedule medical appointments these days, and how can you reliably do that while not being able to plan past tomorrow with the person you are caring for?” said Applebaum, who is also author of “Stand By Me: A Guide to Navigating Modern, Meaningful Caregiving.” Also, when people are spending much of their days dealing with hospitals or at doctor’s offices with those they care for, they just don’t want to spend any precious free time in a medical setting for themselves.Neal K. Shah, cofounder and CEO of CareYaya Health Technologies, a health-tech platform that connects families with affordable elder care, said Parton’s story felt very familiar.During the several years he was the caregiver for his wife, who had cancer, he didn’t go to a single doctor’s appointment for himself. He said his health needs just didn’t seem as important as hers.
Read briefing Dozens of Americans and Canadians are among hundreds of people who are missing following a deadly flash flood and mudslide near the Nepal-Tibet border, Nepali authorities say.More than 350 people are so far known to have died, according to the authorities.The US State Department said it was aware that Americans were impacted by Wednesday’s floods but did not provide numbers.It added that the US embassy in Nepal is working closely with local tour agencies and authorities to assist affected Americans, a spokesperson said.Canada’s foreign office said it was also monitoring developments and was ready to provide assistance if needed.According to Nepal police, more than 500 tourists are missing from 28 different countries – most of whom are foreign nationals.The Nepal Tourism Board has broken down the missing by nationality. Its latest announcement on Thursday morning said there are 65 people from the US and 25 from Canada.State media in China, which controls Tibet, reported three dead and at least 558 missing there. Among these are 260 foreign nationals, CCTV said. It is not clear if these figures overlap with Nepal’s.CCTV from Tibet showed a wall of water and mud hitting buildings at a border crossing.The US State Department did not provide figures or additional details regarding the Americans affected for privacy reasons.Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government was closely following the situation.The prime minister said all Canadians in the region should sign up for Registration of Canadians Abroad, a free service that lets the federal government contact and assist citizens during an emergency in other countries.Canada’s foreign affairs office said 820 Canadians are registered as being in Nepal and five Canadians are registered as being in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China, citing the Registration of Canadians Abroad system.The office emphasised that the numbers are only estimates as registration is voluntary and includes registrants that might not have made travel plans.“The Department is aware of Canadians who have been affected by the floods,” the Global Affairs Office said in a statement to the BBC.Initial reports from Nepal had suggested that an earthquake may have triggered the ice avalanche and landslide.But the US Geological Survey, which studies earthquakes, has now said that further analysis indicates “that the seismic energy was instead generated by a landslide” by itself.Landslides or avalanches can have various triggers. One possibility is that water – either from rainfall or melting ice – may have destabilised the ground or ice.Climate change is known to be driving faster glacier melt in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, but scientists say it is too soon to pinpoint its role in this specific event.The flash flooding swept away entire communities. Roads and bridges worth more than 15bn Nepalese rupees (£72.18m, $98.33m) were damaged by the floods, a government official told BBC Nepali, citing initial estimates.The US Embassy in Nepal said it remained in close contact with Nepali authorities.“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and devastation caused by the Bhote Koshi flood that struck Rasuwa district and communities downstream,” it said in a statement posted on social media. “We extend our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and our thoughts are with all those affected by this disaster.”Nepal’s President Ram Chandra Paudel has called upon the government, political parties, social organisations, all agencies including security forces, and the general public to intensify rescue and relief efforts.“I urge everyone to remain vigilant and actively engage in necessary coordination and cooperation in the lower coastal areas,” he said.Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
Read briefing Uefa is preparing criminal legal proceedings against Fifa president Gianni Infantino over the now scrapped plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup and its other competitions to private investors. Documents seen by BBC Sport show an application has been made by European football’s governing body requesting access to evidence and documents for use in proceedings in Switzerland against the embattled president himself, who Uefa accuses of “criminal mismanagement”.Shortly after this summer’s World Cup, Infantino proposed creating a new company, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would have sold off stakes in Fifa’s football competitions to private investors.In the application for evidence, Uefa claims that Infantino engineered the plan in order to enrich himself and the potential private investors.“In truth, it was a vehicle for Infantino and that small circle to acquire a permanent stake in and otherwise profit from Fifa’s most valuable assets to the detriment of Fifa, its members, and other parties within the football family,” Uefa’s application says.“Infantino pushed the plan through internal Fifa approval only days earlier at a hastily convened meeting where a limited number of Fifa’s management officials and employees – some of whom had never heard of the plan – were given mere hours to sign off on an unprecedented multi-billion dollar scheme.” BBC Sport has approached Infantino and Fifa for comment.Uefa also claims that the valuation of the stakes to be sold were not independently verified and would have been offered too cheaply, calling the proposed sale “a fraudulently off-market price promoted by Infantino for his own benefit”.The application adds: “Under the terms Infantino announced, those investors stood to acquire a permanent financial interest in Fifa’s commercial arm for $4.2bn, implying an absurdly low enterprise value of only approximately $20bn, a figure that was neither the product of an open, competitive auction, nor tested by any independent valuer.”In the application, Uefa is applying to a court in Florida to attempt to access files held by two Fifa businesses – Fifa Americas and FWC2026 – to be used to pursue the criminal charges in Switzerland at a later stage.Uefa claims that its 55 member nations would have potentially been harmed by the sell-off plan, and that it may pursue criminal proceedings against other Fifa officials as well as Infantino.“Uefa and other interested parties are preparing to bring criminal claims in Switzerland against Infantino and possibly other Fifa officials and advisors for criminal mismanagement,” the application states.“The secretive structuring, valuation, financing, and marketing inflicted direct and concrete injury on Fifa’s reputation, governance authority, and commercial relationships to the detriment of Fifa as well as its 211 members, including Uefa’s 55 member associations.”Uefa insists that the plan was concocted without the knowledge of them or other key stakeholders in football, and that it had been long in development.The applications says: “On July 28, 2026, without consulting the Fifa Council, Uefa, or any of the other confederations, or any of the 211 Fifa member associations, Infantino, purportedly acting on behalf of Fifa, publicly announced a plan to place the commercial rights to the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new subsidiary: Fifa Forward Enterprise.“That announcement by Infantino was the public unveiling of a plan that he and a small circle of co-conspirators had conceived and reportedly been developing in secret for more than a year.”Uefa states in the document that there has been “an enduring history of corruption among Fifa officials” and claims that world football’s governing body only relents on its plans when pressure comes from outside the sport.“Fifa’s extraordinary power over world football has operated largely without meaningful internal constraint, with accountability coming principally through external forces, including political pressure, public scrutiny, and intervention through international criminal law enforcement,” the application adds.Fifa’s headquarters are in the Swiss city of Zurich, and Uefa says that its plan to eventually pursue criminal charges against Infantino is backed up by Swiss law.“Swiss counsel has confirmed […] that the proceeding is within reasonable contemplation for purposes of Swiss law and that Uefa has standing, as a complainant, to file a criminal complaint for criminal mismanagement against Infantino and potentially other Fifa officials as may be warranted.”Why has Infantino’s plan been so controversial? Infantino offered Fifa’s 211 member associations $40m (£30m) if they backed the proposal for private investment in its tournaments via FFE, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.The Swiss has faced calls to step down after he scrapped the controversial plan earlier this month. Uefa has led the backlash to the proposal, stating it had lost confidence in Infantino, and with its members voting to boycott World Cups unless the FFE plan was scrapped.
Read briefing The AU Commission chief underscored the critical need to "take all necessary measures to prevent the conflict in Sudan from extending beyond the country's borders."
Read briefing Peter Cullen, who voiced characters in Winnie the Pooh and Transformers, has died aged 85, his agent and family have confirmed.
Read briefing The transfer is part of a wider process under which UNTMIS is gradually handing its functions to Somali institutions, the UN Country Team and other partners before the mission's mandate ends.
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Read briefing Kenya won 25-17, 25-10, 25-18 at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, with the first set providing the closest contest of the match.
Read briefing The association also instructed traders and business owners not to participate in street protests, demonstrations or strikes, saying it was pursuing dialogue with KRA to find a solution to the grievances.
Read briefing 